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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A83515	The third part of Gangræna. Or, A new and higher discovery of the errors, heresies, blasphemies, and insolent proceedings of the sectaries of these times; with some animadversions by way of confutation upon many of the errors and heresies named. ... Briefe animadversions on many of the sectaries late pamphlets, as Lilburnes and Overtons books against the House of Peeres, M. Peters his last report of the English warres, The Lord Mayors farewell from his office of maioralty, M. Goodwins thirty eight queres upon the ordinance against heresies and blasphemies, M. Burtons Conformities deformity, M. Dells sermon before the House of Commons; ... As also some few hints and briefe observations on divers pamphlets written lately against me and some of my books, ... / By Thomas Edvvards Minister of the Gospel.; Gangraena. Part 3	Edwards, Thomas, 1599-1647.	1646 (1646)	Wing E237; Thomason E368_5; ESTC R201273	294,455	360

of the Armies that is a preacher there and drawes away many people and though the Minister of the place did yeeld much to give him and others content in being willing to joyn with him and others to keep away scandal●us persons promising to watch over one another giving ●ree leave to this Potter and others to except and object any thing against him or others admitted to the Lords Supper yet nothing would give them content but this Potter and many others whom he hath drawn away meet in Separated meetings on the Lords day will pay no Tithes A godly Minister told me August 18. that some souldiers belonging to Colonell Iretons Regiment quartering but two nights in his Parish infected many he had rather have given a great deal of mony then they should have come thither He saith they be generally Arminians and sate with their hats on in Prayer Singing of Psalmes One of these souldiers told a godly woman in his Parish that if she did not beleeve Christ died for all she should be damned There is one John Durance spoken of in the Second part of Gangrana who was apprentise to a Washball-maker at the Three Herrings in Lumbard-street who after preaching some years without being ordained Minister doth now presume without any ordination to Baptize and administer the Lords Supper against which high presumption God hath lately witnessed by making one in this kind a fearfull example in York-shire which story most true and certain with the particulars of it I intend to give the reader in a Tractate of a Catalogue of the judgements of God upon the Se-Sectaries within these four last years Now this Master Durance besides preaching at Canterbury in one of the Churches hath gathered a Church to which in one of the Prebends houses wherein he dwels he preaches and administers the Lords Supper in the evening this man at Sandwich prayed strangly concerning the King as the Reader may remember and being spoken to about it he was so farre from repenting that he added this That he hoped ere long to see the King fettered in Newgate which I hearing could hardly beleeve a man should speak so wickedly of the King and therefore write down i 〈…〉 o Kent to enquire of the truth of it of them to whom it was spoken and I had this Answer returned me in a Letter that Master G. a Jurate of Sandwich had averred no lesse then what it should seem you have heard already concerning him Besides this Durance preaching presently after the newes of the surrender of Oxford said That for all that there would be no Peace till there were a generall Liberty of Conscience in England In Kent not f●rre from Greenwich there is a feirce Independent one Master Larkin a man of wh 〈…〉 I have heard many things both of his preaching aod conversation concerning whom there are many Letters come from New England attested with many hands writing of his ill behaviour and the scandals that are upon him there besides many passages related of his preaching here against the Assembly Ministery and of his carriage in severall particulars but I shall speake no further of him at this time There is one Master Powell at Dartmouth in Kent a great Sectary he sometimes preached in Crooked-lane where he vented many erroneous things and ●ow does a great deal of hurt in those parts of Kent There was a neighbour Minister a godly man that being behind in paying some of his Taxes being deeply taxed one imployed to gather up monies unpaid coming to him for monies not paid he demanded 〈◊〉 shillings for his charges in coming and used these words You are one that oppose Master Powell and if the Minister would not pay whatever he demanded would straine his Cowes There is one Brabson in Middlesex about Han 〈…〉 ll a great Sectarie and Preacher he preaches much against Tithes and broaches many Errours some of the Middle 〈◊〉 Ministers have told me of such a man and I am promised a full account of the man There is one Cornwell in Kent an Anabapeist who hath put forth divers Pamphlets one against Baptizing of Children others lately printed Dedicated to particular members of the House of Commons The first pamp 〈…〉 called The vindication of the royall Commission of King Jesus set forth about three years ago was given to divers Members at the doore of the House of Commons In which Book this Cornwell brands all the Reformed Churches and the whole Christian world at this day which Baptize their children with the odious name of an Anti-christian Faction There is one Master Blackwood about the Wild of Kent an Anabaptist who hath write about a yeare and a halse ago a Book called The storming of Antichrist the subject matter being against Poedobaptisme and for Liberty of Conscience so called wherein as I remember he is for a universall Toleration except it be in Blasphemy and denying the Scriptures to be the word of God but about a year ago a godly Minister told me he speaking with him about that book and about his limitations and whether he was of that judgement