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
evills of this kinde are grown to such a height as there is the more time for silence or for being afraid but of crying out and speaking plainly And I am confident when your Honours have read over my Book which I humbly desire you in the fear of God and for the glory of Christ to do as Luther bespeaks the reading of an Epistle of his that will be a just Apologie with you for my freenesse and boldnesse O the evil of â—hese times would put zeal into the heart of any man who hath any lâ—ve to the glory of God his truth and the souls of people and make the stammering tongue to speak 〈…〉 to speak and cry out Croesus son who was born dumâ—be wheâ— he saw one going to kill his Father spake and cryed out O kill not Croesus And now when our Father our Saviour and blessed Spirit are wounded by damnable heresies and blasphemies and many precious souls destroyed can we be silent O cursed be the silence and flattery that is in such a time as this For now things are grown to a strange passe though nothing is now strange and every day they grow worse and worse and you can hardly conceive and imagine them so bad as they are no kinde of blasphemy heresie disorder confusion but either is found among us or a coming in upon us for we in stead of a Reformation are grown from one extreme to another fallen from Scylla to Charibdis from Popish Innovations Superstitions and Prelaticall Tyranny to damnable Heresies horrid Blasphemies Libertinisme and fearfull Anarchy our evils are not removed and cured but only changed one disease and Divell hath left us and another as bad is come in the room yea this last extremity in which we are fallen is far more high violent and dangerous in many respects all which in an Epistle cannot be contained but are laid down in the following Book in many places specially in the eleventh Corollary Luther in an Epistle to Spalatinus calls want of freedome in a Minister irremissible peccatum an unpardonable sin and silence in the neglecting of truth a wicked silence and in an Epistle to Staupitius saith Let me be found any thing a proud man an adulterer murderer and guilty of all wickednesse so as I be not convicted of wicked silence whilst the Lord suffers The consideration of which makes me well contented to run the venture of being accounted proud saucy peremptory and of incurring the hazard of your displeasure by speaking freely though I hope better things then to let the glory and honour of Christ and his truth suffer any longer by my silence for I call the most High GOD to witnesse that so far as I know my own heart what freedome I here use in laying open the state of things before you is not out of any sinister respect or any pleasure I take in this liberty for I have had many carnall reasonings and conflicts in my spirit against it but only out of the great necessity of the times moved thereunto out of love and zeal to the glory of God and his truth my faithfulnesse to your Honours compassion to the souls of those for whom Christ dyed and the delivering of my own soul in the discharge of my conscience Great Persons as Princes Nobles and Counsellours through their high places multitude of affairs flatteries are subject to great failings and infirmities as both Scriptures and all Histories shew but this hath been the praise and honour of some of them that upon being minded by faithful Ministers of their faults they have laid it to heart Theodosius that Noble Emperour had many infirmities as that cruell fact of his against the inhabitants of Thessalonica as his being angry out of measure against the people of Antiochia as his lenity towards Arians whom he permitted to keep Conventions in chief Cities but in all his faults this is observed and admired by the Ecclesiasticall Historians who writ of him that he ever gave place to wholsome admonitions and amended upon being dealt with as by Flavianus Bishop of Antiochia Amphilochius Bishop of Iconium Ambrose Bishop of Millain and he took Ambroses liberty of speaking to him so well that he did not only give him thanks but said of him to his praise I have at length found a master of truth for I have known Ambrose only a Bishop worthy of that name It was one of the sins of the Prelates and Court Chaplains for which among others God hath cast them out to flatter and the sin of the Court that the Ministers that preached there must sing placentia speak smooth things Now far be it from such a High Court of Parliament as you who above other Parliaments are in solemne Covenant with God for Reformation Nationall Domâ—sticall Personall and have professed to engage your hearts for God and his work and from the Ministers who stand up for you and adhere to you to be faulty in the same kinde Be pleased therefore in the midst of your many great affairs which even swallow you up and by reason of which you have not time to hear and know all things concerning the State of Religion to suffer one of your daily Remembrancers to God to be Gods Remembrancer to you You have most Noble Senatours done Worthily against Papists Prelats and scandalous Ministers in casting dowe Images Altars Crucifixes throwing out Ceremonies c. but what have You done against other kinds of growing evills Heresie Schisme Disorder against Seekers Anabaptists Antinomians Brownists Libertines and other Sects You have destroyed Baal and his Priests but have you been zealous against golden Calves and the Priests of the lowest of the people are not these grown up and dayly increase under you are any effectuall meanes used against them You have made a Reformation and blessed be God who put it into your hearts to do such things but with the Reformation have we not a Deformation and worse things come in upon us then ever we had before were any of those monsters heard of heretofore which are now common among us as denying the Scriptures pleading for a Toleration of all Religions and worships yea for blasphemy and denying there is a God You have put down the Book of Common Prayer and there are many among us have put down the Scriptures slighting yea blaspheming them You have broken down Images of the Trinity Christ Virgin Mary Apostles and we have those who overthrow the Doctrine of the Trinity oppose the Divinity of Christ speak evill of the Virgin Mary sleight the Apostles You have cast out the Bishops and their Officers and we have many that cast down to the ground all Ministers in all the Reformed Churches You have cast out Ceremonies in the Sacraments as the Crosse kneeling at the Lords Supper and we have many cast out the Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper You have put down Saints dayes and we have many make nothing at all of the Lords dayes and
as good Scriptures as the Apostles upon occasion of quoting that Scripture in Rom. 7. of Pauls complaining of â—inne it hath been answered Paul was a novice and that was his weaknesse and that Paul understood not Christ in the promise and that hee for his part understood the mystery of God in Christ better then Saint Paul When that Scripture in Gal. 5.12 was objected to one that pleaded for liberty of conscience the answer was he thought the Apostle was in a great passion A Minister in Hartfordshire bringing a place of Scripture against an Anabaptist to confute him in some opinion he held the Anabaptist confessed he could not answer it but said it was the weaknesse of the Apostle and there he wanted the spirit Another Sectary denying the Resurrection of the dead and some of of the Church coming to admonish him of that Errour and bringing Scripture to prove it hee answered This is Scripture to you but not to me Poedobaptisme hath been blasphemed by many reproachfull speeeches the Lords Prayer hath been slâ—ighted and scornfully spoken of the whole Ministery of all the Reformed Churches with their Ordination worke of preaching c. scorned and abused in severall Pamphlets The Presbyteriall and Synodicall Government reproached in all vâ—lde and scoffing language call'd devillish Antichristian and all to naught resembled to the Beast in the Revelation the Civil Government and Magistrates have been blasphemed with their Ordinances Orders and supream Court of Judicature the Parliament call'd Antichristian and the Committee of Examinations jeared by way of comparing it to the Court of Inquisition and to the High Commission the solemn sacred and Nationall Covenant of the Kingdoms derided blasphemed in many Pamphlets that many pages would not contain them But I will not trouble the Reader to name any more of them Mr. Pryn in his fresh Discovery of New Lights hath extracted many passages of this kinde out of the Pamphlets of the Sectaries and in a libellous book entituled Englands Birtbright there 's more stuffe of the same kind Now having presented the Reader with the Errours and Blasphemies before I come to the Practices of the Sectaries I will relate some few Passages in the Prayers of the Sectaries which were vented either in publike Assemblies and Churches or in their private Church-meetings all within the compasse of a twelve-moneth or thereabouts Some Passages in the Prayers of the Sectaries ANd though wee are discountenanced by the Civil Magistrate which is a great thing after they have had our estates and our blood yet Lord c. When the blinde man was thrust out of the Synagogue by the Pharisees Jesus Christ met him so though wee are thrust out of the Common Assemblies and mens affections who formerly loved us c. Let the Spirit teach us wee may look four five yeers from an Assembly of men before they teach us c. Though they may with-hold the truth in Policie yet thy Spirit can teach us if all the Ministers in the world hold their peace c. Thou hast triumphed gloriously by a despised Army not only by our enemies but our seeming friends who indeed were our reall enemies vilifying those men whom thou hast been pleased to honour c. Another Independent Minister in his prayer prayed that the Presbyteriâ— might be removed that Christs Kingdome might be set up Another Independent Minister about the end of September last gave God thanks for breaking the neck of that wretched petition of the Citizens August last the tenth day being presently upon Lilburns committing to Newgate at Knowles Church in St. Hellens on a Lords day Mr. Knowles prayed these words or to this effect Lord bring thy servant Lilburn out of prison and honour him Lord for he hath honoured thee This last moneth in December one of the Independent Ministers in his prayers at a Lecture two or three severall Lectures prayed to God that the Parliament might give libertie to tender consciences One of the Independent Ministers at his Church-meeting in a house gave thanks unto God for the libertie of conscience granted in America and said Why Lord not in England as well as in America or words to that purpose Another Independent Minister in his prayer put up this petition O Lord make the Parliament friends to the Saints May 25. 