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
been to this houre so silent as to give no glory to God nor any assistance at all to the setling of the State and Church though it be clear as the noon-day that the ways of their party did really tend to the corrupting and enslaving both of State and Church that the Parliaments of both Kingdomes were put to an absolute necessity of defence against their force to preserve their own and the posterities necks from an iron yoak both of Ecclesiastick and Civill bondage that the continuance of this war has brought the Kingdomes oft to the border and the King this day to the very doors of ruine that the Church is overflowed with a floud of evils all which by their timous and cordiall conjunction with their brethren might â—â—ppily in some good measure have been prevented Shall Episcopacy and a read Service be so necessary in a Church that rather then England should joyn with all the rest of the reformed to lay them aside the King the Parliament the State of the Kingdomes and Churches of the whole Isle must perish for any help that any of them will make with the least of their fingers Posterity cannot take well at their hands so pervicacious an obstinacy Suppose so many provocations and scandals cast in their way by the hand of others as may be yet for men of parts and fame to be touched with no compassion towards the Churches of God and their deare Countrey but to adhere so stifly to these things w th the best of their friends in all other Protestant Churches did esteem ever to be but needlesse and changeable and which now the better part of the whole Isle doth beleeve to be dangerous corruptions and necessary to be removed for them to be so wedded to those toys that rather then they will advise to lay them aside they can be content to behold the whole royall Family both the Houses of Parliament the City the Countrey and all to be destroyed such prodigious pertinacy cannot want great guiltinesse It s great folly to misprize the danger from France However that our dangers from the Malignant party doth yet continue will not be doubted when thâ—ir number and quality and great obstinacy yet over all England is considered In Scotland their case is not much unlike Ireland is well-near wholly their own their correspondence with the neighbour States is great their hopes from France seem to be but too well grounded If the peace of Munster come quickly to an end as the appearances are great enough France Sueden and Bavaria being sure of all their desires at the charge of the Austrians and our best friends the reformed Electors Palatine and Brandeburg what else has the French adoe with their great Armies and Navies Their peace with Spain is not so impossible as some would mâ—â—e it they will be glad to give over their interest in Catalonia and Portugall for the fair and nearly adjoining Territories of West-Flanders In such a bargain they would make the dishonesty to be but small for the Catalans shall not be deserted when reconciled to their own King in such tearms as themselves shall like for the performance whereof France will oblige their alliance with Portugall is not so strict but a lesse bud then the half of West-Flanders will easily break it in pieces and that without much hazard to Portugall for it is easie to France to send them under-hand as many men and money and to see to their subsistence as well as when the confederacy was open and avowed It is the ridiculous blindnesse of some to contemn the posture of all the world abroad as if England were situated so far above the moon and stars that the most malign aspects of all neighbour Nations could have no influence upon it Be it so that vigoroâ—s and healthfull bodies are little sensible of planetary operations yet very small changes of the heavens and air are able to vex much a crazy and valetudinary person For many ages Britain has not been in so great a distemper as this day it is Antichrist may be near to swallow down the whole reformed Churches the people so broken and exhausted by a heavy war the land full of open divisions and heart-burnings the best and greatest part groaning under heavy grievances both of Church and State whereof there is little appearance of any possibility of redresse in haste the Sectaries growing in numbers and insolencies of all kinds and openly inclining to join with the Malignants rather then to misse of their hopes and very unreasonable desires Fools are blind and unable to comprehend the grounds of just fear and so they go on in their rashnesse till they be plunged in the ditch of remedilesse calamity and then onely doe they begin to complain of their former inconsideration What long has been the opinion and fear of some not unconsiderable Divines that Antichrist before his abolition shall once again overflow the whole face of the West and suppresse the whole Protestant Churches I pray God to avert If froÌ„ the Malignant hand there appear not mischief enough to hang this day over the head of the Churches of Britain The flood of Errours and Heresies