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
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
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
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
and yet that use was not universal neither as it appears in the second chapter of the Acts where it is said that the people continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine Acts. 2 4â—.46 and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers and verse 46. And they continued daily with one accord in the Temple and breaking bread there is no mention made at all of the Cup. But howsoever the use was then and there we are sure in the Western Church the Cup was never permitted to the Laity and that for many reasons First considering the multitude of Communicants some old some young some weak and some strong there would be great danger of spilling that most precious liquour 2. It would be very difficult to finde a commodious Vessel to contain a quantity equal to such a multitude from whence it might be taken without danger of effusion 3. The Sacrament under the species of Wine could not easily be conserv'd for the use of the sick because it would be apt to grow sower and corrupt to the moving of a nauceousness and a vomit in the Receiver 4. Without great danger of effusion it could not be easily carry'd from place to place as it should be to the sick 5. It would happen sometimes that some high irreverencies would be offer'd to that most celestial and worthy Sacrament 6. We have it related and attested from some most holy learned persons that some Religious men though Lay Brothers were importunate to receive in both kindes whilst the Priest was in the action of the Sacrament the Patin or Plate where the sacred Host lay appeared full of blood to the astonishment and satisfaction of all the beholders and the Petitioners gave off the importunity of their former request Over above all this we are to beleeve that it was a most ancient custom in the Primitive Church that the Laity should communicate but under one species Nay that it came from the very Tradition of the Apostles because the beginning of it could never yet bee shew'd nor can by any man Besides we know that there were some amongst the Jews that never did nor could drink Wine and in some Christian Countries there is a great difficulty and at some times almost an impossibility to get any Wine Now as for your inference that if the Church could take away one species it might as well take away both I utterly deny for the whole Christ being no lesse under one species than under both and as much fruit of comfort and spiritual nutriment to be had from one as well as the other the Church neither does nor can deprive any Christian of the Benefit of the whole Sacrament To the fourth and last I grant again that the Priest who is to consecrate does and ought to consecrate both species because he is to perform the representation of our Lords passion therefore the body and blood together are consecrated under both their proper species and the Priest in the person of the whole people present offereth and taketh it under both species and the whole people in the person of the Priest do or ought to beleeve that they receive and drink the very blood of Christ by a spirituall kind of taking which is very sufficient for them so there can be in them no guilt of omission at all Now here again give me leave to return to you some Texts that you may bee pleas'd to consider of and I hope you will receive the same satisfaction that I have done in the full right and reason of the point that it is sufficient for the people to receive the Sacrament under one kind only First be pleas'd to examine throughly the sixth Chapter of Saint Iohns Gospel where our Saviour so often calls himself the bread of life Joh. 6 3â— 33 34. My father giveth you the true bread from heaven For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven and giveth life unto the world Then again Iesus said unto them I am the bread of life 48. And again I am the bread of life Again 50. this is that bread which came down froâ— heaven that any man may eat thereof and not dye And again I am the living bread which came down from heaven if any man eate of this bread he shall live for ever and the bread that I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world Here our Saviour is pleâ—s'd to mention nothing but Bread Secondly St. Luke assures us Luk. 24.30 that our Saviour gave the Sacrament himself but in one kinde to the two Disciples going to 〈◊〉 And it come to passe as he sate at meat with them he tâ—â—k bread and blessed it and brake and gave to them and inmediately their eyes were opened c. And this was the onely time that our Saviour gave the Sacrament to the Lairy Our Saviour therefore taught us in St. Mat. 6.11 Matthew to pray daily for our substantial Bread no mention at all of Drink Then we find in the Acts of the Apostles immediately after the Ascention of Christ that the people continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread Act. 2.42.46 and in prayers And again They continued daily with one accord in the Temple and breaking of bread c. Now for a further confirmation of all this St. Paul makes this inference 1 Cor. 5.7 8. For even Christ our Passeover is sacrificed for us therefore let us keep the feast neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth And in the tenth Chapter explains it thus For we being many meaning Priests and people are one Bread and one