errours that I was before possest of the one was that you Papists especially women and Lay people were not at all conversant in Scripture the second was that you did over vilifie our translations and would be judged onely by your own editions of Scripture which we are informed are false and framed onely to your own intents and purposes but I finde your Ladiship quotes no Scripture that is not word for word in our Bibles Then thirdly I am already satisfied that you have more reason for your Religion then I before immagined if those Scriptures which you produce have had such an understanding in the universal Church as you alledge and Lastly that it will be utterly impossible for us to make an end of the controversie without some learned Moderator for otherwise it will be but your sense upon Scripture and mine and we both abounding in our own as it is too much given to us women to be I am in dispair of the good end Madame that I proposed Lady M. For the first three things that you pretend to be satisfied in I cannot believe dear Mrs. N. but you dispose your self rather to Rallery then to deal really with me but as for the last I do most cleeply concur with you in opinion that it will be necessary for us to have some Learned Arbitrator or otherwise we shall but beat the air and bring nothing to conclusion Mrs. N. Why then deer Madame how shall we agree in the choice of him for it is neither fit for your Ladiship nor for me alone to have the nomination and it will be very difficult to finde one that may be so indifferent as to please us both Lady M. Why truly your self Mrs. N. if you please shall make the choise and for my part I think none fitter than your own husband if he please to accept the trouble for I take him to be a very learned prudent and impartial person thourgh by his profession he may appear engaged against us but I am confident that will not so much over by ass his judgement as to say a malicious untruth Mrs. N. Well then since your Ladiship is pleased to offer so fair in that particular I must tell you yet a further difficulty that occurs to me whether I should make a present rejoynder with your Ladiships replys for that is I perceive your intended method or proceed still to object refer all my answers to your Ladiships replies till the very last for though the the first will be more to your Ladiships present satisfaction yet the bestwill a void much of both our trouble for I humbly conceive I shall be able to wipe off many of your Ladiships arguments upon several occasions with one compendious answer Lady M. In that do as you shall please good Mrs. M. for either shall be indifferent to me Mrs. N. Why then sweet Madame I shall proceed to object against some of the most practical points of your Religion as your Ladiship hath required me avoiding all subtilties relating to the Schools and so I have accordingly prepared another paper for your Ladiships view and I shall not be bold to offer above one or two more and then I shall endeavour to rejoyn and humbly refer to better judgements So after many mutual thanks and particular kindnesses were passed on both sides my Lady being attended by Mrs. N. to her Coach departed away with her third paper which coming home and opening her Ladiship found to this effect as followeth That your Church has so overladen the souls of Christians with their own Traditions and humane constitutions that it has not only abridg'd Christian liberty but hardly left room for the observation of divine precepts I prove thus by express Scriptures We finde in Deuteronomy Deut. 4.2 how God does absolutly command his people by the mouth of his servant Moses not to add unto the word Josh 1.7 which he commanded them nor to diminish ought from it The like was commanded by the mouth of Joshuah that from that law which they had read they should not turn neither to the right nor to the left The wise King Solomon gives the same caution Prov. 30.5.6 every word of God is pure c. and then proceeds Adde thou not unto his words least he reprove thee and thou be found a liar and S. John assures us That if any man shall adde unto the words of his prophecy Revel 22 18.19 that God shall adde unto him the plagues that are written in that book and if any shall take away c. God shall take away his part out of the book of life and yet notwithstanding these clear commands and terrible threatnings your Church dares to do those things daily by ading of meer humane inventions S. Mark 7.6 7 8 9. Mark tells us plainly how our Saviour did severely rebuke that kind of Religion and professeth plainly that in vain such do worship him who teach for doctrines the commandments of men saying immediately before how such do honour him with their lips but their heart is far from him and so proceeds sharply inveighing against mens Traditions yet your Church does nothing but over-load men with them 3. S. Paul give a most strict warning to the Corinthians and so to us 1 Cor. 7.22.23 to avoid any captivity of that kinde for he speaks to all that are called who are the Lords freemen and therefore concludes ye are bought with a price be not ye the seruants of men that captivity I am sure none can avoid that is of your Church 4. Gal. 5.18 Again he tells the Gallatians yet more plainly that if they be led of the spirit they are not under the law so then we Christians are subject to no humane constitutions whatsoever 5. Again the same Apostle tells us 1 Tim. 1.9 that the Law is not made for a righteous man but for the lawless disobedient