least it is the profanation of the Ordinance Who you are I know not but the general Opinion of your party is that any Disciple especially a teaching Disciple may baptize See Confession of the seven Churches Art 41. And doth Ordination by a Bishop and other Ministers make voyd such Discipleship and make him that he cannot be so much as a private Christian yea make his Baptism Antichristian We receive from God the Old Testament by the hands of the Jews and the whole Bible by the hands of Papists most Scriptures have some time or other been abused must we therefore disuse them If a Bishop should baptize one at full age making profession of faith and repentance yea suppose a Jesuite pretending to be a gifted Brother or a teaching Disciple as it is lawful for the Jesuites to say or do any thing that may tend to the weakening the true Reformed Religion and should dip many would his dipping be null and voyd and to be reiterated This I dare say Whatsoever is rational or religious cannot be made irrational or irreligious whosoever useth or hath used it And if multitudes of persons should cast away all that they have received by the Bishops and Ministers ordained by them they should with those things irrecoverably cast their Souls into Hell When Antichrist most reigned and raged and the woman fled into the Wilderness God did preserve some Fundamental Doctrines and the essence of Baptism and the essence of a true Ministry dispensing it and they that is her Pastors did feed her there Revel 12.6 14. 4. There are now more Antichrists then ever were before in our or in any other Reformed Church and worse Antichrists by how much Fundamental Errors in Doctrine are greater abominations then Errors only in Discipline All Heretiques in Scripture-language are Antichrist 1 Epist John The Errors Heresies Blasphemies Treacheries Hypocrisies Perjuries sacrilegious seditious Actions Divisions and Subdivisions bitter and bloody Contentions Rebaptizations Ordinations by the people and other meer humane inventions of these Times do justifie the Bishops and all Episcopal men that have kept themselves free from these and the like crimes from being so Antichristian as we do really dishonor the true Reformed Religion delight the truly Antichristian Faction and make way for our reducing not only to Prelacy but to that which all sober men count incomparably more dangerous to Popery yea to the worst edition of it Spanish Jesuited Inquisition-Popery ANABAPT CAT. Paedobaptism is done upon a wrong subject who is not in Christs commission Matt. 28.19 nor Mark 16.16 Believers and Repentants being the subjects therein EXAMINAT You here beg the question what you here alledg hath been answered Chap. 1. and Chap. 2. ANABAPT CAT. All the certainty I can have of such a Baptism is only conjectural not infallible whereas the outward sign of a Sacrament must be visible and infallible as the thing signified is this Infant-Baptism I take only in trust from others THe Infants blessed by Christ could in their riper age have no certainty of their being so blessed by him Examinat Chap. 14. nor had the Jewish Infants any certainty of their Circumcision for the foreskin of circumcised Infants might be and sometimes was so drawn up that when they came to age they could not discern their Circumcision To this Paul alludes 1 Cor. 7.18 If the flesh-mark was alway discernable yet it could not teach them whether a friend or foe had done it whether for sacred or civil ends whether duly or unduly without instruction and information by word or writing and such instruction may assure us of our right Baptism though it was administred in Infancy You may have such assurance of your Baptism as the Priests by the Registers had of their pedigree Ezra 2.62 as Paul had that he was circumcised the eighth day that he was of the stock of Israel an Hebrew of the Hebrews of the tribe of Benjamin Phil. 3.5 Yea you may have as much or more certainty that you were baptized as that such an one was your father such a woman your mother yet sure if you will call that only a conjectural and not infallible testimony you will test so much upon it as to call him your father and her your mother that are testified and reputed to be so and without scruple of conscience honor them as you are bound by the fifth Commandment and also keep that which is generally computed to be the first day of the week or the Lords-Day though you take it but on trust from others Possibly he that is baptized at full age may not infallibly know that he was baptized some have forgotten through sickness the greatest concernments yea their own names must they thereupon be rebaptized Possibly a man or woman as you are dipping them under the water may be so damped that they may not hear or not heed the words used by the Administrator whether he baptize or bless or curse must they be dipped again till they do hear and heed that they may infallibly know themselves to be baptized If a man should herein be deceived and think he was baptized in his Infancy when he was not the Error is not very dangerous Faith in Christ may supply the defect of Baptism and he not neglecting or contemning Baptism nor knowing that he wants it may reap benefit by his supposed Baptism as if it were reâ—l As for his resolution of the case grounded on the suppose unlawfulness of Paedobaptism whether a Christian may with good conscience be present at it I judg it unnecessary for me to discuss it having I