Anabaptism and Other Errors, Title page – Dedication
Anabaptiſm, THE TRVE FOVNTAINE OF
Independency,
Browniſme,
Antinomy,
Familiſme,
And the moſt of the other Errours, which for the time doe trouble the Church of England, VNSEALED.
ALSO The Queſtions of Paedobaptiſme and Dipping Handled from Scripture.
IN A Second Part of The Diſſwaſive from the Errors of the time.
By ROBERT BAILLIE Miniſter at Glaſgow.
And it ſhall come to paſſe in that day, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, that I will cut off the names of the Idols out of the Land: and they ſhall no more be remembred: and alſo I will cauſe the Prophets, and the unclean ſpirit to paſſe out of the Land, Zach. 13.2.
But there were falſe Prophets alſo among the people, even as there ſhall be falſe teachers amongst you, who privily ſhall bring in damnable hereſies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themſelves ſwift deſtruction.
And many ſhall follow their pernicious ways, by reaſon of whom the way of truth ſhall be evill ſpoken of. 2 Pet. 2.1, 2.
LONDON, Printed by M. F. for SAMUEL GELLIBRAND, at the Brazen ſerpent in Pauls Church-yard. 1647.
FOR THE RIGHT HONOURABLE the Earl of Lauderdail, Viſcount Metellan, Lord Thirleſton and Bolton.
YOur Lordſhips kinde acceptance of this mean Treatiſe in its firſt part, brings the reſt of it now to your feet, upon hope it may goe out with the like countenance and favour. In theſe very miſerable times, when ſo many of all conditions, are given over to beleeve lies, to be inveigled with the hypocriſie of ſeducing ſpirits, which the Lord in his juſtice has permitted to goe forth in a great multitude, for the ſeduction of this preſent evill world; the truth is glad of the patrociny and aſſiſtance of all who will be on its ſide; and of none more then of ſuch as your Lordſhip: I mean of perſons ſo much eminent in wiſdome, learning, courage, zeal, and other noble qualities, above the moſt of their fellows in birth and rank, as theſe doe ordinarily account themſelves elevated by their civill priviledges, above the common multitude.
And truly it will be found no leſſe prudence then piety for men of your Lordſhips place, to put and hold themſelves in theſe unhappy days, upon the ſide of truth, though never ſo much deſerted, diſgraced, and trampled upon by a world of ſimple or malicious ignorants. For now it is when the Lord with his axe is going through his garden, and hewing down not onelyonly thouſands of brambles and buſhes of lower ſtature, but many of the talleſt Cedars, the higheſt Palms, the thickeſt Oaks: and they who yet remain untouched, though none doe know how ſoon the axe may be applyed to their branches, yea their very root, yet many have reaſon to fear that their ſtroak may be ſuddain.
Among the wofull ſpectacles of our time, none uſe to touch a heart wherein is any humanity, with more compaſſion, then the ruine of ancient Families: How many great and potent houſes are blown over by theſe late tempeſts? How many this day be tottering and very like to fall before the windes be calmed? and of thoſe that appear in leaſt danger, being incompaſſed with the thickeſt defences that policy can invent againſt all ſtorms above ground, how eaſily may ſubterraneous vapours ſhake their foundations? and when all fear is paſt of the evaniſhed and inviſible ſtorm, by an unexpected Earthquake, lay their wals alſo levell with the ground? There is no ſecurity for the greateſt and ſtrongeſt edifices, but in the rock of truth: what ever is builded upon this, were it never ſo brittle, will ſtand out the greateſt blaſts: And if any breach be made, the God of truth will not fail to repair it, till the appointed time for the change of all things under the Sun, bring that Cottage of clay to its fatall period: And even then, the houſe ſhall fall without any prejudice to the Inhabitant, whoſoever hath been a true lover and patron of truth. For how ſmall is the loſſe of a tranſlation from a manſion upon earth, to one in the heaven not made with hands? But here is a loſſe indeed, and a fall truly lamentable, which oft to our ſorrow we may ſee, and have reaſon to fear ſhall yet be more frequent amongſt us, when unhappy Inhabitants by the hands of their errors and vices, ſubvert the pillars of their Anceſtors habitation, and bury with themſelves their whole family, under the rubbiſh of a temporall ruine, without any hope of reparation either in earth or heaven.
