faithful to her Bridegroom As for our parts we are fully perswaded that the Holy Ghost may speak as good Sense and as intelligibly in the Scriptures as any of them in their Writings or as the Church can in hers and that it was his Design to do so And therefore we doubt not but it is done plainly and fully in all Points necessary to Salvation and also as to the Controversies between the Church of Rome and us that enough may be plainly gathered from them And where there is any obscurity either it is in lesser Matters or in prophetick Visions or only ariseth by accident by reason of the distance of time wherein the Holy Scriptures were written the variety and change of Customs the difference of Dialects or Forms of Speech or some such other Causes which are incident to all ancient Writings and especially of the Eastern Countries And either it may be cleared up by the same means which we may use as well as they or else it must for what I know remain so yet to us both for the exercise of our farther industry It is the Scripture then that we build our Faith upon and guide our selves by though we do not refuse any help to the understanding of it And we are not afraid that our common People should read it but do exhort them to it For we do not desire to retain any Doctrines or Works of Darkness and therefore we are very willing that all should be brought to the Light. It is the Scripture that we love and whilst we love the Scripture we do declare it that we cannot be very fond of Rome A plain simple view of Scripture is sufficient to keep us out of the ways of Romish Delusion And such a view is presented to the Reader in this little Treatise in a Method fitted to the most vulgar Capacity Let us but stick to the Scripture or written Word which the Church of Rome is really most dreadfully afraid of and then we are out of danger The Scripture we know from whence it is but as for their Traditions many of them we know not whence they are They pretend they come from the Apostles but we have nothing else but only their own word for it For we cannot perceive the Apostolical Image and Superscription upon them Nor would they then ever contradict the Apostolical Writings as we are well assured they do many of them Tradition indeed alone doth but open a Gap to whatsoever bold and confident Men may obtrude that have subtilty enough to set off a Thing a little plausibly But let us hold fast the written Word and we shall not fear to be intangled with those new Doctrines which are the obtrusions of crafty and ambitious Men to make an advantage by which the face of Christianity comes to be quite marred and all Religion comes to be indangered And read but this little Treatise then and compare Doctrine and Text and then see who is in the right the Church of Rome or We For see if their Doctrine and the Holy Text be not at variance the one with the other And if so the Church of Rome must excuse us if we leave their Doctrine and follow the Text. Beware of false Prophets which come to you in Sheeps Cloathing but inwardly they are ravening Wolves ye shall know them by their Fruits Do not believe every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they are of God. If the Blind lead the Blind they will both fall into the Ditch Heresies will arise in the Church and the Devil will sometimes transform himself into an Angel of Light to deceive whom he can deceive Therefore see with your own Eyes and beg the holy Anointing to teach you A Table of the Popish Errors refuted in this Treatise Of the Holy Scripture and Traditions Chap. I. THat all saving Truth is not contained in the Holy Scriptures but partly in them and partly in unwritten Traditions pag. 1 II. That the Scripture is obscure 12 III. That it is not for the Common People to read the Scripture 15 Of the Church IV. That the State of the Church is always visible 20 V. That Multitude is a Mark of the Church 25 VI. That temporal Happiness is a Mark of the Church 29 VII That Miracles are a Mark of the Church 32 VIII That St. Peter was Head of the Church under Christ and the Pope is so as his Successor 36 IX That the Pope hath power over Kings and can absolve Subjects from their Allegiance and that Ecclesiastical Persons are exempted from the Secular Jurisdiction 44 X. That the Church of Rome is Infallible and the Judg of Controversies to whose Judgment all are bound up 49 Of Prayer and Worship XI That Prayers and Divine Service is to be celebrated every where in Latin in a Language unknown to the People 61 XII That it is good and Profitable to pray to Saints and Angels 65 XIII That Images and Relicks are to be venerated or worshipped 81 XIV That the Clergy may not Marry 91 XV. That the Vow of Poverty is laudable and that Mendicant Friars are in a State of Perfection 94 XVI That the Vow of Blind Obedience is laudable 98 Of Satisfactions Indulgences Purgatory and Praying for the Dead XVII That Persons are obliged partly to satisfy the Justice of God for their Sins themselves Christ having not satisfied for all the Punishment due to them 100 XVIII That some Persons may satisfy over and above what is needful for themselves and that their satisfactions may serve for others being put into the Treasury of the Church to be dispenc'd by Indulgences 108 XIX That there is a Purgatory after this Life for the expiation of the Sins of those that are not sufficiently purged here and that the Souls there detained may be help'd by the Masses and good Works and Prayers of the Living 115 Of Justification and Pardon of Sin. XX. That Justification consists in the infusion of Grace 123 XXI That for the obtaining of Pardon of Sin Auricular Confession to the Priest is necessary 128 Of the Merit of Good Works and Works of Supererrogation XXII That good Works are truely and properly meritorious of Eternal Life 123 XXIII That Men may do Works of Supererrogation above what the Law requires and may have superabounding Merits more than themselves need which may be profitable to others 139 Of Baptism XXIV That Baptism is absolutely necessary to Salvation so that those who die without it are liable to condemnation 143 Of the Lord's Supper XXV That after Consecration there remains no more of Bread and Wine in the Sacrament but that it is transubstantiated into the very Body and Blood of Christ 149 XXVI That in the Sacrifice performed in the Mass the self-same Christ is contained and offered that offered himself in the Cross and that this Sacrifice is truely propitiatory for the Sins of Quick and Dead 159 XXVII That the Host is to be worshipped with Divine Worship 166
And vers 15. Moreover I will endeavour that you may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance Which seems to be done by his putting St. Mark to write this Gospel from his Mouth Thus St. Jude says That he gave all diligence to write unto them of the common Salvation and that it was needful for him to write unto them vers 3. And if it was needful for that Age it was much more needful for After-ages We may be sure our Saviour and his Apostles would have that done which was needful in their own Judgments for Mens Salvation And we are likewise assured by St. John that it is done fully as it was needful it should be done that nothing might be left to the uncertainty of Tradition John 20. 31. These things are written that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing ye might have Life through his Name He shows that the writing of these Things is needful to be a Foundation of right Faith to Men and that enough was written then in his own and the other Gospels and Writings which it is said he had seen to be a Foundation of that Faith in Men which is needful to their eternal Salvation So that no saving Truth was left to be conveyed by Tradition at all which yet does not argue the uselessness of what Books were after added as was said before 1 John 1. 4. These things write we unto you that you may rejoice and that your Joy may be full So that the Scripture giving us sufficient knowledg as to what concerns our Faith and Comfort in order to Eternal Salvation how can we imagine any deficiency in it but must needs suppose that it contains in it all the material Objects of Faith and Matters of saving Practice Or how can we depend upon Tradition as distinct from the Scripture which was ever so decried for uncertain mischievous and 〈◊〉 Therefore we conclude with our Church That Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to Salvation 〈…〉 whatsoâ—ver is not read therein nor may be proved thereby is not to be required of any Man that it should be believed as an Article of Faith or be thought requisite or necessary to Salvation Artic. 6. It is a sufficient evidence of the vanity and uncertainty of Tradition unwritten that amongst all the Sayings and Works of our blessed Saviour which St. John tells us were so many John 21. 25. That if all the things which he did should be written every one I suppose that even the World it self could not contain the Books that should be written Yet there is not one of all these come certainly to our knowledg but what is written in the Holy Scriptures And we have fair warning also given us of Tradition now in the New Testament 2 Thess 2. 