THe Scribes and Pharisees were Men, as the Doctor owns, who were teachers of the Law; and under pretence of interpreting the Scriptures, had perverted them, and kept the true knowledge of them from the people.

I put this question to the Doctor, Whether if those Scribes and Pharisees had faithfully interpreted the Scriptures to the people, and yet had not put the Bible into the hands of every Milk-Maid to inter­pret, whether Christ had denounced that Woe to them? The Doctor must prove the affirmative, before he can reflect upon the Roman Ca­tholicks.

I will put down the practice of the Pharisees, the Protestants and Roman Catholicks, as to this point. The Doctor says in his second Page, that the Pharisees were teachers of the Law, and under pre­tence of interpreting the Scriptures, did pervert them, and keep the knowledge of them from the people.

The Protestant Ministers are reformers of the Law, and do interpret the Scriptures to the people, and give the people the liberty to in­terpret them by the private spirit, in opposition to their Pastors, if they think fit, which hath brought such a fertility of Faiths into this Nation, that there are as many as Reformers, and as many Re­formers almost as Men.

The Catholick Priests do confine the Scripture to the reading only of the prudent Laity, and doth not think every Cobler a competent Judge of the sense of it, nor able to guide himself in matters of Faith and Practice; but the Pastors by the Bible, are to guide him, and to read and expound the Scriptures to him.

Which of these three doth the Impartial Judge think is the best in all respects? in the 3d. Page the Doctor speaks of knowledge and igno­rance. What he says of Knowledge, is right Canting. What of Igno­rance, is a false Imposition. I never understood Ignorance, a vertue in Roman Catholick Divinity; If the Doctor had read the Manual of our Laity, he might have found it there, in the exposition of the Ten Com­mandments a sin. Now, if the Doctor thinks as he speaks, we must [Page] be all lovers of Ignorance, not only the Laity, but the Priests them­selves. I humbly offer to the Doctor my self, for an Experiment of his Protestant speculation, to be examined (if he knows how) in all or any part of Divinity. For if he pleases I will bring him Tradsmen, who shall readily answer him with an Objection, whatsoever he shall be pleased to ask.

In the 4th. Page, the Doctor saith, the Scripture alone can instruct us in the Will of God perfectly. I ask the Doctor, Whether it be the Will of God that we should keep Sunday for Saturday, and Chri­sten Infants? If it be, where doth the Scripture instruct us so perfect­ly, as that every Milk-Maid can see it there? But let the Doctor leave Canting, and give a solid reason if he can, why the Church which declared Authoritatively the Scripture to be the Word of God, hath not Authority enough and Knowledge, to instruct us in the Will of God, if there were no Scripture.

The Doctor proceeds in the same Page, and says, the Teachers of the Jewish Church, did not proceed so far as to deprive Men of the use of the Holy Scripture; in the 2d. Page he cannot avoid a Con­tradiction. For he says that the Jewish Teachers did take away the Key of Knowledge from the people, which the Doctor insinuates was the Scripture. Then they took away the Scripture, and did not. But suppose they did not take away the Scripture; yet, the Doctor says, they took away the Key of Knowledge; then a Man may have the Scripture, and yet not have the Key of Knowledge; then the Jews might have the Scripture, and yet not see Christ in it, as in fact did not. So may the Vulgar have the New Testament, and yet not see the they New Law in it. So may a Protestant Cobler have the Bible, and yet want the Key of Knowledge; and to whom shall he go to for it? What if he should go to the Pope? For the Doctor owns in his Ser­mon, the Pope had the Key, and indeed I cannot tell how the Doctor should come by it, unless he stole it: Or perhaps it was found in the Ruins of the Monasteries here, in the beginning of the reformation which were broke down, (the Doctor may say) to seek for this Key, and it was found there all rusty (as the Doctor says) and they have been rubbing it ever since. But to come to my purpose. How is it, that the Scriptures alone, can perfectly instruct us in the Will of God, as this Doctor says, when a whole multitude may have them, and yet not see the Will of God in them; as the Jews had the Scripture, and yet saw not the Will of God in it? Now, why may not the Doctors of the Church of England, put the Scripture into the Hands of all the Vul­gar, and yet teach them false Doctrine from their Pulpits and keep the true sense and meaning of the Scripture from the people, as well as the Scribes and Pharisees? then the people may have the Bible, and yet not know the Will of God. Then is the Pastor more necessary for the people than the Bible. We see the Quakers, Anabaptists, Presbyterians, Sweet-Singers, Lutherans, Church of England, &c. all these differ in Faith; and that they are not all of the right Faith. I suppose the Doctor will [Page] own all these have the Bible. How come it that they do not testi­fie themselves by it? The Doctor must answer, that the Teachers of these Men do give the people the Bible, but keep from them the Key of Knowledge, as the Scribes and Pharisees did: And if any one should accuse the Doctor of acting like a Scribe and Pharisee in this Ser­mon; how will he vindicate himself? I will undertake to prove him guilty of above 40 false Reflections, and above-right lies against his Neighbours in this one Sermon, which is more than he can prove upon either Scribe or Pharisee.

