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
that have fallen into my hands The Testimonies of the first Chapter A Cassander p. 670. Guitmund Bishop of Aversa ascribes to Berengarius Deacon of Angiers that among other errours he overthrew the baptisme of infants which errour notwithstanding he did not bring forth in publick because he knew that blasphemy as Guitmund speaks would not be endured by the ears of the worst of men and he did not see any place in the holy Scriptures for the maintenance of such an Errour B Ibid. These were their words as by Peter Abbot of Cluny they are reported Who beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved from these words of Christ it is openly shewed that none can be safe except he beleeve and be baptized that is have Christian faith and receive baptisme for it is not one of these but both together that saveth whence it comes to passe that infants although they be baptized by you yet because through age they cannot beleeve they shall not be saved C Ibid. The Valdenses doe both approve and practise the baptisme of infants as agreeable to the Gospel D Sleidan p. 274. These Doctrines of the Anabaptists were impugned chiefly by Melancthon Justus Menius Urbanus Regius whose large Treatises of that subject are extant E Ibid. p. 139. Carolostadius dissenting from Luther became very familiar with these secret Doctors who did fain visions and conferences with God in printed Pamphlets he did censure Luther and his colleagues as flatterers of the Pope and erring in the point of the Masse of images and confession of sinnes F Ibid. Carolostadius being put in great straits writes a book wherein very carefully he purges himself and demonstrates the wrong he got by these who put him among the authors of sedition and with the book he wrote Letters to Luther intreating him to publish his book and to defend his innocency whereupon Luther publishes an Epistle c. G Heresbachius p. 141. Their Emissaries did creep into Liedge Utrecht Amsterdam and Cullen the chief Cities of the lower Germany any one whereof if they had taken all Germany had been lost yea all Europe the common people every where having their eyes bent upon the successe of that party Sleidan lib. 5. p. 117. Vnto this so great and so terrible a Warre of the Commons commotion in Germany some busie Preachers did give occasion especially Thomas Muncer Idem p 279. lib. 10. When the wrath of God is kindled there is no errour so absurd but Satan can perswade it as we may see in the Doctrine of Mahomet for albeit it be altogether foolish yet having put out the light of the word of God it got strength and has grown to such power as we see and if God had not suppressed the design of Muncer the same had befallen in Germany for the least sparkle by Gods permission Satan can augment to an infinite greatnesse H Guy du-brez p. 4. Their shew before men was exceeding beautifull for they had alwayes in their mouth charity faith the fear of God mortification of the flesh the Crosse these were the colours by which they were painted and adorned before the eyes of the simple Idem p. 16. They did speak of nothing but of mortifying the old man and of the renovation of the spirit and of a life wholly dedicated to God they did contemne altogether the world and the things thereof I Cassander p. 672. Such are more worthy of pity and instruction then of reproof and destruction K Sleidan lib. 5. p. 118. So long as Muncer did speak of matters of that kinde Frederick and Duke of Sax did suffer him especially since Luther by his Letters did intercede for that favour L Guy du-breze p. 4. Their Doctrine on a sudden did spread it self over all the Country and they gathered in a short time a great people after them and rebaptized many thousands M Sleidan lib. 5. p. 118. in Suabland and Francony there was of the Commons 40000 in Arms they routed a great part of the Nobility a number of whose Castles and houses they did spoyle and burne N Sleidan lib. 4. p. 116. All have not the same opinion concerning the number of the slain in this Warre which in one Summer was ended they that speak least say that 50000 were killed O Heresbachius p. 15. The Warre of the yeomens was infamous by the slaughter of welnear 100000 of the Commons P Pagets Heresiography p. 39. Pontanus writeth of the destruction of 150000 persons R Sleidan lib. 5. p. 124. Muncer going to dye did acknowledge his errours and openly professed his fault his minde was exceedingly troubled and casten down so that he was not able to give account of his faith S Bulinger l. 1. p. 10. The chief of the Anabaptists did presse Zuinglius that the reformation might be carried on with greater zeal that Peter did say to the faithfull Deliver your selves from this untoward generation that the Apostles had separated themselves from the wicked and deserted the common Churches that the faithfull in Jerusalem did conveen by themselves apart wherefore a separation among us is required to the end a pure Church may be gathered consisting of the true children of God who are indued by Gods Spirit and ruled thereby To them Zuinglius answers that their separation and division did altogether displease him that they should never have him to goe along with that separation which they intended for before God hee could not goe T Ib. Perceiving that they could not perform their desires with Zuinglius help they assay another way to promote their separation and to set up their own separate Congregations V Ibid. They begin to cry down the baptisme of infants as institute not of God but the Devill and Pope Nicholas now since infants baptisme is unlawfull and all our baptisme null it behoveth all men to be baptized again Zuinglius easily perceived whence Anabaptisme had flowed and what use they purposed to make of it to wit for separation whereupon he gravely admonished them that they should not make holy baptisme the badge and mark of their own faction and schisme X Ibid. p. 11. Some of them being put in prison the rest both in the City and Country did complain heavily of violence as if the truth were suppressed and innocent holy men who maintained nothing but what was contained in the word of God were refused hearing Y Bulinger l. 2. p. 36. In the Town of Saintgall the year 1526. Feb. 7. Thomas and Leonard Skyker meeting at night in their Fathers house with a multitude of their Anabaptistick companions did spend the whole night in Sermons discourses prayers Enthusiasms and other works of their sect about the Sun-rising Thomas lays hold upon Leonard commanding him in the presence of his Parents and the whole company to kneel down upon his knees having gotten this farre obedience at the next bout he drew out his sword and as it were at the command of God did strike off his brothers head Z Bulinger l.