still he told him he had received thanks for that book from a great Commander in the army for so far as he had gone right but wished him to re-collect his thoughts whether be was not out in those limitation● bounds so that said M. Blackwood I am somewhat unsatisfied in my former limitations doubting whether there ought not to be a universall Toleration without any of those bounds and in a book since printed he is against any restraint in the c 〈…〉 of Blasphemy and denying the Scriptures retracting his ●ormer distinctions There is one Master Niob●las Davison of New-England who came over from New-England with accounts amounting to a good s 〈…〉 e which he was to give here in London and landing in the West at that time when all the West was in the Enemies power for feare of loosing his accounts and being taken durst not venture to come up to London but lived in Barstable unknown almost three quarters of a year which being then one of the Kings Garrisons he was glad to conceale himselfe they not knowing whence be came nor what he was now being sometimes in the company of the Cavaliers and of some of their Schollars he heard them often speaking among themselves of the Independents and of the differences among us and they spake to one another not thinking he took notice that there were from severall Colledges beyond the Seas Jesuites come over they named their names and the places from whence they came to act the pitts of Independents and Sectaries to blow up the difference and contention Now when the West was open and this man got fa●● to London he told this to divers to a godly Citizen among ●●hers who acquainted me with it and this Master Davison being spoken to by some Independents as being a New-England man to go to Guildhall upon some businesse when some

the Magistrates shall come to use a co 〈…〉 cive power in matters of Religion then this Kingdome will bee utterly destroyed I might also relate some strange passages out of speeches spoken not long since by some Independents as Master Sympson in the Assembly and elsewhere too for a Toleration but I for be are and wish the Reader to remember some passages related in foregoing pages of this Book especially that in page 175. 2. Many of the Independents and Sectaries of these times are guilty of many kinds of uncleannesses First of Incest of which out of one Country I have the names of three sent me up and attested by the hand of a godly Minister one who ma 〈…〉 ed the mother and afterwards the daughter 〈◊〉 this liberty of consciences mother marrying his owne brothers wife and the third marrying his brothers wife I have beene informed also for 〈…〉 taine by a Gentleman of quality in Kent that a great Sectary in Kent hath married his N 〈…〉 It hath been related to me also of one in London 〈◊〉 of the like 〈…〉 d but I may not enlarge having exceeded already the number of sheets I intended and having yet many things to 〈◊〉 of Secondly of wicked and ungodly matriages leaving their owne husbands and wives and taking others to live with them as Master Jenney and Mistrisse Attaway and so that New-England Captaine who was about another wife his wife being living of which the Reader may read page 94. and so others of them living wholly from their wives not coming at them denying they have been married to them or else saying they are unbeleevers and of the world of which I could give stories as of one M. and in a precedent page of this Book the Reader may finde more And for ungodly marriages some Sectaries are guilty of entising children to marry unequally in regard of yeers and without Parents consents taking advantage of sicknesse c. of which there is a remarkable story in this book of Mary Abraham a notorious Sectary page 82 83 84 85. And lately a Widow an Anabaptist about forty yeers of age intangled and inveagled a youth of about nineteene yeeres of age and married him without his father ever knowing or imagining any such thing This youths father lives in Swithins parish and Mr. Knowls the Anabaptist as t is said married them Thirdly of● rapes and forcing young maidens too young for the company of men of which I could tell some sad stories of Independents in New-England in this kind and upon whose daughters but I forbeare out of my respect to the Parents Fourthly of adulteries and fornications and if I should here set downe all the instances in this kind that I have had from good hands and relate the stories at large I should fill some sheets There are divers of the Dippers and mecanick Preachers of the Sectaries not onely shroudly suspected for filthinesse and uncleannesses but some of them accused by women and have beene so taken as they could not well deny it There is a famous Sectarian Preacher in the Isle of Ely betweene a Cobler and a Shoemaker who is now accused by many women for tempting them and solliciting their chastity and one woman cries out of him for being naught with her and 〈◊〉 distracted upon it There is a Fidler here in London a great preacher to whom many women resore that hath beene taken in the act and hath in a manner confessed it There is one of the first Dippers in England one of the first that brought up the trade of whom I heard a modest and good woman say that had observed his filthy behaviour he resorting often to her house upon some acquaintance formerly betweene her husband and him though indeed for the wives sake as she plainly discovered and so could not endure him that it was no wonder he and many such turned Dippers to dip young maids and young women naked for it was the fittest trade to serve their turns that could be and no question but it was found out and propagated with so much industry as being fed by lust that a company of uncleane men under the pretence of Religion might have thereby faire opportunities to feed their eyes full of adultery in beholding young women naked and in handling young women naked being about them in dressing and undressing them and indeed Saint Peter speaking