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
it in running away with another womans husband is now sufficiently known to Mr. Goodwin and Mr. Saltmarsh and is one of the lyes like all the rest in Mr. Edwards Gangrâ—ena This wretched woman one of Mr. Goodwins and Mr. Saltmâ—rshes Saints as they make all without any distinction whom I speak of in Gangraena among other new truths and glorious lights preached that all the Devils should be saved alledging that place in Zachary sending forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein there is no water against which Doctrine one of the company objected and said sister what say you to that of Matth. 25. Depart from me yee cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Divel and his Angels unto which Mistris Attaway replyed that by everlasting in that place was meant while day and night lasted but not eternall after day and night were ended March 13. Two honest Citizens coming to me about some Sermons an Independent Minister had preached in London one of them told me he lately had a man and maid-servant who were Anabaptists and that when he was abed they would set up and juncket together making Sack-possets and such like provision of his purse and in sum this male Anabaptist got the female Anabaptist with child and after married her The Master speaking to him of breach of Covenant how he had covenanted not to marry in the time of his Apprentiship till his years were expired he said it was a divelish Covenant and so would not keep it On the sixteenth of March a Member of the Assembly of Divines related this following story for a certain truth which he knew to be so only would not name the persons that a Sectary one of Master Goodwins and Master Saltmarshes Saints and beleevers a Seeker by Sect sought to gain the good will of a Virgin to be his wife and when she consented and was contented to it hee propounded that they might lie together at nighâ— at which motion she startled saying not till we are married to which answer this Seeker replyed that marriage was but an idle Ceremony they were now man and wife before God having promised one another whereupon they went to bed together and next morning after the Seeker had satisfied his lust he ranne quite away and left his bride and instead of one Seeker there were two the daughter thus forsaken and her mother who was widdow to seek after him In a Book lately printed call'd the Ordinance for Tyths Dismounted which book also was given into the hands of one Parliament man as I can prove by a great Sectary who may justly be thought the Author of it there are such passages of reproach against the Parliament as are not to be paralled in any writings except some of the Sectaries In pag. 6.7 8.40 this Sectarie speaking of a passage in the Ordinance of Tyths made by the Lords and Commons hath these following words Had not such a passage gone under the Title of the Lords and Commons who are chosen for the weale of the people I should not have judged it an act of humanity but rather the result of an Hell-bred conspiracy by the Divell and his Angels to confound us with their unreasonable malice c. and this was the first stone these Master-builders laid in their blessed Reformation And in another place of the Book speaking by way of scorne calling it that most religious and spirituall Ordinance for the supper as absolute Ordinances as unalterable at the Directory these words are brought in For indeed at the first on set it was not policy to rush such a diabolicall and villanous invention point blanck upon us with an It is decreed and ordained by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament But after a more mysterious manner of ordination slily intrude it upon us unawares in the godly and specious vizor of Rules Directions as if our Parliament men had such a spirituall and holy eare over us to give us such wholsom and pious Directions while indeed under this innocent Apparition in the shape of Lambs they arâ— no other then ravening Wolves rending and tearing us in peeces and again speaking of Parliament men in that Ordinance for Tyths Dismounted there are these words But what they are let all the people judge let them consider whether there can be the least dram of honesty or Religion in them or respect to the liberty of the free-borne Nation therein seeing they lay upon us a heavier yoake then ever was laid upon us in the dayes of the Bishopâ— And again this Sectary the Author of the Ordinance for Tyths Dismounted speaks thus of the Parliaments Ordinance concerning suspending scandalous persons from the Lords Supper It will be the greatest thraldome and bondage that ever the Kingdome was involved into and by this Ordinance of the Supper I am afraid we shall all go supperlesse to bed and speaking of the Classes Synods calling them High Commissions he addes if we can finde no justice there we may appeal forsooth to our Gods themselves the Parliament life everlasting world without end of whom how may we expect mercy or justice then that thus before hand whip us with the stings of Scorpions and grind us between the devouring jawes of such develish tyrannicall Courts which will even crush our bones in peeces and squeese out our very marrow and juyce and suck out our very hearts blood like so many greedy Cannibals Vid. plur ibid. The Sectaries generally cannot endure any man who speaks against or complains to Authority of any who bâ—oach Errours though never so great as for example a godly understanding Christian told me within these three dayes that because he complained of a man who denies both the Son and the holy Ghost to be God therefore the Independents and all the Sectaries among whom he lives deadly hate and revile him and since the time that the weekly newes Books have mentioned a Vote to be passed in the House of Commons for drawing up an Ordinance against Paul Best that Antiâ—rinitarian and Blasphemer some of the Sectaries have