teach that in this life there is no fruit no sence no certainty of immutable election unto glory but upon condition contingent and mutable for besides that it is absurd to make an uncertaine certainty These things contrary to the experience of the godly who with the Apostle triumph upon the sence of their election and extoll this benefit of God who rejoyce with the Disciples according to the admonition of Christ Luke 10. 20. That their namâ—â— are written in heaven And lastly who oppose the sense of their election against the fiery darts of divillish temptations demanding Rom. 8. 33. Why shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect 8. They teach that God out of his meere just will hath not decreed to leave any man in the fall of Adam and common state of sin and damnation or to passe over any in the communication of gracâ— necessary to faith and conversion for that stands firme Rom. 9. 18. He hath compassion upon whom he will and whom he will he hardnâ—th And that Mat. 13. 11. To you is given to know the mysteries of the kingdome of heaven but to them it is not given In like manner Mat. 11. 25 26. I glorifie thee Father Lord of heaven and earth that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding men and hast revealed them unto Babes even so O Father because thy good pleasure was such 9. They teach that the cause why God sends the Gospell rather to this nation than to another is not the meere and onely good pleasure of God but because this nation is better and more worthy of it then that to which he hath not communicated the Gospell â—or Moses gain-sayes this speaking thus unto the people Israel Deut. 10. 14 15. Behold heaven and the heaven of heavens is the Lord thy Gods and the earth with all that therein is Notwithstanding the Lord set his delight in thy Fathers to love them and did chuse their seed after them even you above all people as appeareth this day And Christ Mat. 11. 21â— Wâ—e be to thee Corazin woe be to thee Bethsaida for if the great works which had been done in you had been done 〈◊〉 Tiâ—â—s and Sydon they had repented long agoe in sacke 〈◊〉 and ashes 2. Their Errors concerning Christs death and the redemption of men by it 1. THey teach that God the Father ordained his Son unto the death of the Crosse without any certaine and determinate counsell of saving any particular man expressely so that its necessary profit and dignity might have remained whole sound and perfect in every respect compleat and entire in the impetration of Christs death although they obtained redemption had never actually been applyed to any particular person for that assertion is reproachfull to the wisdome of God the Father and the meâ—â—t of Jesus Christ and contrary to the Scripture where our Saviour Christ saith Ioh. 10. 15. I lay down my life for my sheep verse 27. And I know them The prophet speaketh thus of our Saviour Isa. 53. 10. When he shal make his sons a sacrifice for sin he shal see his seed and prolong his dayes and the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hands Lastly it overthroweth any Article of our faith wherein we doe believe that there is a Church 2. They reach that this was not the will of God that hee might establish a new Covenant of Grace by his bloud but that he might onely procure unto his Father the bare right of making againe with men any Covenant whatsoever whether of grace or of works for this thwarteth the Scripture which teacheth that Christ is made the surety mediator of a better that is a new Covenant Heb. 7. 22. and Heb. 9. 17. The Testament is confirmed when men are dead 3. They teach that Christ by his satisfaction did not certainly merit for any mans salvation it selfe and faith by which this satisfaction of Christ may be effectually applyed unto salvation buâ— onely that he purchased his Fathers power or resolution to enter into a new match with man-kinde and to prescribe them what new Covenant soever he pleased The performance of which condition should depend upon mans free-will and that therefore it might fall â—ut that either no man or every man might fulfill them for these esteem too 〈◊〉 basely of Christâ— death in no wise acknowledging the chiefest 〈…〉 excellent fruit and benefit procured thereby and will call up 〈…〉 Pelagian herisie from hell 4. They teach that the new Covenant of grace with God the Father by the mediation of Christs death made with men doth not consist herein viz. That we are justified before God and saved by faith insomuch as it apprehendeth the merit of Christ but herein viz. That God the exaction of perfect legal obedience being abrogated reputes faith it selfe and the imperfect obedience of faith for the perfect obedience of the Law graciously thinks it worthy of the reward of eternall life Thâ—â— concludeth the Scripture Rom. 5. 