Apology of Certain Christians, Title page
A IVST AND NECESSARIE APOLOGIE OF CERTAIN CHRISTIANS, no lesse contumeliously then commonly called Brownists or Barrowists.
By Mr. IOHN ROBINSON, Pastor of the English Church at Leyden, first published in Latin in his and the Churches name over which he was set, after translated into English by himself, and now republished for the speciall and common good of our own Countrimen.
Psal. 41. 2.
O Blessed is he that prudently attendeth to the poore-weakling.
Printed in the yeere of our Lord M.DC.XXV.
A Iust and Necessarie APOLOGIE.
THE cryme of Heresy none ought patiently to indure, Ierom to P… mach.sayd Ierom of ould; and that not without cause: For whereas in other accusations, eyther a mans goods, or good name, or bodily life, at the most, is indaungered; in this, the life of the soul (which fayth is) commeth in question.
But well it is for the servants of Iesus Christ, that they have him (their gratious Lord, and Saviour) for their Iudg: by whose alone judgment (notwithstanding all mens prejudices) they shall stand, or fall for ever. And, if any others any where, surely I, and they with me, have need to get this divine comfort deeplie printed in our hearts; whose profession giues occasion to many, as doth our condition liberty unto all, to spare no severitie of censure upon us.
Four sorts of heavie freinds we have found, and felt in sorrowfull experience wheresoever we have become. The first whereof is the unhallowed multitude, who living without God in the world;Ioh. 3. and walking themselvs perversly, and in the workes of darknes, cannot but hate, as the light it self, so all those, who hauehave receaved grace of God, to walke therein with good conscience. And as the Apostles in their dayes were everie where most vexed with the hatred of the unbeleeving Iewes, their own countrymen; so are we by the like of ours like mynded. Of whom whilst the most do want their countrie for causes so unlike unto ours, no marvayl though there be no better concurrance of eyther affection, or action between us.
The second is of them, who are enamoured on that Romish Hierarchie, as on a stately, and potent Ladie. Against which, and for the holy presbyteriall government, as Christs institution by his Apostles, whilst we doe in word and deed, give a free, & full testimonie; alasse, with how many, and how great waves of affliction are we overwhelmed by their …atred, and power? Dem…trius of Ephesus, with his Silver-smiths, was of all other men, to the Apostle Paul (opposing himself to the Majestie of Diana, and the… profit withall) the most infestuous. And who will marvayl, if we nothing obsequio…s to the Hierarchicall Diana (in her self, magnificent enough, & enough advantageable unto hers) be abhominable unto this kinde of people, aboue all others, even Atheists, Papists and most flagitious persons not excepted, whom they hauehave devout enough, and over, unto that Goddesse.
A third kinde is of those, who so servily inbondage themselues, and their consciences, either to the edicts of Princes, or to the determinations of certaine doctors, or to both these jointly, as that they think nothing well done in case of R…ligion, which eyther these teach not, or they commaund not: and on the other side, almost any thing warrantable, which is commended by the one of them, or commaunded by the other. And as of these some are so transported with wa…pish zeale, as they can scarcely without a fit of an ague, eyther speak to, or think of him, who a litle steps out of their troad; so others of them are so cunning, and wote so well how to make their market, that though they be indeed almost like mynded with us in all things, yet do they vehemently affect unchristian emnitie with us: not because they themselues judge us so deserving; but others, whom therein they think it a poynt of their wisdom to gratify.
The fourth, and last sorte are they, who through credulitie, and lightnes of beleif hauehave their ears open to the false, and feigned suggestions of slaunderous tongues. These men whilst they are over good, and easie towards the evill, and injurious, unto whom they give credence; become injurious themselus to the good, and innocent: though in truth it be hard to say, unto which of three they doe the greatest wrong▪ whether to their brethren, of whom they causelesly conceaue amisse, whilst either they greedily devour, or easily receave such false reports, & vituperies, as venemous tongues spit out against them: or to their own souls, which they thereby make accessorie to others mallice: or to the calumniators themselus, whom they put in heart to go bouldly on in reproaching the innocent, whilst they know, where to finde receavers for their slaunders, as do theeues for their stoln goods.
Now, alasse, what sufficient bulwark of defence hauehave we (poore people) to oppose unto the violence of so many, and mightie adversaries? First, and most (as a brazen wall) … cons…ence before God, and men (so farre as humain frailtie will permit) pure, and unsteyned. Next, thine equanimitie joyned with wisdom (godly, and christian Reader): for whose cause we hauehave pe…ed, and published this our just, and necessarie defence: lest being circumvented by prejudice, thou mayst happen to hate that whereof thou art ignorant: then which nothing in Tertullians judgment, is more uniust, no not though the thing in it self iustly deserue hatred. Tertullian … the ….By this we do earnestly crave, that (as thou safely mayst, so) thou wilst ingenuously passe sentence upon us, and our profession and not by the unsavourie reportes eyther in word, or writing, of our adversaries whomsoever: who do most commonly take libertie to suggest against us (underlings,) not what in truth & conscience they should; but what eyther fame reporteth, or ignorance suspecteth, or mallice inventeth, or proud contempt deems suiteing with our meannes and simplicitie.