spoken boldly and bitterly against it and saying they would be loth to be any of them that should give a voice or have a hand in the proceedings against him with other words to that effect There is an Independent of Mr. Carters Church who speaking against our publike Assemblies often quotes that Scripture in Rev. 17.5 Babylon the great the mother of Harlotâ— interpreting it thus Rome is the mother Church and all the Parish Congregations of England are the daughters which are Harlots and this having been objected against this Interpretation that the Apologists acknowledge many of our Congregations to be true Churches he and divers other Independents say they are not of the Apologists minds The Sect of Seekers growes very much and all sorts of Sectaries turn Seekers many leave the Congregations of Independents Anabaptists and fall to be Seekers and not only people but Ministers also and whosoever
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-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
opposing and speaking thus against him This young man was so affected with it that when hee came home he told it his Father and other friends and being asked by some whether he thought the man was in his wits or no this young man replyed Yes sure for he spake sensibly and to the things that were spoken of though in this blasphemous abominable way Many Sectaries have distrubed godly conscientious Ministers in the Pulpits standing up in the verie face of the Congregation and speaking to them giving them the lye charging them with false Doctrine calling them Antichristian Ministers and such like Of some of these I have given instances in my late Book pag. 102 103 104. And to add a few more Mr. Andrews of Wellingborough had the lye given him whilst hee was preaching and many Ministers have been put by preaching and kept out of their own Pulpits by force of Arms Captains and Troopers coming up into the Ministers Pulpits with their swords by their sides and against the mind of Ministers and people Thus Paul Hobson hath done in Northampton-shire Buckingham-shire and thus at Ravensden in Bedford-shire a Souldier went up against the mind of the Minister and here in London the face of the Kingdome at Christ-Church there have been many affronts offered as jeering and scoffing in the midst of the Sermons speaking loud against things delivered to the disturbance of those who have sate neer and now lately at Christ-Church on Tuesday the 20. of April just upon concluding my Sermon and going to my last Prayer up stands one Colonell Washington of Hartford-shire so his name and place is related to be and spake openly against what I had preached that I had not rightly given the sense of that Parable of the Tares and that I was a false Prophet or Beware of false Prophets Now if the Sectaries will do thus to the Presbyterians whilst they are in their minoritie and underlings what will they do when they come to be in their Kingdome to be encreased in number and power above the Presbyterians But now on the other hand let Independents and Sectaries give any one instance that the Presbyterians when they have come to hear them preach though they have preached their erroneous opinions and for libertie of conscience and against Presbyterians and all this in the Presbyterians Pulpits and Churches that ever the Presbyterians have stood up and made disturbance in the publike Assemblies or carried themselves uncivilly and scoffingly in Sermon time towards them There is one Gorton who was a great Sectarie in new-New-England holding many desperate opinions there a copie of which given by Mr. Williams of New-England that writ the Book called The bloudy Tenet unto a Reverend Minister now at London I have seen and perused Now this Gorton with others being banished out of the Patent of the Bay and when they were gone holding and venting strange and horrid opinions whereby they highly dishonoured God and did hurt and mischiefe to some of the people in the Patent and under the New-England government the Governour and Magistrates sent a company by force of Arms though they were in a place as it is thought out of their Plantation and Patent to bring them to Boston who accordingly being too strong for Gorton his company brought them to Boston and when the Governours had them in their hands the Court sate upon them what to doe with them and there were some motions and consultations as I and other Ministers have been informed by some that are come from New-England about putting them to death or what other punishments to be inflâ—cted on them for their blasphemous opinions But how Gorton escaped whether because the place they fetched him and the rest from was not in their Patent or what other reason I know not onely this I am assured of from divers hands that Gorton is here in London and hath been for the space of some months and I am told also that he vents his opinions and exercises in some of the meetings of the Sectaries as that he hath exercised lately at Lams Church and is verie great at one Sister Stags excercising there too somtimes There is one Iohn Durance an Independent whom I mentioned a little before who preaches a Lecture on the week day at Sandwich in Kent and hath a Lecture at Canterbury too and would have had a Lecture also at Dover for the farther spreading of Independency but by the godly Ministers of Dover opposing it and writing up to London against him such meanes were used as he was put by and kept from coming thither Now among many other of his pranks the Reader may take notice of these He hath at Sandwich in the Church publikely prayed to God two or three severall times that the King might be brought up in chains to the Parliament upon which prayer one or two of Sandwich went to M. Durance to know what his meaning was in that prayer upon putting the question M. Symonds an Independent Minister in the same towne and his great friend but more politick being with him answered