out Firm. True 't is such dirt has been cast upon that Sacred Order by ignorant and discontented persons such an one was Aerius the first Anti-Episcopal man we read of but this groundless opinion is abundantly confuted by the Testimony of holy Scripture by the practise of the â—niversal Church attested by the general consent of Fathers and Councels as you may see in Dr. Hammond's book against Blondel Dr. Taylor 's treatise of the Divine right of Episcopacy with many others First The Scripture is clean for differrent Orders in the Clergy Our blessed Saviour besides his Seaventy Disciples had his Twelve Apostles which were superior to them as is evident by the chusing of Matthias into the place of Iudas from the example of Timothy and Titus the one a â—ishop of Creet the other of Ephesus by the general consent of Antiquity in those and other Churches In that once famous Church of Rome we have the Catalogue of those Bishops which presided there about Thirty of them suffering Martyrdom for the Testimony of our Lord Jesus What should I mention the Angels of the Seaven Asiatick Churches which by the general consent of the Fâ—thers were the Bishops of those Churches nay St. Hierome himself no good friend to this Order does acknowledg That when Christians began to he divided one being of Paul an other of Cephas to prevent such Schisms there past an vniversal Decree throughout the world Thâ—t Bishops should be setled in every Citty who should govern with the Common Councel of the Bresbyters and that one of the Bresbyters should be elected and set over the rest for taking away the seeds of Schism Dub. I am very well perswaded by what you have said that the Primitive goverment of the Church was by Bishops with the assistance of the Presbyterie who had authority over the Presbyters and were their superiors But I pray you satisfie me in this one thing Why did St. Paul so shâ—rply reprove the Corinthians for not excommunicating the Incestuous Person if they had no authority so to do without a Bishop Firm. This at the first sight seems to be a very smart objection but if we seriously consider the words upon which 't is grounded it has no weight at all The Text that is cited to prove it is 1. Corinth 5.2 Ye are puffed up and have not rather mourned that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you Where the Apostle reproves them for want of humiliation for so soul a sin not for the neglect of Excommunication He that had committed that great sin was to be taken away or cut off from the â—hurch but they themselves could not exclude him but this was to be done by the Spirit of St. Paul verse 3 4. in whom the power of Jurisdiction was originally â—eated there being then no Bishop of Corinth for evident it is that in those Churches where there were no Bishops the Apostles kept the power of Jurisdiction in their own hands until Bishops were setled among them as is manifest in the Churches of Ephesus and Creet Neither can it ever be proved that Bresbyters as such had any Jurisdiction belonging to the publick goverment of the Church but by particular Substitution and Delegation from the Apostles and Bishops and noâ— by virtue of their own Order Dub. I am very well satisfied both from Scripture and the general practise of the Church which is the best Comment on the Text That Episcopacy is an Apostolical Institution and I confess I am much confirm'd in this perswasion by Gods blessing upon our English Bishops and Episcopal men such as Cranmer Ridley Iewel Carlton Abbots Morton Andrews Vsher who of English extraction Hall Laud and Sanderson Hooker Cracanthorp Iackson c. whose profound Learning and Piety has given the greatest wounds to the Church of Rome that ever she received â—rom any Protestant writers and their judicious works have been the strongest sence against Popery Heresie Rebellion and Schism that the Christian world can ever boast of Firm. I much rejoyce that you have so good an opinion of our Bishops and Episcopal men I hope the Authority of these renowned Worthies will weigh much with you in our following discourses We will now if you please proceed to your exceptions against Deans and Chapters you shall find all those Learned men before mentioned and many more your opposites in this your second exception as well as in the former Dub. 'T is probable I shall however that I may receive full satisfaction from you give me leave to propose some doubts and scruples which I have against them As 1. They were not from the Beginning but as it were of yesterday 2. They seem to be very useless serving only to maintain the pride and grandure of many idle drones 3. Many poor Parochial Churches are rob'd of their Tiths and Glebs to maintain such lazy Ministers 4. Their Vicars Choral and Singing-men are many of them of no very commendable conversation have little sense or relish of Religion 5. Their Toning of Prayers their Chore service is like a Latine Masse not understood by the people 6. Their Organs and other Musical Instruments are Levitical utterly unlawful under the Gospel Firm. You may think these are such knots which admit of no easy solution but I shall presently make you understand the contrary First I shall shew you that Cathedrals Deans and Chapters though not under those names were from the beginning of Christianity It is clear from the Acts of the Apostles and the Records of the Church that the Apostles and Disciples of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ those spiritual Fishermen cast in their nets where they were like to make the greatest and most advantegious draughts They usually Preached in the most Populous Citys where they established Churches which anon after were called Mother-Churches to which the Suburbican or those that dwelt in the adjacent Villages were subject and with the Mother-Churches made up the Bishops Diocess which they governed as