kept holy to the Lord by him that witnesses the work of Redemption and this is according to the Apostolick Doctrine and if because of example the Christians whom you are pleased to stile Sectaries do observe the first day of the week in the Power of God for his Worship then they are as much if not more to be heard than you and have as much solid reason on their side as you and thou must not think to carry the matter on with such frivolous arguments as this to advance Mysterie Babylon for this is a a knowing age blessed be the Lord wherein the wisdom of God is revealed and that which comprehendeth all shadows types dayes times years meats drinks washings and other figures they are all seen over and he is come and manifest which is Head of the true Church and not the Pope who was is and is to come life it self truth it self power strength and everlasting satisfaction to thousands and ten thousands who have believed and to a numberless number which are yet to be gathered into God's sheep-â—old and into the narrow way of Christ which will deny and doth deny upon good grounds and infallible Testimony from the Eternal Spirit that the Church of Rome is either in whole or in part any part of the true Church of Christ. And seeing this valiant Champion hath made so fair a proffer that all their Priests Jesuits and Catholicks over all the world will turn to the Sectaries way as he calls them if they can but get a clear and satisfactory resolution to the following doubts Answ. I am one which do acknowledge my self to be reckoned by him as a Sectarian yet as a Sectarian is reckoned by the true Church of God in the Primitive time in the Apostles and Christ's dayes I do not reckon my self as such and that I am a Minister of the Everlasting Gospel I dare not deny seeing a necessity is laid upon me to acknowledge the same yet herein I do not glory but in him who hath called me for the work sake and I know the Teaching of Christ Jesus and his Doctrine and no other thing this many years have I published but that which I received of the Lord and from him by his Spirit which is according to the true Faith and Godliness which was in the Primitive Church before ever Rome did lay claim to be the onely true Catholick Church excluding all others but her self to be in the way that leads to salvation I which am as one amongst many thousands which God hath manifested his mind unto shal answer in clearness and according to Apostolick Doctrine and the manifestation of his Spirit but when I have so done I am afraid this Champion with the rest of the Priests and Jesuits and the rest of the Catholicks over the World wil hardly own his Challenge or consess that Doubts are answered yet however if it satisfie but one of a thousand I have my reward and shal put it to tryal The first thing the Author who it seems knows the mind of the Church of Rome in all things both as to Doctrine and Practice vvhich they do allovv of and the contrary they vvil deny he knovvs to the full or else he vvould never sure have made such a bold challenge The first thing that they vvould be resolved in is Whether any can clearly shew that any Teachers Doctors or Ministers are sent of the Almighty God to preach and reform the Roman Catholick Church and that they are not some who say the Lord saith when the Lord hath not spoken unto them neither sent them Ezek 13. 2. Ans. What the Roman Church and their Members will take for a satisfactory resolution as to themselves I somewhat question and do doubt the resolving of the most but however by the same commandment that the Apostles did evidence their commission that they were sent to reform the Church of the Jews and also them that had made defection from the Faith amongst the Gentiles this may be shown 1. The Apostles of Christ Jesus did declare their commission which they had received from Christ and for other proof they sought none amongst them that were auditors or hearers but the witness and testimony of God unto which they desired to be approved in the sight of God 2. They shewed the Jews that they held the types and the figures but did not receive or believe him who was the substance in whom they all ended they were sent to bear testimony to the true Light that lighteth every one that cometh into the World and to preach down dayes times months years fasts feasts sabbaths circumcision temples and offerings the priesthood and the sacrifice which were but to continue until th time of reformation and the bringing in of a better hope by which they drew nigh unto God and had an accesse unto him and they declared their Commission against a voluntary humility and worshipping of Angels all which things the Church of Rome do stick in and vindicate for Apostolick Doctrine and many more things which the Church of Rome is run into contrary to the true Church of Christ and therefore had need of Reformation So that which is contrary to the Doctrine of Christ and the Apostles and practice of the primitive Church in the first hundred years is in the apostacy but Rome is in many practices and doctrines contrary to the true Church therefore needs reforming And so God hath manifested himself in this his day of Power and hath discovered the Church of Rome to be contrary in doctrine and practice to the true Spouse of Christ and hath stirned up and moved many by his Power and Spirit to preach the everlasting gospel and to declare also against the defection of the Church of Rome and her apostatizing from the Faith and they are not of those whom the Prophets spoke of which ran and the Lord sent them not for them were the false prophets in Israel and they were manifest by their fruits of which there are great store in Rome who are manifest by their fruits and they are such as are in Cain's way who would kill and such as are seekers of gain from their quarter and such as take the Jews tythes and these the Lord never sent to be Teachers or Ministers to bring to the knowledge of Christ but we deny all these things and your Church in the very ground and foundation and know that it will be swept away when the Beast is taken alive upon which your Church now rides then shall you see that that which you long put off among people as Apostolick Doctrine will not be received any more neither traditions nor inventions of men for the Worship of God The second doubt which the Author would be resolved in is Whether we can make good what Luther and Calvin with all Protestants have boasted that they would do to reform convincingly one of the silliest Roman Catholicks that is and to begin do it
