all others for it has been seen when ever the sword of power has fallen into their hands that they have been as severe and cruell oppressors of all who did not absolutely without exception submit to their Laws as any Tyrants who yet have appeared upon the earth SSS But presupponing that their old principles bâ— now altered and their present Tenets about liberty of conscience be most conscientious and sincere which they upon no occasion will any more change the Magistrate had need to know whether the granting of all this liberty whereof we have been speaking willfully content them When the State hath denuded it self of the care and cognisance of the matters of the soul The granting of all this liberty will not assure the Magistrate of the Sectaries civill obedience and put these absolutely in the power of every mans own free will may it then expect obedience to its other Laws in things civill and temporall The Confessionists in this seem to be clear and freely to grant to the Magistrate in things civill all due obedience but that this is the generall sense of all the rest of that sect M. Marshall permits us not to believe for he tels us that the most of the Anabaptists are in their conscience against all Magistracy as well in matters civill as Ecclesiastick TTT In the time of their weaknesse for fear of trouble they can be silent and gâ—ve obedience to their commands without any question but when the days of their power shall come when the righteous shall inherit the Land which they long have been looking for and believes to be now at the doors the Magistrate must then lay down his rule give up his Government and be content to be ruled by the two-edged sword of their Saints which Germany did feel to be very sharp and ready to shed much innocent bloud The Tenets practise of the Sectaries destroy Magistracy The troublers of New England did not only plead for a freedom and immunity from all civill Laws the reasons whereof did not convince their consciences both of their lawfulnesse and expediency TTT 2 but were also ready if they had not been prevented by force of Arms in a very unjust and seditious manner to have risen against the State and to have cut the throats of their opposites VVV when after their banishment they were set down by themselves they could not indure Magistracy but put it down as a condition unlawfull for a Christian to undergo XXX But that which concerns this State now most to take heed of They professe their design to overturn from the ground the government of our State as now it stands is that growing Tenet of all the Sects among us wherein divers Anabaptists are with the first a declared aversenesse from all obedience to the present Magistrates and Laws and frequent motions to have the very fundamentals of the State government new moulded to their own fancies they do no more dissemble their detestation of Monarchy the King and all of his blood must be destroyed King Charles for his mis-government must lose his life this execution does not satisfie Justice YYY But for no time to come either the name or the King of royalty must be more heard of in England ZZZ Kings Lords are no more tolerable When thus far we have gratified the new moulders of our State will they then be content to be under the government of a Parliament without a King they assure us this is far from their purpose The Parliament as it stands is as rotten a body as the King an head at the first bout they pull down one of the two Houses and smother all the Lords the Peers are a pestiferous excrement of Kings and with them they must go packing AAAA The ground of all their dignity is wickednesse BBBB Their personall carriage has been corrupt CCCC The best of them are false Traytors DDDD Neither is the House of Commons any longer to be endured When that Paganish invention EEEE of King and Lords is abolished can we have assurance to get the House of Commons for our Governors if so our case were somewhat safe and comfortable but the new framers of our State tell us that the House of Commons when they are deprived of the society of their very ancient companions their old fellow Governours the King and Lords and themselves alone are become the whole and full Parliament of England they must not then expect to be rulers for they also have exceedingly abused their trust they have many ways abused the people Upon divers of their most eminent Members they cry out as Traytors FFFF upon the most as covetous self-seeking men GGGG upon all the Lawyers as pestiferous Members no lesse then the Bishops were in the House of Lords GGGG 2 upon many other of the Members as a faction adhering to the Lords in all their wicked designs GGGG 3 upon the whole House as the authors of greater evil to the people then either King or Lords or Bishops or any former oppressors did ever bring upon England HHHH They insist especially upon one of their ordinary Acts of insupportable Tyranny they have for many ages bound taxes by Law upon the back of the free-born people of England this is no longer to be endured IIII what the people thinks meet voluntarily to offer it may be received but to lay a necessity upon any to give for any use private or publick any more of his goods then himself the just owner is willing is an oppression too long connived at KKKK Of this great grievance the House of Commons has been the great instrument wherefore they also must be taught to know their place and to remember their condition that they hereafter may be content to be humble servants to their Soveraign Lords and Masters the free-born people of England LLLL to them they must be accountable and by them punishable toties quoties these their new Masters find them delinquents MMMM Our Masters are not here speaking what in some extraordinary cases The poorest begger in the Land has a share of the Soveraignty above the King and Parliament an intolerably oppressed people by the Laws of an unavoidable necessity are forced to do before they perish but of that which they affirm ought to be the ordinary perpetuall just and necessary case of England Kings and Lords must for ever be abolished a Parliament of Commons must for ever sit at the feet of their supream and absolute Lords the multitude of the people this present House of Commons must be dissolved NNNN and another presently put in its place which may sit no longer then one year OOOO A Trienniall Parliament is worth nothing PPPP A perpetuall Parliament a Parliament of longer continuance then one year is unsupportable QQQQ As in the Church all and every one of the Officers are to be under the jurisdiction and censure of the whole and every one of the members
of a Congregation so the whole House of Commons and every Member thereof are punishable in their life limbs and estate by the whole people and every free-born man in England RRRR even the poorest begger for as I take it there is not nor has not for many ages any person been born a slave in any part of Christendome I will not here interrogate where or how these Soveraign Lords the people can meet to hear an account All former Laws and Acts of Parliament must be abolished and to give out judgement upon their faulty servants the new Parliament of Commons only I would be resolved by what Law this very grand Jury of the whole people are like to proceed Shall the King and Lords and the ancient way of Parliaments take away with themselves all former Laws which have been their creatures we thought it might have been losse enough to have destroyed with the King and Lords such Laws as did concern their two abolished States in particular but we are taught a more deep lesson all the Laws which these six hundred years have produced must be cast into the bottom of the Sea for ever for since the Norman Conquest the great work of all Parliaments hath been how to contrive evill Laws for the oppression of the people SSSS Now I doubt if there be any authentick registers of English Laws before the Conquest this day extant or if any such be whether it shall be found expedient to keep them on foot when all the other are cassed and annulled The will of the multitude must stand for the Soveraign Law hereafter It seems our new Soveraigns the people the sole creators of all Kings and Parliaments when once they are established in their Supremacy will be loth to have their hands bound by the fetters of any humane Laws much lesse of those old forgotten worm-eaten Statutes which the Danish Saxon or British Tyrants in the time of their domination did obtrude as in Religion there must be no Law but what every man in his conscience thinks to be the sense of the word of God that is the supream rule to him so it must be in the State TTTT We know who has printed the unlawfulnesse to make any Laws for the State Scripture being alike well furnished in Laws for the State as for the Church VVVV But I conceive it will be a great deal more easie for a few persons in the generall Court of New England to agree in their applications of the word of God to every civill emergent then for that many headed Soveraign the whole people of old England the one may much more safely be troubled to rule according to their gift of Government without any written institute and humane Law XXXX then the other for I believe if the whole free-born people of England were set on the Bench to judge of all causes according as every one did conceive without any written Law all by-past constitutions being cancelled the government of our State would quickly become more arbitrary and confused then long could be endured and those inconveniences which they professe to be the only cause why as yet they do not totally abolish both the name and thing of a very House of Commons YYYY by a little experience should be found to be more and greater then now are imaginable But that we may proceed I do propone one only scruple more about the point in hand By what means so great changes in Church and State are like to be compassed for not only King Charles and all our living Lords but also Royalty and Lordship it self must be cast down The present House of Commons for their manifold misdemeanors must be dissolved and so the whole fabrick of our old corrupted State totally abolished and a frame wholly new put in its place wherein no footstep either of Monarchy or of Aristocracy may appear ZZZZ but the Soveraignty must rest in each individuall of the people as they speak AAAAA the most poor base weak foolish creatures possessing a like share of the Supremacy both civill and Ecclesiastick the Kinghood and the Priesthood as they call it BBBBB with the most noble wise able wealthy of the land CCCCC having it at their option to execute the Soveraign power by themselves or when they find it for their ease to nominate so many Deputies DDDDD every November EEEEE to be a Parliament of Commons to cognosce upon extraordinary incidents as their Soveraign the people shall prescribe them rules though in ordinary cases they declare their purpose to set up twelve men with a President in every Hundred who upon their oath of fidelity shall be intrusted to determine absolutely all causes belonging to that Hundred without appeale to any Judge except the Aniversary meeting of the whole peoples deputies FFFFF This new Ochlocratorick republick where every individuall participates of the Soveraignty The three fundamental Laws of our new Utopian Republick not as in Democracies where the better sort only of the people have voyce in Government whether they will be pleased to make to themselves a body of new Laws they have not so far as I observe as yet declared only they seem to set up three fundamentall rules First that in matter of Religion every man must be absolutely at his own disposition to believe speak write do what ever he thinks sit GGGGG Secondly that men in publick place either of Church or State must serve freely if they have any means of their own or otherwise if they be poor their greatest gages in the most eminent places shall not exceed the summe of 50 or at most 60 pounds a year HHHHH Thirdly that all men â—n all places shall be accountable and punishable in their life and estate by their Soveraign Lords the individuals of the people without all controll or appeal IIIII According to reason and experience the present distemper of the Sectaries is posting on fast to a Dictatorship absolute Tyranny in the hand of one Since all these things must be as our new Statists give the world assurance of their resolution to have them is it not like that before so great changes can be brought about much resistance will be made a strange confusion and bloodshed multitudes of difficulties cannot but fall in the way shall it not therefore be absolutely necessary that some men of known valour and courage whose wisdome faithfulnesse and successe long experience makes unquestionable be set up to command in name of the people for some time till these high and mighty designs may be gotten accomplished and the people once be set down in peace upon the high places whence the King Lords and Commons wont to pronounce these unjust Laws which now with their authours must be laid aside In such cases of extraordinary difficulty the wise people of Rome did oftentimes name a Dictator in whose hand for a certain time they placed all their power the Senate the Armies the Magistrates both
