sholing together to infect one another Fire is dangerous many great Cities in Europe have been almost ruinated by it I have seen your dilligence and dexterety in quenching it in the beginning your breaking open your Pipes for water making floods in your streets your Engins to cast the water upon the houses your industry and paines is admirable Heresie is as dangerous as fire use your best endeavours to quench it before it consume us Thus not doubting Right Honourable Right Worshipfull of your best endeavours to suppresse these Heretikes and Sectaries by whom not only many poore soules are infected but also the holy name of God is blasphemed I cease most humbly entreating Almighty God to blesse this Citie and to give unto you the fruition of all temporall felicities in this life and the never-failing fulnesse of blessednesse in the life to come To the Reader THou which hast atender Conscience and desirest nothing so much as to know the right way to Heaven having many doubts which cause thee to leave thy own Pastor and runne not only to other publike Congregations but also to the private meetings of the Separatists and others for resolution For thy sake and safety I have published this Treatise in which thou maist discerne Truth from Error having their Errors set before thee with the confutation of them out of the holy Scripture OUâ— Lord and Saviour in his holy Sermon in the Mount telling his Disciples of the narrow way that leadeth unto life hee specially forewarneth them of false Prophets Beware of falsâ— Prophets which come to you in sheeps cloathing but inwardly they are ravening Wolves As if he should say my deare Disciples you hearing of the way to heaven wil be inquiring after it and especially of Prophets But let me forewarn you of false Prophets for in stead of directing you they will put you out of the way False prophets wil come they are not sent St. Paul asketh how they can preach except they be sent and this standeth with good reason every true Minister standeth in Gods room being the Lords Embassadour to deliver his will who dare to this unsent No man taketh this honour unto himselfe but hee that is called of God saith my Author to the Hebrews But whence come they now from the Schooles of the Prophets no many of them from mechannicke Trades as one from a stable from currying his horses another from his stal from cobling his shooes these sit down in Moses chaire to mend all as Embassadours of Jesus Christ as Heralds of the most high God these take upon them to reveale the secrets of Almighty God to open and shut heaven to save mens soules But to heare these fellowes to discourse of the holy Trinity of Gods eternall decree and other deep points of Divinity you may heare the mad men in Bedlam prate as wisely as they and are not their hearers that run after them as mad as they Are they not bewitched as St. Paul telleth the Gallatians To you that are my Disciples daily experience sheweth us whom the Anabaptists Brownists and other Sectaries go about to seduce viz. not drunkards Adultereâ—s Swearers and prophane persons whom the Devill hath ensnared already but such as are desirous of heaven They lead captive saith St. Paul silly women who are alwaies learning They come unto you in sheeps cloathing That is like Zealous and holy Christians For example the Devill turneth himselfe into an Angell of Light Baals Priests used long prayers the blasphemous Arrians as St. Bazill writeth were easily beleeved because of their counterfeit holinesse The Romish seducers pretend great Sanctimony the begging Fryers befool'd the Christian world with their pretended holinesse with which they 〈◊〉 their lewd lives Generally they come to you with outward sanctimony with a seeming contempt of the world with long prayers fasting teares â—lmes deeds seeming-zeale seeming-humiâ—â—â—y seeming harmlesnesse c. They come to you in sheepes cloathing insinuating themselves into you under colour of giving you good counsell as the Divell their chiefe counselling our first Parents to breake Gods Commandement promised to make them like God and tempring Christ in the â—â—â—dernesse promised to give him all the Kingdomes of the world and the glory of them And that you may the better avoyd their inchantments I will shew you the method they use in deceiving As first they indeavour to separate the sheepe from their Shepheards bringing them into contempt with their people â—ffâ—â—ming them to be unprofitable unpowerfull taxing their conversations as prophane and doctrine as erroneous Thus smiting your Shepheards with their tongues they draw you to their Conventicles 2. To palliate their Errors they parvert the holy Scriptures as that Monster Arrius pretended to have 42 places of Scripture against the Deity of Christ and this he learnt of his father the Devill who perverted part of the 91. Psalme to tempt our Lord to cast himselfe downe from the pinacle of the Temple And for this cause these Heretikes are enemies to the ten Commandements being some of the Law to the Creed being a briefe of the Gospell and to the Lords Prayer being a perfect forme of Prayer containing all that can be asked or prayed against by which only a simple man may discerne any Heretick contradicting any Commandement of the Decalogue Article of the Faith Petition of the Lords Prayer And for this cause the Church of Rome teacheth the Laity them in Latine and also they leave out part of the decalogue in their Catechismes and for other Heâ—etikes some doe null the whole Law some the Creed and others the Lords Prayer affirming it to be abhominable Againe whatsoever outward shew they make of holinesse they are indeed ravening Wolves therefore our Lord biddeth us beware of them The word beware precedeth danger As sheep are in danger among Wolves so are your soules in danger among false Prophets The jâ—urney of the Israelites to the earthly Canaan was a type of our journey to the heavenly And did not one false prophet Balaam doe them more mischiefe in their journey then Og the King of Bashan Sehon King of the Amorites all their enemies besides yea would the Devil himselfe in his own likenesse have been more noxious to the Church of God then some Hereticks have beene As one Heretick Arrius denying the Deity of Christ in a manner infected the whole world The like did one other Heretick Eutyches erring concerning his humanity affirming the immensity of Christs divine nature to have swallowed up his humane Now if Christ had not been man how could he have dyed for us sinners and if not God how could he have wrought the salvation of mankind Alas what danger are we in now being invironed with such a multitude of Hereâ—ickes Our Lord telleth us againe by their fruits yee shall know them they pretend that they are led by the Spirit The workes of the Spirit Sâ— Paul sâ—tâ—eth forth to bee love joy peace
long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meekenesse and temperance If they were led by the holy Spirit these would be their Characters But St. Paul telleth us that in the latter dayes there shall come men lovers of their own selves boasters proud cursed speakers disobedient to Parents unthankefull unholy Master Calvin that admirable man of God whose name is yet terrible in the Kingdome of Popeâ—y setteth down certaine Characters of these Impostors taken out of St. Augustine 1. Great Boasters making ostentation of their owne worth like Simon Magus who bewitched the people sayng that he himselfe was some great man Like the Gnostikes who had a high conceit of their owne knowledge as if they were the onely knowing men of the whole world their common talke is of their own worth and actions 2. Superbia tumidi blowne up with pride and among us many proud spirits having not these preferments which they thought themselves worthy of have forsaken our Church and gone to Rome and Amsterdam 3. Calumâ—ijs insidiosi deceitfull slanderers and in this faculty of all other Sects the Brownists excell The â—esuites are not so bitter against our Church as the Separatists compare their writings Michael the Arch-Angell durst not give the Devill such cursed speaking nor raile upon him as they doe upon us and Gods Church 4. Treacherously seditious not preaching peace as Christ commanded his Disciples to doe but division yea the Brownists arrogate to themselves the name of Separatists which well they may beâ—ng separated from their Mother Church from 〈◊〉 the