Crafts-man upon a wall or a board or parchment or paper this is Idolatry for Christ promised to his Disciples and to the true Church That he would send his Spirit to lead them into all truth which is an invisible thing and to bring to remembrance what ever Christ had spoken and whatsoever was necessary as to Salvation whether the Saints life and holy practices which they lived in or whatsoever else as conduced to their peace and justification with God and what Images did God make use of to shew his Miracles by This is but an old fable formed by the Apostate Christians whose minds are turned after shadows and vain shews and is erred from the invisible life and worships the works of mens hands 2. Though Moses did put off his shoo 's according to the command of the Lord where God appeared in power and glory to him What is this to your purpose as to create and form places and Consecrate them as holy and then command reverence and honor unto them this is but to worship the work of your own hands and though David say in the 99 Psal. 5 vers Exalt the Lord God and worship at his footstool for he is holy What of all this doth God call Reliques or Images his Footstool And if the Author do judge that it was spoken of Zion and Jerusalem outward where Aaron and the rest of the priests worshipped yet doth not Christ say It 's not at Jerusalem c. But they that worship God worship him in spirit and truth What doth not the church of Rome profess Christianity and Apostolick Doctrine and wil now turn Jews or imitaters of them What is Rome Jerusalem or Zion And must Pictures invented and dead pieces of bones and wood be recommended unto the Nations as holy things This is contrary to the Apostolick church and with the life of God is judged and the life of the Saints whom you honour in words and make pictures of and worships the works of your own hands and crucifies the life where ever it appears that they lived in and teacheth a contrary doctrine 3. Confession may be made in words of the true God and talk may be of his wonderous works and yet people Idolaters the church of the Jews who acknowledge the true God and had seen and heard of his wonderous works they eat and drank and rose up to play and these were Idolaters such is the church of Rome who take peoples minds up with garments and Vestments with Altars and Candles with Crucifixes Agnus Dei with Images formed by Painters with a piece of Bread called a Holy Host and Eucharist an unbloody Sacrifice who neglects the life and him that is the Head of the Body and his Witnesse in their hearts and consciences and leads them to worship and honour visible and carnal things and to busie their mindes in the exercise of outward things which profiteth little or nothing at all and so are Idolaters worshipping the works of your own hands which Christ and the Apostolick church bore testimony against for that which the creatures mind goes out after besides or without that which may be known of God in the heart is made an Idol of and the true God is not minded and them that honor Gods Friends and Saints walks in their footsteps live their life and honor their sayings but your Church is contrary who would kill and have killed about these invented Fopperies which is contrary to the Apostles Doctrine God accepts not prayers by number nor tale nor for multitude of words which are without understanding and without the Spirit this Christ counted as evil and reprehended the Pharisees and said It was like the vain repetitions of the Heathen who thought to be heard for their much babling and the Salutation which the Angel gave to Mary is no prayer And that which is called the Apostles Creed is no prayer and them that are unconverted unto God may prattle and prate over the words in the unbelief and never have any acceptance of God And though the Prophet did pray seven times a day it was according to the motion of God's Spirit in his own heart which shewed him his state and necessity and what is this to imitators when they pray not with the same Spirit neither in the same words And what if Mary lived threescore and three years who gave commandment that Hail Mary should be said threescore and three times over The rest of the Saints are like to have but small shares of worship and honor if she go with all this in a day And what five wounds is that which the Church of Rome dreams of that five Pater 〈◊〉 must be said for the honor of With Deceit and Ignorance you wound him every day and your Pater nosters doth not honor him at all pattred oft over with your polluted lips who are given to speak lyes and your tongues to speak mischief which Christ accepteth not What are you all new creatures that say Our Father which art in Heaven Are you born again Are your Natures changed Sin you not Do you hallow his Name who do not love that which shews your evil deeds Would you see his Kingdom come which stands in righteousness Where will you appear Or how will you stand when he appears in his Power and Glory to take vengeance on all them that wis◠not that he should rule in their hearts who is the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world Would you see his wil done on earth as it is in Heaven when you walk contrary to his Doctrine which the Apostolick Church walked in and sets up a numberless number of Traditions and Inventions of men instead thereof which the Lord accepteth not and you pray not with understanding 5. As for your Beads which are neither Jewish nor Christian but meer Heathenish as to reck on the number or tale of that which you call your prayers by and though Kings Popes Cardinals and Bishops do the same this is but a small proof as for Authority Kings have drunk of the Whores Cup and Popes and Cardinals have usurped power that Christ never gave as to exercise Lordship and be Law-givers unto others for the Lord is the Saints Law-giver and the Saints Life and Judge and he will not give his glory to another for Kings have ' drunk of the VVhores cup of Fornication and Popes have usurped Authority and Cardinals have exercised Lordship over mens consciences yea and over great Kingnomes and States too And if they pray by Beads as others do set forms by number tale they are as much Ideots as the rest are who know not the Spirit to pray by And so this is no authority to prove your practice Apostolical and holy as for variety of prayers and worships it delighteth the carnal mind indeed but they that worship God in spirit and truth they pray by the spirit and in it as David and Christ prayed
