English Tongue And this may also serve for an Apology for the Quotations alleaged in the ensuing Dialogue whether from Scriptures or Antient Writers If now it should be objected That many words in holy Writ are left untranslated and that therefore we must needs depend upon the present Learned for help in such cases c. To this it may well be answered That there are such Lexicons Dictionaries and Tables long ago extant and yet remaining as may well suffice the Unlearned for their attaining to the true etymology of all such words at least in such sort as may be thought equivolent with what the present Learned are capable to accommodate us with Hence it may be perceived that the mode of divers of our present Scholars under what form of Religion soever in their contradicting of Translators and Interpretors which have communicated to us the holy Scriptures or other Authors in the English Tongue is so far from forcing the Unlearned to a necessary reliance upon them in these cases that in truth it will rather inforce them to a necessary disclaiming them as not much regarding what they either say or write For if we have been deceived by all that have formerly pretended to serve their Generations in these weighty and eternal Soul-concerns We shall have small ground of incouragement to believe that we shall be ingeniously dealt with by such men as to the intent they may bring us under their devised fables and antiscriptural Traditions do run that desperate adventure to traduce the Scriptures as falsly translated For that diversity which may seem to be among our English Editions of Holy Scripture which perhaps may thrust it self in Objection-wise in this place Augustine hath said well who adviseth the Reader not to leave the signification of the History for the circumstance of a word nor to condemn either of the Authorities From the premises I will conclude with the words of the Problem No Learned English-man can with modesty pretend to know the meaning of the Hebrew and Greek Tongues so far as they onely concern the Holy Scriptures any whit more in substance or effect than such as are unlearned Tho. Grantham The Authors Expostulation with himself and his Appeal to God about the Publication of the Ensuing POEMS LOrd have I any other end in what My purpose is at present to relate Than to advance thy Truth thy Name and Praise In these so much divided dismal dayes If so thou know'st how much I have desired These lines ere they came forth may have expired So as t' have found their end before they had Their full beginnings in these Poems made Or is it for vain fleshly ostentation That I appear ' gainst the prevarication Of these our days Then let my hand forget Her cunning once a Pen to draw or set On Paper yea Lord let my Tongue also Forget to speak that any it may know Till of such evils I convinced be And own my faults to all but more to thee For what can it avail the Sons of Men To seek applause by using thus their Pen From mortal flesh if thou Lord the erst while Upon them and their doings dost not smile But worm that I am wherefore do I name On this account mens praises or their fame As they are such to be to me extended For this my work where at they 'l be offended Partly because no Learning therein shineth Partly for that these Poems undermineth Those things which they do much more estimate Than what I here to them communicate Well then my Muse look for no commendation For this thy work from this crook'd Generation They are prepar'd for those things to requite thee As did that Troop which lately came to fright thee When they without producing any power Bereav'd thee of thy Fam'ly in an hour And drag'd thee up and down from place to place Till in the Goal a period took thy race Lord sith 't is thus advise me what to do Shall I speak now or wilt thou thereunto Appoint some other if but so it pleaseth Thy self 't is that thy servant greatly easeth But O my God th' hast taught me this to know That thou on me didst not in vain bestow Any good gift so but to thee I must Give an account thereof for thou art just But yet th' hast many which have spoke and cri'd Against those errors which are fortifi'd With many School-shifts and with Martial strength Whereby their life hath had so large a length As that through many Ages they have run Though some from thee to blame them did not shun So that may not I silent sit as well As now approach to publish or to tell What hath been told by others and is known Much more to many than can here be shown If that which those have done may free me from The exercise of thy free donation I could be well content but in this Meeter I call to mind the word once spoke to Peter When Christ to him a service did assign He strait look'd back on John that great Divine With expectation he should him excuse In part of that charge But stay here my Muse Thou must not equalize thy case with theirs Yet thou must faithful be in Christ's affairs Though thou' rt the Least yet mayst make thy abode ' Mongst those in England that dare speak for God But O the times are they not perilous To publish Truth in mind how quarellous Is this poor Age against such as would tear The hood of blind Devotion from their Ear And Eye that so the Antient Gospel-pathes Might extirpate our fears our jarrs our wraths But oh speak of this matter and Sedition Is charg'd upon us or a deep suspition We must lye under as if to the Peace Some danger by our freedom would increase Yea and our words such heavy things betoken As if within our Land they once be spoken 'T is strait supposed they cannot well be born But England will by th' weight thereof be torn So thought the High Priest once of Amos words And cry'd Amos conspired hath by swords And so commands the Prophet for his Life To fly and so avoid the dismal strife Which Truth occasioned Thus be it noted That alwayes Truth with Treason hath been spotted I mean by way of calumny that so Truths friends might find Authority their foe And by this means alas what floods of Lives Have been destroy'd and yet blest Truth survives Yet here I must needs grant that there hath been Too much of Tragical deportment seen In some that have the Truth pretendedly Embraced in its ancient purity Yea I do heartily this day desire That none that own Gods way may stir that fire Of war or strife Which by Gods Providence From this our Land 's but newly driven hence At least I pray if any have attempted To stir up war yet those may be exempted From punishment whose hearts are clear therefrom And let the guilty only bear their doom But