In the following writ I point at the danger wherein not onelyonly families, but the whole fabrick of our Churches and Kingdomes doe for the preſent ſtand: while the Epiſcopall and Sectarian factions are doing their utmoſt endeavours to have all our former ſufferings to be but ſhort prologues to new very prolix if not endleſs, Tragedies. The one ſo far demented with a frantick paſſion towards the government and ſervice of the Church of Rome, that all the miſeries which they have brought upon themſelves and millions of others, have not in the leaſt degree cured the diſeaſe of their corrupted mindes, ſo far are they from untying the knots that their own hands have made, or eſſaying to draw any of their deceived party, out of the perplexities of conſcience, wherein their miſ-informations alone have caſt them, that rather then to retract their errors, rather then to adviſe the lawfulneſſe of joyning with all the reſt of the Reformed Churches, in laying aſide Epiſcopacy and Liturgick ceremonies; they chooſe to give up the neck of their Countrey to the ſword of bloudy and idolatrous ſtrangers; They are content to draw all again to the hazard of a new more terrible war: Tell them of the too probable iſſue of their obſtinacy, that if their deſigns ſhould proſper, the danger would be greater, then their wit, or the wiſdome of any mortall creature could ſecure us from, to have a tyranny planted in our State, and Popery without any more circumlocution, ſetled in our Church. But if their renued warre ſhould again miſcarry, that then the hazard is evident, of undoing the royal family, of turning the civil State of England into a Babell of confuſion, and the Church thereof into a fountain of hereſies, for the intoxication with its ſtreams of all the reſt of the Reformed. To all ſuch very rationall diſcourſes, this generation of men is deaf, as if all naturall affection to their diſtreſſed Countrey were dead, and ſympathy with any of the true Churches of Chriſt, altogether extinguiſhed in them.
This is one ground of our preſent fear, O if it were all, ſo ſhould we, if needs muſt, goe out again with great courage againſt that Squadron of Malignants: But when we have returned Victors from that field, behold our more perillous exerciſes are but yet approaching. The Sectaries of more names and kindes then ever were known in any Kingdome of the world, tell us with open mouth, we muſt be their ſlaves: They muſt have liberty to overthrow our Parliaments; all Kings, all Lords, and this Houſe of Commons; to ſet up the individuals, as they love to ſpeak, of the whole multitude, in the Throne of abſolute Soveraignty. From this new Soveraign we are commanded to expect a body of new Laws, a modell of a new Ochlocratorick government. This yoak, much worſe then a Turkiſh ſlavery, muſt be put upon our body, but a worſe upon our ſoul: A full liberty muſt be granted to every Seducer, who will in the moſt publick places, & within the doors of our houſes alſo, perſwade our loving conſorts, our dear children, our faithfull ſervants & friends, to deny Chriſt, to embrace Mahomets Alcoran, the Jewiſh Talmud, the fables of the Pagan Poets, in place of the Old and New Teſtament, for the everlaſting deſtruction of their ſouls. This is the reward which the Sectaries plead for, as due to their labors in the war againſt the cōmon Enemy: would they ſtand to the determination of the moſt favorable, if any way equitable Judge, they pleaſed to chuſe, glad would we be to ſee their merits weighed to the full, and much above all their deſervings attributed unto them; But by any poſſible deſerving, to think of obtaining a liberty to doe a great deal more miſchief both to Church and State, both to the ſouls and bodies of men, then ever any former enemy did intend, carries not the face of any juſtice.