narrow way that leads to life Again Because the Church of Rome keeps Sunday instead of Saturday by Tradition therefore she is the Church of Christ. To the first If that Church is not to be heard neither her censures regarded whose Authors and Teachers have been Cozeners and Impostors then the church of Rome is not to be heard nor her censures regarded because the chief Authors have been Cozeners Cheaters and Impostors who have been out of the power of God and have taught for Doctrine the traditions of men as Purgatory prayer for the dead onely to cozen and cheat by to fill the Bags and Coffers of the Popish Clergy which Doctrine is contrary unto the Doctrine of Christ and the Apostolick Church therefore the Church of Rome is not to be heard 2. That the Church of Rome hath the marks of the true Church and no other as Antiquity Holiness of life Miracles and Universality This is false there were Churches before Rome that had these marks and there hath been since and are now more then the Church of Rome Antiquity some of them called Sectaries will allow you a thousand years to be called a Church and yet prove you Apostates both in Doctrine and Practice Your Miracles are but cheats deceits and lying stories if your own Authors be searched you confess most of your Miracles are wrought by your Images works of your own hands 2. Antiquity without Truth proveth nothing and holiness of life if your Church be holy which is prophane tolerating as I said before Whoredoms Stage-Playes vain sports and pastimes which draw people from the fear of God and many foolish sopperies which I shall not now mention so that there are them that have dissented from you which are more ancient in the Faith more holy in life and conversation more agreeable in doctrine and practice to the true primitive Church then you are And as for Miracles which are wrought by the true power and finger of God there hath been and are more amongst them called Sectaries than in the Church of Rome The blind have received their sight the Lepers have been cleansed the Lame have been made to walk and the deaf have heard and the dumb have spoken the dead have been raised and many that have been bound by Satan fourty yeares are loosed and there are thousands that are Witnesses of it and can testifie the truth thereof even in this time and in this year in Scotland England Ireland Germany and America 1662. So there is a true Church which hath the Marks of the true Church of Christ more than the Church of Rome therefore the Roman Church is not the alone true Church 3. To the third argument That the Church of Rome keeps Gods commandments and walks in the narrow way of Christ's counsel therefore she is to be heard How she keepeth the commandments of God is known if he mean the ten commandments Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image nor the likeness of any thing that is in Heaven or Earth neither bow down nor worship them Now you make Images of things in Heaven as of God and Christ and the Holy Ghost and of Mary and as for things in Earth you have Images of all sorts witnesse your Masse-Houses called Churches your Cloisters Fryaries and Covents so that every place is filled ful worship unto them is taught by you for Doctrine contrary to God's Doctrine your distinction of Latria Doulia wil not serve for it 's meer deceit he that honors an Image and bows down before it in his heart whether you may judg it represents this or that is an absolute Idolater knoweth not the spirit which Christ said he would send to the true Church which should bring all things to their remembrance both what he did and said and the Saints life and example to remembrance without your Pictures And how you are in the narrow way is known to many thousands that you do not walk in it at all neither take up the crosse of Christ which is to crucifie the lusts affections and desires of the flesh but taketh up outward crosses and bears them on your necks or pin them on your sleeves or hang them about your necks and all because Christ was crucified on the cross And here you are honorers of Pilate and the Jews who crucified Christ upon the crosse as a blasphemer rather then honorers of Christ and the strait and narrow way you are ignorant of and Christ's sufferings you are strangers to What! your Popes are as Emperors your Cardinals as Lawgivers your Ecclesiastical Officers as Lords of great possessions in the Earth except some begging Fryars which you have prest into a voluntary humility without necessity And how do you love your Enemies How many Indians have you destroyed and killed as dogs and how many that have professed the Name of Christ have you burned and destroyed as though they had been Wood and onely fewel for the fire And how can you say your Pater Noster about which you make so much ado and say Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us if the Heathen have trespassed against you if them you call Sectaries have trespassed against your Church how do you forgive them and how do you fulfil the Law of Christ and keep his Counsel seeing that you are out of his Doctrine away with such deceit and hypocrisie God hath found it out and is judging it by his Saints who rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh nor in fleshly Traditions and Imaginations but lives in the power of God and walks in the Spirit and therefore because you walk contrary to the Command of God and Christ's Counsel and are out of the narrow way that leads to life your Church is neither to be heard minded nor heeded The fourth Argument that the Church of Rome is the true Church because they keep their Sabbath of the Sunday by Tradition and not upon the Saturday as the Jewes did and therefore the Church of Rome is to be heard because they have Tradition solid Reason on their side Thy speech bewraies thee which bespeaks thee rather a Heathen then a Christian for the Heathens had a day that they celebrated to an Idol made like the Sun called Sunday and another day which they celebrated to an Idol called Saturnus called Saturday and in this your Church is not to be heard who is out of the form of sound words but the Seventh day was the Jews-Sabbath which none that professes Christianity ought to keep seeing that Christ put an end to the shadows and the Saints Sabbath is a stranger to the Church of Rome he that hath overcome the World and the Divel onely knows God's rest and the true Sabbath of which the Jewes was a figure and the Sundays thou calls it is no more a Sabbath reckoned by the Lord of Life then that which thou calls Saturday for every day is
