that every man might marry so many wives as he pleased OO Also the Law of Divorce was brought back giving leave to a man upon his meer will without any fault alledged and without the cognizance of any Judge to put away his wife PP yea to kill any of his wives whether publickly as himself did in the open Market place QQ or privately as their next King did in a wood of Freezland RR This also was a Law of that Kingdom Robberies also that beside the falling upon all the goods of all the wicked world as a most lawfull spoyl there behoved to be a liberty to make use of all that belonged to any of the Saints That all things among them behoved to be common SS yet so that the King and his Courtiers might lawfully live in plenty while all the other Saints in that their new Jerusalem were starving with excessive penury TT It is visible whither Satan intends to lead proud hypocrites Their hypocrisie ended in the open practice of crimes extremely contrary to their professions these men who in their own eyes were so holy Saints as they behoved in the tendernesse of their conscience to separate from the best reformed Churches these men who talked of nothing but mortification of the flesh who counted it unlawfull to defend their life by the sword or to exercise the meanest Magistracy or to have any propriety in the smallest portion of goods or to know their own wives after they were conceived VV in a short time they came to preach and practice as very lawfull and warrantable to make themselves absolute Kings and Monarchs of the whole earth to live and die in as many adulteries and incests as they pleased in as great plenty of wealth as by any secret theft or open robbery they were able to catch Their abominable unclearnesse It could hardly be imagined that the Devil himself had been able to lead any reasonable creatures into so grievous errors did we not know to how much grosser these same horrible hypocrites who upon the profession of their own holiness refused cōmunion with all other men had been led away by that evill spirit divers of them not being content with the adulteries of Polygamy have loosed the bonds of all matrimony yea of all naturall relations XX telling us as in the former Chapter was remarked that among the Saints there ought to be no difference of husband and wife Father and daughter brother and sister that such differences were only for imperfect worldlings So soon as a woman turned Anabaptist they made her company with her own husband unlawfull but with all men of her own Religion lawfull upon divers wicked grounds XX 2 Farther that the shame which nature has imprinted in the heart of the most barbarous Pagans to cover their nakednesse must be cast away YY and thereafter that all kinde of incestuous commixtions are not only lawfull but also that they are the very acts of holinesse and mortification ZZ These be the profound mysteries which the Anabaptists have brought into the world this is the fruit of their quatriduall fastings of their extatick prayers of their heavenly raptures and revelations They deny both old and new Testament These might have seemed the very quintessence of all imaginable absurdities if the enemy of all truth had not given us in the same miserable hypocrites a further experiment of his skill in seducing they tell us therefore yet of rarer novelties of new more excellent lights which they have brought out of heaven AAA Having cast away first the old Testament as removed by the Gospel and then the Gospel it self as a shadow put away by the greater light of their new Prophets BBB these impediments of holy Scripture being fully removed the new perfect Doctrine which they bring us is first that there is not any created spirit They deny angels and devils and souls that Angels and Devils are not substances but meer qualities CCC that the spirits of men are but terrestriall vapour like the life of beasts perishing with the body DDD They deny heaven and hell eternall life Secondly that there is no such thing as heaven or hell as life or death eternall EEE that all the resurrection and glory to be expected are in this life FFF Thirdly They cast away all the ordinances of God that the greatest happinesse possible is to cast away and give over all such services as the Scripture prescribes to put away Baptisme the Lords Supper and Preaching of the word GGG to follow the directions of the new great Prophet David George Fourthly that this David George was the only spirituall Christ David George to them was spirituall Christ much more excellent then Christ crucified that Jesus and his Apostles and all their Doctrine were but carnall HHH that David George was to judge the world III that the irremissible transgression was only a wrong against him that whoever would maintain Jesus Christ to be equall with him or the Gospel of the Apostles to be like unto his Doctrine did sin against the holy Ghost and was certainly damned KKK The absurdities of the worst Hereticks of old the calumnies invented by Pagans against the ancient Christians were nothing so horrible though all had been true as these Doctrines and practises whereof the unquestionable testimonies of grave Writers make many of the old Anabaptists most certainly guilty But that which herein I most admire is Many people were ready to seal with their bloud all these abominations that ever poore people could be brought to beleeve so firmly the former absurdities as to suffer most willingly all extremities and exceeding chearfully to offer their very life for the worst of them LLL so long as their Master David did require such seals and testimonies to his Doctrine Thereafter indeed he changed that principle of suffering for the truth and permitted his followers not only to dissemble their own Religion but also to joyn without any scruple in any profession in any religious exercise of any people among whom they lived for he taught them that God was content with the heart alone and gave liberty for all men to imploy their body and the whole outward man in the service of the falsest Religion rather then he should suffer the smallest inconvenience The monster David George did live and die in plenty and peace The other object of my admiration is the infinite patience of God who suffered the Father of such monsters to lead his life in ease and security to go on in peace and plenty with a great shew both of Religion and vertue and the good opinion of his neighbours to his old age and dying day MMM Such snares does the Lord in his wisdome rain down on the wicked world that they who never loved the truth may be intangled irrecoverably in the bonds of error The best of the Anabaptists have very grosse errours I grant many of the
