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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	believe_v	hear_v	know_v	2,139	5	3.5110	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A95897	The schismatick sifted. Or, The picture of Independents, freshly and fairly washt-over again. Wherein, the sectaries of these times (I mean, the principall seducers to that dangerous and subtile schisme of Independency) are with their own proper pensils, and self-mixed colours, most lively set forth to be a generation of notorious dissemblers and sly deceivers. Collected (for the most part) from undeniable testimonies under their own hands, in print; for the more fair and full satisfaction, and undeceiving of moderate and much misled Christians; especially by the outward appearance of their piety of life, and a pretence of their preaching sound-doctrine. / By John Vicars.	Vicars, John, 1579 or 80-1652.	1646 (1646)	Wing V326; Thomason E341_8; ESTC R200902	40,154	51

Scripture Revelation of some rare Truth of God not formerly known but a meere conceit yea a plain deceit ô then presently I say our Independents call and count us as my selfe heard Master Burroughs deliver such an expression in one of his Lectures at Michaels in Corn-hill Carnall and prophane Presbyterians Grievers and despisers of the Saints and Godly party forsooth and contemners of the gifts of the Spirit whereas indeed there is no such thing in them but they most palpable and impudent impostors And thus the Lord knows they goe about deceiving and being deceived and truly Hinc illae lachrima Heer 's the source the rice and originall of all these unhappie and unholy jars and divisions between us They are so nimble and quick-sighted in apprehension of New-Lights and we are so dull and obtuse if they will have it so and hard of belief to be led or rather misled by them as not being able to discerne so much out of Gods Word Till when we shall ever question and quarrell at this novell and vain device of theirs But again our Independents have one trick more at least to put us Object 2 finely off from our just objurgations with them and accusations of them concerning their most dangerous and damnable errours now adayes broacht by them and brag'd of among them viz. That wee are too uncharitable in thus upbraiding the Saints with their infirmities forsooth yea and as I touch'd before in laying the failings and slips of onely the Retrimentitious Partie as Master Iohn Goodwin terms them as before that is in plain English the excrements or dregs of Sectaries Independents Anabaptists and such like Where first Answer 2 take notice good Reader by way of reply hereunto in generall that Master Iohn Goodwin confesses there is a Retrimentitious or Excrementall-Partie among his Saints Secondly That he calls and counts their dangerous damnable and blasphemous Errours with the rest of their foul impieties but sins of infirmity But more particularly to the first I briefly answer That as I have sufficiently made it clear all along in this Treatise they are not onely the Retrimentitious-Partie of their Independent Saints that deale thus dangerously and deceitfully with us but the very best and bravest yea seemingly gravest Grandees of them all Secondly Is not Master Iohn Goodwin or any of the rest of them ashamed to call such abusive and abominable Errours and such foul and frequent facts of impiety as they are too justly taxed with and found guilty of Sins onely of infirmity Can he or they make us beleeve that they know not how to distinguish between Sins of weaknesse or infirmity and Reigning-sins Church-disgracing and conscience-wounding abominations For my part I conceive under correction sins of infirmity are such as are committed either ignorantly or if knowingly yet fearfully and with much reluctation of spirit seldom and that with much vehement repentance and godly sorrow after conviction with purpose and bent of heart by Gods grace to be more watch full against them for the future and such like As for Reigning-sins I conceive them to be sins committed or acted knowingly affectedly promeditately resolutely constantly or frequently and familiarly against all evidences of conviction or exhortation against them yea and so far from repentance for them as to justifie them and rejoyce and boast in them together with such like other sad symptomes thereof Now whether very many of our profest Independents embrace or act their dangerous Errours lying double dealing and the like as aforesaid in the former or in the latter capacity or condition as sins of weaknesse or of wilfulnesse and affected obstinacy I leave themselves to judge and faithfully to examine their own hearts and consciences for to their own Master they stand or fall And to all others also who impartially observe and take notice of their carriage and conversation especially upon serious consideration of those Characters of a true Saint which I have faithfully fore-mentioned to them all that I will for my part say herein is to tell you my strong fears that in regard of the premises I cannot but greatly suspect and doubt in the latter capacity I say very many of them so proud so pragmaticall so insolent and obstinate are they in a most ungrounded defence of their evils