give themselves to the devill 24. How these Sectaries have been punished FIrst Brown their Patriarke was taken and laid in the Gaol and his disciples were made to fâ—ve Bolton whom some would make their Author dyed as Iudas did Heâ—r Barrow Gent. Iohn Greenwood Clerk two of the Authors of this opinion that set Prayers are abominable Daniel Studley Girdler Saxio Billet Gent. Robert Bowlie Fish-monger were indicted of Felony at the Sessions Hall without New-gate London before the Lord Major and the two Lord chiefe Justices of both Benches and sundry of the Judges and other Commissioners of Oyer and Termâ—ner The said Barrow and Greenwood for writing sundry seditious seditious Books tending to the slander of the Queens Majesty and State Studley Billet and Bowly for publishing the said Books on the 23. day of March they were all arrigned at New-gate and found guilty and had judgement Henry Barrow and Iohn Greenwood on the last of March were brought to Tiburne in a Cart and carried backe againe and were afterwards hanged on the sixt day of April And about the same time one Penrie a Welch-man a principal penner and publisher of a Book called Martine Marprelate was apprehended at Stâ—bben-heaâ—h and commited to 〈◊〉 in the moneth of May he was aâ—raigned at the Kingâ— Bench at Westminister condemned of Felony and afâ—erwards conveyed from the Gaole of the Kings Bench in Southwarke to St. Thomas Waterings and there hanged Elias Thackâ—r was hanged at St. Edmonds-bury in Suffolk on the fourth of 〈◊〉 and Iohn Copping on the first of the same moâ—eth for spreading of certain seditious books penned by one Robert Brown against the Book of Common-prayer established by the Laws of the Realm their books as many as could be found were burnt before them Examples how this Sect was supprest in Queene Elizabeth 〈◊〉 many They that would know more of these Sectaries let them read these books following First a book called a discovery of Brownisme or a briefe Declaration of the errors and 〈◊〉 dayly practised encreased among the English company of the separation remaining at this present at Amsterdam in Holland by Mr. White A Book called the raising of the foundation of Brownisme by S. B. Printed by Henr. Windet 1588. A plaine Declaâ—atiâ—n that our Brownists be full Donatists by comparing them together from poâ—nt to point out of the writings of St. Augustine by George Gifford Minister of Gods Word at Malden An Apology of the Church of England against the Brownists written by Doctor Hall now Lord Bishop of Norwich Master Bernards Separatists Schisme The prophane Schisme of the Brownists or Separatists with the impyety dissentionsâ— lewd and abominable vices of that impure Sect discovered by Christopher Lawne Iohn Fowler Clement Sanders and Robert Bulward Item A book called the shield of defence written against Master de le Cluse in defence of Mr. Brightman Printed 1612. 25. Mr. Tho. Scots description of a Brownist THe Cameleon is in England a Fâ—milist at Amsterdam a Brownist He lives by the ayâ—e there he builds Castles and Churches none on the earth will please him he would be of the triumphant and glorious Church but not of the â—errene militant Church which is subject to storms deformities and many violences and alterations of time he must finde out Sir Tho. Moores Utopia or rather Plato's Community and be an Elder there In this poynt and in that of resisting Civill Governours he seems the same with the Romish Catholike But they are tyed only by the tiles like Sampsoâ—s â—oxes their heads like â—anus look divers wayes they are Bouteâ—ews carry betwixt them a fire-brand to enflame all Christendome they have in their imaginations an Idea of such a Church and such keyes as the Romanists madly boast they possesse but they will not have them the same not to resemble their foolish Alchymists they are both seeking a Philosophers stone and neglecting the true Elixaâ— the corner-stone they boast to build gold on the foundation when what they dawbe on is adulterate stuffe besides the foundation they begger themselves in seeking for wealth abroad whilst at home they neglect that pearle of inestimable price for which the wise Merchant gives all that he is worth If ever I could heare Papist clear the Pope from being Antichrist and prove he must be one singular person I would then beleeve that he should not spring from a Jew of the Tribe of Dan as they Fable but from a promiscuous conjuction betwixt two Fugitives to Amsterdam and Rome 26. Of the Semi-separatists THese halt between two opinions they are neither wholly