you more than the Nations beside And so your Church hath neither this Mark nor Sign of Holinesse Fourthly As for your Church being Catholick and Universal you want this sign also If it be One Universal comprehends all Nations like as all the World in comparison were your Church What is Germany France England Scotland and Ireland nothing What is all the Turks Dominions of your Faith And thou saist In Asia Affrica and America all is coming to an end There is that risen and arising in America which must spread over the Nations the breath of the Lord bloweth which will daily dry up the Waters which is the Seat of your Church which you so much boast of And what have you converted all the Indians nay have you not hardened their hearts against the Name of Christ because of your cruelty and unholy conversation among them So that the Name of Christ and Christian is become as odious unto them as Mahomet is unto you And so you are without this Sign as that you are the true Church Lastly That your Church is Apostolick if this be the Mark of the true Church then you are without this also for you neither Apostolick in Doctrine nor Practice your weapons are carnal theirs spiritual their Head was Christ the Light of the World your Head is visible and carnal which darkens the World they turned people from darkness to light and to the Word of Faith in their hearts and to know Christ in them to justifie them But one of your Rabbies told us lately you had no such Doctrine in the Church of Rome as Christ in you The Apostles turn'd them to the Annointing and to the Spirit to be taught by it and to be led by it into all truth and to worship in it and you turn them to Images Pictures Crucifixes Beads and Altars and so keep people in outward things which feed the sensual and corrupt part Lastly they said bodily exercise profiteth little and most of your Worship stands in observing of days meats drinks washings sprinklings Altars Tapers lighting and bearing Candles bowing creeping to the Cross turning wheeling this way and that way in all time and parts of your Worship so that there is no time left for the heart to be exercised towards God And so you are not Apostolical and so are without this true sign of being the true Church of God But I shall descend to particular things which is asserted and seems to be proved but very weakly But we can expect no Wine but such as is in the Bottle It is asserted by this Author That the Pope is the Head of the true Church in which salvation is onely to be expected And his proof he brings is this Christ hath so ordained it in saying to Peter Matth. 16. 18 19. Upon this Rock will I build my Church and Christ hath given power to him and his Successors to be a Head to rule and govern the Church and as there is an Emperor to be Head of the Empire and a King of the Kingdom so Peter and his Successors are the Head of the Church and have the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven to bind and to loose and to remit and retain sinnes The Apostolick Church hath this Doctrine That Christ was given to be the Head of the Body which is the Church which is spiritual though in the World yet not of the World and the Father hath committed all power in Heaven and Earth to the Son and hath ordained him to be a Leader a Teacher and a feeder of his Flock and to be his salvation to the ends of the Earth and his glory he will not give to another But it seems the Church of Rome hath soared so high in their conceits and imaginations that they judge all this Power to be given unto the Pope Peter's Successor as they say Now we do not read of Two Heads to the One Body which is the true Church Eph. 4. 4. 15. And so this is a contrary Doctrine then that of the primitive Church and Christ who is the Head of the Body he said Lo I am with you to the end of the world And so it is the meer arrogancy and pride of the Pope to be called the Head of the Church and an intrenching Christ's Power and Prerogative and that ever Peter was called the Head of the Church we do not read and that of the 16. of Matthew is but a poor proof to prove Peter to be the Head of the Church for Christ spoke unto his Disciples ver 15. and asked them Whom say ye that I am Peter as one amongst the rest said Thou art Christ the Son of the living God and Christ said Upon this Rock will I build my Church viz. Upon him which was revealed unto Peter by the Father the Son of God which was the Rock which the Fathers eat of and drank of Christ the Rock of ages and another Foundation can none lay said the Apostle then that which is laid already Christ the Rock and Corner-stone and not Peter for Christ is unchangeable and abideth for ever and so was not Peter though Peter and the rest of the Apostles received power from Christ yet in the 22. and 23. verses of the same Chapter he was gone out of the savour and discerning and Christ said unto him Get thee behind me Satan for thou savourest not the things of God and what though it could be proved that Peter was at Rome a Pastor an Elder or a Biship who fed the Flock and did feed the Flock and so might be reckon'd as an Elder and worthy of Honor in respect of his labour and diligence in the work of Christ is the Promise so entailed to Rome or to any place that the next that