consequence the truth on 't is that that Text out of the Reuelation may be most clearly brought against most of you who do not only diminish the Words of that Prophesie but take the whole to be suspected thrust it out of your Canon and account it for Apocrypha Then others of you again are pleasd to adde to it most notoriously as when some of your Doctors go about to intepret that part of the Revelation which tells us that there shall come two witnesses that shall prophesie a 1260. Rev. 11.3.6 days cloathed in Sackclooth who shal have power to shut heaven in the days of their prophesie and have power over Waters to turn them inblood c. they will perswade us that these two witnesses are your two great Prophets Luther and Calvin now it is plain that they were not cloath'd in Sackcloth nor had power to shut heaven c Now it is evident that the Text you Quote makes nothing towards the condemnation of our traditions but forbids that nothing be added to that book but that which is a true part of that Apocalyptical Prophecy Otherwise it must be unlawfull to receive the Prophesies of Jeremy Isay and other Prophets of the Old Testament as also the Gospels and Epistles of the new and our whole Symbol of faith So that it is plain we are only by the Text forbidden to deprave any part of that Apocalyptical Prophesie which the Apostle in inâ—â—tes maybe done 2. ways either by addition by putting any thing into that Prophesie which truely is no part of it Or by dimination as if any man should detract from it any part as not belonging to it which really was so Now when you have shewed that we Catholicks do either of that I shall grant your Argument to conclude something To the Sixth I say you still strangly conclude out of the Apostle and I pray you mark your Argument All Scripture is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction c. Therefore all Traditions are unnecessary I will give you such another cousequence All meat is profitable for nourishment therefore drink is unnecessary Or thus all Alms giving is profitable for Salvation Luk. 11.43 Dan. 1.34 as St. Luke and the Prophet Daniell assures us therefore prayer is to no purpose and the Sacraments themselves are unnecessary Or it may be you intend your Argument thus all Scripture is profitable that is sufficient therefore Traditions are altogether uselesse What strange interpretation of Scripture is this Is to be profitable and sufficient alone then mark this consequence St. Paul tells Timothy that godlinesse is profitable to all things 1 Tim. 4.8 2 Tim. 4.11 therefore all other things are unnecessary Again the same Apostle bids Timothy take Mark and bring him with him adding that he was profitable unto him for the Ministry therefore Timothy Titus Onesimus and Luke that was then with him were all unnecessary Who sees not now that if his Licence may be admitted of interpreting Scripture after this manner that the whole must of necessity be corrupted quickly adulterated But now that you may more clearly see your errour I will shew you the whole scope of the Apostle in these words First in the precedent Words he exhorts Timothr as a Bishop to instruct those that are commited to his charge in faith and good works and to reprove and convince adversaries who rejected the truth and were men of corrupt minds reprobate concerning the faith and so he addes to shew him how he was to do it 2 Tim. 3.8 ver 14 15 16. these words But continue thou in the things that thou hast learned and hast been assured of knowing of whom thou hast learned them and that from a Child thou hast known the holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus for all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction c. Now here by the Scripture which he says Timothy had known from his Infancy he must needs understand the Scripture of the Old Testament for at that time when Timothy was a child there could be no Scripture of the new Testament extant The Apostle the refore in the Text so argues all Scripture divinely inspired is profitable to teach friends to convince adversaries but the Scripture of the Old Testament which thou hast learnt from thy Infancy is divinely inspired there it is so and so profitable In the same manner we under the Gospell may agree thus All Scripture divinely inspired is profitable to teach to reproves c. But the Scripture of the New Testament is divinely inspired therefore it is profitable to teach reprove c. That is whosoever is instructed in knowledge of that shall find great helps to perform all that now out of these Arguments grounded upon that Text which you urg we may collect these 3 propositions to be true First that all Scripture divniely inspired is profitable to teach reprove c. 2ly That the Scripture of the Old Testament is profitable to teach Thirdly that the Scripture of the Old Testament is so and so profitable likewise So as therefore this does not follow the Scripture of the Old Testament is altogether uselesse and unnecessary so neither does this follow The Scripture of the New Testament is profitable Therefore the Scripture of the Old is altogether uselesse and unnecessary Nor can this with more reason follow the Scripture of both Testaments New and Old is so and so profitable therefore Tradition is altogether uselesse and unnecessary Then that which the same Apostle tells us in another place I am sure were altogether impertinent if not impions When he says hold fast Traditions To the Seventh I answer in short that there can be none so blind but must see that which you urge out of the Gospell and Epistles was only spoken either of Traditions of the Jews which the Pharisees made ill use of as I have shew'd you before or of the traditions of the Gentiles which were quite and clean repugnant to Christianity but such as those we speak not of much less defend but onely those divine and Apostolicall traditions which we have received and must for ever continue in the Christian Church to the Eight I confesse the Church to be a Congregation of all the faithfull which are of the body of Christ but yet we know what is done by our Princes Peers and Commons assembled in Parliament is said to be done by the whole Nation so what the Prelates of the Church with those others that are chosen to sit with them in Councels shall determine is said to be done by the whole Church For otherwise the Church could never be Congregated then to what purpose did our Saviour say that in St. Matthew But if he will not hear thee tell the Church but if he shall not hear the Church let him be to thee as a
