the name of Jesuite and would be called Apostles Disciple In Rome and other Countries that give him freedome he weares a maske upon his heart In England he shuffles in and puts it upon his face No place in our Climate hideth him so secretly as a Ladies Chamber The modesty of the Pursevant hath onely forborne the bed and so mist him There is no disease in Christendome that may so properly be called the Kings evill To conclude will you know him beyond the Sea In his Seminary he is a Fox but in the Inquisition a Lyon Rampant Since the printing of this Book I hear of an assembly wherein one preacheth against the Deity of Christ and of another great Congregation of Familists and of atheisticall books published I most humbly entreat Almighty God for Jesus Christs sake in mercy to look upon us and to keep our poore Church from these Doctrines of the Devill Amen Of the Pelagians WRicing of the Hereticks and Sectaâ—ies of these times â— thinke it not amisse to write somewhat of the Pelagians their ancient Errors reviving among us Pelagius was a Welch-man and he is usually stiled Pelagius the Briton to distinguish him from Pelagius the samosatensian Bishop a man learned and Orthodox Luther saith he was called Pelagius of Pelagus the sea his errors like the Sea over-flowing in a manner the whole world His name in Welch was Morgan which signifieth the sea He lived in the time of the Emperor Theodosius the younger about the yeare of our Lord 416. His Errors were condemned in the Synod of Carthage An. 425. in which there assembled 217. Bishopâ— and among other Saint Argustine And also in the Melivitan Councell held in Africa His Errors are set downe by Augustine Hierome Ambrose Isidore Prosper and Fulgentius Pontanus setteth them downe to be twelve 1. He taught that Adam had dyed although he had not sinned by the Law of nature and so sinne not to bee the cause of death 2 Adamâ— sin to bâ— noxious to himselfe onely and not to his posterity and thâ—re to be no original sinne 3 Lust and coâ—cupiscence being naturall not to be evill but rather good and sin not to be propagated by generation 4. The former being granted children to have no originall sin from their Parents 5. The children of the faithfull though not batized to be saved and to enjoy everlasting life but not in heaven 6. Men to have now free-will even after sin which is sufficient and fit to doe well without Gods grace 7. Gods grace to be obtained by the merit of our workes 8. The word grace in holy Scripture not to be meant the gracious remission of sin and the donation of the Holy Ghost but the pâ—omulgation of doctrine 9. Faith to be the knowledge of the Law and History as they call it not a speciall worke and our perseverance in faith 10. The Law of God to be satisfied by externall obedience neither it to be impossible for a man to keep 11. The prayers of the Church for sinners that they may be converted and for the faithfull to persevere to be made in vaiâ—e because it is in the power of our owne free-will Aâ—d wee need not aske that of God that we have power to dâ—e our selves 12. They doe mocke and scoffe at the doctrine of Predestinationâ— exploâ—ing it out of the Church These Errors need no confuâ—ation being so opposite to the holy Scripture Soule-Sleepers THat the soule dyeth with the body is an old and despicable Heresie raised in Arabia about the time of Origen and extinguished by his dispute immediately after the birth thereof Such as were infected with this opinion were termed by Saint Augustine Arabici by reason of the Province in which this Error first arose This Heresie is risen up againe among us and an abscure Author laboureth to maintaine in a Treatise late published among us intituled Mans mortality in which hee bringeth an argument out of Gen. 3. 19. where Adam is told that for his disobedience he must turne unto dust from whence he was made and not onely his body but also his soule which came not out of the dust In the description of mans Creation by Moses you may manifestly see the immortality of the soule When God created the Beasts c. he said Let the earth bring forth every living thing But when he made man Let us make man in our owne Image And againe The Lord God made man of the Dust of the earth that is his body and for his soule he breathed in his face the breath of life God created the Angels spirits without bodies The creatures bodies without soules he took a body and soule and made a man in his own Image in respect of his body he hath affinity with beasts in respect of his soule with heavenly spiâ—its The Beasts came out of the earth and to the earth they returne so mans body But his soule came from heaven and returneth to God that gave it Beside some foolish arguments alledged in the Treatise before named he citeth the words of Solomon Ecclsiastes 3. 10. For that which befalleth the sonnes of men befalleth beasts even one thing befalleth them as the one dyeth so â—yeth the other yea they have all one breath so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast for all is vanity All goe to one place all are of the dust and all turns to dust againe Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth Which words were to determination of Solomons but a History of what came in his thoughts and what troubled him and stirred him up to a solicitous enquiry concerning the soules condition but the state of the soule he determineth Chap. 12. saying Dust returneth unto the earth from whence it came and the Spirit to God that gave it To this resolution of Solomons I may adde our Lords answer to the Saduces Matth. 22. 32. I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob God is not a God of the dead but of the living This Error of theirs is contrary to the holy Scriptures 2 Cor. 5 6. 8. Psalme 31. 5. Luke 23. 46. Acts 7. 59. Apocal. 6. 40. 4. To conclude with Sap. 3. Though not received inâ—o the Canon yet it is confessed to be very ancient and therefore may claime precedency of authority before any heathen Philosopher The soules of the righteous are in the hands of God and there shall no torment touch them 2. In the sight of the unwise they seem to dye and their departure is taken for misery and their going from us to utter destruction but they are in peace Deny the Scriptures AMong others one wicked Sect denieth the Scriptures both of the old and new Testament and account them as things of nought whereby by Gods command they that despised Moses Law by the mouth of two or three witnesses were to be put
