Divine Truth and therein stubbornly contradicting the Teaching of the Church he debars God from co-operating with his Grace and from drawing people to believe with Divine Faith the Doctrine so mixt and proposed It appears how just cause all Protestants have to return with speed to the Roman Church in which they may assuredly be saved even by the Judgement of the most Learned among them because it is more than probable that the Protestant Profession is not a saving Religion in regard that the Doctrine of Faith which it imbraceth is not nor cannot be wholly true but really and certainly is mixed with much Falshood 1. Because in divers weighty Points of Faith it directly contradicts the express Word of God as I before have shewed 2. Because this Doctrine of Faith is not directed by any sure Rule of Faith by any Infallible Interpreter of the Scriptures by and Un-erring Judge of Controversies nor proposed by any sure and Infallible Proposer 3. Because Protestants are divided into several Branches or Sects which greatly differ and are contrary one to another in divers weighty Points of Faith as I have before Noted And 4. Because Protestants hold that all Churches are subject to erring yea and have erred in their Doctrine of Faith. What assurance then have they that theirs doth not err none at all The Religion of the True Messias is not to be introduc'd amongst the Nations of the Earth or in one Year or in one Age But by degrees and by the Labours and Charitable Endeavours of many Ages Because the same is not to be brought in by Force but by Fair Means Not by the Souldiers Sword but by the Teachers Word Not by Violent Compulsion but by Gentle Perswasion such as the Apostles and Apostolical Teachers have ever us'd Going saith our sweet Saviour Teach all Nations Matth. 28. And therefore this must needs be a work of long continuance the Nations of the Earth being so many as they are so dispers'd over the whole World and dis-joyn'd one from another by Mountains and Seas so Barbarous so Drench'd in Sin inur'd to Carnal and Brutish Customs And the Religion of the Messias being so Holy and Profound as Gods Religion must be Yea this Divine Work of notifying the Messias to all the Nations of the Earth and of Converting them or at least part of each of them to him is to endure and last even till the end of the World as is manifest out of our Saviours words before alleadg'd out of the 24 of Matth. See the place and weigh it well The Nations of the Earth I say for above these twelve hundred years have not been Blessed in Jesus by believing in him for want of a True Religion though very many of them within the space of time have been Converted to him by the Roman Church by the Labours and Industry of Papists both in Europe Asia Africa and the New-found World Neither are they ever likely to be Blessed in Him For if already he hath not taken order to preserve a True Divine and Pure Religion among them to bring unto them the Promis'd Blessing that is to Sanctify and Save them He is never likely to do it For he is not likely to be wiser or better or more powerful hereafter than he hath been heretofore Neither is he likely to come into the World again to found a new Church and Religion and to establish it better than He did his first for the Salvation of Mankind I demand of Protestants if the Church of Christ hath err'd as they say in her Doctrine of Faith from whence proceeded this her erring Did this happen because Christ could not keep her from erring or because he would not If he could not how is he God How is he Omnipotent How is it True that he had All Power given him in Heaven and Earth Mat. 28.18 If Christ could enable his Apostles to Preach his Religion over the World without danger of erring and of deluding the Nations of the Earth why could not he also enable their Successors the Ordinary Doctors and Pastors of his Church to Teach and continue the same Religion in all succeeding Ages without danger of erring and of misleading his People If God could direct men to write his Holy Scriptures without danger of erring why can he not direct men to explicate the same Holy Scriptures in all Ages without danger of erring in matters of Faith Well then Protestants must say that Christ could have preserv'd his Church in all Ages from danger of erring in her Doctrine of Faith but would not But why would he not Did the Increase of his own Credit and Glory move him to this neglect or the good of Mankind not the Increase of his own Credit For what Credit Honour Glory could acrew and rise to him by the erring of his Church Doth this commend his Workmanship in Founding her His Wisdom Goodness Power in Governing her I think not Nay could it become the Wisdom of a Discreet man to take so great Pains and to suffer so Painful and Ignominious a Death as Christ did for the Founding of an Erring Church which should delude and mislead the World Would any Honest Protestant if he had the like Power that Christ had have Founded so miserable a Church as they esteem Christ to have Founded I believe not Was it then the good of Mankind that invited Christ to Constitute an erring Church Truly no. For no good can come to men by such a Church but rather much harm yea infinite mischief As endless Discord Broils Contentions Bloody Encounters uncertainty in matters of Faith happen as amongst the Reformers contempt of all Religion and the ruine and destruction of Infinite Souls For the Devil would never go about to seduce the Church and to Pollute her Doctrine with Errours and Superstitions but to do Mischief and to bring Souls to Perdition Wherefore seeing that it could not redound either to the Glory of God or the good of Men that Christ should Found an Erring Church it is very gross Errour to hold that he did And those who so think do greatly mistake and exceedingly wrong the Wisdom and Goodness of our Saviour as will more clearly appear in the ensuing Discourse If it be true that the Church of Christ for so many Ages hath Err'd in her Doctrine of Faith Imbracing as it were with both her Arms and instilling into her Followers many Pernicious Errors many gross Superstitions Notwithstanding that Christ her Spouse and Saviour Promis'd Matth. 16. That the Gates of Hell should never prevail against her That the Holy Ghost should Abide with her Pastors for ever St. John cap. 14. and should Teach them all Truth Joh. 16. That he himself would be with them All days even till the end of the World Mat. 28. And notwithstanding that God Promis'd that His Spirit and Word should never depart from this Church Isaias 59. That she should Stand for ever Daniel 2. And should Never be
be proposed but much more how they ever came to be received in the World For what can be more ignorantly Blasphemous than to say God raised up Men to restore his Church who yet could by no means Agree among themselves in matters of Faith as hereafter will appear and whose Followers do at this day pursue each other with Excommunications and Anathema's If Calvin was the Messenger of God then was Luther a Sacrilegious Impostor if the Church of England be Orthodox then were Luther and Calvin both Impostors and if any other of the Reformers were in the right the Church of England is in the wrong Which then of the Dissenting Protestants Doctrin shall we say was the belief of the Primitive Church Were all these at once the Primitive Faith. or was some one Denomination of Protestants the primitive Believers and those of all other Denominations in the wrong It being impossible as I have proved that the True Faith should ever be Invisble at any time if therefore Protestancy had ever been professed it could never have been totally extinguish'd Though most certain it is that no footsteeps of any of the Reformers Principles were known for almost 1500 years in the Christian World except in some Heresies condemned in several Ages of the Church which do indeed much resemble the Innovations of our Modern Reformers as their Doctrine of the Sacrament in the Heresie of Berengarius of Invocation of Saints in the Heresie of Vigilantius of Prayer for the Dead in Aerius of Images in Xenias and the Iconaclasts of Confession in the Novatianus their practice of no mingled Chalice in the Heresie of the Armenians and of Priests Marriages in Jovinian as Luthers Marrying a Nun borrowed from Marcions corrupting a Virgin and to add no more their Famous Naggshead Consecration copied from Novatus that was made a Bishop in a Tavern and deposed by Cornelius And now for the Church of England she must ever stand or fall on her own Bottom having so notoriously condemned all other parts of the Reformation That the Lutherans are condemn'd by the Church of England every body knows and that the Calvinists are so too I will in one word plainly shew A Protestant Parson that comes from France from Holland or Geneva to be Beneficed in England cannot be admitted to Preach nor Administer the Sacraments after the Rites of the English Church till he has renounced that Mission he had before and taken new Orders according to the form of the Church of England which to all Men of sense implies that the Church of England does assuredly believe the Calvinist Teachers are false Imposters that they have no Mission no Authority no Ordination and by consequence no Sacraments being in their conceits purely Lay-men From hence I take the liberty to ask the Doctors of the English Church how they can in honour and conscience call them their Brethren as they do of the Reformation from whom they have seperated at so great a distance as to reject all their Ordinations at once as null and void and how they can suffer the French and Dutch Hugonots to have Churches and free exercise of their Religion here and some of them also the Church of Englands Liturgy at the same time as they believe them neither to have Priesthood nor Sacraments and by consequence no such thing as a Church at all Seeing then the Church of England look on themselves as the only Church of the Refonmation it follows that she must accordingly prove her self the true Church and shew how that Sum of Christian Doctrin which she now holds has been constantly held in all past Ages of the Church which I am sure all the English Doctors in the World will not make out nay I think they do not so much as pretend to For to end all Controversies let them shew but one Service-Book in all the 1500 years before Luther in any one vulgar Tongue which agreeth with their Service Book and for that one Book sake we will submit the cause no they say contrariwise that for about 1000 years Popish Superstition was the only Religion known in the World Which Superstition as they call it I shall now endeavour to prove to be that true Religion which has been from our Saviours time and which must Infallibly last to the end of the World. The Arguments by which I have briefly and I hope evidently shewn that the Protestant Church neither single nor aggregate can be the true Church do at the same time as evidently prove the Church of Rome to be so For as the Protestant Churches want of Antiquity their not having been from the beginning of Christianity nor Visible till within 200 years proves them not to be the Catholick Church so the Antiquity of the Church of Rome her having been from the beginning and continuing still Visible by propagating the Gospel and Administring the Sacraments in all Ages since Christ does as plainly evince her to be the only true Church the spouse of Christ and Pillar of Truth I demand has not this Church in all Ages had a visible Succession of Bishops a settled Government with a visible Head from St. Peter to this very day Has not this been the only Church that has duly planted the Faith and as duly suppressed Heresie and Schism Is not this the Church that has held all General Councils and has not the Bishop of Rome Presided in the four First seemingly allowed of by the Church of England Is not this the only Church that has sent Apostles and Missionaries out to plant the Gospel in all the Infidel corners of the Earth and from whence England first received the Christian Faith Is there any other Church that can pretend to have been assisted by God Almighty in the working of Miracles and in the Conversion of Nations What other Church can shew an Army of Martyrs and Confessors a number of Men that lead most Holy and Austere Lives forsaking the World to follow Christ What other Church in the World can pretend either to Unity or Universality to be every where the same and to have all her Children at perfect Agreement in matters of Faith and Doctrine for the disputes of Catholicks are about matters not defin'd and so controvertable but never about a Doctrine that has been once determined in a General Council These are the Marks and essential ones of the true Church but these agree to no other Church but that of Rome the Church of Rome is therefore the only Church Whatever the Grecian or the Abyssine Churches have to say in answer to this which does not much concern us sure I am the Church of England has nothing plausible to excuse her Schism and Rebellion against her Mother Church and under whose subjection she has been bred and maintained for many Ages in the World. Every one knows and no Church of England Man can deny that this National Church was in all Ages subject to and a part of the Western
Lady our King and Queen our Empress and Emperour And if further than this we acknowledge Her to be Head of the Church of England we ought also to grant that the Emperour or any other Prince being Catholick and their Subjects Protestants are to be Heads of their Church Whereby we shall do an Act as disagreeble to the Protestants as this seems to Catholicks If you say The Supremacy consists in Spiritual concernments Then it would be considered what the Spiritual Government is and in what points it doth chiefly consist Which being first agreed upon it would be further considered of your Wisdoms whether this House may grant it to her Highness or not And whether her Highness be an apt Person to receive the same So by through Examination of these parts your Honours shall proceed in this matter groundedly upon such sure knowledge as not to be deceived by ignorance Now to the First Point wherein I promised to examine what matter of weight danger or inconvenience might be incurred by this our forsaking and flying from the Church of Rome if there were no further matter therein than the with drawing our Obedience from the Popes Person supposing that he had declar'd himself to be a very Austere and Severe Father to us then the business were not of so great importance as indeed it is as will immediately here appear For by relinquishing and forsaking the Church or See of Rome we must forsake and fly from all General Councils Secondly from all Canonical and Ecclesiastical Laws of the Church of Christ Thirdly From the Judgement of all other Christian Princes Fourthly and Lastly we must forsake and fly from the Holy Unity of Christ's Church and so by leaping out of Peter's Ship we hazard our selves to be overwhelmed in the waves of Schism of Sects and Divisions First Touching the General Councils I shall name unto you these Four The Nicene Council the Constantinopolitan Council the Ephesine and the Chalcedon All which are approved by all Men. Of these same Councils Saint Gregory writes in this wise Sicut enim Sancti Evangelii quatuor Libros sic haec quatuor Concilia Nicenum Constantinopolitanum Ephesium Chalcedonense suscipire ac venerari me fateor That is to say in English I confess I do receive and reverence those Four General Councils of Nice Constantinople c. even as I do the Four Holy Evangelists At the Nicene Council the first of the Four the Bishops which were there Assembled did write there Epistles to Sylvester then Bishop of Rome That their decrees then made might be confirmed by his Authority At the Council kept at Constantinople all the Bishops there were obedient to Damasus then Bishop of Rome He as cheif in the Council gave Sentence against the Hereticks Macedoneus Sabillius and Eunomius Which Eunomius was both an Arrian and the first Author of that Heresie That only Faith doth juctifie And here by the way it is much to be lamented that we the Inhabitants of this Realm are much more inclined to raise up the Errors and Sects of Ancient condemned Hereticks than to follow the True Approved Doctrine of the most Catholick and Learned Fathers of Christ's-Church At the Ephesine Council Nestorius the Heretick was condemned by Celestine the Bishop