The Loyal Baptist OR AN APOLOGY FOR THE BAPTIZED BELIEVERS CONTAINING I. His humble Resolution to be a constant Conformist to the Scriptures and especially in these four great Duties viz. 1. To Honour all Men. 2. To Love the Brotherhood 3. To Fear God 4. To Honour the King According to 1 Peter 2. 17. II. His unfeigned endeavour for Unity in the Truth with the Church of England wherein is shewed what 〈◊〉 a distinction in Communion between the Parochial 〈…〉 those of the Baptized Believers Wherein fourteen 〈◊〉 lately published by Mr. N. T. M. A. in defence of Infant-Baptism are considered and answered III. His Plea for Church-Assemblies to be permitted to the Baptized Believers To which purpose is declared IV. The Nature of his Call to Christianity and to the work of the Ministry OCCASIONED By the great and long continued Sufferings of the Baptized Believers in this Nation BY THOMAS GRANTHAM a Servant of Christ Job 21. 4. As for me is my complaint to 〈◊〉 And if it were so why should not my Spirit be troubled Causabon's Birth of Heresy c. 3. p. 11. In all Ages Men have never been contented with the true Adoration instituted by God But instead of external Signs instituted by God they have forged and brought in their own Inventions London Printed for the Author and are to be Sold by Tho. Fabian at the Bible in St. Paul's Church-yard 1684. The Loyal Baptist OR AN APOLOGY FOR THE BAPTIZED BELIEVERS BEING ALSO An Earnest Persuasive to them and all Christians to study to be Quiet and do their own Business in these important Particulars VIZ. I. To Honour all Men. II. To Love the Brotherhood III. To Fear God IV. To Honour the King Delivered in two Sermons upon 1 Pet. 2. 17. By THOMAS GRANTHAM a Servant of Christ My Son fear thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change Prov. 24. 21. But whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God judg ye Acts 4. 19. London Printed for the Author and are to be Sold by Tho. Fabian at the Bible in St. Paul's Church-yard 1674. To all the Baptized Believers in England c. Grace and Peace through Christ our Lord be multiplied THE great Apostle St. Paul having taught the Christian Churches in Creet their Duties towards God and towards Caesar and leaving Titus a Messenger of the Churches behind him there very strictly warns him to put them in mind of their Subjection to Principalities and Powers and to obey Magistrates Knowing how impossible it would be to propagate the Profession of Christianity if Christians did not adorn their Profession with a meek and harmless Conversation towards all Men and especially by their Obedience to those in Authority And considering the manifold Temptations that attend Christians in these days upon that account I thought it my Duty as one that has obtained Mercy to be faithful to do my best in giving warning to my Brethren lest any of them should be ensnared with ill Principles or specious Pretences to speak or do any thing that may be inconsistent with Gospel-Rules either in things relating more immediately to Almighty God or to the King's Majesty and those that are in Authority under him Such heady Persons there were in the Apostle's Days and therefore the less strange if now some such be found in the best of Churches as are not afraid to speak Evil of Dignities All Ages and sorts of Christians have been troubled with such Evil-Workers And as it hath been the care of faithful Men all along to protest against them that the Truth which such Wretches only prophane by their Profession of it might not be worse thought of because of them So let it be our care to bear a faithful Testimony against all such in these Days And I beseech you Brethren whom God hath made as Guides to the rest that you give all diligence to teach and instruct those under your Charge in the Duties which pertain to every state of Life as well as in things which pertain to the Worship of our Gracious God For these are the things which become sound Doctrine and of these our Obedience to Magistrates is not the least I commit the ensuing Discourses to the Consideration of all Christians and to the Blessing of God and remain Your Brother and Servant in the Gospel THO. GRANTHAM The Loyal Baptist OR AN APOLOGY FOR THE BAPTIZED BELIEVERS BEING ALSO An Earnest Persuasive to them all to study to be Quiet and to do their own Business in these important Particulars VIZ. I. To Honour all Men. II. To Love the Brotherhood III. To Fear God IV. To Honour the King Delivered in several Discourses upon 1 Pet. 2. 17. Honour all Men Love the Brotherhood Fear God Honour the King THis great Apostle St. Peter having preached Christ in many Countries thought it meet to leave some Monuments of his holy Doctrine with all the Churches And having in two sacred Epistles assured them of the certainty of the Doctrine which he had preached and that it was no Fable or new Device but the very Truth which from the Beginning God made known to his Prophets He then exhorts them to Stedfastness and to hope to the end for the grace or fulness of Glory which shall be brought to all true Christians at the revelation or second coming of Christ He warns them to beware of Sin chiefly that root of Malice Envy and Hypocrisy for these are usually complicated in one for as it gave being to all our Misery and has been all along the ruine of Nations Churches and Communities so we are advertised that it will abound towards the end of the World To avoid this damning Iniquity we are willed to consider our new Birth and as new-born Babes to evidence our delight to be in the sincere Milk of the Word of God not in the Vanities of this World where we are but Pilgrims and Strangers assuring us that as Christ is the sure Foundation to support his Church So however some Builders do set him at naught he is the Head of the Corner and will certainly in time confound the Disobedient 1 Pet. 2. 7 8. Howbeit lest Christians should be too impatient of the seeming delay of Christ's Exaltation and of the manifold Tribulations which in the mean time they must suffer he further warns them to be of an obedient and submissive Spirit to such as are in Authority and to adorn their Profession by an honest Conversation as the best way to silence their Opposers For so is the Will of God that with well-doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish Men 1 Pet. 2. 15. For tho it be very true that all Christians are the Lord's Freemen 1 Cor. 7. 22. yet they may not maliciously despise any Man nor dishonour any Man much less any that are in Authority Christianity being indeed the greatest Obligation that any Man can be
