in regard of the many Sectaries among us and the height they have risen unto as ever we were before for their help against the Popish Prelaticall and Malignant partie and therefore happie England both for the present and for the future that now wee are coming to a Peace we are so joyned and wrapped up in Covenant with Scotland that the Peace and Vnion is not of England alone but of both Kingdoms and that this is our advantage I shall commend to the Readers consideration some particulars out of the Speeches of Mr. Solicitor a prime able Member of the House of Commons and Mr. Burroughs a chiefe man among the dissenting Brethren Mr. Solicitor speaking of the benefits that will redound to this Kingdome and the advantage we shall have by a nearer Association with the Scots and by their coming in to this purpose for our assistance showeth that certainly they are many The third is this that whosoever we doe come to a Peace whom Gods time is come that we shall have one yet their coming in in all probability it will cause us to have a better a surer and a better grounded Peace then if they doe not come in And likewise what peace soever we have that it will be perpetuated and be the securer for us and our posterity to reap the benefit of it But how is it like to be when there shall not onely be our owne Kingdome but a Brother Kingdome an entire Kingdome one of the same Religion with us one that loves their liberties as well as we when they shall bee ingaged in point of interest with us when the same Law the same Acts of Parliament that shall compose the differences when if it be broken on our parts in any thing that concernes us they cannot conceive but that it may be their case the next day because it all depends upon one Law one and the same title and their interests is the same So that if there were nothing else in it but that we were like to have the better peace and on better termes and whatever it be 't is likely to bee kept the better to us and our posteritie if nothing else were in it that were much to our advantage surely if by some considerable summe of money wee might have brought in and have them at the end of this Peace and interested in it as well us our selves Master Burroughs saith how happy should wee be if wee might have them in a neere union with us And a people that have carried themselves with as great honour and faithfulnesse with as great wisdome and order in the most difficult worke that ever a people did undertake in those by and intricate paths that were before untrodden Certainely that they undertooke at the beginning of their worke but a few years since it could not but bee looked upon with the eye of reason as the most unlikely worke ever to have proceeded aâ— any worke hath ever done and yet how hath the Lord been with them and with what wisdome and graciousnesse have they carried it So that from the consideration of all I have said in this Corallary and from these passages in these speeches t is good by all meanes to preserve the union of England and Scotland and seeing we shall be so happy in a neere union and God is so much with them and carries them thorough with so much wisdome and graciousnesse and that wee shall have the better Peace and have it the better kept by having them at the end of it and interested in it as well as our selves let 's hearken to no Sectaries nor Independents false surmisings evill reports and scandalls cast upon our Brethren of Scotland but pray and seek by all means a more near union and communion betweene that Kingdome and this for there is a blessing in them and for my part I had a great deale rather fall and perish if the will of God were so with the Kingdome of Scotland and the Presbyterian party in England standing for the Covenant and the truth professed in all the Reformed Churches then to grow and flourish for a while with the Sectaries standing for a Toleration of all Sects and Opinions yea then to be a King among them as Iohn of Leyden was at Munster FINIS Errata First part Epist Dedicat. pag. 2. Parenthesis ends after your pleasure Epist. Dedic p. 8. l. 13. r. can you think Preface p. 6. l. 2. r. eternall p. 6. l. 16. r. rejected p. 9. l. 22 dele and p. 11. l. 5. r. eternall Gangraena second part in the Licence r. Dauâ—us p. 66. l. 19. r. many p. 27 l. 26. r. Cosens p. 29. l. 4. r. formally p. 30. l. 37. r. his p. 34. l. 14. r. by snatches p. 36. l. 13. r. shovve p. 41. l. 22. after but dele a. p. 45. l. 101 r. aggravating p. 45. l. 27. for and the proofs r. and the persons upon proof p. 45 l. 28. r. to the nature p. 46. l. 9. after Scotland add France p. 46. l. 25. r. desired p. 47. l. 17. after as dele yet p. 47. l. 20. r. moneths p. 48. l. 7. r. Sun p. 51. l. 34. r. not p. 54. r. Presbyterians p. 55. l. 13. dele that p. 56. l. 23. r. hovv p. 57. l. 18. r. quum p. 58. l. 22. r. undeniably p. 58. l. 24. r. vvords p. 58. l. 37. r. imputation p. 100. l. 14. r. of p. 123. r. VVrighter p. 127. l. 31. r. books p. 114. l. 27. so to that purpose p. 128. l. 12. r. are men p. 132. l. 13. r. Sprat p. 146. l. 2. r. propagating p. 66. marg note r. sanctitate p. 72 73 c. for M. Allen r. M. Alley p. 89. r. proved p. 97. r. mendacia THE TABLE THe first part of Gangraena is by the Printer cast into two severall numbers of pages which divides the whole into two the first consisting of 66. Pages the other of 116. Pages according unto which division the Reader must goe in finding out the Contents specified in these following Tables The first Table shewing the Contents of the first Division consisting of 66. pages besides the Preface is as follows THe Authors Preface wherein are laid down these Particulars 1. The Authours long expectation of a Reply to his Antapologia according to the great words given out of a Reply by the Independent Party 2 The reason of his so long silence and discontinuance from the Presse 3 His purpose and resolution of often coming into the Presse for the time to come 4 The Authours account to the Reader of the nature of the present Book and his scope therein 5 The hatred malignity reproaches from the world yea misconstructions from friends which Ministers who appeared against the errors of the times have met with as Christ the Apostles Fathers Athanasius Augustine Hierom modern Writers as Luther Zuinglius Calvin 6. Their undaunted courage constancy in going on against errours notwithstanding all their sufferings 7 The
the Court party the great Counsellours of state and Prelates whose height was like the height of the Cedars and were strong as the Oaks yet the Lord destroyed their fruit from above and their root from beneath and cannot he do so to you I beseech you fear considering the great dishonour of God and his name and the sad estate of things under your Goverment lest God bring some great afterclap upon you and have an after reckoning either giving you up at last to the hands of those that are now in armes against you or sending an evill spirit of division among your selves and the two Nations or making use of the Sects that party when grown stronger who have been so much suffered to grow under you to become thorns in your sides and pricks in your eyes to cast You out and to teach you new Law and new Divinity as they have done already in many of their Books as Englands Birthright A Letter from an Utter Barrester A Letter call'd Englands lamentable slavery Lilburns Letters to Mr Prynn to a Friend Innocency and truth justified cum multis alijs or by sending some other judgement as the Pestilence c. all which I earnestly pray God to prevent And truly when I think of things by my self and behold to what a height Errours Heresies c. are come and withall reflect upon the great things God hath done for you the many powerfull Sermons you have had preached before you about the Nationall Covenant and against the Sects the many Petitions representing the evill and danger of these things and yet how little is done our evills of this kinde rising higher and higher in the increase of false doctrines and a greater multiplication of schismes every day then other I tremble for fear lest for the want of zeal in suffering so many dishonours of God and his House to lie so long waste the word be gone out of his mouth already which he spake against Eli I said indeed that thy house and the house of thy Father should walke before me for ever but now the Lord saith Be it far from me for them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed But to draw towards a conclusion there is no other way to prevent all this wrath but to be zealous and repent to do something speedily and effectually against the Errours Heresies Schismes Blasphemies and confusions of these times Ob. But if any shall object It cannot be done now it will discontent and disingage the Sectaries who are a considerable party and so may prove dangerous to the Parliament in this juncture of time by causing many to fall off their Service Ans. Are we afraid of discontenting disingaging and losing a few men and not discontenting and losing God! shall God be displeased to please men shall we fear the want of mans helpe whose breath is in his nostrils and not fear God! O that we would once cease from man for wherein is he to be accounted of Secondly I Answer This objection is taking counsell but not of God a covering but not of Gods spirit Isa. 30.1 this carnall policie of suffering corruptions in Religion for fear of losing a party and strengthening Kingdoms hath proved the ruin of families and Kingdoms be pleased to remember Jeroboam Jehu c. who out of policie for fear of losing a party and strengthening the other side set up and suffered the golden Calves and Priests of the lowest of people and this very thing became a snare and the losse of the Kingdom to them and I might shew out of Ecclesiasticall Histories many examples of sad things befalling Princes who out of policies or any carnall respects have suffered all sorts of Sects and Heresies but I will only instance in one out of Baronius of Valentinianus senior who suffered in the West the Christians to embrace what faith every one of them would and to follow what Heresies they pleased but how well and safely the end of it declared for both his sons were slain by the faction and treachery of the Gentiles Gratian by Maximus Valentinian junior was strangled in a halter And yet afterwards the same Emperour by edict commanded the houses and places where the Maniches met to be confiscate 't is storied of Amaziah that he had hired a hundred thousand mighty men of valour for a hundred talents of silver but a man of God came to him to dismisse his Army namely that part of it the children of Ephraim and told him in answer to his carnall objections that God had power to help and to cast down and for his hundred talents the Lord was able to give him much more then this 2 Chron. 25.7 8 9. so say I whoever or what numbers soever shall desert the Parliaments Army and Service for their suppressing the Sects and putting in execution their own Ordinances God hath power to help and cast down and is able to cause many more then these to adhere to them and no question besides Gods help and blessing which uses to accompany setling true Religion and destroying false the hands of the Kingdom of Scotland would be the more strengthened the City of London the Ministers and all who love truth peace and order would adhere more firmly and the Parliament would be both stronger and make themselves famous both at home and abroad to all generations Thirdly supposing the Sectaries to be as potent as is falsely surmised by themselves yet I humbly conceive it stands not with the Honour Power Wisedom nor Piety of a Parliament for fear of losing a party to be afraid of maintaining their own Ordinances and punishing those things that they know are bad In such a case fiat justitia ruet coelum Fourthly the sons of Zeruiah are not now too hard for you God hath made you stornger then ever by giving you many victories battell upon battell and one strong hold after another so that if any will fall off from you for doing your duties you need not care and who knowes but that all these victories are sent to take away all excuse to answer this objection and to encourage you to this work God inforces upon turning the dayes of fasting into feasts therefore to love the truth and peace and from deliverances to pay our vows and make good our Covenants as in Zech. 8.19 Nahum 1.15.16 Psal. 16.14 17 18 19. And thus having in some poor measure discharged my conscience towards God your Honours and this Kingdom in the Discovery made in this Book of many sects and Sectaries I leave the issue and successe to God humbly taking my leave as Dr Holland that learned man and Doctor of the Chair in Oxford was wont to do of his Colledge upon going journies saying I commend you to the love of God and hatred of Popery so do I commend both Houses of Parliament to the love of God and his truth and the hating of all Sects and
were quickly dried up and so will the Sects now and we may expect it so much the sooner because the visible symptomes and fore-runners of destruction are upon them And therefore I shall now toll the great Bell for the Sectaries the Anabaptists Antinomians Independents Seekers c. and hope shortly to ring it out and to preach their Funerall Sermon or rather keep a day of publike Thanksgiving and rejoycing for the bringing downe of the Sectaries and the breaking up of their Conventicles as well as for the downfall of the Popish and Prelaticall partie And that they shall shortly fall and be dried up as a floud and though they have been in great power and spreading themselves like a green Bay-tree yet that they shall passe away and not be that they shall be sought for and not found I shall give these Symptomes 1. Their horrible pride insolencie and arrogancie extolling themselves and their partie to the Heavens with the scorning vilifying trampling upon and despising of all others and that in such unparallel'd wayes as no age câ—n shew the like and that not only against particular persons of all ranks Nobles Gentrie Ministers but great bodies and Societies as the Parliament of England the Kingdome of Scotland the Common Councell of the Citie of London Assembly c. The Luciferian pride high spirit and haughtinesse of the Sectaries of all sorts in all places and businesses and towards all persons they have to do with in their writings speeches gestures actions is seen and spoken of thorowout the Kingdome and breaks out daily in their impatiencie of being contradicted or having any thing said against their way in their endervouring to break and crush all that will not dance after their pipe in their not caring to hazzard and ruine all Religion both Kingdomes but they will have their wills and so in manie other things Now God assures us in the Scripture that Pride goes before destruction and an haughty spirit before a fall Prov. 16. 