Their work is not to convert Pagans from the worship of Devils and dead Idols to serve the true and living God nor to turn Jews and Turks who abhor Idols and therefore are too rationally scandalized by Roman Idolatries and averted from Christianity by that conspicuous Mother of spiritual fornications but to pervert Christians who know and worship the only true God through and with the One Mediator Jesus Christ according to the simplicity of the Gospel and to perswade these to break off communion with all other Christians 2 Pet. 1.1 who have obtained the like precious faith with themselves and to subject their souls to the conduct of Traditionaries and so to become an accession to a potent Sect or Faction in Christendom Indeed the Roman Sectaries are in no small measure more pernicious false Teachers then the Pharisees because they not only evacuate the Authority of the Gospel and corrupt the purity of Christian Religion by novel devices some directly repugnant to Law and Gospel others vainly superstitious and all obtruded under the false title of Traditions but also have introduced into their Religion the most gross Idolatries that ever the Devil did pollute the confederate servants of God withall Apoc. 17. 18. Since then the purple Whore hath made the Kings of the Earth and many Nations drunk with the poysoned Wine of her fornications as St. John being in the Spirit foresaw and foretold and it is the labour of Roman Emissaries to invite Englishmen to drink of her golden Cup St. John's Caution was never more necessary for Christians then now 1 Joh. 5.20 Little Children keep your selves warily from Idols And Christs Admonition concerns us nearly Mat. 16.6 Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees Since Papists are thus manifestly the heirs and successors of the Scribes and Pharisees let all that love their own souls decline the snares of these travellers to make Proselytes lest while they think to find a new way to Heaven which is called Tradition they be made the children of Hell Here indeed we have set one * 2 Tim. 2.26 snare of the Devil before thine eyes the Papists first set it to take Christians captive and set it in secret in chambers whispering in the dark Read Luk. 12.1,2,3 but now what was spoken in the dark and in the closet is brought forth to be examined by the light and I hope that this stratagem of our enemies is defeated by being discovered Apoc. 2.24 2 Cor. 11.13,14 Indeed it is a happy ignorance not at all to know the depths of Satan but since God hath in his wise and just providence let loose Satan amongst us who can transform himself into an Angel of light and transfigures his messengers into the Apostles of Christ who spare no pains to vent his delusions we had need to pray heartily that God will be our Sun to enlighten us with the saving beams of his heavenly truth which shine in his written Word and our shield our shelter our shadow to secure us from the snare of the Fowler Psal 91.1,3,6 from the pestilence that walketh in darkness and the destruction the bold-faced Devil that wasteth at noon-day And that the Christian Reader may be provided of an Antidote against this noysom pestilence and that he may both see and escape the deceit and destruction of this snare is the end of this publication which God make prosperous to his Glory Amen C. G. First SECTION Containing the PAPISTS QUERIES Five Queries propounded in Religion 1. 1. WHether there is not in all ages a visible Catholick Church 2. 2. Whether out of the visible Catholick Church any can attain Salvation 3. 3. Seeing there are now very many Professions amongst Christians which give themselves out to be either the holy Catholick Church or part of it I desire to know by designation which amongst them all is now the holy Catholick Church 4. 4. Whether the Holy Catholick Church so designed can teach her Children any error as matter of Christian Faith either destructive of Salvation or endangering the attaining of it 5. 5. If the said Catholick Church can teach errors as matter of Christian Faith how any Christian can be infallibly certain that She hath not taught some error in determining the Canon of Scripture and in teaching some Book or Books to be the word of God which is not so and then what certainty any one can have that all those Books are Gods word which Gods Church delivers to be his word A Categorical Answer to these Queries is demanded Second Section containing the Divines Answer I. THe Queries answered by propounding others reflecting upon the State of the Jewish Church of God to which God had made as ample promises of its continuance till Shiloh came in humility as he made of the Christian Churches perpetuity till the same Saviour come in glory 1. Whether according to the veracity of Gods promises there were not then to be a Visible Church of the Jewes 2. Seeing the Kingdom and Church of the ten tribes pretended to the truth and service of God as well as the House of David with the Priesthood at Hierusalem and even that Kingdom and Priesthood were sometime infected with gross Idolatry and that publickly set up and erected I desire to know by what designation a Jew that was truly inquisitive of the way and means of Salvation should then discern and discover that Church in which he might find it and out of which he could not since as Christ himself affirms John 4.22 Salvation was then of the Jews 3. Whether the Visible Society of the Jewish Nation that was in covenant with God could not teach her Children any error as matter of Religion that was corruptive of the same and destructive of Salvation 4. If the said Church could teach such errors how any Jew could be infallibly certain that the living Oracles committed to that people were not corrupted or lying legends obstructed under pretence of Holy Scripture 5. If God in that Oeconomie did preserve the Holy Scriptures which were to be the standing Rule of Religion to which private persons were to have recourse for their direction to secure themselves from the seducement of erring Guides Esa 8.20 and 9.16 compared and also the Instrument of publick Authority for reformation of a corrupted Church why may not the Scriptures of the New Testament added to the Oracles of the Old be sufficient to make us wise unto Salvation and to enable them who have their senses exercised therein to discern between good and evil If the Querist can frame a good Answer that might satisfy the conscience of a Jew then mutatis mutandis the same will be an Answer to his own Queries II. Take this Categorical Answer to the said Queries 1. There was is and shall be till the worlds end a Catholick Church that in every age is visible by the profession of Christianity to the persons then living 2. Out of
