out of heauens gates and suffer Inquisitions persecutions excommunications and what not so among vs you must believe Scripture as interpreted by the Church of England or you are condemned by them you must believe Scripture as interpreted by the Presbyterians or you are accursed by them you must believe as Anabaptists do or you are damn'd by them and not one Congregation among vs but would root all the others out of the world if it could and wee do not feare that danger wherof S. Paul Gal. 5.15 warns vs If wee bite and devour one an other let 's take heed wee be not consumed one of an other giving vs likewise a holsom advice in the same place how to prevent this euil Stand fast in the libertie wherewith Christ has made vs free and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage The world did groan vnder this heauy yoke in Popery wherin our Rule of faith was Scripture as interpreted by the Pope and Church Scripture was kept from the hand of the flock no man permitted to give or believe any interpretation or sense of it but what the Pope Church and Fathers did approve our reason our judgments our consciences were slaves vnder this yoke vntill that God raised our glorious and blessed Reformers Luther Calvin Zuinglius Beza and others who tooke a holy Libertie and gave vâ— all libertie for to reade and interpreâ— Scripture to believe no Doctrin buâ— what wee judged to be true by Scripture to believe any sense of it which wee judged to be true tho contrary to all thâ— world they tooke for their Rule of faitâ— Scripture and nothing else but Scripturâ— as each one of them vnderstood it thiâ— same Rule of faith they left to vs and â— holy freedom and libertie of our judgments and consciences that any man oâ— sound judgment may hold and believâ— whatever sense of it he thinks to bâ— true This therefore is the scope and end oâ— my following Treatise that wheras ouâ— Rule of faith as J will prove by thâ— vnanimous coÌ„sent of our whole Reformed Church is Scripture or Gods Wriâ—ten Word as interpreted by each persoâ— of sound judgment that wheras bâ— the Principles of our Reformation nâ— man is to be constrained to believe anâ— Doctrin against his judgment and conscience otherwise why were not we left in Popery it is impious tyranâ—cal and quite against the spirit of the Reformation to force vs by Acts of Parliaments Decrees of Synods invectives and persecutions of indiscreet Brethren to embrace this or that Religion that every one ought to be permitted to believe what he please if you think Bigamy to be the Doctrin of Scripture if you think by Scripture there is one Nature and four Persons in God if you think Transubstantiation to be true if you judge by Gods Word ther 's neither Purgatory nor Hell finally whatever you think to be the true sense of scripture you are bound as a true Reformed Child to believe it that it is quite against the spirit of the Reformation to censure oppose or blame the Doctrin or Tenets of any Congregation or of any Doctor of the Reformed Church because that any Doctrin professed by any Christian Congregation whatever the Popish excepted or that ever was delivered by any man of good judgment of the Reformation since the beginning of it vntill this day is as truly and really the Doctrin of the Reformation as the Figurative Presence or kings supremacy is Consequently Protestants are deservedly to be checkt for persecutinâ— Quakers Quakers for murmuring againâ— Presbyterians these for their invectivâ— against Anabaptists and Socinians Aâ— are very good and you may lawfully according the Principles of our Reformâ—tion believe them or deny them This Evangelical libertie of believinâ— any thing which we judge to be the senâ— of scripture tho all the rest of the worlâ— should judge it to be a blasphemie the most distinctive sign of the Refoâ—mation from Popery for Papists are thâ— Children of Agar the slave they livâ— in bondage and constraint to believe at Doctrin which the Pope and Church prâ—poses to them and if a learned man â— vniversity should judge it to be contraâ— to Scripture he must submit his judgment to that of the Pope or be coâ—demn'd as an Heretic in our Reformâ—tion wee are the Children of Sara tâ— Free our Rule of faith is Scripture â— each Person of sound judgment in thâ— Church vnderstands it if wee do nâ— like the Doctrin of the Pope Church â— Council wee may gainsay them all anâ— hold our own sense of Scripture â— enjoy the Prerogative of Rational creâ—tures we are lead by our own reason which God has given vs for our conduct and are not like Beasts constrained to