gave them up to their owne hearts lusts to uncleannesse to defile their owne bodies between themselves which turned the truth of God into a lie They are like Priscillianus the Hereticke of whom H. N. borrowed not onely that villanous wresting of the Word by allegories as also the monstrous opinion that perjâ—ry and lying was lawfull and to be done with a good conscience to conceale Religion Priscilianus saith Daneus was put to death at Treversa a City of Germany confessing at his death what shameful villanies he had committed with the women of his Sect. The Familists talke of love and being in love and nothing but love but their love turneth into lust as one writeth of them Hen Nicolas as I finde written had in his house three women apparelled alike the one he affirmed to be his wife the other his sister the other his Cousin which Cousin of his falling sick and doubtfull of her life confessed to her neighbours who resorted to her in her sicknesse that H. N. had often abused her body and made her believe that she should never dye Complaint thereof being made to the Governour he came to the house to have apprehended him but he fled It was thought he was gone with Granvella unto Naples his goods were seized upon and carried to the Castle in Embden in the yeare of our Lord 1556. and in the 57. yeare of his age 5. Of divers sorts of Familists OF the Castalian Order which dissent from the doctrine of the Church of England opposing in every syllable and yet being notorious Hypocrites if they bee never so little questioned will make shew by outward seeming of conformity as if they did highly approve the doctrine of our Church Who hold that the Law of God may be perfectly fulfilled by men in this world Who tearme themselves Eagles Angels and Arch-Angels Lambes Doves c. who hope in a short time to be inspired with light and illumination as ever Paul or any Prophets were which allegorize the places of Scripture concerning Christ denying indeed that there was ever any such man as Christ dreaming onely of a sanctisying Christ abhorring a justifying Saviour expecting salvation by their owne works although they bee knowne to be coâ—rupt workers both in their Calling and Families holding that Turks and Pagâ—ns may be saved if they live well although they never heard of Christ. Of the Grindletonian Familists who hold 1. That the Scriptures are but for novices 2. The Sabbath to be observed but as a lecture-Lecture-day 3. To pray for the pardon of sin after he is assured of Gods love is to offer Christ again 4. That their Spirit is not to be tryed by the Scripture but the Scripture by their Spirit 5. That we must not goe by Motives but by Motions 6. That when God comes to dwell in a man he so filleth the soule that there is no more sinfull lusting 7. That they see no reason why Ministers should speak against the sins of the wicked seeing the wicked men can doe nothing but sin 8. Which boast and thank God that they have cast off praying in their Families repeating of Sermons and such like things long agoe 9. Which scoffe at such as make conscience of words with many other pernicious poynts 3. Of a third sort Familiests of the Mountains who say that they have cleane vanquished the divell and are pure from all sin and never so much as once tempted to doubt of their spirituall estate 4. Of a fourth sort Familistes of the Vallies who bring in their damnable doctrine with faire pretences of weeping sighing lifting up their eyes to heaven of patience of a smooth carriage and the like 5. Familists of the scattered flock who seduce by pretending themselves to be of them which feare the Lord when they are nothing lesse 6. Familists of Caps Order and of other ranks 6. How to discover Familists THey are saith my Author at this present so close and cunning that they can carry themselves being directed thereunto by their Master H. N. that ye shal hardly ever find them out They wll professe to agree in all things with the Church of England and also with the Church of Rome If they should be examined by them only they will not lightly deny their Mr. Henr. Nicolas nor speak evill of him nor of his writings if they should be put to it and there is no way but this to discover them I say to put them to the denyall and abjuring of him and his writings and to pronounce him a Blasphemer and his doctrines blasphemous this they will hardly doe unlesse they be not yet fully his Disciples 4. The abjuring of certaine Familists THe 12. of Iune 1575. stood at Pauls Croste five persons English-men of the Sect termed the Family of Love who there confessed themselves utterly to detest aswell the Author of that Sect H. N. as all his damnable errors and heresies Master Iohn Knewstub hath written a confutation of the monstrous and horrible heresies of the Family of Love Printed by Thomas Dawson 1575. Of ADAMITES AN old Heresie of which St. Augustine maketh mention but renewed by the Anabaptists in the assembly of the Adamites men women pray naked celebrated the holy Communion naked heare Sermons naked These Hereticks had their Conventicles in subterranean places called Hypocausta because that under the place of their meetings a Furnace of fire was kindled to warme the place of their Conventions for they uncloathed themselves when they entred into it and stood naked born men and women according to the similitude of Adam and Eve before their fall They call the place of their meeting Paradice I read in the History of the Anabaptists page 42. That in Amsterdam in a house seven men and five women had a meeting one of them called Theadoret a Taylor who bore himselfe a Prophet fell flat on the ground prayed with such vehemenacy that he scared all the assistants and rising as if it were out of an extasie I have seen said he God in his Majesty and have spoken with him I was taken up into heaven then I descended into hell and there scarched every corner the great day of the last judgement is comming At night they met againe in the same place and after four houres spent in praying and teaching the prophet being armed disarmeth himselfe and putteth off his garments to his shirt and throweth them in the fire then he commandeth the company in authority of a Prophet to doe the like and so they did women and all leaving not so much as a haiâ—elace to tye up their scattered haire no covering to the body no shelter for so was the Prophets pleasure that they should cast away all that came out of the earth and burn it as a Sacrifice of sweet favou unto God yet you may think saith my Author that the burning of so many cloâ—hes yeelded no very sweet favour for