2. Be not soon shaken 〈…〉 or be troubled neither by Spirit nor by Words nor by Letter as from us as that the Day of Christ is at hand Let no Man deceive you by no means By which it appears that even in the Apostles Times there were forged Writings and feigned Traditions which some had the boldness to obtrude for Apostolical Doctrines This is a fair warning to us now much more in these later Ages to give but little heed to any thing however pretended to be never so much Apostolical that is not contained in the Sacred and Apostolical Writings which are owned to be undoubtedly such And indeed how can we believe that the Evangelists and Apostles in all the Writings that they wrote and it does not appear that they wrote any other besides those we have when they write many things that are not so absolutely necessary to be known in order to Salvation yet should omiâ— so many things that are so as the Church of Rome pretends And that when they speak so often of Baptism for Instance that they should never tell us of the Salt and the Spittle the Exâ—cisms and Wax-candles but speak only of being baptized in Water in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost or that they should never when they speak so much of Worship tell us of the worshipping of Saints and Images or of praying for the Dead when they give us so many directions about Prayer c. We must hold fast the Traditions say they which we have been taught by the Apostles 2 Thess 2. 15. But we cannot believe that these and such-like things were ever taught by them when we have nothing at all of any of them in all their Writings And that exhortation could be then meant only of those things which the Thessalonians had heard from them and were very sure of that they were Apostolical Doctrines And which we doubt not were no other but what were after set down in the holy Writings and in them conveyed to us It is impossible for the Church of Rome to shew that they were any other by Tradition only when the traditional conveyance of Points is evidently so uncertain and that which we have been so warned against Yet after all note that all this is nothing against the Tradition of the Universal Church as a means of delivering down to us the Holy Scriptures themselves the number of the Books and the Names of the Authors c. Nor against that which is concurrent with Scripture or corrolorative of it in any Point of Faith or Practice but against that which is urged as a Rule of saving Faith and Practice distinct and different from it and sometimes contrary to it and is pretended to be the Tradition of the Universal Church from the Apostles Age but can never be proved to be so There is no fear of falling into Error therefore either through Ignorance or Infidelity as to such Traditions But we must say as our Saviour Mark 12. 24. Do ye not therefore err because ye know not the Scriptures And as the ignorance of Scripture is the Source and Fountain of Error so on the contrary then to follow the guidance of the Scripture is the way to be preserved from Error CHAP. II. That the Holy Scripture is dark and obscure Bellarm. de Verbo Dei. lib. 3. cap. 5. UPon this ground it is that they withhold the Scripture from the common People pretending that they are not capable Judges of the Sense of it and if they should read it more prejudice than benefit would arise to them from it But this is contrary to that which is written Psal 19. 7 8. The Testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the Simple The Commandment of the Lord is pure or clear enlightning the eyes Can Darkness enlighten Mens Eyes or can it make wise the Simple if it be not Intelligible by them Psal 119. 105. Thy Word is a Lamp unto my feet and a Light unto my path And vers 130. The entrance of thy Words giveth Light It giveth understanding unto the Simple When a Man hath but begun to
A COLLECTION OF Texts of Scripture WITH Short Notes upon them And some other Observations against the Principal Popish Errors IMPRIMATUR Julii 9. 1688. Guil. Needham LONDON Printed for W. Booker over against the King's-Head Inn in Old-change 1688. The Epistle to the Reader IT is agreed on all hands that the Mind and Will of God revealed to us howsoever the Revelation be made is the proper and adequate Rule of Conscience by which we are to direct both our Faith and Practice And that the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament contain at least a part of this Divine Revelation is granted by the Church of Rome it self From whence it will clearly follow that whatsoever is contrary to that Revelation which we have in the Holy Scriptures ought not to be received for Divine Doctrine and Truth unless we will suppose an inconsistence in Divine Revelation or that God doth contradict himself which none will have the folly to assert We must remember therefore how we have received and heard in the Holy Scriptures and hold that fast And if there be any Doctrine or Tradition which contradicts the Doctrine of God delivered in the Holy Scriptures or makes his Commandment therein contain'd of none effect we are taught by our Saviour to reject it So that if an Apostle or an Angel from Heaven and much more if a Father or if a Church preach to us any other Gospel than what is therein delivered to us we should do the same Whether the Doctrines that are contested between us and the Church of Rome are of this Nature is the Question in dispute To make a right Judgment of which we need but consider the several Doctrines and then compare them with the Holy Scriptures and observe their agreeableness and disagreeableness thereunto To assist the Reader in which is the Design of this small Treatise wherein you have a Collection of the chief Points in Controversy between us and in the head of the several Chapters is first set down the Romish Doctrine as it is defined and received or generally taught in the Church and then the Texts of Scripture are subjoined with short and easy Notes and Observations deduced from them to apply them to the present purpose whereby it is easy to make a Comparison between the several Doctrines and the Scripture and the Contrariety between them will be manifest to the meanest Capacity But yet that it might be made more useful to prevent all misunderstanding and to make the Matters in Difference the more clear where it was thought needful the Controversies also are briefly stated and some farther Considerations added and the principal Objections are briefly obviated So that it is hoped it may be of good use to all that desire to be guarded against the Errors of Rome especially to those that have not Mony to buy or Time or Capacity to read and understand larger or more learned Discourses for whose service it was principally intended And some such Thing in so plain and easy a Method seemed to be desired The Gentlemen of the Church of Rome we may be sure will not be pleased with this Method because we do not take the Scriptures in their Sense and with their Interpretations But those we think are Comments which destroy the Text and therefore we have no mind to them And we should not have the Text neither by their good will for they do not love that that dangerous Book should come into the hands of the Common People for fear lest they should think that the Text is against them But however they endeavour to make themselves Masters of the Sense and Interpretation that that may be for them Thus if the Text be ready to strike them they put out its Eyes by the Exposition that it shall not know how to direct its Blow and then they are safe enough But we cannot think our selves obliged to take every thing upon trust that they say But they refer us also to Tradition and the Consent of the Fathers for the understanding of the Scripture-Doctrine which we are not against But unless we will take this Tradition and this Consent of the Fathers from their Mouth likewise they will not be pleased So that as they would have it our Faith must be ultimately resolved only into the present Voice of their Church And we must not condemn any of her Doctrines because they say they shall not be condemned that is they will be Judges in their own Case for fear of the worst It is well known that we make use of Tradition and the Judgment of the Fathers as well as they And we do not fear to refer our selves to them in the Matters contested between us but then they must give us leave to make use of Tradition a little more Catholickly than they do and not to seek it only from the Voice of their Church For we hope as long as we have Eyes we may read the Fathers as well as they and we do not know why we may not as well understand their Sense as also the Sense of the Holy Scriptures having the same means for it only the worst is we want Infallible Parts which we do not know but they may want as well as we But what is it but a great derogation from the Holy Scripture and the Holy Ghost the Author of it to think that of it self it is equally apt to deceive as to instruct to induce into Error as to lead into Truth What is this but to level it with the Heathen Oracle that spake always with that ambiguity that no Body knew what to make of it and therefore they were as soon deceived by it as not But yet is not this in effect the very Sense of the Church of Rome Or why else doth she so studiously with-hold the Bible from her Members for fear lest they should have more hurt by it than good if they take it by it self What is this but under pretence of taking care of her Children to call her Father and Husband whom she pretends so great respect to all to naught and to commend her self that she hath more tenderness and love to her Children than they But is it not rather her own Grandeur and Height which she takes care of which these Doctrines do subserve to And therefore she is resolved to maintain them and must use the means for it which iâ— by with-holding the Light that would discover them For it is to be truly feared that if the Bible were in every one's Hand and read with any attention it would soon scatter this Darkness which the Church of Rome well perceives And if that be to deceive the Scripture will deceive And if Instruction consists only in learning their Errors the Scripture will never instruct us to the World's End So that in this the Church of Rome is in the Right and is a very wise Mother for her self but let others judg how kind she is to her Children or