and prophecying of the Anabaptists 2 Epist chap. 2. verse 10 11 12. viz. those who despise Dominion and speak evill of Dignities as we see our Anabaptists do of all Kingly government and Lordly government despising both King and Lords and being presumptuous and self-willed in it as is evident by their sayings and doings tells us these men are uncleane persons walk in lusts of uncleannesse have eyes full of adultery that cannot cease from sinne and that he makes the ground of their beguiling unstable soules verse 14. T is observed there have been and are a company of lusty young men betweene twenty and and thirty yeeres of age that are Dippers and their cheif commodity they trade in is in young maidens and youdg women and that in the night oft-times and these fellowes living in idlenesse going from Country to Country being feasted and well fed and having converse so much with women in preaching to them alone and washing them what can be expected else but a great deale of filthinesse and thereupon I have beene told it from a godly Minister who came out of those parte in Essex where Oats hath beene dipping that it was spoken of by many that some young women who having beene married divers yeeres and never were with child now si●ce their dipping are proved with child There was a Sectaries wife with me who showed me severall Letters written from Sectaries to other mens wives Sectaries to tempt them from their husbands shee had intercepted the Letters that shee might the better discover her husbands naughtinesse shee told me the names of the women and of the men and intreated me to move some Parlia men that there might be a Committee appointed and shee would produce the Letters bring witnesses that should upon ●ath discover such uncleannesses and wickednesses among some Anabaptists and Seekers as could hardly be beleeved I moved a worthy Member of the House of Commons about it who told me the House was full of publike businesses and would hardly intend to appoint any such Committee and if the House should there would come little of it for these Sectaries would finde such freinds at a Committee as it should go hard but they would obstruct it one way or other There is a famous shee Sectary an Antinomian and an Anabaptist that living in ones house here in London was a meanes to turn the woman of the house and shee being converted did highly extall this Sectary for her rare gifts and new light to all shee conversed with but this womans husband coming out of the Army this famous Sectary was

Heresies and Sects that they which are approved may be made manifest among us The good Lord in due time purge his Church and now his Fanne is in his hand let us pray that he may thoroughly purge his floore nothing but pure Wheat shall be in the Lords Barne Lord thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven so commending your holy labours both in Pulpit and Presse to the blessing of God I rest Your lover in the Truth and for his sake who is ipsa veritas Nichol. North. From Dover July 13. 1646. Sir Last day repeating to my people here in Saint James Parish the summe of these Errors that they might avoid the like Captaine Temple a great stickler in this Town for the maintenance of all Sects as I hear sent me this letter after Sermon being as it seems displeased that I should forewarn my people of Heresies and Errors I pray consider of it and make the best use of it you can The man is a stranger to me and I an to him I never saw him to my knowledge and he did not hear me preach that day he wrote to me though in his Letter he sayes he is my observer Mr. North DOubtlesse you may get into your peoples affections with enveighing against any pretenders to Religion as if all such did hold such points as your story wherewith you filled up your hour But I pray Sir be so honest as to tell them this afternoon that it was very likely that Tiltboat ●ent your companion to London was an Atheist one of your Church of England For such swearers drunkards blasphemers do use to go in your Tilt-boat and there talk of Religion according to your story But all wise men know your objects of spleen called Independents Anabaptists c. hold fundamentalls in Religion and can maintain it by Scripture better then your self Your observer Miles Temple Dover the 12. July 1646. This is a true Copie to a tittle of Master Temples Letter sent to Master North on the Lords day July the 12. 1646. Attested by Nicholas North John Dy●us Ministers A Copie of a Letter from a worthy Minister in the West of England Worthy Sir I Had not the happinesse either to see or heare of the second part of Gangraena till within these very few dayes The first part did so much good in weakning the reputation of the Sectaries and marring their market wheresoever it came that it is not unlikely there may be meanes used by some agents in London to hinder the spreading of this How it comes to passe I know not but if any corrupting Books come forth making for Independency or any of the Sects we are sure to here of them soon enough and finde them in too many hands I am glad you have made good your ground so well against Cretensis whose bitter arrogant unministeriall stile and passages will be enough to lay open to the world the temper of the mans spirit though you should be silent In that which concernes Master Burroughs I thought verely you had been mis-informed He utterly denyed the truth of that relation to a good Presbyteriall friend of his and mine who alwaies hath had him in good esteem for piety sure it will amaze his friend and many others when they shall see this largenesse of conscience in Master Burroughs You cannot immagine how I was struck at the reading of it If Saints of the first magnitude in the Independent way the greatest pretenders to conscience can do this what credit can we give to the rest such Presbyterians as they will scarce owne to be Saints have not that latitude of conscience to tell 〈…〉 willingly much lesse write it print