vein going thorow the whole in one word the great Religion of that sort of men in the Army is liberty of conscience and liberty of preaching But heretofore both in times more ancient and latter and in other Countries severall sects kept themselves more to their own proper tenets without that generall conâ—usion of each running into all as the Arians Novatians and others in the first six hundred years and the Antinomians in Luthers time Secondly That all these sorts of sects how different soever yea and contrary to one another in many principles and opinions yet all agree in these times in separating from our Church refusing comunion in our publike Assemblies and in disallowing the authoritative power of Classes and Synods all the sects yea the worst of them as the Antiscripturists Arians Antitrinitarians Perfectists being Independents and Separatists though all Independents and Separatists be not Arians Antinomians c. which deserves the more to be thought on because in the Primitive times some heriticks and sectaries would have been glad of communion in warship with the Orthodox Arius desired to be received into the Church of Alexandria again and made such friends to Constantine that upon his pretending repentance he commanded Alexander the Bishop of Alexandria to give him the hand of fellowship and to admit him as also they approved of the power of Synods and Councels comming unto them The Arians Donatists and other Sectaries held many Councels as that of Tyrus Antiochia the first Councel of Carthage in Constantines dayes of these and many more we read of in Ecclesiasticall Histories I never read of any Independent Minister in all the Primitive Churches no not amongst the Sectaries for the first six hundred years save only in the dayes of Aurelius Bishop of Carthage who living in the fift Century in an African Synod and Councel held at Carthage declares There are many who conspiring with their own proper people who they do deceive scratching their itching eares and with fair speeches seducing men of a loose life or rather puffed up separating themselves from this society who think they must attend to their own proper people and being often called to the Councel refuse to come along left their absurdities and novelties should be discovered and made manifest against whom Aurelius moved that they might be deprived of all authority over their proper people as rebellious and disorderly which was consented to and voted by the whole Synod saying placet placet Thirdly That for the errours and opinions laid down in this Catalogue some are contrary and contradictory to others of them so that many of these errours fight among themselves this indeed is one great difference between truth and errour that truth though it be contrary to errour yet one truth is never contrary to another truth is one and uniforme but many errours are not only contrary to truth but to errours also yea some of these errours are most contrary to what ever could have been expected many of the persons who hold these opinions being fallen into some of the errours of Popery Arminianism Libertinisme and those of the grossest sort as the Reader in the Errours hereafter named may more easily perceive which they spoke so much against heretofore and for fear of which comming in upon us they first began to forsake this Church so that they have wheeled wheeled about so long on the right hand that they are perfectly come round to the left The Catalogue of the Errours Heresies Blasphemies is as follows 1. THat the Scriptures cannot be said to be the word of God there is no Word but Christ the Scripures are a dead letter and no more to be credited then the writtings of men not divine but humane invention 2. That the Scripture whether a true manuscript or no whether Hebrew Greek or English is but humane and so not able to discover a divine God Then where is your command to make that your Rule or Discipline that cannot reveal you God nor give you power to walke with God so that Christ letting out himself as he is in himself ought to be a Christians Rule in obedience to himself 3. That the Scriptures are unsufficient and uncertain there is no certainty to build any Dâ—ctrine upon them they are not an infallible foundation of faith 4. As the condition of Adam Noah Abraham Moses c. was that they did walke with God by the teaching of God so is ours that is not to limit Christ to Adam Noah Abraham Moses David Iohn and the Disciples As they were not to tye God to any things before them recorded but each of them had a new record so are not we to limit God in the generall records of those paths but wait upon him in the enlargement of the Gospell what he will record you and far be it from me to conclude either in Doctrine or practise that half of his glory is revealed as yet As that I should enclose Christ in such a small compasse as we have recorded though I rejoyce to understand it in the searching thereof yet pressing toward the marke for the price of the high calling of