266 LIVES OF THE PURITANS. chief interest in the directions there given : and the statute calleth it a part. A. What other doubts have you which you wish to be resolved ? U. The book prescribeth certain parts of the apocrypha to be read in public worship, which contain gross errors, both in doctrine and practice; and leaveth out some parts of canonical scripture. A. All the apocrypha is not appointed to be read, but those parts which are most edifying. And the ancient fathers permitted them to be read in the church. U. Not some detached parts only, my lord, but whole books are appointed. A. What errors in doctrine and practicedo they contain? U. Raphael-maketh a lie, Tobit v. 15. A. If this be a lie, then the angels lied to Abraham, by seeming to have bodies and to eat, when they had no bodies and did not eat : And Christ, when he seemed to intend going farther than Emmaus : And God, when he destroyed not Ninevah. U. The cases are not alike.-Again, the devil is said to have loved Sara, Tobit vi. 16., which is fabulous. A. Is it strange to you that the devil should love men and women ? Do you think the devil doth not love ? U. In Ecclesiasticus xlvi. 20. it is said, that Samuel preached after he was dead. A. It is controverted whether this were Samuel or some evil spirit. U. What writers are of this opinion ? A. What point of faith is it to believe it was Samuel ? U. A principal point, my lord ; for Rev. xiv. 13. it is said, that the souls of the righteous are in the hands of God, and rest from their labours ; which is not true, if they be at the call of a witch or sorcerer, to do those things which while they lived, they would not have done. A. Cannot the Lord dispense with them, and allow them to come, being called? U. He dispenseth with things according to his word. And, surely, he would not condemn such abominations, and encourage them. A. It is no matter whether we believe the one or the other. What is your next error ? Are there any other faults in the apocrypha ? U. There are many others, which at this time we remember not.
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