unto them to parly a young man of a Noble Family whom Muntzer against the Law of Arms had slain herewith the Princes being provoked caused the Alarm to be sounded and ordered their Battle in array The Lantgraves Oration Philip Prince of Hessia exhorted the Souldiery to carry themselves couragiously and to perform their duty shewing them that although the accusation charged on them by the enemy should be true yet it was unlawful for the Communalty to take up arms against the Magistrate which might be proved by Testimony of the Scripture 1 Pet. 2.13 and that yet be would neither excuse himself nor the other Princes from their faults They cover themselves with the Name of the Gospel but in truth they forge nothing but thefts robberies and the like mischiefs their endeavour is to take from others to abolish Magistracy to offer violence to other mens wives and children and to commit all crimes without punishment and seeing under the fair and holy Name of God they cloak such villanies and execrable misdeeds there was no doubt but God would avenge those injuries wherefore every one ought to fight against them as against robbers and so to maintain the publique peace and to defend every ones estate with their wives and children The caus of the war is most just and had be not been assured that the work had been acceptable unto God Rom. 13.2 3 4 5. who hath put the Sward into the hand of the Magistrate he would not have been there This Oration being finished they came to close and no sooner were the Artillery and small shot discharged but these poor people as men amazed and deprived of understanding neither defend themselves nor set themselves to flight for safety but sang their vulgar song to invoke the aid of the Holy Ghost some trusting in the promises of Muntzer waited for succour from heaven The Harquebusses being discharged they began to re-inforce the battle and to slay them right down then they betook themselves to flight all in a rout toward Francuse some of them drew off to the other part of the Mountain and some the while bare the brunt of the Battle in the Valley against the horse of whom there fell one or two but so hotly were they pursued 5000 Slain that there were 5000 left in the place soon after this slaughter the City of Francuse was taken 300 Prisoners and neer 300 prisoners which were beheaded Muntzer having gained the City by flight hid himself in an house neer unto the Gate whither by accident there came a Gentleman whose waiting-man going up to see the rooms he found a man laid upon the bed who asked him who he was and whether he was not fled from the Battle and whether he was not one of the seditious By accident there lay a purse neer unto the bed the other taketh up the booty and having opened it he found therein Letters whereby Albert of Mansfield did admonish Muntzer to desist from his enterprize and not to cause the poor people to mutiny these Letters when he had read he asked him if the Letters were not directed to him which he denyed very stiffly until being sharply threatned craving pardon he confessed Munzter taken that he was Munzter being taken he was brought before George Prince of Saxony and the Lantgrave being asked of them what moved him so to abuse the poor people he replyed that he had done but his duty and that those Magistrates that would not receive the Gospel were so to be dealt withal The Lantgrave puzzled him proving by Testimony of Scripture that the Magistrates ought to be had in reverence and that all seditions were forbidden by God and that it was not lawful for a Christian to avenge his private quarrel whereunto Muntzer had not to answer Tortured afterwards he was put unto grievous torture and as by greatness of the pain he cried out George Duke of Saxony said unto him Truly Muntzer you endure at present but think also upon the ruine of so many people which this day by occasion of thy sedition are slain he answered much laughing that they would so have it he was afterwards brought to Welderung a City of the Signory of Mansfield where he was sharply drawn put to torture and confessed what was his deliberated purpose and who were the complices of his Conjuration The Princes being come to Welderung and Mulhuze they caused many of these seditious persons to be beheaded and among the rest that bold fool Phifer of whom there hath mention formerly been made then afterward Muntzer was brought into the field who found himself very much discouraged and overwhelmed in this extremity so as without help he could not give account of his faith as it commonly falls out with such in the like case Henry of Brunswick to help him caused him to say after him when he was ready to die he confessed clearly and loudly his fault and errour and being surrounded with Souldiers he exhorted the Princes to use greater pity towards the poor people and that by this means they should not need to fear he admonished them also to read diligently the book of Kings which are in the holy Scripture his discourse being ended Executed they cut off his head From this marvelous defeat discomfiture several escaped who seeing their sedition profited them not and that the Prophets were slain with their brethren and companions instead of repenting and acknowledging the pestilential venome that lay hid in their Sect they assemble at Munster the chief City of Westphalia Those that escape get into Munster Pretend humility cary out against the Magistrates power and first made semblance of humility holding forth nothing in them that was splendent or magnificent yea they reproved and cryed out against all excellency greatness and magnificency they held forth outside-holiness and cried out against the sword and power of the Magistrate riches and honour were rejected by them as loathsome vomit at least as they made shew of they spake of nothing but of the mortification of the old man and of the renewing of the spirit and of a life wholly dedicated unto God above all they despised the world and the things that are therein but it was because they could not yet play their pranks nor themselves have dominion nor make a new world according to their model as they afterwards shewed unto all Bernard Rotman preaches the Gospel with success He and other Ministers present Articles against Popish errourr In the year 1532 Bernard Rotman began to preach the Gospel without the City of Munster in the Temple of St. Maurice and that not without great effect insomuch as that there being certain Ministers they presented thirty Articles unto the Magistrates wherein all the errours of the Papacy were contained submitting themselves unto all punishment if they did not prove all these Articles to be false and repugnant to the word of God the Senate