24 25. All are justified freely by grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus whom God hath set forth to be a reconciliation through saith in his bloud And with wicked Socinus they bring in 〈◊〉 and strange justification of man before God 〈…〉 consent of the whole Church 5. They teach that all men are received into the staâ—e of reconciliation and grace of the Covenant so that no 〈◊〉 shal be condemned for Originall sin nor in respect of it be 〈◊〉 unto death or damnation but are all acquitted and fâ—eâ—d from the guilt of that sin This opinion is contrary to the Scripture which affiâ—es that by nature we are the Children of wrath This the Arminiams learnt from the Anabaptists 6. They imply the distinction of impetration and application to the end that they may infuse this opinion unto unskâ—â—full and unwary wits namely that God as much as concerne◠〈◊〉 would conferre upon all men eqâ—â—lly those benefits which are promised by Christs death And whereas some rather then â—thers are made partakers of forgivenesse of sins 〈◊〉 life eternâ—llâ— and this diversity depends upon their owne free-will applying it selfe unto grace indifferently offered but not upon the â—â—â—gular gift of mercy effectually working in them 〈◊〉 then others that they may apply this grace unto themsâ—lves 〈◊〉 they while they bear the world in hand that they prâ—pound this destruction with a sound meaning they goe about to make the people drink of the poysonous cup of Pelagianisme 7. They teach that Christ neither could nor ought to dye neither did dye for those whom God dearely loved and chose unto eternall life seeing such stood in no need of Christs death In this they contradict the Apostle who saith Gal. 2. 20. Christ loved me and gave himselfe for me In like manner Rom. 8. 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Christs chosen It is God that justifieth who shall condemne it is Christ which it dead to
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
HERESIOGRAPHY OR A description of the Hereticks and Sectaries of these latter times By E. Pagitt The second Edition with some Additions as in the Folio following MATH 15. 17. Beware of false Prophets which come to you in Sheeps 〈◊〉 but inwardly are ravening Wolveâ— 1 TIM 4. 1. Now the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing Spirits and doctrines of Divils Speaking lyes in hypocrisie having their conciences seared with a hot Irâ—n Imprimatur J A. CRANFORD LONDON Printed by VV. Wilson for Iohn Marshall and Robert Trot and are to be sold at their shops in Corn-hill over against the Exchange and under the Church of Edmond the King in Lombard street 1645. The names of the Sects viz. Anabaptists page 1. Brownists 48. Semi-separatists 75. Independents 76. Familists 81. Adamites 91. Antinomians 94. Arminians 10. 8 Socinians 122. Antitrinitarians 124. Millenaries 126. Hethringtonians 127. Anti-sabbatarias 128. Traskites 130. Jesuites 132. Muncerians 32. Apostolikes 33. Separatists 33. Catharists Enthusiasts Liberi Hutites Augustinians 34 Bewkeldians Melchiorites Georgians Menonists Pueris Similes Servetians 35 Libertines Denkians Semper orantes Deo-relicti Monasterienses Plunged Anabapt 36. Barrowists 69. Wilkinsonians Johnsonians 70 Ainsworthians Robinsonians Lemarists 71. Castalian familists 89 Grindletonians Familists of the mourtains 90. Of the valleyes Scattered flocke Caps Order c. The Addition The sum â—f a Treatise of Mâ— Johnsons a-against Anabaptists 44 Of the Pelagins 138 Soule-sleepers 139 Denyers of the Scriptures 141 Expecters or Seekers Divorsers 142 Of the Papists 143 The Papists compared with other Hereticks 147 A Postscript 154 An Extract of the Acts of the National Synod of the reformed Churches of France 195 To the Right Honourable Thomas Atkin Lord Major of the Citie of London and to the Right Worshipfull Sir Nicholas Raynton Isaac Penington Lievtenant of the Tower Sir lo Woollaston Iohn Glyn Recorder Sir Iohn Cordell Sir Thomas Soame Sir Iohn Gayr Sir Iacob Garrat Thomas Adams Io warner Iohn Tousâ— Abraham Reynardson Sir George Garraâ— Sir George Clerke Iohn Langham Thâ—mas Andrewes Iohn Foulke Iames Bunce William Gibbs and Richard Chambers Sheriffes Samuel Warner Wâ—lliam Barkely Thomas Foote Iohn Kendricke Thomas Culhâ—m Simon Edmonds Aldermen of the said Citie RIght Honourable and Right Worshipfull whereas I have lately published a Christianography or a description of many great Churches of Christians in the world some of which are for extent larger then the Church of Rome in Europe for time more ancient for succession as continual for faith more sound who believe with us the church of God to be Catholike as it is in the Apostles Creed and not as it is set downe in the new Trent Creed confined to Rome who renounce the Popes Supremacie some of them excommunicating him for a Schismatick and Heretick Who receive the holy Communion in both kindes they all drinke of Christs cup and abhor the Romish decree made