to preach justification by Faith alone finding the Text said but Man is justified by Faith he added the word Alone and made the Text very clear against Popery which formerly was somewhat obscure Zuinglius being to teach the figurative presence of Christ in the Sacrament found the Text This is my Body to be too pat against his doctrine and instead of Is put in This signifieth The Church of England being to preach up the Kings Spiritual Supremacy could not convince the obstinate Papists by the Original Text which said 1 Pet. 2. submit your selves anto every humane creature for the Lord's sake whether it be to the King as excelling or to c. But in King Edwards time they altered one word and made the Text thus submit your selves to every Ordinance of Man whether it be to the King as being the chief head and the following impressions of the Bible in the year 1557. and 79. say To the King as Supream And so the true Doctrine is clearly made out from Scripture as also the lawfulness of Priests Marriages for the Text before the Reformation said 1 Cor. 9. Have we not power to lead about a woman or a sister and now our Bibles say Have we not power to lead about a Wife being our Sister Hence it 's evident according to the Doctrine and practice of our Reformation that when you have a mind to establish a Doctrin which you judge to be true you may change the Text and make it speak your sense and meaning provided you judge your sense to be true Does Faith alone justify us It is the Doctrin of the Reformation that without Charity it cannot because St. Paul says 1 Cor. 13. If I have Faith so as to move Mountains and no Charity I am nothing It is also the Doctrine of the Reformation that it is impious and wicked to say Faith alone without Charity does not justify this is Scripture as interpreted by Luther a Man of a sound judgement l In cap. 2 ad Gal. serm Aug. pag. 204. Who say quoth Luther that Faith alone though perfect it be cannot justify without Charity say impiously and wicked because Faith alone without any good works doth justifie Believe which Doctrine you please both are of the Reformation As to St. Pauls Doctrine Luther answers m In Epist ad Gal. c. 1 2. Tom. 5. Wittemb an 1554. fol. 29. Be it says he that the Church Augustine or other Doctors also Peter and Paul nay and an Angel from Heaven should teach otherwise than I teach yet my doctrine is such that it sets forth Gods Glory I know I teach no humane but divine doctrine It is the doctrine of the Reformation that Faith alone without any good Works notwithstanding all sins you are guilty of doth justifie you This is Scripture as Interpreted by Luther who says nothing can damn you but Incredulity as nothing but Faith can save you so Whitaker Wotton Fulk and Beza whose Words I related which I believe you remember and I need not repeat It is also the doctrine of the Reformation that Good Works are meritorious of Grace and Glory n Lib. 5. de Eccl. Polit. sect 72. Hooker and Harmonia confess o pag. 495. 273 say it 's the doctrine of Scripture and what any person of sound judgement judges to be the doctrine of Scripture he may believe it for this is our Rule of Faith. It 's likewise the doctrine generally of all our Church that good Works are not at all meritorious Tindal called by Fox p Acts and Mon. pag. 514. a man of God and a constant Martyr judges this to be so true that in his Treatise de Mammona iniquitatis he says Christ himself did not by all his good works merit Glory And though the Scripture says expresly he did Calvin q Lib. 2. Inst c. 17. affirms that it is a foolish curiosity to examine and a rash proposition to say Christ did Merit It is the doctrine of the Reformation that though good Works be not meritorious nor have not the least influence in our Justification or Salvation yet they are absolutely needful for both in as much as true Faith cannot be without good Works because they are the marks and signs of a living Faith by which alone we are Saved this is the judgement of the Church of England expressed in the 11 and 12 Articles of the 39 and of Melancthon in locis Commun de Bonis operibus and you may believe it You may also believe and it is the doctrine of the Reformation that good works are so far from being needful that they are prejudicial and hurtful to our Salvation and the best way to be Saved is to do no good Works at all this is Scripture as Interpreted by Illyricus Amarsdortius quoted in Act. Colloq Aldeburg pag. 205. and 299. and Luther r In comment in cap. 2. ad Gal. was deeply perswaded of this truth though Christ said If thou will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven keep the Commandments Luther says It is an obstacle to our Salvation to keep them Where it is said quoth he that Faith in Christ doth indeed justify us but that it is necessary also to keep the Commandments there Christ is denied and Faith abolish'd because that which is proper to Faith alone is attributed to the Commandments And again f To 1 Proposit 3. says he If Faith be accompanied with good Works it is no true Faith that it may justifie it must be alone without any good Works This is Scripture as interpreted by such sound Men and consequently the Doctrine of the Reformation and who doubts but that any Doctrine of the Reformation may be believed For our Rule of Faith is Scripture as each person of sound judgement understands it and in believing those Tenets because they judge them to be the Doctrine of Scripture they stick fast to and follow our Rule of Faith Why is the Figurative Presence and the Kings Supremancy the Doctrine of the Reformation though denied by Papists Lutherans and Presbyterians but because the Protestants judge it's the Doctrine of Scripture If therefore those great Authors I quoted and any other with them judge those Tenets to be the Doctrine of Scripture they may be justly called the Doctrine of the Reformation Must Protestants be forced against their judgements to deny real Presence and Supremacy because Lutherans say it's wicked Doctrine And why must Luther Flaccius Illiricus and others be forced to deny those Tenets though Protestants or Papists judge them to be damnable Let each one believe what he thinks to be the Doctrine of Scripture and he will still be a true Reformed Child Does our Reformation teach that 't is possible to all Men assisted with Gods Grace to keep the Commandments This is the Doctrine of the Church of England and consequently of the Reformation It is also the Doctrine of the Reformation delivered out of Scripture as
Interpreted by Luther Calvin Willet and several others that it 's impossible to any man assisted with what Grace soever to keep the Commandments None has ever yet says our great Calvin and God has decreed none shall ever keep the Commandments Again u Harm Evang. in Luc. c. 10. verse 26. the Law and Commandments were given us to no other end but that we should be damn'd by them t Lib. 2. Instit c. 7.5 inasmuch that it is impossible for Us to do what they Command The same Doctrine is taught by Luther in several places of his Works by Willet x In Synop. Papismi pag. 564. and by our Brethren the Gomarists of Holland and many of our French Synods Believe which you please both Doctrines are of the Reformation It is also the Doctrine of Luther and Calvin that God does not cast Men into Hell because their sins deserve it nor save Men because they merit it but meerly because he will have it so He crowns those who have not deserved it says Luther y Lib. de Servo Arbit cont Erasm 2. Lib. 3. Inst c. 21. sect 5. 