he shall be saved c. in the which words there are two things observable the first that Christ onely is the doore of Heaven no entrance but by him according to that of Saint Peter Acts 4. ver 12. Neither is there salvation in any other for among men there is given no other name under Heaven whereby we must be saved The second thing out of these words observable is this that they that enter in by this doore shall be saved and by no other meanes for John 14. ver 6. Christ saith I am the way the truth and the life no man commeth unto the Father but by me In which words Christ doth not onely teach us that he is the way but asserts that there is no other way to come unto God but by him if we will be saved therefore whatsoever waies to salvation either men doe devise and invent or the devill suggests to abuse the world God hath appointed no other way to Heaven and to be saved by but Jesus Christ alone he onely is the Mediator both of Jewes and Gentiles Ephes 2. vers 18. For through him we both have an accesse by one spirit unto the Father And in chap. 3. v. 12. In whom we have boldnesse and accesse with confidence by the faith of him what neede then have men of any other Mediator seeing that the Son Jesus Christ makes the Father propitious and favorable unto us and seeing that entring in by the doore we attaine unto salvation which is the end of our hope 1 Pet. 1. When Christ ascended into Heaven he promised his Apostles to send them his holy Spirit the Comforter which should lead them into all truth and solace them and helpe them in all their tribulations and S Paul in the 8 of the Rom. v. 26. saith Likewise also the Spirit helpes our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered and hee that searcheth the heart knoweth what is the minde of the Spirit because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the Will of God Now let us take notice how the Spirit of God teacheth all men to pray who knoweth best what is the Will of God Yee have not saith the Apostle verse 15. received the Spirit of bondage againe to feare but yee have received the Spirit of adoption whereby yee cry Abba Father that is with earnestnesse to cry Father Father Those then that call upon Saints and Angels have not as yet received the spirit of adoption who teacheth them alwayes to direct their Prayers unto God and to cry Father Father but the Spirit of error and delusion And in Gal. 4. v. 6. Because yee are Sonnes saith the Apostle God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father From the which words as from the former it is easy to conclude that they that teach men to call upon Saints and Angels are not guided and moved by the Spirit of God and Christ for all the Prayers that the Spirit of God and Christ frame in our hearts are addressed and directed unto God alone Withall we may observe in both the places cited that the Spirit teacheth us not onely to say but makes us cry Abba Father thereby instructing us to cast away all vaine feares and to come unto God with confidence and all assurance according to that in the. Heb. 4. v. 15 16. For we have not an High-Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Grace that we may obtaine mercy and finde grace to helpe in time of neede Here againe we are directed to come unto God only and to our Mediator when we approach to the Throne of grace neither can we addresse ourselves to any other better than unto Christ in regard that he best knowes our necessities before whom there is not any creature that is not manifest and in whose sight with whom we have to doe all things are naked and open neither is there any that has more compassion and is more touched with a feeling of our infirmities than hee who was in all points tempted like as we neither is there any that has more ability and all-sufficiency to succour help or save us than Christ who has all power in Heaven and Earth given him for the good of his people and reliefe of his Church And in regard likewise that all our Prayers Supplications and Thanksgivings are spirituall Sacrifices and all Sacrifices ought only to be offered to God alone and that in the name and mediation of Jesus Christ As Judges 13. v. 16. If thou wilt offer a burnt offering thou must offer it to God alone Psal 50. v. 14. Offer unto God thanksgiving and pay thy vowes unto the most High and call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee here we see that all Thanksgivings and prayses must be given to him onely to whom wee put up our Prayers and according to this rule have all the holy Prophets Apostles and all the Saints powred out their Prayers and Praises to God alone in the name of Jesus Christ and have directed others so to do as Eph. 5. v. 20. Giving thankes alwayes for all things unto God even the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and saith Peter in his first Epistle Chap. 2. v. 5. Yee also as lively stones be made a spirituall house an holy Priest-Hood to offer up spirituall Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ And therefore they will not be acceptable except they be offered up in the name of Jesus Christ And Heb. 13. v. 15. Let us therefore by him offer the sacrifice of prayse alwayes to God that is the fruit of the lips giving thanks to his name So that if we wil follow the direction of God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost and be taught by God as all believers are Iohn 6. v. 45. then all our prayers Supplications and Thanksgivings are to be put up to God alone in the name and mediation of Jesus Christ and by the assistance of the holy Spirit And this is the Doctrine that all true Christians are bound to persevere and continue in to the last drop of their bloud and if an Angell from Heaven should teach us any other doctrine as invocation of Saints and Angels he is to be accursed Gal. 1. v. 8. The Apostle in that place alluding unto that which is spoken in the first of the Kings chap. 13. where the Prophet sent by the Lord to cry against the Altar of Ieroboam was commanded not to eate bread or drinke water nor to returne the same way and so he answered the King inviting him to goe to his house that if he would give him halfe his house that he would not go with him and gave him a