Grace to the outward Circumcision nor yet to the Water of Baptism The use of these Sacraments was not to work that Grace which they had before but to be a solemn Engagement to them to perform their part of the Covenant and to confirm the Promise of God to them And therefore we find also Faith required before Baptism can be administred Acts 8. 36 37. What doth hinder me says the Eunuch to be baptized And Philip said If thou believest with all thine Heart thou mayest Faith is pre-required before Baptism and therefore is not wrought by the Sacrament of Baptism We find indeed that upon the solemn profession of their Faith by their admission of the Sacrament of Baptism there were sometimes greater measures of the Spirit poured out upon some Acts 19. 5 6. But it was in consideration of their Faith which went before Baptism that these Measures of the Spirit were given to them Their Baptism was only a testification of their Faith Ephes 1. 13. After ye believed ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise So when Baptism is called the Baptism of Repentance it is not because Repentance was wrought by it but because it was a Sign and Testification of it and farther engaged to it We therefore also find that Justification and Salvation are every-where in the Scripture ascribed to Mens Faith and Repentance and not to the Sacraments as they would be if the Sacraments were the proper and immediate Causes of that Grace by which we are justified and saved Thus Rom. 1. 17. The Just shall live by Faith. And so Gal. 2. 20. I live by the Faith of the Son of God. And this Faith and so all Grace and Holiness is wrought by the Spirit by means of the Word Rom. 10. 17. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God And John 3. 8. As the Wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh or whither it goeth so is every one that is born of the Spirit God oftentimes in an imperceptible manner conferring his Grace and not confining it to the Sacraments So that the Sacraments do not give but only seal to us the Promise of Grace and Life 1 Pet. 3. 20 21. In the Ark of Noah a few that is eight Persons were saved by Water The like Figure whereunto even Baptism doth now save us But by Baptism I mean not the putting away the filth of the Flesh or that the outward Act of washing the Body serveth to this Salvation which God doth not lay on any outward Ceremony otherwise than as it is an Act or Exercise of our Faith and Obedience But the Answer of a good Conscience towards God in the Covenant of Baptism when a Person being ask'd doth really and faithfully engage and promise to believe in and give up himself to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and to renounce the World the Flesh and the Devil Baptism is but the celebration of this saving Covenant and it is covenanting sincerely that is the Condition of Salvation and washing is but the Sign As Rom. 2. 25. Circumcision verily profiteth if thou keepest the Law but if thou be a breaker of the Law thy Circumcision is made Vncircumcision So it may be said of Baptism with respect to the Gospel It is not any Sacrament in it self that gives Grace or Justification or acceptance with God but thereby the Benefits promised are sealed to them that perform the Conditions Thus vers 28 29. He is not a Jew whom God will accept and justify who is one outwardly only in the Ceremony Neither is that Circumcision acceptable which is only outward in the Flesh and therefore 't is not the external Sacrament which gives the Grace but he is a Jew justified and accepted of God that is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the Heart in the Spirit and not in the Letter or Ceremony whose Praise is not of Men but of God. The like may be said of the Christian and his Baptism So Gal. 5. 6. For in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Vncircumcision nor the outward washing of Baptism neither but Faith which worketh by Love. 'T is this and nothing else that avails to the Christian's Salvation But if the Sacraments themselves did work Saving-Grace the same might be as well affirmed of them It is said indeed Rom. 6. 4. We are buried with him by Baptism into Death that like as Christ was raised up from the Dead by the Glory of the Father even so we should also walk in Newness of Life The meaning of which is this that we by our Baptism enter into a Profession Engagement or Undertaking to give over all Sin and to live a new regenerate Life in conformity to the Death and Life of Christ This Profession was represented and signified by their going down into the Water and being as it were buried in it and then rising out of it again It is not Baptism which works this Grace of Mortification but that proceeds from our believing Reception and hearty submitting our selves to the form of Doctrine delivered to us by the Spirit of Grace in the Gospel vers 17. And it is by the Spirit that we are enabled to mortify the Deed of the Body Rom. 8. But Baptism testifies and represents our Profession and Engagement to do it It is said also Gal. 3. 27. As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ his Spirit and Nature and are become his Members There being baptized into Christ signifies those that have sincerely consented to that baptismal Covenant of which the outward Baptism was a Badg and Profession It was not by virtue of their Baptism but by 〈◊〉 of their Faith which they professed in their Baptism that they became Members of Christ Vers 26. Ye are all the Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus According to John 1. 12. To as many as received him to them gave he Power to become the Sons of God even to them that believed in his Name So John 3. 5. Except a Man be born of Water and the Spirit c. It is the Spirit 's Regeneration which is asserted and which is only mentioned vers 8. But this spiritual Regeneration was represented by the Water of Baptism So Tit. 3 5. The washing of Regeneration that is Regeneration signified and sealed in Baptism or which is to the Soul as a laver or washing is to the Body to cleanse it from Sin. So Ephes 5. 25 26. Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctif◠it and cleanse it with the washing of Water by the Word It is the Regeneration it self which is there intended by the washing of Water which is said to be wrought by the Word because by the means of the Word we are cleansed from the filth of Sin as the filth of the Body is cleansed by the washing of Water But yet this Regeneration is signified and represented in Baptism and there all do make a profession of it ERRATA PAge 52. line 5. read Judiciously P. 67. l. 19. r. is directly P. 81. l. 3. r. what words P. 84. l. 3. r. beneficial P. 104. l. 30. r. God is said P. 118. l. 20. r. yet He. P. 123. l. 9. r. with them P. 140. l. 24. r. in to the understanding P. 145. l. 23. r. from these words P. 147. l. 21. r. rite P. 152. l. 16. r. even after P. 168. l. 32. r. throw on Advertisement of some Books lately printed against Popery 1. A Modest Enquiry Whether St. Peter were ever at Rome and Bishop of that Church 2. The Fallibility of the Roman Church demonstrated from the manifest Error of the Second Nicene and Trent Councils which assert That the Veneration and honorary Worship of Images is a Tradition Primitive and Apostolical 3. A Demonstration that the Church of Rome and her Councils have erred by shewing that the Councils of Constance Basil and Trent have in all their Decrees touching Communion in one kind contradicted the received Doctrine of the Church of Christ 4. A Treatise of Traditions Wherein is proved That we have Evidence sufficient from Tradition 1. That the Scriptures are the Word of God. 2. That the Church of England owns the true Canon of the Books of the Old Testament 3. That the Copies of the Scripture have not been corrupted 4. That the Romanists have no such Evidence for their Traditions 5. That the Testimony of the present Church of Rome can be no sure Evidence of Apostolical Tradition 6. What Traditions may securely be relied upon and what not The Second Part.