7. c. 22. sect 11. cap. 13.1 and he punishes those who have not deserved it 't is Gods Wrath and Severity to damn the one 't is Gods Grace and Mercy to save the other Calvin also z Men are damn'd for no other cause but because God will have it so he is the cause and Author of their Damnation their Damnation is decreed by God when they are in their Mothers Womb because he will have it so this is also the belief of our Gomarists in Holland of many French Churches and of several learned Calvinists though the Church of England denies this Doctrine none will dare say it is not the Doctrine of the Reformation because it is Scripture as Interpreted by such eminent men of our Church The Church of England understands by Scripture that God is not the Author nor cause of sin that does not force us to sin who doubts but that this is therefore the Doctrine of the Reformation But Calvin Brentius Beza and several others understand by Scripture that God is the cause and Author which forces our Will to Sin That Man and the Devil are but Gods Instruments to commit it That Murthers Incests Blasphemies c. are the Works of God that he makes us commit them And who doubts but this also is the Doctrine of the Reformation being Scripture as Interpreted by such eminent and sound judgement God says Calvin a Lib. 2. Inst c. 4. sect 3. lib. 1. c. 18. sect 2. lib. c. 23. sect 4. Lo. 1. de deprovid c. 6. in Synops pag. 563. In manifest stratag Papist directs moves inclines and forces the Will of man to sin insomuch that the power and efficacy of Working is wholly in him Man nay and Satan when he impells us being only Gods Instruments which he uses to make us sin Zuinglius Willet Beza teach the same The Church of England has Scripture for her Rule of Faith and gives us the liberty to Interpret Understand and Believe some Text of it as each one thinks best and so permits Presbyterians to deny Episcopacy Lutherans to deny Figurative Presence c. and confesses they are all her Brethren of the Reformation but she will give no liberty at all to Interpret other Texts but all must understand them as she does or all must be Hereticks and damn'd Men No that Text My Father and I are one must be Interpreted to signifie the Unity and Nature of the Father and Son as the Church of England believes none must interpret it otherwise So that the difference betwixt the Popish Church and that of England is the first gives us no Liberty at all the second gives us some Liberty the first robs us of all the second but of one half The Rule of Faith in Popery is Scripture as Interpreted by the Pope and Councils the Rule of Faith in the Church of England as to some Articles is Scripture as Interpreted by the Church of England and as to other Articles Scripture as each person of sound judgement understands it and thus Protestants are but half Papists and half Reformed Let any unbyass'd and impartial man judge if the Church of England proceeds justly in this For if our Rule of Faith be Scripture as each person of sound judgement understands it and if as the whole Reformation believes we are not to be constrained to believe any Church Council or mans sense of Scripture if we do not judge by the Word of God it 's true by what Authority Rule or Reason can the Church of England give me Liberty to understand and believe some Texts as I please and deny me Liberty to understand and believe others as I judge by Scripture they ought to be understood I pray observe well this Discourse here are Luther Calvin Beza Zuinglius and our other first Reformers they Interpret some Texts against the Doctrine of the Church of England They are praised for the first and esteemed Apostolical Reformers because without any regard of what the Church of Rome said they freely taught and believed what they judged by Scripture to be true why must not they be praised and esteemed true Reformers also for not regarding what the Church of England or any other says but teach the impossibility of Gods Commandments the sufficiency of Faith alone and all those other Tenets which you much mislike since they judge by Scripture such to be true Doctrine Are they bound to submit their judgements to the Church of England more than to that of Rome The Veneration and use of the Sign of the Cross is flat Popery in the judgement of all our Congregations yet any Reformed Child may laudably and piously use it inasmuch as our Common Prayer in the Administration of Baptism Commands the Minister to use it saying We sign him with the sign of the Cross in token that hereafter he shall not be ashamed to confess the Faith of Chrst Crucified and manfully to fight under his Banner against Sin the World and the Devil And in our Kalender printed since his Majesties Restauration it is called the Holy Cross Our Congregations generally believe it is Popery to keep Holy-days except the Sabbath-day and Saints-day to Fast Lent Vigils commanded Ember-days and Fridays and yet all this is recommended to us in our Common-Prayer-Book and the Minister is commanded in the Administration of the Lords Supper to publish the Holy-days of the Week and exhort us to Fast and surely he is not commanded to teach or exhort us to any thing but the Doctrine of the Reformation It is true the Students of our Colledges of Oxford and Cambridge are much troubled with scruples in this point these Pauperes de Lugduno are compelled to fast all Fridays throughout the year and it is not hunger that makes them complain but tenderness of Conscience because they fear
Doctrine be of the Reformation you must try it by our Test or Rule of Faith which is the written Word of God and whatever any man of sound judgement of a sincere and humble Heart judges to be contained in Scripture or an indubitable consequence out of it that Man may believe that Doctrine let all others judge of it as they list and by so believing will be a true Child of the Reformation wherefore since that the Church of France that of England in Edward the VI ' s. time Luther Melancthon Grotius and other Authors do judge Transubstantiation Popes Supremacy and Communion in one kind to be the Doctrine of Scripture we must call it the Doctrine of the Reformation and if you judge as they did you may believe the Doctrin and be still of the Reformation as well as they Can you shew me any other Tenet of Popery which you can call the Doctrine of the Reformation You can hardly shew me any Tenet of Popery but what is it's Doctrine what Doctrine more Popish than that of Confession and Absolution from Sins yet it is as truly the Doctrine of the Reformation as Figurative Presence for not only k In Disput Theol. pag. 301. Lobechius l In Cocilliat loc Scrip. loce 191. Altamerus m In locis Commun To. 1 de potest Eccl. Saecerius and n In Apol. Confes Aug. art 13. lib. pag. 234. Melancthen says it 's a Sacrament but the Church of England in our Common Prayer Book declares that Priests have not only the power of declaring their Sins to be forgiven to their Penitents but also the power of forgiving them and sets down the form of Absolution which the Minister is to use Our Lord Jesus Christ who left power to the Church to Absolve all Sinners which truly Repent of his Mercy forgive thee and thine offences and I by his Authority committed unto me do Abosolve thee from all thy Sins The Ministers of the Diocess of Lincoln in their Survey of the Book of Common Prayers checkt this Doctrine as Popery and petitioned to have it blotted out but could not prevail whereby we are given to understand it 's the Doctrine of the Reformation It is Popery we say to call extream Unction Confirmation and Holy Order of Priesthood Sacraments and who can justly deny all this to be the Doctrine of the Reformation for o In. p. 5. Epist Jac. v. 4. Calvin says I confess the Disciples of Christ did use Extream Unction as a Sacrament I am not says he of the opinion of those who judge it was only a Medicine for corporal diseases Calvin p Lib. 4. Inst. c. 14. Inst c. 14. sect 5. also and with him our Common Prayer Book and all our Divines say a Sacrament is nothing else but a Visible Sign of the invisible Grace we receive by it and they say with q In modest Examin Couel r In Eccl. Polit. c. 5. sect 66. Hooker and others that this definition fits exactly Confirmation wherefore the Ministers of the Diocess of Lincoln checkt the Common-Prayer Book for giving the Definition of a Sacrament to Confirmation Å¿ In locis Commun tit de Numero Sacram Melancthon t In perpet Regem pag. 109. Bilson u In Eccl polit lib. 5. sect 77. Hooker and x lib. 4. Inst c. 20. Calvin expresly teach that the Order of Priesthood is a Sacrament And when Men of so eminent Judgement of our Reformation teach this to be the Doctrine of Scripture who doubts but that it is of the Reformation By this you destroy the Doctrine of the Reformation of two Sacraments only Destroy it God forbid Because the Church of England says there are but two Sacraments I say it is the Doctrine of the Reformation there are but two and because so many eminent Men judge by Scripture there are more I say it is the Doctrine of the Reformation there are more that 's to say six Baptism Confirmation Euchrist Pennance Extream Vnction and Holy Order and very likely our Bishops and Ministers for their Wives sake will not stick to grant that Matrimony also is a Sacrament But can you say that Prayers to Saints and Images Prayer for the Dead and Purgatory are not meer Popery and in no wise the Doctrine of Reformation Without doubt these Tenets are Popery but all the World knows the Lutherans use Images in their Churches and pray before them and the holy Synod of Charenton has declared that the Lutherans have nothing of Superstition or Idolatry in their manner of Divine Worship this is also the Doctrine y Epit Colloq Montisbel of Jacobus Andreas z In Centaur Exercit. Theol pag. 270. Brachmanus a Kemnitiut Luther and Brentius quoted by Beza a Exampâ—… 4. b In responâ— ad acta Colloq Montisbel par 2. in Prefas c In locis Commun c. 18. 