under to preserve and chearfully to give to all their Dues in respect of Love Honour Fear Tribute Custom c. God is to have the things which are God's Princes the things which are theirs and all Men as well those that are not Christians as those that are must have that Love and Honour which is their Due even from the Servants of Christ Thus then we approach the Text which calls upon us to Honour all Men Love the Brotherhood to Fear God and to Honour the King In which Directions is briefly contained the whole duty of a Christian Man As 1. His Duty in general to Mankind Honour all Men. 2. His particular Duty to the Church of God Love the Brotherhood 3. His special Duty to Almighty God Fear God 4. His Obedience to the Higher Powers Honour the King In opening these Words we shall consider the genuine import of them 1. Honour all Men. 1. The Word Honour here according to the Greek may be understood thus Esteem all Men highly value all Men at an high Price or count them precious And hence Tremelius reads the place Omnem Hominem in Honore habite have all Men in high Esteem or Honour And in this Direction is implied that lowly and gracious Spirit that friendly and amicable Temper which all Christians should have and evidence towards Mankind for he that is not of a lowly Spirit cannot Honour all Men. 2. By All Men we must not here admit of the exception of any Man as such but forasmuch as they are all the Off-spring of God it is the Will of God that a due esteem be given to them all as the most noble part of his Creation under the Sun And but a little lower than the Angels Psal 8. 2. Love the Brotherhood By Love here we may safely understand a more special kind of Love than that which we owe to all Men which is well expressed in the 2 Epist of John Whom I love in the Truth for the Truths sake which dwelleth in us Hence some of our Translators render the Words thus Love Brotherly Fellowship And the Rhemists tells us that This Speech often commendeth the Vnity of all Christians among themselves 3. Fear God The Original imports an awful dread or such a Fear as causeth Trembling and 't is the same Word used Mat. 10. 28. where it is evident such a Fear is intended But rather fear him which is able to destroy both Soul and Body in Hell By the Fear of God therefore in this place we must understand the dutiful Observance of his revealed Will for so the Fear of God is sometimes taken as ever we expect to see his Face with Comfort and here the Fear of Man is excluded because it brings a Snare Prov. 29. 25. and is a fatal prevention to the Service of God 4. Honour the King 1. The Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 does not barely signify Honour or Esteem in this place but a magnificent or splendid kind of Honour for so hath the Lord ordained for his Vicegerents giving them the Title of Gods in Psal 82. 6. 2. It is carefully to be considered what King is immediately meant in our Text he could be no King of Israel for the Kings of Israel had failed long before this Epistle was written and tho Christ was born King of the Jews yet he did not enter upon his Regality with respect to the Government of that nor any other Nation but plainly tells us His Kingdom is not of this World Nor did the Apostle speak of any Christian King for as yet None of the Princes of this World knew Christ 1 Cor. 2. 8. The King therefore here immediately intended was an Heathen King the King of the Romans who at that time as Historians relate was both of very wicked Life and Idolatrous in his Religion calling himself Pontifex Maximus as being chief about the Worship of Jupiter And yet S. Peter will have him honoured even by those who had put themselves under the Yoak of Christ their Heavenly King And St. Paul expresly requires the same Rom. 13. 1. Wherefore from the Text thus explained we should learn these four things I. That Christians must by no means be of an haughty scornful nor wrathful Spirit towards any Man but of an humble and gentle Behaviour to pay the Debt of Honour to all and to esteem them precious II. Brotherly Fellowship Love and Concord are to be sought for and maintained by all Christians one with another as such III. Christians must have an awful Fear of God before their Eyes that in Matters of Religion they may serve him only and not provoke him by sinful Courses nor by the Fear of Man IV. Christians are bound by Gospel-Rules to be good Subjects to Princes to honour their Persons and conscienciously to obey their Authority These Propositions do harmonize with the Doctrine which is according to Godliness For the First That Christians must by no means as they tender their claim to the venerable Title of Christian and to any part in the Kingdom of Christ be of an haughty scornful or wrathful Spirit against any Man is a Doctrine needful to be proclaimed by an heavenly Herald by the Voice of an Archangel even to that part of the World called Christendom For who can sufficiently bewail the almost utter Absence of this gracious Spirit which abounded in the Author and first Professors of Christianity and the undeniable Appearance of a Spirit of a quite contrary nature at this day in all parts of the World where Christ is named From whence come Wars and Fightings Come they not hence even from Pride as it is written Prov. 13. 10. Only by Pride cometh Contention What greater Injuries Indignities and Dishonours can be offered by Mortals one towards another than are amongst the several Orders professing Christianity yea very often by Men of the same Order one towards another So very far are the generality of Christians from obeying the Voice of our Text. And look how far they are gone from the Spirit of Humility and Tenderness which leads all that have it to esteem Mankind very precious so far they have lost the Christian Religion as will appear in proving the first Proposition To which purpose 1. We shall give precendency to our Lord Christ who perceiving an haughty Spirit peeping forth in his chosen Disciples even then whilst the very Mirror of Meekness and Humility was before their Eyes does solemnly denounce unto them and in them to all Christians that except they were converted and became as little Children they should by no means enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Luke 18. 15. And therewithal gives notice of a Wo impending or coming upon the World from that Spirit of Pride and Ambition in this so early an appearance of it which yet notwithstanding seems to have over-run the Church in all Ages to the Scandal of Religion But would so small a Fault in the chosen Disciples as it may seem in
symbolizing with legal Ceremonies Gal. 2. that so the Truth of the Gospel might continue in the Churches of Galatia plainly shewing that as Light and Darkness cannot dwell together so the Gospel is exclusive of legal Ceremonies and humane Innovations And seeing all must grant there has been a very great departure from the Truth of the Gospel both in Doctrine and Practice there cannot be a better Method I suppose thought on to amend what is amiss in the Christian World and thereby to restore true brotherly Fellowship than that used by our Lord Mat. 19. 8. to reform a Corruption among the Jews and such an Error too as had a shew of Scripture-Authority for it I mean the Case of Divorce yet our Saviour suppresseth that Custom by referring to the primitive Institution of Marriage From the Beginning it was not so And upon this Text how well does our Brethren I mean the Sober and Pious in the Church of England defend themselves against Popish Innovations both in Opinion and Practice One of them speaks thus As touching each of these Errors we can say with our Saviour in this present Correption of the Pharisees that from the Beginning it was not so and we care not whence they come unless they come from the Beginning This hath ever been saith he the Rule the warrantable Rule to reform a Church When Esdras was intent on building the Temple he sent not to Ephesus much less to Rome he did not enquire into the Rituals of Numa Pompilius but had recourse for a Temple to that of Solomon and for a Rite to that of Moses Indeed for Things meerly indifferent as he observes there must be preserved a Liberty in all Churches to consult and do for the best I dare not say as he To make Constitutions for that 's a great word but to manage her Affairs with Decency Order and Charity But to come more directly to our Doctrine which is Brotherly Fellowship Love and Vnity is carefully to be endeavoured and maintained by all Christians Certain it is that our Love as Christians may go much further than our actual Communion in all things Christian may do and yet this Love it self is a kind of Fellowship The Angels have Fellowship with us and acknowledg themselves our Fellow Servants Rev. 19. 10. and yet they do not partake with us in all our acts of Religion but only by approbation and corroboration in things which are well done Now the best or most orderly sort of Christians cannot conceive a greater disproportion between their Churches and the Churches of the most erring if but well-meaning Societies that conscientiously profess Love and Obedience to Christ And even hence we are obliged to hold as much Brotherly Fellowship with them as we can especially that of Love and Brotherly Compassion For when we consider that even some of all sorts of Christians will rather dye than basely deny their Lord and Master we cannot but have Fellowship with such in our Spirits whilst it is the same and not a feigned Christ to whom they shew their utmost testimony of Love And this Consideration alone may suffice to take away that imbitteredness which is too often found among Christians dissenting one from another Let their Appellations be what they will so that they believe in the true Christ and live well being also faithful to what they know And tho they be never so angry with me for opposing them in their Traditions or erring Notions otherwise yet I must have a Brotherly tenderness towards them all for the Truths sake which dwelleth in them But now for ample or full Communion I see not how that can be attained and maintained but where there is antecedent to it an Union both in Doctrine and Practice in things necessary to the true Constitution and Government of the Church of Christ And seeing also our Differences about these things are not small or trivial it cannot I think be better ordered than that a Friendly Distinction and Brotherly Forbearance be permitted as to ample Communion for that Men cannot comfortably nor peaceably join together till they be agreed in these things I see not that the difference betwixt Paul and Barnabas was so great as to the thing about which they differed as the things about which Christians differ in these days and yet its certain their Contention being great for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies provoking gauling and imbittered Speeches and Minds say the Learned it is certain they could not transact their Affairs in the Gospel together but apart And this was written perhaps to shew that a competent Unity in Judgment must precede our actual Communion and till that be attained among us there is a necessity in regard partly of human Frailty and partly in regard of some precious Truths to forbear one another without destroying the Truth to which we have attained respectively And this is the greatest Love we can extend to one another under these difficult Circumstances 1. To pity and heartily to pray one for another for the Servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle towards all Men in Meekness instructing those that oppose themselves 2. There must be all Patience exercised and Compassion shewed to the Ignorant and those that are out of the way especially where the scruple is tender and conscientious And in the mean time the faithful Minister of God must hold fast the form of sound Words he must teach the same Doctrine which was committed to his Trust by the Apostles He must warn others that they teach no other Doctrine He must not give place to Jewish or other Fables And the Church must so walk in Christ as they first received him rooted in the Foundation-Principles established and built up in him Not carried about with every Wind of Doctrine but speaking the Truth in Love must endeavour to grow up into Christ in all things In a word it is the Duty of this Brotherhood to stick close to the whole Councel of God and not to partake with other Mens Sins or Errors in Life or Religion which cannot be done where contrarieties in Doctrine and Practice about things necessary to the true State and Government of the Church of Christ are allowed in the same Fellowship or Community Love the Brotherhood This Fraternity are in a special manner to love one another 1. Because God himself hath loved them with a special kind of Love And if God so loved us we ought also to love one another 1 John 3. It is happy when the Love of Christians is founded upon this bottom viz. the Manifestation of God's Love to them and not upon any thing of human Excellency for this is to have Mens Persons in Admiration and not to admire this Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us 2. Because this is the sweetest Manifestation that we are the Children of God for in this is manifest the Children of God 1 John 3. 10. namely that they
respect of that which is now every where to be found shut Heaven against them unless those converted Souls were converted in that Case Let us tremble to think of this It 's clear from this Instance that such as are of an haughty Mind cannot honour all Men. They are Bladders puffed up with this Wind break this Bladder there is meer Emptiness Their Goodness vanishes when they cannot lift themselves above others Whereas the truly gracious Soul studies how to serve God and all Men for his sake and thus to honour them is the greatest Respect that any Christian can give to Men. Thus did our Lord himself honour all He took upon him the form of a Servant Phil. 2. 7. And indeed his great Design in his Life and Doctrine was to restore Mankind to a State of Grace and Reconciliation with God and thereby to Amity and Concord one with another 2. Next to our Saviour let us hear his beloved Disciple John He often speaks to the whole Church under the Title of Little Children and the Metaphor is very fit for Christians as in other respects so chiefly in this to put them in mind they must in no wise be of a lofty and wrathful Spirit He tells us the Love of God is not in those Men who have the Pride of Life in them 1 John 2. 15 16. They cannot honour esteem or count all Men precious till that Image of Christ which standeth in Humility be formed in them 3. The Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 10. 32 33. does not only teach the Brotherhood that they must shew all Meekness to all Men and give no Offence to Jew nor Gentile but puts himself as becomes all true Ministers of Christ for a Patern to the Flock Tho saith he I be free from all Men yet I have made my self Servant unto all that I might gain the more I am made all Things to all Men that I might by all means save some 1 Cor. 9. 19 20 21 22 23. How precious did he count the Jewish Nation tho they generally hated him he could be content to be undone himself rather than they should be lost Rom. 10. 1. And no less concern'd for the poor Gentiles that they also might be happy Rom. 15. 16. And hitherto did tend the Scope of all his Labours to warn teach and to present every Man perfect in Christ Jesus Col. 1. 28. 4. And forasmuch as the Tongue is the ordinary Witness of the Spirit of Pride and that whereby all Men are incident to dishonour one another he strictly obligeth all Christians to let their Speech be always with Grace seasoned with Salt that they may administer Grace to them that hear them Col. 4. 