his Proselytes know tutissimum esse that it is the safest course as Saint e Lib. 2. de doct Christian c. 8. Augustine saith to receiue onely for Canonicall Scripture such bookes as all Catholike Churches receiue And indeede it concernes authority to take this to heart for if it were at euery priuate mans choice what bookes he would receiue to bee Canonicall what would become of the true Christian Faith or what swarmes of errors and corruption of faith would not immediately inuade the Church as wee see in Popery whilst they haue receiued pretended Apostolicall Traditions intruded into the Canon diuers Apocryphall bookes and entertained the n Bellar. lib. 3. de eccles c. 14. sentences of the Pope and the Court of Rome as inertant truth and haue o Trident concil 1. decret Sess 4. equalized traditions to the Canonicall Scripture what is become of the Orthodoxe faith amongst them It is either farre to seeke or else miserably corrupted And the Reasons to proue the bookes of Esdras not to be Canonicall Scripture against this Sectary are these following First because they were written at the first not in Hebrew as the bookes of the Old Testament were but in Latine and c In prolog Galeat ad Paulinum Saint Hierome is very confident in this that whatsoeuer Books of the old Testament were not written in Hebrew c Vide etiam praesat in lib. regum Tom. 3. they are not canonicall Secondly because the Church in former times hath not receiued them for canonicall receiuing onely the 22 books of the Old Testament as they were antiently diuided and what these 22 bookes were may bee gathered out of c Lib. 3. eccles hist cap. 10. Eusebius and g Lib. 1. contra Appion gramat Iosephus but especially out of Hierom who doth more cleerely reiect the Apocryphall bookes in the forenamed place then some other of the Fathers doe I will not insist vpon further testimonies out of n Lib. de mensur pâ—nd Epiphanius out of o In Synopsi Athanasius out of p Catech. 4. Cyrill Bishop of Hierusalem out of q Lib 4 Orthod fid c. 18. Damascene and others because I hasten to a conclusion I know we are not any further bound to agree to former Churches in iudgement then so farre as they agreed to the truth especially in matters of Faith but yet to depart from the ancient Churches in that wherein they are sound and Orthodoxe is horrible presumption and be wrayeth very much pride Thirdly a learned man of our Church saith of all other Apocryphall bookes the bookes of Esdras are worthy of the least credit being stuffed full of vaine fables r Dr Willet in his Synopsis fitter to feede curious eares then tending to edification Fourthly those bookes are not to bee esteemed Canonicall in the which there be errors but in the bookes of Esdras there be errors Ergo. That there be errors in the third Books of Esdras I referre the learned to the annotacions of Iunius vpon it and that there be errors in the fourth Booke I might easily proue by instance For first in the fourth Chapter the Author saith that soules are kept in the wombe of the earth In the sixth Chapter there is a tayle of two great fishes Henoch and Leuiathan which no waters could hold In the fourteenth Chapter hee reporteth that the Bookes of Scripture being lost in the Captiuity were restored by him and how hee had drunke of a cup of water as fier in colour giuen by an Angell and so spake 40 daies together and ceased not in the which space fiue Scribes wrote from his mouth 204 Bookes these and such like tales that Booke is full of as our Learned Country man speaketh whom I quoated before I doe not denie but in these bookes of Esdras there may be many truths especially the three last Chapters of the third booke which are almost a meere transcript out of the canonicall Esra and Nehemiah but yet I must say of them as Saint c Lib. 15. de ciuit c. 23. Augustine saith of them and of all the rest of the Apocrypha in his autem Apocryphis etsi inuenitur aliqua veritas tameÌ„ propter multa falsa nulla est canonica authoritas in these Apocryphall bookes although there be found some truth yet in respect of many false things found in them they haue no canonicall authority And thus I haue done with the second thing propounded namely the Consutation An exhortation to Christian people remaining sound in the Faith HAuing dispatched the two former branches concerning Discouery and Confutation come wee now to the third which concernes matter of Exhortation and to beginne with Exhortation to the Christian brethren which still by the mercy of God remaine sound in the Faith Good people you haue heard in all the foregoing discourse of false teachers and also how many such at these dayes remaine amongst vs seducing many in their priuate conuenticles giue me leaue in the next place by way of introduction to shew you the reasons wherefore the Lord suffereth such in his Church and then to propound some preseruatiues against seduction which may serue for matter of Exhortation For the first of these The Lord suffereth Seducers in his Church with long patience and doth not presently roote them out for diuers reasons First that the goodnesse of truth might the more appeare who could know the benefit of light vnlesse sometimes we were sensible of the darkenesse of the night as c Quis sciret bonam esse lucem nisi noctis tenebras sentiremus hom 9. in c. 16. 