like to overflow the Church let us divert a little our eye to the other side the nâ—w generation of Sectaries from this quarter so much smoak doth arise as alone is abundantly able to darken our skie It is long since all at least the principall Articles of Christian Religion without exception of any that I remember have been oppugned The holy Scriptures both the Godhead and Manhood of Jesus Christ the holy Ghost the Divinity it self is now exploded with high and basphemous scorn all Churches all Sacraments all publick Worship and Ordinances are made unnecessary A liberty for all Errours the great aim yea unlawfull And if any point of Religion hath had the fortune to escape the blasphemous tongues and pens of these erroneous men lest it should still go free from opposition the most of that party have nâ—w set up their rest upon a principle which makes them sure to gather up their gleanings when ever their leisure may serve them to make a review of their omissions A liberty to beleeve to professe to propagate in matter of Religion whatever any the most desperately erroneous soul may conceive to be truth All these are but things of the mind and matters of opinion a toleration in them is miserable and despicable but a free and absolute liberty in every such thing is the due and naturall right of every humane creature in all places of the whole earth This monstrous imagination of liberty is not only generally put in practise without any considerable control now for some years in the midst and all the corners of England but men of prime place have courage to write the justice of it under their hand to the High Court of Parliament yet without any repentance we hear of The Parliament
reconciliation of the King with his Parliament impossible I confesse I am cast into so thick a mist that all appearance of peace for a very long time to any of the Kingdomes The zealous diligence of Ministers might doe much to remove the other hâ—lf doth quite evanish and flee out of the reach of my weak apprehension For curing of the miseries and preventing of the dangers on the other hand I could wish as I was speaking at the beginning that all whom God has called to any employment in his house would shake off sluggish negligence and keep stricter watch in their stations giving loud warning to the people of God of the dangers about them being very carefull that neither fear nor despair nor any other sinistrous affection keep them from the duties which the extreamly bad times doe cry for from the hand of every child of God I have oft been witnesse with much joy to the abundant zeal of divers the Lords faithfull Ministers both in the Assembly and City who in their Writings and Sermons and private sedulity have endeavoured to their power the awakening of all about them for the defence of that truth which Christ had committed to their trust So that I am sure that when ever they shall come to their accounts their Master will accept and blesse their fidelity I wish no more of them but to runne on as they have begun without fainting that no man take their crown Nor of others but to follow with the like zeal in their footsteps And for the encouraging of all towards this active diligence we may call to remembrance but two vulgar motives The sedulous activity of the Sectaries doth shame our slothfulnesse example and successe the one of our adversaries the other in our own and our brethrens experience How many of the Sectaries make bold without any fear any fainting any ceasing in season and out of season by preaching printing disputing in all places all companies towards all relations to propagate their erroneous ways How shall their heat and activity in evill stand up against us for our frigidity for our unequall care and labour in good Also Zealous diligence is ordinarily successefull our own experience of very great successe from small endeavours when cordially put on may animate us to a greater diligence How oft have the prayers and consultations of a few gracious and wise brethren set on foot advanced and brought to an issue many happy purposes the fruits whereof this age doe begin to enjoy for which the posterity shall blesse the authors though they never heard of their names How many most dangerous designs which were in a readinesse to have much encreased the miseries both of Church and State by the labours of a few unseen men have been timeously prevented countermined and totally defeated How oft have the City yea both the Houses of Parliament upon the zealous and prudent motion of one only man been stirred up to very notable performances I doe not remember when I have been witnesse to any gracious Ministers powerfull exhortation to the honourable House of Commons that has not presently been blessed with some good fruit Our grief for what yet lies behinde must not cast out of our memory the great things that are done already I verily beleeve that much more long before this had been done both in City and Countrey both by Lords and Commons if some Divines whom the Lord has anointed with grace learning