1645. An Independent Minister praying for the Parliament prayed that God would keep the Parliament from greeving the Saints or doing any acts that might make them sad that they for whom so many prayers and praises had been put up by the Saints might not now grieve them April 24 the same Independent Minister in his prayer after Sermon prayed That now God had delivered us both namely the Presbyterian and Independent from such bondage and oppression we might not be guiltie of bringing our brethren into bondage left the Lord carrie us back again into Egypt for it The same prayed on August 1 joyning Parliament and Assembly together That they might do nothing but what the Saints should rejoyce in and be glad of About the beginning of September last a Reverend Minister of the Assembly who was an ear-witnesse related it and said he would acquaint the Commissioners of Scotland with it that an Independent Minister either in his prayer or Sermon used words to his effect of the Scots That it was just with God to bring this overthrow upon Scotland because of their beating their fellow-servants and that they could not be content with suffering their brethren to enjoy their libertie but must have a domination Having given the Reader an account of many errours and blasphemies of the Sectaries with some passages in their prayers I come now to relate many of their practices But the Reader must not conceive I can set down all or that any one man although of far greater abilities and leisure having also fairer opportunities of conversing among them with lesse suspition observing their wayes than my selfe is able to do it They have many depths wiles and methods which I know not nor cannot find out there are many windings and turnings of the Seâ—pâ—nt crooked goings in and out off and on here and there which I cannot trace The way of the serpent upon a rock is too wonderfull for me and which I know not Prov. 30 18 19. They Proteus-like turne themselves into all shapes and forms and according to severall occasions and times have different humours and tempers sometimes complying so that one would think all diffâ—â—ence would quickly be at an end and they were ours sometimes so far off and bâ—ck again as causes wonder and amazement in the beholders I have been told from godly and wise men who have had much to do with some of them and have professed to set themselves to studie and to observe them men who are moderate enough and have a speciall love to some of them that they know not what to make of them they are strange men nor cannot fadom
might be writ against the godly well affâ—cted partie under the name of Anabaptists Brownists Independents and a large schedule was annexed to the Petition of offensive passages that were in M. Prynns and D. Bastwicks book I think ere long they will dare to petition that no man shall preach against an Anabaptist or name a Sectarie or speake a word for Presbyterie but themselves may preach print and say what they list And so in the case of the Letter of the City Ministers to the Assembly against Toleration and in other books yea and in Sermons that have been against the sects they have threatned and endeavoured to trouble and question the Licensers and Preachers 17. They are full of plots and projects for their way and increasing their party they have alwaies designes on foot they do nothing nor propound nothing but theres some designe or other in it they are big with many at once that if one take not another may if one misse they presently start another of which I could give manie instances and show how the hand of Ioah hath been and is where 't is little thought they use other men upon other interests and ends to do their worke they have waieâ— collaterelly and indirectly to effect their worke when it would be marred if they went in recta linea they can and ordinarily do go about to destroy businesses they seeme to plead for by propounding and putting upon ways to effect it which they know are not feasible 18. They have and do when put upon present exigents yeeld to and forbear things for the present and sometimes in appearance will seeme to go far with you and are content to lose the fore-game that they may play the aftergame better and recover all they will sometimes appeare to be yours fully till they have served their turne giving place for a time but still waiting opportunities and working in the mean time all they may and when they have counterworkt they will fetch all about again another way and make void all they seem'd to grant you and of this there are too many examples among the Sectaries manie of them taking the Nationall Covenant for that instant necessity that they might worke so as in time to destroy the end and intent of it and yeelding some arguments and debates for the present to effect their owne ends afterwards 19. They have been and are Polupragmaticall indefatigably active stirring restlesse night and day in City Countrey in all places having their agents to doe their worke and promote their caâ—se their eyes are intent upon every thing that may make for them or against them and they have a hand in every thing they are men of a hundred eyes and hands out-acting and out-working all the Presbyterians they deale with this man to take him off and worke with another to qualifie him they have got most of the weekly writers of Newes to plead their cause commend their persons cry up their actions they have sent Emissaries to sâ—verall Countreyes to preach carry Letters deale with persons for chusing of Burgesses in Parliament for their way as M. Peters and others they observe all mens tempers humours and accordingly deale with them all some with offices and places some by holding out principles suiting their lusts 20. They desperately censure and judge all men both their estates and actions who are not for them they presently unsaint them and men fall from grace ipso facto by preaching or writing bookes against their errours as M. Prynne making him worse then the late Archbishop of Canterbury and so one M. E. for writing against them they use this phrase sometimes accounted a godly man and of M. Ash they have not only in England laboured to blast him by their censures and reports but writ over into Holland that since he appeared against them God had evidently blasted him and taken away his gifts and lately upon reports raised by them no doubt that I was dead though there was not the least colour for it not being sick at all they gave it out it was Gods just judgement upon me to cut me off for preaching and writing against the Independents and at the same time they gave out that M. Calamy had broken his arme and D. Twisse a dying O saith one of their Doctors of Divinity you may see the just hand of God against the Presbyterians M. Edwards dead M. Calamies arme broke and D. Twisse a dying so that if these things had been thus we may see how they would have judged it and if such things had fallen to some of us which have to many of the sectaries which I name not to upbraid them with but to shew them their own folly as that by the plague of pestilence our children two at a time had been taken away as M. Goodwins was upon the making his house a meeting for the Sectaries and some of our eyes put out by a Pike in the street as one of Lilburns was immediately upon his Letter coming forth against M. Prynne and the Assembly and our wives stark mad as M. Peters wife wee might have expected as bad books written of us as were written by the Papists of Luther and Calvin 21. They take upon them more places then they can or do discharge and bear the names of some places which they seldome officiate and have laboured to add more places to those they have already and that both in City and Countrey so that some of them besides their places in the Assembly which they seldom attend especially this last yeare and their private gathered Churches have divers Lectures and places besides their hanging upon great men to preach before them to ingratiate themselves and getting to preach at White-hall S. Iames Westminster and other eminent places where the great ones Earles Lords and the Grandees of the time resort they do not as wee Ministers sit still expecting a call to places but they are forward men bestirring themselves to attain this place and that getting such great mens Letters in their behalfe using such Ministers of note and other persons of quality and power in Parishes to make way for them to come in pretending to preach for nothing c. and still in all these Lectures and preachings they have an eye to Churches in places most convenient for thier ends as so situated so capacious and to times when few or no Lectures else are as on the Lords day in the morning between six and seven a clocke all those Lectures at that time of the day from Stepney to Westminster they either have possession of or have strongly laboured for them yea and to have set up others on the Lords dayes in the morning at Ludgatâ— Aldersgate c. if by themselves or all the friends they made they could have effected it and so the Lord day in the evening when other Sermons are done they have gotten that Lecture at the Three Cranes and so the Lecture on Munday night
doth the more good Thus beseeching the great God to continue your courage and resolution for his name to the utmost I rest Your affectionate Brother in the Lord. Memorandum that upon the 18. day of Febr. 1645. one Goodwife Cosens of Peter Parish in Colchester brought forth two children both dead the one a perfect child the other was born without a head having upon the breast some characters of a face nose and eyes wanting one arme and the other arme being rather the stump of an arme ended in a crotch of two fingers with something like a thumb coming out of one side of it Downward one of the feet was perfect the other foot wanted a heel and had only two toes which grew forward and another toe growing out of one side of it The Father of this Monster is a Separatist frequenting their congregations an enemy to the baptising of his own chiâ—dren the Mother a hearer in the separated congregations likewise who resolved heretofore that if ever she had any more children they should never be baptized ☞ This Relation is affirmed by those of trust and understanding that saw this Monster and know the parties An Extract of a Letter sent me from a Commander now in the Parliament service dated Decemb. 29. 1645. SIR THe constant practise of many Officers and souldiers with them was to exclaime against their Ministers wheresoever we marched pressing them and their adherents more then any other they did dscourage the people generally affirming that the best of our Preachers were Popish and that it was unlawfull to heare them but did hope to see them all pact to Rome and their superstitious Steeple-houses puld down to the ground great variety of opinion was amongst our Officers and Souldiers some affirming that they had had Revelations and seen Visions al of them at liberty to argue and hold what phantasticall opinion they pleased those were the men most countenanced and soonest raised to preferment some of them would take upon them to prophesie ☞ saying they should live to see all lording power laid aside in this Kingdom In my distresse when the enemy was upon me I sent to most parts adjacent for assistance but could have none only from one place came to me forty Volunteers with some two or three Officers professing thenselves all Independents and they told me they hoped to finde me so and if I should continue still in my opinion for Presbytery they thought their labour ill spent they staid with me all night and the next day there came to them a Leiutenant a most dangerous fellow maintaining most horrid opinions as you may see by the information which is truth this Lieutenant was to preach to them in a private house which I had notice of and did prevent him which they took very ill of me and immediatly they left me and marched away with Lieutenant Since one of the chiefest of them sent me word by our Quarter-master that I should have little or no pay so long as I staid in if I did not agree and side with I finde the mâ—â—sage too true for I finde little pay or none Sir I could say much more of their practises against me and others but I should be too tedious but this more I shall adde I never marched where I heard more talk of godlynesse