the seed of David according to the flesh whence in the New Testament he is called the Son of man As also Isay the son of a Virgin which could not be if he had not taken flesh upon him from the Virgin Mary neither should our flesh have any hope of eternall life if he were not made flesh neither should his passion or resurrection profit us at all In this point the Anabaptists are worse than the Papists yea then the Turkes themselves who confesse that Christ was borne of a Virgin The Melchiorists a kinde of Anabaptists doe not onely hold the opinion above named but also are so diabolicall and blasphemous as to curse the flesh of the blessed Virgin by maintaining this error The Anabaptists manifest themselves to be of the number of them whom the Apostle St. Iohn speaketh 2. Eph. vese 7. For many deceivers are come into the world who confesse not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh That Christ was not true God This blasphemous Error is contrary to the holy Scripture as Ioh. 1. The word was God Ioh. 10. I and the Father am one Ioh. 4. He that seeth the Father seeth me I am in the Father and the Father in me Col. 2. 9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead corporally Againe 1 Iohn 5. We are in him that is true even in his son Iesus Christ that is the true God And againe if he were not God no created power had been sufficient for the worke of our redemption and satisfaction of Gods wrath This blasphemous opinion reigneth among the Anabaptists in Moravia I doe not find this to be maintained by our English Anabaptists but to be the opinion of Servetus who was burnt at Geneva and his followers Not to be saved by faith in Christ. What can be more contrary to the holy Scriptures than this detestable Error read Iohn 3. 16. So God loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that who so beleeveth in him shall not perish but have life everlasting Rom. 3. 24. We are justified freely by grace through the Redemption that is in Iesus Christ Rom. 3. 28. We conclude that a man is justified by faith without the workes of the Law By the work of Charity and Affliction the passion of Christ is a sufficient ransome for all our sin 1 Iohn 1. The bloud of Christ purgeth us from all out unrighteousnesse Isa. 43. 25. I am he that blotteth out all thy transgressions for my own sake and will not remember thy sinnes Heb. 9. He hath obtained for us eternall redemption nothing here perfect 1. Cor. 13. Neither in his sight can any man living be justified Psal. 143. 2. Neither any troubled conscience can be pacified Rom. 5. 1. Being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ. And for afflictions they are either just punishments for our sins or fatherly corrections to stir us up to a holy life They reject the Doctrine of originall sin because say they Christ hath taken away all evil whether it be the inclination or concupiscence according to that Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world Also that children whereas they do neither good nor evill are under grace and without sin but so the Infants of all nations and Infidels may be saved being without sin but the contrary appeareth by the effect of sin The reward of sin is death Rom. 6. And David confesseth expresly Psal. 51. Behold I was borne in iniquity and in sin my mother conceived me And St. Paul calleth our inbred concupiscence sin dwelling in us And Eph. 2. We were by nature the children of wrath They deny the Sacrament of Baptisme to Infants The ground of this Errour is Ignorance they not knowing what Baptisme is pretending Faith and Repentance to be the estence of Baptisme which Infants are not capable of and therefore not to be baptized To this I answer As faith and repentance was not the essence of Circumcision but the outward circumcising of the flesh and the inward circumcising of the heart So the essence of Baptisme is not faith and repentance but the outward washing of the water the word annexed and the inward washing of the Spirit Our Lord affirmeth Joh. the 3. Except a man be born again by water and the holy Ghost c. St. Augustine affirmeth Although sound faith be not present yet the Sacrament of Biptisme may be sound The Greek Patriarch writing to the German Divines affirmeth in Baptisme the matter to be water the forme the words viz. This servant of God is baptized in the name of the Father Son and holy Ghost the instrumentall cause to be the Minister The Anabaptists attribute too much in this Sacrament to their repentance faith mortification and merit and little or nothing to Gods mercy which is most contrary to the nature of this holy Sacrament which sealeth up unto us out receiving into Gods favour and grace for his owne mercies sake without any merit of ours To palliate this their abhominable error they pervert divers places of holy Scripture as Matth. 28. Mar. 10. Out of the order of words Goe and teach all Nations baptizing them Because that teaching is set befor baptizing they would have children taught before they are baptized To this I answer 1. Whereas teaching is set before baptizing Matth. 