hope cleared the lawfulness of Infant-Baptism yet I confess I cannot approve sundry things in it though Paedobaptism were confessed to be unlawful SOME OBSERVATIONS Both Old and New Concerning the pretended Visibility Universality Antiquity Infallibility Unity and Purity of the present Roman Church and Religion Sent to a Gentleman upon his Revolt to Popery and now Published with some few Additions for the Churches good SIR 1. YOu do all confess the affirmative and positive Doctrines of the Church of England and other Reformed Churches to be true and Catholique and to have had visible Professors in all Ages only you superadd certain other Doctrines which you say are necessary to be beleeved unto Salvation For evidence whereof observe 1. Our Churches Doctrine All the Books of the Old and New Testament mentioned in the 39 Articles and in the late Confession of Faith to be holy and Canonical are for such to be received 2. Your Churches Additions The Books of Tobit Judeth Wisdom Maccabees and the rest commonly called Apocrypha are also Canonical The Scripture is the Rule of Faith and Manners Traditions of the Church are of equal Authority with the Scriptures The Originals Hebrew and Greek are Authentical The Vulgar Edition is most pure and Authentical There are two Sacraments of the New Testament Baptism and the Lords Supper There are also five more viz. Confirmation
THE Catechist Catechized OR AN EXAMINATION OF AN Anabaptistical Catechism Pretended to be Published for the Satisfaction and Information of the People of God in Lancashire c. ALSO SOME OBSERVATIONS Both Old and New Concerning the pretended Visibility Universality Antiquity Infallibility Unity and Purity of the present Roman Church and Religion Sent to a Gentleman upon his revolt to Popery and now published for the Churches good By RICHARD HOLLINVVORTH Mancuniens LONDON Printed by J. M. for Luke Fawn and are to be sold at his shop at the Parrot in Pauls Church-yard 1653. SIR THere is an Anabaptisticall Catechism that walks abroad lately directed to Lancashire when it is of age and can answer for it self you shal know the name of it it is but newly brought forth to this County and therefore not Christned If you meet with it it would be a good work to Lancashire in which you dwel to the Town of Manchester the place of your Nativity and Ministry to make some Annotations of it a few smooth stones out of soft Siloam hurl'd out of your sling might lay it dead a friendly arrow shot beyond it may give warning that there is danger I would not engage you to the contest with this A. B. C. but that Error is a springing Leprosie in contagious times Wormes in children may turn to the Plague a few vacant hours will serve the business and satisfie the earnest desire of Sir Your Brother and fellow-Labourer in the Work of Christ Richard Heyricke January 1. 52. For Mr. Richard Hollinworth with my Love These To all in Lancashire that love and seek the Lord in all his Soul-filling Ordinances especially them of the associated Churches about MANCHESTER Dearly Beloved and longed for our Joy and Crown YOu shall with more praise to God light and stability to your selves read the ensuing Treatise if you first consider and lament that for abuse of Ordinances Satan transforming himself into an Angel of Light hath undermined all Ordinances of divine Light and Life The Lords-Day not moral publique solemn Assemblies turned into House-meetings publique Ministry exchanged for private Conferences publique preaching of the Word common to gifted Brethren with called Ministers no prayer but when the Spirit moves no communion in the Supper but in Churches newly gathered and no Baptism for Infants No wonder if religious Ordinances be thus undermined when the Doctrine of the holy Trinity the Deity of Jesus Christ and of the Holy Ghost the divine Authority of the Scriptures the Obligation of the Decalogue and other Fundamentals of Faith Holiness and Righteousness are by the Ministers of the Prince of Darkness professedly overturned No wonder that Children are unchurched when so many Churches are unchurched many of them that have done the former having begun at the latter They who would not be saved by Ordinances shall perish for want of Ordinances and they that would not unite themselves to the Fountain of Life by Faith shall be separated from the streams and conveyances of Life that they may apparantly wither and dye only upon the living in Jerusalem that by the subtilty of delusion or power of interest are darkened and benummed pray and weep that the Sun of Righteousness may arise with healing in his wings But the Ordinances being the purchase of Christs blood as well as the Church the gifts of his Princely Government the Ensigns of his Victory over the Kingdom of Darkness and of his glorious Ascension he will by his soveraign Power maintain And to that end successively enoble the spirits of some with beams of heavenly light and courage that they shall discover the stratagems of Opposers and adventure upon their Armies marshalled against them and triumphantly overcome by his glorious power redeeming the captived Ordinances of their King unto a just and glorious Liberty This being so high a favor from Christ the glory of his Grace and Power it is most thankfully to be accepted and his Instruments to be had in honor by all that rejoyce in the glory of his Kingdom His Ministers he hath designed to be the Executors of his last Will and Testament