vein going thorow the whole in one word the great Religion of that sort of men in the Army is liberty of conscience and liberty of preaching But heretofore both in times more ancient and latter and in other Countries severall sects kept themselves more to their own proper tenets without that generall conâ—usion of each running into all as the Arians Novatians and others in the first six hundred years and the Antinomians in Luthers time Secondly That all these sorts of sects how different soever yea and contrary to one another in many principles and opinions yet all agree in these times in separating from our Church refusing comunion in our publike Assemblies and in disallowing the authoritative power of Classes and Synods all the sects yea the worst of them as the Antiscripturists Arians Antitrinitarians Perfectists being Independents and Separatists though all Independents and Separatists be not Arians Antinomians c. which deserves the more to be thought on because in the Primitive times some heriticks and sectaries would have been glad of communion in warship with the Orthodox Arius desired to be received into the Church of Alexandria again and made such friends to Constantine that upon his pretending repentance he commanded Alexander the Bishop of Alexandria to give him the hand of fellowship and to admit him as also they approved of the power of Synods and Councels comming unto them The Arians Donatists and other Sectaries held many Councels as that of Tyrus Antiochia the first Councel of Carthage in Constantines dayes of these and many more we read of in Ecclesiasticall Histories I never read of any Independent Minister in all the Primitive Churches no not amongst the Sectaries for the first six hundred years save only in the dayes of Aurelius Bishop of Carthage who living in the fift Century in an African Synod and Councel held at Carthage declares There are many who conspiring with their own proper people who they do deceive scratching their itching eares and with fair speeches seducing men of a loose life or rather puffed up separating themselves from this society who think they must attend to their own proper people and being often called to the Councel refuse to come along left their absurdities and novelties should be discovered and made manifest against whom Aurelius moved that they might be deprived of all authority over their proper people as rebellious and disorderly which was consented to and voted by the whole Synod saying placet placet Thirdly That for the errours and opinions laid down in this Catalogue some are contrary and contradictory to others of them so that many of these errours fight among themselves this indeed is one great difference between truth and errour that truth though it be contrary to errour yet one truth is never contrary to another truth is one and uniforme but many errours are not only contrary to truth but to errours also yea some of these errours are most contrary to what ever could have been expected many of the persons who hold these opinions being fallen into some of the errours of Popery Arminianism Libertinisme and those of the grossest sort as the Reader in the Errours hereafter named may more easily perceive which they spoke so much against heretofore and for fear of which comming in upon us they first began to forsake this Church so that they have wheeled wheeled about so long on the right hand that they are perfectly come round to the left The Catalogue of the Errours Heresies Blasphemies is as follows 1. THat the Scriptures cannot be said to be the word of God there is no Word but Christ the Scripures are a dead letter and no more to be credited then the writtings of men not divine but humane invention 2. That the Scripture whether a true manuscript or no whether Hebrew Greek or English is but humane and so not able to discover a divine God Then where is your command to make that your Rule or Discipline that cannot reveal you God nor give you power to walke with God so that Christ letting out himself as he is in himself ought to be a Christians Rule in obedience to himself 3. That the Scriptures are unsufficient and uncertain there is no certainty to build any Dâ—ctrine upon them they are not an infallible foundation of faith 4. As the condition of Adam Noah Abraham Moses c. was that they did walke with God by the teaching of God so is ours that is not to limit Christ to Adam Noah Abraham Moses David Iohn and the Disciples As they were not to tye God to any things before them recorded but each of them had a new record so are not we to limit God in the generall records of those paths but wait upon him in the enlargement of the Gospell what he will record you and far be it from me to conclude either in Doctrine or practise that half of his glory is revealed as yet As that I should enclose Christ in such a small compasse as we have recorded though I rejoyce to understand it in the searching thereof yet pressing toward the marke for the price of the high calling of God waiting what he will record in my heart and in that measure worship him in spirit and truth from the teaching of the Spirit 5. That the holy writings and sayings of Moses and the Prophets of Christ and his Apostles and the proper Names Persons and things contained therein are Allegories and these Allegories are the mystery and spirituall meaning of them 6. That the Penmen of Scripture every one of them writ as themselves conceived they were the actions of their own spirit and for what is said they were moved by the holy Ghost that was no other Spirit then that which moved them to writ and speak other things for in him we live and move and have our being 7. That the Scriptures of the old Testament do not concerne nor binde Christians now under the new Testament so that when places of Scripture are brought out of the old Testament to prove Points many Sectaries make slight of them and say Give us a text out of the new we are ignorant of the old and hereupon some of them do not binde the old Testament with the new nor read it 8. That right Reason is the rule of Faith and that we are to beleeve the Scriptures and the Doctrine of the Trinity Incarnation Resurrection so far as we see them agreeable to reason and no farther 9. That the new Testament nor no place of Scripture in it binds any further then the Spirit for present reveales to us that such a place is the Word of God 10. To read Scripture in English to a mixt Congregation without present expounding it is dangerous and worse then to read it in Latine for in Latine as it doth no good so it doth no harme 11. That God hath a hand in and is the Author of the sinfullnesse of
his people that he is the Authour not of those Actions alone in and with which sin is but of the very Pravity Ataxy Anomy Irregularity and sinfullnesse it self which is in them 12. That all Lyes come forth out of the mouth of God 13. 'T is the will and command of God that since the coming of his Son the Lord Jesus a permission of the most Paganish Jewish Turkish or Antichristian consciences and worship be granted to all men in all Nations and Countries and they are only to be fought against with the sword of Gods Spirit the word of God and for the Parliament to use any civill coercive meanes to compell men of different judgment is one of the greatest sins that can be named 't is committing a greater rape then if they had forced or ravished the bodies of all the women in the world Yea if it be mens consciences the Magistrate may not punish for blasphemies nor for denying the Scriptures nor for denying there is a God 14. That no man was cast into hell for any sin but only because God would have it so 15. That a man had life before God breathed into him and that which God breathed into him was part of the divine Essence and shall returne unto God again 16. That we should think of our selves no better then was meet for God loves the creatures that creep upon the ground as well as the best Saints and there is no distance between the flesh of a Man and the flesh of a Toad 17. That the Prince of the ayr that rules in the children of disobedience is God and that there is no other spirit but one which Spirit is God 18. That God hath not decreed all the actions of men because men doing what God decreed do not â—in 19. That God was never angry nor displeased with man for if he were ever displeased and pleased again then there is a changeablenesse in God 20. That God loved not one man more then another before the world neither is there an absolute particular election but only generall and conditionall upon perseverance and the Scripture no where speaks of Reprobates or Reprobation 21. That the soul dies with the body and all things shall have an end but God only shall remain for ever 22. Every creature in the first creation was God and every creature is God every creature that hath life and breath being an efflux from God and shall returne into God again be swallowed up in him as a drop is in the ocean 23. That to a saving knowledge of God it sufficeth not to know him in the book of nature nor secondly as revealed in the holy Scriptures but that we must