civil conversation which heavenly content if your Ladyship would once please to give us we should all think our selves arrived at a blessedness beyond any people in the earth Lady M. O Mrs. N. I do very much acknowledge my self indebted to you and all my good neighbours here for your great respects towards me and I 'le assure you I shall be always willing to impart my estate amongst them for their worldly advantages but much more for their souls good aod that we may be all again reduced into one I mean that old blessed communion which was not full two ages since apparently perfect amongst us all here but since our breaches now are grown so great and that happiness without an extraordinary miracle is not to be restored to us you must give me leave to keep my own soul to God and his Church for my Faith which you are pleased to call so odious and Idolatrous words that I must confess I little expected to hear fall from you is built upon such a foundation as can never fail no not though heaven and earth should or an Angel from heaven should preach another doctrine as the Apostle forewarns us Mrs. N. Deer madame in consideration of the integrity of my heart towards you I hope your Ladiships goodness will pardon that rudeness of any words that may fall from me But sure sweet madame there can be no such foundation as you speak of unless in the undoubted word of God which you have most cleerly and intirely against you in all particulars and therefore your Church does all it can to blind you by keeping that from you so leading you on still in errours by an implicite faith in its doctrines which are meer humane inventions Lady M. Indeed Mrs. N. you are very much mistaken in the whole drift of your discourse and that I conceive occasioned by the continual slanders thrown upon us both from your Prints and Pulpits For our Church hinders none from reading the Scripture that can satisfie their Pastors that they have a temper fit for it and humility enough to resign up their faith to mysteries that wil not make such use of it as most of you do by giving of your own shallow interpretations to it and opposing your single sence against the current of the Church As for my part I have a liberty asmuch as I would desire to read the holy Scripture and am I thank God conversant in it both day night I do likewise finde unexpressible comfort by it and a confirmation of my faith every day more and more Mrs. N. Why then it seems your Ladiship reads it with strange prejudice and partiality for other wise it were impossible but you should find the grossness of those errours that are delivered to you for matters of faith if you shall please good madame to give me leave I will be bold to offer some collections of my own out of Scripture to save your Ladiship a further trouble in the search as I shall from time to time have occasion to wait upon you so I shall communicate them to your Ladiship and make that the whole business of our future discourse till we shall be otherwise satisfied and I 'le promise you my husband shal not be knowing to it Lady M. Mrs. N. I do most willingly accept your offer but care not much whether your husband be assistant to you or not in the mater for I am sure it s not in the power of men or devils to change the word of God however they may pervert the sence of it for a time and so possess the souls of their unhappy disciples Mrs. N. Well then madame I shall be bold to wait on you again within these few days and shew you some Scriptures that shall quite overthrow your so much fancied foundation and I hope by consequence bring your Ladyship into our Religion Lady M. I pray you do sweet Mrs. N. and I shall promise onely this that you shall finde my reason not at all refractory to any thing and we will manage this controversie as you say by our selves and as women in labour use to do never cry out for the help of man till we shall be highly enforced Mrs. N. Indeed Madame I doubt not but you will finde the business so clear that we shall never need to come to that So the combate being mutually imbraced on both sides with very great kindness they at that time parted some days after Mrs. N. came again to visit my Lady and brought her weapons with her and so began again to accost her Madame the greatest things indifference as I humbly conceive between us is about that which is indeed the greatest concernment of our salvation the most holy Sacrament of our Lords Supper wherein your Church hath brought so many visible and palpable abuses and against known Scripture that when your Ladyship shall be once satisfied in those I hope we shall not need to proceed much further I have here reduced those abuses into four heads as first your doctrine of Transubstantiation and affirming your Eucharist to be the very body of Christ Secondly your giving half the Sacrament to the people and depriving them of the Cup. Thirdly making your Mass a sacrifice and Lastly for saying your Mass in Latine and not in English or other mother tongues and to all these particulars I have brought you as I conceive such apposite Texts and here in order set down in this paper that I doubt not will give your Ladyship just reason to suspect the frauds and gross collusions of your Church in all things else Lady M. Well deer Mrs. N. I thank you heartily for this favour and I promise you faithfully that I will very carefully and impartially examine this paper which if upon a just consideration I shall not be able to answer I will then very fairly and honestly declare my submission to it within three or four days I will by Gods help repay your kinde visit and bring you the best satisfaction I shall be able to do and so I pray God to enlighten us both to see his faith and truth so for the present they parted and the Lady fell to the perusual of the paper that Mrs. N. had left with her which was to this effect as followeth That the very body of Christ is neither in or under the Eucharist or Sacrament of the Lords Supper is apparant by these few texts taken out of and reasons deduced from Scripture Our Saviour Christ himself saith Matth. 29. For ye have the poor always with you Mat. 26.11 but me ye have not always Now if he were as you believe you have him in the Eucharist we should have him always He saith again John 6. It is the Spirit that quickneth John 6.63 the flesh profiteth nothing if therefore the flesh profiteth nothing what need is there of that great contention you make to have it in the Eucharist We have it frequently