preach'd 2 Pet. 1. 19. We have a more sure Word of Prophecy whereunto ye do well to take heed St. Peter praises those that read the Prophets and why should Men he blamed then for reading the Apostles and Evangelists Note whereas he says vers 20. That no Propheâ—cy of the Scripture is of any private Interpretation He doth not speak it to deter private Men from the reading or judging of the sense of it but to shew the sureness of their Rule that it was not first interpreted or written by the Fancy or Will of private Men but it came by the Will of God and holy Men of God spake therein as they were moved by the Holy Ghost ver 21. Acts 8. 27 28. Behold a Man of Ethiopia an Eunuch of great Authority and Power under Candace the Queen who had the charge of all her Treasure as he was returning from Jerusalem and fitting in his Chariot read Isaias the Prophet Observe that this Person was not a Church-man but a Treasurer or Minister of State to the Queen And Philip was sent to him by the Spirit to help him to understand the Prophecy he was reading Which is a clear Testimony of the holy Spirit 's approbation of his practice and is a great incouragement to others to do the like and in doing so to hope for the divine Direction and Blessing Acts 17. 11. 't is said The Bereans therefore were more noble than than those of Thessalonica in that they received the Word with all readiness and searched the Scriptures daily to know whether these things were so 'T is noted as an Instance of an excellent Spirit in them that they search'd the Scriptures for their satisfaction about what was delivered by the Apostles So 2 Tim. 3. 15. From a Child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures See here a Child exercised in the Holy Scriptures And this is noted by the Apostle as an excellent and praise-worthy thing in him Observe that the Apostle St. Paul addresses the most part of his Epistles not to the Priests or Bishops but to the Churches of God to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus and to all that call on the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ see Rom. 1. 7. 1 Cor. 1. 2. 2 Cor. 1. 1. Gal. 1. 2. Ephes 1. 1. And to shew clearly that he wrote to the People as well as to the Pastors he distinguishes them in his Epistle to the Philippians Chap. 1. 1. Paul and Timotheus the Servants of Jesus Christ To all the Saints that are at Philippi with the Bishops and Deacons So likewise St. James addresses his Epistle to the Twelve Tribes that are scattered abroad And St. Peter his first Epistle To the Strangers scattered throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and â—ithynia Chap. 1. 1. His second Epistle is yet more general To all those that have obtained like precious Faith with us through the Righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ St. John writes to Fathers to young Men and to Children Now what colour can there be to hinder those Persons from reading those Epistles that were sent and addrest to them Add to this that the Apostles did formally and expresly command and require Persons to read their Epistles Thus Col. 4. 16. When this Epistle is read among you cause that it be read also in the Church of the Laodiceans and that ye likewise read the Epistle from Laodicea So 1 Thess 5. 27. I charge you by the Lord that this Epistle be read to all the Holy Brethren And note that for this end they were writ in a Language best known to the generality of People As also all the Holy Scripture besides was writ in a Language that was best understood by the People for whom it was writ The Old Testament in Hebrew for the use of the Jews The New Testament in Greek that being the Language then most generally used And for this end there were Translations made of the Scriptures into the Languages of several Nations that People of all sorts might read them As to what is said 2 Pet. 3. 16. That in the Scriptures there are some things hard to be understood which many do wrest to their own destruction It is from the vice and rashness of Men that they do so wrest them which if they were of humble and teachable spirits they might avoid And therefore to prevent this wresting of them the Apostle doth not prohibit the People the reading of them but only cautions them that they be not led away with these Errors of the Wicked and directs them to grow more in knowledg the way to attain unto which is to peruse them with greater care and diligence And it is an unreasonable thing to build a Prohibition of reading the Scriptures upon a far-fetch'd consequence from this Text against so many express Commands to the contrary Yet see moreover Rev. 1. 3. Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this Prophecy and keep those things that are written therein Note here the most difficult Book of Scripture is commended to Mens reading and the Spirit of God calls those Blessed that read and keep it And what reason can there be then to deter Men from reading the Gospels and Epistles of the Apostles which contain Things much more familiar and easy to be understâ—â—â—â—â— Of the Church CHAP. IV. That the State of the Church is always visible Bellarm. de Eccles lib. 3. cap. 11. THat the Church of God shall continue in being in all Ages is not denied but that it shall be always gloriously and conspicuouly visible to the observation of all Persons that they may know whither to have recourse to it to join in communion with it and may be moved thereunto by its splendour is against many Scripture-Instances and Prophecies to the contrary Which many Times comes to pass through the prevailing of Corruptions in it or Persecutions against it which very much darken and obscure it So that a very few Persons may retain the purity of Doctrine in it and those not visible to the Notice of many others As for Example What was the Face of the Church then when God brought Abraham out of the 〈◊〉 of Infidels and Idolaters Gen. 12. What was the Face of the Church when Israel was in Egypt where they defiled themselves with the Idols of Egypt Ezek. 20. 7 8. Then they rebelled against me says God and would not hearken unto me they did not every Man cast away the Abominations of his Eyes neither did they forsake the Idols of Egypt then I said I will pour out my Fury upon them and mine Anger against them in the midst of the Land of Egypt Here was a very great Corruption in the State of the Church and that in the very chief and principal Points of Religion What was the Face of the Church in the Time of the Judges of Israel Judg. 2. 10 11 12 13. All that Generation were gathered unto their Fathers and
and vain Caution CHAP. VI. That Temporal Happiness is a Mark of the Church Bellarm. de Eccles lib. 4. cap. 18. WHat was said of the former Mark may also be applied to this here This doth not agree to the Church alone and therefore cannot be a proper Mark to distinguish it from others For the Heathens and especially the Mahometans have often had this to plead for themselves Besides it is but a contingent Note and agrees to the Church and the Defenders of it but at some times And some times agrees to one part of the Church when it does not to another and sometimes to the more corrupt part of it when it is otherwise with that part that is more pure And therefore it is a very improper Note to distinguish one from the other and so doth not do the office of a proper Mark. Or if it signified any thing the Reformed of this and the last Age may plead it in some places blessed be God as well as the Romanists But indeed it is but a fallacious Mark and to assert it universally of the Church or the most pure part of it at all times it is false and contrary to the Doctrine and Predictions of the Scripture and the Experience of the Church John 18. 36. My Kingdom is not of this World. Our Saviour did not aim at an earthly Pomp or Grandeur or Authority like the Kings of the Earth nor to leave this as an Inheritance to his â—ollowers 1 John 2. 15. The Lusts of the Flesh and the Lusts of the Eye and the Pride of Life are not of the Father but of the World. Mat. 16. 24. If any will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me Not temporal Happiness not a Cross of Gold and Silver but Affliction for the Gospel Mat. 24. 9. They shall deliver you up to be afflicted and shall kill you and ye shall be hated of all Men for my Name 's sakâ— This was the lot of the Apostles and the Christians of the first Age and so it hath continued to be more or less in most of the Ages since And the Church indeed seems to be calculated for a state of Affliction for then it thrives best John 15. 20. Remember the Word that I said unto you The Servant is not greater than the Lord If they have persecuted me they will also persecute you The Life of our Lord Jesus was a continual Persecution And God has predestinated us to be conformed to the Image of the Son Rom. 8. 20. John 16. 2. They shall cast you out of the Synagogues yea the time shall come that whosoever killeth you shall think that he doth God service Vers 20. Verily verily I say unto you That ye shall mourn and lament but the World shall rejoice ye shall be sad but your sadness shall be turned into joy All things have their season Eccles 3. The World laughs now but one day it shall gnash its teeth Good Men mourn here below but above God shall wipe away Tears from their Eyes Rev. 7. last Acts 14. 21. Paul and Barnabas returned confirming the Souls of the Disciples and exhorting them to continue in the Faith and that we must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God. Affliction and Tribulation is no more than what those who continue in the Faith may expect to meet with according to what hath come to pass in former Ages 2 Tim. 3. 12. All those that will live godly in the Faith of Jesus Christ shall suffer Persecution But the Children of Babylon glorify themselves and live deliciously Rev. 18. 7. 1 Thess 3. 3. I sent to comfort you that no Man should be moved by these Afflictions for your selves know that we are appointed thereunto The Church is not appointed then to a continual prosperous State. Rev. 12. 14 15. When the Dragon saw that he was cast unto the Earth he persecuted the Woman which had brought forth the Man-Child And to the Woman were given two Wings of a great Eagle that she might flee into the Wilderness into her place And the Serpent cast out of his Mouth Water as a Flood after the Woman that he might cause her to be carried away of the Flood This represents the Fury of the Devil stirring up Persecution against the Church which God nourishes for a time in the Wilderness Chap. 13. 