suffer Inquisitions Persecutions Excommunications and what not so among us you must believe Scripture as Interpreted by the Church of England or you are condemned by them you must believe Scripture as Interpreted by the Presbyterians or you are accursed by them you must believe as Anabaptists do or you are damn'd by them and not one Congregation among us but would Root all the others out of the World if it could and we do not fear that danger whereof St. Paul Gal. 5.15 warns us If we bite and devour one another let 's take heed we be not consumed one of another giving us likewise a wholsom advice in the same place how to prevent this Evil Stand fast in the Liberty wherewith Christ has made us free and be not intangled again with the Yoke of Bondage The World did groan under this heavy Yoke in Popery wherein our Rule of Faith was Scripture as Interpreted by the Pope and Church Scripture was kept from the hand of the flock No man permitted to give or believe any Interpretation or Sense of it but what the Pope Church and Fathers did approve Our Reason our Judgments our Consciences were Slaves under this Yoke until that God raised our glorious and blessed Reformers Luther Calvin Zuinglius Beza and others who took a Holy Liberty and gave us all Liberty for to Read and Interpret Scripture to believe no Doctrine but what we judged to be true Scripture To believe any Sense of it which we judged to be true tho contrary to all the World They took for their Rule of Faith Scripture and nothing else but Scripture as each one of them understood it this same Rule of Faith they left to us and a Holy Freedom and Liberty of our Judgments and Consciences that any man of sound Judgment may hold and believe whatever Sense of it he thinks to be true This therefore is the scope and end of my following Treatise that whereas our Rule of Faith as I will prove by the unanimous Consent of our whole reformed Church is Scripture or Gods Written Word as interpreted by each Person of sound Judgment that whereas by the Principles of our Reformation no Man is to be constrained to believe any Doctrine against his Judgment and Conscience otherwise why were not we left in Popery it is impious tyrannical and quite against the Spirit of the Reformation to force us by Acts of Parliament Decrees of Synods Invectives and Persecutions of indiscreet Brethren to embrace this or that Religion that every one ought to be permitted to believe what he pleases if you think Bigamy to be the Doctrine of Scripture If you think by Scripture there is one Nature and four Persons in God if you think Transubstantiation to be true if you judge by God's Words there 's neither Purgatory nor Hell finally whatever you think to be the true Sense of Scripture you are bound as a true Reformed Child to believe it that it is quite against the Spirit of Reformation to Censure oppose or blame the Doctrine or Tenets of any Congregation or of any Doctor of the Reformed Church because that any Doctrine professed by any Christian-Congregation whatever the Popish excepted or that ever was delivered by any Man of good Judgment of the Reformation since the beginning of it until this Day is as truly and really the Doctrine of the Reformation as the Figurative Presence or Kings Supremacy is Consequently Protestants are deservedly to be check'd for Persecuting Quakers Quakers for murmuring against Presbyterians these for their invectives against Anabaptists and Socinians All are very good and you may lawfully according to the Principles of our Reformation believe them or deny them This Evangelical Liberty of believing any thing which we judg to be the Sense of Scripture though all the rest of the World should Judge it to be a Blasphemy is the most distinctive sign of the Reformation from Popery for Papists are the Children of Agar the Slave they live in Bondage and Constraint to believe any Doctrine which the Pope and Church proposes to them and if a Learned Man or Vniversity should judge it to be contrary to Scripture he must submit his Judgment to that of the Pope or be condemn'd as an Heretick In our Reformation we are the Children of Sarah the free our Rule of Faith is Scripture as each Person of sound Judgment in the Church understands if we do not like the Doctrine of the Pope Church or Council we may gainsay them all and hold our own Sense of Scripture We enjoy the Prerogative of Rational Creatures we are lead by our own Reason which God has given us for our Conduct and are not like Beasts constrained to follow that of others We follow the Rule given us by S. Paul Rom. 14. He who Eats let him not despise him who does not Eat and who does not Eat let him not despise him who does Eat for God hath received him That 's to say he who believes let him not check him who does not believe as he does And he who does not Believe let him not blame him who does believe But let each one believe or not belive as he thinks best in the Lord This holy Liberty and freedom is the Spirit of God for where the Spirit of God is there is Liberty 2 Cor. 3. Says the great Apostle The Lord inspire to our Parliament that now sits upon a perfect and new settlement of Government and Religion to follow the Footsteps of our first renowned Reformers To enact that there may be no other Rule of Faith but that which we received from our Reformers and which is laid down for us in the 39 Articles of the Church of England That is Scripture as each one best understands it without regarding the Judgment Sense or interpretation of any but the pure Word of God as we understand it And to enact Penal Laws against any so bold and uncharitable as to censure or blame the Tenets of any Congregation be it Lutheranism Presbytery Arianism Judaism or Paganism Or any Doctrine whatever that any Man of sound Judgment thinks in his Conscience to be the Sense and Doctrine of Scripture Three things make me hope that this Treatise will be welcome to the well inclined and pious Reader of our Reformed Church First that there is not one Author quoted in this Book but our own Doctors Learned and Godly Children of the Reformation and this I observe that my Reader may know there 's not a jot of any Doctrine here but what is of the Reformatiâ—n and also advertise our Writers and School-Men how much they discredit our Reform'd Church by making so much use of Popish Doctors and Books in their Writings as if we had not great and learned Men of our own if we look into our Bishops and Ministers Libraries we shall meet with Books either of confessedly Papists or strongly suspected of Popery and you shall hardly meet in any of them the works of Luther
Calvin Beza or any of our own Authors if you do not meet some Comedies or Romances If you read our modern Writers you shall find their Books to be stuft with Arguments stolen from Strapleton Peron Bellarmin and other Popish Doctors whereas they ought to take their Doctrine from Luther Calvin and our other first Reformers Apostles raised by Gods Heavenly Spirit Oracles by whose Mouths and Pens he delivered the pure and Orthodox Doctrine of the Gospel Heavenly Fountains from which we ought to drink the Doctrine of the Reformation Therefore I have made a particular Study for the Comfort of my Reader not to profane this Treatise with any quotation of any Popish Writers none but our own Doctors Secondly my Reader will be pleased with this Treatise because I do not oblige him to believe the Contents of it if he mislikes any Doctrine couched in this Book let him not believe it what I pretend is to maintain his Liberty for to believe or not believe what he pleases and that none can say black is his Eye for believing whatever he judges to be the Sence of Scripture let all others think of it what they will for our Rule of Faith as I will prove being Scripture as each Person understands it who can be so bold as to check you for teaching and believing what you understand Scripture to say some Doctrines there are in this Book delivered by Luther Calvin Zuinglius Beza and others which our Church of England and some others do call Blasphemies and scandalous Tenets and their irreverence and arrogance it run so far as to condemn those Blessed Men for teaching such Tenets and say that they swerved from the Truth and had their frailties insomuch that many of us are ashamed to own those great Men to have been our Reformers and Leaders This is an impiety altogether insupportable it cannot be suffered with Patience that such Apostolical Men who were undeniably our first Masters of the Reformation should be so vilified and abused Therefore I do prove that there 's no Doctrine delivered by them but is to be esteemed and called the Doctrine of the Reformation And can be according to the Principles of the Reformed Church believed and taught by any Reformed Child For what is our Rule of Faith in the Reformation but Scripture as each Person of sound Judgment understands it Consequently what is the Doctrine of the Reformation but what any Person of sound Judgment understands to be of Scripture Whatever Doctrine therefore Luther Calvin or others judged to be of Scripture How can you deny it to be the Doctrine of the Reformation or blame them for teaching and believing it If you do not like The most you can in Justice do is not to believe it But you cannot justly say it 's not the Doctrine of the Reformation because it 's Scripture as understood by Persons of good Judgment Nor can you in Justice blame them or any other for believing it if they like it For must not we believe what we judge in our Consciences to be the Doctrine of Scripture Lastly my Reader will be pleased with the sincerity and plain dealing of this Treatise As much as we are all offended by the dissimulation and double dealing of our Modern Writers whose aim and scope in the Books they give out seem to be nothing else but to say somewhat whereby they may be thought to be no Papists and nothing is less