of Rome he being chief Judge there At the Chalcedon Council all the Bishops there Assembled did write their humble Submission unto Leo then Bishop of Rome wherein they did acknowledge him there to be their Chief Head Six Hundred and Thirty Bishops of them Therefore to deny the See Apostolick and its Authority were to contemn and set at nought the Authority and Decrees of those noble Councils Secondly We must forsake and fly from all Canonical and Ecclesiastical Laws of Christ his Church whereunto we have already professed our Obedience at the Font saying Credo Sanctum Ecclesiam Catholicam that is I believe in the Holy Catholick Church Which Article contains That we must receive the Doctrine and Sacraments of the same Church obey her Laws and live according to the same Which Laws do depend wholly upon the Authority of the See Apostolick And like as it is there openly professed by the Judges of the Realm that the Laws agreed upon in the Higher and Lower Houses of this Honourable Parliament be of small or none effect before the Royal Assent of the King or Prince be given thereunto Even so Ecclesiastical Laws made cannot bind the Universal Church of Christ without the Royal Assent and Confirmation of the See Apostolick Thirdly We must forsake and fly from the Judgement of all other Christian Princes whether they be Protestant or Catholick Christians when none of them do agree with these our doings King Henry the VIII being the first that ever took upon him the Title of Supremacy And whereas it was of late here in this House said by a Nobleman That the Title of Supremacy is of right due to a King for that he is a King then would it follow That Herod being a King should be Supream Head of the Church at Jerusalem And Nero the Emperour Supream Head of the Church of Christ at Rome they being both Infidels and therefore no members of Christ's Church And if our Saviour Christ at his departure from this World should have left the Spiritual Government of his Church in the hands of Emperours and Kings and not to have committed the same to his Apostles how negligently then should he have left his Church It shall appear right-well by calling to mind That the Emperour Constantinus Magnus was the First Christian Emperour and was Baptized by Sylvester Bishop of Rome about Three hundred years after the Ascension of Christ Jesus If by your Proposition Constantine the first Christian Emperor was the First Head and Spiritual Governor of Christs-Church throughout his Empire then it follows That our Saviour Christ for the space of Three Hundred years unto the coming of this Constantine left his Church which he had so dearly bought by effusion of his most precious Blood without any Head at all But how untrue the saying of this Nobleman was it shall further appear by the Example of Ozia and also of King David For King Ozia did take the Censor to do Incense to the Altar of God. The Priest Azarius did resist him and expelled him out of the Temple and said unto him Non est Officii tui Ozia ut adoleas Incensum Domino sed est Sacerdotam Filiorum Aaron Ad hujusmodi enim Officium consecrati That is to say It is not thy Office Ozia to offer Incense to the Altar of God. But it is the Priests Office and the Sons of Aaron for they are Consecrated and Anointed to that Office. Now I shall most humbly demand this question When the Priest Azarius said to the King Non est Officii tui whether he said Truth or not If you answer that he spake the Truth then the King was not Supream Head of the Church of the Jews
culled out of them Aid this year was sent to assist the Rebels in Scotland against their Lawful Queen The Presbyterians seeing Episcopal Government settled begin to play their Game The Bishops being thus settled begin the next year to make Laws and to compose Articles of Religion and to exact a Conformity to them Upon which they find great opposition from the Presbyterians In her fourth year she was solicited by Pope Pius to send her Orators to the Council of Trent which she refus'd to do The Emperour also writ to her to desist from these Alterations of Religion and to return to the Antient Catholick Faith of her Predecessors In her fifth year the Articles of Religion were agreed on in the Convocation In her sixth year she would have Married the Earl of Leicester to the Queen of Scots Calvin dies this year and Cartwright the great promoter of Presbytery retires out of England upon a discontent to Geneva In her seventh year the Calvinists began first to be called Puritans Dr. Heylyn In her eighth year the Government of the Church by Archbishops and Bishops was Confirm'd And for this we are beholding to Boner the late Bishop of London Who being call'd up to take the Oath of Supremacy by Horn of Winton refus'd to take the Oath upon this account because Horn's Consecration was not good and valid by the Laws of the Land. Which the insisted upon because the Ordinal Establish'd in the Reign of King Edward the VI. by which both Horn and all the rest of Queen Elizabeths Bishops received Consecration had been Repealed by Queen Mary and not restor'd by any Act of Parliament in the present Reign which being first declar'd by Parliament in the Eighth of this Queen to be Casus Omissus or rather that the Ordinal was look'd upon as a part of the Liturgy confirm'd in the First year of this Queen They next Enacted and Ordain'd That all such Bishops as were Consecrated by it in time to come should be reputed to be lawfully Consecrated Baker In her Eleventh year there arose a Sect openly condemning the receiv'd Discipline of the Church of England together with the Church Liturgy and the very Calling of Bishops This Sect so mightily encreas'd that in the Sixteenth year of her Reign the Queen and Kingdom was extreamly troubled with them In the same Sixteenth year were taken at Mass in their several Houses the Lord Morley's Lady and her Children the Lady Gilford and the Lady Brown Who being thereof Endicted and Convicted suffer'd the Penalties of the Laws In her Twentieth year the severe Laws against Roman Catholicks were Enacted In her Twenty third year a Proclamation was set forth That whosoever had any Children beyond Sea should by a certain day call them home and that no Person should harbour any Seminary Priest or Jesuit At this time also there arose up in Holland a certain Sect naming themselves The Family of Love. In a Parliament held the 26th year of her Reign the Puritan Party labour'd to have Laws made in order to the destroying of the Church of England and the setting up of their own Sect. In her Twenty eighth year the Queen gave a special Charge to Whitgift Archbishop of Canterbury to settle an Uniformity in the Ecclesiastical Discipline which lay now almost a gasping And at this time the Sect of Brownists deriv'd from one Robert Brown did much oppose the Church of England In her One and Thirtieth year the Puritan-Flames broke forth again In her Thirty sixth year the Severity of the Laws were Executed upon Henry Barrow and the Sectaries for condemning the Church of England as no Christian Church Thus Sir Rich. Baker Here is an End of this Work. Wherein I hope there is full satisfaction given concerning the Alterations of Religion which have been made by Publick Authority in the Reigns of these Kings and Queens With a sufficient discovery of the Actings of the Presbyterians in this Nation and the ground of multiplying other Sects Here ends of Historical Collections Gentlemen of the Reformation this following Discourse I assure you is not intended to make any Reflection upon your Tenets but meerly out of zeal to your good and desiring the Almighty to give you his Grace not to be deluded by the Principles of the first promoters of the Reformation For it may well be that every one of you does not know the Principles of those first Authors of the Reformation therefore out of Charity and zeal to you and the good of your Souls I declare them here The Preface to the Children of the Reformation BE not concern'd to know whose Hand it is which holds the Link but follow the Light it gives directing you to a view of the Principles upon which the Reformation supports it self asserting a Holy Liberty to each Person and to act as he pleases with a safe Conscience according to the Principles of our Reformation to grant any humane Power can oblige our Consciences against our Judgements in matters of Religion is but an imaginary Remedy for a real Evil. Our common Reformation is cemented and was first rais'd upon this Holy Liberty that every one should read Scripture Interpret it for himself and believe what he though was the true Sense of it without any compulsion or constraint and not to believe either Church State Vniversity or Doctors if he did not judge by Scripture his Doctrine was true Considering the Infancy of the Reformation our blessed Reformers taking to themselves and giving to others this Holy Liberty for to Teach and Believe whatever they judg'd to be the Doctrine and true Sense of Scripture though it should be against the received Opinion of the Councils Church Vniversities and Doctors Look into the Reign of Edward the VI. then did our Reformation flourish in England and was miraculously propogated by the Liberty of Martin Bucer Cranmer Ochinus Peter Martyr and others in teaching Calvinism Lutheranism Zuinglianism by Scripture as every one understood it Descend to the Reign of Queen Mary then the light of the Gospel was ecclipsed in the sense of the Reformers because the flock was again Popishly compell'd to believe not what every one judg'd by Scripture to be true but what the Church judg'd was such Come down a step lower to Queen Elizabeth's time then the flock recovering their holy Liberty to believe what each one though was the Doctrine of Scripture the Reformation gain'd ground and our Protestancy was establish'd the Religion of the Land which others were not totally suppress'd Step down a degree lower to King James his time the Reformation held its course because their Consciences were not oppress'd Look down a step lower to King Charles the I's Reign His Majesty carried with a Godly Zeal of restraining the diversity of Opinions would by new Laws and Ordinances force the flock to an Uniformity of Doctrine then those of the Reformation pleaded for the Evangelical Liberty to believe nothing nor use any Rites or Ceremonies but
any but as each Congregation Synod particular Doctor or Man of sound judgement interprets it and consequently what ever Doctrine any man of sound judgement Interprets it judges to be of Scripture is to be esteem'd the Doctrine of the Reformation and you may safely believe it if you like it and remain still as truly a Reformed Child as the proudest Protestant of England The Rule of Faith is Scripture as any particular Doctor of person of sound Judgement understands it Behold how convincingly first we have heard Luther quoted but now say We receive nothing but Scripture but so as that we must have some Authority to Interpret it Hear him again d In Colloq mensal fol. 118. The Governours and Pastors have Power to teach but the sheep must give their judgement f In Defens Art. Reliq Protest pag. 199. whether they propose the Voice of Christ or of strangers And again e To. Wittem fol. 374. Christ has taken from the Bishops Councils and Pastors the right of Doctrine and given it to all Christians in general and the Rule is Scripture as each one will think fit to interpret it And in consequent to this we have heard him say above I will be free and will not submit to Doctors Councils or Pastors but will teach whatever I think to be true Barlow The Apostles have given to each particular Man the right and power of Interpreting and judging by his inward spirit what is true it is needless that any Man or Angel Pope or Council should instruct you the spirit working in the Heart and Scripture are to each particular Person most assured Interpreters Bilson Bishop of Winchester says the same g In his true difier par 2. pag. 353. The people must be discerners and judges of what is taught Our Religion has no other rule of Faith says our French Reformation by the mouth of Du Moulin h Boucler de lay Foy. Drelincourt and the holy Synod of Charenton but the written Word of God as Interpreted by us It matters not so much for you to know what I approve or condemn but to know what the Doctrine of the Reformation is It is this That none can Teach Preach Administer Sacraments or Exercise Ecclesiastical Functions if he be not in Holy Orders Bishop Priest or Deacon for the Church of England teaches it and you may believe it if you please You may also deny it and say any Woman or Tradesmen has as much power to Preach and administer the Sacraments as the ablest Bishop in England This also is the Doctrine of the Reformation as well as the former because Quakers Presbyterians Brownists Anabaptists c. Believe and Teach this and they are men of as sound judgements and as good Reformers as the Protestants nay the most learned of our Reformaers allow Women a right to exercise Spiritual Functions and Administer the Sacraments Samaise Peter Martyr In lib ad Corin c. 11. in Explan Art. 17. To. 2. de minist Eccles instit fol. 369 lib. de Cap. Babil c. de Ordin lib. de abroganda Missa and Zuinlius expresly defend the Priesthood as well of Women as Men And Luther proves it strongly The first Office of a Priest says he is to Preach this is common to all even Women the second to Baptize which is also common to Women the third is to Consecrate Bread and Wine and this also is common to all as well as to Men and in the absence of a Priest a Woman may Absolve from Sins as well as the Pope because the words of Christ Whatever ye shall untye on Earth shall be untyed in Heaven were sad to all Christians And when so eminent Men had not said it Reason and Scripture convinces it Reason because that our Rule of Faith being Scripture as each Person of sound judgement understands it many Women undoubtedly are of sound judgement and why should not their Interpretation of Scripture pass for the Doctrine of the Reformation as well as that of our Bishops and Ministers Scripture because we read the Samariatan Woman was the first who preached the Messias to the City of Samaria and Christ commanded Mary Magdalen to go to Preach his Resurrection to his Disciples and we know by our Chronicles that our glorious Queen Elizabeth of blessed Memory did not only govern the state but was a great Apostoless in Church affairs To what purpose then have we Bishops and Ministers who enjoy so vast Revenues if any Man or Women can Preach and Administer the Sacraments as well as they You may believe Bishops and Ministers are very needful for the service of the Church for they being commonly learned witty Men and having Wives they come to instruct Wives so well that the good Women come in a short time to be as learned as their Husbands and as nimble and quick in the Ecclesiastical Ministery as if they were permitted to exercise it as some Authors of Credit relate unto us that a Gentleman of Constance writ to his friend in a Village about three Leagues distant from that City whose Inhabitants were for the most part of our Lutheran Reformation the good Pastor exhorted his Flock to prepare for Easter Communion that none should presume to come to the Holy Table but should first Confess and receive Absolution of his Sins Easter Holy days being come such a multitude flock'd to Confession that the Pastor could not satisfie the Devotion of so great a Croud he called his Wife to help him to hear Confessions and to give them Absolution in which Ministery the good Lady did Labour with great satisfaction of the Penitents but neither the Pastor nor his vertuous Consort being able to dispatch so great a multitude he called his Maid Servant who did work in the Holy Ministery with as much expedition as her Master For after all the Church of Scotland France and all England Protestants excepted will tell you that Bishops and Ministers are not needful nay that they are very prejudicial to the Reformation and State To the Reformation because this Hierarchy was the Bishops Court Surplices Corner Caps and other Trumperies puts the flock in mind of Popery whereof it 's a perfect Resemblance I remember a discourse started in the House of Lords not many years ago by his Grace the Duke of Buckingham he desired to know what it was to be a Protestant and wherein did Protestancy properly consist The Bishops who were present looked one upon another and whether they feared the difficulty of the Question or that for modesty's sake each expected to hear another speak first they stood silent for a while at last the Ice was broken by one others followed but hardly any two agreed and all that the Duke could gather out of their â—…al Answers was That our Rule of â—aith was Scripture as Interpreted by the Parliament and Church of England Whereupon he concluded We have been these hundred years very busie to settle Religion
