A DISCOVERY OF THE ERRORS OF THE ENGLISH ANABAPTISTS As also an Admonition to all such as are led by the like spirit of error Wherein is set downe all their seuerall and maine points of error which they hold With a full answer to euery one of them seuerally wherein the truth is manifested By Edmond lessop who sometime walked in the said errors with them PSAL. 40. 1. I waited patiently vpon the Lord and he inclined vnto me and heard my crie He brought me also out of the horrible pit and mirie clay and hath set my feete upon the rocke and ordereth my goings And he hath put in my mouth a new song of praise vnto our God many shall see it and feare and trust in the Lord. Therefore haue I not hid thy righteousnes within my heart but haue declared thy truth and thy saluation and haue not concealed thy mercie and thy truth from the great congregation ver 10. LONDON Printed by W. Iones for Robert Bird and are to be sold at his shop in Cheapside at the signe of the Bible 1623. Their principall points which are handled in this Booke viz. 1 That God did predestinate all men to be saued vpon condition that they repent and beleeuè the Gospell 2 That God did not elect before all time to grace and life any particular persons but in time he doth elect qualities as faith and obedience and then finding these qualities in men he doth elect their persons for the qualities sake 3 That all men haue free will in themselues as well to repent of their sinnes to beleeue the Gospell and obtaine saluation as they haue to remaine in hardnesse of heart and vnbeliefe and in the estate of damnation 4 That the stedfastnesse of mans iustification and saluation doth depend vpon his owne will in continuing in the act of beleeuing and works of righteousnesse and that such as haue faith in Christ Iesus regenerate persons hauing their names written in the book of life may fall away from all may become vnregenerate and haue their names rased out of the booke of life againe and perish and that God doth alter and change his purpose and promise and come to hate and reiect such as he hath formerly loued and iustified 5 That there is no Originall sinne but that all children of all maner of people in the world as well heathens Infidels Idolaters worshippers of Diuels all kind of blasphemers fornicators vncleane persons whatsoeuer as of the faithfull are free from all pollution of sinne both in the conception and birth and dying before they commit actuall sinnes are saued 6 That none ought to be baptized but such men and women of yeares onely as haue attained to true repentance and iustifying faith being both in the account of the Church and in the sight of God regenerate persons and that the baptisme of children vsed is no baptisme at all but is the marke of the Beast spoken of in Reuelat. 13. 7 That the Church of England is a false and Antichristian Church and ought to be separated from As also a touch of the errors of the Familists 8 And that a King or Magistrate cannot be a true Christian except he giue ouer his kingly office or Magistracie AN ADVERTISEMENT to the Christian Reader WHereas Beloued there hath risen and sprung vp from amongst vs many dangerous and erronious opinions in these our last dayes about the subiect of Religion let it not therefore seeme strange vnto you being the Spirit of God did not onely foresee but also foretold of the same long before they did appeare euery one being diuided into sundry and seuerall factions all pretending to worship the true and euerliuing God in spirit and in truth speaking peace vnto themselues when as the most of them do yet lie wallowing in the puddle of iniquity and cradle of securitie being not purged in heart all which doe rise two sundry wayes being branches of one stocke deriued from one principall head namely the spirit of error The first is in that they contemne or so little or lightly esteeme that meanes which by Gods prouidence is affoorded vnto vs vnder our peaceable dread Soueraigne Lord the King Secondly they being selfe conceited or as Saint Paul speakes aduancing themselues in those things they neuer saw rashly puft vp with carnall mindes supposing they know some thing more then others vnderualuing all and ouerualuing themselues the conceit whereof causeth them to fall to Schisme and seperate from all others when as indeed and in truth they being examined by the word and Spirit of God it will appeare to the godly wise that as yet most of them know nothing aright or as they ought to know if euer they expect the saluation of their soules For if they were but possessed with the true knowledge an liue of God in Christ and so were of a sound mind at Saint Paul exhorts all to be it would rather cause humiliation then exaltation which would truly teach euery one how to dâ—meane carry himselfe about so weighty a subiect The neglect hereof doth bring them into a labyrinth of errors following after a forme of godlinesse through the wisdome and knowledge of the braine onely without the power thereof contenting themselues in the out side of religion blessing themselues in what they can doe and measuring the loue of God to themselues by their owne doings as of old their predecessors the Scribes and Pharises did following shadows insteed of substances dreaming of a kind of felicitie in this forme and in that seeking peace and rest to their soules where it is not to be found which condition of theirs I cannot but condole desiring with the Prophet That my head were water and mine eyes a fountaine or well of teares that I might weepe day and night for their misery And in speciall for them who are neere and deere vnto me in the bonds of nature For poore soules they couer their spirituall misery with Adams fig tree leaues or with the spiders web striuing for an outward separation in the flesh when alas it is much to be feared that with many of them there is litle or no care at all for a separation of the soule from sin challenging and assuming vnto themselues soundnes of religion and assurance of Gods loue euer measuring themselues by themselues and not by that eternall wisdome which is Iustified of her children being blinded through selfe-loue not willing to iudge themselues and so become low in their owne eyes that God might be all in all but contrariwise iudging and condemning all but themselues after this maner doe they follow the vision of their owne hearts deceiuing and being deceiued running and flitting from one opinion vnto another being vnstable in all their wayes Which practise of theirs may well be compared vnto certaine flies feeding on the backe of a gald horse which is euer flitting or remouing from one place to another vntill at last they come to sucke so much
of Iudas and of his fellow disciples who could not relish the words of eternall life which Christ spake saying Except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood ye haue no life in you and the case of those Antichrists and of those vnfaithfull euill hearted draw-backs as it hath been the case of many thousands more and is still at this day yet the case of Peter of Iohn and the rest of the Apostles was far otherwise as is now also the case of all regenerate true hearted Christians they beleeue to the sauing of the soule they eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood spiritually by faith and haue eternall life abiding in them they dwell in Christ and Christ in them they are borne of God and therefore draw not backe sinne not to perdition for the seed whereby they are begotten remaineth in them neither can they so sinne because they are borne of God nay they are sealed by the holy Spirit of promise vnto the day of redemption they ouercome the world endure and keepe his words and works vnto the end they are the liuely stones of Gods temple built vpon the chiefe corner stone who are made a spiritual house to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ his Church against which the gates of hell shall not preuaile they are the good ground spoken of the good trees which cannot bring forth euill fruit but good only the euill which they doe at any time is not their fruit because it proceedeth not from their hearts but is done vnwillingly through weaknesse for in their hearts they serue the law of God The Scriptures account that to be a mans fruite which cometh from his heart whether it be good or euill because thereby the nature of the fountaine which is the heart is knowne as the nature of trees are by their fruite So that the nature of a good man I meane that which is borne of the Spirit not his fleshly nature is now to bring foorth good fruite only as Christ testifieth saying A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth foorth that which is good We can do nothing against the truth saith the Apostle A good tree cannot bring forth euill fruite And whereas the Scriptures speake so often after this maner If ye hold fast vuto the end If ye continue Him that ouercometh and keepeth my words and works to the end then are ye his house then will he approue of ye then shall ye be saued And on the contrary He that looketh behind him He that endureth not If any draw backe or fall away c. he is not meete for the kingdome of God My soule shall haue no pleasure in him There remaines no more sacrifice for sin The drift of the Spirit of God is to informe vs of the different estates and conditions of Christians of the danger of the one estate and of the well being and safetie of the other that so we seeing the difference and being forewarned thereof might not depend vpon that which is so dangerous but striue vnto that wherein there is safetie And where it saith of some Let them be blotted out of the booke of the liuing I will put his name out of the booke of life The meaning is not that God will put any mans name out of the booke of life that is written therein but his meaning is that such desperate and wicked persons as blaspheme his truth and Spirit shall be set down as it were with a blot cursed vtterly excluded and pronounced against for such as there is no hope or place for repentance as was Iudas and others of his companions of whom it was foresaid Let them be blotted out of the booke of the liuing let them not be written with the righteous c. for they persecue him whom thou hast smitten they talke to the griefe of those whom thou hast chosen So that whereas men may seeme to haue a place among the Saints in the Church of God and to be in as good an estate as they by reason of some gifts of the Spirit which they may receiue and some alteration the word of God may worke in them yet being neuer sanctified in heart by the faith of the Sonne of God in time they discouer themselues to be in heart euill and aduersaries to the truth and such as God doth by his word exclude and pronouuce cursed children twice dead and pluckt vp by the rootes such as neuer had nor shall haue their names written with his people in his records of life which before their discouerie might seeme both to themselues and to others to haue and therefore it is said And from him that hath not shall be taken away euen that which he seemeth to haue which seemeth also to be an improper speech for how can that which a man hath not be said to be taken from him He had something may some say and it is true he had heard and receiued the word with ioy but not in deepenesse of root not in a good heart his heart was neuer sanctified by faith like vnto his that brought forth fruit he was enlightned and had tasted of the good word of God and of the powers of the world to come but he seemed and made shew to haue more he presumed no doubt that his name was written in the booke of life which was more then that he had receiued could warrant him This his pretended shew is now also taken from him and his name is openly by the iust sentence of Gods word put out of all hope of being or euer to be written in the book of life and he is now like the earth which bringeth forth nothing but briars and thornes neere vnto cursing it is impossible he should now be renewed For nothing is secret saith the text that shall not be made manifest nor any thing hid that shall not be knowne and come to light Therefore saith he take heed how ye heare For whosoeuer hath to him shall be giuen and he shall haue abundance and whosoeuer hath not from him shall be taken away euen that which he seemeth to haue But what is the booke of life for peraduenture it is a secret to some doubtlesse It is both Gods secret and reuealed decree or will concerning such as shal be saued by that which is reuealed the secret is made knowne His secret decree we haue in the first beginning of our writing shewed which briefly is this That God before the world was foreseeing the fall of mankind did chuse in Christ a certaine number of them to life and saluation which were all foreseen and knowne of him and recorded by his decree in the roule of Christ before they were his reuealed will or decree which we haue before also at large exprest is briefly this namely the speciall promises and testimonies of
