Heresiography, or, A discription of the hereticks and sectaries of these latter times by E. Pagitt.

III. The Confutation of these Blasphemous and detestable Errors before named.

THat Christ tooke not flesh from the Virgin Mary. This Error is flar against the first promise of Christ, G••n. 3. The seed of the woman shall break the serpents head. Against the promise made to Ab••aham, Gen. 22. In thy seed, &c. To David, Psal. 132. 11. Of the fruit of thy body, &c. Luke 1. That which is borne of thee, saith the Angel to Mary, Rom. 1. 3. Who was made of the seed of David, according to the flesh, whence in the New Testament he is called the Son of man. As also Isay

the son of a Virgin, which could not be if he had not taken flesh upon him from the Virgin Mary: neither should our flesh have any hope of eternall life if he were not made flesh, neither should his passion or resurrection profit us at all. In this point the Anabaptists are worse than the Papists, yea then the Turkes themselves, who confesse that Christ was borne of a Virgin. The Melchiorists, a kinde of Anabaptists, doe not onely hold the opinion above named, but also are so diabolicall and blasphemous as to curse the flesh of the blessed Virgin, by maintaining this error: The Anabaptists manifest themselves to be of the number of them whom the Apostle St. Iohn speaketh, 2. Eph. vese 7. For many deceivers are come into the world, who confesse not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh.

That Christ was not true God.

This blasphemous Error is contrary to the holy Scripture, as Ioh. 1. The word was God, Ioh. 10. I and the Father am one, Ioh. 4. He that seeth the Father, seeth me: I am in the Father, and the Father in me, Col. 2. 9, For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead corporally. Againe, 1 Iohn 5. We are in him that is true, even in his son Iesus Christ, that is, the true God. And againe, if he were not God, no created power had been suf∣ficient for the worke of our redemption and satisfaction of Gods wrath. This blasphemous opinion reigneth among the Anabaptists in Moravia: I doe not find this to be maintained by our English Anabaptists, but to be the opinion of Servetus, who was burnt at Geneva and his followers.

Not to be saved by faith in Christ.

What can be more contrary to the holy Scriptures than this detestable Error: read Iohn 3. 16. So God loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that who so beleeveth in him shall not perish, but have life everlasting. Rom. 3. 24. We are justi∣fied freely by grace through the Redemption that is in Iesus Christ, Rom. 3. 28. We conclude that a man is justified by faith, without the workes of the Law.

By the work of Charity and Affliction, the passion of Christ

is a sufficient ransome for all our sin, 1 Iohn 1. The bloud of Christ purgeth us from all out unrighteousnesse, Isa. 43. 25. I am he that blotteth out all thy transgressions, for my own sake, and will not remember thy sinnes, Heb. 9. He hath obtained for us eternall redemption, nothing here perfect, 1. Cor. 13. Neither in his sight can any man living be justified. Psal. 143. 2. Neither any troubled conscience can be pacified, Rom. 5. 1. Being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Iesus Christ. And for afflictions they are either just punishments for our sins, or fatherly corrections to stir us up to a holy life.

They reject the Doctrine of originall sin, because (say they) Christ hath taken away all evil, whether it be the inclination or concupiscence, according to that, Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world. Also that children whereas they do neither good nor evill, are under grace and without sin, but so the Infants of all nations and Infidels may be saved, being without sin: but the contrary appeareth by the effect of sin. The reward of sin is death, Rom. 6. And David confesseth expresly. Psal. 51. Behold I was borne in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me. And St. Paul calleth our inbred concupiscence sin dwelling in us. And Eph. 2. We were by nature the children of wrath.

They deny the Sacrament of Baptisme to Infants.

The ground of this Errour is Ignorance, they not knowing what Baptisme is, pretending Faith and Repentance to be the estence of Baptisme, which Infants are not capable of, and therefore not to be baptized.

To this I answer; As faith and repentance was not the essence of Circumcision, but the outward circumcising of the flesh, and the inward circumcising of the heart.

So the essence of Baptisme, is not faith and repentance, but the outward washing of the water, the word annexed, and the inward washing of the Spirit.

