Reasons for the Separation of Anabaptists, Letter 1 – Answer
TO Mr. ROBERT POOLE, Salutations, &c.
SIR,
I According to your Daughters & Servants desires, was willing to give a meeting to any friends you should bring, that wee might fairly and louingly declare our thoughts from the Scripture, concerning the subjects of Baptisme, as desiring that you might thereby, hearing, try all things, and hold fast that which is good; but in stead thereof, I found onelyonly those, whose mouthes were filled with bitternesse, and I have cause to fear, their hearts as full of hatred against those, that in this thing are contrary minded to them, which to me did appeare, by their charging of me with being a Seducer, a Blasphemer, and such like termes, as if the end of their comming, had been rather to raile then reason, and though what I said, was as apparent as the Light, yet were they pleased to charge it with no lesse then Blasphemy, although I think, upon serious consideration, in coole blood, they would be ashamed of that charge; I shall forbeare to mention those many things, which by them went under that name, and present only one to your memory, to shew to whom you please, (viz.) That it was essentiall to true justifying faith, for us to beleeve, that JESƲS CHRIST, as man, proceeded from the loines of Abraham: This was the Position which was charged by him for Blasphemy, which if they please, I shall appeale to the whole Synod in this thing, whether it be true or no; and truly for my part, I beleeve it so apparently true, that hee which shall deny this, must denie Christ; but to let passe all such kind of Calumnies as these are, it being not the end of my writing, to present them to you; but rather seeing wee have made a beginning, I here present these ensuing Queries to you, intreating an Answer to the same.
1. Querie. Whither the Institution of Circumcision, be the Institution of Baptisme? or whither there be not a new Institution? And if a new Institution; Whither wee are not to dispence Baptisme upon those subjects only, which the new Institution holds forth?
2. Querie. Whither this new Institution, holds any other as the true subjects of Baptisme, but Persons Discipled or taught; and if not, Whither any other ought to be Baptised?
3. Querie. Whither God hath appointed the Ordinance of Baptisme, as a meanes to conferre Grace, or as a signe to confirme the Grace which is conferred; and whither wee have any ground to judge persons have grace conferred upon them, but by profession of Faith?
4. Querie. Whither the Gospel owneth any other seed as the Children of Abraham, but a spirituall seed; and whither the spirituall seed be not only such as beleeue; and whither this Ordinance of Baptisme doth not particularly belong to this spirituall seed; and how the Children of Beleeving Gentiles may be said to be this spirituall seed?
WILL. KIFFEN.
¶ Mr. POOLES ANSWER.
SIR,
I Received a written Paper, with your Name subscribed thereunto, with certaine groundlesse Queries, as you say were the desire of some, for my satisfaction; to which I returne you this Answer, That my selfe being the party Injured, have just cause to receive satisfaction from you and your parties, that have done me the Injurie, in seducing my Children and servants into your errours; therefore I conceive it to be equall, and necessary, that you should give me substantiall and cleere Answers out of the Word of God, to these my ensuing queries; which if you doe refuse, I shall impute it to your unabilitie.
1. Querie. By what warrant of the Word of God doe you seperate from our Congregations, where the Word and Sacraments are purely dispenced?
2. Querie. By what Scripture Warrant doe you take upon you to erect new framed Congregations, seperated to the disturbance of the great Worke of Reformation now in hand.
3. Querie. What warrant have you either to be a member, much lesse Minister of any such separate Congregation?
4. Querie. What warrant have you to admit into your seperate Congregations sillie seduced Servants, Children or People.
5. Querie. How can you vindicate by the Word of God your Anabaptisticall way, from the sinfull guile of notorious Schisme, and defection from all the Reformed Churches.
6. Querie. Whether you, and such like pretended Teachers as you are, be not the Persons Carractrised and condemned in these and such like Scriptures following, Matth. 7.15. Act. 20.29, 30. Rom. 16.17, 18. 2 Tim. 3.6, 7, 8, 9. 2 Pet. 2.1, 2, 3.17, 18, 19. Jude vers. 4.8.10.12, 13.16.
These Queries I propound, that truth may tryumph, and error may vannish, and that my self and my deluded ones may receive satisfaction, which if you doe not, I desire you, as you will answere it before God and men, that you doe neither admit or receive any of mine into your pretended Church, and if you have, I demand of you or yours, in whom the Power lies, suddenly; at or upon the fight hereof, to discharge them, and leave them to the Power of me, who have the charge of them; and in expectation hereof, I shall rest as I find you.
Robert Poole.