The true Protestant Religion set forth BY WAY OF DIALOGUE Discovering the Idolatries and abominations PROFESSED and taught in the Church OF ROME By a PRESBYTER of the Church of ENGLAND LONDON Printed for Langly Curtiss c. 1683 THE PREFACE To all Protestant Parents and Masters of Families I Need not tell you how deeply you stand ingaged to provide for the Spiritual as well as Temporal good of your Children and Families The Command of God by Moses is plain These words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart And thou shalt teach them diligently to thy Children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house when thou walkest by the way when thou liest down and when thou risest up Deut. 6.6 7. The Apostle likewise is as plain Eph. 6.4 And you Fathers provoke not your Children to wrath but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. If ever you intend to perform this Duty be careful of it now The Priests and Jesuits of Rome swarm amongst us They compass Sea and Land to gain Proselytes and endeavour by all the wayes and Arts imaginable to root out the true Christian Protestant Religion which hath so long flourished amongst us It concerns therefore now most especially all that fear the Lord to consider one another to teach and exhort one another to edifie and build up one another in our most holy Faith and Duties of the Gospel Now to the end you may know the true Christian Faith and the Differences between us and Rome I have composed this little Book which when your Children have learned the Church Catechism and in some measure begin to understand it I conceive will be very useful for them Accept it as candidly as 't is charitably offered to you by one whose onely aim and Design is to do good in his Generation that he may make his Accounts with comfort at the coming of Jesus Christ A PROTESTANT CATECHISM Child SIR By the Grace of God and your help and care I have learned the Church Catechism and have been able to answer the Minister in the Publick Congregation to such Questions as he thought fit to propose to me I have heard him likewise expound the Catechism and shew the usefulness of it from that of Solomon Prov. 22.6 Train up a Child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it And yet for all this I must confess I understand but little of Religion I hear sometimes a great deal of Discourse about it but I see little Practice of it I pray therefore as you have been careful to provide for my Outward man so make some provision for my Inward man also that I may not be always as a Child tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine by the slight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lye in wait to deceive as the Apostle speaks Eph. 4.14 Father My good Child I am very glad to see such signs and symptomes of Grace in you to hear you inquire after God and the Gospel of Christ God forbid that I should sin against God in ceasing to instruct you and to bring you up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord I will to the utmost of my Power teach you the good and the right way Child I heartily thank you for your Love to my poor Soul and I praise the Name of the Lord who hath given me so good a Father and I hope he will give me Grace to honour and obey you and to remember your words all the dayes of my life And first I pray you tell me what Religion I must profess Father You must profess Child the Christian Religion for we read the Disciples were called Christians first at Antioch Acts 11.26 Child But Sir I meet with some men that call themselves Catholicks are not they Christians Father Yes They are Christians but the worst Christians in the World for they are Idolatrous Christians and have almost destroyed the Christian Religion by their Inventions Child I pray Sir what do you call these men Father The Law calls them Popish Recusants but we usually call them Papists because they believe the Pope of Rome to be the Head of the Church and obey his Commands though contrary to the Commands of God Child And what do these men call us Father When they may speak their mind freely they call us Hereticks And this we confess with St. Paul Acts 24.14 that after the way which they call Heresie so worship we the God of our Fathers believing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets Child But do they not sometimes call us by the Name of Protestants Father Yes and we do not disown the Name for we do protest against the Errours of the Church of Rome Child Do they call us by any other Names Father Yes They call us Lutherans and Calvinists and what else they please though it be a known truth that the Church of England loves no Nisms We pin not our Faith upon any man's sleeve We honour Luther and Calvin and many others whom God raised up in the darkest times to preach the Gospel and to discover the Errours and Abominations of Rome but we profess no Lutheranism nor Calvinism nor indeed any thing of Mens invention but what we find in the Word of God Neither dare we turn the Faith of our Lord in respect of Persons or cry up one man in opposition to another For while one saith I am of Paul and another I am of Apollo are ye not carnal 1 Cor. 3.4 Is Christ divided was Paul crucified for you were you baptized in the name of Paul chap. 1.13 Child But Sir I have heard some Papists say that the Protestant Religion is a new Religion and therefore not true is it so indeed Father No. The Religion we profess was taught by Jesus Christ and preached by the Apostles to all the World Go teach all Nations and baptize them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Matth. 28.19.20 Whatsoever Jesus Christ and his Apostles taught we believe if they taught the true Christian Religion we believe and profess it Child But I have heard some Papists put this Question to some Protestants Where was your Religion to be found before Luther what Answer may be given to that Question Father Our Religion was and is now to be found where their 's never was nor will be found in the Word of God Child Is the Scripture then the Rule of Faith and Obedience Father Yes All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good Works 2 Tim. 3.16 17. Child But besides the Scriptures have we not a Profession of Faith