contrary to Christs Institution Who make no Images to be worshipped Who doe not acknowledge the figment of Purgatory nor use any Prayers to be delivered from the fained paines thereof Who have their Prayers in their owne tongue and mutter them not in latine as the Romists doe Who forbid not Marriage the prohibiting of which is called by St. Paul the Doctrine of Divells Their Priests may and doe marry Who hold not popish Transubstantiation Who prohibite not Lay-men the reading of the holy Scriptures commanded by Christ himselfe Who doe not joyne with Christs Intercession the suffrages of Saints nor with his Justification the merit of workes nor with the Satisfaction Papall Indulgences These points with some others which the ambition and avarice of the Romists hath lately hatched they renounce with us This worke I purposing to perfect and consummate to the glory of God the great profit of the Church establishing of mens consciences they seeing the unity and agreement of the holy Churches in the world with us Behold suddenly a numerous company of other Hereticks stole in upon us like the locusts Rev. 9. As the unpure Familists who blasphemously pretend to be Godified like God whereas indeed they are divellified like their Father the Divell The illuminated Anabaptists who blasphemously affirme the baptisme of children to be the marke of the Beast and to come from Anti-christ The Donatisticall Brownists who in times past hid themselves in holes now lift up their heads and vent openly their errors infecting our people The Antinomians who teach as I find such a faire and easie way to heaven viz. That a man need not be troubled by the law before faith and that faith is not a going out of himselfe to take hold of Christ but onely a discerning that Christ is his and that after this such a man must see nothing in himselfe have nothing doe nothing need no sorrow nor repentance nor bee pressed to duties need never pray unlesse moved by the Spirit If hee fall into sin never the more disliked of God nor his condition the worse and that hee must abide in the height of comfort though hee fall into grosse sin The novelty of this doctrine takes so well or rather ill that multitudes of simple men and women dance after their Pipes they run after these men as if they were mad crowding the Churches filling their doors and windowes The Independents trouble also our poore Church who pretend that they have a perfect modell of Churchâ— government which Almighty God hath revealed to them which many like better then the government of the Reformed Churches being perswaded that in Independency they may have liberty to doe what they list having no government hoging to be as free as their Teachers who will have none at all The Arminians also an after-brood of the Pellagiant broach their erroneous opinions The Sabbatarians affirm the old Jewish Sabbath to be kept and not the Lords day The Anti-sabbatarians would have no perticular Sabbath at all but every day to bee a sabbath to a Christian man The Traskites who would have us observe many Jewish ceremonies VVe have also Millenaries who affirm that before the day of judgment Christ shal come down from heaven and reign with the Saints upon earth 1000. years in which time they shall destroy all the wicked binding their Kings in chaines and Nobles in linkes of iron VVee have Hetheringtonians who hold a hodg-podg of many heresies troubling our peoples brains VVe have also Socinians who teach that Christ dyed not to satisfie for our sins and also his Incasnation to be repugnant to reason not to be sufficiently proved by Scripâ—ture with many other abhominable errors Wee have Arians who deny the Deity of Christ. We have an Atheistical Sect who affirme that mens soules sleep with their bodies untill the day of Judgement Wee have Atheists too many as among others one was committed by a Justice of Peace who mock'd and jear'd at Christs Incarnation His Father was burnt at Thoelouze in
the brethren that at last they were excommunicated as idle drones They dissolved the bands of marriage when they lifted putting their wives away as oft as they pleased Separatists a kinde of Anabaptâ—sts so called because they pretended to be separated from the world They condemned fine cloathes To them that laughed they would cry Woe bee to you that laugh for hereafter yee shall mourne They did look sadly and fetcht deep sighes they avoyded marriage meetings fealts musick and condemned bearing of Armes and Covenants Catharists who deny children Baptisme affirming that they have no Originall sin and pretending themselves to bee pure and without sin These will not say this Petition in the Lords Prayer forgive us our Trespasses Silentes who despise all humane constitutions and dispatch their businesse with great silence they answer all questions of Religion with much silence Enthusiasts who pretend that they have the