ungodly c. what then are good Christians concerned in your new-fangled Laws and again he tells the Romans that the Law worketh worth Rom. 4.15 what then have we Christians to do with it 6. Lastly 2 Cor. 3.17 the same Apostle assures the Corinthians that where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty and largely relates to the Gallathians how Jesus Christ did purchase this liberty for us Gal. 4. and that we are no more under the law nor sons of the Bond woman but of the free why then should your Church by its devises endeavour to reduce us into bondage again That amongst the rest of your new inventions your commanded days of fasts and abstinence especially a whole lent together is a burthen insupportable and abusive to our Christian liberty I prove by Scripture thus 1. Does not our Saviour in S. Matthews Gospel call the multitude expresly about him Mat. 15.10 11. to teach them this piece of doctrine and bids them hear and understand not that which goeth into
not onely a power over all Bishops but Princes That it is not in the power of the Pope neither by himself nor with all his Cardinalls and councells to determine any matter of faith I prove thus by Scripture 1 We finde in Isay that we are commanded to the law and to the Testimony Isay 8.20 if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them as the Jews were commanded to their law and to their Testemony Luke 16.29 so are we Christians to our Scripture for our judge of all things in difference so our Savior brings Abraham in the Gospell saying that they have Moses the Prophets let them hear them woe are not therefore to have recourse for any matter of faith to Pope or any power else whatsoever 2 Again our Saviour commands us thus Starch the Scriptures for in them ye thinke ye have eternall life and they are they which testify of me John 5.39 Christ therefore remits us to Scripture onely for a judge of controversie 3 Again we finde in the Acts of the Apostles how those of Berea were commended acknowledgeed to be more noble than those of Thessalonie Acts 17.11 in that they received the word with all redyness of minde and Searthed the Scriptures daily whether those things were so Heer we finde I say that those of Berea did not overhastyly beleive what the Apostles themselves delivered to them but did examine all things by the Rule of Scripture is it not therefore fit that we should follow their example and acknowledge nothing but Scripture for our Rule and judge 4 It is manifest by reason that the judge of all controversie in matter of faith ought to be infallible for if the judge should erre all that follow his judgement must erre likewise now it is plain on tone side that Scripture is infallible being the word of God which cannot erre and on the other side that all men are lyars and subject to errours as we finde in the Romans Rom. 3.4 Psal 111 God is true but every man is a lyar Now the pope is but a man all the Cardinalls are but men nay councells themselves are but collections of men no man therefore that builds himself upon their judgement in point of faith can have any security at all but onely by depending upon the infallible and true Pâ—â—le of Scripture 5 Counsels we know have erred in matters of faith and made decrees one against another at least altered one anothers constitutions and if that any such things as councells are to be why should not lay men be made a part of them since they are a part of the Church as well as any preists or Bishops and their salvation as much concerned in those decrees as any Clergy men whatsoever it should be therefore as necessary for them to be present there That the Scripture it self is and ought to be the entire Rule of faith and that neither your whole Church nor all the Traditions of it have any power to prescribe to to us in matter of Faith I prove thus The authority of Scripture is greater then the Authority of the Church for the Church ought to be govern'd by Scripture the Word of God we know is to yield to no man nor is it lawfull for any man or power of men whatsoever to oppose or diminish it 2. We find expresly in Deuteronomy Ye shall not adde unto the Word which I command you neither shall you diminish out from it Deut. 4.8 that ye keep thn Comandements of the Lord your God which I command you all your tradition therefore are to cast away for they adde to the written Word of God 3. Again We read in another place of the same Book thus Deut. 1â— 32 Whatsoever thing I command you observe to do it thou shalt not adde thereto nor diminish from it That therefore is to be done onely which God commands what men require or adde of their own is unlawfull and not to be obey'd 4. St. Paul declares his mind in this particular very freely to the Galatians thus but though we or an Angell from Heaven preach any other Gospell unto you then that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed and presently repents As we said before so say I now again If any man preach any other Gospel unto you Gallat 1. thaâ— that ye have received let him be accursed I say therefore that we are to admit of no Traditions nor any thing else besides the Gospell Again We have most solemnly said in the Revelation of St. John Revel 22.18.19 That if any man shal take away from the Words of the Book of that Prophesie God shal take away his part out of the Book of Life And so if any man shall add unto these things God shall adde unto him the plague that are written in that Book Therefore it is not lawfull to adde your Traditions 6. 