know him as abstract from his mercies and all his attributes 24. That in the Unity of the God-head there is not a Trinity of Persons but the Doctrine of the Trinity beleeved and professed in the Church of God is a Popish tradition and a Doctrine of Rome 25. There are not three distinct Persons in the Divine Essence but only three Offices the Father Son and holy Ghost are not three Persons but Offices 26. That there is but one Person in the Divine nature 27. That Jesus Christ is not very God not God essentially but nominally not the eternall Son of God by eternall generation no otherwise may he be called the Son of God but as he was man 28. That Christs humane nature is defiled with originall sin as well as ours Christ had from the birth to his death the same originall corruption as ours he took our sin into his nature as well as our flesh upon him Christ is not of a holier nature then we but in this appeares Gods love to us that he will take one of us in the same conditition to convince us of what he is to us and hath made us to be in him me thinks the beholding of Christ to be holy in the flesh is a dishonour to God in that we should conceive holinesse out of God and again a discomfort to the Saints that he should be of a more holy nature then they as being no ground for them to come neer with boldnesse to God 29. That we did look for great matters from one crucified at Ierusalem 16 hundred yeares ago but that does us no good it must be a Christ formed in us the deity united to our humanity Christ came into the world to live thirty two years and to do nothing else that he knew and blessed God he never trusted in a crusified Christ. 30. Christ was true man when he created us yea from eternity and though he had not flesh yet was he very man without flesh 31. That Christ died for all men alike for the reprobate as well as for the elect and that not only sufficiently but effectually for Iudas as well as Peter for the damned in hell as well as the Saints in Heaven 32. That by Christs death all the sins of all the men in the world Turks Pagans as well as Christians committed against the morall Law and first Covenant are actually pardoned and forgiven and this is the everlasting Gospel 33. That Christ did only satisfie for the sins against the first Covenant but not for the sins against the second Covenant as unbelief he died not for the unbelief of any 34. Christ died only for sins past i. e. before the Gospel is revealed to the sinner and the sins of men committed after conversion Christ died not for but they are pardoned by his being a continuall sacrifice 35. Every man satisfies for himselfe for the sins against the second Covenant namely unbelief because he that beleeves not the wrath of God abides upon him so that for a years unbelief a man beares a years wrath and this is all the satisfaction God requires 36. That no man shall perish or go to hell for any sin but unbeleef only 37. That the Heathen who never heard of Christ by the Word have the Gospel for every creature as the Sun Moon and Stars preach the Gospel to men and in them is revealed the knowledge of Christ crucified and sin pardoned if they had eyes to see it 38. Those Heathen that perish do perish only for not beleeving according to the Gospel they enjoy 39. Christ did not by his death purchase life and salvation for all no nor for the elect For it was not the end of God in the coming of Christ to purchase love and life but Christ himself was purchased by love that hee might make out love and purchase us to love 40. Christ Jesus came into the world to witnesse and declare the love of God to us not to procure it for us or to satisfie God as some say Christ was a most glorious publisher of the Gospel he was sent to preach the Gospel to heal the broken hearted to preach deliverance to the captives in all that Christ saith to be the end of
up himself a sacrifice of full satisfaction not for all men only but for all that by man was lost even the whole creation of God 172. That a Directory or order to help in the way of worship is a breach of the second Commandement and there is no word of God to warrant the making of that Directory book more then Ieroboam had for the making of Calves of gold which he set upon two high places one at Dan the other at Betâ—el to the confusion of himself and his posterity 173. No man is yet in hell neither shall any be there untill the judgement for God doth not hang first and judge after 174. Men say that Faith is supernaturall but how can it be above nature to beleeve that which we see sufficient ground to beleeve and to beleeve any thing of which we have no plaine ground and reason is so far from being above nature that it is below it and proper to fools and not to reasonable men 175. The Law doth not pronounce eternall death in hell fire on those that obey it not nor were men to have perished in hell fire in relation to the Law or Adams sin but the Gospel pronounceth eternall death in hell fire on those that obey it not and if we had been to suffer hell in relation to Adam or the Law then Christ also should have suffered in hell for us to have redeemed us from thence which he did not 176. It is not sutable to God to pick and chuse amongst men in shewing mercy if the love of God be manifested to a few it is far from being infinite if God shew not mercy to all to ascribe it to his will or pleasure is to blaspheme his excellent name and nature Now unto these many more might be added that I know of and are commonly known to others which have been preached and printed within these four last years in England as the necessity of dipping and burying under water all persons to be baptized as the necessity of a Church-Covenant as that Ministers may not lawfully baptize or administer the Lords Supper out of their own particular Congregations neither preach Ministerially but as gifted brethren out of their own Church with many such errours of the Church-way but because they are but light in comparison I will not name them I could relate also to you other errours that have been reported to me and others by honest understanding men to have been vented and 't is likely enough they may be true as that 't is lawfull for wives to give without their husbands consents something out of their husbands estates for the maintenance of the Church and Ministers whereunto they belong as that the Lords Prayer called and cryed up by many to be so it could not be the Lords Prayer in regard there was a petition for pardon of sins which Christ would not have taught or words to that purpose as also that if a man were strongly moved by the spirit to kill to commit adultery c. and upon praying against it again and again it continued and yet was still strongly pressed he should then do it but because I have not these upon so good grounds nor such a concurrence of circumstances or further confirmation upon enquiry I therefore forbear to put them down particularly in the Catalogue of Errours or to assert them with that authority I might here also annex to all these Errours many Expositions of Scripture given by the Sectaries in their Sermons and private meetings but I will only give two 1. That of Rom. 8.2 The law of the Spirit of life hath freed me from the law of sin and death that is as was expounded from the morall Law 2. That of Ioh. 5 39. Seaâ—ch the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternall life you thinke to have that was their thought and mistake not that Christ approved it that eternall life was to be had in the Scriptures A Catalogue of the Blasphemies of the Sectaries NOw besides these Errours and Heresies laid down many of them being Blasphemies as the Reader cannot but have observed in perusing their Catalogue there have been many blasphemies and blasphemous speeches vented by Sectaries severall wayes both by writing preaching conference and discoursing and some so horrid and abominable in such a dispitefull scoffing fearfull way that I tremble to think of them and shall forbear to name them And indeed within these four last years in England there have been blasphemies uttered of the Scriptures the Trinity each person of the Trinity both of Father Son and holy Ghost of Gods eternall election of the Virgin Mary the Apostles and holy Penmen of Scripture of Baptisme Prayer the ministery of the Word and the Ministers of all the Reformed Churches of the Government of the Church and of the Christian Magistrates In some books printed and dispersed up and down there are fearfull blasphemies as in the Arraignment of persecution The Sacred Synodycall Decretall Martins Eccho c. profaning and abusing the holy and dreadfull Name of God in a most fearfull manner scoffing at the holy Ghost sent in a Cloak-bagg from Scotland making a most blasphemous Prayer wherein the Passion Death Resurrection and Ascension of Christ are in a scoffing way alluded unto with many others which I will not foul paper with transcribing In some Manuscripts of one Paul Best there are most horrid blasphemies of the Trinity of Christ and of the holy Ghost calling the Doctrine of the Trinity a mystery of iniquity the three headed Cerberus a fiction a Tradition of Rome Monstrâ—m biforme triforme with other horrid expressions borowed from hell not fit to be mentioned There was a fearfull blasphemous scoffing speech of God the Father Son and holy Ghost spoken by one Clarke as I remember the name given in to a Committee of Parliament in way of complaint in writing with a hand subscribed and one witnessed it before the Committee but I forbear to relate it Mr Paget in his Heresiography Epistle Dedicatory speakes of one committed for mocking at Christs Incarnation the particulars whereof though I have been told from Master Paget yet I judge it best to conceal There have been many blaspheming speeches in a way of derision of the holy Ghost calling it flabile numen and asking what kinde of bird it was whether but I dare not speak it The holy Scriptures are by many in these times sleighted and scoffed at that growes and spreades much called the golden Calfe that there are many contradictions and lyes in them that they are no better then a Ballad that they can make as good Scriptures that place in Genesis 6.6 where 't is said God repented that be made man was untrue so other places of Scripture The Doctrine of Gods Eternall Election and Praedestination hath been call'd a damnable Errour The Virgin Mary hath been called a the Apostles have been called and they could write