Father Yes We have the Nicene Creed made by the Fathers of the Nicene Councel the Creed of Athanasius and that which is commonly call'd the Apostles Creed which ought throughly to be believed for they may be proved by most certain Warrants of holy Scripture as our Church declares Art 8. Child But do these Creeds contain the true Christian Catholick Faith Father Yes They contain all necessary points in Religion to be believ'd and have therefore been call'd the Key and Rule of Faith and the Church never knew any other Creed or confession of Faith for many hundred years Child Is this the Faith which I must profess and seal with my Blood if I be called to it Father Yes Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me in Faith and Love which is in Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 1.13 Hence Athanasius thus concludes This is the Catholick Faith which except a man believe faithfully he cannot be saved Child But do not the Papists own these three Creeds as well as we Father They do own them as part of the Christian Faith though they little regard them but not as the whole Christian Faith Child Have they any other Creed or Profession of the Faith Father Yes The decrees of their Popes and the Canons of their late Popish Councels they hold to be Articles of Faith but especially they own and maintain the new Creed made by the Councel of Trent and confirmed by Pope Pius the fourth in the year 1564. Child Is it lawful Sir to make a new Creed Father No in no wise Though we saith St. Paul or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed Gal. 1.8 Child I perceive by what you have spoken that notwithstanding the Papists talk of the old Religion they have made a new Creed and brought in a new Religion and that we are call'd Protestants because we protest against it Father You conclude very well and that you may be confirmed and strengthened in the true Faith I will shew you the Trent Creed and give you some short Observations upon it First I most firmly receive and embrace the Apostolical and Ecclesiastical Traditions and all other Customs and Constitutions of the same Church Child What be those Traditions and Customs of the Church Father Truly Child I know not neither do they themselves neither will they tell us what they be but when they can make no proof for a Doctrine out of the Word of God they say 't is a Tradition and yet this Christ condemns in the Jews Mark 7.7 9. In vain do they worship me teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of men full well ye reject the Commandments of God that you may keep your own Traditions Child If this be the first Article of their new Creed they begin well for as far as I can understand the real Sense and Import thereof is I believe in the Pope for whatsoever he says is a Tradition must be believ'd I pray Sir what is the second Father The second Article is I admit the holy Scripture in that sense which the holy Mother-Church hath held and holdeth to whom it belongs to judge of the true Sense and Interpretation of the holy Scriptures nor will I ever receive or interpret them but according to the unanimous Consent of the Fathers Child Here is a form of receiving the Scriptures but I perceive it must be in such Tenor and Sense as the Fathers admit that is I suppose the Pope and his Council But do they suffer the People to read the Scriptures Father No Child they dare not do it they know that would destroy Popery Root and Branch and yet Christ says Search the Scriptures for in them you think you have eternal Life and they are they which testifie of me John 5.39 And the Bereans are commended and said to be nobler than those in Thessalonica in that they received the word with all Readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so Acts 17.11 12. Child But since they keep the power of Interpretation methinks they might suffer People to read the Scriptures with their Glosses upon it Father No Child they dare not for they would quickly find their Glosses to be false the Scripture is so plain teaching us that no Prophecy of the Scripture is of any private Interpretation for the Prophecy came not in old time by the Will of Man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.20 Child But are all things necessary to Salvation plainly to be found in Scripture Father Yes The testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the Simple Psal 19.8 9. Thy word is a Lamp unto my Feet and a Light unto my Path. Psal 119.108 From a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto Salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 Child You have said enough to this I pray God set it home to my Heart I pray Sir proceed to the third Article Father The third Article is I profess also that there are 7 true and proper Sacraments of the new Law instituted by Jesus Christ our Lord for the Salvation of Mankind although all are not necessary to each one to wit Order Baptism Confirmation Eucharist Pennance extream Unction Matrimony and those all give Grace and of these Baptism Confirmation and Order cannot be reiterated without Sacriledge Child Did Jesus Christ appoint these Seven Sacraments Father No some of them had their being before and some after Christ's time only Baptism and the Eucharist or Lords Supper were instituted immediately by Christ received their Forms from him and flowed out of his wounded side whence it cometh that Water is the matter of Baptism and Bread and Wine of the Lords Supper Child I observe that they make Matrimony a Sacrament and say it gives Grace and yet I have heard that they will not suffer their Priests to marry Is that true Father Yes 'T is true they do so but 't is contrary to the word of God for we read 1 Tim. 3.2 A Bishop must be blameless the Husband of one Wife having his Children in Subjection Child I pray Sir what is the fourth Article Father I also receive and admit all received and approved Rights of the Catholick Church in the solemn Administrations of all the abovesaid Sacraments Child I pray Sir what are those approved Rights Father The vain Superstitions and idolatrous Rites of the Church of Rome in the Administration of the Sacraments are so many that they cannot easily be numbred However some of the Principal that are in my mind I shall discover to you In Baptism they conjure the Devil out of the Child they use many Crossings and besides Water they use Chrisme or Cream Salt and the Priests Spittle In the Eucharist after the words of Consecration they elevate the Hoast as they call it that is the consecrated Wafer