O my Lord why am I busied here Thou knowst from war my heart and hands are clear And yet O Lord I pray thee teach me fight Couragiously that warfare which thy might Only can mannage sith it 's war Divine And Lord I thank thee that thou dost encline My heart and hand thereto and hast assisted My soul therein since what time I was listed Within thy Roll and in this undertaking I pray thee keâ—p my hand and mind from shaking That so the Truth with comely boldnesse I May practise preach write teach and testifie For Lord if Truth be Truth and still the same In nature worth and usefulness then blame Must be their Lot who are right bold to speak it In times of Peace and afterwards for sake it Because the times do turn O God forbid That I should for such cause let Truth lye hid In fleshly fears O God how great would le My shame when I thy glorious face shall see In that great Day the Day of final Sentence When none their loss regain can by Repentance The thoughts whereof O Lord doth give me boldness To speak for Truth though in a day of coldness Wherein the Waâ—ers are not more congeald Than mens cold Zeal hath all thy Laws repeal'd For what do they less than repeal thy Law Who of poor mortal flesh stand S O in awe As they 'l not act nor speak one word for thee But as great men do give them liberty But Lord I speak of Truth which all confess To be more worth than all that men possess But thou Lord know'st how doubtfull in this day It is become to find that blessed way Of Truth for though there 's nothing more pretended Yet surely there is nothing less befriended What one man saith is true another man Doth say is false yea even such as can Skill all the Sciences and Liberal Arts Are so divided into sects and parts That there 's no end of their most hot Divisions Yea such the multitude of their Confusions As thou Lord know'st cannot be lightly number'd And herewith Europe hath been greatly cumber'd What then shall I poor dust now signifie In Truth 's behalf will any think that I Have found this Pearl or can assign the Field Or Church which doth this precious Treasure yeeld Well whether I have found that Church or no Let him that readeth judge But this I 'll do I 'll shew the Church I 've found even the Truth Which I have fallen in love with from my youth That so if I be right another may By this means get some help into the way Of blessed Truth Or else if I be wrong throng Some one that 's right may break forth through the And sheâ— me that Old Way where Rest and Peace May be obtain'd that my own wayes may cease For is not this that which poor soules desire Where is the good Old Way others enquire Where 's blessed Sion Mother of the Saints Yea for a sight of her some hearts now faints Yea thou my soul remember canst the Dayes The Weeks the Months the Years and dolful wayes Wherein thou Pilgrim-like didst mournful walk And in thy Solitudes wouldst often talk With thy Creator by Pray'rs Vows and Tears That if he would but free thee of thy fears Which these crook'd wayes did minister to thee And of his Sion once but make thee free To set thy feet upon that holy Hill Then wouldst thou wholly yeeld up to his Will To be to do to suffer Gods good pleasure If he thereto would fill thee with his treasurâ— And now my soul what i' st wherein thy Lord Hath failed of in making good his Word In setting thy bound feet free from the band Of miry paths and in his blessed Land His dearest Church hath given thee a Station A dwelling place in his beloved Nation Yea thou a name and a rememberance Hast there obtain'd with an Inheritance So rich so full so ample every way That what it is no words can fully say Now then my soul see thou perform thy Vows Lest thy Engagements prove but empty Shows What Truth thou knowst the same communicate That others may thereof participate Remember how the Labours of the Saints In former times did much supply thy wants And so do still yea some the Seed-time knew And thou camst but to reap their Harvest true Yet thou a Seed-time with respect to those That are to follow must perhaps disclose Or at the least my Muse bring forth thy gains Which thou achieved hast by others pains That so the Sower and the Reaper may Rejoyce in mutual profiting that day Which shall in Praises to our Lord be spended And yet nor Day nor Praises shall be ended But now my Pen stay here and let us muse Upon the subject which thou must peruse Use seriousness for they are Divine things For the most part whereof thy Muse thus sings Gods precious Statutes are the chiefest Objects Implore his ayd in handling so great Projects To clear his Laws wherein men do abuse them And to declare how rightly they should use them Again there 's many things which thou here blam'st Speak of them seriously when thou them nam'st For some do deem as highly of those doings As of th' Apostles Precepts Walks or Goings Yea some are maâ—ked so they think those wayes Had their beginning in th' Apostles dayes As Pedorantisme and other things Which their procedure had from humane springs And whereas thy most weighty subject is About the Church that heavenly place of Bliss Deal clearly in this point for that indeed In this one Question lies both Fruit and Seed Defend