wisdome eloquence and credit above their fellows had been more instant and industrious about those things which nearly concern Divines wherewith Christ their Master has trusted them above all others and which Church-men every where else to very good purpose use to mind with all the care and industry they are able The caveats of zeal The least degree of true piety must be tenderly hâ—ndled The zealous diligence of the Lords servants about their masters work can neither hurt nor justly offend any if it be tempered with the mixture of three needfull ingredients Piety Charity and a love to order In all our combats against error or whatever evill else of the time we must be very attentive that we give not the least discouragement to true Piety for this is so sweet and tender a plant of Gods own hand that who ever is acquainted with it will be extreamly loth to doe it the least hurt were it by their very breath much lesse by their words and actions It must be a grosse mistake or a grievous calumny which the Sectaries so much inculcate that Orthodoxe Ministers in their zeal against errours fall a beating and wounding the Saints of God and troubling the godly party the Lord forbid it were so The ground of this mis-assertion I take to be a twofold mis-apprehension 1. That all pretenders to piety though they be found really impious hypocrites yet for their sâ—â—ws of Religion ought not to be dealt with according to their visible hypocrisie 2. That those who are truly pious and really the children of God may not be compassed about with many sinfull infirmities It ought to offend none when the mask is pulled off the face of those who scorn God and the world by the fair pretences of that which their very rough hands and the hellish vapours of their mouth doe demonstrate was never near their heart When such are hewen by the Prophets when by the sword of the Word they are slain when the fire and salt of God is cast upon such why should any gracious soul take it self to be touched Again when the most true Saints are rebuked most sharply for their errours or other sins whereby they offend God they become instruments of his dis-service and of the advancement of Satans Kingdome so much the more as their known grace makes the readier passage for the communication and propagation to others of their ungracious and sinfull corruptions if here a gracious Physitian endeavour to cut off from them their cancerous excrescences though it be with some pain yet here there is not the least intention of hurt to any of their sound members I dare say in the name of my brethren Presbyterians are far from suppressing the least measure of piety that when ever they are blowing away with the greatest earnestnesse the noisome smoak that fils the house to the offence of all within they shall be as loth to put out the smallest spark of grace in the smoaking flaxe as to choak the naturall heat of their own heart I confidently avow that no Presbyterian has any question at all with any dissenter about any thing which in the least degree toucheth upon piety and grace for every part of this they take to proceed from the heart of God and where ever they finde it they are willing to embrace it were it in the bosome of their greatest enemies as that which they professe is their own greatest aim to follow and study to attain If at any time
and their great Patrons in their debates for liberty except errours against the light of nature albeit none which never so evidently crosse the holy Scriptures HHH but M. Williams an Anabaptist long before Blackwood makes it a bloudy Tenet III and others of them proclaim it an unjust persecution to deny a full liberty not only to Turks Jews and most of hereticks but to idolatrous Papists and any others that can be named KKK They will not only have all these free from any considerable punishments but also from the least discountenance LLL or resentment of their wickednesse and left the grossest blasphemies might have been conceived capable of any civill censure behold they name Atheism it self and exempt it expresly from the hazard of all pain or shame MMM They presse a liberty for preaching and propagating openly all errors imaginable This liberty they extend not only to errours lockt up in the breast but also when they are openly by word and writ professed yea solemnly preached for they tell us that the necessary and just liberty of conscience is violate and a persecution is brought in if a Jesuit or a Turk or a Jew or a blasphemous Atheist be hindred to go to the most solemne places where the greatest multitudes of weak and easily seduced spirits do converse and there to proclaim what ever in conscience they think convenient for the propagation of that errour which they conceive to be truth NNN Yet they grant that error is a soule murder and a greater crime then the destruction of a King of a Parliament of a whole Nation For all this the same men do fully and freely grant unto us that errour is a greater wickednesse then any man can easily conceive That a false Teacher by seducing of one soul