to censure so that it was ordered to be reported by the Chair-man to the House it self and Master White told me more then once he was by order of the Committee to report it though by many great businesses of the Kingdom he was hindred now I say that after all this Cretensis should in the sight of the sun justifie it for a manifest and clear truth and flye out upon me and my Abbettors for finding fault with him is a strange hight certainly Cretensis if what you had said had been such a manifest and clear truth t is wonder such words should be spoken in the Committee of it and the thing ordered to be reported to the House it self as to high for a Committee and that your words spoken against the Parliament were not a manifest truth I refer the Reader to such a Book of Mr. Pryns to your own confession in your Answer to him and to the Record kept by the CoÌ„mittee for Plundred Ministers As for the reason you intimate why that which was uttered by you was nothing els but manifest clear truth because it hath passâ—d the trial of Presbyterian fire it self is come forth in full waight without suffering the least dammage or detriment of it that is upon complaint and examination of it by a Committee of Parliament you are come off and not censured I Reply the Reader may observe that Presbyterian fire is a cooler softer gentler fire then the Independent fire and that the presbyterians are not so 〈◊〉 crying for fire from hell to destroy all those who receive the Lord Christ only because their faces are not instanly set to receive the Traditions of their Discipline and Doctrine for Cretensis hath passed the trial of Presbyterian fire it self and is come forth in full waight without suffering the least damage or detriment by it I beleive if either I or any known cordial Presbyterian in England in speaking against the Independent party had said so much to the vilifying and contempt of the Parliament as Cretensis did in speaking against Presbyterians and we had come to the trial of Independent fire it self we should never have come forth in full waight without suffering the least damage or detriment by it but we should have carried to our graves the scorching and skars of that fire if not wholy consumed by it 〈◊〉 Though you were one of the first yet you are not alone nor the last of those who by writing or speaking having uttered things against the Parliament and being questioned by Committees have passed the trial of Presbyterian fire and come off too witnesse your brother Lilburn and yet all they have said and written have not been manifest and clear truths You who are Independents and Sectaries have priviledges in many things which poor Presbyterians have not you have a priviledge to steal horses Cretensis pag. 34 whereas 't is a great fault in Presbyterians to look over the hedge you have a priviledge to set up Churches and a Government of your own without leave or waiting on the Parliament but 't is a great offence in the Presbyterians to Petition the Parliament in all humility to settle the Presbyterian Government witnesse those many reproches in some printed news Books those pensioners of the Independent party as also the bitter preaching against their Petitions by some Independent Ministers with the hard speeches cast out against them by the Independent party You belike have a priviledge to preach print speak any thing against Parliament their Ordinances Orders Covenant Members yea to act against their Votes Ordinances and to passe the trial of Presbyterian fire as you terme it and to come forth in full waight without suffering the least damage or detriment whereas I am perswaded a great deal lesse preached or printed by Presbyterians would have been censured to be burnt by the hand of the common Hangman and the men themselves in danger of hanging Thirdly Cretensis you have no such reason to boâ—st so of what you have preach'd that t is a manifest and clear truth and hath passed the Presbyterian fire it self and is come forth in full waight c. till you know what the sense of the House of Commons will be upon it when 't is reported to the House according to the order of the Committee and the House hath cleared you then you might better have used these words but Cretensis though you say the bitternesse of death is past all danger is over you may be deceived quod desertur non aufertur the House may be at more leasure and call upon such kinde of things and upon a review you may be made to know what 't is not only to slight and vilifie a Parliament open a gap to a total contempt of all their Authority and power but when you have done so then openly and publikely to justifie that what you have said is a manifest and clear truth Cretensis I tell you plainly I would not for all the Books in my study the Independens could prove such words spoken by me against the power and dignity of Parliament how light account soever you make of them Fourthly the Reader may by this clearly see what to judge of Cretensis charging me and my Book with lying forgery c. when as he is not ashamed to tax me in this place that I could not lightly have uttered any thing that struck more dangerously at the very root of all Parliamentary Authority and power then to say that Cretensis in speaking against the Parliament and their power opened a gap to slâ—ghting of their authority and power what a strange art and faculty hath Cretensis as of making all Authors for him though they writ against him so of making master Edwards and his Abettors in pleading for the Parliament against Cretensis to strike dangerously at the very root of all Parliamentary Authority and power and that notwithstanding for the words Cretensis spake against the Parliament he was complained of to the Committee of Plundered Ministers by understanding men and cordial to the Parliament and the matter so deeply resented by the Honourable Committee as I have already expressed but the truth of it is Cretensis in all his writings both in point of opinions and words that he utters in defence of them he will say any thing as manifestly contrary to truth as to affirm black is white and darknesse light neither will he be beaten out of it by any reason but hides himself and clouds things in a multitude of words where an ordinary Reader loses himself as in a wood Fifthly 't is strange Cretensis you dare say that you know none but Presbyterians have broken in at the gap you have made do you not know what Lilburn hath done besides have you not read Englands Birthright The Ordinance for Tythes Dismounted cum multis aliis you indeed lead the way and was the first of all the pretended friends to the Parliament out of discontent in missing a place
only give them the but calls them Brethren in iniquity with me scoffing at a saying of mine taken out of the City Petition But this saying of his need not be melancholy for want of company it hath brethren enough in the iniquity of it and who are these brethren but the Lord Major Aldermen and Common Councell O what an insolent bold passage is this The Reader need not wonder at his foul mouth and railing Dialect against me and my Book who cares no more for this Honourable Citie I doe not see how the Honourable Court of Common Councell can let it passe without questioning him to suffer a man who lives in the Citie under their Government to abuse them thus in print I am confident if the Presbyterians lived in a Citie under a Magistracie and Government where the Governers were Independent and should have abused them thus they would have made the Citie to hot for them 3. As for that I say of Overton and Eaton for all Cretensis mincing and shuffling I shall free my self from uttering untruth for Overton said after a boasting manner unto two sufficient witnesses that now there was an answer to my Antapologie and entred into the hall-Hall-book and they apprehend him so especially one of them as that he took order to send me word I being then in the Country that an answer was certainly printing and for my greater assurance he had searcht the book and found it entred so that I and many lookt every day for the coming of it forth and I never knew before now that books were entred into the hall-Hall-book but just when they were going to the Presse For Eaton an Independent Milliner I do not affirm that he spake the same words which Overton did for his words were spoken many months before Overtons only he is quoted in the Mâ—rgin as an instance to make good those words in the second page of my Preface Their great words and threats of an Answer which were these that he gave out There was an Answer to my Antapologie and he had seen it and the Author of it had discovered me to be a poor weak man and my Book a slight easie piece neither good sense nor good English or words to that effect which Eaton confessed he spake before witnesses since my Gangraena came forth that 's all I say of him or meant and I suppose these are great words and threats of an Answer Only by the way I desire Cretensis to resolve me these questions and then I will give him a good account why I called Eaton an Independent namely What was the true reason that Cretensis Reply to my Antapologie being entred in the hall-Hall-Book in Iuly last and given to the Bookseller to print was not printed but stopped And how it came to passe that Eaton if he be no Independent had the Reply to my Antapologie communicated to him to read and peruse And when Cretensis hath resolved these questions it may be by the next if he answer not truly I shall tell him the reasons of the stop and to whom else besides Eaton this Reply hath been communicated as to Master Sympson and may be tell him what Master Overton or his man or both have told a friend of mine about the Answer to my Antapologie as namely what the Licenser did upon perusing of it and of the Title given to it about The Accuser of the Brethren cast c. 4. As for the report of some of Master Iohn Goodwins Church c. I observe Cretensis denyes it not but puts it off with one of his usuall tricks That he beleeves I no more know it then declare it And indeed this is one of Cretensis jugling wayes which he makes often use of in this Book when he knowes not what well to say then he comes in with I beleeve he no more knoweth and I no more beleeve Cretens pag. 48 49. And truly 't is somewhat strange to me that he who is so hard of beliefe in divine things that he will not beleeve the Scriptures without reason and hath preached lately with much earnestnesse and violence that Faith is not to guide Reason but Reason Faith will yet in humane things beleeve any thing against all sense and reason But to put Cretensis out of doubt that I know and can prove what I say I offer Cretensis upon promise made from him and his Church that the honest men who told it out of their zeal to the cause and their rejoycing in an Answer coming and to perswade the Presbyterians to the truth of it who have alwayes much doubted of an Answer to the Antapologie shall not be censured by the Church nor looked upon with an evill eye nor hundred by this from being taken into the preferment of being a Prophet and preaching for Cretensis I will name the Minister to whom it was told and the members by whom and for encouragement to Cretensis and his Church to make this promise I will for present name the first letter of the godly Ministers name well acquainted with some of the Church namely Master B. Cretensis Sect. 26. page 38 39 40 41. spends many leaves in labouring to disprove the information given me of one Cosens of Rochester and related by me affirming that relation to be forgery of forgeries and all is forgery all over it and that in it there are well nigh quot verba tot mendacia and hee goes over seven particulars putting the lye upon each of them concluding there is scarce a clause of a sentence true in this Relation And as all along upon each particular so both in the entrance to this Answer and in the close of it he is full of jears scoffs and foul uncivill language Reply This story being the last of those related by me in Gangraena which Cretensis excepts against in his Answer and the story next unto that of Nichols and Master Burroughs if not more in some respects which he most insults upon and triumphs in I have therefore reserved it to the later end as being the last particular matter of fact I shall reply unto for the justification and vindication of my selfe against the foul-mouthd aspersions of Cretensis And I shall first speak to the manner of his Answer and confutation of this Story and secondly to the matter of it But before I speak to either of these I shall minde the Reader of that which I have often spoken of upon severall other particulars which I have replyed unto namely that hee must not look for all now that may be said lest I anticipate my larger Reply as also because there is a Gentleman out of Town whom I have expected almost this three weeks to come to London who can tell mee some circumstances in this story for proofe of some things more fully and cleerly then the Minister from whom immediately I received it And indeed I am told there is a mystery in some passages of this businesse about Cosens which being unfolded will
conceits That there is a Prophet arisen who is shut up for a time but at the end of this Summer is to come forth with power to preach the generall Restauration of all things which Prophet hath given a roll forth already into some hands in which roll many things are written and whoever hath that roll hath the spirit of prophecie He hath appointed some to be Publishers and Prophets and to go to Jerusalem to build it up where Abraham Isaac and Iacob shall meet them from Heaven and these persons thus sent unto Jerusalem are assured they shall never dye with many other of this kind But I will reserve these to make another book of and come to give the Reader some Corallaries drawn from the whole matter Certain Corallaries and Consectaries drawn from the Errours Heresies Blasphemies Practices and Stories of the Sectaries laid down in this present Book CORALL I. HEnce then from all these Errours Heresies Blasphemies Practices c. laid downe both in the first and second part of Gangraena we may see how far the Sectaries of our times have proceeded and how high they have risen In a word to summe up in one page what more at large is expressed in many sheets the Sectaries are gone verie farre both in damnable doctrines and wicked practices in holding principles and positions destructive to Church and State against all Government both Civill as well as Ecclesiasticall and that not only for the matter but in the 〈◊〉 and way of propagation and 〈◊〉 of them They have questioned and denyed all the Articles of faith and have justified and pleaded for all kind of errours and abominations They have denyed the Scriptures Trinitie the God-head of the Son and Holy Ghost Justification by Christ the Gospel Law holy duties Church Ministerie Sacraments and all Ordinances They hold there are no Devils no sin no Hell no Heaven no Resurrection no Immortalitie of the Soule And together with these they are against all Kingly government the King Lords the House of Commons as to have any thing to do in matters of Religion or in Civill matters any longer than the people who chose them think fit and to be chosen yeerly or ofâ—ner according as they carrie themselves yea against all kind of Civill government and Magistraticall power whatsoever as appeares by denying the power of imposition of taxes and assessments in denying the power of Magistrates over Church-members in cases of murther treason c. And as they have denyed all these so on the contrarie they have maintained and pleaded for all kind of blasphemous and hereticall opinions and loose ungodly practices yea they have publikely in print justified there should be an open Toleration for all these and if any man should so far degenerate as to beleeve there is no God nay come to blâ—spheme God and the Scriptures yet hee should not be troubled nor molested but enjoy the libertie of his conscience And they have not only pleaded thus but some of them have actually blasphemed God Christ the Spirit the Scriptures Ministers Sacraments and all holy Ordinances besides committing of horrible uncleannesses forsaking of husbands and wives as Antichristian being guiltie of thefts defraudings c. being partakers also of that horrid Rebellion of Ireland in justifying the Rebels that they did no more than what wee would have done our selves c. All these with many others as the pleading for stage-playes to be set up againe some or other of the Sectaries have been guiltie of and unto all these have added this moreover to canonize and cry up for Saints faithfull servants of God c. Antiscripturists Antitrinitarians Arrians Perfectists yea Blasphemers and Atheist â—o they be but for Independencie and against Presbyterie and particularly how is Paul Bâ—st that fearfull Blasphemer now he is in question by the House of Commons pleaded for by many Sectaries of our times and bitter speeches spoken against the House of Commons for medling with him yea and in print too hee is pleaded for and compared in a sort with Paul the Apostle Certainly neither we nor our Fathers before us ever heard or saw such evils of blasphemie heresie c. in this Kingdome as wee have done within these two or three last yeeres The worst of the Bishops and their Chaplains when they were at worst were Saints in comparison of many of the Sectaries of our times and would have abhorred as bad as they were such opinions and practices which some of the Sectaries magnifie cry up and pretend to do by vertue of new light the Spirit and as a matter of great perfection as for instance A mans or womans forsaking their owne husbands and wives and taking others at their pleasure out of pretence of casting off Antichristian yokes the pleading for a general Toleration of all Religions yea Blasphemies denying a Deitie out of pretence of libertie of conscience But what speak I of the Bishops and their Chaplains I am perswaded all the stories and relations of the Anabaptists and Schwenkfeldians in Luthers time of the Popes and Papists blasphemies of many Heathens and scoffers of the Scriptures Christian Religion as Galen Porphirius Lucian Iulian the Apostate c. do fall short of the blasphemies waies of our Sectaries Which of all these ever so blasphemed as Boggis or what storie is there since the creation of the world that mentions a more horrid wicked blasphemy than that of Boggis a great Sectarie pag. 133 134 135 Or where is there a blasphemy to be found beyond that spoken of in pag. 116 of this Book In a word to conclude this first Corollatie The Sectaries of our times have in many respects as in regard of breach of Covenant ingratitude falsnesse c. gone beyond the Sectaries of other ages and Kingdomes and done worse than their fathers justifying them in all their abominations which they committed and have vented and spread so many poysonous and dangerous principles and positions as are enough to corrupt and infect all the Christian world if the Lord in mercie do not prevent it CORALL II. HEnce then from all that I have laid down of the Sectaries of our times of their errours heresies blasphemies strange practices and their wayes of managing them we may learne what is like to become of them and their way and what their end will be namely confusion desolation and being brought to nought suddenly as in a moment and if ever God spake by me I am confident he will curse this Faction of Sectaries in England and cast them out as an abominable branch Me thinks I see their day a coming and drawing neere Heretikes and Schismatikes do not use to be long-lived no heresie as Luther speaks uses to overcome at the last What is become of the Arrians Donatists Novatians Pelagians c though they were like a mightie floud over-running and drowning all for a time yet like a floud they
their consciences and for his part he durst undertake to make it good to Master Major calling my Lord Major in a most base and scornfull manner Master Major One Overton that was to be the Moderatour on Battees side stood up and said Brother Lam had Paul done well if he had desisted from preaching in the name of Jesus if he had been commanded by the High-Priests to forbear had he done well or not Lam answered no whereupon Overton replied in a most scornfull proud manner nor ought we to obey Master Major and thus did these men argue the power of my Lord Major for an houres space but at the last they came to state the question and fall to their dispute the question was That God made man and every part of man of the dust of the earth and therefore man and every part of man must returne to the dust again which Battee could not prove nor could Lam well tell how to answer but both of them ran off from Scripture to Scripture never clearing any one thing to the people and when they had rambled a long time that they could neither of them tell what to say then one or other stood up and said Brother Lam or Brother Battee leave this point to the consideration of the Brethren and take up some other after these two had spent foure or five houres in this confusion they sat down and rested and then stands up one Mellish a Cobler and Lawson a Schoolmaster both Anabaptists and to work they went as their Brethren before Lawson calls to Mellish and saith to him Brother Mellish speak either Categorically or Hypothetically Mellish answered Lawson that he spake now to him in an unknown tongue and prayed him to explain himself Lawson told Mellish that he was nor fit to dispute if he knew not the meaning of these words Mellish replied that if hee should stand up and tell the people that the Moon was made of green Cheese he did not question but some would be of his mind This Relation was given me under the hand of a godly honest Citizen who was an eare and eye witnesse of all the said passages who also named to me other persons that were present and he delivered me this Relation in writing before two sufficient witnesses and declared himself ready to make proof of this before Authority when ever he should be called This following Relation was sent to a godly and able Minister of this City one who hath a Pastorall charge in London and this Minister delivered me the Originall writing which to a tittle There set down Reverend and much respected I Desire you pardon my boldnesse in imparting to you that which hath lately befaln me I was in the company of some Antinomians that were very importunate with me to forsake your teaching and come among them and harken to their Preachers and they prevailed with me so farre that I gave them my promise to hear their Preachers but the night following I had such a terrible dream which made me break my promise with them for I dreamed that the Divell would have pulled me out of the bed and carried me away with him then I cried out in my sleep so loud that I waked them that were in the Chamber Lord Jesus help me Lord Jesus help me then me thought the power of God came on my right hand and rescued me from Satan This I take for a warning from God to avoid their society and for which I desire that thanks be rendred to God in this Congregation which I use to frequent There is one Mâ—ster Mills a Common Councell man the City Brickler who hath related it to many as a thing most certain that an old acquaintance and friend of his an old Papist knowing well all Papists said to Master Mills that now there were but two Sects or sides in England the Presbyterians and the Independents unto which Master Mills objected how can that be seeing there are many Papists this Papist replied that to his knowledge all the Papists in ☞ England were Independents and this Papist further added that this Liberty of Conscience and Toleration for all men to enjoy their Religion was a blessed thing and the happiest thing that ever was found out or words to that purpose There is a Sectary living neer the Spitle a great follower of Master Randall who did offer to sell his Bible and being asked why he would sell it and what he would do for a Bible answered he could make as good a Book himself Some Sectaries do commonly affirme they are not to beleeve the Scriptures further then their own Reason doth perswade them of the truth of them and that the Scriptures are no more the Word of God then the words any man speaks are because he could not speak those words but by a power from God It hath been told me from good hands that there are a company of persons about London who meet weekly to reason and object against the Scriptures their meetings were about the Spitle and since in Hounsditch and now they shift places for feare they should be discovered and surprised it were good that Authority would look into it to finde them out I shall be ready to name the men from whom I have had such information I have been informed lately by divers honest men that in Northampton-shire some of the Souldiers who are Sectaries and are of that part of the Army which came out of the West and belong to that Army in the West have come into the Parish Churches and put by the godly Ministers who should preach and by force against the will of the Ministers and people have set up Captaines and others of the Souldiers to preach in their Pulpits and to vent their Fancles and Errours The true Copie of a Letter written to me from a worthy and godly Minister in Suffolk in the name and by the consent and agreement of other Ministers of the County at a meeting of theirs and sent up by the hands of a godly Minister in those parts who delivered it to me Worthy Sir YOur Brethren in these parts desire to praise God for you and for that courage he hath given you to encounter and publikely to oppose the Sectaries of these dayes God make you as Augustine Malleum Haereticorum Sir this Bearer a Minister an honest neighbour of mine will make a true Relation to you of some of the late pranks of some Sectaries on both sides of uâ— One is of Oates the Anabaptist whom your Gangraena takes notice of that after one of his private Exercises amongst the weaker vessels one Wades wise of Stisted in Essex seemed to be so affected with him that she said she would never hear Minister again and it may be God intends to make her as good as her word for upon ☞ this she was taken mad and remaines in a sad distracted condition and her husband sent to Master Blackaby and Master Faircloth our godly neighbours to
and in my full Reply I shall more largely and particularly specifie In one word Cretensis is a most ungodly Antichristian insolent proud malicious wrathful lying obscent scurrilous nonsense absurd contradictory piece Observ. 12. Cretensis in all his Books of Controversie and Answers of all sorts that I have seen and met with is of all Writers in this later age the greatest falsifier of Authors wresting them upon all occasions and that with a Gyant-like confidence against their own sense and contrary to what they are known ex professo to hold and he will not be beaten off from it as is apparent in his Treatises of Justification and in his Answer to Master Prynne and in this Book bringing in Master Ball for him in the point of Free-will Now this must arise either from that heretical genius of his that he sinneth being condemned of himself speaking lyes in hypocrisie having his conscience seared with a hot iron or else from a high flown mad fancy making things to appear which are not at all like to that mad man of Athens who thought all the Ships that came into the Haven were his though he never were sharer much lesse owner in any Ship so Cretensis sancies all learned Writers to be for him ' wheares indeed there never was any sound and Orthodox Divine for him as I shall shew more fully hereafter and divide Learned Master Gataker from him Observ. 13. Cretensis iust Cretian like fastens that upon me in my Gangraena affirming I say that which I do not as in pag. 28. Sect. 23. and doth father opinions upon me meerly from the leaving out of a word or two by the Printers over-sight Cretens pag. 23. though corrected in the second Edition and abroad full fourteen dayes before Cretensis which was either done wilfully and on set purpose against his knowledge or from his not reading over my Book but taking up things upon trust Observ. 14. There are many things in Cretensis Pamphlet which he pretends to Answer making much ado of and laboring to fasten upon me lyes nonsense c. which yet in the close after a great many high flown words Cretensis is forced to confesse them true and that both of himself and others though by many words he hath labored to pusle and cast a mist before the eyes of the Reader Observ. 15. I desire the Reader to observe that this Answer made by this great Rabbi is but snatches here and there answering Gangraena by great leaps as Leopards use to take Cretensis answers one passage out of p. 70. and then leaps to 128. taking another there and from p. 128. leaps back to p. 8. and after this sort the whole Answer is And for those pages where Cretensis fastens upon something to give an Answer unto even there he snatches takes not the whole what goes before nor what follows after so that after that rate of Answering if such kinde of Discourses must have the names of Answers how may not men elude and make nothing of the excellentest Books that ever were written by men yea of the Scriptures themselves and wrest them if they will not take one place with another and observe what goes before and what follows after And as this great Rabbies Answer is by snatches so 't is full of miserable shifts and poor evasions as among others pag. 16. Cretensis gives that reason why my Antapology hath not been Answered in 18. Moneths because the way by which light and truth should go forth into the world was hedg'd up by Clergy Classique Councelâ— as with thorns against him Now I wonder with what face Cretens can write this when as all men know the Independents have a Licenser of their own at hand Mr. Bachilor who is such a friend to all the world of Believers that certainly he cannot deny Cretensis Do not we daily see the man Licenses without either fear or wit all kinde of Pamphlets The Error of Anabaptism against Mr. Marshal the Error of Seekers in The Smoke of the Temple A pretended Answer of Mr. Saltmarsh to the Assemblies Petition and now Cretensis against Gangraena and will Mr. Bachilor with Clergy Classique Councels hedge up the way as with thorns against Cretensis Reply to Mr. Edwards Antapologiae Can Cretens think though his own deluded Church and other Sectaries may have so much Independent faith as to believe him that any Presbyterian hath so little wit as not to laugh at such folly why could not Iohn Bachilor as well leap over the hedge of Clergy Classique thorne to License a Reply to Antapologia as an Answer to Gangraena and pray Mr. Goodwin in your next account you give unto the world by publike writing give me an account why honest Iohn Bachilor could not as well leap over the hedge of Clergy Classique thorns to License a full Reply to Antapologia as to License A brief Answer to Gangraena But no more of this now Observ. 16. The Christian Reader may observe Cretensis as in this and his former Books so in all his preachings and ways to have all the characters and marks of false Prophets and false Teachers not only in his hands but upon his forehead so that if I would here enlarge I might clearly shew all that Christ and the Apostles spake of false Prophets are to be found in Cretensis but I will only instance in a few laid down by Peter and Iude in their Epistles and upon the propounding of them I know the Reader will say as face answereth face in glasse so doth Cretensis answer these Scriptures Peter saith of the false Teachers in his time that they speak great swâ—lling words of vanity and that they promise their followers liberty and Iude They are clouds without water carried about of winds raging waves of the Sea foaming out their own shame wandring stars their mouth speaking great swelling words having mens person in admiration because of advantage These be they who separate themselves sensual having not the Spirit Now I do appeal to any man who knows Cretensis either in his Writings or Preaching whether he be not a man that speaks great swelling words of vanity whether he doth not promise his followers liberty yea a universal liberty whether he be not a cloud without water â—â—ourishes and shews without substance whether he be not a raging-wave of the Sea foaming out his own shame witnesse his Answer a wandring star wandring from one opinion and Religion to another and lastly whether he be not a Separatist and sensual person without the spirit of love meeknesse humility zeal for Gods truth and of a sound minde In one word I do not think there 's any man in the Kingdom hath a more heretical head and heâ—â—e thâ—n Cretensis and unlesse God give him repentance and recover him out of those snares wherein he walks I fear if the man lives but one seven years he will prove as arch an Heretick and as dangerous a man as England ever bred and that
he will be another David George Francken Socinus and be canonized for a Saint amongst those of Munster Raeâ—conia c. Quest. But it may be demanded by some What 's the matter and what are the causes that such venomour ranâ—â—rous Books as Mr. Goodwins Cretensis c. are printed and so many hard speeches in City and Countrey daily uttered against Master Edwards and his late Book intituled Gangraena is it not a Book full of Lyes nothing but Lyes is it not a Book full of venom and malice against the Saints and faithful Servants of God calling for fire and sword against the Saints Ans. 'T is a Book full of truth as will appear in the Replyes I give to the particular exceptions made against it and have in part cleared already and a Book of so much truth that I believe no Book written this hundred years having so much variety and particularity in it will be found to have more and for the proof of the truth and reality of the Errors c. contained in it I have expressed my self at large as foreseeing the Sectaries would call it a Book of Lyes in my Gangraena pag. 5 6 7 8. and as 't is not a Book of Lyes so neither of bitternesse nor of speaking evil of the Saints but a Book free from railing evil speaking against the Saints and Servants of God which at large in twelve several particulars in my full Reply coming after this Book I shew But no judicious Christian need wonder at it that the Sectaries generally give out so for they have nothing else left to say for themselves and to help their desperate cause so much discovered and wounded as 't is by Gangraena and what do they do in this case but as the Jesuits and Papists did by Mr. Foxes Book of Martyrs give out it was a Book of Lyes and writ Books to disprove some matters of fact taking advantage from some mistakes in circumstances about names places and such like to cry it down and yet all the Protestants know it was full of truths and is of precious esteem in the Church of God Just so do the Sectaries now by my Book and many of them that they might possesse the people the more against it and make that imputation That 't is full of Lyes gain credit with the people have invented many Lyes and Stories which they formally tell up and down the City and Countrey for certain and I can produce several witnesses to prove this namely Ministers and others who have come to me and to others to know the truth of them as that some of the Independent Ministers have been with me Mr. G. Mr. B. and have convinced me of some Lyes in my Book as that same of the Souldiers out of the Army have been with me about the story of Mr. Andrews and proved it false to me as that one whom I name in my Book and speak of as having some relation from the mans own mouth coming to me about it I confessed I knew him not nor never saw him before with some other such all which are meer lyes and fictions of the Sectaries so wicked and cunning are they in their generation to uphold their tottering Babel to prejudice Christians from reading and considering my Book But good Reader however falshood and slandering of men is pretended the great cause of speaking so against me and my Book the true cause of all the hatred is because there is so much truth in it Many men who answer nothing to it and others who have appeared in writing to disprove the truth know themselves and others too guilty and that in other passages where they are not named and know that I know and can prove it and that vexes them to the heart but were it indeed as many of them against their consciences give out a Book of Lyes they would not be so mad at it but I should before this time a day by some of my good Friends the Sectaries have heard of them after another manner and iâ— another place then yet I have done But in a word I apprehend these three following Reasons as principal causes both in Cretensis and others of their appearing against me in so much wrath fury and rage 1. A Vial is poured out upon the Sun the glory of their prime men is darkned both by the Antapology and Gangraena they who made themselves as the Sun in the Firmament of the Church are found by these Books not only to be as the Moon full of spots subject to like weaknesse as other men but to be in the Ecclipse fuller of blots then others yea their Sun is turned into darknesse and their Moon inâ—o blood and they who would have been thought to have been the only Saints nay Angels dropt from Heaven with new Gospel new Light and new Revelations do evidently appear by what I have written to all men who have not sacrificed the principles of their ingenuity upon the gainful service of the Independent Faction to be strange kinde of Saints if Saints The best of them appear to be spots in the profession of Religion but for many among them who yet are cried up to the Heavens they have corrupted themselves their spot is not the spot of his children they are a perverse and crooked generation Now they being men proud high-minded impatient of any check and contradiction in their way who thought alone to have had the repute among the people for sanctity holinesse and to have been Idolized by them and the contrary being so clearly demonstrated by many particular instances and proofs given in my Books no wonder that they are so mad and rage against me and finding their Kingdom full of darknesse that they gnaw their tongues for pain 2. By my Books especially Gangraena many Sectaries being so discovered by name and places of abode laid open in several of their opinions and ways will not be able for the future to do so much hurt and mischief among the people their Sheeps skins are by this pull'd over the Wolves ears and many will now shun and be afraid of them who before knew them not and this disappointment of infecting and corrupting others vexes and mads them to the heart 3. Their way and design must needs suffer much by this last Book in the esteem of all the Churches and all the godly persons who are unprejudiced yea and of all fair ingenuous men who before many at least not knowing the depths of Satan might think well of them whereas now many of them upon reading my Book have lifted up their hands and blest themselves to think what kinde of Creatures these Sectaries are saying If Independents and Anabaptists be such kinde of men do such things as this Book shews God keep us from being such we had some good opinion of their way but if they be such Merchants and have such tricks and wayes as Mr. Edwards layes down we will be none of them