As for their great deſervings, which always they are trumpeting out with a loud noiſe, we onelyonly ſay that they doe not prudently, to bring them ſo oft near the ballance of triall: for if that, which I have heard from many, both wife and gracious men, be true, their merits will be found to be but of a very common alloy. Where did the moſt of them lurk when the heat of the day did ſcorch the valiant labourers of both Nations? When Ruthven, New-Caſtle, Rupert, H…pton did keep the field with Armies of any number or vigour? When noble Eſſex at Keinton had the King in the prime vigour of his ſtrength, upon his army? When Leſlie about Bawdoun was compaſſed for ſome weeks, in the bare fields with froſt and ſnow, with wants of all kinds, with the very gallant Army of New-Caſtle, double in number, and much better provided, then any thing that P. Rupert could bring to Naisby; when in Marſton-Moor, David Leſlie and Crawford, with the flour of the Scots and gracious Mancheſters Army, were breaking the greateſt and moſt formidable ſtrength, that ever the Enemy commanded in all this War. It is true, when the work was as good as done, by the ſweat & bloud of others, when the Enemies were become ſo low, that they were never more able to bring ten thouſand together, when the danger was well-near all over and gone, then was it good time for them to come in play, and with their cunning legerdemain, to ſhuffle all others, who had managed the Game while it was hazardous. They were then ſo wiſe as in the end of the day, with a great deal of courage, to fall upon the back of a broken Enemy. It could be no great miracle of valour and conduct, to take up the forces and treaſure almoſt of all England, and then at Naisby, with a greater number well payed, armed, and diſciplined, to beat nine thouſand of evill led, evill payed, and evill armed ſoldiers, the moſt part raw and new levied Welſhes. Had they ever any enemy after that day in the field, of half either their number or ſtrength? And when their Adverſary had left the field without any hope of a new Army, to take in place after place, which had neither ſupplies within, nor any hope of reſcue from abroad, cannot b… very monſtrous proweſs: What if ſuch a piece of ſoldiery had faln in their hands as Maſsies defence, and Eſſex reſcue of Glouceſter; As Eſſex and the Londoners fought at Newbury; As David Leſlies march and medly at Philiphaugh; As Pointz enterprize neer Cheſter? What if in any of the gallant ſervices of Sir Thomas Fairfax the half of the actors had been of their feather and livery? Could any ears then have endured the noiſe of their miraculous merits? But I hold, Immodeſty and impudence doe oft draw on reckonings, which elſe would have been forborn.
With the former troublers of our Church I have dealt in divers other Treatiſes, and by Gods grace, I purpoſe to have always one eye open for the obſervance of all their motions: with the latter I continue to meddle in this part alſo of my Diſſwaſive. How candid and fair my dealing with them is, and how little I intend either to irritate or hurt the perſon of any of them, in my Prefaces to both parts, I ſhew at length.
By theſe poor endeavours of mine, and the more rich and ſtrong Treatiſes of others, I wiſh your Lordſhip may be advanced in your zeal againſt error, and whatſoever elſe is contrary either to the profeſſion or practice of any part of true Religion. Thus ſhall you ſtand, when others of your rank doe fall: and when they by their ignorance, prophanity, luſt, revenge, ſelf-ſeeking, baniſh out of their houſes that honour which their noble Progenitors laid up in ſtore, your Lordſhip by your perſeverance & growth in that integrity and zeal for the trut…, wherein hitherto by the great mercy of God, you have been exemplary to many, above your age, ſhall adde new ſtore to the old: and that very ancient Nobility which you found laid up in your family from many ages, you ſhall tranſmit to poſterity, with encreaſe of a new luſtre from the gracious endowments, the vertuous and honourable performances of your own perſon: So earneſtly wiſhes and heartily prays,
Your much obliged in all Chriſtian duty. RO: BAILLIE. Worceſter Houſe the 28 Decemb. 1646.