Anno Dom. 1644. 219 IX The conclusion of all 227 Errata sic corrige Page 1. line 15. read end p. 4. l. 8. r. a visible Church p. 23. l. 24. r. reiteration p. 36. l. penult r. 1. Cor. 14. 19. p. 41. l. 22. r. sexes p. 44. l. penult r. and they are no where prohibited p. 48. l. 3. r. And. p. 51. l. 15. r. or a legitimate wife p. 53. l. 33. r. from p. 57. l. 27. r. in the principles of p. 67. in marg ad lin 19. r. Valentinian p. 70. l. 9. r. that they lin 25. r. rue it by p. 89. l. 17 r. propounded p. 120. l. 24. r Prayer himselfe p. 125. lin 18 r. hebetetur p. 185. lin 6. dele to page 189. l. 8. r. Scepter p. 195. l. 4. r. abjiciunt p 198. l. 13. r. the man p. 207. l. 14. r instance p. 211. l. 21. r. reliquo p. 215. l. 31. r. habet p. 216. l. 17. r. stagello p 218. l. ult r. as well as an Arrian p. 219. in marg l. 5. r. bini p. 225. l. 35. r. evident p. 226. l. 37. dele of Greg. Naz. Theol. Orat. 40. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What wilt thou say of Infants that neither experimentally know the grace of Baptisme nor the losse by want thereof Shall we baptize them Yes by all meanes if there be any danger For it were better that they should be sanctified though they be not sensible thereof then to goe out of this world without the seal and badge of their initiation into Christianity A true Relation of what passed at a meeting in Southwark between D. Featley and a company of Anabaptists October 17. 1642. AFter the Company were placed and Dr. Featley had made a short ejaculatory Prayer to GOD to give a blessing to the meeting a Scotchman began thus M. Doctor we come to dispute with you at this time not for contention sake but to receive satisfaction wee hold that the Baptisme of Infants cannot be proved lawfull by the Testimony of Scripture or by Apostolicall tradition if you therefore can prove the same either way we shall willingly submit unto you Are you then Anabaptists I am deceived in my expectation I thought that the ending of this meeting had bin to have reasoned with you about other matters and that my taske would have beene to have justified our Communion-Booke and the lawfulnesse and necessity of comming to the Church which I am ready to doe Anabaptisme which I perceive is the poynt you hold is an heresie long since condemned both by the Greeke and Latine Church and I could have wished also that you had brought schollars with you who knew how to dispute which I conceive you doe not so farre as I guesse by your habit and am informed concerning your professions for there are but two wayes of disputing First by Authority Secondly by reason First by Authority if you will dispute in Divinity you must be able to produce the Scriptures in the Originall Languages For no Translation is simply authenticall or the undoubted word of God In the undoubted word of God there can be no Error But in Translations there may be and are errors The Bible Translated therefore is not the undoubted word of God but so farre onely as it agreeth with the Original which as I am infermed none of you understand Secondly if you will dispute by Reason you must conclude syllogistically in mood and figure which I take to be out of your Element However sith you have so earnestly desired this meeting and have propounded a Question to me I little expected before I answer yours I will propound a Question or two to you concerning the blessed Trinity that I may know whether you are well instructed in the principles of Catechisme who yet are so well conceited of your selves that you take upon you to teach others This M. Doctor is nihil ad Rhombum we would know of your whether the Baptism of Children can be proved lawful as we said before as it is practised among you Whereas you say this my question is not ad Rhombum you mistake the matter For it is ad Rhombum if you know what the Phrase meaneth Is not the form of Baptisme this I Baptize thee in the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost therfore my questions concerning the Trinity appertain to the Doctrine of Baptisme Before therefore I answer you concerning the persons fit to be Baptized whether men and women onely in riper years or children also to try your skill I will propound an argument to each of you out of Scripture concerning the blessed Trinity And first turning to the Scotchman Doe you believe saith hee that each of the three persons is God how then doth Christ Iohn 17. 3. say that the Father is the onely true God 2. After turning to the other Doe you believe that the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son if you doe so how then doe you answer the words of our Saviour Iohn 15. 26. The Spirit which proceeds from the Father there is no mention at all of proceeding from the Son but the Father onely To the latter of these queries nothing was answered by either of them to the former they both answered First the Scotchman We never intend to deny that every person in Trinity is God for the text you alledge it proves not what you bring it for Herâ—t be Text being read the Scotchman answered Christ opposeth his Father as the true God to all false Gods I doe not urge the word true for that indeed is spoken in opposition to false Gods but the word only and thus I frame the Argument If God the Father be the only true God then the holy Ghost is not God But God the Father is the onely true God Ergo the Holy Ghost is not God The Father is said to be the only God in respect of Essence This Answer containes in it Blasphemy for if the Father bee the onely true God in respect of Essence then is not the Son or the Holy Ghost God in respect of Essence but that is false and blasphemous for then the three persons should not be one God in Essence or in respect of Essence Here the Scotchmans answer being exploded he wrote something and gave it some there present and in the meane while one M. Cufin interposing said I come not here to dispute but to receive satisfaction of some doubts which if you can resolve me in I shal submit Now for the place you alledge out of S. John I conceive it may be thus answered Christ spake this as man and his meaning is that his Father is only God and no Creature is so It is very true that only excludes all creatures but whereas you say that these words are spoken by Christ as man onely it cannot stand with the Text for it is added and whom
