by whose meanes they enjoyed the clothes they wore the bread they eat the trading they had and discoursing of that liberty peace trading which this City had by their means threatned heavie judgements on this City what judgements they might expect for unthankfulnesse to the Instruments of their good who had been a meanes to save them because they would not have them have their liberty but saith hee speaking of the Army if they would stand upon termes or capitulate with us what might they not have and if they were an Army of Papists what would they not have with other things to that purpose insomuch as these Citizens said many spake of the Sermon and that these were dangerous insinuations especially there being divers Souldiers belonging to the Army there present I enquired also of a godly Minister who heard this Sermon of the truth of these passages and hee said there were such passages to that effect And Master Burroughs in his preaching at Cornhill besides what hee may doe in other places hath often strange passages and flings as a little before that against the City Remonstrance though hee named it not which many took notice of and at other times against the Presbyterians comparing them to Esau and the Independents to Jacob speaking of Esau how many rough wild men had been brought down in the field and wee had at home many Esaus wild rough men against their brethren who hee doubted not should be brought down in due time or words to that effect There is one Master Symonds of Sandwich a great Independent who preached that though hee would not say that all who came not into the Church-way were damned yet hee would say that all who had opportunity to joyne to that way and did not but lived and died without repentance for not coming into the Church-way should be damned And saith hee we had been in the Church-way in this place before now but for an Apostate Brother in this Town speaking of a godly Minister once an Independent but converted from the error of that way and this Master Symonds brought that place Zech. 14. 17 18 19. that the Lord will smite them that come not up to keep the feast of Tabernacles Now a godly Minister in the same Town shewed these Notes to a Member of the House of Commons who asked this Master Symonds why this place makes not as much against those who will not joyne in a Presbyteriall way as against those who will not be Independents This Master Symonds reporting of this godly Minister that hee was a lyar hee went to him with two more in a faire way to speak to him and this Master Symonds was so imperious and high that hee called this godly Minister An intolerable Fellow and malicious Some of the Magistrates of that Town asking Master Symonds why divers of the people in the time of the publike Assemblies met in private hee answered Can you blame them when they have nothing but bread and cheese in publike speaking of this godly mans Ministery Now upon occasion of Master Symonds branding this godly Minister for an Apostate because hee had forsaken the Independent way this godly Minister presently after in his owne Church publikely confessed hee was once of the Independent way and actually entered into a Church Covenant and would baptize none but the children of parents in the Church Covenant but saith hee this was when I was in the Iland of Providence alone and in the dark but when I came into England since this Parliament and compared both wayes together the Presbyterian and Independent confer'd with divers Ministers about them read books as Master Rutherfords c. heard Master John Goodwin preach some Sermons for Presbytery I saw the power of the Keyes to be in the Ministers of the Church not the people the Church Covenant and all those wayes of admission requiring men to give signes of grace c. to be Will-worships when I came to hold up the Independent way in the light like as men doe the cloth they buy I saw it was a moth eaten garment and had many flawes in it Hee told the people hee had been humbled privately before God that hee had been of that way and now desired to be publikely humbled for it and confessed his sinne in being a Minister of an Independent Church and gave God glory saying I am not ashamed to recant that wherein I did amisse and was mistaked it was 〈◊〉 shame to Paul to confesse hee was a blasphemer and hee wished that some Ministers who had been Stage-player and Cringers to the name of Jesus pleading for bowings would publikely confesse and follow his example for saith this godly Minister I doe this to set them an example and who would account the worse of them if they followed my example This Minister tells me hee turned not God knowes for any outward respects for whilst hee was in Providence hee was baâ—kt and upheld in that way against all oppositions by some great ones and when hee was come to London namely since this Parliament hee was offered maintenance and support in that way but coming to examine things hee found the Scriptures hee went upon did not prove the things and observing that the way whilst hee was in it was full of factions fractions and divisions and finding divers of his members that were come out of Providence into England turned some to be Anabaptists some Antinomians some Seekers all these things laid together God blessed to recover him out of that dangerous way of error and schisme wherein hee was In May last a Commander belonging to the Army told me that hee hath heard many Souldiers of the Army who are Sectaries say when newes hath come to the Army of the Parliaments setling the Presbyterian Government What have wee fought for then all this while if that must be setled The same Commander tells me hee hath heard divers of the Sectaries belonging to the Army pray but never as hee could observe did they pray for forgivenesse of sinne neither doth hee think that any of the Sectaries in the Army use to pray for pardon of sinnes There is one Crab of Southwarâ— side a Dipper and a Preacher who vents strange doctrines against the Immortality of the soul c. This man was complained of this summer to the Lord Major for speaking words against the King as that it was better to have a golden Calâ—e or an Asse set up with such kind of expressions then to have a King over them For which words hee was bound over to answer at the Sessions but I heare nothing what is become of him There is one Lieutenant B. a Lieutenant of a Troop of Horse a great Sectarie who is so proud and conceited that he thinks himself able to dispute with the whole Assembly and calls our godly Ministers Priests at every word he affects strange high words saying they who have the invisible motions of the spirit have nothing to doe
other Commanders and souldiers June 7. 1646. being Sabbath day in the forenoon used these or the like words in effect viz. 1. There are no more of the Church of God in a Kingdome then there be such as have the spirit of God in that Kingdome 2. Neither Old nor New Testament do hold forth a whole Nation to be a Church 3. Whatsoever a State an Assembly or Councell shall say ought not to binde the Saints further thenthe judgements of those Saints shall lead them 4. The Saints are those that are now stiled Anabaptists Familists Antinomians Independents Sectaries c. 5. The power is in you the people keep it part not with it 6. The first party that rose against you namely the prophane ones of the Land are already fallen under you and now there is another party Formalists and carnall Gospellers rising up against you and I am confident they shall fall under you 7. They are willing to become subjects to make the Saints slaves nay they are willing to become slaves themselves that they may tread upon the necks of the Saints 8. His Sermon or exposition for the greatest part of it tended meerly to division and sedition 9. Being spoken with after his Sermon by some of his hearers toâ—ching these and such like passages he said to this effect his intentions were not according to his expressions and hee thought he had preached only to souldiers Peter Mills John Haine Nichoas Widmergole Henry Potter Theophilus Smith There were Copies of these Positions given into the hands of some Members of both Houses and some Citizens with these names subscribed And when Master Del did put forth his Sermon with an Episte before it wherein some passages were inserted to cleare himself from these matters laid against him the Citizens above named put forth a Book entituled a Vindication of certaine Citizens that lately went to the Leaguer then before Oxford weherin they attest the seven former Positions against Mr Del page 9. And of this Mr Del the Reader may read more of him in a foregoing Letter written by a Learned and godly Minister out of the Army Some passages taken out of a Letter written lately by a godly Minister in Cheshire to a worthy friend of his in London George Young Lieutenant Colonell Ger. souldier on Sabbath was sevennight I being absent brake to peeces the railes which for these foure years have been transformed into seates very commodiously for the parish refused to stay his hand at the instance of divers who told him I would amend it if any thing were amisse telling them I would sooner set up such things then pull them downe and that he would do it if I were present and that the Church should down within a yeare and reported in the Towne that I was drunk with the blood of the Whore of Rome wisheth his tongue had cleaved to the roofe of his mouth when hee had taken the Covenant And it 's much feared that spirit works mightily in Ger. Company and others Five Independents are determined for the five Captaines of foot for this Country judge you what 's intended Great striving hath been to get me out of my Lecture here that an Independent might come in but I have undertaken the Lecture if need be gratis rather then any evill fall out by my removall Some passages taken out of a Letter written from a Reverend and Learned Minister in the Northerne parts to a worthy freind of his in London AN eminent Parliament man of our Country came downe lately with whom I had some conference about Master Edwards and about the Schismes and Blasphemies that are broaâ—hed and connived at amongst you He said he thought that Master Edwards was a very wicked man and did as much as was in him to embroyle the Kingdome in a new Warre and deserved c. In all his discourse he savored of the new leaven which I feare many of the higher powers are too much tainted with I complained that Schismes and Schismaticks were to much suffered by them He answered that truth was victorious and will be triumphant of it self and as when many thick mists gather about the Sunne in the morning the Sunne by his own light and heate dissipates them by degrees so would truth do all contrary Errors of it self in time and therefore it was but reason that men should first bee convinced of their Errors and satisfied in their consciences by reasons and arguments and not be compelled by force to constraine their consciences to mens wills I objected Bests case to him he said that Best shewed himself amoderate man and willing to be satisfied by reason and to lay down his opinions if he might be convinced of them and his conscience satisfied I also spake of Lilburne to him he said he was a very good and deserving man and thought that he might say and do and justifie all that was yet laid to his charge He said that Anabaptists were not Hereticks but only Schismaticks at the worst and that he thought the baptizing of Children could not be proved out of the word of God I laboured to prove it by Scripture and reason the testimonies of the most Orthodox Fathers and the constant practise of the first best and purest times of the Primitive Church but he slighted my proofs and said that my Scripture and reasons were not expresse and demonstrative and for the Fathers and practise of former times we were not to be ruled by them ex ungue leonem He is learned and wittie active quick and ni 〈…〉 ble and magisteriall I feare he hath many abettors which are ejusdem farinae Yet I think that he is no broacher of these opinions much lesse perswader of any to them but only by way of discourse accidentally as thus with me June 22. 1646. An Extract of a Letter written to me out of Lancashire SIR THere is imployed in this County by the House of Commons as t is commonly taken one Mathewes a man active and of strong parts he boldly and confidently denies the Scriptures to be the word of God and pretends to Revelation we have heretofore signified to some Members of the House what a scandall t is that such men should be imployed by them but cannot yet learn that they have put him out I have here inclosed sent you two papers that were given me by one of our Sectaries here being divers more and some that are active of his opinion August 8. 1646. A Copy of the two Papers inclosed GOod Christian Brethren forasmuch as the immortality of the Soule is maintained to be a truth whereof I am doubtfull I desire you who are able by sound Doctrine to convince the gainsayers to make it good by Scripture that the Soul is immortall and that it may so appear I desire you will be pleased in a rational way to proceed by giving in writing a definition of the subject whence it is and what it is and where it
doe as a gifted Brother but as a Minister and is an act of power and office not of love and charity onely the Independents greatest and onely Argument to speak of used in the Assembly in their Sermons and some printed Books against a Presbyteriall Church and Ministers ruling in common over more then their particular Congregation is fully answered for if they may of themselves without the consent of the Minister of that Congregation baptize who are not of their Church then certainly they may with consent of the Ministers and Officers of such Churches joyn in the ruling and governing of them who are not of their Congregations and by this the ruling power of Ministers does not extend further then their power of feeding by the word and Sacraments and therefore till I give Master Burroughs a particular Answer to this Reason of his Wee would have the ruling power of Ministers not to extend further c. pag. 29. of his Vindication against Master Edwards and such a like passage in his Irenioum I referre him to Master Goodwin to be satisfied what reasons hee hath to baptize those over whom he hath not a Pastorall charge and the same will be found to hold stronglier for a power of governing those who are not of a Ministers particular Congregation and yet Master Burroughs if hee were pleased to take notice might find this very Argument answered in the Antapologia being brought by the Apologists in their Apologeticall Narration and in the Assemblies Answer to the Reasons of the Dissenting Brethren given in against Presbyteriall Government which Answers were never yet taken away by the Apologists or any of them and Cretensis in his late pretended Reply to my Antapologie takes no notice of them as he does not to the rest of the Arguments against their Non-communion c. but is so wise as after taking two yeares and upward for Answer yet to crave further day for payment filling up many sheets with mending the Printers and Correctors faults and making many faults where there are none letâ—ing passe all the materiall thingâ— both in matters of fact and Arguments till a Second Part which the Reader may expect ad Graeâ—as Kalendas And of this learned Reply to the Antapologie a worthy Divine writes to me Septemb. 12 as followes I have lighted upon the frothy Answer to the Antapologie of which lay aside pedanticall jeers unchristian misconstruction Rhetoricall flashes and Jesuiticall equivocations there will be scarce so much of a solid Answer remaining as would fill one sheet of those 38. that swells its puffe-paste bulk There is one Master Hugh Peters who came over from New-England about five yeares agoe a great Agent for the Sectaries who hath many wayes by preaching writing conference and discourse and above all by acting in severall kinds promoted the Independent way The Reader shall find him spoken of in the First and Second Parts of Gangraena Pag. 40 41. of the third Edition in some of Master * Pryâ—s Books in a Book called The Sectaries Anatomized pag. 3. Now I will give the Reader an account of him in relating some of his passages in Sermons Books and Discourses In Sermons hee hath preached as followes In the first yeare the Scots came into England hee hath in the Pulpit spoken well of them as in a Sermon at Covent Garden commending their Army hee said there was in one Regiment of the Scots fifteen hundred or seventeen hundred Bibles but since that time of the new Modell of the Army hee hath preached against them as at Lewis in Sussex where also hee spake against the Presbyterians because they will not live voluntarily upon the good will of the people but will stand upon such a meanes whereas the Independents will preach freely asking nothing So at Master Gatakers Church at Redriffe on the monethly Fast-day May 27. 1646. hee preached against the Scots by name that these Scots now in the Land were a new Generation not those Scots that came in at first to our help but these were other Scots come from Sweathland Germany and he knew not whence that to his knowledge they had sent away whole bushels full or â—uns full of money at that time also hee preached concerning the monethly Fasts that they were Canonicall set Fasts and hee wished they were suspended for a time and Fasts taken up occasionally And on May 17. at Cruciat Friars he preached concerning the Scots and of our Army what a holy religious Army it was and that they would have no warre with the Scots unlesse it should appeare out of the word of God they ought to have and if it should prove so yet they would goe to fight with their Brethren of Scotland with tears in their eyes On the last of May 1646. preaching at the Three Cranes in the Evening he spoke against the * Common Councell for medling with that they had nothing to do with going beyond their Commission saying Let them look into their Charter and see if there be any such thing mentioned He found fault with the City Remonstrance saying We now fall upon Remonstrating and Petitioning one against another instead of giving God thanks for his late deliverances and mercies vouchsafed unto us In this Sermon he spake slightly of the Covenant and of those who made such a stirre about it in pressing the people to be carefull in sticking to it as if they would have them to make an Idoll of the Covenant In this Sermon also hee spake about the King to this purpose what a stirre here was about a King as if we could not live without one and how fond we were to hug and embrace him who struck us a box on the eaâ—e the other day and all because he now stroakes us on the cheeks In this â—ermon also he spake that wee were now grown to a refined Malignancy so that he saw no more difference between these times and the first times of the troubles then between a half crown piece and two shillings and six pence by his discourse in the Pulpit it was carried in such a way as under the Malignant striking at the Presbyterian party who opposed Sectaries In this Sermon he spake also of the Army to this effect that when hee thought of the Army and the carriage of men towards them hee thought of Jesus Christ how like they were to him that as he went about doing good and working miracles and at length the people crucified him so will men do with this Army This Sermon was so offensive that I was told of it by divers and some Citizens went to speak with him about it and the conference that passed between him and them I shall acquaint the Reader with under the head of Master Peters discourses Master Peters in the Army in Hedington Fort hath preached against the City of London incensing the Army against the City of which the Reader may read more if he turn backward to page 24. Since the taking of