doth more reall hurt then if he should murther a King blow up a Parliament destroy the lives of a whole Nation yea of the whole world OOO Yet do they plead for so great a liberty to all errours as possibly can be for they spoyl the Magistrate of all power in any thing which concerns Religion that he may not with a look of his eye discourage much lesse with his hand restrain the most horrible blasphemer the most ravenous wolf to destroy the souls of all his Subjects PPP This immoderate love of licentiousnesse They hate the Covenant of a liberty to destroy their own souls by what ever errour they please to imbrace puts them upon a high degree of hatred and indignation against the solemne league and Covenant against the Scotish Nation whence it came as two great impediments to their quiet enjoying of that self-destroying and God-provoking liberty which so passionately they lust after though for fear and other base respects many of them have swallowed down the Covenant in such equivocall senses as are evidently contrary both to the expresse words and known intentions of the States which enjoyn it yet since the time their strength and hopes are encreased these of them who pretend to ingenuity and courage do not only with bitternesse reject it but it is now become the object of their publick invectives as the most unhappy plague that did ever come into England which they presse the State to recall as an act much to be repented of PPP 2 The Scots they were wont to account as Demi-gods They are injurious to the Scots embracing them as their very Saviours upon earth so long as the Episcopall party kept them in any fear that terrour now being past and the Scots beginning to urge though with all meeknesse and curtesie some performance of Covenants and Treaties they cry out upon them with all bitternesse and spleen they censure the Parliament for ever calling them in they load them with injurious calumnies for their very first contests in Scotland with the malignant and Episcopall party there the defensive arms of their Parliament and Nation they defame as an insurrection against the King of a few malecontents for the obtaining of their private ambitious designes neither do they make any better construction of the present Armes of the English Parliament PPP 3 The great sufferings of the Scots at home from the Irish Rebels and their own apostate brethren they proclaim to be the just deservings of their labours in England PPP 4 which they are pleased to vilifie and disgrace with the basest and most false slanders which the father of lies and malice is able to invent PPP 5 wherein they rest not till they have made the Scots open enemies and Traytors to England proclaiming a great deal of desire to have the next expedition of their glorious and invincible Army to kill destroy and subjugate those base Traytors PPP 6 that so they may be altogether free for their other much higher designs were it as in Sober-Sadnesse it was professed in a very solemne audience to go to the wals of Constantinople for the pulling of the grand Seignior out of his Seraglio to this height of dangerous fancy has their lust of Liberty already arisen All punishing of errour with them is persecution It is not a toleration a forbearance a dispensation which is sought for all this imports some power in the Magistrate about the object in the which the forbearance and toleration is craved but a just liberty to think speak and do in all matters of Religion whatever conscience howsoever informed dictates to be expedient the least restraint of so plenary a liberty they count the sin and injury of persecution The reasons whereby the Independents themselves in their very last papers do plead for this liberty to my ear sounds but harshly they tell us that those things which are cried out upon for errors are in matters obscure and disputable instancing expresly in the Trinity the union of Christs two natures the fruits of Christs death the power of free-will the state of the soul after death QQQ and lest any error should stand without the compasse of their liberty they tell us farther that no error is in any justice punishable because now there is not on earth any Apostle or Prophet or infallible Judge who can determine any question without possibility of erring RRR It may be scrupled whether meer conscience does enforce the Anabaptists and others to scrue up the point of their conscience-liberty to so high a pin They presse liberty of conscience much out of policy whether in their inmost sense they can maintain so catholick a liberty to all persons in matters of Religion or if haply some piece of policy may not induce them to strike so much upon this string at the present when they have but small hopes of attaining a liberty for themselves without the assistance of many others from whom they differ in many particulars of Religion It may be justly doubted if once they were come to be possessed of their own desires whether then they would be so carefull as now they professe for the freedom of
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