found in their Writings than the pure and Orthodox Doctrine of the Reformation And what is to be bemoaned that you 'll hardly see in the Houses or Hands of the Flock the Works of Luther Calvin or our other first Reformers they are hid from us to keep us in ignorance of the true Reformed Doctrine and we see but Bramhall Tillotson Taylor Stillingfleet Thorndike and such others whose Doctrine is neither Popery nor of the Reformation but a new compound of both they do so mangle the Questions controverted with their Scholastical subtilities and distinctions as if they were ashamed to own openly our Tenets and did endeavour to get the Opinion of moderate sober Men with the Papists by drawing as near as their Interest can permit them to their Doctrine Ask them if we be obliged to believe the Doctrine and Sense of Scripture delivered by a general Council Our first Reformers resolved roundly that we are not Nay Luther says expresly we are bound to gainsay and work against the Decrees of any Council But our modern Doctors answer with a pretty Distinction There 's a a civil obligation quoth one but no Obligation in Conscience There 's an obligation in Conscience says another provided you do not believe they are infallible You may believe they are infallible objectively or terminatively says another but not subjectively They are infallible in Fundamental Points says another but not in inferior Truths Another will come yet and say they are absolutely infallible in all Articles and thus by little and little the Papists gain Ground against us and the lustre of our Reformation is clouded by the Cowardliness or Insincerity or Hypocrisie of our modern Teachers 1 Kings 18. How long halt ye between two Opinions If the Lord be God follow him But if Baal then follow him Luther Calvin Beza and our other first Reformers were raised by God to teach us the purity of the Gospel Let us not be ashamed to follow their Doctrine To speak Preach and Believe as they did Therefore I do propose the Doctrine in this Treatise in its native Colours that if you like it you may believe it and if any be so bold as to say you believe false or scandalous Doctrine you must answer It 's the Doctrine of the Reformation because it 's Scripture as understood by Persons of Judgment and the greatest Oracles we had And if you do not like it you may deny it but beware never to blame or check any other for believing it This is the Holy Liberty of the GOSPEL and of our Primitive REFORMATION First DIALOGUE ISMAEL I have read your Preface and Principles and methinks you drive to establish a new Religion for that unlimited Liberty which you assert for to believe or not believe whatever we please with a safe Conscience is not allowed by any of our Reformed Congregations and it were to be wish'd you should rather stick to some one of the Congregations now Established than to erect a new one for we have but too many already Isaac The Lord forbid I should think or speak otherwise than as becometh a true Child of the Reformation If you will oblige me to believe Scripture as interpreted by the Lutheran Church the like I say of any other Congregation and deny the Tenets of all others what difference betwixt me and a Papist in the Election of my Religion For the Papists Religion must be no other but Scripture as Interpreted by the Pope and Councils my Religion must be Scripture as interpreted by the
Presbyterians c. have all for their Rule of Faith Scripture which each of them Interprets in a different Sense Luther for the Real Protestants for the Figurative Presence Protestants for Episcopacy Presbyterians against it and so of others And tho' each esteems his own sence to be the best yet none is so bold as to say that others may not be saved in their own Sence of it or deny them to be true Children of the Reformation nay that Venerable Synod of Charenton as I quoted above has declared that the Lutherans tho' opposite to them in their chief Tenets are their beloved Brethren and have nothing Idolatrous or Superstitious in their manner of Divine Worship The fundamental reason of all this is that our Rule of Faith is but Scripture as each Person of sound Judgment understands it Ismael I grant all your Discourse as to this particular for it 's certain Lutherans will not admit Scripture as Interpreted by Pretestants but as Interpreted by themselves and so of each other Congregation Isaac If you admit our Rule is Scripture as each understands it then you must grant that our Doctrine of the Reformation is whatever Doctrine each Person of sound Judgment understands to be of Scripture and from this it appears plainly that my Principle whereat you boggl'd is true That whatever Doctrine is professed by any of our Congregations Synods Parliaments Doctors or particular Doctor of our Reformation is to be truly reputed and esteemed the Doctrine of our Reformation which Principle being true my discourse of Yesterday is undeniable That you may change Religion as often as you please and remain still a true Reformed Child Ismael But you have said that not only the Doctrine of each Congregation and Synod is the Doctrine of the Reformation but also whatever any one particular Doctor teaches and this seems to be very absurd Isaac It 's not so absurd as it 's true I 'll prove by the Principles of our Reformed Church by the testimonies of our most learned and best Doctors and Reformers and by reason and experience that the Doctrine of any particular Doctor among us has as much right to be called and esteemed the Doctrine of the Reformation as Protestancy Presbytery or Lutheranism for what is Lutheranism but the Judgment of Luther a particular Doctor against the whole Church of Rome What is Calvanism but what Calvin a particular Doctor judged to be the sence of Scripture against that same Church What is Quakerism but honest Naylor's Godly and Pious Sentiments upon Scripture It 's undeniably the Principle of our Reformed Church that our Rule of Faith is scripture as Interpreted not only by Synods or Congregations but by any Person of sound judgment in the Church No Congregation or Synod is to us a Rule of Faith because all are â—…llible but Gods written Word as each one understands it and if we do not like the sence of it delivered by any Council Synod or Congregation we may safely deny it Therefore our great Calvin says and proves with great Energy of Scripture and Reason that we are not obliged to the Decisions and Doctrine of any Council Synod or Congregation if after having examined Scripture we do find their Interpretation and Sense of it is conformable to the Word of God. Let Synods and Congregations say what they will if any particular Doctor thinks his own private Sence of it to be better he may stick to it against them all and be a good true Child of the Reformation as Arminius in Holland did withstand the Synods of Dordrecht and Delfe as Luther and Calvin did against Rome I will be free says our unparallel'd Proto-Apostle Luther I will not submit my self to the Authority of Councils Church Doctors Vniversities or Fathers but will teach and preach whatever I think to be true Did ever any Apostle speak with more Courage And the blessed Man acted with no less he knew full well the whole stream of Antiquity Doctors Fathers and Councils were against him as he confesses himself and did not care a rush for them all Lay aside says he call Arms of Orthodox Antiquity of Schools of Divinity Authority of Fathers Councils Popes and Consent of Ages we receive nothing but Scripture but so that we must have the Authority of Interpreting it Nor was it only Luther and Calvin spoke thus but all our first blessed Reformers and why because our Rule of Faith is Scripture not as interpreted by the Church of England France will not admit it nor as interpreted by the Quakers the Anabaptists and Independants will not hear it nor as interpreted by Luther Calvin rejects it nor as interprèted by Calvin Thorndike and Bramhall will not yield to it nor will Stillingfleet stand to their Interpretation nor others to that of Stillingfleet Finally our Rule of Faith is Scripture not as interpreted by any but as each Congregation Synod particular Doctor or Man of sound Judgment Interprets it and consequently whatever Doctrine any man of sound Judgment judges to be of Scripture is to be esteem'd the Doctrine of the Reformation and you may safely believe it if you like it and remain still as truly a Reformed Child as the proudest Protestant of England Ismael Can you prove that our Rule of Faith is Scripture as any particular Doctor or Person of sound Judgment understands it Isaac Behold how convincingly first we have heard Luther quoted but now say We receive nothing but Scripture but so as that we must have the Authority for to Interpret it Hear him again The Governours and Pastors have Power to teach but the Sheep must give their Judgment whether they propose the Voice of Christ or of Strangers And again Christ has taken from the Bishops Councils and Pastors the right of judging of Doctrine and given it to all Christians in General and the Rule is Scripture as each one will think fit to interpret it And consequently to this we have heard him say above I will be free and will not submit to Doctors Councils or Pastors but will teach whatever I think to be true Barlow The Apostles have given to each particular the Right and Power of Interpreting and Judging by his inward Spirit what is true it is needless that either Man or Angel Pope or Council should instruct you the Spirit working in the Heart and Scripture are to each particular Person most assured Interpreters Blison Bishop of Winchester says the same The People must be Discerners and Judges of what is Taught Our Religion has no other Rule of Faith says our French Reformation by the Mouth of Du Moulin Drelincourt and the Holy Synod of Charenton but the written Word of God as interpreted by us Lastly says the Church of England We have no other Rule of Faith but Scripture as each Person of sound Judgment in the Church understands it and what is proved by it And again in the Catholick Doctrine of the Church