2 Tim. 3.16 17. St. Paul assures Timothy that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works Therefore we have no need of Traditions Our Saviour tells such Observers of Traditions as you are Mat. 15.6 Thus have you made the Commandements of God of none effect by your traditions and the Apostle gives the like caution to the Colossians Col. 2.8 beware least any man spoil you through Phlosophy and vain deceit 1 Pet. 1.18 after the tradition of men after the rudiaments of the World and not after Christ And St. Peter puts the whole World in mind how they were redeem'd from their vain conversation receiv'd by Tradition from their Fathers Thus you see how much Jusus Christ and his Apostles were carefull to forewarn and forbid us and yet you will restore to us the vanity of those very Traditions 8. Again Rom. 1.17 how can that be said to be determined by the whole Church which the Pope with his Cardinals Gal. 7.11 and it may be his Bishops assembled in Councell does determine Heb. 10.38 when the Church is a Congregation of all the faithfull and a connexon of them in the true saith by which the just man lives as the Apostle tells us It is not therefore what all the Popes Cardinalls Bishops or Councills tell us though backt with all the strength of your Traditions which is to be believed for they can be at most but a part of the Church not the whole Church 9. Then Lastly when you speak of the whole Church you speak of what you no ways understand for it is a spirituall thing and hidden from the eyes of men it cannot be visible for if it were then it could not be an Article of faith as wee know it is so I would fain know what obligation can possibly come from such an
already in my last paper upon those two parts of it confession and satisfaction which being proved to be impertinent your Sacrament of Penance must needs fall 3. Then for your Sacrament of Orders and confirmation it is plain that there was nothing of them instituted by Christ but constitutions of the Church afterwards established them how thou can they be reputed Sacraments 4. For matrimony there can be no pretence to make it a Sacrament but out of a few mistaken words of S. Paul Ephes 5.32 who had no power to make a Sacrament neither for when he says marriage is a great Mystery you read as I am informed that it is a great Sacrament nor does the Apostle say absolutely that it is of it self a great mystery or Sacrament but onely in relation to what it signifies between Christ and his Church 5. Then last of all for your extreme Unction there is a less pretence James 5.14.15 for first at most there can be but an Apostolical authority for that no Apostle as I said before had power to institute a Sacrament besides there is a great dispute amongst the learned about the authority of that Epistle and some very principal persons have agreed that it should be thrust out of the Canon of the Bible Thus have I been bold to make it the business of this paper to shew you how your Church abuseth you with their own inventions and would obtrude them upon us for divine institutions To what you alledge against our Church for over lading the souls of Christians with Traditions and humane corstitutions c. I answer thus To the first I acknowldedge it to be as you say both wicked and damnable to add any thing to or diminish from Scripture that is of the essence and being of Scripture or shall go about to corrupt or deprave it otherwise if the Church or any civil power shall promote any thing that is not literally there so it be but consequentially it is enough or if it be to advance what is commanded or consulted of in Scripture Now all the Churches constitutions even those you most tax though they are not expresly and in proper forme to be found in Scripture yet they are all cleer emanations from thence as I shall plainly prove heerafter Again that Text you quote out of the Proverbs cleers all the rest Prov. 30.5.6 add not unto his words least thou be found a lier so it is not every simple addition that is forbidden but only such as is false and lying that is either to the corruption or adulteration of the Text. To the Second It is plain that our Saviour does not there in that Gospell reprove all Traditions of men absolutly but only such as they made contrary to the law of God or such as swerved from it for so we finde by the context of the same chapter Mark 7.8 9. as for laying aside the commandment of God hold the tradition of men c. and then agin fullwell you reject the commandments of God that ye may keep your own tradition in the same maner S. Mathew delivers it Mat. 13. which two Gospells S. Paul sufficiently explains thus not giving beed to Jewish fables 1 Tit. 14 and commandments of men that turn from the truth so it must be onely such as those that our Saviour findes fault withall and not simply all humane constitutions And hence it is that the woes of eternal damnation are threatued by God and pronounced by the Prophet against the makers of such wicked constitutions and traditions Isay 10.1.2 in these words Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees and that write grievousness which they have prescribed to turn aside the needy from judgement and to take away the right from the poor of my people and that they may rob the fatherless c. But this makes nothing at all to your purpose for the constitutions of our Church are so far from being guilty of that that they are acknowledged by all temperate persons to be the greatest promoters and advancers of divine worship the