God waiting what he will record in my heart and in that measure worship him in spirit and truth from the teaching of the Spirit 5. That the holy writings and sayings of Moses and the Prophets of Christ and his Apostles and the proper Names Persons and things contained therein are Allegories and these Allegories are the mystery and spirituall meaning of them 6. That the Penmen of Scripture every one of them writ as themselves conceived they were the actions of their own spirit and for what is said they were moved by the holy Ghost that was no other Spirit then that which moved them to writ and speak other things for in him we live and move and have our being 7. That the Scriptures of the old Testament do not concerne nor binde Christians now under the new Testament so that when places of Scripture are brought out of the old Testament to prove Points many Sectaries make slight of them and say Give us a text out of the new we are ignorant of the old and hereupon some of them do not binde the old Testament with the new nor read it 8. That right Reason is the rule of Faith and that we are to beleeve the Scriptures and the Doctrine of the Trinity Incarnation Resurrection so far as we see them agreeable to reason and no farther 9. That the new Testament nor no place of Scripture in it binds any further then the Spirit for present reveales to us that such a place is the Word of God 10. To read Scripture in English to a mixt Congregation without present expounding it is dangerous and worse then to read it in Latine for in Latine as it doth no good so it doth no harme 11. That God hath a hand in and is the Author of the sinfullnesse of
evills of this kinde are grown to such a height as there is the more time for silence or for being afraid but of crying out and speaking plainly And I am confident when your Honours have read over my Book which I humbly desire you in the fear of God and for the glory of Christ to do as Luther bespeaks the reading of an Epistle of his that will be a just Apologie with you for my freenesse and boldnesse O the evil of â—hese times would put zeal into the heart of any man who hath any lâ—ve to the glory of God his truth and the souls of people and make the stammering tongue to speak 〈…〉 to speak and cry out Croesus son who was born dumâ—be wheâ— he saw one going to kill his Father spake and cryed out O kill not Croesus And now when our Father our Saviour and blessed Spirit are wounded by damnable heresies and blasphemies and many precious souls destroyed can we be silent O cursed be the silence and flattery that is in such a time as this For now things are grown to a strange passe though nothing is now strange and every day they grow worse and worse and you can hardly conceive and imagine them so bad as they are no kinde of blasphemy heresie disorder confusion but either is found among us or a coming in upon us for we in stead of a Reformation are grown from one extreme to another fallen from Scylla to Charibdis from Popish Innovations Superstitions and Prelaticall Tyranny to damnable Heresies horrid Blasphemies Libertinisme and fearfull Anarchy our evils are not removed and cured but only changed one disease and Divell hath left us and another as bad is come in the room yea this last extremity in which we are fallen is far more high violent and dangerous in many respects all which in an Epistle cannot be contained but are laid down in the following Book in many places specially in the eleventh Corollary Luther in an Epistle to Spalatinus calls want of freedome in a Minister irremissible peccatum an unpardonable sin and silence in the neglecting of truth a wicked silence and in an Epistle to Staupitius saith Let me be found any thing a proud man an adulterer murderer and guilty of all wickednesse so as I be not convicted of wicked silence whilst the Lord suffers The consideration of which makes me well contented to run the venture of being accounted proud saucy peremptory and of incurring the hazard of your displeasure by speaking freely though I hope better things then to let the glory and honour of Christ and his truth suffer any longer by my silence for I call the most High GOD to witnesse that so far as I know my own heart what freedome I here use in laying open the state of things before you is not out of any sinister respect or any pleasure I take in this liberty for I have had many carnall reasonings and conflicts in my spirit against it but only out of the great necessity of the times moved thereunto out of love and zeal to the glory of God and his truth my faithfulnesse to your Honours compassion to the souls of those for whom Christ dyed and the delivering of my own soul in the discharge of my conscience Great Persons as Princes Nobles and Counsellours through their high places multitude of affairs flatteries are subject to great failings and infirmities as both Scriptures and all Histories shew but this hath been the praise and honour of some of them that upon being minded by faithful