suffered c. by which he hath made a full and perfect satisfaction for the sins of his elect and for the whole punishment thereof both eteâ—â—al and temporal The Papists teach that Christ hath satisfied for sins going before baptism but concerning sins following baptism the fault is remitted by the passion of Christ the punishment which of infinite is made finite is to be satisfied for by men themselves either here or in Purgatory that is men themselves must satisfie the justice of God for the temporal punishment of their offences either on earth or in Purgatory There is say they a certain infernal place in the earth called Purgatory in the which as in a prison house the souls which were not fully purged in this life are there cleansed and purged by fire before they can be received into heaven Bell. de Purgat lib. 1. cap. 1. cap. 3. lib. 2. cap. 6. Rhem. on 1 Cor. 3. Sect. 4. They say also that it is an Article of Faith to believe that there is a Purgatory and that he which believes it not is sure to go to hell Bellar. ibid. l. 1. c. 15. But this is so far from being an Article of Faith as that it is a meer fable and contrary to an Article of Faith The blood of Christ is the Purgatory of our sins 1 John 1 7. Afflictions are called the fiery tryal 1 Pet. 1.7 4.12 whereby we are cleansed from our corruption as gold is from the dress by fire No other Purgatory is to be found in Scriptures The Scriptures mention but two sorts of men believers and unbelievers and but two places after this for them heaven for the one and hell for the other Luke 16.25 26. John 3.36 Revel 20.14 15. 21 7 8. They that die in the Lord rest from their labors which cannot be true if any of them go to Purgatory Their works follow them that is the reward of their works Revel 14.13 If any man should have gone to Purgatory then the thief upon the Cross had gone thither who repenting at his end wanted time to make satisfaction for the temporal punishment of his sins but Christ said to him To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise The Doctrine of Purgatory came into the Church out of the Heathen Writers for the Philosophers and Poets were the first that ever wrote of it and Popish Purgatory was unknown to the Fathers many hundred years after Christ Perkins 2. Vol. 568 569. C. If Purgatory be but a fable contrary to an Article of Faith then what is the cause that the Church of Rome so stifly maintain it M. There is great cause why they should so do for it keeps in the fire in the Popes Kitchin for if the fire of Purgatory were not great the fire in the Popes Kitchin would be but small for by this means they have store of Mony for Pardons Masses Diriges and other such like Trumperies DIALOGUE 5. C. Do they teach any thing else contrary to the Creed M. Yes The sixth Article saith that Christ ascended into Heaven c. and the Scriptures say that the Heavens must contain him c. Acts 1.11 3.21 They teach contrary hereunto namely that Christ is corporally present in the Sacrament and that in many places at once The which is contrary to the nature of a true body and contrary to the nature of the Sacrament which is a remembrance of Christ Virgilius against Eutychus lib. 4. saith thus When it that is the flesh of Christ was on earth it was not in Heaven and because it is now in Heaven it is not on Earth This is the Catholick Faith and consession It is an Article of Faith to believe the Catholick Church and faith is the evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 Therefore the Catholick Church is always unto the world invisible and not to be espied but by the eyes of Faith because things seâ—n are not believed The Papists teach that the Catholick Church is and hath been always visible Rhem. on Mat 5. Sect. 3. The Church is said to be Catholick that is universal because it is not tied to any one special place but is spread abroad over the face of the earth They tie it to Rome alone which can be but a particular Church and not Universal In the Church there is a Communion of Saints and these are they that are sanctified by the blood and Spirit of Christ having the perfect holiness of Christ put upon them by imputation of Faith and the quality of imperfect holiness poured into their heart by the spirit of sanctification And such are the Faithful here on earth 1 Cor. 1.2 Psal 16.2 The Papists acknowledge none to be Saints but such as are in heaven They teach that the Pope can canonize Saints whereas to make one a Saint is only the work of God 1 Cor. 11. The Pope hath canonized many that indeed were never true Saints of God but wicked men and rank Traitors to their Princes as Becket with many others This canonizing of Saints was never heard of with the Fathers until the year Eight hundred and eighty and then Adrian took up this authority And Alexander the Third after him confirmed it in his decrees In the Creed we profess to believe the forgiveness