to them it belongs by divine appointment to give out the several Legacies there bequeathed and to put in suit all them in the high Court of sacred Scripture who shall upon any pretence whatsoever detain any Legacy bequeathed and where will their faithfulness more appear then to open their mouth for the dumb and to sue for Childrens rights whil'st they are forcibly wronged and unable to right themselves where is greater Trust and more shining Fidelity The right of Infants to Baptism hath of late been openly impleaded in reference to Lancashire and the Bill printed to be published there in special with expectation of the concurrence of the godly but blessed be God one of the Lords Executors in Manchester where part-taking was most desired and expected hath wisely and faithfully joyned issue and by clear Evidence hath procured a determinate sentence for the setling of their undoubted right upon Infants to our great comfort and the honor of the Kingdom of Christ in the Right whereof Infants are rightly baptized And our hope in the Lord Jesus is that the questioning of the Right of Infants and the shaking of their title will have that influence upon all the godly in Lancashire especially Parents peculiarly in Manchester and the rest of the associated Churches that out of enflamed love to Christ and the Souls of their Children they will so much the more settle their Judgments in this Truth by the conscionable and diligent use of this hâ—lp provided by the Lord amongst them so seasonably in respect of danger and so suitably in respect of clearness brevity and charge that will happily lead to the believing repenting and prayerful use of this Ordinance which is the Covenant-way of conveying to their Children the sure and saving Mercies of the Covenant so shall they and others who have seen the holy Seal set on in Infancy clearly behold in their holy life the lively characters of the Spirit of the Covenant the Image of the Lord Jesus in their riper years To their own abundant satisfaction the silencing of Adversaries the increase of the Church mystical the encouragement of them that have carefully and painfully pleaded their Right and above all the honor of the Lord Jesus who in their Infancy opened unto them his Arms and Bosom in his Church that in an hidden way he might warm them with a spiritual Life to be manifested in due time In this hope we pray for you and labor amongst you that we might present Parents and Children in Covenant-obedience and blessing at that great Day This is the principal Desire and Soul-travel of The Lords unworthy Servants who in reference to Infants do rejoyce in our Ministry John Angier John Harison Nathaneel Rathband William Meek March 10. 1652. THE Authors Preface to the Christian Reader IN these times the Lords Builders are compelled while they
consisting of Females as well as Males were called the Circumcision in opposition of the Gentiles which were called Vncircumcision Gal. 2.7 8 9. Again It was not administred to reprobates as such not to every Male but to the Males of the Church externally in Covenant some whereof possibly were Reprobates So Simon Magus Judas Ananias and Sapphirah were baptized and yet it is at least likely that they were Reprobates Circumcision did belong to the Believer as well as Baptism doth those that were strangers to the Jewish Church could not be admitted but they must be Proselytes not of the gate only but of righteousness they must disclaim Paganism and profess the Jewish Religion A stranger continuing in his unbelief was not circumcised not did partake in the Passover Exod. 12.48 And by proportion that Text prohibiteth all such Jews as should forsake the faith See before Chap. 7. As for the change of the Church and Ordinances notwithstanding it the Lords-Day may succeed the Jewish Sabbath and those same persons which were bound to keep the Jewish Sabbath are tied to observe the Lords Day viz. servants and children as well as Parents and Masters though the persons be not so distinctly set down in the New Testament as in the Old Paul did use arguments from Analogy from the purging out of the old leaven at the Passover to the casting out of the incestuous from the Supper 1 Cor. 5. from the maintenance of the Priests to the maintenance of Ministers 1 Cor. 9.13 To argue à genere ad speciem affirmativè is not good reasoning The Church was changed therefore it was changed in this particular The Church might be changed and yet not in this the Sacrament may be changed and not the subject what belonged to the Jewish Church as a Church belongs to the Christian Church also that which belonged to it as Jewish was altered as High-Priest Temple Sacrifices Ceremonies c. Infants Church-membership did not belong to the Church as Iewish not was it a Ceremony or Type if you think it was shew what it was a type of and what was the antitype that hath succeeded it and prove it so you can There was a Church before there was an High-Priest Temple c. in the Families of Adam Noah and Sem which was alive in the time of Isaac Melchizedek surely had subjects and people which were the Church as well as he was a King and a Priest of the most high God This Church might continue long not be united to the Church in Abrahams family for ought we know whatsoever the extent of the Church was Domestical Congregational or National Infants are reckoned of the same Church with their Parents the Church before Christ and after Christ is