and errours And on these grounds I must confesse I cannot judge more tenderly of them And again I say in yet more full answer to this Objection How dare any of them call or account any the seeming least of their Errours small-sins or no-sins being against the eternall truth of our most pure Object 3 and holy God And whereas in the last place they cry out against us and tax us not onely of want of charity but asperse us with plain impiety for urging against them and accusing them openly or inprint of their foul offences and openly taught and maintained dangerous Errours Schismes and Enormities and of their damnable Doctrines and Opinions I say and will avouch and maintain it That our work and way herein is both holy honest and warrantable from the word it self And particularly from that of the Apostle Paul Who Answ 3 himselfe tels us that When Peter who at that time seemed a Pillar of Gods house the Church did that which was worthy of blame and that openly to the prejudice and so and all of Gods people and Cause This blessed Apostle I say tels us That he withstood Peter and rebuked him even to his face for his dissimulation and for being a means thereby to ensnare Barnabas also into the same foule fault with him Even the very same whereof I now here complain in our Independents and their Schismaticall brethren namely Dissimulation or Double-dealing Yea and as the same blessed wise and holy Apostle said They are most worthy to be even most sharply rebuked and also openly in regard they have offended and dissembled so openly even in print therefore are I say to be reproved in paint whereas indeed had they offended but in private God forbid but we should tenderly have dealt in private with them And this indeed hath been a main ground of the quarrell between reverend Master Edwards and his Independent Antagonists who have most injuriously abused him with slanders onely or mainly for his zealous opposing and sharpe reproving the open Errours Schismes and scandalous miscarriages of these men who can be content to dishonour God and his Truth but cannot endure to be taxt and told of it though the Apostle tels them they are worthy to be blamed for it and therefore in this respect though according to that old Axiome Amicus Socrates amicus Plato magic tamen amica veritas though such an one is my friend and such an one is my old acquaintance and friend yet by Gods grace Truth is and shall be my best friend yea and I say as my blessed Lord and Master Christ Jesus said To this end was

Doctrine and Integrity of Life and Conversation as they themselves and their Schismaticall Scycophants do most frothily and falsly brag and boast them to be And although I doe as I must make account herein to passe through bad report as well as good report for this my Pains yet so I may bring any honour to God and his most precious Truth and adde though but a mite of Zeale toward the just vindication which I have in some measure in this Treatise endevoured of my reverend good Friend because Truths fast Friend I mean learned and religious Mr. Edwards in his Christian faithfulnesse and godly fervour especially in his learned and elaborate Antapologie That invincible weapon which hath given our Independent Sectaries such an incurable wound as they will never be able to claw off or heal up against these Truths most crafty and calumniating Adversaries yet notwithstanding I say I passe or care not having I praise my God that Murum aheneum the testimony of a good conscience within me for all the false and flashy slanders that Any or All of them can strugle to asperse and spatter mee with However beseeching the Lord that this my poore and honest labour may produce so much good as either to open the eyes of some pious and plain-hearted Seduced-ones as many such I am verily perswaded are among them who heartily desire to know and love the Truth if it be the Lords good pleasure or at last to stablish and confirme the hearts of those that already really and cordially love the Truth and Peace and heartily hate Schisme and disorderly Confusion I rest Thine to serve thee in the Lord Jesus JOHN VICARS The Names of the five pious Apologists principally mentioned in this Treatise Master Thomas Goodwin Philip Nye William Bridge Jeremiah Burroughs Sidrach Simpson The Names of the seven religious Remonstrants mainly also mentioned in this Work Master William Greenhill Thomas Goodwin Philip Nye William Bridge Jeremiah Burroughs Sydrach Simpson William Carter Together with divers other Heads of the Independent Faction THE SCHISMATICK SIFTED HAving not long since dilucidated and plainly painted forth to the sight of All in my Picture of Independency the Basis or Ground of that as unhappy as unholy-Schisme of Independency to be Spirituall-Pride Self-Seeking and most grosse Ingratitude to God and Man And having of late and long time indeed had many sad and serious thoughts What should be the reason of the so constant and great growth of all-Sorts of Sectaries among us which as the Superstructure on that triple-foundation have according to our old Proverb too true at this time Ill weeds grow apace mightily increased and grown marvellous rife and ranke in the Garden of God for want of serious and seasonable Weeding to the great