6. And he that will obey our Text to honour all Men must remember that he speak evil of no Man an Impiety which God knows even reigns amongst Christians The Tongue is an unruly Member a World of Iniquity And hence the Apostle James is very bold telling us our Religion is vain if we bridle not that Member Jam. 3. 9 10 11 12 13. How can that Tongue be fit to bless God to profess the Christian Religion which is exercised in cursing speaking evil or wishing ill to any Man My Brethren these Things ought not to be Doth a Fountain give sweet Water and bitter at the same place This is not to be found in Nature nor to be expected in Grace Christians must be known to all Men by their Fruits of Righteousness Meekness Goodness and Faith otherwise Men shall never be moved to glorify God in their behalf 5. That Christian who will honour all Men must love all Men without this he cannot esteem them nor count them precious Whom we love not we have no delight to honour It is in a manner peculiar to the Christian Doctrine that Men should love their Enemies pray for them that persecute them and despitefully use them Let us therefore pay this Debt to honour all Men in Love He that will do this must bear Mankind upon his Heart in Prayer and Supplication 1 Tim. 2. 1. This is a Lesson for Christians as such they must love their Neighbours as themselves and all Men are their Neighbours The Royal Law obliges them to it Jam. 2. 8. If ye fulfill the Royal Law according to the Scriptures Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self ye do well but if ye have respect to Persons that is love one and hate another ye commit Sin and are convinced of the Law as Transgressors Were Christians filled more with this Fruit of the Spirit we should see an end of these Animosities opprobrious and abusive Epithets or Brands of Reproach and Infamy which are daily cast upon Men and too frequently found among Christian Men. It is to be lamented that Men who are precious in the esteem of God should not be esteemed so by one another But honour all Men says our Text and the Arguments to enforce the Duty are many of which some we will urge in this place and the first shall be this First They are Men as well as our selves our Equals by Creation the Workmanship of the Hands of the same God and therefore are we bound to honour all Men as Men nor can we slight despise or dishonour them but we dishonour our selves For they are Flesh of our Flesh and God hath made of one Blood all Nations of Men to dwell upon the Face of the Earth and he is the God of the Spirits of all Flesh And thus we have all one Father as one God hath created us we are all his Off-spring not as some prophanely have said that Man is no more God's Off-spring than an Hog for he did not consult the Creation of any thing as he did the Creation of Man Gen. 2. Nor did he breath into the Nostrils of Hogs the same Spirit of Life and Wisdom which he breathed into Man David admires the Goodness of God in the degnified State of Man Psal 8. 4 5. And let us beware of base thoughts concerning Man lest we value him no more than the Beasts of the Field and so dishonour him whom God created in great Honour and to this day notwithstanding his Fall hath set him over the Works of his Hands All Men are our Brethren let us honour them as such for what Brotherhood soever we attain yet our humane Fraternity is antecedent and not made void by any Post-Fraternity which is good but rather more indeared This was seen in St. Paul the nearer his Relation was to God upon the account of Christianity the more was his Love and the greater his Sorrow for his Brethren according to the Flesh Rom. 9. 2. Let not Christians think that their Relation nor Obligation of Nature to Mankind is destroyed or made less by their being Christians such a vain Conceit will alienate us from our own Flesh and make us quite pervert the Text which puts us in mind that our Religion does strongly engage us to honour them all
Disciples when such a Spirit appeared in them And have we not seen a refined Generation as they would be thought peeping forth with the Name of Blood or the smiting Principle written on their Forehead with direction to their Proselites to pray that God would destroy all Oppressior and Oppressors from off the face of the Earth Lord what is this The greatest part of Mankind peradventure are Oppressors in one thing or other and must a Christian pray for their Destruction or for their Conversion Sure the latter is the Duty of all Christians 1 Tim. 2. 1 2. They cannot desire such a woful Day but that Mercy may be extended knowing that themselves were sometimes foolish disobedient living in Malice hateful and hating one another Tit. 3. But alas do not these Men pray for their own Destruction Who sees not that such a Principle is pregnant with Oppression O let all Christians beware of it And let us pray for them that hate us persecute us and speak all manner of Evil against us falsly for his Names sake who hath called us not only to believe but also to suffer for his sake Thus leaving all Men of bloody violent and treacherous Principles to consider what Spirit they are of how unlike our Lord Christ how different from the Primitive Christians how contrary to Humanity it self which teaches all to do to others not as they do but as we would they should do to us We shall proceed to the next Point of Doctrine grounded upon the second Direction in the Text Love the Brotherhood Doct. II. Brotherly Fellowship Love and Vnity is carefully to be endeavoured and maintained by all Christians This Brotherhood being not natural but spiritual and mystical admits of a twofold Consideration 1. In the largest Sence the Word and Use of it in Scripture will bear 2. In a more strict and special Sence In the first we must comprehend all that own the holy Scriptures for the Rule of Faith believing in the only true God the Father Son and Holy-Ghost for these three are one that Christ died for our Sins and rose again for our Justification that live soberly according to the general Rules of Christianity tho they may be diversly persuaded in the Methods of Christian Worship Or I could be content if the State of Christianity would bear it in these Days to express my self in this Case in the Words of St. Paul 1 Cor. 1. 2. All that in every place call upon the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ among whom he found Diversities of Opinions as well as Disorders in practice of Ordinances Not that he allows either but labours to reform both yet so as he would preserve Amity among them as they were Brethren tho some of them were carnal 1 Cor. 3. others allowing themselves a very dangerous Liberty in religious Matters even to eat Things sacrificed to Idols some doubting of the Resurrection others very loose in their Devotion at the Lord's Table they were some tumultuous others otherwise vicious 2 Cor. 13. Now whether the Apostle in his Exhortations to Unity intends that notwithstanding these Errors they should hold ample Communion with the Erroneous or whether upon adhering to Reproof by him given and their obeying the Epistles which he sent to them he obliges them to maintain and uphold their Communion is the Business to be considered The first it is not like to be for then few Errors either in Doctrine or Life could break this brotherly Fellowship among Christians And then to what purpose are these Rules given Mark them which cause Divisions and Offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them Rom. 16. 