M. Durance meaning was that the King might bee brought up in chaines of gold whereupon M. Durance replyed that was none of his meaning but he meant he might be brought in chains of Iron In a Sermon one time this Durance told the people hee was sorrie he had spent so much time or lost so much time in reading or turning over the Fathers and yet he said he honoured the Fathers as much as anie man This man after his preaching at Canterburie hath the use of a great roome neare the Cathedrall where manie resort to him and he takes occasion to build them up in Independency Not long since M. Durance on his Lecture-day just before the last day of publike Thanksgiving in the Countrey preaching in one of the Churches in Sandwich told the people he would finish the Text he was then preaching upon on the Thanksgiving day and that in the afternoone in a private house whereupon when he had done M. Sherwood a godly Minister in whose Church he preached turned himselfe to the Congregation saying Mr. Durance you shall not need to do so you shall have the libertie of my Pulpit I here offer it you and if you may have libertie of the publike Church I hope you will not go into corners VVhereunto Master Durance publikely replyed hee would not preach in the Church but was resolved of his way and accordingly in the afternoon when the people went to the publike exercises to Church Mr. Durance went to a private house and two or three hundred people after him to heare him preach in private I have many other remarkable stories and passages of the Sectaries proved by witnesses by Letters under their hands and the notorietie of the things themselves of their horrible uncleannesses forsaking their husbands and wives fearfull defraudings and seeking by desperate wayes to cozen and deceive as also of their strange
shall bespeak them in those words Cant. 6.13 Return return O Shulamite return return that wee may look upon thee in the exhortation of the Apostle Peter Save your selves from this untoward generation and in that call from Heaven Come out of her my people that yee be not partakers of her sinnes and that yee receive not of her plagues I know there are many in the way who are not of the way that know not the depths of Satan who are meerly deceived out of their high opinion of some of the men and of the way as a most holy people and as a way wherein they should enjoy an heaven upon earth a great deale of love holinesse sweetnesse comfort c. Now I have good hopes that all such upon the discovering to them the dangerous Errours Heresies pernicious practices that attend that way will be recovered and blesse God for delivering them from such a dangerous snare and I am perswaded that all those who are fallen from us upon mistakes that are not Dogmatists nor engaged to the Sectarian partie upon points of credit profit interest of relations c. and shall in the feare of God and in humilitie read my first and second Part of Gangraena by the blessing and grace of God they will be a means to convert and bring them back to us and I the rather insist upon this exhortation because I find both in Histories and in the experience of our owne times that many Sectaries have been regained Iohannes Denkius an Anabaptist and a great Schollar was converted by Oecolampadius * Obbo Philippus a famous Anabaptist yet recanted and by an ingenuous and free confession laid open the impostures of his companions and Theodor. Philippus out of the perswasion of Obbo afterwards repented Many Anabaptists were reclaimed by learned Musculus and among the rest one who was a Schollar afterwards being made a Minister of the Church spent a great deale of pains in converting the Anabaptists And now in these times in mine owne and other Ministers experience some who have been of that way told us they thought the Anabaptists a most holy people which made them to joyne with them but now seeing their errours and their loose practices what a wicked people they are that hath caused them to leave them And among the Independents I know some who have forsaken the Church-way and are returned to our publike Assemblies A Minister of that way and a Pastour of an Independent Church for some years upon re-examination of his former grounds and holding them up to the light by the word of God and the writings of some Presbyterians giving grounds out of the word of God saw the Independent way to be a garment full of holes and from the factions divisions hee saw in that way and the strange opinions and errours that the members of his Church run into hee is turned Presbyterian a Minister of one of our Congregations in England and hath publikely in his Parish Church given God glorie recanted professed his being humbled for being in the Independent way and is a great Zealot for Presbyterie and against Independencie Another of that way a good Schollar Fellow of a Colledge member of an Independent Church in London upon reading some books against Independencie and other things he found in that way left his Church and is a profest Presbyterian I could tell also of a School-master member of a Church in New-England who is of our Churches now since his coming over but I must hasten and unto all these examples for to cause you to returne consider these following particulars 1. Stay no longer in the way of Schisme and Separation wherein thou art but upon all these discoveries of the Errours Heresies Blasphemies c. of the Sectaries leave them left God be provoked to leave thee to go a great way further then yet thou art from Independency and Anabaptisme to a Seeker to Arrianisme Antiscripturisme yea Blasphemy and Atheisme 2. The Independent Church-way is a way of errour confusion division a way that God never shined upon nor blessed spiritually with the blessing of edification onenesse of heart and peace in their Churches but hath been a bitter root of division contentions errours in all places of the world where ever such Churches have been set