is not for a Christian to name their opinions It hope that our Governours will drive these also from our Folds as they doe the Popish Emissaries It is fit for all that are Christians to avoyd all those who speake against Christ and to account them as the enemies of God and corrupters of soules Postscript SInce the publishing of this Heresiography I have been abused above measure not onely with reviling language in the streets as I goe but also in my estate some Sectaries of my Parish denying now to pay me any thing at all affirming that they are to maintaine the Minister of their owne Congregation And that which troubleth them is my defence of Tithes and the Ordinance of Parliament for the true payment of them The non-payment whereof is one of the chiefe inducements that the Brownists and some other Sectaries have to entise the silly people and to poyson them with their other errors which they learnt from the Anabaptists who taught also that Christian men were to pay no rent nor submit to any government for which the German Princes rooted them out of their Dominions Now these latter Hereticks daring not to forbid payment of rent nor Magistracy raile altogether upon the payment of Tithes and the Ordinance for Tithes lately set out by Parliament And some of them in a scandalous Libell among other things affirme Doctor Featlies Divell to be transmigrated into old Ephraim Pagitt would to God I had his learning who is altogether for fat Tithes c. I pray God keep the divell out of them A learned man writeth That if a man should binde himselfe to the Divell to doe his uttermost in supplanting the kingdome of Christ he could not attempt it any way more directly then in driving the Ministers to such straits and difficulties that having not convenient and necessary maintenance they must either give over their callings or devoyd of courage and comfort in sorrow exercise the same by occasion whereof others shall be discouraged from the study of Divinity nothing desirous to buy poverty so deare Such as I have said before doe not onely occidere Presbyteros kill Christs Ministers But also with Julian Presbyterium the very Ministery of Christ. Yea they strike at the root of Gods Service at Christs Priesthood going about to destroy the Ministry and Seminary of Gods Church But for the payment of Tithes which they so blaspheme the Ministers have to them a double right First by speciall reservation of Almighty God Secondly by humane donation For the first men have soules as well as bodies and God hath provided for them both as in the week he allowed six days for the body and sanctified the seventh for the soule so of mens goods he alloweth nine parts for the Body and reserveth a tenth for the soule to maintaine his Ministers to beget them unto God and teach them his knowledge a tenth part he precisely enjoyned that mans covetousnesse should not rob his Ministers which some would doe if the quota pars were lest to their discretions The reservation of Tithe is set downe in expresse words Levit. 27. 30. All the Tithe of the land whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree it is the Lords it is holy to the Lord. All none excepted is noâ— hereafter shall be but now is and hath been As the Sabbath was observed before the fourth Commandement was promulgaâ—â—d Exod. 20. So Tithes were paid long before this reservation to the Levites You may read of Abraham paying Tithe to Melchisedech and of lacob promising to pay them And now God reserving them to himselfe and establishing them upon the Levites so we have a succession of them unto Christ. Now hath not Christ a Priest-hood and that more excellent then Melchisedechs or the Levites Melchisedech blessed Abraham But in our High Priest all the Nations of the earth are blessed The Apostle telleth us as Chrysostome affirmeth that Christ received Tithe from Levi by Abraham father of the faithfull who paying Tithe to Melchisedech shadowed out the faithfull paying Tithe to Christ. For Abraham payed Tithe not to the Priest that offered Leviticall Sacrifices of Bullocks and Goats but of Bread and Wine setting â—orth to what Priests we must pay Tithes to Hath not Christ our High Priest a Priest-hood yes and why should not Tithes bee due to his Priest-hood are his Priests to serve for nothing he telleth us himselfe that the Labouâ—er is worthy of his wages How dare any man deny Tithes to Christs Priest-hood tell me is Christs Priest-hood lesâ—e deserving than Aarons or Melchisedechs or hath he lost his right or hath Christ lesse care of the Ministers of of the Gospell then was taken for the Priests of the Law Saint Paul saith they are worthy of double honour Or hath Christ renounced his right in Tithes no you may read of his expresse allowance of them Matth. 23. 23. It is his Ordinance 1 Cor. 9. 3. Doeâ—ce not know that they which wait at the Altar are partakers with the Altar So hath God ordained that they which preach the Gospell should live of the Gospell God hath ordained saith the Aposâ—le where can we finde aâ—y other ordinaâ—ce The Apostles sâ—â—teth downe the difference between the Leviâ—â—call Priests and Christ Heb. 7. 