doth the more good Thus beseeching the great God to continue your courage and resolution for his name to the utmost I rest Your affectionate Brother in the Lord. Memorandum that upon the 18. day of Febr. 1645. one Goodwife Cosens of Peter Parish in Colchester brought forth two children both dead the one a perfect child the other was born without a head having upon the breast some characters of a face nose and eyes wanting one arme and the other arme being rather the stump of an arme ended in a crotch of two fingers with something like a thumb coming out of one side of it Downward one of the feet was perfect the other foot wanted a heel and had only two toes which grew forward and another toe growing out of one side of it The Father of this Monster is a Separatist frequenting their congregations an enemy to the baptising of his own chiâ—dren the Mother a hearer in the separated congregations likewise who resolved heretofore that if ever she had any more children they should never be baptized ☞ This Relation is affirmed by those of trust and understanding that saw this Monster and know the parties An Extract of a Letter sent me from a Commander now in the Parliament service dated Decemb. 29. 1645. SIR THe constant practise of many Officers and souldiers with them was to exclaime against their Ministers wheresoever we marched pressing them and their adherents more then any other they did dscourage the people generally affirming that the best of our Preachers were Popish and that it was unlawfull to heare them but did hope to see them all pact to Rome and their superstitious Steeple-houses puld down to the ground great variety of opinion was amongst our Officers and Souldiers some affirming that they had had Revelations and seen Visions al of them at liberty to argue and hold what phantasticall opinion they pleased those were the men most countenanced and soonest raised to preferment some of them would take upon them to prophesie ☞ saying they should live to see all lording power laid aside in this Kingdom In my distresse when the enemy was upon me I sent to most parts adjacent for assistance but could have none only from one place came to me forty Volunteers with some two or three Officers professing thenselves all Independents and they told me they hoped to finde me so and if I should continue still in my opinion for Presbytery they thought their labour ill spent they staid with me all night and the next day there came to them a Leiutenant a most dangerous fellow maintaining most horrid opinions as you may see by the information which is truth this Lieutenant was to preach to them in a private house which I had notice of and did prevent him which they took very ill of me and immediatly they left me and marched away with Lieutenant Since one of the chiefest of them sent me word by our Quarter-master that I should have little or no pay so long as I staid in if I did not agree and side with I finde the mâ—â—sage too true for I finde little pay or none Sir I could say much more of their practises against me and others but I should be too tedious but this more I shall adde I never marched where I heard more talk of godlynesse and lesse practise of it in my observation for they are cruell without mercy covetous without ☞ measure professing self-deniall yet leave no stone un-turned to advance there estates and honours The Lord prevent their wicked designes and keep this Kingdom from being ruined by such a wicked people Sir I rest Your servant A Relation of some passages of a great Sectarie a Lieutenant about the beginning of June last 1645. HAving had much arguing with him and his adherents in opposition to the Antinomian way in the morning wherein they seemed to glory much in the victorie though I know no cause for it at all The Lieutenant came courteously towards even in to my house as he said to take his leave of me which some of his party perceiving followed him and others taking notice of their resort followed also The subject of our discourse was about the meanes of God revealing himself and his minde and will to his servants in reference to their salvation He affirmed and maintained violently that God did it immediatly by himself without Scripture without Ordinances Ministers or any other meanes He being asked about the third Person in the Trinity denyed there was any such thing as a Trinity of persons but affirmed them to be three Offices and being demanded what he thought of Christ whether the Godhead and manhood were united in one Person in Heaven He answered only to the last word and denyed that it could be proved by the Scriptures Christs presence in Heaven and when some Scriptures were produced which had reference to his Resurrection and Ascention he replyed that it was a great question whether there was a Resurrection or not he said he did not deny it absolutly but that he made a great question of it At the parting before him I replyed to the by-standers Gentlemen if I should have come and a told you that this Gentleman had denied the Trinity of persons and Christs presence in Heaven and that he called in question the Resurrection you would not have beleeved me had not your own eares heard the same This is attested and subscribed by the hand of a godly Minister in whose persence all this was â—pken together with a Relation of the names of the other â—â—â—nesses persons of quality and worth who were all present at this Discourse and I have the Originall in my power to porduce upon any occasion A Relation of some Stories and remarkable Passages concerning the Sectaries THere is one Lawrence Clarkson a Seeker spoken of in my Gangraena pag. 104 and 105. who put forth a Pamphlet called The Pilgrimage of Saints wherein are many passages highly derogatory to the Scriptures denying them to be the rule of a Christian or that in Doctrine or Practise half of Gods glory was revealed as yet this man a Taylor and a Blasphemer preached on the Lords day March eight at Bow-Church in Cheapside in the afternoone He began his prayer to God with Right Honourable Lord God and in his Prayer he prayed that God would blesse the Kings Army and blesse the Saints both in the Parliaments Army and the Kings his Sermon was a Rapsody of nonsence This was not done in a corner but in a great and full Audience there was present at this Sermon one Member of the House of Commons if not more besides divers other persons of quality and though this Clarkson was in London some time after this and may be still for ought that I know yet was he never questioned nor called to any account for this or for his Pilgrimage of Saints as ever I could learn Saturday Marchâ—he â—he seventh a Minister who preached