7. It was given him that is the Beast to make war with the Saints and to overcome them Where was then the Prosperity of the Church Chap. 17. 4. The Woman the Great Whore was arrayed in Purple and Scarlet-colour and deck'd with Gold and precious Stones and Pearls having a golden Cup in her Hand full of abominations and filthiness of her Fornications But now behold the Equipage of the faithful Martyrs Heb. 11. 36 37. They had trial of cruel Mockings and Scourgings yea moreover of Bonds and Imprisonment They were stoned they were sawn asunder were tempted were slain with the Sword they wandred about in Sheep-skins and Goat-skins being destitute afflicted tormented of whom the World was not worthy they wandred in Deserts and in Mountains and in Dens and Caves of the Earth Therefore 1 Pet. 4. 12. Beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery Trial as though some strange thing happened unto you John 16. 33. In the World ye shall have Tribulation a description of a State far enough from temporal Prosperity but be of good chear I have overcome the World. CHAP. VII That Miracles are a Mark of the Church Bellarm. de Eccl. lib. cap. 14. WHensoever any Persons have been sent out upon an extraordinary Message by an extraordinary Mission from God to preach or teach such Doctrine as hath not been delivered before or not sufficiently attested In that case it is confest that Miracles are necessary to attest their Mission and to confirm their Doctrine But this Mission of theirs having been once sufficiently attested and their Doctrine confirmed by Miracles and both this Doctrine and Miracles faithfully recorded and the Records safely preserved then there can be no absolute need of more Miracles For there can be no need of doing that again which hath been sufficiently done already And therefore there can be no need of more Miracles when a Doctrine already sufficiently confirmed by Miracles is only to be cleansed and restored from the mixture of Errors with which it is defiled or obscured But in that case it is sufficient to have recourse to the Writings and Records in which the true Doctrine hath been delivered which hath been sufficiently confirm'd before And therefore Hezekiah and Josiah wrought to Miracles when the Reformation was set a-foot by them according to the Law already confirm'd by Miracles And Hosea Amos c. wrought no Miracles when they were sent to recal the People from their Apostacy to the observation of the Law. And John Baptist himself wrought no Miracles John 10. 41. being but to teach the People that
Doctrine that was delivered in the Promises of the Old Testament concerning the Messiah And for the same reason there was no necessity that Miracles should be wrought by our Reformers it being their Business not to teach any new Doctrine but to restore what was already taught and formerly confirmed by Miracles And it is moreover to be observed that neither our Saviour nor his Apostles did insist upon Miracles alone as the only Test of the Truth of their Doctrine but in conjunction with the Predictions and Prophecies of the Old Testament which were fulfilled in our Saviour's Person and in his Works and Doctrine as may appear by our Saviour's own method which he took for the conviction of others Luke 24. 25 26. where he appeals to all that the Prophets have spoken concerning himself And by his referring them to the Scriptures for their information John 5. 39. And so St. Peter corroborates the Testimony of the Resurrection of Christ with David's prediction of it Acts 2. 22 24. And refers likewise to the Prophecies of the Old Testament as the most sure Rule 2 Pet. 1. 16 17. And St. Paul in his preaching said none other things than those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come Act. 26. 22. So that the Jews were to receive our Saviour and his Doctrine not barely upon the account of his Miracles but as in conjunction with the Doctrine and Prophecies of the Old Testament and so as having all the concurrent Characters of a Divine Revelation And we have much less reason now to receive any Doctrine from any Persons or Church upon the account of any Miracles wrought or pretended to be wrought by them unless it be likewise conformed to the Doctrine of the Scriptures already delivered and confirmed by which it is to be tried We are also forewarn'd in the Scriptures that it may please God sometimes to permit Signs and Wonders to be wrought for the trial of Men whether they will adhere to the True Doctrine already delivered and sufficiently confirm'd And the false Prophets and Teachers shall make use of such Methods to propagate their false Doctrines Therefore this can be no proper Mark or Character of a true Prophet true Doctrine or a true Church Thus Deut. 13. 1 2 3. If there arise among you a Prophet or a Dreamer of Dreams and giveth thee a Sign or a Wonder And the Sign or Wonder come to pass of which he spake unto thee saying Let us go after other Gods which thou hast not known and let us serve them Thou shalt not hearken to the words of that Prophet or that Dreamer of Dreams â—or the Lord your God proveth you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your Heart and with all your Soul. Mat. 24. 24 25. False Christs and false Prophets shall arise and shall shew great Signs and Wonders that if it were possible they shall deceive the very Elect. Behold I have told you before Is not this a fair warning 2 Thess 2. 9. That wicked One viz. the Son of Perdition his coming shall be after the working of Satan with all Power and Signs and lying Wonders This is the very Mark and Livery of the Son of Perdition Rev. 13. 13 14. And he doth great Wonders viz. the Beast that had Horns like a Lamb so that he maketh Fire come down from Heaven on the Earth in the sight of Men and deceiveth them that dwell on the Earth by the means of those Miracles that he had power to do in the sight of the Beast And some it seems shall be deceived thereby For the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter Times some shall depart from the Faith giving heed to seducing Spirits 1 Tim. 4. 1. The so many pretended Miracles of the Romish Church then give us cause of suspicion that all is not right It is for them to pretend to Miracles that want other confirmation of their Doctrine but when we preach only the Doctrine already confirm'd we do not need them Gal. 1. 8. But though we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preach'd unto you let him be accursed It is in vain to alleadg Miracles to confirm a false Doctrine for it is not the preaching or apparition of an Angel is enough to recommend it and if not so then not any other Miracle So that we are to try the Doctrines now not by Miracles but by its consonancy to and correspondency with the Doctrine of the Scriptures already establish'd And we must judg of the Miracles themselves by the Doctrine and not the Doctrine by them And as we are to judg of the Doctrine so we are to judg of the Church that teacheth it And have cause to suspect Miracles now as the Marks of Deceivers who we are foretold shall pretend to them than to take them as Tests of true Doctrine or Marks of the true Church It is the Character of the Pharisees never to be contented with the Miracles that have been sufficiently wrought but still to expect more Mat. 16. 1. But we are contented with the Miracles already wrought by our Saviour and his Apostles And since we teach no other Doctrine than what was taught by them we may say of good right that their Miracles are our Miracles and that they authorize our belief So that we shall think not one jot the worse of our selves now for want of this Mark nor one jot the better of the Church of Rome for its pretending to it CHAP. VIII That St. Peter was supreme Pastor and Governour under Christ and had a primÌ„acy of Dominion over the Church and that the Pope is so as his Successor Catechism Roman par 1. de 9. Artic. Symbol §. 11. THis is the main Foundation of all the glorious Pretences of the Bishop and Church of Rome Upon this it is that they arrogate so great Authority to themselves over all the Churches of Christ throughout the World and over all their Members The Roman Church is defined to be the Mother and Mistress of all Churches Fourth General Council of Lateran Can. 2. Council of Trent Sess 7. Can. 3 c. And the Roman Bishop defined to be the Vicar of God and Christ and the Successor of St. Peter and to have the supreme Pastorship over the Vniversal Church Council of Trent Sess 6. de reformat cap. 1. Sess 15. cap. 7. But the very Foundation of all that St. Peter had such an Headship and Rule over the whole Church above the rest of the Apostles is overthrown by many Texts of Scripture Mark 10. 42 43 c. Jesus called unto them and said Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise Lordship over them and their great Ones exercise Authority upon them But so shall it not be among you but whosoever will be Great among you shall be your Minister and whosoever of you will be Chiefest shall be
