Some New Blazing Stars Styling Themselves New Lights, Section 10
Section X.
Containing ſeditious Queries, Paſſages and Practiſes to excite the people to mutiny, Sedition, Diſobedience, and contumacy against the Parliaments proceedings, Ordinances, and to reſume their power from them.
I Have in the preceding Sections, already tranſcribed ſundry clauſes of this nature; I ſhall remember you only of ſome few more, in two or three late unlicenſed Libels.
duplicate page duplicate page The Author of, an Anſwer to Mr. Prynnes twelve Queſtions concerning ChurchGovernment (ſuppoſed to be Maſter Henry Robinſon) pag. 2. makes this Quere: What if the Parliament ſh…uld be for Popery again, Iudaiſme or Tur…iſme? Tis no offence to make a Quere, NOR IMPOSSIBLE TO COME TO PASSE: The greateſt part of ſuch as chooſe our Parliament men are thought to be Popiſhly or Malignantly affected: by the ſame Law and Doctrine the whole Kingdom muſt in conſequence, and ſuch obedience as you dictate, conforme themſelves to Poperie, Iudaiſme, or Turciſme, &c.
And pag. 24. 25. He propounds theſe Queries, of purpoſe to blaſt the power, and Eccleſiaſticall Proceedings of our preſent Parliament, and render them deteſtable, or contemptible to the people.
Whether have not Parliaments and Synods of England in times paſt eſtabliſhed Popery? And whether may they not poſſibly do*You mean and conclude; Erge, you muſt not obey them in pulling down Popery, and ſetting up a Presbyteri…ll Government againſtus now. ſo again hereafter? Whether in caſe a Parliament and Synod ſhould ſet up Popery, may they therein be diſobeyed by the people? If they may be diſobeyed in one particular, whether may not they upon the like grounds be diſobeyed in another? Whether the people be not judge of the grounds for denying obedience to Parliament and Synod in ſuch a caſe? Whether the pretence of giving a Parliament and Synod power to eſtabliſh Religion, and yet reſerve in our own hands, a Prerogative of yeelding or denying obedience thereunto, as we our ſelves think good, be not an abſolute*Not ſo, but only in things ſimply civill, and directly againſt Gods word. We muſt not obey them in things againſt Gods word, but muſt obey them in all things not repugnant to it, is no contradiction. contradiction? And laſtly, Whether they that Attribute ſuch a power to Parliaments and Synods, as they themſelves will queſtion and diſobey, when*No but when God commands us not to obey. they think good; do not in effect weaken and quite enervate the power of Parliaments, or elſe condemn themſelves in cenſuring the Independents for withholding of obedience from Parliament and Synod in ſuch things, wherein*Note, the Parliament muſt have no more power then Independents give, or mean to give them. they NEVER GAVE, OR MEANT EVER TO GIVE POWER? If the whole Kingdom may denie obedience unto Popiſh Acts and Canons, or upon any other the like juſt occaſion, and they themſelves be judge whether the occaſion be juſt or n…: Whether may not Independents a part of the Kingdom onlie, do the like in all respects? Or whether ought they becauſe a leſſer part of the Kingdom, to yield obedience to Popiſh Acts and Canons becauſe a Major part approve of, and agree with a Parliament and Synod in eſtabliſhing them? Whether would it not be an ungodlie courſe for anie people to hazard anie thing at the dispoſall of others, or to be carried by moſt voices, which may poſſiblie, if not more then probablie be decided in ſuch a manner as the yielding obedience thereunto would be burthenſom to their conſciences, if not abſolutelie ſinfull? Whether were it not an*Where any ſuch are impoſed on them by the Parliament, they may paſſively diſobey, not ſeditiouſly oppoſe; But this is not our preſent caſe, but the quite contrary. ungodlie courſe for the whole Commons of a Kingdom ſo farre differing in Religion as that they profeſſe before hand that they dare not yield to another, upon perill of damnation, to make choiſe of a Parliament and Synod, with entring into Vow and Covenant, to become afterwards all of that Religion, whatſoever the Parliament and Aſſembly ſhould agree on? Whether it be not abſurd for men to ſay, they vvill be of ſuch a Religion as ſhall be ſettled, before they ſee evidence to convince them? And vvhether it be in the povver of man to be really of vvhat Religion he vvill, untill he ſee reaſon and demonſtration for it? If a repreſentative State or *A preſumptu…us cenſure of the Vow and Covenant, and Parliaments preſſing of it.