17. numer Saint Origen saith euen so who canne know the benefit of health but by the smart of sicknesse or the benefit of liberty but by restraint or imprisonment Secondly that the word might bee the more deepely sought into The mystery of the Trinity had neuer beene so exactly handled by many of the Fathers in c De Triait whole Tractates had not diuers damnable Heretickes sprung vp to oppose the same wherein the Lord shewed his singular wisedome as hee did also in the first Creation bringing light out of darknesse truth out of error good out of euill contraries out of contraries Thirdly to trie the Gouernors of the Church whether like vnto the Church of Pergamus Magistratus indicat virum they will tolerate such as hold the doctrine of Balaam Reu. 2. 12. or with the Church of Thyatyra suffer the woman Iesabel that calleth her selfe a prophetesse to teach and to seduce Gods seruants Reu. 2. 20. Fourthly he doth it for the punishment of such as haue itching eares and vnconstant mindes which are neuer satisfied with any true teachers especiall in publique but haue a lusting after the onyons and garlike of priuate errors preferring any thing done in a priuate Conuenticle though it be neuer so vnwholesome before that which is done in the publike Congregation Nolunt doctores probos
prose n Lib. 11. nat hist c. 38. Plinie saith of the Wolues called Ceruarij that they are vnsatiable they can neuer be sufficed or haue enough m Lib. 1. de quadrup Conradus Gesner saith of the Wolfe called Circus that hee is semper famelicus alwaies hungrie And Aristotle declaring the opinion of all men concerning the Woolfe hath this report 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristot lib. 8. de histor animal c. 5. They say of Wolues that for hunger some times they will eate the very earth yea the Woolfe beares rauenousnesse in the very forehead of his etymologie for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commonly vsed for a Woolfe either comes of the Greeke Theame 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies dilanio to teare in peeces or of the Hebrew root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth absorbeo to swallow downe both importing greedinesse And hereticall seducers are like vnto Wolues in this respect being commonly such as hunger after worldly gaine according to that in Rom. 16. 18. they that are such serue not our Lord Iesus Christ but their owne bellies And such also as thirst after the bloud of soules compassing Sea and Land to make a Proselyte Mat. 23. 15. Which may serue to teach vs First that the desire of winning of soules is not alwayes the marke of a true Minister a false Prophet may hunger and thirst to winne soules to his owne faction but a sincere desire to gaine soules to Christ and to his truth this is a badge of a true Shepheard Secondly this may serue to forewarne Gods children to looke to themselues the more carefully and to commit themselues the more feruently by prayer daily to Gods speciall protection considering their destruction is so greeded after by many rauenous seducers Thirdly it must teach vs that still remaine in the truth vnstrangled by the rauenous Welues of the time to blesse God for it and to say of our spirituall deliuerance as the Church saith of her corporall in Psalme 124. if it had not beene the Lord who was on our side now may Israel say if it had not beene the Lord who was on our side when men rose vp against vs then they had swallowed vs vp quicke but blessed be the Lord who hath not giuen vs as a prey to their teeth Thus much for the intent of the Text or of the Text in generall The Extent followeth The occasion of all which followeth THis which followeth was added because an order of submission or recantation was enioyned by the most reuerend Father in God the Lord Archbishop of Canterburie his grace and other his Maiesties Commissioners Ecclesiasticall vnto one Iohn Hetherington late of the Citie of Westminster and now of Putney in the Countie of Surrie to be performed by him the same day this Sermon was preached at Pauls Crosse being the eleanenth day of February Anno 1627. when it was ordered that the said Hetherington vpon Sonday the 11. day of February should before the beginning of the Sermon at Pauls Crosse come within the wall there iust before the Pulpit and there stand before the Preacher bare-faced and bare-headed in some eminent place where hee might be best seene and heard of the Congregation assembled during the whole time of the Sermon hauing a paper on his breast expressing his offence in these words for scandalizing the whole Church of England in saying it is no true Church of Christ and publishing other erronious opinions proceeding from that ill ground for the which cause he was enioyned this acknowledgement Whereas