in Baptisme but by hearing the Gospell preached 2 Cor. 3.8 Act. 10.44 To make mention of all the Popish errours that are in other prayers and Collects would be too tedious Gent. What doe they say of the Catechisme in the Service booke Min. They say that it is full of Popish errours as first in the Rubrick before the Catechisme it is written that Children baptized have all things necessary to salvation and are undoubtedly saved The truth is that they have no knowledge of sinne nor of the wrath and curse of God due to sinne nor of Christ nor of the Articles of the Christian faith and therefore have neither faith nor repentance without which none can be saved It is true that Infants borne of the Elect are undoubtedly saved by vertue of Gods everlasting covenant of grace so many as are of the number of the Elect I say so many as are of the number of the Elect because many of the Elect that are now Saints in heaven have brought forth children that are Reprobates and damned soules in hell For Adam had Cain as well as Abel and Abraham had Ishmaell as well as Isaac and Isaac had Esau whom God hated as well as Iacob whom God loved Gent. This errour you say is in the Rubrick what errour is in the Catechisme Min. In the Catechisme it is affirmed that Christ hath redeemed all mankinde The truth is that Christ came into the world not to redeem all mankinde but the Elect onely therefore the Evangelist S. Luke setting forth the genealogie of Christ beginneth from Ioseph and ascendeth to Adam and from Adam doth descend to Sheth who was the first of the Elect that was borne after the death of Abell and maketh no mention of Cain nor of any of his posteritie And S. Matthew beginning from Abraham and from Abraham descendeth to Isaac and from Isaac to Iacob and maketh no mention of Ishmaell nor of Esau nor of any that came of them Also our Saviour Christ saith that he gave his life a ransome for many Mat. 20.28 and that his blood was shed for many Mat. 26.28 He doth not say that his blood was shed for all mankinde but for many that is for the Elect onely who are many though but few in comparison of the multitude that are Reprobates It is also affirmed in the Catechisme that we are made the children of God in Baptisme The truth is that whosoever is not a childe of God before he be baptised shall never be a childe of God because all that are the children of God were before the world was made the children of God by vertue of Gods eternall decree of election It also affirmeth that there are two Sacraments generally as necessary to salvation intimating that the Sacraments are necessary to salvation so as if a child die before he be baptised he shall be damned which is the cause that Midwifes doe take upon them to baptize Intimating also that there are more Sacraments then two therefore it is written in the Rubrick before the Communion that every Parishioner shall communicate thrice in the yeare and also receive the Sacraments meaning the five Popish Sacraments For there are none other It affirmeth also that Godfathers and Godmothers doe promise and vow three things first that the Infant shall forsake the devill and all his works the pompes and vanities of the wicked world and all the sinfull lusts of the flesh secondly that he shall beleeve all the Articles of the Christian faith thirdly that he shall keepe Gods holy will and commandements and walke in the same all the dayes of his life which no man is able to doe of himselfe The truth is that the Godfathers and Godmothers doe neither promise nor vow that the Infant shall doe these things Gent. What then doe they Min. They doe nothing but counterfeit the Infants voice as if he were a conjured Ghost within every one of them speaking and saying that he doth all these things Gent. Are there any other things that doe offend and discourage the people from comming into the Church till service be all read Min. Yes Gent. What are they Min. They are the perverting of the meaning of the holy Ghost in many places of the Psalmes Epistles and Gospels by putting in and leaving out of words and also of the meaning of our Saviour Christ in many places of the Revelation Gent. Wherein is the meaning of the holy Ghost perverted by putting in and leaving out of words Min. In the Psalme 106.30 Phineas prayed are put in for Phineas executed judgement Psal. 105. Not obedient are put in for not disobedient Psal. 125. these words The rod of the ungodly commeth not on the lot of the righteous are put in for resteth not on the lot of the righteous In the Epistle on munday in Easter weeke these words Israel remembred are put in for He that is God remembred To make mention of all the places in the Psalmes Epistles and Gospels would be too tedious Gent. You said that the service Booke doth pervert the meaning of Christ in diverse places of the Revelation I pray you shew me some of those places Min. The fourteenth Chapter is appointed to be read on Childermasse day after the Popish manner for an Epistle of purpose to pervert the meaning of Christ Gent. What was the meaning of Christ in that Chapter Min. The meaning of Christ in that chapter was and now is to shew that in time of greatest persecutions when the heathen persecuting Emperours and after them the Popes did rage most against the Christian Religion and professors thereof Christ had his Church though invisible 144000 preserved by him and kept chaste and undefiled with spirituall fornication of Idolatry Gent. How is the meaning of Christ perverted Min. By misapplying that to children slaine by Herod which was written of Christians persecuted and slaine by the Heathen persecuting Emperours and Popes Gent. Why doth the Pope pervert the meaning of Christ by misse-applying that to the children slaine by Herod which was written of Christ and his Church persecuted by the Heathen Emperours and the Popes Min. The Pope and so many of our Lord Bishops as are Popish doe pervert the meaning of Christ by causing that Chapter to be read on Childermasse day of purpose to keepe weake Christians in blindnesse so as they shall not be able to give an answer to the Papists when they shall ask them where their Religion and Church was an hundred yeares agoe before Martin Luthers time Gent. What other meaning had Christ in that Chapter Min. His meaning was to shew that in his good time he would give a free passage and good successe to the preaching of the Gospell as thankes be to his holy Majestie it hath had in many Kingdomes since Martin Luthers time and shall have every day more and more Gent. I am glad to heare this I pray you goe on to shew where the meaning of Christ is perverted Win. On Michaelmasse
make it for all Christians to use as a prayer and also for a patterne to pray by Gent. Where doe you finde that our Saviour Christ would have it used as a prayer Min. In the 11. chapter of the Gospel written by Saint Luke and the second verse where it is written that our Saviour said When you pray say Our Father which c. Gent. Where doe you finde that our Saviour would have it used for a patterne Min. In the sixt chapter of the Gospel written by Saint Matthew and the ninth verse where it is written that our Saviour said After this manner pray you Our Father which c. Gent. Why will not the Witch acknowledge Christ to be the Lord Min. Because the devill would have her to take him and not Christ for her Lord Gent. Why doe some say that the Priest and Clarke when they doe Church a woman are like to a couple of Players acting their parts Min. Because the Priest doth skip over these words but deliver us from evill and doth leave them to the Clarke to say for his part and as soone as the Clarke hath said them the Priest saith Lord save this woman thy servant then the Clarke comes in againe with his part saying which putteth her trust in thee then the Priest as though hee would not have the woman to put her trust in him turnes her over to the Clarke and bids him bee unto her a strong Tower then the Clarke answereth and sheweth wherein saying from the face of their enemie Gent. This is a very strange kind of giving God thankes for womens safe deliverance from the paine and perill of child birth Min. It is indeede and no small griefe to honest women not onely because there is no thankes given to God for their safe deliverance from the paine and perill of child-birth but also because thanksgiving is turned to a Iewish kinde of purification for they must come with a vaile to cover their faces after the Iewish manner signifying thereby that by child-bearing they were made uncleane and that they were ashamed of their uncleannesse or that they had plaid the harlots and were ashamed to shew their faces and Iuda thought that Thamar was an harlot because her face was covered with a veile Gen. 33.14 15. It is a great offence not onely to honest women but also to every true Christian man to see his wife goe to the Church like a Iew or like an Harlot Gent. Many doe say that the manner of administring the holy Sacrament of Baptisme prescribed in the Service Booke is very absurd and full of popish errors and so rediculous as they cannot but laugh at it I pray you tell me what doe you finde in it to be so absurde and ridiculous as they can not but laugh at it Min. The interrogatories ministred to infants that have no understanding and the answer of the Godfathers and Godmothers are so absurd and ridiculous as they cannot but laugh at them as first the Minister must examine the infant and aske him if he doth forsake the divell and all his workes the vaine pompe and glory of the world the coveteous desires of the same the carnall desires of the flesh so as hee will not follow nor be led by them hee must also aske him if hee doth beleeve all the Articles of the Christian faith and if hee will bee baptized in that faith Gent. Were not these interrogations administred to infants in the Primitive Church Min. No these or