thou hast sent Iesus Christ. Christ saith it is life Eternall to know the Father to be the onely true God and whom he hath sent Jesus Christ but it is not life Eternall to know Christ onely as man but as true God and man and so a perfect Mediator neither is Christ said only the Son of God in respect of his temporall generation as man but also in respect of his eternal generation as he is the second person in Trinity this answer therefore of yours is not sufficient nor pertinent M. Doctor the company is not satisfied with their Answers I pray resolve the doubt your selfe I will as soone as they have propounded their objections for I moved these Questions only to make it appeare to the auditors how unfit these men are to take upon them the office of Teachers who are so imperfect in the fundamentall poynts of Catechisme Now let them propound what questions they please What is the nature of a visible Church what is the matter and fâ—rme of it or what is the visible Church of Christ made up of by authority of the Scriptures Your Question is Quid constituit visibilem Ecclesiam what makes a Church Yes I answer according to the Scriptures and the joynt consent of of all protestant Churches in the world French Dutch c. in the harmony of confessions that the sincere preaching of the Word and the due administration of the Sacraments constitutes or makes a true visible Church The Papists make many notes of the Church as antiquity universality succession miracles and diverse other but the reformed Churches make but two onely namely those above mentioned What is a true particular visible church A particular companie of men professing the christian faith knowne by the two marks above mentioned the sincere preaching of the word and the due administration of the Sacraments Is the church of England such a church It is so How prove you that First I answer I need not to prove it but you are to disprove it For as Hooker teacheth in his Ecclesiasticall Politie they who are in possession are not bound to prove their right but they who goe about to thrust them out are to disprove their right aud bring a better title for themselves Secondly yet to give you further satisfaction thus I prove the church of England to be such a church Every church in which the word of God is sincerely preached the sacraments lawfully and rightly administred is such a church But in the church of England the word is sincerely preached and the sacraments lawfully administred Ergo the church of England is such a church I denie that in the church of England the word is sincerely preached or the sacraments rightly administred I have here two things to prove 1. That the doctrine of the church of England is agreeable to Gods word 2. The sacraments are rightly administred in it First the doctrine of the church of England is contained in the 39 Articles Secondly the due administration of the sacraments in the communion-book But both the one the other are agreeable to Gods word Ergo the preaching of the word and administration of the sacraments in the church of England are agreeable to Gods word I denie that the 39 Articles and the book of common-prayer are agreeable to Gods word 1. I wil prove that the book of Articles is agreeable to Gods word In the book of Articles the first which concerneth the blessed Trinity the 2. 3. 4. which concern the incarnation of Christ Jesus his death and resurrection the 5. which concerneth the holy Ghost the 6. the perfection of scriptures and the 18. following which impugn popery are agreeable to Gods word and you cannot name any one of the rest which is not agreeable therefore they are all agreeable If you know any one that is not agreeable instance in it and I will presently shew how it is agreeable to scripture For the 39 Articles I know not what they are I never saw them that I remember Then for ought you know they are all conformable to scripture at least you can except against none of them Now for the book of common-prayer it consists partly of Psalms Epistls and Gospels partly of Prayers and the form and manner of administration of the sacraments But the former are taken out of scripture the latter are agreeable to it What doe you except against it I except against your administration of Baptism it is not rightly administred in your church for you baptize children and that is not agreeable to Gods word if you say it is how doe you prove it by scriptures This D. F. undertook to prove out of scriptures but before he alledged any text of scripture for it another Anabaptist interposed You say your church is a true church that cannot be for the true church compells none to come to church or punishes him for his conscience as the church of England doth Iosiah was supream governour of the true church in Iudah and Israel but Iosiah compelled all Israel to come to the house of God and worship him there 2 Chron. 34. 33. So Iosiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that appertained to the children of Israel and compelled all that were found in Israel to serve the Lord their God Ergo men may be compelled by the civill magistrate to the true worship of God Josiah compelled them to come to Jerusalem but that law is not now in force There is a three-fold law of God delivered by Moses 1. Ceremoniall 2. Judiciall and 3. Morall The ceremoniall and judiciall are not now in force but the morall is and Iosiah did this by the command of the morall law For the text saith not that he compelled them to come to Ierusalem but to serve the Lord their God which is a dutie required by the morall law and the law of nature For though the place of Gods Service and the manner be changed yet the substantiall worship of God still remains and princes are now as much bound to compell their subjects to the true worship of God as Iosiah was And moreover it is to be noted that Iosiah did this by vertue of a covenant which he made before the Lord to walk after the Lord and keep his commandements with all his heart and all his soul 2 Chro. 34. 31. And the spirit of God sendeth this testimony after him 2 King 23. 15. Like unto him there was no King before him that turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might according to the law of Moses which words have an apparent reference to that first and great commandement Deut. 6. 5. thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might
other his Dominions unto whom the chiefe government of all estates of this Realm whether they be Ecclesiasticall or Civill in all causes doth appertain and is not nor ought to be subject to any forrain jurisdiction The Lawes of the Realm may punish Christian men with death for heinous and grievous offences The summe of all is the Civill Magistrate is a divine ordinance and his chiefe care is or ought to be Religion for the defence and vindication whereof God hath put a sword in his hand to cut off the disturbers of the Peace as well in the Church as the Common-wealth and because he is the Minister of God for our wealth and safety his authority is to be obeyed by all sorts of men for conscience sake and not to be resisted upon paine of damnation And now Christian Reader thou hast heard a Harmony listen not to discords thou hast heard a consort of silver Trumpets hearken not to a single oat-pipe or the harsh sound of Rams hornes thou hast heard the suffrages of all the learned Divines in the Reformed Churches regard not the votes of a few illiterate Mechanicks much lesse the fancie and dreames of fanaticall Enthusiasts who because they are Anomolaes themselves would not by their good will there should bee any Rules because they are wandring Starres they would have none fixt because they are dissolute they would have no bonds of Lawes because they are Schismaticks and Non-conformists they would have no Discipline in the Church because they are dunces and ignorant both of Tongues and Arts they would have no learning nor Universities Lastly because they walke inordinately they would have no coercive power in the Magistrate to restraine them There was never more cause then now to take heed what thou hearest and to try the spirits whether they are of God or no for there is not one only lying spirit as in the dayes of Ahab but many lying spirits in the mouthes of Prophets not only Romish Priests and Iesuits who endeavour to seduce thee to spirituall thraldome idolatry and superstition but also diverse sorts of schismaticall Teachers who intice thee to carnall liberty prophanenesse sacriledge and faction When I first heard of the manner of taking Apes in the Indies I could scarce forbeare laughter but now seeing dayly men of worth and parts caught after the same manner by our new Sectaries I can hardly refrain tears The maner of taking those beasts is thus described he that goes about to catch Apes in those parts of America which abound with them brings a Bason with fair water and therein paddles with his hands and washeth his face in sight of the Apes and then steps aside for a while the Ape seeing the coast cleare steales to the Bason and seeing his face in the water is much delighted therewith and in imitation of the man dabbles with his feet in the cleare water and washes his face and wipes his eyes and after this he lyes in wait for him fetches away the Bason powres out the faire water and fills it againe with water mingled with birdlime and puts the Bason in the place where it stood before the Ape returning to the Bason and suspecting nothing puts his feet in the birdlime and with that foul mingled water washes his face and wipes his eyes which are thereby so dazled the eye-lids closed up that unawares he is easily caught In like manner these late Proselytes who invade many empty Pulpits in the City and Suburbs at the first in their Sermons set before thee as it were a Bason of the pure water of life wherin thou maist see thy face wash away the spots of thy soul but after they have got thy liking and good opinion confide in thee then they mingle bird-lime with the water of life the birdlime of Socinianisme of Libertinisme or Antinominianisme Brownisme and Anabaptisme wherewith after they have put out or closed the eyes of thy judgement they lead thee whither they lift and make a prey of thee Praemonitus praemunitus I have forewarned thee bee thou forearmed against them and the Lord give thee a right judgment in all things Gastius de exord Anabap. p. 495. Quia Anabaptistae à veritate avertunt aures idea Deus mittit illis Doctores non qui lingua medica sanarent ulcera ipsorum sed qui pruritum ac scabiem affectuum ipsorum commodè scalperent Because the Anabaptists turn away their eares from the truth God sendeth them teachers according to their desire not such as with their wholesome tongues and doctrine heale their sores but with their nailes scratch gently the itch of their carnall lusts and affections Remarkeable Histories OF THE ANABAPTISTS WITH OBSERVATIONS thereupon THE French after the first course of solid dishes entertaine their guests with Kicke-shoses and wee with fruit In the former part of this Treatise courteous Reader as well in the propounding our arguments for the orthodox faith as in the Refutation of the Anabaptists objections against it I desired to set before thee Solid and substantiall dishes to strengthen thee in the true doctrine of thereformed Church of England but in these ensuing relations and observations I make bold to set on the board Kicke-shoses and variety of strange fruits which though peradventure they will not much nourish thy faith yet eaten with a graine of Salt will some way irritate thy appetite and help thy digestion and concoction OBSERVAT. I. That the Anabaptists are an Illiterate and Sottish Sect. As Macarius who had the care and oversight of erecting that magnificent structure at Ierusalem built by Helena the mother of Constantine the great was happy in his name for Macarius in Greek signifieth blessed and as Theodoret testifieth a blessed man was he so on the contrary many Arch-hereticks and Boâ—tefeux of the Church and State have been happily unlucky in their names their God-Fathers at the Font proving Prophets and the names they gave them being presages of their qualities and fortunes and Characters of their persons Haymo noteth out of Iraeneus that Ebion the Father of the Ebionites signifieth in Hebrew poore and silly and a silly poore man God wot was he Manes the Father of the Manichees derives his name in Greeke from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 insanio or à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 insania madnesse and verily a franticke heretick was he Aërius the Father of the AërianÌ„s carieth wind in his name and a light giddy-braind fellow was hee blowne into his heresie with the wind of ambition as Saint Augustine declareth in his bed-roll of heresies What should I descend to Maldonate whos 's very name speaketh the abuse of his filts Maldonatus quasi malè donatus and to Ignatius the Founder of his Sect Ignatius Layola who as he hath Ignem fire in his name so he and his Disciples have proved the greatest Incendiaries in the Christian world I will trouble thee but with one instance more and that is