up as in New-England Holland Iland of Providence the Summer Ilands Old England 3. Come out from these Sectaries this Babell lest being partakers of their sins you be partakers of their plagues also for these Sects as I have shewed you in the second Corallary must be destroyed and cast out and not onely out of this Church but out of all the Christian world and that either as the lesser Antichrists the fore-runners of the great Antichrist or together with him as a part of Antichrist the tail of the Beast and then all the friends and lovers of Sectaries the merchants who were made rich and traded in the commodities of the Sectaries shall cast dust upon their heads and weep and waile when they see all that is come upon them And for a conclusion of this Corallary I shall wind it up with that sad and patheticall exhortation of M. Brightman to the Separatists of his time applying it to our Sectaries now There is in the Church of England a twofold great good the preaching of the Word and the administration of the Sacraments in either of which Christ imparts himselfe celebrating a mutuall feast with them hee is first received of us by the hearing of the Word then he doth againe receive us in the Supper of his body O we most base and unworthy as often as we fly away from hearing the Word I for we refuse Christ our Ghuest O we wicked despisers as often as in the Sacrament with our brethren wee with-dâ—aw our selves I for we despise Christ calling us to the Supper But these things are added for the singular comfort of the godly For who would not feare and with all speed thinke of flying from this Church when they should heare the condition of these Ministers to be so hatefull to Christ as that in a shorte time unlesse they repent he would spue them out of his mouâ—h unlâ—sse that in the words of Christ himselfe they had been assured of communion and fellowship with Christ in that Church Praise therefore to thee O most meeke Lamb who finding the doores shut against thee dost not being stird up with fury presently withdraw thy selfe and deprive us according to our deserts of salvation but still leavest a plentifull store of thy selfe to all them who open to the knocking by thy word and do not contemn thy most gracious invitation by the Sacraments Therefore it is a wicked and blasphemous errour of them who do so forsake our Church as if Christ were wholly gone from hence neither could there be any hope of salvation to them who staid in it ☜ Let them think that Christ is here supping with his Is it
among us hence taking occasion to write for a Toleration of all as Anabaptists Antinomians c. and the great Historian and Chronicler of the Sectaries the Moderate Intelligencer Num. 36. who writes their lives and deaths and trumpets forth their victories and praises so immoderatly as if they did all and hath published to the world some weeks ago that there are twenty severall opinions in the Army and hath pleaded more then once for liberty of conscience for them all so that I by writing in this kind of the Errours of the time cannot be guilty of discovering our nakednesse the enemy having known so much before But why stand I to prove that our Heresies and Schisms are openly known in England when as their sound is gone into all Lands into Holland Zealand France yea to New-England The Walachrian Classis in their Letter to the London Synod complain much of Heresies Schisms Errours confusions in Religion spreading in the City which by such an expresse holy and sacred oath is bound to God to cast out all Errours Heresies Scisms out of the house of God Many Letters have been written over into Enland out of Holland from Ministers and Professours of schools men zealously affected to the cause of the Parliament complaining of the Errours Sects and Schisms amongst us which have been communicated to some prime members of the Assembly and others new-New-England speaks much of the Heresies Errours and all sorts of Sects amongst us wondring that the Assembly suffers them and that they do not stirre up the Parliament to supresse them Mr Shepards Letter written from thence shewes their knowledg of the heresies errours and sects amongst us so that our errours and schismes so publikely known to the world cannot be concealed from Oxford Seeing then there are so many errours and monsters of opinions spoken of in all places I cannot be taxed for the discovery of that which was before concealed but in this work am only a gatherer together of those errours that were scattered which by Gods blessing may be a meanes to keep many from falling into schisme seeing such monsters in that way and to cause many to returne when they finde that they never dreamt of nor intended Secondly supposing our errours to be known which is fully proved in any first Answer I then secondly say 't is so farre from being unseasonable and inconvenient that 't is most necessary that some Ministers who are friends to the Reformation and zealots for the Parliament should lay them open to the full by testifying against them and disclaiming them that so our enemies may not say wee favour and countenance them and one of my great ends in this Tractate is to take away occasion from the common enemy to blaspheme the Reformation and speak ill of the Parliament by our not owning them but speaking as much against heresie schisme and all errours as any of them can Thirdly I answer we should be so farre from being afraid to give the common enemy advantage by speaking against heresies and errours that on the contrary I may say we have no such enemies as those persons that broach and spread their heresies and damnable opinions these are our enemies which wee have cause to fear more then all the Cavaliers these are the Achans the accursed persons and things which are most likely to undo us and if ever the Parliament and their party be ruined which God prevent it will not be so much by the Cavaliers they could not have done it but