abstaine from meats c. Q. Can you give an instance of God's threatning to remove his Candlestick from any place or people where it was once set A. Yes Rev. 2.5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and doe the first workes or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy candlestick out of his place except thou repent Q. VVas Timothy Bishop or Minister at Ephesus or at Rome when the Apostle Paul taught him how he ought to behave himselfe in the house of God the Church of the living God the pillar and ground of the truth A. 1 Tim. 1.3 As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus when I went into Macedonia that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other Doctrine Q. VVas it possible that when once Ephesus was called the house of the living God the pillar and ground of truth that ever Ephesus should be un-churched or that the Gospell should be removed from them A. Revel 2.1 5. Unto the Angell of the Church of Ephesus write c. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and doe the first works or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy candlestick out of his Place except thou repent Q. What learne we from those words the pillar and ground of truth if applyed to the Church A. That 't is the duty priviledg of the Church to hold forth the Truth that men may know it and to uphold maintaine and defend it against those who oppose it Pillars doe hold forth and uphold the Orders and proclamations of Magistrates which are hanged on them or affixed to them If this Scripture had been of as much force signification applyed to Ephesus as the Romanists would have it to the Church of Rome Ephesus had remained to this day Q. Can any man really and properly by his own power and authority forgive sinnes A. Mark 2.7 Who can forgive sinnes but God only compared with Is 43.25 I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy sinnes Exod. 34.6 7. The Lord the Lord God mercifull and gracious keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sinne Mic. 7.18 Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage Q. Had Christ God-man power on earth to forgive sinnes A. Mark 2.5 10. When Jesus saw their Faith he said unto the sick of the palsie Son thy sinnes be forgiven thee But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sinnes Q. Did our Lord Christ give power to his Apostles and their successors to declare forgivenesse of sinnes to penitent and believing sinners A. Joh. 20.23 Whose soever sinnes ye remit they are remitted unto them and whose soever sinnes ye retain they are retained Q. Had the other Apostles power and their successors as well as Peter and in the same sence and manner to forgive sinnes or to declare unto man remission Were the Keyes given to the other Apostles besides Peter A. Yes Joh. 20.23 Whose soever sins ye remit c. Q. Doth the Apostle in his Epistle to the Romans mention any such priviledg of the Roman Church that to her were committed the Holy Scriptures and the Interpretation of them or were the Holy Scriptures of old committed to the Jewish Church A. Rom. 3.1 2. What advantage hath the Jew Unto them were committed the oracles of God Q. VVhen the Apostle Paul writes to the Corinthians and charges them with schisme faction and division was it because they did not hold of Cephas or Peter or was it because some held of Paul and some of Apollo and some of Cephas and some of Christ that they cried up one to the decrying and undervaluing of another A. 1 Corinth 1.12 Now this I say that every one of you saith I am of Paul and I of Apollo and I of Cephas and I of Christ Q. Did the Apostle Paul acknowledg Peter's Supremacy or did Peter challenge any Jurisdiction over Paul or was it agreed when there was a distribution of their Ministry that one should apply himselfe to the Jewes and the other to the Gentiles A. Galath 2.7 8 9. But contrariwise when they saw that the Gospell of the uncircumcision was committed unto me as the Gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter for he that wrought effectually in Peter to the Apostleship of the circumcision the same was mighty in me towards the Gentiles And when James Cephas and John who seemed to be pillars perceived the grace that was given unto me they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship that we should goe unto the Heathen and they unto the Circumcision Q. When the Apostle reckons up the severall Orders that God hath set in the Church doth he say first Peter then the Apostles after them Prophets then Peter's Successor the Bishop of Rome under Christ and the Apostle Peter the cheife Pastor and Teacher of the Church A. Ephes 4.11 And he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastours and Teachers Q. When the Apostle Peter his death approacheth and he undertakes to mind