it and give it under their h●●ds to all the world This is too too bad As concerning that Collier whom you spake of in your Book I could give you a large relation as how he was banished out of Garnesey he and many more of his followers whom hee had seduced for their heresies and turbulent behaviour afterwards imprisoned at Po 〈…〉 th 〈◊〉 was the ●irst that sowed the seeds of Anabaptism Anti-sabbatari●●ism and some Arminianisme among the rest in these parts hee hath had the boldnesse to publish two or three pamphlets full stuffed with erroneous principles and ●avouring of an illitterate Carter or an Husbandman for so he is by his calling I heare though now by usurpation a Preacher The first time he preached amongst us which was in time of publike exercise some that heard him said afterwards if that were true which Master Collier had taught them they would never heare any of our Min●●ters more You may guesse his doctrine by the use was made of it doubtlesse 〈◊〉 was stronge poison he gave them that wrought so strongly at first Sir if I were not in great haste I should writ more at large I should be glad to heare from you in a word o● two how things are likely to goe for which I shall rest June 1646. Your thankfull friend A Copie of a Letter sent from some of the Committee of the City of Exeter to some of that City here in London GEntlemen we referre you to our former Letter sent you by post wherein we gave you information of the imprisoning of our honest Citize●s by the Deputy Governour and Officers of that Garrison they yet continue in custody The Committee was refused to have the knowledg of the cause of their imprisonment Our Constables are opposed in doing their duties in a word they do openly contemne and violently incroach upon the civill power contrary to former ordem sent them Yesterday they demanded more monies of us for the Garrison We do what in us lyeth to oppose them in their undue courses But the insolencie of this day is such that we thought it our duty to make this present dispatch to you doubting what a day may bring forth The cause is thus we taking notice of the frequent preaching of Captaines at the Castle Guild-Hall and in private housés and of their drawing away of the people thought it necessary with the advice of Ministers to have the Ordinance of Parliament of the twentie sixth of Aprill 1645. to be published which prohibits all such to preach as were not ordained Ministers c. which accordingly was read at the Cathedrall before the morning Sermon this day The Deputy Governour hearing it commands it to be read the second and third time the Officers jeering and scoffing all the time of the publishing of it in contempt both of the Ordinance and of the Committee After the Sermon was ended the Deputy Governour most presumptuously stands up in the Bishops seat and takes upon him publikely to give the meaning of the Ordinance and saith aloud that it did not forbid their meetings and that in the after-noones they would have their exercise in the Custle which accordingly they had and that he had the command of the City and of all that were in it with many words

Majors any otherwise but as a Member of that Honourable Court concurring with the rest and then whereas this Libeller calls it an unjust Remonstrance 't is a most just and equall Remonstrance as hath been fully proved by Master Bellamie in his Justification and Vindication of the City Remonstrance and in that Book entituled the Sectaries Anatomized and if I would give liberty to my pen I could further justifie not only the justnesse of it but the necessity of it and show demonstratively that it will never be well with this Kingdome whilst Sectaries are in places of publike trust and that the subjects of this Kingdome can never expect justice nor right whilst men of other Religions then what is established by Law are in places of power and I wonder that the Anabaptists and Sectaries should be so offended at that part of the Remonstrance when as 't is their dayly practise not by faire and just wayes God knowes but by undermining watching for iniquity laying snares for men yea going against all principles Military and Civill of Honour and of Justice to put men from places of Trust and Command of which there are many remarkable unparalleld instances and the world in due time may have a true account of them And lastly whereas 't is said presenting a Remonstrance for procuring Licence and Authority to suppresse all such as have good principles and grounds for their practises that 's most false for in the same Remonstrance against Hereticks Blasphemers Anabaptists c. they petition for the setling of Religion and Church-government according to the word of God and the example of the best Reformed Churches which Religion Church-government so built hath certainly good ground for its practise For the second I desire the Reader to observe a few things upon some of the expressions in this Pamphlet that he calls the Anabaptists and Sectaries the meek and quiet of the Land as Master Peters doth the harmlesse Anabaptists then which that there are not a more turbulent unquiet people in the world made of Salt-Peter let this Book witnesse and the language in it given the cheif Magistrate of the City with the railing seditious Libells put out dayly against the King House of Lords Assembly yea and the House of Commons too The Anabaptists of old calld themselves the meek of the Earth and said that now the promise must be fulfilled the meek shall inherite the Earth when they by bloud Rapine cruel Warrs seased on the possessions of others Secondly that these Sectaries will take things for granted and therupon passe desperate censures upon Magistrates Ministers and all when as there is no such thing but quite contrary as going on to aggravate things against my Lord Major and resemble him to wicked Ahaz c. for breaking his promise when as he performed it most punctually and conscientiously considering himself both as a