Our Lord affirmeth, Joh. the 3. Except a man be born again by water and the holy Ghost, &c. St. Augustine affirmeth, Al∣though

sound faith be not present: yet the Sacrament of Bip∣tisme may be sound. The Greek Patriarch, writing to the Ger∣man Divines, affirmeth in Baptisme the matter to be water, the forme the words, viz. This servant of God is baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and holy Ghost: the instrumentall cause to be the Minister.

The Anabaptists attribute too much in this Sacrament to their repentance, faith, mortification, and merit, and little or no∣thing to Gods mercy, which is most contrary to the nature of this holy Sacrament, which sealeth up unto us out receiving in∣to Gods favour and grace for his owne mercies sake without any merit of ours.

To palliate this their abhominable error, they pervert divers places of holy Scripture, as Matth. 28. Mar. 10. Out of the order of words, Goe and teach all Nations, baptizing them: Because that teaching is set befor baptizing, they would have children taught before they are baptized.

To this I answer, 1. Whereas teaching is set before bapti∣zing, Matth. 28. Baptizing is set before teaching, Mar. 1. 4. John did baptize in the wildernesse, and teach the baptisme of repentance: And againe, where it is said, repent and beleeve: whether is faith or repentance first required?

But where finde you (say they) a literall command in all the new Testament for the Baptisme of Infants?

To this I answer: The new Testament doth not literally command, Remember to keep holy the Lords day, nor to say grace before and after meales, or to pray with our Families eve∣ning, or morning or for women to receive the Communion, and many other such like things, which are moral duties, & may be sufficiently proved by consequence out of the holy Scriptures. As for example in this very Text which they alleadge against the baptisme of children: the baptisme of children is there com∣manded: Goe and teach all Nations, baptizing, &c. The mea∣ning is, goe and teach all them that are capable of teaching and baptize them that are capable of baptizing: to make this more plaine.

Is a man should bid his servant, goe sheare all my sheep and

mark them: if that servant should sheare all his sheep, and mark them only that he had shorn, and not mark his Lambs, because he could not shear them: doth that servant fulfill his Masters command? No more had the Apostles done, if they had not marked his lambs as well as his sheep; although they were not capable of teaching, yet they were capable of marking or baptizing. In lawes and precepts that be generall, the nume∣ration of singulars are not necessary; because lawes doe com∣mand the whole kind: and therefore the holy Apostles bapti∣zed whole Families, in which we find none excep••ed, as St. Pe∣ter baptized Cornelius and his Family, Acts 10. 48. St. Paul baptized the Jaylor, and all that belonged unto him, Acts 16. 33. Lydda and her houshold, Acts 16. 15. The houshold of Stephanus, 1 Cor. 1. 16, &c.

Again, whereas our Lord commandeth, Mark 10. Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not. How pro∣perly can an Infant come unto Christ but by Baptisme? Re∣pent they cannot, beleeve they cannot, as the Anabaptists af∣firm: But by baptisme they may come, where the Minister in Christs stend receiveth them and blesseth them; and why all this? Of such is the Kingdome of God, and therefore saith our Lord, Forbid them not.

St. Peter saith, Acts 2. 39. The promise is mad: to you and your children; and therefore be baptized. To whom the pro∣mise is made, and covenant, let no man forbid baptisme, which is the seal of the Covenant.

Again, the faith of the Parents may warrant their Infants baptisme: yea, though they have but an hystoricall faith, and not a justifying, if they can credere ad baptismum, though not adsalutem: this faith maketh their children capable of bap∣tisme: many in the Apostles time were baptized, having onely an historicall faith, as S••mon Magus, and others.

Moreover, these phrases, Teach and baptize, Repent and be∣leeve, Beleeve & be baptized, are meant of such as were of riper years, and made profession of the Christian faith, or else the e∣state of Christian infants in the Gospel, were much worse then the condition of the Israelitish Infants under the Law:

which to affirme, is an horrible indignity offered unto Christ. Last of all, most blasphemously they call baptisme of Chri∣stian mens children, the mark of the Beast, and to come from Antichrist, and especially from Pope Innocent the third, who lived about the yeare, 1213.

Learned Mr. Calvin affirmeth the baptisme of children to be a holy institution alwayes observed in Christ Church.