St. Hirome confesses by the common councel and assistance of Presbiters termed at Rome in after times Cardinals or chief Presbiters and in the time of Charles the great as the Magdeburgenses inform us were incorpated into a Colledge under the name of Dem and Chapter the Dean by the Canon-law being called Arch-Presbiter Before the sounding of Universsitys these Cathedrals were the Schools of the Prophets where young Students were train'd up in the Study of Divinity and other good learning Gerard gives us a tast of their first institution their corruption and how they might be restored to their primitive uses I could wish that some learned Person who has the advantage of Books and well Studyed men to consult with and leisure all which we Country Ministers are deprived of would write in the Vindication of Cathedrals and manifest to this invidious age that the institution of Deans and Chapters is very usefull to the Church and very Antient as I
perswaded that Shisms and Heresies are the necessary consequents of mens invading the Ministry without regular Ordination But for my better satisfaction I pray you let me understand the reasons that make against this Independent practise Firm. My Reasons are these drawn First from plain Scripture as Ierem. 14.14 and 23.21 where there is a complaint against those Prophets That Prophesied lyes in Gods name and he sent them not And again the same Prophet I have not sent these Prophets and yet they ran I have not spoken unto them and yet they Prophesied therefore they shall not profit these people at all Neither was this Sending and Calling a necessary requisite only under the Law but also in the time of the Gospel The first that were ever called and sent to preach the glad tidings of the kingdom of Heaven were the Apostles who were first Disciples to the best of Masters before they were sent out to Preach First Qualified foâ— the work and then Sent. So upon the treason and death of Iudas Matthias was made an Apostle in his place but by Election and Ordination Acts 1. Heb. 5. No man must take this honoâ— upon him but he that is called of God either immediately or by the Governors of the Church and hereupon it was that St. Paul left Timothy at Ephesus and Titus at Creete to Ordain Elders in every Citty instructing them how the Priests and Deacons ought to be qualified 'T is well worth our observation how the Apostle makes the salvation of men to depend ordinarily upon the Preaching of Sent and Called Ministers Rom. 10. Whosoever calleth upon thâ— name of the Lord he shall be saved but such Calling presupposeth Believing Hearing Preaching Sending how shall they Preach except they be sent Dub. 'T is evident by the Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament That no man ought to take upon him the Office of a Minister before he has a lawful Call from the Church or can by working Miracles make it appear that he is immediately called from God which is not now to be expected Firm. And 't is as evident from the practise of the Church from the time of the Apostles even to this present age for he that shall peruse her Records shall find that whosoever did presume to take upon himself the office of publick Preaching or Administation of the Sacraments without an extraordinary Call arrested by Miracles or an ordinary one from the Governors of the Church was ever accounted a Theif and a Robber no true Shephard that entred in at the Church door but crept in or climb'd up some other way And hereupon Tertullian complains That in their Heretical Conventicles their Women were bold pratlers they did preach dispute baptize meer Laicks did usurp the Priests office by which means instead of converting Heathens they did pervert Christians St. Hierom also in an Epistle to Paulinus complains That every one did presume to interpret holy Scripture prating old women doting old men Husbandmen Masons Iacks of all trades even as it has been in this divided Nation Trades-men Shoemakers â—oblers Glovers Taylors have skip'd from the Shop to the Pulpit and have left stitching of graments to make a rent in the Church Dub. There is no ingenuous man that is acquainted with the Tenents of Anabaptists and Quakers that will deny that our Sectaries have sharpned their Tools which they have used against us at the Forges of these Philistins Have you any thing else to object aginst these Schismatick practices Firm. Yes The prudential order which is used in all other callings the ablest Lawer Gentleman Soldier muâ—â— not execute the office of a Judge Justice of Peace Commander in war without a Commission a Student in Physick cannot practise without a Linence no man can set up his Trade in a well Governd Corporation untill he has serv'd out his Appâ—entiship and is made a Freeman Such excellent order is observd in Civil affâ—irs but in the great concerns of the Church there should bâ— nothing but confusion if these men might be sufferd to act according to their irrational and extravagant Phansies Dub. 'T is most apparent that their actions are against Scripture the practise of the Cartholick Church and the dictates of reason which no Christian no Sober man will contradict Therefore let us leave this headless Faction and discourse about Presbytery which has the most plausible reasons for its Nonconformity to our Church of any other that do seperate from us DIALOGVE VII Against Presbytery Firm. THe first step you made out of our Church as I have heard was unto Presbyterie I desire to know the reasons why you left our Communion and made choice of theirs Dub. I confess the first step I made out of the Church of England was into the Tents of Presbyterie thence to the Independents and so to the Anabaptists and at last I became little better then an Atheist as I before have declared Thus unhâ—ppy man as I was being out of the true Church I was like Noah's Dove out of the Ark fluttering