More Proofs of Infants Church Membership and Right to Baptism, Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. A Catalogue of ſome Doctrines of Mr. Danvers and the reſt that with him accuſe my Chriſtian Directory, if indeed they hold the contrary to mine which they accuſe (as muſt be ſuppoſed by their accuſation) which as a Learner I intreat any of them ſolidly to prove.
OF the Queſtion 49. p. 826. as cited by him (The falſhood of his inſerting [in a Popiſh Countrey in their way of Baptizing] in that cited place which ſpake only of the Lutherans, I paſs by as weary of anſwering ſuch: But
I. That it is a ſin for any man (ſuppoſing Infant Baptiſm a duty) to offer his child to be Baptized where it will be done with the ſign of the Croſs, or ſuch ceremonies as the Lutherans uſe, though he profeſs his own diſſent and diſſallowance of thoſe ceremonies, and though he cannot lawfully have it done better, but muſt have that or no Baptiſm at all?
II. That in the ancient Churches of the ſecond, third, and fourth ages, it had been better to be unbaptized than to uſe a white Garment in Baptiſm as they did, or to be anointed as then, or to taſte Milk and Honey, though the Perſon offering his child to ſuch Baptiſm, had profeſſed his diſſent as aforeſaid?
III. That all the Churches of Chriſt in thoſe ſecond, third, and fourth, and following ages, who were Baptized thus (Infant or adult,) had no Baptiſm but what was worſe than none: (Though Church hiſtory certifie us that this uſe was ſo univerſal, that it's hard to find any one Chriſtian in all thoſe or many after ages that ever was againſt the lawfulneſs of it, or refuſed it.)
(By the way, it was but one of your tricks which you know not how to forbear, *p. 372. ed 2.to foiſt in [Peril of Law] when I had not ſuch a word or ſenſe as Peril: As if you knew of no Obligation there but from Peril.)
IV. Your pag. 373. ed. 2. [That anointing, uſing the white Garment, Milk and Honey, were Blaſphemous rites, and Popiſh before Popery was exiſtent? or if otherwiſe, that All Chriſts Church was Popiſh then?
V. Your Pref. ed. 1. [That Chriſts Miniſters rightly ordained and dedicated to God in that ſacred office, are not ſo much as Relatively holy as ſeparated to God therein?
VI. That Temples, and Church Ʋtenſils devoted and lawfully ſeparated by man to holy uſes, either are not juſtly Related to God as ſo ſeparated, or though ſo ſeparated and Related are in no degree to be called Holy?
VII. Your Pref. 16. [That no Reverence is due to Miniſters and Church utenſils?]
VIII. Ibid. [To be uncovered in the Church; and uſe reverent carriage and geſtures there, doth not at all tend to preſerve due reverence to God and his worſhip?
IX. Ibid. [That the unjuſt alienation of Temples, Ʋtenſils, lands, dayes, which were ſeparated by God himſelf, is no ſacriledge: no not to have turned the Temple of old, and the ſacred things to a common uſe unjuſtly: nor the Lords day now. (But thou that abhorreſt Idols, doſt thou more than commit Sacriledge? Even teach men ſo to do, and ſay It is no Sacriledge? no not when God himſelf is the ſeparater and man the unjuſt alienater? And yet is Infant-Baptiſm a ſin?)
X. Ibid. [That it's no ſacriledge unjuſtly to alienate things juſtly conſecrated and ſeparated to God by man (as Miniſters, Lands, Ʋtenſils, &c.) (Remember Ananias and Saphira.)
XI. Ibid. [That it is a ſin to call a Miniſter a Prieſt, though it be done in no ill deſign, nor with any ſcandal or temptation to error, and though he that uſeth the word profeſs that he doth it but as a tranſlation of the Greek word [Presbyter] and as God himſelf doth Rev. 1.6. and 5.10. and 20.6. and 1 Pet. 2. 5.9. (Queſtion. Whether it is ſinfully uſed in Scripture?)
XII. Ib. [Accordingly it is ſin to uſe the word [Altar] for [Table] or the word [Sacrifice] for [worſhip] (as thanksgiving &c.) though with all the foreſaid cautions, and though God ſo uſe them in the Scripture, 1 Pet. 2.5. Heb. 13.15, 16. Phil. 4.18. Eph. 5.2. Rom. 12.1. Heb. 13.10. Rev. 6.9. and 8.3, 5. and 16.7. And that all the ancient writers and Churches ſinned that ſo ſpake?]
