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
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
a shame for them to sit downe there where they see Christ is not ashamed Are they holyer and purer than hee But wherefore do they not convince themselves by their owne experience They cannot deny but they first beleeved in Christ before they made this separation from us was not this from preaching in our Church But can any man preach unlesse he be sent Rom. 10.13 Why do they therefore so perversly refuse the Word for some blemish of the externall calling whose divine vertue they feele in their hearts Although that fruit doth no more free our depravations from all fault than a true issue of ones body doth adulterie neither therefore must we rest contended in these corruptions or they separate from us for some blemishes Wherefore return yee to the unitie of the Church which hath begotten and nourished you If you flye this Christ who sups with his Elect in our Assemblies and likewise entertains them as they him truly you shall find him no where else And then speaking of those who forsake our Church he wishes soundnesse of mind to them that they may return to the truth whereby they may avoyd that punishment which abides deserters and revolters Now if when the luke-warme Angell was in our Church and so many corruptions of ceremonies c. that attended him it was so unlawfull and dangerous to forsake this Church and it was the dutie of those that deserted us to return lest the punishment of revolters should abide them what then is the sin of those who now forsake our Assemblies set up separated Churches when the luke-warme Angell is cast out and all his Attendants and a godly zealous Ministerie is brought in and the Ordinances administred free from ceremonies and the inventions of men and Discipline of Censures and Excommunication a setting up O let all such be exhorted to returne to the unity of the Church that they may escape judgements both temporall spirituall and eternall and not be judged of the Lord as revolters CORAL VI. HEnce then from all I have laid downe in the first and second Part of Gangraena of the Practices Proceedings and ways of the Sectaries we may see and observe the great difference between the carriage of the Independents and our Brethren of Scotland our Brethren of Scotland have been constant and true all along to their first Principles to the ends they alwayes held out to the grounds which they declared they went upon to the Covenant they have taken and that in every branch and part as well as some in standing for the Kings honour and just greatnesse c. as well as standing for their own Liberties in standing for uniformity in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government in the three Kingdomes as for preservation of their own c. and neither all their sufferings hardships difficulties on the one hand nor all the offers temptations flatteries on the other hand have made them decline from their way either in their owne Countrey or since they have been in Covenant with us I challenge any man in all this nine or ten yeares of their troubles to charge them justly with falsnesse or breach of Covenant in pretending one thing and intending another in forsaking former Principles and falling upon new according to any advantages offered them but now the Independents and Sectaries have been inconstant uncertain and unstable in all their wayes crying up and extolling our Brethren of Scotland to the heavens and afterwards as much casting them downe pretending a regard to some branches of the Covenant as extirpating Popery and Prelacy but not minding others as maintaining the Kings Honour his just power and greatnesse the extirpating of heresie schism the endeavouring the nearest conjunction and uniformity between the three Kingdoms in Government Discipline c. not certain to any principles or ends they have propounded except those of Anarchie and pretended new light not well knowing what they would have but changing their minds and framing their wayes according as they have seen their opportunities and advantages And because I observe it hath been one great part of the designe of the Sectaries yea and as the maine medium to effect their ends by the aspersing and reproaching of the Scots the Sectaries looking upon them as that which letteth and will let untill it be taken out of the way which hath been therefore with all industry artifice and vigour prosecuted ever since the battell at Marston Moore and more especially since the moulding or new modell of the Army I shall therefore to undeceive the people as in the sight of God out of pure conscience speak a few things of our Brethren of Scotland and show particularly some differences between them and the Sectaries 1. The Scots still upon all occasions have improved and made use of all victories successes and advantages put into their hands as the coming in of the King now to them for the good of both Kingdomes and for effecting the ends declared in the Covenant not for anie particular ends as to get possession of Newarke or to be revenged for affronts offered them or injuries done them by the Independent party or to increase divisions jealousies discontents between the Nations But now the Sectaries have made use of all advantages and of all successes they have had and of all events that are fallen out for the increase of their own partie and effecting their particular ends divided from the interests of both Kingdomes and the ends expressed in the Covenant yea to increase and further jealousies discontents differences between the two Kingdomes by blowing up and aggravating upon all occasions all things against the Scots by railing against and speaking evill of the Scots in all companies and places by aspersing them in manie printed bookes carefully spread and dispersed abroad by the Sectaries and by many false reports