Lords Supper though beleevers and Saints nor their children to be baptized but onely they who are members in a Church-way 110. There is no Scripture against a mans being often baptized neither is it more unlawfull to be baptized often then to receive the Lords Supper often 111. That Christs words in the Institution of his Supper This is my body and This is my bloud are to be understood literally 112. That Christians in receiving the Lords Supper should receive with their hats on with their heads covered but the Ministers should administer it with their hats off uncovered 113. That 't is as necessary to be joyned in Church-fellowship as with Christ the Head and there 's such a necessity of entring into a Church-way as there is no expectation of salvation without it 114. That the Church of England and the Ministery thereof is Antichristian yea of the Devill and that 't is absolutely sinfull and unlawfull to hear any of their Ministers preach in their Assemblâ—es 115. That the Church of Rome was once a true Church but so was the Church of England never therefore 't is likelier the Church of Rome should be in the right in the Doctrines of Free-will universall Redemption Originall sin c. then the Church of England 116. That the calling and making of Ministers of the Word and Sacraments are not jure Divino but a Minister comes to be so as a Meâ—chant Bookseller Tailor and such like 117. That all setled certaine maintenance for Ministers of the Gospel especially that which is called Tyths is unlawfull Jewish and Antichristian 118. That Ministers of the Gospel in these dayes ought to work with their hands and to follow some calling that they may not be chargeable to the Church 119 That there ought to be no distinct order of Ministers nor no such calling of some persons distinct and separated from the people but that all men who have gifts are in their turns and courses by the appointment of the rest of the company to preach pray baptize and they are for that turn in stead of Ministers and as Ministers 120. That all dayes are a like to Christians under the new Testament and they are bound no more to the observation of the Lords day or first day of the week then to any other 121. That the Jewish Sabbath or Saturday is still to be kept by Christians for their Sabbath 122. That Christians are not bound to meet one day in seven constantly according to the manner of the Nations nor to pray and preach thus long and in this manner two or three houres according to the custome of the Nations 123. No man hath more to do to preach the Gospel then another but every man may preach the Gospel as well as any 124. That 't is lawfull for women to preach and why should they not having gifts as well as men and some of them do actually preach having great resort to them 125. 'T is a part of Christian liberty of Christians not to hear their own Ministers but to go and heare where they will and whom they think they may profit most by 126. That 't is unlawfull to worship God in places consecrated and in places where Superstition and Idolatry have been practised as in our Churches 127. That men ought to preach and exercise their gifts without study and premeditation and not to think of what they are to say till they speak because it shall be given them in that hour and the Spirit shall teach them 128. That there is no need of humane learning nor of reading Authors for Preachers but all books and learning must go down it comes from the want of the Spirit that men writ such great volumes and make such adoe of learning 129. There are some women ten or eleven in one Town or vicinity who hold it unlawfull to hear any man preach either publikely or privately because they must not be like those women in Timothy ever learning and never comming to the knowledg of the truth 2. Tim. 3.6.7 130. That t is unlawfull to preach at all sent or not sent out as in a Church-state but only thus a man may preach as a waiting Disciple that is Christians may not preach in a way of positive asserting and declaring things but all they may do is to confer reason together and dispute out things 131. That t is unlawfull for the Saints to joyn in receiving the Lords supper where any wicked men are present and that such mixt Communion doth pollute and defile them 132 'T is unlawfull for the Saints to joyn in prayer where wicked men are or to pray with any of the wicked 133. That 't is unlawfull for Christians to pray so much as privately with those though godly that are not members of a true Church but are members of the Church of England and the Assemblies thereof 134 That however conference and discourse may be had with all yet t is not lawfull to joyn in prayer or giving of thanks no not before meat with those though otherwise acknowledged Saints and godly and are members of Churches in the Church-way that aâ—e not of the same judgement and way 135. That t is not lawfull for Christians to pray at all with any others either as being the mouth in prayer or as joyning in prayer though never so godly and of their own judgements either in the publike Assemblies or in their Families unlesse such persons who prayed had an infallible spirit as the Apostles 136. That Christians are not bound to pray constantly every day at set times as morning and evening but only at such times as the Spirit moves them to it and if they finde not themselves so moved in many dayes and weeks together they ought not to pray 137. That wicked and unregenerate men ought not to pray unto God at all 138. That all singing of Psalmes as Davids or any other holy songs of Scripture is unlawfull and not to be joyned with 139. That the singing which Christians should use is that of Hymns and spirituall songs framed by themselves composed by their own gifts and that upon speciall occasions as deliverances c. sung in the Congreation by one of the Assembly all the rest being silent 140. That love-feasts or feasts of love with which the Lords Supper is to be administred also is a perpetuall ordinance of Christ at which only Church-members are to be present and to partake 141. That there is no distinction concerning Government of Ecclesiasticall and civil for all that Government which concernes the Church ought to be civill but the maintaining of that distinction is for maintaining the interests of Church-men 142. That a few private Christians as six or seven gathering themselves into a Covenant and Church-fellowship have an absolute entire power of the Keyes and all Government within themselves and are not under any authoritative power of any Classes Synods or generall Councels whatsoever they
who will settle here with them Hereupon they are presently so high flowne that they will have our publike meeting place commonly called the Church to preach a weekly Lecture though we have an Order from the Committee of Parliament that there shall bee none without the consent of both the Ministers in Dover and have acquainthem with it yet some have threatned if the Key be kept away they will break open the doores and since M. Davies journey to London the Members of his Church meeting everie Lords day twice and once in the weeke Mr. Mascall a man employed by the State to bee a perfector of the Customes undertakes to feed the flock expounds the Scriptures and with much vehemencie cries out to the people expressing himselfe thus against the present Ministerie Your Priests your damned Priests your cursed Priests with their fooles Coat Your Levites who if they get an Ordinance of Parliament will thunder it out but they let alone the Ordinances of Christ and perswades the people of the evill that Synods and Learned men have done to the Church and therefore presses them to the uselessenesse of humane learning and at other times in private meetings perswades people that they will fall into most miserable slaverie if they have a Presbytery and saith That hee shall stand and laugh at them when they are under their burthens For our parts if the State will suffer themselves to bee so vilified in what they have by the best advice proposed and will have us trodden under foot for following Christ and obeying them and will have us take Covenants and suffer as many as will to violate them wee shall then thinke that wee are fallen into worse times then ever wee yet saw Wee desire you to counsell us and to improve your power in the Assembly and with the Parliament what you may to stop these violent proceedings here that we may enjoy our priviledges especially the peace of our Consciences and Countrey we rest Your loving Friends Dover April 13. 1646. This Letter is given into the hands of a Peer of this Kingdom The Copie of a Letter written from a learned and godly Divine from beyond the Seas to a speciall Friend of his here in London and translated by him out of Dutch into English VVE do earnestly long for some Ordinances from England for the suppressing of the high growing Sects Heresies and Schismes which get the upperhand We are afflicted in our verie souls that there is such a depth of Distractions and Errors such liberty for Schisme Blasphemie and ungodly Tenents both at London and in the whole Kingdome O blessed holy Holland righteous Amsterdam heretofore accounted the sink of Errours and Heresies but now justified by London With us are punished with banishment or piercing through the tong with a hot Iron those that but slanderously speak of the Virgin Mary Here we burne the books of the Socinians Errours and they may not with knowledge be sold in these parts Here indeed every one is left to enjoy the freedome of his Conscience in his own Family but to keep Conventicles and meetings of divers Families together Amsterdam it selfe will not suffer except in Anabaptists Lutherans and Remonstrants At London is taught Blasphemy against Christ God his Word Worship and Sacraments by Enthusiasts Antinomians Libertines and Seekers There the Socinian tricks are new moulded there all Sects and Hereticks may keep their separated publike and secret Conventicles Whence is it that you are so suddenly led away unto another Gospell Is there no balme in Gilead that the wounds of the daughter of Sion are not healed are the Prayers of the Saints and the Labours of the upright all in vain Gods judgements hang over that Kingdom which feeds and fosters such sins A Passage extracted out of a Letter lately sent from a godly Minister in Colchester to a Minister in London THe last Sabbath day we had one Clarkson a Seeker that preached at Butolph Church the same man I believe that M. Edwards mentions in his Book His Sermon tended to the vilifying of the Scriptures all Ordinances Duties Ministers Church State Hee vilified the Scriptures and would not have the people live upon white and black and that they of themselves were not able to reveal God of which I shall give M. E. a full account the next week An Extract of a Letter written from a Minister in new-New-England to a Member of the Assembly of Divines DIscipline or Church Government is now the great businesse of the Christian World God grant we forget not the doctrine of Repentance from dead works and Faith in the Lord Jesus I long much to see or heare what is done in England about this matter I shall not fall into particulars as I might do could we speake mouth to mouth I am no Independent neither are manie others who say Communi Presbyterorum consilio Ecclesiae ab initio regebantur nor am I of a democraticall spirit Much have I seene in my almost eleven yeares abode in this Wildernesse and I wish such as maintain an Independen Democracie had seene and found as much experimentally A house like to be well governed where all are Masters but no more of this For my self God hath been here with me and done me much good learning me somthing of himselfe of my selfe and of men N. E. is not Heaven and here we are men still Decem. 8. 1645. To his loving brother M. Thomas Edwards SIr that Book which discovereth our generall Gangraena containeth truth which will procure you many enemies it s the fate of Truth But to this end saith our Lord Iohn 18.37 was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I should beare witnesse to the truth and so for this Cause are Christians begotten againe by the Word of Truth Everie one that is of the truth should do so espcially such as are his Ministers Revelasse will be superasse I le joyn with one of your adversaries in that alleadged Text. But they shall proced no farther for their folly shall be made manifest to all men as theirs also was 2 Tim. 3 9. I wait for its accomplishment You yea we all must look to suffer for plaine dealing especially now when as truth lieth in the streets and is trampled on by dirty feet when as there are so many adversaries unto it and such an Independent Combination against it The great objection against you is You are too too vehement in your opposition which when I heard I remembred I had read in Luther de servo Arbitrio the same objected to him by old Erasmus The Answer of Luther unto it mee thinkes may well bee ours yours and yeeld us much comfort and encouragement Quod antem vehementius egerim agnosco culpam si culpa est imo testimonium hoc mihi in mundo reddi in causa Des mirificè gaudeo Atque utinam ipse Deus id testimonii in novissimo die confirmaret