for the Separation nor wholly against it Master Iacob is said to have been of this Sect called Iacobites and therefore in his writings we finde that he mis-liked our Church-government but in his Declaration hee affirmeth Although saith he I know they of the Separation be very far from being so evill as commonly they are held to be yet I deny not but in some matters they are straiter then I wish they were Howsoever in the poynt of Separation I for my part never was nor am separated from all publike communion with the Congregations of England I acknowledge therefore that in England are true visible Churches and Ministers accidentally yea such as I refuse not to communicate with for his comming to our Church I heard once a Minister complaine to me of Doctor Bancroft Bishop of London for not doing that Justice that he would have had him to doe upon Mr. Iacob of whom he had complained as far as I remember for not kneeling at the Communiâ—n This 〈◊〉 having prosecuted his complaint and finding nothing done against Mr. Iacob went to the Bishop telling him whâ—t a great deale of paines he had taken in vaine and asking of the Bishop what he would counsell him to doe who bid him goe home and trouble not himselfâ— but leave such things to his Church-wardens There is a sort of Semi-separatists that will heare our Sermâ—ns but not our Common-prayers and of these you may see every Sunday in our streets sitting and standing about our doores who when the Prayers are done rush into our Churches to heare our Sermons Of the Independents 1. Why called Independents 2. Their Originall 3. Some of them write and speak against Churches 4. Some against Tithes 5. Would have no set Prayers 6. Nor use the Lords Prayer 1. Why called Independents BEcause they teach that everie particular Congregation ought to be governed by its owne particular Lawes without any depending of any in Ecclesiasticall matters without obligation acknowledge Classes or Synods for its government and conduct They call themselves the Congregational government as I read These appellaâ—ons I heard not of when I began to write the Treatise The Author of the Antidote against Independency affirmeth that by establishing this government in stead of suppressing Prelacy we should erect in our Kingdome 9324. Prelates viz. in every Parish one 2. Their
should lose his first regeneration and be again new-borne spiritually They that reach this do thereby deny the uncorruptiblenesse of that divine seed whereof we are borne anew contrary to the testimony of the Apostle St. Peter 1 Pet. 1. 23. Being born anew not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible 9. They teach that Christ never prayed for the faithfulls infallible perseverance in faith in which they contradict Christ his saying to Peter Luke 22 32. I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not And also witnessing John 17. 20. That himselfe prayed not onely for his Apostles but also for all that should believe by their word when he said verse 11. Holy Father keep thine owne namely those whom thou hast given me and ver 15. I pray that thou shouldst not take them out of the world but that thou shouldst keep them from the evill For your better satisfaction read the Synod held at Dort in the yeares of our Lord 1618 1619. where the Orthodoxe opinions of the Reformed Churches are set down and the errors before named condemned King James of blessed memory was a special means for the suppressing of these Sectaries as appeareth by his writings against them Predestination to life is the everlasting purpose of God whereby before the foundations of the world were laiâ— he hath constantly decreed by his counsels secret to us to deliver from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ ouâ— of man-kinde and to bring them to Christ to everlasting salvation as Vessels made to honour therâ—fore they which bee endued with so excellent a benefit of God be called according to Gods purpose by his Spirit working in due season they through grace obey the calling they be justified freely they be made Sons of God by adoption they bee made like the Image of his onely Son Jesus Christ they walke religioâ—sly in good works and at length by Gods mercy they attain to everlasting Felicity As the godly consideration of Predestination and our election in Christ is full of sweet pleasant and unspeakable comfort to godly persons and such as feâ—le in themselves the working of the Spirit of Christ mortifying the works of the flesh and their earthly members and drawing up their minde to high and