Hear the church, or, An appeal to the mother of us all to all the baptized believers in England, exhorting them to stedfastness in the truth, according to the scriptures : together with some farther considerations of seven queries, sent to the baptized believers in Lincolnshire, concerning the judge of contriversies in matters of religion : in three parts / by Thomas Grantham.
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- Title
- Hear the church, or, An appeal to the mother of us all to all the baptized believers in England, exhorting them to stedfastness in the truth, according to the scriptures : together with some farther considerations of seven queries, sent to the baptized believers in Lincolnshire, concerning the judge of contriversies in matters of religion : in three parts / by Thomas Grantham.
- Author
- Grantham, Thomas, 1634-1692.
- Publication
- London :: [s.n.],
- 1687.
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- Subject terms
- Baptists -- Doctrines.
- Theology, Doctrinal -- Early works to 1800.
- Link to this Item
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http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A41780.0001.001
- Cite this Item
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"Hear the church, or, An appeal to the mother of us all to all the baptized believers in England, exhorting them to stedfastness in the truth, according to the scriptures : together with some farther considerations of seven queries, sent to the baptized believers in Lincolnshire, concerning the judge of contriversies in matters of religion : in three parts / by Thomas Grantham." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A41780.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 2, 2024.
Pages
Page [unnumbered]
THE EPISTLE TO THE READER.
Christian Friend,
IT is now about six and twenty years since it pleased a Learned Papist to send seven Queries to the People com∣monly called Anabaptists, in the County of Lincoln, a∣bout which many Papers were exchanged, and in the Year 1662; some part of them were Printed under the Title of the Baptist against the Papist, or the Scripture and Rome in Contention about the Supreme Seat of Judgment in Controversies of Religion. To which the Querist never replied in Print, but only sent me a few Notes in Manuscript; which seven Queries, with my seven Anti-queries I shall an∣nex to this Epistle.
The Truth is, I did then, and do still look upon this sort of Christian-Adversaries (so I call them) to be the most subtil, as well as coherent with their Principles, keeping close to their Ar∣guments, and using all very much the same Mediums: and were the Truth with them (as in many things I am satisfied it is not) this very thing would be their high Commendation.
Page [unnumbered]
But missing the Heavenly Mark (more is the pity) they must needs be the more dangerous, wherein they stand opposed to the Truth, of which being very sensible▪ I cannot, as I love plain Truth, and the Souls of all Men, but indeavour as much as in me is, after a Christian sort to undeceive (if it may be) some of them, and to prevent others from being deceived by them.
I speak not this as fearing them, but as truly loving them, as they bear the name of Christians, and doubtless are as zealous in their way as any, tho I do verily believe they are under the greatest mistakes of any that prof••ss the Christian Religion, ex∣cept professed Enthusiasts.
That I treat them in Love is no new thing, let my Words written more than twenty years since witness, now in my Epi∣stle to the Reader thus you find them. Not that I envy those of the Papal Church, or desire them any evil; Not that I desire they should be exposed to a Suffering Condition for matters of Religion, or that they should be denied any li∣berty in that Respect which I desire my self, nor for any other prejudice (God knoweth) do I publish this small Treatise, &c.
And what I said then, I say now, being verily perswaded by the Scripture, and all good Principles which I could ever meet with, that they and all men [living soberly and quietly under the Government] ought to have at least a friendly connivance under our differing sentiments from the established Form or Order of Worship, &c. But I am no Dictator, I must leave these things to the pleasure of God, and the prudence of our Go∣vernors, only this is my Determination, in Christ's strength to live and die faithful to what I know of the ways of Truth, and to my own Conscience. Praying constantly for the happiness of my Prince, and all his peaceable Subjects.
Tho. Grantham.