follow that of others Wee follow the Rule given vs by S. Paul Rom. 14. He who eates let him not despise him who does not eate and he who does not eate let him not despise him who does eate for God hath received him that 's to say he who believes let him not check him who does not believe as he does and he who does not believe let him not blame him who does believe but let each one believe or not believe as he thinks best in the Lord This holy libertie and freedom is the Spirit of God for where the Spirit of God is there is libertie 2. Cor. 3. saies the great Apostle The Lord inspire to our Parliament that now sitâ— vpon a perfect and new settlement of Gouvernment and Religion to follow the footsteps of our first renowned Reformers to enact that there may be no other Rule of faith but that which we received from our Reformers and which is laid down for vs in the 39 Articles of the Church of England that is Scripture as each one best vnderstands it without regarding the judgment sense or interpretation of any but the pure Word of God as we vnderstand it and to enact Penal Laws against any so bold and vncharitable as to censure or blame the Tenets of any Congregation be it Lutheranism Presbyterie Arianism Judaism or Paganism or any Doctrin whatever that any man of sound judgment thinks in his conscience to be the sense and Doctrin of Scripture Three things make me hope that this Treatise will be wellcom to the well inclined and pious Reader of our Reformed Church first that there is not one author quoted in this booke but our own Doctors learned and godly Children of the Reformation and this J observe that my Reader may know ther 's not a Jot of any Doctrin heer but what is of the Reformation and also advertise our Writers and Schoole men how much they discredit our Reformed Church by makeing so much vse of Popish Drs and Bookes in their Writings as if wee had not great and learned men of our own if wee looke into our Bishops and Ministers libraries wee shall meet but books either of confessedly Papists or strongly suspected of Popery and you shall hardly
commonly believed by the Protestans and Popish Church we believe in Jesus Christ the son of God of one and the same substance and nature with the Father they believe in a Jesus Christ son of God but of a distinct and different nature and substance from the Father Isaac Pish that 's but a nicetie believe what you please and what you vndestand by Scripture to be true and have charitie Ismael I confess you have puzzled but yet not wholy convinced me were I but perswaded that what you have discoursed is truly the Doctrin of the reformation J would cheerfully embrace it and J will be better informed by your self but not tyre your patience we will meet again and pursue our Discours vpon this subject II. DIALOGUE ISMAEL Reflecting in my solitude vpon your last discours J find it bottom'd vpon a fals principle for you suppose that what euer Doctrin is of Luther Calvin or any of our Learned Drs Synods Parliaments or Congregations is the Doctrin of the Reformation and may without any more proof or scruple be believed by any Reformed Child who but sees this is ridiculous to fasten the Doctrin and absurd opinions of each particular Dr or Congregation vpon the whole body this is the vncharitable and vnreasonable art of the Papists who keep a great coyl with som exorbitaÌ„t opinions of Luther and Calvin and would perswade their Proselyts they are the Tenets of the Reformation wheras the Reformation disclaims those opinions as much as the Pope does and they do not poore people observe how many absurd and scandalous Doctrins we meet in their Casuists and Divins which when we reproach them with they answer it s not the Doctrin of their Church but of som particular Drs as if we might not with as much justice as they answer the same Isaac Your reflection is good and my discours will fall to ground if I do not prove that principle which will be no hard task Let vs imagin we are heere a full synod of Protestants Presbyterians Hugonots Lutherans Antitrinitarians Anabaptists Quakers and of all and each of our Congregations our Reformation is not any of these Congregations with an exclusion of the rest but all of them ioyntly for whatsoeuer Congregation would say it self alone is the Reformation and no other would be hiss'd at by the rest and iustly because that our Reformation imports two points essentialâ—y first a Profession of Christianitie according the Rule of the Word of God and a detestation or abjuration of Popish Errors and none of these Congregations but does both