the Anabaptists in this section And therefore I come briefly to examine his second assertion or rather aspersion of the whole Christian world in these words in the frontis-peece of his book Against the anti-christian faction of pope Innocentius the third and all his favourites that enacted by a decree that the baptisme of the infants of beleevers should suâ—ceed circumcision These words vertually contain this proposition that the christening children is the practise of an Anti-christian faction which was brought first into the church by the decree of Pope Innocentius the third Of which enunciation I may say as Tertullian doth of the Chameleon quot colores tot dolores or rather quot dicta tot maledicta so many words as there are so many grosse errors and scandalous reproaches For the baptizing infants is not the practise of a faction nor a part but of the whole not Anti-christian but truely Christian church Neither was it introduced by Innocentius the third but is of far more ancient date and was derived even from the times of the Apostles themselvs First it is well known that the Greek and Latine churches or the Eastern or Western were the membra dividentia of the whole church and that the christening of infants was approved of and practised by the Greek church is evident by the testimonies of Gregorie Nazianzen orat 40. in bap Origen hom 8. upon Leviticus and 14. of Luke and that it was likewise approved and practised in the Latine church is clearly collected from Ambrose lib. de Abrahamo Patriarcha Ieron cont Pelag. l. 3. Augustin l. 10. de Gen. ad lit c. 23. Cyp. ep 59. ad Fidum Now if the Greek and Latine churches were Anti-christian where were there any Christians in the world Secondly Pope Innocentius the third as it is well known to all the learned lived in the twelfth age of the Church and flourished about the year 1215 in which year he called the great Councell at Lateran Before him Gregorie the great whom M. Cornwell himself alledgeth page 11. out of M. Fox in his book of Martyrs about the year of our Lord 599. above six hundred yeares before Innocentius the third resolved Austine the Monk that in case of necessitie infants might be baptized as soon as they were born and two hundred yeares before Gregorie S. Austine wrote a treatise de baptismo parvulorum and for the lawfulnesse thereof in his 28 epistle and in his third book de pec mer. remiss and by occasion elsewhere also alledgeth a testimonie out of S. Cyprian to that purpose who wrote in the year of our Lord 250. nay which is most considerable Origen in his Comment upon the epistle to the Romans c. 6. l. 5. quoted by M. Cornwell himself p. 10. affirmeth in expresse tearms that the church from the Apostles received a tradition to baptize children whence I thus frame my argument All Christians ought to hold the traditions which have been taught them by the Apostles either by word or epistle 2 Thess. 2. 15. But the baptizing of children is a tradition received from the Apostles as Origen affirmeth loc sup cit Austine l. 10. de Gen. ad lit c. 23. de bap cont Donatis l. 4. Ergo the baptizing of children ought to be retained in the Christian church Thus M. Cornwell hath spun a fair thred of which a strong cord may be made to strangle his own assertion Yea but M. Cornwell chargeth all ministers deeply to answer this his negative demonstration saying O that the learned English ministerie would informe me lest my bloud like Abels crie aloud from heaven for vengeance for not satisfying a troubled conscience how shall I admit or consent to the admittance of the infant of a beleever to be made a visible member of a particular congregation of Christs body and baptized before it be able to make confession of its faith and repentance lest I consent to separate what God hath joyned together That which God hath joyned together no man ought to separate But faith and baptisme God hath joyned together Mar. 16. 16. Acts 8. 37 38. 16. 33 34. Gal. 3. 27. Ephes. 4. 5. Ergo faith and baptisme no man ought to separate ANSWER This argument is so far from a demonstration that it is not so much as a topicall syllogism but meerly sophisticall therin any who hath ever saluted the University and hath bin initiated in Logick may observe a double fallacy The first is fallacia homonymiae in the premises The second is ignoratio elenchi in the conclusion First the homonymia or ambiguity is in the tearm joyned together for the meaning may be either that faith and baptism are joyned together in praecepto in Christs precept and that no man denieth all that are commanded to be baptized are required to believe and all that believe to be baptized or joyned together in subjecto that is to say all who are baptized have true faith and that none have true faith but such as are baptized in this sense it is apparantly false and none of the texts alledged prove it for the thiefe on the crosse had faith yet not the baptism we speak of as also the Emperour whom S. Ambrose so highly extolleth in his funerall and many thousands besides again Iulian the Apostata and all other who after they came to years renounced their baptisme and Christian profession had baptisme yet no true faith which as M. Cornwell himself will confesse cannot be lost totally or finally Secondly in the former syllogisme there is ignorantio elenchi he concludes not the point in question they who most stand for the baptizing of children will not have faith and baptisme severed for they baptize children into their fathers faith and take sureties that when they come to yeares of discretion they shall make good the profession of the Christian faith which was made by others at the font in their name and for them nay so farre are they from excluding faith from infants that are baptized that they beleeve that all the children of the faithfull who are comprised in the covenant with their fathers and are ordained to eternall life at the very time of their baptisme receive some hidden grace of the Spirit and the seeds of faith and holinesse which afterwards beare fruit in some sooner in some later Neither is this any paradox or new opinion for S. Ierome advers Lucifer and Austin ep 57. ad Dard. and Zanchius de tribus Elohim affirm that the holy Spirit moveth upon the waters of baptisme and that as the Spirit in Genesis 1. 2. rested upon the waters incubabat aquis that he might cherish and prepare them for the producing of living creatures so the holy Ghost resteth upon the waters of baptisme and sits as is were abroad upon them and blesseth them and thereby doth cherish the regenerate and animate the elect S. Leo speaketh most elegantly and fully to this point in his sermons of the birth of
The Discription of the severall 〈◊〉 OF ANABAPTISTS With thâ—re manner of Rebaptizing Cyprian de Habitu Virg Sordidat iâ—ta Lavatia non abluit nâ—c emundat membra Sed commaculat W. M. sculpsit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Dippers dipt OR THE ANABAPTISTS DVCK'D AND PLVNG'D Over Head and Eares at a Disputation in Southwark TOGETHER WITH A large and full DISCOURSE of Their 1. Originall 2. Severall sorts 3. Peculiar Errours 4. High Attempts against the State 5. Capitall punishments with an Application to these times By DANIEL FEATLEY D. D. Válens Gratianus ad Florianum Vicarium Asiae Antistitem qui sanctitatem baptismatis illicita usurpatione geminaverit sacerdotio indignum esse censemus Eorum enim damnamus errorem qui Apostolorum praecepta calcantes Christiani nominis sacramenta sortitos alio rursus baptismate non purificant sed incestant sacramenti nomine polluentes LONDON Printed for Nicholas Bourne at the South Entrance of the Royall Exchange And Richard Royston in Ivie-Lane 1645. TO THE MOST NOBLE LORDS WITH THE HONORABLE KNIGHTS CITIZENS and BURGESSES Now Assembled in PARLIAMENT THe bright burning Taper of Geneva as warme in his Devotions as cleare and lightsome in his Disputes truly observeth that the pure doctrine of the Gospel never appeares as it were above the water but Satans watchful eye is upon it and he casts an envious gloate at it and hath his Tobiases and Sanballats either to jeere or fright the sincere Professors out of the powerfull preaching thereof In which regard it is that as the Jewes in their edifying the materiall Temple so you in the repairing of the Spirituall have a weapon in the one hand and a toole in the other and you have hitherto more imployed the Sword then the Mattock or Spade by reason of the great opposition on all hands and after you shall through Gods blessing have laid the roofe on this sacred building and gratefull posterity put a garland of glory upon your heads for it yet still there will be use of an arming sword not of War but of Justice to cut off Superstition and Idolatry on the one side and Profanenesse and Sacriledge on the other Heretiques with one edge and Schismatiques with the other For as in the beginning of the Reformation so now in the endeavoured perfection thereof the mortall enemie of our immortall soules sets on work all sorts of Heretiques and Schismatiques to hinder disturbe and if it were possible destroy this excellent work The Heretiques he employeth to pervert the Catholique doctrine the Schismatiques to subvert the Apostolike