Ministers of their faults they have laid it to heart Theodosius that Noble Emperour had many infirmities as that cruell fact of his against the inhabitants of Thessalonica as his being angry out of measure against the people of Antiochia as his lenity towards Arians whom he permitted to keep Conventions in chief Cities but in all his faults this is observed and admired by the Ecclesiasticall Historians who writ of him that he ever gave place to wholsome admonitions and amended upon being dealt with as by Flavianus Bishop of Antiochia Amphilochius Bishop of Iconium Ambrose Bishop of Millain and he took Ambroses liberty of speaking to him so well that he did not only give him thanks but said of him to his praise I have at length found a master of truth for I have known Ambrose only a Bishop worthy of that name It was one of the sins of the Prelates and Court Chaplains for which among others God hath cast them out to flatter and the sin of the Court that the Ministers that preached there must sing placentia speak smooth things Now far be it from such a High Court of Parliament as you who above other Parliaments are in solemne Covenant with God for Reformation Nationall Domâ—sticall Personall and have professed to engage your hearts for God and his work and from the Ministers who stand up for you and adhere to you to be faulty in the same kinde Be pleased therefore in the midst of your many great affairs which even swallow you up and by reason of which you have not time to hear and know all things concerning the State of Religion to suffer one of your daily Remembrancers to God to be Gods Remembrancer to you You have most Noble Senatours done Worthily against Papists Prelats and scandalous Ministers in casting dowe Images Altars Crucifixes throwing out Ceremonies c. but what have You done against other kinds of growing evills Heresie Schisme Disorder against Seekers Anabaptists Antinomians Brownists Libertines and other Sects You have destroyed Baal and his Priests but have you been zealous against golden Calves and the Priests of the lowest of the people are not these grown up and dayly increase under you are any effectuall meanes used against them You have made a Reformation and blessed be God who put it into your hearts to do such things but with the Reformation have we not a Deformation and worse things come in upon us then ever we had before were any of those monsters heard of heretofore which are now common among us as denying the Scriptures pleading for a Toleration of all Religions and worships yea for blasphemy and denying there is a God You have put down the Book of Common Prayer and there are many among us have put down the Scriptures slighting yea blaspheming them You have broken down Images of the Trinity Christ Virgin Mary Apostles and we have those who overthrow the Doctrine of the Trinity oppose the Divinity of Christ speak evill of the Virgin Mary sleight the Apostles You have cast out the Bishops and their Officers and we have many that cast down to the ground all Ministers in all the Reformed Churches You have cast out Ceremonies in the Sacraments as the Crosse kneeling at the Lords Supper and we have many cast out the Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper You have put down Saints dayes and we have many make nothing at all of the Lords dayes and
his coming is not a word mentioned of any thing done by him in way of satisfying God Christs coming was more like a conquerour to destroy the enemy in our nature and so to convince us of the love of God to us by destroying in our nature that which we thought stood between God and us 41. That the unction which the Saints are said to receive from the holy one 1 Iohn 2.20 is one with the Christ hood of Christ. 42. That Christ was a legall Preacher for till after his Ascension the Gospel was not preached Christ lived in a dark time and so he preached the Law but afterwards then the Gospel came to be preached 43. That Christ shall come and live again upon the earth and for a thousand years reign visibly as an earthly Monarch over all the world in outward glory and pomp putting down all Monarchy and Empires 44. That when Christ in his own person hath subdued the disobedient Nations then the Church of the Jews and Gentiles shall live without any disturbance from within or without it all Christians shall live without sin without the Word Sacraments or any Ordinance they shall passe those thousand yeers in worldly delights begetting many children eating and drinking and enjoying all lawfull pleasures which all the creatures then redeemed from their ancient slavery can afford 45. That men may be saved without Christ and the very Heathens are saved if they serve God according to the knowledge God hath given them though they never heard of Christ. 