Towards the end of this Page, the Doctor says it is a horrible im­piety, to interpret the Scripture in a wrong sense to the people (God forgive the Doctor for it) the Roman Catholicks do own it a Crime: But he says: it is more horrible not to permit the people to read it. He thinks this must be taken upon his bare Word, for he brings not one thing like a proof for it.

In the 5th. Page, the Doctor doth intermix Prayers in an unknown Tongue, with the not reading the Scripture, and says that the people for these two Errors are sure to perish, and surely damned, and that the Scripture is necessary to save them, and that the Church of Rome in these two points, doth contrive the Eternal Ruin and Destruction of the peoples Souls. For these uncharitable and extravagant expressi­ons, the Doctor brings not any thing like a Proof: This I will prove upon the Doctor, according to his own Tenent, that whatsoever Pro­testant reads not the Scripture, is surely Damned. And whatsoever Pastor of the Protestant Church, doth not take such care of all, and eve­ry one of his Flock: First, That he be instructed to read. 2dly. That he have the Bible. 3dly. That he read it. This Pastor for neglecting his Flock, in a thing so necessary to Salvation, must be sure­ly Damned also. This must follow, if the Scripture be necessary to Salvation: And if the Protestant Religion had started up before Print­ing was found out, how many poor Protestants would this Doctor have Damned then?

I ask'd the Doctor why a vigilant Pastor cannot instruct his Flock in all things conducing to Salvation, without giving them the Bible? Until the Doctor answers, I say he may, and that it had been done in all Ages; and I know not why it may not be done in the Protestant Church, unless it be,Me [...]. c. 1. v. 10. because Truth and the Will of God are not in the Protestant Ministers.

The Reader may be perhaps, desirous to know the truth of the Ro­man Catholick practice in these two points: As to the first, to wit, The reading the Scripture, the Church doth not debar the Laity from it. She alloweth it to every one, whom the Pastors judge will use it, with respect and submission to the Church, through the Motive of Piety, not Curiosity. Where the Scripture may be ill used there it is not ge­nerally suffered to be read. And what slavery is in this? The Vulgar of the Roman Church, do believe that they are to be fed by their Pa­stors, neither to feed themselves, nor to be fed by Bibles. St. Paul saith, That Christ appointed Pastors, lest his people should stray into Errors. Ephes. 4. [Page] The Doctor appoints the Bible. The Roman Church appoints the Bible for the Pastor chiefly, and the Pastor for the people. The Doctor ap­points the Bible for the people, and the Pastors are useless. If an Indian should come into England, which would soonest make him of the Protestant Church, the Doctor or the Bible? If the Doctor, then is the Bible not necessary to Salvation. If the Bible, how comes it that so many Millions of well inventioned people in the World, could never see the Protestant there, who notwithstanding were no strangers to the Bible. This I admire in the Church of England, who since the reformation, are much more solicitous to get Estates and keep them, than those things which belong to the next World (and for this I appeal to their Consciences) that every one should not claim a right, to be Judge of the Laws of the Land to preserve their Estates, as well as to be Judge of the Scripture, in order to preserve the Soul.

In the next place, the Doctor brings Scripture for his Tenent If any one shall think any Text he brings to be like a proof; if I may be worthy to know it, I will readily answer it.

