Spirit and Holiness of the Reformation which having no other Rule of Faith but Scripture as each Person of sound Judgment understands it its Spirit and Holiness consists in framing our Life and Doctrine to that Rule as our blessed Reformers and Reformation in its beginning did believing those Tenets which you call Errours and Blasphemy and living that Life which you call Dissolution and Corruption of Manners because they judge by Scripture as they understood it that Doctrine and manner of Life was True Innocent and Good and if you like it as they did you may believe and live as they did and be a good Child of the Reformation Consider I pray all the Works and Doctrine of Luther the like I say of our other first Reformers the three parts of his Doctrine is against Popery and they say all are Heresies and Blasphemies the rest is contrary to the Church of England and she says this is also Errors and Blasphemy so you conspire with the Papists to destroy the credit of our first and best Reformer and betwixt you both you unplume him of all his Feathers and leave him not a bit of good Doctrine But I will stand to the Spirit and Principles of the Reformation and Congregations as now they are since that you do so much boast of its Purity and great Perfections and I will prove that Doctrine and Manner of Life may be believed and followed Lawfully standing to its Principles For if the Spirit of the Reformation be at present among us we must not be forced as in Popery to believe against our proper Judgments what others believe by Scripture to be true and holy but what each one thinks in his own Conscience to be such because even now at present our Rule of Faith is Scripture as each Person of sound Judgment understands it and this is the same Rule which Luther and the Reformation in it's beginning had This Holy Liberty is the best Jewel the greatest Perfection and most glorious Prerogative the Reformation has If therefore now at present any Man judges by Scripture that he can Marry ten Wives at a time that he can kill his own Son as Abraham intended that he may commit incest with his own Daughter as Lot did that there is no Sin but Incredulity as Luther believed nor any Mystery of the Trinity of Persons in one Nature as Calvin believed with what Justice can the Church of England say a Man does not believe and live as becometh a Reformed Child or that his Doctrine and Life is scandalous whereas he lives and believes as he understands by Scripture he may or ought to do which is the Rule of Faith of the Reformation even of the Church of England The Church of England says the Lutheran Doctrin of the Real Presence is not the Doctrin of Scripture that the Presbyterian Doctrin against Episcopacy is not the Doctrin of Scripture that the Anabaptist Doctrin against Infants Baptism is not of Scripture and yet you permit them all to live in Peace you Confess they are true Children of the Reformation though Dissenters from you why Because they follow Scripture as they understand it and this is our Rule of Faith And why will not you say the Belief and Life of that other Man is also of the Reformation though it may seem absurd to you since he believes and lives as he Judges by Scripture he may It follows therefore plainly that this is the Doctrine of the Reformation Ismael I confess our rule of Faith in the Reformation is Scripture as each person of sound Judgment understands it but you cannot doubt but that it 's needful to moderate and curb this Liberty or it may run too far for if every Man be licenced to believe and teach every thing he fancies to be according to Scripture as there is no Doctrine so execrable but some ignorant Reader may hit upon a Text which ill understood may seem to favour it so there will be none but may be believed and called the Doctrine of the Reformation for example Beza teaches and says it 's also the Doctrine of Calvin Sumaize and Geneve that the Lords Supper may be Lawfully administred in any kind of Victuals as well as in Bread and Wine in Eggs Flesh Fish c. Where there is no Bread and Wine says he we may duly celebrate if instead of them we use what we usually Eat and Drink And again in the same place If there be no water at hand and that Baptism cannot be with edification deferred I would Baptize in any other liquor Isaac And why should not it be lawful to any Reformed to believe this whereas it's Scripture as interpreted by a Man of so sound a Judgment but I do not in any wise like that Opinion of yours and of the Church of England that it 's convenient to limit and curb Men's Judgments lest they may run too far this is the policy of Rome They will not permit an arbitrary Interpretation of Scripture alledging forsooth for Inconveniency the multitude of absurd Doctrines which the World would swarm with if such a liberty were allowed No no far be it from any true reformed Child to mislike or blame that all People should interpret Scripture and believe what they judge by it to be true and if what they judge to be true should seem to you false and scandalous do not you believe it but let them believe it and they will be of the Reformation because they follow our rule of Faith. Ismael Luther Melancthon Musculus Ochinus Beza and others teach the lawfulness of Bigamy or Multiplicity of Wives and prove it with the example of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and Ochinus expounding the Text of St. Paul It behoveth a Bishop to be a Man of one Wife The Prohibition says he is not to be understood so that a Bishop should have but one Wife at a time for certainly he may have many but St. Pauls meaning is that he ought not to have too many Wives at a time that 's to say ten or twenty Isaac And will you deny this to be the Doctrine of the Reformation whereas it's Scripture as interpreted by Men of so eminent and sound a Judgment Ismael The Synod of Geneve and the Ecclesiastical Discipline of France printed at Saumure has decreed that a Wife whose Husband is a long time absent may have him called by the publick Cryer and if within a competent time he does not appear without any further Enquiry the Ministers may Licence her to marry any other or marry her himself Isaac I say all Women may practice this Doctrine without scruple or shame whereas it's Scripture as interpreted by that thrice holy Synod but let Seamen beware how they undertake long Voyages for fear their Wives may take other Husbands in their Absence Ismael Luther teaches it's lawful to a Wife if her Husband does not please her to call her Man-Servant or
Presbyterians c. have all for their Rule of Faith Scripture which each of them Interprets in a different Sense Luther for the Real Protestants for the Figurative Presence Protestants for Episcopacy Presbyterians against it and so of others And tho' each esteems his own sence to be the best yet none is so bold as to say that others may not be saved in their own Sence of it or deny them to be true Children of the Reformation nay that Venerable Synod of Charenton as I quoted above has declared that the Lutherans tho' opposite to them in their chief Tenets are their beloved Brethren and have nothing Idolatrous or Superstitious in their manner of Divine Worship The fundamental reason of all this is that our Rule of Faith is but Scripture as each Person of sound Judgment understands it Ismael I grant all your Discourse as to this particular for it 's certain Lutherans will not admit Scripture as Interpreted by Pretestants but as Interpreted by themselves and so of each other Congregation Isaac If you admit our Rule is Scripture as each understands it then you must grant that our Doctrine of the Reformation is whatever Doctrine each Person of sound Judgment understands to be of Scripture and from this it appears plainly that my Principle whereat you boggl'd is true That whatever Doctrine is professed by any of our Congregations Synods Parliaments Doctors or particular Doctor of our Reformation is to be truly reputed and esteemed the Doctrine of our Reformation which Principle being true my discourse of Yesterday is undeniable That you may change Religion as often as you please and remain still a true Reformed Child Ismael But you have said that not only the Doctrine of each Congregation and Synod is the Doctrine of the Reformation but also whatever any one particular Doctor teaches and this seems to be very absurd Isaac It 's not so absurd as it 's true I 'll prove by the Principles of our Reformed Church by the testimonies of our most learned and best Doctors and Reformers and by reason and experience that the Doctrine of any particular Doctor among us has as much right to be called and esteemed the Doctrine of the Reformation as Protestancy Presbytery or Lutheranism for what is Lutheranism but the Judgment of Luther a particular Doctor against the whole Church of Rome What is Calvanism but what Calvin a particular Doctor judged to be the sence of Scripture against that same Church What is Quakerism but honest Naylor's Godly and Pious Sentiments upon Scripture It 's undeniably the Principle of our Reformed Church that our Rule of Faith is scripture as Interpreted not only by Synods or Congregations but by any Person of sound judgment in the Church No Congregation or Synod is to us a Rule of Faith because all are â—…llible but Gods written Word as each one understands it and if we do not like the sence of it delivered by any Council Synod or Congregation we may safely deny it Therefore our great Calvin says and proves with great Energy of Scripture and Reason that we are not obliged to the Decisions and Doctrine of any Council Synod or Congregation if after having examined Scripture we do find their Interpretation and Sense of it is conformable to the Word of God. Let Synods and Congregations say what they will if any particular Doctor thinks his own private Sence of it to be better he may stick to it against them all and be a good