just shall live by faith alone Now to believe truly in God according to the received use of Scripture is to adhere to him by love and this our Divines call a formed faith which can never be without charity as S. Paul most amply explains to his Galatians Gal. 5.6 For in Jesus Christ saith he neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith which worketh by love Here S. Paul assures us that it is not every faith that is sufficient to justifie us but onely that which worketh by love To the second You might be satisfied in this by the answer before but I shall adde that such a faith as that of the woman with the issue of blood and of the blinde men in the Gospel might obtain such a temporal benefit as the curing both of the one and the other I say temporal benefits may be procured by an unformed faith as the Romans and other Heathens have visibly found Gods blessings to follow them for their many virtues and this S. Paul intimates when he tells the Hebrews that by faith the Harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not when she received the spies with peace here was a good work too went along with her faith Heb. 11.31 Rom. 4. Heb. 11. And there is no doubt but an unformed faith accompanied with charity humility and devotion may obtain by grace a justification from sin and whosoever does believe in Jesus Christ that he can justifie a sinner it shall be imputed to him for righteousness for without faith it is impossible to please God To the third What you urge out of Genesis S. Paul and S. James is sufficiently explained and answered by the foregoing words of the said S. James 5.21.22 James was not Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered up Isaac his son upon the Altar seest thou how faith worketh with his works and by works was faith made perfect and in the verse immediately following that which you urge against us he concludes ye see there how that by works a man is justified Ver. 24. and not by faith onely for as the body without the spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also To the fourth What you urge out of S. Lukes Gospel is to be understood as the context shews of servants that do what they are commanded onely to do and that is but their duty and no thanks are due to them in like manner those that keep the commandments of God do but their duties our Saviour says nothing by your favour of those that observe the Evangelicall counsells as the building of religious houses giving our goods among the poor or mortifying of our bodies which you seem to draw into the same conclusion Besides as to the keeping of the commandements do you think the meaning of that text is that there is no merit at all due to that it cannot possibly be so understood must the case be the same between him that does his duty well and him that does it not at all for so it must be as you seem to understand it for at the worst they can be but unprofitable and at the best you would have them be so too and this would not onely throw confusion into all divinity but would be the destruction of all civil government and humane conversation It is true what our Saviour says when we have done all that is required of us we are unprofitable servants that is to him whom we serve we are unprofitable what does the Almighty and infinite creator get by the salvation of his creature nothing can be added to him But the text tells us not that in so doing we are unprofitable to our selves God forbid for that would be to discourage all virtue piety and Christianity it self To the fifth I answer perfectly as to your first for that text of S. John cannot be understood of a bare beliefe but such a one as is accompanied with charity for it is impossible that a good faith should be without it To the sixth I say you are most cleerly mistaken for charity is not a fruit of faith but a fruit of the spirit as indeed faith it self is no less as S. Paul instructs the Galatians Gal. 5.22 The fruit of the spirit is love joy peace longsuffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance c. And that our Saviour taxeth Pharisaicall works for Hypocritical is granted who planted all their Religion in Ceremonies and neglected the weightier matters of the law which were the true good works and always commanded not censured by him Besides our Saviour chargeth us expresly in these words Mat. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your father which is in heaven To the seventh and last To what you alledge first out of the Prophet Isaiah I answer that the Prophet there speaks comparatively between the righteousness of the Law and that of the Gospel for the legall purity compared to the Evangelicall is impurity it self as our righteousness compared to Gods is no righteousness so our Saviour tells us Luke 18. Mat. 19.17 that none is good but one that is God because our goodness compared to Gods goodness is no goodness is no goodness To your next text I answer that it onely infers that there is none so righteous but at sometimes sinnes not that a man when he does well sins Then to what you alledge out of the Psalms it is very plain that the prophet David begs of God that he would not judge him according to his own divine righteousness that is so absolutely pure and without sin for so saith he Psal 25.21 no flesh living can be justified for he saith in another Psalm let integrity and uprightness preserve me for I wait on thee Last of all to what you urge so hard out of S. Paul to the Romans S. Paul himself answers in the beginning of the next Chapter There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit for the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death that is both from sin and the punishment of it Rom. 8. and so proceeds to shew that though there be a repugnancy in the Law of the flesh to the Law of the spirit yet they that mind the things of the spirit shall be judged accordingly and no sin imputed to them which I conceive clean contrary to the sence that you would impose upon the Apostle Now Mrs. N. I must desire you to give me leave to follow my former method and to return to you some Texts that as I conceive do expresly conclude our Churches doctrine which is that faith does not nor can suffice without works and that works are something in the sight of God that is meritorious of eternal life by the grace
errours that I was before possest of the one was that you Papists especially women and Lay people were not at all conversant in Scripture the second was that you did over vilifie our translations and would be judged onely by your own editions of Scripture which we are informed are false and framed onely to your own intents and purposes but I finde your Ladiship quotes no Scripture that is not word for word in our Bibles Then thirdly I am already satisfied that you have more reason for your Religion then I before immagined if those Scriptures which you produce have had such an understanding in the universal Church as you alledge and Lastly that it will be utterly impossible for us to make an end of the controversie without some learned Moderator for otherwise it will be but your sense upon Scripture and mine and we both abounding in our own as it is too much given to us women to be I am in dispair of the good end Madame that I proposed Lady M. For the first three things that you pretend to be satisfied in I cannot believe dear Mrs. N. but you dispose your self rather to Rallery then to deal really with me but as for the last I do most cleeply concur with you in opinion that it will be necessary for us to have some Learned Arbitrator or otherwise we shall but beat the air and bring nothing to conclusion Mrs. N. Why then deer Madame how shall we agree in the choice of him for it is neither fit for your Ladiship nor for me alone to have the nomination and it will be very difficult to finde one that may be so indifferent as to please us both Lady M. Why truly your self Mrs. N. if you please shall make the choise and for my part I think none fitter than your own husband if he please to accept the trouble for I take him to be a very learned prudent and impartial person thourgh by his profession he may appear engaged against us but I am confident that will not so much over by ass his judgement as to say a malicious untruth Mrs. N. Well then since your Ladiship is pleased to offer so fair in that particular I must tell you yet a further difficulty that occurs to me whether I should make a present rejoynder with your Ladiships replys for that is I perceive your intended method or proceed still to object refer all my answers to your Ladiships replies till the very last for though the the first will be more to your Ladiships present satisfaction yet the bestwill a void much of both our trouble for I humbly conceive I shall be able to wipe off many of your Ladiships arguments upon several occasions with one compendious answer Lady M. In that do as you shall please good Mrs. M. for either shall be indifferent to me Mrs. N. Why then sweet Madame I shall proceed to object against some of the most practical points of your Religion as your Ladiship hath required me avoiding all subtilties relating to the Schools and so I have accordingly prepared another paper for your Ladiships view and I shall not be bold to offer above one or two more and then I shall endeavour to rejoyn and humbly refer to better judgements So after many mutual thanks and particular kindnesses were passed on both sides my Lady being attended by Mrs. N. to her Coach departed away with her third paper which coming home and opening her Ladiship found to this effect as followeth That your Church has so overladen the souls of Christians with their own Traditions and humane constitutions that it