free people and should do what they did voluntarily and not be compelled but now contrarie to this they had assessment upon assessment and rate upon rate Some passages also in his prayer were repeated as that hee prayed the Parliament might not cart the Ark nor meddle with making Lawes for the Saints which Jesus Christ was to do alone Since Oats commitment to Colchester Jaile there hath been great and mightie resort to him in the prison many have come downe from London in Coaches to visit him as a godly Minister who came out of Essex told me And I have a Letter by me from a Minister in Colchester sent last week to a friend of his in London wherein he writes thus Oats the Anabaptist hath had great resort to him in the Castle both of Town and Countrey but the Committee ordered the contrarie last Saturday There is one Collier a great Sectarie in the West of England a mechanicall fellow and a great Emissarie a Dipper who goes about Surrey Hampshire and those Counties thereabouts preaching and dipping About a fortnight ago on the Lords day he preached at Guilford in the meeting-place and to the company of one old Mr. Close an Independent Minister who hath set up at Guilford and done a great deale of mischiefe having drawn away many of the well-meaning people from the Ministerie of those godly Ministers whom before they much prized there this Collier exercised and it was given out in the Countie he was a rare man and the people came from the Towns about to heare him This fellow in his circuit at an exercise where he was preaching to many women for rebaptization and dipping made use of that Scripture to that purpose as it is reported Isa. 4.2 And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man saying Wee will eat our owne bread and weare our owne apparell only let us be called by thy name to take away our reproach And truly it is a sad thing there should be such Emissaries so like the Devill their Master compassing the earth and going about seeking whom they may devoure in the severall parts of the Kingdome North East West and South not one part free for the East and South we who live in these parts know it fully for London Kent the Associated Counties As for the West besides this instance of Collier I received a Letter out of Dorsetshire dated March 13. written by a godly Minister from thence Sir I am not yet furnished to my mind with particulars of that nature you expect but with the help of my fellow-Ministers in these parts I shall send them to you in an exact Historie of our Westerne confusions And for the North besides many instances I could give you of Hull Beverley York Hallifax c. of Independent Churches gathered there and of many Anabaptists and other Sectaries in those places I shall only desire the Reader to mind these three or four lines written to me from a countrey further North I received the books sent me and shall make the best use I can of them the one I keep for mine owne use the other I pleasure friends with and truly never more need in our Countrey for whereas formerly wee wanted the Ministerie now wee have such varietie and strife amongst them that truly I know not what will become of us A person of qualitie and a godly man told me April 15. meeting me accidentally in Westminster Hall that saith he just now neere the House of Commons doore I had discourse with a great Sectarie viz. one of Wrights Disciples and presently the man came into the Hall with another great Sectarie and he shewed me him and the discourse was as followes That he would be loth the Parliament should bring Paul Bests bloud upon them for his denying the Trinitie Whereupon this Gentleman answered him that he could prove cleerly out of the Scriptures a Trinitie of Persons Vnto whom this Sectarie replied How will you prove the Scriptures to be the word of God and this Sectarie reasoned against them saying there were twentie severall Scriptures as many as Translations and Translations are not true for so the Priests will tell us that this is not rightly translated and for the Originals there are divers Copies besides I cannot understand them neither is it my fault that I do not In sum the man reasoned there was no Religion at all in the Kingdome but all Religion he knew of was To do justly and be mercifull Vnto which the Gentleman replyed The Heathen they were just and merciful and therein did as much as you This Sectarie re-joyned For ought he knew the Heathens were saved as well as any now A godly Minister of the Countie of Middlesex told me April 16. that there was a great Sectarie and a Souldier because he had perswaded a family that he was well acquainted with and where the Sectarie much resorted to cast him off and to have nothing to do with him this Sectarie conceiving it to come from this Minister when this Minister came downe one day to this house this Sectarie came to the house and enquired for him to speak with him this Minister fearing the Devill might stir him up to do him some mischiefe refused to speak with him as having no businesse with him this Souldier and Sectarie sent him in word if he would not come out to him hee would come in to him Whereupon hee desired the Master of the house hee might be safe in his house and as hee came in love to him so hee would defend him and let him returne home in safetie whereupon the Master of the house sent out a servaâ—t to him to be gone for this Minister had nothing to say to him and as the servant was going this Sectarie was already come in whereupon the servant asked him why hee came in without bidding hee replyed to speak with Master upon that the servant caught him by the collar and said hee should not the Master hearing them bustle together hee went out and his wife followed to oppose him and in conclusion having his knife before ready by his side hee reached it to pare the dirt off his shooes to shake it off against that house because they would not receive him as making himselfe an Apostle and when hee had done so he departed There is one Master Durance a Preacher at Sandwich in Kent a bold conceited man and an Independent who since the beginning of this Parliament was a Washing-ball-maker or seller of washing-balls here in London but now turned Preacher and being never ordained Minister hath consecrated himselfe to be one of the Priests of the high places Among many high affected straines of new light and strange expressions which the man uses in his Sermons prayers to get himselfe a name by viz. of a Washing-ball-maker to become such a rare man these are some Hee prayed to the Trinitie to take care or cure of these three Kingdomes God the Father to take
evills of this kinde are grown to such a height as there is the more time for silence or for being afraid but of crying out and speaking plainly And I am confident when your Honours have read over my Book which I humbly desire you in the fear of God and for the glory of Christ to do as Luther bespeaks the reading of an Epistle of his that will be a just Apologie with you for my freenesse and boldnesse O the evil of â—hese times would put zeal into the heart of any man who hath any lâ—ve to the glory of God his truth and the souls of people and make the stammering tongue to speak 〈…〉 to speak and cry out Croesus son who was born dumâ—be wheâ— he saw one going to kill his Father spake and cryed out O kill not Croesus And now when our Father our Saviour and blessed Spirit are wounded by damnable heresies and blasphemies and many precious souls destroyed can we be silent O cursed be the silence and flattery that is in such a time as this For now things are grown to a strange passe though nothing is now strange and every day they grow worse and worse and you can hardly conceive and imagine them so bad as they are no kinde of blasphemy heresie disorder confusion but either is found among us or a coming in upon us for we in stead of a Reformation are grown from one extreme to another fallen from Scylla to Charibdis from Popish Innovations Superstitions and Prelaticall Tyranny to damnable Heresies horrid Blasphemies Libertinisme and fearfull Anarchy our evils are not removed and cured but only changed one disease and Divell hath left us and another as bad is come in the room yea this last extremity in which we are fallen is far more high violent and dangerous in many respects all which in an Epistle cannot be contained but are laid down in the following Book in many places specially in the eleventh Corollary Luther in an Epistle to Spalatinus calls want of freedome in a Minister irremissible peccatum an unpardonable sin and silence in the neglecting of truth a wicked silence and in an Epistle to Staupitius saith Let me be found any thing a proud man an adulterer murderer and guilty of all wickednesse so as I be not convicted of wicked silence whilst the Lord suffers The consideration of which makes me well contented to run the venture of being accounted proud saucy peremptory and of incurring the hazard of your displeasure by speaking freely though I hope better things then to let the glory and honour of Christ and his truth suffer any longer by my silence for I call the most High GOD to witnesse that so far as I know my own heart what freedome I here use in laying open the state of things before you is not out of any sinister respect or any pleasure I take in this liberty for I have had many carnall reasonings and conflicts in my spirit against it but only out of the great necessity of the times moved thereunto out of love and zeal to the glory of God and his truth my faithfulnesse to your Honours compassion to the souls of those for whom Christ dyed and the delivering of my own soul in the discharge of my conscience Great Persons as Princes Nobles and Counsellours through their high places multitude of affairs flatteries are subject to great failings and infirmities as both Scriptures and all Histories shew but this hath been the praise and honour of some of them that upon being minded by faithful Ministers of their faults they have laid it to heart Theodosius that Noble Emperour had many infirmities as that cruell fact of his against the inhabitants of Thessalonica as his being angry out of measure against the people of Antiochia as his lenity towards