THE Baptizing of a Turke ¶ A Sermon preached at the Hospitall of Saint KATHERIN adioyning vnto her Maiesties Towre the 2. of October 1586. at the Baptizing of one Chinano a Turke borne at Nigropontus By MEREDITH HANMER D. of Diuinitie Printed by Robert Walde-graue dwelling without Temple-barre To the Right Worshipfull RAPHE ROKEBY Esquier Maister of the Hospitall of S. Katherine and also one of the Maisters of her Maiesties Courte of Requests health wealth in the Lord Iesus IT hath bene the maner of olde Right worshipfull that if any strange or new thing happened within anie mans charge the same as auncient histories record was immediately shewed vnto the superiors The Lieuetenant of Iudaea certified the Emperour Tiberius the Senate of Rome of the fame of Christ and especially his reion then rife in the mouthes of most men throughout Palaestina Least I should seem forgetfull of good maners being of diuers intreated to publishe this exercise I haue thought good to shew vnto you the good newes here hapned throgh the mercy goodnes of our gratious God which hath brought home to his folde an erring sheepe by birth a Turke borne at Nigropontus hertofore by professiō a Saracen addicted vnto the superstitious lawe of Mahomet but now by the ministerie of our handes not of worthines but of fauour called to the function after publike confession of his true faith in Iesus Christ receiued into the congregatiō of the faithful marked by Baptisme for a vowed professor and sealed vp in your Hospital of S. Katherine where the diuine prouidence hath alotted you vnder her Maiestie heade gouernour for the childe of God Maners being not forgotten and duetie thus remembred the beholder and hearer haue ioynte cause to bee ioyful for the pearle espied in the field for the coyne found after searching for the sheepe called home from straying according vnto the parables in the Gospell and to praise our God whose mercie endureth for euer Of the other side wee haue cause to sorrowe when wee behold the face of the earth in manner all couered with heathens idolatrers and false worshippers Asia in greatnes halfe the world though of olde reckoned for the third part with the most famous gouernours Zambei of Arabia the king of Narsinga greate Cham of Tartaria and the Indian Ilands if we may credit Marcus Paulus Venetus amounting to the number of twelue thousand seauē hundred all at this day excepting a few Christians here there scattred are either Infidels liuing as brute beastes without God or followers of Mahomet ioyning with the Turke in false worshippe yet not fearing his power the which places haue beene of olde acquainted with the voice of Christ and with the sounde of the Apostles feete Affrike excepting the dominions of Presbiter Iohn the greate king of Aethiopia who professeth the faith in Christ though not so purely as it is to be wished hath many Infidels the rest are Moores Saracens Nigroes Barbarians addicted to Mahomet and obedient to the great Turke In these countries there are fewe Christians seene This triangle of East South West haue shaken off the faith which of olde hath there beene professed Europe remaineth though more peopled yet a lesser parte then Affrike neyther is this part cleare from Mahomet The great Turke hath taken Greece awaye and seated himselfe at Constantinople Christian religion is now couched in the North partes of the world and so far that it seemeth if we looke for fruits all frozen The professors according vnto the words of our Sauiour are now a little flock It is high time wee should earnestlie pray vnto God that hee wil enlarge his kingdome that hee will open the eyes of Infidels that he will direct Idolatrers in the true woorship that they which call vppon him in worde maye followe him in deede that his name may be glorified vpon earth that al may be gathered together into one fold to sing holy holy holy Lord God of Sabaoth And here withal I suppose it needfull to certefie your worship what moued this Turk to becom a Christiā not holie words but workes not the name of faith but the viewe of fruites not the learning of Clarks but the liues of certain good Christiās whose loue kindnes did so rauish him as he saide of himselfe that he cōfessed the God of the christians to be the onely true God And among others he named Sir F. Drake that worshipful knight W. Haukins that worthy Captaine The tree is knowne by the fruits