17. Withdraw your selves from every Brother which walks disorderly c. 2 Thess 3. 6. Surely all that can be required as to Unity with these Christians is a brotherly Compassion to encourage what we can the Truth they hold or the Good they do to hold with them in the common Cause of Christianity against the common Enemy of it I conceive the latter to be the only safe way viz. That notwithstanding their great Carnality Weakness of Judgment or Frowardness in their erroneous Opinions c. if now they would receive the Counsel of the Lord's Messenger or which the Lord by his Messenger had sent unto them that then the Brotherhood once found among them should still continue tho they had too evidently forfeited their Privileges Thus to take the Apostle's meaning is to make him harmonize with himself 2 Thess 3. 14. If any Man obey not our Word by this Epistle note that Man and have no Company with him that he may be ashamed yet count him not an Enemy but admonish him as a Brother But to take the Apostle in the first Sence would make him irreconcileable to or with himself So then Paul did not advise the Faithful at Corinth to hold ample Communion with those of ill Life and erroneous Principles in the necessary parts of Religion such as the Resurrection and Separation from Idolatry doubtless are for he that denies the first denies Christ to be risen makes the Apostles false Witnesses and the Faith of Christians vain 1 Cor. 15. 1 2 3. And the second makes Men uncapable to serve God Ye cannot drink the Cup of the Lord and the Cup of Idols or Devils 1 Cor. 1. 10. Let us then consider the second or more strict Sence of the Word Brotherhood in our Text. And here we must take it as it pertains to truly constituted and well-governed Societies of Christians For undoubtedly God intended to have the Christian Religion stated and maintained in all Nations according to the pristine Simplicity of the Gospel without the mixtures of Legal Ceremonies or humane Innovations For when Jesus gave commission to his Apostles to teach all Nations baptizing them and then to teach them to observe all Things whatsoever he commanded them Mat. 28. 19 20. and gave being to this Order to continue to the end of the World it must needs be highly rational on the part of all such as do piously stand to this Form of Doctrine as explicated and delivered to the Churches Rom. 6. 17. Heb. 6. 1 2. And consequently it must needs be very pleasing to God and commendable in the Church that his Institutes be kept with the greatest exactness as they were delivered at first 1 Cor. 11. 2. For if once Variations in either the Doctrinal or Practical Parts of the Christian Religion be admitted there can be no certain duration of any Truth A little Leaven leaveneth the whole Lump Gal. 5. 7. And this the Apostle speaks too with relation to the Imposition of some Legal Rites which once had a Divine Original and Use in the Church of God and yet now could not consist with obedience to the Truth Gal. 5. 7. Ye did run well who did hinder you that you should not obey the Truth Hence Saint Paul would not give place to St. Peter himself when too much
love their Brethren And every one that loveth is born of God And our Saviour makes it the true Character of Christianity By this shall all Men know that ye are my Disciples if ye love one another Joh. 13. 35. 3. Because this is the uniting Grace among Christians this makes their Society sweet their Fellowship desirable it s a Fellowship of Love Phil. 2. 1. This makes them like David and Jonathan they are bound in one Girdle and their Love was wonderful 4. Because this makes the Sufferings of Christians easy when those that suffer love them in defence of whose Faith they do suffer and see themselves beloved of their Brethren even then when all Men seem to hate them This made Paul himself rejoice in his Sufferings Phil. 4. 10 14. I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again Ye have well done that ye have communicated with me in my Affliction Let us touch the things briefly which may be sure Evidences of this Brotherly Love 1. If then we love the Brotherhood we are much concern'd about them in our Thoughts For what is the Object of a Man's Love is the Subject of his Meditation All true Lovers know this by Experience and let the Love of the Brotherhood exceed our Love in other cases An instance of this Love we have in St. Paul Col. 2. 1 2. For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you and for them of Laodicea and for as many as have not seen my Face in the Flesh That their Hearts might be comforted being knit together in Love c. 2. If we love our Brethren we bear them much upon our Heart in our Prayers we cannot forget them if we rightly love them Paul made mention of him in every Prayer of his whom he dearly loved 2 Tim. 1. 3. Let all Christian Brethren do so too for we cannot do less for any of them or for many of them we can do no more 3. If we love the Brotherhood we will esteem them highly according to the Vertues which we see in them 2 John v. 1 2 3. And whom we love we will commend and advance as much as we can because it 's the native Property of Love to do so as appears in the interchanges of Love in the Song of Solomon between Christ and his Church and is the way too to encrease Love as all Experience shews 4. If we love our Brethren we will to our best defend their Reputation against those that injure them Thus Paul vindicated not himself only but those faithful Ministers which were with him when some reported of them that they walked after the Flesh and said Let us do Evil that good may come whose Damnation for such vile Reproaches against the Servants of Christ he avers to be just 5. If we love the Brotherhood we will to our Power relieve their Necessities For He that hath this Worlds Good and sees his Brother want and shutteth up the Bowels of his Compassion how dwells the Love of God in him And saith another Apostle If a Brother or Sister be destitute of daily Food and ye say Be ye filled and give them not those things that are necessary what doth it profit Wherefore let Love be without Dissimulation Let it be fervent For to this end were our Souls purified in obeying the Truth through the Spirit even unto unfeigned Love of the Brethren 1 Pet. 1. 22. 