46. That the least Truth is of more worth then Jesus Christ himself 47. Christ by his death freed all men from a temporall death which Adams sin only deserved by purchasing them a resurrection and hath opened them a way to come to the Father if they will thus far he died for all no farther for any 48. The Spirit of God dwels not nor works in any it is but our conceits and mistakes to think so 't is no spirit that works but our own 49. That the same spirit which works in the children of disobedience is that spirit which sanctifies the hearts of the elect 50. That there is a perfect way in this life not by Word Sacraments Prayer and other Ordinances but by the experience of the spirit in a mans self 51. That a man baptized with the holy Ghost knows all things even as God knows all things which point is a deep mystery and great ocean where there is no casting anchor noâ— sounding the bottome 52. That if a man by the spirit knew himself to be in the state of grace though he did commit murther or drunkennesse God did see no sin in him 53. That sanctification is not an evidence of Justification and all notes and signes of a Christians estate are legall and unlawfull 54. Beleevers have no inherent sanctification nor spirituall habits of grace infused into their hearts but all their sanctification is that which is inherent in Christ and they for this and no other cause are said in Scripture phrase to be sanctified but because of Christs sanctification and inherent holinesse 55. Though Adam had continued in his estate of innocencie and not fallen yet he had died a naturall death for death now is not a fruit of sin to beleevers 56. Gods Image on man is only our face and countenance and every wicked man hath therefore Gods Image as well as good men 57. That Adam and so man-kind in him lost not the Image of God by his fall only incurred a temporall or corporall death which was suspended for a time upon the promise of a Saviour 58. There is no originall sin in us only Adams first sin was originall sin 59. That the guilt of Adams sin is imputed to no man no man is punished for Adams sin 60. That one man is no more spirituall then another nor is there any such inward difference between man and man but all the spiritualnesse and difference lyes without us in the Word which guides some men and not others 61. That all men who have the Gospel preached to them and so manifested to their understandings are immediatly without any more ado able of themselves to beleeve and receive Christ 62. There is no free-will in man either to good or evill either in his naturall estate or glorified estate 63. That there is a power in man to resist grace and that the grace which would convert one man would not convert another 64. Naturall men may do such things as whereunto God hath by way of promise annexed grace and acceptation and that if men improve their naturall abilities to the utmost in seeking grace they shall finde it 65. That regenerate men who have true grace may fall totally and finally away from the state of grace 66. That the morall law is of no use at all to beleevers that 't is no rule for beleevers to walk by nor to examine their lives by and that Christians are freed from the mandatory power of the law 67. Persons justified are not justified by faith but are justified from all eternity 68. Neither faith nor repentance nor humiliation nor self-deniall nor use of Ordinances nor doing as one would be done to are duties required of Christians or such things as they must exercise themselves in or they can have no part in Christ. 69. True faith is without all doubts of salvation and if any man have doubts of his salvation his faith is to be noted with a black mark 70. That To credere faith in a proper sense is imputed to justification and not Christs righteousnesse imputed to justification 71. That the doctrine of repentance is a soul-destroying doctrine 72. In the old Covenant that is before Christ came in the flesh in the Prophets dayes repentance is declared as a means to obtain remission and neither remission nor the knowledge of remission to go before but to follow contrition but this is not the Gospel which is established upon better promises 73. That 't is as impossible for Christ himself to sinne as for a child of God to sin 74. Thâ—â— there ought to be no fasting dayes under the Gospel and thâ—t men ought not to afflict their souls no not in a day of humiliation 75. That God doth not chastise any of his children for sin and let beleevers sin as fast as they can there is a fountaine open for them to wash in and that not for the sins of Gods people but for swearers and drunkards the land is punished 76. That beleevers have nothing to do to take care or to look to themselves to keep from sin God must look to them if he will 77. God loves his children as well sinning as praying hearing and doing the holiest duties he accounts of them never the better for their good works nor never the worse for their ill works 78. That Gods children are not at all to be humbled troubled or grieved for sin after
