Canterburys Doom, Branch 1 · Evidence 2 · Section 14 – Section 16
14. Paſſages expunged againſt the Papiſts; that Baptiſme onelyonly binds us to obſerve Gods Will and Commandements, and that it abſolves not men from all ſinnes.
IN Maſter Wards Comentary upon Matthew, chapter 18. verſe 20. this clauſe is obliterated.
Whether doth Baptiſme onelyonly bind us to the obſervance of the will and Commandements of God?
Firſt, Bellarm. l. b. 1. de Baptiſ. cap. 16. anſwears hereunto. That although Chriſtians are bound by ſolemne Vow in Baptiſme to walk in obedience before God and to keep his Commandements, yet are they not therefore freed and exempted from the obſervance of the Lawes and Ordinances of men, which they are bound in conſcience to keep, and that under paine of damnation.
Secondly we anſwer; that Baptiſme onelyonly bindeth us to keep the Commandements of God, and ſo farre forth onelyonly to obey men, as they command things lawfull; but we muſt not be brought in bondage to mens traditions and obſervations, ſeeing we are the Lords free men and by baptiſme are conſecrated to his ſervice; and this we confirme from this place, Goe and teach, baptizing them &c and teaching them to obſerve all that I command you; therfore baptiſme bindeth in only to the obſervation of Gods precepts, 1 Cor. 7. 23. ye are bought with a price, be not the ſervants of men: Baptiſme is a ſigne of the death of Chriſt the price of our redemption therefore we are freed from all meere humane ſervice in the receiving of Baptiſme, and for this cauſe it is called the baptiſme of Chriſt: Augustin (Contr. Petil. lib. 3. 55.) ſaith, Legimus Paulim dixiſſe, Evangelium meum, Baptiſmum autem meum nunquam dixit, &c. i. e. We read Paul to have ſaid my Goſpell, but my Baptiſme never; for never any of the Apoſtles durſt call the Baptiſme of Chriſt their baptiſme; therefore ſeeing it is the Baptiſme of Chriſt, and that we are onelyonly baptized in his name, not in our owne names, or the names of men, we muſt onelyonly hope to be ſaved by ſaith in him and become his ſervants wholly: If the ſtudious Reader would ſee how this anſwer of ours is both maintained and oppoſed. I referre him to Doctor Willets Synopſis, fol. 582 and Ameſius Bellarm. Enervat. tom. 1 page 251, 252.
And in the ſame Author page 18. this ſentence is expunged.
Queſt. 3. Wherein doth Baptiſme excell circumciſion, that thoſe who were circumciſed run thus unto John to be baptized?
Anſw. 1. Pererius the Jeſuit ſaith, there is a three-fold pre-eminence of Baptiſme above Circumciſion, viz. firſt, in the facility and eaſineſſe of it, it not being ſo painfull; ſecondly, in the univerſality of it, it being free for both ſexes and all Nations profeſſing Chriſt; and thirdly, in the efficacy thereof, becauſe Baptiſme abſolveth a man from all ſinne, and the puniſhment thereof.
Secondly, we willingly acknowledge the two firſt poynts of preheminence, but reject juſtly the third, becauſe neither Circumciſion then, nor Baptiſme now hath any ſuch efficacy, actually to give remiſſion of ſinnes; for if it were ſo, then it would follow, that every one who is baptized it ſurely ſaved, his ſinnes being remitted; or elſe, that his ſinnes being remitted returne againe: But God uſeth not, where he hath once forgiven ſinnes, to remember them any more Ezek. 18. 22.
Thirdly Baptiſme we confeſſe in ſignification and repreſentation, is more rich then circumciſion was, waſhing being a more lively reſemblance of our eleanſing in the blood of Chriſt; and beſides, it is a commemoration of a benefit performed, whereas Circumciſion was a type of the ſame to be exhibited: But for the efficacy there is no difference, ſeeing they both are ſeales and confirmations of faith for the remiſſion of ſinnes, and not actuall conferrers and beſtowers of grace, although they are (by the inſtituti on of Chriſt) meanes and inſtruments of conveying grace upon the elect.