and State with such successe that this your meeting may be like to that in the 25. yeare of Edw. 3. which is known to posterity by the name of Benedictum Parliamentum the blessed Parliament Yours in the Lord Iesus DAN FEATLEY From Prison in the Lo Peters house in Aldersgate-street Ian. 10. 1644. TO MY REVEREND and much esteemed Friend Mr. JOHN DOWNAM Worthy Sir I Have now finished my Polemicall Tractate against the Anabaptists which had slept securely by me in a whole skin of Parchment had not the clamours of the Adversaries awaked it who cry downe Paedobaptisme and cry up Anabaptisme not onely in the Pulpit but also from the Presse to the great offence of godly minds and the scandall of the Church You will peradventure returne me an Answer in the words of the Poet Ole quid ad te What doth this concerne me whose Restraint is a necessary Supersedeas from proceeding agaâ—nst these presumptuous and daring Sectaries And the unfurnishing me of all Books and helps of mine owne Notes and Collections lately taken from me furnisheth me with too just an excuse for not writing I confesse to my griefe it doth but what will you have me doe Situ otio torpescere Such a rest would be most restlesse and tedious The lesse I doe the more I must needs suffer and the more I doe the lesse I suffer And beleeve me Sir it is not an ambition to be seene in the Presse but a desire for the time to forget my unsufferable pressures which hath now set me on worke As when we have the world at will and can give our Mind her vagaries at pleasure to fixe or thoughts on any certaine subject is a kind of incarceration of the spirit so when our Estate is sequestred and our person confined and no theame is given us daily to enlarge upon but the valuing of our unvaluable losses and the present supplying of our importunate wants to divert our minds from commenting upon our deplorate estate and forcibly confining our meditations to a more pleasant subject is a great ease and kind of liberty to immured thoughts But this is not all for as S. Jerome thought wheresoever he was whatsoever he did he heard the sound of the last Trumpet and the summons of the Archangel Surgite mortui venite ad judicium So me thinks wheresoever I am and whatsoever my businesse is I heare that Vae of the Apostle Woe be unto me if I preach not the Gospel And preach the Gospel I can now no otherwise then from the Presse for both my Pulpits are taken from me and possest by others and I cannot obtaine though by my selfe and friends I earnestly soughâ— it that liberty which S. Paul enjoyed when he was imprisoned at Rome to preach the Gospel to my fellow prisoners Now therefore sith I cannot lingua I must be content as I am able evangelizare calamo to preach with my Pen which I can hardly dip into any other liquor then the juice of Gall in regard of the malignity of the times and the insolencies of the enemies of the truth As Adders Efts and other venemous serpents breed in old broken walls so all sorts of Heretiques and Schismatiques breed and are exceedingly multiplyed by reason of the ruptuâ—es in State and distraction of the time Among all these the Papists and the Anabaptists are most dangerous and pestilent enemies the one to the Church the other to the State These above all others having bestirred themselves since the waters were troubled and they boast in secret of their great draughts of fish the Papists of 20000. Proselytes the Anabaptists of 47. Churches Si natura negat facit indignatio versum As well Indignation as Zeale hath stirred up my drooping spirit and encouraged me though as I said before unarmed to fall upon both the former in my Answer to a Popish Challenge the latter in this my Catabaptistarum Catacrisis Jerom comforting a young Hermite bade him look up to heaven Paradisum mente deambulare assuring him that so long as he had Paradise in his mind and heaven in his thoughts tamdiu in eremo no eris so long he was not in the wildernesse So verily it seemes to me so long as I can draw the sword of the spirit and pursue freely the enemies of the doctrine and discipline of the Church of England and beat them out of their trenches so long me thinks I am not in bonds The Lord in mercy look upon the Convulâ—ions in the State and Distractions in the Church and turne our Baptisme of blood into a Baptisme of tears in which we may and ought all to be Anabaptists This is the hearty wish of him who loveth the truth for it selfe and you for the truths sake Dan Featley The Preface to the Reader IN nova fert animus mutatas discere formas Corpora I am to tel thee Christian Reader this New yeare of new changes never heard of in former Ages namely of Haras turned nito Aras Stables into Temples Stalls into Quires Shop-boards into Communion Tables Tubs into Pulpits Aprons into Linnen Ephods and Mechanicks of the lowest ranke into Priests of the high places Thou shalt heare in this Treatise not of a line drawne after Protogenes nor of an Iliad after Homer but of a Metamorphosis after Ovid not made by Poeticall license but by Propheticall liberty not of men into beasts but of S. Pauls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 evill beasts shall I say into men nay into men of God and Prophets of the New Law If ever Saint Ieroms Complaint were in season it is now Physitians keep within the bounds of their Science Smiths meddle with the Hammer and Anvill the Linnen Draper deales not in Woollen cloth nor the Woollen Draper in Linnen the Carpenter takes not the Ioyners work out of his hand nor the Ioyner the Carpenters the Shoomaker goes not beyond his Last nor the Tailor beyond his Measure onely the trade of expounding Scripture is a Mysterie which every Artizan arrogateth to himselfe The Physitian here wil be prescribing receipts the Lawyer will be demurring upon dubia Evangelica and every handy-crafts man will bâ— handling the pure Word of God with impure and unwashed hands This the pratling huswife this the old dotard this the wrangling sophister in a word this men of aâ—â— professions and men of no profâ—ssion take upon them to have skill in readily teaching that they never learned and abundantly pouring out that which was never infused into them The Apostle comparing the dignity of the ministerial function with the indignity and insufficiencie of most mens gifts for it cryes out Who is sufficient for these things But if we consider mens opinions of their owne gifts and their practice at this day we may say Who is not sufficient for these things Not the meanest Artizan not the illiteratest Day-labourâ—r but holds himselfe sufficient to be a Master-builder in Christs Church When the
culpô To leave therefore these detestable Sectaries whom to detect is to consute and to name is everlastingly to brand there are but three only sorts to whom that name properly and peculiarly appertaineth The first broached their doctrine about the year 250. which was this That all those who had been baptized by Novatus or any other hereticks ought to be re-baptized by the orthodox pastours of the church The second broached theirs about the year 380. which was this That none were rightly baptised but those that held with Donatus and consequently that all other who had received baptisme in the catholike church by any other save those of his partie ought to be re-baptized The third broached theirs in the year 1525. which was this That baptisme ought to be administred to none but such as can give a good account of their faith and in case any have been baptized in their infancie that they ought to be re-baptized after they come to years of discretion before they are to be admitted to the church of Christ. For the first sort though their opinion and practise were erroneous yet some conceive causas habet error honestas that they had very plausible pretences for it namely that hereticks were miscreants and had no place themselvs in the true church of God and that therefore they had no power by their baptisme to admit any into it that they had not the holy Ghost and therefore could not confer the gifts thereof upon any that they were foul themselvs how then could they by their baptisme wash others clean 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Against this opinion and practise of theirs Pope Stephen mainly opposed himself and in a Synod held at Rome condemned it as being repugnant to the tradition of the church which as he affirmeth received hereticks upon their submission recantation of their heresies without re-baptizing them But St. Cyprian a famous bishop in Africa in those dayes and afterwards a glorious Martyr took Pope Stephen to task refelled his argument drawn from unwritten tradition by scripture and in a provinciall Synod held at Carthage whereof he was president Anno Dom. 258. with the joynt suffrages of 87. bishops condemns the sentence of the Roman Synod and determines the flat contradictorie thereunto namely that the baptisme administred by hereticks was invalid and Null and that all that had no better baptisme ought to be brought again to the font and be christened anew no otherwayes to be accounted members of the true church And truely Erasmus in his Preface to his Edition of St. Cyprian affirmeth it to be an even lay between both opinions and that though the church in latter ages took part with Stephen yet that they might as well have confirmed St. Cyprians opinion without any prejudice at all to the catholike faith Howheit with Erasmus his good leave be it spoken whosoever shall dive deep into the point and ponder what St. Austine hath written in his exquisite tractates against the Donatists especially in his third book where professedly he scans all the arguments alledged by St. Cypran and his colleagues in the above-named third Synod at Carthâ—go will find that St. Cyprian had the better parts and gifts but yet the worst of the cause and therefore in the first and most celebrious councell of Nice it is ordered can 8. that the Catharists or Novatians who shall renounce their heresie and seek to be reconciled to the church shall be received by imposition of hands without requiring any new baptisme of them yet in the nineteenth canon it is decreed that is the hereticks called the Paulians taking that name from Paulus Samosatenus fly to the catholike church that they shall be re-baptized by all means By which seeming contradiction of the decrees of this most sacred Synod as it were by the collision of flint stones the fire of truth is thus clearly beaten out That we must distinguish of hereticks whereof some destroy the foundation as the Paulians Gnosticks Cataphrygians and the like others held the foundation but built upon it hay and stubble as the Catharists and Novatians and such hereticks as had a right beliefe in the blessed Trinitie and the natures and offices of Christ yet upon this good seed super seminarunt zizania some depraved the essentiall form of baptisme prescribed by our Saviour as did that Arrian of whom Nicephorus writeth that after he had used an hereticall kind of form dipt his hand in the font to christen the child all the water suddainly vanished away others though they had ill opinions concerning other articles of faith yet were right in doctrine of the Trinity and maintained the true form of baptisme and all those who were baptized by these latter sort of hereticks the church held their baptisme good and therefore did not re-baptize them when they received them into the church but only enjoyned them publikely to renounce their errours but those who had been baptized by the former sort of hereticks in regard their baptisme was indeed no baptisme the church appoynted agreeably unto this decree of the Synod of Nice that they should not be admitted without a new baptisme For the second sort of Anabaptists they were far worse then the former for they made a separation from the catholike Christian church holding that none were members thereof but those that held with Donatus all other they accounted no Christians and therefore if any were converted or rather perverted to their heresie they christened them again The former sort of Anabaptists were accounted only erroneous and schismaticall but not heretical but these were stigmatized for heretiks also and that deservedly for confining the church of Christ only to Africa and their sect there they consequently denied a main article of the Creed viz. Credo sanctam ecclesiam catholicam I beleeve the holy catholike church and the communion of saints Yet with these hereticks and schismaticks our Iacobites Brownists and Barrowsts symbolize for as the Donatists refused communion with the catholike church in regard of some scandalls they observed in it so do these separate from the true church of England in regard of some abuses and as they tearm them popish corruptions in it As they excluded all from hope of salvation who were not of their pure precise sect so these go not much behind them in their uncharitable censures of all those who are not of their fraternitie and as St. Austine complains of the Donatists that wheresoever they bore sway they brake down the communion tables which he there metaphorically tearmeth Altars and defaced the churches so we have had but too just cause to complain of the like out-rages committed by some of the Zelots of that strain though some of them of late have not escaped the heavy judgment of God for it For the third sort of Anabaptists they have sunk deeper in the former quag-mire are drowned over head eares in it For they not only