affirm that the sense of these words written and spoken by the mouth of the Minister is the true and indubitable word of God as it more plainly appeareth Jer. 36.4 6 8. where the Prophet Jeremiah commandeth Baruch to write from his mouth all the words of the Lord. The words of Jeremiah written with ink in a Book are called the word of the Lord. How often do we hear in the Prophets Thus saith the Lord read these Scriptures Jer. 25.15 Jer. 20.33 1 Pet. 1.23 Isa 40.6 1 Thes. 2.13 Deut. 10.18 Acts 4.31 Acts 6.2 Acts 8.14 25. Acts 11.1 Acts 13.5 7 25. Acts 17.13 Acts 18.11 Heb. 13.7 Ephes 1.13 We ought rather to give credit to so many evident testimonies of Scripture then unto such Ravers who do nothing but rave and dream Muntzer careth not for that but dareth give the Apostle Peter the lye Now they which thus leave the Scriptures finding out another means to come unto God through pride they are deprived of their senses They pretend unto Revelations of the Spirit and despising all reading they mock at the simpleness of those which yet follow the dead and killing Letter as they call it By what spirit is it by inspiration whereof they are so highly rapt as that they dare reject all the Doctrine of the Scriptures as a babish and childish thing they say It is the Spirit of God but it is plain mockery so to speak For they must needs grant us that the Apostles and the faithful in the Primitive Church were inspired by the Spirit of Christ yet none of them durst contemn the word of God and the holy Scriptures but rather each of them had them in very great reverence as we may see it by their writings which are furnished with many testimonies from the Old Testament and certainly thus was it promised by God through the mouth of the Prophet Isa 59.21 where we see that the Lord joyned these two together his Word and his Spirit wherefore should we separate what God hath by an inviolable bond conjoyned Moreover 2 Cor. 12.4 Paul who was rapt up into the third heaven and there heard things unlawful for man to utter notwithstanding gave not over diligent reading nor profiting by the Books of the Old Testament Commanding Timothy to bring with him the Books which he had left at Troas with Carpus 2 Tim. 4.13 2 Tim. 3.15 1 Tim. 4.13 Yea he exhorts Timothy who though he was an excellent Teacher and well instructed in the holy Scriptures to give himself to reading and what praise doth he put upon the Scripture 2 Tim. 3.16 I would ask these men whether they have received another spirit then our Saviour promised to give his Disciples they will not dare to vaunt of another spirit now what Spirit our Saviour promised to send unto his Disciples he sheweth plainly when he saith Joh. 14.26 This Spirit shall not speake of himself but should bring to their remembrance what they had formerly heard of him It is not the Office of the holy Spirit that which Christ promised to dream of dreams of new and unknown revelations or to hold forth new doctrine but it is the work of the Spirit of God to confirm us in that which he hath already spoken by the Prophets and Apostles seeing also that the Lord promiseth not to send us another doctrine saying Hold fast that which thou hast until I come Revel 2.24 Gal. 1.8 9. whereby it appeareth that we ought diligently to travel as well in the hearing as in the reading of the holy Scripture if we will feel the benefit and fruit of the Spirit of God Luke acknowledgeth the diligence of those of Baerca in searching the Scriptures Acts 17.11 To this purpose tend these Scriptures 2 Pet. 1.19 Joh. 5.39 Luk. 4.21 Mat. 4.4 Ephes 6.16 Mat. 22.19 Luk. 24.27 Joh. 2.22 And Paul would have a Bishop to hold fast the faithful word Tit. 1.9 c. Apollos was mighty in the Scriptures c. Acts 14.24 28. If it were otherwise how could we take heed of the deceits of Satan who daily transformeth himself into an Angel of light whereupon should our faith rest we should be carried to and fro without any stability But they do alleadge Object it were a great absurdity to subject the holy Spirit unto the Scriptures to whom all things are to be subjected As if it were a shame and ignominy to the Holy Ghost Answ to be alway like unto himself and to be constant in the same word without wavering at all if any should reduce the Spirit to an Humane or any other Rule it were debased yea brought into servitude but when we say That the Holy Ghost having once spoken is not mutable and changeth not discourse now speaking one thing and then another as men are wont to do who will say that we offer any injury to the Holy Ghost But they say Object He is by this means examined which belongeth not unto men to do Is is very clear Answ that it is such an examination as he hath pleased to establish in the Church that we may not receive the spirit of Satan instead of him wherefore it must needs be that the Spirit abide for ever such as once he hath revealed and manifested himself to be in the holy Scriptures It is no shame nor opprobry to the Spirit for any to say of him That it is no dishonour for him not to be mutable nor to renounce himself As for that which they tax the Ministers to be Ministers of the dead letter one may plainly see the Lords taking vengeance upon the outrage offred unto his holy Word smiting them with a spirit of giddiness for having despised the true and only means of coming unto God which is the Scripture and the Word of God In that passage of the Corinthians where Paul saith 2 Cor. 3.6 The letter killeth and the Spirit quickeneth let any closely consider against whom the Apostle disputeth and they will understand his drift It is very evident that Paul in this place had to do with false Apostles who preached and extolled the Law without Christ caused the people to recoil from Salvation purchased by Christ and the grace of the new Covenant whereunto the Lord had promised to write his Law in the heart of the faithful the Law then being separated from Christ as a body without a soul Jer. 31.33 Ezek. 11.19 Ezek. 36. Heb. 8.10 and nothing cometh from it but death to those that are under it it doth nothing but beat and strike the ears without any quickning the soul until by faith we are sent from it unto Christ as from the Usher unto the Master and then the Law will be found such as David sings it Psal 19.8 The law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul the testimony of the Lord is faithful making wise the simple the commandments of the Lord are right rejoycing the heart c. Thus must we
