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 wâ—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
and idely by going from Country to Country preaching And indeed instead of any Ministers or people opposing the Sectaries out of Policy worldly Interests t is evident t is the high way to some gainfull Place or other to become a Sectarie or to favour them hundreds turning Independents and Sectaries meerly for preferments and Places as heretofore men turned Prelatical and Arminians because of great Livings and how the Independent party have feathered their nests got well for themselves above other men the Reader shall find more spoken of it in this Book 7. As for that which is said I write so against the Sectaries out of a spirit of persecution and hatred of peaceable consciencious men I can say truly if I persecute consciencious peaceable men whom do I then love my love delight and interest is in such and I am so far from a spirit of persecution that I would be glad but to find the same measure from Independents Brownists Anabaptists and others which I would measure unto them if it were in my power namely I would not imprison banish them and such like only hinder them from all places of power and trust in the Kingdome and from spreading their Errors and Opinions to the hurting of others keep the unsound from the sound which if I differed in judgement from what was established in a Church and had nothing else done to me I should never conplaine of persecution and violence for that for t is absolutely necessary for the peace and welfare of the civill State besides what t is for the honor of God in the preventing the spreading of all Errors and Heresies And for a conclusion of this I have the clear and full testimony of my conscience that my appearing against the Sectaries hath not risen from any such base and poore grounds as the Sectaries alledge but from a sense of my duty that I might witnesse to the truth of God in this sinfull and adulterous generation And now to draw to a conclusion of this Preface nothing that hath yet befallen me of scandals reproaches and other sufferings or that shall further befall me in this way of Books set out against me of persecutions and troubles to bonds imprisonments losse of estate shall the grace of God assisting me turn me out of my way of constantly opposing the Sectaries so long as they go on in their way but when they for my writing against them shall speak against me as most vile and abominable I shall answer them as David It was for the Lord that I have done it and I will be yet more vile then thus and though every day naybour in the yeer should bring forth some book against me as bad as Balthazar Paeimontanus writ against Zuingl and Bolsecuâ— against Calvin yet for my part I shall be so far from being troubled that I shall take all those books as Job speaks and bind them as a crown to my head nay if all the Sectaries in England were combined against me and there were as many of them as tiles upon the houses in the City and every one of these Sectaries were a Devill yea had a legion of Devils as I beleeve some of them are possessed with many yet I would go on against them and if the Sectaries should be able out of this Book or any other to take advantage of my zeale faithfulnesse and plainnesse of spirit to make something of some words to stir up the Civil powers to trouble me yet for all that I shall not give them ever but write so much the more pâ—int them 〈◊〉 pray speak against their Errors and if God should give me so into their hands as to be able to deale with me as the Papists did with some of the â—itnesses of the truth yet I am confident they should have no cause to rejoyce but I should overcome even in that like Sampson kill more Philistims by my death then by my life and many Brethren would waxe more â—old to preach and write against them and out of my ashes should arise those who should further discover them I know the Sectarian faction must be destroyed and fall Babell must come downe as well as Babylon and the making of them naked is a preparatory work to the making of them desolate and eating their flesh But O that God would rather give them to see what they have done and make them to confesse give him glory and returne helping to build his House with both hands which they have so laid waste and hindred all this while and O that they would take well this Book look into it and observe Gods hand in finding them out accept of it as it was indeed intended for their good and not cast it away with saying t is sharp and bitter but rather remember that of the Apostle that men must be sometimes sharply rebuked That they may be sound in the â—aith Erasmus often said of the Papacit in his time that it was so corrupt that it weedeâ— acrem medicum a sharp Physitian a gentle would have done no good and therefore he raised up Luther a man of a free and hot spirit that cared not for gold and that feared not great men but went on in the cure of the Church strong and rough humors needing strong phisick to purge them out The foulnesse and strength of the disease of Sectarisme at this time call'd and calls for a strong Pâ—tion and may justly plead against the offence of any acrimonie and quicknesse that may be found in it Jesus Christ himselfe that meeke Lamb of whom it was written he should not strive noâ— cry neither should any man heare his voice in the streets yet his zeale of his Fathers House made him as t is in the second of John to make a 〈…〉 rge of cords and drive all that sold Oxâ—n Sheepe and Doves and the châ—â—gers of money out of the Temple and overthrow the Tables saying unto them that sold Doves take these things hence make not my Fathers House â—n house of merchandise and I remember not that ever I reâ—d of the like sharpnesse and quicknesse of Christ as this in any other case that against the Scribes Pharisees and S 〈…〉 es false Teachers was the likest and certainly the servants of Christ in a 〈◊〉 when the Church of God and Religion is bought and sold and made merchandise of by false Teachers as Saint Peter speaks the precious truths of God and the immortall souls of them for whom Christ died prestituted and sold to the base lusts and selfe ends of men when there are not found in the House of God so good intruders as thâ—se that sell Oxen Sheepe and Doves such profitable creatures but those that sell T 〈…〉 Crocodiles Pipers Serpents and all kind of Monstâ—rs they may and ought at such times and in such cases to imitate Christ and to doe something more then ordinary for the purging of the Church and that may show their zeale for
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 scandalâ—us persons promising to watch over one another giving â—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 fâ—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 â—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 limitationâ— 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 â—ormer distinctions There is one Master Niobâ—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 faâ—â— to London he told this to divers to a godly Citizen among â—â—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
Person and Authority and to maintain His just power and greatnesse the Independent replyed presently what was his just power suppose saith this Independent there were a theife and you should make a Covenant with him to maintaine his just priviledges what of that might you not for all that bring him to punishment labouring to bring him to the Gallows were his just priviledges and no breach of Covenant whereupon said this Citizen Is this your interpretation of the Covenant I would never have taken it whilst the world stood in that sense and further said this Citizen when this Covenant was made and sworne what ever you can say against the King as raising Wars against the Parliament and what ever else you imagine It was before this Covenant was taken you knew as much of him before as now so that t is strange you should speak so And then this Citizen reasoned with this Independent against punishing the King David was guilty of Murther and Adultery and there were then Elders of the people Princes and Judges in Israel as well as now and yet none of them offered to question David upon his life or inflict punishment neither do we find that God by the prophets gave any such direction to punish David though by the Law death was due for Murther to other men we know God sent the prophet Nathan to reprove him and to bring him to repentance for his great sinne but not to stirre up the Princes Judges and Elders of the people to proceed against him as they did against Malefactors A Relation and Discovery of the Libertinisme and Atheisme horrible fearfull uncleannesses of severall kinds Drunkunnesse generall Loosenesse and licentiousnesse of living Cosening and Deceiving both of particular persons and of the State and Kingdome fearfull Lying Jugling and falsifying of promises abominable Pride and boasting in the Arms of flesh unsufferable Insolencies and horrible misdemeanors of many Sectaries of these times particularly their Insolencies against the Lawes of the Land the King the House of Lords House of Commons some particular worthy Members by name of both Houses Committees of both Houses both Houses of Parliament as conjunct in their Authority and Ordinances against our Brethren of Scotland the Kingdom of Ireland the City of London the Assembly the whole Ministery of this Kingdom and all the Reformed Churches against inferior Magistrates and Courts as the Judges Justices of Peace Majors of Cities Committes and all sorts of Officers of Justice THe Particulars in all these kinds are so many and so infinite that particularly to reckon them up and give their story would fill a great volume and I have already in the foregoing part of the Book given some instances in most of them and therefore I shall but breifly point at and give hints only upon these severall heads referring the Reader for further satisfaction to many Pamphlets and Books daily printed and openly sold and to his own observation of things 1. The great Libertinisme and Atheisme of many Sectaries appears by their violent and feirce pleading for by word and writing a free Liberty and Toleration of all kind of Religions and Consciences whatsoever and that not only in lesser points of Doctrine but in the most fundamentall Articles of Faith yea and of denying the Scriptures and that there is a God and by the pleading for Liberty in such away and by such mediums viz. that no man is infallible and certaine in any thing he holds that t is possible he may be mistaken c. as do necessarily overthrow all Religion whatsoever There have been within these few yeers some scores of Books written wholly for Toleration and pretended Liberty and some hundred of Books wherein that 's pleaded for together with other things and so farre are the Sectaries gone in Libertinisme * that all true love piety Religion conscience is placed in a generall allowance of what mens corrupted and defiled consciences like and the greatest sinne wickednesse evill that men can commit or be capable of is placed in the using of good means and the power God hath given to hinder and restraine this Liberty There is a Book called Toleration justified printed 1646. asserteth t is not safe to put any bounds to Toleration or to restraine in any thing whatsoever no not in denying the Scriptures and a Deity There is a Pamphlet A Demurre to the Bill for preventing the growth and spreading of Heresie that came out lately since that Ordinance against Heresies was brought in to the H. of Commons that pleads page 3. with many Libertine Arguments against all punishing of those that maintaine there is no God as among others with this We beseech you let not God and the truth of his being be so excessively dispâ—raged as not to be judged sufficient to maintaine it against all gainsayers without the helpe of any earthly power to maintaine it Let Turks and those that beleeve in strange gods which are 〈…〉 gods make use of such power and infirme supporters of their supposed d 〈…〉 s but let the truth of our God the only God the omnipotent God be judged abundantly able to support it self t is a tacit imputation of in 〈…〉 s to imagine it hath need of our weake and impotent assistance There are Queres concerning a printed Paper entituted An Ordinane for the preventing and growing of Heresies c. where among many Libertine questions the second proclaims it self to be Scepticall and Athâ—isticall supposing except men make themselves infallible that the preaching printing and maintaining contrary to these Doctrines That God is that God is present in all places that God is Almighty that God is eternall perfectly holy c. may be the sacred truths of God for ought any man knowes There have beene and are daily many strange speeches uttered wholly tending to Libertinisme and Atheisme A Reverend godly Minister told me July the fourth 1646. he heard and Independent say what if I should worship the Sunne or the Moone as the Persians did or that Pewter Pot standing by what hath any man to do with my conscience A great Sectary pleaded in the hearing of persons of worth from whom I immediately had it for a Toleration of Stage-playes and that the Players might be set up againe I heard a Sectary plead for a Toleration of Witches and I urging that argument that Witches might say they in their conscience hold the Devill for their God and thereupon worship him it was answered that precept against not suffering Wirches was spoken to the Israelites not to us and will you because Witches deale with a familiar spirit therefore send them to the Devill by taking away their lives Many Sectaries often say that all the judgements of God upon us are because we will not receive the Government of of Christ suffer it to be set up among us viz. to let every one beleeve what he will and serve God according to his conscience as also they say if ever
142. pages of this Book I might fill a Book in relating the passages in Discourses Sermons and printed Books spoken in way of boasting of this Army and of particular persons belonging to it of the Independent way calling one Infallible the Saviour of three Kingcomes a second the Terrible a third whom God hath especially fitted for Sea or Land one whom foraigne States would be proud of having such a servant and so of others but I will only point at some expressions in a late Book of Master Burtons called Conformities Deformity wherein the Army is in a sort deified page 17 18. speaking of pressing the Parliament for an Ordinance against Heresies and Schismes he speaks what this Ordinance would do against those men who have prodigally poured their dearest bloud viz. trample upon them and not suffer them to breath in their native aire and thereupon runs out in the extolling of that sort of men in the Army that by them we yet breath that they have beene the preservers of the Land that many glorious victories have made them admirable to the neighbour Nations yea to the whole world and terrible to their professed enemies and ours yea and to pretended freinds too who would master us at home were not these masters of the feild God hath made them the great instruments of the preservation and deliverance of our Country and City from the most desperate bloudy and beastiall enemies that ever the earth bred or hell hatched God hath vouchsafed to cast great favour and honour upon them and as he hath crowned them with so much glory and they have â—ast their crownes at the feet of the Lamb that sits upon the Throne So should we come and first giving all the glory to God gather up those crownes and set them upon the heads of those our Preservers and Deliverers and put chains about their necks so far off should we be from trampling such Pearles under foot or casting them out of our Gates and Ports 8. The Sectaries are guilty of unsufferable Insolencies horrible affronts to Authority and of strange outrages having done those things that all things considered no story of former ages can paralell and here I have so large a feild that I might write a Book in Folio upon this head but I will only give a touch upon the particulars and referre the Reader for further satisfaction to their owne Books 1. Some of the Sectaries have spoken and written that against the Lawes of the Land both Common and Statute as I beleeve neither Papists nor any English men ever did before them I have read divers passages of this kind in divers Pamphlets within these two last yeers as in some books written against Master Pryn but above all Leiutenant Colonell Lilburne in his Just mans Justification page 11 12 13 14 15. and A Remonstrance to their owne House of Commons page 13. 15. 19. damns the Common Law as coming from the Devill and being the great bondage of England the Norman Yoake as the Reader may easily see by these words That which is the greatest mischeife of all and the oppressing bondage of England ever since the Norman Yoak is this I must be tried before you by a Law call'd the Common Law that I know not nor I thinke no man else neither do I know where to finde it or read it and how I can in such a â—asâ— be punished by it I know not such an unfathomable gulâ—e have I by a little search found the Law practises in Westminster Hall to be that seriously I thinke there is neither end nor bottome of them so many uncertainties formalilities puncâ—ilios and that which is worse all the enâ—ries and proceedings in Latine a Language I understand not nor one of a thousand of my native Country-men so that when I read the Scripture it makes me thinke that the practises in the Courts at Westminster flow not from God nor from his Law nor the Law of Nature and Reason no nor yet from the understanding of any righteous just or honest men but from the Devill and the will of Tyrants The Kings Writs that summons a Parliament implying the establishment of Religion showes that we remaine under the Norman yoake of an unlawfull power from which we ought to free our selves Ye know the Lawes of this Nation are unworthy a free people and deserve from first to last to be considered and seriously debated and reduced to an agreement with common equity and right reason which ought to be the forme and life of every Government Magna Charta it selfe being but a beggerly thing containing many marks of intolerable bondage and the Lawes that have beene made since by Parliaments have in very many particulars made our Government much more oppressive and intolerable The Conquerer erected a trade of Judges and Lawyers to sell justice and injustice at his owne unconscionable rate and in what time he pleased the corruption whereof is yet upon us from which we thought you should have delivered us we cannot but expect to be delivered from the Norman bondage and from all unreasonable Lawes made ever since that unhappy conquest By which passages t is evident the Sectaries aime at a totall change of the Laws and Customs of this Kingdom 2. They have spoken and written much against the King speaking of him as a Delinquent terming him the great Delinquent and that he should not come in but as a Delinquent when news hath beene of messages and gracious offers from the King and when his late Letter to the City was spoken of they have slighted all saying we can have them without him and what can he do for us he is a Delinquent They have taken one of his titles from him and given it to that unworthy mean man Lilburne stiling him Defendor of the Faith they have taken other of his Titles as Soveraign Leige Lord Majesty Kingship Regality and given them to the H. of Commons and to the common people making the Universall people to be the King Creator and the King their meer creature servant and vassal and as they have taken from him his Titles so his power denying him all Legislative power and to be one of the Estates of Parliament yea they have pleaded for the King to be deposed and justice to be done upon him as the grand murtherer of England and not only that he should bee beheaded but the Kingdome also viz. this Kingdome deprived of a King for ever and Monarchie turned into Democracie And as they have endeavoured to strip him of all his Titles and power as a King so to take from him all priviledges as a man and a Christian speaking against Ministers praying for him and that he should be excommunicated from all Christian society For proofe of which particulars let the Reader read over the late Remonstrance of many thousand Citiznes to their owne House of Commons and among other passages that in page 6. It is high time we be
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 universaâ—l conformity none daring among all those ten Tribes openly to proâ—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 theâ— 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 mâ—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 4â— 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 â—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 Swinâ—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 â—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 â—yâ—â—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 villâ—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 â—ad such a spirituall and holy care â—ver â—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
Reader EVill men and seducers wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived as a Fountaine casteth forth water their hearts cast forth wickednesse and yet none greater pretenders to truth and holinesse then these and by these pretences they deceive many This the Holy Ghost in Scripture fore-tells the Stories of former ages testifie that it may not seeme strange to thee if in our daies also Egyptian darknesse be accounted Gospell-light licentiousnesse Christian Liberty and pretended Saints if unmasked appeare reall Devills In two former Treatises the hereticall and blasphemous opinions the scandalous and abominable practices of our Sectaries have been discovered and to the end thou mayest be warned and the truth of God not left without witnesse in Ages to come This third being a higher and fuller Discovery of the Frrours Herefies and Insolencies of the Sectaries is penned by the former Authour and allowed to be printed by him that is thy Friend in the truth Ja. Cranford The third PART of GANGRAENA 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 As also a particular Relation of many remarkable Stories speciall Passages Copies of Letters written by Sectaries to Sectaries Copies of Letters written from godly Ministers and others to Parliament men Ministers and other well-affected persons an Extract and the substance of divers Letters all concerning the present Sects together with ten Corollaries from all the forenamed Premises 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 Wherein the Legislative and Iudiciall Power of the House of Peeres over Commoners is maintained and fully proved against the Sectaries the Power of the House of Commons clearely demonstrated to be overthrowne upon the Mediums brought by the Sectaries against the Lords the late Remonstrance of the City of London justified the late Lord Mayor and the City vindicated from unjust Aspersions our Brethren of Scotland cleered from all the calumnies and reproaches cast upon them and the Magistrates power in suppressing Heresies and Blasphemies asserted As also some few Hints and briefe observations on divers Pamphlets written lately against me and some of my Books as M. Goodwins pretended Reply to the Antapologie M. Burroughs Vindication Lanseters Lance Gangraena playes Rex Gangraena-Chrestum M. Saltmarshes Answer to the second part of Gangraena A Iustification of the manner and way of writing these Books called Gangraena wherein not onely the lawfulnesse but the necessity of writing after this manner is proved by Scripture Fathers the most eminent Reformed Divines Casuists the practice and custome of all Ages By THOMAS EDVVARDS Minister of the Gospel Iude 8. v. Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh despise dominion and speake evill of dignities 2 Pet. 3. 17. Tetherefore beloved seeing ye know these things before beware lest ye also being led away with the errour of the wicked fall from your own stedfastnesse London Printed for Ralph Smith at the Bible in Cornehill 1646. The Preface IN this following Book as in a cleare and true Glasse every impartiall and ingenuous Reader may plainly behold the many Deformities and great Spots of the Sectaries of these times Spots of all kinds Plague spots Feaver spots Purpule spots Leprosie spots Scurvey spots Spots upon them discovering much malignity rage frensie great corruption and infection of whom may be said as in Moses Song Deut. 32. 5. They have corrupted themselves their spot is not the spot of his children they are a perverse and crooked generation O that the Sectaries themselves and others easie to be deceived with good words and faire speeches apt to be carried away with good names and specious showes as godlinesse purity of Ordinances Conscience would but look into this Glasse and continue looking therein diligently in the feare of God reading over this Book and observing what 's here written comparing and examining one thing with another which would they do I am confidently perswaded many of the Sectaries who know not the depths of Sathan would quickly be taken off become out of love with their way and returne and others kept from going after those wayes this would prove a Soveraigne Antidote both to expell the poyson already received and to prevent the taking infection Now that this Book by the blessing of God may the better attaine these ends I shall in generall prâ—mise two things 1. Remove some objections that may lie in the way of the Reader wipe off the dust and dirt cast upon this Glâ—sse that might hinder the clear sight of things 2. Give some Rules Directions and Cautions as for the better understanding of it so for preventing some cavils and mistakes that otherwise might be For the first I observe two things have beene objected against these Books of discovering the Errors Heresies and Practises of the Sectaries First the manner and way of writing 〈◊〉 〈…〉 ing with matters of fact particularising men by name and bâ—ing very bitter and sharpe Secondly the matter as being untrue and consisting most of lyes falshoods and fables Now for the satisfaction of the Reader in the first the manner and way of writing these parts of Gangraena I have drawn up a large Treatise upon this subject viz. a Justification of relating matters of fact and the names of Sectaries as wel as their Opinions and Arguments which I have proved from the Scriptures of the old and new Testament both in commands and examples Orthodox Fathers Augustine c. other Ancient Writers as Bernard c. the most learned and famous among the moderne 〈◊〉 Luther Beza Bullinger Danaus c. the judgement of 〈◊〉 as Baldwin c. from the practise of Sectaries themselves as Donatists c. in all ages both in writing one against another and against the Orthodox and from many strong convincing Reasons and besides these proofs have answered fully all objections of all sorts brought against it as that t is a speaking against the Saints uncovering our brothers nakednesse a going against the Rule of Christ in Matth. 18. which is to tell our Brother alone which Treatise of the Justification of writing these Gangrâ—naes I am confident will not be only satisfactory but triumphing over all the clamors oâ—tcries and objections made by the Sectaries against my Books slaying their Absâ—loms and cutting off the heads of their great Goliahs as that of speaking against the Saints and in the judgement of al learned and ingenuous men stopping their months for ever Notwithstanding al which I cannot but expect 〈…〉 of the Sectaries will still clamor speak evill and