before the face of the fire Deut. 4. Heb. 13.19 and for this we beg the mediation and intercession of the blessed Saints in heaven To the fifth To what you urge out of the Apostle to Timothy that there is but one Mediator I do acknowledge that there is but one Mediator of Redemption that is Jesus Christ because he alone redeemed Mankinde nor is there any other name under heaven by which we can be saved but that hinders not but that there may be more Mediators of intercession so then there is but one Mediator by Redemption as but one Saviour for he is the only good Shepherd who gave his life for his flock but there are more Mediators by intercession as the Scripture names more Saviours Mediators and Redeemers too Moses says of himself that he was set apart or chosen for a Mediator between God and the children of Israel Again he raised up a Redeemer Deliverer or Saviour to them one Othoniel Deut. 3. Judg. 3.9 Nehem. 9 Gen. 4.1 and Nehemiah tels us how God did raise unto the children of Israel Saviours and Pharoah calls Joseph a Saviour To the sixth I say that as to the injury which you pretend done to God by the invoking of his Saints I have sufficiently answered already in my return to your first Arguments for the injury which you alledge done to Christ I answer in like manner if this be a good consequence Christ is our only Mediatour therefore we do an injury to him to invoke the Saints in heaven then this must be likewise a good Argument therefore it is injurious to Christ to invoke the Saints upon earth and that you all are guilty of praying one another to pray for you and doubtless you do not do amiss in it Again if we shew our diffidence and distrust in Christs Mediation by invoking the Saints in heaven then it will follow likewise that you diffide in Christs mediation by invoking one another or any Saints upon earth As for your supposition which indeed is the strength of your Argument that the Saints in heaven do not hear our prayers nor know what is done amongstâ—ns and therefore must be much less able to help us and as to the places of Scripture which you pretend to bring to that purpose I answer that they all signifie nothing for here we speak not of those who in the time of the Old Testament were either in Hell or in the Limbus that was appointed for them but of the Saints that since the time of the New Testament are in heaven we may safely grant that all those were ignorant of what was done here bua that proves nothing as to these last beattifi'd souls in heaven And yet I know you 'l be importunate to know how the Saints should be capable to hear our prayers and understand our inward affections and desires I would ask you again how the Saints in this life can know the secrets of other mens counsels and contrivances 1 Sam. 19. Samuel knew all things which were in the heart of Saul and told him all that was in his heart 2 Kings 5.26 2 Kin. 6.33 Did not Elishah know all things that were done by his servant that was at a great distance from him and so the same Prophet knew all the secret Counsels of the King of Syria Dan. 2.26 Did not Daniel know the dream of Nebuchadnezzar and the interpretation of it before he sent to him and did not the Apostle Saint Peter know the hidden fraud and close collusions of Ananias and Saphira And to conclude I would fain know what things were they which were hidden from the Prophets though never so close from the eyes of men And can these things be done on earth and not possibly be done in heaven Now that this veneration or invocation of Saints is expresly commanded in Scripture I cannot say nor see any reason that it should be first it could not be well in the old Testament where the people were so prone to idolatry and the Patriarchs besides were but in a Limbus Esay 63. reposed till our Saviours triumphant entry into heaven so they could not be beatified or made capable of hearing of prayers of men and therefore it was said Abraham knows us not and Israel does not acknowledge us Again under the Gospel it was not absolutely commanded least the Gentiles that were newly turned from Paganisme should believe that they were brought again to the worship of earthly gods for that was their use to worship their deified persons not as Patrons but as very Gods indeed as at Lyraania they would have sacrificed to Paul and Barnabas Besides if the Apostles and Evangelist had taught expresly that the Saints are to be prayed to it might have been thought as a piece of arrogance in them as if they had been after death ambitious of that honour to be done to them The holy Spirit therefore would not by express Scripture teach this doctrine of veneration and invocation of Saints but the Church being once establisht quickly found by the Miracles and succours that those Saints performed to men that they were to be worshipt and invoked with prayers that they would please to pray for us and this is a worship far different from that which we pay to God therefore no way prejudicial to the divine Majesty no though express Scripture as I said we have none for this yet very much inclining to and favouring of our purpose That the saints the freinds of God are to be implored that they will please to intercede for us I prove by express Scripture thus Our Saviour in S. Johns Gospell saies thus if any man serve me John 12.26 him will my Father honor if therefore God does honor his saints why should not we mortalls give honour to them Our Saviour saies again in S. Mat. 25.40 Mathews Gospell verily I say unto you insomuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my bretheren ye have done it unto me the honour therefore that is given to the saints of God he takes as done unto himself We finde in Job how Eliphaz saies to him Call now if there be any that will answer thee Job 5.1 and to which of the saints wilt thou turn which words though Eliphaz spoke yet Job reprehends them not but takes it as wholsome councell from his freind Again in another place Job 42.1 9 10. the Lord himself saies go to my servant Job and my servant Job shall pray for you for him will I accept least I deal with you after your folly c. so they did as the Lord commanded them the Lord also accepted Job and the Lord turned the captivity of Job when he prayed for his freinds c. Then we finde how Absalon after he was reconciled to his father 2 Sam. 14.28 staid two years in Jerusalem before he saw his fathers face so a sinner though reconsiled to God will not