and they ring a Bell to give the People notice of it that they may adore it If any of the People receive which is very seldome they must not touch it with their hands but the Priest must put it into their mouths and there it must dissolve These and many other such like Ceremonies are made Articles of Faith Child But did Christ ordain none of those Rites Father No. John came baptizing with Water John 1.31 The Eunuch said to Philip here is water what doth hinder me to be baptized Acts 8.36 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you saith St. Paul 1 Cor. 11.25 That the Lord Jesus the same night that he was betray'd took Bread and when he had given thanks he brake it and said Take eat this is my Body which is broken for you this do in remembrance of me They do neither break the Bread nor suffer the People to take or eat it Child I have heard enough of this I pray Sir proceed to the fifth Father I also embrace and receive all and several the things which have been defined and declared in the Sacred and holy Synod of Trent concerning Original Sin and Justification Child What Doctrines do they hold concerning Original Sin and Justification Father The things declared and defined by the Councel of Trent concerning Original Sin and Justification are too many to be here recited They teach that Concupiscence is no sin after Regeneration that 't is washed away by Baptism That the first motions thereof is no sin Concerning Justification they declare that we are Justified by Works that good Works are meritorious nay that there be Works of supererogation whereby the Saints do merit not onely for themselves but for others and out of the superabundant Merits of Christ and the Saints the Treasure of the Church is made up which the Pope hath power to dispence to vvhom he please vvhich brings him in great Treasure Child But what doth the Scripture say to these things Father David confesseth his Original Sin as the Root and Fountain of all Sin Psal 51.5 Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me And St. Paul complains of it Rom. 7.18 I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing for to vvill is present vvith me but hovv to perform that vvhich is good I knovv not Child But are we not justified by our Works Father No Child We are justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ Rom. 3.24 v. 27.28 Where is boasting then it is excluded by what Law of Works Nay but by the Law of Faith Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by Faith without the Deeds of the Law Child If we are not justified by Works then certainly we cannot merit by them Father You say well and the same Christ teaches us in the Gospel Luke 17.10 When you shall have done all those things that are commanded you say We are unprofitable Servants we have done that which was our duty to do Child What is the sixth Article Father I also profess that in the Mass there is offered to God a true proper and propitiatory Sacrifice for the Living and the Dead and that in the most holy Sacrament of the Eucharist is contained truly really and substantially the Body and Blood together with the Soul and Divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ and there is made a perfect Change of the whole substance of the Bread into his Body and of the whole Substance of the Wine into his Blood which change the Catholick Church calleth Transubstantiation Child In this Article are many things that I would be glad to understand 1. What I pray Sir is meant by the Mass Father 'T is an old word that few understand the word Missa some say did signifie to dismiss some out of the Assembly even all that did not communicate which if it should do so still would leave the Priest alone for now he usually communicates by himself and the People look on But I rather think 't is call'd the Mass because 't is a mess or mass of Corruption Child But why is is call'd a Sacrifice for the Living and the Dead I thought Sacrifice had ceased Father True Child so the Apostle Heb. 9.28 Christ was once offer'd to bear the Sins of many and Chap. 10.12 But this man after he had offer'd one Sacrifice for Sins for ever sate down on the right hand of God and verse 14. By one Offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified It may be call'd a Sacrifice because it is a Representation and Memorial of the true Sacrifice of Christ on the Cross and because it makes us Partakers of the same but no otherwise as I know of Child But is is the Bread and Wine changed into the Body and Blood of Christ Father No Child certainly if it were we should see it with our Eyes and handle it with our hands and smell it and tast it so to be but we see it and handle it and smell it and tast it Bread and Wine and therefore no doubt so it is After this manner St. John writes That which was from the Beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our Eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the word of Life 1 Joh. 1.1 and ver 3. That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that you may have Fellowship with 〈◊〉 Child But what doth the Scripture call it Father The Scripture after Consecration calls it Bread three times together 1 Cor. 11.26.27.28 For as often as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye do shew the Lords Death till he come Wherefore whosoever shall eat this Bread and drink this Cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup. Child But is it plain Bread and Wine and no more Father O no! God by these Signs of Bread and Wine signifieth sealeth and exhibiteth to every faithful Receiver the Body and Blood of Christ and all the merits of his Death and Passion So the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.16 The Cup of Blessing which we bless is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ the Bread which we break is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ Child But what is this they call Transubstantiation Father The word signifies the Change of one Substance into another and thereby they express their Doctrine of the corporal Presence but neither the word nor thing is to be found in Scripture nor in the Writings of the primitive Fathers neither was it pretended to be an Article of Faith till the Lateran Counsel 1200 years after Christ and therefore we protest against it and say that what the Church of Rome teaches of Transubstantiation is absolutely impossible and