*You Devil-like omit out of the Vow and Covenant, according to Gods word, &c.Magiſtrate may have Laws for ſetting up of a Religion, or eſtabliſh vvhat Church-Government they pleaſe; vvhether have not the people the ſame povver originallie in themſelves, to*A ſeditious Quere to ſtir up the people againſt the Parliament, and reſeinds their Acts. aſſume again, and put it in execution vvhen they pleaſe? And vvhether vvere this othervviſe then to attribute unto a mixt multitude, to the vvorld, if not abſolutely as it is diſtinguiſhed from the Saints in Scripture, Ioh. 15. 18, 19. and 17. 6, 9, 11, 4. at leaſt by ſome voices, to make choiſe of a Religion, Lavvs and Diſcipline, vvherevvith the Saints, houſhold and Church of God muſt neceſſarilie be governed?
Theſe ſeditious Quaere's are ſince reprinted and propounded by the ſame Author (Henrie Robinſon) in another Libell of his, Intituled, The Falſhood of Mr. William Prynnes Truth triumphing, &c. p. 26, 27. to what other end, but to ſtir up the people to Mutiny, to rebellion againſt the Parliament and its proceedings (a thing lately attempted by a mutinous Petition framed by Independents, but afterwards moderated by ſome diſcreeter perſons, and by ſome late Libellous, ſeditious Pamphlets) no wiſe man can conjecture.
To omit many new ſeditious, mutinous Paſſages in the Arraignment tf Perſecution, A ſacred Decretall, and Martins Eccho; compiled, publiſhed, printed, vended, diſperſed by Independent Sectaries, who highly applaud them; inſtead of excommunicating, detecting, ſuppreſſing, puniſhing the Authors and diſperſers of them, I ſhall (for brevity ſake) tranſcribe only this moſt ſeditious Oration in the cloſe of Martins Eccho, directed to the common people, to excite them to mutiny and Rebellion againſt the Aſſembly, Parliament, their Military, Civil and Eccleſiaſticall preſent proceedings, deſerving no leſſe then capitall puniſhment, being done in ſeditionem Regni, no leſſe*Glanvil. l. 14. p. 170. then high Treaſon by the Common Law.
Pag. 16. Rejoyce, Rejoyce good people, for this bleſſed Reformation, which is ready, like an evening Wolf, to ſeize upon you and yours: Loving Friends and Neighbours, ſtand ſtill gaping with your mouths, and quietly bow down your backs, whileſt you are bridled and ſadled, and let the holy, humble, and *You ſhould rather ſay furious Sectaries and Anabaptiſtical Independents.gentle Presbyterians get up and ride, they will doubteleſſe deal very meekly with you, and not put you out of your place, though the proverb be, Set a Beggar on horſe-back, and hee'l ride to the Devil; though they have ſpurs, yet they will not uſe them. You remember how the Biſhops poſted you furiouſly to and fro like Iehu the ſon of Nimſhi, untill with foundring and ſurbats they have even wearied you of your lives; the gentle Presbyters will in no wiſe ride you ſo hard, though ſome Malignants would make you believe, that Sir Iohn will never be off of your backs, becauſe it is intended he ſhall have his holy Spirituall Courts in every Pariſh of the Kingdome; but this benefit you are like to have, That if by his continuall riding hee ſo gall your backs and ſhoulders, that you can no longer endure, but cry out by reaſon of your ſevere oppreſſion, you ſhall have Liberty granted you, To leap out of the Frying pan, into the fire, by making your*Your Independent Conventicles, admit of no appeal, and ſo are meerly Arbitrary and Tyrannicall appeal to the Common-Councell of Presbyters; forſooth, where when you ſhall come with this complaint, Your Fathers the Biſhops made your yoke grieveous, and our Parochiall Presbyters, (thoſe