those to whom he writes to make their calling and election sure and tels them if they doe those things which he exhorts unto they shall never fall but have an abundant entrance into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord Christ And when he treats of the Holy Scriptures and foretels false Prophets to come who shall bring in damnable heresies doth he tell them they must follow the Bishop of Rome when he is gone and heare him that he must interpret Scripture be Christ's Vicar and oppose heretiques and seducers A. No. 2 Epist of Peter 1.10 11 13 15. Wherefore the rather Brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure for if ye doe these things ye shall never fall For so an entrance shall be administred unto you into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Yea I think it meet as long as I am in this Tabernacle to stir you up by putting you in remembrance Moreover I will endeavour that you may be able after my decease to have these things alwaies in Remembrance 2 Pet. 3.1 2 17 18. This second Epistle beloved I now write unto you in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance That ye may be mindfull of the words which were spoken before by the holy Prophets and of the commandement of us the Apostles of the Lord and Saviour Ye therefore beloved seeing ye know these things before beware lest ye also being led away with the errour of the wicked fall from your own stedfastnesse but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ Q. Did the Apostle Paul ever oppose and admonish the Apostle Peter A. Galath 2.11 12 14. But when Peter was come to
is the Church of the living God the Pillar and ground of the truth Joh. 8.13 If ye continue in my word then are ye my Disciples indeed Joh. 10.27 My sheep heare my voice Q. Doe the Papists abstaining from flesh 40 dayes every Lent fast as Christ for 40 dayes in the wildernesse or did our Saviour fast from all manner of food during that time A. Mat. 4.2 And when he had fasted 40 dayes and 40 nights he was afterward an hungred Q Did our Saviour and his disciples keep any set weeks of fast yeerly or any set dayes of fasting weekly in remembrance of this all the while Christ was with them A. No. Mar. 2.18 Why doe the Disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast but thy Disciples fast not Q. Is it lawfull for Christians to fast upon extraordinary occasions A. Mar. 2.20 But the dayes will come when the Bridegroome shall be taken away from them and then shall they fast in those dayes 1 Corinth 7.5 that ye may give your selves to fasting and prayer c. Q. Is every Christian a vessell fit for his Masters use as to this duty of fasting are ordinary servants fit for extraordinary service A. Mar. 2.22 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles else the new wine doth burst the bottles and the wine is spilled and the bottles will be marred But new wine must be put into new bottles Q. Is fish holier than flesh because these perished not by water when the old world was drowned A. Exod. 7.20 21. And he lift up the rod and smote the waters that were in the river in the sight of Pharaoh and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood And the fish that was in the river dyed and the river stunck and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river Q. Were fish or the beasts and fowles preserved in a more wonderfull manner in Noah's Arke at the floud A. Gen. 8.17 Bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee of of all flesh both of fowle and of cattell and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth that they may breed abundantly Q. Were there any kinds of fish reckoned uncleane according to the Law A. Yes Lev. 11.10 And all that have not finnes nor scales in the Seas and in the rivers of all that move in the waters and of any living thing which is in the waters they shall be an abomination unto you Q. Is it a duty then in imitation of Christ's 40 dayes fast to abstaine from flesh 40 dayes in a yeere A. No. Mat. 15.9 But in vaine they doe worship me teaching for Doctrines the commandements of men Q. Is it a Doctrine of Apostates to command to abstaine from some sort of meats A. Yes 1 Tim. 4.1 3. Now the spirit speaketh expressely that in the latter times some shall depart from the Faith forbidding to marry and commanding to abstaine from meates which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth Q. Doe the Saints departed know our wants should we pray to them or to God for supply A. Is 63.16 Doubtlesse thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of us and Israel acknowledge us not thou O Lord art our Father our Redeemer Job 14.20 21. Thou changest his countenance and sendest him away his Sonnes come to honour and he knoweth it not and they are brought low but he perceiveth it not of them