Muâ—â—erus his doctrine at Alset and it very much took with the common people who presently left working and what they wanted they took by force from them that had it Seventhly with the Enthusiasts and their joynt issue is That the Scripture is not our onely rule of faith and manners but that God revealeth his will to his children at this day by visions and dreams and therefore Iohn of Leidan after he had set himself to sleep and had dreamed three dayes and nâ—ghts when hee awaked fained himselfe speechlesse and called by signes with Zacharie for a table-book or pen and ink and there writeth down certaine positions as revealed to him from God and commanded the preachers to publish them the first and principall whereof was that a man was not tyed to one wife but that he might have more and this doctrine he put presently in practise martying three wives at once and fifteene before he left Eightly with the Iesuites and their joynt issue is That it is lawfull for the people to lay hands upon the Lords anoynted and depose and slay hereticall and wicked magistrates the Iesuites hold this to be lawfull after a declaration and sentence of deprivation by the Pope the Anabaptists upon a revelation from one of their prophets And this doctrine the Anabaptists practised in the yeare 1527. and pulled downe all magistrates where they had any strength Ninthly with the Arminians and their joynt issue is That there is no originall sinne or at least that none is damned for it alone that election is upon fore-seen faith and repentance that God giveth all men sufficient grace to be saved that man hath free will of himselfe either to accept or refuse Gods grace that Christ dyed indifferently for all that a true beleever who is in the state of grace may fall away totally and finally Tenthly with the Brownists or Barrowists and their joynt issue is That there ought to be a paritie in the church that the government by arch-bishops and bishops c. is Popish and antichristian that the service and ceremonies of the church are idolatrous and superstitious that in regard of these and such like abuses and corruptions the church of England is no true church of Christ and consequently that all that have a care of their soules must of necessitie separate from her Eleventhly with a peculiar sect called the Separati and their joynt issue is That no Christian may goe to law or in any case to right himselfe by arms or violent means Secondly such as are peculiar to their sect and these are six First That none are rightly baptized but those who are dipt Secondly That no children ought to be baptized Thirdly That there ought to be no set forme of Liturgie or prayer by the book but only by the Spirit Fourthly That there ought to be no distinction by the word of God between the Clergie and the Laitie but that all who are gifted may preach the word and administer the sacraments Fifthly that it is not lawfull to take an oath at all no not though it be demanded by the magistrate Sixtly that no Christian may with a good conscience execute the office of a civill magistrate ARTIC I. Concerning Dipping ANABAPTIST None are rightly Baptized but those who are Dipt THE REFUTATION Though Dipping may be used in Baptisme and if the childe be strong and the weather and climate temperate it is very fit to be used and the church of England both alloweth it and practiseth it yet it is no way necessary or essentiall to Baptisme neither ought they who have been washed or sprinkled according to the form prescribed by our Saviour In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost by a lawfull Minister by any means be rebaptized which I prove ARGUMENT I. That which Christ who is the Authour and Ordainer of Baptisme requireth not cannot be necessary or essentiall to the right administration of that Sacrament But Christ no where requireth Dipping but onely Baptizing which word as Hesychius and Stephanus and Scapula and Budaeus the great masters of the Greek tongue make good by very many instances and allegations out of Classick writers importeth no more then Ablution or Washing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say they in their Lexicons and Commentaries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est lavo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lavatio ablutio which may be done without Dipping Ergo Dipping is not necessary to the right administration of Baptisme ARGUMENT II. If the words Baptize and Baptisme are often used in holy Scripture where the persons or things said to be Baptized were not Dipt then certainly Dipping is not necessary to Baptisme neither will the word Baptize inforce any such thing But the words Baptize and Baptisme are used in Scriptures where neither the persons nor things were Dipt as appears by these texts of holy Scriptures Matth. 3. 11. be shall baptize you with the holy Ghost and with fire which promise Acts 1. 5. is applied to the sending down of the holy Ghost in the shape of fiery tongues and Acts 2. 3 it was fulfilled when the Apostles were filled with the holy Ghost and spake with other tongues yet were they not Dipt into that fire that came down from heaven but as the text saith the cloven tongues like fire sate upon each of them And again Matth. 20. 23. Christ foretelling his disciples that they should partake with him in his sufferings and drink deep of the cup of trembling expresseth it by the phrase of Baptizing saying Ye shall be Baptized with the Baptisme that I am Baptized with yet neither was Christ nor any of his disciples that we read of dipt into blood but onely sprinkled washed or besmeared therewith Likewise Mark 7. 48. we read of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word for word baptismes of cups pots tables or beds yet cupts or pots when they are washed or rinsed as viz. at a pump are not necessarily Dipt into the water but onely water powred into them and upon them with rubbing c. And for tables and beds they are not washed by Dipping for in mens houses they have no commodity of so great lavers or broad wells wherein tables may be Dipt and the dipping especially of beds will do them more hurt then good Lastly we read 1 Cor. 10. 2. of baptizing in the cloud and Heb. 9. 10. of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divers Baptismes or Washings and carnall ordinances imposed on the Jews untill the time of Reformation yet were not the Jews who are said to be baptized dipt in the cloud but they were onely washed with it as men are in a shower of rain neither did Moses in the ceremoniall law prescribe different kindes of Dippings though he did severall kindes of cleansing purifying or washing nor did the Apostle deliver any doctrine of many Dippings but ablutions Ergo Dipping is no way necessary to Baptisme ARGUMENT III. If the
his arms and blessed them to shew that he was the Saviour as well of young as old REPLY First Barber deserveth to be trimmed himself for thus reproaching his mother the church of England who if she be a whore what must he needs be but a bastard who cannot deny himself to be born of her If she and other reformed churches who have excluded the papacie and banished the great whore out of their precincts be no better then whores what true spouse hath Christ in the world or what had he for 1500. yeares during which time all churches through the Christian world baptized infanâ—s even those who were the forerunners of these Anabaptists and bare also theâ—r name because they practized rebaptizing as these do yet they condemned not simply the baptisme of infants as I noted before Secondly though it be said that these children came to Christ in a large sense that is had accesse to him yet they came not to him upon their own leggs for S. Luke saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they brought unto him babes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who were no other then such as we tearm sucklings or infants and though it be true that Christ christened them not for he christened none himself but his Disciples only as S. Iohn teacheth us yet his receiving them and blessing them and commending humility to all by their example saying that of such and none but such is the kingdome of God is a sufficient ground and warrant for us to christen them for why should not we receive them into the bosom of the church whom Christ took into his armes Why should we not signe them on whom he layd his hands Why should we not baptize and pray for them whom he blessed If he be the Saviour of young as well as old and to perswade us of this truth expressed such love to infants why should we exclude them from baptisme an outward means of salvation whom Christ as they confesse excludes not from salvation it self See more below in the answer to A. R. ARGUMENT VIII All they who are partakerrs of the grace both signified and exhibited to us in baptisme may and ought to receive the signe and sacrament thereof this is the basis and foundation upon which S. Peter himself builds Acts 10. 47. Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized which have received the holy Ghost as well as we And it may be further confirmed both by an argument drawn à majore ad minus after this manner if God bestow upon children that which is greater the inward grace why should we denie them the lesser the outward element Or by an argument drawn à relatis they to whom the land is given ought not to be denyed the sight and keeping of the deeds and evidences thereof neither ought we to sever those things which God hath joyned to wit the signs and the things signified they divide the signe from the thing signified who denie them to have grace ordinarily modo non ponant obicem who receive the outward sign and they again sever the thing signified from the sign who allow unto children the grace of remission of sinnes and regeneration and yet denie them the sign and seal thereof to wit baptisme But children receive the grace signified and exhibited in baptisme for the Apostle teacheth us they are not unclean but holy and therefore have both remission of sins and sanctification Ergo children ought to receive the sign and sacrament thereof to wit baptisme ANABAP ANSWER The Apostles â—eaning is that the children of beleevens are not uncleane that is bastards but holy that is born in holy wedlack REPLY First this answer is no way pertinent to the scope of the Apostle which is to perswade the Christian husband not to forsake his unbeleeving wife nor the Christian wife to depart from her unbelieving husband because the unbeliever is sanctified by the beleever where by sanctification the Apostle cannot understand legitimation For faith in the husband doth not legitimate the wife that is make her no bastard if she were so born but sanctifieth her to himself and maketh her a part and member of a holy familie dedicated to God Secondly neither is sanctification here nor in any other place of Scripture taken otherwayes then for separating some way from prophane as persons times and places are said to be sanctified Neither doth holy necessarily implie no bastard For some