as he was man q In Ps 16 not as he was God. r In Confes majori de Coena Dni And this is not only the Doctrine of Calvin but of Brentius m In March. c. 16. Marlot n Recogn pag. 376. Jacobus Minister quoted by Bilson and of Beza Will you say this is the Doctrine of the Reformation or that we cannot without scruple believe it Also Calvin says o Lib 2. Infr. c. 16. fact 10. and seq That Christ's corporal Death was not sufficient for to redeem us but that after having despared on the Cross he suffered the death of his Soul that 's to say that his Soul after his corporal death suffered the pains of the damned in Hell. m in March. c. 16. And says he in the same place n Recogn pag. 376. they are but ignorant o Lib 2. Instit c. 16. fact 10. and seq doltish brutish men who will deny it Luther also teaches the same Doctrine r In Confes majori de Coena Dni p To. 3. Wettemp in sp 16. As he suffered afterward the death of the Soul in Hell Epinus q In Ps 16 a learned Lutheran says Christ Descended into Hell for thee t In Hastor Sacram. par 2. fol. 75. and suffered not only corporal Death but the death and fire of Hell. Mr. Fulk and Perkins avow this is also is the express Doctrine of Illirious Latimer and Lossius Also Luther most impiously affirms that not the humane Nature of Christ died for us but also his Divine Nature see Luther's words quoted at large by Zuinglius Å¿ To. 2. in respons ad Confes Luth. fol. 458. and Hospitian It is evident that all those Tenets are undeniably the Doctrine of the Reformation He who denies them cannot in charity check them who believes them nor can they who believe them check those who deny them whereas each follow the Rule of Faith and believe what they judge by Scripture to be true And if you or your Church of England cry out Blasphemy Blasphemy against all that you judge to be false why do not you cry Blasphemy against Presbyterians Lutherans and other Congregations from whom you dissent And what difference betwixt you and the Church of Rome The folly of this is to call Heresie and Blasphemy all that is not her own Doctrine And all that your Church of England mislikes must be Fanaticism Blasphemy and Impiety Must our Rule of Faith be Scripture as the Church of England understands it and not otherwise Presbyterians and Lutherans will never allow it If therefore our Rule of Faith be Scripture as each Person understands it any Person of sound judgement in the Reformation may without scruple believe what he understands to be the Doctrine of Scripture Can you deny but this was the Rule of Faith and principle of our first blessed Reformers If therefore they judged and if any other judges by that Rule and Principle that those Tenets which you call Impious and Blasphemous be true Doctrine they cannot be blamed for believing them Of the Reformed was as Holy Innocent Blameless and Pure as yours is now And that you may be convinc'd of this Truth know Calvin expresly teaches a Lib 3. Inst c. 4. Sect. 28. We believe the sins of the Faithful he means of the Reformation are but venial Sins not but that they desire Death but because there is no damnation for the Children of Grace in asmuch as their sins are not imputed to them And again he says We can b Lib. 4. c. 7. Sect. 2. assure our selves we can no more be damn'd for any Sins then Jesus Christ himself c In locis commun classe 5. 27. Luther is of the Opinion As nothing but Faith does justifie us so nothing but Incredulity is a Sin. Again d To. 2. Wittem de capr Babyl fol. 74. No sin is so great that it can damn a man such as are damn'd are damn'd only for their Incredulity Whitaker e De Eccl. contr Bellarm. conf 2. quaest 5. No Sin can hurt a man who has Faith. The same is taught by Wotton Fulk Tindal and Beza It is therefore the Doctrine of Scripture as Interpreted by these persons of great and sound judgement that Incests Murders Intemperance or whatever else you call a sin incredulity excepted either is no Sin at all or Venial Sins which do no harm nor cannot damn the Children of the Reformation if therefore our Brethren who lived in the beginning of the Reformation lived according to Scripture as Interpreted by men of sound judgement which is the Rule of Faith and Manners they did not ill but very well in following it And it is not pardonable in any Reformed Child to say such Oracles Extraordinarily raised by God to teach the purity of the Gospel should have taught their errors in Doctrine or dissolution of manners They teach what in their Consciences they understood by Scripture to be true if you will not be so irreverent as to say that they were Knaves who spoke and taught against their Consciences and knowledge Therefore they taught the Doctrine of the Reformation purely and truly The consequence is evident For what is the Doctrine of the Reformation but what wise learned men of sound judgement think and understand by Scripture to be true Why is figurative Presence the Doctrine of the Reformation though denied by Lutherans who are Reformed also but because Wise Learned men judge by Scripture as they understand it it is the true Doctrine or can you give me any other Rule of Faith by which we may know what Doctrine is of the Reformation and what not but Scripture as each person of sound judgement understands it Or what Rule can you give for to know what is good or evil to be done but Scripture as understood by such persons If therefore Luther Calvin and the other Doctors I quoted judge by Scripture that Doctrine and manner of Life to be true and good why may not we say it 's the Doctrine of England or Scotland judge that Doctrine to be false and that manner of Life to be a dissolution and corruption of manners Why you are men of sound judgement you understand Sripture so that will be the Doctrine also of the Reformation you may believe it But you must not deny that Luther and Calvin's Doctrine is also of the Reformation because they were men of as sound judgement as you Our Rule of Faith is Scripture as each person of sound judgement understands it and this is the same Rule which Luther and the Reformation in its first beginning had This Holy Liberty is the best Jewel the greatest Perfection and most glorious Prerogative the Reformation has If therefore now at present any man judges by Scripture that he can Marry ten Wives at a time that he can kill his own Son as Abraham intended that he may commit Incest with his own
Daughter as Lot did that there is no Sin but Incredulity as Luther believed nor any Mystery of the Trinity of Persons in One Nature as Calvin believed with what justice can the Church of England say such a man does not believe and live as becometh a Reformed Child or that his Doctrine and Life is scandalous whereas he lives and believes as he understands by Scripture which is the Rule of Faith in common to the Reformation The Church of England says the Lutheran Doctrine of the Real Presence is not the Doctrine of Scripture that the Presbyterian Doctrine against Infant-Baptism is not of Scripture Because they follow Scripture as they understand it and this is our Rule of Faith And why will not you say the Belief and Life of that other man is also of the Reformation though it may seem absurd to you since he believes and lives as he judges by Scripture he may It follows therefore plainly that this is the Doctrine of the Reformation The Rule of Faith is Scriputre as each person of sound judgement understands it f Epist 2. 2. 25. Beza teaches and says it 's also the Doctrine of Calvin Somaize and Geneva that the Lords Supper may be lawfully administered in any kind of victuals as well as in Bread and Wine in Eggs Flesh Fish c. Where there is no Bread and Wine says he we may duly celebrate if instead of them we use what we may usually eat and drink And again in the same place If there be no water at hand and that Baptism cannot be with Edification deferred I would baptize in any other liquor g To. 5. Wittem serm de Matrim in 1. ad Corin. 7. Luther h Consil Theol. par 1. pag. 648. 134. In Melanothon i Epist. Paul ad Phil. in 2. ad Tim. 3 Musoulus k lib. 2. Dial. 21 Ochinus l Lib. de Repud Divort. p. 223. Beza and others teach the lawfulness of Bigamy or Multiplicity of Wives and prove it from the example of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and Ochinius expounding the Text of Saint Paul It behoveth a Bishop to be a Man of one Wife The prohibition says he is not to be understood so that a Bishop should have but one Wife at a time for certainly he may have many but St. Pauls meaning is that he ought not to have too many Wives at a time that 's to say ten or twenty The Synod of Geneva m Canon Generales Geneven 1560. and the n Chap. 13. art 31. Ecclesiastical Discipline of France Printed at Saumure has decreed that a Wife whose Husband is a long time absent may have him called by the publick Cryer o To. 5 Wittem serm de Matrim and if within a competent time he does not appear without any further Enquiry the Ministers may License her to marry any other or marry her himself I say all Women may practice this Doctrine without scruple or shame whereas it is Scripture as interpreted by that thrice holy Synod Luther p teaches it is lawful to a Wife if her Husband does not please her to call her Man-servant or her Neighbour and he gives the like Liberty to the Husbands if their Wives be pettish or humoursom If the Husband says he cannot correct the humoursomness of his Wife he may imagine she is dead and may marry another because it 's not in the power of a man to live without a Woman nor in hers to live without a man. This is Scripture as Interpreted by Luther and consequently must not be denied to be the Doctrine of the Reformation nor can any of our Reformation be justly punish'd or blam'd for practising it if he judges by Scripture as Luther did for this is our Rule of Faith. But Luther never gave this Liberty but upon condition that the Husband or Wife should first make their complaint before a Magistrate to have a redress of their Injury and discontent Not only Luther but q To. 5. Wittemb serm de Matrim Bucer r In Scriptis Anglic de Reg. Chr. l. 2. c. 26. in Matth. c. 19. Melanothon Å¿ In Consil Theol. par 1 pag. 648. s 134. Ochinus t Dial. 200. 204. in Epist. S. Paul. ad Tim. 3. Musculus and u l. 4. Inst c. 19. sect 37. Discip Eccl. c. 13. u Serm. de Matrim Calvin do teach that a Man who finds his Wife in Adultery may cast her off by Divorce and Marry another and our French Synods have ordered this Doctrine to be put in their Ecclesiastical Discipline so that it is the Doctrine of Scripture as interpreted by these persons of sound judgement and consequently of the Reformation you may therefore believe and practice it our Sisters particularly and our Ministers Wives were much alarm'd at this Doctrine and say it is a damnable Heresie Luther says it is impossible a u young man of 20 Years can live without a Woman or a young maid of 18 years without a man. It is the Reformed Doctrine Scripture as interpreted by a sounnd judgement If a Popish Priest or a Fryar did become of our Reformed Church can he lawfully marry whereas he made a Vow of Chastity It 's the Doctrine of the Reformation declared by many French Synods and recorded in their Ecclesiastical Discipline that he must be Christen'd again because the first Baptism is sufficient and valid believe which you please It is also the Doctrine of the Reformation that Infant Baptism is not at all needful nay nor Lawful say the Anabaptists so says Calvin x Lib. 4â— Inst c. 15. sect 20. 21. Zuinglius Beza and many others it is likewise the Doctrine of our 39 Articles y Act. 27. and our holy Synod of London z can 21. that Infant-Baptism is Lawful and needful Believe which you like best both are of the Reformation We know our great Zuinglius himself would not at all preach the Gospel unto the Switzers until that he Presented a Petition for himself and his COmpanions all Priests and Fryars extant yet in his 1 Tom. pag. 110. and obtained the COntents of it which was to have Wives Nor can we doubt this to be the best Doctrine whereas Luther Beza and almost all our Reformers were Priests and Fryars and the first step they gave to the Reformation was to marry At Luther's marriage Erasmus his Rallery upon it is much solemnized Luther yesterday a Monk to day a Husband and next day a Father because that honest Kate Bore his virtuous Bride was happily delivered of a lovely Boy eight days after he Married her But the Servant of God did not regret the action which proves that he judged by Scripture it was very lawful It is the Doctrine of the Reformation that it was Jesus Christ the Son of God who establisht the Church you may believe it therefore It 's also the Doctrine of the Reformation that it was not
Jesus Christ the Son of God who establisht the Church that this is the Doctrine of our Reformation is apparent for it is Scripture as Interpreted by Ochinius a Man of sound judgement whom all Italy could not match says Calvin In whose presence England was happy and unhappy in his absence says B. Bale Ochinus speaks thus a In Prefat Dialog Considering how the Church was establisht by Christ and washt with his Blood and considering again how it was utterly overthrown by the Papacy I concluded that he who establisht it could not be Christ the Son of God because he wanted providence and upon this reflection he renounced Christ and became a Jew And no man can say but that he acted and behaved himself like a true Child of the Reformation in so doing for he followed Scripture as he understood it and as he was a true Reformed Child in forsaking Popery because he understood by Scripture that the Reformation was better so since he understood by reading Scripture more that Judaism was better than the Reformation he acted like a good Reformer in chusing that which he understood by Scripture to be best this is the Reformers Rule of Faith. And if one chuse to believe that there is a Church establisht of Earth by Christ you must beware never to persuade your self we are bound to believe her Doctrine or live in her if you do not judge by Scripture that she teaches the Doctrine of Christ This is the most essential point of Popery an obligation of submitting our judgements to the Church and believing her Doctrine without any more examining and in this the Church of England is much like the Popish Church which by Acts of Parliaments and other severities would oblige all men to believe her Doctrine Rites and Ceremonies No God has given us Scripture for our Rule of Faith as we forsook the Popish Church because we discovered by Scripture her many errours in Doctrine so we are not bound to believe the Doctrine of any other Church but as we find by Scripture her Doctrine is true Do and speak as Luther to 1. Edit Jen. in result I will be free and will not submit to the Authority of Councils Popes Church or University to the contrary I will confidently teach whatever I judge to be true whether it be the Catholick Doctrin or Heretical condemned or approved Must I own and believe that the Doctrin of Jesus Christ delivered to his Apostles and the Church is true Doctrine The Reformation teaches it is and you may safely believe it You may as safely believe it is not after the principles of the Reformation because it teaches the Christ err'd in Doctrin and Manners Verè Pharisaei erant viri valdè boni says Luther b Serm de 50 Artic. in summa summarum Christus minimè debuit eos taxare and Calvin says c In Harm super Luc c. 8. it 's a folly to think he was not ignorant in many things lastly David George d Epitom Cent. 16. par 2. a man of God and of a holy life says Osiander writes If the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles had been true and perfect the Church which they planted had continued but now it is manifest that Antichrist hath subverted it as it is evident in the Papacy therefore it was false and imperfect See these words quoted in the History of David George Printed by the Divines of Basil at Antwerp Anno 1668. both Doctrines are Scripture as Interpreted by Men of sound judgement and so a Child of the Reformation may believe which he will Zninglius e Tom. 2. cont catabapt fol. 10. one of the greatest Oracles of our Church says It 's a great ignorance to believe any Infallinble Authority in the Gospels or Epistles of the Apostles Beza not inferiour to Zuinglius blotted out of St. John the History of the Woman Adultress judging it a Fable Clebitius affirms that Luke's relation of Christ's passion is not true because it does not agree with that of Matthew and Mark and more credit is to be given to two than to one g In cap. 2. ad Gal. Calvin says Peter consented to and added to the Schism of the Church to the overthrow of Christian liberty and Christ's Grace h de Eccles cont Bellarm cont 2. q. 4. Whitaker says f Victoria verit arg 5. It 's evident that after the Descent of the Holy Ghost the whole Church even the Apostles erred and Peter erred in Doctrin and Manners i To. 5. Wettem an 1554. in Epist ad Gal. c. 1. Luther says Peter liued and taught extra Verbum Dei and Brentius k In Apol Cof c. de Concil his Disciples say that Peter and Barnabas together with the Church of Jerusalem erred after receiving the Holy Ghost If our Rule of Faith be Scripture as each person of sound judgement understands it undoubtedly this must be the Doctrin of the Reformation and may be believed by and any Reformed since it is Scripture interpreted by such renowned men As to the true Canonical Books of Scripture The Reformation teaches and you may believe with the Church of England that St. Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews those of James and Jude the 2 of St. Peter the 2. and 3 of St. John are true Canonical Scripture the Reformation also teaches they are not Canonical because Lutherans deny them believe which you like best But if you 'll live in peace and out of strife with Protestants Lutherans and others who dispute whether that of this or that Church be Canonical Scripture your readiest way will be to say there 's no true Canonical Scripture Scripture is no more to be regarded than other pious Books if you say this is not the Doctrine of the Reformation read de expresso Verbo Dei lib. de Har. where he relates this to be the Doctrine of the Swinckfeldians as good Reformers as the best of us they say that we are not to regard any Instruction from Man or Book but Gods immediate inspiration which speaks secretly to our hearts for which they alledge those comfortable words of the Prophet I will hear what my Lord my God will speak in me for say they the Book which we call Scripture is a Creature and we must not seek for light and instruction from any Creature but from God the Father of Lights This is Scripture as interpreted by men of sound judgement any Child of the Reformation may believe it It is the doctrine of the Reformation that you cannot because God has forbid it add to and take away from his Word It is also the doctrine of the Reformation and the practice of our best Reformers when the Text does not speak clear enough that to refute Popery and establish our doctrine we may add or diminish a word or two which is not to change the Word of God but to make it speak more expresly as when Luther had a mind
to preach justification by Faith alone finding the Text said but Man is justified by Faith he added the word Alone and made the Text very clear against Popery which formerly was somewhat obscure Zuinglius being to teach the figurative presence of Christ in the Sacrament found the Text This is my Body to be too pat against his doctrine and instead of Is put in This signifieth The Church of England being to preach up the Kings Spiritual Supremacy could not convince the obstinate Papists by the Original Text which said 1 Pet. 2. submit your selves anto every humane creature for the Lord's sake whether it be to the King as excelling or to c. But in King Edwards time they altered one word and made the Text thus submit your selves to every Ordinance of Man whether it be to the King as being the chief head and the following impressions of the Bible in the year 1557. and 79. say To the King as Supream And so the true Doctrine is clearly made out from Scripture as also the lawfulness of Priests Marriages for the Text before the Reformation said 1 Cor. 9. Have we not power to lead about a woman or a sister and now our Bibles say Have we not power to lead about a Wife being our Sister Hence it 's evident according to the Doctrine and practice of our Reformation that when you have a mind to establish a Doctrin which you judge to be true you may change the Text and make it speak your sense and meaning provided you judge your sense to be true Does Faith alone justify us It is the Doctrin of the Reformation that without Charity it cannot because St. Paul says 1 Cor. 13. If I have Faith so as to move Mountains and no Charity I am nothing It is also the Doctrine of the Reformation that it is impious and wicked to say Faith alone without Charity does not justify this is Scripture as interpreted by Luther a Man of a sound judgement l In cap. 2 ad Gal. serm Aug. pag. 204. Who say quoth Luther that Faith alone though perfect it be cannot justify without Charity say impiously and wicked because Faith alone without any good works doth justifie Believe which Doctrine you please both are of the Reformation As to St. Pauls Doctrine Luther answers m In Epist ad Gal. c. 1 2. Tom. 5. Wittemb an 1554. fol. 29. Be it says he that the Church Augustine or other Doctors also Peter and Paul nay and an Angel from Heaven should teach otherwise than I teach yet my doctrine is such that it sets forth Gods Glory I know I teach no humane but divine doctrine It is the doctrine of the Reformation that Faith alone without any good Works notwithstanding all sins you are guilty of doth justifie you This is Scripture as Interpreted by Luther who says nothing can damn you but Incredulity as nothing but Faith can save you so Whitaker Wotton Fulk and Beza whose Words I related which I believe you remember and I need not repeat It is also the doctrine of the Reformation that Good Works are meritorious of Grace and Glory n Lib. 5. de Eccl. Polit. sect 72. Hooker and Harmonia confess o pag. 495. 273 say it 's the doctrine of Scripture and what any person of sound judgement judges to be the doctrine of Scripture he may believe it for this is our Rule of Faith. It 's likewise the doctrine generally of all our Church that good Works are not at all meritorious Tindal called by Fox p Acts and Mon. pag. 514. a man of God and a constant Martyr judges this to be so true that in his Treatise de Mammona iniquitatis he says Christ himself did not by all his good works merit Glory And though the Scripture says expresly he did Calvin q Lib. 2. Inst c. 17. affirms that it is a foolish curiosity to examine and a rash proposition to say Christ did Merit It is the doctrine of the Reformation that though good Works be not meritorious nor have not the least influence in our Justification or Salvation yet they are absolutely needful for both in as much as true Faith cannot be without good Works because they are the marks and signs of a living Faith by which alone we are Saved this is the judgement of the Church of England expressed in the 11 and 12 Articles of the 39 and of Melancthon in locis Commun de Bonis operibus and you may believe it You may also believe and it is the doctrine of the Reformation that good works are so far from being needful that they are prejudicial and hurtful to our Salvation and the best way to be Saved is to do no good Works at all this is Scripture as Interpreted by Illyricus Amarsdortius quoted in Act. Colloq Aldeburg pag. 205. and 299. and Luther r In comment in cap. 2. ad Gal. was deeply perswaded of this truth though Christ said If thou will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven keep the Commandments Luther says It is an obstacle to our Salvation to keep them Where it is said quoth he that Faith in Christ doth indeed justify us but that it is necessary also to keep the Commandments there Christ is denied and Faith abolish'd because that which is proper to Faith alone is attributed to the Commandments And again f To 1 Proposit 3. says he If Faith be accompanied with good Works it is no true Faith that it may justifie it must be alone without any good Works This is Scripture as interpreted by such sound Men and consequently the Doctrine of the Reformation and who doubts but that any Doctrine of the Reformation may be believed For our Rule of Faith is Scripture as each person of sound judgement understands it and in believing those Tenets because they judge them to be the Doctrine of Scripture they stick fast to and follow our Rule of Faith Why is the Figurative Presence and the Kings Supremancy the Doctrine of the Reformation though denied by Papists Lutherans and Presbyterians but because the Protestants judge it's the Doctrine of Scripture If therefore those great Authors I quoted and any other with them judge those Tenets to be the Doctrine of Scripture they may be justly called the Doctrine of the Reformation Must Protestants be forced against their judgements to deny real Presence and Supremacy because Lutherans say it's wicked Doctrine And why must Luther Flaccius Illiricus and others be forced to deny those Tenets though Protestants or Papists judge them to be damnable Let each one believe what he thinks to be the Doctrine of Scripture and he will still be a true Reformed Child Does our Reformation teach that 't is possible to all Men assisted with Gods Grace to keep the Commandments This is the Doctrine of the Church of England and consequently of the Reformation It is also the Doctrine of the Reformation delivered out of Scripture as
Interpreted by Luther Calvin Willet and several others that it 's impossible to any man assisted with what Grace soever to keep the Commandments None has ever yet says our great Calvin and God has decreed none shall ever keep the Commandments Again u Harm Evang. in Luc. c. 10. verse 26. the Law and Commandments were given us to no other end but that we should be damn'd by them t Lib. 2. Instit c. 7.5 inasmuch that it is impossible for Us to do what they Command The same Doctrine is taught by Luther in several places of his Works by Willet x In Synop. Papismi pag. 564. and by our Brethren the Gomarists of Holland and many of our French Synods Believe which you please both Doctrines are of the Reformation It is also the Doctrine of Luther and Calvin that God does not cast Men into Hell because their sins deserve it nor save Men because they merit it but meerly because he will have it so He crowns those who have not deserved it says Luther y Lib. de Servo Arbit cont Erasm 2. Lib. 3. Inst c. 21. sect 5. 7. c. 22. sect 11. cap. 13.1 and he punishes those who have not deserved it 't is Gods Wrath and Severity to damn the one 't is Gods Grace and Mercy to save the other Calvin also z Men are damn'd for no other cause but because God will have it so he is the cause and Author of their Damnation their Damnation is decreed by God when they are in their Mothers Womb because he will have it so this is also the belief of our Gomarists in Holland of many French Churches and of several learned Calvinists though the Church of England denies this Doctrine none will dare say it is not the Doctrine of the Reformation because it is Scripture as Interpreted by such eminent men of our Church The Church of England understands by Scripture that God is not the Author nor cause of sin that does not force us to sin who doubts but that this is therefore the Doctrine of the Reformation But Calvin Brentius Beza and several others understand by Scripture that God is the cause and Author which forces our Will to Sin That Man and the Devil are but Gods Instruments to commit it That Murthers Incests Blasphemies c. are the Works of God that he makes us commit them And who doubts but this also is the Doctrine of the Reformation being Scripture as Interpreted by such eminent and sound judgement God says Calvin a Lib. 2. Inst c. 4. sect 3. lib. 1. c. 18. sect 2. lib. c. 23. sect 4. Lo. 1. de deprovid c. 6. in Synops pag. 563. In manifest stratag Papist directs moves inclines and forces the Will of man to sin insomuch that the power and efficacy of Working is wholly in him Man nay and Satan when he impells us being only Gods Instruments which he uses to make us sin Zuinglius Willet Beza teach the same The Church of England has Scripture for her Rule of Faith and gives us the liberty to Interpret Understand and Believe some Text of it as each one thinks best and so permits Presbyterians to deny Episcopacy Lutherans to deny Figurative Presence c. and confesses they are all her Brethren of the Reformation but she will give no liberty at all to Interpret other Texts but all must understand them as she does or all must be Hereticks and damn'd Men No that Text My Father and I are one must be Interpreted to signifie the Unity and Nature of the Father and Son as the Church of England believes none must interpret it otherwise So that the difference betwixt the Popish Church and that of England is the first gives us no Liberty at all the second gives us some Liberty the first robs us of all the second but of one half The Rule of Faith in Popery is Scripture as Interpreted by the Pope and Councils the Rule of Faith in the Church of England as to some Articles is Scripture as Interpreted by the Church of England and as to other Articles Scripture as each person of sound judgement understands it and thus Protestants are but half Papists and half Reformed Let any unbyass'd and impartial man judge if the Church of England proceeds justly in this For if our Rule of Faith be Scripture as each person of sound judgement understands it and if as the whole Reformation believes we are not to be constrained to believe any Church Council or mans sense of Scripture if we do not judge by the Word of God it 's true by what Authority Rule or Reason can the Church of England give me Liberty to understand and believe some Texts as I please and deny me Liberty to understand and believe others as I judge by Scripture they ought to be understood I pray observe well this Discourse here are Luther Calvin Beza Zuinglius and our other first Reformers they Interpret some Texts against the Doctrine of the Church of England They are praised for the first and esteemed Apostolical Reformers because without any regard of what the Church of Rome said they freely taught and believed what they judged by Scripture to be true why must not they be praised and esteemed true Reformers also for not regarding what the Church of England or any other says but teach the impossibility of Gods Commandments the sufficiency of Faith alone and all those other Tenets which you much mislike since they judge by Scripture such to be true Doctrine Are they bound to submit their judgements to the Church of England more than to that of Rome The Veneration and use of the Sign of the Cross is flat Popery in the judgement of all our Congregations yet any Reformed Child may laudably and piously use it inasmuch as our Common Prayer in the Administration of Baptism Commands the Minister to use it saying We sign him with the sign of the Cross in token that hereafter he shall not be ashamed to confess the Faith of Chrst Crucified and manfully to fight under his Banner against Sin the World and the Devil And in our Kalender printed since his Majesties Restauration it is called the Holy Cross Our Congregations generally believe it is Popery to keep Holy-days except the Sabbath-day and Saints-day to Fast Lent Vigils commanded Ember-days and Fridays and yet all this is recommended to us in our Common-Prayer-Book and the Minister is commanded in the Administration of the Lords Supper to publish the Holy-days of the Week and exhort us to Fast and surely he is not commanded to teach or exhort us to any thing but the Doctrine of the Reformation It is true the Students of our Colledges of Oxford and Cambridge are much troubled with scruples in this point these Pauperes de Lugduno are compelled to fast all Fridays throughout the year and it is not hunger that makes them complain but tenderness of Conscience because they fear