New Testament p. 34 They deny angels and devils and souls They deny heaven and hell and eternall life They cast away all the Ordinances of God p. 35 David George to them was spirituall Christ much more excellent then Christ crucified Many people were ready to seal with their bloud all these abominations The monster David George did live and die in plenty and peace The best of the Anabaptists have very grosse errors The Mennonists deny originall sinne p. 36 In the points of election redemption grace free-will perseverance justification perfection they are grosser then the Arminians or Iesuites They are yet more absurd They deny the omnipresence of God They deny the Trinity And the truth of Christs humanity p. 37 They refuse all consequences from Scripture They refuse reasoning from the Old Testament The covenant with Abraham they make carnall They exclude all infants from the covenant of grace CAP. III. The modern tenets of the Anabaptists in England THe spirit of Anabaptisme clearly devillish p. 47 The fair profession of many English Anabaptists not to bee trusted What errours may be charged upon all what onely upon some of them p. 48 The confession of the seven Churches is a very imperfect and ambiguous declaration of their judgement Let no errour be charged upon any man which he truly disclaims A brief sum of all the Anabaptists errors Every Anabaptist is at least a rigid Separatist p. 49 Though the Independents offer to collude with the Anabaptists yet they separate from the Independents no lesse then from the Brownists as antichristian p. 50 They avow all their members to be holy and elect and some of them are for their perfection p. 51 After they have separate from all other Churches they run next away from their own selves They charge one another with Antichristianisme They are Independents They put all Church power in the hand of the people They give the power of preaching and celebrating the Sacraments to any of their gifted members out of all office p. 52 Even unto women They must not preach in a Steeple-house p. 53 All Tithes and all set Stipends are unlawfull their Preachers must work with theit own hands and may not goe in blacke cloathes They celebrate the Lords Supper in any common Innes after another feast All the new light of the Independents and Brownists is borrowed from the Anabaptists The anointing of the sick with oyle the rejecting of the Lords Prayer of all set Psalms of Vniversities and humane learning are the Anabaptists inventions The Independent Apologists are for liberty to most of the Sects 54 And some of their prime friends are for a generall liberty to all 55 The Anabaptists deny all power to Magistrates in any thing which concerns Religion Turkisme Popery Atheisme the greatest blasphemies they would not have punished with so much as a discountenance They presse a liberty for preaching and propagating openly all errours imaginable Yet they grant that errour is a soul-murder and a greater crime then the destruction of a King of a Parliament of a whole Nation p. 56 They hate the Covenant They are injurious to the Scots p. 57 All punishing of errour with them is persecution They presse liberty of conscience much out of policy p. 58 The granting of all this liberty will not assure the Magistrates of the Sectaries civill obedience p. 59 The tenets and practise of the Sectaries destroy Magistracy They professe their design to overturn from the ground the government of our State as now it stands Kings and Lords are no more tolerable Neither is the House of Lords any longer to be endured p. 60 The poorest begger in the land has a share of the Soveraignty above the King and Parliament All former Laws and Acts of Parliament must be abolished p. 61 The will of the multitude must stand for the Soveraign Law hereafter p. 62 The three fundamentall Laws of our new Vtopian Republick p. 63 According to reason and experience the present distemper of the Sectaries is posting on fast to a Dictatorship and absolute Tyranny in the hand of one The State in danger by the Sectaries principles p. 64 The greatest purchase which the overturners of States usually make is a late repentance p. 65 CAP. IV. Their Antipaedobaptisme Arminianisme Arrianisme Familisme and other wicked errours ALL Anabaptists are for Antipaedobaptisme They avow the nullity of our Baptisme p. 89 They presse on us a re-baptization They exclude all infants from the covenant of grace and make Circumcision a seal onely of carnall promises Many of them deny originall sin and assert all the articles of Arminius p. 90 They separate from all who renounce not Paedobaptisme Yet they admit into their Churches many much worse then these from whom they separate p. 91 Sprinkling to them nullifies Baptisme M. Tombes new way He is a rigid Antipaedobaptist yet not against sprinkling He spoils all infants of all interest in the covenant of grace p. 92 He is a friend to the worst Anabaptists and injurious to all who oppose them He makes Baptisme a rite needlesse either to young or old He admits of a frequent re-baptization He admits unbaptized persons to the Lords Table He is a grosse Erastian The most of the Anabaptists are Arminians p. 93 The second Edition of their confession is not so free of Arminianism as the first The chief Churches of the Anabaptists are grosse Arminians p. 94 Many of them are Antinomians laying aside all care of morall duties Making all grief for sin unlawfull p. 95 Denying Christs satisfaction and reconciliation of God to men The best of them are inclineable to Libertinisme The Antinomian controversies are not as the prime Independents doe make them onely about words and methods of preaching p. 96 Many of the Anabaptists are become Seekers denying all Churches all Officers all Ordinances Many of the Anabaptists are become Antitrinitarians p. 97 Richardson one of their prime leaders a blasphemer of the Trinity p. 98 Divers of them are abominable bl sphemers of Christs Person Others of them are become perfect Atheists They evert and reject the whole Scripture p. 99 Many of them are turned Familists denying the immortality of the soul Denying Heaven and Hell Angels and Devils Some of them make the world eternall others all creatures to perish p. 100 Some deny all resurrection others make the beasts rise to glory They teach abominable obscenities They follow David George in his greatest absurdities The divine light of their new Prophet The fall of Adam and the clearest Scriptures are but allegories The whole Divinity suffered in the Person of Christs humanity p. 101 The great light which this Prophet brings from heaven is that all the Devils and all the Reprobates shall be saved by his Gospel Randall his grosse Familisme p. 102 No resurrection no heaven no hell after this life The Saints in this life become as perfect as God The clearest Scriptures are false in a literall sense That God is
Anabaptism THE TRVE FOVNTAINE OF Independency Brownisme Antinomy Familisme And the most of the other Errours which for the time doe trouble the Church of England VNSEALED ALSO The Questions of Paedobaptisme and Dipping Handled from Scripture IN A Second Part of The Disswasive from the Errors of the time By ROBERT BAILLIE Minister at Glasgow And it shall come to passe in that day saith the Lord of Hosts that I will cut off the names of the Idols out of the Land and they shall no more be remembred and also I will cause the Prophets and the unclean spirit to passe out of the Land Zach. 13.2 But there were false Prophets also among the people even as there shall be false teachers amongst you who privily shall bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction And many shall follow their pernicious ways by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evill spoken of 2 Pet. 2.1 2. LONDON Printed by M. F. for SAMUEL GELLIBRAND at the Brazen serpent in Pauls Church-yard 1647. FOR THE RIGHT HONOURABLE the Earl of Lauderdail Viscount Metellan Lord Thirleston and Bolton YOur Lordships kinde acceptance of this mean Treatise in its first part brings the rest of it now to your feet upon hope it may goe out with the like countenance and favour In these very miserable times when so many of all conditions are given over to beleeve lies to be inveigled with the hypocrisie of seducing spirits which the Lord in his justice has permitted to goe forth in a great multitude for the seduction of this present evill world the truth is glad of the patrociny and assistance of all who will be on its side and of none more then of such as your Lordship I mean of persons so much eminent in wisdome learning courage zeal and other noble qualities above the most of their fellows in birth and rank as these doe ordinarily account themselves elevated by their civill priviledges above the common multitude And truly it will be found no lesse prudence then piety for men of your Lordships place to put and hold themselves in these unhappy days upon the side of truth though never so much deserted disgraced and trampled upon by a world of simple or malicious ignorants For now it is when the Lord with his axe is going through his garden and hewing down not onely thousands of brambles and bushes of lower stature but many of the tallest Cedars the highest Palms the thickest Oaks and they who yet remain untouched though none doe know how soon the axe may be applyed to their branches yea their very root yet many have reason to fear that their stroak may be suddain Among the wofull spectacles of our time none use to touch a heart wherein is any humanity with more compassion then the ruine of ancient Families How many great and potent houses are blown over by these late tempests How many this day be tottering and very like to fall before the windes be calmed and of those that appear in least danger being incompassed with the thickest defences that policy can invent against all storms above ground how easily may subterraneous vapours shake their foundations and when all fear is past of the evanished and invisible storm by