and the Word was with God and the Word was God 3. The eternall generation of the Son to be against reason against truth refuted Mic. 5. 2. Thou Bethlehem Ephrata out of thee shall come to be a Ruler in Israel whose goings have been from of old from everlasting John 1. 14. Psal. 7. Col. 1. 15. 4. Christ not to be called God in respect of his Essence but by reason of his dominion which is refuted Iohn 10. 30. I and the Father am one 1 John 5. Heb. 1. 3. Psal. 2. verse 7. 5. The Holy Ghost to be God refuted Acts 5. 3. Why hath Satan filled thy hearâ— to lie to the holy Ghost 4. Thou hast not lien to men but to God Isa. 4. 8. 16. Iob 33. 14. Psal. 33. 6. From these false Doctrines and Heresies good Lord deliver us These Hereticks have been heretofore burnt among us as Anno 1611. March 18. Bartholomew Legat an 〈◊〉 Arrian was burnt in Smithfiâ—ld he refused all favour contemned Ecclesiasticall Government And in the monâ—â— of April following one Edward Wightman was burnt at Liechfield for the same Heresie Queene Elizabeth of blessed memorie heâ—â—ing of them said shee was very sorrowfull to heare that shee 〈◊〉 such Monsters in her Kingdome and truly it grieveth me very much to relate their blasphemous and devillish opinions Of Millenaries AN Heresie frequent at this time This Sect look for a temporary kingdome of Christ that must begin presently and last a thousand yeares Of this Opinion are many of our Apocalypticall men that study more future events then their present duty and more rules by Prophesies then Precepts This Fancie is most dangerous for all estates 1. For to promote that Kindome of Christ they 〈◊〉 that all the ungodly must be killed 2. That the wâ—cked have no property in their estates 3. That the promise might be fulfilled that the meek must inherit the earth This Doctrine filleth the people with a furious and unnaturall zeale which breathes nothing but fire and sword and maketh them to look upon their Countrey-men with such an eye as the Anabaptists cast upon Munster when they came first to it viz. a malignant and covetous eye discerning their prey and marking the rich men to ruine destruction God deliver us from such a Reformation brought by a multitude missed with a frantick zeale and giddy Revelations This was the ancient Error of Cerinthus who was a Jew and lived in the time of Domitian the Emperour about the yeare of our Lord 96. Among other Errors he taught eternall life to be here in earth where we should enjoy all pleasures of the flesh That after the resurrection Christs kingdome should be upon earth and corpâ—rall and that men should live in carnall concupiscence and lust for one thousand yeares He dyed oppressed by the fall of a Bath when St. Iohn the Evangelist with some of his Disciples were bathing at Ephesus and saw this Heretick Cerinthus in the Bath he leaped out saying let us depart lest the Bath fall upon us Cerinthus being here the enemy of truth which came to passe as sone as Saint Iohn was gone out of it as is set downe in these Verses of Stigelius Impia Cerinthus sansto convitia Christâ— Dum facit stulta garrulitate furit Concidit rando blasphemum contudit ictu Collapsae subito facta ruina domus This ancient Heresie condemned by the Church and long agoe buried is now revived in these latter times You shall finde this heresie confuted in the Chapter of the Anabaptists Hetheringtonians THE Author of this Sect was one Iohn Hetherington a Box-maker 1. This Hetherington being a Trades-man cast off his Trade and betook himselfe to be an Interpreter of the Scriptures to many persons keeping private Conventicles 2. He maintained and published the Church of England to be no true Church of Christ. 3. He was a man dis-affected to the Government and Discipline of the Church of England and agreeth with the Familists holding with them the perfect purity of the soule 4. He maintained and published the Sabbath since the Apostles 〈◊〉 to be of no force and that every day is a Sabbath as much as that which we call the Lords day or Sunday 5. He maintained the Books of Esdras was part of the Canonicall Scripture and that they ought so to be esteemed For which erroâ—â—ous opinions tending to the disturbance of the peace of the Church to the seducing of many silly soules he was adjudged for a dangerous Sectary and among other 〈…〉 upon him this was one that he should recant his Errors at Pauls Crosse. His Errors before named are confâ—ted by Doctor Denison in a Sermon of his which he preached at Pauls Crosse at the recantation of the fore-said Hethrington He recanted them at Pauls Crosse and hath lately written against the Familists The Anti-Sabbatarians THese Anti-Sabbatarians hold the Sabbath day or that which we call the Lords day to be no more a Sabbath in which they goe about to violate all Religion for take away the Sabbath and farewell Religion The Morality of the Sabbath doth consist in a mysticall resting from sin but in celebrating an appoynted day in seven to the worship and service of Almighty God 1. The Sabbath was instituted in the time of mans Innocency 2. The manner of promulgation of it in the Decalogue is worrhy to be observed God saith Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath day 3. This Law is not placed among the Ceremoniall or Judiciall Lawes but in the Decalogue it selfe 4. The reasons for keeping it are expressed in the Commandement viz. Six dayes shalt thou labour and doe all that thâ—â— hast to doe but the seventh day is the Lord c. Reasons why the Lords Day is to be observed 1. BY Morality of the fourth Commandement because the Morall Law is not abrogated by the Gospell but established Rom. 3. 