and the man who preached upon the coming in of the Parliament forces to the Town And I beleeve he and others of his followes were of the Councell to get Colonell RSpanâ— to be sent to take Worcester when that gallant Colonell Waley had done the deed that so a Presbyterian might neither enjoy the honour nor the fruit of his labours And though I have never been at Worcester yet upon report of credible persons I can make another observation then Master Peters upon his preaching at Worcester and the â—aâ—â—iâ—on and Government there viz. instead of a door open to the Gospel a doore is opened at Worcester to Independency and to all kind of Sects a doore opened for â—lemenâ— Wrighâ—eâ— that Antiscripâ—urist Sceptick spoken so much of in my first part of Gangraena to be â—here and to 〈…〉 iâ— Heresies and Blasphemies And I am certainly informed 〈◊〉 Sectaries are already publike Preachers in the City of Worcester oâ— Master 〈◊〉 who was before at Waâ—wick and â—he Master M 〈…〉 And so page 6. Master Pâ—ters gives 〈…〉 ll he â—â—s 〈…〉 he Army may be as hardly di 〈…〉 as it was go 〈…〉 â—e â—â—ates the disease of our pre 〈…〉 di 〈…〉 and prescribes the â—uâ—eâ— he 〈…〉 directions about sending to forraigne States page 8. 9. about the ordering of our Counsells and affaires page 10. 11. 12. and then in page 13. 14. he comes to a formall discourse concerning himself where he tells the Reader fine stories of himself And if my different judgement offend any my Answer is that with much expence of money and time with diligent inquiry into Reformed Churches I have taken paines to satisfie my self and remaine now where I was for substance â—ifteâ—â— years since resolving by that experience to keep a window open to more light and truth though scoffed and slighted my care hath been to acquaint my self with the most learned and godly in the Country where I travell First I lived about six years neer that famous Scotchman Master John Forbs with whom I travelled into Germany and enjoyed him in much love and sweetnesse constantly from whom I never had but incouragement though we differed in the way of our Churches Learned Amesiusâ—reathed â—reathed his last breath into my bosome who left his Professorship in Freisland to live with me because of my Churches Independency at Roterdam and charged me often even to his death so to look to it and if there were a way of publike worship in the world that God would own it was that He was my Collegue and chosen Brother to the Church where I was an unworthy Pastor and I thank the Lord such a Church it continues to this day that truly I slightly took up nothing in that kind nor did I loose all my seven years being in New-England amongst those faithfull learned godly Brethren whose way of worship if we professe it will not be groundlesse when their wriâ—ings are examined And so much for Master Peters designe in his last Report of the English Wars The second maine thing in his Pamphlet is the manner and way he takes to effect his designe and aime the better which though at first view it be seemingly carried in severall phrases with a great deale of moderation to the Presbyterians and a desire of propagating the Gospel Religion Piety the name of God Religion and preaching being often spoken of and of maintaining yea inlarging the glory of the English Nation and the Rights and Liberties of the Subject Yet indeed 't is written and calculated for the Meridian of Independency and Sectaâ—isme in every particular of it so as there is not one passage in it but I could easily reduce to that Praedicament and draw all the lines to that center clearly shewing 'tis for the advancing of that party which that he may do the man cares not what hee writes but instead of a faire full open true Relation of things he writes very partially in some things falsly in other things hypocritically and doubly in most and were I at leasure to write Animadversions on every line of this Pamphlet and give a full Answer to it laying one thing to another I could discover many mysteries of iniquity in it and shew it to be exceeding pernicious both to Church and State and very prejudiciall to the League and Union between the Kingdomes and such a peece of Politicks that in this juncture of things an Arch-Jesuite if he were imployed to write would make much such another I shall give some instances First his Relation of Worcester businesse is very partiall much wronging that gallant Gentleman Col. Whaley giving the honour of reducing Worcester to others who hath deserved better at the hand of Master Peters and some others then to be so served This Gentleman did very great service at Naseby Field this Gentleman reduced that strong Castle of Banbury besides many other gallant services that he hath done but because he is a Presbyterian and an Antilibertine therefore others who never did that worke at Worcester nor in Naseby Field c. must have the honour of his labours and must enter upon them reaping that which hee hath sowed with much faithfulnesse valour hazards The relation of this businesse of Worcester is so partiall that 's the best can be said of it that I have been informed from persons of much worth and trust that when Col. Whaley read it he went to a great Commander of the Army speaking to this purpose do you not see how Peters hath abused and wronged me and shall he be suffer'd well if I meet him I will cane him soundly and a Commander of the Army told in some company to a Lieutenant Colonell a great Sectary that he had heard Colonell Whaley wherever he met Master Peters would cane him if not cut him for his relation of Worcester businesse Secondly speaking of Schismaticks and Opinionists he instances in Anabaptists and calls them the harmelesse Anabaptists which is a false Epithite given to them for what Sect or fort of men since the Reformation this hundred years have been more harmfull surely Master Peters cannot but have read or at lest heard of the Tumults Wars Tragedies Out-rages Rapes raised and committed by the Anabaptists in severall parts of Christendome especially in Germany and Mâ—â—ster Slâ—idan Bullinger Schluselburgius Horlensius Guido de Bres with many others have laid these open to the world And if we look upon our Anabaptists at home and consider what many of them have done and do dayly how can we call them harmlesse Are they harmlesse who in contempt of Baptisme have pissed in the Font have fecht a horse into the Church and baptiz'd it Who assault with violence godly Ministers put them out of their Pulpits by force openly affront them and invade their Pulpits whether they will or no Who make tumults and riots in Countries Who kill tender young persons and ancient with dipping them all over in Rivers in the depth of Winter Who
and idely by going from Country to Country preaching And indeed instead of any Ministers or people opposing the Sectaries out of Policy worldly Interests t is evident t is the high way to some gainfull Place or other to become a Sectarie or to favour them hundreds turning Independents and Sectaries meerly for preferments and Places as heretofore men turned Prelatical and Arminians because of great Livings and how the Independent party have feathered their nests got well for themselves above other men the Reader shall find more spoken of it in this Book 7. As for that which is said I write so against the Sectaries out of a spirit of persecution and hatred of peaceable consciencious men I can say truly if I persecute consciencious peaceable men whom do I then love my love delight and interest is in such and I am so far from a spirit of persecution that I would be glad but to find the same measure from Independents Brownists Anabaptists and others which I would measure unto them if it were in my power namely I would not imprison banish them and such like only hinder them from all places of power and trust in the Kingdome and from spreading their Errors and Opinions to the hurting of others keep the unsound from the sound which if I differed in judgement from what was established in a Church and had nothing else done to me I should never conplaine of persecution and violence for that for t is absolutely necessary for the peace and welfare of the civill State besides what t is for the honor of God in the preventing the spreading of all Errors and Heresies And for a conclusion of this I have the clear and full testimony of my conscience that my appearing against the Sectaries hath not risen from any such base and poore grounds as the Sectaries alledge but from a sense of my duty that I might witnesse to the truth of God in this sinfull and adulterous generation And now to draw to a conclusion of this Preface nothing that hath yet befallen me of scandals reproaches and other sufferings or that shall further befall me in this way of Books set out against me of persecutions and troubles to bonds imprisonments losse of estate shall the grace of God assisting me turn me out of my way of constantly opposing the Sectaries so long as they go on in their way but when they for my writing against them shall speak against me as most vile and abominable I shall answer them as David It was for the Lord that I have done it and I will be yet more vile then thus and though every day naybour in the yeer should bring forth some book against me as bad as Balthazar Paeimontanus writ against Zuingl and Bolsecuâ— against Calvin yet for my part I shall be so far from being troubled that I shall take all those books as Job speaks and bind them as a crown to my head nay if all the Sectaries in England were combined against me and there were as many of them as tiles upon the houses in the City and every one of these Sectaries were a Devill yea had a legion of Devils as I beleeve some of them are possessed with many yet I would go on against them and if the Sectaries should be able out of this Book or any other to take advantage of my zeale faithfulnesse and plainnesse of spirit to make something of some words to stir up the Civil powers to trouble