All the reformed Churches use it, and it hath ben the pra∣ctice of the universall Church.

The Greek Church (who yearly excommunicate the Pope) to whom St. Paul preched, baptize their Infants, as Gregory Nazianzen affirmeth.

And Origen, who lived about the yeare 226, about 1000, yeares before Pope Innocent, whom the Anabaptists would make the author of pedobaptisme.

The Russians, who received the faith from St. Andrew the Apostle, and account the Pope of Rome an Heretick, hold a necessity of baptisme, and put to death them that neglect and deride baptisme: what would they doe with these men who blaspheme it?

The Abyssi••s, or Ethiopians, who received Christianity from St. Matthew the Apostle, doe baptize their Infants: viz. their male children at fourty dayes of age, and their females at eighty.

The Armenian Christians, to whom St. Barthoiomew prea∣ched the faith, baptize their Infants. Baronius writeth, that these Christians had a thousand Bishops.

The Iacobites, who are a numerous sort of Christians, doe the same: yea, they mark their children with a hot Iron with the signe of the crosse, alluding to the words of St. Iohn: He shall baptize you with the holy Ghost, and with fire.

The Cophtie, or native Christians of Egypt, to whom Saint Mark preached, baptize their Infants: these Christians have no communion with the Pope of Rome.

The Indians to whom St. Thomas brought the faith, do the like.

The Matacasion Christians in Africa, affirme children dy∣ing

without baptisme, to be deprived of eternall beatitude.

The Melchites, one of the greatest fort of Christians in the Orient, as Boterus affirmeth, do the same.

The Nestorians under the Patriarch of Muzal, who as Car∣dinall Vitriacus affirmeth, are more numerons with the Ia∣cobites, then the Christians of the Latin and Greek Church, doe the same: These account the Pope of Rome a reprobate Bishop.

The Circassians, Mengrellians, Georgians, Maronites, Cephalians; with all the orthodox Christians in the Universe baptize their Infants.

Erasmus wondreth what evill Devill entred them, who for∣bid the baptisme of children used by the holy catholick Church for above 1400. years.

Also the Britains, to whom Simon Zelotes preached have al∣wayes baptized their children, and have honourably esteemed of that Sacrament administred to their children, until some of these hereticks fled hither out of Germany, where they burnt, hanged, and drowned men of that Sect, till they had suppressed them. They came into England about the year 1535. and, as they could be found, we did the like to them, burning some, and banishing others: but since the yeare of our Lord 1640. they have crept out of their holes, lift up their heads, chalenge our Divines to publick disputations, preach in our Churches, pub∣lish their blasphemies, print their bookes, seducing multitudes of people.

And moreover, to speak of the curelty of these Sectaries, who depriving Infants of baptisme, put them all out of the estate of grace. We read of Herod the Tyrant, who destroyed all the children in Bethlehem, and the coasts thereof; is not this a far more cruell sentence, to set all infants in no better state then Pa∣gans and Infidels, without Christ, Aliens from the Common∣wealth of Israel, as strangers from the convenant of promise, ha∣ving no hope, and without God in the world? Can any sober Christian but think this to be a barbarous cruelty? It is not lawfull to take childrens bread, and give it to dogs: but these conclude children to be no better then dogs. The Propher Elisha

wept when he look•• upon Hazael, fore-seeing that ••e should dash the Infants of Israel against the wall: Hazael thought himselfe worthy to be so esteemed, if ever he should ••••e any such things. And certainly thus to deprive Infants of bap∣tisme, is a more cruell act then to dash their bodies against stones.

Let these men also consider how much they provoke Christs displeasure against themselves: he was greatly displeased with his Disciples for forbidding little children to come to him: and one day they shall find him much more displeased with them▪ who with great violence oppose the bringing of children to Christ in this holy Sacrament, and with wrong, injury and slan∣der: prosecute the Ministers of Christ, who administer this Sa∣crament to Infants, condemning the••••or Ministers of Anti∣christ: yea, condemning all Churches ••or Antichristian, who will not cast their children out of ••be covenant of grace. The Lord open their eyes that they may see their errour, and re∣pent of it.

