Against the Errors of the Anabaptists, Title page – To the reader
A ſhort inſtruction for to arme all good Chriſtian people agaynſt the peſtiferous errours of the common ſecte of Anabaptiſtes.
¶ Compyled by Mayſter Iohn Caluine.
¶ The contentes of thys boke.
☞ In this boke are firſt reproued fiue articles cōtayned in one reſolution, compoſed by the patriarches of that ſecte, which articles are common to them all, that is to ſaye.
Of the baptiſme of infantes.
Of excommunicacion.
Of the ryghte or authoritie to beare armore.
Of the power of princes
Of ſweringe.
Alſo two other articles.
Of the incarnacion of Ieſus Chriſte.
Of the life and condicion of the folles betwene death & the daye of the laſte reſurrection.
¶ Iohn Caluine to the miniſters of the churches in the countie of Newecaſtel.
IF anye man maruell, my dere brethren and companions in the worcke of the Lorde, that I wyll occupie my ſelfe to anſwere vntounto a boke whyche is vnworthy to be ſpokē of, or to be made mencion of, ſeinge that I maye occupye my ſelfe, as men thincke, in beter thynges, and thynges of more frute, it ſhalbe ſufficiente excuſe for me to alledge that I hauehave done it at the requeſt and inſtaunce of manye good fayethful men, wyth ſente the boke to me from far countries, which teſtimonie that it was verye nedefull for the helth of many ſoules, that I ſhoulde take it in hand. For I thincke verelye that this ſhould be ſufficient to contente them that be reſonable, that my intente was to obtayne as well to the iudgementes as to the deſires of them whiche I knewe to be zelous for the glory of God and the edification of his people. But yet hauehave I an other anſwere for to excuſe me by, to them which may thinke that it is foly in me, to occupie my ſelfe in a thyng ſo barren and trifelynge, as is thys little boke, which apereth to be made by ignoraunte people: which is, that we hauehave no greater priuyledge than had the prophetes of God, and that oure payne is no more preciouſe, than was theirs. Nowe we ſe that Ezechiel was conſtrayned to ſpeake and write not only agaynſt diſceiuers which were ignoraunte and of no reputacion, but alſo agaynſte women which woulde be propheteſſes. Seynge the prophet ſpared not to diſpute agaynſte women, ye and that it was commaunded hym by God ſo to do, becauſe thorow their leaſynges they led the people to ſuperſticiō and erroure, and letted the veritie of his courſe: it ſhould be a preſūption to vsus, not to wytſafe to do the lyke. It is trewe that thys boke, whiche I am deſired and exhorted to confute, hath no nede of reſolution towardes them that hauehave learnynge and vnderſtandynge: for as muche as of it ſelfe it is ſufficientelye reproued, in that it is ſo vnlearnedly & foliſhly written. But for as much as it hath a certayne coloure to abuſe and circumuente the ſimple, which hauehave not the iudgemente to diſcerne: oure dutye is to helpe them, and aduertiſe thē of the malicious ſubtelties of ſathan, to the intente that they be not thorow imprudence diſceiued: we are dettours to one and other ſayeth ſanicte Paule. Therefore we muſte do ſeruice vntounto all as muche as in vsus is, ſpecially whan neceſſitye requireth it. I proteſt therfore, that myne entencion is onlye in ſhorte or fewe wordes, to ſhewe vntounto all fayethfull chriſten men which be rude and vnlerned, what and how daūgerous a poyſon thys doctrine of the Anabaptiſtes is: and alſo arme them by the word of God agaynſte the ſame, to the ende that they be not diſceyued or if ther be any, which all redy be wrapped in their ſnares, that they may be brought agayne vntounto the ryght way. Wherefore I beſeche all them whiche deſire to continew in the pure knowledge of Ieſus Chriſte, and in the obedience of his Goſpel, to take paynes to rede attentiuely thys little boke, euen as I hauehave dedicated it vntounto them: and alſo take the paynes well to peyſe the reſonnes whiche I do alledge vntounto them: that they maye abyde in the trueth whan it is declared vntounto them. Therefore reaſon whyche moued me to dedicate this preſēt treatiſe vntounto you, is double. Fyrſte, bycauſe it ſhoulde be a publyke teſtimonie of the coniunction whiche I hauehave and deſier alwayes to hauehave wyth you: and that al menne myghte knowe howe we are vnited as wel in doctrine as in affection of herte. The ſeconde is, to the ende that the redynge thereof myghte be the better commended and receyued of all them ouer whom you hauehave charge to bere the worde of Ieſus Chriſte: in ſuche ſorte that the churches ouer whych the prynce of paſtours hath made your miniſters, maye be intertayned in pure doctrine, and preſerued from al peruerſe opinions, contrarying the truth of the goſpel It is true, that you myght right well (my dere brethren) hauehave diſcharged me of thys payne. And alſo, alredye oure brother. M. Wyllyam Farell, accordynge vntounto the grace whyche God hathe geuē him, and the exerſies whiche he hath of longe tyme had, and continual cuſtume in fyghtyng aſtaynſte the ennemyes of the trueth, and reſiſtynge all falſe doctrines for to mayntayne Chriſtes kyngedome, hath well ſatiſfied you in parte, in that thynge whyche you nowe require of me. As I hauehave ſene by the actes of a diſputatiō done in the good towne. In ſuch ſorte that of thoſe Articles whyche are there treated, no man can deſyre a more ſuffitiente declaration, to ſatiſfy hys conſcience, then is ther geuen. But bycauſe they vntounto whome I deſyre and am bound to do ſeruice, do make me beleue that it is neceſſarie that I take thys charge vponupon me, I wyll conſent vntounto theyr requeſt, without makynge any longer excuſes. The Lord Ieſus Chriſte hauehave you alwayes in hys holye protection, and hys churches whiche he hathe committed vntounto you: and leade you by hys holye ſpirite alwayes: for to ſerue hym with youre miniſterye vntounto hys honoure and vntounto the healthe of hys pore people. Amen.