I Iohn Hetherington stand by the depositions of sundry witnesses iudicially conuicted before the Kings Maiesties Commissioners appointed for Causes Ecclesiasticall for that since the 20. of December 1623. I haue maintained and published that the Church of England as it is now by the Law established is no true Church of Christ and that it teacheth false Doctrine that the Sabbath day or Sunday which we commonly call the Lords day since the Apostles time was of no force and that euery day is a Sabbath as much as that which we call the Sabbath day the Lords day or Sunday that the Bookes of Esdras are and ought to be esteemed part of the Canonicall Scripture as also to haue vsed reproachfull words to and of the Ministers of the Church of England and of their calling And further whereas it standeth proued against me that being by trade a Boxmaker about fiue or six yeeres since I gaue ouer my said trade and frequented priuate Conuenticles by the Lawes of this Realme prohibited taking vpon me within the time articulated to be the chiefe Speaker and to instruct others not being of mine owne familie in points of Doctrine and matters of faith giuing expositions contrary to the receiued opinions of this our Church of England and in defence of such Conuenticles haue said or writ that Caesar may command a place in publike so as he forbid none in priuate As also that i haue bin of opinion with the Familists touching the perfect puritie of the foule with some other erronious opinions mentioned in the proofes For the which I haue bin imprisoned by the order of his Maiesties Commissioners Ecclesiasticall and haue beene enioyned to make this my publike Recantation or submission here this day I doe therefore before you all here present from my heart renounce abiure and disclaime all the said opinions as erronious and schismaticall and doe promise from henceforth not to entermeddle in the keeping or frequenting of any priuate Conuenticles or exercises of Religion by the Lawes of this Realme prohibited but to conforme my selfe in all things to the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England as a member of that Church without disturbing the peace and vnitie thereof and doe blesse and praise God that as a member of the said Church I may freely ioyne with the Parochiall Congregations where I shall reside in the hearing of Diuine Seruice said Gods word Preached and in the participation of the holy and blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper rightly and duly administred and in all other religious duties For the due performance whereof I doe here giue my faithfull promise and that I may so doe I desire you all here present to ioyne with me in saying the Lords prayer Our Father which art in heauen c. The Seuerall kinds of Mysticall Wolues breeding in ENGLAND * ⎠* YOu haue heard in the generall handling of the Text Segnius irritant animes demissa per aurem quam quae sunt oculis commissa fidelibus of disguised and palliated Wolues but because as a c Horat de art Poet. Poet saith truely things heard with the eare oftentimes leaue lesse impression behinde them then things seene with the eye Therefore I will now endeuour in the more particular Application of that which hath beene spoken to shew you or to present before your eyes such a very Woolfe as our Sauiour speakes of in my
first Discouery of Iohn Hetherington which is by the oathes is honest Witnesses This man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being metamorphosed or changed from a man to a Woolfe as c Lib. 8. de repub Plato speakes of a Tyrant was discouered to the forenamed Honourable Court and testified against vpon the oathes not of Knights of the Post but of many honest conscionable men against whose persons or sayings Hetherington himselfe the party defendant did propound no manner of exceptions notwithstanding hee had sufficient time allowed him by the Court nor euer so much as offered to except against them in any Legall course by the testimonies of these vntainted Witnesses which were not a few and whereof two were Ministers of good note it appeared and was proued First that the said Hetherington hauing beene by trade a Boxe-maker cast off his trade and betooke himselfe to be an interpreter of the Scripture to many persons not of his owne Family keeping priuate Conuenticles by the Lawes of this Realme prohibited in the which Conuenticles hee tooke vpon him to bee the chiefe speaker and instructor in points of doctrine and matters of Faith giuing many interpretations contrary to the receiued Tenets taught and held in the Church of England Secondly that he hath maintained and published that the Church of England is no true Church of Christ that it teacheth false doctrine hauing vsed also many reproachfull speeches to and of the Reuerend Ministers of our Church whereby hee hath withdrawne many from the Church of England to his owne Faction Thirdly that he is a man disaffected to the gouernement and discipline of the Church of England now by law established and agreeth in opinion with the