over the Floods of Eâ—rors and boiâ—terous waves of Shismâ— Factions and Heresies finding no firm land for the sole of my foot to rest upon Firm. This was not your case alone but of many â—n unâ—table soul thâ—t in those laâ—e times of Rebellion confusion Eph. 4. has been blown about with every wind of doctriâ—e by the sleight of men Jesuits Priest and Socintans and their cunning craftinesâ— whereby they havâ— lain in wait to deceive An â—â—ence it was thâ—t the Prophet David's curse fell heâ—vy upon them for they have fallen from one wickedness to another from one wicked opinion to a sâ—â—ond a third c. till at length they have turned Seekers Scepticks Atheists and Scoffers at all Religion Dub. This was once my condition but praised be the Lord who has brought my foot out of the snare I have by his blessing shaked off all those wild and groundless fancies and am more then half perswaded that the Church of England is one of the moâ—t Orthodox Apostolical Churches under the cope of Heaven However for my better confirmation let me hear your answers to those exceptions which the Presbyterians have urged against her goverment by Arch-Bishops Bishops Deans and Chapters her Lyturgie her set Forms of Prayer her Ceremonies her receiving persons of scandalous lives and grosly ignorant in the principles of Religion to the holy Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ. These were the great scandals at which I somtimes stumbled and fell from the Communion of the Church into the Congregation of our Classical Brethren Firm. I shall mosâ— willingly give in my answer to those exceptions in that order you have ranked them Therefore in the first place let me hear what you can object against our Bishops Dub. I have been told They are Antchristian not heard of in the Primitive times Such Plants as our Heavenly Father hath not planted and therefore to be rooted
either 2. They are under a judiciall blindness God has given them reason and understanding eyes that they might see hearts that they might understand but they wilfully shut their eyes against that light and then by the just judgment of Almighty God this light is taken from them they are given up to blindness of mind and hardness of heart as were the antient heathens Rom 1. 3. Their lives are utterly contrary to the holy nature of God to his sacred word there is an antipathy an emnity betwixt their Debaucheries their filthiness their profaneness and his most holy laws Rom. 8.7 every line of it flyes in their faces threatening them with hel and damnation whereupon they cavil with they quarrell against it they wish there were neither God to punish nor scripture to threaten Destruction against them and so by insensible degrees they are brought to think and say in their heart there is no God as the foole did Psal. 14. so true is that of the poet quod nimis miseri volunt hoc facile crâ—dunt the thoughâ—â— and imaginations of wretched men are governed by their desires they hate the light because their deeds are evil though their understandings are convinced by unansweareable arguments and reasons of the truth of these great principles yet they will not believe them such is the perverseness of their will that it either blinds their mind or else draws them against self Conviction to believe a Lye and to hold the conclusion against the most evident proofes and premises Dub. I am perswaded that you have given very good reasons why so many are Atheists and infidels and that the cheifest of them are irreligious and prophane livers that practical Atheisme is the greatest cause of that which iâ— dogmaticall or Atheism in opinion 'T was the foole that said in his heart there waâ— no God first he was a foole i. e. a sinner and very wicked as he is discribed in that psalm and thence he proceeded Atheist a foole in practise and then a fool in judgment for t is most certain that a corrupt and wicked life is the true parent of ungodly and vile opinions froâ— which by Gods blessing upon your good endeavoures I am now delivered and am fully perswaded that God is and that he is a rewarder of all those that diligently seeke him that the holy scripture is undoubtedly the word of God and consequently that the Christian Religion is the onely true religion but observing that of those who profess this Religion there are severall parties and t is not unknown to you that heretofore I have adhaered to the Church of Rome I would willingly learn from you which party they of Rome or we of England be most Orthodox and Catholick Firm Your demand is rationall I shall most willingly Gratifie you in itâ— oâ—ely you must give me leave to propose these Two questions to you and let me receive your answâ—r unto them at our next meeting 1. What Inducements you had to turne to the Church of Rome 2. What Reasons you had to leave it Dub. You must give me leave also to recollect my selfe that I may be â—he better able to give in my answer to your Quaeries DIALOGVE III Against POPERY Firm. I Hope you have well considered of the questions which I lately proposed unto you Dub. To the first I returne this answer My reasons that induced me to adhere to the Church of Rome were these 1. The Antiquity of that Church which has continued ever since the Apostles time when by the testimony of St. Paul her faith was spoken of throughout the world Rom. 1.8 2. The universality of it no Church has spread it self so farr and nere upon the face of the earth as that of Rome 3. Her consent in Doctrine with the primitive Church 4. The unity of it under one infallible head which cannot err in poynt of faith or manners 5 The sanctity of it's Doctrine that 't is free from errour in matters of â—aith free from all immorality and improbity in point of manners 6. The sanctity of life in the authors and first-fathers of the Roman Religion these were the chief motives that caused me to adhere to the