will not be perswaded though never such reason be showed them yea if an Angel from he even or one of the old Prophets arising from the dead should speak against their Opinions and wayes 't is to befeared many of them would yet go on The strong delusion that God hath sent upon many of them to beleeve lies the great interest of divers in regard of preferment and profit the Popes Crown and the Monks bellies the deep ingagements of others to that way by many relations and having mens 〈◊〉 in admiration make it is hard work to convince men though there be never such evidence of Reason I may complaine of the Sectaries of our times as Paraeus doth of some Lutherans and others in his time that things are altogether carried by opinions yea by affections no Arguments no Apologies can take place They that at the will and pleasure of some men do not approve of unprofitable scandalous yea monstrous opinions they are cast off the right hand of fellowship denyed them although they preach Christ sincerely But now in the interim till that Treatise can come forth which I intend shall preoede the Fourth Part of Gangraena I wish the Sectaries to consult Baldwins cases of Conscience who handling that case of Conscience whether the Authors and maintainers of false opinions are to be spoken against by name resolves it affirmatively giving Scriptures and Reasons for it yea showing that false teachers are rather by name to be branded then those who lead only wicked lives and Calvins Tractate against the Libertins giving reasons of his owne practice and answering objections in not only writing against the opinions of the Libertines but naming Coppinus and Quintinus cheife heads of that fastion Secondly a man would wonder at it that the Sectaries should so rage and cry out against me and my Gangraenaes for meddling with matters of fact and nominating men when as long before I put pen to paper in that kind divers of them had in Pamphlets spoken against many Presbyterians by name both godly Ministers and other worthy persons as Master Calamie Doctor Burges Master Prynne c. Master Burton telling in 〈◊〉 Pamphlet a story of me by name a◠Colchester but false and raking 〈◊〉 old matters at Bury against Master Calamie in another Pamphlet call'd Truth still Truth though shut out of doores and all before the First Part of Gangrana was printed and indeed the Sectaries have all along both before my Books came forth and 〈◊〉 since upon all occasions yea such of them as have spoken and written most against me for so doing as M. Saltmarsh M. Goodwin M. 〈…〉 on c. writ against the Pres 〈…〉 rians by name and related all 〈…〉 of fact stories of them and in a disgracefull manner and way comparing them with D. Pockling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in a scoffing 〈…〉 ing abusive way dealing with them and 〈◊〉 hath not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only by Independents to Presbyterians but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 written Books and given us stories and that long before I 〈◊〉 thought of this way of 〈◊〉 Sectaries a◠Anti 〈…〉 ians Anabaptists Familists and that by names with all particulars of their doings as well as opinions and of his judgement upon them as Master Wells his History of the Rise Raigne and Downfall of the Antinomians and some others in that kind so that in this I doe but follow them and write after their Copie and I appeale to the ingenuous Reader how they can with any colour blame that as a great evill and wickednesse in me which they account in themselves zeale of Gods glory and a doing God service especially considering that the Sectaries in their naming of Presbyterians and bringing in matters of fact and stories have proceeded in a sixfold manner and way all which in matters of this kind be the things most liable to blame and exception and which I have all along carefully shunned and declined First the Sectaries in writing Books against the Reformation and Presbyterians have not spared to write against and that in a most reproachfull and vild way whole bodies Assemblies Communities and those the highest and greatest as the House of Peers House of Commons the City of London and Common-Councell the Assembly the Kingdome and Generall Assembly of Scotland some scores of such Books written by Sectaries being in all mens hands whereas in my writing against Sectaries I have spoken only against particular persons but to whole Bodies and Societies I have tendred all due respect vindicating them and their power against the Pamphlets and aspersions of Sectaries Secondly the Sectaries in their writings of matters of fact have not only named ordinary persons but persons of the greatest quality and place abusing them by name as divers Members of both Houses the Speakers of both Houses some of the Lords and some of the Commons the Lord Major of London by name but I have all along declined the naming of persons in authority and Magistracie viz. in that way Thirdly the Sectaries in their personall matters and stories of the Presbyterians have still related things manifestly untrue of which there hath been no ground at all as Master Price ' s story of Master Bellamie 〈…〉 ding it unlawfull to sell Prayer Bookes as the Anabaptists in the Lord Majors farewell of the late Lord Major as some stories of Cretensis Master Burroughs and Master Burton of me the contrary unto them being the truth as a passage in Master Dels Epistle Dedicatory to the House of Commons concerning Master Ley of the Assembly most false as a passage in Master Burtons Epistle of his Conformities Deformity of the new Lord Major known to be untrue and so I could go on with instancing in passages in Master Saltmarsh Lilburne and other such Books manifestly untrue and indeed of all the stories and matters of fact the Sectaries have in their Pamphlets in disgrace of the Presbyterians I hardly know one true one whereas the stories related by me of them the most of them are knowne to many and are certain and I have beene all along carefull as by my Reply to Cretensis is evident Fourthly the Sectaries in their matters of fact have fallen upon Presbyterians with old matters many yeeres ago before Presbyterians yea gone back as farre almost as to their childhood as Master Price did to Master Bellamie and Master Burton goes back to Bury ten yeeres before to finde something against Master Calamie and so I might instance in others but I have confined my selfe within three or foure yeeres and to the times since they were Sectaries Fifthly the Sectaries have brought in against Presbyterians matters of bodily infirmities of their complexions and such like as Saltmarsh in his pretended Answer to my Second Part of Gangraena upbraids me saying Your face and complexion showes a most sadly parched burnt and withered spirit but I have forborne that least I should reproach my Maker for he that made me made them Sixthly many
of the Sectaries in their writings against the Presbyterians the Assembly godly Ministers the Scots and particular persons by name have done it in the most scornfull prophane blasphemous and abusive way even to the abusing of the Scriptures the Spirit of God Proaching Prayer and other Ordinances as ever was heard of in any age witnesse The Arraignment of Persecution Martins Eccho Cretensis and divers others but in my Discoveries of the Errors Heresies Practises of the Sectaries I have shunned all such wayes setting my selfe plainly to discover the Errors and abominable Practises confuting them with Scriptures and Reason and in a serious sad manner applying the danger of those evils to the consciences of all both Presbyterians and Sectaries and thus much for removing that stone of offence out of the way taken from the manner and way of writing 2. For the matter of this Booke that there 's a Truth in the Opinions Stories Practices related in it notwithstanding the clamours and speeches of the Sectaries that they are lyes all lyes I desire the Reader to observe and remember these following particulars 1. That the Sectaries of our time are so shamelesse in this kind as to say all things written against them are lyes thus they have said the stories of the old Anabaptists in Germany written by Sleydan Bullinger Lambertus Hortens 〈…〉 s other worthy men were lyes and they would not beleeve them so Master Saltmarsh in one of his Pamphlets against Master Ley denies the truth of those stories and other Sectaries in Pamphlets before him have said the same affirming if the King had over-come the Parliament stories would have made them as bad as the Anabaptists and the Princes of Germany prevailing against them set men on work to set them out so but all was false Now if our Sectaries will speak and write thus of all the relations of the old Anabaptists how can it be expected but that they will cry all downe for false written of themselves So our Sectaries will not beleive the stories of the Antinomians Anabaptists Familists in New England of Mistris Huchinson and the rest but say all is false all lyes and some of them have cryed out of Master Wells his Booke of the Antinomians of New England as much as of mine 2. The truth of the maine substance and matter of this Booke both for opinions and matters of fact is in the Booke it selfe by quoting Books knowne to hundreds by naming of persons knowne for witnesses by relating of things common in the times and these set by the Errors in the Margents or joyned to the matter so manifest that he that runs may read it and rationally there can be no more question made of them then whether the Scots tooke New-Castle the Parliaments Forces had a Victory at Nazeby Feild there be such a man as M. Hugh Peters or John Lilburn 3. That the Sectaries have used devices and found out inventions on purpose to possesse people that relations of things in my Books are false when most true as for instance some Sectaries that have been of the same name of those Sectaries that I have related stories of though they could not but know by many circumstances and particulars in the stories they were not the men but others have said Ther 's a story related of me I am the man he speaks of and t is all false for I was at such a place then and could not do so thus one Webb an Officer in the Army did telling the people in the West where he found Gangraena that the story of Webb was of him I am that Webb in Gangraena and 〈◊〉 all false I never preached such things nor was ever questioned about such things or did such things related This a godly Minister in the â—â—st of England told me he heard one Webb an Officer in the Army speak thus to the people to possesse them against Gangraena Now I writ not of that Webb but another Webb a younger man here in London not one of the Army who put out a Booke for the vindication of himselfe where he confesses most of the things and this other Webb could not but by many passages related as of the age as of being a Schoole-Master as of the Christian name and divers others but know well enough I meant him not and yet by this did he labour to blast my Book Again some who having beene mentioned in Letters written up to friends and printed by me have come to my house denying peremptorily those things spoken of them in the Letters desiring to know who writ them that they might have â—eparations I having told them their names withall writing to those Ministers to know more fully their grounds of such relations they have returned 〈…〉 e Answers that those things were most true and they would make them good when ever they should question them in which kind I could give divers notable instances but the nature of a Preface not admitting many I will relate only one namely of Master Mascall of Dover spoken of in a Letter sent from Dover subscribed by five hands to a Member of the Assembly printed in the Second Part of Gangraena in p. 135. of the Second Edition who presently after the coming forth of that Book coming to my house with a friend of his and mine formerly denyed positively and peremptorily what was written of him in the Letter declaring he was of another judgement then to speak so of our Ministers and Synods as is expressed in that Letter holding our godly Ministers to have a lawfull calling and Synods to be needfull wherupon I writing to one of the Ministers all passages that passed betweene us and desiring to know what he said to it he sent me this Answer Worthy Sir I received your Letter dated June the 18. but could not conveniently Answer it till now because I would see the carriages of the Independents on last wednesday when we chose our Elders What we wrote of Master Mascall we can cleare and will maintaine and much more and according to your advice you shall not faile of sufficient testimony if that Letter be crossed whereas he saith that he holds our godly Ministers to have a lawfull calling he will not say it in Dover till he have distinguished the word godly into a shadow For his saying they never kept Church-meetings in time of the publicke exercises it s a very false untruth and for his seeming to accord with us in our account of Synods he knows that we hold it a duty to combine Churches and to have a combination rule the Elders and Pastor of a Congregation which we know they will never allow Thus much in breife for Master Mascall who I dare say will not challenge any man in Dover for that that is done against him or if he doth will find as ready an Answer as ever man received by man Your loving friend and Brother MICH. PORTER June 29. 1646. And thus much for
the First generall head concerning the manner and matter of this Book For the Second the commending some directions and taking off some misconstructions and cavils for the better understanding of the subject matter and manner of this Booke let the Reader observe and consider these following 1. That the Sectaries run such around of all opinions as that they are come to hold many Popish and Prelaticall opinions and to go upon the Papists grounds and mediums for many of their Tenets which in the Errors Positions and Practises reckoned up in this Booke the Reader may observe as the 5 6 7 36 Errors nay there 's almost no Popish or Prelaticall principle and Error but many Sectaries are fallen into it and in the practise of it as being against the Perfection Sufficiency Perspicuity of the Scriptures being for Pope Toleration and a Dispensation for want of an Infallible Judge as the Papists are for the Pope upon that ground denying preaching to be the word of God and the service of God as much or more then ever any of the Prelates did being for Musick Organs Hymns in the publick Assemblies holding anointing the sick with Oyle maintaining Perfection in this life with some Popish Friers besides divers other Popish Errors hence divers Popish Bookes written by Preists and Friers have beene Translated and lately set forth by some Sectaries sold openly and I suppose Licensed because the Stationers names for whom printed and Printers names expressed 2. The Reader shall find in this Booke the Sectaries Designe and Practise not to be only corrupting Religion running out into extravagancies and strange conceits that way but to be against Magistracy and Civill Government their designe of opposing setled Government and bringing an Anarchy and Confusion into Church and State being here so fully laid open that they who run may read it T is in this Book unvailed and the wâ—â—king of this spirit in all sorts of Sectaries and places clearly manifested they have in Terminis in divers Pamphlets and some Sermons declared against Monarchie and Aristoâ—acie and for Democracie they have expressed themselves in such a manner concerning that that they make it noe other then an Anarchie making all alike confounding of all rancks and orders reducing all to Adams time and condition and devolving all power upon the state Vniversall and promiscuos multitude whom they make the Creator and Destroyer of Kings Parliaments and all Magistrates at there meere pleasure without tying them to any rule or bounding them by any lawes 3. I doe more punctually and particularly give the proofes of the Errors and Heresies named in this Third Part then in the two â—ormer with Animadversions by way of Confutation or Observation upon more of the Errors and Practises then I did before as having beene desired by some so to do and being that which I judge will make the work more profitable and the Reader shall finde the proofs of the Errors set in the Margents just by them and the Animadversions under every particular Error or else of divers of them put in one where the Errors are more of a kind and the Reader will finde I have in all Books quoted all along to prove the things I charge the Sectaries with dealt very punctually and faithfully and I challenge them to name any one thing quoted false or wrested among so many and for other Relations I have them from such knowne godly Ministers and Christians being eare and eye witnesses of them that I cannot easily be deceived t is possible some circumstances of order time place number may in some stories be mistaken and yet the maine storie true as we see in Histories of battles and other humane things they often are though I know nâ—ne such and have beene in all circumstances as well as substance as faithfull and carefull as a man can well be and I can say it that of all the particulars in this kind that I have related in these three Books besides many matters of fact in Antapologia which in all amount to some thousands I do not know of any one particular related by me excepting one that I have reason to suspect was not true and yet that was written me in a Letter by a Reverend and godly Minister and was the voice of the Country and all I did was only printing that Letter no otherwise affirming it which particular when the untruth of it shalâ— be made apparent to me from the man himselfe or his freinds I shall be ready and have offered it to some who have spoken of it to right him publickly in print 4. Whereas some Letters written to my selfe or some other Ministers are printed in this Booke which have some passages in them casting honor and praise upon me resembling me to some Worthies in their times as Luther c. for which I may be censured as being the hand instrument of publishing my own praises and counted vain-glorious I do by way of taking off this exception desire the Reader to consider these things First that I have left out of Letters many passages which reflect honour on my selfe constantly passing by such Titles Epithites and other expressions that are matters of praise in all particulars excepting the justifying of my work in writing thus against the Sectaries Now my Books for the manner and way of writing having beene so cried out of by all the Sectaries and many weak Christians by their meanes having beene also offended I thought it necessary to print some passages of Letters from godly Ministers giving testimony to my Books and approving me in the way of my writing them justifying me by the practise of Morney Plesseus against the Papists and of Luther and the judicious Reader shall find if he observe I print no other passages that may so much as reflect any kind of praise upon my selfe but only those that justifie my undertaking in this kind against the Sectaries and which the Lord knowes I print not so much for my selfe or my owne praise but for the sakes of others that they may be satisfied of my Books against all the calumnios cast upon them and profit by the reading of them Secondly T is not unknowne how the Sectaries by writing and speaking have set themselves to disparage me and to cast scornes of all kinds upon me such as hardly ever were upon any man in any age and all to weaken my esteeme credit and authority with the people that being looked upon as a man so weak that a woman can answer my writings and that I know not how to put the Nominative Case and Verb together c. all I do against the Sectaries might be slighted as not worthy to be looked upon Now it being apparent this is the designe of the Sectaries and their master peice and God by his providence without my seeking in the least stirring up many learned men to bear witness to my works in Letters to their Freinds which have beene brought to me and in
may have printed in any of these or any other of this kind I conceive t is highly for their service that they may know what hurt the Sectaries doe them and how the Kingdome takes things and truly next to the glory of God the great thing that moves me to write as I doe of the Sectaries is the great dammage and prejudice that comes to the Parliament by them that as Hester said of Haman to Ahazuerus the enemy could not countervaile the Kings dammage So the Sectaries doings all the Kingdome over in all kind of Mechanicks preaching in making tumults and riots in Churches in driving away godly Ministers and venting all kind of abominable opinions does so much wrong to the Parliament in the Countries severall wayes that they can never countervaile the Parliaments dammage and losse and I have related such things for no other end but to let them know so much and I could wish both Houses had read all passages in Letters sent from severall parts of the Kingdome and from beyond Seas to London which I have sâ—â—ne of this nature aâ— what ill bloud these things breed and how because of the Sectaries they lose a peice in the hearts of their best freinds with many other passages which I forbeare now to relate The Parliament upon many of the wicked doings of the Sectaries as baptizing a Horse making uproares in Churches c. may take up a like speech which Jacob said to Simeon and Levi Ye have troubled me to make me to stinck among the Inhabitants of the Land You have troubled us to make us to lose the hearts of many well-affected people in City and Country and thereby encouraged the common enemy to be ready to gather themselves against us again and we being few in number in danger to be deserted of the people by reason of you we shall be destroyed and our House 7. Whereas some of the Sectaries in their Pamphlets as Master Walwyn and others have often insinuated that I have preached and written so much against the Sectaries out of Policy Superstition worldly and selfe Interest to maintain my owne Covetousnesse Ambition desire of Domination distinction betweene Clergy and Laytie out of a spirit of opposition and Persecution against conscientions and peaceable men all which they have done out of a designe to blast my books among many who know me not not knowing otherwise how to answer them I do therefore that I may countermine the Sectaries in this and take of these prejudices declare as in the presence of God I never have nor do appeare against the Sectaries and Errors of the times from any of these principles but from a zeale of the glory of God and his Truth and that founded upon knowledge and search a compassion to the Souls of poore people deceived and the discharge of my duty and Conscience as a Minister of the Gospel and as for those other of Policy Self-interest c. they have never fallen so much as under my consultation unlesse that I have considered and forecast that what I was doing in writting such a Book and such a Book was against all Policy Self-Interest and the ready way as the times were and are to run the hazard of the ruine of my selfe and my family and that what I write is truth and the Sectaries speeches aspersions I desire the Reader to observe these following particulars and do challenge all the Sectaries to disprove any one particular if they can 1. Many years ago when I was persecuted by some Prelates and their Creatures in no possibility nor capacity by my principles and practices of preforment as the best of the Independents well know I preached against and upon all occasions declared my self against the Brownists Separatists Antinomians and all Errors in that way as well as against Popish Innovations and Arminian Tenets There are many who were my Auditors in those times can and will witnesse what I have preached at London and at Hartford aginst those Errors when I have in the same places preached such Sermons against the prevailing Opinions Innovations and Corruptions of the Prelates that many thought I should never have preached again and indeed was not without manifold sufferings and troubles being put out of places stopped from coming into others and at last Letters missive with an Attachment sent out to bring me into the High Commission Court About thirteene years ago at Magnus Church I preaching against forsaking the Publick Assemblies had on a Lecture night at the same Church a Bill given me up among the Bills to pray for the sick speaking bitterly for so doing At Hartford about 10. years ago when Independency and the Church way began to be fallen too by some men of Note and some people to look after it I preached against it earely and by all wayes laboured to preserve the people About 8. yeares agoe when Errors on the right hand tooke with many I did at a Lecture in the City at Aldermanbury and Coleman-street preach against Apostasie and falling to Errors on the right hand and more particularly at Coleman-street many in that parish being then leaning that way gave some considerations against Errors on the right hand and warned the people of the white Devill quoting a saying of Master Cartwright out of the Proverbs and Master Brightman out of the Revelations against leaving the Church of England and Master John Goodwin was then well pleased with my Sermon that he gave mo great thanks 2. I never yet sought any great things for my self great livings or coming into publicke places of honor and respect to be of the Assembly or to preach in any publicke places before the Magistrates either at Westminster or London but have contented my selfe with small meanes and to preach in private places in comparison having refused many great livings and places preaching here in London for a little and that but badly paid aâ— many well know minding the worke and service little the maintenance I can speak it truly that in these open times when many young men raw preachers men who never bore the heat of the day have got great Livings of two or three hundred a yeere well situated with houses and all accommodations I have for the publick good declined all such offers spent my owne temporall estate to minister to my necessities not having had for almost these two last yeers 40. li. per Annum not withstanding any constant preaching on Lords dayes week-dayes and all extraordinary occasions of Fastings and thankesgiving I have beene willing to forsake my fatnesse and sweetnesse to neglect my profit health benefit of my Familie all advantages and in a sort to sequester my selfe from freinds and all worldly enjoyments to spend my time strengh spirits estate and all in reeding writing studying of the Controversie of these times having prepared many Tractates against the Errors of the times And as for Domination and affecting of Rule and Government I have little meddled in