gift of Prophesie by dreames to which they give much credit They would lye in Trances like men having the falling sicknesse and then would declare stâ—ange things which God had revealed to them viz. That Anabaptisme was holy that Pedobaptisme came from the divell and that Zwinglius was in hell c. Liberi a sort of Anabaptists who understand the liberty we have in Christ carnally and being freed from Christ they thinke themselves freed from paying any rent tribute or tithes and take unto themselves liberty to commit all uncleanesse whatsoever Adamites a kinde of Anabaptists who think cloathes to be cursed and given to man for a punishment of sin whereas they thinke themselves to be innocent and without sin Hutites who boast themselves to be the only children of God and heiâ—es of heaven so called of Iohn Huta this Iohn Huta dyed in prison These Anabaptists deny the deity of Christ. Augustinians who affirm the entrance into Paridice to have been shut up untill Augustine the Bohemian opened it for himselfe and those that were of his Sect. Beuckeldians a kind of Anabaptists so called of Ioh. Beuchelzoâ—â—â—us these affirme Polygamie to be permitted in the Gospell and that it is a holy thing to have many wives Melchiorists are Anabaptists so called of Melchior Hofman who was their Prophet at Strausborough whom they do expect to come at the day of Judgement with Elias They also affirme the blessed Virgin Mary not to be the Mother of our Lord but to be as a Conduit through which Christ passed so that hee tooke nothing from her neither was borne of her This Hofman was so wicked as to say Malidista sit caro Mariae Georgians certaine Anabaptists followers of David George who was father of the Familists boasted that he was a great Prophet the Son of God greater than Christ and hee should rise three yeares after his death and restore the Kingdome of Israel Menonists called of Menon a Frisian by whose name the Anabaptists were generally called as if all their other denominations had been lost and buried These foureteen are named by Astedius Mr. Bullinger in his first book against Anabaptists nameth others as some of them under pretence of childish innocency played many odde pranks one having kept his excrements in store many dayes powred them out in the street and turned himselfe naked into them saying unlesse we be made like little Children we cannot enter into the kingdome of heaven Others for the same reason would ride upon sticks and Hobby-horses like children in great companies and women would run naked with them and then in pure innocency they lay together and so in the end it proved childrens play indeed Servetians a blasphemous kinde of Anabaptists so called of Servetus a Spaniard whose Heresies are set down by Prateolus Bullinger and others he called the baptisme of children an horrible abhomination he would not have them baptized before they were thirty yeares old This Servetus denyed the Deity of Christ and was burnt for his blasphemous opinions October 27. in the yeare of our Lord 1553. at Geneva Libertines who make God the author of sinne and deny the resurrection of the body against these Mr. Calvin hath written a Treatise Bullinger telleth us of divers sotts of Anabaptists called Liberi vid. sup Denkians a sort of Anabaptists of which Denkius was chief who taught that the Devill and wicked men should be saved This Denkius was converted by Oecolampadius Minister of Basil. Semper Orantes who would alwayes pray and neglect all other duties Deo relicti Anabaptists that relying onely upon God refuse all meanes that God hath appoynted Monasterienses or magnificent Anabaptists so called because of their bravery under their King Iohn who added many things unto the hodgepodge of their errors as the having many wives which he pretended to receive from the heavenly Father and it was no burthen for a man to have never so many in Munster they being provided for out of the common stock They put away barren women and women past children as good for nothing and committed them to Curators to keep whereas they had many wives yet it was accounted a great offence for one wife to looke distorto vertu but awry upon her sister wife yea accounted a capitall crime Yea at this day they have a new crotchet come into their heads that all that have not beene plunged nor dipt under waters are not truely baptized and these also they re-baptize And this error ariseth from ignorance of the Greek word Baptize which signifieth no more then washing or ablution as Hezychius Stephanus Scapula Budaeus great Masters of the Greek-tongue make good by many instances and allegations out of many authors In holy Scripture it is used generally to wash Luke 11. 38. The Pharisees wondred that he had not first washed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Heb. 9. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark 7. 