has not only abridg'd Christian liberty but hardly left room for the observation of divine precepts I prove thus by express Scriptures We finde in Deuteronomy Deut. 4.2 how God does absolutly command his people by the mouth of his servant Moses not to add unto the word Josh 1.7 which he commanded them nor to diminish ought from it The like was commanded by the mouth of Joshuah that from that law which they had read they should not turn neither to the right nor to the left The wise King Solomon gives the same caution Prov. 30.5.6 every word of God is pure c. and then proceeds Adde thou not unto his words least he reprove thee and thou be found a liar and S. John assures us That if any man shall adde unto the words of his prophecy Revel 22 18.19 that God shall adde unto him the plagues that are written in that book and if any shall take away c. God shall take away his part out of the book of life and yet notwithstanding these clear commands and terrible threatnings your Church dares to do those things daily by ading of meer humane inventions S. Mark 7.6 7 8 9. Mark tells us plainly how our Saviour did severely rebuke that kind of Religion and professeth plainly that in vain such do worship him who teach for doctrines the commandments of men saying immediately before how such do honour him with their lips but their heart is far from him and so proceeds sharply inveighing against mens Traditions yet your Church does nothing but over-load men with them 3. S. Paul give a most strict warning to the Corinthians and so to us 1 Cor. 7.22.23 to avoid any captivity of that kinde for he speaks to all that are called who are the Lords freemen and therefore concludes ye are bought with a price be not ye the seruants of men that captivity I am sure none can avoid that is of your Church 4. Gal. 5.18 Again he tells the Gallatians yet more plainly that if they be led of the spirit they are not under the law so then we Christians are subject to no humane constitutions whatsoever 5. Again the same Apostle tells us 1 Tim. 1.9 that the Law is not made for a righteous man but for the lawless disobedient ungodly c. what then are good Christians concerned in your new-fangled Laws and again he tells the Romans that the Law worketh worth Rom. 4.15 what then have we Christians to do with it 6. Lastly 2 Cor. 3.17 the same Apostle assures the Corinthians that where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty and largely relates to the Gallathians how Jesus Christ did purchase this liberty for us Gal. 4. and that we are no more under the law nor sons of the Bond woman but of the free why then should your Church by its devises endeavour to reduce us into bondage again That amongst the rest of your new inventions your commanded days of fasts and abstinence especially a whole lent together is a burthen insupportable and abusive to our Christian liberty I prove by Scripture thus 1. Does not our Saviour in S. Matthews Gospel call the multitude expresly about him Mat. 15.10 11. to teach them this piece of doctrine and bids them hear and understand not that which goeth into
already in my last paper upon those two parts of it confession and satisfaction which being proved to be impertinent your Sacrament of Penance must needs fall 3. Then for your Sacrament of Orders and confirmation it is plain that there was nothing of them instituted by Christ but constitutions of the Church afterwards established them how thou can they be reputed Sacraments 4. For matrimony there can be no pretence to make it a Sacrament but out of a few mistaken words of S. Paul Ephes 5.32 who had no power to make a Sacrament neither for when he says marriage is a great Mystery you read as I am informed that it is a great Sacrament nor does the Apostle say absolutely that it is of it self a great mystery or Sacrament but onely in relation to what it signifies between Christ and his Church 5. Then last of all for your extreme Unction there is a less pretence James 5.14.15 for first at most there can be but an Apostolical authority for that no Apostle as I said before had power to institute a Sacrament besides there is a great dispute amongst the learned about the authority of that Epistle and some very principal persons have agreed that it should be thrust out of the Canon of the Bible Thus have I been bold to make it the business of this paper to shew you how your Church abuseth you with their own inventions and would obtrude them upon us for divine institutions To what you alledge against our Church for over lading the souls of Christians with Traditions and humane corstitutions c. I answer thus To the first I acknowldedge it to be as you say both wicked and damnable to add any thing to or diminish from Scripture that is of the essence and being of Scripture or shall go about to corrupt or deprave it otherwise if the Church or any civil power shall promote any thing that is not literally there so it be but consequentially it is enough or if it be to advance what is commanded or consulted of in Scripture Now all the Churches constitutions even those you most tax though they are not expresly and in proper forme to be found in Scripture yet they are all cleer emanations from thence as I shall plainly prove heerafter Again that Text you quote out of the Proverbs cleers all the rest Prov. 30.5.6 add not unto his words least thou be found a lier so it is not every simple addition that is forbidden but only such as is false and lying that is either to the corruption or adulteration of the Text. To the Second It is plain that our Saviour does not there in that Gospell reprove all Traditions of men absolutly but only such as they made contrary to the law of God or such as swerved from it for so we finde by the context of the same chapter Mark 7.8 9. as for laying aside the commandment of God hold the tradition of men c. and then agin fullwell you reject the commandments of God that ye may keep your own tradition in the same maner S. Mathew delivers it Mat. 13. which two Gospells S. Paul sufficiently explains thus not giving beed to Jewish fables 1 Tit. 14 and commandments of men that turn from the truth so it must be onely such as those that our Saviour findes fault withall and not simply all humane constitutions And hence it is that the woes of eternal damnation are threatued by God and pronounced by the Prophet against the makers of such wicked constitutions and traditions Isay 10.1.2 in these words Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees and that write grievousness which they have prescribed to turn aside the needy from judgement and to take away the right from the poor of my people and that they may rob the fatherless c. But this makes nothing at all to your purpose for the constitutions of our Church are so far from being guilty of that that they are acknowledged by all temperate persons to be the greatest promoters and advancers of divine worship the greatest restrainer of the concupiscencies of the flesh and do dispose men to the keeping of Gods commandments a more expeditious and cleer way inflaming all men to brotherly kindness and charity To the Third S. Paul it is true forbids us to be servants of men that is as you will finde by the context not to make schismes in the Church by pretending to follow some leading men for one to say I am of Cephas and another I am of Apollo this is to rebuke an error of yours and nothing at all of ours for we endeavour to keep our selves within the bonds of Catholike unity and you do all you can to break those bands and fall into the captivity of private opinions by rendering your selves servants nay slaves to some single Doctors of your own that best agree with your fancy but you had best take heed of that according to S. Pauls warning which you urge heer against us To the fourth What the Apostle tells the Gallatians that they which are led of the Spirit are not under the Law we acknowledge but it is to be understood that he speaks of the Mosaicall and coercive Law which they that are perfectly led by the spirit need not at all but he cannot mean the divine and directive Law which must last to govern faithfull Christians for Adam himself had such a law in Paradice To the fifth We say not that the law is made for the righteous as he is righteous and governed wholy by the Spirit of God but for so much as the flesh lusteth aginst the Spirit he ought to have a reforming law or indeed the former answer to your fourth argument might have served the turn so far and as for what you alledge all out of the Romans that the law worketh wroth it must be understood of the Mosaick law which worketh wroth indeed if we be not releived by divine grace but we are helped by grace and Truth by Jesus Christ To the sixth You must give me leave to tell you here that you very much mistake Christian liberty for by that we are not exempted from the power of and obedience to our superiours but that liberty opposeth it self onely against the servitude of the Mosaicall Law and slavery of sin it cannot possibly be meant that it should free us from the wholsome constitutions and commandments of the Church which are all made for the advancement of godliness Gal. 5.13 this S. Paul sufficiently explains thus for brethren you have been called into liberty onely use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh but by love serve one another 1 Pet. 2.16 13 14 15. Rom. 6.7 8. and S. Peter notes when he says as free and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness but as the servants of God so he chargeth them to submit to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake
steple houses Nay did not Jesus Christ live a poor life upon earth and counsell poverty to all the followers of him what need have we then of all those splendid sumptuous buildings and statly ornaments and rich revenues of your Churches which are but golden snares for to entrap Christian souls and our Saviour himself declared as aforesaid how much he abhorred and did afterwards destroy the riches of Solomons Temple and a heathen Poet himself could say at vos dicite Pontifices in sacro quid facit aurum nempe quod veneri donatae a virginie puppe Yet you will persist in that foolish idolatry 8 Then that your Churches nor your Churhmen are to be priviledged or exempted from the jurisdiction of the secular power more than others I prove by the express precept and president of our Saviour who not onely suffered himself to be judged by Pontius Pilat a meer lay man John 19.11 and a heathen but aproved his power granting expressly to him that his power was given him from above what reason then have any of your Churchmen to refugiate themselves under any pretended priviledge or be exempted from the secular power more than we 9 Nay that all faithfull Christians are Priests and the Lords Anointed and that by Baptisme it self 1. Pet. 2.5 9. is plain by many express Scriptures And therefore Peter twice in one chapter inculcates it thus first ye allso as lively stones are built up a spirituall house an holy preisthood to offer up Spirituall Sacrifice acceptable to God by Jesus Christ and again but ye are a chosen generation a Royall Preisthood an holy nation a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light By which it is plain that all good Christians are as much priests as any of your black coats what soever and this is likewise affirmed by John who tells us that he loved us and washed us from our sins in his blood and made us a Kingdome and priests to God his Father 1. Cor. 12.13 10 Then the Apostle Paul tells us that by one Spirit we are all baptised into one body whether we be Jews or Gentiles whether we be bond or free and have been all made to drink into one spirit it must follow therefore Rem 12 that we are equally Preists with any of you Nay does not the same Apostle tell us yet more plainly that we may do the office of Priests which is to offer Sacrifice when he chargeth us to present our bodys a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is our resonable service and cannot we do that as well as you 11. Last of all for your Canonicall hours and formall prayers in your Churches and by your pretended preists I can for my part finde as little aggreeable to Scripture for first our Saviour to discountenance that kinde of devotion Matt. 7. tells us plainly that not every one that says unto him Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of heaven Then if that kinde of praying were of any use or force with God at all then the Lord would be in a manner necessitated and constrained to his actions by those prayers but that we know he cannot be Over and above if such praying were prevalent with God what need will there be of living in obedience to his Law or of any good works at all 12. Again our saviour Christ tells us that our Father in heaven knowes what is needfull for us Matt 6. before we aske him to what purpose therefore should we pray at all to him onely do his will and leave the rest to his own goodness For so the Prophet Malachy assures us likewise Malac. 3.13 that they are his own words I am God and am not to be changed You gain nothing therefore upon his decrees by your prayers 13. Then that our Saviour Christ was clearly against that kind of praying appears by those words Matt. 6. but when ye pray use not vain repetitions as the Heathens do for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking Methinks you should therefore be ashamed of your many repetitions and prayers at your Canonical hours forsooth when you know that there is no such thing as Canonical hours commanded and besides that nothing should be read or said in any congregation but what is for the edification of Christians souls That it is not lawfull to make war with Turks Jewes Heathens or Heritcks or to persecute them for any cause of conscience nay that Christians cannot justify to make war at all or to bear any civil Magistracy whatsoever or give or take any oaths I prove by express Scripture thus 1. First it is plain that to wage war against Turks Jews Heathen or Hereticks is to resist the will of God and his holy Sprit visiting our sins upon us and punishing us by their hands and our duty is to fight with prayers and tears not with the the sword As the Apostles did 2. Then we finde our Saviour Expresly forbid all kinde of resistance and returns of injury for injury when he says in Matthews gospel Matt. 4.39 But I say unto you that ye resist not evil but whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheek turn to him the other also 3. Nay more expresly yet we have it in the same Gospell Mat. 26.52 Then sayd Jesus unto him put up again thy sword into his place for all they that take the sword shall perish by the sword and that this was so understood by the Apostles primitive Christians is plainly held forth by John in his Apockalyps where it is said Rev. 13.10 he that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword heer is the patience and the faith of the saints so that all war must be simply and of it self unlawful 4. Then we find that persecution for cause of conscience is utterly unlawfull for the Apostles and primitive Christians did never seek to princes to give them any force to defend them against any â—ersecutors whatsoever nor do we find the Gospell or Apostles teach us any thing but submission to our Sufferings and that all the enemies of Christ are to be over come onely with the sword of the spirit which is the word of God 5. The Lord in Matthews Gospell commands again expresly that the Tares which the enemy sowed should not be pulled up Matt. 13.30 but that both be let to grow together till the Harvest that is the end of the world and then he will say to the Repers gather ye together first the tares and binde them in bundells to burn them but gather the wheat into my barne 1. Cor. 11.19 So that Hereticks as well as Turks Jews and Infidels must be let alone to grow till the end of the world and Paul plainly asserts the necessity of that
which was that to eat meat with unwasht bands made the meat unclean and the eater two tells them that not that which goeth into the mouth defileth c. This I say was onely to rebuke that foollish errour of theirs for he could not mean it absolutly otherwise they that in the Apostles time should have eaten meats offered to Idolls things strangled or blood or poyson willingly and knowingly should not have been defiled but so we know they were Over and above let it be granted that all meat whatsoever which enters the mouth passeth into the belly and is cast out into the draught does not defile a man Yet when a man shall against the commandment of God and his Church or the custome and Tradition of it or against his own vow or with the scandall of his neighbour take any meat whatsoever it does and must of necessity defile him for this proceeds out of an evil and malicious heart that is from a plain contempt of God and his Church in so slighting their precepts Thus if the Rechabites had drunk wine though in it self good they had defiled themselves because it was against the comand of their father And it is plain that God approves their abstinence for that very reason and pronounceth a blessing to the whole family for being obedient to the precepts of Jonadab their fatherâ— In the like manner the Angel Gabriel foretold of John the Baptist Luke 1. Mat. 3. Mark 1. Luke 3. that he should neither drink wine nor any strong drink and that his fool should be Locusts and wilde hony Now I would aske the question whether if the Baptist had transgrest that rule he had offended or not but enough of this To the second I say the Apostle in those words that you so much insist upon means onely that he would not have such a judiciall observance continued amongst Christians as to hold some meats absolutly unlawfull and perpetually forbiden as swines flesh excepting onely what was decreed against in the Councell of the Apostles Acts â— But the Church of Christ beleives every creature of God to bee good though for a while and to mortify the old mans he commands an abstinence from some Again the Apostle speaks not heer at all of fasting or mortification of the flesh but because certain heretickes there were that held some creature to proceed from an evil principle the Apostle goes about to beat down that opinion and tells them 1 Tim. 4. that every creature of God is good to be received with thanks giving and that is our religion though we hold not that every good thing is good at all times and seasons nor does the Apostle heer command it should be so To the Third You are to understand that by the old law some creatures were unclean but that Typically and by signification onely though the Jews were so sottish as to beleive that they were so in their one nature This errour the Apostle goes about to destroy saying to the faithfull all things are pure and so by consequence to be eaten in their seasons but that it is not lawfull to abstein from a sort of lawfull meat for a certain time is a wonder to me how you could draw into that Apostles sence who was himself as he says so often in fastings and some of the fathers as I have read in story never drank wine or eat flesh in all their lives To the Fourth I answer in the like manner that the holy Apostle would not have his Collosstans nor any other faithfull Christians judged about meat and drink and holy days after the old Jewish fashion and not a word of fasting there To the fifth I shall freely grant to you that it is by the spirit that we are to mortify the deeds of the flesh but I must tell you again that the spirit receives strength from the weakening of the flesh and crusifying of it with fasting as the Apostle himself whom you urge explains it to the Gallatians Gal. 5.23.24 when he first tells them that Temperance is the fruit of the spirit and after assures them that they who are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts c. but above all I pray you observe what he says to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 9.25 26 27. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things c. I therefore so run not as uncertainly so fight I not as one that beateth the aire but I keep under my body and bring it into subjection least that by any means when I have preached to others I my self should be a cast away Thus it is plain that S. Paul thought that he advanced the vigour of his spirit by his subjugation of his flesh To the sixth and Last As for your pretence of Christian liberty I have shewed you plainly before that it pertains not a jot to this purpose As for what you say that Jesus Christ himself never made any distinction of meats nor commanded any such thing I grant it for he employed himself whilst he was on earth in matters of greater moment to our Salvation and left those things which were to expedite and promote our way to heaven to the direction and government of his holy Spirit that was to animate his whole Church Besides though our Saviour says nothing of destinction of meats he does not withstanding much of fasting and to give us example did most miraculously practise it in his own person so now I presume you will give me leave to prove my part And first I prove that the Church does lawfully forbid certain meats for certain times by express Scriptures thus First the Apostles themselves being assembled in counsel laid an injunction upon all Christians Solemnly so to do in these words For it seemed good unto the holy Ghost and to us c. Acts 15.28 29. that ye abstein from meats offered unto Idolls and from blood and from things strangled c. S. Rom. 14.20 21. Paul declares freely to the Romanes that we ought not for matter of meat destroy the worke of God all things indeed are pure but it is evil for that man who cateth with offence it is good neither to eat flesh nor to drink wine nor any thing whereby thy Brother stumbleth or is offended or is made weak c. heer is a perfect abstinence commanded for certain times and particular reasons Again he says to the Corinthians that meat commendeth us not to God for noither if we eat are we the better neither if we eat not are we the worse c. and then concludes wherefore if meat make my Brother to offend I will eat no flesh whilest the world standeth least I make my Brother to offend heer again is abstinence for certain time and certain reasons Then that such an abstinence is acceptable to God see the express words of the Prophet Daniel speaking of himself Dan. 10.2.3 I Daniel was mourning
conceive enough said on your part against it so I conceive I have said sufficiently for it in my reply to those two parts of it Confession and Satisfaction to which I refer you So I shall make it my business now to prove the other four to be Sacraments and of divine institution and I shall begin with the Sacrament of Confirmation Every Sacrament is a sensible sign having an infallible assistance of the grace of the Holy Spirit and such I prove Confirmation to be by most express Scriptures thus We find in the Acts That when the Apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had receiv'd the Word of God Act. 8.14.15 16 17. they sent unto them Peter and John Who when they were come down pray'd for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost Fâ—r as yet he was fallen upon none of them only they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Then laid they their hands upon them and they received the Holy Ghost Here was manifestly a confirmation after Baptism and a sensible sign to wit Imposition of hands by which the grace of the holy spirit was confer'd and that is enough to make a Sacrament Again we find in another Chapter of the same Acts Act. 19.2.3 4 5 6. That Paul being at Ephesus and finding some Disciples there said unto them have ye received the Holy Ghost since â—e believed and they said unto him we have not so much as heard whether there be any holy Ghost and be said unto them unto what then were ye baptized and they said unto him Johns Baptism then said Paul John verily baptized with the Boptism of Repentance saying unto the people that they should believe on him which should come after him that is on Christ Jesus when they heard this they believed on Christ Jesus And when Paul bad laid his hands upon them the Holy Ghost came on them and they spake with Tongues and Prophesy'd Here is I say again after Beliefe and Baptism an Imposition of hands by which the grace of the Holy Spirit was ferr'd Now that this Sacrament waa instituted by Christ himself is plain by the Gospells John 16. where he promiseth his Apostles the Comforter his Holy Spirit with which they should be confirmed by virtue from above now the mission of the Holy Ghost in the time of Penticost either was the Sacrament of confirmation it self or instead of it Mark 11.13 14. Matth. 10. again we find in the Gospels That they brought young children to Christ that be should touch them and his Disciples rebuked them that brought them but when Jesus saw it be was displeased and said suffer the little Children to come to me for of such is the Kingdome of God c. Now it is very probable that he did either institute this Sacrament then or at least infinuate it So enough I coceive said to that Now that the Sacramnot of Orders was instituted likewise by Christ himself and with a sensible sign conferrs grace I prove this by expresse Scriptures First we find that when Jesus had called unto him his twelve Disciples Mat. 10.1 he gave them power against unclean spirets and to heal all manner of sicknesse and all manner of diseases Then again Jesus going up into the Mountain and called unto him whâ—m he would and they came unto him and he made that Twelve should be with him Mark 6.7 and he sent them to preach c. And after these things the Lord appointed other seventy also and sent them tweand two before his face into every City and place whither he himself would come Then again we find Luk 10.1 that taking bread he brake it giving thanks and saying this is my Body c. Do this in remembrance of me Then last of all look into St. Johns Gospel and you wil find yet a more express Ordination and mission As my Father hâ—th sens me so send I you Lâ—k 28. And when he had said this he breathed on them and saith unto them receive ye the holy Ghost John 10. â— 21 22 23 Whosoever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whosoever sins ye retein they are reteyned Thus you have in the four Gospells the institution of this Sacrament Let us now look a little into the Apostolicall practise We find in the Acts Act. 13. â—â— As they ministred to the Lord and fasted the holy Ghost said separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them and when they had fasted and prayed and I did their hands on them they sent them away Here again is plain Ordination and Mission St. Paul gives direction to young Timothy how to behaave himself in his Ministry and then says 1 Tim. 4.14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee which was given to thee by Prâ—phecy with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery Then again he says Lay not thy hands on any man over haftily and again the Elders that govern well are worthy of double honour Then the same Apostle tells Titus 1 Tim. 6. For this Cause I left thee in Creet that thou shouldst make Elders in severall Cities 2 Tim. 1. Then to Philemon he says of those Elders those that are of this sort have a great regard to thus you see what respect St. Paul had to holy orders and yet to admonish us further of our duties to them he makes it his humble request to the Thessalonians thus Phil. 1. We beseech you brethren to know them that labour amongst you and over you on the Lord and admonish you in the Lord and to esteem them very highly in love for their works sake and be at peace amongst your selves See what charge St. 1 Thes 5.12.13 Peter gives the Elders The Elders which are among you I exhort who am also an Elder c. Feed the flock of God which is among you taking the eversighe thereof c. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear ye shall receive a Crown of glory that fadeth not away So St. Paul again in the Acts of the Apostles Exhorts the Elders of Ephâ—sus thus Take heed therefore unto your selves and to the Flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Bishops or Overseers as you would have it for it is all one to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own Blood Act. 20.28 Geâ— 1.37 Observe that the Holy Ghost made them Bishops and Overseers and yet you will deny Orders to be a Sacrament but it is plain it is for Imposition of hands is the visible sign which carries with it the invisible grace of the Holy Spirit as you have seen at large proved by Scripture That Matrimony is a Sacrament and instituted by Christ I likewise prove by expresse Scripture thus First it is very probable that the blessing which God Almighty gave to Adam and Eve in Paradice was not unaccompani'd with divine