succeeds in that place must needs receive the same honor when he doth not the same work which is worthy of honor neither is in the same power but this I am sure of though the Church of Rome lay claim unto Peters Bishoprick as they say yet they have not done his work And secondly If Peter was at Rome and a Pastor yet he was not a Lord for Christ reproved that when they strove which should be the greatest and said unto them The Gentiles exercise Lordship one over another but it shall not be so among you and though Peter and the rest of the Apostles who were in the power of God had that which did open into the Kingdom of God and shut out that which did defile yet this we are sure of he sold no Pardons nor Indulgences for gain and filthy lucre as many have done whom you call Peter's Successors and Christ's Vicar and Universal Bishop and visible Head but it 's manifest how the Pope became visible Head and Universal Bishop not because of any work or labour in the Doctrine of Christ or the Work of the Gospel but by means of the Roman Emperor for while the Christians were under persecution and suffering there
himself so by prom se to any place that he will always continue with them whether they abide in his Doctrine yea or nay And though Christ said The Gates of Hell should not prevail against the Church had this onely a Limitation to one place if it must needs be understood of a place outward because of these words afore-mentioned then why is it not extended as well to Antioch and the seven Churches of Asia and the rest afore-mentioned hath not the Gates of Hell and powers of darkness prevailed against them places and the Turks taken possession thereof And as for your Church at Rome which thou saith cannot err and hath always been visible and universal What saist thou to Marcilianus Christ's Vicar as you judge Whether did he not lose his keys when he sacrificed to Ido's in the tenth year of Dioclesian But it may be then thy Church must not reside in Christ's Vicar but in a general Council But hereafter we wil consider whether they have been alwayes one and could not erre Secondly That whereby the Roman Church gives us a Mark and Sign to be the true Church to wit Universality and Visibility makes her clearly to be a Harlot for John saw the true Church flye into the Wilderness for time times and half of time now if yours hath been visible and universal all this time times and a half then you are not the true Church for Universality comprehends all Nations Kindreds Tongues and People and if this be the Seat of your Church then absolutely your Church is Mysterie Babylon and not the Lambs Wife for she sate upon Nations Kindreds Tongues Peoples and Languages which were Waters And here is your Catholick Visible Church measur'd with God's Measuring-Rod First To be the Harlot because she was never in the Wildernesse Secondly because her seat hath been so Universal and Catholick as Natious Kindreds Tongues Peoples and Languages hath been the seat of your Church which are the Waters which John saw and so truly may be called the Great City And as for Infidels being obliged to join to you this hath been because you have forc'd and compell'd by your power and outward force where you had dominion and to escape your tortures rather than by sound Doctrine or a holy Example Or Secondly Because your Religion hath stood in so many formalities and ceremonies which hath been very pleasing and so near unto the Heathens nature And thou says that one cannot be bound to seek that which is invisible I say through faith God hath been seen who is invisible and Christ said Seek and ye shall find and the Kingdom of God is spiritual and invisible and the natural and visible eye never discerned it for the Church is in God and God is a Spirit and Christ is the quickning Spirit who is the Head of the Church which is his Body and the spiritual and invisible eye is that which discerns the Head and the Body and you that looke gazing after things that are visible have never discern'd the Members of the true Church of God as such neither have known them but have condemned them as Hereticks in all ages as your generation hath done who have been in Cains way Secondly If Unity Holiness Universal and Apostolick be the marks and figns of a true Church then yours is not the true Church no more then they you count Sectaries and Hereticks which thou saist are no more one than Cats and Dogs The comparison is odious and like a suarling catching spirit who would tear every one that cometh nigh thee And what if there be Protestants Puritans Anabaptists Independents and Quakers these titles are but nominal and there is not one amongst all these but they acknowledge one God and Jesus Christ to be the Head of the Body which is his Church and one Spirit by which the Saints are sanctified and they acknowledge Christs Doctrine in words and his Worship that it is in spirit and in truth and walketh nearer to the practice of the Apostles and the Church in their days than you do And if in some things they do vary why may not variety be allowed by thee where it is onely nominal and circumstantial as well as thou canst allow variety of Ave Maries Creeds and Pater Nosters which thou saist delighteth But why hast thou not judged at home Thou must