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
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
any thing contrary to our understandings and consciences so neither can we forbear the doing of that which our understandings and consciences bind us to do GGG Ibid. It is the Magistrates duty to tender the liberty of mens consciences which is the tenderest thing unto all conscientious men and most dear unto them and without which all other liberties will not be worth the naming much lesse enjoying and to protect all under them from all wrong injury oppression and molestation HHH Blackwoods Storming of Antichrist p. 23. Evill works committed against the light of nature and reason as the setting up of Mahomet or any other God beside the Creator of heaven and earth Atheism when any man shall boldly affirm there is no God Polytheism when men affirm many Gods blasphemy murder these and such like the Magistrate whether Heathen or Christian is to be a terror unto 2. These evill works which are against the light of Nations there is no Nation in the world but in it the Magistrate will punish those that speak against the God that they professe and against that which they think is Scripture so if any rail against Christ or deny the Scriptures to be his Word or no rule for us and so unsettle our faith this as I take it may be punished by the Magistrate III Williams Bloody Tenet of persecution for the cause of Conscience in the Preface to the Parliament p. 2. It is the will and command of God that since the comming of his Son the Lord Jesus a permission of the most Paganish Jewish Turkish or Antichristian consciences and worships be granted to all men in all Nations and Countries KKK Ibid. p. 19. I acknowledge that to molest any person Jew or Gentile for either professing Doctrine or practising worship meerly religious or spirituall it is to persecute him and such a person what ever his doctrine or practise be true or false suffereth persecution for conscience The compassionate Samaritane p. 16. The Anabaptists or Brownists or whatever Sect there is or may be LLL Liberty of Conscience p. 22. Such fines imprisonments or lesser punishments whatsoever are justly to be accounted force and that in the highest nature Ibid. p. 17. How incongruous and dangerous a way of proceeding it is to joyn profit or preferment hopes or fears threats or force to work upon the conscience Ibid. p. 23. In such Countries where the Inquisition ruleth or people are forced to go to Church upon penalties how small soever Compassionate Samaritane p. 5. Little can be done in their behalf unlesse liberty of conscience be allowed for every man or sort of men to worship God in that way and perform Christs ordinances in that manner as shall appear to them most agreeable to Gods word and no man punished or discountenanced by authority for his opinion unlesse it be dangerous to the State MMM Toleration justified p. 8 9. All Sectaries whether Presbyters Independents Brownists Antinomians Anabaptists c. have a like title and right to freedome or a toleration the title thereof being not of any particular opinion but the equity of every mans being free in the State he lives in and is obedient to matters of opinion being not properly to be taken into cognisance any further then they break out into some disturbance or disquiet to the State But you will say that by such a toleration blasphemy will be broached and such strange and horrid opinions as would make the ears of every godly man to tingle what must this also be tolerated I answer it cannot be just to set bounds or limitations to toleration any further then the safety of the people requires the more horrid and blasphemous the opinion is the easier it will be supprest by reason and argument NNN Liberty of Conscience p. 16. And what command finde we in the word of God which warrants us to imprison fine banish or put to death any one especially amongst Christians for difference of opinion in Religion many I know are so indulgent as to be contented that every man might enjoy his own conscience quietly but would not suffer them to have the free exercise of it to discourse or publish their opinions unto others but hereof I finde no ground in Scripture Saint Paul says 1 Cor. 9.16 A command is laid upon me and wo is me if I preach not the Gospel and our Saviour said unto S. Peter Acts 22.32 When thou art converted strengthen thy brethren so that the same God which commands me to try the spirits requires of me also that when I have found the truth I should not with-hold it like a candle under a Bushel Yea but some will say God requires you to teach the truth but you teach heresie in stead thereof and therefore you ought to be persecuted My answer is that I apprehend it to be the truth and do but discharge my conscience though it be erroneous desiring to see the warrant for persecuting such as teach or publish erroneous Doctrines which they in their own opinion thought had been sound OOO Bloody Tenet p. 56 57. Of these that fall into this dreadfull ditch both Leader and followers how deplorable in more especiall manner is the Leaders case upon whose neck the followers tumble the ruine not only of his own soul being horrible but also the ruine of the followers souls eternally galling and tormenting Soul-killing is the chiefest murder it is a truth the mischief of a blinde Pharisees blinde guidance is greater then if he acted Treasons murders c. and the losse of one soul by his seduction is a greater mischief then if he blew up Parliaments and cut the throats of Kings and Emperours so precious is that invaluable jewell of a soule above all the present lives and bodies of all the men in the world PPP Vide supra III. KKK LLL Also Bloody Tenet p. 54. Civill Magistrates were never appointed by God defenders of the faith of Jesus PPP 2 Innocency and truth justified p. 46. I told him I could not take the Covenant Englands Birthright p. 12. The Covenant was first ordained to beget unity between the Nations but as sad experience teacheth in its effects it produceth nothing lesse amongst us setting us at as bitter a Warre and contestation amongst our selves almost as we have with our professed Enemies who before this unhappy make-bate came amongst us were knit together in love Ibid. p. 29 30. O that the Parliament would give leave to some of their honest fellow-Commoners to remonstrate the inconveniency and mischievousnesse of this Covenant and I am confident it would easily and clearly be made appear to themselves so vile that they would never enforce it any more but rather recall it The last Warning p. 5 6. Such as only personate Religion to bring their ends about whose Religion indeed is prudentially and zealously to dissemble these are they that frame oathes and Covenants for you in such ambiguous expressions like Delphian Oracles you will
the right gathering of a Church an Apostolick calling and a Baptism with the holy Ghost is always necessary GGGG This is the issue of Anabaptism in many and is likely to be daily in more as we are taught not only by the zealous and diligent observer of the Sectaries motions M. Edwards HHHH but also from that great Patriarch of the Anabaptists Confession M. Spilsberry who in his Treatise against the Seekers is forced to acknowledge the apostasie of too too many of those who once had been cordiall for his way of Anabaptism IIII We are not yet come towards any period of the journey of these wanderers for the spirit that is in them is restlesse Many of the Anabaptists are become Antitrinitarians and keeps them in a perpetuall motion these who are only Seekers notwithstanding of all their enmity against the setting up of Churches or use of ordinances till Elias and new Apostles come to kill the Antichrist and reform these Antichristian abuses that have destroyed for so long a time the true being of all Churches yet are they content in a private and personall way to embrace the Scriptures and the most substantiall truths therein contained but many Anabaptists are now begun to make havock of all The Trinity they abominate they will not only have Paul Beasts blasphemy to go without any censure but they do also joyn with him to preach down the Divinity of Jesus Christ and the Person of the holy Ghost KKKK as their old Father the Anabaptist Servetus does lead them the way It is very suspicious that their seven Churches in their Confession make no mention at all of the Trinity The Confession of their seven Churches is here unsound nor expresse any thing of the Person either of Christ or of the holy Ghost when they have pregnant occasion so to do What they speak in their second Article of the Father Word and Spirit as being all three one God is expounded by some of their followers not of the Trinity of Persons but of three offices onely of one and the same Person LLLL It cannot but give offence that in their twenty second Article where they speak of that which Scripture holds out and we accordingly are to beleeve of Jesus Christ and the holy Ghost they mention in both their Editions onely the nature and offices of Christ the power and fulnesse of the Spirit in his works and operations but speak not a syllable of the Persons either of the Son or of the Spirit and to Christ they give but one nature while as all Divines since his Incarnation give him two Richardson one of their prime Leaders a blasphemer of the Trinity But that which most clearly evidences their Heterodoxy in this point is that having set down rightly in the end of their second Article the personall relations and properties the Fathers being of himself the Sons generation of the Father from everlasting the holy