of England Pag. 103. Which is but an Exposition of 39 Articles Our Rule of Faith is but Scripture as each Person of sound Judgment in the Church understands it Authority is given to the Church and to each Person of sound Judgment in it to judge in Controversies of Faith and this is not the the private Judgment of our Church but also of our Brethren of Foreign Countries Ismael I confess not only these but many other Doctors abet your discourse and the General Vogue of our Reformation is for Scripture as each one understands it but alas You see well that we can never settle any Religion or Church by such a Rule of Faith. Isaac You can never settle any but this That every Man may without let or hinderance believe what be pleases And why should not this be a good Religion If Scripture as each one understands it be not our Rule of Faith if we must be constrained to believe Scripture not as we understand it but as it is understood by this or that Congregation what difference betwixt us and Papists They must believe Scripture as Interpreted by the Pope and Councils have ever so much light from God be ever so wise and witty you must depose your own Judgment and submit to that of the Pope Council and Popish Church To this pass we are come also we must believe the Kings Supremacy Episcopacy Figurative Presence tho perhaps we do not Judge by Scripture it to be true Doctrine we are constrained by Penal Laws and and Acts of Parliament to believe them as Papists by their Inquisition and why Because the Church of England understands by Scripture it 's true and if you reply you do not Interpret Scripture so you 'll not be heard you must submit and believe against your Judgment and what 's this but plain Popish Tyranny over Mens Consciences Did Luther and Calvin forsake the Pope and Councils for to submit their Judgments to any other No but to follow Scripture as each one of them understood it And tho' Luther was a Man raised by God and replenish'd with his Spirit to repair the ruins of the Church yet Calvin did no more submit to him than Luther did to the Pope nor did Zuinglius submit to Calvin but followed his own sense of Scripture nor did Oeclampadius submit to Zuinglius but every one searched the Scripture believed and taught what they thought to be true and thus we became a Reformation of Popery If therefore we will continue a Reformation and walk by the Spirit of our blessed Reformers we must not be constrained to believe any Mans sense of Scripture We must believe whatever we think to be true and have no other Rule of Faith but Scripture as each one understands it Ismael And what then What do you infer from this discourse Isaac This consequence that whereas no true Child of the Reformation be he of what Congregation he will can justly deny our Rule of Faith to be Scripture as any person of sound Judgment Interprets it it follows unavoidably that the Doctrine of the Reformation is Whatever any person of Judgment Interprets to be the true sense of Scripture and whatever Luther Calvin Beza or any other of sound judgment in the Reformation since its first rise until this day taught to be the true sence of Scripture is to be called and esteemed the Doctrine of the Reformation tho' to this or that Congregation it may seem to be wicked and scandalous Doctrine And now let me answer to an Objection you made against this Principle in our entrance to this discourse You objected that many Popish Doctors and Casuists delivered scandalous and base Doctrines which the Papists will not admit to be the Doctrin of their Church tho' delivered by popish Doctors and thence you pretended that the particular sentiments of private Doctors of the Reformation are not to be called the Doctrin of our Church But be pleased to observe the difference betwixt Popery and our Reformation the Rule of Faith in Popery is Scripture as Interpreted by the Pope and Council or their Church they will admit no other consequently no Doctrin is to be called Popery but what is Judged by the Pope and his Church or Council to be the sense of Scripture and if any Doctor or University holds any sense contrary to theirs it is to be called the Doctrin of that particular person and not the Doctrin of the popish Church because their Rule of Faith is not Scripture as Interpreted by their Pope and Council But whereas our Rule of Faith in the Reformation is Scripture as each person of sound judgment Interprets it whatever Doctrin or Sense is said by any Man to be of Scripture is justly to be called the Doctrine of the Reformation For example Melancthon a Man of sound Judgmen great Learning and of an upright Conscience Taught Bigamy to be the Doctrine of Scripture Beza Taught the Lords Supper might be administer'd a in any kind of Victuals as well as in Bread and Wine Calvin Taught that Christ despaired on the Cross and suffer'd the pains of Hell after his Death Why then let all the Bishops and Universities of England condemn this Doctrine let all the Synods of France and Germany decry it the Doctrine will be still of the Reformation because it 's Scripture as Interpreted by Men of sound Judgment Ismael The heat of your discourse has tired you and my memory is sufficiently loaden with what you have said let me digest it in my private retirement and we will meet again Isaac Content carry with you these three points which I have proved convincingly First our Rule of Faith is Scripture not as Interpreted by this or that but by any Man of sound Judgment Secondly it follows hence that the Doctrine of the Reformation must be and ought to be called whatever any Man of sound Judgment says is the sense of Scripture Thirdly it follows we may change Religions as often as we please Third Dialogue ISMAEL I remember well the summary of your last discourse given me in three points and I find the second to be absurd and repugnant to reason you 'll never perswade it tho' you pleaded for it with great energy what if a silly Woman Cobler or other Tradesmen read Scripture and give their sense of it that forsooth must be called the Doctrine of the Reformation And it shall be lawful for them to believe it against the Doctrine of the whole Church Isaac Do not limit Gods infinite goodness by measuring his mercies towards his Creatures with your narrow apprehensions Take notice he says he has chosen the weak and contemptible of the World for to confound the strong ones I confess unto you Father that you have hid these things from the Wise and Prudent and hast revealed them to the little ones And there he choose poor simple Fishermen to his Apostles I know it 's the practice of Papists and from them your
Church Councils or Fathers The Church of Rome proud and impatient of any Opposition condemned them as Hereticks for not submitting their Judgments to her for taking Scripture as they understood it and not as the Church and Councils understood it for their Râ—â—â— of Faith and if this be a crime we are as guilty as they we are equally â—… ocent or innocent we are both Hereticks or none is we are therefore concern'd in their Honour and ought to defend the integrity of their procedure against the common Enemy which is the Pope They were Reformers of the Church in their times as we are in ours and whereas they have the same Rule of Faith so they have the same Religion with the Reformation Ismael Then you will say Arianism is the Doctrine of the Reformation and we may lawfully believe it Isaac I say God's Unity in Nature and Trinity in Persons is the Doctrine of the Reformation because the Protestant Lutheran and Hugonot Church judge by Scripture it is true and if you judge also by Scripture it is the true Doctrine you may believe it I say also if you judge by Scripture this Mystery is not true you may safely deny it acccording to the Principles of the Reformation and be still as good a Member of the Reformed Church as they who believe it for whoever believes what he judges by Scripture to be true is a true Reformed And that the denial of the Trinity is as much the Doctrine of the Reformation as the belief of it it appears not only because it was the Doctrine of the Arians who as I proved are truly of the Reformed Church but because it was taught by the greatest Lights of our Church Calvin says the Text. My Father is greater than I must be understood of Christ not only as he is Man but also as he is God. And that the Council of Nice did abuse the Text My Father and I are one for to prove the Vnity of both in Nature whereas it only signifies their Vnity by conformity of Wills. Again he says Epist 2. ad Polon in Tract Theol. pag. 796. That Prayer Holy Trinity one God have mercy of us is brabarous and does not please me And adds The Son has his own substance distinct from the Father His Disciple Danaeus says it 's a foolish insipid Prayer And our great Apostle Luther who as Fox witnesseth was the Chariot and Conductor of Israel and a Man extraordinarily raised and replenish'd with Gods Spirit to teach the purity of the Gospel caused that Prayer to be blotted out of the Litanies That word Trinity says he sounds coldly my Soul hates that word Humousion and the Arian did well in not admitting it Lastly Ochinus that great Oracle of England impugns this Mystery with a strong discourse We are not obliged to believe says he more than the Saints of the Ancient Testament otherwise our condition would be worse than theirs but they were not obliged to believe this Mystery therefore we are not obliged Examin I pray the Works of these eminent Doctors where I quote them consider if they be not not only Men of sound judgment but Men extraordinarily raised by God says the Synod of Charenton the Chariots and Conductors of Israel says Fox Men to be reverenc'd