XIII. That no ſober Chriſtians ſhould allow each other the Liberty of ſuch phraſes without cenſoriouſneſs or breach of Charity and peace] Ibid. pref.
XIV. Ibid. [It is a ſin to ſet a Rail about the Communion Table though it be not done to any ill deſign nor with ſcandal, but only to keep dogs from piſſing or dunging at it, and boyes from abuſing it.
XV. That in ſuch caſe, yea though ſcandal be removed by the publick profeſſion of the Church, it is a ſin to come to ſuch a railed table to communicate; even when no ſinful diſtance between the Clergie and Laity is intended.
XVI. Ibid. [Chriſtians ought to cenſure and condemn each other, if one come to ſuch a Table, or Receive kneeling, ſuppoſing it a lawful thing.]
XVII. Ibid. [That it is a ſin to keep a thankful remembrance of Gods mercy to his Church, by an anniverſary day of ſolemnity, in giving them any Apoſtle, Martyr, or extraordinary inſtrument of his bleſſing, as ſome keep their birthdays, or wedding-dayes, or dayes of ſome great deliverance, and England the fifth of November; Though it be not terminated in the honour of a Saint, but of God, nor made equal to the Lords day, nor kept otherwiſe than ſpiritually and piouſly?
XVIII. Ibid. [That for a man that is againſt commanding the Abſtinence of Lent, and againſt obeying ſuch commands as an Imitation of Chriſt's forty dayes faſting, and in all caſes of injury to our ſouls, bodies, or others; yet to ſay that he is not able to prove it a ſin to obey by meer abſtinence,Read Rom. 14. and judge. when the Magiſtrate peremptorily commandeth it, meerly in Commemoration, and not Imitation of Chriſt's faſt, is a ſin in him that ſaith it, though it be true: And conſequently though it would do no harm to my ſelf or others, I ought rather to die than to forbear fleſh in Lent, if the King command it?
XIX. Ibid. [That Church Muſick (and conſequently ſinging which is the prime Muſick) is no help to any man in the ſervice of God?
XX. Ib. [That though he find it a help, it is ſin for any man to uſe it?
XXI. That either Chriſt did not joyn with the Jews in worſhip which had Muſick (in the Temple) or elſe he ſinned in ſo doing?
XXII. That the experience of prejudiced ſelf-conceited men, that know not what melody is, muſt be ſet againſt the experience of others ſo far as to deprive them of all ſuch helps and mercies, as the other find no benefit by, (As ſinging is now caſt out of many Churches.)
XXIII. That it is no wrong to Ignorant Chriſtians to put ſuch whimſies and ſcruples into their heads?
XXIV. Ib. [It is a ſin to Vow Chaſtity for any man in the world, though it be with this exception or condition, [Unleſs any thing ſhall fall out which ſhall make it a ſin to me not to marry]. And though under the moſt extraordinary neceſſities of avoiding marriage, he find ſuch confirmation of his Reſolutions needful?
XXV. Ib. [That it is in no Caſe lawful to keep a Vow of Chaſtity, at leaſt among the Papiſts? And conſequently whereas Chriſt ſaith, He that can keep this ſaying, Let him, It is every mans duty to break Chaſtity that hath once vowed it, though it were no duty, but a ſin before. For doubtleſs Marriage is a ſin accidentally to ſome, though not in its own nature, and far from being a duty to all? But according to this doctrine, if a man were eighty years old, and utterly impotent, and unable to break his vow of Chaſtity if he would, he is bound to do it, which he cannot do, and to break his vow when he cannot break it? or if an old mans marriage that hath no neceſſity, would undo himſelf and his (former) children, he is bound to marry, if he have but once vowed that he will not; or at leaſt he may do it? (For which of the contraries you chuſe [May or Muſt] I am uncertain.)
XXVI. Ib. [That either it was a ſin to put Pictures in the Geneva Bibles, and a ſin to have our Dutch Chimney bricks which contain all the hiſtory of the Goſpel, or any other Image of Chriſt crucified wherever, or once to ſee ſuch a Picture; or elſe it is a ſin to have any holy affection ſtirr'd up in our hearts by ſeeing it: ſo that though all things are ſanctified and pure to the pure, and I may excite holy affections when I ſee but a worm or flower, or any creature, or a houſe, or any work of man, yea when I ſee the ſins of the wicked, I may ſtir up thankfulneſs for grace; yet if I ſee in a Chimney piece, or a Geneva Bible, or elſe-where, the Image of Chriſt crucified, it is a ſin to excite holy affections thereupon; Though the twenty one Caſes which I have named as unlawful to uſe an Image in, be every one obſerved (as the Caſes of danger, ſcandal and all the reſt.)