that would be a great sinne in him And now lately this October or at the latter end of September he preached on that Text in Thames-street Wee are not of the night but of the day upon which Text he delivered matter to this effect that since the Apostles times or presently after them there had been a great night but now the day was breaking out after a long night and light was coming every day more then other and there were many Gospel priviledges and of the new Jerusalem that we should then enjoy In that day there should be no Ordinances to punish men for holding opinions there should be no Confessions of Faith there every one should have the liberty of their consciences then as in Micah 't is prophesied of those Gospel times All people will walke every one in the name of his God and wee will walke every one in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever which place was brought for liberty of conscience by him And in that day neither Episcopacy nor Presbytery nor any others should intermeddle or invade the rights of the Saints many such flings he had and this Sermon was preached just upon that time when the Ordinance against Heresies was taken into debate and the Confession of Faith to be brought into the House of Commons so that by these and many more particulars his hints about dipping often and suffering such shewes what the first fruits of these Itinerary Preachers are and what a sad thing 't is men so principled should go among such a people as the Welch with so large a power of preaching as he and his fellowes have Master Sympson the Independent preaching presently after the second part of Gangraena came forth at Black-Friars on June 12. as 't is given me under ones hand and in his Sermon discoursing about the Angels bringing no railing accusation against Satan he advised his people how to behave themselves at this time now the Saints infirmities were laid open First not answer a word as the King of Judah commanded those he sent to Rabshakeh Secondly to pray against them yea and to pray against them by name for God would avenge them Reader take notice of the charity and love of Independents to their Presbyterian Brethren to stirre up the people to pray against them and that by name with giving them an incourragement from Gods avenging which I never read was practised by the Primitive Church but only against Julian the Apostate whom the Church judged with one consent to have sinned against the Holy Ghost These Independents and Sectaries did in many Books before my first part of Gangraena came forth name many Presbyterian godly Ministers and others laying open infirmities committed long before yea abusing Members of both Houses and worthy persons by writing lyes and false things of them as that religious and Noble Earle of Manchester Master Pryn Colonell King Master Calamy with many more and have abused by name in printed Books lately many able and godly Ministers of the Assembly as Master Vines Master Marshall Master Sedgwick Master Gataker Master Ley Master Newcomen Master Seaman Master Hill Doctor Burges with some City Ministers and this is no fault in the Sectaries neither are these worthy men Saints be like in the Independent Kalender nor may the Presbyterians I hope pray against Master Saltmarsh Cretensis Lilburne and others of them by name but for Master Edwards because he hath written of the damnable Errors Heresies and Blasphemies of these times and the better to preserve the people and to make them take heed hath given the names of some of the prime seducers Wrighter Erbury Hich Wallwyn Denne Kissin Lambe Lilburne c. not Saints in his Creed nor their opinions and wayes infirmities but deliberated plotted abominations therefore hee must be prayed against and that by name and as Master Sympson gives him his blessing so his Brother Borroughs presently after the coming forth of the Antapologie preaching at Cornhill was speaking of some that laid open the infirmities of the Saints and that raked up Letters stories and all to bring out against the Saints but of such saith he I will say no more but as Michael the Archangell the Lord rebuke thee which in the carriage of the passage and way of expression was so evidently against me that I beleeve of godly Ministers and Christians twenty told me of it and they said many who heard him spoke of it and said it was a poor thing of Master Burroughs to speak so in the Pulpit he should do well to answer the Book Now as for the prayers of the Sectaries against me and their curses I would have them know that though I am sorry for them they should do so yet I feare not their curses but well understand that when they curse God will blesse and that the curse causelesse shall not come Prov. 26. 2. besides I know in this very thing I have more with me then against me and in many Countries of this Kingdome both North and West I am assured from godly Ministers and Citizens who have been with me that I am in an especiall manner prayed for and many thanks given to God in my behalf for enabling me and stirring me up to this work against the Sectaries There is a godly Minister of Cheshire who was lately in London that related with a great deale of confidence this following story as a most certaine truth known to many of that County that this last Summer the Church of Duckingfield of which Master Eaton and Master Taylor are Pastor and Teacher being met in their Chappell to the performing of their worship and service as Master Eaton was preaching there was heard the perfect sound as of a man beating a martch on a drum and it was heard as coming into the Chappell and then as going up all along the I le through the people and so about the Chappell but nothing seen which Master Eaton preaching and the people that sate in the severall parts of the Chappell heard insomuch that it terrified Master Eaton and the people caused him to give over preaching and fall to praying but the martch still beating they broke up their exercise for that time and were glad to be gone Now I conceive this passage of Providence towards these Independents speaks thus much to them and to the Kingdom especially considering this Church of Duckingfield is the first Independent Church visible and framed that was set up in England being before the Apologists came from Holland and so before their setting up their Churches here in London First that the Independents are for wars desirous of wars to maintain and uphold their Independent Churches by them and thirst for a new warre with Scotland as much as ever an unhappy boy did to be at fisty-cuffes with another boy and for that end provoke the Scots all kind of wayes study all wayes to make a breach with them Secondly The warres
the Inhabitants of London page 7. saith the Assembly are only to advise the House of Commons when they requiâ—r them and have not dealt fairely to side with the Scots or to sway with the City or to 〈…〉 ge the Parliament in the least Twelfthly the Sectaries have carried themselves wickedly and insolently toward the whole Ministry in this Kingdome and that both in City and Country reproaching them and 〈◊〉 against them in Pulpits Presses and in all places threatning them to send them packing to Rome that they will leave never a Preist in England distuâ—bing them in their owne Churches and Pulpits in giving them the lie calling them by disgracefull names as foole knave false Prophet Antichrist Frog in the Revelation pulling them out of the Pulpits keeping them by force from preaching invading their Pulpits against their wills drawing swords against them assaulting them in their houses with weapons of war and driving them from their habitations and laying their Churches wast A large book would not containe all the stories of the Sectaries misusing the godly Ministers in this kind I have many instances with the proofes by me of the Sectaries insolent carriages in these kinds in Oxfordshire Glostershire Summersetshire Wiltshire Bedfordshire Northamptonshire Warwickeshire Lestershire Devonshire it would be too much to particularize all the wicked facts done in this kind by Col. Heuson Major Axton Leiut Webb Capt. Paul Hobson and divers others as also to repeat all the wicked reproachfull names given the godly Ministers of the Kingdom in the printed pamphlets of the Sectaries as the Devils Agents The professed â—nemies of Christ The sworne enemies of Christ Persecuting Presbyters Croaking Frâ—gs and twenty such names and worse Thirteenthly the Sectaries have spoken wickedly against all the Reformed Churches scoffing at their Synods Classes Ordination c. Let their books be looked into and they will be found to have written more scoffingly and reproachfully aganst those Churches then ever the Papists or Prelates did yea they have blasphemed those Churches the eminent servants of God among them and the truth of Christ taught in them What should I speak of the Arraignment of Persecution and his fellowes belching out blasphemies against the reformed Churches many other pamphlets besides that sort are extremely faulty as The compassionate S 〈…〉 riâ—â—ne Divine Light c. The Reformed Churches are ranged by some of the Sectaries with Papists and Turks and Calvin that worthy Instrument of Reformation and one of the Stars of the first magnitude is evill spoken of and â—ancked with the Romanists Fourteenthly The Sectaries have inveighed against inferior Magistrates Courts as Judges Justices of peace Majors of Cities Committees and all sorts of Officers of Justice and have offered severall affronts unto these and t is no wonder that they who with so high a hand dare affront heaven and earth God his truth Ministers and Ordinances the higher powers and the supremest Court of Judicature as I have showed the Sectaries have done should not be afraid of speaking against and carrying themselves uncivilly towards Magistrates in lower places The Courts of Justice in Westminster Hall and all their proceedings have been reviled by Lilburne and other Sectarian pamphlets All the Lawyers have beene cryed downe and reproached in Englands Birth-right and other pamphlets some of the Judges have beene affronted in their Circuits at the last Assizes by some Sectaries as at Hartford and other places Some Justices of Peace for executing Ordinances of Parliament upon Sectaries as that of Tyths and Committing upon blasphemies have beene arrested and sued by Sectaries as on Southwark â—ide as also abused and reproached to their faces and books written against them for discharge of their office besides Constables and Officers who have distrained and served their Warrants have beene molested and sued Majors of Cities Sheriffs Aldermen have beene branded for arbitrary tyrannicall prerogative Aldermen Sheriffs and miscalled at pleasure as in Lilburnes late pamphlets The Lord Majors farewell to his Maioralty Committees in the Countries have beene affronted by Sectaries putting on their hats when brought before them as in Bedfordshire and in one word all sorts of officers of Justice have one way or other by word or deed beene abused by Sectaries either by disobeying the Warrants they have brought or by miscalling them or by branding them in print as Lilburn hath done in severall pamphlets severall officers the Sergeant at Arms of the House of Commons the Keepers of Newgate he being more insolent and clomineering in prison over all kind of officers then his Keepers over him but above all the Sectaries insolencies towards that faithfull Gentleman Colonel Francis West and other officers under him appears by Lilburnes late libellous pamphlets and by the threatning speeches of some Sectaries comming to see Lilburn in the Tower who being by the Warders spoken unto to give their names and where they dwelt told them they should answer the prohibiting of them from going to Leiutenant Colonel Lilburne and that the time was at hand when they would come in whether the Leiutenant of the Tower would or no. And thus I have given a touch upon severall heads of the Sectaries tumultuous insolent unsufferable carriages but among all their wickednesses and abomiuable courses which may make them justly abhorred of all good men and of these Kingdomes the Reader may observe these following 1. That they make it their work and businesse to corrupt destroy and overthrow all Religion and godlinesse to lay all wast and to set open a wide gate to all error and licentiousnesse of living for the effecting of which they doe not only use all means and wayes for a Universall Toleration of all Heresies Blasphemies Atheisme which may happen to arise that there being such they may be tolerated go unpunished which Toleration alone would cause growth of Heresies fast enough and the ruine of Religion and godlinesse but they plot all wayes and take all courses under heaven that all Heresies and Errors may grow and increase that there may be both abundance of Errors and persons holding them and therefore they use all their power and interest to hinder all things which might prevent the growth of Heresies aâ—d Errors as the settling of Church-government and peace in Church and Common-wealth as the bringing in of Orthodox godly zealous Ministers into places with the establishing of maintenance upon them as the publishing of such Books as might keep men from Errors having suppressed some Books so which have come from New-England as a Tractate against Toleration c. And on the contrary doe any thing though never so unreasonable though never so much against their owne principles though never so wicked and abominable so it will but advance Errors hence they suffer many Emissaries to go from Country to Country from place to place to broach and vent among people all kinds of Errors and that by force of Arms against the will of the Ministers and people
said again and again of his Protestation Protested I will if he will not be angry with him it was this that in that Book there was grosse Brownisme which he nor his Brethren no way agreed with him in and that for his part he would as soon subscribe to the Book of Common-Prayer as to divers things there Shall I tell him what Mr. Symonds of Roterdam one of the moderatest and modestest of that way said upon the comming forth of his last Book Conformities Deformitie to a friend of his that shewed it him and asked him of it no I will forbear least it should trouble the old man too much I could tell some stories of Mr. Burton and his Church I have a relation given me in writing by 〈◊〉 whâ— was present and heard all about a difference that fell out in the time of the Church-meeting between M. Burton and a Butcher and some others of his Church about prophecying but 't is too long to insert here and I promise it the Reader in the 4 part of Gangraena I have been told a late famous story by divers godly Ministers of the City of a great falling out betweene Mr. Burton and some of his Church about singing of Psalmes Baptising of Children prophecying and somewhat else and upon some Brethren cal'd in to hear the businesse how far M. Burton yeelded in those particulars both against his judgment and his practise but I must reserve that too I could make large Animadversions on his Pamphlets and show many strange positions in them beside contradictions falshood weaknesse hard speeches against the faithfull servants of God much pride and arrogancie but I will for present animadvert a few things only on his last Book Conformities Deformitie in a Dialogue between Conformity and Conscience and I shall refer all I have to say at this time to three heads 1. To show the scope of Mr. Burtons Book and what the man would have in it 2. To represent to M. Burton and the Reader the great evill of it and how unlike Mr. Burton is to what himselfe was formerly 3. Propound some queries to Mr. Burton to show him how he is mistaken all along in the ground he goes upon For the first his main scope is under the name of Conscience to represent the Sectaries as the only conscientious men and under that colour to plead for a Toleration of them all and an indempnity from all restraint by the civill Magistrate and under the name of Conformity to brand all Presbyterians and to speak against all establishment of Religion and Church-Government by Magistrates and Synods as great Hypocrisie Idolatry rejecting Christ from being King c. destroying the foundation of faith and in his prosecuting this besides Sion Colledge the Assembly the City of London the Ordinance for preventing the growth of Heresies which he fals fouly upon he railes fearfully and speaks most wickedly against the Generall Assembly and the Scottish Church-Government saying that in the Generall Assembly there is the like Supremacie set up which the Pope 〈…〉 selfe claimeth â—ver Kings States Kingdomes Common-wealths that 't is a spirit of Antichristian pride and tyranny of rebellion and treason in lifting up a Papall Throne above Kings and Kesars above Kingdomes and Common-wealths to the ensâ—aving of the whole Nation in their soules bodies aâ—d estates that it sets up in the Church an Oracle of Infallibility and such a Supremacie as no true-bred English Christian can interpret for other then Antichristian Tyranny and all under the name of a Christian Presbyterian Church-Government that if that Presbyterian Government be set up thereby our Fundamentall Lawes Priviledges and power of Parliaments Liberties and freedome of all true-bred English Subjects would be brought under perpetuall bondage worse then that eitherof Egypt or Babilon all which and much more the Reader may find in page 19 20 21. of-that Booke For the second Mr. Burtons great evill and how unlike Mr. Burton now is to Mr. Burton formerly it may apppeare thus in that M. Burton in all this booke builds up againe the things he formerly destroyed undoing all his owne acts agreeing with Canterbury Pocklington c. in their Principles and Practises against the Reformed Churches particularly the Scots and their Church-Government M. Burton being Cantuariensis redivivus nay let me not wrong the dead though they were great Enemies to the Scots and Presbyteriall-Government yet in all their writings I doe not find such rancorous malicious passages against the generall Assembly as in this Booke of M. Burtons he makes use indeed of the Bishops and their creatures Arguments and weapons against the Presbyteriall Government and the Reformation but withall goes higher and in patronizing and pleading for all Errours and Heresies under specious pretences as they did Arminian Popish and Socinian Doctrines not writing one word against all the Heresies and Blasphemies of these times but speaking against my books and Dr. Bastwicks for the discovering of them O how is M. Burton fallen I heard a godly and â—â—arned Divine say lately of him upon reading his Conformities Deformity that he had alwaies thought M. Burton to be a godly man but he now thought him the greatest Apostate in England He should not have wondered much to have seen such a book written by John Goodwin but that M. Burton should he could not have believed it had he not read it and certainely in his writing this Booke and many others God left him the man is departed from all his former principles of zeale and love to truth he can finde no Deformitie now in Heresie nor Blasphemy but onely in Conformity to Presbyteriall-Government and the Magistrates non-Toleration of Errours The Lord hath made him a fearfull example and all men may take warning by M. Burton for turning Independents who before he turned Independent was so zealous against the least Errours and the least Innovation in Worship as that he would straine things and make a great matter of a little but now he hath no heart against the greatest Errours he can doe nothing in all his Pamphlets for the honour of Christ he can see no deformitie in all the Blasphemies Heresies of these times but onely in the Orthodox Reformed Churches and Presbyteriall-Government and that which aggravates his sin is he hath done this after sad and serious admonition given him in the fourth Corollarie of the first Part of Gangrâ—na and after a great sicknesse this Book being stiled by himself in his Title page The first fruits of his late recovery from death to life If any man 9 or 10 years ago when M. Burton was upon the Pillory for writing against some great men who favoured Popish and Arminian Tenets should have said to the people this man whom you now see thus suffer and whom you so love and adore the time is coming when he shall plead for a Toleration of all Religions and speak against the Magistrate for defending Religion by Lawes and Edicts this man
to attend to what he should â—ay and now to know it Now if those times be of all others the most perilous where there are false teachers venting errours and hereâ—ies but in a way of creeping into houses how perillous and dangerous are those times where there are false Teachers and seducers holding all sort of errours armed being Commanders and Officers of Regiments and Companies who creep not into houses but openly command houses and abide in them and by their power can and do drive away the faithfull shepheards that should defend the sheep that so the Wolves and Foxes may the more freely devoute them and that when they have â—avened and made havock in one place can march to another and so go into all places by their power forcing and commandiâ—g what they please All which clearely shewes us we are in a far worse condition then when the enemy was in the height of his successes and victories at the taking of Bristow or ever since the Parliament began God is more dishonoâ—ed pretious soules more destroyed all things tending to Anarchy Confusion and new Broyles worse then before Certainly in God have any delight in this Kingdome or purpose to do it good he will deliver us from this wicked generation of Sectaries one way or other They have these three last yeares been encreasing and growing very bad but this last yeare they have been outragious I am confidently perswaded if a Commission were issued out from both Houses to faithfull godly men and they backed with such power not to fear the Sectarian souldiers to sit in the severall Counties to examine and enquire out the insolencies and enormities of the Sectarian souldiers and Chaplaines that were in the noble Earle of Manchesters Army and now in Sir Thomas Fairfax'es Army with assurance of protection to the complainants and witnesses there would be the dreadfullest and abominablest things found out both in opinions practises that ever were heard of in any Army of Christendom and most of the Cavaliers would be found Saints to them so that t is evident there 's more need of disbanding and cashiâ—ring the Companies and Regiments consisting most of Antinomians Anabaptists Seekers Antiscripturists c. then of Vandâ—â—sks Regiment of which there were so many outcryes and that justly too as I believe 7. Corollar Hence then by what is laid down in this Booke of the. Errours Heresies Practises insolencies of the Sectaries we may see that never in any age or in any Christian State or Kingdom whether Orthodox or Hetrodox Protestant or Popish hath there been such a sufferance and Toleration of those who have been contrary minded to the Religion established by civill Authority as hath been and is in our Kingdome The Sectaries talke much upon all occasions of Toleration and liberty of conscience in Holland Poland Transylvania France Switzerland Turky but let any man look into those Countries and but understand aright what is allowed in those places and then consider what is daily practised in England and suffered without all questioning and he must needs confesse there 's no such liberty nor Toleration in any of those places enquire and aske after Holland France Poland c. where there are Tolerations whether Sectaries or Dissenters from what 's setled by the civill Sanction do come into publike Churches causing tumults and riots and by violence put by the Ministers from preaching pulling them out of their Pulpits abusing them grossely and preach openly with all kind of reproaches against the established Religion whether Books are suffered to be printed with license and sold openly â—enting all kind of errours blasphemies yea branding with most odions names the Religion established and the supreme Authority who settles it yea daring to present into the hands of and at the doores of the houses where the supreme Judicatories sit Bookes and Pamphlets with Protestations against what themselves have enacted whether great numbers of Emissaries Mechanicks of all sorts are suffered to be daily sent forth into all parts of their Countries and Kingdoms to draw away the people from their Religion and if any man in authority dare be so bold to molest them though they abuse Magistrates to their faces yet they are one way or other delivered and presently fall the faster to their work again whether the way to preferment and places of honour profit trust command be in those Countries to oppose and to be most active against the Religion and Government established and the ready way to be kept out of all such places and by one device or other to be turned out yea to be brought in trouble be for a man to be zealous for the Religion and way of worship setled in that Country whether in any of those Countries if those who be Hereticks and Schismaticks or Dissenters only from what the Magistrates of the Countries have established being cal'd in question by those in highest place for writing against and reproaching their Ordinances and Lawes and thereupon affronting them to their faces and writing Bookes publikely against them have they notwithstanding continuing in all contempt escaped without punishment and received those favours and priviledges which none before them though never so conformable to the Lawes and State have received and so I might instance in many other like particulars Now I challenge any man in all his reading or travelling to give me any such instances in Holland France Transylvania Turky c. but I can give many proofes in all these kinds within these three last yeares in England In the Bishops times before this Parliament there was great favour shewed towards Papists and persons Popishly affected but did they come into our Churches established by Law and bringing their Priests put by our Ministers from preaching and celebrating the Lords Supper and set up against the will of the Ministers and Parishioners their owne Priests to preach points of Doctrines and to say Masse or did the Bishops when Popery was most countenanced suffer Popish Books railing against our Ministery Church c. to be licensed by their Chaplains and sold openly In the Kings late Armies where as it hath been reported there have been many Papists and Popish Commanders yea and Priests did they ever where they were quartered drive away by force the Protestant Ministers and in the midst of the publike exercises on Lords dayes come with their souldiers and disturbe them in Prayers preaching and put up their Priests in their rooms I never heard of any one such example in this kind O what outcryes would these things have made if done either by Bishops or Papists but these things are ordinarily and daily practised by the Sectaries Indeed the liberty the Sectaries now have in England is rather a Domination then a Toleration a Raigne rather then a sufferance yea their Raigne and Domination is swel'd so high that the godly Ministers and Christians who are for the Church-Government and way established by Parliament have much a