an unexpected Earthquake lay their wals also levell with the ground There is no security for the greatest and strongest edifices but in the rock of truth what ever is builded upon this were it never so brittle will stand out the greatest blasts And if any breach be made the God of truth will not fail to repair it till the appointed time for the change of all things under the Sun bring that Cottage of clay to its fatall period And even then the house shall fall without any prejudice to the Inhabitant whosoever hath been a true lover and patron of truth For how small is the losse of a translation from a mansion upon earth to one in the heaven not made with hands But here is a losse indeed and a fall truly lamentable which oft to our sorrow we may see and have reason to fear shall yet be more frequent amongst us when unhappy Inhabitants by the hands of their errors and vices subvert the pillars of their Ancestors habitation and bury with themselves their whole family under the rubbish of a temporall ruine without any hope of reparation either in earth or heaven In the following writ I point at the danger wherein not onely families but the whole fabrick of our Churches and Kingdomes doe for the present stand while the Episcopall and Sectarian factions are doing their utmost endeavours to have all our former sufferings to be but short prologues to new very prolix if not endless Tragedies The one so far demented with a frantick passion towards the government and service of the Church of Rome that all the miseries which they have brought upon themselves and millions of others have not in the least degree cured the disease of their corrupted mindes so far are they from untying the knots that their own hands have made or essaying to draw any of their deceived party out of the perplexities of conscience wherein their mis-informations alone have cast them that rather then to retract their errors rather then to advise the lawfulnesse of joyning with all the rest of the Reformed Churches in laying aside Episcopacy and Liturgick ceremonies they choose to give up the neck of their Countrey to the sword of bloudy and idolatrous strangers They are content to draw all again to the hazard of a new more terrible war Tell them of the too probable issue of their obstinacy that if their designs should prosper the danger would be greater then their wit or the wisdome of any mortall creature could secure us from to have a tyranny planted in our State and Popery without any more circumlocution setled in our Church But if their renued warre should again miscarry that then the hazard is evident of undoing the royal family of turning the civil State of England into a Babell of confusion and the Church thereof into a fountain of heresies for the intoxication with its streams of all the rest of the Reformed To all such very rationall discourses this generation of men is deaf as if all naturall affection to their distressed Countrey were dead and sympathy with any of the true Churches of Christ altogether extinguished in them This is one ground of our present fear O if it were all so should we if needs must goe out again with great courage against that Squadron of Malignants But when we have returned Victors from that field behold our more perillous exercises are but yet approaching The Sectaries of more names and kindes then ever were known in any Kingdome of the world tell us with open mouth we must be their slaves They must have liberty to overthrow our Parliaments all Kings all Lords and this House of Commons to set
their Coventicle house and there before many people said that Brother Kiffen and Patience anoynting her she suddenly recovered SS Vide supra O. TT Gangren first Part p. 27. That all singing of Psalmes as Davids or any other holy songs of Scripture is unlawfull and not to be joyned with that the singing which Christians should use is that of hymnes and spirituall songs framed by themselves composed by their own gifts and that upon speciall occasions as deliverances c. sung in the Congregation by one of the assembly all the rest being silent VV Gangren first Part p. 23. This Den preacheth much against tythes he hath put down all singing of Psalmes in his Church XX The compassionate Samaritane p. 31 33. And hereby is maintained the necessity and excellency of Learning and the Languages and so of Vniversities and a supposall that the Arts likewise are necessary to a Divine As Diana was so is learning the crafts-mens living and the peoples Goddesse the people may if they please dote upon that which hath been their destruction they ought to account better of them that having no by-ends or respects have studied the Scriptures for their own and others information and do impart the same to the people out of a desire of their good for nothing as the Anabaptists doe to their Congregations See also Bloudy Tenet p. 173. YY Vide Disswasive p. 48. Browns life and manners of all true Christians p. 8. Know ye not that they which have their full and sufficient authority and calling are not to care for a further authority Hath not every lawfull Pastor his full authority Ibid. p. 8. The Lord did not only shew them the Tabernacle but bade them make it but these men will not make it at all because they will tarry for the Magistrate Ibid. pag. 10. They could not force Religion as you would have the Magistrate to do and it was forbidden to the Apostles to preach to the unworthy or to force a planting or government in the Church the Lords kingdome is not by force neither durst Moses or any of the Kings of Judah force the people by Law or by power to receive the Church government but after they received it if then they fell away and sought not the Lord they might put them to death They do cry Discipline discipline that is for a civill forcing to imprison the people or otherwise by violence to handle and beat them if they would not obey them Ibid. p. 11. The Lords people is of the willing sort they shall come unto Sion and enquire the way unto Jerusalem not by force nor compulsion but with their faces thitherward And p. 12. Because the Church is in a Common-wealth it is of the Magistrates charge that is concerning the outward provision and outward justice they are to look but to compell Religion to plant Churches by power and to force a submission to Ecclesiasticall government by Laws and penalties belongeth not to them neither yet to the Church ZZ Disswasive p. 49. EEEEE FFFFF Also the modell of Church and civill power composed by M. Cotton in the bloudy Tenet p. 156. The Magistrate hath power to forbid all idolatrous and corrupt assemblies who offer to put themselves under their patronage and shall attempt to joyn themselves into a Church estate and if they shall not hearken to force them therefrom by the power of the sword Ib. 101. Tolerating many Religions in a State in severall Churches beside the provoking of God may in time not only corrupt leaven divide and so destroy the peace of the Churches but also dissolve the Continuity of the State especially ours whose wals are made of the stones of the Churches He hath also power to compell all men within his grant to hear the Word ZZ 2 Tombs Apology p. 13. Being acquainted with a Law made in New England and proceedings against those that denied baptizing of Infants I yeelded to the sending of my examen thither and therewith I sent this short Epistle Reverend Brethren understanding that there is some disquiet in your Churches about paedobaptism c. AAA Apologetick narration p. 19. To the Magistrates power we give as much and as we think more then the principles of the Presbyteriall government will suffer them to yeeld BBB Burrows Irenicon at length CCC Apologeticall narration p. 9. We judge that excommunication should be put in execution for no other kinde of sinnes then may evidently be presumed to be perpetrated against the parties known light as whether it be a sin in manners and conversation such as is committed against the light of nature or the common received practises of Christianity professed in all the Churches of Christ or if an opinions then such as are likewise contrary to the received principles of Christianity and the power of godlinesse professed by the party himself and universally acknowledged in all the rest of the Churches and no other sins to be the subject of that most dreadfull sentence DDD John Goodwins Theomachia p. 37. Concerning other civill means for the suppression and restraint of these spirituall evils errours heresies c. as imprisonment banishment interdictions finings c. both reason and experience concurre in this demonstration that such fetters as these put upon the feet of errours and heresies to secure and keep them under still have proved wings whereby they raise themselves the higher in the thoughts and mindes of men and gain an opportunity of farther propagation Ibid. To hold that the persons so elected the Members of the House of Commons chosen by men unworthy and strangers to the power of godliness have a power by vertue of such nomination or election to enact Laws and Statutes in matters of Religion and to order under mulcts and penalties how men shall worship and serve God as it is a means to awaken the eye of jealousie upon them and so is seven times more destructive unto the undermining not only of their power but of their honour peace and safety also then any thing that is found in the way so ill entreated so is it the setling upon the electors of such persons I mean upon the promiscuous multitude of the Land a greater power then ever Jesus Christ himself had at least then ever he exercised EEE Anabaptists Confession Edition second Article 48. in the margin Concerning the worship of God there is but one Lawgiver Jesus Christ who hath given Laws and rules sufficient in his word for his worship and for any to make more were to charge Christ for want of wisdome or faithfulnesse or both in not making Laws enough or not good enough for his house Surely it is our wisdome duty and priviledge to observe Christs Laws only FFF Ibid. It is our duty to do and we believe it is our expresse duty especially in matters of Religion to be fully perswaded in our mindes of the lawfulnesse of what we do for whatsoever is not of faith is sin and as we cannot do