Church of Rome Firm. Indeed these are six of those 15 notes which Bellaâ—mine Lib. 4. de not Eccle. and others of his perswasion appropriate to that Church but had you not some other inducements As first a vitious life and the cheap and easy pardon of your Sins upon confession of them to a priest his absolution and injunction of a pitifull pennance 2dly were you not under some discontent for your present low Condition or 3dly were you not ambitious of preferment deeming popery to be a ready way to it or 4thly were you not tickled with the Cunning extolling of your excellent parts by some subtile Jesuite lamenting your sad Condition that a person oâ— so rare endowments should be so miserably mistaken in the great concern of your Soule perswading you that out of the Church there is no hope of salvation and that you being no member of the Church of Rome were past all peradventure out of the Church and unlesse you returned to that Church there could be no hope of your salvation or lastly before you set up for the Church of Rome were you serious and conscientiouâ— in any Religion for 't is very easy for one that is of no Religion that makes no consciencâ— of his waies being allured with the joyeâ— of heaven and affrighted with the terrours of Hell to pitch upon any Religion that confidently promises those and as confidently a freedome from these and we know that Priests and Jesuites want neither art nor impudence to perswaâ—e silly wretches that hopes of Heaven and deliverance from Hell are only to be found in their Church Dub. Truely Sir I am verily perswaded that many who have left your Church and gone over to that of Rome have stumbled at such straws but you have known me long to be a man of no vitious life no male Content not ambitious of honour or preferment not apt to be paffed up with a proud conceit of mine own parts not cold or carelesse in point of Religion but the chiefe reasons that moved me to goe over to the Church of Rome were those before named which made me believe that Church to be the only true Catholick Church out of which there could be no hope of salvation to these I beg your answer Firm. And you shall have it 1. The doctrine of the present Church of Rome which alone could denominate her ancient Catholick and Apostolicall is in severall weighty points quite contrary to holy scripture neither hath it the generall consent of the fathers and Doctors of the Catholick Church the prâ—sent Church of Rome is no more like to what it once was in the purest primitive times than an old decrepit man full of diseases Gout Stone Palsy Dropsy Scurvey Blindnesse Deafnesse Wrinkles and a multitude of
Doctrine is so farr from it that the better sort of heathens would blush to own for brevity sake I shalâ— reâ—err you to the first and second part of the mistery of Jesuitisme the Jesuites morralls set out bâ— a Sorbon Doctor Mr. Fowles his History of the treasons and rebellions of these holy men the two former of these bookes assure us that by the Doctrine of probability and a good intention the fowlest Sins are at most but venial Dub. The Jesuites are but one party in the Church of Rome many oâ— their tenents and practises disclaiâ—â—d by other of the papists and therefore the whole Church is not chargeable with their errors Firm. Untill that Church doth expresly Condemn thâ—m and Execute Ecclesiasticall Censurâ—s upon such of her members as do broach those damnable Doctrines doth make them recâ—nt or excommunicate them she is chargeable with them Dub. I am of your opinion and do firmly believe the pâ—esent Câ—urch of Rome to be neither Holy nâ—â— Câ—tholiâ—k but an unsound member of that Church but what say you to the first â—oundeâ—s and â—athers of their Church were not tâ—ey vâ—ry 〈◊〉 men Firm. â— Bâ—llarmine could prove what he takes for granâ—ed that tâ—e Fathers and Founders oâ—â—heir Chuâ—ch as it now stands were the hoâ—y Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles I should agree with him in that note but the truth is they have no more right to call them their Fathers and Founders then the Scribes and â—harisees had to caâ—l Abraham their Father from whose faith they had so miserably declined the Fathers of the present Church of Rome as 't is now were the corrupt Councells which were so many pack'd Juryes and the popes of whose Sanctity you may consult Platina who was a Papist By what I have said I hope you are satisfied that you had no justifyable reasons to adhere to the Church of Rome as 't is now so much declined from the Primitive let me know how and why you did forsake it Dub. I am fully satisfied that the reasons which drew me over to that Church were false and fallacious and am now as much confirmed that the reasons which made me leave her Communion are solid and demonstrative 1. Which were her monstrous unnecessary imposible Doctrine of transubstantiation Firm. How do you prove that to be unnecessary Dub. The change of the bread and wine into the very body and blood of Christ is unnecessary because certain it is and they of the Church of Rome acknowledge it that there never was any such change in the Sacraments of â—he old Testament neithâ—r is there any in the other six of the New as the Papists are pleased to multiply them now if all other Sacraments without any such miraculous change do attain their ends for which they were instituted why should it be required in the holy Eucharist why not rather in that of baptism why should not the baptismall water be changed into Christs very blood this being the Sacrament of Regeneration that that of Nutrition surely as great a power and vertue is required to regenerate and make a Christian as to nourish and strengthen him Again the faithful both before and under the law did eate and drink the body and blood of Christ in a Spiritual manner before he had either body or blood They did eat the same Spiritual