Lyons Whelps) do adde hereto: Now do you eaſe ſomewhat the grievous ſervitude, and heavy yoke put upon us. You may*They may infall…bly expect it from your Independent Churches who claim by their own private uſurped power, authority to exclude all from the Sacraments, & their Children from Baptiſme, and impriſon all ſuch who ſubmit not to, or oppoſe their Government upon juſt grounds of piety and policy. expect from this Honorable Court, an Anſwer like unto that of Rehoboams to thoſe diſtreſſed people, that cryed unto him, Our Fathers made your yokes heavy, but we will adde thereto: Our Fathers Chaſtiſed you with Whips, but we will Chaſtiſe you with Scorpions, and mend your ſelves as you can, for we are the Divine power, and conſequently the Law-givers both of Church and State; therefore you are to be content and ſubmit your ſelves to your Superiors; your ſeverall Presbyters in you ſeverall Pariſhes, that have the Rule over you, muſt in no wiſe be reſiſted, but as it is meet, be humbly obeyed in all things that they ſhall Command you; and *Your Independent Churches power, is ſuch who admit of no appeal or ſuperiour Judicature, which Presbyterians plead for.their power is not to be queſtioned, for the ſame power which lately was reſident in & confined to the breaſt of one man, to wit, an Archbiſhop, is inherent, and of Divine Right, in the body of a Presbytery, and conveyed equally to every particular Presbyter: therefore if this Epiſcopall power be offenſive and obnoxious to you, never expect to have it otherwiſe, for your *Againſt Independents proceedings, admitting no Appeals.Parliaments themſelves cannot lawfully help you.
Now have you not cauſe to rejoyce for this Iubilee, this year of deliverance from your Anti-chriſtian ſervitude, to Aegyptian bondage? Yes ſure, therefore I ſay, Rejoyce and be glad, and again Rejoyce, lift up your heads, For doubtleſſe your Redemption draweth nigh: The Righteous ſhall be delivered out of trouble, and the Wicked ſhall come in his ſtead, Prov. 11. 8 But in plain terms (loving friends, Neighbours and Country-men) let us a little reaſon together ſeriouſly: Have not you born the brunt and heat of this unnaturall War? Is it not you that pay all the Taxes, Ceſſements, and oppreſſions whatſoever? Is not the whole burthen laid upon your backs? Burthen after burthen? Even till your *Doth not your neck deſerve to be broken at Tiburn, for ſuch ſeditious incitations to Rebellion & mutiny againſt the Parliament?backs break? How many thouſands of you, who were of great Eſtate, are even reduced your ſelves, your dear Wives and Children, to miſery and poverty? How many thouſands and millions have you exhauſted? Yea, hath not your hands been liberall beyond your Abilities? How freely have you brought in your Gold, your Silver, your Iewels, Rings &c. which in London, Middleſex and Eſſex, amoun…ed to above eleven Millions, beſides threeſcore Millions extract…d out of the Counties, with the innumerable ſums otherwiſe raiſed, and ſpent in this ſervice? Hath not your blood, the blood of your dear Children and Friends, been only engaged and ſpilt?A loud lye. And is it not dayly ſhed in this Quarrell, while the*Why not the Independents rather, who are guiltieſt of the two, and boaſt ſo much of their number in the Army, and good ſervice in the wars. Presbyters clap you on the backs, animate, encourage, and Preach out your very lives and eſtates, and involve you in all theſe miſeries, and themſelves touch it not with the tip of their little finger; You have your Hu…bands, your Sons and Servants, Impreſted from you, and forſooth, a Prieſt muſt not be meddled withall, under Sacriledge, Blaſphemy, or prophaneneſſe at leaſt: They are *A moſt falſe, ſeditious ſlander, the contrary being true, that Presbyterian Miniſters pay greater Taxes, according to their prop…rtion, then any other men, though many Independents ſcape ſcotfree.freed from all charges and Taxations, and all is laid upon you; and notwithſtanding your inſufferable miſery, your unſupportable charge and oppr…ſſion, under which