Christian and as a Magistrate in such an eminent place Thirdly that these new Anabaptists as well as the old are guilty of speaking evill of dignities and bringing railing accusation in print against Powers branding the Lord Major with that brand set by God himself on wicked Ahaz this is that Lord Major of London Thomas Adams by name c. A Citizen a freind of mine having been this last summer in Cheshire and divers other Countries upon his occasions heard many Malignants say they would turne Independents for then they should not take the Covenant nor be forced to any thing but be at their liberty June the 11. I was told by a godly Citizen and a cordiall friend to the Publike that some of the Independents have said they will have their way yet whatsoever it cost them In some of the weekly news-Books I have observed passages inserted of the great love and unity in the Army between the souldiers Presbytery and Independency making no breach and in the Perfect Occurrences of the Week calld the two and twentieth Week ending the 29. of May 1646. the Pamphleter tells us 't is very observable to consider the love and unity which is among the souldiers Now I asked about that time a Chaplaine of the Army a moderate Presbyterian whether it was so and how it came about he gave me this answer through the great forbearance of the Presbyterians who suffered them to have their wills and crossed them not took all patiently and said he if the Presbyterians should not have done so but stood upon things as the Independents it had been impossible but the Army had been broken in twenty peeces many a time before this for the Sectaries are of such a proud high spirit that if they had not had their wills there would have been no peace and indeed both in Armies Assembly City there hath been that forbearing yeelding on the Presbyterian party in reference to the publike that the Independents and Sectaries if they had been in their place would never have done though it had cost the totall losse of three Kingdomes I beleeve no age nor story can parallell all things considered the Love Patience long-suffering of the Presbyterians yea the passing by and putting up so many provocations and unsufferable abuses as they have done and that from a contemptible handfull of men in comparison but that 's our comfort That the patient expectation of the poore shall not be forgotten for ever and that God will save the afflicted people but will bring downe high looks I have been assured from divers good hands as Citizens and others that the greatest thing in the City Remonstrance that the Sectaries are offended at is that about places of publike trust they take that most hainously that Sectaries should not have places of honour profit and power which clearly shewes to all the world 't is not a bare Toleration of their consciences of enjoying their own personall Estates in the Land that they seek or which would content them but they look for Preferment Rewards power to have others under them so that 't is a Domination and to be in such a condition that others may seek to them to be Tolerated that they aime at a Toleration and liberty of conscience contents them not but a Liberty of Offices and a power of great places both in Military and civill affaires they stand for Master Burroughs in the yeare 1645. both preached and printed even in that Tractate where he pleades for a Toleration That the Magistrate may to men who differ from the State in greater Errors at least deprive them of the benefits and priviledges of the State notwithstanding their pleas of conscience and in evills of lesse moment put them to some trouble in those wayes of evill so farre as to take off the wantonesse of their spirits and the neglect of meanes some trouble may be layed in the way so that men shall see there is something to be suffered in that way and there is no reason why any should be offended at this yea Master Burroughs

and Church government and to presse them upon every mans conscience w 〈…〉 is it but with Nebuchadnezzar to erect this golden Image and with an immortall Law of the Medes and Persians to bind all men to fall downe and worship it Or what is it but with Jeroboam and his Councell to set up the golden Calves with a strict comandement of universa●l conformity none daring among all those ten Tribes openly to pro●esse the pure worship of God saving the Prophet Elijah to whom these seven thousand were not knowne The Parliament may do well to take notice that he resembles their settling Church-government and Religion among us to Nebuchadnezzars erecting his golden Image and Jeroboams setting up the golden Calves Thirdly the Pamphlet entituled The tender Conscience religiously affected descanting upon a part of the Preamble of an Ordinance made by the Lords and Commons concerning suspension of ignorant and scand alous persons from the Lords Supper where the Parliament saith never any of Gods servants since the● foundation of the world had 〈◊〉 high and strong engagements beartily and sincerely to endeavour the compleat establishment of purity and unity in the Church of God then we have charges the Parliament with speaking of blasphemy and aske where had the Lords and Commons this large Commission to middle in the affairs of King Jesus so farre c. 2. For the Sectaries opposing all the Ordinances of Parliament in matters of Religion and tending to Religion to say nothing now of Ordinances in civill m●tters as the additionall Ordinance of Accounts Lillurnes Innocency and Truth justified page 69. the Ordinance of Excise the Ordinances for Takes spoken against in Englands birth-right page 44 4● t is so apparent that I can give not only passages out of Books written against all the Ordinances in that kind but relate insolent tumultuous practises contrary unto and in scorne and contempt of the Ordinances of Parliament There are many books and passages in books written against the Ordinance of Tyths as that Pamphlet call'd Ordinance for