notwithstanding all these truths there maintained I dare not attribute so great a work as this vnto any mortall man whatsoeuer any otherwise then his ministery to be the ordinary meanes thereof but desire to giue the praise both now and for euer onely to God vnto whom it is due he being the principall and chiefe worker therein by the powerfull minstration of his holy Spirit that so he may be all in all vnto all And thus in all humilitie of soule I humbly take my leaue proceeding vnto that which followeth beseeching God euen the God of all peace grace mercie and loue to confirme direct and informe all our hearts by his holy Spirit whereby we may not only come to vnderstand the truth thereof but also to practise the same in our liues and conuersations to the praise of the glorie of his grace vntill we come to be safe ariued at the promised Ierusalem which is the hauen or port of eternall rest therein shall all teares be wiped from our eyes and so enioy the presence of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ the Prince of our saluation to whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be all praise honour and glorie giuen of his Saints for euermore Amen Yours in all Christian dutie Edmond Iessop A DISCOVERIE OF THE ERRORS OF THE ANABAPTISTS Their first point That God did predestinate all men to be saued vpon condition that they repent and beleeue the Gospell We answer GOD did not predestinate all men to be saued nor any man vpon any condition either of repentance faith or whatsoeuer else was to be expected or could be foreseene in them But his predestination was in this sort First God before he created any thing saw and foreknew what would be the nature euent of all things how though he made as excellent creatures as could be created yet there would be weaknesse and folly found in them because to be absolutely perfect and vnchangeable is proper only to God the Creator So that it was impossible God should make his creature equall with himselfe to will all things that be good perfectly and vnchangeably and to do all things that such a will can desire for then he must be God able to create which is impossible because there can be but one God which is the first beginner and Lord of all creatures This one God foreseeing I say what would become of the best creatures he could make how though he should require nothing at their hands but that which they might easily obserue and it was meet and very requisite they should acknowledge a dutie to him their first beginner and Lord in whose goodnesse and power their life and safetie did depend yet they would neglect the same and fall from him he therefore of his meere goodnes hauing great respect vnto his creature which he had resolued to make and being exceeding willing not for any thing he could foresee in them but for his owne good pleasure glorie sake to saue and glorifie of the same consulting with himselfe and with his eternall Wisedome which way and how he might bring his desire to passe did determine by election in and through the same his eternall Wisedome his euerlasting and onely Sonne which was before the depths euer with him as his counseller and hearts delight to sustaine of the one sort I meane the Angels and to redeeme of the other sort I meane mankind such a compleat sufficient companie of both as himselfe pleased to be at his right hand to behold his glorie to minister before him to partake of his pleasures for euermore And because there was no way else but by redemption to saue mankind by reason the first man being once fallen all the rest then in his loines who were to come of him by generation fell together with him and that there was not any one in heauen or in earth that was able to vndoe the workes of the diuell and to deliuer those his elect from his seruitude and bondage but onely the same his eternall Wisedom the Word whereby he made the world therefore as he had chosen them in him so did he decree to send him into the world and in a wonderfull maner to take mans nature and flesh on him that therein he might accomplish his purpose and bring his counsell and desire to passe in subduing his and their enemie and purchasing redemption for them by his death and resurrection And as he did determine before the world was to send him so did he predestinate them whom he had chosen in him and foreknew to be conformed to his image that he might be the first borne among many brethren the rest he resolued to leaue and to reward them with the fruite of their owne wayes Thus God foresaw all things thus did he by his wisedome find out a way to sustaine and restore of his creatures this was his decree and in this sort did he predestinate God did not neither is he euer said in Scripture to predestinate any to do euill nor to preordaine any to condemnation but vpon the foresight of their folly and wickednesse as the cause and ground thereof and so the saluation of man is freely and onely in God in Christ and the condemnation of man is meerly and truly of himselfe without any secret reseruation whatsoeuer as it is written O Israel destruction is of thy selfe but thy saluation is of God Their second point That God did not elect before all time to grace and life any particular persons but in time he doth elect qualities as faith and obedience and then finding these qualities in men he doth elect their persons for the qualities sake Answ TO affirme that God did not elect in Christ before all time some particular persons to grace holinesse life eternal is to denie Gods free vndeserued loue and to say that God doth elect qualities is senslesse and to teach that God doth elect persons for qualities sake is very erroneous and Antichristian We say therefore that Gods election is after this maner First before men or qualities of any sort were God of his meere loue did elect and chuse in Christ out of the whole posteritie and race of mankind which he foresaw and were before him as if they had actually been a seed a remnant to be his people to be his heritage to be holy and without blame before him in loue as Saint Paul doth testifie saying Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessings in heauenly things in Christ according as he hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue hauing predestinated vs vnto the adoption of children by Iesus Christ to himselfe according to the good pleasure of his owne will to the praise of the glorie of his grace Whence it is euident that God did chuse a
but him alone Therefore in sure consideration of his grace and loue being confounded in themselues and ashamed as touching their owne will and workes and giuing all praise and honour vnto his holy name they do beseech him though they be not worthy the least of his mercies that he would be pleased notwithstanding to extend his grace and loue vnto them and poure forth his holy Spirit the ruler and gouernour of his kingdome here on earth into their hearts to comfort sanctifie and guide them in his truh that being guided and sanctified thereby they may euermore doe his will obey his commandements and walke before him here on earth euen as his holy Angells and seruants doe in heauen And acknowledging his goodnes towards them his prouidence and care in feeding and cloathing them and giuing them all other things which the necessities of this their present life requires do request him also that he would dayly supply and continue the same with his continuall blessing thereon receiuing them alwayes with thanksgiuing knowing that they are all sanctified by his word and prayer And calling to mind their manifold sinnes and trespasses which they in their flesh and bodies of death doe dayly commit against him poure out their soules in teares before him bewailing their wretchednes and misserie herein beseeching him for his Son Iesus Christ his sake through whom they haue now great confidence of his grace that he would not lay their sinnes to their charge but forgiue them hauing also a true testimonie in their consciences which they likewise cleere before him that they are at peace with all men and doe forgiue euen their enemies and so withall doe earnestly intreate him that he would vouchsafe them his gracious and Fatherly perfection to sustaine and keep them that no temptation may at any time preuaile against them to leade or any way to induce them to commit euill in his sight but that they may by the power of his grace and holy Spirit withstand the same And so reposing their trust and whole affiance in him they rest in peace knowing also and acknowledging that the kingdome and the power and the glory is his for euer and euer Amen Thus these iust and sanctified seruants of God goe one from strength to strength as the Prophet speaketh and from faith to faith neuer giuing ouer nor turning backe nor falling away from the liuing God like those that haue an euill heart and vnfaithfull but still step forward drawing neerer and neerer vnto God with a true and good heart in the full assurance of faith vntill they come to see his face in the promised Ierusalem For the iust doe liue by faith as it is written For yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry Now the iust shall liue by faith But if any draw backe my Soule shall haue no pleasure in them But saith the Apostle we are not of them that draw backe to perdition but of them that follow faith vnto the sauing of the Soule In these words he putteth a plaine difference doth distinguish between them whose hearts being euill and vnfaithfull do turne backe to perdition and them whose hearts are true and iust and who hauing the full assurance of faith doe perseuere and continue vnto the saluation of their soules As if he should haue said There be some indeed whose hearts were neuer sanctified by the faith of Gods elect the faith of Abraham But onely by a generall kind of faith their outward parts their house was a little Superficiallie swept which fall backe to destruction but we meaning himselfe and such sanctified soules with him as himselfe was we are not of that sort but of another euen of them which doe beleeue after another maner who haue the faith of Abraham the faith of Gods elect the effectuall faith the faith of Christ the faith that worketh by loue the faith which maketh a sinner iust the faith by which the iust doe liue and are saued Which very thing Saint Iohn also cleereth speaking of the Antichrists that were gone out from them They went out from vs saith he but they were not of vs If they had bin of vs they would no doubt haue continued with vs But they went out from vs that it might be made manifest that they were not all of vs. In which words he proueth planly that if they had euer beene of the faithfull sort namely the sanctified in heart whereof Iohn was one they had neuer fallen back but had without all doubt continued but by this their falling off it was made manifest which was not so cleere before that they were neuer of them what outward shewes soeuer they made The very same againe is manifest concerning Iudas for after he had plaid his treacherous part that he was discouered and burst in peeces the Spirit of God taking notice of his former pretended charitie to the poore which he vttered in these words Why was not this oyntment sold for three hundred pence and giuen to the poore And of this euill couetuous and theuish heart at the same time he saith This he spake not that he cared for the poore but because he was a theefe and had the bag and bare what was put therein So that Iudas was neuer any of the faithfull his heart was neuer vpright from the beginning he belieued not in his heart vnto Iustification he had not the faith of the Saints the faith that worketh by loue the faith of Christ as Christ himselfe testifieth against him saying But there are some of you which belieueth not and Iudas was one of them and the speciall man aimed at as Saint Iohn in the next wordes noteth saying For Iesus knew from the beginning who they were that belieued not and who should betray him And Iesus said vnto them therefore said I vnto you that no man can come vnto me except it be giuen him of my Father Meaning by comming vnto him belieuing in him vnto iustification as he said Come vnto me all ye that are weary and heauy laden c. And againe All that the Father giueth me commeth to me and him that commeth to me I will in no wise cast out Therefore the text saith From that time many of his Disciples went backe and walked no more with him And Iudas though he taried after them yet a while it was but to make vp the full measure of his sinnes For his heart was then as euill if not worse then theirs as Christ testifieth to his face in the presence and hearing of the other Apostles saying Haue I not chosen you twelue and one of you is a Diuell This he spake of Iudas and though he be here said among the rest to be chosen it is to be vnderstood but of his outward office and in respect of the common guifts of the Spirit which he had receiued And although this was the case