Cretensis design next unto that of rendring my Book and all I relate in it to be false and untrue is this The aspersing me and my Antapology and Gangraena with such weaknesse and want of all learning as if I understood neither Latin nor English nor knew not how to speak or write Reason common sense or to frame the structure of a period according the common Rules of Grammar but were a profound Ignoramus and so altogether unfit to take upon me the confutation of Errors and this he insists upon in several Pages of his Pamphlet or Answer Cretens p. 10 23 24 36. Reply Now in this what doth Cretensis else but play the Jesuit and Arminian in stead of solid Answers thus to flight vilifie me and my Books that being just the way they took against such Books as were too hard for them and knew not how to Answer as Dr. Twiss's Books against Arminians c. but whatsoever Cretensis in his rage casts upon me and my Writings my Books will speak for me and themselves in the gates having the testimony of many learned and godly men both of this and other Churches at home and beyond the Seas and could I without blushing and all suspition of praising my self relate the passages in Letters messages sent me speeches by word of mouth from great Divines both at home and from abroad concerning my Antapology and Gangraena and that not only of particular men apart but of many in a body both in City and Countrey as a common joynt act besides expressions that have faln from some Independents and Independentisâ—â— concerning me my studies in the Controversies of the Church way and some of my Books as a speech of Mr. Thomas Goodwin spoken to a Minister one Mr. T. and others then present upon occasion of some Independents slighting me and my first Book as Cretensis doth here yea passages out of some of Mr. Iohn Goodwins Answers to Mr. Prynne concerning me and my Antapology it would be a full confutation of all Cretensis hath said against me in this matter yea a clear conviction that all words of this kinde are nothing else but the venting of his spleen and passion against me and my Books But all I will say by way of Answer to Cretensis reproaches of this nature is 1. The quick sale these Books had being bought up by learned and judicious men of all ranks the last Book Gangraena being now in the Presse the third time within lesse then two Moneths unto which adding the greatnesse of the Book consisting of so many sheets with the not being exposed to sale by setting up Titles in all places of the City at Church doors Exchange c. like Wine that needs no Bush though all ways under Heaven were used by the Sectaries to blast it is an evident Argument 't is not such a weak nonsense piece as Cretensis speaks of for in these times when the Presse is so thronged with such variety of Books and many excellent pieces come forth more then men can read judicious understanding men have somthing else to do with their money and time then to buy and read Books full of nonsense contradictions and whose Authors know not how to range their Parts of speech in a sentence nor how to put the Nominative Case and Verb together regularly in English 2. I will here give the Reader a true Copy of a Letter to a tittle sent me from Eight and twenty Ministers out of one County in this Kingdom whose joynt judgement upon my Antapology and Grangraena may serve with every indifferent Reader to ballance yea to weigh down Cretensis To our Reverend Friend Mr. Thomas Edwards Minister of the Gospel SIR WEE cannot but acknowledge the great service you have done for the Church of God by interposing your self against the growing Schisms and Heresies of these times And upon conference had thereof at our weekly meetings here we have thought it our part to contribute somewhat to your incouragement by testifying how great acceptance your labors find among us who give thanks to God for you and your zeal to his truth expressed not only in your usual Sermons but especially in your Antapology and Gangraena by which you are well known to us all and we earnestly desire that you will continue the same endeavors for the maintenance of the truth and opposing of Errors And as we are very sensible of the great discouragements you are like to meet withal so we shall the more heartily commend you and the successe of your labors to Gods protection and blessing resting Your loving Brethren and fellow-labourers in the Ministery March 19. 1645. Unto this Letter the hands of twenty eight Ministers are Subscribed but I forbear the Printing of them as I do the County where they live to avoid all danger which might come to any of them from printing their Names if some Sectaries in the Army come that way as they are likely to do Now in my Reply to particulars laid down in Cretensis I shall apply my self chiefly to justifie and make good those Relations in Gangraena excepted against by Cretensis reserving other things in his Answer to my fuller Reply which Cretensis God willing shall be sure of and that to the full Cretens pag. 2. labours by all his Rhetorick and many words to insinuate to the Reader how in writing of my Book Gangraena I have said all and the worst I can of the Independents and Sectaries that whilst I charge them only with such and such crimes I do not so much charge them with these as acquit and discharge them from all others and that there 's no reasonable man but will abate and deduct and that to a good proportion from such reckonings and accounts c. much lesse will he judge such accounts short or defective in particulars and that Mr. Edwards hath but faintly informed the world how vile and bad the Sectaries are but hath justified and acquitted them from all other crimes and imputations of any worse resentment or import then those wherewith he afflicted them and consequently hath represented them to the world as better and far more deserving then far the greatest part of his own Presbyterian Generation Reply However Mr. Edwards or the Printer for him may possibly in some places of his Book print none of the truest English yet I am sure Cretensis in this Page speaks none of the best sense nor Reason that ever I read in my life but every line and sentence is so slight and weak that a man may look through and through it and the truth of it is Cretensis all along hath a multitude of bom-basted starched words priding himself therein but seldom or never in all his answers hath he any thing else witnesse his Answers to Mr. Walker Mr. Prynne and this present Passage And first for that which Cretensis speaks here the man makes good what he saith pag. 50. that he never read one quarter of my Book and
tenth part of the Discovery of the Errors Heresies Practises c. beside some things in the Letters are of another nature and to one of the Letters is annexed a Confutation of the matter contained in it consisting of two whole leaves of those few sheets within a few lines 2. As for that of jugling and forgery which Cretensis would put upon me the man measures me by himself and his party because that he and some of his party are used to juggle and possibly forge Letters and News invent and give our many things which never were have with the Jesuits their piae fraudes to advance their Catholike cause therefore he thinks so of me but I blesse God I am a plain man hating equivocations mental reservations plots underminings of men playing under-board carrying things in the clouds I count honesty the best policy and faithful plain dealing the greatest wisdom and the Independents will finde it so in the end however for a while they prosper by their shufling tricks devices policies as Strafford Canterbury and others did before them 3. To come to the main charge of concealing the names of those who writ me Letters and all the inferences drawn from thence I answer I have already given some Reasons for it and do adde these unto them most of the men who writ the Letters writ them not for that end to be printed knew not of nor imagined no such matter neither did I acquaint them with it and for me without their leave obtained to print their Names to the world I could not do it keeping unviolated the rules of friendship besides I well understood that were a way to cut off correspondency and Intelligence for the future if I should print mens Names publikely to the world writing in a private way to me Of all the Letters written to me there were two only which I expressed to the Authors I would print them and acquainted them with my purpose whose Names notwithstanding excepting the two first Letters subscribed I concealed with the rest for company But now that I may overthrow Cretensis Proposition and his Inferences his Foundation and his Superstructures I shall name most of them who writ the Letters to me and others as also from whose hands I received those Letters which were printed by me though not written to me The first Letter was written me from Mr. Strong a Member of the Assembly of Divines who after he had told me by word of mouth the contents of this Letter promised to send it me in a Letter and I acquainted him then what use it was for and he said he would justifie what he writ and named others in whose presence Master Denne maintained these Points The second Letter was written from Master Simon Ford to a Member of the Assembly Master Gowerâ—s from whose hands I received it and told Mr. Gowers I should print it to which he was willing and since Gangraena was printed the Author writes to me about his Letter That he will enlarge and confirm the particulars in that Letter and send it to me The third Letter was one Master Josiab Ricrasts who owns it and hath been with me since Cretensis came forth and to my knowledge is drawing up an Answer to Cretensis for so much as concerns that Letter The fourth Letter was written by a Weaver in Somersetshire one Crab if I mistake not the name and I received it from M. Rosewal a City Minister well known who will own it and make it good 't is such a mans And thus I have given an account of the Copies of all the whole Letters printed by me Now for the Extract of certain Letters written to me some other Ministers for seven of them which are the greatest part of those Extracted Letters namely all those which concern Colchester and Mr. Ellis or some others there of which Letters Mr. Ellis himself writes thus to a friend in London The aspersions cast on me and some others here by Mr. Edwards are as false as foul which because they are a great part of his Book and strength those who are here concerned in it will if God please shortly make Reply Cretensis p. 44. he who writ them is not afraid of his name neither was his name concealed for fear of an Examination of the truth of the Letters as Cretensis by reading this Letter lately sent to me from him may understand which I here print to a tittle To my Reverend and worthy Friend Mr. Thomas Edwards Minister of the Word of God Reverend Sir THere is a passage in Mr. Iohn Goodwins Book charging you with abusing Mr. Ellis of Colchester and the Saints in those parts and that he will shortly make Reply to your false and foul aspersions These are therefore to certifie you that concerning those Letters I writ unto you from Colchester I have them attested under the hands of many sufficient witnesses each particular that is material being ayerred by three witnesses at least and those of piety and judgement which attestations I shall keep by me to produce them upon fit occasions to iustifie those Letters to the world Yet it is possible he will Reply to those things as false and foul or come off with distinctions and mental reservations but these things are so evident in this Town and much more then I writ unto you as his Preaching for the pulling down of our Churches and other things that I can prove that his Pamphlet will do him no good in this place For it will not be the first time that he hath said unsaid the same things here denying and dissembling his opinions for advantage as will be testified by many witnesses by some of the Honorable Members of the House of Commons Ministers and others godly and judicious Christians This I thought good to signifie for the present recommending you to the grace of God I rest Your affectionate friend and fellow labour in the Gospel Rob. Harmar April 1646. Now by all this the Reader may see what to judge of Cretensis and his false glosses and commentaries upon the Letters Printed in Gangraena and had I Cretensis railing scoffing Rhetorick which he makes use of in this section and in many other places of his Book I might spin out whole leaves in aggravation and scoring up of lyes evil surmisings bitter words scoff and jeers expressed by Cretensis upon occasion of the Printed Letters but I forbear to contend with him in this kind truth needs not such colors though errors does to set it off The hare relation of these things is a sufficient confutation of Cretonsis and if the printed Letters of which Cretensis Master Ellis yea and Master Saltmarsâ— make such a cry of forgerie falsitie dare abide the light and their Authors are ready to justifie them the judicious Reader by this may both judge of the truth of other things contained in Gangraena and of the folly and vanity of the rest of Cretensis allegations against my Book
but saith to this purpose How could hee say so for he should contradict himselfe in other things which he hath said and holds But to that I answer 'T is no new thing for such men as he to say and unsay affirme and deny according to the companies they come in and advantages they think they have Fourthly To that which I relate of him concerning those expressions of his We might not say God the Father God the Sonne God the holy Ghost he makes some shuffling Answer but I reply he spake so and I can produce good proof of that and all the rest If a Committee of Parliament shall be pleased to take notice of it and send for this Web and proceed against him upon proof I am ready to produce witnesses and upon his owne confession and those witnesses to make proofe Onely I desire the Reader to take good notice of one expression in his Answer to this head which shewes the ignorance both of him and Bachiler in the very principles of Religion and is not Bachiler a fit man in such a Kingdome as this to bee a Licenser of Divinitie Bookes and Controversies who besides that hee is no Minister nor well studied man is such an Ignoramus as this clearely discovers him to bee Web saying hee acknowledges the Trinitie the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost hath these words That hee acknowledges the Father is the Sonne and the Holy Ghost and to that purpose whereas wee are taught from the Scriptures by all Orthodox Divines that though everie Person be God as the Father is God the Son is God and the Holy Ghost is God yet the Father is not the Son nor the Father is not the Holy Ghost nor the Son the Father nor the Holy Ghost Now Bachiler passes this and though he mended many other passages in Webs Answer putting in words in some places blotting out words and changing some expressions for others yet hee let this passe without any correction or note upon it which no man can conceive to proceed from any thing else but profound ignorance And that the Reader may know I speak these things upon good ground I perused this Answer after it was licensed with Master Bachilers hand and compared the hand of Imprimatur Iohn Bachiler with the hand where other words were put in and found it the same hand and writ out with my hand severall amendments made by Iohn Bachiler which I have by mee in writing and then subscribed my hand under them with the day of the month when I extracted them out of the Originall Copie and one being with mee who was a witnesse of all this I also intreated his hand to attest it which hee willingly did all which I can produce to satisfie any man who desires it And for the winding up of all I have to say by way of Reply to Mr. Saltmarsh Mr. Goodwine c. in vindication of my Gangraena by this time the Reader may see what to thinke if among so many hundred particulars which are laid downe by me of Errours Heresies Blasphemies Stories c. with so much variety such a venemous virulent man picking and chusing catching and snatching having Intelligence and great resort to him from Sectaries of all sorts and out of severall parts as Essex Kent c. could yet finde so few things to question in Gangraena which yet also are justified and made good what must the whole body of the Booke be which is not so much as touched either by Cretensis or any of the rest And that which alone may satisfie any rationall man that there is too much truth in Gangraena is this that I have never been called in question to make the things good I have beene informed from good hands that some of the Sectaries have had meetings consultations and severall debates about my Book what to doe in it whether to complaine or what else and I am confident if they were not afraid that things would bee found too true and very foule and upon the through examination might hazzard the danger of bringing an old house upon their heads and the punishing of many they would before this time have tried all their friends and party to see what they could have done against mee Having finished my Reply to Cretensis Master Saltmarsh and Master Walwin as before it I gave the Reader a fresh and farther Discoverie of Errours Heresies Practices of the Sectaries So I shall finish this book with matters of that kind laying downe more Errours Heresies Blasphemies Stories Letters concerning the Sectaries concluding all with a few Corollaries drawne from the whole Book And first I shall add other dangerous Errours come lately to my hand and so the first of these Errours in this latter part of my Book is the 23 Errour 23. That Saints are justified by the essentiall righteousnesse of God and not by Christs obedience For the full proofe of this I will give the Reader verbatim to a tittle a passage taken out of a Letter written by a godly Minister in Bristoll to a godly Minister here in London wherein this Minister writing to his friends that things are prettie well here and speaking of his owne preaching there saith One of the greatest rubs in the Towne is the brâ—aching of a mad errour concerning the justification of Saints by the essentiall righteousnesse of God and not by Christs obedience which some do hold and expresse with a world of vanitie and contempt of Christ. Andreas Osiander an acute and great Divine who lived in Luthers time held such an Errour though not expressed with that vanitie and contempt of Christ as these Sectaries do now concerning which opinion of Osiander and the great abilities that were in him and his way of managing that and other opinions Schollars may be further satisfied by reading Osianders life written by Melchior Adamus and Schlusselburgius in his Catalogue of Heretikes De Secta Osiandrist 24. When either of the parties married is asleepe the other is free of the bond of matrimony sleep being in a kind naturall death for the time and by death the bond of matrimony is null so that if a woman should have to do with any other man her husband being asleep she committeth not adulterie 25. That the Apocrypha Books and particularly the Book of Esdras are Canonicall and the Scriptures as well as the Canonicall Books generally owned by all to be Scripture 26. That the people of God are a free people and what they do they should do freely and voluntarily and not be assessed and rated by the Parliament compelled to pay rate upon rate assessment upon assessment 27. That the Saints and Beleevers who have husbands or wives that are unbeleevers they may put them away and take others because God gave wives to be a meet help and the Saints are to proceed to cast of all Antichristian yoaks a chiefe whereof are unequall marriages 28. That sin is but a shadow 29. The promises
such and such things So in thee London in the Associated Counties in the Armies and that after a solemn Covenant to extirpate Heâ—esies and Schisms are found such and such Errours Blasphemous Opinions strange Practises so that the Reader must remember that all the following Errours Blasphemies Practises Letters be of persons in this time and in this Kingdom 〈…〉 who live and dwell among us Secondly I do not undertake nor professe in this Catalogue and Discovery to give a full Catalogue and perfect enumeration of all the erroneous Opinions Blasphemies and Practises of the Sectaries within these four last yeers so as no more can be added to them I make no doubt but many a Reader may say this Catalogue wants such an opinion that he knows of and such an opinion but only speaks of many of them and of some principall and therefore in the Title of this Discourse I call it a Catalogue of many Errours I do not say of all It cannot rationally be imagined that one man residing constantly in one place not travelling to the Armies nor up and down from Country to Country having his hands full of preaching and writing Controversies can come to the knowledge of all Errours broached in all places or can have time to read over exactly all the Sectaries to extrâ—ct all their Opinions It may rather be thus argued what a world of strange Errours c. are there held in all parts of this Kingdom when one man hears of so much if all the ministers in the Kingdom would bring in what they know or but a considerable number of Ministers as a Committee from severall parts of the Kingdom would joyn together to read all the Books to take notes of the Sermons in publike to have some observe and watch meetings in private and draw into one all the wayes of the Sectaries within these four last yeers a great volume would not contain the Errours prodigious Opinions and strange practises of these times Ther 's no question but there are many monsters conceived by some in this Intermysticall season which are not yet brought forth and others that are brought forth yet like to bastard or mishapen children are concealed from the publike view made known only to a very few being the hidden works of darknesse the time not being yet come to publish them openly waighting only for the Mid-wife and nursing mother of a Toleration to bring them fourth and nourish them But though this be not a perfect Catalogue yet I beleeve it will be found the fullest that hath yet been made of these times and give a further Discovery then yet we have had I have seen severall Books written within these four last yeers and lesse that give us a particular Relation of some Errours and blasphemous opinions as learned Master Gatâ—kers but that 's only of the Antinomian Errours Master Bâ—ily one of the learned and Reverend Commissioners of the Church of Scotland but that is only of the Independents Brownists and Chiliasts Master Pagets who relates more then any late Authors but many of them are of the old Anabaptists and old Sectaries of other Countries rather then of the new and of this Kingdom Mr. Well but his relation is cheifly of the Familists and Antinomians in New-England many yeers ago But this work as it speaks only of the Errours and Opinions in present being and in England so it discovers more then any one Book hath of the Errours held and maintained among us yea then all the Tractates extant have discovered many great Errours being in this present Treatise laid down which are not mentioned at all neither by the forenamed Authors nor any other so that this present Discourse will be a further improvement of our knowledge of the Errours and wayes of the Sectaries of our times Thirdly My intent in this work is not to make a formall confutation of these Errours and Opinions I designed not that when I first resolved the thing that would be a long and great work and not make good my present ends I hope the naming of them will be a sufficient confutation especially with the Animadversions Observations and Corallaries hereunto adjoyned I have been a faithfull gatherer together and storer up Remembrancer and Treasurer of these Errours and Practices for the good of the publike that I might in a fit season bring out of my treasure these things and discover these monsters and rocks that so they might be of some use to godly people to make them afraid of forsaking the publike Assemblies and joyning to separated Churches where these monsters daily breed Fourthly I here give the Reader a Synopsis of Sectarisme and have drawn as is were into one Table and do present at one view the Errours and strange opinions scattered up and down and vented in many Books Manuscripts Sermons conferences c. and have disposed them under certain heads and put them into their proper places in a methodicall way for memories sake that the Reader may the more easily find them The Reader cannot imagine I found them thus methodized and laid together but confused and divided lying far asunder one or two in one book some in another others in this manuscript others in that this errour vented at such a private meeting that errour in such a Sermon this opinion at such a conference For many of these opinions the very same opinions and errours are maintained and held over and over in severall books and manuscripts so that to have given them the Reader as I found them would have been to have brought the Reader into a wildernesse and to have presented to publick view a rude and undigested Chaos with an heap of Tautologies all which are carefully declined in this following discourse by joyning in one things divided and scattered by relating but once one and the same errour and practice and by forbearing to lead the Reader thorow woods and over the mountains and in stead of that carrying him directly and presently to the bird in the nest Fifthly I lay down the opinions and errours in terminis and in their owne words and phrases syllabically as neer as possible can be or I can remember them and that as themselves have expressed them in books manuscripts sermons conferences which either are extant of their own setting forth or set forth by other learned godly men in print or as I have received them from credible sufficient witnesses I doe not in this Catalogue and Discovery alter the phrases and words of the Sectaries giving you their sense in other expressions nor set down a Relation of their opinions by consequences and deductions imputing that to them which by consequences may be drawn for I hold that an unjust way of dealing with men though in errours yea many men may hold opinions who yet see not the consequences nay abhorre those consequences which yet follow upon such premisses and therefore though in a way of
is not willing to be named in Print neither may I lawfully do it without their knowledge and leave besides that were the way for the future to deprive my self of the knowledge of many opinions and practises if I should print the names of every one that hath imparted intelligence to me 3. In this Catalogue of Errours under one and the same Errour which for number I make but one that I might not seem needlesly to multiply Errours and that I might contract things yet under that one Errour teere are more branches it may be two or three now though one part or branch of such an Errour as the former part is expresly set down in Books that are in many hands yet other branches are not but only have been expressed by word of mouth Now in such a case to quote Books speaking but to one part and not to the whole might question my faithfulnesse in all other particulars unto these I could adde more but these may suffice 7. Yet further to satisfie the Reader of the truth of things contained in this present Treatise and to stop the mouths of Sectaries who will be ready to put off all by giving out that this Book is full of lies and fables I do here offer upon condition that some exemplary punishment may passe upon some of the prime Seducers and heads of these Sects and some effectuall course taken for the future to remedy and suppresse these Errours to make a legall proof by witnesses and other concurrent circumstances of the most notorious and grossest matters which may of all others seem most questionable whether Errours Blasphemies or Practices set down in this following Catalogue Seventhly I premise this for the Christian Reader to remember and for preventing mistakes in this work that though I set down and joyn together all the following opinions in one Catalogue because they all agree in uno tertio in that common notion of Errour yea all agree in Independency and in forsaking the communion of the Reformed Churches yet I am far from thinking them all alike A Scholar that makes a Catalogue of Books writes down Decimo sextos as well as Folios in it because they be all Books and yet puts a great deal of difference between the one and the other so do I notwithstanding I put them together All the Errours reckoned up are not of the first magnitude nor in the highest form some are fundamentall Errours overthrowing the foundation directly many by consequence and deduction others are superstructures building upon the foundation hay straw and stubble I put a wide difference between a simple pure Independent yea a simple Anabaptist who only holds that opinion of denying Poedobaptisme and between an Arian Antitrinitarian Antiscripturist Perfectist Again I put a difference between erroneous persons that erre out of ignorance weaknesse and are seduced following those opinions in simplicity of heart as some people did Absolom and are peaceable keeping their opinions also to themselves and such persons as are wilful seducers the heads and leaders of Faction who make it their work to disturb the peace of the Church and to subvert souls In all this discourse I desire to think of Iude 22.23 And of some have compassion making a difference and others save with fear pulling them c. Eighthly I desire to forewarn the Christian Reader and do earnestly beseech him for his own good that he be not offended nor hindred from beleeving the truth and laying to heart the particulars laid down in this ensuing Treatise no not by all the clamours reproaches that may be cast upon my Book and person It cannot be expected but that Satan and the Sectaries will make it their work by all wayes possible to blast this Book to keep from reading and beleeving it as they used all wayes to reproach my last Book and to keep Christians all they could from reading it Blind and erroneous zeal is violent and what it wants in arguments it will make up in clamours lyes and speaking all manner of evil falsly of them that discover lay it open as Luther speaks the world cannot bear that the things of it should be condemned therefore from every part hatreds treacheries calumnies evill speakings are heaped to oppresse that Doctrine and those Teachers who oppose it And therefore let them speak evill as long as they will and give out 't is a railing lying peece yet let me speak to the Reader as the Apostle doth 1 Thes. 3.3 4. That no man should be moved by these afflictions for we told you before that we should suffer tribulation even as it s come to passe and ye know so now I tell you before that when you hear of all kind of reproaches ye may not be offended Iohn 16.1 Now the second particular under this first generall head is to remove two stumbling blocks out of the way to give an answer to two objections that may be made against this present work 1. Object It may be some will object and say It is not seasonable nor convenient to discover our nakednesse and weaknesse so far to the common enemy it were better concealed the enemy will make an advantage of it Tell it not in Gath publish it not in the streets of Askelon lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoyce lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph 2. Sam. 1.20 Ans. The prevailing of Heresies and Sects among us is not now to be discovered and published to the world It hath not been all this time kept within our own walls and known only to our selves but hath been a long time known abroad and at home and hath been declared by divers others both in writing and preaching before now so that I shall not divulge any secret to the common enemy all that I do is but to draw them into one that we may see them as it were at once our Errours and Schisms are spoken of far and near by enemies and friends How many Sermons have been preached before the Honourable Houses of Parliament and in other publike places speaking of the Errours of the time which have been also printed long since by command of Authority and exposed to the view of all Many Learned men have given a Catalogue of severall Errours as Mr. Gataker of many Antinomian Errours Mr Baily one of the Commissioners of Scotland of other Errours and Dr Featly Mr Paget with some others In Books upon all occasions 't is confessed by men of severall judgemens and denied by none that we have many great Errours amongst us many Errours have been complained of to the Houses of Parliament Committees Assembly and examined spoken of in the presence of many besides that some Errours are vented even of the grossest sort in Print as in Pilgrimage of Saints Bloudy Tenet Mortality of the soul Man of sinne discovered cum multis aliis Yea some of the Sectaries have in their writings published and acknowledged there are many sorts of Opinions
among us hence taking occasion to write for a Toleration of all as Anabaptists Antinomians c. and the great Historian and Chronicler of the Sectaries the Moderate Intelligencer Num. 36. who writes their lives and deaths and trumpets forth their victories and praises so immoderatly as if they did all and hath published to the world some weeks ago that there are twenty severall opinions in the Army and hath pleaded more then once for liberty of conscience for them all so that I by writing in this kind of the Errours of the time cannot be guilty of discovering our nakednesse the enemy having known so much before But why stand I to prove that our Heresies and Schisms are openly known in England when as their sound is gone into all Lands into Holland Zealand France yea to New-England The Walachrian Classis in their Letter to the London Synod complain much of Heresies Schisms Errours confusions in Religion spreading in the City which by such an expresse holy and sacred oath is bound to God to cast out all Errours Heresies Scisms out of the house of God Many Letters have been written over into Enland out of Holland from Ministers and Professours of schools men zealously affected to the cause of the Parliament complaining of the Errours Sects and Schisms amongst us which have been communicated to some prime members of the Assembly and others New-England speaks much of the Heresies Errours and all sorts of Sects amongst us wondring that the Assembly suffers them and that they do not stirre up the Parliament to supresse them Mr Shepards Letter written from thence shewes their knowledg of the heresies errours and sects amongst us so that our errours and schismes so publikely known to the world cannot be concealed from Oxford Seeing then there are so many errours and monsters of opinions spoken of in all places I cannot be taxed for the discovery of that which was before concealed but in this work am only a gatherer together of those errours that were scattered which by Gods blessing may be a meanes to keep many from falling into schisme seeing such monsters in that way and to cause many to returne when they finde that they never dreamt of nor intended Secondly supposing our errours to be known which is fully proved in any first Answer I then secondly say 't is so farre from being unseasonable and inconvenient that 't is most necessary that some Ministers who are friends to the Reformation and zealots for the Parliament should lay them open to the full by testifying against them and disclaiming them that so our enemies may not say wee favour and countenance them and one of my great ends in this Tractate is to take away occasion from the common enemy to blaspheme the Reformation and speak ill of the Parliament by our not owning them but speaking as much against heresie schisme and all errours as any of them can Thirdly I answer we should be so farre from being afraid to give the common enemy advantage by speaking against heresies and errours that on the contrary I may say we have no such enemies as those persons that broach and spread their heresies and damnable opinions these are our enemies which wee have cause to fear more then all the Cavaliers these are the Achans the accursed persons and things which are most likely to undo us and if ever the Parliament and their party be ruined which God prevent it will not be so much by the Cavaliers they could not have done it but the heresies blasphemies and schimes of some among our selves will cause it and therefore the finding of these out and labouring to have these removed is a work of great importance to the saving of the Kingdom and of great prejudice to the common enemy whose hopes and confidence are much more placed in our heresies prodigious opinions and schismes then in their own strength 2. Ob. As this book will give occasion to open the mouthes of enemies so it may cause distractions and divisions among our selves weaken the hands of many who are cordiall to the Parliament apprehending themselves to be written against besides this may offend many good persons that are not sectaries especially that Independents should be put into this Catalogue and ranked with all sorts of hereticks and schismaticks 1. I answer to this as Luther did in an Epistle of his to Spalatinus upon a like occasion Spalatinus would not have had Luther at such a time to have writ against the Papists for feare of disturbing the publike peace to whom Luther thus replies That 's excellent indeed that thou thinkest it not fit to have the publike peace disturbed and yet judgest it fit to have the externall peace of God disquieted not so O Spalatine Shall the grievous wolves come freely to the flock not sparing them and if the doggs barke to give warning of them shall they be said to disturbe the peace and cause distractions Brethren things are come to a good passe that hereticks and sectaries must do what they please and if any course be taken by preaching writing petitioning to remedy it 't is given out by Sectaries 't is a plot to make division discourage the Army disturbe the peace I say no more if this be to preserve union and peace and to be cordiall to the Parliament to let hereticks and sectaries do what they list preach writ spread their errours destroy many souls and no man must say what do they cursed be that union peace and affection to the Parliament 'T is a golden saying of Luther and worthy to bee thought of in these times Cursed be that charity which is kept with the losse of the doctrine of faith to which all things ought to give place Charity an Apostle an Angell from Heaven yea and I will add Parliaments Answ. 2. If in such a time as this and such a case when by many persons all the things of God are laid waste and made null Church Minister Sacraments Scriptures and what not men will be offended for speaking let them 't is better they should be offended then the glory of Christ should suffer 't is an offence taken and not given Christ cared not in that case that the Pharisees were offended Mat. 15.12.13.14 I wonder they are not offended at the heresies and errours daily broached and yet should be offended at the discovering and speaking against them I have more cause to be offended at this objection of theirs and their lukewarmenesse wo be unto them that broach these errours and to those that countenance them for every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up Answ. 3. I name not these things to provoke and exasperate any especially none of those who in simplicity of heart and under pretences of greater holinesse and new light are taken in these wayes for as I have writ before so I say again I put a great difference between Independency strictly and properly