greatest restrainer of the concupiscencies of the flesh and do dispose men to the keeping of Gods commandments a more expeditious and cleer way inflaming all men to brotherly kindness and charity To the Third S. Paul it is true forbids us to be servants of men that is as you will finde by the context not to make schismes in the Church by pretending to follow some leading men for one to say I am of Cephas and another I am of Apollo this is to rebuke an error of yours and nothing at all of ours for we endeavour to keep our selves within the bonds of Catholike unity and you do all you can to break those bands and fall into the captivity of private opinions by rendering your selves servants nay slaves to some single Doctors of your own that best agree with your fancy but you had best take heed of that according to S. Pauls warning which you urge heer against us To the fourth What the Apostle tells the Gallatians that they which are led of the Spirit are not under the Law we acknowledge but it is to be understood that he speaks of the Mosaicall and coercive Law which they that are perfectly led by the spirit need not at all but he cannot mean the divine and directive Law which must last to govern faithfull Christians for Adam himself had such a law in Paradice To the fifth We say not that the law is made for the righteous as he is righteous and governed wholy by the Spirit of God but for so much as the flesh lusteth aginst the Spirit he ought to have a reforming law or indeed the former answer to your fourth argument might have served the turn so far and as for what you alledge all out of the Romans that the law worketh wroth it must be understood of the Mosaick law which worketh wroth indeed if we be not releived by divine grace but we are helped by grace and Truth by Jesus Christ To the sixth You must give me leave to tell you here that you very much mistake Christian liberty for by that we are not exempted from the power of and obedience to our superiours but that liberty opposeth it self onely against the servitude of the Mosaicall Law and slavery of sin it cannot possibly be meant that it should free us from the wholsome constitutions and commandments of the Church which are all made for the advancement of godliness Gal. 5.13 this S. Paul sufficiently explains thus for brethren you have been called into liberty onely use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh but by love serve one another 1 Pet. 2.16 13 14 15. Rom. 6.7 8. and S. Peter notes when he says as free and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness but as the servants of God so he chargeth them to submit to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake
of those Legalities We find again in the last of St. Matthew Christ saying to his Disciples Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Here Christ laid down an express form of Baptism in the name of the holy Trinity and yet the primitive Church did think fit to change that form into a Baptism in the name of Jesus Christ only for so St. Peter enjoyned them Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins c. And again we finde that the Samaritars were baptized by St. Philip in the name of Jesus Act. 2.38 Acts 8. Act. 19.5 Act. 15.28 29. So again upon St. Pauls preaching at Ephesus when they heard this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Above all this we find the Scripture telling us that it was defined in the Apostles Councel thus It hath seemed good to the holy Ghost and to us c. that ye abstam from meats offered unto Idols and from blood and frous things strangled c. This we see is most plainly and expresly defined by the Apostles and as clearly attested by Scripture and yet the Church in after Ages hath thought fit to change that decree and permit Christians to eat strangled things and blood nay you that dispute against the Authority of the Church in matters of Faith are contented to submit to it in point of eating you could not otherwise deny the eating of a black pudding or strangled Hen to be a most notorions transgression nor could any thing excuse us from sin in so doing if the Church hâ—d not a power over the Scriptures And to conclude if the authority of the Church were not over the Scriptore then all Jews that should be converted now to the Faith of Christ and come to Baptism should be tyed still to the observation of Mases his Law for so we finde in Scripture that the Apostles themselves and others of thâ— Nation which became Converts did always do St. James and all the Elders said to St. Paul upon his return from the Gentiles Thou seest brother how many thousands of Jews there are which believe and they are all zealous for the Law and they are informed of thee that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses Saying Act. 21.18 20 21 22 23 24 25. that they ought not to circumcise their children neither to walk after the custums What is it therefore the multitude must needs come together for they will hear that thou art come Do therefore this that we say unto thee we have four men which have a vow on them Them take and purifie thy self with them and be at chrrges with them that they may shave their heads and all may know that those things whereof they were informed concerning thee are nothing but that thy self also walkest orderly and keepest the Law As touching the Geutiles which believe we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing save only that they keep themselves from things offered unto Idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornicaâ—on Here it is plain that St. Paul with many thousands more did observe the Law of Moses and that by the immediate order of St. James the Prelate of the place and the Councel of all the Elders This we know clearly altered since by the authority of the Church and what a fine confusion it would produce if otherwise practised now I will leave your self to judge To the second I say that what you urge out of Deuteronomy makes no more against us then it does against the Apostles themselves from whence we received our Traditions but most especially St. Paul who expresly bids us to hold fast the Traditions which we have received Nay and all the holy Fathers of the Primitive Church who have always imbraced and held them Nay yet further you do most manifestly oppose and oppugne your own selves who receive the Tradition of Scripture the Lords day and many holy days with divers other things which you hold in great reverence by no other Authority If therefore we Catholicks offend in so doing then the Apostles themselves and all the Primitive Fathers and Christians and you your selves are as guilty of a fault if they be innocent and you too why should we be condemned Again give me leave to tell you that you have wholly mistaken the sense of that Text and that I will demonstrate to you out of the context which runs thus Deu 4.1.2 Now therefore hearken O Israel un-the Statutes and unto the Judgements which I teach you for to do them that ye may live and go in and possess the Land which the Lord God of your Fathers giveth you Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you neither shall you diminish ought from it that ye may keep the Commandments of the Lord your God which I command you As if he should say I give unto you precepts both Ceremonial and Judicial which ye ought perfectly and entirely to keep for so much is signified in those words ye shall not add nor diminish and this precept to that people is delivered though in other words yet to the very same sense in divers other places that they should be punctual in the observation of what was commanded them and not to swerve or turn to the right hand or the left So that these three things are upon the matter all one that is perfectly and intirely to keep Moses his precepts Deut. 17.20 Deut. 28.14 Deut. 31.29 Josu 1.7 not to turn from them neither to the right hand nor to the lest and last of all neither to add to nor diminish from their observation Which now is plain cannot be so understood as if it were unlawfull to add any new precept for then it had been utterly unlawful to add those new Evangelical precepts as Faith in the blessed Trinity the whole business of Holy Baptism and the Eucharist which you receive as well as we but the sense of those Texts must be plainly this that they ought to be very exact in the observation of Moses his Laws not to corrupt them with any addition or dimunition but to keep them intirely as for example this was a Mosaical precept Levit. 12.2 3. If a woman have conceived seed ann born a man child then she shal be unclean seven days c. And in the eighth day the flesh of his soreskin shall be circumcised c. To this precept now it was not lawful to add or diminish from that it was not lawful neither before nor after the eigth day to circumcise the child nor was the uncleanness of the mother to last more or less than seven days Now the same reason holds throughout all other precepts as I shall
shew you in my answer to your next Argument But from what has been said already it is very evident that this Text out of Deuteronomy which you press so hard makes nothing at all to the purpose unless you can think this a good Argument The Jews were bound perfectly and entirely to keep the commands of Moses therefore Christians must not admit of Apostolical Traditions but be content with only Scripture which I think no reasonable man wil take for other than an absutd and ridiculous consequence But that the business may be more clear give me leave to ask of you whether those commands did belong to the Jews only or to us Christians as well as they If to the Jews only why do you alledge that Text against us or why should we be obliged to the observation of those precepts If they belong to us Christians likewise why do not you keep all the Mosaical Law Why do not all the Mankinde amongst you Circumcise themselves And why do you forbeare the observation of all the lethe legal Ceremonies In the last place answer me why do you urge the first particle of the text against us you shall not add and do not in like manner urge against your selves ye shall not diminish but I fear I have been too long in this To the third I wonder truly how you can infer from that Text that nothing is to be done but what God commands and all humane precepts to be cast away If so what will you say of the Jews themselves Jer. 35.6 Acts 15.29 that did with all exactness observe the Feast of Dedication that was no more then a humane precept What will you say of the Rechabites who did most religiously observe the Command of their Father Jonadab in a perpetual abstinence from wine What will you think of the Apostles who in their Council at Jerusalem commanded abstinence from blood and things strangled 1 Cor. 7.12 what will you think of St. Paul who distinguisheth between his own commands and those of Jesus Christ what will you think of all sorts of Magistrates who are forced to fasten humane Laws and precepts upon us for the preservation of peace and