and lesse practise of it in my observation for they are cruell without mercy covetous without ☞ measure professing self-deniall yet leave no stone un-turned to advance there estates and honours The Lord prevent their wicked designes and keep this Kingdom from being ruined by such a wicked people Sir I rest Your servant A Relation of some passages of a great Sectarie a Lieutenant about the beginning of June last 1645. HAving had much arguing with him and his adherents in opposition to the Antinomian way in the morning wherein they seemed to glory much in the victorie though I know no cause for it at all The Lieutenant came courteously towards even in to my house as he said to take his leave of me which some of his party perceiving followed him and others taking notice of their resort followed also The subject of our discourse was about the meanes of God revealing himself and his minde and will to his servants in reference to their salvation He affirmed and maintained violently that God did it immediatly by himself without Scripture without Ordinances Ministers or any other meanes He being asked about the third Person in the Trinity denyed there was any such thing as a Trinity of persons but affirmed them to be three Offices and being demanded what he thought of Christ whether the Godhead and manhood were united in one Person in Heaven He answered only to the last word and denyed that it could be proved by the Scriptures Christs presence in Heaven and when some Scriptures were produced which had reference to his Resurrection and Ascention he replyed that it was a great question whether there was a Resurrection or not he said he did not deny it absolutly but that he made a great question of it At the parting before him I replyed to the by-standers Gentlemen if I should have come and a told you that this Gentleman had denied the Trinity of persons and Christs presence in Heaven and that he called in question the Resurrection you would not have beleeved me had not your own eares heard the same This is attested and subscribed by the hand of a godly Minister in whose persence all this was â—pken together with a Relation of the names of the other â—â—â—nesses persons of quality and worth who were all present at this Discourse and I have the Originall in my power to porduce upon any occasion A Relation of some Stories and remarkable Passages concerning the Sectaries THere is one Lawrence Clarkson a Seeker spoken of in my Gangraena pag. 104 and 105. who put forth a Pamphlet called The Pilgrimage of Saints wherein are many passages highly derogatory to the Scriptures denying them to be the rule of a Christian or that in Doctrine or Practise half of Gods glory was revealed as yet this man a Taylor and a Blasphemer preached on the Lords day March eight at bow-Bow-Church in Cheapside in the afternoone He began his prayer to God with Right Honourable Lord God and in his Prayer he prayed that God would blesse the Kings Army and blesse the Saints both in the Parliaments Army and the Kings his Sermon was a Rapsody of nonsence This was not done in a corner but in a great and full Audience there was present at this Sermon one Member of the House of Commons if not more besides divers other persons of quality and though this Clarkson was in London some time after this and may be still for ought that I know yet was he never questioned nor called to any account for this or for his Pilgrimage of Saints as ever I could learn Saturday Marchâ—he â—he seventh a Minister who preached
lives but few yeers if the Sects be suffered to go on will see that all the other Sects of Independents Brownists Antinomians Anabaptists will be swallowed up in the Seekers alias Libertines many are gone already and multitudes are going that way and the issue of these Sects and Schismes will be that all will end in a loosenesse and licentiousnesse of living A HYMNE which some of the Antinomians do sing at their meetings instead of DAVIDS Psalms THe newes is good Christ shed his bloud our peace is made in Heaven And now he is gone up to his Throne all power to him is given 2 Our glory is great we are compleat in Gods great love we stand We are on high exalted by Christs victorious hand 3 We once neer lost to hell did post but God in mercy found us And now he hath taught us his path and with his mercy crown'd us 4 Shall sin or hell Gods people quell or ever keep them under No Christ hath died sin purifide and hell bands rent in sunder 5 The bloud of Christ our great High Priest which once for us was shed Hath purg'd the blot and cleans'd the spot wherewith we were besmear'd 6 A glorious thing a wonder strong that sin should not defile And those are all to Christ more dear that once did seem so vile 7 All sin we finde is out of minde the Saints are made divine First in the love of God above in glory they do shine 8 None are so dear nor yet so near with God they are made one Who now doth see them sure to be as is his only Sonne 9 Christ is our guide we cannot slide nor never fall away Our state is sure and must endure though all things else decay 10 Then let 's be bold our heads uphold the time is drawing nigh When we shall raign and eke remain with God eternally 11 Let all base fears and needlesse cares out of our souls remove With speed let 's fly to God on high and dwell with him above Amen Amen And 't is remarkable that now for present the best Independent Churches and Congregations are mixed Assemblies and medlies consisting of persons whereof some are Anabaptists some Antinomians some Libertines others hold Arminian and Socinian Tenets those who for mixtures in manners and because of some persons not so holy in their lives made a Schisme in the Church have worse mixtures among themselves in Doctrine a linsey wolsey compounded Religion I do not think there is any one Independent Church of three yeers standing and that hath attained to the number of between 30. and 40. members but had or hath in it some Anabaptists Antinomians Seekers or else persons holding one or other odde and strange opinion Mr. Symonds Independent Church at Roterdam is over-grown with Anabaptisme and he hath written into England that he is so pestered with Anabaptists that he knew not what to do Mr. Sympsons Church hath bred divers Seekers Mr. Lâ—ckiers Antinomians Master Iohn Goodwins company is an unclean Conventicle where the spirit of Errour and pride prevails in most the unclean spirit being entred there into himself and his people with seven evill spirits Socinian Arminian Popish Anabaptisticall Libertine Tenets being held by himself and many of his people And what shall I say more it will be too long to tell of what I have heard of some members in Mr. Carters Mr. Cradockâ— Mr. Brisco Mr. Barlets Churches concerning opinions they hold March 21. I was informed for certain that a young maiden buying in the Sirand of a Goldsmith a gold Ring the young man in the shop who was selling it her asked her whether she was to be married for the Ring was much of the size of a marriage Ring she answered no nor did not know whether ever shee should be married he questioned further with her what use she bought if for after some discourse together she told him she bought it to give to the Minister of the Church into which she was to be admitted a member and the young man further conferring with her she told him she was to be of the Congregationall way and of a Church where the Minister was a man of precious gifts It hath been related to me also from good hands and if there be any mistake in the Relation I desire the Independent Ministers to clear wherein namely that in some of their Congregations maid-servants out of their wages do allow so much yeerly as five or six shillings to their Ministers that some poore godly persons who have expressed great desire to be of their Church way and gone to some Independent Ministers to be admitted to Church-fellowship could not because of their poverty that persons of great ranck and quality as some Ladies are admitted to their Churches in a more favourable way and not after the ordinary manner and that one Lady at least though no member of any Independent Church but of a Presbyteriall hath been admitted to the Lords Supper among them and her child was to have been baptized by an Independent Minister but that it died the very day appointed for the baptizing of it that in one of the Independent Churches here in London a rich widow who was there a member refused to give her consent to one in way of marriage whom otherwise she liked and entertained till hee yeelded to settle twenty pounds a yeer upon her Independent Minister during his life and lastly that some of the Independent Ministers have from some one of their members 20.30 li. or better per annum and a Minister is named who hath fifty five pounds yeerly from three members of his Church forty pounds from two and fifteen pounds from a third A Disputation held at the Spitle about the Immortality of the soul by some Anabaptists as Lam Battee and others on the day of publike Thanksgiving for Dartmouths being given up into the hands of the Parliament MY Lord Major hearing of a great concourse of people that were to meet upon such a businesse having a respect to the peace and good government of this City sent two of the Marshals men to Lam to the Spitle where they were met to dispute but had not yet begun who told Lam that may Lord Major had sent them to him to forbid him or them to dispute as upon this day Lam answered the Officers he would go up and acquaint the brethren which he did standing in a place like a desk above the people at one end of the room and Battee at the other The first thing that Lam spake of was that my Lord Major had sent to forbid their meeting or rather to desire them not to dispute as upon this day Battee stood up and said that Mr. Major was a limb of Antichrist and that he was a persecutor of the brethren and that he did question what power or authority he had to forbid them he was sure the Parliament gave him no such power but gave them liberty to use
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