Tyths Dis 〈…〉 ted Englands Birthright A Copie of a Letter written to Master William Pr 〈…〉 with divers others wherein they speak both against the thing and the Parliament calling Tyths Antichristian Jewish Diaboli 〈…〉 the root and support of Popery c. charging the Parliament with breach of ●ovenant for making that Ordinance There are Sermons preached all the Kingdome over against this Ordinance of Tyths that being one of their subjects commonly in all their preachings and the Sectaries in places have abused and beaten those who have beene gathering of Tyths and themselves deny payment and provoke others not to pay by all the meanes they can A great Sectary in Bermonsey parish being call'd in question for non-payment of his Tyths by vertue of the Ordinance of Parliament said of that Ordinance the Parliament had made an Ordinance to rob men and they who executed it were theeves and robbers The Ordinance against mens preaching not being Ordained how hath it beene scoffed at in severall Pamphlets of the Sectaries and how doe souldlers and every mechanick not only disobey it but put by many godly Ministers from their Pulpits preaching whether they will or no causing many tumults and riots in Churches yea threatning and laying Ministers by the heeles for publishing it The Ordinance for the better observation of the monthly Fast how hath it beene and is slighted by the Sectaries spoken against as legall popish not observed but things done in contempt of the Fast and when civill Officers have questioned people for travelling and worldly works on those dayes some Sectaries have opposed them in the execution of their offices the proofe of which particular and that of committing a Minister to prison for reading the Ordinance against Lay mens preaching the Reader may finde it in the Letters sent from the Committee of Exeter to some in London The Nationall Covenant taken by both Houses and appointed by Ordinance with solemne instructions for all to take it how fearfully is it scoffed at and jeared in many Books of the Sectaries Arraignment of Persecution c. and forced Jesuiticall equivocations and interpretations put upon it by many as by Walwyn in A word more to Master Edwards as by Cretensis in his large Preface to the Reader before his Anapologesiates Antapologias The Nationall Covenant is called a double faced Covenant the greatest make-bate and snare that ever the Devill and the Clergy his Agents cast in among honest men in England in our age which I dare pawne my head and life so to prove it to be in a fair and publick discourse against the greatest maintainer thereof in England Lilburns Londons liberty in chains discovered page 42. The Directory established by Ordinance is in severall Books of the Sectaries spoken much against resembled to Jeroboams calves said to have contradictions to the Canonicall Scriptures Turners Heavenly confidence for Syons Saints page 64 65. scoffed at in a Ballad call'd A Prophecie of the Swin●herds destruction The Ordinances for the Presbyteriall Government and the Government it selfe in the going to set it up have beene preached written against and all manner of wayes opposed by the Sectaries What hath beene more familiar and common with the Sectaries in their Pulpits and Books then to call the Presbyterian Government Antichristian a ●lim of Anti-christ Tyrannicall Lordly cruell a worse bondage then under the Prelates a bondage under Taskmasters as the Israelites in Egypt besides many bitter jeares and scoffs have beene made both of the Government and Ordinances as 〈◊〉 The Arraignment of Persecution Martins Eccho Ordinance for ●y●●s dismounted The last warning to all the Inhabitants of London as also they have made disgracefull pictures of the Presbytery one printed and joyned to a paper call'd Severall Votes of tender consciences another to a Pamphlet call'd The tender Conscience religiously affected But among all the Sectaries Books abusing the Parliaments Ordinances about Presbyteriall Government let the Reader take notice of the Pamphlet call'd Tender conscience religiously affected propounding questions of weighty consequence in which the Author descants upon the Ordinances of Parliament and charges them with speaking blasphemy and many other crimes and the Ordinance for Tyths dismounted where that Sectary speaking occasionally of the Ordinance of Parliament for the Lords Supper saith For indeed at the first onset it was not policie to rush such a diabolicall and vill●nous 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 and Directions as if our Parliament men ●ad such a spirituall and holy care ●ver ●s to give us such wholsome and 〈…〉 directions 〈…〉 indeed under this innocent apparition in the shape of Lam 〈…〉 they are no other then ravening Woolves rending and tearing us in p 〈…〉 ces

whom you thus see shall come to preach againe in this City and have free Liberty of his Ministrie when all damnable Heresies and Errours shall be vented by preaching and writing and yet shall never speake against them this man who hath preached and written with so much earnestnesse against bowing at the Name of Jesus against people coming up to the Raile about the Table to receive the Lords Supper against Christs dying for all men sufficiently when the Divinity of Christ shall be denied the Scriptures denied to be the Word of God when all Churches Ministry and Sacraments shall be denied he shall never write nor preach against them yea this man who will not yeeld now to Bishops in a Ceremony or some outward matter of order to keepe his Ministry shall afterwards yeeld to the people and submit to base conditions contrary to his judgement as to forbear baptizing some of his peoples children and to let singing of Psalmes be suspended with other such like and all to enjoy his Ministry and Church Certainly the people would have beene ready to have stoned such a man and said it could not bee or if they had believed it fewer certainly would have pitied him or