18. that A mans pride shall bring him low Prov. 29 23. that When pride cometh then cometh shame Prov. 11.2 and God threatens by his Prophets he will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease and will lay low the haughtinesse of the terrible Isa. 13.11 Dan. 5.20 and indeed pride hardens mens hearts and when their hearts are lifted up and their minds hardned in pride then God throwes them downe 2. The Sectaries in promoting of their wayes and cause are grown extream violent desperate and unreasonable knowing no rules of moderation nor forbearance they go violent ways and like Iehn dâ—ive furiously they do those things daily which wise staid considerate men would never have done nor anie but mad men and which anie man who hath his eies in his head may see must needs destroy them God hath hid wisdome from them and befooled them leaving them to do manie things against sense and reason God hath left them yea given them up to those courses and waies of which I could give divers instances which no wise men would ever have taken and which makes them abhorred of all good and moderate men Now the befooling of men hiding wisdom from them leaving them to rashnesse and violence are presages of ruine according to that saying quos Deus vult perdere hos dementat and according to that of the Prophet I will hide wisdom from them Nullum violentum est perpetuum is seen in daily experience and we may remember that the violence and furie of the Prelaticall partie did undoe them and according to all humane reason without that it had been impossible to have câ—st them out being so deeply rooted in the lawes and customes of this Kingdome and therefore the Sectaries before they are rooted and setled being so violent furious and daring far above the Bishops what can we expect but their speedy downfall give them but rope enough and they will hang themselves they run so fast and â—ide so fiercely that they cannot but fall and break their necks they drive so furiously and madly that they cannot but overthrow all 3. The great prosperitie strange successe and marvailous prevailing of the Sectaries in their waies opinions their devices and designs for the most part taking effâ—ct and succeeding so as they are mightily increased many fallen unto them and 〈◊〉 wind almost favouring them whereas on the other hand the Presbyterian partie both our Brethren of Scotland and the Godly Ministers and People in England have beene sorely afflicted much crossed and troubled to to see things as they are The Scots have beene sorely visited with Sword Pestilence in their own Land obstructed reproached evill intreated by many in this Land the Assembly the godly Ministers and people of the Kingdome despised scorned and abused severall wayes yea deserted and looked upon with an evill eye as if the troublers of Israel and worse then Malignants so that they have beene forced manie a time to cry out to God Heare O our God for we are reproached Now great prosperitie successe in a bad way and in the use of bad meanes as lyes scandalous reports under-minings plottings false-dealings c. is a great Symptome of destruction both to particular persons and to a partie whom God intends certainely to destroy he fattens before and lets them bee verie happie thereby to prepare them for the day of slaughter whom hee meanes to doe good unto in the latter end and deliver he afflicts and laies them low before laies the Foundation deep that he may build high and for this let the Reader consult with these foure places of Scripture Ier. 12. 1 2 3. Psal. 37.7 and 10.35 36. Psal. 73.3 4 5. and 18 19 20. Psal. 92. 7. the sum of all which places is to teach us that the more men prosper in a bad way and flourish more then ordinarie having what their hearts can wish bringing all their devices to passe the more sure they are of being puld out as sheep for the slaughter and prepared for the day of slaughter and that within a little while they shall not bee nor their place found but brought to desolation as in a moment and utterly consumed and then when they are at their height of flourishing then is it that they shall be destroyed for ever great prosperitie is but a lightening before death and as a great calm which presages the more dreadfull storme and tempest 4. The great plotting of the Sectaries laying their counsells deep contriving and working continually night and day by all kinde of waies and means and all kind of instruments to effect their worke and to carrie on their way I do not think this manie hundred yeares there hath been a more cunning plotting undermining generation in the Church of God then our Sectaries or more plots and devices of all sorts on foot more irons in the fire within so few years as hath been and is among them there 's nothing they doe but they have a design
things either out of hope whilest things remain unsetled Bishops and former times may come in again or that love to fish in troubled waters or are afraid to lose Offices and Places that may fall with the ending of these troubles these persons strike in with Independents and side with them 8. Many who in our Churches are discontented at the faithfull preaching of their Ministers close to their consciences at their Admonitions and Suspensions from the Sacrament because loose scandalous or because of some difference upon their Tithes or such like forsake our Assemblies and betake themselves so Independents and Sectaries of which I could give divers instances all which showes the Church-way and Independency to be nothing else but a Faction Now Factions and Parties in Kingdomes and Commonwealths though they may prevaile to a great height and grow for a time especially in troublous unsetled States in the Springs and Falls of Kingdoms and Commonwealths yet when they come to be discovered laid open and come to some head and ripenesse they use to fall and be cast out If we consult with the Scriptures or with the Histories and Chronicles of Kingdomes as the French and English c. wee shall finde the strongest powerfullest Factions and Parties both in Churches and States who have had divided interests from the Publike have come downe and miserably perished and we may see this fully made good in the Anabaptists of Germany the Arminian Faction in the Netherlands and our late Prelaticall Faction who though they were all growne so high as they hazzarded the ruine of the Countreyes and Commonwealths wherein they arose yet they all fell and were brought downe and so shall it be with this Sectarian Faction can they think that either God or these Kingdoms will suffer these men long or that the people will be alwaies bewitched with them no the eyes of men will be open and they will be discovered every day more and we shall see them falling down like lightning 6. Symps. Their reaching after and medling with all kind of persons and things grasping of all at once labouring to ingrosse all Offices places power into their hands and those of their party stâ—ighting abusing trampling on one way or other all that stand in their way are their opposites there being nothing Military Civil Ecclesiasticall but they have an eye upon and do endeavour to have a hand in not caring in the least when it furthers their designes to discontent all sorts and ranks of persons King Parliament our Brethren of Scotland the City of London reformed Churches Assembly the godly Ministery of the Kingdome particular worthy persons in the Armies among the Gentry c. they make account to carrie all before them to get all to be for them by one means or other and in time to breake all that shall dare to appeare against them or crosse their wayes Now in all States and Kingdoms Polupragmaticalnesse in some persons greedinesse and over-hastinesse to have all and thereupon offending and provoking many hath been a fore-runner of their fall I shall onely instance in this Kingdome and of the late times which all remember What it was that ruined the Bishops and their party but their grasping and medling with all at once Church and Commonwealth together England and Scotland both provoking also all sorts of persons against them Nobility Gentry City Ministers common people whereas as many wise men would often say and comforted themselves in the worst of those times if the Bishops and that party had dealt but with a part at once one Kingdome onely as England or or the Church alone or Commonwealth alone letting the other Kingdome be quiet to enjoy their Lawes and suffering men to enjoy Religion and their Ministers though they had some pressures upon them in Commonwealth yet in all probability in time they might have had their wills but now the Bishops and that party oppressing both Church and Commonwealth at once grasping to have all they will lose all and we see what is befallen the Bishops and that party so our Sectaries medling with both Kingdoms at once with Church and Common-wealth together and having provoked all sorts of men Nobility Gentry Ministers City People our Brethren of Scotland will not be able to stand long but King Parliament Scotland City Ministery Countrey will be so against them as they must fall let who will or can hold them up 7. Sympt of the downfall of the Sectaries is the great sinnes and wickednesse of that party who are even now ripe for judgment and their iniquities almost full and I am confident that for this many hundred years there hath not been a party that hath pretended to so much holinesse strietnesse power of godlinesse tendernesse of conscience above all other men as this party hath done that hath been guilty of so great sinnes horrible wickednesse provoking abominations as they are The Sectaries are full of Ephraâ—â—â—â— gray haires though they will not know it and these following sinnes and courses presage their ruine viz. their deep hypocrisies and pretences of Religion and Conscience meerly to serve their lusts and to bring about their own ends their perjuries and breach of solemne Covenant with God making nothing at all of it their great unthankfulnesse and ill use of Gods mercies and deliverances their great ingratitude and unkindnesse to men particularly to 〈◊〉 Brethren of Scotland their blood guiltinesse in destroying the lives of many by dipping weakly and ancient persons in rivers in cold seasons and in the destroying of so manie soules by Errours and Heresies and drawing them from their faithfull Pastours their horrible uncleannesses and lusts their fearefull despising and mocking of all Gods faithfull Ministers and Ordinances their oppressions injustice and unrighteous dealings with manie they have had to doe with and where they have anie power their base self-seekings seeking their owne things their honour profit advancement of their Faction under pretences of selfe-denyall and the publike good their holding of damnable Heresies and all kinde of abominable Errours their horrid blasphemies against God Christ the Scriptures and all his Ordinances their Machiavillian policies Jesuiticall equivocations falsnesse and treacherousnesse their underminings and laying snares for men their countenancing standing for the unworthiest vilest of men so they will be for their faction their justifying and pleading for a Toleration of all religions and consciences even to blasphemies against God and his Word their inventing of lies and raising scandalls upon the worthiest and innocentest men as Ministers and others to blast them with the people their prophanenesse and loosenesse of life in making nothing of the Lords day daies of Fast and Thanksgiving nor of holy duties as praying c. their carnall confidence and trusting in arms of flesh their using of wicked and unjust waies and means to compasse their ends not standing upon any rules or keeping to any principles so it may advantage them violating bonds of friendship
going against the lawes of Nations joyning with the worst of men against good men labouring to sow divisions among brethren raising evill reports fomenting jealousies and using all waies in their power to ingage the two Nations in a war one against the other not caring to hazzard the ruine of all for the upholding of their faction Many of the Sectaries have forfeited all principles of ingenuity and conscience and will not stand upon any thing that may probably doe their worke for them they will take counsell of Baalzebub the God of Ekron whether they shall recover use the Devills meanes as lying breach of promises joyning with wicked men c. for pretended libertie of Conscience and upholding their way In a word they are like that Judge spoken of in the 18. of Luke which feared not God neither regarded men all they regard is the effecting of their designes and other things in order to that And â—s many Sectaries are in these too faulty and guilty so the verie best of them that I know their Ministers and others who are leaders and have been anie long time of the way and unsterstand the state of things they are extreamly faulty in patronizing all kind of Sectaries and being against all the waies of suppressing them in using all subtill politike waies and devices to hinder and delay the Reformation in joyning with bad men against what they acknowledge good in going against their owne principles razing their owne foundation besides they are verie proud lofty touchy full of equivocations reservations pretences pretending one thing and doing quite otherwise so that I may say of them with the Prophet Micah The best of them is a brier the most upright is sharper then a thorne-hedge and therefore the day of their visitation cometh now shall be their perplexity And certainly these fearfull sinnes and strange wayes especially in men who have pretended to more sanctitie and holinesse then other men having also upon those pretences of greater puritie c. gâ—ounded their great Separation and Division from all the reformed Churches must needs provoke God to visit and to punish them severely and because of his great Name which they have taken upon them and so prophaned God will be sanctified unlesse gâ—eat and speedy repentance prevent it in punishing them sooner and more remarkaâ—ly then the Prelates and their partie And therefore in the close of this Symptome of the downefall of the Sects I shall in the name of the Presbyterian party and of all those who are for the solemne League and Covenant in both Kingdomes make use of those words to and against the Sectaries which both Kingdomes upon the coming in of our Brethren of Scotland used in their joynt Declaration to and against the Popish Prelaticall and malignant party It is his own Truth and Cause which we maintaine with all the Reformed Churches and which hath been witnessed and sealed by the testimonie sufferings and blood of so many Confessours and Martyrs against the heresie superstition and tyranny of Antichrist The glorie of his own Name the exaltation of the Kingdom of his Son and the preservation of his Church and of this Iland from utter ruine and devastaâ—ion is our aime and the end which we have before our â—ies His Covenant have we in both Nations solemnly sworn and subscribed which he would not have put in our hearts to do iâ— he had been minded to destroy us The many prayers and supplications which these many yeares last past but especially of late have been offered up with fasting and humiliation and with strong crying and tears unto him that is able to deliver and save us are a seed which promise unto us a plentifull harvest of comfort and happinesse and the Apostasie Atheisme Idolatrie Blasphemie Prosanenesse Crueltie Excesse and open mocking of all godlinesse and honestie have filled up the cup of our adversaries to the brim and threaten their speedy and fearfull dâ—struction unlâ—sse it be prevented by such extraordinarie repentance as seemeth not yet to have entred into their hearts 8. Sympt is this When God hath at some times testified against them