c. will become a false Prophet But suppose you had given a Categorical Answer That it can never obtrude false Scripture c. then you must grant that the Catholick Visible Church is infallible in the delivery of Scripture If so then is there an Infallible Judg upon the earth concerning this point If so I require some satisfactory reason why the Church should be infallible in this and fallible in other points of Faith seeing it is as great absurdity to abuse the world with salse Faith as with false Scriptures Or what authority is there either in Scripture or Antiquity which limits the infallibility of the Church to the sole determination of Scripture Or is it not as pornicious to a Soul to be put in danger of damnation by having a dangerous error taught it by the Church as by having some Books happily less dangerous than that error imposed upon it by the Church To your Conclusion I answer The reason why you are to desert the Protestant English Church is not because it adheres to the Scriptures as a Rule of Faith for the Roman doth that as well as the Protestant but because they will have that the sole Rule in exclusion of Vniversal Tradition and the voice of the Catholick Church Nor is it any reason to refuse to join with the Roman Church because it enjoyns one to renounce his Senses and Reason For it enjoyns this no more than Scripture and the Protestant Church does For was not Lot to deny his Senses when he perceived them to be Angels whom his eyes ears and touch taught him to be living men And how could our Saviour pass through a whole crowd of people and neither be seen beard or felt without a deception of the Senses Now it is far more opposite to humane reason to believe one to be three and three to be one and that in the very self same being without any difference or mutation then to believe bread to be changed into flesh or one body to be in more places a once What you say of breach of Charity is misconceit of our doctrine We censure not the Persons but the Doctrine and that maintained pertinaciously and obstinately Now who does so we cannot absolutely judg and therefore pass no absolute judgment upon particulars And this is so far from breach of Charity that it is only out of Charity that we let Protestants know what danger they are in that they may avoid it whereas otherwise we should be Flatterers and Sycophants in setting them go on securely in the danger we conceive them to be in The Council of Trent composed no new Creed at all but gave a Catalogue of such points to be professed by all those who were to teach in publick Academies before they were admitted to that office As the English Protestants do exact a profession of the 39 Articles of such as she admits to Orders I have nothing to do with the proof of any thing till these Queries be answered by Protestants Fourth Section containing an Examination of the foregoing Reply made by the Romanist which was comprised in a Letter to the Gentleman assaulted Mr. F. M. SIR I Received the Papers which you conveyed unto me by many Ambages on the 12th of April since which time I have been intangled in several businesses that allowed me no leisure to consider the Cavils of the Factors for the Court of Rome who are like the Clients of * Beelzebub the Lord of Flyes 2. Reg. 1,2,3 the Prince of Devils Musca est meus pater clam illum nihil haberi potest Plaut the Idol God of Ekron the Flies not only for their insinuation into secrets but also for their restless importunity who though beaten off from the flesh they would taint and corrupt yet return again But now though enough hath been lately published by eminent persons in our Church to stop the mouths of gainsayers or at least to secure prudent readers from the dangerous practises of those who like Elymas cease not to pervert the streight waies of the Lord Act. 13.10 yet I have taken some spare time to examine what is returned to that Paper which you know Sir I writ in your Dining-room whilst you staid a while for your company to dinner Upon the perusal I find nothing that may render the defence of mine own former writing so difficult to me as it may be tedious to you For you will see that Oracle of Solomon verified Prov. 17.14 The beginner of strife is like one that opens a passage to waters As waters let in at a small breach quickly spread to a deluge so you may observe how contentions about Religion begun by admission of a few questions swell to Volumes that cloy or tire rather then instruct readers except they be such lovers of Truth as to seek it with patience But least my silence might give some occasion to the Adversarie of triumphing over our Church whereas indeed neither the validity of our cause or profession nor the credit of our Church depends on so weak a Basis as the acting of one of the meanest of her Children I shall endeavour to repair this breach and to retrench these bitter waters of Romish contentions against the Truth into their own channels And that you may not be affrighted with the very bulk of my Reply I shall not enlarge my discourse to disprove every particular which these Papers may tempt me to contradict but make short animadversions upon whatever occurs and appears material to our present Queries My first Querie ministers no occasion of dispute The second in which he rightly apprehends the main force of my instance against his Queries to lie is attacked by him confidently with such weapons as I may safely trust you to judge of their validity And indeed you that are assaulted in the possession of the truth of Christian Religion conveyed unto you by the light of Gods Word in the Scripture which is held forth by a Ministerie that doth not pretend to Infallibility but professeth legitimate Authority to instruct all under their charge in the Doctrine of the Gospel must be Judge in the Court of your own conscience whether the Roman Questionist or I speak that which is agreeable to the common Rules of Truth And your Reason assisted with the blessing of God the Father of Lights who freely and liberally gives wisdom sufficient to salvation unto all that with humility meekness and resolution of obedience implore his holy Spirit of understanding must be permitted to be your Guide in discovering the True Church from the False and may as well and safely be allowed to distinguish the wholesome Doctrine from the corrupt and noxious since this may be easier and sooner discerned by the agreeableness of any Doctrine to the sence of Scripture in which all things necessary are plain then the truth of a Church can be discovered by those Notes commonly given by the Papists which are uncertain variable difficult to