Q. Ought we to pray for the dead since we must not pray to them A. 2 Sam. 12.22 23. And he said while the child was yet alive I fasted and wept for I said who can tell whether God will be gracious to me that the child may live But now he is dead wherefore should I fast Can I bring him back againe I shall goe to him but he shall not returne to me Q. Are all damned who dye without Baptisme A. No. Luk. 23.42 43. And he said unto Jesus Lord remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome And Jesus said unto him Verily I say unto thee To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Q. May Women without scruple or feare administer the Sacrament of Baptisme A. 1 Tim. 2.12 But I suffer not a woman to teach but to be in silence compared with Math. 28.19 Goe ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Q. Will full Assurance of life cause Christians to neglect the use of all good means A. Act. 23.11 16 17. Be of good cheer Paul for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem so must thou beare witnesse also at Rome And when Paul's Sisters Son heard of their laying in wait he went and entred into the Castle and told Paul Then Paul called one of the Centurions unto him and said Bring this young man unto the chiefe Captaine for he hath a certaine thing to tell him Act. 27.24 31. Feare not Paul thou must be brought before Caesar and loe God hath given thee all them that saile with thee Paul said to the Centurion and to the Souldiers except these abide in the ship ye cannot be saved Q. Were any of the Apostles married especially was the Apostle Simon Peter ever married A. Yes 1 Cor. 9.5 Have we not power to lead about a Sister a Wife as well as other Apostles and as the brethren of the Lord and Cephas Mar. 1.30 But Simon 's Wives mother lay sick of a fever Q. Did our Saviour Christ command that the Apostles should forsake their VVives and that other Ministers their successours should not marry A. No. 1 Cor. 9.5 Have we not power to lead about a Sister a Wife as well as other Apostles and as the brethren of the Lord Cephas 1 Tim. 3.2 4. A Bishop then must be blamelesse the husband of one wife one that ruleth well his own house having his children in subjection with all gravity Heb. 13.4 Marriage is honourable in all and the bed undefiled but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge Q. Is it necessary that those who live a long time in their sins repent late and doe not suffer much in this world should suffer in purgatory after death to expiate their sinnes A. Lu. 23.43 And Jesus said unto him verily I say unto thee To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Q. Is Heaven cal'd Paradise A. Yes 2 Cor. 12.2 3 4. I knew a man in Christ such a one caught up to the third Heaven and I knew such a man how that he was caught up into Paradise c. Q. Can any mere man by his own good workes merit heaven or eternall life A. Lu. 17.10 So likewise ye when ye shall have done all these things that are commanded you say we are unprofitable Servants Rom. 6. ult For the wages of Sinne is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
truths before new Errors and old foundations before new fancies and that you delight rather to walke on a rock than to dance upon ropes and therefore that these old and great truths of this new and small piece will not be to your palate as dead drink nor in your eares as stale newes nor to your eyes as an old Diurnall or Almanack out of date And Sr since I had my Birth and Baptisme in Cotherstock let me not be condemned for making this confession of Faith or profession of my Principles to you there It remaines only that I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and powre out my soule for you your Religious Consort and deare Son at the throne of Grace that God would blesse you with all spirituall blessings in heavenly things in Christ and recompence into your bosome seven fold all the kindnesse that you have shewed to his Ministers and particularly to Sr Your very humble Servant in the Lord T. H. To the Reader READER IF thou art Learned and a Critick thou mayest perhaps accuse or censure this Catechisme as in some things defective in some redundant or superfluous in some without order and I shall not here goe about to answer the charge or traverse the inditement I rather choose to intreat thee if thou art as well as knowing so also Ingenuous Courteous charitable either to correct or pardon all the faults of this piece So far at least as to accept favour the Essay rather than to carp at the Errours whether they have proceeded from the Author the Transcriber or the Printer If thou art a Catechumen and one desirous to learne two things I intreat of thee the one is to read it if it may be with thy conveniency wholly so possibly thou mayest the better understand the