justice in a Common-Wealth What must ye think of your selves who in your Synods Conventicles make Laws and Ecclesiasticall decrees to bind up your own Congregations to obedience and will have observ'd by all In the next place give me leave to tell you that the sence of this place is clean otherwise then what you would impose upon it For as in your last Argument you prest a Text that was to be understâ—od in generall of all the precepts that were delivered by Moses Deut. 12.30 31 32. which were to be exactly and entirely observ'd so here you urge another that enjoins the entire Observation of one sort of sacrifice and the Text runs thus When the Lord thy God shall out of the Nations from before thee whither thou goest to possess them and then succeedest them and dwellest in their land Simila take heed to thy self that thou be not snared by following them and that thou enquire not after their gods saying how did these Nations serve their gods even so will I do likewise Thou shalt not do so unto the Lord thy God for every abomination to the Lord which he hateth have they done unto their gods for even their Sons and daughters have they burnt in the fire to their gods then follows whatsoever thing I command you to do it thou shalt not adde nor diminish from it All which as I humbly conceive amounts to this When thou shalt come into Palestin the Land of Promise whither thou art going and shalt offer to the Lord thy God a Sacrafice thou shalt not imitate the Gentiles that offer their sons and daughters by fire to their falfe gods but this thou shalt onely offer what I command thee To wit of the Beasts Sheep Goats Kids Oxen Calves Pigeons Sparrows Turtles Of the fruits of the earth fine flower Bread Salt Fiankensence handfulls of Ears of Corn and Wheat and of Liquors Blood Wine Oyl Water This onely do that is offer to the Lord thou shalt not adde any thing of the Sacrinces of the Gentiles nor diminish any thing of mine that I have commanded thee What you will conclude from hence I know not unless you infer thus The Jews were oblig'd to offer nothing in Sacrifice to God but what the Lord had commanded therefore Christians-ought not to observe any humane precepts whether civil or Ecclesiasticall a most excellent consequence so fare it well To the Fourth I answer that your Argument would be much better imployed upon your selves then against us and in this manner I retort it If any man shall preach another Gospell than that which the Apostle himself preacht let him be Anathema but you preach another Gospell bâ—sides nay against that which the Apostle taught preacht because do manifestly oppose Traditions which he commanded us to keep when he said hold fast traditions therefore you are to be Anathema But to answer yet more closely to what you urge out of the Apostle I would desire you to gather out of the scope of the Apostle whether his intention was there ro condem all traditions or only this Gâ—l 2.16 c. 1.6 c. 3.1 c. 4.9 c. 5.1 that the Galations being taught by St. Paul that the ceremonies of the Mosaicall Law were abrogated and that not any man could bee justified by those Cnremonies but by faith in Christ and they were from this Doctrine seduced by some false Apostles who taught that they could not be saved by faith in Christ unless they were also circumcised and observed other moisaicâ—l Ceremonies St Paul here addresseth himself against those falfe Apostles when he saith and if any man preach any other Gospell then that ye have received let him be occursed so much as to say you have received from me that a man is justified by faith in Christ and not at all for the observances of Moses his Laws if any man instruct you otherwise let him be accursed But how can it follow frow hence that Apostalicall Traditions are to be rejected but rather received conserved and Religiously to be honoured because they are not against that which St. Paul preacht te the Galatians concerning Justification but rather they are that very thing which he preacht to the Thessalonians when he bid them hold fast the traditions that they learnt and that the Word received in the Text does sufficiently clear for he speaks not only of the Gospell that he had preacht but oâ— the Gospell that they had received To the Fifth I say your Argument is veâ—y weak which you draw out of Sr. John which you frame thus as I understand it It is not lawfull to adde to the Words of that Revellation therefore it is not lawfull to adde our tradition to Scripture let any one judge now whether that be a naturall
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
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
God c. Now that the building of Churches is acceptable to God is evident because it was practised in the Apostles time Luke 7. and the Jews knew that it was acceptable to our Saviour when they told him of the Centurion that he loved their Nation and built them a Synagogue Exod. 23.26.29.30.31.35 c. Then how acceptable to God the adorning of Churches must be I pray you look upon the sumptuous offerings that were made by the people in the old law towards the building of their Tabernacle and the making of costly ornaments for their Priests and so for their Temple afterwards and I presume you will be satisfyed Nay not withstanding the Temple was so richly provided for by Solomon Num 27.28 29. Nehe 10.32 and in every thing most abounding yet Nehemiah tells us that the Jews made ordinances to oblige and charge themselves yeerly with the third part of a sheckel for the service