crouch and bend to her and that he became Lord and master of all then did he among the rest of his requitals entertaine and command such part of the Dragons religion and Church-seruice as might giue him the best content and most aduance his owne temporall state of glorie So that hauing once obtained the Dragons seate and that all his heads hils and hornes were his he thought he might now do what he list fell to desolating of the true worship of God and to consuming of the Saints of the most high the remnant of the true Spouse the children of the woman before described and pulled downe the daily and spirituall sacrifice which they the spirituall house of God offered vp acceptable to him by Iesus Christ cast the truth to the ground as the Prophet had foretold of him brought in and set vp the abhominable and most execrable religion of the heathen compounding it and dignifying the parts practise and practisers of it the more to delude the world with the names and titles of God Christ holy Spirit the word of God his holy Church his worship Seruice his holy Sacraments and Saints And that he might haue all in obedience made such lawes by the aduice of his priuie councell that whosoeuer would not worship the Beast and this image of the Beast the idols and abhominations of the heathen and pagans should by the executioners of his will be taken and killed And because he would be sure to know his own and to find out all that would not submit caused all both small and great rich and poore free and bond to receiue a marke in his right hand or in his forehead and that no man might buy or sell saue he that had the marke c. Now when once things were come to this passe it was no longer time for any soule that would be saued to stay and for this cause it was that Christ commandeth saying Come out of her my people that ye be not partaker of her sinnes and that ye receive not of her plagues for her sins haue reached vnto heauen and God hath remembred her iniquities And these were the very reasons why at the first the Church of England separated from her and also why so many of other nations did forsake her When Wickliffe Husse Tindal Luther Cranmer Latimer and others forsooke the Church of Rome and came out of her they stood not to make question about their outward calling or ordination they had receiued before of the Church of Rome but God hauing called them now by a more speciall heauenly calling to preach his truth they staid not for neither did they look after another Nay if they had the truth might haue lien hid we might haue sat in darknesse vntill this day but they finding the approbation of God and his people It was enough Let me aske If God should vouchsafe to call the Bishop of Rome the Pope that now is and that he should forsake all those abhominations which he now liueth in and become such a Scribe Bishop or Elder as before we haue described who would condemne him or call him Antichrist for that he was once the Pope of Rome though he had neuer other outward ordination more then the approbation of God and his people or who would call the people that should imbrace him Antichristians doubtlesse not any of the children of wisdome Agiane presuppose that the state of all Europe were now as it hath beene heretofore all vnder Antichrist and his Church and that God should call one of the Bishops of that Church out from them and in due him with the knowledge of his truth by his word Spirit and that there be a necessitie as thou saist that he must haue another outward ordination before he can Minister the word of God vnto any people so as to be a Bishop or Elder vnto them whither wouldest thou haue him to goe for it or where wilt thou finde an Eldership to ordaine him In Europe there be none all are Antichristians Wilt thou haue Apostles againe to lay a new foundation and must they ordaine new Elders before their can be a true constituted Church with her offices and ordinances as thou termest them Is this thy iudgement It may be if it be not Nay it must be if thou hold thee to thy former It hath beene the opinion of some of thy predecessors that held themselues as wise as thy selfe whatsoeuer thou art as for instance there were among others three Brethren ancient Separatists from the Church of England liuing sometimes in the Cittie of London their names were Legat these held it stifly that their must be new Apostles before their could be a true constituted Church and they drew it from this their ground the one was called Walter Legat who about twenty yeares since was drowned being with one of his brethren washing himselfe in a riuer called the Old Foord Another of them called Thomas Legat died in Newgate about sixteene yeares since being laid there for the Heresie of Arius The third called Bartholomew Legat was burnt in Smithfield about ten yeares since being condemned for the same Heresie of Arius for they all held and stood stoutly for the same also These Legats had a conceit that their name did as it were foreshew and entitle them to be the new Apostles that must doe this new worke but you see what became of them There was also one Iohn Wilkinson another ancient stout Separatist who with diuers that followed him held the same likewise drawing it from the same ground as a necessary consequence thereof who also came to naught But if there be any yet that will needs haue new Apostles as no doubt there be for their carnall contentions worke still to that point then let me aske thee whence must they come who shall send them Christ is ascended and he doth not now appeare to call and send any as he did the Apostle Paul and Apostles must be such as come from the presence of the Lord and haue seene him For which cause Saint Paul saith in the defence of his Apostleship Haue not I seene the Lord c. And he that was to be in Iudas his roome must be one that had bin conuersant with the Apostles the time of Christs being then on earth an eye witnes to publish that which he saw and beleeued So that Apostles thou canst not vpon any good ground expect If thou saist the Church may ordaine nâ—â— Elders I aske whence came that Church who plant 〈◊〉 first can there be an Orchard of fruitfull trees and was there not a husbandman that planted it Can faith be without preaching or can there be a Church without faith If thou hast found a true Church find but out him that planted it that first preached the word of God vnto it whereby it beleeued and became his Church thou hast found an Elder feare it not thou needest not make further
people to himselfe euen before the foundation of the world not for qualities sake which then were not but for his owne good pleasure sake and to the end that they should be in time qualified with spirituall and heauenly gifts holy affections blamelesse life and holy conuersation euen as he did predestinate them also before the world vnto the adoption of children by Iesus Christ which was to be actually fulfilled in time that so all might be to the praise of the glorie of his grace And for further proofe that election is before qualities of faith and obedience and not of qualities but of persons to be qualified see what Christ himselfe saith foretelling of the great abhomination of desolation dayes of the tribulation of Antichrist which should come into the world whereby the truth should be cast to the ground and the Saints of the most High consumed But for the elects sake those dayes shall be shortned Meaning by the elect not qualities nor persons qualified but persons to be qualified not then being nor to be till many hundred yeares after euen till these our times as experience hath proued For those dayes of desolation were not then begun neither did that Man of sinne rise vp till neare foure hundred yeares after and those elect were to be in the dayes of his consumption when his dayes of desolation should begin to grow short as the text sheweth which time is now at last come into the world And although his time of desolation hath been long and that his dayes of tyrannie are not yet fully ended yet neuerthelesse both it and they are now well wasted and shortned according to the word of the Lord and his Gospel shineth in stead thereof not only in other kingdomes and parts abroad but chiefly in this our Land blessed be his name therefore which had it not been had Antichrist with his dayes of desolation continued still in the full strength and height they were had not he that sitteth on the white horse whose name is called the Word of God taken his owne cause in hand and with the spirit of his mouth consumed and cut short as he daily doth those abhominable dayes of the Man of sin questionlesse no flesh should now in these last times haue bin saued but all had bin ouerwhelmed with his deceit as it is writtē And except those dayes should be shortned there should no flesh be saued but for the elects sake those dayes shall be shortned nay they are shortned the light of the Gospel shineth the elect are thereby daily called sanctified and saued Hence it is euident that election is before calling and iustification euen as predestination is seeing God doth count and call them his elect so long before they are in being and that election is to those blessed ends whereof the Gospell is the onely meanes And for further confirmation of this point Saint Paul declareth that all the seed which God did couenant with Abraham to call in Isaac saying In Isaac shall thy seed by called yea Isaac himselfe and Iacob likewise were chosen of God in Christ and knowne of him before either Christ or one thousand part of that seede were borne being onely promised of God to Abraham as a seed and generation spirituall not of Isaac and his naturall ofspring onely but of the Gentiles also and were to be deriued in a spirituall maner of that one seed the Messias promised in which Abraham beleeued though he were not to come into the world for many hundred yeares after in respect whereof God said vnto him I haue made thee a father of many nations This seed of Abraham Saint Paul calleth the children of promise because they are all borne by promise as was Isaac being of that one seed which is Christ and part of that small remnant which he had reserued in him before the foundation of the world but for whose sake we had not continued till now but had been made like Sodome long before this day And that this seed and children of Abraham were chosen of God in Christ before they were borne Saint Paul further proueth it by the words spoken to Rebecca concerning Iacob saying And not onely this but when Rebecca also was conceiued by one euen by our father Isaac for the children being not yet borne nor hauing done good