A

Looking Glass
FOR THE

ANABAPTISTS
AND THE REST OF THE

SEPARATISTS:
Wherein they may clearly behold a brief confutation if a certain unlicensed, scandalous pamphlet entitled The Remonstrance of the Anabaptists, by way of Vindication of their Separation. The Impertinancies, Incongruities, Non-consequences, Falsities and Obstinancy of William Kiffin, the Author, and grand ring leader of that seduced Sect is discovered and laid open to the view of every indifference eyed Reader that will not shut his eyes against the Truth. With certain Queries, vindicated from Anabaptistical Glosses, together with others propounded for the Information and Conviction, (if possible) the reformation of the said William Kiffin and his Proselytes.

By Josiah Ricraft, a well wisher to the Truth.

1 John 4:1, 2 Tim 3:6 Dearly beloved, believe not every spirit but try the spirits whether they are of God, for many false Prophets are gone out into the world, for of this sort are they which creep into houses and lead captive simple women laden with sins, led away with diverse lusts. Published by Authority. London, Printed and are to be sold by Peter Cole in Cornhill, at the sign of the printing press, and John Hancock in Popes-head Alley. 1645.

Courteous Reader, I had not troubled the press in the scribling age had I not accidentally met with an unlicensed, scandalous pamphlet in print in answer to six queries I had heretofore propounded them unto. But by credible hands I am certified the he pretends a new light and takes upon him to set up a new found church and by this means seduces and draws away mens wives, children and servants to be his proselytes to the great grief of those that should have the power and government over them. And now finding my opposite so ready and bold to print without authority and some friends very earnest with me to answer. It prevailed with me by consent of authority to put forth this my ensuing discourse with certain queries more into the world with my opposites wandering discourse for the satisfaction of all sides and parties. And to stop the mouths of all I have laid it down as it came written with his own hand and not as it was most falsely added to and taken from in the printing to cover his nonsensical absurdities, which any judicious man may discern. It is my intent to speak to his answers to my queries so far as they seem to have any color of reason or argument in them. But, where I find him impertinent and extravagant, I give him leave to wander alone in the middle of his own mistakes, which are very many. Now kind reader impartially peruse this my short treatise before you pass your sentence as many do nowadays because they are prejudiced at the matter, though never so true, or the person, though never so godly, because neither person nor matter agrees with the temper of their opinion. I wish England at this day could not witness this truth with grief to see that monstrous Hydra of opinions and divisions upon divisions with subdivisions and these increasing daily, pleading toleration with a brazen brow and an impudent face, not fearing to abuse that ever to be honored high court of Parliament of England with that faithful Kingdom of Scotland and the right reverend, the assembly of ministers of England and the rest of our honored Orthodox ministers and the two worthy patriots, Mr. William Prynne of Lincolns Inn, Esquire with Mr. Doctor Bastwick. And if this lawless generation may proceed under the vizor of a liberty for tender consciences our condition will suddenly be worse than it was in the time of the bishops in their lordly height. For instead of a prodigal hierarchy we shall have a turbulent anarchy. But to prevent both, it shall be my prayers to God to put it into the hearts of those truly noble and right honorable ones, who sit in the stern to guide and preserve the tottering ship of this kingdom to use the means to the height of their powers to bring it to the haven of happiness, a settled reformed government among us, which they and we both have entered into a covenant to perform in every of our places according to our powers that God may be one and His name one in the three kingdoms. So prays he, who is a well willer and servant to Englands friends in Jesus Christ to serve them,

JOSIAH RICRAFT

A Looking Glass for the Anabaptists and the rest of the Separatists. Query 1.
By what warrant of the Word of God do you separate from our congregations where the Word and sacraments are purely dispensed? Kiffins answer: This query seems to import this much that from such congregations where the Word and sacraments are purely dispensed men ought not to separate, but that men are and ought to separate from such where the word and sacraments are not purely dispensed. Your query seems to grant but however though it should be denied those scriptures plainly proves, Rev 14:8, 9, 10, more fully manifested in Rev 18:1-5, Isa 52:2 and more at large spoken of in 2 Cor 6:14 to the end as also practiced by the apostle Paul himself in Acts 19:8-10. But now Sir, here lies the question that your congregations be such as where the word and sacraments are purely dispensed then we sin and you justly charge us with schism for separating from you, but that it be not so that your congregations are such but on the contrary, such as do not dispense the word and sacraments purely then we do well. And you sin in charging us for schism in doing what the word commands and the saints practices. And therefore we having nothing to prove that the word and sacraments are purely dispensed among you, but your bare affirmation it cannot satisfy our consciences and I marvel how it satisfies you. Does not the word of God like a twoedged sword fight against you? May not that scripture justly be applied to you, Jer 1:7-11, for you do not daily admit suffer to be among you such as do according to Gods word leaven the whole lump, 1 Cor 5:6. And do not purely dispense the word upon you for their healing. The Spirit of Christ says such glorying is not good and the feast of the Lord ought not to be kept with them. And I pray you show me what pure institution have you for the baptizing of children, which is one of your great sacraments amongst you. What can you find for your practice herein more than the dirty puddle of mens inventions, and therefore, when the sacraments are purely administered according to the pure institutions of the Lord Jesus, and when you have dispensed the word and power of Christ for the cutting off of all drunkards fornicators, covetous, swearers, liars and all abominable and filthy persons and stand together in the faith a pure lump of believers. We I hope shall join with you in the same congregations and fellowship and nothing shall separate us but death. But till then, we shall present those scriptures as an addition to those formerly quoted wherein we have sufficient testimony from your comparing them with your practice that the word and sacraments are not purely dispensed among you: 2 Thes 3:6; Eph 5:3-5, 11; Gal 5:9, 12; 2 Cor 6:14, 15; 1 Cor 5:4-6; Acts 2:40.