Sect of the Familists and other Sectaries holding with the Familists the perfect purity of the soule Fourthly that since the twentieth of December 1623. hee hath maintained and published that the Sabbath since the Apostles time was of no force and that euery day is a Sabbath as much as that which we call the Lords day or Sonday Fifthly that he holdeth and maintaineth that the books of Esdras are part of the Canonicall Scripture and that they ought so to be esteemed For the which his erroneous opinions and Schismaticall carriage tending to the disturbance of the peace of the Church and to the seducing of many sillie soules the Court adiudged him to be a dangerous Sectary and one that was well worthy to bee restrained and punished and amongst the rest of the punishments laid vpon him this was one that hee should publikely recant his errors at Pauls Crosse wherein the sentence of that Honourable Court is like to the censure of the Church vpon Schismatickes in the daies of Athanasius in the which time as appeares by c Epist Athanas ad Antioch one of his Epistles if any did fall or reuolt from the Church to Arianisme and afterwards repenting himselfe of his reuolt desired to be reconciled to the Church againe amongst the rest of his punishments enioyned him by the Church for his Apostacle this was one that hee should publikely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 renounce or make a Recantation of his Arian heresie For this worthy Sentence all Gods seruants in this City haue great cause to glorifie God yea I hope also his Maiesty will take speciall notice of it for the encouragement of his worthy Commissioners in wel-doing The second Discouerie of Iohn Hetherington which is by his Bookes Come we now to the second Discouerie Hetheringtons Bookes put amongst the Discoueries because they are vnworthy of confutation which is by his Bookes The said Hetherington and his Factious company haue certaine Bookes wherewith they doe vsually seduce and withdraw men and women from the Church of England and these seducing Bookes are of two sorts either such as were made by Hetherington himselfe for it is true which Horace saith scribimus indocti doctique poemata passim Hodiè quidam omnium bonarū literarum prorsus rudes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pauculis sophismatibus vt malè deguflata Aristoletis philosophia freti pedibus ac manibus illotis irruant in theolagia professionem Erasmus de vita Hieronymi ignorant idiots in our daies will bee writing Bookes as well as the Learned or such as were made by his predecessor T. L. who was as it seemes the ringleader of this factious company before Hetherington for let vs take notice of this for certainety that when any Sectmaster dies or leaueth a place either amongst Anabaptists or Familists another ordinarily succeeds him in the ministration to vphold the faction The first Booke written by Hetherington himselfe is that against one Smith an Anabaptist wherein vnder a colour of writing against Anabaptists he broacheth but very cunningly his owne familisticall errors In this Booke against Smith printed in the yeere 1610. he cunningly coucheth many dangerous errors to name but some of them for breuity sake At page 1. he acknowledgeth no other Church but that which consists of liuing stones meaning by his Church of liuing stones his owne factious Company as all Schismatickes vnderstand none but themselues whensoeuer they speake of the true Church of Christ Secondly vnto this fansied Church he appropriateth the power of the keyes page 2. 65. falsly interpreting that in Mat. 18. 17. tell the Church that is saith he at page 74. tell it to those little ones borne of God whereas it is meant that we should tell the Gouernours of the Church which are in place and authority wether they bee regenerate or vnregenerate Thirdly at page 7. 8. he arrogateth to his Church the knowledge of infallibility in iudging concerning the members of the same Fourthly at page 81. 82. hee saith that Caesar may command a place in publike so he doe forbid none in priuate wherein hee speaketh cunningly for the liberty of Conuenticles as I thinke any which know him will easily discerne Fifthly at page 86. he saith the Pope hath his power from God and that he must be obeyed wherein hee discouereth his notorious Hypocrisie as being ready if occasion were offered to submit outwardly to Antichrist himselfe Sixthly at page 88. 89. c For mine owne part I will not be peremptory in the interpreting of his meaning but let wise men reade the words and giue sentēce hee seemes cunningly to teach his Proselytes not to scruple at outward circumcision if occasion be offered nor at sitting in the Idols Temple hee would say possibly if hee durst at going to the Masse abusing that in 2 Kings 5. 19. where the Prophet bids Naaman the Syrian goe in peace as though hee had bid him goe in peace to the house of Rimmon whereby it may appeare what this man and his Proselytes would doe if Circumcision were vrged vpon them by the Turke or going to the Masse by the Pope and indeed some of his Proselytes haue beene obserued to say that if hee were at Rome hee would ioyne with them there assoone as with