the right gathering of a Church an Apostolick calling and a Baptism with the holy Ghost is always necessary GGGG This is the issue of Anabaptism in many and is likely to be daily in more as we are taught not only by the zealous and diligent observer of the Sectaries motions M. Edwards HHHH but also from that great Patriarch of the Anabaptists Confession M. Spilsberry who in his Treatise against the Seekers is forced to acknowledge the apostasie of too too many of those who once had been cordiall for his way of Anabaptism IIII We are not yet come towards any period of the journey of these wanderers for the spirit that is in them is restlesse Many of the Anabaptists are become Antitrinitarians and keeps them in a perpetuall motion these who are only Seekers notwithstanding of all their enmity against the setting up of Churches or use of ordinances till Elias and new Apostles come to kill the Antichrist and reform these Antichristian abuses that have destroyed for so long a time the true being of all Churches yet are they content in a private and personall way to embrace the Scriptures and the most substantiall truths therein contained but many Anabaptists are now begun to make havock of all The Trinity they abominate they will not only have Paul Beasts blasphemy to go without any censure but they do also joyn with him to preach down the Divinity of Jesus Christ and the Person of the holy Ghost KKKK as their old Father the Anabaptist Servetus does lead them the way It is very suspicious that their seven Churches in their Confession make no mention at all of the Trinity The Confession of their seven Churches is here unsound nor expresse any thing of the Person either of Christ or of the holy Ghost when they have pregnant occasion so to do What they speak in their second Article of the Father Word and Spirit as being all three one God is expounded by some of their followers not of the Trinity of Persons but of three offices onely of one and the same Person LLLL It cannot but give offence that in their twenty second Article where they speak of that which Scripture holds out and we accordingly are to beleeve of Jesus Christ and the holy Ghost they mention in both their Editions onely the nature and offices of Christ the power and fulnesse of the Spirit in his works and operations but speak not a syllable of the Persons either of the Son or of the Spirit and to Christ they give but one nature while as all Divines since his Incarnation give him two Richardson one of their prime Leaders a blasphemer of the Trinity But that which most clearly evidences their Heterodoxy in this point is that having set down rightly in the end of their second Article the personall relations and properties the Fathers being of himself the Sons generation of the Father from everlasting the holy Spirits procession from the Father and the Son yet in their second Edition they scrape out all this and in the margin of its Preface they referre those who desire to know farther of their minde to their Brother M. Richardsons Treatise now this man tels us that what ever is written against the Anabaptists is all from the Devil MMMM and if we understand him right he pronounces our Doctrine of the Trinity of Christs eternall generation and of the Spirits procession from the Father and the Son to be no lesse a crime then very blasphemy NNNN That the seven Churches will own such horrible assertions though they referre us to them I cannot obtain of my self to beleeve albeit too many of their friends goe all this length and much farther Divers of them are abominable blasphemers of Christs Person Paul Beasts blasphemies against the Divinity of Christ and the holy Ghost are no more his singularities but are now become a part of the new light which shines in Lambs Congregation OOOO and openly in Westminster Hall is defended without all fear either of God or man PPPP yea so great is the despight of divers Anabaptists at the Person of Jesus Christ that they rail most abominably against his holy name they not onely spoil him of his Godhead but will have his Manhood defiled with sinne QQQQ yea they come to renounce him and his Crosse RRRR Though some of them with a great deal of confidence avow themselves to be the very Christ SSSS And if any worse can be Others of them are become perfect Atheists some of tbis generation are gone yet higher from the Trinity of the Persons they fall on the very nature and essence of God giving to him a humane shape and bodily form of three men wherein when he pleaseth he makes himself visible TTTT And which yet is worse some of them deny all beeing to God as if he had no existence neither in the heaven nor the earth or any where else VVVV Thus farre Boggis M. Hobsons man and M. Oats dear companion did openly avow and Webbe confessed that as once himself so many of his companions were turned expresse Atheists XXXX The holy Scripture the onely ground of faith They evert reject the whole Scripture which once being overturned all the building of our belief must fall is most lamentably blasphemed by them not onely the old Testament but the new also is set aside the letter of the most plain Texts is turned into allegories YYYY the Scripture is denied to be the word of God ZZZZ and is avowed to be full of lies and errours AAAAA men are sent from the word to seek revelations above and contrary to it BBBBB The Familistick Anabaptists do cleave fast to the most of David George his abominations and adde more of their own thereto Many of them are turned Familists denying the immortality of the soule They deny that any mans soul is a living spirit affirming it to be onely a bodily vapour like the life of beasts which at death does perish They are not onely for the sleeping of the soul at death but for its annihilation and for this they have published whole Books CCCCC At first these mortallists did grant a resurrection of the body and for that end a new creation of a corporal soul but now they speak out their mind more boldly they deny all resurrection after death all life either of body or soul what Scripture speaks of the day of judgement of the burning of the elements and of life eternall they turn it into allegories and make it all to be performed in this life but after a mans death they admit not of any return to life or to any more beeing DDDDD A heaven for the joy of the Saints Denying heaven and hell angels and devils a hell for the torment of the wicked after this life they utterly deny EEEEE That ever there was either Angel or Devil they also deny what Scripture speaks of these creatures they allegorize
