they be ruled that may not read them without a Licence or a Toleration from the Superior If it be lawful to read with Toleration it 's lawful to read without Toleration for the toleration of men neither addeth to nor diminisheth from any spiritual exercise and Timothy read the Scriptures of a youth and who gave him his Toleration And Apollos was a mighty man and a knowing man in the Scriptures from whence had he his License 3. Because thou judgest according to the judgement of this present evil world that they are onely fit to read the Scripture and give interpretations upon it who are naturally learned and have the wisdom of this world I say Nay the world by wisdom knew not God neither know him now and them that had natural learning rejected the Foundation them that had the Hebrew Language set Christ at nought they that had the Greek tongue withstood Paul and called him a babler them that had the Latine Tongue the Tongue of the Whore your Mother persecuted the Christians in the first three hundred years after Christ as your own Histories do relate So according to all these who had onely the knowledg in the natural Languages they did not understand the things of God and it was the wise builders which builded by art skill in the Earthly Wisdom that rejected the true Foundation and Corner-stone but on the contrary we say according to the Apostolick Doctrine that the Scriptures may be read and ought to be read for they are profitable for instruction and correction and information to make the man of God perfect and thorowly furnisht to every good work through faith in Christ Jesus And I would have the Author know that we do not look upon Cardinals Fryers Monks and Bishops to be the alone men of God so that they alone have the sole power to tolerate the reading of Scriptures for he is a man of God who is born of the spirit which sanctifieth and leadeth into the clear pathes of Equity and Righteousness who walks not after the flesh neither fulfils the lusts thereof and such there are and have been which have been unlearned in natural Tongues but this is the way to keep your Church in reputation to believe as you believe and every man to put out his own eyes and live by another's sight and hang his faith upon another's shoulders this is not like Apostolick Doctrine for the Apostle said Let every one be perswaded in his own mind not by other mens minds and he that believeth hath the witness in himself and hath it not to seek among the litteral Rabbies who darken Counsel through words and it is not for want of natural learning that one understandeth the Scriptures this way and another that way but because they want the understanding of that Spirit which gave forth the Scriptures which Spirit universally is given to all men and women a measure of it to lead into truth and through which the deep things of God are revealed And it 's not your Traditions Inventions natural Learning Schools Colledges Fryeries and Covents in which the Spirit of God is onely limited but every one that seeks finds whether learned or unlearned for of a truth God is no respector of persons And so the mind of Christ is manifest unto them that believe and the one Spirit into which the Saints were baptized is that which opens the Scriptures truly as they are and discerneth the times and the seasons and fulfilleth it in the hearts of them that believe and manifests the state unto which they were spoken And if the Scriptures be so hard to be understood by reason of the hard sayings or because of the Translations what have you been doing these fourteen hundred years with all your learning with all your Councils Popes Bishops and Clergy that you have not translated them aright or so plain that they may be understood by all that reads But then your Doctrine Worship and Practice would be soon manifest not to be Apostolical nor consonant and agreeing to the practice of the true Church of Christ. And now I come to the effectual Arguments and pregnant wayes which the Author tells of which will work upon the Sectaries to make them return to the Catholick Church which he saith they have groundlesly forsaken and now I shall come to try his arguments and search the force of them which he layeth down as the most efficacious way to convince all Sectaries as he is pleased to stile them to come to the Church of Rome but the hope of this man will be like a Spider's Web for unto all whose Eyes God hath illuminated in any measure will come to see the weakness of this Philosophy and vain deceit which he hath laid down as a chief instrument to convince all that the Roman Church is the true Church and that salvation is onely concluded in her 1. The first argument he takes from Matth. 18. 