Dispensations to marry in the second Nay which is most abominable the tolerate Stewes publick Whore-houses even in Rome it self where every Whore pays a Julian penny to his Holiness weekly which amounts to yearly as some think 50000 l. Child What doth the eighth Commandment contain Thou shalt not steal Father It contains a charge of our own and our Neighbours Goods that we shew Love and faithfulness therein and not only not impeach or hinder but by all means preserve and further the the same Let him that stole steal no more but rather let him labour working with his hands the thing that is good that he may have to give him that needeth Eph. 4.28 Child How do the Papists keep this Command Father The Pope makes sale of all things of Heaven Hell and the Earth of Pardons for Sin and delivering men from Purgatory which is flat Robbery and most gross Deceit and Cozenage By the fulness of his Power the Pope can dispense in all things where there is cause and in many things where there is no cause under a greater price so saith the Tax of the Datary or the Book of Rates where the price of the Dispensations are set down to a farthing for the basest and vilest Sins that can be imagined Child What is the scope and end of the ninth Command Thou shalt not bear false Witness c Father The main scope and end at which God aimeth is the conservation of Truth amongst men and of our own and our Neighbours Fame and good Name Put away lying speak every man Truth with his Neighbour for we are Members one of another Eph. 4.25 Child How do the Papists keep this Command Father They allow Equivocation and mental Evasions and teach that 't is lawful to lye or deceive the Question of the Magistrate to conceal their Names and to tell a false one and to elude all Examinations Nay they hold it not onely lawful but meritorious to dye with Lyes in their Mouths if it be for the good of the Pope's Cause Child What is the summ and drift of the tenth Commandment Thou shalt not covet c Father Gods People must not harbour in their hearts any thoughts or motions against their Neighbours though the Will consent not but content themselves with that Estate that God allots them So St. Paul expounds it I had not known Lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not covet Rom. 7.7 Child How do the Papists expound this Command Father They hold Concupiscence before consent to be no sin If it be any they say 't is less than any venial sin which deserveth not damnation Whereupon they have forged a Limbus for such Infants as dye in Original Sin Thus they expound and keep the Commandments Child If this be their way of keeping the Commandments of God the Lord deliver me from them and their wayes and incline my heart to keep his Commandments according to the Exposition of the Protestant Doctors But are there no more Commandments but these Father No Child He declared unto you his Covenant which he commanded you to perform even ten Commandments and he wrote them upon two Tables of stone Deut. 4.13 Child Have the Papists any more Commandments Father Yes Child They have six Commands more which they call the six Commandments of the Church which are 1. To keep all Sundays and such Holy-days as are appointed by hearing Mass and forbearing to work 2. To keep Abstinence and Fasting-days appointed that is to fast Lent such Vigils as are commanded Ember-days Fridays and Saturdays 3. To confess our Sins once a Year to a Priest 4. To communicate once a year and that about the time of Easter 5. To pay Tiths 6. Not to solemnize Marriage at forbidden times and to these they say as well as unto Gods is promised the Reward of eternal Life Child Sir you have shewed me the true Doctrine of Faith which I must profess and in some measure opened and expounded the ten Commandements the Rule of Life I pray Sir proceed and instruct me how to perform the Duty of Prayer And first pray tell me Have we any Rule for Prayer Father Yes The Lord Christ hath given us a full one When you pray say Our Father c. Luc. 11.2 Wherein there is a Preface or Entrance into Prayer in the first words Our Father which art in Heaven A Body of Petitions containing the Matter of Prayer in the words following A Conclusion for confirmation and close of Prayer in the last words For thine is the Kingdom c. Child What doth the Preface put us in mind of Father Of him to whom we pray teaching us that God and God onely is to be prayed unto Call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me Psal 50.15 Child How many Petitions be there in the Lord's Prayer Father Six equally divided as it were into two Tables whereof three do concern God as doth the first Table of the Law three do concern our selves and our Neighbours as doth the second Table for in the three first we make Requests for those things that concern God's Majesty whose Glory and Service we are to prefer before our own Good In the three latter for those things that concern the Necessity of man and our own Welfare which we must must refer to the former Child What is the Conclusion of this Prayer Father For thine is the Kingdom c. The sum whereof is that we ground our Assurance of obtaining our Prayers in God from whom all things we ask do come and to whom therefore all Glory must return Child You have shewed me the Protestant Doctrine of Prayer do not the Papists teach the same Father No Child They teach that Prayers themselves ex opere operato or by the natural Work it self do prevail for it is not say they essential to Prayer for a man to think particularly of what he says nay 't is not necessary to the Essence of Prayer that he who prays should think of the speaking it self so that Prayers in the mouth of a Papist are like the words of a Charmer they prevail even when they are not understood so that with them Attention to or Devotion in Prayer is not necessary If the outward work be done the Church in satisfied and yet this the Lord Christ sharply reproves in the Jews This People draweth nigh unto me with their Mouths and honoureth me with their Lips but their Heart is far from me But in vain do they worship me c. Mat. 15.8.9 So that between the Protestants and the Papists the difference herein is this They pray with their Lips we with the Heart we pray with the Understanding they with the Voice we pray and they say Prayers Child Do they teach any other Doctrines concerning Prayers Father Yes They teach the People to pray with Beads and they have Books to direct them the Psalter of our Lady is 150 Ave-maries and at