evills of this kinde are grown to such a height as there is the more time for silence or for being afraid but of crying out and speaking plainly And I am confident when your Honours have read over my Book which I humbly desire you in the fear of God and for the glory of Christ to do as Luther bespeaks the reading of an Epistle of his that will be a just Apologie with you for my freenesse and boldnesse O the evil of â—hese times would put zeal into the heart of any man who hath any lâ—ve to the glory of God his truth and the souls of people and make the stammering tongue to speak 〈…〉 to speak and cry out Croesus son who was born dumâ—be wheâ— he saw one going to kill his Father spake and cryed out O kill not Croesus And now when our Father our Saviour and blessed Spirit are wounded by damnable heresies and blasphemies and many precious souls destroyed can we be silent O cursed be the silence and flattery that is in such a time as this For now things are grown to a strange passe though nothing is now strange and every day they grow worse and worse and you can hardly conceive and imagine them so bad as they are no kinde of blasphemy heresie disorder confusion but either is found among us or a coming in upon us for we in stead of a Reformation are grown from one extreme to another fallen from Scylla to Charibdis from Popish Innovations Superstitions and Prelaticall Tyranny to damnable Heresies horrid Blasphemies Libertinisme and fearfull Anarchy our evils are not removed and cured but only changed one disease and Divell hath left us and another as bad is come in the room yea this last extremity in which we are fallen is far more high violent and dangerous in many respects all which in an Epistle cannot be contained but are laid down in the following Book in many places specially in the eleventh Corollary Luther in an Epistle to Spalatinus calls want of freedome in a Minister irremissible peccatum an unpardonable sin and silence in the neglecting of truth a wicked silence and in an Epistle to Staupitius saith Let me be found any thing a proud man an adulterer murderer and guilty of all wickednesse so as I be not convicted of wicked silence whilst the Lord suffers The consideration of which makes me well contented to run the venture of being accounted proud saucy peremptory and of incurring the hazard of your displeasure by speaking freely though I hope better things then to let the glory and honour of Christ and his truth suffer any longer by my silence for I call the most High GOD to witnesse that so far as I know my own heart what freedome I here use in laying open the state of things before you is not out of any sinister respect or any pleasure I take in this liberty for I have had many carnall reasonings and conflicts in my spirit against it but only out of the great necessity of the times moved thereunto out of love and zeal to the glory of God and his truth my faithfulnesse to your Honours compassion to the souls of those for whom Christ dyed and the delivering of my own soul in the discharge of my conscience Great Persons as Princes Nobles and Counsellours through their high places multitude of affairs flatteries are subject to great failings and infirmities as both Scriptures and all Histories shew but this hath been the praise and honour of some of them that upon being minded by faithful Ministers of their faults they have laid it to heart Theodosius that Noble Emperour had many infirmities as that cruell fact of his against the inhabitants of Thessalonica as his being angry out of measure against the people of Antiochia as his lenity towards Arians whom he permitted to keep Conventions in chief Cities but in all his faults this is observed and admired by the Ecclesiasticall Historians who writ of him that he ever gave place to wholsome admonitions and amended upon being dealt with as by Flavianus Bishop of Antiochia Amphilochius Bishop of Iconium Ambrose Bishop of Millain and he took Ambroses liberty of speaking to him so well that he did not only give him thanks but said of him to his praise I have at length found a master of truth for I have known Ambrose only a Bishop worthy of that name It was one of the sins of the Prelates and Court Chaplains for which among others God hath cast them out to flatter and the sin of the Court that the Ministers that preached there must sing placentia speak smooth things Now far be it from such a High Court of Parliament as you who above other Parliaments are in solemne Covenant with God for Reformation Nationall Domâ—sticall Personall and have professed to engage your hearts for God and his work and from the Ministers who stand up for you and adhere to you to be faulty in the same kinde Be pleased therefore in the midst of your many great affairs which even swallow you up and by reason of which you have not time to hear and know all things concerning the State of Religion to suffer one of your daily Remembrancers to God to be Gods Remembrancer to you You have most Noble Senatours done Worthily against Papists Prelats and scandalous Ministers in casting dowe Images Altars Crucifixes throwing out Ceremonies c. but what have You done against other kinds of growing evills Heresie Schisme Disorder against Seekers Anabaptists Antinomians Brownists Libertines and other Sects You have destroyed Baal and his Priests but have you been zealous against golden Calves and the Priests of the lowest of the people are not these grown up and dayly increase under you are any effectuall meanes used against them You have made a Reformation and blessed be God who put it into your hearts to do such things but with the Reformation have we not a Deformation and worse things come in upon us then ever we had before were any of those monsters heard of heretofore which are now common among us as denying the Scriptures pleading for a Toleration of all Religions and worships yea for blasphemy and denying there is a God You have put down the Book of Common Prayer and there are many among us have put down the Scriptures slighting yea blaspheming them You have broken down Images of the Trinity Christ Virgin Mary Apostles and we have those who overthrow the Doctrine of the Trinity oppose the Divinity of Christ speak evill of the Virgin Mary sleight the Apostles You have cast out the Bishops and their Officers and we have many that cast down to the ground all Ministers in all the Reformed Churches You have cast out Ceremonies in the Sacraments as the Crosse kneeling at the Lords Supper and we have many cast out the Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper You have put down Saints dayes and we have many make nothing at all of the Lords dayes and
Fast dayes You have taken away the superfluous excessive maintenance of the Bishops Deanes and we have many take away and cry down the necessary maintenance of the Ministers In the Bishops dayes we had singing of Psalmes taken away in some places conceived prayer preaching and in their room Anthems stinted forms and reading brought in and now we have singing of Psalms spoken against and cast out of some Churches yea all publike prayer questioned and all ministeriall preaching denyed In the Bishops times Popish Innovations were introduced as bowing at Altars c. and now we have anointing the sick with Oyle then we had Bishopping of children now we have Bishopping of men and women by strange laying on of hands as is related in this following Book In the Bishops dayes we had many unlearned Ministers and have we not now a company of Jereboams Priests In the Bishops dayes we had the fourth Commandement taken away but now we have all ten Commandements at once by the Antinomians yea all faith and the Gospell denyed as by the Seekers The worst of the Prelats in the midst of many Popish Arminian tenets and Popish Innovations held many sound doctrines and had many commendable practices yea the very Papists hold and keep to many Articles of faith and truths of God have some order among them encourage learning have certain fixed principles of truth with practises of devotion and good works but many of the Sects and Sectaries in our dayes deny all principles of Religion are enemies to all holy Duties Order Learning overthrowing all being vertiginosi spiritus whirlegigg spirits and the great opinion of an universall Toleration tends to the laying of all waste and dissolution of all Religion and good manners Now are not these Errours Heresies and Schismes spots and blots in our Reformation do they not blemish and cast a dark shadow upon all the light part are they not the dead flies in the Apothecaries ointment sending forth a stinking savour are they not the reproach and rejoycings of the common enemy the scandall of the weak the blasing star of the times and are not Sectaries strangely suffered connived at keeping open meetings in the heart of the City yea printing with License their erroneous opinions and daring to give into some of your hands such Books as 't is a shame to speak of being let so alone that they are grown up to many thousands both in City and Country Christ in Revel 2.19 highly commends the Angel of the Church of Thyatira for his works service faith patience c. but yet reproves and threatens him for suffering without punishment false doctrines to be taught and disorders to be practised in the Church But I have a few things against thee because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel which calleth her self a Prophetesse to teach and to seduce my servants And be pleased to observe what truth that Scripture holds out namely that a connivence and suffering without punishment false Doctrines and Disorders Persons to preach whom God hath not called and to preach Errours Heresies blemishes and dashes the most glorious works and provokes God to send judgements a Toleration doth eclipse and darken the glory of the most excellent Reformation God accounts all those errours heresies schismes c. committed in a land but let alone and suffered without punishment by those who have authority and power to be the sins of those who have power and he will proceed against them as if they were the authors of them A man comes to be pertaker of other mens sins by countenancing consenting and suffering withou punishment as well as by formally committing them Solomon in 1. King 11. from ver 1. to 15. is counted by God to be guilty of all the Idolatry committed by his wives and their followers and accordingly God is angry with him and threatens him because being a King he had power in his hands to hinder it not that Solomon did bring into the house of God Idols or ever commanded the people to forsake the worship of God and to worship Idols or that he did in his own persont worship Idols This only is certain that he suffered them to build Altars and sacrifice to strange gods Ephes. 