19. and why should not a Doctrine judged by such eminent Men to be of Scripture be called the Doctrine of the Reformation Prayers for the Dead and Purgatory is Popery confessedly but alas it is taught expresly by Vrbanius Regius d Inscrip Angl. pag. 450. Bucer c To. 1. in Eupian Art. 90. Art. 60. Zuinglius f In Apolog. Confess Aug. Melancthon g To. 1. Wittem in resol de Luther h Indul. concl 15. the common-Prayer Book in King Edward's time Printed 154.9 and many others of our Learned Doctors and what can you call more properly the Doctrine of the Reformation than what such Men teach to be the Doctrine of Scripture And though our Brethren Quakers Anabaptist Presbyterians and Protestants judge Prayers to Angels and Saints to be nothing else but Popery yet our Common Prayer Book has the same Collect or Prayer to Angels in St. Michael's day that the Popish Mass-Book has and desires that the Angels may succour and defend us on Earth and Prayers to and Intercession of Saints is taught by Luther i Epist ad Spalâ—t Bilney and Latimer quoted by Fox k Acts Mon. pag. 462 312. and consequently it is the Doctrine of the Reformation Listen to our Apostolical and Divine Luther l To. Germ. fol. 214. If a General Council says he did permit Priests to Marry it would be a a singular mark of Piety and sign of Godliness in that case to take Concubines rather than to Marry in conformity to the Decree of the Council I would in that case command Priests not to Marry under pain of Damnation And again he says m De formula Missa To. 3. Germ. If the Council decree Communion in both kinds in contempt of the Council I would take one only or none See these words of Luther quoted by our learned Hospinian n and Jewel o and see it is not only my Doctrine but of great Luther k In Histor Sa. part 2. fol. 13. that in case the Pope and Councils
the Vocation in which you are called and a little after carefully to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace One Body and one Spirit as you are called in one hope of your Vocation one Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of all Your Faith i. e. the Roman is spoken of throughout the whole World i. e. is Catholick Romans 1.8 Although we or an Angel of Heaven Preach to you any other Gospel then that which we have Preached to you be he Anathema Gal. 1.8 Therefore if we or an Angel Preach any other Gospel then that the Roman Faith is the Catholick let him be Anathema Again Brethren stand ye fast and hold ye the Traditions which ye have received whether by word or by our Epistle 2 Thessal 11. 15. Here are both Written and Vnwritten Traditions given equally in Charge and the Vnwritten named first Remember the Prelates who have spoken to you the Word of God Whose Faith follow Obey your Prelates and be subject to them for they watch as being to render account for your Souls Heb. 13.7 17. Contend earnestly for the Faith once Delivered to the Saints S. Jude 3. How was this Faith once Delivered to the Saints Faith comes by Hearing Rom. 10.17 Whom did the Saints hear Hear the Church If he neglect to hear the Church let him be to thee as an Heathen and a Publican S. Matth. 18.17 Which is the Church that if I neglect to hear I am as an Heathen and a Publican That which is built upon S. Peter Thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it S. Matth. 16.18 No Author of our side denied S. Peters being at Rome Note that till we discerned the Consequence That upon his Personal Being there they grounded a Primicy in that See. See Dr. Donne Serm. in Psalm 11.3 pag. 25. Elsewhere thus Pope Hyginus who was within 150 years after CHRIST and the Eighth Bishop of that See after S. Peter Dr. Donne Serm. in S. John 10.22 The Church 3 Reg. 8.14 Matth. 18.17 The Church Unity figured by Noah's Ark. Gen. 6.14 1 Pet. 3.20 By the new Jerusalem Apocalips 21.2 See also Cantic 4.12.6 8. Psal 79.9 Cantic 2.15 Isaiah 5.2 Jerem. 2.21.12.10 Matth. 20.1 Mark 12.1 Luke 5.3 Mat. 13.47.13.24.25 The Church the Pillar of Truth and Infallible Isa 29.21 Matth. 16.18 Mac. 28.20 Luke 22.32 John 14.16.16 13.17 11 20. 1 Tim. 3.15 1. Jo. 2.27 The Church the Body of CHRIST Cantic 4.7.9 11 12. Ephes 1.22.4.4.5.23 1 Corinth 12 27. Jo. 14.23.2 Corinth 6.16 The Church of the Faithful planted and propagated by sound Doctrine Jo. 1.12.3.3 Rom. 8.13.9.8 Gallat 3.20.4.19 Ephes 1.50 Tit. 1.1 1 Cor. 4.15 Philem. 10. 1 Peter 1.27 1 Jo. 3.9.5.1 18. Jam. 1.18 The Church the Spouse of CHRIST Psal 44.11 Ezech. 16.9.2 Cor. 11.2 Ephes 5.5.26 Apocal. 19.8.21.10 CHRIST the Head of the Church Osea 2.2 1 Cor. 12.27 Eph. 1.22.4.15.5.23 Colos 1.18.2.10 The Keys of the Church and their Power Promised Delivered Exercised Matth. 16. 18. Jo. 20.23 Matth. 18.17 Excommunication instituted by CHRIST Matth. 5.29.16.19.18.8 18. Mark 9.42 Jo. 20.23 In use with the Apostles 1 Cor. 5.3.10 2 Thess 3.6.14 1 Tim. 1.20 Tit. 3.10 Matth. 18.17 Confession of Sins Gen. 41.9 Levit. 16.21.39.26.40 Number 5.6 Jos 7.19 2 Reg. 24.17 1 Esdras 9.6 2 Esdr 9.2 Psal 27.7.31.5.37.18.94.2 Proverb 16.3.18.17.28.13 Eccl. 4.25.31.7.34.17 27. Isa 38.15 Daniel 9.5 Matth. 3.6 16.19 Luke 11.4.18.13 Jo. 20.23 Jac. 5.16 1 Jo. 1.8 9. Of Hereticks and false Teachers See Jud. cap. 1. 1 Cor. 11.19 1 Tim. c. 1. v. 20. 2 Tim. c. 2. v. 18. 1 Jo. 2.18 2 Jo. 7. Apocol 2.15 Mat. 24.5.24 Jo. 5. 43. 1 Tim. 4.1 2 Tim. 3.1.5 2 Pet. 2. 1.3.3 Deu. 13.1 Mat. 7.15 Rom. 16.17 Tit. 3.10 2 Thesal 3.14 Joan. 2.10 Deut. 13.5.18.20.3 King. 18. 40.4 K. 10.25 Heresie is a Spiritual Fornication and Idolatry Deut. 31.16 Jude 2.17.27.33 Isa 1.21.57.3 Jer. 3.1 Ezeck 6.9.19 Osea 1.2.2.4.4 Apoc. 18.3 Testimonies of the Fathers shewing their Affection and Zeal to Catholick Unity and their Detestation of Schism and Divisions In Psal 54. saith St. Austin 1. OF the Donatists We have each of us one Baptism in this they were with me we Celebrated the Feasts of the Martyrs in This they were with me we frequented the Solemnity of Easter in this they were with me But they were not in all things with me in Schism they were not with me in Heresie they were not with me in many things they were with me and in some few things they were not with me but in those few things in which they were not with me those many things do not profit them in which they were with me 2. Speaking to the Donatists Epist. 48. saith You are with us in Baptism in the Creed and in other Sacraments of the Lord But in the Spirit of Vnity in the Bond of Peace and finally in the Catholick Church you are not with us 3. To the same purpose Writteth St. Cyprian in his Book Deunitate Ecclesia One Church saith he the Holy Ghost in the person of our Lord designeth and faith one is my Dove This Unity of the Church he that holdeth not doth he think that he holdeth the Faith he that withstandeth and resisteth the Church he that forsaketh Peters Chair upon which the Church was built doth he trust that he is in the Church Where the blessed Apostle St. Paul also sheweth this Sacrament of Vnity saying one Body and one Spirit Ephes 4.4 which Vnity we Bishops especially that Rule in the Church ought ot hold fast and maintain that we may prove the Episcopal Function also it self to be One and undevided 4. And again in one of his Epistles Epistle 40. There is One God and One Christ and One Church and One Chair by our Lords Voice Founded upon Peter Another Altar to be set up or a New Priesthood to be made besides one Altar and one Priesthood is impossible Whosoever gathereth elsewhere Scattereth It is Adulterous it is Impious it is Sacrilegious whatsoever is instituted by Mans fury to the breach of Gods Divine Dispensation Get ye far from the Contagion of such Men and fly from their Speeches as from a Canker and Pestilence our Lord having premonished and warned us beforehand saying they are Blind leaders of the Blind Matth. 15.14 5. St. Augustin says of the Donatists De Bapt. l. 1. cap. 8. Those whom the Donatists heal of the wound of Idolatry and Infidility they themselves wound more dangerously with the wound of Schism 6. And again Super. Gest Emerit Out of the Catholick Church an Heretick may have all things but Salvation he may have the Sacraments he may sing Hallelujah he may Answer Amen he may keep the Gospel he may have the Faith and preach it only Salvation he cannot have 7. In like manner St. Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria as Eusebius witnesseth hist l.
