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
that text in the Gospell I and my Father are one some of you will venture a distinction upon it too as that they are one in will not in substance Then again as to the perpetuall Virginity of our blessed Lady which some of you will please to deny but most prudent Christians believe what Scripture have we for it or for your and our observation of the Lords Day I know no Scripture that and so for a hundred things more can be produced I say sure according to your judgement that nothing is to be received but clear and expresse Scripture Out Saviour himself not clearly proved the Resurrection of our bodies against the Saduces for he brought no certain cleare and expresse text but onely this because it is said in the Old Testament the God of Abraham the God of Isass and the God of Jacob our Saviour therefore infers that God is not the God of the dead but of the living and then we know that those Patriarchs were only living in their souls not in their bodies So I say upon your grounds that was no conviction to the Sadduces By all this it is plain that not only those things are to be blessed and observed which are expresly to be found in holy writ or clearly proved out of it as those of your Church will have it but also we are to believe and observe what our holy Mother the Church believes and observes For we see all things of Faith are not clearly delivered in sacred Scripture but very many things are left to the determination of the Church which because it is enlightened governed by the holy Ghost cannot possibly wander or go astray out of the track of truth John 76.13 13. Our Saviour therefore in St. Johns Gospel said to his Disciples Iâ— have yet many things to say unto you but ye cannot bear them now Howbeit when he the Spirit of truth is come bâ— will guide you into all truth c. The holy Church therefore observeth many things in its Rites and Ceremonies besides matters of faith from the familiar instinct of the holy Spirit and by the tradition of the Apostles and Primitive Fathers which though they are not expresly to be found in holy Scriptures yet they are no ways against them or differ from them Nay they are in all things most conformable to them and therefore to be embraced and observed by all good Christians for so St. Paul most expresly tells us 2 Thes â— 15 Therefore Brethren stand fast and hold the Traditions which ye have been tavght whereby word or our Epistles Again St. Paul speaking to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 11.34 concerning the blessed Eucharist a thing in Christianity as I take it of greatest concernment tels them that the rest he nill set in order when he comes so all was not to be ordered by his Epistle or written words but something it is plain he was afterwards to dispose of concerning that important affair by word of mouth In like manner St. 2 John 12 John tels the honourable Matron that he writ unto That hebad many things to write unto her but be would not writer with paper and â—nk but he trusted to come unto her and speak face to face c. And so he likewise tells his friend Gaius sohn 3. vers 13 14 That he trusted shortly to see him and that they should speak face to face and yet he said before that he had many things to write unto him but he would not with ink and pen write unto him c. By all which it is plain that Christians are not in all things to be ruled and determined by the word written Nay do we not plainly finde many things both of the words and deeds of our blessed Saviour that none of the Evangelists make mention of Act. 20.26 1 Cor. 15.6 which the Apostles have supplied and exprest in word or deed As first St. Paul in the Acts of the Apostles cites some words of our Saviours that are not to be found in any of the Evangelists and he bids them to remember the words of the Lord Josus how he said that it is more blessed to give than to receive and no such thing or to that purpose I could find yet in any of the Gospels In like manner some of his most confiderable deeds were not fully described or at all signified to us by any of the Evangelists As that he was seen by above five bundred brethren at once which St. Paul most expresly affirms to the Corinthians which apparition of his I could never read any thing of Luke 10.35 as I said before in any of the Gospels Then there are some Ecclesiastical observancies which you retain still in your Church that neither are to be found in Scripture nor is the reason apparent to every one why they were ever invented or used As first that we kneel at our prayers is not from any command in Scripture and yet you your selves hold it highly necessary Then that we choose out of all the corners of heaven that side where the Sun riseth towards which to turn our selves praying it is neither in Scripture nor apparently in reason to ordinary capacities but only that it has been the practice of the universal Church Again we know as I have shewed formerly in the Old Testament Dent. 17. Ezeth 44. the Law was not the judge of difficulties but the Priest so at large in Deuteronâ—â—y and the Prophet Ezekiel tels us plainly that the Priest shall stand in judgement and they only shall judge Now it is clear that we admit of Scripture as well as you but we differ in the understanding of it because you will have your own single judgments upon it to be your Rule and we admit no other judge but that authority which gives it that is the Church And this is apparently the reason why all you that are out of the Church do so differ amongst your selves upon all points and principally in that great point concerning the blessed Sacrament whether it be truly and spiritually the very body and blood of Christ by the figure and signs and the bare letter of Scripture will never be able to determine betwixt you and so there must be an impossibility of Accord in that and a hundred things more Thus we see that the Devil himself could alledge Scriptue against our blessed Saviour which was that God had given his Angels charge over him to keep him c. But he malitiously mistook Metth. 4. or through ignorance misunderstood which is not altogether so likely the sense of that place Now whereas you do all pretend that the holy Scriptures are clear and easie to be understood of all ordinary Readers and so that lay people and doting old women may be bold to venter their interpretations and comments upon it that is clean contrary to what St. Peter tells you speaking of all the Epistles of St. Paul in which
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