after Christ says our Doctor â—owel and Apostolical Oracles sent to teach us the purity of the Gospel and conclude it 's an undeniable Verity that this is the Doctrine of the Reformation whereas it's Scripture as Interpreted by such Men Oh! But England France and Scotland believe this Mystery well And what then That proves that the Mystery is also the Doctrine of the Reformation because whatever any Man of sound Judgment thinks to be Scripture it 's the Doctrine but is England or France alone the whole Reformation Are not Luther Calvin Danaeus Ochinus as well of the Reformation and Men of as sound Judgment as they Since therefore they understand by Scripture there 's no Trinity it 's the Doctrine of the Reformation also that there 's none Believe it or deny it which you like best and you 'll be still of the Reformed Church Isaac By the principle you run upon you say any may Blasphemy is the Doctrin of the Reformation for there 's hardly any so execrable but some Dr. of ours has delivered and taught it Ismael The Principle I run upon is this Scripture as each person of sound Judgment interprets it is our Rule of Faith Judge you if that be not a good Principle in our Reformed Church whereas this is the Rule of Faith given us by the 39 Articles and generally by all our Doctors as I proved in my first Dialogue this being our Rule of Faith and Reformed Doctrine it 's evident that whatever Doctrine is judged by any person of sound Judgment to be contained in Scripture is the Doctrine of our Reformation some persons of sound Judgment say the Real Presence is expressed by Scripture this therefore is the Doctrine of the Reformation others say only Figurative Presence is taught in Scripture this also is the Doctrine of the Reformation some understand by Scripture there is a Mystery of the Blessed Trinity this therefore is the Doctrine of the Reformation others understand there 's no such Mystery this also is the Doctrine of the Reformation so that whether you believe or deny this or any other Tenet controverted you 'll still hold the Doctrine of the Reformation Ismael Calvin says Christ pray'd unadvisedly the Eve of his passion that he uttered words whereof he was afterward sorry that in his passion he was so troubled of all sides that overwhelm'd with desparation he desisted from invoking God which was to renounce all hopes of Salvation And says he if you object it 's absurd and scandalous to affirm Christ despair I answer This desparation proceeded from him as he was man not as he was God. And this is not only the Doctrine of Calvin but of Brentius Marlotus Jacobus Minister quoted by Bilson and of Beza Will you say this is the Doctrine of the Reformation or that we can without scruple believe it Also Calvin says That Christ's corporal death was not sufficient for to redeem us but that after having despaired on the Cross he suffered the death of his Soul that 's to say that his Soul after his corporal death suffered the pains of the damn'd in Hell. And says he in the same place they are but ignorant doltish brutish men who will deny it Luther also teaches the same Doctrine As he suffered with exceeding pains the death of the body so it seems he suffered afterward the death of the Soul in Hell Epinus a learned Lutheran says Christ descended into Hell for thee and suffered not only corporal death but the death and fire of Hell. Mr. Fulk and Perkins avow this is also the express Doctrine of Illiricus Latimer and Lossius Also Luther
most impiously affirms that not the human Nature of Christ dyed for us but also his Divine Nature see Luther's words quoted at large by Zuinglius and Hospinian If you say such scandalous blasphemies may be safely believed you will render your Christianity suspected and if you say that they are the Doctrine of the Reformation or that they may be believed according to the Principles of the Reformation you will make the Reformation and its Principles to be hated by any good Christian Isaac If I walk by the Rule of Faith of the Reformation I 'll prove my self a true Reformed Child and if I prove my self to be a Reformed Child my Christianity cannot be justly suspected What Tenet have you related of all those which you call blasphemies and scandals but has been judged by those eminent Doctors of our Reformation to be express Scripture or conformable to Scripture and since our Rule of Faith is Scripture as each person of sound Judgment understands it and since the Doctrine of our Reformation is but whatever any such person of sound Judgment judges to be expressed in or proved by Scripture it 's evident that all those Tenets are undeniably the Doctrine of the Reformation I say then and will say without any offence to my Christianity or blemish to our Reformed Church that those Tenets are the Doctrin of the Reformation and may be as safely believed by any Child of it as Figurative Presence Supremacy or Two Sacraments and let not any Bigot pretend to frighten me from this Doctrine by calling it Blasphemy and Impiety No it 's Scripture as interpreted by our renowned Reformed Doctors therefore it 's no Blasphemy Let any man convince me that our Rule of Faith must not be Scripture as each person of sound Judgment understands it and he will convince that this cannot be justly called the Doctrine of the Reformation but whilst that Principle and Rule of Faith stands unshaken nothing that is taught by any Person of Judgment to be the Doctrine of Scripture but it is to be called our Doctrine and may be safely believed You say that whoever has any Love for Christianity will hate the Reformation and its Principles if they give Liberty for to believe such Blasphemies But can any Mother be more indulgent to her Child than the Reformation is to us such as think those Tenets to be Blasphemies the Reformation gives them leave not to believe them and if any judges by Scripture that they are not Blasphemies but pure Doctrine as Luther Calvin and others did they have Liberty for to believe them He who denies them cannot in Charity check them who believe them nor can they who believe them check those who deny them whereas each follow the Rule of Faith and believe what they judge by Scripture to be true And if you or your Church of England cry out Blasphemy Blasphemy against all that you judge to be false why do not you cry Blasphemy against Presbyterians Lutherans and other Congregations from whom you dissent And what difference betwixt you and â—he Church of Rome The folly of this is to call Heresy and Blasphemy all that is not her own Doctrine And all that your Church of England mislikes must be Fanaticism Blaphemy and Impiety Must our Rule of Faith be Scripture as the Church of England understands it and not otherwise Presbyterians and Lutherans will never allow it If therefore our Rule of Faith be Scripture as each Person understands it any Person of sound Judgment in the Reformation may without scruple believe what he understands to be the Doctrine of Scripture Fourth DIALOGUE ISMAEL You still insist upon that principle that our Rule of Faith is Scripture as each person of sound judgment understands it and from that principle will follow many absurd consequences destructive of Piety and Religion Isaac That Principle is not invented by me it 's of our Holy Reformation if I did discourse with a Papist I would prove the principle to be true and Gods express Word but since I discourse with a Reformed Child I suppose I need not spend my time in proving it This principle then being an unquestionable truth in our Reformation no Reformed Child must be so irreverent and bold as to say that any Doctrine which clearly and unavoidably follows out of it is Blasphemous or Impious for that would be to condemn our principle by which we walk Ex vero non sequitur nisi veram From a true Principle nothing can follow but true Doctrine Can you deny but this was the Rule of Faith and principle of our first blessed Reformers and of the Church of England mentioned in her 39 Articles If therefore they judged and if any other judges by that Rule and Principle that those Tenets which you call Impious and Blasphemous to be true Doctrine they cannot be blamed for believing them Ismael I confess our first Reformers did speak so but I say such Errors and Impious Doctrines cannot without Irreverence be called the Doctrine of the Reformation and cannot without impiety be believed because our Reformation at present condemns and detests those Blasphemies for we must grant that our Reformation in its beginning was not in its full perfection of Doctrine God began it by Luther Calvin Zuinglius and others Those great Men had their frailties they did overlash in some things and what they said amiss Gods Heavenly Spirit inspired to the Church from time to time to correct it and has at length brought our Church to that purity of Doctrine and fulness of perfection which now it enjoys Nothing is to be called now the Doctrine of the Reformation but what is now believed by our Congregations and none of them believes those execrable Tenets you related Isaac You wrong the Reformation very much in saying it had not its full perfection in the beginning it 's rather to be thought that that polishing and refining of it in ensuing Years with new perfections and correcting the first draught of it by our first Reformers has been a corruption of it with some mixture of Popish Errors and Superstitions For all Religious Congregations and Pretenders to Piety are at the first beginning in the height of their perfection and in Progress of Years they decline and decay from their primitive Spirit into errors and corruption of manners Religious Congregations are not like Arts and Sciences which by time and experience receive new perfections but like Chimnies which grow daily blacker by continual smoke and fire Witness the Jewish Church and Law in its beginning flourishing and holy but corrupted in progress of time by Traditions of Men and Superstitions of Pharisees Witness also the Law of the Gospel in those happy times of the Apostles holy and pure but corrupted after some Years by errors of Popery If we be to seek for the pure and Orthodox Doctrine of the Primitive Church ought not we to be said by the Apostles Men raised