6. The last Evidence If we love the Brotherhood we will seek and preserve as much as we can the Peace of the whole and the Prosperity of every part Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem saith David they shall prosper that love thee for my Brethren and Companions sake I will now say Peace be within thy Walls and Prosperity within thy Palaces How greatly does the true Son of David our Lord Jesus pray for this Blessing upon the whole Church That they all may be one as he and his Father are one And what Christian will not tremble to think of doing any thing against the tenour of his blessed Prayer I will conclude this point with a solemn Protestation against those Evils which chiefly hinder the love of the Brotherhood and the first is Pride 1. Only through Pride cometh Contention saith the Spirit when Men are admirers of themselves Proud Boasters they soon become despisers of those that are good and Enemies to the Love of the Brotherhood Diotrephes being got to this point presently makes havock of the Church by casting the Brethren out of the Church that shewed their brotherly Love to the travelling Ministers And why because he loved to have the Preheminence insomuch as he spared not to undervalue the Apostle himself Aproud Professor cannot love the Brotherhood 2. As all proud Men are Enemies to brotherly Love so most of all such as take themselves to be infallible about things most disputable being vainly confident that God is opposed when their Impositions are not obeyed These Men commonly drive furiously rend and tear if their Mandates meet with dislike or non-reception These Men will ever stand strenuously upon Niceties and make things which are doubtful and meerly indifferent to become necessary 3. Those who make Gain their Godliness are great Enemies to Brotherly Love these are called greedy Dogs by the Prophet greedy Wolves by the Apostle these seek their own not the things of Christ They are Enemies to him their God is their Belly they mind earthly things they change with every Wind for Preferment They are Lovers of their own selves They teach things which they ought not for filthy Lucres sake They love not the Brotherhood but their Money Thus much to the second Point We come now to the third part of our Text. Fear God Hence the Doctrine has been propounded thus Doct. III. Christians must have an awful Fear of God before their Eyes that in Matters of Religion they may serve him only and not provoke him by sinful Courses nor by the Fear of Man To come rightly to the performance of this Duty we must endeavour to have a right knowledg or Belief of this God whom we are to fear for this our Saviour makes to be the weighty part of our Religion Faith and the Fear of God Now in this Faith which anteceeds the Fear Worship and Service of God we must consider the Essence and Attributes of God In the first he is infinitely beyond the reach of our knowledg or finding out unto Perfection Job 4. 24. It is but a small portion that we know or can know of him in this World Faith therefore satisfies it self with knowing that God is or that there is one God That he is a Spirit Eternal Pure Omnipotent Immutable Invisible Merciful Faithful Holy Just and Good and that he is infinitely and perfectly so and whatsoever else may be said to represent him Great and Glorious Great in his Sovereignty and Dominion Glorious in his doings towards
of the Commission given to Ezra by Artaxerxes that these Things are evident 1. That the King did not himself embrace the Religion of the Jewish Nation but retained still his former Religion for tho he did fear the God of Israel yet he never calls him his God but the God of Heaven and the God of Ezra c. 2. That God had by a special Providence and Motion from himself disposed the Heart of the King of Persia to give free Liberty to the Jews which were Captives in his Dominions to go forth to serve their God vers 13. I make a Decree that all they of the People of Israel and of his Priests and Levites in my Realm which are minded of their own free Will to go up to Jerusalem to go with thee to do whatsoever shall seem good to them after the Will of your God 3. The King does not only give a present Supply to Ezra as a Free-Will-Offering to the God of Israel vers 15. but also provides for his necessary Supply for the future out of the King's Treasury vers 20. 4. The King fearing the Displeasure of the God of Israel against himself and his Sons does require Ezra that whatsoever was required by the God of Heaven should be diligently done 5. The King also empowers Ezra to set Magistrates and Judges over the People and in so doing gave Ezra a Magistratical Power or made him a Magistrate and so gives Order that whosoever would not be obedient to him should be punished vers 25 26. This is the Sum of the Commission given to Ezra by the King of Persia In all which nothing appears that any of his Subjects should be compelled to alter their Religion nor be forced to be all of one Religion But a free Liberty is given to the Jews as well as to others to serve their God according to his Law and a Restraint laid upon them that would hinder them And Ezra is empowered indeed to punish those that were under the Law of Moses according to that Law if they would not do it and such as withstood his Authority as a Magistrate which he received from the King were to be punished by the Law of the King of Persia who had the Power of Life and Death in his hand which the Jewish Nation had not at this time 6. We may learn hence that it is indeed a blessed Thing for all Kings to fear the God of Heaven and to advance the Interest of Religion in their Dominions and it is as evident that Religion must always be setled according to the Law of God with the greatest Care that may be and none punished for keeping the Law of God but for breaking the Law of God and the Law of the King which did concur with the Law of God Here were great Punishments assigned and yet not to be insisted on too rashly in the Times of the Gospel nor in Cases purely Evangelical or of the Christian Religion as it is dignified above the Principles of common Reason and Morality In these Cases I cannot see how it should be in the power of Magistrates to compell any against their Will seeing it's God not Man that makes Christians Ephes 2. 10. We are his Workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good Works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them And God gives none the Privileges of his Children until they be his Children nor are they his Children till they be born not of Blood nor of Flesh nor of the Will of Man but of God John 1. 12 13. 7. Nor must we deny but acknowledg that God's Vicegerents are authorized by the Almighty to be Keepers of both Tables so as to defend his Sovereignty and to encourage true Religion against Atheists and Idolaters that worship a Creature instead of the Creator for so it is written Job 31. 26 27 28. If I beheld the Sun when it shined or the Moon walking in Brightness and my Heart hath been secretly enticed or my Mouth hath kissed my Hand this also were an Iniquity to be punished by the Judge for I should have denied God that is above Now let us write or desire the Lord to write the Words of our Text in our Hearts Honour all Men Love the Brotherhood Fear God Honour the King Surely that Christian that shall make it his Business to do these things heartily shall be acceptable to God and approved of Men there shall be no occasion of stumbling in him But if Christians be too busy to inspect Matters of State or to meddle with those that contrive or project any thing to the disturbance and subversion of the Government in the Kingdoms where they live they shall never be able to recommend their Religion be it never so good in it self to the acceptance of their Governors nor to obtain from them to be Nursing-Fathers to it but shall certainly expose themselves to the Displeasure of God as well as to the Wrath of Princes And God himself will vindicate the Honour of his Ordinance of Worldly Government against all that despise it as well as against all that abuse their Power in it for there is no Respect of Persons with God Rom. 2. 11. Let me therefore exhort you my Brethren as you know it has been my manner these thirty Years to follow Peace with all Men and Holiness to study to be quiet and especially in troublesom Times to fear the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change Prov. 24. 