her in thy place she 'l thee defend Yea God will him protect that is her Friend Dispute for Truth then will the Truth approve thee See to thy charge my Muse it doth behove thee Bear in thy mind the dayes wherein thy thought Was no way's like to that which I am taught More by Tradition humane than by those Instructions which the Scriptures do disclose This if thou do'st remember it may serve To lay thee low and in thy self preserve A due respect to those that do not see The errour of their way But if there be Any that do malitiously oppose The Truth see thou give them the sharper blows Fear not my Muse if Truth be on thy side As he which fanned Babel well hath cry'd That Truth is strongest by it thou wilt be Made Victor unto all Eternity My Muse sith thou a Prisoner art this day Because thou canst not walk in th' Minsters way Now therefore go thee forth in form of Jayle To Dispute with the Minster do not fail If she sound Reason with the Truth produce I do conjure thee make with her a Truce But if of these thou destitute dost find her Then freely of her fallacies remind her And if she mind thee not appeal to him Whom she pretends to serve and so come in To Goal again till Liberty from Heaven Thee
impos'd upon us The test of Antiquity Let every soul be subject to the higher Powers He that enjoyneth this to every soul whom hath he exempted from subjection to Earthly Powers I may not demand or ask these things but of him of whom I know I shall obtain them I am his Servant and am killed for his Doctrine And do offer the best and greatest Sacrifice which he hath commanded Trajan the Emperor did send to Pliny to make enquiry of the manner of the Christians Life and afterwards to persecute them them Pliny writ again That after he had throughly enquired with most cruel torments until such time as he delivered them into the Hangmans hand to see them executed yet he never did find any other thing but that they accustomed to assemble at certain times to sing praises unto Christ as unto God Thus have I of my Faith confession made To which the test of th' Antients I did add Not that I think there 's any such like plea Drawn from Antiquity which more doth weigh Than doth the Holy Text which I have brought In proof of every point nor is there ought So truly Antient as their divine sayings But sith some tell us tales to your dismayings As though there 's nothing in Antiquity Which standeth with that Antient Verity Which now I hold I for this cause have brought These Witnesses to shew that whilst thou thought Antiquity was on thy side thou dost In very deed of empty nothings boast For sith I can from thine own Allegations Out of the Fathers bring such clear quotations For what I hold then doubtless I might shew Yet many moe and them both full and true For what I hold and had I th' skill which thou Hast in the Antients writings might them show And herein I could wish that men of parts Who love the Truth might so improve their Arts. Cathederal As touching this thy tedious Confession To speak to ev'ry point would be oppression Unto my patience Then wait my pleasure For I to answer it must take some leisure But I remember thou didst me detect As one inconstant But that 's thy defect Jayle Sith to thy charge I laid Inconstancy I 'le make 't appear For when the Papacy Possession took of the Commanding Pow'r Thou then turn'd Papist as 't was in an hour When Protestants got head thou didst the same When Neuter N O L thou promptly bore his frame Cathederal Why must we not subject unto the Pow'rs We are not their Commanders they are ours So that if they command we must obey Tho Pa. Prel Pres or a compounded way The Mass-book Comon-Pray'r-book or else neither If so the King command I 'le observe either Jayle God's Worship never stood on such a pin To turn with Man's breath either out or in God's Faithful Ones in this case did withstand The things that mighty Kings did oft command And yet as Kings they ever them obeyed And for their peace and good devoutly prayed Cathederal This point with others hath been controverted What I hold and what thou holdst is asserted We will therefore appeal to him for tryal Who doth no falshood own nor give denial To any Truth And now for a Conclusion I do conjure thee pray against Delusion Jayle That is my pray'r but I 'le not pray with thee Till in the Truth we shall united be Which we may be if we our selves deny And learn of God in due humility Which when thou dost in Truth 't is in my mind Not here but in the Jayl I shall thee find Cathederal What! is the Jayl and Truth so near united This dreadful doctrine will make men affrighted And few will find the Truth for if 't be so There 's few to seek the Truth to Jayl will go Now fare thee wel keep that place as thy treasure And I 'le keep this and here enjoy my pleasure Jayle Adiâ—u Cathederal go take thy fill Of Organ-Musick And sith 't is God's will I 'le back to that unpleasant Cell of mine Where some Truth 's known which else would never shine In its bright splendor Also there our God Doth shew himself a Father by his Rod. CHAP. VII The Arg. The Jayl doth soberly reflect upon the Conference And several things to that effect having some reference MY Muse thou' rt now return'd into the Jayl And canst not with the Minster yet prevail To bow her ear to Truth that it might win Her to the Antient Truth and from Romes Sin Now sith in this place of disconsolation None can deprive thy heart of meditation Let us reflect upon what sights wâ— have seen In yonder Minster who as some great Queen Doth seem to sit in joy in pomp and pleasure With wealth mirth other such like treasure But yet in this Reflection let us give Precedency to Christ's Church which doth live This day in Jaylâ— in holes and dens of Thieves VVhose life though such yet there is nought that grieves A sinful Generation more than that Her being here 's