me yet for all that I shall not give them ever but write so much the more pâ—int them 〈◊〉 pray speak against their Errors and if God should give me so into their hands as to be able to deale with me as the Papists did with some of the â—itnesses of the truth yet I am confident they should have no cause to rejoyce but I should overcome even in that like Sampson kill more Philistims by my death then by my life and many Brethren would waxe more â—old to preach and write against them and out of my ashes should arise those who should further discover them I know the Sectarian faction must be destroyed and fall Babell must come downe as well as Babylon and the making of them naked is a preparatory work to the making of them desolate and eating their flesh But O that God would rather give them to see what they have done and make them to confesse give him glory and returne helping to build his House with both hands which they have so laid waste and hindred all this while and O that they would take well this Book look into it and observe Gods hand in finding them out accept of it as it was indeed intended for their good and not cast it away with saying t is sharp and bitter but rather remember that of the Apostle that men must be sometimes sharply rebuked That they may be sound in the â—aith Erasmus often said of the Papacit in his time that it was so corrupt that it weedeâ— acrem medicum a sharp Physitian a gentle would have done no good and therefore he raised up Luther a man of a free and hot spirit that cared not for gold and that feared not great men but went on in the cure of the Church strong and rough humors needing strong phisick to purge them out The foulnesse and strength of the disease of Sectarisme at this time call'd and calls for a strong Pâ—tion and may justly plead against the offence of any acrimonie and quicknesse that may be found in it Jesus Christ himselfe that meeke Lamb of whom it was written he should not strive noâ— cry neither should any man heare his voice in the streets yet his zeale of his Fathers House made him as t is in the second of John to make a 〈…〉 rge of cords and drive all that sold Oxâ—n Sheepe and Doves and the châ—â—gers of money out of the Temple and overthrow the Tables saying unto them that sold Doves take these things hence make not my Fathers House â—n house of merchandise and I remember not that ever I reâ—d of the like sharpnesse and quicknesse of Christ as this in any other case that against the Scribes Pharisees and S 〈…〉 es false Teachers was the likest and certainly the servants of Christ in a 〈◊〉 when the Church of God and Religion is bought and sold and made merchandise of by false Teachers as Saint Peter speaks the precious truths of God and the immortall souls of them for whom Christ died prestituted and sold to the base lusts and selfe ends of men when there are not found in the House of God so good intruders as thâ—se that sell Oxen Sheepe and Doves such profitable creatures but those that sell T 〈…〉 Crocodiles Pipers Serpents and all kind of Monstâ—rs they may and ought at such times and in such cases to imitate Christ and to doe something more then ordinary for the purging of the Church and that may show their zeale for
he had power and wisdom enough to hinder them and to make things otherwise and therefore if he saw not good to hinder them what should they trouble themselves about them 18. That Pigeons in Dove Houses are common for all men to take and eat them as well as those who are owners of those Dove Houses because Pigeons are fowls of the aire and so common to the sons of men 19. That 't is unlawfull to eat things strangled as fowls whose necks are broken and wrung about and not cut off 20. That there is no Predestination nor Election at all 21. That Gods eternall Election is of all men one as well as another 22. That many shall be actually saved who are not elected and they who preach none shall he saved but the elect and predestinate are notable lyars 23. There is a two-fold eternall life and salvation a more glorious salvation so as to make them instruments of salvation unto the whole Creation and that belongs to the elect and predestinate and a lesse glorious salvation which belongs to them who are not predeâ—tinate 24. That all the Heathen shall be saved because they are not guilty of unbelief never hearing of Christ 25. That God is in our flesh as much as in Christs flesh he is as much in the flesh of the members as in the Head 26. That all shall be saved at last both all men and devils Christ by suffering hath merited for the transgressions of his Creation Angels and Mankind and all immortall Spirits paying the price of our transgressions and the transgressions of all Angels Spirits and Mankind sealing the pardon of all with his bloud the reprobate condition of men and Angels shall be regained cursednesse shall be taken away death and hell shall be destroyed the grave shall deliver up the dead all shall be created anew to life and immortality The damned prisoners shall be sent forth out of the pit wherein there is no water by the power of the Holy Ghost who will maintain and make use of the bloud of Christ shewing it to be the holy Covenant of generall Redemption 27. They are the great Antichrist and deny the whole Christ God and their own salvation who deny the Covenant of generall Redemption of all men devils and the whole Creation 28. Christ descended into hell to break the bands of the damned preaching peace unto them and for the proving it these Scriptures are wrested 1 Pet. 3. 18. Ephes 4. 9. 10. Zâ—ch 9. 11. 29. The Devils for a time have damned themselves for not beleeving nor receiving this truth in obedience to the Gospel of Generall Redemption that God hath made all perfect to himself in Christ and paid a price for the sins of all being by Christ justly condemned for their unbelief and disobedience in not obeying the Gospel of peace righteousnesse and love to God and our fellow creatures 30. The true Christian working faith which the Holy Ghost commends so much unto all in Scripture and calls for at the hands of all in case of salvation receiving it or damnation in refusing it for the want of which millions of thousands were damned for a time though not damned to perish for ever for there is none can be damned totally is to beleeve the Covenant of Generall Redemption that all shall be eternally saved both men and devils and shall see feel and possesse the blessednesse of it to their everlasting salvation and comfort This is the true Christian working faith that removes the mountains of sins not only for our selves but for others and that faith which talks much of Christ and preaches that none can be saved but by faith and denyes this work of Generall Redemption is a formall faith is a very mystery of iniquity and proclaimes openly against Gods love and perfection unto his whole Creation in Christ 31. This true faith of beleeving the Covenant of Generall Redemption though it were but in a few in three persons onely in the world yet this faith in these persons should save all the rest of the Creation These beleevers are that seed of blessednesse unto all the Creation with them in them and by them they are made instrumentall meanes of God through Christ onely by beleeving and declaring his goodnesse and in their spirits contesting with God for his Jehovah mercies towards the rebellious they are made instruments of blessing unto the whole Creation although there should be but three in the earth This Christian faith is of power to bring all things to life If there were but three persons in the whole world that had it in possession it receiveth all things from God in Christ and works through God himselfe it is perfect unto all in Christ from God In due time the Lord will bring it unto its full birth to the breaking up of the gates of hell and meeting Christ in the generall resurrection shall receive life and power to immortalize all things 32. That Christ shed his bloud for kine and horses and all other creatures as well as for men for the proving of which that Scripture is miserably perverted Rom. 8. 19 20 21 22. Animadvers These Errors last set down from the 26. to 32. are not onely viz. some of them old Errours revived held formerly by those Hereticks call'd Origenistae and Adamantii who denyed the punishments of reprobate men and of devills to be eternall and that after a time they should all be saved of which the Reader may see more in Augustine de Haeresibus and in Danaeus Commentaries upon him nor only against some expresse Scriptures as Jude vers 6. 2 Pet. 2. 4. Mat. 25. 41. which unanswerably hold out these three things First that the devills have not all their punishment nor the greatest part whilst this world lasts but howsoever they are now in darknesse and in chains they are reserved to have their full doom at the day of judgement Secondly that doom and sentence at the day of judgement both upon devills and ungodly men is eternall and everlasting Thirdly that eternall cannot be taken for a long time or a time till such a period but for ever and ever without end and the last appears thus First because this sentence is something more and further then yet they have suffered 't is spoken of as reserved for it now the devills have suffered a long time many thousand years before the day of judgement comes almost six thousand years already besides what 's to come and if their doom were but for a long time after it would be but like that which is past a long time in both Secondly at the day of judgement that which is â—alled everlasting eternall must needs be properly so and not taken for a long time as sometimes 't is so taken for long times whilst this world stood because then the stage of this world is pull'd down and time in which things were measured shall be no
