Certain Questions, Title page – To the reader
CERTAYNE QVESTIONS Concerning
1. Silk, or vvool, in the High Prieſts Ephod.
2. Idol temples, commonly called Churches▪
3. The forme of Prayer, commonly called the Lords prayer.
4. Excommunication, &c.
Handled betvveen Mr Hugh Broughton remayning of late at Amſterdam in the Low countreyes.
And Mr Henry Ainſvvorth Teacher of the exiled Engliſh Church at Amsterdam aforeſayd.
1. Theſ. 5.21.
Try all things: keep that vvhichwhich is good.
1605.
To the Chriſtian reader, grace & peace from Ieſus Chriſt our Lord.
THere came lately to my hands divers writings, controverting ſundry poynts of religion. The occaſion of writing them, was, the cōtradicting & ſpreading abroad as erroneous ſome doctrine taught by Mr Ainſvvorth one of the Ministers of the Engliſh church at Amsterdam: The exception ariſing, as it ſeemeth, from Mr Broughton or a book of his lately ſet out touching corruption in handling of religion. Now of theſe writings, there were ſome, both from the one & the other that wrote them cōmitted vntounto me for the delivering of them, and (if I would) to take a copie. By reaſon wherof, as alſo conſidering that this controverſie concerneth divers points of Religion profitable to be obſerved; and both parties (I take it) being willing to have them ſeen and dulie weyghed of any: I have thought it good to publiſh in print al the writings that hetherto have paſſed from one to another, not doubting but it may much further the truth And bring glorie vntounto God. And now I deſire both the Authors to take this my doing in good part, and thee (good Reader) indifferently to read & equally to iudge of the matters here controverted, as thou ſhalt ſee the truth by eyther of them to be proved vntounto thee. Farewell.
Thyne in Chriſt, F. B.
Mr Hugh Broughton, in a book of his to the King, lately ſet out, concerning corruption in handling of Religion, vvriteth thus: Of Aharons Ephod.
OVr tranſlation giveth to the Ephod blew ſilk, purple, and ſcarlat, & white twined ſilk. The Iewes vniverſally hold that vvooll threed bleew and purple and ſcarlat, and vvhite linen, and golden plates cut as threed, made the cope: not the vncleane vvorme: and they vvill & may vvell hold vsus Battes & Moulwates that cannot ſee that, for the tongue and ceremony, by their ſo plentifull and agreable vvritings. And of touching a vvorme, thus they vvrite: *Ieruſalemy Thalmud, fol. 65. col. 1.v. antep.Yf a worme be in a mans hand, though he waſh himſelfe in the waters of Siloam, or in all the waters that God made, he ſhall not find abſolute cleannes. Now the worme, vncleane, by Ceremony, might not be in Ceremony figuring holineſſe. This errour our reverend Fathers vvill amend.