and other dangerous insinuations against the Scots vented in weekely newes bookes the Pensioners of the Independent party and particularly since the Kings coming to the Scottish army many things have beene related and spoken of by the weekly Pamphleters which reflect upon our Brethren of Scotland and some upon the Kings Majestie which must needs seeme strange and be verie offensive to all good and wise men and so much the more the King being come in and in the Parliaments Quarters I cannot stand to name the particulars nor to animadvert upon them now but referre the Reader among others to peruse Mercurius Britanicus numb 130. The Scotch Dove num 134. Moderate Intelligencer num 62 63. neither shall I much need to doe it for I doubt not but they will recant shortly and being mercenarie fellowes wee shall see them within a few weekes ring the changes 2. Our Brethren of Scotland have borne with much patience and long-suffering quietnesse of spirit and humiliâ—ie infinite reproaches evill speakings against in City Countrey by all sorts of Sectaries passed by also manie affronts neglects abuses offered them and when manie things in
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
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
Reply as followes reserving the greatest part I have to say till my full and particular Reply to Mr Saltmarsh and his fellowes shall come forth that as t is a strange bold assertion to affirm not only for himself but for all the Parish that they know 't is a meer untruth which implies thus much that Mr Saltmarsh does not only assuredly know all things that all the women in the Parish do but all what ever the whole Town of Brasteed knowes for else how can he say so of all the women and all the inhabitants of that place so t is an untrue assertion for some who live at Brasteed do not know it to be an untruth but beleeve it to be a truth for one Mr. Wheatly a godly able Minister who lives at Brasteed in a Gentlemans house and hath lived there this two years told me very confidently this Relation of a woman in the presence of two Ministers besides two other Inhabitants of the Town who have lived longer in Brasteed then Master Saltmarsh affirme the same and three godly Ministers living neer to Brasteed have told me also there is such a woman of whom this is commonly spoken and a Citizen in London an honest man having some relation to Brasteed and knowing the place tels me there is such a woman as is reported by many of Brasteed to be a preaching woman and he coming lately out of Kent told me that upon the way meeting with a Gentleman of the Committee who discoursing of Mr Saltmarshes denying there was any such woman in Brasteed and was speaking against my Book this Citizen replyed he beleeved it to be true and offered to lay a twenty shilling peece that there was such a woman but the Gentleman durst not and besides all this the Minister who first told me having lately been written unto about it in a Letter by way of answer stands to that Relation which is laid down in Gangraena But of this in my full and particular Reply the Reader shall receive more large satisfaction only for present from what I have now said though there be much more behinde I leave to the consideration of any judicious and unprejudiced Reader whether I had not ground enough to writ as I did and whether there be not more reason to beleeve so many affirmative witnesses then one negative who may not know all that 's done in Brasteed for such a thing may be and he never the wiser besides Master Saltmarsh being a Sectary is a party and his testimony is by me proved to be false in affirming all in that place know it to be a meer untruth whereas the contrary is the truth divers living in that Town relating the story of a woman Preacher there All that Master Walwyn the Marchant either in his Pamphlets entituled A whisper in the Eare of Master Thomas Edwards or a word more to Master Thomas Edwards labours to disprove in matter of fact contained in my Book entituled Gangraena is that I have wronged him and falsified in saying Mr Walwyn a Seeker and a dangerous man a strong head as also in my Relation of Mr Lilburn the informations given unto me of both of them being such as if they had been made a purpose to shame me to all the world Now by way of Reply first concerning Mr Walwyn himself I am confident that every judicious Reader who hath but read Mr Walwyns Pamphlets out of them will acquit me that I have said nothing of him but truth he being out of his owne mouth and writings condemned for a dangerous man a Seeker and a strong head as many who knew him not before from reading his Pamphlets have told me that he hath justified to the world what I have said of him but I shall at large make good this against the man in my full Reply to him and his fellowes following him from place to place from person to person with whom he hath conversed and from one thing to another that he hath had his hand in wherein I shall lay him open to the world and prove him to be a dangerous man yea a desperate dangerous man a Seeker and Libertine a man of al Religions pleading for all and yet what Religion he is of no man can tel A man of an equivocating Jesuitical spirit being full of mental reservations equivications as appears by the sense he hath put upon the Nationall Covenant there being hardly any Jesuit could have put a more equivâ—call interpretation upon the Covenant then himself And I desire the Reader to observe what I now say of M. Walwyn Since his first Book came forth against me I have enquired and spoken with many honest godly men about M. Walwyn who know him well and all of them with one consent and voyce though I have enquired of them apart concerning him and the men know not one another yet all agree that Mr Walwyn is a dangerous man and a desperate man For present I will only alledge two Testimonies reserving others till my full Reply which I beleeve will be full and speak home and the parties who witnesse will be ready before any Committee or Court of England if called to restifie as much The first was given me in writing March 30. 