Cfiap. IV. 7be HIS T 0 R Y of tbe Pu RITAN S ~ II I ti{l:s could derive their pedirrree in an uninterrupted line from the apofiles, K. C~arles I. the firl1 reviver of this ufag~ mufl: have been unbaptized, and confeqnently, ~ not capable of commu nicating the ordinance to others. Upon Mr. Blunt's return, he baptized Mr. Blacklock a teacher, and Mr. Blacklock cJ.ipped the reO: of the fociety, to the number of fifty-three, in this prefen t year 1644. "Prefuming upon the patience of the fiate (fays Dr. Fecrtly) they " have rebaptized one hundred men and women together, in the twilight, " in rivulets, and fame arms of the 'Thames, and elfewhere, dipping " them over head and ears. They have printed divers pamphlets in de- " fence of their herefy (fays the fame author) and challenged fome of " ou r preachers to a difputation." Nay fo wonderfully did this opinion prevail, that there were no lefs than forty-feven congregations in the country, and feven in London at this time, who publifhed a con feffio n of their faith, figned in the name of their cor.greg.aions, by William Kif- }ilz, 'Thomas Patience, George 'Tipping, John Spiljbury, 'Thomas Sheppard, 'Ihomas Munden, 'Thomas Gun, John Mahbett, 'John Webb, 'Thomas Kif– cop, Paul Hobfon, 'Thomas Gore, John Pf.,i!ips, and Edward Heath. In the year I 646. it was reprinted, with the additional names of Demzis le Barbier and Chrijlopher Durel!, miniO:ers of the frmch congregation in London, of the fame judgement. Their confeilion confified of fifty-two articles, and is firiCtly calviiZij- 'Iheil· con(ef- . f · h d .n · I d d' h · d d d. r · !' flan if fall b. tzca 111 t e o~..,,nna part, an accor mg to t e 111 epen ent JJClp me; it confines the fubjcd of baptifm to grown chrifiians, and the mode to immerfi.on; it admits of gifted lay-preachers, and acknowledges a due fubjeCtiQt1 to the civil magifirate in all things lawful; and concludes thus, " We deflre to live quietly and peaceably, as becomes faints, endeavour- " ing in all thin gs to keep a good confcience, and to do to every man " (of what judgment foever) as we would they fhould do to us; that " as our practice is, fo it may prove us to be a confcionable, quiet, and " harmlefs people (no way dangerous or troublefome to human fociety) " and to labour to work with our hands, that we may not be chargeable '' to any, but to give to him that needeth, both friend and enemy, ac- ,, counting it more excelient to give than to receive. Alfo we confefs, " that we know but in part, to fhew us from the word of God, that " which we fee not, we fhall have caufe to be thankful to God and them. " But if any man !hall impofe upon us any thing that we fee not to be " commanded by our Lord Jefus CbriO:, we fhould, in his ftrength, ra- " ther embrace all reproaches, and tortures of men ; to be O:ripped of all " our outward comforts, and if it were poilible, to die a thoufand " deaths, rather than do any thing again£1: the truth of God, or againfi: " the light of our own confciences. And if any !hall call what we '' have faid herefy, then do we with the apofile acknowledge, that " after
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=