Reformed Churches and malitiously divided amongst themselves 5. Lest they should seem to be destitute of the light of truth they arrogate to themselves the shadow of austerity and shew of holinesse 6. Sacriâ—egious what the appetite of all Schismaticks hath been in this way is notorious caring noâ— for the ruine of the whole Church upon condition that they might get somewhat They have so taught that some thinke there is no such sinne as Sacriledge at all Our Lord fore-warning us of false Prophets and so lively describing them and we having such Characters and markes to know them Thou understanding the Decalogue Creed and Lords Prayer if thou be misled thy sin will light upon thine owne head For is there any man so simple but can â—ell when their Doctrines they teach crosse any of these And one thing more will aggravate your defection before Almighty God viz. Your Covenant and Oath wherewith you bound your selves in the presence of God to suppresse all Errors Heresies and Schisme God forbid but that you should keep your Covenant which we ministred and you received with great alacrity To draw to an end Epiphanius writeth of the heresies of this time calleth his Booke Paeâ—arium that is a medicinable box containing saving medicaments against lying doctrine The end of my writing is not to hurt any man but to give warning to well minded soules and espesially to them that are entangled with Errors to pray to God to give them grace to see and â—enounce their errors and to acknowledge the truth that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil And if my paines shall do any good in the confirmation of any against seducers in forewarning them to beware of private Conventicles and to keep them close to the publick Ministery of the Word communion of Saints in Gods Church I shall thinke my labour well bestowed The God of peace grant that all they that confesse his holy Name may agree in the truth of his holy Word and live in unity and godly love Amen So prayeth thine in the Lord Old Ephraim Pagitt HERESIOGRAPHY OR A Description of the Heretickes and Sectaries sprung up in this latter Age c. Chap. I. Of the Anabaptists For the discovery of this Sect I purpose to set down 1. Their Originall and first Proceedings 2. Their Errors and Blasphemies 3. A Confutation of their Errors 4. The Orthodox Doctrine of the Church of England opposite to their Errors 5. The severall Sects of Anabaptists 6. Of their manner of Rebaptizing and other fashions 7. How Christian Princes Magistrates have suppressed them and especially how they have beene punished among us 8. Of their audacious boldnesse at this day to publish Bookes in defence of their Errors and to challenge our Protestant Divines to publike disputations and to intrude into our Pulpits to vent their Blasphemies 9. Their moderne Tenents which they owne 1. Of their Originall and first proceedings ABout the yeare of our Lord God 1521. Doctor Luther preaching the Gospel in Saxony Almighty God blessing his labour a new Sect among many others through the instigation of the Devill began to spring up in the said Counâ—â—y of certain fanaticall people who boasted that they talked with God and God with them who commanded them to kill all the wicked that is all that were not of their Sect and make a â—ew world in which the innocent and godly should live and reigne alone The Author of this Sect Melancton affirmeth to be one Nicâ—las Storke who would tell his followers that God spake to him by an Angell and revealed his will to him in dreames promising him the place of the Angell Gabrieâ— and the Empire of the whole world He affirmed the Saints must reigne in this world alone and that he must be their Leader to kill all the Kings and Princes of the woâ—ld and to repurge the Church He tooke upon him also to have the gift of discerning spirits and to know the Elect. In this mans Schoole was one Thomas Muncer brought up who amplyfied much his Masters Doctrine Hee bâ—gan to preach at Alsted in Turingia where he made first an aâ—â—ociation administring an oath to all that promised to assist him in killing the ungodly Princes and Magistrates So long as hee preached but his dreames and Fancies the Elector of Saxony bore with him but after he bâ—gan to preach killing of Princes and Rebellion he banished him from Saxony who 〈◊〉 to Nurenberg and being driven from thence to Mulhus in Tuâ—ingia to which place divers of his old Disciples resorted whatsoever he determined was received as an Oracle especially when he preached that all goods must be 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 men to be free and of equall dignity an acceptable Doctrine in those parts where the Nobility used their Tenants like slaves upon this his preaching about 40000. Bores and Trades-men rose up in Suevia and Franconia who tooke some of the Nobles râ—nsacked plundered and burnt houses carrying all before them Muncer also having prepared Munition and raised a numerous multitude the meaner sort of people leaving their ploughes and loomes armed themselves to become adventurers in this holy war one Phifer a chiefe Associate of Muncers rusheth into the Countries adjoyning and destroyed many Towns burnt many houses and brought away some of the Nobles bound with a great Booty which good successe elevated the minds of these Sectaries and caused a
souls from the communion of the Church And also whereas our pious parents brought us to Christ and dedicated us to God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost let us take heed that we do not renounce that holy Covenant as Witches doe when they compact with the Devill remember our Lords words How can yee escape the damnation of hell They baptize them that have already been baptized They do that which the Scripture never commandeth Epâ— 4. St. Paul calleth it One Baptisme neither was â—ebaptization ever received in the true Church of God yea the Church taught that they that were baptized by such Heretickes as erred not in the Doctrine concerning the Trinity were not to be re-baptized Also the Imperiall Law punished them with Capitall punishment who submitted themselves to a second Baptisme They dreame of Monarchy in which the godly shall reigne alone and destroy the ungodly which is false for Christs Kingdome in this world is spirituall in which troubled consciences shall be victors and receive solid consolation against sin the devill and all manner of temptations Our Lord himselfe saith My Kingdome is not of this World John 18. Likewise saith St. Paul The weapons of our war are not carnall but mighty in operation 2 Cor. 10. Our Lord telleth us that the separation betweene the godly and ungodly shall not be untill the last day Luke 18 Againe That the Sonne of man comming shall hardly find faith upon earth Luke 17. In that night there shall be two in a bed the one received the other refused And Mat. 15. That the Angles shall separate the godly from the ungodly and the tares to remaine with the what untill the Harvest This Monarchy St. Peter confuteth in his second Epistle 2. 9. Saying the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust against the day of judgement to be punished Therefore they are not to reigne alone here the ungodly being killed And although the Prophets seeme sometimes to speake of a corporall Kingdome yet they expound themselves shewing that they speak of his spirituall Kingdome To reigne with Christ 1000. years before the ending of the world was the old Error of the Chiliasts condemned above 1000 years agone by the Church of God They allow men free will So that we may doe those things which God commanded and omit those things which God hath forbidden otherwise say they God gave his Law in vaine neither would he punish delinquents if he had not given them the power of free will It is answered it is impossible that in our corrupt nature we should keep the Law because it doth require a whole and absolute obedience in all things inward and outward of all the heart all our soule and all our might And the sense of the flesh as St. Paul testifieth is enmity to God Also the naturall man doth not understand the things that are of the Spirit 1 Cor. 2. Also Iohn 3. Man cannot take to himselfe any thing except it be given him from above So Eph. 2. The unregenerate man is said to be dead They separate themselves from all other Churches accounting themselves onely pure and holy and for this cause some of them will not say this Petition of the Lords Prayer Forgive us our trespasses saying they are pure and without sinne To this I answer with St. Iohn 1 Epist. 