1646. subscribed by the hand of him who brought it to me and delivered to me in the presence of two godly Citizens as his hand and that which he would maintain to be truth and produce other witnesses for the proof of it when he should be call'd by Authority and t is as followes Inprimis That Mr Walwyn did say it was a sin to pray for the King and that it would lie as a sin upon the Preists so to delude the people and that he did admire at our Preists that they should stand bauling and praying for the King that God would turn his heart and say of him that he was the anoynted of God And he said they were glad to doe it namely the Ministers because if the King maintain them in their way they would cry him up to the people And M. Walwyn being asked how we should performe the Covenant we had taken to maintain the Kings honour he said he remembred no such clause in the Covenant And further he said that he did much admire at the simplicity that was in the hearts of the people that they should suffer themselves to be Governed by a King and that under such a government the Kingdome could not be safe He being asked what he thought of Mr Marshall M. Calamy M. Sedgwick and other godly Ministers he answered and said they were a company of Mountebancks and that they kept the people in ignorance and blindnesse and that they preached nothing but what we know already and that he knew no Scriptures for them to be Preachers more then other men as he named Shoemakers Coblers Weavers or Sopeboylers and the like absolutely speaking against all Congregations and Ministers and that if
Cretensis knows not how his minde may change again and what New Light he may yet have and so he will stay till he dyes that we may have it altogether and without any more change Cretensis Sect 15. pag. 17.18 19. with a great many of flourishing words and a bold face labors to possesse the Reader That in my Antapology and Gangraena I have done nothing else almost but labored with might and main to call for fire from Hell to destroy the Saints to inflame the powers of this world with hatred and bloodinesse of spirit against the Sons and Daughters of God and to importure the Civil Magistrate to pour out themselves in wrath and indignation against them charging me with a bloody Negotiation in writing Gangraena inveteracenesse and Dragon-likenesse of spirit and how diametrally opposite in the cause and courses I take against Sectaries I am to Christ Paul Austin Calvin and Luther Reply Cretensis goes upon a false foundation supposing all those to be Saints the Sons and Daughters of God whom I speak against in Gangraena which is stark false and of which I shall give in my large Reply a satisfactory account to the world of that mistake for however they are Cretensis Saints they are none of Gods Saints and the man erres not knowing the Scriptures they may well go for Saints in Cretensis Kalender but never in my Creed neither go they for Saints in Mr. Thomas Goodwins late Sermon before the House of Commons but are there blotted out by him 2. What ever I speak in both my Books upon this point to the Civil Magistrate is no other but what the Scripture clearly holds out and though I have done it with affection and zeal yet not with bitternesse nor bloodinesse and I am confident that Cretensis nor all his compeers cannot in all their râ—ading shew me two Books of any Divine who proves so much and so foul things as I do in my Antapology and Gangraena written with more moderation fairnesse and with lesse bitternesse and â—et Cretensis in his 〈◊〉 Book instance in any bloody bitter passages alwayes provided he wrest not words nor leave out no part of sentences 3. The Sectaries themselves and Cretensis too will one day confesse Master Edwards in opposing Errors Heresies discoveriâ—g them and stirring up the Magâ—strates to their duty was their good Friend a merciful man one who both with fear and compassion would have saved them out of the fire and I would ask Cretensis whether are they more merciful tender that will not let little Children sick persons mad men do what they will go where they please eat what they list or they who use all good means to hinder them and provide wholsome food and medicines for them yea I am of the minde before a yeer comes about the Magistrates and Kingdom will say Master Edwards and those men who either by Writing or Preaching spoke most against the Errors Heresies Schisms of the times and Toleration and stirred us up to hinder and suppresse their growth were most merciful both to the souls and bodies of men and to the Kindoms and far from bloodinesse bitternesse or inveteratenesse 4. Whosoever doth but well read the Scriptures and observe what quick sharp passages are there recorded to have come from the mouth of Christ and his Apostles against Errors Heresies and false Teachers yea sharper and more spoken against false Doctrines and false Teachers then against bad manners as for instance Matthew 7.15 Galatians 1.8 9. and 5.10 12.2 Peter 2.1 2 3.2 Iohn 9.10 11. the whole Epistle of Iude Revelation 2.14 15 20 22 23. with a hundred other such will never blame me for bitternesse bloodinesse inveteratenesse c. furiousnesse and over eagernesse in my opposing Errors and false Teachers who according to my poor measure have endeavoured in opposing Errors to follow the Example of Christ and his Apostles though I have fallen far short of my duty in this kinde not improving my time and â—alents but wanting in that Zeal Courage Diligence requisite to this work And however Cretensis and his Compeers think I have over-done yet I have great cause to be deeply humbled for doing no more and to hie me into