Spirits procession from the Father and the Son yet in their second Edition they scrape out all this and in the margin of its Preface they referre those who desire to know farther of their minde to their Brother M. Richardsons Treatise now this man tels us that what ever is written against the Anabaptists is all from the Devil MMMM and if we understand him right he pronounces our Doctrine of the Trinity of Christs eternall generation and of the Spirits procession from the Father and the Son to be no lesse a crime then very blasphemy NNNN That the seven Churches will own such horrible assertions though they referre us to them I cannot obtain of my self to beleeve albeit too many of their friends goe all this length and much farther Divers of them are abominable blasphemers of Christs Person Paul Beasts blasphemies against the Divinity of Christ and the holy Ghost are no more his singularities but are now become a part of the new light which shines in Lambs Congregation OOOO and openly in Westminster Hall is defended without all fear either of God or man PPPP yea so great is the despight of divers Anabaptists at the Person of Jesus Christ that they rail most abominably against his holy name they not onely spoil him of his Godhead but will have his Manhood defiled with sinne QQQQ yea they come to renounce him and his Crosse RRRR Though some of them with a great deal of confidence avow themselves to be the very Christ SSSS And if any worse can be Others of them are become perfect Atheists some of tbis generation are gone yet higher from the Trinity of the Persons they fall on the very nature and essence of God giving to him a humane shape and bodily form of three men wherein when he pleaseth he makes himself visible TTTT And which yet is worse some of them deny all beeing to God as if he had no existence neither in the heaven nor the earth or any where else VVVV Thus farre Boggis M. Hobsons man and M. Oats dear companion did openly avow and Webbe confessed that as once himself so many of his companions were turned expresse Atheists XXXX The holy Scripture the onely ground of faith They evert reject the whole Scripture which once being overturned all the building of our belief must fall is most lamentably blasphemed by them not onely the old Testament but the new also is set aside the letter of the most plain Texts is turned into allegories YYYY the Scripture is denied to be the word of God ZZZZ and is avowed to be full of lies and errours AAAAA men are sent from the word to seek revelations above and contrary to it BBBBB The Familistick Anabaptists do cleave fast to the most of David George his abominations and adde more of their own thereto Many of them are turned Familists denying the immortality of the soule They deny that any mans soul is a living spirit affirming it to be onely a bodily vapour like the life of beasts which at death does perish They are not onely for the sleeping of the soul at death but for its annihilation and for this they have published whole Books CCCCC At first these mortallists did grant a resurrection of the body and for that end a new creation of a corporal soul but now they speak out their mind more boldly they deny all resurrection after death all life either of body or soul what Scripture speaks of the day of judgement of the burning of the elements and of life eternall they turn it into allegories and make it all to be performed in this life but after a mans death they admit not of any return to life or to any more beeing DDDDD A heaven for the joy of the Saints Denying heaven and hell angels and devils a hell for the torment of the wicked after this life they utterly deny EEEEE That ever there was either Angel or Devil they also deny what Scripture speaks of these creatures they allegorize
do enjoy nor any more hell and condemnation to be feared then what in this life before death is endured DDDDDD The Saints in this life become as perfect as God Secondly that all the Saints in this world are fully perfect that they become omniscient as God that they are Godded Deified and become God EEEEEE Thirdly that the most clear Historick passages of Scripture in matters of the greatest moment are but meer allegories untrue in any proper literall sense FFFFFF The clearest Scriptures are false in a literall sense This writ Randall received but was never pleased to return one word of answer yet to this day he goes on to preach these and the rest of the Familists errours And to shew his boldnesse he hath lately printed two very dangerous Books and set his Preface before each of them composed as he professes long agoe by Popish Priests the one by a Dutch Frier and the other by an English Capuchine both of them pretending to the highest degree of holy very high and hardly intelligible contemplations the fittest morsell that could have been prepared for the giddy multitude who is most ready to be catched with any new sublime and subtill notions were they never so full of deadly poyson whereof M. Benjamin Bourn has found in these two Treatises no small store to wit first That in all things Angels Devils Men Women That God is formally the life and subsistence of all creatures there is but one spirit and life which absolutely and essentially is God That there is no more but one Spirit in the world That the life and beeing of God is every thing and every thing is the life and beeing of God GGGGGG Secondly that Jesus Christ had not a particular soul and body that was created in the womb of the Virgin That Christ had not a particular soul nor a particular body but the flesh and bloud of the whole world HHHHHH Thirdly every creature in all its actions is acted and ruled by the Spirit of God IIIIII Creature in their very sins are acted onely by the Spirit of God upon this ground God is made the Author and onely Actor of all sins and hence some deny that there is any sin at all affirming that the Devils never sinned nor can sin KKKKKK others tell us that none are cast in hell for sin but for Gods meer pleasure LLLLLL Fourthly that the spirits which we call good and evill angels There is no such spirits as angels devils or soules are nothing but the good and evill motions of the minde of man MMMMMM Fifthly Nothing remains for ever but God that nothing is everlasting but the life and essence of God which now is in all creatures that no created thing whatsoever does continue for ever NNNNNN Sixtly that the Scriptures are a confused allegory a meer shadow Scripture is but a false shadow and no ground of faith a false History and ought not to be the foundation of any mans faith more then other Books or then the Apocrypha OOOOOO Seventhly they deny the comming dying resurrection ascension intercession and returne of our Lord Jesus Christ They deny both the first second coming of Christ they avow that there shall be no resurrection and last judgement for the world PPPPPP Eighthly they make all ordinances to be but meat for babes They cast away all ordinances and that men ought to live above them without the use thereof QQQQQQ Ninthly they teach that the highest degree of perfection both of grace and glory is attained in this life RRRRRR These and many more such blasphemous and horrible Heresies are entertained as fine The certaine truth of these imputations excellent rare profound mysterious truths by these Anabaptists who are admitted to the highest classe of the Family of Love if we may trust M. Bourn who professeth his certain knowledge thereof not onely from their Books but from their preachings conferences disputations at which often he was present SSSSSS By all the former discourse I conceive it is apparent that as evill and wicked a Devill does rage in the way of Anabaptism this day in England as of old in Germany or in any other Heresie of any time in any place which I wish were well considered as a ground of fear and trembling by many a simple soul who is carried down headlong towards these errours proceeding from one degree to another without any certainty where their unconstant motions may have any period I observe but one thing more wherein the English Anabaptists seem much worse then the Dutch The English Anabaptists are generally more erroneous then the Dutch however the Dutch have been much divided and exceedingly erroneous yet every Sect among them have had some zeal for that which they apprehended to be truth and some care to save their company from all which they esteemed errour and this without respect of persons who ever of their number did fall into any thing which they conceived hereticall had he been their Father brother or dearest companion they did cast him out of their Society and reputed him thereafter as a person excommunicate Amongst the English Sectaries there is no zeal at all against any errour The carriage of the Mennonists towards the Georgians and of the Georgians towards them and of every one of their Sects towards their dissenting Brethren is known But among the English Sectaries there appears no zeal at all for any thing they call truth a man now among them may run through the whole circle of errours from Independency to Antipaedobaptism from hence to Arminianism from this to Antinomianism thereafter to the Seekers thence to the Antitrinitarians the Antiscripturists the Familists the Atheists or whither he will and no Church censure at all be executed against him nor any of his fellows abstain from his company as an excommunicate Heretick but if he make a profession of piety notwithstanding of all his opinions he shall be entertained as a Saint and the generality of the Sectaries shall be very unwilling to have him in the least measure troubled by any censure either of Church or State TTTTTT I do not so much wonder at this more then ordinary want of zeal against any errour in Sectaries whom God has strucken with this among other spirituall plagues for their apostasie from his truth whereof themselves sometime have made a fair profession but it is oft to me a matter both of marvell and grief to behold the very sons of truth who in their hearts are opposite to every errour to be so languid and faint now for so long a time in promoting any reall course for the restraint of that deluge of all manner of hereticall and blasphemous errours which with their eyes they see overflowing the Land much more then any place of Christendome in any by-gone time I doubt not but divers make it a good part of their work both with God and man to have
