Father Yes We have the Nicene Creed made by the Fathers of the Nicene Councel the Creed of Athanasius and that which is commonly call'd the Apostles Creed which ought throughly to be believed for they may be proved by most certain Warrants of holy Scripture as our Church declares Art 8. Child But do these Creeds contain the true Christian Catholick Faith Father Yes They contain all necessary points in Religion to be believ'd and have therefore been call'd the Key and Rule of Faith and the Church never knew any other Creed or confession of Faith for many hundred years Child Is this the Faith which I must profess and seal with my Blood if I be called to it Father Yes Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me in Faith and Love which is in Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 1.13 Hence Athanasius thus concludes This is the Catholick Faith which except a man believe faithfully he cannot be saved Child But do not the Papists own these three Creeds as well as we Father They do own them as part of the Christian Faith though they little regard them but not as the whole Christian Faith Child Have they any other Creed or Profession of the Faith Father Yes The decrees of their Popes and the Canons of their late Popish Councels they hold to be Articles of Faith but especially they own and maintain the new Creed made by the Councel of Trent and confirmed by Pope Pius the fourth in the year 1564. Child Is it lawful Sir to make a new Creed Father No in no wise Though we saith St. Paul or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed Gal. 1.8 Child I perceive by what you have spoken that notwithstanding the Papists talk of the old Religion they have made a new Creed and brought in a new Religion and that we are call'd Protestants because we protest against it Father You conclude very well and that you may be confirmed and strengthened in the true Faith I will shew you the Trent Creed and give you some short Observations upon it First I most firmly receive and embrace the Apostolical and Ecclesiastical Traditions and all other Customs and Constitutions of the same Church Child What be those Traditions and Customs of the Church Father Truly Child I know not neither do they themselves neither will they tell us what they be but when they can make no proof for a Doctrine out of the Word of God they say 't is a Tradition and yet this Christ condemns in the Jews Mark 7.7 9. In vain do they worship me teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of men full well ye reject the Commandments of God that you may keep your own Traditions Child If this be the first Article of their new Creed they begin well for as far as I can understand the real Sense and Import thereof is I believe in the Pope for whatsoever he says is a Tradition must be believ'd I pray Sir what is the second Father The second Article is I admit the holy Scripture in that sense which the holy Mother-Church hath held and holdeth to whom it belongs to judge of the true Sense and Interpretation of the holy Scriptures nor will I ever receive or interpret them but according to the unanimous Consent of the Fathers Child Here is a form of receiving the Scriptures but I perceive it must be in such Tenor and Sense as the Fathers admit that is I suppose the Pope and his Council But do they suffer the People to read the Scriptures Father No Child they dare not do it they know that would destroy Popery Root and Branch and yet Christ says Search the Scriptures for in them you think you have eternal Life and they are they which testifie of me John 5.39 And the Bereans are commended and said to be nobler than those in Thessalonica in that they received the word with all Readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so Acts 17.11 12. Child But since they keep the power of Interpretation methinks they might suffer People to read the Scriptures with their Glosses upon it Father No Child they dare not for they would quickly find their Glosses to be false the Scripture is so plain teaching us that no Prophecy of the Scripture is of any private Interpretation for the Prophecy came not in old time by the Will of Man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.20 Child But are all things necessary to Salvation plainly to be found in Scripture Father Yes The testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the Simple Psal 19.8 9. Thy word is a Lamp unto my Feet and a Light unto my Path. Psal 119.108 From a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto Salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 Child You have said enough to this I pray God set it home to my Heart I pray Sir proceed to the third Article Father The third Article is I profess also that there are 7 true and proper Sacraments of the new Law instituted by Jesus Christ our Lord for the Salvation of Mankind although all are not necessary to each one to wit Order Baptism Confirmation Eucharist Pennance extream Unction Matrimony and those all give Grace and of these Baptism Confirmation and Order cannot be reiterated without Sacriledge Child Did Jesus Christ appoint these Seven Sacraments Father No some of them had their being before and some after Christ's time only Baptism and the Eucharist or Lords Supper were instituted immediately by Christ received their Forms from him and flowed out of his wounded side whence it cometh that Water is the matter of Baptism and Bread and Wine of the Lords Supper Child I observe that they make Matrimony a Sacrament and say it gives Grace and yet I have heard that they will not suffer their Priests to marry Is that true Father Yes 'T is true they do so but 't is contrary to the word of God for we read 1 Tim. 3.2 A Bishop must be blameless the Husband of one Wife having his Children in Subjection Child I pray Sir what is the fourth Article Father I also receive and admit all received and approved Rights of the Catholick Church in the solemn Administrations of all the abovesaid Sacraments Child I pray Sir what are those approved Rights Father The vain Superstitions and idolatrous Rites of the Church of Rome in the Administration of the Sacraments are so many that they cannot easily be numbred However some of the Principal that are in my mind I shall discover to you In Baptism they conjure the Devil out of the Child they use many Crossings and besides Water they use Chrisme or Cream Salt and the Priests Spittle In the Eucharist after the words of Consecration they elevate the Hoast as they call it that is the consecrated Wafer
implies Contradictions very many to the Belief of which no Faith can oblige us and which no reason can endure Child I pray Sir what do they teach concerning the Cup Father That you shall see in the Article which runs thus I confess also that whole and entire Christ and the true Sacrament is received under one only Species of Bread Child By this Article I am apt to think they do not give the Cup to the People and indeed so I have heard but do they dare to do so Father Yes Notwithstanding we read in the Gospel Matth. 26.26.27 That Jesus took the Bread and blessed it and break it and gave it to his Disciples And he took the Cup and gave it to them saying drink ye all of it Child I wonder at this very much I pray Sir what do the Christians of the Church of England say to this Father We say 't is Sacriledge and tell them plainly that they do dismember the Institution of Christ and prevaricate his express Law and Creed from the practice of the Apostles Child What do the Papists say to this Father They take Liberty to say and do what they please for tho they confess it was the Institution of Christ and the Practice of the Primitive Church yet they lay it aside and curse all them that say they do amiss in it that is they curse them that follow Christ and his Apostles and his Church while themselves deny to follow them Child The Lord deliver me from Communion with such a Church Have they any more such Articles of Faith Father Yes The eighth Article is I constantly hold that there is a Purgatory and that Souls there detained are holpen by the Suffrages of the faithful Child I have heard indeed that the Papists talk much of Purgatory but is there any such place Father As I said of Transubstantiation so I say of Purgatory neither name nor thing is to be found in Scripture nor the primitive Fathers of the Church for above a thousand years nay the Scripture is express against it He that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath eternal Life and cometh not into Judgment but passeth from Death unto Life John 5.24 Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord from henceforth even so saith the Spirit that they may rest from their Labours Rev. 14.13 If the dead in Christ be at Rest then the doctrine of the horrible pains of Purgatory is as false as 't is uncomfortable Child One would wonder why the Church of Rome should invent and defend such an idle thing as Purgatory is Father You are Child much deceived in this 't is no such idle thing as you imagine the Fire of Purgatory maintains the Fire in the Pope's Kitchin for though it be said that the Souls in Purgatory are holpen by the Suffrages of the faithful yet certain it is the Pope lays claim to a greater Power in that infernal Territory and boasteth to possess the Keys thereof and to open and shut at his Pleasure especially to such as are rich and liberal and the Priests for saying Masses and Dirges get more money than you can imagine Child Nay if it be so gainful 't is no wonder for I have heard 't is a Proverb with them No Penny no Pater noster But I pray proceed what is the ninth Article Father Likewise that the Saints reigning with Christ are to be worshipped and invocated and that they offer Prayers for us to God and that their Relicks are to be worshipped Child Do the Papists worship the Saints Father Yes They worship the Virgin Mary and all the Saints though Christ says plainly Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve Mat. 4.10 They worship likewise the Angels and particularly their Guardian Angel though the Angels abhor it I fell down to worship before the Feet of the Angel which shewed me these things Then said he unto me see thou do it not for I