☞ From Geneua the fyrſt of Iune. Anno Domini. M.D.xl.iiii.
Of the Anabaptiſtes.
TO write againſt al ye falſe opinions & errours of the Anabaptiſtes, ſhoulde be a thing to lōg, & ſuch a botō les pit, as I could not wel come out of. For this cāker differeth in thys thinge frō al other ſectes of heretikes, yt ſhe hath not erred only in certain points: but ſhe hath ingē dred a hole ſea, as it were, of foliſh & ſalſe opinions. In ſuch wiſe yt ſkant ſhal a man find one Anabaptiſt which hath not ſome phātaſy ſingular: which his felowes hauehave not. So yt if we wold plucke out, or reherſe al their wicked doctrines, we ſhould neuer make an end. But nowe at lenght they become vntounto, two principal ſectes: whereof yt on, though ſhe be ful of wicked & pernicius erroures: yet doth ſhe abide in much more ſimpliciti. For ſhe yet receiueth the holy ſcripture, as we do. And if men do diſpute wt thoſe yt be of ye ſecte, it ſhal be perceiued wher in they diſſēt frō vsus, & they wil expreſſe thermeaning, & in cōcluſiō it may bee perceiued in what they accord, & wherein they diſſent. The ſecōd ſect is a maſe, of ſuch foliſh & beaſtly opinions, as the lyke cānot be found, in ſo much yt it is wonder howe creatures which beare the figure of a mā, cā be ſo clean wtout ſēce & reaſō, as to ſuffer thē ſelues ſo to be diſceyued, & fal in to phantaſies more than brutiſh. This ſect cal them ſelues libertines. And counterfet ſo much the ſpirituall, that they ſet no more by the word of God, thē they do by fables: except it be whā it pleaſeth them, and when as they may depraue it, and by force make it to ſerue for theyr deuyllyſhe opiniōs. And beſydes thys they hauehave a charminge or croking as it were Cranes, ſo that a mā can not tell what it is, that they would ſaye, and no more do they wot what it is them ſelues: but that by thys crafte they couet the fylthynes of their doctrine. For their prīciples ar to cōfoūd al differēces betwene good & yl, & to mingle god ſo wt the deuil that it ſhold not be diſcerned betwen the one and the other, and ſo to make mē not onelyonly wyth oute all feelynge in theyr conſciences before God: but alſo wythoute ſhame before the worlde. Nowe ſe you wherefore they dryue them ſelues into ſuch caues of obſcure and doubtfull wordes, to the ende that their villany ſhould not be perceyued, leſt we ſhoulde hauehave them in horror and excecration. As in dede oure nature repugneth agaynſte ſuche monſterouſe thynges as they brynge forthe. So nowe to wryte in a ſūme againſt the errours of the Anabaptiſtes, the ſhorteſte and moſt expediente way is to kepe this diuiſiō: and to gather a parte in one treatyſe the errours of them whyche be not altogyther ſo mad and deſperate: and in an other treatiſe to diſcouer the venemouſe malyce of thoſe wycked, whiche vnderunder the colour of ſpiritualitie, woulde make menne lyke vntounto bruite beaſtes. Nowe is it verye true, that thoſe whyche be of the fyrſte ſorte, do not ſo agre togither in opinions, that a man can eaſelye gather theyr errours togyther for to reproue them by any certayne order, But bycauſe the pryncipall doctours, and as it were the Patriarkes of the whole Sinagoge, after they had well ranged aboute, hauehave made a fynall concluſion, wherein they comprehende the ſome of al that whych they do holde againſt vsus, and the Papiſtes in ſeuen Articles: vntounto whyche al Anabaptiſtes communely cleaue: in ſo muche that they hauehave founde the meanes to cauſe thys fayre reſolution to be imprynted, and hauehave togyther agreed to ſowe theyr poyſon by it all abrode: and ſo to infecte the pore people: I wyl be contented for thys tyme, and I thinke alſo that it ſhal ſuffyce, to declare the falſeheade contayned in the moſt parte of theſe ſeuen Articles: to the intente that they do not complayne and ſaye that I laye that to the charge of theym all, whych is done but of ſome particulars, & ſo vniuſtly defame the whole ſecte, Thys once done, if I maye hauehave at any time leaſure, I wil write ſome other litle treatiſe, agaīſt the other ſeconde ſorte, of whyche I ſpake before, that is the Libertines, But as I hauehave ſayde, it ſhall be ſufficiente for thys tyme, to declare vntounto all louers of the trueth, that, that thynge whyche theſe poore people with one common accorde holde for a foundatiō inuincible, of theyr fayth, is a deadly abuſiō, of the which we muſt beware, as we would be of the peſtelence.