teach no more saying Know the Lord as if he should say Ignorance shall not possesse the judgements and understandings of men as formerly when they knew not who the Lord was yea in this restauration of the Church the true knowledge of God should become so common and vulgar that all should know how that the Son of God who is the lively image of the Father is descended here below upon earth to be united unto us being made our brother to guide us unto eternal life We know there is a double usâ— of teaching one is for those who are altogether ignorant to whom the first rudiments as points of Catechism are to be held forth there be others who being entred in must make further progress seeing then that none hath so profited but that he hath need farther to be taught so it is the greatest part of our wisdom to become teachable Paul sheweth how we should profit by teaching Eph. 4.11 if we would be Christs Disciples saying That God hath constituted Pastors and Teachers c. that we be not unstable children tossed to and fro with all winds of strange doctrine c. whereby it appeareth that the Prophet never intended to bereave their Church of an ornament so precious and necessary The Prophet onely would tell us Joel 2.2 that God would manifest himself both to small and great Isa 54.13 Jer. 31.34 and that the Church should have children instructed and taught of God as was promised by Isaiah This passage then is very clear behold the Prophet saith That they shall no more teach every man his neighbour saying Know the Lord and why because saith he I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their inward parts he doth not reject the external Ministry of the word but he sheweth that the knowledge of God cometh not properly by the labour and travel of men but it is because the Lord engraveth the Law of his Word in the understanding Ministers by their preaching strike upon mens ears and God by engraving his Law worketh upon and teacheth their hearts as he dealt with Lydia at Pauls preaching Acts 16.14 Therefore it is that Jesus Christ Joh. 6.45 seeing the Jews to murmure and storm against the external Ministry of the word saith None can come unto me except the Father who hath sent me draw him it is written in the Prophets And they shall all be taught of God whosoever then hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me Christ thereby sheweth that those who have heard and learned of the Father do not disdain and reject the Ministry but they come unto it and receive profit thereby and all this sheweth that we are of our selves altogether indisposed to come unto this knowledge of God for otherwise God would not promise to cause us to walk in his statutes and if it were in our own power so to do and that neither great ones by their wisdom nor little ones by reason of their ignorance can mount so high unless by the holy Ghost they be drawn Behold the true sense of the place so wofully corrupted by these first Anabaptists and all they pretend unto tends not but after they have deprived the Church of the Ministry and the preaching of the Word to open the door unto Visions and Dreams as they already have shewn at Munster and Amsterdam as Munzter their first father had begun unto them Was it not a pleasing thing to hear this alwaies sounding from their mouths The Spirit hath revealed it unto me The Father hath commanded me and when any brought a testimony of Scripture contrary to their dreams and visions suddainly they replyed What have we to do with the dead Letter seeing we have the lively word of God imprinted in a living spirit as if the holy Ghost who is the author of the holy Scriptures could contradict himfelf The Apostle Paul foreseeing that such Sects would rise up who would despise the preaching of the Word he adjureth his Disciple Timothy before God and the Lord Jesus who shall judge both quick dead to preach the word to be instant in season c. Satan knoweth that he must take off men from the Ministry of the word when he will have them at his beck to put into their heads what shall seem good unto him therefore his labour is to bring men unto this that they might hold nothing certain but that they finally being disturbed and uncertain he might make them despair Thus in the beginning he wrought with our Mother Eve denying the express word of God the Lord had said In the day that you eat thereof you shall die the death The Devil on the contrary denyeth it and saith No no you shall not die so now he laboureth to take from our eyes the word of God but what may we look for afterwards but that we may be confounded not knowing what side to turn unto for if we acknowledge no more the Scriptures to be the true word of God which as the Apostle Paul saith Was before time written for us that we through patience and consolation of the Scriptures might have hope what will our estate be certainly we shall be more miserable then the beasts and we must give up our selves to Dreams and Fables as those who have rejected this light and must perish wofully Of the Dreams of the Anabaptists and how they are condemned by the Word of God Muntzer preacheth dreams and revelations Muntzer having thus prophaned and rejected the word of God he preached dreams very goodly revelations which he at his pleasure forged as did the false Prophet Mahomet saying That he had seen Angels and gloried that he had talked with them by this means to cheat and deceive the poor ignorant people but all was feigned and counterfeit to make musique unto poor and inconstant fools and the Apostle Paul giveth warning of such gallants that we should take heed of them saying Col. 2.18 Let no man beguile you of your reward c. Yea the Scripture forbids us lending ear to such dreamers the Lord of Hosts speaking in the book of Jeremiah saith thus Hearken not unto the words of the prophets which prophecie unto you Jer. 23.16 21 22 26 27 28. c. we shall have intelligence of this in these last daies are they not in a dead sleep who Will not be awakened by the noise of this strong hammer of the word of God which breaketh the stones in pieces who can be cleansed by such dung and what truth can come forth out of a lye dreams have deceived many and those have fallen who have trusted to them These words of God are true and sufficient to entangle all our dreamers and ravers with all their celestial visions whereof they do falsely and out of a certain malice vaunt Let us then reject such cheaters and follow the counsel of God in his word and we shall alwaies finde it to