true Child of the Reformation as Arminius in Holland did withstand the Synods of Dordrecht and Delfe as Luther and Calvin did against Rome I will be free says our unparallel'd Proto-Apostle Luther I will not submit my self to the Authority of Councils Church Doctors Vniversities or Fathers but will teach and preach whatever I think to be true Did ever any Apostle speak with more Courage And the blessed Man acted with no less he knew full well the whole stream of Antiquity Doctors Fathers and Councils were against him as he confesses himself and did not care a rush for them all Lay aside says he call Arms of Orthodox Antiquity of Schools of Divinity Authority of Fathers Councils Popes and Consent of Ages we receive nothing but Scripture but so that we must have the Authority of Interpreting it Nor was it only Luther and Calvin spoke thus but all our first blessed Reformers and why because our Rule of Faith is Scripture not as interpreted by the Church of England France will not admit it nor as interpreted by the Quakers the Anabaptists and Independants will not hear it nor as interpreted by Luther Calvin rejects it nor as interprèted by Calvin Thorndike and Bramhall will not yield to it nor will Stillingfleet stand to their Interpretation nor others to that of Stillingfleet Finally our Rule of Faith is Scripture not as interpreted by any but as each Congregation Synod particular Doctor or Man of sound Judgment Interprets it and consequently whatever Doctrine any man of sound Judgment judges to be of Scripture is to be esteem'd the Doctrine of the Reformation and you may safely believe it if you like it and remain still as truly a Reformed Child as the proudest Protestant of England Ismael Can you prove that our Rule of Faith is Scripture as any particular Doctor or Person of sound Judgment understands it Isaac Behold how convincingly first we have heard Luther quoted but now say We receive nothing but Scripture but so as that we must have the Authority for to Interpret it Hear him again The Governours and Pastors have Power to teach but the Sheep must give their Judgment whether they propose the Voice of Christ or of Strangers And again Christ has taken from the Bishops Councils and Pastors the right of judging of Doctrine and given it to all Christians in General and the Rule is Scripture as each one will think fit to interpret it And consequently to this we have heard him say above I will be free and will not submit to Doctors Councils or Pastors but will teach whatever I think to be true Barlow The Apostles have given to each particular the Right and Power of Interpreting and Judging by his inward Spirit what is true it is needless that either Man or Angel Pope or Council should instruct you the Spirit working in the Heart and Scripture are to each particular Person most assured Interpreters Blison Bishop of Winchester says the same The People must be Discerners and Judges of what is Taught Our Religion has no other Rule of Faith says our French Reformation by the Mouth of Du Moulin Drelincourt and the Holy Synod of Charenton but the written Word of God as interpreted by us Lastly says the Church of England We have no other Rule of Faith but Scripture as each Person of sound Judgment in the Church understands it and what is proved by it And again in the Catholick Doctrine of the Church
could not be Christ the Son of God because he wanted providence and upon this reflection he renounced Christ and became a Jew And no man can say but that he acted and behaved himself like a true Child of the Reformation in so doing for he followed Scripture as he understood it and as he was a true Reformed Child in forsaking Popery because he understood by Scripture that the Reformation was better so since he understood by reading Scripture more that Judaism was better than the Reformation he acted like a good Reformed in chusing that which he understood by Scripture to be the best this is the Reformations Rule of Faith do you if you please as he did and you 'll be as good a Reformed as he And if you chuse to believe that there is a Church establisht on earth by Christ you must beware never to believe or perswade your self that we are bound to believe her Doctrin or live in her if you do not judge by Scripture that she teaches the Doctrin of Christ This is the most essential point of Popery an obligation of submitting our judgments to the Church and believing her Doctrin without any more examining and in this the Church of England is much like the Popish Church which by Acts of Parliaments and other severities would oblige all men to believe her Doctrin Rites and Ceremonies No God has given us Scripture for our Rule of Faith as we forsook the Popish Church because we discovered by Scripture her many Errours in Doctrin so we are not bound to believe the Doctrin of any other Church but as we find by Scripture her Doctrin is true Do and speak as Luther to 1. Edit Jen. in Resolut I will be free and will not submit to the Authority of Councils Popes Church or Vniversity to the contrary I will confidently teach whatever I Judge to be true whether it be Catholick Doctrin or Heretical condemned or approved Ismael Must I not believe that the Doctrin of Jesus Christ delivered to his Apostles and the Church is true Doctrin Isaac The Reformation teaches it is and you may safely believe it You may as safely believe it is not in the Principles of the Reformation because it teaches that Christ err'd in Doctrin and Manners Vere Pharisaei erant viri valde boni says Luther and Christus minime debuit eos taxare and Calvin says it 's a folly to think he was not ignorant in many things lastly David Georgius a Man of God and of a holy life says Osiander writes If the Doctrin of Christ and his Apostles had been true and perfect the Church which they planted had continued but now it is manifest that Antichrist has subverted it as it 's manifest in Papacy therefore it was false and imperfect See these words quoted in the History of David George Printed by the Divines of Basil at Antwerp Anno. 1568 both Doctrines are Scripture as interpreted by Men of sound Judgment a Child of the Reformation may believe which he will. Ismael Is it not the Doctrin of the Reformation that the Apostles were infallible in their Doctrin much more must we believe that Jesus Christ was so Isaac Yes it is you may believe it and it 's also the Doctrin of the Reformation that they were not infallible neither in their written or unwritten Doctrin so many of our most renowned Doctors speak and whatever any Men of sound Judgment Judge to be true by Scripture is the Doctrin of the Reformation Zuinglius one of the greatest Oracles of our Church says It 's a great ignorance to believe any infallible Authority in the Gospels or Epistles of the Apostles Beza not inferiour to Zuinglius blotted out of St. John the History of the Woman Adulteress Judging it a fable Clebitius affirms that Luke's relation of Christ's passion is not true because it does not agree with that of Matthew and Mark and more credit is to be to two than to one Calvin says Peter consented to and added to the Schism of the Church to the overthrow of Christian liberty and Christ's Grace Whitaker says It 's evident that after the Descent of the Holy Gospel the whole Church even the Apostles erred and Peter erred in Doctrin and manners Luther says Peter lived and taught extra Verbum Dei and Brentius his Disciple say that Peter and Barnabas together with the Church of Jerusalem erred after receiving the Holy Ghost If our Rule of Faith be Scripture as each person of sound Judgment understands it undoubtedly this must be the Doctrin of the Reformation and may be believed by any Reformed since it's Scripture interpreted by such renowned men Ismael This is most wicked Doctrin I 'll never believe it Isaac If you think by Scripture it 's wicked do not follow your Rule of Faith Scripture as you understand it but if any other understands by Scripture as those Authors did that the Doctrin is good give him leave to believe it he 'll but follow his Rule of Faith Scripture as he understands it Ismael I would gladly know which are the true Canonical Books of Scripture Isaac The Reformation teaches and you may believe with the Church of England that St. Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews those of James and Jude the 2. of St. Peter the 2. and 3. of St. John are true Canonical Scripture the Reformation also teaches they are not Canonical because Lutherans deny them believe which you like best But if you 'll live in peace and out of all strife with Protestants Lutherans and others who dispute if this or that be Canonical Scripture your readiest and speediest way will be to say there 's no true Canonical Scripture Scripture is no more to be regarded than other pious Books if you say this is not the Doctrin of the Reformation read Hossias de expresse Verbo Dei lib. de Har. where he relates this to be the Doctrin of the Swinfeldians as good Reformers as the best of us they say that we are not to regard any Instruction from Man or Book but Gods immediate inspiration which speaks secretly to our hearts for which they alledge those comfortable words of the Prophet I will hear what my Lord my God speaks in me for say they the Book which we call Scripture is a Creature and we must not seek for light and instruction from any Creature but from God the Father of Lights This is Scripture as interpreted by Men of sound Judgment any Child of the Reformation may believe it Ismael I thought to settle my mind in my choice of some Religion and you go the way to beat me from all for if you renverse the Authority of Scripture what warrant shall we have for any Religion God forbid the Reformation should deny the true Canon or the infallible truth of Scripture and let all the world say the contrary I will constantly aver and believe it's Gods infallible word Isaac How