am thy Fellow-Servant and of thy Brethren the Prophets and of them which keep the Sayings of this Book worship God Revel 22.8 9. Child What Worship do they give to the Saints Father They pray to them they worship and invocate them more than God like the Heathen who changed the Truth of God into a Lye and worshipped and served the Creature more than the Creator who is blessed for ever Amen Rom. 1.25 Child Have they any guide for this Father No They have neither Precept nor Promise nor Example for it in the Word of God Child But are they sure the Saints hear them Father No neither Doubtless thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of us and Israel know us not Isa 63.16 so David Psal 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee Child But do they worship not only the Saints themselves but their Relicks also Father Yes They put them in Glasses and Gauderies above the Altar and that to have them adored They have this day the Milk of the Virgin which they say is as precious as the Blood of Christ and her Slippers and her Work-basket and Joseph's Breeches and the Navel-string of Christ and a thousand other things which they keep and shew to be worshipped And yet St. Paul says Act. 14.15 Sirs Why do you these things We also are men of like Passions with you and preach unto you that you should turn from these Vanities unto the Living God Child Is there any thing else that they worship Father Yes The tenth Article is I most firmly assert that the Images of Christ the Virgin Mary and of the other Saints are to be had and kept and duty of Honour and worship to be given them Child Is not this point-blanck contrary to the Word of God Father Yes The Commandment is plain Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image nor the Likeness of any thing that is in Heaven above or in the Earth beneath or that is in the Water under the Earth Thou shalt not bow down thy self to them nor serve them Exod. 20.4.5 Notwithstanding they make Images of God the Father in the likeness of an old man of God the Son hanging on the Cross and of God the Holy Ghost in the likeness of a Dove They make also the Image of the Virgin Mary and cloth her like a Lady and call her Queen of Heaven and also of the Apostles and other Saints and they put off their Hats they kneel and fall down and pray before them Child If this be not Idolatry I know not what is I pray Sir what is the next Article Father The eleventh Article is I also affirm that the Power of Indulgences was left in the Church by Christ and that the use of them is most conducive to Salvation of the Christian people Child Do they give Indulgence or Pardon for Sin Father Yes The Pope giveth Indulgence or Pardon for Sin sometimes for
ten twenty or thirty thousand years which brings him in a great Revenue and yet St. Peter says Forasmuch as you know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold but with the pretious Blood of Christ 1 Pet. 1.18 Child Have they any more Articles of Faith Father Yes Child The twelfth Article runs thus The Holy Catholick and Apostolick Church of Rome I acknowledge to be the Mother and Mistress of all Churches and I vow swear and promise Obedience to the Bishop of Rome as Successor of B. Peter Prince of the Apostles and Vicar of Jesus Christ Child This seems to me to be the worst I have heard yet for it makes all Churches subject to Rome and the Pope Lord and Master of all the World Doth the Scripture call the Church of Rome the Mother and Mistress of all Churches Father No Child Rome is not the Mother-church for the Gospel came from Jerusalem Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer c. And that Repentance and Remission of Sins should be preached in his name among all Nations beginning at Jerusalem Luc. 24.46.47 Jerusalem which is above is free which is the Mother of us all Gal. 4.26 Neither is it the Mistress of all Churches It seemeth good unto the Holy Ghost and to us saith the Apostles and Elders and the whole Church assembled at Jerusalem Act. 15.22 23 28 29. to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things Child But the Pope it seems requires obedience from all Christians doth the Scripture command any such thing Father The Scripture commands obedience to our Pastors but not to the Pope Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your Souls as they that must give account Heb. 13.7 Child Is the Popedom an Office in the Ministry Father No. He gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting the work of the Ministry and for the edifying of the Body of Christ Eph. 4.11 12. Child Was St. Peter Prince of the Apostles Father No. Ye know that the Princes of the Gentiles exercise Dominion over them and they that are great exercise Authority upon them But it shall not be so among you but whosoever will be great among you let him be your Servant Matth. 