discipline of the Church the Heretiques endeavour to shake the foundations the Schismatiques to make breaches in the walls the Heretiques to rot the maine timber the Schismatiques to pull in sunder the rafters of this sacred structure Now of all Heretiques and Schismatiques the Anabaptist in three regards ought to be most carefully looked unto and severely punished if not utterly exterminated and banished out of the Church and Kingdome First In regard of their affinity with many other damnable Heretiques both Ancient and Later for they are allyed unto and may claime kindred with 1. The Millenarians in the first Age proclaiming Christs Temporal Kingdome upon earth for a thousand yeares before the day of Judgment 2. With the Marcionites in the second Age who denyed the substance of Christs humane body made of a woman 3. The Catharists or Novatians in the third Age who denyed Repentance and restitution to the Church thereupon to those that fell in time of persecution 4. With the Donatists in the fourth Age who re-baptized all those that had received Baptisme before in the Catholique Church Lastly with a rabble of Heretiques in the latter Ages namely the Apostolici the Adamites the Enthusiasts the Psycopannychists the Polygamists the Iesuits the Arminians and the Brownists of all which and their Errours I have set downe a particular Catalogue Chap. 2. As it was said of Caius Caesar In uno Caesare multi Marii and as Cicero saith of the Familie of the Bruti that it had in it multorum insitam atque illuminatam virtutem so in one Anabaptist you have many Heretiques and in this one Sect as it were one stock many erroneous and schismaticall positions and practices ingraffed and as it were inoculated Secondly in regard of their audacious attempts upon Church and State and their insolent acts committed in the face of the Sun and in the eye of the high Court of Parliament Whereas other depravers of the Doctrine or disturbers of the Peace of the Church whether Papists Socinians or Arminians who in the later times have braved it and set up their top and top-gallant yet since Argus with his hundred eyes hath pryed into every corner of this Kingdome and severall roomes in the great Ship of the Church have bestowed themselves under the hatches and layne close in obscurity these with the forwardest of the Brownists strut in the upper deck and discover themselves with open face 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and upbraid the State with their merit in hazarding their estate and persons in this present War and boast with swelling words of vanity that they expect somewhat more then a toleration They preach and print and practise their Hereticall impieties openly they hold their Conventicles weekly in our chiefe Cities and Suburbs thereof and there prophesie by turnes and that I may use the phrase of Tertullian aedificantur in ruinam they build one another in the faith of their Sect to the ruine of their soules they flock in great multitudes to their Iordans and both Sexes enter into the River and are dipt after their manner with a kind of spell containing the heads of their erroneous tenets and their engaging themselves in their schismaticall Covenants and if I may so speak combination of separation And as they defile our Rivers with their impure washings and our Pulpits with their false prophecies and phanaticall enthusiasmes so the Presses sweat and groane under the load of their blasphemies For they print not onely Anabaptisme from whence they take their name but many other most damnable doctrines tending to carnall liberty Familisme and a medley and hodg-podge of all Religions Witnesse the Book printed 1644. called The Bloodie Tenet which the Author affirmeth he wrote in Milke and if he did so he hath put much Rats bane into it as namely That it is the will and command of God that since the comming of his Sonne the Lord Iesus a permission of the most Paganish Iewish Turkish or Antichristian Consciences and Worships be granted to all men in all Nations and Countryes That Civill States with their Officers of Iustice are not Governours or Defenders of the Spirituall and Christian state and worship That the doctrine of Persecution in case of Conscience maintained by Master Calvin Beza Cotton and the Ministers of the New English Churches is guilty of all the blood of the soules crying for vengeance
and State with such successe that this your meeting may be like to that in the 25. yeare of Edw. 3. which is known to posterity by the name of Benedictum Parliamentum the blessed Parliament Yours in the Lord Iesus DAN FEATLEY From Prison in the Lo Peters house in Aldersgate-street Ian. 10. 1644. TO MY REVEREND and much esteemed Friend Mr. JOHN DOWNAM Worthy Sir I Have now finished my Polemicall Tractate against the Anabaptists which had slept securely by me in a whole skin of Parchment had not the clamours of the Adversaries awaked it who cry downe Paedobaptisme and cry up Anabaptisme not onely in the Pulpit but also from the Presse to the great offence of godly minds and the scandall of the Church You will peradventure returne me an Answer in the words of the Poet Ole quid ad te What doth this concerne me whose Restraint is a necessary Supersedeas from proceeding agaâ—nst these presumptuous and daring Sectaries And the unfurnishing me of all Books and helps of mine owne Notes and Collections lately taken from me furnisheth me with too just an excuse for not writing I confesse to my griefe it doth but what will you have me doe Situ otio torpescere Such a rest would be most restlesse and tedious The lesse I doe the more I must needs suffer and the more I doe the lesse I suffer And beleeve me Sir it is not an ambition to be seene in the Presse but a desire for the time to forget my unsufferable pressures which hath now set me on worke As when we have the world at will and can give our Mind her vagaries at pleasure to fixe or thoughts on any certaine subject is a kind of incarceration of the spirit so when our Estate is sequestred and our person confined and no theame is given us daily to enlarge upon but the valuing of our unvaluable losses and the present supplying of our importunate wants to divert our minds from commenting upon our deplorate estate and forcibly confining our meditations to a more pleasant subject is a great ease and kind of liberty to immured thoughts But this is not all for as S. Jerome thought wheresoever he was whatsoever he did he heard the sound of the last Trumpet and the summons of the Archangel Surgite mortui venite ad judicium So me thinks wheresoever I am and whatsoever my businesse is I heare that Vae of the Apostle Woe be unto me if I preach not the Gospel And preach the Gospel I can now no otherwise then from the Presse for both my Pulpits are taken from me and possest by others and I cannot obtaine though by my selfe and friends I earnestly soughâ— it that liberty which S. Paul enjoyed when he was imprisoned at Rome to preach the Gospel to my fellow prisoners Now therefore sith I cannot lingua I must be content as I am able evangelizare calamo to preach with my Pen which I can hardly dip into any other liquor then the juice of Gall in regard of the malignity of the times and the insolencies of the enemies of the truth As Adders Efts and other venemous serpents breed in old broken walls so all sorts of Heretiques and Schismatiques breed and are exceedingly multiplyed by reason of the ruptuâ—es in State and distraction of the time Among all these the Papists and the Anabaptists are most dangerous and pestilent enemies the one to the Church the other to the State These above all others having bestirred themselves since the waters were troubled and they boast in secret of their great draughts of fish the Papists of 20000. Proselytes the Anabaptists of 47. Churches Si natura negat facit indignatio versum As well Indignation as Zeale hath stirred up my drooping spirit and encouraged me though as I said before unarmed to fall upon both the former in my Answer to a Popish Challenge the latter in this my Catabaptistarum Catacrisis Jerom comforting a young Hermite bade him look up to heaven Paradisum mente deambulare assuring him that so long as he had Paradise in his mind and heaven in his thoughts tamdiu in eremo no eris so long he was not in the wildernesse So verily it seemes to me so long as I can draw the sword of the spirit and pursue freely the enemies of the doctrine and discipline of the Church of England and beat them out of their trenches so long me thinks I am not in bonds The Lord in mercy look upon the Convulâ—ions in the State and Distractions in the Church and turne our Baptisme of blood into a Baptisme of tears in which we may and ought all to be Anabaptists This is the hearty wish of him who loveth the truth for it selfe and you for the truths sake Dan Featley The Preface to the Reader IN nova fert animus mutatas discere formas Corpora I am to tel thee Christian Reader this New yeare of new changes never heard of in former Ages namely of Haras turned nito Aras Stables into Temples Stalls into Quires Shop-boards into Communion Tables Tubs into Pulpits Aprons into Linnen Ephods and Mechanicks of the lowest ranke into Priests of the high places