holy men have been base-born nor doth not bastard implie holy for both the children of damned hereticks yea and infidells too if they be begotten in wed-look are no bastards yet in the state and condition they are in are far from holy See more hereof infra in the answer to A. R. ARGUMENT IX All Apostolicall traditions which are truely such ought to be had in reverent esteem and retained in the church For what the Apostles delivered they received from Christ himself either by word of mouth or the infallible inspiration of his spirit such things are part of that sacrum depositum which Timothie is charged so deeply O Timothie keep that which is committed unto thee and the Thessalonians to keep stand fast and keep 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word for word the traditions which you have been taught either by word or by our Epistle But the baptisme of children is an Apostolicall tradition truely so called Ergo it ought to be had in high esteem and retained in the church ANABAP ANSWER Though it hath been an ancient custome in many churches to christen children yet it is no Apostolicall tradition but a humane ordinance which had its originall from the Pope the man of sin REPLY First there was christening of children in the church before there was any Pope in the sense they take the word for oecumenicall bishop chalenging unto himself and usurping authoritie over the whole church for not only S. Augustine and Prosper and and Ierome make mention of this custome and good use of it to condemn the Pelagian heresy which denieth original sin but also the councell of Carthage in the dayes of S. Cyprian who flourished in the year 250 determined not only that children might and ought to be baptized but also even before the eighth day upon which some in those dayes stood strickly but erroneously and conformably hereunto we find a canon in the Milevitan councell in which the synod decreed that whosoever shall deny baptisme to children even as soon as they come out of their mothers womb in case the children be weak and in apparent danger of death let him be accursed and before either the synod of Carthage or this Mileâ—tan Irenaeus in his second book against heresies chap. 39. speaks of infants children young and old saved by their new birth in Christ namely by water and the spirit Joh. 3. 5. Secondly S. Origen and S. Austine affirm in expresse tearmes that the baptisme of children is
have baptized you with water and he will baptize you with the holy Ghost And in the 19. of the Rev. 21. ver it is in the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is word for word they were slain in the sword yet must it be translated they were slain with the sword not in the sword Notwithstanding I grant that Christ and the Eunuch were baptized in the river and that such baptisme of men especially in the hotter climates hath been is and may lawfully be used yet there is no proof at all of dipping or plunging but only washing in the river But the question is whether no other baptizing is lawfull or whether dipping in rivers be so necessarie to baptisme that none are accounted baptized but those who are dipt after such a manner this we say is false neither do any of the texts alledged prove it It is true dipping is a kind of baptizing but all baptizing is not dipping The Apostles were baptized with fire yet were they not dipt into it tables and beds are said in the originall to be baptized that is washed yet not dipt The Israelites in the wildernesse were baptized with the cloud yet not dipt into it the children of Zebedee were to be baptized with the baptisme of blood wherewith our Saviour was baptized yet neither he nor they were dipt into blood Lastly all the fathers speak of the baptisme of tears wherewith all penitents are washed yet there is no dipping in such a baptisme As for the representation of the death and resurrection that is not properly the inward grace signified by baptisme but the washing the soul in the laver of regeneration and cleansing us from our sins However in the manner of baptisme as it is administred in the church of England there is a resemblance of death and the resurrection For though the child he not alwayes dipped into the water as the rubrick prescribeth save only in case of necessitie which would be dangerous in cold weather especially if the child be weak and sickly yet the Minister dippeth his hand into the water and plucketh it out when he baptizeth the infant The second error of the Anabaptists which A. R. strenuously propugneth is their decrying down paedo baptisme and with-holding Christs lambs from being bathed in the sacred Font. This foul error or rather heresie for it is condemned for such both by the primitive and the reformed churches he endeavoureth to blanch in part if not to quite clear from all aspersion and justifie by four arguments which I will propound in his own words that he may not say I shoot his arrows without their heads the first I find p. 27. PART I. The administration of baptisme which hath no expresse command in Scripture and which overthrows or prevents that administration of baptisme which is expressely commanded in Scripture is a meer device of mans brain and no baptisme of Christ. But the administration of baptisme upon infants hath no expresse command in Scripture and it overthrows or prevents the administration of baptisme upon disciples or beleevers which is expressely commanded in Scripture Mat. 28. 19. Mar. 16. 16. Ioh. 4. 1. 2. Act. 2. 38. and 8. 37. Therefore the administration of baptisme upon infants is a meer device of mans brain and no baptisme of Christ. This argument stands as it were upon two legs and both of them are lame the one is that nothing may be done in the worship of God without expresse command in Scripture This is an ignorant and erroneous assertion For first there is no expresse precept in Scripture for beleeving and acknowledging in terminis three Persons in the unitie of the deitie and yet Athanasius faith in his Creed that whosoever beleeveth not and worshipeth not the Trinitie in unitie and unitie in Trinitie shall perish everlastingly Secondly there is no expresse command in Scripture to confesse the holy Ghost to proceed from the Father and the Son tanquam distinctis personis yet it is not only an article of religion in the church of England but also set down in the confession of the Anabaptists lately printed Thirdly there is no expresse precept for the abrogating of the Jewish sabbath and religious observing the Christian yet no Anabaptists hold themselvs bound to keep holy the Saturday or Jewish sabbath neither have they yet to my knowledge oppugned the observation of the Lords day Fourthly there is no expresse precept in Scripture for womens receiving the sacrament of the Lords Supper For though the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by the Apostle Let a man examine himself and so let him eat of this bread and drink of this cup is a common name to both sexes yet the Apostle useth the masculine article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so there is no expresse command but for men yet no sectaries upon record no not the Anabaptists themselvs exclude women from the holy Communion Fifthly there is no expresse precept for re-baptizing those who in their infancie were baptized by a lawfull minister according to the form prescribed by our Saviour in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost nay rather there is an expresse prohibition in the words of the Apostle one faith one baptisme and in that clause of the Nicen Creed I beleeve one baptisme for the remission of sins yet re-baptizing is a prime article of the faith of this sect from whence they take their very name of Anabaptists that is re-baptizers If A. R. here will stretch expresse precept to any thing that is commanded in Scripture either immediatly or mediatly either in particular or in generall either in plain or direct tearms or in the true sense of the text so I grant all the four former orthodox tenets may be proved by Scripture And so also I have before proved the lawfulnesse of baptizing children though there be no expresse Scripture for it intormini◠The other leg also upon which his argument standeth is as lame as the former For the baptisme of infants no way over-throws or prevents the baptizing of any disciples or beleevers instructed in the mysteries of salvation of whom the texts alledged are meant but there-baptizing of such who were before baptized in their infancie which re-baptizing is no where commanded in Scriptures and as if all nations were converted to the Christian faith there needed no more conversion so if all were admitted to the church by baptisme in their infancie they should need no other admission by re-baptizing them but there will be alwayes some to be converted till the fulnesse of the Iews and Gentiles also is come in and till then there will be use of that precept of our Saviour Mat. 28. Go teach all nations baptizing them the second Argument of his against paedo-baptisme PART 2. The second I find p. 20. If they ground the baptizing children from
set forms of Prayer which are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Common Prayers and distinguished from that which he delivered alone by himself by way of preface to his Sermon or Homilie In the third age we meet with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prescribed prayers and Tertullian in his apologetick gives us the moulds or heads of the publike prayer then constantly used saying our prayer for all our Emperors is that God would vouchsafe to grant them a long life a happy reign a safe Court valiant armies faithfull counsellors a good people a quiet world Yea but say the Anabaptists they said this prayer de pectore out of their brests and sine monitore without any guide or remembrancer or prompter and therefore by an ex tempore facultie This will not follow they mistake much the matter for this monitor Tertullian speaks of was a kind of Nomen-clator who kept a Catalogue of their numerous heathen deities to whom those Paynims prayed upon speciall occasions and directed them to whom and for what to pray left they should commit any absurditie in their prayers in praying to Ceres for wine and to Bacchus for corn Such monitors or prompters the Christians needed not who prayed to one God only and not a prayer suggested by others but premeditated by themselvs and first spoken in their heart before it was uttered by the mouth according to that of the Psalmist My heart is enditing a good matter my tongue is the pen of a readie writer To pray then de pectore in Tertullians sense is no more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to say without book or pray by heart or from the heart whose feat is in the brest S. Cyprian flourished in this age about the year 250. in whose writings which S. Ierome affirmeth to have been sole clamora as illustrious and well known in the Christian church as the beams of the sun or as he speaketh hyperbolically brighter then they We find some short forms of prayer at this day in use both in the Roman Missall and our book of Common-Prayer as namely sursum corda habemus ad Dominum lift up your hearts and we lift them up unto to the Lord c. Upon which passages and the like the Centurle writers who have gathered all the harvest of antiquitie and have scarce left gleanings for any other truly infer that in this blessed Martyrs dayes out of all peradventure they had certain set forms of short prayers and responds In the fourth age Eusebius writeth that the most religious Emperour Constantine the great commanded all his subjects to keep holy the Lords day and on it to send up to God with heartie and unanimous devotion an elaborate or studied form of prayer penned as it seemeth for the purpose as to give God thanks for the great and miraculous victories he gave him over all the tyrants that persecuted the church so to pray to God to perfect the great work he had begun by him to propagate the Gospell through the whole world and reduce all that were subject to the Roman state to the obedience of faith Besides this prayer penned by some Bishop the same Historian writeth that the Emperour himself made a speciall prayer which he commanded the Souldiers to say every day in the Roman tongue In this age also the famous Councell at Laodicea was held which hath left us diverse Canons like so many golden rules both to regulate our devotion and rectifie our lives and among these for one that everie morning and evening the same service or form of prayer