20.25 26. Child Is the Pope St. Peter's Successor Father Truly Child I know not 't is probable he never was at Rome St. Paul makes no mention of him neither in his Epistle to the Romans nor in any of his Epistles from Rome and St. Peter himself writes not to the Romans but to the Jews scattered throughout Pontus Galatia Capadocia Asia and Bithynia 1 Pet. 1.1 and subscribes his Epistle from Babylon chap. 5.13 so that unless Rome be Babylon 't is not likely St. Peter was there Child But is there not one Visible Head of the Church Father No. We are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone Eph. 2.20 There is one Body and one Spirit even as you are called in one hope of your Calling one Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of all Eph. 4.4 5 6. Child But was not St. Peter the great Apostle of the Gentiles Father No. But contrariwise when they saw that the Gospel of the Uncircumcision was committed unto me as the Gospel of the Circumcision was unto Peter for he that wrought effectually in Peter to the Apostleship of the Circumcision the same was mighty in me towards the Gentiles And when James Cephas and John who seemed to be Pillars perceived the Grace that was given unto me they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of Fellowship that we should go to the Heathen and they unto the Circumcision Gal. 2.7 8 9. Child By all this I perceive that neither the Pope nor St. Peter himself hath or had any Dominion or Authority over the Church of Christ and yet I have heard that the Pope claims Authority to depose Kings Is that lawful Father No. St. Paul sayes Put them in mind to be subject to Principalities and Powers to obey Magistrates to be ready to every good work Tit. 3.1 And St. Peter is more plain and gives the Supremacy to Kings Submit your selves to every Ordinance of Man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as Supreme or unto Governours as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil Doers and for the praise of them that do well for so is the Will of God 1 Pet. 2.13 14. Child Doth not the Pope also absolve from Oaths of Allegiance Father Yes And yet Solomon sayes I counsel thee to keep the Kings commandement and that in regard of the Oath of God Eccl. 8.2 Child Doth he claim any other Power Father Yes He can make right wrong and Justice Injustice say the Jesuits and they are bound to believe he commands well whatsoever the thing be and that all things enjoyned are just and good so good that nothing better could be done so that they speak modestly of his Power that say he can dispence with the Commandements of God And yet Christ sayes Whosoever shall break one of these least Commandements and shall teach men so he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 5.19 Child Can such a man as this be a Christian Bishop or be termed his Holiness Father No. The Scripture calls him the Man of Sin the Son of Perdition who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he as God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God 2 Thes 2.3 4. Child Doth the Scripture describe him by any other marks Father Yes v. 9. Even him whose coming is after the working of Sathan with all Power and Signs and lying Wonders Child Indeed I have heard the Priests and Jesuits of Rome pretend to cast out Devils and work Miracles Do they so in England Father Yes Ever and anon some Popish Person or other is possessed and then a Priest comes and exorcises him and casts out the Devil but their juggling tricks are usually discovered Such an one was the Boy of Bilson in Staffordshire whose tricks were all laid open before the Judge and Grand Jury at Stafford Assizes by the Bishop of the Diocese Child Doth not St. John also describe him Father Yes Revel 7.3 4 5 6. I saw a woman sit upon a Scarlet-colour'd Beast full of Names of Blasphemy having seven Heads and ten Horns And the Woman was array'd in Purple and Scarlet colour and decked with Gold and pretious Stones and Pearls having a golden Cup in her hand full of Abominations and Filthines's of her Fornication And upon her Head was a name written Mystery Babylon the Great the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth And I saw the Woman drunken with the Blood of
The true Protestant Religion set forth BY WAY OF DIALOGUE Discovering the Idolatries and abominations PROFESSED and taught in the Church OF ROME By a PRESBYTER of the Church of ENGLAND LONDON Printed for Langly Curtiss c. 1683 THE PREFACE To all Protestant Parents and Masters of Families I Need not tell you how deeply you stand ingaged to provide for the Spiritual as well as Temporal good of your Children and Families The Command of God by Moses is plain These words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart And thou shalt teach them diligently to thy Children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house when thou walkest by the way when thou liest down and when thou risest up Deut. 6.6 7. The Apostle likewise is as plain Eph. 6.4 And you Fathers provoke not your Children to wrath but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. If ever you intend to perform this Duty be careful of it now The Priests and Jesuits of Rome swarm amongst us They compass Sea and Land to gain Proselytes and endeavour by all the wayes and Arts imaginable to root out the true Christian Protestant Religion which