care of one God the Son of the second and God the Holy Ghost of the third Kingdome he prayed also for Jesus Christ that God would c. A godly Minister in Northamptonshire told mee April 17. that there was a Sectarie in his Parish a Yeoman who hath said it to him and to many others that now the time is coming when wee shall all have and bee alike ☞ I shall have as much estate as such a Knight naming a Knight of great estate in that Countie one Sir W. W. Thâ— Sectarie also holds there is no Hell There is a godly Minister in Essex who related this storie to me April 6 in the presence of a Minister of the Assembly and hee who told it mee had it from the mans owne mouth whom this Minister knowes well to be an honest godly man This man viz. one Master A. living at R. in Essex a godly religious man and an old acquaintance of Master Sâ—idr Sympson coming up to London and meeting with M. Sympson among other discourse asked him if hee might come to his Church and whether the Sacrament of the Lords Supper would be administred the next Lords day and whether hee might come to it Master Sympson answered yes hee had the Lords Supper and hee might come whereupon this Master A. went and after Sermon stayed with the rest of the company to partake in the Lords Supper and joyning with them received the bread which when hee had received there were some of the Church-members began to take notice hee was none of their Church and there was a great stir and muttering about it and they told him they admitted none but of their Church-way whereupon this religious man was not permitted to partake of the Cup but was glad to withdraw the Independents dealing with him though a godly man and a visible Saint because hee was not one of their members just as the Papists do with the people allowing them the Bread but not the Wine When all was done this Master A. went to Master Sympson and spake to him saying Sir Did not you tell mee I might come to the Lords Supper at your Church Master Sympson replyed I said you might come but not that you might receive Vpon this businesse the honest man was much troubled and for their administring the Sacrament to him after the Popish manner they have lost a Proselyte of him this having quite turned him off from the Independents The same Minister at the same time related it to mee for certaine as a thing not only knowne to him but to many in the Countie of Essex that a compounded Sectarie an Anabaptist c. whose dwelling is at Castle-Henningham preached at Chelmsford in a house where as a common fame goes there wine and women good store and as he was preaching to the Sectaries there came by the house a kind of a wild Gentleman who was speaking against the Presbyterians and this man was brought in to the meeting whilest the Sectarie was preaching and as in the verie midst of their preaching there was wine and liquour drinking to one another so before they parted there was good store of it this wild Gentleman for his part spending about foure shillings who when hee was come away meeting some Gentlemen and others commended the men for honest men and praising their meetings said Why should they not have the libertie of their consciences The Sum of a Sermon preached by a Sectarie and of some Conferences with Sectaries On New-years day Ian. 1. 1645. a Surgeon belonging to the Army preached at one Goodman Bolters of Bere a Towne in the West on Colloss 2. out of vers 7. he observed All the Saints dutie is to believed and be thankfull he enlarged Where 's the humiliations repentings for sinne which your godly Ministers you say have taught you Out of ver 14. hee observed The hand-writing of ordinances the ten precepts faire written by the finger of God altogether taken away On ver 16. hee observed New Moons Sabbaths meats drinks empty things Sabbaths not to be observed shadowes and since Christs coming taken away he said we had deceitfull Ministery Sacraments Ordinances meats and drinks though their learned godly Ministers had told them that when they had consecrated them with their sanctified garments on they were holy and were to be given only to those to whom they pleased yet empty and shadowes too Afterwards being asked what he meant by these meats and drinks whether the elements consecrated to bee signes and seales to us in the Sacrament He said he knew no seale but the Spirit and for those things they were empty things and of no effect Out of ver 11 12. That there being three things in Baptisme a death buriall and resurrection Christ was baptism to us and the outward sign needlesse The same person in private in the house of a Reverend godly Minister Master R. in conference asserted That there is no Sabbath to bee kept since Christs fulfilling the Law since no command for it in the Gospell He being urged with places out of the Old Testament and fourth Commandement He and a Captain and one Lievtenant I. affirmed those belonged to the Jews not to us 2. Being urged in point of prayer for forgivnesse of sin with the Lords prayer The Lievtenant said that the Lords prayer when Christ gave it to his Disciples was spirituall to them but it is not so to us 3. The same Lievtenant being urged with Davids practice of bewailing â—in and craving pardon answered David was under a double covenant of the Law and of Grace we only under that of Grace and though a believer should commit as great sins as David murther adulterie there was no need for him to repent and that sin was no sin to him but a failing 4. The Surgeon and the rest being told by some parties present that they would believe that which their godly Ministers had taught out of the word he answered he doubted whether yet the word had been taught or no. Then the Surgeon asking what the word was being answered The Old and new Testament he replied He doubted whether those were the word or no. Then being asked what was the word he answered out of Iohn 1.1 and told us he knew no word but that Item This Surgeon and a Quartermaster-generall to the Regiâ—ent having conference with one Thomas Spere a Papist asked him How long he had absented himselfe from the Church of England it was answered twenty years They commended him for it and told him they had done so too and were not themselves of that Church And hearing from him of some of his opinions they told him by way of encouragement ☞ he said well and was able to say more for his way then all the Presbyterian Priests in Dorsetshire Lievtenant I. being asked what he thought of the Directorie answered Heâ— thought of it as of the Common-Payer and of that as of the Masse Being like wise asked concerning the
up himself a sacrifice of full satisfaction not for all men only but for all that by man was lost even the whole creation of God 172. That a Directory or order to help in the way of worship is a breach of the second Commandement and there is no word of God to warrant the making of that Directory book more then Ieroboam had for the making of Calves of gold which he set upon two high places one at Dan the other at Betâ—el to the confusion of himself and his posterity 173. No man is yet in hell neither shall any be there untill the judgement for God doth not hang first and judge after 174. Men say that Faith is supernaturall but how can it be above nature to beleeve that which we see sufficient ground to beleeve and to beleeve any thing of which we have no plaine ground and reason is so far from being above nature that it is below it and proper to fools and not to reasonable men 175. The Law doth not pronounce eternall death in hell fire on those that obey it not nor were men to have perished in hell fire in relation to the Law or Adams sin but the Gospel pronounceth eternall death in hell fire on those that obey it not and if we had been to suffer hell in relation to Adam or the Law then Christ also should have suffered in hell for us to have redeemed us from thence which he did not 176. It is not sutable to God to pick and chuse amongst men in shewing mercy if the love of God be manifested to a few it is far from being infinite if God shew not mercy to all to ascribe it to his will or pleasure is to blaspheme his excellent name and nature Now unto these many more might be added that I know of and are commonly known to others which have been preached and printed within these four last years in England as the necessity of dipping and burying under water all persons to be baptized as the necessity of a Church-Covenant as that Ministers may not lawfully baptize or administer the Lords Supper out of their own particular Congregations neither preach Ministerially but as gifted brethren out of their own Church with many such errours of the Church-way but because they are but light in comparison I will not name them I could relate also to you other errours that have been reported to me and others by honest understanding men to have been vented and 't is likely enough they may be true as that 't is lawfull for wives to give without their husbands consents something out of their husbands estates for the maintenance of the Church and Ministers whereunto they belong as that the Lords Prayer called and cryed up by many to be so it could not be the Lords Prayer in regard there was a petition for pardon of sins which Christ would not have taught or words to that purpose as also that if a man were strongly moved by the spirit to kill to commit adultery c. and upon praying against it again and again it continued and yet was still strongly pressed he should then do it but because I have not these upon so good grounds nor such a concurrence of circumstances or further confirmation upon enquiry I therefore forbear to put them down particularly in the Catalogue of Errours or to assert them with that authority I might here also annex to all these Errours many Expositions of Scripture given by the Sectaries in their Sermons and private meetings but I will only give two 1. That of Rom. 8.2 The law of the Spirit of life hath freed me from the law of sin and death that is as was expounded from the morall Law 2. That of Ioh. 5 39. Seaâ—ch the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternall life you thinke to have that was their thought and mistake not that Christ approved it that eternall life was to be had in the Scriptures A Catalogue of the Blasphemies of the Sectaries NOw besides these Errours and Heresies laid down many of them being Blasphemies as the Reader cannot but have observed in perusing their Catalogue there have been many blasphemies and blasphemous speeches vented by Sectaries severall wayes both by writing preaching conference and discoursing and some so horrid and abominable in such a dispitefull scoffing fearfull way that I tremble to think of them and shall forbear to name them And indeed within these four last years in England there have been blasphemies uttered of the Scriptures the Trinity each person of the Trinity both of Father Son and holy Ghost of Gods eternall election of the Virgin Mary the Apostles and holy Penmen of Scripture of Baptisme Prayer the ministery of the Word and the Ministers of all the Reformed Churches of the Government of the Church and of the Christian Magistrates In some books printed and dispersed up and down there are fearfull blasphemies as in the Arraignment of persecution The Sacred Synodycall Decretall Martins Eccho c. profaning and abusing the holy and dreadfull Name of God in a most fearfull manner scoffing at the holy Ghost sent in a Cloak-bagg from Scotland making a most blasphemous Prayer wherein the Passion Death Resurrection and Ascension of Christ are in a scoffing way alluded unto with many others which I will not foul paper with transcribing In some Manuscripts of one Paul Best there are most horrid blasphemies of the Trinity of Christ and of the holy Ghost calling the Doctrine of the Trinity a mystery of iniquity the three headed Cerberus a fiction a Tradition of Rome Monstrâ—m biforme triforme with other horrid expressions borowed from hell not fit to be mentioned There was a fearfull blasphemous scoffing speech of God the Father Son and holy Ghost spoken by one Clarke as I remember the name given in to a Committee of Parliament in way of complaint in writing with a hand subscribed and one witnessed it before the Committee but I forbear to relate it Mr Paget in his Heresiography Epistle Dedicatory speakes of one committed for mocking at Christs Incarnation the particulars whereof though I have been told from Master Paget yet I judge it best to conceal There have been many blaspheming speeches in a way of derision of the holy Ghost calling it flabile numen and asking what kinde of bird it was whether but I dare not speak it The holy Scriptures are by many in these times sleighted and scoffed at that growes and spreades much called the golden Calfe that there are many contradictions and lyes in them that they are no better then a Ballad that they can make as good Scriptures that place in Genesis 6.6 where 't is said God repented that be made man was untrue so other places of Scripture The Doctrine of Gods Eternall Election and Praedestination hath been call'd a damnable Errour The Virgin Mary hath been called a the Apostles have been called and they could write