doe to be tolerated and suffered nay in many places they cannot serve God quietly nor live in peace but are affronted molested thereatned yea their lives hazarded The Dommation and Insolencies of the Sectaries in England both in City and Country are unsufferable and beyond all example and let but all things be considered the nature of the Lawes and civill Government of England that all the people are subject to the same Lawes and all the Countries of this Kingdome under the obedience of King and Parliament none exempt not some parts under one and some under another as in the Cantons and some other Countries as also that great and solemne Covenant taken for the nearest uniformity in Doctrine Government c. and the extirpation of all heresie schisme c. with some other such like considerations I am ready upon my life to make it good at the Barr of both Houses that there is in England the greatest sufferance and countenance of a Dissenting party from what is held out and established by Authority that ever was in any age where there was a Christian Magistrate or that is in any part of the world whatsoever at this day the Toleration in Holland France Transylvania c. in many things falling short of that liberty the Sectaries here enjoy I had thought upon and drawn up twelve pregnant particulars with the proofes wherein the Toleration here is greater then in those Countries but I must defer them till the fourth part of Gangraena having enlarged this part already so much beyond the former parts and my intentions and shall conclude this seventh Corollarie that if the Sectaries shall be still suffered to go on and all kind of errors and opinions vented for the future as they have been for these three or foure last years this will be such a thing as never was read or heard of in any age or among any people that the end and issue of a solemne Nationall Covenant made with God another Kingdome and one another for Reformation should end in a universall Toleration and Confusion both in Church and State 8. Corollar Hence then we may plainly see by many speeches passages in Letters facts insolencies of the Sectaries related in this Book that the Sectaries hold not to their principles of Toleration and Liberty of Conscience but only in receiving it they will not give it when and where they have the power of giving it unto others The Sectaries in all their Bookes Sermons Speeches Discourses contend for liberty of Conscience and that no man should suffer any thing from another for his differing in opinions from him or be hindered in printing and speaking his conscience and yet if the Reader do but remember the severall passages I have laid down of the Sectaries dealings with godly Presbyterians in City and Country Army and Ministry and in all places he must necessarily conclude when they are grown strong enough and where they can they will suffer none but themselves In all ages Hereticks and Sectaries at their first rising when but a few and weake have cryed for Toleration liberty of Conscience but when by being let alone they have grown to great numbers and by their industry subtilty and activity have got power in their hands then they have been the greatest persecutors of all others denying all liberty to the Orthodox and this the Ecclesiasticall Histories of all times both ancient and moderne show Thus the Donatists Arrians Anabaptists of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Holland with other such like maintained and pleaded for a Toleration â—anquam prâ— aris focis and yet after a time that either they got Princes and Magistrates 〈◊〉 their 〈◊〉 or being increased in number got the sword into their 〈◊〉 they killed banished spoiled of their goods threw out of offices and places all those who were not of their opinions And thus our present Independents and Anabaptists notwithstanding all their pretences of liberty and conscience have and do where they are in power and can by any way or means suppresse prosecute Presbyterians to the utmost and indeed for this very end plead for liberty and worke night and day too get into all places of power and command both military and 〈…〉 It wâ—re too long to relate all the instances of godly Ministers and other worthy men troubled and complainâ—d of by them to Committees of honest Christians troubled by theâ— means for discharging their consciences in petitioning the Parliament and Common Councell of all the godly Ministers put by from preaching in their owne Churches by Sectaries and of their retusing to let godly Ministers of the Presbyterian judgement preach in any Chappels and Churches where they have power of the many threatning speeches spoken by them against the godly Ministers that they would leave never a Preist in England that the Presbyterians should be dealt with as Malignants sequestred ere long and such like of their not licensing any books or matters of Intelligence but stopping the Presse all they can to men not of their judgement of their incensing and strring up the Parliament in printed books to punish godly Ministers for laying open the Errors of the times of their labouring to keep out of all places in Parliament Armies Livings c. Orthodox godly men of their putting affronts upon hindring of pay turning out of places by one trick or other the faithfullest and worthiest men if Presbyterians yea going against all principles of Justice Honor Rules of Warre Gallantry What should I speak of all the affronts neglects complaints of troubles vexations which have happened to many gallant valiant faithfull Commanders and all because Anti-Independents by meanes of the Sectaries as Sir Willam Waller Major Generall Massey Major Generall Skippon Colonel Harvey Colonel King Colonel Whaley Major Fincher Adjutant Generall Gray Lieutenant Colonel Kempson Lieutenant Colonel Jackson c. besides the putting by of some from their places what gallant man almost is there but hath beene heaved at complained of some way or other affronted by some Sectaries and neglected by having men put over their heads into commands and they unpreferd though places void There are strange but true stories in the Army in this â—ind and some keepe a Register of them and when time shall serve may make them knowne though for the present because they see how strong the streame runs and for the quietnesse of the Army they are silent though they cannot but speak to their friends of these things I have been told from a good hand upon the occasion of Adjutant Generall Grayes being questioned at a Councell of Warre for reading the City Remonstrance that a great Commander of that Army writ a letter to another great Commander to this effect that he wondred that they who were so much for liberty of conscience and a Toleration for themselves would not afford the same to other men but that Adjutant Generall Gray because he was a Presbyterian and that according to his conscience should have
of the Sectaries in their writings against the Presbyterians the Assembly godly Ministers the Scots and particular persons by name have done it in the most scornfull prophane blasphemous and abusive way even to the abusing of the Scriptures the Spirit of God Proaching Prayer and other Ordinances as ever was heard of in any age witnesse The Arraignment of Persecution Martins Eccho Cretensis and divers others but in my Discoveries of the Errors Heresies Practises of the Sectaries I have shunned all such wayes setting my selfe plainly to discover the Errors and abominable Practises confuting them with Scriptures and Reason and in a serious sad manner applying the danger of those evils to the consciences of all both Presbyterians and Sectaries and thus much for removing that stone of offence out of the way taken from the manner and way of writing 2. For the matter of this Booke that there 's a Truth in the Opinions Stories Practices related in it notwithstanding the clamours and speeches of the Sectaries that they are lyes all lyes I desire the Reader to observe and remember these following particulars 1. That the Sectaries of our time are so shamelesse in this kind as to say all things written against them are lyes thus they have said the stories of the old Anabaptists in Germany written by Sleydan Bullinger Lambertus Hortens 〈…〉 s other worthy men were lyes and they would not beleeve them so Master Saltmarsh in one of his Pamphlets against Master Ley denies the truth of those stories and other Sectaries in Pamphlets before him have said the same affirming if the King had over-come the Parliament stories would have made them as bad as the Anabaptists and the Princes of Germany prevailing against them set men on work to set them out so but all was false Now if our Sectaries will speak and write thus of all the relations of the old Anabaptists how can it be expected but that they will cry all downe for false written of themselves So our Sectaries will not beleive the stories of the Antinomians Anabaptists Familists in New England of Mistris Huchinson and the rest but say all is false all lyes and some of them have cryed out of Master Wells his Booke of the Antinomians of New England as much as of mine 2. The truth of the maine substance and matter of this Booke both for opinions and matters of fact is in the Booke it selfe by quoting Books knowne to hundreds by naming of persons knowne for witnesses by relating of things common in the times and these set by the Errors in the Margents or joyned to the matter so manifest that he that runs may read it and rationally there can be no more question made of them then whether the Scots tooke New-Castle the Parliaments Forces had a Victory at Nazeby Feild there be such a man as M. Hugh Peters or John Lilburn 3. That the Sectaries have used devices and found out inventions on purpose to possesse people that relations of things in my Books are false when most true as for instance some Sectaries that have been of the same name of those Sectaries that I have related stories of though they could not but know by many circumstances and particulars in the stories they were not the men but others have said Ther 's a story related of me I am the man he speaks of and t is all false for I was at such a place then and could not do so thus one Webb an Officer in the Army did telling the people in the West where he found Gangraena that the story of Webb was of him I am that Webb in Gangraena and 〈◊〉 all false I never preached such things nor was ever questioned about such things or did such things related This a godly Minister in the â—â—st of England told me he heard one Webb an Officer in the Army speak thus to the people to possesse them against Gangraena Now I writ not of that Webb but another Webb a younger man here in London not one of the Army who put out a Booke for the vindication of himselfe where he confesses most of the things and this other Webb could not but by many passages related as of the age as of being a Schoole-Master as of the Christian name and divers others but know well enough I meant him not and yet by this did he labour to blast my Book Again some who having beene mentioned in Letters written up to friends and printed by me have come to my house denying peremptorily those things spoken of them in the Letters desiring to know who writ them that they might have â—eparations I having told them their names withall writing to those Ministers to know more fully their grounds of such relations they have returned 〈…〉 e Answers that those things were most true and they would make them good when ever they should question them in which kind I could give divers notable instances but the nature of a Preface not admitting many I will relate only one namely of Master Mascall of Dover spoken of in a Letter sent from Dover subscribed by five hands to a Member of the Assembly printed in the Second Part of Gangraena in p. 135. of the Second Edition who presently after the coming forth of that Book coming to my house with a friend of his and mine formerly denyed positively and peremptorily what was written of him in the Letter declaring he was of another judgement then to speak so of our Ministers and Synods as is expressed in that Letter holding our godly Ministers to have a lawfull calling and Synods to be needfull wherupon I writing to one of the Ministers all passages that passed betweene us and desiring to know what he said to it he sent me this Answer Worthy Sir I received your Letter dated June the 18. but could not conveniently Answer it till now because I would see the carriages of the Independents on last wednesday when we chose our Elders What we wrote of Master Mascall we can cleare and will maintaine and much more and according to your advice you shall not faile of sufficient testimony if that Letter be crossed whereas he saith that he holds our godly Ministers to have a lawfull calling he will not say it in Dover till he have distinguished the word godly into a shadow For his saying they never kept Church-meetings in time of the publicke exercises it s a very false untruth and for his seeming to accord with us in our account of Synods he knows that we hold it a duty to combine Churches and to have a combination rule the Elders and Pastor of a Congregation which we know they will never allow Thus much in breife for Master Mascall who I dare say will not challenge any man in Dover for that that is done against him or if he doth will find as ready an Answer as ever man received by man Your loving friend and Brother MICH. PORTER June 29. 1646. And thus much for
the First generall head concerning the manner and matter of this Book For the Second the commending some directions and taking off some misconstructions and cavils for the better understanding of the subject matter and manner of this Booke let the Reader observe and consider these following 1. That the Sectaries run such around of all opinions as that they are come to hold many Popish and Prelaticall opinions and to go upon the Papists grounds and mediums for many of their Tenets which in the Errors Positions and Practises reckoned up in this Booke the Reader may observe as the 5 6 7 36 Errors nay there 's almost no Popish or Prelaticall principle and Error but many Sectaries are fallen into it and in the practise of it as being against the Perfection Sufficiency Perspicuity of the Scriptures being for Pope Toleration and a Dispensation for want of an Infallible Judge as the Papists are for the Pope upon that ground denying preaching to be the word of God and the service of God as much or more then ever any of the Prelates did being for Musick Organs Hymns in the publick Assemblies holding anointing the sick with Oyle maintaining Perfection in this life with some Popish Friers besides divers other Popish Errors hence divers Popish Bookes written by Preists and Friers have beene Translated and lately set forth by some Sectaries sold openly and I suppose Licensed because the Stationers names for whom printed and Printers names expressed 2. The Reader shall find in this Booke the Sectaries Designe and Practise not to be only corrupting Religion running out into extravagancies and strange conceits that way but to be against Magistracy and Civill Government their designe of opposing setled Government and bringing an Anarchy and Confusion into Church and State being here so fully laid open that they who run may read it T is in this Book unvailed and the wâ—â—king of this spirit in all sorts of Sectaries and places clearly manifested they have in Terminis in divers Pamphlets and some Sermons declared against Monarchie and Aristoâ—acie and for Democracie they have expressed themselves in such a manner concerning that that they make it noe other then an Anarchie making all alike confounding of all rancks and orders reducing all to Adams time and condition and devolving all power upon the state Vniversall and promiscuos multitude whom they make the Creator and Destroyer of Kings Parliaments and all Magistrates at there meere pleasure without tying them to any rule or bounding them by any lawes 3. I doe more punctually and particularly give the proofes of the Errors and Heresies named in this Third Part then in the two â—ormer with Animadversions by way of Confutation or Observation upon more of the Errors and Practises then I did before as having beene desired by some so to do and being that which I judge will make the work more profitable and the Reader shall finde the proofs of the Errors set in the Margents just by them and the Animadversions under every particular Error or else of divers of them put in one where the Errors are more of a kind and the Reader will finde I have in all Books quoted all along to prove the things I charge the Sectaries with dealt very punctually and faithfully and I challenge them to name any one thing quoted false or wrested among so many and for other Relations I have them from such knowne godly Ministers and Christians being eare and eye witnesses of them that I cannot easily be deceived t is possible some circumstances of order time place number may in some stories be mistaken and yet the maine storie true as we see in Histories of battles and other humane things they often are though I know nâ—ne such and have beene in all circumstances as well as substance as faithfull and carefull as a man can well be and I can say it that of all the particulars in this kind that I have related in these three Books besides many matters of fact in Antapologia which in all amount to some thousands I do not know of any one particular related by me excepting one that I have reason to suspect was not true and yet that was written me in a Letter by a Reverend and godly Minister and was the voice of the Country and all I did was only printing that Letter no otherwise affirming it which particular when the untruth of it shalâ— be made apparent to me from the man himselfe or his freinds I shall be ready and have offered it to some who have spoken of it to right him publickly in print 4. Whereas some Letters written to my selfe or some other Ministers are printed in this Booke which have some passages in them casting honor and praise upon me resembling me to some Worthies in their times as Luther c. for which I may be censured as being the hand instrument of publishing my own praises and counted vain-glorious I do by way of taking off this exception desire the Reader to consider these things First that I have left out of Letters many passages which reflect honour on my selfe constantly passing by such Titles Epithites and other expressions that are matters of praise in all particulars excepting the justifying of my work in writing thus against the Sectaries Now my Books for the manner and way of writing having beene so cried out of by all the Sectaries and many weak Christians by their meanes having beene also offended I thought it necessary to print some passages of Letters from godly Ministers giving testimony to my Books and approving me in the way of my writing them justifying me by the practise of Morney Plesseus against the Papists and of Luther and the judicious Reader shall find if he observe I print no other passages that may so much as reflect any kind of praise upon my selfe but only those that justifie my undertaking in this kind against the Sectaries and which the Lord knowes I print not so much for my selfe or my owne praise but for the sakes of others that they may be satisfied of my Books against all the calumnios cast upon them and profit by the reading of them Secondly T is not unknowne how the Sectaries by writing and speaking have set themselves to disparage me and to cast scornes of all kinds upon me such as hardly ever were upon any man in any age and all to weaken my esteeme credit and authority with the people that being looked upon as a man so weak that a woman can answer my writings and that I know not how to put the Nominative Case and Verb together c. all I do against the Sectaries might be slighted as not worthy to be looked upon Now it being apparent this is the designe of the Sectaries and their master peice and God by his providence without my seeking in the least stirring up many learned men to bear witness to my works in Letters to their Freinds which have beene brought to me and in