Ismael I know som of these Pharisee like despise others and Looke upon them not as Refâ—rmed but as putrid members but the Lord forbid I should be so deuoid of charitie I see no just challenge any can have to the Title of Reformation which all haue not Isaac Let vs ask this synod by what Rule of faith does the Reformation walk what must a man believe for to be a true Reformed Protestants will say that Scripture and Apostolical Tradition but Protestants say of Papists and Presbyterians and Anabaptists say of Protestants that many human inventions are obtruded upon vs as Apostolical Traditions that we have no way to discern the one from the other and conâ—â—quently Tradition as being an vnknown thing vnto vs cannot be our Rule others will say that Scripture and the indubitable consequences out of it is our Rule all will grant this but then enters the Controversie if the consequences of Lutherans be such and if the consequences of Presbyterians be indubitable out of Scripture and each Congregation will say that their peculiar Tenets are indubitable consequences out of Scripture and the rest must allow it to be true or deny such a Congregation to be of the Reformation Others will say that Scripture and the four first General Councils with the Apostles and Athanasius's Creeds are our Rule of faith but most of the assembly will no more admit the four first than the subsequent Councils nor Athanasius his Creed more than that of Trent nor will the Quakers Socinians and others value the Apostles Creed But there is none of all the Assembly who will not admit Scripture that 's the pure written word of God to be a sacred and full Rule of faith because it s replenisht with Divin light and all Heavenly instruction necessarie for our saluation and such as ad as a part of our Rule of faith the Apostles or Athanasius his Creeds or the four first General Councils they will confess that all they containe is expressed in Gods written word and are but a plainer or more distinct expression or declaration of the Contents of Scripture Ismael Truly I must grant you this that I have been often present at severall discourses of Protestants with Papists and never yet could I heare a Protestant make Councils Tradition or any thing els the Test of their discours but onely scripture not but that I could heare them say and pretend in their discourses that Apostolical Tradition and the four first Councils were for them against Popery but still their main strength and vltimat refuge was Scripture for when ever they harp vpon that string of Tradition and Councils the Papists are visibly too hard for them and then they run to Scripture than which there is no plus vltra I have been also often at severall discourses betwixt Protestans Presbyterians and our brethren of other Congregations and have observed that the Protestant for to defend his lyturgie Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England and her Episcopacy against the others could never defend himself by scripture alone and placed his main strength against them in Tradition Primitive Councils and ancient Fathers all which the others rejected and reproached the Protestant with Popery for making vse of that weapon that if thy would stick to those Principles as their Rule of faith they must admit many Tenets of Popery which they disavow that nothing but scripture is a sufficient warrant and Rule of faith And I find by all I could ever well vnderstand that its the General apprehension and belief of all the Reformation that Scripture abundantly contains all we are obliged to believe and is our sole and adequat Rule of faith and that our recours to Tradition Councils Fathers c. are but shifts of some of our Drs. who being Non plust in their particular engagements and Sophistries patch the incoherencie of their discours with these raggs of Popery Isaac I commend your ingenuity but not that heate which transports you to check our Drs for their glosses and particular Doctrins vpon Scripture which as the Manna relisht of all sorts of Victuals which the Eaterâ— fancied admits several senses according the different spirits and measure of light that God gives to the Reader and it is vndoubtedly the the Spirit of the Reformation to follow what sense of it he likes best and not to check others for following this or that as