the Doctrin of the Reformation or consistent with its principles Isaac The Kings Supremacy is undoubtedly the Doctrin of the Reformation because it 's judged by the Church of England to be of Scripture yet not only the Quakers Presbyterians Anabaptists and other Congregations judge it 's not of Scripture but as erroneous a Tenet as that of the Popes Supremacy Calvin 6. Amos says They were unadvised people and Blasphemers who raised King Henry the VII so far as to call him the head of the Church but also that no Civil Magistrate can be the head of any particular Church is the Doctrin of the Centuriators cent sept pag. 11. of Cartwright Viretus Kemnitius and many others who doubts then but that in the principles and Doctrin of the Reformation you may deny the Kings Supremacy tho' the Church of England believes it The Popes Supremacy is the Doctrin of Popery who doubts it but it 's also the Doctrin of the Reformation for many of our Eminent Doctors have judged it to be the Doctrine of Scripture as Whitgift who cites Calvin and Musculus for this opinion but it 's needful we relate some of their express words I do not deny says Luther but the Bishop of Rome is has been and ought to be first of all I believe he is above all other Bishops it 's not lawful to deny his Supremacy Melancthon says no less that the Bishop of Rome is above all the Church that it is his office to govern to Judge in controversies to watch over the Priests to keep all Nations in conformity and unity of Doctrin Somaisius The Pope of Rome has been without controversie the first Metropolitan in Italy and not only in Italy nor only in the West but in all the World the other Metropolitans have been chief in their respective districts but the Pope of Rome has been Metropolitan and Primate not only of some particular Diocess but of all Grotius has expresly the same Doctrin and proves this Supremacy belongs to the Pope de Jure Divino I pray consider if these Doctors be not men of sound Judgment and of eminent learning and credit in our Reformation and if our Doctrin be Scripture as such men understand it consider I say with what Justice can this Doctrin be called Popery more than Reformed Doctrin As for Transubstantiation it contains two difficulties first if the Body of Christ be really in the Sacrament and this real presence the Lutherans defend to be the Doctrin of Scripture as well as the Papists why then should it be called Popish more than Reformed Doctrin The second is if the substance of Bread be in the Sacrament together with Christ's Body Lutherans say it is Papists say it is not but that there is a Transubstantiation or change of the whole substance of Bread into the Body of Christ but hear what Luther says of this that we call Popish Doctrin I give all Persons liberty to believe in this point what they please without hazard of their Salvation either that the Bread is in the Sacrament of the Altar or that it is not would Luther have given this liberty if Transubstantiation had not been the Doctrin of the Reformation as well as any other Calvin also and Beza affirm that Luthers Doctrin of the co-existence of Christ's Body and the Bread is more absurd than the Popish Doctrin of the existence of the Body alone if therefore we be true Reformed and safely believe the Doctrin of Luther which is the most absurd much more will we be of the Reformation by believing that of the Papists which is less Communion in one kind is the Doctrin of the Reformation no less than Communion in both for besides that Luther says They Sin not against Christ who use one kind only seeing Christ has not commanded to use both and again though it were an excellent thing to use both kinds in the Sacrament and Christ has commanded nothing in this as necessary yet it were better to follow peace and unity than to contest about the kinds but also Melancthon who in the opinion of Luther surpasses all the Fathers of the Church expresly teaches the same Doctrin and the Church of England Statute I. Edward VI. command That the Sacrament be commonly administr'd in both kinds if necessity does not require otherwise mark he says but commonly and that for some necessity it may be received in one lastly the sufficiency of one kind in the Sacrament is plainly set down by our Reformed Church of France in her Ecclesiastical Discipline printed at Saumur Chap. 12. Art. 7. The Minister must give the Bread in the Supper to them who cannot drink the Cup provided it be not for contempt And the reason is because there are many who cannot endure the taste of Wine wherefore it often happens among them that some persons do take the Bread alone and truly if some of our Ministers in England do not give better Wine than they are accustomed who very irreverently serve that Holy Table with naughty trash it 's much to be feared that our flock will also petition to be dispenc'd with in the Cup because there are some of so delicate Palats that they cannot endure the taste of bad Wine Now you may admire the injustice of the Papists in Condemning our Reformed Doctrin and Doctors as Hereticks whereas those Tenets are believed by many of us as well as by them and the groundless severity of our Congregations in exclaiming against that Doctrin it being the Doctrin of the Reformation whereas so many eminent men of our own judge it to be of Scripture Ismael Whereas I see people persecuted by the Church of England for these Tenets I can hardly be perswaded they are the Doctrin of the Reformation at our next meeting we will persue this discourse the Bell rings for Morning Prayers A Dieu Seventh DIALOGUE ISAAC You come from Church as I guess by the Common-Prayer Book I see in your hand I pray let me see the Kalender of it if it be a la mode nouvelle which was made by the Church of England since his Majesties Restauration Ismael Why have you met any thing in it which shocks you Isaac Shock me No Doctrin or practice of any Congregation or man of sound Judgment of our Church can shock me you know I plead for liberty to believe and practise as each one judges by Scripture to be true and good But I observe in your Kalender you have a day consecrated to St. Ann in the Month of July I would gladly know what Ann this is which the Church of England honours so much Ismael It 's Ann the Mother of the Virgin Mary Isaac It 's possible I thought it was Ann Bolein the Mother of our Virgin Elizabeth I am sure the Church of England is more obliged to Her than to the other but as you have put here the Mother of the Virgin
he reads the Works of Arius and convinc'd by the energy of his Arguments and Texts of Scripture produced by him may alter his Judgment and become an Arian Wherein can you say does this Man transgresâ—…against the Doctrine or Principles of the Reformation Does he forsake the Reformation because he forsakes Lutherism for Calvinism No sure for Calvinism is as much of the Reformation as the other Is not Protestancy as much the Doctrine of the Reformation as Presbytery tho' he changes therefore one for the other he still holds the Doctrine of the Reformation Is not the Doctrine of the Reformation Scripture not as Protestants only or Presbyterians only interpret it but as any Congregation or Man of sound Judgment holds it It is therefore evident that according to the Doctrine and Principles of the Reformation he may with a safe Conscience change Religions and be to day of one to morrow of another until he runs all over Point me out any Congregation the obstinate Papists excepted who will dare say I cannot live with a safe Conscience in any other Congregation but in it self all other Congregations will laught at it Why then may not I lawfully forsake any Congregation and pass to another And be in England a Protestant in Germany a Lutheran in Hungary an Antitrinitarian or Socinian Ismael It 's against the grain of Mans reason to believe that we can with a safe Conscience change Religions as you say If you be a Protestant and you Judge it to be the true Religion you are bound to stick to it and never to change it Isaac If I did discourse with a Papist I would not wonder he should say it 's against the grain of Mans reason to believe it lawful but I admire that a Child of the Reformation be he of what Congregation he will should be so Ignorant of his Principles as to say a Man cannot change Religions when he pleases Nor do I undertake to prove against the Papist that this is lawful but I undertake to prove it lawful against any Reformed Child or force him to deny the Principles of the Reformation Is it against reason that a Man may read to day Scripture and the Lutherans Interpretation upon it and like it very well and that he should in this case embrace that Religion Is it against the grain of Mans reason that this same Man should next Year afterwards hit upon Calvin's Works upon Scripture and after better consideration think his Doctrine to surpass that of Luther and could not he then being obliged to chuse the best forsake Lutheranism and stick to Calvinism And is it against Mans reason that he in following Years may meet other Books of Arians Socinians c. and do the like Have not we many examples of this in our best and most renowned Reformers Did not Ochinus that great light says B. Bale in whose presence England was happy reading Scripture Judge the Reforformation to be better than Popery and of a Capuchin Fryar became a Reformed after some Years reading Scripture he Judged Judaism to be better than the Reformation and became a Jew Did not Martin Bucer one of our first Reformers of England and Composers of our Liturgy reading Scripture