severall parts of it The other is not to be offended because sometimes thou findest in thy way Yes or No in the Porch or Entrie of the Answer and sometimes not Where this Porter standes at the dore I would not you should take his bare word for answer and so passe along and goe your way but that he may open you the dore to goe in and view the places themselves to see whether it be indeed so or no as is pretended and that you may believe not because I told you but because you have heard the Scriptures themselves Where there is no such at the dore of the Answer to let you in I desire you now once for all not to stay there but without farther Ceremonie to walke in to goe round about the places to tell the towers thereof and to marke well her bulwarks I meane the strength of those texts of Scripture set there for the defence of the Truth VVhosoever thou art who shalt please to peruse this Catechisme I say to thee before hand I will not I dare not avouch it so far as 't is mine to be free from all errour I am but a man if thou wilt forgive me I will promise when opportunity serves to correct or retract such mistakes But this I dare say I doe not erre wilfully and maliciously out of mere opposition to any party or person I am a Christian and if I should so erre my selfe whilest I confute the errours of others I assure thee if I know my own heart without repentance and amendment I should not forgive my selfe And now to prevent mistakes and misconstructions concerning my selfe and others be pleased to take notice that I will not undertake to justify my selfe to have been in this Catechisme an exact or compleat Herauld and to have marshal'd the severall errours under their proper Commanders and colours and to have ranked them all in their right place and due order And if the Quakers renounce any of the following errours rang'd under the Head or Chapter which beares their name let them know I desire not to doe violence to erroneous persons or to accuse them falsely and therefore premise this that the Title of the Chapter may not be produced for a sufficient evidence to charge them with them I here allow them liberty provided they doe it truely to disowne them or to refuse to father them with a non obstante to any thing therein contained Reader if thou reapest benefit from this Catechisme if it shall please God by this meanes to shew thee his wayes and teach thee his pathes to lead thee in his truth teach thee in the way wherein thou shouldest goe blesse God who hath shewed us light pray with me for those who yet wander in dark and by-pathes of errour forsaking God's Ordinances and our solemne Assemblies O send out thy light and thy truth let them lead them let them bring them unto thy holy hill and to thy Tabernacles and for me that I may doe nothing against the truth but for the truth Thy servant in and for the Lord T. H. Books lately Printed for THO ROBINSON OF Communion with God the Father Son and Holy Ghost each Person distinctly by JO. OVVEN D. D. in 4o. The True nature of Schisme with a vindication of the Congregationall Churches in England from the imputation thereof in Ans to Mr Cawdry by JO. OVVEN D. D. in 8o. Of the Mortification of sin in Believers the second edition by JO. OVVEN D. D. 8o. A Treatise of Fruit-Trees shewing the manner of Grafting pruning and ordering of them in all respects according to the new and easy rules of Experience the 2d edition enlarged by RALPH AUSTEN in 4o. The Spirituall use of an Orchard or Garden in divers similitudes between naturall and spirituall Fruit-Trees according to Scripture and Experience by R. Austen in 4o. Observations one some part of Sr F. Bacon's Naturall History as it concernes Fruit-Trees Fruites and Flowers by R. Austen in 4o. The Young Divine's Apology for his Continuance in the University with his serious meditation on the sacred calling of the Ministry in 8o. Historicall Memoires on the Raignes of Q Elizabeth and King James in 12o. A Preface to those of the Church of Rome IT is the saying of a very learned ingenious Person D. Cudw Truth and Love are two the most powerfull things in the world and that the golden beames of Truth and the silken cords of Love twisted together will draw men on with a sweet violence whether they will or no. I desire for my part I may both in word deed conference conversation in preaching printing practising experiment the truth of this Testimony and in all to be so happy my selfe as to make others happy also in all undertakings to follow the practise and paterne of the blessed Apostle Paul viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to truth it in love so to inlighten men who sit in the region of darknes as not to inflame them so to convince thē of error that they may not say I am become their enemy when I tell them the truth that they may see