one and always so remain is above the reach of any man I may say to him as Mat. 7.3 Luke 6.41 42. OOOO Vide supra KKKK PPPP Gangren second Part p. 123. A person of quality told me that in Westminster Hall near the House of Commons doore a great Sectary had been discoursing with him that he would be loth the Parliament should bring Paul Bests bloud upon them for denying the Trinity QQQQ Vide supra Also in Gangren first Part second division p. 105. See Cousins of Rochesters horrible blasphemies against the Manhood of Christ Den and Lamb doe preach in this mans House RRRR Gangren first Part division second p. 5. M. Webbe a man that pretends a new light said to me That he blessed God he never trusted in a crucified Christ nor did he beleeve him to be the Sonne of God nor the Scriptures divine but humane inventions SSSS Gangren second Part p. 142. A Sectary in Lambs Church affirmed that he was Jesus Cbrist and maintained it stiffely the man was in his wits for he spoke sensibly and to the things that were spoken of though in this blasphemous abominable way TTTT Little Non-such p. 3 4. Some seeing the shape and form that man bears in his personall appearance do conceive that God the Creator beareth the same form Man was made according to the likenesse of God in personall shape it is said God shewed unto Moses his back parts but his face should not be seen therefore if he hath back parts and a face he hath a shape which when he pleaseth he can make visible as then he did What were the three men that appeared to Abraham as he sate in the Tent if not the Trinity VVVV Gangren second Part p. 134. John Boggis comming down to Yarmouth with Captain Hobson as his Chirurgion and in M. Oats company he went from Anabaptism to the desperate height of Atheisme being spoken to at Table to give thanks he said To whom should he give thanks whether to the Butcher or to the Bull or to the Cow when it was told him to God he replied Where is your God in heaven or in earth aloft or below c. going on in unspeakable blasphemies XXXX Gangren first Part division second p. 22. M. Webbe confessed that he was in the ready way to Atheisme and many of his companions in these opinions were turned Atheists YYYY Ibid. p. 111. The Anabaptists of Somersetshire teach that the whole Scripture doth hold forth nothing else but a Covenant of works thus vilifying the whole word of God by the name Letter and making their interpretation to be the Spirit Little Non-such p. 4. Some would have the whole matter of eating the forbidden tree to be an allegory and understand by the Serpent in this place no other then concupiscence and by the fruit of the tree in the midst of the Garden some other thing then the eating of a materiall Apple ZZZZ Webbe affirmed that the Scriptures were onely a humane invention and not fit for a rule of life and conversation for any to walk by and in confirmation of this he said The Scriptures were that golden Calf and Brazen Serpent that set at variance King and Parliament and Kingdome against Kingdome and things would never be well untill the golden Calf and Brazen Serpent were beaten to pieces AAAAA Gangren third Part p. 34. It was witnessed before the Magistrates of Norwich that Priscilla Miles had said None would speak against Anabaptists but drunkards and liers she avowed there was in the Scriptures a number of lies BBBBB The Anabaptists of Somersetshire say that the Scriptures are not the word of God but the conceits of men and that we are not to adhere unto them but to revelations Gangren second Part p. 136. Clarkson in Colchester in his Sermon did vilifie the Scriptures all Ordinances Duties Ministers and Church-state CCCCC Mans mortality or a Treatise wherein is proved both Theologically and Philosophically that whole man as a rationall creature is a compound wholly mortall contrary to that common distinction of soul and body and that the present going of the soule into heaven or hell is a meer fiction Ibid. The hell-hatched doctrine of the immortall soule discovered the heavens triumph in the wain of the world to see such light break out on its posterity Pag. 3. Death returns man to what he was before he was that is not to be whence appeareth p. 8. that none ever entred into heaven since the Creation during death man is void of actuall beeing and has no present actuall beeing in glory p. 24. I prove it from the non-entity of hell that there can be no casting into hell before hell be p. 28. Christs humanity was three days and three nights in the grave after his death Ibid. p. 29. I may possibly affirm that the place of glory for the dead Saints is not yet p. 34. Christs ascension was into the Sunne according to famous Copernicus it is in the highest station of the whole Creation it may bee fitly called the right hand of God DDDDD Gangren first Part p. 112. The Anabaptists of Somersetshire affirm that the Divine essence which subsists in the persons of men shall be reduced unto God again but the persons shall be annihilated for the soul is mortall and the body shall never rise