it all into fancies FFFFF Some of them make the world eternall others all creatures to perish They make God personally to subsist in every creature they make him the life of all the living and his essence the proper form of all things GGGGG Some of them make the world eternall going on in a continuall generation and succession of things as now we see them HHHHH others make all to be destroyed Some deny all resurrection others makes the bests rise to glory heaven and earth and what ever is therein for ever to perish and nothing of any creature to remain but that portion of the Divine essence which was in them and gave them their beeing IIIII Some of them that admit of a resurrection after this life make it generall of all creatures that ever have been even of beasts birds and fishes to a new life of glory KKKKK They teach abominable obscenities I reade not that their Doctrine is yet so extremely obscene as that of David George yet here also they are come prety near him for two of their Teachers M. Gorting and Mistresse Attaway with their Disciples have declared themselves for the dissolution of all unequall Marriages and such are all those with persons of a different mind from themselves LLLLL That which we have heard of their practising of incest is now publickly avowed in print they do not with David George lay aside all naturall relations in matter of marriage they will not passe the consideration of Father and Mother Brother and Sister but which is worse they will have these relations to be grounds of a Matrimoniall conjunction as if these marriages were most laudable which are betwixt persons nearest in bloud Brother and Sister Father and Daughter Mother and Sonne Uncle and Neece this spirit of abominable villany doth now walk in publick among us MMMMM whereunto if you will adde M. Miltons doctrine of dismissing wives so oft as men please MMMMM 2 you shall make it lawfull for every man once a month to marry if they were thirty of his nearest kinswomen a wickednesse which David George himself did never think of They follow David George in his greatest absurdities But that which was David George his chief wickednesse in debasing the administrations of God and advancing himself above all that is called God making the dispensation of the Law the Kingdome of the Father the preaching of the Gospel the carnall Kingdome of the Son but his own Ministery to be above both the Ministery of the holy Ghost in a new world of love whereof himself was the great Prophet farre more excellent then all before him this madnesse is also in the midst of us Attaway made it the subject of divers of her Sermons that the Kingdom of the holy Ghost and of love more excellent then that of Christs was now at the doors NNNNN That Jerusalem was quickly to be builded and from thence extraordinary Prophets to be sent for the preaching of the eternall Gospel OOOOO And now much sooner then we expected before one stone is laid in Jerusalem behold the great Prophet is come and has printed his Divine light The Divine light of their new great Prophet proclaiming himself the anointed of the Lord for this great service of preaching the eternall Gospel PPPPP assuring that all who opposeth him are not onely apostates Arians Antichrists The fall of Adam the clearest Scriptures are but allegories but also very incarnate Devils QQQQQ The rare mysteries which this great Prophet brings to the world from heaven are these Doctrines That the eating of the forbidden tree the burning of the world with fire and such other Scriptures are but meer allegories RRRRR That the humane nature of Christ is a Person The whole Trinity suffered in the person of Christs humanity That there is no union of the second Person of the Godhead therewith but that all the three Persons in the time of the Passion did come down and subsist in his humane Person That all the three Persons did truly suffer in the humane Person of Christ and that by the Passion of the Godhead of all the three Persons alike the world was redeemed SSSSS That the Passion of the Trinity in the humane Person of Christ was nothing but the conflict of the two Divine Attributes Mercy and Justice the one with the other TTTTT That the former days of the Gospel were Christs private Kingdome and the world of Esaus curse wherein Christ did sit as a Judge to torment and condemne the reprobate VVVVV But now since he the great Prophet The great light which this Prophet brings from heaven is that all the Devils and all the reprobates shall be saved by his Gospel the Lords annoynted began to Preach the new and the last world is come the world of Jacobs blessing the time of the Spirits Ministery of Christs publick Kingdome wherein the eternall Gospel is preached XXXXX That the summe of this Gospel is the salvation of all without exception even of the Devils and of those who were damned by Christ in the world of Esaus curse YYYYY That saving faith is nothing but the belief of this universall salvation ZZZZZ That whoever beleeves it not shall be damned that is they shall undergoe for some time hels torment though at last with the Devils they be delivered therefrom That by this faith any three or four persons may become so strong sons of God as to save not onely themselves but a world of misbelievers AAAAAA Randals grosse Familisme It were long to enumerate all the abominations that are among many of these who goe under the name of Anabaptists it will be hard to name any of the conceits of their Fathers in Germany which is not here entertained by some one or other I am sure the incomparably worst of the Sects over Sea was that of the Georgians and among us the Familists are their naturall brood what they have learned from Henry Nicholas and he from David George we may see it yet more distinctly in two late Writs The discovery of Familisme The description and confutation of Familisme We reade in the first that a great many who have been counted zealous and gracious are now of that Sect BBBBBB That a great man a Peer of the Land and divers Doctors of Divinity are of that number CCCCCC That M. Randall for some years has preached peaceably at the Spittle to as great a multitude of people as follows any Sectary about the City That the learned Author of the Discovery did hear him preach the following positions who wrote them down with a refutation and before many witnesses sent them to him to be answered No resurrection no heaven no hell after this life To wit first that all the resurrection and glory which Scripture promises is past already and no other comming of Christ to judgement or life eternall is to be expected then what presently in this earth the Saints do enjoy nor any more hell and condemnation to be feared then what in this life before death is