and gone in their own traditions and inventions and have forsaken the strait way and the narrow path that leadeth to life and all are exhorted to come unto him who is the light and life of men that their souls may live and that they may witness assurance of the love of God unto them by his Spirit 's manifestation And now let us see whether the Author will keep to his word whether the church of Rome will all turn unto our way which is Christ the way the truth and the life or they will follow their visible Head the Pope who is changeable and doth not abide for ever who leadeth onely to an observance of outward things but neglects the weightier things to walk in And now I shall come to some Propositions which the Author saith hath been propounded which are unanswerable and the Propositions are against all Sectaries and the Propositions are laid down by Francis Costorus as the Author saith of the Society of Jesus which hath been laid down fifty years ago and they are in number eight and with them eight Propositions the Author saith he hath put all the ablest Ministers of Germany and the Low Countreys unto their wits end now I hope some will be able to give an answer and yet keep both their Faith Wit and Reason 1. The first Proposition is this That never since the Apostles time till the Year 1517. wherein Luther began his Doctrine were any found in the world who did consent with either the Lutherans Calvinists or Anabaptists or other Sectaries opinions nor ever shall any of the Sectaries prove that any of the Apostles or Evangelists were of their Faith so by consequence the Sectaries are without Faith they are the men whom the Scriptures in several places affirms that should come In the latter times false Prophets c. Answ. As I said before any opinion which Luther Calvin or the Baptized people do hold I shal not stand to vindicate it because they have so holden yet in many things they are separated from you upon good ground their Doctrine and Worship was far more consonant and agreeable unto the Apostles dayes then yours are but I am one that owns my self a Protestant who denies the Church of Rome and I do say this Proposition is silly poor and feeble and I do not believe that any was so hard put to it as to be brought to their wits end by answering of it for what need he talk of since the Apostles time till such a year we shal come to the Apostles time and age and if any society of people now are found the same in Faith in Doctrine in Worship in Life Practice and Conversation then they are the true Church And let Francis Costorus with the rest of the Roman Merchants take that Faith to themselves and that Doctrine to themselves and those particular points of Worship and Tradition to themselves since all the world hath wondred after the Beast and hath worshipped his Image and this was since the Apostles dayes And if the Church of Rome plead the whole world as for a proof John saw that Antichrist's false Prophets Deceivers were entred in then fifteen hundred years ago and the world went after them and he saw the whole world wonder after the Beast and the Whore sit upon the Waters Nations Kindreds Tongues and People and this comprehends the World the Whores seat and we matter not for her consent neither to Doctrines and Principles nor opinions nor for the approbation of them that have drunk of her Cup. But if we can prove a people which are gathered by the Word of God and thorow the preaching of the Gospel into the same Faith Hope Doctrine Life and Practice which the Apostls walked in then this is the Church which is coming out of the Wilderness again where she has been preserved while the Mother of Harlots has sit as a Queen and has been so visible as over all the World and hath made the Nations drink her Cup of Fornication and therefore your Unity in this thing and in this time is clear that the Church of Rome is not the Church of Christ but there are some whom Rome is pleased to call Sectaries that own the same Practice the same Doctrine the same Faith which the Apostles walked in and therefore this great Proposition is false That all that have separated from the Church of Rome have no Faith or a new fancied Faith and now I come to his second Proposition 2. Propositon The Religion and Faith of the Romane Church hath not been any way changed in any Article that belongs to Religion by any Pope Councils or Catholick Bishops but it is the very same Faith hath remained intire and inviolate from the Apostles to this present day There were Churches planted before there was any at Rome and the Faith which they received was that which did overcome the world and gave them victory over sin and death and the Religion which the Churches of Christ professed as Corinth Galathia Thessalonica and the rest of the Churches which the Apostles planted is no more like the Faith and Religion of the Church of Rome now then Black is to White as for instance Prove us out of the Scripture what foundation you have for Purgatory for selling Indulgences and Pardons for sins and vvhat Scripture have you for Auricular confession for an Unbloody Sacrifice for Prayer to Saints for worshipping of Images in the New-Testament for observing of Lent consisting of so many days And what Scripture and example from the Churches that were in the Apostles dayes before Rome was called a Church concerning prayer for the dead for yours crosses your tapers and candles for annointing with oyle and cream in Baptism which was onely invented by Pope Clement which another Pope Pope Silvester confirmed 315. Plat. Volat. Sabil And what example from the true Church for baptizing of Infants and for God-fathers and God-mothers in Christ's day when he planted the Church And that Infants should be baptized and onely at Easter and Whitsuntide was not this ordained by Pope Leo in the year 676. Lib. Council Volat. Pol. Chron. And was not Transubstantiation which you call the Body and Blood of Christ after the consecration when the Priest hath whispered over the Bread and Wine a few Latine words As Hoc est Corpus meum hic est enim sanguis meus c. The Bread is turned into the natural Body of Christ's flesh blood and bone was not this ordained by Pope Innocent held at Latterane by twelve hundred Romish Priests Monks and Fryars in the year 1215. decret de summa Trinitate Cap. firmiter And whether are not these articles of the Church of Rome yea or nay If I should traduce the church of Rome in their Bishops and Councils these 12. hundred years and upward I might bring a cloud of witnesses that the church of Rome is not the same in articles of faith in Religion