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
as well as their Parents The manifold windings and turnings of the adversary from this place does but wrap them the further in the net The next place I cite is the first of the Cor. 7 14. How infants are holy 1 Cor. 7.14 For the unbeleeving husband is sanctified by the wife and the unbeleeving wife is sanctified by the Husband else were your children unclean but now are they holy Here the children of Christians are affirmed to be holy that is separated and dedicated to the service of God as those who are in Covenant with him to whom he is a God and whom he takes for his people for the Church in the Old Testament both young and old were accounted a holy and separate people Deut. 14.1 2. Ye are the children of the Lord your God thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himselfe above all the Nations that are upon the earth Isaiah 63.18 The people of thy holinesse have possessed it but a little while This priviledge continues to the Church in the New Testament to the worlds end 1 Pet. 2.9 But ye are a chosen generation a royall Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar people which in time past were not a people but are now the people of God The Anabaptists for to loose the knot of this argument endeavour with much paine to cast a mist of confusion upon the whole text but to make clear and short work with them we reason thus The holinesse spoken of by the Apostle Paul here is one of three either the holinesse of justification and inherent sanctification flowing from the application of the bloud of Christ and inhabitation of the holy Ghost or else a civill holinesse of legitimation flowing from the lawfulnesse of a just matrimony or else a foederall holinesse whereby the whole church of God young and old by vertue of his covenant with them are separate and dedicated unto him no other senses use to be ascribed to the word holy in this place by any disputant the first two are inconsistent with the text the third therefore must be received The first cannot be approved by any who is sound in the doctrine of justification and sanctification for who ever will make all the children of every beleeving parent to have the holinesse of a reall justification and sanctification must either recall this tenet or in the end cannot but join with the Papists and Arminians in their great article of totall and finall apostasie from the most saving grace As for the second sense we deny that ever in Scripture children are called holy because begotten in lawfull marriage for so the children of the greatest Idolaters and worst of the Pagans who have no relation at all to God but as sinfull creatures dedicated to Idols that is of creatures very unholy and at best meerly naturall and civill must be accounted holy according to Scripture 2. The Apostle speaking of an holinesse which belongs to the Corinthians children from this that one of their parents is a beleever Legitimation cannot be such an holinesse for the faith of one or both parents contributes nothing to that the children of two unbeleevers are as lawfull as the children of two beleevers and so as holy in such a sense But the holinesse whereof the Apostle is there speaking is such whereof the children of parents who are both unbeleevers are not capable for it belongs to the children by vertue of the faith of one of the parents So this civill holinesse of legitimation if there were any such could not agree to the Apostles words in hand The first two senses being removed from the words onely the third does remain a foederall holinesse whereby the children are joined with God in covenant and dedicated to the service of God by vertue of that covenant as well as their parents Such an holinesse is a good reason of that which goes before and a solid ground of solution of the Corinthians scruple which the Apostle is loosing they had propounded to the Apostle their doubt If a beleeving husband might lawfully cohabit with his unbeleeving wife the Apostles answer is affirmative and the reason of the answer is because what ever the unbeleeving parties may be in themselves yet their cohabitation is sanctified to beleevers and of this sanctification the holinesse of their children is brought for an evidence since the Lord counted their children holy and in covenant with him the beleevers might rest assured that their abode with their companions though unbeleeving was acceptable unto God The Apostle here is speaking of husbands and wives not of men and whores though some other Scriptures should prove the bastards of beleevers to be holy yet this Scripture speaks nothing either of them or of their holinesse or of any thing else belonging to them only to settle the conscience of beleeving husbands and wives concerning their lawfull abode and sanctified cohabitation with their unbeleeving companions the foederal holines of their children is brought in for a proof To have said that children was lawful was no more then that their marriage was lawful which was not the question but to say that the children of their lawfull marriage were holy did infer not onely the lawfulnesse of the marriage but the sanctified use of the marriage and that now their cohabitation was without sin and acceptable to God My second argument I take from infants Circumcision The second argument is from the Circumcision of Infants which thus I frame Circumcision was administred to infants under the Law Ergo Baptisme ought to be administred to infants under the Gospel Nothing here is doubtfull but the consequence which thus I prove Baptisme under the Gospel succeeds to Circumcision under the Law Ergo if Circumcision was ministred to infants under the Law Baptisme ought to be ministred to infants under the Gospel Both the consequence and the antecedent of this argument are denyed When for the proof of the consequence we bring in the common rule of reasoning from analogy and proportion It is safe to resume from Scripturall consequences yea proportions these of the adversaries who prove to be so great disputers as to challenge the chief Ministers of the City to publick debates doe deny to us all such rules of disputation and which is much worse avow their mis-regard of what ever consequence we are able to fetch from any Scripture by the rules of the rightest reason leading us directly to that base and brutall fancy of the Jesuite Veron who for a time did please himself to admit from Protestants in all controversies no consequences at all but onely expresse formall and syllabick texts Though the Jesuits themselves did cry down and crush this irrationall inhumane conceit of their colleague yet the Anabaptists among many more exploded and sopited errors shew their boldnesse to renue this also but in this madnes their learned friend M. Tombs deserts
concerning a publick Disputation is but a needlesse vanity this was the cry for a long time of the old Anabaptists but when they had gotten their belly full of publick disputations what the issue was Munster and Zurick can bear witnesse The Disputants here themselves relate that it was no ways the fault of the City Ministers that they got not so many and so publick disputations as they wished but it appears that their gain by such disputations could not have been very great if their Arguments were not much stronger then any which in this Declaration they make publick The fourth makes it an heresie to make any use of any thing in the old Testament to clear any thing in the New Their fourth Argument is this Infant Baptisme denies Christ to be come in the flesh because it takes from him what the holy Ghost ascribes to him considered come in the flesh it destroyes his Propheticall and Priestly office for it brings light from Moses and the old Testament to clear Christs Doctrine of Baptism and so makes Moses a greater Light then Christ also it layes the duty of infant Baptism upon the Subjects of Christ without his warrant and so puts him from his Kingdome Answer The upshot and strength of this reason is no more then what was brought before that infants Baptism wants the warrant of Christ 2. We see by the form of this reason to how high a pinne those men do stretch our errour as they count it of paedobaptism it must be no lesse a crime then the deniall of Christs Offices and of his very Incarnation The people must hold us for very grosse Hereticks and such from whom a separation is absolutely necessary 3. The phrase which here is oft repeated Christ considered come in the flesh is very obscure or else a meer non-sense why considered come in the flesh rather then come in the flesh But the chief matter ground of the argument as here it is proponed is a new and dangerous crotchet which the most of the Anabaptists as I think will never own must it be a deniall of Christs Offices and Incarnation must it be a setting up of Moses