and spit in their faces as by laying open their nakednesse and fully discovering their ways by some books written by some Sermons preached by godly Ministers by casting some rubs in their way in stirring up the Citie of London to appeare against them or in disappointing some of their purposes by strange and unexpected passages of his providence from Heaven yet upon none of these occasions have they repented of their deeds to give God glorie or humbled themselves before his Ministers speaking to them from the mouth of the Lord or abated of their spirits but contrariwise have gnawed their tongues for pain blasphemed the more because of their pains and sores and stirred up themselves with so much the more industrie and subtiltie to plot and work by all kind of wayes and meanes to heale their wounds and I could give many instances how upon such books coming forth and upon such acts of providence which a man would have thought should have made them give over they have been more resolved active desperate betaking themselves to evill wayes and strange courses for the saving of themselves as aspersing and raising scandals and false reports upon the persons whom they think have wounded them as in the weekly Pamphleters venting some desperate passages and putting forth strange books upon the nick of things with many other wayes all which wise men cannot but observe in which courses they have been like Balaam Numb 22. going on their way resolvedly though the Angell of the Lord have stood in their way with a sword drawn and their feet have been crushed against the wall Now it is a great symptome of destruction and ruine to a partie or to particular persons when the hand of God is lifted up against them that they will not see and that when God wounds them instead of falling down before him they seek to cure their wounds by unlawfull means and that when he powrs our vials upon them and scorches them with great heat they blaspheme and do not repent that when hee stops them they will drive more furiously and that when hee makes mens pride testiâ—â—e to their faces they do not return nor seek him for all this This is the fore-runner of destruction in the Antichristian partie Revel 16.8 9 10 11. And this was a fore-runner of destruction in the Prelates and that partie that after their great and long prosperitie and successe when God did by writing preaching raising up of witnesses testifie against them and did by other acts of his providence crosse them in raising up the Kingdome of Scotland against them yet they would not give in nor abate and when a peace was concluded with Scotland upon the Kings first going into the North and they might have enjoyed their honours greatnesse for all that they wrought so upon the Kings returne as to procure
this Kingdome have gone crosse to their desires hopes and the Reformation they expected and divers things have succeded to the content and desire of the Sectaries yet they have put up all waiting upon God for a change said little neither the Commissioners for Scotland nor anie particular person of their Nation having put forth intemperate books against those whom they conceived the Authours and chief Engines in these matters but have borne to admiration considering they left their peace and incurred the displeasure of their native King to come in to our help and lay under such great sufferings in their owne Countrey all the evill surmisings scandalls reports jealousies raised of them disgraces and scorns without anie breaking forth But now the Sectaries upon everie little occasion of being crossed in their way as by Ordinances coming forth against anie of their principles and practices though God knowes they have been little put in execution by calling in question any of their partie though most deservedly and justly by petitions put up against the Sectaries how proud how impatient have they beene what strange words have they given out what meetings have they had and what railing Pamphlets have been written one upon another against Parliament Assembly Citie 3. The Scots upon all occasions and opportunities have beene forward for peace moving for peace and the settlement of the Church desirous of Propositions to be sent to his Majestie But now manie Sectaries could not endure to heare of peace not of the Kings coming in nor of the settlement of the Church they have looked so much to their particular ends of profit increase of their party while things were unsetled that they have alwaies expressed themselves to the contrary fearing their way could not thrive nor stand if once things should come to be setled and the Government and the peace concluded of Manie more differences might be showne between them but I must draw to an end and the understanding Reader may by these easily hint at more and it concernes the whole Kingdom now at this time wisely to consider and lay things together concerning the different carriage of our Brethren of Scotland and the Sectaries that so a good understanding may be between the two Nations for the putting a speedy end to our troubles and distractions in Church and State and that we may not by mis-understanding of things nourishing jealousies beleeving false reports serve the designes of some particular men to put us into a new warre and occasion new differences now that blessed be God our worke is even done and the ship richly laden come into the haven And to stop the mouths of Sectaries and Malignants forever and to possesse us of the reality honesty faithfulnesse of our Brethren of Scotland consider but what we have found them all along experimentally from first to last and let any man instance if he can in any one action from the beginning of our troubles wherein the State of Scotland hath broken with us or beene unfaithfull Their going out of this Kingdome to their own Countrey when they had been in England about the space of a yeare with their good carriage in the Land and upon going home is knowne unto all and confessed and it was a reall confutation of many evill surmises against them in those times When they were desired to come into this Kingdome then they were a most worthy Nation a Nation that God loved and honoured and that in the judgment of Mr. Burrâ—ugâ—â— an Independent who in a Speech at Guild-Hall in the face of the Citie and Kingdome proclaimed them so and as they shewed themselves a faithfull people in returning back to their Countrey and are confessed a worthy people at the time of their coming in so in their coming in in the depth of winter wading up to the neck in waters and leaping over the mountains of ice and snow and so in all the time they have been in this Kingdome having wrastled with many difficulties a cruell prevailing enemy at home and many sad discouragements in this Kingdome yet they have been faithfull to the Cause of God and both Kingdomes resolving when they were at lowest in all respects both in regard of the common Enemy and false Brethren to stand to the Covenant in all the parts of it and to see it kept though they all perished and now lately since God so strangely and unexpectedly moved the heart of the King to cast himselfe upon them by their good and faithfull carriages in the bunsiesse they have confuted and given the lye to all the evill surmizings jealousies fomented reports raised false suggestions given out against them as that they meant to possesse themselves of Newark the Kings person being as the shadow and Newark as the substance as that the Kings partie should repaire to him yea that the Newark Army was joyned to the Scots as that they would protect Delinquents and Malignants against the Parliament that they would keep the King and require a ransome for him and make use of him for their own designes and such like whereas we see they would not meddle with Newark but professed if it were given into their hands one houre the next hour they would surrender it to the English for the Parliament they have not suffered any who have been in Arms or ill affected against the Parliament to come to his Majestie have taken order to discourage all Malignants have commanded obedience to all Ordinances of Parliament even at Newcastle where the Kings person is and have made use of the Kings coming to them to perswade w th him for a speedy setling of Religion and Peace in both Kingdoms God in his wonderfull providence gave the King to them for this end among others to shame their adversaries and to stop the mouths of all gain-sayers that he might bring forth their righteousnesse as the light and their judgement as the noon-day and might honour them before all the world So that I may say of them in the words of Mr. Burroughs pag. 29. of his speech at Guild-Hall upon the coming in of our Brethren of Scotland A Nation that God hath honoured by giving as glorious successe unto as ever he did unto any whose low and mean beginnings he hath raised to as great a bright as ever low beginnings in any Countrey were How hath God dissipated and blasted the counsels of their Adversaries How hath he discovered all their treacheries although they be in themselves comparatively at least a poore people and of little strength as the Church of Philadelphia was yet they have kept the word of Gods patience and God hath kept them in the houre of temptation God therfore is with them Well I say it is happie for England that we are joyned with them in Covenant for we needed them as much now as ever before and we are as much beholding to them in regard of our divisions many of us not knowing what we would have and
as Paul the Apostle 〈◊〉 he was a blasphemer * Baleuâ— de Roman Pontificum Actisâ—vita Leon. decim Iul. teri Quantum nobis ae nostro coetui proâ—uerit ea de Christo fabula satis est saeculis omnibus notum Tum Iulius Si voluit Deus usque adeo propterunum pomum irasci ut ejiceritprimos parentes ex Paradiso curnon liteat mihi qui sum ejus Vicarius irasci propteâ— pavonem cùm multò major res sit pavo quà m pomum Schismatici non sunt longaevi Nulla haeresis unquam c. * Vide carâ—w in locum quamobrem illud statuamus eos qui se effeâ— unt dejectos iri decasuros etiamsi vertice coelum atrigerint unde nostro proverbio jactatur Pride will have a fall Antapol p. 21 28. Vide Independ razing their owne foundation pag. 314 5. * The Declaration of the Kingdom of England and Scotland by the honourable Houses of the Parliament of England and the honourable Convention of Estates of the Kingdome of Scotland in the year 1643. page 3 â— a Mr. Prins Discoverie of prodigious nevv lights shewes some Sectaries boasting of their friends in the House of Commons b Some Sectaries have said it to some who have told it me that there is never a Committee about London but they have some friend or other in it that as soone as any of them is in question gives them notice of it and of the Articles against them and acquaints them with the state of things Quod autem ad veritatem Doctrinae spectat ubi castior integrior vel in universo terrarum orbe Totus Papatus hic jugulatur Anabaptistae Antitrinitarii Arriani hujusmodi monstra excitata rursum ab inferis partim in Germania partim in Transylvania nusquam acâ—orem hostem invenerunt quid etiam non tentaverit ut Germanicis Ecclesâ—is errores suos evelleret Brightman In Apocalyp pag. 53. In Antitypo Iudaeisunt quotquot ertoribus implicaâ—i sibi unis veritatem fidem salutem promissiones Dei arrogant nihil nisi Templum Templum crepantes quales fuerunt Arriani Episcopi sub Constantino Constantio Valente Vide plura Brighton pag. 5â— Vide Brightâ—n in loc pag. 56. Vide Brightmanâ—um in Apocalyp pag. 57. * Hieron in Epist. ad Titum cap. 3. Viâ— esse Schisma ullum quod non aliquam confingat haeresim ut ab Ecclesia meritó recessisse videatur Quicunque enim labitâ—r in Errorem aliquem ab unitate Ecclesiae se divelli nunquam patitur ille Error in eo esse poterit hoeresis materialiter non formaliter non enim in eo est pertinacia qui Ecclesiailli adhaeret aâ— qua paraâ—us est docerl M. Antonius De Dominis de Republ. Eccles. l. 7. c. 10. August coatralit Petil. lib. 1. Schisma omnia scelera sâ—pergreditur * Optatuâ— lib. 1. Distantiam esse delictorum aut remissio testatur aut paena quod in sacrilegos parrâ—cidam non secerat in sâ—ismaticos â—ect August Epist. 142. Qui fecerunâ— idolum usitata gladii morte perempti sunt qui vero schisma facero volnerunt Matu terra principes devorati turba consentienâ— igne consumpta est Diversitate paenarum diversitas agnoscitur meritorum Vide New Annotations on Matt. 13â—25 * Calv. in Psal. 2.10 Adde quòd inanis sapientiae fâ—ltus qâ—o turgent eos quid reâ—â—on sit disâ—ere non patitur Quum eos jubet intelligentiá esse praeditor oblique falsâ—m prudentia confidentium in ipsis persiringit Ergo quansumuis sibi placeant mundi Principes in suo ocumine sciamus eos plaâ—e desipere deneâ— fiant humiles Christi discipuli * Gerb. de Magistratu politico Sect. 5. Tuncuerò Christo serviunt ipsamque osculantur si non ipsi soluin doctrinam Christi recipiunt ac fide amplectuntur sed etiam potestate divinitùs sibi data hoc efficiunt ut puritos doctrinae in Ecclesia conservetur idololatriae falsi cultus aboleantur lupt ab ovisi Dominico arceantur Ministri Ecclesiae commâ—de alantur c. * Aug. Epist. 166. Et quibus dictum est Servite Domino in timore c. Nonne Regibus At quonam modo serviunt Dominy Reges in timore nisi ea quae contra Domini jussa fiunt religiosa seueritate prohipendo Aliter enim eorum quisque servit quia 〈…〉 quia Rex est uam 〈…〉 sâ—rvit vivendo fideliter quia verò Rex est servit Leges pracipientes connaria prehibentes convenâ—enti rigore sanciendo * Calâ—in in Psal. 2.12 Peâ—iâ—e de viâ— quidem exponunt propter viam perversam vol sâ—eleratam vivendi rationem Ahi resolvunt 〈◊〉 via vestra percat Mihi magis anida diversus sensuâ— quod David fere denuntiet ut â—os intercipiat subitus Dei furer dum se putabant adhue esse in medio sladio Scimus enim ut Dei contempteres sibi in secunda fortunâ— Llandiâ—i seleant quasi in laâ—â— campo se 〈◊〉 Non aâ—s re 〈◊〉 minatur Propheta quum dixerinâ— â—ax securitas se procul 〈◊〉 siue suo putantes repentino interitu 〈…〉 * Calv. n Psal 2 10. Per Adverbium nune significat mature illis esse resâ—pèscendum quia non semper eadem dabitur oppertunitas a Scult Annal. Dec. â— Melch Adam vit Musculi pag. 377. Musculi loci commun de Haeresi pag. 611. Iohannes Gaster AnabaptistaruÌ„ Doctor quem in còlloquio Ambiosins glaureus Eslingae in viam reduxit Scultet Annal. Dec. 2. b Vide Letter pag. 70 71. of the second part of Gangraena * These persons have been with me and what I write I had from their owne mouths and relations as many others also have had Igitur scelestus blasphemus est eorum Error qui sic ab hac Ecclesia deficiunt quasi hinc Christus exularet prorsus nec ulla spes salutis manentibus esse posset Cogitent hic Christum convivantem cum suis. An pudebiteos illic discumbere ubi vident Christum non pudere An illo sanctiores mundiores erunt Sed quare se non convincunt suo ipsorum usu non possunt inficiari quin prius in Christum crediderint quam secerunt à nobis divortium unde haec fides Annon ex praedicatione in nostra Ecclesia Nunquid autem praedicare quis potest nisi mittatur Rom. 10 13 c. Quamobrem redire ad unitatem Ecclesiae quae vos genuit aluit Si fugiatis hunc Christum qui cum electis in nostris cae ibuscaenat ac eos vicissim excipit profecto nulquam invenietis Sanitatis mentem precor illis ut ad veritatem redeant quo fugiant sup licium quod desertores manet * Let us now reach forth our hearts and hands unto our Brethren of Sea land let us come up fully unto this our ingagement and rejoyce in it for certainly that Nation is a Nation that God doth love a Nation that God doth honour and by those many expressions of his love sheweth that he doth intend to make them speciall instruments of the great things he hath to doe in this later age of the world It is a Nation that is united the most firmly of any people under heaven wee may truly call it a Philadelphia And Brightman that famous light in forâ—er times 30 or 40 yeares since did parallel the Church of Philadelphia with the Church of Scotland Philadelphia signifies brâ—therly love VVhen was there ever a Nation such a Church that joyned together in such firme Covenants as they have done had we had that Reunion among us O how great things had we done before this time A Nation it is that hath ingaged it self to God in a higher way in a more extraordinarie way then any Nation this day upon the face of the earth hath done in the most solemne way covenanting with the eternal God pawâ—ing sorth their prayers and their tears for joy together with their covenanting A Nation that hath reformed their lives for so smalltime more then ever any people that we know of in the world have done And a people that have risen up against Antichrist more in another way then ever people have done and that is the great worke of God in these times And therefore God certainly hath a love into them because they breake the ice and begin the worke and arise in such a way as they do for the pulling downe of the man of sin Mr. Burroughs Speech delivered at Guild-hall pag. 28 29. Vide plura Vide Scots late Declaration I saw some Letters written lately from Newcastle by English there as one Mr. P. and others who speak much of the integritie and faithfulnesse of the Scots and that they suffer not a man ill affected to come to Court no not so much as into the Towne