The Reply of JOSIAH RICRAFT to W. K. his Answer.

For your answer to this first query, which you affirm seems to import this much that from such congregations where the word and sacraments are purely dispensed

men ought not to separate, but that men are and ought to separate from such where the word and sacraments are not purely dispensed. It is well you used that evasion (seems) which you do twice in one sentence (yet many things seem to be, which are not.) And if I should take the advantage of falling upon every passage of your discourse, I might show you how my query in many respects thought it both imply as in the case of our church the unlawfulness of all separation from our congregations where the word and sacraments are purely dispensed. Yet it does not imply that men are and ought for to separate from such a church where the word and sacraments are not so purely dispensed because there are different degrees of purity and reformation of churches. And while the word and the sacraments are dispensed according to the institution for the main though there may not in some accidentals and circumstances and concomitants be that pureness, which ought to be, and is desired. Yet to separate from such churches has neither ground in the word, nor the approved judgment of godly and learned divines. Yea, further, a church may come to be so corrupted as that the word and the sacraments in some things of substance may be corrupted, and yet it is not lawful for men presently to separate. There is something else to be done before they leave a church for they ought to try and use all means and ways to see if the church may not be healed. In this kind I could give you many instances of the unlawfulness of a sudden separation from a corrupted church. God will not have his people come out of Babylon until they have used all means to heal her as is evident Jer 51:9. We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed. Forsake her and let us go every one into his own country. This shows Babylon must not be left till first means have been used for her healing. And if you had read anything in this point, you would know that as there is an unjust and an unnecessary separation, which is upon light and small causes. So there is a rash and unadvised separation in forsaking a church suddenly and willingly without waiting in the use of all means for reformation, but I shall spare to speak further of this and now come to speak to the main of your discourse to this my first query. Namely, to show our congregations are such where the word and sacrament are purely dispensed and then according to your own confession you sin and are justly charged with schism for separating from us. All the scriptures that are quoted by you in the beginning of your discourse and the close of this query do none of them in the least prove the separation from such a church as ours is. Where there is a profession of the true faith the most essential note of a visible church, as is confessed not only by great reformed divines, but even by some separatists themselves as Mr. Robinson, and we have the word of God powerfully preached, professed and maintained and the right administration of the two sacraments. As for your scriptures, they only prove a lawful separation from heathen idolaters and blaspheming Jews and antichristian idolaters. Familiar and voluntary unnecessary private society with wicked men, or the casting out of evil men by those that have the power in the church. And if you look over the scriptures against (and God give you grace to consider) you will find all this to be true. As for those grounds by which you would prove that the sacraments are not purely dispensed among us and so you may lawfully separate from us, namely in regard that wicked persons are admitted and suffered among us to come to the Lords table, and that children are baptized among us, I answer these are no grounds and I dare challenge you and all the

Anabaptists in England of your way to bring any scripture wherein you have any precept or example to separate from a church for some wicked persons mingled with good, or because baptism is administered to infants. Is any man so ignorant as to deny the church of Corinth to be a true church? Yet I say there was lacking discipline and more horrible abuses of the sacraments and many vicious persons not cast out, 1 Cor 5:1, 2; 1 Cor 11:17-30, also, 1 Cor 15:12 with 2 Cor 12:20, 21. Yet Paul writes to them as a true church. Many such instances I could give you as also that of the Israelites where there lacked discipline and the ordinances most grossly abused. Yet we account of them to have been a true church, 1 Sam 2:16, 17, 22, 29. And in this case the apostle Paul speaks of many loose and unclean persons and yet in many of his epistles, though he blames the not casting out of such, yet he blames not those that continue in the church with such. And in all his exhortations bout purging out the old leaven and putting away the wicked persons from among them, never exhorts private persons in case his apostolic commands were not obeyed that then they should separate. And in particular he gives not any directions to the house of Chloe to separate from the church although they had made their address to the apostle, 1 Cor 1:11. And for our baptizing of children, which in scorn you call one of the great sacraments among us, know we have ground in the scripture for our practices therein and do not go into the dirty puddle of mens inventions (as you say) but from the covenant made to believers, Gen 17:7-14 with Acts 7:8 and Rom 4:11, also, Lev 12:3 with Luke 2:21 and 1 Cor 12:13, likewise Gal 3:26-29. Baptism succeeds circumcision, Col 2:11, 12. If it did not, the condition of Christian infants in this time of the gospel were worse than the condition of Jewish infants under the law. First, in regard of their age, if baptism may not be conferred upon them now as circumcision was upon Jewish children. Secondly, if baptism belongs not to infants, then the grace and favor of GOD by Jesus Christ his coming is more a strait and less testified than it was to the Jews, which to affirm were a great indignity offered unto Jesus Christ. Thirdly, if infants may not be baptized, where is the enlargement of the covenant or fulfilling of the commission of Jesus Christ, Matt 28:19, 20? It was the apostles practice at their preaching of the gospel throughout the world to baptize both the households. The household, 1 Cor 1:16, Acts 16:35 with Acts 16:15, children of believers, they are holy as they are within the covenant with Abrahams seed. They are joint heirs by the promise of the kingdom of GOD and of Christ. There is no reason therefore to withhold the baptism of water from them whom GOD himself vouchsafes the baptism of his Spirit with the blessings of Abraham for an inheritance of his everlasting kingdom, 1 Cor 7:14 and Rom 11:16 with Acts 3:25, also Isa 46:3, 4 and Gal 3:2 with Psal 22:23, 30, 31 and Luke 1:41, 44 with Acts 20:47, 48, also Rom 8:9, 16 and Luke 19:9 with Mark 10:13-16. And for the conclusion of your discourse upon this my first query, I say to you as Christ said in another case, Go and learn what these scriptures mean, Jude 19. These be they that separate. 1 John 2:19 they went out from us, but they were not of us.