not any would of Spirits present or to come and therefore denied the existence of Angels or Spirits departed and the reâ—urrection of the body by the return of souls to refume their earthly tabernacles repaired Mat. 22.23 Act. 23.8 The heads of this Heresie were the chief of the Nation and as it fell out in the vicissitude of Priests whose office was made venal by the Court the High Priest himself was sometimes a Sadduces Read Act. 4.1 and 5.17 when such an Heretick possest the Chair of Moses or Aaron who understood not Moses aright as our Saviour ascribes the error of the Sadducees to their ignorance of the Scriptures you may be sure that men of the same judgement made up the greater part of the Sanhedrim For the animosity of the Sadducees against the Pharisees together with their interest in the Nobility was such that they would not allow many birds of another feather to pearch upon the same branch of Authority though one Pharisee Gamaliel once was permitted to be of the Council Now then if a Jew loth to rely on his own understanding should desire to be instructed in this main Article of Religion which is the chief root of obedience and supporter of patience to whom should he repair and whom should he believe See Act. 26.6,7 If you will take the Querists word The High priest with his Council was the true visible Church to be hearkned unto But if they declared their own sense and no body can reasonably imagine that they would contradict themselves or as Balaam once was so they all being met together in Council should by a powerful Enthusiasm be constreined to speak contrary to their own mind and deliver that Truth which they did not approve in their own consciences and should in speaking Truth lye by the power of the Holy Ghost the inquisitive Jew was bound contrary to the general sentiment of the 12 Tribes which did in the Expectation of a Resurrection called the hope of Israel serve God day and night to become a Sadducee to disbelieve Moses and to condemn himself to an everlasting death which should swallow up his person and his piety and separate him for ever from having any communion with the God of Abraham Jsaac Jacob. If the Council it self should happen to be divided by factions and interrupted by clamour and violence from determining any thing as it was the fate of the Council to which the Apostle Paul appeared Act. 23. then what is become of the Visible Guide Or how shall the Jews conscience be satisfied of this fundamental doctrine Certainly he must remain a Sceptick and that is next degree to Atheist if he do not find a clear Rule and a firm Rock whereon to build his holy faith which is the ground of a holy life And if he do he need not look for an Infallible Guide which if he have yet the vain curiosity to seek for he will never have the good hap to find I leave you now to judge of this mans resolution of my Queries And though he be like the Scribes and Pharisees in his industry to make Proselytes yet I have no fear of you but that you can discern the fraudulent course he takes to perswade and discover the sad end to which he leads his abused followers Since now I have out of Gods word evinced that the Priests of the Jews high and low were not only corrupt in their private manners but also grossely ignorant of Gods Law See Jer. 5.31 and seducers of the people from the true service of God and suborners of false prophets for that also may justly be taken into consideration for the support of their credit and power with the people Mat. 23.37 and imployed their Judicial power to condemn the true Prophets I have done enough mine Adversary himself being Judg to overthrow the frame of his Queries which were set up as a Gate or Bulwark of Hell to maintain the Devils devise The Infallibility of the Church of Rome masked with the specious Title of the Catholick Church And because I have also by our blessed Saviours sermons and sentence shewed the impiety as much as absurdity of honouring the Scribes and Pharisees with a priviledg of Infallibility I have said all that I conceive requisite concerning his answer to my second and third Queries which he resolves thus The Jewish Church understood ut supra that is the Pastors of the Church representing the whole and acting with authority for the government of the people could not teach any error as matter of divine Faith or Religion Only take this Corollary He must have a mind able to swallow and concoct Transubstantiation that can believe these Idolatrous Pastors so often complained of by God could do all this mischeif in the Church if they had been as dumb dogs in the Devils cause as they were in Gods and as silent for teaching any error in matter of Religion as they were in the instructing of men in the true way of God Or that these ignorant and debauched Priests being consulted concerning the Law of God would or should of necessity by a secret and powerful instinct of an Infallible Genius perpetually waiting upon them at least inspiring them upon such occasions teach the people contrary to their own perswasions and practise See Jer. 2.26 23.1,2 Read Esa 56.10,11 Certainly blind watchmen dumb and yet greâ—dy doges Shepheards that could not understand were but sorry Guides and as far from being infallible teachers of Religion as Hell is from Heaven To the fourth Querie c. The vanity falshood and impiety of the precedent Answers to my 3 counter Queries being sufficiently evidenced it may seem superfluous to disprove what he builds upon the sand because this will sink of it self with the unsound foundation But because from that absurd supposition of Infallibility settled in the Jewish Priesthood he inferrs that the Jewish Church he means the Priests or chief Pastors thereof for he is much in proving that the people had very little to do with the Bible by divine direction preserved the Holy Scriptures intire without mutilation or addition of any thing uncanonical I shall briefly consider this Consequence which imports that the preservation of Scriptures depends upon the Infallibility of the Priests or the Church that keeps it I confess that Gods gratious providence is remarkable in preserving his pretious Word conteined in the Book of the Law But I pray you consider how little the Priests above mentioned contributed their care to the conservation of the Scripture For in the reign of Idolatrous Kings who sometimes profaned the Temple with Idols sometimes shut-up the doors of it the Priests who basely flattered and officiously served their Kings were so far from considering the Law at all and much more from reading and teaching it publickly that it might be the rule of Gods service that in Josiahs time the Pentateuch or the whole Law of Moses or as