my Study and cry misirere mei Domine But to draw to a conclusion I shall in this case Answer Cretensis and all the Sectaries who accuse me and cry out of my eagernesse and over-doing as Luther did Erasmus charging him for too much vehemency But that I have dealt in this cause more vehemently I confesse it a fault if it be a fault yea I do wonderfully rejoyce this testimony to be given to me in the world in the cause of God And O that God himself would confirm this testimony in the last day who then should be happier then Luther who is commended by such a testimony of the age he lived in that he did not handle the cause of truth slothfully and deceitfully but vehemently enough or rather too much Then should I happily escape that of Jerem. Cursed be he that doth the work c. 5. The bitternes bloodines c. with which Cretens labours to load me will be found in Cretensis and the Sectaries and as they grow in power and number will be discovered every day more and more can any man think that Cretensis who hath so much rage and malice in his heart and so much gall in his pen as he discovers in this Book against all Presbyterians would not if he had power do as much with his handâ— and be another Bonner or another Iohn of Leyden God keep the Presbyterians out of the hands of the Independents and Sectaries when they come to have power and think they are strong enough to Master them doth not Cretensis discover his bloody mindednesse against me in the three last lines of this 15. Section inviting as it were some of his Sectaries to fall upon me preaching that doctrine to them That whatsoever I shall suffer by any Sectary for writing against them I shall suffer but as a Malefactor and an evil doer Now for proof of the bloody mindednesse persecution and liberty of Conscience which the Sectaries will give the Orthodox when they come to be stronger and of all the means they use and wayes they take to give the Presbytery liberty of Conscience I shall in my full Reply to Cretensis speak at large only for present thus much they labour to get all the power of Arms they possibly can into their hands and the command of all the great Towns and Ciâ—ies and by one way or other to turn out of place keep out obstruct blast all cordial zealous Presbyterians all which no doubt are done to give the Presbyterians liberty of conscience and now they give the Presbyterians good words viz. that they will send them packing to Rome that it were a good deed they were hanged and knocked on the head their guts goared out that they are Antichristian Priests cursed Priests
care of one God the Son of the second and God the Holy Ghost of the third Kingdome he prayed also for Jesus Christ that God would c. A godly Minister in Northamptonshire told mee April 17. that there was a Sectarie in his Parish a Yeoman who hath said it to him and to many others that now the time is coming when wee shall all have and bee alike ☞ I shall have as much estate as such a Knight naming a Knight of great estate in that Countie one Sir W. W. Thâ— Sectarie also holds there is no Hell There is a godly Minister in Essex who related this storie to me April 6 in the presence of a Minister of the Assembly and hee who told it mee had it from the mans owne mouth whom this Minister knowes well to be an honest godly man This man viz. one Master A. living at R. in Essex a godly religious man and an old acquaintance of Master Sâ—idr Sympson coming up to London and meeting with M. Sympson among other discourse asked him if hee might come to his Church and whether the Sacrament of the Lords Supper would be administred the next Lords day and whether hee might come to it Master Sympson answered yes hee had the Lords Supper and hee might come whereupon this Master A. went and after Sermon stayed with the rest of the company to partake in the Lords Supper and joyning with them received the bread which when hee had received there were some of the Church-members began to take notice hee was none of their Church and there was a great stir and muttering about it and they told him they admitted none but of their Church-way whereupon this religious man was not permitted to partake of the Cup but was glad to withdraw the Independents dealing with him though a godly man and a visible Saint because hee was not one of their members just as the Papists do with the people allowing them the Bread but not the Wine When all was done this Master A. went to Master Sympson and spake to him saying Sir Did not you tell mee I might come to the Lords Supper at your Church Master Sympson replyed I said you might come but not that you might receive Vpon this businesse the honest man was much troubled and for their administring the Sacrament to him after the Popish manner they have lost a Proselyte of him this having quite turned him off from the Independents The same Minister at the same time related it to mee for certaine as a thing not only knowne to him but to many in the Countie of Essex that a compounded Sectarie an Anabaptist c. whose dwelling is at Castle-Henningham preached at Chelmsford in a house where as a common fame goes there wine and women good store and as he was preaching to the Sectaries there came by the house a kind of a wild Gentleman who was speaking against the Presbyterians and this man was brought in to the meeting whilest the Sectarie was preaching and as in the verie midst of their preaching there was wine and liquour drinking to one another so before they parted there was good store of it this wild Gentleman for his part spending about foure shillings who when hee was come away meeting some Gentlemen and others commended the men for honest men and praising their meetings said Why should they not have the libertie of their consciences The Sum of a Sermon preached by a Sectarie and of some Conferences with Sectaries On New-years day Ian. 1. 