as good Scriptures as the Apostles upon occasion of quoting that Scripture in Rom. 7. of Pauls complaining of â—inne it hath been answered Paul was a novice and that was his weaknesse and that Paul understood not Christ in the promise and that hee for his part understood the mystery of God in Christ better then Saint Paul When that Scripture in Gal. 5.12 was objected to one that pleaded for liberty of conscience the answer was he thought the Apostle was in a great passion A Minister in Hartfordshire bringing a place of Scripture against an Anabaptist to confute him in some opinion he held the Anabaptist confessed he could not answer it but said it was the weaknesse of the Apostle and there he wanted the spirit Another Sectary denying the Resurrection of the dead and some of of the Church coming to admonish him of that Errour and bringing Scripture to prove it hee answered This is Scripture to you but not to me Poedobaptisme hath been blasphemed by many reproachfull speeeches the Lords Prayer hath been slâ—ighted and scornfully spoken of the whole Ministery of all the Reformed Churches with their Ordination worke of preaching c. scorned and abused in severall Pamphlets The Presbyteriall and Synodicall Government reproached in all vâ—lde and scoffing language call'd devillish Antichristian and all to naught resembled to the Beast in the Revelation the Civil Government and Magistrates have been blasphemed with their Ordinances Orders and supream Court of Judicature the Parliament call'd Antichristian and the Committee of Examinations jeared by way of comparing it to the Court of Inquisition and to the High Commission the solemn sacred and Nationall Covenant of the Kingdoms derided blasphemed in many Pamphlets that many pages would not contain them But I will not trouble the Reader to name any more of them Mr. Pryn in his fresh Discovery of New Lights hath extracted many passages of this kinde out of the Pamphlets of the Sectaries and in a libellous book entituled Englands Birtbright there 's more stuffe of the same kind Now having presented the Reader with the Errours and Blasphemies before I come to the Practices of the Sectaries I will relate some few Passages in the Prayers of the Sectaries which were vented either in publike Assemblies and Churches or in their private Church-meetings all within the compasse of a twelve-moneth or thereabouts Some Passages in the Prayers of the Sectaries ANd though wee are discountenanced by the Civil Magistrate which is a great thing after they have had our estates and our blood yet Lord c. When the blinde man was thrust out of the Synagogue by the Pharisees Jesus Christ met him so though wee are thrust out of the Common Assemblies and mens affections who formerly loved us c. Let the Spirit teach us wee may look four five yeers from an Assembly of men before they teach us c. Though they may with-hold the truth in Policie yet thy Spirit can teach us if all the Ministers in the world hold their peace c. Thou hast triumphed gloriously by a despised Army not only by our enemies but our seeming friends who indeed were our reall enemies vilifying those men whom thou hast been pleased to honour c. Another Independent Minister in his prayer prayed that the Presbyteriâ— might be removed that Christs Kingdome might be set up Another Independent Minister about the end of September last gave God thanks for breaking the neck of that wretched petition of the Citizens August last the tenth day being presently upon Lilburns committing to Newgate at Knowles Church in St. Hellens on a Lords day Mr. Knowles prayed these words or to this effect Lord bring thy servant Lilburn out of prison and honour him Lord for he hath honoured thee This last moneth in December one of the Independent Ministers in his prayers at a Lecture two or three severall Lectures prayed to God that the Parliament might give libertie to tender consciences One of the Independent Ministers at his Church-meeting in a house gave thanks unto God for the libertie of conscience granted in America and said Why Lord not in England as well as in America or words to that purpose Another Independent Minister in his prayer put up this petition O Lord make the Parliament friends to the Saints May 25. 1645. An Independent Minister praying for the Parliament prayed that God would keep the Parliament from greeving the Saints or doing any acts that might make them sad that they for whom so many prayers and praises had been put up by the Saints might not now grieve them April 24 the same Independent Minister in his prayer after Sermon prayed That now God had delivered us both namely the Presbyterian and Independent from such bondage and oppression we might not be guiltie of bringing our brethren into bondage left the Lord carrie us back again into Egypt for it The same prayed on August 1 joyning Parliament and Assembly together That they might do nothing but what the Saints should rejoyce in and be glad of About the beginning of September last a Reverend Minister of the Assembly who was an ear-witnesse related it and said he would acquaint the Commissioners of Scotland with it that an