manner in the Soul as the virtue of Wheat remains in the corrupted grain to raise it again at Spring feeding it with Grace and at set times affording it new infusions of Actual Grace Divine Lights and Heavenly Affection and in the Resurrection raises again the Body and unites it to the Soul. Reformers Object that the same Body of Christ cannot be multiplied so often over We answer out of Gen. 2.21 Our Lord God cast a dead sleep upon Adam and when he was fast asleep he took one of his Ribs and filled up flesh for it and our Lord God built the Rib which he took of Adam into a Woman I ask how many times over must this Rib be multiplied before a whole Woman of a comely proper Stature could be made of it After the same manner God can of one ordinary Brick make a Pillar of many Foot high by Multiplying that one Brick in the like manner our Saviour Multiplied those five Barley Loves with which he fed above five Thousand Men. Jo. 6. For if he made new Loves he did not feed them with those five but with those many hundred new Loves which he made and yet the Scipture saith v. 12.13 After they were filled they gathered the Remnants and filled Twelve Baskets with the fragments of the five Barley Loves and not of any new Loves created by Christ So that the Bread which was eaten remained still to be eaten and it is worth our noting that our Saviour did this Miracle immediately before he did first declare this strange Doctrine of giving his flesh to be eaten like bread by every one that so when he should have no reason to disbelieve the possibility thereof For his Disciples seeing that he had done that Prodigious Miracle So very lately ought not presently to have said This is hard and who can hear it Neither ought they so soon to have walked a-part from him as there St. John saith They did but rather they ought to have said with St. Peter We believe and know thou art the Son of God able to make thy words good as thou wert able so to multiply so few Loaves Concerning the Exposition of these words THIS IS MY BODY WE say these words This is my Body prove clearly the Real Presence of Christ's Body in the Host Because they ought to be taken in their proper sense in which they would prove it clearly by the grant of our adversaries who therefore say they are to be taken Figuratively Now that they ought to be taken here in their proper sense I prove 〈◊〉 positively Positive Proofs WHen in a Speech a word is indifferent of it sellf to be taken in the literal or figurative sense you must look to the words that follow in the same Speech if they express the property of a figure the word is to be taken figuratively if the property of the real thing then the word is to be taken in the literal sense For Example when one tells me I have seen the King I know not yet what he means whether his person or picture but when he adds set in a frame of Gold I know he means his Picture because 't is the property of a Picture to be set in a Frame If he adds speaking with the Chancellour I know he means the King's Person because 't is the property of a person to speak with another Just so when Christ says Luke 22. v. 19 This is my Body I know not yet what he means whether his Real Body or only a figure of it But when he adds which is given for you I know he means of his true Body because 't is the property of a true body to be sacrificed for us 2. I prove again that these words of Christ This is my Body are to be taken in the literal sense by the Protestant Principle which is this When two passages relate to or speak of the same matter in Scripture the obscurer passage is to be explained by the clearer But these two passages relating to our Lord's Supper This is my Body and Do this in remembrance of me This latter is the obsecurer and that former the clearer then this latter ought to be explained by that former that is to say to the sense of that former viz. Christ having changed a piece of bread into his Body by his Almighty word says there to his Disciples Do ye for the food of other Souls what ye have seen me do for the food of yours Change ye likewise by pronouncing the words I have ordained for that end bread into my Body but do it with such circumstances that people standing by may be mindful of my death and passion But the clear Proposition ought not to be explained by the obscure one thus This is my Body that is to say this is a figure only or a remembrance of my body because he said after do this in remembrance of me for the thing was now done and he told them what it was in clear words afore he said Do this in remembrance of me He did not say this is a remembrance of me no but Do this in remembrance of me He did not speak of the substance of the thing but only of the manner of doing it By these words then in remembrance of me he only intimated that they should make at that same time a sensible expression of his passion to the people as is seen done in the Sacrifice of the Mass If by This he understood a figure or remembrance then he had said do or make aremembrance of me in remembrance of me or remember me to remember me which is ridiculous Now let any indifferent and judicious man be judge if these words do this in remembrance of me be as clear to prove that in the Euchrarist or the Lord's Supper is only a Figure of Christ's Body as these words This is my Body are clear to prove that the Eucharist is his true Body If you instance that as Christ said This is my Body so he said also I am a Vine and consequently as the latter Proposition must be taken figuratively so must also the former I answer it doth not follow there being a great disparity For we all Protestants as well as Catholicks avow that Propositions in the Holy Scripture cannot be taken in the literal sense if so taken they imply or intimate something contrary to Faith as this Proposition I am a Vine literally taken would do Por Protestants as well as Catholicks believe that the Divine Word hath assumed no nature but that of Man then he hath not assumed that of a Vine and consequently 't is against Faith to say in the literal sense Christ is a Vine But these words This is my Body taken in the literal sense imply nothing against Faith no more than he who shewing you a knife says This is a Knife for the term This and the term Knife suppose for the same thing and not for different natures so in Christ's Proposition
Mary's they pull'd down this and set up Popery again in Queen Elizabeth's they decried this and set up not Zuinglianism but Protestancy in the midst of her Reign they polisht this and added some new perfections to it In King James and suceeding Kings times Protestancy was of a different stamp from that of Queen Elizabeth's Hear Dove in his Exhort to the English Recusants An. 1603. Page 31 Edward the VI. had his Liturgy which was very good but condemned it and brought in another Composed by Peter Martyr In Elizabeth ' s time that was condemned and another approved and in the middle of her Reign her Liturgy was also misliked and a new one introduced we are so wanton that nothing will content us but Novelties Dove does not commend this Doctrine for he calls that frequent exchange of Religion Wantonness and Love of Novelties It 's no great matter what he says of it my drift is but to convince you that this is the Doctrine and practice of the best Member of our Reformation even of England and if you be convinc'd it 's the Doctrine of Reformation you cannot deny but that it is good Doctrine through Dove calls it Wantonness Some of the Reformed says We are bound to have Faith in Jesus Christ the Son of God and the Saviour of the World. This is the substance of Christian Religion be an Arian be a Presbyterian a Socinian or what you please be also plung'd up to the ears in wickedness of Life and Manners so you have Faith in Jesus Christ Son of God and Redeemer of the World and live in Charity you will be a Member of the true Church and be saved Do not imagine this is any new Doctrine invented by me search the vulgar sort of our Reformed Brethren you shall get thousands of this Opinion in our Realm search the Books of our Learned Doctors you shall find it in them also Doctor Morton in his much applauded Book Dedicated to Queen Elizabeth for which he deserved a Bishoprick says The Arian Church is to be esteemed a true Church The Kindom of Esra pag. 9. because they hold the true substance of Chiristian Religion which is Faith in Jesus Christ Son of God and Redeemer of the World And again in the same place Sect. 4. whose Title is Hereticks are Members of the Church Therefore John Fox Dr. Field and Illiricus Acts mon. pag. 36. lib. 3. c. 5. g. Catal. testium p. 976. 