received them from the Lord as baptisme in pure water without mixtures and the Lords Supper in both elements in Bread and Wine with the very words of institution according to Christs appointment and command And withall continually instructs and teaches the people the end for which they were ordained and the right use of them with the true nature and meaning of those mysteries as that they are outward and visible signes wherewith the Lord sealeth and confirmeth to our consciences the sweet promises of his good will and pleasure towards us for the sustaining and supporting of the feeblenesse and weakenesse of our faith and by the which we againe on our owne behalfes doe testifie our piety duty and love towards him as well before him and the blessed Angels as before men and declare unto the people that they are testimonies of Gods favour and good will towards us confirmed by outward signes and are visible forms of invisible grace And the Ministers of the Church of England also prepare the people by wholsome instructions what duties are required at their hands and what requisits are necessarily expected for the making of them capable and worthy partakers of these holy Ordinances and so to communicate in them as they may thereby bring glory to God and edification to others receive the comfort of the right celebrating the holy Sacraments in their own particular all which things I say when the Church of England conscientiously performeth according unto the rule prescribed in the holy Word and the example of Christ and the holy Apostles it is manifest that the Church of England declareth it selfe to be a true Church and built upon the foundation of Peter and believeth as it ought to believe Againe when the Church of England teacheth the people to put up all their prayers and supplications to God onely in the name and mediation of Jesus Christ by the assistance of the holy Spirit with an assured faith of being heard according to Christs direction saying When ye pray say Our Father which art in Heaven c. Matth. 6. ver 6. 9. and Matth. 21. ver 22. Whatsoever ye shall aske in prayer if ye believe ye shall receive it And John 15. ver 7. and 1 John 5. ver 14. and John 14. vers 13 14. Whatsoever ye aske in my name I will doe it And John 16. ver 23. I say unto you whatsoever ye shall aske the Father in my name he will give it you And John 14. ver 6. I am the way the truth and the life No man commeth unto the Father but by me This way of praying unto God doth the Church of England teach unto the people and instruct them to whom in all calamities to make their addresses according to the doctrine of holy Scripture and that is to God alone Psal 50. Call upon me in the time of trouble c. And St. Paul in his first Epistle to Timothy ch 2. exhorting all Christians to make prayers and supplications with thanksgiving for all men for Kings and such as are in authority and giving the reason of it because saith the Apostle God will that all men shall be saved and come unto the knowledge of the truth that is to say all sorts of men without any difference of nation kind age or order And then he gives them a direction in whose name they shall put up their supplications that they may be accepted and that is in the name of Jesus Christ No man commeth unto the father but by Christ And therefore the Apostle as he did impose upon all Christians that duty of praying for all sorts of men Kings Emperours and Rulers so in that very place vers 5. he bids them put up their prayers in the sole name of Jesus Christ for saith he there is but one God to whom we must pray and there is but one Mediator betwixt God and man the man Christ Jesus in whose name we must put up all our prayers supplications and thanksgivings For as there is but one God of all Nations Kings Princes and Potentates so there is but one Mediator of all Nations Kings Princes and Potentates who onely hath given a ransome for them and whose blood speaketh better things than the blood of Abel for Abels cals for revenge but Christs blood cals for mercy and atonement and that continually for he is a perfect Mediator both for satisfaction and intercession and hath not resigned that office of intercession and mediatorship to either Saints or Angels and therefore it is great impiety and horrid sacriledge and blasphemy in any to rob Christ of his honour and glory and to ascribe it to the creatures especially when in expresse words the Apostle in the Rom. 8. ver 34. affirmes that Christ being at the right hand of God maketh requests for us And Saint John in his first Epistle chap. 2. v. 1 2. saith My little children these things write I unto you that you sinne not and if any man sinne we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the just and he is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world Here Christ is assigned by Saint John to be the Mediator of all sorts of men of all ages and in all places and in that he nominates Jesus Christ to be the Mediator he excludes all other advocates for reconciliation and intercession go inseparably together to give us to understand that he onely is our advocate who is our high Priest The same doctrine the authour to the Hebrews teaches all Christians in Chap. 5. v. 23 24 25. And they truely were many Priests c. by reason of death but this man because he continueth ever hath an everlasting Priesthood Wherefore also he is able to save them to the utmost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth and maketh intercession for them From all which places we see that the Priestly Office hath them ediation and intercession so annexed unto it that the one cannot be severed or taken from the other without detestable sacriledge and blasphemy and therefore it must needs be a greater impiety in all such as give the glory of the mediation and intercession to Saints and Angels when notwithstanding in expresse words the Apostle in his Epistle to the Colossians chap. 2. v. 18. hath not onely condemned it as detestable but shewes likewise the reason of it that it is pernicious and destructive to the soules of men and separates them from their head Christ Jesus his words are these Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshiping of Angels c. and not holding the head Here we see the reward of such mens impiety for as they rob Christ of his honour and thrust him from his mediatorship so they by this are thrust out of Heaven not holding the head And in John 10. ver 9. Christ saith I am the doore by me if any man enter in