and the Prophets as greater lights above Christ and the Apostles when any thing is brought out of the old Testament to clear some passages of the New When for the clearing of sundry things both in the Old and New Testament we bring passages from Pagan Jewish or Christian Writers either old or New do we hereby set up these humane Authors as greater lights above Scripture if the Disputants would admit of any consequences they might see what does stand at the back of such wild assertions but what ever be their minde of consequences yet some of their followers from this their position make two unhappy though very necessary deductions First the casting away of all humane Writs at least the making of their service towards the clearing of Scripture altogether unlawfull they make the use of all humane Arts and Sciences for this end abominable Secondly the laying aside of the whole old Testament as that which may not be applied for to clear any thing that is in the New notwithstanding Christ and his Apostles are very frequent not only in clearing but in proving the body of their Doctrine from the Law and the Prophets yet I hope that none of them for this practice shall be counted by the Disputants deniers of Christs Incarnation or any of his Offices Their fifth argument is this The fift argument making the actions done by or to Christ the full rule of our practice is a wild phansie That which is no part of righteousnesse may not be observed But the Baptism of infants is no part of righteousnesse because it was neither practised upon Christs Person nor by him upon any other person he was neither baptized in his infancy nor did baptize any infants Answer This reason is as strange as any of the former both the major and minor are faulty the major because in common speech and ordinary Scripture language righteousnesse is contradistinguished to holinesse so all acts of holinesse according to this argument behoved to be unlawfull being no parts of righteousnesse The minor also and its proof must both be denied Let the word righteousnesse be taken in as large a sense as they please for all duties either to God or man for all acts either of piety justice or charity yet to say that there is no act of righteousnesse which cannot be proved to have been done either by Christ or upon Christ is a very wild fancy For instance what will they say for the Baptism of women and the Baptism of old men will they deny those to be parts of that righteousnesse whereof they speak or will they affirm that these things were practiced either upon the person of Christ or by the person of Christ Christ did fulfill all righteousnesse when he payed tribute and did all those acts of justice which belonged to him though hee never medled with any duties belonging to others but were impertinent to him as nothing belonging to him or whereof his person was not capable The first argument concluding the unlawfulnesse of infant Baptism from the want of Scripturall example was absurd but this argument which restricts Scripturall example to the person of Christ onely to things done by him or upon him is much more absurd The sixâ—h arâ—ument will have none bapâ—iâ—â—d but who bâ—li ve and are elect Thâ—ir sixth argument is this Only they are to be baptized who are Abrahams seed either according to the flesh or according to promiâ—e But the infants of Gentiles are not of Abrahams seed either according to the flesh or according to promise because only the Jews are Abrahams seed according to the flesh and only believers are his seed according to promise Ans Upon this argument they triumph and cry out of a deadly wound given thereby to infant Baptism I will be loth to upbraid any man with presumptuous ignorance yet I cannot but marvell what the Disputants can mean to prejudice their friends in every one of their arguments a great deal more then their adversaries This their deadly reason is dead and rotten in all its parts the major according to their own principles is clearly false for if none may lawfully be baptized but the seed of Abraham according to the flesh or his seed according to promise and the one be only Jews and the other be only beleevers what will they say to Simon Magus and thousands whom themselves do baptize who are not Jews and so not the seed of Abraham according to the flesh nor believers and elect persons and so not the seed according to the promise nor the children of the heavenly Jerusalem The minor likewise is false in both its parts First some infants of believing Gentiles may well be counted the seed of Abraham and Israel according to the flesh such as are members of the
not necessary in Baptisme I reason thus The 1 Arg. for the affirmative Baptisme in many Scriptures signifies sprinkling and not dipping First that action which the Spirit of God in divers Scriptures expresses formally by the name of baptisme is lawfull and sufficient to be used in baptism But sprinkling or pouring out of water upon the party baptized without any dipping is by the Spirit of God in divers Scriptures expressed formally by the name of baptisme Ergo. The major is one of the adversaries principles for they reject sprinkling on this reason mainly that the word Baptisme in no good Author especially not in Scripture does ever signifie sprinkling but always dipping The minor appears by many places of Scripture I cite but a few First that of Mark 7.4 Mark 7.4.8 And when they come from the market they eat not except they wash as it is in the originall except they be baptized also that same verse And many other things there be which they have received to hold as the washing of cups and pots brazen vessels and of tables as it is in the originall the baptismes of cups c. also in that same chap. ver 8. For laying aside the commandement of God ye hold the tradition of men as the washing of pots and cups as it is in the originall the baptisms of pots and cups That which here by the holy Ghost is thrice expressed under the name of baptisme can be no other thing but a washing by sprinkling and no ways by a totall immersion or dipping for is it imaginable that the Pharisees oft times every day even so oft as they went to meat yea so oft as they came home from the streets did cast off their cloaths and dip themselves over head and ears in water sense and reason will be against so troublesome a superstition the text it self expones the Pharisees daily and almost hourely baptisme of the washing of their hands now the ordinary way of washing the hands among the Jews was by pouring water upon the hands from a laver not by putting the hands in a bason as we read 2 Kings 3.11 Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat which poured water on the hands of Elijah Also the baptisme of brazen vessels of tables or beds for then in their triclinia tables and beds were all one thing or at least were joyned together could be no other but pouring some little water upon them for suppose that contrary to the common custome of all Nations in all times all their great and heavy vessels of brasse and iron in every one of their washings had been put into the water and no water poured upon them yet how is it possible that all their tables and their beds many times every day should be brought to deep rivers there put wholly under the water Such a practise if possible had made the toyle of all the Jewish servants unsupportable and yet according to the Anabaptists Lexicography all this labour was simply necessary Another place we have Heb. 9.10 Heb 9.10 Which stood onely in meats and drinks and divers washings and carnall ordinances imposed on them untill the time of reformation The originall reads it divers baptismes What were these legall baptiâ—mes and washings doubtlesse many of them were sprinklings of blood and water prefiguring the souls washing by the blood of Christ In the Books of Moses the Jews baptismes by blood were onely by sprinkling no persons among them were drowned in blood onely in their purifications blood was poured or sprinkled upon them in reference to this manner of application the Antitype Christs blood whereby the Church is truly washed from sin is called the blood of sprinkling Heb. 12.24 As for the old baptisms with water divers of them were by sprinkling alone Numb 8.7 And thus shalt thou doe unto them to cleanse them sprinkle water of purifying upon them the most of these baptismes were by pouring out of water upon the person few if any by dipping over head and ears The ordinary and daily washing of the Priests at the great laver and brazen sea was not by plunging in the water but by pouring out the water on the person to be washed The sea made by Solomon stood high on the back of the brazen buls and had no steps without for any to ascend and within for any to descend into it and the laver in the Tabernacle made by Moses was not of the capacity for one man to bath much lesse for all the Priests who had to doe about the Altar at one time Farther the prescribed manner of washing was onely of the hands and of the feet though it be imaginable that the Priests might have stretched themselves to dip their hands in the laver standing upon his high base yet how shall we conceive them able to have put their feet into that laver Doubtlesse many of the legall baptismes and washings were onely by sprinkling and pouring out and not by dipping or drowning into the blood or water Take for a 3 place 1 Cor. 10.1 1 Cor. 10.1 Moreover brethren I would not that ye should be ignorant how that all our Fathers were under the cloud and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud What baptisme was that by the cloud which was above their head and under the which they did walk was it any other thing but the dropping of the cloud upon them as the rain and dew fals on men from heaven can any be dipped in a cloud that hangs in the aire above their head A fourth place we may have in the Revel 19.13 Rev. 19.13 And he was cloathed with a vesture dipped in blood the originall reads it baptized in blood now the manner of this baptizing dipping or dying is expressed by the Prophet Esay 63.3 Their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garment and I will stain all my raiment The garments of the slain lying upon the ground may be rolled in blood but the glorious Victor sitting still on horse back as Christ in the Revelation is described cannot have his garments rolled nor otherwise dipped in blood then by the staining and sprinkling of the blood of the wounded persons falling upon his garment One place more Matth. 