so certainly and generally spoken of that a godly Minister who dwelt hard by heareing of it came next day to the Town to find out him who baptized this horse and the rest who had a hand in it and to stirre up the Parish to complaine and prosecute them Which story being thus related to me with much confidence from these two Citizens as having spoken with this neighbour Minister and divers of the Inhabitants of Yaksly yet because I well know that reports will flye variously and many mistakes may arise in relations and because this was so sad a 〈…〉 ory and such a dâ—sperate proph 〈…〉 ation and contempt of Gods Ordinance of Baptisme I therefore intreated these Citizens for my satiâ—faction and for the credit of the story to others to get under the hands of some of the Inhabitants of quality who related it the truth of the story wh 〈…〉 of it was true and what might be built upon 〈◊〉 certa 〈…〉 â—herâ—upoâ— they sent about it and took such a course that aboâ—t ten dayes agoe in September I received from the hands of a godly Minister this certificate to a tittle and do keep the Originall by me to produce when ever I shall be called to make proof of it August 15. 1646. THat Captaine B 〈…〉 an t was quartered at Yakesly in the County of Huntingdon about June 2. 1644. and preached on the Lords day in the Parochiall Church and in the time of his quarter there his souldiers fecht a bald horse out of Master Finnmo 〈…〉 s stable of the Captaines where he was quartered and in the Church at the Font having pissed in it did sprinkle it on the horse and call him Ball 〈…〉 because he was hairie and crost him in the forehead They had souldiers Godfathers and one Widdow Shropshire a souldier sonick-named was the Godmother This the Leâ—â—tenant Brayfield by name reported to the Captaine and they all gloried in it at Master Finnmoâ—rs and the other souldiers immediatly reported the same to be done in many houses where they were q 〈…〉 Which we the Inhabitants of Yakesly do witnesse whose names are subscribed William Finn 〈…〉 Thomas Eva 〈…〉 John Caryer Robert 8 Sumerly his marke John Pal 〈…〉 er Robert Cu 〈…〉 dge Hollâ—â— Bell. Robert Ra 〈…〉 er Corporall was the man 〈◊〉 acted the part of the Minister Bartly Ward by name was the Godmother Laureâ—ce Dodds 〈…〉 man was 〈◊〉 that fâ—cht the horse out of the â—â—able The â—ame godby Minister who hath relation to those parts and 〈◊〉 whom I hall this paper tells 〈◊〉 here are 〈…〉 y other misde 〈…〉 anore of some of the Sectariaâ— souldierâ— spoken of By many in these parts as the baptizing of a piggâ— and other straâ—ge exploith with he will enquire the 〈◊〉 of and 〈…〉 ordingly 〈…〉 finds give me notice and he saith 〈◊〉 S 〈…〉 souldiers are so 〈◊〉 that the godly Orthodox Ministers cannot with safety to their persons preath against some of those 〈◊〉 which they 〈◊〉 as against universall grace and some others some of these souldiers to one godly and able Minister who preached against their opinions laid their hands upon their swords threatning him with a great deal of â—ury There is a godly Minister and a man of some place more then ordinary whose wise being much incl 〈…〉 ed to the Sectaries and going often to their meetings he went divers times with her and among many strange passages which he hath seen and heard in those Assemblies he relates this following story for a certain truth which hee both saw and heard but was not willing to have his name made known because of some estate lying so that he perhaps might suffer much for discovering any thing concerning the Sects About Algate in London there was a great meeting of many Sectaries among others one Master Knowls Master Jesse and some other of the Sectarian Ministers were there for the restoring of an old blind woman to her sight by anointing her with oyle in the name of the Lord The manner of it was after this manner the old blind woman was set in the midst of the Roome and she first prayed aloud all the company joyning with her to this effect that God would blesse his own Ordinance and Institution for the restoring of her sight after she had done praying Master Knowls prayed for some spice of time to the same effect for a blessing upon this anointing with oile and after prayer she was anointed with oyle these words being words uttered by him who anointed her or to this effect The Lord Jesus give or restore thee thy sight In my first part of Gangr 〈…〉 a a story is related of some Sectarian Troopers assaulting Master Andrews a Minister in Northamptonshire Now I shall give the Reader a continuation of that story viz. so farre as to shew to what place these men went from Wellingborrough and what pranks these and others of that Troop played in Warwickshire which was told me by a good hand from one who came out of those parts and assured me it was most true and proferd to give it me under his hand and the hands of others in that Town and the story is as followes That very company spoken of came to a Town call'd Lemington or Remington in Warwickeshire and to the house of one John Mathews who looks to Baron Trevers estate there where their Captaine quartred viz. one Captaine P. and they told him of the passages at Wellingborrough boasting what they had done and how narrowly the Priest escaped them and what they would have done if they had gotten him and there was a great deale of applauding them by their fellowes who were there The constant course of that Troop whilst they quartered in that Town was to speak against the Ministrie calling them Priests disswading the people from going to Church hardly three of a hundred of that Troop would goe to Church they would tell the people that they would give them a Book should do them more good then all the Sermons they should ever hear in all their lives from all the Priests and that they could preach better then the Ministers of England and this Company of Sectarians was so rude that they did more hurt to a fine Dove-house of Baron Trevars which this John Mathews was to look to then Prince Rupert and all his souldiers when they quartered there This John Mathews intreated them they would not make such spoyle and wast killing old as well as young without distinction and he prevailed with their Captaine to go to them to forbid them but they answered him that pigions were soules of the aire given to the sons of men and all men had a common right in them that could get them and they were as much theirs as the Barons and therefore they would kill them take their liberty and not part from their right upon which words the Captaine said he was so convinced with their arguments that he could not answer
Christ saving only he should not dye for the sinnes of men This Mistris Attaway had a great parchment role wherein many things were written and this was to be given to Jenney and this Jenney beleeved all Mistris Attaway told him as fully as might be that he should never dye c. This Mistris Attaway also gave out that there should come ships from Tarshish to fetch away all the Saints to Jerusalem and all that would not turne Jewes should be destroyed and this whole Land should be destroyed and therefore she would goe away before hand to escape This Jenney Mistris Attaway and some of their Tribe held no hell but what was in the conscience the soules mortall they held the Book of Esdrâ—s had great things in it to them who had the spirit to understand it and that there was Esaus world and Jacobs world this was Esaus world but Jacobs world was comming shortly wherein all creatures shall be saved And this Prophet who was shut up was to come forth to preach this new Doctrine of generall Restauration and Salvation of all and though all should be saved yet there should be degrees of glory between those that have been Saints they should be more glorious and those who were the wicked though now restored This Jenney held from that Scripture in Genes where God saith I will make him an help meet for him that when a mans wife was not a meet help he might put her away and take another and when the woman was an unbeleever that is not a Sectarie of their Church she was not a meet help and therefore Jenney left his wife and went away with Mistris Attaway A Commander belonging to the Army told me last July he had seen some of the Sectarian Preachers preach lately with their hats on and sitting he told me he had heard Master Cradock Master Peters and other such Preachers insinuate into the souldiers flatter them all kind of wayes telling them what they had done what fame they had atchieved how they had conquered â—he Kingdome and particularly a little before he heard Master Peters preaching thus you who have conquered the Kingdome done all this service and now when you have done all this might expect your Arrears look to enjoy your Liberties yea and expect preferments good places as you have well deserved it may be you shall be cast into a stincking prison but if it should be so t is the will of God and yee must provide to beare it There is one Thomas Collier a great Sectary in the West of England whom I have spoken of in the second part of Gangraena and have printed some Letters of his in this third part I have seen a Book of his printed in the year 1645. called certain Queres or Points now in controversie examined wherein among other Errours laid down by him he makes Baptizing the Children of the faithfull not only to be vaine bâ—t evill and sinfull yeâ— the commission of Baptizing Children to come from the Divell or Anti-Christ or both And secondly that Magistrats have no power at all to establish Church-Government or to compell any to the Government of Christ by any humane power and upon occasion of discoursing of the power of the Civill Magistrate what hee should do now religion is corrupted and the Magistrates endeavour is to Reforme it and to this end have called an Assembly of Learned men to assist them in this work This Learned Master Collier if he might be thought meet makes bold to present these three words in this case to the Parliament First To dismisse that Assembly of Learned men who are now call'd together for to consult about matters of Religion and the reason this Learned Clark gives is because he cannot conclude that God hath any thing to do there for them he knowes no rule in the Book of God for such an Assembly and therefore cannot expect a blessing The second Word To go on in subduing of Antichristian enemies so farre as by Civill Law they have power for there must by this or some other meanes be a desolation upon the tenth part of the City The third Word is That the Parliament would give the Kingdome to the Saints and for who gives the Kingdom to the Saints so it be done Master Collier will not much dispute whether it be the Lord Jesus immediatly or Jesus by a Parliament only thus much he would have men take notice that by the Kingdome is meant an externall Kingdome for the Saints shall possesse that as well as the spirituall Kingdome and Government of the Church of Christ Hence we may see by Master Colliers words that his Saints viz. those whom he hath described before in the former part of his Book Separatists Anabaptists do look for from the Parliament that they should give the Kingdome to them and all temporall power and rule and take it out of the hands of all others So that the King the Parliament unlesse there be some of Master Colliers Saints among them the Judges and all men who by the Lawes under the King and Parliament have any Civill power of rule in the Kingdome must have it taken from them and given to the Sectaries Saints Yea I conceive by Colliers words not only England but Scotland and Ireland are to be taken from the King and to be given by the Lord Jesus immediatly or by Jesus by a Parliament to the Saints which whether it be not so or no I leave the Reader to judge upon transcribing Colliers own words where giving his second word of advice to the Parliament of going on to subdue Antichristian enemies so far as they have power because there must by this or some other meanes be a desolation upon the tenth part of the City he interprets his meaning in these following words Which I think to be England and those Dominions belonging to it Scotland and Ireland I conceive this to be the time that the Kingdome is to to taken from him who shall arise and subdue three Kings that is Kingdoms speaking great words thinking to change times and Laws but the Judgement shall fit and take away this Dominion to consume it and destroy it to the end Dan. 7. 26. Therefore let not your hearts faint neither your hands draw back God will finish his work The third Word is that they would give the Kingdome to the Saints Dan. 7. 27. Who gives the Kingdome to the Saints The judgement that pulls down the power and Kingdome of the one gives to the other Whether iâ— be the Lord Jesus immediatly or Jesus by a Parliament I shall not much dispute but leave it to your considerations Only thus much take notice that by the Kingdome is not only meant an externall Kingdome for the Saints shall possesse that but the spirituall Kingdome and Government of the Church of Christ c. This Collier as it appears by his Letter before mentioned
with unbeleevers when Christ prayed he took his Disciples apart indeed he taught and exhorted all so the Saints in the Acts they prayed alone from the world and Christ saith goe preach the Gospel to all he doth not say goe pray with all and Christ nor his Apostles never prayed with the world the Apostles taught in their Synagogues and expounded in their Assemblies but not a word of praying with them and experience teacheth us how our hearts are straitned and how wee limit the spirit if I may so speak when we pray with unbeleevers and faith commeth not by praying with them but by preaching for faith commeth by hearing I know no word for the Ministers praying with the world nor Saints to joyne with them Object But Christ gave thanks The Apostle Paul gave thanks before them all Answ Christs thanksgiving was sometimes miraculous for by his blessing the creature he did a miracle so the Apostle's was too as farre as I know for you know how wonderfully after hee and all with them were preserved Or if we may give thanks with them it is because all have a right to the creatures restored them by Christ that in a way of exhortation or praise a Saint may informe them therein of their right by Christ Object But what shall they do that have families shall they be as Heathens doth not the word say that he will pour out his wâ—ath upon the Heathen and the families that call not upon his Name Answ That makes nothing for it for it is not said that the Heathen and these that know him not shall call on his Name this is not for it but to shew the misery of these that cannot sure it is sweet for Saints to eye the rule for all that they do Sure I do not write this that I would diminish any of the unbeleevers priviledges for Christ Jesus knowes my heart is more pitifull unto them then ever but I finde in the word that the Gospel must be preached unto them they must be exhorted and pitied and prayed for and Saints must shine before them by a holy The rest was torne away by a Sectary it was signed M. D. Plymouth the 5. day of the second moneth 1645. And subscribed thus To her Loving Brother Nicholas Couch in Dartmouth This Couch is an Ensigne in Dartmouth Animadvers on this last letter by way of Confutation Thanksgiving is made a part of Prayer as well as the other three Petitions Intercessions c. 1 Tim. 2. 1 2. v. Acts 27. 35. Paul gave Thanks to God in the presence of them all where in the Ship by many passages of that chapter Acts 27. particularly the two first verses it is evident they were not beleevers and so Christ Joh. 6. 10. 11. v. gave Thanks among them all and set aside the Disciples ther 's no ground to think any of them were beleevers but called the multitude men and such like phrases not Disciples in 1 Corinth 14. where the publike meetings of Christians are spoken of and severall parts of worship described as Singing Praying Prophesying unbeleevers are spoken of as coming into those Assemblies where these parts of worship are performed and they are not excluded from being present at one more then another nor beleevers commanded to suspend Prayer upon their coming any more then Prophesying but the chapter carries it as free to come in at all and the Church free to performe Praying and Singing as well as Prophesying notwithstanding unbeleevers present compare these Verses together 14 15 16 22 23 24 25. As for those Answers in this Letter that Christs Thanksgiving was miraculous c. they are meer subterfugies and by the same reasons men might argue against all giving of thanks before meat saying these examples of Christ and Paul were miraculous and so not binding but with these compare 1 Tim. 4. 3 4 5. verses how meaâ—s are to be received with Thanksgiving and sanctified by Prayer speaking of meats and drinks and then consider Christs and Pauls example and it will show t is for our practise besides t is such a Thanksgiving as hath Prayer and Petition in it for a blessing as is cleare from the fifth verse t is â—anctiâ—ied by Prayer and Pauls Thanksgiving in that twenty seven of the Acts had Petition and Prayer in it not only for the meat but to raise up their dejected minds in the Ship almost killed with griefe vide Calvinum in locum Acts 27. 35. loriâ—â—m Some Passages taken out of a Letter written out of Oxfordshire to a Citizen in London ONe Floid newly come to be a Preacher to the Troop of Major Huntingtons that now quarters at Aston Roreant preaching in that Church on Sunday last June the 14. on John 20. 17. Touch me not I am not yet ascended collected from those words these three transcendent points First That Lay-men Weavers Tinckers and Coblers being gifted might be Preachers Secondly Learning was not any meanes or help to understand the meaning of the Scriptures Thirdly That any Chamber Barne or Stable or other place was as holy as the Church and that there was no holynesse in the Temple for God destroyed it nor in any Church This Floid a youth of twenty yeares did lie at Master Calverts the Bookseller at Ludgate-hill Major Middleâ—ons man did not only rend with his hand the service-service-Book but cut it with a knife and burnt it in the fire at John Chiches of Kinston and it set the Chimney on fire till they quenched it And they justifie the burning of the ten Commandements Creed Lords prayer Psalmes ninty five Epistles and Gospels I would bee glad to know of Mr Edwards the Antagonist of Hereticks what to do in this matter To whom though unknown I present my love in the Lord. June 16. 1646. A Reverend and learned Minister living in Oxfordshire was by some in the Army and some of the Parish conspiring together as he was preaching in his Church opposed and with tumults disturbed There was one souldier a great Champion that did openly and boldly in the Church affirme that he was raised up of God immediatly and inspired with extraordinary revelations whom the Minister by this place of Scripture Matth. 24. 26. Wherefore if they shall say unto you behold he is in the desert goe not forth Behold he is in the secret chambers beleeve it not overcame and put to a non-plus so that they went out of Church with a kinde of a Diabolicall fury TThere is one Master Del a Preacher in the Army and Sir Thomas Fairfax's Chaplaine who summer was two yeares preached a strange Sermon at Lincolne and since put out a Pamphlet against uniformity in Religion calling it Anti-christian c. the man preaches and speaks much against Tythes and yet besides his Chaplains place to the Generall keeps a great living in Bedfordshire This Master Del Expounding the seven last verses of the 54. of Isaiah in Marston Church neer Oxford before the Generall and
