apocalypsis, or, the revelation of certain notorious advancers of heresie wherein their visions and private revelations by dreams, are discovered to be most incredible blasphemies, and enthusiastical dotages : together with an account of their lives, actions and ends : whereunto are added the effigies of seventeen (who excelled the rest in rashness, impudence and lying) : done in copper plates / faithfully and impartially translated out of the latine by j.d. haestens, henrick van. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing r ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing r estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) apocalypsis, or, the revelation of certain notorious advancers of heresie wherein their visions and private revelations by dreams, are discovered to be most incredible blasphemies, and enthusiastical dotages : together with an account of their lives, actions and ends : whereunto are added the effigies of seventeen (who excelled the rest in rashness, impudence and lying) : done in copper plates / faithfully and impartially translated out of the latine by j.d. haestens, henrick van. davies, john, - . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing r ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread [ ], , [ ] p. : ill., ports. printed for john saywell ..., london : . "an alphabetical table ..." [i.e. index]: p. [ ]-[ ] at end. appeared also in: a view of all the religions in the world / alexander ross. london : [s.n.], . first edition, london, , translated by john davies from apocalypsis insignium aliquot haeresiarcharvm, lvgdvni-batavorvm : [s.n.], , which was from a dutch original: growelen der vornemsten hooft-ketteren. leyden: h.l. van haestens, . authorship attributed to hendrick lodevik van haestens. cf. d. clément, bibliothéque curieuse, t. . reproduction of original in huntington library. eng anabaptists. heresy. a r (wing r ). civilwar no pansebeia: or, a view of all religions in the world: with the severall church-governments, from the creation, to these times. also, a discov ross, alexander d the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the d category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion apocalypsis : or , the revelation of certain notorious advancers of heresie : wherein their visions and private revelations by dreams , are discovered to be most incredible blasphemies , and enthusiastical dotages : together with an account of their lives , actions , and ends . whereunto are added the effigies of seventeen ( who excelled the rest in rashness , impudence and lying , ) done in copper plates . faithfully and impartially translated out of the latine by j. d. the second edition . printed for john saywell , and are to be sold at his shop , at the sign of the grey-hound in little britain , and at the pile of bibles in the stocks fish-market , looking into lombard-street , over against the post-house , london , . to the excellently learned , edward benlowes of brenthall in essex esquire , &c. worthy sir , i have here presumed to present you with a strange and bloody tragedy of hereticks and enthusiasts , written in latine by a most elegant pen , by one who hath concealed his name , as i conceive out of this reason , that , living near the times and places of this representation , it might have proved dangerous to him to have published it . here you have religion brought upon the stage in very strange disguises , nay they make her act parts the most cōtrary to her nature , imbruing her white & innocent hands in blood , & massacres . but as she hath met with wolves to destroy and tear in pieces , so hath she also met with shepheards to heal and protect , and among those the most laborious author of {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} an●ebeia hath not bin the least considerable . his severe and most indefatigable labours in most parts of learning , are consummated in this piece of religion , wherein like an experienced anatomist , he hath left no vein un-cut up . to fall into excessive commendations of him , were to commit a moral absurdity , by praising one whom the general trumpet of fame hath blaz'd abroad for so great an advancer of virtue and learning ; but to trouble you with them , were yet to be so much the more importunate , whose conversation with him was so great , that whatsoever i may say of him , i shall not acquaint you with so much as your self know . nor did the influence of your patronage raise and animate onely him , but there are so many other monuments of your great encouragements to learning , that it will be thought modesty in me not to mention all . but your excessive benefactorship to the library of s. johns colledge at cambridge ( whereof i have sometimes had the honour to be an unworthy member ) i cannot passe over , as a thing , which will stand upon the file of memory , as long as learning shall find professors or children . and that which increases the glory of your munisicence , is , that that library may boast that it is furnished with the works of its owne sonnes , which , being the greatest act of retribution and gratitude that may be , must be accordingly acknowledged by all that shall come after . but that which hath the most engaged and satisfied the english world , is , that your endeavours have displayed themselves in their clearest light , in that one thing that is necessary , that is to say , religion , not only by being a constant assertor of her purity here in england , but in that , after more then ulyssean travels throughout most parts of europe , you have returned to your former enjoyments of that chast penelope , when others either out of weaknesse or surprise , are ensnared and besotted with the tenets of other countries , whereby they are both ingrateful and injurious to their own , by preferring the prudence and policy of another before hers . religion certainly , if well improved , is the talent , that felicifies the improver , if not , coademnes him . it is that universal patrimony , which entitles us to be the sonnes of god , and by which we are adopted into the assured hope of eternall hapinesse . it is the loadctone wherewith when our souls are once touched , they are directed to the right pole of the eternally beatificall vision ; and without which , wee must infallibly expect to split against the rocks and shelves of perdition . it is the consummation of heavens indulgence to mankind , that which doth familiarize us , and makes good our interest in the great being and cause of all things . it is the perfection of nature , since that whatsoever wee know of the divinity by her comes onely by the assistance and mediation of our sences , but the other furnishes us with a more evident assurance , ( and that , in things , which can bee neither seen , heard nor conceived ) , by the more particular providence of grace and faith , whereby hee is pleased to how down the heavens , and descend unto a familiar conversation with our very spirits . but that which ought further to endear all men to religion , is , that she only next to god may pretend ubiquity , as being a thing written in such indelible characters in the hearts of all men , that even the most barbarous nations , and the greatest strangers to civility and policy have acknowledged some divine worship , though their pravity or want of instruction , may have blinded them from the true , but yet that eclipse of the true god hath not been total , insomuch , as they have still retained a sense and veneration of religion , so that to the best of their imaginations , they have created something like god to themselves . to make this yet more evident , we are to note , that most people , though they had not so clear apprehensions of the immortality of the soul , as we have ; yet were they not only perswaded of the impossibility of its annihilation , but have also acknowledged rewards and punishments to be expected after this life . to ascend yet a little higher ; the divinity and preheminence of religion is demonstrated , in that it exerciseth that empire and soveraignty over the mind of man , that no blandishments of the flesh , no temptations , no torments have been able to dispossesse it . it hath triumph'd in the midst of its persecutions ; and by her sufferings hath conquered her persecutors . her pleasing ravishments can stifle for a time all sence of humanity , elude flames , and racks , and so arm the delicacie and tenderness of virgin purity , as to overcome the hardiest tyrants . it is she that raises our soules to a holy boldnesse and intimacy in our addresses to heaven , being indeed rapt into the heavens of divine contemplation , by her extasies and illuminations . it was her inspiring communication , that elevated your pious soul , when you described the divine perfections of the incomparable theophila . these things can she do and greater , when there is but one grain of true faith ; but when she is defiled and adulterated with humane ceremonies and inventions , she is deformed , and looses all her grace and beauty . and among these hath she met with two most importunate pretenders , atheisme and superstition ; the one strips her stark naked , the other meritriciously prostitutes her in the disguises of humane inventions . and that she hath been thus evill entreated , in all places and times , this book gives but too great testimony , whether you look on the {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} or this small appendix , treating for the most , of what happened in high and low germany . i would not draw any excuse for our own gyrations of religion here , from their madnesse ; but rather condemn them as things that would have out-vy'd the extravagance of the former . but to draw any argument against religion from either were impious ; for if we did , we must in consequence , deny all , both particular and universal providence of almighty god ; we must deny the scriptures , the heavenly legacy of eternal salvation ; wee must deny heaven , hell , eternity , nay take away the cement of all humane society , and expect to see the order and beauty of the universe hurried into darkness and confusion , since it ought not to out-last man , for whom it was created . nay ; but let us rather professe humanity , and make this use of the failings and extravagance of others in matters of religion ; to humble our selves to a relyance on that immense being , who hath thought fit to plant religion in the heart of man , to direct him in his voyage to eternall happinesse , wherein that every man might take the right way , is the earnest prayer of worthy sir , your most devoted , and most humble servant . jo . davies . these books printed for john saywell , are to be sold at the sign of the grey-hound in little britain , and at the pile of bibles in the stocks fish-market , looking into lombard-street , over against the post-house , london . that in●●●ming piece and catechistical foundation , entituled , viz. woll●bius , his abridgment of christian divinity ; englished , cleared , and enlarged , by alexander ross , author of that curious piece , entituled , viz. {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , or a view of all religions and church-governments in the world , with a discovery of heresies , in all agos and places ; &c. whereunto this apocalypsis is usually adjoined . that practical piece , entituled , viz. the returning backslider , ( and the saints privilege &c. ) or a commentary on the whole chap. of hosea , the third time reprinted , being one of the legitimate pieces of that truly pious author , dr. richard sibbs . for the use of pious families , there is lately reprinted , mr henry smith's sermons , with gods arrow against atheists , &c. to which are now added , the life of mr. henry smith , by tho. fuller , b. d. and alphabetical tables very advantagious to the reader ; which additions aforesaid , contain three sheets at the beginning of the book , and five sheets at the end of the book , viz. eight in all , and distinguisheth them from all other ●●rreptitious and imperfect copie . three select and profitable sermons , entituled , viz. i. pre●●● & lachryma . ii. the christians desire . iii. the example of humility , by william houghton . the way to the highest honor , presented in a sermon before the house of peers , feb. . . by w. strong . that judicious piece , entituled , the practice of quietness : directing a a christian how to live quietly in this troublesome world . by the late reverend bishop webbe . the history of the world , the second part , being a continuation of the famous history of sir w●… r●●l●igh , kt. begining where he left , and continued to the year . with a large chronologie of those times , by alexander ross once chaplain in ordinary to his late majesty king charls , the first . the true copie whereof ( by the authors appointment and approbation ) is distinguished by the grey hound in the front-●p●ece from any other however coloured by a p●●tended ( though abusive ) representation of the reverend authour in the title page , or the delusive vision of ●irds , &c. of the pretender thereto . an exact collection of the choicest secrets in physick and chyrurgery ( both chymick and galenick ) by leonard phi●ravant , knight , dr. edwards and and others . a new primer , entituled , mr. h●●l's primer ; mo●e easie and delightsome for the learner than any yet extant , having several representations of persons , beasts , birds , &c. answering the several letters of the alphabet , in a copper plate , laying also the surest foundation for true spelling ; the defect whereof ( in the ordinary teaching ) is very much complained of . mr. ●●●l's rud●ments of latine grammar usually taught in all schools ; delivered in a very plain method for young beginners , containing . the common accidents , examined and explained , called his posing book . . the terminations and examples of declensions and conjugations . . propria quae maribus , qua genus , and as in prasenti , englished and explained , for the use of young grammarians , with a necessary index to each part , called his ●arsing book : by help whereof ( in want of an able schoolmaster ) gentlemen may teach their children themselves with much ease and delight also mr. h●●l's grammar in latine and english , the shortest , order●●est , and plainest both for master and scholar , of any yet exstant . at his shop also gentlemen , country-book sellers , and chapmen may bee furnished or provided with all sorts of english & latine books , and of other forraign languages as they please . the authours preface to the reader . the doctrine of the anabaptists , courteous reader , to give it thee in a single expression , is nothing but lying and deceit . thou haply thinkest them a sort of people divinely inspired , and prophets : thou art deceived . they are false prophets and false teachers , as being a contagion , than which hell it self hath not vomited up a more dangerous since the beginning of the world . for i do not think it can bee easily demonstrated , what other mischief could have reduced not onely the netherlands , but almost all germany , into so great calamity and devastation . when i more narrowly look into the heresie of these men , i confess i am puzzel'd to finde a name for the monster , but what its aims are , i may haply guess . its first part speaks a lyon , its last a dragon , the middle a pure chimaera . i call it a monster , and i may add the most monstrous that ever was , as having in it the ingredients of all formerly condemned sects . which when i consider , me thinks all the ancient hereticks , such as nicholas anteochenus , the gnosticks , the valentinians , noetians , sabellians , patropassions , parmenians , present themselves anew out of hell to me . so that i can make no other judgment of thomas muntzer , that authour and raiser of a most pernicious sect , then that he hath re-erected the standards of all former heresies . but that it may not be said , as in the proverb , that affrick alwayes furnishes us with novelties , he also with his desperate disciples , hath sacrilegiously attempted to advance some altogether new and unheard-of opinions , whereof who shall say that which is made is good , must be very extravagant . out of these , have they resolved and decreed , that children till they come to age , are onely catech●…ni , and ought not to be clad with the robe of holy baptisme . out of these , have they declared a community of all things . out of these , teach to dishonour and discard magistrates , who are the living ectypes of god , while in the mean time they themselves aspire to soveraignty , and would be accounted potentates , when they are indeed the wickedst among men ; dissemblers , cheats , hypocrites , novators , or advancers of novelties , and the subtle generation of the old viper novatu . which said novatus , if i display in the colours wherein the holy father and martyr cyprian sets him forth , discreet men shall be my judges , whether i have not hit the mark , and the same description most sitly suits the greatest part of the proselytes of muntzer . as concerning novatus ( sayes that ornament of his carthage , lib. . epist. . to cornelius then bishop of rome ) we needed not any relations to be sent to us of him , since that from us you were to expect a more particular account of novatus , a man that is a constant advancer of novelties , of an insatiable avarice , furious in his rapines , blown up with arrogancie and pride , even to astonishment ; a man not admitting any good understanding with the bishops : the end of his curiosity is to betray , of his flattery to surprise , his love is dogg'd by his infidelity , he is the fuell and fire-brand that heightens the combustions of sedition , and the hurrican and tempest which causes the shipwrack of faith , an opposer of tranquility , and an enemy to peace . these were his thoughts of novatus , which what wise man but will allow us to attribute to our novators ? certainly , if john that botcher of leiden , the ulcer and deformity of that gallant city , were to be drawne in his own colours , we need borrow them no where else . you therefore , orthodox doctors , reduce those erroneous and miserably seduced men , which yet are so , into the way of truth , deliver them , i beseech you out of this phrensy , and omit no opportunities which may help to recover them out of this imaginary disease to which they are so accustomed . this shal bee your reward , this is the prize you shall obtain . him that overcometh , will i make a pillar in the temple of my god , and i wil write upon him the name of my god , &c. revel. . . thomas muntzer . his opinions , actions , and end . the contents . muntzers doctrine spreads , his aims high , his affirmations destructive ; he asserts anabaptisme , rests not there , but grows worse and worse in his opinions and practises ; his large promises to his party and the common people : he endeavoured to set up himself , pretending to restore the kingdom of christ ; being opposed by the landgrave , his delusive animation of his followers , their overthrow ; his escape ; he is found , but dissembles him self ; is taken , but yet obstinate ; the landgrave convinceth him by scripture , when being racked , he laugheth , afterward relenteth ; his last words ; is deservedly beheaded , and made an example . john mathias . the contents . john mathias repairs to munster , his severe edicts , he becoms a malicious executioner of hubert trutiling , for contumelious expressions touching him , his own desperate end . . john buckhold , or john of leyden . the contents . john buckhold his character , his disputing and contention with the ecclesciasticks concerning paedobaptism ; he succeeds john mathias , he comforts the people with a pretended revelation ; he makes bernard knipperdoling of a consul , to become common executioner , buckhold feigneth himself dumb , he assumes the magistracy , he allows polygamy , he takes to himself three wives ; he is made king , and appoints officers under him ; his sumptuous apparel ; his titles were king of justice , king of the new jerusalem ; his throne , his coin and motto thereon ; the king , queen , and courtiers wait on the people at a feast : with other d●gressions . the king endeavours to raise commotions abroad , is haply prevented . he suspects his own safety ; his large promises to his captains , himself executes one of his wives , he feigns himself sick , and deludes the people with an expectation of deliverance ; in the time of famine , forgets community ; he is betrayed by his confident , is brought prisoner before the bishop , who checks him ; his jesting answer and proposal , he is put to a non-plus , is convinced of his offences ; his deserved and severe execution . . hermannus sutor . the contents . herman the cobler professeth himself a prophet , &c. he is noted for drunkenness ; the ceremonies he used in anabaptisme , eppo his host discovers him and his followers to be cheats ; hermans wicked blasphemies , and his inconstancy in his opinions , his mothers temerity ; his sect convinced , and fall off from him ; by one drewjis of his sect he is handled roughly ; herman is taken by charles lord of gelderland , &c. and is brought prisoner to groningen ; when questioned in his torments , he hardened himself , and died miserably . . theodorus sartor . the contents . theodor the botcher turns adamite , he affirms strange things , his blasphemy in forgiving of sins , he burns his cloaths , &c. and causeth his companions to do the like . he and his rabble go naked ihrough amsterdam , in the dead of night , denouncing their woes , &c. and terrifie the people . they are taken and imprisoned by the burghers , but continue shameless . may . . they are put to death ; some of their last words . . david george . the contents . david george , the miracle of the anabaptists . at basil he pretends to have been banished his country for the gospels-sake ; with his specious pretences he gains the freedom of the city for him and his . his character . his riches . he with his sect enact three things . his son in law doubting his new religion , is by him questioned ; and upon his answer excommunicated . his wifes death . he had formerly voted himself immortal , yet aug. . he died , &c. his death troubled his disciples , his doctrine questioned by the magistates , eleven of the sectaries secured . eleven articles extracted out of the writings of david george , some of the imprisoned sectaries acknowledged david george to have been the cause of the tumults in the lower parts of germany , but disowned his doctrin . conditions whereupon the imprisoned are set at liberty : the senate vote the doctrine of d. g. impious , and declare him unworthy of christian burial , and that his body and books should be burned , which was accordingly effected . . michael servetus . the contents . servetus his converse with mahumetans and jewes . he disguiseth his monstrous opinions with the name of christian reformation . the place of his birth . at the . year of his age , he boasted himself the onely teacher and seer of the world , he inveighed against the deity of christ . oecalampadius confutes his blasphemies , and causeth him to be thrust out of the church of basil . servetus held but one person in the godhead to be worshipped , &c. he held the holy ghost to be nature . his horrid blasphemy . he would reconcile the turkish alcoran to christian religion . he declares himself prince of the anabaptists . at geneva calvin faithfully reproves servetus , but he continues obstinate . anno . by the decrees of several senates , he was burned . . arrius . the contents . arrianisme its increase , anno . the general council at nice , anno . called as a remedy against it , but without success . the arrians misinterpret that place , joh. . . concerning the father and the son . they acknowledged one only god in a judaeical sence . they deny the trinity . arrius his wretched death , anno . . mahomet . the contents . mahomet characterised . he made a laughing-stock of the trinity . he agreed with carpocrates , and other hereticks . he renewed circumcision , and to indulge his disciples , he allowed them polygamy , &c. his iron tomb at mecca . . balthazar hubmor . the contents . hubmor a patron of anabaptisme . he damned usury . he brought in a worship to the virgin mary , &c. the senate of suring by a council reduced him . he renounced the heads of his former doctrine . himself or sect still active . he is taken and imprisoned at vienna in austria . he and his wife both burned . . john hut . the contents . john hut the prop and pillar of anabaptisme . his credulity in dreams and visions . he is accounted a true prophet by his proselytes . at merhern , his fraternity became as it were a monastery . . lodowick hetzer . the contents . lodowick hetzer a famous heretick . he gaint proselytes in austria and switzerland . anno , at a publick disputation oecolampadius puts hetzers emissaries to their shifts . hetzer denied christ to be coessentiall with the father . his farewel to his disciples . he is put to death for adultery . . melchior hofman . the contents . hofman a skinner , an anabaptist ; anno , seduced . men and women at embda in west-friesland . his followers accounted him a prophet . at strasburg , he challenged the ministers to dispute , which was agreed upon jan. . . where being mildely dealt with , he is nevertheless obstinate . other prophets and prophetesses deluded him . he deiuded himself , and volunt arily pi●●ed himself to death . . melchior rinck . the contents . melchion rinck , an anabaptist . he is accounted a not able interpreter of dreams and visions . his disciple thomas scucker in a waking-dream cut off his brother leonards head ; pretending for his murder obedience to the decree of god . . adam pastor . the contents . adam pastor a derider of paedobaptisme . he revived the arrian heresie . his foolish interpretation of that place , gen. . so often confu●ed . . henry nicholas . the contents . henry nicholas , father of the family of love . he is against infant-baptisme . his divellish logick . the end of the contents . thomas muntzer . his opinions , actions , and end . hei mihi quot sacras iterans baptismatis undas muntzerus stygijs millin tinxit aquis ! the contents . muntzer's doctrine spreads , his aim 's high , his affirmations destructive ; hee asserts anabaptisme , rests not there , but grows worse and worse in his opinions and practises ; his large promises to his party and the common people : he endeavours to set up himself , pretending to restore the kingdome of christ ; being opposed by the landgrave , his delusive animation of his followers ; their overthrow ; his escape ; he is found , but dissembles himself ; is taken , but yet obstinate ; the landgrave convinceth him by scripture , when being racked , hee laugheth , afterward relenteth ; his last words ; is deservedly beheaded , and made an example . about the year of our redemption . m. d. xxi . and m. d. xxii . there rise up in saxony near the river sales , a most insolent sect of certain enthusiasts , among whom nicholas storkius was no ordinary person . these presumptuously boasting that their dreams , visions and revelations , were inspired into them from heaven , had s●ily scattered it among other seditious persons of the same kidney ; that the world was to be reformed by their means , which done , and the wicked utterly cut off from the face of the earth , it should be governed by justice it self . all that gave not up their names , and embraced their sect , they branded with the name of ungodly . one of this sodomitical lake sprung thomas muntzer , one that boasted that hee had had communication with god . this man's doctrine incredibly spred , as being in the first place levell'd at the holy doctors of the reformed religion ; and from thence discharged at the magistrates themselves ; for the christian flock being once deprived of these two constitutions of men , there were nothing to hinder the greedy wolves to break out into all rapine and oppression . and this is the reason why the wolves , that is to say , the false teachers , have ever most violently opposed the the ministry and the magistracy , in hopes , if possible , to draw these from the care and charge of their flocks , or at least to bring them into contempt with their sheep , which by that means should stray into their parties . this muntzer did both by his teachings and writings publickly affirm , that the preachers of that time that contributed their endeavours to the advancement of the gospel , were not sent by god , but were meer scribes , and impertinent interpreters of the scriptures ; that the scriptures and the written word , were not the pure word of god , but onely a bare testimony of the ●●e wo●d ; that the true reall word was something that were intrinsecall and heavenly , and immediately proceeding out of the mouth of god , and consequently to be learned intrinsecally , and not out of the scriptures , or by any humane suggestion . with the same breath he brought baptisme into contempt , most inconvincibly affirming that there was no warrant from god for paedobaptisme , or baptisme of children , and that they ought to be baptized after a spirituall and more excellent dispensation . he further endeavoured to teach that christs satisfaction for us was unnecessary , whatever honest and weak understanding men could urge to the contrary ; that matrimony in the unfaithfull and incontinent , was a pollution , meretricious and diabolical ; that god discovered his will by dreames ( whence it was that he was mightily infatuated with them ) holding that those were ( as it were ) communicated by the holy ghost . hereupon was he acknowledged by his followers for some heavenly and spirituall prophet , and it was believed that he was thus taught by the spirit of god , without any humane assistance . this doctrine did he disperse throughou● all germany by printed books and epistles , which the tinder-brain'd disciples of his seditious sect were soon fir'd with , read , approved , and propogated . the same man in the yeares m. d. xxiii . and m. d. xxiv . taught at a●sted which is a city in saxony , near thu●ingia ; and when not onely the ministers , but also the magistrates lay under the lash of his calumny , insomuch that his sermons were stuff'd with most seditious and bitter invectives against them , and pretending to groan for the return of lost liberty , and for the insufferable pressures of the people under tyranny , he complained of it as a great grievance , that their wealth and estates were the prey of the magistrate , and therefore would peswade them that a remedy was timely to be applied to these things . being for this doctrine dispatched out of alsted , he comes to norimberg , and thence without discontinuing his journey into basil , and thence into switzerand , from whence at length he came to cracovia , where at a certaine town called griess●n , he continued some weeks . in the mean time he was no lesse idle then ever , and that especially in the county of stuling , where hee sowed so much of his contagious seed among his factious disciples , as afterwards thrived into an extraordinary harvest . at the same time he publickly scattered abroad his doctrine of baptisme , and the word of god , in such sort as we have touched before . departing out of his countrey , and wandring up and down mulhusium in the countrey of during , he w●it letters to some of the most confident to his religion ; by whose countenance and assistance factious spirits were sometimes more and more exasperated against the magistrate . some small time before the counntrey people took up arms , he sent up and down certain briefes by messengers , wherein were divers things , and among the rest was represented the greatnesse of those warlike instrments which were cast at mulhusium upon occasion of this sedition , so to encourage and enflame the fiery followers of his faction . for having stayed two moneths at g●lessen , and that he thought he could not so much advance his designes if he returned into saxony because his affaires prospered not according to his desires in those places , he returns back to the people of during and mulhusium . but before hee was arrived thither , luther had by letters forew●…ed the reverend senate of mulhusium concerning him , that they should beware of him as of a destroying wolfe , and fitte● to bee s●unned then serpents , or whatever mankind beares any antipathy to , for that both at swickaw , and not long before at alsted , he was accounted a tree sufficiently evill and corrupt , which bore no other fruit but tumult and inevitable destruction ; and one , who , no more then his comerades , could ever bee brought to make any defence of their opinions , among which was , that they all were gods el●ct and that all the children of their religion were to be called the children of god ; and that all others were ungodly , and designed to damnation . and divers other things to the same purpose were contained in the foresaid letter , which was dated from ●●imaria , on sunday , being the day of the assumption of mary , in the year m. d. xxiv . muntzer in the mean time with words plausibly sweetned , drew away she minds of all he could to savour his party , and by promising mountains of gold to the common people , to the end they should cry him up with the general acclamations of being a true prophet , it came to passe that a very great concourse of the dregs of the people repaired to him from mulhusium and other places ; nay , by his subtilty and the authority he had gotten , he perverted the very magistrate of mulhusium , and made him a new abettor of his opinion . and this was the first original of the mischief ; and thence divers other hydra's of seditions like so many excrescencies took a sudden growth from this . for all men's goods became common , and he taught that no man had any propriety in what he enjoied . to which he added , that it was revealed to him from god , that the empire and principalitities of this world were to be extirpated , and that the sword of gideon was put into his hands to bee emploied against all tyrants , for the assertion of true liberty , and the restauration of the kingdome of christ : and at this time he gave orders for the preparing of certain warlike engines . while he was wholly taken up about these things , that is , in the following year md. xxv . the countrey people throughout swedland and f●anconia , and diverse other places , rise up against their magistrates , forced away a great part of the nobility , plundered towns and castles , to be short , made an absolute devastation by fire and sword . the landgrave henry being moved at these things raises a wa●r , and fought the countrey people , the first time near frankenhusium , the fourteenth day of may , which done , he prepared himself for a second fight to be fought the next day , which muntzer having intelligence of , said by way of animation to his followers , what are those cannon-bullets ? i will receive them in my gloves , and they shall not hurt me , whereby the countrey people being encouraged , were the next day beaten by the landgrave , five thousand slain , and three hundred taken , who had all their heads cut off , so that , while they were ambitious of liberty , they lost even the liberty of life it self . and herein was the ancient proverb verified , war● is most delightful to those that had never experienced it . the discreeter part of the countrey peop'e , having laid down their arms , put their hands to the golden plough , to hold which they had been designed , rather than to mannage lances and pole-axes . mantzer escapes to frankenhusium , and hid himself in a house neer the gate , where a certain nobleman had taken up his quarters . this mans servant going up into the upper roomes of the house to see how they were accommodated , findes one lying upon a bed , of whom hee enquired , whether he were of those who had escaped the fight , which he denied , averring that hee had lain some time sick of a fever : whereupon looking about , hee perceives a little bag lying carelesly neer the bed side ; he opens it and finds letters from albert count of mans field , wherein hee dehor●ed muntzer from his wicked purpose , and from promoting the tumult already raised . having read them , he asked him whether they were directed to him , who denying he threatens to kill him ; whereupon he cried quarter , and confessed himself to be muntzer . hee is taken , and brought before george duke of saxony and the landgrave , whereupon they having made him confesse that hee was the cause of the popular insurrection , and sedition ; he answered that hee had done but his duty , and that the magistrates who were opposers of his evangelical doct iac , were by such means to bee chastised . to which the landgrave made answer , and proved it by several testimouies of scripture , that all honour is to given to the magistrate ; and that all tumult raised in order to a mans particular revenge , was by god forbidden christians . here muntzer being convinced , held his peace . being laid upon the rack , while hee cried out aloud and wept , the duke of saxony spoke to him to this purpose ; now thou art punished , muntzer , consider with thy self by what unspeakable ways thou hast seduced and brought so many to destruction ! whereat muntzer broke out into a great laughter , saying , this is the judgment of the countrey people . but when being brought to his death , hee was thrust into close prison , 't is wonderfull how faint-hearted hee was , and stood extreamly troubled in mind , not being able to give any account of his faith , but as the duke of saxony pronounced before him , and which hee told him , hee was to make a confession of before god : being surrounded with souldiers , hee openly acknowledged his wickednesse , and withall addressed these words to the princes that were present ; shew mercy and compassion , yee princes , lest hereafter , you incur by my example the punishment i now suffer ; read and attentively consider the holy books of the kings . having said this , his head was struck off , and fastened to a stake , for a monument and example to others . john mathias . primus hic e batavis muntzeri dogma sequutus turbavit miris westphala regna modis . the contents . john mathias repairs to munster , his severe edi●●s , he becomes a malicious executioner of hubert trutiling , for contumelious expressions touching him ; his own desperate end . in the year of our lord god , m. d. xxxii . at munster ( which is the metropolis of westphalia ) a certain priest called bernardus rotmannus undertook to preach the gospel of christ ; which being done with great successe , certain messengers were sent to marpyrgum , a place in hassia , whose business was to bring along with them some men of learning and good conversation , who should bee helpfull in the propagation of the gospel . from marpyrgum were there some dispatched , who arriving at munster , reduced the principall heads of christian religion into thirty nine articles , which they proposed to the magistrate , being ready , ( as they pretended ) to make good and prove the said heads , by places of the holy scriptures ; which was effected . the religious , and ( as they are called ) the spiritual who were possessed of the chiefest church , could by no means digest this , so that departing the city , they caused much trouble to the citizens . upon this weighty businesse , the magistrates and citizens sate in long and prudent consultations . at length there was a certain agreement , upon these terms , viz. that all injuries committed in those tumults should be pardoned , and that the gospel should be freely preached in six parish churches , and that the church of our lord only should be absolutely reserved to them . these conditions were readily subscribed to by both sides , and thereupon all things laid asleep in peace . but this peace was not long undisturbed by the devill , ( that irreconcileable enemy of peace and virtue ) and therefore by doing at munster what hee had done at other places , that is , by raising up out of the jaws of hell , the seditious and pestiferous anabaptists , those importunate disturbers and turn-pikes of the gospel ; his design was not onely to discourage the good and godly , but withall , shamefully to destroy the gospel it self . for in the same year there rise up at harlem a baker called john mathias , a man utterly unlearned , yet crafty and boldly eloquent . this man being excessively lecherous , neglected and slighted his own wife , who being somewhat well stricken in years , was so much the lesse fit for the exercises of venus . being therefore over head and ears in love with a certain vi●age who was an alehouse-keepers daughter , he could not resolve of any way more advantageous to seduce , then by an angelical carriage , and a counterfeit sanctity . he made frequent visits to her , and entertaining her with his visions and revelations , he thereby drew her to his opinion , and conveighed her into a secret place in amsterdam , where he professed himself a doctor and a preacher , affirming that god had revealed certain secrets unto him , not yet revealed to others , and that he was enoch the second high priest of god . upon some he laid hands and sent them two by two as apostles and messengers of christ , dispatching to munster one gerard a bookseller , and john buckhold the botcher of leyden , others into other places . these emissary messengers of christ , or rather of satan , boyled over with their various opinions , held marriages of no account , and dreamed diverse other things . some taught by parables , and their own illusive dreams ; others acknowledged not him a brother who desiled his baptisme with sins ; others preferred the baptisme of john before that of christ ; others taught that all magistrates , and whoever were unsatisfied with their religion , ought to bee destroied root and branch ; some would acknowledge nothing but their own visions and prophecies ; others , that all the prophets and teachers that were departed this life , should shortly rise again , and should reign with christ upon earth a thousand years , and should receive a hundred fold for what ever they had left behind them . some of these men affirmed that they had communication with god , some with angels ; but the more discreet and wiser sort of men conceived that their conferences had been with the divel . here upon the great prophet john mathias ( upon whose account his most vain apostles already proclaimed a peace ) perceiving an occasion by this means of domineering in this world , consecrated in his stead his disciple james campensis , a sawyer , bishop at amsterdam . committing unto his charge the people , to be seduced with the same zeal , as he had begun . these things being thus fairly carried , he repaired to munster to his apostle and ambassadour john buckhold , whom hee made governour of the city , who presently published these severe edicts . that every man should bring his gold and silver , and whatever were of greater importance , into the common heap , and that no man should detain any thing at his house ; for the receiving of which things so collected a place was appointed . though the people were not a little astonished at the rigour and severity of the edict , yet did they submit thereto . moreover he forbad the reading of all books but the bible , all which that they ought to bee burnt , the divine authority had by him , its witnesse commanded . at this very time a certain tradesman , whose name was hubert trutiling , had scattered some contumelious expressions concerning this great prophet ; where at he being immeasurably incensed , even to the loss of all compassion , caused the foresaid trutiling to be brought into the market place , where he is accused and sentenced . whereupon he himself laying his violent hands upon this innocent man , lays him along upon the ground ; in that posture he runs him through with a spear ; but finding by the palpitation , that there was some remainder of life , he made him to be conveighed thence , and taking a musket from one that stood by , which was charged , killed him , intimating that hee was commanded by god , that is to say , his own , ( who was a murtherer from the beginning ) to do what he had done . this noble exploit performed , he took a long lance in his hand , and hastily ●an about the city , crying out that hee was commanded by god the father to put to flight the enemy , which at that time had closely besieged munster . having taken the said weapon , and running like a mad man upon the enemy , hee himself was run through by a souldier of misna . john buckhold , or , john of leyden . agres●●●ssque nefas magnum et memorabile , regem somniat , abje●ta forfiee sceptra gerens . the contents . john buckhold his character , his disputing and contention with the ecclesiasticks concerning paedobaptisme ; he succeeds john mathias , he comforts the people with a pretended revelation ; he makes bernard knipperdoling of a consul , to become common executioner . buckhold feigneth himself dumb , he assumes the magistracy , he allowes polygamy , he takes to himself three wives ; he is made king , and appoints officers under him ; his sumptuous apparell ; his titles were , king of justice , king of the new jerusalem ; his throne , his coin and motto thereon ; the king , queen , and courtiers waite on the people at a feast , with other digressions . the king endeavours to raise commotions abroad , is haply prevented . he suspects his own safety , his large promises to his captaines , himself executes one of his wives , he feignes himself sick , and deludes the people with an expectation of deliverance , in the time of famine , forgets community ; he is betrayed by his confident , is brought prisoner before the bishop , who checks him ; his jesting answer and proposall ; he is put to a non plus , is convinced of his offences ; his deserved and severe execution . john buckhold was a botcher of leyden , a crafty fellow , eloquent , very perfect in the scriptures ; subtle , confident , more changeable then proteus , a serious student of sedition , briefly , a most servent anabaptist . this man being sent by john mathias to munster was a perpetuall thorn in the sides of the ecclesiasticks , craftily sisting them about the businesse of paedobaptisme , in which employment he spent nine whole moneths , and most commonly making his party good with them , both as to disputation and litigious contention , while in the mean time he secretly spawn'd and scatter'd the doctrine of anabaptisme , as much as lay in his power . about that time a certain unknown preacher of the word of god , one hermanus stapreda of meurs came to munster , who supplying the place of rotmannus in preaching , seduced him , and leavened him with anabaptisme , and he also publickly anathematized pedobaptisme . this gave occasion of raising tumults among the people ; they who before were onely secretly instructed by john buckhold , discover themselves openly to the world , and lay aside all disguises of their intentions ; in most parts of the city , they have their frequent meetings ; in divers houses , but all in the night time , whereat the magnistrates being incensed , and offended , prohibited their conventicles , and some they banished ; but they weigh not this any thing , and being sent out at one gate , they came in at another , and lay concealed among those that were the favourers of their sect. hereupon the senate caused all the ecclesiasticks to assemble at the palace , to dispute the businesse of paedobaptisme . in this assembly , rotmannus stood tooth and naile for the anabaptists , but those of the reformation fully refuted their errors , as the publick acts concerning that businesse do abundantly testifie . at this very time the minsters of the church of argentoratum signed and set out an account of their faith in a printed book . hereupon the senate of munster by a publick edict banished the anabaptists , out of the city ; which edict , they , persisting in contention , opposed , being now arrived to that rashnesse and impudence , that they thrust a reformed preacher , one peter werthemius out of the church . yea , some of them rioting about the city , ) whereof the ringleader was henry rollius ) cryed out as they went , repent and be rebaptized , otherwise will the heavy wrath of god fall upon you ! these things hapned about the end of the year m. d. xxxiii . and the beginning of m. d. xxxiv . some honest-hearted and harmlesse men , partly out of an apprehension of divine wrath ( as they made them believe ) partly for fear of men , suffered themselves to be washed in the laver of anabaptisme . for , the anabaptists leaving their dennes , broke into the city without any controll , and with an unanimous violence assaulting the market place , they soon possessed themselves of the palace and the magazine , sentencing with loud conclamations and such as required a greater voice then that of stentor , that all were to be destroyed as so many heathens and reprobates , that did not embrace anabaptisme . in this tumult , a certain young man of burchstenford was killed . this gave occasion both to the papists , and to those of the reformation to provide for their safety . the chiefest patrons of the anabaptistical heresy were , bernard rotman , john buckhold , bernard knipperdoling , gerard knippenburch , bernard krachting , &c. these two parties having skirmished with as great eagernesse and animosity as greater armies exasperated one against another , for some days , there followed a truce , whereby it was agreed that every one should quietly enjoy , and persever in his own religion . however the surges of anabaptisme were not yet laid , till they had entered into a conspiracy to drive those of the reformation out of the city . the most eminent of the conclave writ to the anabaptists of the cities adjoining , viz. to these of dulmen , coesvelt , soyst warendorp , and osenburg , that leaving all things behind them , they should repair with all speed to munster , promising they should have ten-fold what ever they left . being enticed by these propositions , husbands and wives leaving all behind them , came in swarms to munster . a great number of the more religious inhabitants looking on that strange rabble as an insufferable grievance to their city , left it to the disposal of the anabaptists , who being by this means increased in number , became also more extravagant , degraded the senate , and chose another out of themselves , wherein were consuls , gerard knippenburg , and bernard knipperdoling , whose effiges is the ensuing . bernard knipperdoling . quo non fastus abit ? quid non rex impius audet ? carnificem fecit , qui modò consulerat . being now become lords and masters , they in the first place seized on maurice church , and burnt it , and the houses all about it , thence falling forcibly upon other holy places and monasteries , they carried away gold , silver , ornaments and utensils , and whatsoever else was of any consequence . upon the fourth day after those rapines , trudging up and down the streets and high-ways , they with a horrible howling , uttered , repent , repent ! to which is added , depart , depart , bee gone yee wicked , otherwise woe bee to you ! this done , they immediately went armed in multitudes , and with unspeakable barbarisme and cruelty , turned out their miserable fellow-citizens , as enemies to their religion , out of their houses and possessions , and thrust them out of the city without any consideration of age or sex , so that many women with child had this misfortune seconded with that of dangerous abortions . the anabaptists presently by what right they please , seize to themselves the possessions of the banished : so that the honest and godly party being cast out of the city , fell into the hands of the souldiers , who had block'd up the city and all the avenues , as among enemies , by whom some were taken , others unadvisedly killed ; at which entreaty the other honester part of citizens being discouraged , and seeing , that guilty and not guilty fared alike , would not stirre a loot out of the city ; which being closely besieged by the bishops army , all places were filled with blood , sighs , tears . now do the mad men of munster , and such as no hellebore can have any effect on , grow insufferably insolent , and above all , that great prophet john matthias , of whom wee have spoken before : but that sally of his out of the city , those of munster looked on as a great omen of their destruction , and thought that the unexpected death of that most holy man did signify , that some great calamity did hang over their heads . but john buckhold must bee his successor , a lid fit for the other pot ; who addressing himself to the people , comforted them , perswading them that they ought not to mourn for that unlooked for miscarriage of the prophet , for that it had long before been revealed to him , and withall , that hee should marry his widow . upon easter eve they fell upon all the churches and places of devotion about the city , and pulled down all the brasse works . some few days after , bernard knipperdoling prophesied that all the chiefest men ought to be disqualified and degraded , and that the poor and the humble were to be exalted . hee also declared , that it was the command of the divine oracle , that all churches should be demolished , which indeed was sufficiently performed . the very same day john buckhold putting into the hands of bernard knipperdo ling , the executioners sword , conferred on him withall his employment , and that according to gods command ; so that he who had discharged the office of a consul , was now to execute that most dishonourable employment of a common executioner . this most excellent condition he cheerfully accepted . by this time had the city been besieged some moneths by the bishops forces when resolving to storm it , they lost both gentlemen , commission officers & others , to the number of about four thousand , upon which they quitted all hope of taking it by force . some few dayes after whitsuntide , the city being notwithstanding the dis-excecution of that assault stil besieged , was wholly taken up to rest and imaginary dreams , wherein there were spent three whole days ; which done , the anabaptist being awaken , acted the part of zacharias , john baptist's father ; for , pretending to be dumb , he desired to have a table-book ; wherein he wrote down the names of twelve men , who should be as it were the twelve elders of israel , and should administer all thing , at munster , as if it were the new jerusalem , and this he affirmed that hee was commanded to do from heaven . by this broke●y d●d this crafty knave chalk out his way to that soveraign dignity whereof he was so ambitious . but in the mean time , consider by what a strang stich this excellently wicked botcher did utterly dis-repute that magistrate whom god had ordained , and by the assistance of most illusive dreames & his own excellency of playing the impostor , he possessed himself of that dignity . a while after our prophet advanced certain conclusions tending to the allowance of polygamy , whereat the ecclesiasticks made some opposition , but afterwards were content of fit still . so that , not long after the prophet at one bout took to him three wives , whereof the most eminent was the widdow of the deceased prophet jo. mathias , and whom he afterwards dignified with the title of queen . this example of kingship , some other knaves like himself did without any difficulty admit ; but divers of the more godly citizens , looking on this thing with the greatest indignation that might be , repairing to the market place laid hands on the prophet knipperdoling , which occasioning the people to take up armes , they set upon those citizens in the palace , and having taken them , they delivered the prophet and the ecclesiasticks out of their hands . nine and forty of the said citizens were after a most barbarous manner put to death . hereupon the prophet cried our , that all those who should do any violence to those enemies of god , should do god a very high piece of service , whence it came to pass , that some were torn in pieces with hooks ; and not a few killed by knipperdoling himself . upon the four and twentieth of june , which is the day of the nativity of john baptist , in the year one thousand five hundred thirty four , at munster or rather monster ; ( for so may that place bee called from the monstrous and portentous pullulation of anabaptists ) there sprung from hell another new prophet , one john tuysentschreuer , a goldsmith of wa rendorp . the people being generally summoned to the market place , this man acquainted them , that the most holy prophet john buckhold of leyden was to bee exalted to kingly dignity , and that hee should inherit the eternall seat of his father david , and should possesse it with farre greater majestie . having prophecied these things , buckhold kneeling down confirmed all , saying , that so much had been revealed to him from god the father ten days before ; though it was against his inclination to undertake the difficulties of government . the common people being astonished at this extravagant piece of villany , tore their hair as they went ; yet however some might smell out the cheat , fear was able to stifle all muttering . for , this beast fatten'd for destruction , having been very successeful in som encounters , had now assum'd what authority he pleased . behold , he that at leyden was but a botcher , is made king at munster ; john buckhold is invested with all the regalia of supreme authority . having hereupon immediately degraded the twelve counsellours of state , according to the wonted manner , he constitutes a viceroy , a controller of his houshold , four huissers or common criers , a noble man , a chancellour , cup bearers , carvers , and tasters , and master-builders , and disposed of all other officers as princes use to do . the kingly robes were some made of water'd stuffs , some made of silk , some of pure silk , some scarlet , some made more sumptuous with the gold of the ornaments which the sacriledge had furnished him with , so that it can hardly be expressed how artificially , how gallantly , how indeed emperor-like they were interwoven , being embroyder'd with gold , edg'd , scollop'd ; and dispos'd into divers colours , his spurs were gilt with gold , and he had two crownes of solid gold , and a golden scabbard . the king walking in these ornaments , two young men in a courtly and magnisicent habit , one of each side of him accompanied him , whereof one carried a naked sword , the handle whereof glister'd with gold and precious stones ; the other held up the holy bible , together with a golden crown shining with most excellent pearls . a certain jewel dazeling the beholders with the bright sparkling of a diamond , and whereat was hanged a golden apple ( to repesent as it were the world ) wounded through with two swords a cross , hang'd at his neck . his scepter was set forth with three golden incirculations . his nobles , who were eight and twenty in number , clad in green and ashie coloured garments , and having on white turbants , accompain'd him . the kings title was , the king of justice , the king of the new jerusalem . in the market place there was erected a throne for him of three steps high , which , when the king sate in it , was adorned with ornaments of more then attalick sumptuousnesse . some money he caused to be coin'd , whereon was this latin inscription , verbum caro factum quod habitat in nobis , that is , the word made flesh , which dwelleth in us . the city being all this while besieg'd , the prophets and the doctors published the book callid the restitutions , wherein they endeavoured to defend that monstrous ( i would say munstrous ) and seditious tumult , and all those almost infinite inconveniences that were consequent to it : but to prevent that poysonous hydra , a gospell antidote was prescrib'd . in the moneth of august , about s. bartholomew's day , john tuysentschreuer went sounding a trumpet through all the streets , thereby inviting all to the lords palace , where there being a sumptuous feast prepared , he magnificently entertained all that came . the king himself , the queen , and all the courtiers waited on them . at the last course he gave to every one a loaf of unleavened bread , saying , take ●at , and celebrate the lords death ; which done , the queen in like manner carried about the cup , by which ceremony , the supper of the lord , or rather that scean of pleasure , wantonness , and temerity , was certainly very frolickly celebrated . hunger being banished sa●e enough by this feast , the prophet tuysentschreuer goes up to preach , requiring of them obedience and complyance with the word of god , whereunto , ( with one head and as with one eye ) they unanimously consented . this obtained ; he acquaints them , that it was revealed from the heavenly father , that eight and twenty ecclesiasticks should depart out of this city , that should preach our doctrine throughout the world , whose names he recommended , and designed the way they were to take their journey , that is to say , six for osenburg , as many for warendorp , eight for soyst , ( for which quarter he himself was one ) and the rest for coesveld . these exercises performed , the king went to supper , and at the second watch of the night caused the fore-mentioned apostles to take their journey , giving unto each of them a peece of gold , with this charge , that neglecting their own safety , they should deposit it for a note and testimony of consequent condemnation wherever they bestowed it . they went their wayes , and never returned again , all having ( except one who escaped the gallows ) met with punishments corespondent to their sedition . for , being entred the fore-recommended cities , they in a direfull manner howl'd out their , kepent , repent , the axe is laid to the roat of the tree ; if you repent not and be rebaptised , woe be to you , ye are undone . but the severall senates of the said cities caused them to be apprehended , and brought before them to give an account of themselves ; who answered , that they were divine preachers of the gospel , called and sent by god , and that all those who would receive their doctrine must be baptized , and that all things were to be made common ; but to those that should neglect these things , they were to leave the golden coin of eternal damnation . nay further , that the gospel had not been preached as it should have been , since the times of christ and the apostles , but that there were two prophets , the progeny of truth it self , slipp'd down as it were from heaven , viz john of leyden , and david george born at delph in the low-countries , that there were many false prophets , that is to say , the pope of rome , and martin luther , of ●ittemburg , who was worse then the pope . being taken and cast into irons , they were asked , by what right or priviledge they had thrust out of the city so many godly people , together with their wives and children , not granting them any toleration for their religion , and had disinherited them of all they had ? to which they replied , that the time was now drawing nigh , wherein the meek and the humble should inherit the earth , and that they followed the example of the israelites , who with gods approbation ●ook away from the egyptians their fewels and ear-rings . moreover they hoasted that munster was well furnished with provisions , ammunition , and all things requisite to war , and that the king did daily expect great recruits out of holland , zealand and other places , by the means and assistance whereof , hee should bring the whole world under subjection ; and all wicked and refractory princes being subdued , should establish the peaceful reign of justice . about the same time another prophet fel down from heaven , one henry hilverse , a notable knave . this man acquainted the king that it was revealed to him from heaven , that god was pleased to bestow on him three most rich cities , amste●dam , daventry , & res●l , near lippa . upon this divine message , hee advises with his counsellours , whom he were best to send ●●ither to baptise them with his baptisme . in the first place he sends john campensis to amsterdam , to bee the chiefest man in that city , to whom he assigned for companion and co-apostle john matthias of mtellburg . these being sent into holland , issuing out of their holes , kept themselves among those of their own tribe , and infected most cities with the mortall infection of their doctrines . for at leyden about january in the year following , viz. one thousand five hundred thirty and five , very many by the perswasion of anabaptisme , and by the means of its contagious conventicles , were baptized into the baptisme of death . about the end of the year one thousand five hundred thirty and five , this kingly botcher sent into friezland a most subtle fellow , and one very well experienced in warlike affairs , whom he furnished with very great summs of money which had been raised out of the sacrileges , wherewith he should raise souldiers in zealand , and should raise the close siege which was then before the city . he being departed , managed his affairs very secretly with the assistance of those of his way , and at length , upon the last of march one thousand five hundred thirty and five , having gotten together some hundreds of souldiers he setupon the monastery , which also was called old munster , drove away the monks , and having plundered all , he there pitched his tents , out of hope thereby to strengthen his party by the accession of any that should come in . but george sckenck the then gouernor of friesland , having with as much expedition as could be got together certain expeditionary forces , besieges these tumultuary rioters , and gave an assault to the place , which though they avoided as much as might be by a gallant defence , yet had they their belly●ull of murther , blood , and dry blowes , so that they were all destroied , save threescore and two , who being brought to leoward were paid for their audacious folly with the wages of death . the ring-leader of this businesse , who was also the camp-m●ster , john geel escaping at this fight , flies to amsterdam , to prove the occasion of a greater slaughter . for many anabaptists being found in that place , whom john campensis had strangely fascinated , to engage them the more , they made promises to them of golden mountains , and talk'd highly of the magnificence and liberty of the anabaptists of munster , and cried up the new kingdome of justice upon earth ; for the report of the siege and defence of munster had smitten , and raised up the minds of a many ; in regard the city being closely besieged by a potent army , yet performed religious duties without any disturbance . hence came it to passe , that the liberty and liberality of the city was celebrated beyond all truth and belief , and there wanted not a many who desired to be embarqu'd in the same fortune . there was therefore at amsterdam a burgher called henry gotbelit , a strong man and warlikely given , who being bathed in the waters of anabaptisme , joyned his endeavours with those of john geel . for by divers pretences and crafty shifts ( which it is not worth our labour to repeat in this place ) they drew together six hundred anabaptists , with whose assistance their intention was to have possessed themselves of amsterdam , to enrich themselves , and to introduce the religion of those of munster . whereupon , upon the tenth day of may , the chiefest that were engaged in this conspiracy , having their rendezvous at the house of peter gael , broke out in the night time to the market place , wherin being more and more seconded by some of their own , they killed some of the watch , and some they kept prisoners . but the burghers making head , discharged some musquets at the anabaptists , who most unworthily , when their consuls were cruelly killed , entrusted their safety to their heels ; so that the others courages being heightened by this , they violently ran upon the deuterobaptists , and after a most bloody engagement put them to the worst , wherein john geel and gothe it were slain , james campensis was taken and put to death . now other tumults had already forced others from those places , the prevention whereof could not be possibly without the infinite inconveniences which fell upon the lionester sort . there wanted not also some clandestine vipers , who diguisedly waited for the restauration of the kingdome of israel ( as they called it ) whereof one being apprehended at leyden , and upon examination put to the question , confessed , that the king of the anabaptists , who was a hollander , sojourned then at utricht , and had not yet began his reign , but that according to the good hope they had conceived of him , and the confidence placed in him , they doubted not but he would undertake i● . having with what 's above , gotten out of this fellow , that some gold and silver vessels and other ornaments had by a most wicked surprise , been taken out of their churches by the means of their king , and who with his followers had attempted some most detestable villanies , it was dicover'd that there could no other be meant then david george . i crave thy pardon , courteous reader , if i acquaint thee , that it is not any thing the lesse for thy advantage , if , in the description of these rotten and contemptible rags and menstruous clouts of humanity , i have woven a longer web of discourse then thou didst expect . although john buckhold , and the other prophets had entertained the ignorant greedy vulgar with hopes of more then arabian wealth ; yet the citizens being daily more and more streightned by the siege , were accordingly brought into greater perplexities , and being brought low by the famine , which is the consummation of all misery , began , as it for the most part happens , upon the barking of the stomack , to snarle at one another , to grumble and complain , and to hold private consultations about the taking of their king , and by delivering him to the enemies , to better the terms of their composition . but the king , the stitcher and botcher of all deceit , being afraid of himself , chose out of all the people twelve men in whom he could place most confidence , and these he called his captains , assigning to them their severall guards and posts in the city , which they were to make good . this done , he promised the citizens that the close siege should be raised before easter , for he was confident that a certain emissary , whom he had sent into zeland , holland and friezland should return with such supplies , as by a furious and desperate assault made upon the besiegers should deliver the city : but hope it self was to him become hopelesse , nor could safety it self save him . to his captains as he called them , 't is incredible what wealth he promised , such as the fabulous riches of pactolus and the treasures of midas should not make good , with oceans of goods ( which happly must be paid them out of his dreams ) and that after the city were relieved , they should be dukes and governours of provinces , and particularly that john denker should be elector of saxony ? but behold , in the moneth of february , a sad face of things appeared , many being meerly starved to death , which occasioned , that one of his queens ( for he had gotten a many ) elza or elisabeth , who was distinguished by the name of the glove maker , had bin often heard to say , that the most cruel sword of famine came not from god , which though he had not heard himself , having caused her to be brought with his other wives into the market place , he struck of her head , kneeling in the midst of them , which done ; insulting ●…er her , he affirmed that she had carried her self as a common prostituted whore , and had been disobedient to him , while in the mean time her fellow queens sung this hymne , glory be to god on high , &c. easter day being now dawning : and no hope of deliverance shining on them , the common people with just reason were extreamly astonished ; nor , confide●ing how things were carried , could they have any longer patience . in this conjuncture of affairs , to elude the people , according to his wonted insinuations , he feigns himself to bee sick , and that after six daies , he would appear publickly in the market-place , but that as to the deliverance which they were to expect according to his intimation , it was to be understood after a spiritual manner , and so it should certainly come to passe for he affirmed for a most certain truth , that in a divine dream he saw himself riding on an asse , and bearing the unspeakable weight of fin , and that all that had followed him were freed from their sins . but indeed they may be fitly said to be like asses that rub one another ; or to the blinde leading about the blinde . it is a great affliction , it is a pennance to repeat the miseries and the wofull consequences of famine and want . there were a many who being impatient of so long hunger , revolted to the enemy , not so much out of hope of compassion , as to accelerate their own deaths ; not a few creeping upon all four , endeavored to get away ; for being weak and strengthlesse , they could hardly fasten their feet on the ground ; some falling down were content to give up the ghost in the place where they lay . there you might see a sad spectacle of foreheads and cheeks pale as ashes , temples fallen , eies sunk into hollownesse , sharp noses , ears shrivel'd , lips black and blew , throats slender as those of spiders ; to bee short , hippocratical faces , living carcases , and excellent shadows of men . they had sown certain kinds of seeds and pulses in the city which for a time served for high delicacies to the grumbling stomach ; but these being soon devoured by the hungry belly ; cats , dormice , and rats , which themselves were almost starv'd to anatomie , became ( doubtful ) entertainments . some were reduced to that inhumane necessity , that they fed on the flesh of the buried carcasses ; some drest the feet of sweaty woollen socks , some cut to pieces the parings of tanned leather , and mincing them with some other things , bak'd them and made them serve for bread . to this wee may add , that the most wickedly obstinate citizens were not yet convinced , that by crafty infinuations and specious suggestions they were brought into the noose , whom therefore he stil entertained with considerations of magnanimity , and the deliverance they were yet constantly to expect from god , but as for those who admitted any thoughts of running away , and endeavoured to avoyd their miseries , he peremptorily sends for , and like a publick robber taking away all that their industry had furnished them with , depart , says he , and be gone to the hereticks , and bid sarewel to this place . the king , though he had gotten at his house sufficient provision for two months , yet was he willing to imbrace all occasions wherby he might keep up the heart of the city which now continually barked for sustenance . to which end , behold a certain man named john longstrat , being a nobleman and privie counsellor to the king , and one of whom he was very confident , boasted that he would within fourteen days reliev this hunger-starv'd city , both with provisions and supplies of men , to the number of three hundred . by this pretence hee flyes to the enemy , and betrays the city to the bishop , for a certain summe of money with his life included . the eve of saint john was appointed for the execution of this design , about ten of the clock , at which time hee had obliged himself by oath to cause the gate called the crosse-gate to be opened . this commissary for provisions returning at length to the city , assured the king upon his saith and reputation , that the said recruits of provision and forces , should be ready within the time appointed . the day assigned being come , hee acquaints the guards that the promised forces , were to come in in the night ( which would bee starr-light enough ) that so they might receive them as friends . the gates are hereupon set open , and the enemies being admitted into the city as into another troy , upon the watch-word given , soon dispatch'd the guards and others that were neer . now could bee nothing heard for the cry of armes ; armes . the king and his courtiers being gotten into a body , drove back the enemie to the gates , which the citizens had by that time shut again : whereupon the rest of them that were without : were forced to set engines to force open the gates , which being once broken open , they flourished and set up their colours . the citizens stiffely resisted the first assault , and made a strong body in the market place , where the fight became very hot and bloody . the king himself , knipperdoling and krachting fell into the enemies hands ; but rotman seeing there was no possibility of safety , rushing where the enemy was thickest , was trod to pieces ; hee it seems placing all hopes of life in death . the anabaptists upon the taking of their king being quite cast down and discouraged , went and hid themselves in larders , kitchins , and other lurking holes . the city was most unmercifully plundered ; and to make a full search of it , there were ten days allotted . there was found by those of the kings guard at the royall palace as much provision as would maintain two hundred for two mouths . o goodman king , where is now the community of goods and provisions which your religion holds forth ? this sad fate did that city suffer in the year one thousand five hundred thirty and five . the third day after this sacking of the city , the king was carried to the castle of dulmen , three miles off . the bishop having caused the king to bee brought with all speed before him , said to him , o thou cast away of mankind , by what deplorable means hast thou corrupted and destroyed my people ! to which the king , with an undisturbed and proud deportment made answer thus ; o thou pope , have wee done thee any injury , by delivering into thy hands a most well-fortified and invincible city ? but if thou thinkest thy self any way injur'd or endammag'd by us , if thou wilt but hearken to our advice , thou shalt be easily enriched . the bishop hardly abstaining from laughing , desired him to discover that secret , to which hee replyed . cause an iron cage or basket to bee made , and cover it with leather , and carry me into all the parts of thy country to be seen for a shew , and if thou take but a penny of every one for the sight , assure thy self it will amount to more then all the charges of the war . the more eminent anabaptists wore about their necks a certain medall wherein was the effiges of their king , to which were added these ietters , d. w. f. whereby was signified , that the word was made flesh . but the king being carried up and down as a captive with his two associates , was shewn to divers captains and ecclesiasticks of the landgrave , which gave occasion of dispatation between them about some things , as of the kingdom of christ , and of magistracy , of justification , and of baptisme , of the lords supper , and of the incarnation of christ , as also of matrimony : in which disputation , they prevailed so far by the divine testimonies of holy writ , that they brought the king of the anabaptists , ( though not acknowledging the least satisfaction ) to a non-plus , who to obtain another disputation out of hopes of life ( as was said ) promised , that hee would reduce the anabap●ists which swarmed in holland , braband , england , and friezland ; and that he would do all honour to the magistrate . upon the twentieth of january one thousand five hund●ed thirty and six , he is brought with his companions to munster , where they were secured in severall prisons ; two days were spent in weeding and rooting up their errors . the king indeed confessed his offences , and cast himself wholly upon christ ; but his companions discover'd a vain obstinacy in the defence of their cause . the next day the king is brought to the place of execution , fasten'd to a stake , and is pulled piece-meal by two executioners , with pincers red hot out of the fire . the first pains he felt , hee suppressed , at the second hee implor'd gods mercy . for a whole hour was hee pull'd and delacerated with those instruments , and at length , to hasten somewhat his death , run ●hrough with a sword . his companions were dipped with the baptisme of the same punishment , which they suffered couragiously ; all whose carcasses put into iron baskets ; as anathema's of eternal example hang out of the tower ●f s. lambert . and this was the retiring room of the tragedy of munster . hermannus sutor , hic qui se christum , et qui se jactârat iesum , servasse haud potuit seque suisque fidem . the contents . herman the cobler professeth himself a prophet , &c. he is noted for drunkennesse ; the ceremonies hee used in anabaptisme , eppo his host discovers him and his followers to be cheats ; hermans wicked blasphemies , and his inconstancy in his opinions , his mothers temerity ; his sect convinced , and fall off from him ; by one drewjis of his sect he is handled roughly ; herman is taken by charles lord of golderland , &c. and is brought prisoner to groeninghen ; when questioned in his torments , he hardened himself ; and died miserably . that there were divers emissaries and ambassadours sent by the king of the anabaptists into holland , friezland , and other places to raise souldiers , you have understood out of the history of munster ; which souldiers having raised a tumult , caused the bishop to discamp from before munster ; and of this heard was there one nicholas alcmariensis , a worthy disciple of john mathias , who being dispatched into friezland for the foresaid negotiation , got together a promiscuous crue of anabaptists for● the relief of munster : but that it might appear how real and effectual he was in the businesse , they sent two of their fellow-soulders , antony cistarius , and a trades-man whose name was james , to munster . these two with some others having compassed their desires at a town called opt'zant , having shuffled together from all parts into a kind of a troop , made their rendezvous at the house of one eppo , about the twilight out of a pretence that they there should meet with some later intelligence , which they receiving from their ambassadors , out of very joy for those good tidings , absolutely broke forth into tumults . the bell-weather of these , was one herman [ an excellent vamper of all abomination ] a cobler of opt'zant , who professed himself a true prophet , and that he was the true messias , the redeemer and saviour of the world , nay , ( which causes horror to me in the relation ) that he was god the father . this fellow lay naked in his bed from the privy parts downward , and caused to be laid near him a hogs-head of strong beer , which he desired to drink in healths , which required no small draughts ; for he had gotten an excessive thirst , greater than that of any dog ; or that which the serpent dipsas causeth in those that are stung by it ; & all through his extraordinary bellowing and bawling . for , having for some dayes led a life like one of epicurus's herd ; that is to say , being drunk even to extravagance , hee with a stentors voice , and a horrid howling , among other things often repeated this ; kill , cu● the throats without any quarter , of all these monkes , all these popes , and all , especially our own magistrate ; repent , repent , for your deliverance is at hand , &c. in the mean time , hee , with the assistance of his fellow souldiers , denounced to certain proselytes of another religion , that peice was not to be rejected without incurring the dreadfull effects of the last judgment , which was now at hand , and these were such as both by sollicitations and promises , his main design was to inveigle into his deceit . moreover hee sent to redeem some of his followers out of a prison belonging to a certain nobleman called john of holten , with this charge , that they should kill with swords and pistols , whosoever should either by words or blows any way oppose them . when they returned with their delivered captives , they had dispatched a man ( it is thought hee was priest ) looking out at his door , with a musket , had he not turned his back and shut the door against them . the very same night , which was to bee the last , or wherein the world being to bee turned to deceitfull ashes , they expected it should by the means of this mediator and intercessor ( as was thought ) presently bee restored to liberty , there were a great many that embraced him where ever they could , with those complements which they should use to one , as without the earnest of whose baptisme , they were to expect the reward of disobedience , and eternall destruction to bee trrasured up for them . the sacrament of anabaptisme being according to these cerremonies celebrated , the fore-commended parent exhorted his children to prayer in these words , pray , pray , pray , pray , mouthing it out with an agitation of his lips , like that of our sto●ks ; which done , falling on their knees , they disgorged , a strang vicissitude of prayers and songs . the owner of that house , who was an inn-keeper , and withall lame , sate neer this great father , towards whom the father turning , said unto him , arise and walk . but eppo being still lame , and seeing that they were all deceived , and that by a sort of cheats wickedly stitch'd together , withdrew from them , and hid himself for fear in anothers man's house far from thence . these things being thus past , there rises up another , one cornelius * coemiteriensis ; who ran about after a most strange manner , and when the father [ of all execrable temerity ] lay sick in his bed , tormented with an imaginary , or at least such a disease as puzzelled the physicians to find any name for ; this man for an hour together uttered these and such expressions : o father , look upon thy people ; have mercie upon thy people : o let thy bowels , o father , be moved to compassion : &c. at which addresses the father being moved , he commanded a tankard of beer to be drawn out of the hogshead , which was now almost at the bottom , which he drinking to his son , drank till it came to the lees , which presenting to his son , hee said to him , drink up the holy ghost . the son like his father , and following his example , having taken it off , he flings out of bed , and falls upon those that stood by , and tossing the tankard from one hand to the other , ran up and down like a drunken man , and at length joined with the father [ who was sick of an imaginary extravagance , wherein he was much given to laugh ] in roaring out these word ; mortifie the flesh , mortifie the flesh ; the flesh is a divel , the flesh is a divel , mortifie the flesh ; &c. upon this there immediately starts up another , pursued ( as he thought ) by an extraordinary vision , and after their example , roared it out most furiously , which fellow ( as was reported ) was really advanced to some degrees ( if not the supreme ) of madnesse . a certain woman better than middle-aged , being frighted almost out of her wits , by the bawling and howling of this sonne , intreated that they would keep in the lunatick and possessed person , and that hee might be carried to bedlam . the common people being astonished at this impious , hellish crue ; were forced to pinne their faith upon their sleevs , as a truth confirmed by the lying of those prophetical mouthes . these ●elapses of fury and madnesse , having their intervalls of calmnesse and ●erenity , he admonished them , that all arms and weapons were to be laid aside , and that they should put off their guarded , edged and scolloped garments , and their wrought smocks and petticoats , nay that women ought to abstain wearing their neck-laces , and all things that were burdensome , intimating the manner wherein god that needs no arms , would fight their battels for them , and should discomfit all their enemies . the cowardly and inconstant vulgar being moved at the madnesse of this doctrine , disburthened their bodies of all manner of cloathing . a certain harmlesse man having cast away his knife , takes it up again , which his daughter looking asquint upon , rebuked her father ; to which he answered , be patient , be patient , daughter , we shall have emploiment hereafter for this to cut bread withall . o how was this girle once a childe , but how was the old man twice ! when the student of bedlam , the son , with his yelling , was exhorting the bewitched people to singing and praier , and to resist the divel , the father presently with his own son , in whom he was well pleased , taught them , that the time of praier being done , and that the time of war coming on , they must take up the instruments of war ; whereupon he gets up into a pulpit , and declared himself to the people who stood all about him , with a loud voice , that he was the sonne of god , and cried out that he was born a true mediatour unto them , &c. his mother being there present , they asked her whether she was the mother of the son of god ? to which between force ●nd fear , she at length answered , though innocently , that shee was . this gave occasion to many to bee diffident , and to waver in the faith received ; insomuch that a certain man discovering his dissatisfaction , and speaking ill of the sonne , the said sonne taking hold of him , flings him into a common shore , saying unto him , now art thou deservedly cast into hell : from whence the said man coming out all dirt , diverse others unanimously acknowledged that they were defiled and bespattered with the same filthiness and abomination . and hence rise up that impious report of the sonne of god , that hee was thrust out of doors , which that ambassadour antony , being returned from munster , having heard took it in mighty indignation , and by force breaking into the house , would have vindicated those holy expressions . the father and son , were much against it that any should come in ; yet hee , though the people flocking about him made some opposition , bitterly rebuking that blasphemous wretch , broke forth into these words , thou villanous and contagious burthen of the earth ; what madness , what extravagance hath bes●tted thee without fear of divine judgement , to assume to thy self the title of the son of god ? which spoken , swelling up with the leaven of wrath , he ca●●s himself upon the ground , whereupon the people ran violently upon him , knocking , beating , and kicking him like a foot-ball ; at last being well loaden with blows hee rises , and breaking through the presse of the people , he got away and escaped . in his way hee comes to a hole in the ice broken for the cattle to drinke , twenty foot over , which hee made a shift to get over , as is said , with the help of the devill ; for many that would have found him out , lost their labour . all being now convinced that they were abused , for fear of the most noble charles lord of gelderland , the viceroy of groningen ( called also king of gelderland ) who was sent to appease that tumult , got secretly away . but before they were all departed , one of them called drewjis ( whom they called doctor nucius ) out of pure spight , laying hold of the father , being sick in his bed , thundred to him in these words ; thou villain , thou fruit and groanings of the gallows , where , where is now your governing , and authority ? now the time of prayers is past , &c. having dragg'd him out of bed by head and shoulders , they with some assistance , bound him with cords ; and delivered him to the custody of the mistresse of the house to bee safely kept till night . in the mean time the valiant charles surrounds the house with his men , and besieged it , which the woman seeing , cut the co●ds . being loose , hee takes a trident fork wherewith assaulting them as with a sword , he put to flight forty men through other houses , whom he hastily pursuing , was unawares surprised by others , and brought to groningen . but behold the miracle ! to that very place , where this naked [ of all truth ] messias with his fork● scepter , and this shoomaker of cobler beyond his last , had with his trident put so many to flight , did the water-dreading anabaptists resort and ●ender unto god infinite thanks for the 〈◊〉 us privilages thereof . of this lewd messias , who was ●ow well acquainted with the fetters of groningen , it was asked in his torments , whether those routs ( of whom he was ring-leader ) were out of pretence of sanctity raised to rob the publick treasuries , ( as many thought ) which yet ( as some say ) was denied . for , he hardening himself against even the most cruel torments could be inflicted on him , still cried out ; destroy , destroy , destroy monks , fo●●s , kill all the magistrates , and particularly our own . in the midst of these bawlings being miserably worried ou● , he gave up the ghost . theodorus sartor . quis qu●●●o hic sartor nudus qui deperit ? ille quî rogo ●●ruentis nomine dignus ●●at ? the contents . theodor the botcher turns adamite , hee affirms strange things , his blasphemy i● forgiving of sins , he burns his cloaths , &c. and causeth his , companions to do the like . he and his rabble go naked through amsterdam in the dead of night , denouncing their woes , &c. and terrifie the people . they are taken and imprisoned by the burghers , but continue shamelesse . may . . they are put to death ; some of their last words . in the year of our lord one thousand five hundred thirty and five , upon the third of februay at amsterdam , in a street called salar street , at the house of john si●●id a cloth worker , who at that time was gone into austria about some businesse , there met seven men anabaptists , and five women of the same perswasion , of which flock , the bell-weather was theodorus sartor , who rapt into a strange enthusiasme and extasie , stretching himself upon the ground stark-naked upon his back before his brethren and sisters , seemed to pray unto god with a certain religious dread and horrour . having ended his prayers , he affirmed that he had beheld god with his eyes in the excessive and ineffable riches of his glory , and that he had had communication with him , both in heaven and in hell , and that the day of his judgment was at hand . after which he said to one of his companions , thou art decreed to eternal damnation , and shalt be cast into the bottomless pit ; at which the other crying out , the lord god of mercy have compassion on me ; the prophet said to him , be of good chear , now art thou the sonne of god , thy sins are forgiven thee . upon the eleventh day of february , the foresaid year , the persons aforementioned , unknown to their husbands , repaired to the same aug●●●'s stable . this prophet , or seer , having entertained them with a sermon of three or four hours long , casts a helmet , a brest plate , a sword , and other armes , together with all his clothes into the fire , being thus stark naked , and his companions who yet had their cloaths , being uncovered , he peremptorily commanded them to do the like , as being such as must be as safe as himself . he further affirmed , that the children of god ought to look upon all things of this world with contempt and indignation . and since truth , which is most glorious in her nakednesse , will not admit the deformity of any earthly disguise whatsoever , he affirmed that they ought in all things to conform themselves to that example of truth and justice . a great many hearing these things having quite cashier'd all shame , offered up their shirts , smocks , and petricoats , and whatsoever favoured of earth , as a burnt-offering unto god . the mistresse of the house being awaken by the stink which these cloaths made in burning , and going up into the upper chambers , she findes this deplorable representation of immodesty and impudence ; but the power and influence of propheticall integrity brought the woman to that passe , that she was drawn in to wallow in the same mire of unshamefac'dnesse , whom therefore he advised to continue alwayes a constant adherer to the unblameable truth . going out of the house in this posture , about three of the clock , the other men and women marched barefoot after him , crying out with a horrid voyce , woe , woe , woe , the heavy wrath of god , the heavy wrath of god , &c. in this fanatick errour did this hypocondriack rabble run about the streets , making such a horrid noise , that all amsterdam seemed to shake and tremble at it , as if it had been assaulted by a publick enemy . the burghers not having the least hint of such a strange and unlook'd for accident , ( for this furious action happen'd in the dead of night ) took up arms ; and getting these people ( lost to all shame and modesty ) up to the palace , ●●apt them into prison . being so disposed of , they would owne no thoughts of shame or chastity , but would justifie their most white and naked truth . in the mean time the fire being smelt , they broke into the house where it was , and wondring at their casting off their cloathes into the fire , which had since reached the bed , they made a shift to quench it . but the other distracted and mad people , such as deserved to be sent to their kindred , the savages and heathens , inconvincibly persisted in their pestiferous opinion , and so upon the fifth of may the same year , they expiated their wicked impieties by their death . ones farewell saying , was , praise the lord incessantly ! anothers was , o god revenge thou these our sufferings ! others cried out , woe , woe , shut thine eyes ! david geore . hereti●● plures visi hic , cui visus ego , illi pluribus in visusque haeresiarcha fui . the contents . david george , the miracle of the anabaptists . at basill he pretends to have been banished his countrey for the gospels sake ; with his specious pretenses he gaines the freedome of the city for him and his . his character . his riches . he with his sect enact three things . his sonne in law , doubting his new riligion , is by him questioned ; and upon his answer excommunicated . his wifes death . he had formerly voted himself immortall , yet aug. . . he died &c. his death troubled his disciples . his doctrine questioned by the magistrates , eleven of the sectaries secured . xi . articles extracted out of the writings of david george . some of the imprisoned sectaries acknowledged david george to have been the cause of the tumults in the lower parts of germany , but dis-owned his doctrine . conditions whereupon the imprisoned are set at liberty . the senate vote the doctrine of d. g. impious , and declare him unworthy of christian burial , and that his body and books should be burned , which was accordingly affected . david george , a man born at delph in holland , the miracle of the anabaptisticall religion , having lived in the lower provinces forty years , did in the year one thousand five hundred forty and four , with some of his kindred and companions , in the beginning of aprill , begin his journey for basill , in the state and condition of which place , he had before very diligently enquired . whereof having sufficiently informed himself , he pretended that he had been driven out of his countrey for the gospels sake , and that he had been hitherto tost both on the land and sea of the miseries of this world ; and therefore he humbly intreated , that now at length he might be received into some place of rest . some being by the representation of his misfortunes and his teares , melted into compassion towards him , he presum'd to intreat the magistrate , that in tendernesse to christ and his holy gospel , he might be made capable of the priviledges of the city , which if it were granted , he bid them be confident of gods most particular protection towards their city , and that for the preservation of it , he engaged for him and his , that they should be ready to lay down their lives . the magistrates being moved with these just remonstrances and desires received the viper as a citizen , gave him the right hand of welcome and fellowship , and made him and his free of the city . what should the magistrate do ? behold , he hath to do with a man of a grave countenance , free in his behaviour , having a very long beard and that yellowish , sky-coloured and sparkling eyes , milde and affable in the midst of his gravity , neat in his apparel ; finally one that seemed to have in him all the ingredients of honesty , modesty and truth ; to be short , one , if you examine his countenance , carriage , discourse , and the cause he is embarqu'd in , all things without him are within the limits of mediocrity and modesty ; if you look within him , he is nothing but deceit , fraud , and dissimulation ; in a word , an ingenuous anabaptist . having already felt the pulses of the senate and divers of the citizens , comming with his whole family to basill , he and his are entertained by a certain citizen . having nested a while in basill , he purchased certain houses in the city , as also a farm in the countrey and some other things thereto appertenant , married his children , and by his good offices procured to himself many friends . for , as long as he remained at basill , he so much studied religion , was so great an alms-giver , and gave himself so much to other exercises of devotion , that suspicion it self had not what to say against him . by these cunning insinuations ( this is beyond a young fox , and smells more of the lybian wilde beast ) many being surprised , came easily over to his party , so that he arrived to that esteem and reputation in matters of religion , he pleased himself . this perswasion thus craftily gotten , was heightened by his great wealth ( and his riches in jewels , whereof he brought some with him , some were daily brought from other places in the low-countries ) & was yet further encreased , by his sumptuous and rich plate and houshold-stuffe , which though they were gorgeous and majestical , yet were they not made to look beyond sobriety , cleanlinesse and mediocrity . these people sojourning thus in common houses , desiring as yet to suppresse the pernicious infection of their sect , very religiously enacted three things : first , that no man should profane or speak idly of the name of david george . secondly , that no man should rashly or unadvisedly divulge any thing concerning his country , or manner of life ; whence it was that some thought him to be a person of some quality ; some , that he was some very rich factor or merchant , whence it came that he was so excessively rich ; others had other imaginary opinions and conceits of him , for as much as they themselves being strangers , lived in a country where they could not be ascertained of any thing : thirdly , he was very cautious that none of the basileans should be carelesly admitted into his acquaintance , society or correspondence , imitating therein the policie of the ferrets and weesels , which ( as is reported ) never assault any bird of supremacy , in the places where they frequent . and thus did he by letters , writings and emissaries , plant and water the venemous seed of his sect through the lower provinces , yet kept the waies by which he wrought unsuspected and undiscovered . for , although he had lived two years among them , there was not so much as one man infected ; or had privately caught the itch of his religion . what transcendent mysteries are these ! this man , though he feared neither deceit nor treachery from strangers , yet the fire kindled out of the deceitful embers of his own houshold . for , behold ; one of his own retinue doubting of the certainty of the new religion , he caused him to be brought before him , and asked him whether he did not acknowledge him to be the true david sent from heaven upon earth , and to bee the horn , redeemer , and builder up of the tabernacle of israel ? to which the other answered roundly and peremptorily , that the restauration of the kingdome of israel and other things foretold by the prophets were fulfilled in christ , the true messias , and that consequently there was no other to be exspected . which he hearing , not without great astonishment , did with much commotion of mind and bitter menaces thrust him , though his son in law , out of doors , and [ which is heavie to think on ] excommunicated him . these things being thus managed , david's wife fell sick of a disease ( which afterwards visited him and many more ) that dispatch'd her into the other world . what a miracle is this ! he that declared himself to be greater than christ , and voted himself immortal ( upon the second of august , one thousand five hundred fifty and six ) did die the death , and was honourably buried according to the ceremonies of the parish church , and his funerals were celebrated in the sight of his sonnes and daughters , sonnes in law and daughters in law , servant-men and maides , and a great conflux of citizens . this sad calamity of his death extreamely troubled and tormented the minds of his diciples , as a thing that very much thwarted their hopes of his promised immortality , although he had foretold that he would rise again in three yeares , and would bring all those things to passe which he had promised while he was alive . upon the death of this man , a great many with resolute mindes made it their businesse not onely to bring his doctrine into suspicion , but into utter disesteem , unanimously resolving to embrace whatever was good , sound , and consonant to christian doctrine , and reject the rest as hereticall . in the mean time , the report beat up and downe , both among the people , and the more learned , that this man of ingenuity , and authour of private doctrines , this very david george , was a contagion and a destructive pestilence , a devoted incendiary of a most dangerous sect , that ( though most falsely ) hee was born a king , and that hee accounted himself the true messias . the magistrate being extreamely moved at these things , not deferring his zeale any longer when the glory of god and his sonne jesus christ was so much concerned , caused all those who were conceived to be infected with the pestilence of that religion to be brought to the palace , to whom hee rubbed over what things had been transacted some yeares before ; that is to say , acquainted them , how that they had been banished their countrey upon the account of the gospell , and upon their humble addresses received into the protection , and made capable of the privileges of the city , &c. but that it had appeared since , that they had fled for refuge to basill , not for the propagation of the gospel , but for that of the leaven of the sacrilegious david , though by all outward appearance , they had hitherto been accounted favourers and professors of the true religion in the first place therefore the senate being desirous to know the truth , required to have his true proper name ; for , some have thought ( as some authours deliver ) , that his name was john burges . secondly , whether hee had privately or publickly dispersed his religion , and what tenets hee held . to which some made answer unanimously , that they had left their countrey for the true religions sake , nor did they acknowledge themselves any other than the professors and practisers of the lawfull religion . that for his name , hee had not called himself by any other than his own proper name ; and for his doctrine , they had acknowledged none either privately or publickly , save what hee had privately sometimes suggested , which was not disconsonant to the publick . the magistrate perceiving this obstinacy of mind caused eleven of them , the better to discover the reall truth , to bee secured , and more narrowly looked to . in the mean time , the senate leaving no stone unmoved in this businesse , appointed some to bring forth into publick view some books and writings of david , which should give no small light in the businesse , and these the magistrate recommended to men of the greatest learning to bee read over and examined with the greatest care possible , that so whatsoever they should meet with repugnant to the truth , they should extract , and give him an account thereof . those who had this charge put upon them , presented the senate with this extract of articles out of his writings . . that all the doctrine delivered by moses , the prophets , or by jesus christ himself and his apostles , was not sufficient to salvation , but dress'd up and set forth for young men , and children , to keep them within decency and duty ; but that the doctrine of david george was perfect , entire , and most sufficient for the o●taining of salvation . . he affirmed that he was christ and the messias , the well-beloved son of the father in whom he was well pleased , not born of blood , nor of the flesh , nor of the lust of man , but of the holy ghost and the spirit of christ , who vanishing hence long since according to the flesh , and deposited hitherto in some place unknown to the saints ; was now at length reinsused from heaven into david george . . hee held that hee onely was to bee worshipped , as who should bring out the house of israel , and the true ( that is , the professors of his doctrine ) tribe of levi , and the tabernacle of the lord , not through miseries , sufferings , crosses , as the messias of the jews did , but with all meekness , love , and mercy in the spirit of christ granted unto him from the father which is in heaven . . hee approved himself to be invosted with the authority of saving , or condemning , binding , and loosing , and that at the last day he should judge the twelve tribes of israel . . hee further maintained , that jesus christ was sent from the father to take flesh upon him ; for this reason at least , that by his doctrine and the use of his sacraments , men , being as it were no better then children , and uncapable of receiving the true doctrine , might be kept within duty till the coming of david george , who should advance a doctrine that should bee most perfect and most effectuall , should smooth out mankind , and should consummate the knowledge of god and of his son , and what ever hath been said of him . . but hee further affirmed , that these things should not come to pass according to humane ceremonies , but after a spirituall dispensation , and after such a manner as had not 〈◊〉 ●eard of , which yet none should be able to discern or comprehend , but such as were worthy disciples of david george . . to make good and prove all th●se things , he wrested and mis-interpreted many places of the holy scripture , as if christ and the apostles , whom he commends , had intimated not themselves , nor any other ecclesiasticall times , save only the coming of david george . . and thence it was that hee argued thus : if the doctrine of christ and his apostles bee most true and most effectuall for the obtaining of salvation ; the church which they had by their doctrine built up and confirmed , ●ould not possibly have been broken to pieces , for ( as christ himself testisieth ) against the true church , the gates of hell shall not be able to prevaile : but that building of christ and his apostles is overturned and pulled down to the very foundation by antichrist , as may be evidently seen in the papacy , according to the testimony of the same christ ; it therefore necessarily followes , that the doctrine of the apostles is imperfect and interrupted : whence he concluded his own doctrine and saith to be the onely solid and sufficient doctrine . . moreover he maintained himself to be greater than john baptist , yea then all the saints that had gone before him , for that the least in the kingdome of god ( according to the suffrage of truth it self ) is greater than john . but he said david george was one whose kingdome was heavenly and most perfect ; whence he makes himself not only greater than john , but also sets himself above christ , since that he was born of fl●sh , and that himself was born of the spirit according to a heavenly manner . . he further allowed with christ , that all sinnes committed against god the father , and against the son may be forgiven , but those that are committed against the holy ghost , that is to say against david george , shall be forgiven neither in this world , nor in the world to come ; by which meanes it is apparant that he conceiv'd himself greater and higher than christ , admitting christs own testimony . . he declared polygamy to be free and lawfull for all , even for those that are regenerated by the spirit of david george . these hends [ without any brains ] did the magistrate deliver to be carried to some that were in the prison , to fish out what confession they would make , who besides these , being provoked and challenged by a number of questions , answered at last , that this ( davus ) i would say david george , was the same who had embroyled the lower parts of germany with so many tumults & sedition , but as that to that doctrine and the fore-recited articles , they unanimously affirmed that they had never heard nor read of any such things . neverthelesse they were to acknowledge the doctrine expressed in those articles , to be pestiferous , execrable , and derived not from heaven , but from hell , and that it was heretical , and to be banished with an eternal anathe●a ; and withall , as men miserably seduced , yet desiring for the time to come , to be reduced into the right way , they were , with good reason , to implore forgiveness . among those that were in close prison , there was one formerly of david's greatest confidents , who confessed , that indeed he had been infected with that religion , but that since by the illumination of the grace of god , he discovered and detested the errors springing from it , and avoided them as he would do a cockatrice . but there were others who were civilly acquainted with this man , who denied that they had known any such thing by him , and cried out against the fore-mentioned articles as impious and blasphemous . these passages , the judges appointed by the magistrate , gave him an account of , who perceiving that some that were in custody were not so extravagant , but that they had some remainders of discretion left , he sent to them some learned and able preachers of the word , who , having diligently weeded out the tares of their errors , should sow into their hearts the saving seed of true faith . those who were sent , ●i●ting them with all the humanity , mildnesse , meeknesse and charity possible , could scrue nothing out of them , more than what the judges who had been emploied before , had done . in the mean time a report was spread about the city , that it was not david george , not any eminent person of any other name that had been buried , but that a meer swine , calf , hee-goat ( haply an asse ) had been carried out and buried , and that the dead carkasse embalmed with the strongest spices , was worshipped and adored with great devotion and religion . but this was but a report , and was not true . those that were in custody abhorring that doctrine , as unheard of , and such as deserved to be anathematized , and desiring to renew their acquaintance with discretion and their sences , are delivered out of those habitations of iron which they had kept possession of for two months , upon these conditions , that none should make any purchases either within or near the city , without the knowledge and consent of the magistrate : that they shall not entertain any coming out of the lower provinces , though of their kindred , but at publick houses or inns. that the printed books and writings that were translated into the dutch language , shall be brought into the palace . that there should be nothing published that were disconsonant to christian doctrine . that children should be educated according to incorrupt manners . that they should not make such promiscuous marriages among themselvs as they did . that they should take no dutch into their families . that they should submit to amercements and pecuniary mulcts [ if any were inflicted on them ] as citizens ought to do . that upon a day assigned , they should in the parish church , in the presence of the whole congregation , make a publick abjuration of the said religion , and condemn and anathematize the whole sect of it . that they should hold no friendship or correspondence with any that shall persist in that religion . to these conditions did they promise to subscribe , with all the reverence and gratitude they could possibly expresse . these things being thus managed , the most renowned senate , returning afresh to the business of the arch heretick , passed these votes . viz. that the doctrine of david george , upon mature examination thereof , was found impious and derogatory to the divine majestie ; that the printed books , and whatsoever may have seen the light , should have the second light of the fire ; that he as the most infamous promoter of that execrable sect , and a most horrid blasphemer against god and christ , should not be accounted worthy christian burial . that he should be taken up out of his grave by the common hangman , and together with his books and all his writings , and his manuscripts should , according to the ecclefiastical canons , be burnt in a solemn place . according to the said judgment , the carkasse being digged up , was , with all his writings , whereof the greatest part was that ( truly ) miraculous book , together with his effigies brought by the hangman to the place of execution , where having opened the dire●ul coffin , he being found not much disfigured , nay so little , that hee was known by diverse ( hee being covered with a watered garment , having about him a most white sheet , a very clean pillow under his he●d , his yellowish beard rendring him yet graceful ; to be short , having a silk cap on , under which was a piece of red cloth , and adorned with a garland of rosemary ) was set up publickly to be seen , and in the third year after his death , was with his writings consecrated to vulcan , that is to say , burned . michael servetus . omnia quum portenta voces hominemque deumque infandi serves nominis opprobium ! the contents . servetus his converse with mahumetans and jewes . he disguiseth his monstrous opinions with the name of christian reformation . the place of his birth . at the year of his age , he boasted himself the onely teacher and seer of the world . he in●eighed against the deity of christ . oecolampadius confutes his blasphemies , and causeth him to be thrust out of the church of basil . servetus held but one person in the godhead to be worshipped , &c. he held the holy ghost to be nature . his horrid blasphemy . he would reconcile the turkish alcoran to . christian religion . he declares himself prince of the anabaptists . at geneva , calvin faithfully reproves servetus , but he continues obstinate . anno , by the decrees of several senates , he was burned . michael servetus , like another simon magus , having conversed long among the mahumetans and the jewes , and being excellently well furnished with their imaginous opinions , begat both out of divinity ; and the general treasury of christian religion , a monstrous issue of opinions , with the coition of what he had received from the extravagant mahumelans , and thalmudists , upon which b●at this instrument of satan , must needs bestow the disguised name of christian reformation . from this cocks egge were bred these cockatrices , gonesus , gribaldus , blandratta , gentilis , alciatus , simanus , casanovius , menno , and diverse other anabaptistical vipers , who extreamly increased the restless waves of sects and opinions . we , recommending the rest to their proper place , hell , will take a more particular survey of one religion , and by the horridnesse of that guesse at the others . this servetus was a spaniard , born in the kingdom of arragon , most unworthy both of his name and nation . being wrapt into a most incredible enthusiasme , he boldly lays his unwash'd hands upon holy divinity ; and at the four and twentieth year of his age , boasted himself to be the onely teacher and seer of the world , making it his main design , and that by his impious and worthlesse writings , to inveigh against the deity of the son of god ; with which writings being sufficiently furnished , and withall enflamed with hopes of raising no ordinary tumults , hee bestirrs himself winde and tide for basil ; but occolampadius , an ecclesiastical doctor , learnedly ▪ before a full senate confuted the blasphemies of this man , and by the publick authority he had , caused him as a poisonous blasphemer to be thrust out of the church of basil . from thence he went to venice , where , in regard the venetians had been timely forewarned of him by the wise and learned melancthon , he made no harvest of his incredible blasphemies , nor indeed was he permitted seed-time for them . religion is no where safe ! but having consulted with the arch-hereticks his predecessors , and being bird-lim'd , he held that there was but one person in the god-head to be worshipped and acknowledged , which was revealed to mankind sometimes under one notion , sometimes under another , and that it was thus , that those notions of father , son , and holy ghost , were to be understood in the scriptures . nay , with the same line of his blasphemous mouth , he affirmed that our saviour jesus christ according to his humane nature , was not the sonne of god ; nor coeternall with the father . the holy ghost he granted to be nothing but that influence by which all things are moved , which is called nature . he most impiously ironicall , affirmed that to understand the word person , we must referre our selves to comedies . but the most horrid blasphemy of all , was , when by the suggestion of satan , he imagined , that the most glorious and ever to be worshipped and adored trinity ( who doth not tremble at it ? ) was most fitly compared to cerberus the porter of hell-gate . but he stayed not here ; no , he thought it should be accounted nothing but a diabolicall phantasme , the laughing-stock of satan , and the monsterous ●eryon , whom the poets by some strange mystery of philosophy feigned to have three bodies . o incredible , and unheard of subtilty of blasphemy ! the most glorious name of the most blessed trinity is grown so odious to this man , that he would personate ( being the greatest that ever was ) all the atheists that have quarrelled with that name . moreover he maintained , that taking but away the onely article of the trinity , the turkish alcoran might be easily reconciled to the christian religion ; and that by the joyning together of these two , a great impediment would be removed ; yea , that the pertinacious asserting of that article had enraged to madnesse whole countries and provinces . this abomination of god and men ▪ held that the prophet moses , that great servant of god , and faithfull ●…ard of the lords house , that prince and captain generall of the people of israel , one so much in favour with god that he was admitted to speak to him face to face , was to be accounted no other than an imposter . he accounted the patriarch abraham and his seed , too much given to revenge , and that he was most unjust and most malicious to his enemy . the most glorious church of israel , ( 't is the swine that loves the mire ) he esteemed no better than a hogge-sty ; and declared himself a sworn prince of the anabaptistical generation . but , keep o●● , and approach not , o all ye other heresies and hydra's of opinions of this one man , furies not capable of expiation ! being arrived at geneva , and being forbidden to spue out and spatter his pestiferous blasphemies , he continued in hostility against all sharp , but wholesome admonitions : which calvin , that famous minister of the church perceiving , being desirous to discharge the duty of a soul saving pastor , went friendly to servetus , in hopes to deliver him out of his most impious errors and horrible heresie , and so to redeem him out of the jawes of hell , and faithfully reproved him . but he being dazzled with the brightnesse of truth , and overcome , returned nothing to calvin ( so well deserving of him ) but an intolerable obstinacie , and inconvincible recapitulation of his blasphemies , whence it came to passe , that by the just and prudent decree of the senates of bernen , zuring , basil , and scasfuse , and by the righteous condemnation of the eternal god , in the moneth of december in the year one thousand five hundred fifty and three , ( or as sleidan hath it , in october ) he was ( how great is the obstinacy of blasphemy ! ) being at that time ecstarically hardened and intoxicated , consecrated to the avenging flames . arrius . divisit trini qui form●●●uminis ecce ! dividitur membris , visceribusque suis the contents . arrianisme its increase , an●● . the general council at nice , anno . called as a remedy against it , but without successe . the arrians mis-interpret that place , john . . concerning the father and the son . they acknowledged one onely god in a jud●icall sense . they deny the trinity arrius his wretched death , anno . about the year of the incarnation of the son of god , three hundred twenty and three , hell was deliver'd of a certain priest at alexandria named arrius , a man subtle beyond expression , the trumpet of eloquence , one that seemed to have been cut out for all honesty and elegance , who yet , with the poison of his herefie , and the 〈◊〉 cups of his distructive doctrine , did in the time of silvester bishop of rome , and the emperour constantine , draw in a manner all christendome to his opinion , and so corrupted some , even great nations in the east , that except a few bishops who stood to the true doctrine , none appeared against him . to remedy this disease , at nice in bithynia , in the year three hundred twenty and five , a generall councill was called ; but to no purpose ; for the contagious stocks of arrianisme were deeply rooted , so that they were become such ravening wolves among the flock of christ , that all that would not embrace their beliefe , were to expect banishment or death . these imagined that the sonne was not of an equall nature and coeternall with the father , but that he was onely agreeing and concurring with his father ; to confirm which , they alledged that place of john . . which sayes , i and the father are one ; and though they called the sonne a great god , yet they denied , that he was a living and true god , and co-essential with the father . they boasted that they were ready to answer all objections , and acknowledged one onely god , in a judaical sense . to that , i and the father are one , they were used to retort thus , doth the unity in this place denote co-essencie ? it most therefore follow , that it is as much , where the apostle sayes , cor. . . he that planteth and he that watereth , are one . they accounted the word trinity a laughing-stock and a fiction ; that the sonne of god was a creature , and that the holy ghost , was both born of christ , and conceived and begotten of the virgin mary . all that were baptized in the name of the blessed trinity , they baptized again . they denied that christ was the sonne of god according to the spirit and the godhead ; they denied god his own son . while arrius was disburthening himself of the necessities of nature , his bowels came forth , and with them his life . and so he who was the successor of those arch-hereticks , artemon ( who lived about the year of our lord two hundred ) and paulus samosatenus ( who lived about two hundred forty one ) came to a miserable death , in the year three hundred thirty six . see athanasius , epiphanius , hilarius , hierom , augustine , ambrose , basill , theoderet , eusebius , socrates , nicephorus , sozomen , and other ecclesiasticall writers , who have treated of these things more at large . mamomet . adsum ingens mahometes ●go , lachrymabile mundi prodigium , omnigeni dux , et origo mali . the contents . mamomet characterized . he made a laughing-stock of the trinity . he agreed with carpocrates , and other hereticks . he renewed circumcision , and to indulge his disciples , he allowed them polygamy , &c. his iron tombe at mecca . in the year six hundred twenty two , honorius the fift being bishop of rome , and heraclius caesar emperour of the east , a transcendent arch-heretick called mahomet , exchanged hell for earth ; a prephet , by nation an arabian , but most deprav'd and corrupt . he had sometimes been a merchant extremely rich , and withall very subtle ; to be short , he was a serious professor of diabolical arts , a most ungodly instrument of satan , the viceroy of antichrist , or his sworne fore-runner . this man endeavoured to exoll his brother arrius , with such praises as are correspondent to his heaven . he also with sabellio renewed the laughing-stock of the trinity . he with arrius and eunomius , most fervently and contumeliously held that christ , was onely a man , and that he was onely called god , secundum dici , that is to say , according to a certain manner of speaking . he agrees with carpocrates who denied that christ was a god and a prophet . this is also he that shakes hands with cerdonus who utterly abjur'd the godhead of the sonne , or that he was co-substantial with father . he imagined with the manichees , that it was not christ , but some other that was sastened to the crosse . with the donatists , he contemned the purest sacraments of the church . with the most impure origen he affirmes that the devils shall be eternally saved according to an humane , yet an invisible manner . he with cerinthus placed eternal felicity in the lust of the flesh . circumcision , that was long since abolished and antiquated , he renewed . upon his dicisiples he bestowed the priviledges , of polygamy , concu●ines and divorce , as moses had done ; and with such dreames and an imaginary phrenly was the miserable wretch ever troubled . this man when he dyed was put into an iron tombe at mecca , which by the strength of l●adstones , being as it were in the middle and centre of an arched edifice , hangs up to the astonishment of the beholders , by which means the miraculous sanctity of this prophet is greatly celebrated . all the dominions of the creat turk , professe this mans saith , whom they acquiesce in as a miracle . balthazar hubmor . ille ego qui vndarum mysteriasacra negavi igne cremor●fato disce cavere meo . the contents . hubmor a patron of anabaptisme . he damned usury . hee brought in a worship to the virgin mary , &c. the senate of suring by a council reduced him . he renounced the heads of his former doctrine . himself or sect still active . hee is taken and imprisoned at vienna in austria . he and his wise both burned . doctor balthazar hubmor of friburg , a man excellently well learned , another roscius in his affairs , a clergy man at ingolstade , was the third eminent patron of anabaptisme , and a sworn promoter of that worthy sect. this man in his sermons at regenburgh , inveighed so bitterly and so implacably against the usury of the jewes , that he banished it even to eternal damnation ; he brought in a certain religious worship to be done to the virgin mary , and some superstitious vowes , and was the cause of great tumults and insurrections , and had built up his doctrine upon very firm and solid foundations , until the most wise senate of suring applied the universal medicine of a council to these things , and assigned a day to reduce and root out that sect , which was the seventeenth of january , in the year one thousand five hundred twenty five , wherein the senate being present , and 〈◊〉 great presence of people , the most learned zwin●lius , and other sonns of learning , opposed this our doctor , by whom , and the strength of truth , after most ●ot and serious debating on both sides , he ingenuously consessed himself to be overcome . the heads of the doctrine , which he before defended , and whereof he afterwards made his abrenunciation , were these : that 〈◊〉 detested the cheat , and humane invention of ana●aptisme ; he affirmed that the spirit both before the fall and after was uncorrupt and unblameable , and that it never dies in sin ; whence it should follow , that not it , but the flesh , is deprived of liberty ; he also acknowledged that the spirit overcomes and triumphs over the flesh . though his recantation was made , and divers rebaptized into their better sences , yet the torrents of this sect neither stood still , nor were dried up , but increased in switzerland into a deluge , which overturned almost all . this man escaping the endeavours of spies , and shunning the halter , was at length taken with the figtree leaf of divine vengeance , and cast into prison at vienna in austria . being afterwards put much to the question , it being the designe of vengeance , the reveuging fire soon turned him to ashes . his wife being also baptized into the same whirle-pool of baptisme ; they both , with minds hardened to their own perswasions , were not disengaged of their faith , but with the departure of their lives . john hut . huttus ab hubmoro excrescit ; cervice resectâ sic vnâ in geminum pullulat hydra caput . the contents . john hut the prop and pillar of anabaptism● . his credulity in dreams and visions . he is accounted a true prophet by his proselytes . at merhem , his fraternity became as is were a monastery . in the times of the fore-mentioned balthazar rise up john hut , a learned man , the prop and pillar of anabaptisme , an eminent despiser of paedobaptisme , which kinde of baptisme he accounted the execrable fiction of the schoolmen ; whence it came , that he perswaded men , that if they were not baptized by him and his , they must necessarily incurre great danger to their souls . to which he added , that , those who were honoured with the prerogative of his baptisme , should be the restored people of israel , and that the wicked canaanites should be destroied by their swords , and that god himselfe should reveal from heaven the times wherein these things should be fulfilled . to visions and horrible dreams , ( which he thought proceeded to him from god ) he gave great credit , and he affirmed that he saw the preparations of the last day , and the angel going to blow the trumpet , by an indisputable revelation from gold upon the account of which dreams , his disciples as credulous as their master , spent and destroied all they had , fearing the difficulties of the times , wherein they should spend them ; all which being scatter'd and consum'd before the day came , they suffer'd a punishment , and inconveniences befitting their folly , having the lash of poverty perpetually at their backs . however they , a generation on whom the greatest quantity of black hellebore would not be much effectual , did still adore this miraculous piece of madnesse as a true prophet , even to admiration ; of which men , some not worthy the face or name of mankind , do at this day in great numbers live at merhern in palaces and covents upon their accidental contributions , and where they get their livelihood with their hands , and apply themselvs to any handy-craft , whereof they are the masters and governours , who by the commodities gained by them increase the common stock : they have at home with them their cooks , their scullions , their errand-boies , and their butlers , who have a care and dispose all things as they do in monasteries and hospitah ; they study to maint●in mu●●al peace and concord , being all equall . these even to this day are commonly known by the name of the hutsian fraternity . lodowick hetzer . polluit ut mentem sectis deformibus error , corpore sic hetzer foedus adulter erat . the contents . lodowick hetzer a famous heretick . he gains proselites in austria and switzerland . anno . at a publick disputation oecolampadius puts hetzers emissaries to their shifts . hetzer denied christ to be co-essentiall with the father . his farewell to his dis●iples . he is put to death for adultery . lodowick hetzer , famous for his heresie and learning , was first very intimately acquainted with nicholas stork , and then with thomas muntzer , yet he agreed not with these in some things , as in that opinion of theirs of the overturning and destroying of all the powers of this world , which opinion he looking on as * malicious and barbaro●s , forsook them , and joining with john denk , they by their mutual endeavours , sent some prophets into germany . but di●●enting also from him in some things , he propagated his own sect in austria , and made many pros●lites at bern in switzerland . which gave oc●a●ion that the reve●end senate appointed a publick disputation at soning , and caused letters of safe conduct to be sent to hetzer and his followers , for which bickering was set apart the first day of february , in the year one thousand five hundred twenty seven , where he appeared not himself , but his emissa●ies came , who were by the most learned ( but withall stinging , ) oecolampadius driven unto their shifts , and enforced to acknowledge conviction . hetzer was a considerable part , and the firebrand of the anabaptistical sect , but he stiffely denied christ to be co-essential with the father , which the verses made by him upon the carrying of the cross , do more than hint . ipse ego qui propriâ cuncta baec vi●tute creabam quaeris quot simus ? frustra , ego solus eram . hîc n●n tres numero , verùm sum solus , at i●●i ha●d numero t●es sunt , nam qui ego , solus eram . n●scio per , onam , solus sum ●ivus ego , & sons , qui me nescit , eum nescio , solus ero . i who at first did make all things alone , am vainly ask'd my number ; as being one . these three did not the work , but onely i that in these three made this great syzygie . i know no person , i 'm the onely main , and , though they know me not , will one remain . he was excellent at three tongues , he undertook to translate the book of ecclesiasticus out of the hebrew into high-du●ch . plauterus hath testified for him in writing , that he very honestly and unblameably bid farewell to his disciples , and with most devout praiers commended himself to god , even to the astonishment of the beholders . he having been kept long in close prison , was on the fourth day of february , in the year one thousand five hundred twenty nine , sentenced to die : and thinking himself unworthy of the city , was led w●thout the walls , where he was put to death , not for sedition or baptisme ( as plauterus saies ) but for adultery , which act he endeavored to defend by some arguments fetcht from the holy scriptures . melchior hofman . pellibus a teneris suetus , doctissime , nôsti ho●manni teneras excoriare greges . the contents . hofman a skinner , and anabaptist , anno , seduced men and women at embda in west-friesland . his ●ollowers accou●ted ●im a prophet . at strasburg , he challenged the ministe●s t● dis●ute , which was agreed upon jan. . . where ●e●ng mildely dealt with , he is neverthelesse obstinat● ▪ other prophets and prophetesses d●luded him . he deluded himself , and volu●tarily pined himself to death . in the year one thousand five hundred twenty eight , melchior ho●man a skinner of strasburg , a most eloquent and most cra●ty man , at embda in west friezland , ensnared . men and women into his doctrine , where he conjured up anabaptisme out of hell upon pain of damnation , whereupon being ●eturned to the lower provinces , who ever addressed themselves to him , he entertained them with water , baptizing all promiscuously . this man upon the prophecy of a certain decrepid old man went to strasburg , it having been foretold him , that he should be cast into prison , and remain there six moneths , at which time being set at liberty , he should , with his fellow-labourers , disperse the harvest of the gospel through all the world , he was by his followers acknowledg'd and honour'd as a great prophet . this was the great prop and pillar of the re●gn of mu●ster . having therefore made what hast he could pos●ible to st●asburg in order to the fulfi●ling of the phophecy , he there challenges the ministers of the word to dispute , which offerture the senate engaged with , upon the eleventh of january one thousand five hundred thirty and two ; at which time , the mists and clouds of errours and blindnesse , were quite dispersed by the sunne of the gospel . however , ho●man stiffely adhered to the foresaid prophecy , as also to his own dreams and visions ; nor would he acknowledge himself overcome ; but , their mildnesse having somewhat appeased him , he was thence dismissed , as one judged w●rthy of such a place where lepers are shut up , lest others be infected . but 't is incredible how joyfull he was at that newes , out of an excessive thanksgiving to god , putting o●● ▪ his shoes , and casting his hat into the ayre , and calling the living god to witnesse , that he would live upon bread and water , before he would discover and brand the authour of that opinion . in the mean time some prophets began to rise and keep a stirre , hinting , that he should be secured for that half year , and that afterwards he should go abroad with one hundred forty and four thousand prophets , who should , without any resistance . * reduce and bring the whole world under the subjection of their doctrine ? there was also a certain prophetesse who should prophecy , that , this hosman was elias , that cornelius polterman was eno●● , and that strasburg was the new jerusalem , and she had also dreamed , that she had been in a great spacious hall , wherein were many brethren and sisters sitting together , whereinto a certain young man in ●…ing apparel should enter , having in his hand a golden boul of rich nectar , which he going about should taste to every one ; to whom having drunk it to the dregs , there was none pretended to compare with him , but onely polterman . alas poor melchior ! he having nothing , yet made master of a strong tower , did after the example of esdras , signifie by letters that his baptisme should , be put off for two years longer , until africk should bring forth another monster , that should carry hay in its horns . there were many other dreams , and some nocturnal pollutions , which they attributed to heaven , and thought such as should have been written in cedar . but it was melchior's pleasure to think it a miserably happy kind of death , o die voluntarily , by pining and consuming away with hunger , thirst , and cold . melchior rinck . discipulos sic rincke doce● baptisma negare , sanguine carnifices et scelerure manus ! the contents . melchior rinck , an anabaptist . he is accounted 〈◊〉 notable interpreter of dreains and visions . his ●isciple thomas scucker , in a waking dream cut off his brother leonard's head ; pretending for his mi●rther obedience to the decree of god . melchior rinck , a most wonderfull enthufiast , was also a most extraordinary promoter of anabaptisme , and among his followers celebrated the festivals of it , he made it his businesse to extoll anabaptisme above all others , with those commendations ( which certainly it wanted not ) besides he was accounted no ordinary promoter and interpreter of dreames and visions , which it was thought , he could not perform without the speciall indulgence of god the father ; nay , he arrived to that esteem among the chiefest of his opinion , and became so absolutely possessed of their minds , that his followers interpreted whatever was scattered abroad concerning dreames and visions , to have proceeded from heavenly inspirations from god the father . accordingly in switzerland ( to omit other particulars ) at sangall , even at a full council , his disciple thomas scucker , being rapt into an enthusiasme , ( his father and mother then present , and his brother leonard , having by his command , cast himself at his knees before him ) cals for a sword , whereupon the parents and divers others running to know what was the cause and meaning of such an extravagant action , he bid them not to be troubled at all , for that there should happen nothing but what should be according to the will of god ; of this waking dream did they all unanimously expect the interpretation . the foresaid thomas [ guilty alas of too much credulity ] did , in the presence of all those sleeping-waking spectators cut off his own brothers head , and having forgotten the use of water , baptized him with his own blood . but what followed ? the magistrate having sudden notice of it , and the offence being fresh and horrid , the malefactor is dragg'd to prison by head and shoulders , where he , having long considered his action with himself , professed he had therein obeyed the decrees of the divine power . these things , did the unfortunate yeare one thousand five hundred twenty and seven see . here men may perceive , in a most wicked and unjustifiable action , the eminent tracts of an implacable fury and madnesse ; which god of his infinite goodnesse and mercy avert from these times . adam pastor . nomine qui pastor tu impostor moribus audis , qui â recto teneras tramite ducis oues . the contents . adam pastor a derider of paedobaptisme . he revived the arrian heresie . his foolish interpretation of that place , gen. . . so often confuted . adam pastor , a man born at a village in westphalia , was one of those , who with the middle finger pointed at paedobaptisme ; that is to say , looked upon it with indignation , as a thing ridiculous , being of the same opinion in that businesse , as menno and theodorus philip , but as to the incarnation of god , hee was of a quite contrary judgment . for menno held , that christ was something more worthy and more divine then the seed of a woman , but ( our ) adam stood upon it , that he was lesse worthy then that of god , so that he rowsed up the arrian heresie , which had lain so long asleep , as having been but too famous in the year three hundred twenty five . for in a certain book of his , whose title was , of god's mercie , he writ thus , the most divine word , which is the main considerable in our business , is written in the second of gen. v. . the day that yee shall eat of the fruit , ye shall die the death ; this is that word , which is made flesh . joh. . yea that god which is uncapable of suffering and impassible , is made passible , and he that was immortal , is made mortal ; for he was crucisied , and died for our advantage . to be brief , he held , that christ was not to be accounted any thing but the hand , the finger , or the voice of god . but although the opinion or religion of this ( third , but most unfaithful ) pastor adam wander out of the limits of divinity , and that it seem to be an ancient heresie , containing nothing in it but what is childish , trifling , and meer foppery , & hath been confuted & brought to nothing by the most religious preachers of the word of god , notwithstanding the barking of the viperous progeny of arrius and servetus ; yet he hath this in particular , that he would have us look narrowly to his explication of the second of genesis , which he so commends , where he foolishly and vainly endeavours to prove that the prohibition there , is the word made flesh . this monster did not onely beget this sect , but nursed it ; here are baites , allurements , and all the poisonable charmes imaginable that may cunningly seduce the best and most innocent of men . but alas ! where is the free and indulgent promise of god of the seed of the woman , which cuts the very throat of the divell , and tyes him in the strictest chains ? where are his often promises to abraham ? to isaac ? to israel and to his old people , confirmed by a league so solemnly made ? in thy seed all the earth shall be blessed . and thou shalt be a blessing unto me . this seed , witnesse the apostle , is none other than christ himself , whom god without question meant . the desperate contagion of this man's religion did servetus and his adherents professe , embrace , and celebrate . henry nicholas . vestra domus nicholae cadat , quae exrudore versoe futile fundamen religionis habet . the contents . henry nicholas , father of the family of love . he is against infant-baptisme . his divelish logick . there was also ore henry nicholas the father of the family of love , ( as he called himself ) and not the meanest man of all his gang , one who by many means endeavoured to cripple the baptisme of children , as is too known and apparent out of his writings , which at a third hand , he with all freedom , earnestnesse and kindnesse , endeavored to communicate to david george and the other of his fellow-labourers , and his new jerusalem friends . this man in a pamphlet of his , wherein he notably described himself , and which he dedicated to an intimate friend of his under the name of l. w. maintaining that the * minute of the last trumpet was coming , that should unfold all the books of unquiet consciences , hell , and eternal judgement , which should be found to have been onely things grounded upon meer lies , and as all wicked and high misdeeds were hateful and detestable to god , so also were glorious and plausible lies no lesse odious to him . the same man endeavoured to perswade people , that he was a partaker of god , and the humanity of his son . he further affirmed , that at the last day god should bring all men , nay the divels themselvs into perfect happinesse . all the things that were said of divels , of hell or angels , and eternal judgment , and the pains of damnation ; he said , were onely told by the scripture to cause fear of civil punishments , and to establish right policy . finis . the conclusion . these few things we have brought to light , were not invented by us , but were extorted out of their own disciples , with abundance of discourse , not without the presence of many men of godlinesse and excellent understanding , * they admitting not the universal rule of the scriptures . but alas ! take these away , where is faith ? fear of god ? eternal happinesse ? but let us believe them , let us believe them , and we shall bee saved . oh! that to heresies i could say an alphabetical table to the revelation of hereticks . a. apious act. . adam pastor , a derider of paedobaptisme , ● . &c. anabaptists their leading principle , . usually they grow worse and worse , ibid. their bold attempt , . &c. where masters most insolent , . of a levelling principle , . they , as the divel , pretend scripture for their base actions , ● they aime at universal monarchy , ibid. their de●ign upon amsterdam , . they aim at the advancement of themselves , but destruction of others , they would inforce others to their opinions ; yet : pretend liberty of conscience as to themselves . . arrius , his character , and wretched death , . &c. arrianisine , its increase . . b. john buckhold , or john of leyden , his actions and end . ● . &c. c. calvin's reproof of servetus , godly and loyal citizen● hate usurpation . conventicles usually the nurseries of tumults . d. the divel an enemy of peace . e. a bad example soon followed . f. famine the consummation of all misery . its character , &c. g. david george , an anabaptist , his character doctrine , actions , and death . , &c. h. heresie a catching , or mad disease . hereticks , their usual prerence , . the end that they propose to themselves in opposing the ministry and magistracy , . they are restless . . their cruelty , . they are inconstant in their opinions , . they allow not of the scriptures . hermannus sutor , or herman the cobler , his blasphemies , opinions and end . . &c. lodowick hetzer , a famous heretick , , &c. his end , . melchior hosman an anabaptist , . pined himself to death . balthazar hubmor an anabaptist , , &c. he and his wife burned , john hut an anabaptist , , &c. i john of leyden , vide buckhold . an item to the hotspurs of our times , k. bernard knipperdoling , l. the learned to be consulted with , in detection of sectaries and hereticks , loyaltie not alwaies successeful luther's advice to the senate concerning muntzer , m. magistrates seduced , most ominous a pattern for good magistrates . mabomet characterized , &c. his iron tomb , john mathias a baker at harlem , his actions and end , , &c. moneys & preferments , the usual baits of sedition , thomas muntzer , his opinions , actions , and end . . &c. n. henry nicholas father of the family of love , he is against infant-baptisme , his blasphemy , and divellish logick , , &c. oecolampadius puts hetzer's emissaries to their shifts . p. an ill president soon followed , ● pretenders to religion , prove usually the disturbers thereof r. a good resolution , , melchior rinck , an anabaptist , , &c. his disciple thomas scucker cut off his or others head , s. sectaries like ●inder , are soon on fire , . their usual pretence to raise sedition , ibid. sedi●ion goes not alwaies unpunished , michael servetus an anabaptist , his blasphemous opinions and end , , &c. success in bad enterprises causes evil men to rejoice t. theodorus sartor , or theodor the botcher , an adamite , his blasphemy , actions , and end , , &c. john tuysentschreuer , an abettor of john buckhold , , &c. his seditious sermon , v. vice corrects sin , ● . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- anno , . hereticks their usual pretence . muntzer a quick scholar in a bad school . his doctrine spreads , his aim 's high . the end that hereticks propou●d to themselves , in opposing the ministry and magistracy . his affirmations des●●ullive . anabaptists their leading principle . seldome rest there , but grow worse and worse . sectaries like tinder , are soon on fire . anno . . an usual pretence to raise sedition . hereticks restlesse . luther adviseth the senate to beware of muntzer , and his opinions . muntzers large promises to his party , and the common people . magistrates seduced , most ominous . muntzer endeavours to set up himself , pretending to restore the kingdom of christ . an ill president soon followed . the landgrave raiseth a war , and fighteth muntzer and his party . muntzers delusive animation of his followers . their overthrow . muntzers escap● . is found out but dissembles himself . muntzer taken , yet obstinate . the langrave convinceth him by scripture . muntzer when racked , laugheth , but afterward relenteth . his last words . is deservedly beheaded . notes for div a e- anno . pretenders to religion , prove usually the disturbers thereof . the devill an enemy of peace . john mathias a baker at harlem . his lechery notorious . at amsterdam he professeth himself a doctor , and a preacher . a murtherous opinion . john mathias repairs to munster . his severe edicts he becomes a malicious executioner of hubert trutiling , for not siding with him . his desperate end . notes for div a e- john buckhold his character . his disputing and contention with the ecclesiasticks concerning paedobaptisme . conventicles usually the nurseries of tumults . anno . &c. anabaptists their bold attempt . notes for div a e- anabaptists where masters , most insolent . john buckhold successor of john mathias . he comforts the people with a pretended revelation . he makes knipperdoling common executioner . about . men lost at the siege , of munster . buckhold seigneth himself dumb . he assumes the magistracy . he allowes polygamy . he takes to himself ●pee wives . a bad example soon followed . godly ond loyal citizens hate usurpation . loyalty not always succes●… hereticks ; their cruelty . anno . john tuysentschreuer an upstart , and abettor of john buckhold . john buckhold com●…s his delusi ●prophecies he is made king . he appoints officers under him his sumptuous apparell . his titles were king of justice , king of the new jerusalem . his throne . his coin and motto thereon . the king , queen , and courtiers waite on the people at a feast . a mock sacrament . a seditious sermon . sedition goes not alwayes unpunished . anabaptists of a levelling principle . anabaptists as the devill , pretend scripture for their base actions . they ●●m atuniversal monarchy . anno . kingly botcher indeavours to raise commotions abroad . he is happily prevented . anabaptists , their design upon amsterdam . they break out in the night time . they are worsted . famine the consummation of all misery . the king suspects his own safety : his large promises to his captains , both of moneys and preferments , the usual bai●● of sedition . he becomes executioner to one of his wives he feigns himself sick , and deludes the people with an expectation of deliverance . famine , it's character , and miseries . he forgets community . john longstrat his consident betrays him by stratagem . the city of munster unmercifully plundered . the king is brought prisoner before the bishop . who ( deservedly ) checks him . his jesting answer and proposal . king of the anabaptists put to a non-plus . anno ● . he is convinced of his offences . his deserved , and severe execution . notes for div a e- successe in bad enterprises . causes evill men to oejoyce . herman●he cobler prosessed himself a prophet , &c. he is noted for drunkennesse . his design to invoigle others . the ceremonies he used in anabaptisme . eppo his host , discovered him and his followers to be cheats . * supposed to be a digger of graves . hermans wicked blasphemy . heresie , a catching , or mad disease : hereticks inconstant in their opinions . herman blasphemes again . his mothers teme●i●y . the proverb verified . vice corrects sin . hermans party are convinced , and fal off from him . one drewjis of his party handles him roughly . charles lord of gelderland ; &c. with his men surrounds the house where herman is . herman is taken & brought prisoner to groningen : he is questioned in his torments . he is hardened . he dieth miserably . notes for div a e- anno . theodorus sartor an adamite . he affirmes strange things his blasphemy in forgiving of sins . he burns his cloathes , &c. a●d causeto his companions to do the like . he and his rabble go naked through amsterdam in the dead of night , denouncing their woes , &c. and terrifie the people . they are taken and imprisoned by the burghers , but continue shamelesse . may the fifth . they are put to death some of their last words . notes for div a e- david george the miracle of the anabapitsts anno . at basill he pretends to have been banished his countrey for the gospels sake . with his specious pretences he gains the freedome of the city for him and his . his character . his riches he , with his sect , enact three things . his son in law doubting his new religion , is by him questioned , and upon his answer excommunicated . his wifes death . he had formerly voted himself immortal , yet aug. . . he died , &c. his death troubled his disciples a good resolution . a pattern for good migistrates . the senates enquiry . eleven of the sectaries secured . in such cases the learned to be consulted with . articles extracted out of the writings of david george . some of the imprisoned sectaries acknowledged david george to have been the cause of the tumults in the lower parts of germany , but disowned his doctrine . an ingenuous confession and resolution . a pious act . a lying report raised . conditions whereupon the imprisoned are set at liberty . the votes of the renowned senate . the doctrine of d. g. declared impious . he is declared unworthy of christian buriall . and that his body and books should be burned . a fit punishment for perverse hereticks notes for div a e- servetus his converse with mahumetans and jews . he disguiseth his monstrous opinions , with the name of christian reformation . the place of his birth . his arrogant boast . he inveighs against the deity of christ . oecolampadius confutes his blasphemies , & causeth him to ●…e thrust out of the church of basil . servetus held but one person in the god-head to be worshipped , &c. he held the holy ghost to be naure . his horrid blasphemy . he would reconcile the alcoran to christian religion . he declares himself prince of the anabaptists . at geneva , calvin reproves servetus . serve●●● his obstinacy . anno . by the decree of several senates he was burned . notes for div a e- arrianisme , its increase . anno . the general council at nice . anno . called as a remedy against arrianisme , but without success . the arrians misinterpret that place , joh. . concerning the father and the sonne . they acknowledged one only god in a judaicall sense . they deny the trinity . arrius his wretched death , anno . notes for div a e- anno . mahomet characterized . he made a laughing-stock of the trinity : he agreed with carpocrates , and other hereticks . he renewed circumcision , and to indulge his disciples , he allowed them polygamy , &c. his iron tomb at mecca notes for div a e- hubmor patron of anabaptisme . he damned usury . he brought in a worship to the virgin mary , &c. the senate of suring by a council reduced him . he renounced the heads of his former doctrine . himself , or sect , still active . he is taken and imprisoned at vienna in austria . he and his wife both burned . notes for div a e- john hut the prop and pillar of anabaptisme anabaptists aime at the advancement of themselves , but destruction of others . hut his credulity in dreams . and visions . hut accounted a true prophet by his proselytes . at merhern the hutfian fraternity became as it were a monastery . notes for div a e- lodowick hetzer a famous heretick . * an item to the hot-spurs of our times . he●zer gains proselytes in austria , and switzerland . anno , at a publick disp●tation , oecolampadius puts hetzers emissaries to their shi●ts . hetzer denied christ to be co-essential with the father . his farewel to his disciples . he is put to death for adultery . notes for div a e- anno . hofman a skinner , and anabaptist , seduced . men and women at embda in west-friesland . a delusive prophecy . his followers accounted him a great prophet . at strasburg he challenged the ministers to dispute , which was agreed upon , jan. . . being mildely dealt with , he is ●●verthelesse obstinate . other prophe● 〈◊〉 delude hi● . * yet it 's like , to back their prophecies , they pretended liberty of conscience . a prophetess deludes him . he deluded himself . he voluntarily pined himself to death . notes for div a e- melchior rinck , an anabaptist . he is accounted a notable interpreter of dreams and visions . his disciple thomas scucker , in a waking dream cut off his brother leonards head . he pretends ( for his murther ) obedience to the decree of god . anno . notes for div a e- adam pastor a derider of paedobaptisme . he revived the arrian heresie . his foolish interpretation of that place , gen. . his opinion hath been sufficiently resuted . notes for div a e- henry nicholas father of the family of love . he is against infant-baptism * as to that minute ( if he confine not god ) we may believe him . his blasphemy . doubtless he hugg'd himself in this opinion . his divellish logick . notes for div a e- * hereticks allow not of the scriptures . a treatise of miscellany questions wherein many usefull questions and cases of conscience are discussed and resolved ... / by mr. george gillespie ... ; published by mr. patrik gillespie ... gillespie, george, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a treatise of miscellany questions wherein many usefull questions and cases of conscience are discussed and resolved ... / by mr. george gillespie ... ; published by mr. patrik gillespie ... gillespie, george, - . gillespie, patrick, - . [ ], [i.e. ] p. printed by gedeon lithgovv ... for george svvintoun, and are to be sold at his shop ..., edinburgh : . errata: p. . pages - have print missing; p. is stained in filmed copy. pages - and -end photographed from cambridge library copy and inserted at the end. reproduction of original in union theological seminary library, new york. marginal notes. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of 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assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a treatise of miscellany questions : wherein many usefull questions and cases of conscience are discussed and resolved : for the satisfaction of those , who desire nothing more , then to search for and finde out precious truths , in the controversies of these times . by mr. george gillespie , late minister at edinburgh . published by mr. patrik gillespie , minister at glasgovv . edinburgh , printed by gedeon lithgovv , printer to the university of edinburgh , for george svvintoun , and are to be sold at his shop at the kirk style , at the signe of the angel. . the publisher to the reader . it hath been a grand designe of the devil and instruments acted by him , with much controversie to darken the light in the very breaking up of this present reformation , and to hide the precious truth that the simple should not finde it , such pure malice doth he carry against the high way of the lord , and so afraid he is , that the way-faring men shall not erre therein : but they know not the counsel of the lord , nor the thoughts of his heart , who is about to clear the truth , by the manifold errours which have risen in these late times , to work his peoples hearts to a deep detestation of errour , as well as ungodlines , and to declare his truth , to be proofe of all the controversie that can be moved against it , when every work shall be tried by the fire . there must be heresies , for making manifest who are approved , and what is precious and praise-worthy truth , but at the evening time it shall be light , and the lord shall make truth shine the more brightly , that it hath been for a time darkned and born down , this cloudie morning shal end in a clear day . this litle treatise doth help to blow away and dispell the mists ▪ of errour , and clear many questioned truths , beside some points which are practically handled therein . if god had been pleased to lengthen the author his life for longer serving his generation , i am confident it would have come abroad better polished , if he had compleated it and there survayed the whole work , when set together . but although this peece be unperfect , yet having the authors leave , i have adventured to make it publick , without any addition or alteration , the christian reader will correct the errata , and look upon it as it is his opus posthumū , whom god made very serviceable in his work , in a very short time : i shall only wish that it may prove as useful and acceptable to the iudicious and godly , as other peeces which came from his pen. i am thy servant , pat ▪ gillespie . the contents . cap. i. that the ministery is a perpetuall ordinance in the church , and that ministers are to be received as the ambassadours of christ , now as well as in the primitive times . pag. . an erastian lately published the negative , which also the sect of the seekers hold . pag. . the affirmative is proven from scripture by eight arguments . pag. . . three objections answered . pag. , , . how believers are an holy priest-hood . ibid its proved against that erastian , that the ordinary ministry have an embassy ▪ from christ , as well as the apostles had . pag. . cap. ii. of the election of pastors with the congregations consent . pag. . . the question is stated . ibid. the affirmative is proven from scripture by three arguments pag. , , , . . , . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acts ▪ . is exponed . ibid. it s proven also from antiquity . pag. , . it s also the judgement of sound protestant churches and writters . pag. , , , . it s confirmed by five reasons , pag. . . the confession of adversaries proves it . pag. . seven objections answered , pag. . . . . . . . . how we differ from the independents in this point . pag. . . what is due to the people , and what to the magistrat , and what to the eldership in this point . ibid. the elderships votes , and the peoples consent or dissent are free , and there needs not be given a reason for them . pag , . a schismaticall church hath not just right to the liberty of a sound church . pag. . how the congregation is to judge if a man be qualified and fit for the ministry pag. . incommodities may be on both hands , but fewer on this . pag. . . cap. iii. whether ordination bee essentiall to the calling of a minister . pag. . four distinctions are premised for the right stating of the question . pag. . . . the affirmative is asserted and confirmed by ten arguments from nature and scripture to the end . there should be as much order in the church , as in any politick republick . pag . . that place rom : . . exponed and the socinian exceptions discussed . pag. , . . : . . . how the office of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , belongs to ordinary pastors . pag. : . how the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for an office and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 differ . pag. . what a mission expectants , and probationers have . pag. . the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , of church officers cleared . pag. . . ordination of ministers was a catecheticall head in the primitive times . pag. . the diverse names the ministers of the gospell gets in scripture . pag. . the place tim : . . opened up . pag. . . what lawfull ordination contributes for the peoples good . pag. . cap. iv. objections against the necessity of ordination answered . pag. . how the peoples 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is consistent with the elders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and both necessary . pag. . how election and ordination differ . pag. . the prophets mentioned cor : . . were extraordinarly inspyred , and so no ordinary rule . pag. . how the ordination of our reformers by the church of rome is lawfull , and how not . pag , . these who reject their ordination , must all unchurch themselves and turn seekers . pag. . vvhat may be done in extraordinary cases , and what must be done in ordinary in a constitured church pag. . vvhen the church of rome was most corrupt , there was alwayes a true church in it . cap. v. whether these prophets and prophesyings in the primitive church cor : . and cor. . . eph : . . were extraordinary , and so not to continue : or whether they are presidents for the preaching and prophesying of such as are neither ordained ministers , nor probationers for the ministry . pag : . there are three opinions concerning these prophets , the last whereof is that they were extraordinary prophets , which is holden for true , and proven by . reasons . pag. . ad . prophets in the apostles enumeration , are preferred to pastors and teachers , yea to evangelists pag. . the difference between prophets and pastors and teachers is set down . pag. . . three senses only of the word propbesying in the new testament . pag : . prophesie is distinct both from the word of knowledge and the word of wisedome . pag. . in the prophet there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. . how the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is often used for the new testament . pag. . prophesie is a speciall gift of an apostle . pag. . prophesie and the gift of tongues of the same kinde . ibid. even prophetesses were not allowed to speak in the church pag. , . that place cor. . . exponed and vindicated . pag. , , . how prophesie might be desired . pag . how prophets were subject to tryall . pag . how the word bretbren is sometimes taken . pag. . cap. vi. whether any but a minister , lawfully called and ordained , may administer the sacraments , baptisme , and the lords supper . p. . the negative is justly held by reformed churches against erastians and socinians , and is proven by eight arguments . much of the feeding of the flock confists in the dispensation of the sacraments . pag. what ezekiels vision concerning the new temple means . pag. . none without a calling should make bold with christs broad seals . pag . whom the commission to teach and baptize is given to . ibid. christ hath distinguished between magistracy and ministery , between sacred and civile vocations . ibid. what comfort it is for minister and people if the minister be lawfully ordained . pag. . that one text eph. . , , . is enough to put to silence these gainsayers . pag. . . cap. vii . of prophets and evangelists in what sense their work and vocation might be called extraordinary . and in what sense ordinary . p. their work and vocation is mixed . pag the higher degrees eph : . . are comprehensive of the lower , not contrarywise . ibid. what is the proper work of a prophet , ibid. vvhat is the proper and distinguishing work of an evangelist . pag. . how the word evangelist is taken , ibid. their works how , and in what sense extraordinary , pag. . vvhat kinde of vocation and mission they had , pag. . . timothie had a vocation partly ordinary , partly extraordinary . ibid. cap. viii . that the primitive apostolicall pattern holds foorth unto us for our imitation , a presbyterie , i. e. an assembly of elders having power of ordination , with laying on of hands . pag . how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ▪ tim : . . is to be taken , and that place vindicated from false glosses . pag. , , , . the change of the phrase in that place is observeable : pag. . imposition of hands is in scripture an authoritative act : pag. . how timothie might be ordained both presbyter and evangelist at one time , in one action . pag. . how timothie might be ordained evangelist by the presbyterie . ibid. in what sense peter calls himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , pet : . , . pag. , , , . how imposition of hands is necessary for ordination , and what kinde of rite it is . pag. . . cap. ix . what is meant in scripture by the word heresies , and how we are to understand , that there must be heresies for making manifest the godly partie , or those that are approved , cor. . . p. heresie is more nor divisions and schismes pag. . vvhat heresie is not , answered in two things pag. , , six things do concurre to make a heresie , pag. , , . a description of heresie . pag. . vvhy heresie must bee , and how . ibid. vvho are the approved , cor , . . and who not . pag. . . how we should look upon gods suffering heresies in the church . p. how a child of god may be drawn over to heresie . pag : . . how heresies makes manifest them , who are approved , pag. . chap. x. of new lights , and how to keep off from splitting either upon the charybdis of pertinacy and tenaciousnesse , or upon the scylla of levity , wavering , and scepticisme . pag. . five concessions for clearing the question . pag. . . the greatest deceits of satan have come under the name of new light. pag. many things cried up as new lights , which are neither lights nor new. pag , . it s a false new light that expelleth much good old light. pag. , . balaam seeks a new light and gets it in wrath . pag. . many of our new lights bring in egyptian darknesse . pag. . it s not good light that makes certain truths uncertain . ibid. scepticisme is no good new light . pag. . beware of new lights which come not from the sun of righteousnesse pag. . the vveigelians wilde fancy . ibid. take heed of proud and self-conceited new lights . ibid. beware of separating new lights pag. . beware of new lights that dare not be seen . ibid. refuse such lights as have fellowship with the works of darknes . p ▪ . they are no new lights which bring no edification . pag. . take good heed of new lights which follow new interests ibid. cap. xi . of stability and firmnesse in the truth . pag. scepticisme is a sin , and stability in the truth a dutie proved from natures light and scripture . pag. . seven reasons confirmed with scripture proved . pag. . . some errours in their own nature damnable . pag. . nine preservatives against wavering , and helps to stability in the truth . pag : . . . pertinacy and levitie both to be shunned . pag. . the sectaries word is yea and nay , ibid. seekers should be called atheists , because nullifidians ibid. cap. xii . whether a sound heart and an unsound head can consist together , & vice versa ? or whether truth and holines be not inseparable companions . pag. . every error is not inconsistent with holynesse , yet pro tanto it retards and hinders it . ibid. dangerous errours can no other wayes consist with true grace , no●… dangerous sins . ibid. what are the roots of heresies and errors in the hearts of corrupt men . pag. . . all opinions and practises in the world are reduced to three heads , john . . ibid. there is a reciprocall influence of the will and understanding , and how it is . pag. as the infection of sin is universall , so is the work of gods spirit in the soule . pag. . soule and spirit , reasons and affections compared together , ibid. both doctrinals and practicalls make up a perfect christian , pag. ▪ to be led in all truth , is a work of the spirit of truth . ibid. truth and grace compared . ibid. how erroneous men are distinguished from the elect , pag : . a holy heretick is a chymaera , and a prophane believer is another . pag. . an ungodly mans knowledge , is but a forme of knowledge . ibid. no sin in the will without some error in the understanding . pag . all professed and mantained errors are but manifestos of the corrupt principles secretly lurking in the judgements of all unrenewed men . pag. , . many hold fast the truth , because not yet tempted , ibid. eleven practicall conclusions drawn from the former principles , pag. , , , , , . . every religion and faith will not save men . pag. . how heresies are damnable . pag. . . church censures should strike both against hereticks and profane men . pag. . there is cause to fast and pray when heresies abound , ibid. we must not converse with false teachers . pag. . opinions are not free more then practises . pag. . hee who would keep his head , let him keep his heart . ibid. the approved in triall are these only who have both true piety and a sound judgement . pag. . cap. xiii . whether conscionable christians and such as love the power and practice of piety , can without defileing their own conscience , or without a destructive wounding of the power of godlinesse , imbrace and hold the principles of these who call themselves the godly partie ? or whether they ought not rather to avoid these who do now pharisaically and donatistically appropriat to themselves the name of the godly partie , as being indeed such , who under the pretence of zeall for the power of godlines , hold diverse ungodly principles . pag. . diverse who now pretend to be the godly party hold many ungodly principles . that none ought to be punished for preaching or publishing an error in faith , except it be contrary to the light of nature . ibid. there is need of some oedipus to loose this , how these who decline natures light in lesser things , should appeal to it in sublimer things . pag. . that in questions of religion we must only argue from the new testament . ibid. this is shortly refuted . pag , . . that sectaries and hereticks peaceable in the state ought to be tolerated and foreborn . pag. . toleration is the sectaries holy of holies . ibid. it s shortly refuted . pag. . that none should believe more nor by reason he can comprehend , this is not good divinity . pag. . . the only gospell reformation , is the destroying of sin out of the elect , and that this work belongs to christ alone . ibid. this is a destructive and injurious doctrine . pag. . . diverse arminian and antinomian tenents are maintained by them , which strengthen the hands of the wicked . pag. other tenents are current among them which are apt to weaken the hearts and hands of the godly . pag. . cap. xiv . another most usefull case of conscience discussed and resolved , concerning associations and confederacies with idolaters , infidels , hereticks , or any other known enemies of truth and godlinesse . pag. three kind of covenants distinguished , civil , sacred , and mixed , the last two are unlawfull to be made with wicked men , and these who differ in religion . ibid : civil covenants called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for peace or commerce are lawful . ibid. civil covenants called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to joyne in military expeditions together , is unlawfull ibid. this is proved from scripture . pag. . three objections from abraams , and the maccabees covenants , and davids associating with broken men , answered . pag , , . five particulars which god hath forbidden his people in reference to heathen or wicked persons . pag. . . . religious covenants and familiar conversation is forbidden pag. . conjugall covenants is forbidden , pag. faedus deditionis , or , pactum liberatorium forbidden , . david did not right in sparing ioab and shimei , ibid. civil covenants of war was forbidden , ibid. this is confirmed more . pag. , . the objection taken from jehosaphats joyning with ahab , proves nothing . pag. , two other objections answered by scripture . pag. . five distinctions to take off all other objections , pag. . three uses of this point pag. . six motives and reasons to drive home this naill to the head . pag. . another objection from davids confederacy with abner and amasa answered fully . pag. , . . what can be drawn from the example of christian states and common-wealths . pag. . an objection of malignants answered . pag : . how men may be forced into the covenant . pag. . how neglect and contempt of a dutie may be censured , and wihall wickednesse in the person who hath taken up the practise of the dutie . pag. another objection removed . ibid wee may no more associat with the wicked of the same kingdome , then of another kingdome . pag. . cap. xv. of uniformity in religion , worship of god , and church government . why luther declined a generall synod for unity in ceremonies , ibid. there is great difference betwen the prelatical conformity and the presbyteriall uniformitie ibid. this is branched out in seven particulars . pag. . . both nature and scriptures gives presidents for uniformity p. . . the church in the old testament was very uniforme both in the substantials and rituals of their worship . ibid. it was also prophecied to be under the new testament , and commended and commanded in it . pag. ibid. the church in the ancient times had a great uniformity pag. . cap. xvi . whether it be lawfull , just and expedient that the taking of the solemne league and covenant be injoyned by the parliament upon all persons in the kingdome under a considerable penalty . pag. nine particulars to be remembred for the right deducing and stating the matter of fact . pag. . . the grounds and reasons of such an ordinance and appointment may be eleven . pag. . . . . four objections answered . pag. . how this ordinance would not bee tyrranny over mens consciences . ibid the covenant is no temporary obligation . pag. . if such an ordinance to the army be scandalum acceptum , then the not making of it is scandalum datum . pag. . cap. xvii . of infant-baptisme . pag. baptisme hath succeeded in the roome of circumcision against mr. tombs opinion ibid. baptizing with water is a divine institution proved from scripture . p. both hebrews and heathens , had a custome of washing infants soone after their birth ibid unto what the institution of baptisme by water related . pag. . the manna and water out of the rock , was the same in substance with the lords supper ; and the cloud in the red sea , was the same with our baptisme in eight respects p. ibid & . this infant-baptisme of theirs is a good warrant for us . p. , . the originall of baptisme is not derived from the baptisme used in the admission of proselyts . p. . another text , ephes : . . proves that baptisme belongs to infants . p. cap. xviii . of the use of a table in the lords supper , and of the communicants there comming to , and receiving at the table . pag. . the first guests our saviour intertained , received at the table . ibid. this sitting was not occasionall only , but had a standing reason for it ▪ p. . successive tables and repeating the words is no deviation from the rule : p. . . another argument taken from the generall notion and nature of the lords supper , as it is a banquet and feast p. ibid. . . a third reason taken from the name table which the apostle uses , p. . . . the sitting at table together , sets foorth the communion of saints with christ and among themselves . p. . the words of distribution proves there must be a table , all must sit at . p. ibid : & ▪ . antiquitie proves it . ibid. cap. xix . that there was among the iews a jurisdiction and government ecclesiasticall distinct from the civill pag. . the jews had ecclesiasticall elders or church governours which proves the point . ibid. even under the roman emperour they had their presbyteri and arcbisynagogi . it s proved out of mr. selden , that their elders received a judiciall degree , and were not civil magistrats . ibid. . the jewish ordination of elders with imposition of hands proves it also . pag. . . a third argument is taken f●…om the synag●…ga magna , pag. . the hebrews triple crown proves it . ibid. the jews exercised ecclesiastical discipline , since their dispersion which is a fifth reason . pag. . . cap. xx. that necessary consequences from the written word of god do sufficiently and strongly prove the consequent or conclusion , if hereticall , to be a certain divine truth which ought to be believed ; and if practicall , to be a necessary dutie which we are obliged unto jure divino . pag ▪ the assertion is cleared by some premisses . ibid humane reason drawing the consequence , is not the ground of our beliefe ▪ pa. . there is a difference between corrupt and renewed reason , ibid. two sorts of consequences distinguished . pag. the assertion is proved , first by the example of christ and his apostles . ibid. in the old testament as well as in the new , some necessary things were left to be drawn by necessary consequence from the law of moses . pag. . two sorts of necessary consequences from the law , a sortiori and a pari pag. ibid & : a third reason from the infinite wisedome of god , who must foresee all things that followes upon his words pag. . diverse absurdities will follow , if this truth be not admitted . pag. . these who most cry down this assertion , yet themselves can bring no other , but consequentiall proffes to proove their tenents pag. . if this be denied , we deny to the great god what is granted to the litle gods or magistrats . ibid. cap. xxi . of an assurance of an interest in christ by the marks or fruits of sanctification , and namely by love to the brethren . also how this agreeth with , or differeth from assurance by the testimony of the spirit ? and whether there can be any wel grounded assurance without marks of grace . pag. . three cautions for right understanding the question , that is , marks are not to be separated , either from the free grace , or from christ , or from the spirit . ibid. it s a sure way to seek after assurance of our interest in jesus by the marks of sanctification proved by five reasons . p. . a twofold certainty of the mind distinguished , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and a twofold uncertainty opposed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , pag. . the evidence of marks gives the first kinde of certainty , the testimony of the spirit , gives the second . ibid. this is illustrat by a simile of believing the scriptures . p. ibid. & . and by another of the disciples going to emma●…s . ibid. the assurance of justification is virtually done in a syllogistical way . the spirit works the firme belief of the proposition , a twofold testimony concurre to the assumption . pag. . none should divide these testimonies , they are joyned in three texts of scripture pag. . d. crisps objection against assurance from the love of the brethren , propounded . pag. for answer three things are demonstrat . ibid. this objection militateth as much against their own interpretatiō . p. . the antinomian way of setling assurance , is an inextricable labyrinth . pag. . the testimony of the spirit must be an evidence according to the word of god. pag. . . wee say the evidence of marks is privative , they say , it is at most cumulative . pag ; . the spirit of god is a spirit of revelation , but not beside or contrary to the word . ibid. another objection of crispe removed . pag. . . how the spirit and word concurre to this assurance . ibid. the word is more sure nor any voice within or without . pag. . crispe his way of assurance by the testimony of the spirit received by faith resuted . pag. : . he grosly mistakes faith . ibid. mr. eton brought against him . pag. . a sad lamentation of a poor soul holding foorth what miserable comforters these antinomians are . pag. , , . the love of the brethren is a sure and clear mark of one being past from death to life . ibid , four things observed touching the brethren pag. . it s not necessar to have a infallible knowledge of their regeneration how far particular saints may be known by their fruits . pag. . antinomians expone cor : . legally , pag. . marks and tokens of true and sincere love of the brethren . p. , no marks h●…eraway without some mixture of contrary corruption : p. there is alwayes bellum , though not alwayes proelium , between the flesh and the spirit . pag. . cap. xxii . of the true real and safe grounds of incouragement to believe in iesus christ or , upon what warrands a sinner may adventure to rest , and rely upon christ for salvation ▪ pag . to say christ died for all men conditionally , is not the way to ease troubled consciences . pag. ibid ▪ & the true and sa●…e grounds of incouragement to believe in christ , are , first christ his alsufficiency , pag. . it s a great part of true faith ▪ to believe christ is able to save to the uttermost . ibid. . christs intention to die for all men , . all sorts of sins or sinners of any kinde . pag. . all men exponed ibid. to pray for all men , and to pray in every place exponed . pag. . . every man , heb. . ●… hath the same sense . pag : . all men can only be all men who are in christ. ibid : & the whole world ioh. , . exponed . ibid. . the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ioh. . . is no larger nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ibid. iesus christ hath died for expiation of all forts , and all manner of sins , pag. . the sin against the holy ghost only excepted , what it is . ibid : how a blasphemer against the holy ghost may repent . pag ▪ . christ receives all who come unto him and excluds none , but such as by their unbelief excludes themselves pag. . chap. i. that the ministery is a perpetuall ordinance of christ in the church , and that ministers are to bee received as the embassadours of ▪ christ , now aswell as in the primitive times . that which hath long lurked in the hearts of many atheists , is now professed and argued for , by that sierce furious erastiane , whose book was published the last year at franeker . he cryes out that the world is abused with that notion of a pretended sacred ministerial calling , that though the apostles and others who first preached the gospel , were indeed sent and set apart for that holy calling , which was also confirmed by signes and miracles , and they were therefore to bee received and submitted unto , as the embassadours of christ , yet ministers and pastours now are not to be acknowledged , as the embassadours of christ , neither is there any such thing now to be acknowledged , as a speciall distinct sacred calling , or solemne setting apart of men to the ministerie of the vvord and sacraments , but any who is fit and gifted , though not called or ordained , may both preach and minister the sacraments , baptisme and the lords supper . the sect of seekers also hold that there are not at this time , neither have been for many ages past any true ministers or embassadours of christ. now for confutation of these errors , and for the confirmation and setlement of such as are any way shaken or troubled therewith , i have thought good here in the first place , to make sure this principle that the ministery as it is distinct both from magistracy , and from private christians , is a perpetuall standing ordinance of christ in his church to the end of the world . this i prove first from , mat. . , . that commission , goe ye and teach all nations , baptising them , &c : could not be meant of the apostles onely or other ministers of christ at that time , respectively and personally , but must needs be extended to true preachers and baptisers in all ages to the end of the world , as is manifested by the promise added : and loe i am with you alway even unto the end of the world . . from eph. . , , . where the ordinance of pastors and teachers , for the work of the ministery reacheth as farre as the perfecting of the whole body of christ , and the gathering in of all the elect , and consequently as far as the end of the world . . from those evangelicall prophesies and promises of pastors and teachers , ier. . . and . . isa. . . and . . . and . . ezekiell . . which are not restricted to the churches of the primitive times , but the true churches of christ in all ages interested therein . . christ hath appointed his gospell to bee preached to all nations , mat. . . luke . . and all the world over , mat. . . and to every creature under heaven , mark . . the preaching of the gospell is the meane and way ordained of god to save them that beleeve , rom. ▪ . cor. . . now although there was a large spread of the gospell in the apostles times through so much of the world as was then knowne , yet that universall commission was not then so perfectly performed and fulfilled as it shall bee before the end be . and however all the elect were not gathered in at that time , but many of them to be yet gathered in , which must bee done by preaching . and who can 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who shall do the office of a herauld , but he that is an herauld ? the holy ghosts word used for preaching , is borrowed from herauldry . . christ hath appointed faithfull and wise stewards to bee rulers over his houshold , to give them their portion of meat in due season , luke . . which was not appointed for the primitive times onely , but till he come again , as appeareth by verse . . blessed is that servaut whom his lord when he commeth shall finde so doing , and verse . . but and if that servant say in his heart , my lord delayeth his comming , &c. more of this scripture afterwards . . from tim. . . the apostles having in that epistle given direction concerning church officers , bishops , elders , deacons , with many other particulars belonging to the ministery , when he comes to the close of the epistle , hee gives a strict and solemne charge to timothie to keep this commandement , without spot , unrebukable , untill the appearing of our lord iesus christ , which cannot be understood of timothy personally , but 't is a charge given in his person to all the ministers of the gospell , who shall live till the appearing of christ. . from revel . . , . there is a charge , that which ye have alreadie hold fast till i come , and this charge is given to two sorts of persons . first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vobis , to you bishops or pastors , for there were more of them then one in thyatira , as likewise in philippie , phil. . . antioch , act. . . and . . ephesus , act. . . . . . the like may be observed of other primitive churches . secondly , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the rest of you , viz. of the flock and body of the church . as the charge cannot be restricted to the church of thyatira , no more can it bee restricted to the ministery in thyatira . but in them christ chargeth all both ministers and church members to hold fast the jewell of the gospell till he come again . . it is the priviledge of the new jerusalem which is above , that there is no temple therein , revel . . . no ministery , no preaching , no sacraments in heaven , but god shall be all in all . an immediate enjoyment of god in this world without ordinances is but a delusion . in the church triumphant prophecies shall faile , cor. . . but in the church militant , despyse not prophesyings , thes. . . if any object ( as some fanatick persons have done ) ier. . . and they shall teach no more every man his neighbour , &c. ioh. . . and ye need not that any man teach you . i answer first , these scriptures are to be understood comparatively , in the same sence as god said , he would have mercy and not sacrifice , hos. . . the spirit of illumination and knowledge shall be so aboundantly powred forth under the gospell , and god shall so writ his lawes in the hearts of his people , that there shall be almost as much difference between those under the old covenant , and those under the new covenant , as there is between those that need a teacher , and those that need not a teacher . . as the law is not made for a righteous man , tim. . . viz. to compell him as with a bitte and bridle , for hee needeth no such compulsion , but obeyeth filially and willingly , yet the law is made for a righteous man to bee a rule of obedience to him . so beleevers under the gospell need not to bee taught by men as ignorants are taught , they are not without understanding as the horse or the mule ; for they shall all know me , saith the lord , ier. . . and ye know all things . ioh. . . yet they need a teaching ministery for growing in knowledge ; for their edification building up , for strengthning and confirming them , and for putting them in remembrance and stirring them up , ephes. . . pet. . . and . . phil. . . there shall ever bee need of the ministery , both to convert such as are not yet converted , and to confirme such as are converted . the apostle thes. . . thought it necessary to send timothy to the church of the thessalonians to establish them , and to comfort them . . as long as we are in this world , that promise that wee shall not need any man to teach us , is not perfectly fulfilled , for we know but in part , cor. . . . we shall ever need a teacher til we be in heaven and see christ face to face . . and thus we must needs understand these scriptures objected , unlesse we will make them to contradict other scriptures , ier. . . rom. . . cor. . . and how can a man understand without a teacher , acts . . object . but if we beleeve the ministery to bee a perpetuall ordinance , and if there be a promise that christ will bee with the ministery to the end of the world , then wee must also beleeve a succession of ministers since the apostles dayes , and that in the midst of popery it self , christ had a true ministery . answer , if our beleeving the holy church universall , and that in all ages christ hath had and shall have a true church , doth not inferre that wee must beleeve the church either alwayes visible , or alwayes pure , so our beleeving a perpetuall ministery , doeth not inferre that therefore wee must beleeve either a lineall or visible succession of ministers , or their purity and preservation from error . there is nothing of this kinde can bee objected against our beleeving a perpetuall ministery , but it falleth as heavy upon our beleife of the perpetuity of the church . object . . the multitude of beleevers are under the new testament made a royall priest-hood , pet. . . and christ hath made us kings and priests unto god , revel . . . answer , first peter explaineth himself , pet. . . ye are anholy priesthood to offer up spirituall sacrifices acceptable to god by iesus christ. vvhat these spiritual sacrifices are we may finde in other scriptures , the mortification of the flesh and offering up of our selves to god , rom. . . contrition psal. . . prayer and supplications , psal. . . heb. . . rev. . . thanksgivings , psal. . . . heb. . ▪ almes deeds , phil. . . heb. . . as to these all beleevers are indeed an holy preist-hood , but not as to publick ministeriall administrations . . this objection drives at the taking away of magistracy and civill government , aswell as of the ministery , for christ hath made beleevers kings aswell as priests , and if kings then not subjects . . the same thing was said to the people of israel , exod. . . and ye shall be unto me a kingdome of priests , yet god appointed the sonnes of aaron onely to be priests , as to the publick administration of holy things ▪ . the same god who hath made christians an holy priesthood , hath promised to the church of the new testament , that he will set a part and take from among them , or of them ( by way of distinction and speciall calling ) priests who shall minister before him in the holy things , isa. . . ezek. . . . &c. whom hee calleth priests not in the jewish nor popish sence , but for their offering up of the gentiles to god by the preaching of the gospel , and sanctified by the holy ghost , rom ▪ . . or wee may conceave they are called priests by the prophets , that they might be the better understood , speaking in the language of those times : even as for the same reason when the prophets spake of the church of the new testament , they mention mount zion , jerusalem , sacrifices , incense , the feast of tabernacles , &c. but i must not forget what the erastian grallator with so much spite and derision rejecteth , viz. that there is not onely a perpetuall ministery in the church , but that ministers lawfully called , are to be receaved as the embassadours of christ , and as sent of god. if there must be a perpetuall ministery yet . that child of the devill and enemy of christ ( for hee can be no other who is an enemy to the ministery of the word and sacraments ) ceaseth not to pervert the right wayes of the lord. he will by no meanes acknowledge any ministers in the reformed churches to be the embassadours of christ , though the apostles were . it seemes he hates this name the more , because embassadours by the law of nations are inviolable persons , how much more the embassadours of christ ? but let us now see whether the word of god gives not as high a rise and authority even to the ordinary ministery of the gospell , as an embassadour from christ. when paul saith , wee are embassadours from christ , cor : . . he speaks it not in reference to any thing peculiarly apostolicall , or any thing incompetent to ordinary ministers , the contrary is most plain from the text it self , he hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation . now then wee are embassadours for christ , as though god did beseech you by us , wee pray you in christs stead , be yee reconciled to god. now if paul was the embassadour of christ , because he had committed unto him the word of reconciliation , then all true ministers of the gospell are also the embassadours of christ for the same reason . see the like eph : . . for which i am an embassadour . for what ? not for working miracles , casting out devills , planting churches in severall kingdoms , or the like , but for opening my mouth boldly , to make knowne the mistery of the gospell , vers . . wherein he desires to be helped by the prayers of the saints . by the same reason all faithfull and lawfully called ministers are the embassadours of christ , as well as the apostles : even as under the old testament , the priests who were ordinary teachers , and called in an ordinary mediat way , were the angels or messengers of the lord of hosts , mal : . . as well as the prophets . . chron ▪ . ▪ so wise men and scribes are said to be sent of god as well as prophets , math. . . and the ministers of the seven churches in asia are called angels , revel : . . and an interpreter of the word of god is a messenger , iob . . now christ hath given to the church pastors and teachers , as well as apostles , prophets , and evangelists , all these are from heaven , not from men , ephes : . . chap. ii. of the election of pastours with the congregations consent . the question is not , whether the power of ecclesiasticall government , or jurisdiction belong to the people , or body of the church ▪ ( for the tenents of brownists and anabaptists , concerning popular government , we utterly abhorre ) nor whether the whole collective body of the church ought to be assembled , and their voi es severally asked in elections , for all may consent when none vote in elections , but the representative body of the church , nor whether the consent of the people to the admission of a pastor is to be sought and wished for , it being generally acknowledged by all , and denyed by none , that it is better to enter with the peoples consent then against it : nor whether liberty ought to be granted to the whole congregation , or any member thereof to object against the mans life or doctrine , or against his qualificatiō for such a particular charge , for it is certain that not only the congregation , but others who know any just impedimēt against his admissiō , have place to object the same , nor whether the churches liberty of consent be inconsistant with , or destructive unto the presbyteries power of examinatiō and ordination , for these may stand together : but the question is whether it be necessarily required to the right vocation of a pastor , that he be freely elected by the votes of the eldership , and with the consent ( tacite or expressed ) of the major or better part of the congregation , so that he bee not obtruded , renitente , & contradicente ecclesia . the affirmative part of this question is proved from scripture , from antiquity , from protestant writters , yea churches and from sound reason , and from the confessions of opposites . to begin with scripture , and with the primitive paterne , the apostles themselves would not so much as make deacons till all the seven were chosen , and presented unto them by the church , ast , . , , , : the author of the historie of episcopacy , part , . pag. . to cut off our argument from acts . saith . that the seven were to be the stewards of the people in disposing of their goods , good reason that the election should be made by them , whose goods and fortunes were to bee disposed of , this answer was made by bellarmine before him : but walaeus tom . . pag. . reasoneth other wayes : the feeders of the peoples soules , must bee no lesse ( if not more ) beloved and acceptable then the feeders of their bodies ; therefore these must be chosen with their own consent , as well as these . secondly , elders ( both ruling and preaching ) were chosen by most voices of the church : the suffrages being signified , per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , by lifting up , or stretching out of the hand , act. . . where the syriak version doth insinuate , that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is not to be understood of the apostles ordination of elders , but of the churches election of elders , thus , moreover they made to themselves , that is , the disciples mentioned in the former verse , made to themselves , for they who were made , were not elders or ministers to paul and barnabas , ( but to the multitude of the disciples ) in every church elders while they were fasting with them and praying , and commending them , &c. now how could this election be , but after the graecian forme by the churches lifting up , or stretching out of hands . but because some doe still stick at this place , it may bee further cleared , thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; it may be understood three wayes , and all these wayes it saveth the peoples right . it may be either the action of the church onely , as the syriak maketh it , or a joynt action both of the churches , and of paul and barnabas , as iunius maketh it ; or an action of paul and barnabas , in this sense that they did constitute elders to the churches , by the churches own voyces . however , the word relateth to election by stretching out , or lifting up of hands , not to ordination by laying on of hands , which is the sense followed by the italian version , and diodati authorising and ordaining such a one only to bee an elder as was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which i prove , . from the native signification of the word , where iulius pollux hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . lib. . cap. . gualther and wolf seberus render it manuum extensio , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manus levare , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , manibus refragari , budaeus interpreteth , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be plebiscitum , suffragium , h. stephanus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manum protendo ; & attollo manum porrigo : and because , saith he , in giving votes , they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , thence came the word to be used , for scisco , decerno , creo , but properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is ( saith he ) as it were , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , id est , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , iustin martyr , quaest. & resp. ad orthod . resp. ad quaest . . doeth expressely distinguish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . as words of a most different signification ▪ where cedrenus anno. . saith euphranius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . pilander , the interpreter rendereth , episcopatui , communibus suffragiis deligitur . scapula , and arias montanus also in his lexicon tells us , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is manus porrigere , or elevare , eligere , or creare magistratum per fuffragia , for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is most different from laying on of hands , which is not a stretching out or lifting up , but a leaning or laying down of the hands on some thing . wherefore the hebrews note laying on of hands by samak , inniti chrysostome saith the roman senat , did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which d : potter himselfe turneth , did make gods by most voices ; charitie mistaken , pag . . the use of the word in this sense , and in no other sense , either in scripture , cor. . . or greek authors that wrote before the new testament . so that luke could not be understood , if he had used it in another sense , but he wrote so that he might be understood : if he had meant ordination , he would have used the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as acts . . tit. . . or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . as acts . . . the manner of the elections among the graecians testified by demosthenes , cicero , and others , cleareth the meaning of the word . so they had a phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , omnium suffragiis obtinet , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , no man giveth a contrarie vote . when the grecians choised their magistrates at their comitia held solemnely for that end : he that was nominated , was brought into the threater before the people , so many as aproved of him , held forth , or stretched forth , or lifted up their hands : if the major part did thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , hee partly was then said to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a magistrate created by suffrages . so elias cretensis in greg. nazianz. orat . . i finde also in aeschines orat ▪ contra cetesipont , some decrees cited which mention three sorts of magistrates , and among the rest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . those that were made by the peoples suffrage . in the argument of demosthenes his oration , advers . androtion , these magistrates are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , magistrates made by the peoples suffrage , fronto ducaeus in his notes upon the fifth tom . of chrysostome pag . confesseth that with heathen writters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is per suffragia creare , and therefore the word is rendered in the tigurine version , and by calvin , bullinger , beza , and so doth erasmus , upon the place understand the word : ut intelligamus , saith hee , suffragiis delectos . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , doth not at all make against that which i say , as some have conceaved it doth , but rather for it , for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is to bee rendred , ipsis not illis , and so pasor ▪ in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendereth , acts . . quumque ipsis per suffragia creassent presbyteros . so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is used for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the grecians sometimes use the one for the other . so h : stephanus , thes. ling. gr. in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , where he referreth us to budaeus , for examples to prove it , see the like , matth. . : iohn . . thus therefore the text may be conceaved , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , and when they ( the disciples of lystra , iconium and antioch ) had by votes made to themselves elders in every church , and had prayed with fasting , they commended them ( to wit , paul and barnabas ) to the lord in whom they beleeved . it needeth not seeme strange , that here in one verse i make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be ipsis , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be illos , and meant of different persons , for the like will frequently occurre in scripture , mark . . as iesus sate at meat in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( that is levies ) house , &c. . and they watched him , and they followed him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is iesus , mark . whether he would heal him , here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for iesus , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the man , which had the withered hand , gal. . . to reveal his sonne in me , that i might preach him , here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ipsius , for god the father , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illum for christ. so then the churches of lystra , iconium , and antioch , after choosing of elders , who were also solemnly set a part with prayer and fasting , were willing to let paul , and barnabas goe from them to the planting and watering of other churches , and commended them unto god , that would open unto them a wide and effectuall doore , and prosper the work of christ in their hands , ephes. . . . or they commended them unto god for their safety and preservation , as men are said to commend their owne spirits to god , luke . . pet. . . this sense and interpretation which i have onely offered to bee considered , doth not bring any harshnesse , and much lesse , offer any violence , either to the text or context in the greek . but if another sense be liked better , whether to understand by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the elders ordained or the churches commended to god by paul and barnabas , or to understand all the particulars mentioned in that . verse to bee common and joynt acts done by paul , barnabas and the churches , that is , that they all concurred in making them elders by suffrage , in prayer and fasting , and in commending themselves to the lord ; i shall not contend so long as the proper and native signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is retained , yea ; although wee should understand by this word , an act of paul , and barnabas alone , distinct from the churches suffrage and consent even in that sense , we lose not the argument ; for first it cannot be supposed that the businesse was put to the lifting , or strething out hands in signum suffragii , between paul and barnabas , as if it had been put to the question between them two alone ; whether such a man should bee elder in such a church . but how then can it be an act of paul and barnabas ? thus if you will , thir two did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 creare suffragiis , vel per suffragia , id est ; they ordained such men to bee elders as were chosen by the church . they two made or created the elders , but the people declared by lifted up hands whom they would have to be elders . so calvin instit. lib. . cap. . § . even as saith he , the roman historians often tells us , that the consull who held the court , did creat new magistrates , id est , did receave the vo●…es and preside in the elections . . luke doeth usually mention the churches suffrage in making church officers , or in designing men to sacred employments , as acts . . . acts . . acts . . so doth paul , cor. . . . cor. . . tim. . . so that it is not likely there should bee no mention of the churches election here , where pro●…essedly and intentionally mention is made of planting elders , the prayer and fasting , as acts . , . so likewise , acts . . was common to the church ; they prayed and fasted cum discipulis , jej●…nantibus saith the glosse ) all being one work , why was not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 common to the churches also . . protestant writers draw from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the churches suffrage ; magdebur : cent . . lib. . cap : . zanchius in . prae. beza , cartwright and others , on the place , bullinger decad : . ser. . iunius contro : lib. cap. . and others against bellarmine , de cler cap. . gerhard , tom . . pag. . brochmand : systhem : tom : . pag. . danaeus in tim. . walaeus in his treatise , quibusnam competat vocatio pastorum , and loce : pag. . of papists , also salmeron expondeth this place by , acts. . and saith the apostles gave the election to the churches , here of elders , as there of deacons , bel : de cler : cap. . and esthius in . cor. . . confesse that if wee look either to the etimologie of the word , or the use of greek authors , it is to choose by votes . if it be objected to me that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being referred to the people , will invest them with a judiciall power ; and a forensicall , or juridicall suffrage ; and where is then the authority of the eldership . ans. 't is like enough ( though i confesse not certain ) that no elderships were yet erected in those churches , acts. . . but put case they had elderships , yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might well be referred to the people , to signifie their good liking and consent , for in athens it self the people did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , when they did but like well the persons nominated , as when a thesaurer offered some to be surety , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , whom the people shall approve . demosthenes advers . timocr . in which oration 't is also to bee noted that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the assemblie , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the judiciall court or assembly of judges are plainly distinguished , so farre that they might not be both upon one day ; and that , though the people did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , yet not they , but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or judges , did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ordaine , or appoint a magistrate , see ibid jusjurandum heliastarum . as for the objection from acts . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but as it were the preventing of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a prior designation . . it is there attribute to god 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that in the councell of god the apostles were in a manner elected by voices of the trinitie , as faciamus hominem , gen. . and hindereth no more the proper signification of the word applyed to men , then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ascribed to god , can prove , that there is no change in men when they repent , because there is none in god. as for that objection made by a learned man , that even the septuagints isay . . have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not for extensio or elevatio manuum , but for that which is in the hebrew immissio or innixus digiti or manus . answer , . it is not put for innixus digiti , but for extensio digiti , for so is the text . . sanctius following cyrill , tells us that the sense of the . turning the text so ; was this , nempe hic intelligi suffragia quibus magistratus creantur , a quibus raro solet abesse munerum largitio & corruptio juris . so that his argument may be retorted , i do not say that this is the prophets meaning , but that it is the . their sense of the text in using that word , for the most interpreters understand by putting forth the finger there , derision , and disdain . . the . certainly did not intend the putting on , but the putting out of the finger , so the chaldee hath annuere digito , heirome , extendere digitum , which well agreeth with the hebrew shekach digitum extendere . i. e. malum opus perlongare , saith hugo cardinalis . it is saith emanuel sa , minando , aut convitiando , ( which seemeth the true sense ) the jesuits of doway read , and cease to stretch out the finger . gualther readeth emissionem digiti , and expondeth thus medij digiti , ostensio erat contemptus iudicium , digitis item minitamur , suppose none of all these signifie the laying on of the hands , or finger , but suppose that it is not laid on , and so much shall suffice concerning these scriptures , acts . , , . . and acts . : a third argument from scripture shall be this . if the extraordinary office bearers in these primitive times were not chosen , nor put into their functions without the churches consent , far lesse ought there now to bee any intrusion of ordinary ministers without the consent of the church ; iudas and silas were chosen with consent of the whole church unto an extraordinarie embassage , act. . . so were pauls company chosen by the church , cor. . . the commissioners of the church of corinth , were approved by the church , cor. . . yea mathias , though an apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , was together chosen by suffrage , namely of the disciples , simul suffragiis electus est , as arias montanus , rightly turneth the word ▪ act. . . . bell. de cler. cap. . acknowledgeth , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est dare suffragium , & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est ipsum suffragium , paul and barnabas were extraordinarily , and immediatly called of god , yet when they were to be sent to the gentiles , god would have the consent and approbation of the church declared , act. . . i conclude this argument from scripture , with the magdeburgians cent . . lib. . cap. . neque apostolos , neque alios ecclesiae ministros sibi solis , sumpsisse protestatem eligendi & ordinandi presbyteros & diaconos , sed ecclesiae totius suffragia & consensum adhibuisse ; tum ex , cor. . . patet , tum exemplis probatur , act. . . act. . . act. . . the next argument is taken from antiquity , cyprian lib. . epist. . is very full and plain , for the churches right and liberty in elections . d. feild lib. . cap. . citeth and englisheth the words at large , leo. epist. . cap. . requireth in the election of bishops : vota civium , testimonia populorum , epistola synodalis concilii . car : bar . sussitani apud augustinum , enar i●… psal : . saith , necesse nos fuerat primiani causam , quem ple●…s sa●…cta ecclesiae carthaginensis ▪ episcopum fuerat in ovile dei sortita , seniorum literis ejusdem ecclesiae postulantibus audire atque discutere . the fourth councell of carthage , can. . requireth to the admission of every clergie-man , civium assensum , & testimonium & convenientiam . socrates lib. . cap. . recordeth that ambrose was chosen bishop of millane with the uniforme voice of the church ; and lib. . cap. . he recordeth the like concerning the election of chrysostome , to be bishop of constantinople . moreover , i finde in the pretended apostolicall , but really ancient constitutions , collected by one under the name of clemens , lib. . cap. ▪ 't is appointed to ordain a bishop , thus qualified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in all things unblamable , one of the best and chosen by all the people , unto whom let the people , being assembled together on the lords day , with the presbyterie , and the bishops then present give their consent . then immediatly one of the bishops askes the eldership and people , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , if they desire that man to be set over them , which if they consent unto , he next asketh them ( as a distinct question ) whether they all give him a good testimonie for his life , &c. greg : nazianz. orat . . commendeth athanafius his calling , as being after the apostolicall example , because he was chosen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by the suffrage of all the people . the councell of nice in their epistle to them of alexandria appoint some to succeed into the vacant places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that they appear worthie , and the people chose them , greg : mag : epist. lib. . cap. . clerum & populum singularum civitatum hortari festina , ut inter se dissentire non debeant , sed uno sibi consensu , una quaeque civitas consecrandum eligat sacerdotem , he that would have greater store of antiquity for this , may read blondel . apol . pag. . to . . gerhard citeth for the peoples right , ambrose , chrysostome , origen , isidore , yea twelve popes , and diverse ancient examples , as the election of sabinianus of athanasius , peter the successor of athanasius , of eradius , the successor of augustine , of nectarius , of ilavianus , and others chosen with the consent of the whole church ; gerhard . loc : com. tom : . sect . , , . what need we to say any more of this , bilson himself confesseth it , de gubern : eccles. cap. . pag. . he saith the ancient forme was , totam ecclesiam nominationi & probationi pastoris sui prius consensisse , quam pro electo haberetur : and he observeth ( which another of his minde saith with him , hist : of epistopacy part . . pag ) that the people did more willingly receave , more diligently heare , and more heartily love these in whose election their desires were satisfied , bell : de cler : cap. . confesseth that in the time of chrysostome , ambrose , augustine , leo , and gregory , the receaved forme of elections was , that both the clergie and the people should choose . ancient testimonies for the peoples election , see also smectimnus , pag . thirdly , we argue from the judgement of sound protestant churches and writters ; the helvetik confession tells us that the right choising of ministers , is by the consent of the church : the belgick confession saith , we beleeve that the ministers , seniors , and deacons ought to be called to these their functions , and by the lawfull election of the church to bee advanced into these rooms : see both in the harmony of confessions , secl . . the french discipline we shall see afterwards : the tenent of protestants , which bell : de cler : cap. . undertaketh to confute , is this ; ut sine populi consensu , & suffragio nemo legittime electus , aut vocatus ad episcopatum habeatur . and though our writers disclame many things which he imputeth unto them , yet i finde not this disclamed by any of them , who write against him : it is plainly maintained by luther , lib. de potest : papae ▪ calv ▪ in acts . . beza confess . cap. . art . . musculus in loc : com . zanchius in . praecept : iunius animad : in bell : contro . lib. . cap . cartwright on acts . . osiander . hist : eccles : cent . lib. . cap. . gualther on acts , stutonius fazius in tim. . . morney de eccles : cap. . balduin : de instit : ministrorum cap. . bruchmand : systhem : tom ▪ . pag . . walaeus de vocatione pastorum , & in loc : com : pag . bullinger decad . . ser. . pag. . smectymnus , pag. . . whittaker in his manuscript : de clericis , which was never printed ; ascribeth election to the people . so festus homius speginen controv : belgick . art. . and many others whose testimonies wee can produce if need be , let five onely speak for the rest ; calvin in one of his epistles , though writing against the itching eares , and groundlesse conceits of some people , yet asserteth this for a certaine truth . sane oportet ministrum a populo approbatum esse , antequam i●… ministerii possessionem mittatur , quod si quis seipsum intrudit aliâ viâ , ubi in ecclesia ordo jam constitutus est , legittima vocatione destituitur , see the book of spiles , pag . edit . genev : . gerhard tom : . pag . vt ecclesiâ consentiente pastores vocentur , neve quis invitae ecclesiae obtrudatur ; habet expressa in scripturis testimonia , & perpetuâ ecclesiae primitivae praxi , comprobatum est , zanchius in . praecept : col . . saith , est igitur manifestum nunquam apostolos quempiam ad ministerium e●…egisse & ordinasse suâ tantum authoritate , sed semper id solitos facere consentiente & approbante ecclesiâ , and col : . servatur haec eadem consuetudo etiamnum in mult is ecclesiis reformatis , and col : . eligere pastores sine plebis consensu , primum non est apostolicum , neque legittimum , eoque talis minister , legittimus non fuerit minister , deinde pugnat cum libertate ecclesiae , eoque adimitur ei quod christus donavit , quantum autem est hoc crimen ? tertio non conducit pastori , quia nunquam bonâ conscientiâ poterit suo fungi officio , neque etiam conducit ecclesiae , quia libenter non audiet , neque etiam amabit eum , qui sibi non consentienti obtrusus est , danaeus in tim. . . quemadmodum totius ecclesiae pastor est futurus , ita ab omnibus debet approbari , nè quisquam gregi invito pastor obtrudatur . and after he hath cleared the whole matter at length , hee concludeth , ex his autem omnibus apparet , quam nulla sit vel non legittima eorum dei ministrorum vel ecclesiae , pastorum vocatio , qui solius regis vel reginae , vel patroni , vel episcopi , archi episcopi authoritate , diplomate , bullis , jussu , & judicio fiunt vel eliguntur , id quod dolendum est adhuc fieri in iis ecclesiis , quae tamen purum dei verbum habent , & sequuntur , velut●… in mediâ angliâ . the professors of leyden in synops : pur . theol : disp : . thes. . ius pastores eligendi , est penes ecclesiam , ac proinde plebi commune , cum presbyteris : jus eos ordinandi soli presbyterio est proprium . i must not forget to mention the order of the church of scotland , the first book of discipline in the fourth head , saith , this liberty with all care must be reserved to every severall kirk , to have their votes and suffrages in election of their ministers , the second book of discipline , cap. . saith , in the order of election it is to be eschewed that any person be intruded in any offices of the kirk , contrarie to the will of the congregation to which they are appointed , or without the voice of the eldership : the generall assemblie at edinburgh , in decemb : . sess : . made this ast , that inhibition shall be made to all and sundry persons , now serving in the ministery that have not been presented be the people , or a part thereof to the superintendent : the generall assemblie at edinburgh , may . sess. . requireth the consent of the whole parish to a ministers election , the wordsare these ; anent the doubt moved if it be lawfull to any towne , or city , where there is an vniversitie , and a part of the parish of the same towne lying to landward , without their consent and votes to elect a minister to the whole parish and vniversitie , pretending the priviledge of an old use and custome . the kirk hath voted thereto negative , that it is not lawfull so to do : the generall assemblie at perth , in march . sess. . doth forbid the choosing of ministers without the consent of their owne flocks : the generall assembly at glasgow , sess. . art . o. doth revive the ancient order thus , anent the presenting either of pastors , or elders and school-masters , to particular congregations , that there be a respect had to the congregation , and that no person be intruded in any office of the kirk contrarie to the will of the congregation to which they are appointed in the treatise called , the order and government of the church of scotland ( published anno . for information of the english , and for removing and preventing all prejudices which the best affected among them had , or might conceave against our church government ) we have these words , pag . so that no man is here intruded upon the people against their open or tacite consent and approbation , or without the voices of the particular eldership , with whom he is to serve in the ministery . and now if in any congregation of scotland , the practise should be contrarie to the profession , and rule established ( which god forbid , and i hope it never shall ) it were a double fault and scandle . finally , the order of the church of scotland is strengthened by the civil law of the kingdome : for the second parliament of king charles , act . did ordaine presbyteries to plant vacand kirks with consent of the parishes . and act . anent the presbyteries providing and admitting ministers to the kirks which belonged to bishopricks ; it is alwayes provided , that this be without prejudice of the interest of the parishes , according to the acts and practise of the kirk since the reformation : in the . act of the last session of the same parliament , presbyteries are appointed to plant vacand churches upon the sute and calling of the congregation . in the fourth place , the point is confirmed from sound reason . for , . it is very expedient for the credite and better successe of the ministery , that a bishop have a good name and testimony even among them that are without , as the apostle teacheth , tim. . . it is much more necessary , that he bee well lyked and approved of them that are within the church . . it is a common maxime among the fathers , schoolmen , and summists , quod ad omnes pertinct ommium consensu siere debet . . as the free consent of people in the election , is a great obligation and ingagement , both to them , to subject themselves in christian and willing obedience to him , whom they have willingly chosen to be over them in the lord , and to the person elected to love them , and to offer up himselfe gladly upon the service and sacrifice of their faith : so where this obligation or mutuall union of the hearts of pastor and people is wanting , mutuall dueties are not done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but as it were by constraint and necessity , they in the mean time drawing back from the yoke , and hee , at the best watching over them , not with joy , but with grief and sorrow of heart . . in stead of peace and harmony , there shall be contention and contradiction , gerhard . tom : . pag : . ministros vocaricum consensu & suffragiis ecclesiae cui praeficiuntur , alit mutuam concordiam inter auditores & pastores , summe necessariam , a movet etiam dissidia ex neglectu hujus ordinis metuenda . . it breadeth great peace and confidence when one is thus called . whittaker de ecclesiâ quaest : . cap : . defendeth the calling of luther , zuinglius , oecolampadius , &c. upon this ground , quia sunt a populis & gregibus vocati . . experience hath made men to know the comfortable fruits of free election , and the unhappie successe of violent intrusion . constantius the sonne of constantine , did put orthodox bishops from their places , and substitute arrians in their roome , with the contradiction and reluctation of the churches . the like did papists in the palatinat , and other places where their dagon was set up againe . so did the authors and urgers of the interim in germany . so did the prelats in scotland , england , ireland . upon all which intrusions many unspeakable evils did follow . if wee after a second reformation should now permit violent intrusions , this might well be a prologue to much co●…fusion and disorder . lastly , i argue from the confessions of adversaries themselves , we have cited before the confession of bilson , and of the author of the history of episcopacy , and of salméron , i will adde peresius de traditionibus , who undertaketh to confute the protestant tenent , that it belongeth to the people to elect or reject their ministers ; hee argueth from antiquity , and yet in that same argumentation , he is constrained to speak for us . for speaking of the three bishops which by the ancient canons might ordain a bishop , he sayeth , verum tamen est quod episcopi isti qui ad electionem congregabantur , consensum expectabant cleri & populiut in concilio carthaginensi quarto refertur , qui consensus magis erat testificatio vitae ejus qui erat ordinandus , & signum quoddam expressivum ejus desiderii , quod volebat paulus quando bonum testimonium populi dicebat expectandum ante ordinationem . et infra . hoc enim modo magis pretiosus esset illis praelatus , magisque amabilis , ne cogerentur inviti inutiles homines , & inter dum perniciosos suis sudoribus alere . and answering to the passage of cyprian lib : . epist ▪ . he sayeth ; that tho hee hath not read of it , yet forte erat mos tempore ejus in ecclesiis hispaniarum ( for they were two spanish bishops of whom cyprian writs in that epistle ) ut aliqui ex populo vocem haberent , electivam . quod vero dicit populum posse recusare indignos , etiam fassi sumus , quantum ad electionem si indignitas ordinandi sit not a & populo perniciosa . but what sayeth the canon law it selfe , decr : part : . dest : . electio clericorum est petitio plebis . he was a popish archbishop who condescended that the city of magdeburg , should have jus vocandi & c●…nstituendi ecclesiae ministros : neither would the city admit of peace without this condition . thuan hist : lib : . pag . i had almost forgot d : feild of the church lib : . cap : . confessing plainly that each people and church stand free by gods law , to admitte , maintain , and obey no man as their pastor without their lyking : and that the peoples election by themselves , or their rulers dependeth on the first principles of humane fellowships and assemblies : for which cause , tho bishops by gods law have power to examine and ordain before any man be placed to take charge of souls , yet bave they no power to impose a pastor upon any church against their wills . hee citeth diverse testimonies of antiquity to shew that the ancient elections were by the church or the greater part thereof . it remaineth to answer some objections . and first it is objected , that this is a tenent of anabaptists , independents , and separatists . ans : . but shall we condemne these truthes which either they , or papists , or arrians doe hold ? quid est , saith cyprian , quia hoc facit novatianus ut nos non putemus esse faciendum ? we may goe one myle with the scriptures , though we goe not two myles with the independents , or three myles with the anabaptists , or separatists . . neither in this same point of elections doe we homologat with them , who give to the collective body of the church ( women and children under age onely excepted ) the power of decisive vote and suffrage in elections , we give the vote onely to the eldership or church representative , so that they carrie along with them the consent of the major or better part of the congregation . gamachaeus in primam secundae quaest : tells us out of thomas this difference betwixt consent and election : that though every choosing bea consenting , yetevery consenting is not a choosing : the liberty of consent is one thing ; counsell or deliberation another thing : the power of a decisive voice in court or judicatory a third thing . i speak of a constituted church ( for where there is not yet an eldership , there can be no such distinction : yet however bee there an eldership or bee there none , the churches consent must be had . ) the first of these we ascribe to the whole church , without whose knowledge and consent ministers may not be intruded . the second to the ablest and wisest men of the congregation , especially to magistrates , with whose especiall advice , privity , and deliberation the mater ought to be managed . the third which is the formall , and consistoriall determination of the case of election , consisteth in the votes of the eldership : their way is much different from this , who would have the matter prepared by the conference , and deliberation of the eldership , ( as wee use to doe in committees ) but determined and decided by the votes of the whole congregation . . let them speak for us who have particularly written against the separatists and independents . laget in his defence of church-government , part . . cap : , in the stating of the question about popular government , declareth that the question is not , whether in maters of greater importance , and more publick concernment , ( as admissions , excommunications , and absolutions of members , elections , and depositions of officers ) the case ought to bee made known unto , and determined with the free consent of the people ( for all this he willingly granteth . ) but whether every cause to be determined , ought to be brought to the multitude , or body of the congregation , and they to give their voices therein together with the officers of the church . mr. herle the reverend and learned prolocutor of the assembly of divines at westminster in his treatise , intituled , the independency on scriptures , of the independency of the churches , pag : . while he stateth the question , saith , we acknowledge that the pastors and other officers were ancientlie , and it is to be wished they still were chosen ( at least ) consented to by the members of each respective congregation : but that they are to bee ordained , d●…posed , or excommunicated by the presbyterie , &c. moreover they of the separation , and if not all , yet ( sure ) some independents place the whole essentiality of a calling in election , accompting ordination to be no more but the solemnization of the calling . we say , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the missio potestativa , or the power and commission given to a man , by which hee is made of no minister to be a minister , is not from the churches electing him , but from the lawfull ordaining him : and that election doth but designe such a person to the ministery of such a church . for as gamachaeus sayeth in tertiam partem thomae do sacr : ordin : cap : . the people cannot give spirituall authority which themselves have not : et quamvis fateamur , saith hee , laicos saepissime vocatos ad electionem ministrorum ecclesiae , tamen longe est aliud loqui de ordinatione , quam de electione , &c. object : : this liberty granted to congregations prejudgeth the right of patrons ? ans : : if it were so , yet the argument is not pungent in divinity , for why should not humane right give place to divine right ? nec episcopale nec patronatus jus ecclesiasticis canonibus introductum praejudicare potest potestati jure divino toti ecclesiae in ministrorum electione competenti , saith gerhard tom : . sect : . the states of zeeland did abolish patronages , and give to each congregation the free election of their own minister , which i take to be one cause why religion flourisheth better there then in any other of the united provinces . object . . the churches liberty of consenting or not consenting , asserted by the arguments above mentioned , must ever be understood to be rationall , so that the church may not disassent without objecting somewhat against the doctrine or life of the person presented . answ : . the author of the historie of epistopacy part : . pag : . . tells us out of the book of ordination , that the people are free to except against these that are to be ordained , and are required if they know any crime , for which they ought not to be receaved unto the ministery , to declare the same . he saith further , that presbyters are elected by the patrons , for and in the name of the rest of the people . pag : . so peresius de tradit : part : . pag : . confesseth that people should be required to object what they can against the fitnesse of the man to be ordained . now then if this be all , that people may object , it is no more then prelats , yea papists have yeelded . answ. . this objection cannot strike against the election of a pastor , by the judgement and votes of the particular eldership of that church where he is to serve : for it is evident by the scriptures , testimonies , and reasons above specified , not onely that the church hath liberty of disassenting upon grounds and causes objected , but that the eldership hath power and liberty positive to elect ( by voyces ) their ministers . now men vote in elderships , ( as in all courts and consistories ) freely according to the judgement of their conscience , and are not called to an accompt for a reason of their votes . . as the vote of the eldership is a free vote , so is the congregations consent , a free consent , and the objection holdeth no more against the latter then against the former , for they are both joyntly required by the church of scotland as appeareth by the citations foresaid . . any man ( though not a member of the congregation ) hath place to object against the admission of him that is presented , if hee know such an impediment as may make him uncapable , either at all of the ministery , or the ministery of that church to which he is presented : so that unlesse the congregation have somewhat more then liberty of objecting , they shall have no priviledge or liberty , but that which is common to strangers as well as to them . in this fourth answer , i am confirmed by blondellus a man intrusted , and set apart by the nationall synod of the reformed churches of france , for writing and handli●…g of controversies . in his apologiâ prosententia hieromini , pag : . replying to bellarmine who would enervate cyprians testimonies ( for the peoples right to choose their ministers ) by this evasion which now i speak to , saith , nec pu●…idum in gravi scriptore commentum ferendum , populum habere potestatem eligendi & suffragium ferendi , quia potest dicere siquid noverit boni v●…l mali de ordinando , & sic testimonio suo efficere ut non eligatur : quasi vero is eligendi & suffragium ferendi potestate praeditus eaque usus dici debeat , qui id tantum prestat , quod omni electionis & suffragii jure absolute carens praestare ( quandocunque libet ) potest , autoris quisquam adeo duri reperiatur ut infidelium pessimos quicquid boni vel mali de ordinando noverint dicere , & sic testimonio suo ut nō eligatur efficere posse negare audeat , habe●…unt scilicet ex adversarii hypothesi aequo cum sidelibus jure eligendi & suffragium ferendi potestatem . . though nothing be objected against the mans doctrine or life , yet if the people desire another better or as well qualifyed , by whom they finde themselves more edified then by the other , that is a reason sufficient ( i●…a reason must bee given at all ) and it is allowed by danaeus in . tim : . . and by the first book of discipline in the fourth head , . it being condescended upon in the parliament of scotland that his majestie with consent and advice of the estates , should nominate the officers of estate . the estates of parliament were pressed to give a reason of their disassenting from his majesties nomination , but they refused . and i am sure consenting or not consenting in a matter ecclesiasticall , ought to be as free , if not more free , then in a matter civill . object . . this course may prove very dangerous for an apostatizing congregation , for a people inclining to heresie or schisme , will not consent to the admission of an orthodox and sound minister . answ. . the intrusion of ministers against the congregations will , doth more generally and universally draw after it , great evils and inconveniences , . the corruptions of many patrons , and peradventure also some presbyteries may be more powerfull to intrude insufficient or unsound ministers , then the unsoundnesse or errour of this or that particular congregation , can be to hinder the admission of them that are sound . . we shall heartily accord that a hereticall or a schismaticall church , hath not just right to the liberty and priviledge of a sound church . . zanchius in . praec : col : . would have a congregation infected with heresie or superstition , before there bee a ministery setled among them , to be first convinced of their error , by some other pastor sent unto them by the christian magistrate for a time , and extraordinarly as a kinde of evangelist . at vero saith he , cum constitutae sunt & formatae verae ecclesiae , cur tune saltem non relinquitur illis libertas eligendi suos pastores ? object : . people do often erre in their choise , and cannot judge of the qualifications and abilities of pastors , but follow blindly the humors of their lords or leaders . answ : . we must beleeve what christ saith , iohn , , . that his sheep know his voice , and a stranger they will not follow , but will flee from him . . there are also in presbyteries and in all judicatories , some leading men whose judgement is much respected and hearkened unto . . hee that followeth another is ever blind : a people may follow leading m●…n ; and yet see with their own eyes too . . when bellarmine objecteth that a people cannot judge , whether a man be fit for the ministery , iunius animad : contr : . lib : . cap : . not : . answereth that the congregation judgeth not simply and absolutly whether one be fit for the ministery , but whether he be fit to serve in the ministery among them . vvhich two are so different , that of two men offered to a congregation , he that is absolutely and simply the best qualifyed for the ministery , is not to bee for that cause admitted hic & nunc , but hee who is fittest for that congregation . now a rude and ignorant people can judge which of the two speaketh best to their capacity and edificatition . . vvhen any congregation makes choise of an unfit or dangerous person , against whom there is just exception to be made , they must not therefore be robbed of their right , but called upon to make a better choise : this right people had from a pope , greg : mag : epist : lib. . epist : . habitatores lucensis civitatis quendam ad nos presbyterum adduxerunt , quì eis debuisset episcopus ordinari , sed quia mimine dignus inventus est nec diu sine proprio possunt consistere sacerdote : a nobis admoniti in se●…inio promiserunt alium studiose qu●…rere , &c. object : . seldome or never shall a congregation bee found all of one minde , and because this might bee answered in the words of gregorius de valentia in tam secundae disput : . quaest : . punct : . nam moraliter loquendo illud tota communitas facere censetur quod facit major ipsius pars . therefore to make the objection stronger , it may be further added , that oftentimes the greater part shall overcome the better part , because in every corporation there are more bad then good , more foolish then wise : this inconveniencie is objected by bellarmine de clericis , cap : . who tells us further that popular elections are subject to tumults and seditions . we answer with iunius ubi supranot : . . first inconveniences do also follow upon elections made by presbyteries and patrons without the peoples consent . . de incommodis prudenter curandis , non dere sanctâ mutandâ temere , sapientes videre opportuit . . for avoiding inconvenience of this kinde , it is to be remembred , that the congregation ought to be keeped in unity and order ( so far as may be ) by the directions and precedence of their elders , and by the assistance of brethren chosen out of other churches , when need so requireth . . zanchius ubi supra , col : . answereth out of calvin ; praesideant plebi in electione alii pastores , & cum ipsis etiam magistratus conjugatur , qui compescat tumultuantes & seditiosos . vvherein there is great need of caution , lest under pretence of suppressing tumults , the churches libertie of consenting or not consenting be taken away ; as upon the other part , the election is not to be wholly and solely permitted to the multitude or body of the church , which is the meaning of the . canon of the counsell of laodicaea , as it is expounded by osiander . gerhard , iunius and oth●…rs . . when a congregation is rent asunder , and cannot agree among themselves , this evill may b●…e helped in subordinate , though not in independent churches , for the higher consistories , the presbyteries and assemblies of the church , can end the controversie and determine the case , after hearing of both si●…es . object : . as for that which may reflect on ministers , that have not the peoples consent . . answ : it is ordination that maketh men ministers . and the want of the churches suffrage cannot hinder their being ministers , it concludeth onely that they did not ritè and ordinatè enter into their ministery hic & nunc in such a church . . this also is helped by a posterior approbation of the church , as a woman marrying a man unwillingly , yet after loving him as her husband , removeth that impediment . i conclude with a passage out of the ecclesiasticall discipline of the reformed churches in france , cap : . the silence of the people , none contradicting , shall be taken for an expresse consent , but in case there aryse any contention , and hee that is named should be lyked by the consistory , and disliked by the people , or by most part of them , his reception is then to be delayed , and report of all to bee made unto the conference or provicniall synod , to consider aswell the justification of him that is named , as of his rejection . and altho he that is named , should there be justified , yet is he not to bee made or given as a pastor to the people against their will , nor to the dislike , displeasure , and discontent of most of them . nay the popish french church , hath no lesse zealously stood for their liberty in this point in so much , that the intrusion of men into ec●…lesiasticall charges by the pope himself , hath been openly opposed , as shall most fully appeare to any who shall read the book intituled . pro libertate ecclesiae gallicanae adversus romanam aulam defensio , parisiensis curiae , lodo vico undecimo gallorum regi , quondam oblata . in which they do assert against the papall usurpations , the liberty of elections both by clergie and people , their reasons are these among others ; cum episcopus ecclesiae sponsus sit , & matrimonium quoddam spirituale inter ipsum & ecclesiam contrahatur , necessario consensus ecclesiae in●…ervenire debet . and after , cum episcopus solemniter a collegio eligitur , confirmaturque servatá programma●…um & inquisitionum forma , eò certe ma , or est populi de eo existimatio , magisque eum venerantur , observant & diligunt populares , quam siipsis invitis obtrudatur . ideoque doctrina ejus l●…nge sructuosior est , & ad aedificandum multo efficacior . hinc tametsi petrus christi vicarius esset , & caput ecclesiae : tamen mortuo iuda qui unus apostolorū erat caeteri omnes pariter eligerunt , & sors cecidit super matthiam ut in actis apostolorum legitur . lucius pontifex romanus vir sanctus , & martyr , qui ecclesiae romanae praesuit anno , . ita decrevit : nullus in ecclesiae ubi duo vel tres fuerunt in congregatione , nisi eorum electione canonca presbyter eligatur , &c. the same thing doth duarenus de sacr : eccles : minist : lib : . cap : . confirme , not on●…y from the ancient canons , but from the election of matthias act : . and that of the deacons act : . chap. iii. whether ordination be essentiall to the calling of a minister . this question hath been thus stated in a little book intituled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein the judgement of the reformed churches and protestant divines is shewed ; concerning ordination , &c. the negative part is there mentioned , also in the queries touching the ordination of ministers , written in opposition to the learned and much approved book intituled . ius divinum regiminis ecclesiastici , the same contraversie is touched upon frequently with more railing then reason by that furious erastian who composed the gralloe against apollonius and cryes out that the world is abused with an empty notion of a pretended sacred ministeriall calling , which may be exercised by none but such as are thereunto called solemnly set a part , and ordained . this is the same thing which hath been formerly debated by protestant divines against the anabaptists and socinians . see p. martyr . loc : com : class : . cap. . aretius probl : theol : loc : . the professors of leyden , synops : pur : theol : disp : . wal●…us in loc : com : tom : . pag : . . festus hommius specim , controv : belgic . artic : . of the lutherans , gerhard in loc : com : tom : . cap : . lib : . balduin de institutione ministrorum , cap : . & lib : . de cas : consc : cap : . brochmand synt : theol : artic . de minister , eccles. cap : . quaest : . stegmannus in sphotinianismo disp : . the sociniane tenent against the necessity of ordination , see in socin : tract : de eccles : nicol : and tract : de eccles. & missione ministi . yet the socinans acknowledge it is fit for order , and decency to retaine ordination in the church . peradventure many of the sectaries of this time will hardly acknowledge this much : i shall first of all premise some distinctions and considerations for the better opening of the true state and nature of this contravesie . next i shall bring the positive arguments , and lastly , answer the contrary objections . the particulars to be premised are these . first the question is not whether ordination be the only thing essentiall , or necessary to the right calling of a minister ? i have before pleaded for the necessity of the churches consent , i now plead for the necessity of ordination ; that ought to be no impediment to this , nor this to that . . neither is the question , whether imposition of hands be essentiall and necessary to the calling of a minister . imposition of hands is a rite used in ordination , after the example of the primitive churches ( of which more anone ) but the substance , essence , and formall act of ordination is another thing . therefore not onely the lutheran divines , but calvin in tim : . . iunius animad : in bellar : contr : . lib. . cap : . bucan●…s loc : com : loc : . gersomus bucerus and others distinguish between the act of ordination , and the rite used in that act . m. antonius de dominis , lib : . de repub : eccles : cap : . § . & cap : . § . . & lib : . cap : . § . doth also distinguish between the rite or ceremony of laying on of hands , and the essentiall act of ordination which he rightly calls missio potestativa , a sending of one with power and authority : vvhich agreeth well with matth. . . mark . , , . where we have first the election of the apostles to their office ; he calleth unto him whom he would , and they came uuto him , matthew sayeth , he called unto him his twelve disciples , luke . . he called his twelve disciples together . here was an antecedaneous election or designation of the persons . thereafter followes the ordaining or constituting of them in their office 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith mark , and hee ordained ( or made ) twelve that they should be with him , and that bee might send them forth to preach , and to have power to heal , &c. luke addeth after the calling together of the twelve , that he gave them power and authoritie over all devils , and to cure diseases , and he sent them to preach , &c. vvhich sets forth the true nature and essence of ordination , that it consists in a sending forth of chosen persons with power and authority . and this potestative missioun of the twelve is applyed , not onely to power over devils and diseases ( which was extraordinary and apostolicall ) but to power of preaching which belongeth to the ordinary pastor to call , charge . pastors and teachers are messengers , iob . . and god hath committed unto them the word of reconciliation , . cor : . . . neither is the question , what may be done in extraordinary cases when ordination cannot be had , or where there are none who have power to ordaine . vvee read that aedesius and frumentius being but privat men , became preachers of the gospell , and converted a great nation of the indians : likewise that when the iberians were converted by a captive woman , their king and queen became teachers of the gospell to the people . there may be an extraordinary calling from god where religion is not yet planted , nor churches yet constituted . it is altogether another case in a constituted reformed or reforming church : i adde with peter martyr , that even those persons who set about the work of the ministery extraordinarly or among infidels , if they can come at any who may ordain them in the usuall and right way , they ought not to neglect the seeking of ordination . . nor is the question of teaching , exhorting , admonishing , reproving , comforting one another , or praying for , or with one another , in the way of a private christian fellowship , and and brotherly love . for this belongs to the generall calling of christians as they are christians , observing therein the rules of the word , and there is no need nor use of ordination in all this . but the question is of the particular , speciall , sacred calling of the ministers of the gospell to preach and administer the sacraments , whether ordination be not essentiall and necessary to this calling . the privat christian dueties of teaching one another , reproving , exhorting , &c. are to be conscionably and carefully performed by privat christians , ioh. . , . acts . . eph. . . col. . . heb : . . but this the apostle plainly distinguisheth from the speciall ministeriall function , thess : . , . with vers : , . the affirmation of this question in hand , viz. that ordination is necessary and essentiall to the calling of a minister , may bee confirmed by these arguments . . doeth not nature it selfe teach you : as the apostle sayeth in another case , shall the visible politicall church of christ , which is the purest and most perfyt republick in the world , have lesse order and more confusion in it nor a civill republick . embassadours , commissioners , officers of state , judges , generals , admirals , with the subordinate commanders in armies and navies , do not runne unsent , nor act without power authority and commission given them . how much more unbeseeming , and disorderly were it in the church , ( which nicolaides himself , even where he disputeth against the necessity of ordination , refut : tract : de missione minister , cap : . pag : . ) acknowledgeth to be more perfite then any politick republick in the world ) for any man to assume to himselfe power and authority which is not given him , or which he hath a non habente potestatem , or to intrude himself into any publick administration unto which he is not appointed . it was justly complained of , as a great disorder under the prelates , that midwives were permitted to baptize upon pretence of a case of necessity , yea that deacons were permitted to baptize , because the administration of baptisme , doeth neither belong to deacons , nor to private persons . but that railing rabshaketh , the anonymous erastian before mentioned , goeth so far as to cry down all necessity of ordination or any speciall call to the ministery of the word and sacraments , and alloweth any christian , whether magistrate or subject , both to preach , baptize , and minister the lords supper , having no ordination or speciall mission to that effect . 't is a sufficient answer to him , offer it now unto thy governour , will he be pleased with thee ? mal : . . who will endure such a confusion in a state , that any man may assume publick offices and administrations , not being thereunto called and appointed ? and shall the church ( which must go a great deal further than the law and light of nature , ) come short of that which nature it self teacheth all humane societies ? 't is both a naturall and a scriptura●…l rule , let all things be done decentlie and in order , cor : . : for god is not the author of confusion , but of peace , ibid. vers . . if it were an intollerable usurpation in a mans own family , if any man should take upon him the stewards place to dispence meat to the houshold , not being thereunto appointed . how much more were it an intollerable usurpation in the church , the house of the living god , for any to make themselves stewards of the mysteries of christ , not being appointed ▪ ●… i argue from , rom : . . and how shall they preach except they be sent ? suppose they bee well gifted , yet they may not preach except they bee sent and appointed thereunto . this sending must needs bee ordination , not the churches election : a people may choose to themselves , but cannot send to themselves : the choosing of an embassadour is one thing , the sending him , another thing : the embassadour nominated and elected by the king , may not goe to his work and act as an embassadour , till he bee sent forth with his commission and power delivered to him . there have been severall exceptions made , and more may be made against this argument ; yet all of them may bee rationally taken off . except : : the socinians reply , that the apostle speaketh this of his ownetime when the doctrine of the gospell was new , and did therefore require a speciall mission : but that now ministers being to preach no new doctrine , need not such a speciall call . answ. this is not only , not grounded on the text , but is contrary both to the metaphore and to the context : 't is contrary to the metaphore which the apostle taketh from the sending of embassadours , heraulds , and other publick ministers . these are sent not onely to propound that which was never before propounded , but also oft times to revive and renew a thing before propounded and known . if either embassadour , or herauld run unsent , and goe out without his commission and appointment , it will be no excuse to him , that he hath declared no new thing , but what was declared by other embassadoures , or heraulds before him , for still hee may be challenged as one who runne unsent , and it may bee said to him : by what authoritie doest thou these things ? 't is contrary to the context too , vers . . . . there are five necessary means and wayes which must bee had and used by those who look to be saved . . calling upon the name of the lord. . beleeving on him . . hearing his word . . a preaching ministery . . mission or ordination . if the first foure be perpetually necessary to the end of the world , so must the fifth be , for the apostle layeth al 's great necessity upon this last as upon the rest . if none can be saved who do not pray , and none can pray who do not beleeve , and none can beleeve who doe not hear the word , and none can hear the word without a preaching ministery , the last followeth hard in the text , there can be no ministeriall office without a mission or ordination . i have before excepted extraordinary cases , where there is yet no church nor no ministery : even as the deaf may beleeve who cannot hear , although the apostle say , how shall they beleeve on him of whom they have not heard ! except . . nicolaides addeth that the apostle speakes not of what is unlawfull to be , but what is imposible to bee , namely , it is impossible that any man can preach , that is ( saith he ) declare a new thing except god send him . answ. . if preaching here in this text must bee restricted to the preaching of a new thing , hearing must bee also restricted to the hearing of a new thing , and beleeving to the beleeving of a new thing , and so they who do not hear and beleeve some new doctrine , cannot bee saved . . it is very possible to preach a new thing , when god hath not sent one to preach it : when the jesuits first preached their scientia media , they preached a new thing , yet god sent them not . . let us consider what the apostle means here by preachiug 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , saith hee , 't is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praeco , caduceator . the offices and functions of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . h. stephanus in thes : l. gr : tom : . pag : . . describeth out of homer . they called together the people to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or publick assembly : they injoyned silence , and called for audience and attention : they were sent in time of warre to aske leave to bury their dead : they were sent with messages from princes and great men : they attended princes and great men to serve them upon occasion : they served also at the sacrifices : they prepared beasts and receaved the guests : what is there in all this , which in a spirituall and ecclesiasticall sence is not competent and incumbent to ordinary pastors and teachers aswell as to the apostles : and if wee will have the holy ghost to expound himself as ordinary preachers do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all ages and all the world over , aswell as those who first preached the gospell , mat : . . & . . mark . . & . . luke . . phil : . . tim : . rom. . . thou that preachest a man should not steal , dost thou steal ? . i hope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here doth not signifie one that preacheth a new thing , cor : . . it pleased god by the foolishnesse of preaching ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) to save them that beleeve . will any who hopes to be saved , deny that this extends to preaching in all ages ? except . . that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before cited , in the second part of it pag : . . sayeth that the sending which the apostles means of , is not a ministeriall or ecclesiasticall sending , for then none could be an instrument to convert another but a minister or preacher sent . neither could a man be sure whether he have faith or no , till he be sure his faith was wrought in him by a minister lawfully called . it remaines therefore ( saith he ) that the apostle speaks of a providentiall sending , by giving men gifts , and working with them in their use and exercise . answ. : the giving of gifts and powring out the spirit of a calling , is plainly distinguished from the mission or sending ; yea , in christ himself who had receaved the spirit , not by measure , but above measure , yet his having the spirit of the lord upon him , was not his mission , but is plainly distinguished from his mission and ordination to his office which he had from god , luke . . the spirit of the lord is upon me , because he hath anointed me to preach the gospell to the poor , he hath sent me , &c. the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or ability of gifts to the office is one thing : the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or authority to it , is another thing . . his first reason to prove that the apostle speaks not of a ministeriall sending , because thence it would follow that none could convert another but a minister , hee groundeth thus : for ' its said , none can beleeve but by hearing a preacher sent . now this falls al 's heavie upon his own interpretation , for still this will follow , that no man can be converted but a preacher sent providentially with gifts and assistance , when hee shall loose the knot for himself , he shall loose it for us too . . so likewise for his other reason , if the apostles scope be ( as he glosseth ) to take away doubting from men , he doeth by his interpretation split upon the same rocke which he thinks wee have run upon , for a man must still doubt whether hee hath faith or no , and so whether he shall be saved or no , till he be sure his faith was wrought in him by a preacher sent providentially with working gifts : now the description which hee makes of the providentiall sending , involveth a man in greater doubting then before , for either it agreeth to false and hereticall teachers the ministers of sathan , or not . if he sayeth it doth agree to them , and that false seducing preachers ( pretending to be true , sound , and orthodoxe ) are providentially sent with gifts effectuall , viz. to deceave in the secret judgement of god , according to ezek. . . king. . . then how he will recon●…ile his interpretation with isa. . . . let him see to it . and withall he leads a man upon this opinion , that hee may have faith wrought in him , and so bee saved under any ministery , true or false , orthodoxe or hereticall . he must also justifie the sinne so often condemned in the false prophets , that they run unsent , for ( by his principles ) they are sent , as well as the true prophets . if he will say that his description of the providentiall sending agreeth not to false or hereticall preachers , but to the true ministers of christ , then hee leads a man into this doubt , that hee cannot bee sure that he beleeves and shall bee saved , unlesse hee bee sure that the preacher providentially sent to him , is a true minister of christ , and not a minister of sathan transformed into a minister of righteousnesse . cor. . . or a wolfe in sheeps cloathing , matth. . . but . if this providentiall sending be enough , it takes away the necessity , not onely of ordination , but of the peoples choosing or consenting . it shall bee enough that god give a man a gift , and work by them , whether the church consent or not : yet as i take it , he that makes this objection , holds it necessary , not onely that pastors bee chosen by the church , but that gifted brethren bee allowed by the church to prophesie , else that they must not prophesie . . his objections doth strike against that connexion and concat●…nation of the means of salvation , which the apostle holdeth forth , and there is no more strength in that which he objecteth , then as if one should argue , the deaf may beleeve , therefore faith may be without hearing . look how hearing is necessary , in the same sence , is preaching , and the sending of the preacher necessary , neither doeth it make any thing against our sence of the text , that some may be converted , by those who are not ministers , for tho preaching of the word by those that are sent to the ministery of preaching , is the standing ordinance and ordinary mean of conversion and faith by this text : and even those who perhaps have been first wroght upon by prayer or conference with other christians , are hearers of those who are ministerially s●…nt : it will bee hard to prove that any beleeve , who can hear the word preached by ministers lawfully called and sent , and doe not hear it . except . . that erastian before cited , the composer of the grallae , expoundeth ( as i remember ) this text of an extraordinary mission or calling from god , not an ordinary mission from men : denying the pastors of churches and ministers of the gospel in our dayes to be sent of god and that although the apostles might shew their mission and commission from christ , yet ordinary ministers cannot do it : therefore this sending belongeth not to the ordinary ministers . answ. this text doth certainly hold forth the necessity of an ordinary and mediat mission , when the extraordinary and immediat mission is ceased , which i prove this : if a preaching ministery be a perpetuall and standing ordinance , then mission is a perpetuall and standing ordinance ▪ but a preaching ministery is a perpetuall and standing ordinance , therefore so is mission . the preposition is manifest , both from the kniting together of the parts of this text , in which the apostle screweth up the necessity of mission as high as the necessity of preaching : as likewise from matth. . . . which doeth not onely prove a perpetuall ministery in the church alway even unto the end of the world , but also that this perpetuall ministery is authorized by mission or commission from christ. for reference to this perpetuall ministery , christ saith , goe , teach and baptize , and loe i am with you alway , even unto the end of the world : so that who ever doeth lawfully exercise the office of teaching and baptising , is certainly sent : he cannot be immediatly and extraordinarly in the reformed churches , ther●…fore it must be in a mediat and ordinary way . the assumption is before proved . . as the preaching so the sending is common to ordinary ministers with the apostles . if ordinary ministers be preachers ex officio , as well as the apostles , which ha●…h been before proved , then ordinary ministers are sent as well as the apostles , for how shall they preach except they be sent , and how shall they be sent in our dayes , except in a mediat and ordinary way , by those unto whom the power of ordination belongeth ? except . : but if this text , rom. . . be expounded of ordination , then expectants or probationaries may not preach , because not yet ordained . answ. . they neither preach ordinarly , nor ex officio . they preach occasionally , and without a pastorall or ministeriall office . . neither may these sonnes of the prophets runne to such occasionall work , without approbation and licence , for which cause the directory of worship established in both kingdoms , puts in this caution , that such as intend the ministery , may occasionally both read the scriptures , and exercise gifts in preaching in the congregations , being allowed thereunto by the presbyterie . and so the text will hold true in all cases , extraordinary preachers , apostles , evangelists , prophets , must have an extraordinary mission . ordinary pastors and teachers , must have a mission with power and authority to that effect . probationers , and occasionall preachers must have a proportionable kinde of mission , that is , not to the pastorall office , but to preach upon occasion . the third argument shall bee taken from that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that constituting , appointing or making of church officers which is plainly held forth in scripture . the seven deacons being elected by the multitude of the disciples , were appointed , set and constituted over that businesse by the apostles , acts . . pastors and teachers have much more need to be appointed to their office , and for them let us note two scriptures , one is luke . . who then is that faithfull and wise steward , whom his lord shall make [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] ruler over his houshold , to give them their portion of meat in dew season ? grotius upon the place noteth , that the former parable concerning watching is intended for all christians , so mark. . . but this of stewards belongs to the pastors of churches , for ' its upon occasion of peters question concerning the former parable , ( lord speakest thou this parable unto us , or even unto all ? ) christ answeres by this parable of stewards , appointed or ordained over the houshold , whom he distinguisheth from other servants by their ruleing power , verse ▪ . by their greater knowledge , and consequently greater guiltinesse , if wicked , vers . . and by the greater trust committed to them , vers . . now least it should bee thought , that this making or appointing of stewards over the houshold of christ , is onely meant of the apostles , as it were of purpose to discover the vanity of that socinian error , 't is said , vers . . blessed is that servant whom his lord when he commeth shall finde so doing . till christ come again , and at his comming , there shall be stewards appointed and set over his house : which cannot be without the mediate and ordinary way of making , appointing , and ordaining . the bishops or elders , as well as apostles are the stewards of god , tit. . . and so i come to the other scripture concerning those teaching and ruleing officers . the apostle left titus at crete that he might ordain elders in every city , vers . . the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned in the beginning , replyeth to this text , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie●…h to fixe , settle , establish one who was in office before as appears by psal ▪ . . see now with how little reason this man oppugneth the receaved principles . the septuagint ( sayeth he ) readeth psal : . . thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but david was a king many years before he took in the hill and fort of zion . i shall not stand here upon this erroneous transcribing of the words of the septuagints : i might tell him again that symmachus readeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . i have an●…inted my king , having respect to the very first making him king , and this is the ne●…rest rendering of the originall . but i will stand to that of the septuagints : even their reading ( without the least violence to their words ) may be understood , not of the setling of david after he took in the fort of zion , but of gods appointing and ordaining him to rule in , upon , or over zion , which i doe not doubt was their meaning , neither doeth the prepositions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at all hinder , but help this interpretation of the septuagint . see the like mat. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , this is not the fixing and setling of that good servant in that ruleing power , but 't is the first giving of it to him , the first making him ruler over many things , having before had but a few things , luke . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so isocrates , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . i may confu●…e him from the septuagint themselves , psal. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dan. . : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. will hee say that the septuagint meant that god setled and fixed the dominion which man had before over the creatures , or that the prince of the eunuches did but settle and fixe that government which melzar had before over daniel ? if they meane in those places constituting and appoynting ( as it is most manifest they doe ) why not also psal. . ? god appointed david to be a king upon the holy hill of zion , which is all that can be made out of the septuagint . well , but i will goe yet further with him , to discover the futility of his exception : 't is true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometime used for restoring and setling that which is out of ' its course , but how did he imagine that this sence of the word could agree to tit. . ? thought hee that titus was left in crete , for restoring , setling , and fixing those elders who had left their station , or had been cast out , or persecuted , or the like ? doeth not the apostle plainly speak of supplying and making up such things as were yet wanting to those churches , and of ordaining elders to churches which wanted elders . wherefore the ordinary reading and interpretation is retained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be understood of making , or ordaining elders , even as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the like , constituere , praeficere , to make or appoint rulers and judges , by giving them power and authority to rule or judge . so asts. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which was not a setling and fixing of ioseph ; in the government of egypt , as if he had been governour of it before , for that was the first time he was made governour . the fourth argument is taken from heb. . . and no man taketh this honour unto himself , but he that is called of god as was aaron . if yee would know what this calling was , see vers . . hee was taken from among men , and ordained for men , in things pertaining to god. the socinian exception against our arguments , from the example and practice of ordination in the apostles times , ( namely that there is no such necessity of ordaining those who are to teach doctrines formerly delivered , and receaved , as there was , for ordaining those who bring a new doctrine ) cannot here help them ; yea , is hereby confuted , for none of the priests under the law , no not the high priest , might teach or pronounce any other thing , but according to the law and the testimony , deut. . . mal. . . yet the priests were ordained to their office , and might not without such ordination enter into it . and this was no typicall thing proper to the old testament , but hath a standing reason . the socinians therefore have another evasion from the words , this honour restricting the apostles meaning , to that honour of the priesthood onely . answ. . the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 need not to be understood demonstratively , or signanter , but indefinitly , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the prepositive article , and so both the syriak interpreter : hierome , arias montanus , and the tigurin version r●…ad it indefinitly , honorem , not hunc honorem , no man taketh honour unto himself , but he , &c. see the very same words in the same sence , rom. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , honour to whom honour , not this honour . so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , revel . . . is not rendered , this honour . . suppose it bee meant signanter , yet our argument is valid . although the apostle give instance only in the high priesthood , yet by analogie of reason , the axiome will hold in reference to the ministery of the new testament , upon which god hath put so much honour , that it is called a worthie work , tim : . . and worthie of double honour . tim : . . and to be esteemed very highly , thess : . . the ministers of the gospell are the embassadours of christ , cor : . . and the angels of the churches , the starres in christs right hand , revel : . . & , . &c. yea , the glory of christ , cor : . . and if ( comparing state with state ) the least in the kingdome of god , be greater then iohn baptist , and iohn baptist greater then any either priest or prophet in the old testament . then ' its not onely as great , but a greater usurpation , for a man to take this honour of the evangelicall ministery to himself , then it had been of old , for a man to take that honour of the legall high priest-hood to himself . the fifth argument i draw from heb : . . . where wee have an enumeration of the generall catecheticall heads , which was necessarly required in catechumens , before they were baptized and receaved as church members , and where there was yet no church planted , these heads were taught , learned , and professed , before there could be a visible politicall ministeriall church erected , that the apostles sp●…aks to the hebrews as visible ministeriall churches is manifest , both from the particulars here enumerat , and fr●…m chap. . . . & . . . now he exhorteth them to goe on unto perfection , and not to be ever about the laying of foundations , or about the learning of these catecheticall principles , the knowledge and profession , whereof did first give them an enterance , state , and standing in the visible church of christ , viz. . the foundation of repentance , i. e. conviction and knowledge of sinne by the law , humiliation and sorrow for it , with a desire of freedome for it . . the foundation of faith in christ for our wisdome , righteousnesse , sanctification and redemption . . the foundations of baptisme , i. e. the abolishing of these diverse legall washings , hel. . . and the ordinance of the christian baptisme for sealing the covenant of grace , and for initiation in church membership : others say he speaks in the plurall , because in those times many were baptized at once usually . . the foundation of laying on of hands , that is ( saith bullinger on the place ) of the ministery , and of their vocation , mission , and authority given them . so also gualther in his archetypes upon the place , tossanus pointeth at the same thing , as principally intended in the text , which agreeth well with that which diverse divines make one of the marks of a true visible church , namely , a ministery lawfully called and ordained , and professed subjection thereunto . . the foundation of the resurrection from the dead . . the soundation of the last judgement , in which christ shall adjudge the righteous to life everlasting , and the wicked to everlasting punishment , matth . ult . that which hath obscured and cast a mist upon this text , was the popish and prelaticall confirmation , or bishopping of children , which they grounded upon this same scripture . and this way goe the popish interpreters , expounding it of their sacrament of confirmation : others understand the gifts of the holy ghost , which in those dayes were given by laying on of hands . but it hath never been , nor can never bee proved , either that hands were layd upon all baptized christians who were growen up to yeares of knowledge in these apostolicall times , or that the gifts of the holy ghost were given with every laying on of hands in those times . for the laying on of hands , ( tim. . . and . . ) was not for giving the holy ghost , but for ordination . wherefore i conceave that the laying on of hands , heb. . . pointeth at the ministery , and their ordination , which was accompanied with that rite . many interpreters who extend the text further , doe not yet acknowledge that the ordination of ministers is a thing intended by the apostle . which is the more probable , if you read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dividedly with a comma betwixt , which erasmus inclineth most unto , following the greek scholiasts . so the tigurin version , baptismatum , doctrinae , ac impositionis manum . so you shall finde seven of these catecheticall principals , and after baptisme , adde doctrine , that is , a preaching or teaching ministery , and then the next head containes the necessity of a speciall calling and ordination to this ministery . however read it conjunctly or dividedly , it makes a true and good sence to expound , laying on of hands ( here ) of the ordinance of a preaching ministery lawfully called and ordained , for this ordinance and a professed subjection thereunto , may justly be reckoned among the catecheticall points , and among the marks of a true visible ministeriall church . whereas it were a dangerous and unsafe interpretation , and i beleeve that which cannot be made out , to say , that any of the catecheticall heads enumerate by the apostle , was proper to that primitive age , and doeth not concerne after ages : or yet to affirme that the giving of the holy ghost by the laying on of hands , was extended to all catechumens baptized in those times , or that the knowledge or profession of the doctrine concerning the giving of the gifts of the holy ghost , by such laying on of hands was s●…ch a principle , as that none ignorant thereof , though insttucted in all the other articles of christian faith , could be receaved as a church-member grounded in catecheticall points . i shall adde a sixth argument from the example and practise of the apostles and others who did ordaine church officers in their dayes , the example is binding in such things as were not onely lawfull and good , but have a standing and perpetuall reason . the seven deacons were ordained with prayer and laying on of hands , act : . . . elders were ordained in every city , tit : . . although those elders were not to preach any new gospel , gal : . . paul warneth timothy , tim. . . lay hands suddenly on no man. i. e. be not rash in ordaining any to the work of the ministery , let them be well examined and approved . this is the receaved sence of interpreters following chrysostome , ambrose , hierome , and others of the fathers , yet nicolaides refut . tract . de missione ministr ▪ will have the text understood , not of ordaining ministers , but of admitting penitents , which was done with imposition of hands . but is this to expound scripture by scripture ? or is it not rather to forsake an interpretation confirmed by scripture , and to follow one which is grounded upon no scripture ? for wee read nothing in scripture of laying on of hands in the receaving or restoring of penitents . of the laying on of hands in ordination , wee doe read in scripture , and least it should bee thought the act of one man onely , it is mentioned as the act of the presbyterie , tim. . . with the laying on of the hands of the presbyterie . a place which gualt●…er , bullinger , tossanus and diverse other good interpreters thinke to hold forth the way which paul would have observed in the calling and appointing of men to the ministery : some understand by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the office it self ▪ dignity or degree of an elder which was given to timothy by the laying on of hands : others understand a company of bishops who were elders and more too : i confesse it doth not ; o●…hers an assembly of elders , without any prelaticall disparity . now neither o●… these interpretations can strike against that point which now i plead for , viz. the point of ordination , but rather make much for it , yea even they who understand the office of a presbyter , doe thereby confirme that which i assert in as much as timothy was not made an elder , but by imposition of hands , as these hold . if so , then certainly ordination is essentiall to the calling of a presbyter . so that what ever come of the word presbytery , the laying on of hands which made the presbyter , will conclude against them who deny the necessity of ordination . the seventh argument shall bee drawn from the denominations of the ministers of the gospell in scripture . . they are called pastors or shepheards , ier : . . eph : . . hee that is not called and appointed by the lord of the flocke , he that entereth not by the doore , but breaks in surreptitiously , and makes himselfe sheepherd at his own hand , is not a sheepherd but a thief , ioh. . . . next they are angels or messengers , mat : . . rev : . : and cor : . . with . . and the embassadours of christ , cor : . . eph. . . therefore they are sent and appointed , and do not run unsen●… . . they are called rulers , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . tim. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , thess : . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , heb : . . . do men make themselves rullers , magistrates , captains at their owne hand , or are they not thereunto appointed by others ? . they are called ●…ishops , or overseers , act. . . tim ▪ . . the athenians give the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to one whom they appointed , ordained , and sent forth to be magistrate or praetor in any of the townes , subject to their jurisdiction . see h. steph. thes : ling. gr : in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stewards , luke . . cor : . tit. . . who dare make himself a steward in a kings house ; yea , or in a more private house , not being thereunto appointed and ordained ? . they are servants who invite and call in guests to the weding , to the marriage supper , mat : . . luke . . will any ( except a fool , or a knave , ) go and invite guests to a mans table , when he is not sent nor appointed : . they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , preachers , heraulds , tim : . . and tim : . . will a herauld go and proclaime the kings edicts , or the ordinances of parliament , if hee be not thereunto appointed ? in both these texts last cited , the apostle speaking of the gospell , sayeth , whereunto i am ordained a preacher , and an apostle , and a teacher of the gentiles . mark , hee is ordained not an apostle , but a preacher , as hee could not bee an apostle without ordination , so he could not bee so much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a preacher without ordination . now ordinary pastors are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as well as the apostles which hath been before shewed . an eight argument i collect from tim : . . and the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses , the same commit thou to faithfull men , who shall be able to teach others also . which is a most considerable place against the socinians , anabaptists , &c. for it teacheth us these five particulars . : that the apostles would not have a teaching or preaching ministery to end with that time , but was carefull to have pastors or teachers provided for the succeeding generation also . . thes : teachers of others who were to labour in the word and doctrine , were to teach no new doctrine , but the very same things which they receaved from timothy , and timothy from paul , and which paul receaved from the lord . it was in sence no new doctrine , when it is taught by paul , much lesse when taught by timothy , and least of all when taught by these who receaved it from timothie . so that the socinian distinction of the necessity of a speciall calling to the ministery when the doctrine is new , not so when the doctrine is not new , cannot here help them . . thes : teachers are distinguished from those who are taught : every man may not be a teacher . it is a peculiar and particular calling , and it is no part of the generall calling of christians : therefore both here , and gal : . . there is such a distinction ●…n the church , some are teachers , some are taught in the word . . fitnesse and abilities ; yea , both grace and gifts together , cannot warrant a m●…n to assume to himself the function of teaching or preaching to others , except he be thereunto allowed , and appointed , and entrusted . the apostle sayeth not , the things that thou heard of me , the same i will that faithfull and able men , who ever shall be willing to the work , teach others also , faithfulnesse , and fitnesse , or ability cannot make a sufficient calling , but qualifie a man for that which he shall be called unto . aptitude is one thing : to be cloathed with a calling , power and authority is another thing . . there is more that belongs to the calling of pastors and teachers , than the churches electing , or choosing of them : for those unto whom the power of ordination belongeth , do also commit unto them that which they are entrusted with , the same commit thou , &c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 't is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which ( as h : stephanus in thes : ling : gr : tom . . pag . noteth ) not seldome in the new testament doeth signifie , depositum alicujus fidei committere , fiduciarium tradere alicut , where he citeth this very text , and i shall clear it yet further from luke : . . and unto whom men have commited much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , of him they will ask the more , which is the conclusion of the parable concerning a faithfull and wise steward , appointed by his lord to be ruler over his houshold ; to give them their portion of meat in due season , and that parable is meant of pastors or ministers lawfully called and sent , as hath been before cleared . ninthly , as we are obleidged by our covenant to endeavour such a reformation , as is most agreeable to the word of god , and the example of the best reformed churches , so in this particular of ordination , and a speciall call and setting apart of men to the ministery , we have not onely the example of the ancient and reformed churches , but the word of god it selfe directeth us this way . . before the law when the first borne in families ( not all promiscuously ) acted the part of priests or publick ministers . whereof there are some expresse examples in enoch a prophet , gen. . . iude epistle , vers . . noah , heb : . . by whom god preached to the old world , pet : . . and so are we to understand gen : . : abraham a prophet , gen : . . melchisedeck the priest of the most high god , is thought by many learned men ( following both ionathans targum , and that of ierusalem ) to have been shem , the first born of noah : of iacob also ( who got the birth-right from esau ) we read that he built altars , and called , upon the name of the lord , and he was a prophet , gen : . and it is often mentioned by moses , that the sons of aaron were taken in stead of the first borne . . under the law , when not onely the prophets , but the priests also who were ordinary ministers , had a speciall ordination to their office . . under the gospell in the primitive times , for the socinians themselves do not deny that ordination or speciall mission was used in the apostles times . tenthly , and lastly without a clear calling , and lawfull ordination , how shall people receave the word from the mouths of ministers , as gods word , or as from thos●… who are sent of god ? or how shall people reverence and highly esteem their ministers who labour among them , obey them , and submit unto them , as they are commanded , thess : . , . heb : . ? and since he that is taught ought to communicat unto him that teacheth him , in all good things , gal : . . and god will have those who labour in the word and doctrine to be maintained , and that they who sow spirituall things , reap temporall things , cor. . , , , . tim : . . yea , the apostle puts the stamp of a ius divinum upon it , cor : . , . having mentioned the priests maintainance in the old testament , he addeth : even so hath the lord ordained that they which preach the gospell , should live of the gospell . so that socinians and anabapt●…sts will finde themselves puzled mightily with this dilemma , either it is the will of god , that none preach the gospell , but such as are called , appointed , and ordained thereunto , or otherwise it is his will , that those who preach the gospell , not being thereunto chosen , called and ordained , must be maintained as well as ministers lawfully ordained and cal●…ed , and if so , it s like enough people shall have good store of preachers , and their purses shall pay well for it . chap. iiii. objections against the necessity of ordination answered . i come now to answere the strongest objections of those who hold ordination not necessary , nor essentiall to the calling of a minister . obejct . . from acts . . they that were scattered abroad , went every where preaching the word . so acts . . apollos also taught boldly in the synagogues , acts . , . yet no word of their mission or ordination . the jews esteemed christ himself but a private man , not ordained nor authorized to any office in the church , yet they permitted him to preach in their synagogues . answ : . those that after stephens death , were scattered abroad , and preached the word , must needs have been called , sent , and ordained ( by the principles of the socinians themselves , ) for the doctrine which they preached , was a new doctrine , both to samaria , acts . . and to those dispersed jews , acts . . themselves confesse , that they who preach a new doctrine , must have a speciall mission and ordination . . philip was one of those who went abroad preaching the word , acts . . now hee is expressely called an evangelist , acts . . therefore no president for private christians to preach . . it is a bad argument luke mentioneth , not their ordination , therefore they were not orda●…ned . they may aswell argue thus . luke mentioneth not that they prayed when they preached , therefore they did not pray when they preached . or thus : the scripture mentioneth not ioabs father , but onely his mother zerviah , therefore he had not a father . . and suppose they preached the word without mission or ordination , this is but like that which chrysostome , lib : ad eos qui scandalisati sunt , cap : . recordeth as a marvelous extraordinary benefit , which did accrew from the bloody persecutions of those ancient times , viz. that in such times , the sheep acted the parts of shepheards , being driven away to deserts and mountains , where ( by the spirit of god speaking in them ) they converted unbeleevers , and gathered churches : which concludeth nothing against the necessity of ordination , in constituted and reformed churches , for they who were scattered abroad , being driven away in the heat of persecution , might not have the opportunity of ordination , and they went forth to gather christians to plant churches , to lay foundations where christ was not known . such cases were in the beginning excepted from the sta●…e of our present question . . if apollos preached without ordination , when he knew onely the baptisme of iohn , and withall when he had to do with those jews , who were yet to be convinced that jesus was the christ , acts . , , . it is no good argument against the necessity of ordination , where the doctrine of christ is known and receaved , and churches constituted . and withall how will it be proved , that apollos having been one of iohns disciples , had not some commission from iohn to preach the word ? or if apollos was but a gifted brother without any publick calling or authority in the church , how came he to be so much esteemed , as to be compared with peter and paul , cor : . . lastly as touching christs preaching in the synagogues , hee was lookt upon as a prophet extraordinarly r●…ised up in israel . luke . , . and the jews say of him plainly , a great prophet is risen up among us luke . . iosephus his testimony given to christ , as a great prophet , is known . object : . the church doeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by their voices in election , make , creat , constitute or ordain elders , acts . . therefore elders need no other ordination , but are sufficiently ordained or made by the church , if elected , and receave their power from the people see this objection prosecuted in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag : . . . and in the queries touching ordination , pag : . tom : . answ : . there is no cogent reason brought by these men , why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , if rendered thus as they would have it , when they had by voices ordained , must bee therefore understood of ordination by the people , and not by paul : and barnabas , for as i have before noted out of calvìn : instit. lib : . cap : . § . . the sence may bee this , paul and barnabas did make and ordain elders according to the voices of the churches themselves , that is , they ordained such as the church desired . if so , they are double loosers by this their objection . . if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be meant of the churches act , then it is not ordaining , but choosing by voices . the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ought not to hinder the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . election with the churches consent , and ordination are both of them necessary , not inconsistent . in athens it self , although the people did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 choose by voyces their magistrates or rulers , yet the persons so elected were not ordained , and solemnly set apart , appointed and authorized by the people , but by the judges called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of whom dem●…sthenes orat . advers : timo●…r : tels us that they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , took an oath to be faithfull in their constituting or ordaining of mag strates . . in scripture we finde election and ordination frequently distinguished , not only as distinct acts , but oft times in distinct hands , deut. . . moses said unto all israel , take yee wise men and understanding , and known among your tribes , and i will make them rulers over you . the people choose them who shall be rulers , but moses maks them rulers , acts . . wherefore brethren look yee out among you seven men of honest report , full of the holy ghost and wisdome , whom we may appoint over this businesse . the people choose , the apostles appoint the deacons . the choosing of a person to an office , is not the authorizing of the person elected , but the designation of the person to be authorized . 't is here with a person chosen , as with a thing chosen : ezra was to choose , and to designe , when , and how much silver , wheat , wine , oyle , should be taken for the house of the lord , not exceeding the proportion of a hundreth , but the power and authority by which these things were given forth by the thesaurers , to be applyed to such uses , was from the decree of artaxerxes , ezra . . , . so ester choosed what to make request for , but the thing was to be performed by authority of the king , 〈◊〉 . . , . so a man may be chosen to an office by some , and authorized to act in that office by others . how many subordinat offices , ( civill and military ) are there , in which men act by the power and authority , derived from the ordinances of parliament , although not nominated and chosen by the parliament ; but by others , intrusted by the parliament to choose . . even where election and mission , are in the same hands , yet they are not confounded , but are lookt upon as two distinct acts : christ first choosed the twelve , and pitched upon such as he would , and then ordained them , and sent them forth , mark : . . . the synod of the apostles and elders first choosed , then sent iudas and silas , acts . , . where you may observe also by the way , that the mission of a man to the ministery , or pastorall charge of a congregation , doeth not belong to the people who choose him , they cannot send him to themselves . when election and mission are in the same hands , 't is in such cases as th●…se two last cited , when men are sent abroad to others , then indeed they who choose them , may also send them : but when they are sent to those who choose them , then they are sent by others , a minister is sent to the congregation , therefore he is not sent by the congregation , and so that place , rom : . . how shall they preach except they be sent ? cannot be understood of the peoples election , but of ordination , or mission from the presbytery appointed to ordain . . the same apostolicall patterne which holds forth unto us the choosing of elders in every church , acts . . doeth also hold forth unto us the ordaining of elders in every city , tit : . . and these acts in different hands , therefore not the same ; yea , as many conceave in that same text , acts . . beside the election by voyces , th re is a distinct ordination expressed under the adjuncts thereof , prayer , and fasting . object : . the apostle saith , cor : . . when yee come together every one of you hath a psalme , hath a doctrine , hath a tongue , hath a revelation , hath an interpretation , vers . yee may all prophesie one by one . therefore all that preach or proph●…sie , need not to be ordain●…d answ : what those prophets were , and what is meant by prophesying there , all are not of one opinion . i hold that these prophets were in mediatly and extraordinarly inspyred , and i reckon them among these other administrations , which w●…re not ordinary , or ever to continue in the church , apostles , evangelists , workers of miracles . but of this i am to speak distinctly , and by it selfe afterwards . mean while , th●…y that make the objection , must prove two things , else they conclude nothing against the necessitie of ordination . . that these prophets were not sent and ordained , but that their gifts and parts , gave them a sufficient calling to interpret in the church . . that although they had no ministeriall sending , or vocation , yet they were not extraordinary prophets , but that such prophets are to continue ordinarly in the church , i beleeve it will trouble them to prove either . object . . 't is said of the house of stephanus , cor : . . they have addicted ( or ordained ) themselves to the ministerie of the saints , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . they were not ordained by others , but they ordained themselves . answ : : this may well be understood ( as 't is by diverse ) of their devoting themselves to minister to the necessities of the saints , by their works and labour of love. which is else where called , ministering to the saints , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , cor : . . yea , 't is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , cor. . . the administrations of service . see also , ibid. vers : . and rom. . . where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alone is used in the same sence . . others give this sence , that they did willinglie and zealously desire to do service to christ in the ministery of the gospell , according as they should finde a calling . in which sence , if a man desire the office of a bishop , he desireth a good work , tim : . . so isa : . . here am i , send me . he is very willing to the work , yet hee dare not runne , except he bee sent , and get a commission . object . . he that digged in the earth , and hid his talent , is condemned for it , mat. . . . therefore he that hath gifts for preaching , and administering the sacraments , cannot answere it to god , except he improve and use those gifts . ans. . if that parable be applyed to ministeriall talents , then it will prove , not onely a perpetuall ministery , because the lord saith to his servants , occupie till i come , luke : . . but likewise , that none ought to intrude themselves into that holy function , except they have a calling as well as gifts , for mat : . , . that lord called his owne servants ( luke saith , hee called his ten servants ) and delivered unto them his goods : and unto one he gave five talents , to another two , to another one , to everie one according to his severall abilitie : where wee have a distinction of the calling and ability , suppose another man had been able enough , yet if he bee none of the called ones , that parable cannot be applyed to him . . this objection may be made in the behalfe of women also ; many of whom receave excellent gifts from god , yea , it was foretold by ioel , and applyed by peter : that women as well as men should prophesie , acts . . . which being misunderstood , gave some colour to the old pepuzian heresie . object : . if we hold ordination necessary , and essentiall to the calling of a minister , wee bring our selves into this snare , that either the ministers in the reformed churches , are not true ministers , but falsely pretended to be so , or otherwise we must hold that those in the church of rome , from whom the protestant ministers , in the beginning of the reformation , had their ordination , were true ministers of christ. for if those in the church of rome who did ordaine , were not true ministers of christ , then they had no commission from christ to make ministers for him . and who can bring a clean thing out of that which is unclean : if so , then the protestant ministers , who first ordained other protestant ministers ( from whom ordination hath come to us downwards ) having no ordination , but what they receaved in the church of rome , they had not power to ordain others with such an ordination , as hath a divine stamp and character upon it . this argument is much insisted upon by the author of the queries touching ordination : if it can do any thing , yet it is no new light , but the very same which hath been formerlie objected by papists , and answered by protestant writers . whereof see one instance in gerhard , loc : com : tom : . de minist : eccles : § . and now that those who drive so furiouslie after this popish argument , may forever be ashamed of it : i returne these answeres . . by retortion , the argument will conclude as much against the baptisme , and church estate of independents , anabaptists , and who ever they bee that make any use of this way of arguing against us . for by this argument , those who first gathered their churches , bap●…ized , and incorporated them into the body of christ , were not only no true ministers , but no true church-members , having no other baptisme , but what was receaved , either in the church of rome , or from those who were baptized in the church of rome : but who can bring a clean thing , out of that which is unclean . where note by the way , that this argument of theirs , will also make the scripture it self unclean now , because we have it out of an unclean thing , ( the church of rome ) : so that all that will stand to this argument , must unchurch , unbaptize , unchristen themselves : if they will have their recourse to that promise , where two or three are met together , there am i in the midst of them , and think to lay the foundation of their churches there , without any derivation from the church of rome , they must allow us to ●…o so too , but then they must passe from their argument . what will they say then ? either , there can bee in our dayes atr●…e church with all the ordinances of christ in it , independent upon the church of rome , and without building or leaning upon a lineall succession , or derivation from the church of rome , or there cannot . if they hold the affirmative , their argument is not worth a straw , for ordination being one of the ordinances of christ ( which is here to be supposed , and hath been in the precedent chapter proved ) the reformed churches had power to set it up , and restore it by vertue of christs own institution . if the negative , our opposits , must all turne seekers , their churches are no churches , their baptisme no baptisme , &c. . suppose those protestant ministers , who first ordained other ministers , were themselves ordained by such as had no power to ordain them . nay suppose the first reforming ministers , to have been at the beginning of the reformation , no ministers , but private persons , not pretending to be ordained . what will they conclud from this ? it proves nothing against that which wee hold concerning the necessity of ordination : for we plainly say , that in extraordinary cases when ordination cannot be had , and when there are none who have commission and authority from christ to ordain , then , and there , an inward call from god enlarging the heart , stirring up , and assisting with the good will and consent of a people whom god makes willing , can make a minister authorized to ministeriall acts . suppose this to have been the case at the first comming out from popery , yet here was a seed for more churches , and more ministers . at the first plantation of churches , ordination may bee wanting without making void the ministery , because ordination cannot be had , but in constituted churches , the want of ordination doth make a minister no minister . . touching the church of rome ; i answer as a learned country man of mine answered nere . yeares agoe . although it was a church miserably corrupted and defaced , y●…t it was even then a church , wherein he professeth to follow luther , oec lampadius , zuinglius , bucerus , calvin , musculus , bullinger , and the generall sence of the protestant writers . see the smetonii respons ; ad hamilton . apostat . pag. . if there was not a true church , when popery and antichristianisme had most universally spred it self , why is it said that antichrist sitteth in the temple of god , . thes : . ? and if god had not a people in babylon , why is it said , come out of her , my people rev. . ? and if there were not all that time , even before the reformation , true ministers of christ , why are the two witnesses said to prophesie . dayes ( compting dayes for years ) in sackcloath . rev : . . . sure the time of the witnesses , their prophesying in sackcloath , where ever we fix the beginning and ending of it ( which is contraverted ) it doth certainly comprehend those ages before the reformation , as a part of this time . therefore christ had his witnesses and ministers all that while . protestants as well as papists , hold the perpetuity of the true church and ministery , though not ever visible or alike pure . and otherwise , how shall we understand christs owne word , mat : . . loe , i am with you alway , even unto the end of the world . . wherefore i conclude that those who were ordained in the church of rome before the reformation , in so far as they were ordained in the name of christ , by these who had been themselves ordained presbyters as well as bishops , and authorized to preach the gospel , and administer the sacraments ; this far they were true and lawfull ministers , truely and lawfully ordained . but in so farre as they were ordained according to the popish statutes and canons , for teaching and maintaining the traditions of the church of rome , and for offering up the body of christ in the masse , in this consideration ; their calling and ordination was impure and unlawfull , like pure water flowing out of a clean fountain , which contracts impurity from a filthie channel it runs through . see synops : pur : theol : disp. . thes : . and diverse others who might be cited to this purpose . chap. v. whether these prophets and prophesyings in the primitive church , cor. . and cor. . . ephes : . . were extraordinarie , and so not to continue : or whether they are presidents for the preaching or prophesying of such , as are neither ordained ministers , nor probationers for the ministery . there are three opinions concerning these prophets mentioned by the apostle , . that they had neither extraordinary and immediate inspirations of the spirit , nor yet were ordinary ministers called to the office of teaching , but church-members out of office , having good gifts of opening and interpreting the scriptures , for the edification , instructioun , and comfort of the church , and hence is the warrant taken , for the preaching or prophesying of such church-members as are well gifted , being neither ministers , nor intending the ministery : neither doe the independents onely , but socintans , and arminians also cry up that libertas prophetandi . . that these prophets were church officers , and no more but ordinary teachers or interpreters of scripture in the church : without excluding the sons of the prophets , or probationers from their assembly , and from exercising their gifts in preaching upon occasion , and fortryall of their gifts , or of the grouth and encreas thereof , yet i remember no place in the new testament , where ordinary pastors are said to prophesie , except revel : . . where notwithstanding , prophesie is ascribed unto them in no other sence , than the working of miracles , vers : . those have power to shut heaven , that it rain not in the dayes of their prophesie , and have power over waters to turne them into blood , and to smite the earth with all plagues as often as they will. all which ( prophesying and miracles ) is spoken by way of allusion to moses and elias . . that they were extraordinary prophets , immediatly and extraordinarly inspyred by the holy ghost ; and that they are to be reckoned among these other administrations which were notto continue , or be ordinary in the church . synop : pur : theol : disp : . thes : . martyr , loc : com : class : . cap. . aretius , probl : theol . loc : . calvin . instit. lib : . cap. : § . diodati on cor. . . the late english anotations on cor. . . mr. baine on ephes : . . together with two learned country men of mine , mr. david dikson , on cor : . . and mr : rutherfurd on his peaceable plea : c●…p . . apostles , evange ists , workers of miracles : i know many protestant writers of very good note , are of the second opinion . but with all due respect unto them : i hold the third opinion , with gerhard , loc : com : tom : . pag : . and diverse others ; the reasons which move me are these . . the apostle distinguisheth the prophets from the pastors and teachers ; cor : . , . ephes : . . the prophets are enumerate among the publike ministers which christ hath given to the church ; yet distinct from the ordinary pastors and teachers , . they are not onely distinguished from pastors and teachers , but seem also to be set before them ; yea , before the evangelists , ephes : . . and he gave some apostles , and some prophets , and some evangelists , and some pastors and teachers , or as the syriak readeth , and some pastors and some teachers , so distinguisheth pastors from teachers , as mr. bayne also doth : understanding here five , degrees of those who labour in the word and doctrine , the first three extraordinary , the last two ordinary . i know 't is not alwayes preferred in honour and dignity , which is first mentioned : yet i think our dissenting brethren would not think it fit , nor suteable to enumerate their gifted and pro. phesying members , next to the apostles , and before pastors much lesse evangelists , neither do i ground my argument simply and meerly upon the enumeration , but upon such an enumeration as is noted , with first , second , third , cor : . . and god hath set some in the church , first apostles , secondly prophets , thirdlie teachers , where he puts upon the prophets the highest eminency and chiefest dignity next to the apostles , which i thinke the prophesyi●…g b●…ethren of this age doe not look for ; chrysostome , de divers : nov : test : locis : serm : . proves the chief dignity of apostleship from these words : first apostles : is it not as good an argument to prove the next dignitie , to belong to prophesie from these words , secondarilie prophets . 't is true helps are mentioned before governments in that same text. but the apostle hath left o●… his numericall order , before he come at these , and besides , both the deacon and the ruling elder , are church officers , and neither of them preachers , so that the difproportion is not so great when the deacon is named before the ruling elder : but that such preachers or interpreters who had no office at all in the church , should be enumerate , not onely among officers and ministers of the church , but before teachers , and that in foure texts , acts . . cor. . . ibid. vers : . ephes : . . and next to the apostles too , and that with an order , of first , second , third , is to me utterly improblable and uncredible . . the apostle mentioneth prophets with a note of singularity , as not common , but more speciall , cor : . , . are all apostles ? are all prophets ? are all teachers ? are all workers of miracles ? have all the gifts of healing ? do all speak with tongues ? do all interpret ? here the apostle maketh a second enumeration of such administrations as were more rare ; singular , speciall , dignified , and priviledged , and not competent to all church officers , much lesse to all church-members : therefore here he omitteth the ruling elder and deacon ; hee saith not are all helps ? are all governments ? as if he had said ; there are some officers appointed onely for ruling , some appointed onely for helping and overseeing the poore ; these officers are neither apostles nor prophets , &c. and if prophesying be not a priviledge of all church-officers , how much lesse of all church-members : i might adde here , 't is most agreeable to the native signification of the word prophesie , that we understand it to be an extraordinary and rare thing ; for if you consider the very notation of the word prophesie is prediction , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i foretell , of which more hereafter . . one of the prophets of that time , is plainly described to have been inspired with extraordinary revelations , acts . , . there came down from iudea a certain prophet , named agabus , and when he was come unto us , he took pauls girdle , and bound his owne hands and feet , and said ; thus saith the holie ghost , so shall the iews at ierusalem bind the man that oweth this girdle , and shall deliver him into the hands of the gentiles . there were other prophets of the same kinde with agabus , for so runnes the text , acts . , . and in those dayes came prophets from ierusalem to antioch , and there stood up one of them named agabus , and signified by the spirit , that there should bee great dearth in all the world . . that these prophets spake in the church from extraordinary revelation and inspiration , appeareth by cor : . . when they came together , they had a psalme , a doctrine , a tongue , a revelation , an interpretation , not onely a doctrine , and an interpretation , but a revelation , and vers . . after hee hath said , let the prophets speak , two or three ; he addeth , if any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by , let the first hold his peace : upon which text gualther , salmeron , and others who understand by prophesying in that chap : the ordinary ministeriall teaching , are yet made to acknowledge , that this revealing of somewhat to another , was extemporary and extraordinary , and that it is no president for our times . p. martyr , puts this difference between teachers and prophets , that teachers were educated and instructed by masters : prophets , without all humane help ; spake as they were on a suddain moved by the inspiration of the holy ghost ; yea , although he takes the office and functions of prophets and teachers , to have been one and the same ; yet he thus distinguisheth between them . so aretius , speaking of those that bare office in the primitive church , distinguisheh the prophets from the pastors and teachers in this , that the prophets had not onely greater gifts for opening hard scriptures , but that they did interpret scripture with the same propheticall spirit , by which it was dictat and written , and likewise foretell things to come . . it hath been observed by mr. bayne on ephes : . . and others that these degrees are capacious and comprehensive one of another downwards , not upwards , that is ; an apostle might prophesie , and doe the work of an evangelist , pastor , and teacher : a prophet might do the work of an evangelist , pastor , and teacher : the evangelist might do the work of a pastor and teacher . but every pastor and teacher could not do the work of an evangelist , or of a prophet , &c. if this observation hold , which hath pleased many , then we cannot understand those prophets to have been no more but pastors and teachers , much lesse to have been any thing lesse than pastors and teachers , viz. church-members , well gifted for exponding scripture edifyingly , chrysostome de divers : n. t. locis serm : . leaneth very much toward that same notion , for he calls apostles the root , which was comprehensive of all the rest ; a prophet ( saith he ) might not be an apostle , but an apostle was a prophet , evangelist , &c. to prove that an apostle did prophesie , hee cites these propheticall praedictions , tim : . . thess. . . whereby 't is manifest that he understands the prophesie mentioned by paul to be extraordinary . . unlesse we understand those prophets which christ gave to the church , cor. . . and cap. . ephes : . . to have been extraordinarly inspired by the spirit , then we shall not be able to prove from scripture , that christ hath given to the church of the new testament , any extraordinarie prophets to foretell things to come . but 't is certain that christ hath given such extraordinary prophets to the church of the new testament , such as agabus , and the daughters of philip : eusebius tells us there were such prophets in the church , till the dayes of iustin martyr ; which we have also from iustinus himselfe . and now having the occasion , i must say it to the glory of god , there were in the church of scotland , both in the time of our first reformation , and after the reformation such extraordinary men , as were more then ordinary pastors and teachers , even holy prophets receaving extraordinary revelations from god , and foret●…lling diverse strange and remarkable things , which did accordingly come to paste punctually , to the great admiration of all who knew the particulars , such were mr. wishart the martyre , mr. knox the reformer ; also mr. iohn welsh , mr. iohn davidsoune , mr. robert bruce , mr. alexander simson , mr. fergusson , and others : it were too long to make a narration here of all such particulars , and there are so many of them stupendious , that to give instance in some few , might seem to derogat from the rest . but if god give me opportunity , i shal think it worth the while to make a collection of these things : mean while although such prophets be extraordinary , and but seldome raised up in the church , yet such there have been : i dare say , not onely in the primitive times , but amongst our first reformers , and others . and upon what scripture can we pitch for such extraordinary prophets . if not upon those scriptures which are applyed by some to the prophesying brethren , or gifted church-members ; . there are but three senses of the word prophesying , which i can finde any where else in the new testament . . for such prophesying as is competent to all converted and gifted persons , when they are filled with a spirit of illumination , and speak with other tongues as the spirit gives them utterance : in which sense ioel foretold , that daughters as well as sonnes , hand maids as well as men-servants , young and old should prophesie , acts . , . which was accordingly fulfilled upon the day of penticost , for acts . . and . . . this spirit of prophesie was powred out upon all the disciples , men and women . . for such prophesying , ●…s is the preaching of ordinary ministers , although i know no text where without any controversie , the word is used for the ordinary ministeriall preaching ; yet i understand the word to bee used , in this sence , ( though by allusion onely where of before ) . revel . . . and i will give power unto my two witnesses , and they shall prophesie a thousand two hundreth and threescore dayes cloathed in sackcloath . . for extraordinary prophesying from immediate and miraculous inspiration , in which sence it is often used in the new testament , as i shall shew anone . but a fourth sense , viz. the prophesying of gifted brethren , ( not sisters ) out of office , and that publickly , and by an ordinary gift , i can finde no where ; and if we goe either higher or lower , then the ordinary pastorall preaching , women as well as men might prophesie . in the scripture language , prophetesses , as well as prophets . . the apostle plainly distinguisheth , prophesie , both from the word of knowledge , and from the word of wisdom , cor. . . . for to one is given by the spirit , the word of wisdome , to another the word of knowledge by the same spirit , to another prophesie ; now what is that gift and manifestation of the spirit , which is supposed to be given to gifted and prophesying-members , must it not fall under that enumeration , cor : . , , , , . is it then the interpretation , o●… opening of scripture , that is the teachers part , the word of knowledge : is it both to interpre●… , and apply scripture , that is the pastors part , the word of wisdome ; is it to prophesie , that is more nor either the word of 〈◊〉 , or the word of wisdome , and is therefored 〈◊〉 from both . . in that text last cited , prophesie is mentioned , not only as a gift by which the spirit worketh , for the profite and edification of the church , but as a ministery , function , and ad●…inistration in the church , for ve●…s . . , . the apostle teacheth us , that there are diversiti●…s . of gifts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , . of administrations , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . . of operations , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , thereafter in reference to all these three , he addeth the enumeration of the particulars , ver . . , . in a prophet hterefore there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ministerium , as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is frequently used in the new testament for the ministery , not onely of ruling elders and deacons , rom : . . of pastors and teachers ; yea , of evangelists and apostles , ephes : . . col : . . tim : . . . acts . . . and . . and . . and ●… . . rom. . . cor : . . and . . and . . and . . and else where the english translators in these places render it sometimes ministerie , sometimes office , sometimes indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used in the new testament for any ministring to the necessities of the poore saints , by charity and almes . but no body that i know doth imagine or can imagine that this is the sense of the word , cor : . where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . therefore i conclude that the prophets in these primitive times , had an office or ministery in the church . . the word prophesying is often used in the new testament , for that which is extraordinary , and by revelation , mat. . . rev : . . acts . . luke . . revel . . . . revel . . . mark : . . peter . . jud : . john baptist is called a prophet , luke . . and . . matth : . . and . . christ himselfe is called a prophet , matth. . . luke . and . . john . . and . . elymas the sorcerer is called a false prophet , acts. . . prophesying in the name of christ , is joyned with other miraculous , gifts , mat : . . many will say to me in that day , lord , have we not prophesied in thy name ? and in thy name have cast out devils , and in thy name done many wonderfull workes , acts . . and when paul laid his hands on them , the holy ghost came on them , and they spake with tongues , and prophesied . in this sence is the word used , when 't is said that cajaphas prophesied , john . . the same word is used for propheticall prediction , tim : . . according to the prophesies which went before on the rev. . . jezebel did call her selfe a prophetesse . prophecy ( as paul speakes of it ) is so farre from being a common priviledge of gifted saints out of office , that it is one of the speciall and rarest gifts which the apostles themselves had or could have , cor. . . and though i have the gift of prophesie , and understand all mysteries , and all knowledge , which stands there between the gift of tongues , and the faith of miracles : again , cor : . . now brethren , if i come unto you speaking with tongues , what shall i prosite you , except i shall speak unto you , either by revelation , or by knowledge , or by prophesying , or by doctrine . the first two , revelation , and knowledge are immanent in the apostle : the other two prophesying and doctrine ; are transient from the apostle to the church . what shall my gift of tongues profite you , saith he ; or how shall you be edified or satisfied thereby , unlesse , either i utter some revelation unto you by prophesying , or utter my knowledge unto you by doctrine , so distinguishing prophesying from doctrine as greater then it ; because prophesying proceeds from revelation , doctrine from knowledge , in him that teacheth . . i have yet another reason , which i think will be a hard knot to our dissenting brethren , the apostle compareth in that . chap : the gifts of tongues , and the gifts of prophesie . he commendeth both , as desirable , vers : . and wisheth to them all both these gifts , vers : . but rather prophesie as comparatively the better for edifying the church . et magis & minus , non variant speciem . there are both good and desirable gifts of the spirit , given to profite withall , cor. . , , . the apostle also alloweth as many to speak with tongues in the church , as hee alloweth to prophesie in the church ; that is , as two or three of the prophets may speak by course in one assembly , so may two or three speak by course in a strange tongue , so that one interpret , cor : . , . moreover , whereas it is supposed by our dissenting brethren , that all or most of the church , women excepted , did prophesie ; they must upon the very same ground , suppose that all or most of the church , women excepted ; spake strange tongues in the church . for in the same place where 't is said , that every one of them had a doctrine and revelation , 't is said also that every one of them had a tongue and an interpretation , . cor : . . which tongues considered and compared together , it will be found , that if the reasons hold good , and the consequences be valid , which are brought for the prophesying of gifted members out of office , and that therein they have the church of corinth a president , the like reasons , and al 's strong consequences will prove , that any two or three of a church , who shall happilie have the gift of strange tongues , may speak by course in the church , so that one interpret , and that the church of corinth is as good a president for this , as for the other ; let our brethren therefore , either make both these gifts ( prophesie , and tongues ) in the church of corinth , to bee extraordinary and miraculous , and so neither of them to bee an ordinary president : or otherwise , they must make them both to be set forth for ordinary patterns and presidents , and so begin to cry up tongues , as well as prophesying , for if the gift of prophesie , be such as men may attaine by industrie and study , so is the gift of tongues : i know no way to loose the knot without acknowledging , that both the gift of tongues and that of prophesie , were extraordinary and miraculous , which is the truth . these are the reasons which i lean to in this matter . i come next to answere , objections . the first three objections i finde in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning ordination : but i shall answere other objections also omitted there , but which have been objected by others . object . . the prophets , cor : were not immediatlie inspired with prediction ; for women that were so inspired , might deliver their prophesie in the church , but there women are forbidden to speak , vers : . answ : . but where finde we that women which were prophetesses , and immediately inspired , were allowed to deliver their prophesie in the church . i suppose he had a respect to cor : . . but every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head covered , dishonoureth her head , which is meaned of the publicke assemblie , for the apostle is speaking of covering , or uncovering the head in the church . but diverse interpreters understand here by a woman , that prayeth or prophesieth , a woman that joyneth as a hearer in the publicke assemblie , and so vers : . by a man that prayeth or prophesieth , a man that is a hearer , and joyneth in the ordinances . so that the geneva annotation upon verse . gives a good sence of that text : that women which shew themselves in publick and ecclesiasticall assemblies , without the signe and token of their subjection , that is to sa●… , uncovered , shame themselves . see more for th●…s in junius his annotations on the arabike version in that place . ●… . if the apostle by prophesying , cor : . . . understand prophesying by immediate inspiration , then the objection may bee retorted and turned into an argument against the objectors : for the sence of the word prophesying in the . chap : may give light to the word prophesying in the . chap. . peter martyr , loc : com : eccles : . cap : . is indeed of opinion , that women which were prophetesses , and extraordinarly inspired , might sp●…ak in the church , provided that their heads were covered , in token of foeminine subjection , and that the forbidding of women to speak in the church , extendeth to such , and so hee reconcileth , cor. . . tim. . . with cor : . . i doubt his opinion in this particular is not well grounded , onely so farre i make use of it , that if cor : . . be meant of prophetesses , praying or prophesying in the church , ( which the objector hath to prove ) . then certainely the forbidding of women to speak in the church , cannot be understood universallie , but with a reserve and exception of extraordinary cases : but how can this exception of prophetesses consist with with the text , let your women keep silence in the church , why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , your women , they had prophesying women , as is supposed by these of the other opinion , from cor : . . nay , even your women must be silent saith the apostle ; and the reasons which he addeth , are so universall as to comdrehend even prophetesses , they are commanded to be under obedience , and to be in subjection , which martyr himselfe noteth , holds true of prophesying women , as well as others , and that for that cause their heads were to be covered : another reason is added , tim. . . adam was not deceaved , but the woman being deceaved , was in the transgression : it might be feared , saith p. martyr , if women were permitted to speak in the church , sathan should returne to his first wyle , and deceave the man by the woman . surely he that made use of evah , might also make use of a prophesying woman to deceave , and so much the more , because , now since the fall , both man and woman are more subject to tentation . so that both the apostles command , and the reasons of it seem plainly to exclude , even prophesying women from speaking in the church , and if they be allowed to deliver extraordinary prophesies and revelations in the church ; why not also to prophesie as other gifted members . if that which is greater be allowed them , why not that which is lesse ? and if prophetesses be excepted from the rule , cor : . . why not also other women of excellent gifts . object : . the apostle , cor. . , . speaks of prophesie as a gift in all , or most of the members of the church , and forbids it to none , but women . answ : . i have already proved from , cor : . , . and . . and . . that prophesie even in those dayes , was not a common , but a rare and singular gift . so , ibid : vers . when he saith , i would that all spake with tongues , but rather that yee prophesied ; hee intimateth that all of them did not prophesie . . when the apostle speaks by way of supposition , vers ; : but if all prophesie , this proves not that all did prophesie , neither can the very supposition bee understood universally : for if an unbeleever had come into their assembly , and heard all , and every one of them prophesying ; sure he had been so farre from being wonne thereby , that he had been more alienated from such a confusion . . that which gives greatest collour to the objection , is vers : . when yee come together every one of you hath a psalme , hath a doctrine , hath a tongue , hath a revelation , hath an interpretation : i shall freely offer my judgement concerning this text to be considered . i hold the first hint from cajetan upon the place ; it is not said , every one of you can speak a strange tongue , or can utter a revelation , &c. but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath ●… . g. every one in the church hath these things for his good and benefite , when one prophesieth , or two , or three , every one in the church hath that prophesie , the like of psalmes , tongues , &c. even as cor : . . . all things are yours , whether paul or apollo , &c. where it may bee truely added , or psalmes , or tongues , or doctrines , or revelations , or interpretations , all these are yours , all these hath christ given to the church for her good , men are said to have these things of which they have the good fruit , use , benefite , at least are allowed to have , and may have the benefite thereof , luke . they have moses and the prophets , ephes : . . and col. . . in whom we have redemption through his blood , cor. . . but we have the minde of christ ; philip. . . ye have us for an example , heb : . . we have an altar , pet. . . we have a more sure word of prophesie , and the like . and thus i understand the text now in controversie , the apostle having from the beginning of that . chap : perswaded that the gifts of tongues and prophesie might be used , not so as the men might be most admired , but so as the church might be most edified , and that not so much the gifts , as the profitable use of the gifts was to be desired , he concludeth this point , vers : . making a transition to certain canons , for order in the use of tongues and prophesie , as if he had said , if these gifts be thus improved to edifie , then although every one of you hath not the gifts of tongues , prophesie , &c. yet when yee come together , every one of you hath all these tongues , prophesies , &c. they being yours , for your good and edification . . but if our dissenting brethren will not receave this sence , ( which is quite contrarie to theirs ) . yet in this text , here , they can no more extend to all or most of the members of the church , one of these branches , then another : if all or most of them did prophesie , then all or most of them had the gift of tongues , and the interpretation of tongues , and revelations , and the ●…ift of composing psalmes , and so the same president shall bring in strange tongues , as well as prophesying , ( of which more before ) beside that of composing psalmes . i shal hardly beleeve that our dissenting brethren themselves will say , that all or most of the church of corinth had the gift of tongues . let us see then , how they will restrict the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every one of you in reference to tongues , they must allow us to make the same restruction in reference to prophesie : but if they will say at large , that all or most of the church of corinth , had the gifts of tongues , as well as that of prophesie , then they are loosers another way , by yeelding the president of the church of corinth ( in that very place upon which they build their prophesying ) to be extraordinary and miraculous . . whereas the objection saith , that all or most of them did prophesie , this addition , of most of them , is fictious and fallacious to hide weaknesse , for the text hath no such thing , but saith , every one of you : themselves dare not understand every one of you , universally , but in a restricted sence , for then prophets , and brethren should bee acciprocall , and convertible names in the epistles to the corinthians , and when 't is said , the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets , cor. . . the sence should bee no more , but equivalent ( upon the matter ) to this , the spirits of all the brethren are subject to the brethren . . wherefore , every one of you , vers : . ( if extended to prophesying ) can be no more , but every one of you prophets , even as isa : . . every one . i. e. every one of the princes ; heb : . . jesus tasted death for every man ; i. e. for every man whom the father had given him , or chosen to be redeemed , cor : . . but the manifestation of the spirit is given to every man ; i. e. that is , to every gifted man in the church , to profite withall ; ephes. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , let every one of you in particular , so love his wife ; that is , every one of you husbands , isa : . . every one is a hypocrite , that is ; every wicked person who cometh to worship before me ; luke . . doeth not each one of you on the sabbah , loose his oxe or his asse , that is , each of you who hath an ox or an asse : many other such instances might be given from scripture . . bullinger noteth out of the greek scholiast , that the apostle here , cor : . . useth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , one of you hath a psalme , another a doctrine , another a tongue , &c. beza gives us the same sence , and refers us to cor : . . which is a notable clearing of this text , for the very same phrase : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is there used : every one of you saith , i am of paul , and i of apollo , and i of cephas , and i of christ , yet every one of them did not say all this , but one said , i am of paul , another said , i am of apollo , &c. the syriak confirmeth the same sence , for cor : . . he rendereth thus : whosoever of you hath a psalme , let him say on , and he who hath a doctrine , and he who hath a revelation , and he who hath a tongue , and he who hath an interpretation : so the arabik version ( which iunius on his marginall annotations upon it here commendeth ) runnes thus . if any of you hath a kinde of psalme to say , and he that hath a doctrine , aud he that hath a revelation , and he that hath a tongue , and he that hath an interpretation , let all this be done to edifying . object : . these gifts which are required in a prophet , cor : . . . are such as men ordinarly may , and do attain by industry and study answ. . the contrary hath been clearly proved , and that wery text , vers : . proveth it ; the more strange it is , that a text which mentioneth revelation , tongues , should be cited for ordinary study and industrie . . 't is said indeed , vers : . he that prophesieth , speaketh unto men to edification , and exhortation , and comfort . what then ; did not an extraordinary prophet , an apostle , an evangelist speak unto men to edification , and exhortation , and comfort ? no man dare deny , but they did , yet this cannot prove that apostles and evangelists were not extraordinary ministers : the edification and fruit which come to the church by these prophets , is one thing , the way of revelation and inspiration by which the prophesie came , another thing : the apostle is there onely comparing two extraordinary and miraculous gifts together , tongues and prophesie : of the two , prophesie is rather to be desired , for the edifying of the church , for he that speaketh a strange tongue , cannot edifie the church , except it be interpreted , but he that prophesieth , edifieth the church by his very gift of prophesie , with lesse businesse , and without an interpreter ; this being the scope and sence of the text , it may discover the weaknesse of that ground , upon which many have supposed that the apostle means nothing by prophesie , but the ordinary gift of expounding , and applying scripture ; yea , vers : . prophesie and revelation , are at once held forth , both as edifying , and as distinct from doctrine , and revelation distinct from knowledge , must needs be taken a gift , and not to be numbred among ordinary gifts ( as iunius upon the arabike , in the place noteth ) what ever acceptions of the word , we may finde else where in scripture . object . . but the apostle bids them desire that they may prophesie , vers : . how can one desire , or pray in faith for a miraculous and extraordinary gift of the spirit . answ : . he bids them not onely desire , that they might prophesie , but that they might have other spirituall gifts , such as the gifts of tongues , so vers : . and the interpretations of tongues , and hee wishes to them all the gift of tongues , now the gift of tongues was extraordinary and miraculous , as acts . , , . they might desire both the one gift and the other , to glorifie god , and to profite withall . cor : . . yea , they might pray for it in faith for these ends , and so much the more , because mark. . . the promise is made to beleevers of that first age . and these signes shall follow them that beleeve , in my name shall they cast out devils , they shall speak with new tongues , &c. and why might not the prayer of faith obtaine the gift of prophesie , as well as recover the sick , iam : . . although neither the one nor the other might be prayed for , with that absolutenesse , and peremptorinesse of desire , as saving mercies and graces necessarie to salvation , which is intimated in part by the different phrase , noted by erasmus , and others to be used , cor : . . follow after charity , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , pursue it , or as ( the syriak ) runne after it , so follow after love , as never to be satisfied till ye overtake it , be earnest in the pursuite of it . but concerning tongues , prophesie , and the like , he addeth ; and desire spirituall gifts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word which falleth short of the other , not signifying any affecting of any thing with all our endeavour ( as the other word doth ) but only a high esteeming , valuing , admiring , wishing of a thing which , yet , if it be denyed to us , we must sit down satisfied without it . object : . but these prophets were to be judged , examined and tryed , cor : . . . therefore it seemes they were not extraordinary prophets infallibly inspired . answ : . if those who came under the name of extraordinary prophets , might not be tryed and examined , why are there so many caveats in the new testament , to beware of false prophets , mat : . . and . , . iohn . . did not the lord admit of moses his objection , that peradventure the children of israel would not beleeve him , that god had appeared unto him , and sent him , wherein god will have him to satisfie them by signes and miracles , exod. . . to vers : . are not the bereans commended , acts . . for proving and trying the doctrine of the apostles themselves by the scriptures ? . although such as had the gift of prophesie , did not , nor could not erre , so farre as they were inspired by the holy ghost in prophesying , much lesse in writing scripture , yet they might have , and some had their owne mistakes and errors in particular cases ; whereof i shall have one instance in elias , who said , he was left alone : but what saith the answere of god unto him , i have reserved to my selfe seven thousand , &c. he spake from his own spirit , when he said he was left alone , but the answer of god corrects his mistake . another instance in those prophesying disciples , acts . . who said to paul through the spirit , that he should not goe up to ierusalem . therefore foretelling and foreknowing of pauls danger at jerusalem , was from the spirit of prophesie , but the consequence they did draw from hence , that therefore paul should not go up to jerusalem . this interpreters conceave , was only from their own spirits , though they misfathered it upon the spirit of god. . 't is well observed in the english annotations upon cor. . . that although those prophesies were infused by the holy ghost , that cannot erre , yet all things are not alwayes revealed to one , and that which is not revealed to one , is oftentimes revealed to more , and sometimes in clearer manner . there might be also some thing mingled with that which the prophets receaved , and it might fall out , that that which they added of their own , by way of confirmation , illustration or application , might be justly subject to censure , wheher it must be tryed and judged by others , whether the prophesies proceed from the inspiration of the holy spirit , and according to the rule of faith , esa. . . object : . the apostle distinguisheth prophesie from ministery , rom. . , . therefore they who prophesied , were gifted persons out of office . answ : . diverse resolve that text thus , that first the apostle maketh a generall division of ecclesiasticall offices , prophesie , comprehending these that labour in the word and doctrine , ministery comprehending those that labour not in the word and doctrine , and that thereafter the apostle subdivideth prophesying into the pastorall and doctorall function : and ministery , he subdivideth into the office of the ruling elder , deacon , and the other of shewing mercy , which was committed sometimes to old men , sometimes to widows . . when i look again and again unto that text , i rather incline to understand by prophesie there , the extraordinary prophesie , and by ministery , the ordinary offices in the church . having then gifts saith the apostle , and differing according to the grace that is given to us , whether prophesie , let us prophesie according to the proportion of faith ▪ that under the colour of prophesie and revelation , wee bring nothing which is not agreeable to the rule of faith , or ministery , let us wait on ministery . if our office and administration be ordinary , let us attend it ; and not slight it , because it is ordinary . then he enlargeth this last by an enumeration of the ordinary offices in the church , pastors , teachers , ruling elders and deacons . while i am writing these things , i finde gomarus upon rom. . , . of the same opinion , that prophesie is meant here of that which is extraordinary , ministery of that which is ordinary . object . . but that text , the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets , is applyed by many presbyteriall writers , for the upholding the authority of classes , and synods , which is not a good argument of these prophets , if these prophets were extraordinary . answ. this makes the argument nothing the weaker but so much the stronger . for if prophets who were immediatly inspired , were to be subject to the examination , and judgment , ●…nd censure of other prophets , and if paul and barnabas gave an account , before the apostles and elders at jerusalem of their doctrine , so much opposed by some at antioh , acts . and if peter being accused for going in to the uncircumcised , was put to make his defence to them at jerusalem , acts . then à fortiori , it doth much more become ordinary pastors and teachers , to submit to the judgment of an assembly of pastors and teachers ; and generally as in civil justice , 't is a good and equall rule , that a man be judged per pares , so proportionably in church censures , it will hold among church officers or ministers , that they should be judged per pares , an apostle by the apostles , a prophet by the prophets , an elder by the elders . object . . iudas and stlas are called prophets , acts . . and they exhorted the church , yet they were out of office , for they are distinguished from the apostles and elders , and said to be chiefe men among the brethren , vers : . answ : . this president will carry the prophesying brethren very high , for silas is reckoned by divines to have been an evangelist , which may be collected from his travelling through so many places with paul , for spreading the gospell , acts . . act : . , . , . act. . . others think hee had a ministeriall charge at jerusalem , but the former opinion seems to be better grounded . . the word brethren and brother , does not ever note such as were out of office in the church , but 't is diverse times used , ( and so i take it here ) of such as were neither fixed as elders nor so eminent in the church as apostles , but had speci●…l and extraordinary employments , or administrations in the church , as cor : . . , cor : . . cor : . . heb : . . cor : . . pet : . . ephes : . . col : . . philem : . . from which places it is manifest , that the apostles fellow labourers in their extraordinary administrations , are often called brethren , and among these brethren , iudas and silas were chiefe men , either for the greatnesse of their gifts , or more aboundant labours . and now in the close , my advise and exhortationis unto such brethren as take upon them to preach , or prophesie , neither being nor intending to be ordained to the ministery , that they would yet take them to serious second thoughts of this businesse , and seeing that prophesying which they take for their president , hath been so clearly proved to have been extraordinary , seeing also christ hath appointed pastors and teachers for the ordinary work of the publicke teaching , edifying the church , and perfecting the saints , ephes : . . . ( which ordinance is sufficient for that end ) , those brethren should do well to improve their gifts in another way , by writing , and by occasionall exhorting , admonishing , instructing , reproving , comforting others , in that fraternall manner , which is sutable to christians out of office : if they desire any other work in the church , let them desire the pastorall office , and offer themselves to tryall in order thereunto , for as greg : nazianzen saith , orat : . christ hath appointed this order in his church , that the flocke may be one thing , pastors another thing ; and again , 't is a great businesse to teach , but it is safe and harmlesse to learn , why makest thou thy selfe a pastor , when thou art one of the flock . chap. vi. whether any other but a minister , lawfully called and ordained , may administer the sacraments , baptisme and the lords supper . the socinians and the erastian crutch-maker before mentioned , so plead against the necessity of ordination , that they held it lawfull and free to gifted persons not ordained , not onely to preach , but to administer the sacraments whether they extend this to women as well as men , i know not . peradventure they will borrow from the pagans those shee priests whom gellius out of cicero , cals antistitas , not antistites , or happilie they hold with the old pepuzians , that women may both preach and administer the sacraments , at least , if they may not speak in the church , ( because that is forbidden , cor. . . although some are so bold as to restrict that prohibition to married women , whereof they think they have some colour from the context ) that yet they may both preach and administer the sacraments in private places . and if there be no more necessary to one that preacheth or ministereth the sacraments , but onely gifts and abilities , how can they avoid to allow gifted women , as well as gifted men to performe these holy things ? but it is justly held by the reformed churches , and ordered in the directorie of worship agreed upon by both kingdoms , and mentioned also in the late confession of faith , chap : . that neither baptisme nor the lords supper may be dispensed by any , but by a minister of the word lawfullie ordained . nay ( say the soundest protestant writers ) not upon pretence of whatsoever necessitie be it among iews , turks , pagans , or to children dying , or the like . the arguments i lean to , are these . . god hath appointed the minister of the word , lawfully called and ordained , and no other to bee the stewards and dispensers of the mysteries of christ , cor : . . let a man so account of us , as of the ministers of christ , and stewards of the mysteries of god. moreover it is required of stewards , that a man be found faithfull . which the apostle doeth not onely apply to himselfe and apollo , vers : . ( where by the way it may be remembred that apollo was neither an apostle , nor evangelist , but a powerfull minister of the gospell ) and to sosthenes ( as appeareth by comparing the text new cited with cor : . . ) but he also applyeth the same to every lawfull bishop , or ordinary minister , tit. . . for a bishop must be blamelesse as the steward of god , and this steward is ordained , vers : . so luke . . who then is that faithfull and wise steward , whom his lord shall make ruler over his houshold , to give them their portion of meat in due season . 't is not christs will that any one of the houshold , who is faithfull , wise , and discreet , may take upon him the stewards office , to dispense meat to the rest . but there is a steward constituted and appointed for that purpose . there are stewards appointed in the church , which is the house of the living god , and those to continue till the coming of christ , ibid : vers : . . and there is nothing which more properly belongeth to the ecclesiasticall stewards , then the dispensation of the sacraments . . ministers lawfully called and ordained , and none other hath christ appointed to bee pastors or sheepherds , to feed the flocke of god , ier : . . eph : . . act : . . pet : . . much of this feeding consisteth in the dispensation of the sacraments . and hee who hath appointed this food to be receaved by some , hath also appointed to be given , and administred by others . surely hee who is so much displeased with pastors , who feed themselves and not the flocke , will not be well pleased with the flocke which will be their owne feeders onely , and will not be fed by the pastor . grotius had an extravagant notion of communicating , where there are no sacramentall elements , or where there are no pastors to administer , yet although he went too farre , those against whom i now argue , doe farre outreach him , for where there are both elements and pastors to administer , they hold there may be a sacrament without any pastor ; yea , this socinian and anabaptisticall way , takes away the very distinction of pastor and flocke in the church , as if any of the sheep were to feed the sheepherd , as well as he them . . ezekiels vision concerning the new temple , is generally acknowledged to bee an evangelicall prophesie , which i have also else where demonstrate by infallible reasons : but i conceave the sectaries of this time , who cry downe the ministery and ordination , doe not nor will not deny it . sure i am such a materiall temple as is described in that vision , never yet was . now among other things , it is there prophesied concerning the ministers of the gospell , ezek : . . they shall enter into my sanctuarie , and they shall come near unto my table to minister unto me ; and they shall keep my charge . whereof we can make no gospell sence , except it belong to the charge of ministers , lawfully called and entered into that work , to administer the sacraments , and namelie that of the lords supper at his table . these ministers are also in that chapter plainly distinguished from the people , or children of israel , vers : . , , , . . the sacraments are seals of the righteousnesse of faith , or covenant of grace , as divines commonly speak , borrowing the phrase from rom : . . this truely hath been justly accounted so necessary , that both the houses of parliament after consultation , had with the assemblie of divines , did by the ordinance dated , octob : . . appoint that who ever doth not know that the sacraments are seals of the covenant of grace , shall not be admitted to the lords-supper , but shall be suspended from it , as an ignorant person . now if it were an intolerable usurpation among men , if a privat person should take the broad seal of the kingdome , and append it to such signatures as he thinks good ; yea , ( put case ) to these signatures onely , whereunto it is to be , and ought to be put by those who are intrusted with the keeping of it : now much more were it a provoking sinne , and usurpation against jesus christ ( who is jealous of his glory , and tender of his ordinances ) to make bold with his seals , without being called , and appointed thereunto . . christ gives a commission to the apostles , to teach , and baptize , and extends the same commission to all teaching ministers , to the end of the world , mat : . . . from which place 't is plaine ; . that jesus christ would have the distinction of teachers and taught : baptizers and baptized to have place in the church alway , even unto the end . . that the commission to teach and baptize , was not given to all who beleeve in jesus christ , but to some onely . . that these some who receaved this commission , are not only the apostles , but ordinary ministers , as is manifested by the explaining of the commission , and promise to the end of the world . . christ hath distinguished between magistracy and ministery , between civil and sacred vocations , mat : . . mat : . . &c. . , &c : . . ioh : . . rom : . . . tim : . . pet : . , . compared with rom : . , , . cor : . . eph : . . thes : . . heb : . , . so that as ministers may not assume civil dignities and administrations , nor exercise seculare power , luke . . &c. . . . ioh : . . cor : . . tim : . . it is no lesse contrary to the ordinance of christ , that magistrates ( or any other civil persons ) stretch themselves beyond their lyne , and get ( with pompey ) into the holy of holies , or with vzziah to the burning of incense , in both which examples , such intrusion was examplarily punished . as it may be said to a secularized minister , who made thee a judge , or a civil magistrate ? so it may be said , to a ministerialized civil person , who made thee a dispenser of the word and sacraments ? . wee have cleare and convincing examples in the new testament , that the sacraments were administred by publicke ministers , called and appointed thereunto , as baptisme by iohn , ( ioh : . . he hath sent me to baptize ) and frequently by the apostles in the story of the acts. the lords supper administred by christ himself , ( whose example in things imitable we are bidden follow , who also himselfe then commanded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , this doe ) . and by the apostle paul , acts . , . so the breaking of bread is joyned with the apostles doctrine and fellowship , acts . . ministers being also called the stewards and dispensers of the mysteries of god , where of before : so that a lawfull minister may in faith administer , and the receavers receave from him in faith the sacraments , having scripture warrands for so doing . but there is neither any commission from christ , to such as are no church officers , to administer the sacraments : nor can there any cleare example be found in the new testament , of administering either the one sacrament or the other , by any person who can be proved , not to have been a minister lawfully called & ordained . therefore such persons cannot in faith administer , nor others in faith receave from them , either baptisme or the lords supper . . that one text , eph : . . , . is enough to put to silence these gainsayers . and hee gave some apostles , and some prophets , and some evangelists , and some pastors and teachers , for the perfecting of the saincts , for the work of the ministery , for the edifying the body of christ , till wee all come , &c. is not the administration of the sacraments a part of the perfecting of the saints , of the work of the ministrie , of the edifying of the body of christ ? and are we not told that this shall continue till the whole number of the elect be fulfilled ? and whom hath christ given here to his church for this work ? hath he given any other but pastors and teachers ( setting aside the extraordinary officers ) and who are the pastors and teachers appointed hereunto ? all , or whosoever will ? nay not all , but some , saith the text. chap. vii . of prophets and evangelists , in what sense their work and vocation might be called extraordinary ; and in what sense ordinary . this question appeareth to be very perplexed and thornie , yet i am led upon it both by the contraversies of the times , concerning the necessity of mission and ordination unto all ministers of holy things , and likewise by occasion of that which is maintained by some men of learning that there are still or may be evangelists in the church . calvin holds indeed that in that age of his , god raised up evangelists to rescue the church from popery instit lib. . cap. . § . and mr. hooker in his ecclesiasticall policie , lib. . sect : . tels us out of eusebius eccles : hist : lib. . cap : . that in trajans dayes many of the apostles disciples and scholers who were then alive , sold their possessions , which they gave to the poor , and betaking themselves to travel , undertook the labour of evangelists , that is , they painfully preached christ , and delivered to them who as yet never heard the doctrine of faith. concerning prophets , i have before shewed out of iustine martyr dial : cum tryph : iud. that in his dayes there were still some in the church , who had an extraordinary gift of prophesie , and such there have been also in other places , and at other times . of which there might be diverse instances given , i shall here speak somewhat , first of the work of prophets and evangelists . their work and administration , i conceave to be partly ordinarie , partly extraordinarie . ordinarie , because the higher degrees . eph. . . are comprehensive of the lower , not contrariwise , a pastor doth the work of a teacher , an evangelist doth the work of a pastor and teacher , a prophet doth the work of an evangelist , pastor and teacher , an apostle the work of all those , which i have also before touched , following chrysostome , and mr. bayne . prophets and evangelists edifie the church by preaching as well as ordinary pastors , cor. . . eph. . . . tim. . . . from which scriptures and others of that sort , as tit. . . tim. . . some have collected that evangelists had a fixed charge in some cer●…aine church , which they attended and took the oversight thereof for the work of the ministerie al 's often , and al 's long as other pressing and publick occasions of the church could permit . see zeperus de polit : eccl : lib : . cap : . aret : probl : theol : loc : . i say again the work of prophets and evangelists was extraordinarie , for the distinguishing or characteristicall propertie of a prophet , i. e. the outmost he could do , which the ordinary officers could not do , nor any other , but an apostle , is the opening of great secrets or foreshewing things to come , by the speciall and extraordinarie inspiration of the holy ghost . their verie name intimateth so much for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 come from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i foretell . according to which sense of the word , all these were called prophets of old , who foretold things to come , as magitians , astrologians , prognosticators , nativitie or figure-casters , &c. see olivarius de prophetia pag : . . the priests and interpreters of the oracles were also called prophets , and the apostle tit : . . calls epimenides a prophet of the cretians , qui quasi praesenserit futura , saith erasmus . as likewise saith he , because that book of epimenides out of which that verse is cited hath its title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de oraculis . but in the church notion of the word which the fathers took from scripture : prophecy is a prediction of things to come from a special inspiration of the holy ghost . but what is the distinguishing work and characteristicall property of an evangelist , i. e. that which an ordinary pastor and teacher might not do , and which none else could do but an apostle or a prophet ? that i may speak to this more clearly , 't is to be remembred , that the word evangelist is not heere taken in that restricted vulgar sense , for a pen-man of the holy ghost writing gospell ; for in that sense there were but foure evangelists , and two of them apostles . but this is not the scripture notion of the word , which tels us that philip and timothie were evangelists , act. . . tim. . . and that christ hath given evangelists to his church for the work of the ministery . eph. . , . now if we take the word as the scripture doth , the proper work of an evangelist i. e. that which none but an evangelist as an evangelist , or he who was more then an evangelist could do , i conceave to stand in two things : the first is , to lay foundations of churches , and to preach christ to an unbelieving people , who have not yet recieved the gospell , or at least who have not the true doctrine of christ among them . so philip the evangelist preached christ to the citie of samaria , and baptized them before any of the apostles came unto them . act. . . . and if the disciples luk were evangelists ( as many think , and calvin instit : lib : . cap : . . thinks it probable ) their proper work as evangelists , was to preach the gospel to those cities which had not received it . their second work is a traveling and negotiating as messengers and agents upon extraordinary occasions , and speciall emergencies which is oft times between one church and another , and so distinct from the first which is a traveling among them that are yet without . of this second there are diverse examples in scripture , as cor. . . phil : . . . tim : . . tit : act : . in this last example , although some are of opinion that silas was of jerusalem , and had an ordinary ministeriall function there , yet the best writers do commonly reckon silas among the evangelists , and i do not doubt but as he was a prophet , act. . . so also an evangelist , which may appeare by his traveling through many places , in the work of preaching the gospel , sometimes with paul , as his fellow labourer and helper : act &c. . . . sometimes with timothy , act : . . . & . now when i call these works and administrations of prophets and evangelists extraordinary , my meaning is not , that they are altogether and every way extraordinary even as apostleship . for i dare not say that since the dayes of the apostles there hath never been , or that to the end of the world there shall never be any raised up by god with such gifts , and for such administrations , as i have now described to be proper to prophets and evangelists , i. e : the fore telling of things to come , the traveling among unbelievers to convert them by the preaching of the gospell , and between one church and another , upon extraordinary errands . but i call the work of prophets and evangelists extraordinary in calvins sense ( expressed by him in the place before cited ) i. e. it is not ordinary like that of pastors and teachers , which hath place constantly in the best constituted and setled churches . shortly , i take the word extraordinary here , not for that which ceased with the first age of the christian church , but for that which is not , neither needeth to be ordinary . and so much of their work : as for the vocation of prophets and evangelists , . i cannot passe without an animadversion , a passage in mr. hookers ecclesiasticall policie . lib : sect : . where he will not have the prophets mentioned , cor. . to be reckoned with those whom he calleth ( after the then common idiome ) the clergy , because no mans gifts or qualities can make him a minister of holy things , unlesse ordination do give him power ; and we no where finde prophets to have been made by ordination . if we shall take the word prophets so largely as to comprehend all who have any gift of prophesie , and so prophetesses also , i shall not contend against that which he saith , but if we shall understand that the apostle in that place doth enumerat not only diversities of gifts , but diversities of administrations , which god hath appointed in the church ( and this may easily appeare by comparing v. . with v. . . ) and so take prophesie for an administration or service in the church al 's well as a gift ; surely it was not without a mission or vocation thereunto . for as they were extraordinary ministers , so they had an extraordinary mission or ordination al 's well as the apostles , luke . . christ saith , i will send them prophets and apostles , and cor : . god hath set or appointed prophets in the church . yea as their work was partly ordinary and common to pastors and teachers , so a prophet was examined and allowed by an assembly of prophets , as well as an elder by an assembly of elders , which i gather from cor : . and the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets . touching the vocation of an evangelist , the author of the queries concerning ordination , quest . . to elude our argument for the standing ordinance of christ , for ordination of ministers drawne from tim. . . answereth among other things , that timothy being an evangelist , and evangelists being ( by common consent ) extraordinary by calling , he had no need to passe through the common doore of ordination . the extraordinarinesse of evangelists is not so much without controversie , as he would bear his reader in hand , as may appear by what i have but now said : neither can he prove that at that time , when the presbytery laid hands on timothy , he was even then an evangelist or more then a presbyter . however this i will say , that as the work , so also the vocation of evangelists , was partly extraordinary and partly ordinary , and as there may be still occasion for some of their extraordinary work , so there ought to be a speciall mission and vocation thereunto , not only inwardly from the spirit of gods stirring up unto and en●…bling for the work , but outwardly also and orderly in the church the disciples were ordained by christ himself , luke . . the lord appointed other seventy also , and sent them two and two . an angell of the lord spake unto philip and called him from one place to another , acts . . the apostle paul sent epaphroditus and resolved to send timothie to the church of the philippians , phil : . . . these are examples of extraordinary mission , such i mean as ceased with that age , none being now immediatly sent by christ or his apostles . but there are other examples of a mission or calling to somewhat of the proper work of evangelists , which are not to be restricted to that age only ; for they who were agents and did travell and negotiat in the great and speciall affaires of the church , had a speciall delegation and orderly call thereunto . so i understand that of the messengers of the churches , cor : . . and epaphroditus being sent from the church of philippians to paul , is called there apostle or messenger . phil ▪ . . so iudas and silas who went out for the setlement of the distracted churches , had a speciall commission and delegation thereunto from the synod of the apostles and elders . 't is therefore most agreeable to the primitive pattern , that where synods or at least classes may be had , and are not by persecution scattered or hindred to meet , such as undertake either to goe & preach the gospel to infidels , papists , turks or the like , or go about any negotiation abroad in any common bussines of the church ought to be approved , and authorized by a nationall synod , or ( when that cannot be had , & if there be withal great danger in the delay ) by a provinciall synod , or at least , ( where this cannot he had ) by a classis . chap. viii . that the primitive apostolicall pattern holdeth forth unto us for our imitation , a presbyterie . i. e. an assembly of elders , having power of ordination , with laying on of hands . this i gather from . tim : . . neglect not the gift that is in thee , which was given thee by prophesie , with the laying on of the hands of the presbyterie , i have already evinced from this text , the necessity of ordination . let us now see , whether it doth not also shew us the right hands , unto which christ hath committed this power . it is a text most miserably darkened and obscured by controversall glosses , put upon it by popish and prelaticall writers : some would have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here to bee a company of bishops , who were both elders , and more then elders as they hold . this interpretation had so little probability of reason to strengthen it , that it was abandoned by some of the ablest friends of episcopacy ; camero : praelect : in mat : . . dr. forbesse irenic : lib. . cap : . pag : . and why should wee understand by presbyterie , a company of bishops , when it is yeelded even by writers of that side , that in these cities where the apostles planted the gospel , there was collegium presbyterorum , a colledge or company of presbyters . so mr. thorndike , of the government of churches , cap. . the author of the history of episcopacy , part : . pag : . &c. both of them in this following hooker . it was also acknowledged by them , that this colledge of presbyters did together with the apostles lay on hands in ordination , thereby contributing their blessing and assisting with their prayers , whence ( as was alledged ) came the custome of the presbyters , their laying on of hands in the ordination , together with the bishop , conc : carthag : . can : . so that even themselves say as much as may make us understand by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this text , concessus presbyterorum as camero cals it . the footsteps of ordination by presbyteries might be seen , not onely in that canon of carthage , but in the canon law it self , which appointeth the same thing , dist : . cap : . both ambrose in ephes : . and augustine in quaest : ex utroque test ▪ . . bear witnesse that presbyters did ordaine in egypt , when a bishop was not present , dr. forbesse irenie : lib : . pag. . citeth out of panormitan , olim presbyteri in communi regebant ecclesiam & ordinabant sacerdotes . there is another glosse which the erastians ( who love not the name of presbytery , with any power at all jure divino ) are glad to take hold off . 't is that which bilson , stutlivius and other episcopall writers made use of , distrusting ( as it should seeme ) that other interpretation last mentioned : and they had it from bellarmine , and some popish expositors . see gorranus upon the place : i confesse it was also one of calvins few ( for they were but very few ) mistakes , and 't is diligently catcht at by those who set at nought calvins judgement in other things . but quandoque dormitat homerus . i think it worth the while to examine this glosse . and i shall offer these reasons following , to make it appeare that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not here the office of an elder , but the assembly of elders , commonly called the presbytery . . the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is no where used by the holy ghost , for the office it self , or degree of an elder : but 't is used in two other places in the new testament , for an assembly or counsell of elders , luke . . acts . . in which places arias montanus ▪ rendereth it by senatus . beza in the first of these places , retaineth the word presbyterium . in the other place , both his version and the tigurine hath totus seniorum ordo . but the old english translation , readeth the company of elders . however both places are clearly meaned of the company of elders , not of the office it selfe , for the office of elders could not meet together , as in that place of luke : neither could the office of elders bear witnesse to paul , as in that place of the acts. mr. selden in his upon ebraica , lib : . cap : . understands the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in both these places to be used by luke , for the great sanhedrin , the highest assembly of elders . now then , why shall we not understand the same word , tim : . . to be the assembly , not the office it selfe of elders . and i shall aske those who think the apostle means the office of elders , upon what imaginable ground can they conceave that this is the apostles meaning , or how come they to divine this thing , or how could the apostles words be understood in that sense ? the holy gh●…st never useth the word in that sence . the septuagint never use the word in that sense , for they use it not at all . no greek author that lived before paul , can be found to have used the word in that sense , for the word it self is not found in heathen writers . i finde onely one place where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is conceaved to be used for the office of an elder . and that is in the apocrypha story of susanna vers : . but h : stephanus , tom : . pag : . makes a doubt whether it should not bee written in that signification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and suppose it be to be read there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , yet that geek is not so old as paul , for it is ascribed to theodotio , as mr. seldon tells us in that place last cited out of him . yea , the jesuits of the english colledge of doway in their bible acknowledge , that this story is translated out of theodotions edition , and this is the oldest originall which they can alledge for it . and besides this it may be understood of the assembly of elders , when the elders say to daniel , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which those jesuits of doway render thus , because god hath given thee the honour of old age . others the honour of an elder , or an ancient . but i know no reason why the word may not here signifie there assembly of elders . god hath given thee the assembly of elders , that is , god hath given thee thy petition , and thy desire , which was the meeting again of the assembly of elders , as is plaine by the verses preceeding : even as god gave to his praying children this present parliament , . if the apostle had meant to expresse the dignity or degree of an elder , hee would rather have used the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which greek writers use pro senum honore vel dignitate , then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is not used in that sence . . and if he had meant to stirre up timothy from the honour or dignity of that office and degree , which was conferred upon him he had rather mentioned the degree of an evangelist , than of an elder . even as he saith to him else where , doe the work of an evangelist . . the very popish interpreters are forced to confesse that the apostle means an assembly of elders , plurium presbyterorum , saith mariana : caetus presbyterorum , saith salmeron ▪ esthius upon the place noteth , that imposition of hands , was à pluribus adhibita , according to that canon of carthage . hugo cardinalis , noteth here the great honour of presbyters , that three of them at least , laid on hands in ordination . wherefore i can see no sense which can agree to the text , but that which is the ordinary and known sense of the word ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is an assembly of elders . in which sense it is also frequently used by ancient writers , whereof , he that will , may read good store of examples in d. blondelli apollogia pro sententia hieronymi . pag : . it hath been objected by some , that tim : . . holds forth no president for ordinary presbyteries , because . here is mention of prophesie which was an extraordinary thing , . timothy , was ordained by the laying on of the apostle paul his hands , . tim : . . lastly timothy was an evangelist , and how could a presbyter ordain an evangelist ? answ : . those very things which are objected , to depresse the presbyterie , doe put upon it so much the more aboundant honour . altho prophesies had gone before concerning timothy , and some extraordinar predictions , tim : . . altho likewise the apostle paul himself is supposed to have been present , and to have laid on hands at the sametime , yet neither the extraordinary prophesies , nor the laying on of the hands of an apostle , did swallow up , take away or hinder the ordinary power and right of the presbyterie , to be acted and put forth in the ordaining of timothy , or did exempt timothy from entring by that ordinary doore , and passage , through those ordinary hands of the presbytery . . 