vs heere many other pernitious errors are couched in this Booke against Smith by cunning intimations which none shall ordinarily vnderstand though they reade the Booke but onely his seduced Proselytes which are secretly acquainted with his mystery it is obserued by c In prompt con 2. c. 8. dux peripateticorum se ea lege sua naturalia instituta tradidisse dixit vt nemo intelligeret nisi ipso qui tradidit inter pretante Franciscus Venetus a very learned Writer concerning Aristotle that he wrote his naturall Philosophy with that art that none should vnderstand the precepts thereof saue onely they which were his Schollers and vnto whom hee himselfe would vouchsafe to interpret them Iohn Hetherington is like Aristotle in this respect not for learning but for cunning none shall fully vnderstand all his errors but such idiots as are his Proselytes The second Booke written by Hetherington as he himselfe saith is that which was set forth in the name of one Edmund Iesop called the discouery of the errors of the Anabaptists Wherein by the way Iesop deserues no small rebuke for whereas at that time he made a shew of turning from the Anabaptists to the Church of England hee turned not to vs but to Hetheringtons faction and conspired with him about the making of this erroneous Booke howbeit by his hypocriticall seeming to turne he reaped no small gaine to himselfe as it is well knowne But to let him passe and to come to the errors of the Booke In this Booke at page 3. he confoundeth Reprobation and Damnation making the foresight of mans folly and wickednesse to be the cause why God preordaines any to condemnation Secondly at page 18. hee affirmeth that the Gospell hath bin declared to the Gentiles in former times and is declared at this present in diuers parts of the world onely by the workes of creation wherein he teacheth cunningly that pernicious point c Nota est Historia expresly maintained by him and his followers in their priuate Conuenticles viz. that a man may be saued without Christ reuealed in the word by the meere contemplation of the creatures abusing that in Rom. 10. 18. which speakes of such a preaching by the creatures which leaues men without excuse not which is sufficient to saluation Thirdly at Page 48. hee cunningly coucheth a point which is maintained by him and his factious company to wit that the soule of man comes ex traduce that is that it is traduced from Adam as well as the body and that it is not immediately infused of God into this or that particular body Fourthly at Page 61 he speaketh dishonorably of Baptisme for hee saith What can men haue lesse then Baptisme which can giue to no man more then an outward name of a Christian as Circumcision did the outward name of a Iew it doth neither conferre nor confirme grace to the heart of any no more then Circumcision did And in his former Booke at pag. 13. hee speaketh contemptuously of Baptisme tearming it elementish baptisme And indeede it is apparant to them which know and are acquainted with his opinions that hee holds no other Baptisme to be of any vertue but that which he cals the Baptizing in a thousand teares in his former Booke at page 14. allegorizing the Sacrament as the rest of the familists doe And herein appeares the hypocrisie of this faction they will submit to vse our Sacraments and to come to our Churches and yet haue them in plaine contempt Fiftly whereas at page 89. he condemnes the Familists of H. N. his order as the most blasphemous and erroneous Sect this day in the world I answer all this he may doe and yet remaine a notorious Familist himselfe of another order for as it is amongst the Anabaptists so it is also amongst the Familists there be diuers orders of them and they doe mutually hate and oppose one another The Familists of the Castalion order despise them of Caps his order accounting them simple men and they of Caps his order fauour not them of Hetheringtons order and they of Hertheringtons order gnash their teeth against all but their owne faction Sixty at pag. 101. he deliuers a strange paradox viz. that Sathan himselfe with all his Angels and spirits of wickednesse by force of their torments shall be compelled with all powers people and kings whatsoeuer to confesse bow before Christ to serue and obey him to praise and magnifie him his Iustice and Mercy for euer abusing that place in Philip. 2. 