A discouery 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 Iessop who sometime walked in the said errors with them.

AN ADVERTISEMENT to the Christian Reader.

WHereas Beloued, there hath risen and sprung vp from a∣mongst 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 ap∣peare, euery one being diuided into sundry and seuerall facti∣ons, 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. Se∣condly, 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 them∣selues; 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 a∣right, or as they ought to know, if euer they expect the salua∣tion 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 d••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, bles∣sing 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: challen∣ging and assuming vnto themselues soundnes of religion, and assurance of Gods loue, euer measuring themselues by them∣selues, 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 con∣demning 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 vn∣stable 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 venome therefrom, whereby they burst asunder: so likewise doe all such persons, who haue not their hearts established with true sauing grace, but with sundry meates (that is to say) with sundry strange and different opinions, (I call them strange, because they were neuer heard of in all the Scriptures, as here∣after shall appeare,) running from one forme of religion vnto another, vntill at last they come to sucke and feed vpon that poysonable heresie of the Familists, who are not worthy to haue so much as the name or title of religion giuen vnto them, it being not onely the last straine or faction they commonly run into, but also destroying and damnable, whereby the word of God is by them blasphemed, and the way of life and truth euill spoken of, to the great dishonour of the great and migh∣tie Ichouah, who will one day breake and teare them in peeces (as with a rod of iron) when none shall be able to deliuer them, as a iust recompence of reward for all such as take pleasure therein. So then beloued brethren, friends or kindred, of what sex or condition soeuer, whether yong or old, rich or poore, be exhorted and forewarned hereby, not giuing the least heed vnto any lying spirits, vnder what pretence soeuer they haue, may, can or will present themselues vnto you; but (on the con∣trary) labour by the grace and power you haue, or shall receiue of the Lord, to resist and auoid them, euen as our Lord and Master did that archspirit and enemie of all mankind, know∣ing that if the least way be giuen, you will be in danger to be inthralled and insnared by their deceiuings. And although some of them be more defectiue and more dangerous to infect the soules of men then others be, as most certaine there are, for there are degrees as well in difference of spirits, as of na∣ture and naturall parts, yet (I say) they which may conceiue haue most soundnesse in their opinion, it will be found vpon due and iust triall, not to be that which they would seeme both vnto themselues and others to be, which hereafter will ap∣peare. Of these things, my beloued, I can in some measure best aduertise you, being through want of the true sauing

knowledge and vnderstanding of God and his truth, caught and intangled by some of them, wandring vp and downe a∣mongst the drie hils and mountaines, conceiuing comfort, when alas I was far from it; and the farther I wandred vp and downe in that Egyptian darknesse, the more intricate laby∣rinth of error and darknesse my soule was plunged into; like vnto a blind man who hauing not his perfect sight, goes on in darknesse, vntill at last he falls into a pit of destruction, for want of a guide to conduct and leade him; and especially when I walked with the Anabaptists, which way and practise of theirs, shall euidently appeare to euery honest, true and san∣ctified heart, not onely to ouerturne and race the foundation of all Christian religion, but also (in as much as in them lieth) to destroy the faith of Iesus Christ: all which time, though strangely deluded, yet was I kept by the power and prouidence of God from being seduced and led into that destroying and ir∣recouerable way of death before mentioned, namely, the Fami∣lists though very nigh vnto it, hauing one foote entred there∣in, whiles I walked with the people aforesaid, vntill at last the Lord in his appointed time was pleased to giue me a true sight of the misery wherein I was plunged; one meanes whereof being the rod of correction, which God had laid vpon me, it draue me the more seriously to examine things, and to consi∣der with my selfe, whether the cause (for which I suffered) would any whit auaile me vnto saluation, or whether it would minister comfort vnto me in that great and teerible day of the Lord. So vpon a more serious suruay of those positions I then maintained, I found them all too light, yea so light, as they were not able to stand against those truths which the holy Scriptures teach and maintaine: whereupon immediatly I re∣iected my former receiued opinions, as erronious and wicked; so that I may say (and that truly) with that holy man Dauid, It was good for me that I was corrected and chastised, for till then I went astray. Yet notwithstanding, though I was cleane escaped therefrom, within a short time after, I was so far from hauing or enioying true peace and comfort, that in stead thereof, my poore distressed soule was accompanied

with nothing but strange feares, terrors and guiltinesse of con∣science, crying out against me for nothing but vengeance; the misery whereof was such, as caused me to lament the time wherein I was borne, not regarding wife, children, or any friends whatsoeuer that came to visit me. The misery wherein I was, did depriue me of being sensible of the least ioy, either in heauen or on earth, being altogether benummed therewith, compassed and set about with many strange and fearfull appa∣ritions of temptations; the primary and first cause thereof, was that originall guilt which I drew from the loines of my first parents, being the very seed and spawne of all my actuall trans∣gressions; and so being confounded & vtterly lost, yea oft times in despaire, fearing there was mo mercie with God for me, my sins being so heauy a burden vpon my soule; then (euen then) when I was in greatest despaire, God by his Spirit was pleased to worke in me a contrite and broken heart, whereby it was turned from being a stubburne and stonie, by dissoluing 〈◊〉〈◊〉 into a heart of flesh, as soft as water; and therein (through 〈◊〉〈◊〉 infi∣nite loue and goodnesse) did by a more speciall work 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his Spirit, write his euerlasting couenant of loue and mercy ••••ich it so much sued, sought and longed for, with full assur•••••••• of the remission of all my sins, whereby I stand sealed 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the day of my redemption is accomplished in the second resurrecti∣on; that as certaine as my Red••emer liueth and cannot die, so certaine I am that one day I shall enioy that glorious inheri∣tance, purchased through the merits of Iesus Christ; which happie and blessed estate, my soule could not enioy, whiles it stucke fast in the quick sands of Anabaptistry, being euen welnigh smothered and ouerwhelmed in error and darknesse, vntill the Lord was pleased to open the eyes of my vnderstan∣ding, by hearing the word and doctrine of truth, which is main¦tained by and in the Church of England, as namely the do∣ctrine of repentance, free iustification by faith, Gods eternall predestination and election from the foundation of the world, that no man hath free will or power to obtaine his owne salua∣tion, and that originall sin to be in all the posteritie of Adam, euer since we fell from that happie & blessed estate which once

we had in him, with many other excellent truths; all which is such a certaine and sure foundation that whosoeuer can at∣taine to walke in the power thereof, the gates of hell shall neuer ouercome nor destroy him: yet 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 mi∣nistery 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, beseech∣ing 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 there∣of, 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.