QUERY II

By what scripture warrant do you take upon you to erect new framed congregations separated to the disturbance of the great work of reformation now in hand? Kiffins Answer: This query has in it these two parts: first, that we erect new framed separate congregations, and, secondly, we do by this disturb the great work of reformation now in hand. To the first it is well known to many, especially to ourselves, that our congregations were erected and framed as now they are according to the rule of Christ before we heard of any reformation, even at that time when Episcopacy was in the height of its vanishing glory (and we are confident will remain in the despit of all cruelty) even when they were plotting and threatening the ruin of all those which oppose it and we hope you will not say we sinned in separating from them whose errors you now condemn. And yet, if you shall still continue to brand us with the names of Anabaptists, Schismatics, Heretics, and for saving ourselves from such a generation, Acts 2:40, as you yourselves have cut off. And from such a superstitious worship as you say shall be reformed, we conceive it is your ignorance or worse and though you condemn us, Christ will justify us even by that word of his, which he has given us and we desire to practice and have already commended to you in the conclusion of our answer to the first query. And for the second part of your query that we disturb the great work of reformation now in hand, I know now what you mean by this charge unless it be in that you are angry with us in that we disturb you in reforming ourselves, before you, for as yet we have not in our understanding seen, neither can we conceive of anything that we shall see reformed by you according to truth, but that through mercy we enjoy the practice of the same already. And whereas you tell us that the work of reformation is now in hand. No reasonable men will force us to desist from the practice of that which we are persuaded is according to the truth and wait for that which we know not what it will be and in the meantime practice that which you yourselves say must be reformed. But whereas you tell us of a great work of reformation, we should entreat you to show us wherein the greatness of it does consist. For as yet, we see no greatness unless it is to change the episcopacy into presbytery and a book of common prayer into a directory and to exalt men from living of 100 pounds per year to places of 400 pounds per annum. For I pray consider is there not the same power, the same priests, the same people, the same worship, and in the same manner still continued? But when we shall see the great work of reformation appear that you have framed your congregation according to that true and unchangeable pattern, 1 Cor 3:9-11, according to the command of our Savior, Matt 19:20 and the apostles practice, Acts 2:41 and 5:13, 14, and made all things suitable to the pattern as Moses did, Exo 25:40, Heb 8:5, you will see I hope that we shall be so far from disturbing the work as that we shall be one with it. THE REPLY

For your answer to this my second query instead of showing scripture warrant for such a private man as you are to erect a new framed congregation, you allege you own practice, that your congregation was erected and framed even in the time of Episcopacy and that before you heard of any reformation. I pray you what answer do you think in your own conscience this is to the query propounded? I ask for a scripture warrant. You allege your practice as if your practice must be scripture warrant. But because all this while you have alleged no scripture warrant, either of precept or allowed example, I put the question again more particularly. What scripture warrant private persons have to gather of themselves churches either under episcopacy or presbytery? Take which you please. And, as to the second part of your discourse to this my second query, which implies the disturbance of that great work of reformation now in hand, that cannot help you that you say your pretended congregations were erected before you heard of any reformation. And if it should be granted yours possibly might be, yet what shall we say to those multitudes of congregations that have been erected since they heard of reformation? They are not salved by your discourse. But it seems you much care not what became of the ship so your cabinet be saved. And besides the continuance of yours and such like congregations, which might be erected and framed with a giddy headed multitude of persons since and to them and your ilk carriage since are so great a disturbance to the work of reformation that all that run may read it, which will save me the labor to prove it. Only let me mind you of certain considerations put out in print, even by subscription of the hand of some of the primest independent brethren, who do dissuade all from separation as an hindrance of the great work of reformation now in hand. And whereas in your discourse upon this query you do in a most sarcastic manner speak of the great work of reformation as consisting in the vast expense of money and time and exalting men (as you say) of 100 a year to 400 a year. In this you show yourself to be of the number of those separatists St. Jude foretold of Jude 16. There shall be mockers in the last times. And also to be ????????? to wicked Sanballat and Tobiah, Neh 4:1-3, who mocked at the beginning of the building of Jerusalem and we may justly say against the whole sect of you Anabaptists, make that prayer of Nehemiah, Neh 4:4, Hear O our God for we are despised and turn their reproach upon their own heads for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders. And I may speak to the words of Zech 4:10, for who has despised the day of small things? And know that however your eyes are blind, and you drunk with your own conceits and will not see what the great change is of episcopacy into presbytery and the book of common prayer into a directory, yet all the reformed churches see it and wonder at it and bless GOD for it. Yes, they look upon that you count reformation as a deformation, who instead of ministers gifted and called by GOD to dispense the WORD and SACRAMENTS, have Jeroboams priests of the lowest and basest of men to be your priests and such whom GOD himself rejects for lack of knowledge. And whereas you think you are fled out of Babylon, you have come into Babel of confusion and errors and your churches ministers and people are like a bedlam fit to receive none but brainsick, disctracted, fantastic persons and wholly unsuitable to all sober, godly and conscientious Christians. I shall conclude my reply to your discourse upon this query in reference to your separate meetings with that prayer of good old Jacob in another use, Gen

49:6, O my soul, come not thou into their secrets, unto their assemblies my honor be not thou united.