Pax Vobis OR GOSPEL AND LIBERTY Against Ancient and Modern PAPISTS By a Preacher of the Word The fifth Edition Corrected and amended Stand fast in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and be not entangl'd again with the Yoke of Bondage Popery Gal. c. 5. v. 1. Printed Anno Dom. 1687. The PREFACE to the CHILDREN of the REFORMATION BE not concerned to know whose hand it is which holds the Link but follow the light it gives Reach your hand to receive this Treatise which marks the shore where the Ark of our Reformation shatter'd by a deluge of troubles may rest which is a Holy liberty to all and each Person to believe or not believe act or not act as he pleases with a safe Conscience according to the Principles of our Reformation We generally lament the convulsions which shake our Church and State through the diversity of Opinions professed by our several Congregations some Remedies have been applied to bring us to Peace and Conformity but all have proved ineffectual some of our Doctors judge nothing can cure our disease but a General Council or Supream Authority to whose Sentence we should all submit but this besides that it is Popish to grant any human Power for to oblige our Consciences against our judgments in matters of Religion is but an imaginary Remedy for a real Evil For it 's not in the Reformation as in Popery in this there is a supream Authority for to convene the Pastors of divers Kingdoms to a general Council in our Reformation there is none Popery believes it's Councils and Popes infallible and therefore they cannot but acquiesce because an infallible Sentence leaves no doubt of the Truth but in the Reformation all Councils and human Authority are fallible and consequently their Decisions may be doubted of and we are never certain of the Truth Others judge the Remedy of our disease can be no other but Pills of Persecution penal Laws Acts of Parliament Ordinances of Synods forcing Men to Conformity but this has proved not only destructive to the peace of the Church but has shockt the very foundation of our Reformation for if we must believe under severe penalties what the State and Ecclesiastical Authority will have us believe then Scripture must be no more our Rule of Faith but the State and Church which tells me what I must believe and we must be deprived of the right and power of Interpreting Scripture and believing it in the sense we think to be true and yet our whole Reformation is cemented and was first raised upon this Holy Liberty that every one should read Scripture interpret it and believe whatever he thought was the true sense of it without any compulsion or constraint for to believe either Church State Vniversity or Doctors if we did not judge by Scripture his Doctrine was true If Prudence had as great a share in our Conduct as Passion we should regulate our future by the effects of our past actions and if we will cast an eye back to the transactions of later Years we shall find this compulsion of Mens Consciences has produced but confusion in our Church and fatal disturbances in our State contrarywise never did our Reformation enjoy more peace shin'd with more lustre and held its course with more happiness than when none was molested for his Profession but every one had liberty to believe and teach what Dectrine and Sense each one thought to be the most conformable to Scripture Consider the infancy of the Reformation when God raised Luther to repair the ruines of the Church how of a sudden it spred it self in Germany France Holland Poland Scotland and England and by what means Was it not by taking away all constraint of Mens Consciences used then only in the Popish Church our blessed Reformers taking to themselves and giving to others a Holy Liberty for to teach and believe whatever they judged to be the Doctrine and true Sense of Scripture tho it should be against the received opinion of the Councils Church Vniversities and Doctors Look into the Reign of Edward the VI. then did our Reformation flourish in England and was miraculously propagated by the Liberty of Martin Bucer Cranmer Ochinus Peter Martyr and others in teaching Calvinism Lutheranism Zuinglianism by Scripture as every one understood it Descend to the Reign of Queen Mary then the light of the Gospel was ecclipsed because the flock was again Popishly compelled to believe not what they judged by Scripture to be true but what the Pope and Church judged was such Come down a step lower to Queen Elizabeth's time then the flock recovering that Holy Liberty for to believe what each one thought was the Doctrine of Scripture the Reformation gained ground our several Congregations lived peaceably for tho Protestancy was establisht the Religion of the Land others were not oppressed nor their Liberty constrained by compulsions Step down a degree lower to King James his time the Reformation held its course as prosperously as in Queen Elisabeth's time because Mens Consciences were not oppressed all Reformed Brethren had full Liberty to believe as they pleased the Protestancy was the Religion of the King Look down a stop lower to King Charles the first 's Reign his Majesty carried with a Godly Zeal of restraining the diversity of Opinions begot by the Liberty enjoyed in his Predecessors times would by new Laws and Ordinances force the flock to an Vniformity of Doctrine but our zealous Brethren the Presbyterians impatient of any constraint in affairs of Religion and pleading for the Evangelical Liberty of our Reformation for to believe nothing nor use any Rites or Ceremonies but as each one judged by Scripture to be convenient they covenanted against his Majesty and Bishops and the Storm grew to that height that both Church and State were drown'd almost in the Blood of our Reformed Brethren lastly look upon our Realm as it is at present the symptoms of disatisfactions which you may read and hear in Coffee-Houses in publick and private Conversations the sparkles of Jealousies which appear in our Land the Cabals against our Government the animosity of divided Parties the murmur and complaints of all what 's all this but the smoke of that hidden fire of Zeal wherewith Protestants would force Presbyterians by penal Laws to Profess their Tenets Presbyterians exclaim against Protestancy as against Popery Quakers judge both to be limbs of Satan Anabaptists look on all three as Children of Perdition and no Congregation would give Liberty for to Profess any Tenets but its own in so much that if you consider all well each of our Congregations are as severe Tyrants over our judgments and Consciences as Popery was and our Reformation comes to be in effect but an exchange of one Italian Pope for many English ones For as in Popery we must submit our Judgments to the Pope and Church of Rome or be esteemed putrid rotten Members and be shut out of Heavens Gates and
suffer Inquisitions Persecutions Excommunications and what not so among us you must believe Scripture as Interpreted by the Church of England or you are condemned by them you must believe Scripture as Interpreted by the Presbyterians or you are accursed by them you must believe as Anabaptists do or you are damn'd by them and not one Congregation among us but would Root all the others out of the World if it could and we do not fear that danger whereof St. Paul Gal. 5.15 warns us If we bite and devour one another let 's take heed we be not consumed one of another giving us likewise a wholsom advice in the same place how to prevent this Evil Stand fast in the Liberty wherewith Christ has made us free and be not intangled again with the Yoke of Bondage The World did groan under this heavy Yoke in Popery wherein our Rule of Faith was Scripture as Interpreted by the Pope and Church Scripture was kept from the hand of the flock No man permitted to give or believe any Interpretation or Sense of it but what the Pope Church and Fathers did approve Our Reason our Judgments our Consciences were Slaves under this Yoke until that God raised our glorious and blessed Reformers Luther Calvin Zuinglius Beza and others who took a Holy Liberty and gave us all Liberty for to Read and Interpret Scripture to believe no Doctrine but what we judged to be true Scripture To believe any Sense of it which we judged to be true tho contrary to all the World They took for their Rule of Faith Scripture and nothing else but Scripture as each one of them understood it this same Rule of Faith they left to us and a Holy Freedom and Liberty of our Judgments and Consciences that any man of sound Judgment may hold and believe whatever Sense of it he thinks to be true This therefore is the scope and end of my following Treatise that whereas our Rule of Faith as I will prove by the unanimous Consent of our whole reformed Church is Scripture or Gods Written Word as interpreted by each Person of sound Judgment that whereas by the Principles of our Reformation no Man is to be constrained to believe any Doctrine against his Judgment and Conscience otherwise why were not we left in Popery it is impious tyrannical and quite against the Spirit of the Reformation to force us by Acts of Parliament Decrees of Synods Invectives and Persecutions of indiscreet Brethren to embrace this or that Religion that every one ought to be permitted to believe what he pleases if you think Bigamy to be the Doctrine of Scripture If you think by Scripture there is one Nature and four Persons in God if you think Transubstantiation to be true if you judge by God's Words there 's neither Purgatory nor Hell finally whatever you think to be the true Sense of Scripture you are bound as a true Reformed Child to believe it that it is quite against the Spirit of Reformation to Censure oppose or blame the Doctrine or Tenets of any Congregation or of any Doctor of the Reformed Church because that any Doctrine professed by any Christian-Congregation whatever the Popish excepted or that ever was delivered by