28. Baptizing is set before teaching Mar. 1. 4. John did baptize in the wildernesse and teach the baptisme of repentance And againe where it is said repent and beleeve whether is faith or repentance first required But where finde you say they a literall command in all the new Testament for the Baptisme of Infants To this I answer The new Testament doth not literally command Remember to keep holy the Lords day nor to say grace before and after meales or to pray with our Families evening or morning or for women to receive the Communion and many other such like things which are moral duties may be sufficiently proved by consequence out of the holy Scriptures As for example in this very Text which they alleadge against the baptisme of children the baptisme of children is there commanded Goe and teach all Nations baptizing c. The meaning is goe and teach all them that are capable of teaching and baptize them that are capable of baptizing to make this more plaine Is a man should bid his servant goe sheare all my sheep and mark them if that servant should sheare all his sheep and mark them only that he had shorn and not mark his Lambs because he could not shear them doth that servant fulfill his Masters command No more had the Apostles done if they had not marked his lambs as well as his sheep although they were not capable of teaching yet they were capable of marking or baptizing In lawes and precepts that be generall the numeration of singulars are not necessary because lawes doe
also of power as Peter was called to the highest degree Eph 4. 11. Christ ascended up an high and gave gifts unto men as some to be Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and Doctors Now howsoever one Apostle be not above another yet one Apostle is above another as an Apostle is above an Evangelist and an Evangelist above Pastors and Teachers And Peter being an Apostle was above all Evangelists and Pasâ—ors having the highest roome in the Ministery of the New Testament Secondly among the twelve Apostles Peter had a three-fold priviledge First of authority Cephas with Iames anâ— Iohn were called Pillers Gal. 2. 6. 9. Secondly of Primacy being first named The names of the twelve Apostles are these the first is Simon called Peter Thirdly of Principality in regard of the measure of grace in which he excelled Math. 16. 16. The difference is the Papists give to Peter and to the Bishops of Rome his successors a supremacy under Christ above all causes and persons which wee deny affirming Kings and Princes to bee supreme within their owne Dominions The nineteenth of the efficacy of the Sacraments Our consents We teach Sacraments to be signes to represent Christ with his benefits unto us 2. Instruments whereby God offereth and giveth the said benefits unto us The difference First that Sacraments are Physicall Instrements having force in them to give grace Secondly that the very action of the Minister dispensing the Sacrament as it is a worke done giveth grace if the party bee prepared We hold the contrary The twentieth poynt of saving Faith Our consent 1. They teach the property of faith to believe the whole Word of God and especially the redemption of mankinde by Christ. 2. They a vouch that they beleeve and look to be saved by Christ and by him alone and by the meere mercy of God in Christ. 3. The most learned of them hold and confesse that the obedienâ—e of Christ is imputed to them for the satisfaction of the Law and their reconciliation with God 4. They avouch that they put their whole trust and confidence in Christ and in the meere mercy of God for their salvation 5. They hold that every man must apply the promise of life everlasting by Christ unto himselfe Though in coloured termes they seem to agree with us yet indeed they abolish and deny the substance thereof namely the particuler and certaine application of Christ Crucified and his benefits to our selves The 21. poynt of Repentance Our consent 1. Conclusion that Repentance is the conversion of a â—inner and that it is passive or active passive is an action of God whereby he converteth a man being yet unconverâ—ed Active is an action of man whereby man being once turned of God turnes himselfe 2. Conclusion That repentance standeth In Confessing of the mouth Contition of the heart Satisfaction in deed 3. Conclusion that in repentance we are to bring forth outward fruits worthy amendment of life We dissent not from the Church of Rome in the Doctrine of Repentance but in their abusing of it 1. They place the beginning of repentance partly in themselves and partly in the holy Ghost 2. They take Repentance or Penance for that publike Discipline that was used against offenders in the open Congregation 3. They make it a Sacrament 4. They make it a meritorious cause of Remission of sinne and everlasting life and in these poynts saith my Author we dissent from the Church of Rome In the 22. place he setteth downe some sinnes of the Romish Church viz. Atheisme