but divers Popes I might prove have made distinct articles and divers Councils and Bishops so that I might clearly prove and can and shall if God permit me with life if I hear any more of the church of Rome or the Author of this Book that I shall prove that the church of Rome in the articles of her Faith is not the same that the church of Christ was in before Rome was planted a church 2. I shall prove if need require her universal Councils as she calls them to vary and her Bishops to be different in their Decrees and that her faith in points of Religion is not the same from the Apostles day to this time as the author of this Book would make people believe but what I have said to this unanswerable Proposition as he calls it may be sufficient to convince both the Author and them that are doubtful in their minds about this particular 3. Proposition is That neither the Sacraments nor Ceremonies or any Doctrine of the Church of Rome contain any thing that is contrary to the Scriptures but learned Doctors maintain the same and that there is no alteration in any article of faith And then the Author makes a conclusion though full too hastily That they which dissent from the Church of Rome which he is pleased to stile Sectaries and Hereticks have no reason to withdraw from the Catholick Church Ans. As for that which you call the Catholick church of Rome we find such diversity of Orders and constitutions one distinct from another that to begin to enumerate them all would take up much time before one ended and would prove tedious to the Reader to view over the variety of Constitutions and Decrees that have been made concerning the ceremonies Sacraments as they call them and other Doctrines of the church of Rome which at this time is not my intention but Pope Alexander commanded that unleavened Bread should be used in the Supper in the year 1119. Lib Concil grat Sabil Before that time the outward Bread was indifferent whether it was leavened or unleavened notwithstanding the Greeks do use leavened bread unto this day in that which is called a Supper and they use Wine onely in the Cup but the Church of Rome mingle Water with their Wine according to Pope Alexander's Decree And the Doctrine of Transubstantiation of turning the bread into the body of Christ and wine into the blood as they say was an unknown Doctrine in the Apostles dayes and also among the Greeks until Pope Innocent the third 1215. Likewise Honorus the third he made a new Ordinance That the Sacrament of the Altar as the Church of Rome terms it should be worshipped and kneeled unto of the people and also it should be born unto the sick yea and that with Candle-light though it be at noon-day in the year 1214. D. 3. Tit. Cap. 10. Lib. Council Pant. And Innocent the third ordained that the Sacrament of the Altar should be kept under lock and key that such as were like to dye might not want spiritual comfort at the time of their death Lib. Council Cron. Pant. Pope Innocent the 8th permitted that the Priests of Norduegia might fing Masse with Water for lack of Wine in the year 1484. Math. Palm Pant. And as about the ceremonies about the Sacrament or Masse in a Council held at Rottomage it was decreed that the Sacrament should not thenceforth be given to Lay-men nor Lay-women in their hands any more but the Priests should put it in their mouths contrary to the use and practice of the primitive church yea and of the church of Rome it self many years after Lib. Council c. And so here the church of Rome is contrary to the former churches and to their own church of Rome in former times though C. M. would elevate the Propositions of Francis Costorus a Jesuit unanswerable 4. Proposition The Author saith It cannot be proved that any have been admitted Priests but were duly consecrated by Bishops Whence we infer That Lutherans Calvinists and other Hereticks are no true Ministers neither are of Divine Priesthood because they give to people a meer piece of bread and nothing else and they have no power to absolve people from their sins but send them away entangled with sin as when they came to them Ans. As for the consecration of the Priests of Rome you have consecrated many who are out of the Doctrine of Christ who are traytors to Kings and Governments and it 's a Maxime and a thing meritorious in your church to slay a Heretick that is one dissenting or not consenting to your corrupt principles and as one deceiver hath ordained and admitted another so hath your Bishops and Popes ordained the rest to execute their drudgery and corrupt traffick and as I have offered unto thee before if it be not a piece of bread and wine except mingled with water according to your changeable Ordinances before-mentioned put it to trial upon the terms I before mentioned that you may be made manifest to be deceivers or else we to all people And as for your Absolutions Pardons it hath been that which you have sold for money which made Luther and divers of your own church to deny you because it hath been contrary to Christ and the Apostles Doctrine And as for forgiveness of sins it properly belongs to Christ and to them that are in the same Power to them that confess forsake and turn from sin to pronounce forgiveness and mercy but the members of your Church confess from day to day unto your Priests that are as much entangled in sin as they who do confess and neither do repent nor find mercy at the hand of the Lord and your confessors and they that do confess they are defiled as much with sin when they end their work as when they began 5. Proposition It cannot be found in the holy Scripture that nothing is to be believed but what is clearly and expresly contained in the same Hence follows the overthrow of the ground work of the Sectaries who say that nothing is to be believed but what is expresly set down in the Scripture Ans. What others have said as to this particular I shall not now stand to vindicate because it is not my work to vindicate every particular judgement and person who believe contrary to your church but I say many are of that mind that are not of your church that things may be believed to be true according to the manifestation of God's Spirit though the Scripture in express words doth not declare the same yet you to bring in fabulous stories which you call unwritten verity that are to be believed though never so repugnant unto the Scripture and to the truth contained in it this we cannot receive neither believe and this will never be attributed by the Lord unto any for unbelief although you say it 6. Proposition The Author saith He would fain have Luther and Calvin and the