8. They under the Tabernacle take Tithes of them who dyed but here he taketh them that liveth for ever In which Text he sheweth that Tithes are not Leviticall and a mutable maintenance but the eternall maintenance of Gods service used before the Law when the Priest-hood was in the Father of the Family stated on not first invented sor Levi during the Levites service and when the body came which was Christs and Levi with all his Typicall service was to be abolished then ceased not Tithes in right although in practise they were not paid by Pagans but were transferred to Christ and to his Ministers for their maintenance yea to the Priest-hood of Christ who liveth for ever Let these Sectaries shew any one Sillable in all the holy Scriptures in which Tithes are Ceremoniall as the Sacrifices were which were types and figures of Christs Sacrifice which he offered once for all and in him determined Or where Christ or his Apostles may but seeme to have abrogated abolished or changed them or why the Law for Tithes should be more abolished then the Law for the Sabbath The service of God continuing why should not the maintenance thereof continue To conclude as the Christians so also the Mahometans who are much more numerous than the Christians pay their Tithes with great conscience the detention of them is one of the grand sinnes which the two inquisitor Angels of their Law doe examine soules after death viz. Whether they have payd their Tithes without fraud as witnesseth Ioannes Baptist a Alfaqui who had been a Mahometan Priest The wisedome of Almighty God the practise of all ages the example of Patriarks Abraham and Iacob
defection in the County of Mausfelt Muncer hoping this defection to be universall taketh his journey to Frankhus where the Frankhusians joyned with him But before this snowball grew greater by rolling Count Mansfield raiseth Forces sets upon Muncer and slew 200. of his men Muncer renueth his Army pitcheth upon a hill by Frankhus intrenched with Carts Count Mansfield with the Princes his Assistants pittying the rude company sent to offer them impunity and generall pardon if they would but yield up the Author of that sedition returne home Muncer falls to preaching teâ—ling them that he was sent from God to command and lead them in this action and that they should certainly overthrow these and all other enemies of God it being Gods promise who cannot lye That the righteous should wash their feet in the bloud of the wicked and that he had promised him Victory indowing him with such strength that he was able to turne all their bullets back with his Coat so the Botes refused peace upon this the Princes began to play upon them with their Ordnance the Bores neither advanced nor fled but fell a singing Come holy Ghost confiding and expecting that God would fight for them from heaven according to Muncers promise But when the intrenchments of their Carts were broken and the Princes Army came to handy-blowes 5000. of them being slain away fled the Boâ—es some one way some another but most of them â—o Frankhus which City the Princes tooke with Muncer who lay hid therein who with Phifer and 300 more were executed and put to death Muncer was so dejected at his death that he could not make confession of his faith but with much adoe he could speake after the Duke of Brunswicke who taught him what he should say Thus the Suevian Rebellion was extinguished the root and branch seeming to be cut off But the seeds remaining Germany swarmed with Anabaptists aneâ— name but in effect the old Sect with some additions Melchior Hopman who called himselfe Elia one of greater learning and parts then Muncer began to vent the same Errors at Stransgburg for which he was imprisoned all his followers severely iâ—prest This Sect was disperst in the higher and lower Germany especially among the meaner sort of people saith Hertensius one of my Authors among that numerous rabble scarce one was found that was a Scoller or could write or read The whole world was little enough for ther ambition which they attempted to obtain beginning their Empire at Munster In the year 1532 Munster received the Gospel in the yeare 1533 there comes to Town Iohn Becold a Taylor of Leyden with him or after him a great multitude of his fraternity most of them Hollanders These keeping Convenâ—icles got in few months a great party in Munster incensed one another with desperatâ— resolutions The Magistrates not yet infected with their errors commanded the Sectaries to depart the City they going outâ—t one gate came in at another saying they must not desert Gods cause The Landgrave of Hesse pittying the distressed case of this City sent Divines to set a bound to the unlimited extravagancy of the Anabaptists offering disputation to them which they refused took a more compendious way to work their own ends One of them feigning himselfe to bee seazd with a propheticall spirit ran about the City crying Repent be baptized again left the wrath of God fall upon you many cryed with him this crying ended in ransacking rich mens houses laying hands upon the owners others rushed into the marketâ—place crying out that all that were not re-baptized must be killed presently The Evangelicks or Protestants gathered themselvs in a place called Over water there fortified themselves after 3 daies there was a Composition made that either Party should enjoy the freedome of their Religion This composition gave the Anabaptists time to strengthen their party for they sent their letters to Wezell and other places the tenor whereof was that God had sent an holy Prophet to Munster who spake wonders and shewed the right way to salvation and if they would leave their houses and come to Munster they should