doe set upon the Minster again and do accuse him saying Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother yea thou hast slandred thine own Mothers Sonne ANSWER If you were not a man of a corrupt minde you would never I feare me vent such stuffe as this do you not tremble are you not afraid to dally thus with the word of God They are likened by some you say to women scoulding and accusing one another And with whom I pray should the Minister scould or who is it that he should accuse if at any time he should chance to read thus to the people alone I hope you would shrink out and be none of his auditors for feare he should scould with you accuse you for consenting with a thief note you for a partaker with adulterers a speaker against thy brother or tell thee that thou hast slandred thine own Mothers sonne away therefore with such impious cavils and dally not thus with the word of God These scoffes are fitter for Pagans then for Christians especially if they consider how dangerous a thing it is to sport themselves with holy things Be not angry Man for I do but reprove thee and set before thee the things that thou hast done I retort with as much patience as I can no more then what your selfe hath cast abroad Others make points and you take in hand to tag them But alasse we have more much like this a little after which as I meet it shall be answered DIALOGUE Gent. I remember that in the Churching of women the Minister is called Priest tell me I pray you is that a fit name for a Minister and Preacher of the Gospel Min. No verily For we read in Gods word of no more orders of Priests but of two the order of Aaron and the order of Melchisedech Of the order of Aaron were the Leviticall Priests whose office was to offer sacrifices which together with the Sacrifices was abolished in Christ his death Of the order of Melchisedech was Christ only and shall remaine Priest for ever A third order of Priests is to be found no where but in the Masse-book and in our Service-book The name Priest belongeth to every Christian man and woman as well as to the Minister according as it is written Revel 1.6 That Christ hath made us Kings and Priests unto God The meaning is that Christ hath made all the Elect men and women Priests to offer the sacrifices of prayse and of thankes unto God ANSWER The Minister is called Priest and why not I hope you know for you have noted it that all true Christians are called Priests and so Saint Peter as well as Saint John declareth it 1 Pet. 2.5 Revel 5.10 and therefore the Minister in particular may much more be called by that name although he offer none of those Sacrifices which were abolished by Christ nor intend the upholding of the Popish Masse with the blasphemous figments which are there else we condemn the Primitive Church of God in which this name which you here would quarrell with was of frequent use as you cannot but know if you know any thing of the ancient times The Prophet Esay doth * Chapt. 61.6 in one place say the same of Christians in generall which even Saint Peter and Saint John have written and in * Chapt. 66.21 another place declareth that God will choose some from among them to be Priests and Levites which though it be but an allusion doth denote a Priest-hood still and this to confist of an imparity as well as of old among the Jewes Besides were it so that the Minister might not be called Priest no more then any other Christian because the Scripture saith of every Christian man and woman Yee are an holy Priest-hood are made Kings and Priests unto God Then would it sollow first that none in particular should be a King And secondly that neither might any among the Jews have been a publike Priest or called by that name because the same which was said to Christians was also said to them when out of the Mount God sent them his message by his servant Moses Yee have seen saith the Lord what I did unto the Aegyptians and how I bare you on Eagles wings and brought you unto my selfe Now therefore if yee will obey my voice indeed and keep my Covenant then yee shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people for all the earth is mine And yee shall be unto me a kingdome of Priests and an holy Nation Exod. 19.4,5,6 It is also warranted by that of Saint Paul in Hebr. 7.12 where if you mark it you shall finde that Priesthood is not taken away but translated or changed onely and so also Irenaeus saith lib. 4. c. 34. And as for the testimonies out of the other Fathers they are so common as I need not mention them only let me say that you may finde the name both of Priest and Priest-hood in the writings of Ignatius that Martyr already mentioned who as you know was scholler to Saint John that wrote the Revelation This strife of words you should therefore carefully avoid it doth but disquiet unstable soules Grant then