having the knowledge thereof but declare against the deceit thereof and to give warning unto all to beware how they touch tast or handle it lest they be defiled and corrupted by it and their understandings darkned and their Consciences defiled And the Merchandize is this tituled A short Catechism against all Sectaries by way of Question and Answer wherein all the Doctrines and Practices of the Church of Rome are asserted for infallible and Apostolical wherein also it is holden out That the Church of Rome is the onely true Church out of which there 's no salvation and some Arguments to prove the same Also in this said Book all that are not of the Church of Rome arecondemned already as Hereticks Sectaries wholly to be without salvation Newly published and translated by C. M. and London printed for P. S. 1662. And though we have given publick Testimony both in word and writing in divers Nations in doctrine and practice yet such hath been the envy of many professors who have denied the Church of Rome that they have accused us for holding Popish tenents yet now on the other hand by this Popish Author we are condemned as Hereticks and Sectaries and to be without salvation And thus they who have been under the Beasts power in the Apostacy have tost us upon their horns from one to another and have pushed us this way and that way and every party and sect hath reckon'd us and join'd us with them whom they judged to be transgressors but it is a small thing to us to be judged by man's Judgment for our Judgment is with the Lord and he judgeth in righteousness and unto him we appeal who in his own day when righteousness comes to be revealed in peoples hearts they shall come to know us as we are and the truth which we believe and walk in as it is in Jesus But that such a heap and bundle of false Doctrine and Superstitious and Idolatrous practices may not go unreproved God hath put it into my heart to bear my testimony against it and all the confused heap of darkness which is laid down for Catholick Doctrine and to discover the deceit thereof lest any should be beguiled and led into the dark paths of Ignorance and Error and should become an Inhabitant of that City which hath shed the blood of the Prophets and Martyrs where now Christ is crucified First of all the Author saith There is but one true Religion wherein any can be saved Ans. 'T is true there is but one true Religion in the which salvation is witnessed which is confessed by all who profess Religion and every one wil needs lay claim to it and many have contended even by force and arms since the Apostacy entered in and hath kill'd and destroy'd one another about the name or sound without the thing it self and all Professors of Religion who are in that nature are not in the true Religion in which salvation is witnessed The true Religion standeth in the Power of God and to be exercised in those things which the Power of God directeth every one in who believe in it and to be obedient unto the commands of Christ and to keep his sayings and to follow his Example in righteousness and holiness and in that which overcometh the World and giveth victory over it and keepeth out of the pollutions of it And this is the pure Religion which purifies the heart conscience from dead works and teacheth to love Enemies Now the Church of Rome is manifest not to be in the one true Religion but have departed from this Faith and this Doctrine Let all Nations bear witness where your Religion hath been professed how you have kept this Faith and walkt in this Religion if any have dissented from you these many hundred years and that upon good grounds as Luther and Calvin which thou art so angry at and bring'st many Calumnies against and slanderous things and lyes of which thy Vessel is ful Now they with all others that dissent from you you have reckon'd and do as Sectaries and Hereticks And in case it were really so if you were in the true Religion and in the Faith of Christ you would not destroy so many mens lives as you have done within these thousand years I appeal to all Nations where your Authority hath been exercised how many have you kill'd tortur'd burnt to ashes and destroyed the Workmanship of God But it may be thou judgest such a distinction as this will cover a little as To hate their Heresie and to love their persons but how you have lov'd their persons I hope England hath not yet forgotten instance John Wickliffe whose bones you took up and burnt forty one years after his decease and how many hundreds more hathbeen burnt to ashes in England in later years as Hereticks and Sectaries whose blood yet speaks and cries for vengeance upon that City that Church and Religion which hath drunk the blood of the Prophets Martyrs So in what I have said the Church of Rome to all unbyassed spirits wil appear to be out of that one true Religion and that Faith and Doctrine which Christ deliver'd and so salvation is not to be looked for amongst killers and destroyers And so what I have said may convince the Author of this Book that they are not in the one true Religion in which salvation is witnessed And this Roman Church hath been always visible and universal since the Apostles dayes and Infidels have alwayes been obliged to join unto her yet one cannot be bound to seek that which is invisible And the marks and signs of this Roman Church are four comprized in these words I believe in the true Church which is One Holy Catholick and Apostolick Answ. That there was a Church at Rome in the Apostles dayes is not denied so was there at Antioch at Philippi at Thessalonica at Corinth and divers other places that I might instance which were as visible as Rome was and as much a City set on a Hill as Rome was and not inferior in Doctrine Gifts good Works to Rome at all but as to Precedency and Antiquity may claim priority before Rome And if he pleads that Peter was at Rome and as he saith was Christs Vicar and Bishop and if because of this Rome doth excel which the Scripture is silent in Jerusalem might claim priority before Rome in this for he we read of was more conversant at Jerusalem and a Minister of Circumcision and Paul ministred to Gentiles who preacht two whole years both to Jews and Romans which were Gentiles but it seems the very imagining Peter to bee Bishop of Rome hath made Pauls work void and hath turned his work out of doors but however he which hath usurped the Name of Christs Vicar hath turned both Peter and Paul their Life and Doctrine and Practice out of doors to set up Pride and Deceit But what blindnesse and ignorance is this to judge that God hath bound