meanes of attaining this faith by which they may save their soules is the preaching and hearing of the Word and as this faith is attained to by hearing so it is dayly increased by the same as also by the right use and administration of the holy Sacraments and Prayers to all which duties they stir up the people with all sedulity and godly care And that they may the more deterre them from sinne and all manner of evill they do not onely declare unto them the horror of sinne and the present danger of it as that it is the cause of all miseries and calamities here but that it will also bring endlesse and eternall misery upon them hereafter and that they must all appeare at the last day before a dreadfull Judge there to give an accompt of whatsoever they have done in the body whether good or evill 2 Cor. chap. 5. vers 10. And that they should not deceive themselves for God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reape for hee that soweth unto the flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption but he that soweth unto the spirit shall of the spirit reape life everlasting Gal. 6. v. 7 8. So that if we run through all the Theoricall part of Divinity you shall not finde the Church of England failing or defective in any point of beliefe speculative that is required and necessary for salvation when it teacheth every thing that Christ himselfe requires at mens hands that they should know to make them blessed Now all the knowledge that makes men blessed and that Christ injoynes them is the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ and self-deniall This is life eternall saith Christ Iohn 17. to know thee to be the only true God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ And Mat. 16. If any will be my Disciple let him deny himselfe and come after mee Now I say when the Church of England teacheth the people the knowledge of God in Jesus Christ and the knowledge of themselves it teacheth all things for beliefe speculative for all speculative Divinity is contained in these two poynts And this shall suffice to have spoke of the Theoricall part of Divinity wherein the Church of England doth her duty And now Mr. Montague I will as briefly as I can declare and prove that the Church of England fayleth nothing in teaching all things for Religion practicall for in that shee teacheth us our whole duty both towards God and towards our Neighbour what we should doe and what wee should not do in the whole course of our lives for the pleasing of God and avoyding of sin and misery she doth her duty also in the practicall part of Divinity perfectly and fully For as all speculative Divinity consists as I sayd before in the knowledge of God and of our selves so all practicall Religion consists in the performance of our duty towards God in giving him his due honour and such a worship and service as he requires of us in his Word and that is spirituall as wee see John 4. vers 24. God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth And in performing all offices of love and charity to our Neighbour and carrying our selves unblamably in this present World Jam. 1. vers 27. Pure Religion and undefiled saith S. Iames before God and the Father is this to visit the fatherlesse and the Widow in their affliction and to keepe themselves unspotted from the World and in observing and fulfilling that royall Law chap. 2. vers 8. in loving our Neighbour as our selves In these two points consists all practicall Religion which is nothing else but a framing of our whole lives according to the Law of God considering that we are not at our owne disposing nor at our owne liberty but consecrated and dedicated unto God and therefore wee must deny our selves and forsake our owne reason and resigne our selves up to be guided and governed by the Word and Spirit of the Lord in all things belonging unto his worship And that wee ought not to seeke after those things that are our owne but those things that are according to the Will of God and tend to the advancement of his glory and Kingdom and in this does our practicall Religion concerning God consist and our love and duty towards our Neighbour is contained in these two things in being kindly affectioned one towards another with brotherly love in honour preferring one another Rom. 12. v. 10. In doing nothing through strife and vaine-glory but in lowlinesse of mind each esteeming others better than themselves Phil. 2. vers 3. And then in imploying our selves to the uttermost of our abilities with all sincerity and truth of affection and unfained love to procure their good and emolument in all things And under these two heads the love of God and of our Neighbour is comprised all the practicall Divinity or Religion the Word of God makes knowne unto men and requires at our hand Which when the Church of England doth dayly publish unto the people and teacheth all things concerning them fully it is aboundantly evident to any unpartiall man that she teachteh all things both for Theory and practice necessary for salvation and for the proving of her selfe to to be a true Church the ground and pillar of truth and to be built upon the foundation of Peter And as this conclusion doth necessarily issue upon the premises for the proofe of the truth of the Church of England so on the contrary this likewise will of necessity follow that that Church that neither teacheth those things that belong unto the beliefe speculative nor to the Religion practicall cannot be a true Church And I am confident