I have bin hitherto an vnsettlement in my perswasion and a compassion of the poore Pagans so vniustly banisht from our Nation if what Dr Stillingfleet saies be true he is a learned religious and diligent searcher into Scripture the Ancient DDrs and Fathers of the Church reading Scripture judged and taught that Iupiter was a Devil as well as the rest of the Gods which the Gentils adâ—red Dr Stillingfleet and other Reformed DDrs reading Scripture judge he was no Devil but the tru God blessed for ever more any Child of the Reformation may believe either of both and put Jupiter in our Litanies as well as Jesus Christ and offer Sacrifice to him as formerly our Ancestors did for whatever any man of sound judment judges to be the Doctrin of Scripture may be safely believed and is the Dâ—ctrin of the Reformation as for my part I see our Wyse Parliament sits now vpon a new settlement of Gouvernment and Religion and I will not resolve vpon any Religion vntill I see what it concludes If Dr Stillinfleet be so zealous as to put in a good Word for Paganism before the Religious Assembly he may find Abettors and as the Parliament cherishes Dr Oates for the extirpation of Popery so it may cherish Dr Stillingfleet for the introduction of Paganism and the erecting of Temples and Altars for holy Iupiter his tru and evermore blessed God and if he be successfull in this vndertaking as for exchanging Presbytery for Protestancy he was promoted to the Deanry of S. Pole so by changing Christianity for Paganism he may expect to be his Holy Iupiter's heigh Priest in London Capitol and reign with him everlastingly in the other life in case he believes there is an other FINIS a Epist ad Noremb in Comment in 10.6 16. Matt. b Theol. Calvin l. 2. fol. 70. c in parva Confes cerm fol. 55. in Colloq fol. 110. d To. â— fol. 202. e The Kingdom of Isr pag 9. f Acts mon. pag 36. lib. 3. c. 5. g Catal. tesâ—ium pag. 976. 978. a l. 4 instit c. 9 b To. 1. Edit Ien. in Resolut c lib. de serv Ar bit cont Erasm edit 1. d In Colloq Mensal fol. 118. e To. 2. Wittem fol. 374. 375. f In Defens Art Reliq Protest pag. 199. g In his true Differ par 2. pag 353. h Bouclier de la Foy Matt. 12. Tim. 2. Io. 3. a In lib. ad Corin. c. 11. b In Explan Art 17. c To. 2. de Minist Eccles instâ—t fol. 369 lib. de Capt. Babyl c. de Ordin lib. de abroganda Missa d In Harm in Math. c. 26 vers 64. iâ— admonad Polan in Tract Theolog. pag. 794. e Commâ—nt sâ— per Ioanc 10. f In Act. Serueti pag. 87. g l. cont â—enebrar h In Postil Major in eâ—arrat Evang. Domin Trinit i lib. 2. Dial. 2. k Harm in Evang. Mat c. 26 vers 39. c. 27 vers 46. lib. 2. Instit c. 16 sect 10. 1â— l In Luc. par 2. hom 65. in Ioan. hom 54. m In Math c. 26. n In Recogn pag 376. o lib. 2. Inst c. 16. fact 10. seq p To. 3. Wâ—ttemb in sp 16. q in ps 16. r In Conses majori de Coena DnÌ„i Å¿ To. 2. in respoÌ„s ad Confess Luth. fol. 458. t In Histor Sacram par â— fol. 57. a Dom 1. Adventus libr de Proph. Christi b In Postill super Evangel Domi. 1. Advent Dom. 26. post Trinit c Moriuâ—â— to Good Works in the Epâ—st Dedic d lib. 3 Inst c. 4. sect 28. e lib. 4. Inst c. 7. sect 2. f In loeis common classe 5 c. 27. g To. 2. Wittem de capt Babyl fol. 74. h de Eccl. cont Bellarm coÌ„f 2. quaest 5 i Epist 2 2. 25. k To. 5. wittem serm de Matrim in 1. ad Corint 7. l Consil Theol. par 1 pag 648. 134. m In Epist Paul ad Phil. in 1. ad Tim. 3. n lib. 2â— Dial. 21. o lib. de Repud Divort. pag. 123. p Canon â—enerales Geuuen 1560. q Chap. 13. art 31 r To. 5. Wittem serm de Matrim Å¿ To. 5. Wittemb serm de Matrim t In Scriptis Anglic de Reg Chr. l. 2. c. 26. in Math c. 19 u in Consil Theol. par 1 pag. 648â— 134. x Dial. 200. 204 in Epist s. Paul ad Tim 3. y l. 4. Inst c. 19. sect 37. Discip Eccl c. 13. z serm de Matrim a lib. 4 Inst c. 15. sect 20. 21. b Act. 27. c Can. 29. d lib. 2. Eccles Polit. pag 103. e In Tim. c. 50. f In defens Hoo keri art 8 a In Praefat Dialog b serm de 50. Artic. in summa summarum c In Harm super â—uc c. 2. d Epitoâ— Cent. 16. par 2. e Tom. 2. cont Catabapt fol. 10. f Victoria verit aâ—g 5. g In cap. 2. ad Gal. h de Eccles cont Bellaâ—m Cont. 2. q. 4. i To. 5. Wittem â—n 1554. in Epist ad Gal. c. 1. k In Apol CoÌ„f. c. de Concil l In cap. 2. ad Gal. serm Angl pag 204. m In Epist ad Gal c. 1. 2. Tom. 5. Wâ—ttemb an 1554. soi 29. n lib. 5. de Eccl. Polit. sect 72. o Pag. 495. â—73 p Acts. and Mon pag. 514 q lib. 2 Inst c 17â— sect 6. r In CoÌ„ment in cap. 2. ad Gal. Å¿ To. 1. Proposit 3. t lib. 2. instit c. 7. sect 5. u Harm Evang. in Luc. c. 10. vers 26. x In Synop Papismi pag 564. y lib. de servo Arbit cont Erasm z lib. 3â— Instit c. 21. sect 5. 