Gods children are known by their holines the true professors are knowne by their loue Hereby saith our Sauiour shall all men knowe that ye are my disciples if ye loue one another The Iews gloried they were of God their behauior declared thē our sauiour gaue sētence to be of the deuil they said they were of the seede of Abraham their works denied them to be such This is the course that Christ tooke with the Scribes Pharises for the stay of his credit If I do not the workes of my Father beleeue me not Agayne though ye beleeue not me beleue the works This is the rule that Iewe and Gentile that Turke Saracene euery good Christiā now marketh beholdeth but at this day nothing rifer thē sayyng nothing rarer then doing Wher be the almes-houses Hospitals Colledges and Churches nowe a daies founded builded No doubt God hath his people and they haue their fruites though the same be very few If wee were so desirous to haue our lights I mean our fruits so shine vpon the earth in these North partes of the world where Christianitie is professed as we are gredily bent to gette the earthly commodities of Affrike Asia and the hid treasures of the far Indies we shoulde no doubt prouoke them out of the said coūtries to seek after our God and to bee rauished with the conuersation and steppes of the Christians as they allure vs wyth fame of their commodities to seeke after their forrain riches And wheras now one silly Turk is won ten thousands no doubt woulde receiue the faith The heathens in far coūtries do wōder at the couetousnes of the christiās the cruelty among other nations of the Spaniard Presbiter Iohn in Affrike crieth out vpon the Christian Princes for their diuision discorde The great Turk at Cōstantinople laugheth the pope his prelats to scorn for their pride the Christian churches he reuileth and not without cause for their idols images Reformation is to be sought for of al men not onely in Religion wherein some ouer-busie themselues neuer satisfied vntill they haue ouerthrowne all but in liues maners that they which are without seeing our good workes may glorifie our father which is in heauen Thus occasioned by these circumstances my pen hath ouer-ruled me I feare lesse ouer tedious Maye it please you to accept this remembrance proceeding from a willing mind though other-wise not furnished to gratifie your kindnes From
space of 300. yeares vntill the late councell of Basill where there was but a colourable reconciliation Germanus Archbishop of Constantinople telleth Gregorius 9. the cause of their departure in this sort That great discord contrarietie of doctrine ouerthrow of Canons alteration of rites which the fathers deliuered are causes of this particion which seperateth those things which at first were vnited and ioyned with the coniunction of peace and concord let the whole world being made one language confesse c. A little after And that we may touche the marrowe of the truth Many mighty and noble parsonages would obey you vnlesse they feared your vniust oppressions your insolent exactions of riches your vnlawfull seruitude the which you extort of them that are subiect vnto you Here hence are crueel battailes one against the other desolation of Cities sealing vp of Church-dores schisme of the brethren the priestly function ceasing and a stay that God according vnto our duetye bee not praised vnder the Climate of the Grecians Hee writeth the like vnto the Cardinalls concludeth that the Aethiopians Syrians Hyberians Lazians Alanians Gothes Chazarians all Russia Bulgary hold with the Greeke-church and because of the aforesaide enormities haue did Rome farewell The Archbishop of Antioch about the same time calling vnto him a great number of Bishoppes of Greece excommunicated the Pope and the Clergye of Rome The Patriarch of Constantinople complained at the councell of Lions to Innocentius 4. face what a great number of Churches there were in Greece that reiected the Churche of Rome for the abhominations thereof Papa tacuit The Pope said not a word Hee might bee iustly ashamed who glorying in the keyes locketh vp all shutteth out suche as would come and receaue the christian faith but he will neither enter neither suffer others by reason of y e shamefull sinnes and wickednes there raigning If either Heathen or Iew or Saracen speake of the christian faith immediately he hath Rome in his mouth Rome cannot be excused And for that they