adorned themselves but inasmuch as such colours were false they lasted not long but they soon began to fade and without fraud to appear what they were Muntzers Doctrine Thomas Muntzer of whom we formerly spake said That whosoever would be saved must firstly flye all manifest vices Murders Blasphemies against the Name of God that be must chastise and macerate his body by fastings and mean apparel that he must hold forth an austere visage speak little c. he called these things the Cross the Mortification of the Flesh and discipline after that he had so fashioned his people he said That they must withdraw from the multitude and conversation of men and often to think upon God who he is and whether he hath care of us whether Christ suffered death for us and whether our Religion were to be preferred before that of the Turks moreover that we ought to ask a sign from God to be assured whether he hath care of us and whether we owned the true Religion if instantly he gave not a sign that we ought to persist and pursue in prayers yea lively to complain of him as of one that doth us wrong for seeing the Scripture promises that God will grant what he is asked for he doth not well in not giving a sign to the man who desireth his knowledge He said that this anger and reproach was very pleasing unto God because that he thereby saw the inclination and heat of our spirit and that without doubt being thus urged he would declare himself by some evident sign quenching the thirst of the spirit and doing unto us as formerly unto the Fathers He said moreover that Gods will was declared by dreams and there laid the foundations of his doctrine insomuch that if the dream of any might be interpreted he praised him greatly in his Sermons After that by this means he had by little and little gained some he discovered what he had long before plotted in the City of Alsted which is in the Marches of Turing he began to enroll the names of those that were entred into league with him Enrouled the names of his disciples and swears them to assist him to cut off the unbelieving Magistrates and by solemn Oath they promised assistance to dispatch the wicked Princes and Magistrates for they generally accounted all Superiours wicked and to substitute new ones he said That he had given him in charge from God so to do so did he speak of his dreams and such like things Luther intercedes for him with the Elector of Saxony Frederick Prince of Saxony did at first bear with him and that at the request of Luther But when in the year 1523. he set himself seditiously to preach and publiquely to fasten not only upon Ministers of the word but also upon the Magistrates and furiously declared that their liberty was violated But publickly opposing Ministers and Magistrates is driven out of Alsted and that the poor and miserable were tyrannized over and oppressed by insupportable charges and that their goods and labours were devoured by the Princes He said then That it was time to bethink him and then he was driven out of the City of Alsted who after that he had been some moneths hidden he came to Norimberg Comes to Norimberg and Mulhuze where he becomes a Preacher and to a City of Turing called Mulhuze Now inasmuch as when he was at Alsted he had gained to his Girdle some of the Citizens of Mulhuze by means whereof he received the charge of preaching And now being but in small favour with the Senate he so wrought upon the communalty by Mutinies Drives out the old Senate chuses a new that they chose a new Senate which was the beginning of the future stirs afterwards the Citizens drave out the Friers seized upon their Monasteries with one of the principal-lest and most rich of them Muntzer furnished himself Furnishes himself with the spoil of Monasteries and for the future carried it not only as a Preacher but also as a Senatour and Counsellor for he said that he must by his Divine revelation judge of the Bible Judges of the Bible and gave sentence upon all according to his will and fansie and all this was received as an Oracle and Divine answer so were they befooled by him Sows seed of sedition In the mean while he wrote here and there to the Subjects to take up arms against their Princes to the recovery both of their spiritual and temporal liberties this speech was so acceptable unto the people that in the mouths of many he was the true Prophet Having then changed the Magistrates of Mulhuze and having put in Anabaptists there arose many troubles as we have formerly declared for he taught the Community of goods Taugh community equality of dignity that the equality of dignity did very well resent humanity and that all the world should abide in the liberty wherein it was at first created and that there should be an indifferent usage of goods he said That this was divinely revealed unto him and that Princes and great ones must be rejected and that the sword of Gedeon was given unto him against all Tyrants to restore the liberty and new Raign of Christ upon earth By this people desist from their labour all these pretences made the people desist from their ordinary labour and when they had need of any thing they took it from those that had whether they would or not Divers Moneths he thus led on the train so as in the year 1525. They take up Arms the Husbandmen and Labourers took up arms in Swabe and Francony to the number of fourty thousand who slew the greatest part of the Nobility kill the Nobility sackt and burnt their Castles and Fortresses he went on to prosecute his Game thinking the time now to be come to bring into action what he had formerly deliberated he after caused them to found some Artillery in the Cordiliers Church he called much people from the fields out of hopes of pillage and to make themselves rich He in all his affairs consulted with a bold foolish fellow called Phifer Phifers Dream who had dreams and visions in high esteem and among other discourse he said That in a dream he had seen multitudes of mice in a stable which he had made to flye which he interpreted so as he had command from God to take up arms and to set himself in array to discomfit the Nobility Muntzer was somewhat more cool though he preached with great violence yet he would not run any hazzard until that the Neighbourhood had taken up arms and the more easily to bring about his enterprise he wrote unto the Labourers in the Mines of the Territories of Mansfield admonishing them to fall upon the Princes without any respect or consideration for these that were ready in Francony drew neer unto Turing Thereupon Phifer who could not forbear took