small and few errours in comparison but in some yeares time came to vent all kind of errors almost Socinian errors and what not so our Sectaries at first were more modest but within these foure yeares especially these two last how they have growne and what they are fallen into the fore named Catalogue is sufficient proofe 3. The Arâ—inians professed reserves became Scepticks were against certainty of faith they came to have as our Divines have expressed a monethly faith nay an hourâ—ly this they now held but they know not what they might hold to morrow or the next houre this principle of uncertainty in matters of Religion the Remonstrants did hold forth in those times of the troubles of the Churches in the Netherlands that so they might overturn all forms and harmonies that was one of the scepticall rules of the Arminians Dies diem docet so our Sectaries are all for new light and reserves and multitudes of them are become meer Scepticks and Questionists and will tell you this they hold for the present but know not yet what they may see c. 4. The Arminians could not be brought to speak out a long while nor to give what they would have but hid themselves in doubtfull phrases and were feared monstri aliquid alere when they stood for and desired a Toleration upon conferences and meetings they were put to it to give in what they held and all they held they were proffered at the conference holden at Delph favour and Toleration if they would give assurance they desired only forbearance in the five Points but they could not be got to it so our Sectaries have forborne to this day notwithstanding all meanes used to set down this we hold this we will stick to 5. The Arminians in those times in the Low-Countries in some Cities and Towns where they had power persecuted the Orthodox troubled them much so do our Sectaries in Towns or places where they have power persecute godly Orthodox men especially if zealous against the Sects O how have some Sectaries vexed plagued and troubled many godly Ministers and people severall waies of which more under their particular policies factious practices 6. The Arminians had well nigh undone the Netherlands and brought all to confusion had not the old Prince of Orange been stout and wise even doing something beyond the ordinarie way of his power and upon the Synod of Dort determining the Magistrate added the civill sanction and used coercive power that Countrey had been lost so Sectaries have by their errours divisions and factions they have made among us hazarded all and if God do not wonderfully put in and be mercifull to us their waies and courses will undo us all 7. The Netherland Arminians would be Remonstrants did write against complaine of the Synod of Dort that they could not have their liberty were not well dealt with could not have so faire a hearing how many books were written how many aspersions were cast upon the Synod And have not and do not our Sectaries write against the Assembly complain by word of mouth are not their mouthes full of such speeches They cannot be heard They have not had liberty to bring in their Questions c. Is it not remarkable that the Pamphlet or rather Libell against the Assembly put forth by stealth is entituled A Remonstrance of the Dissenting Brethren so that they are the English Remonstrants 8 The Netherland Arminians when once the Magistrate did effectually set to back the Synod of Dort and were against them then they writ books in a far other stile and that power which before they so liberally measured out to them they did not a little limit and contract denying the Magistrate had any power over private meetings so our Sectaries if once the Magistrates come to suppresse their errours and false Doctrines and their private meetings we shall see how they will change their stile nay have wee not too much experience how but upon votes for Government and but upon the preparative Orders for setling Church-Government upon the overtures of it this lâ—st summer when the Order came of casting this City into Classes and a Province and an Order for choosing tryers of Elders what passages had we in Sermons Prayers of some of the Sectaries as among many to give two onely on the day of Thanksgiving for taking Sherborne castle a Sectary preached this That the Parliament was making of Lawes against the Saints and that he was not afraid to speake because he was not afraid to suffer And others preached of the great persecution that was coming and how the Bishops tyrannie would be nothing to the Presbyterians their finger would be heavier then the Bishops loynes or words to that purpose The Sectaries and the Bishops with that Court party agree 1. The Bishops and the Court party would bring off one way or other by Letters written from great friends at Court by appearing for them by removing to some other place the businesse by finding out one device or another deluding the parties who prosecuted and troubled them all those of their party that were active and able who by vertue of the Lawes conscience and courage some men in place were questioned and indangered for preaching some Doctrines of Poperie and Arminiansme c. or for some practices not legall of which many examples were in the former time fetching them out of the hands of Orthodox men who had power sending Warrants for discharge of Priests Jesuites c. and now all England over generally the Sectaries for anie of their partie that are questioned either for preaching false doctrines or for speaking unjustifiable words or for other misdemeanours do use all waies to bring them off they will use meanes to remove them from one Committee to another where they are stronger they will get Letters writ on their behalfe they will work things so as by delayes one way or another the Sectaries shall escape as much as ever the Jesuits Priests Arminians Innovators did heretofore 2. The Bishops and Court party would prefer none but their party kept out all men from all places in Church and Common-wealth though never so deserving especially if zealous or had anie great parts to stand for the truth and they would prefer their own partie though never so unworthy though little to commend them and so the Sectaries in all places where they have power bring in Sectaries though otherwise unfit into offices and places though dishonest and scandalous and set themselves with all the industry and cunning that may be to keep out godly conscientious men that are against the Sects though the publike suffer never so much for the want of them 3. The Bishops and Court-party did set themselves to worme out that being the Archbishops phrase all godly zealous able men out of places and would by one means or device watching them cast them out quite or so hamper and vex them that they were weary of
their lives and places so doe our Sectaries make it their study to remove worme by degrees out of places upon one pretence or other when they cannot doe it otherwise active Presbyterians of which we have too manie instances and set themselves to vex them by over-rating in Townes where they have place by bringing them into Haberdashers Hâ—ll by putting in Articles against them which they cannot prove and so putting them to chargeable journeyes and expences with abundance of such 4. The Bishops and the Court-party to bring about their ends would bring matters to such a condition and such a necessitie and then would make those necessities that condition of affaires as a ground of such and such following actions pleading the necessities and the condition of the times as their warrant so our Sectaries doe in many cases they have by their policies and wayes hindred the setling of Church-Government all this while and they plead the long delay of setling it as a ground to justifie their gathering Churches saying how manie yeares would you have us to stay when as in the Assembly Citie in all places by all meanes where they have anie interest they retard the work and so if meanes be used by Petitioning the Parliament to settle Church-Government and to suppresse the great errours then some of the Sectaries say and give out The Army will be offended when as many of the Sectaries have used all meanes and do still to bring things to that passe that we might have an Armie under the commands and in the hands of the Sectaries though blessed be God we have a Noble Generall free from sectarisme and not above one in six in the Armie that way tainted 4. The Prelaticall faction and that Court-partie were great Innovatours given to change running from one opinion to another being Arminians as well as Popish yea some of them Sociâ—inians and countenancing such and were everie day inventing some new matter in worship adding this ceremonie and the other putting downe some part of worships and altering them by substituting other as in putting down singing of Psalmes in some Churches and having Hymnes in putting downe all conceived Prayer and commanding bidding of Prayer with a multitude of such like so our Sectaries are great Innovatours as changeable as the Moon bringing into their Churches new opinions daily new practices taking away the old used in all Reformed Churches and substituting new taking away of singing of Psalms and pleading for hymnes of their own making bringing in anoynting with oyl bringing in their laying on of hands to give the Holy Ghost with severall other strange wayes and practices which the Reader shall find in this following discourse among the narrations of passages and stories 5 The Prelaticall faction and that Court-Clergie were daring bold men that durst venture almost upon any thing upon counselling to prorogue and break up Parliaments in times of danger and distraction upon putting men out of offices and places that were not for their turne and to bring in others calculated for their Meridian upon corrupting Religion and Lawes at once breaking in both upon the Truth and the libertie of the Subject at the same time upon any thing or person that stood in their way So our Sectaries many of them are daring men have attempted and been upon high businesses about counselling and drawing up Petitions for adjourning as they call it the Assembly in a time when the distractions of this Church are so infinite and things so unsetled as also have inserted strange passages into other Petitions which yet have not been presented others of the company opposing them with severall other particulars which would be too large now to relate in one word there is almost nothing which they have not and dare not venture on that stands in their light and in the way of their designes and I may say of many of the Sectaries for I do not mean all as I have said before so I say again there are some good souls meerly seduced who are not of the Faction they have overpassed the deeds of the wicked not only walked after their wayes nor done after their abominations but have corrupted themselves more than they justified the Bishops and their Faction by falling into those opinions and doing those actions in an high bold and open way which that Faction never durst do for feare of the people Next the present Malignants and the Sectaries agree in the generall thus that thorowout the Kingdome it is now notorious that the greatest Malignants and Sectaries hold together and vote together against the Presbyterians and the Reformation in all places and upon all businesses of which there are many examples in the choyce of Burgesses for Parliament in the Petition presented in London at the choyce of the new Common-Councell the grandest Malignants and the Independents joyned together to oppose and in some Committees where men of both these sorts are it is observed also but to come to some particulars The parallel between the present Malignants and our grand Sectaries stands in these 1 The Malignants have opposed the proceedings of Parliament by preaching and writing books against them reviling the Houses especially the House of Commons and many particular worthy Members by name speaking against their Ordinances constitutions as Covenant Directorie Ordination against their Power and Priviledges we know what Aulicus that grand Malignant hath done and how manie books both from Oxford and here at London hath been by the malignant partie printed and vented so also have manie Sectaries and here it would fill a great book to bring into one all the speeches with the passages in Petitions Sermons Prayers printed books that have been vented against the Parliament and particular Worthy Members of both Houses their Power and Power and Priviledges with their Ordinances and Orders in reference to matters of Religion as the Nationall Covenant Directorie Ordinance against mens preaching out of Office the Monethly Fast the Ordinance for Tithes the Orders and Directions about Classes and chusing Elders in which Sermons printed Books Discourses Petitions and other carriages of the Sectaries there have been more things vented distructive to the verie power and nature of Parliaments undermining the verie root and foundation and all their proceedings in reference to matters of Religion yea of justice and civill matters then ever have been by all the Malignants in England as ever I could heare of witnesse Lilburnes booke with that lately come forth call'd Innocency and Truth justified all the printed Letters and Papers that were printed upon occasion of his imprisonment Englands Birthright the Ordinance of Tithes Dismounted the Arraignment of Persecution and all his fellowes as Martins Eccho c. Turners Heavenly conâ—erence for Sions Saints resembling the Directory to the golden Calves of Jeroboam and affirming there are untruths contradictions to the Canonicall Scriptures errours c. And here I dare be bold to say that here have been greater insolencies and
affronts offered to this Parliament by many of the Sectaries then ever was to Parliament in England by any men who lived within their power as for instance when Lilburne was committed to prison and such a Letter was come forth in his name against the Parliament in such an open vile manner and at such a time being prisoner many of the Sectaries of Southwark met together and propounded to chuse Lilburne Burgesse for Parliament and that Lilburne after so great favour and mercy showne him by the House of Commons after so high an abuse of the honourable Speaker the honourable Committee of Examinations yea and of the whole House as discharging him of his imprisonment without either acknowledging the justice or petitioning for the mercy of the House of Commons a favour that I never heard or read of granted to any man before and that I thought had been a thing impossible ' even against the fundamentall Orders of the House for a man committed by the House upon far lesse offences without petitioning to be set free should yet set forth a book to all the world justifying himself in his former waies and point blank charge the House with being unjustly dealt with in his late imprisonment imprisoning him contrarie to the knowne and declared Lawes yea further in severall places of his book after a bold and audacious manner abusing and bringing in dangerous insinuations reflecting upon them O what unheard of Malignancies are these I And so Mr. Iohn Goodwin in a Sermon hath uttered that against the Parliament the power of it as opens a gap to all sleighting of their authoritie and power and I beleeve never was there any such speech from any before himselfe 2 The Sectaries and Malignants agree in being bitter enemies of our brethren of Scotland and of their Armies the Malignants wee know look upon them with an evill eye as the first cause of all their miserie and cannot give them a good word and all the world sees how the Sectaries hate the Scots raise and spread evill reports upon them are as thorns in their sides heavy enemies obstructing them in all places where they have power devising alwaies to be rid of them and studying what in them lies to make a breach I could tell the Reader many speeches stories of the Sectaries in this kinde in reference to our Brethren of Scotland but it needs not for they that run may read it 3. They agree in this rather to have Episcopal Government and a Toleration then a strict Presbyteriall and thorow Reformation we all know this would please Aulicus and his fellowes and I thinke I can prove from good hands and if I should name them the Sectaries would say so to that some of the prime Ministers in the way of the Sects have said That Episcopall Government and a Toleration of their way would give them content The Malignants and Sectaries agree in Independency the Malignants now turn Independents and professe they are for Independency and for this I could quote severall speeches and name some malignant Ministers and others of note who are for Independency against Presbytery but this is now so commonly known that Britanicus a man who hath done them many good offices and cryed up several of them confesses in one of his Pamphlets about a fortnight since that the Malignants are turned Independents hardly a Malignant Priest about town but is for Independency against Presbyterie Lastly The Sectaries agree with Iulian the Apostata and some other enemies of Christians in these four things 1. Iulian was a great scoffer at the Scriptures Christ and Christian Religion as Eccles. stories mention and manie of the Sectaries of our time are fearfull scoffers and mockers at all things that are good Scriptures Trinitie Christ Ministery Ordinances what not there was never a greater generation of scoffers at Religion then many of the Sectaries of our times witnesse manie printed books as Arraignment of Persecution and his fellowes the Ordinance of Tithes Dismounted besides manie scoffing bookes against the Presbyteriall Government as the two Brethrens MS. with others of that kinde 2. Iulian was a great enemy to the learning of Christians used all means to overthrow learning so do manie Sectaries in our time 3. He attempted to get the Militia out of the hands of the Orthodox Christians as Theodoret in his Eccles. Historie relateth and the Sectaries have and do use all meanes within their power to get the Militia out of the hands of the Orthodox into their hands solely of which I could tell tales 4 Iulian was the great patron of Toleration for all Sects Donatists Arians Eunomians he was the great man for libertas perditionis as Augustine calls it the Donatists fled to him hee gave them publike liberty of Churches hee called backe from banishment Aetius the great leader of the Eunomian heresie and whether all the sects are not agreed with him in that as also with Valens another wicked Emperour who was for Toleration of all but the Orthodox I leave to their own consciences to determine And as I have made a Parallel between the Sectaries of our time and the Donatiâ—ts Jesuits c. so I might now at large show in all the fore-named particulars an Antithesis and Dissimilitude betweene the godly Orthodox Presbyterians and the Donatists Jesuits Arminians Prelates c. but I dare not enter into it for feare my book be too voluminous having already exceeded that proportion which I at first intended when I began it all I shall do then in point of parallel is but to hint a few things which I desire the Reader well to observe of the difference in the carriage and behaviour these foure yeares last past all along of the Presbyterians both to the Honourable Houses and the Sectaries and of the Sectaries to the Parliament and the Presbyterians and for the truth of what I say I dare appeal to all the world yea and to the consciences of many sectaries themselves Though the Presbyterian party from the beginning of the differences between the King and Parliament among those who professe to stand for Reformation and for the Parliament hath been and still is without all compare the greater part of both Kingdomes the body of both Assemblies and Ministers the body of the people in Cities and Countries especially of persons eminent in place and quality yea and the Parliaments too of the Parliament of Scotland there 's no question the Parliament of England also after advice had with the Assembly hath declared for Presbytery having voted and formed into Orders Directions and Ordinances severall parts and pieces of Presbyteriall Government yet for all this have not the Presbyterians taken upon them to set up the Government in that manner and way as they conceive and judge to be most agreeable to the word drawing in the people with them but have waited upon the Parliament all this while for the setling of the Church
c. and agree among themselves that some of them shall seem to be for Poedobâ—ptisme and in the disputation 't is maintained at first eagerly by some of their party against others of them who oppose it but then after long and great disputation at last they confesse they are by the evidence of truth convinced and before all the people give glorie to God that now they see the truth whereby the people seeing them who pleaded for Poedobaptisme confessing their errour and yeelding they knowing nothing of this precontract and deceit they also stumble question and fall yea and to spread their errours the more in some great towne where some of the Sectaries being souldiers have been quartered they have desired the use of severall houses of persons well-affected that in the afternoon some Christians might meet to confer together of some points not contenting themselves to reason in the house where quartered or in any one house that might be larger to hold many but to get a new house every day the more to infect and possesse the people with their waies and Tenets 11. All things that have fallen out and do in the Kingdomes of Victories Losses Oâ—dinances Petitions Actions Death of particular persons of all matter in Church State Parliament Assembly City they make use of it one way or other to further their designe and turne it for the furthering of their way and against the Presbyteriall Government as the businesse of Dennington Castle as the losse of Leicâ—ster upon that framing a Petition to adjâ—urne the Assembly with other particulars which I cannot now mention 12. Some of the Sectâ—riâ—s plead miracles revelations visions for their way and to confirme their doctrine as some Anabaptists at Yorke for their rebaptization that being baptized in the winter in the river Ouse the water was as hot as if it had beene in the midst of summer as healing the sicke with the anointing of oyle as giving out Christ appeared to an Anabâ—ptist and forbade her to baptize her child of which the Reader may read more in the second Letter 13. They are wont upon the coming forth of books against their way which they see take with wise men and for which both their opinions and themselves suffer to give out they shall be answered and are answering of them to keep the people in heart till they be forgotten and the speech of the booke over of which I could give many instances and so upon the new Modell when in stead of bringing that in to the Assembly they brought in pretended reasons why not they suffered much in the esteem of all unprejudiced men speaking they durst bring in none because of the weaknesse of their way then severall Sectaries gave it out in many places and to many as I can prove it and name persons too that the Modell was a printing it was certainly in the presse and all the world should see it 14. They have done and practised many strange things in reference to baptisme of children dressing up a Cat like a child for to be baptized inviting many people both men and women as to baptizing of a child and then when neighbours were come having one to preach against baptizing of children they have baptized many weakly ancient women naked in rivers in winter whereupon some have sickned and died they have baptized young maids Citizens daughters about one and two a clock in the morning tempting them out of their fathers houses at midnight to be baptized the parents being asleep and knowing nothing 15. They use to give great and glorious names swelling Titles to their books they set forth as Innocency and Truth Triumphing together as Truth gloriously appearing c. as also to their erroneous Doctrines lâ—id down in their books casting upon Truths of God odious names as The â—â—orming of Antichrist Discovery of the man of sin c. their books being just like the Aegyptian Temples whose outsides were beautifull and glorious having the inscription of a Deity upon them but within nothing but a Crocodile an Ape an Onion or some such vile mean creature 16. They are extreamly full of partiality in all their waies not allowing that to others though far more considerable for quality dignity which themselves ordinarily do speaking against that in others which they daily practise of which I will give a few instances they have cried out in Pulpits Pamphlets discourses of the Citizens Common Councell Ministers for petitioning to settle Government or humbly representing their desires O 't is an interposing medling anticipating and I know not what when as a few Sectaries Lilburne and his fellowes can appoint meetings and give notice to manie to come to them at such times and places and draw up Petitions and that strange ones too medling with manie things before the Houses and in debate not determined and against the known Priviledges of the Houses of which I might give manie instances as after the losse of Leicester in the meetings of the Sectaries this was one of the clauses of their Petitions to name such and such members of the House of Commons to be a Comittee for the raising of the Countieâ— and appointing Commanders but opposed by some godly Orthodox Citizens who saw their dâ—ift and observed well whom they named as being against the Priviledges of Parliament for them a few private persons to nominate a Committee of the members of Parliament as also that the Assembly might be adjourned thus one of the Pamphlets tell us among his Newes that inferiour Râ—presentatives which no man of understanding can interpret of anie but the Common-Councell of London must bee wary of medling or interposing by Petitions or gathering together but leave all to the Parliament but now the Sectaries foure or five hundred of them they may meet together interpose repâ—esent may speak their pleasures of and arraign the Parliament Committee of Examinations M. Speaker and other Members of the House as they did after Lilburns committing and the Intelligencer will not diâ—câ—pline them Again they may print preach speak against Assembly Ministerie for Independency against Presbytery and what not and yet if any of them be questioned or book stopped at presse 't is persecution and they cannot be heard noâ— have liberty to speak for their way whereas the same men use all means and waies against Presbyterians preaching printing yea labouring to hinder their putting forth of Answers and calling in Answers made yea endeavouring to trouble those who License books against their waies as for instance the Assembly being falsly and scandalously dealt with in a Pamphlet intit A Copy of a Remonstrance lately delivered in to the Assembly the Sectaries have used all their friends to hinder the printing of the Assemblies Answer so manie of the Sectaries at their meetings drew up a Petition to the House of Commons to have Mr. Prynns and Dr. Bastwicks bookes called in and that House to declare their sense against them and that no such books
might be writ against the godly well affâ—cted partie under the name of Anabaptists Brownists Independents and a large schedule was annexed to the Petition of offensive passages that were in M. Prynns and D. Bastwicks book I think ere long they will dare to petition that no man shall preach against an Anabaptist or name a Sectarie or speake a word for Presbyterie but themselves may preach print and say what they list And so in the case of the Letter of the City Ministers to the Assembly against Toleration and in other books yea and in Sermons that have been against the sects they have threatned and endeavoured to trouble and question the Licensers and Preachers 17. They are full of plots and projects for their way and increasing their party they have alwaies designes on foot they do nothing nor propound nothing but theres some designe or other in it they are big with many at once that if one take not another may if one misse they presently start another of which I could give manie instances and show how the hand of Ioah hath been and is where 't is little thought they use other men upon other interests and ends to do their worke they have waieâ— collaterelly and indirectly to effect their worke when it would be marred if they went in recta linea they can and ordinarily do go about to destroy businesses they seeme to plead for by propounding and putting upon ways to effect it which they know are not feasible 18. They have and do when put upon present exigents yeeld to and forbear things for the present and sometimes in appearance will seeme to go far with you and are content to lose the fore-game that they may play the aftergame better and recover all they will sometimes appeare to be yours fully till they have served their turne giving place for a time but still waiting opportunities and working in the mean time all they may and when they have counterworkt they will fetch all about again another way and make void all they seem'd to grant you and of this there are too many examples among the Sectaries manie of them taking the Nationall Covenant for that instant necessity that they might worke so as in time to destroy the end and intent of it and yeelding some arguments and debates for the present to effect their owne ends afterwards 19. They have been and are Polupragmaticall indefatigably active stirring restlesse night and day in City Countrey in all places having their agents to doe their worke and promote their caâ—se their eyes are intent upon every thing that may make for them or against them and they have a hand in every thing they are men of a hundred eyes and hands out-acting and out-working all the Presbyterians they deale with this man to take him off and worke with another to qualifie him they have got most of the weekly writers of Newes to plead their cause commend their persons cry up their actions they have sent Emissaries to sâ—verall Countreyes to preach carry Letters deale with persons for chusing of Burgesses in Parliament for their way as M. Peters and others they observe all mens tempers humours and accordingly deale with them all some with offices and places some by holding out principles suiting their lusts 20. They desperately censure and judge all men both their estates and actions who are not for them they presently unsaint them and men fall from grace ipso facto by preaching or writing bookes against their errours as M. Prynne making him worse then the late Archbishop of Canterbury and so one M. E. for writing against them they use this phrase sometimes accounted a godly man and of M. Ash they have not only in England laboured to blast him by their censures and reports but writ over into Holland that since he appeared against them God had evidently blasted him and taken away his gifts and lately upon reports raised by them no doubt that I was dead though there was not the least colour for it not being sick at all they gave it out it was Gods just judgement upon me to cut me off for preaching and writing against the Independents and at the same time they gave out that M. Calamy had broken his arme and D. Twisse a dying O saith one of their Doctors of Divinity you may see the just hand of God against the Presbyterians M. Edwards dead M. Calamies arme broke and D. Twisse a dying so that if these things had been thus we may see how they would have judged it and if such things had fallen to some of us which have to many of the sectaries which I name not to upbraid them with but to shew them their own folly as that by the plague of pestilence our children two at a time had been taken away as M. Goodwins was upon the making his house a meeting for the Sectaries and some of our eyes put out by a Pike in the street as one of Lilburns was immediately upon his Letter coming forth against M. Prynne and the Assembly and our wives stark mad as M. Peters wife wee might have expected as bad books written of us as were written by the Papists of Luther and Calvin 21. They take upon them more places then they can or do discharge and bear the names of some places which they seldome officiate and have laboured to add more places to those they have already and that both in City and Countrey so that some of them besides their places in the Assembly which they seldom attend especially this last yeare and their private gathered Churches have divers Lectures and places besides their hanging upon great men to preach before them to ingratiate themselves and getting to preach at White-hall S. Iames Westminster and other eminent places where the great ones Earles Lords and the Grandees of the time resort they do not as wee Ministers sit still expecting a call to places but they are forward men bestirring themselves to attain this place and that getting such great mens Letters in their behalfe using such Ministers of note and other persons of quality and power in Parishes to make way for them to come in pretending to preach for nothing c. and still in all these Lectures and preachings they have an eye to Churches in places most convenient for thier ends as so situated so capacious and to times when few or no Lectures else are as on the Lords day in the morning between six and seven a clocke all those Lectures at that time of the day from Stepney to Westminster they either have possession of or have strongly laboured for them yea and to have set up others on the Lords dayes in the morning at Ludgatâ— Aldersgate c. if by themselves or all the friends they made they could have effected it and so the Lord day in the evening when other Sermons are done they have gotten that Lecture at the Three Cranes and so the Lecture on Munday night