the like were then administred to such as were of yeares when they were converted and came to be baptized and afterwards commanded by the Pope to bee administred to infants Gent. What answer doth the Godfathers and Godmothers give Min. They give no answer but doe counterfeit the Infants voice as if he were a conjured Ghost speaking within them and answering to the first interrogation concerning the Devill and all his workes the vaine pompe and glory of the world the covetous desires of the same and the carnall desires of the flesh that he doth forsake them all and to the second and third concerning the Articles of the Christian faith that he doth beleeve them all and that he doth desire to be baptized in that faith Gent. What doth the Minister after he hath received these feigned answers Min. He doth baptise the Infant and doth marke him on the forehead with a Crosse which doth offend many because they take it to be the marke of the Beast mentioned Rev. 14.9 Gent. Why doe they take it to be the marke of the Beast Min. Because there is no one thing in all Popery set on the forehead and on the hand but a crosse made on the forehead by the Priest in Baptisme and by the Bishop on the right hand in Confirmation saying Signaculum Christi in manu tua dextra trado tibi therefore they say that it is a marke wherewith the Beast doth cause all that are of his Church to be marked according as it is written that he hath made all both small and great rich and poore bond and free to receive a marke on the forehead and on the right hand Rev. 13.16 It is written Rev. 14.9 that if any receive his marke on the forehead and on the hand he shall drinke of the Wine of the wrath of God therefore some doe keepe their children unbaptised rather then have them marked with the mark of the beast Gent. What fault doe they finde with the prayers that are made at the administration of Baptisme Min. They finde fault with the Popish errours that are in them as in the first prayer before Baptisme it is written that God hath sanctified the floud Iorden and all other waters to the mysticall washing away of sinne The truth is that there is no mysticall washing away of sinne in water but a reall and true washing away of sinne in the blood of Christ 1 Ioh. 1.7 The water in Baptisme doth but signifie that as foule things are washed and made cleane in water so the soules of the Elect defiled with sinne are made cleane in the blood of Christ 1 Ioh. 1.7 In another prayer the Minister prayeth that the Infant may receive remission of sinnes by spirituall regeneration The truth is that the children of God have their sinnes forgiven and are sanctified by faith Rom. 5.1 and not by spirituall regeneration which is but an effect of faith purifying the heart Act. 15.9 or to speake more plainly it is God that justifieth Rom. 8.33 by accepting of the sufferings and obedience of Christ as a sufficient recompence and satisfaction and doth by faith assure the hearts of his children that for the merits of the sufferings and obedience of Christ his wrath is pacified and his Justice satisfied In another prayer thankes is given to God for regenerating the Infant with his holy Spirit The truth is that the children of God doe receive the Spirit of God to regenerate them not by sprinkling of water
day the twelfth Chapter from the seventh verse to the thirteenth is appointed to be read for an Epistle it being no Epistle but a prophecie of a battell fought in heaven betweene Michaell and his Angells and the Dragon and his Angels and of the victory that Michaell and his Angels had over the Dragon and his Angels and of the casting of the Dragon and his Angels out of Heaven Gent. What is meant by Heaven Min. By heaven is meant not the highest heaven but the Church of Christ militant here on earth Gent. What is meant by Michaell and his Angels Min. By Michaell and his Angells are meant Christ and his true followers especially the faithfull Preachers of the Gospell Gent. What is meant by the Dragon and his Angels Min. By the Dragon and his Angels are meant the Devill and the Heathen persecuting Emperours and the Popes Gent. What is meant by the battell Min. By the battell is meant persecutions raised by the Heathen persecuting Emperours and the Popes and popish Princes against the Christian Religion and the professors thereof Gent. What is meant by the victory that Michael and his Angells had over the Dragon and his Angels Min. By the victory is meant the victories that Christ gave to Constantine the Christian Emperour and that he hath doth and daily will give to Christian Princes fighting his battell against Antichrist and his partakers and to the faithfull Preachers against false Teachers Gent. What is meant by the casting of the Dragon and his Angells out of heaven Min. Thereby is meant the utter confusion and overthrow of Antichrist by the spirit of Christs mouth that is by the preaching of the Gospell so as he shall be deprived