the same Church as an Heir While in nonage and when adult is the same person The Jews that believed were never unchurched the Tree was not broken down but some branches broken off some additionals to the Church ceased the Church it self ceased not the partition Wall Was broken down and Iews and Gentiles made one Church Eph. 2.14 3.6 And when the wall was down were their Infants turned out of the Church at one door as the Gentiles came in at another was the Church so changed that it lost so many materials and was the Covenant of Grace changed too did it lose so many out of it Visible Professors and their Infants are alike in every age and there is nothing in them inconsistent with propriety in God or interest in the Covenant or the Seal thereof in one age more then in another Baptism is the seal of the Covenant now and may be administred to visible Professors and their children now as Circumcision was then if there should be any difference Reason would tell us considering the painfulness and peril of Circumcision Gen. 34.25 and the easiness of Baptism That only grown men should have been circumcised and Infants baptized rather then contrary ANABAPY CAT. Q. Whether may not Infants of Believers be baptized by virtue of Covenant-holiness A. No for Baptism is not a sign or seal of any such outward holiness which may befall Reprobates as Well as Elect but it is a sign of Death Burial and Resurrection Which the Believerthath with Christ 2. There is no command for baptizing such if the Gentiles Were so holy BAptism is a sign and seal of Christs Death Examinat Cap. 10. § 1. Burial and Resurrection and of the truth and faithfulness of those exceeding great and precious Promises bundled up in the Covenant of Grace which are in Christ Yea and Amen a Cor. 1.20 but it is not an absolute sign or seal of the baptized's Death Burial Resurrection With Christ of his putting on of Christ of grace already Wrought in him as you assert in your Answer to the second and third question but only conditional Acts 16.30 31. if he believe as the Romans did Rom. 6.3.4 with 5.1.2 A Christian gathers the assurance of his Justification and Salvation by this or such a like Syllogism He that believeth is justified and shall be saved I believe therefore I am justified and shall be saved The Major or former Proposition Baptism doth absolutely and universally seal but not so the Minor or second Proposition viz. I believe If Baptism should seal to all baptized ones as suppose Simon Magus Judas c. the truth of their Faith and their saving interest in Jesus Christ then should God set his Seal for Baptism is Gods Seal not the Churches to a lye and falshood or at least command Ministers so to do when they are bound by the Rules of Christ to baptize such as are not inwardly holy as Simon Magus c. Children of Believers sect 2. 1 Cor. 7.14 are said to be Saints or holy whereby is not meant that they were legitimate only for so had they been if both the Parents had been Infidels and children are not holy because they are not bastards nor only sanctified to the use of the Parents as the unblieving yoke-fellow though not holy in se nor sanctifying is sanctified to the believing yoke-fellow the Holy Ghost neither here nor elsewhere speaking of any thing to be sanctified to unbelievers but they are holy a distinct phrase from being sanctified to another as birds and beasts may be and this holiness proceeds from the believing yoke-fellow which is the reason why he saith your children viz the children of you Christian yoke-fellows the Infidel yoke fellows writ not to Paul are holy which seeing it cannot be meant of internal and saving holiness for all children of the Church are not such though we are bound to judg the best till the contrary appear it must needs therefore be meant of outward federal holiness which is the privlledg of the children of believing Parents above the children of Pagans the Jews having had the like priviledg before See Gal. 2. 15. which I conceive runs parallel with this Or if but one of the
Pennance Extream Vnction Orders of which there are seven viz. Priests Deacons Sub-deacons Acolytes Exorcists Lectors or Readers Ostiaries or Door-keepers and Matrimony God is to be invocated and Religiously worshipped Yea and the Images of God also Crosses Crucifixes Altars Angels Saints with their Reliques and Images Christ is the Head of the Church And the Pope also Christ is our Mediator and Advocate So are the Angels and Saints likewise Christ was conceived without original sin And the Virgin Mary also Christ was once sacrificed on the Cross for the Redemption of the world Christ is dayly offered up in Mass a propitiatory Sacrifice for the sins of quick and dead We are saved by the merits of Christ And also by the merits of the Saints We are justified by Faith And by hope love fear of God good works which merit Salvation All the words and actions which Scripture records to be used by Christ in the celebration of the Supper are to be used by us also The sacred Hoast must also be elevated adored reserved carried in solemn procession Christ is truly present in the Eucharist Christ is corporally present by Transubstantiation and may be received into the mouths of wicked men yea of Rats and Mice There are two places for the Souls of such as depart hence And two besides viz. Purgatory and Limbus Infantum The three Creeds commonly called the Creed of the Apostles of the Nicene Councel and of Athanasius