Meat and dranke the same Spiritual Drinke 1. Cor. 10.3 what need is there then of a Transubstantiation If we seriously peruse the sixt Chapt of St. Iohns Gospel we may learne that the body of Christ is eaten and his blood dranke in a Spiritual manner that when the Disciples murmured at what our Saviour had delivered in the former verses to satisfye them he replyes that the words which he spake were spirit and life Ver. 63. and not to be understood according to their gross conception I know some the Church of Rome affirm that in â—hat Chapter our blessed Saviour speaks not of a Sacramentall eating of the body of Christ but certainly is his body may be eaten and his blood drank without any such monstrous change by every true beleiver not Receiving why may not he eat the body and drink the blood of Christ without any substantiall change of the Bread and Wine when he receives besides â— most if not all of the ancient fathers who held a necessity of giveing the Eucharist to infants urge the 53. verse of this Chapter for their opinion and practise except yee Eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Bloud ye have no life in you Surely therefore they conceived that our Saviour meant by these words a Sacramentall eating how then dare any of the Clergy of the Church of Rome expound it otherwise seeing they take an oath never to expound Scripture but according to the unanimous consent of the Fathers see the forma juramenti professionis fidei Conc. Triden Sess. 24. Cap. 4. de Reformatione Firm. I very much approve your reason against the necessity of transubstantiation Let me here from you why you tearme it monstrous and impossible Dub. 'T is therefore monstrous and impossible because it implyes Contradictions and grosse absurdities 1. that a body is not a body an accident is not an accident for if there should be such a change the sâ—me numericall body of our Saviour must be in Heaven and Earth nay in ten thousand places at the same time â—it must be extended and not extended it must have dimensions and no dimensions finite and not finite which cannot be no not by Gods omnipotent and absolute power how do the schoolmens Noddles abound with nicetyes quidditys perseities Chimaeras to solve such incompossibilities 2. This strange Metamorphosis doth make accidents to be no accidents it takes away the very being of them for accidâ—ntis esse â—st inâ—sse the being of an accident is in-being here must be Colour sapor odor quantity without a Subject which is all one as if we should say a man might be a man without a reasonable Soule In a word I would willingly learne what does become of Christs Body and Bloud after 't is received into the mouth or if any prophane mouse should swallow part of it or lick up a drop of the bloud and thence into the stomach whether it be retransubstantiated into bread and wine or else be converted by the concoctive and nutritive faculty into the body of the Communicant as other nourishment is and then t will necessarily follow that Christs Body is essentially united unto and made one with the Body of every Communicant which borders very nere upon Bâ—asphemy for by this means Iames Nailer will ere long quod animus mâ—minisse horret be Jesus Christ. 3. This Transubstantiation if any such thing were possible is wrought by a miracle but was ever any miracle done by Christ and his Apostles which was not discernable by the sences when â—e cured the blind the dumb the lame when he turned water into wine was not this manifest
Firm. As the Kingdom of Heaven does not consist in Meats and Drinks but in Righteousness and peace Rom. 14. so neither does it consist in gestures vestures or any thing that is in it self indifferent when the Church commands us to wear such a vestment or to use such a gesture for Uniformity sake and outward decency not placing any intrinsecal Holiness or absolute necessity in any of those Ceremonies 't is our duty and not any superstition at all to be obedient yea we are guilty of the sin of disobedience and superstition also if we stand out against lawfull Authority For there is a two fold Superstition one Positive as when we ascribe Holiness to any thing that is in its own nature indifferent morrally neither good nor evil another Negative as when we Dogmatize and call that evil which Morally is not so and in such things Weare not Kneel not is as much Superstition as Weare or Kneel possibly can be What is it to any understanding man whether he Prayes or Preaches in Black or White or any other Colour unless it be for decency and uniformity the power of the Church limits us to a White Surplice rather then to a Black Iump or short Cloak Dub. But is not this an intrenchment upon our Christian liberty to be confind to particular Modes and Forms Firm. Not at all So long as our practice only is limited and our judgment left free as before any such Canon was made 't is strang that the same men who enjoyned three Ceremonies at the taking of the Covenant as to be bare Headed bare Handed the right Hand lifted up should so much scruple them in our Publick Service But in a word 't is plain Scripture that every Soul should be subject to the Higher Powers not onely for wrath but also for Conscience sake Now unless the Non-Conformists can bring as plain Scripture against our Ceremonies to prove them morally evil they must incurr the sin of Schisme and disobedience to those powers which God has ordained and these are far greater sins then the wearing of a Surplice though we had borrow'd it from the Pope himself Dub. You mind me now of one of the greatest exceptions against the Surplice c. because the Papists use it in their superstitious Worship therefore 't is unlawful for us to wear it in ours Firm. If this were a good reason 't would follow whatsoever the Papists do use or have abused in their Superstition 't is unlawful for us who have abandoned