of all dignitie and shall have no place in heaven that is in the Church of God to domineere any more as thankes be to God the Archbishop of Canterbury is deprived of all dignity and shall never have place againe in heaven I meane in the Church of God to domineere as he hath done Gent. Why is this Prophecy appointed to be read on Michaelmas day Min. It is appointed to be read on Michaelmasse day of purpose to pervert the meaning of our Saviour Christ by misse-applying to Michaell and all Angels in the highest Heaven the victory that Christ hath and daily doth and will every day more and more give to true Christians that doe follow him fighting his battell against Antichrist Gent. I doe heare many finde fault with new orders that the Bishops have made I pray you tell me what those orders are Min. They have made an order that the Communion Table shall be turned to an Altar as Pope Sixtus did to usher in Popery about the yeare of our Lord 264. and that Churchwardens shall present their Minister if he doe not admonish the people to resort to him and open their griefe of conscience that they may receive the benefit of absolution as appeareth by Bishop Wren his Booke of Articles Chap. 4. Art 22. and that no prayer shall be made in the Church for sick persons but according to the order prescribed in the Service Booke Bishop Wren did binde the Churchwardens of his Diocesse by an Oath to present their Minister if he did use any other forme of prayer Gent. What forme of prayer doth the service Booke prescribe for sick persons Min. It prescribeth no forme to be used in the Church Gent. What then Min. The Minister must goe home to their houses and salute them as the Masse-Priest doth saying Peace be in this house and to all that dwell in it and when he is come where the sicke person is he must kneele and reade three or foure lines of the Letany and Lord have mercy upon us and the Lords Prayer till he comes to the last Petition and hath read halfe of it Lead us not into temptation the other halfe but deliver us from evill he must leave as the Masse Priest doth for the Clark to reade and then as soone as the Clark hath read it the Minister must as the Masse-Priest doth skip over the conclusion For thine is the Kingdome power and glory for ever and in stead thereof he and the Clark must read five versicles of a line or halfe a line long and a short prayer and an exhortation and the Creed and then absolve the sick person from all his sinnes in the Name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost and begins the absolution with an untruth saying that Christ hath left power to his Church to absolve all sinners that doe truly repent and beleeve in him The truth is that Christ hath not given power to his Church to forgive sinnes and that there is no Church that doth take upon it to forgive sinnes but the Synagogue of Sathan the Church of Rome and so many of the Lord Bishops and of the Clergie of England as are Popish whose errour is grounded upon their misse-taking of the words of our Saviour Christ to Peter I will give thee the keyes of the kingdome of heaven and whatsoever thou shalt binde on earth shall be bound in heaven whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven Gent. What is meant by the kingdome of heaven Min. By the kingdome of heaven is meant the Church of Christ on earth where Christ doth rule and raigne by his word and holy Spirit in the hearts and consciences of the Elect and is commonly called the kingdome of grace Gent. What is meant by the keyes of the kingdome Min. By the keyes of the kingdome are meant the grace and power that Christ gave to Peter and the rest of the Apostles and their successors to preach the Gospell Gent. It is written Luke 11.52 that Christ did reprove the Interpreters of the Law because they did take away the key of knowledge from the people what is meant by the key of knowledge Min. By the key of knowledge is meant the opening and shewing the true sense and meaning of the Scriptures whereby the people are brought to the knowledge of God and of him whom he hath sent Jesus Christ Gent. It is written Mat. 23.13 that the Scribes and Pharisees did shut up the kingdome of heaven against men how did they lock and shut it up Min. They did lock and shut the people out of heaven by their unfaithfulnesse and idlenesse in opening and shewing the true sense and meaning of the Scriptures and by their false expounding and interpreting of the Scriptures Gent. Christ said to Peter Whatsoever thou shalt binde on earth shall be bound in heaven What is meant by loosing and binding on earth and in heaven Min. By loosing and binding on earth and in heaven is meant the authoritie and power that Christ gave to Peter and to the rest of the Apostles and to every faithfull Preacher not to forgive sinnes but to declare and pronounce forgivenesse of sinnes to all that by their preaching shall be brought to true faith and repentance and that as verily