Thou shalt heare in this Treatise not of a line drawne after Protogenes nor of an Iliad after Homer but of a Metamorphosis after Ovid not made by Poeticall license but by Propheticall liberty not of men into beasts but of S. Pauls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 evill beasts shall I say into men nay into men of God and Prophets of the New Law If ever Saint Ieroms Complaint were in season it is now Physitians keep within the bounds of their Science Smiths meddle with the Hammer and Anvill the Linnen Draper deales not in Woollen cloth nor the Woollen Draper in Linnen the Carpenter takes not the Ioyners work out of his hand nor the Ioyner the Carpenters the Shoomaker goes not beyond his Last nor the Tailor beyond his Measure onely the trade of expounding Scripture is a Mysterie which every Artizan arrogateth to himselfe The Physitian here wil be prescribing receipts the Lawyer will be demurring upon dubia Evangelica and every handy-crafts man will bâ— handling the pure Word of God with impure and unwashed hands This the pratling huswife this the old dotard this the wrangling sophister in a word this men of aâ—â— professions and men of no profâ—ssion take upon them to have skill in readily teaching that they never learned and abundantly pouring out that which was never infused into them The Apostle comparing the dignity of the ministerial function with the indignity and insufficiencie of most mens gifts for it cryes out Who is sufficient for these things But if we consider mens opinions of their owne gifts and their practice at this day we may say Who is not sufficient for these things Not the meanest Artizan not the illiteratest Day-labourâ—r but holds himselfe sufficient to be a Master-builder in Christs Church When the
Muâ—â—erus his doctrine at Alset and it very much took with the common people who presently left working and what they wanted they took by force from them that had it Seventhly with the Enthusiasts and their joynt issue is That the Scripture is not our onely rule of faith and manners but that God revealeth his will to his children at this day by visions and dreams and therefore Iohn of Leidan after he had set himself to sleep and had dreamed three dayes and nâ—ghts when hee awaked fained himselfe speechlesse and called by signes with Zacharie for a table-table-book or pen and ink and there writeth down certaine positions as revealed to him from God and commanded the preachers to publish them the first and principall whereof was that a man was not tyed to one wife but that he might have more and this doctrine he put presently in practise martying three wives at once and fifteene before he left Eightly with the Iesuites and their joynt issue is That it is lawfull for the people to lay hands upon the Lords anoynted and depose and slay hereticall and wicked magistrates the Iesuites hold this to be lawfull after a declaration and sentence of deprivation by the Pope the Anabaptists upon a revelation from one of their prophets And this doctrine the Anabaptists practised in the yeare 1527. and pulled downe all magistrates where they had any strength Ninthly with the Arminians and their joynt issue is That there is no originall sinne or at least that none is damned for it alone that election is upon fore-seen faith and repentance that God giveth all men sufficient grace to be saved that man hath free will of himselfe either to accept or refuse Gods grace that Christ dyed indifferently for all that a true beleever who is in the state of grace may fall away totally and finally Tenthly with the Brownists or Barrowists and their joynt issue is That there ought to be a paritie in the church that the government by arch-bishops and bishops c. is Popish and antichristian that the service and ceremonies of the church are idolatrous and superstitious that in regard of these and such like abuses and corruptions the church of England is no true church of Christ and consequently that all that have a care of their soules must of necessitie separate from her Eleventhly with a peculiar sect called the Separati and their joynt issue is That no Christian may goe to law or in any case to right himselfe by arms or violent means Secondly such as are peculiar to their sect and these are six First That none are rightly baptized but those who are dipt Secondly That no children ought to be baptized Thirdly That there ought to be no set forme of Liturgie or prayer by the book but only by the Spirit Fourthly That there ought to be no distinction by the word of God between the Clergie and the Laitie but that all who are gifted may preach the word and administer the sacraments Fifthly that it is not lawfull to take an oath at all no not though it be demanded by the magistrate Sixtly that no Christian may with a good conscience execute the office of a civill magistrate ARTIC I. Concerning Dipping ANABAPTIST None are rightly Baptized but those who are Dipt THE REFUTATION Though Dipping may be used in Baptisme and if the childe be strong and the weather and climate temperate it is very fit to be used and the church of England both alloweth it and practiseth it yet it is no way necessary or essentiall to Baptisme neither ought they who have been washed or sprinkled according to the form prescribed by our Saviour In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost by a lawfull Minister by any means be rebaptized which I prove ARGUMENT I. That which Christ who is the Authour and Ordainer of Baptisme requireth not cannot be necessary or essentiall to the right administration of that Sacrament But Christ no where requireth Dipping but onely Baptizing which word as Hesychius and Stephanus and Scapula and Budaeus the great masters of the Greek tongue make good by very many instances and allegations out of Classick writers importeth no more then Ablution or Washing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say they in their Lexicons and Commentaries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est lavo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lavatio ablutio which may be done without Dipping Ergo Dipping is not necessary to the right administration of Baptisme ARGUMENT II. If the words Baptize and Baptisme are often used in holy Scripture where the persons or things said to be Baptized were not Dipt then certainly Dipping is not necessary to Baptisme neither will the word Baptize inforce any such thing But the words Baptize and Baptisme are used in Scriptures where neither the persons nor things were Dipt as appears by these texts of holy Scriptures Matth. 3. 11. be shall baptize you with the holy Ghost and with fire which promise Acts 1. 5. is applied to the sending down of the holy Ghost in the shape of fiery tongues and Acts 2. 3 it was fulfilled when the Apostles were filled with the holy Ghost and spake with other tongues yet were they not Dipt into that fire that came down from heaven but as the text saith the cloven tongues like fire sate upon each of them And again Matth. 20. 23. Christ foretelling his disciples that they should partake with him in his sufferings and drink deep of the cup of trembling expresseth it by the phrase of Baptizing saying Ye shall be Baptized with the Baptisme that I am Baptized with yet neither was Christ nor any of his disciples that we read of dipt into blood but onely sprinkled washed or besmeared therewith Likewise Mark 7. 48. we read of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word for word baptismes of cups pots tables or beds yet cupts or pots when they are washed or rinsed as viz. at a pump are not necessarily Dipt into the water but onely water powred into them and upon them with rubbing c. And for tables and beds they are not washed by Dipping for in mens houses they have no commodity of so great lavers or broad wells wherein tables may be Dipt and the dipping especially of beds will do them more hurt then good Lastly we read 1 Cor. 10. 2. of baptizing in the cloud and Heb. 9. 10. of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divers Baptismes or Washings and carnall ordinances imposed on the Jews untill the time of Reformation yet were not the Jews who are said to be baptized dipt in the cloud but they were onely washed with it as men are in a shower of rain neither did Moses in the ceremoniall law prescribe different kindes of Dippings though he did severall kindes of cleansing purifying or washing nor did the Apostle deliver any doctrine of many Dippings but ablutions Ergo Dipping is no way necessary to Baptisme ARGUMENT III. If the