1645. a Surgeon belonging to the Army preached at one Goodman Bolters of Bere a Towne in the West on Colloss 2. out of vers 7. he observed All the Saints dutie is to believed and be thankfull he enlarged Where 's the humiliations repentings for sinne which your godly Ministers you say have taught you Out of ver 14. hee observed The hand-writing of ordinances the ten precepts faire written by the finger of God altogether taken away On ver 16. hee observed New Moons Sabbaths meats drinks empty things Sabbaths not to be observed shadowes and since Christs coming taken away he said we had deceitfull Ministery Sacraments Ordinances meats and drinks though their learned godly Ministers had told them that when they had consecrated them with their sanctified garments on they were holy and were to be given only to those to whom they pleased yet empty and shadowes too Afterwards being asked what he meant by these meats and drinks whether the elements consecrated to bee signes and seales to us in the Sacrament He said he knew no seale but the Spirit and for those things they were empty things and of no effect Out of ver 11 12. That there being three things in Baptisme a death buriall and resurrection Christ was baptism to us and the outward sign needlesse The same person in private in the house of a Reverend godly Minister Master R. in conference asserted That there is no Sabbath to bee kept since Christs fulfilling the Law since no command for it in the Gospell He being urged with places out of the Old Testament and fourth Commandement He and a Captain and one Lievtenant I. affirmed those belonged to the Jews not to us 2. Being urged in point of prayer for forgivnesse of sin with the Lords prayer The Lievtenant said that the Lords prayer when Christ gave it to his Disciples was spirituall to them but it is not so to us 3. The same Lievtenant being urged with Davids practice of bewailing â—in and craving pardon answered David was under a double covenant of the Law and of Grace we only under that of Grace and though a believer should commit as great sins as David murther adulterie there was no need for him to repent and that sin was no sin to him but a failing 4. The Surgeon and the rest being told by some parties present that they would believe that which their godly Ministers had taught out of the word he answered he doubted whether yet the word had been taught or no. Then the Surgeon asking what the word was being answered The Old and new Testament he replied He doubted whether those were the word or no. Then being asked what was the word he answered out of Iohn 1.1 and told us he knew no word but that Item This Surgeon and a Quartermaster-generall to the Regiâ—ent having conference with one Thomas Spere a Papist asked him How long he had absented himselfe from the Church of England it was answered twenty years They commended him for it and told him they had done so too and were not themselves of that Church And hearing from him of some of his opinions they told him by way of encouragement ☞ he said well and was able to say more for his way then all the Presbyterian Priests in Dorsetshire Lievtenant I. being asked what he thought of the Directorie answered Heâ— thought of it as of the Common-Payer and of that as of the Masse Being like wise asked concerning the
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
conceits That there is a Prophet arisen who is shut up for a time but at the end of this Summer is to come forth with power to preach the generall Restauration of all things which Prophet hath given a roll forth already into some hands in which roll many things are written and whoever hath that roll hath the spirit of prophecie He hath appointed some to be Publishers and Prophets and to go to Jerusalem to build it up where Abraham Isaac and Iacob shall meet them from Heaven and these persons thus sent unto Jerusalem are assured they shall never dye with many other of this kind But I will reserve these to make another book of and come to give the Reader some Corallaries drawn from the whole matter Certain Corallaries and Consectaries drawn from the Errours Heresies Blasphemies Practices and Stories of the Sectaries laid down in this present Book CORALL I. HEnce then from all these Errours Heresies Blasphemies Practices c. laid downe both in the first and second part of Gangraena we may see how far the Sectaries of our times have proceeded and how high they have risen In a word to summe up in one page what more at large is expressed in many sheets the Sectaries are gone verie farre both in damnable doctrines and wicked practices in holding principles and positions destructive to Church and State against all Government both Civill as well as Ecclesiasticall and that not only for the matter but in the 〈◊〉 and way of propagation and 〈◊〉 of them They have questioned and denyed all the Articles of faith and have justified and pleaded for all kind of errours and abominations They have denyed the Scriptures Trinitie the God-head of the Son and Holy Ghost Justification by Christ the Gospel Law holy duties Church Ministerie Sacraments and all Ordinances They hold there are no Devils no sin no Hell no Heaven no Resurrection no Immortalitie of the Soule And together with these they are against all Kingly government the King Lords the House of Commons as to have any thing to do in matters of Religion or in Civill matters any longer than the people who chose them think fit and to be chosen yeerly or ofâ—ner according as they carrie themselves yea against all kind of Civill government and Magistraticall power whatsoever as appeares by denying the power of imposition of taxes and assessments in denying the power of Magistrates over Church-members in cases of murther treason c. And as they have denyed all these so on the contrarie they have maintained and pleaded for all kind of blasphemous and hereticall opinions and loose ungodly