this Sect. 7. The abjuration of certaine Familisâ—s at Pauls Crosse. THe first author was one David George of Delfe who fled out of Hollâ—ndâ—â— Basill giving it our that he was banished out of the low Countreyes he changed his name called himselfe Iohn of Bridges he affirmed that he was that right David that was sent from God and should restore againe the Kingdome of Israel He wrote divers Books as one called the Wonder-booke he broached his damnable Heresiee as â— All the Doctrines taught by Moses the Propheâ—s and Christ himselfe were not sufficient to salvation but only to keep the people in good order till the comming of David George but his doctrine was able to save all those that put their trust in him 2. That he was the right Messias the beloved Son of the Father not born of the flesh but of the Holy Ghost and that when Christ was dead according to the flesh the Spirit of Christ was left by the Fathers appoyntment untill the comming of this David George and given him 3. That he would set up the true house of David and the children of Levi must raise the Tabernacle of God through the Spirit of Christ not by the crosse and suffering but through meeknesse and love 4. That whosoever speaketh against this Doctrine shall never be forgiven in this world nor in the world to come he dyed the 16. of August 1556. at which his Disciples were much dismayed for he promised them that he should not dye or if he did that he should rise againe and fulfill all his former Promises whereupon some forsook his heresies The Magistrates being informed of his doctrine and manners caused his house the houses of such as were suspected to hold such errours to be searched his books to be burnt forseiting his goods and lands â—o the use of the Town causing his followers to recant After him rose one Henry Nicholas borne in Amsterdam a Towne in Holland of many called Henry of Amsterdam who took upon him to maintaine the same Doctrine yet not in the name of David but in his owne name as a Prophet sent to rebuke the world of sin and iniquity naming himselfâ— restâ—â—râ—toâ— mundâ— the restorer of the world Mr. Iessop describeth H. N. after this manner page 89. They call him the new man or the holy nature or holinesse which they make to be Christ and sin to be Antichrist because it is oppâ—â—iâ—e to Christ. They say that when Adam sinned then Christ was killed and Antichrist came to live They teach the same perfection of holinesse which Adam had before he fell is to be obtained here in this life and affirme that all their Family of Love are as perfect and innocent as hee and that the Resurrection of the dead spoken of by St. Paul 1 Cor. 15. and this Prophesie then shall be fulfilled the saying which is written O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory is fulfilled in them and they deny all other resurrection of the body to be after this life They will have this blasphemer H. N. to be the Son of God Christ which was to come in the end of the world to judge the world and say that the day of judgement is already come and that H. N. judgeth the world now by his Doctrine so that whosoever doth not obey his Gospell in time shall be rooted out of the world and that this Family of Love shall inherit and inhabite the earth for ever world without end onely they say they shall dye in the body as now men doe and their soules goe to heaven but their Posterities shall continue for ever This deceiver describeth eight through-breakings of the light as he tearmeth them to have been in eight severall times from Adam to the time that now is which as he saith have each exceeded other The seventh he alloweth Iesus Christ to be the publisher of and his light to be the greatest of all that ever were before him and he maketh his owne to be the eight and last and greatest and the perfection of all in and by which Christ is perfected meaning holinesse he maketh every one of his Family of Love to be Christ yea and God and himselfe God and Christ in a more excellent manner saying that he is godded with God and co-deified with him and that God is hominified with him These horrible blas hemies with divers others doth this H. N. his Family teach to be the everlasting Gospell which the Angel is said to preach in the Rev. 11. 15. They professe greater love to the Church of Româ— and to all her Idolatries and superstitions then they doe to any Church else whatsoever except themselves They wickedly abuse these words of Christ I must walk to day to morrow and the third day I shal be perfected and say that by to day is meant the time of Jesus Christ his Apostles and by to morrow all the time of the Religion of the Church of Rome and by the third day this their day of H. N. and his Family wherein they will have Christ to be perfected And they doe compare all the whole religion of the Church of Rome to the Law of Moses affirming that as God did teach his prople by these shadowes and types till Jesus Christ came so hee hath taught the world ever since by the Images sacrifices and heathen Rites of the Church of Rome till this wretch H. N. came and now he must be the onely chiefe Teacher Gods obedient man yea his Son as they