Arians whom he permitted to keep Conventions in chief Cities but in all his faults this is observed and admired by the Ecclesiasticall Historians who writ of him that he ever gave place to wholsome admonitions and amended upon being dealt with as by Flavianus Bishop of Antiochia Amphilochius Bishop of Iconium Ambrose Bishop of Millain and he took Ambroses liberty of speaking to him so well that he did not only give him thanks but said of him to his praise I have at length found a master of truth for I have known Ambrose only a Bishop worthy of that name It was one of the sins of the Prelates and Court Chaplains for which among others God hath cast them out to flatter and the sin of the Court that the Ministers that preached there must sing placentia speak smooth things Now far be it from such a High Court of Parliament as you who above other Parliaments are in solemne Covenant with God for Reformation Nationall Domâ—sticall Personall and have professed to engage your hearts for God and his work and from the Ministers who stand up for you and adhere to you to be faulty in the same kinde Be pleased therefore in the midst of your many great affairs which even swallow you up and by reason of which you have not time to hear and know all things concerning the State of Religion to suffer one of your daily Remembrancers to God to be Gods Remembrancer to you You have most Noble Senatours done Worthily against Papists Prelats and scandalous Ministers in casting dowe Images Altars Crucifixes throwing out Ceremonies c. but what have You done against other kinds of growing evills Heresie Schisme Disorder against Seekers Anabaptists Antinomians Brownists Libertines and other Sects You have destroyed Baal and his Priests but have you been zealous against golden Calves and the Priests of the lowest of the people are not these grown up and dayly increase under you are any effectuall meanes used against them You have made a Reformation and blessed be God who put it into your hearts to do such things but with the Reformation have we not a Deformation and worse things come in upon us then ever we had before were any of those monsters heard of heretofore which are now common among us as denying the Scriptures pleading for a Toleration of all Religions and worships yea for blasphemy and denying there is a God You have put down the Book of Common Prayer and there are many among us have put down the Scriptures slighting yea blaspheming them You have broken down Images of the Trinity Christ Virgin Mary Apostles and we have those who overthrow the Doctrine of the Trinity oppose the Divinity of Christ speak evill of the Virgin Mary sleight the Apostles You have cast out the Bishops and their Officers and we have many that cast down to the ground all Ministers in all the Reformed Churches You have cast out Ceremonies in the Sacraments as the Crosse kneeling at the Lords Supper and we have many cast out the Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper You have put down Saints dayes and we have many make nothing at all of the Lords dayes and
Lords Supper though beleevers and Saints nor their children to be baptized but onely they who are members in a Church-way 110. There is no Scripture against a mans being often baptized neither is it more unlawfull to be baptized often then to receive the Lords Supper often 111. That Christs words in the Institution of his Supper This is my body and This is my bloud are to be understood literally 112. That Christians in receiving the Lords Supper should receive with their hats on with their heads covered but the Ministers should administer it with their hats off uncovered 113. That 't is as necessary to be joyned in Church-fellowship as with Christ the Head and there 's such a necessity of entring into a Church-way as there is no expectation of salvation without it 114. That the Church of England and the Ministery thereof is Antichristian yea of the Devill and that 't is absolutely sinfull and unlawfull to hear any of their Ministers preach in their Assemblâ—es 115. That the Church of Rome was once a true Church but so was the Church of England never therefore 't is likelier the Church of Rome should be in the right in the Doctrines of Free-will universall Redemption Originall sin c. then the Church of England 116. That the calling and making of Ministers of the Word and Sacraments are not jure Divino but a Minister comes to be so as a Meâ—chant Bookseller Tailor and such like 117. That all setled certaine maintenance for Ministers of the Gospel especially that which is called Tyths is unlawfull Jewish and Antichristian 118. That Ministers of the Gospel in these dayes ought to work with their hands and to follow some calling that they may not be chargeable to the Church 119 That there ought to be no distinct order of Ministers nor no such calling of some persons distinct and separated from the people but that all men who have gifts are in their turns and courses by the appointment of the rest of the company to preach pray baptize and they are for that turn in stead of Ministers and as Ministers 120. That all dayes are a like to Christians under the new Testament and they are bound no more to the observation of the Lords day or first day of the week then to any other 121. That the Jewish Sabbath or Saturday is still to be kept by Christians for their Sabbath 122. That Christians are not bound to meet one day in seven constantly according to the manner of the Nations nor to pray and preach thus long and in this manner two or three houres according to the custome of the Nations 123. No man hath more to do to preach the Gospel then another but every man may preach the Gospel as well as any 124. That 't is lawfull for women to preach and why should they not having gifts as well as men and some of them do actually preach having great resort to them 125. 'T is a part of Christian liberty of Christians not to hear their own Ministers but to go and heare where they will and whom they think they may profit most by 126. That 't is unlawfull to worship God in places consecrated and in places where Superstition and Idolatry have been practised as in our Churches 127. That men ought to preach and exercise their gifts without study and premeditation and not to think of what they are to say till they speak because it shall be given them in that hour and the Spirit shall teach them 128. That there is no need of humane learning nor of reading Authors for Preachers but all books and learning must go down it comes from the want of the Spirit that men writ such great volumes and make such adoe of learning 129. There are some women ten or eleven in one Town or vicinity who hold it unlawfull to hear any man preach either publikely or privately because they must not be like those women in Timothy ever learning and never comming to the knowledg of the truth 2. Tim. 3.6.7 130. That t is unlawfull to preach at all sent or not sent out as in a Church-state but only thus a man may preach as a waiting Disciple that is Christians may not preach in a way of positive asserting and declaring things but all they may do is to confer reason together and dispute out things 131. That t is unlawfull for the Saints to joyn in receiving the Lords supper where any wicked men are present and that such mixt Communion doth pollute and defile them 132 'T is unlawfull for the Saints to joyn in prayer where wicked men are or to pray with any of the wicked 133. That 't is unlawfull for Christians to pray so much as privately with those though godly that are not members of a true Church but are members of the Church of England and the Assemblies thereof 134 That however conference and discourse may be had with all yet t is not lawfull to joyn in prayer or giving of thanks no not before meat with those though otherwise acknowledged Saints and godly and are members of Churches in the Church-way that aâ—e not of the same judgement and way 135. That t is not lawfull for Christians to pray at all with any others either as being the mouth in prayer or as joyning in prayer though never so godly and of their own judgements either in the publike Assemblies or in their Families unlesse such persons who prayed had an infallible spirit as the Apostles 136. That Christians are not bound to pray constantly every day at set times as morning and evening but only at such times as the Spirit moves them to it and if they finde not themselves so moved in many dayes and weeks together they ought not to pray 137. That wicked and unregenerate men ought not to pray unto God at all 138. That all singing of Psalmes as Davids or any other holy songs of Scripture is unlawfull and not to be joyned with 139. That the singing which Christians should use is that of Hymns and spirituall songs framed by themselves composed by their own gifts and that upon speciall occasions as deliverances c. sung in the Congreation by one of the Assembly all the rest being silent 140. That love-feasts or feasts of love with which the Lords Supper is to be administred also is a perpetuall ordinance of Christ at which only Church-members are to be present and to partake 141. That there is no distinction concerning Government of Ecclesiasticall and civil for all that Government which concernes the Church ought to be civill but the maintaining of that distinction is for maintaining the interests of Church-men 142. That a few private Christians as six or seven gathering themselves into a Covenant and Church-fellowship have an absolute entire power of the Keyes and all Government within themselves and are not under any authoritative power of any Classes Synods or generall Councels whatsoever they