knowe not the puritie of religion in the reformed Churches beeing corners pingles of Christendome with open mouth they reuile and speake ill of al to the great dishonor of God and hinderance of the preaching of the Gospel There are many nations no doubt that if the truth were opened vnto them they would most willingly receaue the christian faith many hungring thirsting after the knowledge of the true God In Turkie they may not call into question the incertainty of Mahomets law it is death vnder the dominion of the Pope they may not professe what they know for truth much like them of whō Augustine speaketh that being among the schismatickes and heretickes they durst not confesse the Catholique faith least they and their houses should be destroyed Many doe heare and see yet are they stopped with staines misliking the water for the puddle of Rome O what blessinges hath God poured vppon England blessed bee his name therefore We maye saye as it is in the Gospell Many Prophets and Kinges haue desired see those things which Englād hath seen and haue not seene them It is to be feared least the vnthankfulnes of the people the rechlesnesse in Gods seruice and the want of Christian lights and works will cause God to remooue the candlesticke out of his place and the light of the Gospell from among vs and deliuer it to such a nation according vnto the parable in the Gospell as will bring foorth fruits accordingly God of his infinite goodnesse shewe mercie vnto his Church continue the Gospell purge all blemishes open the eyes of all Infidels Iewes Turkes and Saracens bring into the folde all lost and wandering sheepe make of all nations one sheepefolde vnder the head shepheard and Bishoppe of our soules Iesus Christ to whome with the Father and the holy Ghost bee all honour and glorie nowe and for euer Amen FINIS ¶ After the Sermon ended the Turke confessed in the Spanish tongue before the face of the congregation the Preacher out of Pulpit propounding the questions and receiuing the answers by skilfull Interpretors in summe as followeth INprimis that hee was verie sorie for the sinful life which he had lead in times past in ignorance and blindnes and hoped to obteine pardon in Iesus Christ Secondly hee renounced Mahomet the false Prophet of the Moores Saracens and Turkes with al his abhominations and blessed GOD which had opened his eyes to beholde the truth in Iesus Christ Thirdly hee confessed there was but one God he beleeued the Trinitie of persons the Father the Sonne the holy Ghost and the same to bee one God in vnitie which is to bee blessed for euer Fourthly hee confessed and affirmed that hee beleeued verily that Iesus Christ was and is the sonne of God God from euerlasting the onely true Messias sauiour of the worlde that he suffered for the sinnes of al that beleeue in him and that there is no way to be saued but onely by the merits of the death and passion of Iesus Christ Lastly he desired hee might be receiued as one of the faithfull Christians bee baptized in the faith of the blessed Trinitie promising from henceforth newnes of life and fruits according vnto this profession ¶ In the middest of the congregation there was a comely Table set couered with a faire linnen cloth and thereon a Basen with water After the congregation had blessed God for his great mercies and after sundry godly Praiers and Collects according vnto the reuerend order of holye Church suche as broght him thither desired his name might be William so was he baptized In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holie Ghost Praise be to God Fulgent lib. 1. ad Trasimund Ephes 2. Psal 66. Math. 20. Rom. 11. Luke 15. Math. Palmer Massaeus chron lib. 13 Volfgang-Drechsler Chronic. de Saracen Turc origine Volaterran Geogr. lib. 12. Paul Diac. rer Rom. lib. 18. Sabellicus Enead 8. lib. 6. Ludouicus Carrett ad Iudaeos lib. diuinorum visorum Paulus Diaconus Rer. Com. lib. 18. Math. Paris hist Anglor in Henric. 