blasphemously call him hee by his Gospell must make all things perfect One Christopher Viret a Joyner dwelling in Southwarke who had been in Queen Maries dayes an Arian being infected with Hen Nocolas his doctrine poysoâ—ed first the English with this heresie he translated out of Dutch into English divers of the books of Henr. Nicholas as Evangelium regni out of which and others these errors are collected 2. Their blasphemous Errors 1. COncerning God That there is none other Deitie belonging unto God but such as men are partakers of in this life 2. Concerning Christ 1. That Christ is not God 2. Christ is not one man but an estaâ—e and conâ—â—tion in men common to so many as have received H. N. his doctrine c. 3. Of Adam That Adam was all that God was and God all that Adam was c. 4. Concerning Baptisme That no man should be baptized untill he was 30 yeares old 5. Concerning the Word That there was never truth preached since the Apostles time before H. N. 6. Concerning the Resurrection 1. The resurrection of the body is a â—ising from sin and wickednesse 2. That the dead shall rise and live in H. N. and in the iluminated Elders everlastingly and reigne upon earth 7. Concerning the day of Judgement 1. That the day of Judgement is in this life 2. That the joyes of heaven are here upon earth 8. Concerning marriage The marriage of
such as are not enlightned with true faith is â—â—lthy and polluted and to bee reputed for whoredome 9. Concerning Henry Nicolas 1. He is raised by the highest God from the dead 2. He can no more â—rre then Moses or Christ c. 3. He is the true Prophet of God sent to blow the last Trumper of Doctrine which shall be published upon earth 4. That he onely knoweth the true sense of Scripture 5. That his Books are of equall authority with the holy Scripture Through the service of H. N. his holy and gracious Word and our obedience thereunto we are led of the Father to the love of Jesus Christ. 6. That the Scriptures are fulfilled in H. N. and his Family 7. H. N. knoweth the secrets of our hearts 8. That all men must submit themselves to the godly wisdome of H. N. c. 10. Concerning their illuminated Elders and family 1. All illuminated Elders are Godded with God or deified and God in them hominified or become man 2. The young Disciples are Adams and the illuminated Elders Christs 3. The eldest Father of the Family is Christ himselfe 4. That the estate of all such as are not of this Sect is a false being the Antichrist the wicked spirit the kingdome of hell and the devill himselfe 5. The Family of Love is perfect in this life and therefore that they must not pray for forgivenesse of sins 6. That their illuminated Elders doe not sinne 7. They may ioyne with any Congregation and Church and live under the obedience of any Magistrate though never so ungodly 8. Whatsoever is taught by any other then by their illuminated Elders is false Such as despise their Family shall bee consumed with everlasting fire Moreover they hold 1. That he who is one of their Congregation is either as perfect as Christ or else a very divell 2. That it is lawfull to doe whatsoever the higher Powers command to be done though it be done against the commandement of God 3. That it is ridiculous to say God the Father God the Son God the holy Ghost as though by saying these words they should affirme to be three Gods 4. That every man ought first to be in an errour before he can come to the knowledge of the truth 5. That heaven and hell are present in this world among us and that there is none other 6. That they are bound to give almes to none other persons but to those of their Sect and if they otherwise doe they give their Almes to the divell 7. That they ought not to burie their dead because it is said let the dead bury the dead 8. That none ought to receive their Sacraments before he receiveth their whole Ordinances as 1. He must be admitted with a kisse then his feet must be washed then hands laid on him and so received 9. That the Angels Raphael and Gabriel and others were borne of a woman 10. That they ought not to say Davids Psalmes as Prayers being righteous and without sinne 11. That there ought to be no Sabbath day but that all should be alike 12. That Christ is come forth of the flesh as he came forth of the Virgin Mary 13. That there was a world before Adams time as is now 14. That the Law of God is possible to be kept of every man that will endeavour himselfe thereto 15. That it is â—â—pedient that they should make manifest their whole heart with all their counsels minds wils and thoughts together with all their doings dealings and exercises naked and bare before the children of the Family of Love and not to cover or hide any thing be it was it is before him and what their inclination and nature draweth them unto In a word their doctrine is perverse blasphemous and erroâ—eous it openeth a doore to all wickednese turning Religion up-side-downe building heaven here upon earth making God man and man God heaven hell and hell heaven not accounting of the Law of God and making but a jest of the Gospell of Jesus Christ leaving no manner of sin uncommitted yet affirming they sin not at all for venome and poyson which will bring present death to the soule he hath dispersed over every member and Article of the Beliefe so universall is the poyson of his opinion as you may see in their confession set down by Mr. Knewstub 3. The Confession of Familists I Doe believe in God the Father Almighty maker of heaven and earth They say the same is a true living God a mighty Spirit a perfect cleare light a true being and that the same being is God the Fathers name and his love it selfe And they perswade their good willing ones that by the beliefe of this Article which they call the Baptisme in the Fathers name that here and now they do attain to the perfect