5.12 't is the command of God to have no fellowship with the unfruitfull works of darknesse that is not by consenting helping imitating suffering them without reproof Now a Magistrates reproving is by using coercive power to punish and suppresse evills as is evident in the example of old Eli to his sons who though he did reprove by words yet because he punished them not he was partaker of their sins and was severely punished by God for it 1. Sam. 2.23 242 5. chap. 3.13.14 Now Right Honourable though You hold none of these Opinions practise not these wayes neither command any of these things but have put out Declarations wherin there are some passages against Anabaptists Brownists and other Sects and made Orders and Ordinances for the preventing and remedying of many of these evills as that Order of Febr. 16. 1643. That Ministers suffer none to preach in the places where they have charge but such as they will be answerable for as the Ordinance against the preaching of Persons not ordained in this or some other Reformed Church as the Ordinance of not printing without License yea upon complaint have questioned and troubled some Sectaries for their Errours and pernicious Practises yet notwithstanding there is a strange unheard of suffering and bearing with them and such a one as I beleeve all things considered never was there the like under any Orthodox Christian Magistrate and State How do sects and schismes increase and grow daily Sectaries doing even what they will committing insolencies and outrages not only against the truth of God and the peace of the Church but the Civill state also going up and down Countries causing riots yea tumults and disturbances in the publike Assemblies how do persons cast out of other Countries for their Errours not only live here but gather Churches preach publikely their Opinions what swarmes are there of all sorts of illiterate mechanick Preachers yea of Women and Boy Preachers what a number of meetings of Sectaries in this Citiy eleven at least in one Parish what liberty of preaching printing of all Errours or for a Toleration of all and against the Directory Covenant monethly Fast Presbyteriall Government and all Ordinances of Parliament in reference to Religion and most of these persons either never questioned at all or if questioned abusing those in a high manner who question them coming off one way or other and afterwards going on in spreading their errours more then before or if committed by some below whereby they are hindred from preaching and dipping then brought off and released by some above of which they bragg and boast yea many Sectaries countenanced imployed and preferd to speciall places both of profit honour and trust and that which is
his people that he is the Authour not of those Actions alone in and with which sin is but of the very Pravity Ataxy Anomy Irregularity and sinfullnesse it self which is in them 12. That all Lyes come forth out of the mouth of God 13. 'T is the will and command of God that since the coming of his Son the Lord Jesus a permission of the most Paganish Jewish Turkish or Antichristian consciences and worship be granted to all men in all Nations and Countries and they are only to be fought against with the sword of Gods Spirit the word of God and for the Parliament to use any civill coercive meanes to compell men of different judgment is one of the greatest sins that can be named 't is committing a greater rape then if they had forced or ravished the bodies of all the women in the world Yea if it be mens consciences the Magistrate may not punish for blasphemies nor for denying the Scriptures nor for denying there is a God 14. That no man was cast into hell for any sin but only because God would have it so 15. That a man had life before God breathed into him and that which God breathed into him was part of the divine Essence and shall returne unto God again 16. That we should think of our selves no better then was meet for God loves the creatures that creep upon the ground as well as the best Saints and there is no distance between the flesh of a Man and the flesh of a Toad 17. That the Prince of the ayr that rules in the children of disobedience is God and that there is no other spirit but one which Spirit is God 18. That God hath not decreed all the actions of men because men doing what God decreed do not â—in 19. That God was never angry nor displeased with man for if he were ever displeased and pleased again then there is a changeablenesse in God 20. That God loved not one man more then another before the world neither is there an absolute particular election but only generall and conditionall upon perseverance and the Scripture no where speaks of Reprobates or Reprobation 21. That the soul dies with the body and all things shall have an end but God only shall remain for ever 22. Every creature in the first creation was God and every creature is God every creature that hath life and breath being an efflux from God and shall returne into God again be swallowed up in him as a drop is in the ocean 23. That to a saving knowledge of God it sufficeth not to know him in the book of nature nor secondly as revealed in the holy Scriptures but that we must know him as abstract from his mercies and all his attributes 24. That in the Unity of the God-head there is not a Trinity of Persons but the Doctrine of the Trinity beleeved and professed in the Church of God is a Popish tradition and a Doctrine of Rome 25. There are not three distinct Persons in the Divine Essence but only three Offices the Father Son and holy Ghost are not three Persons but Offices 26. That there is but one Person in the Divine nature 27. That Jesus Christ is not very God not God essentially but nominally not the eternall Son of God by eternall generation no otherwise may he be called the Son of God but as he was man 28. That Christs humane nature is defiled with originall sin as well as ours Christ had from the birth to his death the same originall corruption as ours he took our sin into his nature as well as our flesh upon him Christ is not of a holier nature then we but in this appeares Gods love to us that he will take one of us in the same conditition to convince us of what he is to us and hath made us to be in him me thinks the beholding of Christ to be holy in the flesh is a dishonour to God in that we should conceive holinesse out of God and again a discomfort to the Saints that he should be of a more holy nature then they as being no ground for them to come neer with boldnesse to God 29. That we did look for great matters from one crucified at Ierusalem 16 hundred yeares ago but that does us no good it must be a Christ formed in us the deity united to our humanity Christ came into the world to live thirty two years and to do nothing else that he knew and blessed God he never trusted in a crusified Christ. 30. Christ was true man when he created us yea from eternity and though he had not flesh yet was he very man without flesh 31. That Christ died for all men alike for the reprobate as well as for the elect and that not only sufficiently but effectually for Iudas as well as Peter for the damned in hell as well as the Saints in Heaven 32. That by Christs death all the sins of all the men in the world Turks Pagans as well as Christians committed against the morall Law and first Covenant are actually pardoned and forgiven and this is the everlasting Gospel 33. That Christ did only satisfie for the sins against the first Covenant but not for the sins against the second Covenant as unbelief he died not for the unbelief of any 34. Christ died only for sins past i. e. before the Gospel is revealed to the sinner and the sins of men committed after conversion Christ died not for but they are pardoned by his being a continuall sacrifice 35. Every man satisfies for himselfe for the sins against the second Covenant namely unbelief because he that beleeves not the wrath of God abides upon him so that for a years unbelief a man beares a years wrath and this is all the satisfaction God requires 36. That no man shall perish or go to hell for any sin but unbeleef only 37. That the Heathen who never heard of Christ by the Word have the Gospel for every creature as the Sun Moon and Stars preach the Gospel to men and in them is revealed the knowledge of Christ crucified and sin pardoned if they had eyes to see it 38. Those Heathen that perish do perish only for not beleeving according to the Gospel they enjoy 39. Christ did not by his death purchase life and salvation for all no nor for the elect For it was not the end of God in the coming of Christ to purchase love and life but Christ himself was purchased by love that hee might make out love and purchase us to love 40. Christ Jesus came into the world to witnesse and declare the love of God to us not to procure it for us or to satisfie God as some say Christ was a most glorious publisher of the Gospel he was sent to preach the Gospel to heal the broken hearted to preach deliverance to the captives in all that Christ saith to be the end of
conversion and what Peter did in this kinde after his foul fact of denying his Master issued from the weaknesse of his faith 79. That Gods children are not to aske the pardon and forgivenesse of their sins they need not they ought not and 't is no lesse then blasphemy for a child of God to aske pardon of sins 't is infidelity to aske pardon of sins and Davids asking forgivenesse of sin was his weaknesse 80. That when Abraham denyed his wife and in outward appearance seemed to lie in his distrust lying dissembling and equivocating that his wife was his sister even then truly all his thoughts words and deeds were perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the fight of God freely 81. The called of God have sin in the flesh they have sin in the conversation but they have no sin neither can they have any in the conscience for the true faith of Gods elect and sin in the conscience can no more stand together then light and darknesse and this reconciles those two Scriptures If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and He that is borne of God doth not commi◠sin neither can he because he is borne of God 82. The great Antichrist is that mysticall body of iniquity which opposeth Jesus Christ and not the Pope of Rome or any particular succession of men only he is a part of Antichrist Denn makes the opposition of Antinomian errours to be the man of sin and the great Antichrist as is to be seen in severall pages of his Man of sin discovered And Sectaries make them who deny Christs dying for all to be Antichrist others make Antichristianisme to consist in the coercive power of the Magistrate in matters of Religion 83. That the soul of man is mortall as the soul of a beast and dies with the body 84. That the souls of the faithfull after death do sleep til the day of judgement and are not in a capacity of acting any thing for God but 't is with them as 't is with a man that is in some pleasing dreame 85. That the bodies of the faithfull shall