judge Lutheranism to be better than Popery and of a Dominican Fryar became a Lutheran Soon after reading Scripture he judged Zuinglianism to be better than Lutheranism and became a Zuinglian not long after he became a Lutheran again as he Confesses and forsook Lutheranism the second time and returned again to Zuinglianism as Sklusser says b Did not Cranmer one of our first Reformers also of England and Composers of the 39. Articles a Wise and religious Man profess Popery in Henry the VIII's time and Compose a Book in defence of Real Presence then in Edward the VI's time upon better Consideration he professed Zuinglianism and writ a Book against Real Presence then again in Queen Mary's Reign being Sentenc'd to Death he declared for Popery but seeing his Recantation would not preserve his Life he renounced Popery and died a Zuinglian I could tire your Patience in reading and Mind in relating the number of our Prime and most renowned as well first Reformers as Learned Doctors who without any scruple changed several times their Religions nor in the Principles of our Reformation ought they to be blamed For whereas our Rule of Faith is Scripture as with the assistance of Gods Spirit we understand it who doubts but we may to day Judge sincerely Luther's sense of it to be true to morrow we may read with more attention and Judge Arius his sense to be true next day that of Calvin and so of the rest I do not think but that we have in England many Abettors of this Doctrine Alas how many Bishops Deans and rich Parsons do we know and have we known who were zealous Presbyterians and declared Enemies of Protestancy in our Gracious Soveraign's Exile and no sooner was he restored and had Bishopricks and Ecclesiastical Dignities to be given but they became stiff Protestants Observe the difference betwixt the Papists and us if of a Papist you become of any other Congregation the Popish Church Excommunicates you thou art lookt upon as an Heretick and Apostate a stray'd Sheep they will not admit you to their Communion or Liturgy nay could they well avoid you they would never admit you to their Company and why Because they are fondly perswaded their own is the only true Religion and all others to be Synagogues of Satan and if any of us will become a Papist he must first abjure his former Profession But if of a Protestant you should become a Presbyterian a Lutheran Quaker or of any other of our Societies you are never looked upon to be a jot the worse for it we are not a whit scandalized at such changes which we daily see and it is an unspeakable Blessing with what Accord Unity and Charity you may see at our Liturgy and Communion the Protestant Presbyterian Anabaptist Socinian and Hugonot all praising the Lord in one Congregation in our Church none bid out of the Church none Excommunicated no previous abjuration required of their former Tenets and there 's nothing more frequent among us than to go to the Protestant Liturgy in the Morning in the Evening to the Prebyterian especially if our Interest or Convenience requires it Can there be a more convincing Proof that we esteem it all alike what Religion and Tenets we profess Let a Lutheran go to France Alas He will never stick to go to the Hugonots meeting and Service let a Protestant go to Germany he will go as cheerfully to the Lutheran Church as in England to the Protestant Let a Hugonot or Presbyterian go to Hungary or Poland he is welcome to the Antitrinitarians and Socinians and when any of them returns home he will be as before Ismael But can you prove this Doctrine by the Testimony of any of our Synods Did any teach that
we may with a safe Conscience change our Religion as you say Isaac Yes I can The Synod of Charenton in France held about the Year 1634 expresly says That for your Salvation it 's all alike whether you be a Calvinist Lutheran or of any other Congregation of the Reformed because says this venerable Synod they all agree in Fundamental Points and the Lutherans have nothing of Superstition or Idolatry in their manner of Divine Worship Change then as often as you list be a Lutheran be a Presbyterian be an Anabaptist by the mouth of this Synod you are assured you 'll never miss to hit right And I pray can any Synod of our times have more Authority in point of Doctrine then Luther our first Reformer a man extraordinarily raised by God says the Synod of Charenton and replenisht with his Spirit for to repair the ruins of his Church He teaches the Elevation of the Sacrament is Idolatry yet he did practise it and commanded it should be practised in the Church of Wittemberg to spite the Devil Carolstadius Giving you to understand that for just reasons you may teach now one Religion now another Zuinglius also whose vertue and learning is known to the World says That God inspired him to Preach what Doctrin was suitable to the times which as it often changes you may often change your Doctrin And consider you if it be not therefore that Christ our Lord says his Yoke is easie and his burden is light that is Religion because we can withdraw our Necks from it as time and just reasons requires Ismael Could you give me any Synod of the Church of England which delivers this Doctrin you would go near hand to convince me for that some particular Doctors should have taught or practised it does not prove it to be the Doctrine of the Reformation Isaac And what a greater Authority has a Synod of England for to prove a Doctrin to be of the Reformation than a Synod of France which I have produced Or than Luther and Zuinglius our first Reformers inspired by God to teach us the purity of the Gospel Was it not from Luther and Zuinglius that England received the Doctrin of the Reformation And if England be so bold as to say they erred in this what assurance can we have but that they erred in the rest But since nothing will please you but a Synod of England you shall have not one but many Can there be any Synod in England of so great Authority as our wise and prudent Parliaments Read our Chronicles and you 'll find that in a few Years time they changed and established different Religions by publick Acts of Parliament In Henry the VIII 's Reign they voted for Popery and made Acts and Statutes against the Reformation In Edward the VI 's time they banisht Popery and voted for Zuinglianism In Queen Mary's they pull'd down this and set up Popery again In Queen Elizabeth's they decryed this and set up not Zuinglianism but Protestancy in the midst of her Reign they polisht this and added some new perfections to it In King James and succeeding Kings times Protestancy is of a different stamp from that of Queen Elizabeth's Hear Dove in his Exhort to the English Recusants An. 1603. Pag. 31. Henry the 8. had his Liturgy which was very good Edward the 6. condemned it and brought in another composed by Peter Martyr and Bucer In Elizabeth 's time that was condemned and another approved and in the middle of her Reign her Liturgy was also misliked and a new one introduced we are so wanton that nothing will content us but Novelties Ismael Dove does not commend this Doctrin for he calls that frequent exchange of Religion Wantonness and Love of Novelty Isaac It 's no great matter what he says of it my drift is but to convince you that this is the Doctrine and practice of the best Member of our Reformation even of England and if you be convinc'd it 's the Doctrine of the Reformation You cannot deny but that it is good Doctrine If Dove calls it Wantonness S. Paul Ephes 4.22 Coloss 3.9 and Rom. 6.6 Commends it and exhorts us to put off the old Man with its deeds that 's Popery with its Ceremonies and put on the new Man that 's the Reformation where there 's neither Greek nor Jew Circumcision nor Vncircumcision Barbarian or Scythian Bound or Free but Christ is all and in all That 's to say where there 's no distinction of Protestants or Presbyterians Socinians or Arians it 's all one which Religion you profess Ismael But is there no Tenet of Religion which we are all indispensably obliged to hold Isaac Yes there is and no more but one We are bound to have Faith in Jesus Christ the Son of God and the Saviour of the World. This is the substance of Christian Religion be an Arian be a Presbyterian a Socinian or what you please be also plung'd to your ears in Wickedness of Life and Manners so you have Faith in Jesus Christ Son of God and Redeemer of the World and live in Charity you will be a Member of the true Church and be saved Do not imagine this is any new Doctrine invented by me search the vulgar sort of our Reformed Brethren you shall get thousands of this Opinion in our Realm search the Books of our Learned Doctors you shall find it in them also Doctor Morton in his much applauded Book dedicated to Queen Elizabeth for which he deserved a Bishoprick says The Arian Church is to be esteemed a true Church because they hold the true substance of Christian Religion which is Faith in Jesus Christ Son of God and Redeemer of the World And again in the same place Sect. 4. whose Title is Hereticks are Members of the Church he says Whosoever believes in Jesus Christ though by Wickedness of Life or Heresie in Doctrine they should err in Doctrine they are still true Members of the Church Therefore our learned Fox Doctor Field and Illiricus say the Greek Church notwithstanding their error in denying the Procession of the Holy Ghost from the Son are holy Members of the true Church because they have Faith in Jesus Christ Ismael Sure you will not say this Doctrine is of the Reformation or can be safely believed Isaac I do admire how you can doubt of it and that it may be believed For what is the Doctrine of the Reformation but as we have said in our Principles Scripture as Interpreted by any Man of sound Judgment in the Church And were not Doctor Morton Fox Field and Illiricus Men of sound Judgment eminent Learning and Godliness If therefore this be Scripture as Interpreted by them how can you deny it to be the Doctrine of the Reformation Ismael And what Jesus Christ are we obliged to believe in For Jesus Christ as believed by the Arians Socinians Luther and Calvin is far different from Jesus Christ as commonly