or euil that the purpose of God according to election might stand not of works but by reason of him that calleth it was said vnto her The elder shall serue the yonger as it is witten Iacob haue I loued and Esaw haue I hated By this word of promise concerning Iacob Saint Paul proueth more fully I say that which in substance he had declared before by the word of promise as touching Isaac and as concerning the seed which God did promise Abraham to call in Isaac namely that the purpose of God according to election his free loue in chusing vs first in Christ is the true ground and principall cause of all spirituall blessings in heauenly things which in time we come to enjoy in him For doubtlesse there was no cause in Iacob more then in Esaw why God should haue this respect vnto him more then to Esaw the seed of euill was sowne in him also and their natures were both corrupt euen from their conception yea from Adam in whose loines both they and their parents were when he transgressed And as the tree or plant which for want of strength being yong tender cannot yeeld forth fruit whereby it nature may be shewen yet being in nature euill the substance and root of euill is therein and so as without a replantation and coniunction with some tree or plant of better nature it can bring forth no other but euill fruit so Iacob as well as Esaw his nature being also corrupt and euill had not God intercepted him and as he had chosen him before in Christ so by a new birth or replantation changed his nature his heart I meane he would haue brought forth no other but euill fruit also as well as his brother Esaw euen to his last houre and so haue perished together Thus much shall serue for the truth of Gods election Their third point is That all men haue free will in themselues as well to repent of their sinnes to beleeue the Gospell and obtaine saluation as they haue to remaine in hardnesse of heart and vnbeliefe and in the estate of damnation Answ TO teach that all or that any men haue as free will in themselues to repent to beleeue the Gospell and obtaine saluation as they haue to remaine in the contraries is very erroneous and Antichristian But the truth is this That as we haue all sinned in and from our father Adam and are excluded from the glorie of God and from the ioy of his presence so haue we all lost and are depriued of all possibilitie
to others the sauour of death vnto death not of it selfe but through the wickednes of mens hearts so likewise there is a two-fold administration thereof the one generall common to all the other speciall peculiar to a few that which is generall and common is a publique declaration that such a thing there is whereby all men in general haue this benefit namely yâ— whereas after Adam had sinned before the promise was made that the seed of the woman should bruise the Serpents head there was no time nor place for repentance to any nor remission of sins vpon any ground to be expected now since that time by vertue of the promise all sinne iâ— made pardonable there is time and place for repentance to all and remission of sinnes thereupon granted so that whosoeuer shall come and with sorrow of heart confesse his sinnes vnto God and humbly desire mercie and forgiuenesse at his hands shall receiue it and thus far the Gospell is preached to all euen to euery creature vnder heauen as Saint Paul speaketh so that there is not nor hath been a nation or people in any time or part of the world that can truly say we haue not heard it for as it is written their sound went forth throughout all the earth and their words vnto the ends of the world and so all are left without excuse because God hath not left himselfe without witnesse But the maner and measure of Gods declaration of his Gospell hath been diuers he declared it vnto the nations of the Gentiles in former times yea and at this present doth in diuers parts of the world onely by the workes which he hath created and benefits that he daily giueth them as the heauens and firmament day and night Sunne and raine and in that he giueth them fruitfull seasons filling their hearts with food and gladnesse with many other blessings all which do in their maner and kind preach and declare vnto them that God is good and gracious to mankind and hath some speciall respect vnto him and doe also call vpon them daily to seeke him that made all and giueth all those good things vnto them and proueth vnto them that if they had sought they might haue found in him yet greater things which some of them doubles haue attained vnto the rest by this means are left without excuse He shewed it to the nation of the Hebrewes not onely by his works and benefits which they especially had in great abundance but in another more excellent maner and in a far greater measure as namely by the testimonies of the Fathers and by the ministerie of Moses and the Prophets who receiued it from God and spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost he stretched forth his hand all the day long vnto that people preaching his Gospell the word of faith vnto them so as that they of all other had least reason to say in their hearts Who shall ascend into heauen for vs to fetch it vs or who shall go downe into the deepe to bring it vs that we may heare it and doe it but the word was nigh enough vnto them euen in their mouthes and in their hearts and if the Gentiles were left without excuse much more they And now he hath spoken and declared it vnto vs in these last times by his Sonne Iesus Christ that Seed which was promised to Adam to Abraham was spoken of by Moses foretold by the Prophets in whom by whom and through whom all blessings all hope all grace and life is granted is purchased is to be attained by him I say and by his holy Apostles in the power and gifts of the holy Ghost he hath declared vnto vs all things cleerly many whereof being such as in all other former ages were not knowne so that the earth floweth with the knowledge of the Gospell in these dayes aboue all those other times past and many haue been enlightned through the preaching of it by the Spirit and haue beleeued and giuen their assents vnto the truth of it many haue tasted of the heauenly gift and haue been made partakers of the holy Ghost haue tasted of the good word of God and of the powers of the world to come many are able to preach and discourse thereof in great and excellent measure and if the Hebrewes could at no time truly say we haue not heard it nor yet those Gentiles that had not the Law to wit those Scriptures and ordinances of the Law which the Hebrewes had what can we then say who haue not only had all the meanes and light which those Gentiles Hebrews had but also the plaine reuelation of the Gospell according as it was foretold to be in these last times confirmed by the death resurrection of Iesus Christ and left recorded vnto vs by his holy Apostles in full measure how can it be I say therefore but that the things which we haue heard and beleeued will be vnto vs the sauour of death vnto death in a fuller and larger measure then vnto any of them seeing we haue receiued a greater larger measure of knowledge if we obey not the Gospell if we attaine not vnto the speciall grace and benefits thereof for as the Lord himselfe testifieth He that knoweth his masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes But some will say we haue not onely knowledge of his will but obedience also we are not like vnto those strange fornicators and idolaters of the Gentiles nor as the cruell vnbeleeuing Hebrewes which killed the Prophets and murdered the Lord of glorie neither are we of the common sinners of the world though we haue been so heretofore nay the power of the holy Ghost by the preaching of the word of God hath altered vs the foule spirit is now cast out by a stronger then he we are now cleane escaped from the filthinesse of the world our liues and actions are reformed we apply our selues now to the hearing of the word we conferre thereof and reade it oft we pray also oft we receiue the Sacraments oft we instruct our children and our seruants in the principles of Christian religion we keep the Sabbath we distribute of our goods to the poore we neglect no dutie which we conceiue we ought to performe so that we are washed and sanctified by the blood of the testament I confesse thou hast here a kind of obedience and doest in part thy masters will and art so far forth sanctified by the blood of the testament for by it all graces and gifts of the Spirit are purchased and thou couldest neuer haue attained to these things but by vertue of it yet I say notwithstanding all this the chiefe thing may be wanting in thee for if this be to do thy masters will according to our Sauiours meaning then doubtlesse the Scribes and Pharises did his will as wel as thee they made
The faith which worketh by loue c. And it is so called in regard of the special grace mercie loue of God in Iesus Christ which is shed abroad and sealed by the Spirit in the heart of him that possesseth it and also in respect of the excellent fruite it doth produce and cause to come forth of the same heart which is now truly sanctified by it and in which Christ being now formed dwelleth as mortification to sinne and to this present world loue to God and to Christ the Lord who hath so truly loued them loue to the truth loue to the children of God loue to all men which fruite we will also search for the true nature of and enquire how the Scriptures doe seuer it from all outward appearances and shewes which come neare vnto it hauing the forme thereof but is not the same in truth and power Like as the trees that are planted by the riuer side do bring forth their fruit in due season and as the good ground which hauing receiued the seed that is sowne therein bringeth forth fruit a hundred sixtie and thirtie fold and as the earth which drinking in the raine that cometh oft vpon it bringeth forth herbs meet for him by whom it is dressed so do these righteous trees and branches of the Lords owne planting his good ground and earth which he hath thus dressed and watered bring foorth fruite meete for him their Lord the good husband-man that hath planted dressed them First as they haue receiued mercie at the hands of God by faith and are assuredly perswaded in their hearts of the forgiuenesse of their sinnes so doe they now perfectly and truly euen from their very hearts hate all sin yea and the garment that is defiled therewith and abstaine from all appearance of euill mourning and lamenting when at any time they do but think thereon and mortifying their members and affections of flesh do restrain them frō their old accustomed wayes remēbring that they are washed and redeemed with a great price euen with the blood of the Lamb of God that they should now be holy as their heauenly Father is holy that hath chosen them And though they finde the law of their members to rebel and fight against the law of their minds enticing them night day with strong motions and perswasions to regard and giue entertainment againe to their former lusts and pleasures yet they remembring the day of their feare and great distresse sigh and weepe in soule to thinke that they should yet be constrained by the force of their owne flesh members thereof to cast but an eye or once to thinke vpon that which now their soules do loathe and from which they haue been so graciously deliuered And therefore remembring Lots wife and the end of those that hauing taken the plough by the hand looke behind them by whose examples their Lord hath forwarned them dare not presume to turne aside and grieue the holy Spirit whereby they are sealed vnto the day of redemption but if they should through the strength of temptation and their owne weaknesse fall they go foorth and weep bitterly till they be restored by faith to strength againe and neuer fall or looke behind them so as to giue entertainment in soule to their old delights of sin againe or to embrace this present world or pleasures thereof as aforetime nay though they be hated reuiled and scorned of all men and made a gazing stocke both to men and Angells yet still they go on their way out of the camp following their Lord and willingly bearing his reproach counting