these papers with theirs or for some other use and being lent them by Presbyterians who are plain honest men and not acquainted with policies they keep them and cannot be entreated to returne them agâ—ine but being asked for them pretend some excuse or other of which I could give instances naming the persons and things at large but I spare them 26. They practise and endeavour to get Sectaries and those that way affected to attend on and be about cordiall Presbyterians that are of qualitie place and power both to observe and watch them and to qualifie them and do some good offices for the Sectaries of which I could give notable instances but I must only hint it and leave Presbyterians to their owne observation 27. About the time of moulding the new Army some of the Sectaries gave out where ever they came and went from one to another both to Ministers people that such and such call them what you will are the men that will fight cordially for you overcome the Cavaliers and when they have done they will either submit to the Government established or else leave the Land you need not feare them and this they laboured to possesse all men with that so without muttering or speaking against there might the more Sectaries get places in the Army and yet we see now by experience that upon all motions and petitions for setling the Government or against Toleration the Army is spoken of And will you discourage those that fight so bravely and that God hath made so instrumentall to you and that if they may not have libertie of conscience and libertie to preach the Army will be discouraged and if they may not preach they will not fight and after victories we have been minded by Letters from the Army of libertie of conscience and expecting no compulsion in matters of the mind 28. They upbraid in printed books and speeches many Presbyterians particularly of the Assembly with their former conformitie yea they brand and asperse them that they have been great time-servers Innovators and this they do to make the people beleeve that what they do now is not out of conscience but to serve the times and that such men are not likely to have the truth revealed to them nor fit to have a hand in the Reformation who have so polluted themselves with corruptions in worship and the inventions of men and among many good Mr. Calamy hath been abominably belied in this kind especially in that late railing Pamphlet of Mr. Burtons called Truth still Truth though shut out of doores whereas many of the great Sectaries themselves and principall Ring-leaders in each Sect as Anabaptists Antinomians Independents c. were not only Conformists in the way of old conformitie but great Innovators and forward Episcopall men the innovations of Altars bowing at the name of Jesus reading the book of Sports causing the people to come and kneele at the Rail threatning and bringing their tender conscienced people into the spirituall Courts yea into the High-Commission being practised by some of them and I challenge the Sectaries to name so many of the Presbyterian partie who appeare for that Government by writing or other wayes to be so faultie for Innovations and serving the Bishops as I can name amongst them The full Relation of the time-serving and Innovations of Denn Cox Ellis of Colchester Dr. Holms Saltmarsh Cummins Wale of Norfolk cum multis aliis would make a new book and the best of the Independents will be found upon search yea them of the Assembly not only for many yeares to have been Conformists but to have gone further in conformitie to the Bishops than some of us As for example Mr. Burroughs in the times of the Bishops pressing Innovations was wont to ride up and downe the Countrey in a Canonicall Coat and I ask him Mr. Bridge and Mr. Greenhill whether they besides Subscription took not the oath of Canonicall obedience and gave not some monies to the repaire of Pauls Church in London whereas I as great a Conformist as some of the Sectaries would make me to have been never had a Canonicall Coat never gave a penny to the building of Pauls took not the Canonicall Oath declined Subscription for many yeares before the Parliament though I practised the old Conformitie would not give ne obulum quidem to the contributions against the Scots but disswaded other Ministers much lesse did I yeeld to bow to the Altar and at the name of Jesus or administer the Lords Supper at a Table turned Altar-wise or bring the people up to Rails or read the book of Sports or highly flatter the Arch-Bishop in an Epistle Dedicatorie to him or put Articles into the High Commission Court against any but was my selfe put into the High Commission Court and Pursevants with Letters missive and an Attachment sent out to apprehend me for preaching a Sermon at Mercers Chappell on a Fast day in Iuly 1640. against the Bishops and their Faction such a free Sermon as I beleeve never a Sectarie in England durst have preached in such a place and at such a time To conclude for this time the practices of the Sectaries it is apparent they make the propagation and advancement of their way and partie in opposition to the Presbyteriall Government their supreme Law for the effâ—cting of which they have and do use all means though dishonest and unlawfull they say and unsay affirme and deny make promises and break them go backward and forward and in one word have dispensed with their most sacred principles of Church-fellowship so as such things may make for the increase and advancement of their partie of which I could give a world of instances Ob. But it may be it will be said What are the practices of some men and matters of fact to a way it is arguments must convince men not practices Answ. Much everie way in this because both in printed books Pulpits and Discourses the practices of the Sectaries are brought to perswade people to forsake our Churches and to come to them as the great holinesse sanctitie selfe-deniall humilitie innocencie of that partie with their painfull preaching without great livings or expecting Tithes and on the other hand the Presbyterians are branded as men of no great pietie holinesse charitie and if it were not for livings of two or three hundred pounds a year they would turn Independents and many people are drawne more by these things than by all their Arguments Now therefore the discovering to the people nakedly and truly their practices may undeceive them and be as good a means to bring them back to the Communion of the Reformed Church as ever the false representation of them was to mis-lead them Here followes a Copie of some Letters with a Narration of Stories and remarkable passages concerning the Sectaries The Second Part OF GANGRAENA OR A fresh and further Discovery of the Errors Heresies Blasphemies and dangerous Proceedings of the SECTARIES
of this time As also a Particular Narration of divers Stories speciall Passages Letters an Extract of some Letters all concerning the present SECTS Together with some COROLLARIES from all the fore-named premisses A REPLY to the most materiall exceptions made by Mr Saltmarsh Mr. Walwyn and Cretensis against Mr. Edwards late Book entituled GANGRAENA As also brief Animadversions upon some late Pamphlets one of Mr. Bacons another of Thomas Webs a third of a Picture made in disgrace of the PRESBYTERIANS A Relation of a Monster lately born at Colchester of Parents who are Sectaries The Copie of an HYMNE sung by some Sectaries in stead of DAVIDS Psalms By THOMAS EDVVARDS Minister of the Gospel Beware of false Prophets which come to you in Sheeps clothing but inwardly they are ravening Wolves ye shall know them by their fruits Matth. 7. v. 15 16. But shun prophane and vain bablings for they will increase to more ungodlinesse And their word will eat as doth a Gangrene of whom is Hymeneus and Philetus 2 Tim. 1.16 17 But evill men and seducers shall waxe worse and worse deceiving and being deceived 2 Tim. 3.13 LONDON Printed by T. R. and E. M. for Ralph Smith at the sign of the Bible in Cornhill near the Royall Exchange 1646. Reader THou art presented with the Second Part of Gangraena declaring some other not infirmities of the Saints as some men speak but abominations of men of corrupt minds reprobate concerning the Faith and a vindication of those few particulars of the former Treatise which were excepted against The Author hath proceeded in this Labour not to please himself what pleasure can it be to rake in a Dunghill but to preserve thee The discovery of Errours is by the blessing of God the prevention of them in which regard the Labours of Epiphanius Augustine Philastrius Theodoret of old of Calvin Danus and others of late published for this end have been and are of great esteem in the Church of God And I make no question but these Labours of this Author as they now find acceptance with judicious and godly Christians so also in future times will out-live the calumnies by Sectaries cast upon them and our posterity will admire what is by us undervalued Let not clamours of men who call light darknesse and darknesse light discourage thee from reading it doth not mee from approving that this Treatise be imprinted Imprimatur JAMES CRANFORD TO THE CHRISTIAN READER Good Reader T Is my lot so divine Providence is pleased to order it that in my conflicts for Truth and against Error I should not enter the field and fight single combats but encounter with many My Antapologia was an Answer unto five men esteemed Gyants by many of these times who though they were five to one yet by the good hand of God that was with mee in that work I keep the field till this day neither they nor any for them notwithstanding all the great threats given out having yet engaged against mee in that cause Now in this present booke consisting partly of a Reply I have to do with Three a three-headed Cerberus the three-bodied monster Geryon The Apologists were fair smooth men in comparison of these their voice was the voice of Jacob but these are hairy rough wilde red men especially Cretensis These are grown higher are gone farther and are more daring then the former and yet I doubt not but hee that then brought me off with safety and honour too will also now stand by mee and having delivered mee from the lion and the bear these uncircumcised Philistims especially Goliah Goodwin shall be as one of them Whilest I was making this Reply had even finished it striking off this three-headed Cerberus new heads of that monstrous Hydra of Sectarism sprung up which the Reader shall also find have their deaths wound too in this present Book and yet after all these heads cut off I expect a great red Dragon having seven heads and seven horne and seven crowns upon his heads but let as many Sectaries come forth as will I shall sing with David Psal. 27.3 Though an Host should encamp against me my heart shall not fear And besides my Reply to the Answers made against my Book entituled Gangraena the Reader shall find in this Book more work for the Sectaries the Second Part of Gangraena a Discovery of more Errours Heresies Blasphemies and Proceedings of the Sectaries wherein I have not only laid down many Errours Heresies and Proceedings of the Sectaries not touched before but some greater stranger higher Heresies and Blasphemies and some that are more against the second Table and destructive to the civill Lawes and peace of Kingdoms which Sectaries in their pleading for Tolerations seem to exempt out of the number of Errours to be tolerated yea I desire the Reader to take notice there are some things spoken of in this present Book some Blasphemies c. done by Sectaries that the like or worse are not to he found in any age since the coming of Christ nay I think not since the Creation of the world as that Blasphemy of one John Boggis Now that the Reader may the more profit by this work and not stumble in the Entrance I shall premise three things whereby to remove a few prejudices that may be in the minds of some men both against the matter and manner of this Book 1 T is objected The bringing upon the stage matters of fact and the practices of some men against a way is not a right course to convince a way to be naught nor the followers of it of their errours Arguments and Reasons are the way to satisfie men Answ. I have spoken to this objection in the first part of Gangraena pag. 76. and the Reader may find more said to it in this second part pag. 79 80. And therefore that which I shall say here is this Such discoveries as these are a more sensible practicall way of confutation of the Sectaries to the body of the people of the Kingdome then so many syllogismes and arguments they can understand these when they cannot perceive an argument and Christ himselfe in speaking against false prophets saith By their fruits you shall know them Doe men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles c. And the Apostles in their speaking against the Hereticks and heresies of their times confuted them thus by their practices and wayes Whosoeverdoes but observe the passages in the Epistles of Peter Jude Paul shall finde this true And whereas t is said by some of them if they would do so by the Presbyterians they could show as many Errours held by some Presbyterians and as bad practises c. and so recriminate I answer suppose they could 1. Yet there 's not the same reason in divers respects but I will only give one instance namely this difference The Anabaptists Independents c. have their Church way and government up they
it in running away with another womans husband is now sufficiently known to Mr. Goodwin and Mr. Saltmarsh and is one of the lyes like all the rest in Mr. Edwards Gangrâ—ena This wretched woman one of Mr. Goodwins and Mr. Saltmâ—rshes Saints as they make all without any distinction whom I speak of in Gangraena among other new truths and glorious lights preached that all the Devils should be saved alledging that place in Zachary sending forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein there is no water against which Doctrine one of the company objected and said sister what say you to that of Matth. 25. Depart from me yee cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Divel and his Angels unto which Mistris Attaway replyed that by everlasting in that place was meant while day and night lasted but not eternall after day and night were ended March 13. Two honest Citizens coming to me about some Sermons an Independent Minister had preached in London one of them told me he lately had a man and maid-servant who were Anabaptists and that when he was abed they would set up and juncket together making Sack-possets and such like provision of his purse and in sum this male Anabaptist got the female Anabaptist with child and after married her The Master speaking to him of breach of Covenant how he had covenanted not to marry in the time of his Apprentiship till his years were expired he said it was a divelish Covenant and so would not keep it On the sixteenth of March a Member of the Assembly of Divines related this following story for a certain truth which he knew to be so only would not name the persons that a Sectary one of Master Goodwins and Master Saltmarshes Saints and beleevers a Seeker by Sect sought to gain the good will of a Virgin to be his wife and when she consented and was contented to it hee propounded that they might lie together at nighâ— at which motion she startled saying not till we are married to which answer this Seeker replyed that marriage was but an idle Ceremony they were now man and wife before God having promised one another whereupon they went to bed together and next morning after the Seeker had satisfied his lust he ranne quite away and left his bride and instead of one Seeker there were two the daughter thus forsaken and her mother who was widdow to seek after him In a Book lately printed call'd the Ordinance for Tyths Dismounted which book also was given into the hands of one Parliament man as I can prove by a great Sectary who may justly be thought the Author of it there are such passages of reproach against the Parliament as are not to be paralled in any writings except some of the Sectaries In pag. 6.7 8.40 this Sectarie speaking of a passage in the Ordinance of Tyths made by the Lords and Commons hath these following words Had not such a passage gone under the Title of the Lords and Commons who are chosen for the weale of the people I should not have judged it an act of humanity but rather the result of an Hell-bred conspiracy by the Divell and his Angels to confound us with their unreasonable malice c. and this was the first stone these Master-builders laid in their blessed Reformation And in another place of the Book speaking by way of scorne calling it that most religious and spirituall Ordinance for the supper as absolute Ordinances as unalterable at the Directory these words are brought in For indeed at the first on set it was not policy to rush such a diabolicall and villanous invention point blanck upon us with an It is decreed and ordained by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament But after a more mysterious manner of ordination slily intrude it upon us unawares in the godly and specious vizor of Rules Directions as if our Parliament men had such a spirituall and holy eare over us to give us such wholsom and pious Directions while indeed under this innocent Apparition in the shape of Lambs they arâ— no other then ravening Wolves rending and tearing us in peeces and again speaking of Parliament men in that Ordinance for Tyths Dismounted there are these words But what they are let all the people judge let them consider whether there can be the least dram of honesty or Religion in them or respect to the liberty of the free-borne Nation therein seeing they lay upon us a heavier yoake then ever was laid upon us in the dayes of the Bishopâ— And again this Sectary the Author of the Ordinance for Tyths Dismounted speaks thus of the Parliaments Ordinance concerning suspending scandalous persons from the Lords Supper It will be the greatest thraldome and bondage that ever the Kingdome was involved into and by this Ordinance of the Supper I am afraid we shall all go supperlesse to bed and speaking of the Classes Synods calling them High Commissions he addes if we can finde no justice there we may appeal forsooth to our Gods themselves the Parliament life everlasting world without end of whom how may we expect mercy or justice then that thus before hand whip us with the stings of Scorpions and grind us between the devouring jawes of such develish tyrannicall Courts which will even crush our bones in peeces and squeese out our very marrow and juyce and suck out our very hearts blood like so many greedy Cannibals Vid. plur ibid. The Sectaries generally cannot endure any man who speaks against or complains to Authority of any who bâ—oach Errours though never so great as for example a godly understanding Christian told me within these three dayes that because he complained of a man who denies both the Son and the holy Ghost to be God therefore the Independents and all the Sectaries among whom he lives deadly hate and revile him and since the time that the weekly newes Books have mentioned a Vote to be passed in the House of Commons for drawing up an Ordinance against Paul Best that Antiâ—rinitarian and Blasphemer some of the Sectaries have spoken boldly and bitterly against it and saying they would be loth to be any of them that should give a voice or have a hand in the proceedings against him with other words to that effect There is an Independent of Mr. Carters Church who speaking against our publike Assemblies often quotes that Scripture in Rev. 17.5 Babylon the great the mother of Harlotâ— interpreting it thus Rome is the mother Church and all the Parish Congregations of England are the daughters which are Harlots and this having been objected against this Interpretation that the Apologists acknowledge many of our Congregations to be true Churches he and divers other Independents say they are not of the Apologists minds The Sect of Seekers growes very much and all sorts of Sectaries turn Seekers many leave the Congregations of Independents Anabaptists and fall to be Seekers and not only people but Ministers also and whosoever
that yet playes not every week nor month not having opportunities nor his many occasions at some times permitting him but only once a yeer at the ordinary time of playing at Cards and when he is at leisure and meets with company for it Now if Lieutenant Col. Lilburn would play often at Cards when he was prisoner in Oxford in his affliction and among the Cavaliers the enemies of Reformation both which are great aggravations of the fact for if a man be afflicted saith Saint Iames let him pray not play at Cards and a man among enemies and those who hate Reformation and strictnesse had need walk more circumspectly and be more exact because of the reproach of the enemy and who no question from thence took occasâ—on both to strengthen themselves in their loose walking and to speak evill of the wayes of God I know no reason but a man may without breach of charity judge he will play at Cards now he is at liberty and among his brethren the Sectaries And so much for the present by way of Reply to M. Walwyn As for Cretensis the Cretian alià s Mr. Goodwin hee is a man who expresses so much pride arrogancie malice wrath jearing and scoffing not only at me and my Books and some few faâ—ithfull Ministers and servants of God but against all Presbyterians Assembled or not Assembled in England Scotland France and Ireland coming forth just like Goliath railing and defying the armies of the living God that I have much ado to keep my selfe from answering him according to his folly and beating him with his own weapon Difficile est Sâ—tyramâ—on scribere and my indignation to see the unworthinesse and insolencie of the man much provokes me But I consider what becomes me as a Minister of the Gospel to do in such a case rather then what he hath deserved and therefore shall passe by his railings and scoffâ— not rendring evill for evill or railing for railing but contrariwise blessing knowing that I am thereunto called And instead of railing and vilifying Master Goodwin I will a little expostulate with him M. Goodwin will you never leave your scoffing and scorning your reviling and reproaching of all men stuffing your pages with great swelling words and filling whole leaves with nothing but jeers and multitude of six footed words instead of Reasons and Arguments will you by all your writings and preachings make good that Title which by way of reproach was first given to you namely The great Red Dragon of Coleman-street will you still speak as a Dragon and Dragon like flie fiercely in the faces of all spitting your poyson and venome against all casting fire-brands every where will you alwayes use your mouth to speak great things and blasphemies and open your mouth in blasphemy against God his name and his Tabernacle as you have done in your Books of Controversie will you never learn to be meek and lowly to deny your passion speak as a Lamb and repent of your deeds let me tell you that if you belong to God this spirit of yours and the way of managing things in your Books of M.S. Theomachia Answers to Mr Prynne Cretensis will cost you dear and you will be saved as by fire For my part instead of reproaching and scoffing you though not for want of matter Cretensis being a very fruitfull subject for a man to exercise his wit upon all I will do either in this brief or in my full and large Reply shall be to draw to one head all the Errours and strange wayes Cretensis holds and hath walked in by which if God wil he may be ashamed and truly humbled and his spirit saved in the day of Christ or however that godly weak Christians may know him as a dangerous erroneous man and avoid him All I will say now reserving particulars and the proofs of them till my full Reply shall be this that Cretensis hath an hereticall wit and holds many wicked opinions being an Hermorphradite and a compound of an Arminian Soâ—inian Libertine Anabaptist c. and in regard of some strange opinions he hath held many years and others that in time he might fall unto which in the Presbyterian way he could never enjoy with quiet nor have liberty to propagate them therefore he took sanctuary in Independency falling from our Church and the Presbyteriall Government which a little before the first sittting of the Assembly he held to be most agreeable to the Word of God unto the Independent way as that wherein he might with more safty enjoy the opinions and left Cretensis should score up this foâ—aâ— lye as he hath done many truths which before I have done with him I shall make apparent to all I do here give the Reader a true Copie of a Narrative sent me from a godly humble learned Minister subscribed with his own hand which fully proves the matter I have now spoken of A Narrative of certaine words uttered by Mr. Iohn Goodwin Minister of Coleman-street not long before the Assembly sate THe said Mr Goodwins judgement being consulted as concerning the point of Church-government His Answer was to this effect that in his judgement he approved of the Presbyterian government as being most agreeable to the Word of God yet in fine added that he thought that the way of Inpendency would better suit and fit him in regard of some private and singular Tenents that he held This Minister subscribes his name at length under these foregoing lines and writes as followes Master Edwards let me request you not to bring my name upon the Stage in Print to attest this businesse for divers reasons best known to my self I say no more Verbum sat sapienti Yours in all offices of love And therefore though in this as in any other particulars I set not down the names in Print yet am I far from forgery or lying or those Ministers from being afraid to justifie their Letters as Cretensis would insinuate to the Reader pag. 6.7 But I conceive the Reasons why this Minister and many others though they are willing to witnesse truth and to communicate their Intelligence about the Sectaries yet for the present do desire to have their names concealed 1. Because they live among many Sectaries and Independents some whereof being in place both in Towns and Countries may do them no good offices but may much molest and trouble them and therefore unlesse some great good might come by witnessing publikely which might countervaile their hazard as suppressing ☞ the Conventicles of the Sectaries the spreading of erroneous opininons and punishing some of the Rabbies and Ring-leaders they are unwilling to venture themselves by being brought upon the Stage in Print 2. Because some live in places where part of our Armies lie or may come Now many souldiers being Sectaries and violent for their opinions if they should meet with any Ministers named in print giving me intelligence it were as much as the spoiling of them and their families and
where are they that do or will secure them from such violence there are too many examples of Ministers being in danger as M. Andrews was and therfore I deal plainly I have been spoken to by word of mouth and sent unto from some Ministers in the Country not to name them in my Books because if the Army or some parts of it come that way they shall be undone which is a satisfying answer to all rationall men for my concealing their names especially to all those who understand the state of things and observe how powerfull the faction of the Sectaries is Now before I come to give a particular Answer to the most materiall Objections made against my Book I shall premise these sixteen Observations upon Cretensis Or a briefe Answer c. which to every judicious and unprejudiced Reader will I make no question give a great deale of satisfaction and serve for a precious Antidote against the venom and rancor of the Cretian Obs. 1. I desire the Reader to observe the hand of God in leaving M. Goodwin so to himself in writing this Pamphlet as to suffer his own pride passion rage and malice so far to blind him as to name his own Book and therein himself Cretensis giving himself the name of Lyar as is manifested by the Title of the Book Cretensis Or a brief Aâ—swer to an ulcerous Treatise c. so that The brief Answer to an ulcerous Treatise is Cretensis not the Treatise published by Master Edwards which is made by Master Goodwin contradistinct to Cretensis so that if M Goodwin understands plain English common sense and knows how to range his Parts of Speech in a Sentence c. let him in his Rejoynder to my Reply deny it if he can and truly t is admirable and I cannot but admire the wisdome and goodnesse of God wherein men deale proudly to be above them that this great Rabbi and Seraphicall Doctor who comes forth like Goliah challenging all the Presbyterians Assembled or not Assembled carrying himself with that disdain and scorne towards me just as Goliah to little David filling up some of his pages with scornings of me as that I cannot writ true English put the Nominative Case and Verb together speak common sense nor give the English sense of a Latin sentence should himself in the very first words he writes prove himself such an Ignoramus both in the Latin and English as to give himself the title of Notorious Lyar namely Cretensis Or a brief Answer c. And as the man doth it in the Frontispice of his Book so in the Book it self as in pag. 39. where he would make me a lyar in that Relation of Cosens of Rochester in the very entrance into it he stumbles giving his own Relation the lye as the Reader may perceive by these words Cretensis speaking of what was reported to me that Cosens should say of Christ saith let this be the first lye in this Catalogue the man neuer said it so that he makes it a lye that Cosen 's never said it Now if this be a lye that Cretensis never said so then by the rule of contraries 't is a truth that he spoke it and however Cretensis may meane otherwise if the man knew how to bring it out yet the best that can be made of it is that this great Criâ—ick who for want of matter falls upon my words making me to speak false English nonsense and to be ignorant in putting the Nominative Case and Verb together regularly in English is himself ever and anon tardy in false English nonsense not putting the Nominative Case and Verb regularly together of which I could give if I had no materiall things against Cretensis nor nothing else to do but to pick strawâ— many instances both in this and other of his Books but I will name only one and that in this businesse of Cosens apealing to Cretensis himself where in this following sentence His Relation here reports that one Cosens of Rochester in Kent that Iesus Christ was a Bastard is the Verb for the Nominative Case and whether M. Goodwin hath well ranged his parts of Speech in this sentence and put the Nominative Case and Verb together regularly in English besides adde unto this what followes Hoc primum Let this be the first lye in this Catalogue the man never said it whether he hath framed the structure of a period according to the common rules of Reason Grammar and common sense but to put a period to this first Observation let the Reader take notice that in the thing wherein the man hath sinned his principall designe being this by all his Art flourishes and fallacies to render me a Falsifier and a Lyar to the world in that God hath punished him suffering him to give himself the name of Cretensis alwaies Lyar by which name he will be known and called as long as he lives and after he is dead also Obs. 2. M. Cretensis Answer in the whole frame drift and in all the strains of it is so carried if not formally yet virtually and equivalently to justifie and defend all the Heresies Blasphemies Practises I have spoken against for what one of all the 180. Errours or Blasphemies is spoken against disavowed or condemned in Cretensis Answer but rather all along throughout the Pamphlet the Errours Heresies c. are slighted made nothing of put off with jears scoffs and great swelling words of vanity yea in a sort denied as if there were none such and in fine both Cretensis Conscience and wanton wit are prostituted and stretched upon tenter-hooks to finde evasions and tricks to bring off without losse all sorts of Sectaries and opinions as for instance Cretensis palliats and daubes with untempered morter the Errours Heresies Blasphemies c. with such kind of devices as these following That he could make a Discovery of as many Errours and Heresies together in me alone and that the most Orthodox Presbyterian under Heaven no nor Independent neither errours not much beneath the like rate or number of errours and mistakes of Religion that he marvails how M. Edwards could stay his pen at so small a number as 180. and did not advance to ten thousand times ten thousand c. that if I will own the verdict of as learned and ingeneous a pen as ever wrot on my side Cretens pag. 9. I must release the better half of the prisoners and instead of 180. Errours and Heresies write down four score and that for twenty Cretens pag. 11. and ten of those opinions which I have impeached of Errours and Heresie and he will not say for how many more he casts the glove to whosoever will take it up to bring them off with the honour of truth besides Cretensis makes a sixfold deduction from the Catalogue of Errours and Heresies Cretens pag. 9. and pleades formerly and in terminis for some of the Errours lastly also he so minces and extenuats the whole contents of
my book Cretens p. 11. p. 20.21 That when all the accused ones shall have time and opportunity to stand forth and plead their innocency Cretens pag. 6. there will be very little truth found remaining in any thing reported by me except in such things as are transgressions against no Law and indeed the whole Answer is in one kind or other a continued pleading for Baal and a calling Error Truth and Darknesse Light O the wretchednesse and wickednesse of Cretens whereas for these abominations of the Errours Heresies Blasphemies of our times known too well to all the Kingdome he should have sat down astonied mourning and sighing rending his heart crying out my bowels my bowels I am pained at the heart the man makes a sport and mock of them to make himself the Independent sons of Ieroboam who are of his own constitution merry with them using also several Artifices sophistications to elude the truth And tho this be very sad that such a man as Cretens who pretends to so much Saintship and holynesse should do thus or indeed any man who hath but the name of a Christian yet I cannot but observe a good hand of God in this as well as in the former thus to leave him as to shame him before all the world many besides my self taking notice and speaking of this in Cretens how without all distinction he speaks for most shamefully excuses all kind of Errors Heresies Blasphemies Antitrinitarians Arâ—ians Antiscripturists c. not finding any one Error or person throughout my book worthy to be blamed but in this we find no strange thing for that Scripture must be fulfilled As for such as turn aside unto their crooked wayes the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity Obs. 3. Cretensis throughout his whole Answer without excepting any one man makes al those erroneous persons Saints faithful servants of God c. whom I have mentioned in my Catalogue and though most of the instances in my Relations where I name persons and insist somewhat largely upon them be of most dangerous men of men holding most abominable horrid errors and blasphemous opinions as Writer Webb Clarkson Hich Marshall c. yet doth not Cretensis condemn speak against any one of them or separate the vile from such as may be pretious among the lower sort of sects but bundles them up among the Saints speaking of the S t s the S t s whose nakednes M. Edwards being of Satans Councel hath laid open spread a table for Satan with the shame and sorrows of the Saints so that in Cretensis Kalender Cretens p. 5. Antitrinitarians Antiscripturists Arrians Socinians Perfectists are canonised for S t s as well as Independents Brownists and Anabaptists and a man may find there St Best St Wrighter St Webb St Hieb St Clarkson c. as well as St Goodwin and his Church and no question if Saint Best shall suffer by the Parliaments authority for his damnable Heresies and Blasphemies he sha'l be a Martyr too as well as a Saint in Cretensis Kalender and be reckoned the Protomartyr of the Sectaries and in this the Reader may observe how Cretens no question against his own intention whilst the main scope of his Pamphlet is to make Gangâ—aena a lying book confirms the truth of many passages related in it namely the Independents holding with all other Sects not dividing from them pleading for them upon all occasions strengthnâ—ng their hands bringing them off from danger c. all which Cretens in many pages of his book makes good and though he had a fair occasion upon the coming out of Gangraenâ— to have casheired many out of their number there being so many foul Sects and Sectaries discovered and can never come off with honour for not taking it yet 't is evident Cretensis will not loose any one sort of Sects or any one Sectary but joyns them with himself and his own Church the Saints the faithfull servants of God and such like Obs. 4. Cretensis out of his pride and in his rage casts fiâ—e brans every where abusing and having a fling at all he comes near or takes an occasion to speak of and that not only particular single persons of approved integrity and abilities but whole societies as the Honourable Court of Common-Councell p. 49. calling them Brethren in iniquity with me for representing in their Petition to the Parliament that there were e'even meetings at least of Sectaries in one Parish in this City yea and all Presbyterians Assembled and not Assembled Had Cretensis only abused and scorned me a poor weak thimblefull of dust that in his account knowes not how to range Parts of Speech in a sentence nor to put the Nominative Case and Verb together regularly in English I could have born it and passed it by as I have done many of the like kind but who can without a check suffer this proud man to slight and scorn all kind of worthy men as if all wisdome and understanding dwelt in him alone Obs. 5. Cretensis in severall places of his Book abuses Sctipture bringing that in to serve his turn to make jâ—st and scoffs upon me and others as in pag. 9.15 c. 'T is a great iniquity in me as Cretensis would make it to abuse his Saints but no fault in him to make jests upon the Scripture Obs. 6. Cretensis Pamphlet consists of little else but great swelling words of vanity jears scoffs bitter reproaches long-winded sentences preambles circumlocutions and multitude of words without waight and matter so that if a man substract all these what remains certainly all the matter reason and strength of this Book may be writ in a gold Ring and there will hardly be enough to fill a poor weak thimblefull of dust as for example what ado doth Cretens make speaking over and over the same things spending whole pages and leaves upon that which he might have spoken answered to in three or four lines as about bowling on dayes of Thanksgiving he runs out from pag. 28 to 36. and so carps at the word meeting in pag. 36 37. Now 't is an evident signe the man could not find matter of exception in Gangâ— to work upon that he so catches at words and phrases no man who is in his wits and hath good employments will spend his time in picking of strawes and catching flies Obs. 7. Cretensis if not formally and in so many words yet virâ—ually doth animate and stir up the Sectaries to fall upon me dealing by me in opposing the errors of the Sectaries just as the Jesuits and Papists do against those who write and preach against their way telling some of their seduced followers it will be a meritorious work to kill such and take them out of the way and if Cretensis do not so what mean these words p. 19. And let Mr. Edwards know and let his conscience and compeers know that whatsoever he shall suffer whether from his