hath so long flourished amongst us It concerns therefore now most especially all that fear the Lord to consider one another to teach and exhort one another to edifie and build up one another in our most holy Faith and Duties of the Gospel Now to the end you may know the true Christian Faith and the Differences between us and Rome I have composed this little Book which when your Children have learned the Church Catechism and in some measure begin to understand it I conceive will be very useful for them Accept it as candidly as 't is charitably offered to you by one whose onely aim and Design is to do good in his Generation that he may make his Accounts with comfort at the coming of Jesus Christ A PROTESTANT CATECHISM Child SIR By the Grace of God and your help and care I have learned the Church Catechism and have been able to answer the Minister in the Publick Congregation to such Questions as he thought fit to propose to me I have heard him likewise expound the Catechism and shew the usefulness of it from that of Solomon Prov. 22.6 Train up a Child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it And yet for all this I must confess I understand but little of Religion I hear sometimes a great deal of Discourse about it but I see little Practice of it I pray therefore as you have been careful to provide for my Outward man so make some provision for my Inward man also that I may not be always as a Child tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine by the slight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lye in wait to deceive as the Apostle speaks Eph. 4.14 Father My good Child I am very glad to see such signs and symptomes of Grace in you to hear you inquire after God and the Gospel of Christ God forbid that I should sin against God in ceasing to instruct you and to bring you up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord I will to the utmost of my Power teach you the good and the right way Child I heartily thank you for your Love to my poor Soul and I praise the Name of the Lord who hath given me so good a Father and I hope he will give me Grace to honour and obey you and to remember your words all the dayes of my life And first I pray you tell me what Religion I must profess Father You must profess Child the Christian Religion for we read the Disciples were called Christians first at Antioch Acts 11.26 Child But Sir I meet with some men that call themselves Catholicks are not they Christians Father Yes They are Christians but the worst Christians in the World for they are Idolatrous Christians and have almost destroyed the Christian Religion by their Inventions Child I pray Sir what do you call these men Father The Law calls them Popish Recusants but we usually call them Papists because they believe the Pope of Rome to be the Head of the Church and obey his Commands though contrary to the Commands of God Child And what do these men call us Father When they may speak their mind freely they call us Hereticks And this we confess with St. Paul Acts 24.14 that after the way which they call Heresie so worship we the God of our Fathers believing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets Child But do they not sometimes call us by the Name of Protestants Father Yes and we do not disown the Name for we do protest against the Errours of the Church of Rome Child Do they call us by any other Names Father Yes They call us Lutherans and Calvinists and what else they please though it be a known truth that the Church of England loves no Nisms We pin not our Faith upon any man's sleeve We honour Luther and Calvin and many others whom God raised up in the darkest times to preach the Gospel and to discover the Errours and Abominations of Rome but we profess no Lutheranism nor Calvinism nor indeed any thing of Mens invention but what we find in the Word of God Neither dare we turn the Faith of our Lord in respect of Persons or cry up one man in opposition to another For while one saith I am of Paul and another I am of Apollo are ye not carnal 1 Cor. 3.4 Is Christ divided was Paul crucified for you were you baptized in the name of Paul chap. 1.13 Child But Sir I have heard some Papists say that the Protestant Religion is a new Religion and therefore not true is it so indeed Father No. The Religion we profess was taught by Jesus Christ and preached by the Apostles to all the World Go teach all Nations and baptize them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Matth. 28.19.20 Whatsoever Jesus Christ and his Apostles taught we believe if they taught the true Christian Religion we believe and profess it Child But I have heard some Papists put this Question to some Protestants Where was your Religion to be found before Luther what Answer may be given to that Question Father Our Religion was and is now to be found where their 's never was nor will be found in the Word of God Child Is the Scripture then the Rule of Faith and Obedience Father Yes All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good Works 2 Tim. 3.16 17. Child But besides the Scriptures have we not a Profession of Faith