To conclude, the baptism•• of children is commanded in holy Scripture: the holy Apostle, baptized whole families, the anci∣ent ••athers testifie the same; the holy Catholick Church of God alwayes used it. Let not the Devill enter into the heart of any man to bel••••ve a f••••acick, unlearned, mechanick man, not an Angel from h••aven that teacheth a contrary doctrine: What greater mischiefe can the Devill and his Imps do, then to make a schisme in the Church, and rob Almighty God of all his Lambs•• and cut off so many millions of souls from the com∣munion of the Church?

And also whereas our pious parents brought us to Christ, and dedicated us to God the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost: let us take heed that we do not renounce that holy Covenant, as Wit∣ches doe when they compact with the Devill: remember our Lords words; How can yee escape the damnation of hell?

They baptize them that have already been baptized.

They do that which the Scripture never commandeth, Ep••. 4. St. Paul calleth it, One Baptisme, neither was ••ebaptization

ever received in the true Church of God; yea the Church taught that they that were baptized by such Heretickes as er∣red not in the Doctrine concerning the Trinity were not to be re-baptized. Also the Imperiall Law punished them with Capitall punishment who submitted themselves to a second Baptisme.

They dreame of Monarchy, in which the godly shall reigne alone, and destroy the ungodly, which is false; for Christs Kingdome in this world is spirituall, in which troubled consci∣ences shall be victors, and receive solid consolation against sin, the devill, and all manner of temptations. Our Lord himselfe saith, My Kingdome is not of this World, John 18. Likewise saith St. Paul; The weapons of our war are not carnall, but migh∣ty in operation, 2 Cor. 10. Our Lord telleth us that the separa∣tion betweene the godly and ungodly shall not be untill the last day, Luke 18 Againe, That the Sonne of man comming, shall hardly find faith upon earth, Luke 17. In that night there shall be two in a bed, the one received, the other refused. And Mat. 15. That the Angles shall separate the godly from the ungod∣ly, and the tares to remaine with the what untill the Harvest. This Monarchy St. Peter confuteth in his second Epistle 2. 9. Saying, the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temp∣tations, and to reserve the unjust against the day of judgement to be punished: Therefore they are not to reigne alone here, the ungodly being killed. And although the Prophets seeme some∣times to speake of a corporall Kingdome, yet they expound themselves, shewing that they speak of his spirituall Kingdome. To reigne with Christ 1000. years before the ending of the world was the old Error of the Chiliasts, condemned above 1000 years agone by the Church of God,

They allow men free will. So that we may doe those things which God commanded, and omit those things which God hath forbidden; otherwise (say they) God gave his Law in vaine: neither would he punish delinquents if he had not gi∣ven them the power of free will.

It is answered, it is impossible that in our corrupt nature we

should keep the Law, because it doth require a whole and ab∣solute obedience in all things inward and outward; of all the heart, all our soule, and all our might: And the sense of the flesh (as St. Paul testifieth) is enmity to God. Also, the natu∣rall man doth not understand the things that are of the Spirit, 1 Cor. 2. Also Iohn 3. Man cannot take to himselfe any thing except it be given him from above. So Eph. 2. The unrege∣nerate man is said to be dead.

They separate themselves from all other Churches, ac∣counting themselves onely pure and holy; and for this cause some of them will not say this Petition of the Lords Pray∣er (Forgive us our trespasses) saying, they are pure and without sinne:

To this I answer with St. Iohn, 1 Epist. 1. 8. If we say we have no sin, we deceive our selves, and the truth is not in us; if we confesse our sins, he is faithfull to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all our unrighteousnesse: If we say we have not sinned, we make him a lyar, and his word is not in us. To con∣clude, the Anabaptists that say they have no sin, are of the De∣vill the father of lyes, going about to make God a lyar who is truth it selfe.

The Office of the Ministery to be of no great efficacie with them.] They doe not onely contemne the Office of the Mini∣stery, but also the holy Scripture. As Muncer would speake scoffingly of it, Bible, Bible, Bable, Bable: they depend too much upon peculiar Revelations.