XXVII. The Image of Chriſt Crucified in the Imagination or mind of a Believer is a ſin: Therefore it is a ſin to think of a Crucified Chriſt, or to know Chriſt crucified, or to love Chriſt crucified as ſuch: For it is impoſſible to think on him, know him or love him as crucified, without the Image of him on the mind: Therefore Paul determined to do nothing but ſin, when he determined to know nothing but Chriſt and him crucified: and inſtead of anathematizing them that love him not, he ſhould have anathematized or reproved all that love him as crucified.
Do you and your Companions know that you are renouncing your Baptiſm, and Chriſtianity, and the Croſs of Chriſt, while you would rebaptize us all? I charge it not on you as your meaning: But if it be not the downright conſequence of the words of all my Religious backbiters, who ſay that the Image of Chriſt crucified befitteth not our minds or imaginations, but is a ſin there, I have loſt all my reaſoning faculty, and know not what Man or Reaſon is.
XXVIII. Ibid. & Ed. 2. p. 372. [That the Ordination and Miniſterial Office received by any that live in Communion with the Church of Rome, and conſequently all their baptizings and other miniſtrations are not only ſins but nullities: (Though they were ſuch as Bernard, Malachie, Patrick, Gerſon, Ferus, Kempis, Gerard Zurphanienſis, &c.) And ſo none of the Engliſh Nation had true baptiſm from their firſt Converſion by Auguſtine till the Reformation, but all died unbaptized and ſhould have been baptized again: And ſo ſhould all baptized by them in any Kingdoms of Europe or the World: and ſo Luther, Zuinglius, Martyr, Muſculus, and the reſt of our firſt Reformers, were never Chriſtned, but all dyed unbaptized perſons, and ſhould have been baptized after their converſion.
XXIX. Ib. That it were better have all Europe unbaptized (Infants and adult) than ſuch as Bernard, Ferus, Caſſander, &c. ſhould baptize them, though they had leave to proteſt againſt all that is ſinful in it, and were put upon no ſinful promiſes, profeſſions, or acts themſelves.
XXX. Ib. That it is a ſin for thoſe in any Country that can have no other, to conſent that a Papiſt Prieſt do teach a Child to Speak or to Read, or to Write, or teach him Muſick, Arithmetick, Geometry, Latine, Greek or Hebrew, Logick, or Grammar, or any Art, though but ſuch as Labourers get their daily bread by.
XXXI. Ib. That it is a ſin for thoſe in Italy, or any Kingdom that can have no other, to let a Popiſh Prieſt teach their Children the Creed, Lords Prayer and Ten-Commandments which all Chriſtians are agreed in: but it's better that they never learned a word of the Bible, or Chriſtian-Faith, than learn it of ſuch a Prieſt: ſo ſinfully did Biſhop Uſher make the motion to the Prieſts in Ireland, that Proteſtants and they might joyn in teaching the barbarous people the Creed and common principles of Religion.
XXXII. Ib. That it is a ſin to hear a Popiſh Prieſt read Gods word or any good book, though it were a Proteſtants, or one of the Ancient Fathers: or to hear him ſpeak the trueſt Doctrine, though in a Country where it can no other way be heard or learned.
XXXIII. Ib. That in ſuch a Country where there is no other, it is a ſin to joyn with one of them in any Prayer how good ſoever, though craving a bleſſing on our meat, or in a Family, or elſewhere; even in the Lords Prayer.
XXXIV. Ib. That it is neceſſary to Salvation to believe that the Pope is Antichriſt, and ſo no man, woman, or child can be ſaved that believeth it not. And ſo ſince Antichriſt aroſe, we have a new Article in our Creed: Even for thoſe that know not what the Pope is, whether male or female, fleſh or fiſh.
XXXV. Ib. That it is a ſin to read any good book in the Church beſides the Scripture, any Chapter in the Apocrypha, any Homily or Sermon, though written by an Anabaptiſt, and though we declare what it is, and mention it for no other end but what it is written for, as we cite Authors as witneſſes: (And yet it is lawful for Mr. D. to publiſh many (falſly) in Print.)