upon pretence of answering my Antapology 2. Some Independents have that shamelesnesse of forehead to make the subject matter of their Sermons little else but loose lying frivolous reports and stories or virusent invectives against the Saints c. as Mr. Peters the Vicar General and Metropolitane of the Independents both in New and Old England and I wonder how Cretensis forgot him Name any Presbyterian who is of any account in the Church of God such a loose rambling Preacher as he And for his invectives against the Saints 't is one of his common places in many of his Sermons to speak against the Reformed Churches the Reverend Assâ—mbly and the godly Presbyterian Ministers of the Kingdom who are not only Saints but godly Ministers But Mr. Peters is not alone for Cretensis himself is a loose Preacher and full of bitter invectives in his Sermons against better Sainâ—s and Servants of God then ever himself or any of his Church is like to be the particular passages which he hath used in Sermons I will give the Reader in my full Reply and so Mr. Archer of Hausted is famouâ— or rather infamous for this cum multis aliis whom in my large Reply I may adde to these As for the third Reasoâ— the way stopt against Printing for want of a Licénser I have already refuâ—ed and shall speak more to it in my next Reply And for the fourth Reason brought by Cretensis to Apologize for not Replying in 18 Moneths 't is both for matter and form all false a man would wonder that Cretens should dare to write so though indeed nothing of this kinde is a wonder in Cretensis Cretensis how can you answer it to God to your Church and to all men to write such a manifest untruth That I took not much lesse then eighteen Moneths in making the Antapology when as the Apologetical Narration I am sure of it came forth in the Moneth of December and to my best remembrance towards the later end of it and my Antapology was printed and abroad either the last week of Iune following or the first of Iuly which at the farthest was not full seven Moneths and is far from eighteen Moneths As for that insinuation of Cretensis joyned to the eighteen Moneths the advantage of liberty and freedom from other ingagements which Mr. Edwards had above other men 't is a false one for from that time I began to Answer Apologet. Narration till it came forth I never had lesse liberty or freedom in my life nor more businesses and engagements of several sorts in reference to the Publike Preaching in that time of writing my Book very often three times a week constantly and many times four besides the tedious Journeys between London and Godalming riding to Preach there together with all the difficulties and fears of many Alarums from the Enemy c. in that time But before I draw to a conclusion of this I desire the Reader to observe what a proud arrogant speech this is of Cretensis to extoll himself and his party with the contempt and scorn of the Presbyterians If Independent Ministers had either the priviledge of ease to preach to the bare walls and pews in their meeting places Now for this in my large Reply I will acquaint the Reader what privileges Independent Ministers and Independent Saints have and take above the Presbyterians and what their priviledge of ease and idlenesse is above the Presbyterians as also shew the true Reasons why the world wanders after the Beast many of the Independents are so stockt after before Presbyterians as also by what a sort of people and what little cause Cretensis and his Saints have to glory and boast of it and when I have spoken to that at large I believe I shall be out of Cretensis debt for these words Only for present I shall tell Cretensis these three things 1. That there are Presbyterian Ministers who Preach no more to bare walls and pews then Cretensis and the Independent Ministers Mr. Marshal Mr. Whitaker Mr. Calamy Mr. Sedgwick cum multis aliis both in City and Countrey 2. There are many Independent Ministers who have Preached lately and do so still as much to bare walls and pews as any Presbyterians witnesse Mr. Burton Mr. Davis Mr. Freak Mr. Ellis Mr. Furman c. 3. Presbyterians do not use however Independents may as Cretensis in his speech implyes to have ever the more priviledge of ease by Preaching to a few rather then to many by Preaching to a hundred two or three or Preaching to a thousand or two for they Preach out of Conscience and discharge of duty to do good to the souls of men and not for applause to please a multitude and therefore t is all one to them whether there be fewer or more one hundred or many but this is expressed according to the Independent humor who have their Sermons of several sorts those of greater pains and study when their pews and walls are full and their Sermons of ease when their pews are empty and their walls bare Now to put a period to this fourteen Section with an Animadversion upon that passage of Cretensis in pag. 16. his constant and standing labors with those who have committed themselves to him in the Lord. I ask of Cretensis where he findes this used of a people to commit themselves unto the Ministers we are commanded to commit our way to the Lord and to commit our souls to him and of God 't is oft used but in what place is it of people to Ministers and then those who have committed themselves to you why did you not say to the Church rather what is Cretensis become the Church And lastly why was it not as well expressed Those to whom I have committed my self unto in the Lord for I believe upon better consideration it will be found that Cretensis hath as much committed himself to his people as they to him for they Preach and rule as well as Cretensis and believe upon Examination the Church will be found to Preach oftner then Cretensis for all his constant and standing labors and his yong Prophets to exercise upon the week and Lords day and he bound to hear and obey them as well as they him And now if How the Cobler were alive again Cretensis and he would have no more Disputation and difference about humane learning necessary to the Interpreting of Scriptures and Preaching of the Word seeing Cretensis allows it now in his Church Members far inferior to How and Cretensis would crave pardon of him for abusing him so as he did upon that Controversie and for a recompence unto him Mr. How should be preferred to be Teacher in Cretensis Church Mr. Cretensis the Pastor and Mr. How the Teacher for belike humane learning is not now necessary to the Preaching of the Word and sure we shall one day have a Book of Cretensis Retractations and Confessions and might have had it before this time but that
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
against the spreading infectious Errours of these times wherein we once hoped for better things I wrote to Master F. of some discoveries that were made to me by some reclaimed from Anabaptisme concerning the workings of Satan to and in that way being much affected with the relations they first gave me by word of mouth I desired them to commit their experiences to paper while the remembrance of them was fresh with them that they might be able hereafter as well as at present to tell what the Lord had done for their soules in breaking such a dangerous snare as Satan with so much art and subtilty had laid for them This upon perswasion they did and at last gave me in about two sheets of paper close written wherein they discover not only how the snare was laid for them and how they were first caught and intangled with a liking of the novelty of Anabaptisme but being caught how they were carried on to it with the strongest violence and impulse of spirit that is imaginable they also discover the sad effects and influence which that way had upon their spirits while they lay but under a liking and good opinion of it and how it pleased the Lord to rescue and bring them off before they were actually ingaged and duckt into that seduced society Sir all these things were so fully and largely expressed in the manuscripâ— I had from them that others as well as my selfe held them very fit to be published for the publike good and supposing they should be I was preparing some considerations upon the passages to come forth with them Since their coming of the Anabaptists they have found their spirits in a much better frame then before and out of pitie to others ingaged in that way have endeavoured to reclaime them And now Sir for my own part I must needs say it is much that I have suffered from Opinionists of all sorts in these times and meerly because I could not be false to my Covenant nor I trust never shall by a sinfull silence when heresie and schisme do lift up themselves against truth and unity I praise the Lord this happinesse I have though the unkind dealing of these men hath somtimes occasioned much griefe of heart and weaknesse of body to me yet they have not prevailed in the least wise to weaken my resolutions in contending for the truth yea the more the truth is opposed the more earnestly I hope I shall contend for it though it be to the utter exhausting of that small strength of body which I have I cannot sacrifice my selfe in a better way I know it is not necessary that I should live but necessary it is that truth should live and be maintained to the utmost of our power Me thought it was somwhat harsh to me at first till God accustomed me to the yoke to suffer frowns reproaches imprecations and all manner of hard speeches for the discharging of my conscience and that from those whose professed principle it is that all should have the liberty of their consciences It seems they would take liberty but will not give it If my conscience bids me to oppose some of their tenets and practices and I can have no peace without so doing how can they in reason deny me this liberty by their own principle ☜ Surely it would be a sad day to all Orthodox Christians if they should be brought to stand to the mercy the Sectaries liberty Some of them have partly well used their liberty against me in speaking writing printing against me in the most scurrilous rancorous injurious manner that could be and onely for preaching that which if I had not my conscience I feare would have preached against me while I had lived for holding the truth in unrighteousnesse Sir I will not hold you with particulars this place hath been a troublesome place to me for which I know whom I have to thank I wish it may be quieter to the next Minister that succeeds me for God is pleased by a cleare providence to open me a way to some other place Sir being lately at Dorchester the Town I heard was somewhat disturbed the week before by a wandring Sectary who had gathered a company about him and preached in the Shire Hall as I think they call it chusing that of the Apostle for his Text But we have the mind 〈◊〉 Christ. Afterwards through too much pride and too little wit the poor fellow was so ill advised as to challenge M. Ben to a publike dispute impâ—â—r congressus Achihi offering to make good the lawfulnesse of private mens preaching which challenge was accepted but how the Opinionist was foyled by that worthy Minister fitter to grapple with that Punies Instructors was easily perceived by all understanding hearers The godly people of those parts have been so well catechized and grounded heretofore that the Opinionists complain they can make no work with them Certainly the good old English Puritan which Mr. Geere doth so well characterize is the Novellists greatest enemy or rather the Novellist his ☞ Alas how sad is the destiny of Orthodox Christians that no times will favour them We have not yet lost the sense of what we suffered heretofore by those wicked Prelats whom God hath therefore cast out as an abominable Branch and surely if all the Orthodox in the Land should bring in their severall complaints of what they have suffered since by turbulent Opinionists it would fill the world with wonder and the Reformed Churches abroad who cannot but sympathize with us with much heavinesse of spirit in our behalfe Heretofore it was counted a crime to preach against profanenesse as sporting on the Lords day and the like and now as great a crime to preach against Heresies Only let me acquaint you with one thing I have observed This veine of persecution for the most parts runs along in the same persons they who most countenanced profanenesse and superstition heretofore against Orthodox Ministers are the same men who under a forme of godlinesse without the power do now countenance Heresie and Schisme against it but Sir let nothing discourage It it given to us not only to beleeve but to suffer but hee that shall come will come and will not tarrie and in the mean while it is enough for us that Christ reigns May 11. 1646. THere is a young man who lives in London and not far off the Exchange who went not long since to Lams meeting-place to see and hear what they did there and when he was come found many of them reasoning and conferring about strange opinions and among the rest there was one Sectarie who maintained and affirmed ☞ That he was Jesus Christ. At which this young man was so offended and troubled in his spirit that hee upon the place and to his face spake much against him for his blasphemy This fellow still maintained it stiffely and told this young man hee would powre out his judgements on him and damne him for