affronts offered to this Parliament by many of the Sectaries then ever was to Parliament in England by any men who lived within their power as for instance when Lilburne was committed to prison and such a Letter was come forth in his name against the Parliament in such an open vile manner and at such a time being prisoner many of the Sectaries of Southwark met together and propounded to chuse Lilburne Burgesse for Parliament and that Lilburne after so great favour and mercy showne him by the House of Commons after so high an abuse of the honourable Speaker the honourable Committee of Examinations yea and of the whole House as discharging him of his imprisonment without either acknowledging the justice or petitioning for the mercy of the House of Commons a favour that I never heard or read of granted to any man before and that I thought had been a thing impossible ' even against the fundamentall Orders of the House for a man committed by the House upon far lesse offences without petitioning to be set free should yet set forth a book to all the world justifying himself in his former waies and point blank charge the House with being unjustly dealt with in his late imprisonment imprisoning him contrarie to the knowne and declared Lawes yea further in severall places of his book after a bold and audacious manner abusing and bringing in dangerous insinuations reflecting upon them O what unheard of Malignancies are these I And so Mr. Iohn Goodwin in a Sermon hath uttered that against the Parliament the power of it as opens a gap to all sleighting of their authoritie and power and I beleeve never was there any such speech from any before himselfe 2 The Sectaries and Malignants agree in being bitter enemies of our brethren of Scotland and of their Armies the Malignants wee know look upon them with an evill eye as the first cause of all their miserie and cannot give them a good word and all the world sees how the Sectaries hate the Scots raise and spread evill reports upon them are as thorns in their sides heavy enemies obstructing them in all places where they have power devising alwaies to be rid of them and studying what in them lies to make a breach I could tell the Reader many speeches stories of the Sectaries in this kinde in reference to our Brethren of Scotland but it needs not for they that run may read it 3. They agree in this rather to have Episcopal Government and a Toleration then a strict Presbyteriall and thorow Reformation we all know this would please Aulicus and his fellowes and I thinke I can prove from good hands and if I should name them the Sectaries would say so to that some of the prime Ministers in the way of the Sects have said That Episcopall Government and a Toleration of their way would give them content The Malignants and Sectaries agree in Independency the Malignants now turn Independents and professe they are for Independency and for this I could quote severall speeches and name some malignant Ministers and others of note who are for Independency against Presbytery but this is now so commonly known that Britanicus a man who hath done them many good offices and cryed up several of them confesses in one of his Pamphlets about a fortnight since that the Malignants are turned Independents hardly a Malignant Priest about town but is for Independency against Presbyterie Lastly The Sectaries agree with Iulian the Apostata and some other enemies of Christians in these four things 1. Iulian was a great scoffer at the Scriptures Christ and Christian Religion as Eccles. stories mention and manie of the Sectaries of our time are fearfull scoffers and mockers at all things that are good Scriptures Trinitie Christ Ministery Ordinances what not there was never a greater generation of scoffers at Religion then many of the Sectaries of our times witnesse manie printed books as Arraignment of Persecution and his fellowes the Ordinance of Tithes Dismounted besides manie scoffing bookes against the Presbyteriall Government as the two Brethrens MS. with others of that kinde 2. Iulian was a great enemy to the learning of Christians used all means to overthrow learning so do manie Sectaries in our time 3. He attempted to get the Militia out of the hands of the Orthodox Christians as Theodoret in his Eccles. Historie relateth and the Sectaries have and do use all meanes within their power to get the Militia out of the hands of the Orthodox into their hands solely of which I could tell tales 4 Iulian was the great patron of Toleration for all Sects Donatists Arians Eunomians he was the great man for libertas perditionis as Augustine calls it the Donatists fled to him hee gave them publike liberty of Churches hee called backe from banishment Aetius the great leader of the Eunomian heresie and whether all the sects are not agreed with him in that as also with Valens another wicked Emperour who was for Toleration of all but the Orthodox I leave to their own consciences to determine And as I have made a Parallel between the Sectaries of our time and the Donatiâ—ts Jesuits c. so I might now at large show in all the fore-named particulars an Antithesis and Dissimilitude betweene the godly Orthodox Presbyterians and the Donatists Jesuits Arminians Prelates c. but I dare not enter into it for feare my book be too voluminous having already exceeded that proportion which I at first intended when I began it all I shall do then in point of parallel is but to hint a few things which I desire the Reader well to observe of the difference in the carriage and behaviour these foure yeares last past all along of the Presbyterians both to the Honourable Houses and the Sectaries and of the Sectaries to the Parliament and the Presbyterians and for the truth of what I say I dare appeal to all the world yea and to the consciences of many sectaries themselves Though the Presbyterian party from the beginning of the differences between the King and Parliament among those who professe to stand for Reformation and for the Parliament hath been and still is without all compare the greater part of both Kingdomes the body of both Assemblies and Ministers the body of the people in Cities and Countries especially of persons eminent in place and quality yea and the Parliaments too of the Parliament of Scotland there 's no question the Parliament of England also after advice had with the Assembly hath declared for Presbytery having voted and formed into Orders Directions and Ordinances severall parts and pieces of Presbyteriall Government yet for all this have not the Presbyterians taken upon them to set up the Government in that manner and way as they conceive and judge to be most agreeable to the word drawing in the people with them but have waited upon the Parliament all this while for the setling of the Church
at Martins near White-Hall told me that lately since my Book came forth he preaching in a Sermon against sin and the Divell a woman on the morrow came to him a Nurse-keeper dwelling in Clare street and questioned with him about his Sermon asking him his grounds for speaking of sin and the Divell the Minister brought some places of Scripture shee sleighted the Scriptures and denied there was any such thing as sin or Hell or the Divell or temptation or the holy Ghost or Scriptures shee said all the Hell that was was the darknesse of the night she denied that to kill a man to commit adultery or steale a mans goods was sin and the Minister asking her what do you make your self shee answered two severall times I am that I am All this and a great deal more was related to me by the Minister who as he said had acqainted an Earle with it and many others and I spake with one Citizen who heard this Relation from him and he promised to give it me at large in writing under his hand Tuesday March 17. on the day that a Committee of Lords and Commons came down to Guild-Hall to the Common-Councell concerning their late Petition many Sectaries from all parts of the City and Suburbs came to Guild-Hall where from about four a clock till about nine the Sectaries in severall companies and knots in the Hall 30.40 and more in some companies vented boldly and pleaded for all sorts of opinions the Antinomian opinions the Anabaptisticall opinions c. pleading for a generall Toleration of all Sects yea some maintained that no immortall spirit could sin or be capable of sin and it being objected what say you to the Divels they denied the Divels ever sinned or could sin many other horrid opinions were maintained at the same time so that 't is beleeved that never since Guild-Hall was built