sight is so fixed upon themselves and their own fair deeds as that they are perswaded that they are the only ones and the None-such in the world In the mean while the Apostle lively upbraideth them saying Such false Apostles are deceitful workers disguising them selves into Apostles of Christ and no marvel saith he for Satan transformeth himself into an Angel of light it is no great matter then if his Ministers transform themselves into the Ministers of righteousness whose end shall be according to their works Moreover who knoweth not well that Doctrine far surpasseth works so as if the Doctrine be not sound pure and true the works how holy and fair soever they may be will never prove the calling of a false Prophet that he is sent from God If it were lawful for us to boast it should not be in our sanctity perfection mortification as they do but only in the pure mercy of God through Jesus Christ if so be that gravity and honesty of life were the true sign of the vocation to the Ministry it would follow that all honest and good people should be Ministers of the Church but that is well known to be false 1 Cor. 7.10 nor can it be for there is a command for every one to walk in the calling wherein he is called 1 Cor. 12.29 he asketh also are all Apostles are all Prophets are all Teachers Every Christian may or ought to read and discourse of Scripture it followeth not therefore that all Christians are Preachers and Ministers of the Churches but only those which are lawfully called nor doth the calling cease for any failing that may be found in the life of the called wch is not spoken to give occasion to make Ministers negligent God forbid But the exhortation of the Apostle Paul is alwaies necessary to the Ministers no more then Peter ceased to be a true and lawful Apostle Act. 6.6 Act. 13.3 1 Tim. 5.22 1 Tim. 4.14 2 Tim. 1.6 when he so grossely failed Gal. 2.11 12. It is well known that our Ministers are called to Office by the voice and common consent of all the Church and that after fasting and calling upon the name of God according to Apostolical institution and are confirmed in their Office by imposition of hands what reason is there for these Sectaries to say That their Ministers are called of God but ours onely by the world and men if their Ministers have a special calling as the Apostles had let them prove it by signs miracles gifts of tongues and Apostolical Doctrine as they did the Church hath no need of your Ministers for the Doctrine of Repentance Amendment of life and of Remission of sins in the name of Christ is abundantly declared in the Church of Christ to teach the same thing is superfluous if you teach any other Doctrine then you and your Doctrine is accursed and not to be heard I shall say no other thing then what the Apostle Paul before spake to the like glorious Ministers as theirs be Gal. 1.18 If their spirit be so full of knowledge and light so as they cannot contain themselves from preaching without calling why do they not preach where the Gospel was never yet declared they insinuate themselves into such places where the holy Gospel hath been preached to the people with great labour and hazard of life unto the poor Ministers It is a marvel how they will vouchsafe to enjoy and partake of the labours of those Ministers whom they so much hate they secretly by fraud and deceit seduce and disturb in such places the poor sheep of Jesus Christ which ought not to be withdrawn from their true Pastors Joh. 10.5 I pray all the flock of Christ not to give heed to such strangers but rather hearken to the voice of the Apostle 1 Thes 5.12 13. Heb. 13.17 These Sectaries do defame and reproach the Ministers and speak all evil of them but it is because they touch them at the quick because they cry out upon these wolves and pluck the sheepskins from off their backs that none might be surprized by their fair appearance seeing the Gospel-Ministers are stiled the Salt of the earth none must think strange that the Salt biteth and pricketh and maketh it self to be Salt the Salt biteth not where there is no wound but it is felt where there is a raw place It will appear then that they have lost their spiritual senses who say That our Ministers are not called of God God hath put singular honour upon the Ministers yea what greater could he put upon them then by saying He that heareth you heareth me and he that rejecteth you rejecteth me the Lord not only by words hath recommended the Ministers unto the Church but also by example hath shewn what honour and reverence all ought to have them in Act. 8. The holy Ghost could have taught the Ethiopian Eunuch without the Ministry of man but he would maintain this order So Cornelius Act. 10.5 God could have taught him by the Angel but he is bid by him to send for Peter When our Lord called Paul he could have instructed him himself yet he is sent to a Mortal man to receive the Doctrine of Salvation and Baptism behold a case which fell not out by rashness that an Angel of God should withdraw from entring upon the Ministry Act. 9.6 and should send him to a man a Minister to preach unto him Who with a good Conscience dare then despise the true Ministry so highly honoured of God and to disgust men from the same and to cause men to run after those which were not lawful Ministers but thieves robbers and grievous wolves which spare not the flock of our Lord Jesus Christ Let us now come to the second point Muntzer after he had spued out his poyson against the poor Ministers of Christ he falls upon the word of the eternal God and there that he may leave nothing entire with open throat he spits out his blasphemies It is no marvel if he fall upon the Ministers of the word to speak evil of them seeing he dareth so outragiously to set himself against the very mouth of God Behold his own words That the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament Object and the eternal preaching of the word is not the word of God and that we must search for the word in the internal part in the heart and that the Ministers are much deceived thinking that faith cometh by reading of the Scriptures or by hearing them preached seeing all the Scripture saith that they shall be taught of God These are his own words We plainly confess Answ and are not so ignorant thanks be to God and who knoweth not that the external word i. e. that the Letters written with ink upon paper by the hand of the Writer and that the voice sounding out of the mouth is not the word of God inasmuch as it is written and spoken by man yet we do notwithstanding
