Vers 3. tells that the Law was weak through the flesh i. e. unable to justifie us in regard of our inability through corruption to fulfill it which were untrue if we were able It follows God sent his owne son to give what we could not attain by our own obedience to the Law And as for vers 4. it imports the end of Christs coming that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in us not in our own persons but in Christs righteousnesse imputed to us as if inherent Danson asked Mr. Fisher whether Infants be in a justified state or no He answered there are but two states Justification and Condemnation Danson Before you maintained that our Justification was by a personall fulfilling of the Law and now you grant some persons to be justified who never did fulfill it personally here is a contradiction April 13. §. 4. DAnson undertook to prove our good works are not the meritorious cause of our justification from Rom. 11.6 And if by grace then it is no more of workes otherwise grace is no more grace but if it be of works then it is no more of grace otherwise work is no more worke If justification be of works then grace is excluded for it cannot be of gift and debt in respect of us but grace is not excluded we are justified by grace therefore Again Rom. 10.3 For they being ignorant of Gods righteousness and going about to establish their owne have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth The Apostle makes a distinction between our owne righteousnesse and Gods finds fault with them who neglecting Gods went to stablish their own and he makes our righteousness a personall conformity to the Law and Gods righteousness to be Christs made ours by faith you therefore are guilty who make your owne righteousness your justification Whitehead We do not make our own righteousness our justification but the righteousnesse of God made manifest in us Danson Yesturday you did assert our good works are the meritorious cause of our justification Whitehead We witnesse to the righteousness of God according to Phil. 3.9 Not having mine own righteousnesse which is of the law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith Danson The righteousness which is of Christ and of God by faith is called Christ ver 8. That I may win Christ and how he our righteousness As Christ was made sin for us by imputation So that the Apostle by his own righteousness understands his personall conformity to the law and by Christs that in Christ made the Apostles by faith Whitehead You make two whereas the righteousness of Christ is but one Danson The righteousnesse which the Apostle calls his owne was it not Christs and yet that was never in Christ as the subject and Christ had an inherent righteousness of his own Here are two righteousnesses the one for our justification the other for our sanctification Whiteh Are we not justified by Christ within us Danson By Christ without us Whiteh Then by another Christ and so two Christs Danson Christ within us is not his person but his operations the cause for the effect and therefore it follows not that we make two Christs So that when I deny Justification by Christ within us we deny it by that righteousnesse in us whereof Christ is the Author Whiteh I prove our sanctification gives us a title to the inheritance Acts 20.32 To the word of his grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance Danson 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cannot refer to grace or if it did grace intends not sanctification but o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God Fisher Tit. 3.7 That being justified by his grace it is the same with washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost vers 5. Danson Grace there is meant of the favour of God manifest in the giving of his son imputation of righteousnesse and acceptance in him Whitehead Rom. 4.3 Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness Here faith is the cause of our Justification Danson Formerly it was we are justified by a personall conformity to the whole Law and now you will prove that a conformity to a part will suffice Again the Apostle doth oppose faith and workes Now if faith be considered as a worke there is no opposition and does not that opposition exclude faith as a work And is boasting excluded in justification by faith as a work Rom. 3.27 Where is boasting then it is excluded by what Law of workes nay but by the law of faith And Chap. 4.5 to him that worketh not but believeth For the Text the act is put for the object as if it had been Christ whom his faith layd hold on was imputed for righteousnesse but that faith is imputed instead of personal righteousness or as the meritorious cause I utterly deny § 5. April 19. Q. Whether the Scriptures are the word of God Mr. Fisher IF you mean by the Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the writing we deny it Danson We meane the matter contained whether that be our rule of faith and life Fisher There are severall books which