before the face of the fire Deut. 4. Heb. 13.19 and for this we beg the mediation and intercession of the blessed Saints in heaven To the fifth To what you urge out of the Apostle to Timothy that there is but one Mediator I do acknowledge that there is but one Mediator of Redemption that is Jesus Christ because he alone redeemed Mankinde nor is there any other name under heaven by which we can be saved but that hinders not but that there may be more Mediators of intercession so then there is but one Mediator by Redemption as but one Saviour for he is the only good Shepherd who gave his life for his flock but there are more Mediators by intercession as the Scripture names more Saviours Mediators and Redeemers too Moses says of himself that he was set apart or chosen for a Mediator between God and the children of Israel Again he raised up a Redeemer Deliverer or Saviour to them one Othoniel Deut. 3. Judg. 3.9 Nehem. 9 Gen. 4.1 and Nehemiah tels us how God did raise unto the children of Israel Saviours and Pharoah calls Joseph a Saviour To the sixth I say that as to the injury which you pretend done to God by the invoking of his Saints I have sufficiently answered already in my return to your first Arguments for the injury which you alledge done to Christ I answer in like manner if this be a good consequence Christ is our only Mediatour therefore we do an injury to him to invoke the Saints in heaven then this must be likewise a good Argument therefore it is injurious to Christ to invoke the Saints upon earth and that you all are guilty of praying one another to pray for you and doubtless you do not do amiss in it Again if we shew our diffidence and distrust in Christs Mediation by invoking the Saints in heaven then it will follow likewise that you diffide in Christs mediation by invoking one another or any Saints upon earth As for your supposition which indeed is the strength of your Argument that the Saints in heaven do not hear our prayers nor know what is done amongstâ—ns and therefore must be much less able to help us and as to the places of Scripture which you pretend to bring to that purpose I answer that they all signifie nothing for here we speak not of those who in the time of the Old Testament were either in Hell or in the Limbus that was appointed for them but of the Saints that since the time of the New Testament are in heaven we may safely grant that all those were ignorant of what was done here bua that proves nothing as to these last beattifi'd souls in heaven And yet I know you 'l be importunate to know how the Saints should be capable to hear our prayers and understand our inward affections and desires I would ask you again how the Saints in this life can know the secrets of other mens counsels and contrivances 1 Sam. 19. Samuel knew all things which were in the heart of Saul and told him all that was in his heart 2 Kings 5.26 2 Kin. 6.33 Did not Elishah know all things that were done by his servant that was at a great distance from him and so the same Prophet knew all the secret Counsels of the King of Syria Dan. 2.26 Did not Daniel know the dream of Nebuchadnezzar and the interpretation of it before he sent to him and did not the Apostle Saint Peter know the hidden fraud and close collusions of Ananias and Saphira And to conclude I would fain know what things were they which were hidden from the Prophets though never so close from the eyes of men And can these things be done on earth and not possibly be done in heaven Now that this veneration or invocation of Saints is expresly commanded in Scripture I cannot say nor see any reason that it should be first it could not be well in the old Testament where the people were so prone to idolatry and the Patriarchs besides were but in a Limbus Esay 63. reposed till our Saviours triumphant entry into heaven so they could not be beatified or made capable of hearing of prayers of men and therefore it was said Abraham knows us not and Israel does not acknowledge us Again under the Gospel it was not absolutely commanded least the Gentiles that were newly turned from Paganisme should believe that they were brought again to the worship of earthly gods for that was their use to worship their deified persons not as Patrons but as very Gods indeed as at Lyraania they would have sacrificed to Paul and Barnabas Besides if the Apostles and Evangelist had taught expresly that the Saints are to be prayed to it might have been thought as a piece of arrogance in them as if they had been after death ambitious of that honour to be done to them The holy Spirit therefore would not by express Scripture teach this doctrine of veneration and invocation of Saints but the Church being once establisht quickly found by the Miracles and succours that those Saints performed to men that they were to be worshipt and invoked with prayers that they would please to pray for us and this is a worship far different from that which we pay to God therefore no way prejudicial to the divine Majesty no though express Scripture as I said we have none for this yet very much inclining to and favouring of our purpose That the saints the freinds of God are to be implored that they will please to intercede for us I prove by express Scripture thus Our Saviour in S. Johns Gospell saies thus if any man serve me John 12.26 him will my Father honor if therefore God does honor his saints why should not we mortalls give honour to them Our Saviour saies again in S. Mat. 25.40 Mathews Gospell verily I say unto you insomuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my bretheren ye have done it unto me the honour therefore that is given to the saints of God he takes as done unto himself We finde in Job how Eliphaz saies to him Call now if there be any that will answer thee Job 5.1 and to which of the saints wilt thou turn which words though Eliphaz spoke yet Job reprehends them not but takes it as wholsome councell from his freind Again in another place Job 42.1 9 10. the Lord himself saies go to my servant Job and my servant Job shall pray for you for him will I accept least I deal with you after your folly c. so they did as the Lord commanded them the Lord also accepted Job and the Lord turned the captivity of Job when he prayed for his freinds c. Then we finde how Absalon after he was reconciled to his father 2 Sam. 14.28 staid two years in Jerusalem before he saw his fathers face so a sinner though reconsiled to God will not
only but likewise the testimony of the most antient and holy Fathers the invincible evidence of the true Mother-Church and the testimony of divine miracles which are frequently one for the confirmation of our faith But you forsooth as if you were wiser than Christ himself will neither admit or hear of any thing but out of Scripture alone in which you shew your selves like those Jews against whom our Saviour so disputes for the Jews casting off all other testimony would admit onely of Scripture 2 Cor. 3.14.15 â— and yet they neither understood it then nor yet do or ever will as the Apostle tels us when he says but their minds were blinded for untill this day remaineth the same Vail untaken away in the reading of the Old Testament c. and again when Moses is read the Vail is upon their hearts c. To the third For what you urge so hard out of the Acts you shall find to be to as little purpose as the other if if you but please to examine the Context which tells you That there being a Synagogue of Jews at Thessalonica St. Paul as his manner was went in unto them and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures opening and alledging that Christ must needs have suffered and risen again from the dead Act. 17.2 3. and that Jesus whom he preacht unto them was Christ c. But the Word so preacht did but little profit those of Thessalonica then follows that they of Berea were more Neble then those of Thessalonica in that they received the Word with all readinesse of mind and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so c. Now I would fain know what you wil conclude out of this as to your purpose unless thus Those of Berea searched the Testimonies of Scripture concerning Christ that were quoted by St. Paul therefore Scripture alone must determine faith and be the only Rule and Judge between us That is just as if you would say that one of your Doctors searcheth all the testimonies of St. Austin that are quoted by Bellarmin therefore St. Austin is the only Judge of Controversies Or thus one of your Congregation searcheth all the testimonies which are produced against a great Doctor of yours as they are quoted by a greater of your own therefore that great Doctor is the only judge of Controversies Or thus one of your Doctors searcheth all the Traditions that are alledged in the Councill of Yrent thefefore only Tradition is to be receiv'd for a Judge of Controversies I pray you forbear these pitiful consequences and yet your great Doctors seldommake be tter are not asham'd of them so I may well excuse you andothers seduced by them To the Fourth I say that your Argument if it had any weight at all would serve altogether as well agianst your self as us for if as you understand it every man be a Lyar add may erre it will follow necessarily that Moses with the Prophets Apostles and Evangelists nay that your Friends Luther and Calvin nay all your Preachers to be Lyars and may erre because they are men therefore there is no credit to be given to any of them no confidence to be put in them but all things that are said by them must be taken for suspected and uncertain where then is faith Nor matters it though they say that the Word which they tell us is not their own but Gods Word for if they be Lyars they may as well lye in the delivery of Gods message as in any thing else of their own nothing therefore can be certain But God forbid that any Christian should think so for it is far otherwise First we confesse the Scripture to be certain and infallible because it is the Word of God but we adde that it is so obscure that the true sence and meaning cannot easily appear to every man Therefore of necessity there must be some other Judge that must infallibly determine what is the clear and genuine sence of the Scripture it self Now this infallible Judge cannot possibly be every private man for then there would be so many Judges as there be men and diversities of Opinions and so there would be an utter impossibility to agree to any thing or compose any difference in Religion every one being apt to favour his own opinion It is necessary therefore that there should be a publick Judge agreed upon who should have a power of decreeing defining and determining all things between differet parties Gen. 8.21 Psal 38.6 Then again we says that we must consider men in two respects Num. 11.17 Deut. 17.9 Aug. 2.12 Malac. 