should be used and because some even in this verie age adventured to make use of their ex tempore gift of prayer at least read or said some private prayer conceived by themselvs in stead of the publike form the Milevitan Councell provideth against this abuse by a speciall Canon which carrieth this tenor it seemed good to the reverend fathers met in this Synod to appoynt that those prayers or orizons which were devised or at least allowed by that Councell should be used by all men and no other lest peradventure something through ignorance or want of care might be uttered in the church that might not well agree with the Catholike faith The occasion of this Canon was the over-weeâ—ing conceit that some Bishops had of some prayers devised by themselvs which they obtruded to the church in stead of the publike prescript form whereby it appears that in those dayes that libertie was not permitted to any reverend or ancient Bishop which now everie punie minister taketh to himself to adde or leave out or change what he thinketh good in the Book of Common-Prayer established by the church and ratified by Act of Parliament About the end of this age or the beginning of the next Basil Ambrose and Chrysostome framed Liturgies to be used in their Diocesses yet extant in their works and bibliotheca patrum though with some interpolation And S. Augustine in his seventh Tome consisting of many excellent treatises against the Pelagians produceth divers passages out of the Common-Prayer then used by the church to convince those hereticks of the noveltie as well as falshood of their tenets For notwithstanding that the Pelagians were furnished with many testimonies of the ancient Doctors especially of the Greek church qui ante exortum Pelagium securius locuti sunt who before that heresie sprang up spake more freely of the freedome of mans free will by nature in opposition to the Manichees who taught a fatall necessitie of sinning then could well stand with the free grace of Christ accurately defended by S. Austine and his scholars yet this learned and zealous father being most expert in the prayers appoynted to be read in the ancientest Christian churches out of them exceedingly confounded these upstart hereticks and proved a full consent of antiquitie for those Orthodox tenets he propugned against all the enemies of Christs free and saving grace and truly at this day a man may more certainly gather out of the Book of Common-Prayer and specially the Collects used in our Liturgie what is the judgement of the church of England in those points anciently questioned by the Pelagians and now by the Arminians then out of the Book of Articles or Homilies In the sixt age Gregorie the great and S. Isidore set forth offices or forms of church Service and partly out of them partly out of the Liturgies above mentioned of S. Basil Ambrose and Chrysostome partly some more ancient attributed to the Apostles and Evangelists themselvs all the famous and known churches of the Christian world have their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 misses officia services or Books of Common-Prayer compiled which they use at this day and as most of the reformed churches have so the most learned and judicious Calvin wisheth all might have Concerning a form of prayer and ecclesiasticall rites I very well
like that it be a certain and constant one from which the Pastors of the Church may in no wise depart or varie ARGUMENT V. Those prayers which all in the kingdome are perpetually bound to use ought to be approved by the whole church or kingdome for such prayers especially ought to be made in faith and care taken that nothing be in them repugnant to sound doctrine But such prayers cannot be ex tempore ejaculations or sudden conceptions of every private Pastors brain opinion or fansie Ergo they must be penned forms examined by Gods word and publiquely printed that all may know what they are and may confidently goe along with the Minister and without any scruple of conscience say Amen to the prayers which they cannot doe to such unwarranted immethodicall inconsequent nay hereticall schismaticall and seditious prayers as many of our ex tempore Enthusiasts deliver especially on fast-dayes with infinitie of tautologies and vain repetitions to the great scorn and scandall of our religion ARGUMENT VI. There ought to be publique prayers not only on the Lords day but on the week-dayes also upon speciall occasion in every church or congregation of the saints for prayer is the Christians dayly sacrifice from which those houses of God ought to take their denomination domus mea domus orationis vocabitur my house shall be called the house of prayer domus orationis non orationum not a house of sermons though such there to be made nor a house of sacraments though there to be administred nor a house of Psalmes though there to be sung but a house of prayer as the principall and chief and most necessarie dutie there to be performed prayer may be without the other the other cannot be without it But such prayers can be no other in most churches then set forms devised by the learned of the Clergie and approved by the State for there is not one Minister or Curate of a hundred especially in countrey villages or parochiall churches who hath any tolerable gift of conceived as they tearm them or ex tempore prayers Ergo there ought to be set forms of prayer used in publique congregations ARGUMENT VII No man prayeth as he ought who poureth not out his whole soul before God praying as well with an entire intention as affection But this a man cannot doe who maketh a prolix ex tempore prayer in a publique congregation by reason that he must at the same time both think upon what he speaketh and invent also what he is to speak in order and with good coherence unlesse he will pray absurdly and inconsequently Ergo no man prayeth as he ought who comes not with a set or premeditated form of prayer into a publique congregation ARGUMENT VIII Not to speak of sudden ejaculations which necessitie forceth or excuseth nor of prayers in extasies and raptures in which an elevated soul is rather passive then active In all ordinarie prayers which we are to offer to God in the usuall and constant course of our Ministerie we must be carefull to shun all temeritie and rashnesse and watch in prayer with all diligence The pure oyle Olive of the Sanctuarie was to be beaten by Gods appointment Exod. 27. 20. and the Virgins were to trim their lights Mat. 25. 7. before they went out to meet the Bride-groome and God himself rejected the blind and the lame for sacrifices None presumeth to put up a petition to the king which is not carefully perused before and shall we lesse reverence the King of heaven then an earthly prince But temeritie and rashnesse cannot be avoided by such who speak to God quicquid in buccam venerit and presume to deliver that in a publique assembly which they never thought on before Ergo all such ex tempore prayers ought to be forborn in publique and the set forms of the Church retained or some in stead of them composed with publique approbation Anabaptists Objections In excepting against all set or stinted â—orms of prayer aspis a vipera sumit venenum according to the Latin proverb the asp borroweth poyson from the viper that is the Anabaptists from the Brownists who may rightly be tearmed a generation of vipers because they after the manner of vipers make way to their separation or going out from the Body of their Mother the Church of England by eating and rearing her bowels Out of their own store the Anabaptists furnish themselves with arguments against all set forms of prayer in generall but they are beholding to the Brownists for all such objections as they make against the publique forms of prayer used in the Church of England in particular For the more distinct handling of the objections being somewhat of a different nature and for the ease of the reader that he may more readily find a particular and punctuall solution to any such speciall objections as most stick with him I will first propound their main arguments against set forms in generall and both answer them and retort them and then particularly scan what they seem materially to object against the Service-book established by law in the Church of England OBJECTIONS against set forms of Prayer in generall OBJECT 1. No worship devised by man is acceptable to God Set forms of prayer are a worship devised by man Ergo set forms of prayer are not acceptable to God ANSWER First a worship of God devised by man may be taken in a double sense either for a worship wholly devised by man without any precept or president in scripture and such a worship is not agreeable unto God but condemned in his word under the name of will-worship or for a worship in substance prescribed by God but in some circumstance manner or help thereunto devised or composed by man and such may be and is acceptable unto God as for example reading scripture is a religious act prescribed by God yet the translation of the originall into the mother-tongue divisions of the text into chapters and verses diverse readings interlinearie glosses together with the contents and fitting them to the times and seasons are from man Preaching is a worship of God yet the choyse of such a text dividing it into parts and handling the parts in such a method raysing doctrines and applying Uses from them are from man or acts wherein the Preacher maketh use of his invention art and judgement Catechizing is a dutie enjoyned by God yet to use such a form of words or method in Catechizing by questions and answers as also the dividing the Catechisme into 52. Sections answerable to the Sundayes in the year as we see in Calvins and other Catechismes is a device and invention of man In like manner prayer is a dutie enjoyned by God and a part of his substantiall worship but the set forms are devised by man yet according to generall rules prescribed in scripture Secondly not only prayer it self but even set forms of prayer have both precept and example in Gods
this objection may also be retorted if all things which we need to pray for upon any occasion whatsoever be contained in one short set form of prayer much more may they be in many of greater length But all things we need to pray for are comprised in a short set form of prayer to wit our Lords prayer as S. Austine saith in expresse words although saith he we vaire never so much in our prayers and say other words then those which Christ hath sanctified in his holy form of prayer yet if we pray as we ought we say no other thing then that which is set down in the Lords prayer Ergo all things we need to pray for may be comprised in set forms which may be thus easily demonstrated there is no ex tempore prayer which may not be taken by characters and then either read or said by heart and so made a set form of prayer for all men in the like case OBJECT V. Reading a prayer is no more praying then reading a prophesie is prophesying or reading a Sermon is preaching But where a set form of Liturgie is used the minister only readeth certain prayers and collects Ergo he prayeth not nor is his ministerie therein Divine Service ANSWER First bare reading a prayer simplie without any more then lip-labour is not praying but reading a religious prayer with understanding intention and affection is praying and godly devotion For what is prayer but a lifting up of the heart to God with a lively faith and fervant affection out of a quick sense of our wants and calling upon him for such things as are agreeable to his will This whether it be done within book or without book with our own words or borrowed from another it matter not at all Secondly the reason holdeth not from praying to prophesying and preaching for prophesie is an extraordinarie gift of the holy Ghost and preaching a speciall facultie acquired by many years studie now especially since the extraordinarie gifts of the Spirit are ceased but prayer is a common dutie of all Christians and therefore though it will not follow such a man readeth a prophesie Ergo he is a prophet or readeth written or printed Sermons Ergo he is a preacher Yet we may rightly conclude such a one readeth godly prayers constantly after a religious manner therefore he is an humble orator and petitioner to his heavenly Majestie for Christ said to his Apostles when you pray say Our Father c. Saying therefore or rehearsing a set form is praying Thirdly this objection may be thus retorted if reading the law in the synagogue be preaching it in the language of the holy Ghost then reading holy and heavenly prayers of the church is praying but the text saith expressely that reading the law is preaching Act. 15. 