76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83. and Ezra 9. 5 6. I fell upon my knees and spread out my hands unto my Lord my God and said O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee my God for our iniquities are increased over our head and our trespasse is grown up unto the heavens c. usque ad finem capitis And Psal. 92. the title is A Psalme or song for the Sabbath day and Psal. 102. the title is A prayer for the afflicted when he is overwhelmed and poureth out his complaint before the Lord. From Psalme 119. to 134. all the Psalmes are intituled Songs of degrees they are fifteen in number answerable to the fifteen steps between the peoples court and the priests and they were so called as the Iewish Rabbines observe because these fifteen Psalmes were sung in order as the priests went up those fifteen steps Hereunto we may adde a passage out of the Samaritan Chronicle Postea mortuus est Adrianus cujus Deus non misereatur c. The high Priest living in that time in the year of the world 4713. by their accompt took away that most excellent book that was in their haâ—ds even since the calm and peaceable times of the Israelites which contained those songs and prayers which were ever used with their sacrifices for before every of their severall sacrifices they had their severall songs still used in those times of peace all which accurately written were transmitted to the subsequent generations from the time of the Legat MOSES untill this day by the ministerie of the high Priest Long after Moses in the dayes of Ezra set forms of prayer were prescribed and used in the Synagogue of the Iews whereof Maimonides yeelds this reason Ut preces indisertorum non minùs perfectae forent quam preces viri utcunque linguae disertae Vid. Selden Comment in Eutychium Patriarcham ANABAP ANSWER It cannot be denied that in the time of the old Testament set and stinted forms were used but the case is different with us for under the Gospel we have more light of knowledge and many speciall gifts of the Spirit which they had not they were in their non-age and as children used these forms like festra's which they that can read perfectly cast away or as those that learn to swim make use of bladders which they put from under them after they can swim of themselves securely REPLY First though it must be confessed on all hands that we have under the Gospel more clearer light of knowledge then the Iews under the Law for as S. Ambrose saith excellently Umbra in lege imago in evangelio veritas in coelo and though we excell them in other gifts of the Spirit yet they wanted not the Spirit of supplication mentioned Zach. 12. 10. I will poure upon the house of David and the inhabitants of Ierusalem the Spirit of grace aâ—d supplication it was not therefore for want of the Spirit that they used set forms Secondly let it be noted that Moses and David and other prophets both prescribed and used set forms who no doubt could and did pray by the Spirit in a more excellent manner then any now adayes can yet they commended and used set forms Thirdly if this had been an errour in the Iewish Liturgie or publique Service that they used stinted forms undoubtedly Christ or his Apostles would have somewhere reproved this as they doe other errours that crept into that Church but they are so farre from reproving this practice that they rather confirm and establish it as you shall see in the next argument ARGUMENT III. Whatsoever Christ commanded and the Apostles practised ought to be retained among Christians But we have Christs command and the Apostles practice for set and stinted forms of prayer Ergo they ought to be retained in the Christian church Of the major or first proposition it is impietie to doubt for there was a Voyce heard from heaven saying heare him he cannot mis-lead us for he is the Way nor deceive us for he is the Truth and if Pythagoras schollars bare such a reverent respect to their master that his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ipse dixit sealed up their lips and stopt their mouthes from contradicting what his bare word had ratified how much more reverence owe we to the words of our Lord and Master who hath not only the words of eternall life but is himself the word of God or rather God the word The assumption is proved out of Math. 6. 9. After this manner therefore pray ye Luke 11. 2. When ye pray say c. Luke 15. 18 19. I will rise and goe to my father and say Father I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy sonne Math. 26. 39. O my father if it be possible let this cup passe from me and v. 44. and he left them and went away again and prayed the third time saying the same words And Io. 17. 11. 21. that they all may be one as thou father art in me and I in thee And Rom. 16. 24. 1 Cor. 16. 23. 2 Cor. 13 14. Gal. 6. 18. Eph. 6. 24. Phil. 4. 23. 1 Thess. 5. 28. 2 Thess. 3. 18. Heb. 13. 25. Revel 22. 21. The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you all Apoc. 4. 11. Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and c. 5. 12. worthy is the Lamb to receive power c. c. 15. 3. they sang the song of Moses the servant of God viz. the song set down Exod. 15. 1. In these passages of the new Testament we have set forms of prayer somewhere commanded somewhere commended somewhere used somewhere reiterated and all inspired by the holy Ghost and therefore certainly the use of them can be no quenching of that holy Spirit whom we feel to inflame our hearts in the rehearsing these sacred forms ANABAP ANSWER The Lords prayer is expounded in Scripture tanquam norma non tanquam forma orationis as a pattern of all prayer not as a prayer it is scripture and therefore not to be used as a prayer in prayer we are to expresse our wants in particular and the graces which we desire in this prayer are only propounded in generall REPLY First Christ delivered the Lords Prayer at two severall times and upon speciall occasions in the former he commands it as a pattern and rule of all prayer saying pray after this manner but in the latter he enjoyneth it to be used a a prayer in the former he saith pray thus in the latter pray this or when ye pray say our Father and surely not only all the ancient fathers who have commented upon this prayer as Tertullian Cyprian Cyrill of Ierusalem Ambrose Gregorie Nyssen Ierome Chrysostome Augustine Cassian Petrus Crysologus Bernard Innocentius Theophylact Euthymius Bede c. but
also all the the reformed churches who conclude their prayers before their Sermon or after with this prayer conceive that it ought not only to beset before us as a pattern when we pray but also to be used as a prayer Neither are the reasons to the contrarie of any weight for though it be Scripture that doth not conclude it to be no prayer For the prayers of Moses Hannah Deborah Solomon David and Paul are set down in holy Scriptures and are part of the inspired oracles of God yet they cease not to be prayers and though in the Lords Prayer all the particular wants of Gods children are not expressed yet the main wants and principall graces are expressed to which the other may be with great facilitie added by our selvs and referred to the proper heads in the Lords Prayer Secondly hos suo jugulamus gladio we may give them a wound with their own dudgeon dagger for if they grant it to be the pattern of all Prayers it followeth that it is the perfectest of all prayers and certainly if we may use prayers of our own which are more imperfect much more may we use this which is a most absolute and perfect one If a Scrivener set a most perfect copie and therein comprise in certain sentences not only all the letters of the Alphabet but all the combinations and conjunctions of them none doubteth but that the schollers may both write other sentences according to that pattern and in the first place write those verie sentences in the copie endeavour to come as near as they can to the originall Such is the Lords Prayer a perfect copie to write by comprising in it all things needfull for a Christian to pray for first therefore we are to write it and then to write after it and correct our writing by it and though we speak with the tongue of men and Angells yet certainly our prayers cannot be so acceptable to God as when we tender them unto him in his Sons own words For this end saith that blessed Martyr S. Cyprian Christ vouchsafed to leave us this incomparable forme of prayer that whilst in prayer to the Father we read or say by heart what his Son taught us we may the sooner and easier be heard ARGUMENT IV. What the Christian church hath generally practised in all ages and places in the worship of God ought not to be thought as erroneous or swerving from the rule of Gods word But the Christian church generally in all ages and in all places hath made use of publike set and sanctified forms of prayer as appeareth by the Liturgies yet extant whereof some bear the names of the Apostles as S. Iames and S. Peter some of the Greek fathers as that of Chrysostome and S. Basil some of the Latine fathers as Ambrose Gregorie and Isidore c. Ergo set forms of prayers are not erroneous or swerving from the rule of Gods word ANABAP ANSWERS First that this is no better then a popish argument drawn from antiquitie and universalitie Secondly that these Liturgies are Apochryphall and though in latter times the use of Liturgies came in yet the purer and more ancient times used no such crutches to support their lame devotion for Justine Martyr in his second apologie affirmeth that the chief minister sent up prayers to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is interpreted according to his abilitie or gift of ex tempore prayers and Tertullian in his apologie saith that the Christians needed no monitor in their prayers as it were to chalk the way before them in a set form because they prayed by heart REPLY First the Papists pretend to antiquitie and