THE FEMALE DUEL OR The Ladies Lookingglass REPRESENTING A Scripture Combate about business of Religion fairly carried on between a Roman Catholick Lady and the wife of a Dignified person in the Church of England TOGETHER With their joynt answer to an Anabaptists Paper sent in defiance of them both Entitled the Dipper Drowned New Published by THO. TOLL Gent. Matth. 11.25 God hath revealed these things unto babes and sucklings and concealed them from the wise c. London Printed by H. Bell and P. Lillicrap 1661. TO THE ROYAL HIGHNESSE Of the most Peerless Pair of PRINCESSES Daughters of Great Britany France and Ireland HAd I not fully known most incomparable Princesses by a long experience in your most Royal Family that Clemency Mercy and Pardon were your apparent Birth-rights by Lineal Traduction from your great Progenitors especially from that glorious Martyr for his people your most Royal Father of eternal memory and that incomparable Confessor your blessed Mother whose sufferings for her King and Conscience deserve to be written with a Pen of Adamant in the Temple of Eternity I had not dared to address these poor home-spun Papers wrought by true spinsters hands to your most Princely view much less present them as a New-years-gift or make them to appear in the world under so great a Patronage Now the greatest aggravations most Seraphical Sisters that can be alledged against me are First that I should presume to present any thing that carries with it the scratching of womens controversies for so most of their disputes do usually determine or that does so much as sound like a jar to such serene Pacifick spirits as your highborne souls are known to be whose very looks are capable to quiet the most tempestuous and troubled seas and words to calm the rage of Tygers and the fury of the most tumultuous and stormy breasted Monsters of Mankind in whose bosome the very Unicorn would be ambitious to fall asleep and Lions themselves rejoyce to lick your Princely feet Nay that I should dare to offer so much as the sound of a Duel to two such sublime Personages and that are so much one in affection though different it may be in some perswasion and are by that great example of your most serene Mother the Grand Mistreses of Peace Piety Modesty and Humility to all Womankind But indeed my fault is not so grievous in this neither as at first blush it may appear to be for this Paper Duel is without a disturbance This Scripture Combate without a quarrell and this fair dispute is almost without a difference I am sure without an uncivil word and though it was managed as can be proved only by women yet it may serve to direct into the true mode and method of arguing the most dextrous Doctors and Disputants in the world and teach them to improve their arguing unto edification But the greatest aggravation most excellent Ladies that caâ—â— rise in judgement against me is yet behind as Timourus Penitents use to have their most crying sins to bring up the Rear which is that I should presume to present any actions of inferiour Persons as Looking-glasses to their Princes especially to such as you most incomparable Pair are known to be your selves being the matchless Mirrours of all perfection Mirrours said I nay most pure and Christialine Fountains that shew not only to all the Ladies in the world their deformed spots stains and blemishes but likewise how to wash them off and wherewithall to clear themselves from them which truth has been most plainly proved and confirmed to us by that strange and almost miraculous reformation of our Womens manners since the splendor of your most Princely vertues has appeared amongst them for which I am sure both Sexes do owe most immortal obligations to your Royal Highneses as for a new Conversion of the Nation Nay give me leave to affirm that the blessings we have received in order to that ought to be put into the Balance with any of those other great ones that â—is Sacred Majesty has been so graciously pleased to power down upon us in his comming to us and redemption of us from a life of sin and slavery For truely the Mankind here were not depraved into Sedition Treason Rebellion and Irreligion turning all faith into faction making truth it self to lye all Loyally to be Treason Religion to be Rebellion and pulling down of Churches the edification of Gods house by any instigation so great as that they received from their wicked women The Seas were less furious a Thunder-clap less dread full the gall of Dragons and poyson that swelleth up the necks of Asps was much more tolerable than their malice Nor were they only so guilty in making of their Husbands become Traytors to their God King and Countrey but they did study likewise to appear as unnatural Traytors to the honour of their whole Sex in England which was as famous as St. Paul magnifies the faith of the Romanes to be spoken of over all the world flying out into such prodigious pieces of impiety and debaucht lewdness that Heathens themselves have abhorred and very Turks trembled at From all these horrid infamies and national scandalls your very presence here has ransomed our Countrey and by your all healing examples set a new fair and reformed face upon all our Woman-kind The one being the highest Patroness of all conjugal and vidual Honor and the other the most pure pattern of all Virginal sweetnesse and chastity and both appear to be no lesse than two Intelligences that have left the Heavenly Orbes and vouchsafed your selves to be inchased in those beautifull bodies for the benefit and glory of your Sex To whom therefore could this Ladies Looking-glass be more properly presented than to your Royal Highnesses to whom all that is good in the whole Sex amongst us must be ever attributed as Rayes only reflected from your perfections This is my humble Plea most incomparable Princesses according to which joyned with my clear acknowledgement and most dutiful Confession I doubt not but your Princely goodness will proceed to absolution and dispense a pardon to Most Peerless Princesses Your Royal Highnesses most devoted humble Vassal and loyal Servant of your Royal Family THO. TOLL THE PRINTER TO THE READER YOu may please to take notice that this Epistle Dedicatory was past to the Press before the loss which the whole English Nation sustained in the death of that most incomparable Princess Mary princess Dowager of Orange and as the Publisher left it so I am oblieged to prosent it The Publishers PREFACE To the Gentlemen Readers of the FEMALE DVEL I Have already understood a grand exception against me for charging so much devotion and divinity upon the sex of women who are the Actors in this Scene and the Authours of this discourse it is true upon the first perusual of these papers I my self did little expect to finde such Masculine vigour in them and truly I dare boldly affirm
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
the mouth defileth a man but that which cometh out of the mouth this defileth a man c. why does your Church then tye up mens mouths from meat at any time 2. 