in the Psalms and other Scriptures Psalm that the heavens must contain him till the last day otherwise there would be a falsification of no less then three Articles of our Faith Apost Creed He ascended into heaven He there sitteth at the right hand of God the Father From thence he shall come c. Now if he be corporeally in heaven how shall he be upon the Altar for the same body cannot possibly be in two places Our Saviour in his institution does not say take my body Four Gospels but take bread nor is it to be imagined that the nature of it can be changed by the blowing mumbling a few words from a Priests mouth Besides when Christ instituted his last supper he had a mortal body now being immortal how can it be said this is my body which shall be delivered up for you We do finde all the holy Evangelists calling it bread Gospels Acts 2.41 1 Cor. 10. we finde in the Acts of the Apostles said how they continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread c. then in S. Paul to the Corinthians the bread which we break is it not the communion of the body of Christ and again in the next Chapter so let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup Thus currently in Scripture is the Sacrament called bread and yet your Church will have no bread left in it Our Saviour gives us a fair warning Mat. 24 of those deceivers Mat. 24.5 that shall come and say in his name here is Christ and there is Christ and shall deceive many we are not therefore to believe those that say that Christ is in this or in that Host That it is Impious to deprive the people of the cup is proved thus Our Saviour Christ did institute the Sacrament under both kinds Mat. 26. and communicated both to his Apostles and gave a command absolutely to all drink ye all of this Our Saviour being likewise to recommed the Sacramental use to us says plainly John 6.53 that he who drinketh not his blood as well as he that eateth not the flesh of the son of man hath no life in him It is confest by all of your own side that the Primitive Christians did always communicate under both kindes by what authority then do they come now to be deprived And if the Church hath power to take away one part of the Sacrament why can it not likewise by the same reason take away the other and forbid them the use of the whole Eucharist You all confess that your Priests sin mortally if they do not communicate under both species why then should not the Laity sin as much by their omission so to receive it That your Mass is not or can be made a sacrifice is clear by these sacred Texts S. Paul speaking of the true sacrifice of Christ Heb. 10.10.12.14 says That we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Christ once for all again this man after he had offered one sacrifice c. Then afterwards the Apostle repeats and refers thus for by one offering be hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Then again he speaks more plainly in another Chapter to this purpose Heb. 7.26 27. For such an high Priest became us c. who needeth not dayly as those high Priests to offer up sacrifice first for his own sins and then for the peoples for this he did once when he offered up himself Then the current of the whole 9th Chapter is to prove that Christ did once by his blood Heb. 9. enter into the Holy of Holies for our eternall redemption 26. and towards the latter end of it expresly says vers 26. that now once at the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself The Mass can be but a Testament at most out of our Saviours own words Mat. 26. Luke 22.20 This is my blood of the new Testament so S. Matthew and S. Luke gives them thus This cup is the new Testament in my blood which is shed for you now I would fain know how a sacrifice can be made out of a Testament Your Mass is but a remembrance at most of that sacrifice and oblation which Christ once offered therefore he saith not in his institution offer this but do this in remembrance of me and again so often as you shall do this do it in remembrance of me no word of sacrifice or offering That your Priests saying Mass in Lattine and not in English do offer abuse to God and his Church is proved thus The whole drift of the 14th Chapter 1 Cor. is to forbid the Corinthians and consequently all others 1 Cor. 14 the use of unknown tongues in Churches It is manifest likewise in the current of that Chapter Vers 19. that whatsoever is done in the Church publickly must be done to the understanding of the people but when your Mass is said in Lattine it is impossible for all the Laity to understand your service The Apostle frequently commands in other places as well as this same Chapter 1 Cor. 8. 1 Cor. 10.23 1 Cor. 14.3 vers 26. all things to be done to edification but where there is no understanding there can beno edification so by consequence no more fruit can follow upon the hearing of one of your Masses than the amendment of a wall is to be expected from an excellent Sermon that is made to it for that purpose Thus I have been bold to trouble your Ladyship but with a few texts yet those are pregnant ones to your purpose and so I pray the Lord to give you understanding in all things The Lady within three or four days sent a servant of hers with this Answer Sweet Mrs. N. being hindred now by very extraordinary occasions from paying your last kinde visit I thought my self never the less obliged to send you the best satisfaction I could to the Paper you left with me and so I have endeavoured to do as you will finde by the inclosed and as punctually as I could to every particular To the first To what you alledge out of S. Matthew against the mystery of the blessed Presence I answer Mat. 28.20 out of the last words of the same S. Matthews Gospel And loe I am with you unto the end of the world it is plain therefore that when our Saviour says me you have not always it is to be understood of his corporeal presence inhumane conversation for now he is not to be annointed washed and dryed as then when he spoke those words he was to be by the blessed Magdalen To the second To what you alledge out of S. John that the flesh profiteth nothing I say first that if the flesh profiteth us Catholicks nothing I am sure the bare bread must profit all Hereticks less Nor indeed