his rebukes greater riches then all the pleasures of the Egypt of this world which is now crucified to them and they to it And so in patience possesse they their soules hauing an assured hope that though now they goe on their way weeping sowing precious seed yet there will come a day wherein they shall returne with ioy reape the fruit of their labours and bring their sheaues with them Secondly as they doe hate sin and mortifie the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof and crucifie vnto themselues this present world and themselues vnto it so doe they now on the contrary part loue God with all their heart and with all their soule and delight in him and in his wayes and this their loue vnto him is caused by that loue wherewith he first loued them which he hath shed forth and sealed in their hearts by his holy Spirit and wherEof they are now assuredlie perswaded as it is written Wee loue him because he loued vs first And as to be beloued of God is a blessing beyond all comparison a treasure not to be vttered so their loue to him is a fruit which no man is able to conceiue the nature of but they alone in whose hearts his loue is first shed forth and they certainly perswaded thereof And as they loue God the Father so doe they loue Christ his Sonne who hath redeemed them from the thraldome of their sinnes and their loue to him is likewise caused by his loue which was first made knowne to them and is exprest in this that while they were his enemies he died for them that they should be reconciled to God his Father and be made the Sonnes of God by adoption in him And greater loue then this hath no man that one should die for his enemies and specially such a one to bring them to so great honour therefore their loue to him is also vnspeakeable And as they loue God the Father and Christ the Redeemer so loue they the children of God who are borne of him and made partakers with them of his grace and loue in Christ As it is written He that loueth him that begetteth loueth him also that is begotten of him And this their loue vnto the children of God as it is not now for naturall respects though in that regard they also loue them but because they are in grace and loue with God and do belong to Christ whom they serue and belong vnto So their loue vnto them is heauenly and spirituall and such as no man hath nor can attaine vnto vnlesse he be borne from aboue of water and the Spirit as they are For the children of this world who are borne but of flesh as they know not the children of God that are borne begotten of him because they know not him that hath begotten them nor Christ whom they serue and follow so neither doe nor can they loue them for his sake nor haue part and fellowship with them in their spirituall and heauenly communion They pray together as children of one Father the Lord of hosts and praise his name with one accord they suffer together as members of one bodie euen that body whereof Christ is the head they weepe together and they reioyce together and are of like
life and saluation which are most fully and often recorded â—nd testified in the Scriptures of God to and concerning such persons in such maner qualified as we haue before according to the Scriptures described So that euery man so qualified may see and know through the Spirit of God in and by the same records his name to wit his person soule and body decreed and recorded of God in Christ euen from the foundation of the world to be for life and saluation This is the booke of life of the Lamb slaine for in him it was and is done and of this decree there is no alteration And whereas it seemeth to some that God doth alter his purpose and change his word because he sometimes promiseth blessings and life to men which by reason they on their parts do not that which he requireth he performeth not and likewise threatneth iudgement which by reason men repent he executeth not The truth is it doth but so seem to ignorant men who doe not rightly conceiue of the power of God nor vnderstand the drift and scope of his word For God is not like vnto men to purpose one thing to day and resolue vpon another to morrow but whatsoeuer he hath decreed in his heart shall surely come to passe though he sometimes vse to speake after the maner of men because he knoweth they are but men whom he speaketh vnto He publisheth his Gospell to all men in generall and doth promise saluation to all men that repent and beleeue and he requireth repentance and faith of all yet notwithstanding but few do repent and beleeue and so come to saluation doth God therefore alter his purpose and change his word He also gaue a law to all men before and required obedience thereunto promising life likewise to all that obeyed it but no man euer kept it and liued thereby did God therefore alter his purpose and change his word nay God did neuer purpose in his heart nor promise that any man should here in the flesh keepe his law and liue by it though the Familists say he did neither was it giuen to that end though they affirme it was For if it had bene so God would neuer haue giuen the other nay he knew such was mans miserable condition by his fall and the fiery sharpnes of that law against him that it was so farre impossible for him to keepe the same and liue thereby as that it vtterly slue him and kept him off Therefore God hauing decreed in his heart to saue some was pleased to giue the other if he had not done so but should haue proceeded against all for the breach of the first should he haue done any man wrong nay who dare say so And is he now vniust in publishing his Gospell to all because he saueth not all or darest thou say he altereth his purpose and changeth his word nay let God be true and vnchangeable and all men liers and moueable Men are as backward and vnwilling and haue as little power or strength in themselues to obey the Gospell as they had to keepe the law nay such is yet naturally the pride and loftinesse of mans heart as lamentable experience hath long proued that he rather desireth to remaine vnder the rule and command of the law and so seeke life by the works thereof then to subiect his soule to the rule and commandements of the Gospell viz. to repent of his sinnes from the bottome of his heart and seeke life by faith in the free grace of God in Iesus Christ and follow Christ in the regeneration But so it is I say that before the world was God did purpose and decree in himselfe to saue by the Gospell of his Sonne Iesus Christ a seed a remnant of the foreseene fallen posteritie of mankind which seed he reserued from the beginning coÌ„prehended them in the promise which he first made to Adam saying The seed of the woman shal breake the Serpents head Christ being the principall and they in him and of him and seuereth them with him from the seed of the Serpent in these words And I will put enmitie betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seed and her seed And afterwards againe to Abraham in these words In thy seed shall all nations of the earth be blessed Meaning by thy seed Christ and by the nations those children which God made Abraham the father of as he said I haue made thee a father of many nations euen they that were to haue the faith of Abraham the seed that were to beleeue in that one seed Christ And again in these words In Isaac shall thy seed be called By all which it is euident that as Christ was promised and seuered from the seed of the serpent so all the seed betweene whom and the seed of the serpent there was to be enmitie were also promised as Gods free people meerly giuen of him to life and seuered by him also from them and as Isaac was borne by promise so are they At this time will I come saith God and Sara shall haue a sonne So Saint Paul saith Now we brethren as Isaac was are the children of promise And that these children of the promise onely are the children of God and counted for the seed the same Apostle also in another place witnesseth in these words They which are the children of the flesh are not the children of God but the children of the promise are counted for the seed And they are called the children of God because also they are borne of God and adopted through the Spirit of his Son and therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God as he said to Abraham I will he thy God and the God of thy seed For be hath prepared for them a citie Now this seed as God foreknew them all and had chosen them in Christ froÌ„ the beginning and predestinated them to be conformed to his image and likenesse who are therefore said to be written in the Lambs book of life from the foundation of the world And as he seuered them by promise from the seed of the Serpent so from time to time hee calleth them and whom he calleth hee iustifieth and whom he iustifieth them also he glorifieth He hath not done these things to all The seed of the Serpent neuer had any of these priuiledges God neuer chose them in Christ nor predestinated them to be conformed to his image neither were they euer written in the Lambs booke of life from the foundation of the world neither did God euer promise to call iustifie and glorifie them or any of them therefore God neuer altered his purpose nor changed his word or promise as some ignorantly imagine but there hath been euer enmitie betweene the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman euen from the dayes of Cain and Abel to this present and shall be to the end according to the word
life is by one euen Christ and none shall liue but by him And that not any one man whatsoeuer old or yong male or female shall euer enter into life except he be changed from that he is by nature by a heauenly power of grace through the Spirit Christ himselfe fully ratifieth and confirmeth saying Verily I say vnto thee except a man be borne againe he cannot see the kingdom of God And againe the second time Verily verily I say vnto thee except a man be borne of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God Meaning by a man euery child of man without exception of what age or sex soeuer if he be one conceiued and borne of flesh he must be borne againe of water and of the Spirit or else he cannot be saued Meaning by water a heauenly power whereby the heart which is naturally euen from the birth hard and stubburne being seasoned with Adams sinne euen from the conception is dissolued and made meeke and tender as water and by the spirit a heauenly gift of the holy Ghost which comforteth his tender heart and brings vnto it from God in and through Christ peace and ioy vnspeakable and that children are capable of this in and from the womb let the babe which sprang in his mothers wombe for ioy giue testimonie And if any shall say Christ doth not call a child new borne a man let him reade these words of Christ A woman when she trauaileth hath sorrow because her houre is nigh but as soone as she is deliuered of the child she remembreth no more the paine for ioy that a man is borne into the world If children dying before they commit actuall sinne are saued because they haue no originall pollution of sinne as these silly men say then Christ died not for children neither was he promised vnto them nor yet are they saued by him but by their owne innocencie and so this promise The Seed of the woman shall bruise the serpents head belonged only to Adam and Euah and not to any of their children because they were to be borne all innocents without sinne These with many other absurdities will follow from this their doctrine But it is an error as their other points are and therefore error must needs be the consequence of it If one should aske these men at what age a child may commit an actuall sinne whereby it doth lose it innocencie and perfection of nature and then at what age it is capable of the new birth and also why the lust or thought of euill in the heart as well as an act of euill may not take their innocencie and vertue of nature from them It is much to be maruelled what answers they would make But to leaue them to better conderations hoping they will now see their folly and learne to be wiser for time to come Their sixt point That none ought to be baptized but such men and women of yeares onely as haue attained to true repentance and iustifying faith being both in the account of the Church and in the sight of God regenerate persons and that the baptisme of children vsed is no baptisme at all but is the marke of the Beast spoken of in Reuelat. 