the heresies blasphemies and schimes of some among our selves will cause it and therefore the finding of these out and labouring to have these removed is a work of great importance to the saving of the Kingdom and of great prejudice to the common enemy whose hopes and confidence are much more placed in our heresies prodigious opinions and schismes then in their own strength 2. Ob. As this book will give occasion to open the mouthes of enemies so it may cause distractions and divisions among our selves weaken the hands of many who are cordiall to the Parliament apprehending themselves to be written against besides this may offend many good persons that are not sectaries especially that Independents should be put into this Catalogue and ranked with all sorts of hereticks and schismaticks 1. I answer to this as Luther did in an Epistle of his to Spalatinus upon a like occasion Spalatinus would not have had Luther at such a time to have writ against the Papists for feare of disturbing the publike peace to whom Luther thus replies That 's excellent indeed that thou thinkest it not fit to have the publike peace disturbed and yet judgest it fit to have the externall peace of God disquieted not so O Spalatine Shall the grievous wolves come freely to the flock not sparing them and if the doggs barke to give warning of them shall they be said to disturbe the peace and cause distractions Brethren things are come to a good passe that hereticks and sectaries must do what they please and if any course be taken by preaching writing petitioning to remedy it 't is given out by Sectaries 't is a plot to make division discourage the Army disturbe the peace I say no more if this be to preserve union and peace and to be cordiall to the Parliament to let hereticks and sectaries do what they list preach writ spread their errours destroy many souls and no man must say what do they cursed be that union peace and affection to the Parliament 'T is a golden saying of Luther and worthy to bee thought of in these times Cursed be that charity which is kept with the losse of the doctrine of faith to which all things ought to give place Charity an Apostle an Angell from Heaven yea and I will add Parliaments Answ. 2. If in such a time as this and such a case when by many persons all the things of God are laid waste and made null Church Minister Sacraments Scriptures and what not men will be offended for speaking let them 't is better they should be offended then the glory of Christ should suffer 't is an offence taken and not given Christ cared not in that case that the Pharisees were offended Mat. 15.12.13.14 I wonder they are not offended at the heresies and errours daily broached and yet should be offended at the discovering and speaking against them I have more cause to be offended at this objection of theirs and their lukewarmenesse wo be unto them that broach these errours and to those that countenance them for every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up Answ. 3. I name not these things to provoke and exasperate any especially none of those who in simplicity of heart and under pretences of greater holinesse and new light are taken in these wayes for as I have writ before so I say again I put a great difference between Independency strictly and properly
their lives and places so doe our Sectaries make it their study to remove worme by degrees out of places upon one pretence or other when they cannot doe it otherwise active Presbyterians of which we have too manie instances and set themselves to vex them by over-rating in Townes where they have place by bringing them into Haberdashers Hâ—ll by putting in Articles against them which they cannot prove and so putting them to chargeable journeyes and expences with abundance of such 4. The Bishops and the Court-party to bring about their ends would bring matters to such a condition and such a necessitie and then would make those necessities that condition of affaires as a ground of such and such following actions pleading the necessities and the condition of the times as their warrant so our Sectaries doe in many cases they have by their policies and wayes hindred the setling of Church-Government all this while and they plead the long delay of setling it as a ground to justifie their gathering Churches saying how manie yeares would you have us to stay when as in the Assembly Citie in all places by all meanes where they have anie interest they retard the work and so if meanes be used by Petitioning the Parliament to settle Church-Government and to suppresse the great errours then some of the Sectaries say and give out The Army will be offended when as many of the Sectaries have used all meanes and do still to bring things to that passe that we might have an Armie under the commands and in the hands of the Sectaries though blessed be God we have a Noble Generall free from sectarisme and not above one in six in the Armie that way tainted 4. The Prelaticall faction and that Court-partie were great Innovatours given to change running from one opinion to another being Arminians as well as Popish yea some of them Sociâ—inians and countenancing such and were everie day inventing some new matter in worship adding this ceremonie and the other putting downe some part of worships and altering them by substituting other as in putting down singing of Psalmes in some Churches and having Hymnes in putting downe all conceived Prayer and commanding bidding of Prayer with a multitude of such like so our Sectaries are great Innovatours as changeable as the Moon bringing into their Churches new opinions daily new practices taking away the old used in all Reformed Churches and substituting new taking away of singing of Psalms and pleading for hymnes of their own making bringing in anoynting with oyl bringing in their laying on of hands to give the Holy Ghost with severall other strange wayes and practices which the Reader shall find