QUERY III
What warrant have you either to be a member, much less a minister, of any such separate congregation? Kiffins Answer: This query as I conceive is added more for number than for weight. For who can be so ignorant as to think a congregation can be without members, therefore that we can prove our congregations true, our membership must needs be true. I would not speak any more to this query, but that I see you pinch so hard upon our separation in four of your queries to which I shall give a more full answer to prove our separation true from your assemblies. And first, it cannot be denied, but Jesus Christ is of the Father anointed to be the Head of the Church, which is his body, Eph 1:20-23; Col 1:18 and that we are commanded only to hear him, Deut 18:15, Acts 3:22 and 7:37; Matt 17:5; 2 Pet 1:17-19 and that whosoever will not hear and obey him, the Lord will require it at his hands, Deut 18:19, Acts 3:27;, Matt 7:26, 27 and hereby we know we love God and he loves us when we keep his commandments, 1 John 2:3 & 5:2, 3. Now then that we can not keep the faith and a good conscience in obeying all the commands of CHRIST as long as we assemble ourselves with you then are we necessitated to separate ourselves from you, but that we cannot keep faith and a good conscience so with you these scriptures prove compared with your practice: 2 Thes 3:6; 1 Cor 5:11; 2 Tim 2:21 & 3:5; Eph 5:1-14 with many other scriptures, but in the mouth of two or three witnesses every truth shall stand. Now then, so long as you deny to follow the rules of Jesus Christ and are not obedient to his commands, reject the word of God, which is given by Christ for the separating of wicked from the godly and separating the precious from the vile as Matt 18:15-17; 1 Cor 5:2, 5, 11, 13. We are bound in obedience to Jesus Christ to leave you while you remain obstinate to him and as it is with a natural body, which receives in all and wants power to void the excrements must needs become a rotten filthy & unclean body, even so it is with all false spiritual states, who by power and authority given to them by the civil magistrate they command all both rich and poor to subject to their worship whether their consciences be brought over to see it a truth or not or else they may not live among them or use any traffic with them, Rev 13:16, 17 and so become the hold of all foul spirits and a cage for every unclean bird, Rev 18:7. Now I would but appeal to any reasonable religious men whether England has not at this time in her as hateful birds as any nation whatsoever, and whether there be not at this day an authority to force in all to worship. The daily experience of this may be seen by the practice of those that would be counted the most knowing learned men of our times, who will have men to worship with them against their wills and so makes them as the formal hypocrites. And therefore when these things do so appear is it not high time to hearken to the voice of the apostle, Acts 2:40, to save ourselves from such a generation and to come out from them, Rev 18:4. Now, that these spoken of with many other which might be brought as the quenching of the spirit and despising prophesy so that no man may speak in your

public exercises but one that has the same call and power as those whom you now have cast off contrary to scriptures, 1 Pet 4:10; Heb 10:25; Col 3:16; Eph 4:15, 16; 1 Cor 12:7, 8 & 14, 24, 26, 31, 39, as also all superstitious consecrations to the great deluding of poor ignorant people enraging them against those which worship anywhere save in your high places contrary to these express texts of scripture: Job 4:20-24. As also, continuing of tithes & offerings of the people as that Christ had not come in the flesh, as that the clergy of the kingdom were the tenth part of the kingdom for number when as they themselves will tell God in their prayers that the harvest is great but the laborers are but few, an act so unjust by them to be demanded that reason would abhor that a few men in a kingdom should have the tenth part of the riches of the kingdom, and yet so eagerly pursued by them that though the paying of it be the undoing of men, they will have it. And therefore pursue men in authority, at bed and board, in pulpit and private chamber to have power put into their hands to that end as likewise their cruelty in refusing a place for burial in their consecrated ground except they have so much money as perhaps the partice have not in all the world to give them. All which considered with many more I desire you to consider of and that yet it be not a sufficient ground to you for the confirmation of our just separation yet know it is to us, and unless you can show us that Christ Jesus is not to be hearkened to, as well in these scriptures given for the establishment of the new testament as Moses was in the establishment of the old and under penalty of the same and greater judgments when was inflicted upon the breaches of the same, as Heb 2:15 & 3:1-9 & 10:21-31 & 12; Col 2:2 to the end do declare. And therefore we cannot, nay we dare not, but continue in these our practices and witness the truth of it even by suffering though others oppose it.

The Reply
As for your answer to this my third query, instead of showing what grounds you have from the word of GOD to be a member, much less a minister, of such congregations as yours are, instead of giving reasons from the word of GOD, in such material points and practices which might satisfy the consciences of men, you run out into extravagant exclamations against our churches and congregations, about the power of the civil magistrate, superstitious consecrations of tithes and offerings of the people, despising of prophesy and disobedient to commands, rejecting of the word of GOD concerning the purging of the wicked from the godly, which were they all true according to your relation, and furthers supposing them to be so, it were not a sufficient ground of leaving our church. Yet you need further grounds from the word of GOD for your positive separation and for making and erecting such churches as yours are, or joining to be a member of any such church. I do not deny but there may be some causes (as many learned divines show) wherein Christians may lawfully separate negatively and may go and join themselves, as the case may fall out to some other public reformed church, when as yet to erect and set up a new separated church is schism. And I do in the fear of GOD more particularly renew my former query. What scripture warrant or example have you as a private man to take upon you a public work (namely) one of the most public and solemn works, the building of a church of Christ? A work that in all the New Testament where