are to be received and beleeved And Pope Pius his Creed also or his additions to the Nicene Creed are also to be received and beleeved These and the like positive Points of the Reformed Religion whereof I omit sundry are truly and properly Catholique for in them not only Papists but in a manner all Christians in the world concur with us but in your Additions you stand single and have multitudes of Christians in the Eastern and Western Churches dissenting from you 2. Peruse the Book of nine and thirty Articles the Homilies Leiturgy and Catechisms or the late Directory Confession of Faith or Catechisms larger or shorter and find if you can the Doctrine of our Church contrary to any one Article of those several Creeds which in the first six hundred years were Badges of Catholique Profession or produce any one of those Articles to which we do not willingly subscribe 3. Though the ancient Church did undoubtedly beleeve and profess all that was necessary to Salvation yet there is not one Creed of General or National Counced particular Church or Father within a thousand or twelve hundred years after Christ in which the Articles of Pope Pius his Creed were imposed as now they are for Articles of Faith necessary to be beleeved unto Salvation 4. The Church of God as might be proved by Scriptures or Fathers if it were not acknowledged by your own Authors cannot make a new Article of Faith nor any addition to the Creed save by way of Explication of that which was formerly upon Scripture grounds beleeved and professed But these additions of yours were not beleeved if you should say that they were beleeved implicitely this suppose it true would take away the Visibility of the Profession thereof by the Ancient Caâ—holique and Apostolique Church 5. None of your side hitherto hath or hereafter can produce any one visible Church which in the Apostolique and in all succeeding Ages did approve and use Communion in one kind Private Mass Prayer in an unknown Tongue Image-worship Pardons Indulgences which beleeved the Popes Infallibility his Superiority over General Councels his temporal Authority over Kings and Emperors to depose them and dispose of their Dominions the necessity of auricular Confession the determinate number of seven Sacraments Purgatory and the Popes Power to deliver Souls from thence which forbade Lay-men without a special dispensation to read the Scriptures or Priests to marry c. 6. Nay you cannot name any one person in each several Age out of whose words or writings notwithstanding there were sundry Creeds Confessions of Faith Catechisms Sermons or Homilies Summaries of Christian Doctrine the aforesaid particular Points of Popery may be collected descending from the age of Christ to the days of Luther 7. Nay you cannot name any one Father or Catholique Writer for twelve hundred years after Christ that did hold all those Tenets which are now taught by the Romish Church and authorized by the Trent Councel 8. None of your side hath or can prove that any of the Primitive Martyrs or Confessors suffered Death Banishment Torment Confiscation c. for the Popish Religion or any particular thereof in which they differ from the Church of England as Papal Supremacy Communion in one kind Image-worship c. 9. You cannot shew that any one Article of your Faith in which we dissent from you is Catholique according to Vincentius Lirinensis his Rules viz. which was Ancient in his time and in respect of the Arrian Heresie which he calls novellum dogma a novel tenet and that which you know that not unus aut duo tantum sed omnes c. not only one or two but all though living in several times and places have with one consent openly frequently constantly held written and taught 10. None of your side dare for shame affirm that Communion in both kinds Prayer in a known Tongue communion of Priest with people Lay-mens reading of the Scriptures Worship of God without Images Invocation of God without mediation of Saints or Angels and other the aforesaid affirmative and positive Doctrines were invented by Luther or that they are not in themselves so lawful and agreeable to the Scriptures and practise of the first six centuries of years as Communion in one kind Prayer in an unknown Tongue c. 11. There are few or no Points denyed or affirmed against us by you in which you vary not amongst your selves and if any of you will distinctly set down avoyding general and ambiguous terms what he thinketh to be the truth in any Question or Exposition of Scripture controverted betwixt us I verily beleeve I can name him another Papist new or old that saith the contrary Bellarmine doth obiter discover to the world above three hundred several Opinions of Papists and those only in and about the Points controverted between you and us and Navane mentions about sixty Dissentions of your Doctors in one only Point to wit Confession 12. I shall hold till herein I be convinced of Error by instance to the contrary that whatsoever titles are by the ancient Fathers given to the Eucharist whereby you would prove Transubstantiation Adoration Sacrifice c. the same phrases or some equivalent to them may be found in the Fathers concerning Baptism in which you confess there is neither Transubstantiation nor Sacrifice 13. Also that those glorious things which were spoken by them of the Bishops of Rome may be parallel'd by such as read them throughly with the like honorable mention of other Patriarchs and Bishops 14. Also