In a word, fhall I tell how the Sacramental Actions are polluted by the fuperfetation of fo many new Rites, whereby they are wholly changed from their original Simplicity.

In Baptifm, instead of washing with Water, in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft; how have they added fo many adulterated Rites? the Child must be thrice blown upon, then a Charm used for turning the Devil out of him, he must be anointed with holy Oil, and hallowed Salt must be put in his Mouth, fanctified Garments alfo must be put on him, and a holy Wax-candle in his Hand, and the Prieft's Spittle must be gently stroaked upon him. Whether doth all this look like the Simplicity of the Spouse of Christ, or the Attire of the Harlot?

And in the other Sacrament, a great deal more ado is made; fo that any indifferent Spectator, who were not warned of it, would fwear it were a folemn piece of Pageantry; the Priest muft come in cloathed with rich embroidered Vestments, then he goes to the Altar, fometimes reads on the one fide, then he turns to the other; Often he bows, and kisses, and croffes, fometimes single, fometimes thrice repeated croffes: Moft of the Office he mutters, though what he fays is all alike understood, being in an unknown Tongue; Sometimes he turns to the People, and gives them a fhort Barbarian Benediction; Then he goes on till he comes to the five wonder-working Words; And then instead of the Bread, which the force of thefe words hath driven to nothing, behold a God, to be worshipped by the Spectators, And after the Adoration, the God is to be devoured by the Prieft; which made the Arabian fay, He never faw a Sect of Religion fo foolish as the Chriftians were, who with their Teeth devoured the God they had adored.

Certainly all this looks fo like a piece of Extravagance, efpecially if the fimplicity of the firft Inftitution be confidered, that many will doubt if it be poffible that fuch Worship can be received in any corner of the Chriftian World. And by thefe Hints, though an hundred more might be inftanced, let it be gueffed what is become of the fimplicity of the Christian Religion, when it is fo vitiated in all the Parts and Branches of it: And whether that genuine fincere fpirituality appcar in it, which the Gospel holds forth to the World? Thefe things having a native tendency for leading away the Soul from attending upon

C 2

God,

God, in her Acts of Worship; which is the only thing for which external Worship is to be continued in, that in it we may jointly concur to converfe with our Maker. If from this I fhould reckon up all the Tricks are used in fecreter Worship, what Stories fhould I tell of the pattering over the Beads, of the multiplying little unintelligible Prayers, the ufing of Penances, fome whereof are ridiculous for their gentlenefs, and others of them are as formidable for their horror, and fitter for the Priests of Baal, or the worshippers of Diana Taurica, then for those that worship the living God with joy and gladnefs of Heart? Now by the performance of thefe, the fimple deluded People imagine themselves reconciled to God, and fecured from his Wrath: And go about them meerly in the opinion of a Charm.

fo

But I must next fhew how the multiplicity of the Jewish Rites was alfo brought in upon Chriftendom; though Chrift came to fet us at liberty from that Pedagogy, which was made up of Ordinances and lifeless Precepts, that could not make the doer thereof perfect nothing being enjoined in the Chriftian Religion, but that which was of it felf eafy and proper for the great Design of purifying our Souls. Now fuch as have brought in a Yoke of Ordinances, that have no tendency to the cleanfing of our Souls,but opprefs us with their tyrannical burdenfomnefs, being both heavy, and numerous, must be looked on as the introducers of a new Judaifm, for oppreffing the Christian World; What a heap of new fuperadded Forms have the High-Priefts of Rome brought upon these who stoop to their Tyranny? And how much Sanctity do they place in them; enjoining feverer Cenfures on the violatition of thefe, than on the greateft Tranfgreffions against either the Moral or Positive Laws of God? How many Holy Days have they instituted? How much diftinction of Meats, of Fafting,and Abftinence? And how like are their Jubilees and Pilgrimages to the Jubilees and yearly trotting up to Jerufalem, which was among the Jews? In a word, there is not a piece of Worfhip about which there is not a greater appendage of vain, pompous, and withall burdenfom Ceremonies, than were among the Jews.

Shall I here mention the five fuperadded Sacraments, to the two inftituted by Chrift, with all the Rites belonging to each of them, or recount all the Rites in their multifarious Ordinations?

Shall

Shall I tell of the laying up the Bodies when dead, and of the forms of their Burials? The burning of Lamps in the clearest Day, together with the Incense that perfumes the Worship, which are clear pieces of antiquated Judaism. In a word, no part of the parallel holds more exactly, than that they are zealous of the Traditions of their Fathers, whereby the Commandments of God are made of none effect; and that they honour God with their Lips, when their Hearts are far from him: And worship him in vain, teaching for Dorins the Commandments of Men, Matth. 15. 8, 9.

And hitherto I have difcourfed upon the firft limb of Antichriftianifm, and have discovered too evident Indications of the Contradictions is in it, to the first branch of the Defign of Chriftianity; whereby the Worship of God is partly adulterate, and partly fmothered by a heavy and trouble-fome Load of ufelefs and lifeless Performances; which muft needs lead out the Soul from an inward attending on God, or free converfe with him.

The second Branch of Christianity is, the holding forth that Mysterious Contrivance of the Wisdom and Goodness of God, for reconciling the World to himself, by his dear Son; whom he gave to the Death for us, and also raised up, making him both Lord, and Chrift: Whofe Glory and dignity is vulgarly branched out in these his three Offices, of Prophet, Priest, and King.