Maidstone and had a mind to have promoted a Petition among our Sectaries June 15. 1646. OUr common friend M. Edwards his last Book Gangraena of the Second Edition I received this last post together with his Letter I pray let him understand as much and withall let him know I shall my self God willing thank him for both at better leisure and when I have read his Book thorough Surely he spake Prophetically that usually cald him in Cambridge young Luther Faxit Deus that the Sectaries may never be able to deal with him as I doubt not many of them desire whose words would willingly be turned into swords both against him and us all An Extract of a letter written from a godly Minister to me YOur Books I can assure you I find gain savour with all but the common adversary who much increaseth and multiplyeth in these parts where I heard last week at an open ordinary in presence of two of our Deputy Lieutenants that since Kiffen and Lamb have been here re-baptizing now there 's a third man come that contradicts them both and re-baptizeth again So that the poor people begin to stare and stand amazed to think what their deluded disciples will do in the end Many of the Brownists fall to them however their doctor Turner keeps his ground who dispited as some say with Kiffen and drowned him in the red sea till at last they fell both from reasoning to down right railing Poor people I pitty them as also those others then and there spoken of also as one a very honest man otherwise that affirmed lately he thought the Apostles themselves never had more excellent gifts then a company of tradesmen that now preach in private at Sandwich Another it was said there was at Aâ—ch neer Sandwich who was said to say he was Christ but being questioned Answered no he was only Christs mouth and could feed such as were hungry c. though as some say he can hardly feed himself Surely I often now think on Matt. 24 Except in the Wildernesse or in Chambers where is Christ as they think We should gladly see you here I remember it was one of Don Perdroes devices about his first coming into this Country to bring down with him some Ministers out of your City to preach up the Parliament and why should not you to preach down Heresie Schisme Prophanesse that the Country may know of what Religion the City is Certainly I am for such a change of courses as they call it Propheta in patria c. Thus in haste I heartily rest Yours July 6. 1646. A Copy of a Letter from a godly minister in Yorkshire to a friend of his in Lancashire SIR I Returned from York June 3d. Our meeting proved very successesse one of the prime York ministers being the main Remora to our desires which were to write to the Assembly that we would joyn with them in the Presbyterian way according to Gods word to the utmost of our power and to declare against the Erastian principles when it was put to the vote he desired to stay till he had further light I know not whether he meant from the word or from the State There 's so much policy now in the world that it hath eate out if not much of conscience yet very much of our care and zeale in promoting the work of Reformation according to our Covenant nay so far are we degenerated now as I am informed from a good â—and that to be forward and zealous in the Covenant is the sole character of malignancy and only badge of disaffection but I hope it will prevaile in despight of those who having formerly been takers are now the only tramplers upon it We have appointed another meeting at Pomfret on munday seven-night M. R. hath promised to meet the West riding ministers there Some passages taken out of a Letter written from a learned and godly minister in Devonshire to a friend in London I Am resolved to disgest all abuses and contempts and insultations of Sectaries and frustration of hopes so I may honour Christ You will easily see by the inclosed what work is here The Sectaries are grown so confident and insolent that we may say of them as Rivet of Mountague Iâ— quo desideramus hominem for they seem so farre from Religion that they put off humanity A Relation of some stories and other remarkable passages concerning the Sectaries THe 16. of June 1646. It was related to me by a Justice of Peace who was an eare and eye witnesse and by a godly Minister in Northamptonshire that there is one Kendall who in the Bishops times was a great creature of Sir John Lams a bower at the Altar and for all the Innovations but since these times of Sectarisme is turned a great Sectary having renounced his Ministery This man is now a Captaine in Whitlesey the Isle of Ely that Iland of Errors and Sectaries and a great Preacher who comes sometimes to visit Northamptonshire where formerly he was a Curate Now the last Trinity Munday as the day is commonly called on a Faire day in that Country where a great resort of people was Master Basely a godly Minister in those parts being spoken unto to preach and being provided for it this Kendall stept up into the Pulpit before him and preached on that text Rom. 8. For 〈◊〉 yee live after the flesh yee shall dye on which words he preached against humane learning as being flesh and that the Universities were of the Devill Secondly that Adams righteousnesse in Innocencie was but flesh and opposed to the spirit Master Basely in the afternoone preaching confuted his Doctrines this Kendall would have stood up in the Church and have opposed him but was hindred by a Justice of Peace who was present The 10th of June 1646. A godly Minister living in Lincolnshire told me and another City Minister that he hath in his Parish many Manifestarians Disciples and followers of one Thomas Moore spoken of in my First and Second Part of Gangraena who upon his knowledge will keep no dayes of Fast nor none of the dayes of Thanksgiving because they will not give thanks to God for one man killing of another He told me that some of the Manifestarians hold and he hath heard some of them say they had seen Christ and seen the Devill to This Minister related to us that there was a young maiden in his Parish about 16 yeares of age one who preaches to many young men and maidens he named her name and I well remember it but forbeare naming her because being so young happily she may be reclaimed This Thomas Moore comes often into this part of Lincolnshire and divers times to this Towne where he preaches in houses but the last time he was there he preached not and the reason some of the Sectaries give out was because this godly Minister is a persecutor others say because he could not have the use of a great house in that
hath lain bed-riden a long time who denieth the marrying of them that he had no Licence nor any Authority to marry them as by his Certificate may appear but as he confesseth took eleaven shillings and six pence of her to make show of something as if he married her to satisfie her humour the youth not knowing any thing thereof concerning het pretended marriage with him For at that time and six weeks after she pretends this marriage your Petitioners son was ignorant of things done and said unto him and was weak in his understanding and right judgement and without his memory and speechlesse as your Petitioner can prove And whereas she produceth a Certificate to show as married in Saint Georges Church in Southwark where she never was with him neither is there any such marriage in the Church Register book to be found the Lad taketh it to heart he should be so abused by her and that it may be a discontent to him for ever during his life And the said Mary hath done so in another house where she was a servant by one P. H. an Apprentise about three months before this and is not free from him to this day but by a bribe of ten pounds she received of him She the said Mary defending her practise in the streets to be lawfull saying It was commanded under the Law not to marry without consent of parents but that was but a ceremony to them that liyed under the Law it is now lawfull because we live under the Gospel He humbly prayeth if it might stand with your favour to grant unto him your Warrant to bring before you the said Mary that upon discovery of the Premises and lewd practise the Petitioners Son as he hath bin by her publickly disgraced he may be publickly discharged from her and she abide such further Order as shall be thought meet And the Petitioner and his Sonne as in duty bound shall and will daily pray for your Honours long and happy preservation This Mary Abraham before her coming to Master Clarks had intangled a young youth an Apprentice here in London and claimed a promise of marriage at his hand which businesse was heard before Master Jesse the Seeker an Independent Minister and some others and it was concluded he should give her ten pounds and so there should be an end between them which this youth gave her and there was a writing of discharge between them which ten pounds given by the boy M. Jesse received and faith it was since given to the Parliament Now though M. Jesse knew all this yet he recommended this Mary to Master Clark to be his house-keeper who knew nothing of her prancks when this old wench came to his house whilst the youth was well she tempted him not but when he was thus ill as above mentioned she tempted him and in the time of some intermission of his sits before he was perfectly recovered when the youth went with a staffe she carried him to that Stampe and when the boy was ill and weak would come to bed to him Now after Master Clark had put this Mary Abraham away he found this paper of agreement between a young Apprentize and this Mary by meeer accident in his sonnes chamber and with a great deale of paines and enquiry found out this Apprentice in London from whom he understood the whole businesse whereupon going to Master Jesse with this paper to taxe him that he knowing such a businesse would commend such a one to him who was a widdower Master Jesse desiring to see the paper Master Clarke letting him see it kept it and would never restore it againe but Master Jesse told him he must forgive her and he speaking of complaining of her for doing such a wicked fact for the ruine of his sonne Master Jesse wished him to take heed of prosecuting a Saint and to consider how Jesus Christ at the day of judgement would take it at his hands with such like words And this Master Clark tels me having spoken to him and some other Sectaries of that company why they suffered such a wickednesse and kept her company he told me I could not imagine the shifts and put offs they had among them to colour the wickednesse the affirming and denying sometimes saying she was not of their Church but only recommended by Letters Testimoniall sometimes affirming she had repented There is one Master Denne whom I have spoken of in my first Part of Gangraena this man goes still up and down the Countries spreading his corrupt opinions and dipping concerning whom I have lately received this Information from a hand that could not mistake in the relation and I have the examinations taken before the Justices of Peace who examined Denne and others about him which I here give the Reader The Examination of Anne Jarrat of Spalding Spinster June 22. 1646. before Master Thomas Irbie and Master John Harrington Commissioners of the Peace THis Examinate saith on Wednesday last in the night about 11. or 12. of the clock Anne Stennet and Anne Smith the servants of John Makernesse did call out this Examinate to go with them to the little Croft with whom this Examinate did go and coming thither Master Denne and John Makernesse and a stranger or two followed after And being come to the River side Master Denne went into the water and there did baptise Anne Stennet Anne Smith Godfery Roote and John Sowter in this Examinats presence Anne Jarrat W her mark June 21. 1646. Lincolne Holland Henry Denne of Caxton in the County of Cambridge examined before John Harrington and Thomas Irby Esquires two of his Majesties Justices of the Peace THis Examinate saith that he liveth at Caxton aforesaid but doth exercise at Elsly within a mile of his own house and saith that he took Orders about 16. years since from the Bishop of Saint Davids And that on Munday last he came to Spalding being invited thither by John Makernesse to come to his house And that he hath exercised his gifts about four times in severall places in Spalding viz. at the house of John Makernesse and Mr. Eâ—stons As for baptising of any he doth not confesse John Harrington Master Harrington sent for Denn by a Constable on the Lords day with whom he coming Master Harrington confined him to the Provost Marshal who had been an Officer of the Committee for that day being the Lords day that he should not make a mutiny nor stir in the Town that day by people resorting to him This Maiden Anne Jarrat confesseâ— that she being by heard Master Denn or some of the company with him lay upon them at their Baptisme and require a promise of those that were dipped to hear none but of their own way This Denn in his travels about the country had two men attended him who live as they said with him they were clad like Farmem and they took upon them to question some in the Town of Spalding to give an account
of the Armies that is a preacher there and drawes away many people and though the Minister of the place did yeeld much to give him and others content in being willing to joyn with him and others to keep away scandalâ—us persons promising to watch over one another giving â—ree leave to this Potter and others to except and object any thing against him or others admitted to the Lords Supper yet nothing would give them content but this Potter and many others whom he hath drawn away meet in Separated meetings on the Lords day will pay no Tithes A godly Minister told me August 18. that some souldiers belonging to Colonell Iretons Regiment quartering but two nights in his Parish infected many he had rather have given a great deal of mony then they should have come thither He saith they be generally Arminians and sate with their hats on in Prayer Singing of Psalmes One of these souldiers told a godly woman in his Parish that if she did not beleeve Christ died for all she should be damned There is one John Durance spoken of in the Second part of Gangrana who was apprentise to a Washball-maker at the Three Herrings in Lumbard-street who after preaching some years without being ordained Minister doth now presume without any ordination to Baptize and administer the Lords Supper against which high presumption God hath lately witnessed by making one in this kind a fearfull example in York-shire which story most true and certain with the particulars of it I intend to give the reader in a Tractate of a Catalogue of the judgements of God upon the Se-Sectaries within these four last years Now this Master Durance besides preaching at Canterbury in one of the Churches hath gathered a Church to which in one of the Prebends houses wherein he dwels he preaches and administers the Lords Supper in the evening this man at Sandwich prayed strangly concerning the King as the Reader may remember and being spoken to about it he was so farre from repenting that he added this That he hoped ere long to see the King fettered in Newgate which I hearing could hardly beleeve a man should speak so wickedly of the King and therefore write down i 〈…〉 o Kent to enquire of the truth of it of them to whom it was spoken and I had this Answer returned me in a Letter that Master G. a Jurate of Sandwich had averred no lesse then what it should seem you have heard already concerning him Besides this Durance preaching presently after the newes of the surrender of Oxford said That for all that there would be no Peace till there were a generall Liberty of Conscience in England In Kent not fâ—rre from Greenwich there is a feirce Independent one Master Larkin a man of wh 〈…〉 I have heard many things both of his preaching aod conversation concerning whom there are many Letters come from New England attested with many hands writing of his ill behaviour and the scandals that are upon him there besides many passages related of his preaching here against the Assembly Ministery and of his carriage in severall particulars but I shall speake no further of him at this time There is one Master Powell at Dartmouth in Kent a great Sectary he sometimes preached in Crooked-lane where he vented many erroneous things and â—ow does a great deal of hurt in those parts of Kent There was a neighbour Minister a godly man that being behind in paying some of his Taxes being deeply taxed one imployed to gather up monies unpaid coming to him for monies not paid he demanded 〈◊〉 shillings for his charges in coming and used these words You are one that oppose Master Powell and if the Minister would not pay whatever he demanded would straine his Cowes There is one Brabson in Middlesex about Han 〈…〉 ll a great Sectarie and Preacher he preaches much against Tithes and broaches many Errours some of the Middle 〈◊〉 Ministers have told me of such a man and I am promised a full account of the man There is one Cornwell in Kent an Anabapeist who hath put forth divers Pamphlets one against Baptizing of Children others lately printed Dedicated to particular members of the House of Commons The first pamp 〈…〉 called The vindication of the royall Commission of King Jesus set forth about three years ago was given to divers Members at the doore of the House of Commons In which Book this Cornwell brands all the Reformed Churches and the whole Christian world at this day which Baptize their children with the odious name of an Anti-christian Faction There is one Master Blackwood about the Wild of Kent an Anabaptist who hath write about a yeare and a halse ago a Book called The storming of Antichrist the subject matter being against Poedobaptisme and for Liberty of Conscience so called wherein as I remember he is for a universall Toleration except it be in Blasphemy and denying the Scriptures to be the word of God but about a year ago a godly Minister told me he speaking with him about that book and about his limitations and whether he was of that judgement still he told him he had received thanks for that book from a great Commander in the army for so far as he had gone right but wished him to re-collect his thoughts whether be was not out in those limitationâ— bounds so that said M. Blackwood I am somewhat unsatisfied in my former limitations doubting whether there ought not to be a universall Toleration without any of those bounds and in a book since printed he is against any restraint in the c 〈…〉 of Blasphemy and denying the Scriptures retracting his â—ormer distinctions There is one Master Niobâ—las Davison of New-England who came over from New-England with accounts amounting to a good s 〈…〉 e which he was to give here in London and landing in the West at that time when all the West was in the Enemies power for feare of loosing his accounts and being taken durst not venture to come up to London but lived in Barstable unknown almost three quarters of a year which being then one of the Kings Garrisons he was glad to conceale himselfe they not knowing whence be came nor what he was now being sometimes in the company of the Cavaliers and of some of their Schollars he heard them often speaking among themselves of the Independents and of the differences among us and they spake to one another not thinking he took notice that there were from severall Colledges beyond the Seas Jesuites come over they named their names and the places from whence they came to act the pitts of Independents and Sectaries to blow up the difference and contention Now when the West was open and this man got faâ—â— to London he told this to divers to a godly Citizen among â—â—hers who acquainted me with it and this Master Davison being spoken to by some Independents as being a New-England man to go to Guildhall upon some businesse when some
Parliament men came downe as I take it upon one of the Cities Petitions about Church Government for say the Independents the Presbyterians will get the upper hand he refused to go and answered them who spake to him in words to this effect You little know what you do and whose work you further in opposing the Presbyterians for saith he the Independents in Old-England are nothing like to them of New-England no more then black to white you Independents here do that which we abhorre there I met â—ith this man with one who came from New-England and he held himself there an Apostle for which he was whipped and here hâ— is a great preacher and in great account and this he told to divers This man is accounted a godly man in New-England and went back thither this June For a further proof and confirmation of this here is a person of good account one of the Committee of Account that speaks confidently of informations he hath received of the coming over of Jesuits on purpose to mixe themselves with Independents and the Sectaries to increase that Faction for thâ—ir own ends I have been told also with much confidence that a Gentleman going through Colâ—man-street and seeing great store of People coming out of an Alley asked what the matter was some told him they were Sectaries come now from their Conveâ—â—ticles whereupon standing still to take notice what manner of People they were he sawe come out among them fome whom he had known to be Jesuits and Priests There is a young man a Schollar and a preacher who lived some years in Holland and that among some of our English Sectaries sometimes of the Church of Arâ—bâ—im who tells me they all generally and their Families were Anabaptists and that they made much of that scurrilous wicked book The Arraigment of Persecution These Sectaries not many months before they came over into England namely about the Spring last gave thanks at one of their Church meetings for a Toleration of the Sects which as they heard had passed thâ— House of Commons which the Beformed Ministers of that place hearing of were much troubled at it yet hoping it was not so that God would not leave the Parliament to be guilty of so great an evill after he had done so much for them These Sectaries would speak much against the Covenant and this Preacher hath heard some of them say they would be hanged before they would take it and had rather see one another hanged then to take that abominable Covenant One of the compapany used to preach constantly in the forenoon and then in the afternoon two or three others by turns as Master C. Master A. and when these were from home and there was no preaching then their Families staid at home and would not heare the English Reformed Ministers but some of them said If those Ministers would promise never to preach for Baptisme of Children nor against their way they would hear them Upon the newes coming over of the burning of Master Archers booke that made God the author of sinne they justified all in that book saying what was in it was his to a word and one of them said he could shew the Copy and they spake much against Assembly Parliament and that he had as high a place in heaven as any of them would have and they would make what he had written good This young man once speaking against the opinion they were very angry at him saying what had he to do they would speak against our Ministers with much indignation and scorn as if none of them had any worth A worthy Member of the House of Commons told me the last day of August that one Captaine B. told him we had beene fed by our Ministers thaâ— mens souls when they die went to heaven but now we see a New Light in that they do not go to heaven to whom this Parliament man replyed That the souls of the faithfull do for Christ told the thief Luke 24. To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise unto whom this Captain replyed That to day was to be referred to Christs saying so and not to the time when he should be in Paradise so that the meaning was Christ said unto the thief those words to day but not that to day he should be in paradise with him and so the words were to be read Verily I say unto thee to day and there the point and then after to be read thou shalt be with me in Paradise which though it should not be to the end of the world would be no impeachment of the truth of Christs speech whereupon this Parliament man answered to this purpose this were to make Christ eqivocate and deceive like as your faction does Animadversions upon this Exposition THis Sectary is not the first that hath wrested this place thus but some before him have separated to day from the words that follow and joyned it with the words going before so that the distinction should be Amen I say unto thee to day and then should follow thou shalt be with me in paradise upon which let the reader look Theophylact who handle this place largely and Jansenius Harmony on the Gospell Cap. 143. besides in the Greek Copies to day is joyned with the words thou shalt be and not with the word I say of which read Beza upon the place yea le ts looke upon the words they are an answer of Christs to the Theifs prayer that Christ would remember him when he came into his Kingdome not to remember him in this world to save him from the Crosse and temporall death now Christs answer is accordingly that he shall be partaker of his heavenly Kingdome and tells him the time to day that is thou shalt be with me without any delay and so there shall be no danger that I shall forget thee when I come into my Kingdome for behold this very day I shall take thee to my Kingdome vide Rollock in Cap. 19. Johan The theif in his prayer speaks to Christ as going presently into his Kingdome and desires to be remembred upon his coming thither as now being upon the Crosse in a cursed condition now if Christ had said to him then he should be with him but not told him the time when the theif knowing he should be dead to day but meaning it of a long time two thousand years afâ—er this would not have been so comfortable to the theif besides there was no reason nor need of adding to day to that word I say to th 〈…〉 for the theif knew they were spoken to day yea at that instant to him neither could to day be for asseveration Christ using that word word of asseveraton A 〈…〉 instead of that neither is there any paralell place in Scripture where to day is used in such an acception There is one Master John Baâ—hilâ—r Licenser-Generall of the Sectaries Books and of all sorts of wicked opinions Licenser to Master