heavenly things aswell because it doth greatly establish and confirm their faith of eternal salvation to be enjoyed through Christ as because it doth fervently kindle their love towards God so for curious and carnall persons lacking the Spirit of Christ to have continually before their eyes the sentence of Gods Predestination is a most dangerous down-fall whereby the devill doth thrust them either into desperation or into wretchlesnesse of most uncleane living no lesse perilous then desparation Furthermore we must receâ—ve Gods promises in such wise as they be generally set forth in holy Scripture and in our doings that will of God is to be followed which we have expressely declared unto us in the word of God To conclude sith wee cannot our selves think one good thought let us not in the work of salvation attribute any thing to our selves but to God let us give all the glory Of the Socinians In treating of these Sectaries I will propose 1. Their Originall 2. Some of their chiefe Errors with the refutation of them 1. SOcinisme 〈◊〉 Socinanisme hath its name from Lelius Socinus and his Nephew Faustus Socinus both Italians of Siena in the State of Florence 2. Lâ—lius Socinus in the time of Mr. Câ—lviâ— broached his opinions by private Letters written to Caâ—vin Faustus his Son by publike writings and by books foâ—lowed the steps of his Father in corrupting and traducing the sincere and Orthodoxe faith 3. For Socinianisme is a compound of many perâ—icious and antiquitated heresies in which are revived the errors especially of these five Sects viz. Ebioâ—â—tes Arrians Photâ—â—ians Servetians Antitrinitarians with which are joyned the Samofatonians and Sabâ—â—ans of whom also they participate Their erroneous and dangerous opinions may be read especially in the workes of Socinus Ostorodius Catechesis Racoviensis Crellius Volkelius and others The principall of them may be reduced to the heads following being sixe in number 1. Concerning God 1. That there is no naturall knowledge of God by which we may be instructed to any kinde of acknowledgement or beliefe of a Deiâ—y or any thing concerning the being of God Refuted Rom â— 20. Rom. 2. 14. 2. Christ his Incarnation 2. That the Incarnation of Christ is repugâ—ant to reason and cannot be sufficiently proved out of Scripture Refuted Iohn 1. 14. Deity That Christ is not truely God and that the believe of his divine nature is not agreeable to Scripture Refuted 1 Iohn 5. 7 8. Phil. 2. 6. Iohn 5. 18. Satisfaction That Christ did not by his death satisfie for our sins Refuted Iohn 11. 5. 2 Cor. 5. 15. Tit. 2. 14. Mat. 20 18 1 Tim. 2. 6. 3. The Holy Ghost That the holy Ghost is not God Refuted 1 Ioh. 5. 7. 4. The Trinity That it is repugnant to the word of God to beleeve three Persons and one God Refuted 1. Iohn 5. 7. Mat. 28. 19. 5. Man That Man in the state of Innocency was not created in originall righteousnesse Refuted Eccles. 7. 29. 6. The Scripture or word of God That the old Testament is not necessary for a Christian man though it may be profitably read Refuted Iohn 5. 46. Acts 17. 11. Antitrinitarians or new Arrians CAlled Arrians of the old Heretick Arrius who was a Deacon of the Church of Alexandria Achillas the Bishop being dead and Arriâ—â— having not the Bishoprick given him which he desired Alexander being chosen he infected the world with this heresie he was condemned in the Councell of Nice by 318. Bishops under the Emperor Constantine the great and banished he died as Iudas the Traytor did his Bowells falling out of his belly The Antitrinitarians have renewed Arrius his old heresie and they are called Antitrinitarians because they blaspheme violate the holy Trinity These Antitrinitarians sprung up in Polonia and neighbour Countries in the yeare of our Lord 1593. Against this Sect Doctor Pelargus Wigandus and others have written learned Treatises The horrible blasphemies and divillish opinions of these Hereâ—â—cks I am loath to name but that my desire is that Christians should take notice of them to beware of them 1. They deny the Trinity of Persons which blasphemie Saint Iohn refuteth 1 Iohn 5. 7. There are three that beare record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one Read Gen. 1. 26. And God said let us make man in our owne Image and God created man in his owne â—mage Mat. 3. ver 17. 2. They deny the Son to be God which blasphemy is refuted Esa. 9. 6. For unto us a child is borne unto us a Sonne is given his name shall be called Wonderfull Councellour the mighty God c. Iohn 1. ver 1. 2. In the beginning was the Word