body 1 Cor. 10.17 for we are all partakers of that one Bread All these Texts as I am inform'd the Holy Fathers of the Primitive Church understood as the Church does now and being at the point of death themselves would never communicate but in one species To the Proofes that you are pleased to produce against the Sacrifice of the Masse I answer thus To the first Those Texts of the Apostle which you urge are clear to another sence than what you propose For you are to understand a twofold offering of Christ yet both reall and true for in both Christ is truly offered and sacrificed The first way of offering is that with which he once offered his living body and blood to God the Father upon the Altar of the Cross for the sinnes of the whole world and salvation of mankinde and of that great offering the Apostle onely speaks there shewing the excellency of that sacrifice above the sacrifices of the Law Of which sacrifice speaking likewise to the Ephesians Ephes 5.2 he saith he hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savâ—n Now this grand oblation is represented by our holy Mother the Church
shall be devoured with the Sword c. and again hearken unto me ye stout hearted that are far from righteousness c. The Prophet Ezekiel declares Ezek. 18.27.28.30 that when a wicked man turnes away from his wickedness that he hath committed doth that which is lawfull and right he shall save his soul alive c. Therefore Ezek. 18.31.32 I will judge you O house of Israel every one according to his ways c. Repent and turn your selves from your transgressions so iniquity shall not be your ruin cast away from you all your transgressions whereby ye have transgressed and make you a new heart and a new spirit for why will you dy O house of Israel For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth saith the Lord God wherefore turn your selves and live ye does not God Almighty heer plainly require the operation of his peoples wills towards their own good and this sence runes at large through all the Prophets calling us to turn to our God and then assuring us that he will turn to us But the new Testament is yet more full of this sence Mat. 23.37 Luke 13.34 Mat. 11. Our Saviour in those bleeding words he utters over Jerusalem speaks it out thus O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thy childeren together even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and ye would not c. Heer it is plain that God was willing man onely unwilling and resisting to his own ruin Our Saviour adviseth freequently that if we would enter into life we must keep the commandements and such like expressions are abounding in the gospells but in the parable of the Talents Mat. 25.16.17 when he that had received five Talents went and traded with the same and made them other five Talents and so he that had two did likewise now the servant could not be said to gain unless his freewill had actively concurred to the gaining of them other wise he should only have said that he had received his ten Talents S. Paul speaks it plainly to the Corinthians I have planted 1 Cor. 3.6 7 8. and Apollo watered but God gave the increase but heer is a working still with God nay the Apostle expresseth it in the next verses for we are labourers together with God And every man shall recieve his own reward according to his own labour c. and this doctrine he perfectly explaines in the other Chapter where he tells them 1 Cor. 15 10. that the grace which was bestowed on him was not in vain but that he laboured more abundantly then they all and yet not he but the grace of God which was with him so then grace may very well cooporate with the freewill of man Nay yet more punctually the Apostle professeth this great truth 1 Cor. 7.37 in another chapter of the same epistle Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast in his heart haveing no necessity but hath power over his own will and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin doth well c. S. John S. Iames S. Jude S. Peter 1 John 2.3 1 Pet. 1.22 c. and all the rest of Apostolicall writtings are full of nothing more than perswasions to a good life to turn from sine to purify our selves as he is pure to be righteous as he is righteous now to what purpose were all this if man had not a power to cooperate with divine grace by the freedome of his will To conclude all 2 Tim. 3.16 17. S. Paul tells us that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reprofe for correction for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnisht to all good works Now if all our actions be by necessity and constraint to what purpose is it to teach reprove correct or instruct if a man have not some liberty of will how should he be furnisht to all good works Phil. 14. and the same Apostle tells Philemon that he would advise him nothing against his consent that his benefit should not be as it were of necessity but willingly I could produce infinite testimonies more to establish this truth but I fear I have been too large already in a business that common sense it self me thinks were able to convince for if all things do come to us by an absolute necessity and our wills have no power of action there will be nothing lest to be done by the power of prayers preachings counsels publick governments There would be no rewards due to virtue or punishment to vice all Laws Statutes Orders Precepts must be to no purpose all admonitions reproofes persaw asions must cease for all these require a liberty to be understood and are