have ten times more than they left at home and with spirituall wealth attaine all worldly riches These faire promises drew the scumme of the Towns adjoyning to Munster the poore and idle sort liking that Religion best that maketh all men alike all goods common that payeth no Rent Tribute nor Tithes that puts downe those Lawes and Magistrates that restraine their licentiousnesse so that in a short time the City was full of strangers who looked upon it us upon the land of Promise The Anabaptists knowing their strength ranne to St. Maurice Church burnt it seized upon the Armory pillaged and defaced other Churches depopulated the Colledges burnt a faire Library and finally drove the Protestants out of the City crying out get yee hence all yee wicked else yee shall all be slaine The Anabaptists being Masters of the City began to erect a government although they were enemies to all Superiority necessity and nature forcing them to chuse some governours but the Prophets over-ruled all one of the first orders that they made was that every man should bring his gold silver and goods into the common stock upon paine of death and there were two maiden Prophetesses that discovered the Concealers also they ordered that all books should be burnt but the Bible which was performed Iohn of Leiden being in a Propheticall Trance after he had slept three dayes pretending to be dumbe called for writing Tables in which he writ downe that it was the will of the heavenly Father that twelve men by him named should governe the City which was also put in execution the ancient Magistrate being discharged Also that it was the good will of the Father that a man should not bee tyed to one Wife but to marry as many as he pleased when some would not approve of this Doctrine he cyted them before the twelve Governours swearing upon the new Testament that this Doctrine was revealed to him from heaven and to testifie the evidence of the spirit hee commanded some of the opposers to be beheaded forthwith many Preachers confirmed this Doctrine but the greatest confirmation was the Prophets practise who presently married 3. wives left not till he had fifteen many followed his example and it was accounted a matter of praise to have many wives After the promulgation of this Ordinance the Brethren ran to the hansomest women striving who should be first served and lay with them without any contract After this one Iohn Tuscocurer a new Prophet called the Congregation together and declared that it was the will of the heavenly Father that Iohn of Leyden should be King of the Universe That he should sit upon the Throne of his Father David That he should kill all the Kings and Princes destroy the ungodly and save the people that loved
Robert Brown a Northamptonshire man who was Schoolemaster of the Free-Schole of St. Olaves in Southwark This Browne seducing certaine people preached to them in a gravel-pit neare Islington and by their Tenets was not the holy Catholike Church of God included at that time in the forâ—said gravell-pit Also when the whimseyes came first into his head he was advised by some of his friends to conferre with Master Fox and having been with him he reported that hee had been with a mad-man who thrust him out of his doores telling him that he would prove a fire-brand in Gods Church Before his departure out of the Kingdome he acquainted also one Mr. Greenham a pious Divine with his intentions who disswaded him from his Separation using many reasons to stay him among others that what grace he had received hee had it from the Church of England but finding him obstinate he told him that for himselfe he doubted not although he went away in his hot zeale but that being better informed he might returne againe unto his Mother Church but bad him bethinke himselfe what should become of those poore soules whom he had seduced and was carrying away Master Greenham's words preved true for Master Browne returned God giving him grace to renounce his errors and dyed lately a Member of the Church of England being Parson of a Church in Northampton shire But his Sect remaineth to the great disturbance of our Church For those errors that Browne recanted and vomited up many male-contented simple men supped up and swallowed downe poysoning their selves and others 2. Called also Separatists THese Sectaries are also called Separatists and this name they arrogate to themselves like the Pharisees of old and wel may they be called Separatists because they separate themselves not onely from their Mother-Church in which they were baptized and brought up and fed with the pure milke of Gods Word but also from all the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas for they carry their simple seduced people not to any of those holy Churches to bee members of their Congregations but to Conventicles for which they are termed by a learned man separata factio defectorum 2. They may also be called Separaticts not onely by reason of the separation they make from the Church of England and all other the Reformed Churches but also by reason of the grievous separations and divisions they make among themselves for example sake what an evill spirit of hatefull and fiery contention was raised between the Brothers the Iohnsons which burnt up both spirituall and naturall love as the one of them being the younger forgetting his profession and brotherly love became a Libeller loading his brother and others