not think to lead us like Animals by the Head as your Church doth poor ignorant people to receive every thing for Apostolick Doctrine because the Church of Rome calls it so and cryes Unity Might not the Sectaries as thou callst them return this upon your selves that you are not at unity and not one What meaneth the diversity of Orders in your Church which may be called sects that is Jerom's Order Austin's Order Gregory's Order Carmalites Crouched Fryars Franois Anthony's Bennet's Dominick's Trinity Basil Brigandine's Orders All these kind of Orders and many more with every one their distinct Service Formalities and Ceremonies what a heap of Sectaries are here and yet Rome cryes Unity Besides what contradiction in your Councils may hereafter be made manifest and in your Vicars one throwing down and condemning that which others have set up for Apostolick doctrine So if Unity be a mark of the true Church then you are without this mark and sign more than they which you call Sectaries Thirdly If Holiness be a sign of the true Church you are without this sign also more than the Sectaries as you are pleased to call them What cruel Murthers Massacres Tortures Bloodsheds hath been acted by your Church and that by Commission from his Holiness so call'd Christ's Vicar against them that have dissented from you upon good and warrantable ground onely upon the account of Religion because they could not acknowledge the Pope to be the Head and Christ's Vicar and receive all Decrees though never so repugnant unto the Doctrine of Christ yet because for Conscience-sake many have denied such things nothing but fire and sword have been threatned and the force thereof hath been known in many Nations as for instance in Germany and the Low-Countreys France Pyedmount Holland England and Ireland of late years many thousands massacred not in War but in holes hundreds of Houses burnt men women and children children taken from their Mothers Breasts knockt against the Walls toss'd upon Pikes and Spears wounded with Swords thrown into Lakes and Rivers stript naked starv'd in cold seasons through such like inhumane and savage cruelty Commissions given from your Nuntio's and Agents to rob to steal even Servants from their Masters even upon this account only to weaken enfeeble the Sectaries and Hereticks as you stile them to advance your Holinesse's Chair and to progagate your holy or rather unholy Church and Religion which things remain fresh in the memory of many Nations to this day besides doth not your Church tolerate Stews and Adulterous Houses in the Cities where you have Dominion Besides Pride abounds amongst
having the knowledge thereof but declare against the deceit thereof and to give warning unto all to beware how they touch tast or handle it lest they be defiled and corrupted by it and their understandings darkned and their Consciences defiled And the Merchandize is this tituled A short Catechism against all Sectaries by way of Question and Answer wherein all the Doctrines and Practices of the Church of Rome are asserted for infallible and Apostolical wherein also it is holden out That the Church of Rome is the onely true Church out of which there 's no salvation and some Arguments to prove the same Also in this said Book all that are not of the Church of Rome arecondemned already as Hereticks Sectaries wholly to be without salvation Newly published and translated by C. M. and London printed for P. S. 1662. And though we have given publick Testimony both in word and writing in divers Nations in doctrine and practice yet such hath been the envy of many professors who have denied the Church of Rome that they have accused us for holding Popish tenents yet now on the other hand by this Popish Author we are condemned as Hereticks and Sectaries and to be without salvation And thus they who have been under the Beasts power in the Apostacy have tost us upon their horns from one to another and have pushed us this way and that way and every party and sect hath reckon'd us and join'd us with them whom they judged to be transgressors but it is a small thing to us to be judged by man's Judgment for our Judgment is with the Lord and he judgeth in righteousness and unto him we appeal who in his own day when righteousness comes to be revealed in peoples hearts they shall come to know us as we are and the truth which we believe and walk in as it is in Jesus But that such a heap and bundle of false Doctrine and Superstitious and Idolatrous practices may not go unreproved God hath put it into my heart to bear my testimony against it and all the confused heap of darkness which is laid down for Catholick Doctrine and to discover the deceit thereof lest any should be beguiled and led into the dark paths of Ignorance and Error and should become an Inhabitant of that City which hath shed the blood of the Prophets and Martyrs where now Christ is crucified First of all the Author saith There is but one true Religion wherein any can be saved Ans. 