7 c. 22. sect 11. cap. 23. sect 1. a Lib. 2. inst c. 4 sec 3 l. 1. c. 18 sect z l. 3 c. z3 sec 4. Lo. 1 de deprovid c. 6. in Synops pag. 563. In manifest stratag Papist l. 4. Inst c. 7. sect 27. a In Defens c. pag. 373.70 and 395. b In Respons tâ—edecem Propos c in Epist ad Card. Belay Episo Pariens d In Tract Euchar. ad P. Sermondum e In â—not supeâ— Nouum Testam cap 10. Matth. soepe alibi f To. 1. Edit Ieâ—ae l de Capt. Babyl Westph defens 2. Orthod â—it g Admonit 2. ad h Lib. de Coena Domini i lib. de capt Babyl c. de Euchar. k Epist ad Bohemos in declarat Euch. in sermâ— de Euch. l in Concil Theol. ad Mareh Elect. de vsu vtriusque speciei pag. 141. a In Disput Theol pag. 301. b in Conciliat loc Scrip. loco 191. c In locis CoÌ„mun To. 1. de Potest Eccl. d in Apol. Confes Aug. art 13. l.b. 1. Epist pag. 234. e In cap. 5. Epist lac v. 4. f lib. 4. Iâ—st c. 14. sect 5. g In modest Examiâ— h in Eccl Polit. l. 5. sect 66. i In locis CoÌ„mun tit de Numero Sacram k in perpet Râ—gim pag. 109. l In Eccl. Polâ—t lib. 5. sect 77. m lib. 4. Inst c. 29. n Epit. Colloq MoÌ„tisbel o In Centur Exercit Theol. pag. 270. p Exam. par 4. q in respons ad acta Colloq Montisbelgar par 2. in Praefat. r In locis coÌ„mun c. 18. 19. Å¿ â—n script Angl. pag. 450. t To. 1. in Explan Art 90. Art 60. u in Apolog Confes Aug. x To. 1â— Wittem in resol de Indul. concl 15. y Epist ad Spalat z Acts. and Mon. pag. 46â— 1312. a To. 2. Germ fol. 214. b de formula â—issa To. 3. Germ. c in hiftor Sacram par 2. fol. 13. d In replica coÌ„t Hardingum
word Isaac How can you say I beate you from all Religion when I directly perswade you to follow the Rule of faith of our Reformation Scripture as each Person of sound judgment vnderstands it let this be your Religion if you will be a true Reformed Whateuer you judge in your conscience to be true let the Church of England or France or any other say and believe what they will you are to believe but what you judge by scripture to be true and this is the Religion of the Reformation Ismael J would gladly know if it be lawfull to chop or change the text Isaac It 's the Doctrin of the Reformation that you cannot because God has forbid to add to or take away from his word and therefore wee condemn the Papists for their Traditions obtruded vpon the flock as the Word of God It 's also the Doctrin of the Reformation and the practise of our best Reformers when the text does not speake cleerly enough that for to refute Popery and establish our own Doctrin wee may add or diminish a word or two which is not to change the Word of God but to make it speake more expresly as when Luther had a mind to preach Iustification by faith alone finding the Text said but Man is justified by faith he added the word Alone and made the Text very cleer against Popery which formerly was somwhat 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 Doctrin and insteed of Is put in this signifieth The Church of England being to preach the kings Spiritual Supremacy could not convince the obstinat Papist by the Original text which saide 1. Pet. 2 submit yourselvts vnto every human creature for the Lord's sake whether it it be the king as excelling or to c. But in king Edwards time they altered one word and made the text thus submit yourselves to every Ordinance of man whether it be to the king as being the cheef head and the following impressions of the Bible the yeare 1557. and 79. saie To the king as supreame And so the true Ductrin is cleerly convinced out of Scripture as also the Lawfullness of Priests marriageâ— for the text before the Reformation said 1. Cor. 9 have not wee power to leade about a Woman sister and now our Bibles say have not wee power to leade about a Wife being our sister hence its evident according the Doctrine and practise 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 speake to your sense and meaning provided you judge your sense to be true Ismael What do you think of Iustifying faith does faith alone justify vs Isaac It 's the Doctrin of the Reformation that without charity it cannot because S. Paul saies 1. Cor. 13. if I have faith so as to move mountains and have no charity I am nothing It 's also the Doctrin of the Reformation that its impious and wicked to say faith alone without charity does not justify this is Scripture as interpreted by Luther a man of sound judgment Who say quoth Luther that faith alone tho perfect it be cannot justify without charitie say impiously and wickedly because faith alone without any good works doth justify Believe which Doctrin you please both are of the Reformation Ismael Luther was insolent in checking the Doctrin of S. Paul Isaac Probably he did not reflect that it was the Doctrin of the Apostle and if you will have it to be a check of S. Paul Luther will answer