of sins that is I believe that God for Christ his sake doth freely forgive the sins of his Elect and my sins also And herein consisteth our justification namely in this free forgiveness of our sins and the imputation of Christs righteousness to us The Papists teach many things contrary to this Article First That men are to make satisfaction for their sins Now satisfaction for sins and forgiveness of sins are contraries If we satisfie in our own person we are not justified freely if we be justified freely as most certainly we are Rom. 3.23 then we make no satisfaction at all If a man can satisfie and pay a debt then he needs no forgiveness but if the debt be forgiven him then it is plain that there is no satisfaction made The satisfaction for our sins was made by Christ and not by us C. Did not the Ancient Fathers teach men to make satisfaction for their sin M. The satisfaction which they maintained was an Ecclesiastical and publick mulct or penalty imposed upon notorious offenders thereby to testifie their repentance and to satisfie the Church whom they had offended Perkins 1. Vol. 577 c. 2. vol 165. 2. D. 166. The efficient cause of our justification is God alone It is God only that forgiveth our sins Esay 43.25 Mark 2.7 Rom. 8.33 They teach that the Pope can forgive sins and we know that he gives pardons not only for the time past but also for the time to come yea they teach that priests have right to remit sins and they alledge these places to prove to it Matth. 16.19 John 10.23 Now we are to note this that as none can forgive a debt but the party to
their own nature are mortal And concerning this venial sin it was not known among the Fathers for Seven hundred years after Christ And thus you see what gross things they both teach and practise contrary to the Commandments of God whereby it plainly appeareth that Popery cannot be of God for thus I reason Whatsoever Religion doth teach things contrary to the Commandments of God is not of God but Popery doth so and therefore it is not of God and so by good consequence Papists cannot be good Catholicks DIALOGUE 13. C. Hitherto you have shewed that the Papists teach many things contrary to the Creed the Sacraments and the ten Commandments now tell me I pray you whether they teach any thing contrary to the Lords Prayer M. They do likewise teach and practise many things contrary thereunto I will but only name some of them The Lords Prayer teacheth us to call upon God only They teach and practise prayer to Saints In the first Petition we pray for the hallowing of Gods Name They give unto Saints departed that which is proper to God and so dishonor Gods Name In the second Petition we pray for the erecting of Gods Kingdom of Grace in our hearts and also for the means thereof namely the preaching and hearing of Gods Word They hinder the coming of Gods Kingdom in rejecting the Word of God and in persecuting such as will preach hear and read it Contrary to the third Petition is their Doctrine of Free-will Contrary to the fifth Petition is their Doctrine of satisfaction for sin In the sixth Petition we pray for strength to withstand Satan and his temptations They teach people to drive away the Devil with holy water and such like childish toys These and other such like things they teach and practise contrary to the Lords Prayer DIALOGUE 14. C. If Popery be so contrary to the grounds of Religion then we may not joyn with them in their profession M. It is true indeed we must therefore do as the Lord bade Jeremy Chap. 15 19. Let them return to thee but return not thou to them We may joyn with them in respect of Civil Society but not in respect of Religion and yet even then we are to take heed lest we be corrupted by them for he that toucheth Pitch shall be defiled therewith Some think that our Religion and the Religion of the present Church of Rome are all one for substance and that they may be united but they are grosly deceived for an union of these two Religions can never be made more then the union of light and darkness and that because the Church of Rome as hath at large been shewed hath struck at the very foundation C. If Popery be so contrary to the very grounds of Religion then what is the cause that so many yea of the more wise and learned sort do embrace and cleave to it M. One special cause of it is that because men will not receive the love of the Truth therefore God will send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie 2 Thes 2.10 11. A second cause is ignorance of the Scriptures and of the grounds of Religion for if men would well acquaint themselves herewith they should easily see the grossness of Popery A third cause is that Popery is very agreeable and pleasing to mans corrupt nature As for example to be justified by our good works to have Images to Worship God in to live in Ignorance to have pardons for our sins to serve God in outward Ceremonies as in choice