3. p. 88. Since the Anabaptistick spirits so singularly illuminate must needs preach and set up Churches how comes it that they do not go unto the places where the Gospel yet has not been preached onely they insinuate themselves in these places where the Gospel with great labour has been preached and Churches reformed onely in these places where godly men are in peace and quietnesse the Anabaptists come and make trouble stirring up their dissentions and factions so that thereafter many especially weak ones know not whither to turn themselves But tell me I pray you O Anabaptists from what Scriptures you have learned that it is lawfull for you to fall upon other mens Churches and without any calling Divine or humane of your own proper accord secretly and craftily begin to teach to seduce and cause trouble AA Sleidan l. 10. p. 269. John of Leyden a forward Anabaptist when he had familiarly insinuated himself with the preachers of the Gospel did enquire of them privately how they thought that infants Baptisme could be defended BB Bernard Rotman did publickly exhort the people to pray that their Religion might be kept pure and incorrupt from fantastick men especially from Anabaptists who then did lurk among them whose opinion if it should prevail the Estate not onely of the Republique but also of Religion would be miserable CC Sleidan ibid. By a publick Statute the Anabaptists were commanded to depart the Town DD Ibid. p. 270. The Anabaptists running together into the Market place did cry out that all who were not rebaptized might be slain they possessed themselves of the Town Cannon and offered violence to many EE Ibid. This broyl ended in a composition whereby it was provided that every one should goe home in peace and live quietly in his own Religion FF Lambertus Hortensius p. 17. After that in strength the Anabaptists saw themselves equall unto their opposites and in boldnesse much above them they took in hand a malapert design they did run together in many parts of the Town and with terrible cries they frighted the people the words of all were Get you hence you wicked ones if you desire not to be destroyed for we will presently kill all who refuse to be rebaptized GG Hortensius ibid. By this means the Anabaptists becomming Masters of the Town do frame the State according to their own pleasure Sleidan l. 10. p. 271. They choose a new Senate all of their own faction HH Ibid. Thereafter the Prophet commanded that no man should keep any book but the Bible he commanded all other books to be brought forth and destroyed he said he had this commandment from God so a great number were brought together and all burnt with fire II Ibid. The Prophet Jo Mathy commanded that what ever gold silver or movable goods any had they should bring it to the publick under the pain of death KK Ibid. 272. The Prophet Mathy lays hold upon the poor man casts him down upon the ground and strikes him through with a spear and thereafter shoots him through with a musquet LL Ibid. So soon as he came near the camp of the Enemy he was sticked by a souldier MM Hortensius p. 26. He said he had a command from God to appoint twelve Judges in Israel who in place of the former Magistrates and Senate should have absolute power to rule the State he did choose out twelve of his own friends NN Guy du Breze p. 30. The great Prophet Jo Becold of Leyden having perswaded the lawfulnesse of marrying more wives together he plaid his part pretty well for he did marry fifteen and kept them all together OO Hortensius p. 29. One and fifty were presently cast in prison and for two days were cruelly put to death some were shot at a post others were cut in two pieces the rest were beheaded Knipperdolling was executioner to them all PP Ibid. p. 31. The Prophet Tuiscoscurerius did proclaim in the Market place The Lord cals thee Becold to be King that not onely thou maist reign here in Sion but also that thou maist command over the whole world and subject to thy Scepter all men in the whole earth QQ Ibid. p. 33. He carried upon his head a triple crown of pure gold adorned with rich stones and jewels about his neck he had a golden chain in his hand a golden globe c. RR Ibid. p. 46. The King publikely with his own hand did kill one of his wives not being condemned in any Judicatory avowing that the people ought to rest satisfied that the King did approve his cause to God SS Sleidan l. 10. p. 283. The Hassian Divines did so dispute with Becold that he did grant them the most part of the things in question and did promise if his life might be safe to make all the Anabaptists of Holland England and Freezland to be quiet and in all things obedient to the Magistrate TT Ibid. Being executed they were put every one in Iron-grates and hung up upon the highest Steeple of the Town VV Hortensius p. 7. By the conspiracy of the Anabaptists two very famous Towns at one time were much endangered Munster and Amsterdam the one through the default of the Governours was wracked the other with the wisdome and diligence of the Magistrate was preserved XX Guy du Breze p. 60. A certain woman one of your sisters at Apezel in Suitzerland did teach and perswade a number of your brethren that she was Christ the Messias of the women who did choose twelve Apostles YY Hortensius p. 74. Ten year after the taking of Munster one was taken in Utrecht who was appointed to be King but not yet crowned among other of his crimes he led aside his wife into a wood and there struck off her head that thereafter the more quietly and peaceably he might continue his incest with her daughter but it was not long while he kill'd the damsell also lest he should be betrayed ZZ Historia Davidis Georgii p. 12. John Battenburg affirmed himself to be sent by God to set up the Kingdome of Christ that was fallen at Munster AAA Ibid. p. 11. He did say that the grace of the Gospel had long enough been offered that from thenceforth all who had rejected it were to be killed with the sword that they who of their own accord thereafter did joyn themselves to the Battenburgick sect however they might not be received in the number of children yet after the example of the Gibeonites their life might be spared and they might be taken in as servants BBB Ibid. p. 12. Whatever they found in the fields or the villages they carried it away and destroyed it they did creep in quietly or broke in by force into the houses of the adversaries and there they killed people in their beds or closing the doores did burn them to death or leading them out of their houses did hang them upon trees CCC Battenburg did slander the Monasterians as slack and Apostates who quickly were