practices yea they have publikely in print justified there should be an open Toleration for all these and if any man should so far degenerate as to beleeve there is no God nay come to blâ—spheme God and the Scriptures yet hee should not be troubled nor molested but enjoy the libertie of his conscience And they have not only pleaded thus but some of them have actually blasphemed God Christ the Spirit the Scriptures Ministers Sacraments and all holy Ordinances besides committing of horrible uncleannesses forsaking of husbands and wives as Antichristian being guiltie of thefts defraudings c. being partakers also of that horrid Rebellion of Ireland in justifying the Rebels that they did no more than what wee would have done our selves c. All these with many others as the pleading for stage-playes to be set up againe some or other of the Sectaries have been guiltie of and unto all these have added this moreover to canonize and cry up for Saints faithfull servants of God c. Antiscripturists Antitrinitarians Arrians Perfectists yea Blasphemers and Atheist â—o they be but for Independencie and against Presbyterie and particularly how is Paul Bâ—st that fearfull Blasphemer now he is in question by the House of Commons pleaded for by many Sectaries of our times and bitter speeches spoken against the House of Commons for medling with him yea and in print too hee is pleaded for and compared in a sort with Paul the Apostle Certainly neither we nor our Fathers before us ever heard or saw such evils of blasphemie heresie c. in this Kingdome as wee have done within these two or three last yeeres The worst of the Bishops and their Chaplains when they were at worst were Saints in comparison of many of the Sectaries of our times and would have abhorred as bad as they were such opinions and practices which some of the Sectaries magnifie cry up and pretend to do by vertue of new light the Spirit and as a matter of great perfection as for instance A mans or womans forsaking their owne husbands and wives and taking others at their pleasure out of pretence of casting off Antichristian yokes the pleading for a general Toleration of all Religions yea Blasphemies denying a Deitie out of pretence of libertie of conscience But what speak I of the Bishops and their Chaplains I am perswaded all the stories and relations of the Anabaptists and Schwenkfeldians in Luthers time of the Popes and Papists blasphemies of many Heathens and scoffers of the Scriptures Christian Religion as Galen Porphirius Lucian Iulian the Apostate c. do fall short of the blasphemies waies of our Sectaries Which of all these ever so blasphemed as Boggis or what storie is there since the creation of the world that mentions a more horrid wicked blasphemy than that of Boggis a great Sectarie pag. 133 134 135 Or where is there a blasphemy to be found beyond that spoken of in pag. 116 of this Book In a word to conclude this first Corollatie The Sectaries of our times have in many respects as in regard of breach of Covenant ingratitude falsnesse c. gone beyond the Sectaries of other ages and Kingdomes and done worse than their fathers justifying them in all their abominations which they committed and have vented and spread so many poysonous and dangerous principles and positions as are enough to corrupt and infect all the Christian world if the Lord in mercie do not prevent it CORALL II. HEnce then from all that I have laid down of the Sectaries of our times of their errours heresies blasphemies strange practices and their wayes of managing them we may learne what is like to become of them and their way and what their end will be namely confusion desolation and being brought to nought suddenly as in a moment and if ever God spake by me I am confident he will curse this Faction of Sectaries in England and cast them out as an abominable branch Me thinks I see their day a coming and drawing neere Heretikes and Schismatikes do not use to be long-lived no heresie as Luther speaks uses to overcome at the last What is become of the Arrians Donatists Novatians Pelagians c though they were like a mightie floud over-running and drowning all for a time yet like a floud they
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
a compleat and formed Heresie in any faithfull man if Schisme be not joyned and so consequently it will not much hurt the Church of God But Schisme of it self even with sound Doctrine in every point is a most greivous wickednesse which exceeds all other wickednesse I might out of the Fathers enlarge and show the great evill of Schisme both in it self and the effects of it how 't is a greater evill to rend the Church then to worship Idols yea that Martyrdome it self cannot profit a Schismatick that 't is so great an evill that the bloud of Martyrdome cannot blot it out so Cypr. and Chrysost. and that God hath more severely punished it then murâ—her and other great crimes Corah Dathan and Abiram for their Schism were punished more severely with the earth opening and swallowing them up quick then Cain and then those who made an Idoll so Optatus and Augustine but I shall leave the enlarging of these and the adding of more to a Tractate I intend of the nature of Schisme only by this and all the dreadfull examples laid down in the First and Second part of Gangraena as Wrighter Clarkson Hicb Webb Boggis Oats Ienney Mistris Attaway Niâ—bols Denne c. we may learn to see that Schism and Separation are great evills highly displeasing to God and that we have great reason to shun and flye from them as from a Serpent lest wee become Monsters of men and God give us up to a reprobate sense and a spirit of Errour In a word to conclude this Corallarie what the Apostle speaks to the Corinthians of Idolaters c. long before their time that these things happened unto them for examples and these things were their examples to the intent they should not be Idolaters