you groan, and are fit to expire, thoſe greedi… wretches are not aſhamed to exact their *Why may not Presbyterians as juſtly exact Tythes for their pains and maintenance, being due by Law, as Independent Miniſters both Tythes and Contributions too, Independent Officers, Souldiers, pay?tythes, though they pluck it out of your Childrens mouthes. There had been more need of an Ordinance to have Seſſed the Prieſts, and impreſted them to the Wars, for that vvould be more conducent for the Kingdoms good: For ſhould the King ſet up his Epiſcopall Clergy, and the Parliament their Presbyterian Clergie, in the forefront of their battells, forlorne hopes, and put them inſtead of other honeſt innocent harmeleſſe ſoules, upon all their deſperate attempts, without doubt they would as zealouſly preach for peace, as they doe now for war: they would quickly agree and turne as they were, rather then looſe all. I am confident this would prove the moſt effectuall meanes for *When all Miniſters are deſtroyed on both ſides, Independents Lay-preachers, and Sectaries will embrace peace, not before,our reconciliation, then any that hath beene yet attempted. Conſider this I beſeech you, call to minde all your former expences, ventures and ceſſements for this preſent warre, and the miſerable condition you and the whole Kingdome ſtrugleth in, as it were for life, and are now all ready to be devoured; your eſtates are waſted, your men ſlaine, your hands weakned, and the Kingdome is fit to be over-run, your ſtrength decayeth, and your enemy increaſeth, and all your aſſiſtance hath beene conveyed through the hands of the bSome think moſt money ſticks in Independents ſingers, who have beene moſt active in ſingering and diſpoſing moneyes, of which ſome of them give very poore accounts.Presbyterian party, they havecSome thinke Independents have born two to one for the Preſbyterians conſidering their number. born al offices, & have had all in their own diſpoſing, but what is become of it? Wiſemen ſay, that the treaſures and wealth, that hath been ſpent for the managing of this warre, would have maintained a greater warre ſeven yeares longer, ſome body have feathered their neſts, though yours are bare: Now how thinke you, is it otherwiſe poſſible but the Kingdome muſt be ruined if this courſe be continued, and to adde more certainty of deſtruction to it, theſe men now in this our greateſt extremity, labour to divide thedIts ſuch libellous firebrands as you that doe it. Parliament partie in twaine;
Before the Synod was aſſembled, the cries of the people were heard, their Petitions anſwered, miſeries redreſſed, Monopolies remooved, oppreſſions eaſed, tender conſciences reſpected, the ſervants of God delivered out of priſons, courts of tyranny and oppreſſion ſuppreſſed, &c. But ſince their Seſſion, the caſe is quite altered, nothing but Ieſuiticall and Machivillian pollicy hath bin on foote, thouſands of Petitions of poore Widdowes, Orphanes and all manner of diſtreſſed oppreſſed perſons, who cry daiely and cannot be heard; and theſe fat Preiſts can have Ordinance upon Ordinance for their ends; they can have the ſweat of other mens browes confirmed upon them by an Ordinance, whiles others eA groſse ſcandall to the Parliament, tending to mutiny.cannot have their juſt requeſts, for their owne rights Anſwered: though their Wives and Children periſh; our fThis indeed is true of your Independents wives, who marry Ladyes and rich widdowes who go thus attyred.Preſbyterians wives muſt go like Ladyes, with their ſilke & Taffety, ſome with their fanns and ſilver watches forſooth hunging by their girdles, to pleaſe the pretty ſweet faced, lovely Mopphet withall pretty things, tis pitty there's not an Ordinance all this while, for them to weare Rattle…; Conſider this with your ſelves, & for what your eſtates and blood have beene engaged, The liberties of the ſubject, and the Proteſtant Religion, now how much after this vaſt expence, this ſea of blood, of the ſubjects Liberties, have you attain'd? even thus much, He that ſhall open his mouth freely