XXXVI. Ib. That it is a ſin to read a Prayer in the Church, though it were the Prayer of Chriſt John 17. or of Moſes or others in the Pſalmes, or any others.
XXXVII. Ib. That if one pray Mr. Danvers to pray for him, it is Idolatry, or if the people or ſick pray the Miniſter to pray for them, or Children their Parents; or if one ſhould do ſo by an Angel that ſhould appear to him; or to a Saint or Angel unſeen, imagining that he were preſent; this is not only Superſtition and ſo ſinful, but alſo Idolatry; which is giving Gods proper worſhip to a creature: And conſequently it is the proper worſhip of God only, to pray him to pray for us to himſelf.
XXXVIII. Ib. That it is a ſin to bow the knee at the naming of Jeſus, though we renounce all in it that is ſuperſtitious and ſcandalous, and bow equally at the name of God, Jehovah, Chriſt, &c.
XXXIX. Ib. That it is a ſin to ſtand when the Goſpel is read, though we be never ſo weary of ſitting, and ſtand equally at the reading of all the reſt of the Scripture, or at Sermon without diſtinction; ſo heynouſly did the Ʋniverſal Church ſin for many hundred years in their long ſtandings; and ſo ſinful a thing it is to hear in a Church or Meeting-place that hath no ſeats, unleſs we ſit on the ground.
XL. Ib. That it is a ſin to kneel while the Ten-Commandments are read, though it be by women whoſe cuſtom that poſture is (upon a boſs) through the reſt of the daies exerciſe; and though it be never ſo openly declared that we take them not for a prayer, nor do it to any ill ſignification or intent.
XLI. Iib. That he ſinneth who doth not condemn the Univerſal Church of Chriſt for many hundred years (of the greateſt antiquity that we have any records of ſince the Apoſtles) for their worſhipping with their faces towards the Eaſt; Though he ſhould himſelf diſlike that practice and never uſe it, nor conſent to have it uſed.
XLII. Ib. That it is a ſin to ſay, that any children of any wicked men in the world, have any guilt of any of their nearer Parents ſins, but only of Adams: (And conſequently it muſt be held that God unjuſtly threatned and puniſhed any ſuch children for their Parents ſin, from the daies of Cain, Cham, Pharaoh, Iſhmael, Eſau, Achan, Gehezi, till the daies of that Generation threatned Matth. 23. And alſo that no man receiveth any pravity from Adam neither, becauſe it muſt paſs to him through his next Parents and be theirs, and he receiveth none that is theirs: And ſo all Nations are juſtified againſt all guilt of any Parents ſin but Adam, and warranted to deny to confeſs any ſuch guilt, or to be beholden to Chriſt or mercy for the pardon of it, though David, Daniel and Nehemiah did otherwiſe.)
I ſay again, either Mr. D. and his like do really hold the contraries of the aſſertions of mine which he thus notifieth as heynous errors, or not: If not, he raileth againſt his Conſcience in hypocriſie: If yea, then theſe propoſitions which I have named to you are the contraries to mine. And it is ſo curſed a thing to add two and fourty New Commandments to the Law of God, that I who think them to be no better, do again and again deſire him, to give me the full proof of all theſe ſtrange Commandments, and tell me where they are written (if I have overlookt them.)
If this cannot be obtained, I call to his imitators and my backbiters to let me know, whether really they will own all theſe, and give me leave to tell the World, and the Ages to come, that theſe were their Doctrines, for the love of which they whiſpered or clamoured againſt me.
But here he ſtops and pittieth the Reader, and referreth them to my Book it ſelf: And I will joyn with him and add, that the Reader that will think that he knoweth what I hold or wrote, by this and ſuch like mens citations or reports, and will not read the Book it ſelf, and all in it together that concerneth the queſtioned ſubject, before he judge; I take not my ſelf bound to write more books to tell him what I wrote in the former, nor do I think that I am otherwiſe obliged to rectifie his Error, than by Prayer or Counſel, endeavouring to bring him to ſome tenderneſs of Conſcience, fear of God and ſobriety of mind.
But his ſtrength lieth in frightful exclamations. [O was ever the like yet heard, &c. to palliate abominations, and reconcile us to Idolatrous Popiſh names, as Altar, Prieſts, Sacrifices, &c. and their baptiſm.] And yet he might have known that all theſe words are oft uſed by the ancienter ſort of the holy Paſtors of the Churches after the Apoſtles, and I remember not that ever one Chriſtian was againſt it, or ſcrupled the uſe of them: And I before ſhewed that they are uſed by the Holy-Ghoſt in Scripture, whom I dare not accuſe of Idolatrous names, or reconciling us to them. Whether all the Papiſts baptiſm adminiſtred and received be nullities, and all Papiſts to be rebaptized, and all Proteſtants that were baptized by Papiſts? are queſtions which I will not be ſo vain as to diſpute with one that talketh at this mans rate.