endangering choking and stifling of the holy and wholsome Herbs and Flowers of Unity true Peace and Piety At last I found by sad and bad experience that beside the great want of care and sedulity in the Gardiners and Guardians under God of his Garden the Church faithfully and effectually to weed and dresse it I mean through the strange impunity and intolerable Toleration of Sectaries and Schismaticks so out-facingly to flourish and sprout out among us beside this I say Satan that old Serpentine-seducer had made use of an old sly Stratagem of his herein to wit That those pernicious weeds should grow-up and shoot-forth exceeding like unto most sweet and fragrant Flowers and wholsome Herbs whereas indeed upon proof and experience being used and smelt unto they were nothing so but contrariwise exceeding bitter bad poysonous and unwholsome But to speak Plain-English for since They so crave and cry-out for Liberty of Conscience to do what they list unjustly I hope it is much-more lawfull for mee to desire Liberty or Freedome of speech to speak nothing but truth plainly and honestly and to leave allegoricall expressions and if it be lawfull in these doubling days to call a Spade a Spade which I am resolved to do yet with all possible Christian moderation and godly temper that may be considering the subject I write of I find I say that the two mayn Stratagems which Sathan useth at this time to cheat deceive the world yea even many of the truly godly-Party indeed and to cause all sorts of Schismes and Errours thus to increase and multiply among us I mean especially that most sly and subtile and therefore the most dangerous Schisme of Independency The two mayn Stratagems I say for the more uncontroulable propagation hereof are first a popular appearance and outward habit of Holinesse if there be any more I beseech them to let us see it by integer practice of Life and conversation for come and talk with any of our moderate if not neutrall or tender-conscienced even Presbyterians who many of them stand as it were on tip-toe wavering which way to stand or fall and ask them how it comes to passe and possibly can be that seeing these Independents Anabaptists c. broach and preach and practise such dangerous opinions and unwarranted Church-ways as they call them to the great distraction and disturbance of the godly Peace and tranquility both of Church and State when we have given them cleer Demonstrations from the fountain of Truth it self that their ways and opinions are not according to Christ and Scripture-Grounds yet still there answer is O I dare not but think and speak well of them and hold them to be good Christians because they walk so holtly and religiously And also say they in the second place because they preach and teach as sound Doctrines as any of our Presbyterian-Ministers And thus I say upon these two hinges turns the door of Independents growing hopes of impunity and a continued good opinion even I say among our own Presbyterian Party whereby doubtlesse they are greatly mistaken in them and I feare grosly gulled by them and so wrong the Truth in countenancing and encouraging her Enemies and retarding the work of Reformation For a briefe answer to both which though I intend not to enter into a Polemicall Dispute of these things which I know would prove as endlesse as fruitlesse especially with them who are familiarly known to love to live Salamander-like in the fire of hot and heady Disputes yet I trust by Gods gracious assistance to give the godly judicious and impartiall Readers such pregnant proofs and Demonstrative and reall testimonies and that briefly too of the exceedingly to be feared falsity and great mistake of both these in our Independents and their Brother-Sectaries that they must in conscience certainly confesse the invalidity and weaknesse of their opinions and assertions of them and see and say that they are surely mistaken in them and palpably deceived by them To begin then with the last of these first Whereas it is pretended by some of our own that they dare not but speak and think well of Independents because

as they say they preach as sound-doctrines as any of the best-Presbyterians doe Hereunto I answer first in generall That although I deny not but that oftentimes they preach sound-Doctrine yet they frequently intermix much of their own unsavoury and unfound leven of false-Opinions together with the sound-Doctrines which they deliver Witnesse That vehement pernicious yea even most damnable plea for a Toleration of all Opinions and Liberty of Conscience the high-way to ruinate and destroy all Religion and Conscience Together with their most ungodly inveighing against both in Pulpits and Presses that godly Church-Discipline which is regulated as neere as may be by Gods sacred Word and the pattern of the best and most purely Reformed Churches in Europe and only crying-up a most licentious unlimited and Independent-destructive Government of their own ungrounded invention Whereby by a cleere and undeniable necessary-Consequence they most undiscreetly yea irreligiously-endevour to overthrow and utterly I say to ruinate all sound-Doctrine and pure Truth it self For as it cannot be denied by any that the Word of God soundly preached and the Sacraments purely