utterly nullified by a necessity and in short it would amount to this that all wickednesses blasphemies and villanies would be cast upon God For who can justly tax Judas of his wicked treasons if he did commit it by an inevitable necessity But these are the most difficult questions that we can pick out of the whole body of Divinity so I shall be bold to desire you good Mrs. N. not to offer any more of these subtilties to me and though in order to your commands I have endeavoured to satisfie your doubts yet I must tell you that it hath been full sore against my will and if I have by this bold adventure committed any errours as I fear I have too many I do humbly beg God and his holy Church to pardon me This Paper was no sooner perfected but my Lady called for her Coach where her Ladiship was no sooner sat and the welcome of the house presented but they thus fell into their old discourse and my Lady began after this manner Lady M. I am come now dear Mrs. N. to wait on you and to make you a double payment first for your late kinde visits which have not lyen in my power since to return then to make a payment of the thanks best satisfaction that lay within my power for your last too learned paper though sweet Mrs N. I must beg your pardon if I never do the like again for in earnest it is too hard a task for us to ingage in those sublime points that the learnedst Doctors in the world of one side or t'other may be foiled in and sure we that cannot swim as those divine Doctors can must not dare to wade in those unfathomable depths Mrs. N. I most heartily thank you sweet Madame for your kinde correction of me in this particular and I faithfully promise never to offend in that more And truly Madame if I had read your first paper before I had sent my last I had not given your Ladiship any further trouble at all for indeed I have perceived enough by that to convince me of some
grace But howsoever the institution of our Saviour I 'm sure could not be without it Matth. 19.1.6 and first he is pleased to repeat the words of the first Institution For this cause shall a man leav his Father mother shall cleave to his Wife and they twain shall be one flesh wherefore they are no more twain but one flesh What therefore God hath joynd together let no man put asunder Now if God hath joyndthemtogether it must be a divine conjunction and that cannot possibly be without divine grace But this is most fully exprest by St Paul to the Ephesians thus Wives submit your selves to your own Husbands as unto the Lord for the Husband is the head of the Wife even as Christ is the head of the Church and he is the Saviour of the body therefore as the Church is subject to Christ Ephes 5.22 23 225 so let the Wives be to their own Husbands in every thing Husbands love your Wives even as Christ also loved the Church and gave himself for it c. And then concludes for this eause shall a man leave his father and mother and shall be joyned with his Wife and they two shall be one flesh This is a great Mystery or Sacrament chuse you which Here the Apostle clearly proclaims it a Sacrament because the Conjunction of man and wife is the visible sign of that Sacred Conjunction between Christ and his Church Again to the Hebrews he says thus Marriage is honourable in all and the bed undefiled Heb. 13.4 but Wheremingers and Adulterers God will judge Now if there were not a divine and Sacramentall grace in marriage how could the Bed be undefiled Again to the Corinthians he adviseth every one to have his own Wise 1 Cor. 7.2 for the avoyding of Formeation yet it is not to be supposed that any man by the help of a Wife onely be she what she can be of virtue and beauty can be capable to avoyd Fornication without the said Sacramentall Grace Again to the Thessalonians thus 1 Thes 1. Let every one amongst you know how to possess his Vessells in sanctification and honour now sanctification we know cannot be without divine grace Then he tells Timethy that a woman shall be saved by Childbearing if she remain in saith and love now to beget children without the grace of this Sacrament would be more probably occasion of damnation than salvation Then again to the Corinthians he saith 1 Cor. 7.12 13 14 If any brother hath a wife that believeth not and she be pleased to dwell with him let him not put her away And the woman which hath a busband that believeth not and if he be pleased to dwell with her let her not leave him For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband else were your children unclean but now are they holy which must needs be understood as by the grace of this holy Sacrament I shall conclude all concerning this Prov. 19. with what the wise King Solomon tells us that a house and riches we have from our Parents but a prudent wife is from the Lord. Thus we must acknowledg God to be the immediate Authour of Marriages as we say matches are made in heaven and by the grace of this Sacrament onely to be made happy That extream Vnction is a Saeroment likewise and a visible sign of an invisible grace I prove by ezpress Scripture thus We find in Saint Markes Gospell how our Saviour called unto him the twelve Mark 6 7 8.9 10 11 12 13. and began to send them out by two and two and gave them power over unclean Spirits c. And after he had given them their mission fully with orders how to behave themselves in their business we find that they went out accordingly and Preached that men should repent and they cast out many Devills And then anointed with Oyle many that were sick and healed