any Man of good Judgment of the Reformation since the beginning of it until this Day is as truly and really the Doctrine of the Reformation as the Figurative Presence or Kings Supremacy is Consequently Protestants are deservedly to be check'd for Persecuting Quakers Quakers for murmuring against Presbyterians these for their invectives against Anabaptists and Socinians All are very good and you may lawfully according to the Principles of our Reformation believe them or deny them This Evangelical Liberty of believing any thing which we judg to be the Sense of Scripture though all the rest of the World should Judge it to be a Blasphemy is the most distinctive sign of the Reformation from Popery for Papists are the Children of Agar the Slave they live in Bondage and Constraint to believe any Doctrine which the Pope and Church proposes to them and if a Learned Man or Vniversity should judge it to be contrary to Scripture he must submit his Judgment to that of the Pope or be condemn'd as an Heretick In our Reformation we are the Children of Sarah the free our Rule of Faith is Scripture as each Person of sound Judgment in the Church understands if we do not like the Doctrine of the Pope Church or Council we may gainsay them all and hold our own Sense of Scripture We enjoy the Prerogative of Rational Creatures we are lead by our own Reason which God has given us for our Conduct and are not like Beasts constrained to follow that of others We follow the Rule given us by S. Paul Rom. 14. He who Eats let him not despise him who does not Eat and who does not Eat let him not despise him who does Eat for God hath received him That 's to say he who believes let him not check him who does not believe as he does And he who does not Believe let him not blame him who does believe But let each one believe or not belive as he thinks best in the Lord This holy Liberty and freedom is the Spirit of God for where the Spirit of God is there is Liberty 2 Cor. 3. Says the great Apostle The Lord inspire to our Parliament that now sits upon a perfect and new settlement of Government and Religion to follow the Footsteps of our first renowned Reformers To enact that there may be no other Rule of Faith but that which we received from our Reformers and which is laid down for us in the 39 Articles of the Church of England That is Scripture as each one best understands it without regarding the Judgment Sense or interpretation of any but the pure Word of God as we understand it And to enact Penal Laws against any so bold and uncharitable as to censure or blame the Tenets of any Congregation be it Lutheranism Presbytery Arianism Judaism or Paganism Or any Doctrine whatever that any Man of sound Judgment thinks in his Conscience to be the Sense and Doctrine of Scripture Three things make me hope that this Treatise will be welcome to the well inclined and pious Reader of our Reformed Church First that there is not one Author quoted in this Book but our own Doctors Learned and Godly Children of the Reformation and this I observe that my Reader may know there 's not a jot of any Doctrine here but what is of the Reformatiâ—n and also advertise our Writers and School-Men how much they discredit our Reform'd Church by making so much use of Popish Doctors and Books in their Writings as if we had not great and learned Men of our own if we look into our Bishops and Ministers Libraries we shall meet with Books either of confessedly Papists or strongly suspected of Popery and you shall hardly meet in any of them the works of Luther
of England Pag. 103. Which is but an Exposition of 39 Articles Our Rule of Faith is but Scripture as each Person of sound Judgment in the Church understands it Authority is given to the Church and to each Person of sound Judgment in it to judge in Controversies of Faith and this is not the the private Judgment of our Church but also of our Brethren of Foreign Countries Ismael I confess not only these but many other Doctors abet your discourse and the General Vogue of our Reformation is for Scripture as each one understands it but alas You see well that we can never settle any Religion or Church by such a Rule of Faith. Isaac You can never settle any but this That every Man may without let or hinderance believe what be pleases And why should not this be a good Religion If Scripture as each one understands it be not our Rule of Faith if we must be constrained to believe Scripture not as we understand it but as it is understood by this or that Congregation what difference betwixt us and Papists They must believe Scripture as Interpreted by the Pope and Councils have ever so much light from God be ever so wise and witty you must depose your own Judgment and submit to that of the Pope Council and Popish Church To this pass we are come also we must believe the Kings Supremacy Episcopacy Figurative Presence tho perhaps we do not Judge by Scripture it to be true Doctrine we are constrained by Penal Laws and and Acts of Parliament to believe them as Papists by their Inquisition and why Because the Church of England understands by Scripture it 's true and if you reply you do not Interpret Scripture so you 'll not be heard you must submit and believe against your Judgment and what 's this but plain Popish Tyranny over Mens Consciences Did Luther and Calvin forsake the Pope and Councils for to submit their Judgments to any other No but to follow Scripture as each one of them understood it And tho' Luther was a Man raised by God and replenish'd with his Spirit to repair the ruins of the Church yet Calvin did no more submit to him than Luther did to the Pope nor did Zuinglius submit to Calvin but followed his own sense of Scripture nor did Oeclampadius submit to Zuinglius but every one searched the Scripture believed and taught what they thought to be true and thus we became a Reformation of Popery If therefore we will continue a Reformation and walk by the Spirit of our blessed Reformers we must not be constrained to believe any Mans sense of Scripture We must believe whatever we think to be true and have no other Rule of Faith but Scripture as each one understands it Ismael And what then What do you infer from this discourse Isaac This consequence that whereas no true Child of the Reformation be he of what Congregation he will can justly deny our Rule of Faith to be Scripture as any person of sound Judgment Interprets it it follows unavoidably that the Doctrine of the Reformation is Whatever any person of Judgment Interprets to be the true sense of Scripture and whatever Luther Calvin Beza or any other of sound judgment in the Reformation since its first rise until this day taught to be the true sence of Scripture is to be called and esteemed the Doctrine of the Reformation tho' to this or that Congregation it may seem to be wicked and scandalous Doctrine And now let me answer to an Objection you made against this Principle in our entrance to this discourse You objected that many Popish Doctors and Casuists delivered scandalous and base Doctrines which the Papists will not admit to be the Doctrin of their Church tho' delivered by popish Doctors and thence you pretended that the particular sentiments of private Doctors of the Reformation are not to be called the Doctrin of our Church But be pleased to observe the difference betwixt Popery and our Reformation the Rule of Faith in Popery is Scripture as Interpreted by the Pope and Council or their Church they will admit no other consequently no Doctrin is to be called Popery but what is Judged by the Pope and his Church or Council to be the sense of Scripture and if any Doctor or University holds any sense contrary to theirs it is to be called the Doctrin of that particular person and not the Doctrin of the popish Church because their Rule of Faith is not Scripture as Interpreted by their Pope and Council But whereas our Rule of Faith in the Reformation is Scripture as each person of sound judgment Interprets it whatever Doctrin or Sense is said by any Man to be of Scripture is justly to be called the Doctrine of the Reformation For example Melancthon a Man of sound Judgmen great Learning and of an upright Conscience Taught Bigamy to be the Doctrine of Scripture Beza Taught the Lords Supper might be administer'd a in any kind of Victuals as well as in Bread and Wine Calvin Taught that Christ despaired on the Cross and suffer'd the pains of Hell after his Death Why then let all the Bishops and Universities of England condemn this Doctrine let all the Synods of France and Germany decry it the Doctrine will be still of the Reformation because it 's Scripture as Interpreted by Men of sound Judgment Ismael The heat of your discourse has tired you and my memory is sufficiently loaden with what you have said let me digest it in my private retirement and we will meet again Isaac Content carry with you these three points which I have proved convincingly First our Rule of Faith is Scripture not as Interpreted by this or that but by any Man of sound Judgment Secondly it follows hence that the Doctrine of the Reformation must be and ought to be called whatever any Man of sound Judgment says is the sense of Scripture Thirdly it follows we may change Religions as often as we please Third Dialogue ISMAEL I remember well the summary of your last discourse given me in three points and I find the second to be absurd and repugnant to reason you 'll never perswade it tho' you pleaded for it with great energy what if a silly Woman Cobler or other Tradesmen read Scripture and give their sense of it that forsooth must be called the Doctrine of the Reformation And it shall be lawful for them to believe it against the Doctrine of the whole Church Isaac Do not limit Gods infinite goodness by measuring his mercies towards his Creatures with your narrow apprehensions Take notice he says he has chosen the weak and contemptible of the World for to confound the strong ones I confess unto you Father that you have hid these things from the Wise and Prudent and hast revealed them to the little ones And there he choose poor simple Fishermen to his Apostles I know it 's the practice of Papists and from them your