errours that I was before possest of the one was that you Papists especially women and Lay people were not at all conversant in Scripture the second was that you did over vilifie our translations and would be judged onely by your own editions of Scripture which we are informed are false and framed onely to your own intents and purposes but I finde your Ladiship quotes no Scripture that is not word for word in our Bibles Then thirdly I am already satisfied that you have more reason for your Religion then I before immagined if those Scriptures which you produce have had such an understanding in the universal Church as you alledge and Lastly that it will be utterly impossible for us to make an end of the controversie without some learned Moderator for otherwise it will be but your sense upon Scripture and mine and we both abounding in our own as it is too much given to us women to be I am in dispair of the good end Madame that I proposed Lady M. For the first three things that you pretend to be satisfied in I cannot believe dear Mrs. N. but you dispose your self rather to Rallery then to deal really with me but as for the last I do most cleeply concur with you in opinion that it will be necessary for us to have some Learned Arbitrator or otherwise we shall but beat the air and bring nothing to conclusion Mrs. N. Why then deer Madame how shall we agree in the choice of him for it is neither fit for your Ladiship nor for me alone to have the nomination and it will be very difficult to finde one that may be so indifferent as to please us both Lady M. Why truly your self Mrs. N. if you please shall make the choise and for my part I think none fitter than your own husband if he please to accept the trouble for I take him to be a very learned prudent and impartial person thourgh by his profession he may appear engaged against us but I am confident that will not so much over by ass his judgement as to say a malicious untruth Mrs. N. Well then since your Ladiship is pleased to offer so fair in that particular I must tell you yet a further difficulty that occurs to me whether I should make a present rejoynder with your Ladiships replys for that is I perceive your intended method or proceed still to object refer all my answers to your Ladiships replies till the very last for though the the first will be more to your Ladiships present satisfaction yet the bestwill a void much of both our trouble for I humbly conceive I shall be able to wipe off many of your Ladiships arguments upon several occasions with one compendious answer Lady M. In that do as you shall please good Mrs. M. for either shall be indifferent to me Mrs. N. Why then sweet Madame I shall proceed to object against some of the most practical points of your Religion as your Ladiship hath required me avoiding all subtilties relating to the Schools and so I have accordingly prepared another paper for your Ladiships view and I shall not be bold to offer above one or two more and then I shall endeavour to rejoyn and humbly refer to better judgements So after many mutual thanks and particular kindnesses were passed on both sides my Lady being attended by Mrs. N. to her Coach departed away with her third paper which coming home and opening her Ladiship found to this effect as followeth That your Church has so overladen the souls of Christians with their own Traditions and humane constitutions that it has not only abridg'd Christian liberty but hardly left room for the observation of divine precepts I prove thus by express Scriptures We finde in Deuteronomy Deut. 4.2 how God does absolutly command his people by the mouth of his servant Moses not to add unto the word Josh 1.7 which he commanded them nor to diminish ought from it The like was commanded by the mouth of Joshuah that from that law which they had read they should not turn neither to the right nor to the left The wise King Solomon gives the same caution Prov. 30.5.6 every word of God is pure c. and then proceeds Adde thou not unto his words least he reprove thee and thou be found a liar and S. John assures us That if any man shall adde unto the words of his prophecy Revel 22 18.19 that God shall adde unto him the plagues that are written in that book and if any shall take away c. God shall take away his part out of the book of life and yet notwithstanding these clear commands and terrible threatnings your Church dares to do those things daily by ading of meer humane inventions S. Mark 7.6 7 8 9. Mark tells us plainly how our Saviour did severely rebuke that kind of Religion and professeth plainly that in vain such do worship him who teach for doctrines the commandments of men saying immediately before how such do honour him with their lips but their heart is far from him and so proceeds sharply inveighing against mens Traditions yet your Church does nothing but over-load men with them 3. S. Paul give a most strict warning to the Corinthians and so to us 1 Cor. 7.22.23 to avoid any captivity of that kinde for he speaks to all that are called who are the Lords freemen and therefore concludes ye are bought with a price be not ye the seruants of men that captivity I am sure none can avoid that is of your Church 4. Gal. 5.18 Again he tells the Gallatians yet more plainly that if they be led of the spirit they are not under the law so then we Christians are subject to no humane constitutions whatsoever 5. Again the same Apostle tells us 1 Tim. 1.9 that the Law is not made for a righteous man but for the lawless disobedient ungodly c. what then are good Christians concerned in your new-fangled Laws and again he tells the Romans that the Law worketh worth Rom. 4.15 what then have we Christians to do with it 6. Lastly 2 Cor. 3.17 the same Apostle assures the Corinthians that where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty and largely relates to the Gallathians how Jesus Christ did purchase this liberty for us Gal. 4. and that we are no more under the law nor sons of the Bond woman but of the free why then should your Church by its devises endeavour to reduce us into bondage again That amongst the rest of your new inventions your commanded days of fasts and abstinence especially a whole lent together is a burthen insupportable and abusive to our Christian liberty I prove by Scripture thus 1. Does not our Saviour in S. Matthews Gospel call the multitude expresly about him Mat. 15.10 11. to teach them this piece of doctrine and bids them hear and understand not that which goeth into
