therefore true; for there are old errors, and old heresies; some of them more ancient than those that are properly and formally popish errors. There are the old errors and heresies of Cerinthus, Ebion, Arius, and many more, of an earlier original, than the main doctrines of popery, that are essential to that religion; and if we judge of doctrines merely by antiquity, many heresies have the precedency of popery. Since then wickedness and error can plead antiquity of many ages; it is plain that antiquity is a praise or dispraise, according to the nature of the thing of which it is spoken; if it be good, the older, the better; if it be bad, the older, the worse; continuance in sin being an aggravation of it; as an old swearer, an old drunkard or idolater is worse than one that has lately taken up such wicked practices. Antiquity of doctrine and worship without truth and purity being but grey-headed error and sin, it follows that the longer the church of Rome has practised such worship, and taught such doctrines, she is not so venerable for her antiquity, as vile for her iniquity.

FOURTH PROPOSITION.

Some of the popish doctrines, and some parts of popish worship are older, and of a longer standing than others. Rome was not built in one day; and the body and system of popish doctrine, as it is

* Consuetudo sine veritate, vetustas erroris est. Cypr. Epist. ad Pompeium.

now held, was not finished in one age. Popery came in by degrees, and antichrist rose to his present height, step by step. The question* propounded by the papists to be resolved by the protestants, who was the first pope that brought in their religion, and who was the first that made all the innovations we complain of? is ridiculous and absurd, supposing that to be introduced into the church by one man, in one age, which was brought in gradually, by many men, in many ages.

FIFTH PROPOSITION.

Those things that are essential to our religion, are owned by the papists themselves; for they profess to own the Scripture to be the word of God, and certainly true; but they add their own traditions, things not contained in the Scripture, as necessary to salvation; which we cannot receive. They own

Christ to be the head of the church, and so do we; but they add that the pope is the head of the universal church also, which we deny; they own baptism and the Lord's supper, and so do we; but they add five sacraments more, which we reject. They own that there is a heaven and a hell, as well as we; but they teach that there is a place distinct

* In omni insigni mutatione religionis semper ista sex demon. strari possunt. 1. Auctor ejus. 2. Dogma aliquod novum. 3. Tempus quo cœpit. 4. Locus ubi cœpit. 5. Quis eam oppugnaverit. 6. Exiguus aliquis cœtus, unde paulatim aliis acce. dentibus, cœperit. Nihil autem horum de nobis ostendere possunt, (Hæretici). Bellarm, de Concil. et Eccles. lib. 4. cap. 5.

from both, in which the souls of believers were before Christ's death; and that there is a purgatory, and a place for the souls of infants, distinct from heaven and hell; all which we deny. They own the merits of Christ, and so do we; but they add their own merits, which we deny; and so in other points. So that the controversy between us and them is not, whether what we hold is true and old; for that is granted by the papists themselves,* as to the essential parts of our religion; but about what they have invented, and added to the true religion. All our religion is contained in the Scripture, and what is there, we own, and nothing else, as necessary to salvation. The sum of our religion is comprehended in the ten commandments, creed, and Lord's prayer, which the papists also confess and own. So that our religion is past dispute, and is in a manner granted to us. But whether the popish doctrines as such, are true and old, is the very controversy between us and them.

SIXTH PROPOSITION.

The reformation of the church does not consist in bringing in new things, but in casting them out, and lopping them off. It is a gross mistake that in

* Nota secundo ea quæ sunt simpliciter necessaria, apostolos consuevisse omnibus prædicare, Dico, illa omnia scripta esse ab apostolis, quæ sunt omnibus necessaria, et quæ ipsi palam omnibus vulgo prædicaverunt. Bell. de Verb. Dei. Lib. 4.

cap. 11.

the reformation, in and since Luther's time, the church has brought in new doctrines, and rejected the old. On the contrary she has cast away the new, and retains the old. Gold and dross were mixed together; the jewel of truth was hid under the filth of corrupt doctrines. Our reformers kept the jewel and the gold, and cast the dross and filth away. The reception of the old doctrine, and the rejection of the new, is that which constituted the reformation. And if the church of Rome would own what is in the Scripture, and no more, as necessary to salvation, and would cut off the new, which they have added to the old, we and they should be of the same religion. Our religion was perfect and complete before the doctrine and the worship of the church of Rome (as it now is) were in being.

SEVENTH PROPOSITION.

To know which is the old religion and which the new, we must keep to the word of God, as the rule and test. What is not in the word of God, either expressly, or by just, immediate, necessary consequence, and yet is made necessary to salvation, is certainly a new religion, though it has been taught many hundred years. Thus all false gods, though long since served and worshipped, are called "new gods, that newly came up," Deut.

* Si ad divinæ traditionis caput, et originem revertamur, cessat error humanus. Cypr. Epist. ad Pomp.

xxxii. 17. The old religion then must be examined by the old rule, the Holy Scriptures; so that to determine this, we need not run to the canons of the church, to the councils of men, to the decrees of the pope, or to the writings of the fathers, which are all fallible, and of later standing than the word of God. When therefore the papists ask us, "Where was your religion before Luther?" we may confidently answer, "Where your religion never was, nor will be found; and that is, in the Holy Scriptures, which were written long before Luther was born, or the pope either."

B