not wholly extirpate Lord I have viewed thy most holy House Thy Church as it at first erected was And with the beauty thereof I was moved There to sit down as th' place I chiefly loved In which Church I have seen my Saviour sweet Rise up and wash his poor Disciples feet There have I seen such as do minister Deny themselves of all things sinister There were thy Servants clâ—d like other men Their Instruments of Musick were not Tin There have I seen thy Servants generally Perform their Duty all in Charity There have I seen thy Spirit giving Graces Whereby each one were fitted for their places There have I seen those Graces exercised And none for doing so have been despised Nor persecuted But each one required To seek with choicest gifts to be inspired There did I see a holy Discipline The exercise whereof made Zion shine And many other precious things I saw In point of observation of God's Law And having heard the Minster laid great claim Unto thy Churches Interest and Name And yet by her most earnest procuration Some men she did surprize by captivation And lock't them up within my gates because They would not cease to keep thy Antient Laws At this I marvelled and therefore went To see what her pretence and practice meant For I suspected deeply by these doings Her feet were stray'd from Zions Antient goings Because from those men I could nothing gather That shew'd them guilty of what she would father On them to wit that they were Peace-disturbers Wheras in truth 't was cause they were Vicecurbers Which caus'd them to be shut within my barrs Under pretence of Law turn'd into snares Now when I came into the Minster walking I veiwed certain men which there were talking Gallants of all sorts they appear'd to be And seem'd to live in mirth and melodie On my right-hand there ' spide I a Convention From whence proceeded very hot contention For Money-matters
hands being sent to a Friend of mine The party sending it supposing it gave very clear evidence against the Anabaptists I therefore searched what it said in that respect and found in their Answer to the ninth Question the very thing which we hold in the point of Baptism clearly asseâ—ted and proved The Question and Answer are verbatim as followeth Question What are the publick means which Christ hath appointed to Salvation Answer Christ hath appointed that fit men shall be ordained his Ministers to disciple the uncalled and to baptise all that are Disciples Mat. 28. 19 20. Mark 16. 15. This is all they say in that Book concerning Baptism nor quote they any other Scriptures whereupon I wrote is followeth What! shall nigh fixty of wise learned men Yea of the prime be contradicted when After no small debate they published This Book which seems with Zeal and Truth bespred Our Catechisers grave learned all How can a work by such performed fall Good Reader bow thine heart to understand What 's true though 't be from an unlearned hand The wisdom of the wise must come to nought For so it was foretold and now is brought In part to pass since thus much may be said Ev'n of these men they quite destroy the trade Of their so much adored baptizing Of Infants Wherefore them this song I 'l sing Our Catechisers must be catechiz'd How and what persons ought to be baptiz'd For here they lie i' th dark and will not see What 's true what 's false though by themselves it be Made manifest in this their little Book To every Reader who doth please to look In page the one and thirtieth where they say Concerning Baptising This is Christ's Way That such as are uncall'd must first be taught Now Infants are uncall'd and therefore ought By their direction not to be baptized And yet as though all this had not sufficed They further tell us All that are Disciples Baptiz'd must be into the sacred Titles Of Father Son and Spirit Then they cite Mathew the eight twenteth which gives light With Mark the sixteenth full to what they say And we say th' same and thus they cast away Their Infant Baptisme sith Infants can Be no Disciples made by th' wisest man That is amongst this Catalogue I mean Or else their skill is more than we have seen For sith Disciple doth import a Learner By others teaching he 's a weak discerner That taketh new-born Infants for to be Disciples Thus we may mans folly see Cathederal As for the Presbyters let them maintain Their plea. But for Tradition 't is most plain It stands with me And tho thou hast now shown Some few who did thy way of Baptism own Thou dost not prove that ever these men taught ' Gainst Infant Baptisme yet this thou ought To shew but this can in no wise be shown For 't is most clear they did my Baptim own Jayl Because I hate disingenuity I grant some Antients did with thee comply But yet I say th'most Antient if not all Such doctrine taught as doth in question call Thy Infant Baptisme And some did so Oppose it that their lives they did forgo In opposition to it in our Nation When first upon our Land it made invasion But ere I come to speak of these sad dayes We 'll cast our eye on some doctrinal rayes Of th' Antients that the mist they may expel And clear our way First Jerom doth us tell The Lord commanded first to teach and then Baptise such as appeared faithful men And Justin Martyr doth the same avow And Athanasius doth that truth allow Haimo avoucheth this for verity And Rabinus the same doth testifie Beda is of this mind and plainly saith Th' Apostles did instruct men in the Faith And then baptise them So Strigelius Did likewise teach So did Eusebius Basil and Austin do this Doctrine own Cyprian before them did the same make known With others whom I now refuse to name Sith these are persons of the greatest fame And now O Minster pray thee well observe What strength I have from Records which preserve The mem'ry of our Nations first reception Of Gospel-light see therefore this collection Out of Fabian his right ancient