3.11 Mat. 3.11 He shall baptize you with the holy Ghost and with fire How were the Apostles baptized in the holy Ghost and fire was it possible for them to be dipped in the holy Ghost or was the spirit poured out upon them as Peter expones it from Joel Acts 2.17 and were they by their baptisme in fire put into any fire We read Acts 2.3 that the fiery cloven tongues did onely come down and sit upon them By all this we see how frequent the holy Ghost in the very New Testament is in ascribing the name and style of baptisme to that which cannot be any dipping and is nothing else but a sprinkling a pouring out an application of water blood or fire to the subject and not of
cloathed or naked persons is insupportable We read not in Scripture that persons in baptisme did strip themselves of their garments and if this had been the custome it 's very like that Scripture had not always past it over For ordinarily in Historicall narrations Scripture marks the casting off of the cloaths so in the prophecying of Saul 1 Sam. 19.24 And he stripped off his cloaths also and prophesied before Samuel in like manner and lay down naked all that day and all that night So in the young man who followed Christ at his taking Mark 14.52 And he left the linnen cloth and fled from them naked So in the crucifying of Christ Mark 15.24 And when they had crucified him they parted his garments so in many other Histories wherefore if always in baptisme the persons had been stripped we know no reason why sometimes Scripture would not have remarked this considerable circumstance Supposing therefore the dipping of the baptized persons with their garments upon them we say that this did bring a burthen upon them which to nature had been insupportable for immediately after Baptism we read of their going to the Table Act. 16.33 34. also Acts 9.18 19. without any change of apparell so far as Scripture expresses it or by any circumstance of any text can be collected Now how intolerable it is to nature for any person to be dipped in their garments over head and ears and without any shifting of their wet cloathes to goe to the Table or any other employment sense can inform a very simple man If you suppose their nakednesse in baptisme as the most of our dippers doe though without any Scripturall warrant then how extreamly contrary to all civility will every modest person finde it to discover himselfe before a whole Congregation of people Though it be a part of the Georgian and Familistick Anabaptisme to lay down all naturall shame yet God has imprinted so much shamefastnesse in the hearts of all since the fall of Adam that no honest and ingenuous person can endure to stand naked before any company and if this should be put upon them by any necessity they could not but take it for a great and disgracefull affliction As dipping puts more upon the baptized then nature and civility can bear so likewise then can consist with religion Divinity admits not of Se-baptisme Dipping brings in Se-baptism and permits not the baptized to be agents but in this act will have them to be patients and baptized by others now in dipping the most part of the body is put under the water by the parties baptized themselves for as they say the custome is they goe into the water and stand there above the middle why therefore are they not to be reputed as well baptizers who put the most parts of the body in the water as they who put the lesse Against all this the grand disputants object First that the word Baptizein does signifie onely to dip or wash and never to sprinkle The first objection That the originall word Baptzein does signifie always dipping and never sprinkling removed to prove this they bring the authority of the Septuagints of Nonnus of Vossius Answer If this argument were cast in form the major of it would lye upon such a generall proposition No rite may be used in any Sacrament which differeth from the common signification of the word used in Scripture to expresse that rite If this were universally true what gesture would be necessary to be used by the communicants at the Lords Table The word expressing Christ and his Apâ—stles gesture in the last Suppâ—r is Anaceisthai Anapyptein Anaclinein relative to the ancient form of lying about the Table in their Triclinia these words doe no more signifie to sit Cathâ—zein then Baptizein signifies to sprinkle If any upon such a grammatication would call in question the lawfulnesse of sitting at the Lords Table his criticisme would not be judged solid by any judicious person The minor also That baptisme does always signifie dipping and never sprinkling we deny in our first argument for the affirmative we gave eight instances to the contrary out of the New Testament to which we may adde beside other places Luke 11.38 Luâ— 11. â—8 And when the Pharisee saw it he marvailed that he had not fiâ—st washed before dinner in the originall that he was not first baptized before dinner Could it be a matter of any wonder that Jesus or any other person before dinner did not plunge themselves over head and ears in water or rather was not the Pharisaicall superstition in the necessity of pouring water upon the hands for a legall purification The authorities mentioned are nothing to the purpose that of the Septuagints 2 Kings 5.14 Then went he down and dipped himself seven times in Jordan according to the saying of the man of God it onely proves a washing of Naamans body in Jordan according to the Prophets direction every true washing is not by a totall immersion as daily experience and many Scriptures prove the woman washed Christs feet with her tears and David washed his bed with his tears onely by sprinkling But suppose the Septuagints in this place had taken the word for a dipping over head and ears will it follow that the word is no otherwise taken by any Authour any where else Goe to the same Septuagints Dan. 4.33 Dan. 4.33 His body was wet with the dew of heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Hebrew tabal and the Chaldee jits tabang which ordinarily are translated by baptizo and here by its root bapto which oft is more and never lesse then baptizo can no otherwise be taken then for sprinkling for which other way did the rain and dew fall upon Nebuchadnezars body then by drops We grant that Nonnus expounds baptizo by cathairo but this makes nothing at all for dipping for many more purifications were by sprinkling and affusion then by immersion and dipping As for Vossius suppose his criticisme were well founded that baptizein did signifie principally to dip which may very well be questioned for why may we not make the first signification of the word to be washing and the second dipping the first being the end and the other but the mean as well as to make dipping the first signification and washing the second because the one is the cause and the other the effect yet all this is for no purpose for though the word did signifie first to dip yet if in the second third fourth fifth or any place it signified to sprinkle it is enough for all that we affirm now that the word baptizo has truly this signification of sprinkling Vossius in this very place alledged to the contrary does prove it from many passages both of Scripture and Antiquity Their second objection they take from these Scriptures where the baptized seem to have been dipped The second objection No evidence in Scripture that any were ever dipped over head and