Gentiles were wont to set up candles to them so doe the Papists The Gentiles were wont to burne incense to them so doe the Papists So he and I doe not know that there is any one who hath answered this charge since extant See Dr Westfields Serm p. 64. 65. Such like 't is not improbable is the moderne practise of the common people under the Papacy I have heard to this effect that when the late King was in Spain reasoning against worshipping of Images with a Priest who denying the charg it was agreed betwixt them to take the next Person they found at devotions in their Churches for an experiment The Priest bespake the Person a woman to this purpose Good Woman you doe not pray to this Image or Saint but to God in it I but I doe saith the woman and will doe till you shew me a better Till the yeer 788. Images were never appointed publickly to be worshipped in the Churches and this was done in the second Council of Nice Charles the Great sent this Act of the Counciil to the Bishops of England to know how they liked it they said Alas for woe we find in those acts many things against Christian Religion especially this that the worshipping of Images is decreed which the Church of God curseth Dr Westfeild pag. 60. 61. If you say then where was our Church or Religion before Luther and call us to give a catalogue in all ages of men professing our Faith and way of worship and that the Fathers and all Antiquity were yours Heare I pray you the saying of Mr Du Moulin This reproach of novelty ill becomes the mouthes of those persons which hide the true Antiquity from the people which is the word of God and which maintain that yet at this day the Church may and can make new ordinances touching Faith and which by the Church understand no other than the Romish Church that in the first ages after the Apostles cannot produce one man that was of their Religion and which know that in all Antiquity there is no mention made of excluding the people from the cup of prohibiting them the reading of the Holy Scriptures of reading the Scriptures to the people in a language they understand not of painting the Trinity of worshipping Images of adoring the hoast with the worship of Latria of private Masses of the Bishop of Romes Court c. If you will have us tell more particularly who were of our Religion before Luther know that Christ and the holy Apostles were and as for other names of particular persons who held with us in the Doctrines above named or diverse other materiall Doctrines the Protestants referre you to Dr Field of the Church Birckbeck's Protestant's Evidence and let me send you also to the Martyrologies in England and France c. and I shall adde one more and that is a testimony of your own which I find cited formerly and lately And that is of Raynerus the Monke concerning the Waldenses c. 4. where he saith that they have continued say some from the time of Sylvester others from the time of the Apostles that there 's scarce any land where they are not that they live righteously before all men bene omnia de Deo credunt omnes Articulos qui in Symbolo continentur solummodo Romanam Ecclesiam blasphemant clerum i.e. they believe althings well concerning God all the Articles that are contained in the Creed only they blaspheme the Romane Church and the Clergy And what if there were some 1000â— of true Worshippers in the Church of Rome before the Reformation as there were 7000 in Israel who had not bowed their knees to Baal or what if we be the same Church now that we were before only then Apostaticall Idolatrous Leprous as white as snow but now professors of the true Faith without corrupt mixtures and of the pure worship and so cured of our Leprosy If you aske what Authority we had to reforme our selves I referre you to Dr Bramhal for satisfaction who shewes it was done in England by King and Priest and that the Popish Princes upon occasion claime a right and power to doe what indeed we have done i. e. to reforme the Churches under them or to the like effect See Bramhal of Schisme There was a Reformation desired before Luther and the Princes of Germany represented their hundred grievances to the Emperour But what mighty men could not God hath brought about by mean men nor needed Martin Luther and the rest any Commissions extraordinary sealed with the broad seales of new miracles to authorize his or their proclaiming the laws and edicts of the great God the King of Heaven We judge it lawfull for men to obey the commands of God doing the duties of their places without a license from men so to doe Besides seeing that the Reformers did preach the same Doctrine which Christ and his Apostles did and set up the same way of worship which they did all which was formerly confirmed by miracles it is not reasonable to demand that they should shew by new miracles that they had Authority