Mr. Montague that you your selfe upon deliberation will not deny it And then also any man may inferre that the Church of Rome cannot be a true Church nor the ground and pillar of Truth when shee neither teacheth the people the true knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ nor the knowledge of themselves nor makes knowne unto them the spirituall way of worshipping him which he requires nor teacheth them their love and duty towards God and towards their Neighbour which God commands but with far greater reason they may conclude that the Church of Rome is not a true Church if they consider also that the Church of Rome not onely neglecteth her duty in not teaching the people the true knowledge of God and of themselves but also in that shee taketh away the Key of knowledge from them snatching the Word of God out of their hands and hindering the pure preaching of both Law and Gospel by which men might be saved and setting up an idolatricall worship and bringing in a new service of their owne devising and in that also that the Church of Rome doth not teach the people love towards their Neighbours the true servants of God but hatred and animates them to persecute them with fire and faggot
is to a hireling and daily labourer and that their Priests can forgive sinnes as Judges by their owne authority This Master Montague you know is the doctrine and faith of the Church of Rome and a great deale more such stuffe Now I intreat you candidly to tell me whether in your opinion the faith of the Church of Rome or the beliefe of the Church of England concerning Christs Priestly Office be more orthodox and which of them giveth most honour to their Mediator she that ascribeth the whole worke of her redemption to him alone or she that robbeth him of all his Priestly honour and Mediatorship Truly Master Montague if you will but duely consider this businesse and weigh it as it ought to be weighed you will quickly perceive that the Church of Rome doth in word onely acknowledge Christ to be a Priest and Mediator but in deeds and workes overthrowes the right and power of his Priesthood And to speake the verity there can be nothing more blasphemously thought imagined or practised against the honour and dignity of the Lord of life the onely and sole Mediator and high Priest of the everlasting covenant then that the Church of Rome doth against him robbing him of his due glory and overthrowing indeed the whole worke of our redemption making our selves and others our owne saviours and mediators and not Christ alone to whom all the honour and praise of our redemption of due belongeth I could be very large Mr. Montague in aggravating of the impiety and blasphemies of the Church of Rome concerning this point but I will say no more of it for the present but this that it is a doctrine that overthroweth all Christian religion and destroyeth the very foundation of our faith And now I come to the Propheticall Office of Christ where we will briefly take notice whether the Church of England or the Church of Rome be most orthodox in their faith concerning Christs Propheticall Office and which of them more venerably believeth touching that or giveth most honour to Christ the onely Prophet of his Church The Church of England believeth that Jesus Christ was appointed by God himselfe to be the onely and sole Prophet Pastor and Teacher of his Church and that he hath fully and perfectly revealed the whole counsell and will of God concerning the redemption of mankind and preached the Gospell and glad tidings of peace unto the World the which Gospell he doth daily vegetate and quicken in the soules of his people by his holy Spirit and corroborate and confirme by the holy Sacraments And she believeth that he hath delivered all things unto the Church that God the Father commanded him necessary for our salvation and that we are onely to heare him in all things whatsoever he shall say unto us and that every soule that shall not heare that Prophet shall be destroyed from among the people Deut. 18. v. 18. Matth. 3. v. 17. Matth. 17. v. 5. Acts 3. v. 22 23. And the Church of England believeth also that Jesus Christ did not onely declare and preach the whole and perfect Will of God unto the Church but also that whatsoever was necessary to salvation was written and penned by his appointment and direction and especiall assistance and is all contained in the writings of the old and new Testament and that not in obscure and ambiguous words but in plaine and evident expressions as farre as is necessary to salvation all which in the sequell of this discourse will be made evident She also believeth that all the people ought according to Christs command read them and that the holy Scriptures are the onely Judge of all controversies and have no need of any humane traditions And she farther believeth that we are to serve and worship God onely as he hath appointed in his holy Word and in the divine Scriptures as Christ the Prophet of his Church hath commanded in them and that whatsoever doctrines not expressed and contained in the Scriptures and written Word or grounded upon it or evidently deduced from it are not to be entertained received or obeyed but to be cast out of the Church as abominable things such as are prejudiciall not onely to our salvation and comfort but injurious also and derogatory to the honour of our great Prophet Jesus Christ whom we are commanded only to heare and listen unto And therefore the Church of England doth reject all those doctrins of Will-worship Image and Crucifix worship Bead worship Bread worship Place worship and all Saint and Angell worship and all those doctrines of Service Letanies Ceremonies and indulgencies and those of Fast-daies and Feast-daies all doctrines of Masses and Sacrifices for soules in Purgatory and prayers for the dead with all their doctrines of Pilgrimages and Monkery with their doctrines of devils prohibiting meats and marriage and all those doctrines of the reall and corporall presence of Christ in their blasphemous sacrifices destructive to the humane nature of Jesus Christ making it present in numberlesse places at once and enervating and overthrowing the al-sufficiency of Christs sacrifice And all their doctrins of transubstantiation self-merit works of supererogation and all the other doctrins they teach in the Church of Rome which would both endlesse needlesse to recount the observing of the which is the onely imployment of the Church of Rome the Church of England doth detest as execrable abominations because our Prophet Christ Jesus hath no where taught them in his holy word which must be the only rule of our faith and worship to the end of the world But now let us heare what the Church of Rome believeth concerning the Propheticall office of Christ that we may see how honourably she esteemeth of it The Church of Rome in word acknowledgeth that Christ was by God appointed to be the Prophet of his Church notwithstanding in deeds they deny that Christ did reveale the whole will of God unto the Church in the holy Scriptures and affirmes that the Scriptures were accidentally written and not purposely to be the rule of faith which by its clarity and brightnesse should determine the controversies in Religion they affirme also that the holy Scriptures are darke and obscure and very dangerous for lay-men and therefore that they are to be taken from them and that the Church hath need of the authority of Fathers and Councels and the helpe of Traditions for the compleating of the holy Scriptures and the making of them a perfect and absolute rule both of our faith and worship whereupon they bring in all those abominable doctrins and traditions I even now made mention of many more and thrust them upon the people as the worship and service of God and by the observation of the which they may merit Heaven as they say when neverthelesse there is not one word in all the booke of God concerning any one of them or any thing delivered by our Prophet Christ Jesus touching them all which things are as
certainty of all that Christ both did and spak in the knowledge and believing of the which consists our Eternall happinesse and salvation And this Mr. Montague might suffice to have spoke to prove the al-sufficiency of the Scriptures without Traditions but I will yet adde a few more arguments to establish this Truth more fully and so much the more willingly I do it because it is a point of so great concernment and that about which there hath been and is the greatest contestation betweene us true Catholicks and you Papists S. Luke affords us an other evident testimony to prove the al-sufficiency of the holy Scriptures Acts 1. vers 1. The former Treatise saith hee have I made O Theophilus of all that Jesus began both to do and teach untill the day in which hee was taken up c. From which words I thus argue Those Bookes and writings that containe in them all things that Jesus Christ both did taught and suffered for the redemption and salvation of mankind by the knowledge and faith of the which men may be saved they containe all things in them necessary to salvation and have no need of any humane Traditions to be joyned unto them for the making of them a perfect Rule But the Scriptures of the new Testament comprehend in them all things that Jesus Christ both did taught and suffered for the redemption and salvation of mankinde by the knowledge and faith of which men may bee saved Ergo the Scriptures containe all things in them necessary to salvation The evidence of the truth of this argument is so manifest that besides Lukes owne Testimony which is enough for ever to stop the mouth of all gainesayers the very Rhemists themselves your owne witnesses do acknowledge it whose notes upon this place you may at your best leasure looke on their words are these Not all particularly for the other Evangelists wrote divers things not touched by him but all the principall and most necessary things These Mr. Montague are the expressions of your own men in which observe these two concessions The first that they do acknowledge that at that time that S. Luke writ his Gospell The other Evangelists had writ diverse things not touched by him And this overthrowes your opinion that when S. Paul writ unto Timothy that the Scriptures of the new Testament were not then pend but delivered only viva voce and by Tradition and this was long before that time that S. Paul writ to Timothy The second thing that they grant which is as much as I desired is this that S. Luke himselfe had writ all the principall and most necessary things so that if the principall and most necessary things to salvation were written by Luke alone and the other things of lesse necessity were written by the other Evangelists then by your owne witnesses it followeth Mr. Montague that all things necessary to salvation are comprised and contained in the Scriptures of the new Testament compleatly and fully and therefore they are absolutely in themselves perfect and have no neede of any humane Traditions for the making of them an intire and perfect rule And truly Mr. Montague I dare at any time undertake this taske against all the Papists in the would to prove that if wee had nothing but the very writings of S. Luke I meane the Gospell written by him and the Acts of the Apostles that there were enough pend for the salvation of men and that there were no just cause of complayning of the in-sufficiency of the Scripture seeing that the knowledge and believing of those principall and most necessary things are able to save our soules as most certaine it is the knowing and believing of what hee writ is sufficient to salvation But when God of his infinite favour and goodnesse to mankinde hath by so many of his blessed Servants Apostles and Evangelists in so many severall Gospells and Epistles besides the revelation of S. Iohn so abundantly declared his heavenly good will and pleasure it is not onely an intolerable ingratitude in any not to acknowledge it but also an insufferable blasphemy to accuse all the Scriptures of imperfection yea it is indeed an overthrowing of the Lord Christs propheticall office and to give the Spirit of God and his