21. Many have undone themselves by itching after Changes in Worldly Government God only knows what is best for you and for the Nation They that are weary of this are soon weary of that few know what they would have and who is able to devise any thing that will please all Humors and suit all Interests Bless God for your Prince and for the Peace you have enjoyed under him and pray for him and for all that are in Authority that under them if the Will of God be so you may lead quiet and peaceable Lives in all Godliness and Honesty They that will not pray for all that are in Authority do not fear God for they contemn his Word 1 Tim. 2. 1. They do not love and so they cannot honour the King You are at present under Sufferings for the consciencious performance of what you believe to be your Duty towards God in Matters of Religion humble your selves under the mighty Hand of God and suffer patiently what Trials it shall please God to exercise you under that as our Apostle hath it 1 Pet. 1. 7. the Trial of your Faith being much more precious than that of Gold that perisheth tho it be tried with Fire might be found unto Praise and Honour and Glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ I say no more the Lord direct you AMEN NOW if it shall please God to bring this faithful tho unpolished Discourse to his Majesties Royal Hand I do hereby
in all Humility prostrate my self at his Royal Feet with this humble Supplication That it would graciously please his Majesty according to his wonted Goodness and Princely Clemency to consider and pity the distressed condition of many of his faithful Subjects who dissent from the Church of England in the case of Infant-Baptism and some other Ceremonies and cannot in Conscience to God conform to them nor deny the exercise of their Religion of which they are convinced and persuaded to be according to the Will of God O let our Lord the King consider that this is the greatest strait that any honest Christian can be put upon either to deny what he believes to be true or profess that to be true which he believes to be otherwise O let the God of Heaven be always his Majesties Chief Counsellour That by his direction he may rightly distinguish between those that are harmless in his Realm and such as have abused his Kindnesses which have been very great and thankfully to be remembred and that the present Severities against the Innocent may be abated and removed lest they be made miserable in their Native Countrey God Almighty bless the King c. FINIS The SECOND PART of the APOLOGY FOR THE Baptized Believers Wherein the GROUNDS of INFANT-BAPTISM Are REVIEWED In ANSWER to Fourteen ARGUMENTS delivered by Mr. Nathaniel Taylor M. A. in a SERMON on Matth. 28. 19. entituled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And therewithal The Reasons of the Separation of the Baptized Believers from the Pedobaptists modestly propounded Upon the occasion of their great and long-continued Sufferings By T. Grantham a Servant of Christ LONDON Printed for the Author 1684. AN APOLOGY FOR THE Baptized Believers c. PRESENTED To all Pious and Well-disposed Christians in the Church of ENGLAND SECT I. Honoured and Beloved Brethren TO prevent a Mistake and to remove an Aspersion too frequently cast upon us be pleased to know that tho we differ from you and others in some things relating to the Constitution and Government of a true Church yet we do not therefore arrogate to our selves alone the Christian Name nor exalt our selves in our Imaginations above others but do believe and hope that the Number of the saved Ones will be gathered out of all sorts of Christians who heartily love God and our Lord Jesus Christ and live holily and charitably among Men tho they be diversified in respect of Ceremonies by reason of the Place and Government where they live Yea we have Charity for all Men who are faithful to the Means of Grace afforded them how small soever knowing that our God delights in Mercy and does not exact the utmost Farthing of any Man But for all this as it is certain there hath been abundance of Errors introduced among Christians so it has pleased God to raise up a People still to testify against them the Memories of whom are blessed tho they were frequently persecuted So we believe it a Duty incumbent upon us to bear our Testimony to what Truth we know and not to partake with any in their By-Paths in Life or Religion and yet endeavour as much as in us lieth after Unity and Concord with all that fear God and own the Christian Profession To which purpose we have humbly proposed what we thought concern'd us in order to a better Understanding and Compliance in our Friendly Epistle to the Bishops and Ministers of the Church of England published some Years ago but has not been publickly taken notice of till lately one Mr. Taylor a Person of Worth for his Integrity and Zeal for the Protestant Interest and for his gentle Disposition towards such as fear God tho differing from him in the Case of Ceremonies It hath pleased him I say to take notice of our said Epistle and to offer something in order to a Composure of Differences which I confess with him to be a thing greatly to be desired But then he is pleased to shew us nothing of Mitigation or Hopes of the removal of the Things which hath occasioned our Disunion but does rather wholly charge the Cause of Division upon us and supposes our Difference about Baptism to be the chief Cause of our dissenting from the Church of England But tho this is indeed a matter of great Importance because true Baptism is antecedent to Church-Communion yet that which is greater in our Judgment is that open Prophaneness which God knows reigns and rages in the Church of England and therewithal the utter Neglect of Discipline to reform those Iniquities and also that persecuting Spirit which appears even in too many of the Guides of the Church by whose Cruelty our Sufferings have been much augmented For these Causes we have thought our selves concerned to make this our Christian Apology in which we crave leave to use that Freedom of Speech which the Matters depending do require And yet seeing we must acknowledg that we are not infallible as neither does the Church of England pretend so to be we shall speak under Correction and by the help of God with resolution to submit to a clear Conviction if indeed it shall appear that the Things wherein we dissent are justifiable on the part of the Church of England but till this be done it would be Hypocrisy and Baseness in us to violate our Consciences in Things pertaining to Religion to obtain Favour from Men for if we should so please Men we should not be the Servants of Christ Gal. 1. 10. And we do the 〈◊〉 desire to be heard at this time partly for that Mr. Taylor is pleased to impute Folly to us in separating from the Church of England because we allow of the most of the Thirty Nine Articles but especially being thereunto required by some of Eminency and great Authority in the Church of England who also told us That unless we could shew that the Church of England does hold some Error in point of Faith or that she does practise something in her Religion which is sinful we cannot justify our Separation from her And whether we be able on this wise to vindicate our present Separation is the Business which we pray may be seriously considered SECT II. A brief Account of the Reasons why the Baptized Believers cannot conform to the Ceremonies of the Church of England REserving all due Honour to the Church of England so far as she holds the Truth in the Thirty Nine Articles and as she is a good Fortress against much Popish Superstition and Idolatry we shall humbly make our Objections in three Particulars 1. Concerning Infant-Baptism 2. Concerning her Discipline 3. Concerning her Imposing of Ceremonies From all which we think we may safely argue thus It is lawful just and needful to maintain a prudent and friendly Separation from such a Church as does believe hold and maintain such Things as are evidently and actually destructive of that Christian Liberty wherewith Christ hath made his Churches free and of that sacred Baptism and holy