for himself Be it saies he that the Church Augustiâ— or other Drs also Peter and Paul nay and an Angel from heaven should teach otherwise than as I teach yet my Doctrin is such that it setteth forth Gods glory I know I teach no human but Divin Doctrin It 's the Doctrin of the Reformation that faith alone without any good works and notwithstanding all sins you are guiltie of doth justify you this is Scripture as interpreted by Luther who saies nothing can damn you but incredulity as nothing but faith can save you of Whitaker Wotten fulk and Beza whose words I related in our precedent Dialogue which J believe you remember and J need not repeat Jts also the Doctrin of the Reformation that good workes are meritorious of grace and glorie Hocker and Harmonia confess say its the Doctrin of scripture and what any Person of sound judgment judges to be the Doctrin of scripture he may believe it for this is our Rule of faith it s like wise the Doctrin generally of all our Church that good Works are not at all meritorious Tindal called by Fox a Man of God and a constant Martyr judges this to be so true that in his treatise de Mammona iniquitatis he saies Christ himself did not by all his good Works merit the glory and tho the scripture saies expresly he did Calvin affirms that its a foolish curiosity to examin and a rash proposition to say Christ did merit Jt's the Doctrin of the Reformation that tho good works be not meritorious nor have not the least influence in our justification or salvation yet they are absolutly needfull for both in as much as that true faith cannot be without good Works because they are the marks and signs of a living faith by which alone wee are saved this is the judgment of the Church of England expressed in the 11. and 12. Article of the 39. and of Melancton in locis Commun de Bonis operibus and you may believe it You may also believe and its the Doctrin of the Reformation that good Works are so farr from being needfull that they are prejudicious and hurtfull to our salvation and the best way to be saved is to do no good Work at all this is scripture as interpreted by Jlliricus Flaccius Amsdorfius quoted in Act. Colloq Aldeburg pag. 205. and 299. and Luther was so deeply perswaded of this truth that tho Christ said If â—hou wilt enter into the kingdom of heaven keep the Commandments Luther saies it s an obstacle to our Salvation to keep them Where it is said quoth he that faith in Christ doth indeed justify vs but that it is necessary also to keep the Commandements there Christ is denied and faith abolisht because that which is proper to faith alone is attributed to the Commandements And again saies he if faith be-acompanied with good Works it s â—o true faith that it may justifie it must be alone without any good Works This is Scripture as interpreted by such Eminent and sound men and consequently the Doctrin of the Reformation and who doubts but that any Doctrin of the Reformation may be believed Hence forward when you hear the preacher exhort you to good Works you may believe him if you please and have a
Tenets the Doctrin of the Reformation or consistent with its Principles Isaac The kings supremacy is vndoubtedly the Doctrin of the Reformation because it s judged by the Church of England to be of Scripture yet not only the Quakers Presbyterians Anabaptists and other Congregations judge it s not of Scripture but as erroneus a Tenet as that of the Popes supremacy Calvin 6. Amos saies They were vnaduised 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 Magistrat can be the head of any particular Church is the Doctrin of the Centuriators cent sept pag. 11. of Cartwright Viretus Kemnitius and many others who doubts then but that in the Principles and Doctrin of the Reformation you may deny the Kings Supremacy tho the Church of England believes it The Popes Supremacy is the Doctrin of Popery who doubts it but it s also the Doctrin of the Reformation for many of our Eminent Drs. haue judged it to be the Doctrin of Scripture as Whitgift who cites Calvin and Musculus for this opinion but its needfull wee relate som of their express words I do not deny saies Luther but that the Bishop of Rome is has been and ought to be the first of all I believe he is aboue all other Bishops it s not lawfull to deny his supremacy Melancton saies no less that the B. of Rome is aboue all the Church that it is his Office to govern to judge in controversies to watch ouer the Priests to keep all Nations in conformity and vnity of Doctrin Somaisius The Pope of Rome has been without controversie the first