story In the fifth part where though he greatly glory Of that great Monk Augustine call'd by name Yet unto his and thy no little shame He doth confess that Brittons Bishops did Refuse to baptise Infants tho much chid By that great Monk Their reason was they say Such things had not been taught them till that day Yet they the Gospel long before obeyed And in the love thereof were firm and stayed But now alas for this their just denyal Of Austins motion they strait met with tryal For Fabian relates how they were slain And Fox upon Augustine layes the blame At least in part and can assign no cause But that they did not bow to Austins Laws Now Minster if we take the perfect time When in this Land the Gospel first did shine Which was more than four hundred years before Austin the Monk set foot upon our shore During which time no persons were baptized That I can find till they were catechised Then 't is most clear my Baptism thine out dates Four hundred years as Fabian relates In this our Island and in other places Mine hath the old foot-steps thine noval traces But why do I thy doing daign to name Baptisme for in truth it is a shame For to vouchsafe it such an appellation Only I use it ' cause our disputation Doth so require But Sprinkling never can Suit with God's Word delivered unto man For his direction in that Ordinance Of Baptizontes sith that clear instance In John the third and twenty third hath said The Reason why John Baptist us'd his trade In Enon was because of plenitude Of Water which doth Sprinkling Clear exclude From being Baptisme As also doth The act of Philip and the Eunuch both Sith both went into th' Water for to act What Baptisme requires in th' outward fact Yea Christ our Lord who knew the Father's will Went Into Water Baptism to fulfill Now whether Scripture or thy Doctors be The safest guide herein I leave to thee Cathedral Doubtless O Jayl in this bend of quotations Thou' rt guilty of no small falsifications I ask thee whether thou hast read each Father Whose words in this sort thou hast scratch'd together If not as doubtless not sith thou' rt unlearned O how presumptuous then art thou discerned Jayle I answer freely some I 've read not all The Works of these whose witness forth I call The most I 've read even as they are translated By those to whom thy self art ' sociated Which therefore must more claim thy estimation Than if they were the fruit of my translation Cathederal Whereas my Sprinkling thou so ill dost brook Thou mayst remember if thou please to look Into
way that men must either mend As well in point of Life as their Profession Shunning with all their might sin transgression And in religious things be still devout Else from Heav'ns joys the Lord wil thrust them out He that wants Holiness sees not the Lord. Let him that readeth meditate that word The test of Antiquity Let not sinnets therefore and wicked men secure themselves by their continuance in the Church nor renounce Christ their Justice in committing any or all of the fleshly works spoken of Gal. 5. for he saith expresly they shall not inherit the Kingdom of God which do such deeds He that abideth in Christ c. hath taken the meat of Life but he that discordeth from Christ doth not eat the flesh of Christ although he do take every day the Sacrament of so great a thing XV. Article As once I said The Churches Pastors ought From ' mongst wel-graced Christians to be sought Chiefly such as have learned self-denial In which few worldly Priests will bide the tryal And such as by the Church are thus elected And eke ordained as God's Word directed Knowing 'to feed the Flock with meat in season And to bear rule with Godliness and Reason With love and care seeking such Sheep as stray Such I do own as Teachers of God's way But such as feed themselves with others fat And keep the Flock from such like food as that Which only can their soul relieve And who To seek for great Revenues rather go Than to enquire into the state of souls I say such Teachers do transgress the Rolls Of holy Writ And therefore I deny them And by this Testimony do decry them The test of Antiquity The Church was governed in times past by the common counsel and advice of the Presbyters And that Episcopum Presbyterium unum esse A Bishop and an Elder are all one Frederick sent this Message to Adrian the 4th We shut up our Cities against your Cardinals because we see that they prey upon the People They do not ratifie Peace but rake together Pence They do not repair the World but impair their Wealth Let none be ordained to the Ministry unless he first be examined of the Bishop and approved by the People The Pastors should seek the Salvation of mens souls not earthly commodity All Clergy men that are strong to labour let them learn some Handicraft as well as Letters XVI Article Such Ministers of Christ as have obtained Free gifts from God freely they are ordained To serve the Church and yet the Scripture wills Some fruit for him which that ground rightly tills Wherefore such as are taught as freely should Communicate to them who forth do hold The Word of Life upon their Work-account That to the Givers good it may amount But as for Tythes thâ—se forced consecrations I say they are no Gospel-Ordinations The test of Antiquity If thou despisest not a Beggar how much more oughtest thou to regard the Ox that treadeth out the corn in the floor And in Psal 146. He saith Thou scarce payest the thousand part yet I find no fault do so still for I so thirst after your well-doing that I refuse not your very crums O Lord Jesus thou hast multiplied the people and thou hast not encreased their joy-They have removed the Offices into shameful gain and the health of souls is not searched for they strive and contend most impudently daily by process for Bishopricks Archbishopricks c. there remaineth nothing but the Man of Sin to be revealed the Son of