Sectaries or others in this bloudy negotiation he shall suffer not as a Christian nor with Christ but as a Malefactor and an evil-doer implying that if the Sectaries mischief or kill me for my book 't is but an act against a Malefactor and an evill-doer Obs. 8. Cretensis takes upon him to set out a Book which he cals an Answer to a Treatise lately published by Mr. Edwards called Gangraena and yet in this Answer professes that he hath not read one quarter of the Book as yeâ— and that he hath neither leasure nor opportunity to search to the bottome or sift to the bran all that the man storieth per se and per alios in his Gangraena Now I think these are the only true passages in the Book for had Cretensis read the Book thorough and well laid to heart the Contents of it and compared one thing with another which I say in my Book I think he would never have written such an Answer nor belched out such unsavory passages against it I beleeve if Cretensis had read it thorough there are such sad and serious passages in many places of the Book as would have awed his conscience but in the mean time how well becoming such a learned deep Rabbi and wise man as Cretensis would be thought to be 't is to write an Answer to a Book and to professe he nâ—ver read one quarter of it I leave to all rationall men to judge and to Cretensis himself upon a review I had thought Master Woodwards folly spoken of by many for giving his censure and judgment upon my Antapoligie before he read it over only dipping here and there would have been a warning to other men Master Edwards as weak a poor thimblefull of dust as he is not knowing according to Cretensis Grammar how to put the Nominative Case and Verb together c. would have been ashamed to have had so little wit or reason as to make an Answer to a Book and in that to declare to all the world he never read a fourth part of it but I cannot but take notice of the good hand of God in befooling Mr. Goodwin in this as in many other passages of his Answer to cause him to proclaim thus his own shame and folly to the world Obs. 9. Great Cretens a deep Divine a Teacher of Teachers as some cry him up the great lying Oracle of the Sectaries yet further 〈◊〉 out his own shame and folly in saying the far greatest part of the particulars detected miâ—e obserued by others and presented to him Cretenâ— p. 50. Is not this a strange and new way of answering Books for men to take up things upon trust from others to go by an implicite faith and not to see with their own eyes nor examine things themselves especially for a man upon things observed by others to make such a mighty businesse and to carry matters in such a scornfull triumphing way positively charging a Book with lying forgery c. as Cretensis doth what if Cretensis Saints who observed and presented matters to him being parties should out of weaknesse in judiciousnesse or partiall affection if not malice and wilfulnesse mistake and pervert my sayings where is Cretensis then I must tell Cretensis the poor weak thimbleful of dust so scorned by him as not worthy to carry his Books after him doth not use to make Answers to Books without reading one quarter of them but before he sets forth Answers he reads them many times over laying and comparing one thing with another neither takes he any thing upon trust from other mens observations which he writes as his own or can come to see with his own eyes Should Mr. Edwards in writing any of his Books or in this last have taken Cretensis slight course there 's no question but before this time Mr. Edwards had heard after another manner and in another way of his Books then he hath especially of his Antapologie and Gangraena but the poor weak thimblefull of dust that knows not how to range his Parts of Speech in a sentence c. hath more brains in this then the bushel full of dirt who though Cretensis have more guts and garbage and be better bodied yet in the opinion of wise men will be thought to have lesse understanding and fewer brains in expressing himselfe so as he hath done Obs. 10. All the materials and ground-works Cretensis makes use of and goes upon in his Answer to Gangrae to disprove the truth of things related by me as the Reader may observe are either the Testimonies of the parties themselves as Overton Cosens Kiffin Lilburn Mr. Burroughs c. which in their own case are little to be credited and if according to Cretens p. 12 rule it be no regular processe in Law to ask my fellow whether I be a theif then sure 't is no good oâ—e to ask a mans self if he be a theif or doubtful dark Answers to matters of fact that may be taken in divers senses just like the Answers of the lying Oracles of wch there are many instances as in that of Lilbur playing at Cards with many others or else his witnesses wil be found to be Sectaries Anabaptists Apprentice boyes or parties interested or such like Cretens p. 44 as for instance in Mr. Ricrofts Letter whereas my proofs of things will be found to be of another nature most of the greatest things laid down in my Catalogue known to my self and many many the Books being extant to prove them and most of my witnesses will be found to be godly able Ministers and other eminent sound substantial Christians and the worst of them of more repute more likely to know things they reported then the best of yours excepting Mr. Burroughs whom yet I shall prove to have forgot himself in writing that Paper set down by you Page 42. beside the persons whom I had relations from had no reason to speak things out of partiality prejudice but only the naked truth many things being related to others as well as to me besides few of them who writ or related these matters did them out of any design against the Sectaries but only in a way of declaring and bewailing to what passe things were come and if to all these be added what Cretensis himself grants page 26. one affirmative testimony is more valid in Law then many negative all that Mr. Goodwin hath alleaged by way of Answer is to little purpose Observ. 11. That those very things Cretensis charges me with either in my Antapology or Gangraena though most unjustly as forgery lying jugling bitternesse malice bloody negotiation against the Saints taking up reports and printing them upon weak and slight grounds obscene scurrilous writing contradictions false English nonsense with such like the man himself as in other of his Books so also in this is most faulty as the judicious Reader may observe more or lesse in one of these kindes or other throughout the whole Book
that he took things upon trust as observed by others for certainly had he read my Book over he could never have writ thus that in charging the Sectaries with these I acquit them from all others crimes and imputations and that I have represented them to the world a better and far more deserving generation then the far greatest part of the Presbyterians 1. Because in divers pages of Gangraena I expresly declare I have many more to lay to their charge stiling this Book but a praeludium and preparative to what 's behinde doth a man who accuses a guilty person at first but with two or three Articles and yet formally declares he hath many more and upon every Article pleads his liberty and power of Additionals justifie and acquit him from all others 2. Had Cretensis but read over my Book and considered what Errors Practises Blasphemies I speak of to what a nature some of them amount and of what a kinde they are that there can hardly be worse he would never have said I had dealt but faintly with the Sectaries and that the Sectaries were a better and far more deserving generation then the Presbyterians for if the far greatest part of Presbyterians be worse or so bad either for Doctrines Practises c. as I have proved many of the Sectaries to be then I must professe I will disclaim and be the first that shall câ—y out of them and will never go about to plead for them as Cretensis does for his Sectaries But supposing I had not declared my minde in this case yet all that Cretensis saith is in consequent without all strength of reason for therebe and are reserves when not thought of and wise men always in all matters of accusations and reckonings will fear there 's more behinde and suspect somthing worse though not declared at first and I would ask Cretensis whether either in impeachments or reckonings and accounts brought in to Courts of Justice against such and such men though at first but part of the Accusation be alleaged whether the accused can be secure they are justified with an high hand from all other crimes and imputations of any worse resentment or import and when one is impleaded and endicted upon the laâ—ter this be a good plea in Law to say he is free because they were not mentioned at first much lesse then will it hold in cases where there was a formal Declaration and caution entred that such Articles were but a preparatory and not the whole matter Cretensis pag. 3. makes two Challenges casting his Glove the first and second time to me first as to matter of Practise look of what crimes or miscarriages soever I have with any truth impeached the Sectaries he will produce both as many for number foul yea far more foul for nature perpetrated and done by a far lesse number of Presbyterians yea and that he will give another manner of account of the reality and truth of what he brings upon the Stage in this kinde Secondly for matter of opinion that he will discover and finde out as many Errors and Heresies and those of every whit as dangerous an Import to be at this day in a far lesse number of the Classique party yea that he could make a discovery of as many Errors and Heresies in me alone and that he doth not think the most Orthodox Presbyterian under heaven nor Independent neither erres much beneath the like number of Errors Reply I accept these Challenges and do take up the Glove both the first and second time rechallenging and defying Cretensis to make them good and by these ungodly Challenges made by him out of his great care and love of Errors to strengthen the hands of Hereticks least they should suffer losse were he Iohn of Gaunt and his Glove Iohn of Gaunts Gantlet I would take it up And first of all Reply to Cretensis the man speaks he knows not what Cretensis not having read one quarter of my Book as himself professes knows not what crimes or miscarriages Heresies and Blasphemies with the way of making them good I charge the Sectaries with and yet he will at random and blindefold undertake to finde as many in a far lesse number of my Classique Proselytes and party O what will not this man say so it may make for the Independent party Surely he will startle at nothing who dares speak thus Can you produce as many Blasphemies against Christ the Scriptures c. and finde as many horrid Opinions in Presbyterians as I have proved to be in Sectaries where will you finde among the Presbyterians such as Hich Wrighter Web Clarkson Marshal Nichols Den Oats Cretens cum multis aliis As for the condition Cretens propounds upon which he will make good his undertaking and out at which he hopes to escape to salve his lying I do for my own part accept it and am ready freely and candidly to declare my minde and judgement in all points of Religion and shall perswade others also to do the like But of this more in my full Reply where I shall shew the fallacy and shift of Cretensis in this only for the present the Reader may observe he puts in these conditions that so he may provide a Sanctuary for all kinde of Hereticks and erroneous persons a a place of retreat for himself one way or other to come off these Challenges which in the plain open field he foresaw he could never do Cretensis page 6. among other his Artifices and devices to weaken the credit of the truth of those matters laid down in Gangraena against the Sectarian party labors to possesse the Reader That for saving of my own repute and to prevent as much as might be the thorough examination of the greatest part of what Gangraena represents by way of disparagement to the Independent party I printed so many Letters without the names of their Authors and upon this Cretensis goes on vaporing and forging in his Heretical brain certain Reasons of my concealing the names of the Authors of the Letters and in sum would render me to the Reader a man to be suspected of jugling and forgery and the Letters to be void of all truth Reply As for that fallacy of Cretensis whereby he labors to delude the Reader infinuating that the Letters contain the greatest part of what Gangraena represents by way of disparagement to the Independent party and those Letters being without names the names were concealed on purpose for fear of examination of the truth of the Letters and so the Letters containing the greatest part of disparagement against the Sectaries the Sectaries are as it were at once cleared from what Gangraena faith against them I say only this That Cretensis is a man of that impudence and large conscience that he will say any thing so it may make for the Sectaries and against the Presbyterians for the Letters are not neither in number of sheets the tenth part of Gangraena neither contain they the
Cretensis knows not how his minde may change again and what New Light he may yet have and so he will stay till he dyes that we may have it altogether and without any more change Cretensis Sect 15. pag. 17.18 19. with a great many of flourishing words and a bold face labors to possesse the Reader That in my Antapology and Gangraena I have done nothing else almost but labored with might and main to call for fire from Hell to destroy the Saints to inflame the powers of this world with hatred and bloodinesse of spirit against the Sons and Daughters of God and to importure the Civil Magistrate to pour out themselves in wrath and indignation against them charging me with a bloody Negotiation in writing Gangraena inveteracenesse and Dragon-likenesse of spirit and how diametrally opposite in the cause and courses I take against Sectaries I am to Christ Paul Austin Calvin and Luther Reply Cretensis goes upon a false foundation supposing all those to be Saints the Sons and Daughters of God whom I speak against in Gangraena which is stark false and of which I shall give in my large Reply a satisfactory account to the world of that mistake for however they are Cretensis Saints they are none of Gods Saints and the man erres not knowing the Scriptures they may well go for Saints in Cretensis Kalender but never in my Creed neither go they for Saints in Mr. Thomas Goodwins late Sermon before the House of Commons but are there blotted out by him 2. What ever I speak in both my Books upon this point to the Civil Magistrate is no other but what the Scripture clearly holds out and though I have done it with affection and zeal yet not with bitternesse nor bloodinesse and I am confident that Cretensis nor all his compeers cannot in all their râ—ading shew me two Books of any Divine who proves so much and so foul things as I do in my Antapology and Gangraena written with more moderation fairnesse and with lesse bitternesse and â—et Cretensis in his 〈◊〉 Book instance in any bloody bitter passages alwayes provided he wrest not words nor leave out no part of sentences 3. The Sectaries themselves and Cretensis too will one day confesse Master Edwards in opposing Errors Heresies discoveriâ—g them and stirring up the Magâ—strates to their duty was their good Friend a merciful man one who both with fear and compassion would have saved them out of the fire and I would ask Cretensis whether are they more merciful tender that will not let little Children sick persons mad men do what they will go where they please eat what they list or they who use all good means to hinder them and provide wholsome food and medicines for them yea I am of the minde before a yeer comes about the Magistrates and Kingdom will say Master Edwards and those men who either by Writing or Preaching spoke most against the Errors Heresies Schisms of the times and Toleration and stirred us up to hinder and suppresse their growth were most merciful both to the souls and bodies of men and to the Kindoms and far from bloodinesse bitternesse or inveteratenesse 4. Whosoever doth but well read the Scriptures and observe what quick sharp passages are there recorded to have come from the mouth of Christ and his Apostles against Errors Heresies and false Teachers yea sharper and more spoken against false Doctrines and false Teachers then against bad manners as for instance Matthew 7.15 Galatians 1.8 9. and 5.10 12.2 Peter 2.1 2 3.2 Iohn 9.10 11. the whole Epistle of Iude Revelation 2.14 15 20 22 23. with a hundred other such will never blame me for bitternesse bloodinesse inveteratenesse c. furiousnesse and over eagernesse in my opposing Errors and false Teachers who according to my poor measure have endeavoured in opposing Errors to follow the Example of Christ and his Apostles though I have fallen far short of my duty in this kinde not improving my time and â—alents but wanting in that Zeal Courage Diligence requisite to this work And however Cretensis and his Compeers think I have over-done yet I have great cause to be deeply humbled for doing no more and to hie me into my Study and cry misirere mei Domine But to draw to a conclusion I shall in this case Answer Cretensis and all the Sectaries who accuse me and cry out of my eagernesse and over-doing as Luther did Erasmus charging him for too much vehemency But that I have dealt in this cause more vehemently I confesse it a fault if it be a fault yea I do wonderfully rejoyce this testimony to be given to me in the world in the cause of God And O that God himself would confirm this testimony in the last day who then should be happier then Luther who is commended by such a testimony of the age he lived in that he did not handle the cause of truth slothfully and deceitfully but vehemently enough or rather too much Then should I happily escape that of Jerem. Cursed be he that doth the work c. 5. The bitternes bloodines c. with which Cretens labours to load me will be found in Cretensis and the Sectaries and as they grow in power and number will be discovered every day more and more can any man think that Cretensis who hath so much rage and malice in his heart and so much gall in his pen as he discovers in this Book against all Presbyterians would not if he had power do as much with his handâ— and be another Bonner or another Iohn of Leyden God keep the Presbyterians out of the hands of the Independents and Sectaries when they come to have power and think they are strong enough to Master them doth not Cretensis discover his bloody mindednesse against me in the three last lines of this 15. Section inviting as it were some of his Sectaries to fall upon me preaching that doctrine to them That whatsoever I shall suffer by any Sectary for writing against them I shall suffer but as a Malefactor and an evil doer Now for proof of the bloody mindednesse persecution and liberty of Conscience which the Sectaries will give the Orthodox when they come to be stronger and of all the means they use and wayes they take to give the Presbytery liberty of Conscience I shall in my full Reply to Cretensis speak at large only for present thus much they labour to get all the power of Arms they possibly can into their hands and the command of all the great Towns and Ciâ—ies and by one way or other to turn out of place keep out obstruct blast all cordial zealous Presbyterians all which no doubt are done to give the Presbyterians liberty of conscience and now they give the Presbyterians good words viz. that they will send them packing to Rome that it were a good deed they were hanged and knocked on the head their guts goared out that they are Antichristian Priests cursed Priests
Calvin Ergo justificari fide dicimur non quia fides habitum aut qualitatem in nos transfundat sed quia deo accepti sumus Cur autem fidei tribuitur tantus honor ut 〈◊〉 causa justitiae nostrae primo sciendum est esse causam instrumentaloâ— duntaâ—at nam proprâ—e loquendo justitia nostra nihil a liud est quam gratâ—itâ— Dei acceptio in qua sundata est nostra salus sed quia Dominus testimonium amoris nobis amoris sui gratiae per Evangelium reddendo illam quam dixi justitiam nobis communicat ideo fide illam percipimus Ergo quam fidei tribuimus hominis justificationem non de causa principali disputamus sed tantum notamus modum quo perveniunt homines ad veram justitiam Justitia enim haec merum est Dei donum non qualitas quae in hominibus haereat sed fide tantum possidetur neque id merito fidei ut sit quasi debita merces sed quia fide recipimus quod Deus ultro donat I forbear to English this passâ—ge leaving it to Cretensis to have a proof of him whether he will not be as false in his translations as in his quotations So those words of Calvin on Rom. 4 3. v. 6 make nothing at all to prove the Imputation of Faith and the non-Imputation of Christs righteousnesse but even upon those verses Calvin expresses several passages to the contrary as they who turn to the places may see And for Bucer Mr. Wotton himself acknowledges he was of another judgement speaking thus of him whom I perswade my self to have been the Author of this opinion of Imputation besides Reformed Divines generally not only two or three but all are against this opinion of the Imputation of faith and non-Imputation of Christs righteousnesse and for proof of this the Reader may peruse Mr. Roboroughs examination of Cretensis Treatise of Justification first part page 9 10. where he showes that all our Divines are against Faith in a proper sense Luther Calvin Bucer Pareus Ursinus Musculus c. however Arminius and Bertius were for it unto which Cretensis never to this day made any Reply though he vapors and bragâ— thus of his opinion of Imputation of Faith So also the Preface to the Churches set before the Acts of the Synod of Dorâ— showes the same by Gomarus particularly instancing in and convincing Arminius of his Hetorodoxnes from holding of this opinion that in justification the righteousnesse of Christ was not imputed but beleeving And now considering all this and much more that hath been said and written to Cretensis I cannot but wonder he should be such an impudent Cretensis as to bring these places out of Calvin Bucer Pareus and can give no other reason of it but that of Paul to Titus concerning Hereticks that the man sins in this being condemned of himself and for this Error and many more which Cretensis holds notwithstanding all his palliating and daubing I hold them so great and the differences in opinions between him and I to be of such moment that as Gomarus told Arminius he durst not appear before the judgement seat of Christ with his opinions so neither would I with Cretensis opinions nor his wayes of managing them for a thousand worlds As for Cretensis charging me with venting Errors in the point of justification whilst I was reckoning up the Errors of others I Reply Cretensis takes advantage from a word or two left out by the Printer in the margin of my Book which was not the fault of my Copy as I am ready to satisfie any man and to make it appear undeniable besides in the second impression of my Book which came forth full fourteen dayes before Cretensis Answer the mistake was amended however the sense of the word before it was amended easily shewed where the fault was though Cretensis aggravate it so high as to make it amount to Atheological and putid assertions But in one word to stop the mouth of Cretensis what I say of Justification in the margin of page 22. t is verbatim to a tittle in the new Annotations on the Bible made by the joynt labours of certain learned Divines appointed thereunto by Authority and whatever in the first impressioÌ„ was mistaken in that particular by the fault of the Printer was in the second long before Cretensis Animadversions amended by me so that the Reader may observe that Cretensis for want of matter findes fault where the fault is confessed to his hand and had I any hope Cretensis could understand Latin when it makes against his opinion of the imputation of faith and would be convinced I would turn him over to divers learned men to English their Latine sentences as Peter Martyr Lubbertus Sibrandus c. where the man should read other manner of evidence against non-imputation of faith and for imputation of Christs righteousnesse then ever he yet offered in all his sermons and discourses about justification but for a conclusion Cretensis answer me one question why did you not as well except against some other opinions named in my Catalogue viz. 84.85 as this 70. of faith in a proper sense imputed to justification you were as much named and particularized in them as in this and they call you Father as well as this but I suppose the reason you were not yet willing in publique to own those Children and so would take no notice of them though I doubt not those and other things laid down in my Book though without your name written upon them enraged you and have made you as a Bear robbed of her whelps to think that I should know so much by you Cretensis p. 27. Sect. 22. labours to clear himself from a passage I charged him with that he should utter in a Sermon against the Parliament and their power c. saying It was nothing else but a manifest and clear truth and that which had passed the trial of Presbyterian fire it self was come forth in ful weight without suffering the leâ—st damage or detriment by it and if any such gap was opened by it to slight their Authority and power he knowes no wilde Beasts have broke in at it but some Presbyterians and then goeth on according to his Dialect to inveigh against me for â—â—â—lling at the root of Parliamentary Authority and power because that I finde fault with his truth as he cals it viz. his speaking so disgracefully and contemptibly of the Parliament Reply O the impudence and incorrigiblenesse of Cretensis after so high an offence committed by him against Parliamentary Authority complained of to a Committee of Parliament upon the debate of it judged by some of the Committee to be an offence of that high nature that these words were expressed of him of his offence that he as much or rather more deserved to be hang'd then the Arch-Bishop yea the whole Committee judged it of such a nature and crime as too great for them
evil in Presbyterians as Cretensis doth all kind of horrid Blasphemies and Heresies in his Sectaries however Cretensis is never the lesse in fault because of company and indeed Cretensis being a Minister should have given them being private Christians better example besides who knows but Cretensis example drew these Presbyterians to it and further 't is likely these Presbyterians had been in the afternoon at some Presbyterian Church offered up to God both a morning and evening sacrifice of thanksgiving came from home later then Cretensis and his Brethren neither doth Cretensis say the Presbyterians came forth with him but as he tels his own tale he relates that after his walking about a quarter of a mile which might be a mile as well as his half hours bowling two hours and after his coming into the Garden and sitting about half an hour in an Arbour which we may well reckon for an hour to came in some of Master Edwards judgement of Church-Government all which being considered makes the matter not so bad in the Prebyterians as in Cretensis but supposing all this yet I will not excuse them Thirdly as for that story of one of the Assembly with three more of his com or sub Presbyters rather four Ministers in all expressed by Cretensis all a long in a scoffing yea in a prophane manner bringing in heaven and Gods providence to make up his jefts and jeers spending a whole afternoon upon a day of Thanksgiving in fishing I greatly blame them and if there was any such thing they have cause to be ashamed of it as well as you for your bowling and it had been fitter for them four Ministers to have been fishing for the souls of men preaching somewhere in the afternoon then a catching of Roaches and thus you see Cretensis I am impartial not like the Independents excusing all things in Presbyterians as they in Sectaries though never so vilde and therefore your Proverb of Presbyterians having a priviledge to steal Horses holds not as you see for I am against a Toleration of them to look on Fourthly As for your threats of discovering Presbyterian mistakes in the night and to leave the world to judge whether they be not worse then Independents bowling on dayes c. and of the story of a Presbyterian Angel which you will clap to my mouth and stop it for ever I answer do your worst discover what Presbyterian mistakes in the night you can and tell what stories you please of a Presbyterian Angel I fear you not it will not stop my month I blesse God he who keepeth the feet of his Saints hath so preserved me that I care not what all the Sectaries under Heaven can say against me I blesse God I have whereof to rejoyce and glory before men though before God I know my manifold weaknesses and transgressions and have nothing to glory in but the free mercy of God and the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ and therefore Cretensis iâ— you mean me by mistakes in the night and by Presbyterian Angel as your words seem to infinuate speaking unto me and the Reader may be apt to take your meaning so speak out do your worst I defie you and all your company to prove any such things or but the suspition of them for I must tell you Cretensis I have ever since I came to be a Preacher of the Gospel walked by that rule of the Apostle Providing honest things not only in sight of the Lord but in the sight of men And as for other Presbyterian Ministers if any of them have walked loosely and scandalously let them look to it I will be no Patron for them neither will I have my mouth stopped from opening the Errors Heresies Practises of the Sectaries or laying open by name Impostors and Seducers to gratifie the concealment of somthing soul in a Presbyterian let them bear the shame of it for all me and give God glory in confessing only I would desire Cretensis and the Reader to observe the difference between my Discourse of Errors Heresies and Practises in Sectaries and Cretensis discovery threatned 1. Cretensis Discovery will be out of revenge malice because the Errors of the Sectaries are laid open and which otherwise he implies should not have been discovered and if I would cease laying open the Errors of the times those stories should never have come to light but now my Catalogue was and is purely out of conscience not out of ill-will to any man but to preserve many from falling and to recover others before they are gone too far 2. The Errors Practises wayes which I lay down throughout my Book are the very principles and wayes of the Sectaries as such Sectaries either being their Opinions or flowing necessarily from them or are means made use of by them to increase their way compasse their designs whereas any personal miscarriages of the Presbyterians are far from falling under any such considerations but the fruits of the flesh and Satan taking advantage upon them of which things they have no fruit but are ashamed and have repented 3. These Errors and Practises in the Sectaries are now found in them cleaving to them since and not before they turn'd Sectaries whereas these miscarriages of the Presbyterians are not now upon them nor never since they were Presbyterians but may be many years before when Episcopal and foolish 4. The Independents and Sectaries cry up themselves and their way as a purer holier way then other mens making themselves the only Saints the Paradise of God the tender conscienced men thereupon separating from our Churches and accounting the Presbyterians as a dunghil which kinde of notions among the people crying the Saints the Saints tender consciences hath gained them more then all their Arguments and therefore to take off this Argument 't is necessary to shew they are not holier then others neither have tenderer consciences but are looser and larger conscienced men And I ask Cretensis when as Bellarmine and other Papists bring against Protestants holinâ—sse of life as a note of the Church of Rome and boast of the great holinesse that is in their Church above what is in the Protestants whether do not the Protestants justly and properly to disprove them give instances and stories of the wicked lives and ways of many Papists besides of the Doctrines in the Church of Rome and if the Protestants do it and are blamelesse how can it be a fault in the Presbyterians to do the same when they are to answer the Sectaries but now the Presbyterians do not separate from the Independents out of pretences of greater holinesse nor cry up themselves in Sermons and Books as the only Saints and therefore the Independents cannot so justly bring these things against the Presbyterians as the Presbyterians against them 5. As for that Manuscript which came to Cretensis above a year since concerning Mr. Edwards which discourseth his jugling and indirect walking between the two Towns of Godalming in Survey
lines I am of the mind this Manuscript of Mr. Burroughs discovers his jugling and indirect walking between the two meetings that where Master Greenhil was without Master Burroughs and that where both of them were that of a meeting concluded of such a meeting and an ordinary usual meeting more then Cretensis Manuscript will do my jugling and indirect walking between the two Towns of Godalming in Surry and Dunmow in Essex but to make an end of Master Burroughs equivocations I wish Mr. Burroughs to think often of that in Iames cap 1.8 A double minded man is unstable in all his wayes which hath been often in my mind of him he of all the Apologists in many things seeming to come neer us even as if he were ours and then flying off again I could mind him of divers passages both in the Assembly and out of the Assembly in his Sermons and Conferences wherein he of all the rest hath most yeelded inclined to us for a fit and yet at other times none stâ—ffer nor fiercer then he 2. As in Mr. Burroughs writing to Cretensis I have shown plain equivocations so there will be found in it manifest falsity and some passages that cannot be salved from lying no not by the help of an equivocation as for instance Master Burroughs speaks as of the whole together that story of Nichols not a part of the story and saith all is false which is an apparent untruth for though some part of it were false yet if any of it were true especially the major part it cannot be affirmed all is false and then though in some parts of it Master Burroughs may equivocate yet in others he cannot as for instance the first part of the story wherein is laid down Nichols maintaining to Mr. Greenhils face those wicked opinions is a part of the story of Nichols and undoubtedly true how then can that be said to be false besides it precedes those words expressed in Gangraena a meeting concluded of upon which Mr. Burroughs evades and so cannot be salved by having a reference to them and yet this is the first and one great part of that story Mr. Edwards hath of one Nichols how then can Mr. Burroughs words viz. of affirming that story Mr. Edwards hath of one Nichols to be false be in any sense justified to be true again how can Mr. Burroughs say he never heard there was such a man in the world as Nichols when as it cannot be thought but that Master Greenhill named him to him at Colonel Zacharies house and that Master Burroughs should never hear of Nichols name Mr. Greenhil and Mr. Burroughs being so familiar and Mr. Greenhil relating to him the opinions that Mr. Burroughs should never aske the mans name who held such vile opinions nor Mr. Greenhil never speak of his name seems to me very strange and if so how came Master Allen to hear and know that the opinions related to Master Burroughs were one Nichols opinions seeing Mr. Allen was not at the first meeting where Nichols was with Mr. Greenhil but only at this second meeting where Mr. Burroughs was again how can Mr. Burroughs give it under his hand that he to this day never knew of any of Nichols his opinions when as the opinions of Nichols laid down by me in the story of Nichols were told him by Mr. Greenhil and Mr. Burroughs thereupon was so affected that all those speeches fell from him about the necessiâ—y of a Government and power in the Magistrate and that over conscience c. Lastly for those two or three last lines of Mr. Burroughs namely Mr. Greenhils asking him whether he knew of any such meeting with that Nichols this being spoken of in reference to the story of Nichols set down by me in Gangraena that for his part he wondred to see such a thing in my Book for he knew of no such meeting how durst Mr. Greenhil say thus and Mr. Burroughs give it under his hand to be printed to abuse the world thus for did not Mr. Greenhil know of a meeting with Nichols which I spoke of in my Book in the former part of this story of Nichols where Nichols justified to his face these opinions and which was the ground and occasion of all the discourse related by me in the second meeting and yet Mr. Greenhils question to Mr. Burroughs and his own answer to it here set down by Cretensis as from under Mr. Burroughs hand are so set down that every Reader who will believe them believes and takes it for granted that Mr. Greenhil no more then Mr. Burroughs ever knew such a man as this Nichols nor never heard there was such a man in the world till he read it in Mr. Edwrrds his Book nor ever knew of any meeting about him or any of his opinions and so we see Cretensis though an acute man understands it so and vapors exceedingly upon it 3. It may be demanded and asked what should be the cause and what may be the reasons why Mr. Burroughs and Mr. Greenhil should thus conspire together to give such a testimony in writing as this against the story of Nichols which cannot bâ—t with all ingenuous men prejuduce them much the fallacy of it being once made known as being at the best but a grosse equivocation and a studied peece to deceive the Reader especially considering that nothing I speak of in that story of Nichols was to the prejudice and disparagement of Mr. Greenhil and Mr. Burroughs but much to their honour as being at that time in so good a temper as to be affected with the evil of Errors and wicked Opinions Now of this I conceive these three Reasons First Mr. Burroughs and Mr. Greenhils earnest and eager desire of taking all advantages and opportunities to blemish me and to render me a Lyar to the world which that they might do conceiving they had taken me tripping in a mistake though no material one nor nothing to their prejudice and so no slander nor calumny but making for their honour they prosecute it and improve it so far that to make something of it poor men their ill-will and hatred against me blinding and befooling them leads them into Equivocations mental Reservations and Untruths even to the wounding of their own reputations amongst all unprejudiced men Secondly a Design thereby to blast my Book among the people to render it odious to cause the truth of all matters of fact in it to be suspected and so to hinder the good intended by me in that Book Now Mr. Burroughs and Mr. Greenhil having a great name among many people being accounted for men of that way somewhat moderate and among the best of that party they knowing that their testimony and that in the mouth of two witnesses both being joyned together in the writing printed by Cretensis might wound my Book and from thence many would take occasion to question all therefore they catch at the least occasion to declare themselves