10 11. which proues not that euer hell shall be made a Chappell to praise God in Thus foolish and ignorant men will take vpon them to be teachers of Diuinitie being vnseene in the very grounds thereof much like to presumptuous Quacksaluers Verum penitus absurdum est vt discipulus ad magistrum vadens antè sit artisex quam doceatur Hier. aduers Luciferian which take vpon them to be great Chirurgians and Physicians being vngrounded in the art of Surgerie and Physicke and so instead of curing men doe indeede kill them There be moreouer other Books whereby this Sect doe seduce written by T. L. Hetheringtons predecessor to wit First the Epistle to the Church of Rome Secondly the tree of regeneration Thirdly an Exposition vpon the 11 12 13. Chapters of the Reuelation Fourthly the Key of Dauid and some other Concerning the Epistle pretended to be written to the Church of Rome It is said in the Preface of it that this Booke deserueth as well to be regarded as the best newes that euer thou hast heard now the best newes that euer we haue heard as we know is the Gospell and I appeale to the consciences of this factious company whether they haue not in contempt all writings since the Apostles time in comparison of T. L. his writings yea whether they doe not equalize them to the very Scripture it selfe accounting T. L. a great Prophet In this Booke of his at page 16. the Author solemnly protesteth that hee knew not any one after the flesh that taketh part with him wherein hee sheweth himselfe a notorious factionist in thinking himselfe alone in the dayes of the libertie of the Gospell Secondly although this railing Epistle be pretended onely to be written to the Church of Rome yet it is intended also against our Church as it doth manifestly appeare by his girding at Hussites Lutherans Caluinists Euangelists Protestants and Precisians at pag. 108. and by his girding at false reformed Prophets at page 69. wherein hee cunningly inueigheth against all reformed Churches whom he tearmeth in the tree of regeneration at pag. 20. foolish and irreformed c Hetherington and his company are well knowne to despise all Churches in the world reformed and vnreformed and to acknowledge no other cōuerted Church but their owne faction reformers Thirdly in this Epistle to the Church of Rome at pag. 113. The Author saith when hee wrote this Epistle that he was in Babylon and yet he
liued in England in Queene Elizabeths time yea hee was so impudent as to dedicate one of his Bookes to that Queene of famous memory expressing his name onely by two letters T. L. lest the Purseuant should finde him out I thinke I doe not guesse amisse at his meaning and what was this but to call our Church Babylon in the very times of the Gospell Fourthly at pag. 86. hee saith come forth yee theeues and murderers out of your dennes and palaces if he were now aliue I would demand of him whom hee meanes by his theeues and murderers in palaces As for his second Booke called the Tree of Regeneration the scope of it is as his aime is in the rest of his Bookes First to intimate himselfe to be a Prophet at pag. 2. Secondly to reuile the publike meetings of the Church or the Congregations and by this meanes to withdraw men from them at pag. 18. 19. Thirdly to reproach the Ministers which come to preferment in the Church by the fauour of Princes tearming them the Sonnes of Beor at pag. 26. Fourthly cunningly to gird at the prerogatiue of Kings with the which hee saith some are drunken at pag. 23. I will not further insist vpon any more of his Bookes but considering how many haue bin already seduced by them hundreds by report I cannot doe lesse then wish tendring the safetie of the Church that they were deuoted to the fire like those bookes of witchcraft or of curious arts spoken of in Act. 19. 19. The third Discouerie of Iohn Hetherington which is by comparing him with antient Sectaries I finde by that which Saint Augustine hath concerning ancient Heretickes or Sectaries Lib de Hares that Hetherington agreeth in opinion with diuers of them as First with the Gnostickes in an high conceit of his owne knowledge for as they did glory in that name as though they had beene the onely Ginoskites or knowing men in the world euen so this man is the Elias left alone the Ministers of England in comparison of him are blinde guides not able to interpret one place of Scripture aright if wee may beleeue his Proselytes which so boast of him as was deposed against some of them in Court or his owne practice in taking vpon him as was also proued to deliuer in his Conuenticles many contrary things to the receiued opinions in the Church of England opposing his owne priuate conceits against the iudgement of the whole Church Secondly with the Catharists and Iouinianists which held that a man cannot sin Lauacro regenerationis accepto after he bee once Regenerated euen so this man holds the perfect purity of the soule as was prooued against him Thirdly with the Manicheans which held baptismū in aqua nihil cuiquam salutis afferre euen so this man holds that Baptisme neither confers nor confirmes grace to the heart of any as hath beene demonstrated before out of his booke set out in the name of Iesop one of his factious Proselytes at page 61. Fourthly with the Mathematici which receiued the Apocrypha as well as the Canonicall Scripture but allegorized and peruerted both for their owne turnes euen so this man makes shew to receiue the Scripture yea to receiue also some of the Apocrypha for Canonicall as hath been prooued against him but how he peruerteth both for the maintenance of his owne factious opinions is manifest