978. say the Greek Church notwithstanding their error in denying the Procession of the Holy Ghost from the Son are holy Members of the true Church because they have Faith in Jesus Christ For what is the Doctrine of the Reformation but as we have said in our Principles Scripture as Interpreted by any Man of sound judgement in the Church and were not Doctor Morton Fox Field and Illiricus Men of sound judgement eminent for Learning and Godliness If therefore this be Scripture as Interpreted by them how can you deny it to be the Doctrine of the Reformation And what Jesus Christ are we obliged to believe in For Jesus Christ as believed by the Arrians Socinians Luther and Calvin is far different from Jesus Christ as commonly believed by the Protestants and Popish Church we believe in Jesus Christ the Son of God of one and the same substance and nature with the Father they believe in a Jesus Christ Son of God but of a distinct and different nature Pish That 's but a Nicety believe what you please and what you understand by Scripture to be true and have Charity Let us ask the Reformers what Rule of Faith we must observe Protestants will say that Scripture and Apostolical Tradition but Protestants say of Papists and Presbyterians and Anabaptists say of Protestants that many humane Inventions are obtruded upon us as Apostolical Traditions that we have no way to discern the one from the other and consequently Tradition as being an unknown thing unto us cannot be our Rule others will say that Scripture and the indubitable consequence of it is our Rule all will grant this but then enters the controversy if the consequences of Lutherans be such and if the consequences of Presbyterans be indubitable consequences out of Scripture and each Congregation will say that their peculiar Tenets are indubitable consequences out of Scripture and the rest must allow it to be of the Reformation Others will say that Scripture and the four first Councils with the Apostles and Athanasius's Creed are our Rule of Faith but most of the Assembly will no more admit the four first than the subsequent Councils nor Athanasius's Creed more than that of Trent nor will the Quakers Socinians and others value the Apostles Creed But there is none of all the Assembly who will not admit Scripture to be a sacred and full Rule of Faith because it 's replenished with divine Light and all Heavenly instruction necessary for our salvation And such as add as a part of our Rule of Faith the Apostles or Athanasius Creed or the four first general Councils will confess that all they contain is expressed in Gods written Word and are but a plainer or more distinct expression or declaration of the Contents of Scripture I have been often present at several discourses of Protestants with Papists and never could I hear a Protestant make Councils Tradition or any thing else the Test of their discourse but only Scripture not but that I could hear them say and pretend in their discourses that Apostolical Tradition and the four first Councils were for them against Popery but still their main strength and ultimate refuge was Scripture for whenever they harp upon that string of Tradition and Councils the Papists are visibly to hard for them and then they run to Scripture than which there is no plus ultra I have been also often at several discourses betwixt Protestants Presbyterians and our Brethren of other Congregations I have observed that the Protestant for to defend his Liturgy Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England and her Episcopacy against the others could never defend himself by Scripture alone but plac'd his main strength in Tradition Primitive Councils and ancient Fathers all which the other rejected and reproached the Protestants with Popery For it 's certain Lutherans will not admit Scripture as Interpreted by Protestants but as Interpreted by themselves and so of each other Congregation Nor was it only Luther and Calvin spoke thus but all our blessed Reformers and why because our Rule of Faith is Scripture not as interpreted by the Church of England France will not admit it nor as Interpreted by the Quaker the Anabaptists and Independents will not hear it nor as interpreted by Luther Calvin rejects it nor as interpreted by Calvin Thorndike and Bramhall will not yield to it nor will Stillingfleet stand to their Interpretation nor others to that of Stillingfleet Finally our Rule of Faith is Scripture not as interpreted by
any but as each Congregation Synod particular Doctor or Man of sound judgement interprets it and consequently what ever Doctrine any man of sound judgement Interprets it judges to be of Scripture is to be esteem'd the Doctrine of the Reformation and you may safely believe it if you like it and remain still as truly a Reformed Child as the proudest Protestant of England The Rule of Faith is Scripture as any particular Doctor of person of sound Judgement understands it Behold how convincingly first we have heard Luther quoted but now say We receive nothing but Scripture but so as that we must have some Authority to Interpret it Hear him again d In Colloq mensal fol. 118. The Governours and Pastors have Power to teach but the sheep must give their judgement f In Defens Art. Reliq Protest pag. 199. whether they propose the Voice of Christ or of strangers And again e To. Wittem fol. 374. Christ has taken from the Bishops Councils and Pastors the right of Doctrine and given it to all Christians in general and the Rule is Scripture as each one will think fit to interpret it And in consequent to this we have heard him say above I will be free and will not submit to Doctors Councils or Pastors but will teach whatever I think to be true Barlow The Apostles have given to each particular Man the right and power of Interpreting and judging by his inward spirit what is true it is needless that any Man or Angel Pope or Council should instruct you the spirit working in the Heart and Scripture are to each particular Person most assured Interpreters Bilson Bishop of Winchester says the same g In his true difier par 2. pag. 353. The people must be discerners and judges of what is taught Our Religion has no other rule of Faith says our French Reformation by the mouth of Du Moulin h Boucler de lay Foy. Drelincourt and the holy Synod of Charenton but the written Word of God as Interpreted by us It matters not so much for you to know what I approve or condemn but to know what the Doctrine of the Reformation is It is this That none can Teach Preach Administer Sacraments or Exercise Ecclesiastical Functions if he be not in Holy Orders Bishop Priest or Deacon for the Church of England teaches it and you may believe it if you please You may also deny it and say any Woman or Tradesmen has as much power to Preach and administer the Sacraments as the ablest Bishop in England This also is the Doctrine of the Reformation as well as the former because Quakers Presbyterians Brownists Anabaptists c. Believe and Teach this and they are men of as sound judgements and as good Reformers as the Protestants nay the most learned of our Reformaers allow Women a right to exercise Spiritual Functions and Administer the Sacraments Samaise Peter Martyr In lib ad Corin c. 11. in Explan Art. 17. To. 2. de minist Eccles instit fol. 369 lib. de Cap. Babil c. de Ordin lib. de abroganda Missa and Zuinlius expresly defend the Priesthood as well of Women as Men And Luther proves it strongly The first Office of a Priest says he is to Preach this is common to all even Women the second to Baptize which is also common to Women the third is to Consecrate Bread and Wine and this also is common to all as well as to Men and in the absence of a Priest a Woman may Absolve from Sins as well as the Pope because the words of Christ Whatever ye shall untye on Earth shall be untyed in Heaven were sad to all Christians And when so eminent Men had not said it Reason and Scripture convinces it Reason because that our Rule of Faith being Scripture as each Person of sound judgement understands it many Women undoubtedly are of sound judgement and why should not their Interpretation of Scripture pass for the Doctrine of the Reformation as well as that of our Bishops and Ministers Scripture because we read the Samariatan Woman was the first who preached the Messias to the City of Samaria and Christ commanded Mary Magdalen to go to Preach his Resurrection to his Disciples and we know by our Chronicles that our glorious Queen Elizabeth of blessed Memory did not only govern the state but was a great Apostoless in Church affairs To what purpose then have we Bishops and Ministers who enjoy so vast Revenues if any Man or Women can Preach and Administer the Sacraments as well as they You may believe Bishops and Ministers are very needful for the service of the Church for they being commonly learned witty Men and having Wives they come to instruct Wives so well that the good Women come in a short time to be as learned as their Husbands and as nimble and quick in the Ecclesiastical Ministery as if they were permitted to exercise it as some Authors of Credit relate unto us that a Gentleman of Constance writ to his friend in a Village about three Leagues distant from that City whose Inhabitants were for the most part of our Lutheran Reformation the good Pastor exhorted his Flock to prepare for Easter Communion that none should presume to come to the Holy Table but should first Confess and receive Absolution of his Sins Easter Holy days being come such a multitude flock'd to Confession that the Pastor could not satisfie the Devotion of so great a Croud he called his Wife to help him to hear Confessions and to give them Absolution in which Ministery the good Lady did Labour with great satisfaction of the Penitents but neither the Pastor nor his vertuous Consort being able to dispatch so great a multitude he called his Maid Servant who did work in the Holy Ministery with as much expedition as her Master For after all the Church of Scotland France and all England Protestants excepted will tell you that Bishops and Ministers are not needful nay that they are very prejudicial to the Reformation and State To the Reformation because this Hierarchy was the Bishops Court Surplices Corner Caps and other Trumperies puts the flock in mind of Popery whereof it 's a perfect Resemblance I remember a discourse started in the House of Lords not many years ago by his Grace the Duke of Buckingham he desired to know what it was to be a Protestant and wherein did Protestancy properly consist The Bishops who were present looked one upon another and whether they feared the difficulty of the Question or that for modesty's sake each expected to hear another speak first they stood silent for a while at last the Ice was broken by one others followed but hardly any two agreed and all that the Duke could gather out of their â—…al Answers was That our Rule of â—aith was Scripture as Interpreted by the Parliament and Church of England Whereupon he concluded We have been these hundred years very busie to settle Religion