not rise again at the resurrection namely the same that died but their soules shall have other bodies made fit for them either by creation or faction from some preëxisting matter and though the bodies be new yet the men are the same because the same souls remaine still 86. Infants rise not again because they are not capable of knowing God and therefore not of enjoying him 87. That the perfection and resurrection spoken of by Paul 1. Cor. 15.51.52.53.54.55.56.57 the hope set before us the eternall inheritance a City having foundations whose builder and maker is God are to be attained in the fullnesse and perfection of them now in this present time before the common death of the body 88. That none of the soules of the Saints go to Heaven where Christ is but Heaven is empty of the Saints till the resurrection of the dead 89. There is no resurrection at all of the bodies of men after this life nor no Heaven nor hell after this life nor no devils 90. There shall be in the last day a resurrection from the dead of all the bruit creatures all beasts and birds that ever lived upon the earth every individuall of every kinde of them that died shall rise again as well as of men and all these creatures shall live for ever upon the earth 91 There is no hell but in this life and that 's the legall terrours and feares which men have in their consciences 92. That there is no Church of Christ upon the earth no true Ministery no Sacraments no Gospel no faith because there are no visible nor infallible gifts 93. No man is damned but for rejecting the Gospel and none can reject the Gospel but those who have it tendred unto them as they had in the Apostles dayes being confirmed by miracles 94. That the pure preaching of the Word and righ administration of the Saments are no notes nor signes of a true visible Church 95. 'T is the will of God that miracles should attend the Ministry the Apostles make a marriage of doctrine and miracles so that they who preach the Gospel must be so gifted as to confirme it by signes and wonders 96. That many Christians in these dayes have more knowledge then the Apostles and when the time is come that there shall be true Churches and Ministery erected they shall have greater gifts and do greater miracles then the Apostles ever did because the Christian Church was but then in its infancy 97. That there ought to be in these times no making or building of Churches nor use of Church-ordinances as ministring of the Word Sacraments but waiting for a Church being in a readiness upon all occasions to take knowledge of any passenger of any opinion or tenet whatsover the Saints as pilgrims doe wander as in a Temple of smoak not able to finde Religion and therefore should not plant it by gathering or building a pretended supposed House but should wait for the coming of the Spirit as the Apostles did 98. There is a salvation that shall be revealed in the last times which was not known to the Apostles themselves 99. That within a while God will raise up Apostles men extraordinarily endowed with visible and infallible gifts to preach the Gospel and that shall precede the fall of Rome 100. That in points of Religion even in the Articles of faith and principles of Religion there 's nothing certainly to be beleeved and built on onely that all men ought to have liberty of conscience and liberty of prophesying 101. That the Scriptures no where speak of Sacraments name or thing 102. That the Covenant whereof Circumcision was the seale was onely of temporall promises as Ex. G. of the land of Canaan that the Covenant God made with Abraham had nothing spirituall in it and that Circumcision was a seal of the righteousnesse of faith to no other but to Abraham alone quatenus a father and not to his children 103. That Baptism is not a seal nor signe of the Covenant of grace 104. That Poedobaptisme is unlawfull and Antichristian and that 't is as lawfull to baptize a Cat or a Dog or a Chicken as to baptize the Infants of beleevers 105. 'T is as lawfull to break any of the ten Commandements as to baptize an Infant yea 't is as lawfull to commit adultery and murther as to baptize a childe 106. That baptizing belongs not to Ministers onely all gifted brethren and preaching Disciples though no Ministers may baptize 107. Baptizednesse is not essentiall to the Baptizer nor essentiall to preaching so that persons not onely not in office but not so much as baptized may both baptize and preach 108. Miracles are essentiall to the administration holden forth in the commission of Baptisme Matt. 28.19 109. That none are to be admitted to the
of power and command that so they may trample upon and crush them O had the Sectaries been in the place of the Presbyterians and the Presbyterians in theirs and they so dealt with by the Presbyterians as the Presbyterians have been by them I know what they must have expected from them I dare appeale to everie ordinarie common understanding yea to the conscience of the Sectaries themselves whether if they had had the Parliaments of both Kingdomes the Assemblies and Ministers the Churches and Pulpits the representative body of this Citie and the people and wee had been as few as they were in the three first yeares of the Parliament would they have suffered us to preach in their owne Churches against them and their way to have from time to time confuted their Doctrine to have preached up another Government and way against what the Parliament had voted and was a setling to have enjoyed speciall Lectures in principall places to promote a way contrarie to theirs to have drawne away their people and maintenance from them to have fallen upon the practice of setting up Prebyteriall Churches and Government Classicall Synodicall in Citie Countrey to have printed freely against their way and used all meanes to have rendred them odious among the people would they have sate still and gone without places and offices of honour power profit and suffered the Presbyterians a small partie to get into Court Armies Committees c. to increase to such a number such a strength and head as to possesse most places of command in the field and in the strongest Garrisons and Forts as also Civill offices both of power and profit yea to have a pluralitâ—e of places and offices Would the Sectaries if they had been two powerfull Armies consisting of Commanders and Souldiers for their way under Generals after their owne heart have born those things at the hands of Presbyterians which Presbyterians have done from them O no they would never have endured the hundredth part of those wrongs discouragements injuries had the Assembly consisted of Independents excepting a matter of eight or nine Presbyterians would they have endured that and put up that from the Presbyterian partie as the Assembly hath done from the Independent suffered them to spin out time so long to speak those things in the Assembly some of them have and in stead of bringing in according to Order the whole frame of their judgements concerning Church-government in a body with their grounds and reasons to bring in a Remonstrance casting dirt upon them and their proceedings Would they in New-England endure one or more Presbyterians to live among them and to go up and downe their Countrey and in chiefe Towns and places to preach against cry downe their Churches and Church-government and to extoll and cry up a contrarie way as Mr. Peters and others do here For mine owne part I am confidently perswaded and so I beleeve are all wise men that have observed the waies of the Sectaries that if they had been in the place of the Presbyterians having had their power number authoritie and the Presbyterians had been a small number as they were and should have offered to have done but the twentieth part of that in preaching writing c. against them which the Sectaries have done against the Presbyterians they would have trod them downe as mire in the street casting them out with scorn before this time of day not have suffered a Presbyterian to preach among us or to have been in any place or office militarie or civill but all would have been shut up in prisons banished or else hiding themselves in holes and corners many godly persons in some places having much ado now to hold up their heads to live by them to preach quietly to go safely in the streets and to be quiet in their houses And for conclusion of the differerence in the carriage and behaviour of the Presbyterians and the Sectaries the righteous Lord judge between them and recompence to the Presbyterians according to their kindnesse love peaceablenesse forbearance and righteousnesse and the Lord forgive the Sectaries and turn their hearts and cause their folly insolencies unrighteousnesse and unjust dealings with their brethren to be so manifest to themselves and all men as they may proceed no further Now for the particular practices of the Sectaries they are many and it would require a Tractate by it selfe to set them downe indeed I hardly know any strange practice that hath reference to their wayes but some or other of them are guiltie in one kind or another Most of their practices and wayes may be referred to these ten heads 1 To loosnesse and libertie in life and conversation 2 To covetousnesse ambition and self-seeking 3 To policies and subtiltie 4 To activenesse sedulitie and numblenesse in the prosecution of their way 5 To tumultuousnesse disorder and confusion 6 To the disturbance and overthrow of oeconomicall ecclesiasticall and polâ—ticall relations and government 7 To insolencies pride and arrogancie 8 To acts of immodesty and incivilitie 9 To power and will carrying all before them and throwing downe all that stands in their way 10 To hypocrisie under pretences of pietie and holinesse Now for the particular practices of the Sectaries I had drawne up many to the number of seventie and provided for everie practice instances for proofe and upon some of them I could write a large discourse even a book upon severall of them as of their behaviour and carriage towards the Parliament the Kingdome of Scotland the Assembly of Divines the Citie of London the Ministerie of England yea of all the Reformed Churches as of their seeking and getting into all sorts of offices and places they are any way capable of being Sequestratours Collectours Receivâ—rs Surveyours Excisers Customers Secretaries Clerks c. getting places in Court great Townes dwelling in sequestred houses freely procuring Arreares c. not a man almost of late coming into any place or office but an Independent or Independentish there being no kind or sort of preferment employment place but some or other of that way enjoy as of their plotting and labouring from the first yeare of the wars to get into their hands the sword and power of Armes by having a considerable Army which they might look upon more particularly as theirs and of their way by attempting to remove and heave at many gallant Commanders to get the command of the strongest Garrisons and places yea to make Townes of consequence that were no Garrisons to have been Garrisons as Yarmouth but I am necessitated for divers reasons to passe by wholly for the present many of their practices and others to name only desiring the Reader as hee goes along to supply the defect by calling to mind all particulars he knowes and hath heard of upon the severall heads 1. Practice They use to ascribe and attribute all the successe of things all that is done in field at Leaguers all victories brave actions to