that the learned Papists who differ about the Conception of the blessed Virgin Mary do on either side urge for their defence universal Tradition If then it be not sufficient to determine this controversie why should it be set up to justle Scripture out of its Seat to make room for another means of determining controversies which is as uneffectual and indeed infinitely more unfit If a Papist say that the determination of this point is not necessary which is a gross absurdity because this remaining undetermined no small part of Popish worship of the Virgin Mary as the Feast of the Immaculate Conception hath no certain ground of Faith and by the Apostle St. Paul's sentence is Sin Rom. 14 23. we may with more reason say that the determination of the points in controversie between us is not necessary Or if it be necessary that determination is to be regulated now as the decision of things in dispute was of old in the general Councils by the Scripture or written word of God by which Tradition it self is to be measured and judged as St. Paul made the Scriptures the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or measure of truth between * Mat. 26.15 Read 1. Cor. 15.3,4 the Tradition of the Jews on the one side and the Christians on the other side concerning the Resurrection of Jesus Christ 6. Because here is frequent mention of Tradition and the ambiguity of the word is apt to beget mistakes and confusion therefore give me seave to unfold the Senses of the word that we may have a clear apprehension of the matter in hand Tradition is sometimes put to signify the thing delivered whether the way of delivery be writing or speaking and Tradition thus taken materially is indifferent to the being written or unwritten for the same Tradition or Doctrine of the Gospel which was at one time unwritten might have been written and for certain was at another time writen And the Jewish Traditions which for many generations past by a successive conveyance without Book have been by the Rabbies committed at length to vvriting for their better Security And the Papists now make no scruple of vvriting their Traditions vvhich they call the unvvritten Word of God let them justify the presumption as vvell as they can Mat. 14.2,3,6 Novv as the Traditions of the Elders mentioned in Scripture signify the doctrines and Ceremonies that vvere delivered by the Fathers but vvere distinct from the Law vvritten So when vve speak of Traditions in the Christian Church vve do now in these latter ages commonly understand some particular doctrines or Rites or matters of fact delivered with a pretence of divine or at least Apostolical Authority for their reception which are not expressed in the written word of God These Traditions once accepted and commended by the present Church of Rome the Conventicle at Trent hath very severely enjoyned to be received and embraced with an equal affection of holy reverence wherewith we entertayn the sacred Scriptures themselves But to keep up the mystery of iniquity with the liberty of laying aside old Traditions and giving credit to new inventions as their interest and occasions may require they who determined the Canon of Scriptures and numbred the Books yet would not reckon up and determine the Traditions of the Church that Christians might know what is the perfect and fixed Rule of Faith Thus Romanists though they have a larger Object of Faith then we have yet they have no certain measure because the Traditions of the Roman Church are like the Moon subject to decreases as the giving of the Eucharist to Infants was once held by D. Innocentius 3. as a Doctrine of Faith and a Tradition of the Church Maldonate on John 6. confesseth thus much but after 600 years practise wore out insensibly and hath been condemned by the Councils of Constance and Trent with an Anathema and to increases also and therefore their Religion is indeed Irregular But concerning Traditions as the word signifies particular points of beliefe or practise in Christian Religion these 3 Rules are worth Observation 1. Whatsoever is offered to us or enjoyned to us in belief or practise under colour of being a Tradition if it be repugnant to the written word of God or destructive of Gods precepts ought to be rejected by Christians Christs reason together with the refutation of Phaâ—…aical Traditions confirms the Truth of this Rule Nihil credi Deus voluit adversus Sc ipturarum authoritatem Aug. l. 13. cont Faus Manich. Mark 7.5 13. 2. Whatsoever is obtruded upon us under the pretext of being a Tradition that is neither clearly delivered in nor fairly by good consequence deduced out of Gods written word needs not and ought not to be received as a matter necessary to Salvation The manner of conveniency or necessity wherein things which are strangers to Scripture are held is carefully to be taken notice of For several practises have been in early times introduced under shew of conveniency as the Apostle says some bodily exercises carry a plausible shew of wisdome which having once obtained credit by the favourable commendation of eminent persons and custome have been in succession of time adorned with the Title of Tradition and grown up from being thought convenient to be accounted and prest as necessary to Salvation This danger is to be prevented by circumspection And the perfection of Scripture as it is a compleat Rule of Religion proves the truth and usefulness of this second Rule 3. Doctrines of Faith and divine Worship being secured by Gods written word from intrusions of humane inventions if any Rites or Ceremonies can be proved by fair Testimonies of Antiquity to have been practised by the Church universal of primitive times and are still continued by the Authority of Church Governors as tending to edification or the free and open profession of our Faith whether they be called Traditions or no are not lightly to be rejected much less violently opposed by private Christians Thus much for Traditions as meaning Matters of Religion delivered down from former times to posterity But Tradition often bears another sence and is taken formally for the manner of conveyance of matters that concern Religion which is partly oral partly practical The joynt agreement of Doctrine and practice continued by succession of one Age after another whilst one generation derives to another the whole body of Religion is now called Tradition and of late is asserted by Papists in this Kingdom to be the only Principle and Rule of â—aith and affirmed to be of its own nature infallible and incorruptible and to be evident by its own light And thus the order of inquiring for the ancient dayes and old wayes is quite inverted for now we need only as they teach mark what the present Church of Rome doth and because Tradition cannot fail nor vary therefore the Popes Court at this day with the Church Altars Pictures Wafers mangled Eucharist adoration of the