that name without quarrelling to him which the Scripture not onely gives to every true member of the Church but foretold it in some sort of even the Evangelicall Ministers in more particular where though the Prophet mentions Levites also who were properly so called in regard of their tribe yet as is probable enough he means not that therefore the name of Priest should not be used no more then that of Levite for except those Priests to which he alludeth had had their name only in respect of such Sacrifices as then were offered and to be ended at the death of Christ and not in regard also of other duties which are common to us and them which neither are nor may be abolished I see no reason to think otherwise To teach and blesse the people were the services of the Priests both before the Law and under the Law as well as now Melchisedech was a Priest before the Law and blessed Abraham to whom also Abraham paid his Tythes Gen. 14.19,20 Nor was it but said to Aaron and his sonnes under the Law That they should teach the sonnes of Israel all the Statutes which the Lord hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses Levit. 10.11 and in Malachy it stands recorded The priests lips should keep knowledge and they should seek the Law at his mouth for he is the Messenger of the Lord of hosts Malach. 2.7 and in Ezekiel They shall teach my people the difference between the holy and prophane ch 44.23 and in 6 Num. the 6 last verses The Lord spake unto Moses saying speak unto Aaron and to his sonnes saying On this wise yee shall blesse the children of Israel saying unto them The Lord blesse thee and keep thee The Lord make his face shine upon thee and be gratious unto the The Lord lift
are those words of our Saviour Christ to be understood in Luk. 14.26 where he saith that If any man come to me and hate not his Father and Mother c. he cannot be my Disciple Thus our Saviour Now we know that a man is bound to honour his Father and Mother to love them and not to hate them and yet he that shall love either Father or Mother more then Christ is not worthy of Christ Matth. 10.37 And thus doth one place explain another But howsoever the meaning be that what you mention is not to be referred precisely to the particular persons of Jacob and Esau whereupon you loose that you strive for is plain enough First because Gods Oracle to Rebecca was concerning two Nations Gen. 25.23 where the words be these And the Lord said unto her two Nations are in thy womb and two manner of peâ—ple shall be separated from thy bowels and the one people shall be stronger then the other people and the elder shall serve the younger Duae gentes nen in seipsis sed in suis patribus secundum Prophetiam quoque ipsius Isaac quando Minorom pro Majore benedixit And secondly because the Prophet Malachy declares the same nay he shews the accomplishment thereof in the Israelites and Edomites the one whereof were discended of Jacob the other of Esau Malach. chap. 1. The Paraphrase whereof is as followeth Ecce populus Israeliticus ex Jacobo oriundus populus iste est quem singulariter dilexit Deus quippe cui ex merâ—… dilectiâ—…e gratia terram promâ—ssam melle lacte fluentem Abrahamo Isaaco olim promissam velut haereditatem possidendam dedit Populus verò Edomeus ex Esau progenitus populus iste est quem Deus amore isto singulari complecti favore tam prolixo adficere noluit quippe cui horrida inculta loea montes Seir vastos saxosis desertosque cum fertili ista terra promissa miniâ—… conserendos habitandos dedit ut servilis borum filialis istorum conditio juxta praegressum de illorum capitibus or aculum clare elucesceret And was it not that out of both these Saint Paul cited that which you have aymed at and in Saint Pauls Epistles are some things hard to be understood as Saint Peter tels us 2 Pet. 3.16 Wherefore let me advise you not to be rash in citing from thence things hard to be understood nor come with things obscure against what is elsewhere plain and manifest for then you will neither benefit your self nor truly instruct others The elder shall serve the younger understand that not of the persons of Esau and Jacob for Esau never served Jacob but of the two * Major populus serviet Minori id est Primogenitus populus haeres non trit terrae Canaan sed secundogenitus Propositum enim Dei erat vocare semen quos quales vult Nations which were to come of them as the words of God declare which said not to Rebecca Two men but two Nations are in thy womb And then whereas the Apostle presently subjoyneth Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated it is not to be taken as if it were spoken before the children were born as was the former Oracle for this was said many ages after by the Prophet Malachy and spoken likewise not of two men but of two people as in the said Prophet is apparent Besides the