the end of every tenth they drop in the Lord's Prayer and this with the Creed at the end of the fifty makes a perfect Rosary They have also the Psalter of Jesus in which are fifteen short Ejaculations as Have Mercy on me strengthen me help me comfort me c. And with every one of these the name of Jesus is to be said thirty times that is in all four hundred and fifty times Now this we think the Lord Christ plainly forbids Math. 5.7 8. When you pray use not vain Repetitions as the Heathens do for they think that they shall be heard by their much speaking be not ye therefore like unto them The Heathens thought to be heard for their much speaking and if the people of the Roman Church do not think so there is no reason why they should do so Child Is there any thing else they teach concerning Prayers Father Yes They teach the People to pray in Latin though they understand it not and tell them 't is sufficient that God understands it and all their publick Prayers are in Latine of which the People understand not one word contrary to Scripture and the practice of the Primitive Church If I pray in an unknown Tongue my Spirit prayeth but my understanding is unfruitful What is it then I will pray with the Spirit and I will pray with Understanding also else when thou shalt bless with the Spirit how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of Thanks seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest 1 Cor. 14 15 16. Child But what do they do at Mass if they do not understand the Prayers Father Truly Child I know not I was never there to see but I have been told that some talk one with another others look about them but they that would seem to be devout kneel down and say their Ave-maries according to their Beads And this is agreeable to their Doctrine for the Precept of hearing Mass is not to intend the words but to be present at the Sacrifice though the words be not so much as heard and their Doctors say 't is enough if their Bodies be present at their greatest Solemnities though they hear nothing that is spoken and understand as little Child This is wonderful strange to me that Christians should be taught to pray as Parots are to speak such Prayers certainly are not for God who searches the Heart To whom do they usually pray and direct such dead Prayers Father They pray to dead Men and Women who are or whom they suppose to be beatified and those they invocate as Preservers Helpers Guardians Deliverers in their Necessity and they expressly call them their Refuge their Guard and Defence their Life and Health which is so formidable a Devotion that we for them and for our selves too if we should imitate them are to dread the words of the Prophet Jer. 17.5 Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh Flesh his Arm and whose Heart departeth from the Lord. Child But to whom do they chiefly pray Father To the Virgin Mary to their Angel-guardian and to the Saints upon several Occasions and yet the Lord Christ says when you pray say our Father Luc. 11.2 Child How do they pray to the Virgin Mary Father They have many Prayers and Littanies to the Virgin Mary and there is a Psalter of our Lady of great account in the Church of Rome which is nothing but the Psalms of David in which the name of Lord is left out and that of Lady put in so that whatever David said of God and Christ the same Prayers and the same Praises they say of the Virgin Mary and whether all that can be said without intollerable Blasphemy I suppose needs little Disputation Child But I pray Sir what Prayers do they present to the Virgin Mary Father They have many Prayers to the Virgin such as these O generous Mary beautious above all obtain Pardon for us apply Grace unto us prepare Glory for us Hail thou Rose thou Virgin Mary c. grant to us to use true Wisdom and with the Elect to enjoy Grace that we may with Melody praise thee and do thou drive our Sins away O Virgin Mary give us Joys These and divers others like these are in the Anthem of our Lady but the ordinary Prayer is this Hail Mary full of Grace our Lord is with thee blessed art thou above all Women and blessed is the Fruit of thy Womb Jesus Holy Mary Mother of God pray for us Sinners now and at the hour of our Death Amen Child What Reasons do they alledge for this Father The Reasons they give are more absurd than the Prayers themselves They say that Christ is not our Advocate alone but a Judge and since the Just are scarce secure how shall a Sinner go to him as to an Advocate Therefore God hath provided us of an Advocatess who is gentle and sweet in whom nothing that is sharp is to be found And to those words of St. Paul Come boldly to the Throne of Grace they say that Mary is the Throne of Grace in whom he rested to her therefore let us come with Boldness that we may obtain Mercy and find grace in time of need They say also that Mary is call'd full of Grace because she is the Means and Cause of Grace by transfusing Grace to Mankind nay they go higher yet Pope Leo the Tenth calls her a Goddess and the Jesuits say that she is the Companion or Partner of the divine Majesty and Power to her God long since gave the Principallity of all heavenly and mortal things so far as the Guardianship of men requires she rules at her Will the Earth and Seas Heaven and Nature and she consenting he gives divine Treasures and coelestial Gifts Nay in some of their Mass-books they call the Virgin Mary the way to Life the Governess of all the World the Reconciler of Sinners with God the Fountain of Remission of Sins Light of Light and at last salute her with an Ave universae Trinitatis Mater Hail thou Mother of the whole Trinity Child I beseech you no more of these Blasphemies I think no Christian Ear can hear them with Patience I am sure the Lord Christ gives no such Titles to the Virgin but rather reproves her Woman what have I to do with thee mine Hour is not come John 2.4 And calls his Disciples his Mother and his Brethren Who is my Mother and who are my Brethren And he stretched forth his hand towards his Disciples and said Behold my Mother and my Brethren for whosoever shall do the Will of my Father which is in Heaven the same is my Brother and Sister and Mother Matt. 12.49 50. But I pray proceed do they pray to the Angels also Father Yes To their Angel-guardian they use this Prayer Blessed Angel To whose Care and Custody our loving Creator hath committed me defend me this day I beseech you from all Dangers