are as much a rule as those in your Bibles 1 Cor. 5.9 I wrote to you in an Epistle Here you have an Epistle of Paul before what you call the first Danson You should have proved that mentioned was intended as much for our rule as those in our books Fisher If written to the same end then it was intended as much but it was therefore Danson I deny the consequence Sermons private religious discourses have the same common end yet Scripture our only standing rule the other as they agree therewith Fisher What character have you of this Epistles being a rule that the other wants Danson Do you know it is extant Fisher No. Danson There is a distinction God hath reserved these for our use the other not Fisher Col. 4.16 And that you likewise read the Epistle from Laodicea a book you have not but we have Danson All that was written by holy men and preserved for our use is not therefore our standing rule then the discourses of holy Ministers left in print but what is the title of that Epistle Fisher The Epistle of Paul to the Laodiceans Danson The place you bring sayes not an Epistle to Laodicea but from But to the quest Whether the books commonly called the Old new Page 28 Testament were appointed by God for a standing rule of faith and life Fisher There is another therefore the Scripture is not it Gal. 5.16 This I say then walke in the spirit in and by the spirit there is our rule Danson That phrase notes the Principle not the rule Fisher You suppose the Letter antecedent to the Spirit whereas the Spirit is antecedent and none can walke in the Letter till in
be coming better and better thou hast the same Heart and the same Devil but a better God blesse his name for so great a blessing 6. Walk with God Remember whereunto thou art called what thou dost professe what God doth require and be holy give an evidence thy way is better then others by appearing and being more holy more heavenly more charitable more righteous more circumspect then others I have often read it with griefe what things the Quakers have charged upon the generality of people their ignorance their pride their profanenesse their earthly mindednesse drunkennesse swearing and uncleannesse oh you that haâ—e the Quakers and their ways that you would in this hear their voice own your sâ—ns sâ—ame your Souls and speedily and really mend your wayes is there any thing in those people and their tenets bad and is there any thing good or not pleasing to God in such iniquities hast thou in thy intemperate zeal a stone for them and hast thou not in just indignation a stone to fl ing at thy own self against thy own Sin beest thou a notorious person mend betime the very Quakers in the streets cry out upon thee art thou good strive to be better this is the way even to convince them if not to witnesse to the truth and hold others that they may not be seduced I observe many at first have too just offence given unto them and then are the easier seduced by a shew of sanctity God keep us both from taking and giving offence Farewell Domine Deus quaecunque scripsi in his libris de tuo agnoscant tui si quae de meo tu ignosce tui Amen Lib. 1. The Old Anabaptist In Chapter 6. CHAP. I. The disposition of the people that embraced Anabaptism the Reformed Religion cleared from any society with it II. The occasion and seeds of Anabaptism the insurrection of Muncer and Phifer III IV. The tragical disorders committed at Munster V. Of the Anabaptists in Low-Germany VI. Of the Anabaptists in Switzerland and other places Lib. 2. The New Quaker In Chapter 10. CHAP. I. Their name and practice II. Of John Gilpin of Kendal III. Of John Tolderry IV. Of James Naylor V. Sundry passages of divers Quakers VI. Of their Opinions VII Of their Blasphemy and Railing VIII An account of a dispute at Cambridge IX Of the disputes at Sandwich X. Shewing how they introduce Popery and some of their passages dangerous to States XI Of publick proceedings against them The old ANABAPTIST OR A Short History OF THE ANABAPTISTS IN GERMANIE LIB I. CHAP. I. The disposition of the people that embraced Anabaptism The Reformed Religion cleared from any societie with it AS in a hot Summers day many times there riseth a great mist with the Sun-rising the like comes to pass at the rising of the Sun of righteousness Since the days of the Apostles that Sun never shone with more brightness and vigour then in Luther's beginnings but it seemeth that this very strength of the Sun-shine of the Truth which dispelled the dark night of Popery raised the foul mist of Anabaptism which sinister effect must not be ascribed to the nature of the Truth but to the indisposition of the several subjects not capable to receive it for where the Gospel meeteth with the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which yet is the work of Grace not Nature it first enlightneth the understanding and then (a) Suaviter fertiter Aug. sweetly perswadeth the Will and warmeth the Affections but meeting with weak and turbulent natures made