Saltmarsh Creâ—ensis Walwin Webb and divers other Sectaries who hath been a Man-midwife to bring forth more monsters begotten by the Divell and borne of the Sectaries within this three last years then ever were brought into the light in England by all the former Licensers the Bishops and their Chaplaines for fourescore years he hath licensed Books pleading for all soâ—ts of Sectaries as Seekers Antinomians Anabâ—ptists c. as Sâ—â—t 〈…〉 sh and Walwins Books and for Antibaptists denying since Christs death all Baptisme by water as Wâ—bbâ— Book page 6. where is â—id down that I 〈…〉 Baptisme which was water did end at the coming of Christ and that there is no Baptisme by water instituted by Christ yea for Antiscripturists Arians Anitrinitarâ—ans Questionists and all Blasphemers as is apparent by his licensing that late wicked Pamphlet call'd Some modest and humble Queries concerning a printed paper Intituled an Ordinance presented to the Honourable House of Commons c. where if the Reader do but compare the former part of that Ordinance in what cases only that Ordinance inflicts death viz. upon the wilfull and obstinate publishers of such damnable Heresies and Blasphemies with the second Quere made upon that Ordinance whether it be agreeable to the mind of Christ for men to inflict the heavie censure of death upon their Brethren for holding forth such Doctrines or opinions in Religion suppose contrary to admonition which for ought the Inflicters know except they make themselves infallible may be the sacred truths of God he must needs find thus much pleaded for that therefore such blasphemies and Heresies contained in the Ordinance yea Atheisme it self for that is in the Ordinance that God is may not be punished with death because for ought any man knowes they may be the â—acred truths of God and the maintainers and publishers of them our Brethren So that at once in this Quere upon the Ordinance all the fundamentalls of Christian Religion are overthrown and such Doctrines and opinions as are contrary unto them for ought any man knowes except he make himself inâ—allible may be the sacred truths of God yea grosse Scepticisme and Atheisme is brought into the Church This Master Bachiler hath Licensed severall Pamphlets for a Toleration yea noâ— only for a limited bounded Toleration of some Sects and opinions as suppose Anabaptists Independents but for a Universall gâ—nerall Toleration of all consciences and opinions as may be seen in Walwins Books licensed by him yea he hath licensed unlice 〈…〉 sed Books printed before he was borne as a Pamphlet entituled Religious Peace made by one Leonard Busher and printed 1614. wherein there is a pleading for a Toleration of Papists Jewes â—very person or persons differing in Religion and that it may be lawfull for them to write dispute confer print and publish any matter touching Religion either for or against whomsoever And that the wickednesse of Master Bachiler the Independent may the more appear I desire the Reader to observe in his licensing this and some other Books these following particulars First He gives not a bare Imprimatur to his Book of Bushers but gives his Imprimatur with a speciall Recommendation in these words This usefull Treatise entituled Religious Peace long since presented by a Citizen of London to King James and the High Court of Parliament then sitting I allow to be reprinted and so to some of Saltmarshes Books Smoake in the Temple Groanes for Liberty Reasons for Vnity Love and Peace c. We have Imprimaturs with speciall approbations and discourses of the lovelinesse exellenty sweetnesse glory shining in them Secondly in the reprinting of this Book for generall Toleration call'd Religious Peace Master Bachiler made some materiall alterations and writ in the margins of such places in the Book where some speciall passages were for Toleration that they should be printed in a great letter differing from the letter in which the body of the Book was printed for that end no doubt that the Reader might better observe them and this I was told from a person of some quality and a Scholler who saw the Originall Book wherein such alterations were made and told me they were the same hand with that whiâ—h gave License to the Book I shall give the Reader an instance or two and no more whereas Bushers Copie page 16 is thus Therefore I humbly desire his Majestie and Parliament with all godly carefulnesse to consider that 't is not possible that the Church of Rome called Catholick or those that ate descended of her and have received their Faith and Discipline from her ever was or could be the Apostolick Church call'd Primitive Church or shee that is descended from her Master Bacheler changes it from Faith and Discipline into Ministery and Ordination reading it thus and have received their Ministery and Ordination from her That passage in the old Edition page 11. printed in the same letter the whole Book is viz. Therefore as the Papist when they complaine of the Turks and Pagans for their bloody persecution do therein condemne themselves because they are found to do the same yea worse for 't is a greater tyrannie for one Christian to force and kill another then for Turks and Pagans to kill a Christian for that is no such great wonder seeing it is a Paganish part who have no better knowledge but Christians should have better knowledge and more mercy then to play the Pagans against Christians is in this new Edition printed in a different character a greater letter neither is this the only Book wherein 't is discovered John Bachiler treads in the steps of some Licensers who went before him being acquainted with Index Expurgatorius but in Webbs Book he altered and changed as in the second part of Gangraena I at large have shewed The man hath justified and acquitted the former Licensers Doctor Baker Doctor Bray Doctor Heyward Doctor Weeks and the rest of that race who in the point of licensing were Saints to him who hath licensed such books and things that I am confident none of them durst have done for feare the people would have risen up and torne them in peeces and certainly the people would never have borne with such books in the Bishops dayes besides should any man before the sitting of this Parliament have writ or licensed such Books of which good store have been both writ and licensed within this three last years that man or men whoever they had been had without all question been first questioned and proceeded against by this Parliament of all men This Bachiler is such a desperate Licenser that nothing now in that kind can stick with him having swallowed down those wicked Queries upon the Ordinance against Heresies and Blasphemies and I am afraid that if the Devill himselfe should make a book and give it the Title A plea for liberty of conscience with certaine Reasons against Persecution for Religion and bring it to Mr. Bachiler hee would license it and
not onely with a bare Imprimatur but set before it the commendations of Aâ—sefull Treatise of A sweet and excellent booke making for love and peace among brethren or some such discourse In Buckingh â—mshire there are many notorious Sectaries as at Ailâ—bury one Dagnall a Book-seller a map of errors who to a godly Minister denyed Originall sinne and maintained other wicked opinions one Barre a Weaver and at Châ—sham or thereabouts one Hâ—ch spoken of at large in the First part of Gangraena and another a Gentleman who was an Officer in the Army a great Seeker There is one Carter having but one eye a Sectary at Watton in Haâ—tfordshire and a great Prâ—acher who keeps Conventicles on the Lords day there being greaâ— resort to him never coming to the publike Assemblies There are many Independents and Sectaries at or neare Lewis in Sussex some of the chiefe being Mr. Peters Converts as one Mr. Banniard Minister one Mr. Postlethwait one Mr. Crafts as I remember the name Mr. Bunnâ—ard will not preach upon nor keep the Fast-dayes being at London on a Fast-day hee would not goe to Church a Gentlewomâ—n who lives in his house useth to spin upon the Fast-day And there are divers Sectaries in that Town that work openly on Fast 〈…〉 yes Oats the Weaver spoken of in the First and Second parts of Gangraena being arraigned upon his life at Chensford the last Assize for dipping one Anne Martin who 〈…〉 ied some fourteen dayes after and being found not guilty was bound by the Judge to his good behaviour and made to â—ind Sureties that hee should neither preach nor dip and yet notwithstanding the very next Lordâ— day hee preached in Chensford and goes on still in Essex preaching his errors The people of Wethersfield hearing that Oats and some of his companions were come to their Town seased on them onely Oats was not in the company and pumped them soundly And Oats coming lately to Dunmo 〈…〉 in Essex some of the Town hearing of it where hee was fetched him out of the house and threw him into the river throughly dipping him A Citizen who was at Chensford when Oats his triall was having some knowledge of him reasoned with him that setting aside the dispute of the lawfulnesse of Rebaptization in prudence it could not be well done to doe that which in ordinary reason would destroy the creature viz. in cold weather to dip weakly persons Unto which answer was made by one Teach an Anabaptist and a companion of Oats that God had made a promise in that case When thou goest through the fire and through the water I will be with thee And when this Citizen said that was not understood literally in that sense it was insisted upon that it was to be taken in that sense The City Remonstrance and my books are exceeding hatefull to the Sectaries in the Army they speake desperately against the City and the City Remonstrance as among divers other speeches a Captaine of Lievtenant Generall Cromwells Regiment of Foot spake words to this effect That the City Remonstrance was as devillish a thing as ever was penned by man which this Captaine in his testimony against Adjutant Generall Gray June the 19. being examined did give in himselfe under his owne hand of which I have seen a true copy taken out of the originall Records I have been told also from good hands that my books are so hated among the Sectaries in the Army that no Commanders nor Officers dare be knowne to have them or to read them and some Presbyterians whose names I shall conceale getting the books have been forced to read them by stealth in the night in their beds when they have been sure none should carry tales of them The Presbyterians and Orthodox have been glad to deale with my books in the Army as the Protestants are glad to doe with Bibles Mr. Perkins Works c. in Countries as Spain where the Inquisition is in force A godly young man and a Scholler who hath been in the Quarters of the Souldiers divers times with them yea some of the great outâ— when they were in the West in July last told me and some other company that hee had heard some of the Sectaries in the Army say they would not tolerate Presbyterians though they toleâ—ated all others because they looked upon them as most destructive to them September 23. I was told from good hands both from a Minister in the City who hath relation to the place and from one who came from the place that a Captaine of the Army quartering with his Company at a Town called Auster in Warwickshire preacheth in the Parish Church sometimes twice on the Lords day and the Minister though an honest man is glad to stand by A godly Minister of Bristow preaching in Bristow by way of Exhortation to exhort men to goe out of themselves and to rest on Christ one stood up in the Church either whilst hee was preaching or presently upon finishing his Sermon telling him that hee had preached Antichristianisme to exhort men The same Minister related it that a Souldier a great Sectary finding fault with something hee had preached of Christs wondring at their unbeleefe hee told him they were Christs words to which this Sectary replyed Christ spake thus in his darknesse or in the time of his darknesse This Minister also one day discoursing with this Sectary about our being justified by the righteousnesse of Christ the same Sectary replyed Christs righteousnesse was a beggarly righteousnesse A godly Minister who lives in Somersetshire told me of a Sectary and a Sequestrator who to him maintained Adultery was no sinne and to another Minister that drunkennesse was no sinne but a help to see Christ the better by Hee told me also that some Sectaries having a Book among them called The fulnesse of Gods love maintained generall election that God had chosen all men to life and that election was of all men with whom this Minister reasoned alledging that in the 9. of the Romanes vers 11 13 c. and telling them the word Election implied it was of some not of all for if I come and chuse I take some and leave others but if I take all I doe not chuse There is a godly Minister who came out of the Army lately and understands the state of it very well that told some Members of the House of Commons there are some whole Troops in the Army that hold such desperate opinions as denying the Resurrection of the dead and hell which relation I had from a worthy Member of the House with the names of the Parliament men to whom it was told and of the Minister who told it I was told by some honest understanding men who heard Master Barroughs preach that on the day of the last Thanksgiving in September hee preaching at his Lecture at Michaels Cornhill on Psal 78. 42. spoke against the City for being unthankfull to the Army the Instruments of their deliverance
reports of victories other mens valiant acts attributed to them and they upon all occasions pleaded for excused and fair glosses put upon the â—oulest actions of any Commanders and Souldiers of that party so that a man would wonder Master Peters should write thus but that he will say any thing if it be for the Sectaries and they who know the man and his manner what stories he hath told in Pulpits of baâ—â—ells that he hath been in and how many victories have been atchieved will never marvell at what he writes here Seventhly For that Master Peters speaks of Master Forbes and Am 〈…〉 s of that constant sweetnesse and incouragement in the one towards him and of the speeches of the other to him even to his death I much doubt of the truth of them and that upon these grounds However Master Forbes might be great with him before â—e declared himself for Independency and the Church-way yet I have been told from a godly understanding Minister who lived many years in Holland and that in the time of Master Peters being there both before he was looked upon as an Independent and 〈…〉 wards viz. all the time till he went to New England that when Master Forbes by the power of the Bishops faction was put by his place of Minister to the Merchant Adventures at Roterdam he would have received the Lords Supper at Master Peters Church Master Peters Independency or Church-way not being visible then but Master Peters offering to put upon him or requiring some of his Church-way devices spake something to Master Forbes of things in that kind which Master Forbes neceâ—ted with so much indignation and scorn knowing what love and â—espect he had shown to Master Peters and what experience Master Peters had had of him and that now besides all his sufferings in Scotland he was put by all in Holland for refusing the Ceremonies and the Bishops wayes that now being deprived both of Ministry and Sacraments and coming to Master Peters as his great friend he should offer to question him of his state of grace or propound his Independent 〈…〉 icks to him before he could be admitted that he spake very sharply to him telling him in these words or to this effect He would not come to the Lords Supper with him if he would have â—im nor have communion with a man in such a way And I beleeve there was little love or sweetnesse passed between them afterwards or little incouragement that Master Peters ever after had from that learned and godly Scotch-man And as for the story he tells of learned Amesius for no other end as I know but to gain credit to himself and the Church-way I much question that he should speak so of the Independent way and give such a charge about it as Master Peters relates as also that he left his Professorship in Frizland to live with Master Peters meeâ—ly upon that reason because of his Churches Independency and my grounds of doubt are these First Because in Doctor Amesius his Works I find Principles against the Independency of Churches as in his Book of Cases of Conscience the fourth Book cap. 29. in answer to that question Who have the power of Excommunicating Among others who have power he saith Synods and Classes when any difficulty ariseth have a power to declare and decree who they be that ought to be excommunicated 〈◊〉 in his Medullâ— Theologie 〈…〉 the first Book Chap. 39. having spoken of a particular Church he comes in with this Cantion or Proviso Notwithstanding particular Churches as their communion requires the light of nature the equity of rules and examples of Scripture teach may and also often ought to enter into a mutuall confederation and association among themselves in Classes and Synods that they may use the common consent and help as much as conveniently can be especially in all those things which are of greater moment I 〈◊〉 also in Amesius his Works many passages against other Principles of the Independent way at the use of Suspension from the Lords Supper to goe before Excommunication which is denyed by the Independents with many others Now the writings of men are more to be regarded and beleeved then the words of such a man as Master Peters especially in favour of his own cause Secondly For Doctor Ames leaving his Professorship in Frizland to live with Master Peters at Roterdam I will not deny that but I doe deny that it was because of his Churches Independency it was upon other reasons and of this I can give the Reader some good account and I must acknowledge it as a providence of God that I many years agoe by reason of my intimate acquaintance with the eminentest and godliest men of those times and with the prime of those who are now turned Independents did hear and know many things of all sorts of godly men both at home and abroad in Holland England New-England which I then little thought I should ever have had any use of but since have been and are of great use in answering Independents when they come and tell the world stories of themselves which men know not how to disprove them Doctor Ames as I have been told from grave godly Ministers for many years before he died was weary of his place in Frizland and would fain have had some place in England he moved and propounded it to some that if he could but have any living or place to preach in though in a remote Village without using the Ceremonies and being put upon subscription he would take it for he had a mind to give himself to preaching and to enjoy the society of English Christians and Ministers and was weary because of that dulnesse and different way in regard of the practicall power of godlinesse he found among those he lived with there and the godly English whom he in the former part of his life had been acquainted with and therefore divers years before there was any thought or speech of Independent Churches or this way he moved for a place in England and would faine have left his Professorship in Frizeland And I am ready to depose I have been told this by one or more godly Ministers of great note 'T is sufficiently known I was well acquainted with Doctor Preston Doctor Sibs Master Bouls Doctor Prestons Tutor Doctor Taylor Doctor Staughton c. and from some of these I had it and I remember I have been in company with Doctor Ames at Doctor Prestons lodging who after the death of King James coming to England and to Cambridge I heard him preach there and well remember the Sermon and Text Jude vers 20 21. but times in England growing worse and worse there being no hope for such a man as he here being weary of his Professorship in Frizland was willing to be Minister of an English Church in Holland since he could not obtain it in England and I make no question if Doctor Ames could have been assured