Independent Minister either in his prayer or Sermon used words to his effect of the Scots That it was just with God to bring this overthrow upon Scotland because of their beating their fellow-servants and that they could not be content with suffering their brethren to enjoy their libertie but must have a domination Having given the Reader an account of many errours and blasphemies of the Sectaries with some passages in their prayers I come now to relate many of their practices But the Reader must not conceive I can set down all or that any one man although of far greater abilities and leisure having also fairer opportunities of conversing among them with lesse suspition observing their wayes than my selfe is able to do it They have many depths wiles and methods which I know not nor cannot find out there are many windings and turnings of the Seâ—pâ—nt crooked goings in and out off and on here and there which I cannot trace The way of the serpent upon a rock is too wonderfull for me and which I know not Prov. 30 18 19. They Proteus-like turne themselves into all shapes and forms and according to severall occasions and times have different humours and tempers sometimes complying so that one would think all diffâ—â—ence would quickly be at an end and they were ours sometimes so far off and bâ—ck again as causes wonder and amazement in the beholders I have been told from godly and wise men who have had much to do with some of them and have professed to set themselves to studie and to observe them men who are moderate enough and have a speciall love to some of them that they know not what to make of them they are strange men nor cannot fadom
and in my full Reply I shall more largely and particularly specifie In one word Cretensis is a most ungodly Antichristian insolent proud malicious wrathful lying obscent scurrilous nonsense absurd contradictory piece Observ. 12. Cretensis in all his Books of Controversie and Answers of all sorts that I have seen and met with is of all Writers in this later age the greatest falsifier of Authors wresting them upon all occasions and that with a Gyant-like confidence against their own sense and contrary to what they are known ex professo to hold and he will not be beaten off from it as is apparent in his Treatises of Justification and in his Answer to Master Prynne and in this Book bringing in Master Ball for him in the point of Free-will Now this must arise either from that heretical genius of his that he sinneth being condemned of himself speaking lyes in hypocrisie having his conscience seared with a hot iron or else from a high flown mad fancy making things to appear which are not at all like to that mad man of Athens who thought all the Ships that came into the Haven were his though he never were sharer much lesse owner in any Ship so Cretensis sancies all learned Writers to be for him ' wheares indeed there never was any sound and Orthodox Divine for him as I shall shew more fully hereafter and divide Learned Master Gataker from him Observ. 13. Cretensis iust Cretian like fastens that upon me in my Gangraena affirming I say that which I do not as in pag. 28. Sect. 23. and doth father opinions upon me meerly from the leaving out of a word or two by the Printers over-sight Cretens pag. 23. though corrected in the second Edition and abroad full fourteen dayes before Cretensis which was either done wilfully and on set purpose against his knowledge or from his not reading over my Book but taking up things upon trust Observ. 14. There are many things in Cretensis Pamphlet which he pretends to Answer making much ado of and laboring to fasten upon me lyes nonsense c. which yet in the close after a great many high flown words Cretensis is forced to confesse them true and that both of himself and others though by many words he hath labored to pusle and cast a mist before the eyes of the Reader Observ. 15. I desire the Reader to observe that this Answer made by this great Rabbi is but snatches here and there answering Gangraena by great leaps as Leopards use to take Cretensis answers one passage out of p. 70. and then leaps to 128. taking another there and from p. 128. leaps back to p. 8. and after this sort the whole Answer is And for those pages where Cretensis fastens upon something to give an Answer unto even there he snatches takes not the whole what goes before nor what follows after so that after that rate of Answering if such kinde of Discourses must have the names of Answers how may not men elude and make nothing of the excellentest Books that ever were written by men yea of the Scriptures themselves and wrest them if they will not take one place with another and observe what goes before and what follows after And as this great Rabbies Answer is by snatches so 't is full of miserable shifts and poor evasions as among others pag. 16. Cretensis gives that reason why my Antapology hath not been Answered in 18. Moneths because the way by which light and truth should go forth into the world