finde that all their zeal and Covenanting with the high God is for no other end then to bring this easily deluded Nation under bondage to Presbyteriall Lords and Taskmasters The interest of England p. 16. Quaere 6. Whether the solemne League and Covenant may not prove the greatest mischief and snare unto the Kingdome in case its interpretation be wrested from the Parliament to the Presbyters new proselyte and his confederates that ever yet was invented since the Warres See also Dels scruples against the Covenant through the whole PPP 3 Remonstrance of many thousands p. 8 10 13 14 18. Also the interest of England p. 13. PPP 4 I spare to name the worshipfull and reverend instruments of this high contumely most unworthy of them PPP 5 Conscience cautioned p. 5. If the Scots stay and keep our Towns and Garrisons after voted out is it not Invasion Is it not the same to enter in hostility or in confluent numbers after voted out if they deliver not up the King when demanded without capitulation for they are our Army our servants and is not the king our States Prisoner Ibid. p. 12. All this is but to King the Scots under the colour of the Kings name to make them Kings of England and the English their slaves Quaeries Who is it that holds out c p. 1. Also black cloud in the North through it all PPP 6 Gangren third Part. QQQ The modest Queries concerning a printed paper p. 6. Abstruse and disputable points of Religion as that of free-will of the Trinity of the Hypostaticall union concerning the death of Christ concerning the state of the soul after death c. RRR Ibid. p. 1. Whether it be agreeable to the minde of Christ for men to inflict the heavy censure of death upon their Brethren for holding forth such Doctrines or opinions in Religion suppose contrary to admonition which for ought the said inflicters know except they make themselves infallible may be the sacred truths of God SSS Vide supra in the Histories of Becold and Muncer TTT M. Marshals Defence p. 75. It is most apparent that their Books even to this day do constantly defend that though Magistracy be an Ordinance of God as to them who are not under the dominion and kingdome of Christ yet Christ hath put an end to it among his own people taken away all Magistracy from among them that no Christian can be a Magistrate with a good conscience and that if Christians do live under any such they are to bear them but as other plagues and judgements are to be born TTT 2 Disswasive first Part p. 152. MMMMMM 3. VVV Ibid. p. 72. VV. XXX M. Williams informed me that Mistresse Hutchison in the first place she setled with her company after her banishment did perswade her husband to lay down the office of the Magistrate as that which was unlawfull for Christians to bear YYY The just mans justification p. 10. That you would think upon the grand murderer of England for by this impartiall Law of God there is no exemption of Kings Princes Dukes Earles Barons Judges or Gentlemen more then of Fishermen Coblers Tinkers and Chimney-sweepers upon his shoulders all the innocent bloud that hath in such abundance been shed in this Kingdom doth lie Numb 35.31 God saith plainly that there shall no satisfaction be taken for the life of a murtherer but he shall surely be put to death because Saul though a King slew some Gibeonites contrary to the Covenant made with them God sent a famine upon all Israel for three years for that very innocent bloudshed by the King And there was no expiation or satisfaction to be made therefore but by the bloud of him that had shed it and therefore because he himself was dead and his bloud could not be had seven of his sons of his own bloud must and was hanged up to make satisfaction therefore 2 Sam. 21.1 2 3 4. to the 9. See also Arguments proving that we ought not to part with the Militia Argument 10. According to protestations oathes and Covenants he ought to be brought to exemplary and condign punishment he being the greatest and most notorious delinquent in the whole Kingdome yea the originall fountain and wel-spring of all the Delinquents in the Kingdom giving Commissions to all the rest to kill murther and slay the innocent people Also Queries to finde out who it is that holds out in Arms against the State of England How can it be properly said that the English Creator the State of England can commit Treason against its own meeâ— creature the King their rebellious servant who hath stood it out in open hostility as long as possibly he could against his earthly Soveraign Lord King and Creator the State universall whose legall and formall representative the Parliament is ZZZ The Remonstrance of many thousands p. 6. Your Preachers must pray for him as if he had not deserved to be excommunicated all Christian society or as if ye or they thought God were a respecter of the persons of Kings in judgement we do expect according to reason that ye should in the first place declare and set forth King Charles his wickednesse openly before the world and withall to shew the intolerable inconveniences of having a Kingly Government from the constant evill practises of those of this Nation and so to declare King Charles an enemy and to publish your resolution never to have any more but to acquit us of so great a charge and trouble for ever and to convert the great revenue of the Crown to the publick Treasure The last Warning p. 1 2. None can shew one good Act that ever any King did voluntarily for the good of the people If ye will examine Stories or your own experience your self may produce thousands of oppressions murders and other Tyrannies though no condition of mankinde ever did so many so intolerable mischiefs though it cannot be said to what use they serve or that there is any use of them except to debauch and vex a people you hate those that would shew a more just and rationall way of Government then that of Kings Remostrance p. 16. If ye would in many things follow the Hollanders good example and make this Nation a State free from the oppression of Kings and the corruption of the Court c. AAAA The just man in bonds p. 1. The Lords are but painted puppies and Dagons that our superstition and ignorance their own craft and impudence have erected no naturall issues of Laws but the extuberances and mushromes of Prerogative the wens of just government putting the body of the people to pain as well as occasioning deformity Sonnes of conquest they are and usurpation not of choyce and election intruded upon us by power not constituted by consent not made by the people from whom all power place and office that is just in this Kingdome ought onely to arise BBBB Alarm to the House of Lords p. 4. This is
indeed I have for had I thought that the Parliament had had no rule but their own will to have walked by I should never have drawn my sword for them and for my part I know no difference betwixt Tyranny and such proceedings Ib. p. 3. Since the first of May last I have by authority from the House of Commons been three times imprisoned before ever I knew mine accuser or my accusation or ever was suffered to speak one word in mine own defence Ib. p. 14. Hear O heavens and give ear O earth and thou righteous God that lovest Justice and judgement and hatest and abhorrest oppression and cruelty which makest wise men mad put forth thy hand and do justice thy self upon the unjust and unrighteous Judges of this age whom the people have set up for their good namely to preserve their lives liberties and estates as their faithfull Stewards and servants and yet destroy what they would seem to maintain p. 17. Amongst those that would be thought their friends they are rob'd plundered spoiled opprest undone and destroyed by all sides and no remedy left for redresse but the little ones to be eaten up of the great ones in every place which makes poor mens lives a burden to them that they are ready to wish themselves back again in Egypt in their bondage and rather to have one Tyrant then many Alarum p. 11. These deceivable snares leading to worse then Egyptian slavery wherein we our poor infants on their mothers breasts others who know not the right hand from the left yea and our whole posterity are most pitifully catched and involved even as Gods own particular people the Jews were in the days of Haman except there come such a happy and speedy remedy as it pleased him in mercy then to send beyond the expectation of man IIII Gangren second Part p. 117. They teach that the people of God are a free people and what they do they should do freely and voluntarily and not to be assessed and rated by the Parliament compelled to pay rate upon rate assessement upon assessement KKKK Gangren second Part p. 122. It was laid to M. Oats charge then that he had preached against the assessements of Parliament and the taxes laid upon the people teaching them that the Saints were a free people and should do what they did voluntarily and not be compelled but now contrary to this they had assessement upon assessement and rate upon rate LLLL Remonstrance p. 1. Calling those their Commissioners in Parliament to an account how they have discharged their duties to the universality of the people their Soveraign Lord from whom their power and strength is derived and by whom ad bene placitum it is continued MMMM Ib. p. 3. We are your principals and you our agents to preserve the splendor and glory of that underived Majesty and Kingship that inherently resides in the people or the State universall the representation or derivation of which is formally and legally in the State elect or representative and none else whose actions ought all to tend to that end against encroachments usurpations and violences of all its creatures officers and Ministers in the number of which are Kings themselves from whom for whom they have all their power and authority as the execution of their will and minde for their good and benefit to whom they are acountable for the faithfull discharge of that trust reposed in them NNNN Birthright p. 32 33. Whether is it not agreeable to Law justice equity and conscience that there should be a Parliament once every year and more often if need require that seeing this present Parliament by reason of the extraordinary necessities of the Kingdom have sate four years many of the Members betrayed their trust and those that remain ingrosse Law-making and also Law-executing into their own hands contrary both to reason and to the meaning of the Law by which manifest abusing negligent and not true using the Laws oppressions mischiefs and grievances are no lesse if not far more increased then they were before the Parliament began many times by the powerfull interest of a faction in the Parliament to save some one two or three of their Members undeserving credits they so violate the known unrepealed and declared Law of the Land yea and their own Votes Ordinances Declarations Protestations as if they had never made them I say all these things considered ought not the free men of England not only to choose new Members where they are wanting once every year but also to renew and enquire once a year after the carriage and behaviour of those they have chosen OOOO Vide supra NNN PPPP Remonst p. 20. Nor do we value a Trienniall Parl. before 3 years come to an end grievances mischiefs may be past remedy QQQQ Birthright p. 30. We have just cause to fear they will set up an interest of their own destructive to the common freedom so make this present Parl. an everlasting Parl. the War a never dying War seeing it tends so much to the enriching of Parliament men their Officers RRRR Vide supra also Conscience cautioned p. 12. If neither Law nor Lords will allow the people to be saved then may they not be saved any way and both Laws and Lords fall before their Soveraign the people as Dagon did before the Ark rather then the people perish Birthright p. 32. I have heard it reported that self-denying Cromwel was about a design of getting a Committee set apart an order made published to the whole Kingdom that if any man were unjustly oppressed by any Member of Parl. Committee-man or any other Officers or Ministers let him bring his complaint he shall have a just and fair hearing and justice done not in words but in actiâ—ns upon the transgressor Interest p. 10. We know it is not Gods way to have respect of persons in judgment and that the doing thereof has frequently lost Gods favour and made States miserable Englands lameâ—table slavery p. 6. What became of that common and thredbare doctrine that Kings were accountable only to God what good effects did it produce No they are but corrupt and dangerous flatterers that maintain any such fond opinions concerning either Kings or Parliaments SSSS The Conqueror rob'd England of Edward the Confessors Laws and in stead of them set up the Dictates of his own will whose Norman rules practises to this day yet remain in the administrations of the Common-Law at Westminster Hall By reason of their tediousnesse ambiguities uncertainties the entries in Latin as bad as the French because it is not our own tongue their forcing men to plead by Lawyers and not permitting themselves to plead their own cause their compelling of persons to come from all places of the Kingdome to seek for justice at Westminster which is such an iron Norman yoke with fangs teeth in it that if we were free in every particular else