Church Councils or Fathers The Church of Rome proud and impatient of any Opposition condemned them as Hereticks for not submitting their Judgments to her for taking Scripture as they understood it and not as the Church and Councils understood it for their Râ—â—â— of Faith and if this be a crime we are as guilty as they we are equally â—… ocent or innocent we are both Hereticks or none is we are therefore concern'd in their Honour and ought to defend the integrity of their procedure against the common Enemy which is the Pope They were Reformers of the Church in their times as we are in ours and whereas they have the same Rule of Faith so they have the same Religion with the Reformation Ismael Then you will say Arianism is the Doctrine of the Reformation and we may lawfully believe it Isaac I say God's Unity in Nature and Trinity in Persons is the Doctrine of the Reformation because the Protestant Lutheran and Hugonot Church judge by Scripture it is true and if you judge also by Scripture it is the true Doctrine you may believe it I say also if you judge by Scripture this Mystery is not true you may safely deny it acccording to the Principles of the Reformation and be still as good a Member of the Reformed Church as they who believe it for whoever believes what he judges by Scripture to be true is a true Reformed And that the denial of the Trinity is as much the Doctrine of the Reformation as the belief of it it appears not only because it was the Doctrine of the Arians who as I proved are truly of the Reformed Church but because it was taught by the greatest Lights of our Church Calvin says the Text. My Father is greater than I must be understood of Christ not only as he is Man but also as he is God. And that the Council of Nice did abuse the Text My Father and I are one for to prove the Vnity of both in Nature whereas it only signifies their Vnity by conformity of Wills. Again he says Epist 2. ad Polon in Tract Theol. pag. 796. That Prayer Holy Trinity one God have mercy of us is brabarous and does not please me And adds The Son has his own substance distinct from the Father His Disciple Danaeus says it 's a foolish insipid Prayer And our great Apostle Luther who as Fox witnesseth was the Chariot and Conductor of Israel and a Man extraordinarily raised and replenish'd with Gods Spirit to teach the purity of the Gospel caused that Prayer to be blotted out of the Litanies That word Trinity says he sounds coldly my Soul hates that word Humousion and the Arian did well in not admitting it Lastly Ochinus that great Oracle of England impugns this Mystery with a strong discourse We are not obliged to believe says he more than the Saints of the Ancient Testament otherwise our condition would be worse than theirs but they were not obliged to believe this Mystery therefore we are not obliged Examin I pray the Works of these eminent Doctors where I quote them consider if they be not not only Men of sound judgment but Men extraordinarily raised by God says the Synod of Charenton the Chariots and Conductors of Israel says Fox Men to be reverenc'd after Christ says our Doctor â—owel and Apostolical Oracles sent to teach us the purity of the Gospel and conclude it 's an undeniable Verity that this is the Doctrine of the Reformation whereas it's Scripture as Interpreted by such Men Oh! But England France and Scotland believe this Mystery well And what then That proves that the Mystery is also the Doctrine of the Reformation because whatever any Man of sound Judgment thinks to be Scripture it 's the Doctrine but is England or France alone the whole Reformation Are not Luther Calvin Danaeus Ochinus as well of the Reformation and Men of as sound Judgment as they Since therefore they understand by Scripture there 's no Trinity it 's the Doctrine of the Reformation also that there 's none Believe it or deny it which you like best and you 'll be still of the Reformed Church Isaac By the principle you run upon you say any may Blasphemy is the Doctrin of the Reformation for there 's hardly any so execrable but some Dr. of ours has delivered and taught it Ismael The Principle I run upon is this Scripture as each person of sound Judgment interprets it is our Rule of Faith Judge you if that be not a good Principle in our Reformed Church whereas this is the Rule of Faith given us by the 39 Articles and generally by all our Doctors as I proved in my first Dialogue this being our Rule of Faith and Reformed Doctrine it 's evident that whatever Doctrine is judged by any person of sound Judgment to be contained in Scripture is the Doctrine of our Reformation some persons of sound Judgment say the Real Presence is expressed by Scripture this therefore is the Doctrine of the Reformation others say only Figurative Presence is taught in Scripture this also is the Doctrine of the Reformation some understand by Scripture there is a Mystery of the Blessed Trinity this therefore is the Doctrine of the Reformation others understand there 's no such Mystery this also is the Doctrine of the Reformation so that whether you believe or deny this or any other Tenet controverted you 'll still hold the Doctrine of the Reformation Ismael Calvin says Christ pray'd unadvisedly the Eve of his passion that he uttered words whereof he was afterward sorry that in his passion he was so troubled of all sides that overwhelm'd with desparation he desisted from invoking God which was to renounce all hopes of Salvation And says he if you object it 's absurd and scandalous to affirm Christ despair I answer This desparation proceeded from him as he was man not as he was God. And this is not only the Doctrine of Calvin but of Brentius Marlotus Jacobus Minister quoted by Bilson and of Beza Will you say this is the Doctrine of the Reformation or that we can without scruple believe it Also Calvin says That Christ's corporal death was not sufficient for to redeem us but that after having despaired on the Cross he suffered the death of his Soul that 's to say that his Soul after his corporal death suffered the pains of the damn'd in Hell. And says he in the same place they are but ignorant doltish brutish men who will deny it Luther also teaches the same Doctrine As he suffered with exceeding pains the death of the body so it seems he suffered afterward the death of the Soul in Hell Epinus a learned Lutheran says Christ descended into Hell for thee and suffered not only corporal death but the death and fire of Hell. Mr. Fulk and Perkins avow this is also the express Doctrine of Illiricus Latimer and Lossius Also Luther
not abuse this Liberty That we should have Liberty for to believe or deny Supremacy Figurative Presence Communion in one or both Kinds and such other inferiour Truths controverted among Christians and that each Congregation may in such Articles believe as it understands by Scripture to be true may pass and it 's practised in our Reformed Churches But that we should run so far as to have Liberty by our Rule of Faith to believe or deny the Fundamental and Chief Articles of Christianity as the Trinity Incarnation Divinity of Christ amp c. That Liberty ought not to be given Our Reformation very wisely and piously permits the Lutherans to believe one thing the Presbyterians another the Protestants another and so of the rest And all are true Reformed Children because each of them believes as they Judge by Scripture to be true But the Reformation has never given nor never will give Liberty to interpret Scripture against the fundamental Article of Christianity We must be moderate and keep our rambling Fancies within Compass and if any should judge and interpret Scripture in favour of any scandalous and abominable Tenets against Christianity and good Manners he must be checked and not commended This Moderation the Church of England uses and will never permit to the contrary Isaac I perceive a great deal of Popish Blood to run in your Veins and that if you and your Church of England were in Power at the beginning of our Reformation we should never have had a Luther Calvin Beza or such other noble and renowned Reformers By what I gather from your discourse I do not see the breadth of an Inch's difference betwixt the Church of Rome and you and your Church of England for the Church of Rome will not stick to grant that Gods Word alone is her Rule of Faith but so that none must believe any sense of it but as she believes it nor Interpret any Text but receive her Interpretation of it The Church of England has Scripture for her Rule of Faith and gives us Liberty for to Interpret Understand and Believe some Text of it as each one thinks best and so permits Presbyterians to deny Episcopacy Lutherans to deny Figurative Presence c. and confesses they are all her Brethren of the Reformation but she will give no Liberty at all for to Interpret other Texts but all must understand them as she does or all must Hereticks and damn'd Men No that Text My Father and I are one must be Interpreted to signifie the Unity In Nature of the Father and Son as the Church of England believes none must Interpret it otherwise So that the difference betwixt the Popish Church and that of England is the first gives us no Liberty at all the second gives us some Liberty the first robs us of all the second but the one half The Rule of Faith in Popery is Scripture as Interpreted by the Pope and Councils the Rule of Faith in England as to some Articles is Scripture as Interpreted by the Church of England and as to other Articles Scripture as each person of sound Judgment understands it And thus Protestants are but half Papists and half Reformed and both these ingredients will never make a good compound