'T is true there is but one true Religion in the which salvation is witnessed which is confessed by all who profess Religion and every one wil needs lay claim to it and many have contended even by force and arms since the Apostacy entered in and hath kill'd and destroy'd one another about the name or sound without the thing it self and all Professors of Religion who are in that nature are not in the true Religion in which salvation is witnessed The true Religion standeth in the Power of God and to be exercised in those things which the Power of God directeth every one in who believe in it and to be obedient unto the commands of Christ and to keep his sayings and to follow his Example in righteousness and holiness and in that which overcometh the World and giveth victory over it and keepeth out of the pollutions of it And this is the pure Religion which purifies the heart conscience from dead works and teacheth to love Enemies Now the Church of Rome is manifest not to be in the one true Religion but have departed from this Faith and this Doctrine Let all Nations bear witness where your Religion hath been professed how you have kept this Faith and walkt in this Religion if any have dissented from you these many hundred years and that upon good grounds as Luther and Calvin which thou art so angry at and bring'st many Calumnies against and slanderous things and lyes of which thy Vessel is ful Now they with all others that dissent from you you have reckon'd and do as Sectaries and Hereticks And in case it were really so if you were in the true Religion and in the Faith of Christ you would not destroy so many mens lives as you have done within these thousand years I appeal to all Nations where your Authority hath been exercised how many have you kill'd tortur'd burnt to ashes and destroyed the Workmanship of God But it may be thou judgest such a distinction as this will cover a little as To hate their Heresie and to love their persons but how you have lov'd their persons I hope England hath not yet forgotten instance John Wickliffe whose bones you took up and burnt forty one years after his decease and how many hundreds more hathbeen burnt to ashes in England in later years as Hereticks and Sectaries whose blood yet speaks and cries for vengeance upon that City that Church and Religion which hath drunk the blood of the Prophets Martyrs So in what I have said the Church of Rome to all unbyassed spirits wil appear to be out of that one true Religion and that Faith and Doctrine which Christ deliver'd and so salvation is not to be looked for amongst killers and destroyers And so what I have said may convince the Author of this Book that they are not in the one true Religion in which salvation is witnessed And this Roman Church hath been always visible and universal since the Apostles dayes and Infidels have alwayes been obliged to join unto her yet one cannot be bound to seek that which is invisible And the marks and signs of this Roman Church are four comprized in these words I believe in the true Church which is One Holy Catholick and Apostolick Answ. That there was a Church at Rome in the Apostles dayes is not denied so was there at Antioch at Philippi at Thessalonica at Corinth and divers other places that I might instance which were as visible as Rome was and as much a City set on a Hill as Rome was and not inferior in Doctrine Gifts good Works to Rome at all but as to Precedency and Antiquity may claim priority before Rome And if he pleads that Peter was at Rome and as he saith was Christs Vicar and Bishop and if because of this Rome doth excel which the Scripture is silent in Jerusalem might claim priority before Rome in this for he we read of was more conversant at Jerusalem and a Minister of Circumcision and Paul ministred to Gentiles who preacht two whole years both to Jews and Romans which were Gentiles but it seems the very imagining Peter to bee Bishop of Rome hath made Pauls work void and hath turned his work out of doors but however he which hath usurped the Name of Christs Vicar hath turned both Peter and Paul their Life and Doctrine and Practice out of doors to set up Pride and Deceit But what blindnesse and ignorance is this to judge that God hath bound
narrow way that leads to life Again Because the Church of Rome keeps Sunday instead of Saturday by Tradition therefore she is the Church of Christ. To the first If that Church is not to be heard neither her censures regarded whose Authors and Teachers have been Cozeners and Impostors then the church of Rome is not to be heard nor her censures regarded because the chief Authors have been Cozeners Cheaters and Impostors who have been out of the power of God and have taught for Doctrine the traditions of men as Purgatory prayer for the dead onely to cozen and cheat by to fill the Bags and Coffers of the Popish Clergy which Doctrine is contrary unto the Doctrine of Christ and the Apostolick Church therefore the Church of Rome is not to be heard 2. That the Church of Rome hath the marks of the true Church and no other as Antiquity Holiness of life Miracles and Universality This is false there were Churches before Rome that had these marks and there hath been since and are now more then the Church of Rome Antiquity some of them called Sectaries will allow you a thousand years to be called a Church and yet prove you Apostates both in Doctrine and Practice Your Miracles are but cheats deceits and lying stories if your own Authors be searched you confess most of your Miracles are wrought by your Images