to keep the Church in confusion Since the State will take no notice of them but lets them encrease at their pleasure and grow up above the strength of any their Auncestors they are making bold to goe visit the State and try their strength upon her if possibly they may find as great a facility to set up the Trophee of their triumph upon her ruine as of that of her weake sister the Church It is the certain and now oft printed design of some to overthrow from the very foundation the whole edifice of our Civill government No King no Lord must be heard of hereafter This House of Commons must be cast down the Imperiall and absolute Soveraignty must be put in the hands of the multitude of the basest people They are once every year to choose for their servants a new House of Commons which all this time shall draw up a new frame of laws and a new modell of government Since this is the h mour that now beats highest in the veins of that people we had so much the more need with all our strength to fortifie the house of the State for beleeve it if that by any hand should be undermined its fall cannot fail to crush the most if not all who are under the roof thereof So long as the State doth stand there is always some hope of subsistence for every honest man and of obtaining in time a great part and possibly all their just desires were their Petition never so oft laid aside But if the State be overthrown then all is desperate and gone every particular person with all his designs how gracious soever is ready to be overwhelmed in the rubbish of the Common wealth It would be remembred that members of the best state are but men and not Angels It 's not to be expected but sinfull infirmities will cleave to the back of the best reformed government the perfect and spotlesse Republick of Plato may well have some place in Vtopia or in the Region of the Moon but upon the earth it never yet did dwell nor in haste is like to doe Let prayers to God let petitions Protestations Remonstrances representations to men be used and repeated from time to time without any fainting or giving over till all be obtained that is necessary for the good of Church and State But great caution must be used that nothing be either done or said that may labefactate the just honour or power of them whom God and the Laws have entrusted with the Soveraignty what ever toucheth that cannot but touch the apple of the eye of every good and wise man especily at this time when the project of the Devill is declared to lay Monarchy and both the Houses of Parliament levell with the ground and to set on the Throne the beast with many heads the multitude which with difficulty enough could ever yet be ruled but to this day was never found to have any skill or dexterity at all in the great art of ruling But to break off prefacing The scope of the Treatise my intention in the subsequent writ is to proceed in my Disswasive and that with so great observance of the three mentioned Caveats as I am able The men whom I deal with in this part are Anabaptists albeit they bring in with themselves both Antinomians Socinians Familists and the most of all the Heretiques of the time I desire no more from them as a reward of all my labour for their weall for the least hurt to any of their persons I never minded but in the fear of God to consider the beginning progresse and issue of their way as I set it before them in a short view out of their own Authors or at least from such writs as in that subject are of unquestionable faith If I make it appear that the spirit which from the beginning to this day did reign in their leaders cannot be that of grace and truth ought they not in conscience to make a serious review of their way lest securely going on the justice of God give them over to be miscarried to such opinions and practises which their soul for the present abhors but as I demonstrate has exceeding oft been the issue of Anabaptisme in many of its followers both of old and late If this my service be a means to reclaim some of them and to deterre others from the evill of their doings I have the desired fruit of my labour If I misse this yet my testimony to the truth in so needfull a time will I hope be acceptable to God and the conscience of it will ease and refresh my spirit remembring that the houres of my leisure were not altogether mis-spent but many of them so diligently as I was able employed for the service of Him to whom I owe all and the good of his people CHAP. I. The Originall and Progresse of the ANABAPTISTS THE late patrons of Anabaptism among us would make the world beleeve that this Sect had for its Author the famous Berengarius Berengarius no Anabaptist and for its fomenters four hundred years ago the old predecessors of Protestants commonly called Albigenses but who will be pleased to consult the fountain of this alledgance shall finde Berengarius absolved from this crime by that very mouth whence alone the sclander did proceed M. Tombes examin p. 20 21. Bishop Guitmund lays on the back of Deacon Berengarius the load of so many contumelies as he is able to invent only for his boldnesse to oppose the common Doctrine of that time the corporall presence of Christs body in the bread of the Sacrament among other things he challenges him for the denying baptisme ro infants but if any should require a proof of this heavy charge Guitmund professes that none can be given avowing that Berengarius did never bring any such Doctrine in publick knowing that no Scripture could be alledged for it and that no creature would take such an absurdity from his hand A Justice therefore does require that Berengarius be freed of that crime since his very adversary confesseth that it was never made appear by any known profession for crimes that appear not are reputed by just men as not existing Concerning the Albigenses The Albigenses knew not Anabaptisme the man that lays the sclander of Anabaptism upon them is Petrus Cluniacensis but how unjustly I offer to be considered not only from this generall very true and confessed ground that the Popish Writers of that time do charge these honest and pious men of Albi with many both errours and crimes whereof all equitable men beleeve them to have been most innocent but also from three particular observations First they are not challenged by Cluniacensis as direct and expresse denyers of paedobaptisme but for their affirming the impossibility of infants beleeving and of their impossible salvation without faith he alledges upon them by way of consequence that they did also maintain the Baptism of infants
that every man might marry so many wives as he pleased OO Also the Law of Divorce was brought back giving leave to a man upon his meer will without any fault alledged and without the cognizance of any Judge to put away his wife PP yea to kill any of his wives whether publickly as himself did in the open Market place QQ or privately as their next King did in a wood of Freezland RR This also was a Law of that Kingdom Robberies also that beside the falling upon all the goods of all the wicked world as a most lawfull spoyl there behoved to be a liberty to make use of all that belonged to any of the Saints That all things among them behoved to be common SS yet so that the King and his Courtiers might lawfully live in plenty while all the other Saints in that their new Jerusalem were starving with excessive penury TT It is visible whither Satan intends to lead proud hypocrites Their hypocrisie ended in the open practice of crimes extremely contrary to their professions these men who in their own eyes were so holy Saints as they behoved in the tendernesse of their conscience to separate from the best reformed Churches these men who talked of nothing but mortification of the flesh who counted it unlawfull to defend their life by the sword or to exercise the meanest Magistracy or to have any propriety in the smallest portion of goods or to know their own wives after they were conceived VV in a short time they came to preach and practice as very lawfull and warrantable to make themselves absolute Kings and Monarchs of the whole earth to live and die in as many adulteries and incests as they pleased in as great plenty of wealth as by any secret theft or open robbery they were able to catch Their abominable unclearnesse It could hardly be imagined that the Devil himself had been able to lead any reasonable creatures into so grievous errors did we not know to how much grosser these same horrible hypocrites who upon the profession of their own holiness refused cōmunion with all other men had been led away by that evill spirit divers of them not being content with the adulteries of Polygamy have loosed the bonds of all matrimony yea of all naturall relations XX telling us as in the former Chapter was remarked that among the Saints there ought to be no difference of husband and wife Father and daughter brother and sister that such differences were only for imperfect worldlings So soon as a woman turned Anabaptist they made her company with her own husband unlawfull but with all men of her own Religion lawfull upon divers wicked grounds XX 2 Farther that the shame which nature has imprinted in the heart of the most barbarous Pagans to cover their nakednesse must be cast away YY and thereafter that all kinde of incestuous commixtions are not only lawfull but also that they are the very acts of holinesse and mortification ZZ These be the profound mysteries which the Anabaptists have brought into the world this is the fruit of their quatriduall fastings of their extatick prayers of their heavenly raptures and revelations They deny both old and new Testament These might have seemed the very quintessence of all imaginable absurdities if the enemy of all truth had not given us in the same miserable hypocrites a further experiment of his skill in seducing they tell us therefore yet of rarer novelties of new more excellent lights which they have brought out of heaven AAA Having cast away first the old Testament as removed by the Gospel and then the Gospel it self as a shadow put away by the greater light of their new Prophets BBB these impediments of holy Scripture being fully removed the new perfect Doctrine which they bring us is first that there is not any created spirit They deny angels and devils and souls that Angels and Devils are not substances but meer qualities CCC that the spirits of men are but terrestriall vapour like the life of beasts perishing with the body DDD They deny heaven and hell eternall life Secondly that there is no such thing as heaven or hell as life or death eternall EEE that all the resurrection and glory to be expected are in this life FFF Thirdly They cast away all the ordinances of God that the greatest happinesse possible is to cast away and give over all such services as the Scripture prescribes to put away Baptisme the Lords Supper and Preaching of the word GGG to follow the directions of the new great Prophet David George Fourthly that this David George was the only spirituall Christ David George to them was spirituall Christ much more excellent then Christ crucified that Jesus and his Apostles and all their Doctrine were but carnall HHH that David George was to judge the world III that the irremissible transgression was only a wrong against him that whoever would maintain Jesus Christ to be equall with him or the Gospel of the Apostles