Israel KKK Historia Dav. p. 45. Whosoever will reject so clear a light of truth so powerfully manifesting it self in the ministery of David George by adhering too much unto the imperfect state of the Prophets and Apostles Doctrine shall sin as much as they of old who preferred Abraham to Christ and the Law to the Gospel and properly this is the sin against the holy Ghost which could not be committed in former ages when this so great light was not yet revealed LLL Vide supra MMM Vide supra NNN Heresbachius Preface Menno in his Book of fundamentalls speaking of the Anabaptists of Munster I doubt not saith he but these our beloved Brethren who lately did sin a little against God by defending their faith with Arms are in the favour of God OOO Clopenburg p. 123. The Anabaptists contradict this truth and do ascribe unto infants in their first birth without any regeneration the purity of innocency wherein they do please their Creator affirming also that onely by actuall sinne men become sinners p. 131. They say that Adam did obtain not onely to himself but to his whole posterity propitiation and remission of sins so that none of Adams posterity is born in sin or guiltinesse of eternall death but all men are born partakers of the grace of God in Christ Also Bullinger p. 26. These men did not acknowledge originall sin and affirmed that infants were born pure from sin PPP Vide supra QQQ Bullinger p. 117. In the great article of justification by faith and not by works the Anabaptists do grosly erre Also Clopenburg p 158. The Anabaptists say that in the matter of justification faith and works are so strictly joyned that the one without the other is nothing so that good works are necessary means of obtaining justification RRR Clopenburg p. 124. Concerning free-will the Anabaptists teach that Adam in the state of corruption was not so evill but that he was able by the use of reason left to him by God to hear and to receive the promise of redemption offered to him in Christ yea that Adam did really make use of that liberty and power for the use of his restitution that the posterity of Adam did keep that same free-will which is placed in the use of reason not only for the discerning but for the free choosing of good and evill Ibid. p. 198. Vnto this Tenet another Heterodoxy is conjoyned concerning the uncertainty of the Saints perseverance for the Anabaptists affirm plainly that the truly faithfull children of God may become the unfaithfull children of the Devill and lose their salvation SSS Clopenburg p. 131. cited before TTT Ibid. p. 155. They do destroy the eternall election of single persons to salvation which they say is only done when the faithfull embrace the benefits of Christ and do faithfully keep them that there is no eternall election or decree to give salvation unto certain persons but that which is made with consideration of faith and chiefly of perseverance in faith VVV Clopenburg p. 18. cited before Ibid. p. 37. They deny the immutable immortall Deity of Christ XXX Clopenburg p. 56. Their Tenet here in blasphemous that while Christ did die in the flesh the very Deity of Christ did suffer end die YYY Clopenburg p. 10. cited before Also p. 12. cited before Also Bullinger p. 62. Among the abominable Anabaptists Michael Servetus has the first place his blasphemies against the holy Trinity were abominable ZZZ Clopenburg p. 145. I will not in this place refute their latent Socinianisme whereby they make Christ only an exemplary Saviour AAAA Clopenburg p. 83. cited before BBBB Bullinger l. 3. p. 119. They say that they will hear the word of God but the interpretation and the words of the Ministers upon it they cannot take for the word of God neither will they hear or receive it CCCC Bullinger p. 74. Among the abominable Anabaptists we place these who reject the old Testament and who receive me the Testimonies that are brought thence for the clearing and confirming of the Doctrines of our Christian faith or for the refuting of Errors saying that the old Testament is now abrogate DDDD Clopenburg p. 235. The Anabaptists covered that the Covenant made with Abraham sealed by Circumcision does not belong any thing to the Church in the new Testament for they make the Covenant it self as carnall as circumcision CHAP. III. The modern Tenets of the Anabaptists in ENGLAND WHAT is set down in the former Chapters of the old Anabaptists over Sea The spirit of Anabaptisme clearly devillish was in relation to their present off-spring in England with them chiefly it is that I intend to deal desiring if possible to draw some of them from their evill way or at least to hold off others who yet are free from running too rashly into their errour before they have a little considered it I hope I have made it so clear that no ingenuous knowing reader will hereafter call it in question that the spirit which was the author of Anabaptisme in Germany and carried on all its principall leaders along their whole course could be no better Angel then Satan who under the colour of a more then ordinary zeal to the smallest truths and of a vehement affection to the highest degrees of all holinesse was palpably found to set on foot the most grosse and damnable Errours the most abominable obscenities cruelties robberies that ever the Sun from its first creation to this day did shine upon in any part of the earth How much of his nature that spirit has laid down since his late appearance in England it cannot yet with confidence be pronounced He was an Angel of light in Germany for a longer time then yet he has dwelt among us in any considerable visibility for till of late he did but lurk it this Land in the habit of an Incognito Since the time he began to appear in publick there is nothing which he would more gladly disclaim then these crimes and that face wherewith he did walk over Sea when he took the boldnesse to lay aside his mask and to shew his true visage as it was without any disguise Tell the English Anabaptists now of the Doctrine and practises of their fathers in Munster and elswhere The fair profession of many English Anabaptists not to be trusted they are ready with passion to deny all affinity all consanguinity with such monstrous Hereticks They will be nothing lesse then Anabaptists the furthest they will professe to maintain is but a simple Antipaedobaptisme How ever this will be found a very grosse and dangerous errour yet we wish that all our questions with that generation of men were come to so narrow an issue we are loth to force upon any man the errours which he is willing to disallow the fewer the differences be a full agreeance is the more easie and near the multiplication of controversies makes peace the more difficult and desperate yet for many
