A Plain AND FAITHFVLL DISCOVERY OF A BEAME In Master EDWARDS his Eye OR A MODERATE ANSVVER to the substance of the first and second part of Gangrena Especially to his Prophesie Wherein some of his stories are refuted The manner of his comming by them questioned His double dealing detected Capt. Paul Hobson with some others Vindicated Mr. Josiah Rycraft Examined Mr. Edwards unparraleld partiallity is impartially declared And his Prophesie truly reflected By EDWARD DRAPES JER 5.30 31 A wonderfull and horrible thing is committed in the land The Prophets prophesie falsely and the Priests beare rule by their meanes and my People love to have it so And what will ye doe in the end thereof Matth. 7.3 4 5 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brothers eye but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye Or how wilt thou say to thy brother Let me pull out the mote out of thy eye and behold a beam is in thine own eye Thou hipocrite first cast out the beam out of thine own eye And then shalt thou see clearely to cast out the mote out of thy brothers eye Printed And are to be sold by William Larner at his shop at the signe of the Blackmore in Bishops-gate-streete 1646. To the Impartiall Reader HAD not truth been more engaged in this following discourse then my selfe I should have rejoyced in the continuing of my accustomed silence But seeing Master Edwards Goliah like comming forth defying the Hoasts of the living God licentiously assuming to stamp the Superscription of truth upon those many Apocryphall stories faigned tales and forged relations contained in his Gangrena strengthning the hands of the wicked and sadning the hearts of the Godly and yet notwithstanding crying out with great zeale the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord. For Sions sake I could â—o longer hold my peace but was constrained within me to present this insuing search of a Pharisaical spirit and an infectious Gangrena that is so much justified by her Children to thy serious perusall and judicious consideration that if thy judgement hath been captivated to give credit to it it may at length be rectified Or if thou art yet in doubt not daring like a wise man to passe censâ—re before thou hast heard what the accused can say for thâ—msevles I hope through the blessing of God what I have written will prove satisfactory to thee and be a light to regulate thy judgement by whose information according to my own knowledge is my endevour which I have prosecuted not with words to delight thy eare but to profit thy inward man I love to please no man beyond and yet all so farre as may tend to their edification Plain dealing without the least flattery is the true language of a faithfull friend that is like the oyle that doth not make but heale wounds The derision and reproaches of unreasonable men is my expectation However I doubt not but that truth which commands me to write will secure me and cause thee to accept it though rejected by others and me patiently to undergoe any thing for it and learne me to blesse them that curse me and pray for them that dispitefully use me It was not my thoughts to answer all his stories being a work impossible for any one man except he had the knowledge of the whole proceedings of every one of them from the beginning to the ending of them but rather to shew the untruth of those stories I had knowledge of and the strange pharasaical oversight of Mr. Edwards his dwelling so much a broad and so litle at home that so by some fruits thou maiest the better judge of the whole Tree Some things M. Edwards chargeth Captain Hobson with concerning his doctrine which I have not particularly replyed to because I heare it will be abroad before long to speake for it selfe Reader one thing I crave at thy hands that thou wilt reade seriously judge faithfully not with a criticall eye but with a judicious heart and reprove me wherein I doe a misse charitably so shalt thou truly engage him to thee that loves thee in the truth and the truth as it is in Jesus Edward Drapes A Plain and faithfull discovery of A BEAM IN Master Edwards his Eye IT is very remarkeable that wheÌ„ the woman was in the wildernes the Serpent cast out of his mouthwater as a floud after the woman that he might cause her to be carryed away of the floud Rev. 12.14 15. The condition of the Saints in this world is most commonly very low for while they are here they are not at home but wandring up and down seeking an honourable Country dignifyed with immutable glory but in the time of â—hi their voyage to that eternall Canaan Sathan through his inveterate hatred casts out of his mouth flouds of water viz. reviling accusations oprobious scandals horrid reproaches and scorching persecutions that if possible he may destroy them For the end of all his motions whether secret or more open is the Saints ruine For the effecting of which Design he hath many instruments great Pollititians instilling into them Lessons full of blood that when they seem most to smile then is the greatest