if the unhappy boy were able as many learned men are pleased to think to make his part good with four besides Achilles he may venture to try a fall with Achilles alone and therefore if Cretensis will once more get a writing under Mr. Burroughs hand to this purpose and print it that Achilles will in writing openly maintain his and Cretensis Church way not to be a Schism and that it ought to be tolerated by the Supreme Magistracy of this Kingdom I do proffer to answer him and to maintain the contrary and then leave it to learned men to judge which of us hath the fall only I premise this condition that both of us may as in the presence of God make a solemn promise to call in no second nor to have any help from others or to communicate our writings to any man that so what we do may be a trial of our valours and not of other mens And for a conclusion of my Reply to this Section had not Cretensis come in at the close of this Section with his Troilus and Achilles his Forlorn-hope and his great Army of confutations but staid his pen closed the period at an erroneous conscience may be such he had wrought little less then a miracle for he had written one whole Section among 35. without either giving me the lye or jeering or scoffing at me or abusing some place of Scripture c. but the evil spirit that attends his pen envied him the crown of that glory to write one sober Section and therefore for uniformity sake he makes this like unto its fellows ending with jeers and scoffs Cretensis Sect. 28. pag. 43. saith How my pen hath abused Mr. Ellis of Colchester and other faithful servants of God in those parts with base calumnies and slanders the world will shortly understand by an expresse from thence of which Mr. Ellis writes thus to a friend in London The aspersions cast on me and some others here by Mr. Edwards are as false as foul which because they are a great part of his Book and strength those who are here concerned will if God please make Reply Reply Now whether my pen hath abused M. Ellis of Colchester other faithful servants of God in those parts with base calumnies and slanders I desire the Reader to turn back to Mr. Harmars Letter p. 54 55. and to read what he hath sent me under his hand besides Cretensis the great Critick upon other mens words in these words his pen speaking of me writes either falsly or improperly for what I print of Mr. Ellis c. in Gangraena are Letters written by another pen not mine and therefore if I wanted matter or had nothing else to do with my time I could spend as many words upon a better ground and expatiate upon calling Mr. Harmars pen my pen as Cretensis doth upon the word meeting p. 36 37. As for the expresse from Colchester discovering the base calumnies and slanders against the Saints there I hear nothing of it yet but let it come when it will I fear it not for both I and others know so much of the Sectaries of Colchester of their basenesse self-seeking equivocations c. that the Answer to it will serve to make a third part of Gangraena their Errors Heresies Practises c. without any help from other places will serve to fill a good Book of it self But to animadvert no further on this passage of Cretensis I put a period to this Section with this short Animadversion that the things I relate of Mr. Ellis or some others of Colchester in Gangraena are not false though Mr. Ellis saith they be foul neither are they a great part of my Book and strength but a very small little part not the twentieth part of my Book but I am of the minde when Mr. Ellis and those who are there concerned shall make a Reply the Rejoyndeâ— to it will have a great deal more and other manner of things of the Sectaries of Colchester then Gangraena hath and I must deal ingenuously with Cretensis and Mr. Ellis I have been told by one of Colchester That if he had thought or known I would have printed any Letters concerning the Sectaries of Colchester he would have furnished me with other manner of things then any contained in those Letters Mr. Ellis writes of to a Friend in London Cretensis § 29. p. 44. labors to disprove the testimony given by me of the Author of the third Letter printed in Gangraena by printing a Letter written to Kiffin concerning him wherein the Author of that Letter denies Mr. Ricraft to be a person religious and cordially affected to the Parliament intimating and casting many foul aspersions upon him Reply I leave Mr. Ricraft to justifie the contents of his own Letter written to me and to answer this Letter written against him which he assures me he hath done and that by this time 't is printed wherefore I need say little only for what I expressed of Mr. Ricraft I had good reason to do it both from the testimonies I had received of him upon enquiry from persons judicious and godly and from some converse and acquaintance which of late I have had with him and that which made me give him that testimony A person cordially affected to the Parliament was his being imployed in several matters and affairs that concerned the Parliament which besides that I had heard so I saw two Orders or Warrants one from the Honorable Committee of both Kingdoms the other from the Committee of Examinations testifying his good service and commending him which are more to me to assure me that he is a man well affected to the Parliament then a hundred Letters written to the contrary by Anabaptists such as Cretensis here prints can be to deny it Now as to that particular instance in the Letter brought to disprove Mr. Ricraft for being a person cordially affected to the Parliament which indeed is all that hath any show of proof all the rest being meer words namely of concealing a Colonel which came out of the Kings Army which Colonel would have taken away the life of one Mr. Roberts Minister and that if Mr. Roberts had known of the Colonels being in Town he would have endeavored the hanging of him and yet not without cause for former discourtesies received from him c. I desire the Reader to judge how true 't is by these following lines which I received from Mr. Roberts under his own hand and subscribed with his Name I Do not know of any Colonel or other Officer of the Kings party that Mr. Iosiah Ricraft did entertain nor that the said pretended Colonel nor any other particular person did particularly endeavor to take away my life and if I had punctually known that the said pretended Colonel or any other person had endeavored at the taking of Bâ—rmingham in hoe blood to have destroyed my life yet I do not conceive that a sufficient
concerning me that I am the greatest Manifestarian under Heaven There is no man hath manifested that weaknesse of judgement that strength of malice against the Saints which he hath done I would have Cretensis know if I would give leave to my pen I could upon these words whip him so as to fetch blood in abundance from him but I will not write a Satyr all I will say though this is a desperate provoking speech and I have much ado to forbear is this I dare appeal to the indifferent Reader Whether Mr. Edwards or Mr. Goodwin in their writings against Independents and against Presbyterians have manifested more weaknesse of judgement and strength of malice against the Saints And to satisfie the Reader and my self I desire Cretensis in his Rejoynder to shew where in any of my Books I have manifested that weaknesse of judgement to declare to all the world as Cretensis hath done that I put out an Answer to a Book of which I never read one quarter of it or writ a Book wherein the far greatest part of the particulars were observed by otâ—ers or had neither leasure nor opportunity to search to the bottom all was storied and yet notwithstanding deny all with Gyant-like confidence Cr. p. 50. or where in what pages of my Books inâ—ituled Reasons against Independent Government Antapologia Gangraena I have discovered that strength of malice against the Independent Saints as Cretensis in his Books call'd M. S. Theo-machia Answers and Replyes to Mr. Prynne A brief Answer to Mr. Edwards hath against the Presbyterian Saints and all the Reformed Churches But no man need marvel at Cretensis course language either in vilifying slighting me or in charging me so deeply who considers how he hath spared none of what condition or quality soever that have come in his way not regarding any mans age calling learning holinesse sufferings place witnesse his scornful bitter speeches against Mr. Walker Mr. Roborough Dr. Steuart yea casting fire-brands of reproach upon City Assembly Parliament and all Presbyterians and particularly upon that worthy learned and religious Gentleman Mr. Prynne the greatest and truest sufferer against those evils of that time both for matter and manner of any one man in England whom above all others notwithstanding all his sufferings and other personal worth he hath slighted and desperately censured as here he does me which the Reader may finde in Cretensis Books against Mr. Prynne and particularly in that Book Intituled Calumny araigned and cast Cretensis § 33.49 denies he holds any Errors in Justification greater then I do yea or any so great by many degrees and it will be a thousand times said before once proved that Cretensis holds any such Errors c. He charges me also in my Epistle Dedicatory to abuse the Parliament with a loud untruth That there are Eleven meetings at least of Sectaries in one Parish in this City which loud untruth he charges not upon me alone but upon the Honorable Court of Common-Councel the Lord Mayor Aldermen c. calling them Brethren in iniquity with me And further taxes me that because the Pages of my Book are not large enough to contain my shamelesse untruths therefore I quote them in the Margin of it as of Overton and Eaton and some of Cretensis Church reporting c. Reply Cretensis hath been often charged to hold Errours in the point of Justification and the particulars have been specified and proved by many godly learned Ministers both in Pulpits writings and conferences as Master Walker Master Roborough Master Calamie c. yea some Independent Ministers as Mr. Thomas Goodwin Master Burton c. have spoken against his Errours in the point of Justification using sharp and quick expressions upon discoursing of them as I can prove by good witnesses But for me I was never taxed by any man either Presbyterian or Independent for holding any Errours in the doctrine of Justification and indeed I hold nothing in that point but which is commonly laid down in the Confession and Articles of Religion made by the Reformed Churches And for the proving you guilty of Errour Master Robrough hath done it cleerly and fully in his Animadversions and Examination of both parts of your Treatise of Justification which me thinks you never having replyed unto should not have had the forehead to have boasted thus Besides also a godly orthodox learned Presbyt of the Church of Scotâ— and hath fully answered you and discovered your weaknesse as one of the Reverend Commissioners of the Church of Scotland assured me upon his own knowledge Secondly Cretensis shewes his impudencie and boldnesse in denying that which I prove by a Petition of the Honourable Court of Common Councell wherein they in terminis as Cretensis cannot deny affirm it and I suppose all men will iudge such an Honourable Court affirming it and that to the High Court of Parliament is to be beleeved before one Cretensis And of this businesse I know something for I particularly inquired of some of that Committee appointed to draw up the Petition and to make proof of things how this particular was proved and they told me it was made apparent to the Committee of Common Councell whereupon they put it in and no wise man can conceive that such a representative Body as the Common Councell in a businesse wherein they knew they had so many eyes upon them and so many enemies all the Sectaries mortally hating them for this and other Petitions would represent such a thing to the Parliament unlesse they could prove it The Common Councell knowes very well the Sectaries want not friends to possesse the Parliament against them and who watch but for such an advantage as to take them tripping thereby to render all they present in this kinde as false and if Cretensis or any of his fellow Sectaries could have disproved this 't is a wonder to me they did not When a Committee was appointed to hear and the Citie to make proof of some of the foulest things mentioned in the Petition why did not Cretensis or some of his Church then for the weakning the credit of the Common Councell and the better bringing their preaching-sisters off come in and alledg this as a loud untruth objecting that by the same reason the story of the preaching women might be false But how true soever 't is Cretensis hath a good faculty in all things that are brought against the Sectaries to beleeve nothing but to be as confident as twice two makes four that all is false Well though I will not be so uncharitable as Cretensis was to wish Master Goodwin might neither eate nor drink till he had proved what he here writes yet I heartily wish that my Lord Major and the Honourable Court would not suffer Cretensis and his Church to meet any more in their Conventicle till he had made good what he here writes which I conceive they may the more lawfully and justly doe because he doth not
give more full satisfaction in some particulars to the Reader then yet I am able to doe For the manner of Cretensis Answer how unlike it is to a Minister of the Gospel and how like to one brought up in an Alehouse or in a Bowling-alley not onely on a day of publick Thanksgiving but every day in the week having their terms of art at his fingers ends Score up Tallie on and such foul-mouthd language 'T is a lie You lie A loud lie every impartiall Reader cannot but take notice and many speak openly of it and that which makes Cretensis folly and insolencie the greater and more to be blamed by every indifferent Reader is this that he gives me the lie so often in such a disgracefull scornfull way making the relation all over forgery and that there are so many lies well nigh as words in the story speaking also most confidently though falsly against the worthy Minister who told me this storie That hee Works stoutly at the forge and feeds both himself and the world with all manner of scandals and falshoods against the Independents without fear and in the close vapouring and triumphing at an excessive rate with inferences drawn from his own confutations as if all hee had said in answer to me had been Gospel when as all this high and great building is laid and raised solely upon the weak sandy foundation of Cosens his own relation Cretensis disproving the truth of my relation and sealing the truth of his own Answer in seven particulars by no other way but The man professeth that is Cosens that hee knowes no such man and this counter information I had from the mouth of the said Cosens himselfe and have the particulars under his hand Now I appeal to all the world whether any wise man would ever have made such adoe as Cretensis doth here giving the lye so oft triumphing so confidently in a businesse meerly upon the information of a man in his own case and whether this be not worse then to ask my fellow whether I be a thief Cret p. 11. namely to ask a mans selfe and upon a mans owne testimony to call an honest man a thief and to declare a thiefe an honest man especially considering besides Cosens being a party and in his owne cause hee is a man against whom there are many depositions and complaints against him for other miscarriages and misdemeanours a Copie whereof I am promised from a good hand and shall insert in my large Reply But supposing all that Cretensis saith Cosens told him should prove upon further inquiry to be true and not false the contrary whereunto I shall presently make apparent yet no wise man can excuse Cretensis of a great deal of weaknesse and folly to put so much weight as hee doth upon such a testimony and to declare so much to all the world Certainly great Cretensis is the greatest Manifestarian that I have ever met with and there is no man hath manifested that weaknesse of judgement besides strength of malice against the Presbyterian Ministers and Saints which hee hath done both in this and in many other passages of his Book as to make an Answer to a Book and professe truely he never read one quarter of the Book c. and in my opinion these acts manifest greater weaknesse of judgement farre more injudiciousnesse then the not knowing how to range parts of speech in a sentence nor to put the Nominative case and Verb together regularly in English c. And for a conclusion of what I have to reply against the manner of Cretensis confutation of this story I referre it to the judicious Readers consideration whether Master Edwards for relating a story as a Relation upon the information of a reverend godly Minister well known living also upon the place who could upon no reason be judged to do it out of partiality or for sinister ends be to be accounted a liar and to have the lye often given him or M. Goodwin for denying the whole story and affirming the contrary upon the bare word and relation of a stranger a great Sectary and a party in the cause who according to all reason cannot be thought but he will speak favourably for himself especially being such a one as a man may without breach of charity presume he will speak any thing for himselfe in his own cause when as hee did to mee in the presence and hearing of three godly Citizens alledge in his owne behalfe to cleer himself from all fault in this matter that one of the witnesses who deposed said he was hired to swear against him and had five shillings given him by one of the Justices or some about him and had three or foure cups of sack given him before he swore and was drunk when he took his oath unto whom some of the Citizens then present with me replied he had best take heed what he said to accuse the Justices of Peace that they should make any witnesse drunck or have any hand to give 5. s. to one to sweare against him and that this was noâ— likely nor to be beleeved by any wise man and I suppose if I should reply never a word more to what Cretensis hath objected against this story of Cosens I had said enough to satisfie rationall men by declaring I had my information from a person of worth and by Cretensis nothing is here brought to infringe it but only the parties own testimony who is a man also otherwayes obnoxious as I have already declared Now from the manner I shall come to the matter and for the Relation which I have set down of Cosens in the last leaf of my Book save one I received it from a Reverend Minister who is Preacher at Rochester the place where Cosens lives and a Member of the Assembly who told it me and a Common Counsell man of this City and I writ it from this Ministers mouth that I might neither forget nor mistake it and read it to him after I had done and upon reading he approved it as his sense and that which he had related But now supposing there should be any mistakes in the first relation made to this godly and learned Minister yet I reporting it just as I had it from his mouth he being a man to be beleeved and as an information only not as a thing of my own knowledge I conceive I cannot be taxed for a lyar not according to any acception or definition of a lye and if I be in this kinde to be blamed for lying I desire to know of Master Goodwin by the next in case hee have reported from Cosens a Sectary a loose person a man speaking in his own cause any thing that is untrue which that he hath done I shall infallibly prove how he will free himself from the same crime and not more justly incurre the title of great Master Cretensis then I the brand of lying which he so liberally bestowes upon
County swore the same again the second time and was far from waving it as appears by the examination under the Clerks hand of the Committee which I have set down and now I might say to the Reader keep tale this is the third down-right fall more then a stumble this is a big lye with others in the belly of it for first the former words were not charged upon Cosens by Francis Tillet but only these words and therefore how could he be re-examined upon that of which he never informed nor was formerly examined Secondly much lesse then could he upon oath wave them and for the other words which he was re-examined upon he stood to them before the Committee and is ready to testifie them still whensoever he shall be called thereunto 4. Cretensis affirms that he who deposed these words viz. That if Christ were upon the earth again c. did upon re-examination before the Committee wave them as appears by the said examination under the hand of the Clerk of the said Committee Now I might here say score up this is the fourth word of folly in Cretensis confutation for there is no such examination under the hand of the Clerk of the said Committee but the contrary to it as appears by that examination set down already taken upon oath before Sir Anthony Weldon c. and subscribed by Andrew Lydall Clerk Committee This untruth may well stand for two or at least be printed in a Capitall Letter because he affirms a grosse lye and a thing quite contrary to truth to be under the hand of the Clerk of the Committee 5. Cretensis proceeds upon this examination that he saw it which I saw I might here say Tally on this is a fifth phib in this relation for how could Cretensis see that which never was but if he saw any such thing that Francis Tillet should deny these words he must needs see something that was forged by some of his Sectaries to engage him to confute Mr. Edwards Book 6. Cretensis further asserts that he read this under the hand of the Clerk of the Committee I might here say Cretensis still advances in his Cretian way and this is the sixth flaw for how could he read that which never was and I conceive Cretensis will upon a review of what he hath written cry peccavi and say I was deluded and quite mistaken 7. And lastly the said Independent confutation and assertion for uniformity sake that it may end as it began or rather end worse by rising and ascending in untruths affirms in the close of it that this examination is forth-coming for any man to peruse for his satisfaction Now Reader remember the account for this is the seventh and eighth time at least yea the ninth and tenth that this confutation prevaricateth with the truth for in these words this examination is forth-coming there are many lyes First there is no such examination Seconly then it cannot be forth-coming Thirdly not for any one man to peruse much lesse for any man And fourthly it can be much lesse for satisfaction And I much wonder Cretensis if you had seen and read an examination under the hand of the Clerk of the Committee proving what you here say and confuting this part of the story related by me of Cosens and that tending so much to the satisfaction of any man why did you not cause it to be forth-coming printing it here together with your Confutation Certainly Cretensis had you seen and read such an examination under the hand of the Clerk of the said Committee there can be no reason given why you should not have printed that as well as an Anabaptists Letter written to an Anabaptist and a writing given you from Mr. Burroughs surely an examination under the Clerks hand of a Committee would have been more authenticall with rationall men to have convicted my Book of untruths then a Letter of an Anabaptisticall boy c. and therefore for my part I am confident Cretensis saw that in the examination brought him by Cosens which being printed would have disadvantaged his foul-mouth'd Confutation of this story either contradicting or rendring the whole suspected and therefore he suppressed it being willing to blast my Book for the present while it was new come forth and much sought after making account if after I should be able to disprove him yet he could not play his after game either by pleading mistakes and that he was so informed or else by his Rhetorick and words at will wrusting either the examination brought him to these word in Cretensis or else these words and phrases of his to the examination however one way or other to shift for his credit and to wrangle it out in which Cretensis hath a wonderfull Art and faculty by his wit and largenesse of conscience to call black white and to make quidlibet ex quolibet and however Cretensis to work the Reader to a belief of him in the confutation of this part of the story of Cosens speaks of an examination under the hand of the Clerk of the said Committee which he saw and read yet I am confident he knew it would not prove what he here saith and my confidence is upon this ground because from his own words I gather he had this counter-information from the mouth of the said Cosens and the examination under the hand of the Clerk of the Committee what ever it was was brought him by Cosens Now I conceive that examination under the hand of the Clerk of the Committee which Cosens shewed Cretensis he also shewed me which I carefully read and that in the presence of three Citizens in which there was nothing in the judgement of us four to weaken this testimony of Francis Tillet but rather by that and the confession of Cosens himself to us much fell from him to confirm the truth of this and other passages in this story which I presently writ down as soon as Cosens was gone and for a need besides my own testimony those Citizens will be ready to witnesse also the truth of what then passed so that by all this the Reader may see more untruth in one peece of Cretensis confutation of the story of Cosens then there are pretended untruths made by all the art and malice of Cretensis against the whole story of Cosens so that to conclude this I aske of Cretensis who is the lyar now and I suppose I may more truly apply Cretensis own words a little changed spoken against me to himself doubtlesse the man hath sold himself to write all and all manner of untruths that hee can but scrapple together from what mouths or tongues or pens he cares not so they be but Independent in their constitution and carry any antipathy in them to the honour and good of Presbytery and in case they be but such 't is no matter if they be Anabaptists Seekers yea loose drunken persons and Blasphemers Cretensis by this Answer hath proved many
things I spake of in Gangraena all the Sectaries and Blasphemers closing with Independents and the Independents with them to make one common party against the godly Orthodox Ministers and people of these Kingdomes who are for truth and peace 3. Cretensis proceeds to infringe the truth of my Relation of the story of Cosens in five other particulars but by this part of the story which I have made good and the many particulars wherein I have disproved Cretensis especially considering 'tis all of the same complexion Cosens information being the sole ground whereupon Cretensis goes as he confesses pag. 40. the Reader may easily guesse at the rest and my Authors I with the Records produced are more authentick then Cosens bare no therefore for present I shall not enlarge further upon the third fourth fifth heads of Cretensis but reserve to my full Reply the whole Relation of Cosens being bound over by the Justices upon these blasphemies attested against him to the Sessions and of his being imprisoned for speaking words against a Member of the House of Commons dwelling in that county and of the complaint for his blasphemies against Christ exhibited to the Recorder of Rochester and of the Recorders binding him to his good behaviour out of the pious sense he had of the wrong done to Christ and the words he spake to him and of his addresse to the Committee of Kent for a review of these Depositions c. only there seems to be some interfering between the third and fourth branch of Cretensis confutation Cretensis denying Cosens to be ever under any restraint or needing any order from any in place or to any in place to release Cosens in reference to his blasphemies and yet he saith presently after upon the fight of the fore-mentioned examination taken upon oath before the Committee by the Justices the man was discharged Now I demand What was he discharged from and whether was not this discharging of the man a releasing of the man Oportet Cretensem esse memorem 4. As to Cretensis sixt branch calling that part of the relation of Cosens a loud lying Information I reply 'T is a mainifest truth and will be witnessed by many that Den Lamm and Woodman all three of them have preached in Cosens house which is so evident in Rochester that as the dayes of the moneth when they preached are known so are the names of many of the Auditours that were present and for proof of it 't is given me under hand from Rochester that Woodman himself confest it the very same day he preached before a Justice of peace and other witnesses being apprehended by the Officers and brought before him who being thus convented gave it under his hand that he would never again preach within five miles of Rochester and though Cosens saith he knowes no such man which we think upon good ground is a lie yet can he deny that Woodman hath preached in his house which is the thing asserted 5. For that last part of the relation of Cosens going to Master Clares c. for uniformity sake made a lie by Cretensis because he was set upon it to blast all for lies I reply that as the first part is confessed to be true so is the last as true though denyed for Master Clare affirmes he said he would complain of him and let Cosens be think himself what he said of Master Clare and he must confesse it As for that argument Cretensis brings why he did not threaten to complain of him and that the man dares not threaten to question any whatsoever because 't is his judgment none ought to be questioned or troubled for their judgements in matters appertaining unto God I answer 'T is a weak one and it followes not because the Sectaries principles and practices do not agree they practising many things often wherein they professe contrary How many Sectaries have we in these dayes who plead for and professe liberty of conscience which yet have not only threatned godly Ministers and Christians for their consciences but actually have brought them into trouble and punished them severall waies Surely Cretensis if you had read Histories of the Church both ancient and modern you would have sound Hereticks and Sectaries as Arians Donatists Anabaptists Socinians Arminians professing as Cosens here does who yet when they have had opportunities proved great persecuters of the Orthodox godly Ministers and wee well know by many shrewd signes and instances that if Cretensis and his abettors who have so much pleaded for a Toleration shall come once to get power in their hands they will as much tolerate Presbyterians as now they will to come into any place office employment Ecclesiasticall Civill or Military where 't is in their power to hinder them And therefore Cretensis you had need bring better Arguments to confute my Antapologie which your Sectaries give out you are upon or else you will doe the Apologists little good either in matter of fact or in answering the argumentative part of it 6. Cretensis in his animadversions and inferences made upon my relation of the story of Cosens not knowing who related it to me nor the occasion of the relation c. yet in the close of his confutation of the story of Cosens most falsly and wickedly without fear or wit brands him who related it to mee with such words as these But who is Master Edwards godly orthodox Presbyterian Ministerâ— Is hee not such a one who works stoutly at the forge and feeds both himselfe and the world with all manner of scandals and falshoods against the Independents without fear Certainly Cretensis throat is an open sepulchre and the poyson of asps is under his lips What shall be given unto thee or What shall be done unto thee thou false tongue This passage against the godly Minister who told mee this story fils up the measure of Cretensis rage lying and evill speaking and hee could hardly have spoken more untrue words then these whether hee consider the man himselfe or the manner of his relating it In one word the Minister who related this story to me is a reverend learned godly humble retired man a man who hath been many yeers of good account in the Church of God a Member also of the Assembly and a man far from forging or feeding himselfe and the world with all manner of scandals against the Independents c. and this Minister did not make it his businesse or work to tell mee this story coming to mee or ever intending to come but I going in London upon my occasions this Minister accidentally being in a shop with a friend of his a Citizen whom I knew also I spake to them as I was going by and they to mee and so in the shop exchanging a few words the Citizen asked me if my Book were come forth or when it would whereupon this Minister and I had some words about the subject of it and falling into discourse hee related this