them This it is not to be thought that they did this upon their own heads but by their Masters command by whose power they did those mighty works and having his command sure then none can deny but it was his Institution Then this Sacrament is so loudly proclaimed by Saint James that I admire how any Christian can believe in Scripture and doubt the other It any sick among you says the Apostle James 5.14 15. let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray over him anointing him with Oyle in the Name of the Lord c. and if he have committed sinns they shall be forgiven him Here is plainly a most visible sign and as plainly a most extraordinary grace accompanying it that is to say remission of sins Thus you may clearly see how extream Unction is a Sacrament of our Saviours own Institution or at least plainly impli'd to have been instituted by him and that by the action of the Twelve Apostles before his face whilst he was upon earth and at large declar'd to be so by the express words of one of the Twelve that is Saint James Over and above this we have the universall tradition of the Church of Christ that in these matters of faith we know cannot erre and that alone indeed might have been a sufficient proofe of the verity of it if our Saviour himself his Apostles and Evangelists had been silent in it The truth is that the Evangelists being to write in short for if they had writ at large the whole world had not been able to contain the books that might have been written as Saint John tells us of the Acts and words of our Saviour Jesus Christ made it their principall care to deliver punctually to us onely those things that were most highly necessary to our salvation as we see how amply they have set down the Sacraments that were absolutely necessary as Baptisme Pennance and Eucharist and as for confirmition and extream Unction they do not so much as insist upon because they are not of absolute necessity to salvation though they are very great expedients towards it the one to confirm us in grace after Baptism the other to remove the reliques of sin after a hearty repentance And it is the opinion of the learned in this point that the benefit of this Sacrament is such that a penitent with attrition onely receiving this Sacrament receives likewise such a grace along with it that by virtue of it his sins though mortall may be forgiven him Thus I conceive enough said as to this and all the rest of your last paper and when you please I am ready for another and to serve you with any thing that may lye within the power of Your faithfully loving and true friend M. This paper my Lady had no sooner dispatcht but she sent it away by one of her servants sealed up and by him she roceived this Answer Madam I have received your Ladyships Letter and Paper
consequence the truth on 't is that that Text out of the Reuelation may be most clearly brought against most of you who do not only diminish the Words of that Prophesie but take the whole to be suspected thrust it out of your Canon and account it for Apocrypha Then others of you again are pleasd to adde to it most notoriously as when some of your Doctors go about to intepret that part of the Revelation which tells us that there shall come two witnesses that shall prophesie a 1260. Rev. 11.3.6 days cloathed in Sackclooth who shal have power to shut heaven in the days of their prophesie and have power over Waters to turn them inblood c. they will perswade us that these two witnesses are your two great Prophets Luther and Calvin now it is plain that they were not cloath'd in Sackcloth nor had power to shut heaven c Now it is evident that the Text you Quote makes nothing towards the condemnation of our traditions but forbids that nothing be added to that book but that which is a true part of that Apocalyptical Prophecy Otherwise it must be unlawfull to receive the Prophesies of Jeremy Isay and other Prophets of the Old Testament as also the Gospels and Epistles of the new and our whole Symbol of faith So that it is plain we are only by the Text forbidden to deprave any part of that Apocalyptical Prophesie which the Apostle in inâ—â—tes maybe done 2. ways either by addition by putting any thing into that Prophesie which truely is no part of it Or by dimination as if any man should detract from it any part as not belonging to it which really was so Now when you have shewed that we Catholicks do either of that I shall grant your Argument to conclude something To the Sixth I say you still strangly conclude out of the Apostle and I pray you mark your Argument All Scripture is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction c. Therefore all Traditions are unnecessary I will give you such another cousequence All meat is profitable for nourishment therefore drink is unnecessary Or thus all Alms giving is profitable for Salvation Luk. 11.43 Dan. 1.34 as St. Luke and the Prophet Daniell assures us therefore prayer is to no purpose and the Sacraments themselves are unnecessary Or it may be you intend your Argument thus all Scripture is profitable that is sufficient therefore Traditions are altogether uselesse What strange interpretation of Scripture is this Is to be profitable and sufficient alone then mark this consequence St. Paul tells Timothy that godlinesse is profitable to all things 1 Tim. 4.8 2 Tim. 4.11 therefore all other things are unnecessary Again the same Apostle bids Timothy take Mark and bring him with him adding that he was profitable unto him for the Ministry therefore