3. 2. Because this day on which our Lord rose hath been observed by all Christians It was kept at Ierusalâ—m Aâ—â—s 2. 1. It was kept at Troas Acts 20. 7. At Patmâ—s Rev. 1. 10. And in all Christian Churches in the whole world 3. The ancient Fathers have pressed the observation of this day Ignatius saith Let every one that loveth 〈◊〉 celebrate the Lords day St. Basil saith when as 〈…〉 dayes prescribed by the Law are abolished yet ther◠〈◊〉 one great day of the Lord which never shall be abolished Their Testimonies are infinite 4. God hath from time to time shewed his feâ—refull judgements upon prophaners of his day as you read in the Practice of Piety A certain Husband-man griâ—ding corne â—n the Lords day had all his meale burned to ashes another carrying corne upon the same day had his Barn and all his Corn the next night burnt A certaine Noble-man usually prophaning the Lords day by hunting had a child by his Lady 〈◊〉 had a head like a hound Many exaâ—ples of Gods judgments are there set down all which may
HERESIOGRAPHY OR A description of the Hereticks and Sectaries of these latter times By E. Pagitt The second Edition with some Additions as in the Folio following MATH 15. 17. Beware of false Prophets which come to you in Sheeps 〈◊〉 but inwardly are ravening Wolveâ— 1 TIM 4. 1. Now the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing Spirits and doctrines of Divils Speaking lyes in hypocrisie having their conciences seared with a hot Irâ—n Imprimatur J A. CRANFORD LONDON Printed by VV. Wilson for Iohn Marshall and Robert Trot and are to be sold at their shops in Corn-hill over against the Exchange and under the Church of Edmond the King in Lombard street 1645. The names of the Sects viz. Anabaptists page 1. Brownists 48. Semi-separatists 75. Independents 76. Familists 81. Adamites 91. Antinomians 94. Arminians 10. 8 Socinians 122. Antitrinitarians 124. Millenaries 126. Hethringtonians 127. Anti-sabbatarias 128. Traskites 130. Jesuites 132. Muncerians 32. Apostolikes 33. Separatists 33. Catharists Enthusiasts Liberi Hutites Augustinians 34 Bewkeldians Melchiorites Georgians Menonists Pueris Similes Servetians 35 Libertines Denkians Semper orantes Deo-relicti Monasterienses Plunged Anabapt 36. Barrowists 69. Wilkinsonians Johnsonians 70 Ainsworthians Robinsonians Lemarists 71. Castalian familists 89 Grindletonians Familists of the mourtains 90. Of the valleyes Scattered flocke Caps Order c. The Addition The sum â—f a Treatise of Mâ— Johnsons a-against Anabaptists 44 Of the Pelagins 138 Soule-sleepers 139 Denyers of the Scriptures 141 Expecters or Seekers Divorsers 142 Of the Papists 143 The Papists compared with other Hereticks 147 A Postscript 154 An Extract of the Acts of the National Synod of the reformed Churches of France 195 To the Right Honourable Thomas Atkin Lord Major of the Citie of London and to the Right Worshipfull Sir Nicholas Raynton Isaac Penington Lievtenant of the Tower Sir lo Woollaston Iohn Glyn Recorder Sir Iohn Cordell Sir Thomas Soame Sir Iohn Gayr Sir Iacob Garrat Thomas Adams Io warner Iohn Tousâ— Abraham Reynardson Sir George Garraâ— Sir George Clerke Iohn Langham Thâ—mas Andrewes Iohn Foulke Iames Bunce William Gibbs and Richard Chambers Sheriffes Samuel Warner Wâ—lliam Barkely Thomas Foote Iohn Kendricke Thomas Culhâ—m Simon Edmonds Aldermen of the said Citie RIght Honourable and Right Worshipfull whereas I have lately published a Christianography or a description of many great Churches of Christians in the world some of which are for extent larger then the Church of Rome in Europe for time more ancient for succession as continual for faith more sound who believe with us the church of God to be Catholike as it is in the Apostles Creed and not as it is set downe in the new Trent Creed confined to Rome who renounce the Popes Supremacie some of them excommunicating him for a Schismatick and Heretick Who receive the holy Communion in both kindes they all drinke of Christs cup and abhor the Romish decree made contrary to Christs Institution Who make no Images to be worshipped Who doe not acknowledge the figment of Purgatory nor use any Prayers to be delivered from the fained paines thereof Who have their Prayers in their owne tongue and mutter them not in latine as the Romists doe Who forbid not Marriage the prohibiting of which is called by St. Paul the Doctrine of Divells Their Priests may and doe marry Who hold not popish Transubstantiation Who prohibite not Lay-men the reading of the holy Scriptures commanded by Christ himselfe Who doe not joyne with Christs Intercession the suffrages of Saints nor with his Justification the merit of workes nor with the Satisfaction Papall Indulgences These points with some others which the ambition and avarice of the Romists hath lately hatched they renounce with us This worke I purposing to perfect and consummate to the glory of God the great profit of the Church establishing of mens consciences they seeing the unity and agreement of the holy Churches in the world with us Behold suddenly a numerous company of other Hereticks stole in upon us like the locusts Rev. 9. As the unpure Familists who blasphemously pretend to be Godified like God whereas indeed they are divellified like their Father the Divell The illuminated Anabaptists who blasphemously affirme the baptisme of children to be the marke of the Beast and to come from Anti-christ The Donatisticall Brownists who in times past hid