with reproaches shame and Infamy and that iin Print to abide for ever as Master Thomas White in his discovery of Brownâ—sme doth relate The other separated himselfe and broke fellowship with his brother and father and cursed them with all the curses in Gods Book This separation was confimed by the heavy sentence of Excommunication by which he â—id give his father and brother to the devill The Dutch and French Ministers in Amsterdam went about to reconcile Francis Iohnson and his Father as appeareth by their Letter Narravit-nobis Ioâ—nnes Iâ—â—sonius Anglus se hominem septuagenaâ—â—um ex Anglia in hanc Vrbem difficili itinere venisse ut duos filios suos Franciscum Georgium dissidentes in gratiam reduceret c. But their labour was in vaine His sonne Francis peâ—sisting obstinately untill the death of his Father sending him downe to the grave with a curse as if it were engraving the sentence of Excommunication upon his Fathers Tombe c. 3. Agree with the Donatists THe Separatists or Brownists agree in many things with the Donatists who confined the holy Catholike Church to a corner of Africa as the Brownists doe confine the Church of God to their Conventibles excluding all other Christians pale of the Church that are not oâ— their Sect. May not I say to these Browâ—â—sts as Constantine the Eâ—perour to Acefius Capa scalas ascende coelum solus take ladders and mount heaven alone who dreame that tâ—ey have ladders or something else to enâ—er heaven alone They believe not with the Donatists the Article of faith viz. That â—he Church of God is Catholike but uncharitably put all the Christians of the world into the estate of damnation thâ—â— are not of their Sect. Of their agreement with the Donacâ—sts Master Gifford late Minister of the Word of God at Malden hath set forth a Treatise at large which you may puruse if you please 4. They comply with the Anabaptists THâ— Separatists doe comply in many things with the Anabaptists these Maximes following they have from them As they separate themselves from the Papists so also from all Protestant Churches They affirme that theirs is the true Church onely and the Gospell to be no where truely preached but by them To receive the Communion with prophane persons is to parâ—ake of 〈◊〉 propâ—anenesse That all 〈◊〉 preach having gifts That in the Church there should be a parâ—ty They dislike marriages in Churches and to serve God in Churches that have been polluted by the Papists Whereas the Anabaptists forbeare one Petition of the Lords Prayer viz. Forgive us our trespassas the Brownists refuse the whole Lords Prayer Although they beare with temporall Magistrates yet they abhor spirituall government Lastly they like not payment of Tythes reserved by God himself for the for the maintenance of his Ministers paid before the Law commanded in the Law and allowed by Christ himselfe Matth. 23. But disallowed by the Anabaptists 5. They are Innovators MAy not these Separatists be also called Novatâ—res by reason of the great Innovations made by them they can not abide no old things heretofore used in Gods Church They cannot abide our Fonts nor our Churches steeple-houses some call them nor our Bels I hear of a Sect that are called together by a Sow-gelders horne nor our marriage nor our administration of the Sacraments in our Churches nor our burials nor our Prayers taken out of holy Scriptures and commanded by Christ himselfe as the Lords Prayer 6. Some of their Errors set down by Mr. White 1. THey hold it lawfull for a man to live with her that is not his wise â—ather then to reveale himselfe 2. That there are qualities in God noâ— essentiall and that love in God is not of his being but that the selfe same love that is in God is 〈◊〉 in us 3. That iâ— is not lawfull for the innocent parties to retain the offendor as the wife the husband or the husband the wife of either party that hath committed adultery though the innocent party upon the others repentance forgâ—ving the other sinne bee desirous still to live with the other party in marriage Covenant as before but have excommunicated the parties innocent for so doing 7. Bitter Railers THese new
Originall THe first man of note that held their opinions as Master Edwards writeth was one Mr. Robinson who leaving Norwich male-content became a rigid Brownist but afterwards by conference with learned men he was brought to some moderation and writ a book retaining some of his opinions This man dying many of his congregation went from Leyden unto New-England and planted at new Plymouth whither they carryed Mr. Robinsons opinions which spread far there and by letters also and other meanes were conveighed into old England and to this purpose he citeth a Letter of Mr. Cottons As the Brownists saith Mr. Edwards growing up and out of the Anabaptists did refine Anabaptisme in many things so the Independents have refined Brownisme from the grossenesse and rigidnesse of it Yet in separating from Gods Ordinance because of our mixt Congrâ—gations in setttiâ—g up a Church against a Church and in 〈…〉 they not with the Brownists make a rent in Châ—istâ— mysticall body 3. Enemies to our Churches THese Independents with the Brownists are enemies to our Churches the glory of our nation the monuments of the piety of our fore-Fathers builded to the honour of Almighty God and for his service They call them steeple-houses as you may read Mr. Cotton in one of his Sermons upon the opening of the the seven Vialls affirmeth Ichosaphat saith he took away the high places and groves out of Judah 2 Chr. 17. 