21. Moses of old hath in everie Citie them that preach him seeing he is read in the synagogue everie Sabbath day Ergo reading prayers is praying The Anabaptists having thus disgorged their poyson against set forms of prayer in generall the Brownists who ingender with them thus spit their venome against the Liturgie of the Church of England in particular EXCEPT I. First they except against it that it is a meer humane invention and hath no warrant from Gods word ANSWER But this exception is weak and false First weak for if all things in the service of God wherein mans invention skill and art is exercised are to be rejected and abandoned what will become of the partition of the Bible into chapters and verses the translating it into the mother-tongue putting Psalms into meeter and setting tunes to them Catechismes confessions of faith forms of administring sacraments nay conceived as well as read prayers and all commentaries homilies and sermons for all these have something of Art and are the issue of our meditation invention and contemplation We must therefore of necessitie distinguish between the doctrine and the method of a sermon the matter and the form of a prayer the substance and circumstance of Gods worship in the former there is no place for mans art wit or invention in the latter there hath been alwayes and must be Secondly it is false for the booke of Common-prayer consisteth of first confessions of sinnes and of faith secondly lessons out of the old and new Testament thirdly thanksgivings or blessings generall and speciall fourthly Psalmes read and sung fifthly prayers for our selves and for others but for all these we have precept and president in scripture namely for confession of sinnes Psal. 32. 5. I said I will confesse my transgrlssions to the Lord. Prov. 28. 13. He that covereth his sinnes shall not prosper but who so confesseth them and forsaketh them shall have mercie Dan. 9. 20. While I was praying and confessing my sinne and the sinnes of my people Ezra 10. 1. 11. Now when Ezra had prayed and confessed weeping and casting himself down before God 11. Now therefore make confession unto the Lord God of your fathers Math. 3. 6. And were baptized of him in Iordan confessing their sinnes For confession of faith Math. 10. 32. whosoever shall confesse me before men him will I confesse before my father which is in heaven Rom. 10. 10. With the heart man beleeveth unto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made to salvation 1 Pet. 3. 15. Be readie alwayes to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you For lessons to be read out of the old and new Testament Deut. 31. 11. Thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing Esay 34. 16. Seek ye out of the book of the Lord and read Luke 4. 16. He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up for to read Acts 13. 15. After the reading of the Law and the Prophets Acts 15. 21. Moses being read in the synagogue every Sabbath day 1 Tim. 4. 13. Give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine For thanksgivings Neh. 11. 17. And Mattaniah the sonne of Asaph was the principall to begin the thanksgiving in prayer Psal. 26. 7. That I may publish with the voyce of thanksgiving and tell of all thy woundrous works Psal. 50. 14. Offer unto God thanksgiving Phil. 4. 6. In every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God Ephes. 5. 20. Give thanks alwayes 1 Thess. 5. 18. In every thing give thanks For Psalmes read and sung Psal. 95. 1. O come let us sing unto the Lord. 1 Chron. 16. 9. Sing Psalmes unto him Ephes. 5. 19. Speaking to your selves in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall songs Iam. 5. 13. Is any merry let him sing Psalmes Rev. 15. 3. And they sang the song of Moses the servant of the Lord. For prayers for our selves and others 1 Kings 8. 28 29 30 38. Have respect unto the prayer of thy servant Math. 21. 13. My house shall be called the house of prayer Luke
by divine inspiration as the originals are EXCEPT V. Fifthly they except that there are vain repetitions in the Service-book But this exception is vain not the repetitions for First that is not vain which serves to a holy end and purpose the more to stirre up our affections or imprint such prayers deeper in our memories as the reflecting of the sunne-beams is not in vain which encreaseth the heat thereof and the striking again and again upon the same nail is not in vain because it driveth it in deeper and more fasteneth it Secondly the holy scripture warranteth such repetitions for in the 136. Psalme these words for his mercie endureth for ever are 27. times repeated in the old translation but 26. according to the new and in Psalme 119. the word of God or some synonymon thereunto is repeated 175. Christ himselfe repeated that prayer Father let this cup passe from me three times Thirdly there is no prayer appointed to be often repeated save the Lords prayer which Christ himself twice delivered upon severall occasions and not only the church of England but all churches in their Liturgies have thought fit to rehearse often for it is as the salt which seasoneth all our spirituall sacrifices as the amber which sweeteneth all our dishes as the Elixar which turneth all our leaden conceptions into pure gold In the confession of our sinnes we are defective as also in the profession of our faith and in our prayers for our selvs and others and in our forms of consecration of the sacrament and therefore in all these places of the Service-book the Lords prayer is added to supply the defects thereof EXCEPT VI. Sixthly they except against the shortnesse of our prayers they say they are rather snips of prayers then prayers and that in them there may be some sparks of pietie but no flame of devotion But this exception is neither true nor just First not true for the prayers appoynted by the church to be read at solemn fasts as likewise the prayers for the whole estate of Christs church and the Morning and Evening prayers for private Families and for sundrie other purposes printed after the Psames are of as large a size as any used in any reformed churches Secondly it is not just our prayers are thereby no way disparaged for the shortest of them come nearer to the pattern of perfect prayer drawn by our Saviour then their longest In all the Bible there is no example of any verie long prayer on the contrarie Solomon commandeth us when we petition the Almightie to use few words and Christ himselfe more then once taxeth the vanitie and hypocrisie of such as mete out their devotion by the ell when you pray use not vain repetitions as the heathen do for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking And Mat. 23. 14. Wo be unto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for ye devoure widdows houses and for a pretence make long prayers In direct opposition to such he framed a prayer to himself a verie short one but most pithie and perfect and it is after this fair copie that the learned Scribes who penned our English devotions wrote well knowing that God is not wooed with varietie of of phrases but rather with sighs and groans not with enlarged thoughts but with enflamed affections as Saint Austine teacheth us The hotest spring sends forth their waters by ebullitions oratio brevis penetrat coelum In a long prayer the affection slaketh cooleth and dieth before he that prayeth is speechlesse and the vulgar sort of people are verie little benefited by these prolix and long-winded rather discourses or expostulations or exaggerations then prayers neither can they for so great a space of time hold their attention to the Preacher neither can their memorie carrie away a quarter of what is powred out before them whereas short prayers often repeated in their ears leave an impression behind them and they get them with many most profitable texts of Scripture often rehearsed in the Book of Common-Prayer by heart and if you take away from them these short cuts and shreddings of devotion as they please to nick-name them such as can neither read nor write will have nothing left to mend their wedding garment Howsoever we want not the approbation herein of the ancient churches especially the famous churches of Aegypt who had many prayers but verie short as if they were darts thrown with a suddain quicknesse lest that vigilant and erect attention of the mind which in prayer in most necessarie should be wasted or dulled through the continuance of over-long prayers EXCEPT VII Seventhly they except against the interchangeable varietie of our Service-Book whereas they continue a long prayer themselvs without any interruption the people only sealing all in the end with their Amen But according to the Rubrick and practice of the church in most congregations in reading the Psalmes and other parts of the Service the Minister and people answer one another by course and turns sometimes he darts outâ—a short ejaculation as sursum corda lift up your hearts they answer him with habemus ad Dominum we lift them up unto the Lord when he singeth one verse in a Psalme they chant out another when he prayeth for them the Lord be with you they require him with a like prayer and with thy spirit And what hurt or incongruitie is in this it is a religious seconding one the other in their devotion and stirring up the intention of the people It is as it were the laying gloing coals one upon another which presently kindle one the other and make the flame the greater And though now this be an eye-sore to some in our Common-Prayer-Book yet the ancients esteemed it no blemish but a beautie in their Liturgies For Saint Ambrose maketh mention of such a custome in Millain Platina in Rome Basil throughout all Greece and Plinie the younger among the first Christians in Trajans time within a hundred years after Christs death These Christians saith he before day sing Hymns alteratìm by turns or catches to one Christ whom they esteem a God And yet we may fetch this practice higher even from a quire of Angells in heaven for so we read Esay the 6. 3. And the Seraphims cryed one to another holy holy holy EXCEPT VIII Their last exception and greatest spleen is at the Letanie one of the choicest pieces in all the Service-Book wherein we offer up the sweetest incense of most fervent prayers and fragrant meditations to God And the Brownists their taking offence at it sheweth them to be of the nature of the Vultures who as Aristotle writeth are killed with the oyl of Roses or rather like swine who as Plinie informeth us cannot live in some parts of Arbia by reason the sweet sent of aromaticall trees there growing in everie wood Against this therefore they thunder out a volley of objections in the Letanie say they