Timothy Titus Onesimus and Luke that was then with him were all unnecessary Who sees not now that if his Licence may be admitted of interpreting Scripture after this manner that the whole must of necessity be corrupted quickly adulterated But now that you may more clearly see your errour I will shew you the whole scope of the Apostle in these words First in the precedent Words he exhorts Timothr as a Bishop to instruct those that are commited to his charge in faith and good works and to reprove and convince adversaries who rejected the truth and were men of corrupt minds reprobate concerning the faith and so he addes to shew him how he was to do it 2 Tim. 3.8 ver 14 15 16. these words But continue thou in the things that thou hast learned and hast been assured of knowing of whom thou hast learned them and that from a Child thou hast known the holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus for all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction c. Now here by the Scripture which he says Timothy had known from his Infancy he must needs understand the Scripture of the Old Testament for at that time when Timothy was a child there could be no Scripture of the new Testament extant The Apostle the refore in the Text so argues all Scripture divinely inspired is profitable to teach friends to convince adversaries but the Scripture of the Old Testament which thou hast learnt from thy Infancy is divinely inspired there it is so and so profitable In the same manner we under the Gospell may agree thus All Scripture divinely inspired is profitable to teach to reproves c. But the Scripture of the New Testament is divinely inspired therefore it is profitable to teach reprove c. That is whosoever is instructed in knowledge of that shall find great helps to perform all that now out of these Arguments grounded upon that Text which you urg we may collect these 3 propositions to be true First that all Scripture divniely inspired is profitable to teach reprove c. 2ly That the Scripture of the Old Testament is profitable to teach Thirdly that the Scripture of the Old Testament is so and so profitable likewise So as therefore this does not follow the Scripture of the Old Testament is altogether uselesse and unnecessary so neither does this follow The Scripture of the New Testament is profitable Therefore the Scripture of the Old is altogether uselesse and unnecessary Nor can this with more reason follow the Scripture of both Testaments New and Old is so and so profitable therefore Tradition is altogether uselesse and unnecessary Then that which the same Apostle tells us in another place I am sure were altogether impertinent if not impions When he says hold fast Traditions To the Seventh I answer in short that there can be none so blind but must see that which you urge out of the Gospell and Epistles was only spoken either of Traditions of the Jews which the Pharisees made ill use of as I have shew'd you before or of the traditions of the Gentiles which were quite and clean repugnant to Christianity but such as those we speak not of much less defend but onely those divine and Apostolicall traditions which we have received and must for ever continue in the Christian Church to the Eight I confesse the Church to be a Congregation of all the faithfull which are of the body of Christ but yet we know what is done by our Princes Peers and Commons assembled in Parliament is said to be done by the whole Nation so what the Prelates of the Church with those others that are chosen to sit with them in Councels shall determine is said to be done by the whole Church For otherwise the Church could never be Congregated then to what purpose did our Saviour say that in St. Matthew But if he will not hear thee tell the Church but if he shall not hear the Church let him be to thee as a
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
the second I deny that there shall be an universal falling away of the faithfull in the time of Antichrist but of some onely And in that methinks you contradict your self for you say that Antichrist is already come and yet you affirm that there are some faithfull lest Then it is a great dispute as I have understood amongst the learned whether the Apostle out of whom you take your proofe speaks there of a falling away from the faith for many of the most learned are of opinion that he only speaks of a falling away from the Romane Empire But that euriosity I shall not further meddle withall it being out of our road and above our pitch To the Third In truth methinks it is a very sad course of arguing that most of your Church are pleased to use that is if you can find any one Text that is never so obscure if it can be fashioned at all for your turn you will entirely insist upon it though there be hundreds of clear Texts to the contrary As for example This Text you urge out of Daniel is very dark That he shall cause the Sacrifice and oblation to cease I am sure these Texts are very clear That the gates of hell shall not prevail against it again I am alwayes with you to the end of the world and again I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not and again The Church is the pillar and foundation of truth These Texts I say are clear and need no Interpreter the other that you quote is so obscure that the greatest learning in the world may be at a stand to understand it For most understand that place of the failing of the Synagogue and the cessation of the Jewish Sacrifices not at all of the Christian Church