themselves in holes now lift up their heads and vent openly their errors infecting our people The Antinomians who teach as I find such a faire and easie way to heaven viz. That a man need not be troubled by the law before faith and that faith is not a going out of himselfe to take hold of Christ but onely a discerning that Christ is his and that after this such a man must see nothing in himselfe have nothing doe nothing need no sorrow nor repentance nor bee pressed to duties need never pray unlesse moved by the Spirit If hee fall into sin never the more disliked of God nor his condition the worse and that hee must abide in the height of comfort though hee fall into grosse sin The novelty of this doctrine takes so well or rather ill that multitudes of simple men and women dance after their Pipes they run after these men as if they were mad crowding the Churches filling their doors and windowes The Independents trouble also our poore Church who pretend that they have a perfect modell of Churchâ— government which Almighty God hath revealed to them which many like better then the government of the Reformed Churches being perswaded that in Independency they may have liberty to doe what they list having no government hoging to be as free as their Teachers who will have none at all The Arminians also an after-brood of the Pellagiant broach their erroneous opinions The Sabbatarians affirm the old Jewish Sabbath to be kept and not the Lords day The Anti-sabbatarians would have no perticular Sabbath at all but every day to bee a sabbath to a Christian man The Traskites who would have us observe many Jewish ceremonies VVe have also Millenaries who affirm that before the day of judgment Christ shal come down from heaven and reign with the Saints upon earth 1000. years in which time they shall destroy all the wicked binding their Kings in chaines and Nobles in linkes of iron VVee have Hetheringtonians who hold a hodg-podg of many heresies troubling our peoples brains VVe have also Socinians who teach that Christ dyed not to satisfie for our sins and also his Incasnation to be repugnant to reason not to be sufficiently proved by Scripâ—ture with many other abhominable errors Wee have Arians who deny the Deity of Christ. We have an Atheistical Sect who affirme that mens soules sleep with their bodies untill the day of Judgement Wee have Atheists too many as among others one was committed by a Justice of Peace who mock'd and jear'd at Christs Incarnation His Father was burnt at Thoelouze in
Anabaptists discovered in a house without the Barres at Algate of whom 27 were taken of them foure recanted at Pauls Crosse the 25th day of May in forme following Whereas l. T. R. H. being seduced by the Devill the spirit of Error and by false teachers have fallen into most damnable and detestable errors namely 1 That Christ tooke not flesh of the substance of the Virgin Mary 2 That the Infants of the faithfull ought not to bee Baptized 3 That a Christian man may not be a Magistrate or beare the sword or office of Authority 4 That it is not lawfull for a Christian man to take an oath Now by the grace of God and through conference with good and learned Ministers of Christs Church I understand the same to be most damnable and detestable Heresies and doe aske God before his Church mercy for my sayd former errors and doe forsake recant and renounce them and abjure them from the botâ—ome of my heart protesting that I certainely beleeve 1. That Christ tooke flesh of the substance of the Virgin Mary 2. That the Infants of the faithfull ought to be baptized 3. That a Christian man may be a Magistrate beare the sword and office of Authority 4. That it is lawfull for a Christian man to take an oath And further I confesse that the whole Doctrine established and published in the Church of England and also that is received in the Dutch Church in London is found true and according to Gods Word whereunto in all things I submit my selfe and will bee most gladly a member of the sayd Dutch Church from henceforth utterly a bandoning and forsaking all and every Anabaptisticall errors Anno 1575 in the 17th yeare of Qâ—een Elizabeth of blessed memory one man and ten women Dutch Anabaptists were in the Consistory of Pauls condemned to bee burnt in Smithfield but after great pains taken with them onely one woman was converted and the other were banished the Land The 22th of July in the same yeare two Dutch men Anabaptists were burnt in Smithfield who dyed in great horror câ—ying and roaâ—ing this was the entertainment that these Sectaries had in times past In the yeare 1561 a Proclamation was set forth by Queen Elizabeth whereby she commanded the Anabaptists and such like Hereticks which had flocked to the Coast-Towns of England from the parts beyond the Seas under colour of shunning of perâ—ecution and had spread the poyson of their Sects in England to depart the Realme within 20 dayes whether they were 〈◊〉 borne people of the Land or Forreigners upon paine of imprisonment and losâ—e of goods 8. Of the audacious boldnesse of these Sectaries at this time BEfore you have heard of the condition of these Hereticks in times past but with griefe of heart I speake it Now they lift up their heads they write books and publish them in defence of their detestable opinions of which I have seen some the one by one Edw Barber and two other by A. R. Anno 1642. A fourth by one Lamb with others and this without any controle that I can heare of Yea they challenge our Divines openly to defend their Tenets by disputation and to satisfie the people Doctor Featly gave them a meeting in Southwarke where foure of their Disputants appeared on their side besides a great number of the vulgar of which meeting the Doctor hath given the world an account Would to God our Relâ—gious Patriots assembled in Parliament would at length take care as they have done of the Romish Emissaries