conceits That there is a Prophet arisen who is shut up for a time but at the end of this Summer is to come forth with power to preach the generall Restauration of all things which Prophet hath given a roll forth already into some hands in which roll many things are written and whoever hath that roll hath the spirit of prophecie He hath appointed some to be Publishers and Prophets and to go to Jerusalem to build it up where Abraham Isaac and Iacob shall meet them from Heaven and these persons thus sent unto Jerusalem are assured they shall never dye with many other of this kind But I will reserve these to make another book of and come to give the Reader some Corallaries drawn from the whole matter Certain Corallaries and Consectaries drawn from the Errours Heresies Blasphemies Practices and Stories of the Sectaries laid down in this present Book CORALL I. HEnce then from all these Errours Heresies Blasphemies Practices c. laid downe both in the first and second part of Gangraena we may see how far the Sectaries of our times have proceeded and how high they have risen In a word to summe up in one page what more at large is expressed in many sheets the Sectaries are gone verie farre both in damnable doctrines and wicked practices in holding principles and positions destructive to Church and State against all Government both Civill as well as Ecclesiasticall and that not only for the matter but in the 〈◊〉 and way of propagation and 〈◊〉 of them They have questioned and denyed all the Articles of faith and have justified and pleaded for all kind of errours and abominations They have denyed the Scriptures Trinitie the God-head of the Son and Holy Ghost Justification by Christ the Gospel Law holy duties Church Ministerie Sacraments and all Ordinances They hold there are no Devils no sin no Hell no Heaven no Resurrection no Immortalitie of the Soule And together with these they are against all Kingly government the King Lords the House of Commons as to have any thing to do in matters of Religion or in Civill matters any longer than the people who chose them think fit and to be chosen yeerly or ofâ—ner according as they carrie themselves yea against all kind of Civill government and Magistraticall power whatsoever as appeares by denying the power of imposition of taxes and assessments in denying the power of Magistrates over Church-members in cases of murther treason c. And as they have denyed all these so on the contrarie they have maintained and pleaded for all kind of blasphemous and hereticall opinions and loose ungodly practices yea they have publikely in print justified there should be an open Toleration for all these and if any man should so far degenerate as to beleeve there is no God nay come to blâ—spheme God and the Scriptures yet hee should not be troubled nor molested but enjoy the libertie of his conscience And they have not only pleaded thus but some of them have actually blasphemed God Christ the Spirit the Scriptures Ministers Sacraments and all holy Ordinances besides committing of horrible uncleannesses forsaking of husbands and wives as Antichristian being guiltie of thefts defraudings c. being partakers also of that horrid Rebellion of Ireland in justifying the Rebels that they did no more than what wee would have done our selves c. All these with many others as the pleading for stage-playes to be set up againe some or other of the Sectaries have been guiltie of and unto all these have added this moreover to canonize and cry up for Saints faithfull servants of God c. Antiscripturists Antitrinitarians Arrians Perfectists yea Blasphemers and Atheist â—o they be but for Independencie and against Presbyterie and particularly how is Paul Bâ—st that fearfull Blasphemer now he is in question by the House of Commons pleaded for by many Sectaries of our times and bitter speeches spoken against the House of Commons for medling with him yea and in print too hee is pleaded for and compared in a sort with Paul the Apostle Certainly neither we nor our Fathers before us ever heard or saw such evils of blasphemie heresie c. in this Kingdome as wee have done within these two or three last yeeres The worst of the Bishops and their Chaplains when they were at worst were Saints in comparison of many of the Sectaries of our times and would have abhorred as bad as they were such opinions and practices which some of the Sectaries magnifie cry up and pretend to do by vertue of new light the Spirit and as a matter of great perfection as for instance A mans or womans forsaking their owne husbands and wives and taking others at their pleasure out of pretence of casting off Antichristian yokes the pleading for a general Toleration of all Religions yea Blasphemies denying a Deitie out of pretence of libertie of conscience But what speak I of the Bishops and their Chaplains I am perswaded all the stories and relations of the Anabaptists and Schwenkfeldians in Luthers time of the Popes and Papists blasphemies of many Heathens and scoffers of the Scriptures Christian Religion as Galen Porphirius Lucian Iulian the Apostate c. do fall short of the blasphemies waies of our Sectaries Which of all these ever so blasphemed as Boggis or what storie is there since the creation of the world that mentions a more horrid wicked blasphemy than that of Boggis a great Sectarie pag. 133 134 135 Or where is there a blasphemy to be found beyond that spoken of in pag. 116 of this Book In a word to conclude this first Corollatie The Sectaries of our times have in many respects as in regard of breach of Covenant ingratitude falsnesse c. gone beyond the Sectaries of other ages and Kingdomes and done worse than their fathers justifying them in all their abominations which they committed and have vented and spread so many poysonous and dangerous principles and positions as are enough to corrupt and infect all the Christian world if the Lord in mercie do not prevent it CORALL II. HEnce then from all that I have laid down of the Sectaries of our times of their errours heresies blasphemies strange practices and their wayes of managing them we may learne what is like to become of them and their way and what their end will be namely confusion desolation and being brought to nought suddenly as in a moment and if ever God spake by me I am confident he will curse this Faction of Sectaries in England and cast them out as an abominable branch Me thinks I see their day a coming and drawing neere Heretikes and Schismatikes do not use to be long-lived no heresie as Luther speaks uses to overcome at the last What is become of the Arrians Donatists Novatians Pelagians c though they were like a mightie floud over-running and drowning all for a time yet like a floud they
serve Christ in establishing the true worship of God and to suppresse all false worship and doctrine 2. Hee calls upon Kings and Judges to be wise implying First That the conceit of their owne wisdome by which they are pufâ—ed up hinders them from learning that which is their duty and truely right Secondly implying Magistrates of all sorts both Kings and Judges are subject to want spirituall wisdome and to be fooles to goe by crooked rules of carnall policie as Ieroboam fearing to lose parties to part with any State-interest c. rather then to keep close to the word of God to doe their duties and to trust him 3. The Psalmist teaches Kings and Judges wherein true wisdome and understanding consists viz. in serving the Lord with fear and kissing the Son not onely in their own persons serving God and subjecting to him with the kisse of honour and reverence as ordinary private men but quatenus tales as Kings and Magistrates to submit their Scepters to Christ to serve him and to convert the power they have received from God to the propagation and defence of his Kingdome Then indeed as learned Gerhard speaks Kings and States serve Christ and kisse him if themselves doe not only receive the doctrine of Christ and imbrace it by faith but also with the power given them of God see to this that purity of doctrine shall be preserved in the Church Idolatrie and false worships shall be abolished wolves shall be driven from the fold of Christ the Ministers of the Church shall be competently provided for c. And Austin speaking upon these verses of the Psalmist in one of his Epistles saith To whom is it spoken Serve the Lord with fear c. Is it not to Kings But how do Kings serve the Lord with fear unlesse it be by a religious severity forbidding those things which are against the commands of the Lord For every one of them serves him after one manner as hee is a man after another manner as hee is a King for as hee is a man hee serves him in living faithfully but as hee is a King hee serves him in making Lawes commanding just things and prohibiting the contrary like as Ezechias served him in destroying idols groves and high-places like as Josias served him c. 