in this following discourse among the narrations of passages and stories 5 The Prelaticall faction and that Court-Clergie were daring bold men that durst venture almost upon any thing upon counselling to prorogue and break up Parliaments in times of danger and distraction upon putting men out of offices and places that were not for their turne and to bring in others calculated for their Meridian upon corrupting Religion and Lawes at once breaking in both upon the Truth and the libertie of the Subject at the same time upon any thing or person that stood in their way So our Sectaries many of them are daring men have attempted and been upon high businesses about counselling and drawing up Petitions for adjourning as they call it the Assembly in a time when the distractions of this Church are so infinite and things so unsetled as also have inserted strange passages into other Petitions which yet have not been presented others of the company opposing them with severall other particulars which would be too large now to relate in one word there is almost nothing which they have not and dare not venture on that stands in their light and in the way of their designes and I may say of many of the Sectaries for I do not mean all as I have said before so I say again there are some good souls meerly seduced who are not of the Faction they have overpassed the deeds of the wicked not only walked after their wayes nor done after their abominations but have corrupted themselves more than they justified the Bishops and their Faction by falling into those opinions and doing those actions in an high bold and open way which that Faction never durst do for feare of the people Next the present Malignants and the Sectaries agree in the generall thus that thorowout the Kingdome it is now notorious that the greatest Malignants and Sectaries hold together and vote together against the Presbyterians and the Reformation in all places and upon all businesses of which there are many examples in the choyce of Burgesses for Parliament in the Petition presented in London at the choyce of the new Common-Councell the grandest Malignants and the Independents joyned together to oppose and in some Committees where men of both these sorts are it is observed also but to come to some particulars The parallel between the present Malignants and our grand Sectaries stands in these 1 The Malignants have opposed the proceedings of Parliament by preaching and writing books against them reviling the Houses especially the House of Commons and many particular worthy Members by name speaking against their Ordinances constitutions as Covenant Directorie Ordination against their Power and Priviledges we know what Aulicus that grand Malignant hath done and how manie books both from Oxford and here at London hath been by the malignant partie printed and vented so also have manie Sectaries and here it would fill a great book to bring into one all the speeches with the passages in Petitions Sermons Prayers printed books that have been vented against the Parliament and particular Worthy Members of both Houses their Power and Power and Priviledges with their Ordinances and Orders in reference to matters of Religion as the Nationall Covenant Directorie Ordinance against mens preaching out of Office the Monethly Fast the Ordinance for Tithes the Orders and Directions about Classes and chusing Elders in which Sermons printed Books Discourses Petitions and other carriages of the Sectaries there have been more things vented distructive to the verie power and nature of Parliaments undermining the verie root and foundation and all their proceedings in reference to matters of Religion yea of justice and civill matters then ever have been by all the Malignants in England as ever I could heare of witnesse Lilburnes booke with that lately come forth call'd Innocency and Truth justified all the printed Letters and Papers that were printed upon occasion of his imprisonment Englands Birthright the Ordinance of Tithes Dismounted the Arraignment of Persecution and all his fellowes as Martins Eccho c. Turners Heavenly conâ—erence for Sions Saints resembling the Directory to the golden Calves of Jeroboam and affirming there are untruths contradictions to the Canonicall Scriptures errours c. And here I dare be bold to say that here have been greater insolencies and
affronts offered to this Parliament by many of the Sectaries then ever was to Parliament in England by any men who lived within their power as for instance when Lilburne was committed to prison and such a Letter was come forth in his name against the Parliament in such an open vile manner and at such a time being prisoner many of the Sectaries of Southwark met together and propounded to chuse Lilburne Burgesse for Parliament and that Lilburne after so great favour and mercy showne him by the House of Commons after so high an abuse of the honourable Speaker the honourable Committee of Examinations yea and of the whole House as discharging him of his imprisonment without either acknowledging the justice or petitioning for the mercy of the House of Commons a favour that I never heard or read of granted to any man before and that I thought had been a thing impossible ' even against the fundamentall Orders of the House for a man committed by the House upon far lesse offences without petitioning to be set free should yet set forth a book to all the world justifying himself in his former waies and point blank charge the House with being unjustly dealt with in his late imprisonment imprisoning him contrarie to the knowne and declared Lawes yea further in severall places of his book after a bold and audacious manner abusing and bringing in dangerous insinuations reflecting upon them O what unheard of Malignancies are these I And so Mr. Iohn Goodwin in a Sermon hath uttered that against the Parliament the power of it as opens a gap to all sleighting of their authoritie and