baptized before they can hear and understand the gospel preached to them ANSWER 1. The setting preaching before baptizing doth no more prove that preaching must alwaies go before baptisme then the naming repentance before faith Mar. 1. 15. Repent and beleeve the gospel proves that repentance goeth alwayes before faith which the Anabaptists themselves hold not 2. Christ setteth in that place preaching before baptizing for two reasons neither of which make any thing against the baptisme of children The first is because it is the more principall act of the ministeriall function for it is preaching which through the operation of the holy Spirit begetteth faith which the sacraments only confirme preaching draweth the instrument as it were of the covenant between God and us whereunto the sacrament is set as a seal Secondly because Christ there speaketh of converting whole nations to the Christian faith in which alwayes the preaching of the word goeth before the administration of the sacraments For first men beleeve and after are admitted to baptisme but after the parents are converted their children being comprised within the covenant are admitted to baptisme and whensoever any proselyte is to be made this course is likewise to be taken they must professe their faith before they be received into the church by baptisme but the case is different in children they have neither the use of reason to apprehend the gospel preached unto them nor use of their tongue to professe their faith and God requireth no more of them then he hath given them the like course God himself took in the old law before any men of riper years were circumcised the commandement of God was declared and his covenant made known unto them but children were circumcised the eight day before they were capable of any preaching unto them or such declaration Nothing remaineth but that the two objections concerning the doctrine of the Trinitie in the beginning propounded by D. F. for no other end but to try how well verst these ring-leaders of the Anabaptists were in the more necessary points of catechisme he answered The first was framed out of Ioh. 17. 3. This is life eternall to know thee to be the only true God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ. If the Father be the only true God how is the Son or the holy Ghost very God Hereunto the Anabaptists gave two answers the first blaspemous the second unsufficient and impertinent as appears in the beginning of the conference The true answer is that Christ Ioh. 17. prayeth to God and not to any of the three Persons particularly for though he useth the word Father v. 1. yet Father is not there taken for the first Person in Trinity but as a common attribute of the deity as it is also taken Mat. 6. 9. Our Father v. 14. your heavenly Father Gal. 1. 4. God and our Father Jam. 1. 27. Before God and the Father 1 Pet. 1. 17. If you call him Father who judgeth without respect of persons So then the meaning is O God Father of heaven and earth This is life eternall to know thee to be the only true God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ. According to which interpretation this text is parallel to that of the Apostle one God and one Mediator betwixt God and man the man Christ Iesus 1 Tim. 2. 5. The second objection was out of Ioh. 15. 26. The spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father If the spirit proceed from the Father only how do we say in the Nicen creed and that other of Athanasius and in the Letany which proceedeth from the Father and the Son To this none of the Anabaptists gave any answer at all yet the answer is very easie for the spirit is said to proceed from the Father in the place above alledged because he proceedeth from the Father originally not because he proceedeth from the Father only for he is elsewhere called the spirit of the Son as well as of the Father Gal. 4. 6. And in this very text Ioh. 15. 26. it is said the spirit whom I will send you from the Father which sheweth that the holy Spirit hath a dependance from both To whom three Persons and one only true God be ascribed all glory honour power and dominion for evermore FINIS A TRACTATE against the ANABAPTISTS CHAPTER I. Of the name and severall sorts of Anabaptists THe name Anabaptist is derived from the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and signifieth are-baptizer or at least such an one who alloweth of and maintaineth re-baptizing they are called also Catabaptists from the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying an abuser or prophaner of baptisme For indeed every Anabaptist is also a Catabaptist the reitteration of that sacrament of our entrance into the church and seal of our new birth in Christ is a violation and depravation of that holy ordinance Of these Anabaptists or Catabaptists who differ no more then Bavius and