Let any unbyass'd and impartial Man Judge if the Church of England proceeds justly in this For if our Rule of Faith be Scripture as each Person of sound Judgment understands it as she mentions in her 39. Articles and as the whole Reformation believes if we are not to be constrained to believe any Church Council or Mans sense of Scripture if we do not Judge by the Word of God it 's true by what Authority Rule or Reason can the Church of England give me Liberty to understand and believe some Texts as I please and deny me Liberty for to understand and believe others as I Judge by Scripture they ought to be understood I pray observe well this Discourse here are Luther Calvin Beza Zuinglius and our other first Reformers they Interpret some Texts against the Doctrine of Rome and others against the Doctrine of the Church of England They are praised for the first and esteemed Apostolical Reformers because without any regard of what the Church of Rome said they freely taught and believed what they Judged by Scripture to be true why must not they be praised and esteemed true Reformers also for not regarding what the Church of England or any other says but teach the impossibility of Gods Commandments the sufficiency of Faith alone and all those other Tenets which you so much mislike since they Judge by Scripture that to be the true Doctrine Are they bound to submit their Judgments to the Church of England more than to that of Rome Ismael But in those Tenets they do not only contradict the Church of England but all Christian Churches and Congregations for all will say those are wicked and scandalous Doctrines Isaac And if they Judge by Scripture that those Tenets are not such but found and good Doctrine may not they believe them tho' all the World and ten Worlds did gainsay them Is not Scripture our Rule of Faith and are we to regard what any Church or all Churches say further than we find by Scripture that they say well But being these Tenets which you call horrid Blasphemies displease you I 'll change my discourse and because I see you are Popishly inclin'd I will shew you how by the Principles of our Reformation you can be as good a Papist as the Pope one Principle excepted wherein you must dissent from the Church of Rome if you intend to remain a true Reformed Child Ismael You promise too much and more than I desire to know I don't desire to have any Communication with the Pope I know by the Writings of our Authors what kind of Beast he is Isaac By your favour you may believe the Popes are Worthy Honest and Godly Men many Doctors of our Reformation and our Travellers to the Court of Rome give this Testimony of them You may also believe that Popes and Cardinals are Knaves and Atheists who look on Scripture as a Romance and deny the Incarnation of Christ for Calvin says so and would never have said it if it had not been true But beware not to speak so in Rome or they 'll lodge you where Honest Taylor the Quaker was nor in Spain or they 'll stop your Mouth with an Inquisition faggot Ismael I care not what the Pope or Cardinals are but I would gladly know what Religion and Congregation you are of for whereas you are my immediate Instructer it behoves me to know what Religion you have Isaac As to my Religion I doubt not but that my Readers will be divided in their Judgments of me if a Papist reads me he 'll swear I am an Atheist but I hope he will not pretend to be infallible as his Pope if a Protestant he 'll say I am a Papist and that my drift
is to cast dirt upon his Church the honest Quaker will say I am a profane man others perhaps will say I am of no Religion but a Despiser of all and our Congregations are so uncharitable that likely none will accept of me because I say all Religions are very good a sad thing that a man must be hated for speaking well of his Neighbours and that each one must have all the World to be naught but himself This then is my Religion To suffer Persecution for Justice and Truth to render good for evil to bless those who curse me and speak well of all Congregations whilst they speak all evil against me reflect well upon what I discoursed hitherto and you will find I am as great a Lover of the Reformation as they who may think me it's Enemy and read my following discourse and you will find I love Popery as well as the Reformation The Spirit of God makes no exceptions of Persons Ismael You promised to prove by the principles of the Reformation that we may believe all the Tenets of Popery and remain still of the Reformation how can this be Isaac You remember I excepted one Principle of Popery wherein you must necessarily dissent from them and if you deny this one Principle you may believe all their other Tenets as well as the Pope and be as good a Child of the Reformation as Luther Ismael What Principle is this which you seem to make the only destinctive sign of a Reformed from a Papist Isaac Listen a while a Papist is not a Papist because he believes Purgatory Transubstantiation Indulgences and the rest of Popish Tenets but because he believes them upon the Testimony of the Pope and Church because they assure him they are revealed Truths If a Papist did say I believe these Tenets because I my self do judge by Scripture that they are revealed and not because the Pope and Church say they are he would be no Papist The Papist believes the Mystery of the Trinity the Incarnation and Passion of Christ the Protestant believes the same Mysteries yet the one is a Papist and no Protestant the other is a Protestant and no Papist And why because the Papist believes them upon the Testimony of the Pope and Church the Protestant believes them upon the Testimony of Gods written Word Believe then whatever you please of Popery provided you believe it because you judge by Scripture it 's true and not because the Pope or the Church says it you 'll never be a Papist but a perfect Reformed Ismael If this discourse be solid you may hedge in all the Articles of Popery into our Reformation Isaac If you peruse the works of our Reformed Doctors you 'll hardly find any Article of Popery but has been judged by many or some of our best Reformed Doctors to be the true Doctrine of Scripture and whereas any Doctrin which any Person of sound Judgment understands by Scripture to be the true may be justly called the Doctrin of the Reformation it follows that hardly is there any Article of Popery for which we see so many persecutions against Subjects and such troubles in our Parliaments but is truly the Doctrin of the Reformation Ismael Shew me some Examples of this Isaac The Veneration of Relicks and Saints dead Bones is generally believed by us to be meer Popery and Superstition therefore we made no store of Luther and Calvins Bones tho we know them to be as great Saints as any in the Popish Church but Veneration of Relicks and Saints Bones is the Doctrin of our Reformation for whatever is set down and commended by our Common-Prayer-Book must be undoubtedly esteemed our Reformed Doctrin and Practice and our Common-Prayer-Book aprinted since our Kings happy Restauration in it's Kalendar sets down a day to the Translation of S. Edward King of Saxons Body in the month of June and dedicates another to the Translation of the Bodies of St. Martin and Swithin in the month of July The Veneration and use of the sign of the Cross is flat Popery in the Judgment of all our Congregations yet any Reformed Child may laudably and piously use it whereas our Common-Prayer Book in the Administration of Baptism Commands the Minister to use it saying We sign him with the sign of the Cross in token that hereafter he shall not be ashamed to confess the Faith of Christ crucified and Manfully to fight under his Bannar against Sin the World and the Devil And in our Kalender printed since his Majesties Restauration it 's called the Holy Cross Our Congregations generally believe it 's Popery to keep Holy-days except the Sabbath day and Saints days to fast in Lent Vigils commanded Ember-days and Fridays and all this is recommended to us in our Common-Payer Book and the Minister is commanded in the Administration of the Lords Supper to publish the Holy-days of the week and exhort us to Fast and surely he is not commanded to teach or exhort us to any thing but to the Doctrin of the Reformation it 's true the Students of our Colledges of Oxford and Cambridge are much troubled with scruples in this point these Pauperes de Lugduno are compelled to fast all Fridays throughout the year and it 's not hunger that makes them complain but tenderness of Conscience because they fear it's Popery It 's a Popish errour we say to believe that Pennance or our penal works of Fasting Alms-deeds or corporal Austerities can avail and help for the remission of our sins and satisfying Gods Justice No we say penal works serve for nothing all is done by Repentance that 's to say by sorrow of heart for having offended God. This is the Doctrin of Danaeus Willit Junius and Calvin who says Francis Dominick Bernard Antony and the rest of Popish Monks and Fryers are in Hell for their Austerities and penal works for all that you may very well believe and it 's the Doctrin of the Reformation that Pennance and penal works do avail for the remission of our sin and are very profitable to the Soul for our Common-Prayer Book in the Commination against sinners says thus In the Primitive Church there was a Godly Discipline that at the beginning of Lent such as were notorious sinners were put to open Pennance and punish'd in this World that their Souls may be saved in the day of the Lord. And our Common-Prayer Books wishes that this Discipline were restored again and surely it does not wish that Popery were restored therefore it 's no Popery to say that Pennance or Penal works do satisfie for our sins in this World and avail to save us in the other Ismael I know many of our Congregation mislike much our Common-Prayer Book for these Popish-Tenets but what do you say of the grand errours of Popery can a man be a true Child of the Reformation and yet believe the Popes Supremacy deny the Kings Supremacy believe Transubstantiation and Communion in one kind are these Tenets