for the Vindication of your Native Liberties, cannot doe it without the hazard of his own, yea of his life; I know that the Prieſts thirſt after my blood, but I call the God of heaven to witneſſe, would it quench their thirſt, and be a ranſome for our poſterity, I would freely offer it to the Common good… and as for the P… teſtant Religion hath it not beene lock'd up in the breaſts, of the Aſſembly? hath not your faith beene pin'd upon their ſleeve? your eſtates ſpent, and your blood ſhed for the reſult of their mindes, right or wrong, and ſo have fough… for you know not what? But it may be you'l ſay, you have engaged for the ſuppreſſion of Prelacy, HighCommiſſion &c. you have indeed beat the buſh, but the Presbyters have caught th… Hare, inſtead of one High-commiſſion, in the whole kingdome, you ſhall have one in*This is true of your Independent Conventicles. every Pariſh under the name of a Parochiall Seſſions, beſides the generall Highcommiſſion call'd the Common Councell of Preſbyters; Now have you not, to ſhu… the ſmoke, skippt into the fire? is the matter any thing amended? ſure you have got a worthy Reformation: But it may be you have a better eſteem of theſe new Courts, then of the old High-commiſſion: Let me aske you? do you thinke that they'l be better then their patterne? &c.
Thus you may ſee what you are, to rely upon, if in conſcience you cannot ſubmit to any thing they command, you know your wages, you muſt be baniſhed: and doe not our Presbyters not onelyonly labour for the baniſhment, but for the lives of the Contrary minded to them? And is not this thinke you, as evill meaſure as ever was meaſured out of the High-commiſſion? Wherfore I beſeech you Friends, conſider what you do, conſider the frait of your bodies; into what ſlavery you are fit to inthrall them. I know you would be loath your Children after you ſhould be deprived of trading or living in the Kingdome, though they ſhould differ a litle in opinion from others.
I beſeech you therfore, ſave your ſelves from this wicked Generation, who have ſpent your eſtates,* A moſt ſedi… flander. your blood and all, and you are now worſe then ever you were hitherto, all hath beene in their diſpoſing, and you are betrayd, and daiely delivered as a prey to the Enemy: The Lord Deliver us, Amen.
Whether this be not another Sheba, a Trumpeter to blow up popular ſedition and Rebellion againſt the Parliament, Synod, and their proceedings, deſerving Sheba's puniſhment; and whether it be not more then time for the Honorable Court of Parliament to proceed ſeverely againſt ſuch Sciſmaticall Libellous and Seditious Mutiniers as theſe forementioned, let all wiſe men judge. If our fooliſh pitty and indulgence towards them (according to the proverbe) deſtroy our Citty, our Church, our Religion, our Parliament, our Realmes, let thoſe ſuperior Powers anſwer it, who have authority to prevent it; I can with a good conſcience profeſſe and ſay, Liberavi animam meam, what ever cenſures, reproaches Scandals, Libels I ſuffer for my good intentions, from this Libellous Generation of*2 Theſ. 3. 2. unreaſonable men, who have litle faith and leſſe Charity.
Certain Queres propounded to Independent Miniſters and their Members, convincing them in many things to be meer Papiſts, and ſwervers from the Word of God.
1. WHether Independent Miniſters preſcribing, and Members ſubmitting to a New-forme of Church-Government, not yet fully knowne to, or agreed on among themſelves; nor reduced unto certainty by any of their Sect, but fluctuating and ſwimming in their Miniſters giddy braines, with a reſerve of altering, adding or diminiſhing at their pleaſure; be not a meere Popiſh blind obedience? a receiving of a Church-Government with an implicit Popiſh faith, to believe as their Miniſter or Church believes, without knowing certainly and determinately what they do dogmatically believe? and a plaine worſhipping of they know not what, their Independent way and Government, being yet not fully delineated nor … in writing by any of their party, though frequently preſſed to it.