it is Popery It is a Popish Errour we say to believe that Pennance or other penal Works of Fasting Almsdeeds or corporal Austerities can avail and help for the Remission of our Sins and satisfying Gods Justice No we say Penal Works serve for nothing all is done by Repentance that 's to say by sorrow of Heart for having offended God. This is the Doctrine of Daneus Willet Junius and Calvin who say Francis Dominick Bernard Anthony and the rest of the Popish Monks and Fryars are in Hell for their Austerities and Penal Works for all that you may very well believe and it 's the Doctrine of the Reformation that Pennance and Penal Works do avail for the Remission of our sin and are very profitable to the Soul for our Common-Prayer-Book in the Commination against sinners says thus In the Primitive Church there was a Godly Discipline that at the beginning of Lent such as were notorious sinners were put to open Pennance and punish'd in this World that their Souls may be saved in the day of the Lord. And our Common-Prayer Books wishes that this Discipline were restored again and surely it does not wish that Popery were restored therefore it is no Popery to say that Pennance or Penal Works do satisfie for our sins in this World and avail to save us in the other I know many much mislike our Common-Prayer Book for these Popish-Tenets but what do you say of the grand Errours of Popery can a man be a true Child of the Reformation and yet believe the Popes Supremacy deny the Kings Supremacy believe Transubstantiation and Communion is one kind are these Tenets the Doctrine of the Reformation or consistent with its principles The Kings Supremacy is undoubtedly the Doctrine of the Reformation because it is judged by the Church of England to be of Scripture yet only the Quakers Presbyterians Anabaptists and other Congregations judge it is not of Scripture but as Erroneous a Tenet as that of the Popes Supremacy Calvin 6. Amos says They were unadvised people and Blasphemers who raised King Henry the VIII so far as to call him the head of the Church but also that no Civil Magistrate can be the head of any particular Church the Doctrine of the Centurists cent sept pag. 11. of Cartwright Viret Kemnitus and many others who doubts then but that in the principles and Doctrine of the Reformation you may deny the Kings Supremacy though the Church of England believes it The Popes Supremacy is the Doctrine of Popery who doubts it but it is also the Doctrine of the Reformation for many of our eminent Doctors have judged it to be the Doctrine of Scripture as Whitgift a In Defens c. pag. 373. 70. 395. who cites Calvin and Musculus for this opinion but it is needful we relate some of their express words I do not deny says Luther b In Respons tredecem but the Bishop of Rome is has been and ought to be first of all I believe he is above all other Bishops it is not lawful to deny his Supremacy premacy Melancthon c In Epist ad Card. Bellay Episc Parsiens says no less that the Bishop of Rome is above all the Church that it is his Office to govern Propos to judge in controversies to watch over the Priests to keep all Nations in conformity and unity of Doctrine Somaize d In Tract Euchar ad p. Sarmunm The Pope of Rome has been without controversie the first Metropolitan in Italy and not only in Italy nor only in the West but in all the World the other Metropolitans have been chief in their respective districts but the Pope of Rome has been Metropolitan and Primate not only of some particular Diocess but of all Grotius has expresly the same Doctrin and proves this Supremacy belongs to the Pope Jure Divino I pray consider if these Doctors be not Men of sound judgement and eminent learning and credit in our Reformation and if our Doctrine be Scripture as such men understand it As for Transubstantiation it contrins two difficulties first if the Body of Christ be really in the Sacrament e In Annot. super Novum Testam cap. 10. Matth. saepe alibi and this Real Presence the Lutherans defend to be the Doctrine of Scripture as well as the Papists why then should it be called Popish more than Reformed Doctrine The second is if the substance of Bread be in the Sacrament together with Christ's Body Lutherans say it is Papists say it is not but that there is a Transsubstantiation or change of the whole substance of Bread into the Body of Christ but hear what Luther f To Edit Jonah l. de cap. Babyl says of this that we call Popish Doctrine I give all Persons liberty to believe in this point what they please without hazard of their Salvation either that the Bread is in the Sacrament of the Altar or that it is not would Luther have given this Liberty if Transubstantiation had not been the Doctrine of Reformation as well as any other Communion in one kind is the Doctrine of the Reformation no less than Communion in both for besides that Luther says g Lib. de cap. Babyl c. de Euchar. They sin not against Christ who use one kind only seeing Christ has not commanded to use both and again h Epist ad Bahemos in declarat Euch. in serm de Euch. though it were an excellent thing to use both kinds in the Sacrament and Christ has commanded nothing in this as necessary yet it were better to follow peace and unity than to contest about the kinds but also Melancthon i in Concil Theol. ad March. Elect. de usu utriusque speciei pag. 141. who in the opinion of Luther surpasses all the Fathers of the Church expresly teaches the same Doctrine and the Church of England Statute 1. Edward VI. commands That the Sacrament be commonly administred in both kinds if necessity does not require otherwise mark he says but commonly and that for some necessity it may be received in one lastly the sufficiency of one kind in the Sacrament is plainly set down by our Reformed Church of France in her Ecclesiastical Discipline Printed at Saumur Chap. 12. Art. 7. The Minister must give the Bread in the Supper to them who cannot drink the Cup provided it be not for contempt And the reason is because there are many who cannot endure to tast the Wine wherefore it often happens among them that some persons do take the Bread alone Now you may admire the injustice of the Papists in condemning our Reformed Doctrine and Doctors as Hereticks whereas those Tenets are believed by many of us as well as them and the groundless severity of our Congregations in exclaming against that Doctrin it being the Doctrin of the Reformation whereas so many eminent men of our own judge it to be of Scripture For to know certainly if a
Doctrine be of the Reformation you must try it by our Test or Rule of Faith which is the written Word of God and whatever any man of sound judgement of a sincere and humble Heart judges to be contained in Scripture or an indubitable consequence out of it that Man may believe that Doctrine let all others judge of it as they list and by so believing will be a true Child of the Reformation wherefore since that the Church of France that of England in Edward the VI ' s. time Luther Melancthon Grotius and other Authors do judge Transubstantiation Popes Supremacy and Communion in one kind to be the Doctrine of Scripture we must call it the Doctrine of the Reformation and if you judge as they did you may believe the Doctrin and be still of the Reformation as well as they Can you shew me any other Tenet of Popery which you can call the Doctrine of the Reformation You can hardly shew me any Tenet of Popery but what is it's Doctrine what Doctrine more Popish than that of Confession and Absolution from Sins yet it is as truly the Doctrine of the Reformation as Figurative Presence for not only k In Disput Theol. pag. 301. Lobechius l In Cocilliat loc Scrip. loce 191. Altamerus m In locis Commun To. 1 de potest Eccl. Saecerius and n In Apol. Confes Aug. art 13. lib. pag. 234. Melancthen says it 's a Sacrament but the Church of England in our Common Prayer Book declares that Priests have not only the power of declaring their Sins to be forgiven to their Penitents but also the power of forgiving them and sets down the form of Absolution which the Minister is to use Our Lord Jesus Christ who left power to the Church to Absolve all Sinners which truly Repent of his Mercy forgive thee and thine offences and I by his Authority committed unto me do Abosolve thee from all thy Sins The Ministers of the Diocess of Lincoln in their Survey of the Book of Common Prayers checkt this Doctrine as Popery and petitioned to have it blotted out but could not prevail whereby we are given to understand it 's the Doctrine of the Reformation It is Popery we say to call extream Unction Confirmation and Holy Order of Priesthood Sacraments and who can justly deny all this to be the Doctrine of the Reformation for o In. p. 5. Epist Jac. v. 4. Calvin says I confess the Disciples of Christ did use Extream Unction as a Sacrament I am not says he of the opinion of those who judge it was only a Medicine for corporal diseases Calvin p Lib. 4. Inst. c. 14. Inst c. 14. sect 5. also and with him our Common Prayer Book and all our Divines say a Sacrament is nothing else but a Visible Sign of the invisible Grace we receive by it and they say with q In modest Examin Couel r In Eccl. Polit. c. 5. sect 66. Hooker and others that this definition fits exactly Confirmation wherefore the Ministers of the Diocess of Lincoln checkt the Common-Prayer Book for giving the Definition of a Sacrament to Confirmation Å¿ In locis Commun tit de Numero Sacram Melancthon t In perpet Regem pag. 109. Bilson u In Eccl polit lib. 5. sect 77. Hooker and x lib. 4. Inst c. 20. Calvin expresly teach that the Order of Priesthood is a Sacrament And when Men of so eminent Judgement of our Reformation teach this to be the Doctrine of Scripture who doubts but that it is of the Reformation By this you destroy the Doctrine of the Reformation of two Sacraments only Destroy it God forbid Because the Church of England says there are but two Sacraments I say it is the Doctrine of the Reformation there are but two and because so many eminent Men judge by Scripture there are more I say it is the Doctrine of the Reformation there are more that 's to say six Baptism Confirmation Euchrist Pennance Extream Vnction and Holy Order and very likely our Bishops and Ministers for their Wives sake will not stick to grant that Matrimony also is a Sacrament But can you say that Prayers to Saints and Images Prayer for the Dead and Purgatory are not meer Popery and in no wise the Doctrine of Reformation Without doubt these Tenets are Popery but all the World knows the Lutherans use Images in their Churches and pray before them and the holy Synod of Charenton has declared that the Lutherans have nothing of Superstition or Idolatry in their manner of Divine Worship this is also the Doctrine y Epit Colloq Montisbel of Jacobus Andreas z In Centaur Exercit. Theol pag. 270. Brachmanus a Kemnitiut Luther and Brentius quoted by Beza a Exampâ—… 4. b In responâ— ad acta Colloq Montisbel par 2. in Prefas c In locis Commun c. 18. 19. and why should not a Doctrine judged by such eminent Men to be of Scripture be called the Doctrine of the Reformation Prayers for the Dead and Purgatory is Popery confessedly but alas it is taught expresly by Vrbanius Regius d Inscrip Angl. pag. 450. Bucer c To. 1. in Eupian Art. 90. Art. 60. Zuinglius f In Apolog. Confess Aug. Melancthon g To. 1. Wittem in resol de Luther h Indul. concl 15. the common-Prayer Book in King Edward's time Printed 154.9 and many others of our Learned Doctors and what can you call more properly the Doctrine of the Reformation than what such Men teach to be the Doctrine of Scripture And though our Brethren Quakers Anabaptist Presbyterians and Protestants judge Prayers to Angels and Saints to be nothing else but Popery yet our Common Prayer Book has the same Collect or Prayer to Angels in St. Michael's day that the Popish Mass-Book has and desires that the Angels may succour and defend us on Earth and Prayers to and Intercession of Saints is taught by Luther i Epist ad Spalâ—t Bilney and Latimer quoted by Fox k Acts Mon. pag. 462 312. and consequently it is the Doctrine of the Reformation Listen to our Apostolical and Divine Luther l To. Germ. fol. 214. If a General Council says he did permit Priests to Marry it would be a a singular mark of Piety and sign of Godliness in that case to take Concubines rather than to Marry in conformity to the Decree of the Council I would in that case command Priests not to Marry under pain of Damnation And again he says m De formula Missa To. 3. Germ. If the Council decree Communion in both kinds in contempt of the Council I would take one only or none See these words of Luther quoted by our learned Hospinian n and Jewel o and see it is not only my Doctrine but of great Luther k In Histor Sa. part 2. fol. 13. that in case the Pope and Councils
deny all the Tenets they now believe l In replic ad Hardingum we may and it will be a pious Godly action to belive them and make as many Acts of Parliament for them as now we have against them This is an evident sequel out of that Principle and whereas there is not one Tenet of all those which I rehearsed whether they concern Doctrin or Manners but was judged by the Doctors which I cited for it to be the Doctrine of Scripture it follows unavoidably that there is not one Tenet of them but is the Doctrine of the Reformation Therefore you must be forced to either of these two either to say that our Rule of Faith by which such Doctrines are warranted is naught wicked and scandalous of all those I rehearsed you cannot deny but that it was taught by the Author I quoted for it and judged by him to be the Doctrin of Scripture And if no Doctor hitherto had believed you or I or some other person of sound judgement may judge it to be the Doctrine of Scripture either of both then you must be constrained to grant Or that the Doctrine of the Reformation is not what each person of sound judgement understands to be the doctrine and sense of Scripture which is as much as to say that our Rule of Faith must not be Scripture as we understand it but that we must believe against our Judgement and Conscience what others say is the doctrine and sense of Scripture Or you must grant that all and each of those Tenets I rehearsed is the doctrine of the Reformation though you or this or that Man may judge them to be blasphemies and scandals I confess our Rule of Faith in the Reformation is Scripture as each person understands it for all our Reformed Churches do gives us this Rule of Faith. And in case the Church of England France or Germany judge a doctrine to bo blasphemous and against Scripture and Luther or Calvin or I or another judge it is good doctrine and conformable to Scripture to which judgement must I stand Must I believe what I judge in my Conscience to be Scripture and not what others judge if they judge the contrary When Luther began the Reformation did not almost all Christians and the whole Church believe Purgatory and Prayers to Saints to be the doctrine of Scripture And did not he very commendably deny it against them all because he judged by Scripture it was not Will a Presbyterian believe Episcopacy because the Church of England says it is the doctrine of Scripture No but deny it because himself judges It is not For let a Man be ever so leared and Godly if he gives an Interptetation of Scripture which is denied by all the Church he must not be followed Since when is it commendable to constrain Mons Judgements to believe not what each one thinks best but what the Church thinks may be safely believed Was this Commenble in the beginning of our Reformation when our blessed Reformers began to teach their private Judgements against the Church then establish'd If it was then the Church of Rome is to be commended for persecuting and Excommunicating our first Reformers and if this was not nor is not commendable in the Church of Rome why is it commendable in the Church of England This is a piece of Popery whereof the Church of England is guilty and for which all our Congregations are jealous of her I confess other Congregations will admit no such Curb or Bridle on their Judgements but follow Scripture as they understood it but the Church of England has a reverent regard for the sense and Interpretation of it given by Primitive Ages Fathers and Councils and that we prefer before the private Interpretations of particular Persons The Sense and Interpretation of primitive Ages Church and Fathers must be preferred before the Interpretation of any private person or Congregation and what think you of our whole Reformation which allowes no other Rule of Faith but Scripture as each person of sound Judgement understands it What say you of Luther Calvin Beza and the rest of our Reformers who