Confusions and therefore there is such an one This is to argue from our own Fancies what God should do and not what he has done And they might as well conclude the Being of an Universal Infallible Judg over all the World in Temporal Matters for the Peace of the World which yet we see is not appointed as such an one over the Church for the Peace of the Church But it is not to be expected that all Differences in Religion should cease in this World for there must be Heresies 1 Cor. 11. 19. As there were Heresies even in the Apostles Times though they were Infallible which is an Argument that Infallibility in any if it were is no certain means to prevent Heresies or Divisions If Men be modest and humble and teachable God hath provided sufficient means for their direction in the plainness of the Rule which he has given in all things necessary and appointing Guides for their direction in doubtful things if they will follow their instruction But if Men be governed with Prejudice and Passion they would not hearken to an Infallible Judg if there were one And Christ the Judg of all will take an account of such Men in due time when the Great Judgment-Day shall come Then the Tares shall be gathered together and bound in bundles to be burnt and the Wheaâ— shall be gathered into the Barn Mat. 13. But this Judgment in the mean time is to be suspended till that Day shall come But that Men may judg for themselves in some things without an Infallible Judg our Adverâ—aries themselves are fain to allow For how else 〈◊〉 they judg in the Controversy about the Infallible Judg himself whether there be such an onâ— or 〈◊〉 and who it is and of the Scriptures and Reasons that are brought to prove it And if they may judg of this Controversy and of these Scriptures and Reasons without an Infallible Judg then why may they not also of others which are as necessary and of other Scriptures and Reasons in other Points which are as plain as they And then there is no need of an Infallible Judg at all As for the pretended Infallibility of the Church of Rome for the qualifying it to be such a Judg If the Church of Rome be infallible then it must be so either as it is a Christian Church and because it is so And then all Christian Churches would be Infallible likewise and not that only Or as it is an Apostolical Church planted by the Apostles if it were so and then all the Churches that were planted by the Apostles would be so likewise and this would give no particular priviledg to the Church of Rome Or as it hath continued down a succession of Pastors from the Apostles by whom there is a safe conveyance of Apostolical Doctrine and Tradition to the present Age But if this be so then all the Churches that have had such a Succession will be Infallible likewise as well as the Church of Rome as the Grecian Church which hath had the like Succession and upon this Principle the Church of England may come in for a share too But indeed this proves the Infallibility of no particular Church at all because of the uncertainty of Tradition therein notwithstanding such Succession which may arise from many Causes No more then it did the Infallibility of the Jewish Church notwithstanding that it had a continual Succession of the Priests and Pastors as much as the Church of Rome or any other Church whatsoever can pretend unto And therefore we are not to have respect to any Church Pastor or Pastors as Infallible nor to bind up our Judgments to them as such upon the account of any such Succession Aaron was called to the High Priesthood immediatly by God himself but was he therefore infallible or were the People bound to follow him when he made an Idol Exod. 32. Vriah was a Priest by an uninterrupted Succession from Aaron was he therefore Infallible or to be followed when he overturn'd the Service of God and Introduc'd Idolatry into the Temple Caiaphas the Chief Priest was so by an uninterrupted Succession for 1500 Years ought he therefore to be followed when he condemened Jesus Christ for a Blasphemer or were the Resolutions of the Council where he was President Infallible when Jesus Christ was declared worthy of Death The Pharisees sat in Moses Chair and the Disciples are bid observe and do whatso 〈◊〉 they said unto them ought one therefore with them to have rejected Jesus Christ By that word therefore whatsoever he doth not mean every thing without limitation but whatsoever was agreeable to the Law of Moses So that they were to judg for themselves what was or what was not so agreeable Mat. 16. 6. It is foretold that ravening Wolves should arise from among the Bishops of the Churches Doth their Succession of Orthodox Bishops oblige the Sheep of our Lord therefore to follow them as Infallible The Son of Perdition was to sit in the Temple of God but was he therefore Infallible or to be followed in his Revolt If the Church of Rome be then Infallible and yet not so upon the former Accounts Is it then by reason of its Relation to its first pretended Bishop St. Peter who was Infallible and by reason of his dying there and his leaving his Priviledges to his Successors of that See But though St. Peter was Infallible how doth it appear that this was more than a personal Priviledg and in which therefore he was to have no Successor As the Infallibility of the rest of the Apostles was a personal Priviledg and in which they were to have no Successors As for St. Peter's Headship over the Church and that of the Bishops of Rome as his Successors it is refuted in the foregoing Chapters But if the Church of Rome be Infallible none of these ways and yet is so then must it not be by virtue of some particular Promise by which Infallibility is annexed to the Church But where is that Promise As for the Apostles calling the Church The Pillar and Ground of Truth 1 Tim. 3. 15. If it proves any thing it proves the Infallibility of the Church of Ephesus and not that of Rome For the Apostle speaks of that Church in which Timothy was Bishop which was the Church of Ephesus But indeed it signifies the Churches Duty and not her Performance and may be likewise applied rather to Timothy himself than to the Church As for that saying Mat. 18. 17. Tell it unto the Church If that proves the Infallibility of a Church it proves the Infallibility of every Church And so the Church of Rome will get nothing particularly by it for the Direction is given to every particular Member in case of Scandal offered by him to his Brother And whither is such an one to make his Complaints but to the Church of which he is a Member And indeed it is only an Institution of Church-Discipline in every Church
But it is plain to any one's Observation that there is a total silence in the Scripture about this Matter that there is not the least hint or intimation given of it where ever there is any thing spoken of the Supper The Evangelists in the relation of the Institution and St. Paul in the repetition of it are very punctual in setting down what our Saviour did and injoin'd at that time They declare minutely every particular Action and Expression of our Saviour How he took Bread and brake and blessed it and gave it to them saying Take eat this is my Body In like manner he took the Cup c. But in all not one word of worshipping it or carrying it in procession to that End Which questionless would have been done if any such Adoration had been intended to it St. Paul especially had a most fit occasion to have insisted on it when he set himself on purpose to correct the Irreverence of the Corinthians in their carriage about this Ordinance 1 Cor. 11. For this would have been the highest aggravation of their Fault that could be possible to carry themselves so very irreverently to their dearest Lord corporally and substantially present before them And how could he have insisted on a better Topick to create in them a greater reverence But behold there is nothing of all this he only minds them of the Institution and that it was done in commemoration of the Death of their Redeemer who gave himself for them but he hath not one word of all this Popish Doctrine of Adoration Elevation and Procession or any thing in the least that hath a tendency to it The Scripture also almost every where is speaking of Christ and informs of his Excellency and the Divinity of his Person and tells us of the wise Mens adoring of him and gives a Command to honour him as we honour the Father John 5. and tells us that every Knee should how to him Phil. 2. And that the Angels of God worship him Heb. 1. But why doth it no where tell us that he is substantially present in the Sacrament under the species and form of Bread that we may worship him there to make the Ordinance more august and solemn especially considering that he lies there so obscured under the species of the Elements in an unactive and invisible and inglorious State where he works no Miracles to attest his Divinity as he did in the World nor gives out the least Ray of his Glory to engage us to this Worship and Adoration This is only the Consequence of that porteâ—â—ous Doctrine of Transubstantiation taught by the Church of Rome which is refuted before and therefore must needs fall with it for it is upon the Transubstantiation of the Bread and Wine into the very Body and Blood of Christ and upon the presumption of whole Christ being there substantially present by this Conversion that the Adoration of the Host is founded by them But if Transubstantiation be false and there be no Conversion if the Bread be Bread still and the Wine be Wine still then they cannot but confess themselves some of them that the Worship that is given to it is meer down-right Idolatry And indeed what is there in the Idols that the Prophets mention and the Character that they give of them but may be every way most aptly applied to this God of the Papists Read the Character that the Prophet Isaiah gives Chap. 44. 9 to 20. And what is there there that may not with the same likeness be spoken of the Host First the Country-man sows Wheat and reaps it and gathers it into Barns and thresheth it out then 't is groun'd and sifted and the Baker makes it a Wafer and bakes it and some of it he puts to other uses then the Priest Consecrates it and behold it is a God. Is not this now as sensless as the former and just such another description as that And how is that an Idol then and not this Do not the Reproaches and Ironies that the Holy Prophets thrown on Idols fall full as heavy upon this that â—s adored at the Mass So Chap. 46. 1 6 7. see what he saith of Idols and how easily it may be applied For this God too may sometimes fall to the Ground which then must be scraped to take up all clean Men carry it upon their Shoulders and sometimes it hath been taken Captive And may not one cast the same kind of Reproaches on this as the Prophet Jeremy doth on those Jer. 10. 2 3 4 Surely the Prophets did not urge the Matters pertinently or did not foresee that the like might in time be cast in the Christians Teeth for their Worship or else if those were meet and proper Characters of the Idols then and the same agree to the Host then the Host is an Idol as well as they So how doth the Psalmist decipher the Idols of the Heathen Psal 115. 3 4 5 6 7 8. But the Host doth not look near so well it is a little Dough made into a Wafer the work of the Baker that doth not carry so much likeness to a Man as to have the similitude of Members This is liable also to the same Casualties and Mishaps as those that the Prophets declaim so much against These Wafer-Gods are not able to save themselves they are not able to escape from Wars and Thieves and Robbers The Priests make fast their Temples with Locks lest they should be stolen They are liable to be gnawed upon by things creeping out of the Earth and when they are eaten they feel it not Therefore if the Host be taken by a Mouse or any other Creature and cannot be found then they do endeavour to take kill and burn that Creature and cast the Ashes under the Altar And if either Flies or Spiders chance to fall into the Chalice because these little Creatures cannot drink so little but they drink whole Christ and have him in their little Guts the Priest must by all means swallow down these Flies and Spiders if he can do it without danger of his Life or fear of Vomiting But whereas God doth in Scripture threaten a wicked Church or Nation that he would spue them out of his Mouth Were this Doctrine true 〈◊〉 as a Reverend Person saith they might do the like to him nay and not only vomit up their God but cause him to be burnt For if the Priest do vomit up the Eucharist and find the Species whole then he must reverently eat or swallow the Vomit again but if the Species appear noâ— then he is to burn it In a word this God of the Papists is liable to all those Abuses that any thing in the World can be and yet cannot help himself And what greater Indications or Characters can there be of an Idol than what belongs to this And if the Worship of this may be excused from Idolatry then why may not the Worship of all others as well there being