Marriages new Moons and Sabbaths and voluntary humility and worshipping of Angels and praying unto them and praying for the dead and if you brought the Christian Faith so called into the rest of the Nations first and the aforesaid Doctrines mentioned and preached them up for Apostolick Institutions then you brought in a Doctrine and a Gospel that is accursed which you have received of your fore-fathers who wondered after the Beast and received his mark and have been drunken with the Whore's Cup to wit the Universe which you lay claim to and none but you called Christians So that it is manifest your Visible Universal Church is the Harlot and hath brought in another Gospel and other Doctrines than the Apostles and so are anathomized for the Apostles preached the Power of God to be the Gospel and you have preached traditions inventions old Wives Fables and outward ceremonies for the Gospel and so have deceived the Nations and now when they begin to dislike your Traffick you are angry but the day hath made manifest that discovers all your deceit And now I have answered the substance of the Book and also the eight Propositions proposed by the Author and thee I am not yet at the wits end as thou saith the Ministers in Germany the Low Countreys have been neither at Wisdoms end but am in it and ready if you will lay down your carnal weapons to begin with thee and to vindicate the Truth as it is in Jesus against the Doctrines of the Church of Rome whensoever I shall hear of thee or any that pertain to your Church make such another bold attempt as to condemn all since the Apostles days for Sectaries Hereticks and Scismaticks who have dissented from you and shal indeavour in the strength of Christ to vindicate and contend though not with Cain's weapons for the Faith and Doctrine which was once delivered to the Saints before the Apostacy and now is manifest again in us and is with us when the Apostacy is coming to an end and the everlasting Gospel is to be preached again to them that dwell on the Earth and to Nations Kindreds Tongues and people that they may come to the true Foundation again and to the Rock of Ages again that they may be established in righteousness for ever the joyful sound whereof is going into the Borders of Babylon which will make the Inhabitants thereof to abhor their City in which they have inhabited and they shall return to Zion with Songs of Deliverance and everlasting joy upon their Heads because the hour of God's judgement is come and coming upon the Harlot and the Year of Redemption is proclaiming to the Captive and the dead shall be raised to life and shall hear the Word of Life and their graves shall be opened and they shall have victory over it and they that hear the voice of the Son of God in themselves shall live and shall deny the voice of many waters and the voice of your Church Mysterie Babylon whose seat hath been upon them And as for Doctor Baily which the Author asserts for his proof and layes down his Reasons wherefore the Church of Rome hath been and is still the true Church by way of demonstration He saith That the Church of Rome was an excellent flourishing Mother-Church this Church could not cease to be such but she must fall either by Apostacy Herefie or Schism Now Apostacy saith he is a renouncing of the Faith of Christ and no man will say that the Church of Rome had ever such a fall 2. He saith Heresie is an adhering to some private and singular Opinion or Error in Faith contrary to the approved Doctrine of the Church Ans. Whatsoever the Author is pleased to boast of the Church of Rome we do not find flourishing for Faith wholsome Doctrine and sound conversation more than other Churches that were planted before her as is evident both by Seripture and the best Ecclesiastical Histories which the Church of Rome her self will allow of and so I can say the Church of Rome hath had a fall and prove it too by Apostacy Heresie and Schism As First she is fallen from her first Love and from the Doctrine of Christ who taught to love Enemies and to do good to them that hate them and to pray for them that persecuted them Now the Church of Rome hath not loved their Enemies neither such as they reckoned as so but have persecuted them to death and to banishment who did not receive their Doctrine And this renouncing of that Faith which was once delivered to the Saints by Christ himself who taught to love Enemies and if they beat them upon the one check turn the other but the Church of Rome is out of this Faith and Doctrine and hath renounced this Faith of Christ and hath denied the power of God and placed it in a Man to wit the Pope that infallibility is in him And this is in the Apostacy 2. If Heresie be an adhering to some private Opinion or Error in Faith then the Church of Rome is in the Heresie for the Faith that was held among the true Churches was that which did overcome the world and give victory over sin and Faith in Christ was that which onely gave an interest into the Kingdom of God but Cardinal Bellarmine a chief Pillar of your Church hath asserted this for the Doctrine of the Church of Rome That a man hath a two fold right to the Kingdom of God first by the merits of Christ Secondly by the merits of man's good works or works of supererogation And this is an adhering to a singular Opinion and is an Error in the Faith that was generally held in the true Churches of Christ as witness He worketh in us to will and to do viz. Christ. So that there is nothing appropriated unto the creature as a creature 3. This is an Error in the Faith of the Church of Rome who teacheth and are taught That there is a place called Purgatory in which men are cleansed from some light faults or venial sins and this is contrary to the faith of the true Christian Churches and is no less than Heresie for the true Church or Churches of Christ taught That the blood of Christ alone cleanseth from all sin and that he is to wit Christ the propitiation for sin and the everlasting Sacrifice and Offering but you have other Offerings as the Sacrifice of the Masse which you call an unbloody Sacrifice which is contrary to the faith of the Christian Church in Christ's and the Apostles days and therefore is Heresie Again praying for the dead and praying to Angels and worshipping of Images is absolute Heresie and contrary to the Faith and Doctrine of the true Church of Christ. 4. And as for Schism the Church of Rome hath separated from many other churches in their practice and also have excommunicated them as Schismaticks and Hereticks witness the Eastern churches the church of Caesaria and