Perdition XVII Article The Scripture saith that Heresies must be And shews the way appointed us to free Our souls therefrom for such as do erect them The Church hath power wholly to reject them After the first or second Admonition Moreover by Apostolick Commission She hath a power also to withdraw From such Disciples as transgress the Law Of Christ in point of Worship or of life Peace to preserve and terminate her strife The test of Antiquity The Antient Canons make two kinds of Excommunications one greater the other less the greater not to be inflicted but upon the account of mortal or deadly sin Sins are not loosed nor retained at the pleasure of men but according to the will of God and prayers of the Church XVIII Article Touching the point of falling off from Grace I do believe men so may lose their place In Christ the Vine yea such as he doth say Is in him and lest they should fall away Exhorteth them to make their biding-place In him yea such may fall away from Grace As once had Charity in pure heart And conscience good yea that unfained part Of Faith yet wanting constant Watchfulness May turn aside so fouly to transgress As to be withered branches and in fire Burn and consume But yet such as defire With constancy and do the same indeed Add Grace to Grace so certainly shall speed As they shall never fall yea no deceit Of false Christs can them possibly defeat The test of Antiquity It is to be believed that some of the children of perdition receiving not the gift of Perseverence to the end do begin to live in Faith that worketh by Charity and for a time do live faithfully and justly and after do fall In time of temptation they fall away Some therefore revolt from Faith because Verity avoucheth it and by consequence from Salvation because our Saviour rebuketh it from whence we conclude from Charity also without which Salvation cannot be obtained XIX Article Such as are Poor in Christ his Congregation Ought to be cared for by the Donation Or bounty of the Church not by constraint Which care should hold proportion with the want And for the more sufficient management Of this affair the Church ought to appoint Some faithful men therefore to be deputed With laying on of hands Thus constituted They must now undertake this sacred Function The Church to keep in peace sweet conjunction Here be it noted since men did decline From this appointment holy and divine And did by force compel both rich and poor To pay a stinted portion to the Poor Which is but small allotted for their living It hath destroy'd the Ordinance of giving By free-Collection And now Charity With mens Estates holdeth no parity But their large sums are laid out to maintain Gay clothing Pearls all things which are vain VVhat will these men do when God riseth up To cause all men to tast his Judgment-Cup The test of Antiquity Sacred Orders we call Deacons and Presbyters for these two the Primitive Church is found only to have had That which men do by compulsion is not a sacrisice forasmuch as if it be not done voluntarily and with the heart it 's most execrable and accursed If thou hast riches labour by well-doing to store them up in
Heaven Christians must not be compelled to give their substance XX. Article I do believe through Christ the Dead shal rise Because he lives who once did not despise To die for them Yea from the graves of earth Each individual body shall come forth Both just unjust though when they were sown Weakness and all Infirmity was shown Yet in the Refurrection they shall be Made strong and firm to all eternitie Each pious man body and spirit joyned To their desired place shall be assigned The test of Antiquity Every part of the bodies perishing either in death or after it in the grave or wheresoever shall be restored renewed and of a natural and corruptible body it shall become immortal spiritual and incorruptible Be it all made into pouder or dust or by chance or cruelty dissolved into air or water yet can it not be kept hid from the omnipotency of the Creator who will not have one hair of the head to perish Thus shall the spiritual flesh become subject to the spirit yet shall it be flesh still XXI Article After the dead are come forth of the graves Whether of Earth or Seas fierce raging waves A Judgment that 's eternal shall be given At Christs appearing coming down from Heav'n Which Judgment which everlasting Sentence Can never be revoked by repentance Then good and bad each must rewarded be As Christ the nature of their work shall see The test of Antiquity In all these Chapters Augustine asserteth and proveth the resurrection of the Bodies of all men from the graves of earth or howsoever consumed and he proves the Bodies of the Saints shall be spiritual and glorious in the Resurrection and yet that they cease not to be bodies of real flesh And he proves that a body of flesh and living may endure in the fire unconsumed and yet tormented There are saith he a kind of Worms that live in the fervent Springs of hot Baths whose heat is such as none can endure it at certain times and yet those Worms do so love to live in it that they cannot live without Whence he observes seeing bodies of flesh may live in fire and be nourished by it 't is easie to believe that a body of flesh may live in the fine and be tormented by it because to nourish is not proper to the fervent heat of fire but to torment is proper thereunto XXII Article I do believe the same Christ which did shew Himself alive by tokens plain and true Who was beheld ascending into Heaven Quite from the sight of the select Eleven The same the very same shall come again In the same manner wherein he was ta'ne Up from the Earth And when he shall appear The Saints their fruits of Faith shall richly wear For Christ the King of kings and Lord of lords Shall reign according to the holy words Of these great Prophets in the Margent quoted For