The First and Second Part OF GANGRAENA OR A Catalogue and Discovery of many of the Errors Heresies Blasphemies and pernicious Practices of the Sectaries of this time vented and acted in England in these four last yeers Also a particular Narration of divers Stories Remarkable Passages Letters an Extract of many Letters all concerning the present Sects together with some Observations upon and Corollaries from all the fore-named Premisses By THOMAS EDWARDS Minister of the Gospel The third EDITION corrected and much Enlarged 2 TIM 3.8 9. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses so do these also resist the truth men of corrupt minds reprobate concerning the Faith But they shall proceed no further for their folly shal be manifest to all men as theirs also was 2 PET. 2.1 2. But there were false Prophets also among the people even as there shall be false Teachers among you who privily shall bring in damnable Heresis even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction And many shall follow their pernicious wayes by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evill spoken of JUDE vers 19. These be they who separate themselves sensuall having not the spirit Lutherus in Epist. ad Galat. Maledicta sit charitas qua servatur cum jactura doctrinae fidei cui omnia cedere debent Charitas Apostolus Angelus é coelo Lutheri Epist. ad Staupitium Non hic tempus timendi sed clamandi ubi Dominus noster Jesus Christus damnatur exuitur blasphematur mi pater grandius est periculum quam credant multi Inveniar sane superbus avarus adulter homicidia antipapa omnium vitiorum reus modo impii filentii non arguar dum Dominus patitur LONDON Printed by T. R. and E. M. for Ralph Smith at the sign of the Bible in Cornhill near the Royall Exchange M.DC.XLVI Reader THat thou mayest discern the mischief of Ecclesiasticall Anarchy the monstrousnesse of the much affected Toleration and be warned to be wise to sobriety and fear and suspect the pretended New Lights I approve that this Treatise discovering the Gangrene of so many strange Opinions should be imprinted JAMES CRANâ—OR TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE LORDS and COMMONS Assembled in PARLIAMENT Right Honourable and Noble Senatours I Here present you with a Catalogue or Black Bill of the Errours Heresies Blasphemies and Practices of the Sectaries of this time broached and acted within these four last years in England and that in your Quarters and in places under your Government and Power for which I tremble to thinke lest the whole Kingdom should be in Gods Black Bill I much fear lest the subject matter of this Catalogue may prove unto England unlesse some speedy and effectuall course be taken to prevent it like the Bill of Divorce given to Israel Jer. 3.8 like the Roll of the Book commanded from God to be written by Jeremiah against Israel and Judah Jer. 36.2 like the Roll of a Book sent by a hand to Ezekiel Ezek. 2.9 10. wherin was written lamentations mourning and wo or like the hand-writing upon the wall against Belshaz Dan. 5.5 the flying Roll in Zech. c. 5. v. 1 2. a curse going over the face of the whole land And unto whom Right Honourable should I present and make known these things but unto You who are the supreme Iudicatory of this Kingdom having that sufficiency of Power which only is able to remedy and redresse them who are our great Physician 's and have been wont to cure the worst maladies and diseases of our Church and State who are by God himself stiled Gods and therefore should above others lay to heart and be sensible of the injuries and dishonours done to God and his name And I humbly pray your Honours to beare with me in my addresses this way as having no other meanes but this of acquainting You with the sad state of things in our Church And yet 't is necessary You should hear of these things for as 't is said in the Prophet Jeremiah concerning the making of that Roll It may be the house of Judah will hear all the evill which I purpose to do to them that they may turne every one from his evill way it may be they will present their supplications before the Lord that he may forgive their iniquity and their sin so it may be some good may come of this Book to cause an humiliation for and a suppression of heresies and schimes as being a more free and fâ—ll discovery of our times then ever yet was made and therefore I send it abroad in this way whereby it may be read by all Judah and I doubt not but some faithfull Baruchs who are not shut up but do preach before You on Fast dayes will cause You to hear the words of this Book in the Lords house by applying them to your consciences and making them a Catalogue of sins for matter of humiliation to you on those dayes showing how far they may become yours in suffering without punishment and censure too many of them And now Noble and worthy Senatours be graciously pleased to pardon the boldnesse I shall take in dealing plainly with you in this present Epistle and not to impute it to any malignity and disaffection to your service or to peremptory saucinesse and disrespect of You for besides that some worthy Members of Parliament to whom I am known can testifie the contrary all my Actions from the beginning of Your sitting my Sermons Prayers Prayses Discourses Actings for You speak otherwise I am one who out of choise and judgement have imbarked my self with Wife Children Estate and all that 's dear to me in the same ship with You to sinke and perish or to come safe to land with You and that in the most doubtfull and difficult times not only early in the first beginning of the war and troubles in a malignant place among Courtiers and those who were servants and had relations to the King Queen and their Children pleading Your Cause justifying Your wars satisfying many that scrupled but when Your affairs were at lowest and the chance of war against You and some of the Grandees and favourites of these times were packing up and ready to be gone I was then highest and most zealous for You preaching praying stirring up the people to stand for you by going out in person lending of money in the later going before them by example And as I have been your Honours most devoted servant so am I still yours and you cannot easily lose me and I do humbly 〈…〉 self and Book at the feet of your wisedome and piety submitting both to your pleâ—sâ—re but to the matter and contents of this Book and to the present state of things I am bound and stirred in spirit to see the people so given to errour and schisme and the zeal of Gods house and glory constrains me and I can no longer forbear speaking my whole heart to you The
saddest of all and yet too true Orthodox worthy persons who being in places of Power for preventing mischiefs and evills questioning some Sectaries for their unlawfull meetings and false Doctrines have been lookt upon ever after with an evill eye and opportunities watcht to molest and displace them In a word there hath not been to this day any exemplary restraint of the Sectaries as ever I heard by vertue of any of your Ordinances but they are sleighted and scorned and as it was formerly with the Kings Proclamations against the Iesuits Priests Papists and forbidding to go to Masse there were the more Priests in the Kingdom and more went to Masse the Proclamations being never looked after and when any zealous Protestants in place did go to execute them they had little thanks for their pains and those they questioned were to hard for them getting off so preaching of lay-men was never more in request then since your Ordinance against it Presbyteriall Government never more preached printed against then since your Votes Orders and Ordinances for it never more dangerous unlicensed Books printed then since the Ordinance against unlicensed printing and when men have been complained of for the breach of Ordinances as that of lay preaching c. how are they dismissed and preach still infect still look what wayes were taken heretofore by the Popish party and Prelates who pretended to be Protestants in favour of the Papists Arminians and discountenancing zealous Protestants the same will be found to be now in use in behalfe of the Sectaries against Presbyterians and if you be but pleased to review your own Remonstrances either in former or in this present Parliament or remember the maximes and grounds you proceeded upon in questioning many and by what rules you judged of intentions to overthrow the Protestant Religion and to advance Popery Armianisme and then look upon the Proceedings of some you will finde the same steps trod in now and the same course taken in favour of the sects But an Epistle is too narrow a compasse to particularize all things of this kinde and a word is enough to the wise And yet I do not say Your Honours have done these things for there are matters of this nature you hear not of and upon complaints of things that have come immediatly to Your Houses there hath been some redresse yet such things are done by Committees or Persons under Your Power and Government and no effectuall wayes taken to prevent discover or remedy these things Now I humbly submit to Your deep judgment whether God account not men guilty of that which is committed by others under them they having power to hinder it as also whether it will not be interpreted by men that there is certainly great countenance and favour above or else persons below dare not do as they do And be pleased to suffer me as a Minister of Christ to bring to your remembrance which I do in all humility these following Scriptures Levit. 26.25 1 Sam. 2.29 30 31 32. cap. 3.12.13 14. 1 King 12. cap. 31.13 cap. 33.34 2 King 10. from 19. to 33. Jerems 30.31 Dan. 5.5.2.2 23.24 25 26 27 28. Amos 2.9 13.14 Hag. 1.2 4 5. Gal. 6.7 Revel 2.13 14 15 16 18 19 20. Which texts of Scripture with the examples laid down in them I name not as if I would compare your Honours with Jeroboam Belshazzar c. or charge on you their facts in kinde or that I wish such evills should come to You no let the interpretation of these Scriptures be to your enemies and the fulfilling of them to them that hate You but because whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning and all the things which were threatned and hapned to Eli Jeroboam Jehu Belshazzar c. were for examples and written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come therefore I minde You of these Scriptures that you may fear to fall into any such kinde of sins or to suffer such to be done when 't is in Your power to hinder The sects have been growing upon us ever since the first year of Your sitting and have every year increased more and more things have been bad a great while but this last year they are grown intolerable and if Schisme Herosie c. be let alone and rise proportionably for one year longer we shall need no Cavaliers nor enemies from without to destroy us Certainly God looks for other manner of fruit from you the great Deliverances Victories Successes the solemn Covenant Protestations Remonstrances Declarations made to God this Kingdom the Kingdome of Scotland and all the Reformed Churches call and speak for other kinds of things The Reformed Churches abroad wonder at these things and say Why may not the King as lawfully tolerate Papists one false Religion as the Parliament suffer all sects to grow Besides their love zeal and prayers for you begins to languish and grow faint Our dear Brethren of Scotland stand amazed and astonished and had they not seen these things could not have beleeved them The Orthodox godly considerable party both Ministers and people in City and Country by whose means under God you are now so strong and lifted up above your enemies are grieved offended and much discouraged the common enemy scornes blasphemes and reproaches the Reformation looking upon us as given up to a spirit of giddinesse and errour The Malignants every where turne Sectaries and Independents siding with them and pleading their cause and they do wisely there being no such way as that to save their purses live quietly and to undermine you and effect the enemies work And what can think you will be issue of these things It is high time therfore for your Honours to awake and be doing to suffer no longer these Sects and Schismes these disorders and confusions that are in the midst of us but to fall upon some effectuall wayes as you in your great wisdomes shall finde out and to do something worthy a Parliament in this kinde also Do this and God is on your right hand to helpe you and you shall not be removed for ever the Kingdom of Scotland the Reformed Churches this great City with the Ministers to stand by you and to honour you Do it not but let things still run on thus and all kinde of errours confusions c. increase and know God is a righteous God and will require it at your hands visit and be avenged for these things And let no man flatter you with your great prosperity and successe that your mountain is now so strong that you shall never be moved but remember that God is a God changing the times and seasons that removes Kings and sets up Kings Dan. 2.21 that can quickly bring down that part of the wheel below which was highest that made a sudden change to Belshazzar in an hour Dan. 5.3 4 5 6. That God who is said to scatter Kings can scatter you Psal. 68.14 Look upon