mischiefe by them intended when Sathan transformes himselfe into an Angell of Light then is most danger when he intended to deceive our first Parents he told them that they should be wise even like unto God when he perswades men to kill the Saints he tels them they shall doe God good service he suits his actions to the Saints conditions if they appeare to be but few weake or fearefull he sets upon them in the open field withall his might and power to suppresse them if he findes them too strong for him in the mountaines he will assault them in the valleys if open force prevaile not he will take another course he will disguise himelfe The Woolfe doth most harm when in sheepes cloathing Sathan hurts most when he comes under the veile of piety Learning and rich rewards to ensnare pore men the Snake lyes hid oft-times in the grasse Sathan Antichrist that man of siâ— oftenlye lurking many in Books Pulpits Sermons Fasts legall conformityes and so are â—onveyed into the hearts and spirits of men like poyson in a Cup of wine since my eyes was through the power of God a little opened I have discerned something of the Mystery of iniquity yet working and that in many mens writings but I can trulâ— say I never saw more in any one then in M. Edwards his Gangrenâ— both first and second part the Streames of which are surely Wormewood all the waters thereof bitter and the Fountain I feare Gall The whole Discourse foames forth big swelling words and proud waves threatning the suddaine and inevitable ruine of many Saints veil'd with the name of Schismat qu s Sectaryes H retiques and Blasphemers reproachfull tearms as old as Antichrist wâ—o was the first author and inventer of them and is the
desire he would sit down a little while and consider what the Words of our Saviour meaneth and faithfully apply the same Math 7. ver 1.2 3 4 5. and see whether there is not spirituall abominations set up in high places amongst them Whether there is not darknes that may be felt amongst them Whether a spirit of Pride and Prelacy rules not even in them who love the name oh that they had the nature of Diâ—ines Who extols themselves more then the Presbyterians Who makes so much â—oast of their wit wisdome pyety learning reading writing reasoning as they esteeming all Ideots Dunces and Fooles but themselves as if with and in them and not in Iesus was the treasures of wisdome and knowledge centred If this be not true let some man if he can tell me what the meaning is of their strange Petitions invective Sermons rancorus Discourses malâ—ciouâ— Treâ—tises bitter threats and endeavours to silence the mouthes of Lay men as they term them from declaring the sweet injoyments of the transcendant excellencies of their beloved of their God of their King and of their Iesus communicated to them rayling against them with reviling villifying speeches calling them disgracefully illiterate mechanicke Taylors Pedlers Tinkers Coblers and the like carnally supposing so far as I am able to spell their meaning the gifts of the spirit to be centred in and confined to the members of an Vnâ—versity to humane learning naturall education acquired parts the like forgetting that it is the usuall method of God to invite the simple into Wisdomes Palaces and to cause the weake and despised things of this world to confound the wise even shutting it out of their thoughts or at least out of their mouthes that God hath chosen the weake things of the world to confound the things which are mighty and base things of the world and things whâ—ch are dâ—spised and things which are not to bring to nought things that are that no flesh should glory in his presence 1. Cor. 1.25 26 27 28 29. Surely did they consider it they would not so glory in the flesh as they do in their parts learning abilities but rather in the Lord. Who can see their spirits and not see arrogancy in its heigth Who endeavours plots studies to be reverenced of all to have the chiefe place at Feasts the highest place in their Churches and to be called Rabbies Doctors Divines like unto them If a spirit of pride may be seen in endeavouring to bâ—ing all People high and low rich and pore Rulers and ruled under the yokes of their own opinions in pain of Anathema Maranatha savours of Pride how will they free themselves from such a spirit If they imagine they can let them tell me what they mean by prescribing Lawes Ordinances Censures for them over whom Christ hath given them no power What do they intend by their pronouncing judgement and vengeance upon those that dissent from them By their exclaiming upon the Parliament for not heatiâ—g a furnace seven times with hot scorching persecution to destroy many of Christs tender Lâ—mbes For not being their executioners If to incense a Parliament against an honest People their tryed Servants if to be jealous of speake against and cunningly insinuate a disaffection in many against a Parliament and the faithfull instruments of Englands present deliverance If to sit down in the throne of Christ if to take his Scepter out out of