from the dead that even the body of Christ did never rise from the dead but was annihilated the world shall ever endure by generation from time to time without an end Ibid. p. 5. I asked Webbe of his opinion concerning the resurrection and he affirmed that there was no more resurrection of a man then of a beast nor had he any more soule then the body EEEEE Ibid. Webbe a great Ring-leader of the seduced Sect of Anabaptists acknowledged no differenâ—e between the godly and the wicked for locall torment more then is upon earth he denies any locall hell Ibid. p. 26. Marshall a great follower of Randall maintained that there was no hell that all the hell that is is in this life which is nothing else but the legall terrors and fear men had in their consciences FFFFF Ibid. p. 5. Webbe denies that there are any devils more then men are devils in themselves Gangren second Part p. 6. A woman came to the Minister of S. Martins to question him about his Sermon and affirmed to him that there was not any such thing as sin or hell or the devill or tentation or the holy Ghost or Scriptures she said all the hell that was was the darknesse of the night GGGGG Gangren first Part p. 112. The Anabaptists of Somersetshire do teach that God in the beginning did give forth of his divine essence a variety of forms and severall substances which we call creatures so that God doth subsist in the creatures HHHHH Ibid. They teach that the world shall ever endure by way of generation from time to time without an end IIIII Ibid. Others of them teach that
life SSSSSS M. Bourn to the Reader I shall in the Treatise following lay open to the view of all men not at the second hand but by experience having often heard them both preach and dispute what is that which commonly goes under the name of Familisme what I shall say concerning it is not out of malice to any person neither shall I speak at randome TTTTTT Gangren first Part second division p. 27. There is one Clement Wrighter in London an Arch-heretick and fearfull Apostate sometimes a professor of Religion and judged to have been godly about seven or eight years ago he fell off from the communion of our Churches to Independency and Brownism from that he fell to Anabaptism and Arminianism thence to Mortalism holding the soul mortall after that he fell to be a Seeker and is now an Antiscripturist a Questionist and Skeptick and I fear an Atheist CHAP. V. The lawfulnesse of Infants Baptisme I Have at some length in the preceding Chapters set down the way and Tenets of the Anabaptists both here and over Sea The extreame malignity of the Anabaptistick spirit both of the present the former times wherby it may appear to all who are willing to see how malign a spirit has ruled in that Sect from its first beginning to this very day a spirit carrying to the greatest errours and the grossest vices that ever any who were called Christians have stumbled upon a spirit as much opposite to the honour of God and to the salvation of men It s enmity to the salvation of men as any that ever troubled the Church since its first foundation It s favour towards the salvation of man appears in its great zeal to cast out of the Church and deprive of the means of grace almost all mankinde with the exception of a very few if of any at all When the most reformed of the Protestant Churches come before the fan of their censure at the first shake they blow away that largest and most innocent part of them their infants all children who have not attained to the acts of faith and repentance are to them in the flesh under the power within the verge of the Kingdom of Satan as well as Jews Turks Pagans and others who are not so much as entred within the hedge of Christs sheepfold and lest the spoiling of children of all the grace and gifts of God had not been a sufficient vastation they are carried on by the spirit that leads them to make as great havock and desolation among those of riper years they Unchurch the most of those whom otherwise they love as their best friends they charge all the Independents and the Brownists and the most rigid of the Separatists for their baptizing of infants with no lighter a burthen then Antichristianism and a clear deniall of Christs Incarnation Neither here does their rashnesse stand the small remnant of Christians the Anabaptistick Societies which alone they will honour with the title of true Churches seem to them too many to be saved therefore new separations are run into and those so severe that there lives not an Anabaptist upon earth who by multitudes even of Anabaptists is not condemned with all who adhere to his subdivision as a man in a false way not only without but in opposition to the true Church In its di honoring of God be setting up a liberty first for all errours This their extream cruelty against the souls of men wont to be coloured with the shew of zeal to the truth and honour of God but this varnish is now almost quite wiped off Behold whither their zeal to the truth and honour of God is now evanished They for some times were so eminently zealous