every Kingdom under Heaven 's allotted Unto our Christ yea and unto his Saints Whose heads a place to rest sometimes now wants Yea God hath said they then shall rule the Nations Though here erst while they meet with Tribulations The test of Antiquity John's mention of a thousand years Rev. 21. and Christ's words I will not drink henceforth of the fruit of the Vine until the day that I drink it new with you in my Father's Kingdom with many Prophecies touching Christ's Kingdom in Jerusalem made some think that Christ would return into the World raise the Saints in their Bodies and live a thousand years here on Earth in all joy peace and prosperity The first Author of this Opinion was Papias Bishop of Jerusalem who lived in the Apostles times He was seconded by Irenaeus Apollinarius Tertullian Victorinus Picktaviences and Lactantius And many Martyrs and righteous persons held this opinion XXIII Article The holy Scriptures are the Rule of Saints In Faith and Life sufficient for their wants Through Jesus Christ Yea they are profitable To all good works God's servants to enable The test of Antiquity The error of our forefathers ought not to be followed but the Authority of Scripture and the Commandments of God which he teacheth us Truly through ignorance of the Law they receive Christ for Antichrist I dare not use to receive that which I read not Think not that it is in any other writing if it be not in the Scripture Let us seek to be resolved in the Gospel If we find it not there where shall we find it XXIV Article In Gospel-times I do believe men ought In things Religious to be forc'd to nought Against their Consciences by Persecutions Or Penal Laws ' gainst Gospel-Institutions But all should have like liberty as those Who in like cases do desire to chose What they think near'st the Truth But if the Pow'rs Wil take what 's theirs not give us what 's ours We say they act not as the Lord directed When he bad do to others what 's expected By us from them And tells us Tares with Wheat Must grow together till the Harvest great The test of Antiquity Ambition doth aid it self by the Name of Christ The Church doth fear and compel the people She that was made holy by Persecutors terrour now persecuteth c. Let them both grow together until harvest Which thing he spake to forbid the shedding of Bould for if the Hereticks should be put to death War should be without Truce c. This is then our desire unto your Reverence if it may be that you would confer with our Bishop peaceably to the end that Error might be taken away and not Men taken away But we to the contrary do not desire any will he nill he to worship or adore our God for we trust in his Majesty that he hath great power to avenge himself on them that contemn him XXV Article This I believe concerning Magistrates In every Nation should be Potentates For punishment of all that do transgress By sleshly lewdness or dishonestness And that in order thereto Civil Laws who 're just wholsome ought ' decide the cause ' Mongst Men as such ' thout having vain respect Of persons or to this or t'other Sect. Due Punishment and likewise due Reward Each one should have ' thout partial regard And we believe Christ's Gospel doth enjoyn Our selves and all men freely to resign Our selves as Subjects unto Magistrates In their appointments Only what relates Unto God's Worship wherein this we say That there such Rulers have no power to lay Their Edicts on men's Consciences by force But if they do yet shall we take 't no worse Than humbly tell them we must needs obey What God commandeth rather than what they Herein appoint us and shall never bow To Men in these concerns Nor shall we show Our selves rebellious though they go to wrong us But bear with patience what 's
Then I went to th' Quire Where I saw many men in black attire These took a little room one after other And hereupon I did a little hover To see the period of that Conventicle Or-Private Meeting staying there a little I saw their black all covered with white And some so drest they did me somewhat fright For they had things upon them of the shape Of black Sheep-skins which hung down as the cape Of Cloaks save that they reached to their hamâ— Where hung a black tail like unto a Rams Some others had long shreds of black upon them Like Hanging-sleeves which hung down al along With cov'red Caps such as I never saw them ' Mongst men that feared God kept his Law And some had red clothes girt about their shoulders Which seemed very strange to some beholders And chiefly for because the Protestants So frequently against the Pope descants With merry songs because of such like dressings As th' Papists use when they go to Mass-blessings Yet thus array'd themselvs did now address them Into the Quire pray'd the Lord to bless them And by and by I heard some Pipes resounding Unto the Singers Voicâ—s quite confounding At which indeed I stood as 't were amazed And on these roaring Instruments I gazed As also on the Quire of Singing-Boyes Until my head was ' stonish'd with the noise For little else in truth could I retain And so I thought to tarry there 't was vain Lord this I speak to thee as not but knowing How they behave themselvs but whilst thus showing Their strange deportments I do oft propose Vnto my self such Questions as those What if our Lord should come and view these men And hear their Musick and demand of them Who 't was commanded them thus to be drest And use those Pipes when they came to be blest What Answer could they make This I must say Were my case theirs I 'd blush and run away If that be true which some men do conjecture That John yet lives and should come to their Lecture Could John suppose this Church was of his founding Or would he close with th' Pipes mellodious sounding Or bear a part i' th' Song which these men sing Or would he not as one amazed fling Out of their Quire Doubtless all