to reforme the Church of God And herein Luther and the rest shewed themselves to be of the truth because they went not about to deceive meÌ„ with lying wounders or miracles to get credit to their persons or Doctrine such as the Romish Legends have for the honour of their Saints and confirmation of their new Articles of Faith In my opinion he must have a monstrous Faith who believes but one halfe or the moiety of their miracles if the whole dose be like that tast of them Mr Baxter gives us out of Dr White and he out of Baronius as that Francis turned a capon into a fish and water into wine made the rock send forth water and anchors to swim converted a Lambe by preaching to him that he caused Swallows Grashoppers and a wild Falcon to joyne with him in the praises of God That Bernard by blessing their ale and giving it some lewd persons to drinke caused God's grace to enter into them that he killed 〈◊〉 by excommunication c. Baxter out of Francis Whites defence of his Brother pag. 147 148. And again that their Nicolas while he lay in his cradle fasted Wednesday and Friday that Patrick caused a â—â—ollen sheep to bleat in the belly of him that had eaten him that Fryar Andrew to correct his appetite of eating birds at the Table by the signe of the Crosse commanded them to fly away after they were roasted Mr Baxter pag. 167. 168. from Dr â—â—eatly If you object against us our differences and divisions Protestants may returne Are there not divisions in opinion even amongst you also and with you more intollerable because you pretend you have an infallible visible judge of all controversies How have you differed about the conception of the blessed Virgin about the supremacy of the Pope or a generall Councill c. What adoe was there 'twixt
Watson and Parsons here in the dayes of Queen Elizabeth and of latter times 'twixt the Jansenians and Jesuites abroad 2ly It may be said that for our present ruptures either you have made or else maintained and continued diverse of our breaches 3ly That when we come to heaven and not before we may expect that all men should be of the same opinion in every thing 4ly That the Protestant Churches doe agree in the maine and fundamentals of our Religion See the Harmony of Confess and wherein we differ I and 1000 s other Protestants desire to use Scripture Prayer and sound reason to convince those who are otherwise minded We desire to use soft words and hard reasons to draw men with cords of love and not to burne and consume them with coales of fire Yea I dare almost put it to your selves to be Judges whether there have not been in Queen Mary's daies in four yeers more Protestants put to death in England than there have been Papists in fourscore since And now if you object against the Protestant Churches for want of a right ministry pretending their want of succession or a right ordination or a right Government and jurisdiction to these it may be replyed 1 That succession in pure Doctrine is a better marke of a true Church than succession into the seats and places of former Orthodox Pastors 2ly That it is almost if not utterly impossible for you Papists to know who is the true Pastor the Bishop of Rome whom you pretend you must follow considering the many Schismes and the indirect corrupt waies whereby diverse have advanced themselves into the chaire 3ly Our first Reformers were ordained Ministers by your Church and Mr Mason shewes you a succession since To him you may adde a little piece of Sr John Harrington as a supplement to Mr Mason and Dr Ferne hath justified the consecrations of our first Bishops against those frivolous allegations made against them 4ly If you should quarrell with us now because Bishops are in a great measure laid aside as if no ordination could possibly be valid except by Bishops and therefore that if now we have true Ministers yet without Restauration of Bishops we can have none no Ministers long I answer that although I am not yet plerophorized that a Primitive Bishop or Episcopus praeses is utterly unlawfull yet I am not fully convinced that they are an Institution of Christ and essentiall or absolutely necessary to the very being of a Church or ministry I dare not so easily unchurch those of the Reformed Religion abroad who have no Bishops name or thing Bishops or Superintendents and in this I am not alone the late Reverend Dr Usher sometimes an Arch-Bishop himselfe was of the like judgment See his life and death by Dr Bernard Yea in the Church of Rome sometimes there hath been allowed Ordination by other hands than by Bishops if I mistake not And the Master of the Sentences holds but two orders jure divino Presbyters and Deacons See Pet Lumb And if I misremember not I have read that the Spaniards hindred it in the Council of Trent that it did not passe that all Bishops except the Bishop of