Christian churches are recorded was never taken in hand but by eminent ministers at least so that it is evident you are without all call and a mere intruder upon other mens offices. And to speak to you in your own words and phrases, which you use, you go not according to the pattern in the mount. And for the other branch of the query, what ground you have to be a minister of any such congregation, you did wisely to pass over that wholly in silence as being too hard for you to answer. And instead of that to full up your pages with other rabble in which you hope the reader might quite lose the scent of that question. But I will now renew that branch of the query, and instead of putting it by way of question to you, now I do positively declare to you that you are so far from having any warrant to be a minister of any such congregation as that you have not the least warrant to be a minister of any at all. But your taking upon you to be a minister to dispense the word and sacraments is a greater sin and disorder than ever any was in the constitution of the church of England since reformation. And for ignorant and illiterate men the lowest of the people such as yourself to take upon you to be a minister of GOD, a guide of souls, is such an intolerable usurpation and profanation of Gods name that without great repentance you will find one day to your cost that fulfilled of our Savior, the blind lead the blind and both fall into the ditch. Paul that great apostle speaking of the ministerial calling says, who is sufficient for these things? Now if such persons as you are may be ministers. Who is not sufficient for these things? The sin of Jeroboam cleaves to your tribe that you make priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi and whosoever will he consecrates himself and becomes a priest of your way? I wish you with fear and trembling to read (and GOD give you grace to consider) 1 Kings 2:31 and 1 Kings 13:33, 35 with Hosea 4:6 and Romans 10:15. Wherein you will find that instead of a warrant for yourself and such as you are to be ministers, your ministry will become sin unto you to cut you off and to destroy you from the face of the earth. God rejects you that you shall be no minister to him and that you should not preach. He never sending you for the most wise GOD never sends fools on his errand. But now those things, which you would charge our churches with as grounds to justify your separation, are not truth. For the first of your charges we answer that in the very times of the bishops by the orders of the church there were rules for purging the wicked from the godly and separating the precious from the vile, both in their rubrics and canons. As namely to keep away ignorant and scandalous persons from the sacrament of the Lords supper. And many godly ministers even in these days did in several congregations notwithstanding the illegal and tyrannical carriage of the prelates practice the same. But any ingenious man would marvel what bold face you had at the time of writing of that you call your remonstrance to charge upon us the rejecting of the word of God given by Christ for the purging of the wicked from the godly and our remaining obstinate to him. When as your conscience must tell you that hundreds of ministers at this very time do keep away ignorant and scandalous persons from the Lords supper and that the assembly of divines called by authority of Parliament for reformation of the church have long ago agreed on the separating the precious from the vile according to these scriptures, Matt 18 and 1 Cor 5. Yea, and you know that the godly ministers of England generally and the people are daily laboring for reformation in this way. As for your second extravagance, know you

slander the civil magistrate, which is no strange thing for you to do, it being one of the characters of Anabaptists to despise dominions and speak evil of dignities in saying they are so hasty to command all both rich and poor to subject to their worship whether their conscience be brought over to see whether it be a truth or not, or else they may not live among them or use an traffic with them. To this there needs no other confutation, but the suffering of you and your fellows to go on in your separated churches without subjection to their worships (as you phrase it.) And the civil magistrate may do well to take notice of your unthankfulness and unkind requital to belie them thus considering their great long-suffering and patience towards you. But know, when the civil magistrate shall be pleased by laws and ordinances to command all to submit to the true worship of GOD and the true government of the church and not suffer you and such like to go on in your schisms and heresies. They do no more than they may lawfully do, yea, than what is their duty to do. And this so far from being any lawful ground of forsaking our church that on the contrary, the not suppressing of sects and schisms by their power and authority were a more just ground of separation. For it is apparent by the example of the godly kings and magistrates as Asa, Josiah and others, that they look to it that the worship and house of GOD were reformed according to the word and commanded and caused all the people to stand to it, 2 Chron 34:31, 32. As for your third ground to justify your separating from us in that we quench the Spirit and despise prophecy. Know it is your ignorance in not understanding the scripture makes you say so for yourselves will be found to be the men that quench the Spirit and despise prophecy in despising the public ministry of the word. And you could not have quoted a place against yourselves more than that is for by the interpretation of learned men upon that scripture, 1 Thess 5:20 is meant the public ministry of the word as being the great ordinance of GOD against the quenching of the Spirit. And your sect of all others is known to be a despiser of the public ministry. And as for a fourth ground brought by you to name no more they being so frivolous, the maintenance of ministers by tithes. I wish you to consider of that scripture, 1 Cor 9:13, 14 where the apostle shows that they that minister about holy things live of the things of the temple. And they that wait upon the altar are partakers of the altar, which is meant of tithes. And the apostle speaking of the maintenance of the ministers under the gospel, says, even so has the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel. Now observe the apostles words, he does not say, the Lord has ordained, but even so the Lord has ordained (how so) but as he speaks in the 13th verse, namely, of tithes and offerings (as you call it.) If you say not by tithes and offerings, then it concerns you to make it appear either out of the old or New Testament wherever God has ordained that they that preach the gospel should have any other fixed maintenance but tithes. And it is certain by this place that God has somewhere in the word ordained their maintenance. And for conclusion to your answer to my third query, supposing that through want of discipline we had not, nor should not have a purging of the wicked from the godly, yet private persons to forsake our churches were not justifiable, neither the want of prophesying. Take it in your own sense, suppose it were a defect of something of an ordinance. Yet, it would not justify your separation and so I might say of all the rest. And were it not that I had been so large already I might

show you how that the suffering of evil persons in the church, yea, the neglect of somewhat commanded being an affirmative duty, could in no way warrant your becoming a member, much less a minister of any such separate congregation. And let me make it your own case whether your suffering of many of your members to live in disobedience as wives to their husbands, children to their parents, and servants to their masters lawful commands, and further living in backbiting, railing, and reviling, not of private persons only (as they have some of them to their shame been convicted of) but also of the high court of Parliament of England with our brethren of Scotland with the ministry of both kingdoms and all the reformed churches, which sins are as great as drunkenness and are put by the Holy Ghost in the catalogue of vilest sins, Rom 1:30, backbiters, disobedient to parents. And in the 1 Cor 5:11 the place brought by you for not coming to the Lords supper in our churches because of drunkards, does as expressly forbid to eat with railers, which you and your members are notorious enough for, and this by your rule were a sufficient ground for your members to forsake your churches and set up new in their rooms.