power and I beleeve never was there any such speech from any before himselfe 2 The Sectaries and Malignants agree in being bitter enemies of our brethren of Scotland and of their Armies the Malignants wee know look upon them with an evill eye as the first cause of all their miserie and cannot give them a good word and all the world sees how the Sectaries hate the Scots raise and spread evill reports upon them are as thorns in their sides heavy enemies obstructing them in all places where they have power devising alwaies to be rid of them and studying what in them lies to make a breach I could tell the Reader many speeches stories of the Sectaries in this kinde in reference to our Brethren of Scotland but it needs not for they that run may read it 3. They agree in this rather to have Episcopal Government and a Toleration then a strict Presbyteriall and thorow Reformation we all know this would please Aulicus and his fellowes and I thinke I can prove from good hands and if I should name them the Sectaries would say so to that some of the prime Ministers in the way of the Sects have said That Episcopall Government and a Toleration of their way would give them content The Malignants and Sectaries agree in Independency the Malignants now turn Independents and professe they are for Independency and for this I could quote severall speeches and name some malignant Ministers and others of note who are for Independency against Presbytery but this is now so commonly known that Britanicus a man who hath done them many good offices and cryed up several of them confesses in one of his Pamphlets about a fortnight since that the Malignants are turned Independents hardly a Malignant Priest about town but is for Independency against Presbyterie Lastly The Sectaries agree with Iulian the Apostata and some other enemies of Christians in these four things 1. Iulian was a great scoffer at the Scriptures Christ and Christian Religion as Eccles. stories mention and manie of the Sectaries of our time are fearfull scoffers and mockers at all things that are good Scriptures Trinitie Christ Ministery Ordinances what not there was never a greater generation of scoffers at Religion then many of the Sectaries of our times witnesse manie printed books as Arraignment of Persecution and his fellowes the Ordinance of Tithes Dismounted besides manie scoffing bookes against the Presbyteriall Government as the two Brethrens MS. with others of that kinde 2. Iulian was a great enemy to the learning of Christians used all means to overthrow learning so do manie Sectaries in our time 3. He attempted to get the Militia out of the hands of the Orthodox Christians as Theodoret in his Eccles. Historie relateth and the Sectaries have and do use all meanes within their power to get the Militia out of the hands of the Orthodox into their hands solely of which I could tell tales 4 Iulian was the great patron of Toleration for all Sects Donatists Arians Eunomians he was the great man for libertas perditionis as Augustine calls it the Donatists fled to him hee gave them publike liberty of Churches hee called backe from banishment Aetius the great leader of the Eunomian heresie and whether all the sects are not agreed with him in that as also with Valens another wicked Emperour who was for Toleration of all but the Orthodox I leave to their own consciences to determine And as I have made a Parallel between the Sectaries of our time and the Donatiâ—ts Jesuits c. so I might now at large show in all the fore-named particulars an Antithesis and Dissimilitude betweene the godly Orthodox Presbyterians and the Donatists Jesuits Arminians Prelates c. but I dare not enter into it for feare my book be too voluminous having already exceeded that proportion which I at first intended when I began it all I shall do then in point of parallel is but to hint a few things which I desire the Reader well to observe of the difference in the carriage and behaviour these foure yeares last past all along of the Presbyterians both to the Honourable Houses and the Sectaries and of the Sectaries to the Parliament and the Presbyterians and for the truth of what I say I dare appeal to all the world yea and to the consciences of many sectaries themselves Though the Presbyterian party from the beginning of the differences between the King and Parliament among those who professe to stand for Reformation and for the Parliament hath been and still is without all compare the greater part of both Kingdomes the body of both Assemblies and Ministers the body of the people in Cities and Countries especially of persons eminent in place and quality yea and the Parliaments too of the Parliament of Scotland there 's no question the Parliament of England also after advice had with the Assembly hath declared for Presbytery having voted and formed into Orders Directions and Ordinances severall parts and pieces of Presbyteriall Government yet for all this have not the Presbyterians taken upon them to set up the Government in that manner and way as they conceive and judge to be most agreeable to the word drawing in the people with them but have waited upon the Parliament all this while for the setling of the Church
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-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