obedience of the Law of God and of the beliefe of Jesus Christ and love of the holy Ghost which they make to be all one with the perfect righteousnesse of the Law 2. And in Iesus Christ his onely Son our Lord. Some of these words they alter for instead of his onely Son they say the onely Son of God c. Whereby Jesus the only Son I mean Righteousnesse for there is their generall Tenet and conclusion that Righteousnesse is Christ and Sin is Antichrist The seed of the woman is righteousnesse and holinesse and the seed of the Serpenâ— is sin turning the person of Christ into equality 3. Which was conceived of the holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary As we confesse the thing done so we speake of the present time as of the thing doing saying which is conceived of the holy Ghost meaning every one that comes to take in their Belief as they term it is then conceived of the holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary calling the conception of their fancy the first or Virgins estate of Infancy so making the Article intend all and every one of them in generall and hot one in particular as we beleeve 4. Sufferedunder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried and descended into hell In the former Article they confesse the conception and birth of the blessed seed of Abraham according to the Promises and here they beleeve their sufferings according to the Scriptures And Jesus Christ is borne and conceived in themselves under Pontius Pilate and so is incorporated into the death of his Crosse and this they call the Baptisme under the obedience of the Beliefe in the name of the Son and they fâ—y they bury through his Belief the old Man which state they call the youth or young Man the renewing of the Spirit in an upright life wherein this Article both of suffering crucifying death and buriall and discention into hell are fulfilled in them the rest you may see in Mr. Knewstub 4. Their lewd Conversations OF this holy Family we read that most shameful corruption of life hath alwaies followed corruption of Doctrine as Rom. 1. 24. God
defection in the County of Mausfelt Muncer hoping this defection to be universall taketh his journey to Frankhus where the Frankhusians joyned with him But before this snowball grew greater by rolling Count Mansfield raiseth Forces sets upon Muncer and slew 200. of his men Muncer renueth his Army pitcheth upon a hill by Frankhus intrenched with Carts Count Mansfield with the Princes his Assistants pittying the rude company sent to offer them impunity and generall pardon if they would but yield up the Author of that sedition returne home Muncer falls to preaching teâ—ling them that he was sent from God to command and lead them in this action and that they should certainly overthrow these and all other enemies of God it being Gods promise who cannot lye That the righteous should wash their feet in the bloud of the wicked and that he had promised him Victory indowing him with such strength that he was able to turne all their bullets back with his Coat so the Botes refused peace upon this the Princes began to play upon them with their Ordnance the Bores neither advanced nor fled but fell a singing Come holy Ghost confiding and expecting that God would fight for them from heaven according to Muncers promise But when the intrenchments of their Carts were broken and the Princes Army came to handy-blowes 5000. of them being slain away fled the Boâ—es some one way some another but most of them â—o Frankhus which City the Princes tooke with Muncer who lay hid therein who with Phifer and 300 more were executed and put to death Muncer was so dejected at his death that he could not make confession of his faith but with much adoe he could speake after the Duke of Brunswicke who taught him what he should say Thus the Suevian Rebellion was extinguished the root and branch seeming to be cut off But the seeds remaining Germany swarmed with Anabaptists aneâ— name but in effect the old Sect with some additions Melchior Hopman who called himselfe Elia one of greater learning and parts then Muncer began to vent the same Errors at Stransgburg for which he was imprisoned all his followers severely iâ—prest This Sect was disperst in the higher and lower Germany especially among the meaner sort of people saith Hertensius one of my Authors among that numerous rabble scarce one was found that was a Scoller or could write or read The whole world was little enough for ther ambition which they attempted to obtain beginning their Empire at Munster In the year 1532 Munster received the Gospel in the yeare 1533 there comes to Town Iohn Becold a Taylor of Leyden with him or after him a great multitude of his fraternity most of them Hollanders These keeping Convenâ—icles got in few months a great party in Munster incensed one another with desperatâ— resolutions The Magistrates not yet infected with their errors commanded the Sectaries to depart the City they going outâ—t one gate came in at another saying they must not desert Gods cause The Landgrave of Hesse pittying the distressed case of this City sent Divines to set a bound to the unlimited extravagancy of the Anabaptists offering disputation to them which they refused took a more compendious way to work their own ends One of them feigning himselfe to bee seazd with a propheticall spirit ran about the City crying Repent be baptized again left the wrath of God fall upon you many cryed with him this crying ended in ransacking rich mens houses laying hands upon the owners others rushed into the marketâ—place crying out that all that were not re-baptized must be killed presently The Evangelicks or Protestants gathered themselvs in a place called Over water there fortified themselves after 3 daies there was a Composition made that either Party should enjoy the