is the known mind of those Countries and Towns that chose them 12. If all power in Government be founded on immediate Election of the People and no sort of men have power further then the Universall people gave them and because they are Representors Trustees Deputies c. may do nothing against the will and mind of the Major part of the Universall people who chose them whether have all the Parliament-men in all their Votes gone according to the minds and desires of those Cities and places that chose them Represented in Petitions and whether in cases of doubt and yet of great importance have they still called their Countries together to know their minds and whether they were willing such things should be viz. Anabaptists Brownists and all kind of Sectaries to enjoy such freedom of meettings all sorts of ignorant Mechanicks to be suffered to turn preachers and to go up and down seducing people whether so great an Army to be still continued in this Kingdom and they Assessed to pay such Taxes for their maintenance and whether Committees shall be still continued in the Kingdom whether great sums of mony and hundreds of pounds in Land per annum in such necessitous times shall be given away on men who little need it and so in other particulars and if things appear to be against the mind of the generalitie of the people whether are the people bound to obey their Orders and Ordinances in such cases 13. If all power of government be upon Election and the chosen ought to go according to the will of the universality of the people suppose it should so happen in a Common-wealth that the greater part of the chosen should apparently go contrary to the trust reposed in them carry things quite against the mind of the people as of the chief City Country Ministry and none should be pleased with their actions but a pure faction a party of men ingaged by offices places of preferment liberty of licentiousnesse of living against the true Religion by Lawes established whether then with a good conscience may and ought this universall people with the consent and assistance of such Governors chosen by them who are known to be faithfull demand to chuse others in their places require justice upon them and so deliver themselves and their Country 14. Whether or no according to these Doctrines of the Sectaries there be any in this Kingdome have any power of government or whom the people ought to obey seeing there is none among us chosen by the universall people no not the Commons in Parliament but only by a part of the people the Freeholders and free-men of Towns which are not the twentieth part of the people of this Kingdom who yet sure are subject to Lawes and should live under obedience 15. Seeing in all kind of lawfull power and superiority every man that obeyes any should chuse him as the Sectaries speak in their Pamphlets and the power of Colonels Captains Commanders in cheif of such a party over Souldiers is lawfull whether may such whole Companies and particular souldiers in such Companies who have Commanders set over them whom they chose not but were unwilling of and desirous of others only 't is the will of the Generall to have it so answer them when they command them we chose you not we will not obey your commands and whether this would be a good answer of the Presbyterian Companies that have Independent Commanders set over them and well taken at a Councell of Warre And whether Colonel Lilburne in the Army would have taken such an Answer well from his Regiment notwithstanding his brothers doctrine And whether if gallant Colonel Whaley before Worcester should have stood upon this Doctrine that those should command in cheif who had the consent of the souldiery there and the people of those parts and thereupon opposed Colonel Rainborough it had been true Doctrine 16. Whether do not the Sectaries â—roâ—â—e themselves in their positions about Election that no men have any power over any to question and judge 〈◊〉 who chose them not and whom they represent not when 〈◊〉 they say the House of Commons may question and punish 〈◊〉 and judge the House of Peer being the Soveraignâ— S 〈…〉 〈◊〉 both of the Câ—â—â—onâ—rs and of the Lords Now certainly neither the King nor the House of Peers chose the House of Commons neither are they the Representors of the King and Peers they represent them not so much as in name having never the Titles of Kings or Lords given them by Lawes and therefore if according to the Sectaries Doctrines the House of Commons have power over King and Lords to judge them which for my part I do not beleeve though they are not their chosen ones then certainly the House of Lords may have power to sentence Lilburne Overton c. though not chosen by them 17. If all power of Government stand solely upon the Election of the present people and hath all its authority upon that whether the power of Governors can continue longer then the people chose them for and suppose the people never intending or once dreaming to chuse them for alwayes but for a time whether when that time they were chosen for expired their power did not also expire and whether may any with a good conscience who beleeves the time is long ago run out for which he chose Burgesses and Knights submit any more to the Summons Orders Censures of the Commons then the Sectaries wil to the H. of Peers and whether can the H. of Commons expect any submission and obedience from the Sectaries who have in the name of thousands declared professedly to the world their time was out for which they were chosen by such a day which day is past and therefore they will find when they come to question some of them roundly upon any of their Ordinances that they will serve them as they do the Lords telling them they have no power over them the time for which they chose them is out 18. Whether according to this Doctrine of all subjection and power founded only in Representation Deputation extending no further then from the Represented to the Representors may not the Ministery of the Kingdome plead exemption from the power of the Commons as the Sectaries do from the Lords saying they have no Ministers there to sit in that House to represent them or who have Deputation from them there may possibly be some Imitators of them in the House of Commons Lay Preachers and gifted Brethren imitating them in their work of Ministry as Apes use to imitate men in the works of their calling but no Representors of them 19. If nothing the representative do be valid or binding but what the greater number of the Universal have given power in whether may not will not the people question all Votes Orders Ordinances as not being tied to them because they know not that the Universall people consented and so every thing
he which broached the Error had done in promoting it for he did beleeve a man might serve God better in an Error then he who was in the truth Here is a brave Patron of Error and a fine fetch to plead for and uphold it for if Errour must not be condemned till men have taken so much paines it may never be spoken against or at least not till 't is grown to such a head that 't is past help For a Heretick who broaches any Doctrine against the Scripures the Trinity the humane nature of Christ Justification may say to him who opposes these Doctrines I have studied this twenty yeares these points when you have studied them as long then preach 〈◊〉 against them but not before Besides this implies as if Ministers and Christians could not be sure any Doctrines were Errors without long searching whether they were so or no and as if there were no received known principls and Doctrines of Christian Religion lay'd down so plainly and clearly in Scriptures that when errors were published contrary to them Ministers and Christians might not condemne them at first but must study and search to know whether they were Errors or no which preaching fits well with many passages in some Books of Cretensis especially his thirtie eight Queres upon the Ordinance against Heresie and Blasphemie Secondly There are many thousand truths both to be beleeved and practised that are not contained in the Scriptures as that Jesus Christ Son of the Virgin Mary was the Son of God as the Resurrection from the dead as Baptizing of Infants womens receiving the Sacrament of the Lords Supper all which could not be proved by Scripture but by a strong hand of Reason deducing them Many other passages I have from good hands of Cretensis preaching of his preferring Reason before Faith in points of Religion of holding the sleeping of the soule till the Resurrection of bodies that dye not rising the same again with divers such but I shall reserve them with the proofs of them both persons times and places till my nex Answer comes out against him and shall now instance only in one Pamphlet lately set forth by him call'd some Modest and humble Quenes upon the late Ordinance against Heresies concerning which I may say as the Holy Ghost doth of Herods imprisoning John he hath added yet this above all to write such a wicked Pamphlet and at such a time there being not a more desperate ungodly Atheisticall peece written by any man since the Reformation I have had occasion to read many Discourses and Tractats of Libertines and Scepticks that have been writ within this last hundred years and have seen much wickednesse in them both in those of other Countries and our own especially those written and newly printed within five years last past but in none of them do I find all things considered such a spirit of Libertinisme Atheisme prophanesse and laying waste of all Religion breathing as in these Queres for besides those evill spirits of Error scoffing disorder confusion irreligion that works in all the other Queres ther 's a Legion of wicked and uncleane spirits seven fold worse then those that have been cast out in that second Quere wherein it will appear manifestly to all who compare the first part of the Ordinance with that Quere that all Christian Religion is overthrown at once yea that principle written in all mens hearts by nature that there is a God for doctrines and opinions contrary unto these for ought any knowes may be the sacred truths of God and the