and direct me in the way I ought to walk Child Do they pray also to the Saints Father Yes They have a patron Saint whose name they bear to whom they pray thus Glorious St. N. whom the divine Providence hath allotted for my Pattern upon Earth and my Patron in Heaven obtain I beseech you for me your poor Pupil so to imitate here your Virtues that I may hereafter be made Partaker of your Glory Nay they have a Saint to pray to for every Infirmity and Disease to St. Sebastian and St. Roch to cure the Plague to St. Petronilla for the Fever to St. Bennet to cure all Poyson to St. Apollonia for the Tooth-ach to St. Otilia for sore Eyes to St. Apollinaris for the French-Pox to St. Liberius for the Stone and to St. Felicitas for Barrenness in Women they pray also to St. Gall for the Health and Fecundity of their Geese to St. Wendeline for their Sheep to St. Anthony for their Hogs to St. Pelogius for their Oxen. They have also their peculiar Saints for every Trade the Physitians are patronized by Cosmus and Damian the Painters by St. Luke the Potters by Goarus the Shoo-makers by Crispin the Hunts men by Eustachius the Harlots for that also is a Trade at Rome by St. Afra and Mary Magdalen They are so given up to these Delusions that every Nation hath a peculiar Guardian-Saint and every City every Family and almost every House and every devouter person chooses his own patron-Saint whose Altars they more devoutly frequent whose Image they more religiously worship to whose Relicks they more readily go in Pilgrimage and whose Festival they more solemnly observe Of such as these the Prophet complains Jer. 2.13 My People have committed two Evils they have forsaken me the Fountain of living Waters and hewed them out Cisterns broken Cisterns that can hold no water Child This seems to me to be more like Heathenism than Christianity and certainly people cannot be good Christians in those Devotions but I pray Sir Do they not use the Lords Prayer Father Yes after their way They say ten Ave Maries for one Pater noster and leave out the Conclusion For thine is the Kingdom c. though it be expresly mentioned by St. Matthew 6.13 Child What do the Protestants say to this Father We say of this as we do of their robbing the People of the Cup in the Sacrament that 't is Sacrilege They steal away this Thanksgiving from Prayer as if it were no part of it So that it is no marvel that in Popery all the whole Body of their Doctrine is of the Salvation of men and that at a strange rate too God's Glory being buried in a deep silence Child You have shewed me the Christian Faith and the Roman Faith the Popish way of keeping the Commandements and the Protestant way and after what manner the Church of Rome teaches her Disciples to pray and how we Protestants pray I should now intreat you to proceed to the Sacraments but you have spoken so much of them already in the Trent Creed that I know not what to ask you about them Is there any thing more fit for me to know Father Yes You may remember that 't is one Article of the Trent Creed that there are seven Sacraments Now we Protestants own but two and I will shew you what Reasons we have for it First When the number of Sacraments were most necessary as under the Law they had but two which were types of ours therefore we need require no more Brethren I would not that you should be ignorant how that all our Fathers were under the cloud and all passed through the Sea and were all baptized unto Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea and did all eat the same Spiritual meat and did all drink the same Spiritual drink for they drank of that Spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3 4. Secondly Having meat drink and Cloaths we ought therewith to be content Now by the Sacrament of our Enterance our Spiritual cloathing is sealed unto us As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ Gal. 3.27 And by that of our growth is sealed our Feeding The Cup of the Blessing which we bless is it not the Communion of the Bloud of Christ the Bread which we break is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ 1 Cor. 10.16 Thirdly These two Seals assure us of all Gods Graces as of our Regeneration Entrance and Ingrafting into Christ so of our growth and continuance in him and therefore we need no more For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one Body whether we be Jews or Gentiles whether we be bond or free and have been all made to drink into one Spirit 1 Cor. 12.13 There be as many Sacraments as there be things that need to be betokened to us about our Justification Therefore those five other Sacraments of Confirmation Penance Matrimony Orders and Extream Unction added by the Papists are superfluous because some of them have no Warrant at all out of the Word of God and God hath not promised a Blessing upon the using of them Others of them though they are agreeable to the Word yet are without the nature and number of Sacraments Child Since the Church of Rome takes liberty to make new Creeds new Commandments and new Sacraments hath she invented nothing else Father Yes She hath invented little pretty things like Sacraments of her own without a Divine Warrant and to these Sacramentals as she calls them she imputes Spiritual Effects and promises not only Temporal Blessings Immunities and Benedictions but the collation or increase of