142. pages of this Book I might fill a Book in relating the passages in Discourses Sermons and printed Books spoken in way of boasting of this Army and of particular persons belonging to it of the Independent way calling one Infallible the Saviour of three Kingcomes a second the Terrible a third whom God hath especially fitted for Sea or Land one whom foraigne States would be proud of having such a servant and so of others but I will only point at some expressions in a late Book of Master Burtons called Conformities Deformity wherein the Army is in a sort deified page 17 18. speaking of pressing the Parliament for an Ordinance against Heresies and Schismes he speaks what this Ordinance would do against those men who have prodigally poured their dearest bloud viz. trample upon them and not suffer them to breath in their native aire and thereupon runs out in the extolling of that sort of men in the Army that by them we yet breath that they have beene the preservers of the Land that many glorious victories have made them admirable to the neighbour Nations yea to the whole world and terrible to their professed enemies and ours yea and to pretended freinds too who would master us at home were not these masters of the feild God hath made them the great instruments of the preservation and deliverance of our Country and City from the most desperate bloudy and beastiall enemies that ever the earth bred or hell hatched God hath vouchsafed to cast great favour and honour upon them and as he hath crowned them with so much glory and they have â—ast their crownes at the feet of the Lamb that sits upon the Throne So should we come and first giving all the glory to God gather up those crownes and set them upon the heads of those our Preservers and Deliverers and put chains about their necks so far off should we be from trampling such Pearles under foot or casting them out of our Gates and Ports 8. The Sectaries are guilty of unsufferable Insolencies horrible affronts to Authority and of strange outrages having done those things that all things considered no story of former ages can paralell and here I have so large a feild that I might write a Book in Folio upon this head but I will only give a touch upon the particulars and referre the Reader for further satisfaction to their owne Books 1. Some of the Sectaries have spoken and written that against the Lawes of the Land both Common and Statute as I beleeve neither Papists nor any English men ever did before them I have read divers passages of this kind in divers Pamphlets within these two last yeers as in some books written against Master Pryn but above all Leiutenant Colonell Lilburne in his Just mans Justification page 11 12 13 14 15. and A Remonstrance to their owne House of Commons page 13. 15. 19. damns the Common Law as coming from the Devill and being the great bondage of England the Norman Yoake as the Reader may easily see by these words That which is the greatest mischeife of all and the oppressing bondage of England ever since the Norman Yoak is this I must be tried before you by a Law call'd the Common Law that I know not nor I thinke no man else neither do I know where to finde it or read it and how I can in such a â—asâ— be punished by it I know not such an unfathomable gulâ—e have I by a little search found the Law practises in Westminster Hall to be that seriously I thinke there is neither end nor bottome of them so many uncertainties formalilities puncâ—ilios and that which is worse all the enâ—ries and proceedings in Latine a Language I understand not nor one of a thousand of my native Country-men so that when I read the Scripture it makes me thinke that the practises in the Courts at Westminster flow not from God nor from his Law nor the Law of Nature and Reason no nor yet from the understanding of any righteous just or honest men but from the Devill and the will of Tyrants The Kings Writs that summons a Parliament implying the establishment of Religion showes that we remaine under the Norman yoake of an unlawfull power from which we ought to free our selves Ye know the Lawes of this Nation are unworthy a free people and deserve from first to last to be considered and seriously debated and reduced to an agreement with common equity and right reason which ought to be the forme and life of every Government Magna Charta it selfe being but a beggerly thing containing many marks of intolerable bondage and the Lawes that have beene made since by Parliaments have in very many particulars made our Government much more oppressive and intolerable The Conquerer erected a trade of Judges and Lawyers to sell justice and injustice at his owne unconscionable rate and in what time he pleased the corruption whereof is yet upon us from which we thought you should have delivered us we cannot but expect to be delivered from the Norman bondage and from all unreasonable Lawes made ever since that unhappy conquest By which passages t is evident the Sectaries aime at a totall change of the Laws and Customs of this Kingdom 2. They have spoken and written much against the King speaking of him as a Delinquent terming him the great Delinquent and that he should not come in but as a Delinquent when news hath beene of messages and gracious offers from the King and when his late Letter to the City was spoken of they have slighted all saying we can have them without him and what can he do for us he is a Delinquent They have taken one of his titles from him and given it to that unworthy mean man Lilburne stiling him Defendor of the Faith they have taken other of his Titles as Soveraign Leige Lord Majesty Kingship Regality and given them to the H. of Commons and to the common people making the Universall people to be the King Creator and the King their meer creature servant and vassal and as they have taken from him his Titles so his power denying him all Legislative power and to be one of the Estates of Parliament yea they have pleaded for the King to be deposed and justice to be done upon him as the grand murtherer of England and not only that he should bee beheaded but the Kingdome also viz. this Kingdome deprived of a King for ever and Monarchie turned into Democracie And as they have endeavoured to strip him of all his Titles and power as a King so to take from him all priviledges as a man and a Christian speaking against Ministers praying for him and that he should be excommunicated from all Christian society For proofe of which particulars let the Reader read over the late Remonstrance of many thousand Citiznes to their owne House of Commons and among other passages that in page 6. It is high time we be
and would trample as much upon the City of London and the Countries as ever John of Lâ—yden and Knipperdolling did upon the poor Citizens of Munster 4. The Sectaries hypocrifie appears by their pretending a bare liberty only peaâ—â—ably and quietly to enjoy their owne consciences and that without any offence or molestation to others And however if this might not be granted after they had helped to overcome the common enemy they would quietly sit downe and leave the Kingdome not offer to make any disturbance and this was held out along time in their speeches and in many books I have heard Master Peters speak thus and he was wont in many places to speak thus and the Apologists in their Apologeticall Narrat 〈…〉 supplicate the Parliament to look upon them as those that doe pursue no other interest or designe but a subsistence be it the poorest or meanest in their owne Land with the allowance of a latitude to some lesser differences with peaceablenesse as not knowing where else with safety health and livelihood to set their feet on earth But by these and many other specious pretences being increased in number and power and having gotten the sword into their hands now they speak out and are not contented with a bare Toleration but stand for all the places of power honor and profit in the Kingdome crying out of the City Remonstrance most of all because it petitioned against Sectaries being in places of publick trust its apparent a Domination they aime at and to have things in such a posture that they may suppresse all the Orthodox hence many speeches have sallen from them to this purpose that they will never lay downe the sword whilest there 's a Preist lefe in England that they will pack them all away for Rome and this last yeere in many places where they come they ordinarily will not suffer the Ministers to preach in their owne Churches Pulpits but by sorce hinder them yea pull them out of Pulpits threaten them assault them hence they will not endure zealous godly Presbyterians to enjoy any places in the Armies or other where but watch for iniquity use all tricks and unjust wayes to keep them out and turne them out of which there are many examples 5. The Sectaries abominable hypocrisie showes it selfe in yeelding to things against their mind and conscience that thereby they may be in a capacity and inabled to destroy and overthrow what they seeme to be for working and using all their power against it as for example many of the Sectaries took the Covenant and do take it which they hate with al their souls that so they might come into such places keep such places where being they improve those places all they can to destroy the Covenant and the contents of it hindring a Uniformity and the neerest conjuction in Government c. and are all for a Toleration and instead of endeavouring to extirpate Heresie Schisme they promote it all they can and plead for strange forced interpretations and Jesuiticall equivocations of the Covenant contrary to all literall sence the generall scope and the minds of those that made it alwayes so declared from first to last 6. The Sectaries great hypocrisie is seene in that in their speeches oft-times many of their Pamphlets and for divers of their actions why they do such things and why they refuse this and that as not hearing our Ministers preach not joyning to our Assemblies not paying their Tyths with many such they alledge the Covenant and bring that for their ground t is against such an Article of the Covenant or such a clause of an Article when as t is knowne to God and hotoriously manifest to all the world they care not at all for the Covenant make nothing of it but daily with a high hand breake every-Article and every clause of each Article but their doing and refusing of such and such things are upon other grounds and ends as the saving their purses their destroying of a settled Ministry the increasing and spreading of all Errors and Heresies and bringing in of confusion into Church and State I could write a large book upon this subject how the Sectaries daily break the Covenant and are indeed like to those spoken of in Daniel 11. 32. Such as do wickedly against the Covenant I will begin with the first clause of the first Article indeavouring the preservation of the Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland in Doctrine worship Discipline and Government c. when as they daily write with all bitternesse against the Church of Scotland their Discipline and Government c. yea have furthered the printing and spreading wicked books against the Government of the Church of Scotland written by Prelats and their greatest enemies O how is Master Burton in his Conformities Deformity in his 19 20 21. pag. guilty of breach of Covenant in writing so against their Church Government as to stirre up Princes and all civill powers against them as much as against the Popes Supremacie I might proceed to show though they take the Covenant into their mouth yet they go against that clause of indeavouring to extirpate Heresie Schism prophanesse c. on the contrary indeavouring the spreading and growing of all Heresies Errors and so I might in the rest but I shall conclude this with one word which is that they are fearfully and hypocritically guilty of the breach of the solemne League and Covenant and that if ever the Sectaries should be a meanes to involve and ingage in a war against Scotland our Brethren in their weakest condition even when their Armie 's put to the worse might in the head of their Armie spread before God the solemne League and Covenant and appeale to heaven to help them as the great Turk did once in such a case against the Christians and might well trust that God who is a God keeping Covenant a God of truth that helped the Turks against the Christians in such a case would help them his servants against the Covenant breaking Sectaries 7. The Sectaries hypocrisie appeares in casting that upon others and unjustly charging them with such things which themselves are faulty in both practise and purpose to practise only speak against such and such things in another party that others being suspected by this meanes and they not they may compasse their ends the better thus they have given out many reports and raised jealousies upon many worthy men as if not right that they sought not the good of their Country Religion but only preferment and their owne ends that so they being taken to be the faithfull men might raise their owne fortunes and bring about their owne designes many Sectaries have given out things on purpose of the Scots that they are false and alwayes were for their owne ends c. the better to hide their owne basenesse being indeed that themselves which they falsely cast upon our Brethren Thus the Sectaries give ouâ— that if
contention an evill conscience and when some lust though secret hath brought forth an errour this and that false doctrine then those Doctrines fully received daily strengthen and nourish those lusts yea daily increase unto more ungodlinesse as the not being liable to be questioned by superiour Assemblies as Classes Synods emboldens men to broach and spred such errors as holding that God sees no sinne in his Children that all our sinnes cannot hurt us nor all our good workes further our salvation encourages men to sinne more freely as believing that the soules dye with the bodies or else sleep till the resurrection yea that there is no resurrection makes men say let us eate and drinke for to morrow we shall dye that is since the soule dyes with the body and the body shall rise no more therefore let us take what we find here enjoy our pleasures and satisfie our lusts whilest we may 3. Coroll Hence then we may clearly see from many of the principles and practises laid open in this booke that many of the Sectaries of our times Anabaptists Libertines Independents are not onely against Government in the Church all Authoritative power of Classes Synods but against Civill Government too Monarchie and Aristocracie both Kings and Lords have been cryed downe in many Books Speeches yea and in Sermons of the Sectaries and for Democracie though in divers Pamphlets they seem to contend for that as in opposition to all Kingly and Lordly Government yet in pleading for it they have laid downe such positions as are not consistent with any Civill Government at all but what necessarily would bring any Common wealth the most popular into a chaos and confusion and had they any reason or wisdome they could not but see the weaknesse of their owne Principles and the dreadfull consequences that must necessarily follow thereupon but as the Apostles Peter and Jude speake of the Hereticks of their times upon occasion of speaking evill of Dignities and despising Dominion so may we of ours These as naturall bruit beasts made to be taken and destroyed speake evill of the things they understand not In a word nothing pleases them not the Government nor any part of it not the Lawes their designe is to have all pull'd downe to have a totall change made that being abrasa tabula they might write in it what they pleased and might come to have the new modelling of Church and Common-wealth O how like are our Sectaries to the old Anabaptists of Munster and Germany their very spirit having entred into our men O how like is John Lilburne to John of Leyden as if he had beene spit out of his mouth M. Dell to Thomas Muntzer and so others of them to severall great Sectaries that I could name I dare be bold to say and can prove it that the old Anabaptists never delivered or held principles more destructive to humane society to all kind of Government both Politicall Ecclestasticall and O economicall to all godlinesse and Religion then many of our Sectaries nay I believe no instance can be given of them whilst they were under command and in the hands and power of the civill Magistrate that ever they carried themselves so scornfully and contemptuously to the supremest Courts and Judicatures of Kingdomes and States and committed such outragious actions publikely even in the worship of God against the Religion established the faithfull friends of the States as our have done 4. Corol. Hence then we may plainely see by what 's laid down in this Book our evills are not taken away but onely changed or rather some persons and instruments removed not the evills There are other men now under other habits and names do the same things and farre worse for instance one of the great complaints against some Bishops was the putting men into the Ministry and to preach who had been Serving-men Barbers and such like behold it is now in fashion worse are now suffered and that in such a way as the Bishops Lay-preachers never attempted viz. to put by painfull Orthodox men from their places whilst they with their ignorance and errours starve and poyson the peoples souls Another great evill under the Biships was the corrupting of Religion and destroying it in time by countenancing corrupt men and discountenancing the zealous Orthodox under the name of turbulent violent men who made divisions c. and is noâ— the same in use among us now Is it not more apparent by many Bookes written Speeches and Actions which hundreds and thousands are witnesses of that a Toleration and the ruine of the Protestant Religion is intended and designed now then that the Bishops intended to bring in Popery Another great evill was the speaking against and reproaching the Reformed Churches and speaking evill of some of the great Reformers as Calvin Beza Knox c. which some of the Prelates and their Chaplains in some of their Books Sermons Discourses or Disputations in the Universities as Canterbury Wren Pocklington Martin Cosens Duncombe Mountague had done and O how were these cried out on for so doing but alas now the Reformed Churches particularly Scotland whom we have covenanted to defend and according to the example of the best of them to reforme yet after such a Covenant both Churches and the prime Reformers as Calvin Knox c. have been a thousand times worse reproached And so I could go over all the rest and that not onely in Religion but in the matters of Justice and the Liberty of the Subject but I must take off manum de tabula 5. Coroll Hence we may see by all the Errours Heresies strange Practises discovered in this booke into what a condition we are fallen and from what fallen that we can do and suffer such things as we do I knew the time when it might have been said of us as of the Angell in the 2. Revel 2. we could not have borne them that were evill and this we had when we were at worst we hated the doctrine of the Nicolaitans but now wee have left our first love zeale are become a people that can suffer any thing the twentieth part of what we now make nothing of but have pretences excuses and pleas for seven yeares agoe would have made us cry out bitterly kept daies of fasting and prayer for though with the hazard of our lives and Liberties made complaints and spoken one to another looked for the judgments of God to have come upon us but now we beare all nay what was most evill in the Bishops and their Chaplains for which they wicked men as they were commonly cal'd have been cast out as Popery Arminianisme prophaning the Lords day countenancing Papists Arminians c. is new light and new truth in Sectaries and Independents prophanenesse ahd ungodlinesse in them is now become conscience godlinesse Saintship Now the grossest Arminianisme without making mince meat of it can go down we can swallow without any trouble Popish Arminian
cald Divine Light manifesting the love of God unto the whole world is to plead for a generall salvation of all men and devills and that Christ hath paid the Price of his bloud for them all Divine Light pag. 19. Divine Light pag. 11 12 13. Divine Light pag. 11 13 14 23. The proofe of this is in p. 36. of this Third part of Gangraena * Vid Pareum in hunc locum Nemâ— nescit ut post consummationem saeculi fiat temporis abolitio sequatur aeternitas * Divine Light manifesting the love of God unto the whole world page 5. Vide Divine Light Manifesting the love of God * Proof p. 22. of this Third Part. * Proofe A godly Minister of this City told me he heard an Independent Minister maintain this Opinion before company Animadvers * Proof of this Third Part of his Gangaena page 107. * Proof vide p. 84. of this Third Part. a Proof p. 36. of this Third part b I have been told from good hands of severall Anabaptists brought before the Magistrate who have refused to take an oath and of others who would speak the truth as in the presence of Christ but not sweare c Proof p. 147. of this Third part of Gangraena d Proof Pamphlet entituled Certain Queres 1645. by Thomas Câ—lyer and in Third part of Gang. p. 28. e Vid. Pamph. entit An alarum to the H. of Lords p. 1. f Proof pamphlet Overtons defiance to the H. of Lords p. 6 Proof vide pag 111 112 of this Third part of Gangraena Proof vide Master Burtons Conformities deformity the whole scope of the Book being to maintain this among other pages vide pag. 7 8 13 14 15. and for Animadversions on this the Reader shall find in the latter part of this Book Pamphlet entituled A Remonstrance of many thousand Citizens and other Free-born people of Engl. to their own House of Commons p. 12 13. * Many Ministers M. Spurstowe M. Cardel M. Wills my self with others heard this Exposition given in the presence of a thousand people at least * For proof Vide pag. 23. 24. of this Third Part of Gangraena Animadvers ☞ ☜ * Vid. Overtons petition to the High and Mighty States the Knights Burgesses in Parliament Assembled ☞ * Last Reports of the English Wars p. T. Ames lib. 5. de Conscient c. 25. De mutua obligatione inter Magistratus et subditos A Remonstr to the House of Commons page 19 20. * Proof Vide page 35. of this Third part of Gangr * For proof Vide M Bellamâ—es justification of the City Remonstrance p. 11. * Proof p. 114. of this Thâ—rd Part of Gangr * Proof p. 107 of this Third part of Gangr Vide Doct. Bastwicks utter rouâ—ing of the Army of the Independents Epist to the Reader ☜ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ * pag. 51. 52. Certain Queres * pag. 18. 19. page 22. 25. page 27. page 27. ☞ page 28. page 29. ☞ Animadvers ☞ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☞ ☜ * Bristoll ☜ ☜ A Seeker ☜ ☜ ☞ ☞ It hath been usuall for men given to fafour heresieâ— Schismes to speak evill of the zealous Ministers who oppose them so Constan the Emperor often call'd Athanasius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impiâ—m item 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sâ—elestum Theod. lib. 2. cap 16. * A fit man to be a Deacon of an Independent Church ☜ ☞ ☜ ☜ Animadver ☞ ☜ ☜ Second part of Gangrana 131 Blackwood Apostolicall Baptisme or a Rejoynder to M. Blake p. 81. 82. I am of opinion that Heaven received few such souls â—s this Sectarie and Christ saith non retipio tales animas * Sâ—e Mr Walwins Pâ—edict of Master Edwards conversion Whisper in M. Edwards eare c. * Bushers Book of the old Edition page 19. New Edition page 23. ☞ ☜ Animadvers * This Pamphlet is generally spoken and beleeved by all to beâ— his and many of his Church have openly said so to 2 John 10. 11. ☜ Minors no Senators A Discovery of New lights This was upon occasion of the City Remonstrance * It was in some of the Newes Books of that week * Master Burroughs the morning starr preaching about seven a cloke in the morning and Mr Greenâ—al at three of the clock in the afternoone ☞ ☜ ☞ He speaks of the surrender of Oxford Animadvers * Quaest nonâ— Quinam habent pâ—testatem excommunicaâ—di Resp Classium Synodum est quando diâ—â—iculâ—as aliquae subest commu 〈…〉 consiâ—io declarare decernere quinam debeanâ— excommunicari * Ecclesiae ta 〈…〉 en particulares â—t carâ—m communio postulat naturâ— lumen aequitas regularum exemplorum Scripturae docent possunt 〈…〉 ac saepissime etiam debent confoederationem aâ—t consociâ—tioâ—em mutuam inter se iniâ—e in Classibus Synodis ut communi consensu subsidâ—o mutuo utantur quantum commode â—ieri potest in iis praesertim quae sunt major is momentiâ— Ames lib. 4â— de Conscient cap. 29. quaesh octâ— * Mr. Peters message from Sir Thomas Fairâ—ax ☜ * This is fully proved in the first sheet of this Gangraena and in some sheets following this * Vid. A Letter eâ—tit Englands lamentable slavery The Copy of a Letter from Lic vâ—en Col. Lilburne to a Friend A Pamphlet call'd A Question and an Answer Lil 〈…〉 es 〈◊〉 â—â—d Truâ—h jâ—s 〈…〉 Englands Bâ—rth-right ☜ ☜ ☜ ☞ Vide Mr Pryns Animadvers on Mr Goodwins Theomach pag. 22. Master Pryns Truth Triumphing over falshood pag. 106. 107. 108. * City Remonstrance Remonstrated pag. 23 24 25 26. Page 7. City Remonstrance Remonstrated Animadvers Animadvers * The inclosed is the first Letter in this Third Part of Gangraena pag. 21. a copy of which was given me from the Citizen in whose Letter it was inclosed and not from the Gentleman to whom it was written ☜ * The Parliament may by this see what prejudice some of these Independent weekly Pamphleters doe them by speaking of their affaires whilest under debate and before finished and how by their expressions in their Newes Books the reformed Churches abroad and many at home come to be greatly offended with the Parliaments proceedings as if they denyed the Three Persons in the Trinity whereas this debate was not upon the Assemblies presenting the Articles of Religion but upon an Ordinance to punish wiâ—h death those who should deny the Terms expressed in the Ordinance where among others Person was but for the thing whatsoever was said of the word Person it was Voted at that time ☞ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☞ * Epist Zuing. Oecolampad lib. z. ☞ ☜ * Mr Rurr 〈…〉 enicon pag. 34. * Mr Burroug 〈…〉 enicon pag. 36. 37. ☜ ☜ Animadvers * Remonstrance of many thousand Citizens and other Free-born people of England to their owne House of Commons An Alarum to the House of Lords a Vide A Pamphlet ontit A Parable p. 4. 12. 16 as