understand how it is said The Letter killeth Paul calleth the Law The killing Letter and faith The Spirit quickneth i e The Ministry of the Gospel which he opposeth unto the naked Law and he himself calleth his preaching The Ministry of the Spirit we must not understand this place as those dreamers who as often as they meet with an obscure place that maketh against them say The Letter killeth i.e. According as they say to understand the meaning of the Scripture this killeth but we must come to the Spirit i. e. to forge Allegories Paul never thought of such fopperies as we may see in reading the same Chapter 2 Cor. 3.8 It is then wretchedly and wickedly done to cast off the Scripture upon such pretence of the Spirit Luk. 24.27 seeing our Lord giveth us his Spirit to understand his word as we see Christ opened the understanding of the two Disciples not by making them wise in themselves nor setting them to look for a new kinde of word or natural and innate in them in rejecting the Scriptures but that they might understand the Scriptures After this manner the Apostle Paul exhorteth the Thessalonians not to quench the Spirit he would not have them fly in the air after vain and unprofitable speculations without the word of God but consequently he addeth Despise not prophecie thereby shewing that then the Spirit is quenched and suffocated when Prophecie is rejected what will those poor souls answer who have rejected the lanthorn Psa 119.105 which God hath given to be a light unto their feet We confess that the external word preached by men of it self nor alone cannot convert the heart but the Spirit of God must work internally to beget faith in us now this is done in good order by the preaching of the Gospel as appeareth by Lydia the Purple-seller Acts 16.14 she heard Paul preach but the Lord opened her heart to understand the things which Paul spake for this cause the preaching of the Word is called seed we know that if seed fall upon a spot of ground which is desert and not tilled it is lost without producing fruit but on the contrary falling upon soil tilled and well manured it brings forth fruit in abundance So the word of God Luk. 8.15 if it fall upon the hard and rebellious brain it remaineth without fruit as upon stony soil but upon an heart prepared by the operation of the Holy Ghost then it brings forth much fruit and as the Husband-man when he hath sown his seed he can do no more he cannot make his grain to grow but leaveth it to God so must the Ministers do when they have preached and sown the Word of God they cannot make it grow they must commend it unto God as the Apostle saith He that planteth is nothing 1 Cor. 3.7 and he that watereth is nothing but it is God that must give the increase he doth not therefore reject him that planteth nor him that watereth that is to say the external Ministers for he soon addeth We are co-workers or labourers with God ye are Gods husbandry ye are Gods building It appeareth that the Ministers are joyned in the work with God inasmuch as God maketh use of them as instruments and he worketh by his word by giving vertue in the internal man one may see as plainly as day light the errour of Muntzer the first father of these Anabaptists and that there is no reason in his speech Our Mennonists have condemned their father in this point notwithstanding there be others who maintain this opinion or rather blasphemy as some strange spirits the disciples of Sebastian Franque who this day do renew the question yea some little space of time since one of the chief of that Sect whose name I shall forbear to declare in the City of Frankfort before several honest people told me and with might and main maintained with divers of his disciples That the earth never bare a more abominable Idol then that which is called the Bible and that all the World doted upon it looking therein for the word of God whereas we should look for it in our hearts and one of them redoubled it and said in the presence of Mr. Alosco and of us all What do you talk so much of the Scripture I assure you on my part I have learned more by seeing an Hen or a Capon killed then ever I learned by all the Sermons and Lectures of the Books that ever I read Unto whom I answered It must needs be that you eat often of Hens and Capons seeing you have learned so much by their death but I pray you said I What good did you ever learn thereby he answered That he had learned to know the obedience which Jesus Christ rendred unto God his Father upon the Cross and that as the fowl was slain without making resistance and that for the good and life of man so was Jesus Christ slain for the life of mankind it was said then unto him How do you know that ever there was such an one as Jesus Christ and that he died for man do you find that written in the Capons belly the Turks also do kill Capons but they cannot reade there that Christ was their Saviour In the end they were very angry and like people deprived of their sences when they were hampered by the word of God and by their own reasons What man is there that would not wonder at such foolish and irrational discourse is it not just that such people should be so handled seeing they have rejected the word of the living God which the Angels themselves desire to pry into that they should be sent to School unto the bruit beasts Further I come to the Proposition of Muntzer who saith That the Ministers are much deceived thinking that faith cometh by hearing and that it is written Brother shall not teach brother any more saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least to the greatest of them being all taught of God If Ministers be deceived by so thinking Answ then was Paul also deceived for he thus spake How shall they believe c. yea Rom. 10.14 17. he saith That the doctrine which was preached was the word of faith but one may easily see their pretence which is totally to make void the Scripture and the Ministry of the Gospel to come unto Revelations We have already shewed that God will instruct men by Ministers Rom. 10.8 the Eunuch is sent to Philip Cornelius to Peter Paul to Ananias c. As for that passage of the Prophet where it is said Brother shall not teach brother c. the Lord would not hereby banish from out of the Church the Ministry of the Word God forbid to draw men after visions and revelations now they fail in that they do not narrowly look into the place for the Prophet doth not say totally that they shall not teach no more but these are his words They