very phrase of speech declareth that this was not as the other spoken before the Children were born for then it had not been in the Preterperfect but in the Future tense So that all the reference which this can have unto the former is but to shew how Gods purpose took effect in preferring the Nations which came of Jacob before the people which came of Esau which he terms love and hatred and is found to be so in the sence already mentioned But whereto serve those examples if they be not to shew that God irrespectively decreed to save the persons of some of them in particular and absolutely in particular according to the Councell of his will to damn the others Verily he that shall read the Scriptures and find it * Ezek. 18 32. ch 33.11 1 Tim 2.4 2 Pet 3.9 written that God would not the death of him that dyech would have all to be saved and is not willing that any one should perish will scarce be perswaded that God hath absolutely decreed any mans damnation I answer therefore Gods love to mankinde is such that not only is the promise of Grace Universall but also free and taken by Faith alone insomuch that the Apostle to the Romans plainly excludes all prerogative of the flesh and merit of workes and concludes that every one who believes shall not be ashamed For there is no difference between the Jew and the Gentile For he that is Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him And hereto serve those famous Types and Heads of Nations which he propoundeth when he brings in the sonnes of Abraham and of Isaac already mentioned which types as Hemmingius speaketh Hemming Syntagm capit De Praedestinat sect 32. are to be fitted after this manner viz. that in certain commodities belonging to this life all which are born of the seed of Abraham and Isaac are not reckoned for their sonnes Much lesse in things spirituall are they accounted as sons who draw their originall from those holy Fathers Wherefore even as in profits and priviledges belonging to this life they only are reputed the sonnes of whom the holy Patriarchs had the promises So in things Spirituall they only are to be reckoned as sons of Abraham whose faith is in the free promise and not those who exult and swell by reason of the Prerogative of the flesh as did the carnall Jews whose rejection he sheweth to be just notwithstanding they could say we have Abraham to our Father * Similiter nunc propositum hoc Dei manet quo Judaeos legem praefracte sectari volentes licet illi praeferri debere videantur Gentilibus semen vocare non vult sed omnes solos eos sive Judaei sunt qui Evangelio filii ejus credunt et si hi illis deteriores indigniores esse videantur DIALOGUE Gent. This errour you say is in the Rubrick what is in the Chatechisme Min. In the Catechism it is affirmed that Christ hath redeemed all Mankind The truth is that Christ came into the world not to redeem all Mankind but the Elect only therefore the Evangelist Saint Luke setting forth the Genealogy of Christ beginneth from Joseph and ascendeth to Adam and from Adam doth descend to Sheth who was the first of Elect that was born after the death of Abel and maketh no mention of Cain nor of any of his posterity And Saint Matthew beginning from Abraham and from Abraham descendeth to Isaac and from Isaac to Jacob and maketh no mention of Ishmael nor of Esau nor of any that
the Tench is commonly called the Phisitian of other fishes And although I want leisure to search further yet on the suddaine this I find That the fat of fresh river fishes molten and mingled with oyle and hony are of great excellency for the clearenesse of the eyes and if the fat of some fishes why not of some their gall I conclude therefore that more happy is hee who by his paines and industry can find out the causes of things than he who is so singular as to account all fables but his owne fancies DIALOGUE Minist On the thirtieth of September another lying fable is appointed to be read of an Angell that was sent to scale the whitenesse from his eyes and to give Sara the daughter of Raguel to his son Tobias in marriage and to bind Asmodeus an evill spirit that was in love with her and had killed seven men that had bin married unto her ANSWER You care little for method I see September else had beene before October But to let that passe and come to the matter in hand Though I thinke no man bound to beleeve any further of this which you tearme another lying fable than himselfe pleaseth yet this is certaine that the Scriptures themselves declare how the Angels are sent on Gods arrants and have sometimes appeared not onely to punish the wicked but also to do good offices for the godly as when Lot was led out of Sodom two Angels came unto him and left him not untill they had set him in safety Nor was the Poole of Bethesda but moved by an Angell after which motion hee that first