And those that do interpret it of the Christian Church make it to be the cessation of publick worship only not of the Christian faith To the Fourth I grant that the Church is frequently compared to the Moon but never as to her failings but in these respects following First as the Moon in the beginning of the moneth is very litle and so by litle and litle encreaseth till she grow full andperfect so the Christian Church in the beginning of its rise took up but very litle room afterward encreased and spead it self by degrees that at last it should diffuse it self over the face of the whole world Secondly as the Moon receives corporeal light from the Sun so the Church receives its light of faith and holiness from the Sun of righteousness that is Christ Thirdly as the Moon is subject to changes so is the Church in this life for sometimes she flourisheth in the splendor of peace sometimes is oppressed with persecutions but never totally fayles it may be clouded for a while but never quite extinguished You see then in what the similitude between the Moon and the Church consists and no similitude as I am informed is obliged to run upon four feet The Church cannot at all be like the Moon in her failings but more resembles the earth as she is likewise called in Scripture for her firmness stability unmoveableness Then why should you bring that similitude to the prejudices of the Church when there are so many to the favour and honour of her throughout the sacred Scripture where you may find that she is as frequently called the Sun as the Moon an enclosed Garden a Fountain a Paradise a fair Dove the City of God the Land of the living the woman cloathed with the Sun the Queen in a vesture of gold c. and many more such honorable titles as those you cannot but your own reading find out in Scripture and those methinks all dutifull children should be more ready to give to their Mother then to throw dirt in her face or to asperse her with calumnies as for the honesty goodness of Wicklif Huss Luther and Calvin I will not meddle but only ask you who were the one or two honest and godly men that in the ages before them did ever so contradict the Church if you know not any such why do you so rashly affirm it if you do I should desire you to name them and let us know whereabouts they lived Howsoever by your argument you make the Church of Christ to be in a worse condition then the Synagogue of the Jews Gal. 4.11 when we know the Church is our Mistress and the Synagogue but a servant but the Synagogue was never so deserted that but two onely were to be found in it Nay in the time of Elias Rom. 9.4 when it was thought to be most forsaken yet there were found in it seven thousand how can you possibly think the Church of Christ should be ever left so desolate as but two honest and godly men should be found in it when we find it so clear said in the Prophesie of Isay Isay 54.1 that the Church should be of a far larger extent and more fruitfull in its children than ever the Synagogue was so I pass to your last and grand concluding argument which proves the Pope to be Antichrist and then I hope I shall make an end with you To your last argument and that which you presume will conclude me as you have layed it I look upon it to be the weakest and least signifycant that you have alledged yet for truly all those markes of Antichrist that you produce upon the Pope are meer trifles and tricks of some of your Doctors invention and truly would agree better in the application to themselves than to his holiness and how imposible it is that they should be applicable to him I 'le pass through every particular The first note that you give of Antichrist is that he must fall away from the faith now defending of purgatory invocation of saints and sacrifice of the Mass cannot be called falling from the faith because the most ancient fathers of the Church have allways been of that opinion Your Doctors therefore are most manifestly fallen from the faith that so expressly oppose those received Doctrines The second mark you give of the Beast is that he shall sit in the Temple of God and that you say the Pope does as the head of the Church at Rome Truly I doe humbly conceive the case to be very different between sitting in the Temple of God at Hierusalem and sitting in the Church of Christ at Rome Antichrist shall sit in the Temple of Hierusalem and be adored of the Jews the Pope sits in the Church of Christ at Rome which all you have most unhappyly forsaken The third marke you say is that he shall shew himself as God and that the Pope plainly does you say whilst he makes himself the visible head of Christs Church but sure that is not all one as to shew himself as God For Peter himself shewed himself as visible head as we have proved already but onely Antichrist shall shew himself as God The