preferred their own private sense and Interpretation of Scripture before that of the whole Church What say you to the Presbyterians who prefer their own sense and Interpretation of the Bible before that of the Church of England I grant there ought to be a respect for the judgement and Interpretation of the Text given by the Primitive Church and Fathers but if a Doctor or a Man of sound Judgement replenisht with Gods Spirit read Scripture with an humble Heart and pure Intention and judges by it that Bigamy is lawful that there is no Mystery of three persons is one divine Nature or that Christ despaired on the Cross c. Tho these doctrines be quite against the Judgments of Fathers Church and Councils he may believe them and be still a true Reformed Child because he follows our Rule of Faith if he must deny these Articles because others decry them then he must go against his own Judgement and Conscience for to conform himself to them and his Rule of Faith must not be Scripture as each Man of sound judgement understands it but as the Primitive Ages Church and Councils understand it and this is Popery Is it not generally believed in our Reformation and most strongly proved of late by that incomparable Wit and Pen-man Doctor Stillingfleet that Popery has as much Idolatry as Paganism Our Land therefore had in Paganism as good a Religion as it received by Austin in Popery does not this our noble Champion and most of the Scribes of the Church of England teach That Popery is a saving Religion that we may be saved in the Church of Rome if Popery notwithstanding it be Idolatry as they say by a saving Religion how can they deny but that Paganism is also a saving Religion what need therefore had our Fore-fathers to abandon Paganism why was it not left in the Land If England had been as well informed of the merit of Paganism when first Christianity was Preached it had never exchanged the one Idolatry for the other Dr. Stillingfleet in his Charge against the Church of Rome pag. 40. and 41. says plainly That the Pagans are charged with more than they are guilty of pag 7. says that Jupiter adored by the Pagans was so far from being an Arch-devil in the opinion of St. Paul that he was the true God Blessed for evermore that the Pagans adored but one Supream and Omnipotent God which they called Jupiter and which they did believe to be neither a Devil nor a Man but a true and the first and chiefest of the Gods and that the rest of the Gods which they adored they looked upon them as Inferiour deities and gave them no other Adoration Dr. Stillingfleet and Dr. Burnet and other Reformed Writers prove convincingly as to their Sentiment that Paganism is no more Idolatry than Popery and
withal That without Faith in Jesus Christ no Man can be Saved This is not only the Belief of all that wear and deserve the Noble Title of a Christian but certain also out of the Word of God. Act. 4.12 There is not Salvation in any other for neither is there any other Name under Heaven given to Men to wit but the Name of Jesus wherein we must be saved Mark 16.16 But he that shall not believe namely the Gospel and Religion of Christ shall be condemned Heb. 11.6 Without Faith it is impossible to please God. Rom. 5.1 Being therefore justified by Faith let us have Peace toward God by our Lord Jesus Christ By whom also we have access through Faith to his Grace This Ground then is certain and cannot be denied by any Christian For my second Ground I lay That this Faith in Jesus Christ which by God's Ordination is of necessity required to Salvation is not a meer Natural Faith or Humane Credulity which Men may have by their own natural Forces without the help of God's special Grace such as is the Faith of Heathens of Jews and Turks and such indeed as is the Faith of all Hereticks But it is a Divine and Supernatural thing which Men acquire and attain to by the special Aid of God by the help of Divine Grace and therefore this Faith is called and truly is The Gift of God. This ground is certain first out of the Word of God which clearly teacheth That saving Faith is the gift of God Phil. 1.29 To you it is given for christ not only to believe in him but also to suffer for him Eph. 2.8 By Grace you are saved through Faith and that not of your selves for it is the gift of God Not of Works that no man may glory Joh. 6.44 No man can come unto me that is believe in me for our first step toward Christ is Faith unless the Father that sent me draw him And Verse 65. Therefore did I say to you that no Man can come to me unless it be given him of my Father Joh 15.5 I am the Vine you the Branches he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth much fruit for without me you can do nothing Namely appertaining to Salvation and therefore not believe as is requisite to Life Everlasting without the help of Christ that is of Divine Grace by Christ merited and purchased for us These places are clear Secondly This ground is strongly proved by Reason For the end of Man being to enjoy Supernatural Glory that is the clear Vision of God in his blessed Kingdom The means to obtain this high and divine End must be suitable to it that is Divine and Supernatural For who will say that Man of himself and by his own forces without the Aid and special Favour of God is able to make himself fit and proportionate to be associated to the Saints to the Angels to Christ to God in Eternal Glory Who will say that of himself he is able to cleanse his Soul from the stains and filth of Sin and to put upon her a Wedding Garment a Golden and Resplendent Vesture suitable to the Banquet and Banqueters of Heaven The special Operation then of Divine Grace must Purifie and Embellish the Soul of Man and Attire her in Holy and Divine Vertues that so she may be fit to be the Consort of God in the Fruition of his Eternal Glory And so Faith which is one of these Virtues and the very Ground and Foundation of the rest must be Divine and Supernatural and spring in Man from the help of God's Grace and be Adorned and Dignified by it that so there may be a fit proportion betwixt the Root and the Tree the Seed and the Fruit the Egg and the Brid a Christian Life and the Glory of Heaven Whosoever will deny this ground must not only forsake the Doctrine of the Holy Scriptures and go against the light of Reason but he must also fall into the Pelagian Heresie condemned by the Church of Christ Twelve Hundred years ago Which held That the Gospel of Christ being proposed by his Preachers men of themselves without any further help of Divine Grace are able to believe the same and do all therein required to Life Everlasting Which proud fancy of Pelagius St. Hierom St. Augustine and especially the Bishops of Rome by the invincible force of God's Word did crush confound and beat to the ground My third Ground is That as God cannot be the Author of a Lye of a false Doctrine of a false Faith of a false Religion That is of a Rligion and Doctrine of Faith that is mixed with falshood and is partly true and partly false So he neither doth neither can stir up and draw Men by his special Grace Aid and Operation to believe those Religions or Doctrines of Faith which are so mixed with Falshood This seems to be evident even by the light of Reason for as it is the proper work of the Devil to mix Religions and to pollute them with Falshood So it is his continual and studious endeavour to stir up and induce Men by proposing some pleasing and delectable thing or other to believe and embrace the same that so he may deprive them of Divine Faith which is the Gift of God and bring them assuredly to Everlasting Damnation Neither let any one be so simple as to imagine That the Devil is only the Author of those Religions which are wholly False For scarcely is there any Religion in the World that doth teach no Truth at all And therefore it is sufficient to prove a Religion to be the work of the Devil if there be any falshood in it at all at St. Paul doth seem to teach 1 Tim. 4.1 where foretelling the rising of the Manichean Heresie which long did pester the Chruch of God he calls the Doctrine thereof the Doctrine of Devils Notwithstanding that those Hereticks with some falshoods did teach many Truths even as all Hereticks do who nevertheless are the Instruments of the Devil to seduce and destroy Souls Wherefore whosoever do culpably Believe and follow Religions or Doctrines of Faith partly true partly false do never believe the same with Divine Faith which is the Gift of God though they esteem the Religion which they follow to be the best of all others yea to be the pure Light of the Gospel of Christ But their Faith is ever a meer Humane Credulity such as is the Faith of all Mis-believers which can never bring them to Eternal Happiness how laudably soever they live because without Divine Faith that is the Gift of God no Man can be saved according to the settled Ordination and Providence of God as I before have clearly shewed out of his Word Out of this Doctrine which is most true doth appear First The Reason of the Doctrine of of Christ deliverâ—d Matt. 7. where he declares That false Prophets that is false Expounders of the Word of God in
6. c. 45. Writing to Novatian saith A Man ought rather to endure all things than to consent to the Division of the Church of God since that Martyrdom to which men expose themselves to hinder the Dismembring of the Church is no less Glorious then what a man suffers for refusing to Sacrifice to Idols nay in my Opinion this seems of the two the more Glorious Martyrdom for in the other cause he that suffers is a Martyr upon his own account but in this he is a Martyr for no less than the Body of CHRIST the Church 8. Also St. Cyprian lib. Deunitat Eccles Do they think saith he that Christ is among them when they are Assembled I speak of those which make Assemblies out of the Church of Christ no although they were drawn to Torments and Execution for the Confession of the Name of Christ yet this pollution is not washed away no not with their Blood. This inexpiable and inexcusable crime of Schism is not purged away even by Death it self That a man cannot be a Martyr that is not in the Church 9. And Again he saith He cannot have God for his Father that has not the Church for his Mother 10. So likewise St. Pacianus in one of his Epistles Epistle 2. ad Sempr. Although that Novatian saith he hath been put to Death for Christ yet he has not received a Crown and why because he was separated from the peace of the Church from Concord from that Mother of whom whosoever will be a Martyr must be a Portion To the same purpose also these words of Lactantius are very remarkable It is the Catholick Church only that keeps the true Worship of God. This is the Fountain of Truth this is the House of Faith this is the Temple of God into which if a man enter not or from which if any man goes out he is an Alian and Stranger from the hope of Everlasting Life and Salvation No man must by obstinate Contention flatter himself for it stands upon Life and Salvation St. Cyprian 55. ad Cornel. Num. 3. says The Church never departs from that which she once hath known and St. Irenaus lib. 1. cap. 3. That the Apostles have laid up in the Church as a rich Treasury all Truth It were an infinite labour to recite all that the Fathers say of this matter all counting it a most Pernicious Absurdity to affirm That the Church of Christ may err in Doctrine of Faith. For example How could God glory in the multitude of such as follow his Church if by so doing they should be led into Errour And yet Isaias 2. God seems to Glory in the multitude of those who confidently resort to the Church as to a Mistress of assured Truth to be instructed by her saying v. 3. Let us go up to the Mountain of our Lord and he will teach us his ways and we shall walk in his Paths and he shall judge among the Nations Behold Christ Erecting a Court or Tribunal in his Church to judge among Nations and deside all their Controversies which must needs suppose Obedience to be yielded to this Judgement Yea the same Prophet adds Ch. 54. v. 17. That no Weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper and every Tongue resisting thee in judgement thou shalt condemn And the Prophet there from the beginning manifestly speaks of Christ's Church Thirdly Isaiah Ch. 60. 12. The Nation and Kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish Under pain of perishing the Church must be obeyed Whence Fourthly Ezek. ch 44. v. 23. They that is the Priest shall teach the people what is between a Holy thing and a thing Polluted and the difference between clean and unclean They shall shew them and when there shall be Controversie they shall stand in Judgments This being their Office the peoples Office must needs be not to Judge them but Obey them Fifthly Christ Matth. 18.17 commands to Obey the Church under pain of being held here on Earth as Publicans and Heathens and of having this sentence ratified in Heaven ' Tell the Church saith he And if he will not hear the Church let him be unto thee a Heathen and a Publican and I say unto you whomsoever you shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever you shall loose upon Earth shall be loosed also in Heaven Here you see obedience to be yielded under pain of being held as a Publican or an Heathen and this Sentence to be ratified in Heaven Now if the Church could Err in teaching for Example that Christ is truly present in the Sacrament and hence obliged all to Adore him therein as much as they Adore him in Heaven and could oblidge them to this under pain of being held as Publicans and Heathens and held so as well in Heaven as upon Earth surely this cannot be an Errour for then in Heaven this Sentence would never be ratified St. Aug. Cont. Epist Fundam c. 5. I would not believe the Gospel unless the Authority of the Church moved me What ways the Church has made use of to settle mens minds in the Doctrin of the Sacrament of the Eucharist or the Lord's Last Supper TO make this appear more fully I will give you a brief Relation of the past Proceedings of the Church in the Decision of the Disputes concerning the Real Presence of Christ in the Sacrament and in the Substantial Conversion of the Elements of Bread and Wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. This Real Presence and Substantial Conversion Berengarius and some Followers of his long ago denied Who being complained of two Councils were called one after another at Rome and Verseilis Anno Domini 1050 Berengarius Summoned and he not appearing his Heterodox Opinions were condemned He according to the new Protestant Grounds thinking his a Doctrine of great consequence and the Decrees of the two Councils a manifest Error and that himself had manifest Scripture and Demonstration against it judged himself freed from the obedience of silence or noncontradiction of these Councils And so he and his Followers publickly justified his Tenet desiring a reversion by some new Council of the former sentence against it Upon this revived Disturbance of the Church another Council five years after is Assembled at Tours Anno 1055. not far distant from Angiers where he was Archdeacon Here himself with others of his Party were present his Cause pleaded his Demonstrations considered and after all his Opinion again condemned himself also Recanting it The Council dismissed he finds yet other new Reasons and a greater strength in his former and falls again to the abetting maintaining and spreading abroad his old Doctrin A Fourth Council upon these new Troubles of the Church Anno 1059. Four years after the last was called at Rome where himself also was present Some say long Disputation there had his new Plea for it was found too light and rejected And his Opinion opposing Substantial Conversion again condemned both by himself and