story to mee and the Citizen which when I had it from him the last sheet of my Book being either printing off or quite printed off I put it in a Postscript as the Reader sees and therefore let all the world judg what untruths Cretensis hath belched out against this reverend and worthy Minister But Cretensis is a man that in all his Writings and Sermons falls upon all that come in his way having no respect of age place gifts sufferings c. if they be against his fond conceits and Sectaries And thus good Reader I have gone over all the particular materiall exceptions made against my Book entituled Gangraena by Master Saltmarsh Master Walwyn and Cretensis and I doubt not but by this time even by this briefer Reply every indifferent Reader is satisfied how unjust and false those outcries and clamours of lyes lyes are and how in them that Proverb is verified A great cry but a little wooll little cause but onely the rage and madnesse of the Sectaries to see themselves and their wayes so laid open in the sight of the Sun And yet I have not done with my Antagonists but shall more fully anatomize and rip them up and further justifie and cleer all things excepted against in Gangraena which being lighter are now passed over or though spoken unto need further amplification and illustration In a word there is nothing behinde untoucht that either glances upon mee or speaks for themselves and their partie but I intend to speak to it fully and am resolved God sparing me life and opportunity not to die in their debt And I could now play the Rhetorician and spend some leaves in running over all the Errours Heresies Blasphemies Practices Stories c. laid down in Gangraena not so much as once offered to be disproved though they be of persons and things here living and acted in London and neer at hand and which Cretensis with all his gatherings intelligences observations and presentations from Sectaries of severall sorts Anabaptists Independents Seekers c. and of severall parts in the Kingdome Kent Essex London c. hath been able to say nothing against and might going from one particular to another triumph over Cretensis stamping the superscription of Truth upon them and ask him What say you to the 84. and 85. Errours laid down in the Catalogue Is it not true that such things were preached in London Whether is not that which I have related of Paul Best true Whether did not Master Burroughs and Master Greenhill preach bitterly against the Petition of many well affected Citizens for the setling of Government And so I might goe through hundreds and of all those facts opinions practices that these three men have not been able though so willing to except against inferre conclude and flourish over Cretensis with his owne sword There is no reasonable man that considers the malignitie wrath c. of Master Saltmarsh Master Walwyn but especially of Cretensis against me and my late Book and the opportunities they have had through their acquaintance with Sectaries of all sorts besides the publick notice given of answering me as appears by the intelligence and particulars brought in to Cretensis from severall places to furnish him their Champion together with the extreme eager desire of Cretensis taking all advantages against mee making matter of confutation and lies of that which I am confident was never made by any Scholar in an Answer before as the house a meeting for Sectaries as the not being able to put the Nominative case and Verb together and such like but wil think they have spoke the utmost they possibly could against my Book and that of course some of the things drawn up and represented by the hand of Envie must needs be false so that whereas Cretensis conceives that now in his Answer hee hath informed the world how many lyes and untruths there are in Gangraena the truth is that hee and his fellow-sectaries have done it but faintly and with the extreme dammage of their own cause for all wise and unprejudiced men will acquit all the other particulars from the crimes and imputations of lies and falshood and conclude them all true and certain for surely if there had been any hole to have been picked in them either the malice or the wit or the industry or one thing or other of Cretensis and his associates would have found it out and not have spared me so that the very enemies bear winesse to the truth of the body of my Book the things that are found fault with by them being but a spot here and there a few in comparison if spots and I may say of all the exceptions taken by my three Antagonists supposing them to be mistakes though I have shewed the contrary What are these among so many not excepted against being but as gleanings to the vintage Cretensis pag. 50. and in his last Section winds up his Answer in speaking to the Reader that though for the present hee hath given him onely a taste of Master Edwards grapes yet sufficient hee presumes to convince the Reader that his vine is the vine of Sodom c. and professes that he hath 〈◊〉 read one quarter of the Book as yet nor knowes nor whether ever hee shall care to read it thorow or no and then labours to possesse the Reader that what hee hath not answered others will very shortly a few dayes hee makes no question will give the Reader more light to comprehend the darknesse of Gangraena and prophesies The day will come and is even at the door when there will be scarce one stone left upon another of all this false building which will not be pull'd down by the hand of Truth And when the servants of God shall have had the opportunity to wash off that durt and filth which Mr. Edwards hath cast upon them Gangraena will be found a strumpet yea and of the race and linage of that great scarlet Whore which corrupteth the earth with her fornication Reply As for Cretensis saying hee hath onely for present given a taste of Master Edwards grapes implying hee could feed the Reader with whole clusters and intimating hee hath a great deal more to say to my Book as other passages expresse besides this viz. pag. 38. I presume that Mistris Gangraena hath not as yet paid mee the tythe or tenth part of her forgeries c. I answer I beleeve Cretensis hath said all hee possibly could against Gangraena I doe not think hee left out any thing hee could object against it Whosoever reads but his Answer and observes his rage and heat his playing at the smallest games and picking of straws to finde matter against my Book to fill up six sheets with railing and declaiming against it will not think hee gave but a taste or a tenth But how could Cretensis say hee had given onely a taste for the present and not the tenth part when as hee professes truely hee had
not read one quarter of the Book then neither knew whether hee should ever care to read it thorow or no Could hee divine of what hee had not read nor knew not whether ever hee should reade that there was ten times more behinde And besides How could Cretensis out of what hee knew not whether hee should ever read promise the Reader to give him not onely a taste but abundance Certainly Cretensis meant the far greatest part of his grapes promised the Reader should be gathered by other hands and be as hee saith of the particulars detected already observed by others and presented to him and after this rate of the farre greatest part of particulars observed by others and presented to him 't is easie for Cretensis to give Answers and I much wonder we have no more of them but that he takes almost two yeers to give an Answer to the Antapologie And no wonder Cretensis going upon an implicite faith making an Answer out of particulars observed by others without reading one quarter of my Book not seeing with his own eyes but making use of a pair of Independent Antinomian Anabaptisticall c. spectacles to write with the man is so much mistaken and sometimes takes that to be great which is little and that which is great hee cannot see at all As for that Cretensis saith that hee presumes by the taste hee hath given hee hath convinced the Reader that my vine is the vine of Sodom my grapes grapes of gall my clusters bitter c. I beleeve every Reader who is not bewitched with the Independent Schismaticall way is convinced that Cretensis hath said enough to satisfie all men that his vine is the vine of Sodom that his grapes are grapes of gall his wine the poyson of dragons and the cruell venome of asps and that generally all men say of his Answer yea some of his owne party cry out of it that it is too bitter But as for my Gangraena though objectivè the object about which the Book is exercised be the vine of Sodom grapes of gall poyson of Dragons and the cruell venome of Asps treating of and laying open the Heresies Blasphemies and Practices of the Sectaries which indeed are poysonous and venemous yet subjectivè the Discourse it selfe and the way of handling those things is healing and medicinall to cure the Reader of those stings and poysons which by eating of those sowr grapes of the Sectaries they have contracted and my Book is farre from being like the vine of Sodom the poyson of dragons that in writing of it I have plaid the part of a Physician made a precious treacle and soveraigne antidote to cure and expell poysons by correcting qualifying binding them c. laying open the Errours Heresies c. their evill danger and discovering remedies and cures proper for them which were they taken and the prescriptions followed I am confident would prove the healing of these Nations As for Cretensis profession that he hath not read one quarter of the Book as yet nor knowes whether he shall ever care to read it through or no I reply that Cretensis at once and in one breath discovers himself to be both weak and proud he shows his folly and horrible pride First his folly for what wise man that had reason and common sense though he could not Cretensis pag. 10.24 have * construed a peece of Latin write true English nor framed the structure of a period according to the common rules of Grammar would have writ so and truly this and other passages in this Answer confirms me much in that opinion which many understanding learned Divines have had of Cretensis a great while that he is no judicious rationall man as his followers cry him up but only a wordy Divine a multitude of words that 's all that being true of him which was said of Erasmus that his writings were verba non res but of this folly of Cretensis the Reader may remember what I have written page 39. of this Book and let Cretensis ever take me so writing and I will confesse my folly Seconly 'T is horrible pride and arrogancie what a proud passage is this Cretensis thinks himself so great and looks down with such disdain upon me as that he knowes not whether ever he shall care to read my Book thorough or no â—lighting it as not being worth his reading nor I worthy to carry his Books after him this speech indeed is neer akin to that in page 15. Indeed if Independent Ministers had either the priviledge of ease to preach to the bare walls and pewes in their meeting places The Independent Ministers are so taken up with preaching to great Congregations and with the resort of great persons to their houses and with the consultations they are admitted untill mid-night about great affairs and particularly Cretensis of late as 't is talked every where in London that he knowes not whether he shall ever care to read my Book thorough or no or shall ever have leasure to do it but Cretensis let me tell you how much soever you slight my Books and care not to read them thorough as too much below you yet there are your betters for all kind of learning yeers piety that care to read thorough my Books and blesse God for them and though they be of as piercing deep judgements as Cretensis yet could never find that non-sense weaknesse of judgement c. which Cretensis speaks of so often As for that Cretensis promises the Reader that a few dayes he makes no question will give the Reader more light wherewith to comprehend my darknesse implying as if more Answers were suddenly to come forth to discover the falshood of matters contained in Gangraena I reply a few dayes are past yea some weeks between seven and eight and yet there is none of Cretensis new-light come forth no Answers disproving any one particular in my Book there is a Book indeed of one Bacons come forth who both in the Title page and Book speaks of my Gangraena but he confesses the truth of what I speak of him viz. his being put out of Gloster his being received in a great mans house and his going to Bristoll since the Parliaments taking of it so that it seems by the confession of one of Cretensisâ—aâ—nts â—aâ—nts all matters are not lyes which are mentioned in Gangraena and yet before Master Bacons Book came forth I was told confidently severall times as the report of the Sectaries that was one of my lyes speaking of Master Bacons going to Bristoll whereas he had never been out of London since the taking of Bristoll But I suppose however Cretensis dayes are past and nothing is come forth to comprehend my darknesse yet I make no question but this Reply with the further Reply coming after will give light to the Reader to comprehend Cretensisâ—his â—his darknesse As to that passage of Cretensis that the farre greatest part of the particulars detected were observed by
others and presented to him I Reply though I have animadverted upon it already page 29. in Observation 9. and also in this present Section yet I shall adde this that besides his great weaknesse in taking things upon trust and making an Answer to a Book out of other mens collections himself never reading one quarter of the Book he here proclaims himself guilty of the great crime and transgression which in many places of his Answer he loads me with and with all his railing Rhethorick aggravates against me namely of persons resorting to him to furnish him with intelligence his taking up and entertaining of reports his publishing them to the world wherein besides his contradicting other passages in his Answer as that in page 6. nor doe I hold intelligence with any man to inform my self of his haltings he shows himself faulty in laying snares of intelligence in many places and holding correspondence with severall parts of the Kingdom to receive intelligence of the miscarriages and undue deportments of all such as are Anti-Independently given and if it were not so whence comes it that so many particulars detected and observed by others were presented to him and that Cretensis hath ready by him a yeer ago a Manuscript in his hands concerning Master Edwards himself discoursing his jugling a story also of a Presbyterian Angel together with a story of the Doctorate it self of the Assembly yea that all sorts of Sectaries and that from severall places have resorted to Cretensis with presents in their hands towards the perfecting of this goodly work as Master Burroughs Liâ—utenant Colonel Lilburn Kiâ—â—in Cosens a friend of Master Ellis in London c. being like so many rivers 〈◊〉 and emptying themselves into the Cretian Sea where all these meeting make so many raging waves to beat upon and disturb the Ship of the Reformed Church all these Sectaries â— though distant from one another in places opinions yet as so many lines meet altogether in Master Goodwyn against the Presbyterians and as in this so in other particulars wherein Cretensis deeply charges me he himself is most faulty as in taxing me with immodest lascivious expressions for printing a letter where an immodest fact is related though for such a foul offence modestly expressed when as Cretensis as of himself and as his own words when free to have used any other speaks of monthly courses c. more then once expressions most immodest and uncivill For that expression of Cretensis by that time the boughs of the trees are a little more withered they will be broken off the women will come and set them on fire I answer I suppose by this time the boughs of the tree instead of being withered doe flourish more and are more fresh and green and do here bring forth new fruit and whereas Cretensis had for a 〈◊〉 cast dust and dirt upon this tree my Reply like a good shoute of raine hath washed all off making it look pleasantly smell sweet and Cretensis Answer by that time I have done with it it will not only be like boughs a little withered and broken off but like Saint Iudes Sectaries a tree whose fruit withereth without fruit twice dead and plucked up by the roots As to those words of Cretensis The day will come and is even at the doore when there will be a scarce one stone left upon another of all this false building which will not be puld down by the hand of truth I reply for all Cretensis prophesying of such a day and that even at the doore there is no such day yet come not any hand since Cretensis having pull'd down one stone from this building though it be now about two months ago since Cretensis threatned this but the Reader may see the contrary is fulfilled this day and that instead of pulling down this building of Gangraena the building is enlarged a story higher and in breadth also by the addition of this second part of Gangraena and Cretensis will finde Gangraena will bee so farre from being puld down that other buildings of the same kinde will bee framed by it and this first stone laid by mee or first building will prosper into a rowe a whole street before I and others have done with the Sectaries whereas Cretensis Babels built without any foundation and daubed with untempered mortar will fall down to the ground and be as a refuge for lies that fails and is swept away as the Spiders Cobweb And lastly to those words of Cretensis When the servants of God shall have had the opportunity to wash off that dirt and filth which Master Edwards hath now cast upon them Gangraena will be found a strumpet c. I reply The most of those persons whom I have named in Gangraena I durst not for all the world call them the servants of God thus publikely as Cretensis doth lest I should be found guilty of strengthening them in their wicked errours and practices but of my grounds in this the Reader shall have a more full account in my second Reply and therefore meaning it of such the servants of God shall have no opportunity to wash off that dirt and filth which I have cast upon them for they that are such as Clarkson Webb Wright Hich Denne Nichols Lâ—m Oats Kiffin Walwyn Marshall Ienney Mistris Aâ—â—eway cum multis aliis I may say with the Apostle serve not our Lord Iesus Christ but their own bellies and their own lusts and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple But as for some few among many whom I have named in Gangraena as Master Burroughs Master Greenhill and some such it may be they are the servants of God and Saints though wherein I have blamed them they walk as men and as carnall and not as Saints and can never wash off that dirt I have cast upon them so is Cretensis phrase without repentance and that they will finde one day when they shall come to be awakened from their wine And therefore instead of Gangraena being found a strumpet Cretensis will be found a lyar and Gangraena a chaste Lady and true Virgin and it will appear I doubt not before it be long when the time of the reigne of the Sectaries shall be over and they no more heard of unlesse it bee by way of a proverb and reproach that then Master Edwards Gangraena shall be looked upon by all as a witnesse of the truth even against Sectaries in the ages to come and as a discovery of the wickednesse and vilenesse of the Sectaries of this time And whereas Cretensis would make my Book of the linage and race of the great Woore corrupting the earth c. Gangraena is of a quite different nature and contrary linage being a great means through the blessing of God of preserving the earth from being corrupted and tainted by the fornications and poysonous principles of the Sectaries the Book doing much good as I could prove by plentifull
from thence but in the after-noon stay at home and some other Independents and Sectaries resorting thither on the Lords day in the after-noon they spent it in common discourse making no more of it than other dayes a great part of their discourse on the Lords day being railing against the Scots and against some of our Ministers and the books written against the Sectaries and some men whom a man could hardly have thought it of would curse the Scots saying A pox upon the Scots would they were gone we would give them any thing to be rid of them and pay them all their money in time many persons of note of the Independent Faction did often resort to this house and still they would speak most bitterly and basely of our Brethren of Scotland The Master of the Family would be often attempting to kisse this young maid watching her upon the staires and other places as going up and down and hath tempted her to be naught insomuch that the young maid spake to him Sir You have a wife of your owne why should you speak thus how dare you offer to do this wickednesse and sin against God Vnto whom this Gentleman the Independent and an Antinomian too surely replied ☞ That God saw no sin in his children that these were but sins in the flesh which Christ had satisfied for with other words to that purpose One time this man tempting her threw her all along so that she was forced to cry out and her Mistresse came in to her rescue and said Fie husband will you never leave these tricks whereupon the maid would not stay but came away and when her father heard it he would not indure she should stay any longer but had her away presently and so this young maid is converted from being an Independent and Sectarie by beholding their carriage and loosenesse blessing God she is delivered from that way and those persons she had thought the Sectaries had been such holy persons that there had been none like them till she saw both that family and many who resorted thither of the same way so loose This godly Christian tells me That his daughter is ready to take her oath of the truth of these things which she hath both seen and heard and with many circumstances hath declared to him as the names of such that resorted thither that she never knew nor heard of before with other circumstances and that he believes them to be so true as that they are past all question There is a Sectary an Independent Antinomian Taylor who stealing a whole yard of Plush from a Gentleman and some yards of Sattin from another and being found out in his sin and convinced so that he could not deny it some speaking to him how sorrie they were that such a man as he should do these things he replied as I had it from two honest men of good account to this effect that he was troubled for them to see them sorrie but as for himselfe he was not troubled One of the followers of Mr. Simpson the Antinomian said it in the hearing and presence of divers Mr. Simpson being then also present That if a child of God should commit murder he ought not to repent of it and Mr. Simpson never reproved him for it though by one present in the company he was spoken unto to doe it An Antinomian Preacher preaching in London on a Fâ—st day said It was better for Christians to bee drinking in an Ale-house or to be in a whore-house then to be keeping fasts legally Many Sectaries have said that when David lived in adulterie and murther even before his repentance he was as deare in the sight of God as ever he was at any time There is one Samuel Oats a Weaver a man I have spoken of in my former book and in this too page 10. who being of Lams Church was sent out as a Dipper and Emissary into the Countreyes Last summer I heard he went his progresse into Surrey and Sussex but now this yeare he is sent out into Essex three or foure months ago and for many weeks together went up and downe from place to place and Towne to Towne about Boâ—hen Braintry Tarling and those parts preaching his erroneous Doctrines and dipping many in rivers this is a young lusty fellow and hath traded chiefly with young women and young maids dipping many of them though all is fish that comes to his net and this he did with all boldnesse and without all controul for a matter of two moneths A godly Minister of Essex coming out of those parts related hee hath baptized a great number of women and that they were call'd out of their beds to go a dipping in rivers dipping manie of them in the night so that their Husbands and Masters could not keep them in their houses and 't is commonly reported that this Oats had for his pains ten shillings apeece for dipping the richer and two shillings six pence for the poorer he came veriebare and meane into Essex but before hee had done his work was well lined and growne pursie In the cold weather in March hee dipped a young woman one Ann Martin as her name is given in to me whom he held so long in the water that she fell presently sicke and her belly sweld with the abundance of water she took in and within a fortnight or three weeks died and upon her death-bed expressed her dipping to be the cause of her death There was another woman also whom he baptized as a godly Minister that came out of those parts and had beene at Braintry related to me from a good hand whom after he had baptized he bid her gape and she gaped and he did blow three times into her mouth saying words to this purpose either receive the holy Ghost or now thou hast received the holy Ghost At last for his dipping one who died so presently after it and other misdemeanors the man was questioned in the Countrey and bound over to the Sessions at Chenâ—ford where Aprill the seventh 1646. this Oats appeared and I had the relation I now speak of from three persons that were eare and eye-witnesses two godly Ministers and the other Gentlemen of great worth and qualitie viz. that Oats being brought before the Bench the Coroner laid to his charge that in March last in a verie cold season hee dipping a young woman shee presently fell sick and died within a short time and though the Coroner had not yet perfected his sitting upon her death all witnesses being not yet examined nor the Jurie having brought in their verdict so that the full evidence was not presented yet the Bench upon being acquainted with the case and other foule matters also being there by witnesses laid against him committed him to the Jaile at Colchester It was laid to his charge then that hee had preached against the Assessments of Parliament and the taxes laid upon the people teaching them that the Saints were a
upon all the Ordinances of Parliament in reference to the Directorie Ordination of Ministers and Church-government leaving out none but the last Ordinance about Commissioners wherein the Parliament and Assembly are usufferably reviled and railed at and particularly the Parliament charged with speaking blasphemy and being guiltie of many other crimes And lastly The Sectaries are so violent and insufferably insolent that though they abuse persons or things or do the strangest actions either against Lawes or Ordinances if they be but questioned by any in authoritie for these things in stead of confessing their offences submitting and carrying themselves peaceably and humbly they will abuse and miscall Authority to their faces yea set out printed books against them reproaching and reviling them to the open world of which I might give many instances as in the case of one Hawes committed lately by some Justices of Peace upon two witnesses testifying words spoken by him derogatory to the second and third Persons in the Trinity a book was printed wherin they are reviled and clamoured against So upon one Larner's commitment about a dangerous book entituled Londons last warning there is a book put forth aspersing the L. Mayor of London the Committee of Examination and the Right Honourable the House of Peeres And lastly upon Lievtenant-Colonell Lilburns commitment many Pamphlets were printed speaking bitterly against the Committee of Examinations and the honourable House of Comons as Englands Birthright severall printed Letters c. The Sectaries have lately put forth two pamphlets with a picture drawne and affixed to them greatly abusing all the Presbyterians The first is called Dictated thoughts upon the Presbyterians late Petitions to the Parliament the other is the book called Tender Conscience religiously affected propounding questions upon the Ordinances of Parliament The maine of the picture is an heart pictured over which is written Tender Conscience religiously affected with some verses over that and under the heart with daggers at it stands the Pope the Prelate and the Presbyter in the midst of them two with a book in his hand where Directorie is written Antichristian Presbyter written by him and the Crown under his foot he treading upon it and a dagger in his hand reaching at the heart of tender conscience but a chaine with a weight hanging at his arm whereby he is hindred and falls somwhat short of pricking tender conscience with his dagger Now I could write a book in giving observations and making a confutation of this picture and these mottoes but I must studie brevitie I will onely hint a few things 1. That I have been informed for certain and it was spoken of by some Merchants on the Exchange that in Holland the picture of an Independent is drawn and set out publikely and he is pictured thus with God written in his mouth the Devill written just upon his heart and the world written and pictured as he holding it in his armes 2. It may be this picture of a Presbyterian will cause the picture of an Independent to be drawne here in London set out with Mottoes as also what he hath under his feet c. and if it prove so 't is but just and the Independents may thank themselves 3. For the Picture it selfe of a tender Conscience which they make the Presbyterian lifting up a dagger to stab I am confident the Presbyterians are as truly tender-conscienced men as any in England yea far above the Sectaries and for the Sectaries take them generally they are far from being tender-conscienced men as I shall shew at large in my Treatise against Toleration under that head of answering that objection that tender Consciences must be â—orn with where I shall prove by many instances they are men of large consciences and have consciences like to Ostrich stomachs that can digest iron that can digest a generall Toleration of all Religions can beare with them that are evill or any thing that is wicked so it will promote the Catholike Cause and in truth in stead of being a truly consciencious people and going upon religious principles they are a meere politike Faction driving on strange designes and having ends of their own 4. Whereas they place the Presbyter in the midst of the Pope and Prelat how might they more truly have placed an Independent and other Sectaries the Independents shaking hands and complying more with Papists and Prelats than Prebyterians as I could prove by many instances of familiar passages and speeches that have passed between some Sectaries and Papists and Prelats and some speeches again of Papists and Prelats of the Independents some wherof the Reader may find in this Book pag. 16 126. 5. That of the Presbyterian trampling the Crown under his feet is a most wicked lye and confuted in the sight of the Sun by the experience of thesâ— times for who stand more for the Crowne the Kings Person and Honour his just greatnesse and his Posteritie after him than the Presbyterian partie and who are more against Monarchy the Kings Person and Honour than the Independent partie A Sectarie indeed may well be pictured with the Crowne under both his feet trampling it and breaking it all to peeces and together with the Crowne trampling the Church Ministerie and the Kingdome of Scotland under their feet and for proofe of Sectaries treading the Crowne under their feet witnesse Londons last warning commended sold dispersed up and down by Sectaries witnesse Walwyns an Arch-Sectaries speeches with othea passages of some of them as giving over praying for the King above this yeare laughing at them who pray for him as one of them praying publikely in the Church that the King might be brought in chains to the Parliament as speaking against his coming in or being received in but under the notion of a Delinquent and that he deserved to die if any man did with such like speeches 6. That of the Presbyter endevouring to destroy the â—â—nder Conscience religiously affected only hindred by a great clog hanging upon him is a wicked scandall for the tendernesse forbearance love indulgence of the Presbyterians when they were in their highest power and the Independents weak and low is known to all this Kingdome and had they been such men as the Independent Painter would make them the Sectaries had never growne to this boldnesse to make such a Picture nor these Kingdoms so troubled with them as now they are but the truth of it is a Sectarie may well be painted with a dagger thus running at the heart of the Presbyterians tender consciences religiously affected and had they not clogs upon their arms we should find it so by lamentable experience they have made violent attempts against Presbyterians and they have given out many threatning words and certainly designed and comforted themselves that ere long they should be able to crush the Presbyterians for proofe whereof besides instances already given in this Book pag. 67. I shall add two or three at present One Smart
opposing and speaking thus against him This young man was so affected with it that when hee came home he told it his Father and other friends and being asked by some whether he thought the man was in his wits or no this young man replyed Yes sure for he spake sensibly and to the things that were spoken of though in this blasphemous abominable way Many Sectaries have distrubed godly conscientious Ministers in the Pulpits standing up in the verie face of the Congregation and speaking to them giving them the lye charging them with false Doctrine calling them Antichristian Ministers and such like Of some of these I have given instances in my late Book pag. 102 103 104. And to add a few more Mr. Andrews of Wellingborough had the lye given him whilst hee was preaching and many Ministers have been put by preaching and kept out of their own Pulpits by force of Arms Captains and Troopers coming up into the Ministers Pulpits with their swords by their sides and against the mind of Ministers and people Thus Paul Hobson hath done in Northampton-shire Buckingham-shire and thus at Ravensden in Bedford-shire a Souldier went up against the mind of the Minister and here in London the face of the Kingdome at Christ-Church there have been many affronts offered as jeering and scoffing in the midst of the Sermons speaking loud against things delivered to the disturbance of those who have sate neer and now lately at Christ-Church on Tuesday the 20. of April just upon concluding my Sermon and going to my last Prayer up stands one Colonell Washington of Hartford-shire so his name and place is related to be and spake openly against what I had preached that I had not rightly given the sense of that Parable of the Tares and that I was a false Prophet or Beware of false Prophets Now if the Sectaries will do thus to the Presbyterians whilst they are in their minoritie and underlings what will they do when they come to be in their Kingdome to be encreased in number and power above the Presbyterians But now on the other hand let Independents and Sectaries give any one instance that the Presbyterians when they have come to hear them preach though they have preached their erroneous opinions and for libertie of conscience and against Presbyterians and all this in the Presbyterians Pulpits and Churches that ever the Presbyterians have stood up and made disturbance in the publike Assemblies or carried themselves uncivilly and scoffingly in Sermon time towards them There is one Gorton who was a great Sectarie in New-England holding many desperate opinions there a copie of which given by Mr. Williams of New-England that writ the Book called The bloudy Tenet unto a Reverend Minister now at London I have seen and perused Now this Gorton with others being banished out of the Patent of the Bay and when they were gone holding and venting strange and horrid opinions whereby they highly dishonoured God and did hurt and mischiefe to some of the people in the Patent and under the New-England government the Governour and Magistrates sent a company by force of Arms though they were in a place as it is thought out of their Plantation and Patent to bring them to Boston who accordingly being too strong for Gorton his company brought them to Boston and when the Governours had them in their hands the Court sate upon them what to doe with them and there were some motions and consultations as I and other Ministers have been informed by some that are come from New-England about putting them to death or what other punishments to be inflâ—cted on them for their blasphemous opinions But how Gorton escaped whether because the place they fetched him and the rest from was not in their Patent or what other reason I know not onely this I am assured of from divers hands that Gorton is here in London and hath been for the space of some months and I am told also that he vents his opinions and exercises in some of the meetings of the Sectaries as that he hath exercised lately at Lams Church and is verie great at one Sister Stags excercising there too somtimes There is one Iohn Durance an Independent whom I mentioned a little before who preaches a Lecture on the week day at Sandwich in Kent and hath a Lecture at Canterbury too and would have had a Lecture also at Dover for the farther spreading of Independency but by the godly Ministers of Dover opposing it and writing up to London against him such meanes were used as he was put by and kept from coming thither Now among many other of his pranks the Reader may take notice of these He hath at Sandwich in the Church publikely prayed to God two or three severall times that the King might be brought up in chains to the Parliament upon which prayer one or two of Sandwich went to M. Durance to know what his meaning was in that prayer upon putting the question M. Symonds an Independent Minister in the same towne and his great friend but more politick being with him answered M. Durance meaning was that the King might bee brought up in chaines of gold whereupon M. Durance replyed that was none of his meaning but he meant he might be brought in chains of Iron In a Sermon one time this Durance told the people hee was sorrie he had spent so much time or lost so much time in reading or turning over the Fathers and yet he said he honoured the Fathers as much as anie man This man after his preaching at Canterburie hath the use of a great roome neare the Cathedrall where manie resort to him and he takes occasion to build them up in Independency Not long since M. Durance on his Lecture-day just before the last day of publike Thanksgiving in the Countrey preaching in one of the Churches in Sandwich told the people he would finish the Text he was then preaching upon on the Thanksgiving day and that in the afternoone in a private house whereupon when he had done M. Sherwood a godly Minister in whose Church he preached turned himselfe to the Congregation saying Mr. Durance you shall not need to do so you shall have the libertie of my Pulpit I here offer it you and if you may have libertie of the publike Church I hope you will not go into corners VVhereunto Master Durance publikely replyed hee would not preach in the Church but was resolved of his way and accordingly in the afternoon when the people went to the publike exercises to Church Mr. Durance went to a private house and two or three hundred people after him to heare him preach in private I have many other remarkable stories and passages of the Sectaries proved by witnesses by Letters under their hands and the notorietie of the things themselves of their horrible uncleannesses forsaking their husbands and wives fearfull defraudings and seeking by desperate wayes to cozen and deceive as also of their strange