13. Answ THe doctrine of the Church of God is that not only such men and women of yeares as haue true repentance and iustifying faith but that all which do beleeue Iesus to be the Christ and acknowledge him submitting themselues to be informed and guided by his word and Gospell may be baptized though as yet they neither haue true repentance nor iustifying faith and that the children of all such may be baptized That such as haue true repentance iustifying faith may be baptized it is granted of all men without any further consideration to be past all question but it is euident there may be such who yet notwithstanding may not lawfully be baptized Cornelius Lydia and the Eunuch were true worshippers of God as the Spirit testifieth of them and therefore had both true repentance iustifying faith before they knew Christ to be come in the flesh yet these might not be baptized till they did know and acknowledge Christ to be come in the flesh and that Iesus Christ was he but Christ being manifested vnto them the Scriptures concerning him being vnfolded and God opening their hearts to attend vnto the same and they beleeuing the truth thereof were baptized being now of all other the meetest persons therefore For we are to know that when Christ came into the world he found the people in seuerall conditions some though but few very true Israelites who had both repentance and iustifying faith before Christ as touching his personall appearing in the flesh was known vnto them as Simeon Nathaniel those before named and others For the same way to saluation that is now was euer euen from the dayes of Abell and shall be to the end as repentance from dead workes and faith towards God c. And some poore repentant sinners and these were few also which had not yet Iustifying faith but onely trauelling vnder the burthen of their sins did much desire to be releiued Such were those poore which are spoken of the bruised and heauy laden Sicke lost dead c. And others were they that had neither repentance nor faith as the multitudes of the Iewes and of the whole world and to these seuerall sorts of people the Gospell was preached in seuerall maners To the first sort that Christ was now come euen the messenger of the couenant whom they desired in their hearts to see and heare as one that did spiritually dwell in their hearts already these beleeuing were baptized To the second was preached that Christ is come and also that the glad tidings of peace and reconciliation with God in him did belong to them in particular and therefore Christ calleth these particularly saying Come vnto me all ye c. Againe The Sonne of man is come to seeke and saue that which is lost c. The poore haue the Gospell preached vnto them and these beleeuing and acknowledging Christ were baptized And to the other third sort Christ was not to be preached in any such special peculiar manner as to the former but more generally as namely that Christ is come in the flesh c and that repentance and remission of sinnes is granted in his name so that whosoeuer doth repent and beleeue the Gospell shal be saued Now they that did beleeue and accknowledge the truth of these things as Iudas the many disciples mentioned in the fourth and sixt of Iohn the thornie and stony ground Simon Magus with many others were and might lawfully be baptized though they had not yet true repentance nor iustifying faith Nay it is manifest that neither Christ nor his Apostles did reiect any from the outward baptisme for the want thereof so as they did beleeue and outwardly submit themselues to the
beleeue and acknowledge him and submit themselues to be informed by his word though they had not yet either true repentance or iustifying faith For they knew that such a beliefe and profession as made men meet for outward baptisme might be where iustifying faith was not and that both that beliefe profession and baptisme did but make a Christian outwardly as the outward profession and circumcision of the Iewes did but make a Iew outwardly and no better did they iudge or conclude of any but when they saw better cause Now concerning the baptizing of children which they say is no baptisme at all but do call it the marke of the Beast we affirme that the children of all such beleeuers as may themselues be baptized may also be baptized and that it is not nor can be the marke of the Beast spoken of but is true outward baptisme First to auoid many of their vaine and idle obiections and that we may come the more cleerer to the point let vs remember that it is sufficiently proued already that all haue sinned in Adam and that death is passed on all for that all haue sinned in him being polluted from their very conceptions and that therefore there is a necessitie of a new birth from aboue of water and of the Spirit as wel to the yongest man of dayes or houres as to the eldest man of yeares So that whosoeuer is borne of the flesh he must be borne again from aboue of the Spirit either sooner or later if he be saued and that although repentance and faith be the parts of this new birth and that repentance hath these parts whereby it is exprest in men of yeares sorrow for sinne confession of sinne and desire of pardon as we haue before defined and that iustifying faith which is the other part of this new birth be an assurance or full perswasion wrought in the repentant heart by the Spirit of the forgiuenesse of his sinnes and reconciliation with God in Iesus Christ as we haue also defined it I say in men of yeares who also do confesse with the mouth as it is written With the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made vnto saluation yet neuerthelesse the true nature of both these parts of the new birth may be in another maner defined and still remaine the same in substance as the first part is called in Scripture A heart of flesh an humble and contrite heart a broken heart and Saint Paul calleth it the fleshly tables of the heart in which regard it is called the baptisme of water and the birth of water which we define thus namely that it is a speciall effect or working of the holy Ghost whereby the heart which is naturally hard and stubburne euen from the birth is made soft and tender as water or as flesh is in comparison of a stone that so it may receiue the impression of the grace and loue of God The second part which is called the baptisme of the holy Ghost and the birth of the Spirit we define to be a speciall gift of the Spirit also but more excellent which writeth and sealeth in the soft and tender heart of flesh grace and peace from God in Christ and filleth it with heauenly comfort and ioy like vnto that which is said of Iohn being in his mothers womb when the voice of the salutation of Mary sounded in the eares of Elizabeth The babe leaped in her womb for ioy which doubtlesse was caused by the Spirit of Christ in the soule of the child Now in this sort children are capable of both the parts and so of the whole new birth which in them is no other in nature but the very same which is in men of yeares though it be not outwardly so exprest as we may perceiue by the words of Paul to the faithfull of the Church of Corinth Forasmuch saith he as ye are manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ ministred by vs written not with inke but with the Spirit of the liuing God not in tables of stone but in the fleshly tables of the heart For as the law of death was written in tables of stone and all the hard and stonie hearts of the whole posteritie of Adam not onely might but also did and doe receiue euen in their very conceptions a deepe impression thereof so on the contrary the law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus euer was is and is to be written in hearts of flesh soft and tender hearts and in no other And therefore it was that God did promise to take away from his elect the hard and stonie heart and to giue them a heart of flesh an humble and broken heart because his pleasure and promise is to dwell with such to reuiue and comfort them and no other And to speake plainly howsoeuer perhaps some doe otherwise conceiue it is not our act of beleeuing that doth iustifie vs but it is the free gift of grace sealed in our hearts by the Spirit of Christ whereby God iustifieth vs which grace and Spirit is the cause of our act of beleeuing or faith by which we are so often said in Scripture to be iustified where the effect is named for the cause by reason it is thereby made apparent vnto vs as also in another sense we are said to be iustified by works because works do demonstrate and make manifest our faith to others as it is said of the primitiue Church of Rome that their faith had shined throughout the world meaning by works which are the effects of faith So that Saint Paul calleth the faithfull the Epistle of Christ not so much for their act of beleeuing as in respect of the grace of God which was written in their hearts by the Spirit of Christ by which they did now beleeue and crie Abba Father as it is written He hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts which crieth Abba Father And for this cause the grace of the Gospell is called The law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus These things being so what should now let that children may not be baptized Are they capable as we see of regeneration and are they not capable of the signe thereof May their hearts be sanctified by the Spirit of Christ and may not the filth of their flesh be washed off with water for the baptisme of water is bnt the doing away of the filth of the flesh as Saint Peter speaketh euen as outward circumcision was but the cutting off the fore-skin of the flesh representing the cutting off the sinnes of the flesh the circumcision of the heart as also baptisme doth For the circumcision which was the cutting off part of the fore-skin of the flesh and that baptisme or washing away the filth of the flesh we doe not say that the one was a type of the other but were both types of one truth namely the baptisme or purification of
for baptising of children I answere It saith oft times that whole housholds were baptized without any exception of children and we haue small reason to thinke that beleeuers should be barren more then others The naming of whole housholds without any exception sheweth plainely that the Spirit of truth neuer intended to exclude children If he had euer intended any such thing then doubtles would he haue giuen some little touch or tittle to that purpose which he hath neuer done And to set downe in plaine words particularly that children were or might be baptized there was then no neede because there were none in those dayes that questioned it as there might well and would doubtlesse haue beene if the Apostles had not baptized any but refused them If it might be concluded that there were no children in those mentioned Families as we haue small reason to thinke that Christians beleeuers should be more barren then Infidells yet no doubt in all the Apostles times some children were offered as we see some were brought to Christ and not refused of him which if the Apostles had once reiected the Iewes especially would haue taken exception against them as well they might and haue enquired what should be the reason thereof and also haue demanded why children might not aswell be baptized as before they were circumcised And the Apostles would haue giuen them answere and so by that meanes your question had beene dissolued long agoe But because there were not then in their dayes any such questioners nor any cause of any such question by them giuen therefore they tooke no care either to set downe in particular that children were or might be baptized nor yet to shew any one the least exception against it for they knew it was not a matter of such consequence as you imagine If they had either seene or foreseene any such dangerous euill as you conceiue you see in it as that it was or would be the marke of the Beast which the Spirit speaketh of they would certainly haue foretold