After the arrest of Baptists John Clarke (1609-1676),
Obadiah Holmes (1610-1682), and John Crandall (1618-1676), for holding an unauthorized
religious service in Massachusetts, Governor Endicott replied that they deserved
death! He instead ultimately challenged them to a discussion with their
ministers, which John Clarke accepted. According to Henry Sweetser Burrage (A History of the Baptists in New England, American Baptist Publication Society, 1894, pp. 35-36), Clarke proposed four points of discussion – of which
Burrage gives excerpts. I followed this back and found the complete information
in Clarke’s Ill News from New England.
The Testimony of Iohn Clarke a prisoner
of Iesus Christ at Boston, in the behalf of my Lord, and of
his people, is as followeth.
1. I Testifie that Iesus of Nazareth, whom God hath
raised from the dead, is made both Lord and Christ; this Iesus I
say is the Christ, in English, the Anointed One, hath a name
above every name; He is the Anointed Priest, none to, or with him in
point of attonement; The Anointed Prophet, none to him in point of
instruction; The Anointed King, who is gone unto his Father for his glorious
Kingdom, and shall ere long return again; and that this Iesus Christ is also The
Lord, none to, or with him by way of Commanding and ordering (with respect
to the worship of God) the household of Faith, which being purchased with his
Blood as Priest, instructed, and nourished by his Spirit as Prophet,
do wait in his appointment as he is the Lord, in hope of that glorious
Kingdom which shall ere long appear.
2. I Testifie that Baptism, or dipping in Water, is one of
the Commandements of this Lord Iesus Christ, and that a visible beleever, or
Disciple of Christ Iesus (that is, one that manifesteth repentance towards God,
and Faith in Iesus Christ) is the only person that is to be Baptized, or dipped
with that visible Baptism, or dipping of Iesus Christ in Water, and also that
visible person that is to walk in that visible order of his House, and so to
wait for his coming the second time in the form of a Lord, and King
with his glorious Kingdom according to promise, and for his sending down (in
the time of his absence) the holy Ghost, or holy Spirit of Promise, and all
this according the last Will and Testament of that living Lord, whose Will is
not to be added to, or taken from.
3. I Testifie or Witness, that every such believer in Christ
Iesus, that waiteth for his appearing, may in point of liberty, yea ought in
point of duty to improve that Talent his Lord hath given unto him, and in the
Congregation may either aske for information to himself; or if he can, may
speak by way of Prophecie for the edification, exhortation, and comfort of the
whole, and out of the Congregation at all times upon all occasions, and in all
places, as far as the jurisdiction of his Lord extends, may, yea ought to walk
as a Child of light, justifying wisdom with his ways, and reproving folly with
the unfruitfull works thereof, provided all this be shown out of a good
conversation, as Iames speaks with meekness of wisdom.
4. I Testifie that no such believer, or Servant of Christ
Jesus hath any liberty, much less Authority, from his Lord, to smite his fellow
servant, nor yet with outward force, or arme of flesh, to constrain, or
restrain his Conscience, no nor yet his outward man for Conscience sake, or
worship of his God, where injury is not offered to the person, name or estate
of others, every man being such as shall appear before the judgment seat of
Christ, and must give an account of himself to God, and therefore ought to be
fully perswaded in his own mind, for what he undertakes, because he that
doubteth is damned if he eat, and so also if he act, because he doth not eat or
act in Faith, and what is not of Faith is Sin.
Ill Newes from New-England, or, A narative of New-Englands persecution wherin is declared that while old England is becoming new, New-England is become old, by John Clark, London: Printed by Henry Hills, 1652, pages 9-10.
No comments:
Post a Comment