and idely by going from Country to Country preaching And indeed instead of any Ministers or people opposing the Sectaries out of Policy worldly Interests t is evident t is the high way to some gainfull Place or other to become a Sectarie or to favour them hundreds turning Independents and Sectaries meerly for preferments and Places as heretofore men turned Prelatical and Arminians because of great Livings and how the Independent party have feathered their nests got well for themselves above other men the Reader shall find more spoken of it in this Book 7. As for that which is said I write so against the Sectaries out of a spirit of persecution and hatred of peaceable consciencious men I can say truly if I persecute consciencious peaceable men whom do I then love my love delight and interest is in such and I am so far from a spirit of persecution that I would be glad but to find the same measure from Independents Brownists Anabaptists and others which I would measure unto them if it were in my power namely I would not imprison banish them and such like only hinder them from all places of power and trust in the Kingdome and from spreading their Errors and Opinions to the hurting of others keep the unsound from the sound which if I differed in judgement from what was established in a Church and had nothing else done to me I should never conplaine of persecution and violence for that for t is absolutely necessary for the peace and welfare of the civill State besides what t is for the honor of God in the preventing the spreading of all Errors and Heresies And for a conclusion of this I have the clear and full testimony of my conscience that my appearing against the Sectaries hath not risen from any such base and poore grounds as the Sectaries alledge but from a sense of my duty that I might witnesse to the truth of God in this sinfull and adulterous generation And now to draw to a conclusion of this Preface nothing that hath yet befallen me of scandals reproaches and other sufferings or that shall further befall me in this way of Books set out against me of persecutions and troubles to bonds imprisonments losse of estate shall the grace of God assisting me turn me out of my way of constantly opposing the Sectaries so long as they go on in their way but when they for my writing against them shall speak against me as most vile and abominable I shall answer them as David It was for the Lord that I have done it and I will be yet more vile then thus and though every day naybour in the yeer should bring forth some book against me as bad as Balthazar Paeimontanus writ against Zuingl and Bolsecuâ— against Calvin yet for my part I shall be so far from being troubled that I shall take all those books as Job speaks and bind them as a crown to my head nay if all the Sectaries in England were combined against me and there were as many of them as tiles upon the houses in the City and every one of these Sectaries were a Devill yea had a legion of Devils as I beleeve some of them are possessed with many yet I would go on against them and if the Sectaries should be able out of this Book or any other to take advantage of my zeale faithfulnesse and plainnesse of spirit to make something of some words to stir up the Civil powers to trouble me yet for all that I shall not give them ever but write so much the more pâ—int them 〈◊〉 pray speak against their Errors and if God should give me so into their hands as to be able to deale with me as the Papists did with some of the â—itnesses of the truth yet I am confident they should have no cause to rejoyce but I should overcome even in that like Sampson kill more Philistims by my death then by my life and many Brethren would waxe more â—old to preach and write against them and out of my ashes should arise those who should further discover them I know the Sectarian faction must be destroyed and fall Babell must come downe as well as Babylon and the making of them naked is a preparatory work to the making of them desolate and eating their flesh But O that God would rather give them to see what they have done and make them to confesse give him glory and returne helping to build his House with both hands which they have so laid waste and hindred all this while and O that they would take well this Book look into it and observe Gods hand in finding them out accept of it as it was indeed intended for their good and not cast it away with saying t is sharp and bitter but rather remember that of the Apostle that men must be sometimes sharply rebuked That they may be sound in the â—aith Erasmus often said of the Papacit in his time that it was so corrupt that it weedeâ— acrem medicum a sharp Physitian a gentle would have done no good and therefore he raised up Luther a man of a free and hot spirit that cared not for gold and that feared not great men but went on in the cure of the Church strong and rough humors needing strong phisick to purge them out The foulnesse and strength of the disease of Sectarisme at this time call'd and calls for a strong Pâ—tion and may justly plead against the offence of any acrimonie and quicknesse that may be found in it Jesus Christ himselfe that meeke Lamb of whom it was written he should not strive noâ— cry neither should any man heare his voice in the streets yet his zeale of his Fathers House made him as t is in the second of John to make a 〈…〉 rge of cords and drive all that sold Oxâ—n Sheepe and Doves and the châ—â—gers of money out of the Temple and overthrow the Tables saying unto them that sold Doves take these things hence make not my Fathers House â—n house of merchandise and I remember not that ever I reâ—d of the like sharpnesse and quicknesse of Christ as this in any other case that against the Scribes Pharisees and S 〈…〉 es false Teachers was the likest and certainly the servants of Christ in a 〈◊〉 when the Church of God and Religion is bought and sold and made merchandise of by false Teachers as Saint Peter speaks the precious truths of God and the immortall souls of them for whom Christ died prestituted and sold to the base lusts and selfe ends of men when there are not found in the House of God so good intruders as thâ—se that sell Oxen Sheepe and Doves such profitable creatures but those that sell T 〈…〉 Crocodiles Pipers Serpents and all kind of Monstâ—rs they may and ought at such times and in such cases to imitate Christ and to doe something more then ordinary for the purging of the Church and that may show their zeale for
God and for his House THE TABLE THe Catalogue of the Errours laid down in this Booke from page 2. unto page 17. Animadversions by way of Confutation on the Errors of the Sectaries about civill Government as that all power of Civill Government is founded onely in the choise and election of the present people as that all the legall supreame Legislative power of this Kingdome is in the House of Commons layd downe in the third and fourth sheets of this Book and in page 158 159 160. A Catalogue of some Blasphemies of the Sectaries and a Relation of some passages in their Prayers laid downe in the latter part of the fourth sheet A Relation of a story of some Sectaries in contempt of Baptisme pissing in the Font of the Church at Yakesly in Huntingtonshire and bringing a Horse into the Church and baptizing it pag. 17. 18. which relation is attested by their hands A Relation of some Sectaries here in London annointing with oyle an old blind woman to restore her to sight p. 19. A Relation of a storie of some Troopers in the Army destroying a Dove-House because they were fowles of the Ayre given to the sonnes of men all having a common right in them p. 20. Copies of Letters written from godly Ministers Committees and other persons of quality and well-affected to Members of the House of Commons Minist 〈…〉 and Citizens of London concerning the opinions and insolent 〈…〉 ctises of Sectaries in the Army pag. 21 22. p. 30. 41. 42 43 44 45 46 47. Copies of Letters written from Ministers and others concerning the opinions and practises of Sectaries not belonging to the Armies and Sectaries in generall p. 33. 35 36. 55. 66 67 68 69. Copies of Letters written by Sectaries themselves to other Sectaries or to some of our Ministers p. 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 35 56. 58 59. 62. Copies of Letters written from godly Ministers Committee men and other persons well-affected out of the North concerning out Brethren of Scotland and their Armies p. 71. 72. 73. 74. Copies of Letters written from godly Ministers out of severall Countries to me and other Ministers in the City approving of my manner and way of writing these Books against the Sectaries cal'd Gangrana and of their usefulnesse and the good they have done p. 33. 3â— 40. 74 75 77 78. Copies of Letters written from Holland or New-England concerning some Errours and Practises p. 94. 168 169. A Relation of some opinions of a Lievtenant of a Company in the Army p. 22. A Relation of some words spoken by a Colonell in the Army and another of the Ar 〈…〉 concerning Ireland p. 23. A Relation of the souldiers preaching in Oxford and in the publike schooles p. 23. A story of a Sectarie that would not be married by a Minister as holding it unlawfull and afterwards when he had lived with her casting her of and denying she was his wife p. 24. A Relation of some words and speeches of Sectaries against the Scots Assembly Ministery City the late Lord Mayor p. 24. 25. A Relation of a story of Mr. Jenney and Mrs. Attâ—â—aâ—ay and of Letters sent her from a Prophet and his Doctrine of generall Restauration and of Esau's world and Jacobs words p. 26. 27. A Relation of a Sectarie holding that the Parliament must give the Kingdome that is both England Scotland and Ireland to the Saints p. 28. 29. A Relation of a Troope of Colonell Riches Regiment preaching and dipping in Wales and of a womans dying within a day or two after being dipped by him p. 31. A Relation of a Minister hearing in a meeting of Sectaries one who exercised affirme that he was Jesus Christ and of the Ministers conference with him about it and his standing in it that he was Christ p. 32. A Relation of some sectarian souldiers affronting and disturbing a godly Mininister in the Church and of beating a man for gathering Tythes p. 32. An Information from Norwich under the Mayors hand of a she â—ectary one Priscilla Miles p. 34. 35. A Relation of one Sims a Shoomaker of Hampton with his examination who goes about as an emissary all the West over being apprehended by authority p. 50. A Relation of M. Sickmooreâ— baptizing John Sims p. 51. Animadversions by way of confutation on a Letter of a â—â—e Sectary p. 61. A Relation of severall Positions laid down by M. Dell and preached before the Generall p. 63. A Relation of a story of one M. Kendall a great Sectary who hath renounced his Ministry turned Captain when a godly Minister was to preach he stepped up before him p. 70. 80. A Relation of a story of some Sectaries who refuse to keepe Fast daies or daies of Thankesgiving because they will not give thanks for killing men who affirme they have seen Christ and the Devill p. 80. A Relation of a young maid of 16. yeares of age that preaches p. 86. A Relation of a Minister who boasted he had pulled downe the Bishops and hoped to do as much for the Presbyterians p. 81. A Relation of an Officer in the Army who was cashiered because hee would answer the Sectaries when they spoke for their opinions and against the Presbyterians p. 81. A Relation of severall Sectaries trades-men turned Ministers and other Sectarian Ministers p. 81. A Relation of a Shoomaker of Coventry who goes about the Country venting his erroneous points p. 81. A Relation of one M. Downings preaching at Hackney casting aspersions on the Common Councell of London as if they were for the Cavaleers p. 81. 82. A Relation of M. Jesse commending one Mary Abram to one M. Clark of London to look to his house and how she worked on his son a young youth and being in an Apoplexy to be married to her by an old schoole-master p. 82 83. The Petition of Mr. Clarke to the house of Commons p. 83 84. A Relation how Mary Abraham had before entangled an Apprentice and though M. Jesse knew as much yeâ— he commended her to him and how M. Clarke found a paper in his sons chamber of her agreement with another young man and he showing it to Mr. Jesse he kept it and would not give it him againe saying that this Mary Abraham had confessed her sin p. 85. A Relation of a story concerning Henry 〈◊〉 spoken of in the first part of Gangraena and his examination by a Justice of Peace together with the replies made by himselfe p. 85. 86 87. A Relation of a story concerning a schoole-â—master of Glocester who denies the holy Ghost to be God though he was dealt with by all fairnesse to shew him his errours p. 87 88. A Relation concerning one Andrew Debman a Cooper who can neither write nor read and yet is a great Preacher among she Sectaries p. 88. A Relation of a great Sectary whose wife lay a dying who being spoken to to pray for her said what good would prayer do her or them p. 88. A Relation how
he which broached the Error had done in promoting it for he did beleeve a man might serve God better in an Error then he who was in the truth Here is a brave Patron of Error and a fine fetch to plead for and uphold it for if Errour must not be condemned till men have taken so much paines it may never be spoken against or at least not till 't is grown to such a head that 't is past help For a Heretick who broaches any Doctrine against the Scripures the Trinity the humane nature of Christ Justification may say to him who opposes these Doctrines I have studied this twenty yeares these points when you have studied them as long then preach 〈◊〉 against them but not before Besides this implies as if Ministers and Christians could not be sure any Doctrines were Errors without long searching whether they were so or no and as if there were no received known principls and Doctrines of Christian Religion lay'd down so plainly and clearly in Scriptures that when errors were published contrary to them Ministers and Christians might not condemne them at first but must study and search to know whether they were Errors or no which preaching fits well with many passages in some Books of Cretensis especially his thirtie eight Queres upon the Ordinance against Heresie and Blasphemie Secondly There are many thousand truths both to be beleeved and practised that are not contained in the Scriptures as that Jesus Christ Son of the Virgin Mary was the Son of God as the Resurrection from the dead as Baptizing of Infants womens receiving the Sacrament of the Lords Supper all which could not be proved by Scripture but by a strong hand of Reason deducing them Many other passages I have from good hands of Cretensis preaching of his preferring Reason before Faith in points of Religion of holding the sleeping of the soule till the Resurrection of bodies that dye not rising the same again with divers such but I shall reserve them with the proofs of them both persons times and places till my nex Answer comes out against him and shall now instance only in one Pamphlet lately set forth by him call'd some Modest and humble Quenes upon the late Ordinance against Heresies concerning which I may say as the Holy Ghost doth of Herods imprisoning John he hath added yet this above all to write such a wicked Pamphlet and at such a time there being not a more desperate ungodly Atheisticall peece written by any man since the Reformation I have had occasion to read many Discourses and Tractats of Libertines and Scepticks that have been writ within this last hundred years and have seen much wickednesse in them both in those of other Countries and our own especially those written and newly printed within five years last past but in none of them do I find all things considered such a spirit of Libertinisme Atheisme prophanesse and laying waste of all Religion breathing as in these Queres for besides those evill spirits of Error scoffing disorder confusion irreligion that works in all the other Queres ther 's a Legion of wicked and uncleane spirits seven fold worse then those that have been cast out in that second Quere wherein it will appear manifestly to all who compare the first part of the Ordinance with that Quere that all Christian Religion is overthrown at once yea that principle written in all mens hearts by nature that there is a God for doctrines and opinions contrary unto these for ought any knowes may be the sacred truths of God and the publishers of them our Brethren according to this Quere Now I challenge any man to shew me a more desperate destenctive passage in the writings of any Libertine or Sectary then this How hath the Lord left him to himself to write such Queries I remember that in my Second Part of Gangrana in that part of it which is a Reply to Cretensis in Page 35. I write thus That I feared unlesse God gave him repentance if hee lived but one seven years hee would prove as Arch an Heretick and as dangerous a man as ever England bred and that hee would be another David George Francken Socinus and behold within a few moneths not giving God glory to repent of his evill deeds but going on to write hee hath by these Queries made good what I prophesied of him and hath filled up the measure of his iniquities so that I beleeve hee hath justified Cornâ—â—rt Sebastian Franck Francken Sâ—cinus David George with all the rest of that rabble and I doe not think 't is lawfull for Christians to receive such a one into their house or to bid him God speed but rather if they come where he is to fly from him and not to stay as Saint John did from Câ—rinthus and for his writing of these Queries I think godly Ministers speaking of him may call him as Polycarpus did Marcion I hope some good hand will make Animadversions upon them and give an Answer to those Queries Now notwithstanding all the desperate opinions and principles he pleads for and the Independent separated Church that hee is Minister of there 's one opinion hee holds and practises accordingly different from the Independent way viz. That Baptisme belongs not onely to the Children of those who are added to a particular Church and that Ministers may not onely baptize the Children of Parents of their own Church but may baptize Children to whom they have no relation viz. in any Parish or place where they are desired and two honest Citizens told me they heard him preach That Baptisme was not a Church Ordinance that required the presence of the members of the Church but might be administred any where either in the same Congregation or in another place And I conceive though he be an Independent yet he holds this and some other things in his Church way different from the other Independents as for this Reason that he may be singular in his way and in something differ from them so that hee might keep a doore open for his profit and gain and hence 't is I have been informed from severall hands that as he is a zealous man for Funerall Sermons so he is a Baptizer generall baptizing in Stepney Parish Hackney severall Parishes of London and baptizes sometimes three or foure in a day going from one place to another and that 't is thought hee many times gets fifty shillings and three pound a day by baptizing children who are not of his Church and I have spoken with some women who have been at such baptizings and have seen the gold put into his hand which I must confesse is a good wise way to the maintenance allowed him by his Church to have this additionall means from them that are without for the more comfortable maintenance of his wife and children But by the way whilst Master Goodwin baptizes those who are not of his Church which surely hee doth noâ—