to suppresse these that the name of God be not blasphemed that they may not infect the simple people with their abhominable Errorus Was not all Israel plagued for the execrable things taken by Achan who can tell whether the plagues of God that are upon us are for not punishing these detestable Sectaries and others Alas our poore Church is oppressed and who layeth hand to help The plague of Heresie is among us and we have no power to keep the â—ick from the whole The Wolves that were wont to lye in the woods are come into our Sheep-fold and roare in the holy Congregations Oh thou Shepheard of Israel why hast thou broken down the hedge of this thy Vineyard which thy right hand hath planted The Bore out of the wood and the wild beasâ— out of the Field do devoure Oh remember not against us our former iniquities let thy tender mercies prevent us for we are brought very low The Confession of Faith of those Churches which are commonly called Anabaptists Printed at London in the year of our Lord God 1644. Subscribed in the names of 7. Churches in London William Kâ—ffen Thomas Patience John Spilsbery George Tippâ—ng Sam. Richardson Thomas Skippard Thomas Munday Thomas Gunne John Mâ—bbat John Webbe Thomas Killcop Paul Hâ—bson Thomas Gore Joseph â—helps Edward Heath Set downe in 52. Articles In which Articles you shall finde some Rats bane covered with a great deale of honey 1. IN the 38. Article That the due maintenance of the Officers viz. the Ministers should be free c. their meaning being that their maintenance should depend upon the voluntary contribution of their people this their opinion is most impious and sacrilegious and directly repugnant to Gods Law 2. In the 39. they affirme Baptisme to be an Ordinance of the new Testament given by Christ to be dispensed onely upon persons professing faith or that are Disciples or taught who upon a profession of faith ought to be baptized By this Article most cruelly they exclude all Infants baptisme from the Sacrament of entrance into the Church being the only outward meanes of their salvation 3. In the 40. they making dipping necessary which Christ never commanded 4. In the 41. the persons designed by Christ say they to dispense this Ordinance a preaching Disciple it beâ—ng tyed to no particular Church officer nor peâ—son 5. In the 42. Article that such to whom God hath given gifts may preach When Muncer a seditious Anabaptist began first to preach Luther advised the Senate of Mulâ—us to demand of him what calling he had and if he should avouch God to be his Authour then they should require him to prove his extraordinary calling by some evident signe For whensoever it pleaseth God to change the ordinary course and to call any man to any office extraordinarily he declareth that his good will and pleasure by some evident signe If the Anabaptisticall calling be ordinary let them prove it by Scripture if extraordinary let them prove it by Miracles HEre I might adde the summe of a Treatise of Mr. Johnons who stileth himselfe Pastour of the exâ—led English Church at Amsterdam written against two errours of the Anabaptists maintained by them at this day The one concerning the Bapâ—isme of Children the other concerning the Anabaptismes of elder people what specious shewes so ever they make saith hee perverting the Scriptures filling their mouthes with falshood and blasphemy abusing the people of God reproaching
Robert Brown a Northamptonshire man who was Schoolemaster of the Free-Schole of St. Olaves in Southwark This Browne seducing certaine people preached to them in a gravel-pit neare Islington and by their Tenets was not the holy Catholike Church of God included at that time in the forâ—said gravell-pit Also when the whimseyes came first into his head he was advised by some of his friends to conferre with Master Fox and having been with him he reported that hee had been with a mad-man who thrust him out of his doores telling him that he would prove a fire-brand in Gods Church Before his departure out of the Kingdome he acquainted also one Mr. Greenham a pious Divine with his intentions who disswaded him from his Separation using many reasons to stay him among others that what grace he had received hee had it from the Church of England but finding him obstinate he told him that for himselfe he doubted not although he went away in his hot zeale but that being better informed he might returne againe unto his Mother Church but bad him bethinke himselfe what should become of those poore soules whom he had seduced and was carrying away Master Greenham's words preved true for Master Browne returned God giving him grace to renounce his errors and dyed lately a Member of the Church of England being Parson of a Church in Northampton shire But his Sect remaineth to the great disturbance of our Church For those errors that Browne recanted and vomited up many male-contented simple men supped up and swallowed downe poysoning their selves and others 2. Called also Separatists THese Sectaries are also called Separatists and this name they arrogate to themselves like the Pharisees of old and wel may they be called Separatists because they separate themselves not onely from their Mother-Church in which they were baptized and brought up and fed with the pure milke of Gods Word but also from all the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas for they carry their simple seduced people not to any of those holy Churches to bee members of their Congregations but to Conventicles for which they are termed by a learned man separata factio defectorum 2. They may also be called Separaticts not onely by reason of the separation they make from the Church of England and all other the Reformed Churches but also by reason of the grievous separations and divisions they make among themselves for example sake what an evill spirit of hatefull and fiery contention was raised between the