Maevius of whom the poet elegantly writeth Qui Bavium non odit amat tua carniua Maevi Alstedius maketh fourteen sorts first the Muncerians 2. the Apostolical 3. the Separatists 4 the Catharists 25 the Silents 6. the Enthusiasts 7. the Libertines 8. the Adamites 9. the Hutites 10. the Augustintans 11. the Buchedians 12. the Melchiorites 13. the Georgians 14. the Menonists But in this as in other things he is more to be commended for his diligence in collection then for his judgement in election For although there are schismaticall and hereticall persons that have neer affinitie with Anabaptists known by all these names yet these are not so many distinct and severall sorts of Anabaptists For some of these differ only in respect of their doctors or teachers and not of their doctrines as the Muncerians Hutites Menonists others were hereticks more ancient then the Anabaptists properly so called as namely the Apostolicall the Catharists the Adamites and Enthusiasts though as I shall shew hereafter some of our present Anabaptists trench upon their heresies the Augustinians Melchiorites and Georgians are Anabaptists aliquid amplius though they agree with them in their main doctrine of re-baptizing yet they go beyond the ordinary Anabaptists holding far more damnable tenents then they For the Augustinians beleeve that none shall enter into paradise till the prince of their sect Austine the Bohemian shall open the way The Melchiorites expect Melchior Hofmannus to come with Elias to restore all things before the last day The Georgians blasphemously boast that their master David George was a holy person composed and made of the soul of Christ the third person in the Trinitie Lastly he omitteth one sort of Anabaptists called Hemerobaptists who in the summer time quotidiè baptizabātur were christened every day senserunt enim aliter non posse hominem vivere si non singulis diebus in aqua mergeretur ita ut abluatur sanctificetur ab omni
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
Apostles without a precept doth not necessarily binde the Church as may be proved by many instances for Christ washed his disciples feet before his supper and he administred it at night and to twelve men onely and no women yet we are not bound so to do In the Apostles dayes widows were maintained to serve the Church at the publike charge yet we are not bound to have such Likewise the first Christians sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all men and lived together and had all things common Acts 2. 44. yet are not we obliged so to do Secondly The reason is not alike at the beginning Christians had no Churches nor Fonts in them and therefore they were constrained to Baptize in such places where were store of waters besides the climat of Iudea is far better then ours and men in riper yeers that were converted to the Christian Faith were Baptized in great multitudes and they might without any danger go into the Rivers and be Baptized after such a manner but now the Gospel having been long planted in these parts we have seldome any Baptized but children who cannot without danger to their health be Dipt and plunged over head and ears in the Font or Rivers especially if they be infirm children and the season very cold and the air sharp and piercing Lastly They urge the custome of many ancient Churches in which a three-fold Dipping was used and if they Dipt those that were Baptized three times it should seem they thought Dipping very necessary But we answere First that what those Ancients did they had no precept for it and if they follow some of the Ancients in Dipping the Baptized why do they not follow the example of all the ancient Churches in Christening children Secondly Those ancient Churches which used the trina immeâ—sio they speak of did it for this end To expresse the three Persons which may as well be done by thrice sprinkling or washing the Baptized as well as thrice Dipping But the truth is that neither is requisite because the Trinity is sufficiently expressed in the very form of Baptisme when the Minister saith I Baptize thee in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost Thirdly We answer with the Apostle That though some of the Ancients had such a custome for a time yet now we have no such custome neither the Churches of God 1 Cor. 11. 16. ARTICLE II. Concerning the baptizing of children ANABAPTIST NOne ought to be Baptized but those that professe repentance and faith and consequently no children ought to be Christened THE REFUTATION The children of such parents as professe Christian religion and are members of the visible church sith they are comprised within Gods covenant made to the faithfull children of Abraham and their seed may and ought to receive the seal of that covenant which was Circumcision under the law but now is Baptisme which I prove ARGUMENT I. That which extends to all nations belongeth to children as well as men for children are a great part if not the half of all nations But Christs command of Baptizing extendeth to all nations Matth. 28. 19. Go therefore teach all nations baptizing them and Mark 15. 