1 Tim. 4.1 2 3 4 5. S. Paul tells us that now the speaketh expresly that in the latter times some should depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of Devils speaking lies c. forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received with thanksgivings of them which believe and know the truth for every creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer Heer the Apostle plainly calls it a doctrine of Devils and meer lies to command abstinence from any meat which God has created for the use of the faithful to be taken with thanksgiving 3. Tit. 1.14 15. Does not the same Apostle forewarne us not to give heed to such doctrines as those which he calls the commandements of men that turn from the truth and gives this reason that unto the pure all things are pure but unto them that are defiled and unbeleiving is nothing pure c. How dares your Church then impute iniquity to any thing of meat or make such a distinction between meats as you do 4. Colos 2.16 17. Does he not command the Colossians thus Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of a holy day or of the new moon or of the sabbath days which are but a shadow of things to come c. yet you are pleased to make your ceremonies to be the very substance of your Religion 5. Again he tells the Romans thus Rom 9. If by the Spirit you shall mortify the deeds of the flesh ye shall live he says nothing of mortification by fasting therefore that must be purely your invention 6. Lastly we may say to you as S. Acts 15.10 Peter in the Acts why tempt you God to put a yoake upon the neck of the Disciples which neither we nor our Fathers were able to hear Christian liberty endures no such burthensome bondage for Christ himself never made any distinction of meats or commanded any such observations why then should Christians his faithfull people be subject to them That your making and observing of vâ—â—s especially of chastity and single life though in your Priests themselves is another intolerable abuse and burthen laid upon Christianity I prove thus 1. It is plain that Jesus Christ our Saviour bestowed a freedome upon us which we call Christian Deut. 4.2 Revel 22 18. c. why should vows then reduce us into bondage Nay our Saviour cleerly shewed that he would have all his counsels free and yet your votaries make them necessary as commandments These vows therefore are those humane inventions so much spoken of forbiden and reproved in Scripture by consequence most unlawfull S. Paul forewarns Timothy from all those externall works of piety which are not capable to renew a man but are fit rather to make men hypocrites than saints and in such words as seem almost pointed at old Nuns 1 Tim. 4.7 8. But prâ—fain and old wives fables refuse excercising thy self rather unto Godliness for bodily exercise profiteth litle but godliness is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that is now and of that which is to come by this it is plain that it is the exercise of the soul which God deligheth in and not those vowed bodily observancies 3. Nay all those external works must of necessity be enemies to Christianity for they extinguish faith weaken hope and cause men to repose their confidence in them more then in the mercies of God and it is plain that your late votaries like those old Pharisees that our Saviour reproves do value more such empty traditions then they do the commandments of God to whom he pronounceth a woe for no other reason Luke 11.42 c. but for tything of Mint Rue and all maner of herbs and passing ore judgement and the love of God c. 4. Over and above all this the grand presumption of your votaries appears in oblieging themselves to a straiter rule of liveing than the Evangellicall rule to which every faithful Christian is tyed in Baptisme when it is plain that by all the endeavours that a Christian can use he cannot attain to a greater perfection and very hardly perform so much as is required Then as to your vows of chastity and restraining of Priests from marriage I prove the absurdity of all that thus 1. First it is plain by the old Testament that the Priests Gen. 1. 2. of the old Law might marry and had wives then the Greeks and divers other Christians ever had and shall have their wives 2. Your vows of Chastity and restraints from marriage are most plain oppositions to a divine precept which God so often inculcated into all creatures and particularly to man be ye fruithful and multiply 3. S. Paul foretells that in the latter times 1 Tim. â— 1 2 3. some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils c. forbiding to marry c. who should this be but you for no other Churches else does it 4. Tit. 1.5.6 The same Apostle commands Titus that amongst the rest of the things which he was to set in order as he had appointed him he should ordain a Bishop the busband of one wife and having faithful children by which it is plain that Priests might marry then 5. 1 Cor. 7.9 Chastity is and ought to be free but your vows and invented traditions make it to be necessary notwithstanding that S. Paul says plainly that it is better to marry then to burn and bids all men if they cannot contain themselves to marry 6. 1 Cor. 7.28 And a little after in the same Chapter he says positively to all but and if thou marry thou hast not sinned and if a virgin marry she hath not sinned c. and your Church is pleased to make it worse than the breach of a commandment 7. In fine there can be nothing more cleer than that vows of virginity are vain and in plain English foolish because impossible it were the same thing to obliege a man to live without meat or drink and your Pope pretends by his humane traditions to mortifie mens flesh when it is impossiple to do that without a constant recourse to the grace of God But abive all the Abuse of your Church it manafest in multiplying of Sacraments and making them out of meer humane constitutions which I prove in short thus 1. All Sacraments ought to be of our Saviour Christs own institution but your supernumerary Sacraments are after constitutions of the Church therefore they cannot be Sacraments 2. As for your Sacrament of Penance I have shewed sufficiently
would make little to the matter for wheresoever he was he was still a supream Bishop and though by the Revellations of the spirit he chose out Rome for his Seat yet he was chief Bishop of the World long before he was Bishop of Rome To the Third I answer thus that it was no wonder that our Saviour rebuk'd Peter for resisting the sence that he propos'd to him concerning his being put to death because he had not yet receiv'd the Keys he was not yet confirm'd nor was yet the fulnesse of the spirit yet come upon him Therefore he was not yet the Rock but Christ after his Resurrection fullfill'd that promise to him and founded his Church upon him Then very learn'd men are of opinion are of opinion that Jesus Christ said to those words to Peter but to the Divell himself who was the Suggestor of that mistake to him Again the fall of a person in point of opinion does not necessity take away his power Then again Peter not being yet fully confirm'd it is possible that he might have a Revellation from God the Father by which he might profess Christ to be the Son of the living God and yet that great mystery might be conceal'd from him as yet that Christ would be crucifi'd for the salvation of mankind and rise again the third day and because you are pleas'd to put the Divell upon us for our Head I would ask you what was the Rock our Saviour meant if faith as you pretend then I say Faith is so soon lost in a man as grace and the faith of one man must be as considerable to that foundation as the faith of any other man and so upon the faith of all the faithfull the Church is to bee built and if all the faithfull are to be the foundation what kind of Church will you leave to Christianity To the Ninth I answer that your argument is not good at all Peter was sent by the Apostles into Samaria therefore he was less then the other Apostles Joh. 6.20 Gallat 4. just so the Arrians as I have heard formed their Argument because the Father sent the Son as is plain in Scripture therefore he is greater then the Son for the Sender say they and you is greater than he that is sent Because Herod did did not send the three Wise men to worship the Child He was therefore not greater then they When it is frequent that the most principall persons are likely sent especially if it be from the body of an Assembly and that for their honour out of love and good councell not out of any Right of Authority in their Inferiours So we find in Josuah Jos 22.12.13.14 that when the Children of Israell heard what the two Tribes and the half had done the Children of Israel gathered themselves together c. and sent unto the children of Reuben and to the children of Gad 91. and to the half Tribe of Manasseth into the Land of Gillead Phineas the Sonne of Eleazer the Priest and with him ten Princes 1 Chron. 