lives but few yeers if the Sects be suffered to go on will see that all the other Sects of Independents Brownists Antinomians Anabaptists will be swallowed up in the Seekers alias Libertines many are gone already and multitudes are going that way and the issue of these Sects and Schismes will be that all will end in a loosenesse and licentiousnesse of living A HYMNE which some of the Antinomians do sing at their meetings instead of DAVIDS Psalms THe newes is good Christ shed his bloud our peace is made in Heaven And now he is gone up to his Throne all power to him is given 2 Our glory is great we are compleat in Gods great love we stand We are on high exalted by Christs victorious hand 3 We once neer lost to hell did post but God in mercy found us And now he hath taught us his path and with his mercy crown'd us 4 Shall sin or hell Gods people quell or ever keep them under No Christ hath died sin purifide and hell bands rent in sunder 5 The bloud of Christ our great High Priest which once for us was shed Hath purg'd the blot and cleans'd the spot wherewith we were besmear'd 6 A glorious thing a wonder strong that sin should not defile And those are all to Christ more dear that once did seem so vile 7 All sin we finde is out of minde the Saints are made divine First in the love of God above in glory they do shine 8 None are so dear nor yet so near with God they are made one Who now doth see them sure to be as is his only Sonne 9 Christ is our guide we cannot slide nor never fall away Our state is sure and must endure though all things else decay 10 Then let 's be bold our heads uphold the time is drawing nigh When we shall raign and eke remain with God eternally 11 Let all base fears and needlesse cares out of our souls remove With speed let 's fly to God on high and dwell with him above Amen Amen And 't is remarkable that now for present the best Independent Churches and Congregations are mixed Assemblies and medlies consisting of persons whereof some are Anabaptists some Antinomians some Libertines others hold Arminian and Socinian Tenets those who for mixtures in manners and because of some persons not so holy in their lives made a Schisme in the Church have worse mixtures among themselves in Doctrine a linsey wolsey compounded Religion I do not think there is any one Independent Church of three yeers standing and that hath attained to the number of between 30. and 40. members but had or hath in it some Anabaptists Antinomians Seekers or else persons holding one or other odde and strange opinion Mr. Symonds Independent Church at Roterdam is over-grown with Anabaptisme and he hath written into England that he is so pestered with Anabaptists that he knew not what to do Mr. Sympsons Church hath bred divers Seekers Mr. Lâ—ckiers Antinomians Master Iohn Goodwins company is an unclean Conventicle where the spirit of Errour and pride prevails in most the unclean spirit being entred there into himself and his people with seven evill spirits Socinian Arminian Popish Anabaptisticall Libertine Tenets being held by himself and many of his people And what shall I say more it will be too long to tell of what I have heard of some members in Mr. Carters Mr. Cradockâ— Mr. Brisco Mr. Barlets Churches concerning opinions they hold March 21. I was informed for certain that a young maiden buying in the Sirand of a Goldsmith a gold Ring the young man in the shop who was selling it her asked her whether she was to be married for the Ring was much of the size of a marriage Ring she answered no nor did not know whether ever shee should be married he questioned further with her what use she bought if for after some discourse together she told him she bought it to give to the Minister of the Church into which she was to be admitted a member and the young man further conferring with her she told him she was to be of the Congregationall way and of a Church where the Minister was a man of precious gifts It hath been related to me also from good hands and if there be any mistake in the Relation I desire the Independent Ministers to clear wherein namely that in some of their Congregations maid-servants out of their wages do allow so much yeerly as five or six shillings to their Ministers that some poore godly persons who have expressed great desire to be of their Church way and gone to some Independent Ministers to be admitted to Church-fellowship could not because of their poverty that persons of great ranck and quality as some Ladies are admitted to their Churches in a more favourable way and not after the ordinary manner and that one Lady at least though no member of any Independent Church but of a Presbyteriall hath been admitted to the Lords Supper among them and her child was to have been baptized by an Independent Minister but that it died the very day appointed for the baptizing of it that in one of the Independent Churches here in London a rich widow who was there a member refused to give her consent to one in way of marriage whom otherwise she liked and entertained till hee yeelded to settle twenty pounds a yeer upon her Independent Minister during his life and lastly that some of the Independent Ministers have from some one of their members 20.30 li. or better per annum and a Minister is named who hath fifty five pounds yeerly from three members of his Church forty pounds from two and fifteen pounds from a third A Disputation held at the Spitle about the Immortality of the soul by some Anabaptists as Lam Battee and others on the day of publike Thanksgiving for Dartmouths being given up into the hands of the Parliament MY Lord Major hearing of a great concourse of people that were to meet upon such a businesse having a respect to the peace and good government of this City sent two of the Marshals men to Lam to the Spitle where they were met to dispute but had not yet begun who told Lam that may Lord Major had sent them to him to forbid him or them to dispute as upon this day Lam answered the Officers he would go up and acquaint the brethren which he did standing in a place like a desk above the people at one end of the room and Battee at the other The first thing that Lam spake of was that my Lord Major had sent to forbid their meeting or rather to desire them not to dispute as upon this day Battee stood up and said that Mr. Major was a limb of Antichrist and that he was a persecutor of the brethren and that he did question what power or authority he had to forbid them he was sure the Parliament gave him no such power but gave them liberty to use
evil in Presbyterians as Cretensis doth all kind of horrid Blasphemies and Heresies in his Sectaries however Cretensis is never the lesse in fault because of company and indeed Cretensis being a Minister should have given them being private Christians better example besides who knows but Cretensis example drew these Presbyterians to it and further 't is likely these Presbyterians had been in the afternoon at some Presbyterian Church offered up to God both a morning and evening sacrifice of thanksgiving came from home later then Cretensis and his Brethren neither doth Cretensis say the Presbyterians came forth with him but as he tels his own tale he relates that after his walking about a quarter of a mile which might be a mile as well as his half hours bowling two hours and after his coming into the Garden and sitting about half an hour in an Arbour which we may well reckon for an hour to came in some of Master Edwards judgement of Church-Government all which being considered makes the matter not so bad in the Prebyterians as in Cretensis but supposing all this yet I will not excuse them Thirdly as for that story of one of the Assembly with three more of his com or sub Presbyters rather four Ministers in all expressed by Cretensis all a long in a scoffing yea in a prophane manner bringing in heaven and Gods providence to make up his jefts and jeers spending a whole afternoon upon a day of Thanksgiving in fishing I greatly blame them and if there was any such thing they have cause to be ashamed of it as well as you for your bowling and it had been fitter for them four Ministers to have been fishing for the souls of men preaching somewhere in the afternoon then a catching of Roaches and thus you see Cretensis I am impartial not like the Independents excusing all things in Presbyterians as they in Sectaries though never so vilde and therefore your Proverb of Presbyterians having a priviledge to steal Horses holds not as you see for I am against a Toleration of them to look on Fourthly As for your threats of discovering Presbyterian mistakes in the night and to leave the world to judge whether they be not worse then Independents bowling on dayes c. and of the story of a Presbyterian Angel which you will clap to my mouth and stop it for ever I answer do your worst discover what Presbyterian mistakes in the night you can and tell what stories you please of a Presbyterian Angel I fear you not it will not stop my month I blesse God he who keepeth the feet of his Saints hath so preserved me that I care not what all the Sectaries under Heaven can say against me I blesse God I have whereof to rejoyce and glory before men though before God I know my manifold weaknesses and transgressions and have nothing to glory in but the free mercy of God and the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ and therefore Cretensis iâ— you mean me by mistakes in the night and by Presbyterian Angel as your words seem to infinuate speaking unto me and the Reader may be apt to take your meaning so speak out do your worst I defie you and all your company to prove any such things or but the suspition of them for I must tell you Cretensis I have ever since I came to be a Preacher of the Gospel walked by that rule of the Apostle Providing honest things not only in sight of the Lord but in the sight of men And as for other Presbyterian Ministers if any of them have walked loosely and scandalously let them look to it I will be no Patron for them neither will I have my mouth stopped from opening the Errors Heresies Practises of the Sectaries or laying open by name Impostors and Seducers to gratifie the concealment of somthing soul in a Presbyterian let them bear the shame of it for all me and give God glory in confessing only I would desire Cretensis and the Reader to observe the difference between my Discourse of Errors Heresies and Practises in Sectaries and Cretensis discovery threatned 1. Cretensis Discovery will be out of revenge malice because the Errors of the Sectaries are laid open and which otherwise he implies should not have been discovered and if I would cease laying open the Errors of the times those stories should never have come to light but now my Catalogue was and is purely out of conscience not out of ill-will to any man but to preserve many from falling and to recover others before they are gone too far 2. The Errors Practises wayes which I lay down throughout my Book are the very principles and wayes of the Sectaries as such Sectaries either being their Opinions or flowing necessarily from them or are means made use of by them to increase their way compasse their designs whereas any personal miscarriages of the Presbyterians are far from falling under any such considerations but the fruits of the flesh and Satan taking advantage upon them of which things they have no fruit but are ashamed and have repented 3. These Errors and Practises in the Sectaries are now found in them cleaving to them since and not before they turn'd Sectaries whereas these miscarriages of the Presbyterians are not now upon them nor never since they were Presbyterians but may be many years before when Episcopal and foolish 4. The Independents and Sectaries cry up themselves and their way as a purer holier way then other mens making themselves the only Saints the Paradise of God the tender conscienced men thereupon separating from our Churches and accounting the Presbyterians as a dunghil which kinde of notions among the people crying the Saints the Saints tender consciences hath gained them more then all their Arguments and therefore to take off this Argument 't is necessary to shew they are not holier then others neither have tenderer consciences but are looser and larger conscienced men And I ask Cretensis when as Bellarmine and other Papists bring against Protestants holinâ—sse of life as a note of the Church of Rome and boast of the great holinesse that is in their Church above what is in the Protestants whether do not the Protestants justly and properly to disprove them give instances and stories of the wicked lives and ways of many Papists besides of the Doctrines in the Church of Rome and if the Protestants do it and are blamelesse how can it be a fault in the Presbyterians to do the same when they are to answer the Sectaries but now the Presbyterians do not separate from the Independents out of pretences of greater holinesse nor cry up themselves in Sermons and Books as the only Saints and therefore the Independents cannot so justly bring these things against the Presbyterians as the Presbyterians against them 5. As for that Manuscript which came to Cretensis above a year since concerning Mr. Edwards which discourseth his jugling and indirect walking between the two Towns of Godalming in Survey