Brothers the Iohnsons which burnt up both spirituall and naturall love as the one of them being the younger forgetting his profession and brotherly love became a Libeller loading his brother and others with reproaches shame and Infamy and that iin Print to abide for ever as Master Thomas White in his discovery of Brownâ—sme doth relate The other separated himselfe and broke fellowship with his brother and father and cursed them with all the curses in Gods Book This separation was confimed by the heavy sentence of Excommunication by which he â—id give his father and brother to the devill The Dutch and French Ministers in Amsterdam went about to reconcile Francis Iohnson and his Father as appeareth by their Letter Narravit-nobis Ioâ—nnes Iâ—â—sonius Anglus se hominem septuagenaâ—â—um ex Anglia in hanc Vrbem difficili itinere venisse ut duos filios suos Franciscum Georgium dissidentes in gratiam reduceret c. But their labour was in vaine His sonne Francis peâ—sisting obstinately untill the death of his Father sending him downe to the grave with a curse as if it were engraving the sentence of Excommunication upon his Fathers Tombe c. 3. Agree with the Donatists THe Separatists or Brownists agree in many things with the Donatists who confined the holy Catholike Church to a corner of Africa as the Brownists doe confine the Church of God to their Conventibles excluding all other Christians pale of the Church that are not oâ— their Sect. May not I say to these Browâ—â—sts as Constantine the Eâ—perour to Acefius Capa scalas ascende coelum solus take ladders and mount heaven alone who dreame that tâ—ey have ladders or something else to enâ—er heaven alone They believe not with the Donatists the Article of faith viz. That â—he Church of God is Catholike but uncharitably put all the Christians of the world into the estate of damnation thâ—â— are not of their Sect. Of their agreement with the Donacâ—sts Master Gifford late Minister of the Word of God at Malden hath set forth a Treatise at large which you may puruse if you please 4. They comply with the Anabaptists THâ— Separatists doe comply in many things with the Anabaptists these Maximes following they have from them As they separate themselves from the Papists so also from all Protestant Churches They affirme that theirs is the true Church onely and the Gospell to be no where truely preached but by them To receive the Communion with prophane persons is to parâ—ake of 〈◊〉 propâ—anenesse That all 〈◊〉 preach having gifts That in the Church there should be a parâ—ty They dislike marriages in Churches and to serve God in Churches that have been polluted by the Papists Whereas the Anabaptists forbeare one Petition of the Lords Prayer viz. Forgive us our trespassas the Brownists refuse the whole Lords Prayer Although they beare with temporall Magistrates yet they abhor spirituall government Lastly they like not payment of Tythes reserved by God himself for the for the maintenance of his Ministers paid before the Law commanded in the Law and allowed by Christ himselfe Matth. 23. But disallowed by the Anabaptists 5. They are Innovators MAy not these Separatists be also called Novatâ—res by reason of the great Innovations made by them they can not abide no old things heretofore used in Gods Church They cannot abide our Fonts nor our Churches steeple-houses some call them nor our Bels I hear of a Sect that are called together by a Sow-gelders horne nor our marriage nor our administration of the Sacraments in our Churches nor our burials nor our Prayers taken out of holy Scriptures and commanded by Christ himselfe as the Lords Prayer 6. Some of their Errors set down by Mr. White 1. THey hold it lawfull for a man to live with her that is not his wise â—ather then to reveale himselfe 2. That there are qualities in God noâ— essentiall and that love in God is not of his being but that the selfe same love that is in God is 〈◊〉 in us 3. That iâ— is not lawfull for the innocent parties to retain the offendor as the wife the husband or the husband the wife of either party that hath committed adultery though the innocent party upon the others repentance forgâ—ving the other sinne bee desirous still to live with the other party in marriage Covenant as before but have excommunicated the parties innocent for so doing 7. Bitter Railers THese new
somewhat shorter Thus God punisht those monstrous wretches with a monstrous fruit sprung from their wombe as had before sprung from their braines But as the Jewes in the sad porâ—entâ— appearing before the last destruction of Ierusalem construed all things to the best though never so apparent so did they and whatsoever might seem prodigious in any of these births the burthen they laid upon the Church which they thought their enemies Then God stirred up his people to call an assembly of Ministers who confuted these opinions publikely and made the authors and upholders of them unable to answer although they could not make them yeeld But lastly God put it into the hearts of the civill Magistrates to convent the chief Leaders of them and after many fruitlesse admonitions given they proceeded to sentence some they disfranchised others they excommunicated and some they baâ—isht A seditious Minister one Mr. Wheeleâ—wright was one and Mistris Hutchinson another who going to plant her selfe in an Island callâ—d Readâ—â—sland under the Dutch where they could not agree but were miserably divided into sundry Sects â—emoâ—ed from thence to an Island called Hell-gate where the Indians set upon her and â—â—ew her and her daughter and daughters husband children and family some report that the Indians burnt them And thus much of the Antiâ—omians read Mr. Wâ—lls his book where you shall read their opinions at large with a learned Confutation Of ARMINIANS THE Armiâ—â—â—â—s are so called of Iames Arminâ—â—â—s who was 〈…〉 Divinity at Leiden in the Low-countreys in the 〈◊〉 of our Lord God 1605. They are also called Remonstraâ—â—s Their Errors follow 1. Concerning Gods Predestination THat the will of God to â—â—ve such as shall believe and persevere in faith and obedience of â—aith is the whole and entire dâ—cree of the election to salvation and that nothing else concerning that decree is revealed in the word of God These Teachers deceive the simâ—â—er sort and plainly gain-say the holy Scripture which witnesseth that God not onâ—ly wil save such as shall believe but also from eternity hatâ— chosen some certaine men upon whom rather then upon others he would bestow faith in Christ and persevâ—â—aâ—ce as it is written Ioh. 17. 