Canonical Scripture The Catholick Church being quickly after enlarged and spred through many regions of the earth did together with the Gospel preached receive Copies of the Scriptures which had been communicated by the particular Churches to which they were directed at first unto their neighbour Churches These Scriptures were by all Churches reverenced and preserved as the Grand Charter of their Salvation and the Laws and Records of their Society as the Church was the Kingdome of Christ distinguished from the world The zeal of Christians for their Laws and their knowledg of them which were frequently read in the publick Assemblies according to an * Col. 14.16 Appostolical order to which we must add above all the Providence of Gods watching over the Church for the preservation of Scriptures being more pretious to God than to Man and as pretious to God as the world it self these being well considered may assure us that it was morally impossible that the whole Church of God should be cousened into the reception of any forged Scriptures And if the Church in following ages could not combine together to coyn counterfeit Scriptures then the Church universal could never obtrude any thing upon the world for Canonical Scripture which was not received from the Primitive Church at first But how doth it follow from hence that the Church is an Infallible Judg in this point A creditable witness is not presently an Infallible Judg. A faithful Depositary that keeps Records is not the same thing with an unerring Judg. The Tradition of the Church Universal which hath derived the Holy Scriptures from age to age is not an Act of Judicature The Nation of the Jews is at this day a credible witness of the divine Original and authority of the Old Testament at least at the first plantation of the Church Christian the Jevvish Church did preserve and deliver the Holy Scriptures in tire so much at least as God thought necessary or expedient and if any book vvere lost that by being lost became unnecessary and vvas secured by Gods Providence in the conveyance of his Oracles to Christians Doth it hence follovv that the People of the Jews was a visible Infallible Judg in that point and if so then in all matters of Faith For thus the Papist proceeds If so I require some satisfactory reason says the Querist why the Church should be infallible in this and fallible in other points of Faith c. I have already shewed that the Case is not so as this man imagines therefore I am not bound to give him the satisfaction which he requires Yet for your further information I add this 1. The reception and tradition of Scriptures by the Church is a fact which God orders as expedient for the preservation of Religion 2. The certain number of the Books written by inspiration is not a point of faith necessary for every Christian to know and believe unto Salvation 3. The Catholick Church cannot err in any point of faith necessary to salvation 4. But any particular Church may believe and teach erroneous Doctrine for matter of Faith The Church of Rome which is not the sole keeper of Scripture may and doth err in several points of their Religion and doth impose upon her children uncanonical Books for Scripture and false Doctrines for matters of faith as is evident by the Canons of the Conventicle of Trent And yet it is not in the power of the Church of Rome to abuse the whole Christian world by the imposition of counterfeit Scriptures upon it I shall yet persist in my reflexion upon the Jews that I may shew that the keeping of Scriptures without forgery falsification and corruption is a thing distinct and separable from erring teaching errors The Jews cannot be denied to have been good keepers of the Books even then when they corrupted the Religion enjoyned by the Law written in those Books Never yet was any man so weak as to conclude that the Priests and Rabbies of the Jews were Infallible Judges of the Doctrine concerning the Messias even those who condemned Christ the Son of God to be guilty of blasphemy and worthy of death because they kept the Books of Moses and the Prophets There is now less reason why we should take the present Church of Rome which we evidently see to teach Doctrines and set up a worship as contrary to the Scriptures as darkness is to light to be an infallible Judge of faith upon this account because the Primitive Roman Church in communion with other Churches did hand down to posterity the holy Scriptures without any falsification since the Church of Rome at this day doth both accept and impose upon her own Children and would but cannot upon others Apocryphal Books for Canonical I have now shewed that these Queries are not unanswerable by Protestants adhering to their own principles or Axioms I desire you to consider the result of the whole design Except you allow him at first that the Roman-Church is in propriety of speech the Catholick Church this disquisition can advance you not an hairs-breadth to a better opinion of the Roman Church for a Guide then you had before For after all the clamour made for resolution of these Queries concerning the Catholick Church the main Question stands as it did Whether the Church of Rome at this day be to be subjected unto as an infallible Guide and to be communicated with all other Churches being abandoned and particularly the Church of England whereof you are now a setled member Till this be resolved you that know the frame of our Church and the module of our Religion may stay safely where you are It remains now that I examine his Answer to my conclusive Querie And I shall briefly note what you may by your own reason or experience discover either absurd or false in it He doth not require you to desert the Reformed Church of England for adhering to the Scriptures as the Rule of Faith For the Roman Church doth that as well as the Protestant as he says If this Querist do not pretend to Infallibility and Authority over you he will out of modesty allow you to examine whether Papists do as well that is as fully and firmly adhere to the Scriptures as English Protestants Certainly they do not well own them for a Rule who accuse them of obscurity and imperfection and make it a point of faith that the defectiveness of Scriptures must be supplied with unwritten Traditions And as certain it is that we who maintain the fulness of Scriptures in delivery of all things necessary to salvation and the perspicuity in that delivery and therefore admit of no point of Religion that is a meer stranger unto the Scripture do more closely stick to that Rule then the Papists But because you are free to examine the adherence of Papists to the Scriptures in particulars by comparison with the English Protestants try whether a mangled Eucharist the real Sacrifice of Christ by a Priest