concerning me that I am the greatest Manifestarian under Heaven There is no man hath manifested that weaknesse of judgement that strength of malice against the Saints which he hath done I would have Cretensis know if I would give leave to my pen I could upon these words whip him so as to fetch blood in abundance from him but I will not write a Satyr all I will say though this is a desperate provoking speech and I have much ado to forbear is this I dare appeal to the indifferent Reader Whether Mr. Edwards or Mr. Goodwin in their writings against Independents and against Presbyterians have manifested more weaknesse of judgement and strength of malice against the Saints And to satisfie the Reader and my self I desire Cretensis in his Rejoynder to shew where in any of my Books I have manifested that weaknesse of judgement to declare to all the world as Cretensis hath done that I put out an Answer to a Book of which I never read one quarter of it or writ a Book wherein the far greatest part of the particulars were observed by otâ—ers or had neither leasure nor opportunity to search to the bottom all was storied and yet notwithstanding deny all with Gyant-like confidence Cr. p. 50. or where in what pages of my Books inâ—ituled Reasons against Independent Government Antapologia Gangraena I have discovered that strength of malice against the Independent Saints as Cretensis in his Books call'd M. S. Theo-machia Answers and Replyes to Mr. Prynne A brief Answer to Mr. Edwards hath against the Presbyterian Saints and all the Reformed Churches But no man need marvel at Cretensis course language either in vilifying slighting me or in charging me so deeply who considers how he hath spared none of what condition or quality soever that have come in his way not regarding any mans age calling learning holinesse sufferings place witnesse his scornful bitter speeches against Mr. Walker Mr. Roborough Dr. Steuart yea casting fire-brands of reproach upon City Assembly Parliament and all Presbyterians and particularly upon that worthy learned and religious Gentleman Mr. Prynne the greatest and truest sufferer against those evils of that time both for matter and manner of any one man in England whom above all others notwithstanding all his sufferings and other personal worth he hath slighted and desperately censured as here he does me which the Reader may finde in Cretensis Books against Mr. Prynne and particularly in that Book Intituled Calumny araigned and cast Cretensis § 33.49 denies he holds any Errors in Justification greater then I do yea or any so great by many degrees and it will be a thousand times said before once proved that Cretensis holds any such Errors c. He charges me also in my Epistle Dedicatory to abuse the Parliament with a loud untruth That there are Eleven meetings at least of Sectaries in one Parish in this City which loud untruth he charges not upon me alone but upon the Honorable Court of Common-Councel the Lord Mayor Aldermen c. calling them Brethren in iniquity with me And further taxes me that because the Pages of my Book are not large enough to contain my shamelesse untruths therefore I quote them in the Margin of it as of Overton and Eaton and some of Cretensis Church reporting c. Reply Cretensis hath been often charged to hold Errours in the point of Justification and the particulars have been specified and proved by many godly learned Ministers both in Pulpits writings and conferences as Master Walker Master Roborough Master Calamie c. yea some Independent Ministers as Mr. Thomas Goodwin Master Burton c. have spoken against his Errours in the point of Justification using sharp and quick expressions upon discoursing of them as I can prove by good witnesses But for me I was never taxed by any man either Presbyterian or Independent for holding any Errours in the doctrine of Justification and indeed I hold nothing in that point but which is commonly laid down in the Confession and Articles of Religion made by the Reformed Churches And for the proving you guilty of Errour Master Robrough hath done it cleerly and fully in his Animadversions and Examination of both parts of your Treatise of Justification which me thinks you never having replyed unto should not have had the forehead to have boasted thus Besides also a godly orthodox learned Presbyt of the Church of Scotâ— and hath fully answered you and discovered your weaknesse as one of the Reverend Commissioners of the Church of Scotland assured me upon his own knowledge Secondly Cretensis shewes his impudencie and boldnesse in denying that which I prove by a Petition of the Honourable Court of Common Councell wherein they in terminis as Cretensis cannot deny affirm it and I suppose all men will iudge such an Honourable Court affirming it and that to the High Court of Parliament is to be beleeved before one Cretensis And of this businesse I know something for I particularly inquired of some of that Committee appointed to draw up the Petition and to make proof of things how this particular was proved and they told me it was made apparent to the Committee of Common Councell whereupon they put it in and no wise man can conceive that such a representative Body as the Common Councell in a businesse wherein they knew they had so many eyes upon them and so many enemies all the Sectaries mortally hating them for this and other Petitions would represent such a thing to the Parliament unlesse they could prove it The Common Councell knowes very well the Sectaries want not friends to possesse the Parliament against them and who watch but for such an advantage as to take them tripping thereby to render all they present in this kinde as false and if Cretensis or any of his fellow Sectaries could have disproved this 't is a wonder to me they did not When a Committee was appointed to hear and the Citie to make proof of some of the foulest things mentioned in the Petition why did not Cretensis or some of his Church then for the weakning the credit of the Common Councell and the better bringing their preaching-sisters off come in and alledg this as a loud untruth objecting that by the same reason the story of the preaching women might be false But how true soever 't is Cretensis hath a good faculty in all things that are brought against the Sectaries to beleeve nothing but to be as confident as twice two makes four that all is false Well though I will not be so uncharitable as Cretensis was to wish Master Goodwin might neither eate nor drink till he had proved what he here writes yet I heartily wish that my Lord Major and the Honourable Court would not suffer Cretensis and his Church to meet any more in their Conventicle till he had made good what he here writes which I conceive they may the more lawfully and justly doe because he doth not
belong to sinners as sinners not as repenting or humbled sinners 30. Faith is truly and simply this a being perswaded more or lesse of Christs love 31. That there is no other Seale but the Spirit and for the elements consecrated to be Signes and Seales to us in the Sacraments they are not but emptie things and of no effect 32. That Christ is Baptisme to us the outward signe needleesse 33. No Christian Magistrate hath power of inflicting capitall punishment and taking away of the life of any member of a Church unlesse first he be cast out of the Church and so delivered to the Secular Power no what ever his offence should be though murther or treason 34. That place of Scripture Hee that sheddeth mans bloud by man shall his bloud be he shed belongs to Moses his Disciples and not to Christs Disciples and Christians have nothing to do with it In my last Book I gave the Reader an account of many of the practices of the Sectaries both more generally and particularly and I instanced in twentie eight practices Now though there are many more behind yet because my Book is both expected suddenly to come forth and is enlarged beyond my first intention I will only instance in two 1. They do deny and professe to many that they are no Independents no Antinomians no Anabaptists but they are thus and thus and will be so and so and these are but reproachfull names given out and cast upon honest godly conscientious men by the Ministers and Presbyterians as Puritan and such like were in former times by the Bishops and of this I could give the Reader many proofs in printed Books of the Anabaptists Independents Antinomians as such Churches falsly called Anabaptists c. And now there is never an Independent in England if you will but take what themselves say though they be such who stickle act work vote and by all wayes in all places where they have any thing to do promote side with Independents Anabaptists c. yet they will confidently say they are no Independents they are of no Church way nor know not what it is nay some of them will say they are Presbyterians in their judgement or at least do wait and stay to see what the Results of the Assembly and Parliament after them will be and yet there is many of these men that let any person or thing come in nomination and competitition that concerns Presbyterie and they will favour promote further Independencie be it right or wrong and on the contrarie discountenance hinder obstruct the Presbyterians wherein they just walk in the steps of the Bishops and their creatures who upon all occasions dsclaimed Poperie Arminianisme and when Papists and Arminians were spoken of they would be hot against them and were against Poperie properly so called as the expression was and against Arminius meaning those points Arminius held about the government of the Church not those of Grace and Free-will c. and yet these Bishops and their Chaplains preferred Arminians and persons Popishly affected licensed Books tending that way brought them oft when in trouble would remember those who preached against Poperie and Arminianisme and it was observed and I have been told it by a man of place in those times who disliked such wayes that when the Arch-Bishop blustered and spoke most against any Priest or Papist and for the Church of England then the next newes they were sure to hear of was a Release and whether there be not too many such in these times who will not be accounted Independents Anabaptists Antinomians that yet countenance their Books are familiar with such being all in