own and that it was impossible for any to be both rich and a Christian Who would not wonder to see the foolishness of these poor people they would carry neither shooes staff nor money in their purses like begging Friers they consider not the meaning of that Scripture The use and practise of the Apostles declare fully that our Lord said that to prevent his disciples from being sollicitous for things needful for their journey seeing they should not want because the labourer is worthy of his hire this Christ instructed them in when he said When I sent you without purse without scrip Luk. 22.35 without shooes lacked you any thing They said unto him Nothing He saith unto them Now he that hath a purse let him take it c. As for preaching upon house-tops what he had told them in their ears it is no more but that what he had told them in secret they should preach openly And as for washing of their feet he would signifie nothing else thereby but that out of love we should be helpful one unto another for then they had other kind of shooes then we have now so as their feet were soiled with travelling and therefore they rightly washed their feet which now we have no use of being shod after another manner Our Anabaptists who practise this I would have them to consider how comely this is for it may fall out through want of women that men must wash their feet which how seemly it would be let them judge When Christ saith we must be as little children Mat. 18. it is not said We must be children and become foolish but that we should imitate the plainness integrity which is in little children and that is it which the Apostle Paul holds forth when he saith Be not children in understanding but in malice c. in understanding be men and every where in the Scriptures their wanderings and vagations are condemned 1 Tim. 5.8 for he saith Whosoever taketh not care of his own c. And let every one abide in the calling wherein he is called c. As for the Community of Goods whereof they make so much Plato taught it the Essenes had all things common Community of goods and this was sometimes practised in Jerusalem but when it is said Act. 4.32 They had all things common c. Luke understands it of many and not of all for it is manifest that all did not so because it is particularly specified of some saying And Joses also sold his possession if all sold their inheritances there was no need of naming particular persons for particulars are comprized in the number of all he intends not that all the faithful sold all that they had but as much as necessity required it was in the liberty of every one as Peter told Ananias When the field was sold was it not in thy power Act. 5. c. It is very evident that Christians possessed proprieties and that there were some very rich who left not their riches to put them into a common stock Abraham was very rich this is not to be rejected though in the old Testament Gen. 24.33 for he is in the new Testament called the father of the faithful Yea Christs speech Mat. 25.35 fully teaches us propriety in goods So Paul 1 Cor. 16.1 2 Cor. 8.10 2 Cor. 9 6 7. Rom. 12.13 Gal. 6.6 This communion was not in the Church of Ephesus Eph. 4.28 neither in the Church of the Philippians see Phil. 4.18 The Apostles charge concerning rich men proves propriety 1 Tim. 6.17 John alloweth propriety 1 Joh. 3.17 so Heb. 10.34 Jam. 2.25 Theft is forbidden by God and therefore no community Were not Isaac and Jacob and Job and Joseph of Arimathea rich and retained propriety in goods Lazarus with his two sisters retained their house The women and Luke ministred of their goods unto Christ Dorcas Lydia Cornelius had propriety in their estates c. Much more is said to this purpose but this may suffice Moreover then the multitude of believers for the most part were very poor as Paul saith Brethren you know your calling not many noble c. This was not done in a disorderly way but in good order it being committed unto the Apostles to distribute according to their judgement to poor believers among the Jewes who were hated had not means to get bread and because they who had estates were plundered or were in danger of confiscation of their estates for this cause it may seem the Holy Ghost timely set them a work thus to dispose and expend their estates which otherwise would have been lost at the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus and Vespasian which came shortly after before which ruine the Christians were retired from Judea as Eusebius recites but these Anabaptists would put all the world in a confusion by their community of goods and that they might enjoy other mens labours but it is worse for them to bind all men unto it upon pain of damnation Of the spiritual Anabaptists who are separated from the world AS for the Anabaptists who call themselves separated from the world and are wholly spiritual they say they will have nothing in common with the Gentiles as they call them not fasting observation of daies life eating and drinking c. These establish a rule how plain their garments must be of what stuff how long how large of what matter and how for manner they forbid the use of all costly garments calling such as use them Gentiles and Pagans when they see any laugh or be cheerful they cry Wo unto you that laugh now for ye shall weep They fetch continual deep sighs and are alwaies sad they reject all feastings and banquets at Weddings all use of musique and as for that speech Rom. 12.1 they have it alwaies in their mouths Fashion not your selves unto the world they alledge it as if the Apostle had intended to change the nature and property of all things and as if so be he commanded us to go upon our heads because the Gentiles go upon their feet or to speak with our feet and hear with our heels because the Gentiles speak with their mouths and hear with their ears Whereas the Apostle understandeth no other thing then that we should not imitate the world in that which is evil which the Apostle John saith Love not the world nor the things that are in the world for all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eye and the pride of life is not of the Father And the Apostle Paul expoundeth this Ephes 4.17 when he chargeth that we should not walk as the Gentiles walk in the vanity of their understandings It is folly in them to draw these words from the true sense to make them condemn a multitude of things indifferent as some of them will not put on a clean shirt upon Sunday because unbelievers do so some will not call