publishers of them our Brethren according to this Quere Now I challenge any man to shew me a more desperate destenctive passage in the writings of any Libertine or Sectary then this How hath the Lord left him to himself to write such Queries I remember that in my Second Part of Gangrana in that part of it which is a Reply to Cretensis in Page 35. I write thus That I feared unlesse God gave him repentance if hee lived but one seven years hee would prove as Arch an Heretick and as dangerous a man as ever England bred and that hee would be another David George Francken Socinus and behold within a few moneths not giving God glory to repent of his evill deeds but going on to write hee hath by these Queries made good what I prophesied of him and hath filled up the measure of his iniquities so that I beleeve hee hath justified Cornâ—â—rt Sebastian Franck Francken Sâ—cinus David George with all the rest of that rabble and I doe not think 't is lawfull for Christians to receive such a one into their house or to bid him God speed but rather if they come where he is to fly from him and not to stay as Saint John did from Câ—rinthus and for his writing of these Queries I think godly Ministers speaking of him may call him as Polycarpus did Marcion I hope some good hand will make Animadversions upon them and give an Answer to those Queries Now notwithstanding all the desperate opinions and principles he pleads for and the Independent separated Church that hee is Minister of there 's one opinion hee holds and practises accordingly different from the Independent way viz. That Baptisme belongs not onely to the Children of those who are added to a particular Church and that Ministers may not onely baptize the Children of Parents of their own Church but may baptize Children to whom they have no relation viz. in any Parish or place where they are desired and two honest Citizens told me they heard him preach That Baptisme was not a Church Ordinance that required the presence of the members of the Church but might be administred any where either in the same Congregation or in another place And I conceive though he be an Independent yet he holds this and some other things in his Church way different from the other Independents as for this Reason that he may be singular in his way and in something differ from them so that hee might keep a doore open for his profit and gain and hence 't is I have been informed from severall hands that as he is a zealous man for Funerall Sermons so he is a Baptizer generall baptizing in Stepney Parish Hackney severall Parishes of London and baptizes sometimes three or foure in a day going from one place to another and that 't is thought hee many times gets fifty shillings and three pound a day by baptizing children who are not of his Church and I have spoken with some women who have been at such baptizings and have seen the gold put into his hand which I must confesse is a good wise way to the maintenance allowed him by his Church to have this additionall means from them that are without for the more comfortable maintenance of his wife and children But by the way whilst Master Goodwin baptizes those who are not of his Church which surely hee doth noâ—
vindication of the just Legall power of the King the House of Lords yea and of the Commons undertaking to make it good that according to the Sectarian Principles now vented in so many Books daily and so much countenanced by too many the power and priviledge of the House of Commons would be overthrowne and cut short as well as the Kings and Lords For instance to say nothing of that that the Commons power is not only by being chosen by the severall Counties and Townes but by the vertue of Writs under the Great Seal and by vertue of Lawes and Rules according to which the severall Electors must goe or else their Elections give them no power at all If this Principle were true the House of Commons should have no power over me nor over many thousands more in the Kingdome and we might all say the same things to the House of Commons which Lilburne Overton and all the Sectaries say to the House of Lords for we never chose them had no voyces in their Elections they are not our chosen ones as the Sectaries say of the Lords I and many Ministers of the Kingdome with hundred thousands of people who have not so much free land per annum are excluded from election of Knights of the Shires and not being free-men of Towns have no voyces in choyce of Burgesses and so may refuse subjection to their Orders resist their Officers who come with their Warrants and refuse to live by the Lawes they make as not being chosen by us who no question are the greatest number of persons in the Kingdom I beleeve there are more men of years of understanding without so much free land per annum then there are those who have so much Besides if this Principle were true That all subjection and obedience to persons and their Lawes stood by vertue of electing them then besides all non-free-holders exempted from the Jurisdiction of the House of Commons all women at once were exempt from being under Government and all youths who were under age at the beginning of this Parliament six years ago though now men and had no voyces in the choyce of Parliament men yea if this Parliament sit many years longer all those who were boyes and children when they come to years of understanding must be exempt too as having had no voyces in election nay yet further so weak a Principle this is upon which the Sectaries would overthrow all the power of the King and Lords and give all power to the Commons that if it were true none were bound to any obedience of those Knights and Burgesses whom they chose not but opposed with all their might so that by this rule all Free-holders in each County who dissented from him that was chosen should not submit to that man but set him up whom they have chosen and though there be four hundred Members in the Com. House yet they who have voyces in chusing and they whose voyces carry it for such a man because they chuse but one or two viz. in that County where they live and have estates therefore they should be subject only to the determinations of those two men but for all the rest they chuse them no more then they do the House of Lords And yet further if this Principle were good that subjection and obedience is due from none and to none but those who are chosen and represent all strangers who come into or live for a time in a Kingdome when sent for upon suspitions or reall crimes may answer the House of Commons What have they to do with them they chose them not they gave them no power over them they are not their Representors And last of all upon this Principle all we who are born within this fifty sixty or seventy years may refuse obedience and subjection to all the Lawes made by Parliaments before we were born or by such Parliaments whereof we chose not the Members and when men clip money and counterfeit coyn or men steal horses and are sent for by Justices and brought to the Bars they may with as much reason and more appeal from those Courts of Justice because they never chose these men that made such Lawes nor ever consented to them as Lilburne Overton Larner c. did from the Lords to the present House of Commons their Representors their chosen ones c. and I dare undertake to shew that all those seeming Arguments and rambling Discourses in Overtons and Lilburnes Books have as much strength for justifying all Delinquents appeals from those Lawes made so many years agoe and Judges going according to them as for their declining the House of Lords Many other instances I could give of those who have by the Lawes of England and other Kingdomes power of Government and that most justly without any immediate election of the people and persons to be governed by them so that we must look for some other foundations and grounds of giving one man or more power in Government over all besides this immediate Election and Representation which will be found firm and strong and which indeed give the force to Election and which in severall cases without any immediate Election of the present persons to be governed binds them before God and men to obedience and subjection in all lawfull things and according to the Lawes but I must deâ—errre the giving of more Instances about Election with the Reasons thereof and of laying downe the just grounds of lawfull Authority and Power of one man or many and of one and many without any immediate Election either of a part or of the whole present people till the Fourth Part of Gangraena only I will adde two things First to shew the Witnesses do not agree but the great Leaders of the Sectaries diâ—fer among themselves in this point yea the same men as Lilburn and the Authors of those Pamphlets Englands Birth-right c. Secondly propound some Queres to Lilburne Overton Larner and the rest of that generation to consider of in the mean time For the first However that Lilburne Overton and the Sectaries use the House of Lords thus denying them power over Commoners and a Legislative power with an Interest in saving the Kingdome and put all the whole Supreme power upon the Commons making the House of Lords stand for a Cypher because not chosen by the common people as the Knights and Burgesses yet till witâ— in this year and an half they in writings and actions declared the contrary viz. before the recruit of the House of Commons with new Members and the successe of the new Modell as is evident by many Pamphlets written before wherein they abused the House of Commons and particular Members crying out of them for making the free subjects slaves and for ruling in an arbitrary way as much as they do now of the House of Lords yea the Lords are pleaded for and cryed up above the House of Commons for their justice and their