6 I have declared thy name to the 〈◊〉 which thou gavest 〈◊〉 Like manner Acts 13. 48. As many as were ordained to eternall life believed And Eph. 1. 4. He hath chosen us before the foundatâ—on of the World 2. They teach â—thit the election of God to salvation is manifold one generall and indetinite and this again 〈◊〉 incomplete revocable nor perempâ—orie or conditionall or â—lse complete â—â—â—â—ocable peremptory or absâ—lute likewise that there is one election â—nto faith another to salvation so thâ—t election unto justâ—ying aith may bee without peremptory election to salvation This is a fâ—gment of mans braine devised without any ground in the Scripture corrupting the doctrine of election breaking that golden chaine of salvation Rom. 8. 30. Whom he hath predestinated them also hath he called and whom 〈◊〉 hath called them aâ— so he hath â—ustified and whom he hath justified also he hath glorified 3. They teach that the good pleasure and purpose of God whereof the Scripture maketh mention in the doctrine of election doth not consist herein that God did elect some certaine men rather then others but in this viz. That God from among all possible conditions amongst which are the workes of the Law also or out of the ranke of all things did chuse as condition to salvation the act of faith in it selfe ignoble and imperfect obedience was graciously pleased to repute it for perfect obedience and account it worthy of the reward of everlasting life By this pernicious error the good pleasure of God and merit of Christ is weakned besides that by such unprofitable questions men are called from the truth to free justification and from the single plaine of the Scriptures and that of the Apostle is outâ—â—ced as untrue 2 Tim. 1. 9. God hath called us with a holy calling not according to our works but according to his purpose and grace which was given to us through Christ â—esuâ— before the world began 4. They teach that in election unto faith this condition is formerly required viz. That a man may use the â—ight of reason aright that he be honest lowly and humble and â—â—â—posed unto eternall life as though in some sort election dâ—pended on these things for these Teachers have a strong 〈…〉 and broadly enough tell the Apostle that he is 〈◊〉 when he sayes Ephes. 2. 3. We had all our conversations in tiâ—â—s past in the lust of the flesh fulfilling the will of the flesh 〈◊〉 of the minde and were by nature the children of wrath as well as others But God which is rich in mercy through his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins hath quickened us together with Christ by grace ye are saved and 〈◊〉 raised us up together and made us sit together in heaveâ—â—y plâ—ces in Iesus Christ that he might shew in the ages to come the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindnesse towâ—rds us in Iesus Christ for by grace ye are saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God not of works lest any should â—â—ast 5. They teach that incompleat and not peremptory election of singular person is made by reason of fore-seen faith repentance sanctity godlinesse and that this is the gracious and Evangelicall worthinesse by which he that is chosen becomes worthier then he that is not chosen and therefore that faith the â—bedience of faith sanctity godlinesse and perseveran ce are not the fruits or effects of the unchangeable electiâ—n unto glory but conditions and causes sine quibus non that is to say without which a thing is not brought to passe before required and fore-seen as already performed by those who are compleatly to be chosen a thing repâ—gnant to the whole Scripture which every wherebeats into our eares hearts these and such like sayings Rom 9. 11. Election is not of works but of him that calleth Acts 13 48. As many as were ordained to everlasting life beleeved Joh. 15. 16. Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you Rom. 11. 6. If of grace not of works 1 John 4. 10. Herein is loveâ— not that we loved God but that he first loved us and sent his Son c. 6. That not all election to salvation is unchangeable but that some which are elected withstanding Gods decree may perish and for ever doe perish By which grosâ—e error they hoth make God mutable overthrow the comfort of the godly concerning the certainty of their salvation and contradict the holy Scriptures teaching Mat. 24. 24. That the Elect cannot he seduced John 6. 39. That Christ doth not lose those are given to him by his father Rom. 8. 30. That God whom he hath predestinated called justified them he doth also glorifie 7. They