't is not certaine , that either the propheticall predictions concerning timothy , ( which the apostle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , praegress as , or quae praecesserunt ) or the laying on of pauls hands , was at the same time with the laying on of the hands of the presbyterie . but whether these things were done together , or at severall times , 't is very observable , that to these the apostle prefixeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by , but to the laying on of the hands of the presbyterie , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with , tim : . . that thou stirre up the gift which is in thee , by the putting on of my hands . tim : . . the gift which was given thee by prophesie : then he addeth with ( not by ) the laying on of the hands of the presbyterie : by this change of the phrase on purpose intimating , that the prophesie and laying on of pauls hands , were things extraordinary , because by these the gift , aptitude , and ability of parts , or the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was given to timothy , but the laying on of the hands of the presbyterie , was according to the ordinary rule then and there setled , being a rite used in ordination , so that timothy had not by the act of the presbyterie , any gift or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a potestative , authoritative ministeriall mission ( for to what other use or end could there bee a laying on of the hands of the presbyterie ? ) therefore athanasius in apologia ad imper : constantium citing this text , and applying it to ordinary ministers , he lives out that part concerning prophesie , and the rest of the text he applies thus , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the apostle paul hath commanded each one of us in his disciple , saying , neglect not the gift that is in thee , which was given unto thee with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery . . if it be said that the laying on of the hands of the presbytery was onely to shew their consent , and joyning in prayer , and hearty wishes with the apostle for timothy : the answer is ready ; let these who alledge this shew us from scripture , where laying on of hands was ever used , for a bare testimony of consent , or of joynt prayers and wishes . i know imposition of hands hath been used in prayers , of blessing , or benediction by such as had a speciall power , authority and priviledge , as gen : . iacob when hee blessed the sonnes of ioseph , laid his hands upon them , but we read not that ioseph , or any other , whose heart joyned in prayer and hearty wishes for them , did therefore lay on hands together with iacob , mat. . . mark : . . when christ blessed the little children , he laid his hands upon them : but will any man imagine , that they who brought the children to be blessed by him , did together with him lay their hands upon them ? and generally if we consider the use of laying on hands in scripture , wee must conclude that the laying on of the hands of the presbytery , was an authoritative act , not a testimony of consenting and joyning onely . . 't is thought by some episcopall writers , that timothy was twise ordained , first to be a presbyter , and after to bee a bishop . see the history of episcopacy , pag , . i should rather say , peradventure he was first ordained a presbyter , by the presbyterie . and after ordained an evangelist by the apostle paul. however the presbyteries act needs to be extended no further , but to the ordaining him a presbyter , what was more , ( viz. ordination to the office of an evangelist , ) might proceed from the apostle : i mean , suppose he was ordained once , both presbyter and evangelist , and that both the apostle , and presbyter did lay on their hands together , in this mixed action , we may very well distinguish what was ordinary , what was extraordinary , ascribing that to the presbytery , this to the apostle . . and if the presbyterie had ordained , and sent forth timothy as an evangelist , what inconsistency , or absurdity had been in it ? you will object the lesse is blessed of the greater , and not the greater of the lesse , heb : . . i answer , although timothy as an evangelist , was greater then a single presbyter , yet that proves not , that he was ( even in that capacity , ) greater then the whole presbytery , one of the house of lords , is greater then one of the house of commons , but he is not therefore greater then the house of commons . when a king and his people is compared together , we use to say , that he is major singulis , minor universis . moreover , he that blesseth , is not every way greater then he who is blessed , but he is greater qua talis , in so far as he blesseth . and why might not the presbytery be greater then an evangelist , not simply and absolutly , but in so farre as they blessed and ordained him . so ananias put his hands upon paul , acts . . and afterwards certain prophets and teachers at anti●…ch laid hands on him , and barnabas , acts . , . and in so farre there was a majority and preeminence in those who laid on their hands though simply and absolutly they were the greater , on whom the hands were laid . this takes off some of the chief exceptions brought by the author of the queries concerning ordination , quest : . which done , his other exceptions are the more easily mastered . he himself passeth from one of ●…hem , as not being very considerable , viz. that presbyterie there is used to signifie not a company of elders , but the ordinance or office it self . of which before . there are but two other answers of his . one is that timothy being an evangelist had no need to passe through the common door of ordination . of which hereafter . the other is a conjecture of his own , which if it be a light , i confesse it is a new light . it seemes more probable ( saith he ) be farre that when paul on●…imothy ●…imothy , tim : . . there were some other apostles , or apostles fellowes that joyned with him in that action . and that apostles should be called presb●…ters or elders , and a company of them a presbytery or eldership , is an expression consonant to other scriptures where the appellation of elder is attributed unto them , pet : . . epist : ioh : . &c. epist : . ans : in the last two scriptures which he citeth , the word elder is a name of age not of office , and we are to understand , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in those places to be only a degree more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : epist , to philemon . v. . paul the aged , so iohn the elder . i. e. now full of yeares and very old . for which reason also some have noted that frequently in his first epistle he useth this compellation , my li●…le children . . peter indeed speaketh of himself as one of the elders by office , wherein we ought rath●…r to observe his humility , condescension , and prudent insinuation , then make any such use of it as this querist doth . it had been more for his purpose if another had said it of peter , and not he of himself . for as o●…cumenius upon the place te●…s us , peter cals himself so for modesties cause , and the better to enforce the following exhortation , that the elders should not lift up themselves above others , as he did not lift up himself above them . sure apostles and elders were ordinarly distinguishing names , as it is manifest from act. . . . . : . why then would the querist leave the ordinary scripture notion of the word , elder , and ground his own interpretation of the word presbyterie , upon peters calling himself an elder : he might al 's well argue , that the believing romans who are called the servants of god , rom : . . or these believing strangers who have the same name , pet : . . were apostles , and that we are to understand by the servants of god in these texts , apostles , because tit : . . the apostle paul calleth himself a servant of god. by the like logick he may argue that the ordaining of elders , act : . . tit : . is meant of ordaining apostles , because the scripture calls the apostles elders . . peter calls not himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , an elder , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the sense of the word is explained two wayes , both are mentioned by h. stephanus in thes : ling : gr : tom : , pag : . and both of them make against that which this querist drives at . first the sense is conceived to be this , qui sum & ipse presbyter : so the tigurine , who am also an elder so the english ●…ranslators . now the text running thus , the elders who are among you i exhort , who am also an elder , i. e. i who give this exhortation unto you elders , as i am an apostle , so my apostleship doth not exclude me from being one of you , for i am also an elder : thus ( i say ) this very text makes against the querist , for even here we see that they who were commonly called elders , were not apostles . but there is a second sense , which maks yet more against the querist : for h. stephanus expresseth the sense of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus , qu●… & ipse è seniorum & presbyterorum collegio est , he who is of the assembly or colledge of elders commonly called the presbytery : hierome did happily intend the same thing by the word compresbyter . and likewise beza by his rendering ego una presbyter , i. e. i who am together with you a presbyter , or you and i being presbyters all of us together . and so the text may be red thus , the elders who are among you i exhort , who am also of your presbyteries . there were presbyteries among them , or assemblies of elders properly so called , and of these presbyteries peter was also a member , and when he was present in any of the presbyteries in pontus , gallacia , capadocia , asia , a●…d ●…ythinia , he joyned and acted as an elder , and as in a presbytery . this sense i preferre to the other . for if he had intended no more but to tell them that he also was an elder , i should think he wold have chosen another & plainer expression as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the elders who are among you i exhort , for i also am an elder . or thus , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the elders who are among you i exhort , as being my self also an elder . or thus , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; the elders who are among you i exhort , i my self also being an elder . but now when he purposely chooseth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , he intimateth somewhat more then that he was an elder . viz : that he was presbyterated together with them , as being also of their presbyteries , or assemblies of elders . words of the like composition in the greek tongue , may help to give us light in this particular , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which pollux useth for contubernalis , is not simply , he who is also a guest , or who is also a companion but he who is a guest in the same inne , or a chamber fellow ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not any who ever he be , that doth also lodge , live , & eat , but he who liveth together & eateth together : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , may not be rendered , he who is also an ambassadour , but he who is a collegue in the same embassy , ●…ollega in legatione . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not simply he who also is a witnes ( for then he who is a thousand miles off being witnes in another cause is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) but he who bears witnesse together in the same thing , or he who joyneth in the same testimony , as rom : . pollux hath also , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , qui est ejus dē decuriae , not he who is also of a band or company , but he who is of the same band or company , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is not he who is also a disciple , ( for then a scholler among our antipodes is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) but a condisciple in the same schoole . and if we speak properly we will not call every minister of holy things , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , symmista , but he who is our collegue , or associat or a minister of our owne company . so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 h. stephanus well explaineth complures simul collecti , non sigillarim , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not used for a counsell which is also taken , but for a counsel taken joyntly or together . many like instances might be given both in the greek , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and such like ; and likewise in the latine , compotator , compransor , combennones , commolitor , commurmuratio , compatior , competitor , compingo , comp●…icatio , comploratio , compossessor , compromitto , comprovincialis , concivis , concriminatio , concolor condiscipulus , confabulatio , confaederatio , congener , congerminalis , congenitus , c●…ngerminasco , conjubilatio , conjurati , connutritus , conservus , consedeo , consocer , consorbio , conterraneus , contemporaneus , contribulis , convelificor , converberatus , conviv●… , convictus , and i know not how many more of that kinde , in which words the preposition cannot be rendered by also , but by together in the same thing joyntly or of the same : and now i hope it may appear that the scripture , objected by the querist doth not hurt but help the presbytery . suppose the presbytery , tim : . . to be an assembly of apostles , as the querist would have it , what shall he gaine thereby ? for the name presbyterie being purposely chosen in this text , which mentions laying on of hands in ordination , will prove that the apostles did these as elders , and as an act of one assembly of elders , not as any thing peculiar to the apostles . for no rationall man will imagine , that the holy ghost intending to expresse some extraordinary thing , which the apostles did as apostles , and which belongs not to ordinary elders , would in that very thing purposely call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or an assembly of elders . . that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is not an assembly of apostles , but of elders who were not apostles may appear plainly by comparing the text now in controversie with tim : . . the gift of god which is in thee by the putting on of my hands . if an assembly of apostles had laid hands on timothy , and so joyned in that action with paul , as the querist supposeth , paul had not thus distinguished his laying on of hands , from that of his fellow apostles , as if the gifts of the holy ghost had been given to timothy only by the laying of his hands , and not by , but with the laying on of the hands of his fellow apostles ▪ of this difference of the phrase in the one text and in the other , i have spoken before , which indeed fitly expresseth the difference betwixt the laying of pauls hands , and the laying on of the elders hands , but there could be no such difference among the apostles themselves , or apostles fellowes . but i have not yet done with the vindication and clearing of this text , which holds forth a president for ordination by a presbytery . it may bee further objected , . if this text must be understood of ordination by a presbytery , then the laying on of the hands of the presbytery is necessary to ordination ; and then , what shall become of th●…se who were not ordained by a pressbytery ; and what shall also become of that which so many protestant writers have pleaded against the popish sacrament of orders : viz. that the rite or signe in ordination , i.e. imposition of hands , is not instituted or commanded by christ or his apostles ? to the first i answer , . although i hold the imposition of the hands of the presbytery to be no sacrament , nor efficacious and operative for giving of the holy ghost , as the laying on of the apostles hands was : nor , . necessary to ordination , necessitate medii vel finis , as if ordination were void and no ordination without it , or as if they who were not ordained with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery , were therefore ●…o be thought unordained , or unministeriated : although likewise . i do not hold the laying on of hands to be the substantiall part or act of ordination ( which i have before prooved to be essentiall to the calling of a minister ) but only the rituall part in ordination . and although , . i hold the laying on of hands to be such a rite , whereunto we ought to be very sparing to ascribe mysterious significations , wherein some have gone too farre , and taken too much liberty , yet i hold ( with the generality of prot●…stant writers , and with the best refo●…med churches ) that the laying on of hands is to be still retained in ordination . i hold also that this laying on of hands is an ordinance of the new testament ( and so do our dissenting brethren of the independent way hold also ) and that 't is necessary by the necessity of precept , and institution , and in point of duety . for although there is no certain precept extant , concerning laying on of hands , yet because we see the apostles did alwayes use it , their so ac●…urat observing of it ought to be unto us in stead of a precept , ●…aith calvin instit. lib : . cap : , § . for the examples of the apostles or apostolike churches , in approved things which have a standing reas●…n , are binding , and in stead of institutions . the laying on of the hands of the apostles in so far as the holy ghost was given thereby , was extraordinary , and ceased with themselves , yet in so far as the apostles , yea and the presbytery too , laid on hands in their ordaining of ministers , there is a standing reason why we should do in like maner : the laying on of hands being a rite properly belonging to the praying over these whom we blesse in the name of the lord , with an authoritative benediction , as is manifest by these examples of laying on of hands , in iacobs blessing of ephraim and manasseh . gen : . and in christs blessing and praying over the little children , mat : . . mark : . looking thus upon laying on of hands ; . as a rite in blessing and prayer over ; . as a rite for publik designation and so emne setting apart of such a person ; and if you will , . as a rite of giving up , dedicating and offering unto the lord , of which use of laying on hands there are diverse examples in the books of moses : in these respects and under these considerations we use laying on of hands in ordination , and ought to do so in regard of the primitive pattern . wallaeus tom : . pag. . thinks that the negative precept . . tim : . . lay hands suddenly ●…n no man , doth also containe an affirmative , to lay hands upon such as are worthy and approved . chap. ix . what is meant in scripture by the word heresies , and how we are to understand , that there must be heresies , for making manifest the the godlie parti●… or these that are approved . cor : . . for there must be also heresies among you , saith the apostle , that they which are approved may be made manifest among you , or as others read , that they which are approved among you may be manifest . by heresies here some understand no more but divisions and sects , and conceave that heresies in point of opinion or doctrine , are not here meant . so chrysostome , erasmus and others . if so , then the very divisions and sects , will make a discovery who are approved , who not , before it come to hereticall opinions , i. e. sectaries are not approved , and these who are indeed approved , are none of theirs , but keep themselves unspotted , and free from them . so tit. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendered in the tigurin bible , sectarum authorem , and in the margin f●…ctiosum , i. e. a man that is an author of sects ( or factions ) after the first and second admonition , reject , and cor : . they read , opportet enim & sectas in vobis esse . sometimes the word , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken in the new testament for a sect , yet ( to note that by the way ) onely for such a sect , as either was indeed , or was esteemed to be of some hereticall opinion , as act. . . and . . and . . and . . and . . the apostle hath the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , twise in his epistles , and in both places he makes some difference , and distinction between heresies , and divisions , or strifes and variance , cor : . , . gal : . . for every division , strife , or variance , is not heresie . therefore in the text which i now speak to , i understand heresie to be some what more then division . the arabick cor : . . that is in the greek , and our translations , cor : . . repeateth the word schismes out of the precedent vers : & addeth moreover the word heresies , reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; for there most arise schismes and heresies among you , that these of you who are godly may be known : it seems that they who understand , only divisions to be meant by the word heresies , do not observe the rising of the apostles speach , for after he hath spoken of their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or schismatical divisions contrary to the rule of love ; he addeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. for there must bee also heresies among you . i partly beleeve it , saith he , that there are divisions among you , for there must be , not onely schismes , but worse then that , there must bee heresies also ! if you aske now , what is heresie ? i shall without any implicit following of writers , ground my answer on scripture it self . and i answer first negativelie , then positively . negatively , . heresie is neither to be so farre taken at large , as to bee extended to every error , which may be confuted by scripture , although happily such an error be too tenaciously maintained . nor yet is it to be so farre restricted , as that no error shall be accounted hereticall , but that which is destructive to some fundamentall article of the christian faith , if by a fundamentall article , you understand such a truth without the knowledge and faith whereof , 't is impossible to get salvation . when peter martyr defines heresie , he makes no mention of a fundamentall error , but of an error contrarie to the scriptures , loc : com . class : . cap : . § . so calvin : instit : lib : . cap : . § . understands all such to be heretiks , as make a breach in the church by false doctrines . walaeus , tom : . pag : . saith , hereticall churches do either erre in the foundation , or onlie in some other things built upon the foundation . when peter speaks of such heresies , as take away the very foundation , iesus christ , he thinks it too little to call them simple heresies , but he cals these damnable heresies . but if you understand by fundamentall truths , all the chief and substantiall principles ( i do not mean onely the first rudiments , or a , b , c , of a catechisme , which we first of all put to new beginners , but i mean all such truths as are commonly put in the confessions of faith , and in the more full and large catechismes of the reformed churches , or all such truths , as all and every one who live in a true christian reformed church , are commanded , and required to learn and know , as they exspect in the ordinary dispensation of god to be saved , ) in this sense , i may yeeld that heresie is alwayes contrary to some fundamentall truth . 't is one thing to dispute of the absolute soveraigne power of god , and what are the truths , without the beleif whereof 't is absolutly , and altogether impossible that one can be saved : which question ( i doubt ) is hardly determinable by scripture , nor do i know what edification there is in the canvassing of it ▪ sure i am 't is a question much abused . 't is another thing to dispute what are these truths , which in a church where the gospell is truely preached , all and every one , ( come to years of knowledge and discretion ) and having means and occasions to learne , are bound to know , ( and according to the revealed will and ordinary dispensation of god ) must learne , as they desire or exspect to have a true fellowship with christ in the sacrament of the lords supper , or to bee accepted of god , and saved eternally : . we must not think that no man is a heretick , but he who is consistorially or judicially admonished , and thereafter continueth pertinaciously in his error . for where 't is said tit : . a man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition , reject : 't is intimated that he is an heretick before such admonition . positively , i concieve that these six things doe concurre to make a heresie . . t is an error held by some minister or member of a church , i mean either a true church or an assembly pretending and professing to be a true church . for both peter and paul where they foretell that heresies were to come , pet : . . cor : . . they adde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , among you , i.e. among you christians . so act : . . also of your owne selves shall men arise , speaking perverse things . therefore the scripture gives no●… the name of hereti●…ks to these who are altogether without the visible church , but it calleth such by the names of heathens or unbel●…evers , or they that are without , or the like . . t is an error volunntarlie and freely chosen , both in the first invention and broaching of it , ( which is proper to the heresiarchs , ) and in the maintaining of it , or adhering to it , ( whic●… is common to all hereticks . ) this i collect from the very name which the scripture gives to it for , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i choose . therefore we give not the name of hereticks to such christians as are compelled in time of persecution to profess such or such an error , which peradventure were a formal ▪ heresie , if voluntarly and without compulsion professed . they ought indeed to die , and to indure the greatest torments , before they professe what they know to be an error : but this their sin is not properly called heresie , for an heretick doth freely and voluntarily hold that which is his error . and in this respect and consideration , tertullian thinks that an heretick is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , condemned of himself . tit : . . because he hath of himself choosed that which doth condemne him . the apostle there hath commanded to reject an heretick . if i reject him ( might one say ) then i loose him , i destroy his soule . nay ( saith the apostle ) his perdition is of himself , for he hath chosen his own wayes , and his soul delighteth in his abominations . this interpretation is much surer and safer , then to say that a heretick is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or self-condemned , because he goes against his own light , and against the principles received and acknowledged by himself : which sense is accompanied with many dangerous consequences . . 't is such a choosing of error as is accompanied with a rejecting of truth . a hereticke puts light for darknesse , and darknes ●…or light ; good fo●… evill , and evill for good , he chooseth e●…ror as truth , and ref●…seth truth as error , they that give heed to seducing ●…pirits and doctrines of devils , do also depart from the faith , tim. . . resist the 〈◊〉 , tim . , and turne away their ears from the truth , tim : . . their course hath a te●…minus a quo al 's well as ad quem . 't is an error professed and maintained , and which ●…y that means becomes a scandal and snare to others . for although there may be heresie ( a●…s well as other kinds of sin●…urking and hid in the thoughts , yet that belongs to gods judgement only , not to mans . the heresies which are spoken of , cor : . ●… . are certainly known and apparently discriminative ; even among men . and heretic●…s are scandalous persons to be avoided and rejected , rom : . . tit : . . which could not be , except their errors were known . . 't is an error contradictory to some chiefe and substantial●… truth grounded upon , or be necessary consequence drawne from , the holy scripture . there was never yet any heretick in the christian world who contradicted that whi●…h is literally and syllabically in scripture . the most damnable hereticke will offer to subscribe to the scripture in stead of a confession of faith , who yet will not subscribe to all truths , which necessarily follow from the words of scripture . but i call not every error heresie which is contrary to any consequentiall truth , grounded upon scripture . as the scr●…pture reckons not all who sin , to be workers of iniquitie , so it reckons not all who erre to be hereticks . although there is not any , either sin or errour , in the own nature of it veniall , yet every sin is not a grosse and hainous sin , and every errour is not heresie . heresies are mentioned as greater evills then schismes . cor : . . . which could not be so , if every errour were an heresie . . 't is an errour factiously maintained , with a renting of the church , and drawing away of disciples after it . in which respect augustine said , errare potero , haereti us non ero , i may e●…re , but i shall not be an hereticke . hereticks are deceivers and seducers who endeavour to pervert others , and to overthrow their faith , tim : , . act. : . tim. . . . rom : . , , . pet : . . all known and noted hereticks are also schismaticks who make a rupture , and strengthen their own party by drawing after them , or confirming unto them disciples and followers ( in so much that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is often used for a sect , as act. , . and . . and . . and . . ) for this cause , the donatists were condemned , as hereticks , without imputation of heresie to cyprian . and o strange turning about of things ! ( saith vincentius lirinensis advers : haeret : cap : . ) the authors of the same opinion are judged catholiks , but the followers hereticks . the masters are absolved , the disciples are condemned . the writers of these books are the children of the kingdome , but hell shall receive the assertors or mantainers . this last ingredient which is found in heresie , is hinted by the arabick interpreter , cor : . . where he joyneth schismes and heresies as was noted before . and indeed in the originall , the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and the rising of the speech , sets forth heresie as carying schisme with it in its bosome : i believe saith the apostle in part , what i hear of your schismes , for there must be also heresies , i.e. both schismes and somewhat more . calvin institut . lib : . cap : . § . . makes the breaking of church communion & the making of a rent , a thing common both to hereticks , and schismaticks : for hereticks break one band of church communion which is consent in doctrin : schismaticks break another , which is love , though sometimes they agree in the like faith . from all which scripturall observations we may make up a description of heresie , to this sense . heresie is agrosse and dangerous errour voluntarily held , and factiously maintained by some person or persons within the visible church , in opposition to some chief or substantiall truth or truths grounded upon and drawn from the holy scripture by necessary consequence . but next , why saith the apostle that there must be heresies ? this is not a simple or absolute necessity , but ex hypothesi . i mean , not onely upon supposition of sathans malice , and mens corruption , but upon supposition of gods eternall , and infallible foreknowledge : and not only so , but upon supposition of the eternall decree of god , whereby he did decree to permit sathan , and corrupt men , to introduce heresies into the church , purposing in the most wise , and most holy counsell of his will , to disabuse ( as i may so say ) his church by these heresies , that is to order and over-rule them , for the praise of his grace and mercy , to manifest such as are approved , and from the glory of his justice , in sending strong delusion upon such as received not the love of the truth , but had pleasure in unrig●…teousnesse . these things being so , i. e. sathans malice , and mens corruption being such , and there being such a foreknowledge ; yea , such a decree in god , therefore it is , that there must be heresies , and so we a●…e also to understand , mat : . . it must needs be that offences come : these things i doe but touch by the way . that which i here aime at , is the good use which god in ●…is most wise and soveraigne providence , can , and doth make of heresies : 't is , that they which are approved , may bee made manifest . whereby 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , they which are approved , we can understand nothing but such as are true and sincere saints , approved and accepted of god , or ( as bullinger on the place ) vere pii , truely godly : in which sense the same word is used , rom : . . cor : . . tim : . . ia●… . . the word is properly used of good money , or silver well refined , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 't is transferred to saints with speciall reference to their mortification , or to the refyning of them from the drosse of their corrup●…ions , and so noteth such as walk in the spirit , and not in the flesh . the contrarie word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , reprobate , rejectaneous , naughty , or to bee cast away like the drosse of silver , cor : . . cor : . , . but how is it that by means , or occasion of heresies , the godly party is made manifest ? surely the meaning of the apostle is not , that the authors , and followers of heresies are the godly party , for he calls heresie , a work of the flesh . gal : . and will have an heretick to be rejected , as one who is of himself condemned , tit : . . therefore most certainly his meaning is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , they which are approved , are known by this ; as one of their characters , they hate , avoid , and resist heresies , and earnestly contend for the faith , they hold fast the truth of christ without wavering . and those who broach , or adhere unto heresies , are thereby known to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , unapproved , and such as are like reprobat silver . whosoever therefore sideth , or ingadgeth with heresies , or hereticks ; yea , whoever stands not fast in the faith , doth ipso facto declare himself to be none of pauls godly party . so contrary is the holy ghosts language to the tone of sectaries in these day●…s . neither is it in this scripture alone , but in diverse other scriptures , that the holy ghost distinguisheth those that are approved of god , from such as turne away from the truth after false doctrines , and beleeve seducing spirits , as well as from those who are of an ungodly life . so deut : . . when a false prophet arose , and the signe or wonder came to passe , what was gods meaning in permitting these things ? the lord your god proveth you to know whether ye love the lord your god , with all your heart , and w●…th all your soule . they therefore that hearkened to the false prophet , even when his signe or wonder came to passe , made themselves known thereby , that they had not been lovers of god with all their heart . again matth. ▪ . those that are elect , are not deceived by false christs , and the false prophets : and by the rule of contraries , they who are deceived by them , and go in their errour to the end , are not elect , but reprobat , gal : . . . heresie is a work of the flesh , and is reckoned among these things which render a person uncapable of inheriting the kingdome of god. they therefore who walk in the spirit , and not in the flesh , and are made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light , are not onely no hereticks , but resist and oppose heresie , as being a work of the flesh . ioh. . . they who are christs discples indeed , continue in his word . they who continue not in his word , are not his disciples indeed , ioh : . . with ●… . epist. of iohn , vers : . they who have fellowship with the father and the son , abide in the doctrine of christ : they who abide not in the doctrine of christ , have no fellowship with the father and the son , the like in divers other scriptures . if therefore they must be heresies even for this reason , to make more manifest who are approved , who not : then let no thoughts arise in our hearts , toward the accusing of divine providence in this particular . iustin martyr . quaest , & respons : ad orthod . quaest . . answering this doubt : if god hath taken away the idolatries , superstitious , and false religion of heathens , and hath also abolished the jewish worship , why hath he suffered heresies to enter into the christian church ? hee gives this solution , that although heresies come into the church through mens negligence , and flothfulnesse , ( for while men slept , the enemy sowed the ●…ares among the wheat , mat : . : ) yet the providence of god was no way slothfull in the businesse , for he foresaw , and foretold that heresies should come , and hath given plaine warning in his word concerning the same . he addeth that the s●…me god who did destroy the heathenish and the jewi●…h religion , will also destroy heresies , after hee hath suffered them for a time . although wee had no distinct knowledge , what god intends to work out of heresies , yet we ought not to censure , but humbly , and reverently , to adore gods most wise , and most holy , ( though secret and un●…earchable ) dispensations . if wee should see somewhat which is deadly poyson among some drugges , which a skilled and approved physitian is making use of , wee must not rushly censure the phisitian , for hee knowes how to disabuse that which is in it self poysonable , and to make it one of the ingredients in a most soveraigne medicine . or if we should come into the shop of a curious artificer , or i●…geneer , and there see some ugly and ill favoured instruments , which we think can serve for no good but for evill , yet it were foolishly done to censure the artificer , who knowes to make an excellent good use of these things , though we know not . how much more foolish and sinfull is it , to suffer thoughts to rise in our hearts against the wisdome and providence of god , even alth●…ugh wee know not what he intends to work out of such things ? we were most of all inexcusable to accuse his providence , now when he hath made known in his word to us , that by occasion of heresies , he will make manifest who are approved , who not . wherefore ( saith chryso●…ome , de divers ▪ &c. tom : loc : ser : . ) that no man might say , why hath christ permitted this , paul saith , this permission shall not hurt thee , if thou art one who are approved , for by this means thou shalt be made more manifest . yet all this cannot excuse , either the hereticks , or sectaries themselves , or these who connive at them , for that which christ saith in genere of scandals , is true in specie of heresies , it must needs be that heresies come , but woe be to him by whom they come , i adde , and woe also to him who doth not according to his place and calling , endevour the extirpation of them . the text which i now speak to , cor : . . hath not reference to the will of gods commandement , which is the rule of our duty , but to the will of gods decree , or the secret counsell of his will. 't is gods purpose to permit heresies , and to over rule them for this end ; that his graces in his children may the more shine forth , and that even heresies ( contrarie to the intentions of sathan and hereticks ) may make manifest who are approved , scilicet quos non potuerint depravare , saith tertullian , opening this scripture . de praescr : adv : haer : to wit ( saith he ) such as heresies could not pervert and deprave , no other are the approved ones . but there are two things may be here objected : . may not one chosen and justified , and regenerat be drawn away , and infected with heresie through the flight of men , and cunning craftinesse , whereby they lie in wait to deceave ? if so , then heresies , doe not make manifest who are approved . who not . ▪ may not many who are not approved of god be preserved from the infections of heresies ; yea , be forward in resisting and opposing them ? if so , then preservation from , and resisting of heresies cannot make manifest that one is approved of god. these objections are no more against mee , then against the text of scripture . to the first , i answere , a regenerat person may be tempted and drawn over to heresie , as he may be tempted and drawen over to other great sins . heresie doth no otherwise consist with the state of grace in any person , then other works of the flesh , adultery , fornication , drunkennesse , or the like . look upon an elect and justified person , while lying in some great sinne , for instance , noah , lot , david , peter , even so must ye look upon an elect and justified person poysoned with heresie . but then that person being elected , justified and regenerate , cannot be supposed to live & die in that sinfull estate , but god will certainely heal his backslidings , and rescue his soul out of the snare of the devill by repentance , for the elect cannot be deceived , so as to continue and die in a heresie , mat : . . and while he continueth in such a grosse sin or heresie , you may truely say , that for that time he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , unapproved , or like drosse and unrefined silver , in which sens the word is used by the apostle , where he speaks of his bringing his body into subjection , lest he himself should be found 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , where the old english translation readeth , lest i my self should be reprooved , which is too soft a word . the new translation hath , lest i my self should be a cast away . beza , ne ipse rejectaneus fiam . in the same sense t is used , cor. . . know you not your own selves , how that iesus christ is in you except ye be reprobats . beza , nisi rejectanei estis . h. stephanus expones , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , minime probus non probandus : item adulterinus non sincerus , and he cites aristotle , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . in this sense even an elect and regenerat person supposed to be a maintainer or follower of here●…e ( while such ) is certainly , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , unapproved , greatly reproveable , to be rejected and cast away to the fornace like drossie and unrefined silver , and no marvel , for in that estate he doth not act his graces but his corruptions , and by his great sin doth extreamly grieve and dangerously quench the holy spirit once given to him . to the other objection i answer , first , although the full and perfect discovery ( who are approved , who not ) is reserved to the great and last day , and there is no company , assembly , nor visible church in this world , without a mixture of hypocrites , yet surely the word of the lord hath been and shall be so far fulfilled , that in a great measure and according to the knowledge which the church can have of her members in this life , there is in times of heresies and schismes a discovery made who are the approved ones , who not . . we must remember t is not the scope of this text to give us a note of distinction between these who are approved , and all counterfits or unapproved christians , but between these who are approved , and these who are the fomenters or followers of heresies . thus they who are indeed approved of god continue in the truth of christ , grounded and setled , and stand fast in the faith and contend for it : and this is one of the characters , found in all such as are approved . and thus far , saith augustine , are hereticks profitable to the church , for by their meanes , those who are approved of god and spiritual men , are stirred up to vindicat , open , and hold foorth the truth , whereby they become more manifest then otherwise they could have been . upon the other part , who ever turne away from the truth , and from the doctrine of christ , and turne aside after heresies , do thereby infalliblely declare themselves to be unapproved , whatsoever profession or shew of holine ●…e they have : whatsoever become of the white mark of these who are approved ( which also holds true as i have explained it ) most certainly , this black mark cannot fail upon the other side , and he who supposeth any person who is of a hereticall belief and faction , to be holy , spirituall , mortified , and approved , or one that walketh in the spirit , and not in the flesh , doth but suppose that which is impossible . and i do not doubt , but god is ( by the heresies and schismes of these times ) making a discovery of many unapproved , unmortified professors , who pretended to piety . so that i may transferre to our time what chrysostome observed of his owne , lib. ad eos qui scandali●…ati sunt . cap. . how many are there clothed with a shadow and shew of godlinesse , how many who have a counterfit meeknesse , how many who were thought to be some great ones , and they were not so , have been in this time ( when so many fall off and make defection ) quickly manifested , and their hypocrisie detected , they have appeared what they were , not what they feigned themselves ; and most falsly pretend to be ? neither is this a small matter , but very much for the profite and edification of these that will observe it , even to know distinguishingly these who are clothed in sheeps clothing , & not to reckon promiscuously those woolves ( so hid ) among the true sheep . for this time is become a fornace discovering the false copper coyne , melting the lead , burning up the chaffe , making more manifest the precious mettals . this also paul signified when he said : for there must be also heresies , that they who are approved , may be made manifest among you . vincentius lirinensis doth also record to this purpose , that when almost the whole world was infected with the arrian heresie , some being compelled to it , others cheated into it , yet every true lover and worshipper of christ was preserved pure from it . chap. x. of new lights , and how to keep off from splitting either upon the charybdis of pertinacy and tenaciousnesse , or upon the scylla of levity , wavering and scepticisme . t is pleaded by some who pretend to more tendernesse of conscience then others , that to establish by the law of the land a confession of faith , or a directory of the worship of god , and of the government of the church , and to appoint penalties or punishments upon such as maintaine the contrary doctrines or practises , is to hold out and shut the doore upon new light. that as the state and church hath discovered the evill of diverse things , which were sometime approved and strengthned by the law of the land , so there may be afterwards a discovery made by the light of experience , and a further search of the scripture , to make manifest the falshood of those doctrines which are now received as true , and the evil of that government and way which is now imbraced as good , for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . for satisfaction in this difficulty , first of all , i do not deny but most willingly yeeld , yea assert as a necessary truth , that as our knowledge ( at its best in this world ) is imperfect , ( for we know but in part ) so it ought to be our desire and endeavour to grow in the knowledge of the minde of christ , to follow on to know the lord , to seek after more and more light , for the path of the iust is as the shyning light , that shineth more and more unto the perfect day , prov. . . secondly , i acknowledge that this imperfection of our knowledge , is not only in degrees , but in parts , that is , we may know afterwards not only more of that good , or evill , or truth , or error , of which we knew somewhat before , but we may happily come to know the evill of that whereof we knew no evill before , or the good of that in which we knew no good before , so may we come to know diverse truths which before we knew not . thirdly , i acknowledge there is not only this imperfection , but oft times a great mistake , misunderstanding , error , and unsoundnesse in the judgement of christian persons or churches , so that godly men and true churches may come to know that to be evil which they sometime thought good , and that to be false which sometime they thought true , or contrariwise . which experience hath taught , and may teach again . fourthly , i confesse it is no shame for an augustine to writ a book of retractations . it is the duty , not only of particular christians , but of reforming , yea reformed , yea the best reformed churhes , whensoever any error in their doctrine , or any evill in their government or forme of worship , shall be demonstrated to them from the word of god , ( although it were by one single person , and one perhaps of no great reputation for parts or learning , like paphnu●…ius among the many learned bishops in the counsell of nice ) to take in and not to shut out further light : to imbrace the will of christ held foorth unto them , and to amend what is amisse , being discovered unto them . fifthly , i also believe that towards the evening of the world , there shall be more light , and knowledge shall be increased , dan : . . and many hid things in scripture better understood , when the jewes shall be brought home , and the spirit of grace and illumination more aboundantly powred foorth . we have great cause to long and pray for the conversion of the jewes , surely we shall be much the better of them . but on the other hand , the greatest deceits and depths of sathan have been brought into the world , under the name or notion of new lights . did not the serpent beguile evah with this notion of a new light , gen : . ? which example the apostle setteth before our eyes , cor : . plainly warning us that sathan is transformed into an angell of light , and his apostles into the apostles of christ , vers . . . so rev : . . did not ieroboam make israel to sin by a false new light ? it is too much for you to go up to ierusalem , behold thy gods , o israel , &c. . kings . . . he would shew to the ten tribes , how they might in all matters of religion be independent upon jerusalem ; howbeit ( to note that by the way ) he did not erect independent churches , without an independent common-wealth . he would shew them also that they were abused with a pretended sacred order of the priests , the ministers of the lord , therefore no jure divino men , but ministers dependent , chron : . . . and so he would needs make priests of the lowest of the people , vers . . for all which he had a pretence of power or liberty from god , kings , . . his new light made an independent church , and a dependent ministery . the gnosticks had their name from the profound knowledge and greater light which they pretended to , above all others , yet the ancient writers tell us they were but a prophane sect. maho●…et himself pretended that the angel gabriel taught him his alcoran , that so he might purchase the greater credit to it . now t is to be observed , there are many cautions necessary , and that there is much to be said against many of these things which now goe under the name of new lights among those who plead for liberty of conscience . new light is now become a beguiling word , as once among the graecians , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a new swallow . a beguiling word , i may wel cal it , for most of those things which are now cried up as new lights , are neither lights nor new . not lights , because not according to the word from whence all true light must be derived . not new , because the very same things have been before moved and maintained , antinomianisme , anabaptisme , universall atonement by the death of christ , universall salvation , a temporall and earthly kingdome of christ , and the saints liberty of conscience &c. have been maintained and confuted also before this age . independency it self , if it be a light , yet it is no new one lately struck out , for it was long since a known tenent of the arminians , that synods or counsels ought only to debate , deliberat , consult , and advise , but not to exercise any jurisdiction , to inflict any censure , or to injoyn any thing under pain of censure . see the propositions offered by the arminians in the th session of the synod of dort. see also episcopii disp : theol : part : disp : . thes : , . & part , disp : , thes : . , . but i come to the particular cautions concerning new lights . first , it is but a false new light which expelleth not only the old darknesse , but much of the good old light . as in medecins the paracelsian way is most dangerous when it is destructive to the galenik way , and overthroweth the old approved principles , yet t is of very good use when prudently , and skilfully managed , for perfecting the galenik way , and for doing things more speedily , easily , and pleasantly , than the galenik way could doe : so in divinity , such new lights as do not expell , but retaine , improve , and perfect the old , may be of singular good use : but those new lights which are destructive and expulsive of the old true lights , those new wayes which lead us away from the old and the good way , are to be utterly disliked and avoided , epist : of iohn vers : . look to your selves , that we lose not th●…se things which we have gained . hee speaks it against those deceavers who would have seduced them from the doctrine of christ , as is evident both from the preceeding vers and from that which followeth : whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of christ , hath not god , &c rom. . . now i beseech you brethren , mark them which cause divisions and offences , contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned , and avoid them . a bishop , saith paul , must hold fast the faithfull word , as he hath been taught , ●…it ▪ . . phil. . . neverthelesse , whereto we have already attained , let us walk by the same rule , let us be of the same minde . this he addes as a prevention of a dangerous mistake , and abuse of that which he had said immediatly before : and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded , god shall reveale even this unto you . behold , a reserve for any new light , might some say : nay but take ●…eed saith the apostle , you do not shut forth , but keep fast the light you have already attained unto , you must not under pretence of new light , loose what you have gained , col. . , , . as ye have therefore receaved christ iesus the lord , so walk ye in him , rooted and built up in him , and stablisht in the faith , as yee have been taught , abounding therein with thanksgiving : beware least any man spoil you through philosophie , and vain deceit ; &c. these apostolicall rules , are very far contrary to the accademicall ; yea , pyrrhonian demurre and dubitation , by which some call in question the most received doctrines in the christian church . if skepticisme bee tollerable in the christian faith , why are we bidden stand fast in the faith , cor : . . and again heb. . . let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering ? and why did jesus christ himselfe write to those who had not receaved the false doctrines of that time , that which ye have already , hold fast till i come , rev : . ? it was a fowle error in balaam the false prophet , that after god had said to him concerning balaks messengers , thou shall not goe with them , thou shall not curse the people , for they are blessed , num : . yet at the next sending of messengers , he would needs seek ( forsooth ) a new light from god , vers : . . if balak would give me his housefull of silver and gold , i cannot goe beyond the word of the lord my god , to do lesse or more now therefore i pray you , tarry yee also here this night , that i may know what the lord will say unto mee more . god gave him a n●…w light indeed , but in wrath and judgement , quite extinguishing and expelling judicially that light which the false prophet himself had not intertained , but wickedly forsaken , vers : . and god came to balaam at night , and said unto him , if the men come to call thee , rise up and goe with them . behold the fruit of not entertaining light , once received from god. so likewise the young prophet , kings . for not holding fast what he had receaved from god but taking in a new false light from the old prophet , was most exemplarly and severly punished for it . this is the first caution most necessary for the sectaries of this time , whose new lights are such , that among them vetera deperdita , and nova reperta , go hand in hand together , and are almost convertible termes , as if a man should not keep what he had , because he finds somewhat which he had not . secondly , many of those new lights which some brag off , not onely expell much of the good old light , but bring in grosse egyptian darknesse . there is a woe denounced against those who put darknesse for light , as well as against those who put light for darknesse , isay . . i may well say , that grosse darknesse is introduced , when the fundamentall articles of faith are called in question , denied , and oppugned , as the godhead of jesus christ , the divine authority of the scriptures ; the immortality of the soul , the eternity of glory to the elect , and of torments to the reprobate , &c. if the foundations be shaken , what can the righteous doe ? if wee hold not fast this gospell , if we embrace not this saviour , we cannot have another , cor : . . for other foundation can no man lay , then that is laid , which is iesus christ , gal : . . i marvell that ye are so soone removed from him that called you into the grace of christ , unto another gospell , vers , . but though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospell unto you , then that which wee have preached unto you , let him be accursed . thirdly , beware of those new lights , which make any certain truth ( although neither fundamentall , nor circumfundamentall ) to be uncertaine , as wee ought not to say of any sin , so neither of any truth : is it not a little one ? let every truth be highly valued . buy the truth , and sell it not ; say not , this truth is but a matter of discipline , let it goe , 'ts not worth the buying ? he that is faithfull in that which is least , is faithfull also in much : and he that is un●…ust in the least , is unjust also in much , luke . . melchior adamus , both in the life of carolostadius , and in the life of luther , observeth the great evill which grew out of luthers dislike of carolostadius , his strictnesse , zeal , and forewardnesse , in abolishing auricular confession , and difference of meats , and casting out images out of churches , at which things luther was the more offended , because done by carolostadius in wittenbreg , during luthers absence , and without his knowledge and counsell . luther did also alledge that carolostadius , his strictnesse and zeal in these lesser things , hindered and retarded the reformation in more substantiall points of doctrine . however the story noteth , that hence was the first rise of that deplorable sacramentarian controversie , which hath ever since made so great a rupture in germany . i could never yet observe , or read , or hear of controversies about discipline in any christian church , but still they grew higher and higher , and those who rejected , or slighted the will of christ in smaller things , did afterwards slight it in greater things . fourthly , beware of those new lights , which not only refuse to admit some certaine truths , but refuse to admit any truth , now held or professed in the reformed churches , as sure and certaine and infallible , as if , because mens judgements are not infallible , but subject to error , therefore , wee cannot be sure , nor infallibly perswaded of this or that article . the holy scripture will teach us , that beleevers may attaine to a certaine and infallible knowledge of some truths , for it was no impossible thing that paul prayed for , when he prayed that the colossians might have all riches of the full assurance of understanding , to the acknowledgement of the mystery of god , and of the father , and of christ. the mystery of god that he is , and that he is eternall , invisible , omnipotent , &c : his nature , and attributes , the mystery of the father , or that there is a distinction of persons in the holy trinity , and an eternall generation , the mystery of christ , his person , natures , offices , birth , passion , death , resurrection , ascension , and intercession : these are things of which the apostle would have us most fully and certainly perswaded . timothy was assured of the things he had learned , tim. . . so was theophilus , luke . . . a mariner is not infallible in his judgement , yet hee may bee assured infallibly , that such a thing is a rocke which he must avoid , and such a way , is the way he must direct his course : a physitian is not infallible in his judgement concerning the symptomes , causes and cures of diseases , yet he may be most certainly perswaded , such a disease is deadly , and there is no cure for it , or such a thing may be cured , and this is the cure . so in divinty the obnoxiousnesse of mens judgement to error hindereth not , but they may be infallibly perswaded of this , and this , and the other truth . fifthly , beware of those new lights , which come not from the sunne of righteousnesse : to the law and to the testimony , if they speake not according to this word , it is , because there is no light in them , isa. . . when men walk in the light of their owne sparkes , they shall lye down in darknesse : new fancies are not new lights , 't is no truth , which cannot bee grounded upon the word of truth ? it was a wilde fancy of the weigelians , that there is a time to come ( which they cal seculum spiritus sancti , ) in which god shal by his spirit reveal much more knowledge and light , then was revealed by christ and his apostles in the scriptures . there is so much revealed in scripture , as the apostle calls the wisdome of god , and the hidden wisdome of god , cor : . . the things which are preached and written to us , are the things which the very angels desire to look or pry into , pet. . . and saith not christ ; that which ye have already , hold fast till i come , revel : . ? more of this error , see in brochm and system . theol : com : . article . cap : . quaest : . sixtly , take heed of proud , and lofty , and self conceited new lights , cor : . , . and the spirits of the prophets , are subject to the prophets ; for god is not the author of confusion , but of peace . if the spirits of the prophets must be so subject , how much more the spirits of private persons ? wherefore in a reformed church , all pretended new lights , which are against the receaved doctrine , government , or forme of worship , ought to be in all humility and submission , offered to be tryed by a learned and godly synod . the lo●…rean severity was such , that no man might move for a new law , but with a rope about his neck , that if his motion were thought good , he might be spared : but if bad , hanged . so demosthenes advers : timocr : tells us . i will not allow this severity against such as offer new lights , or move for new changes in the church . but i may well applie here , the athenian law recorded by demosthenes in the same oration . the athenians went not so farre as the locri , yet no man might move for a new law in athens , unlesse the motion were offered and submitted to the senat , who were to judge , whether the old or the new were better . seventhly , beware of separating new lights , to separat from , or gather churches out of the true reformed or reforming churches , hath not the least warrant from the word of god. when we see this or that amisse in a church , wee are bidden exhort one another , and provoke one another to good , but not to separate , heb. . , . zuinglius conferred amicably with the anabaptists in zurik , as with dissenting brethren , and no course was taken to suppresse or restraine them by the secular power , till they grew to gather churches out of the true reformed churches , but when it came to that , they could not be suffered or forborn , it was thought necessary to restrain them . eightly , beware of those new lights which dare not be seen , and are kept up in corners . truth seeks no corners : light doth not shun light : a candle is not lighted to be put under a bushel , but on a candlestick , matth : . . ioh : . , . every one that doeth evil , hateth the light , neither commeth to the light , lest his deeds should be reproved , but he that doth truth , commeth to the light , prov. . . the way of the wicked , is as darknesse : they know not at what they stumble . i adde to make up the antithesis to vers : . their way is darkened more and more untill the dark night . i have heard when the arminians were p●…tto it in the synod of dort , to declare their judgement and sense which they would hold at , they declined it , and episcopius answered in the name of the rest , dies diem docet . and is it not so with the sectaries of this time , from whom you cannot draw a clear modell of what they hold ? ninthly , refuse such new lights as have fellowship with the unfruitfull work●… of darknesse , eph . . 't is a deceitfull new light , which makes men forbear to reprove , speak , or petition against those evills in a state which their consciences know to be sinfull , and to wink at such things , as publikly dishonour god in a nation , upon hopes that themselves shall be winked at and tollerated . but what communion hath light with darknesse , cor. . . there are some who pretend to new light , and to tendernesse of conscience , who yet are content , to combine and associat themselves with those of another and different way , ( which themselves condemn as a sinfull way ) in that common cause of theirs , for crying up their great diana , liberty of conscience , and for opposing the church government by presbyteries and synods . how they who would not assist the presbyterians , for the purging of their congregations , and keep off all scandalous persons from the sacrament , and yet do assist and strengthen separatists , anabaptists , antinomians , socinians , erastians , s●…ekers , in seeking after tolleration , how ( i say ) they will answer this to god and their own consciences , let them look to it . again , many of the pretended new lights : have communion with darknesse in another respect , because they are borrowed from heresies , buried in darknesse . how many new lights are now brought from the arrians , manichees , novatians , donatists , the contemplative monkes and friars , the photinians , socinians , arminians , &c. these are no more new lights , then a beggars cloak is a new garment , being newly made up , out of many old riven and rotten clo●…ts sowed together . tenthly , away with those new lights which let men see nothing better , which bring no edification , those baeoti●… aenigmata , those none sense and naughty high notions , in which some frothie spirits evanish . let all things bee done unto edifying , cor : . . there are vaine bablings , and science falsly so called , which hath made men erre from the faith , tim . , . lastly , take good heed of those new lights , which follow new interests . such was that of ieroboam , kings . . to the end ; and that of balaam ; num : . , , , , , . there are some who suppose that gaine is godlinesse , saith the apostle , tim : . . and so there are some who suppose new interests , to be new lights . chap. xi . of stability and firmnesse in the truth . it is good divinity to maintaine that skepticisme , fluctuation and wavering concerning those things which god hath revealed , to be beleeved or done by us , is a sinne : and to bee firme ●…xed and established in the truth , to hold fast the profession thereof , to stand fast in the faith , is a duty commanded . i shal first prove it to be so ; then give reasons for it , and thirdly , some helps to this duty , and preservatives against this sinne . for proof of the thing , somewhat might bee said from the very light of nature , for h●…th a nation changed their gods , ●…er : . . religion hath the very name of it , a religando , so farre it is , a relaxando . the heathen greeks cald a ●…ubricus and inconstant man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . they said also , that he who erres or miscarries in his religion , doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , drink out of a bored or foraminous cup. how firme and constant have heathen philosophers been in maintaining their opinions ? they could not onely displease their friends , amicus plato , &c. but suffer the heaviest things for their opinions . and shall not we much more hold fast the profession of the true faith ? zonaras annall , tom : . in the raign of michael the emperour , the son of theophilus , tels us ▪ that when the sister of the prince of bulgaria became a christian , and the prince also by her means converted , the ●…ulgarians conspired against him for this change of religion . this diabolicall stedfastnesse of theirs , provoked him to a true christian stedfastnesse , till by gods assistance and blessing , they were made to turne to him , but he turned not again to them . the athenians impeached socrates upon his life , for going about to innovat and change their religion . but to set aside natures light , there is not any of the primitive churches , to which the apostles wrote epistles , but they were expressely warned either positively to stand fast in the faith , to hold fast their profession , or negatively to beware of and to avoid false teachers , and not to be carried about with diverse and strange doctrines . now it must needs be , not only a truth , but a most speciall and necessary truth , which the apostles thought fit , thus to presse upon the churches in all their epistles writen to them . see rom : . , . cor : . cor. : , . gal : , . eph : . . phil. . . . col : . . , . thess. . . . hebr. . and . . iames . , . pet. . , , . and . , , . ioh. . . iude ep : vers : . . all these texts are full and plain , as to this point which i speak to , and in that respect most worthie of our frequent thoughts and observations , especially at such a time when this corner of the world is so full of new and strange doctrines . as for the reasons , take these . . if we be not stedfast and unmoveable in the profession of our faith , we frustrat ( as to us ) the end for which the scriptures were written . luke gives this reason to his theophilus , why he wrote the story of christs birth , life and death . that thou mightest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed , luke . . . when peter hath mentioned the voice which came from heaven concerning christ , hee addeth the certainty of the scripture as a greater certainty . we have also a more sure word of prophesie , whereunto ye doe well that yee take he●…d , as unto a light that shineth in a dark place , . pet : . . a voice from heaven might sooner deceive us , then the written word of god. . to maintaine and professe the true doctrine , and the true faith is by all protestant orthodoxe writers made one , ( yea the principall ) marke of a true visible church . christ himself ▪ ioh. . , . gives us this mark of his sheep , the sheep follow him ( their shepherd ) for they know his voice , and a s●…ranger will they not follow , for they know not the voice of strangers . . if once we forsake the way of truth , and goe into an erroneous way , wee shall not know where to finde our paths , we shall wander from mountain to hill , & forget our resting place as one wave comes after another , so doth one error come after another . as a canker spreadeth , so doth error , . tim . , evill men and seducers , shall waxe worse and worse , deceiving and being deceived tim : . . which hath made some , and i hope will make more , who were too inclinable to the new doctrine and practises of sectaries at first , now to fall off from them , when they increase unto more ungodlinesse , & unto more errour , and there is no end , one error breedeth a hundreth , and a hundreth will breed ten thousand . what was it that made so many fall off from the prelats , who once joyned with them ? was it not , because they were growing from the old ceremonies to many new ones , and each year almost , brought in some new superstition , and from popish rites , they grew to popish doctrines ? . if w●…e waver , and be led about with diverse and strange doctrine ; , then the prophesies which have gone before of the true church , shall not be made good in us . it was promised concerning the church and kingdome of christ , isa. . , . the heart also of the rash , shall understand knowledge , and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly , the vile person shall be no more called liberall , &c. that is those who simply and rashly were led about with every winde of doctrine , shall be so wise and knowing , as to distinguish between truth and error , between vertue and vice , and call each thing by its right name . so , isa. . . and wisedome and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times , and strength of salvation . . instability and forsaking the way of truth , maks us losse much that we had gained , ep . of iohn , vers . . all the comfort we enjoyed , all the good that ever our souls received of such a truth , such a cause , such a ministery , all that ever we did or spake or suffered for the truth , all this we losse when we turn aside after an erroneous way . . it greatly hindereth our spirituall comfort and contentment , col : , . to be knit together in love is one mean , and to have all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgement of gospel truths , is another mean , by which the apostle wisheth the hearts of christians to be comforted . it addeth much to pauls comfort that he could say , i have kept the faith , henceforth there is laid up for me a crown , &c. tim. . . . . we run a great hazard of our soules and our sa●…vation , when we turn aside from truth to error . it is said of the unstable , that they wrest the scriptures unto their own destruction , pet : . , like a man fallen into quick sands , the more he wrestles out , the more he sinks . when the apostle hath spoken of christs purchasing of our reconciliation , justification and sanctification , he addeth an if , col : . : if ye continue in the faith grounded & setled and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel which ye have heard . not that our persevering in the true faith was acondition in christs purchasing of these blessings , but it is a condition without which we cannot possesse & enjoy what christ hath purchased ; that is , he that falls away from the true doctrine of the gospel , proves himself to have no part of the benefits of christ. some errors are in their own nature damnable and inconsistent with the state of grace , or a fellowship with god , pet : . . so ep ▪ iohn v. . whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of christ , hath not god. sure it may be said , of arrians , socinians , papists , libertines , they have not god , because they abide not in the doctrine of christ , so gal : . . other error , there are , of which i may say , whatsoever they are comparatively , impenitency and continuing in them , doth condemne : whence it is that the apostle iames reckoneth him who erres from the truth , to be in a way of death and danger of damnation , ia ▪ . . . now the preservatives against wavering , and helps to stedfastnesse in the faith , are these : . grow in knowledge and circumspection ; be not simple as children in understanding . there is a slight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lye in wait to deceive : so speaks the apostle of these that spread diverse and strange doctrines , eph : . . and rom ▪ . . he warres us that they do by good words and fair speaches deceive the hearts of the simple . thou hast therefore need of the wisedom of the serpent that thou be not deceived , as well as of the fimplicity of the dove , that thou be not a deceiver , phil : . : . do not rashly ingage into any new opinion , much lesse into the spreading of it . with the welladvised is wisedome : pythagoras would have us schollers only to hear , and not to speak for five years . be swift to hear but not to speak or ingage : prove all things , and when thou hast proved , then be sure to hold fast that which is good , thess. . . mat : . . . there was never an heresie yet broached , but under some faire plausible pretence ; beguiling unstable souls , as peter speaks , pet. . . pro : . . the simple believeth every word . be not like the two hundreth that went in the simplicity of their hearts after absolom in his rebellion , not knowing any thing , but that he was to pay his vow in hebron , sam : . . . grow in grace and holynesse , and the love of the truth , for the stability of the minde in the truth , and the stability of the heart in grace , go hand in hand together , heb : . . davids rule is good , ps. . . what man is he that feareth the lord , him shall he teach in the way that he shall chuse . which is also christs rule , ioh. . . if any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine , whether it be of god , or whether i speak of my self . see also deut : . , . elisha healed the unwholesome waters of iericho by casting salt into the fountain , , kings . , so must the bitter streams of pernicious errors bee healed by geting the salt of mortification , and true sanctifying grace in the fountain . be sure to cleave to thy faithfull and sound teachers , the sheep that followes the shepherd , are best keeped from the wolfe . i finde the exhortation to stability in the faith , joyned with the fruitfull labours of faithfull teachers , phil. . . . heb : , . so the apostle eph : . from the work of the ministry verse . , . draweth this consequence v. . that we hencefoorth be no more children tossed to and fro , and carried about with every winde of doctrine . the galatians were easily seduced , al 's soon as they were made to disgust paul. watch and be vigilant against the first beginnings of declining , against the first seeds of error , gal : . . it was while men flept , that the enemy came and sowed tears among the wheat , and when he had done , went his way , mat. . . therefore watch ye , stand fast in the faith , cor. , . go hand in hand together . . avoid and withdraw from the authors and fpreaders of heresies and dangerous errors , rom. . . tim : , . . epist. iohn . . . phil. . . he that would be godly should not use ungodly company , and he that would be orthodox should not use hereticall company , unlesse he have some good hopes to convert some who have erred from the truth , and come into their company only for that end , ia : . , : i remember chrysostome in diverse places warneth his hearers how much they indangered their soules by going into the jewish synagogues , and there was a great zeale in the ancient church to keep christians that were orthodox from the assemblies and companie of hereticks . . get church discipline established & duely exercised , which is ordained to purge the church from false doctrine . rev . . . . leane not to thy own understanding , and be not wise in thine owne eyes , prov. . . . let reason be brought in captivity to the obedience of christ , cor : , . that which made the antitrinitarians and socinians fall away from the belief of the trinity of persons in the godhead , and of the union of the two natures of god and man in the person of christ , was because their reason could not comprehend these articles : which is the ground of their opinion professed by themselves . when i speak of captivating reason , i do not mean implicite faith : the eyes of my understanding must be so far opened by the holy ghost , that i may know such an article is held forth in scripture to be believed , and therefore i doe believe that it is , though my reason cannot comprehend how it is . . count thy cost , and be well resolved before hand what it will cost thee to be a disciple of christ , to be a constant professor of the truth . luk : . . to vers : . act . . confirming the souls of the disciples , and exhorting them to continue in the faith , and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdome of god. this is surer then to confirme our selves with the hopes of a golden age of prosperity in which we shall feel no affliction . . search the scriptures , ioh. . , act , . . do not take upon trust new lights from any man , be he never so eminent for parts or for grace , but to the law and the testimony . the up shot of all is that we ought to hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering , and be stedfast and even unmoveable in the truth , and not to give place to the adversaries , no not for an houre , gal : , , . i do not mean pertinacy in the least error , nor a vain presumptuous overveening conceit of our knowledge , to make us despise any light which others may give us from scripture : pertinacy is an evill upon the one hand , and to be too tenacious of our own opinions . but that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that levity , inconstancy , wavering , scepticisme is an evill upon the other hand , thess : , , be not soone shaken in minde , &c. and this is the epidemicall disease of the sectaries of this time , which i have now been labouring to cure , their word is yea and nay , and not unlike to that which salust objected to cicero , that he said one thing sitting , another thing standing , yet it may be sometimes observed that these who are the greatest sceptiks and pyrrhonians in reference to the common and received tenents , are the most pertinacious and tenacious in tenents invented by themselves . i have read it observed of socinus , that as he set at nought fathers , counsels , and the whole current of ancient and moderne interpreters of scripture , so vain glory made him to maintaine stiffely and tenaciously any opinion or invention of his owne , as if he had been infallible , men are sooner drawne from truth then from error . some are unstable in the truth , and unstable in error too , you may finde among them annuas atque menstruas fides ( to use hilaries phrase ) they are of a new faith , and a new religion , every year , if not every moneth . remember reubens reproach , gen , . . unstable as water , thou shall not excell . one sort of the sectaries there is indeed , which will not ingage to hold any thing , but are known by believing nothing , these passe now under the name of seekers : yet if one of the ancient fathers , or of the reformers themselves who lived an hundreth years agoe , were now alive , they could tell us that these seekers ▪ were in their dayes called atheists , and in deed what other name is due to these nullifidians who are of no religion ? chap. xii . whether a sound heart and an unsound head can consist together , & vice versa ? or whether truth and holynesse be not inseparable companions . t is one of the greatest objections against the suppressing and punishing of heresies , errors and schismes . o say they , this is a persecuting of those that are godly , this is a wound to piety , and the power of godlynesse . i do not denie but there may be , and is true piety in many who are somewhat infected with the leaven of false doctrine , & live in some erroneous opinion , i dare not appropriat the name of the godly party to those who are free from any of the errors of the times : those that are truely godly may in diverse things differ in opinion , every error is not inconsistant with holynesse , yet every error doth pro tanto , and proportionably , retard , hinder , and prejudge holynes , and although the devill sow his tares among christs wheat ( i mean in the same persons al 's well as in the same church ) yet who will say that a field of wheat is nothing the worse of the tares , for then to what end did the enemy watch an opportunity of that malicious hostile act , to sow the tares among the wheat ? . dangerous and damnable errors can no otherwise consist with true grace , then dangerous and damnable sins , and this i will hold as a good rule in practicall divinity , that as the want of true piety maks a person ( if tempted ) apt to be infected with error , so error of judgement , if continued in , doth not only hinder growing , but maks a dangerous decreasing and falling short in true piety , or thus , the stability of the mind and judgement in the faith of the gospel , and in the true reformed religion and the stability of the heart in grace , and true piety ; stand or fall together ; floorish or fade away together , lodge or 〈◊〉 together , live or die together . first of all ( to make good what i assert ) let it be wel observed that the scripture finds out the roots of heresies and errors in the corrupt hearts of men , in some raigning unmortified lust , an unstable heart maks an unstable head , and a corrupt affection maks a corrupt judgement . this may appeare in the generall from gal. . . where heresies are reckoned among the works of the flesh , col : , . where a superstitious minde is called a fleshly minde ; tim : . . where faith is compared to a precious treasure caried in a ship ; a good conscience to the ship that caries it , the losse of the ship is the losse of the loadning . tim : . . thes : ●… . , . gal. . . tim : . . joh , . . it is therefore a good argument that protestant writers have used against the popes infallibility . the pope hath been and may be impious , prophane , sensuall , carnall , proud , covetous . therefore he may dangerously erre in his inditement ▪ and decrees . some have derived the originall of all the popish errors from ambition and avarice , or ( as others ) from the cardinalls caps , and the monks bellies . the apostle iohn reduceth all the cares , courses , studies , endeavours , opinions or practises , of the children of this world , to one of these three , ioh. , . the lust of the flesh , peculiarly so called , uncleannesse , wantonnesse , gluttony , drunkennesse . the lust of the eyes , when the soule is catched with something from without in the world which tempteth , such a thing is goodly to the eye , it entreth in upon the soul by the senses , riches , houses , lands , brave apparell , ornaments , &c. the pride of life , so called , because where pride raignes , a man will al 's soon quite his life , as that thing which his proud spirit loves , he had rather be dead before he get not his pride satisfied , so that his pride and his life are all one to him , and as it were things convertible . you shall find many who have embraced new and erroneous wayes , have been led away with the lust of the flesh , rom. , ▪ philip , : . p●…t , , , . numb ▪ . , , , kings . . , . it was the sensuall pleasantnesse of the groves , and high places which made the jews in so much love with them , that e●…en in the times of reformation , yet the people still sacrificed in the high places . the lust of the eyes hath drawn away others from the way of truth , and from the true faith , pet : . . tim : . , , luke . . tit ▪ . . tim : ▪ , these count gain to be godlynesse , and have mens persons in admiration for advantage : they will no longer adhere to the profession of the truth then they may enjoy the world withall , tim ▪ : . such a one was that eccebolus , who under constantius seemed to be a precise christian , but afterwards under iulian the apostate , he fell away and became a pa●…an , yet after all this turned christian again under the next christian emperour . the pride of life hath corrupted the judgement of others , and p●…rverted them in the way of religion , it was the love of preheminence whi●…h perverted diotrephes , ●…o . . . . it was pride which made coreth , dathan and abiram cry down the magistracie of moses , and the priesthood of aaron , a●…d cry up the whole congregation as holy , it was the love of a crown that made ieroboam set up his calves , and make another a'tar , and other priests , and erect that independent church of his , which should not go up with their hard cases to the sanhedrin at jerusalem henry the fourth of france , who was once a protestant , changed his religion for the same cause ▪ that he might get a crown : so did iulian the apostate once a christian ▪ porphyrius forsook the christians , that he might be the better avenged upon some christian in c●…sarea of palestina , who had done him a wrong , yea there is an innate pryd in all men by nature against jesus christ , psal. . . luke . . which pryd must be mortified , cor : . . secondly , there is a reciprocall influence , as of the will and affections , upon the understanding , so of the understanding upon the will and affections , the will determines the understanding , quo ad exercitium , but the understanding determines the will , quo ad specificationem actus , that is ; the will applyes the understanding unto , or hindereth it from the discerning of good , and evill ; yet the will it selfe hath not light in it selfe , but is guided by the light of the understanding ; wherefore , as the raine makes vapoures , and the vapoures make raine , so a bad understanding , makes a bad will , and a bad will : makes a bad understanding , if the eye be single , the body is full of light , matth. . . which makes good what the schoolmen tells us , that bonitas voluntatis dependet à rectâ ratione velut regula , the goodnesse of the will depends on right reason as ' its rule . see aquinas , qu : ae quest , . art : . and the commentators upon that place . 't is to be observed , that sometimes the scripture speaketh of an error of the judgment concerning the faith , as a fountaine and cause of ungodlinesse , prophannesse , atheisme , tim : . , , , . gal : . . epist : of iohn . as contrarie wise , there is a light and knowledge , which preserveth from sin and ungodlinesse , and leadeth the soul in wayes of holynesse and obedience , psal : . . and . . iohn . . if the knowledge of god , of his christ , and of his word , and will , and name , and statutes preserve us from sinne , and lead us in the wayes of obedience , then by the rule of contraries , error of judgement in these things , will insnare us in sinne and wickednesse , for instance , an error concerning god ; whether father , ioh. . . sonne cor : . . ioh ▪ . . epis : vers : . or holy ghost , ioh : . . thirdly , as the infection of sinne spreadeth it self , throughout the whole soule , and all the faculties and powers thereof , so doth the worke of the spirit of god. wee finde light and holinesse , pet. . . joyned together like the vrim and thummim . see also thes : . . here is both soul and spirit sanctified , which two are plainly distinguished , heb. . . the word of god is so quick and powerfull ▪ as that it pierceth even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit , if either the intellectuals be not sound , or if the vitals and animals bee not right , the word will finde it out . a well meaning pious soul ; a good heart and affection , which perhaps , a person may sit down satisfied with , will not excuse a corrupt minde , an erroneous spirit ; neither will a sound and orthodox judgement excuse a corrupt heart , and inordinat affections : aristotle himself could distinguish art and knowledge from vertue , because the most excellent intellectuals , cannot make a man so much as morally vertuous , without the practise and exercise of vertue . both soul and spirit , both the inferior and superior part of the soule ▪ must be sanctified . reason is as the helme , the affections as the sailes , let the helme bee stirred never so right , if the winde either blow not at all , or blow crosse in the sailes , the ship makes no speed in her way , let the winde blow never so faire , and fill all the sailes , yet if the helme be off ' its hingers , or be not rightly stirred , the ship may quickly run upon a rock , or run a shore where 't is not saife : so he that hath a sound judgement without good affections , cannot move heaven ward . he that hath good affections , without a sound judgement , will make more haste than good speed : reason is as the rider : affections as a nimble horse , a man is but in an ill taking , if either this rider mistake his way , or the horse run away with him out of the way , having no raines to governe him , or if the horse be lame and cannot ride . fourthly , consider what the apostle saith , tim. . . . he tels us of foure ends and uses of scripture , the first two are commonly referred to doctrinals , the last two to practicalls , the scripture is profitable for doctrine , for reproof , for correction , for instruction , in righteousnesse , that the man of god may bee perfect , throughly furnished unto ali good works . if any of these be wanting , a christian is not perfect , so much as in the perfection of parts . he is but halfe a christian , who is an orthodox beleever , if he be not practicall also : and he is but halfe a christian who is practicall , if he bee not an orthodox beleever . these ends of scripture do not consist , nor stand sure one without another . fifthly , to bee led into all truth , and preserved from error , is a work of the spirit of truth , and this spirit of the truth is the comforter , and the spirit of sanctification , which spirit the mediator prayeth the father to give unto those that are his , ioh : . , . and . , . ioh : . . no promise of being led into all truth , but to those that receave the anoynting of the holy ghost . isa. . psal : . . sixthly , by how much a man falls from the truth , by so much he falls from grace , and by how much a man falls from grace , by so much he falls from the truth , for stability in the stat●… of grace , dependeth in a manner upon stability in the truth , for proof whereof mark three ifs , christs , ioh. . . pauls , col . . iohnes , ioh. . . again , stability in the truth , dependeth upon stability in grace : for proof whereof , marke a fourth if , ioh. . . these scripturall ifs have much in them , and should make us very cautious and headfull , that we do not so farre deceave our selves , as to divide what god hath joyned together , a sound head and a sound heart , chrysostome exhorteth his hearers , to joyn christian vertues , and purity of doctrines together , for saith he , it profiteth us nothing to be orthodox , if the life be vitiated : as upon the other part , a uncorrupt life profiteth nothing without soundnesse of faith , licentiousnesse of judgement in doctrines , will certainly introduce licentiousnesse of heart and life , in practicalls . arminius himself ( although many of his followers have cryed up , septicisme in religion , ) could say that different doctrines produce in a people , a dubitation , or hesitation concerning religion ▪ that this doubting of the truth produceth ▪ despairing to finde the truth , and thence followes atheisme and epicurisme , yet when heresies and false doctrines introduce atheisme & epicurisme , they do but discover those roots of bitternes which were before in the heart . therefore as christ tells those jews that beleeved on him , if they continue not in his word , they are not his disciples indeed , ioh : . . so the apostle ioh●… gives this reason , why simon mag●…s , hymeneus , alexander , philetus , me●…ander , carpocrates , basilides , ebion , cerinthus , and such like , went out and separated from the church , and from the profession of the truth , because saith he , they were not of us ▪ meaning , in respect of lively faith ; true grace and regeneration , therefore they went out from us , ioh : . . which text in iohn , hierome in the close of his first book upon ieremiah , applyes to hereticks in this respect , when they fall away openly , they doe but shew those very idols of their hearts , which in their in ward parts they worshipped before . i will adde a seventh reason , look how the scripture distinguisheth the elect from those who are of an ungodly life , in the same manner it distinguisheth them who are of an erroneous beleif , cor : . : the apostle . thes : . , . tells us that these who perish , beleeve a lie : i. e. an error pretending to be a truth , but vers : . he gives thanks for the beleeving thessalonians , because god had chosen them to sa●…vation , through sanctification of the spirit , and beleif of the truth : so that they who beleeve not the truth , are no more elected , then the uns●…nctified . our saviour , mat : . . intimateth , that it is impossible that the elect should be deceaved by false prophets , that is , in the same sense , as he that is borne of god , doth not commit sin , ioh : . . christ characterizeth his true disciples , and distinguisheth them from others , not onely by obedience and a good life , mat : . . . and . . ioh : . . but also by light in the eye of the understanding , matth ▪ . . . with ephes . . . by continuing in his word , ioh : . . by knowing his voice , and fleeing from a stranger , ioh : . . . i hope i have aboundantly proved what i undertook , and so i conclude that he said right , who compared truth to the teacher , holinesse and righteousnesse to the ruling elders : i adde where heresie is the teacher , ungodlynesse and unrighteousnesse , are the ruling elders , a holy hereticke is a chimera , and a prophane person , beleeving a right is another . but here peradventure some will think , that the great objection lyes , may not a prophane person have a sound or orthodox judgement in all controverted truthes ▪ may not a man understand all mysteries and all knowledge , who yet hath no love , nor true sanctification ? cor : . . may not a person hold fast the profession of the true faith without wavering , whose heart not withstanding , is not right with god nor stedfast in his covenant ? i answer first , where there is but a forme of godlynesse , there is but aforme of knowledge , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a word no where used by the holy ghost , but in two places , a forme of knowledge , rom : . . and a forme of godlinesse , tim. . . it is not the true and reall forme , either of knowledge or godlinesse , which as they have a true matter , so a true forme . he saith not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ( which had been the proper word for a true forme , ) but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speciem scientiae , speciem pietatis . if wee have respect to the notation of the word , 't is a formation or forming , i may call it a forming without mattering , so that the forme of knowledge , more then which an ungodly man hath not , bee hee never so learned ) hath not the truth substance , and reality of knowledge , theophilact saith , some understand it to be the image , and false resemblance of knowledge , so hesychius and suydas understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an image of a thing . secondly , there is no sinfullnesse in the will and affections without some error in the understanding , all lusts which , a naturall man lives in , are lusts of ignorance , pet , . . the sins of the people are called the errors of the people , heb : , : and the wicked person is the foole in the proverbs , the naturall man receives not the things of the spirit of god , and what is the reason , because they are foolishnesse unto him , neither can he know them , because they are spiritually discerned , cor : , . the world cannot receive the spirit of truth , because it knoweth him not , ioh : , . the ●…opish doctrines of free will , of justification by works , of meat , of implicite faith , of believing the scriptures because the church receiveth them , ( & what marvel that they do so whose eyes are not opened to see the sun beame of divine light in the scripture it self , which is spiritually discerned . ) of the sacraments conferring of grace , and the like , also the so●…inian tenents that a man is no●… bound to believe any arti●…le of faith , nor any interpretation of scripture , except it agree with his reason , that pastors and ministers of the word have not now any distinguishing sacred vocation , authorizing them to be the ambassadours of christ , to preach and minister the sacraments more nor other christians ( which is also maintained by a late erastian writer in the netherlands . ) these and the like errors professed and maintained by them , what are they but so many legible commentaries and manifest interpretations of those corrupt and erroneous principles , which are lurking and secretly seated in the judgements and understandings of naturall and unregenerated persons , al 's well learned as uulearned : these hereticks do but bring foorth to the light of the sun , what is hid within the mynds of other unregenerat persons , as in so many dark dungeons : the like i say of t●…e arminian doctrine of universall grace ; and universall atonement by christs death and of originall sin , that it is not properly sin , ( which doctrines are common to many anabaptists , with the arminians , ) the like i say also of the antinomian doctrines , that christ hath abolished not only the curse and rigour and compulsion , but the very rule it self of the morall law ; so that they who are under the covenant of grace , are not bound to walk by that rule , that they ought not to repent and mourn for sin , that god doth not aff●…ict them for sin , that faith without the evidence of any marks , or fruits of sanctification doth assure the soul of its interest in christ , and what is that scientia media which the iesuits glory of as a new light , but the very old error of naturall men , which looks upon things contingent as not decreed and determined by the will of god , and what is the erastian way which oppugneth suspension from the lords table , excommunication , and all church government . . what is it but a declaration or manifesto of the proud imaginations of mens corruptions , which say within themselves , let us break their bands asunder , and cast away their cords from us : and y e take too much upon you moses and aaron , seeing all the congregation are holy every one of them , and the lord is among them . i conclude this point , every naturall man hath in his heart , somewhat of popery , somewhat of socinianisme , somewhat of arminianisme , somewhat of anabaptisme , somewhat of antinomianisme , somewhat of erastianisme , ( and i cannot bu●… adde ) somewhat of independency too , so farre as it pleadeth for more liberty then christ hath allowed , and if every man hath a pope in his belly , as luther said , then every man hath an independent in his belly , ( for the pope is the greatest independent in the world ) and t is naturall ( i think ) to every man to desire to be judged by no man. thirdly , when an unregenerat or unsanctified person holds last the profession of the faith , take heed it be not , because he is not yet tempted , nor put to it in that thing which is the idol of his heart , let him bee brought to this , either to quite the truth and the faith , or to quite what is dearest to him in the world , and see what he will doe in that case . his fruit is but such a●… growes upon the stony ground , but stay till the sun of persecution arise and scorch him . i have the more fully and strongly asserted the inconsistencie of heresie , and holinesse , as likewise of sound beleeving , and prophane living , and have shewed the joynt fading or flourishing of true grace and true holynesse , that this being demonstrated and laid down for a sure principle , may lead us to many practicall and usefull conclusions and corrolaries which i will onely here point at , first , it cuts off the exception of those who cry out against the censuring , suppressing and punishing of hereticks by the christian magistrate , as if this were a persecuting of pietie or pious persons , when it is indeed a suppressing of a work of the flesh ●…for heresie is no other , gal : . . ) and of that which is either the cause or effect , either the usher or page of someimpiety . secondly , it confuteth that most pernic●…ous and cursed opinion , that if a man live well , he may be saved in any religion or any faith. socinus did hold , that all , whether lutherans , or calvinists , or anabaptists , or arians , so that they live well , shall be saved ( as hath been observed ) he was a follower of mahomet , for machomet having compyled his alcoran , partly out of the jewish , and partly out of the christian tenents , and made it an hotch potch out of both , that he might concili●…t favour unto it among both , hee held that every one ▪ who lives well , whether jew or christian shal be saved , he that holds a man may be saved what ever he beleeve , may with as much truth hold that a man may be saved what ever he doe , or howev●…r helive . thirdly , it stoppeth the mouthes of hereticks and sectaries , who call themselves the godly party , arrius , photinus , socinus , arminius , and generally the chief heresiarches , which ever rose up in the church , have been cryed up by their followers , for men of extraordinary piety , as well as parts , all are not sheep that comes in sheeps cloathing , a false prophet is a wolfe in sheeps cloathing , math. . . but it is added , ye shall know them by their fruits , mark by their fruits , not by their green leaves , nor faire flourishes , let them pretend what they will , we must beleeve the word of the lord , that one of the marks of those who are approved , is to hold fast gospell truths against heresies , cor. . . and by the rules of contraries , those infected with heresie , are made manifest , not to be approved . if that which i have formerly asserted and cleared from scripture be a truth , as most certainly it is , then it is no truth , but a most dangerous and grace-destroying doctrine which some hold : . viz. that it is to be much questioned ; whether any opinions or heresies ( as they are called ) be absolutly inconsistent with beleeving in jesus christ ( and so damnable , that is , accompanied with eternall damnation ) but only that which is formerlie contradictorie to such a beleeving . this writer ( who is one of the fomenters of the scepticisme of this time ) makes much question , whether any error or heresie be damnable , which doth not formally contradict this proposition , that whosoever beleeves in jesus christ shall not perish , but have everlasting life , but i have shewed elsewhere that heresies denying the god-head of jesus christ , are accompanied with damnation ( and no marvell ) for whosoever beleeveth in christ , and yet beleeveth not him to be eternall god , doth but believe in a creature , and no creature can redeem us from hell , nor satisfie infinite justice , so are the heresies concerning justification ( which hold that something besides christs righteousnesse , whither our faith , or works is imputed to us to justification ) damnable , if continued in , gal. . . that if by damnable heresies we mean , such errours as are of dangerous consequence , and in this respect , justly and deeply condemnable , or censurable by men , many who hold , and publicklie maintaine damnable heresies , in this sense may have , yea , and some ( as farre as men are able to discerne , de facto ) have true grace and goodnesse . if he mean that such have true grace and goodnesse , in that sense , as david , during the time of his continuing in the sinne of adultery , or peter , during the time of his denying christ , had true grace and goodnesse ; that is , that such doe not totally fall away from true grace , but have the seed of god abidi●…g in them : then hee pleadeth no better , then as if one should say , the sin of adultery , the sin of denying of christ , are not damnable sinnes , at least , not inconsistent with true grace and goodnesse , but if he will yeeld that errours of dangerous consequence , which are justly and deeply condemnable , are inconsistent with true grace and goodnesse in the same sense , as grosse sinnes are inconsistent therewith ; that is , that grosse and condemnable errors are inconsistent with the soules growing , thriving , prospering , & flourishing , yea , with any lively acting , and putting foorth of true grace , yea , that grosse errors doe greatly and dangerously impare , abate , diminish , weaken , wound , hurt and blast true grace and goodnesse , and doe extremly grieve , and in a great measure quench the spirit of grace : then he must also grant , that to bear with , or wink at grosse er●…ors , is to bear with , or wink at such things as are extremly prejudiciall , obstructive , and impeditive to true grace and goodnes . . it is but an ignorant mistake , and a dangerous soul deceaving presumption , for a prophane loose-liver , or for a close immortified and rotten hearted hypocrite , to thinke or promise , that he will stand fast in the faith , and hold fast the truth without wavering . whosoever maketh ship wracke of a good conscience , cannot but make shipwracke of faith too . hee that is overcome of a sinne , may be overcome of an error too , when he is tempted in that which is the idol of his heart . therefore let him who would have light from christ , awake from his sinnes , eph. . . hee that hath not pious affections , and thinkes his orthodoxe judgement will make him stedfast in the faith , is as great a fool , as he that thinkes to ride without a horse , or a captain that thinks to fight the enemy without souldiers , or a mariner that thinks to make out his voyage when his ship wants sailes . . they that would have church censures , put forth only upon hereticks , apostats , or such as are unsound in the faith , but not upon prophane livers in the church ( which was the error of erastus , and before him , of the princes and states of germany , in the . grievances , the originall of which error , so farre as i can finde , was from the darknesse of popery , for there was an opinion that the pope might be deposed for heresie , but not for a scandalous life which opinion aeneus sylvius , de●…gest is concilii basil , lib : . confuteth , they also upon the other hand , that would have the censure of excommunication put forth upon loose and scandalous livers within the church , but not for those things , which the reformed churches call heresies . so ( grotius annot : on luke . . and diverse arminians , diverse also of the sectaries in england . ) these i say , both of the one and of the other opinion , do but separat those things which ought not , cannot be separated . . there is cause to set a part dayes of fasting and prayers , when heresies and errors abound , as well as when prophannesse , and grosse wickednesse aboundeth in the lives of people , christ doth in five of his epistles to the churches of asia ( to ephesus , smyrna , pergamos , thyatyra , philadelphia ) take notice of false teachers , sects , and erroneous doctrines , commending the zeal in ephesus against them , blaming those in pergamos and thyatira , for tollerating such amongst them , incouraging those in smyrna and philadelphia , by expressing his displeasure against those sects . no mention of loose and scandalous livers , distinguished from the sects in those churches . either there were such scandalous livers in those churches at that time , or not . if there were , then observe , christ mentions not them , but the false teachers and sectaries , for although both are condemnable , yet he takes speciall notice of scandals in doctrine , and profession , as being matters of the highest treason against him , and the most provoking sinnes in a church , as being also the more deceitfull , and secreet poyson honeyed over with plausible pretences , and therefore the more needing a discovery ? if there were no such scandalous and prophane livers in these churches . then note , that christ will have a great controversie against a church , which hath false doctrin●…s , and pernitious sects in it , although there were never a scandalous person more in it . there is therefore cause to fast and pray , for which christ makes a matter of controversie against his churches : if we have prayed away popery , prelacy ; the old superstitious ceremonies , the malignant armies , &c. o let us cry mightily for this also , see if wee can pray away heresies , and pernitious doctrines , sects and schismes . . we must turne away from , and avoid the fellowship of false teachers , and the spreaders of dangerous doctrines , not only that we may bee stedfast in the truth , but that our hearts may be established with grace , for there are such reasons given in scripture , for avoiding the company of that kinde of men , as highly concerne piety , avoid them , because they serve not christ , but their owne bellies , rom. . , . from such turne away , because they are men of corrupt minds , supposing gaine to be godlinesse , and their disputings breed envy , strife , railings , evil surmisings , tim : . , . receave them not into your houses , who bring not the doctrine of christ , because such have not god , epist. of iohn vers . . , . . let no man think that opinions are free , more then practises , or that a man runnes no hazard of his salvation , by erroneous and hereticall opinions . error of judgement , as well as wickednesse of practise , may bring death and destruction upon the soul , iam : . . . pet : . . and . . gal. . . hereticks as well as murderers and drunkards , are there excluded from the kingdome of heaven . . if thou wouldest keep thy head from erring , bee sure to keep thy heart from erring , psal : . . it is a people that do erre in their heart , and they have not known my wayes , as thou desirest not to be a backslider in the profession of the true faith , be not a backslider in heart , prov. . . if thou wouldest be preserved from erroneous opinions , pray for the mortification of thy corruptions , gal. . . with . . if thou wouldest be firme and stable in the truth , thou must not onely have grace in the heart , but bee established in grace , heb ▪ . . bee not carryed about with diverse and strange doctrines , for it is a good thing that the heart ( hee saith not have grace , but ) be established 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in grace , hee that is not established in the present truth : i. e. in the truth of the times , proves himself ( or otherwise makes himself ) to bee unstable in grace . if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , if he that is no prophane one ; be yet an unstable one , what doth it profite ? it is plainly intimated to us , pet : . . . that such as are not sted fast in the faith , doe not resist sathan , but are devoured by him , and pet. . . the apostle thinks it not enough that christians be established in the present truth , if they bee not also growing in grace , and making sure their calling and election , and adding one grace to another , wherefore , saith he , i will not be negligent , to put you alwayes in remembrance of these things , ( ●…to wit , which belong to the establishing of the heart in grace ) though yee know them , and bee established in the present truth . now that the heart may be established in grace , ( and so also in the truth , ) let us endeavour to walk alwayes , as under the eye of god , psal : . . heb ▪ . . to improve the promises , and rest upon christ for stability of heart , cor : . . for he is our wisdome and sanctification , as well as righteousnesse and redemption , ibid. vers : . let us intertaine the spirit of grace , and not grieve him , nor quench him , for by the spirit of the lord are we upholden , stablished , strengthened , psal : . , . eph. . ▪ . when it comes to a time of try all , and to the sifting of the whole house of israel , as corne is sifted in a sive , amos . . they onely are made manifest to be approved , in whom there is both sanctification of the spirit , and beliefe of the truth , both true piety , and sound judgement , if either of these be found wanting , bee sure the other is wanting too ; what ever shew there may be to the contrary . there is a text , cor : . . worthy to bee much and often thought upon in these dayes ; for there must be heresies , ( or sects ) among you , that they which are approved , may be made manifest among you : of which text moreanone . now then for as much as the church is sometimes tried by heresies , sometimes by persecutions , sometimes by both , sometimes by other tentations , and for our part , we know not what further tryalls we must endure , before this work be at an end , or before we go off the stage . as we desire to hold out in a time of tryall , let us hold fast truth and holinesse together , and cast away from us whatsoever maketh us to offend , whether it be the right eye of an erroneous opinion , or the right hand of a sinfull will , or the right foot of a carnall affection . chap. xiii . whether conscionable christians and such as love the power aud practice of piety , can without defiling their conscience , or without a destructive wounding of the power of godlinesse , embrace and hold the principles of these who call themselves the godly party ? or whether they ought not rather to avoid those who doe now pharisaically and donatistically appropriat to them selves the name of the godly party , as being indeed , such who under pretence of zeal , for the power of godlinesse , hold diverse ungodly principles . let no man here stumble in the threshold , or bee scandalized at the case i put : i intend nothing , either against piety , or truely pious persons , but to vindicat both from those principles of impiety , which some maintaine and adhere unto , under colour of piety . the arrians , ebionites , and socinians in poland , have pretended to bee the godly party there , in so much that faustus socinus wrote a book entituled thus , that the men of the kingdome of poland , and the great dutchy of lithuania , commonly called evangelicks , who were studious of solid piety , ought altogether to adjoyne themselves to the assembly of those , who in the same places are falsely and undescrvedly called arrians and ebionites . there is as little truth in that pretence , which diverse sectaries now make to the way of godlinesse , observe but these principles of theirs . . that none ought to be punished for preaching , printing , or maintaining any error in faith or religion , except it be contrary to the very light of nature . hence it will follow , that none is to be punished for preaching or publishing these errors : that the scripture is not the word of god. that jesus christ was an impostor or deceaver , for the light of nature will never serve to confute these or such like errors concerning the scriptures , the truths concerning them , being wholly supernaturall . mr. i : goodwin in his hagiomastix sect : . holds , that he who will hold that there is no christ , is not so pernicious nor punishable , as that man who lives , as if there were no christ , and one of his reasons is this , because , saith he , the sinnes mentioned , adultery , theft , &c. are clearly , and at first sight against the light and law of nature , but the denyall of the being of such a person as christ , who is both god and man , is not contrary to any law or principle in nature . i desire that the reader may here observe the words of mr. burroughes , in the epistle dedicatorie of his sermon preached before the house of peers , novemb : . . for connivence at blasphemies , or damnable heresies ; god forbid , any should open his mouth , these who are guilty herein against the light of nature , should be taken off from the face of the earth ; and such as a●…e guilty against supernaturall light , are to be refrained and kept from the society of men , that they infect not others . the latter part of that which he saith , i accept , and i would to god , that so much were put in execution . but why no other hereticks , or blasphemers should be taken off from the face of the earth , but those onely who are guilty against the light of nature : i finde no reason brought for it , and i doe not understand how it comes to passe , that any who look so much forward to new lights , should herein fall so farre backwark as to the light of nature ; or that those who decline the light of nature in matter of church government , subordination , appeals , and the like , should nothwithstanding in matters of faith , which are much more sublime , appeal to the light of nature : there is need of some oedipus here . . that in controversies or questions of religion , we must not argue from the old testament , but from the new . hence are these exclamations against old testament spirits , &c. which might indeed beseem the manichees , who denyed and acknowledged not the old testament . but to bee heard in a reformed church , among those who acknowledge the old testament to be the word of god , as well as the new , 't is most strange . our orthodox protestant writers , condemne as well the anabaptists , who reject and s●…orne at arguments brought against them from the old testament , as the manichees who did repudiat the old testament , as having proceeded from an evill god. see p ▪ martyr in cor. . . aret : proble : theol : loc . . by this principle they shall not hold it contrary to the will of god under the new testament , that a man marry his fathers brothers wife , this not being forbidden in the new testament , but in the old . some indeed of this time have maintained , that it is not unlawfull to us to marry within these degrees which are forbidden , lev : . see mr. edwards in the third part of gangraena , pag . these hold , 't is onely forbidden to commit fornication with such as are within these degrees , not being married , as if 〈◊〉 were not unlawfull to commit fornication with any , be they never so farre without these degrees . by the same principle which rejecteth old testament proofs , they must deny the duty of children under the new testament , to marry with their parents consent , and this is one of the foule errors of some sectaries now adayes , that though consent of parents unto childrens marriage , was commanded under the law to them that lived then , yet because that was but a ceremonie , 't is now lawfull to marry without their consent , because we live under the gospell . see that same third part of gangraena , pag : . by the same principle they must deny that an oath ( be it never so just and necessary ) may be imposed by authority ▪ or that the magistrat ought to put to death , a blasphemer , an incestuous person , an adulterer , a witch , or the like , ( the scripturall warrants which make these crimes capitall , being in the old , not in the new testament . ) saith not the apostle , tim : . . all scripture ( and consequently the lawfull examples , and la●…dable presidents of the old testament , ) is given by in spiration of god , and is profitable for doctrine , for reproof , for correction , for instruction in righteousnesse , rom. . . whatsoever things were written aforetime , were written for our learning . is not our justification by faith proved , by the example of abrahams justification by faith ? rom : . doth not christ himself defend his disciples there , plucking the ears of corne upon the sabbath day , by the example of davids eating the shew bread , and by the example of the priests killing of sacrifices upon the sabbath day , matth : . yea , those that most cry out against proofs from examples of the old testament , are as ready as others to borrow proofs from thence , when they think to serve their turne thereby , which aretius , probl : theol : loc . . instanceth in the anabaptists , who would not admit proofs from examples of the old testament , yet many of them justified the bowrs bloudy warre , by the example of the israelits rising against pharaoh . . that if sectaries and heretickes make a breach of peace , disturbe the state , or doe evill against the common-wealth in civil things , then the magistrate may punish and suppresse them . but sectaries and heretickes , who are otherwise peaceable in the state , and subject to the lawes , and lawfull power of the civil magistrate , ought to be tollerated and forborne . this is their kodesh hakkodashim , their holy of holies : indeed their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . see the compassionat samaritan , pag : ▪ iohn the baptist , pag : ▪ the bloudy tenent , chap : . m. s ▪ to a. s. pag ▪ . . the ancient bounds , chap : . see now how farre this principle will reach . a man may deny , and cry down the word of god , sacraments , ordinances , all the fundamentals of faith , all religious worship . one may have leave to plead no church , no minister , no ordinances ; yea , to blaspheme jesus christ , and god himself , and yet to escape the hand of the magistrate , as being no troubler of the state. this i gather from mr. williams himself in his bloudy tenent , chap. . where hee distinguisheth between the spirituall and the civill peace , and cleares in the instance of ephesus : n●…w suppose ( saith he ) that god remove the candlestick from ephesus : yea , though the whole worship of the city of ephesus should be altered . yet ( if men be true and honestly ingenuous to city covenants , combinations , and principles ) all this might be without the least impeachment or infringment of the peace of the city of ephesus . so that by their principles , if the city of london were turning peaceably to mahumetanisme , or paganisme , the parliament ought not to apply their power for reducing them . if this be not to care for mens own things , not for the things of christ , what is ? and must the magistrat purchase , or hold them quiet of the state at so dear a rate , as the lose of many soules ? what saith mr. williams himself bloudy tenent , chap. . it is a truth , the mischief of a blinde pharisie , blinde guidance , is greater then if he acted treasons , murderers , &c. and the lose of one soule by his seduction , is a greater mischief , then if he blew up parliaments , and cut the throats of kings or emperours , so precious is that invaluable iewel of ●… soule . i could wish this written in marble , or recorded upon the parliament walls , as the confession of one who hath pleaded most for liberty and tolleration from the magistrat , to soule murthering hereticks and deceavers . but if any magistrates will not have respect to the honour of god , and salvation of soules , let them take heed to their own interest ▪ when the church of christ sinketh in a state , let not that state thinke to swimme : religion and righteousnesse must flourish or fade away , stand or fall together . they who are false to god , shall not be faithfull to men . it was a pious saying of constantine , quomodo fidem praestabunt imperato●…i inviolatam , qui deo sunt persidi ? 't is more then paradoxall , and i fear no lesse then atheisticall , which mr. williams chap. . of the bloudy tenent , holds , viz. that a false ▪ religion and worship will not hurt the civill state , incase the worshippers break no civill law. . that socinian principle , doth now passe for●… good among divers sectaries , that a man is bound to believe no more then by his reason hee can comprehend . mr. i : goodwin , in his . quaerees concerning the ordinance , for the preventing of the growing and spreading of heresies , quaest : . tells us , that if reason ought not to regulat , or limit men about the object , or matter of their believing , then are they bound to believe these things , concerning which there is no ground or reason at all , why they should be believed . as if this ( being understood of humane or naturall reason ) were an absurdity ▪ divine revelation in scripture , or thus saith the lord , is the ground or reason of believing , or as school men speak , the objectum formale fidei . but wee are bound to believe , because of thus saith the lord , some things which we are not able to comprehend by our reason ; for instance , the trinity of persons in the god ▪ head , the incarnation of the sonne of god , his conception of a virgin , the union of two natures , of god and man in one person . it is therefore a question tending of it self to the subversion of the christian faith , and so of piety , which that quaerist there propoundeth , viz. whether ought any man ( at least in sensu comsito ) to beleeve the deepest or highest mysterie in religion , any further or any otherwise , then as , and as farre as , hee hath reason to judge it to be a truth ? the same writer in his hagiomastix , sect . . tells us , that this is sound divinitie , that reason ought to be every mans leader , guide and director in his faith , or about what he is , or ought to beleeve : and that no ma●… ought to leap wit●… his faith , till he hath looked with his reason , and discovered what is meet to be beleeved , what not . if this be good divinity , then pauls divinity is not good , rom. . . cor : . . cor ▪ . . . that the onely right reformation under the gospell , is the mortifying , destroying , and utter abolishing out of the faithfull and elect , all that sinne , corruption , lust , evill , that did flow in upon them , through the fall of adam . this is true gospel reformation , saith mr. dell : serm. on heb. . . and besides this i know no other . and after , pag. ▪ christ dying for us , is our redemption , christ dwelling and living in us , is our reformation . again , pag : . for the taking away transgression for us , and from us , which is the onlie reformation of the new testament , is a work agreeable to none , but the son of god , as it is written , his name shall be called jesus , for he shall save his people from their sinnes ; whereupon all alongs he speaks much against ecclesiasticall reformation , and pag : . he adviseth the parliament to lay aside their intentions ( how pious soever ) of the work of church reformation , because they are men of war , and the care of this work belongs onely to christ , the prince of peace . this doctrine , . is destructive to the solemn league and covenant of the three kingdomes , obligeing them to endeavour the reformation of religion in doctrine , worship , discipline , and government . . 't is destructive to the reformation begun by luther , continued and prosecuted by all thereformed churches , and by the independent churches as well as others . . 't is contrary to the example of the apostles themselves , and condemneth them as well as us , for they did not only teach and commend to the churches , that reformation which mr. dell calls the mortifying , or destroying of corruption and lust , or christ dwelling and living in us , but likewise an externall ecclesiasticall reformation , and severall canons concerning the reformation of externall abuses ▪ and scandals in the church : as for instance , that the churches should abstaine from bloud , and things strangled ; that two or three at most should prophesie in the church at one meeting ; that the men should pray with their heads uncovered , the women covered ; that young widows should be no longer admitted to serve the church in attending the sick ▪ and that such widows must be at least . years old , and the like ▪ . this doctrine puts jesus christ himself in the wrong , because he challenged the churches of pergamus ▪ and thyatira , for suffering and having amongst them these that taught the doctrine of b●…laam . ●… . mr. dell , his doctrine openeth a wide doore to the tolleration of the grossest and most horrid idolatries , blasphemies , abominations . i●… thousands in the kingdome should set up the masse , and bread worship , or should worship the sunne , or should publickly maintain that there is no god , nor any judgement to come , nor heaven , nor hell , the parliament ought not , may not , ( by his doctrine ) endeavour the reducing and reforming of such people , or the suppressing of such abominations : these offenders must bee let alone till christ reforme them , & mortify sin in them , which is to him the only reformation now under the gospell . . and while hee appropriateth this reformation to the time of the gospell since christ came in the flesh , hee doeth by necessary consequence hold , that there was no godly or mortifyed person in the old testament , and that we must not take abraham , moses , david , iob , &c. for examples of a personall reformation , or of true holinesse and mortification . as this doth necessarily follow from this doctrine , so it seems to have been not far from his meaning and intention . for pag : . . speaking of the time of the old testament , he saith ▪ there was no true reformation , but under all that outward religion , men were inwardlie as corrupt and wicked as the very heathen , and without any true reformation before god , till christ who was god in the flesh came with the ministration of the spirit , and then indeed was the time of reformation . then hee comes to explaine what this true reformation is , viz. the taking away and destroying of the body of sinne out of the faithfull , &c. whence it cannot but follow , that there was no such thing before the comming of christ , as the taking away and destroying the body of sinne out of the faithfull . . there are divers arminian and antinomian tenents , which very much strengthen the hands of the wicked in his wickednesse , yet such tenents are maintained by many of these , who call themselves the godly party , for instance that of universall atonement , and christ dying for all men , mark but the title of mr. moores book : the universality of gods free grace in christ , to mankinde proclaimed and displayed , &c. that all might be comforted , incouraged , every one consirmed , and assured of the propitiation and death of christ for the whole race of mankinde , and so for himself in particular . hereby the same sweetnesse of gospell comforts , and the same assurance of an interest in jesus christ and his death , is imparted and extended to the humbled , and the unhumbled , to the convinced , and to the unconvinced , to the wounded , and to the unwounded , to beleevers , and to the unbeleevers , to the converted , and to the unconverted ; as if all and every one were fit to be comforted and capable of an assurance , that jesus christ hath redeemed them , and made satisfaction to the divine justice in their behalfe . if this bee not to sow pillows , which sinners may securely lye down and sleep upon , what is ? the like i say of that position which mr. sam : lane in his vindication of free grace hath oppugned , as an arminian position , preached and asserted by mr. j. goodwin , naturall men may doe such things , as whereunto god hath by way of promise annexed grace and acceptation . which takes away the necessity of preventing grace , and the impotency of nature unto , yea , ' its aversnesse from any true spirituall good , which can be acceptable unto god : every such exalting of nature , is a depressing of grace , and ministereth occasion to unregenerat persons to please themselves too much with their present naturall estate . . other tenents are current among many of that party , which are apt to weaken the hearts and hands of the godly in the exercises of humiliation , repentance , mortification , and fruits of sanctification , by holding that god doth not chastise his children for sinne ; that there is not so much as a fatherly displeasure , or anger in god against the faults of his children ▪ that god seeth no sinne in israel , so much as to afflict them for it in this world ; that beleevers are not bound to live according to the rule of the morall law ; that beleevers are not to be terrified , or at all wrought upon by any threatnings , or by danger and punishment of sinne ; that beleevers ought not to trie their spirituall estate , or seek assurance of their interest in jesus christ , and the covenant of grace , by any gratious signes or qualifications , or by any fruits of sanctification in themselves , but onely by the inward testimony of the spirit and light of faith , which ( say they ) are of sufficient credit by themselves , without the help of any markes of grace . it is informed , that among some of the sectaries of this time , are found these tenents , that adultery is no sinne , and that drunkennesse is none neither , but a help to see christ the better ; that there is no resurrection of the dead , nor no hell . see mr. edwards , in the third part of gangraena , pag : . . chap. xiv . another most usefull case of conscience discussed and resolved , concerning associations and confederacies with idolaters , infidels , h●…reticks , or any other known enemies of truth , and godlinesse . while i have occasion to speak of humane covenants , it shall not be unprofitable to speak somewhat to that question so much debated , as well among divines , as among polititians and lawyers , whether a confederacy and association with wicked men , or such as are of another religion , be lawfull , yea , or no. for answer whereunto shortly , let us distinguish , . civill covenants . . ecclesiastical , sacred or religious covenants . . mixed covenants , partly civill , partly religious . the last two being made with wicked men , and such as differ in religion from us , i hold to be unlawfull , and so do the best writers . when the israelites are forbidden a covenant with the canaanites , speciall mention is made of their gods , altars , images , exod. . . and . . . iud. . . that no such superstitious , unlawfull worship might beetolerated . as for civil covenants , if they be for commerce or peace , which were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , they are allowed according to the scriptures , gen. . . gen. . . kings . . ier. . . rom. . . such covenants the venetians have with the turke , because of vicinity : such covenants also christian emperours of old , had sometimes with the pagans . it was the breach of a civill covenant of peace with the turke , that god punished so exemplarly in vladyslaus king of hungary : but if the civill covenant be such a covenant as the grecians called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to joine in military expeditions together , of this is the greatest debate and controversie among writers ; for my part , i hold it unlawfull with divers good writers ; and i conceive that exod. . god forbiddeth not only religious covenants with the canaanites , but even civill covenants , vers . . and conjugall covenants , vers . . which is also iunius his opinion in his analysis upon that place . the reason for the unlawfulnesse of such confederacies are brought . . from the law , exod , . . and . . . deut. . . yea god maketh this a principall stipulation and condition upon their part , while he is making a covenant with them , exod. . . . iud. . . . and lest it should be thought that this is meant only of these seven nations enumerate , deut. . the same law is interpret of four other nations , . kings . , . so that t is to be understood generally against confederacies with idolaters and those of a false religion : and the reason of the law is morall and perpetuall , viz. the danger of ensnaring the people of god : therefore they were forbidden to covenant either with their gods , or with themselves , for a conjunction of counsels , and familiar conversation ( which are consequents of a covenant ) draweth in end to a fellowship in religion . . from disallowed and condemned examples , as asa his covenant with benhadad , . chron. . to vers . . and ahaz , his covenant with the king of assyria , kings . . . chro. . . to . and if it should be objected , these are but examples of covenants with idolatrous heathens , there is not the like reason to condemne confederacies , and associations with wicked men of the same religion ; i answer . . it holds à fortiori against confederacies with such of the seed of jacob as h●…d made defection from true religion , for grotius de jure belli & pocis lib. . cap . num. . noteth , god would have such to be more abominated then heathens , and to be destroyed from among their people , deut. . . besides this i adde . . we have in other scriptures examples , which meet with that case also ; for iehosaphats confederacy with ahab , chron. . . with chron. . and after with ahaziah . chron. . . are condemned , which made iehosaphat ( although once relapsing into that sin ) yet afterwards mend his fault , for he would not againe joyne with ahaziah , when he sought that association the second time , kings . . . so amaziah having associate himself in an expedition with the israelites , when god was not with them , did upon the prophets admonition disjoin himself from them , and take his hazard of their anger : chron. . , , , . lavater upon the place applying that example , noteth this as one of the causes why the christian wars with the turke had so ill successe , why saith he , consider what souldiers were imployed , this is the fruit of associations with the wicked . . these confederacies proceed from an evill heart of unbelief , as is manifest by the reasons which are brought against ahaz his league with benhadad , chron. . , , . and by that which is said against the confederacy with the king of assyria , isay . , . for as calvin upon the place noteth , the unbeleevers among the people considering their own inability for managing so great a war , thoght it necessary to have a confederacy with the assyrians ; but this was from faithlesse feares , from want of faith to stay and rest upon god as all-sufficient . if we must avoid fellowship and conversation with the sons of belial , ( except where naturall bonds or the necessity of a calling tyeth us ) psal. . . prov. . and . . cor . , . and if we should account gods enemies ourenemies , psa. . . then how can we joyne with them , as confederates and associates , for by this means we shall have fellowship with them , and looke on them as friends . now as to the arguments which use to be brought for the contrary opinion , first 't is objected that abraham had a confederacy with aner , eschol , and mamre , genesis . . abraham with abimelech , genesis . . and isaac with abimelech , gen. . iacob with laban , gen , . . solomon , with hiram , kings . . answ. it cannot be proved that these confederates of abraham , isaac , and solomon were either idolaters or wicked ; laban indeed was an idolater : but there are good interpreters who conceive that abrahams three confederates feared god ; and that abimelech also feared god , because he speaketh reverently of god , and ascri●…eth to god the blessing and prosperity of those patriarchs . 't is presumed also that hiram was a pious man , because of his epistle to solomon , chron. . , . however , . those confederacies were civill , either for commerce , or for peace and mutuall security that they should not wrong one another , as that with laban , gen. . . and with abimelech . gen. . . which kinde of confederacy is not controverted . 't is objected also that the maccabees had a covenant with the romans and lac●…monians , macca . , and . , . answ. . that covenant is disallowed by many good writers ; yet 't is observed from the story that they had not the better , but the worse successe , nor the lesse but the more trouble following it . . the story it selfe , macc. . . tells us that the first motion of a confederacy with the heathen in those times proceeded from the children of belial in israel . lastly , it may be objected that persons discontented , and of broken fortunes were gathered to david ; and that he received them , and became a captaine unto them , sam. . . answ. . some think ( and 't is probable ) they were such as were oppressed and wronged by sauls tyranny , and were therefore in debt and discontented , and that david in receiving them was a type of christ who is a refuge for the afflicted , and touched with the feeling of their infirmities . . whoever they were , david took care that no prophane nor wicked person might be in his company , psal. . yea , psal. . . ( which was penned at that same time when he departed from achish and became captaine of those men ) he saith to them , come ye children harken unto me , i will teach you the fear of the lord. . i shall bring a better argument from davids example against the joyning with such associates in wa●… as are known to be malignant and wicked , psal. . . the lord taketh my part with them that help me , therefore i shall see my desire upon mine enemies , psal. . . the lord is with them that uphold my soul. upon this last place , both calvin and gesnerus observe , that although davids helpers were few and weak , yet god being in them , and with them , his confidence was that they should prove stronger then all the wicked ; hee intimateth also , that if he had not known that god was with his helpers , leading and inspireing them , he had looked for no helpe by them : chron . , . that davids helpers in the war were lookt upon as sincere , cordiall , and stirred up of god , may further appear from chron. . where david joyneth with himself fidos homines qui idem cum eo senti●…ent , saith lavater on the place , faithfull men of his own minde : hee addeth , that they were such as hated sauls impiety and in●…ustice , and loved davids vertue . vict. strigelious calls them , fideles amicos , faithfull friends . the text it self tells us , that divers of them joyned themselves to david while he was yet in distresse and shut up in zicklag : vers . . ( which was an argument of sincerity ) also , that some of benjamin ( sauls own tribe ) adjoyned themselves to david , and the spirit came upon amasai , who by a speciall divine instinct spake to assure david of their sincerity , vers . . , . they also who joyned themselves with david after sauls death , vers . . were not of a double heart , but of a perfect heart , vers . . . and they all agreed that the first great businesse to be undertaken , should be religion , the bringing back of the arke : chron. . , . this point of the unlawfulnesse of confederacies with men of a false religion is strangely misapplyed by lutherans , against confederacies with us , whom they call calvinists : so argueth tarnovius tract . de foederib . but we may make a very good use of it : for as we ought to pray and endeavour that all who are christs may be made one in him , so we ought to pray against and by all means avoide fellowship , familiaritie , marriages , and military confederacies with known wicked persons , and such as are of a false or hereticall religion : i shall branch forth this matter in five particulars , which god forbade to his people in reference to the canaanites and other heathens , which also ( partly by parity of reason , partly by concluding more strongly ) will militate against confederacies and conjunctions with such as under the profession of the christian religion do either maintain heresies and dangerous errors , or live a prophane and wicked life . first , god forbade all religious covenants with such , and would not have his people to tolerate the gods , images , altars or groves of idolaters : exod. . . and . . deut. . . iudg. : . and although the letter of the law mention this in reference to the canaanites , yet the best reforming kings of iudah applyed and executed this law in taking away the groves and high places abused by the iewes in their superstition : and what marvell ? if such things were not to be tollerated in the canaanites , much lesse in the iewes . theodosius is comm●…nded for his suppressing and punishing hereticks . . god forbade familiar conversation with these heathens , that they should not dwell together with his people , nay , not in the land with them , exod . . lest one of them being familiar with an israelite , might call him to a feast , and make him eat of things sacrificed to idols , exod. . , compare this with iud. . . psal . . now the apostle layeth much more restraint upon us , from conversing , eating and drinking with a scandalous christian , cor. . . then with a pagan or unbeleever , cor. . . there is a conversing and companying with wicked persons , which is our affliction , not our fault , that is when we cannot be rid of them , do what we can , cor. . . which is an argument against separating and departing from a true church , because of s●…andalous persons in it . the apostle gives this check to such , go where they will , they shall finde scandalous persons all the world over . there is again a conversing and companying with wicked persons , which naturall and civill bonds , or near relations , or our calling tyeth us unto , as between husband and wife , parent and child , pastor and people , magistrate and those of his charge . but wittingly & willingly to converse & have fellowship either with hereticall or prophane persons , whether it be out of love to them and delight in them , or for our owne interest or some worldly benefite this is certainly sinfull and inexcusable . if we take care of our bodily safety , by flying the company of such as have the plague , yea if we take care of the safety of our beasts , and would not to our knowledge suffer a scabbed or rotten sheep to infect the rest , shall we not much more take care of our own and neighbours souls , by avoiding and warning others to avoide the fellowship of the ungodly , whereby spiritual infection comes . remember it was but a kinde visite of iehosaphat to ahab which was the occasion of ingageing him into a confederacy with that wicked man , chron. . ▪ . god forbade conjugall covenants or marrying with them . exod : , . deut : , . the rule is the same against matching with other wicked persons , whether idolaters or professing the same religion with us . we read not of idolatry or any professed doctrinall differences in religion between the posterity of seth and the posterity of cain , yet this was the great thing that corrupted the old world and brought on the flood , that the children of god joyned themselves in marriage with the prophane , gen : , , , . iehoram married not an heathen , but the daughter of ahab ; but 't is marked , he did evill as did the house of ahab ; and what is the reason given for this ? for the daughter of ahab was his wife , kings , , and by and by , vers : . the like is marked of ahaziah the son of iehoram , who did evill in the sight of the lord as did the house of ahab , for he was the son in law of the house of ahab . the apostle peter supposeth that christians marrie such as are heirs together of the grace of life , peter , . see also , pro : . . . god forbade his people to make with the canaanites foedus deditionis or subactionis , ( or as others speak ) pactum liberatorium , he would have his people shew no mercy to those whom hee had destinate to destruction , deut. . . herein ahab sinned , making a brotherly covenant of friendship with benhadad , when god had delivered him into his hand , kings . , , . so in all christian common-wealths , the magistrate , gods vicegerent ought to cut off such evill doers , as gods word appointeth to be cut off . davids sparing of ioab and shimei , being partly necessitate thereto , partly induced by politicall reasons , ( whereof he repented when he was dying , nor could his conscience beat-ease , till he left a charge upon solomon , for executing justice upon both ioab and shimei , kings . , , , , . ) are no good presidents or warrands to christian magistrates , to neglect the executing of justice . 't is a better president which david resolveth , upon more deliberatly , psal. . . i will early destroy all the wicked of the land , that i may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the lord. marke this all , of what degree or quality soever , without respect of persons , and that early , and without delay . lastly , and even ioab himself was so far punished by david , that hee was cast out of his place and command , sam. . . & . . . the law is also to be applyed against civill covenants , not of peace , or of commerce , but of warre ; that is , a league offensive and defensive , wherein we associate our selves with idolaters , infidels , hereticks , or any other knowne enemies of truth or godlines , so as to have the same friends or enemies . a covenant of peace or commerce with such may happen to be unlawfull in respect of some circumstances as when peace is given to those rebells , murderers , incendiaries in the kingdome , who by the law of god ought to be destroyed by the hand of justice , or when commerce with idolaters is so abused , as to furn sh them with the things that they are known to make use of in their idolatry . but as for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a confederacy ingageing us into a warre with such associats , t is absolutely and in its own nature unlawfull : and i finde it condemned by good writers , of the popish party , of the lutheran party , and of the orthodoxe party . some of all these are before cited . what holynesse god required in the armies of israel , see deut : . , , , , : we may well argue as isidorus p●…lusiota doth , lib. epist. . if the law was so severe against such uncleannesses as were not voluntarie , how much lesse would god suffer such as did voluntarily and wickedly defile themselves . t is marked as a part of a●…imelechs sin , iud : . . that he hired vain and light persons which followed him . god would have amaziah to dismisse an hundred thousand men of israel being already with him in a body , and told him he should fall before the enemy if these went with him , because god was not with them , chron. . . &c. if they had not yet been gathered into a body , it had been much to abstain from gathering them , upon the prophets admonition , but this is much more , that he sends them away after they are in a body , and takes his hazard of all the hurt that so many inraged souldiers could do to him or his people , and indeed they did much hurt in going back , vers : , yet god rewarded amaziahs obedience with a great victory . in the last age shortly after the begun reformation in germany , this case of conscience concerning the unlawfulnesse of such confederacies was much looked at . the city of strassburg , anno , . made a defensive league with zurik , berne , and basil , qui & vicini erant , & dogmate magis conveniebant , saith sleidan , they were not onely neighbours , but of the same faith and religion , therefore they made a confederacy with them . about two yeares after the elector of saxony refused to take into confederacy those eelvetians , because although they were powerfull , and might be very helpfull to him , yet they differing in religion , concerning the article of the lords supper , he said , he durst not joyne with them as confederats , lest such sad things might befal him , as the scripture testifieth to have befallen those who for their help or defence took any assistance they could get . the rule was good in thesi . although in that particular case misapplyed . the very heathens had a notion of the unlawfulnesse of confederacies with wicked men , for as victorinus strigelius on chron : . noteth out of aeschylus his tragedy , intituled , seven to thebe , amphiaraus a wise vertuous man was therefore swallowed up in the earth with seven men , and seven horses , because he had associat himself with tydeus ; capaneus , and other impious commanders marching to the siege of thebe . lastly , take this reason for further confirmation , as wee must doe all to the glory of god , so wee must not make warres to our selves , but to the lord ; hence the booke of the warres of the lord , num : , , and , the battel is not ours , but the lords . sam : , , chron : , . now how shall we imploy them that hate the lord , to help the lord ? or how shall the enemies of his glory do for his glory ? shall rebels & traitors be taken to fight in the kings wars ? offer it to thy governour , as it is said , mal. . see if he would take this wel . as for the objections from scripture , they are before answered . there are many other exceptions of mens corrupt reason , which yet may be easily taken off , if wee will receive scripture light . that very case of iehosophats confederacy with ahab , taketh off many of them ; for although , . iehosophat was a good man , and continued so after that association , not drawn away into idolatry , nor infected with ahabs religion , but onely assisting him in a civil businesse ▪ . ahab lived in the church of israel , which was still a church , although greatly corrupted , and hee was no professed hater of god , ( only he had professed to hate micajah the man of god , ) yea , lately besore this he appeared very penitent , and some think iehosaphat now judged charitably of ahab , because of that great humilation and repentance of his , which god did accept , so far , as to reward it with a temporall sparing mercy , kings . at the end : then followes immediatly , chap : . iehosaphats association with him . although iehosaphat was also joyned in affinity with ahab , ahabs daughter being married to his sonne . . the enemy was the king of syria ; and iehosaphat doth not joyne with a wicked man against any of gods people , but against the infidell syrians ; even as amaziah was beginning to joyne with those of the ten tribes against the edomites . . the cause seemes to have been good , as carthusian on kings . . and lavater upon chron : . . note . for ramoth-gilead was a city of refuge , pertaining to the levites in the tribe of gad , and should have been restored by the king of syria to ahab , according to their covenant , kings . . daneus ▪ brings that same example of ahabs going up against ramoth-gilead , to prove that 't is just to make warre against these who have broken covenant with us . , iehosaphats manner of proceeding , was pious in this respect , that he said to ahab , enquire i pray thee of the word of the lord to day , and again , is there not here a prophet of the lord besides , he enquireth ultrà , and seeks all the light he could there have in point of conscience from prophets of the lord , which makes it probable , that those . prophets did not professe , or were not known to iehosaphat to be prophets of baal ; but were lookt upon as prophets of the lord , as cajetan thinketh . therefore they answer also in the name of the lord , the lord shall deliver it . 't is not likely that iehosaphat would desire the prophets of baal to be consulted , or that hee would hearken to them more , then to the prophet of the lord micajah , yet in this he failed extremly , that he had too far engaged himself to ahab , before the enquiring at the word of the lord. how ever it seemes , he was by this enquiring , seeking a faire way to come off againe . . iehosaphats end was good , martyr on kings . thinkes iehosaphat entered into this confederacy with ahab , for the peace and safety of his kingdome , and to prevent a new war between iudah and israel , such as had been between asa his father , and baasha king of israel , for which end also carthusian ibid. thinks that iehosaphat took ahabs daughter to his son . yet notwithstanding of all this , the prophet iehu saith to him , chron. . . shouldest thou help the ungodly , or love them that hate the lord. the lxx : read , hated of the lord , which comes all to one thing . and least it should be thought a veniall or light matter , headdeth , therefore is wrath upon thee from before the lord. so that from this example we learn ; that let us keep our selves unspotted of the false religion , or errors of those with whom we associate , let wicked men seem never so penitent , and our relations to them be never so near , let the common enemy be an infidell , let the cause be never so good , let the manner of proceeding be never so pious , and the end also good ; yet all this cannot excuse , nor justifie confederacies and associations with wicked and ungodly men . and if god was so angry at iehosaphat , when there were so many things concurring , as might seem to excuse or extenuate his fault , it being also in him a sin of infirmity only , and not without a reluctation of conscience , and a conflict of the spirit against the flesh ( which pareus upon kings . doth well collect from his desire of enquiring at the word of the lord , that hee might have occasion to come off ) how much more will god bee angry with such as go on with an high hand in this trespasse , casting his word behind them , and hating to bee reformed . if it be further objected , that we are not able without such confederacies , and help to prosecute a great war alone . this also the holy ghost hath before hand answered , in the example of ahaz his confederacy with the king of assyria ; for he had a great warre to manage , both against the syrians , and against the king of israel , kings . . also against the edomites and philistims , chron : . , , . yet although he had so much to do , this could not excuse the confederacy with the assyrian : he should have trusted to god , and not used unlawfull means . god can save by few , as well as by many ; yea , sometimes god thinks not fit to save by many , iud. . it shall not be the strength of battell , to have unlawfull confederats , but rather to want them , exod. . . if it be said , it is dangerous to provoke , and incense many wicked men by casting them off . this is plainly answered from the example of amaziah , and the . men of israel with him , of which before . if furthermore objection bee made , that he must be gentle and patient towards all , and in meeknesse , instruct those that oppose themselves , tim. . , . answ : . yet hee bids us turne away from the wicked , ibid : chap : . . wee ought in meeknesse to instruct , even him that is excommunicate , thess : . . yet wee are there warned , vers : . to have no company with him . . the angel of the church at ephesus , is at on ecommended , both for his patience , and that he could not bear them which were evil . i shall adde five distinctions which will take off all other objections that i have yet met with . . distinguish between a confederacy , which is more discretive , and discriminative and a confederacy which is more unitive . and here is the reason why covenants of peace and commerce , even with infidels and wicked persons are allowed , yet military associations with such , disallowed : for the former keeps them , and us still divided as two : the latter unites us and them , as one , and imbodieth us together with them : for thucidides defines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be such a covenant , as makes us and our confederates to have the same friends and enemies , and 't is mentioned by writers , as a further degree of uniou then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or covenants of peace . . distinguish between endeavour of duty , and the perfection of the things , which answeres that exception . o then , we must have an army all of saints ( it should be said , without any known wicked person in it ; ) now even as 't is our duty to endeavour a purging of the church , from wicked and scandalous persons , yet when we have done all we can , the lords field shall not be perfectly purged from tares , til the end of the world , matth. . so when wee have done all that ever we can , to avoid wicked persons in an expedition , yet we cannot be rid of them all ; but we must use our utmost endeavours , that we may be able to say , 't is our affliction , not our fault . . distinguish between some particular wicked persons , here and there mixing themselves with us ; and between a wicked faction , and malignant party : the former should be avoided as much as is possible , but much more a conjunction with a wicked faction . david would by no means meet and consult with the kahal meregnim , the assembly of malignants ; neither did he onely shunne to meet and consult with vaine persons ; who openly shew and bewray themselves ; but even with dissemblers , or ( as the chaldee ) with those that hide themselves , that they may do evill , psal. . , . we can know better how to doe with a whole field of tares , in which is no wheat , then we can do with tares growing here and there among the wheat . . distinguish between such a fellowship with some wicked persons , as is necessary ( which is the case of those that are married , and of parents and children ) or unavoidable , which is the case of those , whose lot is to cohabite in one town , or in one family , in a case of necessity , travelling or sailing together ; distinguish , i say , between these and an elective , or voluntary fellowship with wicked men , when love to them , or our owne benefite draweth us thereunto . we neither loose naturall bonds , nor require impossibilities , but that we keep our selves pure , by not choosing or consenting to such fellowship . . distinguish between infidels , hereticks , wicked persons repenting , and those who go on in their trespasse : what ever men have been , yet as soone as the signes of repentance , and new fruits appeare in them , we are ready to receave them into favour and fellowship : then indeed the wolfe shall dwell with the lambe , and the cow and the bear shall feed , their young ones shall lye down together , meaning , such as were wolves , leopards , bears , and now begin to change their nature ▪ not so with the obstinate , contumacious , and impenitent , who still remaine wolves , &c. let us now , : examine our selves , whether there bee so much tendernesse of conscience in us , as to close with those scripture truths , or whether we are still in a way of consulting with flesh and blood . . be humbled for former miscarriages , and failings in the particulars , and for not walking accuratly , according to these scripture rules . . beward for the future : remember and apply these rules , when we have to do with the practise of them : and that i may drive home this naile to the head : i adde , ( beside what was said before ) these reasons and motives . first , 't is a great judgement when god mingleth a perverse spirit in the midst of a people , isay . . shall we then make that a voluntary act of our own , which the word mentioneth as a dreadfull judgement ? with this spirituall judgement , is oftentimes joyned a temporall judgement , as chren : . : and . . and ▪ . so hos : . . , . compared with hos : . , . where their judgement , soundeth forth their sinne as by an eccho : the chaldee paraphrase in the place last cited , saith , the house of israel is delivered into the hands of the people whom they loved . secondly , remember what followed upon gods peoples mingling themselves with the heathen , psal. . . they were mingled among the heathen , and learned their works , hos : . . ephraim , he hath mixed himself among the people , that is , by making confe deracies with the heathen , ( as luther exponds the place ) and by seeking their help and assistance , hos : . . but what followes , ephraim is a cake not turned , hote and overbaken in the nether side , but cold and raw in the upper side . this will prove the fruit of such confederacies and associations , to make us zealous for some earthly or humane thing , but remisse and cold in the things of christ ; to be too hote on our nether side , and too raw on the upper side . whereas , not mingling our selves with the wicked : we shall through gods mercy be like a cake turned , that heat and zeal which was before downward , shall now be upward , heavenward , godward , let it also bee remembred , how both ahaz , . kings . . and asa himself , chron : . . ( though a good man ) were drawn into other great sinnes , upon occasion of these associations , with the enemies of god and his people : this sinne will certainly ensnare men in other sinnes . 't is well said by calvin upon ezek : . . that as we are too prone of our selves to wickednesse , so when wee enter into confederacies with wicked men , we are but seeking new temptations , and as it were a bellows to blow up our own corruptions , as wine being mixed with water loseth of its spirits , and white being mixed with black , loseth much of its whitenesse : so the people of god , if once mixed with wicked enemies , shall certainly losse of their purity and integrity . thirdly , as these unlawfull confederacies draw us both into great judgements and great sins , so into a great security and stupidity under these great plagues and sins , which will make the estate of such to be yet worse , hos : , , after ephraims mixing himself among the people , t is added , strangers have devoured his strength , and he knoweth it not , yea , gray hairs are here and there upon him , yet he knoweth it not : although his confederats have distressed him , and not strengthned him , and although there may be observed in him diverse signes of a decaying dying condition , yet he knowes it not , nor takes it to heart ; the same thing is insisted upon vers : . ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart ; they call to egypt , they go up to assyria . he is as voide of understanding as a silly dove , whose nest being spoiled , and her young ones taken from her ( which the chaldee paraphrase addeth for explications cause ) yet she still returneth to those places where , and among those people by whom she hath been so spoiled ; so israel will still be medling with those that have done him great hurt . fourthly , we finde that such confederacy or association either with idolaters or known impious persons , is seldome or never recorded in the booke of god , without a reproofe , or some greater mark of gods displeasure put upon it . if it were like the polygamie of the patriarchs , often mentioned and not reproved , it were the lesse marvell to hear it so much debated . but now when god hath so purposely set so many beacons upon those rocks , and shelves that we may beware of them , o why shall we be so mad , as stil to run upon them ? it was reproved in the time of the judges , judg : , , , . it was reproved in the time of the kings ; ahabs covenant with benhadad , asa's covenant with benhadad , ahaz his confederacy with the assyrian ; iehosophats association , first with ahab , then with ahaziah : amaziahs association with those . men of ephraim , when god was not with them , all those are plainly disallowed and condemned . moreover that reproofe , ier : . : and now , what hast thou to do in the way of egypt , to drink the waters of sihor ? or what hast thou to do in the way of assyria , to drink the waters of the river ? the chaldee hath thus ; what have yee to do to associat with pharaoh king of egypt — and what have ye to do to make a covenant with the assyrian ? again after the captivity , ezra : . the jewes mingling of themselves with the heathen is lamented . fifthly , the great and precious promises of god , may encourage us so , as we shall never say to the wicked , a confederacy : for upon condition of our avoiding all such confederacies & conjunctions , god promiseth never to break his covenant with us , iudg : : , . and to receive us as his sons and daughters , cor : . , , , . sixthly , t is one of gods great mercies which he hath covenanted and promised , i will purge out from among you the rebels , and them that transgresse against me , ezek. , . why should we then forsake our own mercy , and despise the counsell of god against our own souls . seventhly , as it was in asa his experience , chron , , , , so it hath been in our own , god hath done his greatest workes for us , when we were most unmixed with such men . there is another objection , which at the writing hereof i have met with : t is davids confederacy and association , both with abner , sam. . , . and with amasa , sam : . . whom according to agreement he made generall of his hoste , sam : , . although both of them had been davids enemies , and born armes against him , abner being also scandalous , both for his whoredome , sam. , . and his treachery against ishbosheth in aspyring to the crown ( which is collected from his going in unto sauls concubine , as absolom did unto davids afterward ) yea for that he had born arms against david , when he knew that god had sworne to make david king , and so against the light of his conscience , sam : , . answ : peter martyr commenting upon those places , dissaloweth davids practise in both these cases , especially his league with abner . should we follow these two examples , not being allowed or commended in scripture ? or should we not rather avoid such confederacies , because of many examples thereof , plainly condemned in the word of god ? . what soever may ●…e conceived to be allowable or excusable in these examples of david , yet it cannot be applied , except in like cases . when david covenanted with abner , he was but king of judah , abner undertakes to bring about all israel to him , and that he should make him reigne over all the tribes , whereas otherwise there was no appearance of davids subdueing of all the other tribes ; but by a long and bloody warre . again , when david covenanted and capitulated with amasa , he was in a manner fled out of the land for absalom , sam : . . and was forced to abide in the land of gilead beyond jordan , fearing also ( as interpreters observe ) that the men of iudah having strengthned ierusalem and kept it with a garison for absalom , and having done so much in assisting absalom against david , should grow desperat in holding out against him , hoping for no mercy , therefore he is content to make amasa generall of his army , upon condition that he would cause the men of iudah to bring him back to ierusalem , which amasa moves the men of iudah to do , sam : , ; for it was done by his authority , as iosephus also writeth , nor could it be done without his authority , for absalom and ahitophel being dead , amasa had the whole power and sole headship of that army and of all that faction that had followed absalom . now then let them that will plead for the lawfullnesse of confederacies with wicked persons from these examples of david , first make the case alike , that is , that the wicked one have power of an army , and of a great body of the kingdom , to make them either continue in rebellion and enmity , or to come in and submit . next let it be remembred that both abner and amasa did a great service , ( which was most meritorious at the hands of men ) for the good , peace , and safety of king and kingdom , and they did it at that time also when david was but weak , & they had power enough to have continued a war against him . which is a very rare case , and far different from the case of such as have done and are doing all that they can to pervert and mislead many thousands of the people of god , instead of reducing many thousands to obedience ; as abner and amasa did . . there are some other answers proper to the one case and the other . there is nothing in the text to prove , that david made such a covenant with abner , as the grecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or that he covenanted to make him generall of his army , ( as afterwards he covenanted with amasa , ) for at that time he could have no colour of reason for casting ioab out of his place , as afterwards he had ; therefore i understand with sanctius that the league which abner sought from david , was foedus pacis , a covenant of peace . hierome readeth , fac mecum amicitias , make friendship with me , for before they had been enemies : so that this league is not of that kind which is chiefly controverted . as for amasa , i shall not go about ( as some have done ) to excuse or extenuate his fault in joyning with absalom , as not being from any malice or wicked intention against david his uncle ; but there is some probability that amasa was a penitent and hopefull man. sure david had better hopes of him , then of ioab : and if it be true which iosephus writeth , that before david sent zadock and abiathar to the men of iudah , and to amasa , frequent messages came from them to the king , desiring to be received into his favour ; how ever amasa being so willing and ready to do so much for david , when he might have done so much against him , david as he could not doe his businesse without him , so hee had some ground to hope well of him ; considering withall , that amasa was not set upon this business by any offence or displeasure at the other party , as abner was . . even as this example , so far as concerneth the laying aside , and casting off of ioab , and not preferring his brother abishai in his room ( both of them being gui●…ty of abners bloud , sam. . . and both of them being too hard for david ) helpeth to strengthen that which i have been pleading for . the point being now so fully cleared from scripture , here is the lesse reason to argue contrariwise from human examples in christian states and common-wealths . the word of god must not stoupe to mens practises , but they to it . yet even among those whose examples is alledged for the contrary opinion , there want not instances for cautiousnesse and conscientiousnesse , in choosing or refusing confederats . as namely among the helvetians or suitzers . they of zurik and berne , when once reformed , renounced their league made before with the french king , for assisting him in his wars , and resolved onely to keep peace with him ; but would not continue the league of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or joyning with him in his wars . and whatsoever were the old leagues about . years agoe , mutually binding those cantons each to other for aid and succour , and for the common defence of their country , and for preservation of their particular rights and liberties , and for a way of decideing controversies and pleas , between men of one canton and of another ( which leagues are recorded by those that write of that common-wealth ) yet after the reformation of religion , there was so much zeal on both sides , that it grew to a war between the popish and the protestant cantons , wherein as the popish side strengthened themselves by a confederacy with ●…erdinand the emperours brother , so the protestant side , zurik , berne , and basil entered into a confederacy , first with the city of strasburgh , and shortly thereafter with the lantgrave of hesse , that thereby they might bee strengthened , and aided against the popish cantons . the differences of religion put them to it , to choose other confederates . neverthelesse , i can easily admit what lavater judiciously observeth , upon ezek. . , , , . that covenants made before true religion did shine among a people , are not to be rashly broken ; even as the beleeving husband , ought not to put away the unbeleiving wife , whom he married when himself also was an unbeleever , if she be willing still to abide with him . whatsoever may be said for such covenants , yet confederacies with enemies of true religion , made after the light of reformation , are altogether unexcusable . peradventure some have yet another objection : this is an hard saying ( say divers malignants ) we are looked upon as enemies , if we come not in and take the covenant , and when we are come in and have taken the covenant , wee are still esteemed enemies to the cause of god , and to his servants . answ. this is just , as if those traitors , covenant breakers , and other scandalous persons , from which the apostle bids us turne away , tit. . . had objected , if we have no forme of godlinesse , we are looked upon as aliens , and such as are not to be numbered among gods people , yet now when wee have taken on a forme of godlinesse , we are in no better esteem with paul , but still he will have christians to turne away from us : yea , 't is as if workers of iniquity living in the true church , should object against christ himself , if we pray not , if wee hear not the word , &c. we are not accepted , but rejected for the neglect of necessary duties , yet when wee have prayed , heard , &c : we are told for all that : depart from me yee workers of iniquity , i never knew you . men must bee judged according to their fruits , according to their words and works , and course of living ; and if any who have taken the covenant , shew themselves in their words and actions , to be still wicked enemies , our eyes must not bee put out with their hand at the covenant . if any disaffected shall still insist and say ; but why then are we receaved , both to the covenant and to the sacrament , nay , why are wee forced and compelled into the covenant . answ. . if any known malignant , or complier with the rebels , or with any enemy of this cause hath been receaved , either to the covenant or sacrament , without signes of repentance for the former malignancy , and scandale ( such signes of repentance , i mean , as men in charity ought to be satisfied with , ) 't is more then ministers and elderships can answer , either to god , or the acts and constitutions of this nationall church . i trust all faithfull and conscientious ministers have laboured to keep themselves pure in such things . yea , the generall assembly hath ordained , that known compliers with the rebels , and such as did procure protections from the enemy , or keep correspondence and intelligence with him , shall be suspended from the lords-supper , till they manifest their repentance before the congregation . now if any after signes , and declaration of repentance , have turned again to their old wayes of malignancy , their iniquity bee upon themselves , not upon us . . men are no otherwise drawn or forced into the covenant , then into other necessary duties . nay it ought not to be called a forceing or compelling . are men forced to spare their neighbours life , because murther is severly punished ? or are men compelled to be loyall , because traitors are examplarily punished ? there may , and must be a willingnesse and freenesse in the doing of the contrary duty ; although great sinnes must not go away unpunished . men are not compelled to vertue , because vice is punished , else vertue were not vertue . those that refuse the covenant , reproach it , or rail against it , ought to be looked upon as enemies to it , and dealt with accordingly : yet if any man were knowne to take the covenant against his will , he were not to be receaved . . these two may well stand together , to censure the contempt or neglect of a duty , and withall to censure wickednesse in the person that hath taken up the practise of the dutie . if any israelite would not worship the true god , hee was to be put to death , chron. . . but withall , if worshipping the true god , hee was found to bee a murtherer , an adulterer , &c. for this also hee was to bee put to death . the generall assembly of this church hath appointed , that such as after admonition , continue in an usuall neglect of prayer , and the worship of god in their families , shall bee suspended from the lords-supper , till they ●…mend : yet if any man shall be found to make familie worship a cloak to his swearing , drunkennesse ; adultery or the like , must these scandalous sinnes be uncensured , because hee hath taken upon him a forme of godlinesse ? god forbid . 't is just so here , refusers of the covenant , and railers against it , are justly censured : but withall , if wickednesse and malignancie , be found in any that have taken the covenant ; their offence and censure is not to be extenuated , but to be aggravated . i had been but very short in the handling of this question , if new objections coming to my eares , had not drawn me forth to this length . and now i finde one objection more . some say , the arguments before brought from scripture , prove not the unlawfulnesse of confederacies , and associations with idolaters , heretickes , or prophane persons of the same kingdome , but onely with those of another kingdome . answ. . then by the concession of those that make the objection , 't is at least unlawfull , to associate our selves with any of another kingdome , who are of a false religion , or wicked life . . if familiar fellowship , even with the wicked of the same kingdome be unlawfull , then is a military association with them unlawfull ; for it cannot be without consulting , conferring , conversing frequently together . it were a prophane abusing , and mocking of scripture to say , that we are forbidden to converse familiarly with the ungodly of another kingdome , but not with the ungodly of the same kingdome , or that we are forbidden to marry with the ungodly of another kingdome , but not with the ungodly of the same kingdom , for what is this , but to open a wide gate upon the one hand ; while wee seem to shut a narrow gate upon the other hand ? . were not those military associations , chron ▪ . . and . , . condemned upon this reason , because the associats were ungodly , haters of the lord , and because god was not with them . now then , à quatenus ad omne , the reason holds equally against associations with any , of whom it can be truly said , they are ungodly , haters of the lord , and god is not with them . . god would have the camp of israel altogether holy and clean , deut. . . to ▪ clean from whom ? not so much from wicked heathens ( there was not so much fear of that ) as from wicked israelites . . saith not david , i will early destroy all the wicked of the land , psal. . . and , depart from me all ye workers of iniquity , psal. . . how can it then be imagined , that he would make any of them his associats , and helpers in warre . amandus polanus comment , in ezek : ▪ , , . qui ecclesiae scortationem , hoc est idololatriam vel falsam doctrinam , & confederationes cum impiis reprehendit , non est hereticus , non est schismaticus , non est ingratus adversus matrem eccelesiam : alioqui●… etiam ezekiel cum jeremiâ , aliisque prophetis , fuisset hereticus , aut schismaticus , aut ingratus . chap. xv. of uniformity in religion , worship of god , and church government . the word vniformity is become al 's odious to divers who plead for liberty and tolleration , as the word conformity was in the prelats times . hence proceeded mr delles book against uniformity , and mr burtons book , intituled , conformities deformity . i confesse my love and desire of uniformity hath not made mee any whit to depart from my former principles against the prelaticall conformity , or the astricting of mens consciences ( at least in point of practise and observation ) to certain rites , whether unlawful or indifferent in their own nature , under pain of censure . yet i must needs justifie ( as not only lawfull , but laudable ) what the solemne league and covenant of the three kingdoms , obligeth us unto , namely to endeavour to bring the churches of god in the three kingdomes to the nearest conjunction and uniformity in one confession of faith , one directory of worship , one forme of church government and catechisme . it is alwayes to be remembred , that good things , yea the best things may be dangerously abused by the corruptions of men , especially when the times are generally corrupted . luther had reason in his time , and as the case stood then , to decline a generall synod of protestants for unity in ceremonies ( which some moved for ) before the doctrine of faith , and the substance of the gospell was setled . he said the name of synods and counsels was almost al 's much suspected with him , as the name of free will , and that he would have the churches freely and voluntarly to comply and conforme in externall rites , by following the best examples in these things , but by no means to be compelled to it , or snares prepared for the consciences of the weak . see melchior adamus in vit : lutheri pag : , . but if luther had found al 's good opportunity and al 's much possibility of attayning a right uniformity in church government and worship , as god vouchsafeth us in this age , i do not doubt , but he had been more zealous for it , then any of us now are , or if hee had been in calvins stead , i make no question he had done in this businesse as calvin did . so that we ought to impute it rather to their times and places in which they lived , then to the difference of their spirits , that luthers zeal was wholly spent upon the doctrine of free grace . calvins zeal did also extendit self to discipline , about which luther was unwilling to make any busines at all . but for further satisfaction to truly tender consciences , and that they may not fear we are leading them back again to egypt , i desire that these particular differences between the prelaticall conformity , and the presbyteriall uniformity according to the covenant , may be well observed . first , they did after the heathenish and popish maner affectat ceremonies , and a pompous externall splendor and spectability , and made the kingdome of god come with observation . we desire to retain only the ancient apostolicall simplicity and singlenesse , and we conceive the fewer ceremonies , the better , knowing that the minds of people are thereby inveagled and distracted from the spirituall and inward duties . . much of the prelaticall conformity consisted in such things as were in themselves & in their own nature unlawful , and contrary to the word . shew us the like in any part of our uniformity , then let that thing never more be heard of . uniformity in any thing which is unlawfull is a great aggravation of the sin . they conformed to the papists , we to the example of the best reformed churches , which differeth al 's much fr●…m their way , as she that is dressed like other honest women distereth from her that is dressed like a whore . . the prelatical conformity was for the most part made up of sacred ceremonies , which had been grossely and notoriously abused either to idolatry or superstition , and therefore being things of no necessary use , ought not to have been continued , but abolished as the brazen serpent was by hezekiah . but in our uniformity now excepted against , i know no such thing ( and i am confident no man can give instance of any such thing in it ) as a sacred religious rite or thing which hath neither from scripture nor nature any necessary use , and hath been notoriously abused to idolatry or superstition , if any such thing can be found , i shall confesse it ought not to be continued . . they imposed upon others and practised themselves ceremonies ( acknowledged by themselves to be in their own nature meerly indifferent , but looked upon by many thousands of godly people , as unlawfull and contrary to the word ) to the great scandall and offence of their brethren . our principle is , that things indifferent ought not to be practised with the scandall and offence of the godly . . their way was destructive to true christian liberty both of conscience and practise , compelling the practise and conscience it self , by the meer will and authority of the law-makers . obedite praepositis was the great argument with them to satisfie consciences , sic volo , sic jubeo , sit pro ratione voluntas . we say that no canons nor constitutions of the church can bind the conscience nisi per & propter verbum dei , i.e. except in so far as they are grounded upon and warrantable by the word of god , at least by consequence , and by the generall rules thereof . and that canons concerning things indifferent bind not extra casum scandali & contemptus , i , e. when they may be omitted without giving scandall , or shewing any contempt of the ecclesiasticall authority . . the prelaticall ordinances were after the commandements and doctrines of men , as the apostle speaks , col : , . compare mat : . . but in vain do they worship me , teaching for doctrines the commandements of men . where doctrines may fitly expresse the nature of significant mysterious ceremonies ( such as was the pharisaicall washing of hands , cups , tables , &c. to teach and signifie holines ) all sacred significant ceremonies of mans devysing , we condemne as an addition to the word of god , which is forbidden no lesse then a diminution from it . let many of those who object against our uniformity , examine whether their own way hath not somewhat in it , which is a sacred significant ceremony of humane invention , and without the word ; for instance , the anointing of the sick in these dayes when the miracle is ceased , the church covenant , &c. for our part , except it be a circumstance , such as belongeth to the decency and order , which ought to appear in all humane societies and actions whether civill or sacred , we hold that the church hath not power to determine or enjoyne any thing belonging to religion : and even of these circumstances we say that although they be so numerous and so various , that all circumstances belonging to all times and places could not be particularly determined in scripture , yet the church ought to order them so , and hath no power to order them otherwise , then as may best agree with the generall rules of the word . now setting aside the circumstantials , there is not any substantiall part of the uniformity according to the covenant , which is not either expresly grounded upon the word of god , or by necessary consequence drawn from it , and so no commandement of men , but of god. other differences i might adde , but these may abundantly suffice to shew that the prelaticall conformity and the presbyterian uniformity are no lesse contrary one to another , then darknes and light , black and white , bitter and sweet , bad and good . and now having thus cleared the true nature and notion of uniformity , that it s altogether another thing from that which its opposers apprehend it to be , the work of arguing for it may be the shorter and easier , m ● , dell in his discourse against uniformity , argueth against it both from nature and from scripture . i confesse if one will transire de genere in genus , as he doth , its easie to find a disconformity between one thing and another , either in the works of creation , or in the things recorded in scripture . but if one will look after uniformity in uno & eodem genere , in one and the same kind of things ( which is the uniformity we plead for ) then both nature & scripture giveth us presidents not against uniformity , but for it . it is a maxime in naturall philosophy , that motus coeliest semper uniformis velocitate , the heavens do not move sometime more slowly , sometime more swiftly , but ever uniformly . god himself tels us of the sweet influences of pleiades , of the bands of orion , of the bringing foorth of mazaroth in his season , and of the other ordinances of heaven , which all the power on earth cannot alter nor put out of course , iob , , , . of the sea which is shut up within the decreed place , & within the doors and barres which it cannot passe , vers : , . and generally all the great works which god doeth there discourse of , each of them in its own kinde is uniforme to it self : so likewise , psal : . hath not god said , that while the earth remaineth , seed time and harvest , and cold and heat , and sommer and winter , day and night shall not cease , gen ▪ , . if there were not an uniformity in nature , how could fair weather be known by a red sky in the evening , or foul weather by a red and lou●…ing sky in the morning ? mat : , , . if there be not an uniformity in nature , why saith salomon , the thing that hath been , it is that which shall be , and there is no new thing under the sun ? eccl. . . is it not an uniformity in nature that the st●…rk in the heavens knoweth her appointed times , and the turtle , and the cran , and the swallow observe the time of their comming , ier. . . is not that an uniformity in nature ? io. . . there are yet foure mone hs and then cometh harvest ? as the apostle saith of the members of the body which we think to be lesse honourable , upon these we bestow more abundant honour , cor. . , so i may say of these things in nature which may perhaps seem to have least uniformity in them ( such as the waxing and weaning of the moon , the ebbing and flowing of the sea , and the like ) even in these a very great uniformity may be observed . as for scripture presidents , there was in the old testament a marvelous great uniformity both in the substantialls and rituals of the worship and service of god. for instance , num. . . 