not onely a power over all Bishops but Princes That it is not in the power of the Pope neither by himself nor with all his Cardinalls and councells to determine any matter of faith I prove thus by Scripture 1 We finde in Isay that we are commanded to the law and to the Testimony Isay 8.20 if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them as the Jews were commanded to their law and to their Testemony Luke 16.29 so are we Christians to our Scripture for our judge of all things in difference so our Savior brings Abraham in the Gospell saying that they have Moses the Prophets let them hear them woe are not therefore to have recourse for any matter of faith to Pope or any power else whatsoever 2 Again our Saviour commands us thus Starch the Scriptures for in them ye thinke ye have eternall life and they are they which testify of me John 5.39 Christ therefore remits us to Scripture onely for a judge of controversie 3 Again we finde in the Acts of the Apostles how those of Berea were commended acknowledgeed to be more noble than those of Thessalonie Acts 17.11 in that they received the word with all redyness of minde and Searthed the Scriptures daily whether those things were so Heer we finde I say that those of Berea did not overhastyly beleive what the Apostles themselves delivered to them but did examine all things by the Rule of Scripture is it not therefore fit that we should follow their example and acknowledge nothing but Scripture for our Rule and judge 4 It is manifest by reason that the judge of all controversie in matter of faith ought to be infallible for if the judge should erre all that follow his judgement must erre likewise now it is plain on tone side that Scripture is infallible being the word of God which cannot erre and on the other side that all men are lyars and subject to errours as we finde in the Romans Rom. 3.4 Psal 111 God is true but every man is a lyar Now the pope is but a man all the Cardinalls are but men nay councells themselves are but collections of men no man therefore that builds himself upon their judgement in point of faith can have any security at all but onely by depending upon the infallible and true Pâ—â—le of Scripture 5 Counsels we know have erred in matters of faith and made decrees one against another at least altered one anothers constitutions and if that any such things as councells are to be why should not lay men be made a part of them since they are a part of the Church as well as any preists or Bishops and their salvation as much concerned in those decrees as any Clergy men whatsoever it should be therefore as necessary for them to be present there That the Scripture it self is and ought to be the entire Rule of faith and that neither your whole Church nor all the Traditions of it have any power to prescribe to to us in matter of Faith I prove thus The authority of Scripture is greater then the Authority of the Church for the Church ought to be govern'd by Scripture the Word of God we know is to yield to no man nor is it lawfull for any man or power of men whatsoever to oppose or diminish it 2. We find expresly in Deuteronomy Ye shall not adde unto the Word which I command you neither shall you diminish out from it Deut. 4.8 that ye keep thn Comandements of the Lord your God which I command you all your tradition therefore are to cast away for they adde to the written Word of God 3. Again We read in another place of the same Book thus Deut. 1â— 32 Whatsoever thing I command you observe to do it thou shalt not adde thereto nor diminish from it That therefore is to be done onely which God commands what men require or adde of their own is unlawfull and not to be obey'd 4. St. Paul declares his mind in this particular very freely to the Galatians thus but though we or an Angell from Heaven preach any other Gospell unto you then that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed and presently repents As we said before so say I now again If any man preach any other Gospel unto you Gallat 1. thaâ— that ye have received let him be accursed I say therefore that we are to admit of no Traditions nor any thing else besides the Gospell Again We have most solemnly said in the Revelation of St. John Revel 22.18.19 That if any man shal take away from the Words of the Book of that Prophesie God shal take away his part out of the Book of Life And so if any man shall add unto these things God shall adde unto him the plague that are written in that Book Therefore it is not lawfull to adde your Traditions 6. 2 Tim. 3.16 17. St. Paul assures Timothy that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works Therefore we have no need of Traditions Our Saviour tells such Observers of Traditions as you are Mat. 15.6 Thus have you made the Commandements of God of none effect by your traditions and the Apostle gives the like caution to the Colossians Col. 2.8 beware least any man spoil you through Phlosophy and vain deceit 1 Pet. 1.18 after the tradition of men after the rudiaments of the World and not after Christ And St. Peter puts the whole World in mind how they were redeem'd from their vain conversation receiv'd by Tradition from their Fathers Thus you see how much Jusus Christ and his Apostles were carefull to forewarn and forbid us and yet you will restore to us the vanity of those very Traditions 8. Again Rom. 1.17 how can that be said to be determined by the whole Church which the Pope with his Cardinals Gal. 7.11 and it may be his Bishops assembled in Councell does determine Heb. 10.38 when the Church is a Congregation of all the faithfull and a connexon of them in the true saith by which the just man lives as the Apostle tells us It is not therefore what all the Popes Cardinalls Bishops or Councills tell us though backt with all the strength of your Traditions which is to be believed for they can be at most but a part of the Church not the whole Church 9. Then Lastly when you speak of the whole Church you speak of what you no ways understand for it is a spirituall thing and hidden from the eyes of men it cannot be visible for if it were then it could not be an Article of faith as wee know it is so I would fain know what obligation can possibly come from such an