QUERY IV.
What warrant have you to admit into your separate congregations, silly seduced servants, children, or people? Kiffins answer: I see our separated congregations stick very hard upon your stomachs. Therefore, as I have labored to help you to digest our separation, so I hope I shall give you something from the word of truth that may remove your embittered spirit against our congregations. And first know this that infinite love, which has redeemed a people to God out of nations, tongues, and kindred, has also made them kings and priests unto God to reign with him in his spiritual kingdom here on earth, Rev 5:9, 10. And that all those, which are begotten by the immortal seed, 1 Peter 1:23, even those newborn babes that have tasted of the Lords bounty and come to that living and precious stone, the Lord Jesus, being themselves living stones are built up a spiritual house, being made a holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ, 1 Pet 2:1-11. And being quickened by Christ are raised with him to sit together in heavenly places, Eph 2:5, 6, being by one Spirit baptized into one body, 1 Cor 12:13, the old man being buried with him, Rom 6:4, and the new man put on, Gal 3:27, Col 3:10. Thus, having an entrance to the Father, the building being thus coupled together by the same spirit grows into a holy temple and so becomes an habitation to the Lord, Eph 2:18-22, which assembly we are not to forsake, Heb 10:25, but to exhort one another daily, Heb 3:12, 13 having received gifts by the same Spirit, we are to dispense them for edification, 1 Corinthians 12:47, 1 Peter 5:10, Romans 12:3-9 to these congregations has Christ promised his presence, Matt 28:19, 20 and 18:19, 20, Rev 7:13-15 and 21:2, 3 and 22:12. Now then that we can prove ourselves to be such congregations as are before spoken of or at least wise such as do sincerely and truly strive according to that light we have to be such then I hope you will be so far from despising such gatherings of the saints together as that you will not deny them to receive in

members and to dispense such gifts for the edifying one of another as the Lord has given us and this I shall labor to do in the answer to your next query. And whereas you demand what warrant we have to receive silly seduced servants, etc. We answer it is well known to you we receive in none as members with us but such as has been members of your church at the least 16, 20 or 30 years and that they be silly when they are received members among you. And it should seem they have received by your own words little edification in their so long membership with you, and therefore it does behoove them whom you say are so silly to look also where to be better instructed who have received so little benefit in so long time by your ministers lest they perish in their own ignorance and blindness and therefore herein you would do well to take our Saviors advice, Matt 7:3-5, we know it is no strange thing for those that desire to walk in the strait ways of the Lord to hear themselves despised and reproached with these and far greater aspersions, but however that such as are so esteemed of by you have a right to be received into the fellowship of the saints. These scriptures prove, which I pray you examine Pro 9:1-7; Isa 14:32 and 18:7, 1 Cor 1:26-28, Rom 14:1.

The Reply.
For your answer to this my fourth query instead of positive laying down your ground. What warrant have you to admit silly seduced servants or children or people into your congregations? Which question implies in it thus muchwhat ground you have to take away them that by the laws of GOD and nature are not in their own powers, but under the powers of others. In this you answer nothing but wholly waive it and run according to your former method into a tedious heterogeneral discourse of a people whom God out of his infinite love has redeemed to himself. And here you quote several places of scripture, all which are meant of the invisible church of Christ and belong not to the question of congregations. This is commonly your error and the error of all in your separated way to apply that to the visible church, which is spoken of an invisible church. And so it is nothing to the purpose. And whereas after this long and impertinent answer you gather from it that if we can prove ourselves to be such congregations as are before spoken of, which by the way of reply I tell you that you cannot prove your congregations to be such, they being invisible and so known only to GOD. The foundation of GOD stands sure having this seal, 2 Tim 2:19, for of such you speak of in your discourse. In the former part of your answer to this my fourth query, namely, a people out of infinite love redeemed and if you could prove yourselves to be such real saints and not hypocrites, yet I must tell you that the people of GOD have no warrant to leave the church to which they are or were joined, where there is a profession of the true faith, and the preaching of the word, so go join themselves to a company of people thought they should be true saints, because there goes more to the making of a visibly church, then that there be many saints gathered together. And besides there may be many such saints you speak of that have put off the old man and put on the new man, and are kings and priests to GOD, which yet may neither have office nor gifts of preaching, and so such Christians shall sin against GOD and their own souls many ways, as forsake visible churches to join with such saints only. And in this

sense I profess to despise such gathering of saints together, as to forsake a visible church, where there are word and sacraments, to go to join with them, they wanting public ordinances and the due managing of them by persons fitly qualified and orderly called according to the scriptures to that end and purpose.