such trash and I rumpery to use but Papists have abused our Churches halices and other Ornaments in their fals Worship and Services therefore we may not use them but down with them down with them even to the Ground Dub. This indeed will be a very necessary consequent but a very costly one I fear the men that make this exception would not be very forward to Build them up again if Idolatry and Superstition were a just cause to make us lay aside our Surplices by the same reason we must pull down our Churches and upon the same accompt the Primitive Christians ought not to have eaten meat offered to Idols neither to have made use of the Heathens Tempels to celebrate the Worship and Service of the true God Firm. You see then how frivilous the exception against the Surplice is and so are all those that are offer'd against the Ring in Marriage bowing at the name of Jesus Kneeling at the Sacrament the Crosse after Baptisme and therefore I shall very briefly pass them over 1. For the Ring 't is as Antient at least as Turtullian who lived about two hundred Years after Christ he makes mention of it more then once and our Church do's use it as an ancient Ceremony no ways essential to Matrimony 2. Bowing at the name of Jesus is likewise very Antient The reason of it was 1. To shew our readiness to yield obedience and subjection to him as our Lord and King to whom all power both in Heaven and Earth is given and to whom every Knee must bow Phil. 2.10 The Antient Christians rather bowed at the naming of Jesus then at the name of Christ in opposition to the unbelieving Jews who most of all Blasphemed that sweet and saving name of Jesus which therefore they did indeavour the more highly to exalt 3. To declare their certain belief of what the Apostle foreteâ—â— that at the name of Iesus every Knee should bow of things in Heaven things in Earth and things under the Earth that all things should be subject unto him Phil. 2. 3. Kneeling at the Sacrament our Church conceives to be the most humble and reverend posture and therefore most suitable to so high and Heavenly a Mistery especially it being Administred with a Prayer yet we do not condemn the practise of other Churches where this holy Sacrament is received sitting or standing neither should they condemn us for Kneeling because Christ's Disciples receiv'd it in a Table gesture to which we are no more bound then to the place or time in which they reciv'd it An upper Room and after Supper as the learned Dr. Sanderson has evidently demonstrated 4. The Cross after Baptisme is also a very Antient Ceremony which the Christians of the first ages used in a couragious and undaunted opposition against the Heathens and Jews who scoffed and derided them for beleiving in and Worshiping a Crucified God for their Saviour who could not save himself True 't is in process of time the Cross was abused to grose Superstition and therefore say some it ought to be laid aside as Ezekias abollished the Brasen Serpent when the people made it an Idol Dub. Much more ought the Cross to be taken away being abused to superstition because 't was but an humane invention where as the Brasen Serpent was set up by Gods own direction and command Firm. Very true but then let Ezekias do it not the people on their own heads without the Authority of the King However the use of an innocent Ceremony ought not to be taken away because of ' its abuse and here it ought to be consider'd whether it be better to use the Cross to put us in mind of our duty not to be ashamed of Christ Crusifi'd as also of the courage and boldness of the Primitive Christians who not withstanding the Scoffs and Reproches of Infidels would make such open profession of their Faith in Christ Crucified as to use the sign of the Cross not only in Baptism but also upon sundry other occasions or else whether 't were better to forbear the use of it because it has been so much abused to Superstition let the Suprem power judge which of these is fittest to be done and determine accordingly either for the Negative or the Affirmative and I believe every sober and peacable Christian will esteem it his duty to submit unto such a determination Dub. But seing these and other ceremonies have been and are a great scandal to
that are contingent or such as do depend upon the will of man they have but conjectures and do often times lie and deceive us in both kinds for as natural things are variable so much more the will of man Porphyrius lib. de Resp. oraâ— cited by Parsons in his Resol pag. 62. Dub. This testimony of Porphyrius being an Heathen and a great enemy to Christianity is very considerable and experiâ—nâ—e shews it to be very true for Oâ—acles have deâ—eived many and we see that Astrologers can give no certain predictions concerning the weather which depâ—nds upon natural causes and therefore I desire you to sheâ— me if you can any Prophesies of Scripture that are more certain Firm. I shall begin with that of Abraham concerning his posterities inheriting the Land of promise of their servitude in a strange Land of their mighty deliverance 400 years before it came to pass you may for this compare Cen. 15.13.14 c. with Exod. 12. Second Iacob being in Egypt on his death bed propheâ—â—ed thus of his â—on Iudah that the Scepter should not depart from him until Shilo came which fell out accordingly at the birth of our Saviour at which time the Scepter was in the hâ—nd of a stranger Herod by name and then and not till then it finally departed from Iuda Third 'T was Prophesied of Iosias â—00 years before he was born that he should destroy the Altar at Bethel 1. Kings 13. which was exactly fullfilled 2. Kings 23. Fourth You may see how punctual the Prophet Isaiah is in fortelling the nativity the life the passion of our blessed Saviouâ— in so much that he writeth more like an Historian then a Prophet as also how he foretells the