readinesse to hear the grievanâ—s of the subjects and their power pleaded for and that by Lilburne himself pag. 74 75. of his Pamphlet call'd â—nnocency and â—ruth justified where pleading to have his businesse of his sentence in Star-Chamber to be transmitted up to the Lords from the He use of Commons by way of Answer to Objections against it he hath these words If I be transmitted up to the Lords I confidently beleeve I shall get forward out of the former experiences of that Justice that I have found there and I will instance two particulars first when I was Prisoner in the Fleet c. but that 's too long for me to write down and I shall rather refâ—rre the Reader to the Book pag. 74. Secondly May 4. 1641. the King accused me of high Treason and before the Lords Barre was I brought for my life where although one Litleton servant to the Prince swore point blanck against me yet had I free liberty to speak for my selfe in the open House and upon my desire that Master Andrewes also might declare upon his Oath what he knew about my businesse it was done and his Oath being absolutely contradictory to Master Litletons I was both freed from Litletons malice and the Kings accusation at the Barre of the whole House and for my part I am resolved to speak well of those that have done me justice and not to doubt they will deny it me till such time as by experience I find they doe it And in pag. 56. of Lilburnes Innocency and Truth justified he writes thus Againe I say a Commiâ—tee of the House of Commons is not the whole Parliament no nor the whole House of Commons it selfe according to their owne Principles and therefore in my judgement they are not to act contrary to a known and received Law and therefore cannot justly imprison any man contrary thereunto neither by a Committee of theirs nor by the whole House of Commons it self they being not according to their own Principles the whole Parliament but a part of it and therefore that which is established by the whole as a Law is by 3. Estates and 〈◊〉 Ordinance by 2. Estates cannot justly be contradicted by a part namely the H. of Com. but one Estate much lesse by one of their Committees which is but a branch of that one Estate and therefore for my part I judge a Law to be a Law untill it be made voide by all the three Estates that made it or at least by the two Estates joyntly that takes vpon them to make Ordinances in this time of necessity to make voide a Law at present c. And therefore I am absâ—lutely of this minde that neither a Committee of the House of Commons nor the whole House of Commons together can justly imprison me or any other contrary to law against which at present there is not some Ordinance made both by them and the Peers publike at present to overthrow it But I have severall times been imprisoned both by Committees and by vote of the House of Commons it self contrary to a known Law made this present Parliament by themselves against which there is at present no Ordinance published and declared by them and the Peers for the cognizance Ergo I say they are tyed in justice according to the tenor of this Law to give me reparations against those persons that were cheife instruments either in Committees or in the House of Commons it self to vote and take away my liberty from me contrary to this Lâ—w and for my part I do accordingly expect my reparations for my late causelesse molestations and imprisonments And as Lilburne in these passages gives the House of Lords an equall legislative power with the Commons making them one of the three Estates as well as the Commons and expresly saith the Commons are but a part of the Parliament and that the Commons cannot make void a Law unlesse it be by the two Estates joyntly viz. the Lords and Commons all which are contrary to the many wicked Pamphlets printed in this year 1646. by which the Reader may observe what difference there is between the same Sectaries in the year 1645. and the year 1646. such new light hath the successe of the new Modell and the recruit of the House of Commons brought to the Sectaries so Lilburne and the Sectaries by many actions of theirs have owned and established the power of the House of Lords as well as of the Commons as In their severall Petitions to the Lords House as well as Commons for abolishing Episcopacy and in severall other particulars which clearly proves the legislative power of the Lords as well as Commons for is not that a part of legislative power to repeale former Lawes Statutes as wel as to make new and if the Lords had not a power over Commoners that of Judicature why was Lilburne so earnest with the House of Commons and in print expresses to the great and high abuse of the House of Commons their delaying of having their votes transmitted concerning his sentence in Sar-chamber yea and that against some Members of the House of Commons by name Again if all the power were in the House of Commons why did he not rest contented with their votes but desire the Lords concurrance and that for the punishing even of Members of the House of Commons as in page 75. pressing the Commons to transmit their votes by way of answer to an objection What justice can you expect from the Lords seeing Master Smart hath spent foure or five hundred pounds he shewes his cause to be different from Master Smarts in that he is to have justice upon those whose estates are not sequestred as Master Smarts Adversaries were but some of them still sit in both Houses And lastly if the House of Lords have no power to try or judge Lilburne a Commoner but their offering so to do be a high usurpation invasion of the Commons rights why did not Lilburne when he was accused of high treason before the Lords Barre upon his life as himself makes the relation page 74. appeale then from the House of Lords to the House of Commons And as Lilburne himself the head of the Sectaries in these Anti-Parliamentary principles owned the power of the Lords equall with the Commons and prefer'd their justice before that of the House of Commons though not chosen by the people so Cretensis alias * Master John Goodwin brings Arguments from the House of Commons being chosen by the people against their power of making Lawes in matters Ecclesiasticall and the peoples submitting to them because they are chosen by the riffe raffe of the Land all sorts of men worldly men drunkards c. having a right of nominating persons to a Parliamentary trust and power These are a secular root out of which Cretensis conceives an impossibility that a spirituall extraction should be made For who can bring a cleane thing out of an
Majors any otherwise but as a Member of that Honourable Court concurring with the rest and then whereas this Libeller calls it an unjust Remonstrance 't is a most just and equall Remonstrance as hath been fully proved by Master Bellamie in his Justification and Vindication of the City Remonstrance and in that Book entituled the Sectaries Anatomized and if I would give liberty to my pen I could further justifie not only the justnesse of it but the necessity of it and show demonstratively that it will never be well with this Kingdome whilst Sectaries are in places of publike trust and that the subjects of this Kingdome can never expect justice nor right whilst men of other Religions then what is established by Law are in places of power and I wonder that the Anabaptists and Sectaries should be so offended at that part of the Remonstrance when as 't is their dayly practise not by faire and just wayes God knowes but by undermining watching for iniquity laying snares for men yea going against all principles Military and Civill of Honour and of Justice to put men from places of Trust and Command of which there are many remarkable unparalleld instances and the world in due time may have a true account of them And lastly whereas 't is said presenting a Remonstrance for procuring Licence and Authority to suppresse all such as have good principles and grounds for their practises that 's most false for in the same Remonstrance against Hereticks Blasphemers Anabaptists c. they petition for the setling of Religion and Church-government according to the word of God and the example of the best Reformed Churches which Religion Church-government so built hath certainly good ground for its practise For the second I desire the Reader to observe a few things upon some of the expressions in this Pamphlet that he calls the Anabaptists and Sectaries the meek and quiet of the Land as Master Peters doth the harmlesse Anabaptists then which that there are not a more turbulent unquiet people in the world made of Salt-Peter let this Book witnesse and the language in it given the cheif Magistrate of the City with the railing seditious Libells put out dayly against the King House of Lords Assembly yea and the House of Commons too The Anabaptists of old calld themselves the meek of the Earth and said that now the promise must be fulfilled the meek shall inherite the Earth when they by bloud Rapine cruel Warrs seased on the possessions of others Secondly that these Sectaries will take things for granted and therupon passe desperate censures upon Magistrates Ministers and all when as there is no such thing but quite contrary as going on to aggravate things against my Lord Major and resemble him to wicked Ahaz c. for breaking his promise when as he performed it most punctually and conscientiously considering himself both as a Christian and as a Magistrate in such an eminent place Thirdly that these new Anabaptists as well as the old are guilty of speaking evill of dignities and bringing railing accusation in print against Powers branding the Lord Major with that brand set by God himself on wicked Ahaz this is that Lord Major of London Thomas Adams by name c. A Citizen a freind of mine having been this last summer in Cheshire and divers other Countries upon his occasions heard many Malignants say they would turne Independents for then they should not take the Covenant nor be forced to any thing but be at their liberty June the 11. I was told by a godly Citizen and a cordiall friend to the Publike that some of the Independents have said they will have their way yet