3. Isidor Etymolog lib. 14. cap. 3. Sabellic Enead 6. lib. 4. Auentin Annal. lib. 3. Zonaras Annal. tom 3. Paul Diac. Volater lib. Sigebert Cronic Elor histor Sabellic Enead 8. lib. 6. Anton. Cropart 2. tit 13 cap. 5. Flor histor Antoninus Sabellic Enead 8. lib. 6. Naucler generat 22. Ludouic Roman Patritius nauigat lib. 1. cap. 12. Isid Aetym lib. 14. cap. 5. Sabellic Enead 1. lib. 5. Stephan Anton. cron part 2. cap. 5. Sabellicus Enead 8. lib. 6. Volfgang Drechsler Cronic Nauclerus Generat 22. Theodorus Gaza epist ad francisc philelph Strabo lib. Laonicus Chalcondyl de reb Turc lib. 1. Mathias â Michou de Satmat Asiatic lib. 1. cap. 15. Volater lib. 12. Andreas â Lacuna de Turc orig cap. 1. Mathias â Michou cap 11.13 Laonicus lib. 1. Otho Frisingensis Bullinger in Apocalyp concione 41 Volater Geogr. lib. 7 Andreas â Lacuna de orig Turc cap. 1. Iohannes Ramus rer Turc lib. 3. Math. 10. Leuitic 13. 1. Iohn 4. Iudic. 12. Iud. Epist 3. Reg. 3. Sabellic Enead 8. lib. 6 Fascicul Temporum Sabel Enead 8. lib. 6. Anton. cron part 2. tit 13 cap. 5. Mathias â Michou de Sarmat Asiana lib. 1. lib. 7. Laonicus de reb Turc lib. 3. Sabellic Enead lib. 6. Iacob 2. Naucler Generat 22. Anton. cron part 2. tit 13 cap. 5. Esay 53. Iohn 6. Iohn 11. Hebr. 9. Math. 26. Irenaeus lib. 1. cap. 23.25 Epipan heres 24.28 Math. Paris hist Angl. in Henric. 3. Sabellic Enead 8. lib. 6. Iacob de Vorag in vita Pelag. legend 177. Laonic. lib. 3. Volater lib. 12. Anton. cron part 2. tit 13. cap. 5. Naucler Generat 22. Flor. Hist Paul Diac. rer Rom. lib. 18. Ludouicus Carettus ad Iudaeos lib. diuinorum visor Esay 62. Zachar 9. Math. 21. Esay 53. Iohn 18. Act. 4. Abacuk 2. Act. 3. Luk. 17. 2. Corinth 3 Naucler Generat 22. Sabellic Enead 8. lib. 6 Suidas Laonic. de reb Turc lib. 3. Ieremy 35 Math. 26. 1. Timoth. 5. Ephes 5. Iacob de Vorag legend 177. Laonic. de reb Turc lib. 3. Anton. cron Volater lib. 12. Genes Coelius Nicol. Clenard 1. Epist Anton. cron part 2. tit 13 cap. 5. Bonfin lib. 8 decad Bernard in Rosar part 1. serm 14. Anton. vt supra Anton. Chronic. Iacobus de Vorag legend 177. Laonic. Volaterr Anton. Math. Paris in Henric. 3. Bernard Laonic. rer Turc lib. 3. Antoninus Cron. part 2. tit 13. cap. 5. Cuspinian Ludouicus Rom. patritius Nauigat lib. 1. cap. 8. 13. Ludouic Rom. lib. 1. cap. 1. 18. Lib. 2. cap. 6. Math. 7. Math. 16. Deut. 12. Deut. 22. Exod. 12. 1. Corinth 5 Math. 6. Eccle. 13. 2. Corinth 6 Math. 15. Auicenna Metaphysic Luke 16. Rom. 14. Math. 4. Deutr. 8. Ioh. 4. Iohn 17. Ioh. Zonar Annal. tom 3. Anton. cron part 2. tit 13. cap. 5. Auierus lib. 2. cap. 12. Ioh. Leo. lib. 3. cap. 23. 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Shordich the xii of October 1586. Yours in the Lord Meredith Hanmer Math. 5. Verse .16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in heauen THe present occasion heere offered hath mooued mee good people beloued in our sauiour Christ among other places of holy Scripture at this time to deliuer vnto you the wordes of our Sauiour Christ written by the Euangelist Sainct Mathew in the fifth Chapiter which putte vs in remembraunce of our way our walke our workes our lights and Christian fruites a meane to winne them that are without and to mooue men to sounde forth the glory and prayse of God It is high time to speake the matter concerneth the Maiestie of God the good successe and furtheraunce of the Christian faith Fulgentius writing vnto Trasimund king of Vandals of the misterie of the incarnation and mediatorshippe betweene God and manne then called into question sayth Cum de Deo res agitur non leuis reatus est si ê™ ad salutem pertinet taceatur When the matter concerneth God it is no small offence to be silent in that which toucheth saluation Wee are created sayth the Apostle in Christ Iesus ad bona opera to shewe forth good workes to the honour and glory of God I haue iust cause togeather with you laying other thinges aside greatlye to prayse God whose watchefull eye beholdeth continuallye the wretched wights of the world who calleth into the vinearde agayne and againe the idle persons standing in the market place of the world who graffeth of his meere mercy and fauour the wild Oliue in the true and naturall Oliue who fetcheth home with his power and carieth home as it were vpon his shoulder the wandering and lost sheepe into the folde and at this present this silly Turke and poore Saracene vpoÌ„ his confession to be matriculated in the booke of the faithfull and by Baptisme to bee sealed vp for the childe of God and inheritour of the kingdome of heauen I haue againe to commend for example to others of christian light and conuersation certayne worthy persons of this land whome this Saracene termed most worthie christians whose light and behauiour this sillye Turke beholding was as he confesseth the rather moued to be of their faith and religion