9.20 of each chief house a Prince c. Here you see how the children of Israel the inferiour sort of the people sent Phineas that was their Captain and Ruler over them as we finde in the Chronicles and divers other of their Princes it is plain therefore by your consequencies out of Scripture that your Argument has none He is sent therefore he is inferiour to him or them that send him To the tenth It is plain that Christ did only prohibit ambition and Tyrannie amongst his Apostles not power and order because they are of God as the Apostle Paul tels us Rom. 15. and he that resisteth the power resisteth the Ordinance of God Our Saviour therefore intended only to teach humility to him that was the chiefest or presided over the rest not to take away his power You would take it I presume for a very ill Argument if any one should say Jesus Christ himself was a Minister or did serve upon earth and taught others to serve or minister likewise therefore Christ had no power when he was here Besides when Christ said He that is greatest amongst you Is it not plain that he does imply that there should be one greater in power than another though he does injoyn that greater to be as the lesser by way of humility and ministration or service To the eleventh and last I answer in like manner that all which can be collected out of those Scriptures is to shew that he could have all those that were his to rise to greatness not by power and ambition but by humility and innocency that when they were in power they should be as if they were not so and as little ones in humility and innocency that when they were in power they should be as if they were not so and as little ones in humility and innocency not as so in age and understanding Now you must give me leave according to my usual method to reply something upon you out of the clear and unforced Letter of Scripture and that the Pope or Bishop if Rome is and ought to be the heâ—â— of the Church of Christ as St. Peters Successor and has just power and superiority ever all other Bishops I prove thus First out of the Letter of St. Matthews Gospel after Peter had made his consession Jesus answered and said unto him Blessed art thou Simon Barjona Matth. 16.16 17 18.19 for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in heaven and I say also unto thee that thou art Peter and upon this Rock I wil build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it And I will give unto thee the keys of the â—â—osed in Heaven c. It is worth your observation how signally our Saviour insists upon St. Peters person for that he might be sure that none but those that were wilfully disposed should be able to mistake he calls him by his old name Simon then by his Fathers name Barjona then by his new name Peter which he gave him then and signifies a Rock and presently says that upon that Rock will he build his Church c. And that must plainly be said and meant of himself in his own person for presently after follows And I will give unto thee the Keys of Heaven c. And whatsoever thou shalt bind c. And whatsoever thou shalt loose c. Again we find how clearly the Primacy of St. Peter may be proved out of St. Lukes Gospell When our Saviour twice repeats his name Luk. 22.31 32. And the Lord said Simon Simon behold Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as Wheat but I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not and when thou art converted strengthen thy brethren Observe I pray you how our Saviour prays for him most particularly and above the rest and he askt two things
plain in this particular as we see it is for St. Peter and his Successors the very Analogy of reason would induce that Jesus Christ should appoint somebody for that great charge to govern his whole Church First let us look upon the Anology of the Christian Church and that of the Jews The Mosaicall synagogue was but a Type or shadow of the Church of Christ but the Synagogue was always govern'd by one visible head Namely the High Priest to whom all others were subject as is apparent out of the Books of Exod. Levit. Deut. Therefore the Church of Christ ought to be so governed For it is not fit that the more perfect government which by all is acknowledg'd to be Monarchy should be over the shadow that we know is more imperfect then the substance and and not over the substance it self which is the Church of Christ And as the Jewish Synagogue was the Type of our Church so undoubtedly their High Priests were the Types of our Popes and as they presided over the whole Jewish Nation as to the externall government so our Popes in like manner do over all Christian people Now I ask you how it can stâ—â— with reason That Moyses Peut 17.8 9. who was a Type of Christ too should provide for the Synagogue that if there should arise a matter of difficulty that they should come unto the Priests and Levites and to the Judge that shall be in those dayes and enquire and they shall shew thee the sentence of Judgement which are his own words and that Jesus Christ should neglect to provide in the same manner for his own beloved Spouse his Church Since then Monarchical Government both in Church and state is the best of Governments and was the practis'd government of the Synaogue and amongst the jews and is the only government in the triumphant Church in heaven why should not the same provision be made by Iesus Christ for his poor Militant Church upon Earth Or why should you or any body else oppose that happiness of ours which Christ has appointed for us unless it be out of a design to bring your selves and the whole Church to confusion and to do as was done in those days when there was no King in Israel when every one did what seem'd good in his own eyes which unhappy licence that you call liberty shall be ever part of my Litany Judg. 17.6 Judg. 21.25 that God would please to deliver me and all his faithfull servants from To what you alledge against the power of the Pope that he can neither by himself nor with all his Cardinalls and councills about him he able to determine any matter of Fath. I answer thus To the First I say that you are clearly in a great errour to think thiâ— the Law and the Testimony or any written thing was or could be judge of any controversie or difficulty whatsoever but the High Priest as appears by the Text aforecited out of Deuteronomy Then those words to the Law and to the Testimony are to be understood far otherwise than you imagine as is plain by the precedent words which are these and when they shall say unto you seek unto them that have familiar spirits and to wizards that peep and that mutter should