as each one judg'd by Scripture to be convenient they Covenanted against Bishops Lastly look upon our Realm as it is at present the symptoms of dissatisfactions which you may read and hear in Coffee-Houses in publick and private Conversations the sparkles of Jealousies which appear in the Kingdom the Cabals against our Government the animosity of divided Parties the murmur and complaints of all what 's all this but the smoke of that hidden fire of Zeal wherewith Protestants would force Presbyterians by Penal Laws to profess their Tenets which each Opinion endeavour to oppress the other do but duly consider each Sect and they will all appear Tyrants over our Conscience For no one Sect among us but would root out all the rest none fearing that danger whereof St. Paul Gal. 5.15 warns us If we bite and devour one another let 's take heed we be not consumed one of another Giving us likewise a wholsom advice in the same place how to prevent this Evil c. When this Kingdom profess'd the Popish Religion to prevent this Evil of variety of Opinions their Rule of Faith was Interpreted by the Church and was kept from the hands of the flock No man permitted to give any other Interpretation or Sense of it but what the Church did approve Then the Reformers Luther Calvin Zuinghus Beza and others who freed from this slavery laid it down for their Rule of Faith That any man of sound Judgement may believe whatever he takes to be the sense of Scripture these are the Principles from which the Reformation proceeded No man is to be constrain'd to believe any Doctrine against his Judgement and Conscience and therefore it is quite contrary to the Spirit of the Reformation to force us by Acts of Parliament Decrees of Synods Invectives and Persecutions of Indiscreet Brethren to drive us to this or that Religion No every one ought to be Permitted to believe what he pleases as for instance If he thinks Bigamy or Self-Murder to be the Doctrine of Scripture to have freely liberty to profess and practice the same In the first place let my Reader consider that the Pure and Orthodox Dostrine of the Reformation I purpose in this Treatise to describe in its native Colours It 's the Doctrine of the Reformation that we may with a safe Conscience be to day Protestants to morrow Lutherans in France Hugonots in Hungary Trinitarians in Poland Socinarians and in London of any Religion but Popery they allow to be Lawful to change Religion as Time and Occasion require this is the practice of the first Reformers This Truth requires not much to justify it be pleas'd only to consider how you came to Change the Antient Religion profess'd in the Kingdom for 1500 years together It 's uncontestedly true that the Rule of Faith in common to the whole Reformation is Scripture as the humble of Heart assisted with the Spirit of the Lord understand it for Lutherans will never admit their Rule of Faith to be Scripture as Interpreted by the Church of England but as Interpreted by themselves nor will England admit Scripture to be the Rule of Faith as it is Interpreted by the Presbyterians but as Interpreted by the Church of England So that the Doctrine of each Congregation is but Scripture as interpreted by them and whereas all these Congregation joyntly compose the whole Body of the Reformation and each Congregation is truly a Member of the Reformation the Doctrine of the Reformation comes to be Scripture as each Congregation and Person of sound Judgement among them Interprets it This being an uncontrouled truth what Man of ever so sound Judgement but may read to day Scripture as Interpreted by the Lutheran Church and judging in his Conscience that Interpretation and Doctrine to be true consequently he may with a safe Conscience profess that Religion Soon after he may meet Calvin's Books and charm'd with the admirable strength of his reasons and glosses upon Scripture he may judge in his Conscience he is to be preferr'd before Luther and so may lawfully forsake Lutheranism for Calvinism then again he hits upon Scripture as Interpreted by the Church of England whose Doctrine ravishes him with that decency of Ceremonies that Majesty of her Liturgy that Harmony of her Hierarchy he is convinc'd it's better than Calvinism and embraces it Then again he reads the Works of Arrius and convinc'd by the energy of his Arguments and Texts of Scripture may alter his judgement and become an Arian Wherein can you say does this Man transgress the Doctrine or Principles of the Reformation Does he forsake the Reformation because he forsakes Lutheranism for Calvinism No sure for Calvinism is as much the Reformation as the other Is not Protestancy as much the Doctrine of the Reformation as Presbytery though he changes therefore one for the other he still holds the Doctrine of the Reformation Is not the Doctrine of the Reformation Scripture and that not as Protestants only or Presbyterians interpret it but as any Congregation or Man of sound judgement holds it It is therefore evident that according to the Doctrine and Principles of the Reformation he may with a safe Conscience change Religions and be to day of one to morrow of another until he run over All. Point me out any Congregation the obstinate Papists excepted that will dare say I cannot live with a safe Conscience in any other Congregation but in it self all other Congregations will laugh at it Why then may not I lawfully forsake any Congregation and pass to another and be in England a Protestant in Germany a Lutheran in Hungary a Trinitarian or Socinian It is against the grain of Mans reason that we can with a safe Conscience change Religion If you be a Protestant and you judge it to be the true Religion you are bound to stick to it and never to change it If I discourse with a Papist I would not wonder he should say it 's against the grain of Mans reason to believe it lawful but I admire that a Child of the Reformation be he of what Congregation he will should be so ignorant of his principles as to say a Man cannot change Religions when he pleases Nor do I undertake to prove against the Papist that this is lawful but I undertake to prove it lawful against any Reformed Child or force him to deny the Principles of the Reformation Is it against reason that a Man may read to day Scripture and the Lutherans Interpretation upon it and like it very well and that he should in this case embrace that Religion Is it against the grain of Mans reason that this same Man should next Year afterwards hit upon Calvin's works upon Scripture and after better consideration think his Doctrine to surpass that of Luther and could not he then being obliged to chuse the best forsake Lutheranism and stick to Calvinism And is it against Mans reason that he after this may meet other Books of Arians
and for ought I perceive we are as unsettled now as at the Beginning And truly he had great reason if Religion and Faith be nothing else but that sense of Scriptuure which each person of sound judgement understands for as it is impossible we should jump and agree in one sense and meaning of the Text so it is impossible we shall ever be settled and agree in Religion Episcopacy is against the Presbyterians some Canonical Books against the Lutherans Supermacy against the Quakers and Infant-Baptism against the Anabaptists and yet you own them as your Brethren and Godly Congregations of the Reformation or if you will deny them they will also scorn you and say they are more of the Reformation than you are and will you not own the Arians c. for your Brethren though you believe the Trinity against them You say they are old condemned Hereticks and does this Language become a Child of the Reformed Church By whom where they Condemned Was it not by the Popish Church That also condemns us and says we are as much Hereticks as they and as we ought not to be so called and judge the Pope and Councils Sentence against us to be bold uncharitable and unjust so we must say of the Arians Pelagians and others condemn'd by them You say Protestants will never own them to be their Brethren God forbid the Protestant Church should be so uncharitable to her fellow Christians and so unjust to themselves B. Morton as learned a Man as the Church of England bred says the Arian Church is a true Church and will say no less of the others But what need we the Testimony of any for what Reason so convicingly proves They who talk by one and the same Rule of Faith are of one and the same Religion therefore Lutherans Protestants Presbyterians and Independants do esteem themselves to be of the same Faith and Religion because they all have the same Rule which is Scripture as each Congregation understands it Also notwithstanding the difference and variety of Congregations in Popery they hold all but one Faith as they say because they have but one Rule of their Belief which is their Infallible Pope and Church But it is evident that those which you call Antient condemn'd Hereticks have one and the same Rule of Faith with our Reformation for ours is Scripture as each person of sound judgement understands it without any obligation of holding the sense of it delivered by Pope Church Councils or any other therefore our first blessed Reformers did not care what sense of it the Church or Pope did hold when they began to Preach the purity of the Gospel but each of them Interpreted it as he thought fit in the Lord and so purged the Church of many Errours This is the very self-same Rule of Faith which Arians Pelagians Nestorians and others premptorily condemned by Rome as Hereticks did follow and walk by Each of them Read and Interpreted Scripture Preached and Believed what sense of it they thought to be true though they knew it was against the Doctrine of the Church looking on Scripture alone as their Rule of Faith without any regard of the Pope Church Councils or Fathers Again he says Epist 2 ad Polon in Tract Theol. pag. 796 That Prayer Holy Trinity one God have mercy of us is Barbarous and does not please me And adds f In Act. Sieueti pag. 87. 1. The Son has his own Substance distinct from the Father His Disciple g con Cenebrard Danaeus says it is foolish insipid Prayer And our great Apostle Luther who as Fox witnesseth was the Chariot and Conductor of Israel and a Man extraordinarily raised and replenish'd with Gods spirit to teach the purity of the Gospel caused that Prayer to be blotted out of the Litanies h In Postil Major in enarat Evang. Domin Trinit That word Trinity says he sounds coldly my Soul hates that word Homoousios and the Arrian did well in not admitting at Lastly Ochinus that great Oracle of England impugns this Mystery with a strong discourse i Lib. 2. Dial. 2. We are not obliged to believe says he more than the Saints of the Ancient Testament otherwise our condition would be worse than theirs but they were not obliged to believe this Mystery therefore we are not obliged Examine I pray the works of these eminent Doctors where I quote them consider if they be not only Men of sound judgement but Men extraordinarly raised by God says the Synod of Charenton the Chariots and Conductors of Israel says Fox Men to be reverenc'd after Christ says our Doctor Powel and Apostolical Oracles sent to teach us the purity of the Gospel and conclude it is an undeniable Verity that this is the Doctrine of the Reformation whereas it's Scripture as Interpreted by such Men Oh! But England France and Scotland believe this Mystery Well! and what then That proves that the Mystery is also the Doctrine of the Reformation because whatever any man of sound judgement thinks to be Scripture it is the Doctrine But is England or France alone the whole Reformation Are not Luther Calvin Danaeus Ochinus as well of the Reformation and men of as sound judgement as they Since therefore they understand by Scripture there is no Trinity it is the Doctrine of the Reformation also that there 's none Believer it or deny it which you like best and you 'll be still of the Reformed Church Scripture as each person of sound judgement interprets it is our Rule of Faith judge you if that be not a good Principle in our Reformed Church whereas this is the Rule of Faith given us by all our Doctors as I proved before this being our Rule of Faith and Reformed Doctrin it is evident that whatever Doctrine is judged by any person of sound Judgement to be contained in Scripture is the Doctrine of our Reformation others say only Figurative Presence is taught in Scripture this also is the Doctrine of the Reformation some understand by Scripture there is Mystery of the Blessed Trinity this therefore is the Doctrine of the Reformation others understand there is no such Mystery this also is the Doctrine of the Reformation so that whether you believe or deny this or any other Tenet controverted you 'll still hold the Doctrine of the Reformation Calvin k Harm in Evang. Mat. c. 26. vers 39. and c. 27. vers 46 lib. 2. Infrit c. 16. sect 10. 11. says Christ pray'd unadvisedly the Eve of his Passion that he uttered Words whereof he was afterward sorry that in his passion he was so troubled of all sides that overwhelmed with desparation he defisted from invoking God which was to renounce all hopes of Salvation And says he l In Luk. par 2 hom 65. and in John hom 54. if you object it is absurd and scandalous to affirm Christ despaired I answer p To. 3. Wettemp in sp 16. This Desparation proceeded from him
that Paganism having been banish'd out of our Land upon the false Information of our first Teachers that it was an Adoration of Devils or evil Spirits and wicked debaucht Men who by counterfeit Wonders and Cheats gained the peoples Adoration since that Dr. Stillingfleet Dr. Burnet and other Reformed Writers will make it out thar the Pagans Adored no Devils but One true Omnipotent Supream God blessed for ever more which they called Jupiter and the rest of the Gods as Inferiour Deities as Papists do their Saints and will prove that the Pagans were charged by the first D. Doctors of Christanity and by all our Ancestors with more than they are guilty of why should not Paganism be restored again to the Land and heard to speak for it self and Dr. Stillingfleet and his zealous companions be Licenc'd to plead for them and for holy Jupiter so foully mis-represented by Antiquity as to be believed an Arch-Devil whom Dr. Stillingfleet will prove to have been a true blessed God for evermore That Paganism was so unjustly banish'd from our Nation if what Dr. Stillingfleet says be true he is a learned Religious and diligent searcher into Scripture the Ancient D. Drs. and Fathers of the Church reading Scripture judged and taught that Jupiter was a Devil as well as the rest of the Gods which the Gentiles Adored Dr. Stillingfleet and other Reformed D. Doctors reading Scripture judge he was no Devil but the true God blessed for evermore any Child of the Reformation may believe either of both and put Jupiter into our Litanies as well as JESUS Christ and offer Sacrifice to him as formerly our Ancestors did for whatever any Man of sound judgement judges to be the Doctrine of Scripture may be safely believed and is the Doctrine of the Reformation Here follows the Sense of Scripture as Interpreted by the Church Councils and Fathers in lieu of those fond fancies which the Protestant Preachers have possest the people with as the belief of Catholicks faithfully reported from a true zeal and affection to my Country-men that they may not plead Ignorance before the Tribunal of the Almighty in so important a concern as their Salvation to the manifest hazard of their Souls Eternity THe Catholicks teaches Pennance Mortification of the Body subjection of the Flesh to the Spirit the sensitive part to the rational by Praying Fasting Obedience Humility Poverty To Crucifie the Flesh and the Lusts thereof Gal. 5.12 Pardoning Injuries loving one another Praying for Enemies doing good to those that Persecute us Forsake all and follow Christ Mat. 19.22 suffering Persecution for Conscience sake making Vows of Chastity And out of the same Chap. v. 27 28 29. By Vowing perpetual Chastity St. Mat. 19.12 leaving the World our friends and possessions to Consecrate our selves by Prayer and the service of God to keep Lent and fasting days to observe Religious Vows St. Mat. 15.15.25 to sell all we have and give it to the Poor Tobit 12. to take up our Cross and follow Christ Tobit 1. to leave Father Mother Isai 58. Brothers Sisters and Wife St. James 5. and all things for the love of God St. Matt. 18. in fine Galib Prov. 27. that there is no way to Heaven Eccles 5. but by the way of Pennance Fasting Rom. 15. and Prayer and such like Mortifications and Austerities of the Body St. Mark. 11. St. James 2. 