was hedg'd up by Clergy Classique Councelâ— as with thorns against him Now I wonder with what face Cretens can write this when as all men know the Independents have a Licenser of their own at hand Mr. Bachilor who is such a friend to all the world of Believers that certainly he cannot deny Cretensis Do not we daily see the man Licenses without either fear or wit all kinde of Pamphlets The Error of Anabaptism against Mr. Marshal the Error of Seekers in The Smoke of the Temple A pretended Answer of Mr. Saltmarsh to the Assemblies Petition and now Cretensis against Gangraena and will Mr. Bachilor with Clergy Classique Councels hedge up the way as with thorns against Cretensis Reply to Mr. Edwards Antapologiae Can Cretens think though his own deluded Church and other Sectaries may have so much Independent faith as to believe him that any Presbyterian hath so little wit as not to laugh at such folly why could not Iohn Bachilor as well leap over the hedge of Clergy Classique thorne to License a Reply to Antapologia as an Answer to Gangraena and pray Mr. Goodwin in your next account you give unto the world by publike writing give me an account why honest Iohn Bachilor could not as well leap over the hedge of Clergy Classique thorns to License a full Reply to Antapologia as to License A brief Answer to Gangraena But no more of this now Observ. 16. The Christian Reader may observe Cretensis as in this and his former Books so in all his preachings and ways to have all the characters and marks of false Prophets and false Teachers not only in his hands but upon his forehead so that if I would here enlarge I might clearly shew all that Christ and the Apostles spake of false Prophets are to be found in Cretensis but I will only instance in a few laid down by Peter and Iude in their Epistles and upon the propounding of them I know the Reader will say as face answereth face in glasse so doth Cretensis answer these Scriptures Peter saith of the false Teachers in his time that they speak great swâ—lling words of vanity and that they promise their followers liberty and Iude They are clouds without water carried about of winds raging waves of the Sea foaming out their own shame wandring stars their mouth speaking great swelling words having mens person in admiration because of advantage These be they who separate themselves sensual having not the Spirit Now I do appeal to any man who knows Cretensis either in his Writings or Preaching whether he be not a man that speaks great swelling words of vanity whether he doth not promise his followers liberty yea a universal liberty whether he be not a cloud without water â—â—ourishes and shews without substance whether he be not a raging-wave of the Sea foaming out his own shame witnesse his Answer a wandring star wandring from one opinion and Religion to another and lastly whether he be not a Separatist and sensual person without the spirit of love meeknesse humility zeal for Gods truth and of a sound minde In one word I do not think there 's any man in the Kingdom hath a more heretical head and heâ—â—e thâ—n Cretensis and unlesse God give him repentance and recover him out of those snares wherein he walks I fear if the man lives but one seven years he will prove as arch an Heretick and as dangerous a man as England ever bred and that
Authors preparation and expectation of all kind of reproaches and oppositions from the Sectaries in this work 8 His firm resolution by the grace of God not to feare nor be discouraged in this work but having such a cloud of witnesses to follow their example and to goe on with the more earnestnesse activity and courage the more he is opposed In the Book itself in the first Division pag. 1. are premised some particulars from the better understanding of this Book The Catalogue of Errours c. is not of old Errors opinions of a former age but of Errours now in being in these present times pag. 1 2. Though 't is not a full catalogue and perfect enumeration of all erroneous opinions c. of these times yet 't is the fullest that hath yet been made p. 2. The intent of this work not a formal confutation of errours and opinions but a discovery of them p. 3. Errors and strange opinions scattered up and down and vented in many Bookes Manuscripts Sermons Conferences drawne into one Table and disposed under certain heads p. 3.4 The errours and opinions contained in this book are laid down in terminis in their own words and phrases as neare as possible can bee pag. 4. The way laid downe of the proofe of the truth and reality of the errours blasphemies c. contained in this Tractate and that by a sevenfold way p. 4 5 â— All the errours and opinions mentioned in one and the same Catalogue not all alike p. 7. The Reader is fore-warned not to be hindred from beleeving the truth of things contained in this Book by all the clamours and reproaches cast upon it p. 8. Three Answers given to the first objection thâ—t may be against this Book as that it is not seasonable nor convenient to