whatsoever it cost them In some of the weekly news-Books I have observed passages inserted of the great love and unity in the Army between the souldiers Presbytery and Independency making no breach and in the Perfect Occurrences of the Week calld the two and twentieth Week ending the 29. of May 1646. the Pamphleter tells us 't is very observable to consider the love and unity which is among the souldiers Now I asked about that time a Chaplaine of the Army a moderate Presbyterian whether it was so and how it came about he gave me this answer through the great forbearance of the Presbyterians who suffered them to have their wills and crossed them not took all patiently and said he if the Presbyterians should not have done so but stood upon things as the Independents it had been impossible but the Army had been broken in twenty peeces many a time before this for the Sectaries are of such a proud high spirit that if they had not had their wills there would have been no peace and indeed both in Armies Assembly City there hath been that forbearing yeelding on the Presbyterian party in reference to the publike that the Independents and Sectaries if they had been in their place would never have done though it had cost the totall losse of three Kingdomes I beleeve no age nor story can parallell all things considered the Love Patience long-suffering of the Presbyterians yea the passing by and putting up so many provocations and unsufferable abuses as they have done and that from a contemptible handfull of men in comparison but that 's our comfort That the patient expectation of the poore shall not be forgotten for ever and that God will save the afflicted people but will bring downe high looks I have been assured from divers good hands as Citizens and others that the greatest thing in the City Remonstrance that the Sectaries are offended at is that about places of publike trust they take that most hainously that Sectaries should not have places of honour profit and power which clearly shewes to all the world 't is not a bare Toleration of their consciences of enjoying their own personall Estates in the Land that they seek or which would content them but they look for Preferment Rewards power to have others under them so that 't is a Domination and to be in such a condition that others may seek to them to be Tolerated that they aime at a Toleration and liberty of conscience contents them not but a Liberty of Offices and a power of great places both in Military and civill affaires they stand for Master Burroughs in the yeare 1645. both preached and printed even in that Tractate where he pleades for a Toleration That the Magistrate may to men who differ from the State in greater Errors at least deprive them of the benefits and priviledges of the State notwithstanding their pleas of conscience and in evills of lesse moment put them to some trouble in those wayes of evill so farre as to take off the wantonesse of their spirits and the neglect of meanes some trouble may be layed in the way so that men shall see there is something to be suffered in that way and there is no reason why any should be offended at this yea Master Burroughs
and Church government and to presse them upon every mans conscience w 〈…〉 is it but with Nebuchadnezzar to erect this golden Image and with an immortall Law of the Medes and Persians to bind all men to fall downe and worship it Or what is it but with Jeroboam and his Councell to set up the golden Calves with a strict comandement of universaâ—l conformity none daring among all those ten Tribes openly to proâ—esse the pure worship of God saving the Prophet Elijah to whom these seven thousand were not knowne The Parliament may do well to take notice that he resembles their settling Church-government and Religion among us to Nebuchadnezzars erecting his golden Image and Jeroboams setting up the golden Calves Thirdly the Pamphlet entituled The tender Conscience religiously affected descanting upon a part of the Preamble of an Ordinance made by the Lords and Commons concerning suspension of ignorant and scand alous persons from the Lords Supper where the Parliament saith never any of Gods servants since theâ— foundation of the world had 〈◊〉 high and strong engagements beartily and sincerely to endeavour the compleat establishment of purity and unity in the Church of God then we have charges the Parliament with speaking of blasphemy and aske where had the Lords and Commons this large Commission to middle in the affairs of King Jesus so farre c. 2. For the Sectaries opposing all the Ordinances of Parliament in matters of Religion and tending to Religion to say nothing now of Ordinances in civill mâ—tters as the additionall Ordinance of Accounts Lillurnes Innocency and Truth justified page 69. the Ordinance of Excise the Ordinances for Takes spoken against in Englands birth-right page 44 4â— t is so apparent that I can give not only passages out of Books written against all the Ordinances in that kind but relate insolent tumultuous practises contrary unto and in scorne and contempt of the Ordinances of Parliament There are many books and passages in books written against the Ordinance of Tyths as that Pamphlet call'd Ordinance for Tyths Dis 〈…〉 ted Englands Birthright A Copie of a Letter written to Master William Pr 〈…〉 with divers others wherein they speak both against the thing and the Parliament calling Tyths Antichristian Jewish Diaboli 〈…〉 the root and support of Popery c. charging the Parliament with breach of â—ovenant for making that Ordinance There are Sermons preached all the Kingdome over against this Ordinance of Tyths that being one of their subjects commonly in all their preachings and the Sectaries in places have abused and beaten those who have beene gathering of Tyths and themselves deny payment and provoke others not to pay by all the meanes they can A great Sectary in Bermonsey parish being call'd in question for non-payment of his Tyths by vertue of the Ordinance of Parliament said of that Ordinance the Parliament had made an Ordinance to rob men and they who executed it were theeves and robbers The Ordinance against mens preaching not being Ordained how hath it beene scoffed at in severall Pamphlets of the Sectaries and how doe souldlers and every mechanick not only disobey it but put by many godly Ministers from their Pulpits preaching whether they will or no causing many tumults and riots in Churches yea threatning and laying Ministers by the heeles for publishing it The Ordinance for the better observation of the monthly Fast how hath it beene and is slighted by the Sectaries spoken against as legall popish not observed but things done in contempt of the Fast and when civill Officers have questioned people for travelling and worldly works on those dayes some Sectaries have opposed them in the execution of their offices the proofe of which particular and that of committing a Minister to prison for reading the Ordinance against Lay mens preaching the Reader may finde it in the Letters sent from the Committee of Exeter to some in London The Nationall Covenant taken by both Houses and appointed by Ordinance with solemne instructions for all to take it how fearfully is it scoffed at and jeared in many Books of the Sectaries Arraignment of Persecution c. and forced Jesuiticall equivocations and interpretations put upon it by many as by Walwyn in A word more to Master Edwards as by Cretensis in his large Preface to the Reader before his Anapologesiates Antapologias The Nationall Covenant is called a double faced Covenant the greatest make-bate and snare that ever the Devill and the Clergy his Agents cast in among honest men in England in our age which I dare pawne my head and life so to prove it to be in a fair and publick discourse against the greatest maintainer thereof in England Lilburns Londons liberty in chains discovered page 42. The Directory established by Ordinance is in severall Books of the Sectaries spoken much against resembled to Jeroboams calves said to have contradictions to the Canonicall Scriptures Turners Heavenly confidence for Syons Saints page 64 65. scoffed at in a Ballad call'd A Prophecie of the Swinâ—herds destruction The Ordinances for the Presbyteriall Government and the Government it selfe in the going to set it up have beene preached written against and all manner of wayes opposed by the Sectaries What hath beene more familiar and common with the Sectaries in their Pulpits and Books then to call the Presbyterian Government Antichristian a â—lim of Anti-christ Tyrannicall Lordly cruell a worse bondage then under the Prelates a bondage under Taskmasters as the Israelites in Egypt besides many bitter jeares and scoffs have beene made both of the Government and Ordinances as 〈◊〉 The Arraignment of Persecution Martins Eccho Ordinance for â—yâ—â—s dismounted The last warning to all the Inhabitants of London as also they have made disgracefull pictures of the Presbytery one printed and joyned to a paper call'd Severall Votes of tender consciences another to a Pamphlet call'd The tender Conscience religiously affected But among all the Sectaries Books abusing the Parliaments Ordinances about Presbyteriall Government let the Reader take notice of the Pamphlet call'd Tender conscience religiously affected propounding questions of weighty consequence in which the Author descants upon the Ordinances of Parliament and charges them with speaking blasphemy and many other crimes and the Ordinance for Tyths dismounted where that Sectary speaking occasionally of the Ordinance of Parliament for the Lords Supper saith For indeed at the first onset it was not policie to rush such a diabolicall and villâ—nous invention point blanck upon us with an It is decreed and ordained by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament But after a more mysterious manner of Ordination slily intrude it upon us unawares in the godly and specious vizor of Rules and Directions as if our Parliament men â—ad such a spirituall and holy care â—ver â—s to give us such wholsome and 〈…〉 directions 〈…〉 indeed under this innocent apparition in the shape of Lam 〈…〉 they are no other then ravening Woolves rending and tearing us in p 〈…〉 ces