there was so much wickednesse and errour broacht and maintained openly in it as at that time Among many godly orthodox Christians who were at that time in Guild-Hall and opposed the Sectaries in their pleading thus for all Errours and a generall Tolleration there was one godly Citizen who told me this story of himsef that he reasoning with severall of the Sectaries against their opinions and against a Toleration the next day being the eighteenth of March an Independent Wollen Draper to whom he had workt almost twenty years took away his work from him and said he should have no more work of his because the night before this Citizen had argued against Independency saying it was a Schisme whereupon this Citizen dealt plainly with this Wollen-Draper and told him Sir will you put me by my work which is my living for my conscience is not this Persecution will you have your consciences and shall not we enjoy ours would you be tolerated and will not you tolerate us On the ninteenth of March a Pamphlet called The last warning to all the Inbitants of the Citie of London came abroad in Print which Pamphlet speaks against all Kingly government receiving the King in again and against all established Ecclesiasticall government besides many other dangerous passages in it Now this Book was spread abroad and dispersed up and down by Sectaries as for instance one Samuel Fulcher an Egge-man rebaptized by one Crab a Felt-maker was the 21. day of March examined before a Justice of Peace for spreading this Book call'd the last warning to London and confessed he had sold six or seven of them One Overton an Independent Book-seller and a member of Mr. Iohn Goodwins Church or his man for him sold many of them to severall persons as I can prove One Calvert a Sectary and a Book-seller on Ludgate-hill sold and dispersed many of these Books and so one Barber an Anabaptist boasted two dayes after the Book came forth naming this Pamphlet that there was a Book come forth had cut the legs of the Presbyterian government and asked a Citizen if he had not seen it In Nâ—rthampton-shire a great Sectary and a chief servant to a Knight of that Country would not keep the day of Thanksgiving for the Victory at Naseby but was so far from keeping it himself that he would not suffer the Knights tenants to keep it or to go to Church but made them carry dung all day as I have been informed from one who knows it certainly but what do I relating one instance when as 't is notorious that many of the Sectaries Mr. Goodwins and Mr. Saltmarshes Saints keep not at all neither dayes of publike Thanksgivings nor of publike Fasts but do all kind of sâ—rvile work and worldly businesses on those dayes yea on the publike Fast dayes feast and are eating of rost meat and good chear when Gods Saints and servants are humbling and afflicting their souls ☞ There is an Independent Minister who lives in London as I have it from two sufficient witnesses that heard it said that the Scots coming into England would hinder the Reformation of Religion here and that if he had been in England at that time when the Scots came first in he would have preached to have stird up the people against them either not to have suffered them to come in or being come in to have beat them out ☞ The same Minister discoursing and reasoning about the Church way it was answered to him by a Citizen that if it were set up in London the Independents could not expect above a twentieth part should be for it and what should become of all other people this Independent Minister replied it was no matter what became of them though they turned Mahumetans so the Church of Christ might prosper A godly Minister who came out of Essex related to me not long since that Oates was now preaching in that Country and had been there about sixe weeks sometimes keeping his Randevouze at one Town sometimes at another sometimes at Tarling sometimes at Bocking sometimes at Braintry and other places and that many loose persons of the Country follow him he preaching besides his Anabaptisticall opinions the Arminian points and this Minister spake it upon his knowledge that notorious Whoremongers and Drunkards follow him such as have been convicted by witnesses and taken notice of by the Country and are such still yet go after him where he preaches from place to place There are two Gentlemen of the Inns of Court civil and well disposed men who out of novelty went to hear the women preach and after Mistris Attaway the Lace-woman had finished her exercise these two Gentlemen had some discourse with her and among other passages she spake to them of Master Miltonâ— Doctrine of Divorce and asked them what they thought of it saying it was a point to be considered of and that she for her part would look more into it for she had an unsanctified husband that did not walk in the way of Sion nor speak the language of Canaan and how accordingly she hath practised
but saith to this purpose How could hee say so for he should contradict himselfe in other things which he hath said and holds But to that I answer 'T is no new thing for such men as he to say and unsay affirme and deny according to the companies they come in and advantages they think they have Fourthly To that which I relate of him concerning those expressions of his We might not say God the Father God the Sonne God the holy Ghost he makes some shuffling Answer but I reply he spake so and I can produce good proof of that and all the rest If a Committee of Parliament shall be pleased to take notice of it and send for this Web and proceed against him upon proof I am ready to produce witnesses and upon his owne confession and those witnesses to make proofe Onely I desire the Reader to take good notice of one expression in his Answer to this head which shewes the ignorance both of him and Bachiler in the very principles of Religion and is not Bachiler a fit man in such a Kingdome as this to bee a Licenser of Divinitie Bookes and Controversies who besides that hee is no Minister nor well studied man is such an Ignoramus as this clearely discovers him to bee Web saying hee acknowledges the Trinitie the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost hath these words That hee acknowledges the Father is the Sonne and the Holy Ghost and to that purpose whereas wee are taught from the Scriptures by all Orthodox Divines that though everie Person be God as the Father is God the Son is God and the Holy Ghost is God yet the Father is not the Son nor the Father is not the Holy Ghost nor the Son the Father nor the Holy Ghost Now Bachiler passes this and though he mended many other passages in Webs Answer putting in words in some places blotting out words and changing some expressions for others yet hee let this passe without any correction or note upon it which no man can conceive to proceed from any thing else but profound ignorance And that the Reader may know I speak these things upon good ground I perused this Answer after it was licensed with Master Bachilers hand and compared the hand of Imprimatur Iohn Bachiler with the hand where other words were put in and found it the same hand and writ out with my hand severall amendments made by Iohn Bachiler which I have by mee in writing and then subscribed my hand under them with the day of the month when I extracted them out of the Originall Copie and one being with mee who was a witnesse of all this I also intreated his hand to attest it which hee willingly did all which I can produce to satisfie any man who desires it And for the winding up of all I have to say by way of Reply to Mr. Saltmarsh Mr. Goodwine c. in vindication of my Gangraena by this time the Reader may see what to thinke if among so many hundred particulars which are laid downe by me of Errours Heresies Blasphemies Stories c. with so much variety such a venemous virulent man picking and chusing catching and snatching having Intelligence and great resort to him from Sectaries of all sorts and out of severall parts as Essex Kent c. could yet finde so few things to question in Gangraena which yet also are justified and made good what must the whole body of the Booke be which is not so much as touched either by Cretensis or any of the rest And that which alone may satisfie any rationall man that there is too much truth in Gangraena is this that I have never been called in question to make the things good I have beene informed from good hands that some of the Sectaries have had meetings consultations and severall debates about my Book what to doe in it whether to complaine or what else and I am confident if they were not afraid that things would bee found too true and very foule and upon the through examination might hazzard the danger of bringing an old house upon their heads and the punishing of many they would before this time have tried all their friends and party to see what they could have done against mee Having finished my Reply to Cretensis Master Saltmarsh and Master Walwin as before it I gave the Reader a fresh and farther Discoverie of Errours Heresies Practices of the Sectaries So I shall finish this book with matters of that kind laying