discover our nakednesse and weaknesse so far to the common enemy pag. 8.9 10. Foure Answrs to a second objection made against this book that it may cause distractions and divisions among our selves and may offend many good persons that are not Sectaries p. 1â— 12 The errours heresies c. of the times refered to sixteen heads or sorts of Sectaries p. 13. Among all these sorts of Sects there is hardly to bee found any Sect that is simple and without mixture but all the Sects are compounded p. 13. All these sorts of sects how different soever yet all agree in separating from our Church and in Indepency being all Independents and Separatists p. 14. The first Independent Ministers that we read of in Antiquitie and how they were proceeded against in a Councel held at Carthage p. 14 15. Some of the errors and opiâ—ions laid down in this Catalogue are contrary and contradictorie to others of them p. 15. The Catalogue of the Errours Heresies contained in p. 15 16 17 18 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31. The blasphemies of the Sectaries p. 32 33 34. Some passages in the Prayers of the Sectaries p. 34 35 A Parallel between our Sectaries and the Donatists agreeing in the particulars p. 37 38 39. The Sectaries and Jesuits agree in 7. things p. 4â— 41. The Sectaries and the Netherland Arminians agree in these eight particulars p. 41 42 43. A parallell between the Bishops and that Court-party heretofore and the present Sectaries in six things p. 43 44 45. The Sectaries and Malignants agree both in the generall and in three particulars p. 45 46 47 48. The Sectaries like Julian the Apostata and some other enemies of Christians in four things p. 48. 49. The difference in the carriage and behaviour these foure years last past all along of the Presbyterians both to the honourable Houses and to the Sectaries and of the Sectaries to the Parliament and to the Presbyterians 49 50 51 52 53. The Sectaries practices and wayes referred to ten heads p. 54. Some of their particular practices named to the number of 28. and laid down in pag. 54 55 56. c. unto 66. An Answer to an Objection what are practices of some men and matters of fact to a way it is arguments must convince men and not practices p. 66. A second Table showing the Contents of the second division of the first part of Gangraena Foure Letters written concerning the Sectaries from p. 1. to p. 9. Animadversions on the last Letter p. 9.10.11 An Extract of certaine Letters written by some Ministers concerning Sectaries from p. 12 to p. 18. A relation of some women preachers and of their doctrine 29 30 31 32. A relation of some stories and remarkable passages concerning the Sects from p. 17 to p. 42. An Extract of 2. Letters more 42 43. Some more remarkable passages concerning the Sectaries from p. 44 to p. 52. Sectaries annointing of the sick with oyl p. 6 44. A Love-Feast kept by some Sectaries with the laying on of hands upon their Members for receiving of the Holy Ghost p. 45. A petition drawne up by some Citizens preached against by Master Greenhill and M. Burroughs pag. 48 49 A discourse betweene Mr. Greenhill and M. Burroughs upon occasion of some wicked opinions maintained in the hearing of M. Greenhill p. 25. The great evill and mischief of a Church being long without a Government p 52 53. T is more then time to settle the Government and Discipline of the Church the many Errors Blasphemies cry aloud for a speedy setling of Church Government 53 54 55. The mischeif evill and danger of a Toleration and pretended liberty of Conscience to this Kingdome and how a Toleration is the grand designe of the Devil his master-peece chief engine 57 58 59 60. Independencie in England hath brought forth in a few years monsters of errours As Independency is the Mother and Originall of other Sects so it is the Nurse and Patronesse that nurses and safeguards them p. 61 62. M. Burton who was so zealous against Errours Arminianisme Innovations in the Bishops days can now let false Doctrines go unquestioned not writing against nor complaining to the Parliament of Sermons Books wherein all kind of false Doctrine is vented 62 63 64. The confusions and mischiefs we lye under charged upon the consciences of the Independenns as having been the great means of hindring and delaying the setling of Church-government pag 64.65 The Divell an active restlesse subtill Spirit when he can no longer doe things one way then he will try another pag. 65 66 67 68. New light and new truths a weake and deceitfull Argument to commend any way or opinion by all errours vented under this of new light p. 68. The true reason and cause of that great growth and increase of the Sectaries among us and so few falling to the Presbyterians is because the Sectaries opinions and practises are so pleasing to flesh and blood and sundry particulars are instanced in that feed the carnall hearts of men p. 69 70. An Apologie and Justification sufficient for those Ministers and people who are zealous for setling Religion and