of meat difference of days c. These are things very agreeable and pleasing to our corrupt nature and therefore one especial cause why so many embrace Popery A fourth cause is the tyranny of the Church of Rome whose chief means to uphold her Religion is fire and sword for were it not for this many thousands in a few years would utterly renounce Popery A fifth cause why so many especially of the Learned do embrace it is pomp and profit that is ambition and covetousness This was that which made the Scribes and Pharisees even against their own knowledg to withstand Christ and his Gospel And this makes many learned Papists to do the like They know no doubt that in some things they err as it doth appear by the words of Stephen Gardiner on his death bed The Bishop of Chichister seeing him to be in a desperate case comforteth him with the hope of remission of sins by the merits of Christ Gardiner hereunto answereth thus What will you open that gap now you may speak it to me and to such as are in my case but if you teach it to the people then farewell all meaning our authority pomp and profit by absolutions Masses c. These are the special causes why so many embrace Popery C. There is one thing more that I would gladly know concerning the Papists and that is whether a Papist may be saved seeing that Popery is so contrary to the grounds of Religion M. You are then to mark what a Papist is A Papist as the Rhemists on Act. 11. Sect. 4. do describe him is one that cleaveth to the Pope in Religion and is obedient to him in all things Every one now that is under the jurisdiction of the Pope is not to be counted a Papist for there are some even in Italy Spain c. that hold the Grounds of Religion do sigh and grone under the Romish yoke and desire to be freed from it yea would rejoyce to see it Again there may be some that for want of knowledge and the means thereof are entangled with some points of Popery but yet they hold the foundation which is Christ Jesus and look to be saved by his merits and not by their own or any others Such we account not Papists but the true Church and children of God But by Papists we mean such as cleave fast to the Pope in Religion are in all things obedient to him will not be reclaimed from their errors refuse to hear the Word of God to read the Scriptures or any other good books Of such we may boldly say that if they thus continue to the end they cannot be saved DIALOGUE 15. C. I do now plainly see that Papists are no good Catholicks because they are neither of found faith nor good life but tell me I pray you who indeed are the true Church and the true Catholicks M. All that do truly and sincerely embrace profess and practise the afoâ—esaid grounds of Religion in what countrey soever they live C. Is the Church of England the true Church M. Yes for it hath the special marks of the true Church namely the Word of God sincerely and soundly preached and the Sacraments rightly administred C. The Papists say that there are diversities of opinions among us that we cannot agree among our selves and that therefore we are not the true Church M. In all substantial points of Religion we agree both amongst our selves and also
with all other sound Protestants in Christendom In other things there have been are and will be diversities of opinions and differences to the worlds end They should first pluck out the beam of their own eyes for we can truly charge them with greater differences As namely with that sharp and bloody contention between the Franciscans and the Dominicans and with the late bitter contention between the Jesuites and the secular Priests wherein the Priests did write as bitterly against the Jesuites and namely against Parsons as ever did any Protestant nay there was never any Protestant writer that did lay such foul and odious crimes to their charg as the Priests did And herein they verified the old proverb When thieves fâ—ll by the ears true men come to have their goods For one dissention that is among us they have at least ten among themselves D. Willet in his fourth Pillar of Papistry hath set down at large First the contradictions and divers opinions of old Papists and new Secondly The contradictions of the Jesuites amongst themselves Thirdly that their stoutest Champion Bellarmine is at variance with himself shamefully forgetting himself saying and unsaying now of one opinion by and by of another And no marvel Oportet enim mendacem esse memorem A lyer had need to have a good memory Fourthly he sheweth the repugnances inconveniences and inconsequent opinions which Popish Religion hath in it self And thus you see how they charge us with that wherein themselves are most faulty DIALOGUE 16. C. Are there none among us that maintain any strange and new opinions contrary to the grounds of Religion M. If there be any such our Church doth not approve of them but rather censure and punish them C. There be some