but of them in the end when I shall open vnto you the things that moued this Turk to receiue the christian faith Moreouer by occasion that the Sacrament of Baptisme is presently to bee ministred the time requireth I shoulde speake of the principles of christian religion the rocke and foundation of this spirituall building and the corner stone that closeth vp the whol our Lord Iesus christ But for y t my speache is to bee directed vnto you good people that are therein as I hope sufficientlye perswaded and that this Saracene vnderstandeth not the english tongue but as hertofore vppon priuate conference and at this present also by an interpretor in the spanish tongue hee is readie and shall deliuer before you all a true confession of the faith in Iesus Christ therefore happelie of these thinges by the waye in the sowing of the seede of Gods word And at this time I haue purposed by Gods helpe to lay before you first the originall of Mahomet that false Prophete with the nations of Mores Saracens and Turkes secondly their false doctrin and wicked religion wherewith they haue bewitched infinite soules with a briefe confutation thereof Lastly that which concerneth our selues howe wee may please God with the way meane to winne them that are without according vnto the rule of our Sauiour Let your light so shine before menne that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen That this may be done to the glorie of God and comforte of our soules and consciences I beseech you ioine with me in prayer c. Our father c. According vnto promise I am to laye before you these three partes 1 The originall of Mahomet the false Prophet of the Turke with the nations of Moores Saracens and Turkes 2 The false doctrine and wicked religion of Mahomet and these erring nations with a briefe confutation thereof 3 The way to please God meane to win them c. Let your light so shine c. In the yeare of our Lord 597. sayth Mathaeus Palmer Massaeus Drechslerus in the raigne of Mauricius the Emperour when as Gregorius magnus was Bishop of Rome one Mahomet was borne of the line of Ismaell the sonne of Abraham by Agar the bondwoman hauing to his father one Abdara and to his mother one Emma being very obscure and base Parentes in Mecha a Citie of Arabia His Parents deceased and left him a very yong Orphane who in shorte time by misaduenture was taken captiue this beeing knowne vnto his kinred one Abdemonaples saith Volaterran an Ismaelite bearing him great good will for his fauor forwardnes of wit paid his raunsome made him his seruaunt and factor in all his marchaundize Not long after his maister dieth without issue his seruant Mahomet matched w t his mistres a widowe of 50. yeares of age called Eadigam saith Paulus Diaconus his own kinswoman so y t his maister being of great credit substance his mistres afterwards his wife of no lesse accoÌ„pt also shortly after departing this life he succedeth theÌ„ both in credit all their substaÌ„ce by this means grew of great power Sabellicus doubteth though hee were borne in Arabia whether he were an Arabian or a Persian he affirmeth y t both is receiued and y t his father was an heathen his mother an Ismaelite and consequently not ignoraÌ„t in the hebrew toÌ„gue not only this but I find it reported by Ludouicê° Carrettê° a coÌ„uert Iew y t India Aethiopia y e kiÌ„gdoÌ„ of Presbyter Iohn Arabia hath many Hebrewes since y e time y t king SolomoÌ„ furnished y e Queene of Saba into her country with twelue thousand of all the tribes of Israel which being dispersed throughout these countries multiplied and increased exceedingly retaining for remembraunce amonge them the Standard and Ensigne of their seuerall Tribe and familie Paulus Diaconus and Mathew Paris deriueth his pedegree lineally from Ismaell the recital wherof I will omitte This Diaconus saith further that this Mahomet for the space of tenne yeares gaue him selfe secretely by perswation to bewitch the people other ten yeares after together with Rognes and Vagabonds that repaired vnto him with force of Armes with Sworde and shedding of blood hee spent in subduing of Countries And lastly nine yeares he openly and manifestly inioyed as a deceiuer a false Prophet and King ouer those whom he had already infected and conquered throughout Arabia and the adioyning Regions his raigne began in Arabia the 15. yeare of Heraclius the Emperour about the yeare of our Lord 617. y