Two opprobries (amongst others infinite) hauehave beene of late by our adversaries cast upon us; by which we are not onelyonly occasioned, but after a sorte necessitated to the publishing of this our Apologie: lest by not resuting such criminations (so great,Cypr. tr…ct. … and greivous) we should seeme to acknowledg a cryme, as Cyprian speaketh. The former, by some of those, who in our owne countrie, are reputed the cheif Masters and Patrons both of Religion & truth: by whom there hath been, not a flying bruit spread amongst the multitude; but a solemn accusation to them in speciall authoritie, framed against us: First, that we (lewd Brownists) do refuse, and reject one of the Sacraments: secondly, that we hauehave amongst us no ecclesiasticall ministrie, but doe giuegive libertie to everie mechanicall person to preach publiquely in the church. Thirdly, that we are in errour about the verie Trinitie. Fourthly, and lastly, that being become so odious to the magistrates here, as that we are by violence to be driven the countrie, we are now constreyned to seek some other, and farr parte of the world to settle in.
The other contumelie is in a Duch Rhime without name, framed it may be, (and as commonly it comes to passe) between the cup and the wall, as sayth the proverb. This balad-maker comparing the receaved religion in the Dutch churches to a tree: the Sectaries in the countrie (of which he nameth not a few) to certayn beasts endeavouring this trees ruine, and overthrow, likens the Brownists to a litle worme, gnawing at the root thereof; and not having lesse will, but lesse power to hurte, then the residue. Wee are indeed wormes and not men, Psal. 22, 9.the reproach of men, and despised of the people, whom high and low, and all that will, may without daunger, tread, and trample under foot.
But to giuegive thee satisfaction (Christian and indifferent Reader) whosoever thou art, that chusest rather to take knowledg of mens innocencie, then to condemn the same unknown; and that it may appear unto thee, how alike unhonest our adversaries are in their accusations, though of unlike condition in themselus, We do professe before God and men, that such is our accord in the case of religion, with the Duch reformed churches, as that we are ready to subscribe to all, and everie article of faith in the same church, as they are layd down in the Harmonie of Confessions of fayth, published in their name: one onelyonly particle (and the same not of the greatest weight) in the sixth Article, touching the Scriptures, being conveniently interpreted, and conformably to it self, & the generall judgment of the learned amongst them.
The scope of the Article is, (as appears in the margent) to distinguish between the books Canonicall, and Apocriphall, as they are called. Touching which Apocryphall notwithstanding it is judged, and affirmed, that they may be read in the Church. Which if it be meant of their private reading by the members of the church, we willingly assent: if of publique, pastorall, and ecclesiasticall reading, we are indeed otherwise mynded: neither admit we any other books to that dignitie in the church, then such as were penned by the Holy men of God, moved by the Holy Ghost. 2 Pet. 1, 21. And as the Apostle Iames testified of the Iewes,Act. 15. 21. that they had Moses read in the Synagogue everie Sabbath day: so we think it sufficient for the Christian assemblyes, that with Moses Christ, that is, the books of the new testament be joyned with the old, and they alone be read.
Neither need we seek further, or for other Arguments to confirme our opinion, then the Article it self affoardeth us. The words thereof are these:
Moreover, we put a difference between the Holy writings,Harmonie of Confess. Of the script. Art. 6, Conf. Belg. and those which they call Apocryphal, to wit, so as the Apocryphall may indeed … read in the church, & that it may be lawfull to take instructions from …hem, so far sorth, as they agree with the canonicall books: but such … hand is their authoritie, or firmnes, that upon their testimonie any doctrine of faith, and Christian Religion may be founded, much lesse that they hauehave force to infringe, or weaken the others authoritie.
And first, if the Apocriphall books be publiquely read in the Church, as well as the Canonicall, the difference which in word is professed, seems indeed by this so reading them, to be taken away: since the selfe same religious act (viz. publique reading) is performed about the one and other, although not altogether to the same end. And if publique reading of the Canonicall Scriptures be commanded of God in his worship, either the reading of these Apocripha books is a parte of Gods worship also, (which the Belgick Churches do not beleiv) or els they must be unlawfull to be read publiquely in the Church, especially comming together for that onelyonly end of worshipping God. Publiquely, I say; for the private reading of them, as of other books, comes not under the respect of worship properly, but of an act, and exercise preparati… unto worship, as both Law…ers, and Divines speak.