make their brags of universalitie but in truth they have neither An argument drawn from a shadow of truth vanisheth like a shadow but an argument drawn from a true bodie is substantiall Secondly the strength of the argument lieth not in bare antiquitie and the universalitie of this practice for we know many errors are ancient and some abuses verie far spreading but in the nature and condition of the Catholike Christian church to whom Christ hath promised his perpetuall presence and the guidance of his Spirit into all truth in which regard the Apostle stileth it the pillar and ground of truth For howsoever particular churches may erre in faith and manners and the representative Catholike church in the most generall Councells hath sometimes grossely mistaken error for truth and Idolatrie for true religion yet the universall church taken formally for the whole companie of beleevers hath ever been kept by vertue of Christs promise from falling into any dangerous errour especially for any long time Thirdly Because they except against the Liturgies found in the writings of the ancient fathers in which though I grant there are some prints of noveltie yet there are foot-steps also of true antiquitie I will wave them for the present and by other good testimonies prove the constant and perpetuall use of Service or Common-Prayer-Books To begin with the first age from the ascension of our Lord to a hundred years Victorius Sciaticus Maronita in his preface to those three Liturgies he put forth saith that the Bishops both of the Eastern and Western churches made some alteration upon good ground in those Liturgies which they received from the Apostlei If this mans credit cannot carrie so great a cause yet certainly Hegesippus his testimonie a most ancient writer bordering upon the Apostles time ought not to be slighted who writeth of S. Iames chosen Bishop of Ierusalem by the Apostles themselvs that in regard of a form of Service or common-prayer-Common-Prayer-Book made by him for the use of the church of Ierusalem he was stiled Iacobus Liturgus In the second age Iustine Martyr in his second apologie which he wrote to Antoninus the Emperour acquainteth us with the practice of the Christians in his time which was to meet everie Sunday and in their Assemblies to read select places of Scripture hear Sermons and sing Psalmes and after the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Priest or chief Minister had made an end of his conceived prayer to offer up make or say Common-Prayers unto God It is true as it is alledged that he prayed by himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with all his might that is in the best manner he could or with all fervencie of devotion as the Rabbins say that he that pronounceth Amen with all his might openeth the gates of Eden This expression in the Greek will not conclude that the chief Minister in those dayes prayed ex tempore for it may truly be said of them who in the Universitie and at Court pen their prayers most accurately that they pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with all their strength of wit memorie and affection Yet if it were granted that the Preacher in Iustine Martyrs time might make a short prayer before his Sermon ex tempore yet certainly he read other
like that it be a certain and constant one from which the Pastors of the Church may in no wise depart or varie ARGUMENT V. Those prayers which all in the kingdome are perpetually bound to use ought to be approved by the whole church or kingdome for such prayers especially ought to be made in faith and care taken that nothing be in them repugnant to sound doctrine But such prayers cannot be ex tempore ejaculations or sudden conceptions of every private Pastors brain opinion or fansie Ergo they must be penned forms examined by Gods word and publiquely printed that all may know what they are and may confidently goe along with the Minister and without any scruple of conscience say Amen to the prayers which they cannot doe to such unwarranted immethodicall inconsequent nay hereticall schismaticall and seditious prayers as many of our ex tempore Enthusiasts deliver especially on fast-dayes with infinitie of tautologies and vain repetitions to the great scorn and scandall of our religion ARGUMENT VI. There ought to be publique prayers not only on the Lords day but on the week-dayes also upon speciall occasion in every church or congregation of the saints for prayer is the Christians dayly sacrifice from which those houses of God ought to take their denomination domus mea domus orationis vocabitur my house shall be called the house of prayer domus orationis non orationum not a house of sermons though such there to be made nor a house of sacraments though there to be administred nor a house of Psalmes though there to be sung but a house of prayer as the principall and chief and most necessarie dutie there to be performed prayer may be without the other the other cannot be without it But such prayers can be no other in most churches then set forms devised by the learned of the Clergie and approved by the State for there is not one Minister or Curate of a hundred especially in countrey villages or parochiall churches who hath any tolerable gift of conceived as they tearm them or ex tempore prayers Ergo there ought to be set forms of prayer used in publique congregations ARGUMENT VII No man prayeth as he ought who poureth not out his whole soul before God praying as well with an entire intention as affection But this a man cannot doe who maketh a prolix ex tempore prayer in a publique congregation by reason that he must at the same time both think upon what he speaketh and invent also what he is to speak in order and with good coherence unlesse he will pray absurdly and inconsequently Ergo no man prayeth as he ought who comes not with a set or premeditated form of prayer into a publique congregation ARGUMENT VIII Not to speak of sudden ejaculations which necessitie forceth or excuseth nor of prayers in extasies and raptures in which an elevated soul is rather passive then active In all ordinarie prayers which we are to offer to God in the usuall and constant course of our Ministerie we must be carefull to shun all temeritie and rashnesse and watch in prayer with all diligence The pure oyle Olive of the Sanctuarie was to be beaten by Gods appointment Exod. 27. 20. and the Virgins were to trim their lights Mat. 25. 7. before they went out to meet the Bride-groome and God himself rejected the blind and the lame for sacrifices None presumeth to put up a petition to the king which is not carefully perused before and shall we lesse reverence the King of heaven then an earthly prince But temeritie and rashnesse cannot be avoided by such who speak to God quicquid in buccam venerit and presume to deliver that in a publique assembly which they never thought on before Ergo all such ex tempore prayers ought to be forborn in publique and the set forms of the Church retained or some in stead of them composed with publique approbation Anabaptists Objections In excepting against all set or stinted â—orms of prayer aspis a vipera sumit venenum according to the Latin proverb the asp borroweth poyson from the viper that is the Anabaptists from the Brownists who may rightly be tearmed a generation of vipers because they after the manner of vipers make way to their separation or going out from the Body of their Mother the Church of England by eating and rearing her bowels Out of their own store the Anabaptists furnish themselves with arguments against all set forms of prayer in generall but they are beholding to the Brownists for all such objections as they make against the publique forms of prayer used in the Church of England in particular For the more distinct handling of the objections being somewhat of a different nature and for the ease of the reader that he may more readily find a particular and punctuall solution to any such speciall objections as most stick with him I will first propound their main arguments against set forms in generall and both answer them and retort them and then particularly scan what they seem materially to object against the service-Service-book established by law in the Church of England OBJECTIONS against set forms of Prayer in generall OBJECT 1. No worship devised by man is acceptable to God Set forms of prayer are a worship devised by man Ergo set forms of prayer are not acceptable to God ANSWER First a worship of God devised by man may be taken in a double sense either for a worship wholly devised by man without any precept or president in scripture and such a worship is not agreeable unto God but condemned in his word under the name of will-worship or for a worship in substance prescribed by God but in some circumstance manner or help thereunto devised or composed by man and such may be and is acceptable unto God as for example reading scripture is a religious act prescribed by God yet the translation of the originall into the mother-tongue divisions of the text into chapters and verses diverse readings interlinearie glosses together with the contents and fitting them to the times and seasons are from man Preaching is a worship of God yet the choyse of such a text dividing it into parts and handling the parts in such a method raysing doctrines and applying Uses from them are from man or acts wherein the Preacher maketh use of his invention art and judgement Catechizing is a dutie enjoyned by God yet to use such a form of words or method in Catechizing by questions and answers as also the dividing the Catechisme into 52. Sections answerable to the Sundayes in the year as we see in Calvins and other Catechismes is a device and invention of man In like manner prayer is a dutie enjoyned by God and a part of his substantiall worship but the set forms are devised by man yet according to generall rules prescribed in scripture Secondly not only prayer it self but even set forms of prayer have both precept and example in Gods