God and for his House THE TABLE THe Catalogue of the Errours laid down in this Booke from page 2. unto page 17. Animadversions by way of Confutation on the Errors of the Sectaries about civill Government as that all power of Civill Government is founded onely in the choise and election of the present people as that all the legall supreame Legislative power of this Kingdome is in the House of Commons layd downe in the third and fourth sheets of this Book and in page 158 159 160. A Catalogue of some Blasphemies of the Sectaries and a Relation of some passages in their Prayers laid downe in the latter part of the fourth sheet A Relation of a story of some Sectaries in contempt of Baptisme pissing in the Font of the Church at Yakesly in Huntingtonshire and bringing a Horse into the Church and baptizing it pag. 17. 18. which relation is attested by their hands A Relation of some Sectaries here in London annointing with oyle an old blind woman to restore her to sight p. 19. A Relation of a storie of some Troopers in the Army destroying a Dove-House because they were fowles of the Ayre given to the sonnes of men all having a common right in them p. 20. Copies of Letters written from godly Ministers Committees and other persons of quality and well-affected to Members of the House of Commons Minist 〈…〉 and Citizens of London concerning the opinions and insolent 〈…〉 ctises of Sectaries in the Army pag. 21 22. p. 30. 41. 42 43 44 45 46 47. Copies of Letters written from Ministers and others concerning the opinions and practises of Sectaries not belonging to the Armies and Sectaries in generall p. 33. 35 36. 55. 66 67 68 69. Copies of Letters written by Sectaries themselves to other Sectaries or to some of our Ministers p. 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 35 56. 58 59. 62. Copies of Letters written from godly Ministers Committee men and other persons well-affected out of the North concerning out Brethren of Scotland and their Armies p. 71. 72. 73. 74. Copies of Letters written from godly Ministers out of severall Countries to me and other Ministers in the City approving of my manner and way of writing these Books against the Sectaries cal'd Gangrana and of their usefulnesse and the good they have done p. 33. 3â— 40. 74 75 77 78. Copies of Letters written from Holland or New-England concerning some Errours and Practises p. 94. 168 169. A Relation of some opinions of a Lievtenant of a Company in the Army p. 22. A Relation of some words spoken by a Colonell in the Army and another of the Ar 〈…〉 concerning Ireland p. 23. A Relation of the souldiers preaching in Oxford and in the publike schooles p. 23. A story of a Sectarie that would not be married by a Minister as holding it unlawfull and afterwards when he had lived with her casting her of and denying she was his wife p. 24. A Relation of some words and speeches of Sectaries against the Scots Assembly Ministery City the late Lord Mayor p. 24. 25. A Relation of a story of Mr. Jenney and Mrs. Attâ—â—aâ—ay and of Letters sent her from a Prophet and his Doctrine of generall Restauration and of Esau's world and Jacobs words p. 26. 27. A Relation of a Sectarie holding that the Parliament must give the Kingdome that is both England Scotland and Ireland to the Saints p. 28. 29. A Relation of a Troope of Colonell Riches Regiment preaching and dipping in Wales and of a womans dying within a day or two after being dipped by him p. 31. A Relation of a Minister hearing in a meeting of Sectaries one who exercised affirme that he was Jesus Christ and of the Ministers conference with him about it and his standing in it that he was Christ p. 32. A Relation of some sectarian souldiers affronting and disturbing a godly Mininister in the Church and of beating a man for gathering Tythes p. 32. An Information from Norwich under the Mayors hand of a she â—ectary one Priscilla Miles p. 34. 35. A Relation of one Sims a Shoomaker of Hampton with his examination who goes about as an emissary all the West over being apprehended by authority p. 50. A Relation of M. Sickmooreâ— baptizing John Sims p. 51. Animadversions by way of confutation on a Letter of a â—â—e Sectary p. 61. A Relation of severall Positions laid down by M. Dell and preached before the Generall p. 63. A Relation of a story of one M. Kendall a great Sectary who hath renounced his Ministry turned Captain when a godly Minister was to preach he stepped up before him p. 70. 80. A Relation of a story of some Sectaries who refuse to keepe Fast daies or daies of Thankesgiving because they will not give thanks for killing men who affirme they have seen Christ and the Devill p. 80. A Relation of a young maid of 16. yeares of age that preaches p. 86. A Relation of a Minister who boasted he had pulled downe the Bishops and hoped to do as much for the Presbyterians p. 81. A Relation of an Officer in the Army who was cashiered because hee would answer the Sectaries when they spoke for their opinions and against the Presbyterians p. 81. A Relation of severall Sectaries trades-men turned Ministers and other Sectarian Ministers p. 81. A Relation of a Shoomaker of Coventry who goes about the Country venting his erroneous points p. 81. A Relation of one M. Downings preaching at Hackney casting aspersions on the Common Councell of London as if they were for the Cavaleers p. 81. 82. A Relation of M. Jesse commending one Mary Abram to one M. Clark of London to look to his house and how she worked on his son a young youth and being in an Apoplexy to be married to her by an old schoole-master p. 82 83. The Petition of Mr. Clarke to the house of Commons p. 83 84. A Relation how Mary Abraham had before entangled an Apprentice and though M. Jesse knew as much yeâ— he commended her to him and how M. Clarke found a paper in his sons chamber of her agreement with another young man and he showing it to Mr. Jesse he kept it and would not give it him againe saying that this Mary Abraham had confessed her sin p. 85. A Relation of a story concerning Henry 〈◊〉 spoken of in the first part of Gangraena and his examination by a Justice of Peace together with the replies made by himselfe p. 85. 86 87. A Relation of a story concerning a schoole-â—master of Glocester who denies the holy Ghost to be God though he was dealt with by all fairnesse to shew him his errours p. 87 88. A Relation concerning one Andrew Debman a Cooper who can neither write nor read and yet is a great Preacher among she Sectaries p. 88. A Relation of a great Sectary whose wife lay a dying who being spoken to to pray for her said what good would prayer do her or them p. 88. A Relation how
Knollys p. 19. p. 48. 241. M. Peters p. 24. 27. 76 77. 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146. M. Tandy p. 54 57 58. George Young p. 64. M. Dell p. 63 64. 213. 262. M. Randall p. 25. Thomas Collyer p. 27 28 29 51 52. William Bowling and his errours p. 35 36 37. Captain Paul Hobson the Taylor p. 45. 49. John Sims a Shoomaker p. 50. 〈◊〉 â—â—ckmoore p. 51. John Pâ—â—le p. 54. Floid a Preacher p. 62. Matthewes p. 66. M. Eaton p. 68. 264. M. Saltmarsh p. 72. 75 76. 113 114. Lamb p. 78. 113. Kiffin p. 78. Turner p. 78. M. Kendall p. 79. Thomas Moore p. 80. M. Wainwright p. 81. Heath a Collar maker p. 81. Rice a Tinker p. 81. Field a Bodiesmaker p. 81. Crew a Taylor p. 81. M. Feake p. 81. 147. M. Harrison p. 81. M. Downing p. 81 82. Henry Den p. 85 86 87. M. Beedle of Glocester p. 87. Andrew Debman p. 88. M. Erbury p. 89 90. 250. Sir Worts p. 95. Potter a Smith p. 96. John Durance p. 96 97. M. Larkin p. 97. M. Powell p. 97. Brabson p. 97 98. Cornwell p. 98. M. Blackwood p. 98. M. Batcheler p. 102 103 104 105. Dagnall a Bookseller p. 105. Barre a Weaver p. 105. Hich p. 105. Carter p. 105. M. Bunniard p. 105. M. Postlethwait p. 105. M. Craâ—ts p. 105. Oats a Weaver p. 105 106. Tench p. 106. M. Burroughs p. 107 108. 118 119. 164. 180. 181 M. Symonds p. 108. 131. Crab p. 110. Thomas Weâ—b p. 111. Blunt p. 112. Emmes p. 112. Wrighter p. 112. Cretensis p. 114 115 116 117 118 119 120. 159 160 161. M. Cradock p. 131. 163. Richard Overton p. 148 149 150 151 152. John Lilburne p. 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 262 John Price p. 160 161 162. M. Sympson p. 163. Andrew Wicke p. 169 170. Katherine Chidley p. 170 171. John Hall p. 171. Lanceter p. 170 171. M. Symonds p. 241 242. M. Burton p. 242 243 244 245 246 147. Greene the Felt-maker p. 248. Spencer a Coachman p. 249. Gorton p. 249. Lievtenant John Web p. 251 252. 254. Colonell John Hewson p. 252 253. Major Axton p. 253. Margeret North p. 253. A New and further DISCOVERY OF The Errors Heresies Blasphemies and Proceedings of the Sectaries of these times HAving given the Reader an account in my First and Second Parts of Gangraena of many of the Errors Heresies Blasphemies and pernicious Practises of the Sectaries I shall now proceed to adde divers more Errors Blasphemies and insolent unheard of Practices by all which the Reader may observe those words of Paul fulfilled in our times viz. that evill men and Seducers shall wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived and that place speaking of false Teachers and Doctrines for they will increase unto more ungodlinesse and their word will eate as doth a Gangrene and in this Third Part I shall more particularly and largely set downe the corrupt Opinions and Principles that have been vented against the Civill Magistrate and the Government of Common-wealths as also relate more Practises and insolencies of those Sectaries who are Souldiers and belonging to the Army then I did in the former Parts And first of all I shall lay down the erroneous Opinions not enumerated in the former Catalogues which being added to the two hundred and fourteen set down in the First and Second Parts will amount with those in the Appendix too to neer upon three hundred The third Catalogue of the Errors Heresies and strange Opinions of the Sectaries of these times 1. THat God hath a bodily shape and proportion man was made according to the likenesse of God in personall shape and God the Creator beareth the same form in shape and person which man hath This Opinion was held by some Hereticks in the fourth Century first known by the name of Audiani and afterwards call'd Anthropomorphitae Augustine in his Book de Haeresibus ad Quodvult Deum cap. 50. writes of them Audianos quos appellant alii vocant Anthropomorphitas quoniam Deum sibi fingunt cogitatione carnali in similitudinem imaginis corruptibilis hominis Theodoret in his fourth Book Haeret. Fabul writes there was one Audaeus who said God was like to man and gave to God the parts of a man who fell into this Error by his misunderstanding of those places of Scripture which speak of God according to mans understanding Danaeus in his Tractate de Haeresibus fully confutes this Opinion and shows the story of it and in that this Heresie should be now pleaded for in Print it shows us how the Devill in these times revives old Errors dead and buried for many hundred yeers 2. The story of Adams eating the forbidden fruit and of the Serpent is an Allegory by the Serpent in that place is no other then concupiscence and by the fruit of the tree some other eating then the eating of a materiall Apple is understood This also is an Error revived held by David George who lived a hundred yeers ago In David Georges life written in Latin by his sonne in law Nicolaus Blesdikius pag. 161 162. 't is related that by the Serpent entising our first Parents he meant concupiscence and pleads for an allegoricall interpretation of the Serpent because the Historicall Narration of the Serpent as it is laid down by Moses saith David George draws divers absurdities with it 3. In marriage there are no degrees of bloud or affinity forbidden but a man may marry the next of kin to him a brother may marry his Sister an Uncle his Neece a Sonne his Fathers Wife and so in any degrees without exception so that if this liking to marry happen betwixt the nearest of kindred then it is also the most naturall the most lawfull and according to the Primitive purity and practise The maine scope of this booke called Little Nonsuch or certaine new questions is to plead for Incestuous Marriages where the Author sets himselfe to evade all the Scriptures in the Old and New Testament saying T is not marriage simply with Sisters Brothers Wives c. that is forbidden so long as a man keeps wholly to such a one having taken her for wife but the committing fornication with them not being married Now I shall show the falsenesse of this by two Scriptures The first in Leviticus 18. where both in the generall verse 6. and in particular the several degrees are forbidden expressely verse 7. 8 9 10 c. of the Fathers wife of the Sister of the Fathers Sister c. And whereas the Author of that wicked Pamphlet pleads that uncovering of nakednesse is meant of fornication only and not of marriage I Answer The Holy Ghost in that Chapter expounds the uncovering of nakednesse to be marrying verse the 18. and makes taking to wife and uncovering nakednesse to be the same
composed by Protestant Synods who have an eye to the Scripture in what they doe but the assuming of such a power so as to enact a Law to bind all to conformity 't is a falling under that in Esay Their fear towards God was taught by the precept of men 't is with Nebuchadnezzar to erect his golden Image with Jeroboam and his Councell to set up the golden Calves 't is a rejecting of Christ from being King an utter overthrowing of the Kingly Prerogative and Office of Christ and a destroying a foundation of faith 47. That all Power Places and Offices that are just in this Kingdom ought only to arise from the choise and election of the people and that all the power right any man hath in governing and ruling over those he rules stands wholy in the choice and election of those that are ruled and that men need not ought not to yeeld obedience and subjection to the Commands Summons Lawes c. of any but of those they have chosen and who are their Representers and to submit yeeld obedience to any others whom they have not chosen is inconsistent with the nature of just freedoms and to exercise any power not derived from choice is no lesse then usurpation and oppression 48. That all the Legall Supreame Soveraigne Regall Legislative power of this Kingdom is in the House of Commons the chosen Commons of England and in no other whatsoever there 's no other the Svpreame Court of Judicature of this Land but the House of Commons That all Majesty and Kingship inherently residing in the people or state universall the representation or derivation of it is formally and legally in the state Representative or elect and in none else The Supreame power only of right belonging to the House of Commons they only being chosen by the people 49. That the state universall the body of the common people is the Earthly Soveraign Lord King and Creator of the King Parliaments all Officers and Ministers of Justice Underived Majesty and Kingship inherently resides in the state universal and the King Parliaments c. are their own meer creatures to be accountable to them and disposed of by them at their pleasure the people may recall and re-assume their power question them and set others in their place 50. That whatever the Fundamentall Constitutions of Kingdomes and Common wealths have been by forefathers whatever agreements compacts have been of subjection and obedience of such a people for themselves and posterities to one as under Kingly government or to more yet the men of the present age following many hundred years after ought to be absolutely free from what their forefathers yeelded unto and freed from all kinds of exorbitancies molestations without exception or limitation either in respect of persons officers degrees or things and estated in their naturall and just Liberties agreeable to right reason 51. That the House of Commons cannot have any power nor exercise any power justly but what the people who chose them conferred upon them and the common people having given them no power to establish Religion as having no such power in themselves and therefore could not conferre that which they had not therefore the House of Commons cannot assume a power to controule Religion or a way of Church Government upon the people and although the Kings Writ for chusing Knights and Burgesses implies the establishment of Religion yet all implications in the Writs of the Establishment of Religion showeth that in that particular as many other we remain under the Norman yoak of an unlawfull power from which we ought to free ourselves and the House of Commons ought not to maintain upon us but to abrogate 52. That seeing all men are by nature the Sons of Adam and from him have legitimatly derived a naturall propriety right and freedom Therefore England and all other Nations and all particular persons in every Nation notwithstanding the difference of Lawes and Governments rancks and degrees ought to be alike free and estated in their naturall Liberties and to enjoy the just Rights and Prerogative of mankind whereunto they are Heirs apparent and thus the Commoners by right are equall with the Lords For by naturall birth all men are equally and alike born to like propriety liberty and freedom and as we are delivered of God by the hand of nature into this world every one with a naturall innate freedom and propriety even so are we to live every one equally and alike to enjoy his birth-right and priviledge 53. That the body of the people may do all that lawfully of themselves which their Deputies Trustees Representors chosen ones do for them only for greater conveniency they Depute them and they may go no further in any thing nor sit no longer nor dispose of any thing but according to their Commission and power received from the Represented I might here also annex to these Errours many strange and false Expositions of Scripture given by Sectaries in their Sermons and Discourses but I will only give two or three 1 That of Matthew 28. v. 18. Allpower is given to me in heaven and in earth By heaven there is meant the uncreated heaven there are the created heavens and the uncreated heaven here is meant the uncreated heaven the God-head so that the meaning of these words is all the uncreated power of the God-head is given to Jesus Christ 2 That of Genesis the ninth And surely your bloud of your lives will I require at the hand of every beast will I require it That by Beast there was meant a wicked man 3 That of Luke 24. To day shalt thou be with me in paradise that to day was to be referred to Christs saying so not to the time when he should be in Paradise of which the Reader may find more in some following pages 100. 101. In my First and Second Parts of Gangraena page 28. 29. of the First Part Third Edition and in page 1. and 117. of the Second Part Second Edition I have laid down some Tenets of the Sectaries destructive to Civill Government and humane Society but now in this Third Part among these Errors mentioned I have discovered much more of their Anarchicall and Antimagistraticall spirit many of these last Errors plainly showing they are enemies to all Government Order and Distinction and would bring all into a popular confusion and reduce all Common-wealths and Kingdoms into such a condtion as they were before they had Laws Customes of Nations Rulers over them and that as often as the weak judgements and humours of the giddy in constant multitude pleased and this spirit of Anarchy fully showes it self in many whole Books written on purpose some Sermons many Speeches and in many late practises of the Sectaries I have forborne quoting in the margine one or more particular Bookes with the Pages just against the Errours for proof as I have done in other Errors because not only one Book
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 â—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 Dyâ—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 hâ—â—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 â—irst that sowed the seeds of Anabaptism Anti-sabbatariâ—â—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 â—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 Minâ—â—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 oâ— 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 Citizeâ—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
up they have not a word to say And see how the Lord blesses them all their enemies in Scotland are routed and brought to nothing The King refuses to proclaime Montrosse and his adherents Rebels But the King of kings hath taken the quarrell into his own hand and utterly dispersed them I have not time to write the particulars only to let you know I am Your assured friend R. Balsom May 21. 1646. A Passage Extracted out of a Letter written from a godly Minister in Suffolk to a speciall Friend of his in London HEre in the Country Malignants and Sectaries do generally murmure against the Scots and would be glad to hear that the Armies should go against them which I pray God prevent I pray that this Nation do not so requite their labour of love and faithfulnesse unto us May 19. 1646. A Copy of a Letter written to me from a friend out of Kent Worthy Sir SInce you are so pleased as both in your former and latter Letters to take notice of me in your kinde salutes give me leave to take notice of your kindnesse and re-salute you and both in my own name and in the name of a friend of yours to let you know we have not only run over but read your Second part of Gangraena â—nd therein observe your willingnesse if it be possible to cure that evill by sucking out the corrupt blood which is the method of the most careful Chyrurgions that are not so dainty as desirious of their Patients recovery Nimius amor et admiratio personâ—rum hath hitherto been a great inlet to all Heresies whence they say Cyprian unice admirans Tertullianum et antonomastice often calling him his Master sucked in that errour of his concerning the nullitie of Baptism administred by Hereticks yea so did Nestorius through his admiration of Anastasius find fault with some expressions So subject are most men jurare in verba magistri which Plutarch also well observes in his Book de Auditione And therefore we do freely professe we cannot dislike your practise in lessning their credit that are corrupters Christ Jesus himself and all his Apostles heretofore endeavoured no lesse Yea and if Mr. Saltmarsh why may not you as warrantably distinguish and say as he doth concerning the old Non-conformists That it is the old man of your adversaries you write against and not their new or themselves so far as they are men so far as they are lovers of themselves and have only a form of godlinesse c. Surely the man would be hardly put to it â—o undertaâ—e to maintain his own and yet take away your distinction who will easily we doubt not answer not only him but all others in whom we see but little wisdome though perhaps some wit in inventing as Apothecaries are wont for their Boxes such specious titles for their Books as those whereof Jacobus Acontius complains in an Epistle of his to Johannes Wolphius Nullam ad rem ingeniosi sunt praeterquam ad speciosos titulos excogitandum quibus ex hominum manibus bonos libros extorqueant ac suos eorum loco obâ—â—udant et tam stolidum est vulgus ut quos expuere debuisset suspiciat nonnunquam celebret c. Certainly Mr. Saltmarsh doth not only want a grain but a whole bushell of salt to season his unsavory mouth opened not only against you but the reverend learned and judicious Mr. Gataker together with the whole City and all the Orthodox Ministery who might ask him more then ever he would be able to Answer if they should but chatechize him concerning his Baptisme whether it be of the first or second or third or fourth sort what think you is he not a Sebaptist a Seeker We are sure if all be true I lately heard from a good friend of yours in these parts that he the said Mr. Saltmarsh at a meeting of sundry Ministers of this County at Maidstone publikely professed in presence of them all his endeavour was to forget whatsoever formerly he had known and seemed to wish they might be all of his mind untill one Minister who was then and there present â—old him merrily He was but a young man and such as himself might happily wish with Themistocles that they had the art of Oblition but as for his own part he had too many gray hairs to desire to forget whatsoever he had learned least he might not have time to learn so much again The Committee of Kent intended by their late order the suppression of sundry Petitions of dangerous consequence that were handed up and down by our Sectaries and towards the promoting whereof the new Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Mr. Hugh Peters was as I am informed come down to Maidstone to visit this his Diocesse as he usually calls it The most and best of our Ministers hereabouts for all I can learn are willing if they must die to be buried as valiant Ensign bearers in their colours There is a merry story told by a Baron of the Ports or Jurate of the town of Sandwich concerning Mr. Symonds the Independent who hath a living there One coming to him to be Catechized he sent him to a Mechanick of that Town to Catechize him for him and when his Father in law Mr. H. another Jurate of the same Town expostulated the case with him and asked him the reason why he would do so his Answer as Mr. F. related it was that one Goose might best teach another to eate So merry are our most demure Independents Among whom if there be a Stoick he is the most in shew who hath lately as t is reported got an addition of meanes to the Benefice he yet holds though it were formerly valued at above 100. pounds and he himself be absolutely in show against all tithes himself therfore will not but lets his wife receive them who whether he were not ab origine as well as Mr. Saltmarsh a comick your self may best find out or we will if you please but to get us a writ Ad melius inquirendam till then we may perhaps the rather think them to have been such being so still men that personate abundance of austerity but are c. June 22. 1646. Some passages taken out of two Letters written from a godly Minister out of the country to a reverend and godly Minister in London who shewed me the Letters I Have read Mr. Edwards Book thorough and as a friend to deal freely I professe Morney in my opinion never gave a greater blow to Papists then he hath given to the Sectaries and that which is yet more soberly sadly As for the whole businesse of Webb of Milton taken before Colonel K. a Minister thereabouts hath promised to send M. Edwards an eâ—act narration The working I see of some humours makes me hope the summer is past and it is neer the autume of schism which had its spring before c. Only let us all be doing Hugh Peters as I hear was lately at