3. Except they wash oft they care not And both are allowed by our Church and sprinkling hath been rather used among us by reason of the coldnesse of our climate and the tendernesse of our Infants They will tell us that Christ was baptized in the River and the Eunuch in the River True it is for then they had no Churche nor Fonts which now are to be used but in what river was Cornelins and his family or the Jaylor and his family plunged in Againe if the spirituall grace be sufficiently expressed by a little water sprinkled as by ducking in a river then dipping is not necessary as a little bread in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is of as much efficacy as a whole loafe The Apostle telleth us Heb. 9. 13. ofsprinkling them that were uncleane St. Cyprian telleth us true baptisme to be as well by sprinkling as by dipping It is impossible saith Mr. Bullinger to set downe all the differences and contrary opinions of the Anabaptists with all their pernicious Sects and
should lose his first regeneration and be again new-borne spiritually They that reach this do thereby deny the uncorruptiblenesse of that divine seed whereof we are borne anew contrary to the testimony of the Apostle St. Peter 1 Pet. 1. 23. Being born anew not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible 9. They teach that Christ never prayed for the faithfulls infallible perseverance in faith in which they contradict Christ his saying to Peter Luke 22 32. I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not And also witnessing John 17. 20. That himselfe prayed not onely for his Apostles but also for all that should believe by their word when he said verse 11. Holy Father keep thine owne namely those whom thou hast given me and ver 15. I pray that thou shouldst not take them out of the world but that thou shouldst keep them from the evill For your better satisfaction read the Synod held at Dort in the yeares of our Lord 1618 1619. where the Orthodoxe opinions of the Reformed Churches are set down and the errors before named condemned King James of blessed memory was a special means for the suppressing of these Sectaries as appeareth by his writings against them Predestination to life is the everlasting purpose of God whereby before the foundations of the world were laiâ— he hath constantly decreed by his counsels secret to us to deliver from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ ouâ— of man-kinde and to bring them to Christ to everlasting salvation as Vessels made to honour therâ—fore they which bee endued with so excellent a benefit of God be called according to Gods purpose by his Spirit working in due season they through grace obey the calling they be justified freely they be made Sons of God by adoption they bee made like the Image of his onely Son Jesus Christ they walke religioâ—sly in good works and at length by Gods mercy they attain to everlasting Felicity As the godly consideration of Predestination and our election in Christ is full of sweet pleasant and unspeakable comfort to godly persons and such as feâ—le in themselves the working of the Spirit of Christ mortifying the works of the flesh and their earthly members and drawing up their minde to high and heavenly things aswell because it doth greatly establish and confirm their faith of eternal salvation to be enjoyed through Christ as because it doth fervently kindle their love towards God so for curious and carnall persons lacking the Spirit of Christ to have continually before their eyes the sentence of Gods Predestination is a most dangerous down-fall whereby the devill doth thrust them either into desperation or into wretchlesnesse of most uncleane living no lesse perilous then desparation Furthermore we must receâ—ve Gods promises in such wise as they be generally set forth in holy Scripture and in our doings that will of God is to be followed which we have expressely declared unto us in the word of God To conclude sith wee cannot our selves think one good thought let us not in the work of salvation attribute any thing to our selves but to God let us give all the glory Of the Socinians In treating of these Sectaries I will propose 1. Their Originall 2. Some of their chiefe Errors with the refutation of them 1. SOcinisme 〈◊〉 Socinanisme hath its name from Lelius Socinus and his Nephew Faustus Socinus both Italians of Siena in the State of Florence 2. Lâ—lius Socinus in the time of Mr. Câ—lviâ— broached his opinions by private Letters written to Caâ—vin Faustus his Son by publike writings and by books foâ—lowed the steps of his Father in corrupting and traducing the sincere and Orthodoxe faith 3. For Socinianisme is a compound of many perâ—icious and antiquitated heresies in which are revived the errors especially of these five Sects viz. Ebioâ—â—tes Arrians Photâ—â—ians Servetians Antitrinitarians with which are joyned the Samofatonians and Sabâ—â—ans of whom also they participate Their erroneous and dangerous opinions may be read especially in the workes of Socinus Ostorodius Catechesis Racoviensis Crellius Volkelius and others The principall of them may be reduced to the heads following being sixe in number 1. Concerning God 1. That there is no naturall knowledge of God by which we may be instructed to any kinde of acknowledgement or beliefe of a Deiâ—y or any thing concerning the being of God Refuted Rom â— 20. Rom. 2. 