his hands his Crown off his head If to despise trample upon and abase his membeâ—s savours of pride and arroggancy and pride and arrogancy is a certaine symptom of present distinction as M. Edwards sayth Oh then what a condition are â—he Preâ—byâ—erians in But I passe to his second Symptome 2. The second Symp ome of the Sectaryes ruin and destruction for so he feares not to call the wor shippers of the living â—od is their v olent presecution of their wayes and causes What he may meane by their wayes and causes it is very ambiguous If by wayes and causes he mean their constant endeavours of subduing the Kingdoms Enemies In which Cause he makes the world believe so many of them are interested then I confesse they have made haste though not more haste then good speed through the power of God have done that in a few Monthes which others have not done in yeares Now if their violence in promoting the Kingdomes peace in purchasing the liberty of free born Subjects in hasting an end to the warres and heavy taxes that for the present are necessarily imposed upon the Kingdome be the violence he meanes which portends their destruction then am I verily perswaded there is some cunning underhand plotting contriving and conspiring their speedy ruin which himselfe is an agent or factor in which he assumes to himselfe as the ground of his Prophesy But is there no remedy but they must dye who under God have been the instruments that he and his bretheren live Pore souldiers that have adventured their lives lest their estates hazarded their utter ruin for them even to the expence of much treasure and the losse of much precious bloud when they might justly expect to be received and entertained in great triumph M. Edwards himselfe singing before them and blessing God for them they can hope for little else then a bloudy reward of all their labours Or if he mean their Cause to be their contending for the speedy solemnization of a happy marriage between Truth and Peace that these Kingdomes may be blessed in their sweet embraceings each of other their praying for it their preach ng writing and contending for it by no other Sword then that of the Spirit to be their violence I acknowledge such a cause and such a violence I am willing to own who ever condemnes me for it But if he meane by their wayes error Heresie schisme as it is probable and by their violence their constant endeavours to prosecâ—te their errors c. I will not deny but some may stand up for errour in stead of truth but that he should charge all thus is unreasonable I wish he would deale ingeniously and tell me whether he believeth they know those things to be error heresie and schisme which they prosecute or not if they doe not will nothing expiate a crime of ignorance but by the absolute ruine of the offender If it be so who could remain alive If the Independants are guilty of their thousand errors sure I am the Presbyters are guilty of their ten thousands and for the manner of he prosecution of these wayes if the Independants use Wh ps I am sure the Pr sbyterians use Scorpions I could tell the world of many wayes and designes of heirs of their great huge vast endeavours to set themselves on high I could tell how l ke Diotrephes they seeke preheminence above their Bretheren I could al 's decla e how violently they carry on this their Design like Iehu they d vâ—f rioâ—sly wi h
with policy tricks and the like If â—o plead Christ the Apostles and the Scriptures for their practise be to manage it with tricks he sayes true else how he will vindicate the truth of that which he hath said as yet appeares not unto mâ— but I desâ— he and his bretheren would look at home and consider what way of God it is for poor decevable men to make Canons Lawes Ordinances as Iron bonds to bind the consciences of those that differ from there in what is their Ordination by Bishops is that the way of God They will tell us their Ordination is good because they received it not from the Bishops as Bishops but as Presbyters who shifts now What mental reservation evasion and equivocation is this Is not this a trick of tricks The Ordination by the Pope by the same argument may be pleaded for he is a Presbyter too What is their maintenance by Tythes Oblations and Obventions forced from all sorts of men the way of God Is this Jure divino If they say so I desire they would prove it if they plead Jure humano as that seemes to be their strongest staffe then it is but mans way What say they to their Parochiall Classicall Provinciall and Nationall Assemblies be those Jure divino Is thus to manage their presbytery mans way or Gods way Surely these are not the waies of God but of man like Nebuchadnezzas lovely Image excellent for brightnesse terible for forme whose head is gold whose brest and armes Silver his belly and thighs of brasse his legs of Iron his feet part of Iron and part of clay is not their government a meere composition of gold silver brasse Iron and clay But see the event of the Image Dan. 2.35 39. When will the Assembly answer the