that profess the former grounds of Religion as we do and yet say that there is no true Church among us and therefore will not joyn with us in prayers hearing the Word and in the use of the Sacraments but separate themselves from us what say you of such M. I say that they are possessed with the spirit of pride and singularity and that in so doing they do even deny these Articles of Faith the Catholick Church and the Communion of Saints and are such as the Apostle speaks of Rom. 16.17 Heb. 10.25 39. Master Perkins in his first Vol. pag. 409. calls them a schismatical and undiscreet company and saith that they are full of pride thinking themselves to be full when they are empty to have all knowledg when they are ignorant and have need to be catechised Another saith thus of them The error of those men is full of evil yea of blasphemy who do in such manner make a departure from this Church as if Christ were quite banished from hence and that there could be no hope of salvation to those that abide here And further he saith that if they cannot find Christ here they shall find him no where The errors of these men you may see in a little Treatise set forth by M. Barnard called The Separatists Schism C. I pray shew me some example that they ought not to separate themselves from us and that they do sin in so doing M. In the Church of Corinth the incestuous man was not punished fornication was lightly regarded yea there were some that even denied the Resurrection yet S. Paul doth account and call them the Church and Saints he doth not perswade any to make a separation but doth plainly rebuke them and sheweth how they should punish the evil doer I speak not this to excuse any gross sin that reigneth amongst us for I wish that the same might be severely punished but to shew that where the Word is truly preached and the Sacraments rightly administred as in our Church they are none ought for any cause to separate themselves And that such as do it do sin grievously I will shew you by a familiar example A mother conceiveth and bringeth forth a son and that with great travel and pain She traineth him up to mans estate and that not without great care and labor This son at length espying some spot and blemish or some infirmity in his mother forsaketh her and will not acknowledg her to be his mother what would you now think of him C. Surely I should think such a one to be a very wicked and unnatural son M. Even such are they who for some seeming faults in our Church deny it to be a true Church and do separate themselves from it whereas this Church hath conceived them brought them forth and nourished them For if ever they were truly begotten unto Christ and born a new it hath been by our Church and our Ministery by which likewise they have been trained up and brought to that knowledge which they have C. There are many amongst us that make great profession of Religion but I can see no good works come from them nay they are not only barren in good works but also live in some one gross sin or other Are these the true Church and true Catholicks M. Though they live in the Church yet they are not of the Church they are but Hypocrites and shall if they repent not have the reward of Hypocrites yea it shall be easier in the Day of Judgment for many Papists then for them because by their barren and fruitless yea wicked life they have caused the Name of God his Gospel and the true Professors thereof to be evil spoken of Let all therefore that will be accounted the true Church and true Christians he careful to adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour in all things and that by a godly conversation and by doing of good works C. The name of God be blessed for this our conference whereby I find my self much edified There remaineth yet one thing more which I will demand of you and that is How I may come to know and be assured that I am indeed a member of the true Church and that I shall certainly be saved M. Be diligent to hear the Word of God preached Read the Scriptures Receive often the Sacrament Acquaint your self throughly with the aforesaid grounds of Religion Joyn hereunto earnest and hearty prayer Set apart some time for these things specially be careful to spend the Sabbath herein And to all these things joyn an holy conversation indevouring above all things to have always a clear conscience toward God and toward men In doing this you shall at length come to that full assurance whereof S. Paul speaketh namely that you are the Child of God and that nothing shall be able to separate you from the love of God which is in Christ Rom. 8.38 Babylon is fallen it is fallen Rev. 14.8 Praise honour glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb for evermore Amen Revel 5.13 FINIS Courteous Reader THese Books following are Printed for and sold by William Miller at the Gilded-Acorn in S. 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