freedome of their Religion This composition gave the Anabaptists time to strengthen their party for they sent their letters to Wezell and other places the tenor whereof was that God had sent an holy Prophet to Munster who spake wonders and shewed the right way to salvation and if they would leave their houses and come to Munster they should have ten times more than they left at home and with spirituall wealth attaine all worldly riches These faire promises drew the scumme of the Towns adjoyning to Munster the poore and idle sort liking that Religion best that maketh all men alike all goods common that payeth no Rent Tribute nor Tithes that puts downe those Lawes and Magistrates that restraine their licentiousnesse so that in a short time the City was full of strangers who looked upon it us upon the land of Promise The Anabaptists knowing their strength ranne to St. Maurice Church burnt it seized upon the Armory pillaged and defaced other Churches depopulated the Colledges burnt a faire Library and finally drove the Protestants out of the City crying out get yee hence all yee wicked else yee shall all be slaine The Anabaptists being Masters of the City began to erect a government although they were enemies to all Superiority necessity and nature forcing them to chuse some governours but the Prophets over-ruled all one of the first orders that they made was that every man should bring his gold silver and goods into the common stock upon paine of death and there were two maiden Prophetesses that discovered the Concealers also they ordered that all books should be burnt but the Bible which was performed Iohn of Leiden being in a Propheticall Trance after he had slept three dayes pretending to be dumbe called for writing Tables in which he writ downe that it was the will of the heavenly Father that twelve men by him named should governe the City which was also put in execution the ancient Magistrate being discharged Also that it was the good will of the Father that a man should not bee tyed to one Wife but to marry as many as he pleased when some would not approve of this Doctrine he cyted them before the twelve Governours swearing upon the new Testament that this Doctrine was revealed to him from heaven and to testifie the evidence of the spirit hee commanded some of the opposers to be beheaded forthwith many Preachers confirmed this Doctrine but the greatest confirmation was the Prophets practise who presently married 3. wives left not till he had fifteen many followed his example and it was accounted a matter of praise to have many wives After the promulgation of this Ordinance the Brethren ran to the hansomest women striving who should be first served and lay with them without any contract After this one Iohn Tuscocurer a new Prophet called the Congregation together and declared that it was the will of the heavenly Father that Iohn of Leyden should be King of the Universe That he should sit upon the Throne of his Father David That he should kill all the Kings and Princes destroy the ungodly and save the people that loved
Factions and true it is that almost everie one of them hath some peculiar toy or figment in their heads upon which they are divided and oft excommunicate one another 6. Of their manner of Re-baptizing and other Rites THey flock in great multitudes to their Jordans and both Sexes enter into the River and are dipt after their manner with a kinde of spell containing the heads of their erroneous teneâ—s and their ingaging themselves in their schismaticall covenants and combination of separation In the Thames and Rivers the Baptizer and the party baptized go both into the Rivers and the parties to be baptized are dipped or plunged under water They receive the holy Communion most unreverently sitting with their hats upon their heads For their Marriages they mary not in their Congregations but in private after this manner Barbara saith the Bridegroome wilt thou have me the brother of the Lord a man newly regenerate of water and of the holy Ghost are you of that Church whereof I am a member She answereth I am re-baptized God be praised and wâ—ll co-habite with no man but with a brother of the same faith to whom the Bridegroome replieth give me thy hand and give me a kisse and I take thee to wife both for ouâ— faith approved in Baptisme and because my spirit is exceeding enamoured of thee the Bride saying the same words the marriage is consummated For their spirituall marriage which is their promiscuous uncleaninesse They affirm those women sin grievously that lyâ— with their husbands that are not re-baptized because they are Gentiles but it to be no sin at all for them to lye with any man that hath bin re-baptized because the heavenly Father hath so coÌ„manded Gastius reporteth that a certain Mayd of modest behaviour who had dwelt with her Master honestly many years being seduced by the Anabaptists lived among them and after a moneth returned to see her old master who saluted her merrily after this manner why dost thou suffer thy selfe to be seduced by those impure knaves a woman having once lost her honesty what hath she left her The wench answered they told me that the heavenly Father commanded it and therefore I was most obedâ—enâ— in all things to all mâ—n and denied no man the duty of spirituall marriage that did require it Her Master answered fie upon thee bolâ— whore that doest not onely glory in thy great sinne but also accountest thy abominable wickednesse to be pleasing unto God! Thus they deceive the poor people they perswade simple women under pretence of Gods commandement that they cannot be saved except they prostiture their bodies to their brethren and play the haâ—lots For this Community of women they had divers reasons worthy of Registring That Christians must renounce for Christs sake those things that