1. 8. If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us if we confesse our sins he is faithfull to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all our unrighteousnesse If we say we have not sinned we make him a lyar and his word is not in us To conclude the Anabaptists that say they have no sin are of the Devill the father of lyes going about to make God a lyar who is truth it selfe The Office of the Ministery to be of no great efficacie with them They doe not onely contemne the Office of the Ministery but also the holy Scripture As Muncer would speake scoffingly of it Bible Bible Bable Bable they depend too much upon peculiar Revelations The sincere preaching the word of God in the publick Congregations by the Ministers of the Word lawfully called profiteth much Mal. 2. The lips of the Priest shall preserve wisedome they shall require the Law from his mouth Ezech. 44. The Priest shall teach my people the differences betweene the holy and the prophane and cause them to discerne betweene the uncleane and cleane Rom. 1. 16. The preaching of the Word is the power of God to salvation to every one that beleeveth For this cause Christ taught in the Synagogues Every one among them taketh upon him to preach as a Minister Iohn Becold a Taylor of Leyden The Apostle teacheth us Heb. 5. That no man take this calling upon him except hee bee called of God Rom. 10. How shall they preach except they be sent And this standeth with good reason for every true Minister standeth in Gods roome being the Lords Embassadour to deliver his will Who dareth take upon him to be the Lords Embassadour except he be sent I have not sent them saith the Lord and yet they run and prophesie lies in my name Piety and Justice are the two Bases or Pillars that beare up humane Society and whereas the Devill goeth about in these his Impes to overthrow the dignity of the Ministery and of the Magistrate what doth he else but endeavour to bring the whole world to Ruine and Confusion The Confutation of their Errors not tolerable in a Comman-wealth THat it is unlawfull for a Christian man to be a Magistrate or to be subject to a Magistrate And why They object that subjection came in with sin but Christ hath taken away sin and therefore no subjection To this I answer subjection is two fold servile or civill servile is the vassalage of a slave which was not before the fall civill for the common good was before the former a curse the latter a blessing Eve was subject to Adam before either of them sinned 2. They object that every beleever is now in the Kingdome of Heaven Christ alone must reigne Ans. There is a spiritual Kingdome standing in grace peace and joy in which there is no distinction of persons There is also a civill Government which cannot subsist without distinctions and order there must be Masters and servants subjects and Governours and necessity requireth it it is the bond of the Common-wealth There is a Regiment in the Hoast of Heaven there is a Regiment in the Body the members move by the direction of the Head there is a Regiment in every Family the servants acknowledge the Master and the children their Parents Among the irrationall crâ—atures the Bees have their King the Cranes their Leader and the 〈…〉 principall Beast St. Paul calleth Magistâ—aâ—y a divine Crâ—â—â—ance all Gods Oâ—dinances aâ—â— good lawful 〈◊〉 8â— Psalm◠〈…〉
called Gods because they are in Gods â—lace The Anabapâ—â—sts themselves who despised Government finding the necessity of it in Munstâ—r so that they could not subsist without Goâ—ernment chose themselves a King with inferiour Officers under him That it is not lawfull for a Magistrate to punish because revengâ— is forbâ—dden Christian mâ—n In this they erre not distinguishing betweene revenge and punishment which is from the Magistrate by reason of the execution of the Law grounded upon Gods Law a lawfull punishment appointed by God The Magistrate saith St. Paul is the Minister of God appointed for thy goâ—d either for our naturall good preserving our lives which bloody men would soone ruinate who feare not so much hell as the halter For our civill good preserving our goods and Possessions For our morall good in rewarding vertue and punishing vice he beareth not the sword in vaine For our spirituall good by coactive power enforcing men to the duties of Godlinesse In that notorious Apostasie of Israel when so many execrable enormities were committed When Micah had a house of Gods the Levite wanted maintenance when his Concubine was ravished to death the Spirit still prefixeth at that time there was no King in Israel Wee are beholding to Governement for Order Peace and Religion for Order wherâ— no King is every man will be his owne King for Peace he that will bee his owne King will bee another mans Tyrant for Religion every Micah will have a House of Gods without Governement To conclude Adulterers Murtherers Traytors Witches Burners of Houses may be put to death by the Magistrate to whom the sword is given and they are not killed but such in suffering doe receive a just guerdon for their offences That a Christian man may not take an oath because Christ saith Thou shall not sweare at all which is repeated Iames 5. And that it is enough to say Yea yea and nay nay Answ. Christ doth not forbid an oath before a Magistrate as it is a testimony of truth he reproveth the Pharisees who taught men that they should sweare not onely by the name of God as God had commanded but also by heaven by the earth by their heads c. This vitious kind of swearing he forbiddeth onely because these things cannot be witnesses of the things averred nor punish lying Neither doe the words following Let your communication be yea yea and nay nay take away a lawfull oath but admonish the godly of the goodnesse of truth and hatred of lies That a godly man may lawfully take an oath appeareth by these reasons following 1. From the authority of holy Scripture By the name of God thou shalt sweare Deut. 6. 4. The reason is set down Heb. 6. Because the Lord is greater and that an oath is the end of all controversies so Psal. 15. He that sweareth to his neighbour and deceiveth him not 2. From the example of Christ and holy men in the old and new Testament Genes 24. 26. 3. From the worship of God for an oath is part of Gods worship being a calling upon God to be a witnesse of the truth and an avenger of the lie Nor by oath promise any fidelity or bind himselfe to any Prince or Magistrate whatsoever This opinion openeth a gap to all Treasons Rebellions and Truce-breakings whatsoever If it be not lawfull for a Christian man to bind himselfe by an oath then iâ— is unlawfull for a Christian man to keep such an oath Isaac made a covenant with Abimelech King of Gerar to doe one another no hurt which being sealed up with an oath could not be violated without sinning The Propheâ— Ezekiel calleth the oath of obedience which Zedechiah King of â—srael made to the King of Babel the oath of God although the said King was a tyrant and an usurper without any lawfull succession from David yet he confirmeth it by the mouth of his Prophet Ezek. 17. 19. As I live I will surely bring upon Zedechia mine oath that he hath despised and my covenant which he hath broken upon his own head Again you may see how great a tie an oath is and how severely Almighty God doth punish the violation thereof in the story of ths Gibeonites Iosh. 9. Joshuah and the Princes having made a league with them being beguiled by them pretending that they came from a farre Countrey the congregation murmuring against the Princes were answered by them after this manner We have sworn to them by the Lord God of Israel now therefore we may not touch them lest wrath be upon us because of the oath which we swore unto them About 4000 yeares after Saul in his zeale to the children of Israel shew the Gibeonites for which cause 2 Sam. 21. the Lord plagued the whole Land sending a famine upon them for three yeares declaring himselfe that it was sent because Saul had slain the Gibeonites who hanged up seven of Sauls sons given them by David and then God was intreated for the Land 3. Confutation of Errors not tollerable in Families THat a Christian cannot with a good conscience have any thing proper but all things common This community they ground upon the example of the Apostles in the Acts. Answer An Example maketh no Law neither was this universall Peter saith to Ananias Acts 5. 