pray for her This one Redgwell an honest man making report of was asked if he were not at Oates his Exercise he answered no then it was demanded was not your wife there He answered if he should deny that he should sin against God and tell a lie for she he said was there but was never well since This Bearer can likewise tell you somewhat of Master Archer of Halsted Also of one Lancester of Bury a Pedler and of his opening the whole Book of Ezra at a private meeting insteed of opening his pack and of the prayer that followed his Exercise c. Of Master Erbury also c. It would be lost labour for me to make a further Relation by writing of these things seeing you shall receive the truth more fully by word of mouth and by a faithfull Relator I have no more to say at this time but that I heartily pray for you that God preserve direct and guid you and make you more and more serviceable to him and his Church in your generation and to let you know that I am Your faithfull freind and Brother From Clare in Suffolk March 30 1646. Upon conference with the Minister who brought up this Letter he related these following passages to me and I writ them presently as he spake them Master Erbury one of those Sectaries spoken of at large in Gangraena pag. 109. and 110. coming lately to Bury in Suffolk and there exercising in private he delivered divers erroneous things and at last went so high as to deny that Jesus Christ ☞ was God and that he was as much God as ever Jesus Christ was or should be One Lancester in a private meeting at Bury condemned all the Ministers of England for the Sanbaâ—â—ats and Tobiahs of this time that hindered the building of the Temple resembling himself and the Sectaries to those who would build the Temple but it was withstood by the Ministers who hindred it At that meeting there was a plain godly man a solid old Christian of Master Faircloths congregation who opposed him and God was so mightily with him that it turned to the shame and reproach of this Lancester and those who adhered to him Master Archer of Hâ—lsteed an Independent a man who hath preached much against our Ministers and Tyths at the same time or thereabouts when hee preached so against Tyths used meanes to procure to himself a great Living in Essex of two hundred pounds per annum and came to some Gentlemen of the Country for their hands to further the getting of that Living An Extract of a Letter sent me from a worthy and godly Minister out of the Country Friend YOur last together with the Book I received I must confesse when I first saw your Title I said it was none of those Aulus Gellius calls Illecebraâ— ad ligendum c. For what is a Gangraene but an abundance of corrupted bloud inflamed c. and yet for your sake I not run but read over the text and found it every way answerable And that you were indeed the Master of that Art which appointing the cure according to the cause wisely prescribes cutting and flashing scarifications washings not only with mulsum or water but Vineger and Salt unguentum Eâ—yptiacum burning Trochiskes Arsâ—nicon sublimatum and much more then you have yet applied considering not only the creeping of this Canker but that danger the whole body is in of no lesse then that Sphacelus of Atheisme which not only good and godly Master Greenham but old Bishop ☞ Lake himselfe long since prophesied would most probably over-runne this Realm rather then Papisme And why then should any speak of a Toleration except à tollendo potius quam tolerando Obsta principiis c. is one of the best Aphorisms of all the sons both of Hippocrates and Galen that I know 'T is sad very sad to see our Anglia as Spalatensis complains of his Rome turned into Africa new monsters every day such horrid blasphemies intolerable wickednesses c. Shall Vipers still be suffered to eate up the very bowels of their mother I could tell you many a sad story of some that preach pray and prate what not Independents all yea and Scholars nay Ministers yet not by Ordination The people they say make Ministers quoting Ezek. 33. v. 2. The Scriptures say they are obscure no Assemblies Synods nor generall Councells more likely to teach the truth then the Sanctuary a particular Congregation c. These words were used praying for England O blessed God we have often already prayed in thy Sons name now let us pray unto thee for thy Son clothe thus all his enemies with shame but c. An usuall strain in their prayers is as followes That God would pardon the Reformed Churches their great prophanation of the Lords day and why is this used but to make them odious Another strain Who hath gained Who hath given you so many victories but the Independents Liberty of Conscience Lord c. and all in our own Kingdom The Millenary conceit is the common subject of Sermons and a Church on earth without so much ☞ as an Hypocrite Publike thanks was given to God for that the London Petition for settling c. took no better A thousand such and other passages of no small note you may hear if you please but to visit your friends in these parts whose very souls are so vexed that I for my part am resolved if it may be to burie my self at my study and stirre as little as I can to hear or see such or the like abominations And where now is Sodom as some of their Brethren call'd old England when they went off our shore to sea using that expression farewell farwell Sodom c. And what are they but Babell-Builders whose tongues are so divided that I doubt not of the downfall of their Babylon which by interpretation saith Origen signifies that confusion Christians should out of Courage friend let Divels that must be disposest cry out we torment them before their time If ever the Jesuite will be at the hight I suppose he is very neer now who say no more but security if any thing will slay us which God forbid Thus with best salutes I rest though in haste yet heartily Yours March 30 1646 A Justification and Vindication of the truth of the most materiall Passages related in the Book entituled Gangraena from those exceptions made against them in three late Pamphlets entituled Groanes for liberty A Whisper in the Eare Cretensis alias Master Goodwin I Shall take them in order and begin with Mr Saltmarsh who first apeared in Print As for Master Saltmarsh he doth not so much as offer to disprove any one peece of matter of fact throughout my whole Book excepting that only of a woman Preacher at Brasteed in Kent of which he affirmes that 't is known to all in that place to be a meer untruth Vid. M. Sâ—lt p. 26. Now for the present I
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