so cal'd and many other sectaries and between those who are turbulent Sectaries and meerly seduced but I write this Tractate to preserve many tender consciences from falling by giving warning to them beforehand as Christ did in Mat. 24.23.24.25.26 that they may fear and tremble and look to themselves as also that I might brand errours and false doctrine too well thought of and too kindly delt with in these times Ans. 4. I may justifie the ranking and joyning of Independents with other sectaries not only because all the sectaries though never so vild are Independents agreeing in that opinion of Independencie as also all the sectaries the worst of them even those who deny the Scriptures the Divinity of Christ c. do separate from the Church of England refusing communion with her in the Sacraments and other Ordinances as the Independents do but because the Independents do joyn themselves with the other sectaries adhering to them and to this day have never stood as a divided party from them but upon all occasions have and do make one common body with them to hold together against the Orthodox and Presbyterians I am able to give many instances of many of the Independents both Ministers and people pleading for the Anabaptists Antinomians and other sectaries that they might be tolerated as well as themselves and upon all occasions of complaints against severall sects siding with them to bring them off yea their joyning together in choise of Burgesses for Parliament and in divers other matters against the Presbyterians as also in closing together in Church-fellowship Independent Churches admitting of and continuing Anabaptists Antinomians to be members besides not censuring vild sectaries as Seekers who have fallen from their Churches so that I do the Independents no wrong to put them in the same Catalogue with other sectaries themselves having in so many particulars gone hand in hand with them but that which is the fullest demonstration of all other is this The sectaries being now hot upon the getting of a Toleration there were some meetings lately in the City wherein some persons of the severall sects some Seekers some Anabaptists some Antinomians some Brownists some Independents met some Presbyterians also met with them upon their desire the better to understand what they would have the intent of which meeting was to consider how all these might have the liberty to their way and practice in this Kingdom and to perswade the Presbyterians to be willing to it and to helpe to effect it for them now the result of these meetings was that all these severall sects were agreed and held together for pretended liberty of conscience the Independents as well as the others holding together with the rest of the sects as buckle and thong some professing at one of the meetings it was the sin of this Kingdom that the Jewes were not allowed the open profession and exercise of their religion amongst us only the Presbyterians dissented and opposed it And much about the same time that this meeting was in London in another place some of the best of the Independents were not ashamed to move for a Toleration not only for themselves but all other of the sects that agreed in fundamentals against Popery THe second part of this Tractate and indeed the principall to the better understanding whereof the first part tended and upon which also the third and last is grounded sets down the Catalogue it self containing many Errours Blasphemies and Practises of the sectaries of this time together with a Narrative of some remarkable Passages and stories as also some Letters and an extract of Letters concerning the present Sects Now the Errours Heresies Blasphemies in this Catalogue particularized may be referred to sixteen heads or sorts of Sectaries as namely 1. Independents 2. Brownists 3. Chiliasts or Millenaries 4. Antinomians 5. Anabaptists 6. Manifestarians or Arminians 7. Libertines 8. Familists 9. Enthusiasts 10. Seekers and Waiters 11. Perfectists 12. Socinians 13. Arians 14. Antitrinitarians 15. Antiscripturists 16. Scepticks and Questionists who question every thing in matters of Religion namely all the Articles of Faith and first Principles of Christian Religion holding nothing positively nor certainly saving the doctrine of pretended liberty of conscience for all and liberty of Prophesying And in one or other of these sixteen formes may all the Errours and Blasphemies reckoned up in the following Catalogue be well placed and unto one of these heads easily reduced yea for many of these errours the very same are held not only by one sort of the forenamed sects but by divers of them And I desire to commend to the Readers serious and sad consideration three particulars concerning the errours and sects of this time and the rather because they were not so common to the sects in the ages before at least not the two first 1. That among all these sorts of sects and sectaries there are hardly now to be found in England for to this Kingdom and to these four last years do I confine my self all along in this discourse any sect that 's simple and pure and not mixt and compounded that is any sect among them all which holds only the opinions and principles of its own way without enterfering and mingling with the errours of other sects as for example where can a man finde a Church of simple Anabaptists or simple Antinomians or simple pure Independents each of them keeping to their own principles as Anabaptists to Anabaptisme Independents to Independencie and holding no other but rather do we not see by experience that both the severall kinds of sects and most persons of each kinde are compounded of many yea some of all One and the same society of persons in our times being both Anabaptisticall Antinomian Manifestarian Libertine Socinian Millenary Independent Enthusiasticall yea among the Independents who are of all the rest accounted best where can any man shew me an Independent Church strictly so called or a man of them hardly who symbolizes not with the other sects holding beside Independency neither the opinions of the Chiliasts nor of the Libertines nor other strange opinions The Army that is so much spoken of upon all occasions in the news Books Pulpits Conferences to be Independent though I conceive upon good information that upon a true muster of the whole Commanders and common souldiers there would not be found above one in â—ix of that way yet of that Army cal'd by the sectaries Independent and of that part of it which truly is so I do not think there are 50. pure Independents but higher flown more Seraphicall as a Chaplain who knows well the state of that Army expressed it made up and compounded of Anabaptisme Antinomianisme Enthusiasme Arminianisme Familisme all these errours and more too sometimes meeting in the same persons strange monsters having their heads of Enthusiasme their bodies of Antinomianisme their thighs of Familisme their leggs and feet of Anabaptisme their hands of Arminianisme and Libertinisme as the great
affronts offered to this Parliament by many of the Sectaries then ever was to Parliament in England by any men who lived within their power as for instance when Lilburne was committed to prison and such a Letter was come forth in his name against the Parliament in such an open vile manner and at such a time being prisoner many of the Sectaries of Southwark met together and propounded to chuse Lilburne Burgesse for Parliament and that Lilburne after so great favour and mercy showne him by the House of Commons after so high an abuse of the honourable Speaker the honourable Committee of Examinations yea and of the whole House as discharging him of his imprisonment without either acknowledging the justice or petitioning for the mercy of the House of Commons a favour that I never heard or read of granted to any man before and that I thought had been a thing impossible ' even against the fundamentall Orders of the House for a man committed by the House upon far lesse offences without petitioning to be set free should yet set forth a book to all the world justifying himself in his former waies and point blank charge the House with being unjustly dealt with in his late imprisonment imprisoning him contrarie to the knowne and declared Lawes yea further in severall places of his book after a bold and audacious manner abusing and bringing in dangerous insinuations reflecting upon them O what unheard of Malignancies are these I And so Mr. Iohn Goodwin in a Sermon hath uttered that against the Parliament the power of it as opens a gap to all sleighting of their authoritie and power and I beleeve never was there any such speech from any before himselfe 2 The Sectaries and Malignants agree in being bitter enemies of our brethren of Scotland and of their Armies the Malignants wee know look upon them with an evill eye as the first cause of all their miserie and cannot give them a good word and all the world sees how the Sectaries hate the Scots raise and spread evill reports upon them are as thorns in their sides heavy enemies obstructing them in all places where they have power devising alwaies to be rid of them and studying what in them lies to make a breach I could tell the Reader many speeches stories of the Sectaries in this kinde in reference to our Brethren of Scotland but it needs not for they that run may read it 3. They agree in this rather to have Episcopal Government and a Toleration then a strict Presbyteriall and thorow Reformation we all know this would please Aulicus and his fellowes and I thinke I can prove from good hands and if I should name them the Sectaries would say so to that some of the prime Ministers in the way of the Sects have said That Episcopall Government and a Toleration of their way would give them content The Malignants and Sectaries agree in Independency the Malignants now turn Independents and professe they are for Independency and for this I could quote severall speeches and name some malignant Ministers and others of note who are for Independency against Presbytery but this is now so commonly known that Britanicus a man who hath done them many good offices and cryed up several of them confesses in one of his Pamphlets about a fortnight since that the Malignants are turned Independents hardly a Malignant Priest about town but is for Independency against Presbyterie Lastly The Sectaries agree with Iulian the Apostata and some other enemies of Christians in these four things 1. Iulian was a great scoffer at the Scriptures Christ and Christian Religion as Eccles. stories mention and manie of the Sectaries of our time are fearfull scoffers and mockers at all things that are good Scriptures Trinitie Christ Ministery Ordinances what not there was never a greater generation of scoffers at Religion then many of the Sectaries of our times witnesse manie printed books as Arraignment of Persecution and his fellowes the Ordinance of Tithes Dismounted besides manie scoffing bookes against the Presbyteriall Government as the two Brethrens MS. with others of that kinde 2. Iulian was a great enemy to the learning of Christians used all means to overthrow learning so do manie Sectaries in our time 3. He attempted to get the Militia out of the hands of the Orthodox Christians as Theodoret in his Eccles. Historie relateth and the Sectaries have and do use all meanes within their power to get the Militia out of the hands of the Orthodox into their hands solely of which I could tell tales 4 Iulian was the great patron of Toleration for all Sects Donatists Arians Eunomians he was the great man for libertas perditionis as Augustine calls it the Donatists fled to him hee gave them publike liberty of Churches hee called backe from banishment Aetius the great leader of the Eunomian heresie and whether all the sects are not agreed with him in that as also with Valens another wicked Emperour who was for Toleration of all but the Orthodox I leave to their own consciences to determine And as I have made a Parallel between the Sectaries of our time and the Donatiâ—ts Jesuits c. so I might now at large show in all the fore-named particulars an Antithesis and Dissimilitude betweene the godly Orthodox Presbyterians and the Donatists Jesuits Arminians Prelates c. but I dare not enter into it for feare my book be too voluminous having already exceeded that proportion which I at first intended when I began it all I shall do then in point of parallel is but to hint a few things which I desire the Reader well to observe of the difference in the carriage and behaviour these foure yeares last past all along of the Presbyterians both to the Honourable Houses and the Sectaries and of the Sectaries to the Parliament and the Presbyterians and for the truth of what I say I dare appeal to all the world yea and to the consciences of many sectaries themselves Though the Presbyterian party from the beginning of the differences between the King and Parliament among those who professe to stand for Reformation and for the Parliament hath been and still is without all compare the greater part of both Kingdomes the body of both Assemblies and Ministers the body of the people in Cities and Countries especially of persons eminent in place and quality yea and the Parliaments too of the Parliament of Scotland there 's no question the Parliament of England also after advice had with the Assembly hath declared for Presbytery having voted and formed into Orders Directions and Ordinances severall parts and pieces of Presbyteriall Government yet for all this have not the Presbyterians taken upon them to set up the Government in that manner and way as they conceive and judge to be most agreeable to the word drawing in the people with them but have waited upon the Parliament all this while for the setling of the Church