all with them bringing them off when in question sitting hard on the skirts when there is any opportunitie of all those who have complained or been active against the Sectaries I leave to all to judge 2. Some of the Sectaries when they have been questioned and in trouble or been by some Ministers convinced that they had nothing to say for themselves and their way have and will do any thing for the present as recant confesse their Errours say they are convinced and satisfied promise never to go about preaching or dipping any more and yet afterwards when free and come to their companions go on in their wayes both against their hands promises professions and of this there are many examples and instances among us as of a Sectarie an Emissarie sent into Northamptonshire being for his Doctrines separated meetings affronting a Minister in the Pulpit complained of by some Ministers and questioned by the Magistrates gave it under-his hand to forbeare his course and return home yet afterwards goes to other parts of the Countrey and drawes the people into houses preaching to them c. So some Sectaries of Lams Church or their great Associaces coming into Essex to corrupt the people and some of the Ministers dealing with them upon some of their Tenets convinced them so as that they openly blessed God for that dayes work and the light they had received even weeping for joy and yet presently afterwards going on their progresse to seduce at another Town in the same Countie some hint or notice being given of their late conviction they said they wept to think how nigh the Ministers were come to them and so I might give instance in Clarkson professing against the dipping to get out of prison and as soon as he was loose turning Seeker and so in â— b but I must take off my hand only this fulfils what is spoken in the Scriptures of Heretikes That they have their consciences seared with an hot iron and sin being condemned of themselves A Relation of some stories and other remarkable passages concerning the Sects and Sectaries THere is an Independent Antinomian Libertine Preacher here in London a man much followed and cried up by the Sectaries who in Sermons hath delivered these passages That a poore whoore-master or a poore drunkard cannot look into your Churches speaking of the Presbyterian Preachers but hell fire must be flashed and throwne in their faces That if a Saint should commit a grosse sin and upon the committing thereof should be startled at it that were a great sin in him And in obedience to this and other Doctrines of some of the Sectaries of our times I will give the Reader some instances both of words and facts There is a godly understanding man an old Disciple who told me on April 28. 1646. That having a daughter a young maid religiously affected shee was drawn in to affect the Independents and to cry them much up and to follow them and shee procured her selfe to be servant in a family of some rank and place where the Master and Mistresse are Independents Now being there she expected some great holinesse and extraordinarie strictnesse in the family but she found matters thus On the Lords day they were verie loose in the fore-noon they would go to heare Mr. Sterry at White-Hall as not living far
those Articles to be burnt by the hand of the common Hang-man and the war to go on which proved their ruine and fatall destruction And for a conclusion of this Symptome I will end it with those words of the Prophet Isaiah Lord when thy hand is lifted up they will not see but they shâ—â— see and be ashamed for their envie towards thy people yea the fire of thine enemies shall devoure them Lord thou wilt ordaine peace for us for thou also hast wrought all our works for us And though it be a sad thing that men holding forth a profession of Religion should fall to those wayes and grow to such an height as I have laid open yet I am perswaded it is a good hand of God and his speciall providence and mercie to his Church in these Kingdomes to leave the Sectaries to fall into so many evils to take such strange wayes thus to discover themselves and to proceed so far that so the Kingdomes knowing them well they might in the issue be more effectually cured and perfectly delivered from them for had these men kept themselves within the compasse of a few of their opinions and carried things faire and not broke out as they have done we should have thought them good holy men been much taken with them and many would have been deceived by them yea in time they might have got such an interest and had such an influence as to have corrupted all but now having thus early discovered themselves both in matters of Church and State in opinions and practices this hath so opened the eyes of this Kingdome yea of both that it will cause them to abhor and abominate them as a wicked Faction whose principles would bring in an universall Anarchy both upon Church and State overthrowing all Ministerie setled Government and order in the Church being against Kingly Government the House of Peeres House of Commons unlesse ad placitum and so long as the common people like them and all power of Magistrates in capitall matters over Church members in the Commonwealth and who cared not to have sacrificed the Religion peace happinesse of these Kingdomes upon the ambition furie pride lust opinions of Anabaptists Libertines Seekers Brownists Independents And therefore however the Sectaries may flatter themselves in the encrease of their partie in the power they have in some places in the favour they find among some great men yet let them know notwithstanding their policies all their arms of flesh all their friends in the Armies in the House of Commons and in Committees which they so boast of yet God will overthrow them and these eight particulars are certaine symptomes of their ruine and let who will do what they can to uphold them yet God will bring them downe for when they spring as the grasse and as the Workers of iniquitie flourish then is it that they shall be destroyed for ever And therefore let us be couragious and faithfull to the cause of God contending earnestly for the faith which was once at livered to the Saints and let us be in nothing terrified by the Sectaries And to all the Symptomes I have given already being so many fore-runners of their fall let the Reader consider this That they have their deaths wound already the fatall arrow sticks in their sides and having begun to fall they shall surely fall and that besides the Citie of London and other instruments God will honour our Brethren of Scotland to make them a great means of their falling and they shall fall before the Scots whom they have so vilified and unworthily dealt with as the Prelaticall and Popish partie did and me thinks the way of Gods proceedings all along this way of Reformation and many passages of his providence hint point it out to us for the Sectaries are a Faction alike opposite to our Brethren of Scotland viz. the other extreme and all along from first to last God hath made the Scots instrumentall for the good of this Kingdome and bringing things thus far And that God will honour the Kingdome of Scotland and the Church-reformation according to their way to bring down the Sectaries let the Reader consult with M. Brightman a man of a propheticall spirit in his Exposition on the Church of Philadelphia Rev. 3. 8 9 10. where he shews that Church to whom so many promises are made to be the reformed Churches of Geneva France Scotland and those who are according to that way of Reformation in Doctrine and Church Government and among many things observed by M. Brightman on that place I shall only point at two 1. That Philadelphia the type of Geneva Scotland and the Churches of that Reformation is most famous for truth of Doctrine As for truth of Doctrine where is there any place in the whole world chaster and sounder Here the whole Papacie is destroyed Anabaptists Antitrinitarians Arrians and such monsters raised again from Hell partly in Germany partly in Transylvania never found a sharper enemy 2. By those who say they are Jewes and are not vers 9. in the Antitype are all those who holding errours do arrogate alone to themselves truth faith salvation the promises of God boasting nothing else but the Temple such were the Arrians under Constantine Constantius Valens and such are at this day the Papists glorying in Peters Chaire these will be accounted the only Catholikes and their Church the only Church of Christ c. Now if wee consider well of these two things 1. We shall find no Church sounder for Doctrine than the Church of Scotland nor greater enemies not only against Papacie and Prelacie but against Anabaptists Seekers and all kind of Sectaries than they are 2. Wee shall not among all Heretikes and Sectaries that have been since the writing of this Epistle find any that have more resembled the Jewes in boasting themselves to be the only people of God than the Sectaries of our times the Anabaptists Independents who extoll themselves for the only Saints calling themselves the Saints the people of God the Church and their way is called by them the Church-way Church-fellowship Christs way and that all who are not of their way are without c. so that these words do most fully agree to them who say they are Iewes and are not but do lye and therefore to conclude this Corallarie all the promises made to Philadelphia do belong in a speciall manner to our Brethren of Scotland as First That God will make them come viz. those who are the Antitype to those Jews the Sectaries Anabaptists Independents that whole Faction and worship before their feet and to know that God hath loved them that is they shall overcome and triumph over these Sectaries and however they have been hitherto abused and scorned by them neither have these unthankfull men acknowledged my love from that singular gift of zeale pietie which I bestowed upon thee yet I will adorn thee with those things which are in great