those that pretend to the Reformation But we are not at all surprized at it or moved to think e're the worse of the Reformation from the Church of Rome because we don't agree in some things amongst our selves For we are foretold that so it should come to pass Rom. 16. 17. Mark them which cause Divisions It implies that Divisions there would be And 1 Cor. 11. 9. For there must be Heresies that they which are approved may be made manifest Heresies are some of the Works of the Flesh Gal. 5. 20. And therefore as long as the Flesh is so predominant with many it is no wonder that there should be Heresies which are the Works of it If Christianity at first could not prevent it we can have no expectation that the Reformation should do it 2 Pet. 2. 1. There were false Prophets among the People even as there shall be false Teachers among you who privily shall bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them And they doing it privily it may not be presently discerned neither till after some tract of time But say they You have not the means of Vnity among you for you want a Judg of Controversies which is absolutely necessary in a Church and therefore there are so many Heresies and Divisions among you But this pretended means of Unity is refuted before in the Chapter of the Infallibility of the Church c. where it is proved that there is no such thing or means appointed We have as much the means of Unity as the Primitive Church had which was as much as God thinks fit to appoint in the Church They had infallible Teachers to teach them the Doctrine of God and we have the Doctrine which was taught by these infallible Teachers recorded in the Scriptures which is of the same use to us as it was to them But neither they nor we have an infallible Judg to dermine our Assent nor can have unless you will put out the Eyes of humane Nature But every one is left to judg for himself by the Rule of the Doctrine delivered God hath given us a plain Rule as hath been proved and is ready to assist us with his Spirit in all things necessary to our Salvation if we be humble and teachable And then we should do well enough without an infallible Judg. But yet these means were not effectual in the Primitive Church to prevent Divisions and Heresies because Men did not use them aright for all Men will never be so sincere and honest and diligent as they should be though they were sufficient to have done this if Men had used them as they ought And therefore how can we expect now they should be of better success The Church of Rome indeed pretends to such a means of Unity which we prove that Christ never appointed viz. An Infallible Judg of all Controversies But then as they pretend to that which they think is a greater means of Unity so one would think that they should have a greater Unity too among themselves But is it so indeed Is there nothing but Unity in the Church of Rome Are there no Divisions or were there never any Schisms Hath this pretended Judg of Controversies determined and put an end to all Controversies No he neither hath done it nor dares attempt it But we agree say they in all the fundamental Points In what Is not the Doctrine of the Infallible Judg a fundamental Point it self And do they all agree in that and who this is And if they did so do we agree in the same Rule of Faith the Holy Scriptures And why is not our agreement in the same Rule of Faith as good as their agreement about the Infallible Judg But they all agree likewise that Protestants are in the wrong And we all agree as much that Papists are in the wrong So that if this Point of agreement signify any thing here we are even with them But do they agree among themselves in other things No no more than Protestants do among themselves but have differences the same or as great as any Protestants can have whatsoever they be And notwithstanding the decisions of their pretended infallible Judg they do as much differ in particular Doctrines in the sense of those decisions which are for the determining of the sense of Scriptures as the Protestants do about the sense of Scripture without the decisions of such a determining Judg Therefore we think it very reasonable that the Church of Rome should do as our Saviour directs when they cry out so much upon our Divisions that they would first pull out the Beam out of their own Eyes and reconcile all Differences at Home and then they shall see the more clearly to cast out the Mate out of their Brother's Eye Which they can never do whilst the Beam is in their own or at least I hope we shall never go to them to do it FINIS This Chapter should have come in after Chap. XI That there are some Places more Holy than others and that it is a Work of Piety to go in Pilgrimages to them Bellarm. de Cultu Sacris lib. 3. cap. 8. THis is to revive Judaism again For God dwelt among the Jews indeed in an appropriate manner in the Temple of Jerusalem where were the Symbols of his Presence The Temple was God's House and therefore an Holy Place because God was there peculiarly present Thither were all the Males of the Children of Israel to resort three times a Year and there alone offer their Sacrifices and Oblations to God And the Place made the Worship acceptable to God which was offered there so that the Worship was not so acceptable to God which was performed in other places for the Presence of God sanctified the Place and made it Holy and that sanctified the Worship and gave value to it and therefore it was more acceptably performed there than in another Place But now under the Gospel there is no such Holiness of Places because there is no such symbolical Presence of God in one place more than in another for God's Presence is no longer confined to any one Place but he equally accepts the Worship that is devoutly offered him all the World over John 4. 21 23 24. Woman believe me the Hour cometh when ye shall neither in this Mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father as the peculiar and appropriate Place of his Worship as if he were more especially present there than in any other Place or would better accept the Worship performed there than in any other Place For now all such religious distinction of Places for Worship shall be taken away But the Hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him as well in one place as another And such devout Worshippers shall be acceptable to him in any Place Mal. 1. 11. For from the rising of the Sun unto
for the reducing of Offenders to Repentance and not a setting up a Judg of Controversies in Matters of Faith for all Mens infallible Direction As for that Promise John 16. 13. When the Spirit of Truth is come he shall guide you into all Truth It was made to all the Apostles and seems to be made to them only as appears by the Circumstances of the Discourse Chap. 14. 25 26 28. Chap. 15. 26 27. Chap. 16. 4 6. Or if it be to be extended to their Successors so far as it is so it must be extended to all their Successors as it was made to all the Apostles And so it will make all them Infallible likewise if it doth make any of them Infallible and not their Successors in the Church of Rome only or the Popes and Bishops there by a particular Priviledg But now suppose the Church of Rome were Infallible who is it in that Church that is Infallible Is it the Pope alone or is it a General Council called by him or is it both together or the Council confirmed by a Pope or the Council alone In this they do not agree among themselves As for the Pope's own Infallibility his Pretentions are considered already And if a Council be not Infallible unless called and confirmed by the Pope who is yet in himself Fallible how can the Calling or Confirmation of a Fallible Pope make a Eallible Council Infallible or will two Fallibles put together make one Infallible As for the Infallibility of a Council alone in it self if the greatest or major part of Christian Pastors are not Infallible but may fall into the grossest Errors as all will allow then how shall a General Council be Infallible which is to represent the whole Church and in which things are to be carried by the Rules of the major part which may err Unless it can be proved that the major part of Christian Pastors which are grosly erring singly by themselves when they come together shall be indued with so much Wit and Honesty that they shall suffer themselves to be governed and over-ruled by the lesser part that do not err But what Promise or Security have we for all this As for Mat. 18. 20. Where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the midst of them If that proves an Infallibility in the Persons so gathered together it proves the Infallibility of every Assembly of Christians gathered in Christ's Name as well as of a General Council And therefore it would prove too much whereas indeed it is a Promise of Christ's gracious Presence and not of an Infallible Guidance And that suspended upon condition of being gathered in Christ's Name acting for his Glory according to his Rule by his Command and Commission As for that Place Acts 15. 