Spiritual Graces and Remission of Venial Sins and mitigation of pains due to Mortal sins to them who shall use them Child I pray Sir what be those Father Of this nature are Holy Water the Paschal Wax Oyle Palm boughs holy Bread holy Hats Agnus Dei's in English Lambs of God holy Medals holy Beads Swords and Daggers sanctified on the Altar Holy Bells and Roses hallowed upon the Sunday called Laetare Jerusalem such as Pope Pius the second sent to James the King of Scotland Child I pray what is their Doctrine concerning these things Father Their Doctrine is that the Bloud of Christ is by these applied unto us that they do not only signifie but produce Spiritual Effects that they blot out Venial Sins that they drive away Devils that they cure Diseases and that though these things do not operate infallibly as do the Sacraments and that God hath made no express Covenant concerning them yet by the Devotion of them that use them and the Prayers of the Church they do prevail Child I pray Sir what ground have they for those things Father The Priests and Jesuits abuse the People with Romantick Stories out of their Legends making them believe that one cured a mans broken Thigh with holy Water that another cured a mad-man
with the same Medicine that some have cured sick persons with holy Bread and Oyl which indeed is the most likely of them all as being good Food and good Medicine And although not so much as a Chicken is now a days cured of the Pip by holy Water yet upon all Occasions they use it and the common people throw it upon Childrens Cradles and sick Cows horns and upon them that they think bewitched or blasted and if they recover by any means it is imputed to the Holy-water and so the Simplicity of Christian Religion the glory of our Dependance upon God and the Holiness and mystery of Sacraments are disordered and dishonour'd Thus the Israelites did when they fell to Idolatry they joyned themselves to Baal Peor and eat the Sacrifices of the dead thus they provoked him to anger with their Inventions Psal 106.28 29. and v. 39. Thus were they defiled with their own Works and went a whoring with their own Inventions Child Is there any thing else that they teach of the Sacraments to be observed Father Yes There is yet one great Instance more of their Irreligion they are taught to rely upon the Sacraments with so little of moral and vertuous Dispositions that the Efficacy of one is made to lessen the Necessity of the other and the Sacraments are taught to be so effectual by an inherent Vertue that they are not so much made the Instruments of Vertue as the Supplement not so much to encrease as to make amends for the want of Grace contrary to that of the Apostle Whosoever shall eat this Bread and drink this Cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup 1 Cor. 11.27 28. Child By this I suppose they do not think Repentance is needful to fit and prepare us for the Lords-table I pray Sir what do they teach concerning that Duty Father They are so loose in the Doctrine of Repentance that you cannot imagine it I shall therefore shew you what we and they teach concerning that Duty and conclude this Discourse Child I pray Sir first shew me then what we teach concerning Repentance Father Our Protestant Doctors teach that Repentance is an inward and true sorrow for Sin especially that we have offended so gracious a God and so loving a Father together with a settled purpose of Heart and a careful endeavour to leave all our Sins and to live a Christian Life according to all God's Commandments The Sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit a broken and a contrite Heart O God thou wilt not despise Ps 51.17 Child How is this Grace wrought in us Father 'T is wrought in us partly by the threatning of the Law and the fear of God's Judgments but especially increased by feeling the Fruit of Christ's Death whereby we have power to hate Sin and to leave it Child Wherein doth Repentance properly consist Father In a through changing of our purpose and desires from the Evil which God's word rebuketh in us to the good which it requireth of us Child Can men repent of themselves or when they list Father No for it is the gift of God given to them that are born again Child When is this Repentance to be practised Father The practice of Repentance ought to be a continual abhorring of Evil and cleaving unto that which is good for as much time as remains in the Flesh after our Confusion yet at some times there ought to be a more special practice and renewing thereof as after grievous Falls as we see in David Psal 51. and in fear of eminent Judgments which the Prophet calls for Amos 4.12 Because I will do this unto thee prepare to meet thy God O Israel Or when we should fit our selves to receive special mercies as when we come to the Lord's Table c. Child You have shewed me the Protestant Doctrine of Repentance I pray God give me Grace to practise it all the dayes of my life But I pray Sir Do not the Papists teach the same Father No. They teach 1. That a Sinner is not bound to repent of his Sin presently if it be done at any time 't is sufficient Some say he is bound by the Precept of the Church to repent upon the great Holidays others say once a year at Easter but 't is the general opinion that by the Law of God they are not tied to so much but only to repent in the danger or Article of Death from whence some conclude that to refuse to repent is but a venial sin but others say 't is none at all Child This seems to me to be intolerable Have they any more such Doctrines Father Alas Child this is but the beginning of sorrows The next thing therefore that I shall mention is their Doctrines concerning Contrition which when it is true and cordial for having sinn'd against God the the Church of Rome does not allow it to be of any value unless it be joyn'd with a desire to confess their Sins unto a Priest and this is decreed by the Councel of Trent contrary to all Scripture to the Doctrine of the Prophets Ezek. 18.30 Repent and turn your selves from all your Transgressions so Iniquity shall not be your ruine to the Doctrine of the Apostles Repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out Act. 3.19 But this is not all for as Contrition without Confession will not