15. Paſſages deleted againſt Becket, Gardener, with other Popiſh Saints, Prelats, Writers, and in defence of Calvin and Luther.
IN Doctor Jones his Comentary upon the Hebrewes, written copy, page 323. this clauſe is totally obliterated.
I pray God there be no ſuch (that knowing the Scriptures and Fathers, ſinne againſt their owne knowledge, and that of malice to the truth) among them (Papiſts) What did Gardener Biſhop of Wincheſter, and Lord Chancelour of England, in Queen Maries dayes, that burnt Cranmer and Hooper; who when Doctor Day Biſhop of Chichester came unto him, lying on his death-bed in desperation, and comforted him with the ſweet mercies of God in Chriſt, he brake forth into this ſpeech; My Lord, you may ſay ſo to a man in my caſe, but open this window once to the people, and farewell all. Did he not deſpiſe the ſpirit of grace, and ſinne againſt the holy Ghoſt? Yet I define nothing, I leave him to the ſupreame Judge.
In Doctor Clerks Sermons, page 237. after the word wickedneſſe, theſe words are blotted out, Becket did; 'tis in his name foreign for ſinne, I fetch his name from Hebrew, becauſe I have read his father was a Jew; he ſinned againſt his Country and his King, betrayed both to the Pope, and dyed, though not directly, yet deſervedly.
In Maſter Wards Comentary upon Matthew, fol. 178. the laſt line but two, this is gelded out: Where a Papiſt prayes to any Saint in Heaven: for ſometimes they pray to thoſe who in all probability are in hell, as Thomas Becket, Hildebrand, and divers cheating Impostors.
Doctor Featlies Clavis Myſtica, page 604. Postremum genus eorum eſt, qui oves Christi paſcunt, ſed cibo inſalubri, quo magis inficiuntur quam reficiuntur Christi oves agnique: eorum dico, qui floribus & fructibus Paradiſi aut noxias herb as admiſcent, aut flores Adonidis adſpergunt; cujuſmodi ſunt ista dogmata: Vires liberi arbitrij ab Adami lapſu, ad bonum ſpirituale fract as & debilitat as, non penitus profligatas & amiſſas; labem originis nemini unquam fraudi fuiſſe, unumquemque enim ſuum ſcelus luere: Gratiam novo foedere promiſſam omnibus expoſitam eſſe, nec cuiquam unquam defuiſſe, niſi qui ei defuerit: imputatam Chriſti juſticiam abſque inhaerente non plus prodeſſe quam inducium candidum Aethiopi ſuperinductum: fiduciam ſalutis propria a praeſumptione parum aut nihil differre: Genevates & Presbyterianos infeſtiores Eccleſiae hoſtes quam Pontificios: Calvinum in commentariis foede Hallucinari, non unquam ut ipſorum verbis utar, Judainare, & in multis Arrianizare; quid hoc ſibi vult calumniae? nunquid Calvinus ejuſque diſcipuli, qui in Arrianos non ſtilum modo; ſed & gladium ſtrinxere nuper evaſerunt Arriani? quam praepoſtere, a Bellarminus, Pontificiorum Corypheus hanc notam a quibuſdam imperitis ipſiſque adeo Papiſtis Calvino inuſtam eluit, & qui religionis reformatae a Lib. 3. de Christo, c. 19vindices audire volunt, banc ei notam inurunt?
Doctor Iones his Comentary on the Hebrewes, in the written copy, page 150. As for the calling of Luther, Calvin, Beza, and of the Miniſters of the Goſpell, it is watrantable by the Word, we can ſhew our letters of Orders from Jeſus Chriſt the great Biſhop of our ſoules.
16. Paſſages deleted concerning Biſhops.
IN Doctor Clarks Sermons, page 173. the Licenſer hath put out theſe words; Why may I not adde a Biſhop too? let another take his Biſhopricke, ſayes Saint Peter, in the Acts, and meanes it of Iudas.
Idem page 398. after Amaſiah, theſe words, Arch-biſhop of that Province, are blotted out.
Doctor Iones his Comentary on the Hebrewes, in the written Copy, page 138. It may be Biſhops and Arch-biſhops have little feeling of the burden poore Miniſters in the Country are faine to ſuſtaine.