2. Whether Independent Miniſters, Members, Churches denying the lawfull legiſlative, directive, coercive Authority, Juriſdiction of Parliaments, Councels, Synods, Kings, and Temporall Magiſtrates in all Eccleſiaſticall affaires, or matters of Religion; appropriating this power wholy to themſelves and their Independent conventicles; Their pleading of an exemption of themſelues and Members from all ſecular Powers in Church matters, as being immediately ſubject herein to none but Chriſt: Their uſurping Authority to erect and gather New Independent Churches not onelyonly without, but againſt the command of Parliaments and Princes; Their dayly practiſe of admitting, rejecting Church-members, & excluding godly Chriſtians not onelyonly from their Churches, but even from the Sacraments, and their children from baptiſme in caſe they ſubmit not to their New-fangled way: Their denying the liberty and benefit of Appeales from themſelves to any ſuperior Tribunall; be it a Claſſis, Synod, or Parliament, by way of …uriſdiction but onelyonly of advice. Their proclaimeing their owne Independent Churches, to be the onelyonly true Churches of Chriſt; and allothers f…lſe, erronious, Antichriſtian, from which all muſt ſever under paine of damnation; Their impoſing New O…thes and Covenants, under pain of excluſion from Church-communion on all their new members; and binding them wholy to their wayes, Edicts; Their ſtilling themſelves ſupreame heads of the Church next under Chriſt; and exalting themſelves, above all that is called God, or worſhipped, above all other Miniſters or Chriſtians whatſoever, as the ONLY Lights of the world, and tying the Scriptures to their owne new-fangled expoſitions; be not an erecting of a meere arbitrary, tyrannicall, Pap…ll, Antichriſtian Juriſdiction in every Independent congregation, both over the ſoules, conſciences, bodies of Chriſtians, and a ſetting up of as many Petty Popes, as there are Independent Miniſters or congregations?
3. Whether Independents admitting Women, not onelyonly to vote as members, but ſometimes to preach, expound, and ſpeake publikely as Predicants, in their Convent…cles, be not directly contrary to the Apoſtles Doctrine and practiſe, 1 Cor. 14. 34. 35. 1. Tim. 2. 11. 12. and a meer politick invention to engage that Sex to their par…y? Whether their pretended Liberty of conſcience for every man to bleeve, profeſſe, and practiſe, what Religion he pleaſeth, (be it Paganiſme, Judaiſme, Turciſme, Popery) without co…rtion or puniſhment by the magiſtrate, be not a like wicked Policy, contradictory to Scripture and Religion: which proclaimes a licen…iouſneſſe to practiſe any ſinne with impunity? and warrants Popes, Papiſts, Ieſuits to murther Proteſtant Princes; blow up Parliaments; Maſſacre Heretiques; abſolve ſubjects from their allegiance; Equivocate; worſhip Images, Saints, Reliques, and their Breaden-god; and commit any wickedneſſe for the advancement of the Catholique cauſe, becauſe their Religion and Conſciences hold them lawful. And how then can we juſtly puniſh any Traytor, Rebell, Murder, Adulterer, Swearer, Drunkard, Polyganiſt, Theef, in caſe he be really perſwaded in his conſcience, what he doth is lawfull?
4. Whether the Independent Miniſters in the Aſſembly will undertake to bind either themſelves or all others of their party for the future, without any reſerve of altering or changing their opinions and practiſe, to that Independent way of Church Government, which Mr. Thomas Goodwin, or they ſhall at laſt, after long expectation, ſet down in Writing? If yea, that contradicts their owne Profeſſion, and Prot…ſtation in their Apollogy: takes away that liberty of conſcience they contend for; and Attributes a greater Authority to them alone to oblige their party, then to the whole Parliament or Synod. If no, then certainly it is vaine to exſpect a ſet … of Church-government from thoſe fluctuating Divines, who till neither under-take to oblige themſelves or others for the future, by anything they reſolve on or practiſe for the preſent: and a meare ſottiſhneſſe for any people to depend upon ſuch unſtable weather-cocks, and roling ſtones, who know not where to reſt or ſettle; And that way certainly can be none of Chriſts, on which the very prime ſticklers for it d…re not abſolutely and immutably to faſten for the future, what ever they pretend for the preſent.