17. Christ sends us to the Church saith he if any neglect to hear her they must be counted as Heathens and Publicans From hence this is the Argument That that Church is to be heard in which there is most assurance to be had that one is in the way to salvation but in the Roman Church there is most assurance therefore the Roman Church is to be heard Ans. The Minor is false and also the Conclusion That Church which hath the foundation of its assurance without it is not the true Church of Christ neither is to be heard but the Roman Church hath onely their assurance of salvation without them therefore are not to be heard it is manifest their assurance stands onely in outward things as Antiquity and Visibility which are not the alone Marks of the true Church Cain was ancient enough and there were them that were in Cain's way before Rome was so highly elevated and that for Universality and Visibility there is no assurance in that for all the World hath wondered after the Beast and the Whore hath sitten upon Nations Kindreds and People and so the first argument is denied and proved to be false I shall lay down another 1. That Church which hath always been so visible and Universal since the Apostles dayes as hath had its seat over Nations Kindreds and Tongues is not the true Church of Christ but the Harlot but the Church of Rome hath been universal over Nations Kindreds Tongues and People therefore the Church of Rome is the Harlot and not the true Church of Christ. But I shall not traduce thee in thy vain deceit but return thy arguments upon thy self which thon chargest upon others 1. As first That Church is not to be heard whose Authors and Doctors are Cozeners and Impostors 2. But all are Cozeners and Impostors but the Church of Rome Again That the Church of Rome hath the Marks of the true Church and no other as Antiquity Miracles holiness of life Universality Again That the Church of Rome takes the
narrow way that leads to life Again Because the Church of Rome keeps Sunday instead of Saturday by Tradition therefore she is the Church of Christ. To the first If that Church is not to be heard neither her censures regarded whose Authors and Teachers have been Cozeners and Impostors then the church of Rome is not to be heard nor her censures regarded because the chief Authors have been Cozeners Cheaters and Impostors who have been out of the power of God and have taught for Doctrine the traditions of men as Purgatory prayer for the dead onely to cozen and cheat by to fill the Bags and Coffers of the Popish Clergy which Doctrine is contrary unto the Doctrine of Christ and the Apostolick Church therefore the Church of Rome is not to be heard 2. That the Church of Rome hath the marks of the true Church and no other as Antiquity Holiness of life Miracles and Universality This is false there were Churches before Rome that had these marks and there hath been since and are now more then the Church of Rome Antiquity some of them called Sectaries will allow you a thousand years to be called a Church and yet prove you Apostates both in Doctrine and Practice Your Miracles are but cheats deceits and lying stories if your own Authors be searched you confess most of your Miracles are wrought by your Images works of your own hands 2. Antiquity without Truth proveth nothing and holiness of life if your Church be holy which is prophane tolerating as I said before Whoredoms Stage-Playes vain sports and pastimes which draw people from the fear of God and many foolish sopperies which I shall not now mention so that there are them that have dissented from you which are more ancient in the Faith more holy in life and conversation more agreeable in doctrine and practice to the true primitive Church then you are And as for Miracles which are wrought by the true power and finger of God there hath been and are more amongst them called Sectaries than in the Church of Rome The blind have received their sight the Lepers have been cleansed the Lame have been made to walk and the deaf have heard and the dumb have spoken the dead have been raised and many that have been bound by Satan fourty yeares are loosed and there are thousands that are Witnesses of it and can testifie the truth thereof even in this time and in this year in Scotland England Ireland Germany and America 1662. So there is a true Church which hath the Marks of the true Church of Christ more than the Church of Rome therefore the Roman Church is not the alone true Church 3. To the third argument That the Church of Rome keeps Gods commandments and walks in the narrow way of Christ's counsel therefore she is to be heard How she keepeth the commandments of God is known if he mean the ten commandments Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image nor the likeness of any thing that is in Heaven or Earth neither bow down nor worship them Now you make Images of things in Heaven as of God and Christ and the Holy Ghost and of Mary and as for things in Earth you have Images of all sorts witnesse your Masse-Houses called Churches your Cloisters Fryaries and Covents so that every place is filled ful worship unto them is taught by you for Doctrine contrary to God's Doctrine your distinction of Latria Doulia wil not serve for it 's meer deceit he that honors an Image and