their Disputants to decline proving any thing and to impose that burden of proof upon their adversaries Eph. 2.20 But we that do take our selves to be in the just possession of the faith once delivered unto the Saints and indeed do build our Religion upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets that is upon the writings of both as Abraham in his Dialogue with Dives gives the name of Moses and the Prophets to their holy Books left behind them do reasonably expect that whosoever goes about to draw us off from that Church and way of salvation wherein we are engaged unto another Society under pretence that we can be safe no where else but in that Ark do strongly and clearly prove that our Religion is for the main body of it false treacherous and destructive of salvation and that the Society to which we are invited by Papists is the sole Mistress of saving truth Luk. 16.29,31 They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear these If they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded if one arise from the dead Where note that the holy Scriptures bear in them the same Authority that was in the living persons of Moses and the Prophets and also have the same efficacious vertue to beget faith as their words had being orally pronounced and where these lively Oracles are freely confuted and faithfully applyed though by men that are short of Infallibility but faithfull dispensers of holy mysteries an infallible Guide is superfluous Also mark that where the Authority of Scriptures is despised Miracles and there is the same reason to say so of Infallibility are useless because uneffectual to work faith For all that are acquainted with the course either of Judicial proceedings or of Scholastical disputations know well that this Rule holds Actori and Asserenti incumbit probatio The proof lies upon the Accuser or the Averrer of any thing But this puzling way without proving of any thing savours so strongly of deceit and is so far from a fair way of reasoning that it can catch none but them that are unsetled in their Religion and Novices in both divine and humane learning And because there are too many such in the world whose precious souls are in danger at this time the discovery of Popish illusions is now become a necessary work of the prudent and faithfull Guides of souls who by Gods grace have an actual certainty of their Religion and can justly say in the words of St. John We know that we are of the truth and We know that God hath given us a mind or understanding to know the true God and we are in him that is true 1 Joh. 3.19 and 5.20 although they have not the vanity to challenge to themselves an Infallibility So much for the five Questions in general which whether the Divine hath answered or no it is now free for the indifferent Reader to judge As for this Answerers Engagement in the Controversie it was very casual A Romanist that is very zealous to promote the Pope's Interest in this Kingdom had endeavoured to gain credit with the Eve by a surprisal and if the old stratagem had prospered by her insinuation to draw in the Adam presuming that the Rhetorick of love would be more prevalent then his Logick upon a considerate Gentleman To this end a Copy of the five Questions was commended to the persons with a presumption that no Minister of our Church could give a fit and full Answer to these confounding Queries And then it was to be hoped that the parties assaulted would presently despise and then desert a Church that was unfurnished of a Ministry able to answer such doughty Questions as the refined Wits of Papists devise It was also to be supposed that whosoever breaks off from our Church would without any further ado at the next step run into that which is next him the Church of Rome whose †Mat. 7.13 Noctes atque dies patet atri janua Ditis wide gate stands open day and night and is ready to receive all that would find a broad way to Heaven such as is the Roman passage by a Priests Absolution without a holy life or sincere contrition for a debauched But it fell out about this time that * This Rustick Divine says of himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He speaks plainly he calls things by their right names a Countrey Minister of the Gentlemans ancient acquaintance being in the City and invited to dine at his Lodging came to see his Friend a little sooner then some other Guests then expected The Gentleman thought fit to make these Questions a part of the Ministers entertainment The Minister took the short time of that expectation to read the Riddle and after a small ruminating took Pen and luk and set down the double Answer hereafter following and resigned the Writing to the Gentleman to be disposed of at his pleasure Shortly after the Romish Mountebank renewed his visit to see how the Pill had wrought The Gentleman then took the opportunity to deliver him the Ministers Paper But many moneths past before any return was made at length a Reply was communicated to the Gentleman who conveyed it to the Answerer as soon as he could conveniently being at a distance from him by the interposition of several Counties The Minister took his first time of leisure to give his sence of this Reply by a Letter to his Friend who was the person concerned in the Contest as being the man aimed at for to be made a Roman Convert that is to say in prain terms a child of Hell in a double measure for leaving the clear and living Well of salvation and then seeking it in a broken cistern or in a foul puddle of errors and corruptions Withall it was the Ministers intent that the Letter should be imparted unto the Romanist that he might make some good use of it For the Protestants charity is imployed to turn a sinner from the error of his way as well as to secure a Christian in the path of righteousness And although this transaction was past A. D. 1666. yet be that drove the trade pursued it no further and hath neither as it was on our side heartily desired Non est pudor ad meliora transire Ambros acknowledged his error whereof he might be convinced and confess it with a wholesome shame nor attempted any vindication of his Writing that we know of which silence hath more of prudence then any fresh proffer of more impertinencies could have Rom. 10.10 His silence therefore cannot be taken for consent in a matter of Religion where the confession of our faith is a duty but may be taken for a modest laying down of his weapons Now as for this way of publication of all that hath pass'd on both sides he that observes the bold activity of Romanists at this time may apprehend a sufficient reason of it without being told one