reconcile us to God so Attrition as they call it proceeding from fear of damnation together with their Sacrament will do as well There is no necessity of Contrition at all If a man live a wicked life 60 or 80 years together yet if in the Article of his Death he be but a little sorrowful for his Sins and though this Sorrow hath in it no love of God but only a fear of Hell if the Priest absolves him he passes him instantly into a state of Salvation The Priest with two fingers and a thumb can do his work for him in a moment Child Vpon these terms it is a wonder that all wicked men in the World are not Papists where they may live so merrily and dye so securely but is not Confession a troublesome thing to them Father Not at all They have an easie formal way of it I confess unto Almighty God to the Blessed V. Mary to blessed Michael the Archangel to blessed Jo. Baptist to the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul to all the Saints and to you my Ghostly Father that I have very much sinned in thought word and deed through my fault through my fault through my exceeding great fault Therefore I beseech thee B. Virgin Mary blessed Michael the Archangel blessed John Baptist the holy Apostles Peter and Paul all the Saints and you my Ghostly Father to pray unto our Lord God for me And when they see Princes and Prelates Women and Boyes do the same every
day it troubles them not and they look upon it as a certain Cure therefore in their Carnavals they give themselves all liberty and licence to do the vilest things because they are to be so soon eased of their Crimes by Confession and the never-failing hand of the Priest Child But I have heard some say that they are enjoyn'd Penance Is not that troublesome to them Father Alas Child their Penances and Satisfactions as they are handled are nothing but words and ineffective sounds for if some Confessors happen to be severe they may go to a gentler or they may have them commuted to Money or they may get some body else to do them for them or they may get all supplied by an Indulgence of which there are such store in the Lateran at Rome that as P. Boniface said no man is able to number them In the Church of Sancta Maria de populo there are for every day in the year 2800 years of Pardon In the Church of St. Vitus and Modestus there are for every day in the year 7000 years of Pardon and a third part of all our sins besides and the price of all this is but praying before an Altar in that Church In a Book of theirs called The Hours of the most Blessed Virgin Mary according to the use of Sarum for the saying three short Prayers are promised 90000 years of Pardon of deadly sin If this should be neglected a little Alms to a Priest a Pilgrimage to the Image or Relicks of a Saint wearing St. Francis cord saying over the Beads with an hallowed Appendant praying at a priviledged Altar leaving a Legacy for a Soul Mass and twenty other Devices will secure the Sinner from suffering Punishment here or hereafter And if a man fail in all these things 't is but going to the Tax of the Apostolick Chamber where there is a price set down for his Absolution that hath kill'd his Father or his Mother Brother Sister or Wife or that hath lain with his Sister or Mother or committed such sins as are not fit to be named These Observations I hope Child are sufficient to keep you and every well-meaning Christian from running into or abiding in such temptations Child I beartily thank you for the Advice you have given me hoping in the Lord that I shall be stedfast and immoveable alwayes abounding in the Work of the Lord. I shall detain you no longer but only intreat you to give me the sum of what you have said in few words that I may the better remember it Father I shall readily comply with your Desires The Religion of a Christian consists in Faith and Hope Repentance and Charity Divine Worship and celebration of the Sacraments and finally in keeping the Commandments of God Now in all these both in Doctrines and Practices the Church of Rome does dangerously err and teach men so to do They do Injury to Faith by creating new Articles and enjoyning them as of Necessity to Salvation they spoil their Hope by placing it upon Creatures and devices of their own they greatly sin against Charity by damning all that are not of their Opinions in things false or uncertain right or wrong they break in pieces the salutary doctrine of Repentance making it to be consistent with a wicked Life and little or no Amendment They worship they know not what and pray to them that hear them not they not only eat what they worship but adore those things with divine Worship which are not God And as for the Commandments they leave one of them out of their Catechisms and add six new ones of their own and while they contend for the possibility of keeping them all they do not insist upon the necessity of keeping any till the danger or Article of their Death And concerning the Sacraments they take one half of the principal away from the Laity and they institute little Sacraments of their own and annex spiritual Graces to them without a Divine warrant or Institution if these things can consist with the Duty of Christians certainly we have lost the true measures of Christianity Let all therefore that desire to be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus give no heed to their seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils teaching Lies in Hypocrisie having their Conscience seared with a hot Iron forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received with Thansgivings 1 Tim. 4.1 2 3 4. And let them give God Praise that they were born and bred up in the Church of England where the word of God is constantly read and preached in the Vulgar Tongue and the Sacraments duely and fully administred according to Christ's Institution where Repentance is preached according to the Measures of the Gospel Faith in Christ propounded according to the Rule of the Apostles the Commandments expounded with just Severity Holiness of Life urged upon all men as indespensibly necessary to Salvation and every thing practised therein which is useful to the saving of our Souls Consider what I say and the Lord give you understanding in all things 2 Tim. 2.7 FINIS