addressing themselves in most humble manner by way oâ— petitioning and that both Assembly Court of Common Councell Ministers people and when sometimes their hopes have been deferred beyond all expectation and have met with some disappointments and discourâ—gements in their Petitions about setling the Church as by a vote passed against one Petition before it was presented as small thanks given for another and little respect shewed to a third besides the Sectaries insulting over them and their Petitions branding them in Pulpits in the weekly News-books and in their daily discourses notwithstanding what ever they might conceive of neglects and hard usage on the one hand and of great abuse of them by the Sâ—ctâ—ries on the other hand yet they have taken all patiently waiting still petitioning still in all humble and thankfull manner foâ—bearing to print what was presented though there was no Oâ—der nor command against it out of their tender respect of giving any offence or displeasing the Parliâ—ment though in the meane time they suffered much by mis-reports of their proceedings both for matter and manner The Presbyterian partie though the Assembly of Divines the representative body of the Citie the Court of Common-Councell the Ministerie of the Kingdome thousands and ten thousands of godly well affâ—cted persons the Kingdome of Scotland yes all the Reformed Churches own that way hath not upon the fore-named things and others as the not giving leave upon a Petition to print an Answer to the Remonstrance of the Independents in which the Assembly is extremely wronged brokeâ—â—t either against the Parliament saying they will fight no longer c. speaking their pleasure of them drawing up all their grievances to a head and setting them forth in print or agâ—inst particular Members falling upon them by name making them to be knowne to the world whom they conceive and have been informed of to be the great hinderers of their desires and sticklers against them but even as becomes Christians have taken all patiently waiting upon God and the Parliament And as the carriage of the Presbyterian hath been thus in all humble dutie and high respect to the Houses of Parliament and everie Member in their places for I have not yet heard of any Presbyterian that hath singled out any one Member by name to abuse him in print as some Sectaries have done both particular Members and the whole House of Commons so hath it been with all love brotherly kindnesse tendernesse respect and forbearance to the Sectaries and considering that the Presbyterians were as I have shewed before both of the Ministers and people standing for Reformation the body of both Kingdomes having the command and power of the pulpits so great an interest in the people c. their love and forbearance to the Sectaries hath been admirable when the Independents were but few and other Sectaries a small number in the first and second yeare of this Parliament some halfe a score or dozen Ministers three or foure hundred people the Presbyterians gave them the right hand of fellowship admitted them to their meetings opened their pulpit doores unto them shewed all brotherly respect of love and kindnesse to them even more then to most of their own way condescending to such a motion as to forbeare preaching and printing against their opinions and way making them who were so small and inconsiderable a party as it were an equall partie putting them into the balance with themselves they appeared not to hinder their being chosen to bee generall Lecturers for this City in severall great Churches and as at first so all along they have been tender and respectfull of them in Assembly City and in all cases suffering them to grow up to thousands and notwithstanding breach of agreements drawing away their people preaching against them in their own Pulpits many high and strange carriages yet still using all fairenesse and love hoping by brotherly kindnesse forbearance and a thorow Reformation in the Church wherein they have been willing upon all occasions to gratifie and have respect to their consciences at last to have gained them ☞ O the faithfulnesse dutifulnesse patience long-suffering forbearance of the Presbyterians their dutifulnesse and patience in waiting upon the Parliament their faithfulnesse in not abating in their zeale and respects to them O their love kindnesse and tendernesse to the Independents yea to other Sectaâ—ies also who have had something of Christ and grace in them and have not fallen into errours and blasphemies razing the foundation But now on the other hand the Sectaries though a contemptible number and not to be named at the same time with the Presbyterians have not waited upon the Parliament and Assembly for the Reformation but preached against it and stirred up the people to imbody themselves and to joyne in Church fellowship gathering Churches setting up Independent Government rebâ—ptizing and dipping many hundreds and upon any thing that hath been voted by the Assembly Parliament that hath crossed them though alas few Orders or Ordinances which have reference to the Sectarries or are against their minds have little life in them or are put into execution witnesse that Ordinance against mens preaching who are not ordained Ministers witnesse that Ordinance about Printing cum multis aliis Lay-men never preaching so much noâ— so openly as since the Ordinance and all kind of erroneous wicked books printed dispersed as much as before they have put forth books against the Parliament Assembly preached against them and their proceedings the Directorie Ordinance against preaching of persons not Ordained c. talked their pleasure that they would lay down Arms that the King would give them a Toleration that these proceedings would discourage the Army and such like they have not forborn prinâ—ing of Answers to books Petitions passages in Letters or other things which might make for their cause because the Parliament did not like them or had forbid them there 's nothing that may make for the furthering of their way but they do it Parliament Assembly Citie Kingdome say what they will to the contrarie And as their carriage hath been thus to the Parliament so they have and do all kind of wayes within their power wrong and abuse the godly Orthodox Ministers and people vilifying sleighting and scorning them raising up all kinds of evill reports and casting reproaches on them requiting them for all their love and kindnesse with preaching against them in their owne pulpits stealing away their people from them labouring by all means in places where they have any power or interest to keep good Ministers out of such Churches and Presbyterians out of all offices and employments yea in many places where they have power they study and watch to throw out by one wile or other godly Ministers who are against their way detaining their dues vexing of them and making their lives bitter unto them domineering and abusing the godly Orthodox partie yea using all policie and industrie to get themselves into all chiefe places
of power and command that so they may trample upon and crush them O had the Sectaries been in the place of the Presbyterians and the Presbyterians in theirs and they so dealt with by the Presbyterians as the Presbyterians have been by them I know what they must have expected from them I dare appeale to everie ordinarie common understanding yea to the conscience of the Sectaries themselves whether if they had had the Parliaments of both Kingdomes the Assemblies and Ministers the Churches and Pulpits the representative body of this Citie and the people and wee had been as few as they were in the three first yeares of the Parliament would they have suffered us to preach in their owne Churches against them and their way to have from time to time confuted their Doctrine to have preached up another Government and way against what the Parliament had voted and was a setling to have enjoyed speciall Lectures in principall places to promote a way contrarie to theirs to have drawne away their people and maintenance from them to have fallen upon the practice of setting up Prebyteriall Churches and Government Classicall Synodicall in Citie Countrey to have printed freely against their way and used all meanes to have rendred them odious among the people would they have sate still and gone without places and offices of honour power profit and suffered the Presbyterians a small partie to get into Court Armies Committees c. to increase to such a number such a strength and head as to possesse most places of command in the field and in the strongest Garrisons and Forts as also Civill offices both of power and profit yea to have a pluralitâ—e of places and offices Would the Sectaries if they had been two powerfull Armies consisting of Commanders and Souldiers for their way under Generals after their owne heart have born those things at the hands of Presbyterians which Presbyterians have done from them O no they would never have endured the hundredth part of those wrongs discouragements injuries had the Assembly consisted of Independents excepting a matter of eight or nine Presbyterians would they have endured that and put up that from the Presbyterian partie as the Assembly hath done from the Independent suffered them to spin out time so long to speak those things in the Assembly some of them have and in stead of bringing in according to Order the whole frame of their judgements concerning Church-government in a body with their grounds and reasons to bring in a Remonstrance casting dirt upon them and their proceedings Would they in New-England endure one or more Presbyterians to live among them and to go up and downe their Countrey and in chiefe Towns and places to preach against cry downe their Churches and Church-government and to extoll and cry up a contrarie way as Mr. Peters and others do here For mine owne part I am confidently perswaded and so I beleeve are all wise men that have observed the waies of the Sectaries that if they had been in the place of the Presbyterians having had their power number authoritie and the Presbyterians had been a small number as they were and should have offered to have done but the twentieth part of that in preaching writing c. against them which the Sectaries have done against the Presbyterians they would have trod them downe as mire in the street casting them out with scorn before this time of day not have suffered a Presbyterian to preach among us or to have been in any place or office militarie or civill but all would have been shut up in prisons banished or else hiding themselves in holes and corners many godly persons in some places having much ado now to hold up their heads to live by them to preach quietly to go safely in the streets and to be quiet in their houses And for conclusion of the differerence in the carriage and behaviour of the Presbyterians and the Sectaries the righteous Lord judge between them and recompence to the Presbyterians according to their kindnesse love peaceablenesse forbearance and righteousnesse and the Lord forgive the Sectaries and turn their hearts and cause their folly insolencies unrighteousnesse and unjust dealings with their brethren to be so manifest to themselves and all men as they may proceed no further Now for the particular practices of the Sectaries they are many and it would require a Tractate by it selfe to set them downe indeed I hardly know any strange practice that hath reference to their wayes but some or other of them are guiltie in one kind or another Most of their practices and wayes may be referred to these ten heads 1 To loosnesse and libertie in life and conversation 2 To covetousnesse ambition and self-seeking 3 To policies and subtiltie 4 To activenesse sedulitie and numblenesse in the prosecution of their way 5 To tumultuousnesse disorder and confusion 6 To the disturbance and overthrow of oeconomicall ecclesiasticall and polâ—ticall relations and government 7 To insolencies pride and arrogancie 8 To acts of immodesty and incivilitie 9 To power and will carrying all before them and throwing downe all that stands in their way 10 To hypocrisie under pretences of pietie and holinesse Now for the particular practices of the Sectaries I had drawne up many to the number of seventie and provided for everie practice instances for proofe and upon some of them I could write a large discourse even a book upon severall of them as of their behaviour and carriage towards the Parliament the Kingdome of Scotland the Assembly of Divines the Citie of London the Ministerie of England yea of all the Reformed Churches as of their seeking and getting into all sorts of offices and places they are any way capable of being Sequestratours Collectours Receivâ—rs Surveyours Excisers Customers Secretaries Clerks c. getting places in Court great Townes dwelling in sequestred houses freely procuring Arreares c. not a man almost of late coming into any place or office but an Independent or Independentish there being no kind or sort of preferment employment place but some or other of that way enjoy as of their plotting and labouring from the first yeare of the wars to get into their hands the sword and power of Armes by having a considerable Army which they might look upon more particularly as theirs and of their way by attempting to remove and heave at many gallant Commanders to get the command of the strongest Garrisons and places yea to make Townes of consequence that were no Garrisons to have been Garrisons as Yarmouth but I am necessitated for divers reasons to passe by wholly for the present many of their practices and others to name only desiring the Reader as hee goes along to supply the defect by calling to mind all particulars he knowes and hath heard of upon the severall heads 1. Practice They use to ascribe and attribute all the successe of things all that is done in field at Leaguers all victories brave actions to
Assembly of Divines he answered They were most part of them enemies to Christ and his truth That Lievtenant I. and an Ensign denyed all ecclesiasticall Government Item Lievtenant I. said hee fought not for the Parliament but for liberty of conscience and not for Reformation Item He affirmed that he thought daies of publike Humiliation needlesse and unlawfull and would not observe them Item Concerning Prayer That we must not pray morning and evening but when the Spirit puâ—s ejaculations into us for that were to make prayer an Idoll This Sermon and these Conferences are subscribed by the hands of godly persons two witnesses and I have them in my hand to produce but forbeare the printing of their names because I know not what prejudice may come to them by some souldiers that may go that way There is one A. a Shoomaker not far off Tower-street who speaking of the Assembly said ☞ There were but seven in the Assembly that stood for God all the rest of them were for the Divel An honest godly man brought thiâ— fâ—llâ—w before a person of quality and in Authority for speaking these words and at first this man denyed it whereupon he offering to fetch two witnâ—sses to prove it the man confessed it and said he had spoken rashly The Sectaries have within this two years last past especially this last yeere since the Victory at Naseby abused in the most insolent and unheard of manner and that all kind of wayes all sorts and ranks of men even to the highest both particular persons and whole Societies that have but any way appeared against them or they think will not be for them as the King Parliament the Kingdome of Scotland the City of London the Assembly all the reformed Churches the City Ministers particular Ministers and other Christians and as in their printed booke Sermons Speecches so by affronts offered Ministers in Churches Pulpits and severall other wayes and that in the highest unsufferable manner that considering all things together ever was in any age since the coming of Christ and for the proofe of this a man might make a large book to set downe the pregnant undenyable instances and particulars in this kinde and a man would wonder what should be the mysterie of it and no question many do though for my part I doe not that this last yeare since not only the Assembly but the Honourable Houses of Parliament have voted the Presbyteriall Government declared to the world they will settle it made divers Ordinances for it and about it that ever since the Presbyterial Government all the Parts Acts and Friends of it have beene written preached against and abused more then ever yea jâ—alousies false reports calumnies raised nouâ—ished fomented and yet never any of the Sectaries exemplarily punished oâ— their Libels and desperate Pamphlets ever publikely censured as I can learn or effectuall courses used to suppâ—esse them but let the men or the books be what they will abuse whom they will Parliament c. so that they do but abuse the Presbâ—terians and the Presbyterial Government and plead for the Independents and liberty of conscience all is well