fourth marke you make is to exalt and oppose himself to and above all that is called God and that you say the Pope does when he exalts himself above all ecclesiastical and civil power here give me leave to tell you that Moses was above all ecclesiasticall and civil power and yet in that he was not exalted above God Thus four markes of Antichrist you are pleased to take out of the Epistle of S. Paul to the Thessalonians your fifth marke followes out of S. John That he must deny Jesus Christ which you say the Pope does by the corruption of the doctrine that concernes the mediation of Christ and introducing of new mediators but that I have proved to be a corruption of yours as you wil see in my last paper The sixth marke again you make to be that he is a Lyer and worker of fals miracles so you say the Pope does at Loretto and other places I wonder your understanding is so weak as to think that we think that the Pope does the Loretto miracles but God If you would prove any thing as to this point you should prove indeed that the Pope does those very miracles which the Scripture foretells that Antichrist shall do Revel 13.13.15 as that he should make fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men Then that he should make the Image of a beast to speak c. neither of these miracles as ever I heard of hath been attempted yet by any pope The seventh and last marke you give is that he causeth all both small and great rich and poor free and bond to receive a mark c. and the pope you say plainly does that Revel 16.13 ch 14.9 when he imposeth his Character upon some and marks upon all as by the Sacrament of confirmation wherein he useth the unction of his Chrisme to sign the foreheads c. Here are cleerly three conditions required by the text to the accomplishment of this mark first that it should be common to all great and little rich and poor bond and free Secondly that he should impose his Character either in their foreheads or right hands Thirdly that none but he that has his mark or character shall be priviledged to buy or sell Now let any man shew that those conditions do at all suite with the unction of Chrisme and Isle rest fully satisfied otherwise this argument which you so fondly boast of hath no force at all So according to my former method I shall be bold to reply and to conclude your trouble and mina upon this occasion That the whole Church of Christ cannot possibly erre and that the Roman Catholick Church is that Church disperst over all the world I prove by most express Scripture thus How that the Catholick Church is the body of Christ the spouse of Christ and the kingdom of heaven is clear by many Scriptures what probability then nay what possibility is there that a thing so nearly related to him and in so high dear and honorable relations should be forsaken by him First That the Church is his body is plain out of S. Paul who tells us Eph. 4. that God laid all things under his feet and gave him to be head of the whole Church which is his body and the fulnesse of him who filleth all in all wherefore walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called with all humility and meekness with patience and long suffering supporting one another in charity Cap. 5. and carefull to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace there is one body and one spirit even as ye are called in one hope of your calling one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all who is above all and through you all and in you all Then to the Corinthians again 1 Cor. 11. Rom 12. and to the Romanes he sayes ye are the body of Christ and members one of another Then that the Church is the Spouse of Christ is plain out of other Texts as first out of the Canticles My Dove Cantic 6.9 my undefiled is but one she is the onely one of her mother she is the choice one of her that bare her c. And in another place A garden inclosed is my Sister my Spouse Cant. 4.11 a spring shut up a fountain sealed and therefore S. John sayes of the new Hierusalem which is the Church of Christ Rev. 21.2 that he saw her coming down out of Heaven prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband And S. Paul more largely and plainly yet tells the Ephesians thus Wives submit your selves unto your Husbands as unto the Lord for the Husband is the head of the Wife even as Christ is the head of the Church Ephes 5.22 23 24 25 26 27. and he is the Saviour of the body therefore as the Church is subject unto Christ so let the Wives be to their own Husbands in every thing Husbands love your Wives even as Christ also loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy without blemish Now examine I pray you what a prety piece of Christianity it is to impute impurity and errour to it Then that the Church is called the Kingdome of Heaven too Mat. 20. is as plain by Scripture first out of S. Mat. 22.2 3. Matthews Gospell For the Kingdome of Heaven is like unto a man that is an householder which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard Then again The Kingdome of Heaven is like unto a certain King Mat. 25.1 2 3. which made a marriage for his Son and sent forth his servants to call them that were bid to the medding c. Then again The Kingdome of heaven shall be likned to ten Virgins which took their lamps and went forth to meet the Bridgroome and five of them were wise and five were foolish c. Many more such Parables we find in the Gospells but these three will be enough for our purpose to draw from thence these three conclusions first if the Church be called the Kingdome of Heaven how should errour falsity and uncleaness raign in it so many hundred years as you pretend it has when the Kingdome of Heaven we know is the Kingdome of truth and purity Secondly It is plain that God goes out even untill the evening to hire labourers whereas you do and must maintain that none were hired in the Church for above a thousand years but your late upstart Doctors Thirdly It is plain that the Church here militant is a collection of good and bad for our Saviour saies plainly that of the Virgins five were wise and five foolish and so fishes good and bad come to the net of the
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