16. Preach the Gospel to every creature he that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved Ergo Christs command of Baptizing belongeth to children and they ought to be baptized as well as men ANABAPTISTS ANSWER Christs command extends onely to such as are capable of teaching and instruction which children in their infancy are not for Christ saith Teach all uations baptizing them REPLY First the words of onr Saviour are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 teach but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is make disciples and though children in their non-age cannot be taught yet they may be made Christs disciples by being admitted into his school their parents giving their names to Christ both for themselves and their families And in Christs precept teaching doth not goe before but follow Baptizing ver 20. teaching them to observe all things c. which is punctually observed in the children of the faithfull who after they are Baptized when they come to yeers of discretion are taught to observe all things whatsoever Christ hath commanded Secondly Though children in their infancy are not capable of teaching or instruction because therein they must be active both by apprehending what is delivered to them and assenting to the truth thereof yet are they capable of Baptisme wherein they are meerly passive being washed in the Name of the Trinity prayed for and blessed and received into Christs congregation this may fitly be illustrated by Circumcision which by the command of God was to be administred to children at the eighth day though then they were no way capable of teaching or instruction in the Spirituall meaning of that outward signe made in their flesh and our Argument drawn from the analogie of Baptisme and Circumcision may be truly called in regard of the Anabaptists pons asinorum a bridge which these asses could never passe over for to this day they could never not hereafter will be able to yeeld a reason why the children of the faithfull under the Gospel are not as capable of Baptisme as they under the Law of Circumcision If they alleadge that these cannot be taught being but sucklings neither could they If they alleadge that these know not what is done unto them nor have any sense at all of the Sacrament neither had they save that they felt the pain of the knife as these do the coldnesse of the water and often shed tears at their Christening as the others did at their Circumcising If it be further said That they were of the seed of Abraham according to the flesh it may be truly rejoyned that these are of the seed of Abraham according to promise and his children as he is the father of the faithfull and so they have the better title of the two Thirdly It is no way safe to defer Baptisme till riper yeers for by this means millions of children might go out of this world without the ordinary means of their salvation which were an unsufferable if not a damnable abuse for though we like not of that rigid opinion of the schools ascribed to S. Augustine who in that regard was stiled durus pater infantum that children dying unbaptized are necessarily damned yet we must take heed of declining to the other extream in denying Baptisme to be the ordinary means of salvation for them and thereby slighting our Lords precept It is true God is not tied to his own Ordinance he may and in charitie we beleeve doth save thousands of the children of the faithfull who are still-born or dye before baptisme neither will he punish the child for that which it is no way guiltie of yet Gods ordinance ties us and the parents and governours are guiltie of a hainous crime before God who in contempt of Christs command or
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
also all the the reformed churches who conclude their prayers before their Sermon or after with this prayer conceive that it ought not only to beset before us as a pattern when we pray but also to be used as a prayer Neither are the reasons to the contrarie of any weight for though it be Scripture that doth not conclude it to be no prayer For the prayers of Moses Hannah Deborah Solomon David and Paul are set down in holy Scriptures and are part of the inspired oracles of God yet they cease not to be prayers and though in the Lords Prayer all the particular wants of Gods children are not expressed yet the main wants and principall graces are expressed to which the other may be with great facilitie added by our selvs and referred to the proper heads in the Lords Prayer Secondly hos suo jugulamus gladio we may give them a wound with their own dudgeon dagger for if they grant it to be the pattern of all Prayers it followeth that it is the perfectest of all prayers and certainly if we may use prayers of our own which are more imperfect much more may we use this which is a most absolute and perfect one If a Scrivener set a most perfect copie and therein comprise in certain sentences not only all the letters of the Alphabet but all the combinations and conjunctions of them none doubteth but that the schollers may both write other sentences according to that pattern and in the first place write those verie sentences in the copie endeavour to come as near as they can to the originall Such is the Lords Prayer a perfect copie to write by comprising in it all things needfull for a Christian to pray for first therefore we are to write it and then to write after it and correct our writing by it and though we speak with the tongue of men and Angells yet certainly our prayers cannot be so acceptable to God as when we tender them unto him in his Sons own words For this end saith that blessed Martyr S. Cyprian Christ vouchsafed to leave us this incomparable forme of prayer that whilst in prayer to the Father we read or say by heart what his Son taught us we may the sooner and easier be heard ARGUMENT IV. What the Christian church hath generally practised in all ages and places in the worship of God ought not to be thought as erroneous or swerving from the rule of Gods word But the Christian church generally