14. 2. Christ his Incarnation 2. That the Incarnation of Christ is repugâ—ant to reason and cannot be sufficiently proved out of Scripture Refuted Iohn 1. 14. Deity That Christ is not truely God and that the believe of his divine nature is not agreeable to Scripture Refuted 1 Iohn 5. 7 8. Phil. 2. 6. Iohn 5. 18. Satisfaction That Christ did not by his death satisfie for our sins Refuted Iohn 11. 5. 2 Cor. 5. 15. Tit. 2. 14. Mat. 20 18 1 Tim. 2. 6. 3. The Holy Ghost That the holy Ghost is not God Refuted 1 Ioh. 5. 7. 4. The Trinity That it is repugnant to the word of God to beleeve three Persons and one God Refuted 1. Iohn 5. 7. Mat. 28. 19. 5. Man That Man in the state of Innocency was not created in originall righteousnesse Refuted Eccles. 7. 29. 6. The Scripture or word of God That the old Testament is not necessary for a Christian man though it may be profitably read Refuted Iohn 5. 46. Acts 17. 11. Antitrinitarians or new Arrians CAlled Arrians of the old Heretick Arrius who was a Deacon of the Church of Alexandria Achillas the Bishop being dead and Arriâ—â— having not the Bishoprick given him which he desired Alexander being chosen he infected the world with this heresie he was condemned in the Councell of Nice by 318. Bishops under the Emperor Constantine the great and banished he died as Iudas the Traytor did his Bowells falling out of his belly The Antitrinitarians have renewed Arrius his old heresie and they are called Antitrinitarians because they blaspheme violate the holy Trinity These Antitrinitarians sprung up in Polonia and neighbour Countries in the yeare of our Lord 1593. Against this Sect Doctor Pelargus Wigandus and others have written learned Treatises The horrible blasphemies and divillish opinions of these Hereâ—â—cks I am loath to name but that my desire is that Christians should take notice of them to beware of them 1. They deny the Trinity of Persons which blasphemie Saint Iohn refuteth 1 Iohn 5. 7. There are three that beare record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one Read Gen. 1. 26. And God said let us make man in our owne Image and God created man in his owne â—mage Mat. 3. ver 17. 2. They deny the Son to be God which blasphemy is refuted Esa. 9. 6. For unto us a child is borne unto us a Sonne is given his name shall be called Wonderfull Councellour the mighty God c. Iohn 1. ver 1. 2. In the beginning was the Word
also of power as Peter was called to the highest degree Eph 4. 11. Christ ascended up an high and gave gifts unto men as some to be Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and Doctors Now howsoever one Apostle be not above another yet one Apostle is above another as an Apostle is above an Evangelist and an Evangelist above Pastors and Teachers And Peter being an Apostle was above all Evangelists and Pasâ—ors having the highest roome in the Ministery of the New Testament Secondly among the twelve Apostles Peter had a three-fold priviledge First of authority Cephas with Iames anâ— Iohn were called Pillers Gal. 2. 6. 9. Secondly of Primacy being first named The names of the twelve Apostles are these the first is Simon called Peter Thirdly of Principality in regard of the measure of grace in which he excelled Math. 16. 16. The difference is the Papists give to Peter and to the Bishops of Rome his successors a supremacy under Christ above all causes and persons which wee deny affirming Kings and Princes to bee supreme within their owne Dominions The nineteenth of the efficacy of the Sacraments Our consents We teach Sacraments to be signes to represent Christ with his benefits unto us 2. Instruments whereby God offereth and giveth the said benefits unto us The difference First that Sacraments are Physicall Instrements having force in them to give grace Secondly that the very action of the Minister dispensing the Sacrament as it is a worke done giveth grace if the party bee prepared We hold the contrary The twentieth poynt of saving Faith Our consent 1. They teach the property of faith to believe the whole Word of God and especially the redemption of mankinde by Christ. 2. They a vouch that they beleeve and look to be saved by Christ and by him alone and by the meere mercy of God in Christ. 