4. Whilst it remained was it not thine own Again 2 Cor. 9. Every man as he purposeth in his heart so let him give The property of goods is confirmed in the seventh Commandement Again 1 Tim. 6. The Apostle chargeth rich men not to be proud but bountifull not to forsake their goods but to use them well by giving alms Again Prov. 5. 16. Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad and rivers of waâ—ers in the streets let them onely be thine own and not strangers with thee out of which we may gather that every man hath a property in his own That if their wives be not of their Religion they may put them away Answer This is against the definition of marriage which is a lawfull copulation of a man and woman not prohibited by the degrees of consanguinity or affinity The marriage of an Infidell before God is in it selfe no sin The Apostle perswadeth the beleever not to put away his unbeleeving wife 1 Cor. 7. Joseph in Aegypt married the daughter of an Heathen Priest And Moses took the daughter of Jethro who was not of the Circumcision Marriage is a lawfull copulation of a man and a woman not to be dissolved during life but for adultery That it is lawfull to have many wives To this I may oppose the words of Saint Paul 1. Cor. 7. 2. To avoid fornication let every man have his own wife and every woman her own Husband Heb. 13. Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge Exod. 20. 14. Thou shalt not commit adultery Malachi 2. 15. Did he not make one 4. The Orthodox Doctrine of the Church of England contrary to these detestable errors
taken out of the 39. Articles HAving handled much poyson I thinke it fit to give the Reader to preserve him from infection some Methridate out of the Paunarium or Medicinable box of our Mother the Church viz. Out of the Articles of Doctrine agreed upon for avoiding of diversity of opinions and establishing of consent touching true Religion To which Articles every Minister refusing to subscribe should ipso fasto be deprived and all his promotions to be void as if he were naturally dead Read the Statute 1. That Christ took flesh from the virgin Mary The Sonne which is the Word of the Father begotten from the everlasting Father the very eternall God of one substance with the Father took mans nature in the womb of the blessed virgin of her substance So thâ—t two whâ—le and perfect Natures that is to say the God-head and the Man-hood were joyned together in one Person never to be divided whereof is one Christ very God and very Man who truly suffered was crucified dead and buried to reconcile us to his Father and to be a sacrifice not onely for originall guilt but also for the actuall sinnes of men 2. That Christ was God There is but one living and true God everlasting without body parts or passion of infinite power wisedome and goodnesse the maker and preserver of all things both visible and invisible and in the Unity of this God-head are three Persâ—ns 〈◊〉 one substance power and eternity the Father Son and holy Ghost 3. Of our justification by Faith We are accounted â—ighteous before God onely for the merit of our Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST by faith and not for our own works or deservings wherefore that we are justified by saith only is a most wholsome Doctrine and very full of comfort 4. For good Workes Which are the fruits of Faith and follow after justification albâ—it they cannot put away our sinnes and endure the severity of Gods judgements yet they are pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ and so spring out necessarily of a true lively faith insomuch as by them a lively faith may be evidently knowne as a tree is discerned by the fruit 5. Of Originall sinne Originall sinne standeth not in the following of Adam but it it the fault and corruption of the nature of every man that naturally is ingendred of the off-spring of Adam whereby man is very far gone from Originall righteousnesse and is of owne nature enclined to evill so that the flesh lusteth alwayes against the Spirit and therefore in every person borne into this world it deserveth Gods wrath and damnation and this infection in nature doth remaine yea in them that are regenerated whereby the lust of the flesh cald in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some doe expound the wisedome some sensuality some the affection some the desire of the flesh is not subject to the Law of God And although there is no condemnation to them that beleeve and are baptized yet the Apostle doth confesse that concupiscence and lust hath of it selfe the nature of sin 6. Of the Baptisme of Infants Baptisme is not onely a signe of profession and marke of difference wherehy Christian men are discerned from other that be not Christned but it is also a signe of regeneration or new birth whereby as by an instrument they that receive Baptisme rightly are grafted into the Church the promises of the forgivenesse of sinne and of our adoption to be the sons of God by the holy Ghost are visibly signed and sealed Faith is confirmed and grace encreased by vertue of prayer unto God The Baptisme of young children is in any wise to be retained in the Church as most agreeable with the institution of Christ. 7. Of Free-will The condition of man after the fall of Adam is such that he cannot turne and prepare himselfe by his owne naturall strength and good workes to faith and calling upon God Wherefore we have no power to doe good workes pleasing and acceptable to God without the grace of God by Christ preventing us that we may have a good will and working with us when we have that good will 2. Of being without sinne Christ is alone without sin If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us 9. Of the Civill Magistrate We give unto the Kings most Excellent Majesty that Prerogative which we see to be given to all godly Princes in holy Scriptures by God himselfe that is that they should rule all estates and degrees committed to their charge by God whether they be Ecclesiasticall or Temporall and restraine with the Sword the stubborne and evill doers The Lawes of the Realme may punish Christian men with death for heynous and grievous offences It is lawfull for Christian men at the commandement of the Magistrate to weare weapons and serve in the wars 10. Christian mens goods are not common The riches and goods of Christian men are not common as touching the right title and possession of the same as the Anabaptists doe falsely boast 11. A Christian mans Oath As we confesse that vaine and rash swearing is forbidden Christian men by our Lord Jesus Christ and Iames his Apostle so we judge that Christian Religion doth not prohibite but that a man may sweare when the Magistrate requireth in a cause of Faith and Charity so it be done according to the Prophets teaching in judgement justice and truth 5. Of the severall sorts of Anabaptists IT betell the Anabaptists as other Heriticks to wit having once forsaken the truth there is no end of their Errors As the Spirit encreased so many things were altered and new things received by the brethren as Oracles from heaven First they break asunder into foure Sects and David George tooke upon him to reconcile them who being possessed with the Devill prefer'd himselfe most blasphemously before Christ himselfe dayly they were divided more and more There are foureteen severall sorts of Anabaptists according to their severall sorts of Errors or Authors set downe by Alst edius in his Indice Theologia Polemina Page 565. viz. Muncerians Apostolikes Separatists Catharists Silentes Enthusiasts Liberi Adamites Hutites Augustinians Beucheldians Melchiorites Georgians Menonists Whose severall Errors I purpose to touch Muncerians so called of Muncer before named who raising a sedition of Boores in Germany was defeated taken and beheaded about the yeare of our Lord God 1525. He preached that all goods must be common and all men free and of equall dignity That God had commanded him to destroy all the ungodly and to repurge the Church Apostolikes a kinde of Anabaptists because they would be like the Apostles they wandred up and downe the Countreyes without staves shooes money or bags preaching up and downe their celestiall vocation to the Ministerie of the Word they washed one anothers feet and leaving houses wives and trades they were so burthensome to