in his erroneous bookes or Pamphlets Fifthly with the Vadiani culpātes episcopos diuites saue only that he his factious company are more censorious then they for they onely blamed rich Bishops enuying their prosperity but these both Bishops and Curates affirming as hath beene deposed against them that Bishops and Ministers as they are consecrated in the Church of England are not so much as members of the Church Sixthly with the Elceseitae which held fidem in perscutione esse negandam in corde seruandam that a man if he were persecuted for his Faith might lawfully denie it prouided that hee kept it still in his heart and doth not the Hetherigtonian faction agree vnto this Did not Hetherington call God to witnesse that he was sree from such opinions as were laid to his charge I wish him to remember what he hath written or said to this purpose and especially his letter which he wrote to a great man in this Kingdome for his enlargement indeed it is true he will seeme to maintaine some of his erroneous opinions to this day but I wish for his own good that it were not rather to inrich himselfe in the Prison by drawing mony from his numerous multitude of Proselytes as some other besides himselfe haue beene knowne to doe then for any conscience he makes of denying what he holds I might compare this man with many other Sectaries mentioned by Irenaeus Eusebius Epiphanius and other Fathers which write of Heretickes but I study breuity The fourth Discouery of Iohn Hetherington which is by the Application of the Text. In the last place this man may be much discouered by the right Application of my Text. For first he is a Woolfe in the sense of my Text. Secondly hee comes in sheepes cloathing that he is a Woolfe in the sense of my Text is manifest to all that know him intus in cute for First he deales gently with his Proselytes at the first drawing them into lighter errors although I must needs say I know no one error that he holds which is simply light but afterwards like a rauening Woolfe he teares their soules in pieces by bringing them by his spirituall inchantments to despise the Church to reiect the publicke Ministery or at the least to ceasse to esteeme and beleeue it to haue the Lords Day in contempt to cast off holy duties in priuate Families and the like all this is very well knowne in the Citie to such as doe but know his followers Secondly hee is very dull to vnderstand the truth for who is more blockish then he which is ignorant and yet scornes to be taught but he is very quick-sighted to finde out cunning euasions and subtill equiuocations to hide his pernitious errors if possibly he may from the eye of authority this I am perswaded prudent men before whom he hath been conuented doe partly discerne besides others which haue conuersed with him and his factious companie Thirdly as a Woolfe begets a Woolfe so this sectary where he preuailes with any man or woman to make them his Proselytes hee makes them like vnto himselfe will he equiuocate so will they will hee traduce good Ministers and good people terming them puritans though they be conformable so will they will he seeke to seduce so will they I may well speake this by experience considering that many tender-conscienced Christians in my Parish haue beene tampered with by these seducing fellowes and sollicited to Hetheringtons Conuenticles wherefore as it was once feined concerning Iupiter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that hee begat new Gods as c Eurip in
scruple to come to doe it vpon the first day of the weeke because as yet they were ignorant that they ought to celebrate that day Eightly 8. Obiect whereas they obiect that the day which wee obserue is tearmed the first day of the weeke Luke 24. 1. and therefore that it is a weeke day not a Sabbath day I answer this is a meere cauill For it is tearmed the first day of the weeke not simply but in respect of the Iewish Saturday in which regard also it is called the eight day in diuers places But when the Spirit in Scripture speaketh positiuely and simply of it hee tearmes it the Lords day Reuel 1. 10. which is indeede the most proper name of it although wee vse a latitude of words in expressing one and the same thing by diuers names Ninthly 9. Obiect whereas they obiect that they keepe euery day a Sabbath and therefore that they are vniustly taxed for Sabbath-breakers yea that they come to the Church vpon the Lords day as well as others and heare Sermons and receiue the Sacraments c. that they hold the moralitie of the fourth Commandement and the like I answer if to trade to labour in their particular callings and to esteeme euery day alike be to keepe euery day a Sabbath then they keepe euery day a Sabbath but what is this but vnder colour of keeping euery day to keepe no day at all as it ought to bee kept Secondly we denie not but they may come to the Church as well as others vpon the Lords day and heare the Word and receiue the Sacrament but in the meane time how doe they demeane themselues when they haue heard is it not famously knowne how