But yet we have not done with the high charges of his Preface: He ſaith [Oh! were not thoſe twenty Queries, ſo much againſt the ſelf-evidencing authority of the Scriptures, in his Admon. p. 142. in favour of Tradition a heynous provocation, to ſay no more of them?]
Anſw. It ſeems they were ſo to you. But really, did you read that book and the other to Mr. Bagſhaw, and yet not fear to follow him and out-do him in notorious untruths, after ſo full a conviction and warning as was given him? Think on it, and again cry out [But alas! whereto will not men run left to themſelves?] I there profeſſed and proved to your friend Mr. Bagſhaw that I was for, and wrote for the ſelf-evidencing authority of the Scripture, and it is untrue that thoſe twenty Queries or any one of them is againſt it· But ſeeing you think otherwiſe, if indeed you hold the contrary to the aſſertions implied in thoſe twenty Queries, I am not at the end of the Catalogue of your ſtrange Doctrines: If you and my revilers own them, ſo will not ſober men: e. g.
XLIII. [Every Chriſtian muſt ſee the Copies of the Scripture written by the Prophets and Apoſtles own hands: Or at leaſt muſt underſtand the Tranſcripts in the Original tongues.]
XLIV. [God hath promiſed unerring infallibility to all Scribes in the world that write out the Bible, and all Printers that print it: Or at leaſt to ſome of them, and we may be certain who thoſe are.]
XLV. [Though the ſeveral Copies have a multitude of differences, it is certain none of them are erroneous, or miſtaken.]
XLVI. [Thoſe men and women that underſtand not Hebrew or Greek may be certain only by ſeeing a Hebrew and Greek Bible, without a Tranſlators help, that every word in it is the word of God.]
XLVII. [Either he that will be ſure which Copy is without miſ-writing, muſt firſt ſee all the Copies in the world that differ; or elſe if he never ſee but one (or few) he may be certain that it is right in the words in which it differeth from all the reſt which he never ſaw.]
XLVIII. [No corrupt or miſ-written Copy of the Scripture can come to a true Believers hands: Or if it do, he can infallibly tell us the Errata.]
XLIX. A true Believer that never ſaw the Originals can by ſeeing a tranſlation judge of all the diverſe readings in the Originals.
L. The Tranſlators are either all infallible in tranſlating▪ or elſe a true Believer is certain which of them is, and which not, and which tranſlation among many faulty ones is faultleſs.
LI. He that never ſaw all Tranſlations, but perhaps but one, can by that one tell that it is truer than all the differing ones, which he never ſaw.
LII. All this of Copies and Tranſlations is known to Believers either by Prophetical Revelation from Heaven, or by the ſelf-evidencing demonſtration of the Copy and Tranſlation which he ſeeth.
LIII. [Every true Believer without being ever told it by man, can tell by the ſelf-evidencing demonſtration of the words, that the Canticles and the Books of Judges, Ruth, Chronicles, Jonah, are Canonical, and that the wiſdom of Solomon, Baruck, Pauls Epiſtle to the Laodiceans, Clemens to the Corinthians, &c. are not Canonical—
LIV. Either God will give faith to no one that cannot read (among all the illiterate Kingdoms of the world where the Goſpel is to be preached,) or elſe all that cannot read, may without ever reading a word be certain by ſelf-evidence which readings in the differing Copies, and which Tranſlations are true or falſe, and which books and verſes and ſentences are Canonical and which not.
LV. Either God hath promiſed that every illi…te Chriſtian (that cannot read) ſhall hear … one elſe read every word of the Bible to him (in Originals and Tranſlations, or one) that he may judge; or elſe by the ſelf-evidence that perſon that cannot read, nor never heard half the Bible read, can certainly tell what words are truly or falſly written, or Tranſlated, without ever hearing them.
LVI. When the greateſts Learned Linguiſts differ about a Lection, or Tranſlation, (as the Septuagint, &c.) (ſuch as Lud. Capellus, Uſher, Buxtorf, Bootius, De Dieu, L' Empereur, Walton, &c.) or when ſuch as Luther, Althamer, &c. differ about a Canonical Book, (as James) it is becauſe they ſee not that ſelf-evidence, which every Chriſtian may ſee, that cannot read nor was ever told it, that one part, (if not more) do herein err, while their judgements are contrary.