administred are Gods Field of Corn his precious Vineyard his Garden of fragrant Flowers and wholsome Herbs And as a wise Gardiner or provident Husbandman or Vine-dresser when he hath planted a Garden or Vineyard or sown a Corn-field presently takes care to build a wall or make a strong Fence or Hedge about the same to preserve them from hurtfull Beasts which otherwise would break-in destroy the Flowers or Grapes and root up and utterly spoyle the good Corn So although in the first place it must be most justly granted as I said before that sound-doctrines and the Sacraments rightly administred are the Garden of God and do contein the Body and substance of Soul-saving-Truth as being the Fountain and Foundation thereof yet it is as true that godly-order and Scripture-Discipline or Church-Government is the Hedge Wall or strong-Fence which God the most prudent and provident Gardiner or Husbandman of this his pretious Garden Vineyard or Field of Corn hath planted and built round about the same both to keep in safety and security the specious and pretious Flowers Herbs Corn and Grapes for the pious Professours of his Word and Truth to be nourisht cherisht and fed by them to eternall-life and thus to keep out the noysome and hurtfull wild-beasts and Boars of the Forrest I mean all sorts of tyrannizing Misbelievers Hereticks Papists and prophane Atheists and all crafty Foxes yea even the little-Foxes I mean Anabaptists Antinomians Independents Seekers and such like Libertines who otherwise all of them this Wall Hedge or Fence being pluckt up or taken away would soon run in ruinate and root up and destroy the pretious Corn fragrant Flowers and tender Grapes thereof even utterly overthrow the Fountain and Foundation of sound-Doctrine and put in poyson of Errours and blasphemous and most dangerous yea damnable Opinions and Heresies among them I say to the utter undoing and overthrow of the Foundation or Fountain even of sound-doctrine and Truth it selfe This I conceive is a most faithfull and undeniable Truth and though I know all sorts of Sectaries will carp snap and snarl at it shall therefore satisfie me and may also I think satisfie all other godly and moderate Christians who desire to be wise with sobriety But if it will not then to come to particulars and so more closely to the point in hand Is not to broach and preach that most wicked and accursed doctrine of Toleration of all Religions as I toucht before yea of all Heresies Errours Sects and Schismes under that slie subtile ungrounded and most ungodly pretext of Liberty of Conscience forsooth is not this I say a preaching of false-Doctrine Is not the broaching and preaching of the Scripture not to be the Word of God Of the performance of holy Duties and expression of godly sorrow for sin and penitent praying for forgivenesse of sin yea and the performance of all these with an honest humble self-denying and Christ-seeking broken-soul to be called or counted no better than casting dirt as it were into Gods face Are not all these my Brethren together with exceeding many more such like yea some far worse if it may be blasphemous and damnable Doctrines and enormous Opinions set forth at large by reverend Master Edwards in his Gangraena are not all these I say palpable Preaching and broaching of false-doctrines and if not all of them yet many of them preached by our so admired Independents and either few or none of all the rest are at any time preached against nay are they not countenanced and encouraged by them Wherefore if any shall still object and say That those forementioned dangerous Opinions and the rest related by Master Edwards are not the Opinions of the more solid and temperate Independents but are the Anabaptists Antinomians and such like I answer They are moderate and most seeming solid Independents which plead and Preach mightily for Toleration and Liberty of Conscience which most directly are the Inlets open sluces and wide-gaps for all the rest to rush and gush in amongst us And therefore distinguish them as you please and call them what you will hereof I am most confident That though our most moderate and supposed most discreet Independents may seem only in some things to differ and vary and in their Heads or Brains as I may say to be somwhat distant from some of the rest of the dangerous Sectaries yet are they all like Sampsons Foxes fast tyed by their Tayls with destructive Firebrands of Dissention Division and Confusion between them to destroy as much as in them is the good-corn of Gods-field by their most ungodly struglings studies plots and calumnies to ruinate the Wall and pluck-up the Hedge or safe Fence I mean as we all too sensibly feel at this day to hinder and oppose with all might and malice power and policy the Settlement of the godly Government and Scripturall-Discipline of our pious and peacefull Presbyterians And are these now the sound and orthodox men that are so highly commended and blazoned abroad for their sincerity and soundnesse in Doctrine Who thus dare so boldly yet craftily I confesse broach abroad such false Doctrines and thus preach and prate against Gods most pure and soul-saving Truths Certainly then am I mightily mistaken But now to come to the second or other main part of our own Presbyterian friends Common-plea for Independents the other cause of their great growth amongst us viz. their Holines of life which we have great ground and cause to feare and more than to feare is but pretended and in appearance which indeed is I say the main thing I here intend to insist on and principally to prove against them as I have promised and that under their own Hands by most undeniable testimonies And herein I shall first desire briefly to premise thus much by