their Coventicle house and there before many people said that Brother Kiffen and Patience anoynting her she suddenly recovered SS Vide supra O. TT Gangren first Part p. 27. That all singing of Psalmes as Davids or any other holy songs of Scripture is unlawfull and not to be joyned with that the singing which Christians should use is that of hymnes and spirituall songs framed by themselves composed by their own gifts and that upon speciall occasions as deliverances c. sung in the Congregation by one of the assembly all the rest being silent VV Gangren first Part p. 23. This Den preacheth much against tythes he hath put down all singing of Psalmes in his Church XX The compassionate Samaritane p. 31 33. And hereby is maintained the necessity and excellency of Learning and the Languages and so of Vniversities and a supposall that the Arts likewise are necessary to a Divine As Diana was so is learning the crafts-mens living and the peoples Goddesse the people may if they please dote upon that which hath been their destruction they ought to account better of them that having no by-ends or respects have studied the Scriptures for their own and others information and do impart the same to the people out of a desire of their good for nothing as the Anabaptists doe to their Congregations See also Bloudy Tenet p. 173. YY Vide Disswasive p. 48. Browns life and manners of all true Christians p. 8. Know ye not that they which have their full and sufficient authority and calling are not to care for a further authority Hath not every lawfull Pastor his full authority Ibid. p. 8. The Lord did not only shew them the Tabernacle but bade them make it but these men will not make it at all because they will tarry for the Magistrate Ibid. pag. 10. They could not force Religion as you would have the Magistrate to do and it was forbidden to the Apostles to preach to the unworthy or to force a planting or government in the Church the Lords kingdome is not by force neither durst Moses or any of the Kings of Judah force the people by Law or by power to receive the Church government but after they received it if then they fell away and sought not the Lord they might put them to death They do cry Discipline discipline that is for a civill forcing to imprison the people or otherwise by violence to handle and beat them if they would not obey them Ibid. p. 11. The Lords people is of the willing sort they shall come unto Sion and enquire the way unto Jerusalem not by force nor compulsion but with their faces thitherward And p. 12. Because the Church is in a Common-wealth it is of the Magistrates charge that is concerning the outward provision and outward justice they are to look but to compell Religion to plant Churches by power and to force a submission to Ecclesiasticall government by Laws and penalties belongeth not to them neither yet to the Church ZZ Disswasive p. 49. EEEEE FFFFF Also the modell of Church and civill power composed by M. Cotton in the bloudy Tenet p. 156. The Magistrate hath power to forbid all idolatrous and corrupt assemblies who offer to put themselves under their patronage and shall attempt to joyn themselves into a Church estate and if they shall not hearken to force them therefrom by the power of the sword Ib. 101. Tolerating many Religions in a State in severall Churches beside the provoking of God may in time not only corrupt leaven divide and so destroy the peace of the Churches but also dissolve the Continuity of the State especially ours whose wals are made of the stones of the Churches He hath also power to compell all men within his grant to hear the Word ZZ 2 Tombs Apology p. 13. Being acquainted with a Law made in New England and proceedings against those that denied baptizing of Infants I yeelded to the sending of my examen thither and therewith I sent this short Epistle Reverend Brethren understanding that there is some disquiet in your Churches about paedobaptism c. AAA Apologetick narration p. 19. To the Magistrates power we give as much and as we think more then the principles of the Presbyteriall government will suffer them to yeeld BBB Burrows Irenicon at length CCC Apologeticall narration p. 9. We judge that excommunication should be put in execution for no other kinde of sinnes then may evidently be presumed to be perpetrated against the parties known light as whether it be a sin in manners and conversation such as is committed against the light of nature or the common received practises of Christianity professed in all the Churches of Christ or if an opinions then such as are likewise contrary to the received principles of Christianity and the power of godlinesse professed by the party himself and universally acknowledged in all the rest of the Churches and no other sins to be the subject of that most dreadfull sentence DDD John Goodwins Theomachia p. 37. Concerning other civill means for the suppression and restraint of these spirituall evils errours heresies c. as imprisonment banishment interdictions finings c. both reason and experience concurre in this demonstration that such fetters as these put upon the feet of errours and heresies to secure and keep them under still have proved wings whereby they raise themselves the higher in the thoughts and mindes of men and gain an opportunity of farther propagation Ibid. To hold that the persons so elected the Members of the House of Commons chosen by men unworthy and strangers to the power of godliness have a power by vertue of such nomination or election to enact Laws and Statutes in matters of Religion and to order under mulcts and penalties how men shall worship and serve God as it is a means to awaken the eye of jealousie upon them and so is seven times more destructive unto the undermining not only of their power but of their honour peace and safety also then any thing that is found in the way so ill entreated so is it the setling upon the electors of such persons I mean upon the promiscuous multitude of the Land a greater power then ever Jesus Christ himself had at least then ever he exercised EEE Anabaptists Confession Edition second Article 48. in the margin Concerning the worship of God there is but one Lawgiver Jesus Christ who hath given Laws and rules sufficient in his word for his worship and for any to make more were to charge Christ for want of wisdome or faithfulnesse or both in not making Laws enough or not good enough for his house Surely it is our wisdome duty and priviledge to observe Christs Laws only FFF Ibid. It is our duty to do and we believe it is our expresse duty especially in matters of Religion to be fully perswaded in our mindes of the lawfulnesse of what we do for whatsoever is not of faith is sin and as we cannot do