against them for â—ushing violently into the Churches of the Catholicks breaking asunder the Altar boards pulling down the partitions and making havock of all things there and herein our Anabaptists their cursed off-springs learn to patrizare Rotman with Cniperdolin in the yeare 1534. after they had altered the Senate in Munster seised upon the Church dedicated to Mauricius situated in the Suburbs and pillaged all the other Churches in the City And in Suevia and Franconia Muncer and Phifer two principall incendiaries among the Anabaptists made their Magazins in the Covent of the Franciscans and cast their Ordnance there and Phiser running into the country of Isfield pillageth all the Castles and Churches And their Taylor-King Iohn of Leiden of the Coapes and Altar-cloathes and rich vestments stolne from the Churches which they pillaged made good use by the help of his former trade translated them all into apparell for himselfe and his Courtiers and glittering Caparisons for his horses And what evill their Disciples mingled with Brownists have done in the Sanctuarâ—es of God in England and Ireland though I should hold my peace the timber out of the beams and the Chalices out of the Vestry and the marble and brasse out of the Monuments of the dead would proclaime it to the everlasting infamy of this prophane Sect. But it is time Claudere rivos to shut down the Flood-gates lest my discourse bee overflowne with these muddy and brackish waters Sat prata biberunt OBSERVAT. Ult. Of the untimely deaths and fearfull ends of the Ring-leaders of this Sect. No man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before him all things come alike to all there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked to the cleane and to the uncleane to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not as is the good so is the sinner and hee that sweareth as he that feareth an Oath Thus speaketh King Solomon either in the person of the Epicure denying speciall providence or as most agree in his owne person without any figure or Prosopopoeia at all to deterre men from passing rash censures upon any in particular for outward dysasters in regard of the common calamities incident to all mankind no man may certainly judge whether a man bee in Gods favour or state of Grace by the floate of these outward blessings or that he is out of Gods favour and in the condition of a Reprobate by the ebbe of them or the contrary inundation of afflictions For a man may be as miserable as Lazarus in this world yet destinated to Abrahams bosome as on the other side a man may be as happy as Dives here yet reserved for everlasting torments hereafter It is therefore sage Counsell the Poet giveth Ne te quaesiveris extra seek not thy selfe out of thy selfe neither value thy selfe by thy outward estate but thy stock of inward vertues Notwithstanding this generall observation concerning the benigne aspect of heaven in this life or manifold dysasters it is most certaine that God exempteth some from common calamities and powreth the full vialls of his vengeance upon others in such sort even in this life that the most secure sinners are constrained to professe in the words of the Psalmist utique est fructus justo utique est Deus judex in terra doubtlesse there is reward to the just doubtlesse there is a God that judgeth the earth If God did not set a marke upon some notorious offenders in this life and make them examples to others upon what evidence could the Prophet say the Lord is knowne by the judgement which hee executeth the wicked is snared in the works of his owne hands On which text the ensuing relations may serve as a briefe Commentary Who cannot read Corah and his Complices sinne in their punishment they made the first Schisme in the congregation in their time there was a wide rent made in the earth through which they descended quick into hell Elymas the forcerer who endeavoured to seduce the proconsul froÌ„ the Christian faith and cast a mist as it were before his eyes that he might not discern true Religion from superstition was suddenly smitten with blindnes Cerinthus the old heretick who corrupted the doctrine of the Gospell in the purest times resorting to a common Bath where he met the Apostle of Christ was killed by the fall of the house as soon as the beloved Disciple who made hast to shun him was got out of the door Montanus with his two trulls Priscilla and Maximilla who betrayed the truth of God took part of Iudas cord and hanging themselves thereby strangled that heresie in the Infancy Manes who tare the seamelesse coat of Christ and with a part thereof covered the hereticks called from his name Manichees had his skin wholly torne from his flesh and being thus excoriated in the quickest sense of lingering paine he yeilded up his unhappy ghost Vitaque cum gemitu fugit indignata sub umbras Arius who infected the greatest part of the world with his pâ—stilent heresie came to a most shamefull end in the publick James at Alexandria voyding his bowells at his easment there Nestorius his tongue rotted in his mouth wherewith for many yeares hee had blasphemed the person of Christ. To passe by other Arch-hereticks who tasted of the cup of trembling in this life out of which it is to be feared they now suck the very dregs in Hell The intelligent Reader who peruseth the late stories of the Anabaptists cannot but take notice that many thousands of that Sect who defiled their first Baptisme by their second were baptized the third time with their own blood yet suffered death non ut coronam fidei sed poenam perfiâ—iae Servetus an Anabap. as an Arian received the sentence of death at Geneva Phifer at Mulhus Rotman that sacrilegious Anabaptist was slaine in Saint Lamberts Church-yard Tho Muncer was put to the rack by George Duke of Saxony and the Land-grave of Hesse where he roared most fearfully and in the end had his head cut off and put upon a high pole in the fields Three hundred Anabaptists that fell upon the Monastery of Bilswâ—rd in Frizland and rifled it were all of them save 62. that fled either killed in the ruines of the Monasterie or put to death by the hangman I gave thee a touch Courteous Reader in the first Chapter of their King Io of Leiden and their Consull Bernard Cuipperdoling whose judgements slept not for before the end of two yeares in which they playd all their pranks they together with their great Prophet were tyed to a stake had their flesh torne from them with hot pinchers in the end they were stabbed to the hearts and after they were dead their bodies were put in iron cages and hanged on the Steeple of Saint Lambert the King according to his Royall dignity having his exalation hanging higher then
the Consull and the Prophet A Censure of a Book printed Anno 1644. Intituled The confession of faith of those Churches which are commonly though falsely called ANABAPTISTS PLiny writeth that if the black humour of the Cuttell-fish be mingled with oyl in a Lampe the visages of all in the room though never so faire and beautifull will seem ugly and of the hieu of Blackamores so the Proctors for our Anabaptists would beare us in hand that all who of late have preached and written against that Sect through the black humor of malice tanquaÌ„ Sepiae atramâ—nto make it appear much more deformed and odious then it is for if we give credit to this confession and the preface thereof those who among us are branded with that title are neither Hereticks nor Scismaticks but tender hearted Christians upon whom through false suggestions the hand of Authority fell heavy whilest the Hierarchie stood for they neither teach free will nor falling away from grace with the Arminians nor deny originall sinne with the Pelagians nor disclaime Magistracie with the Jesuits nor maintaine pluralitie of wives with the Polygamists nor communitie of goods with the Apostolici nor going naked with the Adamites much lesse averre the mortalitie of the soul with Epicures and Psychopannychists and to this purpose they have published this confession of their Faith subscribed by fifteen persons in the name of seven Churches in London Of which I may truely say as Saint Hilarie doth of that of the Arrians they offer to the unlearned their faire cup full of venome annointing the brim with the honey of sweet and holy words they thrust in store of true positions that together with them they may juggle in the venome of their falshood they cover a little ratsbane in a great quantity of sugar that it may not be discerned For among the fifty three Articles of their confession there are not above six but may passe with a faire construction and in those six none of the foulest and most odious positions wherewith that Sect is aspersed are expressed What then are all that have imployed their tongue and pen against them heretofore no better then calumniators and false accusers of their brethren nothing lesse for besides the testimonies of Melancthon Bullinger Sleiden Gastius Pontanus Guidebres others who lived among them by the harmonie of all the Protestant Churches confessions it appears that the masters of our Anabaptists Ring-leaders of that sect in Switzerland Suevia Franconia Munster Saxonie and the Low Countries held such erroneous tenets as are above mentioned and if their Scholars in England have learned no such doctrines from them it is because they are punies in their School and have not taken any Lesson in the upper forms they have but sipt of the cup I spake before of the divell holds them but by the heel only as Thetis did Achilles when she dipt him in the sea We read in Diodorus Siculus of certain creatures about the shores of Nilus not fully formed and in a Stone-cutters shop we see here the head of a man there all the upper parts carved in a third place the perfect statue so it seems to me that these Anabaptists are but in fieri as the Schooles speak not in facto esse like the fish and Serpents in the mud of Nilus not fully shaped like a statue in the Stone-cutters shop not finished they are Anabaptists but in part not in whole Be it so for I desire to make them rather better then worse then they are I will therefore lay nothing to them but that they owne nor bring any other evidence against them then this their confession In which I except First against those words in the thirty one Article Whatsoever the Saints any of them doe possesse or enjoy of God in this life is by Faith This passage savours ranke of that errour or heresie call it which you please imputed to Armacanus who is said to have taught that the right of all possessions and goods or temporall blessings is founded in grace not in nature and that we hold them by no legall tenure but Evangelicall promises and true it is that none but the faithfull hold in capite nor have any but true beleevers a comfortable and sanctified use of the creatures and a spirituall title to them but yet it cannot be denied that they may have and many have actually a legall title to them and civill interest in them even before they are in Christ or adopted into his family by actuall Faith for if it were otherwise Esau should have had no right to mount Seir nor Nebuchadnezzar to Tyre which yet the text saith God bestowed upon them nay if this position may take place no childe shall have any right to his fathers inheritance nor Prince newly borne to his Crowne which is not only an absurd but a very dangerous and seditious assertion None of the foure great Monarchs of the world represented in Daniels vision for ought can be proved were true beleevers though some of them did some outward acts of pietie and afforded some reall courtesies to the people of God yet of these Kingdomes the Prophet speaking saith that the most High ruleth in them and giveth them to whomsoever he will and Saint Augstine is bold to say that the same God who set the Crowne upon Constantine the Christians head gave the Empire of the world to Iulian the Apostata Nay Christ himselfe paid tribute to Caesar and acknowledged that he had a right to the tribute money saying Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars Yet that Caesar he spake of was Tiberius an enemy to all godlinesse and a kind of monster among men Secondly I except against those words in the 38. Article that the due maintenance of the officers aforesaid should be the free and voluntary communication of the Church and not by constraint to be compelled from the people by aforced Law These words may carry a double sense if their meaning be that all Religious Christians ought freely to contribute to the maintenance of the ministery should not need any law to inforce them we embrace their good affection to the Church and Churchmen but if their meaning be that the maintenance ought to depend upon the voluntary contribution of their parishioners and that in case the flock should deny their Shepherds either part of their milke or fleece that the Pastours should have no assistance of Law to recover them this their opinion is most impious and sacrilegious and directly repugnant to the Law of God which assigneth tithes for the maintenance of the Priests and that Law of God in the old Testament is not abrogated in the new but rather confirmed at least in the equitie thereof for Christ speaking of tithing mint and cummin saith those things ye ought to do and not leave these things undone and the Apostle proveth that the ministers of the Gospel ought to live