Maidstone and had a mind to have promoted a Petition among our Sectaries June 15. 1646. OUr common friend M. Edwards his last Book Gangraena of the Second Edition I received this last post together with his Letter I pray let him understand as much and withall let him know I shall my self God willing thank him for both at better leisure and when I have read his Book thorough Surely he spake Prophetically that usually cald him in Cambridge young Luther Faxit Deus that the Sectaries may never be able to deal with him as I doubt not many of them desire whose words would willingly be turned into swords both against him and us all An Extract of a letter written from a godly Minister to me YOur Books I can assure you I find gain savour with all but the common adversary who much increaseth and multiplyeth in these parts where I heard last week at an open ordinary in presence of two of our Deputy Lieutenants that since Kiffen and Lamb have been here re-baptizing now there 's a third man come that contradicts them both and re-baptizeth again So that the poor people begin to stare and stand amazed to think what their deluded disciples will do in the end Many of the Brownists fall to them however their doctor Turner keeps his ground who dispited as some say with Kiffen and drowned him in the red sea till at last they fell both from reasoning to down right railing Poor people I pitty them as also those others then and there spoken of also as one a very honest man otherwise that affirmed lately he thought the Apostles themselves never had more excellent gifts then a company of tradesmen that now preach in private at Sandwich Another it was said there was at Aâ—ch neer Sandwich who was said to say he was Christ but being questioned Answered no he was only Christs mouth and could feed such as were hungry c. though as some say he can hardly feed himself Surely I often now think on Matt. 24 Except in the Wildernesse or in Chambers where is Christ as they think We should gladly see you here I remember it was one of Don Perdroes devices about his first coming into this Country to bring down with him some Ministers out of your City to preach up the Parliament and why should not you to preach down Heresie Schisme Prophanesse that the Country may know of what Religion the City is Certainly I am for such a change of courses as they call it Propheta in patria c. Thus in haste I heartily rest Yours July 6. 1646. A Copy of a Letter from a godly minister in Yorkshire to a friend of his in Lancashire SIR I Returned from York June 3d. Our meeting proved very successesse one of the prime York ministers being the main Remora to our desires which were to write to the Assembly that we would joyn with them in the Presbyterian way according to Gods word to the utmost of our power and to declare against the Erastian principles when it was put to the vote he desired to stay till he had further light I know not whether he meant from the word or from the State There 's so much policy now in the world that it hath eate out if not much of conscience yet very much of our care and zeale in promoting the work of Reformation according to our Covenant nay so far are we degenerated now as I am informed from a good â—and that to be forward and zealous in the Covenant is the sole character of malignancy and only badge of disaffection but I hope it will prevaile in despight of those who having formerly been takers are now the only tramplers upon it We have appointed another meeting at Pomfret on munday seven-night M. R. hath promised to meet the West riding ministers there Some passages taken out of a Letter written from a learned and godly minister in Devonshire to a friend in London I Am resolved to disgest all abuses and contempts and insultations of Sectaries and frustration of hopes so I may honour Christ You will easily see by the inclosed what work is here The Sectaries are grown so confident and insolent that we may say of them as Rivet of Mountague Iâ— quo desideramus hominem for they seem so farre from Religion that they put off humanity A Relation of some stories and other remarkable passages concerning the Sectaries THe 16. of June 1646. It was related to me by a Justice of Peace who was an eare and eye witnesse and by a godly Minister in Northamptonshire that there is one Kendall who in the Bishops times was a great creature of Sir John Lams a bower at the Altar and for all the Innovations but since these times of Sectarisme is turned a great Sectary having renounced his Ministery This man is now a Captaine in Whitlesey the Isle of Ely that Iland of Errors and Sectaries and a great Preacher who comes sometimes to visit Northamptonshire where formerly he was a Curate Now the last Trinity Munday as the day is commonly called on a Faire day in that Country where a great resort of people was Master Basely a godly Minister in those parts being spoken unto to preach and being provided for it this Kendall stept up into the Pulpit before him and preached on that text Rom. 8. For 〈◊〉 yee live after the flesh yee shall dye on which words he preached against humane learning as being flesh and that the Universities were of the Devill Secondly that Adams righteousnesse in Innocencie was but flesh and opposed to the spirit Master Basely in the afternoone preaching confuted his Doctrines this Kendall would have stood up in the Church and have opposed him but was hindred by a Justice of Peace who was present The 10th of June 1646. A godly Minister living in Lincolnshire told me and another City Minister that he hath in his Parish many Manifestarians Disciples and followers of one Thomas Moore spoken of in my First and Second Part of Gangraena who upon his knowledge will keep no dayes of Fast nor none of the dayes of Thanksgiving because they will not give thanks to God for one man killing of another He told me that some of the Manifestarians hold and he hath heard some of them say they had seen Christ and seen the Devill to This Minister related to us that there was a young maiden in his Parish about 16 yeares of age one who preaches to many young men and maidens he named her name and I well remember it but forbeare naming her because being so young happily she may be reclaimed This Thomas Moore comes often into this part of Lincolnshire and divers times to this Towne where he preaches in houses but the last time he was there he preached not and the reason some of the Sectaries give out was because this godly Minister is a persecutor others say because he could not have the use of a great house in that
Saltmarsh Creâ—ensis Walwin Webb and divers other Sectaries who hath been a Man-midwife to bring forth more monsters begotten by the Divell and borne of the Sectaries within this three last years then ever were brought into the light in England by all the former Licensers the Bishops and their Chaplaines for fourescore years he hath licensed Books pleading for all soâ—ts of Sectaries as Seekers Antinomians Anabâ—ptists c. as Sâ—â—t 〈…〉 sh and Walwins Books and for Antibaptists denying since Christs death all Baptisme by water as Wâ—bbâ— Book page 6. where is â—id down that I 〈…〉 Baptisme which was water did end at the coming of Christ and that there is no Baptisme by water instituted by Christ yea for Antiscripturists Arians Anitrinitarâ—ans Questionists and all Blasphemers as is apparent by his licensing that late wicked Pamphlet call'd Some modest and humble Queries concerning a printed paper Intituled an Ordinance presented to the Honourable House of Commons c. where if the Reader do but compare the former part of that Ordinance in what cases only that Ordinance inflicts death viz. upon the wilfull and obstinate publishers of such damnable Heresies and Blasphemies with the second Quere made upon that Ordinance whether it be agreeable to the mind of Christ for men to inflict the heavie censure of death upon their Brethren for holding forth such Doctrines or opinions in Religion suppose contrary to admonition which for ought the Inflicters know except they make themselves infallible may be the sacred truths of God he must needs find thus much pleaded for that therefore such blasphemies and Heresies contained in the Ordinance yea Atheisme it self for that is in the Ordinance that God is may not be punished with death because for ought any man knowes they may be the â—acred truths of God and the maintainers and publishers of them our Brethren So that at once in this Quere upon the Ordinance all the fundamentalls of Christian Religion are overthrown and such Doctrines and opinions as are contrary unto them for ought any man knowes except he make himself inâ—allible may be the sacred truths of God yea grosse Scepticisme and Atheisme is brought into the Church This Master Bachiler hath Licensed severall Pamphlets for a Toleration yea noâ— only for a limited bounded Toleration of some Sects and opinions as suppose Anabaptists Independents but for a Universall gâ—nerall Toleration of all consciences and opinions as may be seen in Walwins Books licensed by him yea he hath licensed unlice 〈…〉 sed Books printed before he was borne as a Pamphlet entituled Religious Peace made by one Leonard Busher and printed 1614. wherein there is a pleading for a Toleration of Papists Jewes â—very person or persons differing in Religion and that it may be lawfull for them to write dispute confer print and publish any matter touching Religion either for or against whomsoever And that the wickednesse of Master Bachiler the Independent may the more appear I desire the Reader to observe in his licensing this and some other Books these following particulars First He gives not a bare Imprimatur to his Book of Bushers but gives his Imprimatur with a speciall Recommendation in these words This usefull Treatise entituled Religious Peace long since presented by a Citizen of London to King James and the High Court of Parliament then sitting I allow to be reprinted and so to some of Saltmarshes Books Smoake in the Temple Groanes for Liberty Reasons for Vnity Love and Peace c. We have Imprimaturs with speciall approbations and discourses of the lovelinesse exellenty sweetnesse glory shining in them Secondly in the reprinting of this Book for generall Toleration call'd Religious Peace Master Bachiler made some materiall alterations and writ in the margins of such places in the Book where some speciall passages were for Toleration that they should be printed in a great letter differing from the letter in which the body of the Book was printed for that end no doubt that the Reader might better observe them and this I was told from a person of some quality and a Scholler who saw the Originall Book wherein such alterations were made and told me they were the same hand with that whiâ—h gave License to the Book I shall give the Reader an instance or two and no more whereas Bushers Copie page 16 is thus Therefore I humbly desire his Majestie and Parliament with all godly carefulnesse to consider that 't is not possible that the Church of Rome called Catholick or those that ate descended of her and have received their Faith and Discipline from her ever was or could be the Apostolick Church call'd Primitive Church or shee that is descended from her Master Bacheler changes it from Faith and Discipline into Ministery and Ordination reading it thus and have received their Ministery and Ordination from her That passage in the old Edition page 11. printed in the same letter the whole Book is viz. Therefore as the Papist when they complaine of the Turks and Pagans for their bloody persecution do therein condemne themselves because they are found to do the same yea worse for 't is a greater tyrannie for one Christian to force and kill another then for Turks and Pagans to kill a Christian for that is no such great wonder seeing it is a Paganish part who have no better knowledge but Christians should have better knowledge and more mercy then to play the Pagans against Christians is in this new Edition printed in a different character a greater letter neither is this the only Book wherein 't is discovered John Bachiler treads in the steps of some Licensers who went before him being acquainted with Index Expurgatorius but in Webbs Book he altered and changed as in the second part of Gangraena I at large have shewed The man hath justified and acquitted the former Licensers Doctor Baker Doctor Bray Doctor Heyward Doctor Weeks and the rest of that race who in the point of licensing were Saints to him who hath licensed such books and things that I am confident none of them durst have done for feare the people would have risen up and torne them in peeces and certainly the people would never have borne with such books in the Bishops dayes besides should any man before the sitting of this Parliament have writ or licensed such Books of which good store have been both writ and licensed within this three last years that man or men whoever they had been had without all question been first questioned and proceeded against by this Parliament of all men This Bachiler is such a desperate Licenser that nothing now in that kind can stick with him having swallowed down those wicked Queries upon the Ordinance against Heresies and Blasphemies and I am afraid that if the Devill himselfe should make a book and give it the Title A plea for liberty of conscience with certaine Reasons against Persecution for Religion and bring it to Mr. Bachiler hee would license it and
have said to him in the second part of Gangraena and shall say in this third I purpose to reckon with him once for all in another Tractate This Master Saltmarsh this last half year hath much followed the Army a fit place for him and of him and his Doctrine there the Reader if he turne back â—o page 45. may read more When Oxford was taken he was one of those famous Preachers who preached at Saint Marles as the weekly newes Books gave it out as fit a man to credit the Parliament and the Reformation with the Universitie as his Brother Peters Master Saltmarsh being to preach in the Army on a Fast day this Summer made a Preface by way of Apologie that he preached not for the Fast he would not he understood to preach as upon that occasion or that his Sermon was a Fast Sermon He hath been at Bath this year and there in one of the lesser Churches preached that at John Baptist wore a leatherne girdle so his Doctrine was leather at Doctrine He would have preached at the great Church but the Minister would not give way whereupon he came to the Ministers house to contest with him about denying him his Pulpit and speaking so of him to them who came for leave especially seeing he had never seen him before unto whom the Minister replyed he had heard of him by M. John Ley and Master Thomas Edwards and was fully satisfied concerning him besides he said I have heard of one Master Saltmarsh who in the time of the former differences between the King and the Scots viz. before this Parliament made verses to incense the King to Warre against the Scots when he went into the North and that when the late Oath made by the Bishops of c. came forth went many miles to an Archdeaâ—on to take that Oath upon his knees unto which Master Saltmarsh replyed he was then in his darknesse and the Minister of Bath rejoyned he thought him to be still in the smoak There is Cretensis alias Master John Goodwin a monstrous Sectary a compound of Socinianisme Arminianisme Libertinisme Antinomianisme Independency Popery yea and of Seep 〈…〉 cisme as holding some opinions proper to each of these This man for twelve yeares last past hath disturbed the City of London with broaching continually one Error or other which was the true cause why the Bishops and their Chap 〈…〉 es suffered him though in severall particulars irregular according to the Bishops wayes to preach when they put down others and would not suffer them and all because by his conceits and fancies he would disturb the Puritan party I could alledge what Mr Burton coming to 〈…〉 e him in those times prophessed of him what M. Thomas Goodwin hath said of him for his opinions about justification and what others of the Church-way have said of him but I shall reserve them A Reverend and learned Divine of another Kingdome hearing him pray and preach gave this judgement of him before he turned Independent that he had hereticum ingenium his genius seemed to be for Error and as some men discover a naturall inclination and a disposition to one evill more then another some to theft being given more to st 〈…〉 ling some to lying so is Master Goodwin to Heresie and Error seems to be made for a Heretick I shall instance now only in a few things by which the Reader may judge of the man and of his way A very godly and judicious Minister told me that he being at London about Spring was a twelve month he went to heare Master Goodwin preach who preaching upon that subject how hard a thing it was to beleeve the Gospel aggravated the hardnesse of beleeving by these Reasons one was because there were many contradictions in the Scripture as they appeared to us and he instanced in divers as about Justification c. A second was because take two men of equall abilities for holinesse learning parts and these shall expound the Scripures different wayes so that which Exposition shall a man take to in this case Now besides these he gave divers others such Reasons never salving or reconciling any of them so that the Minister professed to me he trembled to heare him and hath looked upon him ever since as a wicked man judgeing the scope of his preaching was â—ather to make unbeleevers and Atheists then to work Faith in men Another godly Minister tells me that some judicious hearers among the rest a Gentleman of parts going to heare him preach on a Lords day he then was upon the Majestie of the Scriptures and among other instances to prove the Majestie of the Scriptures he spoke of the contradictions in the Scripture and went over many particulars and so left them without any solution or Answer at which this Gentleman was so offended that he spâ—â—e of this to divers the same day and said the Sermon was enough to have made all them Atheists who heard it A godly Minister in the City hearing him preach and as I remember it was on his Tuseday Lecture at his Conventicle house upon that point that there were many necessary truths that cannot be proved by Scriptures save only by a strong hand of Reason and instancing in that point of proving Christ to be God he runne over those Scriptures brought to prove Christ to be God and answered them with the Arian and Socinians evasions and so left them never taking away those Answers as if the man would in a subtle close way whil'st he seemed to prove somthing else and confute the Anabaptists sow the seeds of Socinianisme This Minister was much troubled at it spake of it to many Ministers of the City how no Socinian could have pleaded against Christ being God more then M. Goodwin so far as concerned the eluding of those Scriptures which are the proofs of it and could not but leave a tincture in the mind of the Auditors that it could not be proved by Scripture that Jesus Christ was God seeing the cheif and most pregnant places for it were so Answered These practises and way of Cretensis brings to my mind the practise of Sebastian Franck a Learned man and indeed the most Learned Sectary of all the Sectaries in these latter times both before him and in his age who hath written a Book ex professo to shew the discordances of Scriptures laying down many instances in this kind and so leaving them without shewing any harmony or agreement Which Franck being a great Seeker and Enthusiast did it without all question upon a designe to drawe men off from the Scriptures to Revelations Two religious and understanding Citizens told me the tenth of June last and said they could bring many more to attest it that they heard not long before Master John Goodwin preach at his Conventicle as followes That we should not condemne any thing for an Error till we had taken as much paines in the searching out whether it were so or no as
least twenty times and saw nothing in it that men should make such a stir about it Wâ— spake to him of his speaking in his Sermon against the City R 〈…〉 st he stood to justifie what he had said and calld it a wicked thing and being asked wherin he said there was a passage in it that no godly man must live amongst us or have any place of trust in the Kingdome being told there was no such passage in the Remonstrance and that he being a Minister might be ashamed to speak that which was so false a friend of his standing by said Master Peters meant it was so in effect and Master Peters said that we would let no Sectaries as wee term'd â—hem live or have any place of trust amongst us and for his part hee was an Independent and one of those we termed Sectaries and in that no Independent nor Sectary might have any places of trust that implyed the godly it being replyed the word Independent was not expressed in the Remonstrance he affirmed it was but other discourse put of the examination of it Master Peters said what would we have and asked if we did not live well and quietly enough and might not follow our Trades and businesse in peace and why should we trouble our selves with these things the Sects and Schismes did us no harme we told him there was other danger besides our Trades they destroyed soules and wee were bound by our Covenant to oppose Heresies and Schismes and asked him whether or no it was not lawfull and warrantable to Remonstrate or Petition against sinne and â—â—rour and whether our late Petitions against Popery and Prelacy were not Justifiable and whether or no he had not a hand in that against Bishops He answered he thought Errors did not so destroy soules and that he could worke upon a Papist as soon as one of your Protestants And for the Bishops had not they troubled him in his temporalls by taking from him his maintenance and subsistence he had never molested or troubled them for he knew not but that the Papists Prelats and we might live quietly together and serve God in love and peace And being asked then how the Parliament could justiful their quarrell and Warre yet on foot seeing they opposed both by open Armes terming it in all their Declarations the cause of God and Religion He answered that the true cause was not for Religion for he knew no word of God to warrant fighting or taking up of Armes in the cause of Religion but it was only to maintain our civill rights and liberties and there being discourse of the Magistrats power he asked what the Magistrate had to do in Religion answer was made the Magistrate had power to put Blasphemers and Idolaters to death Master Peters replyed yes in the old law but none in the Gospel He being asked by what power they in New-England did banish for opinions he made a kind of a slight answer saying they did but send them over a River out of the Patent and would you would give us Cornwell we would be content to live there He being spoken to about what he said of the King was asked whether wee ought not to use all lawfull wayes for bringing the King unto his people seeing he lately had made such faire offers Master Peters replyed we might trust him if we would but if we knew what Letters of his they had lately intercepted in the Army we would soon be of another mind Master Peters asked us whether as we came to him about what he preached had we ever been with Master Edwards about what he had written against the Saints we told him we conceived Master Edwards had written nothing against the Saints neither was what he had written any offence to us as what he had preached was and that we had cause to beleeve what Mr Edwards had written was true he being a godly Minister Master Peters asked what had he to do with the particular infirmities of particular men we told him as he was a Minister of the Gospel he had to do with them as Paul had to do with Hâ—meneus Rhileâ—as Master Peters said that was in matter of Faith but Master Edwards had medled with the Saints in matters of practise to which wee replyed that Saint John wrote against Diotrophes in point of practise and wherein men made their seeming holinesse a meanes for the receiving of their Erroneous opinions there was cause that their practises should be spoken against to undeceive people and so parting with him one of us advised him to forbear his practises for hee laboured to deceive the people June the third 1646. I walking in Westminister Hall Master Peters meeting me spake to me that I had abused him in Print and that I had broken a Gospel rule which was If thy Brother offend thee go and tell him his fault between him and thee alone I answered him I had not transgressed the rule for that was in case of private ofâ—â—nding but he had publikely preached and vented himself and private telling would not have been a remedy sufficient he said I had wronged him in those things I had written of him and that coming twice up from the Army each time he found himself in a Book of mine I told him I would prove them and name time and place when and where delivered and he was like to be in a third Book whereupon hee call'd me Knave and stincking â—ellow I answered him he had abused our Brethren of Scotland and I told him what I had written I would make good and so spake quick and freely to him whereupon he said speak not so loud and threatned to beate me or fall about my eares saying I spake against the Saints I replyed Paul Best Wrighter c. such Saints but he made nothing to speak against the Reformed Churches and Presbyterians in his Sermons and they were no Saints with him some other discourse there passed at the same time between us but no more of it now And lastly that the Reader may judge of Master Peters by his discourse I was told it within these few weeks from good hands upon occasion of pigeons being on a table that Master Peters at that table spake what a world of pigeoâ—s they had in New-England how hee had seen such a flight there such a â—â—mber at once even covering the heavens and being asked whence they should come he answered from an Island not far off which was twenty miles long and three miles broad which was so full of pigeons that the Island was all covered over with pigeons dunâ— two foot deep Now as I have given the Reader some passages of his Sermons and discourses so I will give a taste of the man by eâ—tracting a few things out of some of his Pamphlets and I will begin with his Book call'd Mr Peters last Report of the English Wars which a great Commander of the Army commonly call's Peters Politicks upon which