withal That without Faith in Jesus Christ no Man can be Saved This is not only the Belief of all that wear and deserve the Noble Title of a Christian but certain also out of the Word of God. Act. 4.12 There is not Salvation in any other for neither is there any other Name under Heaven given to Men to wit but the Name of Jesus wherein we must be saved Mark 16.16 But he that shall not believe namely the Gospel and Religion of Christ shall be condemned Heb. 11.6 Without Faith it is impossible to please God. Rom. 5.1 Being therefore justified by Faith let us have Peace toward God by our Lord Jesus Christ By whom also we have access through Faith to his Grace This Ground then is certain and cannot be denied by any Christian For my second Ground I lay That this Faith in Jesus Christ which by God's Ordination is of necessity required to Salvation is not a meer Natural Faith or Humane Credulity which Men may have by their own natural Forces without the help of God's special Grace such as is the Faith of Heathens of Jews and Turks and such indeed as is the Faith of all Hereticks But it is a Divine and Supernatural thing which Men acquire and attain to by the special Aid of God by the help of Divine Grace and therefore this Faith is called and truly is The Gift of God. This ground is certain first out of the Word of God which clearly teacheth That saving Faith is the gift of God Phil. 1.29 To you it is given for christ not only to believe in him but also to suffer for him Eph. 2.8 By Grace you are saved through Faith and that not of your selves for it is the gift of God Not of Works that no man may glory Joh. 6.44 No man can come unto me that is believe in me for our first step toward Christ is Faith unless the Father that sent me draw him And Verse 65. Therefore did I say to you that no Man can come to me unless it be given him of my Father Joh 15.5 I am the Vine you the Branches he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth much fruit for without me you can do nothing Namely appertaining to Salvation and therefore not believe as is requisite to Life Everlasting without the help of Christ that is of Divine Grace by Christ merited and purchased for us These places are clear Secondly This ground is strongly proved by Reason For the end of Man being to enjoy Supernatural Glory that is the clear Vision of God in his blessed Kingdom The means to obtain this high and divine End must be suitable to it that is Divine and Supernatural For who will say that Man of himself and by his own forces without the Aid and special Favour of God is able to make himself fit and proportionate to be associated to the Saints to the Angels to Christ to God in Eternal Glory Who will say that of himself he is able to cleanse his Soul from the stains and filth of Sin and to put upon her a Wedding Garment a Golden and Resplendent Vesture suitable to the Banquet and Banqueters of Heaven The special Operation then of Divine Grace must Purifie and Embellish the Soul of Man and Attire her in Holy and Divine Vertues that so she may be fit to be the Consort of God in the Fruition of his Eternal Glory And so Faith which is one of these Virtues and the very Ground and Foundation of the rest must be Divine and Supernatural and spring in Man from the help of God's Grace and be Adorned and Dignified by it that so there may be a fit proportion betwixt the Root and the Tree the Seed and the Fruit the Egg and the Brid a Christian Life and the Glory of Heaven Whosoever will deny this ground must not only forsake the Doctrine of the Holy Scriptures and go against the light of Reason but he must also fall into the Pelagian Heresie condemned by the Church of Christ Twelve Hundred years ago Which held That the Gospel of Christ being proposed by his Preachers men of themselves without any further help of Divine Grace are able to believe the same and do all therein required to Life Everlasting Which proud fancy of Pelagius St. Hierom St. Augustine and especially the Bishops of Rome by the invincible force of God's Word did crush confound and beat to the ground My third Ground is That as God cannot be the Author of a Lye of a false Doctrine of a false Faith of a false Religion That is of a Rligion and Doctrine of Faith that is mixed with falshood and is partly true and partly false So he neither doth neither can stir up and draw Men by his special Grace Aid and Operation to believe those Religions or Doctrines of Faith which are so mixed with Falshood This seems to be evident even by the light of Reason for as it is the proper work of the Devil to mix Religions and to pollute them with Falshood So it is his continual and studious endeavour to stir up and induce Men by proposing some pleasing and delectable thing or other to believe and embrace the same that so he may deprive them of Divine Faith which is the Gift of God and bring them assuredly to Everlasting Damnation Neither let any one be so simple as to imagine That the Devil is only the Author of those Religions which are wholly False For scarcely is there any Religion in the World that doth teach no Truth at all And therefore it is sufficient to prove a Religion to be the work of the Devil if there be any falshood in it at all at St. Paul doth seem to teach 1 Tim. 4.1 where foretelling the rising of the Manichean Heresie which long did pester the Chruch of God he calls the Doctrine thereof the Doctrine of Devils Notwithstanding that those Hereticks with some falshoods did teach many Truths even as all Hereticks do who nevertheless are the Instruments of the Devil to seduce and destroy Souls Wherefore whosoever do culpably Believe and follow Religions or Doctrines of Faith partly true partly false do never believe the same with Divine Faith which is the Gift of God though they esteem the Religion which they follow to be the best of all others yea to be the pure Light of the Gospel of Christ But their Faith is ever a meer Humane Credulity such as is the Faith of all Mis-believers which can never bring them to Eternal Happiness how laudably soever they live because without Divine Faith that is the Gift of God no Man can be saved according to the settled Ordination and Providence of God as I before have clearly shewed out of his Word Out of this Doctrine which is most true doth appear First The Reason of the Doctrine of of Christ deliverâ—d Matt. 7. where he declares That false Prophets that is false Expounders of the Word of God in
matters of Faith do destroy Souls like as Wolves do destroy Sheep and that it is as impossible that their Followers should acquire by their teaching Divine Faith and True Sanctity as it is impossible that Thorns should bring out Grapes or Thisles Figgs The same Doctrine is taught by the Apostle who affirms That Hereticks are subverted Tit. 3. And Subvert the Faith of others 2 Tim. 2.18 That they make Shipwrak about Faith 1 Tim. 1.19 That they depart from the Faith 1 Tim. 4.1 That they are Reprobate about Faith 2 Tim. 3.8 and the like Which mischief they fall into themselves and bring upon their followers though they Err but in one Article of Faith as Himenaeus and Philetus did 2 Tim. 2.18 But Note here That the Apostle in the places cited doth not mean that Heretical Teachers do so Subvert and Ruine the Faith of their Followers that they leave them no Faith at all but that they subvert their Divine Faith which is the Gift of God wholly overthrowing that though they leave them store of Humane Faith to which seduced people firmly sticking yea sometimes even to Fetters and Death do reap thereby nothing at all but Temporal Commodities and Vain glory purchased with the Eternal loss of their Souls Secondly Doth appear out of the same Doctrine the great Obligation that Christian People have to keep themselves within the Bosom of the True and Catholick Church of Christ Because that this Church being continually assisted by Christ himself Matt. 28. 20. And taught all Truth by the Holy Ghost John 16.13 doth propose unto her followers in her Doctrine of Faith nothing buth Truth whereby their Faith doth easily come to be Divine and the Gift of God his Havenly Grace Co-operating with them It doth also appear how deeply they are obliged to take heed of and to shun and avoid false Prophets false and heretical Expounders of God's Word which run of their own accord not being sent authroized or allowed of by the Ordinary Doctors and Pastors of the Ever Visible and Catholick Church of Christ And how wary they ought to be not to have itching Ears after new Masters 2 Tim. 4.3 Or greedily to hearken to their Novelties in Matters of Faith which upon the reckoning will be found to be no better than Fables that is than the Fictitious and Self-inventions of mens brains Though these busie Teachers palliate them with specious terms and bear their Hearers in Hand That these their new devices are the Pure Light of the Gospel For by forsaking the Doctrine of the Church the Spiritual Mother and Mistress of all Nations and as the Apostle terms her 1 Tim. 3.15 The pillar and Ground of Truth and following such New Teachers they make shipwrack of their Divine Faith and run themselves assuredly upon the Rock of Perdition Thirdly It appears how dangerously those are deceived who think they have Faith enough to Salvation if they believe those Points of the Christian Religion about which Catholicks and Protestants agree esteeming themselves not obliged to believe any of those Articles about which the Learned of these two Religions do differ and contend As though Christian people were not obliged under pain of Damnation to beware of false Prophets Matt. 7. To shun Heretical Teachers Tit. 3. To obey their Lawful Prelates and to be subject unto them in matters of Faith and Religion Heb. 13. To hear those Teachers whom Christ doth send Luke 10. To hear and obey the Voice of his Church if they will not be held to be in as ill case as Publicans and Ethnicks are Matth. 18. Or as though they were not bound to know the right means by which they are to be Justified cleansed from Sin and Saved to Believe rightly and to Receive worthily the great Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ 1 Cor. 11. Joh. 6. And as though they were not obliged under the same Penalty to believe and profess the True Gospel the True Faith and Religion of Christ and to Serve and Worship God rightly Seeing those which believe not his Gospel that is the whole Sum of Divine Doctrine taught by his Apostles and by their Successors the Ordinary Doctors and Pastors of his Church are to be Damned Mark. 16 As those also are Which deny Christ before men Matth. 