6. So when the zeale of God lifteth up the hearts of the people then will they not endure a consecrated place in all the world where they come and when the seventh Viall is poured out the earth shall be full of the knowledge of God then all the Chappels of Ease Churches of States and Temples of glory where the world hath beene deiuded they will not leave a stone upon a stone that shall not be throwne dowâ—e though now in some places you may not passe through with a burthen nor look upon the Wall thereof The zeale of the Lord of Hosts will blow them up these places will be laid open to the rest of the streets and become but common soyle they will not then be regarded but trempled upon c. I am informed that some preach this Doctrine among us 4. Ruine Learning AGaine to overthrow Learning they would overthrow the maintenance viz. Tithes appoynted by Almighty God for the maintenance of his service as he appoynted a certaine time for his service so a certaine part for the maintenance of his service viz. A tenth part which was paid before the Law commanded in the Law and confirmed by our Lord and Saviour The persecution of the Iulian Apostate is affirmed to bee greatest of all other For whereas in other persecutions they kild the Priests Iulian taking away the maintenance from Gods service did occidere Presbiterium the whole Order When I first heard of the name of Independency I confesse I could not well mislike it knowing the poverty of many Livings within the walls of London and the dependency of the Ministers being not able to subsist without the charities of the people And for example among others the Tithe of a Parsonage of a learned Doctor who is accounted one of them not to bee worth above 20. l. per annum towards all charges and divers others to be of small value I could not well blame them if renouncing their Tithes they have devised some other way to subsist In time of Superstition the said Living is reported to have been worth about two hundred pound per annum by reason of a gang of silly women with childe to the Image of our Lady of Steining in that Church to which they did â—ot with many rich offerings being perswaded that she could give them easie labour Other Churches had their working Saints that relieved their Parsons as one could make barren women fruitfull c. And for this cause the poore livings in London were so highly rated in the Subsidy And whereas one man had hererofore many Livings which now is prohibited As my Predecessor had three Alhollowes the great the Temple and Edmonds within the line of Communication And also our vailes for Burialls and Christings is in a manner ceast which were a great helpe too Should I blame the poora Ministers to devise some meanes to have a being but whereas they gather Congregations among us who are as poore as themselves getting our fattest sheep from us and for other causes I like it not 5. Allow no set Prayers THey allow no set Prayers The Jewes used set Prayers Iohns Disciples used set Prayers and Christ gave his Dissciples a set forme of Prayer which all Christian Churches in the world generally use Master Calvin allâ—dgeth three reasons for the maintaining of set Prayers First to provide for the weaknesse of some Minister Secondly that there might be a generall consent and agreement in all Churches Thirdly to crosse the liberty of some Ministers who affect noveities and therefore it bohoveth to have a set Catechisme a set forme of administring the Sacrament a set forme of publike prayers For taking too much liberty in their praying I have had too much sence being deprecated or execrated by some of them yea even in my owne Church in my owne Pulpit and in my owne hearing 6. Use not the Lords Prayer AGaine some of them will not use the Lords Prayer preferring their owne before it If the Lords Prayer bee more perfect than theirs why doe they not use it but abuse the people using their owne imperfect Prayers and omitting our Lords perfect Prayer commanded by him to be used I have read that Apollinaris the Heritiâ—k equalled his Writings with the holy Scriptures but preferred them not as these seem to doe in omâ—tting Christs Prayer commanded to be used and using their owne as before To conclude my Prayer to God is that God would give them grace to use their gifts that he hath given them to edification and not to make a rent in his Church Doctor Steward hath written a Book in which is set down the opinion of some of the Reformed Churches concerning Independency Of the Familists THis Sect of the Family of Love is one of the most erronâ—ous and dangerous Sect that ever was The Family of Love are so called because they will admit none common among them their love is so great that they may joyne with any Congregation and live under obedience to any Magistrate be he never so ungodly and therefore to â—urry favour with all they have some opinions agreeable with all in some things They agree with the Turks in some things with the Iewes in some things with the Donâ—â—â—sts Palagians Libertines Arians and Anabaptists in many things with the Papists in few with the Protestants In describing of this Sect I purpose to set downe 1. Their Originall or Authors 2. Their horrible Blasphemies 3. Their confession of Faith or Creed 4. Their Conversations 5. Their severall sorts 6. How to discover one of