against errors and vices that very small ones were wont to draw from them an ejection out of the Church a deliverance to Satan and where the Civill Sword was in their hand a putting out of this life a publick execution by the hand of the Hangman when their Princes and Prophets were not at leisure to administer Justice in their own persons Notwithstanding the loudest note that this day sounds in their song is liberty and freedom from all punishments for what ever crimes when all abominations imaginable are publickly proclaimed when many more and much viler errours walk in our streets then ever any one place in any time did hear of the great zeal of these religious men breaks out daily in all the discourses they please and actions they dare for the safeguard of the cursed instruments of these errours passionately denying all power in any on earth to restrain in the least measure the open propagation of the most abominable lies which Satan is able to utter by the tongue of any creature no matter of Religion say they can fall under the cognisance of any State the false Church has no right to censures or any Church Ordinance the truest Churches can meddle but with their own members they who never were of them or have renounced membership with them are without their Jurisdiction so neither State nor Church can put any barre of the smallest censure upon the propagation of any errour And next for all vice And lest vice the neer kinsman of errour should finde any harder measure any greater stop from the hand of superiour powers this Sect with all the speed it can is posting back to its first principles the overthrow of the civill State as much as of the Church That when ever they are found in the practise of their Doctrine of the lawfulnesse of adultery and incest robbery and murder there may be none upon earth to controll them For this end they cast down the King and Parliament Commons as well as Lords all Incorporations all Judicatories in Burgh and Land that an absolute Monarchy a full liberty for every man to do all his pleasure without any fear of punishment may be set up That the Crown and Scepter the Kingship and absolute Soveraignty may at last be restored to the onely true owners the free-born people of England the individuals as they love to speak of the whole Nation All this much more have they set under their own hands as may be seen in the former Chapters Their Brownistick and Arminian Tenets I have refuted in other Treatises I have neither time nor minde to dispute all their positions in my little Antidote against Arminianism I have in a short and popular way impugned it their Tenets against the Protestant Churches in the heads of election redemption grace free-will and perseverance In the first Part of my Disswasive I have debated at length enough the chief of those errours which they have taught their children the Separatists The reall holinesse of all Church members the necessity of separation for want of satisfaction in this point alone the power of every member of the Church to preach the word to ordain and to excommunicate when there is cause their very Pastors
writers asserting the ancient custome of dipping in baptisme A generall answer to the testimonies for dipping To which I answer first what ever authority testimonies may have with us yet with him that brings them and with his whole party they are of no value at all Will they mislike or so much as suspect any of their absurdest novelties when it is demonstrate to them that the whole current of all Christian writers ancient and modern is against them is it not then their custome with a great deal of scorn to declaim against the vanity and frivolousnesse of an argument from humane assertions Secondly the Treatiser himselfe cannot but know that every one of the Authours he brings does positively impugne his assertion the necessity of dipping and unlawfulnesse of sprinkling in Baptisme Thirdly his witnesses though they assert indefinitely the antiquity of dipping yet none of them does deny the like ancient use of sprinkling both those may well stand together and so it is the judgement of many that sometimes dipping and sometimes sprinkling as the occasion required were practised in the Primitive times Fourthly of those that speak of ancient dipping how many doe understand it of the totall immersion of a naked body over head and ears and yet this alone is our question Fifthly though even for this testimonies were brought yet they come not home unlesse such a dipping be attested to be a rite unchangeable and so necessary that the omission of it at any occasion were a sin and breach of the Lords institution When any writer either ancient or modern except some few of the latest Anabaptists is brought to bear witnesse to any such assertion I shall acknowledge my information of that whereof hitherto I have been altogether ignorant THE CONTENTS OF the Treatise The PREFACE SLothfulnesse is fatall when unseasonable Men are most carelesse when their dangers be greatest The present danger of the Protestant Churches of