bows down before it in his heart whether you may judg it represents this or that is an absolute Idolater knoweth not the spirit which Christ said he would send to the true Church which should bring all things to their remembrance both what he did and said and the Saints life and example to remembrance without your Pictures And how you are in the narrow way is known to many thousands that you do not walk in it at all neither take up the crosse of Christ which is to crucifie the lusts affections and desires of the flesh but taketh up outward crosses and bears them on your necks or pin them on your sleeves or hang them about your necks and all because Christ was crucified on the cross And here you are honorers of Pilate and the Jews who crucified Christ upon the crosse as a blasphemer rather then honorers of Christ and the strait and narrow way you are ignorant of and Christ's sufferings you are strangers to What! your Popes are as Emperors your Cardinals as Lawgivers your Ecclesiastical Officers as Lords of great possessions in the Earth except some begging Fryars which you have prest into a voluntary humility without necessity And how do you love your Enemies How many Indians have you destroyed and killed as dogs and how many that have professed the Name of Christ have you burned and destroyed as though they had been Wood and onely fewel for the fire And how can you say your Pater Noster about which you make so much ado and say Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us if the Heathen have trespassed against you if them you call Sectaries have trespassed against your Church how do you forgive them and how do you fulfil the Law of Christ and keep his Counsel seeing that you are out of his Doctrine away with such deceit and hypocrisie God hath found it out and is judging it by his Saints who rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh nor in fleshly Traditions and Imaginations but lives in the power of God and walks in the Spirit and therefore because you walk contrary to the Command of God and Christ's Counsel and are out of the narrow way that leads to life your Church is neither to be heard minded nor heeded The fourth Argument that the Church of Rome is the true Church because they keep their Sabbath of the Sunday by Tradition and not upon the Saturday as the Jewes did and therefore the Church of Rome is to be heard because they have Tradition solid Reason on their side Thy speech bewraies thee which bespeaks thee rather a Heathen then a Christian for the Heathens had a day that they celebrated to an Idol made like the Sun called Sunday and another day which they celebrated to an Idol called Saturnus called Saturday and in this your Church is not to be heard who is out of the form of sound words but the Seventh day was the Jews-Sabbath which none that professes Christianity ought to keep seeing that Christ put an end to the shadows and the Saints Sabbath is a stranger to the Church of Rome he that hath overcome the World and the Divel onely knows God's rest and the true Sabbath of which the Jewes was a figure and the Sundays thou calls it is no more a Sabbath reckoned by the Lord of Life then that which thou calls Saturday for every day is
himself so by prom se to any place that he will always continue with them whether they abide in his Doctrine yea or nay And though Christ said The Gates of Hell should not prevail against the Church had this onely a Limitation to one place if it must needs be understood of a place outward because of these words afore-mentioned then why is it not extended as well to Antioch and the seven Churches of Asia and the rest afore-mentioned hath not the Gates of Hell and powers of darkness prevailed against them places and the Turks taken possession thereof And as for your Church at Rome which thou saith cannot err and hath always been visible and universal What saist thou to Marcilianus Christ's Vicar as you judge Whether did he not lose his keys when he sacrificed to Ido's in the tenth year of Dioclesian But it may be then thy Church must not reside in Christ's Vicar but in a general Council But hereafter we wil consider whether they have been alwayes one and could not erre Secondly That whereby the Roman Church gives us a Mark and Sign to be the true Church to wit Universality and Visibility makes her clearly to be a Harlot for John saw the true Church flye into the Wilderness for time times and half of time now if yours hath been visible and universal all this time times and a half then you are not the true Church for Universality comprehends all Nations Kindreds Tongues and People and if this be the Seat of your Church then absolutely your Church is Mysterie Babylon and not the Lambs Wife for she sate upon Nations Kindreds Tongues Peoples and Languages which were Waters And here is your Catholick Visible Church measur'd with God's Measuring-Rod First To be the Harlot because she was never in the Wildernesse Secondly because her seat hath been so Universal