not a people seek unto their God for the living to the dead then immediatly follows to the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them c. Now it is plain that the Prophet speaks here only against those who were wont to consult witches wizards and Sorcerers about future events and therefore they were remitted partly to the Law Deut. 18.9 1 Kings 22 7. which did expresly prohibit all that and partly to the Testimony of the Prophets who were appointed by God to foretell futurities to them The sense therefore of those words to the Law and to the Testimony 1 Sam. 28.7 is this if you will be inform'd of future events you ought not to consult witches wizards or sorcerers as Saul did because God had forbidden that by his Law to which I therefore remitted you but consult ye the Prophets of God whose office it is to foretell all future things that ye ought to know What does this make to the derision of difficult controversies or determination of matters of Faith Nothing at all sure unless you can think this Argument to be good It is not Lawful to consult Witches Wizards and Sorecters therefore onely Scripture is to be the Judge of controversies This sure is a very pitifull Argument and yet such as that do your great Rabbins and principall Doctors make use of to abuse you and themselves To the second I grant that Jesus Christ disputing with the Jews who denyd him to be the Son of God does remit them to the Scriptures but not to them only neither for he proves himself to be so by other Testimonies First he appeals to the Testimony of John the Baptist saying you sent to John and he gave witnesse to the truth Joh. 1.34 now his Testimony was this Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the World and again I have given witnesse to the truth Joh. 5.36 because this is the Son of God Secondly he refers them to the Testimony of the miracles that he wrought amongst them But I saith he have greater witnesse then that of John for the Works which the Father hath given me to finish the same works that I do Mat. 3.27 Luk. 9.35 Joh. 5.39.40 bear witness of me that the Father hath sent me Thirdly he refers them to the Testimony of God the Father saying And the Father that sent me he hath given Testimony of me that was when he said from Heaven This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear him Fourthly and Lastly hee refers them as you urge to the Testimony of the Scriptures saying Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternall life So much as to say if you will not accept of the three first Testimonies of me which sure are most efficatious ones otherwise I had never produced them yet at least ye cannot reject the Testimony of the Scriptures in which you glory so much they themselves if you search and examine them as you should do give Testimony of me that Jame the Messias promis'd by God Why therefore will ye not believe c. Thus in my Opinion your Argument retorts it self upon you more then oppugneth us For you contend that only Scripture is necessary for the decision of controversies and difficulties in faith and yet you see that Christ himself does not so but remits us to those other Testimonies as well as Scripture now the Catholick Church does in this as in all things else imitate our blessed Lord and Saviour for in those controversies which she hath with all Adversaries she does not use the testimony of Scriptures
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
World And just as each single Sheep so long as it remains in the society and Communion with the Flock and under the aare and custody of the Shepherd is safe and secure from the mouths of wolves so is each single Christian so long as he remains joyned and tyed up in the unity of the Church that is submits to the sence and doctrine of the whole Church is never err'd yet in matter of faith nor ever can now I presume you may require to know of me whether all and every one of this Church hath this great assistance and direction of the Holy Spirit that he cannot erre in matter of Faith I do readily answer that every one of the faithfull has it but by way of dependance upon the Church and from it So long therefore as any man remains in conjunction with the Church he cannot erre if he separates or dissents from it he must needs of necessity fall into an errour which I 'le thus explain to you by two Examples or similitudes The one may be taken from the proportion of a humane body in which we see that all the members do jointly and severally paticipate of the vitall and sensitive spirits by which life is preserved in them all but yet they have these spirits derivatively from and by way of dependency upon the head and heart for it is from them as from a double Fountain those spirits are derived into the other members so that when the Channells and passages by which that derivation and distribution is made are stopt or intercepted it must follow necessarily that the other Members must be left destitute of spirits and be rendred incapable of performing their Office but being open all will be well So likewise in the Church all the faithfull which are as it were Members of it have a certain assistancy and direction from the holy Ghost but by way of dependency upon the Pope who is as the head of the Church and from Councils which are safe and secure from all danger of errour and infidelity In the last place as sheep that go astray from the flock are out of the protection of the Shepherd and by consequence must fall into the danger of Wolves so Christians which depart from the common sence and doctrine of the Church must of necessity fall into millions of errours for want of the assistance of the holy spirit which is the Judge and Guardian of that I pray you good Mistriss N. have a care how you expose your self to this terrible danger To the Fifth I utterly deny that generall Councells have er'd in matters of faith it is possible that some particular Councells might or some false Councells more truely call'd conventicles Then that some councills have determined variously as to discipline and Ecclesiasticall government I grant for variety of times requires diversity of Laws and God himself gives the president of that who changed many things in the new Testament that were commanded in the Old And as for Lay-men to be present in Councels we do not at all deny so they be as witnesses defenders Counsellors Suggestors or Executioners of their decrees but never as to have a Voyc in any Councill or Church businesse and this is plain by those Gouncils that we find in the Acts celebrated by the Apostles and so clearly in every Age since and why should Lay-men have to do more now Now give me leave to reply something to you and I 'le be short in my proof having been so long in my answers That the Pope with a generall Council may detrmine what is of Fath and what is not I pove by expresse Scripture thus We find in Scripture some Councils celebrated by the Apostles that have actually made such determinations As first for the taking off the burthen of Circumcision and other Indaicall obligations we find the result thus For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us Act. 15.28 29. to lay upon you no greater burthen than these necessary things that they abstein from meats offered to Idols and from blood