France Holland of Germany of Zuitserland of Britain by the Malignants by the Sectaries Our dangers from the Malignants are not yet past The unexcusable obstinacy of the Episcopall Divines It s blindnesse and dementation to misprize the danger from France Antichrist is possibly neare to swallow down the whole Reformed Churches A floud of Errors and Heresies is like to overwhelm the Church of England A liberty for all Errors is the great aim of some They spoil the Parliament of all power to reform or meddle with Religion Who now are the persecutors How great is the monster of Libertinism The Sectaries having done with the Church proceed to the overthrow of the State The Parliament must be abolished The best remedy of our dangers from the Malignants is the return of the King to his Parliament in just tearms The zealous diligence of Ministers might do much to cure the evill of our errors The sedulous activity of the Sectaries doth shame our slothfulnesse The caveats of zeal Presbyterians are far from opposing the least degree of true piety Charity and compassion are to be extended to our enemies Presbyterians were never persecutors The dignity and power of the Magistrate must be carefully preserved The scope of the Treatise CAP. I. The Originall and Progresse of the Anabaptists BErengarius no Anabaptist The Albigenses knew not Anabaptisme p. 1. Neither MelancthoÌ„ nor Carolostadius did favour Antipaedobaptism p. 2 The true originall of the Anabaptists The malignity of their spirit Their singular hypocrisie p. 3 The preposterous pity and charity of good men towards them was the cause of their strength Their wicked doctrines and practises Luther did justly stir up the Magistrate against them p. 5 Great numbers of them were slain The unhappy end of their Author Muncer ib. Zuinglius did oppose their gathering of Churches in Zuitserland The reason of their banishment thence p. 6 Their intolerable practises The tragedy of Munster p. 7 The ordinary custome of Hereticks is not to labour but to spoil the labours of others King Becold enters Munster Some of the prime Ministers are gained to Anabaptisme The slacknesse of the Magistrate though orthodoxe did ruine the City The Sectaries though fewer and weaker yet by wit and industry did master their opposites By the stirrup of Toleration the Sectaries ascended to the saddle of Soveraignty p. 8 Being once masters of the City they presently changed the government They seized on the goods of all and killed whom they would The peoples mindes being ensnared by their errors their tyranny became irremediable They proclaimed Polygamy p. 9 A faint and unsuccessefull resistance did hasten and confirm Becolds Kingdome The splendour of Becolds Court His barbarous cruelty and hypocrisie His unhappy end p. 10 Amsterdam in hazard to be a second Munster A woman Messias Division and Schismes were the Anabaptists ruine p. 11 The difference betwixt the Monasterians and the Battenburgicks The Sect of the Hophmanists p. 12 Who were the Mennonists A Synod for union did divide them amongst themselves more then ever David Georgius labours for union p. 13 Divers Sects of Anabaptists evanished David George had a great shew of zeal and piety p. 14 Yet his absurdities were horrible The extraordinary zeal of his followers His strange end p. 15 The increase of the Mennonists The errors of the Mennonists Their Schismes p. 16 For a light cause four late separations among them The state of the Anabaptists in England p. 17 Independency the cause of their increase and boldnesse p. 18 Their late Confession is neither a full nor a clear declaration of their tenets CAP. II. The tenets of the old Anabaptists THe most applauded tenets of our modern Anabaptists are the self-same with what the old Anabaptists did invent p. 29 Their first prime tenet was a necessity of gathering Churches out of Churches and of separation from the best reformed in their time because of mixt communion ib. Antipaedobaptisme became at last their greatest dâ—rling They were the authors of the prophecying and questioning of private men in the face of the Church Women preachers are from them p. 30 Their Pastors must renounce all former Ordination and their full call of new must come from the hands of their people They required no letters in their Preachers The crying down of Tithes and all set Stipends is from them Independency of Congregations and the peoples power in Church censures is their invention The Seekers who deny all Churches are their Disciples After the overthrow of the Church they fell next upon the State p. 31 First they cryed down the Magistrates power in matters of Religion Next in all matters even Civill Yet they took to themselves an absolute Civill power first over all them in their own Churches Next over all Princes and people in the whole world They were strong Millenaries p. 32 They made adulteries and murders lawfull Robberies also 33 Their hypocrisie ended in the open practise of crimes extreamely contrary to their first professions Their abominable uncleannesse They deny both Old and