Master Simpson another of these so deep Protesters as aforesaid In his Sermon called Reformations Preservation on Isaiah 4 5. And on Proverbs 8. 15 16. hath there many things for their Church-way and for a Toleration p. 25 26. 27. of those Sermons Thirdly also Master Bridge another of them in his Sermons Printed and published and entituled Babylons Downfall And that on Zech. 1 at 18 19 20 21. Together with many other to be seen in Master Edwards his most excellent Antapol afore-said But this Truth being thus confirmed under the hands of three such eminent proofs and testimonies I think it may give sufficient satisfaction herein Besides the very many other Books and Pamphlets Printed and reprinted for their Church-way since this Parl. began and since there Covenant made to the Contrary all which for brevities sake I say and to avoid tediousnes I willingly pretermit and will not so much as mention as indeed I need not they being so notoriously known or may be known abroad to all that know ought herein And as for their other kinds of acting by themselves and others in and for their Church-ways advantage and advancement I shall I say to avoid prolixity referre the Reader to the learned Antapologie p. 220 221 c. very worthy the reading for abundant cleer satisfaction in these premises Only I cannot forbeare to give thee one particular instance more hereof which may mee thinks be Instar omnium to shew to the World their faithlesse craft and subtilty yea and most palpable Double-Dealing with their single-hearted Presbyterian Brethren and thus according to my promise to let all men see that will not obstinately shut their eyes against such cleer and known truths what a godly-party and what holy-Saints these Independents are The thing in brief is this About the beginning of the second yeer of the sitting of the Parliament The Presbyterian Pastors in London and the Independents met together at reverend and religious Master Calamies House in Aldermanbury where with mutuall consent they all entred into an engagement one party to the other That for advancing of the publike Cause of a happy Reformation neyther side should Preach Print or Dispute or otherwise act against others way And this to continue til both sides in a full meeting did declare the contrary and by mutuall consent set each other at liberty touching these things And for the confirmation of this agreement a Writing or Instrument was drawn with full and cleer desire and assent of all and also by all there and then present it was subscribed with every mans name And this so done was with a generall consent to be left and so to abide with Master Calamy at his House there to be seen at any time by any of them that would have recourse unto it to shew and see their agreement all which was accordingly done and this Writing or Instrument was left in Master Calamies custody Heere now let me hint this to the Reader by the way That notwithstanding this Writing or Instrument of this their so solemne agreement no nor their own fore-mentioned Protestation of their own voluntary forbearance so deeply but deceitfully professed and protested in their Apologie to be so sacred unto them to be kept so strictly by them with such deep silence for these are their very words All these I say notwithstanding they in the interim immediatly after went on in a too evident cōtrary practice as hath bin before sufficiently declared and all these their Protestations proved the most advantageous Piece of Policy on their side of any one that was or could be done by them for the increasing of a Party for them Just like the Declarations set forth by King CHARLES by means of the crafty Bishops in their late flourishing and domineering times that their should be no Disputes no Preaching or Printing on either side for or against the Arminian-points which then were in great controversie Which Declarations and Inhibitions being observed by many Ministers but not so by the Arminian-faction was a mighty means to increase them and to suppresse Orthodox-Doctrines Even so I say it fell out heer for by this means of the Agreement nothing was Preached or Printed or any way acted against their way according to the foresaid agreement to hinder the growth of Independents on our side Ours making conscience most honestly and tenderly of their engagement But in the mean time I say many things were both Preached and Printed for it as I have touched before which if it were not apparent unfaithfulnesse and plain Double-dealing I know not what is But now to come to this notable trick of theirs acted by Master Philip Nye that notable Independent-Politician and nimble-Agent for their Schismaticall Church-way which was this The fore-mentioned Writing or Instrument of the mutuall Agreement between the Presbyterian