Then he brings Fathers. If the Doctor will be so kind as to let me know out of what part of their Writings he took his Quotations, I will readily answer him.

Then follows his Bold Challenge to his Adversaries to bring him any Father, who discourages the Vulgar from reading the Scripture. I answer his Challenge, producing these following.

Hiero. in expl. quest. dam. E 15.The whole Epistle to the Romans wants interpretation, and is invol­ved in so great abscurities, that we want the aid of the H. Ghost to understand it.

In. prolog. supra lib. in paralepo.The same Father confesses, that in Scripture he never trusted to his own knowledge, nor believed upon his own strength, but where he thought he knew; yet, there he asked the learned. This Saint had no Protestant spirit.

De mob. Eri­clesiae. In c [...]mpeud de fidei doctrina. Nasian. lib. 2. Sud Theolog. Serm, de spiri­tu. sancto. Isid. lib. 2. de summo bono. Berard supra cantica.St. Augustin saith, That the Exposition of the Holy Scripture, is to be asked of those who profess themselves Doctors.

St. Epiphanius commits the scrutiny of the Scriptures to the Learned.

St. Gregory saith, the Word of God abhors carnal and rude Men, and that the Law is partly manifest and partly hidden.

To the Weak Faithful, we ought to open those things which are more perfect; and when they are become proficients, and have clear sight, then to put the light before them.

The reasons why Heresies are, is the obscurity of the Divine Scrip­tures. The unlearned ought not to presume to read the Holy Scrip­tures, before they have despised and cast off the pomp of the World.

I conclude with St. Hierome. When there is no one Art, that any of Vulgar can say they know, yet this (the knowledge of the Scriptures) every old prating Woman, every old doting Fellow, every talking So­phister pretends to know. They tear the Scripture, and teach it be­fore they have learnd it.

[Page]I could have given farther testimony out of the Fathers, if it had been needful; but these will suffice, to vindicate the Roman Catholick Practice, in contradiction to the Doctor, who so boldly affirmed, that we had not one rag of Antiquity to cover our Nakedness in this point. I assure the Doctor, that some would have been glad of such Rags, to have made the Church of Englands Wedding Garments.

The Roman Catholick Practice in the second point, which the Doctor calls Prayers in an unknown Tongue, is thus. The chief part of the Roman Liturgie is the Mass; the substance of which is an Action, to wit, An Offering to God, of the Body and Blood of his Son, under the form of Bread and Wine, by the Hands of the Priest: A Sacrifice com­memorative and applicative of the great Sacrifice of the Cross. The Do­ctor dares not deny us Antiquity and Universality, as to the truth of this Doctrine. The rest of the Roman Liturgie is subservient to this. That part of the Liturgie, which the Vulgar do frequent, is the Mass, as Morning Prayer; Even-song, Compline, and Litanies, as Evening Pray­ers. The rest of the Liturgie is said by Church-Men, at Mid-night, or at three, four, or five of the Clock in the Morning, or at such hours as the Vulgar is seldom present, and perhaps the Doctor would not leave his warm Bed and Wife to hear it, although he pretends to un­derstand Latin.

Now that part of the Liturgie which the Vulgar do frequent, they do understand as well, as the Vulgar in the Protestant Church do their Common-Prayer; for the Mass, I told the Doctor, it was an Action, and Seeing is their most proper sense for it, and the Vulgar may have as good Eyes as the Doctor. As to that part which is properly Prayer, it is Translated into the Vulgar Tongue, and they have it in their Prayer-Books, and being obliged to Church-Service every Sunday and Holy day, they understand it as well as their daily Prayers. The E­pistles and Gospels of the Mass, are likewise in the Vulgar Tongue, with the meaning of every Circumstance. And as to the understand­ing of every word of the Mass, which the Doctor was pleased to re­flect upon. I answer, that the greatest part of the Words of the Mass, are the Priest's secret Prayers to God, for himself and the people: There is moreover, daily Preaching and Catechising in the Church, by which there is enough given to the weakest Capacitie, to let him un­derstand, what he ought to believe and do, in order to Salvation.