destruction of Hierâ—salem and the greivous Captivity of the Jews by and under the Babylonians and then the destruction of the Babylonians and the rebuilding of Hierusalem by Cyrus 200 years before he was born the same was foretold by Ieremy about a 100 years after Isaiah and these Prophecies were so famous and so certainly believed amongst the Jews in the time of their captivity that when the time of their expiration drew near Daniel thus writeth of himself In the first year of Darius I Daniel understood in the Scripture the number of the 70 years c. Dan. 9.1 Neither did the Jews only understand and believe this Prophecy but Cyrus himselfe an Heathen which was his great inducement to restore the Jews and rebuild the Temple at his own proper charges Ezra 1. And Heathen Historians confess as much Fifth The Prophecy of Daniel concerning the four great Monarchies is so clear and evident so distinctly described as if he had lived in them all Dan. 2. and Dan. 8. how also he foretold the coming and suffering of the Messias after 70 weeks cap. 9. many more of such Prophecies might be alleaged but these are abundantly sufficient to attest the divine authority of Scripture Dub. T is very true if you could prove there were ever such Prophets or Prophecys in the world Firm. What proof do you expect will you believe nothing but what you see with your own eies Dub. That were irrational if you can prove by a certain tradition that there were ever such Prophecies delivered by such men as you name I shall assent unto them Firm. This I shall perform first from the whole nation of the Jews which have delivered them from Father to Son down along for many generation do you think that a people so carefull and diligent in the keeping and transcribing their records could or would agree together upon no worldly interest at all yea even to the hazard of their lives and fortunes to abuse themselves and their posterity Dub. I confess 't is not very probable but have you any other proof for the certainty of these Prophecyes Firm. Yes From the Testimony of very Heathens 'T is said by Iosephus lib. 1 de Antiq. Iud. cap. 4. that the publick writings of the Syreans Chaldaeans Phâ—nicians Graeciâ—ns are sufficient to testifie the antiquity truth authority and certainity of Holy Scriptures if there were no other proofe in the world beside There is scarce a memorable passage in the Old Testament but 't is mentioned by some Heathen writer as the Creation of the world Noah's Flood the Confusion of Tongues the Children of Israels living in and coming out of the land of Egypâ— the writings of Moses the Babylonish Captivity c. as you may see in Euseb. Grotius de verit Christ. Relig. Parsons Resol Cap. 3. lib. 1. part 1. Dub. Indeed a Testimony from an adversary is beyond all exception I rest satisfied with what you have said for the Authority of the Old Testament have you any thing to say for the New more then what you have said in general for them both together Firm. Yes I have the miracles of our Saviour and his blessed Apostles wrought for the confirmation of what they taught acknoledged by Heathens Grotius de ver Chris. Relig. Besides if you assent to the Divine Authority of the Old Testament you must acknowledg the Divinity of the New which is for the most part nothing else but an explication of the Old and the history of those Prophesies now fullfilled which were delivered by the Prophets who lived in the time of the law You may add to this the miraculous preservation of both Testaments not withstanding the malice of persecuting Heathens who used all arts of cruelty to extinguish them the propagation of the Christian Religion into so many parts of the prejudicating world without yea contrary to all carnal force and worldly inteâ—est by a few simple unlearned men which if t was done without a Miracle was one of the greateâ—t Miracles that ever we read of To this may be added the opposition of many subtil Hereticks who never durst so much as question the Authority of the Scripture but rather betook themselves to their own false glosses that they might shift of those clear texts which made against them whereas it had been a more Compendious way to have utterly denyed them if their impudence had been so great as to oppose the general belief of those times wherein they lived Dub. Tho I am sufficiently convinced of the divine Authority of the Scripture and of the truth of those Miracles which were wronght by Christ and his Apostles for the confirmation of what they taught yet to remove all scruples that may be made against them I shall desire to be more fully satisfied in two exceptions that are urged by Antiscripturists 1. That they were no true Miracles 2. That we have no certainty that there were ever such persons in the world as Christ and his Apostles or that they ever wrought such mighty works as are recorded of them in the New Testament Firm. That there were such persons in the world as Christ and his Apostles that they wrought those Miracles which are mentioned in the History of them both Jews and Gentiles sworn