by divine inspiration as the originals are EXCEPT V. Fifthly they except that there are vain repetitions in the Service-book But this exception is vain not the repetitions for First that is not vain which serves to a holy end and purpose the more to stirre up our affections or imprint such prayers deeper in our memories as the reflecting of the sunne-beams is not in vain which encreaseth the heat thereof and the striking again and again upon the same nail is not in vain because it driveth it in deeper and more fasteneth it Secondly the holy scripture warranteth such repetitions for in the 136. Psalme these words for his mercie endureth for ever are 27. times repeated in the old translation but 26. according to the new and in Psalme 119. the word of God or some synonymon thereunto is repeated 175. Christ himselfe repeated that prayer Father let this cup passe from me three times Thirdly there is no prayer appointed to be often repeated save the Lords prayer which Christ himself twice delivered upon severall occasions and not only the church of England but all churches in their Liturgies have thought fit to rehearse often for it is as the salt which seasoneth all our spirituall sacrifices as the amber which sweeteneth all our dishes as the Elixar which turneth all our leaden conceptions into pure gold In the confession of our sinnes we are defective as also in the profession of our faith and in our prayers for our selvs and others and in our forms of consecration of the sacrament and therefore in all these places of the Service-book the Lords prayer is added to supply the defects thereof EXCEPT VI. Sixthly they except against the shortnesse of our prayers they say they are rather snips of prayers then prayers and that in them there may be some sparks of pietie but no flame of devotion But this exception is neither true nor just First not true for the prayers appoynted by the church to be read at solemn fasts as likewise the prayers for the whole estate of Christs church and the Morning and Evening prayers for private Families and for sundrie other purposes printed after the Psames are of as large a size as any used in any reformed churches Secondly it is not just our prayers are thereby no way disparaged for the shortest of them come nearer to the pattern of perfect prayer drawn by our Saviour then their longest In all the Bible there is no example of any verie long prayer on the contrarie Solomon commandeth us when we petition the Almightie to use few words and Christ himselfe more then once taxeth the vanitie and hypocrisie of such as mete out their devotion by the ell when you pray use not vain repetitions as the heathen do for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking And Mat. 23. 14. Wo be unto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for ye devoure widdows houses and for a pretence make long prayers In direct opposition to such he framed a prayer to himself a verie short one but most pithie and perfect and it is after this fair copie that the learned Scribes who penned our English devotions wrote well knowing that God is not wooed with varietie of of phrases but rather with sighs and groans not with enlarged thoughts but with enflamed affections as Saint Austine teacheth us The hotest spring sends forth their waters by ebullitions oratio brevis penetrat coelum In a long prayer the affection slaketh cooleth and dieth before he that prayeth is speechlesse and the vulgar sort of people are verie little benefited by these prolix and long-winded rather discourses or expostulations or exaggerations then prayers neither can they for so great a space of time hold their attention to the Preacher neither can their memorie carrie away a quarter of what is powred out before them whereas short prayers often repeated in their ears leave an impression behind them and they get them with many most profitable texts of Scripture often rehearsed in the Book of Common-Prayer by heart and if you take away from them these short cuts and shreddings of devotion as they please to nick-name them such as can neither read nor write will have nothing left to mend their wedding garment Howsoever we want not the approbation herein of the ancient churches especially the famous churches of Aegypt who had many prayers but verie short as if they were darts thrown with a suddain quicknesse lest that vigilant and erect attention of the mind which in prayer in most necessarie should be wasted or dulled through the continuance of over-long prayers EXCEPT VII Seventhly they except against the interchangeable varietie of our Service-Book whereas they continue a long prayer themselvs without any interruption the people only sealing all in the end with their Amen But according to the Rubrick and practice of the church in most congregations in reading the Psalmes and other parts of the Service the Minister and people answer one another by course and turns sometimes he darts outâ—a short ejaculation as sursum corda lift up your hearts they answer him with habemus ad Dominum we lift them up unto the Lord when he singeth one verse in a Psalme they chant out another when he prayeth for them the Lord be with you they require him with a like prayer and with thy spirit And what hurt or incongruitie is in this it is a religious seconding one the other in their devotion and stirring up the intention of the people It is as it were the laying gloing coals one upon another which presently kindle one the other and make the flame the greater And though now this be an eye-sore to some in our Common-Prayer-Book yet the ancients esteemed it no blemish but a beautie in their Liturgies For Saint Ambrose maketh mention of such a custome in Millain Platina in Rome Basil throughout all Greece and Plinie the younger among the first Christians in Trajans time within a hundred years after Christs death These Christians saith he before day sing Hymns alteratìm by turns or catches to one Christ whom they esteem a God And yet we may fetch this practice higher even from a quire of Angells in heaven for so we read Esay the 6. 3. And the Seraphims cryed one to another holy holy holy EXCEPT VIII Their last exception and greatest spleen is at the Letanie one of the choicest pieces in all the service-Service-Book wherein we offer up the sweetest incense of most fervent prayers and fragrant meditations to God And the Brownists their taking offence at it sheweth them to be of the nature of the Vultures who as Aristotle writeth are killed with the oyl of Roses or rather like swine who as Plinie informeth us cannot live in some parts of Arbia by reason the sweet sent of aromaticall trees there growing in everie wood Against this therefore they thunder out a volley of objections in the Letanie say they
cut off malefactors from the Church therewith But they weigh not the circumstances of the Text the Scribes and Pharisees intended not the execution of justice upon the woman but came a birding to catch our Saviour in a snare which they laid after this manner Will he judge this woman fit to be stoned according to the Law or not it he will not judge her we have a just quarrell against him for derogating from the Law of Moses if he judge her fit to suffer death and condemne her to be stoned wee shall have just cause to question him by what authority hee assumes to himselfe the office of a Judge Christ discerning the snare thus breakes it in sunder He that is without sinne among you saith he let him first cast a stone at her Which is as if he should have said The matter of fact is evident the woman is guilty and the law is as cleare shee ought to be stone◠but who are you who demand the rigour of the Law to be executed upon her are you free from this foule aspersion are you innocent from this great offence look into the book of your owne conscience or if not read what you see here written in the dust Thus touching on their sore they shrinke and withdraw themselves away one after another and the woman is left alone with our Saviour whom he dismisseth with a gracious admonition Goe and sinne no more vers 11. What will the Anabaptist conclude from hence that because Christ condemned not this woman to death according to Law that therefore no Christian may inflict corporall punishment for adultery by the same reason they might inferre against themselves and their owne practises that because Christ severed not this woman from the congregation that therefore no Minister of God or spirituall Magistrate may excommunicate for adultery or the like crimes That which we are from this example of our Saviour to learne for our instruction is first That Christ came not to destroy but to save not to punish but to forgive sinne not to bereave any of their Temporall life but to purchase for all true believers and penitent sinners a Spirituall and Eternall life Secondly that all they who are overtaken with any sinne or crime punishable by the Law ought not to prosecute the extremity against others who stick in the same mud with themselves The snuffers which were to mend the lights in the Sanctuary by Gods appointment were to be made of pure gold to teach us that they who take upon them to accuse and censure others ought themselves to be most free from blame especially in the same kind of transgression otherwise they are like to heare Physitian cure thy selfe or out of Rom. 12. 