stepped in was healed of whatsoever infirmitie he had The Scriptures also mention that the Angels are all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heires of salvation Hebr. 1.14 and that the good Angels sometimes fight against the bad Revel 12.7 and that they pitch their tents round about those that feare God Psalm 34.7 The Scriptures saith Saint Austin Aug de civit Dei â—…b 15. c. 23 plainely averre that the Angels have appeared both in visible and palpable figures Which saying of his is verified even by that already mentioned concerning the Angels which came to Lot at Sodom for Lot saw them in the likenesse of men talked with them and had tryall of the palpablenesse of their bodies even when they put forth their hands and pulled him into the house if not also when they led him out of the Citie An Angell of the Lord appeared likewise unto Gideon in the likenesse of a man with a staffe in his hand Judges 6.21 And how Manoah and his wife were instructed by an Angell concerning the birth and education of their sonne Sampson is recorded in the thirteenth chap. of the same booke of Scripture By all which it appeareth that there is no absolute necessitie that this which you mention should be therefore fabulous because an Angell was sent among them For the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Nuncius in Latine as you know and that in English is a Messenger It comes from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is Mitto To send and therefore the word Angell is no name of Nature but of Ministery or Office as is observed by the Fathers And as for that which is next of the evill spirit being in love with the daughter of Raguel I finde in the writings of some Authours that which I am sure is nothing against it And first of all I shall mention that which is certaine namely that some both places and persons have beene haunted by evill spirits and therefore it is not altogether improbable to think some such thing of Saras bed and Chamber The more unlikely is that the evill spirit should have liberty to kill her seven Husbands and yet wee know that the Devill hath had leave sometimes to doe the like as in that * See also Psal 78.49 example of Iobs servants and his children recorded in the first Chapter of the booke of Iob is plainely manifest But the most unlike is that this evill spirit should bee in love a thing which comes something neere to that interpretation which Lactantius gives Lact. lib. 2. cap. 15. of the Sonnes of God and the daughters of Men in Genesis the sixt the second namely that they should take them Wives have carnall action with them and by that meanes bee kept out of Heaven and cast to the Earth who thereupon became agents and officers for the devill and his angels who were fallen long before Now against this Saint Austin comes with a firme beliefe for though he seemes to yeeld rather than deny some such thing concerning Devils as I shall afterwards mention yet he firmely beleeves the contrary concerning Gods Angels And as for devills Michael Psellus affirmeth out of one Marke a great Daemonist that the watery and earthly Devils have such bodies as are nourished like spunges with attraction of humour affirming also that they have certaine genitours cast forth sperme and produce by which I think he meanes the Fairies diverse little creatures The Aegyptians say that the devils can only accompany carnally with Women and not with Men. Plutarch goeth further and saith That the Fables of the Gods signified some things that the Devils had done in the old time And there are saith Ludovicus Vives Com. in Aug. De civit Dei lib. 15. c. 23. a people at this day which glory that their discents are from the Devills who accompanied with Women in Mens shapes and with Men in Womens Whereto agreeth that which is reported of Merlin that hee was begotten of a spirit Nor is it but a generall report and averred by many either from their owne tryall or from others that are of indubitable honestie and credit as saith Saint Austin that the Sylvanes and Faunes commonly called Incubi have often injured Women desiring and acting carnally with them And that certaine Devills whom the Frenchmen call Dusies do continually practise this uncleannesse and tempt others to it is affirmed by such persons and with such confidence that it were impudence as saith the same Father to deny it See August De Civitate Dei lib. 15. cap. 23. Much more concerning this may be read in Burtons Melancholy which relations whether they be true or false is not much materiall or suppose them false yet can they make nothing against us it due regard be had to that allowance which Our Church gives to these Bookes Apocrypha DIALOGUE Minist On the first of October another lying fable is appointed to bee read how Tobie being about to send his Sonne Tobias to Rages in Media for a Wife did bid him goe and looke for a man to goe with him and that he went and found an Angell and brought him to his Father who promised to give the Angell wages and agreed with him what he should have by the day and sent him with his sonne and his dog ANSWER Had old Tobie knowne