and Independent parties being as aforesaid left in the hands of reverend Master Calamy by him to be kept and shewn and seen as occasion was offered It so fell out that Master Nye came one day to Master Calamy and pretended some reasons for his desire to see and borrow this Writing of him for a little while whereupon good Master Calamie in his courtesie and singlenesse of heart suspecting nothing amisse but thinking he meant fairly and would bring it again presently as he had promised let him have it But he after he had it carried it away with him into Yorkeshire that so upon any complaints of the breach of the agreement when ours should have consulted with that writing or shewn it against them and brought their own hands subscribed thereunto the Writing was gone and nothing now to shew against them As for conscience they as it seem'd car'd not a rush for it no marvell then that they so cry out and plead for Liberty of conscience for this Master Nye hath ever since kept away this Writing and having been often intreated to restore it his answer still hath been that hee left it at Hull among his other papers This Truth is also fully related by reverend and faithfull Master Edwards in his learned and most excellent Independent frighting Antapologie and is backt also by the unquestionable testimony of our most grave and godly Assembly of Divines in their most excellent Answer to the seven Independents most false and scandalous Remonstrance lately printed and published by the Independents for the honour forsooth of those seven Authours thereof but which in the issue turned to their most just eternall indelible dishonour And are not these then my deare Presbyterian friends most soule blots and blemishes in so godly apartie so gracious and holy Saints so cryed-up rare Christians as Independents are now a dayes hugely boasted to be Doe these their practises in word and deed answer to the Characters of Davids holy Citizens of the New-Jerusalem To speake the truth from their hearts and to keepe their promise though to their prejudice Or are they like

our blessed Saviours plain-dealing honest men indeed Doing unto others as they would bee done unto I know not truly I cannot thinke they are But to goe on and to make their unfaithfull dealings yet more evident and apparent to the whole world and that still even under their own hands I shall now therefore here briefly add some few passages of their most gross double-dealing unblushing slandering of the reverend and religious Assembly of Divines in a most scandalous Remōstrance of theirs touching a promised model of their New Church way most marvellously brag'd and boasted of to be Christs onely true and pure way of governing his Church and for the answerable production whereof they had been exceeding often and most earnestly urged and intreated both by the reverend Assembly and by the religious Pastors of London but wherein all along from the first to this day they dealt most doubly falsly and fallaciously For even as at the first when this often and urgent motion was made to them to bring in a Modell of their Church-Government in Writing to the Assembly they accordingly promised it They were so far from faithfull performance hereof first that they secretly sedulously had prepared Printed published dedicated to the Parliament their most proud self-praysing yet false Apologetic all Narration never acquainting the Assembly before-hand therewith or tendring any Writing of their Church-Government to the Assembly as they had promised in conscience ought to have done Just so secondly here they again dealt with the Reverend Assembly for wheras stil the Assembly earnestly moved them again and again for the surer and speedier composing of differences between them and happier settlement of a blessed Church Government so long and earnestly desired as was hoped at least by all that they would yet bring forth their Modell of Church-Government yea and since that also they had been earnestly importuned thereunto by Master Dury a Reverend Learned and godly Minister of the Hague in Holland as hath been testified by Himselfe in a Letter of his sent to our Assembly of Divines from the Hague March the seventh 1643 and extant in Print the substance whereof was to this effect That he had oft required and intreated of these dissenting Brethren but never could obtein to know the true points is difference betwixt them and the other Reformed Churches The like also had our London-Ministers often desired but could never to this day obtein their desire But now at length to come to the point with much fresh importunity even almost beyond the bounds of modesty they being thus urged as it were on all sides and not knowing how with any credit any longer to evade they seemed now at last I say to condescend to the thing And made choice of M. Thomas Goodwin to be the man that should manage the whole work of their promised Modell to which purpose hee also having undertaken the thing had for the space of at least six moneths sequestred himself a part from his attendance on the Assembly and from his publike Ministry into the Country for his more conveniency to the work In which interim ô what vaunts brags and boasts had wee up and down by all their Independent Proselytes