Reconcil. But why do we not enquire how far, even the godly Orthodox-Ministers, in these times, also have been guilty of occasioning that which they justly reprehend?
I have seldom observed any Heresy or Error to rise up, but what the Orthodox were a culpable Cause of: The Chief Rise of Anabaptisty hath been by our most vile Abu•e of Infant-Baptism, 1. Receiving all Infants of Atheists and Infidels. 2. And that, on an unproved Title, and on the perfidious Vows and Sponsions of God-fathers and God-mothers, that never owned them, nor intended to perform their Vows. 3. And forcing Ministers to baptise them against their Judgments. 4. And worst of all, instead of causing them at age, solemnly to renew their Christian Covenants, cheating thousands of ignorant Souls, with a Ceremony, called, Confirmation.
So have the Separatists risen from the Corruptions of the Clergy and Church, and their wicked Lives, and Tyrannical Impositions and Persecutions.
And so have these Antinomians risen, first, From ⟨p. 55⟩the Papists False Doctrines, about their Good Works; and next, From many godly Protestants, seldom, and unskilful opening the Mystery of Redemption and Grace, and preaching almost all for Humiliation, and too little of the wonderful Love of God, revealed in Jesus Christ; till Dr. Sibbes and such others, led them into another strain: And, thirdly, by their unskilful Managing the Doctrine and Controversies of Justification; till the Bremen and French Divines abroad, and Dav•nant, Ant. Wotton, Bradshaw, Gataker, and such others at home, taught them to speak more distinctly and solidly, (which Le Blank hath done above all before him.)
And they, that by Unskilfulness have occasioned other mens Extremes, should not be over-rigorous against them.
Enquire into the Temper and Lives of most of this sort of men, among us of late, [even Dr. Crispe, Lancaster Town, Walter Cradok, Saltmarsh, Den, Hobson, and such other] and you will find, that though they had their Temerities and Blemishes, they were in the main, Men, far from wicked and profane Lives; much more, Mr. Walker, Mr. Roborough, Mr. Craudon, Mr. Eyir, blind Mr. Troughlar, Dr. Tully, and such other that came too near them.
Reconcil. But why do we not enquire how far, even the godly Orthodox-Ministers, in these times, also have been guilty of occasioning that which they justly reprehend?
I have seldom observed any Heresie or Errour to rise up, but what the Orthodox were a culpable Cause of: The Chief Rise of Anabaptisty hath been by our most vile Abu•e of Infant-Baptism, 1. Receiving all Infants of Atheists and Infidels. 2. And that, on an unproved Title, and on the perfidious Vows and Sponsions of God-fathers and God-mothers, that never owned them, nor intended to perform their Vows. 3. And forceing Ministers to baptise them against their Judgments. 4. And worst of all, instead of causing them at age, solemnly to renew their Christian Covenants, cheating thousands of ignorant Souls, with a Ceremony, called, Confirmation.
So have the Separatists risen from the Corruptions of the Clergy and Church, and their wicked Lives, and Tyrannical Impositions and Persecutions.
And so have these Antinomians risen, first, From ⟨p. 55⟩the Papists False Doctrines, about their Good Works; and next, From many godly Protestants, seldom, and unskilful opening the Mystery of Redemption and Grace, and preaching almost all for Humiliation, and too little of the wonderful Love of God, revealed in Jesus Christ; till Dr. Sibbes and such others, led them into another strein: And, thirdly, by their unskilful Managing the Doctrine and Cont•oversies of Justification; till the Breme and French Divines abroad, and Dav•nant, Ant. Wotton, Bradshaw, Gataker, and such others at home, taught them to speak more distinctly and solidly, (which Le Blanck hath done above all before him.)
And they, that by Unskilfulness have occasioned other mens Extreams, should not be over-rigorous against them.
Enquire into the Temper and Lives of most of this sort of men, among us of late, [even Dr. Crispe, Lancaster Town, Walter Cradok, Saltmarsh, Den, Hobson, and such other] and you will find, that though they had their Temerities and Blemishes, they were in the main, Men, far from wicked and prophane Lives; much more, Mr. Walker, Mr. Roborough, Mr. Craudon, Mr. Eyir, blind Mr. Troughlar, Dr. Tully, and such other that came too near them.