QUERY V.
How can you vindicate by the word of GOD your Anabaptist way from the sinful guilt of notorious schism and defection from all the reformed churches? Kiffins Answer: They can run may read what fire this pen and heat was inflamed withal in the writing and inditing this query. But, first of all that by reformed churches you mean those churches planted by the apostles in the primitive time, which are the platform for all churches in all ages to look unto, to be guided by those apostolic rules left them. We then shall vindicate by the word of GOD our Anabaptist way (as you are pleased to call it) from that guilt. And first, although we confess ourselves ignorant of many things that we ought to know and desire to wait daily for the farther discoveries of light and truth from him that is the only giver of it to his poor people, yet so far as we have come we desire to walk by the same rule they did. And first of all, we baptize none into Christ Jesus, but such as profess faith in Christ Jesus, Rom 6:3, by which faith they are made Sons of God. And so having put on Christ are baptized into Christ, Gal 3:26, 27 and that Christ has commanded this and no other way of baptism, see Matt 28:19; Mark 1:4, 5; Luke 3:7, 8. And that this also was the practice of the apostles see Acts 2:41 & 8:12, 36, 37 & 10:47-49 and that being thus baptized upon profession of faith, they then are added to the church, Acts 2:41. And being added to the church, we conceive ourselves bound to watch over one another & in case of sin to deal faithfully one with another according to these Scriptures, Lev 19:17, 18 & Matt 18:15-17. And that they remain obstinate to cast them out as those that are not fit to live in the church according to the rule, 1 Cor 5:4, 5, Matt 18:19, 20. By all which and many other particulars I might name it appears that through mercy we can free ourselves from the guilt and truly if your eyes were turned to peruse your own practices and ways, you would then see we could better free ourselves from that guilt of schism from those reformed churches than you yourselves from the notorious guilt of schisming from Rome. For first you hold their baptism true, their ordination of ministers true, their maintenance by tithes and offerings true, their people all fit matter for a church and so true. And yet you will separate from them for some corruption! Now, for our parts, we deny all and every one of these among you to be true and therefore do separate from you. So then when you have made satisfaction for your notorious schism and return as dutiful sons to their Mother, or else have cast off all her filthy Rubies of her abominations, which are among you, we will return to you or show our best grounds to the contrary. Yet I would not be understood as to suppress that none of the people in your assemblies of England to be fit matter for a church of Christ in respect of the graces and qualifications of the Spirit, which we see to be in many. But I speak of all the multitude, which are forced in among you to be

members with you though they never manifest faith. So that by this, you may see the net you lay for others, you yourselves are caught in.

The Reply
For your answer to this my fifth query instead of giving of positive grounds for the vindication of your way from the sinful guilt of notorious schism and defection from all the reformed churches, you still according to your old wont relate your own practice and course you use in your churches. And instead of freeing yourselves from schism, you put us to free ourselves from the guilt of schism from Rome. Now, the reader may easily observe instead of answer you make diversions and run into other matters, but something for the first of these two. The relation of your practice in your way the question will be supposing the matter of your way were justifiable as to baptize none, but such as profess faith in their own persons. Yet still the question will be by what warrant or authority you do all this. Who gave you authority, being such a private person, to make churches and ministers, to preach the word and administer the sacraments and exercise power of censures? My question was not to you whether it were lawful to baptize children or not, or whether Christians are bound to watch over one another, or whether such as remain obstinate are to be cast out, and not fit to live in the church. Suppose some private persons in this city should take upon them the acts of the Lord Mayor and Alderman (Editors note: Ironic that Mr. Kiffin was later an Alderman of London.) and should do the things, which for the matter are just and lawful whether would this justify their leaving of their callings and places wherein they were set and taking upon them to exercise that power? Talk whether by the law of the land they were blameless? And now I leave you to make the application. As for your discourse, you run into about baptizing of such as profess faith in Christ Jesus. The places brought by you do prove such were baptized as professed faith in their own persons, yet they do not prove nor assert that none else were baptized. The reason is evident why in your scriptures quoted many that professed the faith were baptized because they were the first in their families that believed in Jesus Christ and were not the children of believers. And besides, they being grown to years and come to a knowledge and belief in Christ, it is not strange that they desired to be partakers of that ordinance of Christ. And in some of your scriptures quoted, Matt 28:19 there is a ground of baptizing of infants as well as grown men. And were it worth the while to speak more at large in answer of such a weak pamphlet, I might out of the Act 2:39 and 2 Cor 11:12 lay down that for baptism of children, which I am confident all the teachers of your seven churches (before whom you are first ranked as metropolitan) could never answer. But I have spoken sufficiently already in my reply to your discourse upon my first query and my other occasions cause me to contract myself. And as for your turning the guilt of your schism from all the reformed churches by your bidding us free ourselves from the guilt of schism from Rome, in this you betray either your great ignorance or impudent malice in it. For we have all the just grounds laid down in the word of GOD for a separation from the church of Rome as gross idolatry, damnable heresy, intolerable tyranny, the discovery of antichrist sitting in it, and so have clear scriptures in all those cases,

besides the example of all the reformed churches that have left Rome when as they found she would not be healed. But now we deny you and all the sects in England in this reformation begun and further doing to show either idolatry in the worship of God or heresy in the doctrine or any other crimes aforementioned. And for any circumstantial corruptions, which may be, we are willing to hear of them and are in a way of reforming of them, which while we are a laboring after, you and your faction are most busy to make separation and division and go about compassing the earth to seduce proselytes and draw away members from our churches. And in respect of some small failing in matter of discipline and external order, you draw them into churches guilty of heresy and schism and in point of discipline full of anarchy and confusion. And it will prove a hard task for you judiciously to remonstrate that either your church or any such separate church as yours is have the necessary essentials and substantials required to the constitution of a true visible church in them. And therefore I think without any wrong we may count yours no true visible churches of Christ at all, but mere carnal conventicles set up only of men and not of God, which you magnify as the only churches on earth. And to conclude, let me warn all those who in simplicity of heart follow you as many of the people did Absalom, to separate from your assemblies because of the heresies and false doctrines that are held in all the conventicles of the Anabaptists.