2.3 Jerem. 1.7 first as men and the sons of Adam so obnoxions to many naturall corruptious so without doubt they are all prone to lying and falshood In the next place we must consider them as they are directed and goveâ—n'd by the Holy Ghost for the instruction of others so they are infallible and without possibility of lying such as Moses in the Old Testament with bis Congregation of Elders about him So were divers other High Priests that succeeded him such were the Prophets Isaiah Jeremiah Ezechiel Daniel and all the rest Such in the New Testament were the Apostles to whom it was said I wil from the Father send you the spirit of truth and again when the of Spirit of truth shall come he shall teach you all truth Iohn 16.6.13 now where there is all truth there can be no lye Such ever was now is and still must be the Church of Christ which having the perpetuall assistance and government of the same Holy Spirit ha's as it were the heart of it so long therefore as the faithfull Christian shall continue in the unity of the Church and keep close to the Doctrine of the supream Bishop and Councells he shall participate of the assistance and government of the holy Ghost nor can erre in faith but if through any pride or perversity of spirit he shall disagree and depart from that head and heart then he shuts all those passages and Chanels by which that divine assistency and direction is to be derived and so must of necessity be seduced from truth and led into a Labyrinth of errours as we have sadly seen in all the antient and modern Hereticks The next similitude may be drawn from a flock of sheep which indeed is the best representation of the Church Ioh. 10.14 math 28.20 as our Saviour himself is pleas'd to attest in the Gospel for as the whole flock being in one Fold or place collected together has the perpetuall assistance and guard of the Shepherd and so are defended from the malice fierceness of wolves so the Universall Church of the faithfull being collected in one faith and spirit has the perpetuall care and assistance of that divine Shepherd who said I an the good Shepherd and know my Sheep and again and I am always with you to the end of the
Old Scripture to shew what a stamp of Majesty and Authority God Almighty fixt upon such assemblies and what respect the people always rendred them So it shall suffice to give you our Saviours own words and so conclude this point We find in St. Matthew thus Again I say unto you that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask it shall be done for them of my Father which is in Heaven Matth. 18. v. 18 20. for where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them Now I would fain know who can be convinced more evidently not to hear the Church then he that will not hear a Councell there can be no where a greater and more conspicuous consent than in a Council nor can there be any Congregations assembled more in the name of God then generall Councells are and yet you are pleased to cast contempt upon them But give me leave to tell you let the Authority of Councells be once taken away and all things in the Church will bee ambiguous and uncertain First all the antient Heresies that have been condemned by the authority of Councells and cast out of the Church may be reviv'd and reinforced upon Christians with as much reason as any primitive and Catholick Doctrine Then set up the Authority of Scripture alone against that of the Church and Councills and then Scripture it self will be uncertain for thrusting out that authority wich ha's commended sacred Scripture to us and commanded us to recive it what Scripture is it that opinionated men wil not reject and condemn for Apocrypha which will not save their own turns as some of your Doctros have notoriously done and so in fine we can never agree upon the point what is Scripture and what is not Thus must the Church of Christ fall into a most miserable condition for upon the arising of any doubt in matter of faith there can be no way found out to decide it but every particular person according to the proportion of wit in his own pate shall frame to himselfe faith of what form or fashion he pleaseth How then hath Christ provided for his Church a sufficientrule to go by and why should his Evangelioall Law be called the most perfect if he has not otherwise order'd a determination of all emergent coutroversies But thanks be to our most gracious God and Saviour he has abundantly done it for us as I shal more amply shew in my answers and replyes to the following heads of this your Paper which God give you grace with prudence and impartiality to petuse To what you alledge for Scripture to be the only Rule of our faith and against the Authority of the universall Church and it's Traditions I answer thus To the first I say that you are very much mistaken in matter of Scripture so I shall be bold to inlarge a little upon it for your better understanding And first it is to be observed that our Saviour himself writ no book at all neither commanded his disciples or Apostles to write any inso much as being to send them to plant his Church Matth. 28. he said not to them go and write but go and preach to the whole World Therefore we find the Old Law written in Tables of Stone but the Gospell had no other writing then but in the hearts of Christians So St. Paul plainly expresseth it Ye are our Epistle c. again 2 Cor. 3.2 3. Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declard to be the Epistle of Christ ministred by us not with ink but with the spirit of the living God not in Tables of stone but in fleshly tables of the heart c. This was before prophesyed by the Prophet Jerem. Behold the days come Jer. 31.31.302 3 saith the Lord that I will make a new Cavenant with the House Israell and with the House of Judah not according to the Covenant that I made with their Fathers But this shall be the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel after those days saith the Lord I wil put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and I wil be their God and they shall be my people c. Again we find that the Church is much ancienter then Scripture for when the Apostles began to preach there was no Evangelical Scripture no Epistle of St. Paul extant and yet the Church was then purchased and sprinkled with the blood of Christ Acts 1. and governed by his unerring Spirit So the Apostles without any authority of the Scripture of the New-Testament proceeded to the election of Matthias and to the ordination or seven Deacons Acts 5.6 c. So Peter proceeded to the sentence against Ananias and Saphira which struck the breath out of their bodies c. Now we know that the Apostles were very diligent in preaching and sowing the word of God and yet we finde but very little that they left us in writing so it must follow that they taught a great deal more then they wrote which must have equal authority with their writings Yet further it is plain that the Scripture it self cannot be authentical without the authority of the Church for the Canonical Writers themselves were but members of the Church and how shall any private man know what Scripture is Canonical and what not but by the Church John 3. Why should any man believe the Gospel of St. Mark to be Canonical who never saw Christ and the Gospel of Nicodemus not to be so who both saw and heard Christ as St. John testifies of him and why should the Gospel of St. Luke the Disciple be receiv'd and the Gospel of St. Bartholomew the Apostle be rejected unless we humbly comply with the power and authority of the Church which hath so ordered it and clearly confess that the Church can judge of Scriptures Thus since it is plain that the Church is ancienter then Scripture and that no Scripture can be thought authentical without the authority of the Church Exod. 20. can any Christian be blamed for saying that he would never believe the Scripture but that the Authority of the Church commanded it over over and above all this the Authority of the Church over Scripture is hugely evident in many particulars of Scripture As first Matth. 28. Act. 15. the Scripture commands thus Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day six days shalt thou labour and do all that thou hast to do but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God c. And yet the Church changed the Sabbath into the Lords day by its own authority Matth. 28.19 20. and not only without but against known Scripture Again Christ said to his Disciples in the Mount that he came not to dissolve the Law but fulfill it and yet the Church in the Apostles Councel decreed and pronounced boldly for the Cessation