up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel and I will blesse them All which is still done by the Ministers of the Gospell they blesse they teach they instruct they rebuke they reprove they exhort they consecrate the Bread and Wine to holy uses they offer up the Prayers of the people nay more they do as it were offer Christ in a Mystery and sacrifice him objectively by way of commemoration In which we differ farre from the Church of Rome for the Romish Church professeth the Body and Blood of Christ to be the proper subject we nay but the proper object of our Celebration We take then a Priest and Presbiter now to be all one and list not to quarrell any longer about the word For should we descend to Grammer we are told as much as comes fully home namely that the word Priest hath his right place in him whose meer function and charge is the service of God Whereunto let me only adde that which I find in Bishop Jewell We know saith he that the Priest or Minister of the Church of God is divided from the rest of his brethren as was the tribe of Levi from the children of Israel and hath a speciall office over the people Neither may any man force himself into that office without lawfull calling But as touching the inward Priest-hood and the exercise of the soule we say even as Saint Peter and Saint John and Tertullian have said in this sence every faithfull Christian man is a Priest and offereth to God Spirituall Sacrifices In this only sence I say and none otherwise Thus he granting that there is a Priest-hood internall and a Priest-hood externall For saith he there is not one of us that ever taught otherwise See this in his Defence of the Apology for the Church of England Part 2. pag. 130. DIALOGUE Gent. What do you think of the Priest and Clark when they do Church a woman Min. I will not tell you what I think but I will tell you what some doe say Gent. What do they say Min. They say that the Priest is like a witch Gent. Why doe they say that the Priest is like to a witch Min. Because he doth as a witch doth when she saith the Lords Prayer Gent. What doth a witch when she saith the Lords Prayer Min. She leaves out these words but deliver us from evill and so doth the Priest when he doth Church a woman Gent. Why will not a witch say these words Min. Because the Devill will not let her till she hath bewitched so many as he would have her For by the evill that is prayed against in that petition is meant the Devill and the sinne whereunto he tempteth therefore the Devill will not have her to say these words because when she saith them she prayeth that God will deliver her from him and the witchery whereunto he tempteth her ANSWER This is a cavill scarce worth the answering for it is most certain that the evill which you speak of is prayed against The most therefore which you could urge fairely is no more but this viz. That the order in saying that Prayer had been better without an answer interposed then by the interposing of one in which I think you should have met with few or none to quarrell you But to speak so basely and in such unbeseeming manner as you have done serves as a figne to shew with what a malignant spirit you wrote these things who do rather play the witch your selfe by speaking perverse words to draw away disciples after you then justly accuse the Priest in these your vain janglings But it is as Saint Paul gave notice a great while since when he called the Elders of Ephesus together as we read in the twentieth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles at the 30 verse DIALOGUE Min. The Priest doth also skip over the conclusion of the Lords Prayer for thine is the kingdome power and glory and therein also they say that he is like to a witch when she doth say the Creed for when she saith the second Article And in Jesus Christ his onely sonne she skips over these words Our Lord and so doth the Priest slip over the conclusion of the Lords Prayer Gent. Saint Luke leaves it out and therefore the Priest may leave them out Luk. 11.4 Min. It followeth not that therefore the Minister may leave them out for Saint Luke did not write any thing of himselfe but what the holy Ghost would have him to write Gent. Why would not the holy Ghost have him to write them Min. Because it was sufficient that Saint Mathew had writ them Math. 6.13 ANSWER Here you shew us still more of your skill in witchery and tell us of the Priests skipping over the conclusion of the Lords Prayer And indeed if there were not some President for it in Scripture it might not