and Catholick as Natious Kindreds Tongues Peoples and Languages hath been the seat of your Church which are the Waters which John saw and so truly may be called the Great City And as for Infidels being obliged to join to you this hath been because you have forc'd and compell'd by your power and outward force where you had dominion and to escape your tortures rather than by sound Doctrine or a holy Example Or Secondly Because your Religion hath stood in so many formalities and ceremonies which hath been very pleasing and so near unto the Heathens nature And thou says that one cannot be bound to seek that which is invisible I say through faith God hath been seen who is invisible and Christ said Seek and ye shall find and the Kingdom of God is spiritual and invisible and the natural and visible eye never discerned it for the Church is in God and God is a Spirit and Christ is the quickning Spirit who is the Head of the Church which is his Body and the spiritual and invisible eye is that which discerns the Head and the Body and you that looke gazing after things that are visible have never discern'd the Members of the true Church of God as such neither have known them but have condemned them as Hereticks in all ages as your generation hath done who have been in Cains way Secondly If Unity Holiness Universal and Apostolick be the marks and figns of a true Church then yours is not the true Church no more then they you count Sectaries and Hereticks which thou saist are no more one than Cats and Dogs The comparison is odious and like a suarling catching spirit who would tear every one that cometh nigh thee And what if there be Protestants Puritans Anabaptists Independents and Quakers these titles are but nominal and there is not one amongst all these but they acknowledge one God and Jesus Christ to be the Head of the Body which is his Church and one Spirit by which the Saints are sanctified and they acknowledge Christs Doctrine in words and his Worship that it is in spirit and in truth and walketh nearer to the practice of the Apostles and the Church in their days than you do And if in some things they do vary why may not variety be allowed by thee where it is onely nominal and circumstantial as well as thou canst allow variety of Ave Maries Creeds and Pater Nosters which thou saist delighteth But why hast thou not judged at home Thou must not think to lead us like Animals by the Head as your Church doth poor ignorant people to receive every thing for Apostolick Doctrine because the Church of Rome calls it so and cryes Unity Might not the Sectaries as thou callst them return this upon your selves that you are not at unity and not one What meaneth the diversity of Orders in your Church which may be called sects that is Jerom's Order Austin's Order Gregory's Order Carmalites Crouched Fryars Franois Anthony's Bennet's Dominick's Trinity Basil Brigandine's Orders All these kind of Orders and many more with every one their distinct Service Formalities and Ceremonies what a heap of Sectaries are here and yet Rome cryes Unity Besides what contradiction in your Councils may hereafter be made manifest and in your Vicars one throwing down and condemning that which others have set up for Apostolick doctrine So if Unity be a mark of the true Church then you are without this mark and sign more than they which you call Sectaries Thirdly If Holiness be a sign of the true Church you are without this sign also more than the Sectaries as you are pleased to call them What cruel Murthers Massacres Tortures Bloodsheds hath been acted by your Church and that by Commission from his Holiness so call'd Christ's Vicar against them that have dissented from you upon good and warrantable ground onely upon the account of Religion because they could not acknowledge the Pope to be the Head and Christ's Vicar and receive all Decrees though never so repugnant unto the Doctrine of Christ yet because for Conscience-sake many have denied such things nothing but fire and sword have been threatned and the force thereof hath been known in many Nations as for instance in Germany and the Low-Countreys France Pyedmount Holland England and Ireland of late years many thousands massacred not in War but in holes hundreds of Houses burnt men women and children children taken from their Mothers Breasts knockt against the Walls toss'd upon Pikes and Spears wounded with Swords thrown into Lakes and Rivers stript naked starv'd in cold seasons through such like inhumane and savage cruelty Commissions given from your Nuntio's and Agents to rob to steal even Servants from their Masters even upon this account only to weaken enfeeble the Sectaries and Hereticks as you stile them to advance your Holinesse's Chair and to progagate your holy or rather unholy Church and Religion which things remain fresh in the memory of many Nations to this day besides doth not your Church tolerate Stews and Adulterous Houses in the Cities where you have Dominion Besides Pride abounds amongst