what a rare New-modell was making by M. Thomas Goodwin and shortly to come forth and all these brags at least three moneths before the famous upshot of all and therefore great expectation was of it on both sides especially by all that were apt credulously to believe it and all stood as it were gaping and gazing triumphantly to see it At last about the end of the faid six moneths great and wonderfull expectation That was rightly fulfilled Parturinnt Montes nascitur ridiculus Mus. For in the issue of all no Modell could be produced but instead thereof they durst most ungodlily because most falsly and without all feare or wit or honesty as it may be feared exhibit to the Assembly a most absurd and scandalous Apology or Remonstrance owned subscribed by seven of their most eminent Dissenting-Brethren which was afterward impudently Printed and published and most craftily pretended to be so published clandestinely without the Authours privity or consent under the name of a Remonstrance Both as they hoped to prop-up if it be might be the said Authours crackt credit and also even perfidiously to dishonour and disgrace the whole right reverend Assembly if I say it had bin possible for them In all this notwithstanding both in their Apologeticall Narration and in this their Remonstrance they seeme most seriously to professe and protest like cunning Deceivers indeed their integer carriage and honest meaning in all the businesse and their willingnesse and forwardnesse always to make known what ever they held in Church-Government together with their Reasons why now in the upshot of all they have not given in a Modell of their Church-Government laying the whole load just as our Grandfather Adam laid his offence upon God himself and the foul-fault of the only cause of their failing therein upon the Assembly of Divines most shamelesly and falsly aspersing and bespattering the said Reverend Assembly even all over in that Remonstrance with very many intolerable slanderous accusations and imputations false I say in every point and parcell of them As in the Assemblies most excellent and abundantly satisfactory Answer to the said Remonstrance or reasons forsooth of the Independents or Dissenting Brethren lately set forth by authority of the honourable Lords in Parliament may and doth most truly and abundantly appear Wherein pag. 4. they first prove the notorious unwillingnesse of these Independents to make known what they hold in Church-Government both from their own confession in the forementioned Apolog. Narration pag. penn'd and published by themselves and also by the testimonie of reverend Master Durie aforesaid as also of reverend and religious Master Apollonins a learned Divine of Walachria who also sent to the Independents in London an expresse Letter desiring them to informe him what their opinion was in those points in difference betwixt them and the Presbyterian-partie that so he might not mistake them he being then appointed by the Classis of Walachria to set down the judgement of those Reformed Churches concerning these controversies now agitated with us in England but yet notwithstanding he could not obtain it from them as himselfe hath complained and as they themselves too well know is most true against them In brief who ever desires most fully and exactly to see the falsity and notorious halting of that whole Remonstrance and Apologie of the Independents even all over àcapite ad calcem let him seriously peruse that most full and fair Answer of our learned reverend and religious Assembly and he shall receive abundant and most luculent satisfaction both touching the Assemblies most tender fair and faithfull dealings with them all along and also touching the unquestionable Truth of what I have

and surmises of Presbyterians touching all these the Independents seeming miscarriages namely that all this which I have hitherto urged against them as subtilties and deceivable Errors Schismes or Enormities they finely and fairly call and count Glorious New-Lights and rare-Revelations And hence it is they will assure you that at the first they told us in their Apologeticall Narration that they would positively determine nothing in their Church way or Church-Government but forsooth wait in expectation still of New-Light and so keep a Reserve to help themselves at a dead lift for so are Mr. Burtons own words in his Vindication But hereunto I answer Is not this a cleere Jesuiticall juggle and most like unto the Popish Equivocation whereby the Jesuits Seminarie-Priests and all Jesuited Papists did familiarly use to help themselves at a dead lift Answ 1 when they were examined upon any serious Questions even by a Mentall reservation or equivocation to help themselves I say and thereby did they the more cunningly deceive the most acute Argumentators and interrogating Disputans that came against them And would not our Independents now adayes by this their fine-trick of New-lights forsooth befool our faith and make us believe they doe all now by rare Revelations Herein I say dealing with us just as the Jesuites did with their Proselytes and Opposites too in the point of Transubstantiation labour to make them believe that the Bread and Wine in the Lords Supper were truly really and corporally