Spirit and Holiness of the Reformation which having no other Rule of Faith but Scripture as each Person of sound Judgment understands it its Spirit and Holiness consists in framing our Life and Doctrine to that Rule as our blessed Reformers and Reformation in its beginning did believing those Tenets which you call Errours and Blasphemy and living that Life which you call Dissolution and Corruption of Manners because they judge by Scripture as they understood it that Doctrine and manner of Life was True Innocent and Good and if you like it as they did you may believe and live as they did and be a good Child of the Reformation Consider I pray all the Works and Doctrine of Luther the like I say of our other first Reformers the three parts of his Doctrine is against Popery and they say all are Heresies and Blasphemies the rest is contrary to the Church of England and she says this is also Errors and Blasphemy so you conspire with the Papists to destroy the credit of our first and best Reformer and betwixt you both you unplume him of all his Feathers and leave him not a bit of good Doctrine But I will stand to the Spirit and Principles of the Reformation and Congregations as now they are since that you do so much boast of its Purity and great Perfections and I will prove that Doctrine and Manner of Life may be believed and followed Lawfully standing to its Principles For if the Spirit of the Reformation be at present among us we must not be forced as in Popery to believe against our proper Judgments what others believe by Scripture to be true and holy but what each one thinks in his own Conscience to be such because even now at present our Rule of Faith is Scripture as each Person of sound Judgment understands it and this is the same Rule which Luther and the Reformation in it's beginning had This Holy Liberty is the best Jewel the greatest Perfection and most glorious Prerogative the Reformation has If therefore now at present any Man judges by Scripture that he can Marry ten Wives at a time that he can kill his own Son as Abraham intended that he may commit incest with his own Daughter as Lot did that there is no Sin but Incredulity as Luther believed nor any Mystery of the Trinity of Persons in one Nature as Calvin believed with what Justice can the Church of England say a Man does not believe and live as becometh a Reformed Child or that his Doctrine and Life is scandalous whereas he lives and believes as he understands by Scripture he may or ought to do which is the Rule of Faith of the Reformation even of the Church of England The Church of England says the Lutheran Doctrin of the Real Presence is not the Doctrin of Scripture that the Presbyterian Doctrin against Episcopacy is not the Doctrin of Scripture that the Anabaptist Doctrin against Infants Baptism is not of Scripture and yet you permit them all to live in Peace you Confess they are true Children of the Reformation though Dissenters from you why Because they follow Scripture as they understand it and this is our Rule of Faith And why will not you say the Belief and Life of that other Man is also of the Reformation though it may seem absurd to you since he believes and lives as he Judges by Scripture he may It follows therefore plainly that this is the Doctrine of the Reformation Ismael I confess our rule of Faith in the Reformation is Scripture as each person of sound Judgment understands it but you cannot doubt but that it 's needful to moderate and curb this Liberty or it may run too far for if every Man be licenced to believe and teach every thing he fancies to be according to Scripture as there is no Doctrine so execrable but some ignorant Reader may hit upon a Text which ill understood may seem to favour it so there will be none but may be believed and called the Doctrine of the Reformation for example Beza teaches and says it 's also the Doctrine of Calvin Sumaize and Geneve that the Lords Supper may be Lawfully administred in any kind of Victuals as well as in Bread and Wine in Eggs Flesh Fish c. Where there is no Bread and Wine says he we may duly celebrate if instead of them we use what we usually Eat and Drink And again in the same place If there be no water at hand and that Baptism cannot be with edification deferred I would Baptize in any other liquor Isaac And why should not it be lawful to any Reformed to believe this whereas it's Scripture as interpreted by a Man of so sound a Judgment but I do not in any wise like that Opinion of yours and of the Church of England that it 's convenient to limit and curb Men's Judgments lest they may run too far this is the policy of Rome They will not permit an arbitrary Interpretation of Scripture alledging forsooth for Inconveniency the multitude of absurd Doctrines which the World would swarm with if such a liberty were allowed No no far be it from any true reformed Child to mislike or blame that all People should interpret Scripture and believe what they judge by it to be true and if what they judge to be true should seem to you false and scandalous do not you believe it but let them believe it and they will be of the Reformation because they follow our rule of Faith. Ismael Luther Melancthon Musculus Ochinus Beza and others teach the lawfulness of Bigamy or Multiplicity of Wives and prove it with the example of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and Ochinus expounding the Text of St. Paul It behoveth a Bishop to be a Man of one Wife The Prohibition says he is not to be understood so that a Bishop should have but one Wife at a time for certainly he may have many but St. Pauls meaning is that he ought not to have too many Wives at a time that 's to say ten or twenty Isaac And will you deny this to be the Doctrine of the Reformation whereas it's Scripture as interpreted by Men of so eminent and sound a Judgment Ismael The Synod of Geneve and the Ecclesiastical Discipline of France printed at Saumure has decreed that a Wife whose Husband is a long time absent may have him called by the publick Cryer and if within a competent time he does not appear without any further Enquiry the Ministers may Licence her to marry any other or marry her himself Isaac I say all Women may practice this Doctrine without scruple or shame whereas it's Scripture as interpreted by that thrice holy Synod but let Seamen beware how they undertake long Voyages for fear their Wives may take other Husbands in their Absence Ismael Luther teaches it's lawful to a Wife if her Husband does not please her to call her Man-Servant or
her Neighbour which Doctrine they say is come to the Ears of our London Sisters and he gives the like Liberty to the Hubands if their Wives be pettish and humoursom If the Husband says he cannot correct the humoursomness of his Wife he may imagine she is Dead and may marry another because it 's not in the Power of a Man to live without a Woman nor in hers to live without a Man. Isaac This is Scripture as Interpreted by Luther and consequently must not be denied to be the Doctrine of the Reformation nor can any of our Reformation be justly punish'd or blam'd for practising it if he judges by Scripture it be true as Luther did for this is out Rule of Faith. But Luther never gave this Liberty but upon condition that the Husband or Wife should first make their Complaint before a Magistrate for to have a redress of their Injury and discontent but this condition seems too Combersome to the Modesty of our Sisters they do not submit to it but do themselves Justice without any address to the Magistrate I know also that not only Luther but Bucer Melancthon Ochinus Musculus and Calvin do teach that a Man who finds his Wife in Adultery may cast her off by Divorce and Marry another and our French Synods have ordered this Doctrine to be put in their Ecclesiastical Discipline so that it 's the Doctrine of Scripture as interpreted by these Persons of sound Judgment and consequently of the Reformation you may therefore believe and practise it our Sisters particularly our Ministers Wives were much alarm'd at this Doctrine and say it 's a damnable Heresie believe it as you please Ismael Does not Luther say it's impossible a young Man of 20 Years can live without a Woman or a young Maid of 18 Years without a Man whereby all Parents may believe their Daughters of that Age are defil'd if not preferr'd in due time sure you will not say this is the Doctrine of the Reformation Isaac And who doubts but that it 's the Reformed Doctrine Scripture as interpreted by so sound a Judgment the contrary Doctrine is also of the Reformation and you may believe it because our Glorious Queen Elizabeth dyed a Virgin and it 's credibly reported some few fellows of Oxford and Cambridge live continently Ismael But what do you think of a Child Christen'd in Popery by a Monk or a Fryar ought he to be Christen'd again in our Reformation And what if a Popish Priest or Fryar did become of our Reformed Church can he lawfully Marry whereas be made a Vow of Chastity Isaac As to the first Query it 's the Doctrin of the Reformation declared by many French Synods and recorded in their Ecclesiastical Discipline that he must be Christen'd again because the first Baptism was Null it 's also the Doctrin of the Reformation declared by the Church of England and many Synods of France that the first Baptism is sufficient and valid believe which you please It 's also the Doctrin of the Reformation that Infants Baptism is not at all needful nay nor Lawful say the Anabaptists so says Calvin Zuinglius Beza and many others it 's likewise the Doctrin of our 39 Articles and our holy Synod of London that Infants baptism is lawful and needful