A Royal Witness to the Diffenters CAUSE: Being fome Gleanings of fome of those Weighty and Worthy Sayings of the Late KING, in His Conference with the Popish Marquess of Worcester, 1646. in Ragland-Castle, out of Certamen Religiofum. Firft, In Behalf of the Scripture, which the Fapifts fight for their Tradition. Secondly, Against their Primitive Antiquity, which they adore, and fetch their vain Worship from. First, FOR OR the SCRIPTURES, He faith, p. 119. That the Scripture is the Rule, by which all Differences may be compos'd; It is the Light, wherein we must walk; the Food of our Souls, an Antidote, that expelleth any Infection; the Only Sword, that kills the Enemy; the Only Plaister, that can cure our Wounds; the Only Documents to attain . Eternal Life. And p. 116. That the Evidences which are in Scripture cannot be manifefted, but out of the fame Scripture." And quotes for the fame, Irenæus lib. 3. 12. Secondly, Against their ANTIQUITIES, p. 111. Our Saviour Chrift faith, We must not fo much hearken to what has been faid by them of Old Time, Mat. 5, 21, 22. as to that which he fhall tell you. Where Auditis dictum effe antiquis is exploded, and Eg B 2 dic dico vobis is come in its Place. And fpeaking of that King of Phrygia, that was about to be baptiz'd, ask'd the Bishop, What was become of all his Ancestors? He told him they were gone to Hell; flung away, and faid, Then thither will I go unto them; faith, No lefs wife are they, who had rather err with their Fathers and Councils, than rectify their Understandings by the 'Word of God, and fquare their Faith according to 'its Rules. And Speaking of the FATHERS, faith p. 114. I difcover no Father's Nakedness, but deplore their Infirmities, that we should not truft in Arms of Flesh. Tertullian (faith he) was a Montanist; Cyprian a Rebaptist [or Anabaptift]; Origen an Anthropomorphist; Hierom a Monoganist; Nazianzen an Angelist; Eufebins an Arrian: St. Austin had written fo many Errors, that he wrote a Book of Retractations, that they have often contradicted one another, and fom times themfelves. That it was no ftrange Thing to fee Error triumph in Antiquity, and flourish their Enfigns of Univerfality, Succeffion, &c. in the Face of Truth; and nothing fo familiar of old as to befmear the Face of Truth with Spots of Novelty; for this was Jeremiah's Cafe, Fer. 44. 16, 17, &c. If you vaunt never fo much of your Roman-CatholickChurch, we can tell you out of St. John, That she is become the Synagogue of Satan; neither is it impoffible, but the House of Prayer may be made a Den of Thieves, You call us Hereticks, we answer you with St. Paul, Acts 24. 14. In the Way you call Herefy, worship we the "God of our Fathers; believing all Things which are written in the Law and the Prophets. And the better to testify his Piety and Compaffion to peaceable Diffenters, (having hinfelf found the Inconveniency of the contrary) fpeaks to his Son, our prefent King, in his Exar Baix, p. 217. thus, viz. My Counfel and Charge to you, is, That you beware of Exafperating any Factions by the Crofsnefs and Afperity of fome Mens Paffions, Humours, or private Opinions employ'd by you, grounded only upon Differences in leffer Matters, which are but the Skirts and Suburbs of Religion, wherein a Charitable Connivance and Chriftian Toleration often dif fipates their Strength, when rougher Oppofition fortifies. And p. 164. That his Prerogative is best them'd and exercis'd in Remitting, rather than Exacting the Rigour of the Law, there being nothing worse than Legal Tyranny. THE THE Principal Things contain'd in this BOOK. Object. 1.HE firft Objection the Conformists make have no Ground confcientiously to fcruple at the Rites and Ceremonies of their Church, because they are none of them forbidden in the Scripture; upon which fingle Point (they fay) ftands the whole of the Controversy. Answer To which the Non-Conformists return to them the fame Anfwer, they themselves give the Papifts, to the fame Objection against them; viz. That what is not contain'd in our only RULE OF FAITH, the BIBLE, is to be rejected. p. 6, 7, 8, 9. Object. 2. That the Non-Conformists have no Reason to fcruple, much less to feparate from their Church for fuch fmall indifferent Things, as the Rites and Cere- monies in the Liturgy, which they affirm to be fo. Anfwer. To which they fay, That the Rites and Ce- буд own Pens edence, and their Practices declare; viz. By their Imposing them as abfolutely neceffary, upon the Penalty of Life, Liberty and Eftate, yea, Soul alfo; though they themselves do grant, that the Enjoyning indifferent or unneceffary Things as neceffary, is an Adding to God's Word, Will-Worship and vain Worship. p. 12. 13. 14. 1 Object. 3. That they have no Caufe to feparate upon the Account of Rites and Ceremonies, as tho' they were Popish Novelties, becaufe they are all of them founded in Primitive Antiquity, before Popery was known n the World; both which they positively affirm. p. 16, 17. Answer To which they reply, 1st. That Primitive Antiquity without Scripture-Authority, ought to be no Rule, by their own Grant. p. 18. 2dly. That in that Antiquity is found many grofs Errors and Herefies (many of which are enumerated) to which we shall be obliged, as well as to the other, if that is to be the Rule. p. 19. 3dly. As to Matter of Fact they fay, Thefe Rites and Ceremonies in the Liturgy (fo feverely impos'd upon Diffenters) upon a due Search are not to be found in Primitive Antiquity, before Popery was known in the World, as they make good in 28 Particulars, viz. Kneeling at the Altar, Surplice, Crofs in Baptifm, Confirmation or Bishoping, Baptizing Children for Regeneration upon the Deed done, Goffips, Liturgies, Letanies, ReSponfes, Collects, Antiphones, Kyrieeleifons, Pfalms and Leffons, Epiftles and Gofpels, Singing-Service, Altars, Festivals, reftraining Marriage to fixed Canonical Times and Hours, Bowing at the Altar, Ecclefiaftical Order, Confecration of Churches, Organs, Rogation-Week, Priests Garments, Wednesday, Friday and Saturdays Fafts, Vigils, Apoftles Creed, Athanafius's Creed, from p. 22, to 34 4thly. That they fymbolize and are exprefly founded in Popery, which they make good from many Particulars, by divers Arguments and Authorities, 1 |