Romane from the most noble part the head of it and that she must be that Universal and for ever visible Church of Christ is plain because she ever has been so Let any man shew that any other Church has continued without errour or interruption and I will grant you all that you have said and can more require of me But if it be manifest that no one Church of Christ in the world has continued without errour or interruption but onely she it must follow that she is the onely true Church of Christ First the Jewish Church has been long since more then interrupted quite abrogated The Turkish or Mahumetan has not always been The Liaheran Calvinian and reformed Church of England are all new for they began with pretended reformation which was made by them and other particular Doctors so must of necessity imply novelty The Roman onely has persevered in its own place and ancient profession so must be for ever the Mother and Mistress of our faith as taught by the Spirit of God If any of you will say that your Church or any other their Church has continued visible and without errour I beg the favour onely to know by what name she was called and is what parts of the world she has possest does what pastors and Bishops she has had and still has what Kings and Emperours have adhered to her and still do What Hereticks have been condemned by her What Universities she hath confirmed What Churches and Monasteries built If none of this can be shown you must give me leave to persist in my former perswasion Now though I conceive enough said in my answer before as to the business of the popes being Anti-christ and that no obligation at all lyes upon me to prove a negative yet because that is so great a gudgeon and so vulgarly swallowed I shall undertake the taske a little further That you may better understand this controversie concerning Anti-christ you must know that the name of Anti-christ signifies as I am informed an enemy or adversary to Christ and that must be understood in a two fold manner first generally for any enemy of Christ as all Hereticks are and in that sense we are to understand the Apostle who tells us that even now there are many Antichrists that is many Hereticks that think evilly and maliciously of Christ of whom it follows in the Text They went cut from us but they are not of us and again in another chapter of the same Epistle And every spirit that confesseth not 1 John 4.3 that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God and this is that spirit of Antichrist whereof you have heard that it should come and even now already it is in the world Secondly it is taken specially for the principall and grandest adversary of Christ of whom all the rest before spoken of are but forerunners and of this grand Antichrist it is that S. Paul speaks when he says 2 Thess 2 3 4. unless that man of sin be revealed the son of perdition who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God c. Now first I shall prove that this special Antichrist is not yet come at all for it is agreed upon by all the learned that the Antichrist shall not come till after the overthrow and desolation of the Roman Empire and they ground themselves upon those express places in Daniel and the Revelations Dan 2.7 Rev. 17. but now we know that the Roman Empire is not yet over thrown therefore Antichrist cannot be yet come Then we finde in the Revelation Rev. 11.3.6 I will give power unto my two witnesses and they shall prophesie a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes clothed in sackcloath who shall have power to shut up heaven that it rain not in the dayes of their prophesie and have power over waters to turn them into blood c. but these two witnesses are not yet come fore Antichrist cannot yet be come himself In the second place I am to prove that the Pope is not Antichrist and first as before Antichrist is not to come but after the ruine of the Romane Empire but the Pope came and still is in the flourishing condition of the Romane Empire Then Antichrist is to kill those two witnesses or Prophets before spoken of but this the Pope has not done therefore Then again Antichrist is not to reign above three years and a half Dan. 7.25 Re. 11.2 Rev. 5.3 as first the Prophet Daniel informes us for a time and times and half a time and in the Revelation it is said for forty and two moneths in one place and a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes in another place but now the Pope has raigned for many ages Again the Antichrist is to be received by the Jews for their Messiah John 7.43 2 Thess 10. as both S. John and S. Paul do testifie but the Pope I am sure never yet was and very improbable it is that he will ever be received by them for their Mossiah Lastly Antichrist is to make fire come down from Heaven Rev. 13.13 as we see said in the Revelation but none of this has the Pope ever done therefore he can never be thought to be Antichrist Thus I have been bold to inlarge upon this particular it being so vulgar an errour and the grand pretext of all the schisme and heresie in the whole world for to justifie their defection from the Bishop of Rome and indeed it was a very artificial trick of the Devil and some of your Doctors to fasten that dirt upon him for who will be so mad to keep in communion with that man of sin or the Antichrist as most of your common people do most ignorantly presume him to be And so I have done with all your Papers but I hope I have not yet done with you and presume that you will do me the honour very speedily to see me that we may sit and discourse something further upon these particulars so the Lord give you understanding in all things and enable me to prove more fully that I am Mistress N. your most faithfull friend to serve you M. Postscript I pray you dear Mistress N. do me the favour to come and dine with me to morrow and bring your Husband with you so you shall more obbige your true friend M. So my Lady immediately closed up the Papers into one Packet which she sealed and presently sent it away by her servant FINIS THE DIPPER DROWNED By endeavouring to wade in the unfathomable depths of SCRIPTVRE Whilst the FEMALE DUELLISTS Swim over him 1 Cor. 27. God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise London Printed by Peter Lillicrap 1661. THE DIPPER DROWNED By endeavouring to wade in the unfathom'd depths of Scripture c. Mris N. had no sooner received these papers but she went immediately with them to her husband the Doctor imploring his
sort of devills is not to be cast out but with prayer and fasting and whatsoever thou shall aske in prayer beleiving ye shall receive As for the Apostolical practice of this holy duty of prayer every leafe is full of it as first in the Acts Acts 1.14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication with the women and Mary the Mother of Jesus and with his brethren Cap. 24. and again in the same chapter as they prayed and sayd thou Lord which knowest the hearts of al men c. Acts 4.31 Again and when they had prayed the place was shaken where they assembled were together and they were all filled with the holy Ghost and they spake the word of God with boldness and again Acts 10.31 Thy prayer is heard and thine alms are had in rememberance in the sight of God Acts 12.5 Cap. 12. Peter was kept in prison but prayer was wade without ceasing of the Church unto God for him and then when he was delivered he came to the house of Mary the mother of Iohn whose Sir name was Mark where many were gathered together praying Acts. 13.3 Acts 14.23 So again in the next chapter and when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them they they sent them away and again in the next chapter and when they had ordained them elders in every Church and had prayed with fasting they commended them to the Lord on whom they believed What therefore the Apostles so earnestly desired to know how to do Christ himself so expresly taught and commanded and perfectly practised in his own person to give us an example his Disciples and all the primitive Christians so faithfully followed shall we leave undone now to satisfy your fanaticall humors will you see yet how the Apostles injoyn that duty Now I beseech you brethren for the Lord Iesus Christs sake Rom. 15 30. and for the love of the Spirit that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me 2 Cor. 1.10.11 And again to the Corinthians in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us you also helping together by praying for us c. again to the Philipians be careful for nothing Phil. 4.6 but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God 1 Thes 1.2 So to the Thessalonians we give thanks to God always for you all makeing mention always of you in our prayers remembring without ceasing c. Clos 4.2 So again to the Colossians continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving withall praying also for us that God would open to us a dore of utterance to speake the mystery of Christ c. So again to the Thessalonians pray for us that the word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified c. 1 Thes â— 1 2 Cor. 1â— 1 Tim. 2.12 So again to the Corinthians we pray God that ye do no ill but most expresly to Timothy he says I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men for king and all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all godliness and honesty then adds a little after I will therefore that men pray every where lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting Acts 6 4â— Nay that this duty of prayer is the first and grand concernment of a Christian see what is said in the persons of all the Apostles but we will give our selves continually unto prayer and to the ministry of the word it is very observable how all the Apostles preferred the duty of prayer before preaching it self I have pickt out these few texts out of a thousand that might be produced for as we said before every leaf both in old and new Testament is full heither of the precept or practice of this holy duty And as for the set hours of praying