and forewarned the Church of it as they haue done of other things which in your sight is of lesse moment that so either it might not haue taken such great place as it hath or else at least that the people of God might without so great difficultie haue seene what a dangerous euill it was or would come to and with constancie and comfort haue auoided and withstood it but they being guided by the holy Ghost haue done whatsoeuer was needfull Againe if there must needs be a plaine word either by some precept or example exprest for the proofe of whatsoeuer may be practised among Christians then where finde we any where written that women in particular may partake in the Sacrament of the Supper though doubtlesse it may be soundly prooued by argument from Scripture that women may partake therein as we haue already proued children may be baptized If I should now demand of you your warrant for a man to baptize himselfe I much maruell where you would finde such a practise in all the new Testament of Christ I am sure it would be a taske too hard for you to find Well to let passe those things we will now go on When the Apostle Peter spake of the baptisme which saueth lest any should mistake him what baptisme he meant he saith Not the doing away of the filth of the flesh So if any of the Apostles or pen-men of the Scriptures when they did set downe that whole housholds were baptized or at any other time had but said except yong children it had been enough And if they had so said what occasion might the Iewes haue taken to except and obiect against it Might they not haue reasoned against it thus Doth Christ the messenger of the couenant of peace and Preacher of good tidings deale more hardly now in this time of the plentie of grace then he did before in the time of the law Might children then be admitted by circumcision into the congregation of the Lord and may they not now by baptisme They were formerly called Iewes and counted of the seed of Abraham in whom a blessing by promise was to be expected as namely that God would call a seed out of that stocke or seed which should inherite his couenant whereof circumcision was a signe vnto them and may they not now be allowed the name of a Christian through Baptisme They are the same that they were then and why should not Christ in whom the blessing and promise resteth be the same Thus they might haue argued if it had been so if the case were now so altered as touching children if Christ were not the same that he then was but it is otherwise and Christ is the same yea and in regard of the large bountie and plentie of grace which he hath now vouchsafed he is more then the same therefore let not children be denied that which belongeth vnto them Christ was much displeased with those disciples that rebuked them that brought little children vnto him that he should touch them and said Suffer little children to come vnto me and forbid them not for of such is the kingdome of God Verily I say vnto you whosoeuer shall not receiue the kingdome of God as a little child he shall not enter therein And the text saith he tooke them vp in his armes and layd his hands vpon them and blessed them Whence it is euident that little children ought by no meanes to be denied baptisme because they are such true similitudes of regeneration of which baptisme is a signe and seeing also Christ maketh it an argument against those that would haue hindered them to be brought vnto him saying for of such is the kingdome of God so that it may be as rightly said Suffer little children to come to baptisme and forbid them not for of such is the kingdome of God of such as be conuerted and are become like vnto little children doth the Church of God consist Whereas they further affirme that infants baptisme is the marke of the Beast and so must be cast away with euery part thereof because whosoeuer dieth with that marke on them without repentance shall certainly drinke of the cup of Gods wrath Which marke of the Beast is thus deciphered by them All maner of ordinances which are performed by the ministery of the Church of England being an Antichristian ministery whereof infants baptisme is one are none of Gods ordinances but a marke of the Beast From which obserue what will follow against themselues Euery action which is performed by the ministery of the Church of England is a marke of the Beast But the mariage of the Anabaptists in the Church of England is an action performed by the ministery of the Church of England Therefore the mariage of the Anabaptists in the Church of England is a marke of the Beast Whosoeuer do retain the marke of the Beast shall certainly drinke of the cup of Gods
enquiry from whence he came or who ordained him he could not doe such a worke except God sent him though he came from Rome If thou saist Euangelists may preach the Gospell to the people and ordaine Elders as Timothy and Titus did It is true but where be they who shall ordaine such and send them to doe this Apostles we haue none If thou saist disciples may preach as the seuentie did c. I aske still who made those disciples Didst thou euer know a field beare good wheate that was neuer sowne If thou hast found good disciples doubtles there was one or other that did first informe them So that thou mayst see thou art still in the same case thou wert in and that of necessitie it will follow that if there can be no true Church till there be a new outward ordination then there will neuer be a true Church Wherefore we conclude against thee and against all that are of thy iudgement that as you erre greatly in all your former points so in this and as many of the former do agree with the ancient errors of the Antichristian Church of Rome so doth this for they deny Gods predestination and election of some particular persons in Christ to grace and life from the foundation of the world and so doe you They teach free will and falling away from the best grace and that the certaintie of mans saluation doth depend vpon his acts of faith obedience and continuing therein and so doe you They teach that outward ordination and succession doth make constitute and proue a true Church and so say you in part if not in the whole That whereas you charge others to be of Antichrist and his Church it is euident you are more neerely allied to her by these deceitfull doctrines of hers then they can be with the things ye charge them with Nay they may notwithstanding be free from her when you shall by this meanes be found children of her If outward ordination and succession in that kind doe make constitute or be an Argument sufficient to to proue a true Church a Church wherein Christ dwelleth against which the gates of hell shall not preuaile to which Christ hath giuen the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and power to bind and to loose to remit and to retaine sins which is the pillar and ground of truth which hath the spirit of truth which Christ promised to be with vnto the end of the world and that wheresoeuer two or three of them should be gathered together in my name he would be in the middest for all these treasures and many more do belong to the true Church which is the body and spouse of Christ then the Chuch of Rome hath as good ground for the proofe and confirmation of her selfe to be the same true Church as any Church else whatsoeuer nay better ground then any other can shew And therefore her children which stands for her and doe pleade her cause take this to be and doe vse it as the strongest and most inuinciblest argument they haue to proue their Church to be the onely true Church this day extant and that all Churches and Christians ought therefore to come vnder her gouernment to be taught and nurtured by her to submit to her counsels ordinances canons decrees doctrines of faith rules for manners ceremonies censures and whatsoeuer she shall impose because what such a Church which hath those forenamed priuiledges shall agree vpon teach or command is truth and may not be questioned or opposed and therefore it is said For it seemed good vnto the holy Ghost and to vs. But we vtterly deny any such ordination or succession to make constiture or to be an argument sufficient to proue such a true Church and affirme that a Church may be false and Antichristian notwithstanding the same For although there be such an ordination and succession a Church against which the gates of hell shall not preuaile as the Lord himselfe declareth saying And vpon this rocke will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it to which all those former priuiledges do belong and are to continue with vnto the end of the world yet we denie that kinde of ordination and succession to be it or to haue any of those priuiledges belonging thereunto but that it may be notwithstanding an vtter aduersary to the true succession and to all those her treasures which wee proue thus That kind of ordination and succession which haue opposed the word and truth of God that haue persecuted and murdered his seruants from time to time for the preaching and maintaining of the same truth and word of God is not nor can be that ordination and succession or church against which the gates of hell shall not preuaile nor to which any of those treasures do belong but may be an aduersary both to it them But the outward ordination and succession in the roomes publique offices and seates of the true Elders and Priests of God which is the best ordination and succession the Church of Rome that now is hath or can pleade for her selfe and which the separations doe contend for haue opposed the word and truth of God haue persecuted and killed the seruants of God which preached and maintained the same his word and truth and for the same cause Therefore the outward ordination and succession in the roomes publique offices and seates of the true Elders and Priests of God is not nor can be that ordination and succession or church against which the gates of hell shall not preuaile or to which any of her priuiledges do belong but may be an vtter aduersary both to her and them And that such an ordination and succession as the Church of Rome and our Separatists pleadeth and contendeth for haue done and may doe all these euils against the truth and true seruants of God is euident by those Priests Elders and Scribes of the Church of the Iewes who had their outward ordination and succession from the former Elders and Priests yea from Moses and Aaron and sate in their seates and supplied their places and yet neuerthelesse were the great opopposers of Gods word and truth and the persecuters and murderers of the Prophets and righteous men of God which preached the same his word and truth from time to time as Christ himselfe often affirmeth to their faces and foretelleth them in a parable that they would be the betrayers and murderers of him also which shortly after came to passe And the Church of Rome for her part hath shewed herselfe in enmitie to the truth and bloody proceedings against the maintainers thereof for aboue a thousand yeares not onely to equall but to out-strip Ierusalem and to be euen the perfection and full accomplishment as it were of all abhominations cruelties against the truth of God and his Church according as Christ by the ministery of his Angell vnto his seruant