darknesse how great is that darknesse if there be confusion in order it selfe how great must the confusion needs be if all be Pastours where are their flocks if all be teachers where are their Scolars a preaching Disciple sounds as harshly as a Scholar Master or a Lecturing hearer it is true we grant that all who have received gifts from God ought to make use of them for the benefit of others and if any abound in knowledge hee ought to communicate to them that lack and freely give lumen de lumine Clouds when they are full powre downe and the spowts runne and the eaves shed and the presses overflow and the Aromaticall trees sweat out their precious and soveraigne oyles and every learned Scribe in the Kingdom of God brings out of his rich treasury new things and old Notwithstanding this necessary duty of imploying our talent whatsoever it be to our Masters best advantage none may take upon him the cure of soules without Commission nor divide the word and dispence the Sacraments without ordination and imposition of hands none may preach except he be sent none may assume the honour of the Priesthood except hee bee called as was Aaron none may open and shut the Kingdome of heaven except they have received the keyes from Christ neither a calling without gifts nor gifts without a calling makes a man of God if any have a calling without gifts their Ministery is without fruit if any gifts without a calling their Ministery is without power the former have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the latter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not every one that hath a strong voice is a lawfull cryer in a Court but he that is appointed neither is every one that can write a good hand a publick Notary but he that is sworne neither may every Mariner that is skilful in Navigation take upon him the office of a Pilot but he that is chosen But this error of the Anabaptists whereby they overthrow all order in the Church and confound shepheards and flocks Masters and Scholars Clergy and Laity I have professedly impugned and at large refelled Article 4. Whither I referre the Reader for further satisfaction Sixtly I except against the 45. Article That such to whom God hath given gifts being tryed in the Church may and ought by the appointment of the congregation to prophecie When Muncer a seditious Anabaptist first set abroach their doctrine at Mulchus and took upon him to reforme many things in Church and State Luther advised the Senate to demand of him what calling he had to doe such things he did and if he should avouch God for the Author of his calling then they should require of him to prove that his calling from God by some eminent signe for that whensoever it pleaseth God to change the ordinary course and to call any man to any office extraordinarily he declares that his good will and pleasure by some evident signe If the calling of the Anabaptisticall teachers bee be ordinary let them demonstrate it by Scripture if extraordinary let them prove it by miracle For the prophecy they spake of let them distinctly declare what kind of Prophecying they mean and whom they esteem Prophets for prophecying is taken in a double sense in holy Scripture sometimes according to the propriety of the Greek derivation for the prediction of things future sometimes in a larger sense for revealing the mysteries of God expounding his Oracles either coÌ„cerning things past present or to come and this two manner of wayes either with study and upon premeditation with the help of Arts and Tongues and by consulting the best Commentaries both ancient and latter or without any study or premeditation by immediate revelation or inspiration Prophecy in the first sense is an extraordinary calling in the last an extraordinary gift in the middle acception an ordinary Ministeriall duty And if that custome which Arch-Bishop Grindall would have introduced into the Church in the dayes of Q. Elizabeth and is in use at Geneva and among some other reformed Churches were put in practise in England and a certaine number of learned and able Pastours met at some set times and having before notice of the Texts to be handled should every one in their order deliver their severall interpretations observations and applications thereof which they call Prophecying we should exceedingly approve of it and questionles thereby the Ministeâ—s would very much improve their talents of knowledge But for rudeÌ„ and illiterate Mechanicks without calling without knowledge of Arts or Tongues upon a Scripture read in the Congregation to give their suddain judgements and interpretations thereof as is the manner of the Anabaptists we hold it an intolerable presumption in them and unsufferable abusâ— in the Church For those extraordinary revelations they pretend unto together with the miraculous gift of Tongues and healing for many hundred yeares agoe have failed in the Church If they could now doe as the Primitive Corinthians could not onely pray by the spirit but sing by the spirit if upon the first proposall of an obscure and intricate passage of the old Prophets or Apocalypse they can give upon the suddaine a cleare and rationall interpretation and deliver this in what Language soever if they can discover the secrets of the hearts of unbeleivers in such sort that they falling down on their face shall worship God and report that God is in your Assemblies of a truth then let the examples of the Primitive Christians in the Apostles dayes serve them for Precedents in this kind but of those irradiations of the Spirit together with the glisning of the fiery tongues have not been seen in any Christian Church these many ages if they come as short of the prime converts to the Christian Religion in extraordinary gifts as in time if they are so far from speaking with strange tongues that they cannot speak correctly and coherently in one if they are so wide of the sense of the place they expound that their Paraphrases are often without sense if they utter old broken notes taken from none of the best Sermons for new revelations if they furbish up ancient heresies that have layne long in the dark for Christian Armour of Light if in their interpretations they not only contradict the Scriptures but themselves and in stead of a musicall consent we hear nothing but vain janglings if their prophecyings for the time past have bin no better and none can prophecie or promise better of them for the time to come though they pretend never so much to the spirit and boast of visions and Revelations though some of them have a glib tongue and thereby slide into the approbation of the vulgar sort though in their contemplations they sore up so high that they lose themselves and their hearers though they draw their thinâ—e wier to a great length though notwithstanding they are often
gravelled and interfeere yet they outrun the hour-glasse and tire all their auditours before themselves are out of breath they shall give us leave to esteeme them no Prophets but Enthusiasts no inspired men but distracted no seers but dreamers no expositours but impostours no commentaters but commenters nay rather commentiters no workmen but botchers no carbuncles but gloeworms no fixed Stars but wanderers no lights but ignes fatuos exhalations incensed in the night which lead fools out of their way sometimes into thickets sometimes into ditches and quagmires and many of them into rivers over head and eares Hermannus Leomelius in his apologie for the Regulars against the usurped authoritie of the Bishop of Chalcedon reporteth that when the frogs make a hideous noise in any lake or ditch about the house if a candle or bright burning lamp be set upon the banke they become suddainly silent and are presently husht the frogs which about the lakes and ditches neare the City and suburbs have made such a hideous noise in the darke that they have much disquieted Christs spouse and interrupted her sweet repose are the late fry of Anabaptists But now sith I have set up a light upon the bankes and clearly discovered both them and their errours I hope we shall see no more of their Froggalliards nor hear of their harsh croaking and coaxation either in the Pulpit or the Presse Cal. praef ad Reg. Gal. Est hic divini verbâ— quasi quidam genius ut nun quam emerga quieto dormâ— ente Satana Neh. 4. 17. Wiâ—h one of his hands he wrought in the work with the other he held a weapon Gal. 4. 4. See The compassionate Samaritane p. 75 76. that the Parl. will stop all proceedings against them and for the future provide that as well particular and private congregations as publike may have publike protection that all Statures against the Separatists be reviewed and repealed that the Presse may be free for any man that writes nothing scandalous or dangerous to the State that this Parliament prove themselves loving Fathers to all sorts of good men bearing respect unto all and so inviting an equall assistance and affection from all Pref. p. 〈◊〉 â— Bloody â—net p. 2. â—dec 1. l. 10. â—irius cum â—ates Samâ—â—n galeas â—â—osque insigâ—â— armorum tratus viâ—t multa de â—enti hostiâ—vana magis â—â—e quam efâ—i ad evenâ— disseruit â—nim criâ—vulnera fa-â— per piâ— aurata â— transire anum piâ— candoâ—tanicarum â—â—temque aâ—ubi res geratur â—tari â—er Il. Theod. hist. l. Gast de Anaâ— l. 1. Quoties â— ve publice sâ—â— privatim congrederemur cuâ— Anabaptistis semper victâ— abibat veritâ— quae a nobis stat See Romarueâ—â— Solin pol. hisâ— c. 9. Fons est iâ— Sardin qui conâ—tra venenum Sâ— lifugae est eniâ— animantis ejâ— morsus mortifer a summo omnium opific in remedium conditus est uâ— oritur malum ibi quoque invenitur promptâ—â— remedium â—etron Arbit â—nde datum est â—ulnus contigit â—de salus * See A. Barâ— his Treatise Dipping Fâ— Cornwell his Pamphlet entituled The Commission of King Iesus A. Ritter his Libell calleâ— The Vanity of Childish Baptisme Ch Blockwood The storming of Antichrist and the Confesse of the Anabapâ—ists printed at London 1644. See Romarâ— printed by Bourne at thâ— old Exchanâ— â—tus 1. 12. p. ad Paulin. â—uod medicoâ—m est promitâ—nt medici â—actant fabâ—lla fabri sola â—cripturarumâ—rs est quam siâ—i passimoâ—â—â—es â—ndicant â—ane gaâ—rula nus â—an delia senâ—x hane â—ophista â—â—boâ—us haâ—c universi praesununt doâ—ent â—riusquam discunt Bern. in Cant. I'antae coaâ—â—tatis sunt peâ— quos nobis fluenca coelestia cinanant ut antea effundere quam infundi velint laqui quam audiâ—e paratioâ—es prompti docâ—re quod noâ—â— didicerunt 2 Cor. 2. 16. Bellar. l. 2. de verb. Dâ— i c 15. Quod obsecro nunc diceret Basilius 〈◊〉 Pharmacapolas sutures caeterosque opifiees etiam a puâ—pâ—â—ts sacra eloquia tractare apud Lutheranos Calvinistas videret See Sleid. Com. l. 5. a Pers. proâ— Sat. 1. Corvoâ— Poetas Poâ— tridas picas b Theod. his li. 4. c. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 6. 23. 2 Pet. 2. 16. Mar. 3. 21. Nun. 16. 23. * Johan Gast de exord Anab. â— 35. Anav apâ—istâ—e suâ—unt â—ioi omnes praeâ—dicandi officium atque de aliâ—s quâ— legitime a Christiani Ecclesits â—anâ—iorati sunt â—ciscitantur Quis te â—legit cum isti ne a sua quidem â—aeco-Eccl â—ia â—nittantur See the Hist. of â—he Anab. prinâ—ed at London â—641 Et Joh. Gast l. â—e exord Ana. p. 247. Ego viâ—i Nicol. Stock â—ui primus in Germ. videtuâ— barsisse veneâ—um illud imiorum dogmaum Hunc auâ—ierunt Monearius Phiâ—rus quibus elut emissariâ— usus totam â—erturbaviâ—â—ermaniam â—ont cata haer â—ommota sedione rustica perâ—erman Alsat Sueviam ad 50000. fiâ—eâ—nt trucidaeti Scotch-man D. Featley Scotch-man D. Featley Section 1. Two Questions of the Trinity propounded Scotchman D. Featley Scotch-man D. Featley The venterous Scotch-man was so slunnied with this blow that he gave in and spake no mâ—re for a good space Cufin D Featley Sir John Lenthall See the Solution of those doubts in the additions to the Conference Cufin This Cufin is said to be one of the first that subscribed the Anabaptists confession printed 1644. London D Featley Cufin D. Featley Section 2â— Of the definition of a true Church Cufin D Featley Cufin D. Featley Cufin D. Feateley Section 3. That the church of England is a true Church Cufin Cufin Cufin D. Featley Cufin Anabaptist Section 4. That the Magistrate may compell men to come to church and serve God there according to his word D. Featley Anabaptist D. Featley Here this third Anabaptist was blank't and to save his credit starts up another doubt Anabaptist D. Featley Anabaptist D. Featley Anabaptist D. Featley Anabaptist Here the Anabaptist yeeldeth the buckler viz. that the Magistrate ought to be obeyed when he commandeth men to hear Gods word in the church D. Featley This was the plea of the old Donatists Section 5. That the Anabaptist shave no Church Anabaptist D. Featley Anabaptist D. Featley Anabaptist Cufin D. Featley Section 6. Of the christening children D. Featley Cufin D. Featley Scotch-man D. Featley Scotch-man D. Featley Deut. 10. 16. Joshu 5. 2. câ— Scotch-man D. Featley 〈◊〉 this arguâ—ent drawn 〈◊〉 analogie 〈◊〉 Anabaptists 〈◊〉 swered noâ—ing at all â—cotch-man 〈◊〉 Peatley â—cotch-man 〈◊〉 Featley â—cotch-man D. Featley Cufin D. Featley Talium enim est regnum câ—â— lorum Mat. 19. 14. Anabaptist D. Featley Anabaptists See the refutâ—tion of this anâ—swer in the ceâ—sure of a book intituled Thâ— Vanitie of childrens baptisme Infra articl 2. argum 8. D. Featley Anabaptist D. Featley Anabaptist D. Featley Anabaptist D. Featley Anabaptist SECT 7. Of the distinction of the Clergy Laicks D. Featley And