10.33 Which Crime all commit who deny themselves to be of the True Religion as is manifest by the Example of St. Peter who denying only that he was a follower of Christ and of his Company was reputed to deny Christ even as those will be who culpably profess a False Religion For such by their very Fact deny the True and themselves to be of the Communion thereof and of the Company and Society of the True Followers Disciples and Servants of Christ whereby at his Judgement-seat they will be reputed to have forsaken and denied him But to open this Point a little more because many even of the better sort are brought thereby into no small danger of Perdition this their conceit is not grounded upon any clear Text of Gods Word or upon the Authority of any Vnerring Church but meerly upon a Mistake of their own by which out of one or two Truths they infer a pernicious falshood upon which while they trust they trust to a broken staff which at their last Leap will let them fall into the deep Ditch of Perdition if before their Death they cast it not away Which presumptuous discarding of Divine Verities revealed by Christ to his Apostles for the direction of mankind to Eternal happiness and by them laid up in the Treasury of the Church as a Sacred Depositum 1 Tim. 6.20 under the sure Custody of the Holy Ghost is no less than High Treason against Christ our Saviour in regard that it raises a most pernicious Rebellion in his Spiritual Kingdom bringing part thereof again under the Tyranny of the Devil It frustrates the full Operation of his Passion extinguishes the true and right Worship of God despoils Christian People of Divine Faith and thereby of the true means of Salvation It deprives the Saints of due Honour defrauds the Faithful departed of necessary Relief It robs Heaven of Souls and inriches Hell with innumerable unwary and most unhappy People For which respects it is rightly stiled one of the greatest Sins and of the loudest crying Crimes that is Note That God cannot stir up and draw men by this his Heavenly Grace to believe these Verities unless they be proposed to be believ'd without all mixture of falshood for if any falshood be packt in among them and proposed with them for a Divine Truth revealed by God he cannot draw Men by his Grace to believe them thus mingled and preposed with Falshood as is manifest because he cannot induce men to believe any Falshood at all And therefore whosoever doth thrust in among some Divine Vereties any false Doctrine contrary to that which God hath revealed proposing the same to be believed as a
Divine Truth and therein stubbornly contradicting the Teaching of the Church he debars God from co-operating with his Grace and from drawing people to believe with Divine Faith the Doctrine so mixt and proposed It appears how just cause all Protestants have to return with speed to the Roman Church in which they may assuredly be saved even by the Judgement of the most Learned among them because it is more than probable that the Protestant Profession is not a saving Religion in regard that the Doctrine of Faith which it imbraceth is not nor cannot be wholly true but really and certainly is mixed with much Falshood 1. Because in divers weighty Points of Faith it directly contradicts the express Word of God as I before have shewed 2. Because this Doctrine of Faith is not directed by any sure Rule of Faith by any Infallible Interpreter of the Scriptures by and Un-erring Judge of Controversies nor proposed by any sure and Infallible Proposer 3. Because Protestants are divided into several Branches or Sects which greatly differ and are contrary one to another in divers weighty Points of Faith as I have before Noted And 4. Because Protestants hold that all Churches are subject to erring yea and have erred in their Doctrine of Faith. What assurance then have they that theirs doth not err none at all The Religion of the True Messias is not to be introduc'd amongst the Nations of the Earth or in one Year or in one Age But by degrees and by the Labours and Charitable Endeavours of many Ages Because the same is not to be brought in by Force but by Fair Means Not by the Souldiers Sword but by the Teachers Word Not by Violent Compulsion but by Gentle Perswasion such as the Apostles and Apostolical Teachers have ever us'd Going saith our sweet Saviour Teach all Nations Matth. 28. And therefore this must needs be a work of long continuance the Nations of the Earth being so many as they are so dispers'd over the whole World and dis-joyn'd one from another by Mountains and Seas so Barbarous so Drench'd in Sin inur'd to Carnal and Brutish Customs And the Religion of the Messias being so Holy and Profound as Gods Religion must be Yea this Divine Work of notifying the Messias to all the Nations of the Earth and of Converting them or at least part of each of them to him is to endure and last even till the end of the World as is manifest out of our Saviours words before alleadg'd out of the 24 of Matth. See the place and weigh it well The Nations of the Earth I say for above these twelve hundred years have not been Blessed in Jesus by believing in him for want of a True Religion though very many of them within the space of time have been Converted to him by the Roman Church by the Labours and Industry of Papists both in Europe Asia Africa and the New-found World Neither are they ever likely to be Blessed in Him For if already he hath not taken order to preserve a True Divine and Pure Religion among them to bring unto them the Promis'd Blessing that is to Sanctify and Save them He is never likely to do it For he is not likely to be wiser or better or more powerful hereafter than he hath been heretofore Neither is he likely to come into the World again to found a new Church and Religion and to establish it better than He did his first for the Salvation of Mankind I demand of Protestants if the Church of Christ hath err'd as they say in her Doctrine of Faith from whence proceeded this her erring Did this happen because Christ could not keep her from erring or because he would not If he could not how is he God How is he Omnipotent How is it True that he had All Power given him in Heaven and Earth Mat. 28.18 If Christ could enable his Apostles to Preach his Religion over the World without danger of erring and of deluding the Nations of the Earth why could not he also enable their Successors the Ordinary Doctors and Pastors of his Church to Teach and continue the same Religion in all succeeding Ages without danger of erring and of misleading his People If God could direct men to write his Holy Scriptures without danger of erring why can he not direct men to explicate the same Holy Scriptures in all Ages without danger of erring in matters of Faith Well then Protestants must say that Christ could have preserv'd his Church in all Ages from danger of erring in her Doctrine of Faith but would not But why would he not Did the Increase of his own Credit and Glory move him to this neglect or the good of Mankind not the Increase of his own Credit For what Credit Honour Glory could acrew and rise to him by the erring of his Church Doth this commend his Workmanship in Founding her His Wisdom Goodness Power in Governing her I think not Nay could it become the Wisdom of a Discreet man to take so great Pains and to suffer so Painful and Ignominious a Death as Christ did for the Founding of an Erring Church which should delude and mislead the World Would any Honest Protestant if he had the like Power that Christ had have Founded so miserable a Church as they esteem Christ to have Founded I believe not Was it then the good of Mankind that invited Christ to Constitute an erring Church Truly no. For no good can come to men by such a Church but rather much harm yea infinite mischief As endless Discord Broils Contentions Bloody Encounters uncertainty in matters of Faith happen as amongst the Reformers contempt of all Religion and the ruine and destruction of Infinite Souls For the Devil would never go about to seduce the Church and to Pollute her Doctrine with Errours and Superstitions but to do Mischief and to bring Souls to Perdition Wherefore seeing that it could not redound either to the Glory of God or the good of Men that Christ should Found an Erring Church it is very gross Errour to hold that he did And those who so think do greatly mistake and exceedingly wrong the Wisdom and Goodness of our Saviour as will more clearly appear in the ensuing Discourse If it be true that the Church of Christ for so many Ages hath Err'd in her Doctrine of Faith Imbracing as it were with both her Arms and instilling into her Followers many Pernicious Errors many gross Superstitions Notwithstanding that Christ her Spouse and Saviour Promis'd Matth. 16. That the Gates of Hell should never prevail against her That the Holy Ghost should Abide with her Pastors for ever St. John cap. 14. and should Teach them all Truth Joh. 16. That he himself would be with them All days even till the end of the World Mat. 28. And notwithstanding that God Promis'd that His Spirit and Word should never depart from this Church Isaias 59. That she should Stand for ever Daniel 2. And should Never be