they love best and are most deare unto them and therefore women must renounce their beloved honesty That so Christs sake wee must undergoe all manner of infamy That Publicans and Harlots shall enter Heaven before the Pharisâ—es and therefore common women before honest Matrons Again as we are all one spirit so we must be all one body again one faith one charitie For their manner of Ordination of their Ministers The Anabaptists are all Preachers every man at his pleasure taketh upon him to be the Lords Embassadour as Iohn Becold the Tayler of Leyden I ohn Matthias the Baker of Hartem and hence have our Coblers Shoomakers Ostlers c learnt to take upon them this divine calling of which the holy Ghost speaketh No man taketh this calling upon him except hee be sent of God For their learning they have none at all all Bookes they burnt in Munster but the Bible many of them can scarcely read yea Gastius affirmeth that many of their Preachers never saw a Bible For their places of assembling they doe not meet in Churches their going thither say they is like the going of the Heathen to their Idoll Temples but rather in woods and secret places and this rather in the night then in the day darknesse being fittest for their devotions In Munster they burnt the Church of St. Maurice and made Store-houses of others For their manner of preaching they please the common people well in preaching community of goods every man to bee alike exemption from paying of Rent Tribute and Tythes putting down of Magistrates and commonly they raile as if they were mad against the Reformed Preachers that go about to detect their Errors and teach them obedience They affirm Luther to be worse then the Pope and hate the Protestant Preachers more then the Popish Priests For miracles they can doe none except it be a miracle saith Gastius to make halfe-witted men starke mad or to make full Ambries soone emptie One of their Prophets pretended to do a great miracle viz. in the night time he caused to be put a great number of fishes into a soule puddle where the people used to wash horses and in the morning he called the people together and prophesied Thus saith the Lord cast nets into this puddle and you shall get good â—ish a thing incredible for never fish was seene there but at his command his Disciples cast a net and inclosed multitudes of fiâ—hes so that the net brake Thus the prophane Rascall saith my Authour would imitate the miracle of Christ and God in his anger gave efficacie of errour to that false miracle by which he deceived many 7. How Christian Princes have suppressed these Sectaries and especially how they have been punished in England AS you have heard of their detestable and blasphemous Errors so I purpose to speak a word or two of the severe punishments inflicted upon those wicked Sectaries Anabaptisme continued in Germany in its vigour not much above ten years they were destroâ—ed and suppressed by the Christian Princes and Magistrates at Frankhus there were slain about 5000 of them and 300 executed with Munter at Norinberg also a great number were slaine at Zuricke they drowned theâ— that were re-baptized at Vienna they did the like at Passom many were burnt and drowned in the Low Countries at Amsterdâ—m Leyden Hartsem and in all other places else they were everly punished Pontanus writeth of the destruction of â—50000 persons The Christian Pâ—â—ces and Magistrates never left burning drowning and destroying them till their remainder was contemptible a remnant of them came into England in two ships where they have lyen lurking They came hither about the year 1535. In the yeare 1538. â—e read of them in our Chronicles viz. upon the second day of November in the said year foure Anabaptistsâ—are â—are fagots at Pauls Crosse and againe of the burning of two Dutch Anabaptists in Smithfield the 27th day of November Againe of two Dutch Anabaptists burnt in the high way beyond Southwarke leading to Newington Auno 1539. Againe upon Easter day 1575 of a Congregation of Dutch
and challenging all such as stand against their Errors and Heresies Goliah like defying Israel yet saith my Authour their opinions are such as pervert the Gospell of Jesus Christ bereave the Church of the grace and favours of God to young and old c. First for his grounds and reasons for the Baptisme of Children he alleadged seven 1. Because it is the Commandement of God to give the signe and seale of his Covenant of grace to his people and their seed in their infancy throughout their generations Which Ordinance of the Lords hath never been repealed but abideth stablished upon a certain and perpetuall ground which is his Promise and Covenant of grace made with the faithfull and their seed for ever 2. Because Christ hath confirmed the same when he sent forth his Apostles and appoynted them to make all the Natitions Disciples and to baptize them into the Name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost For to make Gentiles Disciples is by the Gospel to bring them unto the Covenant of God made with Abraham the Father of many nations for salvatition through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Which being a Covenant everlasting and including the faithfull and their seed Baptisme which did now succed and seale it in stead of Circumcision was therefore by this appoyntment of Christ to be administred unto all that should be brought and comprehended under that Covenant of Grace and consequently both to such as were of yeares coming to the faith of Christ and to their children being yet Infants Otherwise the Gentiles should not with the Jewes bee made co-heriters and of the same body and joynt-partakers of the Promise of God in Christ as the Scripture teacheth 3. Because is was the Apostles practice at the publishing of the Gospell through the world to baptize both the