visited and rewarded him in prison nay when Mr. Burton was in prison if any man had sent to him such a Message that he should do what he does now viz. write against and be a more bitter enemy against the Reformed Churches our Brethren of Scotland yea the godly Ministers Mr. Calamie c. then ever Canterbury was or Dr. Wren certainly the man would have defied such a Message and said as Hazael am I a dog that I should do so and yet now we see what he hath done and doth daily Mr. Burton surely is in a sad condition and I have often thought of him to be in the case of that Idolater the Prophet Esay speaks of 44. Esa 20. hee feedeth of ashes a deceived heart hath turned him aside that he cannot deliver his soule nor say is there not a lye in my right hand The Lord in mercy open his eyes and give him repentance for this last five years work and particularly for writing his last Book cal'd Conformities Deformity Thrdly I shall propound a few Quaeries to Mr. Burton to show him how he is mistaken all along in his grounds 1. Let me ask you M. Burton why you are so angry with the Magistrate the Assembly Sion Colledge the City for establishing and setling of Church-Government if it bee of God and they are perswaded so why should they not be for it and if Independency Brownisme Anabaptisme c. be not of God as they are well assured they are not why should they not be against them hinder and suppresse them M. Burton you will upon your rash and weake perswasion hinder Presbytery all you can the Administration of the Sacraments in a Presbyteriall way may not then the Magistrate upon strong perswasions after serious debates by a learned Assembly and Scripture-grounds satisfying their consciences enact by a Law Presbytery and forbid Independency c. 2. Mr. Burton whether is this a good Argument because Jeroboam did evill by a Law and commandement to set up the golden Calves at Dan and Bethel therefore Asa Hezekiah Josiah c. might not lawfully command the true worship of God in their Kingdomes and put down the false and whether may not Magistrates lawfully make use of their power from God for good because some Magistrates abuse that power for evill and if it be no good Argument as certainly 't is not then hath M. Burton said little against the Magistrates power in matters of Religion for this is the way of his reasoning in Conformities Deformitie and the strength of the man 3. Pray M. Burton let me ask you this question suppose the Parliament would by a Law or Ordinance set up Independent Government and the Church way would you account this so great a sinne as Hypocrisie Idolatry c. and if not how can you then the setting up of Presbyteriall Government especially seeing the question is not so much about this or that particular but the enacting by a Law that which all should conforme to 4. Mr. Burton I am serious with you pray answer me here are such and such men hold all kind of errours and vent them up and down and they say 't is their conscience would you have them suffered to preach write and infect all that come neare them if there be no such evill and danger in errours but they may be preached printed why were you so fierce and violent against the Bishops and their Chaplaines for preaching writing Arminian Popish points though they vented them in an orderly way in comparison of your Saints who goe from Country to Country venting errors in their own Pulpits and when called to preach by Authority not intruding into other mens Pulpits and printing with license not in contempt of Authority There are divers other Sectaries to be discovered and their waies and preachings laid open as Greene the Felt-maker who was one of the first Mechanicks that presently upon the first sitting of this Parliament preached in our Churches publikely as at Algate and elsewhere and was one of that company that went over with Colonell Homstead about Summer was two yeares to Trinidado but is returned lately and now preaches in an Alley in Coleman-street once on the Lords day and once on the weeke day where there is great resort and flocking to him that yards roomes and house are all full so that he causes his neighbours Conventicles as Cretensis and others to be oft times very thin and Independents to preach to bare walls and empty seats in comparison of this great Rabbi as Spencer sometimes the Lord Brooks Coachman an early Preacher too as Gorton who hath lately set forth a Book cal'd Simplicities Defence against Seven-Headed Policy wherein are many dangerous and erroneous passages but I cannot speake of them now the fourth part of Gangraena will supply what 's now wanting I have lately seen divers Letters and some Petitions that have been written and sent up from godly Ministers and others to Worthy Members of the House of Commons to some Members of the Assembly to other Ministers in the City and Citizens concerning the insolencies tumults and strange carriages of many Sectaries Commanders and Souldiers as also other persons both men and women of their Sect but it would be too long to give a Copy of them as I have done of others in the former part of this Book and therefore I will onely relate the Contents of some of them In one Letter a godly Minister about Bristow writing to a Member of the Assembly tells him he had formerly written to him of a preaching Troope that had infected the Countries with errours but now he w●ites to him that many of them breake into houses steale Horses and have been indighted here These are our Saints saith he who need