somewhat shorter Thus God punisht those monstrous wretches with a monstrous fruit sprung from their wombe as had before sprung from their braines But as the Jewes in the sad porâ—entâ— appearing before the last destruction of Ierusalem construed all things to the best though never so apparent so did they and whatsoever might seem prodigious in any of these births the burthen they laid upon the Church which they thought their enemies Then God stirred up his people to call an assembly of Ministers who confuted these opinions publikely and made the authors and upholders of them unable to answer although they could not make them yeeld But lastly God put it into the hearts of the civill Magistrates to convent the chief Leaders of them and after many fruitlesse admonitions given they proceeded to sentence some they disfranchised others they excommunicated and some they baâ—isht A seditious Minister one Mr. Wheeleâ—wright was one and Mistris Hutchinson another who going to plant her selfe in an Island callâ—d Readâ—â—sland under the Dutch where they could not agree but were miserably divided into sundry Sects â—emoâ—ed from thence to an Island called Hell-gate where the Indians set upon her and â—â—ew her and her daughter and daughters husband children and family some report that the Indians burnt them And thus much of the Antiâ—omians read Mr. Wâ—lls his book where you shall read their opinions at large with a learned Confutation Of ARMINIANS THE Armiâ—â—â—â—s are so called of Iames Arminâ—â—â—s who was 〈…〉 Divinity at Leiden in the Low-countreys in the 〈◊〉 of our Lord God 1605. They are also called Remonstraâ—â—s Their Errors follow 1. Concerning Gods Predestination THat the will of God to â—â—ve such as shall believe and persevere in faith and obedience of â—aith is the whole and entire dâ—cree of the election to salvation and that nothing else concerning that decree is revealed in the word of God These Teachers deceive the simâ—â—er sort and plainly gain-say the holy Scripture which witnesseth that God not onâ—ly wil save such as shall believe but also from eternity hatâ— chosen some certaine men upon whom rather then upon others he would bestow faith in Christ and persevâ—â—aâ—ce as it is written Ioh. 17. 6 I have declared thy name to the 〈◊〉 which thou gavest 〈◊〉 Like manner Acts 13. 48. As many as were ordained to eternall life believed And Eph. 1. 4. He hath chosen us before the foundatâ—on of the World 2. They teach â—thit the election of God to salvation is manifold one generall and indetinite and this again 〈◊〉 incomplete revocable nor perempâ—orie or conditionall or â—lse complete â—â—â—â—ocable peremptory or absâ—lute likewise that there is one election â—nto faith another to salvation so thâ—t election unto justâ—ying aith may bee without peremptory election to salvation This is a fâ—gment of mans braine devised without any ground in the Scripture corrupting the doctrine of election breaking that golden chaine of salvation Rom. 8. 30. Whom he hath predestinated them also hath he called and whom 〈◊〉 hath called them aâ— so he hath â—ustified and whom he hath justified also he hath glorified 3. They teach that the good pleasure and purpose of God whereof the Scripture maketh mention in the doctrine of election doth not consist herein that God did elect some certaine men rather then others but in this viz. That God from among all possible conditions amongst which are the workes of the Law also or out of the ranke of all things did chuse as condition to salvation the act of faith in it selfe ignoble and imperfect obedience was graciously pleased to repute it for perfect obedience and account it worthy of the reward of everlasting life By this pernicious error the good pleasure of God and merit of Christ is weakned besides that by such unprofitable questions men are called from the truth to free justification and from the single plaine of the Scriptures and that of the Apostle is outâ—â—ced as untrue 2 Tim. 1. 9. God hath called us with a holy calling not according to our works but according to his purpose and grace which was given to us through Christ â—esuâ— before the world began 4. They teach that in election unto faith this condition is formerly required viz. That a man may use the â—ight of reason aright that he be honest lowly and humble and â—â—â—posed unto eternall life as though in some sort election dâ—pended on these things for these Teachers have a strong 〈…〉 and broadly enough tell the Apostle that he is 〈◊〉 when he sayes Ephes. 2. 3. We had all our conversations in tiâ—â—s past in the lust of the flesh fulfilling the will of the flesh 〈◊〉 of the minde and were by nature the children of wrath as well as others But God which is rich in mercy through his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins hath quickened us together with Christ by grace ye are saved and 〈◊〉 raised us up together and made us sit together in heaveâ—â—y plâ—ces in Iesus Christ that he might shew in the ages to come the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindnesse towâ—rds us in Iesus Christ for by grace ye are saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God not of works lest any should â—â—ast 5. They teach that incompleat and not peremptory election of singular person is made by reason of fore-seen faith repentance sanctity godlinesse and that this is the gracious and Evangelicall worthinesse by which he that is chosen becomes worthier then he that is not chosen and therefore that faith the â—bedience of faith sanctity godlinesse and perseveran ce are not the fruits or effects of the unchangeable electiâ—n unto glory but conditions and causes sine quibus non that is to say without which a thing is not brought to passe before required and fore-seen as already performed by those who are compleatly to be chosen a thing repâ—gnant to the whole Scripture which every wherebeats into our eares hearts these and such like sayings Rom 9. 11. Election is not of works but of him that calleth Acts 13 48. As many as were ordained to everlasting life beleeved Joh. 15. 16. Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you Rom. 11. 6. If of grace not of works 1 John 4. 10. Herein is loveâ— not that we loved God but that he first loved us and sent his Son c. 6. That not all election to salvation is unchangeable but that some which are elected withstanding Gods decree may perish and for ever doe perish By which grosâ—e error they hoth make God mutable overthrow the comfort of the godly concerning the certainty of their salvation and contradict the holy Scriptures teaching Mat. 24. 24. That the Elect cannot he seduced John 6. 39. That Christ doth not lose those are given to him by his father Rom. 8. 30. That God whom he hath predestinated called justified them he doth also glorifie 7. They
France he scapeth unpunished among us too many others we have They preach print and practise their hereticall opinions openly for books vide the bloody Tenet witnesse a tractate of divorce in which the bonds are let loose to inordinate lust a pamphlet also in which the soul is laid asleepe from the houre of death unto the houre of judgement with many others Yea since the suspention of our Church-government every one that listeth turneth Preacher as Shoo-makers Coblers Button-makers Hostlers and such like take upon them to expound the holy Scriptures intrude into our Pulpits and vent strange doctrine tending to faction sedition and blasphemie What mischiefe these Sectaries have already done we that have cure of soules in London find and see with great griefe of heart viz. Our Congregations forsaking their Pastors our people becomming of the Tribe of Gad running after seducers as if they were mad Infants not to be brought to the Sacrament of Baptisme men refusing to receive the holy Communion and the Lords Prayer accounted abhominable c. A Volume will hardly contain the hurt that these Sectaries have in a very short time done to this poore Church and doth not the Common-wealth suffer with the Church Whence are all these distractions Who are the Incendiaries that have kindled blown this fire among us but these Considering with my selfe the former happinesse of this Kingdome and the sudden change that is betide it it being fallen from the height of prosperitie to the lowest ebbe of misery and this not by the