house-holders themselves that believed and their housholds also Like as Abraham himselfe first believed and then was circumcisâ—d all his family with him and as the strangers of the Gentiles which received the faith of the Jewes was circumcised likewise with all the males that were his 4. Because Children of beleevers are holy and are Abrahams seed and heires by promise of the Kingdom of heaven And who can then with-hold the Baptisme of water from them to whom God vouchsafeth the baptisme of his Spirit and the blessing of Abraham to an inheriâ—ance everlasting 5. Because Baptisme is the Lords signe of his washing away of our sins receiving of us into the Church and incorporating of us into Christ for salvation by his death and resurrection Whereof the children of Believers are partakers as wel as they which be of yeares and therefore can no more be deprived of Baptisme then of remission of sins entrance into the Church ingraffing into Christ and salvation by his meanes 6. Because there is one Baâ—tisme as there is one Body and one Mediator and confirmer of our covenant of Grace to the faithfull and their seed in all ages so as therefore one and the same Baptisme pertaineth to the children of the faithfull together with the Parents themselves as they ere also one and the same body with them having one and the same Mediator and raâ—ifier of Gods Covenant of grace unto them even Jesus Christ the head and Saviour of his Church which is his body the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all things 7. Because else the grace of God to his people is now since Christs comming in the flesh lessened and straitned more then before which to affirme is highly to derogate from the grace of God the fulnesse of Christ and his Gospel the comfort of Christians and contrary to that which is written Col. 2 2. That Baptisme received in the Apostaticall Churches of Christians as in Rome and the like is not to be renounced and a new to be repeated again 1. Because there is no precept nor example for and therefore not from heaven 2. Because there is one Baptisme as one Circumcision as in the apostasie of Israel Circumcision was not repeated again they returning In like manner Baptisme being once received in the Apostaticall Churches of Christians is not to be repeated 3. Because the Covenant of Gods grace in Christ is an everlasting Covenant 4. Because Christ dyed for sin once and being raised from the dead dyeth no more and we are buried with him by Baptisme into his death to be grafâ—ed with him in the similitude of his resurrection wherefore all that are once Baptized into his name ought still to retaine it and not repeat it any more 5. Because the Church of Rome was espoused to Christ in the Covenant of Grace by the Gospell of salvation having Baptisme and the rest of Christs Ordinances in the Apostles dayes and have ever since retained it with other grounds of Christian Religion notwithstanding all her adulteries and apostasies whereinto she is falne 6. Because God hath his people in the Romish Babylon and when he calleth them out from thence doth not enjoyne them to leave whatsoever is there had but requireth of them to have no communion with their sins Now Baptisme is not of her adulteries but of Christs Oâ—dinance 7. Because else men might by the same reason also not retain the Articles of faith the learning of Scripture or the translations thereof and also be perswaded to dâ—ssolve such marriages which have been had by their Ministerie with other as strange consequences which to admit were unlawfull Now howsoever the Brownists comply with the Anabaptists in many things as you shall â—ee afterwards yet in these poynts Mr. Iohnson and some other of them disagree from them counting these their opinions abominable In describing of the Brownists I purpose to set downe 1. Their Originall and why called Brownists 2. Called also Separatists and why 3. Their agreement with the Donatists 4. Their agreement with the Anabaptists 5. Great Inâ—ovators 6. Some of their errors set downe by Mr. White 7. They are bitter Railers 8. Magnifie their owne Sect. 9. Criminate the Dutch and French Churches 10. They pretend Scripture 11. Blame our Congregation for prophanenesse 12. The prophanenesse impietyl dissentions and lewdnesse of their own Sect. 13. Their equivocating and palliating their owne wickednesse 14. Blame the Conversations of our Ministers 15. Except against our Ministers Ordination 16. Noveltie of their Ordinations 17. Their singing of Psalmes 18. Their Prophesying 19. Their blaming set Prayers 20. Their blaspheming the Lords Prayer 21. The tyranny of the Separation 22. Divers sorts of Brownists 23. How great a sin Schisme is 24. How they have been suppressed and punished in times past 25. Mr. Scots description of a Brownist 26. Of the Semi-separatists 1. Their Originall THese Sectaries are called Brownists from onâ— Master
Allegiance which the secular Priests doe all generally allow and take See Blackwell Howard Widrington and the Author of the Safe guard from Ship wrack 5. The Jesuites also teach it to be not onely lawfull but also meritorious to lay hands upon the Lords Anoynted and to murther Heretick Kings after the Pope hath declared them to bee such see Mariana Anti-Cotton but the secular Priests disclaime and abhor this doctrine 6. The Jesuites hold that the Pope is onely Iure Divino a Bishop and that all other Bishops hold from him but the Cardinall of Lorraine and the French Bishops with many other hold Bishops to be Iure Divino see the History of the Councel of Trent 7. The Jesuites with the Franciscans beleeve the immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary which the Dominicans and other Papists doe deny 8. The Jesuites with the Pelagians Arminians hold that God worketh in our conversion onely moraliter by way of