and from things strangled and from Fornication from which if ye keep your selves ye shalde well See here the form of an Apostolical Councell First the Text tells us that the Apostles and Elders came together and that St. Peter was President and Prolocutor then they issued out their decrees with this authoritative preface It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us Now do you find that any faithfull Christians then did question their authority ver 6.7 as you do now that of other Conncells assembled in like manner and assisted by the same spirit Thus you see that Councell did decree somethings to be necessary for a time which were not simply and of themselves matters of faith and to take off from the Jews many things that were to them before matters Faith as circumcision and other mosaicall Statutes Why should not I say the Church now have the same power when the same necessity shall require we have I 'm sure the same Christ the fame holy spirit the same faith the same Church why not the fame power in Councills We read again of another Council celebrated by the Apostles when they wer to part one from another Apostles Creed and to go preach the Gospel as the Lord had commanded them over the whole World when they met together and upon a large debate delivered to us the Creed which you your selves and I 'm sure the whole Church of Christ submits to as as points of faith and is to this day called the Apostles Creed and for some of those Articles we have no Scripture at all nor any other authority but this that they were so delivered by the Apostles and I conceive it a duty incumbent upon all good Christians what the wise Man adviseth Prov. 22.28 not to remove the antient Land-marks which our Fathers have set In what respect a Councill or Convocation of Elders was with God and ever taken for the representative body of the Church is plain in many places of Exodus Exod 19.3 7 8. especially that where God commands Moses to say to the House of Jacob and tell the Children of Israell c. And yet afterwards it is said of Moses that he came and call'd for the Flders onely of the people and laid before their faces all these Words which the Lord commanded him c. And though it is plain that the Elders of the people onely answered with whom Moses was talking Deut. 32.7 yet the Text tell us That all the people answered together and said c. Which could dot be â—nless onely so representatively by their convocation of Elders How well therefore does the same Moses express this in his fong when he saith Remember the days of old confider the years of many generations Ask thy Father and he will shew thee thy Elders and they will tell thee c. I should be infinite to run through all the
Church I beseech you be pleased to make your own application Over and above all this I shall prove that the Church is not only incapable of errour because it is the Spouse of Christ his body and called the Kingdome of Heaven but because she is governed by the perpetual presence power and authority of the Holy Ghost who is never to forsake her Joh. 14. and first our Saviour promiseth that be will ask the Father and he shall send another comforter and so accordingly he did not long after in the same Gospell Holy Father Joh. 17.11 keep through thine own name those that thou hast given me c. and he explains himself in the same chaâ—ter that he prayes not for them onely meaning his Apostles but for them who were afterwards to believe in him through their preaching 1 Tim. 3.15 Does not S Paul tell his Disciple Timothy how he is to behave himself in the house of God which is the Church of God the pillar ground of truth how then can it possibly erre Then S. John tells us that our Saviour said that he had many things to say unto them but that they could not bear them then but when the spirit of truth should come he should teach them all truth Again the same S. John in his Epistle General tells us 1 John 2.20 that we have an unction from the holy one and that we know all things and that we shall be alwaies capable to distinguish a lye from truth it must be therefore the unction of the holy Ghost that alwaies teacheth the Church In fine Matth. 28.20 S. Matthew makes them the concluding words of his Gospel Go yet herefore teach all Nations c. teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and loe I am with you alwaies even to the end of the world Christ who is the way the truth and the life said this to his Disciples it is plain therefore that this Church which is the pillar and ground of truth that has him for its leader and the Holy Ghost for its teacher can never erre how probable is it then that it should be in an errour for above a thousand years together as you fondly imagine Then as the Church is but one so it is necessary that unity should be in the Church I prove out of the express words of S. 1 Cor. 1.10 Paul Now I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there he no divisions amongst you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgement and then in another place in the same Epistle sayes 1 Cor. 14.33 that God is not the author of confusion but of peace as in all Churches of the Saints What then will you say for your selves that have nothing but confusions amongst you nay is it not more probable that God will rather inspire his own body that is the concord and unity of his Church than any private Doctors whatsoever that teach a dissent from it Nay how much this unity of his Church is desired by God himself is evident by what the same S. Paul writes to the Romanes Rom. 15.4 5 6. for whatsoever things are written aforetime were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like minded one towards another according to Christ Jesus That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God even the father of our Lord Jesus Christ c. Again the same Apostle in the same Epistle laies an injunction upon the Romanes Rom. 12.16 whose faith he acknowledged before was celebrated over the whole world that they should be of the same mind one towards another not to mind high things but condescend to men of low estate and not to he wise in their own conceits which all they are and must be that are out of the Church Observe I pray you the most pathetical exhortation of S. Paul to this purpose Phil. 2.1 2. If there be therefore any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the spirit if any bowells of mercy fulfill ye my joy that ye be like minded having the same love being of one accord of one wind Nay the breach of this peace unity and unanimity in Gods Church is most passionately if it be lawfull to say so Jerem. 