Questions propounded by the Parliament I feare some tricks and shifts now 2. He saith many that know not what Independency is are sticklers for it and would not be tyed to it Oh when will he see the beame in Presbyteries eye Let him but reflect look back and seriously ask his owne soule the question whether Presbytery is not guilty and that in a higher degree of that which he chargeth Independency Let him look into his large Church I meane the Nationall the Mother or into the Parochiall her Daughters and see whether he will not find ignorance darknesse grosse ignorance darknesse that may be felt among many of their assemblies doe they all know what Presbytery is if they doe I think they know more then their teachers how often have many of them complâ—ined of the ignorance of their parishioners But to dishonour the Independents they are made Saints wise men in a moment how many amongst them have their Religion yet to choose waiting for the knowledge of what Religion the Assembly hath or wil set up Which when they shall do if they adheare to their principles and excommunicate all the profane and grosse ignorant among them they will fill the Kingdome with combustion and people will shortly as ill indure their Tyranicall Judicâ—tures and sensures as they did the High Commission and Sar-chamber of late 3. He affirmeth Independency to be a faction in that all other errors and Sectaries are suffered pleaded for dealt gently with are freely suffered to grow increase no way taken to suppresse them their Books Licensed I am sorry to see so much envy hatred mallice appeare against the Parliament as doth in this and many other passages of the Gangrena and all because they cannot fulfill a malignant humour that is so much predominate in his Spirit even to the distruction of those whose conversations parts piety and sound judgments are not inferior to any He that runs may read envy in his spirit how angry is he that any are Licensed to speaketh their owne defence to wipe of that dirt he hath indeavoured to besmear their faces withall a priviledge that Heathens allow as the Priests would not let the Scriptures be in English lest the people sh uld understand their wickednesse so many Presbyterians now are extreame unwilling that the presse should be open for all leâ—t their folly should be laid open and their mouths stopped and so not only their craft should be in danger to be set at nought but also that their Temple of the great goddesse Diana should be d sâ—ised and her magnifence be distroyed whom the world wonders after and worships If M. Edwards or his brethren could once monopolize Printing and Licensing into their owne hands that nothing might be Licensed nor Printed but that which may tend to the advancement of their pompe then might all those tales and stories lyes and libells forgeries quaint fictions and bold malitious inventions of which the Gangrena is compounded passe for currant coyne in the Presbyterian judgment and that by the Authority of Imprimatur James Cranford will they never be contented that others should have the same priviledge as they themselves have Are not the Presbyterians suffered Erastians Ridged Presbyterians and the like When will they be contented to obey and be Subjects will nothing content them but Rule Dominion and Lord ship Had the Prelaticall nature as well as name been suppressed wee had not had this day any such spirit in the Kingdome 4 He saith that it appeares to be a faction in that these sorts of men come into it 1 Needy and broken men 2. Guilty and suspitious men 3. Some who have businesse depending that they may be sooner dispatched 4. Ambitious proud covetous men 5. Libertines loose persons 6. All wanton wicked unstable Heretiques and 7. Such as would not have peace loose Offi es c. 8. And Many discontented in their Churches If the confluence of all these will prove Independency a faction much more will it prove Presbyterie one for first it appeares their Church is compounded of such and that by his owne words that say they come from them 2. All these sorts of persons are yet with them how many men broken and needy are with them and it may be honest men too for all that How many guilty amongst them witnesse Hunscot and others Is there none in their third place that hath businesse depending who are with them Even those that one while was for Prelaticall are they not now for Presbyteriall government Surely they they cannot yet forget who had and hath a fine designe that went from Oxford to them 4. I have already shewed there are ambitious proud men amongst them and who more covetous then they Doe they not make it an ordinary thing to forsake one a second yea a third leaving two for a greater Doe they not preach for lucre sake what savour hath ten shillings twenty shillings for a Wedding Christning Funerall Sermon surely covetousnesse in a high degree Have they not heard of the great Presbyterian Minister at Riâ—hmond that when a dead corps was buried in his parish because the man that had formerly relation to it gave