Discipline which Christ ordained to continue in all Churches to the end of the World But the Church of England does believe hold and maintain such Things as are evidently and actually destructive of that Christian Liberty wherewith Christ hath made his Churches free and of that sacred Baptism and holy Discipline which Christ ordained to continue in all Churches to the end of the World Ergo It is lawful just and needful to maintain a prudent and friendly Separation from the Church of England in her present Parochial Constitution Supposing the Major is not to be denied by any Christian we shall endeavour to make good the Minor To begin with Sacred Baptism It is evident from the Scripture and partly from the Confession of the Church of England that the Things prerequisite to Baptism on the part of every one who is to be joined with the Church Militant or to be baptized are these 1. They ought to have the Gospel preached or some way made known to them 2. To believe the Gospel 3. To repent of Sin And 4. Willingly to put on Christ in Baptism Or to express it in short They are first to be dead with Christ and then secondly to be buried with Christ by Baptism Now that the Church of England does hold such Things as are evidently and actually destructive of this Baptism may in our Judgment be thus proved 1. She believes holds and does teach others to hold That all or the very most of her Church-Members are regenerate without hearing the Word of God without Faith without Repentance or any Knowledg of God and so believes what neither we nor any Body else can understand to be true and errs in Faith 2. Yet she does not believe that her Members are regenerate at all till she cross or sprinkle them with Water neither does she know because she has no ground to believe that Infants are thereby made anew so as to become the Children of God and Heirs of Heaven and believing this without possibility ordinarily to know it to be true she errs in Faith 3. She believes and maintains that those ought to be baptized whom she knows do not cannot believe nor repent nor in any measure know God nor any Duty of Religion and herein she errs as we conceive concerning the Faith 4. She believes and maintains that Sponsors do believe and repent for Infants or that Infants do perform Faith and Repentance by their Sponsors and believing these things and teaching her Youth to believe them without any ground from the Word of God she believes amiss or errs in Faith 5. She holds that Persons may lawfully be baptized when they are asleep and does actually pretend to baptize Infants when they are asleep which we think verily must needs be a very great Error both in Faith and Practice 6. She believes holds and maintains that Crossing or Sprinkling is a lawful way of Baptizing when indeed it is no Baptizing at all Insomuch as those that use that Mode dare not speak as they act saying I sprinkle thee in the Name c. their Conscience bearing them witness that the sacred Act of baptizing in the Name c. cannot be expressed by the word Sprinkling They therefore believing what they know is not true in this matter must needs err in Faith as well as in their Practice And this Error has in a manner destroyed the way of Baptizing used by John Baptist Christ and his Apostles 7. Thus tho we grant that the Church of England is no less zealous for the Doctrine of Baptism than our selves yet it is apparent to us that she hath accidentally lost this holy Ordinance both in respect of the Subject and Manner of it and in the due Use and End of it which was not appointed nor fitted to receive new-boru Infants into the Church Militant And by this unwarrantable Change she has defaced the State and lost the Praise of a true Church 1 Cor. 11. 2. because she has not kept this Ordinance as it was delivered by Christ and his Apostles but hath rather suppressed it and much oppressed those that labour to restore it to its due Use and Practice in all Churches which is a great Aggravation of all these her Errors in Faith and Practice concerning Sacred Baptism SECT III. Concerning Discipline WHat manner of Discipline the Church of Christ ought to observe is sufficiently declared Matth. 18. 1 Cor 5. 2 Thess 3. Tit. 3. and other places And it is very well expressed by a Minister of the Church of England in his Defâ—nce of the Thirty Nine Articles of the Church of England in these Words The manner of proceeding in Excommunication is first by gentle Admonition and that once or twice given with the Spirit of Meekness even as a Brother if the Fault be not notoriously known and next by open Reprehension afterward by publick Sentence of the Church to put him from the Company of the Faithful to deliver him to Satan to denounce him an Heathen and a Publican if no Admonition will serve and the Crimes and Persons be very offensive Thus he And to this Discipline we can heartily subscribe it being indeed the very same which is religiously observed by the Baptized Believers in this Age and Nation But where now shall this Discipline be found in the Church of England Does any one Assembly or Court of the Church of England observe it Or does she not practise that in her Courts which is too evidently destructive of it For so far as we can understand instead of this brotherly Admonition Men are clandestinely presented and accused and often excommunicated for they know not what What Man is now taught or bound by any Order of the Church of England that in case his Brother trespass against him by defaming his Reputation offering Injury to his Person or by wronging him in his Substance to take that brotherly Course prescribed to all Christians Mat. 18. Or if he would take this Course what Congregation is empowred or allowed to hear or determine the Strife as Sin is in such cases committed against God We see not how it is possible for the Offended to do his Duty in an orderly way to the Offender if he go about it he shall probably be derided both by Teacher and People So far is he from obtaining Justice against the Offender in any Congregation of the Church of England because the ancient Discipline is an unknown thing to the People generally And for want of this Christian Government are Men continually exposed to Suits and Troubles in Courts of Law wherein the Poor can have small Help as it is written Eccles 5. 8. old Translation If thou seest the Poor to be oppressed marvel not for one great Man keepeth touch with another and the mighty Men are in Authority over the Poor 3. But that which is more grievous We do not see that open Prophaneness can be met with or suppressed by your Discipline For suppose a Man be