wit for them And our Saviour averring Iohn 10. 15. I lay down my life for my sheep And Iohn 15. 12. This is my Commandement that yee love one another as I have loved you greater love then this no man hath that a man lay down his life for his friends Thirdly Fourthly Their Errors concerning mans corruption and conversion unto God 1. THey teach that it cannot be well objected that Originall sin of it selfe is sufficient â—or the conâ—enâ—ning of aâ—l mankinde or for the deserving of any temporall and eternall punishment In this they goe against the Apostle who saith Rom. 5. By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned and veaâ— 16. The judgement was by one to condemnation Rom. 6. 23. The â—ages of sin is death 2. They teach that spirituall gifts or good qualities or vertues such as our goodnesse holinesses or righteousnesse could not bee sâ—aâ—ed in the will of man in his first 〈◊〉 and therefore in his fall the will could not bee bereft of them This is contrary to the Image of God laid downe by the Apostle Eph. 4. 24. Where hee describeth it by righteousnesse and holinesse which doubtlesse are placed in the will 3. They teach that in spiritual death nâ— spirituall gifts were separated from the will of man to 〈…〉 will it selfe 〈…〉 corrupted bâ—t onely encombred by 〈◊〉 darknesse of the understanding and unrulinâ— sse of the affections which impeâ—iments being removed the will may be put into her owne inbred faculty of freedome that is of her selfe will or â—ill chuse or refuse any kind of good set before her Verily this is a new feigned and erroneous piece of doctrine bent on purpose for the enhansing of the forces of free-wil contrary to that of the Pâ—ophet Jer. 17. 5. The heart is deceitfull above all things and desperately wicked And that of the Apostle Eph. 23. Among whom namely the children of disobedience All we had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the wills of the flesh and of the minde 4. They teach that an unregenerate man is not properly nor totally dead in sins nor destitute of all strength tending to spirituall good but that he is able to hunger and thirst after righteousnes or everlasting life and to offer the Sacrifice of an humble and contrite heart even such as is acceptable to God These assertions march against the direct testimonies of Scriptures Eph. 2. 1. 5. Yee were dead in trespasses and sinnes Gen. 6. 7. 8. 21. Every imagination of the thoughts of mans heart is onely evill continually Moreover the hungring and thâ—rsting for deliverance out of misery and for life eternall as also offering to God the sacrifice of a broken heart is proper to the Regenerate and such as are called blessed Psalme 519. Matth. 5. 6. 5. They teach that a corrupt and naturall man can so rightly use common grace by which they mean the light of nature or those gifts which are left him after the fall that by the good use thereof he may obtaine to a greater namely Evangelicall or saving grace and by degrees at length salvation it selfe And that God for his part sheweth himselfe ready in this manner to reveale Christ to all men seeing he doth sufficiently and efficaciously afford to every man necessary meanes for the making Christ known and for faith and repentance This is 〈◊〉 to be false as by the experiance of all ages in the world so also by Scriptures Psal. 147. 19 20. He sheweth his word unto Jacob his statutes and his judgements unto Israel He hath not dealt so with any nation and as for his judgements they have not knowne them Acts 14. 16. God in times past suffered all Nations to walke in their owne wayes Acts 16. 6 7. Paul and his company were forbidden to preach the Word in Asia and after they were come to Mysia they offered to goe into Bythâ—â—iâ— but the spinit suffered them not 6. They teach that in true conversion of a man there cannot be inâ—used by God any new qualities habits or gifts into his will and so by faith by which we are first converted and from which we are stiled faithfull is not any gift or quality infused by God but onely an act of man that this faith cannot be called a gift otherwise then in regard of the power or meanes given us of attaining it These strange positions are contrary to holy Scriptures which testifie unto us that God doth infuse or shed downe into our hearts new qualities of faith obedience and some of his love towards us Ier. 31. 33. I puâ— my Law into their inner parts and write it in their hearts Isa. 44. 3. I will poure water upon him that is thirsty and flouds upon the dry grounds I will poure my spireit upon thy seed Rom. 5. 5. The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given unto us They contradict also the continuall practice of the Church which useth to pray after the manner prescribed by the Prophet Convert me O Lord and I shall be converted Jer 31. 18. 7. They teach that the grace wherewith we are converted unto God is nothing else but a gentle inducement or as others explain it that the most noble kinde of working a mans conversion and most â—utable to our nature is performed by swasoâ—y motives or advice and that no cause can be alledged â—hy even such morall grace alone should not of naturall men make spirituall Nay moreover that God doth not produce the consent of our will otherwise then by way of morall counselling and that the efficacy of Gods working wherein he exceedeth the working of the devill consâ—steth in this that the divell promiseth temporary things but Gods things eternall This is downe-right Pelagianisme and warreth against the whole course of Scriptures which besides this swasory course of moving acknowledgeth in the conversion of man another manner of working of Gods spirit and that more divine and of farre greater efficacy Ezek. 36. 26. I will give you a new heart and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of yur flesh and will give you an heart of flesh 8. That God in regenerating a man doth not imply that omnipotent strength whereby he may powerfully and infallibly bow and bend his will unto faith and conversion but that all the gracious operations which God useth for our conversion being accomplished neverthelesse man may withstand God and his holy Spirit intending that mans conversion yea and oftentimes doth make actuall resistance so it lyeth in mans power to be or not to be regenarate This amounteth to no lesse then the denying of all efficacy to Gods grace in our conversion and to the subjecting of the worke of Almighty God unto the will of man which is flat contrary to the Doctrine of the Apostles