5. Whether publike preaching, prophefying, and expounding the Scriptures by Independent Souldiers, Taylors, Weavers, and other illiterate Mechanicks, neither publikely called to, not fitted for the Miniſtry, eſpecially when and where there are able painfull preaching Miniſters to inſtruct the people, be not a moſt exorbitant. arrogant, ſcandalous, and diſorderly practice, no where warranted by Gods word, but directly condemned by Numb. 18. 21. 22, 23. c. 16. 3. to 41. 2 Sam. 6. 6. 7, 2 Chron. …6. 16. to 23. Ier. 14. 14. c. 27. 19. Hoſea 4. 4. 9. Mal. 2. 7. 2 Chron. 17. 8. 9. Neb. 9. 4, 5. c. 12. throughout. Mat. 28. 18. 19. 20. Mar. 16. 14. 15. 20. Acts 20. 28. Gal. 6. 6. Hebr. 13. 17. c. 5. 4. 1 Tim. 3. 2. c. 4. 14. 16. 2 Tim. 4. 2. 5. Rom. 10. 14. 15. 1 Cor. 12. 28. 29. c. 14. 29 to the end. Tit. 1. 7. 9. Contrary to the very light of Nature, the Prieſts among all heathen Nations whatſoever being diſtinguiſhed from t…e people, and not all promiſcuouſly Prieſts, Gen. 42. 22. 26. 2 King. 17. 32. 1 Kings 12. 31. 32. Zeph. 1. 4. Acts 14. 13. And quite oppoſite to the practice of all chriſtian Churches in all ages?
… 6. Whether Mr. Hanſerd Knols (the illitterate Anabaptiſt) his Moderate Anſwer to Dr. Baſtwicks booke, p. 19. 20. where he averres: That the condition upon which people are to be admitted into the Church, are Faith, Repentance, and BAPTISME; and NONE OTHER. And whoſoever (poore as well as rich, bond as well as free, ſervants as well as maſters)*Acts 16. 30. 31, 32, 33. Acts 8. 12. 36, 37. 38. 39. Acts 18. 8. Neither of which texts warrant your practice of Re-baptization of Chriſtians formerly baptized by others. did make a profeſſion of their faith in Chriſt Ieſus▪ land would be baptized (he meanes re-baptized) into (he ſhould ſay in) the name of the Father, Son, and holy Spirit▪ were admitted Members of the Church; but ſuch as did not beleeve, and would not be baptized (though formerly baptized by others) they would not admit into church communion. And that this hath bin the practiſe of ſome churches in this city, …ithout urging or making any particular covenant with members upon admittance: Doth not herein diametrally contradict his other Independent brethren, who exact particular covenants, from their new admitted Members and do not re-baptize them? Whether he hath not plaid the Anabaptiſticall jugler with▪ Mr. Cranford, in printing onelyonly, Imprimatur IA: CRANFORD, in the title of his Booke, and leaving out the preceding formall words of his Licenſe, to the great abuſe both of the Reader and Licenſer, viz. I have peruſed this Treatiſe (called A Moderate Anſwer to Dr. Baſtwick) which THOUGH… IUDGE ERRONIOUS, yet to ſatisfie the deſire of a Friend, and prevent the cavils of ſome Adverſaries, I oppoſe, Imprimatur Ia: Cranford.
And whether theſe and ſuch like practices proclaim not the Anabaptiſts ſuch as *The Dippe…s dip…. p. 204▪ &c.Dr. Foa…ly proves them: A Falſe and lying ſect, if not blaſphemous too, as the premiſed Sections declare ſome of them to be?