any of them or all of them upon any of the points controverted and I can put forth an Answer to their new Modell and shake their Babel and if God spare me life and h●al●h but a few yeares they shall find by Gods gracious help that by my pen and preaching not with swords and armed men as they propagate their cause I shall make Independencie Anabaptisme all kind of Sectarisme and a Toleration as vild and cheap as ever L●tther made the Popes Supremacy Indulgences and Pardons Purgatory and the Doctrine of merit and however Master Goodwin pu●s a bold face upon it writing thus to cast a scorn jeare and a blur upon my writings which he cannot tell how to Answer yet I know and can prove it he and his party fear my writings and are more troubled at them then at any other mans who hath yet appeared As for Mr Burroughs Vindication presently after it came forth I drew up an Answer to it of about some ten sheets an Answer so full that hardly a line escaped without some Animadversion and had I thought his time had been so short it had come forth in his life that he might have confidered what he had done in that Answer which I had in a plaine home way charged on his Conscience and how unlike the spirit that breathed in that Book was to what Master Burroughs had written of a gracious spirit of Selfe-deniall of Love and brotherly agreement being a book made up of great passion horrible pride scornfulnesse equivocations many un truths as I have fully shewed but being more carefull and zealous of Gods name and truth then mine own and seeing that so deeply suffer in the Errors Heresies Blasphemies Insolent practises of the Sectaries I laid my Answer by from fully perfecting it till I had put forth a Third Part of Gangraena and a Treatise against Toleration then resolving to re-assume my Answer to Master Burroughs Master Goodwin and some others of them but it hath pleased God before my Third Part of Gangraena could be printed to take Master Burroughs out of this life for which I am heartily sorry and the more besides that I should have bin glad he might have read my book because I do conceive the putting it forth after his death may be liable to more mis-constructions then it could have been in his life time so that now whether I should publish it I or no or rather let it dye with Master Burroughs I am in suspense and shall advise upon it what may be best in that case however I am fully satisfied t is lawfull for a man in severall cases to put out Answers to Books though the Authors of them be dead and in regard Master Burroughs dealt so uuworthily with me I might be well excused if I should put it forth but whether I do or no I desire the Reader to take notice of my Answer to two or three particulars I for his excusing himself about that objected he gave under his hand concerning the story of Nichols by saying the story of Nichols page 79. is all false all of it being proved true and a mistake only in a Circumstance that he meant only that part of it in that page not medling with that in another page I Answer This is a new equivocation brought to salve the other for as the first was an equivocation upon the word such a meeting so this is upon the page 79. and if he intended not to deceive the Reader by possessing him against me why did he not say that part of the story of one Nichols page 79. was false but that story Master Edwards hath which implies the whole and t is apparent Mr Goodwin and all Mr Burroughs friends took it so viz. of the whole and if Master Burroughs had been alive I had provided an Appeale to his Conscience to have put him to answer me as in the presence of God whether in writing that paper sent to Cretensis he did not think men would not or could not find it out but would take it as conceiving all that story of Nichols false and if Master Burroughs had meant fairly why did he not acknowledge what was true in the story as the first part now confessed true and for the Second Part of it why did he not confesse at a meeting Master Greenhill told him such and such things and that he answered Mr Greenhill so and so and have denied it was a set meeting upon that occasion If Mr Burroughs had done thus he had dealt fairly but this would not have made good Mr Burroughs his end to breed a beleif in the Reader of the falsenesse of matters related in my book I had then bin rendred to the Reader only mistaken in a circumstance of a story which would have been accounted no great matter and the truth of the story for the substance and the severall particulars in it would have weighed down all misprision in the minds of men against me by reason of that circumstance 2. For that Master Burroughs charges me with page 2 and 3. that when I have heard vild reproachfull things against such as I owned to be godly and they living neer me in the City have sent to me to offer to satisfie me if I would confer with them and cleerly convince me of the falsenesse of such reports how the men were traduced and I abused in such reports yet that I should refuse to conferre with them and fall a laying on c. I do utterly deny that ever there was any such thing or any ever sent to me and cannot imagine any reason in the world Master Burroughs should writ so and whoever told him any such thing abused him and I could by many reasons prove the contrary if I were giving a formall Answer to Master Burroughs Book Is it likely that I who have gone on purpose to so many and do dayly upon all occasions that have write so many Letters even to remote places to know the certainty of things reported that imploy others to inquire out the truth where I cannot so well do it my self that intreat persons who relate things to me to send the eare witnesses and proofs to me that reject many reports of things which may be true and are reported with much confidence because I cānot see a full proof of them that I should decline to speak with those who send to me to satisfie me in the truth of things and whom I own to be godly No this is utterly false a very legend against my genius and constant course of proceeding in this work I taking much content in searching all wayes to be satisfied in the truth of things related me or in their falsenesse that so I may not by printing any thing mistaken give an occasion to the questioning of the truth of those things that are undoubtedly true and for further satisfacttou to the Reader there was no such thing why could not the parties themselves come