holy Apostles and Evangelists the lie when they affirme the contrary saying in expresse words that they have writ all things necessary to salvation as by the Testimonies following will appeare See what S. Iohn saith concerning this businesse of so great consequence Chap. 20. vers 30.31 And many other signes truly did Iesus in the presence of his Disciples which are not written in this Booke But these are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Sonne of God and that believing yee might have life through his Name than the which there cannot be a more pregnant proofe to shew the sufficiency of what was written to salvation The argument from these words is this That which teacheth and declareth unto us the soveraigne and chiefest good and the meanes of attaining unto this good that containes all things in it necessary to salvation But the holy Scriptures doe teach and declare unto us the Soveraigne and chiefest good to wit life eternall and the meanes of attaining this life eternall to wit faith in Jesus Christ Ergo The Scriptures containe all things in them necessary to salvation If Mr. Montague you have a minde to confute this Argument you must then dispute against the Gospell of S. Iohn which confirmeth it But heare Mr. Montague what he saith in his first Epistle vers 1. 3.4 That which was from the beginning which wee have heard which wee have seene with our Eyes which wee have looked upon and our hands have handled of the Word of Life That which wee have seene and heard declare wee unto you that yee may also have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Sonne Jesus Christ And these things write wee unto you that your joy may be full The Argument from these words I thus frame The holy Apostles did hear and see whatsoever was necessary to salvation but the Apostles did declare set downe pen and record in their writings whatsoever they thought usefull requisite and sufficient for the attaining of eternall life Ergo the Apostles have declared and set down in their Bookes and writings whatsoever is necessary to salvation and to affirme the contrary is to give the Spirit of God and the holy Apostle the lie who in expresse tearms assert it For the Minor it is also manifest out of the same words For that which unites us with the Father and with his Sonne Jesus Christ and makes our joy compleat that undeniably containes all things necessary to salvation but the holy Scriptures unite us with the Father and with his Sonne Iesus Christ and make our joy compleate Ergo they containe all things necessary to salvation And the same Apostle in the
forbidding them to listen unto any Traditions of men or unwritten verities For if we must not be wise above that which is written and the opinions and doctrines of faith belong unto true wisdome then wee ought in matters of faith to be contented solely with the Scriptures and onely to cleave and stick unto that rule But the antecedent is true Ergo The consequent The connexion is manifest and for the assumption the place cited proves it But if this place Mr. Montague be understood as it is expounded by many learned men that Paul has reference here to the things which himselfe had writ to the Corinthians and others and that he binds the Corinthians here to the things pend by himselfe and that which he had writ and injoynes them not to be wise above that then by how much more are all the whole Scriptures sufficient and with how much the more care ought we to take heed that wee be not wise above that which is written both in the old and new Testament for that must needs be a compleate rule to which with greater reason all men are for evertied unto if the very writings of the Apostle Paul are so perfect that no man ought to be wise or learned above that which hee hath written From the which I thus argue Whosoever propounds or establishes any doctrines or opinions of Faith from unwritten Traditions is wise above that which is written But no Christian truly obedient to the Apostolicall doctrine is wise above that which is written Ergo no Christian truly obedient to the Apostolicall Doctrine doth propound or establish any Doctrines or opinions of Faith from unwritten Traditions But to goe on Paul in his Epistle to the Galatians chap. 1. vers 8 9. Though wee saith he or an Angell from Heaven preach unto you otherwise then that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed as wee said before so say J now againe if any men preach unto you otherwise then that yee have received let him be accursed The Apostle here doubles the execration as if he could have used no argument sufficient enough to deterre them from listning unto any doctrines contrary to that which they had received tying them only to the written Word the which they ought to make the onely rule of their faith and from the which they might not swarve though the Apostles themselves or an Angell from Heaven should teach them otherwise under a fearefull curse and execration And as he sets downe the danger that will follow to all such as disobay these his injunctions so in the conclusion of this his Epistle hee pronounces a blessing upon all such as shall be conformable to the rule prescribed unto them for their farther incouragement in these words Chap. 6. vers 16. And as many as walke according to this rule peace be unto them and mercy and upon the Israel of God Mercy therefore and peace is the reward of all the faithfull and obedient to this rule and to such as cleave onely to the Scriptures and a curse to all those that are disobedient and such as listen unto unwritten Traditions And in the fourth to the Ephesians exhorting them all that with lowlinesse and meeknesse c. they would indeavour to keepe the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace he gives them a reason of his exhortation saying that there is but one body and one spirit and one hope and one Lord and one faith and one Baptisme and one God and Father of all and therefore that they should imploy that Talent of grace that God had given them for the keeping of the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace And that they might the better doe this hee tells them that the Lord gave them Apostles and Prophets and Evangelists and Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints and for the edifying of the Church till they come unto the unity of the Faith c. and declares unto them withall that they have fully discharged their duty and revealed and taught the whole Will of God unto them and also writ it to this very end vers 14. That wee henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lie in waite to deceive In the which words he giveth the reason why the Word of God was written viz. That they might have a certaine rule to walke by and to which they were only to adhere and constantly to cleave unto and not to be removed from it if they desired to keepe the unity of the faith and not be carried about with every wind of Doctrine So that by this very place it is manifest the written Word is to be the onely rule and not unwritten verities or humane Traditions And in Philip. 3. vers 16. Neverthelesse saith he whereto we have already attained let us walke by the same rule let us minde the same things Here also hee tieth them to the rule the written Word from which they might not swarve And to the Coloss chap. 2. vers 8. Beware saith he lest any may spoyle you through philosophy and vaine deceit after the traditions of men after the rudiments of the World and not after Christ for in him dwelleth all the fulnesse of the God-head bodily and yee are compleat in him who is the head of all principality and power and in vers 18.19 20 21 22. of the same chapter the Apostle reproveth them that they were subject unto the ordinances after the Commandements and Doctrines of men So that in this very chapter hee proveth that the Word of God is sufficiently perfect for the bringing us unto Christ in whom wee are compleat and forbids them to listen unto the Traditions and Ordinances of men with whatsoever seeming arguments out of philosophy and humane wisdome they are propounded unto them and enjoins them onely to cleave unto the written word and to the revealed will of God in the holy Scriptures and not to serve God after the Commandements and Traditions of men shewing them the danger of so doing for saith he they separate us from the head Christ Jesus and bring us to perdition And if wee looke through all the Epistles of the holy Apostles wee shall finde in them all speciall caveats to take heede of all Traditions of men and speciall charge given them to cleave onely to that Doctrine and those instructions that they in their writings had set downe unto them for for that very end they writ their letters unto them as they testify themselves that after their departure out of this life they might have a certaine rule to walk by by the following and observing of the which they might not onely be preserved from all the errors of the times but be kept unblameable to the appearing and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and bee filled with all saving knowledge And truly Mr. Montague all reason
to the salvation of the sonnes of men But I will not now Mr. Montague discover all the errors and abominations of this Idoll onely I shall desire you to take notice of the great impiety and absurdities of this your doctrine The Church of Rome affirmeth Mr. Montague that the sacrifice of this idoll Masse is the very same sacrifice that Christ himselfe offered upon the crosse Against which I thus argue That Sacrifice which differeth from the Sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ both in the efficient materiall formall and finall cause that is not the same sacrifice that Christ offered upon the crosse but the sacrifice of the Masse differeth from the sacrifice of the Lord Iesus Christ both in the efficient materiall formall and finall cause Ergo it is not the same sacrifice but a detestable Idoll For the Major Mr. Montague no man will deny it for that that doth re ratione dissentire from any thing that is not the same as all men know The Minor I will prove with its severall parts And thus I dispute The sacrifice of the crosse was offered up by that high-Priest who is the eternall Sonne of the eternall Father who is holy harmlesse undifiled separate from sinners and made higher than the Heavens Heb. 7. vers 28. Who through the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without spot to God Heb. 9 vers 14. But the Sacrifice of the masse is not offered up by this Priest nor through the eternall Spirit but by a most polluted Priest and through the Spirit of Antichrist Ergo the sacrifice of the Masse is not the same sacrifice of Iesus Christ it differing from it in the efficient cause but a most detestable Idoll The Major of this Syllogisme you cannot deny Mr. Montague neither will any man gainsay or deny the Minor and you know then the conclusion necessarily followeth that the Sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Masse are not one and the same Sacrifice and therefore to give that honour to the Masse that is onely due to Christ himselfe is the most abominable Idolatry that the World ever heard of for it giveth the same honour to a creature of mans making that is due to the Creator blessed for ever And that shall suffice to have spoke of the first difference and now I come to speake of the second discrepancy in respect of the matteriall cause The matter of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ was the humane nature very man that that was borne of the Virgin Mary that was of the seede of Abraham of the Tribe of Judah that suffered under Pontius Pilate that was crucified dead and buried and is now at the right Hand of God and made higher than the Heavens But the matter of the sacrifice of the Masse is not the humane nature very man and that that was borne of the Virgin Mary that was of the seede of Abraham of the Tribe of Judah that suffered under Pontius Pilate that was crucified dead and buried and is now at the right hand of God and made higher than the Heavens Ergo the sacrifice of the Masse is not the same sacrifice of