readinesse to hear the grievanâ—s of the subjects and their power pleaded for and that by Lilburne himself pag. 74 75. of his Pamphlet call'd â—nnocency and â—ruth justified where pleading to have his businesse of his sentence in Star-Chamber to be transmitted up to the Lords from the He use of Commons by way of Answer to Objections against it he hath these words If I be transmitted up to the Lords I confidently beleeve I shall get forward out of the former experiences of that Justice that I have found there and I will instance two particulars first when I was Prisoner in the Fleet c. but that 's too long for me to write down and I shall rather refâ—rre the Reader to the Book pag. 74. Secondly May 4. 1641. the King accused me of high Treason and before the Lords Barre was I brought for my life where although one Litleton servant to the Prince swore point blanck against me yet had I free liberty to speak for my selfe in the open House and upon my desire that Master Andrewes also might declare upon his Oath what he knew about my businesse it was done and his Oath being absolutely contradictory to Master Litletons I was both freed from Litletons malice and the Kings accusation at the Barre of the whole House and for my part I am resolved to speak well of those that have done me justice and not to doubt they will deny it me till such time as by experience I find they doe it And in pag. 56. of Lilburnes Innocency and Truth justified he writes thus Againe I say a Commiâ—tee of the House of Commons is not the whole Parliament no nor the whole House of Commons it selfe according to their owne Principles and therefore in my judgement they are not to act contrary to a known and received Law and therefore cannot justly imprison any man contrary thereunto neither by a Committee of theirs nor by the whole House of Commons it self they being not according to their own Principles the whole Parliament but a part of it and therefore that which is established by the whole as a Law is by 3. Estates and 〈◊〉 Ordinance by 2. Estates cannot justly be contradicted by a part namely the H. of Com. but one Estate much lesse by one of their Committees which is but a branch of that one Estate and therefore for my part I judge a Law to be a Law untill it be made voide by all the three Estates that made it or at least by the two Estates joyntly that takes vpon them to make Ordinances in this time of necessity to make voide a Law at present c. And therefore I am absâ—lutely of this minde that neither a Committee of the House of Commons nor the whole House of Commons together can justly imprison me or any other contrary to law against which at present there is not some Ordinance made both by them and the Peers publike at present to overthrow it But I have severall times been imprisoned both by Committees and by vote of the House of Commons it self contrary to a known Law made this present Parliament by themselves against which there is at present no Ordinance published and declared by them and the Peers for the cognizance Ergo I say they are tyed in justice according to the tenor of this Law to give me reparations against those persons that were cheife instruments either in Committees or in the House of Commons it self to vote and take away my liberty from me contrary to this Lâ—w and for my part I do accordingly expect my reparations for my late causelesse molestations and imprisonments And as Lilburne in these passages gives the House of Lords an equall legislative power with the Commons making them one of the three Estates as well as the Commons and expresly saith the Commons are but a part of the Parliament and that the Commons cannot make void a Law unlesse it be by the two Estates joyntly viz. the Lords and Commons all which are contrary to the many wicked Pamphlets printed in this year 1646. by which the Reader may observe what difference there is between the same Sectaries in the year 1645. and the year 1646. such new light hath the successe of the new Modell and the recruit of the House of Commons brought to the Sectaries so Lilburne and the Sectaries by many actions of theirs have owned and established the power of the House of Lords as well as of the Commons as In their severall Petitions to the Lords House as well as Commons for abolishing Episcopacy and in severall other particulars which clearly proves the legislative power of the Lords as well as Commons for is not that a part of legislative power to repeale former Lawes Statutes as wel as to make new and if the Lords had not a power over Commoners that of Judicature why was Lilburne so earnest with the House of Commons and in print expresses to the great and high abuse of the House of Commons their delaying of having their votes transmitted concerning his sentence in Sar-chamber yea and that against some Members of the House of Commons by name Again if all the power were in the House of Commons why did he not rest contented with their votes but desire the Lords concurrance and that for the punishing even of Members of the House of Commons as in page 75. pressing the Commons to transmit their votes by way of answer to an objection What justice can you expect from the Lords seeing Master Smart hath spent foure or five hundred pounds he shewes his cause to be different from Master Smarts in that he is to have justice upon those whose estates are not sequestred as Master Smarts Adversaries were but some of them still sit in both Houses And lastly if the House of Lords have no power to try or judge Lilburne a Commoner but their offering so to do be a high usurpation invasion of the Commons rights why did not Lilburne when he was accused of high treason before the Lords Barre upon his life as himself makes the relation page 74. appeale then from the House of Lords to the House of Commons And as Lilburne himself the head of the Sectaries in these Anti-Parliamentary principles owned the power of the Lords equall with the Commons and prefer'd their justice before that of the House of Commons though not chosen by the people so Cretensis alias * Master John Goodwin brings Arguments from the House of Commons being chosen by the people against their power of making Lawes in matters Ecclesiasticall and the peoples submitting to them because they are chosen by the riffe raffe of the Land all sorts of men worldly men drunkards c. having a right of nominating persons to a Parliamentary trust and power These are a secular root out of which Cretensis conceives an impossibility that a spirituall extraction should be made For who can bring a cleane thing out of an
that would be a great sinne in him And now lately this October or at the latter end of September he preached on that Text in Thames-street Wee are not of the night but of the day upon which Text he delivered matter to this effect that since the Apostles times or presently after them there had been a great night but now the day was breaking out after a long night and light was coming every day more then other and there were many Gospel priviledges and of the new Jerusalem that we should then enjoy In that day there should be no Ordinances to punish men for holding opinions there should be no Confessions of Faith there every one should have the liberty of their consciences then as in Micah 't is prophesied of those Gospel times All people will walke every one in the name of his God and wee will walke every one in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever which place was brought for liberty of conscience by him And in that day neither Episcopacy nor Presbytery nor any others should intermeddle or invade the rights of the Saints many such flings he had and this Sermon was preached just upon that time when the Ordinance against Heresies was taken into debate and the Confession of Faith to be brought into the House of Commons so that by these and many more particulars his hints about dipping often and suffering such shewes what the first fruits of these Itinerary Preachers are and what a sad thing 't is men so principled should go among such a people as the Welch with so large a power of preaching as he and his fellowes have Master Sympson the Independent preaching presently after the second part of Gangraena came forth at Black-Friars on June 12. as 't is given me under ones hand and in his Sermon discoursing about the Angels bringing no railing accusation against Satan he advised his people how to behave themselves at this time now the Saints infirmities were laid open First not answer a word as the King of Judah commanded those he sent to Rabshakeh Secondly to pray against them yea and to pray against them by name for God would avenge them Reader take notice of the charity and love of Independents to their Presbyterian Brethren to stirre up the people to pray against them and that by name with giving them an incourragement from Gods avenging which I never read was practised by the Primitive Church but only against Julian the Apostate whom the Church judged with one consent to have sinned against the Holy Ghost These Independents and Sectaries did in many Books before my first part of Gangraena came forth name many Presbyterian godly Ministers and others laying open infirmities committed long before yea abusing Members of both Houses and worthy persons by writing lyes and false things of them as that religious and Noble Earle of Manchester Master Pryn Colonell King Master Calamy with many more and have abused by name in printed Books lately many able and godly Ministers of the Assembly as Master Vines Master Marshall Master Sedgwick Master Gataker Master Ley Master Newcomen Master Seaman Master Hill Doctor Burges with some City Ministers and this is no fault in the Sectaries neither are these worthy men Saints be like in the Independent Kalender nor may the Presbyterians I hope pray against Master Saltmarsh Cretensis Lilburne and others of them by name but for Master Edwards because he hath written of the damnable Errors Heresies and Blasphemies of these times and the better to preserve the people and to make them take heed hath given the names of some of the prime seducers Wrighter Erbury Hich Wallwyn Denne Kissin Lambe Lilburne c. not Saints in his Creed nor their opinions and wayes infirmities but deliberated plotted abominations therefore hee must be prayed against and that by name and as Master Sympson gives him his blessing so his Brother Borroughs presently after the coming forth of the Antapologie preaching at Cornhill was speaking of some that laid open the infirmities of the Saints and that raked up Letters stories and all to bring out against the Saints but of such saith he I will say no more but as Michael the Archangell the Lord rebuke thee which in the carriage of the passage and way of expression was so evidently against me that I beleeve of godly Ministers and Christians twenty told me of it and they said many who heard him spoke of it and said it was a poor thing of Master Burroughs to speak so in the Pulpit he should do well to answer the Book Now as for the prayers of the Sectaries against me and their curses I would have them know that though I am sorry for them they should do so yet I feare not their curses but well understand that when they curse God will blesse and that the curse causelesse shall not come Prov. 26. 2. besides I know in this very thing I have more with me then against me and in many Countries of this Kingdome both North and West I am assured from godly Ministers and Citizens who have been with me that I am in an especiall manner prayed for and many thanks given to God in my behalf for enabling me and stirring me up to this work against the Sectaries There is a godly Minister of Cheshire who was lately in London that related with a great deale of confidence this following story as a most certaine truth known to many of that County that this last Summer the Church of Duckingfield of which Master Eaton and Master Taylor are Pastor and Teacher being met in their Chappell to the performing of their worship and service as Master Eaton was preaching there was heard the perfect sound as of a man beating a martch on a drum and it was heard as coming into the Chappell and then as going up all along the I le through the people and so about the Chappell but nothing seen which Master Eaton preaching and the people that sate in the severall parts of the Chappell heard insomuch that it terrified Master Eaton and the people caused him to give over preaching and fall to praying but the martch still beating they broke up their exercise for that time and were glad to be gone Now I conceive this passage of Providence towards these Independents speaks thus much to them and to the Kingdom especially considering this Church of Duckingfield is the first Independent Church visible and framed that was set up in England being before the Apologists came from Holland and so before their setting up their Churches here in London First that the Independents are for wars desirous of wars to maintain and uphold their Independent Churches by them and thirst for a new warre with Scotland as much as ever an unhappy boy did to be at fisty-cuffes with another boy and for that end provoke the Scots all kind of wayes study all wayes to make a breach with them Secondly The warres
naught with him and they were taken in the act this is knowne to many in London and some to whom shee had â—o commended her askt her what shee thought now In Bermondsey Parish there is a Sectary hath committed adultery with another mans wife and for it he hath beene before a Justice of Peace and could not deny it There is an Independent Preacher who hath lectured in and about London one of M. Greenhils Church as t is commonly said who hath carried himselfe unchastly towards a young woman having a husband an old man and towards a young maiden who was to warm his bed after Preaching he did things unseemly and would have gone further but the married wife acquainted her husband abominating this young Independent saying does he thinke I am such a one as to be his whore and the young maiden to resist him burnt his hands with the warming-Pan to keep him off from her There are divers other instances of their uncleannesse and filthines but I must reserve them for a fourth part and wish the Reader for the present with theâ—e here related to joyne other such relations of the sectaries uncleannesses as are mentioned in the former parts of Gangraena and in precedent pages of this third part 3. Many of the Sectaries in these times are given to drink and wil fit tippling all the day there are divers Sectarian Troopers faulty in this kind I have been told a story of the drunkennes of an Independent Captain in the Army and of the complaint against him and how he was brought off and continued in his command for al that but t is too large to relate particulars A godly Minister tels me of a speciall freind of his that is fallen to be a drunkard and a sot since turned an Independent I have beene told a story of an Independent a member of a famous Independ Church here in London that was taken drunk in the night by the Watch and carried to the Counter and next morning carried before an Alderman Many other instances there are with instances of many drunkards turning Independents and Anabaptists but I must passe them by for present 4. Many Sectaries and Independents are very loose in the generall course of their lives and take a great deale of liberty which the Presbyterians dare not take neither did they before they turned Independents many of them make little of the Lords day nothing at all of Fast dayes nor of Thanksgiving dayes not of the fifth of November many of them will play at Cards and Tables and use liberally other kind of sports and recreations they will plead for going to Playes and thousands of them are carelesse in all holy duties casting of Prayer singing of Psalmes reading the Scriptures repeating of Sermons instructing their families yea many are not ashamed to speak against them I have beene told for certaine there are Sectaries will sweare by their tender consciences and all the Sectaries generally take more liberty in brave and fashionable apparell in long haire in jesting and laughing in loose and idle discourses then godly strict Christians use to take many of them preach seldomer then before turned Independents and will have a care they take not too much paines 5. Many Sectaries are very guilty in cosening and deceiving both the publike and particular persons I am perswaded if all that the Sectaries have cozened the State in of monyes that they have received and never brought in of moneys paid them for such services which they never performed of monyes paid them for bad commodities and not valuable were known it would amount to a great masse of money I have been told divers stories from good handâ— of moneys received in Kent by Sectaries and never brought in to the publike but pocketed up of some Sectarian Chaplaines that have received for pay good summs of money and never gave the Regiments to which they belonged a Sermon or ever looked after them of two Sectaries that would have hired a poor man to have sworne falsly against a woman one Mistris B. by which they hoped to have gotten fiftie pounds of a great Independent who mingled with Silver base mettle of lead brasse iron and so carried it into the Tower in great Ingots to be melted and to have money according to the weight of it and is now in question for it he being at last found out but I cannot stand to enlarge any further and the Reader may find more instances in this kind in the Appendix of the first part of Gangraena and in this third part page 25. and 26. 6. The Sectaries are guilty of grosse lying slandring jugling falsifying their word and promises so that a great Book would not contain the particulars and I have thoughts to set them forth in a Tractate by themselves I could relate at large notorious lyes raised by some of them of godly Ministers of the Assembly and City of which not the least colour or ground for as also promises and engagements made by some of them to persons of worth Ministers and others upon their coming in and being chosen for places which they have not only not performed but afterwards boldly denyed any such promises with many things of this kind I could tell also of propagating and supporting the credit of the Independent party by many lies told in Pulpits written in Letters and printed on purpose of the great valour and gallantry of such and such Sectaries in the Army when as Presbyterian Commanders performed these very services and of many Relations Printed of such and such unworthy things done by Presbyterian forces and Commanders when no such matter but I must for beare particulars and for present do referre the Reader to Master Pryns Lyar Confounded to Master Calamics Answer and Apologie against Master Burton to Doctor Bastwicks Books written against the Independents and particularly his Book written against Lilburne and his last Book entituled The utter-routing of the whole Army of the Independents and Sectaries page 357 358. 7. The Sectaries are guilty of excessive pride boasting and trusting in Armes of flesh as in that Army under Sir Thomas Fairfax I do not think that in this latter age of the world the great Tuck the Spaniard or any other Nation have gloried and trusted more in any one Army of theirs or attributed greater things to it then the Independents have done to that which they call theirs O how strangely have they boasted and trusted in it as if humane things were not changeable as if that Army could conquer all the world recover the Palatinate Ireland and give Laws to France Lorraine Constantinople c. and do whatsoever they pleased I have beene told from an honest and faithfull Commander in the Army that Master Peters speaking of the Army said they wanted nothing but more Nations to conquer and his folly in this kind is extant in print of which the Reader may find some Animadversions upon it by me in the 133 134.
divers particular Members of both Houses by name but as conjunct in their Authority Power and that in both the senses in which the Parliament is taken whether as we meane the three Estates in Parliament in their Legislative power the King the Lords the Commons or whether the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament making the highest Court to punish other Courts and offendors according to Lawes already made and having a power to make Ordinances and to set out rules and directions in emergent occasions of the Kingdome till a Law can be made Now in the first acception of Parliament the Sectaries have by word writing and all their proceedings especially of late overthrowne Parliaments and the fundamentall constitution of the three estates King Lords and Commons and that in denying all Legislative power to the King and Lords and of three Estates leaving and making but one cutting off both King and Lords from their unquestionable legall power according to the Lawes and fundamentall constitution of the Government of this Kingdome yea indeed destroying all the three estates taking away all the power and authority from the King Lords and Commons and placing it in the universall people giving them power to doe what they will and as often as they will as being the Creator of all and making the King Lords and Commons their meere creatures to be disposed of as they please and as the Sectaries are against the power of the three Estates in Parlia to make new Lawes giving this Legislative power only to the Commons and that to at the discretion of the people so are they against the Lawes and Acts already made by King Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament having inveighed against all Lawes from first to last both Common and Statute yea against Magna Charta it selfe calling it a poore and beggarly thing below a Freeman c. of the proofes of which particulars though the Sectaries Books are full I shall only name one place in the Remonstrance of the Sectaries to their owne House of Commons page 15. where they speak thus to the Commons Yee know the Lawes of this Nation are unworthy of a free people and deserve from first to last to be considered and seriously debated and reduced to an agreement with common equity and right reason Magna Charta it selfe is but a beggarly thing containing many marks of intolerable bondage and the Lawes that have beene made since by Parliaments have in very many particulars made our Government much more oppressive and intolerable and in all their Books they speak against the knowne positive Lawes of the Land and cry out for Lawes according to right reason and for naturall primitive rights the just rights and prerogative of mankind which as they are the sonnes of Adam from him they have legitimatly derived of which they make themselves the sole Judges for otherwise our Ancestors who first founded this government and Lawes and the Parliaments ever since in all ages being rationall men have judged the present forme of Government and the Lawes to be most agreeable to Right Reason and Equity for this Nation and accordingly have confirmed and ratiâ—ied them so many times Now if this insolent outragious carriage of many Sectaries be well considered it will be found Treason in the highest forme not only against the King but the Kingdome too as my Lord Cook spake in the case of the Gunpouder Traytors they having plotted endeavoured written many Books done many actions to overthrow the fundamentall constitution and lawes of this Kingdome and that not by blowing up one Parliament but by their gun-powder spirits labouring to destroy all Parliaments in their constitution of three Estates for ever and if Strafford and Canterbury for endeavouring to subvert the fundamentall lawes of this Kingdome though they professed ignorance in many things and for what they did pleaded the command of the King and carried themselves with all duâ—ifull submission to the Parliament not to their faces and in the time of a Parliament endeavouring to overthrow Parliaments and Lawes and confronting them were yet charged and suffered death how many deaths hath Lilburne Overton and the rest of their fellowes deserved who have with so much violence sought the overthrow of the three Estates and the Lawes of the Kingdome and in the stead of the Fundamentall Government Lawes and Constitution of this Kingdome to set up an Utopian Anarchie of the promiscuous multitude and the â—usts and uncertaine fancies of weake people for Lawes and Rules and if these audacious men and their daring books shall escape without exemplary punishment and instead thereof be countenanced and set free I do as a Minister pronounce that the plague of God will fall upon the heads of those who are the cause of it Aâ—d in the second acception of the Parlia for what hath been done by the joynt power of both Houses in their Ordinances and commands yea the power which they claime and is expressed in the Writs by which they make such Ordinances and command obedience to them both the Authority and the Ordinances following from that Authority are denied and reproached all kind of wayes by the Sectaries and here I have so large a feild to walke in that I might make a fourth part of Gangraena in laying open the particulars of this kind but I will only speak a few things In the generall the Authority of both Houses of Parliament in matters of Religion and all Ordinances whatsoever tending that way have beene all violâ—â—ed with a high hand and trampled undeâ— foot with scorne and detestation openly declared against in the strangest manner that ever was in any age Now for the Sectaries opposing the Parliaments Authority to establish Church-government and to set up the true Religion I will among many quote only three First Collyer a Master Sectary in his Queres p. 24. answering that question what power c. saith they have none at all and that t is one of the first and greatest degrees of Antichristian tyranny for man to assume to himself power in spirituall things vide p. 24 25 26 27 28 29. Secondly Mr. Burton in his Pamphlet entituled Conformities Deformity it being the maine scope of his Book speaks against the power and practise of this State and present Parliament to enact a Law to binde all to conformity in Religion and makes it to be the feare of God raught by the precept of men to be hypocrisie idolatry to be that which turnes men away from the truth and so from Christ page 7. 15. and in page 12 1â— he writes thus Aâ—d therefore in this time of pretended Reformation belike the Parliament doth but pretend Reformation because it sets not up by a Law Independencie and Sectarisme Presbyteriall Government the Diâ—â—ctory Confession of Faith Catechisme being all but pretended Reformation with Master Burton to erect this great Idoll to wiâ— a power in man to prescribe Lawes and to lâ—gi 〈…〉 commandements for worship