so by corruption whose judgment is all passion it fills them with a wild-fire zeal and that precious liquor turns into vinegar being poured into such unclean vessels This was seen in the common people of Germanie Low-Countries and Switzerland whose souls were as course as their condition for no sooner had Luther and Zuinglius began to preach the true Gospel but the people made to themselves a new Gospel of licentiousness and rebellion which produced such furious effects that it was like to have strangled the true Gospel in its cradle And it seemed that God angry at the wilful blindness of the world that loved darkness rather than light had prepared a worm to strike that Gourd the next day after its sudden happy rising But God would not suffer the good to be overcome with evil but overcame the evil with good for Anâ—bâ—ptism lasted not in its strength above ten years and ever since till of late in England hath been only buzzing in obscure corners like a Wasp that hath lost its sting Whereas the true Religion notwithstanding the many persecutions of the world and all the craft of Satan gets life (b) Sanguis martyrum semen Ecclesiae by her wounds and hath given to the Romish beast thâ—t deadly blow of which she shall bleed till she die haeret lateri lethalis arundo But becâ—use the Papists shall not ascribe as they use those factions and rebellions to the Reformation it will be requisite to observe what were the dispositions of the Commons of High and Low Germany a little before Luther began to oppose the Pope Triâ—hemius Abbas Vspergensis in his Chronicle of the year 1503. relateth that in that year arose a great sedition of Peasants about Bruxels which he calleth Liga Sotularia They were sworn to these Articles To shake off the yoke of all higher Powers (c) A thing attempted and tantum non effected in England this last year and get liberty by force of Arms like the Switzers To pull down all Magistrates and kill all that should stand against them To seize on the City of Bruxels and invade the Marquisate of Baden To seize on all the revenues of Monasteries (d) As some would the Tithes of England to pay the Sâ—uldiery Churches and Clergy-men To stay no where above 24. hours (e) And how great and many mutations in England in one year but go forward still till they had brought many Countries to their society To pay no more Tithes nor Lords rents nor Tributes Whosoever was received into that League was to say five times a day on his knees (f) Whose finger here a Pater and an Ave for the good success of their enterprise and their word of cognisance was the Virgin Mary and Saint John the Evangelist But that League went but a little way being timely stopt and the Authors put to death by Maximilian their Prince Compare these Articles with those of the Anabaptists 30 years after in the same Country you shall find them the same and both varnished over with (g) In nomine domini omne malum Religion All the difference was that the Sotularians kept in their old heresie and the Anabaptists broached a new one I hope the Papists will not impute that sedition to the Reformation no more than the inraged rebellions of the Gantois against their Soveraigns for both were rank Papists The true cause
then must be ascribed to the mutinous humor of that Nation which afterwards was made worse by the cruel domination of the Spaniard so that when Reformation came and shook off the yoke of Popery the discontented Commons took occasion by wresting and corrupting the holy Doctrine to shake off the yoke of their hard masters and turned the spiritual liberty of the Gospel into carnal licentiousness The like reason must be given for the Anabaptistical commotions in High Germany for in Luthers time and before the lower sort of people were extreamly (h) A warning to Governours to rule well lest the horse throw his rider opprest by the Princes Noblemen and Gentlemen of the Empire which made Luther to write about it to all the Princes Anno 1525. to dehort them from their infinite exactions and exhort th m for Gods sake and for their own peace and safety to use their Subjects and Tenants like men not like beasts made for the yoke and the slaughter If Anabaptism being a doctrine of licentiousness and libertinage was readily imbraced by a multitude that groaned under a miserable bondage none needs to wonder As for the Switzers their popular State together with the contagion of the neighbouring Germany made way for that popular doctrine 200 years before they had killed or ejected all their Nobility by whom they were heavily opprest And now the lower sort of people being bred in an (i) Beware of that ill humour that it settle not with us ancient hatred ag inst Superiors imbraced that doctrine greedily which armed the Commons against their Magistrates But it must be acknowledged to the praise of that State that the Ecclesiastical and Political body opposed Anabaptism with great vertue and vigor and so justified to the world that they were as great