enemies to Christianity acknowledg but besides their Testimony which being from adversaryes is vâ—â—y cogent we have the tradition of the Catholick Church in all ages and most places of the world for 1600 years and upwards and as he that will go up by the side of the River will at last come to the head and fountain of it so he that shall ascend through the several Centuries of the Church will at last infallibly come to the head of it Christ Iesus to the place of his Nativity his Preaching and mighty Works that he did his bitter death and bloody passion or if he shall descend from Christ through the same Centuries down to this present time he may be farr more certain of the birth and life and works and sufferings of this our bessed Saviour of the writings of the Holy Evangelists and Apostles then that there have been such men in the world as Alexander the great Iulius Caesar Pompey Scipio Hannibal of the Warrs and noble Acheivements managed by them of William the Conquerour the Barons warrs and yet none but a fool or a mad man or one that has vowed to believe no farther then what he can see with his own eyes will doubt of these for that the tradition which conveys the same of these Worthies and their Actions down unto us is nothing so general as that of the Catholick Church neither is it at all practical but purely historical wherein we are not at all concerned whether or no the things reported of those noble warriours be true or false Dub. He that will not assent to what is delivered by universal Tradition takes away the use of one of the most noble Sciences in the world viz. History and wants rather a Cudgel then an Arguâ—ent to confute him T is evident by undeniable tradition that there were such persons as Christ and his Apostles that thay did great and marveilous things but how shall we know whether the works which they did were true miracles surely t is very difficult to know what is true and what is an imposture Firm. Thô at present this may appear difficult to you yet I hope I shall make this difference as manifest to you as is that which is betwixt Gold and drosse And here I will not trouble you with the niceties of the schoolemen betwixt mirum miraculum that a true miracle is arduum insoliâ—um supra vim naturae hard unusuall and above the powèr of nature that it differs from a â—alse one in the efficient material and formall cause which is ignotum per ignotius But to wave such subtilties a true miracle may be known from a false one 1. By the successe as Exod. 7.12 t is said Aarons rod swallowed up those of the sorcerers and in the primitive times t is cleare how the miracles wrought by the Apostles swallowed up in effect all false ones â—one by satanâ— Instruments how notwithstanding all those lying wonders wrought by Simon Magus Apollonius and others the prejudicating world was brought over from Idolatry and superstition to embrace poor persecuted Christianity by those true miracles which otherwise had been the greatest miracle in the world 2. A true miracle may be known from that which is a jugle or imposture by the design or end of it which is for the confirmation of a divine revelation to bring men over to the worship of the true God to propagate the true Religion the end of false ones is to draw men from this worshâ—p which note of difference God himself has stamp'd upon false miracles Deut. 13 Dub. But doe not you now run into the same erroâ—r which you so lately condemned in others for by what you have said I must first know which is the true Religion before I can know which is a true miracle and surely then there will be no use of miracles to confirme me in the truth of what I knew before Firm. there is a mutuall confirmation betwixt the true religion and a true miracle true Religion does give light to miracles these do seal and confirm that Religion We see that all discursive knowledge does arise from some precedent knowledge untill we ascend to such principles that are clear to the light of nature now evident it is to natural reason that there is a God Creatour of all things that there is but one God that this one God ought to be religiously worshipped the intelligent and learned heathens have acknowledged all these Again 't is evident that there were never but four general Religions in the world Paganisme Turcisme Judaisme and Christianity and I think I have already made it manifest that of all these Religions none is so râ—tional or such a reasonable service as is that of the Christian which for the substance of it is the oldest of all others being the same which was practised by the fathers both before and after the flood for the spirituality morality and unity of the God heaâ— worshipped 't is excellent beyond all others most agreeable to the Common principles and notices of the reasonable Soul Here upon any serious sober man may conclude that all these miracles which have been â—ttempted to draw men from Christianity are but mere impostures and those that have been wrought for the confirmation of it wherein one true God of infinite majesty wisdome power and glory is worshipped in spirit and truth are the only true miracles Dub. Pray Sir excuse me this unnecessary trouble which I have given you for by what you had said before concerning the supereminent excellency of the Christian Religion above all others I might have seen the force of your reasoning which as I conceive stands thus If the Christian Religion be the only tâ—ue Religion then those miracles which were wrought for the Confirmation of it are the only true miracles Firm. You rightly conclude I shall therefore proceed to the third note or marke of a true mirâ—cle and that is the effect and consequent of such a miracle which is the drawing of the mind from sin to God the primitive Christians much insisted on this as an undoubâ—ed evidence of tâ—e miracles wrought by Christ that they were done by divine power because the effect that followed them was the worke of conversion of Souâ—â— from sin and Idoâ—s to Goâ— and Christ and all true piety and holinesse of life they tended mainly to the overthrow of Satans Kingdome Christ by his miracles did not only disposesse Satan out of mens bodies but out of his Temples upon this accouâ—t he convinces the Scribes and Pharises of most irrational blasphemy when they objected against him that he did cast out devills by the power of the devill but he replyed every Kingdome divided against it selfe cannot stand Mat. 12.25 Besideâ— Christs doctrine which he confirmed by miraclâ—s was in every thing contâ—â—â—y to the devils dâ—sign which was to draw men from the worship of the true God that himself might be worshiped to insnare men in the practise