2.12 13. bewailed by God himself as the Prophet Jeremy expresseth it nay proposeth it as a matter of amazement to Heaven it self be astonished O ye Heavens at this and be horribly afraid be ye very desolate saith the Lord foy my people have committed two evils they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters and hewed them out cisterns broken cisterns that can hold no water I pray you seriously examine with your self whether you do lesse by leaving off the Church the true and living fountain and digging to your selves broken cisterns out of Wicklif Huss Luther Calvin c. In vain sure hath God sent his Son in vain the Holy Ghost and yet more in vain hath he sent Apostles Martyrs Confessors Doctors in all ages to perpetuate the truth of his Church to us when a few of such precious persons as those of yours would have served the turn Here are only two things now as I conceive left to be cleared the one is that the Prelates and principal Persons of Christs Church assembled together do make the representative body of the whole Church the other is that the Romane Catholick Church is that universal Church disperst over the whole world As to the first it is sufficiently clear by many such Scriptures as thse And he stood and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice c. And the King and all Israel with him offered Sacrifice before the Lord now that this must be onely meant of the body representative of Israel is plain to sense and particularly exprest in the beginning of the Chapter Then Solomon assembled the Elders of Israel and all the heads of the Tribes the chief of the Fathers of the Children of Israel unto King Solomon in Jerusalem 1 Kings 8.58.62.1 Thus it is plain that the heads of the Church assembled represent the body of the whole Church Then as to the clearing of the next point I must tell you a great mistake amongst you for you commonly speaking of the Church of Rome take it only for the particular Church which formerly was and still is there and so it is no more indeed than particular But if you take it for the collection of all the faithfull who being disperst over all the world did in old daies alwaies adhere and still do to the Bishop of Rome so it is called Catholick or Universal because diffused over the whole world and it is called
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
latter end of the Text would have answered the begining for we graunt as aforesayd that the Lord of heaven and earth dwelleth not in Temples made with hands neither is worshiped with mens hands as though he needed any thing that you are pleased I say to leave out and we deny as well as you that God is so to be worshipt in our Churches as if he stood in need of any help of ours To the Third What you urge again out of S. Paul we grant that we are to pray in all places that is to be understood sure of all places of convenience and what place can be more convenient than that which is dedicated consecrated and devoted to that onely use Besides S. Paul said that onely to refute a vulgar errour which was that it was not lawfull to pray any where but in the Church To the Fourth We do not deny but the Temple of the Jews was so destroyed as our Saviour prophesied and that so it ought to be but that signifies nothing to our Churches for as the Evangelical Law succeeded the Jewish Law so the Evangelical Priesthood succeeded the Jewish Priesthood and our Churches their Temple and our unbloody Sacrifice their bloody ones To the fifth We freely grant all that our Saviour sayes as you urge and that the true worshippers of him shall do it in spirit and in truth and we pray you what hinders but that we may do that in our Churches and what is in the text more reougnant to our Churches than to your woods caves and nasty conventicles To the Sixth The Prophet Jeremy whom you urge does most expresly testifie there that the Temple was his most choice and beloved place and addes those words and I will dwell with you in that place Notwithstanding he tells them in the Text you quote that they are not to trust in that for the sanctity of the Temple should not be a priviledge to them if they took wicked courses This is all the scope of the Text and the context To the Seventh We grant it to be true that God is in every place and hears sinners every where does it therefore follow that we must have no Churches This was Jaroboaws argument sure to the Israelites to keep them from their going up to the Temple at Jerusalem when he told them how impertinent a piece of worship it was to take so long a journey to so little purpose You Anahaptists therefore may be very properly in this point called Jerohoites going about to disswade Christians from the use of Churches as he did there the Israelites from their Temple but because we perceive you are a Latinist we shall refet you to a learned Jew to teach you a more Christian religion Joseph lib. 8. c. 12. and that is Josephus who will tell you Deus est ubique sed in uno loco vult orari honorari plusquam in alio God is every where but in one place he wil be prayed to and honored more than another and what you seem to fling against tho riches ornaments of our Churches is nothing to the purpose supposing that we must have Churches at all consecrated to divine use sure common reason tells us that they are not then to be like Burnes nor our Priests to go like Beggars who serve in them what you produce out of Persius is little to the purpose and you shew your self to be a true imitater of your grand Patriarch Martin Luther who when he went about to prove that all things in this world came by a fatal absolute and inevitable necessity produceth a Heathen Poet for his Authority certa stant emnia lege so when we bring clear Scriptures and you are pleased to produce Ethnick Poets we conceive our selves not bound to answer to their authority how valid soever you take it to be for we know they knew not God therefore they are not to be received by us as any authority But of this we shall tell you more hereafter To the Eight I say you have done very bravely to make all Christian Princes and Magistrates to be Pilates and Herodes and whereas you say that Christ asserted Pilates power the contrary is plain out of the Text for our Saviour there clearly taxeth him of sin when he sayes that he that betrayed him into his hands had the greater sin Now that Pilate had a power given him from above our Saviour sayes it but in reference to God that is permissively onely that God did permit to him onely that power for we know it was his own will to offer himself if the Text be understood as in reference to Cesar and the supream civil power you then gain nothing by your argument To the Ninth We will grant you that all saithfull Christians are Priests as they are also Kings that is to be understood spiritually because God reigneth in them by his free grace and they by the unction of his holy spirit do play the Kings over and govern the powers and faculties of their souls and senses hut yet besides those Kings which may be beggars there are and were alwaies Kings and external external Governours In like manner all the faithfull who offer to God their faith and faithfull prayers c. may be said to be spiritual Priests and that Priesthood needs no ceremonies but it is plain that besides this internall Priesthood there is and must be an external one in the Church Take for example every faithfull Christian is the Temple of God for so S. Paul sayes to the Corinthians ye are the holy Temple of God but yet besides those Temples there must be external Temples affixt to certain places in which do meet the Congregations of the faithfull Then as to the words of the Text you quote you may as well infer out of another that all the Jewes were Priests too Enod 19.5 6. for we find in Exodus how God tells them Now therefore if ye will obey my vaine indeed and keep my Covenant then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all peoples and ye shall be unto me a Kingdome of Priests and a holy Nation c. This was said to all Israel and yet you will not deny but there were particular Kings and Priests besides In fine you know well enough the difference between a Priest of your making and a Priest of Gods making a Lay-Priest and a Hierarchical one but you are willing to let your selves be cheated by that sophisme of equivocation that you may do again as Jeroboam did set up your Lay-Priests to hinder people from going to Rome as he did to hinder the Israelites from going to Jerusalem So here again you are Jeroboites To the Tenth We say that you torment and turn that Text of the Apostle to the Corinthians to a most heretical sense for though we are all one body in Christ yet sure it is a most sottish inference to say that therefore we are all the hand or