whom you thus see shall come to preach againe in this City and have free Liberty of his Ministrie when all damnable Heresies and Errours shall be vented by preaching and writing and yet shall never speake against them this man who hath preached and written with so much earnestnesse against bowing at the Name of Jesus against people coming up to the Raile about the Table to receive the Lords Supper against Christs dying for all men sufficiently when the Divinity of Christ shall be denied the Scriptures denied to be the Word of God when all Churches Ministry and Sacraments shall be denied he shall never write nor preach against them yea this man who will not yeeld now to Bishops in a Ceremony or some outward matter of order to keepe his Ministry shall afterwards yeeld to the people and submit to base conditions contrary to his judgement as to forbear baptizing some of his peoples children and to let singing of Psalmes be suspended with other such like and all to enjoy his Ministry and Church Certainly the people would have beene ready to have stoned such a man and said it could not bee or if they had believed it fewer certainly would have pitied him or visited and rewarded him in prison nay when Mr. Burton was in prison if any man had sent to him such a Message that he should do what he does now viz. write against and be a more bitter enemy against the Reformed Churches our Brethren of Scotland yea the godly Ministers Mr. Calamie c. then ever Canterbury was or Dr. Wren certainly the man would have defied such a Message and said as Hazael am I a dog that I should do so and yet now we see what he hath done and doth daily Mr. Burton surely is in a sad condition and I have often thought of him to be in the case of that Idolater the Prophet Esay speaks of 44. Esa 20. hee feedeth of ashes a deceived heart hath turned him aside that he cannot deliver his soule nor say is there not a lye in my right hand The Lord in mercy open his eyes and give him repentance for this last five years work and particularly for writing his last Book cal'd Conformities Deformity Thrdly I shall propound a few Quaeries to Mr. Burton to show him how he is mistaken all along in his grounds 1. Let me ask you M. Burton why you are so angry with the Magistrate the Assembly Sion Colledge the City for establishing and setling of Church-Government if it bee of God and they are perswaded so why should they not be for it and if Independency Brownisme Anabaptisme c. be not of God as they are well assured they are not why should they not be against them hinder and suppresse them M. Burton you will upon your rash and weake perswasion hinder Presbytery all you can the Administration of the Sacraments in a Presbyteriall way may not then the Magistrate upon strong perswasions after serious debates by a learned Assembly and Scripture-grounds satisfying their consciences enact by a Law Presbytery and forbid Independency c. 2. Mr. Burton whether is this a good Argument because Jeroboam did evill by a Law and commandement to set up the golden Calves at Dan and Bethel therefore Asa Hezekiah Josiah c. might not lawfully command the true worship of God in their Kingdomes and put down the false and whether may not Magistrates lawfully make use of their power from God for good because some Magistrates abuse that power for evill and if it be no good Argument as certainly 't is not then hath M. Burton said little against the Magistrates power in matters of Religion for this is the way of his reasoning in Conformities Deformitie and the strength of the man 3. Pray M. Burton let me ask you this question suppose the Parliament would by a Law or Ordinance set up Independent Government and the Church way would you account this so great a sinne as Hypocrisie Idolatry c. and if not how can you then the setting up of Presbyteriall Government especially seeing the question is not so much about this or that particular but the enacting by a Law that which all should conforme to 4. Mr. Burton I am serious with you pray answer me here are such and such men hold all kind of errours and vent them up and down and they say 't is their conscience would you have them suffered to preach write and infect all that come neare them if there be no such evill and danger in errours but they may be preached printed why were you so fierce and violent against the Bishops and their Chaplaines for preaching writing Arminian Popish points though they vented them in an orderly way in comparison of your Saints who goe from Country to Country venting errors in their own Pulpits and when called to preach by Authority not intruding into other mens Pulpits and printing with license not in contempt of Authority There are divers other Sectaries to be discovered and their waies and preachings laid open as Greene the Felt-maker who was one of the first Mechanicks that presently upon the first sitting of this Parliament preached in our Churches publikely as at Algate and elsewhere and was one of that company that went over with Colonell Homstead about Summer was two yeares to Trinidado but is returned lately and now preaches in an Alley in Coleman-street once on the Lords day and once on the weeke day where there is great resort and flocking to him that yards roomes and house are all full so that he causes his neighbours Conventicles as Cretensis and others to be oft times very thin and Independents to preach to bare walls and empty seats in comparison of this great Rabbi as Spencer sometimes the Lord Brooks Coachman an early Preacher too as Gorton who hath lately set forth a Book cal'd Simplicities Defence against Seven-Headed Policy wherein are many dangerous and erroneous passages but I cannot speake of them now the fourth part of Gangraena will supply what 's now wanting I have lately seen divers Letters and some Petitions that have been written and sent up from godly Ministers and others to Worthy Members of the House of Commons to some Members of the Assembly to other Ministers in the City and Citizens concerning the insolencies tumults and strange carriages of many Sectaries Commanders and Souldiers as also other persons both men and women of their Sect but it would be too long to give a Copy of them as I have done of others in the former part of this Book and therefore I will onely relate the Contents of some of them In one Letter a godly Minister about Bristow writing to a Member of the Assembly tells him he had formerly written to him of a preaching Troope that had infected the Countries with errours but now he wâ—ites to him that many of them breake into houses steale Horses and have been indighted here These are our Saints saith he who need
Hells torments were not threatned to Adam nor due to him in case of his disobedience 3. That all the children of Adam that dye in their infancie whether they be children of Turks or Infidels are undobtedly saved as well as the children of Christians and would prove it out of John 1. 29. where by sinne he meant only Originall where he seems to crosse his first point 4. That Christs bloud did not purchase Heaven for any man And being asked how came the Saints to be in Heaven He answered Heaven is a gift given to the Saints as a reward of Christs righteousnesse without relation to his Death and Suffrings which were endured for to be our example not to purchase Heaven for us 5. That Christ shed his bloud for kine and horses and all other creatures as well as for men miserably perverting that Scripture in the eigth to the Romans 19 20 21 22. verses 6. That the Heavens and the Earth mentioned 2 Pet. 3. 7. shall not be set on fire nor are they reserved for the judgement and perdition of ungodly men And that there is no other fire in Hell then the Hell that is and shall be in mens consciences 7. That the souls of Divels and all other men are mortall as well as their bodies and that there was none immortall but God 8. That if the soul which was the breath of God were not mortal then the breath of God which is part of God should be eternally tormented in Hell 9. That those words to day or this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise is so to be understood 1 at the day of Resurrection when I come personally to reign upon earth a 1000 yeers at that day shalt thou be with me in my Kingdom for there is Gods Kingdom which Christ has now and there is Christs Kingdom which the Theifshall share in then 10. He aâ—firmed that place Revel 20. 6. to be meant of a personall reign of Christ in his body upon earth a 1000 yeers 11. He affirmed that place in Eccles 12. 7. is not to be understood as if the soul after death was really separated from the body for sayes he the souls of men rest in the grave with their bodies till the Resurrection and then Christ raises up both together the soul may return to God that gave it though it lay with the body in the grave for God is present every where and the soul went no more to God then the body did 12. It is injustice in God to punish the souls of the wicked in Hell while their bodies lay at rest in their graves for seeing both were sinners together both must be sufferers together if God should punish the soul of Cain in Hell sive or six thousand yeers before he punish the body of Cain he then would shew himself partiall in his distribution of justice 13. He said sinne was not conveyed â—o Adams posterity by Adams loynes He was askt how then came we to be sinners He answered only by Satan for Satan was the father and our hearts was the mother to receive Satans seed for the Devill is the father of all actuall sinnes in men and begets sinne in them as the Adulterer begets an Adulterous â—â—ood upon the Adulteresse there can be but one father of one child so there can be but one father of sinne and that is the Devill for he is called the father of lyes 14. And he being told that the Devill was but a partiall not a totall cause in the production of sinne for the Devill he works sinne instigando by temptation and corrupt nature works sinne efficaciter agendo operando by begetting actuall sinnes James 1. 