Here we see by the plain commandement of God exhortation of Saint Paul that a separation ought to be made from all kind of Idolatry and vnrighteousnes of the heathen and from all fellowship with them in their vncleane things But here is no separation from the Church though these superstitious Christians were in it Nay it is euident there was neuer any separation admitted either by word or by example except by those that separated themselues to make sects which are reproued by the Apostles vntill such time as by the mallice and subtiltie of the Diuell and through the pride and wickednes of the Bishop and Church of Rome after they had gotten Iurisdiction ouer all that they had brought into the Church the Idolatries and abhominations of the Pagans and so cunningly compounded them with the name and religion of Christ that no man could pertake of any good among them but he must pertake of the euill also Then and not till then I say the Lord commanded saying Goe out of her my people that ye be not pertaker of her sinnes and that you receiue not of her plagues This was not because there were many offenders in the Church of Rome nor because of their personall presence in the Assemblies but because the Lord would not haue his people partake in their owne persons of their sinnes which if they continued with them could not be auoided Neither was there a separation to be made from the Church of the Iewes as bad and as cruell as it was but Christ and his Apostles did alwayes both by word and example teach the contrary onely the false doctrine and hipocrisie and wickednes of the Iewes they warned the faithfull to take heed of And as concerning the Church of England which thou so much contemnest although there be many euill workers vngodly and vnregenerate persons superstitiously minded as well of the Ministery as of the people as out of all doubt there are For if of but twelue Apostles one was a Diuell and that there were false Apostles and false teachers proud and couetous in the primitiue Churches and false brethren belly gods and such like when Christians were but few in number How should it be but there must now be many yet this is not sufficient ground for thy seperation Nay suppose as the truth is that the faithfull be but few in number and rare as the dust or oare that gold commeth of and the vngodly as common as the clay that men make pots of as the Prophet speaketh For doubtles if God said of the Israelites that though their number were as the sand of the sea yet but a remnant of them should be saued we haue no reason to thinke it should be otherwise with vs Nay Saint Paul sheweth plainly that God will finish the worke and cut it short in righteousnes because a short worke will the Lord make vpon the earth Yet what of this thou hast no ground from hence to proue a separation Nay vnlesse thou canst proue that the Church of England hath set vp and doth command the Abhominations of the heathen as doth the Church or Rome and so mix them and Christian religion together as thou couldest not partake of the good but thou must partake of the euill and so sinne against God in thine owne person thou hast no ground at all for thy separation Art thou offended because God hath beene so gracious to this kingdome aboue all other nations in causing the Princes and Kings thereof now in these latter dayes to set their helping hands to the repairing and building vp againe of the decaied walles of Ierusalem and to the restoring of the morning and euening sacrifice of praise and thanksgiuing as it was in former time and in the dayes of old Dost thou not know it was the word of truth the sword which proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord ministred by his faithfull seruants whom he raised vp in these latter times which hath beene the cause of the reuolt of the Church and Kingdome of England from the abhominations and tyranny of the Church of Rome and that God hath done it for his chosen sake according to his word art thou not bound to be thankefull vnto God for the same and with gladnesse of heart to imbrace all the good he hath vouchsafed yet so as not therewithall to iustifie any of the present euills nor yet to rest thy selfe secure in that good which is in being as if all things were already come to their full measure and so exclude thy selfe from all future grace and truth which God hath decreed in and by his word to bring to light For as the truth and dayly sacrifice which Christ and his Apostles did erect were not all wholy in a moment cast to the ground nor the abhomination of desolation set vp at full in one day but that the one increased by degrees and the other wasted accordingly so must it now be in the restauration as then iniquitie and falsehood increased and truth and loue faded and waxed cold so now on the contrary iniquitie and falsehood must consume and be expelled and truth and the loue thereof must increase and come to their place againe Iudgement was to begin at the house of God but it must end in the house of iniquitie Learne therefore now to be a wise let the confusions which the heady extreams of those carnall contentious times haue brought forth admonish thee to take better heed embrace thankfully and make right vse of the present good thou seest in place shun the euils and labour to increase in the wisdome which is from aboue doubtlesse there are great riches and treasures with God to be attained such as the carnall mind shall neuer see nor know conuerse with the wise and holy in heart such as are spirituall and heauenly minded haue speciall fellowship with them pray weepe and reioyce dayly together with them call often to minde the hope of the ioy and glory ye shall receiue in the world to come in the day when Christ your Lord shall appeare hope loue and long for his appearing and edifie your selues with these things pray vnto God and vse all good meanes according to your measure and place to redresse what is amisse in others labour thorough patience and meeknesse to winne them to the truth and loue thereof so shall ye be profitable members of the Church of God diligent and faithfull seruants of Christ You are not ignorant I suppose of the manifold mischieues that men haue fallen into by reason of the fleshly wranglings which haue been in these late times what confusion diuision and distraction there is among the people what and how many sundry opinions and seuerall sects there are yea sects vpon sects diuision vpon diuision error vpon error hath been bred and brought forth Many haue risen in these latter times speaking peruerse things to draw disciples after them to get themselues a name
the diuell deluding them through pride vnder pretence of some excellent way of truth which he makes them beleeue is reuealed vnto them As first for the Church of Rome all the world seeth what confusion what fearfull delusions are therein what multitudes of sects of new deuised orders of Priests of Friers each drawing a traine after him and now since the light of the truth hath broken forth what strange contentions haue beene raised in the Church of God about things of no moment when great and weightie matters haue been neglected and what emulations diuisions and separations haue bred thereupon and then how after this people being in distraction haue runne from one sect and error to another from separation to separatioÌ„ diuiding themselues into many seuerall sects to Anabaptistry wherein a-againe are diuided into fiue or six sundry sects each hatefully condemning other holding also many dangerous errors some to expect new Apostles some to the heresie of Arius and some others who being as it were distracted with these things haue fallen to another the most blasphemous and erronious sect this day in the world commonly called by the name of the Family of loue whose author was one Henrie Nicolas or H. N. for so they will haue him called that is as they expound it Homo Nouus the new man or the holy nature or holinesse which they make to be Christ and sin they will haue to be Antichrist because it is opposite to Christ They say that when Adam sinned then Christ was killed and Antichrist came to liue They teach that the same perfection of holinesse which Adam before he fell is to be attained here in this life and affirme that all their Family of loue are as perfect and innocent as he And that the resurrection of the dead spoken of by Saint Paul in the 1. Cor. 15. and this prophesie Then shall be fulfilled the saying which is written O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victory is fulfilled in them and denie all other resurrection of the body to be after this life They will haue this blasphemer H. N. to be the sonne of God Christ which was to come in the end of the world to iudge the world and say that the day of iudgement is already come and that H. N. iudgeth the world now by his doctrine so that whosoeuer doth not obey his Gospel shall in time be rooted out of the world and that his Family of loue shall inherite and inhabite the earth for euer world without end only they say they shall die in the bodie as now men do and their soules go to heauen but their posterities shall continue for euer This deceiuer describeth eight through breakings of the light as he termeth them to haue beene in eight seueral times from Adam to the time that now is which as he saith haue each exceeded other the seuenth he alloweth Iesus Christ to be the publisher of and his light to be the greatest of all that euer were before him and he maketh his owne to be the eighth and last and greatest and the perfection of all in and by which Christ is perfected meaning holinesse He maketh euery one of his Family of loue to be Christ yea and God and himselfe God and Christ in a more excellent maner saying that he is Godded with God and codeified with him and that God is hominified with him These horrible blasphemies with diuers others doth this H. N. and his Family teach to be the euerlasting Gospel which the Angell is said to preach in Reuelation 14. 6. and himselfe to be the Angell yea and the Archangell which is said to sound the great and last trump Reuel 11. 15. They professe greater loue to the Church of Rome and to all her idolatries and superstitions then they do to any Church else whatsoeuer except themselues They wickedly abuse these words of Christ I must walke to day and to morrow and the third day I shall be perfected and say that by to day is meant the time of Iesus Christ and his Apostles and by to morrow all the time of the religion of the Church of Rome and by the third day this their day of H. N. and his Family wherein they wil haue Christ to be perfected And they doe compare all the whole religion of the Church of Rome to the law of Moses affirming that as God did teach his people by those shadowes and types till Iesus Christ came so he hath taught the world euer since by the images sacrifices and filthy heathenisme of the Church of Rome till this wretch H. N. came and now he must be the onely chiefe teacher Gods obedient man yea his sonne as they blasphemously call him he by his Gospell must make all perfect They will outwardly submit to any kind of religion and to any idolatrous seruice whatsoeuer pretending it is not the bodie that can sinne but the soule They will be Priests in the Church of Rome and act their Seruice after their maner of deuotion and as Satan can transforme himselfe into an Angell or light so they can thrust themselues likewise â—o be publike Ministers and Preachers in the Church of England yea into the Kings Chappell and to be of his officers and messengers so bold they are euen at this present and so close and cunningly they can carry themselues being directed thereto by their Master H. N. that yee shall hardly euer find them out They will professe to agree in all points with the Church of England as also with the Church of Rome if they should be examined by them onely this they will not lightly deny their Master H. N. nor speake euill of him or his writings if they should be put to it and there is no way but this whereby to discouer them I say to put them to the deniall and abiuring of him and his writings and to pronounce him a blasphemer and his doctrine blasphemous this they will hardly doe vnlesse they be not yet his full disciples These horrible blasphemies wicked actions which I hate to describe but that I desire Christians should take notice of them and beware doth this blasphemer and his blasphemous sect teach and practise But I cease sighing and sorowing in my heart God doth know to see that the deuill should worke such mischeife now in this last time wherein I know God will haue his truth to prosper and most of all because many silly soules are taken in their snares like poore vnwary birds in time of winter when foode is scarse seeking for releife Alas what may be the cause of this Is there not some great fault in those that should giue light to the world who sit in the places of the starres of God Doth not their negligence coldnes driue the people into these extreames or are the violent courses and carnall contentions of some other the cause thereof or is it both doubtles they are both great causes