to be like unto his Doctrine did sin against the holy Ghost and was certainly damned KKK The absurdities of the worst Hereticks of old the calumnies invented by Pagans against the ancient Christians were nothing so horrible though all had been true as these Doctrines and practises whereof the unquestionable testimonies of grave Writers make many of the old Anabaptists most certainly guilty But that which herein I most admire is Many people were ready to seal with their bloud all these abominations that ever poore people could be brought to beleeve so firmly the former absurdities as to suffer most willingly all extremities and exceeding chearfully to offer their very life for the worst of them LLL so long as their Master David did require such seals and testimonies to his Doctrine Thereafter indeed he changed that principle of suffering for the truth and permitted his followers not only to dissemble their own Religion but also to joyn without any scruple in any profession in any religious exercise of any people among whom they lived for he taught them that God was content with the heart alone and gave liberty for all men to imploy their body and the whole outward man in the service of the falsest Religion rather then he should suffer the smallest inconvenience The monster David George did live and die in plenty and peace The other object of my admiration is the infinite patience of God who suffered the Father of such monsters to lead his life in ease and security to go on in peace and plenty with a great shew both of Religion and vertue and the good opinion of his neighbours to his old age and dying day MMM Such snares does the Lord in his wisdome rain down on the wicked world that they who never loved the truth may be intangled irrecoverably in the bonds of error The best of the Anabaptists have very grosse errours I grant many of the
against all pride and magnificence also against the power and sword of the Magistrate riches and honour were to them drosse and dung they did speak nothing but of mortification of the old man and renewing of the spirit of a life separate and dedicated to God the world and all things therein they did altogether contemne D Vide supra Cap. 1. Also Hortensius p. 13. The Anabaptists avowed that in their Church all were Saints and now wicked Also Sleidan lib. 10. p. 274. they say that none must be tolerate in the Church who is not truly a good Christian E Sleidan l. 10. p. 269. At first the Anabaptists did do their businesse privately and secretly in the City none was admitted to their meetings who was not of their sect neither did their Leaders professe openly their opinions but taught them in the night when others were sleeping then were they about their mysteries F Bullinger l. 1. p. 11. They began boldly to plead their cause they professed openly and distinctly that they would maintain their cause not only by words but by their blood so every where in the City they began boldly to rebaptize G Vide supra Cap. 1. also Bullinger p. 26. The fourth sect of the Anabaptists consists of the holy Brethren who are pure and free from sin with whom all the Anabaptists in generall do some way partake they say that the Church is holy and without blemish that they are members of the Church who abide in Christ and are pure without sin some of this sect do omit that Petition of the Lords prayer Forgive us our sins conceiving themselves to be pure and to have no more need of remission of sins ibid. p. 2. All that are of their Church are to be accounted elect and the children of God and all who follow not their way are to be accounted wicked H Vide supra I Bullinger p. 18. They esteem themselves the only true Church which is accepted by Christ they teach that whoever by Anabaptism is received into their Church must have no communion with any Protestant Church or with any other Christians whosoever because the Protestant Churches are no more true Churches then the Popish which they prove thus In their Churches there is evident clear amendment of life but in these Churches that are called Protestant though somthing be preached out of the Gospel yet no mans life is amended and the whole people remain impenitent and subject to sinnes and vices now it is not lawful to have any communion with so impure a people K Ibid. They say that since the times of Christ and his Apostles the word of God has not been purely preached but that now they were two true Prophets arisen by whom the truth was to be restored to the world John Becold of Leyden King of the new Jerusalem and David George of Delph that there were also two wicked and false Prophets the Pope of Rome and Luther who was many ways more pestiferous then 〈◊〉 Pope L Bullinger p. 2. At that time Muncer himself as they say did not rebaptize his Disciples began to rebaptize before himself he himself was first rebaptized with his own bloud N Bullinger p. 109. We are compelled say they to stand beside and hold our peace whether the Preacher speak right or wrong thus the Doctrine depends not from Christ and his Spirit if any man come into a Protestant Church and hear but one speak this is so far contrary to Pauls Doctrine that such a company may not be taken for a true and spirituall Church O Ib. p. 108. They say that Paul by the Spirit of God has ordained that all Christians not Ministers alone should prophecy that is preach P Vide supra â—lso Clopenburg p. 342. If we behold their practice they do not exclude women which may be seen in the Books set out by their Churches for example in that Book they published the year 1570. this Treatise say they is published by the Brethren and Sisters of the Church of Ziricksea who have not medled with the controversie for the procuring of love peace and concord among all who are so marvellously divided whether Fleimes or Frizons or neutrals Q Bullinger p. 87. The Anabaptists in defence of their separation alledge against the persons of the Ministers that they are not lawfully called the calling of their own Ministers they count lawfull because they are called and sent by their own Churches but our Ministers calling they count unlawfull because by the Magistrate so they say that themselves are sent of God but that we are sent by men that is by the world R Hortensius p. 12. In so great a multitude of men it was thought there was not so much as one who had any letters the most part could neither reade nor write Ibid. p. 31. Let the Preachers lay down their offices and set in their places twelve simple men that never learned any letters command them to recite unto my people my word thereafter trusting in my spirit let them expone my word without the help or Lecture of any other writs S Vide supra T Bullinger p. 103. They say that the Ministers are idle this is common to them with many others who think that there is no labour but that which is done with the hands by a spade axe or such instruments Ibid. p. 18. They challenge the Ministers that they work not but are servants to their body V Heresbachius p. 43. Let none be exercised in Merchandize or Trade X Bullinger p. 39. Since the Magistrate has decreed that the tythes and yearly rents are justly due such debts by Divine right ought to be payed sincerely honestly some of the Anabaptists convinced by clear testimonies of Scripture grant that every one who is obliged ought to pay tythes yearly rent and other debts Y Bullinger p. 108. They professe openly that Preachers who take any stipend are not the true Ministers of God nor can teach the truth Z Heresbachius p. 42. The fourth of King Becolds Laws was that no man should either crave or pay any yearly rent AA Clopenburg p. 341. They do beleeve that Ecclesiastick Jurisdiction is in the body of the whole Church they do exagitate and scorn the practice of our Churches as Judaicall and they will have gone to be excluded from the Church in judging but only the sinner that is to be judged This is Anabaptistick Anarchy whereby they command all persons even women not excluded to sit in the seat of the Ecclesiastick Judicatory except onely the sinner who is to be judged BB Historia Davidis Georgii p. 109. Some of the Hophmanists dâ—d separate themselves from the communion of all Churches and lived themselves alone as neutrals CC Bullinger p. 19. That Magistrates ought not to meddle with any causes of Religion or faith that no man ought to be compelled by force or authority unto the faith Ibid. p. 242. They stirre up the Magistrate that in cases that
belong to the soul they may compell men by their Laws and Edicts to come unto Ecclesiastick meetings it cannot be denied but by this means faith and the conscience are forced Christian liberty is taken away and a Mosaick compulsion is put in its place DD Bullinger p. 18. That a Christian ought not to be a Magistrate that Christians ought not to resist them that offer violence and so have no use of any Judicatories Hortensius p. 13. All Magistrates are to be put down it is necessary to oppose Magistracy with all our might EE Hortensius p. 13. The Anabaptists increasing much every where did exercise Jurisdiction among themselves in private houses they punished their own members even unto death FF Hortensius p 13. Though the Apostles had not the right of the sword yet unto their followers now God hath given power to take away the prophane Magistrate by the sword as they thought meet Bullinger p. 3. They taught that God had revealed to them that all Princes and Nobles were to be cast down that God had given to them the sword of Gedeon against all Tyrants to set at liberty the people of God and to set up the new Kingdome of Christ upon earth GG Historia Davidis Georgii p. 11. The Battenburgicks avowed that peace and grace was removed from the earth after the time that the gracious offer made by Becold was refused henceforth the refusers were to be killed with the sword HH Bullinger p. 2. all of their society were to be counted elect and children of God all others were to be counted wicked and to be killed III Hortensius p. 13. Before the last day Christ was to have a temporall Kingdom upon the earth here only the Saints should bear rule all Princes being cut off by the sword and that now this Kingdome was begun in the Anabaptists Guy du Brez p. 5. They preached their dreams as divine oracles to wit that there should come a new world wherein dwelled righteousnesse and for this cause it was necessary to root out of the earth all the wicked with all Princes and infidell Magistrates all that was not of their sect and faction they called infidels KK Historia Davidis p. 9. The Monasterians did affirm that the time wherein the Saints were to be afflicted was come to an end that the time of the Harvest was now come wherein God would revenge and deliver his people and put their enemies under their feet LL Hortensius p. 14. To spoyl the Temples they counted it lawfull saying that the Jews of old had done the like when under the command of Moses they went away lâ—aden with the spoyls of the Egyptians Also Bullinger p. 61. At this time some lofty spirits promise great things to themselves before the last day as the Jews of old did abuse the fair promises of the Prophets all which they understood carnally and according to the letter MM Hortensius p. 31. O Becold the Father gives to thee the sword and cals thee to be King that thou maist reign in Sion c. NN Hortensius p. 30. The King said that he was appointed of God to be King to take â—â—ay 〈…〉 men by the sword that he was to go throrow the world and to execute with death all that did not beleeve OO Hortensius p. 37. Commonly the men had five wives many sixe some seven or eight PP Sleidan l. 10. p. 274. The complaints