c. that I may say of our times that all these spirituall punishments on Schismaticks in our dayes and times are our examples to the intent that wee should not separate from this Church and set up other Churches lest God let us fall from Independency to Anabaptism and Antinomianism and from Anabaptisme to be Seekers and from Seekers to be Antiscripturists and Sceptiks yea Blasphemers and Atheists CORALL IV. HEnce then we see from all these Errours Heresies Blasphemies proceedings of the Sectaries That Magistrates Ministers and other Christians Masters of families Parents c. have been asleep and too carelesse that so many tares have been both sowed and are grown up to such an head If the Magistrates Ministers and Christians every one in their places and callings had been awake and watchfull improving their power authority gifts for purity of Doctrine and Unity the field of this Kingdome could not have been so sowen with tares nor the garden of this Church so overgrown with weeds yea briers and thorns Christ tels us in the Parable Matth. 13.25 While men slept the enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat that is the Divell takes occasion by the negligence and slothfulnesse of those that have the charge of others to doe mischiefe in Gods Church The Prophet Isaiah showes Isa. 56.9 10. that All the beasts of the field yea the beasts of the forrest come to devoure viz. Hereticks and Schismaticks resembled to wolves foxes c. enter in not sparing the Flock and the reason is The watchmen are blinde dumb dogs they cannot bark sleeping lying down loving to slumber that is their Rulers both Ecclesiasticall and Civill that should watch the approach of the enemy and be as watchfull mastives to give warning of theeves approaching to the house or wolves to the flock are either dumb or drunk or fast asleep And truely we may thank the connivance and winking of Magistrates the silence and forbearance of Ministers the want of zeal in Masters and Parents that spirit of slumber and sleepines that hath fallen upon the Kingdom for all the tares wilde oats and weeds that are grown and sprung up among us And to all the sorts of Sects in this Kingdome which I have named as Seekers c. I may add this of Sleepers and Dreamers which I am afraid are the most generall of any other there being too many Sleepers in all places and among all ranks in Citie Countrey among the Magistrates Ministers and private Christians and would to God this were the worst in this Kingdome that many both in Magistracy and Ministery were onely sleepy and heavie and that they were not in a dead sleep in a lethargie that nothing can awake them but 't is too apparent that God hath powred out upon many the spirit of deep sleep and hath closed their eyes even Rulers and Seers hath hee covered and all the Sermons Books Speeches which one would think would awaken men are as the word of a book that is sealed which men deliver to one saying Read this and he saith I cannot for it is sealed nay not onely so but this is the condition of this Church and State that many who are dead asleep as in reference to prevent or suppresse the sowing of Heresies and Schisms are awake and alive yea watchfull at midnight and waiting upon all opportunities to promote and further Heresie Schism and to hinder crosse all means for the suppressing of them witnesse the many Emissaries sent forth into most parts of this Kingdome witnesse the many books written sermons preached for them witnesse those who stand up for and use all means to bring off Sectaries when in question c. witnesse many who professe to be against Independency and for Presbytery to be with us that upon all occasions even before the Parliament and in other places heal the hurt of this Kingdome slightly and dawb with untempered morter preaching that our errours are not so many that there are them who make them to be more then they are and call Truths of God Errours and they say that in other times as in the Primitive Church c. there were greater errours and therefore wee need not be so troubled But for my part I look upon this luke-warm temper remissenesse in reference to the faith once delivered to the Saints which hath possessed so many in this Kingdome Magistrates Ministers and people as that which may hazzard all and may once more provoke God to spue out of his mouth the luke-warm Angel that is neither cold nor hot And to draw towards a conclusion of this I shall speak to those in authority in the words of the Prophet David Psal. 2.10 11 12 Be wise now therefore O yee Kings be instructed ye Iudges of the earth Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling Kisse the Son lest hee be angry and yee perish from the way The summe of which Scripture is an exhortation to Kings Parliaments and all sorts of Governours in high place 1. To lay aside pride and self-conceit of their own carnall wisdomes and with meeknesse to receive the yoke and Government of Christ laid down in his word and by their Lawes and Ordinances to