21. Thou which teachest another teachest thou not thy selfe thou which preachest a man should not steale dost thou steale thou which saist a man should not commit adultery dost thou commit adultery or as we have it Ioh. 8. 7. He that is without sinne ltt him cast the first stone Thirdly that the Ministers of the Gospell by the example of our blessed Saviour when sinners are brought before them confounded with shame in themselves and so strangled with their inward guilt that they are not able to speak a word in their own defence or for their excuse ought to have compassion on them and upon their repentance and humiliation send them away with some comfort aad godly admonitions as our Saviour doth here Hath none condemned thee neither doe I goe and sinne no more Lastly they argue very weakly ab authoritate negativè after this manner We read in holy Scripture of no Christians that ever sate upon the throne of Majesty or Bench of Justice neither in the age of the Apostles nor in the prime and best times doe we heare of any Civill Magistrate exercising any authority in the Church therefore Christians ought to exercise no such authority nor execute any such office But this argument like snow when the weather growes warme dissolves of it selfe For 1. As we read in the New Testament of no Christian Kings Judges Sheriffes or other Officers attending on Courts of justice so neither doe wee read of any that taught the Tongues Arts or Sciences or trades in foraine parts or exercised any kind of Manufactures now in use yet no man doubteth but many hundred did so and questionlesse Ministers of justice are as necessary in every City and Towne Corporate as Merchants or Artizens This argument therefore ab anthoritate negativè may justly bee answered negatively If there were no Christian Magistrates they could not bee recorded in Scriptures but it will not follow none are mentioned or recorded in Scripture Ergo there were none 2. Though the story of Abgarus King of Edessa his conversion to the Christian faith may be Apocryphall yet the story of the Eunuch related Acts 8. 27. A man of great authority under Candace Queene of Ethopia is Canonicall and Nicodemus a Ruler among the Iewes and Ioseph of Arimathea the Senatour and Theophilus to whom Saint Luke intitles his Gospell and Cornelius the Centurion and Publius the Governour of Melita and Sergius Paulus the Proconsull and Erastus the Chamberlaine and some of Neroes family whose names are registred in the book of life make good the observation of the Apostle that though not many Noble men not many mighty men not many in great place or authority yet some such were called even in the Apostles time which are sufficient to rebate the edge of this argument 3. Admit that there were few or no Converts in the Apostles dayes who held the place or executed the office of Magistrates yet that which is sufficient to prove the lawfulnesse and necessity of that calling Christ himselfe both acknowledged and submitted unto the authority of Pilat and paid tribute to Caesar and Saint Paul appeales to Augustus and complaines to Lysias of a conspiracy against him and was rescued by him Lastly though the Christian Church at the beginning was cast out as it were starke naked and lay in the open field weltring in her owne blood and no eye pitied her yet in processe of time the predictions of the Prophets were accomplished She had Kings to be her nursing Fathers and Queenes to be her nursing Mothers and all sorts of Civill Magistrates both supreame and subordinate to be her Gardians and Protectours And as the earth in Italy never bare so great a burthen on it nor yeilded so plentifull a crop as when it was turned up laureato ato vomere and the plough held by the hand of Camillus the Dictatour terra gestiente se coli à triumphali agricola so the Church and Common-wealth never so thrived as when religious Kings and Princes took the manuring and managing thereof Which happinesse God grant to these Realmes and Kingdomes even till Shilo come AMEN The Pythagoreans conceived the Celestiall Spheres to bee like Cymbals and by their regular motion to produce
the Consull and the Prophet A Censure of a Book printed Anno 1644. Intituled The confession of faith of those Churches which are commonly though falsely called ANABAPTISTS PLiny writeth that if the black humour of the Cuttell-fish be mingled with oyl in a Lampe the visages of all in the room though never so faire and beautifull will seem ugly and of the hieu of Blackamores so the Proctors for our Anabaptists would beare us in hand that all who of late have preached and written against that Sect through the black humor of malice tanquaÌ„ Sepiae atramâ—nto make it appear much more deformed and odious then it is for if we give credit to this confession and the preface thereof those who among us are branded with that title are neither Hereticks nor Scismaticks but tender hearted Christians upon whom through false suggestions the hand of Authority fell heavy whilest the Hierarchie stood for they neither teach free will nor falling away from grace with the Arminians nor deny originall sinne with the Pelagians nor disclaime Magistracie with the Jesuits nor maintaine pluralitie of wives with the Polygamists nor communitie of goods with the Apostolici nor going naked with the Adamites much lesse averre the mortalitie of the soul with Epicures and Psychopannychists and to this purpose they have published this confession of their Faith subscribed by fifteen persons in the name of seven Churches in London Of which I may truely say as Saint Hilarie doth of that of the Arrians they offer to the unlearned their faire cup full of venome annointing the brim with the honey of sweet and holy words they thrust in store of true positions that together with them they may juggle in the venome of their falshood they cover a little ratsbane in a great quantity of sugar that it may not be discerned For among the fifty three Articles of their confession there are not above six but may passe with a faire construction and in those six none of the foulest and most odious positions wherewith that Sect is aspersed are expressed What then are all that have imployed their tongue and pen against them heretofore no better then calumniators and false accusers of their brethren nothing lesse for besides the testimonies of Melancthon Bullinger Sleiden Gastius Pontanus Guidebres others who lived among them by the harmonie of all the Protestant Churches confessions it appears that the masters of our Anabaptists Ring-leaders of that sect in Switzerland Suevia Franconia Munster Saxonie and the Low Countries held such erroneous tenets as are above mentioned and if their Scholars in England have learned no such doctrines from them it is because they are punies in their School and have not taken any Lesson in the upper forms they have but sipt of the cup I spake before of the divell holds them but by the heel only as Thetis did Achilles when she dipt him in the sea We read in Diodorus Siculus of certain creatures about the shores of Nilus not fully formed and in a Stone-cutters shop we see here the head of a man there all the upper parts carved in a third place the perfect statue so it seems to me that these Anabaptists are but in fieri as the Schooles speak not in facto esse like the fish and Serpents in the mud of Nilus not fully shaped like a statue in the Stone-cutters shop not finished they are Anabaptists but in part not in whole Be it so for I desire to make them rather better then worse then they are I will therefore lay nothing to them but that they owne nor bring any other evidence against them then this their confession In which I except First against those words in the thirty one Article Whatsoever the Saints any of them doe possesse or enjoy of God in this life is by Faith This passage savours ranke of that errour or heresie call it which you please imputed to Armacanus who is said to have taught that the right of all possessions and goods or temporall blessings is founded in grace not in nature and that we hold them by no legall tenure but Evangelicall promises and true it is that none but the faithfull hold in capite nor have any but true beleevers a comfortable and sanctified use of the creatures and a spirituall title to them but yet it cannot be denied that