Secondly, in this verie Article, the Canonicall bookes, as opposed to the Apocriphall, are called holy writeings. The Apocriphall then are not holy, as not being hallowed to this end, that is not commaunded of God in the holy writeings of the Prophets, and Apostles. Now what hauehave the holy assemblies to do, especially convening, and meeting together for the solemn worship of God, and exercising themselus in the same, with books not holy, that is, not hallowed, or injoyned of God, for his most holy service…
Thirdly, seeing these books are Apocriphall, that is, hidden, and concealed, their verie name may put them in minde of their duetie in concealing themselvs within the vaile of privacie. And surely no small immodestie it is in them, which ought to conteyn themselus in private use, and interteynment, thus bouldly to presse into publique assemblie. They must therefore change either their names, or their manners; as women by their sex, so they by their name, well expressing their nature, are inhibited all libertie of speaking in the church.
I…d, and conclude out of our countrie-man M. Broughton, that those Apocriphall books are so stuffed with trifles, fables, lyes and superstitions of all sorts; that the midle place between the ould and new Testament, as ill becomes them, as it would do a Turkish slaue, and leaper, between two the noblest Princes of all Europe.
But to return whence I dig…essed. Seing that (as appears in the preface) the intention of the Belgick Churches was, as in divulging their Confession,Preface to the …arm of Confess. to render a reason of the hope, which is in them, and plainly to make known their perswasion in the matter of fayth; so also in publishing the Harmony of Confessions, to giuegive all men to understand, and take knowledg of that most near conjunction which they hauehave with the sacred, and truely Catholique church of God, and all the holy and sound members thereof: by what tight, or rather injurie could we be excluded from the followship of the same churches, who do … better accorde, and have greater congruitie with them in the matter of fayth & religion, then the greatest part of those, whose confessions they do publi… to the veiw of all men, as the congnissance, and badges of their Christian consociation? And with what conscience of a Christian, or rather licentiousnes of a Rhymer, could that adversarie traduce us to the world, as endeavoring the ruine of the reformed churches?
But perhaps, that which may be, is suspected to be by some, (which also the false accuser doth insinuate in his libell against us) and that, what in word we professe, we denye in deed; and what we would seem to build with our tongues, we do, as it were, with our hands pull down. If so it be, and that in deed we be found to be such, I doe freely confesse, that no censure upon us can be too severe, no hatred more greivous then we do deserv.
Now the guilt of this evill must cleav unto our fingers, if at all, one of these two wa…es, either in regard of our selvs, or of the reformed Churches. For our selvs, and our course of life, (for necessitie compelleth, as it were foolishly to bable out that, wherein modestie perswadeth silence) and how we converse with God, and men, whether publiquely in the Church, or privately in the family, we refuse not, by the grace of God bestowed upon frayl creatures, labouring of the same humain infirmities with other men, the search and censure of our most bitter adversaries, if not destitute of all, both honestie, and wisdom.
Touching the reformed Churches, what more shall I say? We account them the true Churches of Iesus Christ, and both professe, & practise communion with them in the holy things of God, what in us lyeth; their sermons such of ours frequent, as understand the Dutch tongue; the sacraments we do administer unto their known members, if by occasion any of them be present with us; their distractions, and other evils we do seriously bewayl, and do desire from the Lord their holy, and firm peace.
But happily, it wil be objected, that we are not like-mynded with them in all things, nor do approve of sundry practises in use amongst them, if not by publique institution (which it seems they want) yet by almost universall consent, and uniform custome. I graunt it; neither doubt I, but that there are many godly, and prudent men in the same churches, who also dislike in effect the things which we doe: and amongst other things, this mal…part, and unbridled bouldnes of unskilfull men, who make it a very May-game to passe most rash censure upon the fayth, and so by consequence, upon the eternall salvation of their brethren, and to impeach their credit, whom they neither do, nor perhaps willingly would know: lest that which they lust to condemn unknown, they should be constreyned to allow, if they once knew it: and withall to disallow that, into which they themselvs hauehave been led formerly by common errour of the times. Which maladie is also so frequent, and ordinarie, as that it may truely be said of many, that they then think themselus most acceptable unto God, when they can make their brethren (differing from them in some smaller matters) most odious unto men. This rageing plague except the Lord God in merciemercy asswage, and bend the mindes of godly, and modest men (the Ministers of his word) to put to their helping hand that way, it wi… without all doubt, come to passe, (which God forbid) that the multitude of Christians will come to judg of their estate with the Lo… not so much by the christian vertues, which themselvs indeed have as which they imagine others want.
But that it may appear unto thee (Christian Reader) wherein … do dissent from the Dutch reformed Churches, and upon wha… grounds: and that none may take occasion of suspicion, that the things are either greater, or more absurd, for which those hateful… Brownists are had by many in such detestation, then indeed an… truth they are, I will breifly, as I can, present unto thy christian vei… either all, or the most, & our greatest differences, with the ground… thereof.