in all ages and in all places hath made use of publike set and sanctified forms of prayer as appeareth by the Liturgies yet extant whereof some bear the names of the Apostles as S. Iames and S. Peter some of the Greek fathers as that of Chrysostome and S. Basil some of the Latine fathers as Ambrose Gregorie and Isidore c. Ergo set forms of prayers are not erroneous or swerving from the rule of Gods word ANABAP ANSWERS First that this is no better then a popish argument drawn from antiquitie and universalitie Secondly that these Liturgies are Apochryphall and though in latter times the use of Liturgies came in yet the purer and more ancient times used no such crutches to support their lame devotion for Justine Martyr in his second apologie affirmeth that the chief minister sent up prayers to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is interpreted according to his abilitie or gift of ex tempore prayers and Tertullian in his apologie saith that the Christians needed no monitor in their prayers as it were to chalk the way before them in a set form because they prayed by heart REPLY First the Papists pretend to antiquitie and make their brags of universalitie but in truth they have neither An argument drawn from a shadow of truth vanisheth like a shadow but an argument drawn from a true bodie is substantiall Secondly the strength of the argument lieth not in bare antiquitie and the universalitie of this practice for we know many errors are ancient and some abuses verie far spreading but in the nature and condition of the Catholike Christian church to whom Christ hath promised his perpetuall presence and the guidance of his Spirit into all truth in which regard the Apostle stileth it the pillar and ground of truth For howsoever particular churches may erre in faith and manners and the representative Catholike church in the most generall Councells hath sometimes grossely mistaken error for truth and Idolatrie for true religion yet the universall church taken formally for the whole companie of beleevers hath ever been kept by vertue of Christs promise from falling into any dangerous errour especially for any long time Thirdly Because they except against the Liturgies found in the writings of the ancient fathers in which though I grant there are some prints of noveltie yet there are foot-steps also of true antiquitie I will wave them for the present and by other good testimonies prove the constant and perpetuall use of Service or Common-Prayer-Books To begin with the first age from the ascension of our Lord to a hundred years Victorius Sciaticus Maronita in his preface to those three Liturgies he put forth saith that the Bishops both of the Eastern and Western churches made some alteration upon good ground in those Liturgies which they received from the Apostlei If this mans credit cannot carrie so great a cause yet certainly Hegesippus his testimonie a most ancient writer bordering upon the Apostles time ought not to be slighted who writeth of S. Iames chosen Bishop of Ierusalem by the Apostles themselvs that in regard of a form of Service or Common-Prayer-Book made by him for the use of the church of Ierusalem he was stiled Iacobus Liturgus In the second age Iustine Martyr in his second apologie which he wrote to Antoninus the Emperour acquainteth us with the practice of the Christians in his time which was to meet everie Sunday and in their Assemblies to read select places of Scripture hear Sermons and sing Psalmes and after the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Priest or chief Minister had made an end of his conceived prayer to offer up make or say Common-Prayers unto God It is true as it is alledged that he prayed by himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with all his might that is in the best manner he could or with all fervencie of devotion as the Rabbins say that he that pronounceth Amen with all his might openeth the gates of Eden This expression in the Greek will not conclude that the chief Minister in those dayes prayed ex tempore for it may truly be said of them who in the Universitie and at Court pen their prayers most accurately that they pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with all their strength of wit memorie and affection Yet if it were granted that the Preacher in Iustine Martyrs time might make a short prayer before his Sermon ex tempore yet certainly he read other
either by the Roman lawes or in the opinion of the Magistrate those things of which they were accused were esteemed crimes and they punished as Malefactours their examinations and trials are truly said to bee proceedings in criminall yea and capitall causes and the patient is as much prejudiced and infinitely more wronged if he suffer death or bonds upon his confession of the fact if it be no crime at all Therefore this example serves to that end for which it is brought If it had been either unlawfull for the high Priest to require Christ to answer upon oath concerning that which the high Priest judged a capitall crime or for Christ to have given a direct answer in such a case he would have reproved the high Priest for adjuring him in such manner as he did or at least answered him with silence as he did Pilate and him also in other questions ARGUMENT III. What was appointed by the law of God cannot be in its own nature sinfull or repugnant to the law of nature For though some part of the law of God delivered by Moses doe not now bind us to the performance thereof yet wee are bound to beleive that law was just and holy and good and commanded nothing in its own