Mary why did not you put in also Elizabeth Mother of the great Baptist and the Angel Gabriel as well as Michael Ismael I know not indeed Isaac Nor do I know if it be not because that Elizabeth and Gabriel made the Popish Ave Maria as Scripture relates but can you tell as the Church of England put in your Kalender St. George St. Andrew and St. David Patrons of England Scotland and Wales why did not she put in St. Patrick Patron of Ireland Ismael I can't tell What may be the reason think you Isaac I know not if it be not that he forfeited his place for his Purgatory for tho the others were as deep in Popery as he if we believe the Papists but the Parliament pass'd an Act of Indemnity for England Scotland and Wales after the Kings return to his Kingdoms and thereby the sin of Popery was forgiven to their Patrons and no Act of Indemnity was past for Ireland whereby Patrick is still guilty if it be not that the Seven Champions of Christendom tell us St. Patrick was St. George his Footman and it was not thought good manners to put him in the same rank with his Master Ismael For shame if not for pitty forbear I cannot endure to fully Sacred things with profane Ralleries the Kalender is a holy institution of the Church and ought to be reverenc'd Isaac And so is Episcopacy Surplices Bells Organs and Corner Caps yet I hope you will give Presbyterians Anabaptists Quakers c. leave to laugh at them and be still as good Children of the Reformation as you if you esteem them to be Sacred and Holy reverence and honour them I commend you for it if others Judge otherwise let them follow their humour each one as he fancies says the Fellow kissing his Com this is the holy Liberty of the Reformation Scripture as each one understands it Ismael Let us return to our last discourse how is it possible that those Tenets of Popery â—…ould be the Doctrin of the Reformation whereâ—â— we see the Church of England so severely perâ—â—ecute the Professors of them Isaac Do you think a Doctrin is not of the Reformation because it 's denyed by the Church of England or because she persecutes the Proâ—essors of it do not they persecute all Non-conforâ—ists as well as Popery persecution is no proof of a Doctrin to be bad it 's but the effect of a blind zeal armed with power for to know cerâ—ainly if a Doctrin be of the Reformation you must try it by our Test or Rule of Faith which is the written Word of God and whatever any man of sound Judgment of a sincere and humble heart judges to be contained in Scripture or â—n indubitable consequence out of it that man may believe that Doctrin let all others Judge of it as they list and by so believing will be a true Child of the Reformation wherefore since that the Church of France that of England in Edward the VI 's time Luther Melancthon Grotius and the other Authors I quoted do Judge Transubstantiation Popes Supremacy and Communion in one kind to be the Doctrin of Scripture we must call it the Doctrin of the Reformation and if you judge as they did you may believe the Doctrin and be still of the Reformation as well as they Ismael Can you shew me any other Tenet of Popery which you can call the Doctrin of the Reformation Isaac Alas you can hardly shew me any Tenet of Popery but what is it's Doctrin what Doctrin more Popish than that of Confession and Absolution from sins yet it 's as truly the Doctrin of the Reformation as figurative Presence for not only Lobechius Altamerus Sacerius and Melancthon says it 's a Sacrament but the Church of England in our Common-Prayer Book declares that Priests have not only the power of declaring their sins to be forgiven to the Penitents but also the power of forgiving them and sets down the form of Absolution which the Minister is to use Our Lord Jesus Christ who left power to the Church to absolve all sinners which truly repent of his mercy forgive thee and thine offences and I by his Authority committed unto me do absolve thee from all thy sins The Minister of the Diocess of of Lincoln in their Survey of the Book of Common Prayers checkt this Doctrine as Popery and petitioned to have it blotted out but could not prevail whereby we are given to understand it 's the Doctrine of the Reformation It 's Popery we say to call extream Uuction Confirmation and Holy Order of Priest-hood Sacraments and who can justly deny all this to be the Doctrine of the Re-formation for Calvin says I confess the Disciples of Christ did use Exâ—ream Vnction as a Sacrament I am not says he of the opinion of those who judge it was only a Meâ—â—cine for corporal diseases Calvin also and with him our Common Prayer Book and all our Divines say a Sacrament is nothing else but a Visible sign of the invisible Grace we receive by â—t and they say with Pouel Hooker and others that this definition fits exactly Confirmation wherefore the Ministers of the Diocess of Lincoln checkt the Common Prayer Book for giving the Definition of a Sacrament to Confirmation Melancthon Bilsom Hooker and Calvin expresly teach that the Order of Priesthood is a Sacrament And when men of so eminent Judgment of our Reformation teach this to be the Doctrine of Scripture who doubts but that it is of the Reformation Ismael By this you destroy the Doctrine of the Reformation of two Sacraments only Is Destroy it God forbid Because the Church of England says there are but two Sacraments I say it 's the Doctrin of the Reformation there are but two and because so many eminent Men judge by Scripture there are more I say it 's the Doctrin of the Reformation there are more that 's to say six Baptism Confirmation Eucharist Pennance Extream Unction and Holy Order and very likely our Bishops and Ministers for their Wives sake will not stick to grant that Matrimony also is a Sacrament Ismael But can you say that Prayers to Saints and Images Prayer for the dead and Purgatory are not meer Popery and in no wise the the Doctrine of Reformation Isaac Without doubt those Tenets are Popery but all the World knows the Lutherans use Images in their Churches and pray before them and the Holy Synod of Charenton has declared as was said in our first Dialogue that the Lutherans have nothing of Superstition or Idolatry in their manner of Divine Worship this is also the Doctrine of Jacobus Andreas Brachmanus Kemnitius Luther and Brentius quoted by Beza and why should not a Doctrine Judged by such eminent Men to be of Scripture be called the Doctrin of the Reformation Prayers for the dead and Purgatory is Popery confessedly but alas it is taught expresly
by Vrbans Regius Bucer Zuinglius Melancthon Luther the Common-Prayer Book in King Edward's time Printed 1549. and many others of our Learned Doctors and what can you call more properly the Doctrine of the Reformation than what such Men teach to be the Doctrine of Scripture And though our Brethren Quakers Anabaptists Presbyterians and Protestants Judge Prayers to Angels and Saints to be nothing else but Popery yet our Common-Prayer Book has the same Collect or Prayer to Angels in St. Michael's day that the Popish Mass Book has and desires that the Angels may succour and defend us on earth and Prayers to and Intercession of Saints is taught by Luther y Bilneus and Latimer quoted by Fox and consequently it 's the Doctrine of the Reformation Ismael If all these Popish Articles may be safely believed by the Reformation and be the Doctrine of our Reformed Church as well as of Popery what difference then betwixt us and Popery or why are we call'd a Reformation of Popery or why did we separate from them Isaac I have told you already that our difference from Popery is not because we must deny what they believe for we believe as well as they the Unity and Trinity of God the Incarnation of his Son c. but in this that the Papists believe because the Pope and Church says this is true revealed Doctrine but we believe not because any Church Pope or Doctor says so but because we our selves judge by Scripture it is so for if a Papist did say I do not believe this is a revealed Truth because the Pope and Church says it is but because I find by Scripture it is he would be no Papist believe then whatever Doctrine you will either Popery Judaism Protestancy Arianism or what else you please provided you judge by Scripture it is true and that you believe it not because this or that Church Congregations or Doctors believe it but because your self judges it to be true you 'l be a true Child of the Reformation And this is the reason why we are called a Reformation and why we separated from them because they would have us take for our Rule of Faith Scripture as interpreted by them and believe not what we judge to be the Doctrine of Scripture but what they judge and this is also the Reason why Presbyterians are jealous with the Church of England why Anabaptisâ—s forsake Presbyterians why these are forsaken by Quakers because each one would have the World judge as they do and persecute and trouble one another which is quite against the Spirit of the Reformation for whereas our Rule of Faith is no Church Congregation or Man but Scripture as each one understands it it follows that by our principles every one must he permitted to believe whatever he pleases and by so doing he will be a true Child of the Reformation Ismael The Church of England nor any of our Congregations will never believe any of those Popist Tenets Isaac The time may come that they may believe them all and be still as good Reformers as now they are For if the Pope and his Church should to morrow deny and excommunicate those Tenets which now they so steadfastly believe and I hope they will some day then it would be a pious and virtuous action in all Reformed Children to believe