againe this Sectary speaking of Parliament men about their Ordinance saith 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 this freeborne Nation therein seeing they lay upon us a heavier â—eake then ever was laid upon us in the dayes of the Bishops It will be the greatest thraldom and bondage that â—ver 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 he addes if we can finde no Justice there we may appeale for sooth to our Gods themselves the Parliament life everlasting world without end of who 〈…〉 how may we expect 〈…〉 or justice th 〈…〉 that thus before hand w 〈…〉 with the stings of Scorpions and griâ—d us betweene the devouring jawes of such divilish tyr 〈…〉 icall Courts which will even crush our 〈…〉 s in peices and squeese out our very marrow and juyce and 〈…〉 ck out our very hearts bloud like so many greedy 〈◊〉 And as I have shown how the Presbyteriall Government and Ordinances for it have beene by word and writing opposed so I shall give some instances of the Sectaries insolent actings and workings against it In London when according to command of Authority the Ministers and people met to set up the Government to chuse Elders in Congregations some Sectaries came into Churches when they were â—â—using and made a disturbance by objecting openly against the office aâ— at Aâ—dersgaâ—â— and some other Churches other Sectaries joyned together hindered the election objecting they would not chuse Elders till they had chosen Ministers first because their Ministers were put in by the Bishops in former times or by the Parliament of late without their formall choyce an instance of the first was at Michael crooked â—ane where by the meanes of some Sectaries the Election was hindered and is to this day and things were carried with a great deale of confusion and tumult an instance of the second was at Th 〈…〉 Apostles As some other Churches of London where upon the Church doores a paper was set up to give notice of Elders chosen in such places and that they were to be tried at such a time in such a Church and that if any had any thing to except against them they should bring in their exceptions these papers were pu 〈…〉 downe and in their place a scandalous paper call'd severall Vo 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 consciences having a disgracefull picture of a Presbyter having Antichristian written by him in the midst of the Pope and Prelate was set up as for instance 27. of July last on the Church doore in Clements Eastcheap the paper about Elders was taken downe and this paper set up At Dover in Kent when one of the parishes was to chuse Elders the Independents and Sectaries carriage was extreme insolent as the Reader may observe by these following passages written to me in a Letter from a Reverend Minister of that Towne Now for the day of Electing our Elders if a State and the Truth were ever trodden downe at once by men it was in the preparation for that day and the practise of it Before the day some of them went about to perswade the people to hold their liberties and not to bring themselves in bondage They chose our Elders for us and perswaded people to accept of them and being asked by some whether they thought them fit to be Elders in their Independent Church they answered no nor members neither they spâ—ke evill of our best men and accused them of wavering and malice and when some told that if they should chuse such Elders as they named people would not be joyned with them they replied no matter they might then come to their Church and when the day was come and time to chuse our Elders albeit their owne Pastor was preaching in the towne at the same instant yet some of them came to our choyce and there affirmed though not by an open ouâ—cry yet by private perswasions to some that we were not building the walls of Babal and went to divers persous and got them to forbeare giving their voices to Master P. telling them that they knew he would not take it by which meanes we feare he will lose it to be brief we know that they are opposite to order and if there be not restraint will bring all to a lawlesse condition so thinks June 29. 1646. Your loving freind and Brother Eighthly â—he Independents and Sectaries have spoken written and carried themselves very unworthily towards our Brethren of Scotland the Sectaries in the Army City Country and in all places of this Kingdome have at all tables and in all Pamphlets and all kind of wayes abused and railed against the Scots inventing many wicked lies raising groundlesse jealousies and feares of them and that of their Kingdome and State their Army their Commissioners resident here their Generall Assembly of particular worthy persons by name and as they have done thus about this two last yeers with all industry and subtilty imploying Emissaries so more especially since the Kings going to the Scottish Army they have bestirred themselves by their weekly Pamphleters by many libellous Pamphlets written on purpose by many strange and false reports raised on purpose to incense the Kingdom against them and to make them odious I could fill a great book in setting downe all the hard speeches the ungodly Sectaries have spoken against them in Sermons and other discourses in transcribing out of the Sectaries Books all the bitter scoffing lying railing passages written against them in relating all strange facts and cruell unkind dealings of that party against them but they are so well knowne and all wise men so well acquainted with them that I need not much enlarge only for the sake of weake ones who live remote I shall touch upon a few things and truly t is the honour of our Brethren of Scotland that the Sectaries hate them so infinitely for would they have beene false or remisse in the Covenant and to their principles they should have beene the great favorites with them and might have had what they would but because they were too honest and not to be corrupted by any worldly thing and they looking upon them as the great thing that letteth and will let untill it be taken out of the way therefore they have sought to blast them and destroy them all kind of wayes they could desire They have therefore laboured to possesse the people by word and writing that the Scots are a false dishonest selfe-seeking People all for their owne ends and alwayes were that they coâ—ply with the Kings designes are firmly his as ever the Cavaliers were that they will joyne with the King against the Parliament a mercinary people that have got a world of money and sent it out of the Kingdome in whole barrels full
held it not lawfull to go fight against them others of the Sectaries have reasoned against sending releif thither as saying whom should we releive to â—e Protestants there were an unworthy people that Kingdome had cosâ— us more to keep it then ever we goâ— by it that it was 〈◊〉 to hazard that Army upon it which was so faithful and 〈◊〉 for much for us with other words to this purpose other Sectaries have laughed at the Presbyterians being so forward in preaching and praying for releif to be sent over in all hast into Ireland A Gentleman in publick place told me not long since he had heard an Independent say upon discoursing of the hazard of the losse of Ireland that it was not a three penny matter to England if Ireland and Scotland both were lost England had no need of them severall strange speeches have fallen from the Sectaries in reference to Ireland Tenthly the Independents and Sectaries have spoken written and dealt most unworthily with the City of London a whole book might be written of all the calumnies reproaches abuses that have beene offered the City of London within this last twelve months especially about that late excellent Remonstrance how hath the late Lord Major the whole Court of Common-councell and City Remonstrance been written preached spoken against by the Sectaries of the Army City and Country giving reproachfull names raising wicked lies upon them and for nothing but for petitioning the Parliament for setling the Government and declaring themselves for the Covenant against Hereticks Scismaticks and Blasphemers Cretensis that great Sectary cals the late Lord Major of London and the Common-councell Brethren in iniquity with me the Author of the Pamphlet call'd the Lord Majors farewell from his Office of Majoralty resembles the late Lord Major to wicked Ahaz saying the Saints will say of him in succeeding ages this is that Lord Major of London Thomas Adams by name Lilburne in his Pamphlet entituled Londons Liberty calls by way of scoffing the Prerogative Lord Major Adams A Sectary in the Army call'd him rascall The Common-councell and Citizens have beene commonly call'd the Sect of the Adamites and in print to in the Pamphlet The just mans justification pag. 16. The Sectaries frequently cal the Citizens Preist-riden slaves They have in Pulpits beene call'd the great mountaine that hinders the liberty of the people refined Malignants and that if ever this Kingdome was brought into slavery the City would be the cause of it some of the Sectaries have said that the King the Scots and the Common-councell did drive on one designe it were too long to reckon up al the abuses offered the City of London and the Honorable Court of Common-councell by some of the weekly Pamphleters as the Moderate Intelligencer Perfect Occurrences and by some Sectarian souldiers threatning that they would as willingly come against the City as ever against the Cavaliers The City Remonstrance hath beene branded by them one Captaine in the Army said the Remonstrance was as devilish a thing as ever was penned by man Lilburne in his Londons liberty in chains discovered page 36. speaking of the City Remonstrance calls it that most devilish wicked bloudy unchristian Papisticall Remonstrance of the Prerogative men of London c. Other Sectaries have call'd it that monster with many heads the â—ifteene headed monster a base railing Remonstrance M. Peters hath spoken his pleasure of it in the Pulpit and the Moderate Reply to the City Remonst with the City Remonstrance remonstrated have many naughty passages against the Common-councell and City Remonstrance as that it was the disturber of the quiet and peace of the Church and State c. but I shall passe them by and transcribe only one passage out of M. Burtons Conform Deform where in the Epist Dedicatory to the present Lord Major he writes thus Give me leave tobeseech you that you would improve the whole power of your office among other evils for the not only suppressing but utter obliterating out of all Records of memory or mention that late Remonstrance of London which like the Trojan horse is stuffed with such matter as if the importunity of some might have had its desire would unavoidably hale in ruine both to City and Country Nor doth any thing more clearly demonstrate that spirituall judgement of blindnesse and hardnesse of heart to be upon all those who have their heads and hands in that Remonstrance and wilfully persist in the prosecution of it now in cold bloud then the unnaturall hating and hunting after the destruction of those very men as our mortall enemies who have with the extrem hazard of their lives been honoured of God to be the preserâ—ers of them our City and Country c. For the spirit of that ten-horned beast is now making warre with the Lamb and this spirit warreth under new colours not red but white whose word is Reformation and this under afair colour of a Covenant by vertue wherof pretending a just title to the War he hopes by the help of the Remonsstrance and the prime Authors thereof and their adherents to erect a new bestiall Tyranny over soules bodies and estates under new names and notions Elevently the Sectaries have carried themselves towards the Assembly with the greatest scorne and reproach that ever any sort of men carried themselves towards such a company of Ministers learned and godly and called by a Parliament to advise with in matters of Religion O how many books have beene written against them within these two last yeers or thereabouts as The Arraignment of Persecution Martins Eccho and their fellowes O the railing bitter disgracefull passages in Li 〈…〉 ns Letter to Mr. Pryn Tender Conscience religiously affected and divers other Pamphlets against the Assembly calling them the black-coats in the Synod Dâ—ivines good for nothing but to be burnt having two hornes like a Lamb but a mouth like a Dragon teaching the Parliament to speak blasphemy against those Saints that dwell in heaven O how commonly by word of mouth and in writing is the Assembly call'd Antichristian Romish bloudy the plagues and pests of the Kingdome Baals Preists Diviners Southsayerâ— all manner of evill being spoken of them A Ballad hath beene made of them having a first and second part wherein they are scoffed with the title of Black-bird Divines the name of the Ballad is A Prophecy of the Sâ—ynâ—eards Destruction to the â—uâ—â— of the merry Souldier or the jovâ—â—ll Tiâ—ker this Ballad calls the Assembly Swinheards saith these Swineheards are sitting to build old Babels Tower The Assemby â—â—th beene abused all kind of wayes threatned if they give advise to the Parliament against a Toleration of Independents they shall be chastised as evill Councellors disturbers of Church and State no lesse then great Strafford or little Canterbury all kind of imputations charged on them and they made by the Sectaries the cause and ground of all evilâ— that are upon the Kingdome The lâ—st warning to
to invade Churches Pulpits to commit tumults râ—ots break the Kings peace affront Ministers Magistrates in their places and if any of them be questioned troubled they bring them off by one means and trick or other hence the more active any are in spreading Errors the greater Preachers they prove the greater Errors and stranger Opinions they hold the more they are countenanced the sooner preferred to places of profit trust honor hence the Sectaries on all occasions and in all places joyne and side with the arrantest Malignants Papists loosest and ungodliest men in a Country or Kingdome to further Errors and to hinder any means which might probably suppresse them hence they will go against their own professed avowed principles and rase their own foundations be mainly instrumentall to bind heavy burdens upon others which they account intolerable wish joy and be active in the imposition of that upon their brethren which themselves who are for the imposition of it yet count unlawfull to be submitted to as in the point of Commissioners the imperfect enumeration of scandalous sinnes in the labouring to bring in scandalous and ignorant men to be Elders and opposing able godly men in their choyce on purpose to make the Presbyteriall Government odious and that people might fall to them of which I could tell large stories as at Dover hence the Sectaries will raise and invent all kind of lies go against all kind of jâ—stice and right use all kind of dishonest wayes and meanes indeed nothing comes 〈…〉 isse to increase Errors and Heresies and to stop all meanes against them they will with Aâ—â—ziâ—h go and enquire of Bâ—â—lzebâ—â— the God of Ekron for help and lastly hence our Sectaries doe not only plead for a Toleration but plead for the things themselves have found out many wayes to extenuate lessen justifie yea to saint the grossest Errors worst practises and the vildest Hereticks It would fill a great book to reckon up all the distinctions excuses pleas pretences arguments evasions apologies found ouâ— and made use of by the Sectaries within this two or three last yeers in defence of Heresies and Errors in generall and of the greatest Errors in particular as denying the Trinity the Scriptures c. And in defence of Hereticks as being Saints holy men men of tender consciences harmelesse peaceable quiet men Whoever shall but read Cretensis Answer to my First Part of Gangraena his 38. Queres upon the Ordinance for preventing the growth of Heresies Walwyâ—â— Salt 〈…〉 arshâ—â— Master Burtons Master Bâ—tchelers Commâ—ndatory Imprimaturs with divers other 〈…〉 te Pamphlets must needs say Errors are small things and that many men go for Saints and Brethren among Independents that there are many better in Hell then they and we may as well call Dives Saint Dives as such Sectaries Saints All error now is christned and call'd Conscience tender Conscience Piety the feare of God as in these books Conformities Deformity The Parable or Consultation about Master Edwards Tender Conscience religiously affected the Reader may finde and the vildest Hereticks Schismaticks Blasphemers loose ungodly persons are cried up for Saints the godly party honest men and it is observable that among all the Independents and Sectaries who have written against my Books as Sâ—ltmarsh Gretensis Walwin Mr. Burroughs Mr. Burton with many others not one of them condemned any one Error or man that I writ against but justified all crying out upon me with great bitternesse without any distinctions at all of opinions or persons for speaking against the Saints the Saints Some say they know no Errors nor Sects at all or if there be any none so dangerous as the new sprung up Sect of Presbytery and the opinion of compulsion in matters of Religion Errors in matters of Faith as in the Doctrine of the Trinity the Divinity of Christ c. are pleaded for that they be Errors not against the light of nature but against Revelation and Faith and so more pardonable that among the Arrians there were many good men and that when Errors are according to a mans conscience and not against conscience they are not so dangerous Paul Best that â—earfull Blasphemer and his damnable Heresie against the Trinity hath been in my hearing excused extenuated and publikely also thus pleaded for by many Sectaries that he was not guilty of blasphemy that he denied only the tripersonality not the Trinity Athanasiuâ— Trinity noâ— the Scripture Trinity that he denies not the operation of the Persons but only the name of the Persons that he lent his writing about the Trinity to a freind in private and he betrayed him not that he had published his opinion The questioning of the Doctrine of the thre Persons hath been excused that the Persons were Schoole notions the word Person was not to be found in Scripture that it came not into the Church till some hundreds of yeers after Christ that so long as men granted the thing that there were three though they held them operations or vertues it was not so materiall And as Errors are thus pleaded for excused by Sectaries so all kind of sinnes and wicked practises are pleaded for to be no sinnes or else made light account of or the persons protected and the offences smothered thus some Sectaries plead for Incest to be no sinne the putting away and forsaking of husbands and wives to be lawfull and a casting off Antichristian yokes the making no conscience of the Christian Sabbath to be a part of Christian liberty the casting away of prayer and holy duties to be a comming unto perfection that nothing is sinne to the regenerate that they cannot sinne that such persons committing vild ungodly practises must not be brought to punishment nor prosecuted because they are the Saints and Christ will not take it well to have his Saints molested t is most strange to speak of the fearfull bating with hiding concealing justifying excusing the shuffling off uncleannesses drunkennesses and all kind of wickednesses among the Sectaries as by Master Jesse and his company in the case of Mary Abraham as by Lams Church in the case of one M. leaving and living from his wife as in the case of some Sectaries that have been drunk in the Army with many such so that the Sectaries of our times are in a speciall manner guilty of the patronising protecting yea and taking pleasure in all kind of Errors and wickednesse which is an aggravation of sinne and a greater evill then the holding of such Errors or committing such facts as is evident by these Scriptures Rom. 1. 32. not only do the same but have pleasure in them that doe them Matthew 5. 19. Whosoever shall breake one of these least Commandements and shall teach men so he shall be called the least in the Kingdome of beaâ—en and Prov. 28. 4. They that forsake the Law praise the wicked but such as keep the Law contend with them upon which text I wish the
and would trample as much upon the City of London and the Countries as ever John of Lâ—yden and Knipperdolling did upon the poor Citizens of Munster 4. The Sectaries hypocrifie appears by their pretending a bare liberty only peaâ—â—ably and quietly to enjoy their owne consciences and that without any offence or molestation to others And however if this might not be granted after they had helped to overcome the common enemy they would quietly sit downe and leave the Kingdome not offer to make any disturbance and this was held out along time in their speeches and in many books I have heard Master Peters speak thus and he was wont in many places to speak thus and the Apologists in their Apologeticall Narrat 〈…〉 supplicate the Parliament to look upon them as those that doe pursue no other interest or designe but a subsistence be it the poorest or meanest in their owne Land with the allowance of a latitude to some lesser differences with peaceablenesse as not knowing where else with safety health and livelihood to set their feet on earth But by these and many other specious pretences being increased in number and power and having gotten the sword into their hands now they speak out and are not contented with a bare Toleration but stand for all the places of power honor and profit in the Kingdome crying out of the City Remonstrance most of all because it petitioned against Sectaries being in places of publick trust its apparent a Domination they aime at and to have things in such a posture that they may suppresse all the Orthodox hence many speeches have sallen from them to this purpose that they will never lay downe the sword whilest there 's a Preist lefe in England that they will pack them all away for Rome and this last yeere in many places where they come they ordinarily will not suffer the Ministers to preach in their owne Churches Pulpits but by sorce hinder them yea pull them out of Pulpits threaten them assault them hence they will not endure zealous godly Presbyterians to enjoy any places in the Armies or other where but watch for iniquity use all tricks and unjust wayes to keep them out and turne them out of which there are many examples 5. The Sectaries abominable hypocrisie showes it selfe in yeelding to things against their mind and conscience that thereby they may be in a capacity and inabled to destroy and overthrow what they seeme to be for working and using all their power against it as for example many of the Sectaries took the Covenant and do take it which they hate with al their souls that so they might come into such places keep such places where being they improve those places all they can to destroy the Covenant and the contents of it hindring a Uniformity and the neerest conjuction in Government c. and are all for a Toleration and instead of endeavouring to extirpate Heresie Schisme they promote it all they can and plead for strange forced interpretations and Jesuiticall equivocations of the Covenant contrary to all literall sence the generall scope and the minds of those that made it alwayes so declared from first to last 6. The Sectaries great hypocrisie is seene in that in their speeches oft-times many of their Pamphlets and for divers of their actions why they do such things and why they refuse this and that as not hearing our Ministers preach not joyning to our Assemblies not paying their Tyths with many such they alledge the Covenant and bring that for their ground t is against such an Article of the Covenant or such a clause of an Article when as t is knowne to God and hotoriously manifest to all the world they care not at all for the Covenant make nothing of it but daily with a high hand breake every-Article and every clause of each Article but their doing and refusing of such and such things are upon other grounds and ends as the saving their purses their destroying of a settled Ministry the increasing and spreading of all Errors and Heresies and bringing in of confusion into Church and State I could write a large book upon this subject how the Sectaries daily break the Covenant and are indeed like to those spoken of in Daniel 11. 32. Such as do wickedly against the Covenant I will begin with the first clause of the first Article indeavouring the preservation of the Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland in Doctrine worship Discipline and Government c. when as they daily write with all bitternesse against the Church of Scotland their Discipline and Government c. yea have furthered the printing and spreading wicked books against the Government of the Church of Scotland written by Prelats and their greatest enemies O how is Master Burton in his Conformities Deformity in his 19 20 21. pag. guilty of breach of Covenant in writing so against their Church Government as to stirre up Princes and all civill powers against them as much as against the Popes Supremacie I might proceed to show though they take the Covenant into their mouth yet they go against that clause of indeavouring to extirpate Heresie Schism prophanesse c. on the contrary indeavouring the spreading and growing of all Heresies Errors and so I might in the rest but I shall conclude this with one word which is that they are fearfully and hypocritically guilty of the breach of the solemne League and Covenant and that if ever the Sectaries should be a meanes to involve and ingage in a war against Scotland our Brethren in their weakest condition even when their Armie 's put to the worse might in the head of their Armie spread before God the solemne League and Covenant and appeale to heaven to help them as the great Turk did once in such a case against the Christians and might well trust that God who is a God keeping Covenant a God of truth that helped the Turks against the Christians in such a case would help them his servants against the Covenant breaking Sectaries 7. The Sectaries hypocrisie appeares in casting that upon others and unjustly charging them with such things which themselves are faulty in both practise and purpose to practise only speak against such and such things in another party that others being suspected by this meanes and they not they may compasse their ends the better thus they have given out many reports and raised jealousies upon many worthy men as if not right that they sought not the good of their Country Religion but only preferment and their owne ends that so they being taken to be the faithfull men might raise their owne fortunes and bring about their owne designes many Sectaries have given out things on purpose of the Scots that they are false and alwayes were for their owne ends c. the better to hide their owne basenesse being indeed that themselves which they falsely cast upon our Brethren Thus the Sectaries give ouâ— that if