This is my Body This and Body suppose for the same thing not This for Bread but for The Body of Christ as well as the word Body supposes for it though in a different way of signifying This obscurely and Body clearly and distinctly Here I humbly intreat the Protestant Reader to reflect that in the mysteries of Religion we must captivate our understanding 2 Cor. 10.5 that is to say suspend it from asserting what it might judge had he nothing to rely upon but the sole relation of our senses to obey Christ God will have as an homage due to him and his veracity this proud faculty of man which is earnest to judge of all submit to his word The assent of my understanding by which I judge a thing to be because I see it with my eyes is an assent of science which is a knowledge quite different from the assent of Faith. In the mean time we Christians as Christians are called not Philosophers the Reasoners but the Faithful Fides est as we say credere quod non vides Faith is to believe that which thou dost not see This is the praise of Faith saith St. Aug. tract 29. in lo. If that which is believed be not seen Blessed are they said Christ Jo. 20. v. 29. who have not seen and have believed Faith is an argument or persuasion saith St. Paul of things not appearing If they appear and I assent that they are because I see them my Faith ceases Science coming in with Faith's Destruction If you say I belive that the Son of God became Man because God hath revealed it and my senses do not controul it your Faith is lame and not able to stand alone and consequently is an unworthy Sacrifice of your understanding to the word of God. What would the King say to that Noble man who should distrust his relation made in presence of all his Courtiers of a thing done by his Majesty upon his Royal word who should I say distrust it because he heard it controuled by a Foot-boy or some such mean person of as little credit As humane Faith requires I rely upon the sole testimony of a man so does divine Faith require I rely upon the sole Testimony of God shall I trust the word of a man sometimes contrary to sensible appearance as when I trust upon the word of a Doctor or a Chirurgion that that which I feel hurts me will do me good and shall not I trust the Word of God because my Senses seem to controul it But be not mistaken neither sense nor reason controuls the Real Presence of Christ's Body in the Eucharist For sense after the Consecration finds its whole Object Colour Taste c. Just as before the Consecration unchanged and meddles not to judge whether the Body of Christ or the substance of Bread be under the Accidents as a thing belonging to the understanding and not within the compass of its Object And Reason tells us that although all the accidents of a substance be present nevertheless their substance is not there if the Author of nature has not revealed that he hinders its presence to them and therefore does not controul our saying that the substance of Bread is hot in the Eucharist after the Consecration because the Author of Nature hath revealed the contrary No more then it controuls Protestants saying that those three who appeared to Ahraham Genes 18. with all the accidents of Men were not Men but Angels because God has revealed it was so 3. Christ by his Almighty Power could change Bread into his flesh and he tells us Matth. 26. in these words This is my Body that he hath done it why shall not I believe it O but it seems strange to our apprehension must God then in that thing in which he will make to all men a memorial of his wonders Psal 110. v. 4. do nothing but what is within the reach of meaner wits and falls under their senses this claim is too proud therefore in humility Here I may say with S. Aug. Lib. 22. de Civit. Dei. Cap. 11. Ecce qualibus argumentis omnipotentiae Dei humana contradicit infirmitas quam possidet vanitas Behold with what arguments human Infirmity possessed with vanity opposes the almighty power of God. FINIS
it is Popery It is a Popish Errour we say to believe that Pennance or other penal Works of Fasting Almsdeeds or corporal Austerities can avail and help for the Remission of our Sins and satisfying Gods Justice No we say Penal Works serve for nothing all is done by Repentance that 's to say by sorrow of Heart for having offended God. This is the Doctrine of Daneus Willet Junius and Calvin who say Francis Dominick Bernard Anthony and the rest of the Popish Monks and Fryars are in Hell for their Austerities and Penal Works for all that you may very well believe and it 's the Doctrine of the Reformation that Pennance and Penal Works do avail for the Remission of our sin and are very profitable to the Soul for our Common-Prayer-Book in the Commination against sinners says thus In the Primitive Church there was a Godly Discipline that at the beginning of Lent such as were notorious sinners were put to open Pennance and punish'd in this World that their Souls may be saved in the day of the Lord. And our Common-Prayer Books wishes that this Discipline were restored again and surely it does not wish that Popery were restored therefore it is no Popery to say that Pennance or Penal Works do satisfie for our sins in this World and avail to save us in the other I know many much mislike our Common-Prayer Book for these Popish-Tenets but what do you say of the grand Errours of Popery can a man be a true Child of the Reformation and yet believe the Popes Supremacy deny the Kings Supremacy believe Transubstantiation and Communion is one kind are these Tenets the Doctrine of the Reformation or consistent with its principles The Kings Supremacy is undoubtedly the Doctrine of the Reformation because it is judged by the Church of England to be of Scripture yet only the Quakers Presbyterians Anabaptists and other Congregations judge it is not of Scripture but as Erroneous a Tenet as that of the Popes Supremacy Calvin 6. Amos says They were unadvised people and Blasphemers who raised King Henry the VIII so far as to call him the head of the Church but also that no Civil Magistrate can be the head of any particular Church the Doctrine of the Centurists cent sept pag. 11. of Cartwright Viret Kemnitus and many others who doubts then but that in the principles and Doctrine of the Reformation you may deny the Kings Supremacy though the Church of England believes it The Popes Supremacy is the Doctrine of Popery who doubts it but it is also the Doctrine of the Reformation for many of our eminent Doctors have judged it to be the Doctrine of Scripture as Whitgift a In Defens c. pag. 373. 70. 395. who cites Calvin and Musculus for this opinion but it is needful we relate some of their express words I do not deny says Luther b In Respons tredecem but the Bishop of Rome is has been and ought to be first of all I believe he is above all other Bishops it is not lawful to deny his Supremacy premacy Melancthon c In Epist ad Card. Bellay Episc Parsiens says no less that the Bishop of Rome is above all the Church that it is his Office to govern Propos to judge in controversies to watch over the Priests to keep all Nations in conformity and unity of Doctrine Somaize d In Tract Euchar ad p. Sarmunm The Pope of Rome has been without controversie the first Metropolitan in Italy and not only in Italy nor only in the West but in all the World the other Metropolitans have been chief in their respective districts but the Pope of Rome has been Metropolitan and Primate not only of some particular Diocess but of all Grotius has expresly the same Doctrin and proves this Supremacy belongs to the Pope Jure Divino I pray consider if these Doctors be not Men of sound judgement and eminent learning and credit in our Reformation and if our Doctrine be Scripture as such men understand it As for Transubstantiation it contrins two difficulties first if the Body of Christ be really in the Sacrament e In Annot. super Novum Testam cap. 10. Matth. saepe alibi and this Real Presence the Lutherans defend to be the Doctrine of Scripture as well as the Papists why then should it be called Popish more than Reformed Doctrine The second is if the substance of Bread be in the Sacrament together with Christ's Body Lutherans say it is Papists say it is not but that there is a Transsubstantiation or change of the whole substance of Bread into the Body of Christ but hear what Luther f To Edit Jonah l. de cap. Babyl says of this that we call Popish Doctrine I give all Persons liberty to believe in this point what they please without hazard of their Salvation either that the Bread is in the Sacrament of the Altar or that it is not would Luther have given this Liberty if Transubstantiation had not been the Doctrine of Reformation as well as any other Communion in one kind is the Doctrine of the Reformation no less than Communion in both for besides that Luther says g Lib. de cap. Babyl c. de Euchar. They sin not against Christ who use one kind only seeing Christ has not commanded to use both and again h Epist ad Bahemos in declarat Euch. in serm de Euch. though it were an excellent thing to use both kinds in the Sacrament and Christ has commanded nothing in this as necessary yet it were better to follow peace and unity than to contest about the kinds but also Melancthon i in Concil Theol. ad March. Elect. de usu utriusque speciei pag. 141. who in the opinion of Luther surpasses all the Fathers of the Church expresly teaches the same Doctrine and the Church of England Statute 1. Edward VI. commands That the Sacrament be commonly administred in both kinds if necessity does not require otherwise mark he says but commonly and that for some necessity it may be received in one lastly the sufficiency of one kind in the Sacrament is plainly set down by our Reformed Church of France in her Ecclesiastical Discipline Printed at Saumur Chap. 12. Art. 7. The Minister must give the Bread in the Supper to them who cannot drink the Cup provided it be not for contempt And the reason is because there are many who cannot endure to tast the Wine wherefore it often happens among them that some persons do take the Bread alone Now you may admire the injustice of the Papists in condemning our Reformed Doctrine and Doctors as Hereticks whereas those Tenets are believed by many of us as well as them and the groundless severity of our Congregations in exclaming against that Doctrin it being the Doctrin of the Reformation whereas so many eminent men of our own judge it to be of Scripture For to know certainly if a