Allegiance which the secular Priests doe all generally allow and take See Blackwell Howard Widrington and the Author of the Safe guard from Ship wrack 5. The Jesuites also teach it to be not onely lawfull but also meritorious to lay hands upon the Lords Anoynted and to murther Heretick Kings after the Pope hath declared them to bee such see Mariana Anti-Cotton but the secular Priests disclaime and abhor this doctrine 6. The Jesuites hold that the Pope is onely Iure Divino a Bishop and that all other Bishops hold from him but the Cardinall of Lorraine and the French Bishops with many other hold Bishops to be Iure Divino see the History of the Councel of Trent 7. The Jesuites with the Franciscans beleeve the immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary which the Dominicans and other Papists doe deny 8. The Jesuites with the Pelagians Arminians hold that God worketh in our conversion onely moraliter by way of swasion but Jacobites and other Papists especially the Spaniards as we may see in Alvares and others maintain with all Orthodox Divines that God worketh Physically per modum physici agentis by powerfull inclining the faculty of the will For confutation of these errors so many books are written against them in English and some of them are confuted before so that I may save my labour These are the most pernitious and dangerous sort of all others These are not ignorant Sots like the Anabaptists and others but educated and brought up in all manner of humane learning and so more able to doe mischiefe These take upon them to justifie all the Errors and abhominations of Antichrist yea their Idolatries and Sodomiticall uncleannesse they will defend and maintain And have they not for this cause a thing most abhominable to be spoken of corrupted the writings of the ancient Fathers and new printing of them make them speak as they wou'd have them and also written many books in their names to beare witnesse with them of their novelties A volume will not containe their cumbustions that they have raised in kingdoms and States Their plotting of Treasons and especially the Powder-treason a divillish designe not to be beleeved in ages to come Their murthering of Princes all these under pretence of holines O God that art in heaven dissipate their Councells O Christ the Redeemer of thy Church by the grace of thy holy Spirit deliver England from these wicked Assâ—ssians and remove them far from our dwellings One thing I will adde to shew what impostors they are I will set downe how by a pretended delusion of theirs a few of them had almost perverted a whole kingdome of Christians in which there is a Patriarke and eighteen Bishops In the year of our Lord 1614. Tenurazes being King of the Georgians the Persian Army entred his Countrey spoyled divers Towns carryed away many prisoners among others Ceteba the Kings mother out of the City Cremon The old Queen refusing to become a Mahomâ—tan and speaking ill of Mahomet was put to death and her body cast out into the fields left unburied to be eaten of wild beasts There being at that time certaine Jesuites in Persia they sought for her body but found it not for Moacla a late servant of liers who was slave to a Persian got leave of her Master to bring home the body and embalme it the Jesuites found a dead mans head and embalming it travelled towards Georgia with it and drawing neare they sent a messenger to the King to let him understand that certaine Roman Christians were come out of Persia who brought with them the head of the holy Martyr Cetaba his Mother which had delivered them out of many dangers The Prince hearing this went a dayes journey with a great troop of his Nobility and Clergy and brought the holy Relique to Chachete with great honor and celebrity placed it in the Church of the holy Martyr St. George of Aberdall and used them with all respect and sent them great gifts which they refused saying that they had vowed poverty Infinite miracles were wrought dayly great offerings they had the sick resorted to them Those that were past cure they told them that their sins were great and they needed a long time of Penance which they prescribed them and after to returne before which time they usually dyed others of whom they had hope of recovery they used means being Physitians attributed their health to the holy Relique and to the Bishop of Rome whom loving Jesus had left his Vicar here upon â—â—rth by this means they enticed many to the Râ—mish Religion of the Nobility and had great hopes of the King himself but in the middest of all