works of your own hands 2. Antiquity without Truth proveth nothing and holiness of life if your Church be holy which is prophane tolerating as I said before Whoredoms Stage-Playes vain sports and pastimes which draw people from the fear of God and many foolish sopperies which I shall not now mention so that there are them that have dissented from you which are more ancient in the Faith more holy in life and conversation more agreeable in doctrine and practice to the true primitive Church then you are And as for Miracles which are wrought by the true power and finger of God there hath been and are more amongst them called Sectaries than in the Church of Rome The blind have received their sight the Lepers have been cleansed the Lame have been made to walk and the deaf have heard and the dumb have spoken the dead have been raised and many that have been bound by Satan fourty yeares are loosed and there are thousands that are Witnesses of it and can testifie the truth thereof even in this time and in this year in Scotland England Ireland Germany and America 1662. So there is a true Church which hath the Marks of the true Church of Christ more than the Church of Rome therefore the Roman Church is not the alone true Church 3. To the third argument That the Church of Rome keeps Gods commandments and walks in the narrow way of Christ's counsel therefore she is to be heard How she keepeth the commandments of God is known if he mean the ten commandments Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image nor the likeness of any thing that is in Heaven or Earth neither bow down nor worship them Now you make Images of things in Heaven as of God and Christ and the Holy Ghost and of Mary and as for things in Earth you have Images of all sorts witnesse your Masse-Houses called Churches your Cloisters Fryaries and Covents so that every place is filled ful worship unto them is taught by you for Doctrine contrary to God's Doctrine your distinction of Latria Doulia wil not serve for it 's meer deceit he that honors an Image and bows down before it in his heart whether you may judg it represents this or that is an absolute Idolater knoweth not the spirit which Christ said he would send to the true Church which should bring all things to their remembrance both what he did and said and the Saints life and example to remembrance without your Pictures And how you are in the narrow way is known to many thousands that you do not walk in it at all neither take up the crosse of Christ which is to crucifie the lusts affections and desires of the flesh but taketh up outward crosses and bears them on your necks or pin them on your sleeves or hang them about your necks and all because Christ was crucified on the cross And here you are honorers of Pilate and the Jews who crucified Christ upon the crosse as a blasphemer rather then honorers of Christ and the strait and narrow way you are ignorant of and Christ's sufferings you are strangers to What! your Popes are as Emperors your Cardinals as Lawgivers your Ecclesiastical Officers as Lords of great possessions in the Earth except some begging Fryars which you have prest into a voluntary humility without necessity And how do you love your Enemies How many Indians have you destroyed and killed as dogs and how many that have professed the Name of Christ have you burned and destroyed as though they had been Wood and onely fewel for the fire And how can you say your Pater Noster about which you make so much ado and say Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us if the Heathen have trespassed against you if them you call Sectaries have trespassed against your Church how do you forgive them and how do you fulfil the Law of Christ and keep his Counsel seeing that you are out of his Doctrine away with such deceit and hypocrisie God hath found it out and is judging it by his Saints who rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh nor in fleshly Traditions and Imaginations but lives in the power of God and walks in the Spirit and therefore because you walk contrary to the Command of God and Christ's Counsel and are out of the narrow way that leads to life your Church is neither to be heard minded nor heeded The fourth Argument that the Church of Rome is the true Church because they keep their Sabbath of the Sunday by Tradition and not upon the Saturday as the Jewes did and therefore the Church of Rome is to be heard because they have Tradition solid Reason on their side Thy speech bewraies thee which bespeaks thee rather a Heathen then a Christian for the Heathens had a day that they celebrated to an Idol made like the Sun called Sunday and another day which they celebrated to an Idol called Saturnus called Saturday and in this your Church is not to be heard who is out of the form of sound words but the Seventh day was the Jews-Sabbath which none that professes Christianity ought to keep seeing that Christ put an end to the shadows and the Saints Sabbath is a stranger to the Church of Rome he that hath overcome the World and the Divel onely knows God's rest and the true Sabbath of which the Jewes was a figure and the Sundays thou calls it is no more a Sabbath reckoned by the Lord of Life then that which thou calls Saturday for every day is