The sincere preaching the word of God in the publick Con∣gregations by the Ministers of the Word lawfully called, pro∣fiteth much. Mal. 2. The lips of the Priest shall preserve wise∣dome, they shall require the Law from his mouth. Ezech. 44. The Priest shall teach my people the differences betweene the holy and the prophane, and cause them to discerne betweene the uncleane and cleane. Rom. 1. 16. The preaching of the Word is the power of God to salvation to every one that beleeveth. For this cause Christ taught in the Synagogues. Every one among

them taketh upon him to preach as a Minister, Iohn Becold a Taylor of Leyden. The Apostle teacheth us Heb. 5. That no man take this calling upon him except hee bee called of God. Rom. 10. How shall they preach except they be sent? And this standeth with good reason, for every true Minister stan∣deth in Gods roome, being the Lords Embassadour to deliver his will. Who dareth take upon him to be the Lords Embas∣sadour except he be sent? I have not sent them (saith the Lord) and yet they run and prophesie lies in my name. Piety and Ju∣stice are the two Bases or Pillars that beare up humane Socie∣ty: and whereas the Devill goeth about in these his Impes to overthrow the dignity of the Ministery and of the Magistrate, what doth he else but endeavour to bring the whole world to Ruine and Confusion?

The Confutation of their Errors not tolerable in a Comman-wealth.

THat it is unlawfull for a Christian man to be a Magistrate or to be subject to a Magistrate. And why? They ob∣ject that subjection came in with sin; but Christ hath taken a∣way sin, and therefore no subjection. To this I answer; sub∣jection is two fold, servile or civill: servile is the vassalage of a slave, which was not before the fall: civill for the common good was before: the former a curse, the latter a blessing: Eve was subject to Adam before either of them sinned. 2. They object that every beleever is now in the Kingdome of Heaven, Christ alone must reigne. Ans. There is a spiritual Kingdome standing in grace, peace and joy, in which there is no distin∣ction of persons. There is also a civill Government, which can∣not subsist without distinctions and order: there must be Ma∣sters and servants; subjects and Governours; and necessity re∣quireth it, it is the bond of the Common-wealth. There is a Regiment in the Hoast of Heaven; there is a Regiment in the Body, the members move by the direction of the Head; there

is a Regiment in every Family, the servants acknowledge the Master▪ and the children their Parents. Among the irrationall cr••atures the Bees have their King. the Cranes their Leader, and the 〈…〉〈…〉 principall Beast. St. Paul calleth Magi∣st••a••y a divine Cr••••••ance all Gods O••dinances a•••• good & law∣ful: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 8•• Psalm•• 〈…〉〈…〉 called Gods because they are in Gods ••lace. The Anabap••••sts themselves who despised Go∣vernment finding the necessity of it in Munst••r, so that they could not subsist without Go••ernment, chose themselves a King with inferiour Officers under him.

That it is not lawfull for a Magistrate to punish, because reveng•• is forb••dden Christian m••n.

In this they erre, not distinguishing betweene revenge and punishment, which is from the Magistrate by reason of the exe∣cution of the Law grounded upon Gods Law, a lawfull punish∣ment appointed by God. The Magistrate (saith St. Paul) is the Minister of God appointed for thy go••d: either for our natu∣rall good, preserving our lives which bloody men would soone ruinate, who feare not so much hell as the halter: For our ci∣vill good, preserving our goods and Possessions: For our mo∣rall good, in rewarding vertue, and punishing vice, he beareth not the sword in vaine: For our spirituall good, by coactive power enforcing men to the duties of Godlinesse. In that noto∣rious Apostasie of Israel, when so many execrable enormi∣ties were committed; When Micah had a house of Gods, the Le∣vite wanted maintenance; when his Concubine was ravished to death, the Spirit still prefixeth, at that time there was no King in Israel. Wee are beholding to Governement for Order, Peace, and Religion: for Order, wher•• no King is, every man will be his owne King: for Peace, he that will bee his owne King, will bee another mans Tyrant: for Religion, every Micah will have a House of Gods without Governe∣ment.

To conclude, Adulterers, Murtherers, Traytors, Witches, Burners of Houses may be put to death by the Magistrate to whom the sword is given, and they are not killed, but such

in suffering, doe receive a just guerdon for their offences.