Believe which you like best both are of the Reformation As to the second Query it 's the Doctrin of the Reformation that Priests and Fryars are obliged to the vow of Chastity which they made in Popery and cannot Marry this is the Doctrin of many of our Brethren and particularly of Hooker Marloratus Budellus and Couel who say the Papists vows of Poverty Obedience and Chastity are commendable and ought to be kept You may also believe this is wicked Doctrin and that they may take Wives notwithstanding their vow of Chastity as well as Benefices notwithstanding their vow of Poverty believe which you please both Doctrines are of the Reformation but the best is to say they can Marry for if Marriage and Benefices were denied them no Priest or Fryar would ever embrace our Reformed Doctrin We know our great Zuinglius himself would not at all preach the Gospel unto the Switzers until that he presented a Petition for himself and his Companions all Priests and Fryars extant yet in his 1 Tom. pag. 110. and obtained the contents of it which was to have Wives Nor can we doubt this to be the best Doctrin whereas Luther Beza and almost all our Reformers were Priests and Fryars and the first step they gave in the Reformation was to Marry the Papists and some weak Brethren were much scandalized at Luther's Marriage and Erasmus his Raillery upon it was much solemnized Luther yesterday a Monk to day a Husband and next day a Father because that honest Kate Boren his virtuous Bride was happily delivered of a lovely Boy eight days after he Married her But the Servant of God did not regret the action which proves that he Judged by Scripture it was very lawful Fifth DIALOGUE ISMAEL You know I have been born and bred in our holy Reformation and a Church of England man you tell me I may believe this or that and whatever I please I would gladly settle once for ever and resolve what I may and ought to believe and not to be every day carried away with every wind of Doctrin let me to that purpose propose unto you and hear your resolution of some doubts What do you think have not we a Church on earth establisht by Christ wherein we are to live and serve him and believe her Doctrin Isaac I will give you no other instruction nor answer but the pure Doctrin of the Reformation which when you have heard you may determine as you like best what Religion to embrace but know this that after you have determin'd with your self to believe this or that you may with a very safe Conscience alter that resolution next day after and believe the quite contrary to what you resolve to believe if upon better consideration you think the contrary to be true this is the liberty of the Holy Reformation as I proved in my first Dialogue As to your present doubt I answer it 's the Doctrin of the Reformation that it was Jesus Christ the Son of God who establisht the Church you may believe it therefore It 's also the Doctrin of the Reformation that it was not Jesus Christ the Son of God who establisht the Church that this is the Doctrin of our Reformation it 's apparent for it's Scripture as Interpreted by Ochinus a man of sound Judgment whom all Italy could not match says Calvin In whose presence England was happy and unhappy in his absence says B. Bale Ochinus speaks thus Considering how the Church was establisht by Christ and washt with his Blood and considering again how it was utterly overthrown by Papacy I concluded that he who establisht it
can you say I beat you from all Religion when I directly perswade you to follow the Rule of Faith of our Reformation Scripture as each person of sound judgment understands it let this be your Religion if you will be a true Reformed whatever you judge in your conscience to be true let the Church of England or France or any other say and believe what they will you are to believe but what you judge by Scripture to be true and this is the Religion of the Reformation Ismael I would gladly know if it be lawful to chop or change the Text Isaac It 's the Doctrine of the Reformation that you cannot because God has forbid to add to or take away from his word and therefore we condemn the Papists for their Tradition obtruded upon the Flock as the Word of God It 's also the Doctrine of the Reformation and the practice of our best Reformers when the Text does not speak clear enough that for to refute Popery and establish our own Doctrine we may add or diminish a word or two which is not to change the Word of God but to make it speak more expresly as when Luther had a mind to prach Justification by Faith alone finding the Text said but Man is justified by Faith he added the word Alone and made the Text very clear against Popery which formerly was somewhat obscure Zuinglius being to teach the Figurative presence of Christ in the Sacrament found the Text This is my Body to be too pat against his Doctrine and instead of Is put in This signifieth The Church of England being to preach the Kings Spiritual Supremacy could not convince the obstinate Papist by the Original Text which said 1 Pet. 2. submit your selves unto every humane creature for the Lord's sake whether it be the King as excelling or to c. But in King Edwards time they altered one word and made the Text thus submit your selves to every Ordinance of Man whether it be to the King as being the chief head and the following impressions of the Bible in the year 1557. and 79. say To the King as supreame And so the true Doctrine is clearly convinc'd out of Scripture as also the lawfulness of Priests Marriage for the Text before the Reformation said 1 Cor. 9. have we not power to lead about a woman sister and now our Bibles say have we not power to lead about a Wife being our Sister hence it 's evident according to the Doctrine and practice of our Reformation that when you have a mind to establish a Doctrine which you judge to be true you may change the Text and make it speak to your sense and meaning provided you judge your sense to be true Ismael What do you think of Justifying Faith Does Faith alone justify us Isaac It 's the Doctrine of the Reformation that without charity it cannot because St. Paul says 1 Cor. 13. If I have Faith so as to move mountains and no Charity I am nothing It 's also the Doctrine of the Reformation that it is impious and wicked to say Faith alone without Charity does not justify this is Scipture as interpreted by Luther a man of sound judgment Who say quoth Luther that Faith alone though perfect it be cannot Justify without Charity say impiously and wicked because Faith alone without any good works doth justifie Believe which Doctrine you please both are of the Reformation Ismael Luther was insolent in checking the Doctrine of St. Paul. Isaac Probably he did not reflect that it was the Doctrine of the Apostle and if you will have it to be a Check of St. Paul Luther will answer for himself Be it says he that the Church Augustine or other Doctors also Peter and Paul nay and an Angel from Heaven should teach otherwise than as I teach yet my Doctrine is such that it seteth forth Gods Glory I know I teach no Humane but Divine Doctrine It 's the Doctrine of the Reformation that Faith alone without any good Works and notwithstanding all Sins you are Guilty of doth justifie you This is Scripture as Interpreted by Luther who says nothing can damn you but Incredulity as nothing but Faith can save you of Whitaker Wotton Fulk and Beza whose words I related in our precedent Dialogue which I believe you remember and I need not repeat It 's also the Doctrine of the Reformation that good Works are meritorious of Grace and Glory Hooker and Harmonia confess say it 's the Doctrine of Scripture and what any person of sound Judgment judges to be the Doctrine of Scripture he may believe it for this is our Rule of Faith. It 's likewise the Doctrine generally of all our Church that good Works are not at all meritorious Tindall called by Fox a Man of God and a constant Martyr judges this to be so true that in his Treatise de Mammona iniquitatis he says Christ himself did not by all his good Works merit the Glory And tho' the Scripture says expresly he did Calvin affirms that it 's a foolish curiosity to examine and a rash proposition to say Christ did Merit It 's the Doctrine of the Reformation that tho' good Works be not meritorious nor have not the least Influence in our Justification or Salvation yet they are absolutely needful for both in as much as that true Faith cannot be without good Works because they are the Marks and Signs of a living Faith by whch alone we are Saved this is the Judgment of the Church of England expressed in the 11 and 12 Articles of the 39 and of Melancthon in locis Commun de Bonis operibus and you may believe it You may also believe and it 's the Doctrine of the Reformation that good Works are so far from being needful that they are prejudicious and hurtful to our Salvation and the best way to be Saved is to do no good Work at all this is Scripture as Interpreted by Illiricus Flacius Amsdorsius quoted in Act. Colloq Aldeburg pag. 205. and 299. and Luther was so deeply perswaded of this truth tho that Christ said If thou wilt enter into the Kingdom of Heaven keep the Commandment Luther says it 's an obstacle to our Salvation to keep them Where it is said quoth he that Faith in Christ doth indeed justify us but that it is necessary also to keep the Commandments there Christ is denyed and Faith abolish'd because that which is proper to Faith alone is attributed if the Commandments And again says he if Faith be accompanied with good Works it 's no true Faith that it may justify it must be alone without any good Works This is Scripture as interpreted by such eminent and sound Men and consequently the Doctrine of the Reformation and who doubts but that any Doctrine of the Reformation may be believed Hence forward when you hear the Preacher exhort you to good Works you may believe him if you please