without Scripture to support it Tradition is too weak to hold up faith Thus it appears that the Rule of faith can be but one and it must be common to all as the * Tit. 1.3 Jud. v. 3. faith and salvation are common and it must have the unmoveable certainty of a Rock for man to build on And this firmness you may call if you please Infallibility for this property of God who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 1.2 Heb. 5.18 can neither be deceived nor deceive is communicated to his Word which is the Truth it self and therefore the Rule of faith But the term Infallible is a Scholastical Novelty which neither Scripture nor the ancient Fathers used to attribute unto the Church but now it makes such a noise in the world with the incessant ringing of Papists that it stupifies many mens senses and understandings But the Means of faith are manifold which where God himself by his Spirit manages them are effectual to beget a saving faith though many of them are far short of Infallibility though Papists in their confused way of talking require Infallibility in the Ground Rule and Means of Faith equally 2. Again Pray note his unprosperous fraud in the abatement of the Scriptures perfection and all sufficiency to teach us the whole mystery of godliness without setting us to seek out elsewhere for a remnant of faith or an unwritten Word For he confesses the Scriptures to be a profitable but a partial Rule which contains many of the most important points of Religion clearly and expresly enough to satisfie any capacity but wilful pertinacy and for the rest which are not thus expressed it refers us to the Church and the Governors thereof c. For certain the Monarchy of the Pope and the Infallibility of the Church of Rome are the fundamental stones of the Romish Religion and if they could be proved true are of the most importance to the ease of conscience and the peace of Christendom in that sluggish and servile way wherein Papists would lead us and therefore it is no wonder that Papists who are true to their interest contend earnestly for these that are such points as being once admitted they facilitate the reception of all other Doctriens whatsoever Now let the Papists shew these two clearly expressed in Scripture or shew us a good reason why the Apostle should have a greater mind to tell the after Ages of the Church of his Cloak and Parchments then to inform them of those points which according to their opinion are necessary to preserve the Church in peace especially then and there when St. Paul had it in his design to recount all the grounds motives and means of Christians keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Read Eph. 4.3 to 14. and yet hath left out the Headship of the Pope and the Magistery of the Infallible Guide the Roman Church What reason imaginable can be given why Christ and his Apostles should not have an equal kindness for all the important points of Religion and an equal care to conserve their memory by writing or indeed what need was there of writing any thing at all of particular points when one Reference of us to the Church for all would have served the turn would not one precept written of Ask the Church that is the governors of it or instead of Search the Scriptures Inquire for the universal Tradition of Christendome have been convenient and sufficient for our satisfaction in all points as well as in some Ah how palpable is the folly of vain and proud man when he opposes the wisdom of God But when I seriously consider what this man writes of the Scriptures referring us for the rest of our Faith to the Church or universal Tradition I cannot but wonder at his confidence of your credulity if you were bound to take his word who offers no proof of what he affirms But we shall justly conclude him to bely the Scripture till he or some body for him produce some place of Scripture which expressely referrs us for some important points of Religion unwritten to the oral teaching of the Church or to the universal Tradition of Christendom If this Querist be asked the Question Where hath Scripture made the partition of the Faith into the Word of God written and the word unwritten and set up a Christian to stand as the Angel in St. John's vision stood with the right foot on the Sea and the left foot on the land Apoc. 10.10 with one foot on the unstable waters of Tradition and the other fixed on the firm ground of Scripture he must be as mute as the man without the wedding garment was But after all this pray observe how irreconcileable this mans allowance of Scripture to be a Rule clear enough for many weighty points of Religion is with his Conclusion That the sole Rule general for all persons and all points of Religion is universal Tradition 3. Whereas he spends time to oppose a Christians receiving and knowing what he is to believe what not by his sole perusal of Gods written word he fights not against any assertion of ours but against his own Jackstraw we advise Christians to make use of faithful guides as well as the light and to learn the use of the Rule by conferring with spiritual builders that can inform them in the application of it and not to neglect any meanes which God offers them for their conduct in the way of truth 4. The common Objections against the dignity and efficacy of Scripture which Papists repeat usque ad nauseam to the Scandal of Christianity and the advancement of Atheism are abundantly answered by the Champians of our Religion to which I would refer you if I did not know you able to discover their impertinency and impiety together But I will put you in mind that the unlearned Protestants if they depend upon the credit of others what are the words of Scripture when the Laick that cannot read hears the Minister that doth and may ask his neighbour that can read whether the Minister read right and the ignorant may ask the learned and the weak Christian may ask the strong and all men by some means or other may be satisfyed of the words of Scripture being faithfully delivered unto them are in no worse condition then unlearned Papists who depend upon the credit of surly and very often silly Priests or interested Bishops for knowing what is the universal Tradition of Christendome 5. As to the learned whom the Querist takes into consideration I pray observe whether the Scholars of both the opposite sides do not dissent as much about the universal Tradition of the points in dispute as about the sense of Scriptures urged on either side If so as you will be sure to find it then upon the same ground which this man layes as sufficient for the removal of Scripture from being a rule Tradition also must be cashiered Remember