26. to make Restution of ill-gotten good St. John 4.16.3 v. 14. James 5.20 and Reparation for any Violations of anothers good Name or Reputation 1 St. John 3.14 to feed the Hungry give drink to the Thirsty Cloath the Naked Redeem the Captives Harbour the Harbourless Visit the Sick Bury the Dead to Correct the Obdurate Instruct the Ignorant Reduce the Wavering Comfort the Sorrowful bear wrongs patiently forgive all Injuries and to pray for the Living and the Dead as also that God shuts the Gate of Heaven against the Impenitent and that there is no Salvation without Charity but that Charity it self covers a Multitude of Sins that Charity gives Spiritual Life to the Soul that in Charity we know we are Translated from Death to Life because we love the Brethren That the good Pastor giveth his life for his Sheep St. John 10.12 As That Faith without Charity is dead St. James 2.26 And that the highest act of Charity is to give our Life for Gods Honour and the Salvation of our Neighbour these ways are not pleasing to the people nor easie to Flesh and Blood without Gods Grace If Protestants and Reformers go to Heaven with more liberty and with greater ease and pleasure we must say broad is the way and many there be that find it But if there be no Salvation without following the above-cited Doctrines as the Catholick Church teaches the Catholick is much nearer that the Protestant to the strait way and narrow Gate that leads and opens to Eternal Life There are no Doctrines mentioned here but what are contained in the Catechisms of all Roman Catholicks and that which they teach all Children and which are very wide from those Doctrines that Protestant Preachers report of them about Dispensations with Allegiance Oaths and all other Tyes how solemnly sacred soever all which are no less commonly than untruly suggested for I shall demand of such by what Councils received by the Catholick Church such Dispensations have been allowed or from what Church Tradition such pernicious Tenents have been handed I desire of Protestants to produce one for if it be any point of Faith it must have taken rise either from the Authority of some Council received in the Church or of Universal Tradition since whatever obliges all Roman Catholicks must of necessity enter into their belief or practice at one of these two doors And if these Dispensations have been taught neither by Councils nor Traditions it remains that Protestants have been gull'd by their Pastors in receiving such for Catholick doctrines which are taught no where but in Protestant Books and Pulpits For had such Dispensations been the Doctrines or Practices of Papists what folly had it appeared in Protestant Magistrates to require Oaths of them who hold themselves under no obligation to them when they have taken them and what madness had it appeared in Papists to incur the Forfeiture heretofore of their lives and late of their liberty and fortunes rather then take such Oaths with which if they had advised with the Protestant Minister they might have dispensed at pleasure Country-men read your Chronicles peruse your Statutes and Records review many of your Ancient Customs and Observances look upon the Windows of the Churches reflect upon the Names and Dedications of the same Chruches of divers days of the year of divers of your Colledges upon the Crosses every where erected upon the Multitude of Monasteries Abbies and other Religious Houses which heretofore flourished in this Kingdom and then suffer you selves to doubt
if you can whether your noble Progenitors almost for the space of a Thousand years were zealous Papists Cast your eyes then upon their Wisdom known by the Government and Laws which they established Upon their Piety blazon'd by the goodly Churches by the stately Monasteries by the renowned Colledges which they Erected and Endowed and censure them not to have been so stupid so ungodly that with so great zeal and costs they would have embraced honoured and established Papistry had it been so absurd so ungrounded so Superstitious and Idolatrous and so dangerous to Princes and their States as divers of your deceived or deceiving Teachers do give you to understand Neither think your Neighbours who live Papists amongst you so blockish that they would forsake the easie and flesh-pleasing Religion of Luther Calvin and other new Teachers to embrace with so great loss and hazards the austere Profession of Papists if the same were such as you are made to believe Let not therefore any prejudicate conceits defraud you of this fit opportunity to free your selves from the most dangerous mistakes and consequently from the fruitless pangs of too late Repentance where with every one will be fearfully afflicted that departs this life culpably in a wrong and false Religion when the judging light of Christ shall lay open to him how naked he is through his own willfull negligence of Divine Faith of Heavenly Charity and of other Coelestial Vertues absolutely necessary to Salvation Because divers Protestant Teachers endeavours to make their followers believe that the Fathers of the Primitive Church were Protestants which Followers know no otherwise but let them take notice that those Ancient Worthies and Lights of the Church of Christ were either Monks or Founders of Monastical Discipline or at least Approvers and Praisers of the same St. Anthony was a Monk and St. Athanasius his Praiser St. Basil the Great a Monk and the Founder of a Monastical Institute which in the Eastern part of the World is yet practised St. Gregory the Divine was a Monk St. Chrisostom a Monk St. Hierom a Monk the Great St. Augustine the Founder of a Monastical course of Life St. Martin a Monk St. Benedict a Monk and Founder of the famous Order of Monks which does yet flourish in the Western Church St. Gregory the Great was a Monk and by the labours of Forty Monks did first plant Christianity amongst the English Let any Man judge how likely or how true it is that these Men were Protestants Secondly take notice that these ancient and most Learned Fathers were great Praisers Practisers of Austere and Penitential Works consisting in frequent Prayer in much Watching in severe Fasting in hard Lodgings in course and spare Dyet in wearing of Hair-Cloath and the like they lived single lives many of them bestowed their Wealth upon the Poor and other Pious Uses and professed voluntary Poverty following therein the Counsel of Christ given Matth. 19.21 and they not only allowed of but also most highly extolled the observing of perpetual Chastity and Virginity preferring the same far above Matrimony Were not these men then strange Protestants Thirdly take notice that these Ancient Worthies even by the Confession of all Protestants were men of accute Wits of excellent Learning If then they had found in the Word of God as Protestants say they find that only Faith does justifie that good Works are not Meritorious That in Works of Grace men have not Free-will That they are not able to keep the Commandments That it is not in the power of man or woman to live perpetually Chaste that Virginity is not more pleasing to God than Matrimony that to give all to the Poor to Fast Pray and watch much and to undergo other Austerities and Mortifications of the Body doth not profit and enrich the Soul that there is no Purgatory no Pennance to be done no satisfaction to be made for Sin no punishment to be inflicted upon the Faithful for them after this Life If I say the Ancient Fathers had found these and the like Doctrines of Protestants in the Scriptures and why should they not have found them there if there they had been they being so wise so learned and so industrious searchers of the Word of God as they were If there I say they had found these things and had believed them as Protestants do they would have lived as Protestants do for why should they not If these pleasing Doctrines which are light and easie to flesh and the blood and the sweet liberty of the new Gospel has as feelingly pierced and as strongly possessed the Hearts of those Ancients as it did and doth the Breasts and Bowels of Luther Zuinglius Bucer Peter Martyr Beza and their followers the Teachers of the Protestant Religion they would without all doubt with these have preferred Pleasures before Pennance Feasting before Fasting the delights of the Conjugal Life before the continent and single and in a word Riches Honours Pleasures before Labours and smart of a Penitential and Mortified Life before voluntary Poverty and the vexing Attire of Hair-cloth or else they had been mad had they believed as most Protestants do that such exercises as these are needless fruitless yea and superstitious Toys But the truth is that those ancient and shining Lamps of Wisdom and Sanctity did not believe as Protestants do and therefore they liv'd not as they do for they were otherwise instructed in the School of Christ they read and learned another Lesson in his Divine Gospel even the same that Papists now do and therefore they instituted their Lives as they did and were in very deed as much Protestants as the Pope and His Priests and Fryars now are and no more most certainly unless we will have them to have been Sots and mad-men Let not then my noble and dear Country-men the mis-reports of some of your Teachers so far prevail with you as to make you believe the better to keep and quiet you in Protestantism that the Fathers of the Primitive Church were Protestants For certainly those blessed Servants of Christ were as far from being Protestants as the most zealous of your Teachers are from being Papists yea from being Monks or Fryars and from leading their Lives as those Ancients did If then you truly prize the Learning and Sanctity of the Primitive Church and Christianity become of that Belief which their Lives and Practises do preach unto you If you think them saved be not so hardy as to seek a new way to Heaven for the safety of your Souls is of greater moment than so to be exposed to hazard being there can be but one saving Faith Eternal Glory is not easily to be set upon the Dice when you may take secure way to it Become then of the Communion of the Church in which the Fathers lived and died that therein seconding your belief with a vertuous Life you may assuredly attain to Everlasting Happiness beseeching God to prosper your Reading Considering
matters of Faith do destroy Souls like as Wolves do destroy Sheep and that it is as impossible that their Followers should acquire by their teaching Divine Faith and True Sanctity as it is impossible that Thorns should bring out Grapes or Thisles Figgs The same Doctrine is taught by the Apostle who affirms That Hereticks are subverted Tit. 3. And Subvert the Faith of others 2 Tim. 2.18 That they make Shipwrak about Faith 1 Tim. 1.19 That they depart from the Faith 1 Tim. 4.1 That they are Reprobate about Faith 2 Tim. 3.8 and the like Which mischief they fall into themselves and bring upon their followers though they Err but in one Article of Faith as Himenaeus and Philetus did 2 Tim. 2.18 But Note here That the Apostle in the places cited doth not mean that Heretical Teachers do so Subvert and Ruine the Faith of their Followers that they leave them no Faith at all but that they subvert their Divine Faith which is the Gift of God wholly overthrowing that though they leave them store of Humane Faith to which seduced people firmly sticking yea sometimes even to Fetters and Death do reap thereby nothing at all but Temporal Commodities and Vain glory purchased with the Eternal loss of their Souls Secondly Doth appear out of the same Doctrine the great Obligation that Christian People have to keep themselves within the Bosom of the True and Catholick Church of Christ Because that this Church being continually assisted by Christ himself Matt. 28. 20. And taught all Truth by the Holy Ghost John 16.13 doth propose unto her followers in her Doctrine of Faith nothing buth Truth whereby their Faith doth easily come to be Divine and the Gift of God his Havenly Grace Co-operating with them It doth also appear how deeply they are obliged to take heed of and to shun and avoid false Prophets false and heretical Expounders of God's Word which run of their own accord not being sent authroized or allowed of by the Ordinary Doctors and Pastors of the Ever Visible and Catholick Church of Christ And how wary they ought to be not to have itching Ears after new Masters 2 Tim. 4.3 Or greedily to hearken to their Novelties in Matters of Faith which upon the reckoning will be found to be no better than Fables that is than the Fictitious and Self-inventions of mens brains Though these busie Teachers palliate them with specious terms and bear their Hearers in Hand That these their new devices are the Pure Light of the Gospel For by forsaking the Doctrine of the Church the Spiritual Mother and Mistress of all Nations and as the Apostle terms her 1 Tim. 3.15 The pillar and Ground of Truth and following such New Teachers they make shipwrack of their Divine Faith and run themselves assuredly upon the Rock of Perdition Thirdly It appears how dangerously those are deceived who think they have Faith enough to Salvation if they believe those Points of the Christian Religion about which Catholicks and Protestants agree esteeming themselves not obliged to believe any of those Articles about which the Learned of these two Religions do differ and contend As though Christian people were not obliged under pain of Damnation to beware of false Prophets Matt. 7. To shun Heretical Teachers Tit. 3. To obey their Lawful Prelates and to be subject unto them in matters of Faith and Religion Heb. 13. To hear those Teachers whom Christ doth send Luke 10. To hear and obey the Voice of his Church if they will not be held to be in as ill case as Publicans and Ethnicks are Matth. 18. Or as though they were not bound to know the right means by which they are to be Justified cleansed from Sin and Saved to Believe rightly and to Receive worthily the great Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ 1 Cor. 11. Joh. 6. And as though they were not obliged under the same Penalty to believe and profess the True Gospel the True Faith and Religion of Christ and to Serve and Worship God rightly Seeing those which believe not his Gospel that is the whole Sum of Divine Doctrine taught by his Apostles and by their Successors the Ordinary Doctors and Pastors of his Church are to be Damned Mark. 16 As those also are Which deny Christ before men Matth. 10.33 Which Crime all commit who deny themselves to be of the True Religion as is manifest by the Example of St. Peter who denying only that he was a follower of Christ and of his Company was reputed to deny Christ even as those will be who culpably profess a False Religion For such by their very Fact deny the True and themselves to be of the Communion thereof and of the Company and Society of the True Followers Disciples and Servants of Christ whereby at his Judgement-seat they will be reputed to have forsaken and denied him But to open this Point a little more because many even of the better sort are brought thereby into no small danger of Perdition this their conceit is not grounded upon any clear Text of Gods Word or upon the Authority of any Vnerring Church but meerly upon a Mistake of their own by which out of one or two Truths they infer a pernicious falshood upon which while they trust they trust to a broken staff which at their last Leap will let them fall into the deep Ditch of Perdition if before their Death they cast it not away Which presumptuous discarding of Divine Verities revealed by Christ to his Apostles for the direction of mankind to Eternal happiness and by them laid up in the Treasury of the Church as a Sacred Depositum 1 Tim. 6.20 under the sure Custody of the Holy Ghost is no less than High Treason against Christ our Saviour in regard that it raises a most pernicious Rebellion in his Spiritual Kingdom bringing part thereof again under the Tyranny of the Devil It frustrates the full Operation of his Passion extinguishes the true and right Worship of God despoils Christian People of Divine Faith and thereby of the true means of Salvation It deprives the Saints of due Honour defrauds the Faithful departed of necessary Relief It robs Heaven of Souls and inriches Hell with innumerable unwary and most unhappy People For which respects it is rightly stiled one of the greatest Sins and of the loudest crying Crimes that is Note That God cannot stir up and draw men by this his Heavenly Grace to believe these Verities unless they be proposed to be believ'd without all mixture of falshood for if any falshood be packt in among them and proposed with them for a Divine Truth revealed by God he cannot draw Men by his Grace to believe them thus mingled and preposed with Falshood as is manifest because he cannot induce men to believe any Falshood at all And therefore whosoever doth thrust in among some Divine Vereties any false Doctrine contrary to that which God hath revealed proposing the same to be believed as a