a compleat and formed Heresie in any faithfull man if Schisme be not joyned and so consequently it will not much hurt the Church of God But Schisme of it self even with sound Doctrine in every point is a most greivous wickednesse which exceeds all other wickednesse I might out of the Fathers enlarge and show the great evill of Schisme both in it self and the effects of it how 't is a greater evill to rend the Church then to worship Idols yea that Martyrdome it self cannot profit a Schismatick that 't is so great an evill that the bloud of Martyrdome cannot blot it out so Cypr. and Chrysost. and that God hath more severely punished it then murâ—her and other great crimes Corah Dathan and Abiram for their Schism were punished more severely with the earth opening and swallowing them up quick then Cain and then those who made an Idoll so Optatus and Augustine but I shall leave the enlarging of these and the adding of more to a Tractate I intend of the nature of Schisme only by this and all the dreadfull examples laid down in the First and Second part of Gangraena as Wrighter Clarkson Hicb Webb Boggis Oats Ienney Mistris Attaway Niâ—bols Denne c. we may learn to see that Schism and Separation are great evills highly displeasing to God and that we have great reason to shun and flye from them as from a Serpent lest wee become Monsters of men and God give us up to a reprobate sense and a spirit of Errour In a word to conclude this Corallarie what the Apostle speaks to the Corinthians of Idolaters c. long before their time that these things happened unto them for examples and these things were their examples to the intent they should not be Idolaters c. that I may say of our times that all these spirituall punishments on Schismaticks in our dayes and times are our examples to the intent that wee should not separate from this Church and set up other Churches lest God let us fall from Independency to Anabaptism and Antinomianism and from Anabaptisme to be Seekers and from Seekers to be Antiscripturists and Sceptiks yea Blasphemers and Atheists CORALL IV. HEnce then we see from all these Errours Heresies Blasphemies proceedings of the Sectaries That Magistrates Ministers and other Christians Masters of families Parents c. have been asleep and too carelesse that so many tares have been both sowed and are grown up to such an head If the Magistrates Ministers and Christians every one in their places and callings had been awake and watchfull improving their power authority gifts for purity of Doctrine and Unity the field of this Kingdome could not have been so sowen with tares nor the garden of this Church so overgrown with weeds yea briers and thorns Christ tels us in the Parable Matth. 13.25 While men slept the enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat that is the Divell takes occasion by the negligence and slothfulnesse of those that have the charge of others to doe mischiefe in Gods Church The Prophet Isaiah showes Isa. 56.9 10. that All the beasts of the field yea the beasts of the forrest come to devoure viz. Hereticks and Schismaticks resembled to wolves foxes c. enter in not sparing the Flock and the reason is The watchmen are blinde dumb dogs they cannot bark sleeping lying down loving to slumber that is their Rulers both Ecclesiasticall and Civill that should watch the approach of the enemy and be as watchfull mastives to give warning of theeves approaching to the house or wolves to the flock are either dumb or drunk or fast asleep And truely we may thank the connivance and winking of Magistrates the silence and forbearance of Ministers the want of zeal in Masters and Parents that spirit of slumber and sleepines that hath fallen upon the Kingdom for all the tares wilde oats and weeds that are grown and sprung up among us And to all the sorts of Sects in this Kingdome which I have named as Seekers c. I may add this of Sleepers and Dreamers which I am afraid are the most generall of any other there being too many Sleepers in all places and among all ranks in Citie Countrey among the Magistrates Ministers and private Christians and would to God this were the worst in this Kingdome that many both in Magistracy and Ministery were onely sleepy and heavie and that they were not in a dead sleep in a lethargie that nothing can awake them but 't is too apparent that God hath powred out upon many the spirit of deep sleep and hath closed their eyes even Rulers and Seers hath hee covered and all the Sermons Books Speeches which one would think would awaken men are as the word of a book that is sealed which men deliver to one saying Read this and he saith I cannot for it is sealed nay not onely so but this is the condition of this Church and State that many who are dead asleep as in reference to prevent or suppresse the sowing of Heresies and Schisms are awake and alive yea watchfull at midnight and waiting upon all opportunities to promote and further Heresie Schism and to hinder crosse all means for the suppressing of them witnesse the many Emissaries sent forth into most parts of this Kingdome witnesse the many books written sermons preached for them witnesse those who stand up for and use all means to bring off Sectaries when in question c. witnesse many who professe to be against Independency and for Presbytery to be with us that upon all occasions even before the Parliament and in other places heal the hurt of this Kingdome slightly and dawb with untempered morter preaching that our errours are not so many that there are them who make them to be more then they are and call Truths of God Errours and they say that in other times as in the Primitive Church c. there were greater errours and therefore wee need not be so troubled But for my part I look upon this luke-warm temper remissenesse in reference to the faith once delivered to the Saints which hath possessed so many in this Kingdome Magistrates Ministers and people as that which may hazzard all and may once more provoke God to spue out of his mouth the luke-warm Angel that is neither cold nor hot And to draw towards a conclusion of this I shall speak to those in authority in the words of the Prophet David Psal. 2.10 11 12 Be wise now therefore O yee Kings be instructed ye Iudges of the earth Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling Kisse the Son lest hee be angry and yee perish from the way The summe of which Scripture is an exhortation to Kings Parliaments and all sorts of Governours in high place 1. To lay aside pride and self-conceit of their own carnall wisdomes and with meeknesse to receive the yoke and Government of Christ laid down in his word and by their Lawes and Ordinances to
shall bespeak them in those words Cant. 6.13 Return return O Shulamite return return that wee may look upon thee in the exhortation of the Apostle Peter Save your selves from this untoward generation and in that call from Heaven Come out of her my people that yee be not partakers of her sinnes and that yee receive not of her plagues I know there are many in the way who are not of the way that know not the depths of Satan who are meerly deceived out of their high opinion of some of the men and of the way as a most holy people and as a way wherein they should enjoy an heaven upon earth a great deale of love holinesse sweetnesse comfort c. Now I have good hopes that all such upon the discovering to them the dangerous Errours Heresies pernicious practices that attend that way will be recovered and blesse God for delivering them from such a dangerous snare and I am perswaded that all those who are fallen from us upon mistakes that are not Dogmatists nor engaged to the Sectarian partie upon points of credit profit interest of relations c. and shall in the feare of God and in humilitie read my first and second Part of Gangraena by the blessing and grace of God they will be a means to convert and bring them back to us and I the rather insist upon this exhortation because I find both in Histories and in the experience of our owne times that many Sectaries have been regained Iohannes Denkius an Anabaptist and a great Schollar was converted by Oecolampadius * Obbo Philippus a famous Anabaptist yet recanted and by an ingenuous and free confession laid open the impostures of his companions and Theodor. Philippus out of the perswasion of Obbo afterwards repented Many Anabaptists were reclaimed by learned Musculus and among the rest one who was a Schollar afterwards being made a Minister of the Church spent a great deale of pains in converting the Anabaptists And now in these times in mine owne and other Ministers experience some who have been of that way told us they thought the Anabaptists a most holy people which made them to joyne with them but now seeing their errours and their loose practices what a wicked people they are that hath caused them to leave them And among the Independents I know some who have forsaken the Church-way and are returned to our publike Assemblies A Minister of that way and a Pastour of an Independent Church for some years upon re-examination of his former grounds and holding them up to the light by the word of God and the writings of some Presbyterians giving grounds out of the word of God saw the Independent way to be a garment full of holes and from the factions divisions hee saw in that way and the strange opinions and errours that the members of his Church run into hee is turned Presbyterian a Minister of one of our Congregations in England and hath publikely in his Parish Church given God glorie recanted professed his being humbled for being in the Independent way and is a great Zealot for Presbyterie and against Independencie Another of that way a good Schollar Fellow of a Colledge member of an Independent Church in London upon reading some books against Independencie and other things he found in that way left his Church and is a profest Presbyterian I could tell also of a School-master member of a Church in New-England who is of our Churches now since his coming over but I must hasten and unto all these examples for to cause you to returne consider these following particulars 1. Stay no longer in the way of Schisme and Separation wherein thou art but upon all these discoveries of the Errours Heresies Blasphemies c. of the Sectaries leave them left God be provoked to leave thee to go a great way further then yet thou art from Independency and Anabaptisme to a Seeker to Arrianisme Antiscripturisme yea Blasphemy and Atheisme 2. The Independent Church-way is a way of errour confusion division a way that God never shined upon nor blessed spiritually with the blessing of edification onenesse of heart and peace in their Churches but hath been a bitter root of division contentions errours in all places of the world where ever such Churches have been set up as in New-England Holland Iland of Providence the Summer Ilands Old England 3. Come out from these Sectaries this Babell lest being partakers of their sins you be partakers of their plagues also for these Sects as I have shewed you in the second Corallary must be destroyed and cast out and not onely out of this Church but out of all the Christian world and that either as the lesser Antichrists the fore-runners of the great Antichrist or together with him as a part of Antichrist the tail of the Beast and then all the friends and lovers of Sectaries the merchants who were made rich and traded in the commodities of the Sectaries shall cast dust upon their heads and weep and waile when they see all that is come upon them And for a conclusion of this Corallary I shall wind it up with that sad and patheticall exhortation of M. Brightman to the Separatists of his time applying it to our Sectaries now There is in the Church of England a twofold great good the preaching of the Word and the administration of the Sacraments in either of which Christ imparts himselfe celebrating a mutuall feast with them hee is first received of us by the hearing of the Word then he doth againe receive us in the Supper of his body O we most base and unworthy as often as we fly away from hearing the Word I for we refuse Christ our Ghuest O we wicked despisers as often as in the Sacrament with our brethren wee with-dâ—aw our selves I for we despise Christ calling us to the Supper But these things are added for the singular comfort of the godly For who would not feare and with all speed thinke of flying from this Church when they should heare the condition of these Ministers to be so hatefull to Christ as that in a shorte time unlesse they repent he would spue them out of his mouâ—h unlâ—sse that in the words of Christ himselfe they had been assured of communion and fellowship with Christ in that Church Praise therefore to thee O most meeke Lamb who finding the doores shut against thee dost not being stird up with fury presently withdraw thy selfe and deprive us according to our deserts of salvation but still leavest a plentifull store of thy selfe to all them who open to the knocking by thy word and do not contemn thy most gracious invitation by the Sacraments Therefore it is a wicked and blasphemous errour of them who do so forsake our Church as if Christ were wholly gone from hence neither could there be any hope of salvation to them who staid in it ☜ Let them think that Christ is here supping with his Is it
Authors preparation and expectation of all kind of reproaches and oppositions from the Sectaries in this work 8 His firm resolution by the grace of God not to feare nor be discouraged in this work but having such a cloud of witnesses to follow their example and to goe on with the more earnestnesse activity and courage the more he is opposed In the Book itself in the first Division pag. 1. are premised some particulars from the better understanding of this Book The Catalogue of Errours c. is not of old Errors opinions of a former age but of Errours now in being in these present times pag. 1 2. Though 't is not a full catalogue and perfect enumeration of all erroneous opinions c. of these times yet 't is the fullest that hath yet been made p. 2. The intent of this work not a formal confutation of errours and opinions but a discovery of them p. 3. Errors and strange opinions scattered up and down and vented in many Bookes Manuscripts Sermons Conferences drawne into one Table and disposed under certain heads p. 3.4 The errours and opinions contained in this book are laid down in terminis in their own words and phrases as neare as possible can bee pag. 4. The way laid downe of the proofe of the truth and reality of the errours blasphemies c. contained in this Tractate and that by a sevenfold way p. 4 5 â— All the errours and opinions mentioned in one and the same Catalogue not all alike p. 7. The Reader is fore-warned not to be hindred from beleeving the truth of things contained in this Book by all the clamours and reproaches cast upon it p. 8. Three Answers given to the first objection thâ—t may be against this Book as that it is not seasonable nor convenient to discover our nakednesse and weaknesse so far to the common enemy pag. 8.9 10. Foure Answrs to a second objection made against this book that it may cause distractions and divisions among our selves and may offend many good persons that are not Sectaries p. 1â— 12 The errours heresies c. of the times refered to sixteen heads or sorts of Sectaries p. 13. Among all these sorts of Sects there is hardly to bee found any Sect that is simple and without mixture but all the Sects are compounded p. 13. All these sorts of sects how different soever yet all agree in separating from our Church and in Indepency being all Independents and Separatists p. 14. The first Independent Ministers that we read of in Antiquitie and how they were proceeded against in a Councel held at Carthage p. 14 15. Some of the errors and opiâ—ions laid down in this Catalogue are contrary and contradictorie to others of them p. 15. The Catalogue of the Errours Heresies contained in p. 15 16 17 18 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31. The blasphemies of the Sectaries p. 32 33 34. Some passages in the Prayers of the Sectaries p. 34 35 A Parallel between our Sectaries and the Donatists agreeing in the particulars p. 37 38 39. The Sectaries and Jesuits agree in 7. things p. 4â— 41. The Sectaries and the Netherland Arminians agree in these eight particulars p. 41 42 43. A parallell between the Bishops and that Court-party heretofore and the present Sectaries in six things p. 43 44 45. The Sectaries and Malignants agree both in the generall and in three particulars p. 45 46 47 48. The Sectaries like Julian the Apostata and some other enemies of Christians in four things p. 48. 49. The difference in the carriage and behaviour these foure years last past all along of the Presbyterians both to the honourable Houses and to the Sectaries and of the Sectaries to the Parliament and to the Presbyterians 49 50 51 52 53. The Sectaries practices and wayes referred to ten heads p. 54. Some of their particular practices named to the number of 28. and laid down in pag. 54 55 56. c. unto 66. An Answer to an Objection what are practices of some men and matters of fact to a way it is arguments must convince men and not practices p. 66. A second Table showing the Contents of the second division of the first part of Gangraena Foure Letters written concerning the Sectaries from p. 1. to p. 9. Animadversions on the last Letter p. 9.10.11 An Extract of certaine Letters written by some Ministers concerning Sectaries from p. 12 to p. 18. A relation of some women preachers and of their doctrine 29 30 31 32. A relation of some stories and remarkable passages concerning the Sects from p. 17 to p. 42. An Extract of 2. Letters more 42 43. Some more remarkable passages concerning the Sectaries from p. 44 to p. 52. Sectaries annointing of the sick with oyl p. 6 44. A Love-Feast kept by some Sectaries with the laying on of hands upon their Members for receiving of the Holy Ghost p. 45. A petition drawne up by some Citizens preached against by Master Greenhill and M. Burroughs pag. 48 49 A discourse betweene Mr. Greenhill and M. Burroughs upon occasion of some wicked opinions maintained in the hearing of M. Greenhill p. 25. The great evill and mischief of a Church being long without a Government p 52 53. T is more then time to settle the Government and Discipline of the Church the many Errors Blasphemies cry aloud for a speedy setling of Church Government 53 54 55. The mischeif evill and danger of a Toleration and pretended liberty of Conscience to this Kingdome and how a Toleration is the grand designe of the Devil his master-peece chief engine 57 58 59 60. Independencie in England hath brought forth in a few years monsters of errours As Independency is the Mother and Originall of other Sects so it is the Nurse and Patronesse that nurses and safeguards them p. 61 62. M. Burton who was so zealous against Errours Arminianisme Innovations in the Bishops days can now let false Doctrines go unquestioned not writing against nor complaining to the Parliament of Sermons Books wherein all kind of false Doctrine is vented 62 63 64. The confusions and mischiefs we lye under charged upon the consciences of the Independenns as having been the great means of hindring and delaying the setling of Church-government pag 64.65 The Divell an active restlesse subtill Spirit when he can no longer doe things one way then he will try another pag. 65 66 67 68. New light and new truths a weake and deceitfull Argument to commend any way or opinion by all errours vented under this of new light p. 68. The true reason and cause of that great growth and increase of the Sectaries among us and so few falling to the Presbyterians is because the Sectaries opinions and practises are so pleasing to flesh and blood and sundry particulars are instanced in that feed the carnall hearts of men p. 69 70. An Apologie and Justification sufficient for those Ministers and people who are zealous for setling Religion and
cry out for Government p. 70 71 72. The Sectaries are a subtill cunning active nimble deceitfull self seeking plotting undermining generation and we have cause to suspect them in everie thing to feare them yeelding and to feare them flying and to look about us in all kinde of transactions with them p. 73. Many moderate men both Ministers and others by their indifferencie compliance and favouring the Sectaries have done much hurt and been a great cause of the evills and mischiefs that lye upon us p. 74. The sad and dangerous condition England is in at present in regard of the Heresies Errours Blasphemies and Disoders p. 75. England is in a far worse condition then in the late time of the Prelats and that both in regard of the corruption of the Doctrine of Religion and in regard of Toleration of all Religions p. 76 77. Englands condition so sad in regard of the errours heresies from twelve circumstances that accompanie them p 77 78 79 80. Errours and wicked opinions are worse then the sword p. 82. Eerrours Heresies are a greater evill then bad life and wicked manners p. 82. Remedies and directions given both to Ministers Magistrates and People sutable to the condition of this Kingdome in reference to the Errours and Heresies among us p. 83. Ministers must set themselves as to witnesse for truth against Errours so in a speciall manner against a Toleration and many instances are given both of the Fathers moderne Divines and of Bishops and Ministers among our selves opposing Toleration p. 85 86 87 88 89 90 91. Ministers should agree together to make a Remonstrance of all the errors heresies blasphemies schisms insolencies tumults of the Sectaries that have been in England these five last yeares p 93. The Magistrates from the consideration of all the errours heresies blasphemies c. should appoint and command a solemne generall Fast to bee kept throughout the Kingdome for this very end that the Land might be humbled and mourn for these heresies blasphemies and for the great growth and too much suffering of them and for the fearfull breach of our solemne Covenant with God p. 95 96 97. The Magistrates should command the solemne renewing of the Nationall Covenant upon such a Fasting-day and command in the close of such Fasting daies the wicked bookes printed of late yeares some whereof have been licensed to be openly burnt p. 97. The Magistrates should put out some Declaration against the errors and waies of the Sectaries as their sending Eâ—issaries into all parts of the Kingdome to poison the Countreyes and should execute exemplary punishment upon som of the most notorious Sectaries and seducers p. 98. Private Christians must take heed of going to the Sectaries Conventicles to heare them preach and exercise their private meetings are the nurseries of all errours and heresies verie Pest Houses p. 99. Error is a vast thing without all bank or bottome Errour knows no end nor where to stay p. 100 101. The benefit and excellencies of the Presbyteriall Government viz. preventing and keeping out errors and as soone as errours doe but peep out plucking them up p. 102. Some of the Sectaries of our times are worse enemies to the truth then the Papists p. 103 104. Some additionall errours laid downe p. 104 and in p. 110 111 112. An Extract of another Letter concerning the Sects p. 113. Two Letters one of the preaching woman Mrs. Attaway to William Ienney and another of William Ienney to his wife presently upon his going away from his wife with Mrs. Attaway p. 115. A third Table containing the names and relations of the principall Ring-leaders of corrupt opinions and Errours in the first Part of Gangraena Paul Bests horrid blasphemies p. 33. of the first Division of the first Part. M. Henry Den p. 2. of the second Division p. 22 23.105 106. of the same Division Iohn Hiâ—h p. 18 19. of the second Division Laurence Clarkson his Petition Recantation p. 19.20 of the second Division of the first part of Gangraena Thomas Web p. 21 22. of the second Division of the first part M. Erbury that lived in Wales p. 24. One Nicholls p. 24 25. One Marshall a Bricklayer p. 26. Clement Wrighter p. 27 28. Captain Paul Hobson p. 33.34 One Lam an Anabaptist p. 35. Oats a great Dipper 35 36.106 113. One Mills p. 36. Kiffiâ— an active Anabaptist p. 36 37 44. One Patience p 37. One M. Câ—x p. 38. Thomas Moore p. 38. One Walwin p. 38. Lievtenant Colonell Lilburne p. 46 47. of the first Division and p. 38. of the second Division M. Bacon sometimes of Glocester p. 38. M. Bachiler the Licenser-Generall of the Bookes of the Sectaries p. 38.39 One Randall a great Antinomian p. 39. M. Knollys p. 39 40. M. Peters p. 40 41 42 106 107. One Barber p. 45. M. Iohn Good â—ine alias Cretensis p. 39 47 63. of the first Division One Cosens p. 105. Mrs. Attaway p. 31 32 113 114 115. One William Ienney p. 113 115. A TABLE of the main matters contained in the Second Part of GANGRAENA THe Preface Additionall Errours to the former Catalogue of Errours Heresies pag. 1 2 3 116 117 A relation of a Monster born of Parents that are Sectaries p. 4 An extract of three Letters p. 3 4 5 A relation of some passages of a Lieutenant a great Sectary p. 5 A relation of some stories and remarkable passages concerning the Sectaries from p. 6. to p. 11 A Hymn of some of the Sectaries p. 11.12 A Disputation held at the Spitle about the Immortality of the soule by some Anabaptists p. 14 15 A Copie of a Letter sent out of Suffolk p. 16 17 An extract of a Letter p. 18 19. The proof of a Woman Preacher at Brasteed and the confutation of Mr. Saltmarshes boldnesse in denying it p. 20.87 A discovery of Walwyn to be a dangerous and desperate man a pleader for all Religions c. p. 21 22 23 A proof of Lieutenant Colonel Lilburns playing at Cards p. 24 A discovery of the spirit of Mr. Iohn Goodwin alias Cretensis p. 25 The reason of Cretensis falling to Independency p. 26 Sixteen observations upon Cretensis or a brief Answer from p. 27 to p. 36 The true Reasons why the Sectaries called Mr. Edwards First Part of Gangraena a Book of lyes whereas 't is proved to be a Book full of truth p. 36 37 A Letter sent Mr. Edwards subscribed by the hands of 28 Ministers giving him thanks and witnessing to the First Part of Gangraena p. 39 Cretensis his two challenges accepted and his glove taken up both the first and second time p. 41. â—2 Reasons given why the names of the men who writ Letters were concealed with a discovery now of the names of those who writ Letters p. 26 27.43 44 45 Two other challenges of Cretensis taken and he challenged to make good his challenges p. 46 47 Independents preaching to bare walls and pewes as much as Presbyterians p. 51.
Prâ—teol 1. Elench Haeretic pag. 247. Iulianuâ— Aretiâ—â—â—â—thoren et ducem haeresis 〈◊〉 et â—onstanâ—i sententia damnatum et in â—tlium actum peâ—â—uam benignis literis revocavit et publica vectura reduxit Episcopo sub Constantio exilio mulctatos rerocavit et in urbes suas redire permisit Atque id ille non misericoâ—dia fecit sicut colligere est sed ut Epis opos inter se committens ad intestinuâ— armaret bellum et suis ipsa dissidiis Ecclesia labefactaâ—câ—ur The Emperour Valens did grant freedome of Religion to all heretickâ— yea and Heathens but was a great enemy to the Orthodox Theodoreâ— Hist. Eccles lib. 4 cap. 22. Valens impunitatem conceâ—â—it Gentilibus â—udaeis et aliis quibus que â—ui nomen Christianum sibi assumenses doctrâ—â—am Evangelio repugnantem praedicabant Solâ— autem Apostolicae doctrinae propugnatoribus tyâ—annus iste se hâ—stem praebuit * The Sectaries though they make but a fifth or sixth part of the Army and the noble Generall who commands all free from any touch of Sectarisiâ—e yet we see how insolent some of them have been of late bearing themselves upon the army talking of that upon all occasions of setling Church government what would they do if they had an army wholly of their own way and a Commander in chiefe according to their owne hearts A person of worth who was present at the opening of the Letters and named to mee the Gentleman to whom such news was writ told it me Moderate Intellig. Numb 44. from 1 Ian. to the 8. a I never justified that wicked oath Ex officio as Mr. Burton Mr. Calam. Iust. and necess Apologie against an ujust lnvective of Mr. Burtons pag. 5 8. b D. Holms I write not this to commend or prefer my selfe before others but because many Sectaries to blast my preaching and writing from doing good have given out falsly to many that I was a great time-server and a great man for the bishops and their wayes using that as an argument not to heed what I write or preach I therefore thought it necessary to say thus much for the undeceiving of many who know mee not And had I ever learned the Art of time-serving I should not have writ such a boâ—k as this nor preach as I do but would rather turne Sectarie â—or at least comply with them and so I might be a Creature and a darling of these times a Adversus â—aereses b Ad quod vult Deum c De haeresibus d Hâ—reticarum Fabularum e Contra libertinos Anabaptistas Servetum f De Haeresibus * Pag. 162 163. of this present Book and that pag. 8. a A word more to Mr. Edwards pag. 1. Sir untill I perceive the contrary I cannot but hope that I have prevailed something with you towards a change of your mind and that you have begun to repent you of the evill you have done by publishing your Book entituled the Gangraena Saltmarsh flowing of Christs bloud pag. 14. * The new Converts as it seems by the Relation here make a Feast for the Church and the Dipper upon their entrance into is by dipping and are then admitted to that they call the Lords Supper * This Commander is not in the service of the West belonging to any of the Regiments of that Army under the command of Sir Thomas Fairfax but his command is in another part of the Kingdom * We see the liberty of conscience Sectaries will give if they had power The Relation followes after attested by the hands of witnesses * All kind of unlicenced Books that make any wayes for the Sects and against Presbyterians are sold at his shop and t is given out the manâ—â—els them but not the Master * An Anabaptisticall Emissary * Observe here both blasphemy and scoffing of the Parliament in a high manner * Of the name of the woman her meetings with other particulars â—â—ent this matter * A word more to Master Edwards Observe to what this pretended liberty of Conscience brings men namely to plead for Treason Rebellion and all kind of wickednesse * Gangraena pag. 12â— * That 's the main subject of both his Pamphlets A Whisper in the ear and A word more to Mr. Edwards * When he was prisoner there being taken by the Cavaliers when they came to Branford Reply to Cretensis Cretensis pag. 11. Cretensis Vide pag. 10. pag. 24. * Tit. 1.12 The Creâ—ans are alwaies Lyars * This is a lye in Cretensis Catalogue that Cosens never said it Cretensis pag. â— * Vide Petition of the Lord Major Aldermen and Commâ—ns of the City of London presented to the House of Peers Jan. 26. * Cretensis pag. 50. * I professe truly that I had not read one quarter of the Book of yet nor know whether I shall ever care to read it through or no. And in pag. 6. I have neither leasure nor opportunity to search to the bottome * Saltmarsh groans for liberty * That is proverbially called the thriving side and way Offices Moneys Honors Lands great places attending upon them * Mr. Thomas Goodwins Sermon call'd The great Interest of State and Kingdom p. 53. If any man think I am a pleading for a Liberty of all Opinions of what nature and how grosse soever I humbly desire them to remember that I only plead for Saints and I answer plainly The Saints need it not The Apostle tells us there are damnable Heresies so 2 Pet. 1.1 2 and they will soon unsaint them So that I speaking against the gâ—ossest Errors and men holding such in M. Tho Goodwins judgement I speak against those who are no Saints but are persons contradistinguished and opposed to Saints Quod autem vehementius egoviâ— agnosâ—â— culpum 〈◊〉 culpa est 〈◊〉 testimonium hoc mihi in mundo reddi in causa Dei mirifice gaudeo Atque utinam ipse Deus id testimoâ—ie in novisâ—ime die confirmaresâ— Qâ—is tum beatior Luthero qui tanti sui saeculi testimonio commendatur quod veritatis causam non seguiter neo fraudulenter sed vehementer satis vel potius nimio egerit tum ill Iud Ieremiae feleciter evaserim maledictus qui facit opus Dei negligenter Luthenus de servo Arbitrio This sent up to a Parliament man and a true Copy of this given me by a Member of the Assembly This Letter was written to a Member of the Assembly and the whole Letter printed verbatim follows afterwards * Praefat. ad Eccl. auie Acta Synodâ— National Dordr * Wotton de Reconcil par 2. lib. 1 cap. 15. pag 175.176 Wottonâ— de Recoâ—e part 2. l. 1. cap. 14. Quem ego de imputatione opinionis authorem fuisse mihi perswadeo * Master Pryns Truth Triumphing over Falshood Epistle Dedicat. and in the Book 106 107 108 where Mr. Priâ— both laies down his passages against the Parliament and confutes fully his justification and pleading for them * Whitaker Second Conâ—ro
a great Sectarie upon the fifth or sixth of May last speaking against the Presbyterian Ministers and calling them Priests spake these words That we hope to have or shall have shortly the Sequestrations of the Presbyterians as well as formerly of Malignants unto whom one of the company replyed that I suppose you will get a good office or place then when the Prâ—â—â—â—terians estates shall come to be sequestred Another Sectarie a Bodies-seller in London whose name I conceale upon the entreatie of him who related it speaking of the Ministers of Sion Colledge said these words Many have gone to Tyburn who have lesse deserved hanging than those of Sion Colledge and hee further spoke these words that the Ministers were the cause of all our troubles stirs This relation was given me under the hand of one who was an ear-witnesse and delivered to me in the presence of two sufficient persons A third man who is for the Independents and that way came to a person of qualitie in the Citie of London and taken notice of for a man of great estate and wished him out of his respect to him to take heed how he ingaged or shewed himselfe for the Presbyterians and against the Independents for there was no way for him to keep his estate or to be secure unlesse he were of that side with other words to that purpose Here followes a Copie of some Letters with a Narration of some more remarkable Passages concerning the Sectaries A Copie of A Letter written to me from a godly and learned Minister living at Yarmouth VVorthy Sir BY your Letter coming to my hand I take notice of an Information handed to you wherein I wish there were not so much truth For your better security I have procured the Examinations out of the Office and have transcribed one of them which here I send you inclosed At our late Sessions this cause was heard Our Recorder professed that had he had power hee had a great minde to hang the man for his Blasphemies but in conclusion hee was bound over to the next Sessions Touching the person of this blasphemous wretch one Iohn Boggis hee was an Apprentice to an Apothecary in London and came downe hither with your good friend Captaine Hobson as his Chyrurgion Soone after his coming into these parts hee turned Preacher and so in a little time seducing and being seduced hee came from Antinomianisme and Anabaptisme to this desperate height of Atheisme Your great Rabbi Oats told mee before his face that M. Boggis might be his Master notwithstanding his youth and so highly extolled him as if hee had beene Adam Hamagnalah One passage more I shall acquaint you with About a yeer since or somewhat more this Boggis with Oats then of Norwich and one Lockier a Ring-leader of the Anabaptists in this town came to my house desiring some discourse with me for their pretended satisfaction Providence so ordered it that M. W. my fellow Minister and one other were with me at the present Thus three to three we fell into debate amongst other matters about the power of the Magistrate in inflicting capital punishments and taking away of life Hereupon Oats to whom the rest agreed peremptorily affirmed and stood to maintaine That there was no such power in any Christian Magistrate over anie Member of a Church unlesse first he was cast out of the Church and so delivered to the Secular power no whatever his offence was though Murther or Treason His Argument was That all Church-Members were the Temple of God and who so destroyeth the Temple of God him shall God destroy Being pressed with the Authority of that Text He that sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed hee and the rest cryed out what had they to do with Moses They were Christs Disciples not Moses Disciples Being minded of the antiquity of this Law before Moses his time they replyed it was all one being part of the Old Testament Withall Oats added that that Law was fulfilled demanding of him how he answered in and by Christ In as much said hee as Christ shed his blood my blood is shed already for saith he Christs blood is my blood and my blood is Christs blood At the same time Boggis being pressed by my selfe in some particulars still his reply was I have the Spirit My selfe impatient of his arrogant boasting told him That certainly if he had that Spirit he pretended to hee would not so boast of it Whereunto clapping his hand upon his brest he replyed I thank God I have enough of the Spirit Hereupon I having enough of him told him that the doores were open for him and so parted with him The Lord direct and assist you in all your undertakings and make your endeavours successefull With my prayers and hearty salutations I rest Your assured Friend and Brother in the Lord. Yarmouth May 11. A copie of the Deposition made against one John Boggis for horrid and unheard of Blasphemy Great Yarmouth Ian. 24. 1645. THis Informer saith upon his oath that some few dayes since one Iohn Boggis came to the house of this Informers Master about dinner time and being requested to stay at dinner there he sate down at the Table and being also requested by his said Masters wife to give thanks hee asked to whom hee should give thanks whether to the Butcher or to the Bull or to the Cow there being then a Shoulder of rosted Veale upon the Table And the said Informers Masters wife saying That thanks should bee given to God the said Boggis replyed and said Where is your God in Heaven or in Earth aloft or below or doth hee sit in the clouds or where doth hee sit with his And further this Informer saith That at another time the said Informers Masters wife having speech with the said Boggis about the Church and concerning the Bible the said Boggis wished he had not knowne so much of the Bible which hee said was but only paper The former part of this Information to And further c. is also attested upon Oath in the same words by the said Informers Master wife A true Copy of a Letter sent from Dover to a worthy Member of the Reverend Assembly and subscribed by five hands of persons of worth Ministers and others Worthy Sir OVr true respects of you prefixed We entreat your favour to acquaint us what you think will be the result at last about the Independents if they must be tolerated it is then in vaine for us to strive against it by any humane helps and must expect to live in all confusion and disorder except it be in our Families and there we shall hardly avoid it for there are some that creep into Houses We desire you to take notice that for three yeeres last past there hath been some differences about that way in Dover but of late they are faln into a Congregationall-Church have made Members and ordained a Pastour one Mr. Davis of London