Prophets were collected into one body of Oracles which was in trust committed to the custody of the Jews Rom. 3.2 But not Ezrah but Jehoshuah was then High Priest who no doubt was diligent in the discharge of his sacred office whiles Ezrah was active in interpreting that is translating the Law written in the Hebrew Language which was well-nigh lost with the vulgar in their long captivity who were accustomed to the common speech of the Chaldeans their Lords and rendring it intelligible in their familiar tongue and also in expounding and applying the Law to their present use and in assisting the Levites that they might be well instructed to perform their office of teaching the people Now this work of Ezrah did much help but not hinder or obstruct the common people in their private study of the Law and the use of their own particular judgment was fairly consistent with the attendance on the publick Ministery which was then sincere and uncorrupted but was not so throughout the whole course of the Jewish Politie And for this reason nothing can be concluded from Ezrah's age and actions to strengthen the pretended Infallibility of the Jewish Priesthood for ever Now the Jews indeed wanted the beneficial Art of Printing and this defect made the Copies of the Law less frequent then the Bible is now adayes Yâ—… such was the zeal and diligence of pions men in that Nation that the Law was not so rare a thing as this man would perswade you There was then no prohibition of the High Priest or Sanhedrim either to transcribe or to translate the Law and Prophets or to read them in their Original or translated no not in our Saviours Age when he sent his Auditors to the Scriptures to search for testimonies of him when indeed it had been in vain for the people to have made their recourse to the Scribes Pharisees Priests and Elders who through ignorance of the Scriptures denied Jesus to be the Christ and out of malice excommunicated all those that understood the Scriptures better then themselves and by their light were sed to own Jesus to be the Glory of Israel I hope you will apprehend this to be sufficient to vindicate your title to the Scriptune and your power to use it according to that judgement of discretion which every Christian that stands bound to give an account of his faith cannot be denied without usurping a dominion over faith the very suspicion whereof St. Paul 2 Cor. 1.24 although he were truly infallible yet did carefully decline The Querist treads the beaten path of Papists in debasing the holy Scripture and divesting it of the fitness and power to be a compleat Rule and an effectual instrument of faith that he may make room for a new Quack of which impious way to diminish the credit of Gods Word I leave you or any sober Christian that loves and reverences that invaluable pledge of Gods love to make a judgement without my further censure But give me leave to propound briefly some remarks of this Discourse 1. First I observe that he often joyns the Rule and Means of Faith together and confounds them so as if they were one and the same thing But the distinction of these two is of great importance to the preventing or to the ending of frivolous Disputes The Rule of Faith is that publick standard of Christian Religion which includes things of belief and practice both in the service of God and also in conversation with men The adequate Rule of Faith for Christians is the Word of God revealed by Christ or the Gospel which was first preached and then written by the instinct of the same Spirit Rom. 10.8 1 Pet. 1.25 The Gospel in this sence doth include in it the whole Scripture of the Old Testament the divine Authority whereof it affirms and confirms by the harmony of both Tertul. l. de â—…nd virgin speaking concerning the Creed Regula fidei una omninò est sola immobilis irreformabilis This Rule is one and immoveable and so entirely delivered by the Apostles that it is uncapable of addition and the attempt of addition or mutilation or any corruption makes the falsifier of this Rule liable to a dreadfull Anathema denounced by St. Paul Gal. 1.8,9 Now because the holy Scriptures in their fulness contain this Gospel therefore they are usually called by the ancient Fathers both Greek and Latin the straight unerring unswerving Rule of Faith that can deceive none and needs no correction This Rule contains and like a Light holds forth the object of our Faith and is not the less a Rule of Faith because this holy Scripture comprehends many other things of great use for our instruction and spiritual delight as a Carpenters Rule justly carries that name and serves the turn of measuring stuff and work though it be set out with ornamental and useful Tables You may now apprehend what we mean by the Rule of Faith But the Means of Faith signifie another thing For whatsoever by its nature and efficacy doth serve to bring man to the knowledge right understanding and full assurance of the saving Truth comes under this Notion the Means of Faith The holy Scripture as it conveys unto us the Gospel which it contains and preserves is indeed a principal instrument of God to work that faith which is his gift Moreover God hath in his wise government of the World and his Church appointed many means which according to the course of his providence contribute to the working of faith in our hearts There are some outward whereof the chief is the publick Ministry which is compared to a Candlestick that holds forth the light to the houshold of faith And not only Pastors are the means of faith but also Parents and Masters of Families and every good Christian which is as Christ says of his Disciples in general for the twelve Apostles were not then selected out of the multitude the light and salt of the earth Mat. 5.13,14 by communicating the Word unto others are very often the happy propagators of the faith Besides men some things as Books are instrumental to promote our knowledge and faith There are some inward means of faith as our sense and rational faculties in the exercise whereof if there be not an actual certainty allowed the whole frame of civil society will be dissolved into consusion and the foundation of Religion will sink since faith is a reasonable service and was first built upon their sight which were eye witnesses of the Gospel and now comes by hearing Rom. 10.17 which two senses are the instruments of Discipline Luk. 1.2 Act. 4.20 1 Joh. 1.1 Neither will I exclude Oral or Practical Tradition from being a means to propagate the faith But this is so slippery a way so changeable uncertain and liable to corruption and forgery as appears by the superstitions of Heathens and Jews for the divine Authority of all which Tradition was pretended that