that were brought to the King for the most part concerned Divorces these were most frequent so that some who had lived together till old age were put asunder QQ Vide supra Cap. 1. RR Vide supra Cap. 1. SS Heresbachius p. 43. Let no man have any proper goods but let all be brought and laid down at the feet of the Preachers after the example of the ancient Christians TT Heresbachius p. 152. The Famine in Munster was equall to that of Jerusalem for the Soldiers searching the houses for prey did finde the legges and arms of the young children salted for food yet the King and Rotman and Knipperdolling had good enough provision VV Hortensius p. 37. Their Law was to accompany with their wives while they had conceived XX Historia Davidis p. 28. These Saints were exempted from all laws of Matrimony of bloud and affinity the difference of Father Mother Brother Sister among them doth cease and evanish XX 2 Bullinger p. 37. They did perswade the women that they did sin grievously if they kept company with their own husbands who remained Pagans and were not yet rebaptized but that they sinned not in keeping company with any Anabaptists because among all them was a spirituall matrimony YY Historia Davidis Georgii p. 43. Shame was contracted through sin and now is to be laid aside so by faith in Christ all that shame for the secrets of nature is to be cast away ZZ Ibid. p. 28 29. The words are so abominable that I cannot translate them AAA Historia Davidis p. 36. David Georgius went to glory of his mysteries as if they had never entred in the minde either of men or Angels but had been reserved to the last times that with their new light the old Doctrines of the Prophets and the Apostles were to be darkned as the starres are put out by the brightnesse of the rising Sun BBB Vide supra AAA CCC Historia Dav. p. 52. The tenet of the Catholick Church concerning Angels and Devils that they are invisible spirits created of God in their own distinct substances separate from men is nugatorious that the Angels are only qualities and motions which God inspires into men that the Devils are nothing but only boggles in the night to terrifie men arising from mens imaginations DDD Bullinger as I remember ascribes this to some of the Anabaptists EEE Historia Dav. p. 52. That heaven and hell Christs last comming and Judgement life eternall c. are no where to be expected but within a man Ibid. p. 51. The place of eternall happinesse shall not be above us in the heaven but upon the earth Ibid. p. 50. In the last judgement there shall be no other change in the heaven and in the earth then we see dayly what the Apostle speaks of such a change is to be referred to the manners and mindes of men not unto the outward elements FFF Historia Dav. p. 50. The second comming of Christ shall not be seen with bodily eyes but spiritually it is even now performed within in the minde GGG Historia Dav. p. 44. In this time of perfection all outward worship all rites and Sacraments must cease and evanish HHH Historia Dav. p. 43. Many of these things were exhibit in Christ Jesus and his Apostolick Church but only according to the letter and the body not according to the spirit who at that time was not exhibit III Apocalypsis in Davide Georgio He avowed that he had absolute authority to condemne and to quicken and that in the last day he was to judge the twelve Tribes of
that our heart can think of yet were we slaves by this alone the burden of which singly will pierce gall our shoulders make us bow stoop to the ground ready to be made a prey not only by great men but even by every cunning sharking knave Remonst p. 4. The History of our fore-fathers since they were conquered by the Normans doth manifest that this Nation hath been held in bondage all along ever since by the policies and force of the Officers of trust in the Common-wealth p. 15. Ye know the Laws of this Nation are unworthy a free people deserve from first to last to be considered and seriously debated reduced to an agreement with common equity and right reason which ought to be the form life of every government Magna Carta it self being but a beggerly thing containing many marks of intolerable bondage the Laws that have been made since by Parliaments have in very many particulars made our government much more oppressive intolerable Ib. He erected a trade of Judges and Lawyers to sell justice and injustice at his own unconscionable rate in what time he pleased the corruption wherof is yet remaining upon us to our continuall empoverishing and molestation from which we thought you should have delivered us ye know also imprisonment for debt is not from the beginning TTTT Modest Queries p. 10. at least in sensu composito to believe the deepest or highest mystery in Religion any further or any otherwise then as and as far as he hath reason to judge it to be a truth VVVV Vide Disswasive first Part p. 127. 152. also p. 31. 49. IIIII KKKKK XXXX I am credibly informed that this is the great and troublesome controversie for the time among the Governors of New England whether it be their duty to rule according to their gifts of Government according to some written Laws or without all humane Statutes Vid. Gang. 3 Part. YYYY Remonst p. 3. The free born people to their own House of Commons the cause of our choosing you to be Parliament men was to deliver us from all kinde of bondage we possessed you with the same power that was in our selves to have done the same for we might justly have done it our selves without you if we had thought it convenient choosing you as persons whom we thought fitly qualified and faithfull for avoiding some inconveniencies but ye are to remember this was only of us but a power of trust which is ever revocable and cannot be otherwise and to be imployed to no other end then our own well-being AAAAA Vide supra also Warning p 2. You hate and abhor those that would purge this corrupt humor out of you shew you a more just rationall way of Government then that of Kings Also Remonst p. 16. If ye would follow the good exâ—mple of the Hollanders make this Nation a State free from the oppression of Kings Also p. 12. As if ye had discovered and digested that without a powerfull compulsive Presbytery in the Church a compulsive Mastership or Aristocraticall government over the people in the State could never long be maintained BBBBB Conscience cautioned p. 9. Know ye not the State of the State is it not the whole Kingdom each individuall I can prove it is O heavens will you Lord it over your Lords I professe if you make head against your heads any longer I know what it is and your self shall know for I say you deserve beheading CCCCC Conscience cautioned p. 6. Keep we humbly beseech you our right of Kinghood and Priesthood Just mans justification p. 14. The splendor and glory of that undivided Majesty and Kingship that inherently resides in the people or in the State universall DDDDD Remonst p. 7. Let the Lords stand to be chosen for Knights Burgesses by the people as other the freemen Gentry of this nation do EEEEE Vide supra YYYY FFFFF Remonst p. 20. That a Parl. chosen in Novemb. succeeding year by year may come in stead of the preceding Parliament GGGGG Just mans justifie p. 15. Reduce us back to that part of the ancient frame of government in this Kingdom before the Conquerors days that we may have all causes differences decided in the County or Hundred where they are committed or do arise without any appeal but to a Parl. that they may mâ—nthly be judged by 12. men of free and honest condition câ— sen by themselves with their Grave or chief Officer amongst them and that they may swear to judge every mans cause aright without fear favor or affection then farewell jangling Lawyers the wildfire destroyers baâ—e of all just rationall and right governed Common-wealths HHHHH Remonst p. 12. Ye vex and molest honest men for matters of Religion and difference with you and your Synod take upon you to determine of doctrine discipline approving this reproaching that just like unto former ignorant politick and superstitious Parliaments and Convocations therby have divided honest people among themselves by countenancing only those of the Presbytery discountenancing all the separation Anabaptists Independents Ib. We are well assured that neither you nor none else can have any power at all to conclude the people in matters that concern the worship of God for therein every one of us ought to be fully assured in our minds to be sure to worship him according to our consciences IIIII The Birthright p. 48 49. in the Postscript It would be excellent and needfull if the Parl. would ordain that every free man of Eng. who is able would bestow his service one year at least freely for the good of the civill State in any place or office of trust whereof his skill breeding aâ— fit him tâ— be most capable according as they shall be chosen those that are not able to serve freely for a year to have competent maintenance allowed to them to the value of 50 or 60 l. a year according to their charge If such be chosen for their skill and diligence though they want outward means for which allowance those that are conscientious wil do as good service at least as some others who have 1000 or 2000 a year The like rule is no lesse but far more excellent needful to be observed and established iâ— matters concerning the Church state wherin her servants are to perform their duties freely they being able to maintain themselves those with them whether by means obtained formerly or industry used daily otherwise to have the like allowance of 50 or 60 l. a year acording to their charge KKKKK Vide supra CHAP. IV. Their Antipaedobaptisme Arminianisme Arianisme Familisme and other wicked Errours THIS much for the first head of the Anabaptists All Anabaptists are for Antipaedobaptisme Brownistick Tenets so to call them being such as the Brownists of old did learn from the Anabaptists and which this day the Anabaptists take back again from