28. It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us to lay no other Burden upon you c. It is only a Declaration of the present Case and not a Promise for the Future It is true that this Council was guided by the Holy Ghost and was Infallible but it doth not follow that other Councils shall For the Apostles who were all Infallible were the chief Actors in this Council and therefore its Determinations were Infallible which cannot be said of those of any other Council where there is not the same reason And now as to the Infallibility of a General Council suppose it were granted how shall we certainly know when a Council is truly General Or suppose such an one and Infallible when it sits yet how will that satisfy the pretence of the necessity of a living Judg in the Church at all Times for the ending of Controversies unless such a Council did always sit Which we know there did not in the first Ages of the Church when there were many Heresies and Differences and we know hath not done in several Ages and we see doth not now at this Time. If they say we may read the Determinations of Councils that are in Writing and that will suffice us So we may do the Determinations of the Articles of Faith in the Scriptures which yet they say is not sufficient without a living Judg to give their Sense And if the Scriptures are not sufficient without a living Judg then neither are the Definitions of Councils that are in Writing For the Definitions of Councils left us in their Books are as much a dead Writing as the Scriptures and can as little help themselâ—â—â— and we see there is as much difference about the Sense of them So that if there must be a living Judg and a General Council must be 〈◊〉 then there must be a Council still sitting For if the written Determinations of a former Council will serve the turn then they must give up the Controversy of the necessity of a living Judg. And if it can be proved that the Scriptures are a sufficient Rule without such Determinations and sufficiently 〈◊〉 in all things necessary then though it be but a dead Rule yet it will do the deed as well as the dead Determinations of a dead Councill And so all the Controversy will run into that aboâ—â— the sufficiency and clearness of Scripture which has been considered in the beginning and to his Controversy about the Infallibility of a General Council for a living and visible Judg will be wholly superseded and useless Yet after all if all these Difficulties could be got over about an Infallible Pope or Council yet that would not signify very much to the common People unless their particular Bishops and Curats may be supposed to be Infallible likewise to give them an Infallible account of an Infallible Pope or Councils Definitions or unless every particular Person may go himself to the Pope or Council for rcsolution in all Cases Which they know cannot be done for the common People cannot read all their Determinations in Print or Writing or if they could would as little understand them as they do the Scriptures and so must need a living Infallible Judg nearer at hand to give them Infallible direction or else they may still be deceived for want of one if the want of one must needs make them liable to deceit so that they must have Infallible Curats likewise to preserve them from danger of being deceived If they say the Curats may inform them of the true meaning of the Definitions of Councils and Popes and that they may be sufficiently certain of this without their being Infallible which is the only thing that can be said then it seems there may be Certainty without Infallibility And then why may not the Protestant Bishops and Ministers though they were not Infallible as certainly inform the People of the true meaning of the Scriptures So that if the Scripture be a sure and plain Rule of Faith so that it may be understood without the Infallibility of those that read it then the Protestant People who have not Infallible Teachers may yet have as much certainty
of Faith as the common People of the Church of Rome can have for their Lives Of Prayer and Worship in an Unknown Tongue CHAP. XI That Prayers and the Publick Divine Service is to be every where celebrated in Latin or a Tongue not understood by the People Council of Trent Sess 22. Cap. 8. Can. 9. AGainst the Rule of the Apostle 1 Cor. 14. almost the whole Chapter Vers 2. He that speaketh in an unknown Tongue speaketh not unto Men or to their understanding but unto God alone and no Body receiveth any benefit by them Vers 4. For he that speaketh in an unknown Tongue benefiteth and edifieth himself alone Therefore Vers 5. greater is he that prophesieth and speaketh intelligibly to the Church in plain words than be that speaketh with Tongues except he interpret that the Church may receive edifying And Vers 6. then if I come unto you speaking only with Tongues unknown what shall I profit you Vers 7 8 9. Even things without Life giving found as musical Instruments whether Pipe or Harp except they give a distinction in the sounds how shall it be known what is piped or harped And if the Triâ—â—pet for example give an uncertain and untelligible sound who shall prepare himself to the Battel So likewise you except ye utter by the Tongue words easy to be understood by your Hearers how shall it be known what is spoken by you or what are they the better For ye shall speak unprofitably and into the Air Vers 10 11. There are it may be so many kinds of Voices and several Languages in the World and none of them are without their proper signification but this only to those that know them Therefore if I know not the meaning of the particular Voice or Language I shall be unto him that speaketh only an unintelligent Barbarian and he that speaketh shall be a Barbarian unto me This is that which comes to pass between the Priest and the People in the Church of Rome when they sing Mass one is a Barbarian to the other not understanding a word what is said Vers 12. Forasmuch as ye are zealous then of Spiritual Gifts that ye may not be unintelligible and unprofitable seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the Church Vers 13. Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown Tongue pray that he may also have the Gift and Ability to interpret it Vers 13 14. For if I pray in an unknown Tongue my Spirit or Gift of Tongues prayeth well indeed but my Vnderstanding is unfruitful as to others to make them understand so as they may profitably join with me What is it then here to be done I will pray with or by my Spirit or Gift of Tongues and I will pray intelligibly with my Vnderstanding also to others And â— will sing with the Spirit and with the Vnderstanding also or else keep silence in the Church Vâ—rs 16 17. Else when thou shalt in such an unknown Tongue bless or sing praises to God with the Spirit how shall he that occupieth the room of the Vnlearned join his Affection and Intention with thee and say Amen at this thy giving of Thanks seeing he understands not what thou sayest For verily thou gavest Thanks well but the other is not edified or advanced in his Devotion hereby Vers 18 19. I thank my God I have this Gift to speak with Tongues more than any of you all Yet when I am in the Church I had rather speak five words with my understanding in a way that is intelligible that so by my Voice I might teach others also than ten thousand words in an unknown Tongue Vers 26. Let all things be done to edifying It is plain from all this Discourse of the Apostle that all Publick Service in the Church should be done to the Edification of the Church But if the People do not understand what is said they cannot be edified by it or give their assent to it And it is plain if it be performed in a Tongue which they know not they cannot understand the Matter of the Service And consequently 't is a vain and unprofitable Act because in this way the People are not edified For it is certain that in this way the Mind is not informed nor the Affections rationally excited and therefore it is but a blind irrational Devotion that is then offered up to God by the People and thereby his Name is profaned rather and taken in vain than honoured How should the People say Amen when they say their Prayers and give Thanks in Latin How should the common People of England be able to say Amen seeing they understand not what is said or how should they know what they say Amen to If the Priâ—st should be so wicked he may Conjure as well as Pray or Curse the People instead of Blessing them and they never the wiser but say Amen to their own Condemnation Or when he baptizeth he may baptize in the Name of the Devil for any thing they know as well as in the Name of Christ as it is said a Jew once did under the Profession of a Priest As to what they pretend of the Unity of Devotion which would be attained hereby all the World over Unity of Understanding sure would more advance that than Unity of Language for all Languages are all one to God. But where there is no Unity of Understanding there can be no Unity either of Affection or Devotion Here the Priest may pray for one thing and the People may pray for another Whilst the Priest is praying for Heaven the People may pray for fair Weather or one for Pardon of Sin and another for Patience and so on in the same place and at the same time But here is no united Devotion which is the great End of publick Service unless the People likewise understand what the Priest prays for and so may join with him nor yet any Devotion at all without understanding what they are about CHAP. XII That there are other Mediators of Intercession in Heaven besides Jesus Christ such as Angels and Saints and especially the Virgin Mary who is the Mother of Mercies and Advocatress of the Faithful And that it is good and profitable to invoke them and to have recourse to their Prayerâ— Aid and Help Council of Trent Sess 25. de Invocat Catech. Rom. par 3. cap. 2. par 4. cap. 5. WHich is contrary to all those Texts of Scripture which speak of Christ as the only Mediator and that instruct us to direct our Worship and all our Prayers to God alone by him 1 Tim. 2. 5. There is one God and one Mediator between God and Man the Man Christ Jesus The Apostle speaks it without distinction that as there is but one God excluding all inferior Deities so there is but one Mediator excluding all inferior Mediators without distinguishing a Mediator of Redemption and Mediators of Intercession So that it is as much an Error against the Christiaâ—