None of theſe fifty ſix are Articles of my Faith, nor Gods Commandments (that I can find.) I ſay not that theſe ignorant Revilers hold all theſe; but I ſay that He (and They) that will openly exclaim againſt the contrary aſſertions as heynous errors, or tell about among the receivers of falſe reports, that I hold dangerous errors for ſaying the contrary to theſe, doth either perſwade men that all theſe are his Opinions, or elſe that he is an impudent Hypocrite, in reviling known truth as heynous error; or elſe a raſh Calumniator that dare reproach or ſpeak evil of that which he underſtandeth not, nor will not, ſo much as by reading my plain words, be at the labour to underſtand.
Perhaps ſome better minded perſon will ſay, It caſteth poor Chriſtians into perplexity to hear ſuch doubts about the Scripture readings and tranſlations, were they not better concealed? Anſw. They are not to be talkt of unſeaſonably to uncapable perſons: They are not to be told the ignorant inſtead of a Catechiſm: But they are all publickly known to the learned world long ago, and told the ignorant people by the Papiſts to ill ends: And if any one will perſwade you to hold the contrary, and make you believe that all or any of theſe abſurdities and falſhoods are the true Proteſtant Religion, or any part of it, and that they that hold the contrary are Popiſh, it is time to vindicate the Proteſtant Religion and all ſober godly Proteſtants, from the ſcorn of ſuch imputed dotages.
But this is the unhappy fruit of overdoing: There are ſome men among us, ſo overwiſe and overrighteous in defending the ſufficiency of the Scriptures, that they would perſwade us, that it is ſufficient to expound it ſelf without a teaching Expoſitor, and to preach it ſelf without a Preacher, and (by conſequence from their generals) to Write and Print it ſelf without a Writer or Printer, and to bring it ſelf down from the Apoſtles to every man without the hand or tongue of man, and to preſerve it ſelf from corruption without the care of man, and to tranſlate it ſelf without a Tranſlator; And that all Printed Sermons, or books of Divinity, all Catechiſms, all Sermon notes for memory, all forms of Prayer, yea the dividing the Bible into Chapters and Verſes, and Printing Contents, and Citations or References (much more the Geneva Notes and Pictures) are all ſinful additions to the Word of God. As if the ſufficiency of the Statutes of the Land lay in Keeping, Printing, Tranſcribing, Pleading and Expounding themſelves, without the uſe of Scribes, Clerks, Lawyers, Law-books or Judges.
I am well aſſured that God needeth not our Lies to his Glory, and that truth and falſhood do ſo ill agree, that though falſhood may ſteal a cloak from truth, yet truth will never be beholden to falſhood for friendſhip and defence; And if ever Lies pretend any kindneſs or ſervice to the truth, it is but treacherouſly to ſupplant it, and will turn to its diſſervice and injury at laſt.
In a word, All the Devils in Hell, and all the Conſiſtory at Rome, could not eaſily find out a more effectual way (as far as I can underſtand) to turn multitudes to Popery, than 1. By calling truth and ſober Principles Antichriſtian, Popery and Idolatrous: 2. And by deſcribing the Religion of the enemies of Popery, as made up of Lies and Dotages: 3. And by falling all together by the ears, and breaking into a multitude of Sects, and condemning each other as unmeet to be communicated with; and ſo making men believe that they muſt be Papiſts or diſtracted Dotards, whoſe ſelf-conceitedneſs in Religion hath made them mad: I ſay, nothing that I know of doth tend more to multiply Papiſts, than this; (unleſs I may except the way of ſenſuality and violence, murdering ſome and drawing others by fleſhly and worldly motives:) Nor do I know any thing in the world, that more quieteth the Conſciences of Perſecutors and Scorners, in all that they do and ſay againſt us, and hindreth them more from all conviction and repentance.
Mr. Danvers endeth his book, Ed. 1. with a ſmart reflection on Mr. William Allen and Mr. Lamb for forſaking the cauſe of Anabaptiſtry and Separation which they had written for: And I will end mine with a few words concerning them, concluding with a free and faithful Admonition to Mr. Danvers, to conſider whether He or They ſhould be moſt earneſtly called to Repentance, and moſt ſpeedily practiſe it.