a compleat and formed Heresie in any faithfull man if Schisme be not joyned and so consequently it will not much hurt the Church of God But Schisme of it self even with sound Doctrine in every point is a most greivous wickednesse which exceeds all other wickednesse I might out of the Fathers enlarge and show the great evill of Schisme both in it self and the effects of it how 't is a greater evill to rend the Church then to worship Idols yea that Martyrdome it self cannot profit a Schismatick that 't is so great an evill that the bloud of Martyrdome cannot blot it out so Cypr. and Chrysost. and that God hath more severely punished it then murâ—her and other great crimes Corah Dathan and Abiram for their Schism were punished more severely with the earth opening and swallowing them up quick then Cain and then those who made an Idoll so Optatus and Augustine but I shall leave the enlarging of these and the adding of more to a Tractate I intend of the nature of Schisme only by this and all the dreadfull examples laid down in the First and Second part of Gangraena as Wrighter Clarkson Hicb Webb Boggis Oats Ienney Mistris Attaway Niâ—bols Denne c. we may learn to see that Schism and Separation are great evills highly displeasing to God and that we have great reason to shun and flye from them as from a Serpent lest wee become Monsters of men and God give us up to a reprobate sense and a spirit of Errour In a word to conclude this Corallarie what the Apostle speaks to the Corinthians of Idolaters c. long before their time that these things happened unto them for examples and these things were their examples to the intent they should not be Idolaters c. that I may say of our times that all these spirituall punishments on Schismaticks in our dayes and times are our examples to the intent that wee should not separate from this Church and set up other Churches lest God let us fall from Independency to Anabaptism and Antinomianism and from Anabaptisme to be Seekers and from Seekers to be Antiscripturists and Sceptiks yea Blasphemers and Atheists CORALL IV. HEnce then we see from all these Errours Heresies Blasphemies proceedings of the Sectaries That Magistrates Ministers and other Christians Masters of families Parents c. have been asleep and too carelesse that so many tares have been both sowed and are grown up to such an head If the Magistrates Ministers and Christians every one in their places and callings had been awake and watchfull improving their power authority gifts for purity of Doctrine and Unity the field of this Kingdome could not have been so sowen with tares nor the garden of this Church so overgrown with weeds yea briers and thorns Christ tels us in the Parable Matth. 13.25 While men slept the enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat that is the Divell takes occasion by the negligence and slothfulnesse of those that have the charge of others to doe mischiefe in Gods Church The Prophet Isaiah showes Isa. 56.9 10. that All the beasts of the field yea the beasts of the forrest come to devoure viz. Hereticks and Schismaticks resembled to wolves foxes c. enter in not sparing the Flock and the reason is The watchmen are blinde dumb dogs they cannot bark sleeping lying down loving to slumber that is their Rulers both Ecclesiasticall and Civill that should watch the approach of the enemy and be as watchfull mastives to give warning of theeves approaching to the house or wolves to the flock are either dumb or drunk or fast asleep And truely we may thank the connivance and winking of Magistrates the silence and forbearance of Ministers the want of zeal in Masters and Parents that spirit of slumber and sleepines that hath fallen upon the Kingdom for all the tares wilde oats and weeds that are grown and sprung up among us And to all the sorts of Sects in this Kingdome which I have named as Seekers c. I may add this of Sleepers and Dreamers which I am afraid are the most generall of any other there being too many Sleepers in all places and among all ranks in Citie Countrey among the Magistrates Ministers and private Christians and would to God this were the worst in this Kingdome that many both in Magistracy and Ministery were onely sleepy and heavie and that they were not in a dead sleep in a lethargie that nothing can awake them but 't is too apparent that God hath powred out upon many the spirit of deep sleep and hath closed their eyes even Rulers and Seers hath hee covered and all the Sermons Books Speeches which one would think would awaken men are as the word of a book that is sealed which men deliver to one saying Read this and he saith I cannot for it is sealed nay not onely so but this is the condition of this Church and State that many who are dead asleep as in reference to prevent or suppresse the sowing of Heresies and Schisms are awake and alive yea watchfull at midnight and waiting upon all opportunities to promote and further Heresie Schism and to hinder crosse all means for the suppressing of them witnesse the many Emissaries sent forth into most parts of this Kingdome witnesse the many books written sermons preached for them witnesse those who stand up for and use all means to bring off Sectaries when in question c. witnesse many who professe to be against Independency and for Presbytery to be with us that upon all occasions even before the Parliament and in other places heal the hurt of this Kingdome slightly and dawb with untempered morter preaching that our errours are not so many that there are them who make them to be more then they are and call Truths of God Errours and they say that in other times as in the Primitive Church c. there were greater errours and therefore wee need not be so troubled But for my part I look upon this luke-warm temper remissenesse in reference to the faith once delivered to the Saints which hath possessed so many in this Kingdome Magistrates Ministers and people as that which may hazzard all and may once more provoke God to spue out of his mouth the luke-warm Angel that is neither cold nor hot And to draw towards a conclusion of this I shall speak to those in authority in the words of the Prophet David Psal. 2.10 11 12 Be wise now therefore O yee Kings be instructed ye Iudges of the earth Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling Kisse the Son lest hee be angry and yee perish from the way The summe of which Scripture is an exhortation to Kings Parliaments and all sorts of Governours in high place 1. To lay aside pride and self-conceit of their own carnall wisdomes and with meeknesse to receive the yoke and Government of Christ laid down in his word and by their Lawes and Ordinances to
account in the world thou shalt have victories over these enemies and thou shalt enrich thy self with their spoiles so that no man but shall be compelled to acknowledg thee deerly beloved whom above all hope they shall see so wonderfully encreased O Church of Scotland and all yee that are for Reformation Presbyteriall against the Sectaries nourish your hopes by these things neither let your hearts be troubled whatsoever the wâ—â—ld speaks against you Secondly Because they have kept the word of Gods patience God will keep them from the houre of temptation which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth That is because they stood for my Doctrine and truth with a great deale of danger and yet with a great deale of patience have constantly continued in their duty I will therefore deliver them out of their dangers I will not suffer them to sinck and perish in their trialls but I will give them strength whereby they shall not only strongly beare their calamity but they shall also over-come and be conquerors not that the houre of temptation shall not at all touch these Philadelphians for it can hardly be in the common calamity of the whole world that they should be wholly free but to keep them from the houre of temptation is to deliver them as God saved them from the hands of their enemies that is deliver them 2. Iudg. 18. 3. Him that over-commeth God will make a Pillar in his Temple he shall go no more ouâ— c. that is God promises to make that Church over-comming being an Hebraisme nominativi absoluti and the reward is that that Church shall be like a Pillar in the Temple of God that is shall remain firm and lasting in the Church neither shall that Church feare any ruine or destruction however the raine falls the flouds beat the winds blow and all things with a joynt force break in upon them The spirit of God alludes to the two Brasen Pillars placed by Solomon in the Temple of God which set forth the stability of the sonnes of God And so by the grace of God is this Church not tainted nor corrupted with Schisme and base defection as the Church of Sardis was which having no care of a full Reformation by the just judgement of God lost the most of the people CORALL III. HEnce then from all these Errours Heresies Blasphemies and Practises of the Sectaries we may see what a great evill and sin separation is from the communion of the Reformed Churches and how highly displeasing to God for men to make a Schisme and Rent in the Church of God in a time of Reformation God punishing the Schisme and Separation of our times with so many Heresies Blasphemies wicked practises c. as I have laid down in this and my former Book wherein God witnesses from Heaven against the present separation in giving men up to great spirituall judgements and evills and indeed God testifies more against the Sectaries of our times then against the old Brownists and Separatists leaving the Sectaries of these dayes to fall into greater Errours Heresies Blasphemies and more pernicious Practises then the former few of them in comparison falling either to those Opinions or Practises which generally the Separatists do now but held to their first principles more a great reason whereof I conceive to be this the old Separatists having greater scandals and more just occasion of separating then the new the old Separatists being like men stealing upon need or some want the new like those who steale upon wantonnesse and for their pleasure the onelike wives and children going away and leaving harsh bitter hard unkind husbands and parents the other forsaking loving and kind husbands and Parents allowing them all things siting and that can reasonably be desired their sinne was not so great then as now and so the punishment not so great There are two wayes to judge of the greatnesse of sinnes and of Gods displeasure against them either by the nature and kind of them viewing them formaliter in their formality or in the effects and fruits of them effective Now this Corallary leads me to judge and speak of Schisme and Separation in the latter and among all punishments the effects and fruits which declare the greatnesse of any sinne spirituall judgements and punishments are the sorest and sadest The punishment upon the Heathen Rom. 1.21.24 c. when they knew God for not glorifying him as God and for their idolatry is giving them up to uncleanenesse and vile affections to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient suffering them to be fild with all unrighteousnesse wickednesse covetousnesse malitiousnesse deceit malignity debate to be proud inventers of evill things without naturall affection Covenant-breakers implacable c. 2. Thes. 2.11 The judgement of God upon the Antichristian world as a fruit of their sin in not receiving the truth in love is Gods sending them strong delusions that they should beleeve a lye 2. Tim. 13. and the punishment of God upon Seducers is that they shall wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived that they who are filthy shall be filthy still Revel 22 11. Now the judgements of God upon the Heathen Idolaters upon the Antichristian Faction upon Seducers and filthy persons are upon the Schismaticks and Separatists of our times God hath given them up to feareful Opinions to damnable Heresies blasphemies God hath sent strong delusions to beleeve lyes strange conceits and God hath left them to all kind of filthynesse unrighteousnesse uncleannesse unnaturalnesse c. Whosoever doth but read and consider the First and Second Part of Gangraena must needs say that God hates Schisme and Separation in leaving those who are guilty of it to do those things they do daily I may truly say God hath set markes and brands upon this way of Separation not only burning them in their hands but branding them in their foreheads Schisme hath Coins mark and brand upon it of a Fugitive and Vagabond upon the earth How do we see in daily experience our Sectaries have no rest but wander and go from one Errour and way to another till they quite lose themselves being Saint Iudes raging waves of the Sea foaming out their own shame wandring Stars to whom is reserved the blacknesse of darknesse for ever The punishment of Schisme and Separation from the Church is Separation from God Heresie Blasphemy Atheism uncleannesse unrighteousnesse Schisme doth most easily draw into Heresie and we hardly ever knew or read of any Schisme in the Curch which did not make a Heresie that it might deservedly seem to forsake the Church The ancient Fathers as Irenaeus Cyprian do excellently shew that those who forsake the Church do necessarily fall into most foule Errours against the truth of faith and some of them show that Schisme is a worse and more pernicious evill in the Church of God then Heresie and no Errour will be