downe more Errours Heresies Blasphemies Stories Letters concerning the Sectaries concluding all with a few Corollaries drawne from the whole Book And first I shall add other dangerous Errours come lately to my hand and so the first of these Errours in this latter part of my Book is the 23 Errour 23. That Saints are justified by the essentiall righteousnesse of God and not by Christs obedience For the full proofe of this I will give the Reader verbatim to a tittle a passage taken out of a Letter written by a godly Minister in Bristoll to a godly Minister here in London wherein this Minister writing to his friends that things are prettie well here and speaking of his owne preaching there saith One of the greatest rubs in the Towne is the brâ—aching of a mad errour concerning the justification of Saints by the essentiall righteousnesse of God and not by Christs obedience which some do hold and expresse with a world of vanitie and contempt of Christ. Andreas Osiander an acute and great Divine who lived in Luthers time held such an Errour though not expressed with that vanitie and contempt of Christ as these Sectaries do now concerning which opinion of Osiander and the great abilities that were in him and his way of managing that and other opinions Schollars may be further satisfied by reading Osianders life written by Melchior Adamus and Schlusselburgius in his Catalogue of Heretikes De Secta Osiandrist 24. When either of the parties married is asleepe the other is free of the bond of matrimony sleep being in a kind naturall death for the time and by death the bond of matrimony is null so that if a woman should have to do with any other man her husband being asleep she committeth not adulterie 25. That the Apocrypha Books and particularly the Book of Esdras are Canonicall and the Scriptures as well as the Canonicall Books generally owned by all to be Scripture 26. That the people of God are a free people and what they do they should do freely and voluntarily and not be assessed and rated by the Parliament compelled to pay rate upon rate assessment upon assessment 27. That the Saints and Beleevers who have husbands or wives that are unbeleevers they may put them away and take others because God gave wives to be a meet help and the Saints are to proceed to cast of all Antichristian yoaks a chiefe whereof are unequall marriages 28. That sin is but a shadow 29. The promises
conceits That there is a Prophet arisen who is shut up for a time but at the end of this Summer is to come forth with power to preach the generall Restauration of all things which Prophet hath given a roll forth already into some hands in which roll many things are written and whoever hath that roll hath the spirit of prophecie He hath appointed some to be Publishers and Prophets and to go to Jerusalem to build it up where Abraham Isaac and Iacob shall meet them from Heaven and these persons thus sent unto Jerusalem are assured they shall never dye with many other of this kind But I will reserve these to make another book of and come to give the Reader some Corallaries drawn from the whole matter Certain Corallaries and Consectaries drawn from the Errours Heresies Blasphemies Practices and Stories of the Sectaries laid down in this present Book CORALL I. HEnce then from all these Errours Heresies Blasphemies Practices c. laid downe both in the first and second part of Gangraena we may see how far the Sectaries of our times have proceeded and how high they have risen In a word to summe up in one page what more at large is expressed in many sheets the Sectaries are gone verie farre both in damnable doctrines and wicked practices in holding principles and positions destructive to Church and State against all Government both Civill as well as Ecclesiasticall and that not only for the matter but in the 〈◊〉 and way of propagation and 〈◊〉 of them They have questioned and denyed all the Articles of faith and have justified and pleaded for all kind of errours and abominations They have denyed the Scriptures Trinitie the God-head of the Son and Holy Ghost Justification by Christ the Gospel Law holy duties Church Ministerie Sacraments and all Ordinances They hold there are no Devils no sin no Hell no Heaven no Resurrection no Immortalitie of the Soule And together with these they are against all Kingly government the King Lords the House of Commons as to have any thing to do in matters of Religion or in Civill matters any longer than the people who chose them think fit and to be chosen yeerly or ofâ—ner according as they carrie themselves yea against all kind of Civill government and Magistraticall power whatsoever as appeares by denying the power of imposition of taxes and assessments in denying the power of Magistrates over Church-members in cases of murther treason c. And as they have denyed all these so on the contrarie they have maintained and pleaded for all kind of blasphemous and hereticall opinions and loose ungodly practices yea they have publikely in print justified there should be an open Toleration for all these and if any man should so far degenerate as to beleeve there is no God nay come to blâ—spheme God and the Scriptures yet hee should not be troubled nor molested but enjoy the libertie of his conscience And they have not only pleaded thus but some of them have actually blasphemed God Christ the Spirit the Scriptures Ministers Sacraments and all holy Ordinances besides committing of horrible uncleannesses forsaking of husbands and wives as Antichristian being guiltie of thefts defraudings c. being partakers also of that horrid Rebellion of Ireland in justifying the Rebels that they did no more than what wee would have done our selves c. All these with many others as the pleading for stage-playes to be set up againe some or other of the Sectaries have been guiltie of and unto all these have added this moreover to canonize and cry up for Saints faithfull servants of God c. Antiscripturists Antitrinitarians Arrians Perfectists yea Blasphemers and Atheist â—o they be but for Independencie and against Presbyterie and particularly how is Paul Bâ—st that fearfull Blasphemer now he is in question by the House of Commons pleaded for by many Sectaries of our times and bitter speeches spoken against the House of Commons for medling with him yea and in print too hee is pleaded for and compared in a sort with Paul the Apostle Certainly neither we nor our Fathers before us ever heard or saw such evils of blasphemie heresie c. in this Kingdome as wee have done within these two or three last yeeres The worst of the Bishops and their Chaplains when they were at worst were Saints in comparison of many of the Sectaries of our times and would have abhorred as bad as they were such opinions and practices which some of the Sectaries magnifie cry up and pretend to do by vertue of new light the Spirit and as a matter of great perfection as for instance A mans or womans forsaking their owne husbands and wives and taking others at their pleasure out of pretence of casting off Antichristian yokes the pleading for a general Toleration of all Religions yea Blasphemies denying a Deitie out of pretence of libertie of conscience But what speak I of the Bishops and their Chaplains I am perswaded all the stories and relations of the Anabaptists and Schwenkfeldians in Luthers time of the Popes and Papists blasphemies of many Heathens and scoffers of the Scriptures Christian Religion as Galen Porphirius Lucian Iulian the Apostate c. do fall short of the blasphemies waies of our Sectaries Which of all these ever so blasphemed as Boggis or what storie is there since the creation of the world that mentions a more horrid wicked blasphemy than that of Boggis a great Sectarie pag. 133 134 135 Or where is there a blasphemy to be found beyond that spoken of in pag. 116 of this Book In a word to conclude this first Corollatie The Sectaries of our times have in many respects as in regard of breach of Covenant ingratitude falsnesse c. gone beyond the Sectaries of other ages and Kingdomes and done worse than their fathers justifying them in all their abominations which they committed and have vented and spread so many poysonous and dangerous principles and positions as are enough to corrupt and infect all the Christian world if the Lord in mercie do not prevent it CORALL II. HEnce then from all that I have laid down of the Sectaries of our times of their errours heresies blasphemies strange practices and their wayes of managing them we may learne what is like to become of them and their way and what their end will be namely confusion desolation and being brought to nought suddenly as in a moment and if ever God spake by me I am confident he will curse this Faction of Sectaries in England and cast them out as an abominable branch Me thinks I see their day a coming and drawing neere Heretikes and Schismatikes do not use to be long-lived no heresie as Luther speaks uses to overcome at the last What is become of the Arrians Donatists Novatians Pelagians c though they were like a mightie floud over-running and drowning all for a time yet like a floud they