this came Leueâ—s from Moacla his Mothers Maid that the King might ransome his mothers body which she had with the other prisoners The King agreeing with the Persian King had home his mothers body and many captives which manifestly knew it to be his Mothers body with her head on At the same time came also certaine Muleters cut of Persia who affirmed that they were in the Jesuites company when they cut off the head of a Malefactor as they supposed and embalmed it whereupon the King commanded the Jesuites to prison who were delivered at the 〈◊〉 of some of the Nobility This History is written in Greek by Gregorius Hieromonachus the Patriarchall Exaâ—ch from Trâ—pazunt An. 1626. By this â—eanes the Jesuites had almost perverted the whole Countrey of Georgia From this Sect the Lord deliver us There are many other Sects among us as they â—ultiply dayly There is but one truth but errors are infinite I will conclude with the Prayer that 〈◊〉 Mother Church hath taught us That it would please Almighty God to bring into the way of truth all such as have erred and are deceived Which God grant for his blessed Son Jesus Chrisâ—s sake Sir Thomas Overburies Character of a Iesuite A Jesuite saith he is a larger spoone for a Traytor to seed with the Devill than any other Order Unclasp him and he is a gray Wolfe with a golden star in his fore-head So superstitious he follwâ—eth the Pope that he forsaketh Christ in not giving Caesar his due His vowes seem heavenly but with medling with state businesse he seemeth to mixe heaven and earth together His best Elements are Confession and Peâ—ance by the first he findeth out mens inclinations and by the latter heaps wealth to his Seminary Hee sprang from Ignatius Loyola a Spanish Souldier and though he had long since found out the invention of the Canon he thought he had not done mischiefe enough He is a false key to open Princes Cabinets and pry into their Counsells and where the Popes Excommunication thunders he holds the de-crowning of Kings to be no more sin then our Puritans doe the suppressing of Bishops The Order t is full of irregularity and disobedience and ambitious above all measure for of late dayes in Portugall and the Indies he rejected
long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meekenesse and temperance If they were led by the holy Spirit these would be their Characters But St. Paul telleth us that in the latter dayes there shall come men lovers of their own selves boasters proud cursed speakers disobedient to Parents unthankefull unholy Master Calvin that admirable man of God whose name is yet terrible in the Kingdome of Popeâ—y setteth down certaine Characters of these Impostors taken out of St. Augustine 1. Great Boasters making ostentation of their owne worth like Simon Magus who bewitched the people sayng that he himselfe was some great man Like the Gnostikes who had a high conceit of their owne knowledge as if they were the onely knowing men of the whole world their common talke is of their own worth and actions 2. Superbia tumidi blowne up with pride and among us many proud spirits having not these preferments which they thought themselves worthy of have forsaken our Church and gone to Rome and Amsterdam 3. Calumâ—ijs insidiosi deceitfull slanderers and in this faculty of all other Sects the Brownists excell The â—esuites are not so bitter against our Church as the Separatists compare their writings Michael the Arch-Angell durst not give the Devill such cursed speaking nor raile upon him as they doe upon us and Gods Church 4. Treacherously seditious not preaching peace as Christ commanded his Disciples to doe but division yea the Brownists arrogate to themselves the name of Separatists which well they may beâ—ng separated from their Mother Church from 〈◊〉 the Reformed Churches and malitiously divided amongst themselves 5. Lest they should seem to be destitute of the light of truth they arrogate to themselves the shadow of austerity and shew of holinesse 6. Sacriâ—egious what the appetite of all Schismaticks hath been in this way is notorious caring noâ— for the ruine of the whole Church upon condition that they might get somewhat They have so taught that some thinke there is no such sinne as Sacriledge at all Our Lord fore-warning us of false Prophets and so lively describing them and we having such Characters and markes to know them Thou understanding the Decalogue Creed and Lords Prayer if thou be misled thy sin will light upon thine owne head For is there any man so simple but can â—ell when their Doctrines they teach