formally the life and subsistence of all creatures p. 103 That Christ had not a particular soul nor a particular body Creatures in their very sins are acted onely by the Spirit of God There is no such spirits as Angels Devils or Souls Nothing remains for ever but God Scripture is but a false shadow and no ground of faith They deny both the first and second comming of Christ They cast away all Ordinances The certain truth of these imputations p. 104 The English Anabaptists are generally more erroneous then the Dutch Amongst the English Sectaâ—â—es there is no zeal at all against any errour CAP. V. The lawfulnesse of Infants Baptisme THe extream malignity of the Anabaptistick spirit It s enmity to the salvation of men p. 129 Its dishonouring of God by setting up a liberty first for all errours and next for all vice p. 130 Their Brownistick and Arminian tenets I have refuted in other Treatises p. 131 Their Antipaedobaptisme and dipping shall here be briefly and plainly considered The state of the first question The first reason for the affirmative p. 132 Who have right to the chief promises have right to some of the seals which God has appointed to be a means of assurance of these promises unlesse the Lord himself hath made a speciall exception Infants have good right to the promises of the covenant of grace p. 133 The infants of the Iews had reall interest in the covenant of grace before the comming of Christ Gen. 17.12 13. Also after Christ comming under the New Testament Heb. 7.27.8.6 The infants of proselyte Gentiles under the Old Testament had right in the covenant of grace Gen. 17.12 Exod. 12.48 49. p. 135 The infants of beleeving Gentiles under the New Testament have right in the covenant of grace Rom. 11.24 How infants are holy 1 Cor. 7.14 p. 13 The second argument is from the Circumcision of Infants p. 138 It is safe to reason from Scripturall consequences yea proportions p. 139 Baptisme succeeds to Circumcision Col. 2.11 12. Circumcision did seal the covenant of grace Gen. 17.11 p. 140 The covenant of grace has been diversly administred but ever the same and never mixed p. 141 Both Circumcision and Baptisme are initiating seals p. 142 There needs not a particular commanâ— for application of a Sacrament to the diverse ages and sexes and conditions of persons Infants Baptisme under the Law The third argument from Matth. 28.19 p. 143 The promises of the Gospel belong to Infants p. 144 Infants are not in a worse condition under the Gospel then under the Law All who are baptized need not be capable of teaching ibid. Infants are Disciples p. 145 Infants have interest in the Trinity ibid. Infants may be lawfully baptized p. 146 The fourth argument from the baptisme of whole families ib. The fifth argument from Christ laying of his hands on infants and blessing them p. 147 The sixth argument Infants under the Law were baptized p. 149 The seventh argument Infants are partakers of remission of regeneration of life eternall p. 150 Mr Coxe Mr Tombes Mr L. Objections p. 152 They are in effect but few and all invented by the old Anabaptists ib. Mr Coxe first argument makes examples alone a full rule ib. The second makes one and the same man to differ from himself essentially p. 153 The third ties God in the revelation of his will to precepts and examples alone p. 154 It everts the principles of all reasoning and turns men into stones p. 155 The fourth makes it an heresie to make any use of any thing in the Old Testament to clear any thing in the New p. 156 The fifth argument making the actions done by or to Christ the full rule of our practise is a wilde phansie p. 157 The sixth argument will have none baptized but who beleeve and are elect p. 158 The seventh eighth and ninth arguments are but repetitions p. 160 The absurdities of every one of the nine arguments ib. M. Tombes 8. arguments answered by others there is no truth in any of them p. 161 M. L. Treatise of Baptisme needs no answer p. 162 The pressing of dipping and exploding of sprinkling is but an yesterday conceit of the English Anabaptists p. 163 Sprinkling is sufficient and dipping is not necessary in Baptisme p. 164 The first arg for the affirmative Baptisme in many Scriptures signifies sprinkling and not dipping as Mark 7.4.8 Heb. 9.10 1 Cor. 10.1 Rev. 19.13 Mat. 3.11 p. 164 The second arg The thing signified by Baptisme is oftner expressed in Scripture by sprinkling then dipping p. 167 In Scripture sprinkling is made a sign of the application of Christs bloud to the soul p. 167 Also of Christs Spirit p. 168 Sprinkling under the Law a figure of the thing signified in Baptisme ibid. Sprinkling serves as much for purging as dipping can doe p. 169 A third arg In many Scripturall Baptismes there was no dipping ib. A fourth arg Dipping is hurtfull to the life of man p. 171 Also to his chastity ib. A fifth arg Dipping makes Baptisme insupportable No Preacher will be able to baptize p. 172 Dipping brings in Se-baptisme p. 173 The first Object That the originall word Baptizing does signifie always dipping and never sprinkling removed ib. The second Object No evidence in Scripture that any were ever dipped over head and ears in Baptisme p. 175 The third Object That Baptisme is a sign of the Buriall of Christ hath no reference at all to Immersion A generall answer to the testimonies for dipping p. 178 The Authours out of which the Testimonies of the first two Chapters are taken concerning the old Anabaptists of Germany CAssandri opera last Edit fol. Bullingerus adversus Anabaptistas Historia Davidis Georgii conscripta ab ipsius genero Nicolao Blesdikio Guy de Bres contre les Anabaptistes Sleidani Commentaria Argentorati 1621. Conradi Heresbachii Historia Anabaptistica una cum notis Theodori Strackii Lamberto Hortensio Amsterodami 1637. Cloppenburgii Gangraena Anabaptistica una cum Spanhemii disputationum Anti-AnabaptisticaruÌ„ prima generali Apocalypsis Haeresiarcharum All faithfully translated into English The Authors out of the which the Testimonies of the third and fourth Chapters are taken concerning the modern Anabaptists of England THe Confession of the seven Churches the first Edition also the second with additions and alterations dedicated to the Parliament The Declaration of the publick dispute by M. Coxe M. Hobson c. M. Tombes Exercitation Also his Apology M. Richardson against D. Featley M. Blackwoods storming of Antichrist M. Spilberries Saints priviledge William Kiffin his answer in Ricrafts Looking-glasse for the Anabaptists M. Cornwels Vindication The Treatise of Baptisme The Vnity of childish Baptisme John the Baptist Divers Treatises of M. Saltmarsh The Compassionate Samâ—ritanâ— Divers Treatises set out with great confidence and passion for a libâ—rty to all Sects especially the Anabaâ—tists Such as Liberty of Conscience Toleration justified Englands Birth-right Conscience câ—utioned Innocency and truth justified The just mans justification A Pearl in a Dunghill A Letter to a friend The just man in bonds An Alarum to the House of Lords The Remonstrance of many thousands to their own House of Commons The last warning Iohn Goodwins Theomachia M. Williams Bloudy Tenet Little Non-such Mâ—ns Mortality Divine Light Also the Treatises of some gracious and learned Divines that have â—pposed those ways Suâ—h as M. Marshals Sermon â—nd defâ—nce M. Gattakers ans to M. Saltmâ—rsh M. Blacks birth priviledgâ— â—nâ—â—nswer to M. Tombes A discovery of Familism Benjamin Burns description and confutation of Familismâ— Especially M. Edwards Gangrena first and second part To which â—s yet I have seen nothing replyed to â—ny thing that is considerable though many with great passion have essay d c. FINIS
the subject to those things much contrary to the credulity and bold assertion of the late Anabaptists Our second Argument The 2. Arg. the thing signified by Baptisme is oftner expressed in Scripture by sprinkling then dipping That action whereby Scripture does frequently represent the main thing signified by baptisme is lawfull and sufficient to be used in baptisme But Scripture frequently represents the main thing signified in baptisme by sprinkling or pouring out of water Ergo. The major is grounded on the nature of Sacramentall rites they are signs fitly proportioned to the spirituall blessings they signifie and seal when we finde in the signe not onely a clear representation and similitude of the thing signified but the holy Ghost in Scripture making use of that representation and relation it is to us a ground of the lawfull use of that sign This is the adversaries owne argument in their great reason for dipping that it does fitly represent our buriall with Christ and is used in Scripture as they alledge for the expressing of that representation As for the minor that pouring and sprinkling frequently in Scripture represents the main thing â—â—gnified and sealed in baptisme our participation of the benefits of Christ his blood and Spirit In Scripture sprinkling is made a sign of the application of Christs blood to the soul many Scriptures doe evidence as first Heb. 10.22 Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evill conscience and our bodies washed with pure water Here both the sign and the thing signified of baptisme are set down together the outward washing with water is made to signifie the sprinkling of the heart from an evill conscience That washing by outward sprinkling represents the inward sprinkling of the heart by the blood of Christ as fitly as washing by outward dipping or immersion can doe appears by 1 Pet. 1.2 1 Pet. 1 2. Through sanctification of the spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Iesus Christ here the application of Christs blood unto the soul is expressed in the similitude of sprinkling And so fit is this representation that the holy Ghost styles the blood of Christ whereby we are washed and saved the blood of sprinkling Heb. 12.24 Heb. 12.24 The other great blessing sealed up in baptisme is our communion in the Spirit of Jesus Also of Châ—ists Spiriâ— this blessing also the Spirit delights to expresse by the act of pouring or sprinkling of water Act. 2.16 17. Acts 2.16 17. But this is that which was spoken by the Prophet Joel And it shall come to passe in the last days saith God I will poure out my Spirit upon all flesh Isay 44.3 Is 44.3 For I will poure water upon him that is thirsty and flouds upon the dry ground I will poure my Spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thy off-spring Also Is 52.15 So shall I sprinkle many Nations And Ezek. 36.25 Ezek. 36 25. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean a new heart will I give unto you and a new spirit will I put within you As the application of the blood and Spirit of Christ to the soul of the baptized is expressed so often in the tearm of sprinkling so under the Law Sprinking under the Law a figure of the thing signified in Baptisme the action of sprinkling sometimes of blood alone sometimes of water alone sometimes of both together were used for the prefiguring of that blood and water which in the days of the Gospel by the Word and Sacrament were more abundantly to be communicate Exod. 12.7.13 Ex. 12.7.13 And they shall take of the blood and strike it on the two side postes and on the upper door-poste of the houses wherein they shall eat it And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where you are and where I see the blood I will passe over you and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you when I smite the Land of Egypt Leviticus 16.14 Lev. 16.14 And he shall take of the blood of the bullocks and spriâ—kle it with his finger upon the Mercy-seat East-ward and before the Mercy-seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times here blood alone is sprinkled Numb 19.18 Num. 16.18 And a clean person shall take hyssope and dip it in the water and sprinkle it upon the tent and upon all the vessels and upon all the persons that were there and the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day and on the seventh day here water alone for purification is sprinkled at least water without blood for this water of purification had no mixture except of the ashes of the burnt Heifer Lev. 14.5 6 7. Lev. 14.5 6 7. And the Priests shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessell of running water as for the living bird he shall take it and the Cedar wood and the scarlet and the hyssope and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water and he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosie seven times and shall pronounce him clean In this place blood and water together are sprinkled upon the leper at least with the sprinkling of the blood the presence of water is injoined The chief end of applying water to any body whether by dipping of it in the water or sprinkling the water upon it is to purge it from soile Sprinkling serves as much for purging as dipping can do that the use of water in baptisme is to remove and wash away albeit not the defilement of the body yet the guilt of sin from the soul we read in the 1 Pet. 3.21 1 Pet. 3 21. The like figure whereunto even baptisme doth also now save us not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience toward God and Acts 22.16 Acts 22.16 Rise and be baptized and wash away thy sins calling on the name of the Lord. This being the onely end why water in baptisme is used that way of using of it must be lawfull which is fit for that end now common experiences teaches that pouring and sprinkling is as meet for purifying as dipping can be a vessell often dipped if not rubbed may keep all its soile and sprinkling or pouring out of water is nothing lesse but oftentimes more effectuall for purging A third Argument If dipping be necessary and sprinkling unsufficient then in all Scripturall approved baptismes dipping was used and not sprinkling But no such thing does appear in Scripture Whether in any Sacramentall baptisme mentioned in Scripture dipping over head and ears was ever practised we shall consider in our answer to the objections but that in divers Sacramentall baptismes approved in Scripture no
dipping at all was used In many Scripturall baptisms there was no dipping we prove by three examples At the first and greatest Baptisme we read of Acts 2.41 Acts 2.41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand soules there could be no dipping for that baptizing so far as the text intimates was in the streets in the same place wherein the people did hear Peters Sermon Now how was it possible to dip in the streets of Jerusalem three thousand persons There was no river in that place yea in all Jerusalem we remember not of any river unlesse it were the brook Kedron which run through the Suburbs in the valley under the Town which was so small a strand that at no time especially not at the Pentecost in the midst of Summer it was any ways meet for the immersion of aged people I grant they had in Jerusalem divers fountains and pools and in some families were vessels for bathing but that either the Apostles went to these fountains and pools or that any bathing vessels were brought out to them there is not the least appearance in any Scripture Also which way soever you can imagine the matter to have been carried the dipping over head and ears of three thousand persons could not in one half day bee performed by the hands of twelve weak men though you should give to them the assistance of the whole seventy Disciples and if any such action had been performed it behoved to have made such a din and noise as would certainly have commoved the whole City and being so notable and new a circumstance could hardly have been past in silence by the Penmen of that holy History Those and many more inconveniences and impossibilities cannot be satisfied upon the supposition of dipping but admitting of sprinkling the case is made not onely possible but very easie for the twelve Apostles in a few houres to baptize not onely three but five thousand and if need had been many more The other example is that of the baptisme of Paul by Ananias Acts 9.18 19. Acts 9.18 19. And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales and he received sight forthwith and arose and was baptized and when he had received meat he was strengthned Paul is here baptized in his lodging house being yet sick and weak and having fasted three whole days Suppose whereof there is no probability that in his lodging house there had been accommodations for his plunging and immersion yet being in so weak a condition as the miraculous vision of Christ and the extraordinary long fasting put him into he was very unfit to be stripped and plunged over head and all in cold water To assert this without any appearance of ground from Scripture is but rashnesse The third example we have in Acts 16.33 Acts 16.33 And he took them the same houre of the night and washed their stripes and was baptized he and all his straightway Which way could the Gaoler and all his houshold in the midst of the night be brought to any deep river and plunged over head and ears by Paul and Silas newly washed of their sores can hardly be imagined A fourth reason Nothing is necessary in Baptisme which naturally is hurtfull to the life or chastity of any Arg. 4. Dipping is hurtfull to the life of man for the unchangeable God is never contrary to himself all his laws and ordinances have an harmonious consonancy one with another the Lord having discharged in the sixth and seventh Commandements the practise of all things hurtfull to the life and chastity of men he will not in any of his Sacraments appoint that to be practised which is of such a nature But so it is that dipping over head and ears in baptisme is naturally hurtfull both to the life and chastity to the life though we speak nothing of young infants many of riper years in divers places of the earth yea in the hottest climates at some times of the year cannot be plunged over the head in cold water without evident hazard sometimes of life and often of health and this much experience among our selves does teach in that short time wherein this noysome ceremony has been brought in fashion As for chastity Also to his chastity must it not be a great scandall in the face of all the Congregation where alone Sacraments can be duly celebrated for men and women to stand up naked as they were born and naked men to goe into the water with naked women holding them in their arms till they have plunged them in the water it is true one of the great Anabaptistick Masters David George made it a part of his art to teach all his Disciples to look one upon anothers nakednesse and to doe much more then behold without any carnall motion but such villanous hypocrisie cannot be but detestable to all honest minds Some hundred years agoe when the chastity and simplicity of the world was greater then in these our wretched days the dipping of naked persons was so full of scandall that it occasioned a number of humane inventions about Baptisme as the Deaconesses the white garments c. and thereafter caused thâ— change of that ceremony where it had gotten place into the much more convenient rite of sprinkling One other reason That is not necessarily required in baptisme which lays both upon the baptized and the baptizer burthens which they are not able to bear But dipping does so Ergo. The major is grounded upon the nature of Gods ordinances especially of the New Testament they are an easie yoak and portable The minor is thus clear by the necessity of this rite the baptizer is obliged to dip the whole baptized persons under the water and to lift them up again above the water but this for the most part of baptizers is altogether unpossible A fifth argument dipping makes baptisme insupportable No Preacher will be able to baptize How many Preachers are of that bodily strength as to lift up in their arms a man to dip him in the water and again to lift him clear out of the water for according to our adversaries baptisme is the dipping of the whole man into the water and the lifting of the whole man again out of the water the putting of his head and breast into the water is but a dipping of a part of the body the lifting of the head and upper parts of the body and not of the lower and whole parts is not a full and compleat baptisme now for this dipping of the whole man under the water and lifting of the whole man above the water the strength of more men then one is necessary And yet Scripture requires for the administration of baptisme no more agents then one Again this dipping puts upon the baptized burthens which neither nature nor civility nor religion permits them to bear Dipping whether of