said again and again of his Protestation Protested I will if he will not be angry with him it was this that in that Book there was grosse Brownisme which he nor his Brethren no way agreed with him in and that for his part he would as soon subscribe to the Book of Common-Prayer as to divers things there Shall I tell him what Mr. Symonds of Roterdam one of the moderatest and modestest of that way said upon the comming forth of his last Book Conformities Deformitie to a friend of his that shewed it him and asked him of it no I will forbear least it should trouble the old man too much I could tell some stories of Mr. Burton and his Church I have a relation given me in writing by 〈◊〉 whâ— was present and heard all about a difference that fell out in the time of the Church-meeting between M. Burton and a Butcher and some others of his Church about prophecying but 't is too long to insert here and I promise it the Reader in the 4 part of Gangraena I have been told a late famous story by divers godly Ministers of the City of a great falling out betweene Mr. Burton and some of his Church about singing of Psalmes Baptising of Children prophecying and somewhat else and upon some Brethren cal'd in to hear the businesse how far M. Burton yeelded in those particulars both against his judgment and his practise but I must reserve that too I could make large Animadversions on his Pamphlets and show many strange positions in them beside contradictions falshood weaknesse hard speeches against the faithfull servants of God much pride and arrogancie but I will for present animadvert a few things only on his last Book Conformities Deformitie in a Dialogue between Conformity and Conscience and I shall refer all I have to say at this time to three heads 1. To show the scope of Mr. Burtons Book and what the man would have in it 2. To represent to M. Burton and the Reader the great evill of it and how unlike Mr. Burton is to what himselfe was formerly 3. Propound some queries to Mr. Burton to show him how he is mistaken all along in the ground he goes upon For the first his main scope is under the name of Conscience to represent the Sectaries as the only conscientious men and under that colour to plead for a Toleration of them all and an indempnity from all restraint by the civill Magistrate and under the name of Conformity to brand all Presbyterians and to speak against all establishment of Religion and Church-Government by Magistrates and Synods as great Hypocrisie Idolatry rejecting Christ from being King c. destroying the foundation of faith and in his prosecuting this besides Sion Colledge the Assembly the City of London the Ordinance for preventing the growth of Heresies which he fals fouly upon he railes fearfully and speaks most wickedly against the Generall Assembly and the Scottish Church-Government saying that in the Generall Assembly there is the like Supremacie set up which the Pope 〈…〉 selfe claimeth â—ver Kings States Kingdomes Common-wealths that 't is a spirit of Antichristian pride and tyranny of rebellion and treason in lifting up a Papall Throne above Kings and Kesars above Kingdomes and Common-wealths to the ensâ—aving of the whole Nation in their soules bodies aâ—d estates that it sets up in the Church an Oracle of Infallibility and such a Supremacie as no true-bred English Christian can interpret for other then Antichristian Tyranny and all under the name of a Christian Presbyterian Church-Government that if that Presbyterian Government be set up thereby our Fundamentall Lawes Priviledges and power of Parliaments Liberties and freedome of all true-bred English Subjects would be brought under perpetuall bondage worse then that eitherof Egypt or Babilon all which and much more the Reader may find in page 19 20 21. of-that Booke For the second Mr. Burtons great evill and how unlike Mr. Burton now is to Mr. Burton formerly it may apppeare thus in that M. Burton in all this booke builds up againe the things he formerly destroyed undoing all his owne acts agreeing with Canterbury Pocklington c. in their Principles and Practises against the Reformed Churches particularly the Scots and their Church-Government M. Burton being Cantuariensis redivivus nay let me not wrong the dead though they were great Enemies to the Scots and Presbyteriall-Government yet in all their writings I doe not find such rancorous malicious passages against the generall Assembly as in this Booke of M. Burtons he makes use indeed of the Bishops and their creatures Arguments and weapons against the Presbyteriall Government and the Reformation but withall goes higher and in patronizing and pleading for all Errours and Heresies under specious pretences as they did Arminian Popish and Socinian Doctrines not writing one word against all the Heresies and Blasphemies of these times but speaking against my books and Dr. Bastwicks for the discovering of them O how is M. Burton fallen I heard a godly and â—â—arned Divine say lately of him upon reading his Conformities Deformity that he had alwaies thought M. Burton to be a godly man but he now thought him the greatest Apostate in England He should not have wondered much to have seen such a book written by John Goodwin but that M. Burton should he could not have believed it had he not read it and certainely in his writing this Booke and many others God left him the man is departed from all his former principles of zeale and love to truth he can finde no Deformitie now in Heresie nor Blasphemy but onely in Conformity to Presbyteriall-Government and the Magistrates non-Toleration of Errours The Lord hath made him a fearfull example and all men may take warning by M. Burton for turning Independents who before he turned Independent was so zealous against the least Errours and the least Innovation in Worship as that he would straine things and make a great matter of a little but now he hath no heart against the greatest Errours he can doe nothing in all his Pamphlets for the honour of Christ he can see no deformitie in all the Blasphemies Heresies of these times but onely in the Orthodox Reformed Churches and Presbyteriall-Government and that which aggravates his sin is he hath done this after sad and serious admonition given him in the fourth Corollarie of the first Part of Gangrâ—na and after a great sicknesse this Book being stiled by himself in his Title page The first fruits of his late recovery from death to life If any man 9 or 10 years ago when M. Burton was upon the Pillory for writing against some great men who favoured Popish and Arminian Tenets should have said to the people this man whom you now see thus suffer and whom you so love and adore the time is coming when he shall plead for a Toleration of all Religions and speak against the Magistrate for defending Religion by Lawes and Edicts this man
equall for this man which this Citizen being certified of acquainted this Independent how the case stood and that it would be in vain for his friend to stand but he made little of that entreating him that the Mayor and those who were for him would go on to give their voices and though he had the fewer voices yet get him but returned by the Mayor that it may come to the Committee of Priviledges and then we shall doe well enough with it at which speech this Citizen stood amazed and wondred to heare such words come from such a mans mouth and would have no hand to meddle further in it And I am of the mind upon good grounds which if there be not a redresse I am likely to publish in print to the end the whole House of Commons may come to know and so remedy it that there is great need of an effectuall review of divers Elections of new Members some sitting and voting in the Hoâ—se of Commons who have no right at all and other men whose the undoubted right is are kept out by tricks and devices which in this juncture of time wherein so many great affaires of Church and State have been and are in agitation and votes of greatest concernment sometimes carryed but by two or three voices yea by one voice cannot but be a mighty prejudice both to Church and State every voice of such a man being two his own voice going according to that interest he judges will keep him in and in the interim hindring another voice which according to all reason may be judged would vote contrary Some Corollaries and Consectaries drawne from the Errours Heresies Blasphemies and Insolent proceedings of the Sectaries laid down in this third part HAving made fourteen Corollaries in my first part of Gangraena and sixe other in my second part I had thought of fourteen or fifteen more for this third part with many enlargements in most of them but because I see if I should give that liberty to my invention upon every one of those heads as I at first intended the Corollaries would take up divers sheets I shall therefore this Book being already almost forty sheets give the Reader but 6. or 7. of them now and that in as contracted a way as I may referring the rest with all further enlargements to the fourth part of Gangraena 1. Corollarie Hence then from what I have laid downe in this third part of the Errours Heresies Insolent proceedings of the Sectaries of our times we may see those places of Scripture in 2. Tim. 3. chap. from 1. v. to the 10. 4. chap. 3. 4. v. 2. Epistle of Pet. 2. and 3. chapters and Epistle of Jude made good and fulfilled in our Sectaries and that in all particulars as if they had been written and prophecied a purpose of them As face answers face in glasse so do our Sectaries these Scriptures they being the full accomplishment of those places and those Scriptures the expresse and lively characters of our Sectaries I do not know any one particular among those many set down by Paul Peter and Jude in those forenamed places our Sectaries faile in but are in all points as like to those as one egg is like another and therefore though divers other places of Scripture in the Epistles of Paul and the Revelation of St. John do speake of the Papacie as the 2. Thessal 2. chapter 1. Tim. 4. chap. 3. first verses 11. chapt of Revel 17. and 18. chap. of Revel yet these doe point out the Anabaptists Antinomians Libertines and Separatists as distinguished from Papists and if I should but barely transcribe those places of Scripture without any application as men shall be lovers of their own selves covetous boasters proud blasphemers disobedient to parents fierce despisers of those that are good Traytors heady high minded lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God having a forme of godlinesse but denying the power thereof For of this sort are they which creepe into Houses and lead captive silly women laden with sinnes c. as through Covetuousnesse shall they with fained words make Merchandise of you as that there shall come in the last daies scoffers walking after their owne lusts there should be mockers in the last time who should walke after their owne ungodly lusts as likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh despise dominion and speake evill of dignities as there are certaine men crept in unawares ungodly men turning the grace of our God into lasciviousnesse as these are murmurers complainers walking after their owne lusts and their mouth speaketh great swelling words having mens persons in admiration because of advantage These be they who seperate themselves sensuall having not the spirit with many other passages in those Scriptures yet they that runne might presently read them as written in great Letters in the foreheads of the Sectaries For was there ever in our times a generation of greater selfe-seekers boasters proud blasphemers Covenant-breakers unthankfull make-bates heady despisers of those who are good mockers and scoffers walking after their own ungodly lusts despisers of Dominions and speakers evill of dignities having a forme of godlinesse but denying the power thereof and so in the rest then our Sectaries let the indifferent Reader but remember what I have written upon most of these heads in this and my other Bookes what spirit breathes daily in many of their own Books as Arraignment of persecution Martins Eccho Englands Birth-right Thirty eight Quaeries upon the Ordinance against Heresies Toleration Justified a Demur to the Bill against Heresies Lilburnes and Overtons Books the English Scottish game and what they have done and do daily against our Brethren of Scotland the godly Ministers the City of London c. and then I believe hee will confesse there never was a more desperate ungodly false hypocriticall unthankfull proud ambitious covetuous uncleane cruell atheisticall generation then many of our Sectaries in England are It would be too long now to paraphrase upon all those Scriptures quoted to compare our Sectaries with every character of those Scriptures and to give proofes in divers instances and facts I shall conclude this Corollary that they are scoffers and ungodly men walking after their owne lusts by relating a passage or two of some Sectarian Souldiers belonging to Colonell Whaleyes Regiment A chiefe Disputant of the Sectaries said that he would not keep out of Ale-houses for five hundred pound a yeare for the good wits that he met there yet objecting himselfe by way of scorne that if it offended his weake Brother he must not doe it Being by way of reproofe told of one that said it was best going to Hell for the brave wits were there he replyed that if that were true he would goe thither for then God was there saying that God was as much in hell as in heaven answer being returned him that God would be found in Hell in power he replied that his presence in power
to attend to what he should â—ay and now to know it Now if those times be of all others the most perilous where there are false teachers venting errours and hereâ—ies but in a way of creeping into houses how perillous and dangerous are those times where there are false Teachers and seducers holding all sort of errours armed being Commanders and Officers of Regiments and Companies who creep not into houses but openly command houses and abide in them and by their power can and do drive away the faithfull shepheards that should defend the sheep that so the Wolves and Foxes may the more freely devoute them and that when they have â—avened and made havock in one place can march to another and so go into all places by their power forcing and commandiâ—g what they please All which clearely shewes us we are in a far worse condition then when the enemy was in the height of his successes and victories at the taking of Bristow or ever since the Parliament began God is more dishonoâ—ed pretious soules more destroyed all things tending to Anarchy Confusion and new Broyles worse then before Certainly in God have any delight in this Kingdome or purpose to do it good he will deliver us from this wicked generation of Sectaries one way or other They have these three last yeares been encreasing and growing very bad but this last yeare they have been outragious I am confidently perswaded if a Commission were issued out from both Houses to faithfull godly men and they backed with such power not to fear the Sectarian souldiers to sit in the severall Counties to examine and enquire out the insolencies and enormities of the Sectarian souldiers and Chaplaines that were in the noble Earle of Manchesters Army and now in Sir Thomas Fairfax'es Army with assurance of protection to the complainants and witnesses there would be the dreadfullest and abominablest things found out both in opinions practises that ever were heard of in any Army of Christendom and most of the Cavaliers would be found Saints to them so that t is evident there 's more need of disbanding and cashiâ—ring the Companies and Regiments consisting most of Antinomians Anabaptists Seekers Antiscripturists c. then of Vandâ—â—sks Regiment of which there were so many outcryes and that justly too as I believe 7. Corollar Hence then by what is laid down in this Booke of the. Errours Heresies Practises insolencies of the Sectaries we may see that never in any age or in any Christian State or Kingdom whether Orthodox or Hetrodox Protestant or Popish hath there been such a sufferance and Toleration of those who have been contrary minded to the Religion established by civill Authority as hath been and is in our Kingdome The Sectaries talke much upon all occasions of Toleration and liberty of conscience in Holland Poland Transylvania France Switzerland Turky but let any man look into those Countries and but understand aright what is allowed in those places and then consider what is daily practised in England and suffered without all questioning and he must needs confesse there 's no such liberty nor Toleration in any of those places enquire and aske after Holland France Poland c. where there are Tolerations whether Sectaries or Dissenters from what 's setled by the civill Sanction do come into publike Churches causing tumults and riots and by violence put by the Ministers from preaching pulling them out of their Pulpits abusing them grossely and preach openly with all kind of reproaches against the established Religion whether Books are suffered to be printed with license and sold openly â—enting all kind of errours blasphemies yea branding with most odions names the Religion established and the supreme Authority who settles it yea daring to present into the hands of and at the doores of the houses where the supreme Judicatories sit Bookes and Pamphlets with Protestations against what themselves have enacted whether great numbers of Emissaries Mechanicks of all sorts are suffered to be daily sent forth into all parts of their Countries and Kingdoms to draw away the people from their Religion and if any man in authority dare be so bold to molest them though they abuse Magistrates to their faces yet they are one way or other delivered and presently fall the faster to their work again whether the way to preferment and places of honour profit trust command be in those Countries to oppose and to be most active against the Religion and Government established and the ready way to be kept out of all such places and by one device or other to be turned out yea to be brought in trouble be for a man to be zealous for the Religion and way of worship setled in that Country whether in any of those Countries if those who be Hereticks and Schismaticks or Dissenters only from what the Magistrates of the Countries have established being cal'd in question by those in highest place for writing against and reproaching their Ordinances and Lawes and thereupon affronting them to their faces and writing Bookes publikely against them have they notwithstanding continuing in all contempt escaped without punishment and received those favours and priviledges which none before them though never so conformable to the Lawes and State have received and so I might instance in many other like particulars Now I challenge any man in all his reading or travelling to give me any such instances in Holland France Transylvania Turky c. but I can give many proofes in all these kinds within these three last yeares in England In the Bishops times before this Parliament there was great favour shewed towards Papists and persons Popishly affected but did they come into our Churches established by Law and bringing their Priests put by our Ministers from preaching and celebrating the Lords Supper and set up against the will of the Ministers and Parishioners their owne Priests to preach points of Doctrines and to say Masse or did the Bishops when Popery was most countenanced suffer Popish Books railing against our Ministery Church c. to be licensed by their Chaplains and sold openly In the Kings late Armies where as it hath been reported there have been many Papists and Popish Commanders yea and Priests did they ever where they were quartered drive away by force the Protestant Ministers and in the midst of the publike exercises on Lords dayes come with their souldiers and disturbe them in Prayers preaching and put up their Priests in their rooms I never heard of any one such example in this kind O what outcryes would these things have made if done either by Bishops or Papists but these things are ordinarily and daily practised by the Sectaries Indeed the liberty the Sectaries now have in England is rather a Domination then a Toleration a Raigne rather then a sufferance yea their Raigne and Domination is swel'd so high that the godly Ministers and Christians who are for the Church-Government and way established by Parliament have much a
Anapologesiâ—tâ—s Antapologias came forth I was resolved upon writing this Third Part and had entred upon it and so till I had finished that and another that is to follow upon it viz. A Treatise against Toleration I purposed to let Cretensis alone only I have among other great Sectaries spoken something of him in this Book and that upon occasion of his 38. Queries upon the Ordinance against Heresies and other things that have come to my knowledge concerning him As for his pretended Reply to my Antapologie besides the censure given of it in page 120. of this Book I affirme t is an Answer unworthy a Scholar or an ingenuous man and such a one as I am confident never any man who had the name of a Divine and in Controversies of Divinity ever gave the like instead of answering Arguments Reasons matters of fact to fill up many sheets with finding and making faults in words and phrases playing the part of a Grammaticastor a Paedantical usher and a sub-corrector of the presse rather then of a learned Answerer for suppose all those Grammatical literal exceptions raked together were faults indeed and let passed by me all he saith in that kind true which I deny and shall prove the contrary some of them being the faults of the Printer and by me put in among Errata others of them good Grammar yea Elegancies and Proverbiall sayings yet what 's all that to my Antapologie though there be many Grammatical and litterall faults improper phrases harsh and hard expressions how do these Answer Reasons disprove matters of fact vindicate and set right the Apologetical Narration which must be done to satisfie any judicious and impartiall Reader I appeale to any man who hath common sense or reason whether matters of fact charged be proved false or reasons made weak or they be answered by saying there was a verbe left out the nominative case and verbe were noâ— well put together the antecedent and the relative not rightly placed such a phrase was harsh or improper and whether such a kind of Answer be not ridiculous to Scholars and learned men It hath been the course of many men who have had a bad cause and knew not how to maintain it with Arguments to slight the men who have wounded their cause as no scholarâ— and to brand their books as wanting learning thus some Papists have done in Answer to Protestants Prelates to Non-conformists and Arminians to the Orthodox but Master Goodwin is gone a note beyond all further then ever any Author did to spend his time and abuse the reader with giving him Grammaticall faults what Book is there writ by any man especially one who hath much other work of forty sheets that if a Reader will set himself to find faults and to wyer-draw every word and phrase may not find such faults enough between the Author whose mind is intent upon the matter and scope of his work and the Printer at the presse I could give many instances of greater Errata in this kind in Books of the most learned men then any Cretensis hath observed in mine and that both in Latine and English but I shall instance only in two Voeâ—ius his Book intituled Desperata causa Papatus and Rivets Catholicus Orthodoxus nay I will undertake Master Goodwins Answer to the Antapologie though it consists of fewer sheets hath the largest Errata of any such English book I have seen this last five years the design of the book being also to disparage me by observing false English improper Phrases c. and therefore cannot be but in reason expected he would be more specially carefull and exact in that kind then in other of his Books to find and prove more faults in all those kinds yea grosser then any are in mine and indeed the man trips in all tongues he makes use of in his Book both Greek Latine and English as I shall hereafter show nay the man stumbles in Limine the first word of his Title page and Book being false Greek using a word viz. Anapologesiates there being none such in the Greek tongue and if he say he meant it not one word but two 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having relation to Antapologias I Reply t is strange that in the Title page he who is such a severe Critick upon other mens words should have no greater care of his own then to let them so passe as to let two words be put in one but 2ly granting Master Goodwin this Salvo yet t is false Greek for it should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an Eta not with an Epsilon as he makes it And I suppose were there no other proofs of the strength and weight of my Antapologie Master Goodwins Reply to it would be a sufficient and demonstrative testimony that he after two yeeres and upwards for want of substantiall objections and materiall exceptions against it should fall upon words and phrasâ—s Grammaticall mistakes and not Theologicall show himself such a Tâ—ifler and Scribler as he hath done for which learned work I assure him he will never be reckoned among the Schoolmen however he may and hath been among the Schoolboyes That man who hath a Lordship a Manor propounded to him after a ful view of and enquiry into it can find no fault with the Tenure Title dweling house water wooding situation of it c. but cavils that some strawes are upon the ground some sticks are broken in a hedge a pane or two of glasse is cracked the Evidences for the Land are not so fairly written nor in so good language as they might possibly have bin t is a good sign clear Argument t is an excellent Manor and Lordship that nothing else is objected against it So when a Book hath passed the test and triall of a cruell adversary who dares say any thing so it will serve his turne and yet can find nothing to except against it but what is common to all mens Books some mistakes in words and phrases Errata of the Presse there being no Book without such such a man instead of weakning the Authority of that Book hath among all wise men with a high hand confirmed it and accquitted it from all the aspersions and imputations of weaknesse falsenesse all men concluding had there been any great matters of exceptions they would have been produced and not the time spent in picking of strawes and catching of flyes catching at words and phrases and letting the matter alone And for conclusion of this I would have this Trifler and great Rabbi of the English tongue know that though in his conceit I cannot put the Nominative case and Verbe together c. yet by the help of God I can put such sense and reason together such matters of fact and truth together that in the controversies of the times of the Church Government Toleration mixt Communion Lay-mens preaching c. I can put Cretensis and the Apologists together answer them and offer to deal with