of the house of their God besides their free-will offerings which were unvalvable And our Saviour discommends not the rich Temple then in his days Luke 21. for takeing the poor widdows mite Jos. 21. towards its encreas and ornament As for the possessions of the Priests there was as great a care taken by God Num. 25 as first we finde that Joshuah divided citys amongst the Priests and levites as the Lord commanded by Moses And again we finde that the Prists and Levits had the tithes The first borne the first fruites Lev. 27. and great parts of the offerings and sacrifices for their attendance on the Tabernacle Num. 18. where they served day ly and all this was by the express precept and ordinance of God 2 Kings 12.4 5. Then in the Kings we finde that Joash sayd to the Priests all the mony of the didicated things that is brought into the house of the Lord even the mony of every one that passeth the account is the mony that every one set at all the mony that cometh into any mans heart to bring into the house of the Lord let the Priests take to them c 2 Chron. 31.4 5.6 7 8 9 c. So Hezekiah commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give proportionably to the Priests and Levites that they might be encouraged in the law of the Lord and we find in the Text that they of Judah and Jerusalem did bring in so abundantly that new chambers and granaries were erected to receive their offerings Luke 8.2.3 Jesus Christ himself we know carried always a treasurer or purse-bearer with him that was Judas who was to receive and dispose of what was sent to him And we finde that divers did minister unto him of their substance as Joan the wife of Chusa Herods Steward and divers others S. Paul is so express in this point that I wonder you or any man can doubt not onely that it is a good devotion but a necessary duty to contribute towards their Priests For he saith Who goeth to warfare any time at his own charges 1 Cor 9.7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14. Who planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruit thereof Or who feedeth a flock and eateth not of the milke of the flock say I these things as a man or saith not the Law the same also For it is writen in the law of Moses thou shalt not muzlle the mouth of the Ox that treadeth our the corne doth God take care for Oxen Or saith be altogether for our sakes for our sakes no doubt this is written that he that ploweth should plough in hope and he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope If we have sowen unto you spirituall things is it a great thing if we shall reape your carnall things Do you not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the Temple and they which waite at the alter are partakers with the alter Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospell 1 Tim 2. should live of the Gospell c. Then the same Apostletells Timothy that a Bishop must be blamless the husband of one wife vigialent sober of good behaviour given to hospitallity apt to teach c. Now I would fain know how a Bishop can be hospitable Acts. 4 24.25 if he have not wherewithall Then in the Acts we finde how so many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them and brought the prices of the things that were sould and layd them down at the Apostles feet c. By what is it most plain that in the primitive Church there were collections for the sustertation of the clergy in a plentyfull manner which fayling then benefices succeded in their roomes And to conclude all that we mean to say in this point Luke 10. our Saviour tells you that the labourer is worthy of his hyre Mat. 27.25 26. As to immunities due to their persons we shall adde onely one word or two our Saviour askes Peter of whom do the Kings of the earth take tribute of their own Children or of strangers Peter sayth unto him of straingers Psal 104 Jesus sayth unto him then are the Children free The Psalmist in the person of God comands thus not to touch his anointed nor do his Prophets any harm And again the same Kinge David says in another place Who can stretch forth his hand against the Lords anointed and be guiltless 1 Sam. 26.1 This was spoken truly of the unction of a King but the same must follow upon the unction of a Priest Mat. 19. Mar. 9. Mat. 21. Now that we are not all Priests equally is sufficiently proved in our paper concerning the Sacrament of holy orders so shall not he make repetition Then for our Canonicall hours and prayers we are justified by Scriptures Luke 11. Matt. 6. Mat. 14. Mark 6. Luk 5.16 Luke 9. Luke 22. Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Mat. 24. Mar. 13. Matt. 5. Luke 18. Mat. 26. innumerable First the Disciples sayd to Christ Lord teach us to pray and he sayd when ye pray say our Father c. and then sending away the multitude he went into a mountain alone for to pray again he withdrew himself into the wilderness and prayed again he went into a mountain to pray and he was all night in prayer to God again he went up into a mountain to pray and whilst he prayed his countenance was changed Then again kneeling down he prayed saying Father if it be thy will let this cup pass from me and being in his agony he prayed long So much for our Saviours practise as for his precept observe first Pray that your flight be not in the winter nor on the sabbath day again watch and pray for ye know not when the time will come again pray for those that persecute you c. again pray always and faint not again pray that ye enter not into temptation then this