Metropolitan in Italie and not only in Italie nor only in the West but in all the world the other Metropolitans have bin chief in their respective districts but the pope of Rome has bin Metropolitan and Primat not only of som particular Dioces but of all Grotius has expresly the same Doctrin and proves this supremacy belongs to the Pope de Iure Divino J pray consider if these Drs. be not men of sound judgment and of eminent learning and credit in our Reformation and if our Doctrin be Scripture as such men vnderstand it consider I say with what justice can this Doctrin be called Popery more than Reformed Doctrin As for Transubstantiation it contains two difficulties first if the Body of Christ be really in the Sacrament and this Real presence the Lutherans defend to be the Doctrin of Scripture as well as the Papists why then should it be called Popish more than Reformed Doctrin the second is if the substance of bread be in the Sacrament togither with Christs Body Lutherans say it is Papists say it is not but that there is a Transubstantiation or change of the whole substance of bread into the Body of Christ but hear what Luther saies of this that wee call Popish Doctrin I give all Persons libertie 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 Doctrin of the Reformation as well as any other Calvin also and Beza affirm that Luther's Doctrin of the coexistence of Christ's Body and the bread is more absurd than the Popish Doctrin of the existence of the Body alone if therefore wee be true Reformed and safely believe the Doctrin of Luther which is the most absurd much more will we be of the Reformation by believing that of the Papists which is less Communion in One kind is the Doctrin of the Reformation no less than Communion in both for besides that Luther saies They sin not against Christ who vse one kind onely seeing Christ has not commanded to vse both and again tho it were an excellent thing to vse both kinds in the Sacrament and Christ has commanded nothing in this as necessary yet it were better to follow peace and Vnity than to contest about the kinds but also Melancton who in the opinion of Luther surpasses all the Fathers of the Church expresly teachs the same Doctrin and the Church of England Statut 1. Edward VI. commands That the Sacrament be commonly administer'd in both kinds if necessitie does not require otherwise mark he saies but Commonly and that for som necessity it may be receved in one lastly th◠sufficiency of one kind in the Sacrament is plainly set down by our Reformed Church of France in her Ecclesiastical Disciplin 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 the tast of Wine wherefore it often happens among them that som persons do take the bread alone and truly if som of our Ministers in England do not give better wine than they are acustomed who very irreverently serve that holy Table with naughtie trash it s much to be feared that our flock will also petition to be dispens'd with in the Cup because there are som of so delicat Palats that they cannot endure the tast of bad Wine Now you may admire the injustice of the Papists in condemning our Reformed Doctrin and Doctors as Hereticks wheras those Tenets are believed by many of vs as well as by them and the groundless severity of our Congregations in exclaiming against that Doctrin it being the Doctrin of the Reformation wheras so many eminent men of our own judge it to be of Scripture Ismael Wheras I see people persecuted by the Church of England for these Tenets I can hardly be perswaded they are the Doctrin of the Reformation at our next meeting wee will pursue this discourse the Bell rings for morning Prayers A Dieu VII DIALOGUE ISAAC You come from Church as I guess by the Common Prayer booke I see in your hands I pray let me see the Kalender of it if it be à la mode nouvelle which was made by the Church of England since his Majesties restauration Ismael Why have you met any thing in it which shocks you Isaac Shock me No Doctrin or practice of any Congregation or man of sound judgment of our Church can shock me you know I pleade for libertie to believe and practise as each one judges by scripture to be true and good But I observe in your Kalender you have a day consecrated to S. Ann in the month of of July I would gladly know what Ann is this which the Church of England honors so much Ismael It 's Ann the Mother of the Virgin Mary Isaac Is 't possible J thought it was Ann Bolen the mother of our Virgen Elizabeth J am sure the Church of England is more obliged to her than to the other but as you have put heer the