serve Christ in establishing the true worship of God and to suppresse all false worship and doctrine 2. Hee calls upon Kings and Judges to be wise implying First That the conceit of their owne wisdome by which they are pufâ—ed up hinders them from learning that which is their duty and truely right Secondly implying Magistrates of all sorts both Kings and Judges are subject to want spirituall wisdome and to be fooles to goe by crooked rules of carnall policie as Ieroboam fearing to lose parties to part with any State-interest c. rather then to keep close to the word of God to doe their duties and to trust him 3. The Psalmist teaches Kings and Judges wherein true wisdome and understanding consists viz. in serving the Lord with fear and kissing the Son not onely in their own persons serving God and subjecting to him with the kisse of honour and reverence as ordinary private men but quatenus tales as Kings and Magistrates to submit their Scepters to Christ to serve him and to convert the power they have received from God to the propagation and defence of his Kingdome Then indeed as learned Gerhard speaks Kings and States serve Christ and kisse him if themselves doe not only receive the doctrine of Christ and imbrace it by faith but also with the power given them of God see to this that purity of doctrine shall be preserved in the Church Idolatrie and false worships shall be abolished wolves shall be driven from the fold of Christ the Ministers of the Church shall be competently provided for c. And Austin speaking upon these verses of the Psalmist in one of his Epistles saith To whom is it spoken Serve the Lord with fear c. Is it not to Kings But how do Kings serve the Lord with fear unlesse it be by a religious severity forbidding those things which are against the commands of the Lord For every one of them serves him after one manner as hee is a man after another manner as hee is a King for as hee is a man hee serves him in living faithfully but as hee is a King hee serves him in making Lawes commanding just things and prohibiting the contrary like as Ezechias served him in destroying idols groves and high-places like as Josias served him c. 〈…〉 â—4 God by the Prophet here threatens Kings and Judges that if they doe not serve him with fear and kisse the Sonne hee will be angry with them and they shall perish from the way that is the sudden fury of God shall surprize and intercept them whilest they are in the midst of their way so Calvin To perish or be lost in the way imports sudden destruction whilest they are in doing their actions so Ainsworth upon the place And for a conclusion of this Corallary O that any particular Members of Parliament who are for pretended liberty of conscience a Toleration of Sects favourers of Sectaries and out of those principles hinder all they can the setling of Religion and Government by civill sanction would often and sadly meditate upon this Scripture and be wise now whilest there 's time thus to serve the Lord lest suddenly when they least think of it they perish from the way and God make them examples for adhering so pertinaciously to the Sectaries and that party They may read in Ecclesiasticall Stories what hath befalleâ— Princes for not serving the Lord in fear and kissing his Son and they see before their eyes the many evils that have befallen the King and the great straights to which hee hath been reduced for favouring too much the Popish and Prelaticall party against the minde and humble desires of both his Kingdomes and can particular persons think who are not Kings but under that title of Judges that they can prosper long in standing for a Sectarian faction against the minde of both Kingdomes and that the Kingdomes will not see and desire to understand how it comes about and by whose means 't is that wee having taken a Covenant for uniformity in Doctrine Government c. and for extirpating of Heresie Schism and the Parliament having declared and made Ordinances for Presbyteriall Government and declared in some Declarations and Remonstrances against Anabaptists Brownists preaching of men not ordained and against leaving particular persons and Congregations to their own liberty that yet all things should be done quite contrary with an high hand For may not now whoever will both preach and gather separated Churches print and act against Presbyteriall Government and for all sorts of Sectaries Yea such persons are countenanced preferr'd in all places and to all kinds of Offices and imployments which makes many turn Independents and the most zealous cordiall men against Sectaries are displaced or discountenanced or obstructed c. These things doe seem strange and against all reason that the Parliament professing and declaring one thing yet the quite contrary in all things of this nature should be done daily in Citie and Countrey In the worst times when the King was most mis-led by the Councels of Prelats and evill men about him there were not actions more contrary in many Ministers of State and other persons to Proclamations and Declarations then are now to Ordinances Declarations and Votes of Parliament and yet we hear of few censured or made examples Now the people every-where say These things could not be persons durst not be thus bold to doe these things but that they know they have some great ones to back them and stand by them and the people enquire after and speak who they be and questionlesse will represent these things as unsufferable and as most dishonourable to the Parliament and they will humbly desire these things may be remedied by the power and wisdome of the Parliament and therefore O that all such would be wise in time be wise now desert the Sectaries further the work so much the more as before they have hindred it for there is an emphasis and weight in that Adverb now signifying they should do it speedily because the same opportunity will not be alwayes given and the Psalmist hints they may yet do it profitably if they make haste but if any doe persist and goe on working day and night rolling every stone to uphold that party he that strikes thorow Kings in the day of his wrath will not spare them and they shall finde by sad experience when his wrath is kindled but a little blessed are all they that put their trust in him CORALL V. HEnce then from all the Errours Heresies Blasphemies and wicked Practices that are to be found among the Sectaries in their Assemblies and Conclaves let all such who have been deceived and drawn to them under pretences of greater purity holinesse c. and have any fear and awe of God and his Word be exhorted to leave and forsake them and to return to the publick Assemblies and communion of this and other Reformed Churches and I
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