up the other cheek that is to receive another injury rather than to revenge any Nor can it any way follow from hence that war is unlawfull for the invader as well as the defender ought not to make war out of any private affection to revenge but out of a right intention for the publick good otherwise war must be unlawfull indeed To the Third We find two parts of your argument to be answered to the first is Christs command to Peter Put up thy Sword again into his place then give us leave to tell you that Christ speaks not of war at all but meekly reprehends Peter for these reasons first because all the Apostles had askt leave to strike and healone without staying for Christs answer drew his Sward and wounded a servant of the High Priests Secondly because it was a rash and indiscrect thing that one man should assault such a multitude of armed men Thirdly because if it had been necessary our Saviour could have commanded Angels to have so defended him as he tells him I can ask the Father and he will send me more then twelve legions of Angels c. Fourthly because he would not have his death hindred as he said The Cup which the Father hath given me wilt thou not that I drink All this hinders not but that war may notwithstanding be lawfull if the just conditions of war be observed The second part of your argument consists in those words both out of the Gospell and Apostle he that killeth with the Sword must perish or be killed with the Sword which cannot be understood simply to be true for we know the contrary and that many bloody men die in their beds but both our Saviour and the Apostle alledge an old Law out of the Text whosoever shall shed mans blood his blood shall be also shed Gen. 9.6 Leviticus 24.17 and whosoever shall strike a man so as he dieth let him die the death Now that murtherers are to die by the law hinders nothing but war may be lawfull for otherwise it must have been unlawfull under the old Testament for then the Law was made against Homicides Now the difference between homecide and a lawful war if you know not we will tell you the one is committed against the publick laws of God and man as well against common justice as the Decalogue it must be therefore unlawfull The other is undertaken for the defence of publick justice and to keep off or repay a publick injury and that sure by all laws of God and nature must be lawfull To the Fourth I would fain know of you what Prince or Emperour did then believe in Christ whose aid the Apostles might have implored against Hereticks it was not that the Hereticks then did not deserve it but because the swords of the Princes and Emperours then were shut up in Pagan sheathes but when they came to serve the Gospel under Constantine then the Christians besought them upon all such occasions and to what you say that Hereticks are to be conquered with the sword of the spirit that is 1 Pet. 3. the word of God it is true that S. Peter teacheth us to be ready to give an account to every one that askes it of the faith that is in us and yet S. Paul adviseth us Tit. 3.10 11. to reject a Heritick after the first and second admonition and gives the reason knowing that he is subverted and sinneth being condemned of himself We beseech you therefore look to your self and all your party that you do not dispute out of Scriptures against known faith To the Fifth It is plain that our Saviour onely would not that one Tares should be pulled up to endanger the Wheat for so he explaines himself after Mat. 18. least whilest ye pull up the Tares ye pull up the Wheat also We grant also that heresies must be but yet there is a woe pronounced to him by whom they are and that must too implies no absolute necessity but a conditional one as they are foreknown to God so must be or else a necessity of the end which the Apostle implies that they who are approved may be made manifest this proves nothing against the punishing of a notorious Heritick To the Sixth We answer that when our Saviour said but ye shall not be so he did not forbid civil Magistracy but only instructed his Apostles that they being to be the future Pastors of souls should not meddle with secular businesses nor dominear after the manner of secular Lords but rather that they should attend their own charges and become patterns of humility to all and so in like manner when the Apostle tells us that there is but one Lord one Faith one Baptisme he excludes not Kings and Princes or other secular Lords Rom. 13.6 but only a plurality of Gods for there is but one God who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords whose Ministers all other Kings and Lords are To the Seventh We say that in those Texts you urge the use of swearing is not forbidden but the abuse of it and that consists plainly in swearing vainly and in business of no moment and in calling God to witness a thing without evident necessity which is against the reverence that is due to God this abuse only Christ forbids in these words but I say unto you swear not at all that is Exod. 20.7 Deut. 10. without necessity ye shall not swear at all and this is explained in other Texts Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain again thou shalt not mention the name of God lightly or to no purpose now by these two words in vain and lightly or to no purpose it is plain that it is only forbid so to do rashly vainly or without necessity Now give us leave to reply That it is lawfull to make war against Turks Jews or Heriticks upon a reasonable and lawfull occasion or to punish them and that Christians may make war and bear Civil Magistracy yea give and take Oaths We prove by Scripture thus First As to the matter of war it is plain that when the Souldiers came to St. John Baptist and asked him what they should do Luke 3.14 he answered them do violence to no man neither accuse any falsly and be content with your wages here it is plain he forbid them not their trade which was to go to war but taught them how to do it honestly S. Paul tells the Romanes Rom. 13. that Kings and Supream powers carry not the sword in vain The Children of Israel we know got the possession of the Land of Promise by an open war of Gods own appointment as is abundantly to be seen in the Books of Joshuah Judges and Kings Nay the Lord commanded them to have a continual war against Infidells for so we find in the Book of Judges Now these Nations the Lord left to prove Israel by them even as many of
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