be But there is president for it in Luke 11.4 although you be pleased to passe it over with a non sequitur And yet for all that it may follow well enough For whereas it seemed good to the holy Ghost in one Evangelist to adde the Doxologie and in another to omit it the Church is blamelesse and may indifferently follow either the one or the other seeing both of them wrote by inspiration For who knows except you who know any thing whether it were the purpose of the holy Ghost to have Saint Luke omit it because Saint Matthew had recorded it and not rather to shew that it was a compleat Prayer at the end of the petitions although the reason of the petitions be not mentioned where the Doxology is omitted It is well then to repeat those words of the conclusion and not ill although they be not alwaies mentioned for our Church in so doing hath the pattern not only of all the Latine and some of the Greek Fathers but even of Saint Luke himself Quando dicimus libera nos à malo nihil remanet quod ultra adhuc debeat postulari as saith Saint Cyprian Cypr. de Orat. Dominic that is When we say Deliver from evill there remains nothing more to be prayed for DIALOGUE Gent. Some doe think because Saint Mark and Saint John doe make no mention of the Lords Prayer that therefore the Minister may omit the reading of it and that because the Evangelists and the Apostles did not use to say it as a Prayer therefore none neither Minister nor people ought to use it as a Prayer Min. The truth is that our Saviour Christ did make it for all Christians to use as a prayer and also for a pattern to pray by Gent. Where doe you finde that our Saviour Christ would have it used as a Prayer Min. In the 11 chapter of the Gospell written by Saint Luke and the second verse where it is written that our Saviour said When you pray say Our Father which c. Gent. Where doe
any receive his mark on the forehead and on the hand he shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God therefore some do keep their children unbaptized rather then have them marked with the mark of the beast ANSWER By that figne made on our foreheads is intented that we should be put in remembrance of that Christian warfare which every one baptized is to enter into and to continue in unto the end if he will be saved See Rom. 8.13 1 Tim. 6.1 Revel 2.10,11 chap. 21.7,8 So that we are not signed with the signe of the crosse in token of any superstitious matter but of a matter most necessary For though we walk in the flesh we do not warre after the flesh but are commanded to fight the good fight of Faith to endure hardnesse as a good souldier of Jesus Christ to be strong in the Lord and in power of his might to put on the whole armour of God whereby we may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devill and are taught not to glory save in the crosse of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto us and we unto the world nor is it but written that Michael and his Angels fight against the Dragon and his Angels Revel 12.7 And therefore we are to acquit our selves like men and must confesse the Faith of Christ crucified and must take unto us the whole armour of God whereby we may be able to withstand in the evill day and having done all to stand Eph. 6.13 Galat. 6.14 1 Tim. 6.12 2 Tim. 2.3 c. Now all these are main Christian duties and who so unfainedly endeavoureth to keep them needs not in any wise be offended at the signe used to put him in minde of them but will rather thank God that he is born in such a Church where not only the true Christian life is taught by tongue and pen but is also signified by some ceremony for ones more remembrance of the same The Israelites had their fringes on the borders of their garments with a ribban of blew that looking thereupon they might remember all the Commandements of the Lord Num. 15.38,39 Nor hath the Christian Church but power to appoint Ceremonies though the particulars be not as directly specified as was that to them of Israel for which we have a text in 1 Cor. 14.40 Shee therefore useth this godly Ceremony of signing with the signe of the Crosse for a good signification and transgresseth not no more then those in the daies of Joshua who built an Altar for which they had no command in the Law of Moses in regard they did it as do we for a good signification See Josh 22.22 And whereas you tell us of the mark of the Beast The mark of the Beast is surely one thing and the signe of the Crosse another They are threatned with damnation which receive the mark of the Beast But is an Infant therefore damned because he reciveth at anothers hand the sign of the Crosse upon his forehead and is no agent in it himself nor able to know either what 's done or threatned You shew your selfe a proper Divine I promise you and would broach such an inequality in the wayes of God