- By the first of which, he revealed the Father, and his whole Counsel to Mankind, in plain and fimple Difcourfes, afterwards committed to writing by the faithful Eye and Ear-witneffes of his Majefty. His Prophetick Office therefore is chiefly acknowledged, in our grateful receiving these Discoveries, and our studying to adjust both our Faith and Practice to that unerring Rule. But can any thing be more contradictory to this, than to keep the knowledg of thefe Writings from Chriftians, to accufe their Darkness and Defects, and to apprehend great danger from their diligent perufal, to vilify that facred Study, preferring the lame and lifeless Difcourfes of Men, to the Words of eternal Wifdom? For we must consider, that our study of the Gofpel, is of the fame nature with a perfonal following of Chrift when on Earth, to fee his Miracles, and hear his Doctrin; the fame is also to be faid of the Acts and Epiftles of the Apostles. Now to bar the Vulgar from this, is to hinder them to hear and fee Chrift and his

Apostles

Apostles, as if that were a Priviledge reftricted to Church-men. What fhall be then faid of thefe, who call the Scriptures a Nofe of Wax, the Sourse of all Herefies, a Book written not on Defign, but upon particular Emergents; and do affert its incompleatness, unless made up by the Traditions of the Church? Is not this to add to the Words of that Book, and to accufe the faithful Witness of Unfaithfulness? But worse than all this is held by thefe, who will have all the Authority of the Scriptures to depend on the Church, which must be believed in the first place.

But here a great difference is to be made betwixt the Testimony of a Witness, and the Authority of a Judg; the former is not denied to the Church, and fo the Jews had the Oracles of God committed to them; but that doth not prove the Authority of their Sanhedrim infallible, or fuperior to Scripture; and in this cafe more cannot be ascribed to the Chriftian Church, than was proper to the Jewish in our Saviour's Time. But further, if the Scripture be to be believed on the Teftimony of the Church, then upon what account is the Church first believed? It cannot be faid, because of any testimony in Scripture, for if it give Authority to the Scriptures, it cannot receive its Authority from their Testimony. How then fhall it be proved that the Church must be believed? or must it be taken from their own word? and yet no other Reason can be given to prove the Church Infallible. For to say that they have continued in a Succeffion of Bishops from the Apostles days, concludes nothing, unless it be first proved that the Doctrine of the Apostles was of God; otherwise, the Mahometan Religion is as much to be believed, fince for many Ages a Succeffion of Priests have believed it. Further, the Greek Churches drive up the Series of their Bishops to the Apostles Days, as well as the Roman; why then fhould not their Authority be likewife acknowledged infallible? In fine, must the Vulgar go and examine the Succeffions of the Bishops, and judg about all the dubious Elections, whether the Conveyance have been interrupted or not? Certainly were this to be done, it were an impollible Atchievement, and harder than the study of the Originals of both Teftaments: Therefore the Vulgar must fimply believe the Authority of the Church on her own Testimony; which is the most abfurd thing imaginable, and this to every Individual, will refolve into the Teftimony of their Priest. Behold then a goodly Foundation for building our Faith upon !

Christ's

Christ's Prophetick Office is alfo invaded, by pretence of the Churches Infallibility in expounding Scriptures: for if this be granted, the whole Authority will be devolved on the Church, for by this Doctrine fhe may teach what the will; and were the Scripture-Evidence never fo full to the contrary, yet whatever wreited Expofition fhe offers, though visibly contrary to the plain meaning of the words, must be believed. But with whom this Power and Authority is lodged, is not agreed to among themselves; fome yielding it to the High-Priest of the Church, when in his Chair; others to the great Sanhedrim of Christendom in a General Council; others to both jointly: but all this is afferted without proof, for that of Chrift's, of telling the Church, Matth. 18. 17. fo often repeated by them, is meant of particular Offences, and fo is restricted to the Cafe of Differences among Brethren, and relates not to Points of Doctrine. Besides, the Context of thefe Words doth clearly fhew them applicable to every Parochial Church, and yet their Infallibility cannot be aflerted. So it is clear, that Chrift doth only fpeak of a Jurifdiction for quieting of Differences among the Brethren.

That of the Gates of Hell their not prevailing against the Church, Mat. 16. 18. proves not the Pretence of Infallibility. And indeed the Translation of that place deferves Amendment, and inftead of Hell, that word is to be rendred Grave; fo that the meaning of the Phrafe is, Death (which is the Mouth and Gate through which we pass into the Grave, and is fo ufed by Greek Writers) fhall never prevail against the Church; that is, the Church fhall never die.

Neither will that of the Spirit of Truth leading out into all Truth, John 16. 13. advance the Cause a whit, fince that Promise relates to all Believers, and it is a part of the happiness of the new Difpenfation, that all in it fhall be taught of God. And the Promife of founding the Church on St. Peter, Matth. 16. faith as little; for fuppofe the Rock on whom the Church were to be built, were St. Peter himself, which I shall not much controvert; that is not peculiar unto him, fince we are all built on the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets; and on the twelve Foundations of the New Jerufalem, are written the Names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. But what will that prove for a Series of the Bifhops of Rome??

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