To the Question. Must the Vulgar be acquainted with every thing which is done in, and belongs to the Church, before they can or will be satisfi­ed & edified, or no? If they must, then the Church of England Edifieth not the greatest part of her Children in her Cathedrals, where, when they sing Musically, few understand them, neither are the Vulgar satis­fied [Page] and edified in the Protestant Ceremonies, neither am I edified, that the Doctor should so much extoll Knowledge, when not one in ten thousand ever read the Protestant Profession of Faith: Nor one in the like Number, knows how much he is obliged to believe. So that when we rightly examine things we shall find ignorance a Protestant Vertue. And is it not to stumble at a Straw and leap over a Block, to Damn the people if they read not the Scripture; but let the Tenents of those who read it, be ever so perverse, so they protest against Po­pery, they are Members of Crist's Church (as the Bishop of Bath and Wells called the French Hugonots in his Pastoral-Letter) and go to Heaven. And is not this Pharisaical in the Doctor, to Damn people for not reading the Scripture, a Protestant Tradition, and not Con­demn them for their Schismatical and Heretical Opinions, things Con­demned by God, his Son, his Apostles, and his Church in all Ages?

I argue farther, thus. It is not necessary that the Vulgar under­stand explicitly all, and every thing that is believed in the Church, as such decrees of the four first General Councils as are de Fide, or the Thirty Nine Articles in the Protestant Church destinctly. If the Doctor denys this Proposition, he must Condemn most of the Mini­sters and Laity of his Church; so by parity of Reason, a Man may be a true Worshiper, and yet not understand distinctly and verbatim every Word which is spoken in the Church.

Farther, the Doctor cannot shew any Divine precept or decree of any General Council, which contradicts the practice of the Roman Church, in this point; which he should have done, if he had spoken Doctor like before he had pronounced Damnation upon the people. Now, where there is no precept contradicted, the Church is to be obeyed.

These reasons I give the Doctor, for the Latin Church Liturgy being every where in Latin.

1st. That the Governours of the Church may have a certain know­ledge of the true practice of it, which they could not conveniently have, if it were in every petty Speech.

2dly. To avoid danger of the nullity of the Sacraments, which would happen if the Priest should not pronounce the Words rightly, of which there is danger, when the Priest is not perfect in the Language.

3dly. It is convenient for many of the Clergy and Laity. To the Clergy, because they are often sent from one country to another, of different Speeches, for the common good, who if the Liturgie were in the Vulgar Tongue, they for many years could not be able to assist at [Page] any Solemnity of the Church. The same Reason is proportiona­lly for the Laity.

4thly. For Uniformity.

5thly. Because the Latin is not mutable as other Speeches are.

Lastly, Because it hath been so from the Beginning, as these following Fathers do Witness.

St. Cyprian insinuates that in his time,In expos. Orat. Dom. the publick Liturgie was in Latin.

St. Austin insinuates the same to have been in his time.De Doct. Christ. c. 13.

St. Hierome affirms,Praefa in para lip. that all the Eastern Church used the Greek Language. There are many more Reasons to be given; some the Doctor gave, such as he thought he could easily refute. The last Argument which the Doctor brought, fell indeed to the Ground for want of a Friend to support it. The other three Reasons which the Doctor says, the Catholicks pretend for themselves, I suppose the Doctor had from the Irish Popish Collier, a Man who had more Devotion than Learning.

But what if the Church gave no Reason, and should say, Stat pro ratione voluntas. It is my Will, and you are to Obey: I am impower'd by God, and assisted by his Spirit; you are to submit, captivantes intellectum? This Method would not please my Doctor at all. Arbitrary Power! Egyptian Slavery! He would raise up Old Cora, with all his Arguments that were used against Moyses; and Cora would come in with a Why and a Wherefore, against every thing that pleased not his Humour. But must a King give a Reason to every Subject, why he makes such or such a Decree? If not a King, why the Church?

The Liturgie which the Church used in England (the Doctor will not deny) was in Latin, from St. Austin's time, till the Reign of King Henry the Eighth, and were all Damned in those Nine Hundred Years! Perhaps the Doctor will answer with his Book of Homilies, that all the World, Men, Women, and Chil­dren, were Drounded in Idolatry and Superstition. Uncharitable Doctor! The World will neither believe your Homilies, nor you, without some proof, at least a seeming one, like your caracterised self.