Rome were jure humano or to that effect And Medina who disputed at the Councill of Trent touching the Superiority of a Bishop above a Priest affirms that Jerome was in this point of Aerius his opinion and that not only he but also Ambrose and Austin Sedulius Primasius Chrysostomus Theodoret Oecumenius and Theophylact maintained all of them the same Heresy So hee If the Charity so some Protestants be a stumbling block which lyes in your way to hinder you from leaving your Errors and professing the truth I shall endeavour briefly to remove that out of your way First Were I in your case and did not I resigne up my Judgment to the Scriptures according to that infallible rule to judge which is the true Church I would avoid that Church most where is professed and practised the greatest cruelty and joyne to that soonest where is professed and practised the greatest charity You professe at least many of you that 't is impossible for us to be saved that 't is absolutely necessary to salvation to be a member of the Roman Church to believe the Articles of the Trent faith and to live and dye in the communion of the Roman Church in subjection unto the Bishop of Rome whom you call Christ's Vicar and Peter's Successor Hear what a learned and religious Person saith to this point Must Paul be damned because he was not one of Peter's subjects doe not your consciences know he writes to the literate Romanists that swearing obedience to the Pope of Rome was a thing unknown for many hundred yeares yea that it is a novelty in the world Againe when I read so many plain promises in the Scriptures that whoever believeth in Christ shall not perish and that if by the Spirit we mortify the deeds of the body we shall live and that if we repent our sins shall be forgiven yea that Godlinesse hath the promise of this life and that to come and then when I find that the Papists for all these certain promises doe unchurch and damne us all because we believe not in the Pope of Rome as well as in Christ this satisfied me as fully that you are audacious Schismaticks as I am satisfied that you are Papists So hee Mr Baxter against popery The Papists will sometimes brag of their Charity they give perhaps a piece of bread to some of our poor and yet unchurch us poore and rich they would not stick I feare had they power in their hands to burne our bodies saying we are Hereticks and they doe as much as in them lyes to damne our soules and if this be their charity Oh my soule come not thou into their secrets And yet doe not the Papists lay too great a stresse on the charity of some Protestants considering the Assertion of Mr Perkins which saith that A Reprobate may in truth be made partaker of all that is contained in the Religion of the Church of Rome and a Papist by his Religion cannot goe beyond a Reprobate Perk. Vol. 1. p. 396. 404. And what Dr Usher said namely to this effect being asked by a Papist whether a Papist may be sav'd that one that holds all the Tenets of the Council of Trent and lives accordingly without Repentance cannot be saved he said there were two plaine places for it the places I did not heare but suppose them to be 2 Thes 2.11 12. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lye that they all might be damned who believe not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse And Rev. 14.9 10 11. If any man worship the beast and his image and receive his marke in his forehead or in his hand the same shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God And the smoke of
peoples communicating in one kind only namely partaking of the bread but not of the cup 1 Cor. 11.25 26. After the same manner also he took the cup when he had supped saying This is the new testament in my blood this doe ye as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me For as often as ye eate this bread and drink this cup ye doe shew the Lord's death 'till he come In worshipping of Angels Col. 2.18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of Angels c. Rev. 22.8 9. And I John saw these things and heard them and when I had heard and seen I fell down to worship before the feet of the Angel which shewed me these things Then saith he unto me see thou doe it not for I am thy Fellow servant and of thy brethren the Prophets and of them which keep the sayings of this book worship God And in worshipping of Images Ex. 20.4 5. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image or any likenesse of any thing that is in heaven above or that is in the earth beneath or that is in the water under the earth Thou shalt not bow downe thy selfe to them Robert Whitgift Abbot of the Monastery of Wellow in Lincolneshire said that they and their Religion could not long continue because said he I have read the whole Scripture over and over and could never find therein that our Religion was founded by God Leigh out of the life of Arch-Bishop Whitgift by Sr. George Paul nor serve them for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God c. Q. Have the Antient Fathers Councils and Churches held all points of beliefe of ceremony and of Discipline as the Church of Rome now doth A. No. The present Chuch of Rome notwithstanding their great boast of Antiquity doth hold some points of Doctrine which the Antients did not and doth not hold some which the Antients did Again they practise at this day diverse ceremonies which the Antients did not and have left off the use of diverse Antient ceremonies And lastly the present Church of Rome hath laid aside the exercise of diverse points or matters of Discipline which the Antients used See all this proved by Mr Dallie's Treatise of the Fathers l. 2. p. 143 144. Q. Were there any before Luther who dissented from the doctrine of the present Romish Church and who would not subject their neckes to her yoke and government or who thought her fallible A. Yes Before Luther there were diverse eminent and famous witnesses to the truth of that Religion and Doctrine for the main which the Protestants hold diverse from the present Church of Rome See for the profe of this in Scultetus his Medulla Patrum of the judgment of the Fathers for the first 300 yeers Dr Field of the Church Birckbeck's Protestant Evidence Mr Perkin's his Demonstration of the Probleme and concerning worshipping of Images See Dr Westfield's Sermons on the Calfe Q. Doe the Pagans and Papists agree in the manner of worshipping Images A. See B p Westfield's Sermons where out of an Apocrypha book yet such as the Church of Rome accounts canonicall he shewes that there are diverse things done to the Popish that were by the old Babylonish Idolaters done to their Images as before in the Preface Q. May a man be surely saved if he exercise Repentance towards God and Faith in our Lord Christ although he be no member of the Romane Church or Disciple or subject of the Pope or Bishop of Rome A. Joh. 3.16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Joh. 6.37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Gal. 6.15 16. For in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new creature And as many as walke according to this Rule peace be on them and mercy and upon the Israel of God Q. Is it a safer way to come to the Church of Rome than to those commonly called Protestants or Reformed Churches A. No by no meanes 2 Thes 2.11 12. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lye that they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse Rev. 14.9 10 11. And the 3d Angel followed them saying with a loud voice If any man worship the Beast and his Image and receive his marke in his forehead or in his hand the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels and in the presence of the Lamb and the smoake of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever And they have no rest day nor night who worship the beast and his image whosoever receiveth the marke of his name Q. Is the Pope Church of Rome or any like them described there How can they be said to exalt themselves above all that is called God c. 2 Thes 2.4 c. A. Psal 82.1 6. God standeth in the congregation of the mighty he judgeth among the Gods I have said ye are Gods and all of you are children of the most High FINIS A Table shewing the contents of the severall Chapters in This Treatise Cap. 1 The Introduction Pag. 1 Cap. 2 Of Errour Pag. 7 Cap. 3 Of the holy Scriptures Pag. 9 Cap. 4 Of God and the Trinity Pag. 18 Cap. 5 Of God's Decrees Pag. 40 Cap. 6 Of the Creation and first estate of man Pag. 45 Cap. 7 Of sin and it 's bitter fruites Pag. 48 Cap. 8 Of Redemption by Christ Pag. 5◠Cap. 9 Of Predestination Pag. 56 Cap. 10 Of God's Providence Pag. 59 Cap. 11 Of Faith Repentance and Assurance of Salvation Pag. 66 Cap. 12 Of Prayer Pag. 87 Cap. 13 Of Marriage Pag. 90 Cap. 14 Of Mothers nursing their own children Pag. 91 Cap. 15 Of Womens painting themselves Pag. 93 Cap. 16 Of Children with respect to holy things Pag. 104 Cap. 17 Of Baptisme Pag. 111 Cap. 18 Of publick Worship Pag. 117 Cap. 19 Of an Oath Pag. 124 Cap. 20 Of Buriall of the dead Pag. 128 Cap. 21 Of Angels Pag. 131 Cap. 22 Of Ministers Pag. 135 Cap. 23 Of Churches Ordinances Pag. 155 Cap. 24 Of Singing of Psalmes Pag. 176 Cap. 25 Of Church-Discipline Pag. 180 Cap. 26 Of civil-Magistrates and the Common-wealth Pag. 185 Cap. 27 Of Souldiers Pag. 196 Cap. 28 Of Quakers Pag. 208 Cap. 29 Of Popish Erours Pag. 233 Errata PReface pag. 22. lin 2. for others r. flyes l 7. r. stollen l. 14. r. Featly p. 35. l. 10. r. subsistent p. 92. l. 12. r. yeerly p. 10 〈◊〉 last r. Sith it is not p. 122. l. 17. r. but now p. 79. l. 4. r. vild p. 181. l. 16. r. comfort p. 209. l. 1. r if they did