enemies to confusion as their forefathers had been to oppression To clear the Reformed Religion from that wicked imputation that it gâ—ve countenance to these rebellions and new doctrines the Anabaptists will serve for they hated Luther worse than the (k) So the Quakers here ne quid durius dicam Pope and troubled the Evangeliques more than the Papists And when they would insinuate themselves into the Reformed States with a seeming familiarity they had but rough entertainment among them Familiares accipere hand familiariter What conferences past between them and what pains the Reformed took to confute them the lasting Monuments will shew which are extant in the writings of Luther Calvin Melancthon Zuinglius Oecolampadius Lavaterus Bullinger Vrsinus and Gastio CHAP. II. The first occasions and seeds of Anabaptism The insurrection of Muncer and Phifer IN the year 1521 Luther being proscribed by Charls the 5. Emperor was secretly conveyed away out of Wittemberg by Frederick Duke of Saxonie In his absence Andreas Carolostadius one of the Ministers of Wittemberg began to preach some new doctrines of his own and being a passionate man stirred the people to pull down (a) Some with us would pull down Churchâ—s and all Images out of Churches in a tumultuous manner Luther for that chief reason being called to Wittemberg again by his friends condemned the proceedings of Carolostadius saying That although himself hated Images and wisht them abolished yet it ought to have been done orderly removing them first out of the minds of the people and teaching them that by Faith only we please God and that Images are of no use in Religion That the Consciences being thus informed and setled Images would fall down of themselves Also that when Images should be removed he would have it done by the Magistrate not by a popular sedition holding it a matter of dangerous consequence to set the people on work about any publique action which should be done by the hand of Authority About the same time a new Sect was springing in Saxony of some fanatical people boasting that they talked with God and (b) Enthusiasts God with them who commanded them to kill all the wicked and make a new World wherein the innocent and godly should live and reign alone of which opinion Carolostadius was either the author or the abettor And when he could not get that doctrine received at Wittemberg where Luther was too strong for him he lest Wittemberg and resorted to these new brethren It is hard to say whether Carolostadius or one Nicholas Stock was the first founder of Anabaptism Melancthon saith that Nicholas Stock was he that began He would say that God spake to him by an (c) So Mahomet Angel and revealed him his will in dreams promising him the place of the Angel Gabriel and the Empire of the World He taught that the Saints must reign in the World and that he must be their leader to kill all the Kings and Princes of the World and repurge the Church He took upon him to have the gift of discerning the Spirits and know the Elect he made holiness to consist in speaking little and living homely and (d) Our Quakers sordid enough but great talkers sordidly In that mans school was Thomas Muncer bred who amplified much his Masters doctrine He began to preach at Alset a City in the borders of Thuringia belonging to the Elector of Saxony teaching that the burden of the Pope was too heavy and that of Luther too light that his consorts must have a new Baptism Thâ—t Christians must be of an austere countenance speak little and wear long beards This he calls the cross and the mortification of the flesh Also that they ought to retire into desarts or private places there to think of God and ask him signs whether he think of them and whether they be in the right Religion He ascribed much unto dreams saying that God declareth his will that way and praised openly in his Sermons such as had dreamed a dream that bore some explication Anno 1525. In that City of Alstet he began first to make a confederacie administring an Oath and taking the names of all them that promised to assist him in his design of killing all the ungodly Princes and Magistrates and erecting new ones in their places So long as he was content to preach of dreams and the like matters of less consequence Frederick Elector of Saxony bore with him but when he began to preach sedition he banished him out of his dominions And he having lyen hid some months came to Nurenberg and being driven thence also came to Mulhus a town of Thuringia where many of his old Disciples when he was at Alstet resorted to him again Luther hearing of this writes to the Magistrates and Senate of the Town that they should not harbour Muncer as they loved their own safety describing withall the mans doctrine and conditions and exhorting them to ask Muncer who had given him authority to preach and if he could shew no (e) To preach without an ordinary calling is with such the ordinary way ordinary calling that then they should eject him