[Page]But let us consider what were the Works of these Egyptian Slaves (as the Doctor is pleased to call the Roman Catholicks) whilst they were in Slavery, under their hard Task-Masters. Some abandoning the World, retired into Monasteries, dedicating them­selves intirely to God by solemn Vows, passing their whole Life in Prayer, Fasting, Contemplation; Day and Night, praising God. Others building and endowing Religious Houses, Hospitals, Alms-Houses, Cathedrals, Collegiate, and Parish Churches. And from whence have you all your Fat Benefices, but from these Egyp­tian Slaves? If these Men were Idolaters, then are you with your Wives and Children, like those Heathenish Priests in Daniel, Who devoured those Meats which were offered to Idols. If these Men were Workers of Piety, then may you justly fear to be called to an account by the great Task-Master, for not fulfilling the in­tentions of your Egyptian Benefactors.

But we will now pass from the Egyptian Slavery and Darkness, to the Liberty and light of the Reformation. I fear to assert any thing positively, lest I should Err; for I cannot find in this Protestant Land of Promise, any terra firma, upon which I can build any Position. I will therefore, ask the Doctor, who, perhaps, may be better acquainted with the Principles of the Re­formation than I am. First,

Whether God by any Miracle, or any thing like a Miracle, gave testimony of the Truth of the Reformation? If God did not, how will the Doctor convince me that this is not ignis fa­tuus, a false Light, and a real Egyptian Darkness.

The Doctor may perhaps answer, that he needeth no Miracles, it sufficeth that their Reformation is conformable to Scripture; but is not this, Doctor, the plea of every Heretick, and cannot they see as well as you? You are then to justifie all Heresies, or to bring a plea for your selves, such as they cannot use for their justi­fication.

I suppose the Doctor will allow every Reformer the same Liber­ty which he takes himself, and then I ask him if he can shew me a Heretick in the World, and by what Rule he declares him an Heretick?

2dly. Are all the Reformations of Christ's Church true? If not all, how many? Had there been any right and true Reformation of God's Church, if the Church of England had not reformed? And did the better Livers of the English people begin and pur­sue [Page] the reformation of England? Do the reformed live better than the Old Egyptian Slaves? How many Holy Days and Fasting Days have they added to that Egyptian Calendar.

3dly. What Benefit hath the World found by the reformation? If it be a deliverance from Egyptian Darkness, how uncharitable are you to hide this Light under a Bushel? (and it is so little in­deed, that a Bushel may easily hide it.) Why do you not let it shine to the World? Why do you not send your Missioners to unslave and enlighten the World, with the knowledge of your true new Gospel? Why do you not oppose the Romish Missio­ners, in all Kingdoms of the World? Strange, that all the true Ministers of the Gospel, should be so much wedded to Benefices and Wives, that none should have the Spirit of Paul, The charity of God urgeth me to diffuse the truth of the Gospel, over the Face of the Universe. And now how many Countries have they Converted? How many Kings have obeyed the Church of England? How ma­ny Mores have ye Christened, and instructed in the Indies? When doth the Doctor think that there will be of all Tribes and People, Tongues and Nations of his belief? There must certainly be more A­postolical endeavours used, than have been hitherto. For in truth, I never found any Protestant Missioners besides the Penal Laws, the Charity of the Reformation. to free Papists from Tyranny, Sla­very, and Darkness, and bring them into the Light and Liberty of the Reformation. Liberty to believe what ye please, so ye believe not the Pope: Liberty to do what ye please, so ye do not please the Pope, Liberty to excuse all Errors, provided ye blame Popery. I find in the Writings of many of the Church of England Men, that they are ready to excuse the Pagans to suppress Popery, to Embrace all Hereticks, to strengthen their party, and prove their universality. He is the worst of Men, who seems any way to favour the Roman Catholicks.