Idolatry and Adultery in permitting Stewes and Brothell-houses I pray God keep us in these distracted times from Atheisme and Sacriledge which ensuâ—th thereupon In Master Perkins Reformed Catholike you may see the confutation of the Popish errors before named at large A Review of the Sectaries comparing them with the PAPISTS FOr the Sacrament of Baptisme the Papists exclude those Infants heaven that are not Baptized and the Anabapâ—ists affirme the Baptisme of Children to be the marke of the Beast and Antichristian The Papists attribute too much to the Element of Bread in the holy Communion accounting him no good Christian that will not call it his Lord God Some of these Sectaries as the Brownists mocke and scoffe at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper calling it a two-penny Banquet For the number of Sacraments the Papists will have too ma-many and some of these Sectaries too few The Papists give too much reverence to the Blessed Virgin holy Apostles and Saints departed and some of these Hereticks blaspheme the holy Virgin whom all Nations should call blessed as the Melchiorists saying Maledicta sit caro Mariae The Papists are blamed for saying too often the Lords Prayer the Brownists and some of other Sectaries will not say the Lords Prayer at all some of them affirming it to be an abominable Idoll though it be commanded to be said by our Lord himselfe The Papists will not onely keep the Lords day but also many Holy-dayes some of these Sectaries will neither keepe Holy-dayes nor the Lords day as the Famalists and Anâ—i-Sabbatarians The Papists confesse their sinnes and suppose they cannot enter heaven without a particuler confession of them some of these Hereticks will not confesse their sinnes at all affirming God can see no sinne in them as the Antinomiaâ—s In equivocating they are alike Equivocation is a cunning colouring of a Lye which is against Scripture against the rule of equity an hindring of Justice the way to perjury the divills creature who is the Father of Lying a princiâ—pll proppe and pillar of Antichrists Kingdome For lying I know not whether Papists or Sectaries shall carry away the Bell they tell lyes they print lies they preach lyes they paint lies and both without controule Bullinger telleth us that the Anabaptists brought Cart-loads of lies to maintaine their detestable opinions Piae fraudes as the Papists have Piae fraudes to draw men to godlinesse as purgatory and such like so have the Sectaries and especially the Anabaptists have tricks and devises as Visions Revelations Dreames yea false miracles to maintain their cause For Hypocrisie they are both alike they come in sheepes cloathing but inwardly they are ravening Wolves The Anabaptists entred Munster like Lambes but became Wolves having gotten the upper hand For their uncleannesse the Papists permit Stewes â—but the uncleannesse of the Familists and Anabaptists in their spiritâ—all marriages and other abhominations are not with a modest tongue to be spoken For Churches the Papists spare no cost in erecting and trimming them they would make them if they could like heaven it selfe whereas some of these Sectaries would destroy and demâ—lish them Last of all the Papists worship God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity and whereas some of these Sectaries blaspheme the holy Trinity their opinions being so Diabolicall and prodigiously impious that it
called Gods because they are in Gods â—lace The Anabapâ—â—sts themselves who despised Government finding the necessity of it in Munstâ—r so that they could not subsist without Goâ—ernment chose themselves a King with inferiour Officers under him That it is not lawfull for a Magistrate to punish because revengâ— is forbâ—dden Christian mâ—n In this they erre not distinguishing betweene revenge and punishment which is from the Magistrate by reason of the execution of the Law grounded upon Gods Law a lawfull punishment appointed by God The Magistrate saith St. Paul is the Minister of God appointed for thy goâ—d either for our naturall good preserving our lives which bloody men would soone ruinate who feare not so much hell as the halter For our civill good preserving our goods and Possessions For our morall good in rewarding vertue and punishing vice he beareth not the sword in vaine For our spirituall good by coactive power enforcing men to the duties of Godlinesse In that notorious Apostasie of Israel when so many execrable enormities were committed When Micah had a house of Gods the Levite wanted maintenance when his Concubine was ravished to death the Spirit still prefixeth at that time there was no King in Israel Wee are beholding to Governement for Order Peace and Religion for Order wherâ— no King is every man will be his owne King for Peace he that will bee his owne King will bee another mans Tyrant for Religion every Micah will have a House of Gods without Governement To conclude Adulterers Murtherers Traytors Witches Burners of Houses may be put to death by the Magistrate