Iesus Christ that was offered upon the Crosse but a most prodigious Idoll that ought of all men to be abominated For the Major Mr. Montague you cannot deny it and for the Minor no man unlesse he be bereaved of his senses will deny it and unlesse he be unable to distinguish a peece of Bread from the humane nature for Christ retaines his humane nature still wheresoever hee is and he bade Thomas for the confirmation of his weake faith to put his fingers into his side and to prove the reality of his Resurrection and that hee was not a Spirit hee said unto his Disciples Luke 24. vers 39. Behold my hands and my Feete for it is I my selfe handle mee and see for a Spirit hath not flesh and bones as yee see mee have So that Mr. Montague except a man have lost all his senses hee will easily perceive the Sacrifice of the Masse and the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ are two different things for the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ had Flesh Bloud and Bones the Sacrifice of the Masse is neither flesh nor fish nor good read Herring it is neither Man nor Beast I pray Mr. Montague answer mee ingenuously do you really and indeed believe that that Breaden Wafer the Priest holdeth up in his hands or that lieth upon the Altar that Dagon of Ginger-bread is the very Christ the Saviour of the World who is now at the right Hand of God doe you believe a peece of Bread to be God-man doe you I say believe that which is betweene the Priests hands ever to have beene in the wombe of the Virgin to be of the seede of Abraham of the Tribe of Iudah and to have suffered under Pontius Pilate I am confident your conscience telleth you the contrary when you know that it is a meere peece of dow How then dare you Master Montague give that honour to a peece of bread that is due to the Lord of life Was there ever in the world a more unheard of Idolatry And yet this Master Montague is the dayly service of the Church of Rome which is worse than the worshiping of Molecke Rimmon or the God of Ekron and exceedeth all either heathenish or Iewish superstition But now I come to shew the difference betweene them in respect of the formall cause The Sacrifice of Iesus Christ was the giving up of his Spirit into the hands of God his Father the laying down of his life the separation of the humane soule from his body and the effusion of his bloud and the wounding and piercing of his glorious Body but in the sacrifice of the Masse there is none of all this you your selves calling it an unbloudy sacrifice and by virtue of your concomitancy as you tearme it you joyne flesh and bloud soule and body together and make that whole which on the Crosse was in all respects separated Ergo the Sacrifice of the Masse is not the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ but a monster to be abominated of all men as that that robs Christ the Lord of his due honour and all the adorers and worshippers of it of eternall happinesse who worship a peece of Bread for very God and in that perpetrate the greatest Idolatry that ever was committed And so exclude themselves out of Heaven for no Idolater shall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Revel 21. vers 8. But the Fearfull and Vnbelievers and Idolaters shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and which is the second death And therefore M. Montague it highly concerneth you to looke about you and to consider well what you do when you goe to Masse But now I come to the last cause of difference The Sacrifice of Jesus Christ was of that virtue and efficacy and offered up to this very end that it might be a ransome for all believers 1 Tim. chap. 2. vers 6. And Heb. 10.14 For by once offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified But the sacrifice of the Masse is neither of any power or efficacy nor never yet perfected any and by the confession of the Papists themselves must many times be reiterated to bring one poore soule out of their fained Purgatory therefore in regard also of the end it is not the same but differeth from the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and ought to be cast out of the World as a beastly Idoll and an abomination and as a thing of no efficacy and power to save any man from misery but all-sufficient to damn soules and send them to perdition and to bring downe the judgements of God upon the Nations and Kingdomes where it is set up as all Idolatry doth for the Lord will judge those Nations with all manner of plagues that provoke him by their Idolatries and after cast them into the lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone which is the second death Which that Mr. Montague you and all men may shun it deeply concerneth you to consult what a fearfull condition you yet are in and all those that are of the Faith and Religion of the Church of Rome which is the Mother of all abomination and duly also to weigh the haynousnesse of your offence who causlesly so separated your selfe from your Mother the Church of England whom I have as I conceive sufficiently in my foregoing discourse proved to be a true Church and built upon the foundation of Peter the ground and Pillar of Truth Mr. Montague That which I have now to say unto you is this God hath given you excellent parts and bestowed many mercies and favours on you and his long suffering and patience towards you has beene great in all respects who have hitherto imployed your gifts to wrong your own soule and mislead others let it be enough that you have gone so farre and have hither so abused Gods loving kindnesse towards you knowing that the goodnesse of God leadeth you to Repentance and therefore take heâ—d lest persevering in these erroneous and damnable Idolatries and sacrilegious impious opinions you treature not up unto your selfe wrath against the day of wrath and the revelation of the righteous judgement of God which that you may not do it shall ever be the Prayer of him that wisheth no lesse happinesse to your soule and body than to himselfe and who shall alwayes remaine Sir Yours in the Lord JOHN BASTVVICK FINIS