I met the other day, with a little Protestant Champion, (a Three-penny Book) who briskly contended for the Validity of the Or­ders of the Church of England. He own'd indeed, that they had them by Succession from the Church of Rome; but in my Opini­on, if they had not found fallen Priests from the Church of Rome, they would have gone to Monsieur Calvin, both for Articles and Orders, and have then thought their Church altogether as good as it is now: But to return to my Little Champion; he had no sooner proved the Protestant Ordination valid, and that by a Suc­cession of Bishops in the Romish Church, till the beginning of the Reformation, but presently reflects upon Popery with a protestant Eye, and crys out, I will retort my argument upon the Papists, and prove their Ordination invalid, and did prove that for many hun­dred years before the Reformation, they had no valid Ordination; and so annulled his own.

[Page]Thus Acts my Doctor, he cares not what he Preaches to the people, provided it be against Popery; he cares not what they Learn, so they Learn not Popery, or Learn to Hate it. He cares not how many Lies he tells in his Pulpit, so he can but be­lie Popery. Witness this Sermon, and Witness the World, whe­ther these Tenents which follow, Collected out of the Doctor's Sermon, be not notorious Lies.

Page 3. First, in the Title of his Book, Insinuating that the Roman Ca­tholicks are Idolaters, in his Text, That their Clergy are Scribes and Pharisees, Ignorance amongst them is a Virtue. They keep Men in Ignorance of their Religion. They hinder Men to be saved. They forbid Men to know God and serve him.P. 4.5.6. The Priests hide God's Light under a Bushel. Antiquity is against the Papists, and they own it. That in the Ninth and Tenth Century, the Pope took away the Key of Knowledge from the people; cruel usage in the Church of Rome. 8.10.12.14.15.91. The Pope thought it better the people should be Kill'd, than they should understand their prayers. The Church of Rome wishes there were no Bible in the World: The Church of Rome Cruel and Tyrannical upon Mens Souls. The Bi­shop or Inquisitor alone, can give people leave to read the Scrip­tures; and whosoever should presume to do it without License un­der their Hands, cannot be absolved. They instruct the people sparingly and slightly. Their Sermons are made up with Stories. They leave out the Second Commandment. The Roman Church yields Antiquity to the Protestants. They decline all manner of Tryal. The Roman Priests take the Childrens Bread from them. Doctor, What if they were Married, what would they do then? would there not soon be in the Roman Church, such a Collection for the Children, as was presently after the Reformation for the poor? This then must certainly reflect upon those Church-men who have Wives Children. They make Market of the peoples sins. (The Rector of Colchester will inform the Reader of the practice of the Church of England, if he will give himself the trouble to read his Book) they pay Mony for Mistakes. The Scripture, the chief and anci­ent Adversary of the Roman Church. The Roman Church, Egyptian Bondage and Darkness; cruel Task-Master, denying Men sufficient Means to Salvation.

These and many other uncharitable false aspersions, the Doctor in one Sermon, did presume to cast upon the Catholicks, at the very time when his Prince and the Head of his Church, did openly profess that Religion. Surely he was instructed by Luther's familiar An­gel: And I find indeed, much of Luther's Spirit in the Doctor, and a great deal of Luther's Angel's Truth.

[Page]I admire with what Face the Doctor can thus belie God's Church, especially at such a time, when all those injuries must reflect ne­cessarily upon the Head of his own Church, our King, as that he is an Idolater, that his Worship is superstitious, that he is igno­rant: That he shall be Damned; That he is in Egyptian Darkness, and the like.

I have here briefly run over the Doctor's Book. To reflect upon every particular Cant, was not my Business. I was only de­sired to answer the principal Heads, which are, the not reading the Scriptures and Prayers in an unknown Tongue. If any one shall think there is any material point not answered, I will endeavour to satisfie him or them, if I may be worthy to know it; in the interim, I leave what is written to the impartial Reader, and return to conclude with my Doctor, giving him this Admonition and Exhortation. Dura cervice & incircumscisis cordibus & auribus, vos semper spiritui sancto resistitis: That is, the Doctor should not stuff up his Sermon with Canting Reflections upon his Neighbours, much less with down right Lies: that he should be cautious how any thing he preaches, might reflect upon the sacred person of his King. That he should take care no Argument might be retorted upon himself, for then he fouls his own Nest. I exhort him to teach his people sound Doctrine, and good Morality; for that is the way to keep the people in Union (which is all he exhorts them to in his Sermon) and if they be not in Union, it will bring them to it, and at length to the knowledge of the Truth, which I wish the Doctor with his Flock.