only but likewise the testimony of the most antient and holy Fathers the invincible evidence of the true Mother-Church and the testimony of divine miracles which are frequently one for the confirmation of our faith But you forsooth as if you were wiser than Christ himself will neither admit or hear of any thing but out of Scripture alone in which you shew your selves like those Jews against whom our Saviour so disputes for the Jews casting off all other testimony would admit onely of Scripture 2 Cor. 3.14.15 â— and yet they neither understood it then nor yet do or ever will as the Apostle tels us when he says but their minds were blinded for untill this day remaineth the same Vail untaken away in the reading of the Old Testament c. and again when Moses is read the Vail is upon their hearts c. To the third For what you urge so hard out of the Acts you shall find to be to as little purpose as the other if if you but please to examine the Context which tells you That there being a Synagogue of Jews at Thessalonica St. Paul as his manner was went in unto them and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures opening and alledging that Christ must needs have suffered and risen again from the dead Act. 17.2 3. and that Jesus whom he preacht unto them was Christ c. But the Word so preacht did but little profit those of Thessalonica then follows that they of Berea were more Neble then those of Thessalonica in that they received the Word with all readinesse of mind and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so c. Now I would fain know what you wil conclude out of this as to your purpose unless thus Those of Berea searched the Testimonies of Scripture concerning Christ that were quoted by St. Paul therefore Scripture alone must determine faith and be the only Rule and Judge between us That is just as if you would say that one of your Doctors searcheth all the testimonies of St. Austin that are quoted by Bellarmin therefore St. Austin is the only Judge of Controversies Or thus one of your Congregation searcheth all the testimonies which are produced against a great Doctor of yours as they are quoted by a greater of your own therefore that great Doctor is the only judge of Controversies Or thus one of your Doctors searcheth all the Traditions that are alledged in the Councill of Yrent thefefore only Tradition is to be receiv'd for a Judge of Controversies I pray you forbear these pitiful consequences and yet your great Doctors seldommake be tter are not asham'd of them so I may well excuse you andothers seduced by them To the Fourth I say that your Argument if it had any weight at all would serve altogether as well agianst your self as us for if as you understand it every man be a Lyar add may erre it will follow necessarily that Moses with the Prophets Apostles and Evangelists nay that your Friends Luther and Calvin nay all your Preachers to be Lyars and may erre because they are men therefore there is no credit to be given to any of them no confidence to be put in them but all things that are said by them must be taken for suspected and uncertain where then is faith Nor matters it though they say that the Word which they tell us is not their own but Gods Word for if they be Lyars they may as well lye in the delivery of Gods message as in any thing else of their own nothing therefore can be certain But God forbid that any Christian should think so for it is far otherwise First we confesse the Scripture to be certain and infallible because it is the Word of God but we adde that it is so obscure that the true sence and meaning cannot easily appear to every man Therefore of necessity there must be some other Judge that must infallibly determine what is the clear and genuine sence of the Scripture it self Now this infallible Judge cannot possibly be every private man for then there would be so many Judges as there be men and diversities of Opinions and so there would be an utter impossibility to agree to any thing or compose any difference in Religion every one being apt to favour his own opinion It is necessary therefore that there should be a publick Judge agreed upon who should have a power of decreeing defining and determining all things between differet parties Gen. 8.21 Psal 38.6 Then again we says that we must consider men in two respects Num. 11.17 Deut. 17.9 Aug. 2.12 Malac. 2.3 Jerem. 1.7 first as men and the sons of Adam so obnoxions to many naturall corruptious so without doubt they are all prone to lying and falshood In the next place we must consider them as they are directed and goveâ—n'd by the Holy Ghost for the instruction of others so they are infallible and without possibility of lying such as Moses in the Old Testament with bis Congregation of Elders about him So were divers other High Priests that succeeded him such were the Prophets Isaiah Jeremiah Ezechiel Daniel and all the rest Such in the New Testament were the Apostles to whom it was said I wil from the Father send you the spirit of truth and again when the of Spirit of truth shall come he shall teach you all truth Iohn 16.6.13 now where there is all truth there can be no lye Such ever was now is and still must be the Church of Christ which having the perpetuall assistance and government of the same Holy Spirit ha's as it were the heart of it so long therefore as the faithfull Christian shall continue in the unity of the Church and keep close to the Doctrine of the supream Bishop and Councells he shall participate of the assistance and government of the holy Ghost nor can erre in faith but if through any pride or perversity of spirit he shall disagree and depart from that head and heart then he shuts all those passages and Chanels by which that divine assistency and direction is to be derived and so must of necessity be seduced from truth and led into a Labyrinth of errours as we have sadly seen in all the antient and modern Hereticks The next similitude may be drawn from a flock of sheep which indeed is the best representation of the Church Ioh. 10.14 math 28.20 as our Saviour himself is pleas'd to attest in the Gospel for as the whole flock being in one Fold or place collected together has the perpetuall assistance and guard of the Shepherd and so are defended from the malice fierceness of wolves so the Universall Church of the faithfull being collected in one faith and spirit has the perpetuall care and assistance of that divine Shepherd who said I an the good Shepherd and know my Sheep and again and I am always with you to the end of the