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 hâ—alâ—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 Lâ—tther made the Popes Supremacy Indulgences and Pardons Purgatory and the Doctrine of merit and however Master Goodwin puâ—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 caÌ„not 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
to speak with me but must send others I am easily enough to be spoken with refusing none as all know who come to me besides how did Master Burroughs know any such had been with me to make me such offers and that I refused and what if some reported to him that which was false might not he be easier abused by a report for he speaks not this of his own knowledge he never came to me nor was the man ever desired to confer with me about any of these particulars then I can be mistaken in this businesse to whom these offers of conferences and satisfactions should have been made 3. For that Master Burroughs page 18. taxes me with concerning what I related about his going out of the Kingdom in my Antapologie that had I been willing to have conferred with him about it as he desired before I printed he should have so fully satisfied me that I could never have stumbled at this I Answer I never was unwilling to confer with Mastet Burroughs about this or any other thing that he should have desired and I can say it truely if he had sent the least boy at any time to me to have desired a conference with me and appointed me where to meet him I should have waited on him but for what is here written I neither know nor remember any such thing that Master Burroughs either by writing or word of mouth ever desired to have spoken with me about his going out of the Kingdom and certainly at that time when I was writing my Antapologie there was no such great distance between Master Burroughs and me but that he might either have come to me or spoke to me of it when he met me occasionally or I should have come to him none of which ever were moved to me and I cannot but wonder at Master Burroughs writing of this and divers other passages 2 As for that hee said hee should have satisfied me upon conference that he went out of the Kingdom not upon the ground I alledge but upon another a call from the Church of Roterdam which he relates page 19 20 21 22. I must confesse I am unsatisfied in it now and so I beleive are all rationall men and let the Reader but aske Master Marshall and Master Calamie who knew the businesse well and Master Burroughs at that time whether they do not beleive he went over to Roterdam upon a complaint made of some words spoken about the Scottish Warre and if I should have given the Reader all that I have drawn up by way of Answer to this it would abundantly clear me and lay open Master Burroughs weaknesse very much but I shall only hint this Suppose the King had in this War prevailed over the Parliament and taken the City and just upon that time Master Peters and Master Wels had gotten away in all haste to New England and suppose after this some man writing of Master Wels and Master Peters departure from England should have expressed this as the ground the danger they were in upon the Kings taking London now if Master Peters and Master Wels should by way of Answer have denied this to be any cause and have alledged their solemne call to their Churches in New England being sâ—nt for again and again and their purposes of going expressed yea and that in the Pulpit before ever the King was in a way of taking London would not all men laugh at such an Answer For is not the contrary evident by the experience of their staying in England now they may stay safely notwithstanding all their call and being sent for they stirre not and just so it was with Master Burroughs and I am confident that had it not been for the danger of those words he would no more have gone to Roterdam then Master Peters and Master Wels go to New England and as himselfe tels the story his putting of giving his resolution of going defering from time to time and from place to place to make any conclusion â—ill the businesse of words grew to a height declares plainly as much besides Master Burroughs at that time was not of the Independent judgement as appears by his Book put out in the yeare 38. writing By Jeremiah Burroughs Minister of the Gospel which was not long before his going over whereas all his Books he hath put forth since he went to Roterdam are By Jeremiah Burroughs without Minister of the Gospel which to them who know the Controversie is a clear proofe he was in the yeare 38. no Independent though afterwards in the writing his other Books he was and therefore declined that Title Minister of the Gospel And whereas in the body of this Third Part in two or three severall places I take occasion to relate some things of Master Burroughs which may by some be ill taken because he cannot answer for himselfe and may be interpreted a speaking evill of the dead I desire to let the Reader know they were both written and printed off long before Master Burroughs sicknesse and death and indeed no understanding man will once imagine a Booke of above Forty sheets could be made written out and printed in a month especially by one who Preaches often and hath many irons in the fiâ—e at the same time and to put it out of all question besides my own testimony the Book-seller and Printer can testifie this Third Part hath been above this quarter of a yeare in the Presse a printing Aâ— for that Pamphlet written against my Second Part Entituled Gangraena playes Rex I Answer breifly Gangraena playes the Parliament that is conforms to what the Parliament hath expressed in the foure or five first yeares of their sitting against the Sectaries and I do offer to make good what I have written in Gangraena against the Sects out of the Declarations Remonstrances Ordinances Covenant Messages and Transactions of the Parliament with Scotland and their Instructions to the Assembly upon divers occasions and could make a better Parallel between the passages in Gangraena and the passages in Declarations Remonstances c. against the Sectaries then the Author of that Pamphlet hath done and am likely to do it though a Postscript is not the proper place for it only I say this would to God there had not beene some men among us and that in place too to have so carried things and brought matters to that passe as to give too great occasion unto many to say The King was a true Prophet in what he spoke in his Declarations concerning Anabaptists Brownists and Sectaries As for that Pamphlet cald Lanceters Lance for Edwards Gangraena I have lately received from two godly Ministers in Suffolk a large relation by way of justification and proofe of what in my Second Part of Gangraena was written of Lanceter as also some other passages related in those papers concerning Lanceter one Chidly and Barrowe but they containing a whole sheet of paper are too much to
put in a Postscript and must be reserved for the Fourth Part and I am of the minde when Lanceter shall come to reade them he will wish he had beene opening his Pack when he was writing his Pamphlet As for Drapes his â—illy Pamphlet cald A Bâ—amâ— in Master Edwards his eye Master Edwards hath the Beame in his hand and could easily so handle it as to knock Drapes and Captaine Paul Hobson on the heads and dash out their braines with it but I must not be put out of my way of writing more usefull Tractates by every little bauling currâ— As for Gangraena-chrestum writen by Master Piâ—nel and Maddocks against some passages in a Letter written by a godly Minister and printed by me in the First Part of Gangraena the Authors shall receive a full answer from some of the Ministers of those parts who having been upon the place know all particulars for proofe of which I have been written unto as followes I have lighted upon a Libell of Master Pinnels and Maddocks which however it cast scorne enough on you Master Gower and Master Ford I know you will scorn and I shall take care in what is materiall to see it Answered in a Book by it selfe which if you will let me know when the Third Part of Gangraena is likely to be ready I would put out before it that you may the better make use of it And in another Letter upon my Answer to this that I thought my Third Part would have come out much sooner then now it doth I am thus written to I am sorry in reference to my selfe that your Third Part comes out so suddenly I had thought an answer to Pools relation should have preceded it But however if you have occasion to speak any thing in reference to it you may bid the Reader expect an Answer from these parts shortly And you may your selfe take notice how our opposites Pinnel and Maddocks doe equivocate and deny not the things charged as in the point of Pinnels strange Doctrine and the Revelation woman As for Walwins Prediction of Master Edwards Conversion and the Consultation upon Master Edwards both from the same hand as I judge I would have Master Walwyn and his companions know that Mr. Edwards goes upon surer grounds in what he does against the Sectaries then to be so soone removed he hath not been so long in the Schoole of Christ had experience so many yeers of the wayes of God in trialls of many temptations divers afflictions conflicts with all sorts of wicked men and Errors both in the Prelates times and now searchings and shiftings out the truths of God in the Controversies both of the former and present times as to be taken off from the Doctrines of truth and according to godlinesse and to be turned unto fables by the foolish weake Pamphlets of the times If Mr. Walwin and his fellowes have any â—opes in this kind they are much deceived For as Luther sometimes writ in an Epistle of his to Spalatinus concerning his writing against the Papists that he should presume any thing of him praeter Palinodiam fugam so may the Sectaries imagine any thing of me rather then a Recantation and repenting of writing those Books wherein I have discovered the Errors Heresies and Blasphemies of the times As for Mr. Salmarshes Answer in few words to the Second Part of Gangraena a part of his shadowes flying away I shall reckon with him for every line in it in that Answer to other Pamphlets of his only I desire the Reader for the present to observe these things First that Master Gataker in his Reply to him hath proved him to be a shadow without substance hath taken off the shadowes and vaile he had cast on many truths of the Gospel and showed this new light with his dawnings of light to be nothing else but a shadow of death and darknesse and hath caused this great light to go out in a smoke and snuâ—â—e Secondly that he calls one leafe and lesse then a halfe an Answer to my Second Part of Gangraena consisting almost of thirty sheets and to another Book call'd An after Reckoning of about ten sheets Thirdly in that little he saith though he call it an Answer he doth not so much as offer to disprove any one particular in the Book hee saith not one word to disprove or deny the Woman Preacher which in my Second Part I had made good against his bold deniall of it in a former Pamphlet but declaimes in generall against me and my Book railing fearfully and cursing me Fourthly the great hypocrisie and dissimulation of Master Saltmarsh pretending in all his writings love peace sweetnesse among Christians and in this Pamphlet where his Answer to the Second Part of Gangraena is inserted t is call'd Reasons for Vnity Love and Peace and charging me with bitternesse uncharitablenesse want of the sweete Spirit of Christ whereas himselfe hath the bitterest uncharitablest and most railing censorious passages against me and a godly reverend Minister he joynes with me that a man shall hardly ever meet with the like in any Book in a mans life time applying those words of Christ to the Devill unto me the Lord rebuke thee even the Lord charging me with sinning aganst the holy Ghost with being in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquity telling me of gnawings flashings of having a burnt and withered spirit threatning they will pray me either into repentance or shame or judgement ere they have done with me and putting the other Minister and me together he stiles us Pensioners to the gâ—â—at Acouser of the Brethron bids us fill up the measure of our iniquities if we will needs perish whether he will or no and saith all the powers of hell set us on work with many such like passages So that I may justly say to Master Saltmarsh as Paul in Rom. 2. 21 22 23. Thou therefore that teachest another Teachest thou not thy selfe Thou that teachest a man should not steale dost thou steale Thou that â—aiest a man should not commit adulâ—ery dost thou commit adultery c. Or as Christ in Matthew 7. 3 4. 5. And why beholdest thou the motâ— that is in thy brothers eye but considerest not the beame that is in thine owne eye or how canâ—â— thou say to thy brother lot me pull out the motâ— out of thine eye and behold a beame in thine owne eye Th 〈…〉 hypocrite first cast out the beame out of thine owne eye and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mâ—te out of thy brothers eye Master Saltmarsh charges me with bitternesse uncharitablenesse and is ten times worse himselfe and I challenge Master Saltmarsh and all his party in all the Books that I have written put together to produce if they can so many unchristian passages as are vented by him against me in oâ—e leafe Where and in what part of my books have I charged Master Saltmarsh with sinning against the holy
Ghost hating the light once known blaspheming the work of the Spirit and so I might instance in the rest though I beleeve I could give better grounds why Master Saltmarsh should a great deale more probably bee guilty in that kind then he can upon any pretence of me though I professe I do not charge him with that sinne but the charging godly Presbyterians for writing against Errors and Heresies with committing the sinne against the holy Ghost and despighting the Spirit and sinning wilfully is the great charity and brotherly love of Sectaries divers of them having done thus Master Price charging M. Bâ—ll 〈…〉 ie Master Goodwin Master Brinne and M. Saltmarsh me But I would have Master Saltmarsh know ti 〈…〉 not his bugbar of charging me with the sin against the holy Ghost and threatning me with flashings lightnings and praying against me for contending earnestly for the Faith once delivered unto the Saintâ— against certaine men crept in turning the Grace of God into lasâ—iviousnesse can scare me to make me go out of my way and I find this branding with the sinne against the holy Ghost of Orthodox men by Sectaries to be no new thing but very old used by the Donatists in Saint Austins time who as Augustine showes in his writings accused the Orthodox of being guilty of the sinne against the holy Ghost Fifthly for his two stories he relates of discourse with me upon two severall times speaking together they are deceitfully and falsely related the greatest part concealed and what is related not justly set downe I writ them both downe in my Diary espâ—cially the last immediatly after I left Master Saltmarsh and so can give a just and good account of them but they are too long to be inserted in a Postscript and of the first that being at Master Vicars his house and in his hearing he hath given the Reader already a good part of it in his Schiâ—â—â—atick sifted little I think to M. Saltmarshes credit And now good Reader the next Tractate thou shalt expect from me shall be a Tractate against a Toleration which I hope by the end of the next moneth or the beginning of February may be in thy hands and nothing by Gods help shall divert me or re 〈…〉 d that I am resolved if twenty Pamphlets should be written against this Third Part to let them all lie till I have put forth a Treatise against Toleration and pretended liberty of Conscience And now finally Brethren pray for me that God would be in a speciall manner with me in the setting forth of that Tractate at this time and that the word of the Lord may run and be glorified and â—hat I may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men and that my service which I have for this Kingdome may be accepted of the King Parliament and all that are in authority of the City of London the Ministers of the Kingdome and of all Saints Amen FINIS a Paraeus in 2. Galath v. 9. Hodiâ— quid fit Opinionibus res geritur imo affectibus Nulla Argumenta nullae Apologiae locum inveniunt b Baldwin Cas Consciâ—n lib. 4. cap. 7. pag. 10. 53. 1055. Falsorum dogmatum Propugnatores nominatim perstringendi sunt quomodo enim alias ab auditoribus caveri possunt c Calvin Instructio adversus libertines cap. 4. * The Vision of God by Cardinall cusanus The third part of the Rule of perfection by a Cappuchian Friar Another booke written by a Preist A mesius lib. 5. de Coâ—sc c. 14. ☞ ☜ * Cal. Instr advers libert c. 4 Quod autem Quintinus ejusque socius ex Sartoribus Doctores facti atque ita immutati sunt id in causa â—uit quod delicate molliter vivere vellent nec sibi putarent labores convenire Propterea coÌ„modius omni no existimarunt ut quemadmodum sacerdotes monachi cantillando sic ipsigarriendo vitam quaererent ☞ Erasmus saepe dixit Deus dedit huic postâ—emae aeâ—ati propter morborum magnitudinem acrem medicum Mel. Adam vit luth p. 162. For proofe of this vide Pamphlet entituled Little-Nonsuch printed at London very lately pag. 2. Animadvers Little Nonsuch pag 4. Animadvers * Danaeus in his Tract de Haeresibus cap. 4. 3. Among other Errors of the Origenists shows this to he one that in the interpretation of Scripture they would perpetually Allegorize so that they left nothing certain in the word of God neither that Paradâ—se nor Adam nor Eve nor the waters nor any thing which Moses laies down in the whole Book of Genesis Whereupon Augustine writ 12 Books de Genesi ad literam against such Allegorists and Corrupters of the Scripture Little Nonsuch pag. 5 6 7 8 9 10 c. Animadvers * Vide Ainsworth in Lev. 18. v. 19. ☞ For proof of this see page 25. of this third Part of Gangr This Doctrine was Preached at a Funerall sermon in London brought to comfort men against that trouble of death They shall 〈◊〉 and he removed from their friends and â—e strangers to the affairs bâ—low This point was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bâ— way of Answer i 〈…〉 upon and amplified I and divers other Ministerâ— were â—are witnesses and spake together of the Sermon when it was done I have been told it also from good hands â—hat an Independent Minister of great note when he was dying 〈◊〉 to his wife and friends to have a care how they used his body when it was dead for 〈◊〉 should know what they did to him Animadvers Animadvers Animad vers * This Error the other three last mentioned were preached last Sept. 17 at a Funeral Sermon by an Independent of great note I many other Ministers were â—are witnesses of these doctrines * Proof Webs Pamph. writteÌ„ against my first Part of Gangr page 6. * Respondâ—o Baptismum Johannis discrepasse à Baptismo Christs qua tenus Christus Baptizat interius baptismâ— spiritus Et hac in parte diffâ—rt Baptismus Christi ab omnibus Ministâ—orum Sacrorum baptismis nihil autem discrepasse à baptisme ceremoniali à Christo instituto nisirationâ— temâ—oris significationis clâ—ritate quâ— ante Chriti manifestationem taâ—ta non suit quanta post cam Non sâ—â—us ac Apostolorum baptismus ante mortem Christi diversâ—â— suit à baptismo ab ipsis post mortem ejus administrato pag. 25. 26 27. * Proof of the 10. and 11. Errors pag. 36 37. of this Third Part. * Proof p. 80. of this Third part Proof of the 13 14 pag. 80. of this Third part Proof of the 15. pag. 21. Proof of 16. pag. 80. 45. Vide Proofe of these pag. 20. of this Third part * Vid. Proof of this pag. 107. * For proof see a Book entituled Divine Light manifesting the love of God unto the whole world with the true Church printed in the year 1646. * Divine Light maniâ—esting the love of God pag. 25. The maine scope of that Pamphlet
cald Divine Light manifesting the love of God unto the whole world is to plead for a generall salvation of all men and devills and that Christ hath paid the Price of his bloud for them all Divine Light pag. 19. Divine Light pag. 11 12 13. Divine Light pag. 11 13 14 23. The proofe of this is in p. 36. of this Third part of Gangraena * Vid Pareum in hunc locum Nemâ— nescit ut post consummationem saeculi fiat temporis abolitio sequatur aeternitas * Divine Light manifesting the love of God unto the whole world page 5. Vide Divine Light Manifesting the love of God * Proof p. 22. of this Third Part. * Proofe A godly Minister of this City told me he heard an Independent Minister maintain this Opinion before company Animadvers * Proof of this Third Part of his Gangaena page 107. * Proof vide p. 84. of this Third Part. a Proof p. 36. of this Third part b I have been told from good hands of severall Anabaptists brought before the Magistrate who have refused to take an oath and of others who would speak the truth as in the presence of Christ but not sweare c Proof p. 147. of this Third part of Gangraena d Proof Pamphlet entituled Certain Queres 1645. by Thomas Câ—lyer and in Third part of Gang. p. 28. e Vid. Pamph. entit An alarum to the H. of Lords p. 1. f Proof pamphlet Overtons defiance to the H. of Lords p. 6 Proof vide pag 111 112 of this Third part of Gangraena Proof vide Master Burtons Conformities deformity the whole scope of the Book being to maintain this among other pages vide pag. 7 8 13 14 15. and for Animadversions on this the Reader shall find in the latter part of this Book Pamphlet entituled A Remonstrance of many thousand Citizens and other Free-born people of Engl. to their own House of Commons p. 12 13. * Many Ministers M. Spurstowe M. Cardel M. Wills my self with others heard this Exposition given in the presence of a thousand people at least * For proof Vide pag. 23. 24. of this Third Part of Gangraena Animadvers ☞ ☜ * Vid. Overtons petition to the High and Mighty States the Knights Burgesses in Parliament Assembled ☞ * Last Reports of the English Wars p. T. Ames lib. 5. de Conscient c. 25. De mutua obligatione inter Magistratus et subditos A Remonstr to the House of Commons page 19 20. * Proof Vide page 35. of this Third part of Gangr * For proof Vide M Bellamâ—es justification of the City Remonstrance p. 11. * Proof p. 114. of this Thâ—rd Part of Gangr * Proof p. 107 of this Third part of Gangr Vide Doct. Bastwicks utter rouâ—ing of the Army of the Independents Epist to the Reader ☜ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ * pag. 51. 52. Certain Queres * pag. 18. 19. page 22. 25. page 27. page 27. ☞ page 28. page 29. ☞ Animadvers ☞ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☜ * Bristoll ☜ ☜ A Seeker ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ It hath been usuall for men given to fafour heresieâ— Schismes to speak evill of the zealous Ministers who oppose them so Constan the Emperor often call'd Athanasius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impiâ—m item 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sâ—elestum Theod. lib. 2. cap 16. * A fit man to be a Deacon of an Independent Church ☜ ☞ ☜ ☜ Animadver ☞ ☜ ☜ Second part of Gangrana 131 Blackwood Apostolicall Baptisme or a Rejoynder to M. Blake p. 81. 82. I am of opinion that Heaven received few such souls â—s this Sectarie and Christ saith non retipio tales animas * Sâ—e Mr Walwins Pâ—edict of Master Edwards conversion Whisper in M. Edwards eare c. * Bushers Book of the old Edition page 19. New Edition page 23. ☞ ☜ Animadvers * This Pamphlet is generally spoken and beleeved by all to beâ— his and many of his Church have openly said so to 2 John 10. 11. ☜ Minors no Senators A Discovery of New lights This was upon occasion of the City Remonstrance * It was in some of the Newes Books of that week * Master Burroughs the morning starr preaching about seven a cloke in the morning and Mr Greenâ—al at three of the clock in the afternoone ☞ ☜ ☞ He speaks of the surrender of Oxford Animadvers * Quaest nonâ— Quinam habent pâ—testatem excommunicaâ—di Resp Classium Synodum est quando diâ—â—iculâ—as aliquae subest commu 〈…〉 consiâ—io declarare decernere quinam debeanâ— excommunicari * Ecclesiae ta 〈…〉 en particulares â—t carâ—m communio postulat naturâ— lumen aequitas regularum exemplorum Scripturae docent possunt 〈…〉 ac saepissime etiam debent confoederationem aâ—t consociâ—tioâ—em mutuam inter se iniâ—e in Classibus Synodis ut communi consensu subsidâ—o mutuo utantur quantum commode â—ieri potest in iis praesertim quae sunt major is momentiâ— Ames lib. 4â— de Conscient cap. 29. quaesh octâ— * Mr. Peters message from Sir Thomas Fairâ—ax ☜ * This is fully proved in the first sheet of this Gangraena and in some sheets following this * Vid. A Letter eâ—tit Englands lamentable slavery The Copy of a Letter from Lic vâ—en Col. Lilburne to a Friend A Pamphlet call'd A Question and an Answer Lil 〈…〉 es 〈◊〉 â—â—d Truâ—h jâ—s 〈…〉 Englands Bâ—rth-right ☜ ☜ ☜ ☞ Vide Mr Pryns Animadvers on Mr Goodwins Theomach pag. 22. Master Pryns Truth Triumphing over falshood pag. 106. 107. 108. * City Remonstrance Remonstrated pag. 23 24 25 26. Page 7. City Remonstrance Remonstrated Animadvers Animadvers * The inclosed is the first Letter in this Third Part of Gangraena pag. 21. a copy of which was given me from the Citizen in whose Letter it was inclosed and not from the Gentleman to whom it was written ☜ * The Parliament may by this see what prejudice some of these Independent weekly Pamphleters doe them by speaking of their affaires whilest under debate and before finished and how by their expressions in their Newes Books the reformed Churches abroad and many at home come to be greatly offended with the Parliaments proceedings as if they denyed the Three Persons in the Trinity whereas this debate was not upon the Assemblies presenting the Articles of Religion but upon an Ordinance to punish wiâ—h death those who should deny the Terms expressed in the Ordinance where among others Person was but for the thing whatsoever was said of the word Person it was Voted at that time ☞ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☞ * Epist Zuing. Oecolampad lib. z. ☞ ☜ * Mr Rurr 〈…〉 enicon pag. 34. * Mr Burroug 〈…〉 enicon pag. 36. 37. ☜ ☜ Animadvers * Remonstrance of many thousand Citizens and other Free-born people of England to their owne House of Commons An Alarum to the House of Lords a Vide A Pamphlet ontit A Parable p. 4. 12. 16 as