nature sinfull or repugnant to the law of nature or right reason But answering upon oath in casues criminall which might tend much to the prejudice and dammage of the examined was appointed by the law of God Ergo answering upon oath in causes criminall is not sinfull and repugnant to the law of nature ANABAP ANSVVER Neither are the judicials of Moses now in force neither was any oath ex officio administred to the Jewes like to ours REPLY This argument is not brought to prove the necessity of taking an oath now in those very cases as namely of jealousie loan and the marriage of strange wives but the lawfulnesse of demanding and taking an oath in causes criminall in generall All these instances come home to the point in question and the argument holdeth strong à comparatus after this manner No sufficient reason can be alleadged why oathes may not bee imposed and taken as well by Christians under the Gospell as by Jewes under the Law in causes criminall reflecting upon themselves but oathes were lawfully demanded and taken by the Jewes in causes criminall therefore they may be so by Christians That such oathes were by Gods law injoyned to the Jewes appeareth first in case of Ioane or trust Exod. 22. 10 11. If a man deliver to his neighbour an Asse an Oxe or a Sheep or any beast to keep and it die or be hurt or driven away no man seeing it then shall an oath of the Lord be between them both that hee hath not put his hands to his neighbours goods and the owner of it shall accept thereof and he shall not make it good but if it bee stolne from him he shall make restitution unto the owner thereof In the case of jealousie Numb 5. 19. And the Priests shall set the woman before the Lord and uncover the womans head and put the offering of memoriall in her hands which is the jealousie offering and the Priest shall have in his hand the bitter water that causeth the curse and the Priest shall charge her by an oath and say to the woman if no man hath lyen with thee and if thou hast not gone aside to uncleannesse with another instead of thy husband be thou free from this bitter water which causeth the curse c. In the case of trespasse 1. Kings 8. 31. If any man trespasse against his neighbour and an oath be laid upon him to cause him to sweare and the oath come before thine Altar in this house then heare thou in heaven and doe and judge thy servants condemning the wicked to bring his way upon his head and justifying the righteous to give him according to his righteousnesse In case of prohibited marriages Ezra 10. 5. 11. Then arose Ezra and made the chiefe Priests the Levites and all Israel to sweare that they would put away their strange wives of the people of the land and they sware And Ezra stood up and said unto them ye have transgressed and have taken strange wives to increase the trespasse of Israel Now therefore make confession unto the Lord God of your fathers and doe his pleasure and separate your selves from the people of the land and from the strange wives It is true these cases are not everyway paralel to ours for our Priests have no receipt at this day to make the water of cursing nor are we prohibited to marry with forreyners so wee marry in the Lord neither doe we put men to their oathes in actions of trespasse but if the party accused deny it we convince him by witnesses yet this exception cutteth not asunder the sinewes of the former argument For though the cases in particular bee very different yet they agree in this generall that oathes have been lawfully urged and exacted of men touching matters dammageable criminall and penall to themselves and if oathes may be lawfully imposed and taken in this kind to satisfie the humour of a jealous husband or still the clamour of a private person wronged how much more is it equall and just that this be done upon the judges office who is no way privately interessed and for the satisfaction and preservation of the Church or Common-wealth to remove a common scandall and offence by the parties clearing himselfe or his condigne punishment ARGUMENT IV. What is just and equall and may bee done without breach of Gods law in Temporall Courts cannot be unjust nor derogatory to the divine law in Spirituall But oaths ex officio though not known by that name are usually taken held to be just and lawfull in temporal Courts namely Leet-Courts Sessions Assises Chancery and Court of Request For the Jury are upon oath to present all annoyances abuses and transgression of penall Statutes whereof themselves may be and often are guilty and the Defendants in Court of Request and Chancery answer upon oath to bills put against them the particulars whereof often deeply concern them and in case they give not a direct and full answer they proceed against them pro confessis and if they answer directly and fully in case they are faulty either by denying they forsweare themselves or by confessing the matter of fact they consequently condemne themselves nay which is very considerable they who are the greatest oppugners of our Ecclesiasticall Courts and greatest sticklers for the discipline of Geneva are forced to make use of the oath ex officio themselves For Comperell was appointed by the consistorie of Elders of Geneva to be examined upon oath concerning three interrogatories about dancing whereof two concerned what he had in his very purpose and intention of mind and this their practice was agreeable to the decree of a Nationall Synod held in France in the year 1565. whereby by
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
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