charitable mercies unto every creature of Angels spirits and mankinde likewise because all power is committed to the holy Ghost to manifest Christ a spirituall Christ and all-saving Jesus therefore the holy Ghost speaking to Christ as just Judge condemning damning and tormenting a part of his creation c. XXXXX Divine light p. 7. Esau's world of the curse is now almost passed away and the world of Jacobs blessednesse is now entring in Ibid. p. 14. Christ in his private kingdome sate Judge over the quick and dead to condemne and execute torments upon the rebellious whom he held as prisoners for a time but Christ in his publick kingdome by the power of the holy Ghost shall raign for ever to bring up all to life and immortality Christs publick Monarchicall kingdome is now appearing now the waters of troubles are abated and in the new heavens and new earth of Christs publick kingdome there shall be no more sea of Antichristian mysteries onely the old heavens and earth of Antichrists wickednesse must be burnt up with the fire of Gods Spirit yea all things naturall and supernaturall must bee changed at these resurrections now comming YYYYY Divine light p. 7. In the world of Jacobs blessednesse now entring in the reprobate condition of men and Angels shall be regained death and hell shall be destroyed all shall be created of new to life and immortality the damned Prisoners shall be sent forth out of the pit Ibid. p. 11. For a time millions of thousands were damned by their Antichristian works yet not damned to perish for ever for there is none can be damned totally all the generations that are deceased in the old world of Esau shall arise by glorious resurrections ZZZZZ Ibid. p. 11. This true Christian vocall faith is to beleeve the Covenant of generall redemption Ibid. Those which believe and maintain the Covenant of generall redemption are onely the true Church of whom Christ is the head AAAAAA Ibid. p. 11. All the damned that did not or doe not receive it must be saved by this faith Ibid. p. 13. Although there were but three persons beleevers in the earth with Christ yet God will have his whole Creation although not any else did beleeve but these three in and with Christ Ibid. p. 14. Such sons and daughters of God onely by beleeving are made instruments of blessing unto the whole Creation although there should be but three in the whole earth BBBBBB A description of Familism and confutation of the Familists by Benjamin Bourn to the Reader Many of them being such formerly as were to be beloved and delighted in Give me leave to speak according to men were ye not once as reall for Christ as you are now for Antichrist yea I will be one witnesse what close communion you had with God and how many times you have to the refreshing of many drooping spirits made a large acknowledgement of the manifestations of Gods love and favour toward you in Jesus Christ CCCCCC The discovery of Familism p. 10. Let not the Familists say it is not M. Randall and we only that teach this doctrine of Henry Nicholas there have been and are great Doctors of Divinity so called yea and some great Peers and persons of quality and estate in this Land DDDDDD The discovery of Familism p. 2. Whosoever shall teach and perswade the people that the perfection and resurrection spoken of by Paul 1 Cor. 15. are to be attained in the fulnesse and perfection of them in this present time before the common death of the body doth herein teach the deceitfull doctrine of Familism taught by Henry Nicholas but M. Randall does so teach as sundry persons that heard him can witnesse and so he does destroy the hope of the Saints as touching the personall comming of Christ in his glory to judge the quick and the dead and of the resurrection of the bodies of the Saints and of the glory of life everlasting of body and soule hereafter EEEEEE Ibid. p. 2. M. Randall delivered that a man baptized with the holy Ghost knew all things even as God knew all things which himself greatly admired as a great mystery Ibid. p. 7. Henry Nicholas says of himselfe God hath made me alive through Christ and anointed me with his godly beeing manned himself with me and Godded me with him FFFFFF Discovery p. 4. M. Randall turns the holy writings of Moses and the Prophets of Christ and the Apostles and the proper names persons and things mentioned and contained therein into allegories and gives them out to be the mystery and spirituall meaning of the same GGGGGG Benjamin Bourns description and confutation p. 6. Their first errour is that there is but one spirit or life in all things both in heaven and earth and that is absolutely and essentially God HHHHHH Ibid. p. 7 8. Is this a universall Christ as Antichrist cals him that is the flesh and blood of the whole world which the Godhead assuming makes out a discovery of himself to himself in and by all creatures whatsoever IIIIII Description p. 13. Whether all things are the act of God yea or no whether every creature in all its actions be acted and ruled by the Spirit of God The errour is explicated and confuted KKKKKK Gangren second Part p. 7. When the Committee of Lords and Commons was in Guildhall companies of thirties and fourties vented boldly all sorts of opinions some maintained that no mortall spirit could sin or be capable of sinne and it being objected What say you to the Devils they denied the Devils either sinned or could sin LLLLLL Gangren first Part division second p. 24. Nichols did justifie to M. Greenhils face that God was the Author of all sin that no man was sent to hell for any sins but cast thither onely because God would have it so MMMMMM Bourns description p. 24. These spirits that we call good and evill Angels they call good or evill motions of mans minde NNNNNN Ibid. Their third errour is that nothing shall remain eternally but the essence life and Spirit of God which is now in all creatures OOOOOO Ibid. Their fourth errour is this that the Scriptures are a confused allegory a meer shadow a false history and ought not to be any mans foundation no more then any other Book or the Apocrypha PPPPPP Bourns description p. 36. The comming death resurrection ascension and intercession of our Lord Jesus is absolutely denied by all the principall writings and doctrines of the Familists Ibid. p. 38. I will take here in their other errour that there is no resurrection nor last judgement for the world QQQQQQ Ibid. p. 24. They say sixthly that all ordinances are but meat for babes that a man should live above them without the use of them RRRRRR Ibid. p. 53. The first branch of their seventh Chap. shall be handled in this Chap. by way of question whether perfection in the highest degree both of grace and glory be attainable in this