incursion of a Forreigne Nation but by its owne children who imbrue their hands in the bloud one of another with no lesse inhumanity then Cannibals or Men-eaters without any reluctation at all the Sonne against the Father and the Father against the Son being involved in a most cruell Warre without any hopes of Peace And moreover which is worst of all when I consider that some of our Clergy-men who should like Moses stand in the gap to appease Gods anger doe increase the same not onely by blowing the fire but by their Errors and Schismes which they broach and foment among us by which they doe as much as in them lyeth to put mens soules in as great danger as their bodies And considering againe how wee are involved in a most cruell Warre without any hopes of peace may not I cry out with the Prophet O that my head were full of water and my eyes a fountaine of teares that I might weepe for the slaine of my people But all this being Gods permitting let us with patience possesse our souls let us trust in him depend upon him and in his good time hee will deliver his Church and turne all to the best and in the meane season every man doe his best to quench this fire For my own part these sad considerations made me leave my Christianography and write an Heâ—â—siography to describe the Hereticks and Schismaticks of this time in which I set downe their beginning among us their hereticall opinions and errors confuting them and also relate how other Princes and Commonâ— wealths have suppressed them and how severely some of them have beene punished among us I know my reverend Brethren have not beene wanting to oppose these Hereticks in writing and preaching in season and out of season using all meanes to suppresse these Heresies having to that end chosen speciall men to preach several Lectures in severall places But without your helpe and the assistance of our Religious Patriots assembled in Parliament they doe and will increase upon us doe what we can This Treatise I present to your Lordship and to this Honourable Senate What can bee more sutable or fitter for you Servants of the most high God then that which tendeth to the glory of God Edification of his Church and vindication of the truth against the illusion of Sectaries and Heretikes What is more correspondent with the duty of Christian Magistrates then to assist Gods cause with your politicall Authority A question may be asked whether it be lawfull for the Magistrates to use the sword against Heretickes To this I answer such whose Heresies are blasphemous in doctrine or dangerous to the State deserve death the reason is because they corrupt the faith If such as poyson waters and fountaines at which men and beasts drinke deserve Capitall punishment how much more they that as much as in them lyeth goe about to poyson mens soules Yea St. Augustine saith in his fifth Tractat upon Iohn Quantum in ipsis est Christum in homine occidunt The forenamed St. Augustine indeed wavered concerning this point for a time as he confesseth in one of his Epistles but when he saw the City wherein he dwelt was reclaimed from Donatisme by the Magistrates sword he retracted his opinion And expecting the like successe in this honourable City I doe implore your helps that for Iesus Christs sake and I pray you give me leave to put you in mind of the Covenant we made in the presence of Almighty God the searcher of all hearts with a true intent to performe the same as wee should answer at that great day when the secrets of all hearts shall bee disclosed viz. That we should in like manner without respect of persons endeavour the extirpation of Popery Prelacy Superstition Heresie Schisme Prophaâ—enesse and whatsoever shall bee found to be contrary to sound Doctrine and the power of godlinesse lest wee partake in other mens sins and thereby be in danger to receive of their plagues and that the Lord may be one and his Name one in the three Kingdomes And this I beseech you in the name of God to take in hand laying aside all humane reasons Let not Gods cause goe to racke nor by worldly policies and humane reason be protracted or retarded The Turke will not suffer Mahomet to be blasphemed as we are Christians let us stand for Christ. How dangerous the fostering of Heretikes hath been histories declare viz. Almighty God sent down fire from Heaven and consumed Antioch being a Nursery of Heretikes And also how the earth opened swallowed Nicomedia the meeting place of the blasphemous Arrians also in the Commentaries of Sleidan how the Anabaptists meeting first in Conventicles surprized Munster and how hardly Amsterdam escaped them Lambertus Hortensius writeth The plague is of all diseases most infectious I have lived among you almost a Iubile and seene your great care and provision to keep the City from infection in the shutting up the sicke and in carrying them to your Pest-houses in setting Warders to keep the whole from the sicke in making of fires and perfuming the streets in resorting to your Churches in powring out your prayers to Almighty God with fasting and almes to be propitious to you The plague of heresie is greater and you are now in more danger then when you buried five thousand a week You have power to keep these Hereticks and Sectaries from Conventickling and
Yea the Brownists gâ—e faâ— beyâ—nd the Anabapâ—â—sts affâ—â—ming set Prayers to be abhominable in the eyes of Almighty God To this â—â—â—answer whatsoever God hath ordained is neither abhominable nor loathsome to him but God hath ordained set Prayers therefore they are not abominable noâ— loathsome That God hath ordained set prayers see Num. 6. 23 24. Yee shall blesse the childâ—en of Israel saying unto them the Lord blesse thee and keep thee the Lord make his face to shine upon tâ—ee and be gracious to thee the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace Againe Deut. 26. 5. And thou shalt speake and say before the Lord thy God a Syâ—ian ready to perish was my Father The 90. Psalme is a Prayer even the prayer of Moses and and used in the Jewish Church as we use the Lords Prayer All the Psalmes of David except some that are doctrinall are prayers and have beene and shall be read in the Church of God maâ—gre all the Heriticks and Schismaticks In the World In the Gospell are many set prayers daily read in the Church What are all these abhominable All the ancient Churches in the world planted by the Apostles have set Prayers as the Greek Church to whom St. Paul preached the Indians to whom St. Thomas brought the â—ight of the Gospel the Ethiopians to whom St. Mark brought the knowledge of Christ the Muscovites who affirme that they received the truth from Sâ— Andrew These with all ancient Churches have set prayers their Liturgies are to be seen Yea all the Reformed Churches the Duâ—ch the French the Danâ—sh the Swedish the Scotâ—ish c have set Prayers onely these Sectaries will speak to God ex tempore In my Christianography you may see dâ—vers Liturgies as a Liturgy attributed to St. Iamesâ—he â—he first Bishop of â—erusalem set forth by Victorius Scâ—atâ—â—us the Maronite The Apdâ—â—le Iames was commonly called Iacobus Liturgus that is Iames the Service-maker which beginneth O Lord doe not despise me defiled with the multitude of my sins c. Again the service the Muscovites use taken out of the Commentaries of Sigismund Liberus The Ethiopian Liturgie or Service written by Francis Alvares The Copâ—s Liturgy set forth by Kircherus The Armenian Service set downe by Odoardus Barâ—osa The Armenian Service set downe by Peter Bellonius lib. 3. cap. 12. The Liturgy of Severus sometime Patriarch of Alexandria written in Syriak and translated into Latine by Guido Subritius But to shew you a patterne of some of their new Prayers one of them cryeth out in his prayer O Lord thou knoweâ—â— good Lord that we never had the truth preached among us untill now c. Whereas the Doctrine of the Church of England is Gods truth as the learned Assembly of Divines doe restifie howsoever in our Discipline there may need Reformation Another cryeth out in his prayer Good Lord good Lord deliver this Congregation from this man who is unlearned unpowerfull unprofitable c. This spirituall Prayer was made for my selfe in my owne Church in my owne Pulpit in my owne hearing To conclude this with the counsell of the holy Ghost Bee not rash with thy mouth nor let thine heart be hasty to utter a thing before Gâ—d for God is in the heavens and thou art 〈◊〉 the earth Therefore let thy words be few for as a dreame commeth by the multitude of businesse so the voyce of a foole is known by many words 20. They quarrell at the Lords Prayer BUT what need I complaine of their blaspheming of set Prayers whereas our Lord taught his Disciples a set Forme of Prayer the perfectest and exactest of all that can bee made it being compiled by the Sonne of God who is the wisedome of the Father For perfection it containeth all that can be asked or prayed against For acceptation it containeth the words of Christ the Son of God in whom the Father is well pleased These Sectaries quarrell at this prayer and will nor say it as Barrow Greenwood affirme it to be abominable and as loâ—thsome unto God as swines-flesh to a Jew Apollinaâ—ius the Heritick equalled his songs with holy Scripture but I never heard of any Heretick thatâ—prefer'd his owne works before holy Scripture Doe not these Heriticks preferre their owne Prayers before our Lords If our Lords Prâ—yer be better then theirs why doe they not say it according to our Lords Commandement Luke 11 Or if they will pray after the same manner as is commanded Matth. 