in the matter of the real presence after Consecration What Luther and Calvin have said unto you as about your Worship Doctrine and Practice hath been made good by themselves while they were living and in the body and what they said did not onely inform the minds of many of the Roman Catholicks but reform'd them too which were not of the silliest amongst you not onely one but thousands did see your error and deceit though they in some particulars did but differ from you But now that is manifest which denieth your Foundation in the very ground And what I have said as about the real presence of Christ's Body being in the Bread and Wine after consecration if thou dare put it and endeavour the trial thereof according as I have in reasonableness propounded unto thee it wil convince many of the Roman Catholicks of their error or else many of the Protestants of their error and so if thou dar'st adventure it make no more boasts but let it come to trial as before is propounded unto the Church of Rome if she or any of her Agents dare admit of it 3. The third Argument which he promiseth If it can be proved from the Scripture which he calls God's written Word that the Sabbath-day is commanded by God to be kept on Sunday and that little Children are to be baptized What others have said as to these two partibulars who were but departed a little way from you in diverse things as to their judgments I shal not stand to vindicate because the Church was rather but a coming out of the Wilderness rather then come already into her first purity but I am one of those amongst many thousands in Europe who denyes the Church of Rome as to be the Bride the Lamb's wife and yet I shall not vindicate either the one nor the other but deny both as amongst Christians viz. 〈◊〉 to keep the Jewish Sabbath upon Sunday as the Author calls it and Sprinkling of little Children is like the other an invention in the Apostacy never that we read of commanded commended or practised in the Apostles dayes as such The first day of the week the Apostles met together and worshipped God not by virtue of the Jewes commandment but in the power of God and you onely have them both and keep them both by Tradition and Custom without Commandment and so are out of the power of God and out of the Saints life 4thly The Fourth Argument Can the Sectaries with reason and ground sufficient condemn all Catholicks that were so many Ages before Luther and Calvin for being no better then Heathens and convince me that adhering to you I shall be more secure in my salvation then in joining to them that have time out of mind been of the onely saving Religion Ans. The Sectaries have not gone about to condemn every individual man before Luther and Calvin for no better than Heathens we believe some were and we believe many were as bad if not worse they that walk in the practice of the Heathen and bring forth fruit but not unto God are in the Heathens Nature but the generallity of the Church of Rome have for these many hundred years brought forth no better fruit than the Heathen and therefore are in the nature of the Heathen for like as the Heathen persecuted the Christians in former dayes even so hath the Church of Rome persecuted the true Christians in their day and in this are no better than Heathens instance the bloodshed murther cruel deaths you have put many unto since you have had the Name of a Church and therefore are no better than Heathens in nature And for Antiquity it proveth nothing without Verity and there can be no assurance in your Church seeing that it stands upon tradition and hear-say and outward performances and bodily exercises that profiteth little but some whom you call Sectaries have more assurance for it is the Spirit of God that gives it and as there is obedience yeilded unto the Lord that Spirit he giveth them assurance and them that are born of it do overcome the world and his Spirit beareth witnesse to their spirits that they have overcome by which they cry Abba Father And this Spirit of truth that leadeth into all truth bringeth more assurance unto them that are led by it and worship it in than can be had in all your outward Formalities Ceremonies and Traditions 5. Argu. Can you make evident at least that in your Flock and Luther and Calvin their Guides there is more holiness and virtue than can be found among the Catholicks and that you go the narrow way that leads to life I answer Yes I am one among many thousands who are not of the Church of Rome yet am of Christ's Flock which he hath cleansed by his blood and revealed his virtue in and his holy life and it 's made manifest that they are in the narrow way more than the Church of Rome they are in the way that leads to life and abide in Christ's Doctrine We love them that hate us we bless them that curse us we pray for them that persecute us but so doth not the Church of Rome but kill them and persecute them that oppose her We say Without righteousness and holiness be revealed and wrought in our hearts we can bring forth no fruit unto God neither can be members of the true Church but if any conform unto the practice of your Church in outward things he is counted a good Member of your Church though righteousnesse and holiness self-denial humility and love be wanting Therefore we are the Church in which there is more holiness virtue and life enjoyed than in the Roman Church 6. Can you shew us any miracles that ever were wrought in testimony of your Religion or that the Catholicks Miracles are wrought by Belzebub And now thou hast askt us a resolution of the doubts and let all that are illuminated judge how we are deluded It 's an adulterous generation that seeks a sign and what Christ wrought was reckoned as no miracles by them that are in the unbelief yet these signs have accompanied the Gospel which is the power of God the blind have been restored to sight and the dead have been raised and the deaf have heard and the lame have been made whole and this hath been witnessed by many and we have a cloud of witnesses which your Church know not of and by the effectual working of God's power these things have been done which doth give testimony and confirm our Religion And for your Miracles the most that ever I heard of hath been done by Pictures and Images as you have testified which are but fabulous stories And now let them who are lightned with the true Light of Christ judge who are in the delusion and now let all judge whether these be not satisfactory Resolutions unto the aforesaid Doubts or Questions which may convince them that have erred from Christ the power of God