't is said of the passeover , ye shall keep it in his appointed season : according to all the rites of it , and according to all the ceremonies thereof shall ye keep it . exod. , . one law shall be to him that is homeborn , & unto the stranger that sojurneth among you . another instance see in the sacrifices , levit , first . chapters . another instance act. , . for moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him , being raed in the synagogues every sabboth day . a fourth instance in the courses and services of the priests and levits , chron , , , , & . luke . , . the like in other instances . of the church of the new testament , it was prophesied , that god would give them one way , aswell as one heart , ier : . . that there shall not onely be one lord , but his name one , zack : . . wee are exhorted to walk by the same rule , so farre as we have attained , that is , to study uniformity , not diversity in those things which are agreed upon to bee good and right , phil. . . doeth not the apostle plainly intimat and commend an uniformity in the worship of god , cor. . . if any man speak in an unknown tongue , let it beby two , or , at the most , by three , and that by course , and let one interpret , vers . for god is not the author of confusion , but of peace , as in all the churches of the saints , vers . . let all things bee done decently and in order . hee limiteth the prophets to that same number , of two or three ; even as he limiteth those that had the gift of tongues , vers , . and was it not a great uniformity , that he would have every man who prayed , or prophesied , to have his head uncovered , and every woman covered , cor. . doeth not the same apostle , besides the doctrine of faith , and practicall duties of a christian life , deliver severall canons to bee observed in the ordination and admission of elders and deacons , concerning widows , concerning accusations , admonitions , censures , and other things belonging to church policy , a , appeareth , especially from the epistles to timothy and titus ? and cor : . , . hee will have an uniformity between the churches of galatia , and of corinth , in the very day of putting forth their charity . now concerning the colection for the saints , as i have given order to the churches of galatia , even so doe you , upon the first day of the week , let every one of you lay by him in store , &c. in the ancient church , although there was not an uniformity in all particulars among all the churches ; for instance in the point of fasting , some fasting on the sabbath , some not , some taking the lords-supper fasting , some after meals , which differences in fasting , gave occasion to the old rule : dissonantia ●…ejunii non dissolvit consonantiam fidei . although likewise , there was a great difference between the custome of one church and another , in the time and manner of celebrating the lords-supper . and in other particulars , as augustine , socrates and the author of the tripartite history , record unto us . yet the centuryes and other ecclesiasticall historians , shew us in every century , a great uniformity in those ancient times , even in very many things belonging to church government , and forme of worship . neither can any man doubt of the great uniformity in the ancient church : who is not a stranger to the canons of the ancient councells . and although irenaeus and others justly blamed victor bishop of rome , for excommunicating the churches of asia , and the quartodecimans , because of their disconformity , in keeping of easter , yet the endeavoring of the nearest uniformity in that particular , was so farre from being blamed , that it was one cause ( though neither the sole nor principall ) of the calling and conveening the councell of nice , which councell did not leave it arbitary to every one , to follow their owne opinion concerning easter , but by their canon determined , that it should not be keept upon the same day with the jews , that is , upon the . day of the moneth . chap. xvi . whether it be lawfull , just , and expedient , that there be an ordinance of parliament , for the taking of the solemne league and covevenant , by all persons in the kingdome , under a considerable penaltie . or an answer returned to a gentleman , who had consulted a friend concerning this question . first of all , that i may rightly deduce and state the matter of fact , 't is to be remembred . that the solemne league and covenant hath been the strongest band of union in this common cause of religion and liberty , and that which the common enemies , have mainly endeavoured with all their might to overthrow . that the chief motive to engage scotland , was professed to be the reformation of religion , and uniformity according to the covenant . that the league and treaty between the two kingdomes , is in pursuance of the ends of the covenant , especially the aforsaid ends of religion . that the declaration of both kindomes , emitted to other nations , doeth hold forth to the world , that our war is for the ends of the covenant , and that we should never lay down armes , till these were obtained . that by order of parliament , the covenant was turned in latine , and sent abroad to the reformed churches , with letters from the assembly of divines . that upon the former assurances , the church and kingdome of scotland , the parliaments of both kingdomes , the assembly of divines , the city of london , and many thousands in england , have taken the covenant , and have sworne most solemnly , that they shall constantly , really , and sincerly , during all the dayes of their lifetime , with their lives and fortunes , stand to the performance of it . and both kingdomes have suffered the losse of their goods chearfully , laid out their means , and laid downe their lives resolutly in pursuance thereof . at the treaty of vxbridge , the propositions for religion ( of which the confirming of the covenant , is the first and chiefest ) were acknowledged to be of such excellency , and absolute necessity , as they were appointed to be treated of in the first place , and that no peace nor agreement should be , till they were first agreed unto . the same propositions for religion , are yet set down in the first place amongst the propositions sent last to the king , as being agreed unto by the parliaments of both kingdomes . and that now the kings answer to the propositions is delayed , the house of commons have thought fit , to turne the propositions into ordinances , to shew their constant resolution of adhering thereto , and that they may be of greater force , and receave the better obedience from the subjects , have converted the propositions for civill matters into ordinances , and ( that their zeal and constancy may appear for religion , which is of greatest moment , and wherein the glory of god , and the good of his church is most concerned ) it is desired , that the propositions concerning the covenant , may be likewise turned into an ordinance , with a considerable penalty , that so we may give some reall evidence , that we do not s●…ek the things of this world in the first place , and the kingdome of heaven , and the righteousnesse of it in the last ; much lesse , that demas ▪ like we forsake it as lovers of this present world . now the grounds and reasons for such an ordinance may be these . . it were a great unthankfulnsse to god , if after sacred and solemne vowes made in time of our greatest dangers , and when after our vowes , god hath begun to deliver us , and hath dissipated our enemies , we should now grow wearie of paying , and performing those vowes . we may say of the covenant , as the prophet said of the laying of the foundation of the second temple . consider whether from that very day god did not sensibly blesse us , and give a testimony from heaven , to his own cause and covenant . and now shall the covenant which was our glory and ornament before god and men , be laid aside as a worne or moth-eaten garment ? god forbid . . if the taking of the solemne league and covenant , bee not enjoyned by authority of parliaments , under a penalty , but left arbitrary , this were an opening in stead of shutting of the doore unto as many as are apt and inclinable ●…o refuse and oppose the covenant , yea , to as many as write or speak against it , and maintaine opinions or practises contrary to it . the impiety and obstinacy of such persons , if not punished , but connived at , or tacitely permitted by the parliaments , involveth them and the nation as partakers of the sinne , and so consequently of the judgement . although the oath which ioshua and the princes of israel made to the gibeonites , was made unadvisedly , and without asking counsell from the mouth of the lord , yet some hundred yeares after being broken , that breach brought a nationall judgement , till justice was done upon the offenders . how much more may a nationall judgement bee feared , if even in our dayes the contempt and violation of a most lawfull and sacred oath , bee winked at ? surely god will not wink at their sinne , who wink at his dishonour . better not to have vowed , then not to pay and performe . . when king iosiah made a solemne covenant ( the effect whereof was a through reformation , the taking away of the ancient and long continued high places , the destroying of baals vessels , altars , priests , &c. kings . through out ) he did not leave this covenant arbitrary : but he caused all that were present in ierusalem , and benjamine to stand to it , chron. . . in all which he is set forth as a president to christian reformers , that they may know their duety in like cases . . all who did take the solemne league and covenant are thereby obleiged in their severall places and callings ( and so the houses of parliament in their place and calling ) to endeavour the extirpation of popery , prelacy , heresie , schisme , superstition , and prophannesse . how is this part of the oath of god fulfilled , if the covenant it selfe , made for the extirpation of all these , be left arbitrary ? . the vow and protestation was not left arbitrary . for by the vote , iuly . . it was resolved upon the question , that whosoever would not take that protestation , are declared to be unfit to bear any office in the church or state , which was accordingly published . but the solemne league and covenant must be at least more effectuall then the protestation , for the narrative , or preface of the covenant , holdeth forth the necessity of the same , as a more effectuall means to be used , after other means of supplication , remonstrance , and protestation . . this same solemne league and covenant was not in the beginning left arbitrary , for some members were suspended from the house , for not taking it . and in the ordinance , feb. . it is ordained and enjoyned , that it be solemnly taken in all places throughout the kingdome of england , and dominion of wales . and withall , in the instructions and orders of parliament , then sent into the committees , it was appointed that the names of such as refuse it , should be returned to the parliament , that they may take such further course with them , as they shall thinke fit . in the ordinance of parliament , for ordination of ministers , ( both the first and the last ordinance ) the person to be ordained , is appointed and obleiged to addresse himself to the presbyterie : and bring with him a testimony of his taking the covenant of the three kingdomes . again , by the ordinance for election of elders , dated the . of aug : . no member of any congregation , may concurre or have voice in the choosing of elders , but such as have taken the nationall covenant . . in the first article of the treaty between the kingdomes , signed novemb : . . 't is agreed and concluded , that the covenant bee sworne and subscribed by both kingdomes , not that it shall bee taken by as many as will in both kingdomes , but that it shall bee taken by both kingdomes . how shall this be performed , if it bee still left arbitrary ? . in the propositions of peace , 't is plainly supposed and intimated , that the taking of the covenant shall bee enjoyned under some penalty . otherwise we have not delt faithfully , neither with god nor man , in tendering that second proposition to the king , concerning his consent to an act of parliament in both kingdomes respectively , for the enjoyning the taking of the covenant , by all the subjects of the three kingdomes with such penalties as by mutuall advice of both kingdomes , shall be agreed upon . . if other propositions of peace be turned into ordinances , and this of the covenant not so , it will strengthen the calumnies cast upon the parliament by the malignant party , that they have had no intention to setle religion according to the covenant , but that they entred into the covenant for bringing in the scots to their assistance , and for gaining the good opinion of the reformed churches . . it will also be a dangerous president to separat between the legislative power , and the corrective or punitive power . for if after the ordinance of parliament injoyning and ordaining that the covenant be taken universally throughout the whole kingdome , there be no sanction nor penalty upon these who shall refuse it , let wise men judge , whether this may not expose the authority of parliament to contempt . i shal conclud with this syllogisme , that which is not only sinful in it self , but a great dishonour to god , a great scandall to the church , & with all a disobedience to the lawfull ordinance of authority , may and ought to be punished , by this christian and reforming parliament . but their offence which still refuse to take the covenant , is not only sinfull in it self , but a great dishonour to god , a great scandall to the church , and with all a disobedience to the lawful ordinance of authority . therefore the offence of these who still refuse to take the covenant , may and ought to be punished by this christian and reforming parliament . objections answered . . object . the covenant ought not to be compulsory but free : good things grow evill when mens consciences are thereunto forced ▪ answ. . an ordinance injoyning the taking of it under a certain penalty , were no other compulsion , then was used by king iosiah and others , yea by this present parliament upon their own members , and upon ministers to be ordained , as is evident by the passages above expressed . the parliament hath also by their ordinance dated the . of august . imposed the directory of worship under certain mulcts and penalties to be inflicted upon such as do not observe it , or preach or write against it . . t is no tyranny overmens consciences , to punish a great and scandalous sin ( such as the refusing and opposing of the covenant , or a divyding from it ) althogh the offender in his conscience believe it to be no sin , yea peradventur believe it to be a duety . otherwise it had been tyranny over the conscience to punish those who killed the apostles , because they thought they were doing god good service , ioh : , . thirdly , if they who make this objection be so tender of mens consciences , why would they keep up an army when there is no enemy , and continue taxes and burthens upon the exhausted counties , which are altogether against the consciences of the generality of people in the kingdome . if in these things they will have the conscience of any to be forced , and in the covenant the consciences of some left at liberty , this is not fair and equall , and it will be generally apprehended , that such men study their own interest more then the publick . . object : the covenant was occasionall , and temporary , being made upon the occasion of the prevalency and growing power of the enemy ( as is mentioned in the narrative ) which fundation being taken away , the superstructure cannot stand . answ. . ex malis moribus bonae nascuntur leges . shall wee therefore be no longer bound to obey and maintaine good lawes , because the evils which gave occasion to their making have ceased . . the covenant doth in expresse words oblige us constantly , and all the dayes of our lives , to pursue the ends therein expressed . so that to hold it but a temporary obligation is a breach of covenant . . there is not any one of the ends of the covenant which is yet fully attained . the very directory of worship is not observed in most places of the kingdome . neither is the abolitione of prelacy , and of the book of common prayer yet established by act of parliament . . if we had attained the ends of the covenant ( which we have not ) yet non minor est virtus quam quaerere parta tueri , and the recidivation may prove worse then the first disease . . object . some things in the covenant are disputable , for instance , good and learned men differ in their opinions about prelacy . answ : . the oath of supremacy was much more disputable , and great disputs there were among good and learned men about it , yet it hath been imposed upon all members of parliament . . if the very materials of the covenant be stuck at , whether they be good in themselves , there is the greater danger to leave all men to abound in their own sense , concerning things of the highest consequence . . object : the army which hath served us so faithfully and regained our liberties , shall by this ordinance loose their own greatest liberty , which is the liberty of their consciences ▪ answ : . in the ordinance and instructions of parliament dated the feb : . it was ordained that the covenant should be speedily sent to my lord generall , and the lord admirall , and all other commanders in cheiff , governours of towns , &c. to the end it may be taken by all officers and souldiers under their command . i hope the parliament did not here take from their army the liberty of their consciences . . the army must either take lawes from the parliament , or give laws to the parliament . if they will as the parliaments servants , submit themselves to the ordinances of the parliament ( which hath ever been professed they would doe ) then the objection is taken away . but if they will be the parliaments masters or fellows , and independent upon the parliament it self , and at libertie to reject as they list so good or wholesome an ordinance a●… the taking of the covenant , then god have mercy upon us , if the parliament doe not preserve their owne rights and priviledges , with which the kingdome hath entrusted them . . if an ordinance imposing the taking of the covenant under a considerable penaltie , be to the army scandalum acceptum . the not passing of such an ordinance will be scandalum datum to the city of london , and to many thousands of the godly and well affected of the kingdome , both ministers and people , who have faithfully adhered to , and served the parliament , and will still hazard their lives and fo●…tunes in pursuance of the ends of the covenant ; yea , a horrible scandall to the reformed churches abroad , whose hearts were once comforted and raised up to expect better things . . god forbid , there be any such in the houses of parliament , as would admit of deformation instead of reformation , and all maner of confusion in place of government . would not this be the ready way to banish all religion , and open a door for all sorts of schisme and haeresie ? and shal this be the fruits of the labours , blood and expences of the three kingdomes , in place of reformation and uniformity , to admit of such a liberty and horrible confusion ? let it not be told in gath , nor published in askelon , least the philistims rejoice , least the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph . chap. xvii . of infant baptisme . master tombes in his apology for the two treatises , and appendix concerning infant baptisme , inserts a letter to mr. selden , pag. . in which he intimateth his opinion , that paedobaptisme did not succeed into the roome of circumcision , wherein he saith , hee was the more confirmed , having read of baptisme , used among the jews before the time of iohn baptist , in their admitting of proselytes , and that therefore iohn was not accused for baptizing , as if that had been a novation or new rite introduced , but for baptizing without authority . i do not marvell that mr. tombes is so cautious , that baptisme should not be thought to succeed into the roome of circumcision , for so he should make baptisme more like to the circumcision of the arabians , who are not circumcised , till they be . years old ( as zonaras annal. tom . . de rebus iudaicis , pag : . tels us ) because their forefather ishmael was circumcised about that age , then to the circumcision of the eight day , ordinarly used among the people of god under the old testament . for my part , i think the apostle , col. . , , doth plainly hold forth , that baptisme hath succeeded into the roome of circumcision : which is also the common and receaved opinion of divines . however , because mr. tombes doth rather think that the christian baptisme , succeedeth to that baptisme used among the jews in their admission of proselytes , this hath ministred occasion to mee , to apply my thoughts , to search a little into the originall of baptisme by ●…ater , and whether the originall thereof , or that which god had respect unto in the institution thereof , maketh any thing against , or for infant-baptisme . that baptizing with water is a divine institution , is plaine from iohn . . hee that sent me to baptize with water , the same said unto me , upon whom thou shalt see the spirit descending , &c. as for that which this institution had reference unto in the old testament , or jewish customs , first of all consider ezech. . . as for thy nativity in the day thou wast borne , thy navell was not cut , neither was thou washed in water to supple thee , &c. where the chaldee saith , the congregation of israel was like unto a childe cast out into the open field , whose navell is not cut , and it is not washed in water , that it might be cleansed . the septuagint whom hierome followeth , and thou art not washed in water unto salvation . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in salutem . hierome applyeth it to baptisme , as being necessary even to infants who are in their bloud and siufull pollution , and have therefore need to bee washed in the laver of regeneration , and baptized . not onely the hebrews , but the heathens had a custome of washing infants soon after their birth , in those hote countries . hence that of virgil. lib. . aeneid . — durum à stirpe genus , natos ad flumina primum deferimus , saevoque geluduramus , & aestu . pineda de rebus solomonis , lib . cap : . noteth that from the hebrews and egyptians , this custome of washing new born babes was derived almost to all nations , for which purpose , he citeth many testimonies . in the next place consider , that as the institution of baptisme by water related to that in ezech : . . so also to the typicall baptisme of all the children of israel , men , women , and children in the red sea , and in the cloud , cor : . . . moreover brethren , i would not that ye should be ignorant , how that all our fathers were under the cloud , and all passed through the sea . and were all baptized unto moses in the cloud and the sea . the apostle speaking there of the church which was brought out of egypt ( whom he calls our fathers , because they were the people and church of god long before us , and from them the law and service of god was transmitted and propagated to us ) sheweth that as their sacraments could not profit them to salvation , they living in sinne and provoking god after they had receaved those sacraments , no more can our sacraments profit us , if wee sinne as they did . for their priviledges were the same with ours . the manna and water out of the rocke was the same for substance and signification to them , which the supper of the lord is to us ; the same spirituall meat , the same spirituall drinke was given both to them and us . so likewise their passing through the sea , and under the cloud was the very same for substance and signification with our baptisme , and they were externally baptized with a true sacrament of baptisme , as well as wee . that baptisme of theirs , did fitly resemble this baptisme of ours in diverse respects . for instance . . they were first brought out of egypt before they were brought through the sea , so we are first redeemed by christ , and finde grace and favour in his eyes , before we receave the seals of the covenant of grace . baptisme is intended onely for the redeemed of the lord. . they were baptized unto moses , ( or as the syriak , and arabik , as likewise augustine , by moses ) that is , moses was the leader and commander of the people , ( so theophylact ) and hee the captaine of their salvation , or rather moses was a typicall mediatour typifying christ ; or they were baptized unto moses , that is , they were by baptisme dedicated and consecrated to that doctrine , covenant , promise of life , faith and obedience , which god revealed by the hand of moses . so are we baptized unto christ , or unto his death , and the benefits and fruits thereof . the same covenant of grace for substance , was sealed by their baptisme and ours . . that baptisme of theirs did visibly separat between them and the egyptians : for the cloud divided them from the egyptians , and the sea drowned the egyptians . so our baptisme , which is unto us a token of salvation , is unto aliens and those without , a token of perdition , and distinguisheth between the church and the rest of the world . . their baptisme was by water , both in the sea and cloud ( it being also probably conceaved that they were sprinkled with drops both of the sea and cloud ) so is ours by water . . the sea resembleth the water , the cloud resembleth the spirit in our baptisme . so athanasius . that is beside the water in baptisme , the spirit is also powred out from on high , and there is an influence of grace from above , according to the good pleasure of gods will , upon so many as are ordained to eternall life . that the cloud did typifie the spirit was damascens observation , who is herein followed by some interpreters . . they passed but once through the red sea ; but the cloud continued alwayes with them in the wildernesse . so the externall baptisme is a transient action , and but once used to one person , not reiterated ; but the spirit and gracious presence of god continueth ever with them in this world . . they passed through the sea , and were under the cloud , and so baptized , before they did eat of the manna , or drink of water out of the rocke , so must wee bee baptized , before we be fit to receave the lords supper . . all that were baptized in the sea and cloud , were not acceptable to god , for with many of them god was not well pleased , and he sware in his wrath , that they should not enter into his rest ; so of those that are now baptized , many are excluded from the heavenly canaan . for these and the like respects the apostle compareth , paralelleth and equalleth their sacramentall priviledge of baptisme with ours . and as p. martyr observeth upon the place , the apostle doth not give instance in their circumcision , but in their baptisme , that his paralell and comparison with our baptisme might be the more evident . now therefore if this paralell hold so fully , then adde two considerations more to make it yet more full ; they are both of them against the anabaptists . first they were truly baptized with water , when but wet or besprinkled under the cloud , ( and therefore the apostle saith , they were baptized in the cloud ) so are we and our children truly baptized with water , when sprinkled as well as dipped , which is not at all inconsistent , but most agreable to the signification of the verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . for althogh it signifieth immergere , tingere in which sense iulius pollux , lib : . cap , . reckoneth among the passions of a ship , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , submergi to be drownd or run under water ( and if any shall contend that the native significatiō of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is mergo , or tingo , i neither think it can be convincingly proved , nor that it maketh against sprinkling ●…hough it were proved ) this i hope cannot be denied that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , doth also signifie abluo , lavo and so is used for any maner of washing by water , which whosoever will deny shall contradict hesyclius , budaeus , stephanus , scapula , arias montanus , pasor in their lexicons , and the holy ghost himself , cor : . . heb : . luke . . with mark. . , . secondly i observe , that though the infants of the people of israel were not fitt to eat of the manna and drink of the water out of the rock , as those of some age did , yet the youngest of their infants were baptized and received a sacramentall seal of their interest in christ and the covenant of grace , which is a notable president to our infant-baptisme , and it must needs hold , unlesse we weaken , yea subvert the apostles argumentation in that place . for what more certain then that among so many hundreth thousand people , there were diverse infants who had not yet the use of reason , nor were able to give an account of their faith ? what more uncontravertable then that these infants were with the rest of the congregation baptized in the sea and under the cloud , being externally incorporated in the common-wealth of israel , and the seed of abraham ? what more manifest then that the apostle holds foorth to us that their baptisme was materially or substantially the same with ours , both for the grace signified and sealed , and for the very element of water ? so that this infant-baptisme of theirs , is ( upon the matter and according to the apostles doctrine ) a good warrant for infant-baptisme among us , as well as if the new testament had expresly told us that some infants were baptized by christ or his apostles . this argument hath taken deep impression in my thoughts , and while i look after the suffrage of divines , i finde some of very good note have had the same notion from this text against the anabaptists , shewing also that their objections against infant-baptisme fall as heavy upon that baptisme of the children of israel . my reverent brother mr. baillie , hath drawn an argument from the same text for infant-baptisme . see anabaptisme . p. , . but now thirdly whereas t is stood upon that the originall of baptisme was derived from the baptisme used among the jews in the admission of proselytes , first it must be proved by these who are of this opinion , that the jewish custome of baptizing with water the proselytes whom they received , is older then iohn baptist , which i finde supposed , yet not proved . mr. ainsworth on gen : . . is indeed of that opinion that the custome of baptizing proselytes , is older then iohn baptist , but he ●…rings no testimony for this , older then moses maimonides . mr marshall in his defence of infant baptisme pag. . yeeldeth to mr. tombes , that baptisme was a knowne rite among the jews at their admitting of proselytes , long before it begun to be a sacrament of divine institution . and so from mr. tombes his own supposition , he argueth for infant-baptisme , which he had reason to doe . neverthelesse i have never yet read any proofor . testimony brought to prove the baptisme of proselytes , which is not far short of iohn baptist or christs dayes . the scripture mentions no signe or seal or ceremony of the initiation of proselytes , but circumcision , after profession of their faith and desire to worship the true god and to be of his people . the baptizing of proselytes was one of the jewish traditions and inventions in their later and declining times . when it began i have not yet found , neither have i yet seen any proof which can make that custome older then iohn baptist , or as old as christs baptisme . next let it be proved to be as old as it can , yet the greatest searchers of the jewish antiquities have observed that the baptisme of proselytes was administred not only to those who were grown up and of age , but to children also under age . so dr buxtorf . and mr selden . such a proselyte under age the hebrew writers call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ger katan : and they reckon a sonne to be minor & puer , from his nativity till he be thirteen years old ( for which see buxtorf in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) so that by their principles a child of one year or two years old might bee baptized as a proselyt upon the consent of the father or of the court . i conclude , that since the institution of baptisme by water hath respect unto those baptizings or washings in the old testament , which are mentioned ezek : , . cor , . . . whereof infants as well as aged persons were partakers ; and since the very talmudists admit the infants of proselytes al 's wel as themselves to baptisme , surely mr. tombes hath gained nothing , but loosed much by starting this question . i adde another text , eph : . . where the apostle ( having respect as i conceive to those passages in the old testament ) saith , that christ loved the church and gave himself for it , that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word , that he might present it , &c. are not the children of the faithful parts of this church , which christ loved , and for which he gave himself , that he might sanctifie and cleanse it , and that he might present it to himself a glorious church , not having spot or wrinkle ? if so , then remember that whole text is copulative ; and none that belong to the church and bodie of christ may be secluded from any part of the text. we may al●… well hold that the children of beleivers not yet grown up to knowledge and the use of reason , are incapable of the love of christ , or of justification , sanctification and glorisication by christ , as to hold that they are uncapable of the washing of water by the word , i.e. of baptisme , which cannot be made void , but is efficacious to all the members of christ , young and old , by vertue of the word of promise and covenant of grace sealed in that sacrament ; according to that of augustine , accedit verbum ad elementum & fit sacramentum : the washing of water , by the word , can no more be restricted to the church of aged or actuall beleevers , then christs love and death with the ends and effects thereof , can be restricted to such . the complication of these benefites , is clearer in the originall ; the the nearest rendering , whereof is thus , that cleansing it with the laver of water , by the word , he might sanctifie it . the tigurine version thus , ut illam sanctificaret , mundatam lavacro aquae , &c. chap. xviii . of the use of a table in the lords supper . and of the communicants their coming to , and receaving at the table . that a table ought to be so farre used , as that the elements of bread and wine ought to be set upon it , is not ( i think ) controverted ; but whether therebe so much light from scripture , as that all the communicants ought to come to , and receave at the table ; this i conceave to be the question . for resolution whereof , i humbly offer these following considerations . first of all it may easily appeare , that the first guests whom our saviour intertained at this sacrament of his body and bloud , receaved at the table . chrisostome de proditione iudae , serm. . comparing the eucharisticall supper with the passeover , saith , that both of them was celebrated , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at or on the very same table . the common supper , the paschall and the eucharisticall were all at the table , luke . . but behold , the hand of him that betrayeth me , is with mee on the table . john . . now no man at the table knew , &c. which texts i do not understand of the lords supper ( as some do ) but of the common supper . but i suppose no man did ever imagine , that the apostles being before set at the table , did remove from it when they were to receave the lords table . peradventure it will be replyed ( for so it hath been replyed by some ) that the first communicants their sitting and receaving at the table , was occasionall , in respect that they had been sitting before at the common and at the paschal supper , so that in this particular , we are no more bound to follow christs example , then in the other occasionall cicumstances , the upper chamber , unleavened bread , after supper , &c. beside , christ had but twelve communicants , unto whom he was to give the sacrament , and so might conveniently make them all sit at the table , which now in many churches cannot conveniently be done . finally , that it is as great a deviation from christs example to have divers successive tables , without which innumerous congregations , all the communicants cannot receave at the table . i answer . . 't is gratis dictum , that sitting at the table was occasionall , or such as hath not a standing , but a temporary reason for it , and there is this reason to the contrary : occasionall circumstances in that action , which are not to be imitated by us , were such as christ was limited unto by the law , or by the providence of god , so that therein he was not left at a liberty or latitude to choose to doe otherwise . for instance , it was not allowed by the law to have any other bread in ierusalem , during the feast of passeover , but unleavened bread onely . the upper room was the place assigned by the master of the house , god so ordering . after supper it must be , because it must succeed to the passeover , being also the testament , or latter will of jesus christ. there was also a providentiall limitation , to such and so many communicants , that is , not exceeding the number which was allowed to eat the passeover together . let some such reason be brought to prove that sitting at table , was occasionall , else let it not be called so . sure if christ had not thought it fittest , and choosed it as the best way , that his disciples should receave his last supper at the table , it was free to him to have changed their posture without encroachment upon any law of moses , or upon any providentiall limitation . secondly , i am herein the more confirmed , because christ himself , as it were on purpose to shew , that the sitting and receaving at table was not occasionall , but such a thing as he meant to commend unto us for our imitation , he gives this standing and permanent reason for it , that it is a peice of honour that he will have put upon those whom he inviteth , calleth , and alloweth to eat and drink with him , luke . . for whether is greater , he that sitteth at meat , or he that serveth ? is not he that sitteth at meat ? this at meat is not in the originall , where wee finde onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , he that sitteth , wee may aswell and better supply at table , from vers : . adde vers : . that yee may ( here i supply from vers : . and matth. . . sit downe and ) eat and drinke at my table in my kingdome , and sit on thrones , judging the twelve tribes of israel . here is an honour of communion , and an honour of iurisdiction : the honour of communion , is to eat and drink at his table in his kingdome , and this honour ( signified by their sitting , eating and drinking at his table in his last supper ) he puts upon them as beleeving communicants , so that it belongs to all such . there is another honour joyned with a speciall judiciall prerogative , to sit on thrones , and judge the twelve tribes of israel , and herein there is somewhat meant peculiarly of the apostles , which is notwithstanding mentioned else were in a different phrase , as a prerogative of all the saints , cor : . . thirdly , it cannot be denyed , but that the first communicants who receaved from christ , might with more ease and conveniency be placed at the table , then can bee now in many churches , which have been accustomed to another way . but we must not bring down our rule to our conveniences , rather bring up our conveniencies to our rule . it is no hard matter to alter pewes and such like things in churches , where the present posture is inconsistent with following the patterne : and a lesse alteration will serve then is apprehended . fourthly , the flux and reflux ( so to speak ) of severall successive tables , where there is a great number to communicat , and the repeating , or pronouncing , and applying to those severall tables of receavers , the words , take ye , eat ye , which christ pronounced but once in one act of distribution , these things ( i say ) cannot be justly charged as deviations from the example of christ , when the same providence which limited him to a fewer number , calls us to distribute to a great number : neither can they who so charge us , ever make good what they alledge , unlesse they prove that although christ had been distributing this sacrament to all the . disciples , to whom hee appeared after his resurrection ( suppose i say , there had been so many communicants ) yet he had given them all at once the elements , and had said but once , take ye , eat yee , and that there had been no intermission at all , nor no partition into severall successive companies . if this can be proved , then they say much against the use of successive tables , otherwise not . fifthly , our dissenting brethren of the independent way , who dislike our severall and successive tables in one congregation , as a dividing of those who ought to communicat all together , ( for they would have none of the communicants receave the cup , before all of the congregation who communicat , have receaved the bread ) these brethren , i say , may satisfie themselves from their owne principles ; for they hold , that although a congregation encrease so much , as that they cannot , or be so persecuted , that they may not meet safely in one place , for the word and sacraments , and supposing the church of ierusalem before the dispersion , acts . . to have been so numerous , and to have accressed to so many thousands , as could not receave the sacrament of the lords supper , nor ordinarily assemble into one place for the worship of god , ( that they receaved the lords supper in severall companies , and severall houses , is ordinarily collected from acts . . and breaking bread from house to house , which the syriak expoundeth expressely of the eucharist . ) yet all this ( say they ) breaks not the church , but they are still one particular church . now if severall companies of the same church assembled , and receaving the lords supper in severall places , be not a breaking or dividing of the congregation , nor a deviation from the example of christ , much lesse can they with any reason , charge our communicating by severall companies at successive tables , in the same meeting place or assembly , to be a breaking of the congregation , or a deviation from christs example . if one of their congregations may receave the sacrament in severall houses , when ( by reason of numerousnesse ) they cannot all receave it together in one house , i cannot conceive why they may not much more allow us severall successive tables in the assembly , when the whole cannot communicat at one table , so much for my first argument taken from christs example . the second argument , i shall take from the generall notion and nature of the lords supper , as it is epulum , a banquet or feast . as those things which are competent to every humane society , or lawfull assembly , are also competent to the church and people of god ; and that which every speaker which speaks in any publik audience ought to doe , the same ought a preacher who speaks to the church , doe ( for instance the posture of his body , and the extension of his voice , ought to be such as he may be best seen and heard ) so likewise those things that are competent , and convenient to every feast or banquet , ought not to be wanting in the lords supper , which is the marriage feast of the kings sonne , matth : . , . a great supper , luke . . the feast , cor. . . prov. . . cant : . . whatsoever is more meant in these texts , sure the lords supper is one thing , and a principall thing which is intended . the lords supper is not onely a feast , but a type , and representation of the everlasting feast and communion with christ in glory , luke . . rev. . . 't is true the marrow and fatnesse , the substance and sweetnesse of this feast in the lords-supper , lies in the spirituall and invisible part , yet ( as irenaeus said ) a sacrament consists of two parts , one earthly and visible , another heavenly and invisible , so that in the very externall part , although there is that which may difference it from a carnall feast , yet there is that which hath a resemblance of a feast , viz. the eating and drinking of many together in a publick place , a table covered , comely vessels , &c. otherwise if in the externall dispensation , there were no resemblance of a feast , then we should take away the analogy betwixt the signe and the thing signified . now among other things which are suteable to every feast or banquet , even ex more recepto apud omnes gentes , one is , that the guests come to , and sit at the table ; which by the very light of nature , and generall consent of the nations , is a token of respect , dignity , and honour put upon the guests . as likewise of friendship and commaradship , or sodalitium . thence the greek proverbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , not to violat the salt and table . i.e. friendship , whereof eating at one table was a symbole . thence also that plautin phrase , communicabo te semper mensa mea . it is aggravation of falshood , and treachery they shall speak lies at one table , that is , under a profession and signe of friendship , dan. . . when david said to mephibosheth , thou shalt eat bread at my table continually , sam : . . doe wee think that david meant no more , but that mephibosheth should eat of the kings meat , and be maintained by his favour ? nay mephibosheths servant had so much . but there is an emphasis put upon eating at the kings table , more then upon eating of the kings meat : so the king expoundeth himselfe , vers : . as for mephibosheth said the king , he shall eat at my table , as one of the kings sonnes , so also doth mephibosheth interpret it , sam , . . another example ( though perhaps it rise not so high ) see kings . . but shew kindnesse to the sons of barzillai the gileadite , and let them be of those that eat at thy table . it was an argument of iezebels favour to the prophets of the groves , that they did eat at her table , kings . . so did nehemiah , expresse his friendship , to the jewes and rulers who did eat at his table , neh. . . peradventure in the two last examples , there were some successive ( at least severall tables : ) however , eating at any mans table was ever a symbole of friendship with him . wherefore looking upon the lords supper as a feast or a great supper made by the great king , it ought not to be without this friendly respect , dignation , and honour , which hath been universally among the nations signified and expressed by placeing the guests at the table . and i can esteem it no lesse then an erring toto genere , when the order and decency , which is universally observed in all other feasts , ( as such , that is , not as lavish , excessive , disorderly , but as feasts ) is not observed in the church-feast , the lords supper . when the old prophet did invite the young prophet to eat bread , and drink water with him , common civility made a table necessary in this single intertainment . kings . . and it came to passe as they sat at the table , &c. if it were a disrespect to invite friends to eat & drink with us , & yet when they come , not to place them at a table ( where a table may be had ) i know no reason why it ought not also to be conceived a wronging of christs guests , when they are not placed at his table . thirdly , i argue from the name table , which the apostle makes use of in this ordinance . cor. . . ye cannot be partakers of the lords table , and of the table of devills . the table of divells was that which they did sit at , and eat at , in the idols temple , cor. . the lords table was that which they did sit at , and eat at in the church , and in those times ( to note that by the way ) they did eat their love feasts before the lords supper in imitation of christ , who had the sacrament after supper , which doth to me put it the more out of doubt , that those primitive christians received the lords supper at the table . the name table is also used ( not without respect to the lords supper ) prov. . . wisedome hath killed her beasts ( or according to the hebrew , her killing●… she hath mingled her wine , she hath also furnished her table , where there is another distinct emphasis upon the furnishing of her table , beside the preparing of meat and drink . again cant : . . while the king sitteth at his table , my spiknard sendeth foorth the smell thereof . it appear●… by this smell that she was also at table with the king : for the words intimat that , when the church is nearest to christ , even sitting at table with him , then her graces send foorth the most pleasant smell , and then doth christ sup with the church upon her graces , al 's well as she with him upon his mercies and comforts , so that here is a mutuall intertainment and communion in that evangelicall vision of ezekiel concerning the second house , which is the church of christ , there is also mention of a table and of comming to it , ezek. . . & they shall come near to my table . it hath been alledged by some , that the name table is but figurative when the scriprure useth it in reference to the sacrament , & that to partake of the lords table is no more but to partake of the body and blood of the lord. so psalme . . can god furnish a table in the wildernesse i. e. give us flesh . to this i answere , when the name table is used for meat and drink , this very use of the word doth not exclude but plainly suppose a materiall table , at which men use to eat and drink , and so a table is used promensâ dapibus instructâ , so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , secundae mensae : auferre mens as , or the like , though not meant of the wooden table , yet do suppose the wooden table . i do not doubt , but they in the wildernesse lusted after a perfect furnisht table , and not meerly after flesh , though that was the cheife thing they desired ▪ and i make al 's little question , but there were both tables and beds in the wildernesse , such as might be had , and such as armies use when they encampe and pitch their tents . but i ask , ought there to be a materiall table in the lords supper , or ought there not , or is it indifferent ? i never yet read it , or heard it doubted by any , but there ought to be a materiall table . all that have been zealous for throwing down altars , would yet have a table . if so , by vertue of what warrant ought there to be a table , and for what use ? first by vertue of what warrant ? is it by vertue of christs example , or any other scripturall warrant ; or is it because of a naturall conveniency and decency ? if by a scripturall warrant , i have what i desire . the same scripturall warrant which will prove that there ought to be a table , will also prove that the communicants ought to come to it , and communicat together at it . for the scripture alloweth not a greater honour to be put upon some communicants , that they eat of the kings meat , and at the kings table too , and a lesser honour to be put upon other communicants , that they eat of the kings meat , but not at the kings table . if it be said , that a materiall table hath not its rise from any scripturall warrant , but from naturall conveniency or decency , then it shall be no trespasse against the word of god , to have no materiall table at all , otherwise then as a naturall indecency . and beside , i still urge the same argument which i was even now hinting , be it by vertue of a scripturall warrant , or be it by vertue of a naturall conveniency , the argument is the same , how ever ▪ all the communicants should come to it , or none at all , for if some come to the table , and some come not , this is not agreeable to that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or equall honour and dignation , which all the communicants ought to have . naturall decency a's well as scripturall warrants are of equall concernment to all the communicants . the second quaere was , for what end and use ought there to be a materiall table ? is it meerly to be a cupboard for holding the vessels and cups which containe the elements , and that the minister may cary them from the table to those who are to receive ? then it is no table , for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a table which we dine or sup at , no by-boord for holding things which servants are to present unto those who sit at the table . what then ? is the table of the lord in the new testament intended for the same end and use as the table of the lord in the old testament , mal : . . the table of the lord is centemptible ? if so , then we make the table an altar , and the sacrament a sacrifice . for the sacrifice was gods meat eaten up by fire from heaven , and the altar gods table , because it contained his meat . but now the table of the lord must have another sense in the new testament ; the lords supper being no sacrifice , but epulum ex oblatis , a feast upon the body and blood of christ offered upon the crosse for us . of this nature of the lords supper , mr cudworth hath learnedly discoursed in a treatise printed anno . i conclude the table which we speak of , is not for a sacrifice , but for a sacrament , for a feast , for meat which god offers to us not wee to him . therefore we ought to come unto the table of the lord to receive the mysticall food in the sacrament , al 's well as we come to our ordinary table for our ordinary food . otherwise what ever use we may devise for a table in the sacrament , sure it serves not for the use of a table , at least not to all the communicants . fourthly , i offer also this argument . the comming to and receiving at the table serveth to set foorth the communion of saints with christ and among themselves , which is a principall thing intended in this sacrament , and without such a symbole as i now plead for , is not plainly and clearly set foorth in this ordinance . to eat in the same house , and of the same meat , is nothing near such a signe of fellowship or communion , as to eat at the same table . this difference is noted between martha and lazarus , ioh. . . when they made a supper to jesus in bethany , martha served , but lazarus was one of them who sate at the table with him . lazarus therefore had more fellowship with christ at that time . peter martyr on cor : . noteth out of chrysostome that communicare doth imply sodalitium , and is more then participare , to communicat is more then to partake , for one may partake of the same bread , who doth not communicat in the same bread . hee ha eateth of the same thing , but not at the same table , cannot be altogether or properly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . you shame them that have not , ( or them that are poore ) saith the apostle . what shall i say to you ? shall i praise you in this ? i praise you not . cor : : . so say i those that receive the sacrament in their pewes , shame the poor that have no pewes , wherein they are not to be praised . sure it were more cōmunion like to sit & receive at one table . it is the most suteable & significant setting foorth of the communion of saints , when the children of god are like olive plants round about his table , psal : . . therefore the apostle having mentioned our partaking of one bread , cor. . . addeth verse . our partaking of one table , which is the lords table . when communicants come not to the table , but abide in their pewes , some here , some there , this is indeed a dividing of the congregation in varias partes partiumque particulas : neither can they be said to divide the cup amongst themselves , ( which by the institution they ought to doe in testimony of their communion ) when they are not within reach , yea oftentimes not within sight of one another . there is nothing like a dividing it amongst themselves , where they come not to the table , and there give the cup each to other . i know some have scrupled whether our saviours words , luke . . take this and divide it amongst your selves ; be meant of the eucharisticall cup , or of the paschall . but they goe upon surer reasons who put it out of question , that it is meant of the eucharisticall cup ( which is there mentioned by luke by way of anticipation , i shall for the present give but this reason , which i know hath satisfied some who were of another opinion ( although much more might be said ) that which luke recordeth to have been spoken by christ concerning that cup , which he bade them divide amongst themselves , the very same doe matthew and mark record to have been spoken by him , concerning the eucharisticall cup , which was drunk last of all , and after the paschall supper , viz. that thencefoorth he would not drink of the fruit of the vine untill he should drink it in the kingdome of god , which doth not hold true if understood of the paschall cup , therefore those other evangelists plainly apply it to the eucharisticall cup , and there withall they close the historie of the sacrament , adding only that a hymne was sung , math : . , , . mark , . , , . with luke . , . and if notwithstanding some will not be perswaded that the words , divide it amongst your selves , were meant of the eucharisticall cup , as i am confident they are in a mistake , so i hope they will at last yeeld this argument , a fortiori . if there was such a symbole of communion in the pascall cup , that the receivers were to divide it amongst themselves , sure this ought to have place much more in the eucharisticall cup , for the lords supper doth more clearly and fully set forth the communion of saints , then the passeover did . the fifth argument i shall draw from the words which christ used in the distribution , take ye , eat ye , this is my body which is broken for you , and of the cup , drink ye all of it . the institution is our rule and patterne , and t is high presumption for any man to be wiser than the sonne of god , or to speak to the communicants individually in the distribution , take thou , eat thou , this is the lords body broken for thee , &c. when christ thought fit in the distribution to speak in the plurall , take yee , eat ye , &c. 't is no answer to say , that the words , take ye , eat yee , &c. are used in the consecration , for then they are but related historically . here is the strength of the argument , christ spoke so in the act of distribution , and by way of application to the communicants in a demonstrative enunciation , therefore so should we . but now this cannot be , where the communicants do not receave at the table , but in their severall pewes : this very thing hath occasioned the change of the words of the institution , from the plurall to the singular . sixthly , we have some light from antiquity also in this particular , for which purpose there are some notable passages in chrysostome , tom : . de divers . nov. test. locis . ser : . where opening these abuses in the matter of love-feasts , reproved in the corinthians , who joyned together with these the sacrament , cor : . this he much insists upon as a principall abuse , that they did eat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by themselves , or severally : and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the table is not made common , for the rich did eat by themselves , not together with the poore . christ did not so with his disciples in his last supper , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . for in that supper , both the master and all the servants sate together . chrysostome sheweth further from the churches custome and forme observed in the administration of the lords supper , how justly the apostle challengeth that abuse in the love feasts . for in the lords-supper all approach unto , and receave at the same table for , saith he , that spirituall and holy table is common to all , both rich and poore — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , there is the same honour , the same accesse and approach for all . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and untill all doe partake of this spirituall and holy table , the things which are set upon the table , are not taken away , but all the priests , ( or ministers ) stand expecting even him who is the poorest , or smallest of all . so that according to this form and custome which he holdeth forth unto us , the ministers did not goe about with the elements unto the severall pewes of the communicants , but they stood still at the table , and all the communicants , both poore and rich come to the table . chap. xix . that there was among the jewes a jurisdiction and government ecclesiasticall , distinct from the civill . first , they had elders who were spirituall or ecclesiasticall ( not civill ) rulers . whence it is that salmasius de primatu papae , pag : . and long before ambrose in tim : . doeth paralell the jewish elders not to the christian magistrate , but to the elders of the christian church ordained by the apostles . i do not say that they had no elders who were civill magistrates ; but they had some elders who were church governours , or had an ecclesiastical jurisdiction . which i prove . by the arguments brought before , book chap : . pag : . . . the jewes when they had lost their state , power , and civill government , had still under the romane emperours their presbyteri and archisynagogi . whereof mr. selden in eutych : pag : . . brings cleare instances under arcadius and honorius . now the romane emperours did not permit to the jewes their owne civill government , but onely an autonomy in religion . so ibid : pag : . he sheweth us that the kings of england have permitted to the jewes in england their presbyteratus , which he doth not deny , but halfe yeeld , to have been the same with their sacerdotium . . although mr. selden , comment : in eutych : orig : pag. . &c. to . and in his vxor ebraica . lib. . chap. . holdeth that the jewish elders or presbyters , were such as were created by impositione of hands , receaving thereby a judiciall facultie or degree , so that thence forth they were capable of membership in the sanhedrim , either of . or . and were fit to preside in judging of civill causes : and so endeavoureth to shew that it was a civill , not a sacred or ecclesiasticall dignity and preferment ; yet he furnisheth me with some considerable arguments to confirme my opinion , beside that which was last mentioned . as . he tells us in eutych . pag. . that nomina officiorum sacrorum , ut patriarcha , pr●…byter , apostolus , diaconus , primas et episcopus , in christianismum ex iudaismi veteris usu , &c. manarunt . but if the jewish elders were not promoted to a sacred , but to a civill jurisdiction , that name should have been transferred to magistrates , judges , parliament men , rather then to church officers . . he tells of a divided , distinct , bounded & particular ordniation of the iewish elders , some of them being ordained to a faculty or power of judging , but not to judge of lawfull or unlawfull rites , others of them being ordained to judge of rites , but not of pecuniary causes . the forme of words which he citeth , is this , et sit tibi sacultas judicandi , sed ita ut minime sit tibi facultas decernendi quinam ritus illiciti , quinam liciti , aut sit tibi hujusmodi facultas decernendi , ita tamen ut causas pecuniarias non sit tibi facultas judicandi . behold a sacred and a civill jurisdiction distinguished . mr. selden himself , uxor . ebr. lib. cap. . tells us that the word presbyters or elders , is by the talmudicall writers used no only for those who were created by imposition of hands to a magistraticall or judiciall facultie , such as the members of the sanhedrim , or such as were candidats in that facultie , and as it were expectants of a place , and memberships in their courts of justice , but also for other fit and idoneous persons , who might be called for counsell or advice . therefore all their elders were not civill magistrates . my second argument shall be taken from the jewish ordination of elders , ( ordination being an act of the power of jurisdiction , not of order ) with imposition of hands , from which mr. selden , eutych . pag. . . tells us , the christian ordination and imposition of hands upon presbyters , was bo rowed ( even as the christian baptisme from the jewish baptisme at the admission of proselytes , and the lords supper from what was used in the passeover , ) whereunto hee saith , any man will assent , if he consider what is found in the talmudicall writers of the number of three , ( which was the least number which could suffice to the ordaining of a jewish elder ; and the same was the least number which the ancient church thought sufficient for ordination : ) also of the internall effect of that jewish ordination , with laying on of hands , which effect was the resting of the holy ghost upon the elder so ordained . and this was drawen from num. . . deut. . . see ibid. . . there is so much of the christian ordination borrowed from the jewish , that d. buxtorf : lex : rabbin . pag : . where he speaks of the jewish ordination , referrests to tim. . . i will adde other three cited by mr. selden , ibid : pag : . first , i. scaliger , elench ▪ triher : cap : . when i turne to this place , i finde scaliger moves the question , how it came to passe that christ was permitted to sit , and to teach among the doctors in the temple , not being ordained . ( marke here an ordination which was for publick teaching , not for a power of civill judicature , which christ never assumed ) and how it came that both hee and iohn baptist were called rabbi : also he paralells one newly ordained among the jewes , with a young bishop in the ancient canons . the next shall be , h. grotius annot . in evan. pag : . when i turne hither , i finde grotius speaking thus , manuum impositio apud iudaeos indicabat invocationem divinae potentiae : ut alibi diximus . unde factum est ut munia publica eo ritu conferentur , etiam civilia ut senatorum . sed & in archisynagogis & senioribus synagogae , idem observatum , unde mos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad christianos transiit . here is an ecclesiasticall ordination to offices in the synagogue , which he distinguisheth from civill offices . lastly i turne to itiner beni . pag : . . where i read of one d. daniel filius husday , called caput exulum , unto whom the dispersed jewes in severall provinces , have their recourse for ordination of their preachers or teachers . hi omnes israelitarum caetus ab exulum capite potestatem accipiunt , sibi in singulis congregationibus professorem & concionatorem praeficiendi . nam ipsum conveniunt , ut manuum impositione potestatem accipiant . was this ordination now to a civil rule or judicature ? a doctor or professor in the schoole , and a preacher in the synagogue , are here joyned as the common and ordinary rulers in the particular assemblies of the jews , as l' empereur noteth , not . in benjam : . . where he also cleareth , that this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chazan mentioned there by benjamin was not a civill ruler , but praelector & concionator , a reader & expounder of scripture . see buxtorf : lex : rabbin . at the same word . hic maxime oratione sive precibus & cantu ecclesiae praeibat , praeerat lectioni legali , docens quod & quomodo legendum , & similibus quae ad sacra pertinebant . and after he sayeth of this word , pro ministro sacrorum passim usitatissimum . t is a rabbinicall word , sounding somewhat near chozim , seers , which was a name given to the prophets , from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vidit . moreover observe this passage of elias in tisbite , at the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cuicunque manus imposita est ad magisterium , sed non dum idoneus est ut doceat dogma , quo vocetur doctor noster magister , eum magistri socium seu familiarem dicunt . this is cited by scaliger , elench triher . cap : . and by l' empereur not . in benjam : pag : . where he illustrateth it by the fellowes in the english universities , who though not yet masters , yet are diverse times promoted to the degree of batchellours ; yea , doctors of divinity . so then hands were laid on such a person as intended to be a teacher , and if hee had not yet a dogmaticall facultie for teaching , he was counted but a fellow . a third argument i take from the synagoga magni , see aarons rod , pag. . . . . adde mr. selden in eutych ▪ pag : . where he tells us out of the ierusalem gemara , centum & viginti presbyteri , è quibus octoginta prophetae fuere aut instar prophetarum , hanc precandi formulam institueruut . marke they were elders , and that an assembly was an eldership or sanhedrim . but is it credible that ezra zerubbabell , haggai , zechariah and malachia would consent that such an assembly , for which there been neither institution nor president before , should assume that great power in church affaires ? salom. glassius phil. sacr : lib. . tract . . pag : . . rectius est originem ejus ( masorae ) ad veros synagogae seu consistorii magni ( cujus praeses ezra sacerdos , legis divinae peritissimus , ezra . . symmistae & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , haggaeus , zacharias , malachias , nehemias , zorobabel , sacerdos , jehoshua , aliique primarii sacerdotes & levitae , ducis zorobabelis ex babylonia comites , numero centum viginti ) reducere , ezra . . & haec communis hebraeorum est sententia . following the most receaved opinion of the hebrews themselves , ascribes the making and composing of the masora ( a most ingenious and laborious critical doctrine upon the hebrew text ) to the men of the great synagogue . fourthly , consider the triple crowne which the hebrewes speak of pirke aboth , cap. . sect : . tres sunt coronae , corona legis , sacerdotii , & regni . here is an ecclesiasticall and civill government , and jus divinum over both . pirke aboth . cap. . sect . . major est lex sacerdotio aut regno . see aarons rod , pag : . philo saith , moses divided the civill and ecclesiasticall administration . the fifth argument i shall take from that ecclesiasticall government and discipline which the jewes since their dispersion and the destruction of ierusalem and of the temple , have exercised , where they had at all liberty to exercise their religion . i read much in itinerarium benjaminis of the antistites , praepositi , praesides , praefecti , moderatoris synagoga , synedria & capita synedriorum , among the dispersed iewes . pag. . decem in istâ civitate ( in bagdado ) sunt concessus sive synedria , chrisost. lib. , quod christus sit deus , makes mention of a patriarch of the dispersed iewes , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and he had a great power and rule among the iews , as may be collected from that and other places of chrysostome . this can be no civill government or magistraticall courts ( though benjamine is too vain-glorious that way ) as const. l' empereur in his preface to the reader , proves from the testimonies of iewes themselves , kimchi , abrabaniel , maimonides , and the chaldee paraphrase on hos. . all making it manifest , that after their second dispersion , they had no magistraticall nor judiciall power : see also for this , l' empereur his annotations in benjam . pag : . . which answereth that of mr. selden in prolegom . ante lib. de success : nullo adeo in aevo fere non erat hoc nationi huic ( judaeorum ) singulare , suis fere legibus alieno in regno seu republica uti . well , what then was the power of those rulers and courts of the iewes in benjamins observation , who wrote in the twelfth century ? he tells pag : . of their excommunicating of epicurean iews , and pag : . . . of their ordaining of rabbies , readers and preachers . from pag. , he tells a story of one david alroi , who being a witty sorcerer , rebelled against the king of the persians , called himself the king of the iewes , and got some followers . after he was in the hands of this king of the persians , he escaped by his magicall arts , and though pursued , could not be overtaken and catcht , whereupon this persian king , writes to caliphas a machumetan prince residing at bagdadum , that he would deale witt d. daniel filius has dai caput exulum , and with the capita synedriorum , there also residing , to forbid this david al●…ci , and to restraine him , otherwise said the persian king , i will kill all the iewes whom i finde in my kingdome , which put all the iewes throughout persia in great sea●…e , so that they wrote ad exulum principem & synedriorum capita qui bagdadi habitabant , to their pope , as i may so sa●… , and heads of the courts at bagdadum , that they would by their authority prohibite that man , through whom they were in danger of their lives . after this , the heads of those sanhedrims at bagdadum by their auctority gave forth letters to this purpose . scito redemptionis tempus nondum advenisse , necdum signa nostra à nobis conspecta : nam inflato suo animo nemo praevalebit . itaque jubemus ut te cohibeas , quo minus talia in posterū moliaris : quod si non pareas , esto excommunicatus a toto israele . observe here when the jewish government and discipline at that time , was driven to the height , even for preventing the destruction of many of their brethren , they had not a magistraticall secular power ; but they did dogmatically declare against that man , and ordained him to be excommunicated in case of his obstinacy , which maketh manifest these two things , that they had not a magistraticall power , and that they had an ecclesiasticall power of government and censures . but all this preveiled not with david alroi , who still persisted in his course , till zin al-din a turkish king sent against him some who killed him . and if we will learn from chrysostome what the patriarchs of the dispersed jews were in those dayes , see him , tom : . orat : . adversus iudaeos . will thou that i rehearse unto thee lawes concerning the priesthood , that so thou mayest understand that they who are now among you called patriarches , are not priests , but hypocritically act the part of priests ; &c. a litle after he concludes , because they had not sacrifices , nor sprinkling of blood , nor the anointing of oyle , &c. t is manifest that the priest which is now among them ( meaning their patriarch who pretended to be a priest ) is impure unlawfull , and prophane . whence it appears , that among the dispersed iews there remained a shadow and footstep of ecclesiasticall governours and government . chap. xx. that necessary consequences from the written word of god , do sufficiently and strongly prove the consequent or conclusion , if theoreticall , to be a certain divine truth which ought to be beleived , and if practicall , to be a necessary duty , which we are obleidged unto , jure divino . this assertion must neither be so farre inlarged as to comprehend the erroneous reasonings and consequences from scripture which this or that man , or this or that church , apprehend and believe to be strong and necessary consequences . i speak of what is , not of what is thought to be a necessary consequence , neither yet must it be so far c●…arctat and straitned , as the arminians would have it , who admit of no proofes from scripture , but either plaine explicit texts , or such consequences as are nulli non obviae , as neither are nor can be contraverted by any man who is rationis compos . see there praef ante exam : cens : and their examen . cap : . pag. . by which principle , if imbraced , we must renounce many necessary truths which the reformed churches hold against the arians , antitrinitarians , socinians , papists , because the consequences and arguments from scripture brought to prove them , are not admitted as good by the adversaries . this also i must in the second place premise , that the meaning of the assertion is not that humane reason drawing a consequence from scripture can be the ground of our belief or conscience . for although the consequence or argumentation be drawn foorth by mens reasons , yet the consequent it self or conclusion is not believed nor embraced by the strength of reason , but because it is the truth and will of god , which camero prael : tom : . p. . doth very well clear . ante omnia hoc tenendum est , aliud esse consequentiae rationem deprehendere , aliud ipsum consequens ; nam ut monuimus supra saepenumero deprehenditur consequentiae ratio , cum nec comprehendatur antecedens nec deprehendatur consequens , tantum intelligitur hoc ex illo sequi . i am hoc constituto dicimus non esse sidei proprium sed rationis etiam despicere consequentiae rationem , dicimus tamen fidei esse proprium consequens credere nec inde tamen sequitur sidem ( quia consequens creditur ) niti ratione , quia ratio non hic argumentum sed instrumentum est , quemadmodum 〈◊〉 sides dicitur esse ex auditu , auditus non est argumentum fidei , sed est instrumentum . thirdly let us here observe with gerhard , a distinction be-between corrupt reason , and renewed or rectified reason : or between naturall reason arguing in divine things from naturall and carnall principalls , sense , experience and the like : and reason captivated and subdued to the obedience of christ , cor : . , . judging of divine things not by humane but by divine rules , & standing to scriptural principals , how opposite so ever they may be to the wisedome of the flesh . t is the latter not the former reason which will be convinced & satisfied with consequences and conclusions drawn from scripture , in things which concerne the glory of god , and matters spirituall or divine . fourthly , there are two sorts of consequences which aquìnas prima part : quaest . . art . . um . distinguisheth . . such as make a sufficient and strong poof , or where the consequence is necessary and certaine , as for instance sayeth he , when reason is brought in naturall science to prove that the motion of the heaven is ever of uniforme swiftnesse , not at one time slower and another time swifter . . by way of agreablenesse or conveniency ▪ as in astrology ( saith hee ) thi reason is brought for the excentricks or epicycles , because by these being supposed ) the phoenomena , or appa entia sensibila in the coelestiall motions may be salved which he thinks is no necessary proof , because their phoenomena may be salved another way , and by making another supposition . now the consequences from scripture are likewise of two sorts , some necessary , strong , and certain , and of these i here speak in this assertion ; others which are good consequences to prove a sutablenesse or agreablenes of this or that to scripture , though another thing may be also proved to be agreable unto the same scripture in the same or another place . this latter sort are in diverse things of very use . but for the present i speak of necessary consequences . i have now explained the assertion , i will next prove it by these arguments . first , from the example of christ and his apostles , christ proved against the sadduces the resurrection of the dead , from the pentateuch , which was the only scripture acknowledged by them , as many think , though some others hold there is no warrant for thinking so , mat. , . luke . , . now that the dead are raised , even moses shewed at the bush , when he calleth the lord the god of abraham , and the god of isaac , and the god of jacob , for he is not a god of the dead but of the living : for all live unto him . again , ioh. . , , . is it not written in your law , i said ye are gods. if hee called them gods unto whom the word of god came , and the scripture cannot be broken ; say ye of him whom the father hath sanctified , and sent unto the world , thou plasphemest , because i said , i am the sonne of god ? the apostle paul proved by consequence from scripture christs resurrection , act : . , . he hath raised up iesus again , as it is also written in the second psalme , thou art my sonne this day have i begotten thee . and as concerning that he raised him up from the dead , now no more to returne to corruption , he said on this wise , i will give you the sure mercies of david . his god head is proved , heb : . . from these words , let all the angels of god worship him . divine worship cannot be due , and may not be given to any that is not god. . argum : although hooker in his ecclesiasticall policy , and other prelaticall writers did hold this difference between the old and new testament , that christ and his apostles hath not descended into all particularities with us as moses did with the jews , yet upon examination it will be found that all the ordinances and holy things of the christian church are no lesse determined and contained in the new testament , then the ordinances in the jewish church were determined in the old , and that there were some necessary things left to be collected by necessary consequences , from the law of moses , as well as now from the new testament , if we consult the talmud , we find there that the law , num : . . concerning the soul to be cut off , for despysing the word of the lord is applied to those who denied necessary consequences from the law , and ( saith the talmud ) if a man would acknowledge the whole law to be from heaven , praeter istam collectionem amajori aut minori , istamve , à pari , is notatur illâ sententiâ quia verbum domini aspernatus est , exc. gem ar . senhedrin . cap : . sect . . so that here are two sorts of necessary consequences from the law , one is a majori aut minori or if ye will , a fortiori : another a pari either of which being refused , the law it self was despised , yea t is further to be observed with mr. selden in his vxor haebraica lib : . cap : . that the karaei or iudaei scripturarii who reject the additaments or traditions of the talmudicall masters , and professe to adhere to the literall and simple sense of the law , without adding to it , or diminishing from it , yet even they themselves do not require expresse words of scripture for every divine institution ; but what they hold to be commanded or forbidden by the law of god , such commandment or prohibition they draw from the law three wayes , either from the very words of the scripture it self , or by argumentation from scripture , or by the hereditary transmission of interpretations , which interpretations of scripture formerly received , the following generations were allowed after to correct and alter upon further discovery or better reason . the second way which was by argumentation , was by the principles of the karaei themselves of two sorts , a pari or a fortiori . which agreeth with the passage of the talmud before cited . and herein our writers agree with the karaei , that all kinds of unlawfull and forbidden mariages are not expresly mentioned in the law , but diverse of them to be collected by consequence , that is , either by parity of reason , or by greater strength of reason : for instance , levit ▪ . . the nakednesse of thy sons daughter , or of thy daughters daughter , even their nakednesse thou shalt not uncover : for theirs is thine own nakednesse . hence the consequence is drawn a pari . therefore a man may not uncover the nakednesse of his great grand-child , or of her who is the daughter of his sonnes daughter . for that also is his own nakednesse , being a discent in linea recta from himself . from the same text , 't is collected à fortiori , that much lesse a man may uncover the nakednesse of his own daughter , which yet is not expressely forbiden in the law , but left to be thus collected by necessary consequence from the very same text , 't is likewise a necessary consequence that a man may not uncover the nakednesse of her who is daughter to his wives sonne , or to his wives daughter . for here the reason holds , 't is his owne nakednesse , his wife and he being one flesh , which gives ground to that generall receaved rule , that a man may not marry any of his wives blood , nearer than he may of his own , neither may a wife marry any of her husbands blood , nearer then she may of her owne . again , levit : . . thou shalt not uncover the nakednesse of thy fathers brother , &c. hence it followeth à pari , that a man may not uncover the nakednesse of his mothers brother , and by parity of reason ( ever since that law was made , ) 't is also unlawfull for a woman to marry him who hath been husband to her father sister , or to her mothers sister , the nearnesse of blood being alike between uncle and neece , as between ant and nephew . other instances may be given , but these may suffice to prove that what doeth by necessary consequence follow from the law , must be understood to be commanded , or forbidden by god , as well as that which is expressely commanded or forbidden in the text of scripture . . argument , if we say that necessary consequences from scripture prove not a jus divinum , we say that which is inconsistent with the infinite wisdome of god , for although necessary consequences may bee drawen from a mans word which do not agree with his minde and intention , and so men are oftentimes insnared by their words ; yet ( as camero well noteth ) god being infinitly wise , it were a blasphemous opinion , to hold that any thing can bee drawne by a certaine and necessary consequence from his holy word , which is not his will. this were to make the onely wise god as foolish man , that cannot foresee all things which will follow from his words . therefore wee must needs hold , 't is the minde of god which necessary followeth from the word of god. . argument , diverse other great absurdities must follow , if this truth be not admitted . how can it be proved that women may partake of the sacrament of the lords supper , unlesse wee prove it by necessary consequence from scripture ? how can it bee proved that this or that church , is a true church , and the ministery thereof , a true ministery , and the baptisme ministered therein true baptisme ? sure no expresse scripture will prove it , but necessary consequence will. how shall this or that individuall beleever , collect from scripture , that to him , even to him the covenant of grace and the promises thereof belong ? will scripture prove this otherwise , than by necessary consequence ? how will it be proved from scripture , that the late warre against the popish and prelaticall party , in desence of our religion and liberties , was lawfull , that the solemne league and covenant was an acceptable service to god ? necessary consequence from scripture will prove all this ; but expresse scriptures will not . the like i say of fastings and thansgiving now and then , upon this or that occasion , god calls us to these dueties , and it is his will that we performe them , yet this cannot bee proved from scripture , but by necessary consequences . this fourth argument will serve for the extension of the present assertion ( which i now prove ) to ' its just latitude , that is , that arguments from scripture by necessary consequence , will not onely help to prove and strengthen such things which may bee otherwise proved from expresse and plain scriptures , but will be good and sufficient to prove such things to be by the will and appointment of god , or as we commonly say , iure divino which cannot be proved to be such , from any expresse text of scripture . . argument , i shall here take notice of the concession of theophilus nicolaides , the socinian in his tractat , de ecclesia & missione ministrorum , cap. . pag : . although hee professeth his dissent , both from the reformed and romane churches thus far , that he doeth not beleeve things drawen by consequence from scripture to be equally necessary to salvation , as those things contained expressely in scripture , yet he yeelddeth the things drawne by consequence to be as certaine as the the other , quantumuis , saith he , aeque certa sint quae ex sacris literis de ducuntur atque ea quae in illis expresse & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 habentur . and generally it may be observed , that even they who most cry downe consequences from scripture , and call for expresse scriptures , do notwithstanding , when themselves come to prove from scripture their particular tenents , bring no other but consequentiall prooffs . so farre is wisdome justified , not onely of her children , but even of her enemies . neither is it possible that any socinian , erastian , &c. can disput from scripture against a christian , who receaveth and beleeveth the scripture to be the word of god , but hee must needs take himself to consequentiall prooffs : for no christian will deny what is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 literally and syllabically in scripture , but all the controversies of faith or religion in the christian world , were and are concerning the sense of scripture , and consequences , drawne from scripture . . argument . if wee do not admit necessary consequences from sripture to prove a jus divinum , wee shall deny to the great god that which is a priviledge of the little gods or magistrates . take but one instance in our own age ; when the earle of strafford was impeached for high treason , one of his defences was , that no law of the land had determined any of those particulars , which were proved against him to be high treason . which defence of his was not confuted by any law , which literally and syllabically made many of those particulars to be high treason , but by comparing together of severall lawes , and severall matters of fact , and by drawing of necessary consequences from one thing to another , which made up against him a constructive treason . if there be a constructive or consequentiall jus humanum , there must be much more ( for the considerations before mentioned ) a constructive or consequentiall jus divinum . chap. xxi . of an assurance of an interest in christ , by the marks and fruits of sanctification , and namely by love to the brethren . also how this agreeth with , or differeth from assurance by the testimony of the spirit ? and whether there can bee any well grounded assurance without marks of grace . t is a right , a safe , a sure way to seek after , and to enjoy assurance of our interest in christ , and in the covenant of grace , by the marks and fruits of sanctification . which ( before i come to the proof of it ) that it may not be mistaken , but understood aright , take these three cautions ; first , our best marks can contribute nothing to our justification , but onely to our consolation , cannot availe to peace with god , but to peace with our selves ; gracious marks can prove our justification and peace with god , but cannot be instrumentall towards it , that is proper to faith . faith cannot lodge in the soule alone , and without other graces , yet faith alone justifies before god. secondly , beware that marks of grace doe not lead us from christ , or make us looke upon our selves , as any thing at all out of christ. thou bearest not the root ; but the root beares thee . christ is made unto us of god , sanctification as well as righteousnesse . thy very inherent grace and sanctification is in christ , as light in the sunne , as water in the fountaine , as sap in the roote , as money in the treasure . 't is thine onely by irradiation , effluence , diffusion , and debursement from jesus christ. 't is christs by propriety , thine onely by participation . 't is thy union with christ , which conveighs the habits of grace to thy soule . 't is thy communion with christ , which stirs up , actuateth , and putteth forth those habits into holy dueties and operations . 't is no acceptable duetie , no good fruit , which flowes not from the inward acting and exerciseing of grace in the soule . 't is no right acting of grace in the soule , which floweth not from habituall grace , and a new nature . 't is no new nature which floweth not from christ. thirdly , all thy markes will leave thee in the darke , if the spirit of grace do not open thine eyes , that thou mayest know the things which are freely given thee of god. hagar could not see the well , though she was beside it , till her eyes were opened . markes of grace are uselesse , undiscernable , and unsatisfactory , to the deserted and overclouded soule . these cautions being in our eye , that we may not separat our markes , either from the free grace of god , or from christ , or from the spirit : i proceed to the proof of that point , which i propounded in the beginning . first , it may bee aboundantly proved from these texts , psal : . . and . . cor : . . john . , . and . . and . , , . secondly , our passing from the state of nature and wrath , into the state of grace , and to bee in christ , is compared in scripture to such things as are most decernable , and perceptible by their proper markes . 't is called a passing from death to life , from darknesse to light , from being farre off , to be near , &c. all which things are known by manifest and certaine evidences . the spirit of grace is compared to fire , water , winde , which are known by sensible signes . conversion is a returning of one who had turned away , and is not returning discernable by certaine tokens ? the new creature is a good tree , and is not a good tree known by good fruits , matth. . , . thirdly , both in philosophy and divinity ; yea , in common sense 't is allowed to reason from the effects to the causes , here is burning , therefore here is fire ; here is the blossoming of trees and flowers , therefore it is spring , and the sunne is turning again in his course ; here is perfect day light ▪ therefore the sunne is risen ; here is good fruit growing , therefore here is a good tree . 't is a consequence no lesse sure and infallible , here is unfeigned love to the brethen , therefore here is regeneration ; here are spirituall motions , affections , desires , acts and operations , therefore here is spirituall life . fourthly , the markes of grace have so much evidence in them , as formeth in others of the saints and servants of god , a well grounded judgement ; yea , perswasion of charity , that those in whom they behold these markes , are in the state of grace and regeneration . if they could see into the hearts of others , to bee sure of the sincerity and soundnesse of their graces , they could have a judgement of certainty concerning them . but this they cannot , for who knowes the things of a man , save the spirit of a man which is in him . sure a saint may know more of himselfe then another saint can know of him , for hee is conscious to the sincerity of his owne heart in in those things , whereof another saint sees but the outside . and unlesse one will say , that a saint can know no more of himself by marks , then another saint can know of him by the same markes , it must needs be yeelded that , a saint may certainly and assuredly know himselfe by the marks of grace which are in him . fifthly , without a tryall by markes , wee cannot distinguish between a well grounded and an ill grounded assurance , between a true and a false peace , between the consolation of the spirit of god , and a delusion . how many times doth a soule take sathan for samuell ; and how shall the soul in such a case be undeceived without a tryall by markes ? but it may bee objected that this remedy may prove , and doth often prove no remedy ; for may not sathan deceive the soule in the way of markes , as well as without it ? can hee not deceive the soule syllogistically by false reasonings , as well as positively by false suggestions ? i answer , no doubt he can , and often doth , yet the mistaking of marks may be rectified in the children of god : wisdome is justified of her children ; but the rejecting and slighting of all markes cannot bee rectified , but is a certain and unavoidable snare to the soule . if marks of grace become snares to the reprobate , that proves nothing against the use of markes . the word of god is a snare and a gin to the reprobate , that they may goe and fall backward , and bee broken and snared and taken : yet the word is in it self the power of god to salvation . so , the way of markes is a sure and safe way in it selfe , and to every well informed conscience : when any conscience through errour or presumption mistakes the marke , that is the fault of the person , not of the way of markes , and the personall errour may be helped by personall light and information , if the partie wil receave it . whereas to make no tryall by markes , and to trust an inward testimony , under the notion of the holy ghosts testimony , when it is without the least evidence of any true gracious marke , this way ( of its own nature , and intrinsecally , or in it self is ) a deluding and insnaring of the conscience . but it may be asked , and 't is a question worthie to bee looked into , ( though i must confesse i have not read it , nor heard it handled before ) how doth this assurance by marks agree with , or differ from assurance by the testimony of the holy ghost ? may the soule have assurance either way , or must there be a concurrence of both ( for i suppose they are not one and the same thing ) to make up the assurance ? for answere whereunto , i shall first of all distinguish a twofold certainty , even in reference to the minde of man , or in his conscience , ( for i speak not heare de ●…ertitudine entis , but mentis ) the one may be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , when the conscience is in tuto , may be secure ; needeth not feare and be troubled . the graecians have used the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , when they were speaking of giving security and assurance by safe conducts , or by pledges , or by sureties , or the like . the other is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a full perswasion , when the soule doth not onely stirre a right and safe course , and needeth not feare danger , but saile , before the winde , and with all it's sailes full . so there is answerably a double uncertainty , the one may be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , when a man is in himselfe perplexed and difficulted , and not without cause , having no grounds of assurance ; when a man doth doubt and hesitate concerning a conclusion , because hee hath no reasons or arguments to prove it , when a man is in a wildernesse where he can have no way , or shut up where hee can have no safe escaping . the other is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is a doubting that ariseth not from want of arguments , or from the inextricable difficultie of the grounds , but from a disease of the minde , which makes it suspend or retaine it's assent , even when it hath sufficient grounds upon which it may be assured . now 't is the evidence of signes or markes of grace , which giveth that first kinde of certainty , and removeth that first kinde of uncertainty : but 't is the testimony of the spirit of the lord , which giveth the second kinde of certainty , and removeth the second kinde of uncertainty . take a simile two or three for illustration . the scripture is known to bee indeed the word of god , by the beames of divine auctority which it hath in it selfe , and by certaine distinguishing characters , which doe infallibly prove it to be the word of god , such as the heavenlynesse of the matter ; the majesty of the style , the irresistible power over the conscience ; the generall scope , to a base man , and to exalt god , nothing driven at but gods glory and mans salvation ; the extraordinary holinesse of the penmen of the holy ghost , without any respect to particular interests of their owne , or of others of their nearest relations , ( which is manifest by their writings ) the supernaturall mysteries revealed therein , which could never have entered inthe reason of men , the marvailous consent of all parts and passages ( though written by diverse and severall penmen ) even where there is some appearance of difference ; the fulfilling of prophesies , the miracles wrought by christ , by the prophets and apostles ; the conservation of the scripture against the malice of sathan , and fury of persecuters . these and the like are characters and markes , which evidence the scriptures to be the word of god ; yet all these cannot beget in the soule a full perswasion of faith , that the scriptures are the word ; this perswasion is from the holy ghost in our hearts . and it hath been the common resolution of so●…nd protestant writers ( though now called in question by the scepticks of this age ) that these arguments and infallible characters in the scripture it selfe , which most certainly prove it to be the word of god , cannot produce a certainty of perswasion in our hearts , but this is done by the spirit of god within us , according to these scriptures , cor : . , , , . thes : . . iohn . . and . , , , . ioh : . . in like manner , a scholler or a young disputant may argue and dispute ( be it in philosophie or divinity ) upon very right and sure principles , yet perdventure , not without great feare and doubting in his own thoughts , till he be put out of that feare , by the approbation and testimony of his learned master who presideth in the dispute . the evidence of good markes while it is opened unto us , may make our hearts to burne within us , as those disciples said , which were going to emmaus , but yet our eyes are held ( as it was with them ) that wee doe not know christ in us , or talking with us , untill our eyes be opened by the spirit . no doubt they had much light breaking in upon their understandings , while christ expounded unto them the scriptures by the way , and this light was with life and heat in their hearts : but after they knew christ in breaking of bread , then , and not till then , came the fulnesse of perswasion , and then they could say , the lord is risen indeed . luke . , , , , , . our inward evidence of graces or use of signes may bring the children to the birth ( i mean in point of assurance ) but 't is the evidence of the spirit of god , which giveth strength to come forth . without this evidence of the spirit of god , the soule doth but grope after a full assurance , as it were in the dark ; but when the holy ghost commeth to do the office of a comforter , then there is light and liberty . our assurance of justification , adoption , grace and salvation , is virtually in a syllogisticall way : whoever beleeves on the sonne of god , shall not perish , but have life everlasting . but i beleeve on the sonne of god. therefore , &c. whoever judge themselves shall not be judged of the lord. but i judge my self . therefore , &c. whoever loveth the brethren , hath passed from death to life . but i love the brethren . therefore , &c. in these or the like proofes , 't is the spirit of grace which gives us the right understanding , and firme beliefe of the proposition . as for the assumption which hath in it the evidence of graces , 't is made good by a twofold testimony , the testimony of our consciences , cor : . . iohn . . , . and the testimonie of the spirit it selfe , bearing witnesse together with our consciences . and although both propositions be made good , yet we are so slow of heart to beleeve , that we cannot without the speciall help of the comforter the holy ghost , freely , boldly , joyfully , and with a firme perswasion , inferre the conclusion as a most certain truth . so that in the businesse of assurance and full perswasion , the evidence of graces , and the testimony of the spirit are two concurrent couses or helps , both of them necessary without the evidence of graces , 't is not a safe nor a well grounded assurance , without the testimony of the spirit , t is not a plerophory or full assurance . there were two evidences of purchase in use among the jewes , one sealed , another open , ier : . . which custome hierome saith , was continued till his time . the evidence of the spirit is like that which was sealed ; the evidence of markes , like that which was open . therefore let no man divide the things which god hath joyned together . see them joyned in three texts of scripture , rom : . . neither our spirit alone , nor the spirit of the lord alone beareth witnesse that we are the children of god ; but both these together beare witnesse of this thing . the spirit it self beareth witnesse with our spirit , cor : . . . we read , that the spirit revealeth unto us , and makes us to know the things which are fre●…ly given to us of god. but withall vers : . there is a comparing spirituall things with spirituall , and so among other things compared together , there is a comparing of spirituall markes , with a spirituall state , of spirituall fruit , with a spirituall tree , &c. iohn . . the spirits witnessing , is joyned with the witnessing of the water and blood , that is with the evidence of grace , the evidence of justification , and a pacified conscience sprinkled with the blood of christ : and purged from the guilt of sinne , also the evidence of sanctification and a pure conscience , purged from the inherent filth and staine of corruption ; the former of these is the testimony of the blood ; the latter is the testimony of the water , and both these not enough ( as to the point of assurance ) without the testimony of the spirit , nor it enough without them . in the next place let us take a tryall of this way of assurance , so far as concerneth the evidence of graces , so much opposed by the antinomians . let us take that notable evidence , iohn . . and now heare the antinomian objections against this assurance , from the evidence of love to the brethren . 't is objected , that a soule must be exceedingly puzled with this marke of love to the brethren , before it can clear the case that it belongs to christ , for if you will try your selfe by this marke , you must know first what it is to love the brethren , secondly , that they are the brethren whom you love . the nature of love is described , cor : . , , , . charity , ( or love ) suffereth long , and is kinde : charity envieth not ▪ charity vaunteth not it selfe : is not puffed up , doeth not behave it selfe unseemly , seeketh not her own , is not easily provoked , thinketh no evill , rejoyceth not in iniquity , but rejoyceth in the truth : beareth all things , beleeveth all things , hopeth all things , endureth all things . come now , and bring your hearts to these particulars in your examination .. is there no envying in mee at all towards the brethren ? is there no thinking evill of any of the brethren ? is there no seeking my selfe , or my owne good in my love to them ? is there a bearing all things for their sakes ? is there no being puffed up , or vaunting above the brethren ? is there no thinking better of my selfe , then of them ? — so that a soul must attaine to a mighty high measure of sanctification and victory over a mans self , before it can reach to this to say , i love the brethren . but suppose you finde all this love in your selves , doe you know they are the brethren you love ; you know the brother-hood consi●…s in being united unto christ , that is an invisible thing , none can know it but god onely ; no man can say , such a one is a brother . and if you say , though i am not certaine that he is a brother , yet i love him under the notion of a brother : to this it is replyed : take all the sects in the world , they will love their owne sects as brethren : and after a description of the antinomians , 't is added , these are the brethren ; do you love these men ? oh , there are many that goe by signes and markes , that cannot endure the brethren , they goe with them under the name of libertines . i have now the objection before me , as full and strong as one of the best gifted antinomians of this age could make it . for answer whereunto i will demonstrate these three things . . that this objection destroyes as much and more , their own exposition of this text in ioh. . that the antinomian way of removing scruples and doubts of conscience , and setling a soule in peace and assurance , is a most inextricable labyrinth , and layeth knots faster upon the conscience , in stead of loosing them . . that this way of assurance by the marke of love to the brethren , is a sure and safe way , and hath no such inextricablenesse in it , as is here objected . first i say , their objection militateth as strongly , yea much more strongly against their own interpretation of my text : for the same antinomian in that same sermon , and others of that way understand the scope of this text to be for comforting the brethren against the difesteem the world had of them ; the world hates them , vers : . but we know ( saith he ) that we are translated from death to life , because we love the ●…rethren ; that is , whatever the world judgeth of us , we perceive and know one another by this mark , that we love the brethren . in short , they say , this seemes rather to be a marke how my brother may know me , then that by which i should know my self . which interpretation , how ill grounded it is , and how inconsistent with vers . , , , . who seeth not ? only i now observe that they cast down what themselves build : for if i cannot know my self by the inside of love , much lesse can my brother know me by the out side of love : and if i cannot have any solid or safe comfort from this , that i love the brethren ; how much lesse can this comfort me that others judge me to be a lover of the brethren ? and how do i know them to be the brethren who judge so of me ? for ( by their rule ) no man can say such a one is a brother , so that they do but tye themselves with their own knots , and must therefore either quite their sense of the text and take ours , or else hold that this text hath no comfort at all in it , which yet is most full of comfort , and sweet as the honey and the honey combe . but secondly will you see these men falling yet more foully in the ditch they have digged for others ? while they object so much against a believers examining or assuring his conscience by fruits of sanctification , sincerity of heart , hatred of sin , respect to all the commandements , love to the brethren ; while they tell us that none of these can be sure evidences to the soule , and while they pretend to shew other soule satisfying evidences , which can resolve , quiet , comfort , and assure the conscience , they do but more and more lead the soule into a labyrinth , and make the spirits of men to wander from mountain to hill , and to forget their resting place . i might here take notice of the six remedies against doubting , which one of them offereth , as an antidote and preservative against all objections whatsoever , yet all the six put together cannot resolve nor clear the conscience in the point of a personall or particular interest in christ ; i heare much ( will the perplexed soule say ) of the nature of faith , of free justification , of the things sealed in baptisme , &c. but oh i cannot see that i have any interest for my part in these things . not to insist upon these six remedies , which are indeed most insufficient as to this point , my present work shall be , to speak unto those personall and particular evidences of an interest in christ , which are held foorth by their chief writers . do but observe their way , and you shall see that either they fall in at last into our way of gracious marks and qualifications , or otherwise leave the conscience much more perplexed and unsatisfied , then they found it . they tell us of two evidences , a revealing evidence , and a receiving evidence : that by the spirits testimony , this by faith . the revealing evidence of interest in the priviledges of christ , which will put an end to all objections , is the voice of the spirit of god to a mans own spirit . this is the great evidence indeed and the evidence which at last doth determine the question , and put an end to all objections . well : but doth the spirit of god give testimony to the soule , any otherwise then according to the word of god ? no , saith the same writer , by no means , for it is most certainly true , ( saith he ) that every voice in man speaking peace , being contrary to the word of grace , that voice is not the voice of the spirit of the lord , — it is the voice of the spirit of delusion . immediatly he moves this doubt , but how shall i know that this voice , though it be according to the word of grace , is indeed the voice of the spirit of the lord , and be satisfied that it is so . he might have moved this doubt , which is greater , how shall i know that this voice or this testimony doth indeed speak according to the word , or whether it speak contrary to the word , & so be the voice of the spirit of delusion . peradventure he had found it difficult , and even impossible to answer this doubt , without making use of and having recourse unto the way of signes or marks , such as the word holds foorth : and this agreeth to that twofold joint witnessing , rom : . . the spirit of god is not simply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a witnesse , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , qui simul testimonium dicit , he bears witness not only to , but with our spirit , that is , with our conscience , so that if the witnesse of our conscience be blank and can testifie nothing of sincerity , hatred of sin , love to the brethren , or the like , then the spirit of god witnesseth no peace nor comfort to that soul , and the voice which speaketh peace to a person who hath no gracious mark or qualification in him , doth not speak according to the word , but contrary to the word , and is therefore a spirit of delusion . i shall not contend about the precedence or order between these two testimonies in the soul , so that we hold them together , and do not separat them in our assuring or comforting of our hearts before god. and here i must take notice of another passage , where he whose principles i now examine saith , i do not determine peremptorily , that a man cannot by way of evidence receive any comfort from his sanctification , which he thus cleareth . the spirit of the lord must first reveal the gracious minde of the lord to our spirits , and give to us faith to receive that testimony of the spirit , and to sit down as satisfied with his testimony before ever any work of sanctification can possibly give any evidence ; but when the testimony of the spirit of the lord is received by faith , and the soule sits down satisfied with that testimony of the lord , then also all the gifts of gods spirit do bear witnesse together with the spirit of the lord , and the faith of a believer . surely such a testimony or voice in the soul , as the soul sits down satisfied with before ever any work of sanctification can possibly give any evidence , is not an evidence according to the word , but contrary to the word , and therefore not the revealing evidence of the spirit of god , so that in this i must needs dissent from him , for he casts the soule upon a most dangerous precipice , neither is the danger helped , but rather increased by that posteriour evidence , or after comfort of sanctification , which he speaks of , for the soule being before set down satisfied with the testimony of the spirit of the lord , and faith receiving that testimony ( so he supposeth ) it cannot now examin whether its sanctification be sound or not sound , whether its graces be common or speciall , seeming or real : it implyes a contradiction if i say that i am assured by the evidence of the spirit of god , and by the evidence of faith that i am in christ , and in covenant with god , and that notwithstanding i sit down satisfied with this assurance , yet i am not sure of the soundnesse of my sanctification . therefore to put the soule upon a looking after the evidence of graces , and the comfort of sanctification , when the soule is before hand fully assured and satisfied against all objections and doubtings , is not onely to lay no weight at all upon these marks of sanctification , in the point of resolving or clearing the conscience , but it is much worse then so , it is a confirming or strengthning of the soule in such a testimony or assurance , as it hath setled upon contrary to the scripture . and here is a great difference between these antinomian principles and ours : we hold the assurance or evidence of marks to be privative , they yeeld no more but that it is at most cumulative to the evidence of the spirit of god and of faith. for my part i dare not think otherwise , but that person is deluded who thinks himlseffully assured of his interest in christ by the voice of the spirit of the lord , and by the evidence of faith , when in the mean time his conscience cannot beare him witnesse of the least mark of true grace or sanctification in him . and i must needs hold that whatsoever voice in man speaking peace to him , is antecedaneus unto , and separated or disjoyned from all or any evidence of the marks of true ( although very imperfect ) sanctification , is not the voice of the spirit of the lord , neither speaketh according , but contrary to the written word of god. i heartily yeeld that the spirit of the lord is a spirit of revelation , and it is by the spirit of god , that we know the things which are freely given us of god , so that without the comforter , the holy ghost himself bearing witnesse with our spirit , all our marks cannot give us a plerophory or comfortable assurance . but this i say , that which we have seen described by the antinomians as the testimony of the spirit of the lord is a very unsafe and unsure evidence , and speaks beside , yea contrary to the written word . the word speaks no peace to the wicked , to the ungodly , to hypocrits , to morall christians , to the presumptuous , to the self ▪ confident , to the unmortified carnall professours , to temporary believers . christ and his benefits are indeed offered and held foorth unto all that are in the church , and all cal'd upon to come unto christ , that they may have life in him , and whoever cometh shall not be cast out , this is certain : but yet the word speaks no peace nor assurance , save to the humble and contrite , to those that tremble at his word , to those that are convinced of sin , to those that do not regard iniquity in their hearts ; but hate sin with sincere hatred ; to those that believe on the son of god , that love the brethren , &c. now therefore the spirit of the lord which speaks not to the soul , but according to the word of grace ( as is confessed ) doth not speak comfort or assurance to any others , but these only . and if a man would know certainly whether the voice or testimony which speaks to his spirit be a delusion or not , he must to the law and to the testimony , and search whether it speak according to this word . t is granted to us that if the voice which speaks peace in man be not according to the written word of god , it is not the spirit of the lord. but withall t is cautiously declined by these men , that the voice which speaks in the soul be tryed by the written word . they tell us , it is not the word that maks us believe the spirit , but it is the spirit that makes us give credit to the word : that it is only the spirit of god that can truely satisfie the spirit of a man , that it is his own testimony ; and not the spirit of delusion . that as , in all arts and sciences there are some principles — beyond which there must be no inquiry , so also in divine things . — is there any thing in the world of better credit , or that may rather be believed with men then the spirit himself ? nay can any believe , but by this spirit ? if not , then nothing else is able satisfyingly to bear witnesse to the spirit , but it self . this is as if we should receive the testimony of the spirit upon the credit of some other thing . whereunto i answer first , t is to be remembred , the question is not whether the word of the lord can satisfie or pacifie a sinners conscience without the spirit ; for we say plainly that as the best marks of grace , so the richest and sweetest promises and comforts of the word cannot make the soule sit down satisfied , till the spirit of the lord himself speak peace and comfort within us . whence it was that after nathan had said to david in the name of the lord , the lord hath put away thy sin , thou shalt not die , yet even then david prayed , make me to hear joy and gladnesse , that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice . restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free spirit . psal. , : . with sam. : : but t is another thing which is here in question , for clearing whereof , observe that the efficient cause , or revealing evidence which maks us believe and be assured is one thing : the objectum fomale fidei or that for which we believe and are assured , is another thing . in humane sciences a teacher is necessary to a young student , yet the student doth not believe the conclusions because his teacher teacheth him so , but because these conclusions follow necessarily from the known and received principles of the sciences , and although he had never understood either the principles or the conclusions , without the help of a teacher , yet he were an ill scholler who cannot give an accompt of his knowledge from demonstration , but only from this that he was taught so . in seeking a legall assurance or security we consult our lawyers , who peradventure will give us light aud knowledge of that which we little imagined : yet a man cannot build a wel grounded assurance , nor be secure because of the testimony of lawyers , but because of the deeds themselves , charters , contracts or the like . so we cannot be assured of our interest in christ , without the work of the holy ghost , and his revealing evidence in our hearts ; yet the ground and reason of our assurance , or that for which we are assured , is not his act of revealing , but the truth of the thing it self which he doth reveal unto us from the word of god. secondly , this is not to receive the testimony of the spirit upon the credit of some other thing , for the spirit that speaketh in the word , is not another thing from the spirit that speaketh in our hearts , and saith , we are the children of god , when we receive the testimony or evidence in our hearts , upon the credit of the word , we receive it upon the holy ghosts own credit , comparing spirituall things with spirituall , as the apostle saith . the holy scripture is called a more sure word then that voice of god which came from heaven concerning his welbeloved sonne , pet. . , , . and so by parity of reason , if not a fortiori , the written word of god , is surer then any voice which can speak in the soule of a man , and an inward testimony may sooner deceive us , then the written word can , which being so , we may and ought to try the voice which speaks in the soule by the voice of the lord which speaks in the scripture . if it agree not , then we have not losed , but have made a right discovery and found out a depth of sathan , and so gained by the tryall . if it do agree , so likewise we are gainers , being confirmed in the assurance , not upon the testimony of another , but upon the surest and best known testimony of the holy ghost himself . thirdly , if these things be not admitted , and if the antinomian argument which now i speak to , stand good , then it shall be easie for any deluded person to repell the most searching convictions which can be offered to him from scripture , for he shal still think with himself , ( though unhumbled and unregenerat ) it is the voice of the spirit of the lord , which speaks peace to my soule , and this voice i know is according to the word , because i am assured by the same spirit that it is indeed according to the word , and other evidence i will not look after , because i am to receive the testimony of the spirit upon his own credit , and not upon the credit of some other thing : the voice of the spirit which speaks in my soul is that , beyond which there must be no inquiry . i ask now , how shall the antinomians convince such a one from scriptur ? nay how can they choose but ( according to their principles ) confirme him in his delusory , imaginary assurance ? fourthly , the very same antinomian author , who speaks of the testimony of the spirit of god in the soul , as that beyond which there must be no inquirie ; and which puts an end to all objections , even he himself doth by and by tell us of aliquid ultra , and puts the soul upon a further inquiry , ( which as i said before ) shal either resolve into our way of assurance by marks , or otherwise leave the soul overclouded , & more in the dark then at the beginning . and so i come to his secōd evidence , which he cals the receiving evidēce . though the spirit of the lord ( saith he ) doe reveal the minde of the lord to men , yet they are not fully resolved concerning this mind of the lord to their own spirits , till by faith they do receive it — now till men do receive this testimony and believe it , they are never resolved ; but when men do receive it and believe it , that it is a true testimony , then they sit down satisfied . again , faith is an evidence as it doth take possession of that which the spirit of the lord reveals , and manifests and gives to a person . — the spirit indeed makes the title good , but faith maks good the entry and possession , and so clears the title to us , though good in it self before : — is there a voice behind thee , or within thee , saying particularly to thee in thy self , thy sins are forgiven thee ? doest thou see this voice agree with the word of grace ? — if thou doest receive the testimony of the spirit according to that word . if thou doest indeed receive it , here is thy evidence . thereafter he moves this objection . but you will say , if there be not fruits of faith following , that faith is a dead faith , and therefore there must be something to evidence with it . for answer whereunto , first he rejects this as a great indignity to faith , if faith be not able of it self to give testimony , or must not be credited , when it doth give testimony , except something will come and testifie for it , to give credit unto it . next he answereth thus , that which hath the whole essence of faith , is not a dead , but a living faith : now the whole essence of faith is nothing else but the eccho of the heart answering the foregoing voice of the spirit , and word of grace , thy sins are forgiven thee saith the spirit and word of grace , my sins are forgiven me , saith faith. if therefore the eccho to the voice of spirit and word of grace , be the essence , nay be the whole essence of believing , this is certain , where there is receiving or beleiving , there cannot be a dead faith . now behold him at a losse , all resolves into this issue , no assurance by the testimony of the spirit and word of grace , unlesse this testimony be received by faith , no entry and possession , no clearing of the title to the soule , no resolution or satisfaction to the conscience till it beleive . but then while the soule examines it self , whether it have a true lively faith , or only a dead faith , he dare not admit the tryall of faith by the fruits of it , as if it were an indignity to the tree to be knowen by the fruit , or to the fire to be knowen by the heat . faith purifieth the h●…art , saith the scripture . faith workes by love . faith shewes it self by works . this antinomian durst not adventure upon this tryall by the scripture markes of faith : yea , to avoid this , he runnes into a great and dangerous errour , that the whole essence of faith is nothing else , but the eccho of the heart answering the voice of the spirit , and saying , my sinnes are forgiven me , as if there were no faith where there is no assurance of the forgivenesse of sinnes , and as if faith were quite lost , as often and as long as the soule cannot say with assurance , my sinnes are forgiven me . again , may there not bee a false eccho in the heart : may not a temporary beleever who receaves the word of grace with joy , say within himself , my sinnes are forgiven me ? where is the clearing of the conscience now ? is it in that last word , where there is receaving or beleeving , there cannot be a dead faith ? but how shall i know that there is indeed a receving and beleving ? the essence of faith is the receaving of christ in the word of grace , and a ●…esting upon him for righteousnesse and life . now another antinomian tells us , that to receave christ and his benefites truely , doth necessarily include in it these foure particular points . , to know our lost state by the least sinne , our misery without christ , and what need we have of him . . to see the excellency and worth of christ and his benefites . . a taking and having of christ and his benefites to ones owne self in particular . . to be filled with great joy and thankfull zeal . if these things be so , then i am sure , many doe imagine they have receaved christ and his benefites by faith , who have not truely and really receaved him : so that the ( soul searching it self in this point , whether have i any more then a dead faith , or a counterfeit faith ? ) dare not acquiesce nor sit down satisfied with that resolution , where there is receaving or beleeving , there cannot be a dead faith . for the soule must still enquire , whether is my receaving or beleeving true , reall , sound , lively , and such as cannot agree to a dead faith ? the same author whom i last cited , where he putteth a difference between a counterfeit faith , and a true faith , he saith , that the counterfeit faith neither reneweth nor changeth the heart , it maketh not a new man ; but leaveth him in the vanity of his former opinion and conversation . whence i inf●…r that he who wil throughly & rightly examine himself in this particular , have i true faith , yea or no ? must needs ( before he have a solid resolution ) be put upon this further inquiry , is there any heart-renewing or heart-changing work in me ? or am i still in the vanity of my former opinion and conversation , yea or no ? i shall now after all this , appeall to any tender conscience which is sadly and seriously searching it self , whether it be in the faith , whether christ be in the soul and the soul in christ , let any poor wearied soul which is longing and seeking after rest , refreshment , ease , peace comfort and assurance , judge and say whether it can possibly , or dare sit down satisfied with the antinomian way of assurance , before largely declared , which yet hath been held foorth by those of that stamp , as the only way to satisfie and assure the conscience , and to put an end to all objections . i begin to hear as it were sounding in mine ears the sad lamentation of a poor soule which hath gone along with their way of comfort , and assurance , and hath followed it to the utmost , as far as it will go . oh ( saith the soul ) i have applyed my self to search and find out , and to be clearly resolved in this great and tender point , whether i bee in christ or not ? whether i have passed from death to life , from the state of nature into the state of grace , or not ? whether i be acquit from the curse and condemnation of the law , and my sins pardoned , or not ? when , o when shall i be truly , clearly , and certainly resolved in this thing ? t is as darknesse and death to me , to be unresolved and unsatisfied in it . i refused to be comforted without this comfort . is id , go to now and prove & see this antinomian way , and when i had proved it , i communed with mine own heart , and my spirit made diligent search . then said i of it , thou art madnesse and folly . their doctrine pretendeth to drop as the honey comb , yet at the last it byteth like a serpent , and stingeth like an adder , i find their words at first to be soft as oyle and butter , yet i find them at last as swords and spears to my perplexed heart . i am forbidden to try my spirituall condition , or to seek after assurance of my interest in christ , by any mark or fruit of sanctification , be it sincerity of heart , hatred of sin , love to the brethren , or be what it will be : i am told it is unsafe and dangerous for me to adventure upon any such marks ; i do not mean as causes , conditions , or any way instrumentall in my justification , ( for in that consideration i have ever disclaimed my graces ) nay i do not mean of any comfort or assurance by my sanctification , otherwise then as it flowes from christ , who is made unto me of god sanctification al 's well as righteousnes . but i am told by these antinomians , that even in the point of consolation and assurance , t is not safe for me to reason and conclud from the fruit to the tree , from the light to the sun , from the heat to the fire , from the effect to the cause , i love the brethren with true and unfeigned love , therefore i have passed from death to life . they say , i dare not , i cannot have any true comfort or assurance grounded upon this or any such mark . they promised me a shorter , an easier , a surer , a sweeter way to come by the assurance which i so much long after . they put me upon the revealing evidence or testimony of the holy ghost , which i know indeed to be so necessary , that without it , all my marks will leave me in the dark ▪ but as they open and explain it unto me , i must not try by the written word , whether the voice or testimony that speaks in my heart , be indeed the voice of the spirit of the lord , yet they themselves tell me that every voice in man which speaketh peace to him , and speaketh not according to the word of grace , is a spirit of delusion . again they tel me this testimony of the spirit of the lord will put an end to all objections , and is that beyond which there must be no inquiry , yet by and by they tell mee there must there must be more then this , there must be a receiving evidence of faith , and till i believe , i do not possesse christ or his benefits , neither can sit down satisfied and assured . oh then said i , how shall i know that i have true faith ? shall i try faith by the fruits of faith ? no , say they , by no means , but try it by the eccho in the heart which answers the voice of the spirit , as face answers to face in water . but what if there be no such eccho in my heart ? what if i cannot say with assurance my sins are forgiven me ? must i then conclude i have no faith ? and what if there be such an eccho in mine heart ? how shall i know whether it be the voice of a true faith , or whether it be a delusion ? hath every one a true faith whose heart suggesteth and singeth , my sins are forgiven me ? but where there is a receiving and believing said they , there cannot be a dead faith . alas , said i , they leave me where i was : how shall i know whether there be a believing or receiving ? doe not themselves tell me , there is a great difference between a true faith , and a counterfeit faith ? are not these miserable comforte●…s who tell mee that true faith hath fruits , and yet will not give me leave to try it by its fruits ? they teach me that iustification is like the fire , so that he that is not zealous in holynes and righteousnes by sanctification , t is to be feared that he never had the fire of iustification . another of them s●…ith , doth not love manifested as truly and infallibly kindle love again , a fire kindleth fire . sure then if i doe not love god and his children , the eccho in my heart which saith , my sinnes are forgiven me , is but a delusion . oh how have these men been charming and cheating me out of the right way ? they have unsetled mee , and frighted me out of all my marks of grace , or fruits of faith , and when they have promised me a clear resolution , behold they leave me much more unsatisfied : they have deceived me and i was deceived . when all comes to all in their way , i must either conclude ( which i dare not ) that i have true faith , because my heart suggesteth , and saith my sins are forgiven mee , without any tryall of faith by the fruits thereof , or otherwise i am left in a labyrinth , believe i must , and they will allow me no markes to know whether i believe or not . wherefore i will not come into their secret , i will come out of their paths which lead downe to the chambers of death , i will return to the good old way , the scripture way , christs way , the apostles way , in which i shall finde rest to my soule . the third point now remains , viz. that there is no such inextricable difficulty , darknesse or mist in this mark , the love of the brethren ; but that the children of god may , and sometimes do clearly and safely assure their hearts by this mark , that they have passed from death to life . which that it may appeare , i shall speak first to the object , the brethren , then to the act , which is love . touching the object , let foure things be observed . first . this we certainly know , that there are saints on earth , we believe the holy universall church : now all who have passed from death to life , those and none but those have a true and sincere love to the saints in generall , praying heartily for them , sympathizing with their suffering , and rejoycing at their felicity . none but a saint can say in truth , and with a sincere selfe-denying affection , if i forget thee o ierusalem , let my right hand forget her cunning ; if : i do not remember thee , let my tongue cleave to theroof of my mouth ; if i preferre not ierusalem above my chief joy . ps. . . . the apostle commends praying for all saints , eph : . . and love to all the saints . col : . . i conceive he means , not only all the saints known to us , but the whole invisible church of saints on earth . that prayer and protestation , psal. . , . when uttered in spirit and truth , can proceed from no other , but a gracious renewed heart ; peace be within thy walls , and prosperity within thy palaces . for my brethren and companions sake , i will now say ▪ peace be within thee . this very love to the saints in generall as to the excellent and precious ones of the earth , is a fruit of sanctification , and a mark of a renewed and gracious estate ; even as contrary wise they that have no love to the saints in their species or kind , that love and esteem men only for some earthly respect and consideration , the rich , the honourable , the mighty , &c. or for some particular humane relation , parents , wives , children , kindred friends , benefactors , &c. much more they that delight in the company and fellowship of the prophane and ungodly , prove themselves to be such as have not yet passed from death to life . secondly , t is neither necessary nor possible that we have a a certain and infallible knowledge of the true saintship and regeneration of these particular persons whom we love , under the notion of brethren and saints . the apostles themselves did once look upon and love some as saints , who were no saints , iudas , simon magus , ananias , and saphyra , and others of that kind . it is gods own prerogative to know certainly the hearts of men . to require a certain knowledge of the saintship of others , before we can say , we love the brethren , doth not only strike at the mark of love , but at the duty of love , and makes the yoke of christ heavy , yea unsupportable , and the very evangelicall commandment of love to be most grievous , yea impossible : and if the antinomian objection hold good , no man on earth can performe acceptably this duety of love , except he know the hearts of those whom he loves under the notion of saints . if it be replyed that the commandement of christ is acceptably performed , when to my best knowledge and observation , and according to the best tryall which one christian is allowed by christ to take of another , they are saints whom i love under that notion , and that ti●… not necessary to the acceptable p●…rformance of the duty of love , that i know infallibly such a one to be a true saint : then it will follow by the like rule and by parity of reason , that comfort and assurance may be had from this mark , i love the brethren , although i cannot certainly and infallibly say , these whom i love are true saints . for if i can be cleare in point of the duety , and that my obedience to the new commandement of christ , love one another , is acceptable to god , then may i also be clear in point of the mark or signe , this proposition , i love the brethren , being a necessary consequent from that proposition , i have , through the grace of christ , so far performed the duty of love , as that it is acceptable to god in point of new obedience , and this leads me to a third answer . . particular or individuall saints may be so farre known by their fruits , and are so farre discernable and visible , as that our love to them under that notion may be known to be an acceptable service to god , and so a comfortable mark or evidence to our selves . which plainly appears from what christ saith math : . . . he that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet , shall receive a prophets reward ; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man , shall receive a righteous mans reward . and whoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones , a cup of cold water onely , in the name of a disciple , verily . i say unto you , he shall in no wise lose his reward before verse . into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter , enquire who in it is worthy , and there abide till ye goe thence . heb : . . for god is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love which ye have shewed towards his name , in that ye have ministred to the saints , and do minister . these believing hebrews did not infallibly know that they were saints to whom they ministred , yet the apostle tels them , their worke was acceptable to god , and made himself to be perswaded of them things that accompany salvation . they to whom he writes , being conscious to themselves of the truth and sincerity of their love , might much more be perswaded of themselves things that accompany salvation from this mark of love , although they could not know infallibly the hearts of those whom they loved , as saints . we may without either revelation or infallibility of judgement , by the marks which the word gives us for judging and discerning of others , so farre be perswaded in a judgement of charity , that this or that person is a saint , a brother , a sister , one in christ , as that our love to the person under that notion , is according to the rules of christ , flowes from faith which worketh by love , and is acceptable to god as a part of our new obedience . if it were not so , this absurdity would also follow , there could be no communion of saints one with another , at least no such thing done in faith . do not believers act in faith , and not doubtingly , when they have communion one with another , when they exhort and comfort one another , when they pray one with another , when they sympathize one with another ? if they do not act these things in faith , they sinne , for whatsoever is not of faith , is sin . . it is to be observed that he who objects to others , they cannot know whether this or that man be a brother , even he himself akes upon him to judge , who are the brethren . he makes a description of the antinomians , under fair and plausible expressions , and then concludes , these are the brethren , do ye love these men ? it seems , if it had been condescended upon , that the antinomians are the brethren , there had been an end of his objection . but is not this popish , donatisticall , pharisaicall , to appropriat to themselves the name of the brethren , the godly partie , the true church , excluding many thousands of those who are truly godly , and dear to jesus christ , although different in opinion from them ? and what if one should fancy that the antinomians are only the brethren , yet how should one know that this or that antinomian is a brother ? doth not his own objection fall upon him , the brother-hood consists in being united unto christ , that is an invisible thing , none can know it , but god only , no man can say such a one is a brother ? so much of the certainty of the object , the brethren . now to the certainty of the act , which is love. the nature of love was described out of cor. . , , , . then to fright the soul from examining it self by this mark , it was added , is there no envying at all towards the brethren ? is there no thinking evill of any of the brethren ? is there no seeking my self or my own good , in my love to them ? &c. who is the legal preacher now ? here is a racking of the conscience with necessity of egall perfection in our sanctification and evangelicall graces ? do not themselves say that our iustification is perfect , but our sanctification unperfect ; why then wil they not suffer the soul to take any comfort from the fruits of sanctification , except they be perfect ? when iohn saith , hereby we know that we have passed from death to life , because we love the brethren ; i ask , doth he mean , perfect love which is every way what it ought to be ? if so , then they put a false sense upon the text ; for there neither is now , nor was then any such love in the world . doth he mean of true unfeigned sound love , although imperfect ? then there is no place for their objection . for a true believer hath in himself a true love to the brethren , which love putteth forth and exerciseth it self in a sincere and conscionable indeavour of all those duties which are reckoned forth , cor : . as effects , or ( if you will ) acts of love. this soundnesse and sincerity of love may be a sure mark to the soule , although i confesse without this sincerity , the very work and labour of love is no sure mark to the conscience to examine it self by ; for as the apostle there teacheth us , a man may give all his goods to the poore , and yet not have true love . o but how shall i know ( saith the doubting christian ) that my love to the brethren is a true , sincere , sound love ? to that i say , thou mayest know it by these tokens . first , if thou lovest the saints as saints , and because they are saints , not for their excellent gifts or parts so much as for their graces , not for any relation to thy self so much as for relation to christ. t is true repentance when we sorrow for sinne as sinne : t is true love when we love the saints as saints , that is , for this cause and consideration chiefly , because the image of god appears in them . papists pretend that with one act of adoration they worship christ and his image . but we say with more truth and reason , with one affection and one act of love we love both christ himself and those who bear his image , both god and his children . i mean , t is christ himself whom we love in his saints . secondly , thy love , when thou lovest all saints , col : . . epist : to philemon v. . and this followeth necessarily from the first mark . for a quatenus ad omne . if as saints , then all saints . lovest thou all the saints in general praying for them all ? lovest thou all the saints in particular whom thou knowest , that is , thou darest not confine or limit this love to those saints only who are altogether of thy opinion ( which , it appears from the objection before mentioned , the antinomians have dared to do ) or who have some intimacy of friendship with thee , nay nor to these who never wronged thee , never strov●…with thee , who never spake evill of thee ; but all whom thou hast reason to judge to be saints , thou lovest them , wishest well to them , art ready to do them good according to thy power , and if thou be at variance or difference with any of them , tho ●… prayest god to make them and thy self of one heart , and of one minde , and it is an affliction of spirit to thee to be at variance with any that are christs : canst thou thus clear thy self in thy conscience , and darest thou say these things before the searcher of hearts ? then is thy love a true love. thirdly , thou art a sincere lover of the brethren , when thou lovest them in all their different estats and conditions , the poor as well as the rich , them of low degree , as well as them of high degree , the persecuted , as well as the prospering , the reproached as well as the commended . this is also a necessary consectary upon the first mark : for if thou lovest saints as saints , the variation or difference of their outward condition , will not make thy love towards them to cease . obadiah was a sincere lover of the brethren , and he gave this good testimony of it , he was a kinde friend to the prophets of the lord , when they were persecuted by ahab and iezabel . foorthly , thy love to the brethren is true and sincere , when it puts forth it self in all thy relations , when a man desires to choose a wife that fears god , and a woman desires to marie none who is not godly ; when a master seeks godly servants , and a servant seeks a godly master ; when a people choose godly ministers , and godly magistrats , godly commanders and officers of armies , &c. and again , magistrats , commanders , ministers , love , countenance , encourage and strengthen the hands of such under their charge , as are godly : when a man if he be to choose a friend to consult with , yea if he were but to choose a lodging where he is a sojourner , he desires and seeks after a godly friend , a godly family , &c. fifthly love is true and sincere , when the action of love is not without the affection of love , cor. . . and when the affection of love is not without the action of love , iohn . when love openeth both the heart and the hand , both the bowels and the bosome . i do not mean that all or any of these marks can be found in any saint on earth , without some mixture , of the contrary corruptions ; for we must not look that an imperfect grace ( such as love to the brethren is in this world ) must needs be proved by such marks as have no imperfection in them . if the marks be true , then is the grace true , and that is enough to the point which i now assert . but as the grace is not perfect , no more are the marks of it perfect . and as there is no faith here without some unbelief , no repentance without some impenitency , no watchfulnesse without some security , no contrition without some hardnesse , no self-denyall without some self-seeking ; so no love to the brethren without some want of love to the brethren , no marks of true love without some imperfection and falling short , and no marvell , because no spirit without flesh , no grace without corruption . feelest thou then those contrary corruptions , those roots of bitternesse in thy heart , if thou warrest against them through the strength of jesus christ , and endeavourest to have thy love every way such as hath been described , then god looks upon thee , and would have thee to look upon thy selfe as a lover of the brethren . as long as thou art in this world , thou shalt have cause to walk humbly with thy god , because of the great imperfection of all thy graces , and of thy love to the brethren among the rest , and still thou shall have flesh and corruption to war against all the powers , parts , & acts of thy inward man. let there be but a reciprocall warring of the spirit against the flesh , gal. . , so shall thou passe in christs account for a spiritual , not for a carnall person . neither do i say , that thou must alwayes finde a perpetuall conflict or battell between the flesh and the spirit , or otherwise no ground of assurance . the apostle speaks of warring , not of conflicting or fighting : there is alwaies bellū , though not alwaies praeliū , between the flesh & the spirit . the new man dare not make peace with the old man , nay nor agree to a cessation of armes with him , dare not allow or approve corruption , nor allow the neglect of means and endeavours . yet the new man is sometimes taken napping and sleeping , sometime assaulted and spoiled , and bound hand and foot , he may be carried away as a poor prisoner ; but christ will again relieve his own prisoner , and set him in a fresh military posture against sathan and sin . i hope i have now so far scattered those mists & clouds cast by antinomians , and so farre extricated a poore soul out of those doubtings into which they would drive it , as that a beleever may knowingly and confidently say , i love the brethren sincerly and unfeignedly , and hereby i know that i have passed from death to life ; which is a good and sure argument , whether we consult scripture or the experience of saints . chap. xxii . of the true , reall and safe grounds of en●…uragement to believe in iesus christ. or , vpon what warrants a sinner may adventure to rest and rely upon christ for salvation . there are some divines abroad who condemning arminianisme ( and much more pelagianisme ) yet have not adhered to the orthodox doctrine asserted by the most approved protestants writers and received by the best reformed churches against the arminians , in the article concerning the death of christ. these have found out a midle and a singular way of their owne , that christ died for all men conditionally , viz , if they shall believe in him , that he hath redeemed all upon condition of faith. one of their arguments is because otherwise we cannot encourage sinners to believe nor satisfie a troubled conscience , nor keep it from desparing . upon the like ground that all may be comforted ( every man being assured that christ died for all men and so for himself ) mr moore hath written a tractat of the universalitie of gods grace , and of christ dying for all men as himself expresseth in the title of his book . t is also one of mr saltma●…sh his encouragements which he gives to sinners , that christ died for sinners as sinners , as hee speaks , whereupon it followeth ( according to the rule , à quatenus ad omne ) that he died for all sinners . surely this is not the way ( as is pretended ) to ease and encourage the troubled and terrified conscience : neither can they by their principles minister solid comfort to a sinner , tempted to despair of mércy . all the scrupulosity and unsatisfaction of conscience which they object against our doctrine ( that christ died not for all , but for the elect only whom the father gave him ) followeth as much yea more ( as i shall shew afterwards ) upon their own way . first of all when they give comfort and encouragement to sinners upon this ground , that christ hath dyed for all upon condition of faith , t is to be remembred that conditio nihil ponit in re , the generality of men can draw no result from the death of christ ( as it is set forth by their doctrine ) but that christ hath by his death made sure this proposition , that whoever believes on him shall be saved , or that all men shall be saved , if all men believe : now a conditionall proposition is true in the connexion of one thing to another , ( if this be that shall be ) although neither the one nor the other shall ever have an actuall existence . if sathan and wicked men get their will , christ shall have no church on earth , if the elect fall away from faith and obedience they shall perish , if the damned in hell had place and grace to repent and to believe in christ , they should be saved , or the like . so what solid comfort can the soul have from that conditionall proposition ( which is all the encouragement they do or dare give from the death of christ , to all men ) all men shall be saved by christ if they believe on him . is it not as true and as certain , ( may a sinner think with himself ) that no man on earth shall be saved , if no man on earth believe , and for my part , if i believe not i shall be damned ? if all this hang upon the condition of my believing ( saith the troubled conscience ) why then , hath not christ merited to m●…e , and will hee not give me the grace of believing ? that new doctrine answereth that christ hath merited faith and gives the grace of believing not to all , but to the elect only , that god hath in his eternall decree , in●…ended to passe by in the dispensation of his grace the greatest part of mankinde , and to keep back from them that grace without which he knowes they cannot believe on jesus christ : that though christ meant that all men should have some sort of call to believe on him , and should be saved upon condition of their believing ; yet he had no thought nor intention by his death to procure unto all men that grace without which they cannot believe . this doctrine of theirs while it undertaketh to comfort all men and to encourage all to believe , it tels them withall upon the matter that all cannot be saved because all cannot believe , that god will not give faith , and so not salvation either , unto millions of sinners . what comfort is it then to know that all shall be saved , if all believe , when men are told withall , that all shall not , cannot believe , and so shall not be saved ? this latter they hold as well as we , therefore their universall comfort taken from christs dying for all men upon condition of faith , amounts to as much as nothing . the true and safe grounds of encouragement to faith in christ are these . first , christs all-sufficiency , if he will he can , he is able to save to the uttermost , heb : . . art thou a sinner to the uttermost , his plaister is broad enough to cover the broadest sore . as gods mercy , so christs merit is infinite , and the reason is , because the blood is the blood of god as well as of man , act : . . this is a good strong foundation of comfort , if a soule convinced of its own sinfull estate , and of the vanity of creature comforts , doth so farre settle its thoughts upon christ that as he is the only saviour so an alsufficient saviour . then is the sinner so far encouraged ( which is no smal encouragement ) as to resolve there is vertue enough in the blood of christ to cleanse my crimson sins , even mine . there is no help for me out of christ , but in him there is help for all that come unto god by him . t is a great part of true faith to believe that christ is able and all-sufficient . therefore he himself said to the blind men , mat. . , . believe ye that i am able to do this ? they said unto him , ye a lord , then touched he their eyes saying according to your faith , be it unto you . he that said , lord if thou wil●… thou canst make me clean , was not rejected by christ as an unbeliever , but he got from him a good answer , i will , be thou clean , mat : . , . so every poor sinner that comes unto christ alsufficient , and believing that christ and christ only can purge him from all sin and save his soul , hath a true , though imperfect faith , and is in a faire way for salvation there is many a true believer , whose faith cannot as yet rise so high as to stay and rest upon the good will and love of jesus christ to him in particular : but the soul believes the alsufficiency of christ , and that he only is the saviour , and so cometh and draweth near unto god by and in christ , as the summum bonum which he values above all things ; and this his faith , although it hath not yet attained to a particular recumbency on the love of christ to him is a true faith , which christ will not despise . secondly , christs intention to die for all men and for the whole world , that is for all sorts of sinners in the world , and so for sinners of my kind , may every poor sinner in particular think with himself . here is an universall encouragement unto all from a true and real ground , and drawn from the will and intention , as well as from the power and alsufficiency of christ , which i shall make good from scripture , for he hath died for all sorts of persons , there is no condition excluded . for this i take the tim : . . who gave himself a ransome for all ; so ver . . who will have all men to be saved . the meaning must needs be of all sorts , not of all persons . for besides that the apostles all can be no more then christs many . mat. . . the sonne of man came to give his life a ransome for many , this very text hath aboundance of light to give it self , if we look to the context either before or behind ; before there is an exhortation to pray for all men , vers . . which although the arminians make an argument that all men is meant of all persons and not only of all sorts , both in that verse and vers : . & . because say they we ought to pray for all men universally pro singulis generū , & not only for all sorts ; yet t is indeed an argument for the contrary . for to pray for all men without exception of any person is not commanded , but we find the contrarie commanded . ieremiah was forbidden to pray or make intercession for the obstinat , incorrigible jews , ier : . . & . . & . . god would not have samuel to mourn for saul , after he was rejected of the lord , sam : . . and we ought not to pray for such as sinne unto death , i. e. the sin of bl●…sphemy against the holy ghost , io : . . paul is so far from praying for alexander the copper-smith , that he imprecats the vengeance of god upon him , tim : . . wee may not pray for the pope who is the great antichrist and sonne of perdition ; neither may we pray for , but against babylon , especially after the people of god are out of her . we are bidden pray for our enemies , but not for the malicious incorrigible enemies of christ. wh●…refore when the apostle bids us pray for all men . his meaning is , that we should exclud no degree nor kind of ●…en great o●… smal , jew or gentile , bound or free , &c. and so he doth upon the mater explain himself in the very next words , for kings and for all that are in authority , he saith , not for all kings , but he will not have us exclude kings nor queens as such from our prayers , nor any other subordinat rulers : when he saith all that are in authority , he means any kind of lawfull authority ; for we may not pray for those who are in any unlawfull or usurped authority in the church , archbishops , bishops , deans , archdeacons , &c. which prayer were an approbation of their unlawfull callings in the church . i doe not say that we may not pray for the persons of any archbishops , bishops , &c. but we may not pray for them as clothed with such an office or authority , as we are there bid pray for kings quatenus kings , that we may live under them a quiet and peaceable life in all godlines and honesty : so that a king or emperour as he is clothed with such authority may not be excluded from our prayers : but if we look upon all kings and emperours personally , individually or num●…cally , so it cannot hold true that we ought to pray for all that are in authority , otherwise the ancient church had been bound to pray for iulian the apostate . again , if we look to that which ( there ) followes after we find vers : . i will therefore that men pray every where ( or in every place ) lifting up holy hands . what means he by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ? he means not in every individuall place without excepti●…n , for this were neither possible ( because there are many places in which there are not , neither can be any to pray ) nor fit , because we ought not to pray with lifted up hands in the streets or in the mercat places , there are fit places both for publick and privat prayer , and there are also unfit places either for privat or publick prayer . the meaning therefore is , that the worship of god is not restricted to jerusalem , now under the new testament . ●…o : . . . but that any place being otherwise convenient and fit for prayer , is sanctified for prayer , and that prayer made in any such place is no lesse acceptable to god then the prayer which was made in the ●…emple of jerusalem . and now why should we not understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , vers : . and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , v : . even as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , vers : . and the rather if we consider what is interlaced , for the text runs thus , who gave himself a ransome for all to be testified in due time , whereunto i am ordained a teacher of the gentil●…s in ●…aith and verity . i will therefore that men may pray every where . whereby it appears that the apostles plain scope is to take away that difference between jew & gentile , and to intimate that we must pray for all sorts of persons , b●…ause christ died for all sorts of persons , and will bee worshipped in every nation under the heaven . so that beza did fitly expresse the sense when he rendered vers : , . . pro quibusvis , vers . . quosvis , and vers . . in quovis loco , to note an universality of kinds , not of individualls . grotius also on mark ▪ . . noteth the same thing , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is used for quivis , not only in the new testament , but by aristophanes and sophocles . lastly , i know no reason but our translatours should have rendered , tim : . . who will have all manner of men to be saved , and vers : who gave himself a ransome for all manner of men , as well as mat : . . they render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , all manner of sickness , mat ▪ . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , all maner of sin , and acts . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , all maner of foure-footed beasts . in the same sense i understand heb. . . that he by the grace of god should taste death for every man , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : which phrase the apostle rather useth to the hebrews , to wear out that common opinion of the jews , that the messias was only to be a saviour to them , as under the law the sacrifices were offered only for the sins of the congregation of israel . howbeit i may further adde for clearing this text. . seeing the text hath no more but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , ( as the tigurine rightly rendereth the letter of the text ) pro omni , we may well supply it thus , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , pro omni filio , not for every man , ( which though it be the expres●…on of the english translators cannot be necessarily drawn from the originall ) but for every son , whether jew or gentile , i. e. for every one predestinated to the adoption of children , which i confirme from the two next verses ( both of them having a manifest connexion with v : ) ●…or these all for whom christ tasted death are called many sons v : . and they who are sanctified , also brethren , vers . see the like phrase mark . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for every one shall be salted with fire , i. e. every one who shall enter into life : for this sense is to be gathered from the v. , . . and when it is said , epist : iohn v. . demetrius hath good report of all men , we must either understand all the brethren , or make some such restriction of that universall expression , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for most men in the world knew not demetrius . so luke . . from that time the kingdome of god is preached , and every man presseth unto it , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . now therefore there can be no further of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in that text to the hebrews , then in these other texts here cited . . it may be also supplyed thus , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and t is in it self true that christ tasted death for every nation , or for every people , for in him are all the nations and kind●…eds of the earth blessed , act : . . gal. . . that is , the elect of all the nations , which upon the matter comes to one and the same thing with the ●…ormer sense , although the former expression suteth better to the context : yea although it had been said that christ tasted death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for every man , ( which is not said ) yet every man could be here no more then all men , rom. . . as by the offence of one , judgement came upon all men to condemnation ; ev●…n so by the righteousnesse of one , the free gift came upon all men unto iustification of life . wherein the second branch , all men , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is no more , and can be no more , but all who are in christ , or all regenerat and justified persons . for . by these all men the apostle understands ( as is manifest by comparing this with the precedent verse ) they which receive aboundance of grace and of the gift of righteousnesse , and he addeth concerning them , that they shall reigne in life by one iesus christ. . the comparison between christ and adam clears it , for they are both set forth as publick persons , all who are in adam a●…e actually involved into the sentence of condemnation , and all who are in christ are actually translated from the state of condemnation into the state of justification . but i proceed . another scripture which hath been understood for christs dying for all men , being indeed meant of all sorts , is io. . . and he is the propitiation for our sins , and not for ours only , but also for the sins of the whole world : which is to be expounded by that promise made to abraham , that in his seed all the families or kinreds of the earth should be blessed , act. . . gal : . . and by rev. . . thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to god by by thy blood , out of every kindred , & tongue , and people , and nation . so rev. . . after the sealing of a hundreth fourty and four thousand out of all the tribs of israel , 't is added , after this ibeheld and lo , a great multitud which no man could number of all nations , and kindreds , and people and tongues stood before the throne and before the lamb , clothed in white robs , and palms in their hands . for which cause also the news of a saviour are called good tydings to all people , or to every people , luke . . so the apostle iohn who was of the jews , tells us there that christ is a propitiation , not only for the sinnes of himself , and of others of his nation , who were then believers , but likewise for the elect of all nations and all the world over . to the same purpose t is said , ioh. . for god so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son : that whosoever believeth in him should not perish , but have everlasting life . where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of no larger extent then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which the tigurine rendereth , omnis qui credit , not quisquis , that every one who believeth in him should not perish , so that every one who believeth is an exegesis or explanation of the word world. howbeit if any like better the ordinary reading , that whosoever believeth , it comes in the issue to the same thing . for t is a great mistake to think that the world here is a genus , which is divided in believers and unbelievers , and that the word whosoever is added in reference not to the world before mentioned , but only to one kinde or sort of the world . which ( by the way ) is also inconsistent with their principles who hold that christ dyed for all , to purchase life to all , upon condition of believing ; for if so , there can be no partition here of the world but the latter branch as large as the first . but if there be any partition here of the world , ( i say if there be , for the text may be understood , exegetice , not partitive , as i have shewed already , it is not partitio generis in species , but totius in partes , that is , the world which god loved is not divided into believers and unbelievers , but by the world is meant the elect of all nations , and this whole world is subdivided into its parts by the word whosoever , that is , whether jew or gentile , whether barbarian or scythian , whether bound or fre●… &c. for this , the apostle explaineth the very same words , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rom. . , . whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed , for there is no difference between the iew and the greek : for the same lord over a●…l is rich unto all that call upon him . so gal. . . col : . . act. . , . and though some have with much scorn set at nought that expression , the world of the elect , i. e th●… elect of all the world , yet it will puzle them to give any other sense to io : . . where t is said , that christ giveth life unto the world , or to io. ●… . . where the spirit is said to convince the world of sin , of righteousnes & judgement , or io : . . where christ prayeth , that the world may believe , and the father hear●…th him alwayes as in other petitions , so in this . the third incouragement to believing is , that jesus christ hath died , as for persons of all sorts and conditions , so for the expiation of all so●…ts , and all manner of sins , and hath plainly assured us , that all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men . mat : . . he excepteth only one kinde , but the blasphemy against the holy ghost shall not be forgiven unto men . where exceptio firmat regulā in non exceptis ; this being the sole exception , maketh the general promise the surer , that not some sorts only , but all sort of sins , yea of blasphemies , not only may , but shal be forgiven unto men . now to be clear concerning that one sin excepted . . t is not properly any sin of the second table , but of the first , & is therefore called blasphemy , . t is not every blasphemy , for any other blasphemie is declared in that text to be pardonable . . t is a wilfull blasphemy contrary to the illumination of the holy ghost and knowledge of the truth once received , heb : . . & . . fo●… which reason pauls sinne when he blasphemed the name of christ and was exceedingly mad against it , was not the blasphemy against the holy ghost , because he did it ignorantly . if p●…ter had at that time sinned pauls sin , it had been the blasphemy against the holy ghost and so unpardonable , for it wanted nothing , but knowledge and illumination to make it that unpardonable sin , which the apostle himself , tim. . . doth intimat . . neither is it every blasphemy against knowledge , but such as is joyned with a hatred of christ , so farre that if they could they would pull him down from heaven and crucifie him again . there was mercy for these who crucified christ ignorantly , but no mercy to those who would do it knowingly . moreover , although they cannot get christ himself again crucified , yet they revile , reproach , disgrace and p●…rsecute him in his members , ministers , ord●…nances , and all the wayes they can put him to shame and dishonour . now there are two sorts of these who sin by blasphemy against the holy ghost . some do not professe christ and the truth of the gospell , yet maliciously and against their knowledge reproach or persecut it . so the pharisees mark : . , , . in saying that christ had an unclean spirit , did blaspheme against the holy ghost . others do professe christ and his gospell , and truth , yet fall away to be malicious enemies thereunto , against their knowledge . such a one was iudas , neither is there any thing to move us to think that iudas did not blaspheme the holy ghost , except that he repented himself afterward : but there is nothing in scripture against the possibility of a desperat repentance in these who blaspheme the holy ghost , but only that they can never so r●…pent as to be renewed againe , h●…b : . . that all sin , ioh. . . i , e. all manner of sin is purged away by the blood of christ , and atonement made for all sorts of sinners , was also signified , both by christs healing all maner of diseases among the people , mat : . . and by peters vision of all manner of four footed beasts , and creeping things , and fowls of the aire , let down as it were in a sheet from heaven to be killed , and eaten , act ▪ . , . so that as the promise of mercy and free grace comes home not only to thy nation and to persons of thy condition , state and degree , yea and to thy kindred and familie , but also to thy case in respect of sinne , it comes fully home to sinners of thy kind or case , it tendereth christ even to such a sinner as thou art . fourthly christ receiveth all who come unto him , and excludeth none but such as by their unbelief exclude themselves . joh : . . fifthly it is an incouragement to believing , that we are commanded to believe ▪ john. . . and this is his commandement , that we should believe in the name of his son iesus christ , and love one another as he gave us commandement observe the sa●…e authoritie that commands us to love one another , injoynes also that we believe on christ. but if any shall say , i cannot believe , i have no strength nor grace to believe , i answer , ( and let this be the sixt incouragement to believing ) that god sets foorth himself to be the giver of faith eph. . . phil. . . and his son to be the author and finisher of our faith . heb. . . if it be objected , i know it is so indeed . but god works faith only in the elect , and i know not whether i be elected or not . i answer , thou art discharged ( in this case ) to run back to election ( which is gods secret ) and art commanded to obey the revea●…ed command , according to that of deut : . . the secret things belong un●…o the lord our god , but these things which are revealed , belong unto us and to our children , that we may d●…e all the words of this law. and therefore seeing ye are commanded to believe in god , and hears that he is the author and finisher of faith ; say with augustine , da domine quod jubes & jube quod vis . and with the disciples , lord increase our faith , luk : . . or with that man in the gospell , i believe , lord help my unbelief , mark . . and request him who hath promised to give the spirit of grace and supplication , that yee may look on him whom you have pierced , zech ▪ . . to lighten your eyes , lest yee sleep unto death , psal. . . for this looking on christ ( promised in zecharie ) is nothing else then believing on him . as the looking on the brazen serpent which was the tipe of christ , is accomplished when we believe in christ who was typified thereby , as is to be gathered by comparing iohn . . . with numb : . . errata . page , . for spegmen , read specimen . pag. . for autoris , read aut oris . pag. . for is ever blinde , read is not ever blinde . p. . for object . . read object . . p. . for ecclesiae and canonca , read ecclesia and canonica . p. . for improblable , read improbable . p. . for but a preacher , read but by a preacher . p. , for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p . ●…or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. . for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. . for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e isa. . ●… . mich. . ●… cor. . zech. . . notes for div a -e refut . ract . de ●…issione sinistroum , cap. . non um eiam sen. 〈◊〉 esse ●…emini liere , do . 〈◊〉 nisi ●…ittatur , 〈◊〉 nemiem ulla 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prae●…care , hoc 〈◊〉 , rem ●…vam an●…ntiare 〈◊〉 mitta●…r , hoc 〈◊〉 , nisi à 〈◊〉 dei unus im●…natur . notes for div a -e loc. com . class . . cap. . sed in primitiva ecclesia cum prophetia vigeret , quid discriminis erat inter prophetam & doctorem ? respondeo , quamvis idem fuerit utriusque munus , tamen doctores instituebantur a praeceptoribus : prophetae verò , ●…ine omni ope humana , repente afflatu spiritus sancti concitatiloquebantur , probl : theol : loc : . prophetae ampliora habebant dona ideo scripturae obstrusiora loca illustrabant eodem spititu , quo scripta fuerunt — ideo de scripturis rectius praedicabant . so calvin . instit : loc : . cap. . § . opening that text , ephes. . . understands by prophets , such as had extraorinarie revelations . justin martyr , dial . cum . tryph. iud. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. for even to this present time , there are propheticall gifts , so that we ought to understand that the gifts which were of old in your nation are transferred unto us . notes for div a -e tertull. de praescript . advers : haeret . cum ideo credidisse se dicat ( apostolus ) de schismalibus & dissensionibus quia scilicet etiam haereses op●…orteret esse . ostendit enim gravioris mali respectu , de levioribus se facile credidisse . tertul de praescrip : advers : haeret . haereses dictae graeca voce ex interpretatione electionis , quia quis sive ad instituendas siv ad suscip●…endas ●…as utitur . ideo & sibi ●…amnatum dixit haereticum : quia & in quo damnatu●… sibi elegit august . tom. . lib de vera relig . cap. . sunt enim innumerabiles in ecclesia sancta , deo probati vi●…i , sed ma nifesti non fiunt inter nos , quam diu imperitiae nostrae tenebris delectatidormire malumus , quam lucē veritatis ●…ntueri . vin. lirin . advers . haer . cap. tunc quisquis verus christi amator & cultor exstitit antiquam fidem novellae perfidiae praeferendo , nulla contagii ipsius peste maculatus est . notes for div a -e de verbis apost . ser. . ●…rat . de ●…ompon . ●…elig : dissilio . vide ora●… ▪ in au abrah : calov●…i . anno. . mr. j. goodwi●… hagioma stix sect : . ▪ notes for div a -e zeperus . de pol. mos. lib ▪ . cap. ▪ pelargus in deut. . , , par●…us i●… gen. . ●…ivetus in exod. . . tarnovi us tract . de foede●… bus . see vict●… srigel . in paralip ●… . ▪ also zep●…erus , 〈◊〉 , tarnovi●… , ubi su●… . lava●… in paralip . ▪ ●… . & in ezek. . . p ▪ martyr loc. com. clas . . cap . num. . & comment . in reg. . ●… . &c. the same ●…hing is ●…olden by tostatus in . reg. . quest . corn. 〈◊〉 lat pide in . pag. . . socrat. hist : lib. cap. . sleid. com . lib. . pag. . ibid : lib : pag. , de helvetiis infoedus recipiendis ▪ quod civitates valde cupiebant , sáxo per legatos respondet , quoniam de coena dom. diversum sequantur dogma non sibi licere societatem cum ipsis ullam coire : quanti sit ipsorum conjunctio , propter vires atque potentiam , non se quidem latere , sed eo sibi minime respiciendum esse , ne tristis inde sequatur exitus , quod iis accidisse scriptura testetur , qui muniendi sui causa , cujusque modi praesidiis usi fuissent . vide etiam pag. . quod si zuingliani faterentur errorem atque desisterent , comprehendi etiam in hac pace sin minus , tum deserendos , nec auxilii quicquam cis communicandum , neque foedus ullum cum ipsis faciendum esse . et infra lib. . pag. . et recipiendos esse placet in hoc foedus ( smalcaldicum ) qui velint atque cupiant modo , doctrina augustae propositam in comitiis profiteantur , & sortem communem subeant . polit. christ. lib . cap. . keckermde repub. spart . disp . . lib. . cap. . sanctius & corn. a lapide in sam. . antiq. jud. lib. . cap. . ●… see mr. fox . acts and monuments , vol. pag. . . . edit . . see the estates principalities and empires of the world , translated by grimston , pag : . to . acts and moun . ments , ubi supra pag. . sleid. com. lib. . pag. ▪ . notes for div a -e mentes humanae mirifice c piuntur & fascinātur ceremo nialium splendore & p●…mpa hospin : epist : ante lib de orig : monacho . notes for div a -e hier. in ezech. . & in aqua non es lota in salutem . cruenta infantium corpora , statim ut emittuntur ex utero lavari solent . ita ut generatio spiritualis , lavacro indiget salutari . nullus enim mundus à sorde nec si unius quidem diei fuerit vita ejus , & in psalmis legitur : in iniquitatibus conceptus sum , & in delictis concepit me mater mea . secunda nativitas solvit primam nativitatem . scriptum est enim . nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua & spiritu sancto , non potest intrare in regnum dei . multaque sunt lavacra quae ethnici in mysteriis suis , & haeretici pollicentur , qui omnes lavant , sed non lavant in salutem . propterea additum est , & aqua non es lota in salutem . quod quidem non solum de haereticis , sed de ecclesiasticis intelligi potest ; qui non plena fide accipiunt baptismum salutare . synops. purior . theol. disp. . thes. . item exempla infantium israeliticorum , qui non minus quam israelitae adulti , sub nube & in mari rubro fuerunt baptizati , teste apostolo cor. . gualther . archetyp . in cor. . , . confutantur anabaptistarum errores . negant infantibus baptismum , quia nuspiā legatur esse baptizatos , & quia mysterium non intelligant . at baptizati sunt omnes qui mare transierunt , inter quos infantes quoque fuerunt . exod. . deinde neque isti intellexer unt mysteria , nec ideo symbola prophanata sunt . buzt . lex . chald. rabb . & talumd . pag. . proselyto minorem ; conferunt baptisrum ex decreto domus judicii , hoc est , senatus . m. selden de jure nat . & gent. lib. . cap. . ut gentiles majores ad hunc modum exanimi sui sententia proselyti fiebant , ita minores ( masculi ante annum decimum tertium praeter diem unicum , foeminae ante annum duodecimum & diem insuper expletum ) ex sententia sive patris sive fori cui suberant in judaismum pariter cooptati . atque actus tam forensis quam paternus assensum eorum tum in circumcisione & baptismo , tum in sacrificio offerendo quod sequebatur , supplebat . si verò minor , simulac aetatem compieverat , judaismo renunciasser , nec eum omnino postquam major erat , fuisset amplexus , ita dem evanuit , quicquid per initiamenta quibus ex assensu sive paterno , sive forensi cooptatus est , ut in gentilis plane conditionem rediret . filius ex quo natus est , dum fuerit tredecim annorum vocatur minor et puer . notes for div a -e vide. h. grotii annot . in matth. . . notes for div a -e loc. thè : de eccl. num . . distinguēdum igitur est inter rationem sibirelictā ac solutam quae sine froeno discurrit , ac suis fertur logismis , quae judicat ac statuit ex suis principiis , quae sunt communes notiones , sensus , experientia , &c. & inter rationem per verbum dei refrenatam & sub obseqnium christi redactam , quae judicat an statuit ex proprio theologiae principio , viz. ex verbo dei in scripturis sacris proposito . notes for div a -e isi. d. hispal . de differ . spirit . diff . . dilectio in deum origo est dilectionis in proximum ; & dilectio in proximū , cognitio est dilectionis in deum . quest. answ. h. steph. in thes . ling. gr. tom . . pag. . mr. i. goodwi●…l in his haglomastix . dr. crispes sermons , the . volum , serm : . iohn eaton his honey combe of free ▪ justification . cap. . dr. crisp. in the . volume of his sermons . ser. . ibid. pag . ●… ibid. se●… . . pag. . dr. crisps ibid. serm . . pag. . . . . dt. crisp. ibid. serm . . pag. . ibid. pag. . ▪ . ibid. pag . . i. eaton in the hony combe , chap. . honey combe . chap. . p ▪ , ▪ honey ●…ombe chap. . p. . rob. lansaster praef ●…efore dr. crisp. sermons . honey combe , chap . pag. notes for div a -e this chapter was left by the author not perfected . yet so much as is in the copie is printed for the readers aedification , and to stirre up others to pros●…cnte the like purpose , and in the meantime to make the best use of these . the rebukes of a reviler fallen upon his own head, in an answer to a book put forth by one iohn stelham, called a minister at terlin in essex. wherein is shewed unto all spiritual men, that he himself is justly proved to be a contradictor of the scriptures, while he falsly accuses others thereof, that are clear, and the saying is fulfilled upon him, he is fallen into the pit, which he digged for others, for even that way which he calls heresie, do we worship the god of our fathers. by r.h. hubberthorn, richard, - . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (thomason e _ ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing h thomason e _ estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; :e [ ]) the rebukes of a reviler fallen upon his own head, in an answer to a book put forth by one iohn stelham, called a minister at terlin in essex. wherein is shewed unto all spiritual men, that he himself is justly proved to be a contradictor of the scriptures, while he falsly accuses others thereof, that are clear, and the saying is fulfilled upon him, he is fallen into the pit, which he digged for others, for even that way which he calls heresie, do we worship the god of our fathers. by r.h. hubberthorn, richard, - . burrough, edward, - . , - , [ ] p. printed for giles calvert at the black-spread-eagle neer the west-end of pauls, london : . text continuous despite pagination. r.h. = richard hubberthorn cf. wing. a reply to: stalham, john "reviler rebuked". annotation on thomason copy: "july: ". reproduction of the original in the british library. eng stalham, john, d. . -- reviler rebuked. heresy -- early works to . a r (thomason e _ ). civilwar no the rebukes of a reviler fallen upon his own head,: in an answer to a book put forth by one iohn stelham, called a minister at terlin in es hubberthorn, richard d the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the d category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - robyn anspach sampled and proofread - robyn anspach text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the rebukes of a reviler fallen upon his own head , in an answer to a book put forth by one iohn stelham , called a minister at terlin in essex . wherein is shewed unto all spiritual men , that he himself is justly proved to be a contradictor of the scriptures , while he falsly accuses others thereof , that are clear , and the saying is fulfilled upon him , he is fallen into the pit , which he digged for others , for even that way which he calls heresie , do we worship the god of our fathers . by r. h. london , printed for giles calvert at the black-spread-eagle at the west-end of pauls , . the rebukes of a reviler , fallen upon his own head . in an answer to a book put forth by one john stelham , called a minister at terling in essex . vvhereas the antient of dayes hath appeared , and the lord god of israel , and of his holy seed for ever , hath in these our dayes , being his own appointed time , stretched forth his hand to gather in his remnant , which hath been scattered , and starved upon the barren mountains , and he hath made known his arm and power , in raising up his righteous branch , and in bringing out of captivity his own chosen , that his own name may be exalted for evermore , and his marvelous light hath he caused to shine forth unto many that have sit in darkness , and he hath cryed , behold me , behold me , unto a people that hath not been called by his name ; yea , from this time it shall be said , what hath god wrought , and who is like unto them that are saved by the lord , a happy people , and blessed are they whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance , they dwell in their tents , and none can make them afraid , for there is no inchantment against israel , nor no divination against the seed of jacob , he that curses them , it shall return upon his own head , and he that defies them , shall surely be confounded in a day ; for god hath spoken , and it shall surely come to pass , he hath said , and it shall not be revoked ▪ they that wait upon him , shall never be ashamed ; but his presence shall go before them , and his righteousness shall be their reward : therefore , o ye mountains , and hills , wherefore are ye gathered together , ye high and lofty oaks , and rebellious children , to what purpose have you set your selves , as in array for b●t●●l , against the lord , and against his anointed ; in vain have you sought divination against israel , and to no purpose have you risen up to resist mount sion , whom the lord is establishing ▪ and exalting above the dominions of the earth , and though many have set themselves ( and of the wisest too , in our age ) to gainsay the truth , which is revealed , by subtil arguments , and have travelled in pain to bring forth misty vapors , to blind the eye of the simple , and have laid , and sought so to do , stumbling blocks of iniq●ity before the people , by multitude of crafty ▪ productions , and lying arguments : wo unto you , wise writers and scribes , you have taken away the key of knowledge , and have neither entred the kingdom , nor suffered others to enter that would , what will be your doom , and what will be your judgment , o the heavie hand of the lord will be upon you , you damnation sleeps not a moment : and whereas john stelham ▪ one o●gogs ▪ army against the lamb and his followers , a falsly supposed , and contrarily called , and unjustly named , minister of the gospel , hath out of his corrupt , wicked , old , lying heart , ( which he confesseth he hath ) brought forth a large piece , out of babylons treasure , of falsly collected , and falsly framed arguments , whereby he hath sought to offend the way of the lord , but the rather hath burthened his own soul , by his own wickedness , and offended himself , and made himself unworthy of life eternal , and is reckoned in the sight of the lord , and proved in the sight of man , to be indeed sinful : john stelham : yea ▪ he is numbred , and truly too , among babylons children , and the lyars , and hypocrites , whose portion is in the lake , and not among the children of the lord , for them , he hath set himself to oppose , and by his subtilty , secretly sought out inch●ntments , and endeavouring to curse , whom god hath blessed , he is accounted among the uncircumcised , and shall not die the death of the righteous , neither shall his last end be like unto his , except he repent ; yea , god hath kept him back from honour , and to shame and disgrace he is already promoted , in the sight of all the saints , and all his work is troden down , as a branch of a dead tree , to be cast into the fire , and what though he have travelled full months , or more , yet his birth is imperfect , and the fruit of an egyptian womb , which hath obtained neither praise of god , nor favour of man ; and what though his arguments be many and subtil , through the strength of his devilish wisdom , whereby he hath descended into the darkness , to fetch up his stuffe , and invented in his mind , and framed in his evil thoughts , which hath filled his volums by his envious pen ; and what though he hath taken seeming occasion against us by his industry and bent his tongue to utter it , as feinedly and zealously , as may blind the si●gle eye , and in as great hypocrisie , and pretended righteousness as possibly may : what then of all these things , let him take this for an answer in full , to all his many arguments , and to his whole work and whatsoever is brought forth , or may be yet lodging in his sinful heart ever to declare , we are of god , his covenant is with us : and the whole world lyes in wickedness , and he that is of god heareth us , and this is enough , reply to all what he hath , or can say further against us ; and this testimony the father gives of us , who hath chosen us in him , before the world was ; and let him , and all our adversaries know , that our religion is in that which keeps unspotted of the world , and our acceptance with god , is in him , who is the light of the world , who exerciseth our consciences , in all good things towards god , and towards man , and though we answer not , yet are we no worse ; and though we answer , yet are we no better ; praise of men approves us not to god , nor dispraise of men makes us not sorrowful ; but our peace is in the father , whether the world do us love , or hate , or praise us , or dispraise : and first of all like unto rehum and shimshai , and their companions , he appears with his dedication , much like unto theirs , from the same spirit , and unto the same end , as may be seen , ezra . , , , &c. and in the manner of amaziah ▪ priest of bethel , unto jeroboam the king , with a message much of that nature , as in amos. . , , &c. and this man with his feigned flattering titles , appears to the chief in authority for approbation of his work , that men may accept it the more , but that 's little worth , if god accept it less , and in much secret hypocrisie , hath he uttered the intent of his mind , in less than a sheet of paper , to the protector , and council of state , whom we hope in for more honesty than to believe lyes , and the indictments of a sinful wicked heart : well , but if they will harden their hearts to believe unrighteousness , they shall be filled therewith , till both the ancient , and honourable , and the false prophet , that prophesies lyes , which is the tayle , isa . ▪ be consumed together , and the saints shall stand on the earth , and the dominion shall be given into their hands : then among his flattering titles , he seems secretly to complain of abuse made of the press , for the spreading of anti-scripturial , and anti-christian errors , as he saith : indeed his own works do prove his words true , that the press is abused , which hath by his pen scribed so many lyes , reproaches , slanders , and errors , and the press the instrumental cause of spreading them abroad , whereby the press hath been abused , to the dishonour of religion and piety , if not to the dishonour of authority also , then he seems to hint at the cruelty and outcry of many , for crying club ▪ law against the men called quakers ; but whether with approvement , or otherwise of it , his mind is not uttered , however by the lyes and slanders ensuing out of his own mouth , it is easily proved , that he is of that very generation of persecutors , though he so well do not approve of persecuting with the hand , yet he allowes , and himself is guilty of persecuting with the tongue , which is one in nature , so that hereby the great hypocrisie , of this man appears , in condemning others secretly of what himself is guilty of openly , then he is pleased ( though the lord be vexed ) to cast forth his peevish smite , against the light of jesus christ , wherewith every man in the world is lighted , in words , thus venomously uttered , that perverse principle of their * self-adoring light : will the protector and council believe this , or will they promote him , to honour , or magnifie him , because of his oprobrious speeches against the light of the son of god , let them answer and testifie against him , for blasphemy , who hath in his hastiness uttered his envy and wickedness , and no less then denied the lord that bought him , in calling , and shamelesly ▪ stiling the pure light of christ , the way , the truth , and the life , perverse principle , and self ▪ adoring light : and thus it is manifested the press is abused by such an anti-scripturial , and antichristian error proceeding out of john stelhams old heart , and manifested from his pen , then with his lying message he follows after his flattering titles , and sayes ere long the lord himself will rebuke them * to silence , that they shall neither write , nor speak so presumptuously &c. if his lords believe this message , they shall never bless him , but in the end curse him , when the production of his lying prophesie appears , which is deceiving of their souls , and will prove a curse upon them , and posterity , and is feeding of them with hopes of vanity and lyes , and on his own head shall his false vision fall ; a rebuke into silence shall come upon him , the sin is his ; writing presumptuously , and arrogantly , and the judgement there of shall he feel , and all that believe him ; truth shall be established , and his lying tongue is but for a moment , then his lye he adds to his message , which is that the lord jesus is fighting against them * with the sword of his mouth , &c. what wicked presentation is this to the chief rulers of nations , even lyes , one heaped upon another , to suggest into the minds of men , to stir up wrath in their hearts , against the just : nay , jesus is our prince of peace and righteousness , and is with us , and fights for us , and who can be against us , none but such as are his enemies , and have denied him , and his light , and counted it a perverse principle , o how fain would john stelham , ( sinful indeed ) gain a kingdom by flattery , and have praise of his work by his lyes , which he hath made his refuge , and his weapon too , they that believe him shall perish with him , that 's all that may be said ; his flattering titles and words of guile , may gain upon the wicked , but the just man is preserved from the fury of a deceitful tongue , then his ( supposed ) humbly supplicate after his false vision and lying messages is , that every person whatsoever , may not , impune , strike them * corporeally , &c. this appears fair in words , if his meaning were right , yet while he supplicates , that every one may not , though whether he means any one may not , ( i determine not ) strike them corporeally , &c. yet to publish his lyes , and errors , and slanders he would have liberty , and this is but so much more secretly , to strike in the greater hypocrisie , in more crafty subtility ; and indeed , well may the priests of england be ashamed of what hath already been acted , as to striking and cruel abuses , and works of that nature , the blood of many harmless hath been spilt wofully in streets and steeple-houses , through the means of the false prophets , and it may be they will now take another weapon , seeing that hath failed , and not wrought effect , no more shall any formed weapon against the innocent , and though s●me of them have shamefully cryed , fight lads for the gospel ▪ others may with as much hypocrisie write for the fighting lads , and in as great deceit : and then he gives an exhortation in his supplicate , and saith , be pleased to let them * know , that we are guarded by a better law , then what they upbraid us with ; its time to be ashamed that you have been so long guarded by a popish law , yet the secret craft of this man is noted , in this subtil suggestion , a better law would he have , what , doth it too much shame you , by the name of popish law , and would you be less discovered , if the law of the same virtue , were of another authority than queen mary , and of another dominion than the pope , therefore a law from the protector he would supplicate , if possible , that however we may not have liberty to divulge our doctrine in their assemblies , as he saith , and then this evil man , and deceiver , who waxes worse and worse in his way , impudently slanders the way of god , and reproaches the doctrine of the gospel of christ , and would wickedly make men ( more honest than himself ) believe ▪ that these mens * tenents , as he saith , are as reprobate stuffe as the jesuits , their blasphemies as horrid as the popish parasites ▪ oh the wickedness and impudence which hath appeared out of this mans heart in those few words , wickedness , in that his words are lyes , and devilish ; and impudent , in that he dares thus to appear to an authority , with the dedication of lyes ; let him take notice of this ▪ we are clear from his false accusations , and of popish doctrines ; but they that are one with him , are not from being guarded with a popish law , and these are truly romes subjects , who are guarded with his law , more than we are romes emissaries , which secretly he would cast upon us , and make the protector and his council believe it , if their hearts be so hardened : but better is thought upon concerning them , though i. s. would make them evil , suggesting evil into their hearts : but a false prophet is known by his lyes and slanders , and secret smiting ; and then he saith , he would have some of this sect * more narrowly watched , &c. and stigmatized : oh cruelty ! out of the abundance of the heart his mouth utters , like a pot boyling , with anger that cannot contain it within the mouth , what lodges in the heart of this man , consider , what less , then in their hearts , who were q●een maries jesuits and priests , if the protector and council would answer , the cruel intent of his mind , as queen mary did theirs , balaam , or worse he is ; for he hath sought inchantment , and would curse before they sent for him to do so , but it shall return on his own head , who is watched against , for a wolf and devourer , and stigmatzed for a deceiver , and false deviner , one who art marked for a false prophet , and known to be so , by every one who is taught of god , and in the end of all this secretly uttered wickedness , and cruelty , insinuatingly , expressed ▪ to suggest evil into the minds of men , more honest than himself , he wishes for blessing upon his highness and honours , that they may discern true spirits from false , such who proceed out of the mouth of the false prophet , from such as proceeds from the father , and from the son , indeed of such a gift of discerning they have need , and by the fruits they may try every spirit , and in a just tryal , by just judgement , are thou tryed , and thy spirit is made manifest , to be the spirit which proceeds out of the mouth of the d●agon , who wars against the saints , and out of the mouth of the b●ast , who hath many heads and many horns , which beast arose up in the apostacy since the apostles dayes , and thy spirit is made manifest to be that spirit of the false prophet , who deceive ▪ the nations , for thy fruits doth discover thee a lyar , aslanderer , a perverter of the right way of god , art thou proved , and such things proceeds out of the mouth of the false pro , and so let them beware of thy spirit , who art not guided by the spirit of christ jesus , nor of the father , but a worker of darkness , and a reviler of the light of cstrist , calling it ( false prophet-like , as being led with the spirit of the dragon , and of the beast ) perverse principle : we have measured thy spirit to be as i have said , and he that speaks otherwise , speaks a lye , and if the protector and his council believe otherwise ▪ they believe a lye , and cannot obtain a blessing , though thou with thy lying spirit pray for them , whom god ( the father of blessings ) hears not , but is against thee ; and this is my prayer , the lord rebuke thee , and thy wicked tongue , and give the protector and his council a better understanding than to believe thee , else will the lord make them cursed to themselves , and to the nations , of them my heart hopes better things , and this might serve for a full answer to thy whole book , and by this little of thy work that i have viewed , & turned nto the sight of all , art thou discovered , to be an enemy to god , and a secret envier of his people , and by what thou hast said it appears what the rest of the whole matter can be , an evil spirit cannot bring forth good works , but yet a little further , is thy matter unvayled for the sake of the upright . and further , i. s. after his wicked presentation to the rulers of this nation , with lyes and evil speeches proceeding out of his old heart , he writes an epistle ( out of the same heart ) to the church , as he calls them , wherein is many words uttered , but altogether tasted with that leaven of his malice , against quakers and quakerism , who seems to be the greatest burthen upon his evil heart , because truth is among them , and if truth go on , his deceit will be more made manifest , wither , and perish , and so as subtilly as may be he would defend himself , in the sight of his church that his shame may not appear before them ( it may be lest his hire should be abated ) and he seems to cast a cloak upon them , but whether out of pure love to their souls , or for his own gain , and such a sum of money , god knowes ; however the least child in the truth dwelling in the light , sees his length , and can measure his state , and knows that good cannot come from an old lying heart ▪ and he speaks something of wondring after the beast and false prophet , but hath not described what the beast is , and the false prophet : and i refer the reader to a book called , the measure of the times : wherein the priests of england , such as i. s. is reproved according to the scripture , to be the very branches of the same root of false prophets which all the world wondered after in johns time ; and though he speak much to his church of christ without , and of his birth , blood , and his righteousness , and justification thereby ▪ &c. but to all that , i say , all are reprobates but such in whom christ is within them , and none are justified but such , nor hath any part in the inheritance of god , though they may profess never so much of christ without , and what he hath done for others , yet except he be within them too , to change and renew them , and give them power over all their sins , their profession of him is vain . i am no picker of quarrels , else many of his words might be searched , which i run over hastily , knowing his voice to be the voice of a stranger , and not of christ , who never made use of an old sinful heart to pen epistles to churches . but into this lets search ; he saith , christ blessed infants-baptism : where , or when , i ask proof of this , and till then i say i. s. hath belyed christ , and the generation of the just ; well may he belye us , when he hath belyed christ , who could not bless that which there was not : there was no infants baptism that ever we read of in his dayes : sure people will be more wise than to be established through lyes , else their sin be upon them , if through hardness of heart they be given up to believe lyes , that they may perish . he speaks of a well ordered conversation ; indeed this seems hypocrisie , to exhort others ( their churches ) to that which many of the independen teachers have not themselves , who are hirelings , and takes gifts , and rewards for preaching , and is in the way of all the deceivers of old ; and they that do these things have not a well ordered conversation , but a conversing with the generation of ungodly , and when we read the plain words of christ , luke . the kingdom of heaven is within you : he saith , we madly wrest the reading of the words , when we neither ●dd nor diminish ; now he seems to say , it is the kingdom of heaven among you , and not the kingdom of heaven within you ; and so blames the scripture , and confounds the doctrine of many of the independents , who say , the scriptures is believers rule ; but he seems to charge the scripture with false translation , and therefore is subject to alteration , and so cannot be the rule of believers according to his own account , and thus by wicked men are we blamed when we do not speak according to scripture language , and now as wickedly charged by i. s. for speaking just in the scripture expressions , with madly wresting the words , but thus it was before , and whatsoever we do now by our enemies must be reviled , and our words abused , contrary to our innocent intents . then in the end of his epistle , he desires the prayers of his church , that his reply may be accompanied with power according to the truth of it . indeed so it shall , and no more ; according to the truth of it , which is very f●lshoods and deceits ; so shall the power of the lord confound it , and turn it into folly and confusion , as may be seen by a sober man , who this following ▪ doth with patience read , and weigh . then many things is uttered by him in his epistle to the reader , he seems to shew he saith , how r. f. and his associates have made up a litter and fardel of erronious divinity : and secretly charging us with making up of what we profess from some writers before us . but to this i answer , his reproachful words , litter , and fardel , and erronious , we bear with patience , rather rejoycing that we are accounted worthy of the reproach for the truths sake from an envious man , than to be angry with our reproaches : but however , let him and all our enemies know , what we profess and bear witness of , we receive not from man , but from god , even the gospel which we testifie of , by the revelation of jesus christ in us , we received it ; and informs others to the same door , which is , by our ministry , that they may receive the same : and this is but his poor shift , to undervalue the power and truth of jesus , in the sight of men , who would falsly make men believe , that our doctrines are but the spawn of many ancient errors , as he saith , brooded by some moderne writers , when as the doctrine of christ and the apostles we bear witness to by the same spirit , and not to any other authors who were without the spirit of jesus : and all these shifts ●aves not the priests of england from being discovered , and their deceits and abominations to be made manifest by our light and doctrine , which is the light of christ , and the doctrine of the holy men of god before us . and further , his wickedness appears by reproaching and reviling dead men , such as h. n. jacob b. w. e. with others , whom i confidently believe were men in their generation more honest than himself , and more upright with god , and sincere in what was made known to them , than this same reviler who is set to revile both living and dead , if they do but cross his fancy : let all men take notice of these things , and of his rebukes , with an evil heart , whom the lord doth and will rebuke by the spirit of his mouth , in the day of his just judgements , who art a reviler of the just both living and dead : and all along in that epistle , as in the rest of his book , which is the rebukes of a reviler , he bends his very tongue , as the poyson of asps being under it , against the quakers , reckoning them with the papists , and such others ; but this is but as the pharisees his fore-fathers did , who numbered the son of god , and condemned him with transgressors , and betwixt two theeves . and in the end , he desires his reader to receive in love , what in his book is found agreeable to the spirit of god in scripture truth , agreed ; so let it be , and therefore many things in his book , which is not given forth by the spirit of god , nor according to the scripture truth , which the honest reader may find upon a serious reading and search , with the spirit of god , and according to the scripture is to be judged and condemned , and not received ; what shall the honest reader receive this for truth , that the light of christ jesus is a preverse principle , and that christ blessed infants baptism , with very many such like things of the like nature proceeding from the same spirit , which is proved not to be of god ▪ but of the devil , for every tree is known by its fruit , and every spirit by its works , and words : many other things more devilish , if more devilish can be ; he charges us withal in a most unreasonable manner , that our religion is the fort of babel , and that jesuitical plots and designes are carried on by some of us ; and quakerism is built upon the fourfold pillar of papistry , with such like ; the very transcribing of his words shewes his wicked spirit by his unsavory words ; which things we do deny in the presence of the lord , and are clear in his sight from these divilish accusations ▪ though i. s. play the devils part , in this epistle as well as in his whole book : and is an accuser of the brethren , and is to be cast out and judged , with the life of god , and to give testimony against his lyes and slanders is sufficient answer , and the next time he enterprises the like work , we demand of him witness of his words , what these jesuitical flots and designes are , we do carry on ; which slander is so divelish could he prove what he saith ▪ his words would take away our lives ; but to raise the unclean spirits against us , though the nations is truly supposed the purpose of his words , and not being content with what he himself can believe us in , his work reaches to raise the rage of whole nations to execute their fury as well as his own upon us , and so his words gives ground to all the wicked that doth believe h●m ( for none else can ) to persecute the people , and way of the lord , under the false account of being plotters , and of having ill designes , which things we stand witness against , and seeks the peace of all men , though he have bent his tongue for lyes , and brazen'd his face to utter them without fear or shame , to suggest evil into mens minds that they may harm the upright , but it is known by his words what lodgeth in the heart of such a person , who thus openly and impudently doth slander just men to the taking away of life ▪ if any were so divilish to witness lyes and slanders , as he is in forging of them , and declaring of them , and that to the protector and his council too ; but from these things we being clear , are the more ready to bear his lyes with patience , and doth not pray for fire to devour him , though he be our enemy and the lords ; but rather wishes his returning from his ungodliness , than a destruction upon him in his ungodliness ; and whereas the substance of his matter invented in his mind and brought forth into view , is a going about to prove that in twenty two particulars mentioned by him , we do contradict the scriptures , but his ground is false from whence his whole work proceeds , for not in any particular of what is mentioned do we contradict the scriptures , though his whole work be founded upon this thing , of our contradiction to scripture , and while we be approved in the sight of the lord , we reckon his s●●nders to be rather a testimony to us , that we are of god , than a discouraging of us in the wayes of god : and we do not allow that i. s. be our interpreter , and the expositor upon our words : for then no question but he will judge out of his prejudicial mind , false judgement , and pervert the innocent words into contradiction of scripture , and of our selves , but to the single mind and witness of god in every man we appeal for judgment , and doth in the sight of god commend our selves to every mans conscience , and begs not belief of any , but knows all that be in the light of the son of god witnesseth to us , and feels our doctrine to be the doctrine of godliness , reaching to the witness of god in every one whereby we are a good savour to god in all , and though i. s. judge our doctrine to be scripture contradictions , yet his judgement is but out of his old lying heart , which can bring forth no better than it self even false judgement , and lying words , which out of it hath plentifully abounded , in his false rebukes ; therefore let the reader first search into the ground from whence his work and judgement doth spring , and try if an old lying heart , and sinful wretch ( as he confesses he is ) can bring forth good fruit ; no , we matter not what his judgement of us be , when as we know the heart is corrupt from whence it doth spring , not in the light of the spirit of god , do we in any one particular insisted upon , by him contradict the scriptures , though by his dark minde so he wickedly judgeth of us , even as the pharisees , his forefathers , did judge of christ to be a blasphemer and a contradictor of moses , and the prophets , who did fulfil them , and put them to an end , and not destroy them , nor contradict them not in the sight of his father , though to their corrupt judgement ; and christ tells them that they erred not knowing the scriptures , nor the power of god , who had old lying hearts , & were sinful wretches , even such as john stelham hath confessed himself to be , and therefore his words and judgment , and theirs is like to be all of one nature ▪ judging truth to be error , and the way of god to be heresie and blasphemy , this the pharisees did of old , and even thus doth john stelham and his companions do at this day ; but why should any be troubled hereat , seeing herein christs words are fulfilled upon us , who said , they shall speak all manner of evil falsly against you for my names sake ; and so hath this man done with his light scornful spirit , and fulfilled christs words , who because he hath not known the father , nor the son , hath spoken evil falsly against them that follow christ , and this were sufficient answer to his whole book ; yet let us see what follows , and let the reader try with all moderation , that he may be edified , and may know the true spirit from the false , and the doctrine of the gospel from lying visions ; and may cleave to the truth , and escape the error , and let none believe hastily , things uttered without knowledge , out of i. s. deceitful heart . forasmuch as many of the servants of the lord have been moved of the lord to set forth in order , several declarations of those things which the light of the glorious gospel shining in their hearts , hath given them the knowledge of ▪ and for this end are they published , that others also may know the certainty and truth of those things which are believed , known , and enjoyed amongst us , not that they can be known by reading the letter in which they are delared , but through their diligence and obedience to the light wherewith christ hath enlightened them [ though not for it ] which is the same light which shined in our hearts , and gave us the light of the knowledge of the glory of god in the face of jesus christ , by which light of the glorious gospel who are faithful in it to the lord , their understandings come to be opened , that they stumble not at those things which are testified in the truth , neither at that which is declared in other scriptures , but it being that in this our day it hath pleased the f●ther to bring forth in life and power that mercy and truth ( which the scripture speaks of ) by which iniquity is purged out , and as it is become a savour of life unto life in those that receive and believe in it , so it is also become a savour of death unto that death which rema●ns in both priests and people in this age , who hates the light who can scarce hear it named or that people should be turned unto it ( as the apostle did turn them from darkness to the light , and from the power of satan unto god that they might receive the remission of their sins , and be partakers of the inheritance amongst them that are sanctified ) but when they hear that preached or printed , which they may do , and out of which they cannot receive the remission of their sins , then envie riseth up in them , and a perverse mind , and ungodly speeches , and false accusations , saying , that we speak of a natural light , and of a natural conscience , when as we speak of the true light which hath enlightened every one that cometh into the world , and in which christs doctrine stood which said to the people , and to the pharisees again , and again , i am the light of the world , as joh. . joh. . . but now because the light is come , and the glory of the lord is risen upon us , and we declare it freely , as we have received it ; therefore is flouds of ungodliness risen up against us , but it is impossible that the seed which the lord is manifesting his light and power to bring forth , should be kept alwayes under the power of death , which seed is now terrible in the lords power , and will yet be more terrible as his power encreaseth , which is now going forth as an army with banners , for the torment of the wicked is already begun , because the righteousness of god is now spreading over the nations , and neither the rulers of the darkness of this world , nor all the printings and preachings of those who be out of the life of god , can hinder that which the lord hath begun and is carrying on by his own power , though the nations are angry , because that by the light of his glorious gospel shining forth , his wrath is revealed upon them for their ungodly deeds , that the scripture which cannot be broken may be fulfilled ; and therefore it were better for them to be silent , and put their mouths in the dust ▪ if so be , for them ▪ there may be hope , then to rise up against that wihch is more unchangeable than the heavens and the earth , and therefore in vain have the enemies of god ▪ and people , in all professions joyned themselves together against the light of truth , and the way of the lord , which many in our dayes have fallen upon , but is broken to pieces , and it hath fallen upon many and grinded them to pouder , and nothing shall escape , for the day of the lord is come , and it is very nigh to you that hate it , a day of darkness , and of gloominess of clouds , and of thick darkness ( and now the seed of god is ) as the morning spread upon the mountains a great people and a strong , there hath not been ever the like , neither shall there be any more after it● even to the years of many generations , a fire goeth before them , and behind them a flame burneth , the land is as the garden of eden , before them and behind them a desolate wilderness , and nothing shall escape them , the appearance of them is a● the appearance of horses , and as horse-men , so shall they run , &c. the earth shall quake before them , the heavens shall tremble , the sun and moon shall be dark , and the stars shall withdraw their shining , and the lord shall utter his voyce before his army ( as he now doth ) for h●s camp is very great for he is strong that executeth his word , for the day of the lord is great and very terrible , and who can abide it . and now , according as the prophet joel prophesied , is it come , and coming to pass , joel . , , , , . against which seed , men of corrupt minds , and reprobate concerning the things of god , are risen up , who in their first appearance , in their writings , profess themselves to be that which they are not , seeming right unto many through their feigned words , and fair sp●eches , deceiving the hearts of the simple , for whom christ died : but afterwards in the same writings ( to those that see ) they manifest themselves what they are , and being so considered as they are seen and known cannot deceive , and therefore to all people who desire to be edified and satisfied in the ground and truth of things as they are made manifest by the lord , to the light in you i speak , that in it you may be able to understand truth in what i say , and by the truth to judge of things that differ , for such as the tree is , such is the fruit ; an evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit , neither can one fountain send forth sweet water , and bitter . now as concerning a book given forth by john stelham ( priest at terling in essex ) who having an evil eye because gods is good , and being fil●ed with indignation , because god hath mercy on his own seed whom he hath blessed , hath out of the abundance of his heart spoken it forth ; now the way to know that which is spoken in darkness is to read it in the light , and i● his t●stimony in any thing , as coming from him , is to be believed , it is that which is concerning his own condition ; and if his estate and condition be such , that in it he can receive the things of god , and minister them to others , then they may be received : but if his condition be such , that in it he cannot receive the things of the spirit of god , then that which cannot receive ▪ cannot minister , and so he is to be silent , and none to expect the things of god from him , being neither fit to reprove , nor to rebuke , but to be reproved and rebuked , as will appear as followeth : the ground in him , and the heart out of which this abundence of words in his book proceeds ; in it ( as he declares ) is yet the root of all error , and of all sin is in him and seen by him not mortified , and that he hath an old lying heart , and flesh , wherein there dwells no truth , no good thing , a sinful wretch and worm , subscribing himself the sinful john stelham , as in his introduction , in page . and page ▪ now therefore , we having found out the root and the ground , to be a root of error , and the ground of deceit , and a heart wherein dwells no truth , nor no good thing ; therefore from that which is unclean shall we not expect that which is clean to proceed , nor truth from that wherein dwells no truth , but from the lying heart and deceitful tongue hath the lord delivered us , so that if we be called revilers and be rebuked , and a charge laid against us , as to contradict the scriptures of god , and be called antiscriptural , antichristian , and antispiritual , we have now learned to know whence it doth proceed , even from the old lying heart , and flesh , wherein there dwells no truth ; and we can bear it because we know that till that heart be taken away , and a new heart known wherein is truth . we must be reproached , and spoken evil of falsly , for his sake who hath taken away the old lying heart , and hath given us a new heart wherein truth dwelleth , and where truth proceeds out from , and herein are we manifest from the children of this generation , and herein are the two states known , and the two conditions of men , according to the testimony of scripture , and the parable which jesus spoke , luke . . can the blind lead the blind , shall they not both fall into the ditch ? and vers. . a good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good ; and , an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil , for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh : and hereby is the tree known by his fruits , and the heart of the wicked was ever filled with lying and vanity , and understanding was hid from them , the lord was grieved with such that did err in their hearts , and had not known his wayes , psal. . . and such their hearts was fat as grease , and in their hearts they imagined mischief , and studied destruction , psal. ▪ psal. . . and this was an evil which was under the sun , that the hearts of the sons of men was full of evil and madness while they live , eccles. . . and such a heart was in the scribes and pharisees a lying heart wherein dwelt no truth , filled with evil thoughts , as christ said , wherefore think ye evil in your hearts , matth. . . and out of the heart did arise all false accusations ; calling the truth blasphemy , and the way of it heresie , and such who be in the state as john stelham confesseth he is , was never appointed by the lord to watch over souls , but such where christ did dwell in their hearts , and because they were sons , god sent forth the spirit of his son into their hearts , eph. . . gal . and such had truth in their hearts doing the will of god from the heart , and did draw neer unto god with a true heart , in full assurance of faith , having their hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience , and their bodies washed with pure water ; these did not profess the things of god in an old lying heart , wherein dwelt no truth , but called upon the name of the lord with a pure heart , and said that the end of the commandment was charity out of a pure heart , and of a good conscience , and of faith unfeigned , from which some swarved ( in the apostles dayes ) having turned aside unto vain jangling , and such desired to be teachers of others , but the doctrine is corrupt , and the ministry of faith is not held where the heart and conscience is not pure ; and the lord is good unto such who be of a clean heart . now as concerning the scriptures . john stelhams testimony from the old lying heart wherein dwells no truth , is this , that the scriptures are the word of god , and truly so called , and the letter and scripture is all one , as page , . but to contradict that himself he saith in page . the letter taken strictly is but legal administration using these words , the letter killeth , i. e ▪ the bare legal command without a promise of power or pardon , as a bare letter void of strength , life , and spirit ; it leaveth all men under a killing sentence ▪ and curse : let them that have understanding judge . again , as concerning the letter in page . he expresseth himself thus , ( the spirit is given by it . ) and in the next words saith the scripture is but instrumental to the spirit . now mark , the letter taken strictly being legal without a promise of power or pardon , void of strength , life , and spirit , ( the spirit to be given by this which he confesseth is void of strength , life , and spirit ) and is but instrumental to the spirit , whether this be not contradiction and confusion , let them that read judge : for in reading these things which he hath published , many may seal to the confession of his own condition to be truth ▪ but that which he hath declired of the things of god to be false ; for now the light being broken forth , such doctrine cannot be received , nor beleeved ; that the spirit is given by the letter , but that which is declared in the letter , was given forth from the spirit , which was in them which spoke it forth ; but people may long have the letter , and think in it to find god and eternal life , and may die in their sins , though i. s. say that not one man in the world , knows god to be god , till he finds him in the scripture . but i say unto him as christ said unto the pharisees , who had neither heard his voyce at any time , nor seen his shape , had not his word abiding in them , nor did not believe in the light , and that he was the light which did enlighten every man that cometh into the world , search the scriptures , for in them ye think ye have eternal life , and they are they which testifie of me , saith christ the life , but those thought that they had the life in the scriptures , deceived them , for they wanted the life when they thought they had it & so i. s. thoughts that he hath the spirit by the letter , deceives him , for when he finds the spirit & eternal life , then his old lying heart in which is no truth , but the root of error will be taken away , and so the light which cometh from christ the life , in which the spirit is received , condemneth all such thoughts , for they proceed out of that heart which is not upright before the lord ▪ neither is it set to seek the lord in that way in which he and his spirit is found . again , i. s. talking of the scriptures , intrudes into things which he hath not seen , comparing it with that which he hath seen , and so in what he saith he is blind , saying , the scriptures is a more standing rule , than visions . to which i answer , the night is upon him , that he hath no vision , and therefore doth not know what a vision is a rule unto , nor the continuance of it , as those in israel , which said that every vision fa●leth , and so would not have them a standing rule , and that reproach of the visions of god , was so common , that it was become a proverb amongst them ; but the prophet who was in the light ▪ and had the vision of the lord ▪ and had the word of the lord , he was to reprove that proverb , and to tell them that they should no more use it as a proverb in israel , and said , the dayes are at hand , and the effect of every vision ; and so with the light , who be in it doth now reprove all such proverbs and preachings against the visions of god , for from the visions was the scriptures spoken forth , and that which they had seen they declared ; so that which gives forth words is greater than the words , and without vision the people perish , and they may perish while they have the letter , but they cannot perish while they have the vision ; and although there be vain visions , they do not make the true of none effect . and although there be sorceryes and enchantment that doth not make the true resurrection of the dead of none effect ; but the blind must stumble at the things which they do not see . again , i. s. saith , that the authority of the scriptures is owned among the jewes to this day . answ. no , christ is not owned amongst them who is the authority , and power , unto which the scriptures give testimony that he is so , neither are they yet converted , as thou thy self confessest , and they who be in the unconverted estate , doth not own the authority of the scriptures though such may talk of them , as thou dost , speaking that of them which they never spoke of themselves . again , i. s. saith , in the . page , as deep things as the spirit hath revealed , they are all in the scripture . answ. nay , there was things revealed which was unutterable , and many things which was revealed , and also written , which is not in the scripture ; as the book of nathan the prophet , and the prophesie of ahijah the shil●●mit● , and the visions of iddoa the seer , which was against jer●b●ans the son of nabat , chron . . and the book of shemath the prophet , chron. . . . and the book of jehu , chron. . . and the book of gad the seer , chron ▪ . . and the book of jaser , sam. . . and the prophesie of enoch , who prophesied of the coming of christ in his saints , to execute judgement upon all , and to convince all that are uugodly of all their ungodly deeds and hard speeches , which ungodly sinners have spoken against him , as jude beareth witness ; and he also saw and prophesied , of israel according to the flesh , that they should do wickedly , and slay him who was the light of the world : and much more which is not written in the bible ; and that which was manifest unto paul , which he wrote to the corinthians , in an epostle , not to company with fornicators ; that whole epistle is not in the bible , cor. . . and likewise that which was revealed unto paul in the dispensation of the grace of god , given unto him how that by revelation god made known unto him the mystery , which he wrote unto the ephesians in a few words whereby they when they read , they might understand his knowledge in the mystery of christ which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men as it was then revealed unto his holy angels and prophets by the spirit , which epistle , in which that mystery was written , is not in the bible , ephes. . . and the epistle which paul wrote to the laod●ceans , which he charged the colossians to read amongst them , ( and that theirs should be read in the church of the laodeceans ) wherin his thanks and prayers to god was for their stedfastness in the truth wherein he made manifest the unprofitable talkers , who went about to draw them from the truth of the gospel , and from their diligence in good works of eternal life , as many vain , and unprofitable talkers are in the world now doing the same work . and whereas i. s. saith , that the epistle of paul to the colossians was read as the word of the lord in the church of the laodeceans : why doth he not as well ●ear witness that pauls epistle to the laodeceans was read as the word of the lord amongst the colossians , col. . ▪ and if he read in his church the epistle to the colossians as the word of the lord , why doth not he read to his people that which was written to the laodeceans , they both being given forth from one spirit ▪ so let him consider of those things above mentioned , and try whether his words will stand unreprovable , page , saying , god might have revealed more than is in the scripture , but he pleased not so to do : in that page , mentioning samuel ▪ moses , and the prophets , christ and the apostles , saying , all that they have spoken is written both according to what was written before , and for substance the same . answ. what i have spoken , and shall here speak , may sufficiently make manifest that his words proceed from the old lying heart , in which dwells no truth ; for i have shewed out of the prophets , and out of the apostles many things which was both revealed and declared , which is not in the bible written : and likewise i shall shew farther , of the things concerning christ , testified by john , and we know that his testimony is true , saying , and there are also many other things which jesus did , the which if they should be written every one , i suppose that even the world it se●f could not contain the books which should be written , john . . so that all is not written which was revealed , wrote , and spoken , which if much more were written which was made manifest , by it with that which is written , could they not know the lord , their minds being from the light of christ , which doth reveal and make manifest that which may be known of god in them . and many who have the letter , and are ministers of it , are sensual , having not the spirit , nor the word of god , nor the testimony of jesus , and their ministry is but as chaff to the wheat , and the lord is against them ; for what is the chaff to the wheat , saith the lord , jer. . is not my word like a fire , saith the lord , and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces . now many have the letter , and know not the word of the lord as a fire , neither is the rock broken with the letter , and such use their tongue , for it is their own , and the power of the lord is not come over it , such cause the people to err , and doth not profit them , being not sent , nor commanded of the lord , for who are sent and commanded of the lord , the lord useth their tongues to speak his words , which he puts into their mouths , and such words doth profit the people , and not cause them to err , being spoken according to the law , which is light ; and the testimony of jesus , which is the spirit of prophesie ; and such do witness the scriptures , that as they cannot be broken ▪ so they cannot be denied by the spirit which gave them fo●th to be a declaration , of those things which was reveale● , known , and believed : but they are not that which they are a declaration of , the letter testifies of the eternal life , but it is not , it neither gives it : it testifies of the light of the glorious gospel shining in the heart , which gives the light of the knowledge of the glory of god , but it is not that light which gives that knowledge ▪ it testifies of the way , but christ is the way ; and of the word ▪ but god is the word ; and of redemption , but christ is the redemption , and not the letter , though it testifies of justification , and sanctification , but they are wrought by the word in the grace and power of christ , and so every one who will own the scriptures , as they were given forth to be owned must first own that of god in them , which is manifest to work in the creature , that which they testifie of , that christ the power of god they may witness , working all their works in them , and for them , according to the scriptures . but contrary to the scriptures , i. s. from the root of errour , saith , that the written letter is the spiritual arm and sword of the spirit , and that the very power of the written letter puts satan to flight● : and in the same page , saith , that the devil hath scripture in his mouth . answ. let the people take notice , and read the scriptures , and see if there be any such thing that the sword of the spirit was ever in the divels mouth ; for the spiritual armour which is said to be the word of god : but the word of god , w●ich is the sword of the spirit , is that by which he is to be destroyed , and is in the mystery hid from him , and all that follow his lusts : but though the devil , which did not abide in the truth , and his ministers who are out of the truth , may take the letter in their mouths as they have done , and say its written so , but the word of the lord ▪ s not in their mouths , which is the sword of the spirit , and such will use the letter in their mouths which cannot cease from sin , whose eyes are full of adultery , beguiling unstable souls , their heart being exercised with covetous practises , cursed children , which have forsaken the right way , and are in the errour of balaam , loving the wages of unrighteousness , and taking them , and such have the letter in their mouths , but knows not the word of god , which who comes to know , it restrains them from all such practises . again , i. s. from his blindness and root of errour , and lying heart , wherein dwells no truth , but much confusion saith that the letter , i. e. the scriptures is the true ground of the believers faith : and again in the same page saith , that christ in the scriptures is the true ground of faith : and to prove the former , he brings prov. . . , . that thy trust may be in the lord , i have made known to thee this day , even to thee , have not i written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge , that i might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth , that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee . answ. by this scripture the lord is made the ground of faith , and not the letter : and therefore did the prophet make known excellent things in writing , in counsel , and knowledge , and for this end did the apostles both preach and write , that the faith of those which heard them , and read their writtings , might not stand in the wisdom of words , nor in the letter , as its ground , but in christ the power of god , and christ who preached the true doctrine , that in it every one might believe ▪ said to the world , and to the pharisees , while ye have the light , believe in the light , that ye may be the children of light , and these had the letter , but did not believe in the light , which light is christ , and which light is the foundation of faith , and is the foundation of many generations , in which many did believe , before , this letter which declares of it was written ; and that faith which stands in the light , and in the power of god is the ground of the scripture letter , from whence it did proceed ; after they believed they spoke and wrote that which is now declared , in chapters . and every one which come to the true ground of faith , must come to the light to believe in it , that they may be the children of it , and then the scriptures will be profitable unto them , they with the light having the understanding opened to see for what end they were given forth , and how they come to be fulfilled , and witnessed in that which gave them forth ; for the ground of faith to believers is but one both before and since the scriptures was written , which is christ , in whom whosoever believeth shall be saved , let christ be in what he will , for he was the ground of faith , when the letter was not , and he is the ground of faith when it is , and no other foundation for faith can any man lay , than that which is laid , jesus christ who is the true light , and enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world , that all men in him might believe , and they that believe not that he is so , shall die in their sins , as christ saith , joh. . . but john stelham going on in his own devised fables , would pervert the words of truth , both in our writings , and in the apostles , as it is manifest , in his writing , of this reviling rebuke concerning r. f. and i. n. e. b. and f. h. and others , which whosoever read their words , and his , they may discern truth from devised fables without much reply unto it , as in some places he is mingling his own words with theirs , joyning a lye to the truth , that he may contradict it as false ; as every one that reads with understanding will see , which when they have spoken plain truths , which he himself hath often in his book confessed unto to be truth , will afterwards give his meanings to their words , as he hath done unto the apostles words , saying , if they mean thus , &c. then he goes about to contradict his own meaning , and when he hath contradicted his own meaning ; then he saith he hath contradicted their words , though he have before confessed the truth of their words , so he hath not contradicted the words as they were spoken , but because they spoke not his meaning with the words , therefore the true words must be false in his judgement , and bear his rebuke , as his book doth make manifest , and adding his lye to the words of truth , these two things are his greatest proofs to resist the truth , in page . he hath mingled his own words with the words of r. f. in which page he acknowledgeth a former addition , and yet reneweth another . r. f. having been speaking of the light , which enlighteneth every man which cometh into the world , ( he adds ) which where it is ( and it is in every man , it reneweth the judgment , &c ▪ ) he here adding his own , and then rebuking it , would make people believe lyes , that all might be damned who believe not the truth . but on the contrary , for we never have said that every mans judgement is renewed with the light , though they be enlightened , for they are enlightened who hate it ▪ and who are void of true judgement because they hate the light which they be enlightened withal . and also the apostles words he perverts and gives meanings unto , which if he did not they would be a plain testimony with that which he hath set himself to oppose , so giving meanings both to their words , and our words , his meanings must be the ground of his believers faith , and not the scriptures , as he said before . the apostle peter speaking of a more sure word of prophesie , wherein they did well to take heed , as unto a light that shined in a dark place , until the day dawn , and the day-star arise in their hearts , pet. . . knowing this first , that no prophesie of the scripture is of any private interpretation , for the prophesie came not in old time by the will of man , but holy men of god spake as they were moved of the holy ghost , to this i. s. adds not heart-prophesie , no breast-prophesie , but written down in books , &c. which is contrary to the apostles words , for he doth not exclude heart-prophesie , for there was never any prophesie but did proceed out of the heart before it was written in any book . and the apostle saith , until the day dawn , and the day-star arise in your hearts , and that holy men of god spoke as they were moved by the holy ghost , and that which moved them to speak prophesies was in their hearts , and the apostle did not bid them wait till the day-star did arise in the scriptures , but till it did arise in their hearts , and then he told them how the prophesies of the scriptures came . peter saying , until the day dawn , and the day-star arise in our hearts , i. s. saith , that is until by the study of the scriptures , more light be cleared up , &c. now let all them of understanding , read , and compare his words , and the apostles , and they may well conclude with his confession , that he hath an old lying heart , and flesh , in which dwells no truth , but the root of errour and gainsaying of the truth ; and as for many other of his devised fables , and false meanings , though i let them pass here unanswered ; yet they may be seen with the mind , informed in the truth ; and all who are of god , and of the truth , may know that it is a small matter for us to be rebuked , or judged to be in confusion , who so evidently hath confounded both our words , and the apostles , into his own false meanings , and so contradicts them both ; but that remaineth sure which gave forth the scriptures , and abideth in us , and we know that they cannot be broken , but must be fulfilled , as they were given forth by the word , which they were given forth from , by taking heed unto which the young mans way is cleansed , and by which the old lying heart is reproved , that which was given forth from the spirit , cannot be by it denyed , but that which would darken words without knowledge is denyed ; that which would set up devised fables above christ , the spirit , and scriptures , that by the spirit is denyed without contradiction , and as we shall by the spirit , and by the scriptures try john stelhams doctrine ; which if he deny them both ▪ then by his own argument we shall prove him , and see whether he will own himself to be judged by that with which he would judg others , whether they be messengers sent by gods spirit : his assertion laid down page , to try withal , is ●his : such messengers as speak more than is in the scripture , are not sent by gods spirit , nor guided by him to what they say . by this then is all that of him before mentioned , cast out , being both more , and contrary , to what is in the scripture ; as also that which is to be declared , as followeth in his second head , as he calls it , of scripture contradiction ; he is speaking concerning a trinity , and three persons : which words a●e not spoken in the scriptures , he naming the father , son , and spirit , by such names as the scripture never did : and so about words and names which the scripture doth not mention , arising out of the devination of his heart doth he multiply words to hide the truth , and shut the kingdom from men , and so hath no ground , for the word three persons , from the scripture , but the scripture in one translation speaking of christ being the express image of the fathers person , and in another translation saith , that he is the express figure of the fathers substance , as he is witnessed to be by those that know him , and so till he find the word three persons and trinity in the scriptures ▪ let him own his own rule to judge him , to be no messenger sent by gods spirit , because he speaks more than is in the scripture , who saith , the holy ghost is a person , and this person dwells in saints , though not personally : ( mark this ) a person dwell in the saints not personally : all this confusion is as tares , which men gather , which must be bound in bundles and cast into the fi●e ; for what is the chaff to the wheat , or what is a i such invented words to the knowledge of the father , son , and spirit , which are one , which bear record in heaven ; and there are three that bear witness in earth , the spirit , the water , and the blood , and these three agree in one , and when these are known in their witness in man , what they witness unto , and what they witness against within and without , such will give them names according to their works ▪ and according to the scriptures . the third head of john stelhams scripture contradiction is concerning the light which every man is enlightened withal ; which of all things is most hated by all such whose wayes , words , and works , are contrary to it ; for it being risen in the hearts of the children of men , to give the knowledge of the truth , hath in this day made many wiser than their teachers , and now they which have caused people to err , are by the light seen , and by the children of light are denyed : and they being denyed , their envie is up against the light which hath made them manifest ; and they walk not by the light , nor according to the scriptures , but there is a line of confusion comes over them ; by which now they walk , and from which their writings doth proceed , as john stelham in page saith , they may affirm agreeable to the scripture , and yet contradict the scriptures in saying that christ is in every man , or that the light in every man leads to the father ; and saith , christ , god , or as god is in every man , and a spark of his godhead light is in every man , but there is not in every man that redemption light which leads to the father . that light which christ hath enlightned every man withal leads to the father , all who are led by it and believe in it , and condemns all from the father which do not obey it , but hate it , and speak dispitefully against it , who are turned out from god who is light and truth , into the confusion , saying , that the god-head-light is not the redemption-light ; but with the light that lye and confusion is judged for ever : and in affirming that the godhead light is in every man , and then calling it common and old creation-light , and scripture-light , page ▪ and the light of nature , page , . & a legal light , page . and a created light , page . and an universal light , ( unto which i say , as god is , so is his light , and so is his godhead not created , nor natural , and as every one comes to know the light , which by i. s. is so reviled , they shall neither follow , nor believe his doctrine , till he can prove when the light of the godhead was created , and how it became natural , or legal , or where he had those names , for the scriptures doth give no such names to the light ; and so by his own rule he speaking more than is in the scripture , is not a messenger sent by gods spirit , nor guided by it in what he saith . as also in other things , as in page . saying , that light without scripture is no light : then enoch's light in which he walked with god was no light , nor jacobs light , nor isaacs , nor abrahams , for they were without these writings , and this letter which he calls the scriptures ; but they were not without light : and thousands have so much light , whether they have the scriptures or not as to see this darkness , as to say light , though saving light without scripture is no light ; did the scriptures make the light to be light , and was the saving light made by that which was written , let all take notice and turn away from such : in another place he calls the scriptures but the declaration that christ is the word , and calleth them a vessel that the light is put into , in page . and . now let them of understanding consider and judge whether the vessel be the maker of that which is put into it , and whether wine that is put into a bottle be made wine by the bottle , or whether is it not wine without the bottle , and water put into a vessel be not water without the vessel , or whether the vessel make it to be water : john stelham saith , every verse of scripture is a little vessel of light , and that light without scripture is no light , so these things have i laid open , that every one may see how the lord hath turned wise men backward , and made their wisdom foolishness , and that they may see how those stumble and fall , and are snared , and taken ; whose light is turned into darkness , and how great that darkness is , and now are the scriptures not denied , but fulfilled , for now is the light and truth come into the world , by which they are found to be blind which said they saw , and in which they see , that were blind , and now the depths are seen which are covered with darkness , and babylon is seen the mother of harlots which bring forth in confusion , and bind up in ignorance other confusions and lyes i shall also mention , given forth by i. s. in his book . as page . he saith , that god was , and is the word , according to joh. . . and in page . he saith , the father is not the word , nor never so called ( which is contradiction ) and in page . saith , christ is more in the scriptures than in his saints ( which is false ) for greater was that which the words came from than the words , which did but declare of the fulness from whence they came ▪ as all that know christ will bear witness unto , and against all such that say christ is more in the words than in them which speak the words . again , in page . he saith christ the author of salvation to them that obey him , speaking in the scripture saveth by the scripture ( which is false and contrary to the testimony of the scriptures and the witness of them which witnessed his salvation , who said , by his life are we saved , and by grace through faith which was the gift of god , and not by the letter ; and their witness was true for god & his works , & against all such who are of a lying heart , and spirit of errour , who would make the letter to be the light ( yea more , even that which makes light to be light , and so greater ; for that which makes a thing is greater than the thing that is made , and would have the letter to be the word , when as the letter saith ▪ god is the word , and would make the scriptures to be that by which people are saved , as in page saying ▪ christ saveth by the scriptures , but the scriptures speak no such thing of themselves , for they say that there is no other name under heaven by which men can be saved , but by the name of jesus ▪ neither is there such a word written in the bible that say men is saved by scriptures , nor that the light of the godhead is natural as i. s. saith , that he may set up a light of scriptures as he calleth it . and he speaks in page . of having our minds darkned with the light of scriptures ; mark , doth that light , which he hath in all his book been exalting above the godhead light , and above that light which christ hath enlightened every man withal , darken mens minds , what is it then that must enlighten them , here is his testimony of the light brought up to the full , that all , who can receive it may believe it , for he saith to us , if our minds were not darkned , with the light of the scriptures , the two texts in rom. . . and col. . . might resolve us how the gospel is preached to every creature , and not to the principle of light in the conscience , how can the scripture resolve us of the light , if it darken our minds , but by these things this is made manifest , that darkness hath blinded his eyes that he neither knows the light , nor the scriptures which was given forth from it . again , another of his contradictions concerning the light in page , . compared with page . is this , saying the light that shined in pauls heart , and the light that shineth in the scripture is the same light , and god who shineth in the heart by gospellight , according to the apostles words , cor. . . contrary unto which in his page saith . that the gospel light about matters of salvatio● , of which the apostle speaks , never entered , never shined into mens hearts . answ to this let all take notice , and consider , whether of these two ( contraries ) they are to believe : the one saying , god shineth in their hearts by gospel light : and the other saith , it never entred nor shined into mens hearts : but if the scriptures or the apostle is to be believed , he saith , for god who commanded the light to shine out of darkness , hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of god in the face of jesus christ , but we have this treasure in earthen vessels , that the excellency of the power may be of god , and not of us , ●cor. . , . here was the light of the gospel shining in their hearts in matters of salvation ▪ giving them the knowledge of the glory of god in the face of jesus christ , and they were the vessels in which the light did shine , and from which they spoke the hidden wisdom of god in a mystery , and so that which they spoke of the light , and of the gospel is yet a mystery unto such whose eye is blinded , with the god of this world , and the wayes of unrighteousness , knowing neither the light nor the gospel of salvation , but filling up their line of confusion as hath been already manifest ; and may further be made manifest . again , john stelham in his . head of scripture contradiction speaks concerning the law , and goes about to distinguish between the two covenants which the scriptures speaks of , but knows not what he speaketh , nor of what he affirmeth , but contrary to the scriptures speaking of a moral and of a ceremonial law which the scriptures speaks of no such words , nor no such distinctions , as of a moral law to be the covenant of works , and that the ceremonial law is not a covenant of works , but of grace . and whereas he tells of a covenant of nature which is one with the covenant of works ; and so here is several covenants which i. s. hath made , and several names here given to the covenants which god never gave , nor they which spoke of the covenants never gave such names to the law in the words of scripture as moral , legal ▪ natural , ceremonial , so that is all without , and contrary to the scripture language . and whereas he goeth about to prove adam to be under a moral law , which he calls a law of works , but hath no scripture to prove it from , but from his suppositions : as thus , if it was not of grace , it was a covenant of works ▪ and again , if the covenant of works was not made with adam in innocency , god could not in justice require satisfaction of his posterity under the fall , &c. a third supposition to prove adam under a covenant of works is this , either he stood under the covenant of works , or was under the covenant of grace , or he was under no covenant , &c. unto which i answer , all such priests and teachers who be out of innocency themselves cannot tell what covenant those are in with god who are innocent , and in the image of god in holiness and righteousness , and therefore from such have we so much perverting of the scriptures , and violating of the law of god , to make it according to their imaginations ; but unto such god saith , what hast thou to do to declare my statutes , or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth , seeing thou hatest instruction ▪ and castest my words behind thee , psal. . . thou givest thy mouth to evil , and thy tongue frameth deceit ; but i say that covenant in which adam was with god in his innocency , and in his image , he stood in that , and by that , by which he was made a living soul , and in that was in unity and covenant with god , for the disobedience of which he was driven out from god into the earth ; and none was under the law of works , neither was that law added until there was transgression which it was added because of ; but that which is innocent , and without sin , unreprovable in gods sight , is under no law but that which endureth for ever , which doth free from sin and death those that be in it , which is made manifest unto some since the falling from it , and which the isles is to wait for till it be made manifest where it is not already revealed , and all who come to have right to speak of gods precepts and to take his covenant in their mouths , they see and comprehend all such darkness , which doth not speak according to words of scripture , but speaks of three covenants contrary to scripture , saying , that the first covenant promiseth nothing of salvation , nor mentioning nothing of a saviour , and yet saith , that that covenant is a part of gods word , and his will , and pure law , ( and yet mentioneth nothing of a saviour ) and again saith that the moral law , he calls of works , which promiseth no salvation , mentioneth nothing of a saviour ) that this which mentioneth nothing of a saviour , is to be a directory and rule to true believers , for the ordering of their sanctification ( ●s it is also in christs hand guiding them by his spirit ) so this cannot build nor joyn together , and so time to cease building ▪ any more in confusion ; but in denyal of that false doctrine , i say , that there is but two covenants spoken of in the scriptures , which is a plain testimony of them without any such confusion or contradiction as the apostles to the hebrews , saying in that he saith a new covenant , he hath made the first old , &c. and in the first covenant as you may read , heb. . in all these things there was christ held out , and mentioned in the shadows and figures ; and so that covenant which promiseth no salvation , nor mentioneth any thing of a saviour , that we deny ; for there is not such a covenant in the scriptures , — for that which said , do this and live ▪ promised life , and mentioned christ who is the life , and by christ who is the life and light of men is that covenant fulfilled , and by his power both the obedience and life is brought forth , of which that covenant speaketh and the new covenant being come that god hath promised , wherein he hath put his law in their hearts , and his spirit in their inward part , and all such needs not to come to such priests to be taught , who tells of a covenant which promiseth no salvation , nor mentioneth any thing of a saviour ; for we , who be in the second ▪ know the first fulfilled , which christ was held forth in under ordinances of divine service , and a worldly sanctuary , and divers washings , and carnal ordinances which never made the comers thereunto perfect as pertaining to the conscience ; but now is christ the covenant of god , and covenant of light come and preached , and with his light shineth in mens conscience that he may make perfect as pertaining to the conscience , which covenant is now witnessed among thousands ( and such denyed which speak of a covenant that mentions nothing of a saviour , and that to be the rule of true believers . ) again , in john stelhams th head of scripture contradiction , he speaks concerning sin , saying , that the more a soul is sanctified , the more he sees his moats to be beams ; and that paul was groaning and sighing all his life time under the body of sin and death . both these are false : for the more a soul is sanctified , he is not the more taught to lye , or to see falsly , but the more he is taught to see clearly , and discern a moat to be a moat , and a beam to be a beam , and knows the differance : and paul thanks god who had given him the victory over sin and death , which he had not while he groaned under the body of it ; and so both the saints , and the work of sanctification , is falsly accused by such , and such are to be denyed , as enemies to god , and to his work . in the reading of this , let all people take notice , that in the several and particular heads of i. s. book , where he saith , he hath contradicted us ; he is proved himself to contradict the scriptures : and so far as he contradicts the scriptures in those particulars , so far he may say he contradicts us , and our testimony being one with the scriptures in them things . for in his head , as concerning justification , he saith , he that is justified , is justified by god , not under the aspect or notion of a saint , and as such ; but of a sinner , and as a sinner believing in jesus , not as he loveth god , or overcometh the world by faith , &c. but as believing on christ dying , &c. now this testimony of i. s. is contrary to the scriptures , for god never justified any as hating of him , nor as a sinner , but as made obedient through faith according to the scriptures , as the apostle witnesseth , gal ▪ . . even by the faith of jesus christ , even we have believed in jesus christ , that we might be justified by the faith of christ , &c. so they believed that they might be justified and the ungodly they were first called ( out of their ungodliness ) and whom he called , them he also justified ; and they whom he justified , them he also glorified , and by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the law of moses , acts . and so all who are justified by the lord , are justified from their sins , and not in them , as all shall witness who come to be justified by christ from their iniquity . and whereas i. s. would set the law and justice of god at a difference with the gospel , and as contrary , in saying , the law and justice finds us , and leaves us sinners ; gospel and mercy declareth , and pronounceth us righteous : now the one pronouncing a man righteous and the other pronounce the same to be a sinner ; these two are contrary : but the scripture hath another testimony , saying mercy and truth are met together , righteousness and peace have kissed each other , psal . . now here is unity , here is not righteousdess , pronouncing one thing , and mercy another ; for the righteousness of god is revealed from heaven against the disobedient ; and this will not leave them disobedient , nor sinners , if ever they come to mercy : for it doth not leave them as it finds them : and so that doctrine is accurst from god , which saith , that the justice finds them sinners , and leaves them so ; and to say that justices pronounce them sinners , and mercy pronounce them righteous : but to satisfie all people , a few words may serve to answer the volume of that darkness and blindness given forth by him before mentioned , should a man full of words be justified , job ▪ . again , concerning i. s. in his . head concerning regeneration , saith , that the word of god that is preached , was never without , or besides scripture , &c. and as in other places he hath said , that the spirit is given by the letter ; so here would make regeneration to proceed from it ; which this being denyed , he concludes it had been better the scripture had not been known , no● written . the word and gospel was preached unto abraham , without scripture and before the scriptures was written : and they who are regenerated and born again , it is by the immortal word which is able to save their souls , which word was before the letter was written , and who be begotten again , and born by that word , it is profitable for such that the scriptures was written and given forth , and the scripture by such is honoured ; but such who calleth the letter the light , and the word , and that which begets again into the new birth , by such both the work of god is despised , and the scriptures perverted , and denyed . again , i. s. in his . head of contradiction , speaking of perfection , uttereth forth more confusion and contradiction to himself , in his speaking of the communion of the saints in heaven , and doth lye concerning the saints on earth , saying , the saints in heaven hoped for the perfection of their bodies at the resurrection , &c. and again contradicts that , in saying , that at death they have a final perfection , and a full harvest , and reward of peace , &c. now this is the issue , that all people may take notice , he hath so envied perfection and christs doctrine , which saith , be ye perfect as your father which is in heaven is perfect ; and them who now preacheth that doctrine , that he hath set out a volume to declare against the saints being perfect here : yea , and his envie hath reached to heaven to prove that the saints in heaven is not perfect , but waits for the redemption of their bodies ; which now if people mind the scripture , there is no such doctrine in it as the saints in heaven hath not received the redemption of their bodies , for they who had received the first fruits of the spirit upon earth , did wait for the adoption and for the redemption of the body , till the creature it self be delivered into the glorious liberty of the sons of god , and this was witnessed , and is witnessed ▪ and this is the work of the worlds teachers instead of presenting them perfect in christ jesus as the apostles did , they would make people believe that the saints in heaven their bodies is unredeemed ; if so , where is that redemption wrought ? and whereas i. s. would make people believe that there is none clean : now christ said concerning those that followed him , now eyere clean , through the word which ● have spoken unto you , john . and david saith , that the lord is good unto such as are of a clean heart , psal. . . and the lord said concerning his people , that he would pour clean water upon them , and they should be clean from all their filthiness , ezek. . . and this prophesie was to be fulfilled : and the lord said also by his prophet zeph. that his remnant should do no iniquity , nor speak lyes , neither should a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth , zeph. . . and paul preached wisdom among them that were perfect ; and as many as were perfect should be so minded , and christ preached to the pure in heart that they should see god , matth. . now if there were none perfect , christ preached unto such as there was not . now this is the chief ground of i. s. and the rest of the enemies of truth and of perfection , to declare against it because some fall from it , as his instance of c. a. or others in the like : to which i answer , their falling into that which is not perfect , doth not make that which they fall from imperfect , for the angels that kept not their first state , which was perfect , did fall from that which was perfect : a virgin state is perfect , but if any go out of that state , and become foolish , yet that which they depart from is perfect ; and if any do fall from the truth , and do not abide in christs doctrine , that doth not make his doctrine to be unperfect ; for christ saith , except they abide in him , who is perfect , they cannot bring forth fruit : is not he that is in christ perfect , though some do not abide in him , and is not the truth , truth , because some deny it ? was not christs doctrine and the apostles true , because demas did forsake it , and love the present world : and was not that part of the ministry which judas had committed unto him perfect ? and was not he the true christ that judas preached , though afterwards he betrayed him ? now if people do but truly consider all those that now do turn from the way of truth , which is now preached , and lived in by us , it may be an evident token to justifie us in the way of truth , seeing what they go into when they go from the light which christ hath enlightened them withall , which while they abide in it , are kept out of all filthiness of fl●sh and spirit : and so long they may speak of perfection , and of the gift of god which is perfect ; but if any go from the light , then they are let at liberty to act all uncleanness with greediness , and so are cast out from us , and from perfection : and if any such deny the truth , and forsake it , yet there remains in them a withness for the truth , and against their own uncleanness , as in c. a. who from the witness of god in him , was made to confesse that if he had continued in the light of christ , he could not have so sinned against the lord , and so by his transgression fell from the way of life , and could not continue in christs doctrine no longer : and so such things may satisfie people concerning the way of truth : for while they are of us , all such things is denyed by them : but when they go out from us , then they become drunkards , swearers , prophane , adulterers , fornicators , and so every evill work is committed , and then they turn to the priests doctrine , where all such things are , and are excused : and then the priests rejoyce and give thanks if any turn from the light of christ , and the obedience of the gospel into drunkenness and prophaneness again , where they were before , and if they will but swear and respect mens persons , and use the rod of violence , and persecute , and shed the blood of the innocent , and be conformable to the world , that is the priests rejoycing ; and if any turn from the truth into any act of uncleannesse , then they take that as a proof against those that abide in the truth : and such a thing is a better proof to them then all the scriptures ▪ and those are they that re●oy●● in ●niquity , and watch for evill , and so they rejoyce in that which we have ●ast out as abomination ▪ and these are they that plead for a life in sin while they are here , and that say that the saints glorified in heaven do yet hope for the resurrection of their bodies , and so not come to the end of their hope though in heaven , whenas the saints upon earth witnessed the end of their hope , the salvation of their souls . now these may well deny perfection on earth , who deny it in heaven , which the saints , we , and the scriptures do witnesse it in both , and against all such who are not fit to speak of the things of god . again , in his th head of contradiction he speaks of a wa●far ( which yet he himself never came unto , ) and in it he wrests pauls words , and so would turn the truth into a lye , saying , as if paul should say thus : if sin that wars and fights in me hath no power to condemn me , then there is no condemnation to me : which words paul never spake , and it is a lye in the ground , for it is not sin that is the condemnation , but the light which lets men see their sins , because men love darkness rather than the light : as many in this age have manifested themselves to do , and the light shall be their condemnation who are not yet come to the war , nor to the victory which the scripture speaks of . again in his th head of contradictions speaking of repentance , as if he would prove that we denyed , or disclaimed godly sorrow , and his proof is this : if we disclaim in ▪ dwelling sin in the godly , we disclaim godly sorrow . let all people take notice of this , if we deny in-dwelling sin , we deny godly sorrow : this is contradiction in the highest degree ; but against it , this i shall affirm , that none comes unto godly sorrow , but they deny dwelling sin , and they that do not deny in-dwelling sin , denies godly sorrow . again , john stelham in his th head of contradictions to the scripture , in his speaking of the word , and means of grace : he is setting up that which before he hath been pulling down , in page . where he saith : that they are justified from all legal obligations , and conditions of their own workings both within them , and without them . and in page . he is setting up obligations and conditions of reading , hearing , prayer , preaching , to which he saith , life and salvation is promised : and so would have salvation come by works , which he hath so much declared against before , and so makes prayer , reading , preaching , &c. not only the means through which salvation comes , but the cause for which they are saved , saying : to prayer is promised salvation . now to the informing of minds of people , i say , that all promises are to the seed , and the fulfilling of the promises , is witnessed through its obedience to christs command , and through the works of righteousness : but none can pray so as to be heard of god and accepted , but who have first known , heard , and believed him whom they call upon , which none do but who own the light which christ hath enlightened them withall , which teacheth to pray , hear , read , and preach with knowledge and understanding . again , i. s. in his th head concerning baptisme , would go about to prove the sprinkling of infants to be the baptisme , and so denyes both iohns who was from , and christs , and the manner of them , and sets up another which the scripture doth not mention , as sprinkling infants , which who reads his books may see his proofs : by consequences would have the scripture speak that which in never mentioneth in plain precept ▪ and so would turn the truth into alye , and so by his own rule in the th page of his book shall he be judged : such messengers as speak more then is in the scripture are not sent by gods spirit ▪ nor guided by him to what they say . but that all people may come to a right understanding of the scriptures , and that which is testified by them , is to come to the light which christ hath enlightened them withall , which light was before ordinances was , and which light gives to see the place of ordinances , and their time wherein they are to be obeyed , for the light comes from the substance of all the divers washings , and carnall ordinances , and it leads into the one baptisme which is the substance of that of water which iohn who was a prophet was the minister of , and christ said unto his disciples , iohn verily baptizeth with water , but ye shall be baptized with the holy ghost , and with fire ; but he never commanded them to baptize with water , but commanded them to go teach all nations , baptizing them into the name of the father , son , and holy ghost : and although some of the disciples , and paul for a time did baptize with water : yet who shall judge their permission in it , although paul an apostle of jesus christ witnesseth , that he was not sent to baptize , but to preach the gospel , cor. . . and thanks god that he had baptized no more of them , yet witnessed that they were all baptized with one spirit into one body . and i. s. saith , to be against infants baptisme , is contrary to acts . , . this is false , for that scripture doth not command it , nor give president for it ; let the reader search if he find any such thing , as the scripture proving infants baptisme , but the promise is to as many as the lord shall call , and so he hath foully belyed the scripture , for if that scripture be contrary to such who are against infants baptisme , then must he prove from that scripture infants baptisme to be commanded as practised , which he cannot do , and so is a perverter of the scripture , and it is truth that we do deny brain imaginations , and sprinkling infants with water ; but then he rambles over many scriptures , proving the baptisme of believers ; these proofs are impertinent , what is this to prove infants baptisme ? so that is passed by here , as making arguments against believers baptisme , except one professing that were our present adversary , but in this he is pursued from all the scriptures ; he cannot prove in justice that ever infants baptisme was either commanded , or practised , though he craftily wind about never so much in his imaginations and consequences . and in the general i answer : much by us have been written and spoken to this purpose , so our judgements in this charge is fully known , of which we are not ashamed before men , as being fully justified herein in the sight of the lord ; and so as to this particular more need not be said . again in the th head of scripture , contradiction as he saith concerning the lords supper ▪ i. s. makes much ado because of our denyall of carnall inventions , and imitations practised by many in the exercise of that called the supper of the lord , though with one heart and mind we say , and witness that christs flesh and blood is our meat and drink , and none hath life in them without it ; yet doth receive it in the spirit and power of god , and doth bear our testimony against imitations , and false likenesses set up in the world , as the wicked and prophane people , such as live in pride and wickedness , and covetousness , both teachers and people , eating a little bread ▪ and drinking wine so many times a year in such a form and manner , and way as christ nor his apostles never practised such things in , and no change wrought among people but both before and after ( if not in the very time ) fulfilling all wickedness and unrighteousnesse in words , and wayes , and thoughts ; yet by false suggestion from their teachers , believing vainly themselves to be the better , or saitns for the practice of such things , whereas they do the more thereby vex the lords soul , and grieve his spirit by hypocrisie and deceit : this we call carnal inventions , and doth deny it in the presence of the lord that it is evill , and not accepted of god , but condemned in his sight . i. s. proves not that any thing which christ instituted to be practised among the saints only , even was practised in the world among such who are not called , neither sanctified , and this is abomination to the lord , to practise the saints words , or wayes , and have not the spirit of the father , which we cannot see among the people of this age , no nor manage them professing to be selected church members , but pride and envy abounds among them all ; and in that spirit of disobedience in which they live to the ordinances of christ , they have no right to practise that which only is to be practised among them that have the spirit of the father and nothing that christ instituted for his saints do we deny in its life and age , but lives are changed , and antichrist hath roled , and even the things which once he instituted your practise of them who are poluted , are abomination to him ; and this is a full answer in generall , as to the thing , though i pursue h●m not in every particular word , and argument , to lay open his folly : but our judgement in this is known , he that can receive it let him , and the belief of the wicked we shall not begg : in these things we are approved of god , and in the denyal of all false imitations , and who is he that shall condemn . in the th ▪ head concerning prayer ▪ concerning prayer we do not contradict the scripture in our practice , i. s. is the lyer herein , who hath made it a subject to treat two leaves upon : for praying in the spirit , and by the spirit , and in publick and private too we own , and do practise , as is known to thousands : our enemies can witness for us , and according to the scripture too , and not contradicting to it any way : but this is the offence against him at which he is troubled : that we should deny the prayers of the pharisees , or of such who are in the steps of the pharisees , viz. who for a pretence make long prayers , and stands praying in the synagogues , who are out of christs , and the apostles doctrine , and the prayers and practises of such , we do not deny according to the scripture , ( which saith ▪ ) the sacrifice of the wicked are abomination to the lord : and they shal receive greater condemnation who makes long prayers for a pretence , as it is manifest concerning many in this generation , ( and against the praying of the hypocrites , and of hirelings , who pretends to pray in love to souls , when as if they had not a great sum of mony from the people , would not pray among them , but seek a place to pray at , among such who wou●d give them money , and hire , and this praying is for a pretence , and we do deny it in publick , ( and doth not offend god herein , ) though we vex i. s. hereby , because some will not worship the beast , and bow a hat off , while he is praying in an idols temple , which he complains of in i. p. though he himself that prayes have a cap on ▪ ( and himself confesses ) not wicked mans prayers are accepted publick or private : and here he hath condemned all his own praying , who confesses he is wicked , and sinfull , and his heart is old and lying ; let all take notice of this , which if he had not confessed it , it is sufficiently proved : then why shall he ever hereafter be offended , seeing his prayers are not accepted , according to his own confession , if any tel him so , or declare against his praying , and before any can truly pray , they must receive the spirit of the father , ( and them we know who are not led by the spirit of the father ▪ ) them and their prayers are to be declared against by the saints , and are condemned in the sight of god . and i. s. saith , if this counsel be followed , viz. waiting in the light , till the spirit leading be known , it makes known nothing of publick ministers , church officers , baptisme , lords supper ▪ publick order of prayer , nor of christ as mediator ▪ nor of the spirit of promise , &c. the light that every man hath makes manifest nothing of this he sayeth ( he in this is a lyar , and slanderer of the people of god ) who are led by the moving of the spirit in the light of the word christ jesus that lighteth every man , and owneth the publick ministry of christ , which is received by the holy ghost , and church , and baptism , and christ as mediator , and the spirit of promise : and all these thing ▪ ( all the saints upon earth who have the spirit of christ shal witness against i. s. herein to be a lyar of the light and spirit of god , and so is a transgressor , and his wickedness may largely be laid open , but the least of the children of light may see his folly , and madness ▪ who also lyingly saith , that quakers they nourish up people in the light that every man hath , ( which is the light of christ jesus ) in opposition to scripture light : this is also utterly false ▪ and a lye , and the author proved to be of the devil , for the light of christ leads up in the fulfilling of the scripture , and not in opposition to it ; but by his lightness and lyes he is made manifest to be a d●c●iver of the people , and so take thy own words in thy conclusion to thy self , thou art he that is a ienated from the scripture , and from the spirit of god also by thy lying spirit of contradict●on , which is manifest in thy writings . in his th head concerning singing . we do not contradict the scripture : ( herein again thou art a lyar , ) but singing with the spirit , and with understanding , we own of such as are redeemed out of the world , and are not of the world ▪ but singing of davids experiences , sung in the world ; by such who are of the world , this singing we do deny as it is practised in this generation , in rhyme and meeter , in a vain multitude of people , where all , or most of them do dishonour god in singing davids words , which themselves are out of the life of , and in a life quite contrary , singing the law of god is dear to them , and that they exercise themselves in it , when every moment of time they are exercised in wickednesse , and casts the law of god behind them , and thus singing lyes ▪ and that which is not true to them , yet in the name of the lord . other reasons many may be given why we deny singing in this form , and manner , and way , as singing is practised in this generation : but this instance is sufficient to all honest people , but cavellers mouths are not soon stopped , not by the truth : and all i. s. professes as to maintain this manner and practise of singing , are all impertinent : he proves that the saints sang , and were exhorted to it , but what is this to the purpose to prove the world must sing who are unconverted , which singing we oppose only , and not the saints singing in the spirit , who are moved to it by the spirit . o thou lyar , wherefore dost thou say , to be against singing davids words ( by the world in rhyme and meetre ) as we do ▪ is contrary to eph. . col. . doth these scriptures hold forth any such thing , let the reader try , as that davids experiences may be sang in the world in rhyme and meetre , nay they do not ; and so thou art a lyar on the scriptures , to be taken notice of , and marked for a wrester of the scriptures , and in this we have often declared our minds by words and writings , that poetry , and i. hopkins , and t. sternolds brain invention we have denyed : yet davids psalms we have owned , and do own them , as they were given forth by the spirit of god , and not as they are perverted , and added , and diminished to such a compass of syllables as they are now in practise ; and thus i have given you a further testimony for , and against singing , wherein we deny it , and wherein we own it , and so leaves his muddy stuff , and so counts it not worth raking in , only a lye , or two , or more he is proved in , as the reader may take notice also of one thing more , where he charges r. f. falsely , to speak falsehood for saying the priests of eug. they teach people to sing , lyes in hypocrisie , this they do , and do wickedly in it , and he hath added to their wickedness in denying it to be so : for to all people without exception they give to sing ; i am not puft in mind , nor hath a scornfull eye , and they making not exception in giving forth their psalms to sing : ( some that they give it forth to are puft in mind , and have scornfull eyes , and these they teach to sing lyes in hypocrisie to any honest man ; this appears true , let i. s. shuffle and twist never so much . in the th head concerning elders , and ordination . we do not herein contradict the scripture , but witnesseth forth according to it , that who are moved by the spirit of god to watch over the flock , and ordained with gifts thereunto , may take the oversight of the flock wittingly , and of a ready mind , and not by constraint , nor for filthy lucre sake , as i. s. and his generation of false teachers , who preach for hire , and for gifts , and rewards : such are not ordained of god to watch over the flock , but runs and was never sent , and therefore shall not profit people at all , and such an ordination we d●●y ▪ who are ordained at schools , or by naturall arts and sciences to speak their brain-study by a glass , this is by man , and not of god , and god doth deny it , and we testifie against it by the spirit of god , and doth say , the call to the true ministry and eldership is not by man , nor of man , but by the lord , according to gal. . . yet such a one is approved of all the saints , and goes forth not contrary to men , who feareth the lord , for the spirit of life is one in them that are called and ordained by it , and in them that beareth witness to truth what doth such approve with the spirit , that are called by the spirit : this is our judgement , and the judgement of truth , whatever i. s. or any of his fellows raise up to oppose it ; and herein we do not contradict the scriptures , he is that lyar , in the subject matter on which he treats in the title of his section . in his th head concerning ministers maintenance . concerning this we do no way contradict the scripture ▪ but witnesseth according to it , that the ministers of christ doth receive freely , and gives freely of what they have received from god , and having planted a vineyard , may eat the fruit of it , and keeping a flock , may eat of the milk of the flock : and when they go into a house , may eat such things ●● are set before them , and yet may not be chargeable to any man , and this is according to christs instructions , and not contradictory to the scriptures , though i. s. be pleased to so stile it , but all such who preaches for hire , or takes hire for preaching , and seeks for their gain , ( for l. or l. per a●num ▪ or the like ) from their quarter ( a parish or town ) and such who take ti●hes , gifts , and rewards for preaching , which people should not give them except they p●eached , and such who have sums of money , and lives in pleasures and vanities , and lust ▪ and fulness of the flesh , as the priests of england doth , ( this maintenance we do deny ) and them that act those things , we deny to be ministers of christ , or that any maintenance by way of a ministry doth belong to such who are greedy dumb doggs , and can never have enough as isai ▪ such practises and men we oppose , and doth no whit contradict the scripture , but it witnesseth to us herein , and against all such , and therefore i. s. and his brethren the independants who acts such things , they contradict the scripture , and so are truly guilty themselves in action of what they falsely accuse us in words for such who walks in the steps of the false prophets , as he and they doth that preach for hire , and takes gi●ts and rewards for preaching , are contrary to all the true ministers of christ , and the scripture , and the spirit that gave it forth condemns them : and much as to this we have publickly spoken , and written , and so here i need say the lesse , though much might be said to manifest i. s. folly and vanity though they that plant a vineyard may justly eat the fruit thereof : yet what is this to purpose , he is a thief that eats of the fruit of that which he hath not planted , but is hired thither for so much per sermon , or per annu● , and plants nothing for the lord , and he that preaches the gospel may live of it , but this shames i. s. and this generation of teachers , who many of them might begg bread at peoples doors , had they not a law by violence to compell maintenance from them ; which thing is a very shame to all righteousness which is practised by most of the priests of england at this day , grievous to be related what unjust proceedings are acted upon the poor people by unjust judgements against them for to maintain ministers , so called ; what is the thing that i. s. pleads for ? ( tithes , or a hundred , or two hundred pound a year ? he is a lyar to say that we contradict the scripture , because we cannot uphold this , but must bear witness against it , so whilst he falsely charges us with contradicting the scripture , in the very same thing he and his generation are found in this practise contrary to all the ministers of christ that ever was sent by him , and in the very practice of the deceivers , antichrists , and false prophets , in making merchandize of people through covetousness , in preaching for hire , and in seeking for their gain from their quarter , and this is the very truth , let i. s. and all his fellows read their own contradiction , to the example of all the ministers of christ in their cursed practise of maintenance , which is the greatest oppression this day in england : and this is their grief against us , because god hath opened our mouths to declare against them , and to shew their folly and wickednesse unto all people : and when the law of the land ceases to maintain them , which will come sooner then they expect , then may they begg their bread , or perish for want , and that is all the fruit that their vineyard of wild brambles will bring forth to them , and if every particular of his words should be searched , much rottenness might be let forth : but in plainness i have spoken , as to the truth of things in pleading for truth , and in denying his deceits , and the oppression of hirelings , which i cannot call ministers maintenance . his th head concerning immediate calling . in this we do not contradict the scipture , i. s. is a lyar herein also ; but we say such as are called of god , are called by his spirit , and lead with it , and fulfills the will and work of god in the spirit , and such as are called by the spirit of god , are appoved by all the saints of god ▪ who with the same spirit bears witness to such as are called by it , and speaks by it ; the ministry of god is not of man , nor by man , but by the revelation of jesus christ , which is not learned by natural arts , but received in the holy ghost , and this the scripture bears witness to , ( but the call to the ministry , by naturall learning at oxford and cambridge , this i deny , and trample upon , and all your arts ▪ and knowledge , and humate study ▪ and languages , is not able to make a minister of christ , ( this i do affirm , ) though they approve one another , yet are they not approved of god without his spirit , and they that have his spirit denyes naturall learning , as to be made a minister of christ hereby ▪ and e. b. his words are owned , transcribed by i. s. cited page . in the warning ▪ &c. and all that he saith doth not prove that any of the ministers of christ were called by the church , or approved unto that work of the ministry , by them who were not called by the spirit , and guided with it ; he saith , the sending of god is two-fold , and for this he hath no scripture to prove it ▪ and so holds forth that which the scripture will not evidence : and further he saith , he pretends to no such call of an apostle ; if he have not the same call , by the same spirit as the apostles had , he is no minister of christ , and in measure he hath confessed to be without the same call , as the apostles was called with , and will not pretend such a call . again , he falsly charges r. f. with crucifying the ministers of christ : which is a lye , and of the devil , though none of us may spare to call hirelings , greedy dumb doggs , and devourers , and lazy sheperds , and in this we do not contradict the scriptures , nor work offence towards god , nor our neighbour : and he concludes , who of us ( we or they ) shall have the worst of it in conclusion , the day shall declare : unto that day we are willing to come , by which we , and all the blind priests of england shall be manifest ; and we know liars , such as i. s. shall not have the better , who is to us made manifest already to be out of the way , and out of the power , and life , of god . his th head , concerning immediate teaching . in this we do not contradict the scripture , as i. s. falsly charges us withal , but doth say ( that we are taught of god ) and needs no man to reach us , but as the anointing of god , which abides in us , and the promise of god is fulfilled upon us ▪ jer. . we are all taught of god from the least of us to the greatest , with whom the covenant of god is established , and this is the cause wherefore we let forth our selves to the world , who are yet in the unconverted state , that they also ma● come to the knowledge of the wayes , and teachings of god in the spirit , and may come into the covenant of peace , where none need to say , know the lord , but all these are taught of him , ( yea and immediately too ) by his spirit , and this we do witness , and the lord doth witness with us , though the unbelieving heart of i. s. and his fellows ▪ cannot believe it , but doth gainsay it , as being contrary to the scripture , when as themselves doth contradict the scripture in denying it , so proving themselves guilty of what they do accuse us of falsly , but this is that their folly may appear to all men , as it doth to us , and i. s ▪ hath belyed the scriptures , dan. . . & tim . . in saying it is contrary to those scriptures , to say the teaching of god is immediate , let the reader try , and i. s. saith , he is yet to learn the promise of the immediate teachings of god , to be given to all that are to teach others , and this doth make it manifest , that himself is without the promise of god , and is not yet taught of god , and so without gods covenant , being not learned in the teaching of god by his spirit , which is immediate . and thus to confound truth , he hath by his confession , shamed himself , and shewed himself to all men , to be unlearned in the doctrine of salvation . further , he saith , if god had intended to have given teachings immediately without any medium ▪ then would he not have sent preachers abroad for them to hear : mark this man● blind productions , and what impudence is in his heart , who holds forth , that god intended not the thing to be what he promised should be , he promised to teach his people himself ; and this man holds forth , that he intended it not , and so hath no less than charged god with hypocrisie ( let the reader mark this ) but this is the ground wherefore the ministers and preachers were and are sent abroad , to bring all people to be taught of god by his spirit , and to inform their minds , to the gift of god in them , that by the spirit received the knowledge of , they might know the things of god , which is not known but by the spirit of god , which all that are children of god are led and guided by , and they that are not led with the spirit of god , which spirit is immediat , ( are not the heirs with christ ) nor none of his ▪ let i. s. say what he will , or may ; this we believe , and this the scripture gives testimony of for us , and with us . yet further , to manifest his folly , he saith , it is erroneous enough , and contradictious to the whole scripture , when r. f. truly tells him , and saith , thou that art not taught of god , shewes that thou speaks a vision of thy own heart , and not from the mouth of the lord : let the reader search where the errour and contradiction to the whole scripture lyes in these words , or whether he hath not proved himself blind and ignorant , and in errour , and contradiction to the spirit of god . further , he saith , never did any but god slayers , and spirit-wounders , go about to separate the word of god , and his breath : now let this be considered , christ did tell them ( the pharisees ) who had the words , which god had spoken by the prophets , that they had never heard the voyce of god ; here he divides or separates betwixt the words and the voyce ( or breath ) and was no god-slayer , nor spirit-wounder , as thou hast wickedly and blasphemously laid down thy position , where thou hast concluded , christ to be one against whom thy words are laid down : let the reader prove thy doctrine . his th head , concerning questions . in this we do not contradict the scripture , i. s. is taken with a lye in his mouth , who hath made it a subject to treat upon , ( for questions in their places we own ) but such as are of the devil we deny , as christ did who shewed himself as a sool unto all mens wisdom , when the subtil pharisees and others tempted him , who would not answer their crafty questions , though them that questioned insimplicity , he did to resolve and satisfie them , and inform them into the knowledge of the father . then some leaves he hath filled with producing some of our queries out of some of our books , commenting thereupon , and would prove them ignorant , and unprofitable , and the like , but it had been more just , and of a better report for him to have answered them , and shewed them to be ( as he saith of them ) to all people , rather then in a manner backbited them , and reproached them , and not shewing wherein it lyes ; and if they be so needless , and vain a● he saith , then the sooner had such a wise man ( as he thinks himself ) i. s. confuted them by sober and plain answers ▪ but what if our folly in the sight of men be wisdom in the sight of god , and his wisdom foolishness with god ? no matter what he say of us , who hath shewed himself already , and confessed truly that his heart is old , and lying , and sinfull : so we can expect no better judgement from his pen then what is in his heart ; but while we are approved in the ●ight of god , we matter nor what men say of us , especially one that hath set himself to be our enemy , and the lords enemy , and i leave the honest sober queries to be read , which he hath falsely branded with pride and ignorance , and such like , ( as this ) what rule have you in scripture for putting off the hat ? ( this is an honest question ) which he wickedly slanders with pride , ( and whether is your gospel free without charge as the apostles was , yea or no ; these and such other questions he rails against to be ignorant , and quarrelous , and vain , and of the devil ; now it had been more honest to have confuted them in answering discreetly , then to have thus branded them . and he saith , it is one thing to take hire for preaching , and another thing to preach for hire , whereby his scope is to excuse himself may be , and his brethren , ( who are hirelings , ) and would not be counted to preach for hire , though he dare not deny , lest all men should see his folly ) ▪ but that they have hire for preaching ; but then let him tell us when , or where ever any of them preached , and had no hire , and then we will believe they preach not for it , but such as receives sums of money of one man , or a country which would not be given him , except he preached to them ▪ this same man is a hireling , and preaches because he hath hire , and hath hire because ( that the ground ) he preaches . further , he saith , christs righteousness which justifies a believing sinner is not the essentiall righteousness of his godhead , and here he hath spoken ignorantly , and held forth as if there is two righteousnesses of christ , which i call for a proof from him for , else let him confess to his shame that he hath added to the scripture , for the righteousness of christ is but one , by which all the saints are justified . further he saith ignorantly enough , that which is done according to the bare letter of the written command , or from a gift of the spirit , or in a gospel way from a living principle of grace , acts of holiness by the holy spirit , and faith given stirred up , this is a righteousness of ours saith he , and seems to separate it from the righteousness of christ , as he holds forth , let men behold his ignorance . further he saith , though it be wrought by the strength of christ in us , yet as to justification paul would not be found in it ; ( this ) for a word , ( mark again reader ) canst thou see any thing here but ignorance , as if paul were justified by another christ then what wrought in him , to will , and to do . further he saith , paul counted all things but losse and dung , even what he had done , or suffered since conversion , that he might win christ . mark again , what was the converting of many hundred of souls by paul , and many other works of god wrought by him but dung and losse so i. s. holds forth ; this is ignorance indeed , he hath shewed his ignorance by what he hath said , and not proved in any thing , that concerning questions we contradict the scriptures . his th head concerning civill honour . in this we do not contradict the scripture by arguments nor practise ▪ but doth honour all men in the lord ; and cannot respect mens persons , nor have them in any admiration for any advantage ; yea we honour men in reproving them in their unrighteousness ; and i. s. pleads much for civil honour : the scripture speaks not of civil honour , and the question is , what this honour is that he calls civill ? and wherein it may be done , and not in transgression nor in respect of persons , magistrates is to be honoured by subject on to their just commands , requests and laws , and by patient suffering under their corrupt laws , and evill commands , and not resisting evill : yet the person of no man is to be respected , for he that doth commit sin , and is a transgressor of the law of god , and ministers of christ are to be respected for their works sake , and they desire no honour nor praise of men , but knows reproach and infamy is their respect from the men of this generation : and as for hirelings & deceivers , they are respected of the world , but condemned of god , and of his saints , and testified against , and parents are to be respected in the lord by their children , and masters by their servants : but where god commands one thing , and parents or masters another , as it often comes to pass , in christs time , as it doth now , whether to give respect to god or man , this i leave to be judged by sobe men that makes conscience of what they say ; and thus in short i give ▪ a testimony how we honour , and would have all honoured in the lord , and leaves i. s. long discourse to himself and his company , and doth bear witness against the vain superstition , and foolish customes of this generation . his d head concerning swearing . in this we do not contradict the scripture , but saith and practiseth according to christs words , swear not at all , which is spoken absolute , and without condition , and mitigation ( and he saith ) we take these words of christ against his meaning , and this is false and wicked too in i. s. who would he seen to hold forth , that when christ said , swear not at all : he meant not as he spake , ( for both christ and the apostle james were righteous in what they delivered concerning swearing ) who forbids all manner of swearing , no cause excepted , and we take christs words according to his mind ▪ and doth deny all oaths , and abides in christ , and the apostles doctrine , and our yea is so ▪ and our nay is so , and whatsoever is more cometh of evill , and i. s. would plead for swearing before a magistrate ( but that magistrate which fears god ) and loves his way will believe a man sooner that cannot swear for conscience sake then he that makes no conscience of swearing , and such a one is liker to testifie lyes with oaths , then he that for conscience sake denyes oaths ; and in his conclusion he saith scholastically ( though ignorantly ) they that will not expound scripture by scripture , and compare the precepts and examples for swearing without prohibition against it , fall into scripture contradiction , but r. f. nor others will , ( therefore &c. this is unsound , and laid down , but not proved at all , neither major , nor minor , and here by he hath concluded wickedly : the apostle iames , and christ himself to be fallen into scripture contradictions who did expresly forbid all swearing , and did not compare the precepts and examples for swearing , with the prohibition against it : and thus i. s. is taken uttering folly with his tongue , and hath drawn a conclusion upon christ , and the apostle iames to be contradictors of scripture , let shame cover his impudent forehead . and they that charges christ , and the apostle iames with contradicting scripture , are enemies to god , and of the devil , and for eternall vengeance : but i. ste●ha● hath done so , and therefore he is an enemy to god , and of the devill ▪ and for eternall vengeance . but further at large , as concerning swearing , and our testimony thereof , is laid down at large in a book called , the glory of the lord arising . and whereas further , i. s as a man not weary of iniquity , goes on after his false charging of us with contradictions to scripture , charges us again , that we contradict our selves in many things ; which accusation we bear with as much patience as we do his former , seeing they are all out of one heart , and to the same end ; for it is a small thing for us to be judged by man , and so that wherein he charges us with self-contradictions , i pass lightly over , having cleared the truth , that we do not contradict the scriptures ; but if this man i. s. had been in generations past , what would he have said of isaiah who was sent to tell hezekiah from the lord , that he should die , and not live ; king ▪ . at the same instant of time the word of the lord came again to isaiah , that hezekiah should be healed , and that he should go up to the house of the lord : these were both the word of the lord to hezekiah , and yet no contradiction in isaiah , though such a spirit as i. s. would so have judged : and what would he have judged betwixt david and jeremiah , psal ▪ & the . and jer. . david saith , the words of the lord are sweet unto his taste , yea sweeter than the honey to his mouth : and jer. saith , the word of the lord is as a fire , and like a hammer , which breaks the rock to pieces : now there is no contradiction in these two , not to that spirit by which they are guided , though so it might seem to such as i. s. whose minds are dark : and what would he have judged of christs words , matth. . . and mark . . where christ said , he that is not with me is against me , and he that is not against us is with us ; and yet in these words there is not contradiction to him that hath an ear to hear : but if i. s. had been in those dayes , out of his evil heart , would he have charged the holy men of god to be contradictions to themselves , it is very like that he would , and these things i leave , with the reader , to be considered of , for we who have the same spirit , do clear christ , and the holy men of god from contradictions , and knows i. s. and such as he , to be seekers of occasions against the just , and would make offences where there is none , for as i have said , we do not allow i. s. to be the interpreter of our words ▪ for then no question , but he would have his own end , and meaning ; and in i. s. saith , we deny the letter of the scripture to be scripture ; this is charged upon him to be a lye , as it is well known through this nation , both in doctrine and conversation , we own the scriptures ; and to deny matthew , mark , luke , and johns declarations of the gospel , to be gospel , is no denyal of the scripture ; for the gospel was preached to abraham , which gospel was , and is the power of god , before these four men did declare of it , though we deny their writings to be the very gospel which is the power of god , yet we do not deny , but they truly declared of the gospel , and this is to own the scripture as it speaks of it self to be . let i. s. judge what he will of us , and wheras he speaks of gospel-letters , and scripture-gospel ▪ the scripture give no such names to it , but saith the gospel is the power of god , and that is the gospel which we preach , even the power of god unto all people , let i. s. judge by consequence what he will . and further , he would plead for the title of master , from the example of abrahams servant , but this is nothing to prove the lawfulness of a minister of christ , that they may be called master : for christ saith to his ministers , be ye not called masters , and the spirit of christ being our rule , that leads us in the fulfilling of christs words , let i. s. shuffle as he will : also he lyes of j. n. to say he denyes , and grants the same thing to be in the letter , for though he say he that believes hath the witnesse in himself ▪ which is truth : yet he doth not say the letter is the believers witness , which he seems falsly to be charged withall ; and he saith the spirit of god must give the spirituall understanding of the scriptures ; but this he doth in another way , than that whereby he inspired the pen-men of the scriptures . now this is false doctrine ; for christ the way , the same to us , as to them , and not another way of understanding scriptures , nor by another spirit than that which gave them forth ; and he saith , christ directed to himself ▪ joh. . as revealed in the scriptures , and more than that , as conveyed by the scriptures to a soul : now let the reader take notice and search that scripture , whether he hath not added to it , yea or nay ? or where any ever had christ conveyed to them by scriptures : it doth say the scriptures testifies of him , but it doth not say that he is revealed in the scriptures , nor conveyed by them to a soul ; and this is his additional gloss to corrupt the text , to undervalue the eternal spirit of the father , by which christ is only revealed , and received , and not by the scriptures . and for e. b. to say , that he came not to them with en●icing words , neither what he had gathered from the scripture without him , but to declare the word of the lord , and not to speak his own conceivings and imaginations ( this is true and no contradiction in it , though i. s. say these cannot both be true , to say , that he neither came with what he had gathered from scripture , nor his own imaginations ▪ for the apostles of christ did not preach what they had gathered from scripture , neither their own imaginations , but preached the word and gospel of god which they had received from god , and not gathered from scripture , nor in their own imaginations ; and because he saith , both these negatives cannot be true , then it is concluded , that himself preaches either what he hath gathered from scripture , or his own imaginations , and let him chuse to say whether he will ; and in the next , he will be proved a false prophet , and that e ▪ b. compiled a book out of scripture , collections , is false , for having the same spirit which gave forth the scripture , which brings the scripture to remembrance , is not compiling a book out of scriptures ; and i. s. is found a false accuser , and e. b. neither a self contradictor , no● self curser , and these are true words to this generation ▪ and owned with the spirit of god , though i. s. in his scornful spirit abuse them ▪ he that hath the word of the lord , from the mouth of the lord , to declare , he is reviled ▪ and mocked . but he that speaks the imagination of his own heart from the saints conditions , he is heard and owned , and this is neither scripture contradiction , nor self-contradiction , let i. s. judge out of his own heart what he will ; neither is this self contradiction to ask which of the saints h●d the witness of their souls union to seek in the letter , and yet to affirm the spirit opens , and brings that which is spoken in scripture to remembrance . let i. s. first answer the query in plainness , which is an honest query , and not to imply from it his own conceptions , to make appear self-contradictions let the sober reader judge where the contradiction lyes , and he saith the spirit is in the letter , and goes about to prove it if he could ; if the spirit be in the letter , then all must have the spirit that hath the letter , and the spirit is where ever the bible is , which i do deny , for many hath the letter , and professes it , which knows not the spirit , and many hath the bible in their pocket , which hath not the spirit there : and this will be confessed by i. s. and all his fellows , and so he must revoak , who ●aith the spirit is in the letter , and the spirit gives life , but the letter kill : in his proof he saith , the written word , viz. the letter is of greater authority then the writer , ( mark here ) christ was one of them which gave forth scripture , and he was a greater authority then what was written : and i say , as it is plain to all honest men who can believe truth , that the holy men of god who had the spirit were of greater authority than the scriptures since hath been which they left behind them . but i. s. hath set christ , and all them that gave forth scripture to be lesse in authority then the scriptures ; let wise men judge of this matter , he saith , they were imperfectly holy that wrote forth the scriptures , and this is an absolute lye , for the scriptures gives this testimony of many of them that wrote it , that they were perfect men , and he hath also slaunde●ed christ to be imp●rfectly holy ; and in his next let him p●ove what this imperfect holiness is , and till then we deny there is any holiness ●mperfect ▪ further , he saith , the promises of the scripture are his chariot to convey him , ( spirit ) whether he pleases to go ; but where is his proof for such a doctrine ; but all that he saith doth not prove ▪ that the spirit is in the letter , though he say to make up the sum of his matter , daily experiences doth demonstrate that the spirit is in the letter : but where is the man ? let him answer that thus hath experienced , that alwayes when he hath seen the letter , and handled the letter , hath seen and handled the spirit , the testimony of ●n honest man i will believe , but not i. s. assertion out of his own heart . in his d head of self-contradiction . concerning hearing the word , this is not contradiction to say , they who are of god hear his word ▪ and yet to deny the hearing of such as i. s ▪ who is not a minister of the word , but a professor of the letter , for proud men , and covetous men , and false acculers , such as i. s. is are we exhorted to turn away from by paul : and this is not a denying our selves to be of god , as i. s. would charge us withall , because we deny to hear hirelings , for we hear gods word , and his voice , and therefore do we deny to hear deceivers , and this is no self-contradiction , nor saying , nor unsaying , let i. s. judge what he will , the saints shall be my witness : and though we say that the saints teacher cannot be removed into a corner , as saith the scripture , and that the saints will find their teach as they lye in their beds : both these are true , and not self-contradiction , let a sober reader judge whether he can find contradict on in those words , but fain would i. s. have his lyes believed for truth , that he might have praise of men for his works hath gained no praise of god ; and he saith , r. f. hath proved not lyes yet against him : if it were so , let the reader search whether there be none proved against him now : but let him not say like a pharisee , i am no lyar , but rather let him repent of his lyes and wickednesse . his d head concerning the light within . wherein much ado he makes , as to prove the light of christ spoken of jo : . to be a natural light , and he saith the light given to all men , even that light spoken of jo. . . is a dim light ▪ and is cold , and insufficient to salvation , and unable to make true discovery of the true saviour , and such like contemptible undervaluing words of the pure light of christ , by whom the world was made , who lighteth every man in the world : and by this it is known more evidently what spirit i. s. is of : but there is none of us who have received the knowledge of god by the very light of christ which shines in our hearts can believe him : and this is no contradiction to say that every man is lightened by christ with the true light , and yet to say , some men are living in a natural condition , both these are true , for some hates the light of christ , and their deeds are evil , and such are in a natural condition ; but this doth not prove that christ hath not given them light , though they be in a natural condition , i leave it to spiritual men to judge , though they say it seems strange , that some should live a natural condition , and yet have the light of christ given them , saith he , as if every man brought a saviour with him into the world . this last is his false conception , but he is mans saviour by whose power every man is brought into the world , and if i. s. did but understand as we do , that some love the light , and some hates it : such as hates it denyes christ : he that loves it receives christ , who knows this strangeth not , i. s. wondring shews his ignorance who would secretly charge us to be bewitched with a notion , of accounting nature grace , which we do not , and it is his own condition he that conceives lyes , believes them , and tells them , is the rather bewitched . and further , he saith the light in every man is a poor , base , beggarly scrap to the gospel treasure ; these words are uttered in his hastiness , and without either fear or knowledge , for he that lighteth every man with the true light of life , ( or of condemnation ) is not base beggarly scraps , as i. s. saith it is , for it brings to the knowledge of the gospel treasure and pearle , and not other light , and thus whilst he thinks to prove us self-contradictors , proves himself a villifier , and a blasphemer of christ jesus the saviour of the world , who lighteth every man that cometh into the world . again , he would make this contradiction , because we say every man in his first state is as a beast , and yet saying every man is lightened : but this is not contradiction no more than the former is ; and then he speaks of natural conscience , and secretly charges a● if we should say it is potent and victorious at last ; but this is is a secret slander of his , for we say christ only is victorious , and through him are we made conquerors , and not by natural conscience : and he speaks of gospel conviction to be above the conviction of natural conscience ; but i would know of him where the gospel conviction works , if not in m●ns consciences ? and so in his next let him divide if he can , and shew the difference of such convictions . further , he would say that this is contradiction to say that every man in his first birth may see himself to be natural ; and yet to say that the light which discovers natural corruptions , is not natural , but spiritual , both these are true , for the light shines in darkness , which shews the darkness , and is not darkness but light : and he that can understand that scripture iohn ▪ . shall see the truth of both these to b● no self-contradiction . further , he saith the scriptures are a rule above the saints light , and ●nto it , and not so , their light above the scripture : this is confusion , and he knows not whereof he affi●ms , for the spirit of god is the saints rule , and that is greater than the scriptures , and the rule of the spirit of god is above the scripture ; but such as i. s. who talks of scriptures to be a rule , and yet acts these things which the scriptures declare against ▪ are but found in deeper hypocrisie , for he that is ruled by the spirit of god walks up in the fulfilling of scriptures . and further , i. s. confessed , and saith this he knows , that he is more brutish then a man , and hath not the knowledge of the holy , and this is truly confessed , his own works manifest his condition to be true , and he confesses he never obeyed natural light as he ought , and as he might , and this is truly confessed : for if he had obeyed that light which he calls natural , he would not thus have stumbled at him who hath lightened every man . and further , he charges a deceit when men will put off that for redemption light which is but old creation light ; let him charge them that are guilty : but yet we say that the same is redeemed by whom the world was created ; and this is without any deceit , and he that lighteneth every man with the light , that is but one , he is the saviour of all that receive him in the light , and he is the condemner of all that hate his light ; and this is no self-contradiction , but the very truth as it is in jesus . further , i. s. would make it appear if he could that we contradict our selves concerning sin and christ , but his whole section i leave to be read in his book , and let the wise reader judge whether his proof be any such thing , only his lye will prove what he saith ; he saith , we hold christ to be in all , this is his lye , for we say christ is not in the reprobate , neither did we ever affirm that christ is not in the reprobate , and so is not in all ; neither do we concerning justification contradict our selves in the spirit of god , though so it may appeare to i. s. blind mind , and so would make it appear to others by blind arguments by his own meaning . again i. s. would charge self-contradiction upon , because we bear witness to the new covenant , and doth say , the children of god are taught of god , and needs no man to teach them , but as the anoynting within them , and yet doth write and print ; here he saith we condemne in others what we allow in our selves . now to all honest people this is no contradiction , neither a condemning in others what we allow in our selves , for therefore we write , and print , and speak , that all may come to the knowledge of this thing , and may be converted to god , and know his teaching within them ; but what would i. s. have said of john who told them they needed no man to teach them , but as that within them ; and yet did write epistles to them , very like he would have called this contradictions . and the same is our cause , who doth and must do ( though i. s. and his companions be grieved therewith ) because their folly is laid open , thereby print , and write , and speak that people through the ministry be brought to know the teaching of god in themselves , and yet herein in the light of the spirit of god , do we not contradict our selves , let i. s. say what he will : neither do we allow in our selves what we condemn in another , this is one of i. s. his lyes ; we allow the ministry of christ , yet doth not allow the ministry of deceivers , and yet is not in contradiction ; and this in short may give the reader to understand the deceit , and deceivableness to lye in i. s. who is found seeking offences against us without any cause given him : and he layes snares for another , which doth entrap his own feet . and whereas he hath transcribed e. b. his confession in the warning to vnderbarrow , which confession is still owned , and no self contradiction proved by it , for though god s●ake by g. f. to him , this doth not contradict the teaching of the spirit of god , as that e. b. was not taught by the spirit of god , for as i have said g. f. did minister as many doth at this day , that people should come to the teaching of god in themselves , and herein we do not contradict the scriptures , let i. s ▪ make as many blind arguments as he can ; and that instance about i. l. being of the same nature with the former : the answer supplyes both his proofs , neither of which doth prove us in contradiction , but is a witness to the ministry of christ , and to the conversion received through it , wherein we are taught of god , and needs no man to teach us , but as the anointing the spirit of god within us , which is immediate , and yet we preach the gospel to others , that they may come to witness the same with us , even the teaching of the spirit of god , and for this end is the ministry of god sent by us to bring others to the knowledge of god through it , and this is no self-contradiction , let i. s. say what he will . further , i. s. doth instance e. b. his calling mans light natural and carnal in the warning , &c. and would call his contradiction to some who doth deny the light of christ to be natural and carnal , as the priests of england terme it ; but this is no contradiction , for though w● do deny that the light of christ jesus is natural and carnal , and doth not allow any so to call it , yet the light of man , by which carnal men doth judge of carnal transgressions , is natural ; e. b. doth never say that the light of christ is natural and carnal , but the light of man is so he saith , and in this instance there is no contradiction ; neither in any parts of the words following , which is transcribed ; and much might be said as to the occasion of those words being uttered when e. b. was in prison falsly , as many have been since , who was one of the first that by ●mprisonment was a sufferer for the name of jesus in the north of england , before i. s. was troubled with any of us ; but it is sufficient what is said to the mans light by which carnal men judgeth of any thing , is one thing , and the light of christ jesus which is spiritual mens guide is another thing ; e. b. speak of mans light , and i. s. foolishly opposes him as if he spake of the light of christ jesus , and so opposes his own conception . and further , i. s. asserts , that scripture light is the standing rule for faith and manners , so are not immediate revelations , and teachings . here he hath set up the scriptures above the spirit of god , and above the revelation of jesus christ , the saints was led by what the spirit revealed ▪ and taught , christ said he should teach into all truth , and they that were the sons of god were loved by the spirit of god , and that was their rule to be led by in their faith and manners : but yet see a hypocrite , ( i. s. is he ) that pleads for scripture to be the rule , and yet is acting in many things contrary to the scriptures , as at large may be instanced ; neither is in all the scripture the scripture called light , but scripture saith christ is the light . further he saith , there is sufficient light in the scripture to guide men to salvation : mark his doctrine , whether he hath not preached another thing than christ to be the way , and whether he hath not made christ , and the blood of christ of none effect , without which no salvation ▪ but he saith there is sufficient in the scripture to lead men to salvation , and neither christ nor his blood is in scripture , let it be moved . further , he saith , the scripture was given by the spirit for a rule ; this we desire a proof off by plain scripture , and till then we deny it . and further , he saith , the spirit gives out himself by scripture : and yet he saith he never said the scripture did give the spirit , and this is an absolute contradiction , as may be noted so i. s. is taken in the snare contradicting himself in one quarter of a sheet of paper , and hath not at all proved us to be self-contradictors concerning any of these things mentioned by him . further , he saith in his th head , that our possessing perfection , and quaking after moses example , cross shines on the other , but wherein he doth not shew , neither can the honest-minded read any contradiction in it , but only it seems i. s. hath set himself to cavell . further , he saith , we contradict our selves concerning quaking , and trembling , from this confession , that the same power that made moses to quake and tremble , the same power we witness ; but wherein doth this contradiction appear in these words , let honest men try the cause , and i. s. be silent ; and whereas he instances i. p. standing in an evill cause , and of i. p. he may be silent , whose blood he or his generation sought after : and now might they well be quiet of him , their wills being stifled by drinking his blood as it were : but that wicked men must add to their own wickedness till it be fulfilled , that they may receive their reward , and i. p. was bold , as is the children of god ; and though i. s. would clear himself and his company from what was done to i. p. yet by the effect it appeared that there was enough envy in them towards him and the truth , and though his body be in the ground , yet the spirit of the lord which guided him stands alive , a sufficient witness against them , and all their cruel and wicked dealing ; and let i. s. judgement be what it will , neither concerning growth of grace , nor forms of religion , nor fruits of the spirit do we at all contradict the spirit of god ; neither doth he prove us in these things whereof he accuseth us in strife & debate , ( except against such as i. s. and the devils kingdom , ) neither in emulation , hatred , scoffs , or any of these things whom the lord hath redeemed us from , though we be falsely accused in these things , as in many other by him ; and whereas he would prove their preaching in their method , and points , and reasons , and uses from the example of the saints in former ages , he falls far short in effecting his extent , for he cannot prove that they studied for what they spake , nor that in such a way they delivered what they said an hour by a glass , &c. as the priests of this age do ; also if it were they preached in the like manner as the apostles did , yet not by the same spirit , but by the spirit of error , and for a wrong end , that is the thing which makes their manner abominable , when as they are not guided wth the same spirit of the apostles , and their preaching in their method of points , and particulars is rather an art of preaching by humane policy , and not the gift of preaching by the spirit of god ; neither do we concerning humility , and love contradict our selves , but are in humility , and love towards all men , even such as wrongs us we seek no revenge against , and herein doth our humility and love appear , yet cannot we respect any mans person with hat or knee , and that is it which i. s. i suppose is offended with . in his th head concerning ordinances . he charges us with self-contradiction , because we say we own praying , &c. and yet hath given over family prayer , morning and evening , and at meals , but this is no contradiction : for we own praying in the spirit of god , but doth deny it without the spirit , and this is no contradiction ; he may as well say it was contradiction in christ to cry against the prayers of the pharisees , & yet to teach his disciples to pray , and to pray himself ; this is the same cause of ours which he foolishly charges with contradiction , and as i have said the prayers of the wicked we deny , and yet doth own prayer in the spirit , and who are moved by the spirit morning or evening , or at meals , or otherwise , and this is truth let i. s. gather what he can from it . further , he saith , if we teach one another , why do we condemn them for teaching . but to this i have answered preaching or teaching by the spirit we own , and without the spirit we deny ; and because we say we own all that which is gods , as baptisme , the lords supper , and sabbath , &c. pet doth disown in practice their water baptisme , and their form of breaking of bread and wine ▪ and their forms of church-fellowship , and their form of keeping a sabbath ; this he charges to be contradiction , but it is not so in the sight of the lord , though i. s. falsely so judge it ; for their baptisme and breaking of bread and wine , and their church fellowship , and keeping of a day , i say their exercise in these things we do deny to be of god , as in measure is proved , and may be further if need require ; and i say we own that which is gods ▪ and which is led unto by his spirit , and practised in his fear , and counsel , and yet we do deny all their immitations of any thing which god commanded doth owne the command of god , and yet doth not contradict our selves , though i. s. falsely so judge of us . further , he charges us with self-contradiction , concerning speech , and silence , because we check some for speaking , and yet speaks or writes our selves ; but this is the same with the former , and the same answer will serve , that speaking that which is not in the spirit we check , which is not the voyce of christ , but of the stranger , and yet doth own that which is spoken by the spirit of god , and herein doth not contradict our selves . further , he saith , we contradict our selves concerning conscience and laws ; because we say there must be no law concerning religion , viz. to bind any man to worship in this or the other way , and to bind him from this or that way of worship , and yet in exhorting the rulers that their laws be according to that in the conscience ; but in these words there is no contradiction , for the laws being according to the light in every mans ▪ conscience , that law will not bind , or limit the conscience from this or that way of worship in religion , for that law is un ▪ just which binds or limits the pure conscience of any man ; but that law which is contrary to the light in every mans conscience , is oppression , and we bear witness against it ; and though we do say no law must be laid upon religion , that it is to say , to bind any mans conscience to or from such a form of religion ; and though we further say that all just laws is and should be according to the light in every mans conscience : yet in this there is no contradiction . and whereas i. s. speaks of such laws who persecuted , prisoned , and crucified for the testimony of a good conscience , god hath hewen down in all ages saith he : let the rulers of england take notice of this from the mouth of one of their teachers . and further , i adde , so will god hew down in this age all those laws by which many are persecuted and prisoned , as he hath done ie other ages ; therefore let it be considered by them . and he saith , the magistrate is not to levell his law with every mans conscience and light : and this he speaks in opposition to us , but he needs not , for we say the same that some mens consciences are defiled , and we do not desire the laws to be made according to mens several opinions , and defiled consciences , but according to the light of christ jesus in every mans conscience , which is but one in all , and is according to the law of god , and every just law will be according to it , and though i. s. by his own meaning would make it appear contradiction in our saying no law must be concerning religion , and yet saying all laws should be according to the light of christ in the conscience ; now by these words we do not mean that we would not have a law according to religion , but no law to limit to or from this or that manner of religion , and this doth very well agree with our saying , let all your laws be according to the light of christ ; so by his misinterpretation of the first he makes it appear to be contradictions to the second ; but it is not so in the light of the spirit of god . and further , r. f. saying the law of god answers his justice , and the light of christ in the conscience answers the law of god which is perfect , according to that in the conscience ; these words i. s. charges with two errors : but let the reader try where the error lyes , and not believe i. s. false deduction from r. f. plain words , which are simply uttered , through subtilty wrested . and i. s. speaks as if some would have magistrates to make laws to bind themselves from striking at offenders , blasphemers , gospel and church disturbers , &c. in answer to this , we are not they that would have any magistrates to bind themselves from striking at offenders , who are truly able to judge of offences , we own that such should be punished according to the offence , but the magistrates law reaches but to the outward man , to keep that in peace and good order , and not to the inward man to bind or limit that . and as for blasphemy , and gospel , and church ▪ disturbing , we find many magistrates not able to judge thereof : but many on the contrary calling truth blasphemy , and reproving of sin in teachers and people , gospel and church disturbing , and so by false judgement making such offenders which are not , and so abusing their power , and condemning the innocent rather then the guilty , and these are such as i. s. speaks of , where the strong man armed keeps the house , and these are rather a terror to well doers then to evill , and such magistrates , and such laws by which the just are oppressed , and the hands of the wicked strengthened will the lord confound ▪ in a day to the glory of his name , and to the refreshing of all his people , who is now every way oppressed by evill men , both by rulers , teachers , and people . and as for the rest of his book , it s but of the same nature with the former , and not worth answering to , onely his lyes i do deny , and his first following is , that all our doctrines are raised upon the ruines of the scriptures excellency , and authority ; this is false , neither doth his proof at all make it good . his second lye is , that our corrupt tenents are built upon false and novel interpretations , and this is two lyes together , our tenents are not corrupt , neither do we build any thing which we hold upon false interpretations . his third lye is , that it is pride that hath bred , and doth feed our opinions and practises : and this is also false , and to prove it hath wrested some of e. b. words . his fourth lye is , that unbelief begets , and procreates all our errors , and our love of error with our derisions of the truth ; here is many lyes folded up in one , which are all denyed with the life of god , and the author of them proved to be of the devil , and we proved to be of god , who are spoken all manner of evil against falsely for the name of jesus . his fifth lye is , that we do subtilly couch many errors under spacious words of truth : this lye also i bear witness against , as also against his sixth , wherein he charges us with meer ignorance , and wilful blindness about the covenant of grace , &c. his seventh lye is , that much of mystical babylon , and confusion is in our writings , and wayes : this is also a lye and of the devil ; and also against his eight i bear testimony , our doctrines and practises ends not in apostacy , neither are they blasphemy against christ , as i. s. impudently asserteth ; so that from the first of his book to his last his whole work is born witness against not to be of god , but of the devill , and in vain hath he striven , and his work shall not accomplish any part of his desire : for the quakers against whom he hath written cannot be offended in christ , though i. s. have endeavoured for to make their way and doctrines in the sight of men abominable ; but his work shall not prevent the purpose of the lord , nor the gathering in of the upright-hearted from the mouths of devouring shepheards , such as i. s. and the priests of england ▪ who is it that doth not begin to see their deceits and abominations ? yea thousands do , and m●ny more shall do ; so that all their striving to uphold their kingdom is but in vain , for god hath blasted al their glory , and he will teach his people himself , and govern them by his own law and order , and the kingdoms of this world shall be changed , and shall become the kingdoms of the lord , and of his christ , and antichrist and all his ministers shall be confounded , and the beast and the false prophet shall both be taken alive , and cast into the lake . ah , john stelham , against whom hast thou set thy self , and exalted thy horn ? against whom hast thou bent thy strength , and shot forth thy envie in crafty words of guile ? who is it that thou hast defied , and girded on thy armour against , and counted them as nothing before thy uncircumcised strength ? even against the lords people hast thou thus done , though thou wilt not now know it , yet one day thou shalt know it , when iniquity is come to an end , and transgression finished , and thou shalt stand in thy lot at that day , and receive according to thy work a just and righteous reward from the hand of the lord , in the day of judgement , when every secret work of iniquity shall appear to condemnation ; and in the mean time , the lord will bring forth good unto his people , even from thy evil , and all things ( even thy evil purposes ) shail work together for good , unto such whom god hath called : and thy works and purposes which are to trouble them , and to break them , and to make them appear vile in the sight of men , even thy work doth the lord turn , to establish them , and to unite them ; and in the sight of men , thy work against us , proves us to be of god , and thy self to be of the devil , who was a persecutor from the beginning , and thou shalt be scattered in thy imaginations , and thy whole work hath god confounded , and it shall not accomplish any whit of that end propounded in thy sinful heart , which hath brought forth milchief , for it 's blasted in the anger of god , and men shall neither call it , nor the father of it , any more blessed : and friend , hadst thou known how little it doth accomplish of thy evil intent , thou would have spared thy labour , and employed thy service to another end , and then had not thy wickedness so greatly appear in the sight of god , nor thy shame and nakedness in the sight of men , as it now doth , by this thy sinful deed , brought forth of a cursed womb , and conceived in unrighteousness : alas , alas man ! how art thou fallen into the pit which thou hast digged for another ? and how doth the shame overtake thee , which thou hast thought should fall upon us ; let thy wickedness correct thee , and know thou ▪ that the lord will not forsake his people , who cannot be offended in christ , though thou cast stumbling blocks of iniquity in the way , and would cause them to sin ; but even so much the more , as thou speaks evil against the way of the lord , are they the more upright therein , and the more loving and delighting in the path of righteousness , and thou hast but the more fully discovered in many things from thy own pen , the wickedness and wrath that hath secretly lodged in thy heart ▪ and it appears that thy wisdom is devillish , and from below ; deceiving and being deceived , and thy path is in craft and subtilty , and not in innocency and plain simplicit● , and ● this manner , and by this means chiefly is thy work managed unto an evil end , but the lord hath rebuked it , and will do yet more , till it appear to all men , as it doth to us , to be what i have said of it , and it shall be a shame to thee , and shall not receive prayse neither of god nor man , but condemnation in the sight of both ; and hadst thou known that we are established even on the top of gods holy mountain , and cannot be moved nor shaken , by such weak pitiful blasts of confusion and ignorance , coming out of thy mouth , where poyson lodges under thy tongue , sure hadst thou known it , thou would have travelled in another path ; but that thy folly might appear unto all men , is thy work sent abroad , that they may see what lodges in thy mind , even more envie then in the heart of balaam , and more desire of evil to the lords people than ever , was in him ; and thou fulfils the measure of thy forefathers wickedness , till the sum be accounted , and destruction follow , thou hast too much troubled thy self , in labouring , and thy reward will not countervail thy pains ; hadst thou but only spoken against us , we should have born it , and thou might have been the more excused , but in that thou hast spoken against the light of christ , and called it perverse principle ▪ and many other blasphemous words of bitterness against the very truths of jesus . this is the cause wherefore we have answered thee , and thou art utterly inexcusable ; for what thou hast done , it is not altogether through ignorance , though much ignorance be in it , but out of perfect rebellion , and purpose of mischief ; and for mastery we do not strive with thee , but rather wisheth thy repentance , than thy destruction ; and who doth not believe but your kingdom ( i mean the priests of england ) is going down apace , and your glory fading as a flower , and the lord will make you a shame to your selves , who hath for many ages preyed devouringly upon the upright , and through perfect covetousness have made merchandize of souls ; and now many hath an eye opened to see your shame , and it appears with horrible detestation ; even the saying is fulfilled , as troups of robbers wait for a man , so the company of priests murders in the way by consent , as the prophet said : and as christ said , wo unto you , you will not enter your selves , nor suffer others to enter that world . wherefore thou j. stelham . even thou repent of this thy wickedness , for the wrath of the lord is gone forth against thee , and evill hast thou done against god , and against his people , and against thy own soul , and this thou shalt know one day to thy exceeding sorrow , unto which time we leave thee , and could have born all thy scandalous rearms without replying again , but onely for the sake of the simple , that thy neighbours may see thy folly , and all men to whom thine and this doth come , and we have not been large , but in short , have in singleness of heart born our testimony once more to the truth of the glorious gospel which we have received of god , and not of man , and against thee and thy sinful heart , and whatsoever proceeds out of it , for thou being evill , how canst thou speak good things , the tree must be good before the fruit can be so , but out of thy evill heart hast thou brought forth evill , and must receive the reward of evill whether thou wilt or no ; and what if we should go about to shew wherein the priests of england do contradict the scripture , might not we have a large catalogue , even in all your worship , and in the most of your practises , acting contrary to the scripture , and contradicting that spirit that gave it forth in doctrine , and in conversation in such an enterprise as this might , we make your folly sound abroad ; and as to the contradicting your selves , and being of many judgements and opinions , and difference in many particulars about the things of god among your selves herein you abound almost above measure ; and this if need require , could i by the strength of jesus sufficiently make you appear abominable in the eyes of all just men , and so think not in thy self that you are free from scripture , and self-contradiction , but truly guilty your selves in what thou hast wickedly accused us of falsely , which doth but prove thee to be of thy father who is an accurser of the brethren , and proves us to be of god according to christs words , we are spoken all manner of evill of falsely for the name of jesus christ , whom we serve , and therefore are hated of the world because we are not of it ; but without much more words i leave this i. s. our adversary to the judgement of the great day , wherein we and he shall receive according to our deeds , and till then is as willing to have dispraise , as praise of men , who is not a jew outward , but a jew inward , who hath no praise of men , but of god , who is of the kingdom of christ , which is not of this world . e. b. notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- * viz quakers * viz. quakers * viz. quakers * viz. quakers . * viz. quakers * viz. quakers * viz. quakers answer . answer . answer . answer . answer . answer . answer . priest . priest . answer . priest . answer . answer . priest . answer . rom. . some modest and humble queries concerning a printed paper, intituled, an ordinance presented to the honourable house of commons, &c. for the preventing of the growing and spreading of heresies, &c. goodwin, john, ?- . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (thomason e _ ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing g thomason e _ estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; :e [ ]) some modest and humble queries concerning a printed paper, intituled, an ordinance presented to the honourable house of commons, &c. for the preventing of the growing and spreading of heresies, &c. goodwin, john, ?- . [ ], , - p. printed by matthew simmons for henry overton, and are to be sold in popes-head alley, london, : . "published by authoritie." attributed to john goodwin by wing. text is continuous despite pagination. a reply to: bacon, nathaniel, and taet, mr. an ordinance presented to the honourable house of commons (wing b ). annotation on thomason copy: " ber [i.e. september] ". reproduction of the original in the british library. eng bacon, nathaniel, - . -- ordinance presented to the honourable house of commons. taet, -- mr. -- ordinance presented to the honourable house of commons. church of england -- discipline -- early works to . heresy -- early works to . heresies, christian -- england -- early works to . religious tolerance -- england -- early works to . great britain -- church history -- th century. a r (thomason e _ ). civilwar no some modest and humble queries concerning a printed paper, intituled, an ordinance presented to the honourable house of commons, &c. for the goodwin, john d the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the d category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - elspeth healey sampled and proofread - elspeth healey text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion some modest and humble qveries concerning a printed paper , intituled , an ordinance presented to the honourable house of commons , &c. for the preventing of the growing and spreading of heresies ▪ &c ▪ rom. . . let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind . isa. . . therefore is judgement farre from us , neither doth justice over ●ake us : we waite for light , but behold obscurity , &c. job . . . who is this that darkneth counsell by words without knowlege ? hos. . . heare ye this , o priests , and hearken ye house of israel — for judgement is towards you ; because you have been a snare on mispah , and a net spred upon tabor , hos. . . the watchman of ephraim was with my god : but the prophet is the snare of a fowler in all his wayes , and hatred in the house of his god . quid prodest habere zelum dei , & non-habere scientiam dei ? orig. quid ergo saviunt , ut stulticiam suam dum minuere volunt , augeant ? longe diversa 〈◊〉 carn●●●●… & pietas — defendenda religio est ▪ non occidendo , sed moriendo ; non savitiâ , sed patientiâ . non scelere , sed 〈◊〉 illa enim malorum sunt , haec bonorum . lactant. de iust. c. lib. cap. . omnis lex debet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suae equitatis . calv. published by authoritie . london ▪ printed by matthew simmons for henry overton , and are to be sold in popes-head alley , . to the reader . being accidentally encountred by a vagrant ▪ paper , printed though without authority , yet with this inscription ; an ordinance presented to the honourable house of commons , &c ▪ and conceiving partly by the frame and spirit of the discourse , partly from some un-clerk-like expressions in it , that certainly those worthy gentlemen , whose names are specified in the said inscription , were more or lesse wronged by the publishing and spreading of it under their names ; and that it was some other spirit that breathed in it , not theirs ; i supposed that possibly i might doe the said gentlemen some right , by a proposall of some queries upon occasion of some particularities in it , by meanes whereof they may the better consider , in case it relates to them either in whole , or in part , whether it be not unworthy of them ; or whether , and to what degree those have injured them , who issued the said undeserving papar with such a badge of honour upon it , as the two names of two such well-deserving men . queries about the ordinance . whether it be agreeable to the spirit of christ , ( who came into the world , as himself saith not to destroy mens lives , but to save them a , ) to make snares of any of his doctrines for the destruction of the lives of men ? whether it be agreeable to the mind of christ , for men to inflict the heavie censure of death upon their brethren , for holding forth such doctrines , or opinions in religion , suppose contrary to admonition , which , for ought the said inflicters know , except they make themselves infallible , may be the sacred truths of god ? whether it be agreeable to the will of christ , for civill magistrates to compell men , upon paine of death , to call them rabbi , or masters , when as he hath so expressely charged men , yea ▪ his apostles themselves as well as others , not to be called rabbi , or masters b ▪ or whether to injoyne and compell men ( especially upon the penaltie of death , ) to preach and teach in many the most weighty and difficult points of religion , nothing but the dictates of their owne judgments and wills , be not much more then simply to be called rabbi , or masters , i. then simply to connive at , & comply with those , who professe in all things to submit their judgements and consciences unto them ? yea , whether is it not , to threaten men , and that in the ●orest manner of all other , if they will not call them rabbi , or masters , i. if they will not sin against the commandement of christ ? whether is it christian to maintaine that religion , by putting others to death , which ( as lactantius saith ) men ought to defend , non occidendo , sed moriendo , i. not by slaying others , but by dying our selves for it ? whether is it not evident from tertullian , lactantius , and other ancient and authentick writers , that the idolatrous heathen sought to maintaine their idolatrous religions , by the same stratagems ▪ methods , and wayes , which the said ordinance proposeth , for maintaining the religion of christ ? whether our best records of later times doe not cleerely shew , that the papacy , and antichristian party in the world , have still gone about to uphold that false and abominable religion , which they professe , by those very shores and props , wherewith the ordinance we speake of seeks to support the true religion of christ ? whether are errours and heresies any other things ; then some of those strong holds and imaginations in men , which ( as the apostle saith ) exalt themselves against the knowledge of god a ? or whether can they be better throwne downe then by those weapons ▪ which ( as the same apostle speaketh ) are mighty through god ▪ for that very purpose ? and whether are these weapons carnall , or spirituall ? whether to injoyn ministers or others upon pain of death , imprisonment , &c. not to teach or maintaine any thing , in many the greatest and most weighty points in religion , contrary to the present sense and apprehensions of the said injoyners , being but few in number , ( comparatively ) be not to quench proceedings ; and to say ( in effect ) unto the holy ghost , reveale nothing more unto others , then thou hast revealed unto us ; or rather thus ; if thou hast not revealed the truth unto us , reveale it not unto any other men ? whether they , who inflict the heavie sentence of death upon men , for maintaining an opinion or doctrine contrary to their sense and interpretation of a scripture , one or more , had not need be as infallible in their judgements , ( at least as touching the sense and meaning of all such scriptures ) as god himself ? whether did luther ( with divers other worthy assertors of the truth in his dayes against the papists ) deserve death , imprisonment , &c. for maintaining , and that publiquely , and against frequent admonition , by zuinglius , calvin , &c. the erroneous opinion of consubstantiation ; an error farre more grosse and dangerous then many particulariz'd in the ordinance ; besides many others not inferior in evill unto this , as concerning free-will , election & c ? whether did calvin deserve either imprisonment or death , for , teaching and maintaining publiquely by writing , that the observation of the lords day , as it is injoyned by the ordinances and lawes of this realme , is not according to the word of god ? whether doth a minister , in case that in the performance of his office in preaching the gospel , he shall mistake the mind of christ , or the true sense of a scripture , one or more , cited , & interpreted by him according to the best light which god hath given him , deserve either death or imprisonment , for his mistake ? or whether many of the opinions made liable hereunto by the ordinance , be constructively , any thing moe , or of any worse demerit , then a mistake , or misunderstanding of some scriptures ? whether a mistake in judgement , ( as suppose a man verily and in the simplicitie of his heart , judgeth that infants ought not to be baptized , or that presbytery is unlawfull , or the like ) joyned with a publique and free profession of his judgement in this kinde , be more sinfull , or more deserving imprisonment , death , &c. then an open and manifest deniall in works , of such truths , which yet men professe in words ; as when men professe that they beleeve jesus to be the son of god , and that the scriptures are the word of god , &c. and yet live loosly , prophanely , in drunkennesse , riot , &c. or whether the ordinance maketh not the former denialls , which at most are but of truths very questionable and obscure , yea and but of inferior consequence neither ( at least comparatively ) punishable by imprisonment or death ; whereas it inflicts no censure at all upon these latter denialls ( except it be in the case of blasphemy ) which are every whit as full & publique as the other , yea and of truths both more generally received , and farre more easie to be proved ; yea and of a far greater and more formidable consequence , then those other ? whether ministers , truly faithfull and conscientious , being fully perswaded in their soules and consciences , that many of the opinions asserted in the ordinance for truths , yet are not such , but errors ( of wch perswasion there are many such ministers in england ) shall doe well to comply with the ordinance , ( so called ) against their judgements ; and publiquely hold forth to the people those things for truths , which they are absolutely perswaded in their judgements , to be nothing lesse ? or whether the said ordinance , threatening them with imprisonment or death , in case they shall declare themselves otherwise , be not a dangerous temptation upon them , to draw their foot into that snare of death ? whether , the publicke holding of any such opinion , which according to the doctrine of the apostles themselves , deserves not excommunication from , or by a christian church , may yet deserve imprisonment , or a cutting off by death , by the civil magistrate ? or are they , who are meete and worthy to live and converse as members in a church of christ , unworthy so much as to live in a politique or civill state ? or were there not in the church of corinth , ( yea and in other churches besides in the apostles dayes ) who publiquely held some opinions of farre worse consequence , then very many of those , which the said ordinance censureth , either with imprisonment , or with death ; of whose excommunication , notwithstanding the apostle is silent , even then when he argueth against , and condemneth their errors . yea doth he not intreat them graciously , notwithstanding the danger of their error , calling them beloved brethren a & admonisheth them to take heed of being deceived ; to be stedfast & unmoveable ? &c. whether is it not very possible , that persons , who may hold , and upon occasion publiquely maintaine , many of the opinions condemned as errors , by the ordinance , may yet be as full of grace and goodnesse , as precious in the sight of god , as fruitfull in every good worke , as serviceable to the state , and common-wealth , as those who are of another judgement and practise ? o● what repugnancy is there in either of those things , unto any of these ? if so , whether can it be a thing well pleasing unto god , or of any good accommodation to the state , to make a law for the punishing or afflicting of such persons ? whether is not such an ordinance , ( were it an ordinance indeed ) in the very nature and direct tendency of it , likely to prove a grand discouragement unto many from taking the calling of the ministery upon them , ( the kingdome suffering at present so extreamely for want of able and faithfull men in this calling , ) and especially such , who are most ingenuous , and most eminently qualified by god for this great worke ? or whether are not men of greatest worth for parts and abilities , especially in conjunction with good and tender consciences , ( the most absolute composition for the ministery , ) more like then other men to decline that imployment , wherein they are so much the more like to suffer for a good conscience sake , then other men ; by how much the more likely they are to discover the common errors and misprisions of the present age in matters of religion , then they ? whether is not the said ordinance , in the example of it , a direct incouragement and confirmation to popish magistrates , to persecute the faithfull servants of god , who live in their territories with fire & sword , for professing the truth of god amongst them ? and whether doe not they , who here seeke to plucke up the tares , by such an ordinance , plucke up the wheat also there , by the same ? whether was there ever any such ordinance , or state act , ever heard of , or knowne , in any the reformed churches ? i meane , which was so apparently bent against the faces , if not of the greatest part , yet of so considerable a part of the best and most conscientious men amongst them , as this is ? whether was there ever any thing done in the bishops times , or any thing attempted to be done by this generation of men in the day of their greatest interest and power in the kingdome , of that bloudy consequence to those godly persons , ministers , or others , whom they most hated , and sought to crush , as this ordinance , if once established , is like to be , to surre greater numbers of truely pious and conscientious men ? whether the said ordinance ministreth not an advantage , of opportunity to the worst and wickedest of men , who commonly hate the best and faithfullest ministers most , to accuse them unduly of such things , which according to the ordinary course of law , may touch their lives , or otherwise bring much affliction , and vexation to them ? whether twelve simple countrimen , such as our ordinary juries usually confist of at countrey assizes , who ( alas ! ) are far from being versed , or any wayes judgemented in the profound questions in divinity , ( unto many of which the ordinance relateth ) and who are generally uncapable of such equipollencies , proprieties , and differences of words , upon the understanding , or right discerning whereof , the innocencie or guiltinesse of the person indited is very likely to depend , be of any competent faculty or interest , to passe upon the life or liberty of a studious , learned , and conscientious man , in such cases , which the greatest and ablest professors of divinitie in the world , are not able cleerly , or with any competent satisfaction to the scrupulous ( many times ) to resolve , or determine ? whither an ordinary judge of ass●●e , who either doth not pretend , or ( at most ) in most cases , doth but pretend to any thoroughnesse of search or inquiry into the deep things of god in the abstruse and disputable points of religion , as that of free will , of the trinity , of the hypostaticall union , concerning the death of christ , the condition of the soule after death , &c. be a competent judge in such questions and cases as these , especially over , and against such men ( to the bereaving of them , either of life or libertie ) who are knowne to be men of able parts , and to have made the study of divinity , their sole imployment all their dayes , being otherwise , grave , and sober , and conscientious men in all their wayes ? whether these two opinions , ( both of them attainded for errors , and made equally punishable by the ordinance , ) o that the morrall law contained in the ten commandements is no rule of a christian life . o that the observation of the lords day , as it is enjoyned by the ordinances and lawes of this realme , is not according , or contrary to the word of god ; can possibly be both errors , or justly punishable ; since the observation of the lords day , as it is enjoyned by the ordinances and lawes of this realme , is no where to be found in the morall law contained in the ten commandements ; this law requiring the observation of another day , differing from that , the observation whereof is injoyned by the ordinances and lawes of this realme ? or if the law contained in the ten commandements be the rule of a christian life , whether doe they walke christianly , who doe not conforme themselves unto it ? nay , who place a great part of their christianity , in walking , if not contrary to it , yet quite beside it ? as all they doe , who observe the lords day , as it is injoyned by the ordinances and laws of this realme ; and celebrate the two sacraments , baptisme , and the loods supper , mentioned likewise in the ordinance ? whether doth the ordinance , making this a punishable errour , to hold that a man by nature hath free will to turne unto god , by this expression , of having free will to turne unto god , intend to grant any will at all in men by nature to turne unto god , though much incumbred and oppressed with corruption , and indisposition to such an act , and in that respect , meaneth that it is not free ; or else to denie all , and all manner of will in men , in respect of this act ; so that when god purposeth to make men willing to turne to him , he must create a new facultie of will in him , as also a new disposition or propension in this will , whereby it may be freely carried upon this act of conversion ? what does the ordinance mean , by blasph●ming the name of god , or any of the holy trinity ? doth it mean any kinde or degree of sin , against the third commandement ? or any , and every kinde of swearing ▪ as by faith , troth , or the like ; so that upon the second offence committed in this kinde , after , and contrary to admonition , the party offending is to suffer death ? or doth it by blaspheming the name of god , &c. intend onely the highest kindes of blasphemy , as the calling of god , or of jesus christ , accursed , wicked , unjust , unfaithfull , & c ? what doth the ordinance mean , by impugning the word of god ? doth it mean , the opposing by way of argument and discourse , every truth contained and delivered in the word of god ? or onely the proposall and inforcement of such reasons and grounds , the tendency whereof is , to prove it , indefinitly taken and considered , not to be the word of god ? in what sence doth the ordinance make it erroneous and punishable , to hold , that god seeth no sin in the justified ? inasmuch as there is a sence , ( if not more then one ) wherein it is most certainly true , that god seeth no sin in such persons ( a ) ? in what sence doth the ordinance adjudge it an error , worthy to be punished , and that with no lesse than perpetuall imprisonment , in case it be not abjured ; to hold and maintain ▪ that a man is bound to beleeve no more , than by his reason hee can comprehend ? doth it intend to make men of this faith , that they are bound in conscience to beleeve more than they can comprehend , that is , cleerly and fully conceive any reason why they should beleeve ? if so , then how much , or to what proportion of object are they bound to beleeve , beyond what they are able to comprehend by reason , sufficient & cleer grounds of beleeving ? are they bound to beleeve in this kinde ( i mean , beyond what they are able to comprehend by reason ) without measure , bounds , or limits ? if so , are they bound to beleeve all things without exception , that shall any wayes , or by any hand be presented unto them ? or , if reason ought not to regulate or limit men about the object or matter of their beleeving , then are they bound to beleeve those things , concerning which , there is no ground or reason at all , why they should be beleeved ? if so , whether is divine revelation , or the asserting of things by god , any ground or reason , comprehensible in that relation , by that faculty of reason , or understanding in a man , for the beleeving of all things so revealed , and asserted ? if so , whether is not reason , able to comprehend and judge of all things required by god as necessary to be beleeved , so farre , as they are necessary to be beleeved , i. e , as farre as they are revealed by god ? or is any man bound to beleeve that , concerning which it is unpossible for him , or any man , to comprehend , or conceive any reason , why it should be a truth ; and consequently worthy or meet to be beleeved ? or what instance can be given in any particular branch of the object of faith , which ought to be beleeved , and yet is unpossible to be comprehended by reason , that it is a truth ? or whether ought any man ( at least , in sensu composito , ) to beleeve the deepest or highest mystery in religion , any further , or any otherwise , then as , and as farre , as he hath reason to judge it to be a truth ? what doth the ordinance mean , by publishing doctrines with obstinacy ? doth it mean a publishing of them , contrary to the will , pleasure , or prohibition of the assembly of divines , or of any particular man , whether they shew unto the assertors or publishers of such doctrines , any sufficient reason to convince them , or no ? or what kinde , or manner of reasons doth it intend those shall be , upon the tender whereof , either by the said assembly , or others , the publisher of the doctrines shall be judged obstinate , in case he shall still publish them ? or if , by publishing with obstinacy , be meant , a publishing contrary to the desires , or injunctions of men , without any sufficient reason given of their desires , or injunctions in this kinde ; then in what sense or notion doth the ordinance understand the word obstinacy ? or how many desires , prohibitions , or injunctions of men to the contrary , must precede and be administred , before a man shall according to meaning and intent of the ordinance , be said to publish a doctrine obstinately ? whereas the said ordinance maketh it an error , and the publishing of it punishable with imprisonment , to hold , that government by presbytery is unlawfull ; whether doth it mean , that government by presbytery which the parliament hath established , or that government by presbytery , which is so importunely desired and defended by the ministers ; because there is ( it seems ) a strong opposition , and vast difference between the one and the other , at least in some things ? or doth it intend , all , and all manner of government by presbytery , in what sense or notion soever ? what doth the paper mean , by blaspheming the name of god , or impugning the word of god , wittingly , and presumptuously , considering , that ( as mr. prynne informes us at a large ) the word , presumptuously admits of a strange variety of significations ? and since the sin of blaspheming the name of god ( with the other ) must be committed wittingly , and presumptuously , or contrary to admonition , before the ordinance ( so called ) takes hold of it , or maketh it punishable ; upon what testimony , evidence , or indication , one or more , shall the said sins be adjudged to be committed wittingly ? again , inasmuch as the said sins committed contrary to admonition , are made so severely punishable by the ordinance ; by whom is it intended that this admonition must be given , to bring the said sins under the dint and stroke of the ordinance ? whether by a magistrate only , or by a minister , and that either in his publique ministery , and in generall , or in private , and in personall addresse , or by any man , of what rank or quality soever ? god having appointed an expresse punishment ( by way of remedy and cure ) of blasphemy , in the new testament ( whom i have delivered up unto satan , saith paul , that they may learn not to b blaspheme , ) whether is it either reasonable or christian , to decline this punishment of so sovereign a nature for the healing of the sin , and to preferre a punishment mentioned onely in the old testament , which , though appointed by god for those times , yet hath no such evangelicall vertue or property ascribed unto it ? whether the ordinance , in ordering the delinquent or party accused , to renounce his error in the publique congregation of the parish-church whence the complaint comes ; intends onely this renunciation , when the complaint of the error preached or maintained , comes from , or out of such a publique congregation ? or in case it comes from , or out of another congregation , viz. which is not parochiall , or held in a parish-church , whether then doth the ordinance intend any such renunciation at all ? or in what congregation doth it intend it ? or whether is any complaint of an error published or maintained , admittable by the ordinance , but onely those , that come from some publique congregation of a parish-church ? in what sense desireth the paper to be understood , when it maketh an action punishable with imprisonment , to publish , that it is not lawfull to teach children to pray ? or whether doth it measure children , by age , or by understanding ? if by either , at what age , or under what line or scantling of understanding must they be , when it shall be punishable by the ordinance , for any man to affirme , that it is not lawfull to teach them to pray ? for doubtlesse it is not lawfull to teach children , or whosoever , to pray , unlesse we can reasonably judge them capable of our instruction in this kinde , and of learning how to pray . the scriptures not having cleerly determined or defined , what is erroneous , or hereticall , in many ( if not in the most ) of the particulars mentioned in the said ordinance ; who , or of what capacity or interest ought they to be , that are meet to be constituted judges or determiners of such cases and questions ? whether those , that already are profoundly ingaged on the one hand ? or those who as yet stand undeclared in either ? or who have any power or authority from god to appoint judges in such cases as they please ? whether did god ever give any power or authority to civill magistrates , or others , either in the old testament or the new , to make any controverted exposition of any clause or clauses in the law , controvertible between priest and priest , scribe and scribe , though published and declared , or any matter whatsoever of doubtfull disputation between grave , learned , pious , and conscientious men on both sides , punishable either with imprisonment or death ? and whether are not many of the points condemned by the ordinance , matters of this nature , controvertible ( i mean ) yea , and actually controverted between persons of equall worth , parts , learning , judgement , conscience , on both sides ? finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- a luk. . . b mat. . . . a cor. . a cor. . . a numb. . . jer. . . psal. . . &c. a truth triumphing over falshood , p. ▪ b tim. . the necessity of heresies asserted and explained in a sermon and clerum / by the author of the catholic balance and published as a consolatory to the church of england in the days of her controversie ... hill, samuel, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing h estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the necessity of heresies asserted and explained in a sermon and clerum / by the author of the catholic balance and published as a consolatory to the church of england in the days of her controversie ... hill, samuel, - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed for robert clavel ..., london: mdclxxxviii [ ] attributed by wing to samuel hill. reproduction of original in the huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng church of england -- sermons. bible. -- n.t. -- corinthians, st, ii, -- sermons. heresy. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - john pas sampled and proofread - john pas text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the necessity of heresies asserted and explained in a sermon ad clervm . by the author of the catholick balance . and published as a consolatory to the church of england in the days of her controversie . exod. . . and moses said unto the people : fear ye not , stand still , and see the salvation of the lord , which he will shew to you to day ; for the aegyptians which ye have seen to day , ye shall see them again no more for ever . imprimatur , concio haec cui titulus [ the necessity of heresies asserted . ] july . . h. mavrice . london : printed for robert clavel , at the peacock in st. paul's church-yard . mdclxxxviii . cor. ii. . for there must be also heresies among you , that they which are approved , may be made manifest among you . he that sedately considers the whole extraction and process of evil , and the more prevalent diffusion of vice and lewdness against all the dictates of vertue and piety , while the lenity of the divine providence seems cessant and unprovoked : and that discerns the strength and operation of external temptations unto evil , the passive easiness of our tempers to admit them , the prodigious looseness of motion in all our animal affections , and their delusive influence upon our understandings and our wills : and that examines what originals gave being to the malice of the apostate legions of darkness to alienate them from their god , and to sollicit our subversion likewise by indiscernible methods of imposture , must necessarily fall into origen's resolution , (a) that if any subjects , discussible among men , be hard to be traced , the generation of evil must be reckoned as one of them . and yet , as if the natural difficulties of our understanding herein had not been sufficient , even the scriptures themselves seem to multiply our perplexities , while , notwithstanding the fundamental truth of this religious principle , that god is not the author of any moral evil , they yet proclaim unto us , not only a natural , but a moral necessity of sins and offences . thus our saviour preacheth a natural necessity of them : (b) it must needs be that offences come , but wo be to him by whom the offence cometh . and my text averreth a moral necessity of heresies and divisions . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. for there must be , there ought to be , there is need that there he heresies . nay , that , which more astonisheth , is , that the very mediator of our peace , the great henoticon of the whole world , in reconciling all mankind in one body unto god , of whose days it was prophesied , that the lamb should lie down with the lyon , tells his apostles , at their first mission , (c) that he came not to give peace , but a sword ; to set a man at variance against his father , and the daughter against the mother , &c. and when we consider the malevolent nature of those seeds of discord in matters of religion against all societies , either sacred , or secular , and the blessed means of eternal life also ; that these mischiefs should become necessary , and the result of christianity it self , seems a stupifying riddle , and ( that which fills me with all horror ) gives colour for the publick allowance of all heresies and blasphemies whatsoever . since then i am intangled in a text so intricate , and withal so necessary to be explained , i must offer you the petition that origen made to his dear ambrose , in his adventure against celsus , that you would give me your prayers to the supreme fountain of wisdom , that he may so invigorate me from above , and shed his heavenly dews upon my present meditations , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that the savour of this discourse may administer grace unto the hearers , and be like the savour of a field which the lord hath blessed . the weight then of this text puts us upon a threefold enquiry . i. what heresie is . ii. what necessity there is of heresies . iii. what use we are to make of them . i. heresie then , literally and generally importing division , in philosophy , among the greeks , signified the separation of men into different schools and parties , upon the account of different doctrines and opinions , without any form of excommunication , execration , or extermination from common and friendly society . among the jews heresie consists in varying from , and neglecting the traditions of their rabbins , and is by them prosecuted with the severest curses and anathemaes whatsoever . the divisions that have appeared in the christian profession , are by st. basil the great , in his first canonical epistle to amphilochius , distributed into three classes , viz. parasynagogues , schisms and heresies . the first are uncanonical assemblies of men unto voluntary and irregular exercises of religion under the pretence of a more active zeal . schism is a breach of peace , union , and orderly government in the church , under the wanton claims of a greater liberty . heresie is an insurrection against the church , and her doctrines , derived from the scriptures , and universally received from the beginning , under the imputation of falshood or deficiency , and the ostentation of a purer and more perfect knowledg . which being the greatest of all religious confusions , and by the apostolick and canonical discipline exposed to the strictest censures of the church , will need some characteristick description , to the end , that we may at present aggravate the doubt , how so vile a monster should become necessary to the church , that so directly intends her dissolution . tertullian chargeth the hereticks of his age with many irregularities against both discipline and morals : (d) that they made no distinction between heathens , catechumens , or christians , but imparted their mysteries equally unto all : that they reputed simplicity to be prostration of discipline : that they kept communion with all parties against the church : that they were all proud , and all pretended knowledg : the very females , how pert , and daring to assume the very offices of the hierarchy ! that their ordinations were rash , light and unconstant ; that sometimes they set up novices , sometimes men engaged to the world , sometimes the very apostates of the church : that they had one bishop to day , and to morrow another : that he that was a deacon to day , to morrow sunk to a reader : and he that was to day a priest , to morrow reversed to a lay-man ; for that with them the laity assume the services of the priesthood : that their whole preaching was not to convert heathens , but pervert true christians ; not to build any thing , but destroy the church : that they conversed with magicians , juglers and sorcerers . thus far tertullian . nay , that which is most remarkable , heresie was at first the issue of sorcery ; the grand-father thereof being simon magus ; who transmitted his sorcery and heresie together to his trusty disciple menander , who in both out-did his original ; and thus descended all the various brood of the gnosticks , and other like vermin , who took their names from the respective founders or principles of their several impieties . they blasphemed the creator , moses , and the prophets ; vilified and corrupted the new testament at their pleasure ; forged false gospels and writings for canonical , and set up false prophecies as revelations of the paraclete : they were sometimes circumcised with the jews ; sometimes they sacrificed with the heathens : consecrated the soulest pollutions into mysteries ; and betrayed true christians up to all manner of persecutions . this , and a much more dreadful , account we have of heresies from the fathers and ecclesiastical histories . from whom let us ascend to the apostles , and see what they say of them . st. jude calls the hereticks of his time (e) ungodly men , that turn'd the grace of god into wantonness , denying the only god , and our lord jesus christ ; filthy dreamers , defilers of the flesh , despisers of dominion , blasphemers of dignities , clouds without water , carried about of winds ; withering fruitless trees , raging waves of the sea , foaming out their own shame ; mockers , separatists , sensual , and without the spirit . saint peter foretells of the same hereticks , (f) that their false teachers should bring in damnable heresies , and deny the lord god that bought them ; men of unclean lusts , despisers of government , presumptuous , selfwilled , blasphemers of dignities , having eyes full of adultery , constant in sin , beguiling unstable souls , having covetous hearts , cursed children , forsaking the right way , and following the way of balaam ; wells without water , clouds carried about with a tempest , speaking great swelling words of vanity , and thereby alluring those who were clean escaped from them that live in error . st. paul saith of those that made divisions at rome , (g) that they served not the lord jesus christ , but their own belly ; and with good words , and fair speeches , deceived the hearts of the simple . of the cretan hereticks he instructs titus , (h) that they were fond of jewish fables , being turned from the truth , and being disorderly bablers and deceivers . he foretells timothy , (i) that the time would come , in which they would not endure sound doctrine , but according to their own lusts would heap to themselves teachers , having itching ears , turning away from the truth , and enclining unto fables : (k) that they should be lovers of themselves , covetous , boasters , proud , blasphemers , disobedient to parents , unthankful , unholy , without natural affection , truce breakers , false accusers , incontinent , fierce , despisers of good men : traytors , heady , high-minded , lovers of pleasures more than lovers of god , having a form of godliness , but denying the power thereof ; creeping into houses , and leading away captive silly women laden with sins , led away with divers lusts , ever learning , but never able to come to the knowledg of the truth . which , if we take one collective view of the whole aggregate of hereticks , we shall find all these abominations universally diffused among them : if we consider them distributively , it is not to be understood , as if every heretick were actually guilty of all these open villanies , but that in every heretick there are more or less of these impieties , being the proper productions , or improvements of their several heresies , according to the several tempers and inclinations of men upon which they operate ; since men encline to different heresies according to their previous dispositions unto evil , in which they are confirmed by those pleasing errors which they admire and entertain . now if such be the complexion , genius , and original of all heresies ; if their extraction be so apparently from , and their tendency leads unto hell , how falls the church under a necessity of them ? why should st. paul say there must be heresies ? shall we make them the issues of an eternal fate , or of the anti god of the manichees ? or shall we father them on an horrible decree of god for an irrespective and inexorable reprobation ? or shall we dream with lactantius , that god originally put the devil upon the amazing employment of scattering snares and temptations among the sons of men ? st. james cautions us against all the least approaches to this jealousie of the lord our god : (l) let no man say , when he is tempted , that he is tempted of god , for god cannot be tempted with evil , neither tempteth he any man. whereupon we must search out for such a necessity of heresies , as is imputable , not to the operative determination of god , but the evils of men : since there must be heresies , they must be ours , not god's ; they must derive from an unclean , and puddled , not from a divine fountain , or original : for , let god be true , and every man a lyar . except therefore only violent force , all necessity is either natural , or moral : natural , consisting in the proper tendencies of operative causes to their suitable effects : moral , in the reasonable proposals of wisdom or equity . and both these kinds of necessity are either primary , simple , and absolute : or secondary only , and consequential , with respect to antecedent causes , voluntary , or unnecessitated . thus in naturals : that i am , is to me of absolute necessity ; but that , under the folly of too much wine , i talk and act idly , is from no primary and absolute necessity , irresistible from the beginning ; but consequential only on my intemperance . that i can see , is from a natural necessity absolute and primary : but that i actually must see , is consequential to the opening of mine eyes . thus likewise in morals : that a man love the lord his god with all his heart , and with all his soul , is primarily , simply , and eternally necessary : but the moral necessity of my repentance is consequential only on my sin. that i do exact justice to every son of man , is of necessity absolutely moral : but the moral necessity of repairing injuries is secondary , and introduced by my former wrongs . upon which preliminary distinction of the kinds and forms of necessity , we are now to examine , first , what natural , and secondly , what moral necessities there are for the admission of heresies in the christian religion . first then , the truth and sanctity of god require us to resolve , that there is no natural necessity of heresies primitive , and absolute , by the operation of him , that made not death , nor hath any delight in the destruction of the living . for from the beginning , the original state of man needed no kind of evil to corrupt it . but all the natural necessity of them is secondary , suppositive , and consequential to precedent sins , and those actual too , and most times habitual . for though other immoralities begin to break out in the very first essays of our tender understandings , yet the inculcations of heresie have no such early influence on our fancies , but require antecedently a longer sense and experience of good and evil : to which , when a man is arrived , he cannot be precipitated into the guilt of heresie , without want either of piety or care. for though a soul aspiring with all care to a great devotion , may in the infancy of that piety be ignorant of many excellent doctrines , yet by this care he will espouse no principle absolutely as fundamental , either in heart or prosession , which neither the voice of nature , nor the rules of faith have clearly revealed to his understanding : nor oppose those points that , either by the light of nature , or of god's holy word , have ever been received by the universal church as fundamentals . and he that doth otherwise , lets himself loose by his own fault : and if thereby he necessarily falls into heresie , it is a fatal mischief consequential to his inconsiderate negligence . what man is he then that feareth the lord ? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose . this then sufficiently proves the negative , that no heresies can be incurred without foregoing faults : but we are here further to enquire what positive influence there is in sins to determine the sinner to a consequential heresie . for though it is plain , that every heretick is a sinner ; yet not that every , no nor the foulest sinners are always hereticks . so that upon the supposition of evil , it yet appears not that there is a natural necessity thence consequent , that there must be heresies . to the elucidation whereof , it is to be observed , that though every sinner is not a professed heretick , yet in every apostate conscience there are seeds of heresie , that suggest thereunto false and imposturous consolations . thus the voluptuous heretically thinks his pleasures innocent , and the boons of nature : the covetous , in like manner , thinks his disease prudence , frugality and piety to his off-spring : the proud and ambitious fancies his airs to be magnanimous : the severe , conceits his cruelty to be justice : the hypocrite believes that god is contented with the outside , or searcheth not the heart : the violent thinks there is no providence , or judgment to come : and the most orthodox sinners have too easie thoughts of the divine lenity , as if it could , or would connive at mens iniquities . thus error is fatally interwoven with our vices ; and the oyl that feeds the lamp of god enkindled in our souls , is precipitated by the violence of our lusts ; and being thus extinguished , leaves us in night and folly , and the shadow of death , in which we must needs plainly follow every ignis fatuus , every twinkling fancy or delusion , that occurs in all our aims and appetites of good and evil. so that when so much matter for heresie is preparatively collected in a vicious soul , it is naturally necessary and consequent , that it break out into an actual flame , when our vices are grown up into obstinacy and ostentation , and are solicited to ambition by incidental and suitable motives and temptations . for we must observe , that the natural necessity of actual and avowed heresies results not purely from a meer internal vice , but also from the apposite concurrence of external allurements ; upon which , if the vicious soul be absolutely intent , and a profession of heresie be the only way in prospect to attain them ; there 't is naturally necessary that the uncorrected appetite fall into heresie . thus thebutes at jerusalem , novatian at rome , and arius at alexandria , ( as epiphanius reports him ) and many others elsewhere , through the eager desire of an episcopal character , denied them by the church , fell into revengeful passions also , and thence into heresie by a natural consequence . thus liberius , bishop of rome , after he had witnessed a good confession , and for that went into exile ; yet impatience of the pressure , and an appetite to the glory of the roman chair being too predominant , hurried him into arianism , and a subscription to the arimin confession . now here was no primary necessity that these men should be ambitious , and from thence heretical : but being under the impotency of ambition , against which they had not duly watched ; and a profession of heresie being a ready way to attain it , they were naturally driven by the blasts thereof into acts heretical by a secondary and consequential necessity . for when men are once subdued to their lusts , they are passively hurried away to all the precipices of evil , to which the stings of passion or appetite shall at ranndom drive them . and as this gives a clear account of that natural necessity , by which the vices of particular men dispose them to heresie : so if we take a prospect of the general diffusion and prevalency of vice in the affections of men , in order to their secular interests or pleasures , by the love of which the powers of darkness support their tyranny over the souls of men ; to destroy all which , christianity was instituted from above ; the general reasons of things will conclude it necessary , that the faith in christ jesus must ever find many prejudiced adversaries , animated by satanical artifices and sollicitations to oppose and deseat it : to compass which , no way is so effectual as to debauch its purity by perverse interpretations , and to render its truth dubious by litigious divisions : and man being extremely prone to these ever since the dispersion of babel , it is natural to presage , that through so great enmity as christianity must needs meet with , by natural consequence heresies and divisions must be framed against it . according to which phaenomenon , upon the general prospect and tendency of things , and the various fermentation of passions upon the introduction and process of christianity , our saviour foretold , that of necessity , consequential to the prejudices and lusts of men , there must be offences , and that the event , tho not the intent of his coming , rebus sic stantibus , would certainly determine in inevitable variances between the nearest relations , and blow up an unquenchable flame in the very bowels and vitals of both kingdoms and families . but , beside this natural necessity of heresies consequential to the sinful state of man , i told you that the words of the apostle seem to import a moral necessity for the propagation of them . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. there ought to be , there is need there should be heresies . a proposition of a strange complexion at the first glance , and at which the weak and prejudicate may be easily offended . for there have been opinionists , that have thought it unbecoming the divinity to permit a meer possibility of moral evil in the world , which it had been congruous to the supreme wisdom and goodness to have made a system of immaculate and unchangeable holiness to the lord ; not considering that such a model would preclude the sovereign regalia of god's government , and put his creatures out of a condition of religious obedience , in that whatsoever acts and operations of the creatures are not voluntary , but the passive productions of an almighty influence , are not reducible to the formal reason and schesis of a legislative empire and government . but our question here is of a greater difficulty . for though a possibility of evil be fundamentally supposed in the institution of laws , yet what moral necessity is there of it in any healthy or just state of government , especially in the state of religion ? is it not enough , under so pure a theocracy , to admit a possibility of offences , as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the need nots , and vain excrescencies of man's life ? but must they be annumerated to the necessaries , and adapted among the mighty importances of god's providence in the conduct of religion ? this is that that puzzles , this drives us to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . o the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledg of god! how unsearchable are his judgments , and his ways past finding out ! but since all scriptures are written for the instruction of devout and religious souls , which god almighty communicates to all , according to their measures , studies and benefits ; i will with all sobriety offer to consideration , what seems to be the sair and clear account of the divine wisdom in this particular . in order whereunto , we are to examine three things . first , what that is which st. paul here calls heresies , and of which he asserts and moral necessity . secondly , what god does toward the production or propagation of them . and thirdly , what kind and degree of moral necessity there is to induce god to such a form of concurrence as we shall discover in this enquiry . first then , when st. paul saith , there must be heresies , he intends no internal principles or passions heretical , of these he asserts no moral necessity in this place : but only on presupposition of these , he makes the external eruptions of them in heretical professions to be morally useful and necessary . this appears from the end in prospect , that they that are approved , may be manifested . now external acts only can give us a distinctive sense of mens qualifications , and so are only necessary to that use . so that the sense is to be thus resolved : since there among you men of corrupt and heretical principles against the peace and fundamentals of christianity , with latent vices , whence these errors spring , it is necessary and convenient that they should break out into open and actual heresies and divisions , in order to a detection of them , and a manifestation of the sincere . which is the effect , not of habitual merely , but of actual and professed heresies . secondly , it is to be considered what god does , how far he concurs to the production or increase of these actual heresies . first then , as god instils not the inherent principles or vices heretical , so neither doth he promote them into outward acts by any influential force upon their wills , at least not ordinarily , nor in a manner obstructing their present power or liberty of conversion , or suggesting greater animosity to their former prejudices . though otherwise , if were not unjust in almighty god to compel an inward heretick , against his designs of concealment and secresie , to discover his ulcer even by immediate impulses on his soul , when else the secrecy would be more injurious to others , or more hurtful to himself , than an open detection . for so it happens , that an undiscerned heretick may transmit an undiscerned venom into many members of the church by the advantage of an outside communion , which he perhaps may not in an open state of separation ; according to that wicked maxim in politicks , of making ones self of that party which he designeth to destroy . and many times an open discovery exposeth the heretick to such shame , condemnation , and means of conviction too , as may end in his conversion , which he might have no advantage of under a covert privacy . secondly , god , not restraining the heretick from a liberty to return , may put him into such occurrences of objects , acquaintance , or examples , by attending unto which he may give vent to his thoughts and principles , in order to the attainment of some flattering hopes . and in this god doth no evil , because they are no inevitable stumbling-blocks to him , he being at liberty to recall himself , and not yield up his soul to the unlawful appetites and temptations that present themselves before him . thirdly , when a man hath devoted himself to all impiety , god may justly deliver him up to the power of lying and apostate spirits , as he did ahab's wicked prophets , to act him to all those kinds and degrees of actual sins and heresies from which the hand of god shall not restrain them . fourthly , when impiety is rampant , god may permit it a greater or less latitude of acting , according as to his infinite wisdom shall seem expedient in the general issue of things : by which greater or straiter limitation the sinner shall not be forced to any actual crime , but only confined within such a compass , without which he shall not be able to exert his malice : even as the envy of the devil at job was permitted exercise , but with a precaution not to touch his life . in all which methods of god's positive , permissive , or restrictive concurrence , there is no tincture of the least iniquity , not only from the just causes , and laudable ends thereof ; but because god infuses no evil intention into either the actual or habitual wills of wicked men , but only either infatuates , permits , or encloses them , and their operations , as he seeth requisite . for that , which these ways and counsels of god are concerned in , is not the inner determination of the impious mind to the love or choice of evil , in which alone consists the guilt before god ; but only at the most , the restriction of it in its outward actions , which considered separately in themselves , from all relation to the will that acts them , may be indeed occasionally hurtful , but involve not in them the intrinsick guilt , which is purely seated in the malice of the mind . for a falshood unwittingly uttered , is no lye : and in man-slaughter 't is not chance , but intention makes the murther . so that these divine concurrences , touching only the bare external acts of heresie separately from their fountains , affect not the malice , nor the radical guilt of evil , but only the results and consequences of it ( which are on this side the mind , wherein the guilt only lodges ) with no other design , but to convert them to a great and noble good . and if god , having dominion over the life and fate of man , may permit a violent man to murther the innocent , though the murther be an inevitable oppression of the murthered , while god instills no malice into the mind of the murtherer ; much more is the almighty innocent in his providential permissions of actual heresies . 't is true indeed , that heresie is the murther of the soul , whereas homicide is only the destruction of the body : but to this i answer , that the murtherous tendency of acts heretical , is neither inevitable , nor insuperable , nor irrecoverable . for the passiveness of the proselyte is voluntary , and so he is felo de se , his own murtherer , though at the temptation of a seducer , and so cannot charge his murther wholly upon the very tempter , much less upon god , who did not force him to imbibe , but by his word , and the good motions of his holy spirit , forewarned to beware of the delusion ; and in mercy to him offers him time , and means of recovery , e're the poyson determine in his eternal death . and when to these considerations we shall add , that all these procedures of almighty god are occasioned by the impulsive provocations of monstrous impieties , and diffusive corruptions , we cannot condemn our heavenly father of injustice , if he had no other end herein , but only (m) to deliver up the ungodly unto strong delusions , that they should believe a lie ; to the end , they might all be damned who believed not the truth , but had pleasure in unrighteousness . but since this is not the design , but the event only of these divine methods upon the finally incorrigible ; and there are many gracious ends to the good of all men in god's permission of actual heresies , in which consists this moral necessity of them mentioned by the apostle : we are now smoothly brought to the third consideration ; what is the moral necessity for their being in the world. that therefore is morally necessary , which either the rules of duty , or dictates of wisdom recommend ; and this either strictly , so that the omission will be either a fault , or a damage : or else more freely in such a latitude , that though the omission be not injurious , yet the observation will be expedient : in which latter degree and sense , moral necessity is no more than rational convenience , and amounts not to the force of a rigorous obligation . and both these kinds of moral necessity may be either absolute in the nature and reason of the things themselves , or relative to antecedent causes , of which they are consequential ; or to final issues , to which they are ministerial by a moral influence and motion on the mind . which being thus premised , it is natural to resolve , that the moral necessity of actual heresies descends not from any laws of duty , but from the reasons of wisdom : which , upon an antecedent supposition of wicked men , and secret hereticks in the church , proposes the detection of them , in a manifestation of their principles , extremely beneficial and convenient . first , to the hereticks themselves , in order to their conversion . secondly , to the wavering , in order to their probation and settlement . and thirdly , to the approved and faithful , in order to their glory . first then , the permission of actual heresies is intended by god to the good of hereticks many ways . for first , while men kept their heresies close within their secret cells , the catholick doctors , not discerning the hearts , make no direct applications to them to reform and cleanse them . so that detection is necessary in order to their better instruction . and secondly , during the secrecy of heresies within the breasts of men , they fondly imagine , that upon a discovery they will take mightily in the world , and charm great multitudes of men into rapture and admiration , and that no man will be able to gainsay them . but so it always happens , that , tho fools and wretches may be imposed upon , yet the wise and best part of mankind will despise and abominate what the hereticks thought would ravish them : and thus collecting all their force of truth and wisdom , will baffle and confound them , and hiss them off the stage , and expose them to the publick sense of men as the pests of religion , and agents of the wicked one. which issues so defeating the false hopes and expectations of the heretick , together with the convictions of truth to be found in the labours of those that refute him , the general contempt and abomination past upon him , the reverberations of his conscience , deserted by the spirit of god , and scourged by the spirits of darkness , whom he served , are proper and forcible motives to humiliation and repentance , which nought but an habitual and obdurate stupor can resist . and yet if these prove ineffectual , the lenity of god uses other means to tire them out of their own follies . for when men have once forsaken the way of truth , they travel into perplexing and endless mazes , from one error to another , either successive and consequential , or else casual and collateral . for as theodoret (n) observes : the ways of falsehood are cross and intricate : so that in those that are bewildred in them , is fulfilled that of the psalmist ; (o) they went astray in the wilderness out of the way , and found no city to dwell in : hungry and thirsty , their soul fainted in them . and being in such a desert state , they will ( if at all , or ever ) be apt to relent , and to cry unto the lord in their trouble , to deliver them out of their distress , to lead them forth by the right way , that they may go , and dwell in the city that is refreshed with the streams and fountains of living waters . secondly , the diffusion of open heresies contributes to the probation and settlement of wavering , indifferent , and ungrounded souls . for in times of ignorance , or carnal security , many men attend not to the force or design of religious institutions , but sleep on supinely in the implicit faith of the fashionable religion . in which case and state of drowsiness , no moral or external good is so apt to excite men to a severe enquiry and study of true religion , as the outrage of heresies , which startle men out of their heavy lethargy , yea , even out of their graves , by a quick and forcible resurrection , crying , as it were , aloud with the voice of a trumpet ( and that a trumpet of war too ) in the ears of every such dull and doating christian ; awake thou that sleepest , and arise from the dead , and christ shall give thee light . to this end god sometime permitted false prophets to arise , and to tempt his people to idolatry , that he might try and confirm them . thus moses : (p) if there arise among you a prophet , or a dreamer of dreams , and giveth thee a sign , or a wonder : and the sign or wonder come to pass , whereof he spake unto thee , saying , let us go serve other gods , &c. thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet , or that dreamer of dreams , for the lord your god proveth you , to know whether you love the lord your god with all your heart , and with all your soul : viz. permitting such temptations to arise , not to be of equal force with the miracles of moses and prophets , but only strange enough to startle the careless and the improvident , and to try them by the prodigy , and to provoke them to compare it with the testimonial fortifications of moses and the prophets , and thus finally to instruct and confirm them in the laws and ordinances of the god of israel . thus at the entrance of christianity , our lord foretold , (q) that many false prophets , and false christs should arise , and shew great signs and wonders , and deceive many : behold ( saith he ) i have told you before ; (t) that we might not believe every spirit , but try the spirits whether they are of god , when many-false prophets are gone out into the world. thirdly , the divine permission of heresies is useful to the manifest justification of the faithful , and the faith. for while the truth of our faith meets with no opposition , men are generally content with the simplicity of its tradition in creeds , and summary abstracts of christian doctrine , and with the plain sense of the obvious and easie scriptures . but when it 's attacked by heresies , and false principles , pretendedly deduced from divine authority , this puts the zeal of the faithful into a mighty fervour to trace the sacred oracles , through all the prophecies and mysteries interspersed both in the old and new testament ; and by a canonical interpretation from the concurrent harmony of them , to deduce a firm catena of all the catholick principles of christian piety , and to chase away into shame and confusion every imposture that exalts it self against the healing truth and wisdom of god. thus as soon as hereticks were crept into the church , st. jude (s) gave all diligence to write to them of the common salvation , and to exhort them to contend earnestly for the faith that was once delivered unto the saints , viz. by discussing the scriptures , which are able to make us wise unto salvation , through faith that is in christ jesus . thus catechism makes us babes in christ , but even heresie it self makes the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the approved and faithful perfectly mature in the wisdom that is of god : by which he hath , and will destroy the wisdom of the wise , and bring to nought the understanding of the prudent . heresie therefore , which celsus , and other enemies of christianity , deride as the blemish of our religion , proves the goodness of it in the original , and the glory of it in the end. for it was a sagacious hint of origen , (t) that all different heresies in all wisdom , secular or sacred , spring from some good and noble original . which , while it can be preserved virgin and inviolate , suffers no reproach from the lascivient follies of vain and imprudent sciolists . and as to the majestick glory of our religion , it sits in the firmament of heaven on high , clothed with the sun , and the beams of essential light , which all the filthy exhalations of spiritual wizards and impostors will never be able to darken or vilify : since christianity ever improved by oppositions , emerged above heresies , and lives the more strongly by continual persecutions ; and by its immovable perpetuity against all possible force and fraud , becomes a symbol and a pledge of that eternity , which it promiseth , and to which it leads us . thirdly , having thus discovered both the natural and moral necessity of heresies in the world , let us in the last place consider , what seasonable uses , ( besides those , which are already touched on ) humane prudence , under the conduct of the divine wisdom , will suggest unto us . upon which , being to speak to an auditory of a double character , it is fit i should offer some considerations proper to each order . and here indeed , were there time to expatiate , lies a large plain before me , relating to the discipline , doctrine , and sanctity of the priesthood ; and the sincerity , humility , and morals of the people . but a regard to your uneasiness , the narrowness of the time , and the laws of modesty , must , and shall confine me . first then , the administration of discipline , being in the hands of my superior , requires from him a lesson of prudence and wisdom to me , and to us all , and consequently enjoins me silence in this particular . and perhaps the present state and circumstances of the church require no such accurate enforcements of it in this juncture : the counsel of st. austin being seasonable , (u) nos vero ad sanam doctrinam pertinere arbitramur , ut canes in ecclesiae propter pacem ecclesiae toleremus : canibus vero sanctum , ubi pax ecclesiae tuta est , non demus . so that i am immediately to pass to the consideration of that doctrine , which we ought to support , for the prevention , diminution , or extirpation of heresies . and here , my brethren , you need a draught from the judgment of a superior : and if our reverend ordinary had thought good , instead of making proof of me , to have filled up this place of sacred oratory himself , he would have given us an excellent copy from the authority of the scriptures , and the prudence of the primitive fathers . in opposition to the follies and fables of heresie , he would have admonished us in (w) all our doctrine , to shew uncorruptness , gravity , and sincerity ; sound speech , that cannot be condemned , that they of the contrary part may be ashamed : (x) to study to shew our selves approved unto god , workmen that need not be ashamed , rightly dividing the word of truth . in opposition to the disputatious vanity of hereticks , he would have forbidden us (y) to doat about questions , strifes about words , whereof cometh envy , strife , railings , evil surmisings , and perverse disputing with men of corrupt minds : remembring the magnificent sense of clemens alexandrinus in this particular : (z) not to strive for empty victory , for that with us quietness is the designed end of conferences . (a) for the servant of the lord must not strive , but be gentle unto all men , apt to teach , patient : in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves , if god peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledgment of the truth : and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil : thus ignatius to the ephesians : (b) in opposition to their anger , be you gentle ; to their boasting , be you lowly ; to their blasphemies , oppose you your prayers ; against their errors , stand you firm in the faith ; against their rage , be you always mild ; not aiming to imitate them , but being emulous of the lord. in contrariety to heretical innovations , he would have bid us keep close to the faith which was once delivered to the saints : to magnify the excellency , and improve the use of catechetical doctrines ; (c) to hold fast the tradition of faith , the form of sound words , which we have received from the apostles , and by the holy ghost that dwelleth in us , to keep that good thing which was committed to us . for they indeed pursue a vain glory by daring enquiries into riddles , that tend to the subversion of the hearers : but st. gregory nazianzen gives us sounder direction ; (d) not to despise the trite and common principles , not to hunt out for novelties , to gain a reputation with the multitude . in all our methods of instruction , he would have enjoined us to preach , not our selves , or our own conceptions , or meer humane and novel traditions , but jesus christ , and him crucified , and the power of his resurrection , and such noble mysteries of salvation from the sole authority of the divine oracles : whence the priest's lips are to preserve knowledg , and the people are to seek the law at his mouth . and you know the high-priest gave no oracular responses to the people from the holy of holies , but what the excellent glory , that dwelt between the cherubims , had written with rays of purest light upon the pectoral . in all our doctoral offices he would have required of us an unwearied diligence , in season , and out of season , not to neglect , but to stir up the gift of god which is in us , by the imposition of the hands of our fathers , and the presbytery ; watching in all things , enduring afflictions , doing the work of evangelists , making full proof of our ministry , that being faithful unto death , god may give us a crown of life . the last thing relating to our order , and the great envy of hereticks , is our sanctity . the glory of which is indeed preferible to all the secular splendor and power upon earth . and had i time to describe it , not only from the charge and charter of the apostles , but from the mystical resemblances thereof in the institutes of consecration , portions , offices , and authorities of the sons of aaron and levi , it would appear , that our order is no mean part of the divine care , in which he hath cloathed us with so much holinoss and glory , to stand before the lord our god , and to be instead of god unto the people , and mediators for the people in things pertaining unto god. the white robe of our solemnities represents an angelical purity even here , since the angel that attended our lord's resurrection appeared in raiment as white as snow ; and an angelical glory hereafter , when (e) he that overcometh shall be cloathed in white raiment . in which emblematick colour st. hierom tells us (f) that the bishops , priests and deacons , and all the ecclesiastical orders were of old adorned : a colour recommended by plato as representative of men peaceable and illuminated : agreeably whereunto st. clemens alexandrinus observes of the white vestments used by the clergy in his time , (g) that they recommended the habit of their mind . which i here urge with so much remark , not that we should think our selves the more sacred for the habit , which in it self indeed is senseless and indifferent ; but to stop the mouths of those that declaim against the solemn use of the white robe in our religious rituals , which was so early received in the most primitive ages as a symbol of our present holiness , and our future glory : and not only to reprove them , but to advertise our selves of that great internal purity of soul , which not only the weight , but the very pontificalia , the solemn ornaments of our calling recommend to our tenderest care and culture . for instead of gazing on our phylacteries , or plumes of outside honour , it is more necessary to dread the danger of our calling , and to tremble at the precipice from on high . he that reads the apology that nazianzen made for flying from the episcopal seat at nazianzum , will be moved long to experience his own graces , before he enters upon an holy charge , closely resenting that pressing question , who is sufficient for these things ? and when he is initiated into the services of the sanctuary , will cloath himself with fear , and humility , and subdue his body , lest after he hath preached to others , himself become a castaway . the sons of aaron , that were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , judges of the blemishes , both of the people , and their oblations , were themselves to be without blemish . (b) spea kunto aaron , saying , whosoever he be of thy seed in their generations that hath any blemish , let him not approach to offer the bread of his god. for it is but natural , that we first act the levite and the priest upon our selves , before we administer these liturgies or operations unto others . that which our saviour saith of his kingdom , the kingdom of god is within you ; is also true of the priesthood . now the levite was to cleanse , and keep holy the temple and utensils of the sanctuary : and the priest therein , and therewith , was to make the oblations to the most high. the stoicks have rightly set it , that every wise man is a priest : in whom sobriety , like the levite , cleanses the temple , vessels , and affections of our body : and devotion is the priesthood , that hallows , and dedicates us , and all our actions , to the living god. if then we are priests and levites only by an hierarchical and external character , and not inwardly so by purity and grace , what are we but whited walls , and sepulchres , whose surface is indeed gay , but the inside nothing but rubbish , and rottenness , and the bones of dead men , whom we have murthered and devoured by our sins , and which will appear in judgment against us at the general resurrection of the body ? since then we are descended into the field , to fight before the armies of god against principalities , and powers , and spiritual wickednesses in high places , (i) let us follow after righteousness , godliness , faith , love , patience , meekness , fight the good fight of faith , and thus lay hold on that eternal life whereunto we are called . and now , my reverend brethren , it is time to scatter some religious offers to the laick part of this assembly . and you , good people , remember carefully , that you are in the station of disciples , and are as much bound to learn , as we to teach : and in order thereunto , to be humble , diligent , and tractable , without which no scholar thrives under the best tutors . obedience therefore to our religious methods and directions , is your indispensable duty , as well in order to your own improvement , as our consolation . thus the author to the hebrews teaches you : (k) obey them that have the rule over you , and submit your selves , for they watch for your souls , as they that must give account , that they may do it with joy , and not with grief , for this is unprofitable for you . for the neglect of this plunges you into all manner of sins , schisms , heresies , and impieties . the general mistake of common people is to despise the doctrine that leadeth unto practice , and their ears itch after strange and empty novelties , that they may seem to know much . but a good old father , saint , and martyr , giveth you his sense ; (l) that it is better to be plain men , and to know but little , and by charity to come near unto god , than by fancying to know much , to blaspheme against him ; to know nothing but jesus christ , and him crucified , than by subtlety of questions , and much babling , to fall into impiety . think not that we envy you the glory of an excellent wisdom . i can freely say with moses , would to god all the lord's people were prophets ; and i embrace knowledg heartily in every one whom it puffeth not up into vanity and insolence . to this the wisdom of god calleth , to this the serene spirit of god continually invites the wandring and inobservant sons of men. but if you then will be wise indeed , learn that wisdom that is substantially such , that leadeth unto life , and teacheth you the things that belong unto your peace . the importunate appetite of an unseasonable knowledg of good and evil had at first such an issue , as should for ever affright us from the like wanton and precipitous adventures . the corinthians coveted the extraordinary gifts of the spirit ; and st. paul in some measure corrects , and in some degree allows the appetite : (m) but yet he teacheth them a more excellent way . what then is that ? follow after charity : for charity never faileth , though all other graces cease . charity suffereth long , and is kind : charity envieth not , vaunteth not it self , is not puffed up , doth not behave it self unseemly , seeketh not her own , is not easily provoked , thinketh no evil , rejoyceth not in iniquity , but rejoyceth in the truth : beareth all things , believeth all things , hopeth all things , endureth all things . and in distinction of true from vain religion , st. james gives you a clear direction ; (n) if any man among you seem to be religious , and bridleth not his tongue , this man's religion is vain . true religion , and undefiled before god , and the father , is to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction , and to keep himself unspotted from the world. for , what doth the lord your god require of you , but to do judgment , and love mercy , and to walk humbly with your god ? which care , as it would preserve us from the snares of heresie , so would it at least shame and confound , if not reduce the adversaries ; whereas the debaucheries and abominations of those , who pretend to the communion of the church , as they are an offence to god , so do they make us a scorn and derision to the tabernacles of the ishmaelites , edomites , moabites , gebal , and ammon , and amalek , philistines , tyrians , and assyrians , and all the enemies that are round about us . to conclude : the common concernment of us all , is with all industry to purify our selves from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit , perfecting holiness in the fear of god , to prepare our souls for temptation . perhaps the church needeth the fuller's soap , or the refining fire , and god may think it seasonable to enter his judgments at his own house . to endure which , an integrity of affections , as well as principles , is most absolutely necessary . upon which previous qualification , (o) let us count it all joy , when we fall into temptation , and esteem them happy that endure , being afraid of no terror , nor being troubled : but let us sanctify the lord god in our hearts , being ready always to give an answer to every one that asketh a reason of the hope that is in us , with meekness ( toward man ) and fear ( toward god ) rejoycing , and being exceeding glad , that we are accounted worthy to suffer for his sake , and to bear in our body the marks of the lord jesus . for what the late royal martyr foretold of his own reputation upon his sufferings , i can confidently presage of the glory of this church , as the result of her present afflictions , upon former experiences : (p) that after owls and bats have had the freedom of the night , and darker times , it shall , like the sun , rise again , and recover it self to such a degree of splendor , as those feral birds shall be unwilling to behold , and unable to bear . (q) nor will the sufferings of this present time be worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in her . and after the dissolution of our present bondage , and the power of temptations , we shall find an exceeding great reward . for when we have trampled upon the adder , and scorpion , and all the power of the enemy , god , that (r) delivered us out of the mouths of lyons , and from every evil work , will at last bring us to his heavenly kingdom ; to whom be glory for ever and ever . amen . finis . books lately printed for robert olavell , at the peacock in st. paul 's church-yard . . a discourse concerning a judge of controversies in matters of religion : being an answer to some papers asserting the necessity of such a judge . with an address to wavering protestants ; shewing what little reason they have to think of any change of their religion . written for the private satisfaction of some scrupulous persons : and now published for common use . with a preface concerning the nature of certainty and infallibility . by an eminent author . an historical description of the glorious conquest of the city of buda , ( the capital city of the kingdom of hungary ) by the victorious arms of the thrice illustrious and invincible emperor , leopold the first , under the conduct of his most serene highness , the duke of lorraine . in nine sheets . the plausible arguments of a romish priest from scripture , answered by an english protestant . seasonable and useful for all protestans families . a plain and familiar discourse ( by way of dialogue ) betwixt a minister , and his parishioner , concerning the catholick church . in three parts , i. shewing what 's the nature of the catholick church . ii. that the church of rome is not the catholick church . iii. that the scriptures , and not the church , are the rule of faith. which may serve as an answer to some late tracts upon that argument . by a divine of the church of england . a discourse of duels ; shewing the sinful nature , and mischievous effects of them ; and answering the usual excuses made for them , by challengers , accepters , and seconds . by t. comber , d. d. of the authority of councils , and the rule of faith ; with an answer to the eight theses laid down for the tryal of the english reformation , in the book that came lately from oxford . the law and equity of the gospel , in two plain sermons , &c. by tho. pierce , d. d. and dean of sarum . the history of the english monarchy , shewing the benefit of kingly government , and inconvenience of commonwealths , &c. an historical vindication of the divine right of tythes , from scripture , reason , and the opinion and practice of jews , gentiles , and christians in all ages ; designed to supply the omissions , answer the objections , and rectify the mistakes of mr. selden's history of tythes , part i. a further vindication of the divine right of tythes , proved by scripture and antiquity , and illustrated by the solemn consecration and great conveniency of them ; with an answer to the objections of other authors against them , part ii. to which is added a discourse of excommunication . by thomas comber , d. d. precentor of york . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e (a) orig. contra celsus , . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (b) matt. . . (c) matt. . , . (d) tertull. praescript . adv . haer. (e) epist . of st. jude , v. &c. (f) pet. . (g) rom. . , . (h) tit. . (i) tim. . (k) tim. . (l) jam. . . (m) thess . . , . (n) theodor. de curand . graec. affectib . ser. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (o) psal . . (p) deut. . , , . (q) matt. . , , . (t) john . . (s) jud. epist . (t) orig. contra celsum , . . — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (u) aug. de fid. & operib . cap. . (w) tit. . , . (x) tim. . (y) tim. . , . (z) clem. alex. paedag. l. . c. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (a) tim. . , , . (b) ignat. ad ephes . (c) tim. . , . (d) greg. naz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (e) rev. . . (f) hieron . dialog . in t . attic. & critob . (g) clem. alex. paed. l. . c. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . (b) lev. . . (i) tim. . , . (k) heb. . . (l) iren. adv . haeres . l. . c. . (m) cor. ● ▪ . & . . & . , , , , . (n) jam . , . (o) jam. . . pet. . , . (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . (q) rom. . . (r) tim. . . an historical narration concerning heresie and the punishment thereof by thomas hobbes. hobbes, thomas, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing h estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) an historical narration concerning heresie and the punishment thereof by thomas hobbes. hobbes, thomas, - . - p. [s.n.], london : . reproduction of original in the harvard university library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng heresy -- history. offenses against religion. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion an historical narration concerning heresie , and the punishment thereof . by thomas hobbes of malmsbvry . london : printed in the year . an historical narration concerning heresie , and the punishment thereof . the word heresie is greek , and signifies a taking of any thing , and particularly the taking of an opinion . after the study of philosophy begun in greece , and the philosophers disagreeing amongst themselves , had started many questions , not onely about things natural , but also moral and civil ; because every man took what opinion he pleased , each several opinion was called a heresie ; which signified no more than a private opinion , without reference to truth or falshood . the beginners of these heresies were chiefly pythagoras , epicurus , zeno , plato , and aristotle ; men who as they held many errours , so also found they out many true and useful doctrines , in all kinds of learning : and for that cause were well esteemed of by the greatest personages of their own times ; and so also were some few of their followers . but the rest , ignorant men , and very often needy knaves , having learned by heart the tenets , some of pythagoras , some of epicurus , some of zeno , some of plato , some of aristotle , and pretending to take after them , made use thereof to get their living by the teaching of rich mens children that happened to be in love with these famous names . but by their ignorant discourse , sordid and ridiculous manners , they were generally despised , of what sect or heresie soever they were ; whether they were pythagoreans , or epicureans , or stoicks ( who followed zeno ) or academicks ( followers of plato ) or peripateticks ( followers of aristotle : ) for these were the names of heresies , or ( as the latines call them ) sects , à sequendo , so much talkt of from after the time of alexander till this present day , and that have perpetually troubled or deceived the people with whom they lived , and were never more numerous than in the time of the primitive church . but the heresie of aristotle was more predominant than any , or perhaps than all the rest : nor was the name of heresie then a disgrace , nor the word heretick at all in use , though the several sects , especially the epicureans and the stoicks , hated one another ; and the stoicks being the fiercer men , used to revile those that differed from them with the most despightful words they could invent . it cannot be doubted , but that , by the preaching of the apostles and disciples of christ in greece and other parts of the roman empire , full of these philosophers , many thousands of men were converted to the christian faith , some really , and some feignedly , for factious ends , or for need ; ( for christians lived then in common , and were charitable : ) and because most of these philosophers had better skill in disputing and oratory than the common people , and thereby were better qualified both to defend and propagate the gospel , there is no doubt ( i say ) but most of the pastors of the primitive church were for that reason chosen out of the number of these philosophers ; who retaining still many doctrines which they had taken up on the authority of their former masters , whom they had in reverence , endeavoured many of them to draw the scriptures every one to his own heresie . and thus at first entred heresie into the church of christ. yet these men were all of them christians , as they were when they were first baptized : nor did they deny the authority of those writings which were left them by the apostles and evangelists , but interpreted them many times with a bias to their former philosophy . and this dissention amongst themselves , was a great scandal to the unbelievers , and which not onely obstructed the way of the gospel , but also drew scorn and greater persecution upon the church . for remedy whereof , the chief pastors of churches did use , at the rising of any new opinion , to assemble themselves for the examining and determining of the same ; wherein , if the author of the opinion were convinced of his errour , and subscribed to the sentence of the church assembled , then all was well again : but if he still persisted in it , they laid him aside , and considered him but as an heathen man ; which , to an unfeigned christian , was a great ignominy , and of force to make him consider better of his own doctrine ; and sometimes brought him to the acknowledgment of the truth . but other punishment they could inflict none , that being a right appropriated to the civil power . so that all the punishment the church could inflict , was onely ignominy ; and that among the faithful , consisting in this , that his company was by all the godly avoided , and he himself branded with the name of heretick in opposition to the whole church , that condemned his doctrine . so that catholick and heretick were terms relative ; and here it was that heretick became to be a name , and a name of disgrace , both together . the first and most troublesome heresies in the primitive church , were about the trinity . for ( according to the usual curiosity of natural philosophers ) they could not abstain from disputing the very first principles of christianity , into which they were baptized , in the name of the father , the son , and the holy ghost . some there were that made them allegorical . others would make one creator of good , and another of evil ; which was in effect to set up two gods , one contrary to another ; supposing that causation of evil could not be attributed to god , without impiety . from which doctrine they are not far distant , that now make the first cause of sinful actions to be every man as to his own sin . others there were that would have god to be a body with parts organical , as face , hands , fore-parts and back-parts . others , that christ had no real body , but was a meer phantasm : ( for phantasms were taken then , and have been ever since , by unlearned and superstitious men , for things real and subsistent ) . others denied the divinity of christ. others , that christ being god and man , was two persons . others confest he was one person , and withal that he had but one nature . and a great many other heresies arose from the too much adherence to the philosophy of those times , whereof some were supprest for a time by st. john's publishing his gospel , and some by their own unreasonableness vanished , and some lasted till the time of constantine the great , and after . when constantine the great ( made so by the assistance and valour of the christian souldiers ) had attained to be the onely roman emperour , he also himself became a christian , and caused the temples of the heathen gods to be demolished , and authorized christian religion onely to be publick . but in the latter end of his time , there arose a dispute in the city of alexandria , between alexander the bishop and arius a presbyter of the same city ; wherein arius maintained , first , that christ was inferiour to his father ; and afterwards , that he was no god , alleadging the words of christ , my father is greater than i. the bishop on the contrary alleadging the words of st. john , and the word was god ; and the words of st. thomas , my lord and my god. this controversie presently amongst the inhabitants and souldiers of alexandria became a quarrel , and was the cause of much bloudshed in and about the city ; and was likely then to spread further , as afterwards it did . this so far concerned the emperours civil government , that he thought it necessary to call a general council of all the bishops and other eminent divines throughout the roman empire , to meet at the city of nice . when they were assembled , they presented the emperour with libels of accusation one against another . when he had received these libels into his hands , he made an oration to the fathers assembled , exhorting them to agree , and to fall in hand with the settlement of the articles of faith , for which cause he had assembled them , saying , whatsoever they should decree therein , he would cause to be observed . this may perhaps seem a greater indifferency than would in these days be approved of . but so it is in the history ; and the articles of faith necessary to salvation , were not thought then to be so many as afterwards they were defined to be by the church of rome . when constantine had ended his oration , he caused the aforesaid libels to be cast into the fire , as became a wise king and a charitable christian. this done , the fathers fell in hand with their business , and following the method of a former creed , called now the apostles creed , made a confession of faith , viz. i believe in one god , the father almighty , maker of heaven and earth , and of all things visible and invisible , ( in which is condemned the polytheism of the gentiles . ) and in one lord iesus christ the onely begotten son of god , ( against the many sons of the many gods of the heathen . ) begotten of his father before all worlds , god of god , ( against the arians ) uery god of very god , ( against the valentinians , and against the heresie of apelles , and others , who made christ a meer phantasm . ) light of light , [ this was put in for explication , and used before to that purpose , by tertullian . ] begotten , not made , being of one substance with the father . in this again they condemn the doctrine of arius : for this word of one substance , in latine consubstantialis , but in greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , of one essence , was put as a touchstone to discern an arian from a catholick : and much ado there was about it . constantine himself , at the passing of this creed , took notice of it for a hard word ; but yet approved of it , saying , that in a divine mystery it was fit to use divina & arcana verba ; that is , divine words , and hidden from humane understanding ; calling that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divine , not because it was in the divine scripture , ( for it is not there ) but because it was to him arcanum , that is , not sufficiently understood . and in this again appeared the indifferency of the emperour , and that he had for his end , in the calling of the synod , not so much the truth , as the uniformity of the doctrine , and peace of his people that depended on it . the cause of the obscurity of this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , proceeded chiefly from the difference between the greek and roman dialect , in the philosophy of the peripateticks . the first principle of religion in all nations , is , that god is , that is to say , that god really is something , and not a meer fancy ; but that which is really something , is considerable alone by it self , as being somewhere . in which sence a man is a thing real : for i can consider him to be , without considering any other thing to be besides him . and for the same reason , the earth , the air , the stars , heaven , and their parts , are all of them things real . and because whatsoever is real here , or there , or in any place , has dimensions , that is to say , magnitude ; and that which hath magnitude , whether it be visible or invisible , is called by all the learned a body , if it be finite ; and body or corporeal , if it be infinite : it followeth , that all real things , in that they are somewhere , are corporeal . on the contrary , essence , deity , humanity , and such-like names , signifie nothing that can be considered , without first considering there is an ens , a god , a man , &c. so also if there be any real thing that is white or black , hot or cold , the same may be considered by it self ; but whiteness , blackness , heat , coldness , cannot be considered , unless it be first supposed that there is some real thing to which they are attributed . these real things are called by the latine philosophers , entia subjecta , substantiae ; and by the greek philosophers , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the other , which are incorporeal , are called by the greek philosophers , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; but most of the latine philosophers use to convert 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into substantia , and so confound real and corpororeal things with incorporeal ; which is not well : for essence and substance signifie divers things . and this mistake is received , and continues still in these parts , in all disputes both of philosophy and divinity : for in truth essentia signifies no more , than if we should talk ridiculously of the isness of the thing that is. [ by whom all things were made . ] this is proved out of st. john , cap. . vers . , , . and heb. cap. . vers . . and that again out of gen. . where god is said to create every thing by his sole word , as when he said , let there be light , and there was light. and then , that christ was that word , and in the beginning with god , may be gathered out of divers places of moses , david , and other of the prophets . nor was it ever questioned amongst christians ( except by the arians ) but that christ was god eternal , and his incarnation eternally decreed . but the fathers , all that write expositions on this creed , could not forbear to philosophize upon it , and most of them out of the principles of aristotle : which are the same the school-men now use ; as may partly appear by this , that many of them , amongst their treatises of religion , have affected to publish logick and physick principles according to the sense of aristotle ; as athanasius , and damascene . and so some later divines of note , as zanchius , still confounding the concret with the abstract , deus with deitas , ens with essentia , sapiens with sapientia , aeternus with aeternitas . if it be for exact and rigid truth sake , why do they not say also , that holiness is a holy man , covetousness a covetous man , hypocrisie an hypocrite , and drunkenness a drunkard , and the like , but that it is an error ? the fathers agree that the wisdome of god is the eternal son of god , by whom all things were made , and that he was incarnate by the holy ghost , if they meant it in the abstract : for if deitas abstracted be deus , we make two gods of one . this was well understood by damascene , in his treatise de fide orthodoxâ , ( which is an exposition of the nicene creed ) where he denies absolutely that deitas is deus , lest ( seeing god was made man ) it should follow , the deity was made man ; which is contrary to the doctrine of all the nicene fathers . the attributes therefore of god in the abstract , when they are put for god , are put metonymically ; which is a common thing in scripture ; for example , prov. . . where it is said , before the mountains were settled , before the hills was i brought forth ; the wisdome there spoken of being the wisdome of god , signifies the same with the wise god. this kinde of speaking is also ordinary in all languages . this considered , such abstracted words ought not to be used in arguing , and especially in the deducing the articles of our faith ; though in the language of god's eternal worship , and in all godly discourses , they cannot be avoided : and the creed it self is less difficult to be assented to in its own words , than in all such expositions of the fathers . who for us men and our salvation came down from heaven , and was incarnate by the holy ghost of the uirgin mary , and was made man. i have not read of any exception to this : for where athanasius in his creed says of the son , he was not made , but begotten , it is to be understood of the son as he was god eternal ; whereas here it is spoken of the son as he is man. and of the son also as he was man , it may be said he was begotten of the holy ghost ; for a woman conceiveth not but of him that begetteth ; which is also confirmed , mat. . . that which is begotten in her ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) is of the holy ghost . and was also crucified for us under pontius pilate : he suffered and was buried : and the third day he rose again according to the scriptures , and ascended into heaven : and sitteth on the right hand of the father ; and he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead . whose kingdome shall have no end . [ of this part of the creed i have not met with any doubt made by any christian. ] hither the council of nice proceeded in their general confession of faith , and no further . this finished , some of the bishops present at the council ( seventeen or eighteen , whereof eusebius bishop of caesarea was one ) not sufficiently satisfied , refused to subscribe till this doctrine of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be better explained . thereupon the council decreed , that whosoever shall say that god hath parts , shall be anathematized ; to which the said bishops subscribed . and eusebius by order of the council wrote a letter , the copies whereof were sent to every absent bishop , that being satisfied with the reason of their subscribing , they also should subscribe . the reason they gave of their subscription was this , that they had now a form of words prescribed , by which , as a rule , they might guide themselves so , as not to violate the peace of the church . by this it is manifest , that no man was an heretick , but he that in plain and direct words contradicted that form by the church prescribed , and that no man could be made an heretick by consequence . and because the said form was not put into the body of the creed , but directed only to the bishops , there was no reason to punish any lay-person that should speak to the contrary . but what was the meaning of this doctrine , that god has no parts ? was it made heresie to say , that god , who is a real substance , cannot be considered or spoken of as here , or there , or any where , which are parts of places ? or that there is any real thing without length every way , that is to say , which hath no magnitude at all , finite nor infinite ? or is there any whole substance , whose two halves or three thirds are not the same with that whole ? or did they mean to condemn the argument of tertullian , by which he confuted apelles and other hereticks of his time ; namely , whatsoever was not corporeal , was nothing but fantasm , and not corporeal , for heretical ? no certainly , no divines say that . they went to establish the doctrine of one individual god in trinity ; to abolish the diversity of species in god , not the distinction of here and there in substance . when st. paul asked the corinthians , is christ divided ? he did not think they thought him impossible to be considered as having hands and feet , but that they might think him ( according to the manner of the gentiles ) one of the sons of god , as arius did ; but not the only begotten son of god. and thus also it is expounded in the creed of athanasius , who was present in that council , by these words , not confounding the persons , nor dividing the substances ; that is to say , that god is not divided into three persons , as man is divided into peter , james , and john ; nor are the three persons one and the same person . but aristotle , and from him all the greek fathers , and other learned men , when they distinguish the general latitude of a word , they call it division ; as when they divide animal into man and beast , they call these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , species ; and when they again divide the species man , into peter and john , they call these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , partes individuae . and by this confounding the division of the substance with the distinction of words , divers men have been led into the error of attributing to god a name , which is not the name of any substance at all , viz. incorporeal . by these words , god has no parts , thus explained , together with the part of the creed which was at that time agreed on , many of those heresies which were antecedent to that first general council , were condemned ; as that of menes , who appeared about thirty years before the reign of constantine , by the first article , i believe in one god ; though in other words it seems to me to remain still in the doctrine of the church of rome , which so ascribeth a liberty of the will to men , as that their will and purpose to commit sin , should not proceed from the cause of all things , god ; but originally from themselves , or from the devil . it may seem perhaps to some , that by the same words the anthropomorphites also were then condemned : and certainly , if by parts were meant not persons individual , but pieces , they were condemned : for face , arms , feet , and the like , are pieces . but this cannot be , for the anthropomorphites appeared not till the time of valens the emperour , which was after the council of nice between fourty and fifty years ; and was not condemned till the second general council at constantinople . now for the punishment of hereticks ordained by constantine , we read of none ; but that ecclesiastical officers , bishops and other preachers , if they refused to subscribe to this faith , or taught the contrary doctrine , were for the first fault deprived of their offices , and for the second banished . and thus did heresie , which at first was the name of private opinion , and no crime , by vertue of a law of the emperour , made only for the peace of the church , become a crime in a pastor , and punishable with deprivation first , and next with banishment . after this part of the creed was thus established , there arose presently many new heresies , partly about the interpretation of it , and partly about the holy ghost , of which the nicene council had not determined . concerning the part established , there arose disputes about the nature of christ , and the word hypostasis , id est , substance ; for of persons there was yet no mention made , the creed being written in greek , in which language there is no word that answereth to the latine word persona . and the union , as the fathers called it , of the humane and divine nature in christ , hypostatical , caused eutyches , and after him dioscorus , to affirm , there was but one nature in christ ; thinking that whensoever two things are united , they are one : and this was condemned as arianism in the councils of constantinople and ephesus . others , because they thought two living and rational substances , such as are god and man , must needs be also two hypostases , maintained that christ had two hypostases : but these were two heresies condemned together . then concerning the holy ghost , nestorius bishop of constantinople , and some others , denied the divinity thereof . and whereas about seventy years before the nicene council , there had been holden a provincial council at carthage , wherein it was decreed , that those christians which in the persecutions had denied the faith of christ , should not be received again into the church , unless they were again baptized : this also was condemned , though the president in that council were that most sincere and pious christian , cyprian . but at last the creed was made up entire as we have it , in the calcedonian council , by addition of these words , and i believe in the holy ghost , the lord and giver of life , who proceedeth from the father and the son. who with the father & the son together is worshipped and glorified . who spake by the prophets . and i believe one catholick & apostolick church . i acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins . and i look for the resurrection of the dead , and the life of the world to come . in this addition are condemned , first the nestorians and others , in these words , who with the father and the son together is worshipped and glorified : and secondly the doctrine of the council of carthage , in these words , i believe one baptism for the remission of sins : for one baptism is not there put as opposite to several sorts or manners of baptism , but to the iteration of it : st. cyprian was a better christian than to allow any baptism that was not in the name of the father , son , and holy ghost . in the general confession of faith contained in the creed called the nicene creed , there is no mention of hypostasis , nor of hypostatical union , nor of corporeal , nor of incorporeal , nor of parts ; the understanding of which words being not required of the vulgar , but only of the pastors , whose disagreement else might trouble the church ; nor were such points necessary to salvation , but set abroach for ostentation of learning , or else to dazle men , with design to lead them towards some ends of their own . the changes of prevalence in the empire between the catholicks and the arians , and how the great athanasius , the most fierce of the catholicks , was banished by constantine , and afterwards restored , and again banished , i let pass ; only it is to be remembred , that athanasius composed his creed then , when ( banished ) he was in rome , liberius being pope ; by whom , as is most likely , the word hypostasis , as it was in athanasius's creed , was disliked : for the roman church could never be brought to receive it , but instead thereof used their own word persona . but the first and last words of that creed the church of rome refused not : for they make every article , not only those of the body of the creed , but all the definitions of the nicene fathers to be such , as a man cannot be saved , unless he believe them all stedfastly ; though made only for peace sake , and to unite the mindes of the clergy , whose disputes were like to trouble the peace of the empire . after these four first general councils , the power of the roman church grew up apace ; and either by the negligence or weakness of the succeeding emperours , the pope did what he pleased in religion . there was no doctrine which tended to the power ecclesiastical , or to the reverence of the clergy , the contradiction whereof was not by one council or another made heresie , and punished arbitrarily by the emperours with banishment or death . and at last kings themselves , and commonwealths , unless they purged their dominions of hereticks , were excommunicated , interdicted , and their subjects let loose upon them by the pope ; insomuch as to an ingenuous and serious christian , there was nothing so dangerous as to enquire concerning his own salvation , of the holy scripture ; the careless cold christian was safe , and the skilful hypocrite a saint . but this is a story so well known , as i need not insist upon it any longer , but proceed to the hereticks here in england , and what punishments were ordained for them by acts of parliament . all this while the penal laws against hereticks were such , as the several princes and states , in their own dominions , thought fit to enact . the edicts of the emperours made their punishments capital , but for the manner of the execution , left it to the prefects of provinces : and when other kings and states intended ( according to the laws of the roman church ) to extirpate hereticks , they ordained such punishment as they pleased . and the first law that was here made for the punishments of hereticks called lollards , and mentioned in the statutes , was in the fifth year of the reign of richard the second , occasioned by the doctrine of john wickliff and his followers ; which wickliff , because no law was yet ordained for his punishment in parliament , by the favour of john of gaunt , the kings son , escaped . but in the fifth year of the next king , which was richard the second , there passed an act of parliament to this effect ; that sheriffs and some others should have commissions to apprehend such as were certified by the prelates to be preachers of heresie , their fautors , maintainers and abettors , and to hold them in strong prison , till they should justifie themselves , according to the law of holy church . so that hitherto there was no law in england , by which a heretick could be put to death , or otherways punished , than by imprisoning him till he was reconciled to the church . after this , in the next kings reign , which was henry the fourth , son of john of gaunt by whom wickliffe had been favoured , and who in his aspiring to the crown had needed the good will of the bishops , was made a law , in the second year of his reign , wherein it was enacted , that every ordinary may convene before him , and imprison any person suspected of heresie ; and that an obstinate heretick shall be burnt before the people . in the next king's reign , which was henry the fifth , in his second year , was made an act of parliament , wherein it is declared , that the intent of hereticks , called lollards , was to subvert the christian faith , the law of god , the church and the realm : and , that an heretick convict should forfeit all his fee-simple lands , goods and chattels , besides the punishment of burning . again , in the five and twentieth year of king henry the eighth , it was enacted , that an heretick convict shall abjure his heresies , and refusing so to do , or relapsing , shall be burnt in open place , for example of others . this act was made after the putting down of the pope's authority : and by this it appears , that king henry the eighth intended no farther alteration in religion , than the recovering of his own right ecclesiastical . but in the first year of his son king edward the sixth was made an act , by which were repealed not only this act , but also all former acts concerning doctrines , or matters of religion ; so that at this time there was no law at all for the punishment of hereticks . again , in the parliament of the first and second year of queen mary , this act of edw. . was not repealed , but made useless , by reviving the statute of henr. . and freely put it in execution ; insomuch as it was debated , whether or no they should proceed upon that statute against the lady elizabeth , the queens sister . the lady elizabeth not long after ( by the death of queen mary coming to the crown ) in the fifth year of her reign , by act of parliament repealed in the first place all the laws ecclesiastical of queen mary , with all other former laws concerning the punishments of hereticks , nor did she enact any other punishments in their place . in the second place it was enacted , that the queen by her letters patents should give a commission to the bishops , with certain other persons , in her majesties name , to execute the power ecclesiastical ; in which commission the commissioners were forbidden to adjudge any thing to be heresie , which was not declared to be heresie by some of the first four general councels : but there was no mention made of general councels , but onely in that branch of the act which authorized that commission , commonly called the high commission ; nor was there in that commission any thing concerning how hereticks were to be punished , but it was granted to them , that they might declare or not declare , as they pleased , to be heresie or not heresie , any of those doctrines which had been condemned for heresie in the first four general councels . so that during the time that the said high commission was in being , there was no statute by which a heretick could be punished otherways , than by the ordinary censures of the church ; nor doctrine accounted heresie , unless the commissioners had actually declared and published , that all that which was made heresie by those four councels , should be heresie also now : but i never heard that any such declaration was made either by proclamation , or by recording it in churches , or by publick printing , as in penal laws is necessary ; the breaches of it are excused by ignorance : besides , if heresie had been made capital , or otherwise civilly punishable , either the four general councels themselves , or at least the points condemned in them ▪ ought to have been printed or put into parish-churches in english , because without it , no man could know how to beware of offending against them . some man may perhaps ask , whether no body were condemned and burnt for heresie , during the time of the high commission . i have heard there w●re : but they which approve such executions , may peradventure know better grounds for them then i do ; but those grounds are very well worthy to be enquired after . lastly , in the seventeenth year of the reign of king charles the first , shortly after that the scots had rebelliously put down the episcopal government in scotland , the presbyterians of england endeavoured the same here . the king , though he saw the rebels ready to take the field , would not condescend to that ; but yet in hope to appease them , was content to pass an act of parliament for the abolishing the high commission . but though the high commission were taken away , yet the parliament having other ends besides the setting up of the presbyterate , pursued the rebellion , and put down both episcopacy and monarchy , erecting a power by them called the common-wealth by others the rump , which men obeyed not out of duty , but for fear , nor was there any humane laws left in force to restrain any man from preaching or writing any doctrine concerning religion that he pleased ; and in this heat of the war , it was impossible to disturb the peace of the state , which then was none . and in this time it was , that a book called leviathan , was written in defence of the kings power , temporal and spiritual , without any word against episcopacy , or against any bishop , or against the publick doctrine of the church . it pleas'd god about twelve years after the usurpation of this rump , to restore his most gracious majesty that now is , to his fathers throne , and presently his majesty restored the bishops , and pardoned the presbyterians ; but then both the one and the other accused in parliament this book of heresie , when neither the bishops before the war had declared what was heresie , when if they had , it had been made void by the putting down of the high commission at the importunity of the presbyterians : so fierce are men , for the most part , in dispute , where either their learning or power is debated , that they never think of the laws , but as soon as they are offended , they cry out , crucifige ; forgetting what st. paul saith , even in case of obstinate holding of an errour , tim. . , . the servant of the lord must not strive , but be gentle unto all men , apt to teach , patient , in meekness instructing those that oppose , if god peradventure may give them repentance , to the acknowledging of the truth : of which counsel , such fierceness as hath appeared in the disputation of divines , down from before the council of nice to this present time , is a violation . finis . at a meeting of the vice-chancellor of the heads of colleges and halls of the university of oxford on the . day of november in the year of our lord university of oxford. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing o estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) at a meeting of the vice-chancellor of the heads of colleges and halls of the university of oxford on the . day of november in the year of our lord university of oxford. sheet s.n., [oxford : ] signed: ben. cooper notarie publick and register of the university of oxon. imprint from wing. reproduction of the original in the christ church library, oxfo. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng university of oxford -- early works to . heresy -- sermons -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - john pas sampled and proofread - john pas text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion at a meeting of the vice-chancellor and the heads of colleges and halls of the university of oxford on the . day of november in the year of our lord . whereas in a sermon lately preached before the university of oxford in the church of st. peter in the east on the feast of s s. simon and jude last past , these words , amongst others , were delivered and asserted . viz. [ there are three infinite distinct minds and substances in the trinity . ] item [ that the three persons in the trinity are three distinct infinite minds or spirits , and three individual substances . ] which gave just cause of offence and scandal to many persons : the vice-chancellor and heads of colleges and halls , at their generall meeting this day assembled , do judge and declare the said words to be false , impious , and hereticall ; contrary to the doctrine of the catholick church , and particularly to the received doctrine of the church of england : and do therefore strictly forbid all manner of persons , under their care and charge , to preach or publish any such doctrine for the future . by order of mr. vice-chancellor and the heads of houses . ben. cooper notarie publick and register of the university of oxon. a tract concerning schism and schismatiqves wherein is briefly discovered the originall causes of all schisme / written by a learned and judicious divine ; together with certain animadversions upon some passages thereof. hales, john, - . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing h ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing h estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; :e , no ) a tract concerning schism and schismatiqves wherein is briefly discovered the originall causes of all schisme / written by a learned and judicious divine ; together with certain animadversions upon some passages thereof. hales, john, - . page, william, - . [ ], p. printed by leonard lichfield for edward forrest, oxford : . "the animadversions which are the raison d'être of this issue were, according to wood, by dr. william page." cf. madan, oxford books. reproduction of original in thomason collection, british library. eng church of england -- history -- sources. heresy -- early works to . schism -- early works to . a r (wing h ). civilwar no a tract concerning schisme and schismatiques. wherein, is briefly discovered the originall causes of all schisme. written by a learned and j hales, john c the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the c category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - ben griffin sampled and proofread - ben griffin text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a tract concerning schisme and schismatiqves . wherein , is briefly discovered the originall causes of all schisme . written by a learned and judicious divine . together , with certain animadversions upon some passages thereof . oxford , printed by leonard lichfield for edward forrest . . a tract concerning schisme . heresie and schisme as they are commonly used , are two theologicall scar crows , with which they , who uphold a party in religion , vse to fright away such , as making enquiry into it , are ready to relinquish and oppose it , if it appeare either erronious or suspitious ; for as plutarch reports of a painter , who having unskilfully painted a cock , chased away all cocks and hens , that so the imperfection of his art might not appeare by comparison with nature ; so men , willing for ends to admit of no fancy but their own , endeavour to hinder all enquiry into it , by way of comparison of somewhat with it , peradventure truer , that so the deformity of their own , might not appeare : but howsoever in the common manage , heresie and schisme are but ridiculous tearmes , yet the things in themselves are of very considerable moment , the one offending against truth , the other against charity , and therefore both deadly , when they are not by imputation , but in deed . it is then a matter of no small importance , truely to descry the nature of them , that so they may feare who are guilty of them , and they on the contrary strengthen themselves , who , through the iniquity of men and times , are injuriously charged with them . schisme ( for of heresie we shall not now treat , except it be by accident , and that by occasion of a generall mistake , spread through all the writings of the ancients , in which their names are familiarly confounded ) schisme , i say , upon the very sound of the word imports division , division is not but where communion is or ought to be : now communion is the strength and ground of all society , whether sacred or civill ; whosoever therefore they be , that offend against this common society and friendlinesse of men , if it be in civill occasions , are guilty of sedition or rebellion ; if it be by reason of ecclesiasticall difference , they are guilty of schisme : so that schisme is an ecclesiasticall sedition , as sedition is a lay schisme , yet the great benefit of communion notwithstanding , in regard of divers distempers men are subject to , dissention and disunion are often necessary ; for when either false or uncertain conclusions are obtruded for truth , and acts either unlawfull , or ministring just scruple are required of us to be perform'd , in these cases , consent were conspiracy , and open contestation is not faction or schisme , but due christian animosity . for the opening therefore of the nature of schisme , something must be added by way of difference , to distinguish it from necessary separation , and that is , that the cause upon which division is attempted , proceed not from passion , or from distemper , or from ambition , or avatice , or such other ends , as humane folly is apt to pursue , but from well weighed and necessary reasons , and that when all other means having been tryed , nothing will serve to save us from guilt of conscience , but open separation ; so that schisme , if we would define it , is nothing else but an unnecessary separation of christians from that part of the visible church , of which they were once members ; now as in mutinies and civill dissentions , there are two attendants in ordinary belonging unto them : one , the choyse of an elector or guide , in place of the generall or ordinary governor , to rule and guide , the other the appointing of some publique place , or randevous , where publike meetings must be celebrated . so in church dissentions and quarrells , two appurtenances there are , which serve to make schisme compleat . first , in the choyce of a bishop , in opposition to the former , ( a thing very frequent amongst the ancients , and which many times was the cause and effect of schisme . ) secondly , the erecting of a new church and oratory , for the dividing parts to meet in publiquely . for till this be done , the schisme is but yet in the wombe . in that late famous controversy in holland , de pradestinatione & auxiliis , as long as the disagreeing parties went no farther then disputes and pen-combats , the schisme was all that while unhatched ; but as soon as one party swept an old cloyster , and by a pretty art suddenly made it a church , by putting a new pulpit in it , for the separating party there to meet ; now what before was a controversy , became a formall schisme . to know no more then this , if you take it to be true , had been enough to direct how you are to judge , and what to think of schisme and schismatiques , yet because of the ancients , ( by whom many are more affrighted then hurt ) much is said and many fearefull doomes are pronounced in this case , we will descend a little to consider of schisme , as it were by way of story , and that partly farther to open that , which we have said in generall by instancing in particulars , and partly to disabuse those , who reverencing antiquity more then needs , have suffered themselves to be scared with imputation of schisme above due measure , for what the ancients speake by way of censure of schisme in generall is most true , for they saw ( and it is no great matter to see so much ) that unadvised and open fancy to break the knot of union , betwixt man and man ( especially amongst christians , upon whom above all other kind of men , the tye of love and communion doth most especially rest ) was a crime hardly pardonable , and that nothing absolves men from the guilt of it , but true and unpretended conscience , yet when they came to pronounce of schisme in particular , ( whether it was because of their own interest , or that they saw not the truth , or for what other cause god only doth know ) their judgements many times ( to speak most gently ) are justly to be suspected , which that you may see , we will range all schisme into two rankes . first , there is a schisme , in which only one party is the schismatique : for where cause of schisme is necessary , there not he that separates , but he that is the cause of separation is the schismatique . secondly , there is a schisme in which both parties are the schismatiques , for where the occasion of separation is unnecessary , neither side can be excused from guilt of schisme . but you will aske , who shall be judge , what is necessary ? indeed it is a question which hath been often made , but i think scarcely ever truly answered , not because it is a point of great depth or difficulty truly to assoyle it , but because the true solution of it , carries fire in the taile of it ( for it bringeth with it a piece of doctrine , which is seldome pleasing to superiors ) to you for the present , this shall suffice , if so be you be animo defaecato , if you have cleared your selfe from froath and grownes , if neither sloath nor feare , nor ambition , nor any tempting spirit of that nature abuse you ( for these and such as these are the true impediments , why both that and other questions of the like danger are not truly answered ) if all this be , and yet you know not how to frame your resolution , and settle your selfe for that doubt ; i will say no more of you , then was said of papias s. iohns own schollar , your abilities are not so good as i presumed . animadversion . this tract , i must confesse , is handsomly and acutely penned , and many things in it well worthy our observation . yet because i greatly honour antiquity , and highly reverence the holy fathers of the church , i must crave pardon , if i deale plainly , and roundly with the author thereof , who in some passages ( as i conceive ) doth two much neglect antiquity , and indeed all authority . for first , in that he saith , the fathers generally mistake in confounding these names of heresies and schisme , they doe not mistake them , but commonly distinguish them , or it is no great matter if they doe , they are so neerly linked together , that they are seldome seperated , you shall hardly find any one guilty of schisme , but he doth easily and very often fall into heresie . schisme , say you , is an unnecessary seperation of christians from that part of the visible church , of which they were once members . but as you will put the question afterwards , who shall be judge what is necessary ? and you are loath to assoile this question because the solution thereof carryeth fire in the taile of it , for it bringeth with it a peice of doctrine , seldome pleasing to superiors . is this doctrine , let me aske you , good or bad ? if good , then it should , then i hope it will be pleasing to superiours ; if bad , then should it displease superiours and inferiours too . but the truth is , the doctrine is most pernicious to government , and therefore to all sorts of people , to wit , in plaine termes , it is this , that every one must judge for himself with this proviso , so he be animo defaecato , and i pray who shall judge of this ? even your selfe also . so that if you be perswaded that you are animo defaecato , and if you thinke you have cleared your selfe from the froath and grownes of feare , sloath , and ambition , then it must needs be so , whereas the heart of man being deceitfull above all things , there is nothing more usuall then for a man to deceive himselfe , and think he is thus and thus , when he is nothing so . and seeing the best of us all have faces enough in us , why may not superiors have as few of these dreggs in them as inferiors , and so as well able , at the least , to judge a right , as they . and you may talke what you will of being clear from the froath of ambition , i know not what greater pride and ambition there can be then thus to pull downe all authority and jurisdiction , and erect a tribunall in euery mans brest ; and yet he that goeth about it , will think him selfe to be animo defaecato : and you may well say it carrieth fire in the taile of it . for thus to trample under foot all power and authority , by making every one his own judge , must needs raise a great combustion and a strange confusion in the world . secondly , you cannot endure that they should be truly hereticks and schismaticks which were anciently so esteemed . for say you , men are more affrighted then hurt by the auncients , and that many reverence antiquity more then need , and after tell us in plain tearmes , that when they came to pronounce of schismes in particular , whether it were because of their own interests , or that they saw not the truth , or for what other cause god only doth know , their judgements many times to ( speak most gently ) are justly to be suspected . where i will not goe about to defend all the particular tenents of every father , for questionlesse , being men , they had their passions and perturbations as well as wee , so that take them singly , wee shall find in many of them such private conceits of their owne , which cannot be so well excused : yet for all this , when all , or most of them agree together in any point , we are not to question or doubt of the truth of it , according to that ancient and hitherto well approved rule of vincentius lirinensis , whatsoever all of them , or most of them , in one and the same sense shall plainly frequently and constantly deliver and confirme , let that be esteemed as a ratified , certaine , and undoubted truth . so then , though one or two of them may be mistaken , yet that all or the greatest part should agree together in a falsehood , i cannot easily believe . and therefore i cannot think that the current of the fathers should thus be mistaken , and that they should generally account them for hereticks and schismaticks , which were not so indeed ; i shall not so much suspect their judgements , as his that thinks so . but all this i perceive is , that there might be some opinions favoured now , which were commonly condemned by them , as we shall see afterward . tract . but to goe on with what i intended , and from that that diverted me , that you may the better judge of the nature of schismes by their occasions , you shall find that all schismes have crept into the church by one of these three waies , either upon matter of fact , or upon matter of opinion , or point of ambition : for the first , i call that matter of fact , when something is required to be done by us , which either we know , or strongly suspect to be unlawfull ; so the first notable schisme , of which we read in the church , contained in it matter of fact , for it being upon error taken for necessary , that an easter must be kept , and upon worse then error ( if i may so speak ) for it was no lesse then a point of iudaisme forced upon the church , upon worse then error , i say , thought further necessary that the ground of the time , for keeping of that feast must be the rule left by moses to the iewes , there arose a stout question , whether we were to celebrate with the iewes on the fourteenth moon , or the sunday following ? this matter though most unnecessary , most vaine , yet caused as great a combustion as ever was in the church , the west separating and refusing communion with the east , for many years together : in this fantasticall hurry i cannot see but all the world were schismatiques , neither can any thing excuse them from that imputation , excepting only this , that we charitably suppose that all parties did what they did out of conseience , a thing which befell them through the ignorance of their guides , ( for i will not say through their malice ) and that through the just judgement of god . because through sloath and blind obedience men examined not the things which they were taught , but like beasts of burthen , patiently couched downe , and indifferently underwent whatsoever their superiours laid upon them : by the way , by this we may plainly see the danger of our appeale to antiquity , for resolution in controverted points of faith , and how small reliefe we are to expect from thence ; for if the discretion of the chiefest guides , & directors of the church , did in a point so triviall , so inconsiderable , so mainely faile them , as not to see the truth in a subject , wherein it is the greatest marvaile , how they could avoide the sight of it , can we without the imputation of great grossenesse and folly , think so poore spirited persons , competent iudges of the questions now on foot betwixt the churches ; pardon me , i know not what temptation drew that note from me . animadversion . thirdly , about keeping of easter , say you , anciently all the world were schismaticks . a strange assertion , to lay such an heavy imputation upon all those auncient worthies . had they been thus guilty , it had been the part of a dutifull sonne to have made some apology for them , and to have covered his fathers nakednesse . but a farre greater crime it is , thus to accuse them without a cause . the best of it is , i shall not haue occasion here to excuse their error , but to defend their innocencie . for first , their difference is not about a point that concerneth faith or good manners , but only the outward discipline and government of the church : about the keeping of a solemne feast . and that not , whether we should keep it or no , ( for all agreed well enough that it ought to be kept ) but about the time of keeping it , whether at this or that time , which is a matter of farre lesse moment . the occasion of this difference briefly was thus , st peter and his successors at rome kept easter the sunday after the foureteenth moon . but s. iames and many of his successors at ierusalem , being all of them ministers of the circumcision , the sooner to win their brethren the iewes , condescended to keep their easter , as the iewes did , o lunae . which diversity of observation continued for the space of . years , neither church censuring or condemning one another for it . till at the length victor pope of rome would needs take upon him to bring all those easterne churches to his custome , and excommunicate them for not yeelding , whereupon grew the schisme . so that although at the first they kept easter diversly for a long time together , yet so long as there was no breach of charity between them , there was no schisme , by your own confession , who tell us , that schisme offends against charity , as heresy against truth . so then , whiles they were charitable one to another , all the world were so farre from being schismaticks , that no part of it could be justly thus branded . the schisme indeed began , when the pope would needs rashly and unadvisedly excommunicate those easterne churches , with whom he had nothing to doe . but then was not the whole world , but only victor and his partizans the schismaticks according to you , who unjustly divided themselves from the other side , the east churches continuing their old custome without any schisme at all , yet some of them not forbearing to tell victor of his unadvised and unjustifiable action . for shall we not allow to severall churches ( especially when they have no dependency one upon another ) their severall rites and observations , but they must be all schismatick for it ? you may as well call both these churches schismaticks for this also , because the one church fasts on saturday , the other fasts not ; the one administers the eucharist in unleavened , the other in leavened bread . these and such like points concerne not the body of the church , but her garments : now although her body must be but one , yet her garments are of divers colours . nay , as one saith very well , diversitas rituum commendat unitatem fidei . the unity of faith doth more gloriously appeare amidst the diversity of ceremonies and rituall observations . i wonder if one of our refined spirits now a daies , who is animo defaecato , had lived in those times , what could he have done to avoid this schisme ? how could he have chosen but be a schismatick on one side or another ? i conceive how he should have escaped by you , to wit , to joyne with neither side by keeping no easter at all : for with you it is an error to think that an easter must be kept : which position being put in practise will prove the greatest schime of all , thus to divide ones selfe from all the christian world . for although these holy fathers differed for a while amongst themselves about the time , yet they all agreed against you about the thing it selfe , and not only the orthodoxe but the very hereticks of those times kept an easter . not so much as the novatians ( who called themselves cathari the puritans of the primitive church ) but an easter they had , though they were very indifferent about the time of keeping it . and the whole christian world ever since hath duely observed the keeping of easter . but you take no notice of this , only your eare is to excuse those fathers the best you can . and you can find but this one way to doe it , that we charitably suppose that all parties did what they did out of conscience , a thing which befell them through the ignorance of their guides , for i will not say through their malice , and that through the just judgement of god , because through sloath and blind obedience , men examined not the things which they were taught , but like beasts of burthen patiently couched downe , and indifferently underwent whatsoever their superiors laid upon them . doe you call this an excusation , and not rather an heavy censure and accusation both of priest and people in those purer times : for what a dishonour is this to the pastors and prelates then , that they who lived so neare the apostles should be such ignorant guides ? nay what a disparagement is it to the very apostles themselves , that they should choose such ignorant guides , that could instruct the people no better . for some of these you speak of , certainly were the immediate successors of the apostles themselves . they have been accounted hitherto men , not only of conscience but of learning , knowing and understanding , pious and devout men , in many of them the gift of doing miracles still remained . i cannot with patience speak against this imputation . but you are as bold with the people , by accusing them of sloath and blind obedience , and to be beasts of burthen , because they did not examine what they were taught . whereas this good people had well learned , that they should not , they could not be wiser then their teachers ; and they had been newly taught from st pauls own mouth , that they were to obey those that had the rule over them , and submit themselves . which was not a blind but a wise discreet holy and dutifull obedience . but you it seems will teach the people another lesson , to wit , to guide their guides . and they are now apt enough to learne it . for they begin to practise it apace . but you inferre upon these weak premises . by this you may plainly see the danger of our appeale to antiquity for resolution in coutroversed points of faith , and how small reliefe we are to expect from thence ; for if the discretion of the chiefest guides of the church , did in a point so triviall , so inconsiderable , so mainely faile them as not to see the truth , &c. but you build too large a structure upon such a sandy foundation . for here the discretion of the chiefest guides of the church did not faile them , as you imagine : but they constantly kept their own severall customes in love and charity , and therefore without schisme , till victor would needs take too much upon him , whereas the whole businesse was afterwards setled in that famous councell of nice . so that here is no oversight of any truth , as i conceive , unlesse , as you intimate before , the truth is , they should have kept no easter at all : and then as you say , it was most unnecessary and most vaine to strive about the time of keeping it . but such a truth as this , the christian world hath not yet embraced , neither doe i know when it will . so that for ought yet appeares , ( unlesse you bring better reason against them ) we may take good directions from antiquity in the resolution of our moderne controversies : and we may for all this examine the question on foot , by the doctrine of those purer times , and heroick spirits , although you are pleased to terme them poore spirited persons . which to mee seemeth a very strange appellation , was s. ambrose a poore spirited person , who durst excommunicate that great emperour theodosius , and forbid him to enter into the church ? was s. chrisostome a poor spirited person , who did preach against eudoxia the empresse , and valiantly suffered banishment for it ? was s. athanasius either , a poor spirited person who durst stand out even against all the world , as it is storied of him , athanasius against the world , and the world against athanasius ? or were any of those fathers poor spirited persons , who did couragiously suffer martyrdome for the testimony of christ ? can you name any one author auncient or moderne , that hath so called or esteemed of them ? if not , then it is but thus with you . the fathers are poor spirited persons , because i say so , who am animo defaecato . neither are you yet constant to your selfe in this assertion , for although here you call them poor spirited persons , yet afterwards you doe in effect unsay it , where you so much approve of what socrates observeth of them , that they were the great disturbers of the christian world . doe poore spirited persons use to make such hurly burlies ? pardon me , say you , i know not what temptation drew this note from me . and if you would pardon me , i could give a great guesse at the temptation . i feare it is a temptation of pride and singularity , thus to trample upon those auncient worthies , the better to make way for some kind of novelty . and i would it were no worse then this , of not keeping easter . tract . the next schisme which had in it matter of fact , is that of the donatist , who was perswaded ( at least pretended so ) that it was unlawfull to converse or communicate in holy duties with men stained with any notorious sinne , for howsoever , that austen doe specifie only the thurificati and traditores and libellatici , &c. as if he separated only from those , whom he found to be such , yet by necessary proportion , he must referre to all notorious sinners , upon this he taught that in all places , where good and bad were mixt together , there could be no church by reason of pollution , evaporating as it were from sinners , which blasted righteous persons , who conversed with them , and made all unclean on this ground , separating himselfe from all that he list to suspect , he gave out , that the church was no where to be found but in him , and his associates , as being the only men among whom wicked persons found no shelter , and by consequence the only cleare and unpolluted company , and therefore the only church . against this saint augustine laid downe this conclusion , vnitatem ecclesiae per totum mundum dispersae propter nonnullorum peccata non esse deserendam , which is indeed the whole summe of that fathers disputation against the donatists . now in one part of this controversy , one thing is very remarkable . the truth was there , where it was , by meer chance , and might have been on either side , the reason brought by either party notwithstanding , for though it were defacto false , that pars donati shut up in africke was the only othodox party , yet it might be true , notwithstanding any thing saint augustine brings to confute it ; and on the contrary , though it were de facto true , that the part of christians dispersed over the whole earth were orthodox , yet it might have been false , notwithstanding any thing saint augustine brings to confirme it . for where , or amongst whom , or how many the church shall be , or is , is a thing indifferent , it may be in any number more or lesse , it may be in any place , country or nation , it may be in all , and for ought i know , it may be in none , without any prejudice to the definition of a church , or the truth of the gospell , north or south , many or few , dispersed in many places , or confined to one : none of these doe either prove or disprove a church . now this schisme , and likewise that former , to a wise man that well understands the matter in controversie , may afford perchance matter of pitty , to see men so strangely distracted upon fancy , but of doubt or trouble what to doe , it can yeeld none ; for though in this schisme the donatist be the schismatick , and in the former , both parties be equally ingaged in the schisme ; yet you may safely upon your occasions communicate with either , if so be you flatter neither in their schisme : for why might not it be lawfull to goe to church with the donatist , or to celebrate easter with the quartodeciman , if occasion so require ? since neither nature , nor religion , nor reason doth suggest any thing of moment to the contrary ? for in all publique meetings pretending holinesse , so there be nothing done , but what true devotion and piety brooke ; why may not i be present in them , and use communication with them ; nay , what if those to whom the execution of the publique service is committed , doe something either unseemly or suspitious , or peradventure unlawfull ? what if the garments they weare be censured , nay indeed be superstitious ? what if the gesture of adoration be used to the altars , as now we have learn'd to speak ? what if the homilist have preached , or delivered any doctrine of the truth , of the which we are not well perswaded ? a thing which very often falls out : yet for all this we may not separate , except we be constrained personally to beare a part in them our selves ; the priests under ely had so ill demeaned themselves about the daily sacrifice , that the scripture tells us , they made them to stink , yet the people refused not to come to the tabernacle , nor to bring their sacrifice to the priest , for in those schismes which concerne fact , nothing can be a just cause of refusing of communion , but only to require the execution of some unlawfull or suspected act ; for not only in reason , but in religion too , that maxime admits of no release , cautissimicuiusque praeceptum quod dubitas ne feceris ; long it was ere the church fell upōschisme , upō this occasion , though of late it hath had very many , for until the second councell of nice , in which concileable , superstition and ignorance did conspire , i say , untill the rout did set up image-worship , there was not any remarkable schisme upon just occasion of fact , all the rest of schismes of that kinde were but wantons , this was truly serious ; in this the schismaticall party was the synod it selfe , and such as conspired with it ; for concerning the use of images in sacris , first , it is acknowledged by all that it is a thing unnecessary . secondly , it is by most suspected . thirdly , it is by many held utterly unlawfull , can then the enjoyning of such a thing be ought else but abuse ? or can the refusall of communion here be thought any other thing then duety ? here or upon the like occasion to separate , may peradventure bring personall trouble or danger , ( against which it concernes any honest man , to have pectus bene praeparatum ) further harme it cannot doe , so that in these cases you cannot be to seek what to think , or what you have to doe . animadversion . fourthly , you fall foule upon s. austin in particular , who , i may boldly say , hath deserved as well of the christian world as any one man since the apostles times . and if this were my opinion alone , i should suspect it , but i appeale herein to the generall applause the learned have of him . the truth was , say you , on s. austins side against the donatist , but by meer chance . for the donatist might have been the only orthodoxe party , for any thing s. austin brings to confute it , and the other party might not have been orthodoxe , for any thing s. austin brings to confirme it . then which , what could have been spoken more derogatory to so famous , learned and renowned a father ? as if his arguments were so slight and silly , both to defend himselfe and offend his adversary , that they are not worth the reading or regarding , but are as much , as if he had said nothing at all . whereas it is well known and confessed , that although this good father was renowned for many things , yet his master peece doth appeare in his polemicks , who , to the admiration of the world hitherto , is accounted to have acutely subtly , & soundly confuted all those hereticks and schismaticks he wrote against ; and therefore deservedly stiled malleus haereticorum , the mauler of the hereticks . now he must be esteemed a silly man , and to have said nothing against them . you should doe well , now you have thus accused him , to set downe and make it appeare unto the world , that his arguments both offensive and defensive against the donatist , are so slight and weake as you would make us believe . there be some that will defend him , and maintaine that this father hath proved against the donatist by irrefragable arguments drawn out of scripture , that the church of christ neither then was , nor ever shall be , drawn into such a narrow compasse , as you and they imagine . i would aske you this question . if s. austin hath given you so little satisfaction against the donatist , how doe you know , but that the donatist may be defacto in the right , and s. austin in the wrong ; for it seems by you , it was but hap hazard , which way it would goe . i would therefore willingly learne the way you take to discerne which of these two waies is the right , for it seems you have learnt nothing by s. austin . but me thinks you goe a strange way to worke to say the church may be in none , without any prejudice to the definition of the church or the truth of the gospell . i would willingly know how you define a church , which shall consist of none , and whether this be not most derogatory to the truth of the gospell , that christ should have a church which is in none , that is , as i conceive it , should have no church at all . for although it pleaseth god to remove his candlestick from one country to another , and that his church should be like the moon , sometimes in the full , and sometimes in the waine ; yet that it should be utterly eclipsed , and quite vanish away , directly crosseth the prophesies of the old testament , and the promises of the new . but you will pitty s. austin and those fathers before him , that were thus distracted upon fancy . and me thinks the greatest pitty of all is , that some of our wise men that so well now understand the matters in controversy , had not lived in their times , to have rectified them , and put these fancies out of their heads . but i know not , whether it be not the greatest fancy of all , to think our selves so wise , and them so phantasticall . but you easily resolve the doubt , and think it lawfull to goe to church with the donatist , or to celebrate easter with the quartodeciman , so you flatter neither in their schisme , and there be nothing done but what true devotion and piety will brooks . but how can this be ? for your joyning with them in their custome and communion , must needs , if not flatter , yet much harten and encourage them in their schisme . besides you give a great scandall and offence to the orthodox party , and make them justly so suspect , that because you thus joyne with them in their publique communion , that you favour , at the least dislike not , their private opinion . thus then to scandalize your brethren , can never stand with true piety and devotion . tract . come we then to consider a little of the second sort of schisme , arising upon occasion of variety of opinion : it hath been the common disease of christians from the beginning , not to content themselves , with that measure of faith , which god and scriptures have expresly afforded us , but out of a vaine desire to know more then is revealed , they have attempted to devise things , of which we have no light , neither from reason nor revelation , neither have they rested here , but upon pretence of church authority ( which is none ) or tradition ( which for the most part is but fained ) they have peremptorily concluded , and confidently imposed upon other a necessity of entertayning conclusions of that nature , & to strengthen themselves have broken out into divisions and factions , opposing man to man , synod to synod , till the peace of the church vanished , without all possibiity of recall : hence arose those ancient , and many seperations amongst christians , occasioned by arianisme , eutychianisme , nestorianisme , photinianisme , sabellianisme , and many more both ancients , and in our owue time , all which indeed are but names of schisme ; howsoever in the common language of the fathers , they were called heresies , for heresie is an act of the will , not of the reason , and is indeed a lye and not a mistake , else how could that of austen go for true , errare possum , hareticus esse nolo : indeed manichanisme , valentinianisme , macedonianisme , mahometisme , are truly and properly herises : for wee know that the authors of them received them not , but invented them themselves , and so knew what they taught to be a lye : but can any man avouch that arius and nestorius , and others that taught erroniously concerning the trinity , and the person of our saviour , did maliciously invent what they taught , and not rather fall upon it by error and mistake ? till that be done , and upon good evidence , we will thinke no worse of all parties than needs we must , and take these rents in the church to be at the worst but schismes , upon matter of opinion , in which case what we are to do , is not a point of any great depth of understanding to discover , if so be distemper and partiality do not intervene : i do not see that opinionum varictas & opinantium unitas , are {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , or that men of different opinions in christian religion , may not hold communion in sacris , and both go to one church , why may i not go ▪ if occasion require , to an arian church , so there be no arianisme exprest in their liturgy , and were liturgies and publique formes of service so framed , as that they admitted not of particular and private fancies , but contained onely such things , as in which all christians do agree ; schismes on opinion were utterly vanished : for consider of all the liturgies that are and ever have beene , and remove from them whatsoever is scandalous to any party , and leave nothing but what all agree on , and the event shall be , that the publique service and honour of god shall no wayes suffer . whereas to load our publique formes , with the private fancies upon which we differ , is the most soveraigne way to perpetuate schisme unto the worlds end ; prayer , confession , thanksgiving , reading of scriptures , administration of sacriments , in the plainest and the simplest manner , were matter enough to furnish out a sufficient liturgy , though nothing either of private opinion , or of church pomp , of garments , or prescribed gestures , of imagery , of musike , of matter concerning the dead , of many superfluities which creep into the church , under the name of order , and decency , did interpose it selfe . to charge churches and liturgies , with things unnecessary was first the beginning of all superstition , and when scruple of conscience began to be made or pretended , there schisme began to breake in ; if the speciall guides and fathers of the church would be a little sparing of incumbring churches with superfluities , or not over-rigid either in reviving obsolete customes , or imposing new , there would be farre lesse cause of schisme or superstition , and all the inconveniance likely to ensue , would be but this , they should in so doing yeeld a little to the imbecillity of their inferiors , a thing which s. paul would never haue refused to do ; meane while wheresoever false or suspected opinions are made a peice of church liturgy , he that seperates is not the schismatique , for it is alike unlawfull to make profession of known or suspected falsehood , as to put in practise unlawfull or suspected actions . animadversion . fiftly , having trampled upon the auncients , you come now to the church , and levell that also with the ground . it hath been , say you , the common disease of christians from the beginning , not to content themselves with that measure of faith which god and scriptures have expressely afforded us , but out of a vaine desire to know more then is revealed , they have attempted to devise things of which we have no light from reason nor revelation . neither have they rested here , but upon pretence of church authority ( which is none ) or tradition ( which for the most part is but fained . &c. i , hath the church no authority ? did not our saviour giue power to the church to punish & excommunicate a notorious offendor ? when he saith , goe tell the church , and if he heare not the church , let him be to thee a heathen or a publican . and did not his s. paul give great power to the church when he calleth it the pillar and fortresse of truth . it were easy here to enlarge my selfe , and prove out of the ancient fathers did you not reject them , that they attributed great powre & authority to the church . but the church of england ( whose sonne suppose you are , and therefore cannot so well neglect her authority ) will tell you , that the church hath powre to decree rites or ceremonyes , and authority in controversies of faith . but here you would cry up the authority of the scriptures , that thereby you might decry the authority of the church , whereas these two are not opposite , but subordinate one to another ; i meane the church to the scripture ; if therefore you will commend unto us the authority of scripture , you must also uphold the authority of the church , which is founded in scripture , but if you nullify the authority of the church , you must also neglect the authority of the scripture , which giveth the church such power . and let no man think the roman church will here break in upon mee , for by church , i meane the truly auncient catholick and apostolicke church , from which the roman church is farre enough . and as by church , so i meane by tradition , for where tradition is fained , none are to esteem of it , but when it doth appeare unto us to be truly auncient catholick and apostolick , it is not a little to be regarded . hereupon vincentius would have us duplici modo munire fidem , to fortify our faith two manner of waies , primò , divinae legis authoritate , deinde ecclesiae catholicae traditione , first , by the authority of divine law , then by the tradition of the catholick church . then he putteth that objection , which you here , and many others are used to make ; seeing that the canon of scripture is perfect enough and more then enough sufficient in it selfe to all things , what need is there that wee should joyne unto it the authority of ecclesiasticall exposition . unto which me thinks he giveth a very satisfying answere , because all doe not understand the holy scriptures , by reason of the height thereof , in one and the same sense : but one interprets it one way , and another a severall way . so that there be as many minds and meanings about it , almost as there be men . for novatus expounds it one way , donatus another , arius another , pelagius another , &c. therefore it is very needfull , by reason of so great and diverse errors , that the line of propheticall and apostolicall interpretation , be directed according to the rule of ecclesiasticall and catholick meaning . so that true and catholick tradition , is like unto a strong wall about the garden of holy scripture , which keeps it from the incursion of hereticks , or if they chance to get in , it is a soveraine antidote to preserve us from the poison they suck out of these sweet flowers . so that take the church and tradition in a right sense , there is much to be attributed to them , but i entend brevity . only i cannot omit , how you would make us believe , that this authority of the church hath caused those seperations which arius , nestorius , and other hereticks have raised , when you say , hence arose those auncient and many separations amongst christians . &c. whereas indeed it was the authority of the church and catholick fathers which hath quelled , confuted , and silenced all those heresies , and hereticks which it seems you have a mind to revive , for you will not have them called heresies , but schismes , for indeed , say you , they are but names of schisme , howsoever in the common language of the fathers they were called heresies . but you must pardon those who thinke it safer and sounder to follow the common language of the fathers , then your own private assertion . but you have a reason for it . for heresie , say you , is an act of the will not of reason , whereas indeed it is both . for doth not the hereticke first fasten upon a false opinion , which is an act of the understanding and corrupted reason , and this is the materiall part of heresie . and then doth wilfully and stubbornely ▪ being convinced of it , maintaine the same , which is an act of the will and formalizeth heresie . and in this sense , not in yours , is that knowne speech of st. austine true , errare possum , haereticus esse nolo , that is , i may erre and so fall into the materiall part of heresie , by apprehending and iudging that to be a good doctrine which is false and erroneous , but haereticus esse nolo , i will not be an hereticke , that is , i will not persist in this opinion , being lawfully convicted and condemned for it by the church and governours thereof . for then i should be formally and properly an hereticke . for howsoever you slight and nullify the authority of the church , yet in the primitive times when the church was at unity , when there was not altare contra altare , it was then esteemed to be of great power and authority , which authority of that church hath justly declared not only the manichees , valentinians and marcionites , but also the arians , nestorians , and pelagians to be hereticks . howsoever you are willing to distinguish them , and make these latter scarce schismaticks , for you will take these rents in the church to be at the worst but schismes . then at the best it seemes they are not so much as schismes . yet i cannot be perswaded so ill of the former ; as to thinke they knew what they taught , was a lye , and so went directly against their owne consciences : nor yet so well of the latter to excuse them with you , from heresie , for i am yet to learne , that heresie is nothing els , but to know that a lye is taught , such kinde of wickednesse i shall rather terme open blasphemy then heresie , when men go against the light of their owne consciences . sixtly , you chalke us out a way , wherein we may safely walke , not only with the donatists , but with the arian and all other hereticks . and that is to have liturgies and publique formes of service so framed , as that they admitted not of particular and private fancyes , but contained onely such things , as in which all christians do agree ; and then , schismes on opinion were vtterly vanished , and thus , say you , i may go to an arian church . a pretty fancy indeede . but first i thinke you could not prevaile with the arian party to frame their creede so , as might not give offence to the orthodoxe side , for in all liturgies they use to have a confession of their faith . and secondly , if you could prevaile with them , how could you perswade all our churches , to put that clause out of our creede . [ i believe in christ the only begotten sonne of god , begotten of his father before all worlds , god of god , light of light , very god of very god , begotten , not made , being of one substance with the father by whome all things were made . ] which was a good illustration of our creed joyned to it , and made a part of it by the fathers of the nicene councell against the arians then , and will serve as a sufficient bulwarke against our sosinians now : which creed hath had the generall applause of the christian churches since , and hath the honour to be one of the creeds of the catholicke church . you must prevaile with them likewise to blot out of athanasius creed ( which though it were made but by one man , yet by generall approbation is now also become the creed of all our churches , ) i say you must put out of it , these clauses . [ there is one person of the father , another of the sonne , another of the holy ghost , but the godhead of the father & of the sonne and of the holy ghost is all one , the glory equall , the majesty coeternall , the father eternall , the sonne eternall , and the holy ghost eternall : the father is god , the sonne is god , and the holy ghost is god . ] all which do directly overthrow these heresies . and do not call these clauses , particular and private fancies , for they are part of the universall and publique faith of the church , which all the east and west , all popish and reformed churches doe unanimously professe and believe . it is not a time now to add , much lesse to detract , from our publique confessions of faith . tract . the third thing i named for matter of schisme was ambition , i meane episcopall ambition , shewing it selfe especially in two heads , one concerning pluralities of bishops in the same sea . another concerning the superiority of bishops in diverse seas . aristotle tels us that necessity causeth but small faults , but avarice and ambition were the mother of great crimes ; episcopall ambition hath made this true , for no occasion hath produced more frequent , more continuous , more sanguineous schismes , than this hath done ; the seas of alexandria , of constantinople , of antioch , and above all of rome , doe abundantly shew thus much , and all ecclesiasticall stories witnesse no lesse , of which the greatest part consists of factionating and tumultuating of great and potent bishops . socrates apologizing for himselfe , that professing to write an ecclesiasticall story , he did oft-times interlace the actions of secular princes and other civill businesse , tels us that he did this to refresh his reader , who otherwise were in danger to be cloyd by reading so much of the acts of unquiet and unruly bishops , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , in which as a man may say , they made butter and cheese one of another , for {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , that i may shew you a cast of my old office and open you a mystery in grammer , properly signifies to make butter and cheese , and because these are not made without much agitation of the milk , hence {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , by a borrowed and translated signification , signifies to do things with much agitation and tumult . but that i may a little consider of the two heads , i but now specified , the first i mentioned was the plurality of bishops in one sea . for the generall practise of the church , since the beginning , at least since the originall of episcopacy , as now it is , was never to admit at once more than one bishop in one sea , and so far in this point have they been carefull to preserve unity , that they would not have a bishop in his sea to have two cathedrall churches , which thing lately brought us a book out of france de monogamia episcoporum , written by occasion of the bishop of la●gres : who , i know not upon what fancy , could not be content with one cathedrall church in his diocesse but would needs have two , which to the author of that work seeme , to be a kind of spirituall polygamy ; it fell out amongst the ancients very often , sometimes upon occasion of difference in opinions , sometimes because of those who were interessed in the choice of bishops ; that two and sometimes more were set up , and all parties striving to maintaine their owne bishop , made themselves severall churches , severall congregations , each refusing to participate with others , & many times proceeding to mutuall excommunications ; that is that which cyprian cals erigere altare contra altare , to this doth he impute the originall of all church disorders , and if you read him , you world thinke he thought no other church tumult to be schisme but this . this perchance may plead some excuse , for though in regard of religion it selfe , it matters not whether there be one or more bishops in one diocesse , and sometimes two are knowne to have set at once ; for epiphanius reckoning up the bishops of rome , makes peter and paul the first : and saint augustin acknowledgeth for a time he sate fellow bishop with his predecessor , though he excused it , that he did so by being ignorant that the contrary had been decreed by the councell of nice , yet it being a thing very convenient for the peace of the church to have it so , neither doth it any whit savour of vice or misdemeanor , their punishments sleeps not who unnecessarily and wantonly goe about to infring it . animadversion . seventhly , you come to episcopall ambition , then which you say none hath caused more frequent , more continuous , more sanguineous schismes . it is very true indeed , we shall read of many uproares and much bloudshed about the election of some bishops , for which you cannot so much accuse the bishops as the factious , furious , and unruly multitude , who eagerly pursue their severall humors , and are violently carryed into extreames . and therefore for the cure of this mischiefe , the order and power of bishops was not taken away , but the choice of them , you know , was taken from the giddy multitude and translated unto the nomination and election of temporall princes . as for your story out of socrates , you should have done well to have put downe the place , that your reader might have seene , you have urged it to your owne advantage . i shall set it downe plainly as i finde it in his proeme to his fift booke : where socrates intending to write an ecclesiasticall history , and yet withall is willing to mingle amongst it temporall affaires , makes three apologies for it . first , saith he , that these warlike affaires might not be forgotten , but come unto posterity , for it seemes there were few or no historians in his time . the second excuse is ( which you alledge ) for variety sake , least the reader should be cloyed with perusing only church affaires , which is no more then if a man writing a story of a common-wealth , should for variety and delight , intermixe here and there businesses of the church . not that the common-wealth was then more quiet then the church , but there were full as many troubles and tumults in that as in this . nay which may serve somewhat to excuse the unquietnesse of the clergy , it was caused through the disturbance of the common-wealth . for that is socrates his thirde and chiefest reason , because by setting downe the affaires of the temporall estate , we may knowe from whence these tumults amongst bishops arose . for when , saith he , the common-wealth was thus tossed up and downe with troubles and seditions with factions and divisions : the estate of the church and chiefest church-men {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , as it were by a certaine kinde of sympathy , could not chuse but be infected with the same disease . besides , suppose some bishops then were factious and ambitious , you should consider that this concerneth the persons of bishops , not their calling , though i thinke you might have spared both . now what a vulgar and illogicall way is this , through the sides of any mans person to wound his very calling . and had our great writer of bishops lives been as carefull to lay together all that makes for them , as he hath been industrious to rake together all that makes against them , he might have made his volumes swell twise as bigg . tract . but that other head of episcopall ambition , concerning supremacy of bishops in divers seas , one clayming supremacy over another , as it hath been from time to time , a great trespasse against the churches peace , so it is now the finall ruine of it . the east & west through the fury of the two prime bishops being irremediably separated without all hope of reconcilement . and besides all this mischiefe , it is founded on a vice contrary to all christian humility , without which no man shall see his saviour ; for they do but abuse themselues and others , that would perswade us , that bishops by christs institution haue any superiority over other men further then of reverence , or that any bishop is superior to another further than positive order agreed upon amongst christians hath prescribed : for we have beleived him that hath told us that in iesvs christ there is neither high nor low , and that in giving honour , every man should be ready to preferre another before himselfe , which saying cuts of all clayme certainly of superiority , by title of christianity , except men thinke that these things were spoken only to poore and private men . nature and religion agree in this , that neither of them hath an hand in this heraldry of secundum sub & supra , all this comes from composition and agreement of men amongst themselves , wherefore this abuse of christianity to make it lacquey to ambition , is a vice for which i have no extraordinary name of ignominy , and an ordinary i will not give it , least you should take so transcendent a vice to be but triviall . now concerning schisme arising upon these heads , you cannot be for behaviour much to seek , for you may safely communicate with all parties as occasion shall call you , and the schismatiques here are all those who are heads of the faction , together with all those who foment it : for private and indifferent persons , they may be spectators of these contentions as securely in regard of any perill of conscience , ( for of danger in purse or person , i keepe no account ) as at a cock fight where serpents fight , who cares who hath the better ? the best wish is that both may perish in the fight . and for conventicles , of the nature of which you desire to be informed , thus much in generall evidently appeares , that all meetings upon an unnecessary seperation are to be so stiled , so that in sense a conventicle is nothing else but a congregation of schismatiques , yet time hath taken leave sometimes to fix this name upon good and honest meetings , and that perchance not altogether without good reason , for with publique religious meetings thus it fares . first , it hath been at all times confessed necessary , that god requires not only inward and private devotion , when men either in their hearts and closets or within their privaet walls , pray , prayse , confesse and acknowledg ; but he further requires all those things to be done in publique , by troupes and shoales of men , and from hence have proceeded publique temples , altars , formes of service , appoynted times , and the like , which are required for open assemblies , yet whilst men are truely pious , all meetings of men for mutuall help of piety & devotion wheresoever and by whomsoever celebrated , were permitted without exception . but when it was espyed that ill affected persons abused private meetings , whether religious or civill to evill ends ; religiousnesse to crosse impiety , as appeares in the ethnick elusinia , and bacchanalia , and christian meetings under the pagan princes , when for feare they durst not come together in open view , were charged with foule imputations , as by the report of christians themselves plainely appeares , and civill meetings many times , under pretence of friendly and neighbourly visites , sheltred treasonable attempts against princes and common-weales , hence both church and state joyned , and joyntly gave order for formes , times , places of publique meetings , whether for religious or civill ends , and all other meetings whatsoever , besides those of which both time and place , are limited , they censured for routs and riots , and unlawfull assemblies in the state , and in the church , for conventicles . so that it is not lawfull , no not for prayer , ●earing , for conference , for any other religious office whatsoever , for people to assemble otherwise , then by publique order is allowed , neither may wee complaine of this in times of incorruption , for why should men desire to do that suspitiously in private which warrantably may be performed in publique . but in times of manifest corruptions and persecutions , wherein religious assembling is dangerous , private meetings howsoever , besides publique order , are not only lawfull , but they are of necessity and duty , else how shall we excuse meetings of christians for publique service , in time of danger and persecutions , and of our selues in queene maries dayes ? and how will those of the romane church amongst us , put off the imputation of conventicling , who are knowne amongst us privately to assemble for religious exercise against all established order , both in state and church ? for indeed all pious assemblies in times of persecution and corruption howsoever practised , are indeed or rather alone the lawfull congregations , and publique assemblies though according to forme of law , are indeed nothing else but riots and conventicles , if they be stayned with corruption and superstition . animadversion . eightly and lastly , you take away all superiority from bishop's when you say , they doe but abuse themselves and others , that would perswade us , that bishops by christs institution have any superiority over other men , further then of reverence . where ( although you intended onely to speake against the superiority of one bishop over another ) yet you seeme to take away , not only all power of one bishop over another , but of a bishop over a presbyter , yea of a bishop over any other private man . i cannot here ( intending brevity ) enter upō the dispute about the power of one bishop ouer another , or of the power of a bishop over a presbyter . the former of which is no doubt confirmed by a long continued ecclesiasticall power , the latter by an apostolicall . but that a bishop should not have any superiority over an ordinary lay-man , seemes strange to mee . certainely our saviour intended some power and authority unto peter and the rest of the apostles , when he gave them the keyes and wisht them to open and shut , to binde and loose , whose successors bishops are , and though some make question whether they succeede them as bishops , yet none doubt but they succeede them as pastors of the church , and thus have they power over lay-men . s. paul wills timothy to command and teach , . tim. . . and in another place willeth others to obey those who had the oversight of them , heb. . . now where there is commanding on the one side and obeying on the other , there must needs be superiority . but i could not have imagined this had been your meaning , but for your proofes which followe . for we have believed him that hath told us , that in christ iesus there is neither high nor low , and that in giving honour every man should be ready to preferre another before himselfe , which saying cuts of all claime certainly of superiority , by title of christianity , except men thinke that these things were spoken only to poore and private men . where , you consider not , that you run into an anabaptisticall humor , and take away all superiority in the common-wealth , as well as in the church , and entrench upon the scepter of the king as well as upon the miter of the bishop . but your proofes are easily satisfied . for the first , though we finde not those very words in scripture , yet i suppose you aime at that place wherein it is said , wee are all one in christ iesus , gal. . . where the true meaning of the place is , that as wee are christians we are all one , that is , wee have all equally , and alike beene partakers of christ by baptisme , as he saith , vers. . as many of you as have beene baptized into christ , have put on christ . so that as members of christ we are all one , & all make but one body of christ . yet as amongst the naturall members of our bodies , so amongst the mysticall members of christ , though they be all one as members , being compared with the head : yet being compared one with another , s. paul tels us , there are more honourable and lesse honourable members , . cor. . . your other place , that we should in giving honour preferre one another , teacheth humility , but taketh not away superiority . but you go on and tell us , that nature and religion agree in this , that neither of them hath an hand in this heraldry of secundum sub & supra : whereas in it they both joyne hand in hand . nature acknowledgeth this heraldry , that shee may avoyd ataxie and confusion : and religion also , for did not our lord and master acknowledge a caesar , and commanded us to give unto him that which belonged unto him , to wit , obedience & subjection . and doth not his apostle s. paul command that every soule should be subject to the higher power . rom. . . where you see this heraldry of sub & supra , is put downe in expresse tearmes : and pray let us observe the apostles reason why wee should thus be subject to the higher powers , for , saith he , there is no power but of god , & the powers that be are ordained of god . how heare i then , that all this comes from composition and agreement of men amongst themselves . but i spare to prosecute this doctrine any further , least i should discover in it a very transcendent crime . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- lib. ad her. cap. . artic. . cap. . & . a discourse concerning the laws ecclesiastical and civil made against hereticks by popes, emperors and kings, provincial and general councils, approved by the church of rome with a preface against persecuting and destroying hereticks / by a cordial friend to the protestant religion now by law established in these realms. barlow, thomas, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing b estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a discourse concerning the laws ecclesiastical and civil made against hereticks by popes, emperors and kings, provincial and general councils, approved by the church of rome with a preface against persecuting and destroying hereticks / by a cordial friend to the protestant religion now by law established in these realms. barlow, thomas, - . whitby, daniel, - . [ ], , [ ], p. printed for thomas basset, london : . errata: p. [ ] ( d count). widely attributed to bishop barlow and to daniel whitby; the latter attribution is erroneous, according to halkett & laing. part ii, pages - , - , and - cropped with loss of text in filmed copy. pages - photographed from union theological seminary library, new york copy and inserted at end. reproduction of original in huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of 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images - simon charles sampled and proofread - simon charles text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a discourse concerning the laws ecclesiastical and civil made against hereticks by popes , emperors and kings , provincial and general councils , approved by the church of rome : shewing , i. what protestant subjects may expect to suffer under a popish prince acting according to those laws . ii. that no oath or promise of such a prince can give them any just security that he will not execute these laws upon them . with a preface against persecuting and destroying hereticks . by a cordial friend to the protestant religion now by law established in these realms . tantum religio potuit suadere malorum , lucret. london , printed for thomas basset , at the george in fleetstreet , . the contents of the preface . the designs of this treatise are , first , to demonstrate the falshood of the religion of the church of rome from the repugnancy of her deportment toward hereticks : pag. . § . i. . to christ's own words to his disciples , ye know not what spirit ye are of , &c. luke . . which text is largely handled , p. , , , , . § . ii. . to our lord's example , p. , . § . iii. . to the example and deportment of his blessed apostles , p. , &c. § . iv. . to the parable of the tares , as it is interpreted by the h. fathers , p. , &c. § . vi. . to the principles of the primitive professors of christianity , p. , &c. § . vii . . to the express judgment of the h. fathers , p. , &c. § . viii . . to the practice of the ancient church , p. , &c. § . ix . an objection of the dissenters answered , and our church and reverend bishops freed from the charge of persecution , p. , &c. three farther uses of this treatise . § . x. . to justify the use of lawful means for the prevention of these mischiefs , p. . § . xi . . to stir us up to a serious reformation of our lives , and to a preparation patiently to bear the cross , should this inhumane religion once more prevail amongst us ; rebellion against our lawful prince being unlawful , scandalous and damnable , p. , . § . xii . . to prevent our being gull'd by fair words , and specious promises of toleration , p. . a father reply to the example of the indulgence of the french king towards the hugonots , p. , &c. the preface . my design in publishing this little treatise , and the use which i desire all good christians to make of it , is , first , to confirm them in the protestant religion , by such a sensible demonstration of the falshood of the religion of the church of rome , as men of all capacities may apprehend . for if this barbarous deportment towards hereticks be evidently repugnant to the true spirit of christianity , if it be contrary to the example of our saviour , which we stand bound to imitate ; if it be wholly opposite both to the principles and practice of the primitive and purest ages of the church ; i hope this will sufficiently convince wise men , that the religion which commands these cruelties and inhumanities cannot derive it self from him who is the god of love , and patience , and mercy , and pitty to the sons of men. § . i. now that to burn , destroy , extirminate all those who differ from us in religion , and upon that account are called hereticks , ( though they be men of peaceable and quiet lives ) and prosecute them according to the laws here mentioned purely on the account of conscience , that this , i say , is evidently repugnant to the true spirit of christianity , we learn from christ's own words to his disciples , who , when a village of samaria refused to receive him , because he appeared to them to be going to jerusalem , ask this question , lord wilt thou that we command fire from heaven to come down , and to consume them , as elias did ? for our dear lord no sooner heard this question but he rebuked his disciples , saying , ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of , for the son of man is not come to destroy mens lives , but to save them . where observe , . that whereas they who are thus persecuted by the church of rome , are falsly supposed to be schismaticks and hereticks , the samaritans undoubtedly were both . for , first , in opposition to the temple of jerusalem , which god himself appointed for the place where he would be worshipped , commanding all men to repair to it , they erected a temple upon mount gerizim , and there they worshipped , deserting the temple of jerusalem , this was their schism . secondly , they also were hereticks and idolaters , for they err'd in matters which concerned salvation , they feared the lord , and served their own gods , kings . . and this our saviour testifieth in these words , ye worship ye know not what , we know what we worship , for salvation is of the jews . . observe , that whereas romanists do exercise this cruelty on them whom they call schismaticks and hereticks , chiefly for their refusing to receive and own him as christ's vicar who manifestly doth usurp that title , these samaritans refused to receive our saviour himself in his own person , and that because he seemed to be going to jerusalem to worship , so that the honor of god , and of religion , and of jerusalem , the place of his peculiar worship , were all concerned in this case . . observe , that the permission of what was here desired by saint john and peter , would have been more effectual for the conviction of the heretical , schismatical samaritans , than any of the punishments inflicted by the inquisition , or any arts of papal tyranny can be for the conviction of those whom they call hereticks and schismaticks ; for these disciples did not desire that they themselves might execute on the samaritans this sentence , by committing them to the flames , or by imploring the magistrates assistence to consume or burn them , they onely did request that they might call upon the god of heaven to rain down fire upon them , and consume them ; which had it pleased him to doe on this occasion , the rest of the samaritans , by what this village suffered , must have been evidently convinced by demonstration from heaven , of god's displeasure against their way of worship , and of the truth of that messiah and his doctrine , who procured this vengeance to be executed upon them ; whereas the persecutions of the church , because they minister no conviction to the conscience , serve onely to harden mens hearts and imbitter their spirits against those who use them , and to induce them more firmly to believe that such a barbarous religion cannot be of god. from these three observations it is evident that whatsoever may be pleaded by the church of rome to justifie her practice in burning , massacring , extirpating of hereticks and schismaticks , might with advantage have been pleaded here : doth she practise her severities out of a zeal for truth , and for the honor of god and christ , and of the true religion , and for the reclaiming hereticks and schismaticks , and the preventing or terrifying others from adhering to them or being deluded by them ; upon all these accounts you see that the disciples had far greater cause to call for fire from heaven upon this village of samaria . and yet our saviour , under these circumstances , thinks fit to rebuke even the desires of doing this to one small village ; how then will he rebuke the actual performance of it to many hundred thousand souls , after his solemn declaration of the repugnancie of these proceedings to the design of his most blessed advent , and to the spirit of his gospel ? for the true reasons why christ rebuked his disciples for their desire of dealing thus severely with these schismatical and heretical samaritans were these . . because this spirit of severity towards erronious persons , in whomsoever it is found , is highly opposite to the calm temper of christianity , as is insinuated in that reply of christ to his disciples , ye know not what spirit ye are of , that is , ye do not well consider under what way of dispensation ye are placed by me . the way i come to teach men , the temper , disposition and affection i would fix within them , is not a furious , persecuting and destructive spirit , but mild , and gentle , and tender of the lives and interests of men , even of those who are our greatest enemies . under the old testament , indeed , they who rejected and scoffed at a prophet , suffered severely for it , the prophet had commission to call for fire from heaven to devour them presently , curse them in the name of the lord , kings . . but they who reject and crucifie christ are by him pray'd for , and are , by his command , to be still preached to , and , if possible , brought to repentance , and according to this example , so are all christians to conform themselves , acting towards contemners of their persons , or rejectors of their doctrine , not according to the legal , but the evangelical dispensation ; not according to the severity of elias , but the meekness and gentleness of christ. and therefore your desire of proceeding according to the extraordinary spirit of elias , under the gospel dispensation , is intolerable ; for that designs universal love , peace and good-will even to enemies , it doth engage us to shew all meekness to all men , and so no difference of religion , no pretence of zeal for god , can justifie this fierce , vindictive and exterminating spirit . our saviour's second reason against this proceeding is , that it was repugnant to the end for which he came into the world , which was , not to destroy mens lives , but to save them : he came to discountenance all fierceness , and rage , and cruelty in men one towards another , to restrain and subdue that furious and unpeaceable spirit which is so troublesome to the world , and the cause of so many mischiefs and disorders in it , to beget a peaceable disposition in men of the most distant tempers , making the lamb and wolf lie down together , and no more to destroy and hurt each other , but turn their swords into plowshares , and their spears into pruning-hooks ; engaging them to lay aside all bitterness and wrath , anger and clamor , and evil-speaking , with all malice . he came to introduce that excellent religion which consuits not onely the eternal salvation of mens souls , but their temporal peace and security , their comfort and happiness in this world : whose fruits are righteousness and peace , rom. . . love , peace , longsuffering , gentleness , goodness and meekness , gal. . , . whose wisedom is pure and peaceable , gentle , and easie to be intreated , full of mercy and good works , jam. . . and which commands the wise and knowing man to shew forth out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisedom , ver . . condemning all his bitter zeal as earthly , sensual and devilish , ver . , . which suffers not the servant of the lord to be engaged in foolish questions which beget strife , because that the disciple of this mild and gentle saviour must not fight , but must be gentle towards all men , patient , in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves against the truth , though their doctrine spread as a gangreen , and overthrow the faith of some , tim. . , , - , . not dispatching them out of the way , as is the manner of the romanist , but with longsuffering expecting if god peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledgment of the truth : which teacheth us to bear the infirmities of persons weak in faith , rom. c. . v. . to restore them in the spirit of meekness , gal. . . to become as weak to the weak , that we may gain the weak , cor. . . to bear with the weak , and be long suffering to all men , thess. . . to speak evil of no man , to be no fighters , but meek , shewing all gentleness towards all men , and that upon this sole account , that we our selves were sometimes foolish and deceived , tit. . , . now both these reasons are such as equally concern all persons , magistrates as well as ministers , men who thus persecute out of mis-guided zeal towards god , as well as they who doe it out of envy , hatred , and such carnal principles . and they seem plainly to infer , that no man should be persecuted , as in the church of rome men are , purely for his mistake concerning , or his denial of any article of faith revealed by the gospel , but onely for seditious and treasonable doctrines , or for such crimes as , had the gospel never been revealed , might justly have been punished by the civil magistrate , or for seducing others from the truth , when by the magistrate they are forbidden so to doe , or propagating and divulging their pernicious errors to the disturbance of the civil peace . § . ii. . against this barbarous deportment towards our fellow christians it may be farther argued from the example of our saviour and the deportment of his blessed apostles . for , . our saviour's miracles were not destructive to mankind , but beneficial to them , whereas he could , and , had he been of the same judgment with the church of rome , he should have exercised his power to the destruction of those false prophets who deceived many , matt. . . and of those scribes and pharisees who did so vigorously oppose the propagation of the gospel , and who ascribed his power of working miracles to beelzebub , and by so doing became guilty of the impardonable sin. for what can be pretended for the exercise of this severity at present , which might not with advantage have been then pretended ? what can be said for doing this by humane power , which might not have been said more plausibly for doing it by divine power ? will you say the scribes and pharisees did ignorantly oppose the gospel , and therefore by our lord's example are to be forgiven , that they were objects of god's mercy , because they did it ignorantly in unbelief , as well as paul ? no doubt their ignorance was as gross as that which they can reasonably object to us whom they call hereticks , and therefore the example of our saviour's prayer , father forgive them , they know not what they doe , and of god's mercy to saint paul , more strongly plead for mercy towards them , whom without mercy they destroy . were not those blind guides , who led their followers into the pit , who made their proselytes ten times more the children of satan than themselves , who neither would enter into the kingdom of god , nor suffer other men to enter , as fit objects of our lord's displeasure , as was huss , and jerome of prague , archbishop cranmer , latimer and ridley , of the displeasure of the church of rome ? was not the execution of death from heaven upon these violent opposers of the truth as likely to convert the jew or terrifie the enemies of the gospel , as is the burning , massacring , tormenting of the hereticks , to fright them from their heresies ? might not our lord as well have called for his twelve legions of angels to destroy the scribes and pharisees , as his pretended vicar gathers his crusado's to destroy the hereticks ? and might he not more plausibly have pleaded zeal for god and for religion in his case , than doth the church of rome in hers ? but , notwithstanding all these provocations and specious pretensions , our lord , intending that his religion should be propagated in humane ways , and that men should be drawn to the profession of it by the bands of love , and the cords of a man , by the gentle and peaceable methods of reason and persuasion , gave no example of a furious zeal and religious rage against those who despised his doctrine . it seemed good to the author of this institution to compell no man to it by temporal punishments , when he went about making proselytes he offered violence to no man , onely said , if any man will be my disciple , if any man will come after me . and when his disciples were leaving him , he does not set up an inquisition to torture and punish them for their defection from the faith , onely says , will ye also go away ? § . iii. but to proceed to the example and deportment of those apostles by whom the gospel was first propagated , let us consider , . that in their daies the hereticks were as pernicious , the false prophets and deceivers as dangerous , and so as fit to be cut off , as were the hereticks , who have , and do thus suffer in the church of rome . our saviour did foretell that they would deceive many , and , if it were possible , even the elect . st. paul , that grievous wolves should enter into the church , not sparing the flock ; that men should speak perverse things , to draw away disciples after them ; that in the latter times some should depart from the faith , giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons , speaking lyes in hypocrisie , &c. st. peter , that there should be false prophets among them who should bring in damnable heresies , even denying the lord that bought them , by reason of whom the way of truth should be evil spoken of : they declared concerning these deceivers , that by good words and fair speeches they deceived the hearts of the simple ; that they bewitched them , that they should not obey the truth ; that they made them fall from grace , and rendred christ unprofitable to them ; that their doctrine did spread as a gangreen , and overthrow the faith of some ; that they subverted whole houses , teaching things which they ought not , particularly , that jezabel , calling her self a prophetess , did pervert christ's servants , and teach them to commit whoredom , and eat things offered to idols ; that by means of these false teachers , and corrupters of the truth , some had already swerved from the faith , turning aside to vain janglings , some had made shipwreck of the faith , and that they were in doubt of others ; that they were jealous over them with a godly jealousie , and feared lest as the serpent beguiled eve through his subtilty , so their minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in christ. so that you see , they had great reason to doe themselves , and to advise the rulers of the church , civil and sacred , in future generations , to doe all that was proper and fitting to be done by christians for the rooting up of these tares , and the delivering the flock of christ from their pernicious delusions . . consider that the disciples of our lord could have confounded all these hereticks , false prophets and deceivers , and by a word have sentenced them to death , as peter in the case of ananias and saphira did , had they conceived this method of proceeding sutable to the mind of god , the rules of their profession , and tending to the edification of the church . for they were furnished with a power of working miracles , the weapons of their warfare were not carnal , but mighty through god , to the pulling down of strong holds , and casting down every thing that exalted it self against the knowledge of christ , and to revenge all disobedience against him : they had a power given them by christ , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to use severity , provided that it were for edification , and not for destruction , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to take away , or , to cut off the wicked person from among them by the spiritual sword ; the kingdom of god preached by them was not in word onely , but in power , they had a rod for the chastisement of those refractory persons on whom the spirit of meekness could not prevail , and they could give men up to satan for the destruction of the flesh ; but yet we never find that they did use their power to inflict death upon the heretick or the deceiver , or that the power of the lord , which did attend upon their censures , ever did thus operate . but on the contrary , the fathers note that the apostle setteth bounds to the chastisement of the devil , permitting him to afflict the body of the wicked person , or the heretick , with a disease , or boil , but not to take away his life , as in the case of job . . consider , that these apostles , knowing by the spirit , that the christian faith would certainly prevail , and after a few centuries would have the favor and the protection of the civil magistrate , could , had they thought it meet , have left , in those most sacred books which they composed to be a rule of faith and manners to all future ages , some directions to the civil magistrate for dealing with the heretick agreeable to the decrees of roman councils ; for it is not to be supposed that they either wanted zeal for that religion which they promoted with the loss of life , and all things in this world desireable , to prompt them so to doe , or that they wanted wisedom to know what was the best and truest method of promoting or of preserving that religion which they had preach'd throughout the world. . consider that the apostles shewed their care and zeal for preservation of the church from the pernicious doctrines and delusions of these false teachers , by all other ways which they judged proper for this end. for , . we find in their epistles frequent exhortations to the christian to (a) stand fast in the faith , to (b) hold fast the profession of the faith without wavering , to (c) hold fast the form of sound words , to (d) hold fast the faithfull word as they had been taught , against all opposers , to (e) be stedfast in the faith , to (f) contend earnestly for the faith , and to build up our selves in our most holy faith , and that because of certain men crept in among them who turned the grace of god into lasciviousness ; to (g) continue in the faith , and in (h) the word of christ , and (i) in the things which they had learnt . . they gave all christians notice of these false teachers and deceivers that they might avoid them , and beware of their delusions . beware of false prophets saith our saviour , by their works you shall know them , matth. . . see to it , saith he , i have told you of them , mark . . mark them , and avoid them , saith saint paul , who cause divisions and offences , contrary to the doctrine which you have received , rom. c. . v. . beware of dogs , beware of evil workers , beware of the concision , saith the same apostle , phil. . . turn away from them , tim. . . beware lest , being led away by the error of the wicked , you fall from your own stedfastness , saith peter , pet. . . . they frequently exhort the rulers of the church to take heed to their flocks , and to be watchfull to preserve them from these wolves , act. . , . to stop their mouths , and to rebuke them sharply , tit. . , . to reject , and to turn from them , tim. . . tit. . v. . and our lord , christ himself , rebukes the church of thyatira , for suffering jezabel to seduce his servants . . they sometimes did deliver up to satan those who made shipwreck of the faith , and who had overthrown the faith of some , as in the case of hymeneus and alexander , tim. . , . they declare that they were ready to revenge the disobedience of the seducers of the church of corinth , cor. . . they wished them cut off who troubled the church , as in the case of the galathians , gal. . . and that god would reward them according to their works , as in the case of alexander , tim. . . and yet , though in another instance , and for another crime , they once inflicted death upon two members of the church , yet did they never doe it in the case of heresie , but on the contrary , they declared their power was given not for destruction , but edification . . consider that their miraculous proceedings against hereticks , had they thought fit to act after the manner of the church of rome , must have been more convincing to the remaining hereticks , and more effectual to preserve others from the infection of their heresie , and for all other pious ends , than humane punishments can be supposed to be , they being demonstrations from heaven of the falshood of the doctrine of the heretick , and the displeasure of the lord against it , they being done , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by the power of the lord , confirming the sentence of these church governors , must be a confirmation of the justice of that sentence . whereas the proceedings of the church of rome can have no such effects , but rather tend to harden persons in their supposed heresie , and shew that they of rome distrust the merits of that cause which cannot be maintained by any other arguments but fire and faggot , swords and inquisitions . that therefore the apostles declined this method of proceeding , that they gave no instructions to future ages to deal with hereticks in such a bloudy manner , is a convincing demonstration , that they conceived such actions were repugnant to christianity , and to that doctrine which they preach'd . and truly , if christianity can be contradicted , it is most palpably and grosly done by those men , who , instead of shewing all meekness towards all men , though foolish and deceived , do by inhumane cruelties and persecutions , by barbarous inquisitions , bloudy massacres , endeavor to extirpate all that differ from them ; who , instead of instructing in meekness those that oppose themselves , if god peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledgment of the truth , convert them with fire and faggot , and render it impossible for them to repent ; who , instead of chastising the flesh , that the soul may be saved in the day of the lord jesus , and laboring to recover them out of the snare of satan , give them up quick into his hands , their bishops being not ashamed to say at the condemnation of an heretick , jam committimus animam tuam diabolo , we commit thy soul to the devil . § . iv. besides these , other reasons have been used by our divines against this kind of persecution , and putting hereticks to death , which , though they seem not to me so convincing as the former arguments , yet were they used by the ancient fathers to that very purpose for which they were produced by our writers , and so deserve to be insisted on , at least to shew the full agreement of the ancient fathers with us in this point . and , . they plead our lord's command , who saith to his servants , gather not the tares by themselves , but let them both grow together till the harvest ; where the enquiry will be , first , what is meant by tares , or , the children of the wicked one ; whether persons wicked onely in re practica , or vitious in their lives , or men criminal or faulty in re intellectuali , perverse in judgment , and reprobate concerning the faith , for one or other of these two must be meant , but the former cannot be meant , because it would destroy all bodies politick , which cannot consist without laws , nor laws without compulsion and the power of the sword ; so that if criminals were to be let alone till the day of judgment , bodies politick must stand or fall at the pleasure of wicked men , and nothing good could be protected , not innocence it self ; nothing could be secure but violence and tyranny ; it follows then that the persons whom christians are forbidden here to root out of the field , must be men faulty in another kind , in which the gospel had not in other places clearly established a compulsory power of this nature : since therefore in actions practically criminal , a power of the sword is permitted here , where it is denyed , the crime must be not in things practically criminal , but intellectual , that is , in matters properly heretical . and this interpretation is confirmed by the reason of the prohibition , which is this , lest we also pull up the wheat with them , that is , lest we by our mistake destroy those persons , who , notwithstanding their ignorance or error in some unnecessary points of faith , may be good men ; we being not so able to discern whether they erre through obstinacy or perversness , or onely through ignorance or weakness , as we are to discern the outward actions of the vitious person , which deserve to be punished . secondly , for explication of this precept , it will be necessary to enquire , what it is to gather up these tares ; now christ himself informs us , that it is the same to gather up , and to root the tares out of the field , in which the enemy had sown them , that field is , saith our saviour , the world , and therefore to root these tares out of this field , is to destroy them out of the world. the prohibition therefore lies against the use of the temporal sword in cutting off these persons . accordingly saint chrysostom concludes , that hereticks are not to be cut off . theophylact upon the place declares , that god permits not hereticks to be consumed by wars , lest the just should perish with them . the observation of st. austin on the place is this , that our lord , speaking to his servants , saith not , in the time of the harvest i will say to you ; but i will say to the reapers , whence , saith he , we may learn that the work of gathering the tares to burn , belongs to other ministers , and that no son of the church ought to conceive that office doth belong to him . when the servant sees so many falsities of heresies , he may have a desire , saith he , that such men should be taken out of the world , but then he consults the justice of god , whether he commands , or permits , or would have this to be the duty of men . hence the servants say , wilt thou that we gather up the tares ? to whom he , who is truth it self answers , that such men are not to be taken out of the world , lest whilest men endeavor to kill the bad , they also kill the good , or such as perhaps would be such . but this will commodiously be done when , at the end of the world , there remains no more time for change of life : and perhaps , saith he , therefore the wheat is rooted up with them when the tares are taken away , because many are first tares , and afterwards wheat , who , unless they are patiently born with when they are bad , come not to a laudable change ; and therefore , if they be plucked up , the wheat will be plucked up with them , because they would have been such had they been spared . euthymius , on the place saith , that by the harvest our lord understands the end of the world , and therefore commands his servants that they should suffer the hereticks to live with them , non ablatos quidem , sed separatos , though separated from them , it being likely that before that time many of them may be converted . . it is urged by our divines that when our saviour went about to make proselytes , he offerd violence to no man , onely he said , if any man will be my disciple , if any man will come to me ; and that when his disciples were leaving him he did not set up an inquisition to torture them for their defection from the faith , onely said , will ye also go away ? and the same argument is twice produced by saint athanasius against the persecuting arians , the devil , saith he , because he hath no truth in him , invades the dores of them who receive him with an ax and hatchet , our saviour on the contrary is mild , and saith , if any man will follow me , and be my disciple ; and when he comes to any one , he doth not offer violence , but onely knocks , and saith , open , my sister , my spouse . and if they open , he enters , if not , he departs , for truth is not to be preached with the sword and military preparation , but by counsel and persuasion . and again , our lord himself not offering violence , but giving place to humane choice , said to all , if any man will come after me ; and to his disciples , will ye also go away ? this heresie therefore , which is perfectly repugnant to piety , what should it doe , but that which is contrary to our saviour ? § . v. the reasons against this deportment towards hereticks are also very cogent , but they are so incomparably managed by dr. taylor , in his immortal book styled the liberty of prophesying , that 't is not easie to add any thing of moment to them . i therefore onely shall take notice of one passage in him , viz. that it is one of the glorys of christianity , that it came in upon the world with no other force but that of reason and demonstration of the spirit ; that towards the persons of men 't was alwaies full of meekness , charity , compliance , toleration , condescension and forbearance , restoring persons overtaken with an error in the spirit of meekness : now things are best preserved by that which gives them their first being , and which agrees best with their temper and constitution , and it would be a mighty disparagement to so glorious an institution , that in its principle it should be mercifull and humane , and in the propagation of it so inhumane , and it would be improbable and unreasonable , that the sword should be used in the persuasion of one proposition , and yet in the persuasion of the whole nothing like it : to doe so may serve the end of a temporal prince , but never promote the honour of christ's kingdom . § . vi. moreover , this bloudy , persecuting temper , as it is contrary to scripture , so also doth it flattly contradict the principles and practice of the ancient church , and of the primitive professors of the christian faith ; it is repugnant to many principles which then obtained amongst christians . for instance ; . it was a principle which generally obtained among christians till the days of constantine , and afterwards continued to be maintained by many fathers of the church , viz. that men were to be left to their freedom in matters of religion , and not to be compell'd by outward punishments to the profession of it . (a) this , saith tertullian , is the natural right of all men , to worship what they think fit . it is no business of religion to compell men to religion ; for that , saith he , must be embraced willingly , and not of force . consider , saith the same tertullian , whether this do not add to your irreligion , to forbid the freedom of religion , and interdict the choice of a deity , that i may not worship whom i will , but must be compell'd to worship whom i would not . (b) who may impose upon me , saith lactantius , a necessity either of worshipping what i would not , or of not worshipping what i would ? what have we farther left , if another lust may extort from us that which ought to be done freely ? there is here no need of force or injury , saith he , for religion cannot be compell'd , you must use words , not stripes to make men willing . why therefore are men cruel ? that whilst they do endeavor to diminish , they may augment their folly ? torments and piety extreamly differ , nor can religion consist with force , or justice be conjoin'd with cruelty . for nothing is so voluntary as religion , in which , if the mind of the sacrificer be averse , the religion is lost , and is none at all . the epistles of the arians , saith hilary , (c) what do they doe , but deprecate the liberty of faith , and beg for bonds , and prisons , and tribunals , and all that is pernicious ; whereas god rather taught , than exacted the knowledge of himself , and ascertaining the authority of his commands by works of power , despised all compell'd confession of himself . if such force should be used to compel your faith , ( saith he to the arians ) the episcopal doctrine would oppose it , and would say , god is the god of the whole world , he needs no compell'd obedience , nor requires any such confession of him ; he is not to be deceived , but well-pleased . god is to be sought with simplicity , learnt by confession , loved by charity , worshipp'd by fear , retained by probity of will ; whence is it ( therefore ) that priests are compell'd by bands , and commanded by punishments to fear god ? that they are imprisoned , &c. therefore do ye labor and rule the commonwealth with salutary councils , saith he to the emperor , that all under your government may enjoy the sweetest liberty , there is no other way to compose our troubles ; let ( then ) thy lenity permit the people to hear them teaching whom they would hear , whom they think meet , whom they chuse . . they also thought it an indecent and unworthy thing to call in the secular arm for the assistence of religion , and for the punishment of errors in religion , or assronts offered by them to the deity . saint hilary , in his book against auxentius of milan , represents them who did this , not as the bishops of christ , but the servants of antichrist . and (d) first , saith he , we ought to pity the labor of our age , and groan at the fond opinions of the present times , in which men think to defend god by men , and labor to preserve the church of christ by secular ambition . i beseech you bishops , who conceive your selves to be so , what suffrages did the apostles use in preaching of the gospel ? and by what powers were they assisted when , preaching christ , they converted the heathen world from idols to god ? did they assume to themselves any authority from the palace , when they sang hymns to god in prison ? did paul gather a church to christ by the king's edict , who was himself a spectacle in the theatre ? did he defend himself by the protection of nero , or vespasian , by whose hatred against us the preaching of our faith then flourished ? but now , which is to be lamented , earthly suffrages commend divine faith , and christ is represented as destitute of his power , whilst the favor of men is purchased in his cause . the church terrifies by exiles and prisons ; she compells belief , which was believed in exiles and prisons ; she which was consecrated by the terror of persecutors , depends upon the favor of them who communicate with her ; she puts to flight priests , which was propagated by priests put to flight ; she glories that she is beloved by the world , which could not be the church of christ , if the world did not hate her . the plea of heathens for their cruelty against the christians was to this effect , that they did punish christians , to revenge the injuries done by their faith and doctrines to their gods. this , say the ancient fathers , is a ridiculous and absurd method of proceeding , and you ought rather to leave the sacrilegious and impious transgressors of their laws to the vengeance of your gods . for , (e) if your deities have any power , saith st. cyprian , let them rise up , and vindicate themselves , and by their majesty defend themselves ; for what can they doe for those that worship them , who cannot vindicate themselves from those who do not worship them ? (f) is it so , saith arnobius , that the gods desire the protection of men ? are they not able without your asserting of their cause to defend themselves , and to repell the calumnies of us christians ? (g) when the heathens punish the sacrilegious , saith lactantius , they distrust the power of their gods , for if they think they can doe any thing , why do they not leave them to execute their own vengeance on such persons ? . another principle , though not so generally embraced , yet taught by many eminent assertors of the christian faith , was fundamentally repugnant to this cruel butchery , viz. that their religion did not permit them to kill , or , even to behold the shedding humane bloud . it was objected to them by the heathens , that in their meetings they murthered little children , and did feast upon their flesh and bloud . this , say the fathers , is a thing impossible , because the christian faith doth not allow of murther , or shedding humane bloud . (h) we are so far from killing men , saith minucius , that 't is not lawfull for us to behold manslaughter . (i) can any man , saith athenagoras , object to them that they kill men , who , as they know , dare not see a person justly slain ? it is in no case lawfull to destroy men , saith (k) lactantius , or to be present where they suffer , lest the bloud stain the conscience ; there is no exception from this precept , for it is alwaies a wickedness to kill that man whom god hath made sacred . a just man therefore will accuse no man of a capital crime , it being all one to kill men with our words or with our swords : the servant of the lord , saith (l) tertullian , may not judge in capital causes , he may not condemn as a judge or a law-maker ; he may bind , imprison , torture no man. will he , who doth not revenge his own injuries , inflict on others bonds , prisons , torments , punishments ? if christian religion , saith (m) origen , had received its rise from sedition , as celsus saith , surely their legislator would not have forbid them to kill men , teaching , that action was unjust which his disciples did attempt upon the most wicked person , mat. . . for he conceived it unbecoming his divine laws , any way to yield to the death of a man , nor would the christians , had they had their beginning from sedition , admitted such mild laws as give them up to be slain like sheep , and will not suffer them to help themselves against their persecutors , or to repell injuries . let then our adversaries judge whether these principles can be consistent with the doctrines of their general councils , and with their practice of burning and destroying all whom they call hereticks , and binding christian magistrates to doe so ? whether these fathers do not expresly teach , that their proceedings against hereticks are irreligious , inconsistent with religion and justice , opposite to the episcopal doctrine , ridiculous , absurd , and matters of just lamentation ? whether they do not say , that their severity in this kind is a conviction of their folly , and that they , by promoting it , do act not like christ's bishops , but the servants of antichrist ? whether they who thought that men were to be left to their freedom in matters of religion , and not to be compell'd by corporal punishments to the profession of it , would have approved of the compulsory decrees of roman councils ? whether they , who thought it unworthy of the christian to call the secular arm to their assistence , were of their religion , who by oaths and excommunications , and other grievous penalties , oblige the magistrate to persecute ? whether they , who thought it utterly unlawfull to shed humane bloud , believed that christianity allowed the murthering of hereticks , or could approve those sanguinary laws which they have executed throughout all regions of the world , where their religion hath prevailed , destroying many hundred thousand souls onely for keeping a good conscience ? § , vii . moreover this method of exterminating hereticks is condemn'd expresly by the holy fathers , and represented as a practice fit onely for the heathen and the heretick , but most unworthy of any orthodox professor of christianity . we may hate them that hate god , saith the (n) interpolator of ignatius , but we must not beat or persecute them , as doe the gentiles which know not god. we must separate from them , and admonish them , if haply they will hear and rest satisfied , for our god is a lover of mankind , and would have all men to be saved , and come to the knowledge of the truth ; on which account he causeth his sun to rise upon the evil and the good , and rains upon the just and the unjust ; and , being desirous that we should imitate this his goodness , he saith , be you perfect as your heavenly father is perfect : this is there spoken concerning schismaticks , false preachers , men of false opinions , foxes , and corruptors of the vine , and therefore certainly of hereticks . (o) lactantius saith thus , religion is to be defended , not by killing , but by dying for it , not by cruelty , but by patience so good men do defend it : but wicked men , by cruelty and murther . if you go about , saith he , to defend religion by bloud and torments , you do not defend , but pollute and violate it . ; the holy synod of alexandria , consisting of the bishops of aegypt , thebes , lybia , and pentapolis , laments the practice of the arians , who had directed an accusatory epistle to the emperors , which stirr'd them up to inflict death , or at the least banishment , upon athanasius , (p) this , say they , is just matter of lamentation , these being works so averse from bishops , who should teach others the way of justice , that even the meanest christians , and scarcely heathens , would be guilty of them ; and this the conscience of you catholick bishops throughout the world , to whom we write , very well knows . athanasius , having declared how the arians spake thus to constantius the emperor , (q) thou seest how all men desert us , few remaining , therefore begin a persecution , that we be not deserted by those few : and speaking of the influence this persecution had upon some fearfull bishops , saith thus , if it were unbecoming bishops to change their opinion out of fear , yet was it far worse for them to compell men unwillingly to change their judgments , and an evidence that they distrusted their own cause ; this , saith he , is to act like the devil , and unlike our saviour , who never used force , but persuasion onely , for the truth must not be taught by swords , and weapons , and souldiers ; but by persuasion and consultation : now what persuasion is there where there is fear of the king ? what consultation , where he that contradicts must suffer banishment or death ? — by this compulsion it appears , saith he , that their wisedom is not according to god , but meerly humane : as for other (r) heresies , saith he , they being convinced by demonstrations , are silent , and doe nothing but blush at their conviction ; but this new and execrable heresie of the arians , when it is overthrown by reason , when by truth it is put to shame , it endeavors to draw them by force , stripes and imprisonments , whom it could not persuade by words , and so doth manifest it self to be nothing less than pious , for it is the property of true religion not to compell , but to persuade , as we have said already ; — for our lord himself , not offering violence , but giving place to humane choice , said to all , if any man will come after me ; and to his disciples , will ye also go away ? this heresie therefore which is perfectly repugnant to piety , what should it doe but that which is contrary to our saviour ? there are some things for which we must fight valiantly , saith (s) gregory nazianzen , viz. with reasons , not with arms , for to lift up our hands against them ( that is , against hereticks ) is wholly contrary to our profession , and must be left to them who hate us . saint chrysostom , in his exposition of the parable of the tares , speaks thus , (t) wherefore doth