as is utterly condemned in his holy word The soule saith the Lord that sinneth it shall dy the Sonne shall not bear the iniquity of the Father neither shall the Father bear the iniquity of the Sonne the righteousnesse of the righteous shall be upon him and the wickednesse of the wicked shall be upon him Ezek. 18.20 which if it make not against you let your self be judge Besides as we are free enough from receiving any mark on the hand at Confirmation so are we as able to shew that the signe of the Crosse was in use before the Beast that should impose it was born yea even whilest the Bishops of Rome were glorious Martyrs and the Church of God under the troubles of the persecuting Emperours witnesse those proofs which are brought out of Tertullian Origen and Cyprian by the learned to shew that they used it In immortali lavacro in the immortall laver See Tertull. lib. de resur Carnis Cypr. Epist 56. Jeu lib. 4. Epist 6. lib. de Lapsis sub init lib. ad Demetrianum In the first of which quotations out of Cyprian the said Father councelleth that the forehead be garded that thereby the signe of God may be kept in safety and in the second he speaks of the same signe upon the forehead and in the third he saith that by this Sacrament viz. Baptisme and signe we are enrolled Nor doth Bishop Jewell but grant that the signe of the Crosse among the Christians was had in great regard Neither when the Papists charge us with Novelties can you better know how to answer their objection then truly to tell them that their abuses are new but the things which they abused we retain in their primitive use and forsake only the novell corruption and for as much as this Ceremony was abused as is confessed in time of Popery it doth plainly imply that it was well used before Popery as King James of blessed memory hath very worthily affirmed in the conference holden at Hampton Court DIALOGUE Gent. What fault do they finde with the Prayers that are made at the administration of Baptisme Min. They finde fault with the Popish errors that are in them as in the first Prayer before Baptisme it is written that God hath sanctified the flood Jordan and all other waters to the my stycall washing away of sinne The truth is that there is no mysticall washing away of sin in water but a true and reall washing away of sin in the blood of Christ 1 Joh. 1.7 The water in Baptisme doth but signifie that as foul things are washed and made clean in water so the souls of the Elect defiled with sin are made clean in the blood of Christ 1 Joh. 1.7 ANSWER You come now to finde fault with the Prayers that are made at the adminstration of baptisme and to pick some holes in their popish coats for in your esteem they want not their popish errors But shall I tell you Saint Austin speaks in the same language that you mention to be in the first Prayer before baptisme else he had never said in his 29 Sermon Detempore That Christ in the waters of Jordan consecrated the waters for the reparation of humane kinde under baptisme And a little after Et quia saith he per universum mundum sacramentum Baptismi humano generi opus erat omnibus aquis benedictionem dedit quando in Jordanis alveum unica ac singulari piet ate descendit Tunc enim Christum Dominum non tam lavit undo quam lota est That is And because saith he the Sacrament of Baptisme was needfull for mankinde throughout the whole world he gave a blessing to all waters when in his only and fingular piety he descended into the river
came of them Also our Saviour Christ saith that he gave his life a ransome for many Matth. 20.28 and that his blood was shed for many Matth. 26.28 He doth not say that his blood was shed for all mankind but for many that is for the Elect only who are many though but few in comparison of the multitude that are Reprobates ANSWER When our Church teacheth her Children to say I believe in God the sonne who hath redeemed me and all mankinde she hath respect to the ample latitude of the merit of Redemption wrought by Jesus Christ which is such and so large as that it extends it selfe to all it excludes none but hath satisfied Justice and made a way for all men to attain unto mercy For if God be not willing that any one should perish as Saint Peter speaketh 2 Pet. 2.9 but that all men should be saved as Saint Paul to Timothy declareth 1 Tim. 2.4 then surely the Son of God who came to seek and to save that which was lost and to do the will of his Father laid down his life in common for all that thereby a way might be made for all to attain unto mercy Christ indeed gave his life for his sheep and laid it down for his friends but not for them only For He is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for ours only but for the sins of the whole world 1 Joh. 2.2 And well might he say he gave his life a ransome for many and that his blood was