〈…〉 â—4 God by the Prophet here threatens Kings and Judges that if they doe not serve him with fear and kisse the Sonne hee will be angry with them and they shall perish from the way that is the sudden fury of God shall surprize and intercept them whilest they are in the midst of their way so Calvin To perish or be lost in the way imports sudden destruction whilest they are in doing their actions so Ainsworth upon the place And for a conclusion of this Corallary O that any particular Members of Parliament who are for pretended liberty of conscience a Toleration of Sects favourers of Sectaries and out of those principles hinder all they can the setling of Religion and Government by civill sanction would often and sadly meditate upon this Scripture and be wise now whilest there 's time thus to serve the Lord lest suddenly when they least think of it they perish from the way and God make them examples for adhering so pertinaciously to the Sectaries and that party They may read in Ecclesiasticall Stories what hath befalleâ— Princes for not serving the Lord in fear and kissing his Son and they see before their eyes the many evils that have befallen the King and the great straights to which hee hath been reduced for favouring too much the Popish and Prelaticall party against the minde and humble desires of both his Kingdomes and can particular persons think who are not Kings but under that title of Judges that they can prosper long in standing for a Sectarian faction against the minde of both Kingdomes and that the Kingdomes will not see and desire to understand how it comes about and by whose means 't is that wee having taken a Covenant for uniformity in Doctrine Government c. and for extirpating of Heresie Schism and the Parliament having declared and made Ordinances for Presbyteriall Government and declared in some Declarations and Remonstrances against Anabaptists Brownists preaching of men not ordained and against leaving particular persons and Congregations to their own liberty that yet all things should be done quite contrary with an high hand For may not now whoever will both preach and gather separated Churches print and act against Presbyteriall Government and for all sorts of Sectaries Yea such persons are countenanced preferr'd in all places and to all kinds of Offices and imployments which makes many turn Independents and the most zealous cordiall men against Sectaries are displaced or discountenanced or obstructed c. These things doe seem strange and against all reason that the Parliament professing and declaring one thing yet the quite contrary in all things of this nature should be done daily in Citie and Countrey In the worst times when the King was most mis-led by the Councels of Prelats and evill men about him there were not actions more contrary in many Ministers of State and other persons to Proclamations and Declarations then are now to Ordinances Declarations and Votes of Parliament and yet we hear of few censured or made examples Now the people every-where say These things could not be persons durst not be thus bold to doe these things but that they know they have some great ones to back them and stand by them and the people enquire after and speak who they be and questionlesse will represent these things as unsufferable and as most dishonourable to the Parliament and they will humbly desire these things may be remedied by the power and wisdome of the Parliament and therefore O that all such would be wise in time be wise now desert the Sectaries further the work so much the more as before they have hindred it for there is an emphasis and weight in that Adverb now signifying they should do it speedily because the same opportunity will not be alwayes given and the Psalmist hints they may yet do it profitably if they make haste but if any doe persist and goe on working day and night rolling every stone to uphold that party he that strikes thorow Kings in the day of his wrath will not spare them and they shall finde by sad experience when his wrath is kindled but a little blessed are all they that put their trust in him CORALL V. HEnce then from all the Errours Heresies Blasphemies and wicked Practices that are to be found among the Sectaries in their Assemblies and Conclaves let all such who have been deceived and drawn to them under pretences of greater purity holinesse c. and have any fear and awe of God and his Word be exhorted to leave and forsake them and to return to the publick Assemblies and communion of this and other Reformed Churches and I
a shame for them to sit downe there where they see Christ is not ashamed Are they holyer and purer than hee But wherefore do they not convince themselves by their owne experience They cannot deny but they first beleeved in Christ before they made this separation from us was not this from preaching in our Church But can any man preach unlesse he be sent Rom. 10.13 Why do they therefore so perversly refuse the Word for some blemish of the externall calling whose divine vertue they feele in their hearts Although that fruit doth no more free our depravations from all fault than a true issue of ones body doth adulterie neither therefore must we rest contended in these corruptions or they separate from us for some blemishes Wherefore return yee to the unitie of the Church which hath begotten and nourished you If you flye this Christ who sups with his Elect in our Assemblies and likewise entertains them as they him truly you shall find him no where else And then speaking of those who forsake our Church he wishes soundnesse of mind to them that they may return to the truth whereby they may avoyd that punishment which abides deserters and revolters Now if when the luke-warme Angell was in our Church and so many corruptions of ceremonies c. that attended him it was so unlawfull and dangerous to forsake this Church and it was the dutie of those that deserted us to return lest the punishment of revolters should abide them what then is the sin of those who now forsake our Assemblies set up separated Churches when the luke-warme Angell is cast out and all his Attendants and a godly zealous Ministerie is brought in and the Ordinances administred free from ceremonies and the inventions of men and Discipline of Censures and Excommunication a setting up O let all such be exhorted to returne to the unity of the Church that they may escape judgements both temporall spirituall and eternall and not be judged of the Lord as revolters CORAL VI. HEnce then from all I have laid downe in the first and second Part of Gangraena of the Practices Proceedings and ways of the Sectaries we may see and observe the great difference between the carriage of the Independents and our Brethren of Scotland our Brethren of Scotland have been constant and true all along to their first Principles to the ends they alwayes held out to the grounds which they declared they went upon to the Covenant they have taken and that in every branch and part as well as some in standing for the Kings honour and just greatnesse c. as well as standing for their own Liberties in standing for uniformity in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government in the three Kingdomes as for preservation of their own c. and neither all their sufferings hardships difficulties on the one hand nor all the offers temptations flatteries on the other hand have made them decline from their way either in their owne Countrey or since they have been in Covenant with us I challenge any man in all this nine or ten yeares of their troubles to charge them justly with falsnesse or breach of Covenant in pretending one thing and intending another in forsaking former Principles and falling upon new according to any advantages offered them but now the Independents and Sectaries have been inconstant uncertain and unstable in all their wayes crying up and extolling our Brethren of Scotland to the heavens and afterwards as much casting them downe pretending a regard to some branches of the Covenant as extirpating Popery and Prelacy but not minding others as maintaining the Kings Honour his just power and greatnesse the extirpating of heresie schism the endeavouring the nearest conjunction and uniformity between the three Kingdoms in Government Discipline c. not certain to any principles or ends they have propounded except those of Anarchie and pretended new light not well knowing what they would have but changing their minds and framing their wayes according as they have seen their opportunities and advantages And because I observe it hath been one great part of the designe of the Sectaries yea and as the maine medium to effect their ends by the aspersing and reproaching of the Scots the Sectaries looking upon them as that which letteth and will let untill it be taken out of the way which hath been therefore with all industry artifice and vigour prosecuted ever since the battell at Marston Moore and more especially since the moulding or new modell of the Army I shall therefore to undeceive the people as in the sight of God out of pure conscience speak a few things of our Brethren of Scotland and show particularly some differences between them and the Sectaries 1. The Scots still upon all occasions have improved and made use of all victories successes and advantages put into their hands as the coming in of the King now to them for the good of both Kingdomes and for effecting the ends declared in the Covenant not for anie particular ends as to get possession of Newarke or to be revenged for affronts offered them or injuries done them by the Independent party or to increase divisions jealousies discontents between the Nations But now the Sectaries have made use of all advantages and of all successes they have had and of all events that are fallen out for the increase of their own partie and effecting their particular ends divided from the interests of both Kingdomes and the ends expressed in the Covenant yea to increase and further jealousies discontents differences between the two Kingdomes by blowing up and aggravating upon all occasions all things against the Scots by railing against and speaking evill of the Scots in all companies and places by aspersing them in manie printed bookes carefully spread and dispersed abroad by the Sectaries and by many false reports and other dangerous insinuations against the Scots vented in weekely newes bookes the Pensioners of the Independent party and particularly since the Kings coming to the Scottish army many things have beene related and spoken of by the weekly Pamphleters which reflect upon our Brethren of Scotland and some upon the Kings Majestie which must needs seeme strange and be verie offensive to all good and wise men and so much the more the King being come in and in the Parliaments Quarters I cannot stand to name the particulars nor to animadvert upon them now but referre the Reader among others to peruse Mercurius Britanicus numb 130. The Scotch Dove num 134. Moderate Intelligencer num 62 63. neither shall I much need to doe it for I doubt not but they will recant shortly and being mercenarie fellowes wee shall see them within a few weekes ring the changes 2. Our Brethren of Scotland have borne with much patience and long-suffering quietnesse of spirit and humiliâ—ie infinite reproaches evill speakings against in City Countrey by all sorts of Sectaries passed by also manie affronts neglects abuses offered them and when manie things in