up the individuals as they love to speak of the whole multitude in the Throne of absolute Soveraignty From this new Soveraign we are commanded to expect a body of new Laws a modell of a new Ochlocratorick government This yoak much worse then a Turkish slavery must be put upon our body but a worse upon our soul A full liberty must be granted to every Seducer who will in the most publick places within the doors of our houses also perswade our loving consorts our dear children our faithfull servants friends to deny Christ to embrace Mahomets Alcoran the Jewish Talmud the fables of the Pagan Poets in place of the Old and New Testament for the everlasting destruction of their souls This is the reward which the Sectaries plead for as due to their labors in the war against the coÌ„mon Enemy would they stand to the determination of the most favorable if any way equitable Judge they pleased to chuse glad would we be to see their merits weighed to the full and much above all their deservings attributed unto them But by any possible deserving to think of obtaining a liberty to doe a great deal more mischief both to Church and State both to the souls and bodies of men then ever any former enemy did intend carries not the face of any justice As for their great deservings which always they are trumpeting out with a loud noise we onely say that they doe not prudently to bring them so oft near the ballance of triall for if that which I have heard from many both wife and gracious men be true their merits will be found to be but of a very common alloy Where did the most of them lurk when the heat of the day did scorch the valiant labourers of both Nations When Ruthven New-Castle Rupert Hâ—pton did keep the field with Armies of any number or vigour When noble Essex at Keinton had the King in the prime vigour of his strength upon his army When Leslie about Bawdoun was compassed for some weeks in the bare fields with frost and snow with wants of all kinds with the very gallant Army of New-Castle double in number and much better provided then any thing that P. Rupert could bring to Naisby when in Marston-Moor David Leslie and Crawford with the flour of the Scots and gracious Manchesters Army were breaking the greatest and most formidable strength that ever the Enemy commanded in all this War It is true when the work was as good as done by the sweat bloud of others when the Enemies were become so low that they were never more able to bring ten thousand together when the danger was well-near all over and gone then was it good time for them to come in play and with their cunning legerdemain to shuffle all others who had managed the Game while it was hazardous They were then so wise as in the end of the day with a great deal of courage to fall upon the back of a broken Enemy It could be no great miracle of valour and conduct to take up the forces and treasure almost of all England and then at Naisby with a greater number well payed armed and disciplined to beat nine thousand of evill led evill payed and evill armed soldiers the most part raw and new levied Welshes Had they ever any enemy after that day in the field of half either their number or strength And when their Adversary had left the field without any hope of a new Army to take in place after place which had neither supplies within nor any hope of rescue from abroad cannot bâ—â—â— very monstrous prowess What if such a piece of soldiery had faln in their hands as Massies defence and Essex rescue of Gloucester As Essex and the Londoners fought at Newbury As David Leslies march and medly at Philiphaugh As Pointz enterprize neer Chester What if in any of the gallant services of Sir Thomas Fairfax the half of the actors had been of their feather and livery Could any ears then have endured the noise of their miraculous merits But I hold Immodesty and impudence doe oft draw on reckonings which else would have been forborn With the former troublers of our Church I have dealt in divers other Treatises and by Gods grace I purpose to have always one eye open for the observance of all their motions with the latter I continue to meddle in this part also of my Disswasive How candid and fair my dealing with them is and how little I intend either to irritate or hurt the person of any of them in my Prefaces to both parts I shew at length By these poor endeavours of mine and the more rich and strong Treatises of others I wish your Lordship may be advanced in your zeal against error and whatsoever else is contrary either to the profession or practice of any part of true Religion Thus shall you stand when others of your rank doe fall and when they by their ignorance prophanity lust revenge self-seeking banish out of their houses that honour which their noble Progenitors laid up in store your Lordship by your perseverance growth in that integrity and zeal for the trutâ— wherein hitherto by the great mercy of God you have been exemplary to many above your age shall adde new store to the old and that very ancient Nobility which you found laid up in your family from many ages you shall transmit to posterity with encrease of a new lustre from the gracious endowments the vertuous and honourable performances of your own person So earnestly wishes and heartily prays Your much obliged in all Christian duty RO BAILLIE Worcester House the 28 Decemb. 1646. The PREFACE IT is a matter of griefe and regrate Slothfulnesse is fatall when most unseasonable that most people are never more carelesse of duty then when the neglect of it is most unseasonable and dangerous When leaks within and storms without have brought the Vessell to a present hazard to be swallowed up of the waves it is then that the Pilot has greatest difficulty to set himself and his Mariners upon the performance with any chearfulnesse of those services which are necessary for the Ships safety The too lively apprehension of the imminent danger doth so distract the heart with grief fear and despair that confusion dazleth the eyes and binds up the hands of them who otherwise are not void either of skill or courage or diligence to act for the common preservation When an Army is once brangled shattered and put in such misorder as it begins to run many men though at other times stout enough cannot then be moved to stay albeit they know standing to be the best remedy to preserve their life and liberty or at least to sell them at some considerable rate which by flight are ordinarily betrayed lost and sold to the Enemy for no price at all When the foundations of a State and Kingdome begin so fast to shake as a present ruine is
the prophecying and questioning of private men in the face of the Church Unto their new gathered Churches of rebaptized and dipped Saints they did ascribe very ample priviledges for first they gave to every one of them a power of questioning in publick before the whole Congregation any part of their Preachers Doctrine N Secondly to every one of their members they gave a power of publick preaching O Women preachers are from them This liberty they gave no lesse to women then men for they had among them not only preaching and prophecying women but also some who took so much upon them as to professe themselves to be the Christ and Messias to all of their own sexe P Thirdly Their Pastors must renounce all former ordination take their full call of new must come from the hands of their people to their particular Churches they gave power of electing and ordaining such of their own Prophets whom they thought fittest to be Pastors to the rest whoever was not elected and ordained whoever had not their full calling from the people alone and did not renounce what ever ordination they had from any other to them were no Pastors at all Upon this ground among others they refused to hear any of the Ministers of the reformed Churches because they did not renounce their former ordination and calling to the Ministery that they might take it again from the hands of their new gathered and separate Congregations Q They required no letters in their Preachers Fourthly in their Pastors they required no secular learning R yea to them all secular learning was abominable they did burn all books but the Bible as impediments and hurtfull instruments to the Ministery of the Gospel S Fiftly they required their illiterate Pastors to work with their own hands for their livings T Merchandize or any other Calling wherein there was no personall and handy labour to them was unlawfull V Sixtly they cried down all tythes X The crying down of tythes and all set stipends is from them yea all set stipends for any Church Officer Y But it would be considered that they did avow it was as unlawfull to pay any set rent or yearly duty to any Landlord as a stipend to a Minister Z Seventhly Independency of congregations and the peoples power in Church censures is their invention unto their single Congregations they gave a supreme and independent power to judge in all Ecclesiasticall causes not only judicially to pronounce all questions about their Pastors Doctrine but also to proceed to the highest censure of excommunication as well against their Pastors as others when they found cause AA Their excommunications of one another were so frequent and for so light causes The Seekers who deny all Churches are their disciples that sundry of them fell to the opinion and practice of those whom we call Seekers they served God single and alone without the society of any Church finding no Churches on earth with whom they could agree BB The Anabaptists usurpation upon the authority of the Church did quickly lead them to the same practice upon the State as they took upon them to deprive their Pastors and exempt themselves from all Ecclesiastick jurisdiction of Church Synods so likewise they broke in peeces the yoke of all civill subjection to Magistrates Princes Parliaments or any temporall judicatories At first they denied the power of the Magistrate in matters of Religion alone First they cried down the Magistrates power in matters of Religion asserting a liberty only for their conscience that it might be free from the controll of all superiour power they esteemed every Law of the Magistrate in matters of Religion to be unlawfull Next in all matters even civill and the smallest penalty to be a Mosaicall compulsion of the conscience and a true persecution CC But forthwith they went on to deny the Magistrates power absolutely in all things whether Ecclesiastick or civill crying down his very calling and office how well so ever regulate as an unjust tyranny Together with the Magistrate they condemne all Judicatories all wars Yet they took to themselves an absolute civill power first over all them in their own Churches all defence all oathes DD For all this they permitted not that sword which they had stricken out of the hand of others to ly long upon the ground but immediately they plucked it up themselves At first they exercised their usurped Magistracy only upon the persons within their own Congregations judging all their causes as well Civill as Ecclesiastick proceeding herein to capitall sentences and executions as they found the crimes of their members to require EE Next over all Princes and people in the whole world This exercise of justice was so agreeable to their humour that quickly they thought meet to extend it much beyond the limits of their own Congregations they did anon proclaim their right not only to deny but to take away with their sword all the Princes and Magistrates of the earth as Tyrants FF And because these few persons who were Magistrates had not blood enough to quench the thirst of that cruell spirit which led them they went one step further proclaiming a Commission they had from heaven to kill not only all the Magistrates but also all the wicked people of the whole earth GG And how many Nations and Languages came within this compasse you may judge by the narrow circle within which they inclosed all the godly no more were Saints and to be saved then joyned to their Churches and received their Anabaptisme all the rest to them were wicked and to be cut off HH The were strong millenaries To this very dangerous practice they were led by another principle Muncer among his other Enthusiasms did bring forth to his followers the dream of Christs visible and ovtward Kingdome upon earth II confirming it by the same Scriptures which our late Chiliasts bring for the same fancy albeit a little refined Upon this ground he built many of his grossest practices for he gave out that then the time of that kingdome was come KK that the Saints the members of the Anabaptistick Churches were the members thereof that it was the will of God they should take and kill all who were opposite thereto that they had a just right to enter in possession of the spoyl of Christs Enemies and to enjoy all their lands and goods as the Israelites did those of the cursed Canaanites LL They made adulteries and murders lawfull To these dreams of Muncer John Becold and his fellow Prophets at Munster made some Additions That in this visible kingdome there behoved to be a King over the Saints MM That this King was to rule according to the revelations of the Spirit That all disobedience to his voyce was to be vindicate by present death NN Among the rest of King Becolds commands this was one That the Polygamy of the old Testament should be renewed