shed for many who shed his blood for all and gave himselfe a ransome for all 1 Tim. 2.6 Nor do we but read that Judas was one of them to whom Christ said My blood is shed for you Luk. 22.20 and yet Judas was a Reprobate To which agreeth that of Saint Peter concerning some who should bring in privily damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2.1 And again saith another scripture Of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despite to the spirit of Grace Hebr. 10.29 And in the second chapter of the same Epistle the Apostle saith expresly Heb. 2.9 But we see Jesus who was made a little lower then the Angels for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man And again The Lord saith the Prophet hath laid on him the iniquity of us all Esa 53.6 And I saith Christ if I be lifted up from the Earth will draw all men unto me Joh. 12.32 And in the 2 Corinth 5.14 Christ dyed for all And in Tit. 2.11 The grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men And in Rom. 5.18 As by the offence of one judgement came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousnesse of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life as our common translation reads it And will you notwithstanding all this deny that the price paid by Christ was not paid for all nor made for all The truth is that it hath not been beneficiall to all and in that respect our Saviours words are manifest that he shed his blood for many And so the Apostle likewise meaneth expresly declaring that we trust in the living God who is she Saviour of all men specially of those that beleeve 1 Tim. 4.10 you see then that God excludes none but those that exclude themselves by unbeliefe For though Christ hath not gained all yet neverthelesse he hath dyed for all as Chrysost speaketh Chrysost in Rom. 14. He hath done that which was his part to do if therefore others will not doe that which is theirs they must notwithstanding Christs death be damned Ideo passus est ut tolleret peecatum Mundi Si quis autem in Christum non credit generali beneficio ipse se frodat ut siquis clausis fenestris radios solis excludat saith Saint Ambrose Ambr. Serm. 8. in Psal 118. That is Christ therefore suffered that he might take away the sinne of the world But if any one believe not in Christ he defrauds himself of that generall benefit as any one by having his windows shut excludes the light of the Sunne In medio Temple misericordia est non in angulo aut diversorio In communi posita est offertur omnibus nemo illius expers nisi qui renuit as saith Saint Bernard Bern. Serm. in purif pag. 101. which is as if he should say Although Christs merits are common to all and that he keeps open house to all commers yet those only have full benefit by them that lay hold upon him God loved the World indeed when he gave his only begotten sonne howbeit they only shall not perish but have life everlasting who believe on him Joh. 3.16 So then that Christs precious blood hath greater efficacy or force in some then in others is not the fault of him who did so well impart it but of them who do so ill imploy it And so all this while no errour in our Common Catechisme DIALOGUE Min. It is also affirmed in the Catechisme that we are made the Children of God in Baptisme The truth is that whosoever is not a childe of God before he be baptized shall never be a childe of God because all that are the children of God were before the world was made the children of God by virtue of Gods eternall decree of Election ANSWER This is answered before and therefore to avoid prolixity and repetition I shall justly passe it over DIALOGUE Min. It also affirmeth that there are two Sacraments generally as necessary to salvation intimating that the Sacraments are necessary to salvation so as if a childe dye before he be baptized be shall be damned which is the cause that Midwives do take upon them to Baptize Intimating also that there are more Sacraments then two therefore it is written in the Rubrick * You would say after if you cared to relate things aright before the Communion that every Parishioner shall communicate thrice in the year and also receive the Sacraments meaning the five Popish Sacraments For there are none other ANSWER We teach indeed that Christ hath ordained in his Church two Sacraments only as generally necessary to Salvation viz. Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord and will you be he that shall blame us for it These two are said by the Ancients to flow out of Christs side when hanging upon the Crosse for us the souldier with his speare let out from thence Water and Blood Joh. 19.34 It is therefore said that This is he that came by Water and Blood even Jesus Christ not by Water only but by Water and Blood 1 Joh. 5.6 And will you be he which shall not grant these two legitimate and true