QUERY VI.
Whether you and such like pretended teachers as you are be not the persons characterized and condemned in these in such like scriptures following. Matt 7:15; Acts 20:29, 30; Rom 16:17, 18; 2 Tim 3:6-9; 2 Pet 2:1-3, 17-19; Jude 4, 8, 10, 12, 13, 16. Kiffins Answer: Although (as far as I am acquainted with my own heart) neither I, nor such as I am, thirst after revenge. Yet we could desire that the Lord would be pleased to manifest the innocence of our spirits and uprightness of our intentions in all such our actions against such false suppositions, or rather calumny cast upon us. I shall only quote one of those texts and comment a little upon it. Matt 7:15, 16, the words are these, Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheeps clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. You shall know them by their fruit. Christ Jesus himself makes the best description how those false prophets may be known, which is by the observation of the fruit. Christ in these words compares implicitly a true prophet to a sheep. Now it is the nature of sheep to be harmless, silent, and to feed in the commons where the shortest pasture usually is. So is it the property of a true prophet of Christ to be harmless in his conversation, silent under all his sufferings that he meets withal from unreasonable men and to be contented with the meanest enjoyments of this world. So he may honor Jesus Christ in his condition, no way warring after great matters in compelling men by a law to feed in the fattest pasture in the land. And as the apostle Paul says in 2 Cor 10:3, though we are in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh. But a wolf, even in sheeps clothing, to which false prophets are compared, even while they are thus clad, may be known by their fruit, which will appear in these

two things. First, by their ravenous disposition and secondly, by their often snarling with their teeth. So you shall find false prophets in sheeps clothing. They are always ravening after honors and therefore like dogs creep into kings houses that they may be looked upon as followers with the best of the kings household servants, and ravening after riches to feed in the fairest pastures of a kingdom, crying, Give give. And therefore run from living to living where they may have the greatest enjoyments of the world. And secondly, they will be always snarling with their teeth. That is, ready to devour and persecute all that shall in a way that is more holy than their own, derogate from their honors and names and fat enjoyments in the world. I cease to apply this, but desire the Lord to give you discerning eyes to see between light and darkness. Thus at present have I given you a brief answer to you queries, leaving them to they trial of truth and you in the perusal of them to the direction of him that leads into all truth, ever resting, Yours, so far as he shall know his duty, William Kiffen.

The Reply
For your answer to this my sixth query, you labor and endeavor to put off from yourself and the rest of your teachers those characters expressed in those scriptures quoted by passing by all save one and insisting a little upon that by a gloss of your own. And the truth is, all the other scriptures do so fully decipher you that the very reading of them without any comment at all shows you to be one of those men meant in those scriptures. And if the reader will take the pains to turn to them, he will confess as much. I will but point at two or three of them, Acts 20:30, Romans 16:17, 18 and 2 Peter 2:1-3, 17-19. For how evident is it that you make it your own belly when you could not live on your own trade contentedly, but you must take this course to serve your belly? And for your own description of true prophets from false, which you say Christ compared true prophets to sheep and that it is the nature of sheep to feed in the shortest commons. It is evident that you and your faction are not silent under your sufferings, nor contented with the meanest employments and shortest commons of this world, but seek to get the best you can and are capable of, and that you are not silent under your sufferings witness your master whom you served, John Lilborne, whose railings and revilings against the high court of Parliament and the Assembly and those two pious and worthy gentlemen Master Prin and Doctor Bastwicke. And for further conviction of you that you are like false prophets according to your own description in ravening after honor and riches. Call to mind the examples of your predecessors recorded so much in many histories as of John of Leyden, Muenster &c. and though some of you now pretend that you will suffer and that you are contented with a mean condition (just as the fox loves not grapes, but it is only then when he cannot reach them) but there is already so much discovered of your faction in this kingdom that if they could get any power in their hands, it is evident they would be ravening wolves after the lives and estates of those that are not of their way, even as they now raven after the seducing of souls. Thus I have done with your replies to my six queries wherein I have been the larger that I might give you and your misled disciples the more full satisfaction with

all the rest of your poor misled Anabaptists in England. And in so doing it is for truth and not for victory. And I pray GOD both you and they may more seek peace and love truth than erroneous cruelty. I shall advise all of you to study conscience more than controversies that are above your reach (he that hews above his head makes the chips fall into his own eyes) and more to busy yourselves at home than abroad in faulting your own souls rather than the church of Christ in studying a true constitution of grace in your own hearts rather than in quarrelling at the constitution of our visible churches. So shall you do less harm to others, more good to yourselves.

And now to sure up all, though you have given no satisfaction at all to any one of my six queries propounded, as I have made it to appear to any capable and impartial judgment. Yet that I may bring you to some conviction of your error and apprehension of the truth, I desire you to bestow your most serious and composed thoughts upon these further queries ensuing and to give me, if you are able, a brief pertinent rational resolution to the same without vagaries, invectives, and improper circumlocutions, such as may become a man that has the use of reason, the fear of God, and familiar acquaintance with the holy scriptures.

Query I
Upon what scripture ground can you satisfy your conscience that you did not greatly sin against Christ, the church, and your own soul in leaping from your private secular vocation into a public ecclesiastical office.

Query II
By what authority do you take the honor to yourself to become pastor of a church without proportional qualifications for that office and regular vocation to that function seeing none may take such honor to himself except he be called, as was Aaron, nor did Jesus Christ glorify himself to be made a High Priest without unction from the Father? Hebrews 5:4-6.

Query III
How can you choose but broach errors, deceive souls, pervert the scriptures, belie the Spirit of GOD, and build abundance of hay, stubble, and such like trash upon GODs foundation while you presume to expound the scriptures to others, yourself wanting the necessary helps of the original tongues wherein the scripture was written and of the liberal arts requisite for the interpreting of every line in scripture, without which you unholy preach and your followers believe by an implicit faith.