15. Lust it bringeth forth sinne And the law in Pauls members did bring me saies Paul into captivity to the law of sinne But he replyed saying The Devill was not only a partiall but a totall father in begetting sinne upon Adams pure soul for Adam had no corrupt nature to help him sinne the first sinne therefore it was wholly from Satan I told him the Devill could not by his temptation defile a pure soul that is not consenting to his temptation for then he would have defiled Jesus Christ when he was tempted by the Devill therefore I conceive the chief cause of Adams fall was the consent of Adams own will which could not be forced by Satan because he had power to stand against Satans temptations as well as power to fall But seeing there would be no end of dispute I desired the people present in the Boat to beware of his Errors But he said they were such as I that did deceive the people and we would not open our eyes to see the light our receiving of Tyths did blind us but he hoped shortly there would be no Tythes paid in England How then will you have the Ministers of the Gospel live of the Gospel 15. He answered they must take such as the people will give them and if their people will not maintain them they must work with their hands as Paul did 16. He further said our Ministers of the Church of England were Antichristian Ministers and our Parochiall Congregations were no Churches nor was there any Nationall Church now under the Gospel though I told him where ever there is a Nation professing the Gospel according to the Word there must needs be a Nationall Church under the Gospel But in England there is such a Nation professing the Gospel and to be ruled according to the Word of God witnesse our Nationall Covenant some corrupt members in the Nation do not hinder the being of a Nationall Church I askt him what he thought of the representative body of the Nation now assembled in Parliament and of the Clergy now assembled in the Synod He answered as for the Assembly of Divines they are as bad as other Ministers and that he hoped shortly they would be as contemptible as the Bishops are and that unlesse they could prove themselves to be guided by an infallible spirit the Parliament need not accept their advise though they have called them to give their advise in the things of Christs Kingdom but the Parliament I hope shortly will dismisse them sayes he and call others in a new Assembly that may advise them better then they do Sir I have hitherto told you a few things of those many that were in discourse between this William Bowling and my self hee wearied me and perplexed me so with his erroneous hereticall and wild disputation that when we came ashore at Billinsgate I was sorry that I forgate to have him apprehended here before the Committee of Examinations who would have sifted him to purpose I do hear that Master Williamson of Cranbrook hath heretofore had him before the Committee at Ailesford in Kent for some misdemeanors And I hear by others that the man doth Patrizare in some of his opinions but no wonder the world is full of such and the Church too and there must be
Heresies and Sects that they which are approved may be made manifest among us The good Lord in due time purge his Church and now his Fanne is in his hand let us pray that he may thoroughly purge his floore nothing but pure Wheat shall be in the Lords Barne Lord thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven so commending your holy labours both in Pulpit and Presse to the blessing of God I rest Your lover in the Truth and for his sake who is ipsa veritas Nichol. North. From Dover July 13. 1646. Sir Last day repeating to my people here in Saint James Parish the summe of these Errors that they might avoid the like Captaine Temple a great stickler in this Town for the maintenance of all Sects as I hear sent me this letter after Sermon being as it seems displeased that I should forewarn my people of Heresies and Errors I pray consider of it and make the best use of it you can The man is a stranger to me and I an to him I never saw him to my knowledge and he did not hear me preach that day he wrote to me though in his Letter he sayes he is my observer Mr. North DOubtlesse you may get into your peoples affections with enveighing against any pretenders to Religion as if all such did hold such points as your story wherewith you filled up your hour But I pray Sir be so honest as to tell them this afternoon that it was very likely that Tiltboat â—ent your companion to London was an Atheist one of your Church of England For such swearers drunkards blasphemers do use to go in your Tilt-boat and there talk of Religion according to your story But all wise men know your objects of spleen called Independents Anabaptists c. hold fundamentalls in Religion and can maintain it by Scripture better then your self Your observer Miles Temple Dover the 12. July 1646. This is a true Copie to a tittle of Master Temples Letter sent to Master North on the Lords day July the 12. 1646. Attested by Nicholas North John Dyâ—us Ministers A Copie of a Letter from a worthy Minister in the West of England Worthy Sir I Had not the happinesse either to see or heare of the second part of Gangraena till within these very few dayes The first part did so much good in weakning the reputation of the Sectaries and marring their market wheresoever it came that it is not unlikely there may be meanes used by some agents in London to hinder the spreading of this How it comes to passe I know not but if any corrupting Books come forth making for Independency or any of the Sects we are sure to here of them soon enough and finde them in too many hands I am glad you have made good your ground so well against Cretensis whose bitter arrogant unministeriall stile and passages will be enough to lay open to the world the temper of the mans spirit though you should be silent In that which concernes Master Burroughs I thought verely you had been mis-informed He utterly denyed the truth of that relation to a good Presbyteriall friend of his and mine who alwaies hath had him in good esteem for piety sure it will amaze his friend and many others when they shall see this largenesse of conscience in Master Burroughs You cannot immagine how I was struck at the reading of it If Saints of the first magnitude in the Independent way the greatest pretenders to conscience can do this what credit can we give to the rest such Presbyterians as they will scarce owne to be Saints have not that latitude of conscience to tell 〈…〉 willingly much lesse write it print it and give it under their hâ—â—ds to all the world This is too too bad As concerning that Collier whom you spake of in your Book I could give you a large relation as how he was banished out of Garnesey he and many more of his followers whom hee had seduced for their heresies and turbulent behaviour afterwards imprisoned at Po 〈…〉 th 〈◊〉 was the â—irst that sowed the seeds of Anabaptism Anti-sabbatariâ—â—ism and some Arminianisme among the rest in these parts hee hath had the boldnesse to publish two or three pamphlets full stuffed with erroneous principles and â—avouring of an illitterate Carter or an Husbandman for so he is by his calling I heare though now by usurpation a Preacher The first time he preached amongst us which was in time of publike exercise some that heard him said afterwards if that were true which Master Collier had taught them they would never heare any of our Minâ—â—ters more You may guesse his doctrine by the use was made of it doubtlesse 〈◊〉 was stronge poison he gave them that wrought so strongly at first Sir if I were not in great haste I should writ more at large I should be glad to heare from you in a word oâ— two how things are likely to goe for which I shall rest June 1646. Your thankfull friend A Copie of a Letter sent from some of the Committee of the City of Exeter to some of that City here in London GEntlemen we referre you to our former Letter sent you by post wherein we gave you information of the imprisoning of our honest Citizeâ—s by the Deputy Governour and Officers of that Garrison they yet continue in custody The Committee was refused to have the knowledg of the cause of their imprisonment Our Constables are opposed in doing their duties in a word they do openly contemne and violently incroach upon the civill power contrary to former ordem sent them Yesterday they demanded more monies of us for the Garrison We do what in us lyeth to oppose them in their undue courses But the insolencie of this day is such that we thought it our duty to make this present dispatch to you doubting what a day may bring forth The cause is thus we taking notice of the frequent preaching of Captaines at the Castle Guild-Hall and in private housés and of their drawing away of the people thought it necessary with the advice of Ministers to have the Ordinance of Parliament of the twentie sixth of Aprill 1645. to be published which prohibits all such to preach as were not ordained Ministers c. which accordingly was read at the Cathedrall before the morning Sermon this day The Deputy Governour hearing it commands it to be read the second and third time the Officers jeering and scoffing all the time of the publishing of it in contempt both of the Ordinance and of the Committee After the Sermon was ended the Deputy Governour most presumptuously stands up in the Bishops seat and takes upon him publikely to give the meaning of the Ordinance and saith aloud that it did not forbid their meetings and that in the after-noones they would have their exercise in the Custle which accordingly they had and that he had the command of the City and of all that were in it with many words