they meet together to censure the Ministers to contradict the Doctrine c. doe not hundreds in the Citie know this to be true and was it not deposed against them againe though they may receiue the Sacrament to keepe them from trouble yet what reuerent opinion haue they of the Sacraments especially of Baptisme affirming that it neither conferres not confirmes grace to the heart of any as appeares in Iesops booke at page 61. Thirdly they do meerely equiuocate when they say they hold the morality of the fourth Commandement for the morality of that Commandement is that one day of seauen should bee set apart for Gods worship and kept for conscience sake in obedience to Gods Commandement but this they are notoriously knowne to denie that any such day should bee now celebrated in conscience of Gods Lawe and therefore they doe denie the morality of the fourth Commandement in the right sense thereof Tenthly 10. Obiect whereas they obiect out of Master Tyndals Workes or some other bound vp with his that the Ancient Fathers haue beene of their opinion concerning the Sabbath I answer that is as true as the vaine boast of Popish Champions which pretend that all the Fathers are on their sides Indeed the Fathers and Doctors of the Church must be read carefully and warily in this point concerning the Sabbath or else men may easily mistake their meaning and abuse their iudgement They speake of diuers kindes of Sabbaths First of a Sabbath of the c August liv de spirit lit letter whereby is meant the Iewish or Traskite Sabbath Secondly of a e August lib. 13. confession mysticall Sabbath which is a resting vpon God Thirdly of a * Hier. in 56. Isaia edit plāt 1578. Dedicata Sab. bata an other Edition hath it but I conceiue DELICATA is the truer reading quasi Sabbata summa iucunditatis dulcedinis delicate Sabbath when a Christian is made one spirit with Christ as one of the antients speakes Fourthly of a spirituall Sabbath when we depart from inquity and become practisers of sanctification as h Cyrill Alexand. lib. 7 de adorat in spirit verit another of the antients speakes if that worke by the cunning of some be not wrongfully ascribed vnto him Fifthly of an n Hier. in 58. Isaiae eternall Sabbath in heauen which is an eternall rest in that most blisfull place Sixthly of a o Tertul. lib. aduers Iudaeos mortall Sabbath which is a day set apart by God himselfe in the fourth Commandement for his owne seruice Seuenthly of an r Bern. Ser. 11. in Cantic idle Sabbath when men will rest from the workes of their particular callings vpon the Sabbath day but will not imploy themselues in Gods Seruice now these Ignoramus-ses when they heare that the Fathers speake of a mysticall Sabbath presently they conceiue as though the morrall Sabbath were meerely mysticall and when they heare that the Farhers speake of an ildle Sabbath they presently censure the morall Sabbath to be in the iudgement of the ancients an idle day and thus they peruert the iudgement of antiquity many times I speake not this to iustifie all the Fathers in euery particular sentence of theirs concerning the Sabbath quandoque bonus dormitat Homerus as a Lib. de arte Poet. Horace saith of Homer Et Bernhardus non vidit omnia as it is in the Prouerbe the Fathers haue had their Naeuos or failings in their writings as a c Abrahamus Sculictus in medulla learned man hath affirmed and so in like manner some of our moderne Writers haue giuen more power to the Church to dispose of the Sabbath and to alter it againe concerning the day so shee obserue one day in seauen then I hope any Church vnder the Sunne dare to arrogate vnto her selfe vpon their affirmations not being sufficiently aware how their meanings might bee abused and peruerted by Familists and other Antisabbatareans but what I speake I speake it for the iust reproofe of Familists and such like which are glad if they can catch any thing if it be but in sound onely from the Writings of Famous men to patronize at the least in shew their owne hereticall and schismaticall opinions like vnto spiders sucking poyson from those writings from the which a more iudicious Reader would deriue sound edification and instruction Thus for Confutation concerning the Sabbath Hetheringtons opinion confuted concerning the Bookes of Esdras THe second thing which we propounded concerning matter of Confutation is touching the Bookes of Esdras the which bookes Hetherington holdeth as hath beene proued against him by witnesses to bee canonicall Scripture and that they ought so to be esteemed wherein may appeare the pride and insolency of this man who being altogether vnlearned vt potè qui nullam linguam nouit praeter suam maternam yet will take vpon him in opposition to the whole Church both reformed and vnreformed to canonize new Scripture in which particular he sheweth himselfe to be worse then the very Papists the c Bellar. lib. 1. de verbo dei Papists though they haue receiued some other Apochryphall Bookes into the Canon yet they haue reiected or at the least not receiued the Bookes of Esdras but let him and