wise men think The last most likely except those that wink At that clear Light which John hath set before him In Christs behalf how men ought to adore him Imagine Peter should among them stand In 's Fishers coat and there but take in hand A Text to open would not such a sight Put these brave Gallants to a ghastly fright But were this Generation truly lighted They would see much more cause to be affrighted At those who love to walk in Garments long As did the Pharisees which us'd to wrong The People of God's Word and took the Key Of Knowledg quite away lest men should weigh And ponder their Devices and Traditions And so discern their peccant Superstitions Admit a pious Christian should come In Shepherds russit-garb into their Room And having of the Fathers free Donation Receiv'd a proper gift of Exhortation Would not these Queristers strait thrust him thence Should he his Gift but offer to dispense And for his Coat-sake Truth would be dispised A trick by Satan heretofore devised Lord see to what a pass poor mans inventions Hath brought us sith they serve but for preventious To us from exercising of our Talents Unless we be array'd like these brave Gallants Lord at this door of man's Imaginations Hath crept in many great Prevarications Under the specious name of Decency And honouring of thy Name more reverently But these pretences those ill fruits have born Mens wayes have got th' applause and thine the scorn It is so at this day O Lord behold it For men are grown too lofty to be told it Though they the bitter fruits thereof do feel And must feel more and more until they reel Into the ditch For this Lord thou hast said Shall be the end of such as void have made Thy holy Word that they their own Tradition May here observe though unto their perdition Unless it please thee by thy Gospel-sentence To call them timely unto true Repentance FINIS * ×’ ב × Î±. β. γ. Aug. De Civ Dei lib. 18. cap. 43 44. 2 Cor. 3. First Argum. from Antiquity See the London Apology Printed in the Year 1648. Featly against Fisher Mat. 3. See the Vulgar Catechisme in the Common-Prayer-Book * Viz. A Sucking-Child Acts 10. 36 37. Rev. 3. 17 2. Cor. 5. 19 20. Rev. 18. 3 Jâ—h 3. 8. Certam Relig. Bell. de Bapt. S. N. Antidote T. B. End to Controv. Mat 28. 19. Acts 16. Act. 2. 38 39. 1 Cor. 7. 14. Acts 16. 14 15 32 23 34 40. 1 Reason 2 Reason Tertul. chap. 39. Augustin Vives Grotius judgment on points controv p. 91. See Den contra Marshal See a book called a wel grounded Treatise of Bapt. August Contess Isa 29. 15 1 Cor. 1. 29 26 27 28. a Jerom in Mar 28 b Justin Mart. in Orat. ad Autho. pium c Athâ—n Serm 3. contra Arian d Haim in Mat 28 e Rab. decret f Beda in Act. 19 g Strig in Act. 8. h Euseb Eccles hist l. 6. i Basil l. 3. cont Eunomi k Aug. ad Salcot l Cyp. Epist ad Magnus Fab. 5th part fâ—l 107. Fox Acts Mon. See vulg Catechise in Com. pâ—ayer-book 1 Pet. 1. 5. 2 Cor 4. 5 1 Cor. 8. 6 Isa 40. 28 Athanasin Symb. Aug. de Civitar Dei chap 11. and chap. 24. Gen. 1. 31 Eccles 7. 29. Gen. 2. 27 3. 17 18 19. Aug cont Advers l. 1. c. 16. Ambros in 1 Cor 15. 22. Luke 20. 24. Rev. 22. 16. 1 Tim. 2. 5 6. Heb 2. 9. 1 Joh. 2. 2. Aug. de Civitat Dei l. 18. c. 46. lib. 1â— cap. 11. lib. 11. c. 2. 1 Tim. 2. 4 Mark 16. 25. 2. Pet. 2. 1. Joh. 3. 18 3. 17. 1. 7. Act. 17. 30 1 Joh. 5. 10. Heb. 3. 10 18 19. Ambr. in 1 Tim. 2. Ambr. l. 3 de Fide cap. 4. â—ug tom 7. Artic. falso Act. If. 22 23 24. Acts 11. 19 20. 13 2 3 1. 23. 1 Cor. 1. 19 21. 1 Cor. 2. 1 4 5. Rom. 2. 21. Eusâ—◠〈◊〉 l. c. 11. Eccius Book of Obead fol. 19. Rom. 5. 1 2 Cor. 5. 15. Rom 4. 22 23 24 Rom. 3. 25 26. Aug. in verb Dom serm 40. Aug. lib. cont Felag c. 21. Greg. l. 6 ep 15. Eph. 4. 4. Act 5. 31. 1 Cor. 6. 11. Gal 5. 22. 23. Aug. de Civ Dei l. 11. c. 10 Rupert in Apoc. c. 13. Bernard serm conver Paul Joh. 3. 16. Eph. 1 4. 2 Thess 2. 13. Rom 9. 11 Psal 4. 3. Amb. in Tit. 3. Jerom apol ad Ruffin August Jude 4. 2 Thess 2 10 11 12. Rom. 2. 9 10 11. Amb. l. 2. de vocat Gent. c. 1. c. 2. Aug 1 Cor. 15. 22. Mat. 19. 14. Aug cont ad vers Aug. Mat. 28. 19 20. Mark 16. 16. Acts 2. 38 Acts 8. 12 18. 12. Gal. 4. 22 23 24. Matth. 3. 8 9. Eph. 5. 11 Jerom in Mat. 28. Council of Worms chap. 5. Wilfrid Strabo de rebus Eccles c. 26 Heb. 6. 1 2. Acts 8. 12 5 17. Acts 19 6. 2 Tim 1 6 Rom. 8. 13. Jerom ad Lucif Aug de Bapt. l. 3. c. 16. Eras paraph on Heb. 6. 1 2. Act. 2. 42. Hillary contra Auxent Tertull. Apol. c. 29 Heb. 12. 14 Isa 1. 11 12 15 16 Aug. de Civ Dei l. 21. c. 25 Prosp in l. de sent Act. 14. 23 Ezek. 34. 2 3. 2 Cor. 12 14. Ezek. 34. Hieronâ— ep ad Evag Con. Carthageneâ—s can 22. Con. Cahil c. 6. Con. Carthag can 51 53. 1 Cor. 9. 17. ver 11. Gâ—l 6. 6. Aug. in Psal 13. Bâ—rnard Tit. 3. 10 11. 2 Thess 3. 6. Rom. 16. 17. Decret Greg. 5. tit 39. cap. 59. Aug de Bapt. l. 3. c. 13. Joh. 15. 1 2 3 4. 5 1 Tim 1. 5 6 7. John 15. 6. 2 Pet. 1. 5 6 7. Aug. de corep gra c. 13. Bernard ep 42. â— Cor. 9. 7 1 Cor. 8. 11 12. Acts 6. 1 2 3 4 5. 1 Tim. 2. 9 10. 1 Pet. 3. 3 Job 31. 14 Iâ—noc 3. dec Greg l 1. c. 14. Lactant. Fiâ—mian Aug. ep c 6. con cabil c. 6 Isa 26. 19 Act. 24. 15 1 Cor. 15. 21 22 42 43 44 49 Aug. de Civ Dei l. 22. c. 21. 2 Tim. 4. 1 Heb. 7. 27. 2 Cor. 5. 10. Aug. de Civ Dei lib. 20. c. 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 20 21. Aug. de Civ Dei l. 21. c. 2. Acts 1. 3. Luke 24. 51. Acts 1. 9 10 11. Col. 3. 4. Reâ— 19. 16. Psal 22. 28. Zech. 14. 9. Psa 72. 4 Rev. 5. 10 13. 15. 1 Cor. 3. 22 23. Dan. 7. 27 Rev. 2. 26 27. Lâ—dovic Vives coment on Aug. de civit Dei l. 20. c. 7. 2 Tim. 3. 15 16 17. Joh. 20. 31 Isa 8. 20. Jerome Tom 6 in Jer. c. 9. Amb. de incarnat c. 9. Aug. in Psal 6â— Mat. 7. 12 13. 29 30 38 39 Hill cont Auxent Chrisost Hom. 47. in Mat. 13. August ep 58. Lactant. Firmian Divin Instit lib. 5. cap. 21. 1 Pet. 2. 14. Tit. 3. 1. 1 Pet. 2. 13. Act. 5. 29. Lâ—odens Ep cont Paschal 2 Tertull. Apol. c. 30 Plin. lib. 10 ep 317 1. 2. 3. 4.