crosse any of these And one thing more will aggravate your defection before Almighty God viz. Your Covenant and Oath wherewith you bound your selves in the presence of God to suppresse all Errors Heresies and Schisme God forbid but that you should keep your Covenant which we ministred and you received with great alacrity To draw to an end Epiphanius writeth of the heresies of this time calleth his Booke Paeâ—arium that is a medicinable box containing saving medicaments against lying doctrine The end of my writing is not to hurt any man but to give warning to well minded soules and espesially to them that are entangled with Errors to pray to God to give them grace to see and â—enounce their errors and to acknowledge the truth that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil And if my paines shall do any good in the confirmation of any against seducers in forewarning them to beware of private Conventicles and to keep them close to the publick Ministery of the Word communion of Saints in Gods Church I shall thinke my labour well bestowed The God of peace grant that all they that confesse his holy Name may agree in the truth of his holy Word and live in unity and godly love Amen So prayeth thine in the Lord Old Ephraim Pagitt HERESIOGRAPHY OR A Description of the Heretickes and Sectaries sprung up in this latter Age c. Chap. I. Of the Anabaptists For the discovery of this Sect I purpose to set down 1. Their Originall and first Proceedings 2. Their Errors and Blasphemies 3. A Confutation of their Errors 4. The Orthodox Doctrine of the Church of England opposite to their Errors 5. The severall Sects of Anabaptists 6. Of their manner of Rebaptizing and other fashions 7. How Christian Princes Magistrates have suppressed them and especially how they have beene punished among us 8. Of their audacious boldnesse at this day to publish Bookes in defence of their Errors and to challenge our Protestant Divines to publike disputations and to intrude into our Pulpits to vent their Blasphemies 9. Their moderne Tenents which they owne 1. Of their Originall and first proceedings ABout the yeare of our Lord God 1521. Doctor Luther preaching the Gospel in Saxony Almighty God blessing his labour a new Sect among many others through the instigation of the Devill began to spring up in the said Counâ—â—y of certain fanaticall people who boasted that they talked with God and God with them who commanded them to kill all the wicked that is all that were not of their Sect and make a â—ew world in which the innocent and godly should live and reigne alone The Author of this Sect Melancton affirmeth to be one Nicâ—las Storke who would tell his followers that God spake to him by an Angell and revealed his will to him in dreames promising him the place of the Angell Gabrieâ— and the Empire of the whole world He affirmed the Saints must reigne in this world alone and that he must be their Leader to kill all the Kings and Princes of the woâ—ld and to repurge the Church He tooke upon him also to have the gift of discerning spirits and to know the Elect. In this mans Schoole was one Thomas Muncer brought up who amplyfied much his Masters Doctrine Hee bâ—gan to preach at Alsted in Turingia where he made first an aâ—â—ociation administring an oath to all that promised to assist him in killing the ungodly Princes and Magistrates So long as hee preached but his dreames and Fancies the Elector of Saxony bore with him but after he bâ—gan to preach killing of Princes and Rebellion he banished him from Saxony who 〈◊〉 to Nurenberg and being driven from thence to Mulhus in Tuâ—ingia to which place divers of his old Disciples resorted whatsoever he determined was received as an Oracle especially when he preached that all goods must be 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 men to be free and of equall dignity an acceptable Doctrine in those parts where the Nobility used their Tenants like slaves upon this his preaching about 40000. Bores and Trades-men rose up in Suevia and Franconia who tooke some of the Nobles râ—nsacked plundered and burnt houses carrying all before them Muncer also having prepared Munition and raised a numerous multitude the meaner sort of people leaving their ploughes and loomes armed themselves to become adventurers in this holy war one Phifer a chiefe Associate of Muncers rusheth into the Countries adjoyning and destroyed many Towns burnt many houses and brought away some of the Nobles bound with a great Booty which good successe elevated the minds of these Sectaries and caused a