transubstantiated into the very Body and Bloud of Christ even the very same which suffered and was shed on the crosse in all respects though there was no visible change either to sight or sense in the Bread or Wine but they still remained the same which they were before they were consecrated whereof when they were told so they presently answered that it was so trāsinutated or changed by a Miracle forsooth which indeed was a ridiculous and absurd answer for we never read of any miracle wrought either by any of the Prophets Christ himself or his Apostles but it was reall evident and visible both to sight and sense to be a miracle indeed Even so I say to out Independents concerning their Reserve or New-lights Tell them of any of their new upstart errors or vaporous Enthusiasmes or Newly-revived-Opinions or conceits but indeed meer old errours call them what you please rak't out of the rotten ashes of ancient Hereticks and Schismaticks presently their smooth and deceivable Answer is O Sir these are not Errours but New-Lights newly and rarely revealed to us by some sodain and secret inspiration and when we demand or desire to have it made out unto us by Gods written Word that they are reall and demonstrative New-Lights indeed that we may evidently discerne them to be such by that truest Tonch-stone the Word of God and not to be empty Meteors and crotchets of their own brains Then alas either through ignorance and deceivablenesse they cannot or else with as much impertinencie as obstinacie they will foolishly and falsely urge that of the Prophet Joel And it shall come to passe that I will poure out my spirit upon all flesh and your sons and your daughters shall prophesie c. and your young men shall see visions Whereas this Prophesie of Joel as the Apostle Peter told the Jews was clearly prophesied of and mainly fulfilled in those times of the Apostles and then after our Saviour Christs ascention which were called those Last-dayes as all the learned observe the Lord indeed poured out his spirit on all flesh on young and old male and female and gave them power of admirably doing miracles and wonders and then I say as the Apostle Peter in that forecited Scripture said was this Prophesie of Joel most apparently fulfilled and so continued all the time of the Apostles lives and some of their holy Disciples even to about the time of the destruction of Jerusalem But what 's this to our times wherein and long time before miracles are ceased Can any of us dare to assume the extraordinary power of the Spirit of God to doe miracles and worke wonders Is it a miracle or a wonder indeed I confesse it may be to see such intolerable impudence to see young saucie Boyes in comparison bold botching Taylors and other most audacious illiterate mechanicks to run rudely and rashly and unsent for too out of their shops into a Pulpit To see bold impudent huswives without al womanly modesty to take upon them in the naturall volubility of their tongues quick wits or strong memories onely to prate not preach or Prophesie after a narrative or discoursing manner an houre or more and that most directly contrary to the Apostles inhibition But where I say is their extraordinary spirit poured out upon them either in the gift of tongues except it be the lying and the slanderous tongues which are rather the gifts of the evil Spirit as the Apostle James testifies in gifts of miraculous healing the sick and sore and such like where I say are any of these in our old or young Tradesmen or bould Beatriceses of the female sex And does not the Apostle Peter most punctually come up to this very thing of our Independents even to shew us this most notable dissembling and fallacious trick of New-Lights and fained Revelations which he foresaw would follow his departure out of his Earthly-Tabernacle and therefore forewarns the people of God to beware of them telling them Verse 16. That he and the rest of the faithfull Apostles used not cunningly devised fables or new inventions of their own or other mens brains when they made known the power and comming of the Lord Jesus unto them Adding at length this most immoveable and infalible rule for them to walk by and to be guided with ver. 19. But we have a more sure word of prophesie whereunto you doe well that yee take heed as unto a light that shineth in a darke place till the day dawn and the day-star of truth arise in your hearts Away then with this notorious deceitfull trick of New-Lights for shame and of your rare Revelations cheat not the people of God and your own soules especially with these deceivable devices of your own brains and Schismaticall spirits But this most certainly is the Independent way now adayes among us to the great disturbance of the peace and comfort of the people of the Lord and when we justly tell them of their unfaithfull dealing and down right deceiving by this their trick of New-lights O then just as the Jesuits and Popish Priests in Queene Maries dayes and of later times called those that would not believe their Popish trick of Transubstantiation to be a miracle they called and counted them I say Hereticks so these our Independents if we will not and cannot in our consciences nor by any of their demonstrations beleeve their trick of New-Lights to be a