6. Why doe they use so many vaine repetitions there by him forbidden I have read that St. Peter used no other prayer at the Communion but this Prayer which his Master taught him and the Greeks in Calabria used the same But now it is not used by some at the ministration of the Sacrament I am sure this prayer is perfect and all other devised by them not so perfect Let us not neglect that perfect forme which our Lord hath left us or pray at least-wise after that manner not using vaine repititions by him forbidden as before 21. Of the Tyranny and ill-usage of some of them to their VVives and Servants MAny there be that are taken in the Bâ—iars of this propane Schisme that wish they had never met with the separation of that Schismaticall body and would flye so that they might escape without excommunication with which they terâ—ifie them so that they dare not so much as whisper or as much as â—uffe against it You may read in the Boook called The prophane Schisme of the Brownists how cruelly also they used their servants for not doing their taskes as some they hang up by the hands and whip them stark naked being women grown yea they spare not theâ—r wives but correct them Read the story of Seudley and Mansfield It may be they learnâ— this of their Patriarch Father Browne who would cuâ—stly correct his old wife as before 22. There are divers sorts of Separatists THere are divers sorts of these Sectaries for every day begets a new fancy or opinion it â—aâ—ing with them usually as with all other Hereticks who having once forsaken the Truth wander from one error to another as Mr. Smith one of their Grandees from a Protestant he turned Brownist and from a Brownist he turned Anabaptist yea a Sebaptist and re-baptized himselfe The first sort of Separatists affirme the abominations of the Church of England to be so great that they will â—ot come within their Church doores to heare any of their Ministers but â—y themselves wholly to their owne Conventicles The root of this Sect was one Mr. Robert Browne before named from whom are risen many Sects for every day begets a new fancy and conceit These say that England was once the Lords wiâ—e but that he hath given her a Bill of divorce and put her away These deny all communion with her but private communion they hold lawfull with her members As for the ancient company of Brownists that were
Ionah 2. 4. Ionah was as one cast out of Gods presence and 2 Chron. 15. 2. If you forsake him he will forsake you And in a word it impâ—rts as if God neither loved righteousnesse nor hated wickednesse contrary to Psal 45. 6 7. and 〈◊〉 take no delight in the obedience of his people contrary to Psal. 147. 11. The Lord delighteth in those that feare him c As concerning the last clause he that hath elected me must save me It is true the foundation of Gods election remaineth sure yet it is as true that whom he chuseth he purposâ—th to bring to salâ—atâ—on through sanctification of the Spirit 2 Thes. 1. 13. 4. If Christ will let me sinne let him look to it upon his honour be it Answ. This retorts the Lords words upon himselfe Pro 4. 22. 24. Keep thine heart c. Ponder thy paths c. and therefore no lesse blasphemous and is contrary to the professed practice of David Psalme 18. 23. I was upright before him and kept my selfe from minâ— iniquity The laâ—ter clause puts the cause of Gods dishonour upon himsâ—lâ—e no lesse blaspheâ—ous then the former and contrary to Rom. 2. 23. where the dishonouring of God is laid upon themselves 5. Here is a great stir about graces looking to hearts but give me Christ I seek not for graces but for Christ I seeke not for promises but for Christ I seek not for sanctification but for Christ tell not me of mediation duties but tel me of Christ. Answ. 1. This speech seemeth to make a flat opposition between Christ and his graces contrary to that in Ioh. 1. 16. Of his fulnesse we all received and grace for grace and between Christ and his promises contrary to Galâ— 3. 13 14. Christ was made â— curse that we might receive the promise of the Spirit Luke 1. 70. with 74. And betwix Christ and all holy 〈◊〉 contrary to Tit. 2. 14. and therfore hold fâ—rth expressions not agreeing to wholsome Doctrine 6. A living faith that hath living fruits may grow from the living Law Answ. This whole speech is utterly 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 of words required 2 Tim. 1. 13 Hold fast the forme of 〈◊〉 words 1. That a Hypocrite may have a living Laâ— is contrary to Iames 2. â—7 where the Hypocrites faith is called a dead faith 2. That a Hypocrite may bring forth living fruit is contrary to that Heb. 9. 14. 3. That all this growâ—s from a living Law contrary to a Cor. 3. 6. where the Law is called a killing Letter And to Gal. 3. 21. If there had been a Law which could have given life c. 7. I may know I am Christs not because I doe crucifie the lusts of the flesh but because I doe not crucifie them but believe in Christ that crucifieth my lusts for me Answ. 1. The phrase is contrary to the Scripture language Gal. 5. 24. They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts 2. 〈…〉 the flesh for these three things may seem to be expresâ—â—â— in it 1. If Scripture make not opposite but subordinate Rom. 8. 13. 〈◊〉 thâ—ough the Spirit crucifie the flesh 2. That if I doe 〈◊〉 crucifie my lusts thâ—n there is an open free way of looking to Câ—rist contrary to the Scripture Mat. 5. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shal see Gâ—d both in boldnesse of faith here fruition hereafter 2 Tim. 2. 19 Let every one that names the Lord Iesus depart from iniquity 3. That believing in Christ may ease me from endeavouring to ciucifie my lusts in my owne person which is so grosse that it needs no more confutation then to name it 4. The safe sense that may be possibly intended in such a speech is this If I crucifie the flesh in my own strength it is no safe evidence of my being in Christ but if renouncing my self I crucifie the flâ—sh in the strength of Christ applying his death by faith it is a safe evidence of my being in Christ but this sense conveighed in these words is to conveigh wholsome Doctrine 〈◊〉 an â—â—â—olsome some Channel a darkning and losing the truth in an 〈◊〉 expression 8. Peter more leâ—ned to a Covenant of works then Paul Pauls doctrine was more for free-grace then Perers Answ. To oppose these persons and the doctrine of these two Apostles of Christ who were guided by one and the same spirit in preaching and penning thereof 2 Pet 1. 21. Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Tim. 3. 16 All Scripturs is given by inspiration of God in such a point as the Covenant of works and grace is little lesse then blasphemy 9. If Christ be my sanctification what need I look to any thing in my selfe to condence my justification Answ. This position is therefore unfound because it holds forth Christ to be my sanctâ—fication so as that I need not looke to any inh erent holinesse in my selfe whereas Christ is thereâ—â—re said to be our sanctification bècause he works sanctificaâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 us and we dayly ought to grow up in him by receiving new supply and encrease of grace from his fulnesse according to 2 Pet. 3. 18. Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ. â— These with many other had so infected the Church that if God had not wrought wonderfully for his truth they had overwhelmed us that would or necâ—â—sent into bloudy and â—uell martyrdome as their owne Sermons did 〈◊〉 them up and their threats gave us occasion to feare But God in this did not sit still as asleep saith my Author while these Taâ—es choakt the Wheat though he suffered the enemy to sow them but he manifested his dislike in notorious judgements upon the prime fomenters of them As first Mistris Hutchinson the Generalissimo 〈◊〉 high Priestesse of the new religion was delivered at one 〈◊〉 of 30. monstrous Births or thereabouts much about the nâ—mber of her monstrous opinions some were bigger some lesse none of them having humane shape but shap't like her opinions Mistris Dier another of the same crew was delivered of a large woman-child which was stil-born it had no head but a face upon the breast and the eares which were like an Apes stood in the shoulders the eyes and mouth stood farre out the nose was looking upwards the breast and back full of sharpe pâ—iâ—â—les the navell belly and privy parts were where the back hips should be and the back parts were on that side that the face was the armes and legges thighes and hands were as other children but in stead of toeâ— it had upon each foot three clawes with Talons like a young Fowle upon the back above the belly it had two great holes like mouthes and in each of them stuck a piece of flesh It had no fore-head but in the place thereof above the eyes foure horns whereof two were above an inch long hard and sharp the other two
Allegiance which the secular Priests doe all generally allow and take See Blackwell Howard Widrington and the Author of the Safe guard from Ship wrack 5. The Jesuites also teach it to be not onely lawfull but also meritorious to lay hands upon the Lords Anoynted and to murther Heretick Kings after the Pope hath declared them to bee such see Mariana Anti-Cotton but the secular Priests disclaime and abhor this doctrine 6. The Jesuites hold that the Pope is onely Iure Divino a Bishop and that all other Bishops hold from him but the Cardinall of Lorraine and the French Bishops with many other hold Bishops to be Iure Divino see the History of the Councel of Trent 7. The Jesuites with the Franciscans beleeve the immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary which the Dominicans and other Papists doe deny 8. The Jesuites with the Pelagians Arminians hold that God worketh in our conversion onely moraliter by way of swasion but Jacobites and other Papists especially the Spaniards as we may see in Alvares and others maintain with all Orthodox Divines that God worketh Physically per modum physici agentis by powerfull inclining the faculty of the will For confutation of these errors so many books are written against them in English and some of them are confuted before so that I may save my labour These are the most pernitious and dangerous sort of all others These are not ignorant Sots like the Anabaptists and others but educated and brought up in all manner of humane learning and so more able to doe mischiefe These take upon them to justifie all the Errors and abhominations of Antichrist yea their Idolatries and Sodomiticall uncleannesse they will defend and maintain And have they not for this cause a thing most abhominable to be spoken of corrupted the writings of the ancient Fathers and new printing of them make them speak as they wou'd have them and also written many books in their names to beare witnesse with them of their novelties A volume will not containe their cumbustions that they have raised in kingdoms and States Their plotting of Treasons and especially the Powder-treason a divillish designe not to be beleeved in ages to come Their murthering of Princes all these under pretence of holines O God that art in heaven dissipate their Councells O Christ the Redeemer of thy Church by the grace of thy holy Spirit deliver England from these wicked Assâ—ssians and remove them far from our dwellings One thing I will adde to shew what impostors they are I will set downe how by a pretended delusion of theirs a few of them had almost perverted a whole kingdome of Christians in which there is a Patriarke and eighteen Bishops In the year of our Lord 1614. Tenurazes being King of the Georgians the Persian Army entred his Countrey spoyled divers Towns carryed away many prisoners among others Ceteba the Kings mother out of the City Cremon The old Queen refusing to become a Mahomâ—tan and speaking ill of Mahomet was put to death and her body cast out into the fields left unburied to be eaten of wild beasts There being at that time certaine Jesuites in Persia they sought for her body but found it not for Moacla a late servant of liers who was slave to a Persian got leave of her Master to bring home the body and embalme it the Jesuites found a dead mans head and embalming it travelled towards Georgia with it and drawing neare they sent a messenger to the King to let him understand that certaine Roman Christians were come out of Persia who brought with them the head of the holy Martyr Cetaba his Mother which had delivered them out of many dangers The Prince hearing this went a dayes journey with a great troop of his Nobility and Clergy and brought the holy Relique to Chachete with great honor and celebrity placed it in the Church of the holy Martyr St. George of Aberdall and used them with all respect and sent them great gifts which they refused saying that they had vowed poverty Infinite miracles were wrought dayly great offerings they had the sick resorted to them Those that were past cure they told them that their sins were great and they needed a long time of Penance which they prescribed them and after to returne before which time they usually dyed others of whom they had hope of recovery they used means being Physitians attributed their health to the holy Relique and to the Bishop of Rome whom loving Jesus had left his Vicar here upon â—â—rth by this means they enticed many to the Râ—mish Religion of the Nobility and had great hopes of the King himself but in the middest of all this came Leueâ—s from Moacla his Mothers Maid that the King might ransome his mothers body which she had with the other prisoners The King agreeing with the Persian King had home his mothers body and many captives which manifestly knew it to be his Mothers body with her head on At the same time came also certaine Muleters cut of Persia who affirmed that they were in the Jesuites company when they cut off the head of a Malefactor as they supposed and embalmed it whereupon the King commanded the Jesuites to prison who were delivered at the 〈◊〉 of some of the Nobility This History is written in Greek by Gregorius Hieromonachus the Patriarchall Exaâ—ch from Trâ—pazunt An. 1626. By this â—eanes the Jesuites had almost perverted the whole Countrey of Georgia From this Sect the Lord deliver us There are many other Sects among us as they â—ultiply dayly There is but one truth but errors are infinite I will conclude with the Prayer that 〈◊〉 Mother Church hath taught us That it would please Almighty God to bring into the way of truth all such as have erred and are deceived Which God grant for his blessed Son Jesus Chrisâ—s sake Sir Thomas Overburies Character of a Iesuite A Jesuite saith he is a larger spoone for a Traytor to seed with the Devill than any other Order Unclasp him and he is a gray Wolfe with a golden star in his fore-head So superstitious he follwâ—eth the Pope that he forsaketh Christ in not giving Caesar his due His vowes seem heavenly but with medling with state businesse he seemeth to mixe heaven and earth together His best Elements are Confession and Peâ—ance by the first he findeth out mens inclinations and by the latter heaps wealth to his Seminary Hee sprang from Ignatius Loyola a Spanish Souldier and though he had long since found out the invention of the Canon he thought he had not done mischiefe enough He is a false key to open Princes Cabinets and pry into their Counsells and where the Popes Excommunication thunders he holds the de-crowning of Kings to be no more sin then our Puritans doe the suppressing of Bishops The Order t is full of irregularity and disobedience and ambitious above all measure for of late dayes in Portugall and the Indies he rejected