swasion but Jacobites and other Papists especially the Spaniards as we may see in Alvares and others maintain with all Orthodox Divines that God worketh Physically per modum physici agentis by powerfull inclining the faculty of the will For confutation of these errors so many books are written against them in English and some of them are confuted before so that I may save my labour These are the most pernitious and dangerous sort of all others These are not ignorant Sots like the Anabaptists and others but educated and brought up in all manner of humane learning and so more able to doe mischiefe These take upon them to justifie all the Errors and abhominations of Antichrist yea their Idolatries and Sodomiticall uncleannesse they will defend and maintain And have they not for this cause a thing most abhominable to be spoken of corrupted the writings of the ancient Fathers and new printing of them make them speak as they wou'd have them and also written many books in their names to beare witnesse with them of their novelties A volume will not containe their cumbustions that they have raised in kingdoms and States Their plotting of Treasons and especially the Powder-treason a divillish designe not to be beleeved in ages to come Their murthering of Princes all these under pretence of holines O God that art in heaven dissipate their Councells O Christ the Redeemer of thy Church by the grace of thy holy Spirit deliver England from these wicked Assâ—ssians and remove them far from our dwellings One thing I will adde to shew what impostors they are I will set downe how by a pretended delusion of theirs a few of them had almost perverted a whole kingdome of Christians in which there is a Patriarke and eighteen Bishops In the year of our Lord 1614. Tenurazes being King of the Georgians the Persian Army entred his Countrey spoyled divers Towns carryed away many prisoners among others Ceteba the Kings mother out of the City Cremon The old Queen refusing to become a Mahomâ—tan and speaking ill of Mahomet was put to death and her body cast out into the fields left unburied to be eaten of wild beasts There being at that time certaine Jesuites in Persia they sought for her body but found it not for Moacla a late servant of liers who was slave to a Persian got leave of her Master to bring home the body and embalme it the Jesuites found a dead mans head and embalming it travelled towards Georgia with it and drawing neare they sent a messenger to the King to let him understand that certaine Roman Christians were come out of Persia who brought with them the head of the holy Martyr Cetaba his Mother which had delivered them out of many dangers The Prince hearing this went a dayes journey with a great troop of his Nobility and Clergy and brought the holy Relique to Chachete with great honor and celebrity placed it in the Church of the holy Martyr St. George of Aberdall and used them with all respect and sent them great gifts which they refused saying that they had vowed poverty Infinite miracles were wrought dayly great offerings they had the sick resorted to them Those that were past cure they told them that their sins were great and they needed a long time of Penance which they prescribed them and after to returne before which time they usually dyed others of whom they had hope of recovery they used means being Physitians attributed their health to the holy Relique and to the Bishop of Rome whom loving Jesus had left his Vicar here upon â—â—rth by this means they enticed many to the Râ—mish Religion of the Nobility and had great hopes of the King himself but in the middest of all this came Leueâ—s from Moacla his Mothers Maid that the King might ransome his mothers body which she had with the other prisoners The King agreeing with the Persian King had home his mothers body and many captives which manifestly knew it to be his Mothers body with her head on At the same time came also certaine Muleters cut of Persia who affirmed that they were in the Jesuites company when they cut off the head of a Malefactor as they supposed and embalmed it whereupon the King commanded the Jesuites to prison who were delivered at the 〈◊〉 of some of the Nobility This History is written in Greek by Gregorius Hieromonachus the Patriarchall Exaâ—ch from Trâ—pazunt An. 1626. By this â—eanes the Jesuites had almost perverted the whole Countrey of Georgia From this Sect the Lord deliver us There are many other Sects among us as they â—ultiply dayly There is but one truth but errors are infinite I will conclude with the Prayer that 〈◊〉 Mother Church hath taught us That it would please Almighty God to bring into the way of truth all such as have erred and are deceived Which God grant for his blessed Son Jesus Chrisâ—s sake Sir Thomas Overburies Character of a Iesuite A Jesuite saith he is a larger spoone for a Traytor to seed with the Devill than any other Order Unclasp him and he is a gray Wolfe with a golden star in his fore-head So superstitious he follwâ—eth the Pope that he forsaketh Christ in not giving Caesar his due His vowes seem heavenly but with medling with state businesse he seemeth to mixe heaven and earth together His best Elements are Confession and Peâ—ance by the first he findeth out mens inclinations and by the latter heaps wealth to his Seminary Hee sprang from Ignatius Loyola a Spanish Souldier and though he had long since found out the invention of the Canon he thought he had not done mischiefe enough He is a false key to open Princes Cabinets and pry into their Counsells and where the Popes Excommunication thunders he holds the de-crowning of Kings to be no more sin then our Puritans doe the suppressing of Bishops The Order t is full of irregularity and disobedience and ambitious above all measure for of late dayes in Portugall and the Indies he rejected