enough nay not only so but some such bookes are licensed and some persons known to be most desperately opposite to the Presbyterians to the Covenant to our Brethren of Scotland the Assembly to the godly Orthodox Ministers the men in great request walking boldly in Westminster-hall at the House of Commons door daily familiar with some Parliament-men preferred to places of trust and honour having favour in things wherein other men can find none yea have been able to do those things for themselves and such as they appeare for which otherwise were never likely or not so quickly to have been effected And in things done by the Sectaries against persons affected to the Presbyteriall Government though in the way and manner of doing them if Presbyterians should do so it were a great breach of Priviledge of Parliament and an arraigning their Ordinances yet in the Sectaries 't is nothing nor we never heare of anie such complaint or words made of them For instance How manie Votes Orders Oâ—dinances of Parliament have beene spoken against writ against acts done point-blank against the Letter of them not humble Petitions made to represent the State of things and to desire so and so but downright railings and sâ—â—ffes or else taking cognizâ—nce of things whilest before the Houses and in dâ—bate As for example The Assembly who sits by Ordinance of Parliament have they not been fearfully abused scorned by those Books of Arraignment of Persecution Martins Eccho â— and now lately by a Ballad made of them having a first and second part wherein they are scoffed with the title of Black-bird Divines The name of the Ballad against the Assembly of Divines is called A Prophecie of the Swineherds destruction To the tune of the merry Souldier or the joviall Tinker and two men pictured at the upper end of it with the inscription of Sir Iohn Presbyter and Sir Simon Synod This Ballad câ—lls the Assembly Swineherds saith ☞ These Swine-herds they are sitting to build old Babells Tower And in this Ballad the Directory made by the Assembly and establishâ—d by Ordinance is scoffâ—d at and the Assembly iâ— brought in and jeered at for bâ—ing against Anabaptists Brownists Independents and they are in that Ballad call'd Bâ—â—ls Priests The Assemblies last Petition to the Parliament whilest it was in debate before the Houses before they came to give their sense of it Saltmarsh the annagram of whose name is to a tittle M. al 's trash takes notice of it prints a great part of it prejudges and anticipates the Determinations of the Honourable House of Commons and uses the Assembly verie coursely There is a pamphlet called A Letter of Advice unto the Ministers assembled at Westminster with severall Quares recommended to their saddest considerations wherein the Assembly is not only abused but threatened that if they give advice to the Parliament against a Toleration of Independents they are so many in number that the Assembly shall be chastised as evill Counsellours disturbers of Church and State no lesse than great Strafford or little Canterbury In the case of Paul Best whilst it is before the House of Commons and under debate comes out a Pamphlet censuring their proceedings against him as fearing what the sentence may be in asserting the possibilitie of an Heretikes repentance so long as hee lives and such as do any wayes cause him to die in heresie as much as in them lyes do effectually damne him eternally and consequently that Paul Best whatever his errour be at present as well as Paul the Apostle once a Blasphemer may one day become a Convert if he be not untimely starved to death before-hand And to give only one particular instance more There is a Book lately come forth about the sixth of this moneth of May called Tender Conscience religiously affected fearfully abusing and descanting
upon all the Ordinances of Parliament in reference to the Directorie Ordination of Ministers and Church-government leaving out none but the last Ordinance about Commissioners wherein the Parliament and Assembly are usufferably reviled and railed at and particularly the Parliament charged with speaking blasphemy and being guiltie of many other crimes And lastly The Sectaries are so violent and insufferably insolent that though they abuse persons or things or do the strangest actions either against Lawes or Ordinances if they be but questioned by any in authoritie for these things in stead of confessing their offences submitting and carrying themselves peaceably and humbly they will abuse and miscall Authority to their faces yea set out printed books against them reproaching and reviling them to the open world of which I might give many instances as in the case of one Hawes committed lately by some Justices of Peace upon two witnesses testifying words spoken by him derogatory to the second and third Persons in the Trinity a book was printed wherin they are reviled and clamoured against So upon one Larner's commitment about a dangerous book entituled Londons last warning there is a book put forth aspersing the L. Mayor of London the Committee of Examination and the Right Honourable the House of Peeres And lastly upon Lievtenant-Colonell Lilburns commitment many Pamphlets were printed speaking bitterly against the Committee of Examinations and the honourable House of Comons as Englands Birthright severall printed Letters c. The Sectaries have lately put forth two pamphlets with a picture drawne and affixed to them greatly abusing all the Presbyterians The first is called Dictated thoughts upon the Presbyterians late Petitions to the Parliament the other is the book called Tender Conscience religiously affected propounding questions upon the Ordinances of Parliament The maine of the picture is an heart pictured over which is written Tender Conscience religiously affected with some verses over that and under the heart with daggers at it stands the Pope the Prelate and the Presbyter in the midst of them two with a book in his hand where Directorie is written Antichristian Presbyter written by him and the Crown under his foot he treading upon it and a dagger in his hand reaching at the heart of tender conscience but a chaine with a weight hanging at his arm whereby he is hindred and falls somwhat short of pricking tender conscience with his dagger Now I could write a book in giving observations and making a confutation of this picture and these mottoes but I must studie brevitie I will onely hint a few things 1. That I have been informed for certain and it was spoken of by some Merchants on the Exchange that in Holland the picture of an Independent is drawn and set out publikely and he is pictured thus with God written in his mouth the Devill written just upon his heart and the world written and pictured as he holding it in his armes 2. It may be this picture of a Presbyterian will cause the picture of an Independent to be drawne here in London set out with Mottoes as also what he hath under his feet c. and if it prove so 't is but just and the Independents may thank themselves 3. For the Picture it selfe of a tender Conscience which they make the Presbyterian lifting up a dagger to stab I am confident the Presbyterians are as truly tender-conscienced men as any in England yea far above the Sectaries and for the Sectaries take them generally they are far from being tender-conscienced men as I shall shew at large in my Treatise against Toleration under that head of answering that objection that tender Consciences must be â—orn with where I shall prove by many instances they are men of large consciences and have consciences like to Ostrich stomachs that can digest iron that can digest a generall Toleration of all Religions can beare with them that are evill or any thing that is wicked so it will promote the Catholike Cause and in truth in stead of being a truly consciencious people and going upon religious principles they are a meere politike Faction driving on strange designes and having ends of their own 4. Whereas they place the Presbyter in the midst of the Pope and Prelat how might they more truly have placed an Independent and other Sectaries the Independents shaking hands and complying more with Papists and Prelats than Prebyterians as I could prove by many instances of familiar passages and speeches that have passed between some Sectaries and Papists and Prelats and some speeches again of Papists and Prelats of the Independents some wherof the Reader may find in this Book pag. 16 126. 5. That of the Presbyterian trampling the Crown under his feet is a most wicked lye and confuted in the sight of the Sun by the experience of thesâ— times for who stand more for the Crowne the Kings Person and Honour his just greatnesse and his Posteritie after him than the Presbyterian partie and who are more against Monarchy the Kings Person and Honour than the Independent partie A Sectarie indeed may well be pictured with the Crowne under both his feet trampling it and breaking it all to peeces and together with the Crowne trampling the Church Ministerie and the Kingdome of Scotland under their feet and for proofe of Sectaries treading the Crowne under their feet witnesse Londons last warning commended sold dispersed up and down by Sectaries witnesse Walwyns an Arch-Sectaries speeches with othea passages of some of them as giving over praying for the King above this yeare laughing at them who pray for him as one of them praying publikely in the Church that the King might be brought in chains to the Parliament as speaking against his coming in or being received in but under the notion of a Delinquent and that he deserved to die if any man did with such like speeches 6. That of the Presbyter endevouring to destroy the â—â—nder Conscience religiously affected only hindred by a great clog hanging upon him is a wicked scandall for the tendernesse forbearance love indulgence of the Presbyterians when they were in their highest power and the Independents weak and low is known to all this Kingdome and had they been such men as the Independent Painter would make them the Sectaries had never growne to this boldnesse to make such a Picture nor these Kingdoms so troubled with them as now they are but the truth of it is a Sectarie may well be painted with a dagger thus running at the heart of the Presbyterians tender consciences religiously affected and had they not clogs upon their arms we should find it so by lamentable experience they have made violent attempts against Presbyterians and they have given out many threatning words and certainly designed and comforted themselves that ere long they should be able to crush the Presbyterians for proofe whereof besides instances already given in this Book pag. 67. I shall add two or three at present One Smart
who will settle here with them Hereupon they are presently so high flowne that they will have our publike meeting place commonly called the Church to preach a weekly Lecture though we have an Order from the Committee of Parliament that there shall bee none without the consent of both the Ministers in Dover and have acquainthem with it yet some have threatned if the Key be kept away they will break open the doores and since M. Davies journey to London the Members of his Church meeting everie Lords day twice and once in the weeke Mr. Mascall a man employed by the State to bee a perfector of the Customes undertakes to feed the flock expounds the Scriptures and with much vehemencie cries out to the people expressing himselfe thus against the present Ministerie Your Priests your damned Priests your cursed Priests with their fooles Coat Your Levites who if they get an Ordinance of Parliament will thunder it out but they let alone the Ordinances of Christ and perswades the people of the evill that Synods and Learned men have done to the Church and therefore presses them to the uselessenesse of humane learning and at other times in private meetings perswades people that they will fall into most miserable slaverie if they have a Presbytery and saith That hee shall stand and laugh at them when they are under their burthens For our parts if the State will suffer themselves to bee so vilified in what they have by the best advice proposed and will have us trodden under foot for following Christ and obeying them and will have us take Covenants and suffer as many as will to violate them wee shall then thinke that wee are fallen into worse times then ever wee yet saw Wee desire you to counsell us and to improve your power in the Assembly and with the Parliament what you may to stop these violent proceedings here that we may enjoy our priviledges especially the peace of our Consciences and Countrey we rest Your loving Friends Dover April 13. 1646. This Letter is given into the hands of a Peer of this Kingdom The Copie of a Letter written from a learned and godly Divine from beyond the Seas to a speciall Friend of his here in London and translated by him out of Dutch into English VVE do earnestly long for some Ordinances from England for the suppressing of the high growing Sects Heresies and Schismes which get the upperhand We are afflicted in our verie souls that there is such a depth of Distractions and Errors such liberty for Schisme Blasphemie and ungodly Tenents both at London and in the whole Kingdome O blessed holy Holland righteous Amsterdam heretofore accounted the sink of Errours and Heresies but now justified by London With us are punished with banishment or piercing through the tong with a hot Iron those that but slanderously speak of the Virgin Mary Here we burne the books of the Socinians Errours and they may not with knowledge be sold in these parts Here indeed every one is left to enjoy the freedome of his Conscience in his own Family but to keep Conventicles and meetings of divers Families together Amsterdam it selfe will not suffer except in Anabaptists Lutherans and Remonstrants At London is taught Blasphemy against Christ God his Word Worship and Sacraments by Enthusiasts Antinomians Libertines and Seekers There the Socinian tricks are new moulded there all Sects and Hereticks may keep their separated publike and secret Conventicles Whence is it that you are so suddenly led away unto another Gospell Is there no balme in Gilead that the wounds of the daughter of Sion are not healed are the Prayers of the Saints and the Labours of the upright all in vain Gods judgements hang over that Kingdom which feeds and fosters such sins A Passage extracted out of a Letter lately sent from a godly Minister in Colchester to a Minister in London THe last Sabbath day we had one Clarkson a Seeker that preached at Butolph Church the same man I believe that M. Edwards mentions in his Book His Sermon tended to the vilifying of the Scriptures all Ordinances Duties Ministers Church State Hee vilified the Scriptures and would not have the people live upon white and black and that they of themselves were not able to reveal God of which I shall give M. E. a full account the next week An Extract of a Letter written from a Minister in New-England to a Member of the Assembly of Divines DIscipline or Church Government is now the great businesse of the Christian World God grant we forget not the doctrine of Repentance from dead works and Faith in the Lord Jesus I long much to see or heare what is done in England about this matter I shall not fall into particulars as I might do could we speake mouth to mouth I am no Independent neither are manie others who say Communi Presbyterorum consilio Ecclesiae ab initio regebantur nor am I of a democraticall spirit Much have I seene in my almost eleven yeares abode in this Wildernesse and I wish such as maintain an Independen Democracie had seene and found as much experimentally A house like to be well governed where all are Masters but no more of this For my self God hath been here with me and done me much good learning me somthing of himselfe of my selfe and of men N. E. is not Heaven and here we are men still Decem. 8. 1645. To his loving brother M. Thomas Edwards SIr that Book which discovereth our generall Gangraena containeth truth which will procure you many enemies it s the fate of Truth But to this end saith our Lord Iohn 18.37 was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I should beare witnesse to the truth and so for this Cause are Christians begotten againe by the Word of Truth Everie one that is of the truth should do so espcially such as are his Ministers Revelasse will be superasse I le joyn with one of your adversaries in that alleadged Text. But they shall proced no farther for their folly shall be made manifest to all men as theirs also was 2 Tim. 3 9. I wait for its accomplishment You yea we all must look to suffer for plaine dealing especially now when as truth lieth in the streets and is trampled on by dirty feet when as there are so many adversaries unto it and such an Independent Combination against it The great objection against you is You are too too vehement in your opposition which when I heard I remembred I had read in Luther de servo Arbitrio the same objected to him by old Erasmus The Answer of Luther unto it mee thinkes may well bee ours yours and yeeld us much comfort and encouragement Quod antem vehementius egerim agnosco culpam si culpa est imo testimonium hoc mihi in mundo reddi in causa Des mirificè gaudeo Atque utinam ipse Deus id testimonii in novissimo die confirmaret