endured DDDDDD The Saints in this life become as perfect as God Secondly that all the Saints in this world are fully perfect that they become omniscient as God that they are Godded Deified and become God EEEEEE Thirdly that the most clear Historick passages of Scripture in matters of the greatest moment are but meer allegories untrue in any proper literall sense FFFFFF The clearest Scriptures are false in a literall sense This writ Randall received but was never pleased to return one word of answer yet to this day he goes on to preach these and the rest of the Familists errours And to shew his boldnesse he hath lately printed two very dangerous Books and set his Preface before each of them composed as he professes long agoe by Popish Priests the one by a Dutch Frier and the other by an English Capuchine both of them pretending to the highest degree of holy very high and hardly intelligible contemplations the fittest morsell that could have been prepared for the giddy multitude who is most ready to be catched with any new sublime and subtill notions were they never so full of deadly poyson whereof M. Benjamin Bourn has found in these two Treatises no small store to wit first That in all things Angels Devils Men Women That God is formally the life and subsistence of all creatures there is but one spirit and life which absolutely and essentially is God That there is no more but one Spirit in the world That the life and beeing of God is every thing and every thing is the life and beeing of God GGGGGG Secondly that Jesus Christ had not a particular soul and body that was created in the womb of the Virgin That Christ had not a particular soul nor a particular body but the flesh and bloud of the whole world HHHHHH Thirdly every creature in all its actions is acted and ruled by the Spirit of God IIIIII Creature in their very sins are acted onely by the Spirit of God upon this ground God is made the Author and onely Actor of all sins and hence some deny that there is any sin at all affirming that the Devils never sinned nor can sin KKKKKK others tell us that none are cast in hell for sin but for Gods meer pleasure LLLLLL Fourthly that the spirits which we call good and evill angels There is no such spirits as angels devils or soules are nothing but the good and evill motions of the minde of man MMMMMM Fifthly Nothing remains for ever but God that nothing is everlasting but the life and essence of God which now is in all creatures that no created thing whatsoever does continue for ever NNNNNN Sixtly that the Scriptures are a confused allegory a meer shadow Scripture is but a false shadow and no ground of faith a false History and ought not to be the foundation of any mans faith more then other Books or then the Apocrypha OOOOOO Seventhly they deny the comming dying resurrection ascension intercession and returne of our Lord Jesus Christ They deny both the first second coming of Christ they avow that there shall be no resurrection and last judgement for the world PPPPPP Eighthly they make all ordinances to be but meat for babes They cast away all ordinances and that men ought to live above them without the use thereof QQQQQQ Ninthly they teach that the highest degree of perfection both of grace and glory is attained in this life RRRRRR These and many more such blasphemous and horrible Heresies are entertained as fine The certaine truth of these imputations excellent rare profound mysterious truths by these Anabaptists who are admitted to the highest classe of the Family of Love if we may trust M. Bourn who professeth his certain knowledge thereof not onely from their Books but from their preachings conferences disputations at which often he was present SSSSSS By all the former discourse I conceive it is apparent that as evill and wicked a Devill does rage in the way of Anabaptism this day in England as of old in Germany or in any other Heresie of any time in any place which I wish were well considered as a ground of fear and trembling by many a simple soul who is carried down headlong towards these errours proceeding from one degree to another without any certainty where their unconstant motions may have any period I observe but one thing more wherein the English Anabaptists seem much worse then the Dutch The English Anabaptists are generally more erroneous then the Dutch however the Dutch have been much divided and exceedingly erroneous yet every Sect among them have had some zeal for that which they apprehended to be truth and some care to save their company from all which they esteemed errour and this without respect of persons who ever of their number did fall into any thing which they conceived hereticall had he been their Father brother or dearest companion they did cast him out of their Society and reputed him thereafter as a person excommunicate Amongst the English Sectaries there is no zeal at all against any errour The carriage of the Mennonists towards the Georgians and of the Georgians towards them and of every one of their Sects towards their dissenting Brethren is known But among the English Sectaries there appears no zeal at all for any thing they call truth a man now among them may run through the whole circle of errours from Independency to Antipaedobaptism from hence to Arminianism from this to Antinomianism thereafter to the Seekers thence to the Antitrinitarians the Antiscripturists the Familists the Atheists or whither he will and no Church censure at all be executed against him nor any of his fellows abstain from his company as an excommunicate Heretick but if he make a profession of piety notwithstanding of all his opinions he shall be entertained as a Saint and the generality of the Sectaries shall be very unwilling to have him in the least measure troubled by any censure either of Church or State TTTTTT I do not so much wonder at this more then ordinary want of zeal against any errour in Sectaries whom God has strucken with this among other spirituall plagues for their apostasie from his truth whereof themselves sometime have made a fair profession but it is oft to me a matter both of marvell and grief to behold the very sons of truth who in their hearts are opposite to every errour to be so languid and faint now for so long a time in promoting any reall course for the restraint of that deluge of all manner of hereticall and blasphemous errours which with their eyes they see overflowing the Land much more then any place of Christendome in any by-gone time I doubt not but divers make it a good part of their work both with God and man to have