to whom the sword is given and they are not killed but such in suffering doe receive a just guerdon for their offences That a Christian man may not take an oath because Christ saith Thou shall not sweare at all which is repeated Iames 5. And that it is enough to say Yea yea and nay nay Answ. Christ doth not forbid an oath before a Magistrate as it is a testimony of truth he reproveth the Pharisees who taught men that they should sweare not onely by the name of God as God had commanded but also by heaven by the earth by their heads c. This vitious kind of swearing he forbiddeth onely because these things cannot be witnesses of the things averred nor punish lying Neither doe the words following Let your communication be yea yea and nay nay take away a lawfull oath but admonish the godly of the goodnesse of truth and hatred of lies That a godly man may lawfully take an oath appeareth by these reasons following 1. From the authority of holy Scripture By the name of God thou shalt sweare Deut. 6. 4. The reason is set down Heb. 6. Because the Lord is greater and that an oath is the end of all controversies so Psal. 15. He that sweareth to his neighbour and deceiveth him not 2. From the example of Christ and holy men in the old and new Testament Genes 24. 26. 3. From the worship of God for an oath is part of Gods worship being a calling upon God to be a witnesse of the truth and an avenger of the lie Nor by oath promise any fidelity or bind himselfe to any Prince or Magistrate whatsoever This opinion openeth a gap to all Treasons Rebellions and Truce-breakings whatsoever If it be not lawfull for a Christian man to bind himselfe by an oath then iâ— is unlawfull for a Christian man to keep such an oath Isaac made a covenant with Abimelech King of Gerar to doe one another no hurt which being sealed up with an oath could not be violated without sinning The Propheâ— Ezekiel calleth the oath of obedience which Zedechiah King of â—srael made to the King of Babel the oath of God although the said King was a tyrant and an usurper without any lawfull succession from David yet he confirmeth it by the mouth of his Prophet Ezek. 17. 19. As I live I will surely bring upon Zedechia mine oath that he hath despised and my covenant which he hath broken upon his own head Again you may see how great a tie an oath is and how severely Almighty God doth punish the violation thereof in the story of ths Gibeonites Iosh. 9. Joshuah and the Princes having made a league with them being beguiled by them pretending that they came from a farre Countrey the congregation murmuring against the Princes were answered by them after this manner We have sworn to them by the Lord God of Israel now therefore we may not touch them lest wrath be upon us because of the oath which we swore unto them About 4000 yeares after Saul in his zeale to the children of Israel shew the Gibeonites for which cause 2 Sam. 21. the Lord plagued the whole Land sending a famine upon them for three yeares declaring himselfe that it was sent because Saul had slain the Gibeonites who hanged up seven of Sauls sons given them by David and then God was intreated for the Land 3. Confutation of Errors not tollerable in Families THat a Christian cannot with a good conscience have any thing proper but all things common This community they ground upon the example of the Apostles in the Acts. Answer An Example maketh no Law neither was this universall Peter saith to Ananias Acts 5. 4. Whilst it remained was it not thine own Again 2 Cor. 9. Every man as he purposeth in his heart so let him give The property of goods is confirmed in the seventh Commandement Again 1 Tim. 6. The Apostle chargeth rich men not to be proud but bountifull not to forsake their goods but to use them well by giving alms Again Prov. 5. 16. Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad and rivers of waâ—ers in the streets let them onely be thine own and not strangers with thee out of which we may gather that every man hath a property in his own That if their wives be not of their Religion they may put them away Answer This is against the definition of marriage which is a lawfull copulation of a man and woman not prohibited by the degrees of consanguinity or affinity The marriage of an Infidell before God is in it selfe no sin The Apostle perswadeth the beleever not to put away his unbeleeving wife 1 Cor. 7. Joseph in Aegypt married the daughter of an Heathen Priest And Moses took the daughter of Jethro who was not of the Circumcision Marriage is a lawfull copulation of a man and a woman not to be dissolved during life but for adultery That it is lawfull to have many wives To this I may oppose the words of Saint Paul 1. Cor. 7. 2. To avoid fornication let every man have his own wife and every woman her own Husband Heb. 13. Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge Exod. 20. 14. Thou shalt not commit adultery Malachi 2. 15. Did he not make one 4. The Orthodox Doctrine of the Church of England contrary to these detestable errors