3. The most learned of them hold and confesse that the obedienâ—e of Christ is imputed to them for the satisfaction of the Law and their reconciliation with God 4. They avouch that they put their whole trust and confidence in Christ and in the meere mercy of God for their salvation 5. They hold that every man must apply the promise of life everlasting by Christ unto himselfe Though in coloured termes they seem to agree with us yet indeed they abolish and deny the substance thereof namely the particuler and certaine application of Christ Crucified and his benefits to our selves The 21. poynt of Repentance Our consent 1. Conclusion that Repentance is the conversion of a â—inner and that it is passive or active passive is an action of God whereby he converteth a man being yet unconverâ—ed Active is an action of man whereby man being once turned of God turnes himselfe 2. Conclusion That repentance standeth In Confessing of the mouth Contition of the heart Satisfaction in deed 3. Conclusion that in repentance we are to bring forth outward fruits worthy amendment of life We dissent not from the Church of Rome in the Doctrine of Repentance but in their abusing of it 1. They place the beginning of repentance partly in themselves and partly in the holy Ghost 2. They take Repentance or Penance for that publike Discipline that was used against offenders in the open Congregation 3. They make it a Sacrament 4. They make it a meritorious cause of Remission of sinne and everlasting life and in these poynts saith my Author we dissent from the Church of Rome In the 22. place he setteth downe some sinnes of the Romish Church viz. Atheisme Idolatry and Adultery in permitting Stewes and Brothell-houses I pray God keep us in these distracted times from Atheisme and Sacriledge which ensuâ—th thereupon In Master Perkins Reformed Catholike you may see the confutation of the Popish errors before named at large A Review of the Sectaries comparing them with the PAPISTS FOr the Sacrament of Baptisme the Papists exclude those Infants heaven that are not Baptized and the Anabapâ—ists affirme the Baptisme of Children to be the marke of the Beast and Antichristian The Papists attribute too much to the Element of Bread in the holy Communion accounting him no good Christian that will not call it his Lord God Some of these Sectaries as the Brownists mocke and scoffe at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper calling it a two-penny Banquet For the number of Sacraments the Papists will have too ma-many and some of these Sectaries too few The Papists give too much reverence to the Blessed Virgin holy Apostles and Saints departed and some of these Hereticks blaspheme the holy Virgin whom all Nations should call blessed as the Melchiorists saying Maledicta sit caro Mariae The Papists are blamed for saying too often the Lords Prayer the Brownists and some of other Sectaries will not say the Lords Prayer at all some of them affirming it to be an abominable Idoll though it be commanded to be said by our Lord himselfe The Papists will not onely keep the Lords day but also many Holy-dayes some of these Sectaries will neither keepe Holy-dayes nor the Lords day as the Famalists and Anâ—i-Sabbatarians The Papists confesse their sinnes and suppose they cannot enter heaven without a particuler confession of them some of these Hereticks will not confesse their sinnes at all affirming God can see no sinne in them as the Antinomiaâ—s In equivocating they are alike Equivocation is a cunning colouring of a Lye which is against Scripture against the rule of equity an hindring of Justice the way to perjury the divills creature who is the Father of Lying a princiâ—pll proppe and pillar of Antichrists Kingdome For lying I know not whether Papists or Sectaries shall carry away the Bell they tell lyes they print lies they preach lyes they paint lies and both without controule Bullinger telleth us that the Anabaptists brought Cart-loads of lies to maintaine their detestable opinions Piae fraudes as the Papists have Piae fraudes to draw men to godlinesse as purgatory and such like so have the Sectaries and especially the Anabaptists have tricks and devises as Visions Revelations Dreames yea false miracles to maintain their cause For Hypocrisie they are both alike they come in sheepes cloathing but inwardly they are ravening Wolves The Anabaptists entred Munster like Lambes but became Wolves having gotten the upper hand For their uncleannesse the Papists permit Stewes â—but the uncleannesse of the Familists and Anabaptists in their spiritâ—all marriages and other abhominations are not with a modest tongue to be spoken For Churches the Papists spare no cost in erecting and trimming them they would make them if they could like heaven it selfe whereas some of these Sectaries would destroy and demâ—lish them Last of all the Papists worship God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity and whereas some of these Sectaries blaspheme the holy Trinity their opinions being so Diabolicall and prodigiously impious that it