they are altogether as plainly prescribed to us in Scripture Psalm 118. Dan. 6.10 The Prophet David tells us that he did it seven times a day and Daniel we finde did it three times a day he went into his house and his windowes being open in his chamber towards Ierusalem he kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God as he did afore time Acts 3 1â— It is as cleer likewise that it was the Apostles practice Now Peter and Iohn we â—t up together into the Temple at the hour of prayer being the ninth hour Act. 10.9 and again Peter went up upon the house to pray about the sixt hour So of this we conceive enough said and from your godly Church-work we will passe to your goodly State work To what you alledge against the lawfulness of making war against Turks Jews or Heriticks or persecution of any for conscience and against making of war at all or bearing of Civil Magistracy as Government or giving or taking of Oaths we answer thus To the First We say that though God doth visit our sins upon us by the Turks Jews Heriticks c. yet we are not forbidden to make our own defences Otherwise when he doth visit us by famine pestilence fire or any other way it would be unlawful to make any provision for our selves as to lay in any store against famine any medicine against diseases or to fly from the plague But we know that God so visits us as not to forsake us Psal 88. for so the Psalmist tells us I will visit their iniquitie with rods and their sins with scourges but I will not take my mercy quite away c. And as to our fighting with prayers we do confess it the duty of every good souldier to pray frequently yet to take his Arms in hand likewise with Joshua Gedion David and the Maccabees for we find that Moses prayed but Joshuah fought against Amalech Exo. 17. so let those that cannot sight pray and those that fight pray too so they may obtain doubtless the easier victory To the Second We grant that our Saviour commands us not to resist evil but that command sure is not absolute that we should never resist evil but so often as we are struck on one side to offer the other also for then neither Christ nor his Apostles had been so perfect for Christ when he was struck on one side before the Chief Priest did not turn t'other but rather resisted by a rebuke If I have spoken well Joh. 18.23 Acts 23.3 why strikest thou me if evil bear witness of the evil So S. Paul likewise when by the command of the Chief Priest he was struck replyed the Lord will smite thee thou whited wall So then those words of our Saviour must be understood that we resist not evil that is that we seek not our own private revenge but should be rather ready to offer
unto Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea Now it is certain that the Infants were as well in the cloud and in the Sea as their Fathers were and were so also figuratively baptised Again S. Heb. 6.4.6 Paul has a remarkable passage in his Epistle to the Hebrews which is this For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the holy Ghost c. If they shall fall away to renew them unto repentance This must be understood of the renewing by baptisme which cannot be reiterated not of repentance which we know may be though you and some other Hereticks deny it and from thence infer a renovation of Baptisme Again to the Romans for if through the offence of one many be dead Rom. 5.15 16 17 18 19. much more by the grace of God and the gift by grace which is by on man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many and a little after saies as by one mans offence death reigned by one much more shall life by one Jesus Christ and again as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners So by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous from hence we infer that as both men and childeren were capable of death by Adams fall so both men and children are capable of a regeneration by Christ 1 Cor. 15.20 Rom. 6. This the Apostle confirmes again to the Corinthians when he tells them for as in Adam all dye that is children as well as men even so in Christ shall all be made alive that is children too as well as men and that is by baptisme by which we are all incorporated into Christ as the same Apostle saies in another place Then we finde that the Apostles did usually baptise whole families and housholds Ags 16.14 as in the Acts Lydia was baptised and her houshold and St. Paul saies he baptised the houshold of Stephanus c. 1 Cor. 1.16 now in those housholds there were undoubtedly children too and this has been always so universally practised in the Church that no sober Christians can doubt the truth of it And if there be yet any room for a doubt be pleased to take this argument along with you Whoever are capable of justifying grace may by Sanctifying grace be freed from original Sin and so by consequence must be capable of the remedy of originall sin and that is biptisme bâ—t infants are capable of justifying grace as is plain in the example of S. John Baptist of whom it is said that he was sanctifyed filled with the holy Ghost from his mothers womb Therefore sure children must be thought capable of the remedy against original sin and that is baptisme So now I shall proceed to prove some thing of the character imprinted on our souls by Baptisme which it seems gives your party somuch scandall Now that this character of ours is plainly prefigured and spoken of in the old Testament as first in Exodus Exod. 12 7. where we finde that the blood of the Lamb was to be sprinkled on the two side-posts and on the uper dore-posts of the houses where the passover was to be eaten that so the destroying Angel might pass them by So Christ in Baptisme by the merit of his blood does sign the side posts and uper dore posts of our souls that they may be preserved from the malice of the devil Again we find that this Christian character of ours was perfectly prefigured in the mark which Ezekiel speaks of Ez. 9.4 by Gods command v. 6. And the Lord said unto him go through the midst of Jerusalem and set T. a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh that cry for all the abomination that be done in the midst thereof a little after when the Lord commanded to slay utterly both old young both maids little children but charged them not to come near any one upon whom was the mark you may observe by the way that the mark was to be set upon young as well as old little children too to be preserved from the hands of the destroyer that mark T then spoken of is presumed by all the learned to be the Tipe of our character in Baptisme Then this mark is most clearly prophesied of exprest by the Prophet Isay 66.18 19. where speaking of the conversion of the Gentiles the future glory sanctity of the Christian Church he saith It shall come that I will gather all nations tongues they shal come see my glory I will set a sign among them I will send those that escape of them unto the Nations to Tarshith Pul Lud that draw the bow to Tubal Javan the Isles afar off that have not heard my fame neither have seen my glory they shal declare my glory among the Gentels Hear the Prophet plainly forsees prophesies the sending of the Apostles Disciples into Africa Jndia as well as Europe and that this sign or character which we treat of shall be establisht amongst all Christians But now the new Testament is so plain express in this point that we admire how any knowing Christian can dispute it First St. Paul saies to the Ephesians 1.13 14. in whom also after that ye beleived ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance c. by which text it is evident that the faithfull in the regeneration of Baptisme are signed sealed and marked by the holy Ghost that the sheep of Jesus Christ may be known and distinguisht from others Again the same Apostle repeats in the same Epistle Ephes 4.30 Grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption that sealing of the holy Ghost is the only character that we speak of and which is seems gives you so much scandall St. Iohn in like manner is very large in his discourse upon this sealing of a Christian in his whose book of his Revelation 7.2 3. but particularly in one place produceth an Angel ascending out of the East and haveing the seal of the living God crying with a loud voice to the four Angells to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the Sea and saying hurt not the earth neither Sea nor the treas till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads what is that seal I pray but our most sacred Christian Character which we receive in Baptisme Thus we weak women have been bold M. R. to shew you some of our little skill in Scripture by offering to your serious consideration these sew Texts not doubting but your better Bible abilities will soon furnish you with more If your own obstanency of Spirit which you call Text-fastness will permiâ— to you a right understanding For it is impossible that any one who keeps so contant a reading and conversation in Scripture as most of you do should not be satisfyed in what is there declared against all sorts of such Phanatick Spirits unless they be resolved as it is to be feared most of you are to prejudicate nay to violate the sense of the holy Spirit it self You know none are so blinde as they that are so willfully nor so ignorant as they that will not understand from which perversity if not reprobation of sence we do humbly pray Allmighty God to deliver you and all other missed Souls of mistaking Christians and give you all that humility and resignation of Spirit as is requifit for all those that will grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ and his holy word So faâ—e you well and believe that we are M. R. Your friends in Christ M. N. FINIS