are something hard to be understood which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest as they do also the other Scriptures unto their own destruction Thus do you see what unhappy mistakes there were upon St. Pauls writings while St. Paul himself was yet alive how much more then must there needs be now upon those grounds that you receive them Niy St. Paul himself tells you that if his Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost Now it is plain it cannot be hidden to us who take the sense and interpretation of the whole Church you had best therefore look to your selves that you be not lost by hiding of it from your selves And if the blessed Fathers of the Church that were so conversant in Scripture yet understood it not in those times so near to the time of Christ himself as some of you say that they did not how can you presume upon your selves and some late Doctors that have dared to give you a contrary Doctrine to what they have delivered to us I have often meditared upon that place in St. Lukes Cospel where it is said of the good Samaritan that when he departed he took out two pence and gave them to the Host and said unto him take care of him and what ever thou spendest more when I come again I will repay thee Just so me thinks our Saviour hast left us two Testaments and whatsoever the Apostles Doctors and Fathers of the Church have added more and we shall humbly observe he when he comes again of his great goodness will repay us Now to summ up all it is plain by this that has been said that some Traditions of the Church must have equal authority with Scripture as the commands of a Prince have equal force and power upon Subjects whether by word of mouth delivered or by writing So the word of God written or delivered is still the word of God and of equal power And if you say that the Apostolical Tradition cannot be the word of God I ask you whether the other part of the Apostles that have left us nothing in writing were not as well inspired of the Holy Ghost as they that did you cannot sure deny it and they were too the greater part of the Twelve Now the Church of Christ still retains many things of their Doctrine thorgh we have none of their writing and sure we are to give as much credit to those that writ not as those that did I ask you again whether it be not a point of faith that the whole Scripture taken together of the Old and New Testament is the word of God and again whether all that Scripture especially in those things which concern Faith and Salvation be not most clear from corruption and again that we have the true genuine and legitimate sense of that Scripture is a point of faith too I believe you will not deny any one of these to be a point of your Faith I am sure they are all of mine so you must first acknowledge that I give as great an honour to Scripture as your self and then if we both admit those three positions as principles of Faith we must necessarily admit of Traditions for we have no Authority but that to justifie them and if we do not admit those for principles our Faith it self is wholly vain Then besides these three principles of Faith there are others also which we have only by Tradition as that the Symbol of our Faith is Canonical and Apostolical Then that Infants are to be baptized Then that those who are baptized by Hereticks are not to be re-baptized Then as is aforesaid that the blessed Mother of God alwayes remained a Virgin Then that in Baptism those words ought to be pronounced I baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost and that without them there can be no valid Baptisme Then that there is a certain and determinate number of Sacraments and what that number is All these things I say are not clearely to be found in Scripture but we must be beholding to the Authority of Tradition But last of all for Ecclesiastical Rites and Ceremonies it is manifest that we can have no other authority but Tradition and not Apostolicall for all those neither but some of them only from the Primitive Fathers that succeeded the Apostles in the Government of Christs Church and that sure it security enough for the practice and perswasion of any Christian for I have heard that a very ancient and most learned Father said that it was a piece of most insolent madnesse to dispute the doing of that which the Church of Christ throughout the whole world has always frequented and practised so 〈◊〉 you to it There were other wicked and idolatrous Kings as Abaz Manasses Amon and some others wicked though not idolaters but yet the use of the Divine Sacrifice and worship according to the Mosaical Law does appear still to have remained in the Temple of Solomon til the Babylonish captivity as is evident by several places of Scripture Then for the failing of the Synagogue in the time of Christ which you alledge it is not to be supposed that they failed from the true faith which was before profest but she with her ceremonies and Sacrifices was turned out of dores as was before typified in Abrahams bondwoman it does not therefore follow that the Church the true wife should be so too Then the Synagogue was therefore turned away because it was neither perfect nor sufficient to salvation Heb. 7.19 for so St. Paul tells us that the Law brought nothing to perfection and in that sense the ceremonies and Sacraments of the Synagogue are called by the same Apostle Gal. 4.9 weak and beggarly elements but now the Church of Christ is perfect and sufficient to salvation because it's Sacraments which are instituted by Christ carry with them a vertue of justification and taking away of sinnes the Sacrrments of the old Law only promised a Saviour but the Sacraments of the new give salvation Again the Synagogue contained only the shadow of future things as St. Paul speaks Heb. 10.1 Ioh. 1.9 but the Church contains the light it self which is Christ as St. Iohn assures us now the shadow must necessarily fly before the light the Synagogue therefore with the Mosaical Sacrifices ought to cease when the Church comes with Christ Last of all the Synagogue was instituted for servants the Church for sonnes now servants take wages of their masters for a time and so are dismist by their masters but sonnes succeed in the perpetual inheritance which the Apostles thus insinstates to the Galatians Gast out the bondwoman and her sonne Gal. 4.30 for the sonne of the bondwoman shall not be heire with the sonne of the free woman and so enough of difference I conceive is shewed between the Synagogue and the Church to shew you that the reason is not the same To