That a Christian man may not take an oath, because Christ saith. Thou shall not sweare at all, which is repeated, Iames 5. And that it is enough to say, Yea, yea, and nay, nay.

Answ. Christ doth not forbid an oath before a Magistrate, as it is a testimony of truth: he reproveth the Pharisees, who taught men that they should sweare, not onely by the name of God, as God had commanded, but also by heaven by the earth, by their heads, &c. This vitious kind of swearing he forbiddeth, onely because these things cannot be witnesses of the things a∣verred, nor punish lying. Neither doe the words following, Let your communication be yea, yea, and nay, nay, take away a lawfull oath; but admonish the godly of the goodnesse of truth, and hatred of lies. That a godly man may lawfully take an oath, appeareth by these reasons, following: 1. From the authority of holy Scripture, By the name of God thou shalt sweare, Deut. 6. 4. The reason is set down, Heb. 6. Because the Lord is greater, and that an oath is the end of all contro∣versies: so Psal. 15. He that sweareth to his neighbour, and de∣ceiveth him not. 2. From the example of Christ and holy men in the old and new Testament, Genes. 24. 26. 3. From the worship of God: for an oath is part of Gods worship, being a calling upon God to be a witnesse of the truth, and an aven∣ger of the lie.

Nor by oath promise any fidelity, or bind himselfe to any Prince or Magistrate whatsoever.

This opinion openeth a gap to all Treasons, Rebellions, and Truce-breakings whatsoever. If it be not lawfull for a Chri∣stian man to bind himselfe by an oath, then i•• is unlawfull for a Christian man to keep such an oath. Isaac made a covenant with Abimelech King of Gerar, to doe one another no hurt: which being sealed up with an oath, could not be violated without sinning. The Prophe•• Ezekiel calleth the oath of o∣bedience (which Zedechiah King of ••srael made to the King of Babel) the oath of God: although the said King was a ty∣rant

and an usurper, without any lawfull succession from Da∣vid; yet he confirmeth it by the mouth of his Prophet, Ezek. 17. 19. As I live, I will surely bring upon Zedechia mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant which he hath broken, upon his own head.

Again, you may see how great a tie an oath is, and how se∣verely Almighty God doth punish the violation thereof in the story of ths Gibeonites, Iosh. 9. Joshuah and the Princes ha∣ving made a league with them (being beguiled by them, pre∣tending that they came from a farre Countrey) the congrega∣tion murmuring against the Princes, were answered by them after this manner, We have sworn to them by the Lord God of Israel, now therefore we may not touch them, lest wrath be up∣on us, because of the oath which we swore unto them. About 4000 yeares after, Saul in his zeale to the children of Israel, shew the Gibeonites; for which cause, 2 Sam. 21. the Lord plagued the whole Land, sending a famine upon them for three yeares, declaring himselfe, that it was sent because Saul had slain the Gibeonites, who hanged up seven of Sauls sons given them by David, and then God was intreated for the Land.

Notes

• Error 1.
• Answer.
• Maledicta sit c••ro Mariae, Bull in advers. Anabab fol. •• 6••.
• Error 2.
• Answer,
• Error 3.
• Answer.
• Error 4.
• Error 5.
• ••••emiae paid Respen. 1.
• Blasphemy.
• Instit. 4. cap. 16. ss. 6.
• Vid. The har∣mony o•• their conf sio••s Orati 40. upon Levit.
• Hoc si qu••s neglex••rit & deriserlt, mor∣tis poena affil∣getur, Re••ig. Moscov••t. 〈…〉〈…〉 17▪
• Gu••do de ••••res.
• Th•• a Iesu de conv••r omni∣um gent. 1. lib. 7. p 506:
• Th, a ••esu ividem.
• Navig. ••oseph. indi, cap 134.
• The it. cos. lb 4. 2.
• Boler, relat. lib. 2. page 3.
• The barbarous cruelty of these Sectaries.
• Error 6.
• Answer.
• Error 7.
• Error 8.
• Answer.
• Error 9.
• Error 10.
• Answer.
• Rom. ••0. 1 Co•• 1.
• Error 1.
• Resp.
• Object.
• Resp.
• Error 2.
• Iudg. 17. 18. 19. chapters.
• Error 3.