I ſpeke to al thē which deſire to be obediēt vntounto the truth For ther be ſome of this vngratiouſe ſecte, and chyefelye thoſe whyche do counterfayte the doctoures: the whyche beynge occupied wyth pryde and preſumption, ſe nothynge of thoſe thynges whyche is ſayde vntounto them, or rather thorowe obſtinate and deliberate malyce ſhutte theyr eyes, bycauſe they wyll not ſe the lyghte, when it is ſo euidently offred to thē. In ſo much yt it is as vnprofitable a laboure, as to beate the water when you woulde hauehave it ſtyl, to procede by reaſōs with thē, to bring them to the ryght waye, ſaue that thys profite wyl come therof, that they whyche be good ſhal know the deſperate impudency, and ſo wythdraw them ſelues, & ffye from them, as frō poyſon.
Nowe bycauſe there is no fayrer coloure to ſeduce the chriſtians whych hauehave a zele to folowe God, then to pretend his holy word, therefore the Anabaptiſtes agaynſte whome we nowe wryte, hauehave alwayes that preface in theyr mouthe. And truly when it is ſayed, that it is God whych ſpeaketh: al creatures ought to be moued, for the reuerence of hys name, in humilitie to here what is ſayed. When we perceiue that is the word of God in dede, which is ſette before vsus: there is no more queſtion to replye, or once to open oure mouthes to diſpute agaynſte it. We do not ſaye as the papiſtes do, that we muſt forſake the ſcriptures of God, and ſtaye oure ſelues in the authoritie of men. For we hold that euaſion, for an execrable blaſphemy. But we wyll that whyche appeareth to come frome God, & leaneth to his word, be receiued to vsus wyth al humilitie, wtout any controuerſitie or difficultie. And more ouer we thinke that none other doctrine ſhuld be receiued for certain & true, but ſuch as cometh out of ye foū taine of al trueth. Therfore be they Anabaptiſtes, or other, whiche ſay vntounto vsus, that that thing whiche they bringe vntounto vsus, they hauehave receyued of God, and taken it of his mouth: that is to ſaye, that they hauehave it oute of the bleſſed ſcripture: lette vsus geue this glorye to God, modeſteouſlye to vnderſtande and herken whether it ſo be or not. But as it is our duty to herken vntounto theſe thinges which are ſaid, vntounto ſuch time as we do know what it is: ſo ought we to hauehave thys prudence to decerne betwene the trueth and lyinge: and to iudge whether it be ſo, or otherwiſe, whyche is alledged oute of the word of God. For it is commaunded vsus to proue the ſpirits, and to know whether they be of God or no. And trulye we ſe how neceſſarie this is for vsus: ſeyng the deuil him ſelfe was armed with the word of god, and made a weapon thereof to aſſaulte our Lord Ieſus. And we hauehave experience, that daylye he vſeth thys practiſe, by hys inſtrumentes, to deprau… the truthe, to leade pore ſoules vntounto perdition.
Towchinge theſe pore phantaſticals, which ſo myghtely vaunte them ſelues to hauehave the worde of God for theym, the dede ſheweth howe it is. It is longe ſence we hauehave continually traueiled, that thys holy word might be ſet vp: & to bryng thys to paſſe we ſuſtaine a fight againſt al the world. They, what declaratiō hauehave thei made, or wherin hauehave they holpē this. But rather cōtrariwiſe, thei hauehave hyndered and diſturbed vsus. In ſuche wyſe that it can not be ſaid wherin they hauehave profited, withoute it be that they hauehave gathered vp that worde, as faſte as it was aduanſed by vsus. More ouer in certaine pryncipal pointes of our chriſten fayeth, they accorde verye well wyth the Papiſtes, holdynge opiniōs directly repugnaunte to all the holye ſcripture. As of fre wyl, of predeſtination, and of the cauſe of our ſaluation. It is therefore a falſe abuſe, which thei vſe vnderunder that colour to make the ſimple beleue, that they wyll be whollye gouerned by the ſcriptures, for as muche as they do holde nothyng therof, but folowe onelye the phantaſies of theyr owne braine. Let vsus come nowe vntounto the fyrſt Article of the ſeuen whyche are contayned in thys fayre forked reſolution, whyche they hold for a reuelation diſcēded from heauen.