they may have and many have actually a legall title to them and civill interest in them even before they are in Christ or adopted into his family by actuall Faith for if it were otherwise Esau should have had no right to mount Seir nor Nebuchadnezzar to Tyre which yet the text saith God bestowed upon them nay if this position may take place no childe shall have any right to his fathers inheritance nor Prince newly borne to his Crowne which is not only an absurd but a very dangerous and seditious assertion None of the foure great Monarchs of the world represented in Daniels vision for ought can be proved were true beleevers though some of them did some outward acts of pietie and afforded some reall courtesies to the people of God yet of these Kingdomes the Prophet speaking saith that the most High ruleth in them and giveth them to whomsoever he will and Saint Augstine is bold to say that the same God who set the Crowne upon Constantine the Christians head gave the Empire of the world to Iulian the Apostata Nay Christ himselfe paid tribute to Caesar and acknowledged that he had a right to the tribute money saying Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars Yet that Caesar he spake of was Tiberius an enemy to all godlinesse and a kind of monster among men Secondly I except against those words in the 38. Article that the due maintenance of the officers aforesaid should be the free and voluntary communication of the Church and not by constraint to be compelled from the people by aforced Law These words may carry a double sense if their meaning be that all Religious Christians ought freely to contribute to the maintenance of the ministery should not need any law to inforce them we embrace their good affection to the Church and Churchmen but if their meaning be that the maintenance ought to depend upon the voluntary contribution of their parishioners and that in case the flock should deny their Shepherds either part of their milke or fleece that the Pastours should have no assistance of Law to recover them this their opinion is most impious and sacrilegious and directly repugnant to the Law of God which assigneth tithes for the maintenance of the Priests and that Law of God in the old Testament is not abrogated in the new but rather confirmed at least in the equitie thereof for Christ speaking of tithing mint and cummin saith those things ye ought to do and not leave these things undone and the Apostle proveth that the ministers of the Gospel ought to live
lives to the law of God they are also purged from the guilt of their sinnes and Christs righteousnesse is imputed unto them though they have no sense or feeling thereof till God worketh powerfully upon their hearts by the preaching of the word and they apprehend Christs merits by an actuall faith As a flower in the winter lyes hid under ground in the root which at the spring shooteth forth the leaves thereof so in children that are baptized there remaines that root of sanctifying grace in their hearts which in riper yeares putteth forth the leaves thereof by a holy profession and bringeth forth fruit by a godly conversation They argue à pari if the sacrament of baptisme be to be administred to children then also the sacrament of the Lords supper for both are seales of the same covenant But the supper is not to be administred unto infants therefore neither is baptisme But we answer that the inference is not good for though both are seales of the covenant of grace yet there is a three-fold disparitie in them which looseneth the sinewes of the argument First baptisme is the seale of our new birth but the Lords supper of our growth in grace and ghostly strength baptisme is a sacrament of initiation the Lords supper of perfection Now it will not follow that because a punie or novice may or ought to be admitted to the lowest form in the school of Christ therefore he may and ought to be set in the highest the Lords supper is strong meat and not milk and therefore no fit meat for sucklings Secondly the sacrament of the Lords supper was instituted for the commemoration of Christs death As oft as ye eat of this bread and drink of this cup saith the Apostle ye shall declare the Lords death till he come But children neither can apprehend nor shew forth Christs death therefore that sacrament is not ordained for them Thirdly before the receiving the Lords Supper every one is required to examine himselfe which children cannot do But before baptisme there is no such examination required Though if any in riper years be converted to the Christian faith it is most requisite that he be examined by the minister who baptiseth him and that he be able to give a good account of his faith but every one who is fit to be baptized is not presently to be addmitted to the Lords Table without precedent preparation and a more strict examination of himself both concerning his growth in faith and sinceritie of repentance and unfained charitie with an earnest desire of that heavenly repast They argue from Christs example who was not baptized till he was thirtie years of age But we answer that Christs example alone without a precept doth not bind us For Christ neither instituted nor administred the holy Supper till the day before his death and then he both administred and received it after Supper and that with his Apostles only yet we are not bound either to defer our receiving to the day before our death or to administer the Eucharist after Supper or to participate only with such a number and those Priests or Ministers of the Gospell Secondly Christ in his infancie was circumcised circumcision then being in force neither was baptisme then instituted but now circumcision is abrogated and baptisme succeeds in the place thereof Thirdly though Christ were not baptized in his infancie for the reasons above alledged yet was he baptized if I may so speak in the infancie of baptisme it self For as soon as Iohn began to baptize Christ came unto him and required baptisme of him When the fulnesse of time was come in which God had appoynted to manifest him to the world and appoynt him our teacher by a voice from heaven This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear him According to whose example we ought not to defer our baptisme but upon the first opportunitie offered unto us receive that seal of our new-birth in Christ and admission into his church I conclude the answer to this argument with an observation of Gastius that Christ because he was Lord both of the people in the old testament and of them in the new therefore he would receive the sacraments of both and was both circumcised in his infancie and baptized also as soon as baptisme was in force Since the examination and confutation of this second Article of the Anabaptists there came to my hands a small pamphlet dedicated to the house of Commons intituled The vindicathâ—u of the royall commission of king Iesus wherein the author Francis Cornwell master of Arts and sometimes student of Emanuell Colledge in Cambridge frameth many arguments against the ordinance of the church in baptizing infants Of which I may truly say as Martiall doth of Caecilius who made disverse dishes of one and the self same kind of course root Atreus Caecilius cucurbitarum Sic illas quasi filias Thyestae In partes lacerat secatque mille Gustu protinus has edes in ipso Has prima feret alterave mensa Has coenae tibi tertia reponit Huicseras Epidipnidas parabit Hoc lautum vocat hoc putat venustum Unum poâ—ere ferculis tot assem Thou cheatest my stomack with varietie of dishes in all which there is but one sorie root drest after a diverse manner in all of them not a half-pennie worth of good and solid meat So this new Anabaptisticall Proselyte endeavours to cheat the judgement of the reader with varietie of syllogismes and enthymems in which there is but one or two arguments at most propounded in divers forms and in all of them not the weight of one solid reason the summe effect of his whole book is contained in the title-page wherein he affirmeth that the christening of children doth universally oppose the commission granted by king Iesus Mat. 28. 19. 20. Mark 16. 15. 16. and that paedobaptisme is a popish tradition brought into the church by Innocentius the third upon these two notes he runs in division through his whole book The first hath no colour of probabilitie and the latter is a grosse ignorant untruth if the baptisme of infants oppose the coÌ„mission granted by Christ Mat. 28. either it opposeth it in words or in sense not in words for there is no mention at all of children in either of those texts much lesse any prohibition of baptizing them neither doth it oppose it in sense For the meaning of our Saviour there apparently is that his Apostles and their Successors should go and convert all Nations and plant Christian churches in them first teaching them the Gospel and principles of Christian Religion and after administring the sacraments unto them which they have done accordingly first teaching the parents and baptizing them and after their children into their faith But the objection from these texts is fully answered and retorted in the end of the conference and in the solution of the first argument brought by