Prâ—teol 1. Elench Haeretic pag. 247. Iulianuâ— Aretiâ—â—â—â—thoren et ducem haeresis 〈◊〉 et â—onstanâ—i sententia damnatum et in â—tlium actum peâ—â—uam benignis literis revocavit et publica vectura reduxit Episcopo sub Constantio exilio mulctatos rerocavit et in urbes suas redire permisit Atque id ille non misericoâ—dia fecit sicut colligere est sed ut Epis opos inter se committens ad intestinuâ— armaret bellum et suis ipsa dissidiis Ecclesia labefactaâ—câ—ur The Emperour Valens did grant freedome of Religion to all heretickâ— yea and Heathens but was a great enemy to the Orthodox Theodoreâ— Hist. Eccles lib. 4 cap. 22. Valens impunitatem conceâ—â—it Gentilibus â—udaeis et aliis quibus que â—ui nomen Christianum sibi assumenses doctrâ—â—am Evangelio repugnantem praedicabant Solâ— autem Apostolicae doctrinae propugnatoribus tyâ—annus iste se hâ—stem praebuit * The Sectaries though they make but a fifth or sixth part of the Army and the noble Generall who commands all free from any touch of Sectarisiâ—e yet we see how insolent some of them have been of late bearing themselves upon the army talking of that upon all occasions of setling Church government what would they do if they had an army wholly of their own way and a Commander in chiefe according to their owne hearts A person of worth who was present at the opening of the Letters and named to mee the Gentleman to whom such news was writ told it me Moderate Intellig. Numb 44. from 1 Ian. to the 8. a I never justified that wicked oath Ex officio as Mr. Burton Mr. Calam. Iust. and necess Apologie against an ujust lnvective of Mr. Burtons pag. 5 8. b D. Holms I write not this to commend or prefer my selfe before others but because many Sectaries to blast my preaching and writing from doing good have given out falsly to many that I was a great time-server and a great man for the bishops and their wayes using that as an argument not to heed what I write or preach I therefore thought it necessary to say thus much for the undeceiving of many who know mee not And had I ever learned the Art of time-serving I should not have writ such a boâ—k as this nor preach as I do but would rather turne Sectarie â—or at least comply with them and so I might be a Creature and a darling of these times a Adversus â—aereses b Ad quod vult Deum c De haeresibus d Hâ—reticarum Fabularum e Contra libertinos Anabaptistas Servetum f De Haeresibus * Pag. 162 163. of this present Book and that pag. 8. a A word more to Mr. Edwards pag. 1. Sir untill I perceive the contrary I cannot but hope that I have prevailed something with you towards a change of your mind and that you have begun to repent you of the evill you have done by publishing your Book entituled the Gangraena Saltmarsh flowing of Christs bloud pag. 14. * The new Converts as it seems by the Relation here make a Feast for the Church and the Dipper upon their entrance into is by dipping and are then admitted to that they call the Lords Supper * This Commander is not in the service of the West belonging to any of the Regiments of that Army under the command of Sir Thomas Fairfax but his command is in another part of the Kingdom * We see the liberty of conscience Sectaries will give if they had power The Relation followes after attested by the hands of witnesses * All kind of unlicenced Books that make any wayes for the Sects and against Presbyterians are sold at his shop and t is given out the manâ—â—els them but not the Master * An Anabaptisticall Emissary * Observe here both blasphemy and scoffing of the Parliament in a high manner * Of the name of the woman her meetings with other particulars â—â—ent this matter * A word more to Master Edwards Observe to what this pretended liberty of Conscience brings men namely to plead for Treason Rebellion and all kind of wickednesse * Gangraena pag. 12â— * That 's the main subject of both his Pamphlets A Whisper in the ear and A word more to Mr. Edwards * When he was prisoner there being taken by the Cavaliers when they came to Branford Reply to Cretensis Cretensis pag. 11. Cretensis Vide pag. 10. pag. 24. * Tit. 1.12 The Creâ—ans are alwaies Lyars * This is a lye in Cretensis Catalogue that Cosens never said it Cretensis pag. â— * Vide Petition of the Lord Major Aldermen and Commâ—ns of the City of London presented to the House of Peers Jan. 26. * Cretensis pag. 50. * I professe truly that I had not read one quarter of the Book of yet nor know whether I shall ever care to read it through or no. And in pag. 6. I have neither leasure nor opportunity to search to the bottome * Saltmarsh groans for liberty * That is proverbially called the thriving side and way Offices Moneys Honors Lands great places attending upon them * Mr. Thomas Goodwins Sermon call'd The great Interest of State and Kingdom p. 53. If any man think I am a pleading for a Liberty of all Opinions of what nature and how grosse soever I humbly desire them to remember that I only plead for Saints and I answer plainly The Saints need it not The Apostle tells us there are damnable Heresies so 2 Pet. 1.1 2 and they will soon unsaint them So that I speaking against the gâ—ossest Errors and men holding such in M. Tho Goodwins judgement I speak against those who are no Saints but are persons contradistinguished and opposed to Saints Quod autem vehementius egoviâ— agnosâ—â— culpum 〈◊〉 culpa est 〈◊〉 testimonium hoc mihi in mundo reddi in causa Dei mirifice gaudeo Atque utinam ipse Deus id testimoâ—ie in novisâ—ime die confirmaresâ— Qâ—is tum beatior Luthero qui tanti sui saeculi testimonio commendatur quod veritatis causam non seguiter neo fraudulenter sed vehementer satis vel potius nimio egerit tum ill Iud Ieremiae feleciter evaserim maledictus qui facit opus Dei negligenter Luthenus de servo Arbitrio This sent up to a Parliament man and a true Copy of this given me by a Member of the Assembly This Letter was written to a Member of the Assembly and the whole Letter printed verbatim follows afterwards * Praefat. ad Eccl. auie Acta Synodâ— National Dordr * Wotton de Reconcil par 2. lib. 1 cap. 15. pag 175.176 Wottonâ— de Recoâ—e part 2. l. 1. cap. 14. Quem ego de imputatione opinionis authorem fuisse mihi perswadeo * Master Pryns Truth Triumphing over Falshood Epistle Dedicat. and in the Book 106 107 108 where Mr. Priâ— both laies down his passages against the Parliament and confutes fully his justification and pleading for them * Whitaker Second Conâ—ro
De Eccles. quaest 5. c. 11 p. 342 343. Papistici Doctores turpes scelerati sunt in deliâ—iis vivâ—â—t omnes à Papa summo illorum Pontifice ad infimum usque Pâ—râ—chum multi non â—aevi modo sed flagitia etium gravissima inter illos reperiuntur vide ibi plura Willets Synops. Second General Controversie of the Church Quest. 3. of the notes marks of the Church pag. 98 Amesi Bellarm. Enervat De Notis Ecclesiae Legantur igitur vitae Pontificum Romanorum de Sanctitatem Pontificum * Vid. Minors no Sentors pag. 26. These laws would save that Vbiquitary perturber of sollicitor and stickler at most of our late elections Mr. Hugh Peters a great deâ—l of unnecessary unfiting pains sollicitation and abuse of the Pulpit to the peoples great disgust for his own private lucre and advancing the designs of his party * Vid. Independ rasing their foundation p 2 3 4 5 * This Mr. Randal is known well to many godly persons and is a godly man a Schoole-master about Stepny and a Minister also not that Randal the Antinomian and Familiâ—â— * This Letter which Cretensis here prints was written by an Apprentise boy an Anabaptist of Kiâ—â—ius Church unto Kiâ—â—â—â—s himself who belike by himself or some other communicated it to Cretensis * Calumny araigned and cast Pag. 22 17. I could prove I say by the Commission aforesaid that Mr. Prynne hath done all these things on purpose to despite the Spirit of God to defame the Gospel to make the ways of godlinesse and religion hateful to the world to encrease divisions to multiply distractions to bring a snare and evil day upon the Parliament to expose the whole Kingdom to ruine and destruction * Master Walker Master Roborough by wriâ—ing Master Câ—alamie in preaching * March 30. Three honest godly Citizens after supper comming to speak with me as they were with me Cosens came to speak with me and was brought into the room where these three Citizens were and I spake nothing to him nor he any thing to me but in their hearing who will testifie this and more Oretens pag. 40. This Counter-Information I had from the mouth of the said Cosens himself and have the particulars under his hand Cosens going to heare Mr Clare preach I received a Letter last week out of the Country subscribed with â—o hands of Godly Ministers testifying to my work and earnestly intreating my constant persuance with a promise that I shall not want what their prayers and endeavours can contribâ—â—e to that work A Letter from a godly Minister cut of Warwickshire written thus M. Edwards Book does much good here I have received severall Letters from particular Ministers in Essex bearing witnesse and so Letters out of Kent to the same purpose and from other places * The 11. errour specified in the former part of this book is in the Catalogue of Errours contained in the first part of Gangraena which slâ—pt me before I was aware and therefore upon comparing of both together I put it out and reckon not that but make these Errours to begin here at number 23. which otherwise should have been number 24. * Osiander publicè in Schola proponâ—t nos sola essentiali Dei justitia justos esse essentiali ejus vita vivere vel victuros esse essentiali ipsius gloria glorificari essentiali illius charitate ad diligendum Deum proximum propter ipsuminflammari gravissimè errare omnes qui putent aliâ re quam solo uno vivo Deo Patre Filio Spiritu sancto nos posse justificari vivificari glorificari glacie frigidiora docere qui doceant nos tantum propter remssioneÌ„ peccatorum reputari justos non etiam justitiam Christi essentialem divinam perfidem in nobis habitantis vit Osiand pag. 228. * The Sectaries who call themselves the Saints and beleevers if they have husbands and wives that will not turn Sectaries they may leave their owne because they are unbeleevers and joyne themselves to other womens husbands and other mens wives I read in a Letter subscribed by W I. and E.I. Wiâ—liam Ienny and Elizabeth Ienny written out of Holland to one in London Deare friends as you have cast off many Antichristian yoaks so proceed to cast off all a chiefe vvhereof are unequall marriages * Vide Saltmarsh Divine Right of Presbyterie * Pamph. entit Tender Con. relig affect p. 14 15. Do not the Synod having two â—oâ—ns like a Lamb but a mouth like a Dragon teach the Parliament to speak blasphemy against those Saints that dwell in heaven And speaking of the Preamble to one of their Ordinances wherein the Parliament acknowledged their strong engagements heartily and sincerely to endeavour the compleat establishment of puriâ—y and uâ—itie in the Church of God for these are the Parliaments words not the Assemblies this book cals this blasphemy and saith of the Lords and Commons For shame leave speaking blasphemy Remember the judgements upon the VVhore for her blasphemie VVhere had the Lords and Commons this large Commission to meddle in the affaires of King Iesus so far as to determine to have a compleat establâ—shment of puritie and unitie Vide p. 22. of this present book ' and pag. 7. * Mr. Durance an Independent Preacher at Sandwich * This was spoken in the hearing of three Citisens and given mee under the hand of one that heard it who also told this Smart he would make it publike The Presbyterians may do well to take notice that the Sequestration of their estates and hanging at Tyburn was designed and counted good enough for them if some Independents and Sectaries might have had their will This is the libertie of conscience they must expect when the Sectaries grow so strong as to have power to effect it * A Minister out of Essex writing up to a Minister in London of a horrid blasphemy I sent to a Minister of that Towne to enforme me of the truth of it which accordingly be hath The vvord is so horrid and obscene that I forbeare to expresse it This Clarkson is spoken of also in this book p. 7 8. Cretens frontis picio Luther de servo Arb. c. 207. p. 319. Vid. mine Animadvers part I. pag. 9. A godly Minister who heard it will depose it if called and so will many more who heard it a Pamph eâ—â—it Toloraâ— justified Vide pag. 27 of this book Mr. VValvvyns speech * Vide Pamph entit Letter of advice to the Assembly In case Paul Best continue in his opinion his heresie through ignorance whether is it not possible that God may yet have mercie on him as hee had on Paul the Apostle and in his due time bring him to the knowledge of his truth as hee did the Apostle Paul VVhether it can be demonstrated before-hand but that Paul Best what ever his heresie be may possibly in Gods secret will be ordained to conversion hereafter as well