them all as much as now they deny them And let us pretend what other reasons we please but it 's very certain that the strongest reason we can have to deny those Articles is because the Pope and his Church believes them and consequently if the Popish Church would but deny them we might and ought to believe them you will think this a Paradox but listen to our Apostolical and Divine Luther If a general Council says he did permit Priests to Marry it would be a singular marke of Piety and sign of Godliness in that case to take Concubines rather than to Marry in conformity to the Decree of the Council I would in that case command Priests not to Marry under pain of damnation And again he says If the Council should Decree Communion in both kinds in contempt of the Council I would take one only or none See these words of Luther quoted by our learned Hospinian and Jewel and see it 's not only my Doctrine but of great Luther that in case the Pope and Council deny all the Tenets they now believe we may and it will be a pious godly action to believe them and make as many Acts of Parliament for them as now we have against them But what 's the matter Methinks you become pale something troubles you speak what is it Ismael It 's the horror I conceive against your discourse my countenance cannot be in a calm when my mind is in such a storm and confusion pursue no more you said enough that I should curse the day I have ever seen you or heard that which you call Holy Liberty which is but a prostitution of Consciences a prophanation of all that is sacred and an open gap to all impiety in Doctrine and Manners But I hope the Lord has given me that profound respect and attach to our Holy Reformation that I shall not be beaten from it by all your Engines able to inspire a contempt and hatred of it to any weak Brother for who would live a moment in it if such impious Tenets such scandalous and blasphemous Doctrines were of it or were unavoidable sequels out of its Principles No no the principles of the Reformed Church are sound and Orthodox and no Doctrine can follow from them but what 's pure and true Isaac Let me tell you I have as tender a love for the Reformation as you And I will maintain the Holy Liberty I assert cannot justly be called a prostitution of Consciences for you dare not deny but this is an Orthodox and sound principle that our Rule of Faith is Scripture as each person of sound Judgment understands it that it is lawful for each person of sound Judgment to read it to give his Judgment of the true sense of it and to believe and hold that sense of it which he thinks in his Conscience to be true is there any prostitution of Consciences in this Doctrin Or is it not the Doctrin of our Reformation Ismael All this is true the prostitution of Consciences lyes not there but in the scandalous and blasphemous Tenets which you pretend that follow out of the Rule of Faith. Isaac But you wrong the Reformation in calling such Tenets blasphemies and scandals For since our Rule of Faith is Scripture as each Person of sound Judgment understands it if this Rule of Faith be good and sound if it be Religious and Holy any Doctrin that is conformable to this Rule must be good sound religious and holy this being our Rule of Faith and Manners it 's clearer than day light that all and each other Tenet
which I rehearsed in all my former discourses are conformable to our Rule of Faith for our Rule is Scripture as each Man of sound Judgment understands it Our Doctrin therefore must be what any Person of sound Judgment understands to be the Doctrin of Scripture This is an evident sequel out of that Principle and whereas there is not one Tenet of all those which I rehearsed whether they concern Doctrin or Manners but was Judged by the Doctors which I cited for it to be the Doctrine of Scripture it follows unavoidably that there is not one Tenet of them but is the Doctrin of the Reformation Therefore you must be forced to either of these two either to say that our Rule of Faith by which such Doctrines are warranted is naught wicked and scandalous and leads to a prostitution of Consciences and Manners or that all those Tenets are good sound pious and no prostitution or corruption of our Consciences For pick and chuse out the Doctrin which you think to be the most wicked and scandalous of all those I rehearsed you cannot deny but that it was taught by the Author I quoted for it and Judged by him to be the Doctrin of Scripture And if no Doctor hitherto had believed it you or I or some other Person of sound Judgment may Judge it to be the Doctrine of Scripture Either of both then you must be constrained to grant Or that the Doctrin of the Reformation is not what each person of sound Judgment understands to be the Doctrin and Sense of Scripture which is as much as to say that our Rule of Faith must not be Scripture as we understand it but that we must believe against our own Judgment and Conscience what others say is the Doctrin and Sense of Scripture Or you must grant that all and each of those Tenets I rehearsed is the Doctrin of the Reformation tho you or this or that Man may Judge them to be blasphemies and scandals Ismael I confess our Rule of Faith in the Reformation is Scripture as each person understands it for all our reformed Churches with the Church of England in her 39 Articles do give us this Rule of Faith. I confess consequently out of this Principle that we must not believe what Doctrin or Sense of Scripture others Judge to be true and Orthodox if we do not our selves Judge it to be such for we must not be forced to believe against our Judgments Lastly I confess we may safely believe whatsoever Doctrins we seriously Judge to be the Doctrin of Scripture but provided that such a Tenet or Doctrin be not plainly against Scripture and be not plain and down-right impiety and blasphemy Isaac And in case you or the Church of England Rome France or Germany Judge a Doctrin to be blasphemous and against Scripture and Luther or Calvin or I or another Judge it is good Doctrin and conformable to Scripture to which Judgment must I stand Must I believe yours against my Conscience and Knowledge Or must not I believe my own Is it not the Principle and Practice of our Reformation that I must believe what I judge in my Conscience to be Scripture and not what others judge if they judge the Contrary When Luther began the Reformation did not almost all Christians and the whole Church believe Purgatory and Prayers to Saints to be the Doctrine of Scripture And did not he very commendably deny it against them all because he judged by Scripture it was not Will a Presbyterian believe Episcopacy because the Church of England says it 's the Doctrine of Scripture No but deny it because himself judges it is not Ismael It 's true each one may Lawfully believe what himself judges to be the Doctrine of Scripture provided he be a Godly well intentioned Man humble and meek in Spirit provided secondly that what he understands to be the Sence and Doctrine of Scripture be not absurd and impious in the Judgment of all the rest of the Faithful For let a Man be ever so learned and Godly if he gives an Interpretation of Scripture which is denied by all the Church he must not be followed Isaac Your first Proviso is very good and I hope you will meet no Doctor of all those I quoted for those Tenets which you call Blasphemies who was not a learned Godly humble and well intentioned Man who will be so bold as to deny it of Luther Calvin Beza Zuinglius c. Your second Proviso is not Just and in it you overthrow the whole Reformation and our Rule of Faith for this being as you granted Scripture as each person of sound Judgment understands it whatever Interpretation or Sense any man of sound Judgment understands to be of Scripture he may safely and piously believe it tho' all the rest of the World should judge it to be impious and blasphemous otherwise our Rule of Faith must not be Scripâ—ure as we understand it but as it is understood by others And whereas no Tenet of all those I rehearsed but was judged to be the Sense and Doctrin of Scripture by some of Those eminent Doctors I quoted it follows they might have safely believed them and if you or I Judge as they did we may also believe as they did and be still of the Reformation Ismael It 's wicked and pernicious to say any particular person may believe his own private Sense and Interpretation of Scripture if it be Judged by all others to be naught and therefore the Church of England prudently and wisely puts a stop and Bridle to the extravagant and rambling imaginations of particular persons they must conform themselves and believe but what the Church Judges may be safely believed Isaac Pray Sir since when is it commendable to constrain Mens Judgments to believe not what each one thinks best but what the Church thinks may be safely believed was this Commendable in the beginning of our Reformation when our Blessed Reformers began to teach their private Judgments against the Church then establish'd If it was then the Church of Rome is to be commended for persecuting and excommunicating our first Reformers and this was not nor is not commendable in the Church of Rome why is it commendable in the Church of England This is a piece of Popery whereof the Church of England is guilty and for which all our Congregations are jealous of her Be it known to you our other Congregations Lutherans Calvinists Anabaptists c. are as truly and Godly Children of the Reformation as the Church of England and they will not submit to that Popish Tyranny nor suffer any curb to their Judgments but will have our Rule of Faith to be but Scripture and each one to understand and believe it as he thinks best in the Lord. Ismael I confess other Congregations will admit no such Curb nor Bridle to their Judgments but follow Scripture as they understand it but the Church of England has a reverent regard for the