those Articles to be burnt by the hand of the common Hang-man and the war to go on which proved their ruine and fatall destruction And for a conclusion of this Symptome I will end it with those words of the Prophet Isaiah Lord when thy hand is lifted up they will not see but they shâ—â— see and be ashamed for their envie towards thy people yea the fire of thine enemies shall devoure them Lord thou wilt ordaine peace for us for thou also hast wrought all our works for us And though it be a sad thing that men holding forth a profession of Religion should fall to those wayes and grow to such an height as I have laid open yet I am perswaded it is a good hand of God and his speciall providence and mercie to his Church in these Kingdomes to leave the Sectaries to fall into so many evils to take such strange wayes thus to discover themselves and to proceed so far that so the Kingdomes knowing them well they might in the issue be more effectually cured and perfectly delivered from them for had these men kept themselves within the compasse of a few of their opinions and carried things faire and not broke out as they have done we should have thought them good holy men been much taken with them and many would have been deceived by them yea in time they might have got such an interest and had such an influence as to have corrupted all but now having thus early discovered themselves both in matters of Church and State in opinions and practices this hath so opened the eyes of this Kingdome yea of both that it will cause them to abhor and abominate them as a wicked Faction whose principles would bring in an universall Anarchy both upon Church and State overthrowing all Ministerie setled Government and order in the Church being against Kingly Government the House of Peeres House of Commons unlesse ad placitum and so long as the common people like them and all power of Magistrates in capitall matters over Church members in the Commonwealth and who cared not to have sacrificed the Religion peace happinesse of these Kingdomes upon the ambition furie pride lust opinions of Anabaptists Libertines Seekers Brownists Independents And therefore however the Sectaries may flatter themselves in the encrease of their partie in the power they have in some places in the favour they find among some great men yet let them know notwithstanding their policies all their arms of flesh all their friends in the Armies in the House of Commons and in Committees which they so boast of yet God will overthrow them and these eight particulars are certaine symptomes of their ruine and let who will do what they can to uphold them yet God will bring them downe for when they spring as the grasse and as the Workers of iniquitie flourish then is it that they shall be destroyed for ever And therefore let us be couragious and faithfull to the cause of God contending earnestly for the faith which was once at livered to the Saints and let us be in nothing terrified by the Sectaries And to all the Symptomes I have given already being so many fore-runners of their fall let the Reader consider this That they have their deaths wound already the fatall arrow sticks in their sides and having begun to fall they shall surely fall and that besides the Citie of London and other instruments God will honour our Brethren of Scotland to make them a great means of their falling and they shall fall before the Scots whom they have so vilified and unworthily dealt with as the Prelaticall and Popish partie did and me thinks the way of Gods proceedings all along this way of Reformation and many passages of his providence hint point it out to us for the Sectaries are a Faction alike opposite to our Brethren of Scotland viz. the other extreme and all along from first to last God hath made the Scots instrumentall for the good of this Kingdome and bringing things thus far And that God will honour the Kingdome of Scotland and the Church-reformation according to their way to bring down the Sectaries let the Reader consult with M. Brightman a man of a propheticall spirit in his Exposition on the Church of Philadelphia Rev. 3. 8 9 10. where he shews that Church to whom so many promises are made to be the reformed Churches of Geneva France Scotland and those who are according to that way of Reformation in Doctrine and Church Government and among many things observed by M. Brightman on that place I shall only point at two 1. That Philadelphia the type of Geneva Scotland and the Churches of that Reformation is most famous for truth of Doctrine As for truth of Doctrine where is there any place in the whole world chaster and sounder Here the whole Papacie is destroyed Anabaptists Antitrinitarians Arrians and such monsters raised again from Hell partly in Germany partly in Transylvania never found a sharper enemy 2. By those who say they are Jewes and are not vers 9. in the Antitype are all those who holding errours do arrogate alone to themselves truth faith salvation the promises of God boasting nothing else but the Temple such were the Arrians under Constantine Constantius Valens and such are at this day the Papists glorying in Peters Chaire these will be accounted the only Catholikes and their Church the only Church of Christ c. Now if wee consider well of these two things 1. We shall find no Church sounder for Doctrine than the Church of Scotland nor greater enemies not only against Papacie and Prelacie but against Anabaptists Seekers and all kind of Sectaries than they are 2. Wee shall not among all Heretikes and Sectaries that have been since the writing of this Epistle find any that have more resembled the Jewes in boasting themselves to be the only people of God than the Sectaries of our times the Anabaptists Independents who extoll themselves for the only Saints calling themselves the Saints the people of God the Church and their way is called by them the Church-way Church-fellowship Christs way and that all who are not of their way are without c. so that these words do most fully agree to them who say they are Iewes and are not but do lye and therefore to conclude this Corallarie all the promises made to Philadelphia do belong in a speciall manner to our Brethren of Scotland as First That God will make them come viz. those who are the Antitype to those Jews the Sectaries Anabaptists Independents that whole Faction and worship before their feet and to know that God hath loved them that is they shall overcome and triumph over these Sectaries and however they have been hitherto abused and scorned by them neither have these unthankfull men acknowledged my love from that singular gift of zeale pietie which I bestowed upon thee yet I will adorn thee with those things which are in great
cry out for Government p. 70 71 72. The Sectaries are a subtill cunning active nimble deceitfull self seeking plotting undermining generation and we have cause to suspect them in everie thing to feare them yeelding and to feare them flying and to look about us in all kinde of transactions with them p. 73. Many moderate men both Ministers and others by their indifferencie compliance and favouring the Sectaries have done much hurt and been a great cause of the evills and mischiefs that lye upon us p. 74. The sad and dangerous condition England is in at present in regard of the Heresies Errours Blasphemies and Disoders p. 75. England is in a far worse condition then in the late time of the Prelats and that both in regard of the corruption of the Doctrine of Religion and in regard of Toleration of all Religions p. 76 77. Englands condition so sad in regard of the errours heresies from twelve circumstances that accompanie them p 77 78 79 80. Errours and wicked opinions are worse then the sword p. 82. Eerrours Heresies are a greater evill then bad life and wicked manners p. 82. Remedies and directions given both to Ministers Magistrates and People sutable to the condition of this Kingdome in reference to the Errours and Heresies among us p. 83. Ministers must set themselves as to witnesse for truth against Errours so in a speciall manner against a Toleration and many instances are given both of the Fathers moderne Divines and of Bishops and Ministers among our selves opposing Toleration p. 85 86 87 88 89 90 91. Ministers should agree together to make a Remonstrance of all the errors heresies blasphemies schisms insolencies tumults of the Sectaries that have been in England these five last yeares p 93. The Magistrates from the consideration of all the errours heresies blasphemies c. should appoint and command a solemne generall Fast to bee kept throughout the Kingdome for this very end that the Land might be humbled and mourn for these heresies blasphemies and for the great growth and too much suffering of them and for the fearfull breach of our solemne Covenant with God p. 95 96 97. The Magistrates should command the solemne renewing of the Nationall Covenant upon such a Fasting-day and command in the close of such Fasting daies the wicked bookes printed of late yeares some whereof have been licensed to be openly burnt p. 97. The Magistrates should put out some Declaration against the errors and waies of the Sectaries as their sending Eâ—issaries into all parts of the Kingdome to poison the Countreyes and should execute exemplary punishment upon som of the most notorious Sectaries and seducers p. 98. Private Christians must take heed of going to the Sectaries Conventicles to heare them preach and exercise their private meetings are the nurseries of all errours and heresies verie Pest Houses p. 99. Error is a vast thing without all bank or bottome Errour knows no end nor where to stay p. 100 101. The benefit and excellencies of the Presbyteriall Government viz. preventing and keeping out errors and as soone as errours doe but peep out plucking them up p. 102. Some of the Sectaries of our times are worse enemies to the truth then the Papists p. 103 104. Some additionall errours laid downe p. 104 and in p. 110 111 112. An Extract of another Letter concerning the Sects p. 113. Two Letters one of the preaching woman Mrs. Attaway to William Ienney and another of William Ienney to his wife presently upon his going away from his wife with Mrs. Attaway p. 115. A third Table containing the names and relations of the principall Ring-leaders of corrupt opinions and Errours in the first Part of Gangraena Paul Bests horrid blasphemies p. 33. of the first Division of the first Part. M. Henry Den p. 2. of the second Division p. 22 23.105 106. of the same Division Iohn Hiâ—h p. 18 19. of the second Division Laurence Clarkson his Petition Recantation p. 19.20 of the second Division of the first part of Gangraena Thomas Web p. 21 22. of the second Division of the first part M. Erbury that lived in Wales p. 24. One Nicholls p. 24 25. One Marshall a Bricklayer p. 26. Clement Wrighter p. 27 28. Captain Paul Hobson p. 33.34 One Lam an Anabaptist p. 35. Oats a great Dipper 35 36.106 113. One Mills p. 36. Kiffiâ— an active Anabaptist p. 36 37 44. One Patience p 37. One M. Câ—x p. 38. Thomas Moore p. 38. One Walwin p. 38. Lievtenant Colonell Lilburne p. 46 47. of the first Division and p. 38. of the second Division M. Bacon sometimes of Glocester p. 38. M. Bachiler the Licenser-Generall of the Bookes of the Sectaries p. 38.39 One Randall a great Antinomian p. 39. M. Knollys p. 39 40. M. Peters p. 40 41 42 106 107. One Barber p. 45. M. Iohn Good â—ine alias Cretensis p. 39 47 63. of the first Division One Cosens p. 105. Mrs. Attaway p. 31 32 113 114 115. One William Ienney p. 113 115. A TABLE of the main matters contained in the Second Part of GANGRAENA THe Preface Additionall Errours to the former Catalogue of Errours Heresies pag. 1 2 3 116 117 A relation of a Monster born of Parents that are Sectaries p. 4 An extract of three Letters p. 3 4 5 A relation of some passages of a Lieutenant a great Sectary p. 5 A relation of some stories and remarkable passages concerning the Sectaries from p. 6. to p. 11 A Hymn of some of the Sectaries p. 11.12 A Disputation held at the Spitle about the Immortality of the soule by some Anabaptists p. 14 15 A Copie of a Letter sent out of Suffolk p. 16 17 An extract of a Letter p. 18 19. The proof of a Woman Preacher at Brasteed and the confutation of Mr. Saltmarshes boldnesse in denying it p. 20.87 A discovery of Walwyn to be a dangerous and desperate man a pleader for all Religions c. p. 21 22 23 A proof of Lieutenant Colonel Lilburns playing at Cards p. 24 A discovery of the spirit of Mr. Iohn Goodwin alias Cretensis p. 25 The reason of Cretensis falling to Independency p. 26 Sixteen observations upon Cretensis or a brief Answer from p. 27 to p. 36 The true Reasons why the Sectaries called Mr. Edwards First Part of Gangraena a Book of lyes whereas 't is proved to be a Book full of truth p. 36 37 A Letter sent Mr. Edwards subscribed by the hands of 28 Ministers giving him thanks and witnessing to the First Part of Gangraena p. 39 Cretensis his two challenges accepted and his glove taken up both the first and second time p. 41. â—2 Reasons given why the names of the men who writ Letters were concealed with a discovery now of the names of those who writ Letters p. 26 27.43 44 45 Two other challenges of Cretensis taken and he challenged to make good his challenges p. 46 47 Independents preaching to bare walls and pewes as much as Presbyterians p. 51.