Munday or Tuesday but the first and second day of the week binding their Consciences unto such things they make themselves ridiculous because they condemn garments and trimmings which are not according to their cut and rule by their Taylors and according to their patern and fashion We would not here let loose the reins to pompe and vanity but we say We are not to condemn him who is clothed according to his estate and according to the custom of the Countrey young people and all according to the received custom Gentlemen according to their ranks Merchants and consequently all men of estate according to their qualities We condemn with the Apostle Peter all sumptuousness and vanities which are unprofitable notwithstanding we say That when Princes and the like carry it magnificently they are not to be condemned as Pagans for Christ and his Apostles never gave us rules for our Garments Let every one hold forth mediocrity and cut off all superfluity for the profit of the poor Meat and drink is not less free to Christians then garments wherefore to forbid them 1 Tim. 4. is to hold forth the doctrine of Devils as Paul saith What hurt can be found therein when God shall by his blessing give a Christian means that he may make use of good meat and drink and the faithful receive it with giving of thanks without gluttony but with sobriety wherefore should any say That this gift of God is a curse have not the servants of the Lord praised the Lord for it as David for the Lords filling of his cup Psal 23. and spreading his table Was not Christ at Feasts and banquets with his friends there were none but the hypocritical Pharisees offended at it calling him glutton and drunkard Paul saith He could tell how to abound as well as to want If a believer hath little let him be contented without murmuring if he hath much let him use it with moderation and sobriety and giving of thanks remembring that passage of the Apostle Whether you eat or drink do all to the glory of God â— Cor. 10.21 They condemn all mirth and laughter as bad It is true Christ saith Wo unto you that laugh for you shall mourn yet Paul exhorteth to rejoyce with them that rejoyce Rom. 12.14 and Solomon saith There is a time to laugh Eccles Abraham laughed Gen. 18.10 and yet these men would banish all mirth and laughter All civil mirth is not to be condemned nay rather their hypocritical sighings and their sad and melancholy looks are to be censured whereby they would as more holy extol themselves above other men the Kingdom of God consists not in these things the Scriprure no where condemneth honest mirth but every where hypocrisies In the time of Solomon Israel held a Feâ—st for fourteen daies together because of all the goodness of God vouchsafed to David his father As mourning proceeds from adversity so joy from prosperity which Jeremiah plainly holds forth when he saith The joy of our heart is ceased and our mirth is turned into mourning Lam. 5.15 c. They condemn also the honest banquets at Weddings as unlawful and evil and yet we see the Scripture speaketh often of the voice of the spouse and espoused we reade it no where condemned either in the Old or New Testament Our Lord was not only at a Wedding being invited but wrought there his first miracle by turning water into wine he sat down there and his Disciples David saith Psal 104.15 God hath made wine to make glad mans heart and oyl to make his face shine Feasts and Banquets which exceed Christian modesty are not to be commended Lot made a feast to his two guests and Abraham did so at Isaacs weaning who ever will reade of the feast of the faithful let him reade these Scriptures Gen. 26.30 Gen. 43.31 Judg. 14.10 12 17. 2 Sam. 3.20 1 King 3.15 Job 1.4 5. It is said Matthew made a feast where many Publicans were Christ doth not forbid them yea he fetcheth comparison from the Bride and Bridegroom Luk. 14. from the Wedding-Supper and the Wedding-Garments We would not here encourage intemperance in any but to shew the liberty which Christians have of the good creatures of God that none may condemn those who in Gods fear do make use of their liberty the Kingdom of God lieth not in such observations bodily exercise profiting little but godliness being profitable in all things Moreover if we should reckon up all their errours and several opinions time would fail us to refute them There be some who hold re-baptizing so necessary as that without it none can be saved Nor will they salute any nor give the hand nor acknowledge any but such to be their brethren some hold it not so necessary and make no scruple to be found with honest people and to account them as brethren but their number is but small Some account Childrens Baptism so bad as that they will rather be dismembred and suffer then to let their children be baptized Others suffer it as an Ordinance which neither hindereth nor profiteth Some account themselves holy and pure these are separated from others and have all things in common none saith among them This is mine and to have any thing in propriety is accounted a sin Some have endured great torments because they would not keep Sundaies and Festival daies in despite of Antichrist seeing they were daies appointed by Antichrist they would not hold forth any thing which is like unto him Others observe these daies but it is out of charity Some say they are come so high as that they cannot sin any more The most pure of them preach up the Cross and persecution so high that they seem to make it an Idol and a new Saviour putting of it in the place of Christ for salvation as the Papists do their works There be some who have daily some new command from God to make known unto their brethren and strangers Some are rapt into an extasie and have their visage and countenance changed lying upon the ground certain hours Some Tremble and Quake for two or three hours together after that when they are come unto themselves they prophecie and speak strange things as if they had been in another world or as if they had fallen from out of heaven 2 Cor. 12. and they account to have that in common with the Apostle when he was taken up into the third heaven Many cannot speak nor declare the great secrets and mysteries which they have seen To some this Extasie or Trance cometh often to others not so often to others of them not at all Some among them fall down upon their faces and dream others do not but keep themselves to the Letter of the Scripture Some do nothing else but pray as the Friers do and say That they do hinder and keep back by their prayers all the mischief which otherwise would befal the world these will