christ introduce his servants saying , wilt thou that we pluck up the tares ? his answer is , that he might tell them that it was unlawfull to cut them off . they permit not themselves , saith he , to doe this , but they expect the sentence of their lord , saying , wilt thou have it done ? now he forbids them , saying , lest you root up the wheat together with them ; and this he said forbidding wars and bloud and slaughters to be made ; for 't is not lawfull to cut off the heretick , though he is like to bring an irreconcileable war upon earth . again , by these words , lest you root up , he either saith , that if you go about to wage war , and stay the heretick , it will necessarily happen that you will destroy many of the saints with them , or that it may so happen that many of the tares may be converted , and become wheat ; if therefore you prevent their being so , by rooting them up , you prejudice the future wheat , by taking them away , who may be changed and become better . christ here forbids us not to stop their mouths , restrain and hinder their boldness of discourse , dissolve their synods and confederacies , but he forbids us to kill , and cut them off . in his homily against anathema's he permits us to (v) anathematize the heresie , but commands ut by all means to spare the heretick ; if , saith he , the man remain contentious , and will not be reclaim'd , do thou onely testifie against him with long-suffering and goodness , that thy judge require not his life at thy hand , hate him not , persecute him not . saint austin vehemently condemns the inflicting capital punishments upon hereticks , and saith that all good christians did agree with him in that matter . for when cresconius had objected to the orthodox , that they were instrumental to procure the death of three donatists , st. austin answers , that (x) no good man in the catholick church allowed the punishing of hereticks with death , and if the lust of revenge in any person doth render evil for evil , we do not approve of them , though their punishments be much less than death ; much more do we detest the robbing any of their private goods , or taking away what belongs to them , though this be done for the procuring unity : all these things displease good men , they forbid , they hinder them as much as they can , judging them not laudable , but damnable . in his book de fide & operibus he complains , that , (y) some considering the precepts of severity by which we are commanded to correct the unquiet , to look upon the contemner of the church as an heathen , to seperate the scandalizing member from the body , do so disturb the churche's peace , that they endeavor , before the time , to pluck up the tares , and , being blinded with this error , are rather seperated themselves from the unity of christ. besides these passages , he hath four several epistles writ upon this very subject , viz. the th to donatus , proconsul of africa ; the th , th , to marcellinus the tribune ; the th to apringius ; in which we may observe , . the thing which he most earnestly requests , viz. (z) that the hereticks may not be kill'd , that they may be so corrected as not to be cut off , ep. . that they may not be punished with death , ep. . that the sword of justice might not shed their bloud , ep. . . observe the importunity with which he urgeth his request , desiring , admonishing , interceding , ep. . yea , (a) beseeching them by the name of christ , not to inflict this punishment upon them , epist. . and by the mercies of christ jesus , that they would neither doe it , nor permit it to be done , ep. , . declaring his great solicitude for the prevention of it , epist. . and professing that the orthodox had rather dye themselves , than that this punishment should be inflicted on the heretick . . observe the persons for whom he thus pathetically intercedes , viz. the circumcellians , who cruelly had shed the bloud of catholicks , and had confess'd , before these very magistrates , that they had killed (b) restitutus , a catholick presbyter ; put out the eye , and cut off the finger of innocentius , another presbyter , epist. , . they therefore had deserved death as murtherers , if not as hereticks . . observe the reasons which moved him and others to be thus importunate , and with such passion to entreat these hereticks might not be punished with death , viz. . (c) that they might not seem to be forgetfull of christ's command , to love their enemies and to pray for them , ep. . . (d) because this was that mildness which became catholicks , and which the rules of christianity required from them , commanding them not onely to be gentle , but to make known their lenity to all , epist. , . . (e) because the person who inflicts , and the church which permits these punishments to be inflicted , would both have cause to fear the judgments of god for this cruelty . . (f) because it was against their conscience to allow of such deportment towards these men , ep. , . . (g) because they desired that these hereticks and schismaticks might not inevitably perish , but might have time to repent of their sins , epist. . . (h) because this harsh proceeding would deter the catholicks from seeking the protection of the magistrate against such men , epist. . . (i) because the contrary mildness was expedient for the catholick church , and the cause which they pleaded was the cause of the church , which they could not desert , ep. , . lastly , (k) because the passions of the servants of god would be polluted and dishonoured by the bloud of their enemies , epist. , . and this he tells us was the judgment of a whole council of his brethren , this was obtained by the complaints of many other bishops upon occasion of the murther of maximianus , bishop of vaga , that the cruelty of the donatists should be punished , (l) but not with capital punishment , that christian meekness might be preserved even towards the unworthy . if then the fathers do assert that it is heathenish to beat and persecute the heretick , that it is that which heathens scarce would doe . that onely wicked men defend religion by cruelty and torments ; and that this way of defending it ought to be left to them . that they who do endeavor to defend it by bloud and torments , do pollute and violate it . that it is averse from bishops and from all orthodox and pious christians to stir up christian emperors to inflict banishment and death on a religious account , and , contrary to our profession , to lift up the hand against the heretick . that it was worse to compell men unwillingly to change their judgments , than for others out of fear to doe it . that this is diabolical , unlike our saviour , and an evidence that they who doe so , distrust their own cause ; and that their wisedom is not according to god , but meerly humane . that it is contrary to religion , and to our blessed saviour . that 't is unlawfull to cut off the heretick , though he be likely to bring an irreconcileable war upon the earth . that christ himself forbids it , and that to doe it is to be unmindfull of his precepts and of the rules of christian faith. that they who doe so may expect their judge should require their lives at their hands , and should inflict his judgments on them , and on that church which doth permit it . that no good catholick allowed the punishment of hereticks with death or deprivation of their goods , or with punishments much less than death . that these things were not laudable but damnable ; and that it was against their conscience to approve of them . that they who act thus against hereticks are disturbers of the churches peace , and separate themselves from the vnity of the church . lastly , that they had rather dye themselves , than hereticks should be slain . i say , they who assert these things sufficiently condemn the church of rome , the practice of that church , and the decrees of her most general councils in this point . § . viii . moreover this severity was as repugnant to the practice of the ancient church as to the principles of her renowned doctors . for we do not desire , saith (n) lactantius , that any man should worship our god against his will , and if he doth not doe it , we are not angry ; we retain no man against his will in our profession ; for he who wants faith and devotion is unprofitable to god. the synod of (o) alexandria expresly saith , that bands and slaughters were things repugnant to their church ; that athanasius never delivered up any one to the tormentor ; that the prison was never troubled with any one sent thither by him ; our priesthood , say they , or , our administration of things sacred , as it hath alwaies been , so is it now , pure , and sanctified by no other bloud but that of jesus . and therefore when cresconius , the grammarian , had objected to the orthodox the death of three donatists , st. austin answers , that no good men in the catholick church allowed of the punishing hereticks with death ; that they forbad and restrained it as much as they were able . (p) sulpitius severus doth inform us , that when the hereste of the priscillians sprang up , idacius and ithacius , thinking this evil might be suppressed in the first rise , went unadvisedly to the civil judges , desiring them to decree that the hereticks might be expelled the cities . that when maximus came to be emperor , idacius and ithacius applied themselves to him against the priscillians , on which account , saith sulpitius , the accusors displease me as much as the guilty . moreover he informs us that saint martin , a man , saith he , to be compared to the apostles , reproved ithacius , advised him to desist from his accusation , and desired maximus the emperor to abstain from the bloud of the hereticks , declaring , that it was sufficient , n. b. that being judged hereticks by the spiritual sentence , they should be expell'd their churches , and that it was a new and unheard-of wickedness , that a secular judge should determine of the cause of the church , and that he obtained a promise from maximus , that nothing bloudy should be done against them . that afterwards the emperor decreed , that priscillian and his companions should suffer capital punishments , and that accordingly they did thus suffer , and so , saith he , men not worthy to live , by a most vile example , were either kill'd or exiled . he also doth inform us , that ithacius , having procured this wickedness , vainly withdrew himself from the tryal of these men . in his third (q) dialogue he informs us , that after the death of priscillian , maximus the emperor , a man otherwise good , being led aside by the counsells of some bishops , did by his kingly power defend ithacius and his companions from being accused for this crime . and that some bishops were met at treves , who , by communicating daily with ithacius , had made his cause their own , and had obtained of the emperor a decree to send some tribunes armed with the sovereign power , into spain , to enquire after the hereticks , and to deprive them both of life and goods ; that saint martin labored with great care to prevent the mission of these tribunes into spain , with the power of the sword , as being piously solicitous not onely to preserve the christians , but even the hereticks also from death , and that , to accomplish this work , ▪ he for a while consented to embrace the communion of ithacius , and his party ; that afterwards the good man was troubled that he had communicated with them , and that an angel appeared to him , and told him he had just cause to be sorry for what he had done , and that he should repair his vertue , and reassume his constancy , lest he incurr'd the loss not onely of his honor , but salvation , and that from that time saint martin would never any more communicate with the ithacian party . * baronius confesseth that pope syricius did also refuse communion with ithacius and his party upon this account , and wrote letters against them . saint (r) ambrose also saith , that he abstained from the communion of those who desired the death of hereticks . the (s) french bishops also refused communion with felix , as being made a bishop by them , and the council of turin gives leave to any so to doe . * binius confesseth that theognostus , and other bishops of the (t) catholick communion did excommunicate ithacius with his companions on this account , — as sanguinary , bloudy , and unworthy of the priesthood . (v) baronius and spondanus treating of this example , ingeniously confess , that not one of the holy fathers did allow , that ecclesiastical persons should procure the punishment of hereticks with death , or move the civil magistrate to doe it ; but that they vehemently dehorted them from it ; and therefore they excuse the practice of their church , their pope , bishops and councils , by telling us that (x) in the catholick church it is the custom , that when any one desireth the assistence of the civil magistrate against hereticks , that he may not seem to be a follower of the ithacian party , he first advisedly makes this protestation , that he so desires the correction of these incorrigible delinquents , as to intreat their bloud may not be shed . and binius adds , that (y) ithacius was condemned because he desired that hereticks might be punished with death , without the interposition of this protestation . now this is such a piece of diabolical hypocrisie as doth not in the least excuse , but highly aggravate their crime . the hypocrisie and prophanation of god's holy name , which by these writers is styled the protestation used by the catholick church , is this , when they deliver the condemned person to the civil magistrate , the bishop or inquisitor , having delivered him , speaks thus , (z) sir , we passionately desire you , for the love of god , and in regard of piety , mercy and our mediation , you would free this miserable person from all danger of death or mutilation of members ; but notwithstanding all this seeming piety and tenderness , when they have sentenced an heretick to death , they require the (a) magistrate to execute that sentence within six days , upon pain of excommunication , deprivation , and loss of authority and offices , saith the constitution of innocent the eighth ; within five days , saith the constitution of innocent the fourth ; he must presently take him into custody for that end , saith the costitution of clement the fourth . their popes have approved and confirmed the decrees of emperors , kings , dukes and other civil governors , which command them to be put to death ; they have decreed , that the punishment of hereticks shall neither be relaxed nor delayed ; that the magistrate shall execute the sentence without revising of the justice of it ; that he shall take an oath to execute it : nay , both their bishops , popes and councils , since the twelfth century , have been continually imployed in instigating others to destroy and to cut off the heretick , and raising armies of crusado's to that end ; all which is fully proved in the ensuing book . yea , their own writers do ingenuously confess , that this intercession in behalf of the condemned heretick is in the common opinion barely a color ; that it is verbal , not effectual ; for the criminal is delivered to the secular power for this very end , that he may dye . and the (b) magistrate ought to punish him . let therefore any resonable person judge , whether their practice in this kind be not most gross hypocrisie , self condemnation , and profanation of god's holy name ; and whether this will in the least excuse them from being partis ithacianae sectatores , or , followers of the example of ithacius ? § . ix . objection . but , saith the querulous dissenter , is there no other church , or person , concern'd in this example besides that of rome ? know you of no decree or edict elsewhere , ut exilio mulctarentur priscilliani ? was there never any supplication made to gratian by some ithacius , vt universi haeretici non ecclesiis tantum , aut vrbibus , sed extra omnes terras propelli juberentur ? was there never any other emperor , aliàs sanè bonus , per magnum & ; rufum episcopos , à mitioribus consiliis deflexus ? answ. i know that mr. baxter and some other non-conformists speak much of our ithacian prelates , but , had they found them such , they would not have been here to make such tragical complaints against them without cause : sure i am that our lords spiritual and temporal in parliament assembled have sufficiently declared against this persecuting spirit on the account of religion by their full approbation of , and thanks returned to the lord bishop of saint asaph for his sermon preach'd before them , nov. . . and their desire that he would print and publish that sermon , in which , first , he laies down this position , viz. that of societies of men , christians , of all other , are most averse from waies of violence and bloud , specially from using any such waies on the account of religion ; and , among christian churches , where they differ among themselves , if either of them use those waies upon the account of religion , they give a strong presumption against themselves , that they are not truly christian. the reason is , because christ gave love for the character by which his disciples were to be known , joh. . v. . and lest men should unchristen others first , that they may hate them , and destroy them afterwards , christ enlarged his precept of love and extended it to enemies , and not onely to ours , but to the enemies of our religion , matt. . , . secondly , he adds that by this we may usually judge who they are that excell among christian churches , when there happens any difference between them , whether touching the faith or the terms of communion ; they that were the more fierce , they generally had the worst cause , as , v. g. the nicene council suppres'd the arians by no other force but putting arians out of their bishopricks ; they could not think hereticks fit to be trusted with the care of souls , but otherwise as to temporal things , i do not find that they inflicted any kind of punishment ; but when the arians came to have the power in their hands — then depriving was nothing , banishment was the least that they inflicted . thirdly , that he would have no man punished for his religion , no not them that destroy men for religion . fourthly , he saith that neither our religion nor our church is of a persecuting spirit , she hath no doctrine that teacheth persecution , n. b. she hath not practised it as others , when they were in authority . i thank god for it , and i hope she will alwaies continue in the temper ; which being added to the other marks of a true church , may assure us , she is a church according to the mind of christ. the same is in effect declared by the house of commons , when they returned their thanks to dr. tillotson , dean of canterbury , for his sermon preached before them , novem. . . desiring him to print that sermon ; where , having laid down the example of our lord , he adds , that in imitation of this blessed pattern , the christian church continued to speak and act for several ages , and this was the language of the h. fathers , lex nova se non vindicat ultore gladio , the christian law doth not avenge it self by the sword ; this was then the style of councils , nemini ad credendum vim inferre , to offer violence to no man , to compell him to the faith ; adding p. . that to separate goodness and mercy from god , compassion and charity from religion , is to make the two best things in the world good for nothing . and , p. . that true christianity is not onely the best , but the best-natured institution in the world , and so far as any church is departed from good nature , and become cruel and barbarous , so far is it degenerated from christianity . we have indeed a statute about banishing dissenters , but no ithacius , that i know of , who ever supplicated for the making , or for the execution of it , but onely for retaining of it as a due curb for men too prone to faction and sedition . and so it lies still dormant in the hands of his most gracious majesty , and may it ever doe so . § . x. . this treatise serves to justifie us in , and to provoke us to the use of any lawfull means for the avoiding of these punishments . they who exhort us in this exigence to trust to providence , must know that providence doth not exclude , but rather doth require , and suppose the use of any honest means for the prevention of impendent dangers ; for we can have no reason to expect that providence should supernaturally engage for the immediate accomplishment of that which may be done by divine blessing upon ordinary means . first therefore we must use the means ; then pray that providence would bless , and countenance , and render prosperous our just endeavors in this kind ; and when we have performed our utmost to prevent dangers in a lawfull way , and find that our attempts prove frustrate , then onely is the time to trust to providence without subordinate endeavors . now what means may be lawfully pursued , according to the constitutions of this kingdom , for the preventing this aboding evil , divines should not presume too nicely to determine , who do then chiefly deviate when they do meddle extra sphaeram theologiae ; it rather doth become them to leave this matter to those persons whose business and office it professedly is to be skilfull in the laws , and who may rationally therefore be presumed men better qualified to pass a judgment in this case . this notwithstanding i may safely say , that what no law of nature or positive command of god forbids , may lawfully be done , and is expedient to be done , for preservation of the souls and bodies of a whole community , and their succeeding generations from the worst of evils . § . xi . . this treatise may be usefull to quicken us , by a due apprehension of this so barbarous religion and inhumane doctrine , to labor to prevent it by our most serious reformation , and most importunate addresses to the throne of grace ; or , if the providence of god sees fitting , for the punishment of our iniquities , to give us up to this tremendous judgement , to let us see what need we shall then have of the most perfect patience and undaunted courage , the most unshaken faith and stedfast resolution to undergoe the fiery trials , to which we may expect to be exposed , if we continue firm to our religion . for if the providence of god should , for our crying sins , permit our lawfull prince to be perverted to the r. faith , and poisoned with these bloudy principles , i declare to all the world , that christianity , and our own oaths both of allegiance and supremacy engage us , upon pain of everlasting ruin , not to lift up our hands against him ; that all who do resist him must resist god's ordinance , and so receive damnation to themselves ; that all who use the sword without commission from him , take it , and they who take it , though in defence of me , saith christ , shall perish by it . in this case therefore i freely do acknowledge with l'estrange , we have no other choice before us but either to suffer the highest degree of misery that can befall us in this world , or else to prostitute our souls for the saving of our lives and fortunes ; and i do make with him this publick profession to the world , that , though i have as little mind to be under the government of an english papist as any mortal , and would doe all that i could justifie as a christian and an honest man to avoid it , yet , since i can no more chuse my governor than my father , and that i may as well renounce my duty to the one upon the score of religion as to the other , i am resolved to pay the duty of a subject to what ( legal ) prince soever the all-ruling providence of god shall set over me , and patiently to suffer where i cannot conscientiously obey . and i conjure all reformed christians , if ever they lye under these unhappy circumstances , not to blaspheme their holy calling , or cast a scandal on the reformation by any mutinies or insurrections against god's vicegenent , which will assuredly incense the wrath of god still more against them , prolong their miseries , and make their temporal calamities be a sad prologue to eternal , but that they would resolve to suffer as becometh christians , and to commit their cause to him that judgeth righteously . § . xii . . this treatise may be instrumental to prevent being gull'd and deluded by fair words and specious promises , and by vain hopes of freedom from these dreadfull miseries , if this religion should prevail ; there being nothing in the world more inconsistent with the avowed principles of popery , nothing more contrary to the continual practice of the church , and to the oaths and obligations of the members of it , than to permit the heretick to scape these sad and direfull effects of their inhumane cruelty . and whatsoever prince neglects to execute these punishments on any other score but those of policy , must solemnly condemn the constitutions of those general councils which are the sole foundations of his faith ; he must believe the church of rome not onely fallible , but false in her determinations , and guilty of more murther and barbarity than all the heathen emperors were guilty of in the ten persecutions . he must continue in , and own that church to be the onely church of christ , which yet he doth believe to be the vilest church on earth , and guilty of the greatest crime imaginable . mr. l'estrange takes care to tell us that henry the fourth of france did not exercise one act of tyranny over his protestant subjects . but he forgot to tell us that he was first deposed , and then stab'd for his remisness in that matter : he was twice deposed by gregory the fourteenth , a. d. . by clement the eighth , a. d. . as being a favorer of hereticks , and , by the continual rebellions and defections of his r. catholick subjects , he was forced , for quietness sake , to turn papist , a. d. . and yet , because he was indulgent towards hereticks , his life was attempted the same year by john castel , belonging to the jesuits ; by a monk , a. d. . and he was at last stab'd by ravilliac . and , because others frequently object the like example of the indulgence of the french king towards the hugonots , to what i have already answered , section the ninteenth of this treatise , i add , . that from the beginning of the thirteenth , till the middle of the sixteenth century all europe hath scarce equall'd the severity of france for persecutions of this kind , or frequency of councils making laws for the destruction of the heretick , as in this treatise you will find . . the author of the policy of the clergy of france informs us that their princes have not lost the design of destroying hereticks , though prudence hath obliged them for the present to suspend it , because it could not be done by them without great danger . and bellarmin himself will grant , non esse haereticos bello petendos quando sunt fortiores nobis ; that hereticks may be spared when they are stronger than the r. catholicks , and it is to be feared that more of them might perish than of us : and this is all the lenity that ever was allowed by the church of rome towards the protestant . if any man can shew me , . that any of the laws here mentioned have been condemned , abrogated or relaxed by the church of rome or the french church ; . that any princes have been blamed for , or in the least deterred by any of her prelates from executing of those laws , or even exempted from that oath which , saith the pope , doth bind them to extirpate hereticks , or that by any council of the r. church they ever were permitted to neglect the execution of them , or that from the thirteenth to the sixteenth century any prince escaped the censures of the church who did neglect to execute them ; . that any country or city hath been rejected from communion with that church for massacring protestants , and killing many myriads of them in cold bloud ; if , . it can be made appear that the same principles which do oblige them to receive other articles of faith determined by those councils do not oblige them to the execution of the decrees established by the same councils , or others equally obliging ; if , lastly , there be no design on foot for the destruction and extirpation of a pestilent heresie which hath long reigned in the north of europe : if these things can be evinced ; then may we have some little hopes of being kindly delt with by a popish prince , though he were zealous to a miracle for propagation of the r. faith , and had it in his power thus to purge his territories from heretical pravity . the contents of the discourse . § . i. the heads to which the laws made against hereticks may be reduced , page . § . ii. the endeavors which are , or have been used by the church of rome to preserve her members from that which she is pleased to call heresie , are , . binding all her males at fourteen , and females at twelve , to abjure all heresie : . and also governors to doe the same : . forbidding lay-men to dispute publickly or privately touching the catholick faith ; and , . withholding from them the books of the old and of the new testament : that hence we have great reason to suspect the truth of that religion , p. , . § . iii. the care they take for discovering and apprehending hereticks , pag. . § . iv. the persons authorized for this work , viz. inquisitors , archbishops , bishops , abbots , and the assistence they must have from civil governors : they have power to require the magistrates assistence in enquiring after , taking and spoiling hereticks : to compell all the neighborhood to swear to enquire after , and , if they know of any hereticks , to endeavor to give notice of them , and secure them . all earls , barons , rectors and consuls , &c. must also swear efficaciously to assist the church according to their power in this work , p. , . § . v. these laws are made , or , being made by others , are confirmed by their approved general councils ; who also give power to these inquisitors , archbishops , &c. to require a corporal oath upon the reliques of the saints , or a crucifix from all whom they suspect of heresie , to answer to questions containing all the romish superstition ; and , if they will not undergo this canonical purgation , to condemn them as hereticks : they give this power to them in all places , and over all persons of what dignity soever , p. , , , . § . vi. when they are discovered and apprehended , they and their favorers must be excommunicated , their goods confiscated , the houses in which they are found must be destroyed , their persons must be imprisoned : when they have them in prison , they may use any cruelty which doth not diminish their members or endanger their death , to make them to confess their errors , or accuse others , p. , . § . vii . they must be banished or exterminated out of all places : all secular powers must swear to expell hereticks out of their dominions , with all their favorers , and set forth edicts to this effect , p. , . § . viii . if any governor permit them to abide there , he must be excommunicated , be deem'd a favorer of hereticks , and lose his dominions , p. . § . ix . all these constitutions are confirmed by the approved general councils of the romish church , and are by them extended to kings , emperors , and supreme governors ; who must lose their territories if they doe it not , p. , , , . § . x. these general councils encourage men to butcher hereticks , not onely by invoking the secular arm against them , but also by promising remission of sins and a great reward hereafter to all that fight against and labor to destroy them , p. , , . § . xi . hereticks and their abettors must be punished with death ; and if after death they appear to have been hereticks , their bodies must be digg'd up , p. , . § . xii . all governors must execute these punishments upon them without delay , relaxation or enquiry into the justice of them , p. . § . xiii . every governor must have a copy of these laws , he must not alter or diminish them , but must abolish all statutes contrary to them , p , , . § . xiv . at their admission they must swear to execute them ; and , if they be remiss in doing it , they must lose their office , be excommunicated , and their jurisdiction interdicted , p. , , . § . xv. they who will not execute this sentence must be proceeded against by ecclesiastical censures as favorers of hereticks : and the bishop who is remiss in these matters must be deposed from his office : all believers , favorers , defenders of them are subject to very grievous punishments , and must be punished as hereticks , p. , . § . xvi . such are they who believe , that they , who by the church of rome are called hereticks , may be saved , or that they who prosecute them do offend : the most infamous person may accuse a heretick ; and the heretick must not know who doth accuse him , p. , . § . xvii . examples of princes and civil governors deprived of their dominions , as being hereticks , or favorers of heresies , or remiss in punishing them , p. , , , , . § . xviii . the concernment of the church in these actions of the pope , p. , . § . xix . no popish prince can give security to his subjects that he will not proceed against them according to these laws ; . because , being papists , it may rationally be presumed they will act , according to the convictions of their consciences , as such : . because they are subject to a superior tribunal which can over-rule their promise , and can absolve them from their oaths , and which hath actually judged , that they ought not to be kept ; and because it is an unlawfull promise , and made concerning a spiritual cause , in which they must not intermeddle : they who have actually made this promise , have not perform'd it , p. , — . § . xx. all this is confirm'd by the proceedings of the general council of constance , p. , — . § . xxi . the character of a popish prince given in the expressions of their councils , or sutably to their decrees , p. , . § . xxii . the conclusion , p. , &c. the errata's in the discourse are , page . lin . . this , r. the. p. . l. . marg . confessali , r. sati . p. . l. . received , r. renewed . p. . l. . confirming , r. confirms . p. . l. . natureni , r. pat. p. . l. . dele he. p. . marg . l. . fungebantur , r. batur . p. . marg . emittimus , r. committ . p. . l. . manly , r. manfully . in the preface , page . l. , . the church , r. the r. church . p. . l. . overthrow r. threw . p. . l. . another , r. anothers . p. . l. . the ch. r. that church . a discourse concerning the laws ecclesiastical and civil made against hereticks by popes , emperors , &c. many of late have excellently discoursed of those doctrines of the romish faith , which , when believed and practised , must be highly prejudicial to , or be sufficient to disturb all civil governments ; and have demonstratively proved , that men whose consciences are guided by the romish casuists , or who have heartily embraced the principles of that religion , can give us no security that they will not disturb the government by which they are protected : but few ( if any ) have of late made it professedly their business to speak of what may be expected by such as they are pleased to call hereticks , when they are so unhappy as to be subject to a prince who hath embraced the romish faith , and to a clergy which doth own the principles of that communion ; which being in this present juncture of affairs a most important subject , i hope it will not seem either unseasonable or unprofitable to discourse briefly on that head . now what such persons may expect to suffer we may learn from what already hath been decreed by them concerning hereticks , and what they have already practised . § . i. the laws ecclesiastical and civil made against hereticks , by popes , kings , emperors , and councils , may be reduced to these heads ; . laws made for the preservation of the members of the r. church from falling into that which they call heresie ; . the laws made for the discovery of hereticks , their favourers , abettors , or such as they suspect to be inclinable to heresie ; now they are either such as do empower persons to be active in enquiring after them , and do encourage them to make discoveries of this nature , or such as lay an obligation on them to be diligent in making these enquiries and discoveries , and upon others to assist them in so doing . or , . laws which concern the punishment of hereticks discovered so to be , and the engagement which they lay upon men to execute these punishments upon them . § . ii. and , . so conscious are the romish prelates of the gross absurdity and the apparent folly of their own doctrine , and the plain contradiction that it bears , in many of its articles , to scripture and the clearest reason , that they dare not permit the meanest members of their church to look into the scripture , or make inquiry or search into the articles of their faith ; or trust a child of twelve years old without an oath to bind him firm unto their superstitions . and therefore , . it hath been decreed by many of their councils , that all males at fourteen , and females at twelve years of age , shall abjure all heresie extolling it self against the holy catholick r. church and orthodox faith , and shall swear also , that they will hold the catholick faith which the roman church teacheth and holds . this is determined by a council of many bishops and prelates met at tolose in france , an. d. . can. . by a council held at beziers , a. d. . can. . by a council of many bishops and prelates held at alby in france , can. , . moreover this oath , by the decrees of the council of tolose and alby is to be renewed upon them every two years . and , all that do come in , and confess their heresie , must take the same oath , saith this council of beziers , can. . . all consuls , governours of castles , authorities , and barons , must be compelled by ecclesiastical censure to abjure hereticks , with the favourers and abettors of them , saith the provincial council of narbon , can. . . no lay-man , upon penalty of excommunication , must dispute publickly or privately touching the catholick faith , saith nicholas the third , const. . § . . . no lay-man must have any books of the old or new testament , except the psaltery , the breviary , and the hours of the blessed virgin ( three new testament books of the roman edition ) any of which they must by no means have in the vulgar tongue , saith the council of tolose , can. . and surely such unworthy arts do give just reason to all considering persons to suspect the truth of that religion which needeth thus to be supported by oaths and abjurations made by children ; by stopping of mens mouths , and not permitting them to ask that reason of their faith which all men are obliged by their christianity to be in readiness to give to all that ask it ; and by withholding of those scriptures of the old testament which are able to make them wise unto salvation ; which by the law of moses were to be continually read unto , continually talk'd of by the people ; to which they , by the prophets , were advised to go , and by which to pass judgment on those who spake unto them of religious matters ; which our lord doth enjoin them both to hear and search ; as also his apostles did , commending them who from their youth had known , and who upon occasion search the scriptures ; and also those of the new testament , which were on purpose writ in the most vulgar language of the world , that all might know them , and in great plainness of speech , that they might understand them ; and which were left to be a rule of faith and manners to all succeeding generations , which the primitive fathers do vehemently commend to the perusal of all christians , and which the heathen persecutors , as fiercely as the roman catholicks , did strive to wrest out of their hands . § . iii. . if notwithstanding all this care to keep them ignorant and blind , some by the strength of natural reason and religion , and others by conversing with men of better principles , or reading that so pestilent , and therefore carefully forbidden book , the word of god , come to the knowledge of his truth , and be convinced of the superstitions and follies of the roman doctrines , and so become , according to their notions , hereticks . . all imaginable care is used that they may not escape their hellish cruelty , nor find a corner in villages or woods , above or under ground , which may preserve them from their fury . and therefore , . for the better discovering and apprehending of hereticks , and those who favour and abet them , or are suspected of these matters , they have these following persons authorised for that work. . inquisitors of heretical pravity constituted by his holiness for that end. v. leg. fred. . . all archbishops and bishops in their respective provinces and diocesses , with their officials and vicars . and , . abbots within their precincts . and , . for the assistence of these persons , every governour or magistrate throughout lombardy and italy is bound to keep twelve honest men , two notaries , and as many servants as the bishop , or two of the brethren inquisitors shall think fit , who shall be bound to search after , apprehend hereticks , or bring them within the power of the diocesan , or his vicars , and to require all persons to assist them in so doing . constit. innocentii quarti , cap. , . clem. , const. . leg. . these are the persons authorised by as good authority as the court and church of rome hath any , to discover and apprehend the heretick and his abbettors . and their commission is exceeding large . for , § . iv. . if the bishop , his vicar , the inquisitor , or these officers require it , the magistrate must assist them in enquiring after , taking and spoiling hereticks , by sending souldiers with them ; this must be done by cities under the penalty of li. by villages under the penalty of li. by private persons under the penalty of li. const. innoc. iv. cap. . by the constitutions of clement the fourth every governour and private person is bound to assist the inquisitors and officials of the bishop and his visitor to apprehend hereticks . const. . l. . . they also have power to compell all the neighbourhood to swear , that if they know of any hereticks , or any that keep secret conventicles , or any that believe , defend , receive or favour hereticks , they will endeavour to give notice of them to the inquisitors appointed by the apostolick see. const. innoc. iv. cap. . the council of tolose , can. . decrees , that the archbishops and bishops shall , in every parish within their cities and without , bind one priest , and two or three honest lay men , or more , if that be needfull , by their oaths , that they will diligently , faithfully and frequently enquire after hereticks in the said parishes , by searching any houses or subterraneal receptacles that may give suspicion of them ; and if they find any hereticks , believers , favourers , receivers or defenders of them , they will secure them , that they may not fly , and then with all speed give intimation of them to the archbishop , bishop , lord or bailiff of the place . this decree is renewed by the provincial council of beziers held an. do. . can. . by the council of alby , can. . p. . by the council of arles , a. d. . can. . the council of saltzburgh held a. d. . commands all persons under the penalty of excommunication and eternal death , as soon as they know that any heretick is in their territories , to reveal them to their superiors ; and all magistrates , when the inquisitors give notice of them , are bound under the same penalty to apprehend , imprison and deliver them to the inquisitors . can. . and by the constitutions of nicholas the third , directed to all christians , they are liable to excommunication who neglect to do so . . the lords of territories must be solicitous to enquire after hereticks in their houses and woods , and to destroy their hiding places . concil . tolos . can. . stat. raimundi , com. tolos . concil . albiense , can. . p. . they must assist the ordinary in taking them , under the penalty of excommunication . concil . paris . a. d. . can. . . all earls , barons , rectors , and consuls of cities , and other secular powers , bearing any office whatsoever , must be admonished by the diocesan to swear , that they will faithfully and efficaciously assist the church , according to their power and office , against hereticks and their accomplices , and will use their utmost diligence therein , and , if it be found necessary , they by church censures must be compelled so to doe , saith the council of beziers , can. . the council of alby , can. . pag. . the provincial council of narbon , can. . and sutably to this , the canon law determines , that all earls , barons , rectors and consuls of cities , and other places , shall , at the admonition of the bishops , engage themselves by oath , that , being required by them , they will faithfully and efficaciously help the church , according to their office and power , against hereticks and their accomplices . § . v. nor are these onely the decrees of popes , and emperors , and of provincial councils , but many of them are confirmed by their approved general councils . for , . the fourth general council of lateran assembled a. d. . can. . (a) decrees that , all archbishops , by themselves or their archdeacon , or by some fit and honest persons , twice , or at the least once a year , shall visit their own parishes , in which it is reported that any hereticks do dwell ; and shall compel three or more men of good report , or if it seem expedient to them , the whole neighbourhood , to swear that if any of them know of any hereticks there , or of any that keep secret conventicles , or that differ in their lives or manners from the common conversation of the faithfull , they will endeavour to acquaint the bishop with them . the general council of constance , that is , martin the fifth , (b) with the consent and approbation of that council , (c) commands all archbishops , bishops , inquisitors , commissaries , or elect persons , by virtue of their obedience , that every of them , within their limits or places of their jurisdiction , diligently do watch for the extirpation and correction of all errors and heresies . and wheresoever they find any that are infamed or suspected to be guilty of those crimes , to compel them under the penalty of excommunication , suspension , interdict or confession of the crime , or any other more formidable punishment canonical or legal , to take a corporal oath upon the evangelists , the reliques of the saints or a crucifix , to answer to the questions they shall ask them . now the questions , among many others , are these following , viz. . whether they think it lawfull that such an oath should be imposed upon or taken by them for their purgation , ( i. e. ) an oath ex officio , obliging them to condemn themselves . . whether they hold it a mortal sin to be guilty of perjury , though it be to save their lives , or for the advantage of the faith. this may be done by catholicks , but must not be done by hereticks . . whether he believes , that , after the consecration of the priest , in the sacrament of the altar , under the elements of the holy bread and wine , there remains no material bread and wine , but the same christ entirely , who suffered on the cross , and sits at the right-hand of the father . . whether he believes , that , the consecration being made by a priest under the species of bread alone , and without the species of wine , there is the true flesh , and bloud , and soul , and deity of christ , and whole christ , ( in his broken body ) and the same christ absolutely , and under every one of the species in particular , ( i. e. ) whether there be one million of christs , and yet but one . . whether he believes , that the custom of communicating lay-men in the species of bread alone , — approved by this holy council , be to be observed , so that it is not lawfull to change it without the authority of the church , ( i. e. ) whether he hold that the council , forbidding what christ commands , is to be obeyed before christ. . whether he believes , that the pope , being canonically elected , is the successor of st. peter , and hath supreme authority in the whole church of god ? with many questions of the like nature , containing the whole superstition of the church of rome . . (d) if any person whom they suspect to be guilty of heresie will not undergo their canonical purgation , or by a damnable obstinacy refuses thus to swear in order to his purgation , he is to be condemned as an heretick ; so the th general council of later . and the general council of * constance . . this power is given to archbishops &c. throughout all , (e) parts of the world where any heresie ariseth , viz. to make these enquiries , and proceed accordingly ; so that no countrey , where this religion doth obtain , can expect any thing but a continual butchery of all that will not be most gross idolaters . and , . they command their (f) officers to proceed against , and to condemn as hereticks , all persons of whatsoever dignity , office , preeminence , state and condition they shall be , and by what names soever they are called , who think otherwise of the sacrament of the body and bloud of christ , or of baptism , or of confession of sins , or penance , or any other sacraments , or articles of faith , than the h. roman church and vniversal teacheth , and as hereticks , to give them over to the civil magistrate . concil . constan. ibid. and , . they renew the constitution of (g) boniface the eighth , concerning the inquisition , requiring and commanding all powers , and lords temporal , and judges , of whatsoever dignity , name or office , as they desire to be reputed christians and sons of the church , and to glory in the name of christ , that they obey , and attend these inquisitors , and other ecclesiastical persons deputed , or hereafter , by the apostolical see , to be deputed , for the finding-out and punishing of hereticks , affording them their aid and favour in finding-out , apprehending and imprisoning them , and all that do believe , favour , receive or defend them . and so much for the laws made for inquiring after hereticks . § . vi. . the laws which do concern the punishment of hereticks , when they are once discovered and apprehended , are either such as do declare what punishments shall be inflicted on them ; or such as do oblige men to inflict those punishments upon them . now the punishments which by their laws must be inflicted on them are these following , viz. excommunication , confiscation of their goods , imprisonment , exile , death . concil . bitter . an. dom. . can. . and , . they must be excommunicated , with all their favourers , every week , saith the council of beziers , a. d. . can. . and an. d. . can. . and the council of alby , can. . they are actually excommunicated saith their canon law. this sentence doth pass upon them yearly in the bulla coenae . . they must lose all their goods . for ( . ) whosoever apprehends them ( which all have liberty to do ) hath free leave to take from them all their goods , and full right to enjoy them . const. innocentii iv. cap. . and this punishment , saith innocent the third , we command to be executed on them by the princes , and secular powers , who shall by ecclesiastical censures be compelled thereunto . moreover , after the sentence is pronounced against them , their goods , if they have any still remaining shall be all confiscated , and never shall return unto them . const. fred. . concil . bitterrense , can. . p. . statuta raimundi , com. tolos . pag. , . concil . arelat . a. d. . can. . p. . the very house in which the heretick is found must be destroyed and never built again , and the ground must be confiscated , and so must all the other houses contiguous to it , if they belong to the same person , ( unless it appear to the inquisitors that the lords of them were wholly inculpable ) and all the goods of them must be sold , or become his that takes them . innocent . . cap. . clem. . const. . leg. , . concil . tolos . can. . concil . bitterr . can. . p. . concil . albien . can. . p. . stat. raimundi comit. tolos . concil . provinc . narbon . can. . p. . . they are to be imprisoned without delay . and when they have them thus in hold , the governour is , by the constitutions of pope innocent the fourth , obliged to compell them by any punishments which do not dismember them , or endanger their death , expresly to confess their errors , and to accuse all other hereticks they know of , and the believers , receivers , or defenders of them , and to tell where their goods are . const. innocent . . cap. . which constitution is received by clemens the fourth , const. . leg. . and is the ground of all the hellish cruelties which those poor creatures meet with in the inquisition . § . vii . . they must be banish'd , exterminated , or driven out of all places where they are . for the council of cologne commands all that are subject to it to rise up against hereticks , their favourers and receivers , and faithfully to procure their extermination . can. . a. d. . p. , . and in order hereunto , . all secular powers must swear to expel hereticks out of their dominions . the constitutions of the emperour frederick the second run thus , we make a perpetual decree , that the officers , consuls , rectors , whatsoever office they enjoy , shall , in defence of the faith , take a publick oath , that they will honestly endeavour with their utmost power to expell all hereticks , as such condemned by the church , out of their territories . and all that shall be admitted hereafter to any place of government temporal or perpetual , shall be bound to take this oath , or lose his government . ludovicus the seventh , king of france , with the advice of his nobles , sets forth his edicts against hereticks , commanding all his barons , bailiffs , and other subjects present and future , to be solicitous and intent to purge their territories from hereticks and heretical filth , and to swear to the observation of this and all the other statutes made against them . they must swear to doe their endeavours to exterminate out of their dominions all hereticks , believers , receivers , favourers , or defenders of them , saith the council of alby , can. . the council of arles gives power to the bishop to compell them by church censures to take this oath . can. . see the like , concil . bitter . can. . p. , . concil . provinc . narbon . can. . p. , . the constitutions of innocent the fourth decree , that every governour in lombardy , having called a common council , shall put forth his edict , to banish all hereticks from under his jurisdiction , and to declare , that none of them shall stay within his jurisdiction . const. . so also doe the constitutions of clement the fourth , const. . leg. . now , for the better execution of this punishment , it is decreed , § . viii . . that if any governor knowingly permit a heretick to abide in his dominions he shall be excommunicated . concil . bitterr . can. . p. . . that whosoever , having temporal dominion , neglects to prosecute those who by the church are denounced hereticks , or to exterminate them out of his province , or dominion , is to be deem'd a grievous favourer of hereticks . concil . narbon . can. . . he who knowingly permits a heretick to abide in his dominions shall for ever lose them . and his body shall be in the power of his lord , to doe with him as he ought . concil . tolos . can. . concil . bitterr . can. . p. . concil . alb. can. . p. . if the temporal lord being required shall neglect to purge his territory from heretical pravity , after one year elapsed from the time of his monition , saith the emperour frederick , we expose his territories to be seized by catholicks , who , having exterminated the hereticks , without contradiction shall possess it , and preserve it in the purity of faith , so as no injury be done to the right of the superiour lord , who doth not any way oppose this procedure ; provided notwithstanding that the same law take place against them who have no principal lords . const. fred. . and this his constitution is confirmed by honorius the third . const. . § . ix . now all these constitutions of popes , kings , emperours , provincial councils , are also confirmed by the approved general councils of the r. church ; and are extended and enlarged by them to kings , emperours and supreme governours , and so they are not onely constitutions of state , or of the court of rome , but also of the whole church of rome . for , . the fourth general council of (a) lateran begins the chapter against hereticks thus , we excommunicate and anathematize every heresie extolling it self against the h. orthodox catholick faith , which we have now expounded , condemning all hereticks by what names soever they are called . (b) we anathematize them , their defenders and receivers , saith the third general council held there . . the third general council of (c) lateran under alexander the third , the fourth general council of lateran under innocent the third , and the general council of constance decree that the goods of hereticks , if they be lay-men , shall be confiscated . . they decree that the temporal lords , being required by the inquisitors , archbishops , bishops , &c. (d) shall within their jurisdictions , without delay , imprison hereticks , and cause them to be kept in close custody , by putting them into fetters and iron chains , till the church hath passed sentence on them ; and not * freeing them from prison without the license of the bishop or inquisitors . and , . they decree that the (e) secular powers , what offices soever they enjoy , shall be admonished , and , if need be , compelled by ecclesiastical censure , that as they desire to be reputed christians , so they will take an oath for the defence of the faith , that they will honestly endeavour with their whole power to exterminate all hereticks , condemned by the church , out of their territories . thus the fourth lateran council hath defined . the general council of constance requires (f) all archbishops , bishops , and other persons chosen for this work , to admonish and require all kings , emperours , dukes , princes , earls , barons , &c. and by the apostolical authority to command them , to expell all hereticks forementioned out of their kingdoms , provinces , cities , towns , castles , villages , territories and other places , according to the canon of the lateram council which begins with the words , sicut ait , that is , according to the twenty seventh canon of the third general council of lateran , which , under anathema , forbids any one to let the hereticks there mentioned tarry within their houses or territories . . the fourth council of (g) lateran adds , that if the temporal lord , being required and admonished by the church , shall neglect to purge his territories from heretical filth , he shall be excommunicated by the metropolitan and his suffragans and if he neglect to give satisfaction within a year , this shall be signified to the pope , that he , from hence forth , may pronounce his subjects discharged from their obedience , and expose his territories to be enjoyed by catholicks , who , having exterminated the hereticks , shall possess it without all contradiction , and keep it in the purity of faith , so that no injury be done to the principal lord , who doth not oppose his procedure ; provided notwithstanding that the same law take place against them who have no temporal lords . ; now let it be observed that both the councils of (h) constance , and of basil , do reckon this of lateran among those councils which all their popes must swear to maintain to the least tittle , and to defend even to bloud ; and that the council of (i) trent not onely hath declared it to be a general council , but also doth affirm one of its definitions to be the voice of the whole church , and therefore these three general councils must be supposed to approve all that is cited from this council . the general council of (k) constance decrees that all hereticks , all followers and defenders of them , or partakers with them , though they shine in the dignity of patriarchs , archbishops , bishops , kings , queens , dukes , or any other ecclesiastical or mundane title , shall be pronounced excommunicate in the presence of the people every sunday and holy-day : and that the archbishops , bishops , and inquisitors shall diligently enquire concerning them , who hold , approve , defend , dogmatize or receive such heresies or errors as they before had mentioned , of what dignity , state , preeminence , degree , order or condition soever they are , and if they be found guilty or infamed , by their authority shall proceed against them by the punishments of excommunication , suspension , interdict , as also of deprivation of their dignities , offices and benefices ecclesiastical , and also of their secular dignities and honours , and by any other penalties , sentences , ecclesiastical censures , ways or manners which they shall judge expedient , even by taking and imprisoning their persons , and executing upon them any corporal punishments with which hereticks use to be punished , according to the canonical sanctions . the general council of siena confirming this bull of martin the fifth made with the approbation and concurrence of the council of constance , and so , upon the matter , renews all the forementioned decrees . § . x. and whereas our dear lord declares , he came not to destroy mens lives , but to save them , they have set up under the banner of the cross an host of men on purpose to exterminate , destroy and butcher those whom they are pleased to call hereticks , and , to encourage them in this inhumane service , do promise them the greatest privileges . the (l) council of bourges , approved by the general council of basil , declares , that war may justly be waged against condemned hereticks , and that princes and christian people may be animated to fight against them . the fourth general council of (m) lateran decrees , that they who under the badge of the cross will set themselves to exterminate hereticks , shall enjoy that indulgence and that holy privilege which is granted to them who go in defence of the holy-land , and that is full remission of all their sins which they confess , and for which they have been contrite , and a greater degree of everlasting happiness than others may expect . can. . the third general council of (n) lateran decrees , they shall be taken under the defence of the church , and shall be secure from any manner of molestation in their goods and persons , and shall have two years release of the penance enjoyned them , and receive greater indulgence at the discretion of the bishops . cap. . the general council of siena decrees , that all who prosecute and procure the extirpation of the wicklefists and hussites , shall enjoy all the rights , privileges and indulgences concerning the pardon of their sins , which have been granted to them that rise up against hereticks . and to all that will prosecute those hereticks , apprehend or bring them to the inquisitors , or , if they cannot apprehend , will expell them from their territories , and , if they be required fight against them ; they promise all the privileges granted to those who went to the assistance of the holy-land . so also doth the canon law. eugenius the fourth , in his bull of revocation of the general council of basil objects this to them , that against the decrees of the holy fathers , and the edicts of emperors , which deny the admitting hereticks to audience , and in prejudice to the authority apostolick , and the authority of the h. councils , they had invited the bohemians to dispute at basil , about certain articles condemned by the decrees of popes and councils , it being , saith he , notorious to the whole world , that the bohemian hereticks were maturely and solemnly condemned in the council of constance and in the council of siena , were by divers processes of the apostles see and his legates aggravated once and again , and that war was proclaimed and the secular arm invoked against them . (o) he shall obtain of god the kingdom of heaven who dies for the defence of christians , saith a lemma of the canon law : the words of the chapter are said to be directed by leo the fourth to the french army ; and they speak thus , viz. laying aside all fear and terrour , act boldly against the enemies of h. faith , and the adversaries of all religion ; for the omnipotent knows , that if any of you dies he dies for the true faith , the preservation of his countrie , and the defence of christians ; and therefore he shall obtain of god a heavenly reward . § . xi . the last punishment which these poor creatures must undergo is death . they shall not be suffered to live , say the constitutions of frederick the second . the natareni and all other hereticks shall be duly punished by the secular judge , they shall take them away by a damnable death , say the same constitutions , p. . for their extirpation , we decree , saith ludovicus the seventh king of france , that , being condemned , they shall be punished with the animadversion due unto them . so also doth the canon law. decretal . l. . tit . . cap. . by the statute of our king henry the fourth , against the llollards , after the sentence pronounced against these hereticks ; the maior , the sheriff , or their officers , who must be present at the execution , must take them into their custody , and burn them before the people in some eminent place . concil . tom. . part . . p. . a. d. . the constitutions of frederick the second decree , that the same punishment shall be inflicted upon those who cherish and defend them . and upon all who having once adjured their heresie relapse into it . ibid. p. . if after death they shall be found to have been hereticks , their bodies must be digged up , and their bones burnt . concil . albiense , can , . p. . and the temporal lords , by the diocesun , and the inquisitors , must be compelled by ecclesiastical censures to dig up their bodies . concil . alb. can. . p. . moreover , the sons and nephews of hereticks or of their receivers , defenders or favorers , must be admitted to no publick offices or benefices ecclesiastical or secular , nor to succeed to the inheritance of their fathers . const. fred. . innocent . . cap. . p. . nich. . const. . § . . these are the laws established which lay an obligation upon those of this communion to punish hereticks . § . xii . and that what they have thus established may be inviolably observed , they decree , . that all the governors forementioned must proceed according to their constitutions against all heresies extolling themselves against the church of rome . clem. . constit. . § . . ubi supra . . that these punishments of hereticks must by no means be relaxed . const. innoc. . cap. . clem. . const. . leg. . bull. to. . p. . and as they must not be relaxed , so neither must they be delayed . for , . when any person is condemned for heresie , the magistrate , within five days , must execute the sentence which hath past upon him . innoc. . const. cap. . he must presently receive them into his custody for that end . clem. . const. . leg. . he shall punish them without delay . const. ludovici , regis francorum . and , . that no person may have any temptation or excuse , either for the relaxing or delaying of them , they are required to execute them without enquiry made into the justice of them ; for by the constitutions of innocent the eighth , all magistrates , under the penalty of excommunication , must execute the penalties by the inquisitors imposed on hereticks , without revising the justice of them ; because heresie is a crime meerly ecclesiastical . const. . bull. rom. to. . p. . § . xiii . moreover , that no governor may plead ignorance as to any of these laws , by the constitutions of innocent the fourth , every governor must have a copy of these laws inserted into the statute book of the city where he doth preside . const. . clemens the th commands all rulers throughout italy , to write down in their chapter-acts , or in their books of statutes , the constitutions set forth against hereticks by innocent the fourth , and alexander the fourth , const. . § . . and , . if any blot out , diminish or alter any of these constitutions without the consent of the apostolick ▪ see , he must be proceeded against as a publick defender or favorer of hereticks , innocent . . const. . clem. . const. . leg. . p. . and that no person may plead an obligation by virtue of any other constitutions , to neglect the prosecution of these laws . . all statutes contrary to these , throughout all italy , must be abolished and rased out of all places and cities within their jurisdiction , innocen . . const. . clem. . constit. . leg. . by the constitution of vrban the fourth , the statutes of any city , castle , village , or other place , whereby the business of the inquisition of heretical pravity is directly or indirectly hindred or retarded , are made void , and the rectors and governors of those places are , by ecclesiastical censure to be compelled to revoke them . § . xiv . again , that knowing of these constitutions they may not dare to be remiss as to the execution of them ; at their admission they must swear to the observance of them , he who will not doe so , must not be owned as a governor in any place of italy , nor must any of his acts be valid , nor any person be obliged to perform the oaths made to him , innoc. . const. . clem. . const. . leg. . nor is he , by the laws of frederick the second , to be admitted as a governor in any place of the empire . and these two constitutions are made a part of the canon law , as you may see , sexti decretal . l. . tit . . cap. . if , having thus sworn , he shall neglect to observe all , and several of these constitutions , he must be devested of his office and government , and be henceforth uncapable of any dignity , office and honour , and must be prosecuted as a person infamous , perjur'd , suspected concerning the faith , and a favorer of hereticks . const. innoc. . const. . clem. . const. . leg. . if he do not proceed according to these rules against all heresies extolling themselves against the church of rome , he must be punished with an excommunication and an interdict upon his jurisdiction , to be inflicted by the inquisitors on all refusers . constit. . § . . constit . . § . . p. . if any bishop be negligent or remiss in purging of his diocess from heretical pravity , he , by the (a) canon of the fourth general , council of lateran , must be deposed from his episcopal office ; and the same punishment is threatned by the general council of (b) constance to all archbishops , bishops , or inquisitors who are thus negligent and remiss , and also by the canon law , decretal . l. . tit . . cap. . if any bailiff be negligent in this work , he must lose his goods and be uncapable of the office . concil . tolos . can. . concil . albiense , can. . p. . if any person whatsoever will not execute the sentence of the inquisitors , he must be compelled to it by ecclesiastical censures and if then he amend not , both his diocesan and the inquisitors must proceed against him as a defender and favorer of hereticks . ; so the council of valence , a. d. . can. . concil . albiense . can. . a. d. . § . xv. and that no man may dare to give these hereticks credit , or shew them the least favor , they have decreed , . that all who are believers of hereticks , or give credit to their errors , shall be condemned and punished as hereticks . innoc. . const. . now such a one is he , saith the provincial council of narbon , who shews them any reverence , who believes that they , continuing in their sect , may be saved , or may be good and holy men , or friends of god , or of good life and conversation , or that they who prosecute them do offend . can. . they are to be reputed favorers of hereticks , saith the provincial council of narbon , who hinder the cor-rection or extirpation of hereticks , and those that believe them , or do not doe that which without manifest fault they cannot omit towards it ; they greatly favor them who conceal them when they may and ought to reveal them ; they more , who by concealing of them maliciously endeavor to hinder their examination , incarceration or punishment ; they most of all , who release them without the consent of the church , when they are taken or imprisoned , or by whose counsel , aid or command , such things are done : nor are they free from this crime , who , having opportunity of place and time , and power to apprehend hereticks , or help others so to doe , wickedly let it slip , especially , when they are required to assist by others that are willing to apprehend them . . if any believer , receiver , defender or favorer of hereticks , being excommunicated , do not satisfie ( the church ) within a year , he from hence forward shall be infamous , and shall not be admitted to give testimony , or to publick offices , or to councils , or to the election of those that belong to them : he shall have no power of making any will , or succeeding to any inheritance : no man shall be obliged to answer him in any cause , but he shall be compelled to answer others ; if he be a judge , his sentence shall be void and null , nor shall any causes come before him ; if an advocate , he shall not be admitted to plead ; if a clerk or notary , the instruments drawn by him shall be of no moment . so the const. freder . . the constitutions of clement the fourth , const. . and lastly , all this is confirmed by the fourth general council of lateran in express words , cap. . de haereticis , and by the canon law , decretal . l. . tit . . cap. . § . xvi . moreover , for the security and the encouragement of such as shall accuse them ; whereas ▪ according to the laws of heathen rome , no man could be condemned , till he had his accusers brought before his face , they have decreed that the names of the accusers of hereticks shall not be made publick either by word or sign , because this is the pleasure of the apostolick see. so concil . narbon . a. d. . can. . concil . bitter . an. do. . cap. . and whereas , in other cases , by the laws of all nations , notorious criminals , infamous and perjur'd persons , were not to be admitted to give testimony against others , especially in matters of life and death : all criminals , and infamous persons , though partakers with them in their crimes , may be admitted to accuse and testifie against the hereticks . concil . narbon . an. dom. . can. . concil . bitter . an. d. . cap. . § . xvii . now sutably to these decrees and principles the pope hath frequently proceeded , depriving civil governors of their dominions , as being favorers of hereticks , or as neglecting to extirpate hereticks out of their territories . for (a) raimund , count of tolose , was excommunicated by innocent the third , because he was a favorer of hereticks , and his dominions , by the pope , were given to any person who would seise upon them . in the year . the citizens of tolose were by the council of (b) avignion excommunicated , because they neglected to perform what they had promised concerning the expulsion of hereticks . in a council held at vaur , a. d. . (c) arnaldus the pope's legate , by the apostolick authority , doth admonish and command the king of arragon to abstain from the protection , defence or communion of hereticks , threatning that otherwise he would pronounce against him the same censures and ecclesiastical punishments which are denounced against them . yea the pope himself informs him , that if he proceeded to be a (d) favorer of hereticks , he could not spare him , nor delay his punishment ; and that he might by the example of others , who of late had opposed themselves to god and the church , perceive what great danger hanged over his head . the occasion of all this was as followeth ; peter , king of arragon , solicits for raimund , count of tolose , that he might be received into the church , and for the (e) counts of cominges and fux , that they might be restored to their own again . to this the council answer , that count cominges had made a league with hereticks and their favorers , and that the count of fux was a receiver of them , and therefore his majesty ought not to intercede for them till they have satisfied the church . whereupon the king sides with them , endeavoring to obtain by force , what by petition he could not obtain . in the year . a council met at (f) montpellier , of five archbishops , and bishops , who chuse the count of montfort , prince and monarch of the dominions of the count of tolose , the forementioned favorer of the albigenses , desiring the pope's legate to confirm their choice . he , having no instructions touching this matter , acquaints the pope with their request , who doth immediately commit to him the custody and allow him the benefit of those dominions , referring the matter of the title to the decision of the fourth general council of lateran , then called , and the next year assembled , which resolves the case thus ; that the pope shall absolve the subjects of such favorers of hereticks from their allegiance , and expose their territories to be enjoyed by catholicks , who , having destroyed the hereticks , shall possess it without any contradiction , so that no injury be done to the principal lord ; who in this case was the french king. in a council held in the province of (g) narbon , an. dom. . raimund the son of raimund , count of tolose , the count of fux , the hereticks of tolose , and the receivers , believers , favorers , defenders of them are denounced excommunicate by bell , book and candle , and are exposed , as to their goods and persons , to every one that can seise on them . a. d. . (h) martin the fourth doth pass the sentence of excommunication , actually incurr'd , against michael paleologus , as being a favorer of those schismaticks , the greeks , and therefore a maintainer of hereticks , and of their heresies and schisms — and he moreover doth command all kings , princes , dukes , &c. and all other persons , of what dignity , condition or estate soever , under the penalty of the same excommunication , to make no leagues or confederacies with him ; pronouncing all such confederacies null and void ; though they have been confirmed with an oath , or any other firmness whatsoever . a. d. . clement the fifth , by the advice of his brethren , doth pass the very same sentence upon andronieus paleologus , the emperor of the greeks , for the same crime . a. d. . castrutius , governor of luca , is condemned by the pope's legate , as a persecutor of the church , and a favorer of hereticks and schismaticks , and is deprived of all his dignities , and exposed to every one that would fall upon him . a. d. . martin the fifth pronounceth a most heavy and severe sentence against the person and kingdoms of alphonsus , king of arragon , as being a favorer of schism . a. d. . julius the second , having notice that the king of navar favored the enemies of the church , he recurr'd to that last remedy which is wont to be used against rebellious princes , execrating the king and queen of navar , depriving them of their dominions , and exciting all princes to seise upon the common prey . * henry the third of france spared the bloud of protestants , and refused to declare his successor uncapable of the succession , though he was a protestant ; wherefore sixtus the fifth , a. d. ▪ excommunicates him as a manifest favorer of hereticks , and grants nine years of true indulgence to any of his subjects who would bear arms against him , and doth absolve them all from their allegiance to him . upon this , his subjects rebell against him , and frier clement murthers him . a. d. . clement the eighth declares ▪ that henry the fourth of france was unworthy of the kingdom , as being a destroyer of the orthodox faith and a favorer of hereticks , and therefore he commands the election of another . a. d. . (i) pius the fifth declares q. elizabeth a heretick and a favorer of hereticks , and for that cause deprived of all dominion , dignity and privilege whatsoever , and her subjects absolved from their oaths , and from all duty , allegiance and obedience , by that oath due unto her . § . xviii . let it be then considered , that though councils join with popes in the making of canons , yet by the constitutions of that church the pope alone is he to whom belongs the execution , and the authentical expounding of those canons , as they must be reduced to practice : and that the pope is authorized by their (k) councils , both to interpret and to execute their canons during the interval of their sessions . and then , this being well considered , you will find reason to conclude , that their whole church is very much concerned in what the popes do practise by virtue of those canons , or in pursuance of them . and unless that practice of the popes in execution of the canons , which is allowed by councils themselves , during the intervals of their sitting , may be reputed the practice of their church , i cannot imagine how they can impute any thing to their church which is not done in councils : and if that onely which is done in councils must be reputed as done by the church , the church must wholly be unactive in the intervals , and unable to exercise any authority by virtue of such canons as have no authentical expositor , and no man authorized to execute them . § . xix . moreover though any prince , who hath embraced the romish faith , should promise not to prosecute his protestant subjects according to the tenor of these severe and sanguinary laws , yet cannot his most solemn promises give to them any just security of freedom and exemption from these punishments . this will sufficiently appear , if we consider , . that the same impulse of conscience that makes a man a r. catholick , will also make him act like one , when he hath opportunity to doe it ; it therefore must engage him to believe that the decrees of (l) general councils concerning the punishment of hereticks must in themselves be just and equitable , and fit to be observed by him , and that the practice of the whole roman church , pursuant to them , for the space of three whole centuries , must be a cogent demonstration of the reception and approbation of those laws throughout all catholick kingdoms , that he who doth not punish hereticks , according as these laws require , must be guilty of the crimes with which these laws do charge him , and well deserves the punishments they have decreed against him ; and that whosoever doth exterminate and punish hereticks , as they encourage him to doe , shall certainly obtain the blessings which they promise to him for that act. how can a popish prince abstain from thus reflecting with himself ? either the r. councils provincial and general , and the great monarch of the church doe well in animating and exciting all r. catholicks to fight against all hereticks , expell them out of their dominions , and execute these laws upon them ; and in proposing the rewards forementioned , as blessing certainly to be obtain'd by all who do engage under the banner of the cross for their destruction . and all the roman catholicks did well , who , in obedience to their commands , and expectation of these blessings , hazarded , and lost their lives , by their endeavors to extirpate hereticks , or who did murther and massacre so many millions of hereticks . and consequently , i also shall do well , and may expect these blessings , by acting as they did ; or else these popes and councils , and all those r. catholicks who fought , or acted , or did encourage others to act thus against all hereticks , were truly guilty of all the christian bloud which in those wars , between the heretick and catholick , was spilt , and all the barbarous massacres and horrid murthers which have been committed upon hereticks . and if so , why do i own that church , that pope , those councils , who have been guilty of these horrid crimes , and these notorious marks of antichrist ; and which hath often sainted , but never in the least discountenanced , but kept communion and good correspendence with the authors of them . . this further will appear , if we consider that the same principles which do oblige a popish prince to own that faith , oblige him also to execute these sanguinary laws upon the heretick , whatsoever promises or obligations he hath made unto the contrary . that he is subject to a power which can absolve him from all obligations of this nature which he at any time shall make , and which already he hath declared that it is not in his power to make them , or to observe them when they have been made . that they are prejudicial to that superior tribunal of the church to which he must be subject , and made concerning heresie , of which , as being a spiritual concern , he must not judge , nor of the punishments belonging to it , or of the lawfulness of the suspension of those punishments . all this 't is easie to demonstrate . and , . according to plain reason , when two princes , that have distinct tribunals , make laws or constitutions thwarting one the other , the constitutions of the inferior tribunal must give place to those of the superior : but by the principles of the communion of the roman church , the ecclesiastical tribunal is superior to that of princes ; since then it is decreed by that tribunal , as we have seen already , that all catholick princes shall faithfully endeavour to extirpate hereticks from their dominions , and that all constitutions made to the contrary are ipso facto void ; no constitutions made by princes in favor of heretical subjects can be observed by them , or be of any moment in prejudice to the determinations of the superior tribunal of the church . now that , according to the principles of r. catholicks , the ecclesiastical tribunal is superior to that of princes , is evident , . from express declarations of the church in her most general and approved councils . (m) aegidius viterbiensis saith , with the great applause and approbation of the fifth lateran council under julius the second , that no kings , or princes can neglect the commands , or refuse the authority of their general councils . the council of (n) constance declares , that , being a general council , it hath power immediately derived from christ , which every person of what state or dignity soever he be , even his holiness himself , is bound to yield obedience to , in matters which concern faith , the extirpation of the present schism , and the reformation of the church . the general council of (o) basil , in the second session , renews the same decree : and , session the th , doth challenge , by virtue of the omnipotent god , immediate power over all faithfull christians : and , session the d they declare this to be a doctrine of the catholick faith , which he that pertinaciously resists is a heretick : and session the th they add , that it is an article which cannot be neglected , without the loss of salvation . . this will appear from express acts of jurisdiction exercised by them over kings and princes , for to omit the frequent excommunications , and sentences of deprivations pass'd upon emperors and kings in the fourth general council of lateran , can. . in the general council of lions , concil . to. xi . p. . in the council of pisa , sess. . in the general council of constance , sess. , , . of basil , sess. , , , . all which expresly have decreed , that emperors and kings , for misdemeanors mentioned there , shall lose their dignity and honor , and be deprived of their government ; i say , to pass by this , they frequently demonstrate their supposed power over them by laying their commands upon them ; we enjoin princes , saith the fourth (p) lateran council , cap. . and the council of vienna . we command secular princes , saith the fourth lateran council , cap. . we peremptorily enjoin them , saith julius the second , with the approbation of the fifth lateran council . we command that they be compelled by the secular power , saith the fourth lateran council , cap. ult . and the general council of lions , cap. super cruciata . . their canon law is full of constitutions to this effect , declaring , that , when the things of god are treated of , the king must study to subject his will to the will of the priests , and not prefer it before theirs ; that the law of christ subjects kings to the priesthood of christ , and puts them under their tribunals ; that christian emperors ought to subject their executions to the prelates of the church , and not prefer them to theirs , because god would have them to be subject to the priests of the church . by the same law it is determined that kings must follow the church form , and not prescribe humane laws to her , nor seek to domineer over her constitutions , but submit their necks to her clemency . and , that they ought to yield obedience to the laws of the church , and not exalt their power above her . . according to the principles of that communion , all princes must submit to , and obey the definitions of their general councils , and the determinations of the church in cases spiritual , because she is their onely guide in spirituals : this being therefore a spiritual case , viz. how far the civil magistrate doth stand obliged to punish hereticks , the romish prince must stand to her determination in that matter , and therefore is obliged to act according to the decrees forementioned which firmly are establish'd by the church , whatsoever promises or oaths he may have made unto the contrary . now that the cause of heresie , and of the punishments to be inflicted on the heretick , is by them judged a spiritual cause , with which the civil power must not intermeddle , is evident from that decree of boniface the fifth , which strictly doth forbid all powers , lords temporal , and rectors , with their officers , to judge or take cognizance of that crime , it being meerly ecclesiastical , or to free them out of prison without the licence of the bishops , or inquisitors , or to refuse to execute the punishments enjoyned by them , or any way directly or indirectly to hinder their process or sentence , under the pein of excommunication , which if they obstinately lye under for a year , they are to be condemned as hereticks ; and this decree is taken into the body of the canon law , and is confirmed by the general council of constance , sess. . the crime of heresie must be judged onely by the ecclesiastical court , and the secular must not meddle with it , saith gregory the fourteenth , const. . § . . . no promises , oaths or engagements can oblige to the omission of that which is our duty , by the confession of all christians , they cannot bind , saith their own canon law , to any thing which is against the benefit of holy church ; for according to the determination of innocent the third , received into the body of that law , they are not to be call oaths , but perjuries , which are attempted against the benefit of the church . they cannot bind against the right of a superior , for the same law declares that in any oath that is taken , the right of the superior must be supposed to be excepted ; they cannot bind against the law , or the canonical sanctions , for otherwise , saith the same law , it is a rash oath , and is not valid . since then , according to the doctrine of the church , 't is the duty of all catholick princes to punish and extirpate hereticks ; they cannot be obliged by any oath or promise to neglect that duty , since this neglect is against law and the canonical sanctions , against the plain determinations of the supreme tribunal , and against the benefit of h. church , no oath or promise can oblige them to it . and , . they who do claim a power to absolve catholick princes from their contracts , leagues and engagements made to heretical princes , must have an equal power to absolve them from contracts made with their own heretical subjects , for sure the contracts made with equals must be more firm than those which we have made to our inferiors ; but the pope claims , and oft hath exercised this power of absolving catholick princes from their contracts made with other princes on this account , because they were made with hereticks , or persons excommunicate . ergo , &c. to give some few examples of this matter , the bull of vrban the sixth concerning this matter runs thus ; (a) amongst the many cares which we continually are prest with , our chief concernment is , to provide fit remedies for the preventing the subversion of the faithfull by consorting , or by participating with schismaticks or hereticks : and truly we have lately heard , saith he , that wencelaus , king of the romans and bohemians , and charles the emperor have entred into some confederations , leagues , compacts or conventions with divers kings , princes , dukes , earls , grandees and nobles some of which kings , &c. then were , or afterwards have become manifest hereticks and schismaticks , being separated from the union of the roman church , though not by us declared such , we therefore , considering that such confederacies , leagues , compacts or conventions made with these hereticks and schismaticks , after they were such , are rash , void and null by sentence of the law but if they were made before their falling into schism and heresie , and confirmed by an oath , or by the apostolick see , or by whatsoever firmness , as soon as they become guilty of these crimes , the king , and all that with him have entred into these compacts , is absolved from the observation of them , and ought not to observe them : therefore we , by our apostolical authority , declare the said king absolved from them , and the compacts themselves to be wholly void and null . ; ; pope martin the fifth , in his epistle to alexander , duke of lithuania , who had received the bohemians into his protection , writes thus ; (b) if thou hast been any waies induced to promise to defend them , know , that thou couldst not pawn thy faith to hereticks , the violators of the h. faith ; and that thou mortally offendest , if thou dost observe it . when (c) vladislaus , king of hungary , had made peace with amarath the turk for ten years , and had confirmed it with an oath ; the pope (d) eugenius the fourth writes to julian the cardinal , to persuade him to violate that peace , alledging and declaring , that no league made with the enemies of the christian faith ; without consulting with the pope , is valid : hereupon the poor king is prevailed with to become a most perfidious wretch , and fall upon the turk unawares , which he observing , and , being straitned in his armes , pulls out the articles of the covenant , and , looking up to heaven , cries out , (e) o crucified jesus , see the perfidiousness of this nation , which , against their oath , have violated all right and faith ; and if thou art a god , do thou revenge this perjury upon them , which was no sooner said but the christians were put to flight , the perjur'd king , and the cardinal who persuaded him to violate his oath , were both slain ; god teaching us by this example , saith * aenaeas sylvius , that oaths are to be kept , when made , not onely with the faithfull , but with enemies . pope innocent the third , in his epistle to peter , king of arragon , writes thus : (f) we enjoin thy serenity , by virtue of the holy spirit , that thou desert the forenamed people of tolose , and that thou dost not afford them any counsel , aid or favor , whilst they continue as they are , notwithstanding any promise or obligation whatsoever made unto them , in elusion of the ecclesiastical discipline . paul the third , in his bull against henry the eighth , edit . a. d. . (g) exhorts and requireth , in the lord , all christian princes shining in imperial or regal dignity , that they do not under pretence of any confederations or obligations whatsoever , although corroborated by frequently repeated oaths , or any other firmness , i say , he doth exhort them not to yield to king henry , his accomplices , favorers , adherers , consultors or followers , or any of them , by themselves or others , openly or secretly , directly or indirectly , tacitly or expresly , any counsel , aid or favor : and that they might not think themselves obliged so to doe , he absolves them all from all oaths or obligations made or to be made unto him or them , and declares them to be void and null and of no strength and moment . and lastly , pius the fifth absolves not onely all the subjects of queen elizabeth , but also all others who had in any sort sworn to her . . they who do claim a power to absolve subjects from these promises and oaths by which they were obliged to yield obedience to their heretical princes , must have an equal power to absolve catholick princes from their promises and oaths made to heretical subjects , for sure the obligation of princes to their subjects cannot be greater than is that of subjects to their prince : now it is known , that r. popes and councils claim the power of absolving subjects from that obedience which they have sworn to yield to their heretical superiors : ergo , by the same principles they must have power to absolve catholick princes from those promises and oaths which they have made to their heretical subjects . to give some instances of this kind , (h) let them know , saith gregory the ninth , who were bound by any bond , how firm soever , to persons manifestly fallen into heresie , that they are absolved from that fidelity , obedience and homage which they were obliged to pay them : and this decree is put into the body of the canon law , and hath , saith (i) singleton , been still commended and observed in the church practice about years . the truth and modesty of which assertion as to the limitation of it to years , will be abundantly made good by these following instances . in the eighth century , sigonius and others do inform us , that (a) rome , and the roman dutchy were lost by the grevians , by reason of their wicked heresie , and got by the pope of rome . that wicked heresie of leo isaurus , which lost him the empire of the west , was this , that he forbad the adoration of images , and pull'd them down everywhere , for this (b) gregory the second persuades the italians to revolt from him , as being a heretick , absolves them from their oaths of obedience to him , and strictly doth forbid them to pay him any tribute or obedience ; whereupon they , rejecting the emperor , do bind themselves by oath to be obedient to the pope . this is the title by which the pope holds rome at present , even plain rebellion and tyrannical invasion of his sovereigns estate and dominions . now by this action , saith baronius , he left to posterity a worthy example , that heretical princes should not be suffered to reign in the church of christ , if , being warned , they were found pertinacious in error . the next successor of gregory the second , was (c) gregory the third , who as soon as he had obtained the papal dignity , by the consent of the roman clergy , deprived leo the third , emperor of constantinople both of his empire and the communion of the faithfull , because he had swept away the h. images out of the church . in the eleventh century , gregory the seventh writes thus , (d) either king philip of france , rejecting the filthy merchandise of symoniacal heresie , will permit fit persons to be chosen into the government of the church , or the french will refuse to obey him any longer , unless they had rather cast away the christian faith , being smitten with the sword of a general anathema . where you see plainly , that the pope supposes heresie to be a crime sufficient not onely to justifie subjects in their refusal of obedience to their lawfull prince , but also to justifie him in excluding them from the communion of christians who obey him . in the twelfth century , to give the better color to the deposition of henry the fourth and henry the fifth , it was first voted in a council held at the lateran , . that it was heresie to assert the right of lay-men to invest into ecclesiastical preferments . and this decree was renewed in a council held at (e) vienna , anno domini , . and by another held at the lateran , a. d. . and , in pursuance of these decrees , were these two emperors deposed . but notwithstanding all the thundrings of paschal the second against henry the fourth , the church of leod stood firm to him , which so incensed the good pope , that he writes to robert , count of flanders , to expel those schismaticks out of the church : his words are these ; (f) it is just that they who have separated themselves from the church catholick , should be separated from the churches benefices ; wheresoever therefore thou art able , do thou persecute henry the head of the hereticks , n. b. and all his favorers , with all thy might , for truly thou canst offer no more acceptable sacrifice to god , than by impugning him who hath lifted up himself against god ; who by the judgment of the holy spirit ( o horrid blasphemy ) is cast out of the house of god by the princes of the apostles and their vicars ; this we command thee to doe for the obtaining the remission of thy sins , and the familiarity of the apostolick see ; which , as it seems , cannot be more effectually obtained by any thing than by rebellion against god's vicegerent , and persecuting him with all our might . in the thirteenth century , in the year of our lord . pope innocent the fourth assembles a general council at lyons , where he declares the emperor frederick the second guilty of heresie , (g) because he violated his oaths , and because he diminished the privilege granted to the successors of saint peter , in these words , whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth , &c. and contemned the keys of the church , which , saith he , must be heresie , seeing the civil law declares him a heretick , and worthy to be punished as such , who in a light matter doth deviate from the judgment of the catholick religion . then follows his deposition of the emperor in these words . we therefore , after mature deliberation had with our cardinals and with the sacred council , upon the premisses , declare the formentioned emperor — deprived by god of all honor and dignity , and , by our sentence , we deprive him of them , perpetually absolving all his subjects from their oaths of fidelity to him , and by our apostolical authority forbidding them to acknowledge or obey him hereafter as emperor or king and decreeing , that all who under that relation yield him counsel , aid or favor , shall be ipso facto excommunicate . ; a. d. . innocent the fourth pronounceth an anathema , on maunday thursday , against ecelinus , governor of marchia tarvisina , as being a manifest heretick , and frequently excommunicated upon that account . and a. d. . he gathers an army of crusado's against him . in the fourteenth century , a. d. . john the twenty second excommunicates matthew , viscount of milan , his sons and abettors , as being hereticks and schismaticks , passeth upon them the sentence of deprivation of all their goods , deposition from all office and dignity ecclesiastical and secular , of inhability to any other , and exposes their persons to be seised upon , and treats with frederick of austria , king of the romans , about sending an army into lombardy , to suppress them . a. d. . john the twenty second commands lewis of bavaria to cease from all administration of the empire , and never to assume it again , without the approbation of the apostolick see ; and this was done , as for other reasons , so in particular for this , that lewis had shewed favor and patronage to viscount galeatius , and his brethren , who had been lawfully condemned for heresie , and to some others who had rebelled against the church . an. do. . this pope pronounces the emperor contumacious and deprived of all right to the empire , reserving to himself the inflicting of other penalties upon him , if ever he endeavour to meddle with the administration of the empire , or should presume to favor the forementioned hereticks and rebels , forbidding all the subjects of the empire , under most grievous penalties , in any manner to obey him , to call him emperor , or yield him any aid or favor . an. dom. . benedict the twelfth renews this sentence of pope john. and the next year the emperor makes a large promise of doing almost any thing the pope would ask , and giving power to his own subjects to rise up against him , if he did not perform it ; and yet this was not thought sufficient to expiate the guilt of favoring hereticks and rebels to the church of rome , and doing that which was at rome esteemed heresie . he therefore proceeds to confess that he had done ill in favoring the viscount of milan and others condemned by the church as hereticks and schismaticks : that in his appeal , made against john the d , he had said many heretical things ; that he would make a full confession of these things , and would supplicate for absolution ; and take an oath stare mandatis ecclesiae , to obey the commands of the church , and to extirpate hereticks ; and yet all this would not prevail for the obtaining of his pardon . a. d. . clement the sixth renews the same sentence against the emperor ; and the conditions which he required , in order to his absolution , were , that he should confess his heresies and errors , of which he was accused , and that he should resign the empire , not re-assuming it , but by the favor of the pope ; that he should deliver up his sons , goods , and his whole concerns , into the hands and will of the pope , all which the emperor promised to doe ; and yet this would not satisfie . a. d. , and . the emperor is again deposed , and his subjects are absolved from their oaths of allegiance to him . so dreadfull was it even for emperors to be esteemed hereticks , or favorers of hereticks , or friends to them who have been rebels to the church of rome . a. d. . vrban the fifth pronounceth barnabas , duke of milan , a heretick and schismatick , anathematized by the church , and for that cause deprives him and his posterity of all honor , dignity , privileges and jurisdiction , absolves his subjects from their oaths of fealty to him , and also frees his wife from the bond of matrimony ; and he subjecteth all that did aid or favor him to the same punishments ; and granteth plenary indulgence to all crusado's that would fight against him . in the fifteenth century , an. dom. . (h) nicholas the fifth , in his epistle to all the faithfull , by his apostolical authority , excites charles the th , king of france , to extirpate the perversness of amideus , duke of savoy , the antipope , with all his favorers and adherers , as being guilty of schism and heresie , and being therefore excommunicated and anathematized , and he moreover gives him all the dominions and goods belonging both to the duke and all his favorers , promising full pardon of all sins , and an augmentation of the rewards of eternal life , to them who would go in person with the king of france to fight against them ; and this he did after mature deliberation had with his good brethren the cardinals . a. d. . sigismundus maletusta , for the crime of heresie , is by pope pius the second deprived of his dominions and all his goods . in the same year , george , king of bohemia , sends to pope pius the second , desiring him to confirm the indulgence granted to the bohemians by the general council of basil , and confirmed by eugenius the fourth , concerning the receiving the communion in both kinds . the pope answers by minding him of his coronation oath , in which he had promised obedience to the see of rome , and commands him therefore to comply with that church . the king replies , that indeed he had sworn , haereticam pravitatem è regno abjicere , to expell heresie out of his kingdom , but that he never esteemed the receiving the sacrament in both kinds to be heresie , and that he would live and die in the practice of it . then the king enquires of the hussites , whether , if war should be waged against him upon this account , they would stand by him ? who answer , like good subjects , that they would doe it with their lives and fortunes . but putting the same question to the catholicks , they answer fraudulently , that when the honor of god and justice was not violated , they would not be wanting to assist the king and kingdom . for this the pope prepares to execute his censures on the king , nulls the contract of agreement made betwixt him and his rebellious subjects of breslaw , in which they promised submission to him , he absolves them from their promise , commands the king , and all other persons , under the penalty of excommunication , not to hurt them , or to compell them to obey him , and exhorts all princes to be assistent to these rebels and truce-breakers , against all invaders . a. d. . hynco , one of the king 's nobles , being besieged by the king in a town called zaraste , escapes privily in the night , and flys to paul the second , who presently , in favor of this criminal , pronounces an anathema against all who did not presently quit the seige , and the town notwithstanding being taken , he sends rudolph , his legate , to try the princes of germany , whether they would not hinder the pope's proceedings against king george ; their answer is , that the pope knew what was his duty , and they would doe what became catholicks ; but that they could not break their league with him till the church had declared him a heretick . in the mean time all the catholick nobility of bohemia rebell against him , and desire the pope to absolve them from their oath of obedience to him , which , when they had joyned with the inhabitants of breslaw and other rebels , is granted to them , the king himself is cited to rome , rudolph is commanded to procure aid against him , and to gather an army of crusado's for that purpose , which presently he doth , and forceth the king from a town that he besieged . and , because the king appear'd not at rome , and desisted not from persecuting the catholicks , by the advice of the cardinals and all the doctors of divinity and of the canon law , he is pronounced a perjured , sacrilegious heretick , then the pope deprives him , as being a heretick , of all honor and dignity , absolves his subjects from their obedience to him , and declares him and his posterity uncapable of any dignity ; and lastly , offers his kingdom to casimirus king of poland . in the sixteenth century , i paul the third , an. do. . with the consent of his cardinals , declares , that henry the eighth of england , under severe penalties required his subjects to hold some schismatical and heretical articles , amongst which this was one , that he himself , and not the pope , was the supreme head of the church of england : these errors he requires him to desist from , and to abrogate the laws made against the pope's supremacy ; declaring that if he did not yield to this injunction , he should incur the sentence of the greater excommunication , under which sentence if he continued ninety days , and did not within that time appear at rome , he , in the space of three days after , should incur the penalty of deprivation of his kingdoms and dominions passed upon him . moreover he absolves his subjects from their oaths of fealty of subjection to him , commanding them , under the penalty of excommunication , not to obey him or acknowledge him as their superior . a. d. . pius the fifth declares queen elizabeth a heretick , whereupon he deprives her of her pretended n. b. royal right , and all dominion , dignity and privilege whatsoever , and declares all her subjects , and all others who had sworn to her , absolved from their oaths , and from any obligation of allegiance or obedience to her . an. dom. . sixtus the fifth pronounceth (k) henry of navar and the prince of conde to be sectaries relapsed into error , manifest favorers and publick defenders of sectaries , that is , hereticks , rebels to the divine majesty , and enemies to the catholick faith ; having done this , he deprives them and their posterity for ever of their dominions and kingdoms , absolving their subjects from their allegiance to them , in these words , by the authority of these presents we do absolve and set-free all persons as well joyntly as severally from any such oath , and from all duty whatsoever in regard of dominion , fealty and obedience , and do charge and forbid all and every of them , that they do not dare to obey them , or any of their admonitions , laws and commands . after the death of henry the third , by the barbarous murther of fryer clement , the parisians send to the sorbon doctors to know if it were lawfull to submit to henry of borbon , to whom the crown of right belong'd ; their answer is at large recorded in thuanus , and briefly is to this effect , that catholicks , by the divine law , were forbidden to admit to the kingdom a sectary , or a favorer of a sectary , and a manifest enemy of the church , much more one that had relapsed , and was by name excluded from the catholick vnion by the apostolick see that all who favor or assist him were guilty of damnable sin , and would infallibly be damned , and all that did resist him unto bloud , would dye martyrs , and enjoy an everlasting reward in heaven . ; but it is needless to multiply examples of this nature in a case defined by two general councils : first , that of lateran , under alexander the third , a. d. . which cap. . speaking of certain hereticks there mentioned , let all men , say they , know , who any way stand bound to them , that as long as these hereticks persist in their iniquity , they are relaxed from all fealty , homage and obedience due to them . the second is , the fourth council of lateran , under innocent the third , which , as you have already heard , declares , that if the temporal lord neglect to purge his territories from heretical pravity , notice must be given of his remisness to the pope , that he from henceforth may pronounce his subjects discharged from their obedience , and give his dominions to catholicks . moreover , in compliance with these popish principles , we find that popish princes , who had made these promises , did notwithstanding prosecute their protestant subjects with the greatest rigor , and act clear contrary to the engagements made unto them . our own dominions will afford a sad and lamentable instance of this thing . for when the men of norfolk , and a great body out of suffolk , desired to know of queen mary , whether she would alter the religion set up in king edward's daies , she gave them full assurance , that she would never make any innovation or change , but be contented with the private exercise of her own religion . and , on the twelfth of april , she made an open declaration in council , that , although her conscience was stayed in the matters of religion , yet she was resolved not to compell or strain others , otherwise than god should put into their hearts a persuasion of that truth she was in ; but , notwithstanding these engagements , as soon as she was well established in the throne , she presently began , and did continually promote the burning of her protestant subjects onely for their religion sake . another instance of like nature we have in france ; where , notwithstanding all the edicts made in favor of the protestants , their temples are demolished , they are rendred incapable of all charges of magistrature , they are abandoned to injustice and violence ; their children are often taken up in the streets , shut up in cloysters , and they never hear more of them ; they are deprived of all means of gaining their livelyhood , and are not allowed to be of arts and trades , though the declarations and edicts expresly bear they shall be received into them . in england , saith the hugonot , there , more favor hath been given to the catholicks than was promised them ; but in france , where we live under favorable edicts , they have promised us what they have not performed ; it is onely to us that they make profession of not performing what they have promised ; the edicts of pacification are in all the forms that perpetual laws ought to be , they are verified by the parliaments , they are confirmed by a hundred declarations , and by a thousand royal words , they have been laid as irrevocable laws , and as foundations of the peace of the state , we rely upon the good faith of so many promises , and on a sudden we see snatch'd from us what we look'd upon as our greatest security , thus there is neither title , nor prescription , nor edicts , nor arrests , nor declarations , that can put us in safety . § . xx. but lastly , that which chiefly doth confirm this truth is , the proceedings of the general council of constance against john hus , who being summoned by sigismond the emperor to appear before that council , to take away all fears and jealousies of what he might expect to suffer from them , the emperor grants him safe conduct , vt constantiam veniens è converse redire ad bohemiam possit , to return from constance to bohemia , and promiseth he would receive him into the safeguard and protection of the empire ; and commanding all princes of his dominions to permit him freely to come thither , stay and continue there , and to return from thence . but notwithstanding this , he had not been above three weeks in constance , but , contrary to his safe conduct , he is thrown into prison ; which being done in the emperor's absence he returns to the council , and argues the case with them , upon which they pass the decree contained in the ninteenth session of that council , in these words ; this present sacred synod declares that by whatsoever safe conduct , granted by the emperor , kings , or other secular princes to hereticks , or such as are defamed for heresie , and by whatsoever bond they have obliged themselves to the observance of it no prejudice can arise , no impediment can or ought to be put to the catholick faith , or other ecclesiastical jurisdiction , but that ( notwithstanding the said safe conduct ) it may be lawful for any competent and ecclesiastical judge to enquire into the errors of such persons , and duly otherwaies proceed against them , and punish them so far as justice shall require , if they shall pertinaciously refuse to revoke their errors ; yea , though they come to the place of judgment , relying upon such safe conduct and would not otherwise come thither ; nor doth he , who so promiseth , remain obliged in any thing , having done what lies in him . and having passed this decree , for the satisfaction of the emperor , they pronounce john hus guilty of heresy , and thereupon seven of the bishops solemnly degrade , and commit his soul to the devil , his body to the emperor , who commands ludovicus , duke of bavaria , to deliver him up to the executioners , who there-upon commit his body to the flames . the question then is whether the emperor did not breake his faith with john hus in so doing , and whether the council did not decree that neither he nor any else were bound to keep it in this case with hereticks . and although this case be so plain and clear to all persons who have any sense of justice and honesty , that we dare to appeal to the most indifferent persons in the world . whether it be not a most notorious violation of faith for sigismond himself , after a solemn promise made to hus of safe return , to be the (a) instrument of his execution , and whether they , declaring that the emperor had done what in him lay , as to the observation of this promise , do not expresly declare , that (b) emperors cannot hinder the execution of an heretick , when h. church doth interpose for his destruction , what promises soever they have made of safety to him ? yet that which most of all confirms this truth , is the consideration of the answers made by the doctors of the r. church to protestants acusing of this council , as well they might , of favoring the breach of promise made by catholicks , to such as they are pleased to call hereticks ; now the chief plea which becanus , and after him the author of labarynthus cantuariensis makes to free the councils from this imputation , is , viz. that by that decree the council declares , that no secular power , how sovereign soever , can hinder the proceedings of the ecclesiastical tribunal in causes of heresie and consequently , if the emperor , or any other secular prince , grants a safe conduct , or makes promise of any thing to the prejudice of that jurisdiction , it shall not hold . the reason is , because it is a promise made of a thing not pertaining to the jurisdiction of that prince , nor wholly in his power to see performed : ; which , if i understand any thing , is expresly to say , that though in cases properly pertaining to the prince's jurisdiction he must perform his promise , yet not in this of heresie ; because it doth belong to the ecclesiastical tribunal : when therefore the council of constance decrees , that no secular power is obliged by any safe conduct to any thing that may hinder the tribunal's proceeding in cases of heresie , what doth it else but declare in express terms , that faith is not to be kept with hereticks , that is , in any thing relating to their heresie ; for this it seems the magistrates have nothing to doe with : and therefore let kings and princes make never so solemn promises and engagements to men suspected of heresie , to their peril be it who rely upon them , for they have nothing to doe to promise in such matters , and though their faith be given never so publickly and solemnly , they are not bound to keep it : nay , they are bound not to keep it : for if they should , it would be to the apparent mischief and prejudice of the church . this necessarily follows from their own words , and the distinction here used by them : and also from the words of the council , for if no safe conduct of emperors or kings can prejudice the catholick faith , or hinder the ecclesiastical jurisdiction from proceeding duly against hereticks , and punishing them as far as justice doth require , it cannot hinder the execution of them by the magistrate when they are given up to the secular power for that end ; for , i suppose , the council could not but esteem the freeing hereticks , condemned by the church , from civil punishments , a prejudice to the catholick faith and an hindrance of the ecclesiastical jurisdiction , by letting them escape who by that jurisdiction were condemned to suffer what was due to hereticks . so that the plain result of all is this , that no prince ought to promise safety to the heretick ; but if he does so , though it be more than he can doe , yet the church can make that good use of it , that by that means she may get the hereticks under her power , and when she hath them , it is but then declaring this promise to be null , and she may doe with them as she pleases . § . xxi . now to give you the description of a popish prince placed in the throne , invested with the power of the sword , and settled in a kingdom , where protestants , that is , damned hereticks , abound from the decrees and the determinations of their approved general councils , and almost in their own expressions , it is this , viz. a popish prince is one who as he doth desire to be esteemed a christian , or a true son of the church , stands bound to wait on the inquisitors or catchpoles of the church , affording them his aid and favor , in finding out and apprehending , and in committing to the gaol all hereticks , with all that favor and abet them , that is , he is to doe the office of a bailiff , constable , and a gaol-keeper to a bloudy bonner , or any other person deputed by his holiness for the destruction of his subjects . moreover , as he would avoid the heavy censures of the church , he must oblige himself by oath , not onely to rob and spoil his protestant subjects of their goods , and put them into chains and fetters , but also to exterminate them out of his kingdoms and dominions , and when they are by the inquisitors or bishops delivered up into his hands , he must presently commit them to the flames , that is , he must perform the office of the hangman or executioner for h. church . and , if he be remiss or backward in butchering his subjects for their conscience sake , he must then be deprived of all his dominions , and they must be disposed of to persons more enclined to act these bloudy tragedies upon them . and , lastly , if he hath bound himself by promises or oaths to deal more mildly with them , and to permit them to enjoy their own religion , or hath engaged not to execute these sanguinary laws upon them , he must repent of this his horrid wickedness , be false unto the oath of god , and , in despite of all his promises , he must effectually proceed to the extermination and destruction of them . § . xxii . if he be backward or remiss in executing of these sanguinary laws , he hath his ghostly fathers , the archbishops and bishops , who cannot , without perjury , forget to spur him on to the effusion of the bloud of christians ; for , by the oath which these embassadors of peace do take at their admissions to their sacred functions , they oblige themselves (c) to prosecute and impugn to the utmost of their power all hereticks , schismaticks and rebels to the pope . if they be remiss in this matter , they , by the constitution of the fourth general council of lateran , must lose their high and rich preferments , which , out of too much kindness to a damn'd heretick , you may be sure they will not doe . 't is from their importunity that all these sanguinary laws of princes had their rise , 't is they who have insatiably thirsted after christian bloud , and , like death , never said they had enough ; 't is they who stablished all the forementioned laws , and who in france and germany were still taking council together how to destroy their christian brethren , more righteous than themselves : 't is they who do encourage and admonish one another carefully to execute , observe and cause inviolably to be observed , by all their subjects , all laws made against persons infam'd or suspected of any heresie , and against all receivers , favorers and defenders of them , and against secular powers , who being lawfully required , neglect to extirpate heretical pravity out of their dominions . and with what faithfulness and zeal they have performed , in this point , their oaths , a few late instances will shew . the general council of siena , held a. d. . exhorts , invites , admonisheth all christian princes , by the bowels of the mercies of god , and as they desire to avoid the divine vengeance , and the penalty of the law , to be watchfull and intent to extirpate with all speed the heresie of the wicklefists condemned by the church . a council met at * paris , under the archbishop of sens , a. d. . and therefore called concilium senonense , renews all the decrees of the fourth general council of lateran , excommunicating all hereticks , and declaring all that believe not as the church of rome believes , to be hereticks , condemning them to perpetual imprisonment , confiscation of their goods , and decreeing that they shall be given up to the hands of the secular magistrate , and commanding all bishops to be diligent in execution of these laws , and all governors and consuls of cities to take an oath to be aiding in this work , according to their power . this done , they thus apply themselves unto his christian majesty , we beseech the most christian king by the bowels of the mercy of god , for the singular zeal , and wonderfull affection , and incredible devotion which he beareth to the christian religion , he would forthwith expell all hereticks out of his dominions and territories , and would exterminate them ; and necessary , say they , is it that all orthodox princes should bend their whole endeavors , and exercise their whole power for the destroying and chasing away hereticks , if they are willing to consult the good of christianity , or fear the ruin of the christian faith this is sufficient to work upon their piety if they incline that way . ; to move them to this butchery , with hopes of temporal and of eternal advantages , they let them know , that though god is able to destroy the hereticks himself , yet such is his goodness , that he would have men to be co-workers with him in this thing , and that he amply will reward all those that are so , and that it would be tedious to rehearse the glory and felicity of them who , adhering stedfastly to the catholick faith , did slaughter hereticks , as being the capital enemies of the crown . and to deter them , if they be superstitious , with the dread of punishments , they add , that , on the contrary , such princes as have been favorable to hereticks , and did not withstand their errors , found the vengeance of god against them , and , being destitute of his favor , fell into grievous calamities , and miserably ended their lives : we therefore , considering these things , according to our duty , do instantly exhort all christian princes , and , in the lord , beseech them , that , as they desire to consult their own welfare , to keep the rights of their dominions pure , as they desire to keep the people subject to them in peace and in tranquility , they would , with powerfull arm , defend the catholick faith , and manly endeavor to subdue its enemies ; hoc profectò nostrum desiderium , haec votorum summa , haec nostri conatûs gloria , hoc est quod totâ mente exposcimus , & assiduis precibus à domino flagitamus , i. e. the effusion of the bloud of hereticks is what we chiefly do desire both of god and men , and to accomplish this is our chief glory . the council of milan , a. d. . puts up the like petition to the civil magistrate in these words , we exhort princes , and the magistrates of cities , and by the bowels of the mercies of christ our lord , we pray them , that , preferring heavenly gain before earthly , they take care to forbid all traffick and commerce with hereticks , in any of their towns and cities , and that they suffer not their subjects , upon these accounts , to repair to any heretical countries , especially that they would be helpfull to , and heartily would favor ( that hell above ground ) the sacred inquisition , and , being desired , would interpose their authority to that end ; and what more they could aske it is not easie to imagine . but should popish princes be remiss in execution of this bloudy work , they must expect to be still quickned , if not threatned to it by that great malleus haereticorum call'd his holiness . for this hath been the constant business of that see from the twelfth century till of late , to call upon all catholick princes to ruin both the souls and bodies of those subjects who refused to obey the church of rome , or become subjects to his holiness . and to chastise those princes who did countenance any such sects or heresies , or who refused to destroy and murther them . how industriously they have promoted , how vehemently they have excited princes and other governors to these inhuman persecutions , will appear from the ensuing instances collected from the annals of their own spondanus . in the beginning of the thirteenth century the persecution waxed hot against the albigenses and waldenses , by reason of the fiery zeal of innocent the third against them ; who in the years , and . excited philip , king of france , to fight against raimund , the count of tolose , and to expell him with his adherents out of his dominions , because he was a favorer of hereticks . a. d. . he promiseth to all confess'd and penitent crusado's , that would take up arms against them , the remission of sins , and absolution from penance , whereupon these crusado's besiege , and take the city of beziers , and destroy in it sixty or seventy thousand souls . an. do. . innocent the third writes to the count of tolose , not to receive into his territories the albigensian and waldensian hereticks , declaring that , if he should neglect to obey this command , he would give up his dominions to be possessed by the exterminators of hereticks , as afterwards he did . a. d. . gaufred , the legate of the apostolick see , excites the citizens of milan to animadvert upon the hereticks , by banishing and apprehending them , by destroying of their houses , by confiscation of their goods , and other penalties ; and in the year following severe laws were made against them there , by instigation of the pope , and many hereticks in lombardy and germany were burnt . a. d. . gregory the ninth excites ludovicus , king of france , to restrain the albigensian hereticks , and , in the same year , by the authority of the same gregory , expedition is made against the hereticks dwelling in the confines of saxony , frisia and bremen , the cross is preach'd up , and the same privileges which were granted to those who went to the holy land , were promised to those crusado's who should take up arms against the hereticks . an. do. . he set forth an edict against them , which caused many of them to be burnt . a. d. . pope gregory the ninth excites bela , king of hungary , to fight against asanus , lord of bulgaria , because he had revolted from the obedience of the roman see to the schism and heresie of the greeks , and he solicits the crusado's , gathered for the assistence of the holy land , to fight against him , by promising to them the same privileges upon their expedition against him . a. d. . innocent the fourth sets forth divers constitutions against hereticks and their favorers , commands the cross to be preach'd up against them , and gives the same privileges and indulgences to all crusado's , who engage against them , which had been granted by a general council to those who went to the holy land. a. d. . clement the fifth sent his legate with an army of crusado's against the dulcinists , who denyed the pope and other r. prelates to be true pastors , because they lived not according to the rules of the gospel , by which crusado's the dulcinists were forced up into the alpes , where they were partly destroyed by the sword , partly by cold and hunger ; dulcinus himself , with some of his companions , being taken , they were brought to vercelles , and there cut in pieces , and afterwards their scattered pieces were committed to the flames . a. d. . benedict the twelfth excites john , king of bohemia , and the bishop of almutz , against some hereticks who came thither out of germany and the neighboring places : and edward the third of england , against the hereticks in ireland , who said the sacrament was not to be adored . a. d. . clement the sixth writes to peter de montibus , an inquisitor , and to all prelates and rectors to persecute the hereticks in the province of ambrun , this persecution makes them fly into calabria . and an. do. . innocent the sixth writes to the king of sicily to assist the inquisitors of heresie against them there . a. d. . gregory the eleventh excites charles the fourth , emperor of germany , and other princes of that nation , to extirpate the hereticks called begardi and bequini , who again sprang up in germany . a. d. . he writes to the archbishop of prague , and to charles the emperor , to punish one mallaesius an heretick and his followers , and to assist the inquisitors in so doing . a. d. . the hereticks abounding in the provinces of dauphine , savoy , and other neighboring places ; the same pope writes vehement letters to the prelates and rectors of those provinces , and to charles , king of france , to labor with the inquisitors to root them out of those provinces . a. d. . he writes to the king of england , and to the chancellor of oxford , to extirpate the errors of wickliff . in the fifteenth century , a. d. . alexander the fifth commands the wicklefists to be apprehended and condemned as hereticks , by requesting the aid of the civil magistrate . a. d. . branda , a cardinal , was sent by martin the fifth , to prosecute the holy war against the hussites . a. d. . martin the fifth gives to henry of winton ample power to raise an army of crusado's against the wicklefists and hussites , promising to them the same privileges which were granted to them who went to the holy land. in the sixteenth century , when luther came upon the stage , leo the tenth , a. d. . set forth a bull against him , declaring , (d) that since the church of rome , n. b. had translated the empire from the greeks to the germans , she had ever found the germans to be severe oppugners of all heresie , witness the decrees of the german emperors for the exterminating hereticks out of their dominions , the condemnation of the hussites , wicklefists , and jerom of prague by the council of constance ; witness the bloud they have so often shed against the bohemians . wherefore , to shew the care he bears for christian religion and the orthodox faith , (e) he , with his cardinals , and many other divines most skilfull in theologie , and the most eminent professors of both laws , after mature deliberation , diligent examination and discussion of some articles cited in this bull , of which this is one , viz. that it is against the will of the holy spirit , that hereticks should be burnt , declares , that all those articles were contrary to the doctrine and tradition of the catholick church , against the determinations of holy fathers , and the express ordinances and canons of popes and councils , which not to be obedient to is the cause and nourishment of all heresies and schisms . he therefore , with the counsel and assent of the aforesaid brethren , pronounceth all the aforesaid articles to be respectively heretical , or scandalous , or false , and contrary to catholick verity , and , as such , reprobates and damns them ; decreeing , that all christians shall look upon them as such . and he (f) inhibits all kings , emperors , electors , princes , dukes , marquesses , &c. under the penalty of the greater excommunication , to be actually incurr'd without judicial proceeding , to assert , affirm , defend , preach , or publickly or secretly , tacitly or expresly to favor the aforesaid errors or perverse doctrin of luther and under the same penalties commands them personally to apprehend him , his accomplices , adherents , receivers and favorers , and to retain them till the pope requires them , and then to send them to him , for which good work he promiseth to reward them . and lastly , he doth excommunicate and anathematize all persons of what state , degree , condition , preeminence , dignity or excellency soever , who any ways do hinder the publication of this bull in their dominions . ; a. d. . he pronounceth luther a heretick , and declares , that all persons of what authority , dignity or condition soever , who did patronize or yield him any counsel , help or favor , had incurr'd the penalties and censures inflicted by the canons upon hereticks , and all the other punishments contained in his former decree . and he commands , that they should every where be denounced excommunicate , anathematized , accursed , interdicted , deprived of all honour , goods and dignity , and that they and their posterity should be uncapable of them for the future , and should by all men be avoided . a. d. . hadrian the sixth excites the princes of germany to extirpate the heresie of luther , and writes letters both to the secular and ecclesiastical princes to this effect , and particularly to frederick , duke of saxony , in whose dominions luther dwelt , admonishing him to consider how he could answer at the tribunal of christ for cherishing a mad-man and a subverter of the doctrine of the church . and (h) denouncing to him in the name of the omnipotent god , and the lord jesus christ , that if he did not return to a sound mind , he should hereafter be condemned to hell fire , and should not go unpunished in this present word , but suffer by the sword of caesar and the apostles see. and to that end this pope writes letters to the electors and other princes of germany , and sends an instruction to cheregata , his legate , how to proceed in this matter . a. d. . clement the seventh exhorts the senate of paris to punish the lutheran heresie sprung up amongst them , professing that he himself will spare no diligence or industry in that cause . a. d. . maximilian grants to the nobility of austria the free exercise of the augustan confession in their towns , castles and villages , which when pius the fifth hears of , he presently sends to him the cardinal of commendonum to hinder it , or if he could not hinder it , to declare by the apostolical authority , that the pope would inflict upon him , if he did not suddenly rescind that decree , all the ecclesiastical penalties and execrations , and would deprive him of his dominions , and take care that another should be chosen emperor . a. d. . sixtus the fifth exhorts the king of france , that , being mindfull of his oath which he had taken at his coronation , de omnibus haeresum atque sectarum seminibus extirpandis , to extirpate all the seeds of heresie and schism , he would effectually perform it . the end . books lately printed for thomas basset at the george in fleetstreet . the history of romish treasons and vsurpations ; together with a particular account of many gross corruptions and impostures in the church of rome , highly dishonourable and injurious to christian religion : to which is prefix'd a large preface to the romanists , carefully collected out of a great number of their own approved authors : by henry foulis , b. d. late fellow of lincoln-colledge in oxford . a catalogue . an institution of general history , or , the history of the world ; being a compleat body thereof : in two parts ; the first , from the beginning of the world till the monarchy of constantine the great ; wherein are described the several empires and the contemporaries with them , all distinctly and by themselves ; and yet linked together by synchronisms : as also the forms and models of governments , with the power and nature of their respective magistrates , customs , laws and antiquities . the second part containing that of the roman empire , its flourishing condition , its middle or neutral state , and its ruin and downfall in the west ; from the monarchy of constantine the great , to the taking of rome by odoacer , king of the heruli , and the erecting of a kingdom of barbarians in italy ; with an account of the polity of the empire , and of the several laws of moment made during the reigns of the emperors both in east and west to this period . by william howell , ll. d. sometimes fellow of magdalen college in cambridge . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e luke . . ver. , . john . . dr. tillotson's sermon , nov. . . p. . ibid. p. . vide dr. hammond in locum . tit. . . dr. tillot . ibid. p. . esa. . , . es. . . mich. . . eph. . . matth. . . v. . tim. . . matth. . . matth. . , . dr. tillotson , ibid. p. . john . . matt. . , . act. . , . tim. . . pet. . , . rom. . . gal. . . . , . tim. . , . tit. . . rev. . . tim. . . cor. . , . cor. . , , . cor. . . cor. . . cor. . . chap. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . oecum . in cor. . . p. . gr. theodoret. in locum . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . chrysost in locum . (a) cor. . . (b) hebr. . . (c) tim. . . (d) tit. . . (e) pet. . . (f) jud. , , . (g) act. . . (h) john . . (i) tim. . . cor. . . dr. tillotson , p. . matt. . , . dr. taylor 's liberty of prophesie , chap. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. to. . pag. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . theophyl in locum . . dicam , inquit , messoribus , unde intelligitur colligendorum zizaniorum ad comburendum alia esse ministeria , nec quenquam ecclesiae filium , n. b. debere arbitrari ad se hoc officium pertinere . — potest ei suboriri voluntas , ut tales homines de rebus humanis auferat , si aliquam temporis habeat facultatem , sed utrum facere debeat , justiciam dei consulit , utrum hoc ei praecipiat vel permittat , & hoc officium esse hominum velit , hinc est quod servi dicunt , vis imus & colligimus ea ? quibus veritas ipsa respondet — non esse tales auferendos de hac vita nè cum malos conatur interficere , bonos interficiat , quod fortè futuri sunt , — sed tunc opportunè fieri cum jam in fine non restat vel tempus commutandae vitae , vel perficiendi ad veritatem , &c. an fortè ideo simul eradicatur triticum cum auferuntur zizania , quia multi primo zizania sunt , & postea triticum fiunt , qui nisi patientèr , cum mali sunt , tolerentur ad laudabilem permutationem non perveniant , itaque si evulsi fuerint , simul eradicabitur & triticum , quod futuri essent , si eis parceretur . august . quaest. ex matth. lib. un . cap. . to. . p. , . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . athan. epist. ad solit . vitam agentes , p. , . and p. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; §. . numb . . (a) humani juris , & naturalis potestatis est , unicuique quod putaverit colere , — sed nec religionis est cogere religionem , quae spontè suscipi debeat , non vi . tertull. ad scap. cap. . videte , nè hoc ad irreligiositatis elogium concurrat , adimere libertatem religionis , & inter dicere optionem divinitatis , ut non liceat mihi colere quem velim , sed cogar colere quem nolim . apol. cap. . (b) quis imponat mihi necessitatem vel colendi quod nolim , vel quod velim non colendi ? quid jam nobis ulterius relinquitur , si etiam hoc , quod voluntate fieri oportet , libido extorqueat aliena ? lactant. l. . cap. . &c. . non est opus vi & injuria ; quia religio cogi non potest , verbis potius quàm verberibus res agenda est , ut sit voluntas — quid ergo saeviunt ? ut stultitiam suam dum minuere volunt , augeant ? longè diversa sunt carnificina & pietas , nec potest aut veritas cum vi , aut justitia cum crudelitate conjungi . nihil est enim tam voluntarium quam religio , in qua si animus sacrificantis aversus est , jam sublata , jam nulla est . (c) quid aliud his literis quàm libertatem fidei , & contagionem ariani nominis deprecantur , orántque vincula , carceres , tribunalia , &c. deus cognitionem sui docuit , potiùs quàm exegit , & operationum exlestium admiratione praeceptis suis concilians auctoritatem , coactam consitendi se aspernatus est voluntatem , si ad fidem veram istiusmodi vis adhiberetur , episcopalis doctrina obviam pergeret , dicerétque , deus universitatis est , obsequio non eget necessario , non requirit coactam confessionem , non fallendus est , sed promerendus , simplicitate quaerendus est , confessione discendus est , charitate amandus est , timore venerandus est , voluntatis probitate retinendus est : at verò quid istud quod sacerdotes timere deum vinculis coguntur , poenis jubentur ? sacerdotes carceribus continentur , &c. hilar. lib. ad constantium augustum , pag. , , . ideirco laboratis & salutaribus consiliis rempublicam regitis , — ut omnes quibus imperatis duleissimâ libertate potiantur . non aliâ ratione quae turbata sunt componi , quae divulsa sunt coerceri possunt , — permittat lenitas tua populis ut quos voluerint , quos putaverint , quos elegerint , audiant docentes . pag. . (d) ac primum misereri licet nostrae aetatis laborem , & praesentium temporum stultas opiniones congeiniscere , quibus patrocinari deo humana creduntur , & ad tuendam christi ecclesiam ambitione seculari laboratur . oro vos , episcopi , qui hoc vos esse creditis , quibusnam suffragiis ad praedicandum evangelium apostoli usi sunt ? quibus adjuti potestatibus christum praedicaverunt , gentésque ferè omnes ex idolis ad deum transtulerunt ? anne aliquam sibi assu●ebant è palatio dignitatem , hymnum deo in carcere , inter catenas & flagella cantantes ? edictisque regis paulus christo ecclesiam congregabat ? nerone se , credo , aut vespasiano , patrocinantibus , tuebatur , quorum in nos odiis confessio divinae praedicationis effloruit ? at nunc , proh dolor ! divinam fidem suffragia terrena commendant , inopsque virtutis suae christus , dum ambitio nomini suo conciliatur , arguitur . terret exiliis & carceribus ecclesia , credique sibi cogit , quae exiliis & carceribus credita est , pendet à dignatione communicantium , quae persequentium est consecrata terrore , fugat sacerdotes , quae sugatis est sacerdotibus propagata , diligi sese gloriatur à mundo , quae christi esse non potuit , nisi eam mundus odisset . idem epist. ad auxentium , p. . (e) si quid diis tuis numinis & potestatis est , ipsi in ultionem suam surgant , ipsi se sua majestate defendant ; aut quid praestare colentibus possunt , qui se de non colentibus vindicare non possunt ? cyprian ad demetr §. . . . (f) ergo humana patrocinia dii quaerunt ? & nisi vestra fuerint assertione protecti , idone● non sunt ipsi qui propulsare , defendere suas valeant contumelias . arnob. l. . p. . (g) cùm puniunt deprehensos in sacrilegio , ipsi de deorum suorum potestate diffidunt , cur enim illis non relinquunt ulciscendi sui locum , si eos posse aliquid arbitrantur ? lact. lib. . cap. . (h) nobis homicidium nec videre fas , nec audire . minuc p. . . (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . athenag legat. p. . . (k) ergo si homicidium facere nullo modo licet , nec interesse omnino conceditur , nè conscientiam persundat ullus cruor . lact. l. . c. . in hoc dei praecepto nullam prorsus exceptionem fieri oportet , quin occidere hominem sit semper nefas , quem deus sanctum animal esse voluit , ibid. neque accusare quenquam crimine capitali justo licebit , quia nihil distat utrúmne ferro , an verbo potiùs , occisio ipsa prohibetur . ibid. (l) fidelis neque judicet de capite alicujus , vel pudore , neque damnet , neque praedamnet ; neminem vinciat , neminem recludat aut torqueat . tertal . de idololat . cap. , & . et praelio operabitur filius pacis , cui nec litigare conveniet ? et vincula , & carcerem , & tormenta , & supplicia administrabit , nec suarum ultor injuriarum ? de coron . cap. . (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . orig. contra celsum . l. . p. . (n) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. pseudo-ignat . epist. ad philadelph . ed. uss. p. . (o) defendenda est religio , non occidendo , sed moriendo , non saevitiâ , sed patientiâ , — illa enim malorum sunt , haec bonorum , & necesse est bonum in religione versari , non malum , nam si sanguine , si tormentis , si malo religionem defendere velis , jam non defendetur illa , sed polluetur , atque violabitur . lact. l. . c. . (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . apud athanas. apol. ad imperat. constant. p. . (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . athanas. epist. ad solitariam vitam agentes , p. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , pag. , . (r) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . athanas. ibid. p. . (s) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . orat. tertia pro pace , p. , . (t) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . in locum . (v) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . tom. . p. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , pag. . lin . . &c. (x) nullis tamen bonis in ecclesia catholica hoc placet , si usque ad mortem in quenquam , licet haereticum , saeviatur , neque verò si longè à morte cujuslibet molestiis libido ulciscendi malum pro malo retribuat , approbamus ; multo amplius detestantes , si ex hac occasione , velut pro unitate conandi , concupita quis auferat aliena — haec omnia displicent nobis , & ea prohibent , & cohibent quantum possunt , quantum autem non possunt , serunt : & , sicut dixi , pro pace laudabiliter tolerant , non ea laudabilia , sed damnabilia judicantes . august . contra crescon . grammat . l. . cap. . (y) quidam intuentes praecepta severitatis quibus admonemur corripere inquietos , ut ethnicum habere ecclesiae contemptorem , à compage corporis membrum quod scandalizat ave●lere , it à perturbant ecclesiae pacem ut conentur ante tempus seperare zizania , atque hoc errore caecati , ipsi potius à christi unitate seperentur . august . de fide & operibus , cap. . (z) vos rogamus nè occidantur . sic eorum peccata compesce , ut sint quos poeniteat peccasse , ep. . poena sanè illorum , quamvis de tantis sceleribus confessorum , rogo te , ut praeter supplicium mortis sit , ep. . tu ab eorum sanguine , etiam propter christum , juridicum gladium cohibe , epist. . (a) quod te per jesum christum , nè facias , obsecramus , ep. . obtestor fidem tuam quam habes in christo , per ipsius domini christi misericordiam , ut hoc nec facias , nec fieri omnino permittas , epist. . per misericordiam christi obsecro , ep. . necessitate nobis impactà & indictâ , ut etiam occidi ab iis eligamus , quàm eos occidendos vestris judiciis ingeramus , ep. . (b) comperi plurimos eorum de homicidio quod in restitutum catholicum presbyterum commiserunt , & de caede innocentii alterius catholici presbyteri , atque de oculo ejus effosso , & de digito praeciso fuisse confessos , ep. , . (c) nè obliviscamur quid nobis praeceperit , pro cujus veritate ac nomine patimur , qui diligimus inimicos nostros , & oramus pro eis , epist. . (d) non suffecit apostolo monere ut mansuetudinem servaremus , sed ut eam etiam notam omnibus faceremus . ep. . (e) time ergo nobiscum judicium dei patris , & commend a mansuetudinem matris , cùm enim tu facis , ecclesia facit ; propter quam facis , & cujus silius facis . epist. . (f) propter conscientiam nostram rogo . ep. . ubi ponimus ipsam conscientiam nè malum pro malo , qui passi sunt , reddidisse videantur , ep. . (g) ut sint quos poeniteat peccâsse . ep. . tu inimicis ecclesiae viventibus relaxa spacium poenitendi . ep. . (h) si occidendos in his sceleribus homines putaveritis , deterrebitis nos nè per operam nostram ad vestrum judicium aliquid tale perveniat . ep. . (i) hoc ecclesiae catholicae expedire contestor . ep. . nec tamen sic ecclesiae causam desererem . ep. . (k) nè passiones servorum dei catholicorum , quae prodesse debent ad exempla patientiae , inimicorum suorum sanguine foedarentur . ep. . ep. . (l) non tamen supplicio capitali , propter servandam , etiam circa indignos , mansuetudinem christianam . ep. . p. . (n) nos non expetimus ut deum nostrum velint nolint colat aliquis invitus , nec si non coluerit irascimur . lact. l. . cap. . p. . nemo à nobis retinetur invitus , inutilis est enim deo qui devotione & fide caret . cap. . p. . (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. apud athanas. to. . p. . contra crescon . lib. . cap. . (p) tum verò idacius atque ithacius acrius instare , arbitrantes posse inter initia malum comprimi : sed parum sanis consiliis , n. b. seculares judices adeunt , ut eorum decretis haeretici urbibus pellerentur . sulpit. l. . §. . igitur post multa & foeda , ithacio supplicante , elicitur à gratiano tum imperatore reseriptum , quo universi haeretici excedere non ecclesiis tantùm aut urbibus , sed extra omnes terras propelli jubebantur . ibid. ubi maximus oppidum trevirorum victor ingressus est , ithacius ingerit preces plenas in priscillianum & socios ejus invidiae atque criminum , — it à omnes ad regem deducti — idacius & ithacius episcopi , quorum studium in expugnandis haereticis non reprehenderem , si non studio vincendi plus quam oportuit certassent ; ac mea quidem sententia est , mihi tam reos quàm accusatores displicere . §. . tum martinus apud treveros constitutus non desinebat increpare ithacium ut ab accusatione desisteret , maximum orare , ut sanguine infelicium abstineret : satìs supérque sufficere ut episcopali sententià haeretici judicati , ecclesiis pellerentur : novum esse , & inauditum nefas ut causam ecclesie judex seculi judicaret . denique — egregi● authoritare à maximo elicuit responsum nihil eruentum in reos constituendum . sed postea imperator per magnum & rufum episcopos depravatus , & à mitioribus consiliis deflexus — censuit priscillianum sociòsque ejus capitis damnari oportere . — it à priscillianus capitis damnatus est , unáque cum eo felicissimus & armenius-latronianus quoque , & eutrochia gladio perempti — itum deinde in reliquos sequentibus judiciis , damnatique asarinus & aurelius diaconus gladio — hoc ferè modo homines luce dignissimi pessimo exemplo , n. b. necati , aut exiliis multati : caeterum ithacius videns quàm invidiosum sibi apud episcopos foret si accusato , etiam ▪ postremis capitalium rerum judiciis astitisset , subtrahit se cognitioni frustra , callido jam scelere peracto . §. . (q) maximus imperator , aliàs sanè bonus , depravatus consiliis sacerdotum , post priscilliani necem , ithacium episcopum , priscilliani accusatorem , caeterósque illius socios , vi regiâ tuebatur , nè quis ei crimini daret , opera illius cujuscumque modi hominem fuisse damnatum , — congregati apud treveros episcopi tenebantur , qui quotidie communicantes ithacio , communem sibi causam fecerunt . et jam pridie imperator ex eorum sententia decreverat tribunos mittere , summâ potestate armatos , ad hispanias , qui haereticos inquirerent , deprehensis vitam & bona adimerent — illa praecipua cura ( martini , sc. ) nè tribuni cum jure gladiorum ad hispanias mitterentur , pia enim erat solicitudo martino , ut non solùm christianos qui sub illa erant occasione vexandi , sed ipsos etiam haereticos liberaret . — spondet si parceretur se communicaturum ( cum ithacianis ) dummodo ut & tribuni : jam in excidium ecclesiarum ad hispanias missi retraherentur — satiùs aestimans ad horam cedere , quàm his non consulere quorum cervicibus gladius imminebat : postero die se inde proripiens , cùm moestus ingemisceret se vel ad horam noxiae communioni fuisse permixtum ; — astitit ei repentè angelus . meritò inquit martine compungeris , sed aliter exire nequisti , repara virtutem , resume constantiam , nè jam non periculum gloriae sed salutis incurreris , itaque ab illo tempore satis cavit cum illa ithacianae partis communione misceri . dial. . §. . * ad an. . §. . (r) cùm videret me abstinere ab episcopis qui communicabant ei , vel qui aliquos , devios licet à fide , ad necem petebant . ambros. ep. . (s) illud decrevit praeterea sancta synodus , ut quoniam legatos episcopi galliarum , qui felici non communicant , destinarunt , si quis se ab ejus communione sequestrare velit , in nostrae sanctae pacis consortium suscipiatur . concil . taurin . cap. . * not. in concil . trevir . an. . (t) ithacius & ursatius , episcopi , ob necem priscilliani , cujus accusatores fuerunt , ecclesiae communione privantur . prosper . chronic. ad a. d. . isidor . de viris illustribus , cap. . (v) nondum enim de episcopo aliquo auditum in ecclesia dei erat de sontibus poenam sanguinis exegisse . baron . ad an. . §. . & rursus , nullus sanctorum patrum laudavit id posse fieri suggestione sacrorum antistitum . ad an. . §. . (x) unde in ecclesia catholica usu receptum est , ut cùm quis expetit à secularibus magistratibus opem adversus impios , nè ithacianae partis sectator esse videatur , contestationem illam consultè praemittat , sic se correctionem expetere incorrigibilium delinquentium , ut tamen citra poenam sanguinis puniantur . spondan . epist. ad a. d. . p. , . baron . ad a. . §. . (y) theognostus , aliique catholicae communionis episcopi , ithacium cum sociis — excommunicarunt , quia saevius agens , in eosdem poenam capitis procurasset , solit amque interpositionem non interposuisset , qua se delinquentium incorrigibilium correctionem sic expetere declararet , ut tamen à sanguinis poena abstineretur . not. in concil . trevir . a. d. . (z) domine judex , rogamus vos cum omni affectu quo possumus , ut amore dei , & misericordiae intuitu , & nostrorum interventu precaminum miserrimo huic nullum mortis vel mutilationis periculum inferatis . pontis . rom. romae , . p. . (a) infra sex dies , sine aliqua processuum visione , sententias latas promptè exequantur , sub excommunicationis paena , aliisque censuris . innoc. . const. . bullar . rom. to. . p. . cap. . bull. rom. to. . p. . vide §. . (b) magistratus secularis quemcunque haereticum sibi à judicibus fidei traditum debet ultimo supplicio afficere . vide r. episc. lincol . brutum fulmen . p. , . sulp. p. . p. , . p. . p. , . p. . p. . p. . p. , . rom. . , . matth. . . character of a papist , &c. p. . p. . ibid. p. , . spond . to. . p. . §. . p. . §. . p. . since my writing of this the french king hath answered this objection with a vengeance . notes for div a -e concil . to. xi . part . . p. . p. . p. , , . ibid. concil . to. xi . p. . bullar . rom. to. i. p. . concil . to. xi . p. . pet. . . tim. . . deut. . . esa. . . joh. . . tim. . . act. . . cor. . . concil . to. xi . p. . the bull of martin the fifth published with the consent and approbation of the general council of constance begins thus , martinus episcopus — archiepiscopis , episcopis ac inquisitoribus haereticae pravitatis ubilibet constitutis . bin. to. . p. . concil . . xi . p. . bullar . rom. to. . p. . concil . to. xi . p. . bullar . rom. to. i. p. . concil . to. xi . p. . ibid. p. . vide simile statutum h. chichley , cant. archiepiscopi , ed. a. d. . spel. concil . to. ii. p. . ibid. p. . p. . to. . p. . bullar . rom. to. . p. . concil . to. xi . part . . p. . p. . part. . p. . part. . p. , . p. , . decretal . l. . tit . . cap. . par . statuimus . (a) adjicimus insuper , ut quilibet archiepiscopus , vel episcopus , per se aut per archidiaconum suum , vel idoneas personas honestas , bis , aut saltem semel in anno , propriam parochiam , in qua fama fuerit haereticos habitare , circumeat : & ibi tres vel plures boni testimonii viros , vel etiam , si expedire videbitur , totam viciniam jurare compellat , quod si quis ibidem haereticos sciverit , vel aliquos occulta conventicula celebrantes , seu à communi conversatione fidelium , vita & moribus dissidentes , eos episcopo studeat indicare . concil . to. xi . part . . p. . (b) discretioni ▪ vestrae , sacro approbante concilio constantiensi , per apostolica scripta committimus & mandamus . concil . const. sess. . bin. to. . p. . (c) vobis , & aliis omnibus archiepiscopis , episcopis & electis ac commissariis , & inquisitoribus , virtute sanctae obedientiae praecipimus & mandamus , ut quilibet eorum , infra limites & loca suae jurisdictionis , — circa exstirpationem & correctionem errorum & haeresum , — in favorem ipsius fidei orthodoxae diligenter invigilent , & omnes infamatos seu suspectos de tam pestifera labe sub confessali criminis , excommunicationis , suspensionis , interdicti , aut aliâ formidabili paenâ canonicâ , vel legali , prout , quando , & quemadmodum eis videtur expedire , & facti requireret qualitas , per juramentum corporaliter praestitum , tactis sacrosanctis evangeliis , seu sanctorum reliquiis , imagine crucifixi , secundum quorundam locorum observantiam , juxta infra scripta interrogatoria , ad quemlibet articulum convenientia respondere compellant . concil . constant. sess. . bin. to. . p. . pag. . pag. . (d) si qui vero ex eis juramenti religionem obstinatione damnabili respuentes , jurare fortè noluerint , ex hoc ipso tanquam haeretici reputentur . concil . lat. quartum , can. . concil . to. xi . p. . * qui autem de haeresi per judicem competentem ecclesiasticum inventi suerint sola suspicione notati , seu suspecti , nisi — propriam innocentiam congrua devotione monstraverint ▪ , in purgatione eis canonicè indictâ deficientes , & se canonicè purgare non valentes , aut pro hujusmodi purgatione facienda obstinatione damnabili jurare renuentes , tanquam haeretici condemnentur . concil . const. sess. . bin. to. . p. . (e) tam and regnum bohemiae , & convicinas illi , quàm alias quaslibet partes in quibus haec superstitiosa doctrina quomodolibet pulla●erit . ibid. (f) mandamus quatenus vos archiepiscopi , episcopi , & electi , & quilibet vestrum , per se seu alium , vel alios , quos graves & idoneas personas spiritualem jurisdictionem habentes esse volumus , omnes & singulos cujuseunque dignitatis , officii , praeeminentiae , status vel conditionis existunt , & quibuscunque nominibus censeantur , qui de praeexcelso — sacramento corporis & sanguinis domini nostri jesu christi , vel de baptismate , seu peccatorum confessione , poenitentiae pro peccatis , injunctione , vel reliquis ecclesiasticis sacramentis , seu fidei articulis , aliter sentire aut docere quàm sacrosancta r. ecclesia & universalis docet , praedicat & observat , — tanquam haereticos judicetis , & velut haereticos seculari curiae relinquatis . concil . constant. sess. . apud bin. to. . p. . (g) ( constitutionem ) felicis recordationis bonifacii octavi , quae incipit , ut inquisitionis negotium , renovantes , & etiam exsequentes , universos potestates , & dominos temporales , & judices antedictos , quibuscunque dignitatibus , vel officiis , seu nominibus censeantur , exhortando requirimus , & mandamus eisdem , ut sicut reputari cupiunt , & haberi fideles , ac filii ecclesiae nuncupari , & in christi nomine gloriari ita pro defensione fidei vobis archiepiscopis , episcopis , & electis , ac inquisitoribus haereticae pravitatis , & aliis judicibus seu personis ecclesiasticis per nos ad hoc — deputandis , fidem & communionem sanctae matris ecclesiae tuentibus pareant & intendant , praeleán●que auxilium & favorem , in haereticorum , ne●●●● credentium , fautorum , receptatorum , & defensorum ipsorum investigatione , captione , custodia diligenti , cum ab iisdem fuerint requisiti . ibid. p. . vid. sexti decretal . l. . tit . . c. . concil . to. xi . p. . pag. ● . pag. . pag. . decretal . l. . tit. . c. . concil . to. xi . p. . . decretal . l. . tit. . cap. . to. xi . p. ● ibid. p. . p. . p. . . citra diminut● nem membr● , mortis pericul● to. . p. ● bullar . r. ● p. . concil . to. ● to. xi . p. . ●●id . p. . ●●ncil . to. xi . , . p. . ●●●cil . to. xi . ●●● . p. . xi . p. . bull. rom. to. i. p. . incomparabilit●● reus , p. . concil . to. xi . p. . p. . bull. rom. to. p. . (a) excommunicamus & anathematizamus ●mnem haeresim extollentem se adversus hanc ●anctam orthodoxam fidem quam superius ex●osuimus , condemnantes universos haereticos qui●uscunque nominibus censeantur . concil . lat. can. . concil . to. xi . p. . (b) eos & defensores eorum & recepto●es anathemati decernimus subjacere . concil . lat. tertium . cap. . (c) bena ejusmodi damnatorum , si laici ●erint , confiscentur . concil . lat. quartum , ●an . . ibid. confiscentur eorum bona , & li●rum sit principibus ejusmodi homines subjice●● servituti . lat. tertium , cap. . bona ip●●um , à tempore commissi criminis , secundum ●●onicas sanctiones confiscata . concil . const. ●●ss . . bin. to. . p. . (d) ut praesatas personas pestiferas — in ●estatem , seu carcerem — infra eorundem do●norum potestatem , seu judicum districtum ●cant , vel duci faciant , sine mora , ubi per ●ros catholicos — sub arcta & diligenti custodia , nè fugiant ponendo eos etiam compedibus & manicis ferreis , teneant , donec eorum negotium per ecclesiae judicium terminetur . concil . const. sess. . bin. to. . p. . * vide sext. decretal . l. . tit . . c. . (e) moneantur autem , & inducantur , & , si necesse fuerit , per censuram ecclesiasticam compellantur seculares potestates , quibuscunque funguntur officiis , ut sicut reputari cupiunt & haberi fideles , it à pro defensione fidei praestent publicè juramentum quod de terris suae jurisdictioni subjecti ; universos haereticos ab ecclesia denotatos bona fide pro viribus exterminare studebutn : it à quòd à modo quomodocunque quis fuerit in potestatem sive spiritualem sive temporalem assumptus hoc teneatur capitulum juramento firmare . concil . lat. quartum . can. . ibid. (f) omnes christianae & catholicae fidei professores , imperatorem , reges , duces , principes , &c. necnon caeteros jurisdictionem temporalem exercentes juxta juris formam & exigentiam authoritate apostolicâ exhortando moneatis & requiratis ut de regnis , provinciis , civitatibus , oppidis , castris , villis , terris & locis aliis , ac dominiis supradictis , omnes & singulos haereticos hujusinodi , secundum tenorem lateranensis concilii , quod iucipit sicut ait , — tanquam oves morbidas gregem domini inficientes , expellant : nec eosdem in suis districtibus praedicare , domicilia tenere , larem fovere , contractus inire , negociationes & mercationes quaslibet exercere , aut humanitatis solatia , n. b. cum christi fidelibus habere permittant . conc. const. sess. . apud bin. to. . p. . a. vide concil . lat. tertium , cap. . (g) si verò dominus temporalis requisitus , & monitus ab ecclesia , terram suam purgare neglexerit ab hac haeretica foeditate , per metropolitanum & caeteros comprovinciales episcopos excommunicationis vinculo innodetur , & , si satisfacere contempserit infra annum , significetur hoc summo pontifici , ut ex tunc ipse vasallos ab ejus fidelitate denunciet absolutos , & terram exponat catholicis occupandam , qui eam , exterminatis haereticis , sine ulla contradictione possideant , & in fidei puritate conservent , salvo jure domini principalis , dummodo super hoc ipse nullum praestet obstaculum , nec aliquod impedimentum opponat , eadem nihilominus lege servatâ circa eos qui non habent dominos principales . ibid. p. , . (h) corde & ore prositeor fidem secundum traditionem octo conciliorum generalium , neenon lateranensis , lugdunensis , viennensis , constantiensis , generalium etiam conciliorum , & illam fidem usque ad unam apicem immutilatam servare , & usque ad animam & sanguinem defensare , & praedicare . concil . constant. sess. . basil. sess. . (i) per lateranense concilium ecclesia statuit . sess. . c. . (k) omnes & singulos haereticos hujusmodi , necnon sectatores ipsarum haeresum & errorum utriusque sexus , tenentes , & etiam defendentes eosdem , aut haereticis ipsis quomodolibet , publicè vel occultè , in divinis , vel alias participantes , etiamsi patriarchali , archiepiscopali , episcopali , regali , reginali , ducali , aut aliâ quavis ecclesiasticâ vel mundanâ praefulgeant dignitate , — excommunicatos singulis diebus dominicis & festivis , in praesentia populi nuncietis , & per alios nunciari faciatis , & nihilominus contra cosdem omnes & singulos , utriusque sexûs , hujusmodi errores tenentes , approbantes , defendentes , dogmatizantes ac fautores & receptores & defensores eorundem , — & quemlibet ipsorum , cujuscunque dignitatis , status , praeeminentiae , gradus , ordinis vel conditionis existunt , auctoritate nostrâ diligenter inquirere studeatis , & eos quos per inquisitionem hujusmodi diffamatos , vel per confessionem eorum , vel per facti evidentiam , vel alias hujusmodi haeresis & erroris labe respersos reperretis , auctoritate praedictá , etiam per excommunicationis , suspensionis , & interdicti , necnon privationis dignitatum , personatuum & officiorum , aliorumque beneficiorum ecclesiasticorum●●● soudorum , quae à quibuscunque ecclesiis , monasteriis , ac aliis locis ecclesiasticis obtinent , ac etiam bonorum & dignitatum secularium — & per alias poenas , sententias & censuras ecclesiasticas , ac vias & modos quos ad hoc expedire , seu opportunos esse videritis , etiam per captiones & incarcerationes personarum , & alias poenas corporales quibus haeretici puniuntur , seu puniri jubentur , aut solent , juxta canonicas sanctiones . concil . constant. sess. . apud bin. to. . p. . concil . to. xii . p. . (l) si bohemi non venerint ad concilium sic solenniter mandati , tunc principes & christi fideles poterunt ad pugnam animari : ( & paulò post ) justè induci possit bellum contra haereticos damnatos . append. ad . concil . basil . apud bin. to. . p. . (m) catholici verò , qui crucis assumpto charactere , ad haereticorum exterminium se accinxerint , illâ gaudeant indulgentiâ , illoque sancto privilegio sint muniti , quod accedentibus in terrae sanctae subsidium conceditur . concil . lat. quartum , to. xi . p. . (n) eos qui ardore fidei ad ( haereticos praefatos ) expugnandum , laborem iustum assumpserint , sicut eos qui sepulchrum dominicum visitant sub ecclesiae defensione recipimus , & ab universis inquietationibus tam in rebus quàm in personis , statuimus manere securos ; & rursus fidelibus christianis qui contra eos arma susceperint biennium de poenitentia injuncta relaxamus , aut si longiorem ibi moram habuerint , episcoporum discretioni , quibus hujus rei cura fuerit injuncta , committimus , ut ad eorum arbitrium secundum modum laboris , major eis indulgentia tribuatur . concil . lat. . cap. . apud bin. to. . p. . statuit haec sancta synodus , quod quicunque capientes haereticos , & in potestatem ordinariorum vel inquisitorum haereticae pravitatis effectualiter ponentes , vel eos , quos detinere , seu capere non possent , de eorum territoriis omnes expellentes , aut bannientes , seu etiam requisiti , brachium seculare contra eos praestantes eam indulgentiam consequantur quae dari consuevit personaliter proficiscentibus in subsidium terrae sanctae . concil . to. . p. , . decretal . l. . tit. . cap. . invocatione etiam auxilii brachii secularis , & publici belli indictione multiplici . bin. to. . p. . (o) coeleste regnum à deo consequitur qui pro christianorum defensione moritur . omni timore & terrore deposito , contra inimicos sanctae fidei , & adversarios omnium religionum agere viriliter studete ; novit enim omnipotens si quilibet vestrûm morietur , quod pro veritate fidei , — ac defensione christianorum mortuus est , & ideo ab eo praemium coeleste consequetur . decret . part. . caus. . qu. . cap. . concil . to. xi . p. , . concil . to. xi . p. . pag. . to. xi . p. . bull. ro. to. i. p. . pag. . pag. . bull. rom. p. . to. xi . p. . to. xi . p. . bull. rom. to. i. p. . pag. . pag. . bull. rom. to. i. p. . sexti decretal . l. . tit . . cap. . to. xi . p. . bull. rom. to. i. p. . p. . to. xi . p. . bull. rom. to. i. p. . p. . (a) si quis episcopus , super expurgando de sua diocaesi haeretica pravitatis sermento , negligens fuerit vel remissus , cùm id certis indiciis apparuerit , ab episcopali officio deponatur , & in locum ipsius alter substituatur idoneus , qui velit & possit haereticam confundere pravitatem . concil . lat. can. . concil . to. xi . p. . (b) nos enim contra omnes archiepiscopos , episcopos , &c. qui super extirpando haereticae pravitatis sermento — negligences fuerint , — usque ad privati nem seu depositionem pontificalis dignitatis procedere intendimus & procedemus . sess. . apud bin. to. ● . p. . to. xi . p. . concil . to. xi . p. . p. . . vide bullam nichol . . const. . §. . bull. rom. to. i. p. . & clem. . const. . l. . p. . to. xi . p. , . p. . can. . ibid. can. . credentes verò praeterea , receptores , defensores & fautores haereticorum , excommunicationi decernimus subjacere : firmiter statuentes , ut postquam quis talium fuerit excommunicatione notatus , si satisfacere contempserit infra annum , extunc ipso jure sit factus infamis , nec ad publica officia , seu consilia , nec ad eligendos aliquos ad hujusmodi , nec ad testimonium admittatur : sit etiam intestabilis , ut nec tesrandi liberam habeat facultatem , nec ad haereditatis successionem accedat : nullus praeterea ipsi super quocunque negotio , sed ipse aliis respondere cogatur , quòd si fortè judex exstiterit , ejus sententia nullam obtineat firmitatem , nec causae aliquae ad ejus audientiam perferantur ; si fuerit advocatus , ejus patrocinium nullatenus admittatur ; si tabellio , ejus instrumenta confecta per ipsum nullius penitus sint momenti , sed cum autore damnato damnentur . concil . lat. quartum , can. . concil . to. xi . p. , . concil . to. xi . p. , . bull. rom. to. i. p. , . to. xi . p. . . act. . . concil . to. xi . p. . p. , . ibid. p. . p. . (a) raimundus , comes tolosanus , albigensium fautor , jam saepius excommunicatus , cùm & ditionem suam cuivis occupanti à pontifice concessam cerneret , &c. concil . to. xi . pag. . (b) in quo concilio excommunicati fuerunt , & expositi , cives tolosani , pro eo quod ea quae legato , & cruce signatis , promiserant , de expulsione haereticorum , adimplere contempserant . ibid. pag. . (c) arnaldus apostol . sedis legatus , datis literis , auctoritate apostolicâ , regem admonuit , quin etiam imperavit , ut à protectione , defensione , communionéque haereticorum abstineret , alioquin easdem censuras & poenas ecclesiasticas in eum pronunciaret . bin. to. . p. . (d) nec nos tibi contra fidei christianae negotium possemus parcere vel deferre , quantum enim tibi unmineret periculum , si deo & ecclesiae , praesertim in causa fidei , te opponeres — moderna possunt te exempla monere . concil . to. xi . p. . (e) vt comes convenarum restituatur ad terram suam , ut comes fuxensis restituatur ad sua . concil . to. xi . p. . pro certo intelleximus , quod comes convenarum foedus cum haereticis & eorum fautoribus contraxisset , constatque de comite fuxensi , quòd haereticorum extit it à longo tempore receptator , p. . (f) in hoc tandem omnium & singulorum vota & consilia convenerunt , ut nobilem comitem montisfortis eligerent in totius terrae illius principem & monarcham . — postquam ergò archiepiscopi & episcopi elegerunt praenobilem comitem , instantissimè requisierunt à legato , ut ipse statim traderet totam terram eidem comiti . — dominus papa — commendabat comiti montisfortis custodiendam , donec in concilio generali , quòd in kalendis novembris illius anni , romae convocaverat , de terris praedictis pleniùs ordinaret . concil . to. xi . p. . concil . to. xi . p. , . (g) statuimus & praecipimus observari districtè , ut raimundus , filius raimundi , quondam comitis tolosani , comes fuxensis , &c. tolosani haeretici , credentes , fautores , defensores & receptatores eorundem , candelis accensis , pulsatis campa●●●● , de●uncientur excommunicati , & expositi cuilibet occupanti , tam in rebus quàm in personis per singulas parochias , singulis diebus dominicis & festivis . concil . narbon . can. . concil . to. xi . p. . (h) michaelem palaeologum , qui graecorum imperator nominatur , tanquam eorundem graecorum , antiquorum schismaticorum , & in antiquo schismate constitutorum , & per hoc haereticorum , necnon & haeresis ipsorum ac schismatis antiqui fautorem , de fratrum nostrorum concilio denunciamus excommunicationis sententiam latam à canone incurrisse , ac ipsius fore sententiae vinculo innodatum . caeterum universis & singulis regibus , principibus , ducibus , &c. & caeteris omnibus cujuscunque sint praeeminentiae , conditionis aut statiis , — districtius inhibemus , nè cum eodem michaele palaeologo , in hujusmodi excommunicatione manente , societatem vel confoederationem aliquam contrahere sub quovis ingenio vel machinatione praesumant ; — omnes & singulares personas contrarium facientes — sententiam excommunicationis , quam nunc in ipsos ●erimus , volumus incurrere ipso facto — & nihilominus societates confoederationum ipsas , etiamsi poenarum & juramenti adjectione , vel quacunque fuerint aliâ firmitate vallatae , decernimus irritas & inanes . mart. const. unic . bull. rom. to. i. p. , . §. , , . extrav . com. l. . tit . . cap. . spond . annal. to. . p. . §. . . p. . §. . apud spond . to. . p. . §. . * tanquam sectartorum fautorem & defensorem publicum & manifestum . vide thuan. l . p . bull. sixti . edit . a. d. . spond . ibid. p. . §. . (i) declaramus praedictam elizabetham haereticam , haereticorúmque fautricem , praetenso regni praedicti jure , nec non omni & quocunque dominio , dignitate , privilegioque privatam , & etiam proceres , subditos & populos dicti regni qui illi quomodocunque juraverunt , à juramento hujusmodi , ac omni prorsus dominii , fidelitatis , & obsequii debito , perpetuo absolutos . bull. pii quinti . bullar . to. . p. . (k) nos enim unum ecclesiae corpus sumus , & ipse hujus corporis caput sub capite christo , quicquid igitur fit ab hoc corpore ecclesiastico , ab ipso magis quàm ab alio corporis membro procedere censetur , itaque non secus synodalia decreta pro suo debito & honore exequi debet , ac per alios servari facere , quàm si ab ore proprio dictata & promulgata essent . resp. synod . basii . apud binium , to. . p. . a. c. d. quoties aliqua de universali synodo aliquibus dubitatio nascitur , ad recipiendam de eo quod non intelligunt rationem , ii qui salutem animae suae desiderant , ad apostolicam sedem pro recipienda ratione conveniant . decret . part . . dist . . cap. . si quid eos de judicio universalis synodi quod constantinopoli per primam nuper elapsam indictionem actum est , fortè movebat ad sedem apostolicam electis aliquibus de suis qui dare & accipere rationem possent dirigere debuerant . decret . part . . caus . . qu. . cap. . si in his recipiendis aliqua difficultas oriatur , aut aliqua inciderit quae declarationem , quod non credit , aut definitionem postulant , confidit sancta synodus b. r. pontificem curaturum , &c. synod . trident. sess. . p. . (l) nec quisquam illud dicere praesumat quòd aliquod generale concilium legitimè congregatum errare possit , quia si hic perniciosus error admitteretur tota fides catholica vacillaret , nec aliquid certi in ecclesia haberemus , quia qua ratione errare potest unum , possint errare & reliqua concilia . basil. apud . bin. to. . p. . blasphemia esset , si quis negaret spiritum sanctum dictare sententias , canones & decreta conciliorum . ibid. p. . haereticum illum fateri debetis qui putat concilium generale in his quae ad fidem seu bonos more 's n. b. pertinent posse errare , p. . est certa regula , indeficiens mensura , cunctos fideles rectissimè regulans , quae credenda aut agenda sunt saluberrimè demonstrans , p. . de haeresi suspectum rogari vult concilium constantiense utrum credat quòd illud quod sacrum concilium universalem ecclesiam repraesentans approbat in favorem fidei & salutem animarum sit ab universis christi fidelibus approbandum & tenendum , & quòd condemnat esse fidei 〈◊〉 bonis moribus contrarium hoc ab iisdem esse tenendum pro condemnato . sess. . bin. concil . to. . p. . caetera item omnia ab oecumenicis conciliis , ac praecipue à sacrosancta tridentina synodo tradita , definita & declarata , indubitanter recipio , atque profiteor ; simúlque contraria omnia , atque haereses quascunque ab ecclesia damnatas & rejectas & anathematizatas , ego pariter damno , rejicio & anathematizo . pii quarti forma juramenti professionis fidei ab ecclesiasticis r. ecclesiae suscepti . (m) cujus quidem nulli reges , nulli principes possunt vel decreta contemnere , vel jussa negligere , vel authoritatem detrectare . apud bin. to. . pag. . (n) ipsa synodus in spiritu sancto legitimè congregata — potestatem à christo immediatè habet , cui quilibet , cujuscunque statûs vel dignitatis , etiamsi papalis existat , obedire tenetur in his quae pertinent ad fidem & extirpationem dicti schismatis , & reformationem generalem ecclesiae dei in capite & membris . concil . const. sess. , . basil. sess. . (o) haec sancta synodus in virtute omnipotentis dei , à quo super omnes christi fideles immediate potestatem vendicat , &c. concil . basil. sess. . bin. to. . p. . f. veritas de potestate concilii generalis universalem ecclesiam repraesentantis super papam , & quemlibet alium , est veritas fidei catholicae — viritatibus duabus praedictis pertinaciter repugnans , est censendus haereticus . ibid. sess. . p. . f. a. hic articulus de quo disceptamus fidem concernit , qui sine interritu salutis negligi non potest . ibid. epist. synod . p. . (p) per censuram ecclesiasticam compellantur seculares potestates . concil . lat. quartum , cap. . principibus injungimus , cap. . praecipimus praesumptores hujusmodi , per principes seculares compesci , cap. . per secularem compelli praecipimus potestatem , cap. ult . principibus injungimus , concil . viennense apud bin. to. . p. . per secularem compelli praecipimus potestatem . concil . lugdun . bin. to. . p. . eis ( principibus & regibus ) in virtute sanctae obedientiae , authoritate à deo universali ecclesiae concessâ , districtè praecipiendo mand●mus , concil . basil. bin. to. . p. . sacro approbante concilio — nos laicos — cujuscunque dignitatis , etiamsi regalis extiterint , — peremptoriè — requirimus , concil . lat. quintum , apud bin. to. . p. , . cogantur omnes principes , concil . trid. sess. . de retorm . cap. . lemma . in ecclesiasticis causis regis voluntas sacerdotibus est postponenda . certum est hoc rebus vestris esse salutare , ut cùm de cansis dei agitur , juxta ipsius constitutionem , regiam voluntatem sacerdotibus christi studeatis subdere , non praeferre . ecclesiasticam formam sequi , non huic humanitus sequenda ●ura praefigere , neque ejus sanctionibus velle dominari , cujus clementiae voluit deus tuae piae devotionis colla submittere . decret . part . . dist . . cap. . lemma . imperatores debent pontificibus subesse , non praeesse . ad sacerdotes deus voluit quae ecclesiae disponenda sunt pertinere , non ad seculi potestates , quas si fideles sunt , ecclesiae suae sacerdotibus voluit esse subjectas . — imperatores christiani subdere debent executiones suas ecclesiasticis praesulibus , non praeferre ; obsequi solere principes christianos decretis ecclesiae , non suam praeponere potestatem , episcopis caput subdere principem solitum , non de eorum capitibus judicare . decret . part . . dist . . cap. , . sexti decretal . l. . tit . . cap. inquisitionis negotium . bullar . rom. to. . p. . non juramenta , sed perjuria potius dicenda sunt , quae contra utilitatem ecclesiasticam attentantur . decretal . l. . tit . . cap. . quia non . juramentum praedictum vos excusare non potest , in quae debet intelligi jus superioris exceptum . ibid. cap. . debet ità intelligi , ut non obviet juri , aliàs tanquam temerarium non obligat . cap. . ad nostrum . (a) inter solicitudines varias quibus assiduè premimur , illa potissimum excitat mentem nostram , ut circa salutem animarum christi fidelium solicitis studiis intendamus , & 〈◊〉 fideles ipsi ex consortio & participatione schismaticorum seu haeretitorum labefactari valeant , adhibeamus remedia opportuna . ad nostrum nuper pervenit auditum , quòd tam wencelaus , roman . & bohem. rex , quàm carolus r. imperator , simul , vel successivè , nonnullas confoederationes , vel colligationes , seu ligas , aut conventiones cum diversis regibus , principibus , &c. fecerunt , & quòd alique ex hujusmodi regibus , principibus , &c. tunc erant , seu postea sunt effecti schismatici seu haeretici manifesti , & ab unitate sanctae r. & universalis ecclesiae separati : nos igitur attendentes quòd hujusmodi confoederationes , colligationes & ligae , seu conventiones factae cum hujusmodi haereticis aut schismaticis , postquam tales effecti erant , sunt temerariae , illicitae , & ipso jure nullae , & si fortè ante ipsorum lapsum in schisma seu haeresin factae fuissent , etiamsi forent juramento seu fide datâ firmatae , aut confirmatione apostolicâ , vel quácunque firmitate aliâ roboratae , postquam tales , ut praemittitur , sunt effecti , eo ipso tam idem rex , quàm alii , qui forsan und cum eo hujusmodi confoederationes & cum talibus inierunt , & ad quos tales confoederationes quomodolibet extendi possunt , ab earum observatione absoluti existunt — eundem regem & omnes alios quorum interest , vel interesse poterit , authoritate apostolicá , tenore praesentium declaramus fuisse & esse ab earundem confoederationum , colligatiomon , ligarum , seu conventionum observatione penitus absolutos , & ad eorum observationem aliquatenus non teneri , illásque quatenus de facto processerunt , cassamus , revocamus , ac nullius esse decernimus firmitatis ; & tam eidem regi quàm etiam omnibus hujusmodi aliis quorum interest , seu interesse potest , tenore praesentium districtius inhibemus , nè confoederationes , colligationes , ligas aut conventiones hujusmodi aliquatenus observent , seu ab aliis servari quomodolibet permittant . bulla urbani sexti , in biblioth . d. r. cotton . vide crakanthorp . defens . eccles. angl. cap. . p. , . (b) quòd si tu aliquo modo inductus , defensionem eorum suscipere promisisti , scito , te dare fidem haereticis , violatoribus sanctae fidei , non potuisse , & peccare te mortaliter si servabis . cochlaeus hist. hussit . l. . ad an. . spondan . ad an. . §. . p. . (c) foedus cum amarathe in decem annos ab uladistao initum , idémque sanctissimis jura ▪ mentorum vinculis utrinque firmatum erat . aenaeas sylv. ep . . bonfin . l. . dec . . spondan . ad an. . §. . p. . (d) aen. sylvius ait eugenium r. pontificem — est re auditâ , scripsisse juliano , nullum valere faedus quod se inconsulto ●um hostibus religionis percussum est , uladislao regi , uti conventa dissolveret , imperasse , juramenta remisisse , novum instaurari bellum tum precibus , tum minis extorsisse . sp●nd . ad an. . §. . p. . julianus cardinalis ait fas esse quandoque publicae salutis gratia , neque stare pactis quae illi contraria , neque perfidis fidem servare — ac nè quâ rex , procerésque tenerentur jusjurandi turcis praestiti religione , eâ se illos auctoritate pontificis , cujus legatione fungebantur , liberare . spondan . ibid. p. . (e) haec sunt , jesu christe , foedera quae christiani tui mecum percussere , per nomen tuum sanctè jurantes , nunc , si deus es , tuas , measque hîc injurias , te quaeso , ulciscere . bonsin . ibid. * juramenta non solùm domesticis fidei , sed & hostibus servanda . ibid. a. d. . (f) serenitati tuae , in virtute spiritûs sancti , sub obtentu divinae ac apostolicae gratiae providimus injungendum , ut praenominatos deseras tolosanos , non obstante promissione , vel obligatione quacunque praestitâ , in elusionem ecclesiasticae disciplinae ; ipsis quamdiu tales extiterint non impensurus consilium , auxilium vel favorem . concil . to. xi . p. . (g) omnes & singulos christianos principes , quacunque etiam imperiali & regali dignitate fulgentes , hortamur & , in domino , requirimus , — nè henrico regi per se , vel alium seu alios , publicè vel occultè , directè vel indirectè , tacitè vel expressè , etiam sul praetextu confoederationum aut obligationum quar● neunque , etiam juramento , aut quavis aliâ firmitate roboratarum & saepius geminatarum , consilium , auxilium vel favorem quomodolibet praestent . bull. §. . ubi supra . a quibus quidem obligationibus & juramentis omnibus , nos eos & eorum singulos — per praesentes absolvimus , ipsásque confoederationes & obligationes tam factas quàm in posterum faciendas , — nullius roboris vel momenti , nullásque , irritas , cassas , inanes , ac pro infectis habendas fore decernimus & declaramus . ibid. caeteros omnes qui illi quomodocunque juraverunt . vide supra §. . (h) absolutos se noverint à debito fidelitaris , & totius obsequii , quicunque lapsis manifestò in haeresin , aliquo pacto , quacunque firmitate vallato , tenebantur obstricti . decretal . l. . tit . . cap. . (i) tota ecclesia plusquam quatuor saeculis hoc decretum recepit , laudavit , & in praxi servavit . discuss . decret . concil . lat. p. . (a) ità roma , romanúsque ducatus à graecis ad romanum pontificem , propter nefandam corum haeresin impietatémque pervenit . sigon . de regno italiae , lib. . et rursus . extabant praeclara gregorii . & . exempla , qui leoni isauro imperatori sacris interdicere , & juratâ italiae obedientiâ spoliare non dubitarant , uno eo crimine , quòd imaginibus se inimicum praebuisset , l. . p. . (b) romanis ipse persuadebat , si perstiterit leo , ab eo tanquam haeretico deficiant , ac tandem italos jurejurandi religione absolvebat . blond . decad. . lib. . ità dignum posteris reliquit exemplum nè in ecclesia christi regnare sinerentur haeretici principes , si , saepe moniti , in errore persistere , obstinato animo , invenirentur . baron . an. . §. . (c) hic statim ubi pontificatum iniit , cleri romani consensu n. b. leonem tertium , imperatorem constantinopolitanum imperio simul , & communione fidelium privat , quod sanctas imagines è sacris aedibus abrasisset , & statuas demolitus esset , quódque etiam de homousio malè sentiret . platina . p. . italia ab imperatore constantinopolitano , leone haeretico ichonomacho , auctore gregorio tertio , papa defecit . onuphrius ad an. . (d) aut rex ipse , repudiato turpi symoninidcae haeresis mercimonio , idoneas ad sacrum regimen personas promoveri permittet , aut franci pro certo , nisi fidem christianam abjicere maluerint , generalis anathematis mucrone percussi , illi ulterius obtemperare recusabunt . greg. . epist. l. . ep. . concil . to. . p. . bin. to. . p. . (e) dictante spiritu s. investiturum omnem rei ecclesiasticae de manu laica , haeresin esse judicamus . concil . vien . bin. to. . p. . pag. . (f) nam in hac non tantùm parte , sed ubique , cum poteris , henricum haereticorum caput , & ejus fautores pro viribus persequaris , nullum profecto gratius deo sacrificium offerre poteris , quàm si eum impugnes qui se contra deum erexit , qui ecclesiae dei regnum auferre conatur , — qui à principibus dei , sanctis apostolis , eorúmque vicariis de ecclesiae domo sancti spiritûs judicio expulsus est . hoc tibi , & militibus tuis in peccatorum remissionem & apostolicae sedis familiaritatem praecipimus , ut his laboribus ac triumphis ad coelestem hierusalem , domino praestante , pervenias . paschal . . ep. . bin. to. . p. . (g) de haeresi quoque non dubiis & levibus , sed evidentibus argumentis suspectus habetur , plura siquidem eum commisisse perjuria satis patet . — privilegium insuper quod b. petro , & successoribus ejus in ipso tradidit dominus , viz. quodcunque ligaveris , in quo utique authoritas & potestas ecclesiae r. consistit , pro viribus diminuere , vel ipsi ecclesiae auferre sategit . — merito p. . insuper contra eum de haeretica pravitate suspicio est exorta , cùm — claves ecclesiae contempserit , — & constanter asseruit se g. papae sententias excommunicationis non vereri , — cum religiosas & alias ecclesiasticas jugi attriverit afflictione & persecutione personas , — nonne igitur p. . haec non levia , sed efficacia sunt argumenta de suspicione haeresis contra eum , cum haereticorum vocabulo illos jus civile contineri asserat , & latis adversus eos sententiis debere succumbere , qui vel levi argumento à judicio catholicae religionis & tramite detecti sunt deviare — nos itaque , super praemissis , cum fratribus nostris , & sacro concilio deliberatione praehabita diligenti , — memoratum principem — omni honore & dignitate à domino privatum denunci●mus , ac nihilominus sententiando privamus , omnes qui ei juramento fidelitatis tenentur adstricti à juramento hujusmodi perpetuo absolventes , authoritate apostolicâ firmiter inhibendo nè quisquam de caetero sibi , tanquam imperatori vel regi pareat , & decernendo quoslibet qui ei deinceps velut imperatori consilium vel auxilium praestiterint , seu favorem , ipso facto excommunicationis vinculo subjacere . innocent . . in concil . lugd. concil . to. xi . p. . spond . to. . p. . p. . spond . to. . p. . §. . p. . s. . p. . §. . p. . §. . p. . §. . p. . ibid. p. . §. . an. dom. . p. . §. . p. . p. . p. . §. . (h) consideratione praemissorum , diligenti cum fratribus nostris deliberatione praehabitâ , ad ipsorum amidei fautorum proterviam extirpandam — carolum francorum regem auctoritate apostolicâ , praesentium tenore vocamus , cique ducatum sabaudiae , omnémque ipsius amidei , notorii schismatici , haeretici excommunicati & anathematizati terram , ac ejus fautorum , adhaerentium , complicum & sequacium bona , diversimode bactenus confiscata , donamus . — et ut tam salubre negotium in manu forti & robusta procedat , — nos omnibus , qui cum rege praefato , contra amideum & sequaces eosdem , in propriis personis , propriisque expensis processerint plenam suorum peccatorum veniam indulgemus , & in retributione justorum , vitae aeternae policemur augmentum . ep. . concil . to. . p. , . spond . to. . p. . §. . p. . §. , , . p. . §. , . p. . §. . i quasdam leges seu generales constitutiones edere non erubuit , per quas subditos suos ad quosdam haereticos & schismaticos articulos tenendos , inter quos & hoc erat , quod r. pontifex , caput ecclesiae & christi vicarius non erat , & quòd ipse in anglica ecclesia supremum caput existebat , sub gravibus etiam mortis poenis cogebat , §. . habitâ itaque cum venerabilibus fratribus nostris s. r. e. cardinalibus deliberatione maturâ , & de illorum consilio & assensu per viscera misericordiae dei hortamur & requirimus in domino quatenus henricus r. à praedictis erroribus prorsus abstineat , & constitutiones seu leges praedictas revocet , casset & annullet , §. . hoc praecepit sub majoris excommunicationis latae sententiae poena , §. . nec non rebellionis & quoad henricum r. etiam perditionis regni & dominiorum praedictorum , §. . ipsiúsque henrici r. ac regni , omniúmque aliorum dominiorum , civitatum , terrarum , castrorum , &c. magistratus , judices , castellanos , custodes & officiales quoscunque , necnon communitates , universitates , collegia , feudatorios , vassallos , subditos , cives , incolas & inhabitatores etiam forenses , dicto regi de facto obedientes , tam seculares quàm si qui ratione alicujus temporalitatis ipsum henricum r. in superiorem recognoscant etiam ecclesiasticos , n. b. à juramento fidelitutis , jure vassalitico , & omni erga regem & alios praedictos subjectione absolvimus & penitus liberamus , §. . bull. r. to. . p. . &c. vide supra , §. . (k) navarrum & condaeum tanquam sectarios & in errore relapsos , sectariorum fautores , ac defensores publicos ac manifestos , divinaeque maiestatis reos , & fidei catholicae hostes proscribit , & navarrum quidem omni jure quod in navarrae regno sibi competere contendit , & eâ parte quam nunc occupat excidisse : condaeum autem & utriusque successores omni principatùs , & dignitatis jure in praesens & in posterum pariter excidisse , indignosque esse ipsos , & eorum successores qui in ullum principatum , ac speciatim in regnum franciae succedant , hac sententia pronunciat , subditosque obsequii juramento solvit . thuanus , l. . p. . ad haec capita , post spiritûs sancti invocationem , n. b. responsum , jure divino n. b. prohiberi catholicos hominem sectarium , aut sectarii mali fautorem , & ecclesiae manifestum hostem , multoque magis relapsum , & à sancta sede nominatim ab vnione catholica exclusum , ad regnum admittere , — & quemadmodum qui henrico ad regnum aspiranti favent , aut suppetias ferunt , religionis desertores sunt , & in peccato cum vitae aeternae dispendio degunt ; ità qui se illi pro religionis defensione opponunt , plurimum apud deum & homines mereri , & ut illos in hostis generis humani regno stabiliendo pertinaces , aeterna poena manet , sic hos , si ad sanguinis usque effusionem resistant , aeternum in coelo praemium , & , ut fidei propugnatores , immarcessibilem martyrii coronam proculdubio consecuturos . thuanus , lib. . p. , . relaxatos autem se noverint à debito fidelitatis & hominii , & totius obsequii , donec in tanta iniquitate permanserint , quicunque illis aliquo pacto tenentur annexi . bin. to. . p. . concil . to. xi . p. , . dr. burnet's hist. of the reformation , b. . part . p. . see the policy of the clergy of france , p. . p. . p. . p. . p. . p. . liber epist joh. huss ed. a . f. . ibid. f. . praesens sancta synodus ex quovis salvo conductu per imperatorem , reges , & alios seculi principes , haereticis , vel de haeresi defamatis , putantes eosdem sic a suis erroribus revocare , quocunque vinculo se astrinxerint , concesso , nullum fidei catholicae vel jurisdictioni ecclesiasticae praejudicium generari , vel impedimentum praestari posse seu debere declarat , quo minus dicto salvo conductu non obstante , liceat judici competenti ecclesiastico de hujusmodi personarum erroribus inquirere & alias contra eos debitè procedere , eosdemque punire quantum justitia suadebit , si suos errores revocare pertinaciter recusaverint , etiamsi de salvo conductu consisi ad locum venerint judicii , alias non venturi ; nec sic promittentem , cum alias fecerit quod in ipso est , ex hoc in aliquo remansisse obligatum , bin. concil . to. . p. . jam emittimus animam tuam diabolo . ibid. (a) aberat tum fortè sigismundus , & certior factus graviter tulit , eoque venit , sed cùm pontificii dicerent , non esse fidem servandam haereticis , non modo remisit offensionem , licèt bohemi frequenter intercederent , & fidem servari peterent , sed etiam primus omnium acerbè in eum pronunciavit . sleidan . commentar . l. . p. . (b) incinerationem joh. hus , imperator non aequo animo tulit , propter salvum conductum ei datum . respondit ei sacrosancta synodus eum argui non posse de fide mentita , quia concilium ipsum non dederat ei salvum conductum , & concilium majus est imperatore , & ideo non potuisse contra voluntatem concilii id concedere , praecipuè in factis fidei . nauclerus , gen. . p. . opusc. to. . p. . qu. . §. . . lab. cant. p. . (c) haereticos , schismaticos aut rebelles , eidem domino nostro , vel successoribus praedictis , pro posse persequar & impugnabo . pontif. rom. edit . antwerp . a. d. . p. , & . can. . vide supra , §. . concil . salisburg . can. . to. . p. . concil . to. . p. . * concil . to. . p. , , . francis the first . p. . ibid. p. . bin. to. . p. . to. . p. . §. . p. . §. . p. . §. . p. . §. . p. . §. . p. . §. . p. . §. . p. . §. . p. . §. . p. . §. . p. . §. . p. . §. . p. . §. . p. . §. . p. . §. . p. . §. . p. . §. . p. . §. . p. . §. . p. . §. . p. . §. . (d) post translatum ex graecis , à r. ecclesia , in eosdem germanos imperium , iidem praedecessores nostri , & nos ejusdem ecclesiae advocatos & defensores ex eis semper accepimus , quos quidem germanos constat haeresum acerrimos oppugnatores semper fuisse , cujus rei testes sunt laudabiles illae constitutiones germanorum imperatorum pro libertate ecclesiae , proque expellendis exterminandisque ex omni germania haereticis : testis est in concilio const. hussitarum ac wicklefistarum , necnon hieronymi pragensis damnata ac punita perfidia : testis est toties contra bohemos germanorum sanguis effusus . bull. leonis decimi . concil . to. . p. . (e) nos igitur , — habitâ super praedictis erroribus — diligenti trutinatione , discussione , ac districto examine , maturâque deliberatione cum venerabilibus fratribus s. r. e. cardinalibus , — pluribusque aliis s. theologiae , necnon utriusque juris professoribus sive magistris , & quidem peritissimis , reperimus eosdem errores non esse catholicos , — sed contra ecclesiae catholicae doctrinam & traditionem , contra sanctorum patrum determinationes , conciliorum quoque & summorum pontificum expresses ordinationes seu canones , quibus non obtemperasse omnium haeresum & schismatum fomes & causa semper fuit ; de eorundem itaque fratrum nostrorum consilio & assensu , — praefatos omnes & singulos articulos tanquam respectivè haereticos , aut scandalosos , aut falsos , & veritati catholicae obviantes damnamus , reprobamus , &c. ac pro damnatis , reprobatis ac rejectis , ab omnibus utriusque sexûs fidelibus haberi debere , harum serie decernimus ac declaramus . ibid. p. , . (f) inhibentes sub majoris excommunicationis latae sententiae poenis , — regibus , imperatoribus , principibus , ducibus , &c. nè praefatos errores , aut eorum aliquos asserere , affirmare , defendere , praedicare , aut illis publicè vel occultè , tacitè vel expressè favere praesumant . ibid. p. , . regibus , imperatoribus , electoribus , &c. mandamus , quatenus , sub praedictis omnibus & singulis poenis , ipsi , vel eorum quilibet , praefatum martinum , complices , adhaerentes , receptantes & fautores personaliter capiant , & captos ad nostram instantiam retineant , & ad nos mittant , reportaturi pro tam bono opere , à nobis & sede apostolica remunerationem praemiúmque condignum . ibid. p. , . spond . to. . p. . ad a. . §. . p. . §. . (h) hoc tibi denunciamus in virtute omnipotertis dei & domini nostri jesu christi , cuius in terris vicarius sumus , nec te in praesenti seculo laturum impunè , & in futuro aeterni te ignis exspectare incendium . — quare revertimini ad cor , & resipiscete , tu , tuique misere seducti saxones , nisi utrumque gladium , apostolicum simul & caesareum , olim velitis experiri . bull. adrian . sexti , apud bin. to. . pag. . p. . §. . p. . §. . p. . §. . capitall hereticks, or, the evill angels embattel'd against st. michael being a collection according to the order of time ... of the chief of the antient hereticks, with their tenets, such as were condemned by general councels / by r.b. brathwaite, richard, ?- . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing b ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing b estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) capitall hereticks, or, the evill angels embattel'd against st. michael being a collection according to the order of time ... of the chief of the antient hereticks, with their tenets, such as were condemned by general councels / by r.b. brathwaite, richard, ?- . p. printed for william shears ..., london : . reissue with new t.p. of author's a mustur roll of the evill angels, . added t.p. for ed. reproduction of the original in the bodleian library. eng heresy. a r (wing b ). civilwar no capitall hereticks, or, the evill angels embattel'd against st. michael being a collection according to the order of time ... of the chief o brathwait, richard f the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the f category of texts with or more defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - olivia bottum sampled and proofread - olivia bottum text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion capitall hereticks , or , the evill angels embattel'd against st. michael . being a collection , according to the order of time , ( through out all the centuries ) of the chief of the antient hereticks ; with their tenets , such as were condemned by general councels . faithfully collected out of the most authentike authors . by r. b. gent. heu prime scelerum causae mortalibus aegris , naturam rescire deum — london , printed for william shears , at the bible in bedford street , and in the new exchange , . a mustur roll of the evill angels embatteld against s , michael . being a collection , according to the order of time , ( throughout all the centuries ) of the chiefe of the ancient heretikes , , with their tenets , such as were condemned by generall councels . faithfully collected out of the most authentike authors . by r. b. gent. heu primae scelerum causa mortalibus aegris , naturam rescire deum london , printed for william sheers , and are to be sold at his shop in s. pauls churchyard at the sign of the bible . to sir i. p. baronet . sir , i send you heere an assize booke , or rather a treatise of poysons ; to peruse which , i had not given you the trouble , had not your own commands obliged mee to it : for what my memory faild me of in our last discourse upon this subject of heretikes , i have , to comply with your desires , turn'd over those few treasuries of common places wherewith my reading hath furnished mee . and now you may behold 〈…〉 creeping out of the 〈◊〉 pit in their o●ders , and heare all their severall tones ; for i have according to the o●der of time 〈…〉 the names of all the chiefe 〈◊〉 with their positions th●oughout all the centuries . here are none but ●uch as were condemned 〈◊〉 gene●all or oe●onomicall cou●cels : no● is there any au●hor quoted 〈◊〉 is not of a venerable name . i might have inserted more of 〈…〉 , but when one 〈◊〉 another allready condemned , and lick't but up his vomit , i have ●mitt●d him , for ●the●e is a 〈◊〉 of tra●●●●gration of her●sie , which needs no proofe to such as live in this age , wherein her womb is more fruitfull of monsters then affrick . this bedroll i submit to your judgement , which is abundantly able to supply any defect you may finde therin . capitall heretikes in the severall centuries . heretikes in the first century . i. simon m●ous an. dom. . or thereabouts . he was a samaritan borne . of him and his sorcery and the great opinion the samaritans had of him , we read act. cap. . verse . &c. he was the head 〈◊〉 beginner of heresie . euseb. lib. . cap. . h● affirmed , . that he himselfe was the father , son , and holy ghost , and that he was worshipped of all people by divers names . . that christ did suffer no hurt of the iewes , for hee was christ . s. ieronym . contrae lucifer . . that any man might lie with any woman ; for this was no sin . . that the world was made by angels , and that an angel ●edeemed mankind . . hee denied the r●s●rrection . . he thought that the gifts of the holy ghost might bee bought with money . act. ch ▪ . vers . . and therefore that sinne of him is called simony . ii. corinthus about the yeere . he is said to be a iew by birth : he lived at the same time with saint i●hn the ev●ngelist , irenaeus lib. . cap. . he taught , . that iesus our saviour had for his p●rents ioseph and mary , and that at his baptisme christ descended on him , who ( saith he ) is called the holy ghost , by who● hee did all his miracles ; when i●sus was to bee crucified of the ieues , then christ left him , and went up againe into h●av●n . ep●pha●tus heres● . . h●st. magdeburge●s . cent. lib. . cap. . that christs kingdom after the resurrection should be an earthly kingdome , and that men then should live in all fleshly lusts and pleasures together for a thousand yeares . euseb. hist. eccles. lib. , eccl. h●st. cap. . he denyed the divine nature of christ , and said , that he had onely a humane nature , and that he was not yet risen from the dead , but he should rise hereafter . irenaeus ut supra . he affirmed that the old law , and all the old comma●dements and precepts belonging unto it were to be kept together with the new law or gospell , and that therfore circumcision was necessary for every one that would be saved . p●ilastrius lib. de haeresibus . iii. ebion an. . or thereabouts . he taught with cerinthus , . that christ was but a me●re man . hilarius . lib. . de trinitate . and th●rfore the gospell of saint iohn was written to confute him . hieronymus . lib. de eccles. scriptoribus . . that when i●sus was thirtie yeares old , there d●scended on him and dwelt in him another person , who was called christ : and thus iesus and chris● dwelt and were 〈◊〉 together . 〈◊〉 lib. . cap. . and . epiph. heres. . & niceph. hist. eccl. lib. . cap. . he agreed with cerinthus in the rest of the heresies touching circumcision , and keeping all the law of moses . epiph. ireneus . & niceph. ut supra . iv. menander anno . or therabou●s . he was the schollar of simon magus , and lived about the same time with e●ion and cerin●hus . he held tha● the world was made o● angells , and that these angells , co●ld be overcom by no 〈◊〉 but by 〈◊〉 . . he denyed ch●ist to be a true man . and affirmed himselfe to be the saviour of the world , and that he came from heave● to save mankind , and that all who would be saved must be baptized in his name . euseb. lib. . cap . august . lib. de haeresibus . niceph. lib. . cap . v nicholas of antiochia . he was one of the seaven first deacons . act. cap. . ver. . he having a fa●r wi●e , and being accused of being jealous of her gave leave to any that would 〈◊〉 with h●r . ●lemens alex●●dr . lib. . 〈◊〉 others taking occasion of this fact of his , thought it lawfull for any man to have the company of any woman , w●●m they themselves w●u●d like . a●ainst these men saint iohn doth write in the apocalips cap. , ver. , 〈◊〉 saith that they taught venery to be so necessary that those men who used it not every we●k , o● fridaye could not bee saved . epiph. lib. , tom. . her●s . . of these n 〈◊〉 s. august . 〈◊〉 doe speake , lib. de h●e●esibus . s. from in epist. de fabion●●ipso . ni●●p● . lib. . eccles. hist. cap. . the e●glish notes upon the prementio●ed . cap. of the ap●c . in the remish testament , saith , that this n●chol●s was not onely thought to have taught community of wives , but also that it was lawfu●l to eat of meates offered to idols . id●lothita . heretikes in the second century . vi . s●turninu circ . an. dom. . he was borne at antioch . he held many opinions of menander and s●mon m●gus . . that the world was made of seven angells , without the knowledge of god the father . tert●l . de heresibus . . that christ was but the shaddow of a man ; for he had neither the true body n●r soule of a man , and thus he fulfilled the mystery of our redemption . philaster brixiensis . vii . basilides ann. . he taught , . that christ did not suff●r , or was crucified , but simon of cyrene . euseb. caesariensis lib. . hist. eccl. cap. . and aug. lib. de hae es●hus . . he turnd away men from suff●ring mar●yrdom , affirming that it was no sin to deny christ in the time of 〈◊〉 . . that the angells made h●avens , and ●hat these heavens made the world . aug. and philast. . de hae●esibu● . niceph. lib. . cap. . viii . gnostici . circ . ann. . these w●re the most vile hereticks in filthinesse of all others . epiph. l . tom. . hae●es . ● . their tenets were . . that the soule was made of the substance of god , and that bruit beasts had reason as man hath . . that there were two gods , a good god , and an evill god , and that this evill god was the creator of all things phila●● . lib. de haeresibus . n●ceph . lib. . cap. . & lib. . c●p . . ix . carpocrates . hee lived at the s●me time with the 〈◊〉 , and is sai● to bee the author of their heresies . irenaeus lib. . cap. . he taught . . that christ was a meere man , born of the seed of ioseph and not of the b. virgin mary . that hee was a good man , and that therfore ( after he was crucified ) his soule went up into heaven , but his body is still in the grave . euseb. lib. , cap. . . he taught that the world was made by angells . . that there was no resurrection . glossa . in cap. . leviti . . he rejected the old testament , as ●ot canoni●all scripture . aug. de heres. niceph. lib. . cap. . philastrius , and tertul. x. cedron . circ . an. , taught . . that there were two beginnings of al things : a good god from whom came all good , and an evill god , from whom came all evill . hilarius . li . , de trinitate . . that christ was neither born of a woman nor had flesh , neither did hee truely die and suffer , but hee did seeme to die and suffer . aug. lib. de heres. cap. . . that the law of moses was evill , and came from an evill beginning ; and this opinion was ●mbraced by his scholar marcion , as also by manichaeus . tertul. ut supra . ire●aeus . lib. . cap . xi valentinius circ . an. . affirmed , . that christ brought his flesh with him from heaven , and took no flesh of the b. virgin , but passed through her as water doth through a conduit pipe tertul. lib. contra v●lentinianos . . that ther are two beginnings of all things , p●o●undum . i. e. the deep : and silent●um i. e. silence : these being married together had issue unae●standing and truth , which brought forth three hundred ae●nas . viz. thi●ty ag●s 〈◊〉 a●gells ; and of the aeon were the devill and 〈◊〉 born , who made the world ph●l●st . lib. de haeresibus . xii . marcion . ann. dom. . or thereabouts . was first a stoick , then a christian , he ●●●lowed basilides , cedron , and 〈◊〉 in their err●rs . 〈◊〉 called him p●imo genitum satanae , i. e. the d●vills eld●st son . . hee b●p●ised them who died without bap●●sme , saying that s. paul did will him so to doe . , cor. cap. , v. ● . theophylact . 〈…〉 . super locum . . he tau●ht that marriage was unlawfull , and that it was a great sin to marry . hier. lib. . contra iovinianum . . that cain , the sodomites and all wicked men were saved , because they did meet christ when hee descended into hell , but the patriarches and prophers are still in hell for not meeting of christ , for they thought ( saith hee ) that christ came to tempt them . iren. lib. , cap. . ter. and alii . xiii . tatianus . circ . ann. . hee was of syria , and the schollars of iustin martyr , and continued a good christian as long as his master lived , but after his death hee ran into many heresies . his scholars were called encratitae because of their continency . . hee held that adam was damned . . that it was not lawfull to eat the flesh of any creature , for it came from the divell . . he forbad marriage , and drinking of wine , and said that the divell was the author of these also . irenaeus lib. , cap. . clemens . lib. . strom. epipha . lib. . at the end of the third tome . xiv . appelles about the yeare . . that christ tooke not his flesh of his mother , but of the elements , the which hee r●stored to them again 〈◊〉 his resurr●ct●●n , and so hee went into heaven 〈◊〉 any ●ody , or 〈…〉 lib. . cap. , aug. and philast. . . he taught with other heretikes that there were two gods , a good and a bad god . but he did not ●each that these two gods were two b●ginings , bu● one beginning ; for the good god made the bad god , and hee being bad made the world bad like himsel●e . a●g. de hae 〈◊〉 cap. ● . . he said that the prophets did contradict one another in their prophesies , because some of them had the spirit of the good god , and some of the bad , euseb. lib. . hist. eccl. cap . he put out these words . ie iohn . cap. . ver. and . quicunque spiritus ●r●fitetu● i●sum christum in carne venisse ex d●o est . &c. i. e. every spirit that confesseth iesus christ to have come in flesh is of god . &c. for these words doe prove the incarnation of christ , and con●u●● his first heresie , niceph , hist , eccl , lib , cap . xv montanus about the year . . affirmed , . that he had the holy ghost and that the apostles had not . . he did bap●●se the dead . . he did allow the first marriages , but not the second , and permitted them who were married to be seperated when they themselves would . . he did take away repentance , affirming that sinners could never have their sins pardoned by repentance . . that the apostles and prophets understood not any thing that they had written , but were areptitii . euseb. lib. . cap. . & . epipha . theodoretus . socrates . heretikes in the third century . xvi elchesitae , anno dom. or therabouts . they had their name from el●hesae an arabian , they defended the same heresies with the ebionites , and said that it was no sin to deny christ in the time of persecution , if then they did resolve in their hearts that they would be constant in the faith of christ , for god say they , doth regard more the heart then the tongue . euseb. hist. eccl. lib. . cap. . xvii melchisedechiani ann. . they thought that melchisedech was not a meer man , but a power of god greater then christ ; because that christ was of the order of melchisedech , psa , , ver , : aug , lib , de haeresi●us et epiph , haeres , . xviii novatus and novatiani , circ . ann , , they were also called {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , i. e , puritanes . for they thought themselves purer then others . . they would not receive any into the church after they had denyed christ , albeit they did repent . cyprian . in epist. contra novatianum . . they taught that repentance will not profit them who sin after baptisme . philast. . lib. de haeresibus . , they did rebaptize them who had beene baptised of the catholikes . and . they would not receive them into their congregation who were married to a second wife after their baptisme . euseb. lib. , cap. , aug. de haeresibus . xix . sabelius an. . vel . circ . hee was the schollar of nce●us , these two and peraxeas , and hermogenes with them , did confound both the number and difference of the persons in the blessed trinity : for they defended that the father , son , and holy ghost , were but one person , who had three names , and who was sometimes called the father , sometimes the son , and sometimes the holy ghost . hee in the old testament as god the father did give the law . he in the new testament as god the son was made man , and died . he in the time of pen●ecost as god the holy ghost came downe on the apostles . nic●ph . lib. , cap. , these hereticks were also called patropassiani , because they say that god the father died for us . aug. serm. , dominicae post festam trinitatis . xx . samosatenus , ann. . hee was borne in syria and followed the hersies of cerinthus and ebion . . he taught that the son of god came not down from heaven , but had his beginning in the womb of the virgin . aug. in catalogo hereticorum . . that the son of god is not a person , neither is hee eternall as his father is , nor the substantiall word of his father . but is as a word that is uttered by the mouth , and so passeth away with the breath thereof , philast. . de haeresibus . yet this son of god ( saith he ) was a just man , and by reason of his good life might bee thought rather to have deserved the name of god then any other man . niceph. lib. , cap. . xxi . manes from whom came the manichies . he was borne in persia , hee lived at the same time with s●mosatenus . hee said that himselfe was borne of a virgin , and that hee was both christ and the holy ghost . the which that he might the better perswade others , he made choice of of his disciples and sent them to preach the opinion he maintained . euseb. seb . l. , c. . the doctrine of the manichies was compounded of many old haeresies . as . that the soule of man is either the substance of god , or of the substance of god . . that warre is altogether unlawfull , and this their opinion made them to blame moses for waging warre . aug. lib. . contra faustum . cap. . . that beasts have not only sence , but reason and understanding as well as men . . that there were two beginnings which are eternall , viz god and mat●er . the one ( ●ay they ) is good , the other bad , the one is light the other darknesse , and the prince of darknesse the devill they call materiae principem , i. e. the prince of matter . . that the body is evill by nature , for it came from the evill beginning , and so did flesh , and therefore flesh must not be eaten . . that the devill is evill by nature , and so are all other creatures , for they were made of the bad god , and so bread is the devills creature , wherefore it can bee no sacrament of the body of christ . . that christ was not a true man , nor came out of the virgins womb , but he had a phantasticall body ; for ( say they ) it is not fit that so great a majesty , should passe through the filth that is in a womans body . vincentius lirinensis . . that there is no day of judgement to come . . that the old law is evill . . that marriages are unlawfull . ● that sins come from an evill minde , and therefore cannot bee avoided , for there are two minds in every man , a good and a bad mind . the good mind they call a reasonable soule , and this they would have to come from the good god ; the bad minde they called the concupisence of the flesh , & this ( say they ) cam from the bad god , because when sins come from the bad mind wee have not free wil to hinder thē . . they did not admit of the old testament , nor receive the apostles writings in the new testament , but did call their owne opinions the gospell of christ . they did also boast of their owne particular illuminations from heaven , and that they could give the holy ghost . lastly they rejected all civill jurisdiction , affirming that marriage and the governments of kingdomes , and of common wealths were ordained by the evill god . eus●b . lib. . cap. . suidas . epiph. socrates . aug. niceph. eccles. hist. lib. . cap. . heretikes in the fourth century . xxii arius , and the arians , anno dom. . or there abouts . he was a priest of alexandria , he taught , . that the son of god was like unto god in name only , but not in substance . philast. . de h●●resibus . . that the father , son , and holy ghost , are not of the same nature , power , and majesty . for the father alone is the invisible god , and he alone is to be worshiped . the son may be called god , but he is a created god . he may be called the son of god , but he is the son of god by adoption , and not by nature , for ther was a time when he had no being at all . , that the son of god was the first creature that ever god made , and was made of those things which have no existence , and is the most excellent , of all creatures . , that the son of god is the instrument of god his father , by whom he made all other creatures , but yet he doth not know his fathers secrets , nor comprehend his nature and essence . , that the son is not infinite as his father is , for when he conversed in the world with men he was not then in heaven with his father , and that the kingdome of the son of god shall end with the world . , that the holy ghost is a creature created of the son of god , and doth know neither the nature or secrets either of the father or of the son , but is much inferior in nature and dignitie unto them both , and is their servant and subject . august . amb. athanasius ▪ basil , hilar. hierom . socrates . theod. niceph. lib. , c , , . cassiodorus , tripartit● hist. lib , c , , , , . xxiii aerivs , and the aerians , anno . or near it . . they would have no set dayes of fasting , but they thought it fit that every one should be left to his owne liberty to fast when he himselfe would , left they might bee said to be under the law and not under grace . . they affirmed that bishops and priests were not distinguished the one from the other , but were equall both in degree and authority . . that none were to be received unto the holy communion but they who were continent and had renounced the world . epiph. aug. and philast. . de haeresibus . xxiii donatus , and the donatists , about the year . . t●ey beleeved that the true church of christ was no where but in affrick , and that there and no where else baptism was rightly administred . . that the sacraments were holy and effectuall when they were received at the hands of holy men , and not otherwise . . that their sect was without sin . and. ● that they were not to have any societie with them who had fallen into any sin . aug & optatus mil●vitanu● . xxv macedonius , and the macedonians , anno. , or therabout . they said that the son of g●d was like the father in substance and in all things , but that the holy ghost was unlike unto the father and son , and a meer creature , yet they preferrd him before the angells . russinus lib. hist , eccl , cap , , aug , lib , de haeresibus . cap , , , xxvi . apollinarius and his followers anno. . or there abouts . . that christ in his incarnation did a●●ume a body without a soule , or if he had a soule , yet it was no reasonable soule , but that god the word was instead of it . . hee brought that body wit● him from heav●n , and made it of the same substance with his divine nature , and that this body when it came on the earth was passible , visible and mortall . . that sin is a part of mans essence , and that therefore if christ had beene a perfect man hee must needs have 〈◊〉 a sinner ▪ gregor. nazianz in epist. ad . nectarium . basil. epist. ● . hi●ron . in catalogo . socrates ▪ so●omenus . ruffinus . xxvii priscillianus and his followers , anno . or ther abouts . was a spaniard , he gathered many heresies out of the writings of those heretikes who were before his time . . he and they were of opinion ( with o●igen ) that the soules sin'd before their infusion into the bodies . . they thought ( with tatianus and the encratitae ) that the eating of flesh was an uncleane thing . . with the gnosticks and the manichies they made two gods , one good and another bad . ut supra . . they confounded the persons of the b. trinity , with sabellinus . . they were of opinion ( with bardesanes ) that every man had his fatall star , and that our bodies were compounded according to the operation of the twelve signes in the z●diack . . they thought it no sinne to swear and forswear rather then to reveale the things they taught . aug. de hae●esibus . & hieron ▪ in chronico . xxviii . jovinius & the iovinians , an. . or neere about . he was a monke at rome contemporary with s. ierom , hee and his tribe defended . . that it was lawfull for all men to eate all meates at all times , albeit they were forbidden by the ecclesiasticall lawes . aug. lib. de haeresibus ad quod vul● deum , cap. ▪ . that in this life there is no disparity of merit , nor any disparity of glory in the life to come , but that all should bee rewarded alike in heaven . . that they who have a full and perfect faith when they are regenerate by baptisme cannot sin any more after baptis●e . . that the b. virgin was carnally known of her husband ioseph , af●er the birth of christ , hieron. libris duobus contra iovinianum . aug ▪ ut supra ▪ aquinas in tractatu contra detrahent . religion ▪ cap. . sabellicus lib. . septim ▪ eneadis . xxix anthropomorphitae . they lived & set abroach their heresies at the same time with iovinian . . they thought that go● had the forme and members of a man , because that god is said to have made man after his own image & likeness , gen ▪ . . . they seperated themsel●es from the church because userers and wicked men were su●fered therein , ●●eodoretus . lib. . cap , aug. ad quod valt deum epiph. niceph. helvidius , and the helvidians , anno. . or near abouts . these were at the same time with the anthropomcrphites , and were called antid●comari●ae , because they opposed the perpetuall virginity of the b. virgin . mary the mother of god ; for they affirmed that shee had children by ioseph her husband after the birth of christ : and this they would prove mat , ● , ver , vslt wher ch●ist is called the first born son of the b. virgin . and iohn , ● , and cap , , , epiph , lib , , tom , , hieron cont , h●lv , aug , her , . heretikes in the fift century . pelagius , and the pelagians . anno. dom. . he was borne in great britany . he with his scholars hel● these assertions . . that the nature of man after the fall of our first parents was good , and not corrupted , especially the soule of man , and therfore infants were born without si● , and needed no baptisme , but yet it was fit that they should be baptized , that they might be honored with the sacrament of adoption . . that the lust of the flesh was no sin , but a natural good , and that sin was not propagated unto mankind by generation , but by innitiation only ; neither could infants sin , for all sin , is voluntary . . that sin , is not the death , but the condition of nature ; adam then should have died if he had never sinned . . that all men have free will by nature , not onely in all naturall and morall , but in all spirituall things . . that the beginning of our salvation is in our selves , and we may attaine grace of regeneration in christ by our naturall faculties , if we aske , seeke , and knock for the same . . that faith is a generall worke of nature , and no speciall work of grace , and perseverance in faith is in our selves . . that the love of god and of our neighbour , and all our christian virtues are of our selves , and not of god . . that the prayers of the church are not necessary , seeing whatsoever we pray for , we may obtain without prayer ; for god doth give his grace unto every one according to his own 〈◊〉 . lastly , that men neede ●ot commit any sin except they will themselves . aug. lib. de 〈…〉 prosp. de ingratis . hilarius arelatensis . maxentius cont. hormisdam . xxii . predestinati , ann. . or thereabouts . they had this name given them because in their disputations upon predestination this was their assertion , viz. good works will doe men no good at all , if by god they be predestinated unto death and damnation ; neither will bad workes hurt wicked men if by god they bee predestinated unto eternall life and salvation . by which this their assertion they did hinder many men from doing good works , and did stir up wicked men to heap sin upon sin . sigibertus in his chronicles . vincentius lib. , cap. , & luceburgensis . xxxiii . nestorius , and 〈◊〉 disciples , about the yeare . nestorius , archbishop of constantinople , and anastatius his priest , theodorus mopsuetanus and the rest of that most wicked sect did teach ( with cerinthus ) that the b. v●rgin bare in her womb a meere man , who had onely the nature of a man , and was a man in his person , and that therefore the said virgin was not the mother of god , but the mother of christ . neither was the nativity , passion , resurrection , or assension of christ , more then humane , yet ( say they ) the son of god was united unto the son of man , not substantially , by communicating unto him his hypostasis or substance , but accidentally , by habitation , vnion , operation and participation . by habitation , for the eternall word or son of god dwelt in the man christ as in his temple , we find himselfe saying , dissolve this temple , and in three dayes i will rayse it . ioh. , ● , we have it p●ophesied of him esa. , , they shall call his name emmanuel . i. e. god with us , or god dwelling in us . and his best beloved historiographer records of him . the word was made flesh and dwelt in us . ioh. . . by vnion not onely of his will but of his love also ; for the son of man was united both in his will and in his love unto the son of god , they did will and love alwayes the same things , even as man and wife doe , who do love one another . by operation , for the man christ was alwayes the instrument which the word or son of god did use in the doing of all his great miracles . by participation , because the son of god did give unto the son of man both his name and dignity , for he would have him to be called both god and the son of god , and to bee adored of all his creatures , not for his owne sake , as he was the son of man , but for his sake who was the son of god , and who did communicate unto him both his name and dignity . socrates . lib. , cap. . evagrius lib. , cap. , &c. theodoretus lib. , de haereticis fabul●● . xxiv . eutiches , and the eutychiani , an. . he was abbot of constantinopl●● he with his ass●ciates maintained these heresies . . that in christ after his incarnation , there was and is but one nature , and this one nature was made of his divinity and his flesh , by the turning of the divinity into the flesh , and this divinity of christ was borne , suffered , and was dead and buried . . that the flesh of christ is not of the same nature with our flesh , neither was the word or son of god turned into true flesh , but into flesh in shew and appearance only , so that the word did rather faigne himselfe a man , who was borne and died , then that he was borne and died indeed . for ( say they ) it stood not with the majesty and excellency of god to become true flesh , or to bee borne , to suffer , and to die ind●ed and truth . flavianus in epist. ad leo . leo papain epist. ad leo imper. theod. lib. , de haereticis fabulis . evagrius lib. , cap. . & lib. , cap. , & . & alibi . xxxv theopaschite , an. . petrus gnaphaeus bishop of antioch was the author of this heresy . hee and his sect taught that god was crucified , and by god they understood the whole trinity . evagrius lib. , cap. , and , & theodoret in collecta●eis . xx . monophisitae . there were another sect of the theopaschites , called monophisitae , because they affirmed that there was but one nature of the word and his flesh , after the ineffable v●ion therof , which made them also say ( with the first sort ) that god suffered and was crucified . niceph. lib. . cap. . and . heretikes in the sixt century . xxxvii apthordocitae , ann do. ● or thereabouts . they were of opinion that the flesh of christ tooke of the blessed virgin was incorruptible before his passion ; wee ( say they ) carry about us by necessity of nature the affections of nature , as hunger , thirst , wearinesse , anguish , and the like , but christ who suffered of his owne acord was not subject to the same lawes of nature with us . niceph. lib. . cap. . greg. lib. , epist. . heretikes in the seventh century . xxxviii . sergius , the author of the monothelites . anno . vel circ . the author of the monothelites , he was patriarch of constantinople , and taught that there were two wills in christ , a divine and an humane will before the vnion of his natures , but after the vnion hee had but one will and one nature , whence it came to passe that the divinity suffered those things which did belong unto the humanity , and the humanity did appropriate unto it those things which did belong unto the divinity . niceph. lib. , cap. . xxxix . sergius , the master of mahomet . an. . vel circ . some contend that hee was the same with the former , but whether hee were or not hee was author of two heresies , the minothelites and the mahumetans , wherefore let him ( a● least his name ) shall stand i● the front of them both . he was a monk , he embraced , the heresie of arius and nestorius , for which he was banished . hee comming into arabia fell acquainted with mahomet the false prophet , him hee taught to misinterpret many places both in the old and new testament , out of which false interpretations of theirs , they did coine a new religion , which was neither wholly christian , nor wholly jewish , but was compounded of them both , rejecting in both religions those things which they disliked : and this newest religion is called mahumetisme . pomponius laetus . iohan. baptista egnatius . hee in arabia among the hagarenes and saracens was both a king and a prophet . hee denied the trinity with sabellinus : he said it was ridiculous to thinke that christ was god , and therefore with arrius and eunomius hee taught him to be a creature , and with carpocrates to bee an holy prophet . hee maintained with cedron that it was impossible that god should have a son becaus he had no wife . hee denyed with the manichies that christ was crucified , but saith hee , one was cified in his place who was very like him . with the originists he wil have the divels to be saved at the end of the world , & with the anthropomorphites hee will have god to have the form and members of a man , with cerinthus hee places the chiefest felicity of man in bodily pleasures , and with ebion hee doth admit of circumcision , and with the encratitae hee forbids the use of wine . first hee saith that the alcoran was made of the holy ghost , and their sins shall never be forgiven who believe it not , as also that christians and jewes who contradict it , cannot be saved . , in his alcoran he maketh friday his sabboth day , permitteth a man to have . . or . wives , forbiddeth the eating of swines flesh ; teacheth that beasts shall rise againe at the last day as well as men , and that baptisme is not necessary . circumciseth none before they be seven or eight yeers old . . he denieth that the eucharist is to be kept in remembrance of the death of christ , for christ ( saith he ) was not put to death , but he affirmeth that this eucharist is of god , and that it hath great force to confirme those who receive it reverently in ●aith and good workes , as also that they are damned who commit any great sin after the receiving of it . hee hath his religious men , who preach , and expound the alcoran , who are called muphtii , cadii , and telemeani . mahomets heaven . the blessed mahumetanes he saith ) shal live under the shadow of the best trees : they shall bee cloathed in silke apparrell , and adorned with goodly rings , chaines , and bracelets of gold and precious stones . they shall eat the sweetest fruits , and the daintiest foules , and their drinke shall bee the best wine , the which shall neither cause drunkenn●sse nor headach , they shall lie on soft bedds and pillowes , and their bedds shall be covered with the fairest tapestry . they shall have to their wives most beautifull virgins , which shall cast their eyes on none but their husbands , whom they shal love alone . in these pleasures shall they live for ever . mahomets hell . they who believe not the alcoran shall be punished in hell , and be there tormented for ever with pitch , fire , and brimstone : they shall eat such meates as shall put them to great pain , and the drinke that they shall drink shall bee made of divers kindes of fire . ricoldus in his computation of the lawes of mahomet . bartholomeus hungarius . iohannes de turrecremata . and gulielmus postels in their bookes against the mahumetans , saracens , &c. and in the alcoran translated out of the arabick into the latine tongue by thoeaor . bibliander . heretikes in the eight centurie . xl . albanenses , an. . he taught , . that the old testament came from an evill god , and the new testament from a good god . . that god did not create new soules , nor infuse them into mens bodies , but they went from body to body , viz. so soon as a man dieth , his soule goeth into another body , and giveth life , sense , and motion unto it . . that there is no resurrection of the body , and that the generall judgement is already past . . that before the incarnation of christ , there was no good man , no not adam , moses , or any of the prophets . . that ther are no hell torments , but only those that wee suffer in this world . . that the world ever was and ever shall be in the same estate that now it is . . that god hath no prescience of any evill , but cometh to the knowledge of it by the devill . antonius , parte summae tit : . cap. . in the , , and , centuries , there is mention made of few or none heretikes but berengarius , and even him the reformed churches affirme to have taught the truth . heretikes in the twelfth centurie . xli p●trus de bruis & henricus , an. . or thereabouts . their schollers were called petrobusians and henricia●s . they taught , . that infants can have no good by baptisme because they want reason and faith to believe the word of god , which is preached unto them . . that those infants which are baptised must bee baptised againe , when they come to yeares of discretion . . thirdly that the supper of the lord is not to bee given to men in these dayes , for it was once given by christ himselfe unto the apostles only bernard . epist. . & petrus abbas cluniacensis . xlii . petrus abelardus , ann. . or thereabouts . hee was a french man , in a french synode convicted of these heresies . . that the whole nature and essence of god may be comprehended by the reas●n of man , and whatsoever god doth , he doth it by a naturall necessity . . god is not the author of all good , neither can the saints in heaven see his essence . . there is som●hing else besides the creator and the creature , and that is eternall . . the holy ghost is not of the same substance with the father , but he is the soule of the world . platina : bernardus ●larevallensis , frisingensis , & p●trus pergamenus , his table annexed to the workes of aquinas . heretikes in the thirteenth century albigensis , anno . their heresies began to spred first in the city of t●louse , in n●rbon , in france . . that ther are two beginnings , god and the devill : god cr●ated the soules of men , and the divell the bodies . . to go to church and to pray there , will doe us no good . . the soules of the dead doe g●e into the bodies of beasts and serpents , if men doe live ill ; but if they live well , then they goe to the ●odies of princes and great men . . that the church ought not to possesse any thing in proper but in common only : lucclburgius : antoninus : vincentius , & caesarius cis● . in dial . almaricus , xlvi . he was a french man , & commenced doctor at paris , he held . . that god spake as well in ovid , as in austen . . ther is no resurrection of the body , no heaven , no hell , but he who hath the knowledge of god within him , he hath heaven within him , & he who hath great sins within him , hath hell within him . . adam & eve should ne●er have been married , if they h●d continued in the state of 〈◊〉 , neither should there have been any difference of sex betweene them , but mankind should have increased as angells doe . . god cannot be seen in himselfe , but in his creaturs , as light is seen in the aire . caesarius cisteriensis lib. dial . distinct . . lucelburgius ganguinus , vincentius . heretikes in the fourteenth century . xlv . begardi and beguinae , anno. . begardi , were monks which kept in low germany , and beguinae were women that lived here in a nunnery , as long as they themselves would , for they made no expr●sse vow to forsake the world . . they held , that men may in this life bee as happy as they may bee in heaven , i. e. they may come to such perfection , that they may be in this world without sinne , and attaine that measure of grace , that they cannot increase in grace . . that the soule of man is blessed in its selfe by nature , without the grace of god ; and therefore it needeth no light of glory to enlighten it to see god , that in the sight and fruition of him it may be blessed . . ●o kisse a woman when nature doth not incline unto it , is a great sin ; but to lie with a woman when nature and the lust of the flesh provokes , is no sin . . a man having attained unto the state of perfection , is not subject to any law of man , neither is hee tied any more to fast , and pray to god . alphar●● lib. , de plancta eccl. bernar. b●rtho●omeus caranza in summa concili●● . heretikes in the fifteenth cen●●ry . xlvi . adamitae . there were two sorts of ad●mitae ; one had their name given them of one adam , who lived in the second century . whensoever ( saith epiphanius ) these met together at prayers , or on any other publike occasion , they were naked . their churches were hot houses , under the ground : before they went into their churches , every one of them did put off their cloathes in a roome by the church doore . if any had committed any sin , they would not admit him any more into their congregations ; ●or they said , that he was adam , who had eaten of the forbidden fruit ; and therefore deserved to bee thrust out of paradise , i. e. to be put out of their church ; for they thought their church to be paradise , and themselves to bee adam , and eve . epiph. haeres . . adamitae , an. . the second sort of adimites had their name of one picka●d , who going out of gallobelgia into bohemia , became an adamite , and renewed the form●r heresie of the adamites ; hee at his first comming into bohemia , did draw great multitudes of men and women after him , whom hee commanded to goe naked , and these hee called adamites , th●se hee perswaded that hee was the son of god , and willed to call him adam . this adam was content that his adamites should have the company of what men and women they would , so that first his consent was obtained . if a man were in love with any woman , he came with her hand in hand unto adam , and said i am in love with this woman ; then said adam , take her unto thee , goe together , increase , and multiply . and because adam and eve were naked before they sinned , therfore they goe naked ; and for that adam did not know eve untill he had sinned ; th●rfore they account it a sin to marry , and are perswaded that marriage had never been , if adam had never sinned . they celebrate their sacraments naked , and man and woman accompany together naked , and they think as the old adamites did , that their church is paradise . aeneas silvius in lib. . de ori●gine bohemorum . cap. . heretiks in the sixteenth century . xlvii anabaptists , an. . about this time ( saith sleiden speaking of these anabaptists ) there was a sect of certain men , who said that they had talked with god , and that hee had commanded them to kill all wicked men , that only good and godly men might live and governe the world . of these anabaptists there were many kinds , and all of th●m pr●f●sse such d●ctrine , as is neither to be endur●d in the church , or common-wealth , or in the government of the household . first anabaptisticall articles not to bee suffer●d in the church , are , ● . that christ did not assume the flesh of the virgin mary , but brought it with him from heaven . ● . that christ is not true god ; but that hee is the b●st of all saints , because hee received more gift of the holy ghost then they . . that 〈◊〉 unbaptis●d , are no sinners in the sight of god , but are just and innocent , and by this their innocency , th●y are saved without baptisme . . that infants are not to be ●aptis●d untill they have reason and di●creti●n , for the childr●n of chr●stians are holy wit●out b●ptisme , and the children of god . . that that is no true chr●stian c●urch , in which any sinners are to be found . lastly , that no s●rmons are to b●e heard in those churches , wherein pop●sh masse hath beene . secondly , anabaptisticall articles ●ot to bee 〈◊〉 in the commo● w●alth , are . . that the office of the magistrate pleaseth not god , neither can any christian with a safe conscience be a mag●strate , neither ought any subj●ct to implore the aid of the magistrate for his defence . . that a christian may not safely use any oath at all , neither ought any subject to ta●e any oath of all●ag●a●ce unto his prince , nor sweare or promise any ●ealty or obedience . . that the magistrates living in the time of the new testament , may not with a safe conscience put to death or punish any malefactors ▪ lastly , anabaptisticall articles not to bee suffered in the oeconomy o● houshold government . . that a god●y man may not with a saf● conscience have any goods of his owne but whatsoev●r goods he hath , he must make them common . . that a chr●stian man may not be a victualler , nor a m●rchant , n●r make any w●apons . . that it is lawfull to divorce the hus●and and the wi●e if they be not of the same religion , and to mary them unto any other persons that doe not discent from them in religion . lib : concordiae . sleidan . schluss●lburgius to● . . xlviii . gasper 〈◊〉 , & his disciples . anno. hee came of a noble family in 〈◊〉 , and was a man of good 〈◊〉 before hee fe●l i●t● these h●resies . . that the outward ministry of the word is not nec●ssary , neither doth outward baptisme further regeneration ; neither in the lords supp●r are the body and bloud of christ exhibited in the bread and wine . . that the human nature of chr●st is no cr●ature , but after his resurrection was every way 〈◊〉 unto his divine nature . that the ministry of a vicious pri●st or minist●r is not ●ff●ctuall unto the salvation of his auditory , all●●it h●e preacheth n●ver so w●ll , ●r administreth the sacraments according to the institution of christ . lib. concordiae , bucolcerus , a●d schluss●l●urgus , tom. . xlix . the new samosatenians . an. . the author of this sect was michael 〈◊〉 , his followers were georgius bla●drata , fransiscus david , and many others in transilvania ; their opinion is compounded of many ancient 〈…〉 . in god there is no distinction of persons . serve● . lib. , trin. p●g . , & ministri transilvani . lib. . cap. . and this was the 〈…〉 sabellius , samosatenus , a●d many others , ut supra . . christ before his incarnation , was nothing but an idea in the mind of god . serve● . lib. , 〈◊〉 . pag. , and this was likewise taught by cerinthus and e●ion , irenaeus . lib. , cap. ● . and , as also by samosa●enus . 〈◊〉 . heres. , and . . the divinity that christ hath , was communicated unto him by god , not by eternall generation , but by the u●ction of grace , and by inhabitation : and thus christ may bee called god , but he is a made god , and hee is a temporall , but no eternall god . blandrata disput. . alba . & ministri hungarici . lib. . cap. , and this was part of the heresie of nestorius as wee may see in theodoret. lib. , here . fabula●um , and in other heretikes , ut supra . l. the new arrians , ann. . or thereabouts . these came from valentius gentilis , who was one of the schollars of servetus , they taught . . that there are three eternall spirits , the father , son and holy ghost , which differ in number and essence , val g●ntilis p●othesi , , and , and this is also recorded by aretius in his history of the punishment of val. gentilis . this was the opinion of the hereticks called peratae , in theodoret. lib. , cap. . haereticarum fabularum , and of iohan●s philoponus the heretike niceph , lib. . cap. . . they taught that these three persons were not equall , but that the father was far above the other two , so that he might be called essentiator , and the other two essentiati . i. e. he that had his essence of hims●lfe alone , and the other their ●ssence from him . gen●ilis lib. antido●o . f●l . . wher he saith , that it is the property of the father to be called the one & only god ; and so the new triheites went from 〈…〉 a●rius , for arrius was the first that taught that the fath●r was l●sse then the sonne . epip● . haeres . . . they say that the son of god was not of nothing , neither that he was begotten in time , but from all eternitie of the substance of his father , gent. prothes . and this was the opinion of the new arians in austins time . the later arrians granted that the son was eternall with the father , albeit arius was of another mind . aug● lib. . trin. cap. . & lib. . t●init . maximus doth conf●sse as aug : there saith , that the son was not of nothing , but was begotten of the substance of his fath●r . and this was the judgement of the councell held at ariminum● &c. post-script . and now , sir , i could wish that these heretikes survived only in paper , but alas they are all lived over againe , though they seeme not at this res●ssitation to have so bright ●scendants as ●t their birth , for then many approved wits , and persons of r●verend name ●ere given over to believe these lies , now few besides narr●ow indigested souls ●un after them : a providence that promises they will the sooner find their graves , for the vulgar are still as covetous of novelty , as of your com●●ands is . sir , your most humble servant r. b. finis . an account of the decree of the university of oxford, against some heretical tenets at a meeting of mr. vice-chancellour, and the heads of colledges and halls, in the university of oxford, the th of november, . university of oxford. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing o a estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) an account of the decree of the university of oxford, against some heretical tenets at a meeting of mr. vice-chancellour, and the heads of colledges and halls, in the university of oxford, the th of november, . university of oxford. sheet ([ ] p.) sold by j. whitlock, near stationers-hall, [london] : [ ] place and date of publication from wing cd-rom, . reproduction of original in the folger shakespeare library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng university of oxford -- early works to . heresy -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - jason colman sampled and proofread - jason colman text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion an account of the decree of the university of oxford , against some heretical tenets . at a meeting of mr. vice-chancellour , and the heads of colledges and halls , in the university of oxford , the th of november , . upon occasion of a sermon lately preached before the vniversity of oxford , in the church of st. peter's in the east , on the feast of st. simon and jude last past , these words amongst others , were publickly spoken and asserted , viz. [ there are three infinite distinct minds and substances in the trinity , ] item [ that the three persons in the trinity are three distinct infinite minds or spirits , and three individual substances , ] which words gave many persons just cause of offence and scandal . mr. vice-chancellour , and the heads of colledges and halls , being now met together in their general meeting , judge , declare , and decree , that the foresaid words are false , impious , and heretical ; disagreeing and contrary to the doctrine of the catholick church , and especially to the doctrine of the church of england , publickly received . wherefore they order , and strictly enjoin , all , and several of the persons committed to their trust and care , that for the future they do not maintain any such positions in their sermons , or elsewhere . by the decree of mr. vice-chancellour , and the heads of houses . ben. cooper , notary publick , and register to the vniversity of oxford . it may be noted , that the propositions above-mentioned , are dr. s — k's , in his discourse of the trinity , and the defenders of it ; and wrote against by the animadverter , &c. sold by j. whitlock , near stationers-hall . the first and second part of gangræna, or, a catalogue and discovery of many of the errors, heresies, blasphemies and pernicious practices of the sectaries of this time, vented and acted in england in these four last years also a particular narration of divers stories, remarkable passages, letters : an extract of many letters, all concerning the present sects : together with some observations upon and corollaries from all the fore-named premisses / by thomas edwards ... gangraena. part - edwards, thomas, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing e estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the first and second part of gangræna, or, a catalogue and discovery of many of the errors, heresies, blasphemies and pernicious practices of the sectaries of this time, vented and acted in england in these four last years also a particular narration of divers stories, remarkable passages, letters : an extract of many letters, all concerning the present sects : together with some observations upon and corollaries from all the fore-named premisses / by thomas edwards ... gangraena. part - edwards, thomas, - . the third edition, corrected and much enlarged. [ ], , [ ], , [ ] p. printed by t.r. and e.m. for ralph smith ..., london : . special t.p., p. [ ], third group: the second part of gangraena, or, a fresh and further discovery of the errors, heresies, blasphemies, and dangerous proceedings of the sectaries of this time ... -- london : printed by t.r. and e.m. for ralph smith ..., . errata: p. . reproduction of original in union theological seminary library, new york. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng sects -- england -- early works to . heresy -- early works to . sects -- early works to . great britain -- church history -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - tcp staff (michigan) sampled and proofread - spi global rekeyed and resubmitted - olivia bottum sampled and proofread - olivia bottum text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the first and second part of gangraena : or a catalogue and discovery of many of the errors , heresies , blasphemies and pernicious practices of the sectaries of this time , vented and acted in england in these four last yeers . also a particular narration of divers stories , remarkable passages , letters ; an extract of many letters , all concerning the present sects ; together with some observations upon , and corollaries from all the fore-named premisses . by thomas edwards minister of the gospel . the third edition , corrected and much enlarged . tim . . , . now as jannes and jambres withstood moses , so do these also resist the truth : men of corrupt minds , reprobate concerning the faith. but they shall proceed no further , for their folly shal be manifest to all men , as theirs also was . pet. . , . but there were false prophets also among the people , even as there shall be false teachers among you , who privily shall bring in damnable heresis , even denying the lord that bought them , and bring upon themselves swift destruction . and many shall follow their pernicious wayes , by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evill spoken of . jude vers . . these be they who separate themselves , sensuall , having not the spirit . lutherus in epist. ad galat. maledicta sit charitas , qua servatur cum jactura doctrinae fidei , cui omnia cedere debent , charitas , apostolus , angelus é coelo . lutheri epist. ad staupitium . non hic tempus timendi , sed clamandi , ubi dominus noster jesus christus damnatur , exuitur & blasphematur : mi pater grandius est periculum quam credant multi . inveniar sane superbus , avarus , adulter , homicidia , antipapa , & omnium vitiorum reus , modo impii filentii non arguar , dum dominus patitur . london , printed by t. r. and e. m. for ralph smith , at the sign of the bible in cornhill near the royall exchange . m.dc.xlvi . reader , that thou mayest discern the mischief of ecclesiasticall anarchy , the monstrousnesse of the much affected toleration , and be warned to be wise to sobriety , and fear and suspect the pretended new lights , i approve that this treatise , discovering the gangrene of so many strange opinions , should be imprinted . james cran●or . to the right honourable the lords and commons assembled in parliament . right honourable and noble senatours , i here present you with a catalogue or black bill of the errours , heresies , blasphemies , and practices of the sectaries of this time , broached and acted within these four last years in england , and that in your quarters , and in places under your government and power , for which i tremble to thinke lest the whole kingdom should be in gods black bill : i much fear lest the subject matter of this catalogue may prove unto england ( unlesse some speedy and effectuall course be taken to prevent it ) like the bill of divorce given to israel ; jer. . . like the roll of the book commanded from god to be written by jeremiah against israel and judah , jer. . . like the roll of a book sent by a hand to ezekiel , ezek. . , . wherin was written , lamentations , mourning and wo ; or like the hand-writing upon the wall against belshaz . dan. . . & the flying roll in zech. c. . v. , . a curse going over the face of the whole land . and unto whom , right honourable , should i present and make known these things , but unto you , who are the supreme iudicatory of this kingdom , having that sufficiency of power , which only is able to remedy and redresse them , who are our great physician 's , and have been wont to cure the worst maladies and diseases of our church and state , who are by god himself stiled gods , and therefore should above others lay to heart and be sensible of the injuries and dishonours done to god and his name . and i humbly pray your honours to beare with me in my addresses this way , as having no other meanes but this , of acquainting you with the sad state of things in our church : and yet 't is necessary you should hear of these things , for as 't is said in the prophet jeremiah , concerning the making of that roll , it may be the house of judah will hear all the evill which i purpose to do to them , that they may turne every one from his evill way , it may be they will present their supplications before the lord , that he may forgive their iniquity and their sin ; so it may be some good may come of this book , to cause an humiliation for , and a suppression of heresies and schimes , as being a more free and f●ll discovery of our times then ever yet was made , and therefore i send it abroad in this way , whereby it may be read by all judah : and i doubt not but some faithfull baruchs , who are not shut up , but do preach before you on fast dayes , will cause you to hear the words of this book in the lords house , by applying them to your consciences , and making them a catalogue of sins for matter of humiliation to you on those dayes , showing how far they may become yours in suffering without punishment and censure too many of them . and now , noble and worthy senatours , be graciously pleased to pardon the boldnesse i shall take in dealing plainly with you in this present epistle , and not to impute it to any malignity and disaffection to your service , or to peremptory saucinesse , and disrespect of you , ( for besides that some worthy members of parliament to whom i am known can testifie the contrary , all my actions from the beginning of your sitting , my sermons , prayers , prayses , discourses , actings for you speak otherwise : i am one who out of choise and judgement have imbarked my self with wife , children , estate , and all that 's dear to me in the same ship with you , to sinke and perish , or to come safe to land with you , and that in the most doubtfull and difficult times , not only early in the first beginning of the war and troubles , in a malignant place among courtiers , and those who were servants and had relations to the king , queen and their children , pleading your cause , justifying your wars , satisfying many that scrupled : but when your affairs were at lowest , and the chance of war against you , and some of the grandees and favourites of these times were packing up , and ready to be gone , i was then highest and most zealous for you , preaching , praying , stirring up the people to stand for you by going out in person , lending of money , in the later going before them by example ; and as i have been your honours most devoted servant so am i still yours , and you cannot easily lose me ; and i do humbly 〈…〉 self ▪ and book at the feet of your wisedome and piety submitting both to your ple●s●re but to the matter and contents of this book , and to the present state of things . i am bound and stirred in spirit , to see the people so given to errour and schisme , and the zeal of gods house and glory constrains me , and i can no longer forbear speaking my whole heart to you . the 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 ●hese times would put zeal into the heart of any man , who hath any l●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 dum●be , whe● 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 , dom●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 fast dayes . you have taken away the superfluous excessive maintenance of the bishops , deanes : and we have many take away and cry down the necessary maintenance of the ministers . in the bishops dayes we had singing of psalmes taken away in some places , conceived prayer , preaching , and in their room , anthems , stinted forms and reading brought in ; and now we have singing of psalms spoken against and cast out of some churches , yea all publike prayer questioned , and all ministeriall preaching denyed . in the bishops times popish innovations ▪ were introduced , as bowing at altars , &c. and now we have anointing the sick with oyle ; then we had bishopping of children , now we have bishopping of men and women , by strange laying on of hands , as is related in this following book . in the bishops dayes we had many unlearned ministers , and have we not now a company of jereboams priests ? in the bishops dayes we had the fourth commandement taken away , but now we have all ten commandements at once by the antinomians ; yea all faith and the gospell denyed , as by the seekers . the worst of the prelats , in the midst of many popish , arminian tenets , and popish innovations , held many sound doctrines , and had many commendable practices ; yea the very * papists hold and keep to many articles of faith and truths of god , have some order among them , encourage learning , have certain fixed principles of truth , with practises of devotion and good works ; but many of the sects and sectaries in our dayes , deny all principles of religion , are enemies to all holy duties , order , learning , overthrowing all , being vertiginosi spiritus , whirlegigg spirits ; and the great opinion of an universall toleration , tends to the laying of all waste , and dissolution of all religion and good manners . now are not these errours , heresies and schismes , spots and blots in our reformation ? do they not blemish and cast a dark shadow upon all the light part ? are they not the dead flies in the apothecaries ointment , sending forth a stinking savour ? are they not the reproach and rejoycings of the common enemy ? the scandall of the weak , the blasing star of the times ? and are not sectaries strangely suffered , connived at , keeping open meetings in the heart of the city ? yea printing with * license their erroneous opinions , and daring to give into some of your hands such books as 't is a shame to speak of ? being let so alone , that they are grown up to many thousands both in city and country . christ in revel . . . highly commends the angel of the church of thyatira for his works service , faith , patience , &c. but yet reproves and threatens him for suffering without punishment false doctrines to be taught , and disorders to be practised in the church : but i have a few things against thee , because thou sufferest that woman jezebel , which calleth her self a prophetesse , to teach and to seduce my servants : and be pleased to observe what truth that scripture holds out , namely , that a connivence and suffering without punishment false doctrines and disorders , persons to preach whom god hath not called , and to preach errours , heresies , blemishes and dashes the most glorious works , and provokes god to send judgements ; a toleration doth eclipse and darken the glory of the most excellent reformation . god accounts all those errours , heresies , schismes , &c. committed in a land , but let alone , and suffered without punishment by those who have authority and power , to be the sins of those who have power , and he will proceed against them as if they were the authors of them . a man comes to be pertaker of other mens sins , by countenancing , consenting and suffering withou punishment , as well as by formally committing them . * solomon in . king. . from ver . . to . is counted by god to be guilty of all the idolatry committed by his wives and their followers , and accordingly god is angry with him and threatens him , because being a king , he had power in his hands to hinder it , not that solomon did bring into the house of god idols , or ever commanded the people to forsake the worship of god and to worship idols , or that he did in his own persont worship idols ; this only is certain , that he suffered them to build altars , and sacrifice to strange gods . ephes. . . 't is the command of god , to have no fellowship with the unfruitfull works of darknesse , that is , not by consenting , helping , imitating & suffering them without reproof ; now a magistrates reproving , is by using coercive power to punish and suppresse evills , as is evident in the example of old eli to his sons , who though he did reprove by words , yet because he punished them not , he was partaker of their sins , and was severely punished by god for it , . sam. . , , . chap. . . . now , right honourable , though you hold none of these opinions , practise not these wayes , neither command any of these things , but have put out declarations , wherin there are some passages against anabaptists , brownists and other sects , and made orders and ordinances for the preventing and remedying of many of these evills ; as that order of febr. . . that ministers suffer none to preach in the places where they have charge , but such as they will be answerable for ; as the ordinance against the preaching of persons not ordained in this or some other reformed church ; as the ordinance of not printing without license ; yea upon complaint have questioned and troubled some sectaries for their errours and pernicious practises ; yet notwithstanding there is a strange unheard of suffering and bearing with them , and such a one , as i beleeve all things considered , never was there the like under any orthodox christian magistrate and state. how do sects and schismes increase and grow daily , sectaries doing even what they will , committing insolencies and outrages , not only against the truth of god and the peace of the church , but the civill state also , going up and down countries , causing riots , yea tumults and disturbances in the publike assemblies ! how do persons cast out of other countries for their errours , not only live here , but gather churches , preach publikely their opinions ! what swarmes are there of all sorts of illiterate mechanick preachers , yea of women and boy preachers ! what a number of meetings of sectaries in this citiy , eleven at least in one parish ! what liberty of preaching , printing of all errours , or for a toleration of all , and against the directory , covenant , monethly fast , presbyteriall government , and all ordinances of parliament in reference to religion , and most of these persons either never questioned at all , or if questioned , abusing those in a high manner who question them , coming off one way or other , and afterwards going on in spreading their errours more then before , or if committed by some below , whereby they are hindred from preaching and dipping , then brought off and released by some above ( of which they bragg and boast ) yea many sectaries countenanced , imployed and preferd to speciall places both of profit , honour and trust , and that which is 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. . , sam. . , , , . cap. . . , . king. . cap. . . cap. . . king. . from . to . jerems . . . dan. . . . , . , , , , . amos . , . . hag. . , , . gal. . . revel . . , , , , , , . 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. . . 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. . , , , . that god who is said to scatter kings , can scatter you : psal. . . look upon the court party , the great counsellours of state , and prelates , whose height was like the height of the cedars , and were strong as the oaks , yet the lord destroyed their fruit from above , and their root from beneath ; and cannot he do so to you ? i beseech you fear , considering the great dishonour of god and his name , and the sad estate of things under your goverment , lest god bring some great afterclap upon you , and have an after reckoning , either giving you up at last to the hands of those that are now in armes against you , or sending an evill spirit of division among your selves and the two nations , or making use of the sects ( that party when grown stronger , who have been so much suffered to grow under you , ) to become thorns in your sides , and pricks in your eyes , to cast you out , and to teach you new law and new divinity , as they have done already in many of their books ( as englands birthright , a letter from an utter barrester , a letter call'd englands lamentable slavery , lilburns letters to mr prynn , to a friend , innocency and truth justified , cum multis alijs , ) or by sending some other judgement , as the pestilence , &c. ( all which i earnestly pray god to prevent . ) and truly when i think of things by my self , and behold to what a height errours , heresies , &c. are come , and withall reflect upon the great things god hath done for you , the many powerfull sermons you have had preached before you about the nationall covenant , and against the sects , the many petitions representing the evill and danger of these things , and yet how little is done , our evills of this kinde rising higher and higher , in the increase of false doctrines , and a greater multiplication of schismes every day then other ; i tremble for fear , lest for the want of zeal in suffering so many dishonours of god , and his house to lie so long waste , the word be gone out of his mouth already which he spake against eli ; i said indeed that thy house , and the house of thy father should walke before me for ever : but now the lord saith ; be it far from me , for them that honour me i will honour , and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed . but to draw towards a conclusion , there is no other way to prevent all this wrath , but to be zealous and repent , to do something speedily and effectually against the errours , heresies , schismes , blasphemies and confusions of these times . ob. but if any shall object , it cannot be done now , it will discontent and disingage the sectaries who are a considerable party , and so may prove dangerous to the parliament in this juncture of time , by causing many to fall off their service . ans. are we afraid of discontenting , disingaging and losing a few men , and not discontenting and losing god! shall god be displeased to please men ! shall we fear the want of mans helpe whose breath is in his nostrils , and not fear god! o that we would once cease from man , for wherein is he to be accounted of ? secondly , i answer , this objection is taking counsell , but not of god ; a covering , but not of gods spirit ; isa. . . this carnall policie of suffering corruptions in religion for fear of losing a party , and strengthening kingdoms , hath proved the ruin of families and kingdoms ; be pleased to remember jeroboam , jehu , &c. who out of policie for fear of losing a party and strengthening the other side , set up and suffered the golden calves and priests of the lowest of people , and this very thing became a snare , and the losse of the kingdom to them ; and i might shew out of ecclesiasticall histories many examples of sad things befalling princes , who out of policies or any carnall respects , have suffered all sorts of sects and heresies ; but i will only instance in one out of * baronius , of valentinianus senior , who suffered in the west the christians to embrace what faith every one of them would , and to follow what heresies they pleased , but how well and safely the end of it declared ; for both his sons were slain by the faction and treachery of the gentiles , gratian by maximus , valentinian junior was strangled in a halter : and yet afterwards the same emperour by edict commanded the houses and places where the maniches met to be confiscate . 't is storied of amaziah , that he had hired a hundred thousand mighty men of valour for a hundred talents of silver , but a man of god came to him to dismisse his army , namely that part of it the children of ephraim , and told him in answer to his carnall objections , that god had power to help and to cast down ; and for his hundred talents , the lord was able to give him much more then this : chron. . , , . so say i , whoever or what numbers soever shall desert the parliaments army and service for their suppressing the sects , and putting in execution their own ordinances , god hath power to help , and cast down , and is able to cause many more then these , to adhere to them ; and no question , besides gods help and blessing which uses to accompany setling true religion , and destroying false ; the hands of the kingdom of scotland would be the more strengthened , the city of london , the ministers , and all who love truth , peace and order , would adhere more firmly , and the parliament would be both stronger , and make themselves famous both at home and abroad to all generations . thirdly , supposing the sectaries to be as potent as is falsely surmised by themselves , yet i humbly conceive it stands not with the honour , power , wisedom nor piety of a parliament , for fear of losing a party , to be afraid of maintaining their own ordinances , and punishing those things that they know are bad ; in such a case fiat justitia , ruet coelum . fourthly , the sons of zeruiah are not now too hard for you , god hath made you stornger then ever , by giving you many victories , battell upon battell , and one strong hold after another ; so that if any will fall off from you for doing your duties , you need not care ; and who knowes but that all these victories are sent to take away all excuse , to answer this objection , and to encourage you to this work ? god inforces upon turning the dayes of fasting into feasts , therefore to love the truth and peace ; and from deliverances to pay our vows , and make good our covenants , as in zech. . . nahum . . . . psal. . , , , . and thus having in some poor measure discharged my conscience towards god , your honours and this kingdom , in the discovery made in this book of many sects and sectaries , i leave the issue and successe to god , humbly taking my leave , as dr holland that learned man and doctor of the chair in oxford was wont to do of his colledge upon going journies , saying , i commend you to the love of god and hatred of popery ; so do i commend both houses of parliament to the love of god and his truth , and the hating of all sects and schismes , earnestly praying to god , that none of the things which you and we have cause to fear may come upon you and the kingdom , but that god would mercyfully pardon that too great suffering , countenancing , spreading and prevailing of errours , heresies and schismes which hath been in this kingdom these four last years , and would fil you with such a love and zeal to his truth and house , that you might throrowly purge out all things that offend , and cause the false prophets and the unclean spirits to passe out of the land , speedily and effectually lay the top-stone upon the building , the foundation whereof you have laid long ago , fully settle this church and the government of it , whereby we may be brought into one , and become terrible as an army with banners , and like a strong and fenced city , both against schismes that may arise from within , and the assaults of enemies without . your honours humble and most devoted servant . thomas edvvards . the preface . in the last week of iune or the first of iuly , ( in one of those two weeks i am certaine ) came forth my answer ( entituled antapologia ) to the apolog●ticall narration : ever since which time i have forborne the presse , out of an expectation of a reply ( which was with great confidence by many of the independent party at severall times given out i should have ) with much patience passing by the many reproachfull scornfull speeches and railings both in publike sermons and printed a pamphlets , and many other waies cast upon me and my antapologie : i was not willing to be provoked , or to trouble my self at the barking of every dogge ( who according to kinde , did bark at the moon ( that 's all ) but not hurt it : could scoffe and jeer at the antapologie , but knew not which way to go about to answer it ) but rather resolved to reserve my time and strength , for some learned and solid reply from the apologists , or any other for them , to which i might have given a rejoynder . but now eighteen moneths being almost expired since the antapologie came abroad into the world ( time sufficient for five such eminent persons , or some other to have retu●ned an answer in , if ever they intended it ) and now being without all hopes of any reply from them ( there being none in the presse , as i can learn ) but rather 't is given out by the apologists themselves , and their neerest friends , that for peace ●ake they forbeare it ( which let them beleeve it that will , i do not ) i shall waite no longer , but am re●olved to appear again in publike against the errours of the time , and to set forth tractares and discourses upon such subjects and points , as i conceive may make most for the glory of god , the peace of this church , and be most seasonable for the present necessity , be opus dies in die suo . i have all this while , out of choise and upon serious deliberation , declined the setting forth any tractate of the controversies of the time ( although i have been by learned men oft call'd upon , yea , earnestly follicited thereunto ) left the apologists , or some other for them , should have taken occasion by answering that , to have some cloak and excuse for not replying to my a●tapologie : but having given all this time , and finding by experience all their great words and threats of an answer ( both in print by b mr iohn goodwin , yea the apologists themselves in the assembly , and many of their c disciples ( to be but meer flourishes and great swelling words of vanity ) on purpose to feed their deluded proselytes for the present ( who called upon them for an answer ) i shall now finde them more work , and adde many other treatises to the former . and however upon the reason before specified , i have been thus long silent , and discontinued the presse ; yet for hereafter , i do give it under my hand , that i will make amends , and redeem the time because the dayes are evill ; promising ( the grace of god enabling me , and sparing me life , health and liberty ) that for this next year , or longer , as the troubles of the church may continue , to be often setting forth one tractate or other . i aime at , and shall endeavour to be like that tree spoken of in the revelation , to yeeld fruit every moneth , and that the leaves of the tree may be for the healing of these nations . now to give some account to the reader , of the nature of this following discourse , and of my scope therein ; this present treatise is not so much against any one errour and sect , as against all i have heard of , a discovery of , and directions against that many headed monstrous hydra of sectarisme sprung up in these times in e●gland : a worke and undertaking , which i well know and expect , will cause me all the hatred , envy and danger , which the cunning , malice , power or blinde zeal of all the sectaries in england can procure . paul speaks in his epistles to the corinthians ( among other troubles ) of his fighting with beasts at ephesus after the manner of m●n , . cor. . . and of a messenger of satan sent to buffet him , . cor. cap. . which were none of the least dangers and sufferings he met withall , as will appear both by looking into the texts themselves , and consulting some learned divines upon those scriptures . now in this present work , and some other following tractates , something like to these i have to conflict with , namely , wilde beasts , grievous wolves , as the scripture calls hereticks and false prophets , mat. . . acts . . and with messengers of satan , false apostles , transforming themselves into the apostles of christ , . cor. . . and 't is never the lesse hazardous nor difficult , that they are wolves in sheeps cloathing , and satan transformed into an angell of light . now for me , a poor weak sinfull man , who have no armes of flesh to back me , none of those relations to the great , noble and mighty of the times , which many have , ( in an age and time when truth is fallen , but heresie and errour prevails in all places , ( cried up as new light , and as new truth , ) ye● , sectarisme is set up in places of honour and profit , and sectaries are delivered , ) to appear in open field against , and to contend with them , is a hard and dangerous service . but i know whom i serve , and he who is with me ▪ is stronger then they who are against me : and in this cause of god , his truth , and all the reformed churches , i fear not what man can do unto me . i well understand that i put my hand into a hornets nest , and shall raise up against me all the spirit of separation , schisme and errour thorowout the kingdome , from the highest seeker to the lowest independent ▪ but i value it not , jacta est alea ( as luther spake upon a like occasion , ) i can comfort my selfe with that of david , psal. . . they compassed not about like bees , they are quenched as the fire of thorns , but in the name of the lord i will cut them off . that god which delivered paul from beasts at ephesus , and from the messenger of satan , that encouraged and enabled little david to fight with a bear and a lion and to pull a lambe out the lions mouth yea to kill both the lion and the bear , hath doth , and will preserve me till i have finished my testimony . only my earnest desire is to the orthodox and pious reader , that for the lord jesus christs sake , and for the love of the spirit , they would strive in prayer to god for me , that i might be delivered from unreasonable euen , and from them that are disobedient ; and that my service and labours in this kinde may be a●cepted of the saints , and that i may be so strengthened with might by his spirit , that in zeal and faithfullnesse , and yet in love , humility and wisedom ▪ i may speak as i ought to speak in all my following treatises . there are two things , amongst many , that i have oft thought upon , and observed both from the scriptures and the works of holy men , both ancient and modern , which in this cause against the sectaries , makes me not to be troubled at reproaches , evill reports , &c. first , that those ministers , who out of zeal to the glory of god , love of his truth , compassion to poor soules , have appeared and acted vigorously , by preaching and writing against the errours of the times and places they lived in , have still met with a great deal of malignity , hatred , reproaches , and speaking all manner of evill against them falsely , as also many misconstructions neglects and unkinde dealings from friends . secondly , notwithstanding all this , they have gon on in their work and way , with constancie and heroick resolution , triumphing and rejoycing in their sufferings , rather rising higher , and growing more bold , then being moved or discouraged : of both these i will give some instances : christ the chief shepherd and bishop of our souls , for speaking against the sectaries of the time , namely the pharisees , sadduces and herodians , was maligned , reproached , laid in wait for ; as also his own disciples , and iohns , were sometimes offended at him , as ioh. . . , . matth. . . , , . and yet christ endured contradiction of sinners , and bare witnesse to the truth . paul for opposing false teachers , and the errors which had crept into the church of corinth and galatia , met with great reproaches , bad reports , not only from the false apostles , but from many of the people , insomuch as they counted paul an enemy , passed judgement on him , and spake contemptibly of him , gal. . . . , cor. . , . cor. . . , , . . and yet paul counted it a small thing to be judged , and could take pleasure in reproaches , in necessities , in persecutions , in distresses for christs sake , . cor. . . and none of these things moved him , so he might finish his course with joy , and the ministry which he received , to testifie the gospell of the grace of god , acts . . d athanasius for opposing the arians and detecting their wayes , was conspired against , accused and pursued with an unsupportable hatred ; and yet he went on with great zeal and courage against the whole world , which at one time was made arian , so that he was resembled by the fathers to an adamant , for his enduring all things . augustine and hierom , both of them , for preaching and writing against hereticks and schismaticks , especially donatifts , suffered many reproaches , and yet rejoyced , counting their sufferings a signe of their greater glory ; as e hierome writing to augustine , congratulates augustine for deserving the hatred of all hereticks , which he rejoyced was common to himself with him , and that which is an argument of the greater glory , all hereticks do detest you , and persecute me also with the like hatred , that whom they cannot kill with swords , they do with wishes . yea f augustine in opposing pelagius errours , ( pelagius being a man of a strict life , and of great authority among all , having many famous men that adhered to him , as caelestius , iulianus episcopus , sulpitius severus , and others , ) was censured by some of his friends , to be too sharpe and bitter , and his writings had many misconstructions : there were epistles by prosper and hilarie sent to austin , wherein they expresse , that many , who were most eminent in the honour of priesthood , did repre●end augustin , as if without a cause he had been too vehement , and had too sharply managed the controversie against pelagius ; yea , among the auditours of augustine , all did not truely and with a●● right hand receive it . luther , as his name was hatefull to the papists , so also to the sectaries of that age : g thomas muncer , one of the first preachers and ring-leaders of the anabaptists ( luther having had some conflicts with him and others of that sect ) put forth some writings , wherein hee did pour out his rage and fury against luther , reproaching luther , that hee wanted a spirit of revelation , and savoured onely carnall outward things ; and after h luther had reproved muncer for his opinion of liberty , and the wayes he went in , he set himself against luther , thundring out railing speeches , saying that luther did equally offend as the pope of rome , yea that luther was worse then the pope himself , promulgating only a carnall gospel : but luther all his dayes , both against the papists and sectaries , swenckfeldians , antinomians , anabaptists , notwithstanding all reproaches , went on with courage and rejoycing . luther esteemed evill speakings as i meat fatning him ; luther was afraid of praises , but rejoyced in reproaches and blasphemies . k t is enough to me , saith luther , if i please christ my lord and his saints : i doe from my heart rejoyce and give thanks to my god , that i am hatefull to the divell and all his scales . i am certain ( saith luther ) that the truth of god cannot be rightly handled and maintained without envie and danger ; and this is the onely signe that it hath been rightly handled , if it offend ; i do daily more and more please my self , and am proud that i see a bad name increases to mee . zuinglius that great leader of the reformation in helvetia , for disputing and writing against the anabaptists , was by balthasar hubmerus pacimontanus ( though zuinglius had done him many offices of love ) loadded with so great reproaches , that hee was necessitated to make an apologie for himselfe to satisfie the brethren . calvin that faithfull pastour of geneva , as his labours and zeal against popish heresies are known to all , so did hee write and act against all other kind of errors that sprung up , against the anabaptists , libertines , servetus , valentinus gentilis , stancanus ; ( as his works witnesse ) and for his pains and zeal , being as a christian hercules overcoming so many monsters , he was called heretick , ambitious , affecting a new papacie , one that studied to heap up riches , a railer ; so that beza writ an apologie for him ; yea , some neighbour pastours reproached him as if he made god the authour of sin , because he excluded nothing from gods externall providence : in a word , being so contagious a defender of sound doctrine , hee was at home and abroad vehemently opposed ; and yet for all these he went on in his work , like another paul and athanasius , with undaunted resolutions and pains : upon occasion he spake thus of his hard usage and ill requitall , certainly , if i had served men , i had made a bad bargain ; but 't is well that i have served him who alwayes payes his servants that which he once promised them : and 't is enough that i live and die to christ , who is gain to his in life and death . * calvin was so hatefull , that some named their dogs calvin ; others changed calvin into cain ; many out of hatred of him , did professe they kept away from the lords supper . now for the first of these , namely reproaches , scorns , &c. i do certainly expect and prepare ; for the disciple is not above his master , nor the servant above his lord : it is enough for the disciple that hee be as his master , matth. . , . and what am i better then those learned fathers , augustine , athanasius , and those first reformers , luther , zuinglius , calvin ? 't is honour enough for me to be somewhat like to them in sufferings . i have had some experience of the sectaries malice , hatred , rage upon my former books and sermons that i have preached , and therefore know that this and other tractates will inflame them . i am in my conscience fully perswaded , that this tractate is at this time both seasonable and usefull in many respects , ' yea necessary , and that for all sorts of men , magistrates , ministers , people , both those that stand , and those that are fallen , yea the very sectaries themselves , and in justice and all reason i might expect thanks and kind acceptance of my labour and pains . but i look that the sectaries of all sorts will storm , and cast out of their mouthes floads of calumnies , reproaches , both against my selfe and book , besides all other wayes doe mee all the mischiefe they can and dare ; yea , i fear , that too many brethren , partly through their relations to many sectaries , and through that lukewarm tempe● ( in reference to errours of minde ) that hath long possessed them , who think every one too-hot that appears against the sects , will not so cordially approve this work . i can truely say , that in my former books and lectures i have been too much deserted , and not received those incouragements which many have done from brethren upon like occasions : but none of these things move mee ; not the losse of good name , not the unkind deserting of friends , neither count i my life dear to my self , so i may finish my course , and the ministry which i have received , to testifie the gospel and the truth of god against the errours of the time . and as i know persecutions and afflictions abide mee in this way ; so it shall be my prayer and endeavour to follow the example of christ , and those servants of his before named ; and had i not long since set down , and counted my cost , giving up my name to god to take care of it , and my face to the smiters , i should not have thus appeared in writing and preaching : but i have , through the grace of christ , learned to account it an honour to suffer for truth , and opposing errours , as well from sectaries , as from popish spirits : in this matter of opposing the present errours , i slight all the power , malice and policie of all the sectaries in the kingdome . and i am resolved , by the grace of christ , which hath enabled mee hitherto , to go on in a constant , cheerfull opposing and writing against the errours . l i have determined with my selfe to fear nothing in this cause , but to contemn all things ; yea , the higher the errours arise , and the more mighty they grow , the more to rise up against them : i value not my name , nor my life , if compared to the truth of christ ; but shall take pleasure in reproaches , necessities , sufferings in such a time as this , when few are valiant for the truth ; no gold shall bribe me , nor preferments take me off ; no lack of supplies shall dishearten me . i shall maintain this warfare at mine owne charges , and this good cause cannot be starved for want of fees . and whatever can happen to mee in this cause , i shall rejoyce , yea and will rejoyce , as remembring those speeches of christ , ioh. . to this end was i born , and for this cause came i into the world , that i should bear witnesse to the truth . matth. . . rejoyce and be exceeding glad , for great is your reward in heaven . a catalogue of many of the errours , blasphemies and practises of the sectaries of the time , with some observations upon them . now for this treatise , i refer it to three heads . . i shall premise some particulars for the better understanding of the subject matter of this book , and right apprehending of what follows . . i shall lay down a catalogue of the errours , blasphemies , practises of the sectaries , together with a particular narration of sundry remarkable passages , and some letters concerning them . . give some observations upon , and draw some corallaries from the whole matter . in the first head i shall do two things ; first , lay down eight particulars for better satisfaction and direction about the errours , &c. secondly , answer two objections which may be as stones to stumble at in the entrance to the matter , and cause a prejudice against the work . the first thing i premise , which i would have the reader to take notice of , is , that this catalogue of errours , blasphemies , practises , letters , is not of old errours , opinions , practises , of a former age , dead and buried many yeers ago , and now revived by this discourse ; but a catalogue of errours now in being , alive in these present times , all of them vented and broached within these four yeers last past , yea most of them within these two last yeers , and lesse . it should have been long enough , before i would have raked up old errours from the dead and hell ; i had much rather send them back from whence they came ; and that is my intent in their discovery . i approve well of that rule of discipline in the french churches , that the ministers should not in sermons meddle with confuting of old errours ; and of that of amesius to ministers , that all errour is not every where to be refuted . for old heresies that are buried ; are not to be digged up that they may be refuted ; but seeing these walk up and down in city and country , i may give warning of them . secondly , this following discovery is not only of present errours , which maybe now in 〈…〉 ●hen i would not have troubled the 〈…〉 in this kingdom , as will appear more fully in this discourse . thirdly , more specially in these places of england , as london and the counties adjacent , in the parliaments quarters , in their armies and garrison towns not maintained by persons at oxford , &c. for then it had not been so much to us : but as the prophet ezekiel speaks of ierusalem , exik . . , , , in thee , in thee , in thee ( oft repeated ) are such and such things ; so in thee london , in the associated counties , in the armies , and that after a solemn covenant to extirpate he●esies and schisms , are found such and such errours blasphemous opinions , strange practises ; so that the reader must remember , that all the following errours , blasphemies , practises , letters , be of persons in this time , and in this kingdom , 〈…〉 who live and dwell among us . secondly , i do not undertake nor professe in this catalogue and discovery , to give a full catalogue and perfect enumeration of all the erroneous opinions , blasphemies and practises of the sectaries within these four last yeers , so as no more can be added to them ; i make no doubt , but many a reader may say , this catalogue wants such an opinion that he knows of , and such an opinion , but only speaks of many of them , and of some principall ; and therefore in the title of this discourse , i call it a catalogue of many errours , ( i do not say of all : ) it cannot rationally be imagined , that one man residing constantly in one place , not travelling to the armies , nor up and down from country to country , having his hands full of preaching , and writing controversies , can come to the knowledge of all errours broached in all places , or can have time to read over exactly all the sectaries , to extr●ct all their opinions : it may rather be thus argued , what a world of strange errours , &c. are there held in all parts of this kingdom , when one man hears of so much ▪ if all the ministers in the kingdom would bring in what they know , or but a considerable number of ministers , as a committee from severall parts of the kingdom , would joyn together to read all the books to take notes of the sermons in publike , to have some observe and watch meetings in private , and draw into one all the wayes of the sectaries , within these four last yeers , a great volume would not contain the errours , prodigious : opinions , and strange practises of these times ▪ ther 's no question but there are many monsters conceived by some in this intermysticall season , which are not yet brought forth , and others that are brought forth , yet like to bastard or mishapen children , are concealed from the publike view , made known only to a very few , being the hidden works of darknesse , the time not being yet come to publish them openly : waighting only for the mid-wife and nursing mother of a toleration , to bring them fourth and nourish them : but though this be not a perfect catalogue , yet i beleeve it will be found the fullest that hath yet been made of these times , and give a further discovery then yet we have had . i have seen severall books written within these four last yeers and lesse , that give us a particular relation of some errours and blasphemous opinions , as learned a master gat●kers , but that 's only of the antinomian errours ; b master b●ily , one of the learned and reverend commissioners of the church of scotland , but that is only of the independents , brownists and chiliasts . c master pagets , who relates more then any late authors , but many of them are of the old anabaptists , and old sectaries of other countries rather then of the new , and of this kingdom . d mr. well , but his relation is cheifly of the familists and antinomians in new-england many yeers ago . but this work as it speaks only of the errours and opinions in present being and in england , so it discovers more then any one book hath , of the errours held and maintained among us ; yea then all the tractates extant have discovered , many great errours being in this present treatise laid down , which are not mentioned at all , neither by the forenamed authors , nor any other , so that this present discourse will be a further improvement of our knowledge of the errours and wayes of the sectaries of our times . thirdly , my intent in this work , is not to make a formall confutation of these errours and opinions ; i designed not that when i first resolved the thing ( that would be a long and great work , and not make good my present ends , ) i hope the naming of them will be a sufficient confutation , especially with the animadversions , observations , and corallaries hereunto adjoyned : i have been a faithfull gatherer together and storer up , remembrancer and treasurer of these errours and practices for the good of the publike , that i might in a fit season bring out of my treasure these things , and discover these monsters and rocks , that so they might be of some use to godly people , to make them afraid of forsaking the publike assemblies , and joyning to separated churches where these monsters daily breed . fourthly , i here give the reader a synopsis of sectarisme , and have drawn as is were into one table , and do present at one view , the errours and strange opinions scattered up and down , and vented in many books , manuscripts , sermons , conferences , &c. and have disposed them under certain heads , and put them into their proper places , in a methodicall way for memories sake , that the reader may the more easily find them . the reader cannot imagine i found them thus methodized and laid together , but confused and divided , lying far asunder , one or two in one book , some in another ; others in this manuscript , others in that ; this errour vented at such a private meeting , that errour in such a sermon , this opinion at such a conference : for many of these opinions , the very same opinions and errours are maintained and held over and over in severall books and manuscripts , so that to have given them the reader as i found them , would have been to have brought the reader into a wildernesse , and to have presented to publick view a rude and undigested chaos , with an heap of tautologies , all which are carefully declined in this following discourse , by joyning in one things divided and scattered ; by relating but once one and the same errour and practice , and by forbearing to lead the reader thorow woods , and over the mountains ; and in stead of that , carrying him directly and presently to the bird in the nest . fifthly , i lay down the opinions and errours in terminis , and in their owne words and phrases syllabically , as neer as possible can be , or i can remember them ; and that as themselves have expressed them in books , manuscripts , sermons , conferences , which either are extant of their own setting forth , or set forth by other learned godly men in print , or as i have received them from credible sufficient witnesses . i doe not in this catalogue and discovery alter the phrases and words of the sectaries , giving you their sense in other expressions ; nor set down a relation of their opinions by consequences and deductions , imputing that to them which by consequences may be drawn ( for i hold that an unjust way of dealing with men , though in errours ) ; a yea , many men may hold opinions , who yet see not the consequences , nay abhorre those consequences which yet follow upon such premisses ; and therefore though in a way of argument they may be pressed upon them to draw them off their errours , yet they may not be charged upon them : and therefore though in the setting down of the errours and the things thereto annexed , as letters , some phrases and words may not be so proper , nor so good english ; yet the reader must not be offended , because i would relate things in their own words to take away all cavill . sixthly , for the proof and manifestation of the truth and reality of the errours , blasphemies and practices contained in this present tractate , that the reader may not rest upon my bare assertion and relation of them , but may have other grounds of satisfaction for their belief , and so be more affected with them , i propound these following particulars as grounds of proof . . that for divers of the opinions , errours and practices related , there is such a notoriety of them , being so notoriously known to thousands , and maintained by thousands , every day and every place witnessing the truth of them ; that to quote books written and sermons preached for them , or persons holding them , is to lose time ; and when all is alledged that can be , 't is far beneath the evidences that the mentioning of the things themselves give . . many errours and blasphemies contained in this following catalogue have been complained of , and particulars given in by sufficient persons to the parliament , committees of parliament , assembly of divines , and others in authority , of which errours i have had either perfect copies given me from ministers both of the assembly and city , or relations from their mouths who have known particularly the story and truth of them , which copies i keep by mee to produce if need be , and out of which ( amongst many other papers and books ) i made up this catalogue . . some of the errours , blasphemies and practices are proved and made manifest in the narration of the stories and letters following the catalogue : wherein the naming of some persons , places , occasions of writing , the persons writ unto , their writing in a publick way , and not in a private manner , the willingnesse to have them published , with many other concurrent circumstances , do declare they are not feigned nor counterfeited , but reall and certain . . of some of these errours and practices here related , i my self , and other persons of good note and quality , have at the same time together been ear-witnesses and eye-witnesses upon the places . . other of these errours and opinions are in divers printed books , either of the sectaries themselves , or of persons of note and worth for learning and piety , who either after conferences with them , or hearing them preach , upon certain knowledge have printed and attested them to the world ; diverse of which printed books , especially those made by the sectaries , i quote upon the margent by the errours . . for any of the errours , blasphemies put in this following catalogue , which have come to my knowledge by none of the former five wayes above specified ( which yet are not many ) i have had the relation of them from godly ministers , and understanding conscientious christians , with many circumstances of names , places , conditions , time , and confident asseverations of the certainty of them , the relations coming to me by providence , and occasionally spoken of in the hearing of others as well as my selfe , and so delivered as there can be no reason in the world to think they should be false , but much every way to beleeve them true . and that the reader may the more build upon the truth of all things delivered in this book ; besides that account i have given him already in these six particulars , i shall acquaint the reader with the course and way i have taken to come to the truth of things , and not to go upon hearsay . when any things of this nature have been related to me , though by persons of worth and conscience , i have used to enquire of them , whether they were ear-witnesses or no ; if not ear-witnesses , who they had the reports from , and how they came to know them , and where , and by whom , and upon what occasion these points were delivered ? if they said they were ear and eye witnesses , yet if there were but one single witnesse , i have used to question , who else was present ? and to enquire after circumstances and occasions , and accordingly have gone to other persons named , from one to another , to find out the bottome and truth both of opinions held , and practises used ; where i could with wisdome and probability go to finde out and know the truth , i have done it myself ; and where my appearing might hinder the discovery , and cause persons to be shie and more reserved , i have set others to enquire , and directed them the way , and entreated them to aske such and such questions , and after particular enquiry , according to concurrence of circumstances and witnesses , i have entertained such things for truth , or else received them as false , or suspended them as doubtfull , not to be asserted : and that i might be the more faithfull relator of the opinions and wayes of the sectaries of this time , and know when and where to put more or lesse weight or credit upon informations and relations , i have a long time used to write down daily the same day , yea the same hour ( when i could get opportunty of privacie ) the occurrences both of opinions and practises that concern our sectaries , and that in such manner and way , that looking upon my papers a yeer after , i can judge of what authority the relations are : and accordingly i have forborn to put into this catalogue of errours , some strange opinions i have heard of from good hands ( though they may be true ) because i have not had the opportunity to meet with , and further to enquire of some persons concerning their truth ; and because some whom i have enquired of , could give me no further satisfaction . i have taken this way , to satisfie the reader , rather then all along in the severall errours , blasphemies and practises to lay down the particular proofs ; which i think the better way upon these following reasons . . because in many of the errours , even contained under one and the same head , the proofs to be given of the truth of the thing doth arise many wayes , from printed books , from manuscripts , from sermons , from preaching in private houses , from articles given in by witnesses , and from others relations ; now to quote all these , with all particular circumstances of time , place , &c. whereby to make out a full proof , would be an endlesse work , and be so long and tedious , that it would crosse one of my ends in this work , which is to have this discourse but short , a manuall that might be for every ones reading . . because some of these errours and opinions can be proved only from manuscripts , and relations of honest persons , who were ear witnesses , which manuscripts are but in the hands of a few , unknown to most of the readers ; and to make references to them , by quoting them in the margent , the reader were never the neerer , and then every man is not willing to be named in print , neither may i lawfully do it without their knowledge and leave ; besides , that were the way for the future , to deprive my self of the knowledge of many opinions and practises , if i should print the names of every one that hath imparted intelligence to me . . in this catalogue of errours , under one and the same errour ( which for number i make but one , that i might not seem needlesly to multiply errours , and that i might contract things ) yet under that one errour , teere are more branches , it may be two or three ; now though one part or branch of such an errour as the former part is expresly set down in books that are in many hands , yet other branches are not , but only have been expressed by word of mouth : now in such a case to quote books , speaking but to one part and not to the whole , might question my faithfulnesse in all other particulars : unto these i could adde more , but these may suffice . . yet further to satisfie the reader of the truth of things contained in this present treatise , and to stop the mouths of sectaries , who will be ready to put off all , by giving out , that this book is full of lies and fables , i do here offer ( upon condition that some exemplary punishment may passe upon some of the prime seducers and heads of these sects , and some effectuall course taken for the future , to remedy and suppresse these errours ) to make a legall proof by witnesses , and other concurrent circumstances of the most notorious and grossest matters ( which may of all others seem most questionable ) whether errours , blasphemies or practices set down in this following catalogue . seventhly , i premise this for the christian reader to remember , and for preventing mistakes in this work , that though i set down and joyn together all the following opinions in one catalogue , because they all agree in uno tertio in that common notion of errour , yea all agree in independency , and in forsaking the communion of the reformed churches : yet i am far from thinking them all alike . a scholar that makes a catalogue of books , writes down decimo sextos as well as folios in it , because they be all books , and yet puts a great deal of difference between the one and the other ; so do i notwithstanding i put them together . all the errours reckoned up are not of the first magnitude , nor in the highest form ; some are fundamentall errours , overthrowing the foundation directly , many by consequence and deduction ; others are superstructures , building upon the foundation hay , straw and stubble : i put a wide difference between a simple pure independent , yea a simple anabaptist , who only holds that opinion of denying poedobaptisme , and between an arian , antitrinitarian , antiscripturist , perfectist : again , i put a difference between erroneous persons that erre out of ignorance , weaknesse , and are seduced , following those opinions in simplicity of heart ( as some people did absolom ) and are peaceable keeping their opinions also to themselves and such persons as are wilful seducers , the heads and leaders of faction , who make it their work to disturb the peace of the church , and to subvert souls . in all this discourse i desire to think of iude . . and of some have compassion , making a difference ; and others save with fear , pulling them , &c. eighthly , i desire to forewarn the christian reader , and do earnestly beseech him for his own good , that he be not offended , nor hindred from beleeving the truth , and laying to heart the particulars laid down in this ensuing treatise , no not by all the clamours , reproaches that may be cast upon my book and person : it cannot be expected , but that satan and the sectaries will make it their work , by all wayes possible to blast this book , to keep from reading and beleeving it , as they used all wayes to reproach my last book , and to keep christians all they could from reading it : blind and erroneous zeal is violent and what it wants in arguments , it will make up in clamours , lyes , and speaking all manner of evil falsly of them that discover & lay it open , as a luther speaks ; the world cannot bear that the things of it should be condemned , therefore from every part hatreds , treacheries , calumnies , evill speakings are heaped to oppresse that doctrine , and those teachers who oppose it : and therefore let them speak evill as long as they will , and give out 't is a railing lying peece ; yet let me speak to the reader , as the apostle doth , thes. . , . that no man should be moved by these afflictions , for we told you before , that we should suffer tribulation , even as it s come to passe , and ye know : so now i tell you before , that when you hear of all kind of reproaches , ye may not be offended , iohn . . now the second particular under this first generall head , is to remove two stumbling blocks out of the way , to give an answer to two objections that may be made against this present work . . object . it may be some will object and say ; it is not seasonable nor convenient to discover our nakednesse and weaknesse so far to the common enemy , it were better concealed , the enemy will make an advantage of it : tell it not in gath , publish it not in the streets of askelon ; lest the daughters of the philistines rejoyce , lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph . . sam. . . ans. the prevailing of heresies and sects among us , is not now to be discovered and published to the world : it hath not been all this time kept within our own walls , and known only to our selves , but hath been a long time known abroad , and at home , and hath been declared by divers others , both in writing and preaching before now : so that i shall not divulge any secret to the common enemy : all that i do is but to draw them into one , that we may see them as it were at once : our errours and schisms are spoken of far and near by enemies and friends . how many sermons have been preached before the honourable houses of parliament , and in other publike places speaking of the errours of the time , which have been also printed long since by command of authority , and exposed to the view of all ? many learned men have given a catalogue of severall errours , as mr. gataker of many antinomian errours , mr baily one of the commissioners of scotland of other errours , and dr featly , mr paget , with some others : in books upon all occasions , 't is confessed by men of t severall judgemens , and denied by none , that we have many great errours amongst us : many errours have been complained of to the houses of parliament , committees , assembly , and examined , spoken of in the presence of many ; besides that some errours are vented , even of the grossest sort in print , as in pilgrimage of saints , bloudy tenet , mortality of the soul , man of sinne discovered , cum multis aliis : yea , some of the sectaries have in their writings published and acknowledged , there are many sorts of opinions among us , hence taking occasion to write for a toleration of all , as anabaptists , antinomians , &c. and the great historian and chronicler of the sectaries ( the moderate intelligencer , num. . who writes their lives and deaths , and trumpets forth their victories and praises so immoderatly as if they did all : and hath published to the world , some weeks ago , that there are twenty severall opinions in the army ; and hath pleaded more then once for liberty of conscience for them all ; so that i by writing in this kind of the errours of the time , cannot be guilty of discovering our nakednesse , the enemy having known so much before . but why stand i to prove that our heresies and schisms are openly known in england , when as their sound is gone into all lands , into holland , zealand , france , yea to new-england ? the walachrian classis , in their letter to the london synod complain much of heresies , schisms , errours , confusions in religion spreading in the city , which by such an expresse , holy and sacred oath is bound to god to cast out all errours , heresies , scisms out of the house of god. c many letters have been written over into enland out of holland , from ministers and professours of schools ( men zealously affected to the cause of the parliament ) complaining of the errours , sects and schisms amongst us , which have been communicated to some prime members of the assembly and others . new-england speaks much of the heresies , errours , and all sorts of sects amongst us , c wondring that the assembly suffers them , and that they do not stirre up the parliament to supresse them . d mr shepards letter written from thence , shewes their knowledg of the heresies , errours and sects amongst us , so that our errours and schismes so publikely known to the world , cannot be concealed from oxford . seeing then there are so many errours and monsters of opinions spoken of in all places , i cannot be taxed for the discovery of that which was before concealed , but in this work am only a gatherer together of those errours that were scattered , which by gods blessing may be a meanes to keep many from falling into schisme seeing such monsters in that way , and to cause many to returne , when they finde that they never dreamt of nor intended . secondly supposing our errours to be known , which is fully proved in any first answer , i then secondly say , 't is so farre from being unseasonable and inconvenient , that 't is most necessary , that some ministers , who are friends to the reformation , and zealots for the parliament , should lay them open to the full , by testifying against them and disclaiming them , that so our enemies may not say , wee favour and countenance them ; and one of my great ends in this tractate , is to take away occasion from the common enemy to blaspheme the reformation , and speak ill of the parliament , by our not owning them , but speaking as much against heresie , schisme and all errours as any of them can . thirdly , i answer , we should be so farre from being afraid to give the common enemy advantage , by speaking against heresies and errours , that on the contrary i may say , we have no such enemies , as those persons , that broach and spread their heresies and damnable opinions : these are our enemies which wee have cause to fear more then all the cavaliers , these are the achans , the accursed persons , and things which are most likely to undo us ; and if ever the parliament and their party be ruined ( which god prevent ) it will not be so much by the cavaliers , they could not have done it , but the heresies , blasphemies and schimes of some among our selves will cause it ; and therefore the finding of these out , and labouring to have these removed , is a work of great importance to the saving of the kingdom , and of great prejudice to the common enemy , whose hopes and confidence are much more placed in our heresies , prodigious opinions and schismes , then in their own strength . . ob. as this book will give occasion to open the mouthes of enemies , so it may cause distractions and divisions among our selves , weaken the hands of many who are cordiall to the parliament , apprehending themselves to be written against ; besides this may offend many good persons that are not sectaries , especially that independents should be put into this catalogue , and ranked with all sorts of hereticks and schismaticks . . i answer to this , as luther did in an epistle of his to spalatinus upon a like occasion ; spalatinus would not have had luther at such a time to have writ against the papists , for feare of disturbing the publike peace : to whom luther thus replies , that 's excellent indeed , that thou thinkest it not fit to have the publike peace disturbed , and yet judgest it fit to have the externall peace of god disquieted ; not so , o spalatine . shall the grievous wolves come freely to the flock , not sparing them ; and if the doggs barke to give warning of them , shall they be said to disturbe the peace , and cause distractions ? brethren , things are come to a good passe , that hereticks and sectaries must do what they please , and if any course be taken by preaching , writing , petitioning , to remedy it , 't is given out by sectaries , 't is a plot to make division , discourage the army , disturbe the peace . i say no more , if this be to preserve union and peace , and to be cordiall to the parliament , to let hereticks and sectaries do what they list , preach , writ , spread their errours , destroy many souls , and no man must say , what do they ? cursed be that union , peace and affection to the parliament . c 't is a golden saying of luther , and worthy to bee thought of in these times ; cursed be that charity which is kept with the losse of the doctrine of faith , to which all things ought to give place , charity , an apostle , an angell from heaven , d yea , and i will add , parliaments . answ. . if in such a time as this , and such a case , when by many persons all the things of god are laid waste and made null , church , minister , sacraments , scriptures , and what not ? men will be offended for speaking , let them , 't is better they should be offended , then the glory of christ should suffer ; 't is an offence taken , and not given ; christ cared not in that case that the pharisees were offended , mat. . . . . i wonder they are not offended at the heresies and errours daily broached , and yet should be offended at the discovering and speaking against them . i have more cause to be offended at this objection of theirs , and their lukewarmenesse : wo be unto them that broach these errours , and to those that countenance them , for every plant which my heavenly father hath not planted , shall be rooted up . answ. . i name not these things to provoke and exasperate any , especially none of those who in simplicity of heart , and under pretences of greater holinesse and new light , are taken in these wayes ; ( for as i have writ before , so i say again , i put a great difference between independency strictly and properly 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. . . . . . 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. . 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 , . independents . . brownists . . chiliasts , or millenaries . . antinomians . . anabaptists . . manifestarians or arminians . . libertines . . familists . . enthusiasts . . seekers and waiters . . perfectists . . socinians . . arians . . antitrinitarians . . antiscripturists . . 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 . . 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 ●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 . 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 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 con●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 ; ( a 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 ; b 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 . . 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 . . 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 . . that the scriptures are unsufficient and uncertain , there is no certainty to build any d●ctrine upon them , they are not an infallible foundation of faith . . 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 . . 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 . . 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 . . 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 . . 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 . . 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. . 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 . . that god hath a hand in , and is the author of the sinfullnesse of his people ; that he is the authour not of those actions alone , in and with which sin is , but of the very pravity , ataxy , anomy , irregularity and sinfullnesse it self which is in them . . that all lyes come forth out of the mouth of god. . b 't is the will and command of god , that since the coming of his son the lord jesus , a permission of the most paganish , jewish , turkish , or antichristian consciences and worship be granted to all men in all nations and countries : and they are only to be fought against with the sword of gods spirit , the word of god ; and for the parliament to use any civill coercive meanes to compell men of different judgment , is one of the greatest sins that can be named , 't is committing a greater rape , then if they had forced or ravished the bodies of all the women in the world . d yea , if it be mens consciences , the magistrate may not punish for blasphemies , nor for denying the scriptures , nor for denying there is a god. . that no man was cast into hell for any sin , but only because god would have it so . . that a man had life before god breathed into him , and that which god breathed into him was part of the divine essence , and shall returne unto god again . . that we should think of our selves no better then was meet , for god loves the creatures that creep upon the ground as well as the best saints ; and there is no distance between the flesh of a man , and the flesh of a toad . . that the prince of the ayr that rules in the children of disobedience is god ; and that there is no other spirit but one , which spirit is god. . that god hath not decreed all the actions of men , because men doing what god decreed , do not ●in . . that god was never angry nor displeased with man ; for if he were ever displeased and pleased again , then there is a changeablenesse in god. . that god loved not one man more then another before the world , neither is there an absolute particular election , but only generall and conditionall upon perseverance ; and the scripture no where speaks of reprobates or reprobation . . that the soul dies with the body , and all things shall have an end , but god only shall remain for ever . . every creature in the first creation was god , and every creature is god , every creature that hath life and breath being an efflux from god , and shall returne into god again , be swallowed up in him as a drop is in the ocean . . that to a saving knowledge of god , it sufficeth not to know him in the book of nature ; nor secondly as revealed in the holy scriptures ; but that we must know him as abstract from his mercies and all his attributes . . that in the unity of the god-head there is not a trinity of persons , but the doctrine of the trinity beleeved and professed in the church of god , is a popish tradition and a doctrine of rome . . there are not three distinct persons in the divine essence , but only three offices ; the father , son and holy ghost are not three persons , but offices . . that there is but one person in the divine nature . . that jesus christ is not very god , not god essentially , but nominally , not the eternall son of god by eternall generation , no otherwise may he be called the son of god but as he was man. . that christs humane nature is defiled with originall sin as well as ours , christ had from the birth to his death the same originall corruption as ours , he took our sin into his nature as well as our flesh upon him : christ is not of a holier nature then we ; but in this appeares gods love to us , that he will take one of us in the same conditition , to convince us of what he is to us , and hath made us to be in him : me thinks the beholding of christ to be holy in the flesh is a dishonour to god , in that we should conceive holinesse out of god , and again a discomfort to the saints , that he should be of a more holy nature then they , as being no ground for them to come neer with boldnesse to god. . that we did look for great matters from one crucified at ierusalem hundred yeares ago , but that does us no good , it must be a christ formed in us , the deity united to our humanity , christ came into the world to live thirty two years , and to do nothing else that he knew , and blessed god he never trusted in a crusified christ. . christ was true man when he created us : yea from eternity , and though he had not flesh , yet was he very man without flesh . . that christ died for all men alike , for the reprobate as well as for the elect , and that not only sufficiently , but effectually , for iudas as well as peter , for the damned in hell as well as the saints in heaven . . that by christs death , all the sins of all the men in the world , turks , pagans , as well as christians committed against the morall law and first covenant , are actually pardoned and forgiven , and this is the everlasting gospel . . that christ did only satisfie for the sins against the first covenant , but not for the sins against the second covenant , as unbelief , he died not for the unbelief of any . . christ died only for sins past , i. e. before the gospel is revealed to the sinner , and the sins of men committed after conversion christ died not for , but they are pardoned by his being a continuall sacrifice . . every man satisfies for himselfe for the sins against the second covenant , namely unbelief : because he that beleeves not , the wrath of god abides upon him ; so that for a years unbelief a man beares a years wrath , and this is all the satisfaction god requires . . that no man shall perish or go to hell for any sin but unbeleef only . . that the heathen who never heard of christ by the word , have the gospel ; for every creature , as the sun , moon and stars preach the gospel to men , and in them is revealed the knowledge of christ crucified , and sin pardoned , if they had eyes to see it . . those heathen that perish , do perish only for not beleeving according to the gospel they enjoy . a . christ did not by his death purchase life and salvation for all , no nor for the elect ▪ for it was not the end of god in the coming of christ to purchase love and life ; but christ himself was purchased by love , that hee might make out love and purchase us to love . b . christ jesus came into the world to witnesse and declare the love of god to us , not to procure it for us , or to satisfie god ( as some say , ) christ was a most glorious publisher of the gospel , he was sent to preach the gospel , to heal the broken hearted , to preach deliverance to the captives : in all that christ saith to be the end of 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 . l . that the unction which the saints are said to receive from the holy one , iohn . . is one with the christ hood of christ. . 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 . . 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 . . 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 . . 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. . that the least truth is of more worth then jesus christ himself . . 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 . . 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 . . that the same spirit which works in the children of disobedience , is that spirit which sanctifies the hearts of the elect . r . 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 . . 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 , no● sounding the bottome . . 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 . . that sanctification is not an evidence of justification , and all notes and signes of a christians estate are legall and unlawfull . . 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 . e . 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 . . gods image on man , is only our face and countenance ; and every wicked man hath therefore gods image as well as good men . . 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 . . there is no originall sin in us , only adams first sin was originall sin . . that the guilt of adams sin is imputed to no man , no man is punished for adams sin . . 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 . . 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 . there is no free-will in man either to good or evill , either in his naturall estate or glorified estate . . that there is a power in man to resist grace , and that the grace which would convert one man , would not convert another . . 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 . . that regenerate men who have true grace , may fall totally and finally away from the state of grace . . 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 . . persons justified , are not justified by faith , but are justified from all eternity . . 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. . 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 . . that to credere ; faith in a proper sense is imputed to justification , and not christs righteousnesse imputed to justification . . that the doctrine of repentance is a soul-destroying doctrine . . 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 . . that 't is as impossible for christ himself to sinne , as for a child of god to sin . . th●● there ought to be no fasting dayes under the gospel , and th●t men ought not to afflict their souls , no not in a day of humiliation . . 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 . . 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. . 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 . . that gods children are not at all to be humbled , troubled or grieved for sin after conversion , and what peter did in this kinde after his foul fact of denying his master , issued from the weaknesse of his faith . . that gods children are not to aske the pardon and forgivenesse of their sins , they need not , they ought not , and 't is no lesse then blasphemy , for a child of god to aske pardon of sins , 't is infidelity to aske pardon of sins , and davids asking forgivenesse of sin was his weaknesse . . that when abraham denyed his wife , and in outward appearance seemed to lie in his distrust , lying , dissembling and equivocating that his wife was his sister , even then truly all his thoughts , words and deeds were perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the fight of god freely . . the called of god have sin in the flesh , they have sin in the conversation , but they have no sin , neither can they have any in the conscience ; for the true faith of gods elect , and sin in the conscience , can no more stand together then light and darknesse ; and this reconciles those two scriptures , if we say we have no sin , we deceive our selves , and he that is borne of god doth not commi● sin , neither can he , because he is borne of god. . the great antichrist is that mysticall body of iniquity which opposeth jesus christ , and not the pope of rome , or any particular succession of men , only he is a part of antichrist . denn , makes the opposition of antinomian errours to be the man of sin and the great antichrist , as is to be seen in severall pages of his man of sin discovered . and sectaries make them who deny christs dying for all , to be antichrist : others make antichristianisme to consist in the coercive power of the magistrate in matters of religion . . that the soul of man is mortall as the soul of a beast , and dies with the body . . that the souls of the faithfull after death , do sleep til the day of judgement , and are not in a capacity of acting any thing for god , but 't is with them as 't is with a man that is in some pleasing dreame . . that the bodies of the faithfull shall not rise again at the resurrection , ( namely the same that died ) but their soules shall have other bodies made fit for them , either by creation or faction from some preëxisting matter , and though the bodies be new , yet the men are the same , because the same souls remaine still . . infants rise not again , because they are not capable of knowing god and therefore not of enjoying him . . that the perfection and resurrection spoken of by paul , . cor. . . . . . . . . the hope set before us , the eternall inheritance , a city having foundations , whose builder and maker is god , are to be attained in the fullnesse and perfection of them now in this present time , before the common death of the body . . that none of the soules of the saints go to heaven where christ is , but heaven is , empty of the saints till the resurrection of the dead . . there is no resurrection at all of the bodies of men after this life , nor no heaven nor hell after this life , nor no devils . . there shall be in the last day a resurrection from the dead of all the bruit creatures , all beasts and birds that ever lived upon the earth , every individuall of every kinde of them that died shall rise again , as well as of men , and all these creatures shall live for ever upon the earth . there is no hell but in this life , and that 's the legall terrours and feares which men have in their consciences . . that there is no church of christ upon the earth , no true ministery , no sacraments , no gospel , no faith , because there are no visible nor infallible gifts . . no man is damned but for rejecting the gospel , and none can reject the gospel , but those who have it tendred unto them , as they had in the apostles dayes being confirmed by miracles . . that the pure preaching of the word , and righ administration of the saments , are no notes nor signes of a true visible church . . 't is the will of god that miracles should attend the ministry , the apostles make a marriage of doctrine and miracles , so that they who preach the gospel , must be so gifted as to confirme it by signes and wonders . . that many christians in these dayes have more knowledge then the apostles , and when the time is come that there shall be true churches and ministery erected , they shall have greater gifts , and do greater miracles then the apostles ever did , because the christian church was but then in its infancy . . that there ought to be in these times no making or building of churches , nor use of church-ordinances , as ministring of the word , sacraments , but waiting for a church , being in a readiness upon all occasions to take knowledge of any passenger , of any opinion or tenet whatsover ; the saints as pilgrims doe wander as in a temple of smoak , not able to finde religion , and therefore should not plant it by gathering or building a pretended supposed house , but should wait for the coming of the spirit , as the apostles did . . there is a salvation that shall be revealed in the last times , which was not known to the apostles themselves . . that within a while god will raise up apostles , men extraordinarily endowed with visible and infallible gifts to preach the gospel , and that shall precede the fall of rome . * . that in points of religion , even in the articles of faith , and principles of religion , there 's nothing certainly to be beleeved and built on , onely that all men ought to have liberty of conscience , and liberty of prophesying . . that the scriptures no where speak of sacraments , name or thing . . that the covenant , whereof circumcision was the seale , was onely of temporall promises , as ex. g. of the land of canaan ; that the covenant god made with abraham had nothing spirituall in it ; and that circumcision was a seal of the righteousnesse of faith to no other but to abraham alone quatenus a father , and not to his children . . that baptism is not a seal nor signe of the covenant of grace . . that poedobaptisme is unlawfull and antichristian , and that 't is as lawfull to baptize a cat , or a dog , or a chicken , as to baptize the infants of beleevers . . 't is as lawfull to break any of the ten commandements , as to baptize an infant : yea , 't is as lawfull to commit adultery and murther , as to baptize a childe . . that baptizing belongs not to ministers onely , all gifted brethren and preaching disciples ( though no ministers ) may baptize . . baptizednesse is not essentiall to the baptizer , nor essentiall to preaching ; so that persons not onely not in office , but not so much as baptized , may both baptize and preach . . miracles are essentiall to the administration holden forth in the commission of baptisme , matt. . . . that none are to be admitted to the lords supper , though beleevers and saints , nor their children to be baptized , but onely they who are members in a church-way . . there is no scripture against a mans being often baptized ; neither is it more unlawfull to be baptized often , then to receive the lords supper often . . that christs words in the institution of his supper , this is my body , and this is my bloud , are to be understood literally . . that christians in receiving the lords supper should receive with their hats on , with their heads covered ; but the ministers should administer it with their hats off , uncovered . . that 't is as necessary to be joyned in church-fellowship , as with christ the head ; and there 's such a necessity of entring into a church-way , as there is no expectation of salvation without it . . that the church of england and the ministery thereof is antichristian , yea of the devill , and that 't is absolutely sinfull and unlawfull to hear any of their ministers preach in their assembl●es . . that the church of rome was once a true church , but so was the church of england never , therefore 't is likelier the church of rome should be in the right in the doctrines of free-will , universall redemption , originall sin , &c. then the church of england . . that the calling and making of ministers of the word and sacraments are not jure divino , but a minister comes to be so ; as a me●chant , bookseller , tailor , and such like . . that all setled certaine maintenance for ministers of the gospel , especially that which is called tyths , is unlawfull , jewish and antichristian . . that ministers of the gospel in these dayes ought to work with their hands , and to follow some calling , that they may not be chargeable to the church . that there ought to be no distinct order of ministers , nor no such calling of some persons distinct and separated from the people ; but that all men who have gifts are in their turns and courses ; by the appointment of the rest of the company , to preach , pray , baptize , and they are for that turn in stead of ministers , and as ministers . . that all dayes are a like to christians under the new testament , and they are bound no more to the observation of the lords day , or first day of the week then to any other . . that the jewish sabbath or saturday is still to be kept by christians for their sabbath . . that christians are not bound to meet one day in seven constantly , according to the manner of the nations , nor to pray and preach thus long , and in this manner two or three houres , according to the custome of the nations . . no man hath more to do to preach the gospel then another , but every man may preach the gospel , as well as any . . that 't is lawfull for women to preach , and why should they not , having gifts as well as men ? and some of them do actually preach , having great resort to them . . 't is a part of christian liberty of christians , not to hear their own ministers , but to go and heare where they will , and whom they think they may profit most by . . that 't is unlawfull to worship god in places consecrated , and in places where superstition and idolatry have been practised , as in our churches . . that men ought to preach and exercise their gifts without study and premeditation , and not to think of what they are to say till they speak , because it shall be given them in that hour , and the spirit shall teach them . . that there is no need of humane learning , nor of reading authors for preachers , but all books and learning must go down , it comes from the want of the spirit , that men writ such great volumes , and make such adoe of learning . . there are some women , ten or eleven in one town or vicinity , who hold it unlawfull to hear any man preach , either publikely or privately , because they must not be like those women in timothy , ever learning , and never comming to the knowledg of the truth , . tim. . . . . that t is unlawfull to preach at all , sent or not sent out ( as in a church-state ) but only thus , a man may preach as a waiting disciple , that is , christians may not preach in a way of positive asserting and declaring things , but all they may do , is to confer , reason together , and dispute out things . . that t is unlawfull for the saints to joyn in receiving the lords supper , where any wicked men are present , and that such mixt communion doth pollute and defile them . 't is unlawfull for the saints to joyn in prayer where wicked men are , or to pray with any of the wicked . . that 't is unlawfull for christians to pray so much as privately with those ( though godly ) that are not members of a true church , but are members of the church of england , and the assemblies thereof . that however conference and discourse may be had with all , yet t is not lawfull to joyn in prayer or giving of thanks , no not before meat , with those ( though otherwise acknowledged saints and godly , and are members of churches in the church-way ) that a●e not of the same judgement and way . . d that t is not lawfull for christians to pray at all with any others , ( either as being the mouth in prayer , or as joyning in prayer ) though never so godly , and of their own judgements , either in the publike assemblies , or in their families , unlesse such persons who prayed had an infallible spirit , as the apostles . . that christians are not bound to pray constantly every day at set times , as morning and evening , but only at such times as the spirit moves them to it , and if they finde not themselves so moved in many dayes and weeks together , they ought not to pray . . that wicked and unregenerate men ought not to pray unto god at all . . that all singing of psalmes , as davids , or any other holy songs of scripture , is unlawfull , and not to be joyned with . . that the singing which christians should use , is that of hymns and spirituall songs , framed by themselves , composed by their own gifts , and that upon speciall occasions , as deliverances , &c. sung in the congreation by one of the assembly , all the rest being silent . . c that love-feasts , or feasts of love ( with which the lords supper is to be administred also ) is a perpetuall ordinance of christ , at which only church-members are to be present , and to partake . . that there is no distinction concerning government of ecclesiasticall and civil , for all that government which concernes the church , ought to be civill , but the maintaining of that distinction is for maintaining the interests of church-men . . that a few private christians , as six or seven gathering themselves into a covenant and church-fellowship , have an absolute entire power of the keyes , and all government within themselves , and are not under any authoritative power of any classes , synods , or generall councels , whatsoever they do , or what wayes soever they take . . f that the presbytery and presbyteriall government , are the false prophet , and the beast spoken of in the revelations : presbytery is a third part of the city of rome , yea that beast , in revel . . that ascends , and shall kill the two witnesses , namely the independents . . that there are revelations and visions in these times , yea to some they are more ordinary , and shall be to the people of god , generally within a while . . that the gift of miracles is not ceased in these times , but that some of the sectaries have wrought miracles , and miracles have accompanied them in their baptisme , &c. and the people of god shall have power of miracles shortly . . that anointing the sick with oyl by the elders praying over them , with laying on of hands , is a church-ordinance for church-members that are sick , for their recovery . . 't is ordinary for christians now in these dayes , with paul to be rapt up to the third heavens , and to hear words unutterable , and they cannot wel have assurance of being christians , that have not found and had experience of this . . that christian magistrates have no power at all to meddle in matters of g religion , or things ecclesiasticall , but in civill only concerning the bodies and goods of men . . h that for a people to wait upon man for a form to worship god by , was idolatry : nay , for a people to wait upon parliament or assembly for a form to worship god by , was worse then corporall idolatry . . i whatsoever errours or miscarriages in religion , the church should bear withall in men , continuing still in communion with them , as brethren , these the magistrates should bear with in men , continuing them in the kingdom or common-wealth in the enjoyment of the liberty of subjects . . d that the parliament having their power from , and being entrusted by the people , the people may call them to an account for their actions , and set them right and straight : and seeing this present parliam . doth ingrosse law-making , and all law-executing into their own hands , contrary both to reason , and the true meaning of the law , the free-men of england ought not only to chuse new members where they are wanting once every yeer , but also to renew and enquire once a yeer after the behaviour and carriage of those they have chosen . and if they finde they never did any good , or are groundedly suspected to be unserviceable , that then those that chuse and sent them may have liberty to chuse more faithfull , able , and better men in their places . . if god command such a thing to be done in his word , and the magistrate now come and command the same to be done , though a christan ought to have , and would have done it , because of gods command , yet now he ought not to do it , because the magistrate commands it . . all the earth is the saints , and there ought to be a community of goods , and the saints should share in the lands and estates of gentlemen , and rich men . . e that 't is lawfull for a man to put away his wife upon indisposition , unfitnesse , or contrarie●y of minde arising from a cause in nature unchangeable ; and and for disproportion and deadnesse of spirit , or something distastfull and averse in the immutable bent of nature ; and man in regard of the freedom and eminencie of his creation , is a law to himself in this matter , being head of the other sex , which was made for him , neither need he hear any judge therein above himself . . 't is lawfull for one man to have two wives at once . . that children are not bound to obey their parents at all , if they be ungodly . . that parents are not to catechise their little children , nor to set them to read the scripture , or to teach them to pray , but must let them alone for god to teach them . . 't is unlawful for christians to defend religion with the sword , or to fight for it when men come with the sword to take it away ; religion will defend it self . . 't is unlawfull for christians to fight , and take up armes for their lawes and civil liberties . . 't is unlawfull to fight at all , or to kill any man , yea to kill any of the creatures for our use , as a chicken , or on any other occasion . . that using of set forms of prayer prescribed is idolatry . . davids saying , i am a worm , and no man , must be understood literally : yea , he was both a man , and no man in the same literall sense . . that the scripture speaks but of one kinde of faith . . some of the sectaries in london do hold , that in suff●lk there is a prophet raised up to come and preach the everlasting gospel to them , and he staies but for a vocall call from heaven to send him , which is expected daily , and that this man is the prophet spoken of in the scripture , iohn . that prophet in that scripture , distinguished from christ and elias , is this man raised up in suffolk . . that it could not stand with the goodnesse of god , to damne his owne creatures eternally . . that god the father did reign under the law , god the sonne under the gospel , and now god the father and god the sonne are making over the kingdom to god the holy ghost , and he shall reign and be poured out upon all flesh . . that there shall be a generall restauration , wherein all men shall be reconciled to god and saved , only those who now beleeve and are saints before this restauration shall be in a higher condition then those that do not beleeve . . that t is not lawfull for a christian to be a magistrate , but upon turning christian he should lay down his magistracie ; neither do we read after cornelius was baptized ( though he were a centurion before , and a man in command and authority ) that ever he medled any more with his band call'd the italian band . . man lost no more by the fall , then all the rest of the whole creation fell into with adam , all the world being condemned to death and desolation , yea the heavens and the earth also : so that you may as safely conclude that all the whole creation lost life and salvation to glorification by adams transgression , as to conclude that man lost salvation by adams transgression . . man hath not by christ brought unto him eternall life and salvation , but only such a life as all the whole creation hath together with him , for the second adam hath not purchased eternall life to glorification for man. . all the creatures shall assuredly partake of the gospel of peace , and that our lord the great prophet spake something to this purpose , when he saith , go preach the gospel to every creature , though they cannot heare to life and glorification ; and christ is the great prophet of his father , to declare his fathers counsell to the whole creation , and he is the great high-priest , which offereth up himself a sacrifice of full satisfaction , not for all men only , but for all that by man was lost , even the whole creation of god. . that a directory , or order to help in the way of worship , is a breach of the second commandement , and there is no word of god to warrant the making of that directory book , more then ieroboam had for the making of calves of gold , which he set upon two high places , one at dan , the other at bet●el , to the confusion of himself and his posterity . . no man is yet in hell , neither shall any be there untill the judgement ; for god doth not hang first , and judge after . . men say that faith is supernaturall , but how can it be above nature to beleeve that which we see sufficient ground to beleeve ? and to beleeve any thing of which we have no plaine ground and reason , is so far from being above nature , that it is below it , and proper to fools and not to reasonable men . . the law doth not pronounce eternall death in hell fire on those that obey it not , nor were men to have perished in hell fire , in relation to the law or adams sin ; but the gospel pronounceth eternall death in hell fire on those that obey it not ; and if we had been to suffer hell in relation to adam or the law , then christ also should have suffered in hell for us , to have redeemed us from thence , which he did not . . it is not sutable to god , to pick and chuse amongst men in shewing mercy ; if the love of god be manifested to a few , it is far from being infinite , if god shew not mercy to all : to ascribe it to his will or pleasure , is to blaspheme his excellent name and nature . now unto these many more might be added that i know of , and are commonly known to others , which have been preached and printed within these four last years in england ( as the necessity of dipping and burying under water all persons to be baptized , as the necessity of a church-covenant , as that ministers may not lawfully baptize , or administer the lords supper out of their own particular congregations , neither preach ministerially , but as gifted brethren , out of their own church ; with many such errours of the church-way ) but because they are but light in comparison , i will not name them . i could relate also to you other errours , that have been reported to me and others by honest understanding men , to have been vented ( and 't is likely enough they may be true ) as that 't is lawfull for wives to give without their husbands consents , something out of their husbands estates , for the maintenance of the church and ministers whereunto they belong : as that the lords prayer , called and cryed up by many to be so , it could not be the lords prayer , in regard there was a petition for pardon of sins , which christ would not have taught , or words to that purpose ; as also that if a man were strongly moved by the spirit to kill , to commit adultery , &c. and upon praying against it again and again it continued , and yet was still strongly pressed , he should then do it ; but because i have not these upon so good grounds , nor such a concurrence of circumstances , or further confirmation upon enquiry , i therefore forbear to put them down particularly in the catalogue of errours , or to assert them with that authority . i might here also annex to all these errours many expositions of scripture given by the sectaries in their sermons and private meetings ; but i will only give two ; . that of rom. . . the law of the spirit of life , hath freed me from the law of sin and death ; that is , ( as was expounded ) from the morall law. . that of ioh. . sea●ch the scriptures , for in them ye think ye have eternall life ; you thinke to have , that was their thought and mistake , not that christ approved it , that eternall life was to be had in the scriptures . a catalogue of the blasphemies of the sectaries . now besides these errours and heresies laid down , many of them being blasphemies ( as the reader cannot but have observed in perusing their catalogue ) there have been many blasphemies and blasphemous speeches vented by sectaries severall wayes , both by writing , preaching , conference and discoursing , and some so horrid and abominable , in such a dispitefull , scoffing , fearfull way , that i tremble to think of them , and shall forbear to name them : and indeed within these four last years in england there have been blasphemies uttered of the scriptures , the trinity , each person of the trinity , both of father , son and holy ghost , of gods eternall election , of the virgin mary , the apostles and holy penmen of scripture , of baptisme , prayer , the ministery of the word , and the ministers of all the reformed churches , of the government of the church , and of the christian magistrates : in some books printed and dispersed up and down , there are fearfull blasphemies ; as in the arraignment of persecution , the sacred synodycall decretall , martins eccho &c. profaning and abusing the holy and dreadfull name of god in a most fearfull manner , scoffing at the holy ghost , sent in a cloak-bagg from scotland , making a most blasphemous prayer , wherein the passion , death , resurrection and ascension of christ are in a scoffing way alluded unto , with many others which i will not foul paper with transcribing . in some manuscripts of one paul best , there are most horrid blasphemies of the trinity , of christ , and of the holy ghost , calling the doctrine of the trinity , a mystery of iniquity , the three headed cerberus , a fiction , a tradition of rome , monstr●m biforme , triforme , with other horrid expressions borowed from hell , not fit to be mentioned . there was a fearfull blasphemous scoffing speech of god the father , son , and holy ghost , spoken by one clarke ( as i remember the name ) given in to a committee of parliament , in way of complaint in writing , with a hand subscribed , and one witnessed it before ▪ the committee , but i forbear to relate it . mr paget in his heresiography , epistle dedicatory , speakes of one committed for mocking at christs incarnation , the particulars whereof , though i have been told from master paget , yet i judge it best to conceal . there have been many blaspheming speeches , in a way of derision of the holy ghost , calling it flabile numen , and asking what kinde of bird it was ? whether — but i dare not speak it . the holy scriptures are by many in these times sleighted and scoffed at ( that growes and spreades much ) called the golden calfe , that there are many contradictions and lyes in them , that they are no better then a ballad , that they can make as good scriptures ; that place in genesis , . . where 't is said , god repented that be made man was untrue ; so other places of scripture . the doctrine of gods eternall election and praedestination hath been call'd a damnable errour . the virgin mary hath been called a — the apostles have been called — and they could write as good scriptures as the apostles ; upon occasion of quoting that scripture in rom. . of pauls complaining of ●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. . . 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 sl●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 v●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 presbyteri● 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 . . 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 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 , 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 se●p●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. , . 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 diff●●ence would quickly be at an end , and they were ours , sometimes so far off and b●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 their depths , and therfore 't is not to be expected from me , a plain open-harted man ( who hate tricks , playing under-boord , reserves and designes , whose motto is that of the psalmist , psal. . . let integritie and uprightnesse preserve me , for i wait on thee , and never studied machiavel , nor am not versed in the jesuits politicks ) that i should discover all their practices and wayes : neither was it my intention or scope in writing of this book , to speak all i know of their practices and wayes , ( for i took a resolution in the entrance of this work , not to be too large ) that so the more might both buy and read it , and my purpose is hereafter ( god sparing me life , health and liberty ) for the benefit both of the present and succeding generations , to write an historicall narration of all the proceedings and wayes of the english sectaries , both in england and beyond the seas , from the first yeare of the parliaments sitting , till the time of the setting forth that history , and have already laid in many materialls , and kept an exact account of the most remarkable passages tending that way ; and my earnest desire is to all the godly o●●hodox readers , into whose hands this book shall come , who are enemies to sects and schismes , and lovers of truth , peace , and order , whether gentlemen of committees in the severall counties , or souldiers in the armies , or ministers in the severall parts of the kingdome , or other godly christians , that they would be pleased within this three or four moneths next following , to communicate to me all the certaine intelligence they have , of the opinions , wayes and proceedings of the sectaries ; and i promise faithfully , that whatever agreement or condition be made by anie who imparts any matters to me ( as namely for concealing of their names , or f●●bearing the relation of such and such particulars , as place , &c. whatever they be ) i will 〈…〉 observe , and they shall find mee both secret and true to them ( for i feare god , and dare not violate my promise ) only for the present i shall g●ve the world a 〈◊〉 and tryall of the practices of the sectaries , for upon some of the heads of their practices and wayes which i in this present discourse name , i could write upon each of them a booke , in giving instances and examples for a proofe and confirmation of their truth . now i might in the first place make a parallel between the practices and waies of out sect●ries , and the sectaries of old in the primitive times ( especially the don●tist ▪ ) as also between them and the jesuits , them and the arminians , of the netherlands , them and the prelates , and their court-party , them and the present malignants ; yea , them and some of the bad emp●rours , as iulian , and could shew such an agreement in their practices and wayes , treading so just in their paths and steps , as if none of them were dead or put down in england , only now acted among us under new names , and under other habits and formes , but still the soules and spirits of the donatists , jesuits , arminians , prelates , and court-party were alive , and transformed into many of the sectaries : and indeed to do this fully would deserve a tractate by it selfe , which i shall leave to be done by some other more able hand ; or else if no other take up such a fruitfull argument , i may find some opportunity hereafter to treat upon it ; only before i name the particular practices of the sectaries , as i have done their errours , i will ●i●● some of the more speciall parllels between the sectaries , and the donatists , jesuits &c. first for the donatists , and some other sectaries of the primitive times , . our sectaries and they agree in their complaints of persecution of their schisme : the donatists would alwaies be complaining of th●● , as * augustine shewes it in many places of his learned works against them ; and our sectaries in their sermons , prayers , pamphlets , discourses , petitions , all crying out of persecution , and accusing the orthodox presbyterians of persecution ; yea , when for their seditious , tumultuous , libellous sc●ffing , wicked lying , scandalous reports , books and practices , they have been q●●stioned , there 's nothing in their mou●hs but persecution , and unheard of prosecution of the godly . i am of the minde if any of them sh●uld come to bee imprisoned , and hanged , for stealing , killing a godly presbyterian , plotting against the parliament and city , in seizing upon their forts , or some parliament-men , one or other of them would cry out of perse●ution . . they agree in their furious outrages and violences against all that oppose their way : learned men know what circumcelliones there were among the donatists , and to what a height they came as * augustine relates ; and among the sectaries , there are outragious furious men , and such that in the churches have committed many insolencies , assaulted and abused some ministers in their own houses , and in other places where they have met them : but i must not enlarge . . they agree in their high flatteries of themselves and their party , extolling them and crying them up to the heavens ; the donatists did ●leo adorationum impinguere capita , as * augustine speakes ; and the sectaries of our times are incomparable flatterers and admirers of their owne party , have written and spoken such praises and flatteries of their side , as have come almost to blasphemy ; these phrases are ordinary , as precious men as any upon earth , men of a most precious anointing , none since the apostles times like them for gifts and abilities ; ye● , some have not sticked to say , they were beyond the apostles , and if jesus christ himselfe were on earth he could hardly preach better , that they lead as holy lives as saints and angells in heaven . . in their great partiality , practi●ing that themselves which they condemne in others . * augustine shewes this in many places of the donatists : i could give many instances , of our sectaries in this kinde , crying out of preaching and printing by the orthodox against them , and yet preaching and printing all kind of things against them ; speaking against petitioning the parliament , or interposing in any thing before them by way of petition , or having me●tings for that end , ( as you may find in some of the news bookes the pensioners of the sectaries , ) and yet themselves in a disorderly tumultuous way , being but private particular persons ( neither bodies , nor societies representative , nor reall ) have had many strange meetings , and drawn up petitions with clauses and passages medling with the affaires of parliament , in a kinde charging them , and taking cognizance of things of a high nature done in parliament , before the time they ought , with many such like : * but i take off my hand . . * in their appealing from ecclesiasticall judges to the temporall : so the sectaries , from classes and synods to the parliament , or some temporall judges appointed by them . . in their unwillingnesse to have their actions or writings examined by anie judicious learned men , but keeping things in the darke . epiphanius resembles sectaries to a moule , a feeble creature that doth much hurt by keeping under ground , but it once above ground , then 't is contemptible and easily taken : some of the sectaries have been provoked enough to set down what they would have , both by earnest intreaties from beyond seas , and at home , by commands in a kind , by upbraidings for not doing it , and yet to this day they cannot be brought to it ; and i judge 't is for these reasons : . because they cannot well agree among themselves of any system or body . . because they know not how long they shall be of this mind , nor how much further yet they may go . . because what they set downe may offend manie of their owne party , and loosen all the rest of the sects from them . . because some grandees , and persons of note ( who are gone further , ) will not be well pleased at it . because when once given under their hands , and that after so long expectation , it will be judged by all rationall men their utmost strength ( which if it should have answer upon answer , as no doubt it will ) and the weaknesse of it discovered and laid bare , they are lost among manie , and will suffer exceedingly in the esteem of all intelligent unprejudiced men , whereas now by being silent , they bare the world in hand , as if they had some great matter of strength ; manie before they speake and utter themselves are thought to bee wise , and to have much in them , who when they have once spoken , are easily seene thorow . . in their quoting authours for them , who are acknowledged for the main to be professedly against them ; and in their quoting pieces of authours , and not the whole , leaving the latter part which would explain their meaning ; thus the donatists did * cyprian , and yet he was much against them as he professes ; and so augustine complains of the donatists , integrus non allegarunt scripturas ; thus the author of sions prerogative royall , quotes many presbyrians for severall things , who professedly were of another way ; and one mr. e. ( as the reader may observe in an extract of one of the printed letters ) quotes the churches of france , scotland , &c. for the independent way , who are knowne to be professedly against it : and so * the author of the bounds of libertie of consc. quotes the leydenses a profess . for him , who professedly speak against it , and in b one sentence hee leaves out some three times words all of them belonging to one sentence , which would shew the sense of those learned men to be against him ( as notorious a falsification as i think is to be found in any papist ) and so mr. iohn goodwin in his point of justification quotes calvin , bucer , and others , who are knowne ex professo , a to be of another judgement ; and hee quotes b my antapologie with other authors , to justifie his opinion , when as i have professedly at large spoken against what he maintains ; and among other places which he pe●verts , i shall name one , where he cites the former part of the senten●e , leaving out the latter , which had hee but name● , would have been an evident con●u●ation o● him , 〈◊〉 just with me as the devill did by christ a , psal. . leaving out the last part , to keep thee in all thy wayes . ●he sectaries and the jesuites agree in many things . as the jesuites are ramous for sending out em●●laries into severall countries to corrupt , not conten●ing themselves to do mischiefe at home ; ●o do our sectaries send forth their members into all counties and places of this kingdome , they lay hand , upon them , and send them as a church act to preach such and such errours , to rebaptize , &c. the jesuites have their piae ●●●udes , holy deceits for the propagating of their cause , fictions , made things to deceive the people ; so have our sectaries many for the spreading of their partie . ●he jesuites insinuating themselves , get into 〈…〉 houses and acquaintance , into g●eat ladies and ge●●lewomens , and into princes courts and houses , and follow state matters , meet to contrive and consult , not preac●ing too much , nor following their studies too hard ; so do many of our sectaries g●t into acquaintance and favour with great noblemen , parliament-men , ●ell●cite , follow them , work by the great ladies and gentlewomen , consult and de●ate of matters civill , &c. the jesuites are full of equivocations , 〈◊〉 reservations , say one thing , but meane another , speak things in a sense of their own , d●fferent from what it is in the common accep●ion , so are our s●ctaries . the jesuites have alwayes one plot or other , never give out , are working active men , if crossed in one , then are trying in another , and have many 〈◊〉 in the fire at once , that if one do not take , another may , nothing discourages them , but on they go ; so it is with the sectaries of our ti●e , active nimble men , restlesse spirits , never without plots and ●i●e designes , with 〈◊〉 of many at once , that if some mis-carrie , yet others may bring forth . th● jesuites will work and act where they are not thought to be , by others , a●d by instruments unsuspected , not appearing themselves , but bringing about their ends in such a manner , as a man would never dream of ; so our sectaries will not appear themselves in many things , when yet the hand of ioab is all along , but get their work done by others , who also draw others to them . the jesuits make all things give place to their designes , to advance the catholike cause , and so they may compasse them , they are not mannerly to stand upon tearms , but will take any person out of the way who stands to hinder them , use severall indirect means to effect what they have plotted , run great ventures and hazards but they wil● go thorow : so the s●ctaries of our times are daring men , will attempt t●i●gs ( a wis● man would think ) they should be afr●id of , will try to break any man or work him out that stands between them and home , and do things ( though otherwise against their principles ) the sect●ies and the netherland arminians agree ; the arminians at first flatter●d the m●g●st●ate● , declyning synods and ecclesiasticall ass●mblies all they could , and still appealing to the civill magistrate ▪ crying up the power of the civill magistrate in ecclesiasticalls , ascribing to the magistrate the ultimate and highest jurisdiction and power of giving judgement in matters purely ecclesi●●ticall , reasoning , that to the magistrate alone immediately under christ did belong the judgement , where controv●rsies of faith did arise in the church , and they aspensed the orthodox ministers for not giving so much : of this the reader may finde enough in voetius and vedelius ; so do our sectaries , all of them are against synods , declyning them , manie of them say , they will in all matters of religion give account to the parliament , or so any committee appointed by them ; and say , they give more to the magistrate then the presbyterians , and in that kinde have odious insinuations to reflect upon presbyterians . . the arminians at first broached but small and few errours in comparison , but in some yeares time , came to vent all kind of errors almost , socinian errors , and what not ? so our sectaries at first were more modest , but within these foure yeares , especially these two last , how they have growne , and what they are fallen into , the fore named catalogue is sufficient proofe . . the ar●inians professed reserves , became scepticks , were against certainty of faith , they came to have ( as our divines have expressed , ) a monethly faith , nay an hour●ly ; this they now held , but they know not what they might hold to morrow or the next houre ; this principle of uncertainty in matters of religion the remonstrants did hold forth , in those times of the troubles of the churches in the netherlands , that so they might overturn all forms and harmonies ; that was one of the scepticall rules of the arminians , dies diem docet ; so our sectaries are all for new light and reserves , and multitudes of them are become meer scepticks and questionists , and will tell you , this they hold for the present , but know not yet what they may see , &c. . the arminians could not be brought to speak out a long while , nor to give what they would have , but hid themselves in doubtfull phrases , and were feared monstri aliquid alere : when they stood for and desired a toleration upon conferences and meetings they were put to it , to give in what they held , and all they held , they were proffered at the conference holden at delph favour and toleration , if they would give assurance they desired only forbearance in the five points , but they could not be got to it ; so our sectaries have forborne to this day , notwithstanding all meanes used , to set down this we hold , this we will stick to . . the arminians in those times in the low-countries , in some cities and towns where they had power , persecuted the orthodox , troubled them much ; so do our sectaries in towns or places where they have power , persecute godly orthodox men , especially if zealous against the sects : o how have some sectaries vexed , plagued and troubled many godly ministers and people severall waies ! of which more under their particular policies , & factious practices . . the arminians , had well nigh undone the netherlands , and brought all to confusion , & had not the old prince of orange been stout and wise , even doing something beyond the ordinarie way of his power ; and upon the synod of dort determining the magistrate added the civill sanction , and used coercive power , that countrey had been lost ; so sectaries have by their errours , divisions and factions they have made among us , hazarded all , and if god do not wonderfully put in , and be mercifull to us , their waies and courses will undo us all . . the netherland arminians would be remonstrants , did write against , complaine of the synod of dort , that they could not have their liberty , were not well dealt with , could not have so faire a hearing ; how many books were written , how many aspersions were cast upon the synod ? and have not , and do not our sectaries write against the assembly ? complain by word of mouth ? are not their mouthes full of such speeches ? they cannot be heard , they have not had liberty to bring in their questions , &c. is it not remarkable , that the pamphlet , or rather libell against the assembly , put forth by stealth , is entituled , a remonstrance of the dissenting brethren ? so that they are the english remonstrants . the netherland arminians when once the magistrate did effectually set to back the synod of dort , and were against them , then they writ books in a far other stile , and that power which before they so liberally measured out to them , they did not a little limit and contract , denying the magistrate had any power over private meetings ; so our sectaries , if once the magistrates come to suppresse their errours and false doctrines , and their private meetings , we shall see how they will change their stile ; nay , have wee not too much experience , how but upon votes for government , and but upon the preparative orders for setling church-government , upon the overtures of it this l●st summer , when the order came of casting this city into classes and a province , and an order for choosing tryers of elders , what passages had we in sermons , prayers of some of the sectaries ; as among many to give two onely , on the day of thanksgiving for taking sherborne castle , a sectary preached this , that the parliament was making of lawes against the saints , and that he was not afraid to speake , because he was not afraid to suffer . and others preached of the great persecution that was coming ; and how the bishops tyrannie would be nothing to the presbyterians , their finger would be heavier then the bishops loynes , or words to that purpose . the sectaries and the bishops , with that court party agree : . the bishops and the court party would bring off one way or other , by letters written from great friends at court , by appearing for them , by removing to some other place the businesse by finding out one device or another , deluding the parties who prosecuted and troubled them , all those of their party that were active and able ; who by vertue of the lawes , conscience , and courage , some men in place were questioned and indangered , for preaching some doctrines of poperie and arminiansme , &c. or for some practices not legall , of which many examples were in the former time , fetching them out of the hands of orthodox men who had power ; sending warrants for discharge of priests , jesuites , &c. and now all england over generally , the sectaries for anie of their partie that are questioned , either for preaching false doctrines , or for speaking unjustifiable words , or for other misdemeanours , do use all waies to bring them off ; they will use meanes to remove them from one committee to another , where they are stronger , they will get letters writ on their behalfe , they will work things so , as by delayes one way or another the sectaries shall escape , as much as ever the jesuits , priests , arminians , innovators did heretofore . . the bishops and court party would prefer none but their party , kept out all men from all places in church and common-wealth , though never so deserving , especially if zealous , or had anie great parts to stand for the truth , and they would prefer their own partie though never so unworthy , though little to commend them ; and so the sectaries , in all places where they have power , bring in sectaries though otherwise unfit , into offices and places , though dishonest and scandalous , and set themselves with all the industry and cunning that may be to keep out godly conscientious men that are against the sects , though the , publike suffer never so much for the want of them . . the bishops and court-party did set themselves to worme out ( that being the archbishops phrase ) all godly , zealous , able men out of places , and would by one means or device watching them , cast them out quite , or so hamper and vex them , that they were weary of their lives and places ; so doe our sectaries make it their study , to remove , worme by degrees out of places upon one pretence or other , when they cannot doe it otherwise active presbyterians , of which we have too manie instances , and set themselves to vex them , by over-rating in townes where they have place , by bringing them into haberdashers h●ll , by putting in articles against them which they cannot prove , and so putting them to chargeable journeyes and expences , with abundance of such . . the bishops and the court-party to bring about their ends , would bring matters to such a condition , and such a necessitie , and then would make those necessities , that condition of affaires , as a ground of such and such following actions , pleading the necessities and the condition of the times as their warrant ; so our sectaries doe in many cases , they have by their policies and wayes hindred the setling of church-government all this while , and they plead the long delay of setling it , as a ground to justifie their gathering churches , saying , how manie yeares would you have us to stay ? when as in the assembly , citie , in all places , by all meanes where they have anie interest , they retard the work ; and so if meanes be used by petitioning the parliament to settle church-government , and to suppresse the great errours , then some of the sectaries say and give out , the army will be offended , when as many of the sectaries have used all meanes , and do still , to bring things to that passe , that we might have an armie under the commands , and in the hands of the sectaries , though ( blessed be god ) we have a noble generall free from sectarisme and not above one in six in the armie that way tainted . . the prelaticall faction and that court-partie were great innovatours , given to change , running from one opinion to another , being arminians as well as popish , yea some of them soci●inians , and countenancing such , and were everie day inventing some new matter in worship , adding this ceremonie and the other , putting downe some part of worships , and altering them by substituting other ; as in putting down singing of psalmes in some churches , and having hymnes ; in putting downe all conceived prayer , and commanding bidding of prayer , with a multitude of such like : so our sectaries are great innovatours as changeable as the moon , bringing into their churches new opinions daily , new practices , taking away the old used in all reformed churches , and substituting new ; taking away of singing of psalms , and pleading for hymnes of their own making ; bringing in anoynting with oyl , bringing in their laying on of hands to give the holy ghost , with severall other strange wayes and practices , which the reader shall find in this following discourse , among the narrations of passages and stories . the prelaticall faction and that court-clergie were daring bold men , that durst venture almost upon any thing , upon counselling to prorogue and break up parliaments in times of danger and distraction , upon putting men out of offices and places that were not for their turne , and to bring in others calculated for their meridian , upon corrupting religion and lawes at once , breaking in both upon the truth and the libertie of the subject at the same time , upon any thing or person that stood in their way : so our sectaries , many of them are daring men , have attempted and been upon high businesses , about counselling and drawing up petitions for adjourning ( as they call it ) the assembly , in a time when the distractions of this church are so infinite , and things so unsetled ; as also have inserted strange passages into other petitions , which yet have not been presented , others of the company opposing them ; with severall other particulars , which would be too large now to relate ; in one word , there is almost nothing which they have not and dare not venture on , that stands in their light , and in the way of their designes ; and i may say of many of the sectaries ( for i do not mean all , as i have said before , so i say again , there are some good souls meerly seduced , who are not of the faction ) they have overpassed the deeds of the wicked , not only walked after their wayes , nor done after their abominations , but have corrupted themselves more than they ; justified the bishops and their faction , by falling into those opinions , and doing those actions in an high , bold , and open way , which that faction never durst do for feare of the people . next , the present malignants and the sectaries agree in the generall thus , that thorowout the kingdome , it is now notorious , that the greatest malignants and sectaries hold together , and vote together against the presbyterians and the reformation , in all places and upon all businesses , of which there are many examples in the choyce of burgesses for parliament , in the petition presented in london , at the choyce of the new common-councell , the grandest malignants and the independents joyned together to oppose ; and in some committees , where men of both these sorts are , it is observed also : but to come to some particulars ; the parallel between the present malignants and our grand sectaries , stands in these ; the malignants have opposed the proceedings of parliament , by preaching and writing books against them , reviling the houses , especially the house of commons , and many particular worthy members by name , speaking against their ordinances , constitutions , as covenant , directorie , ordination , against their power and priviledges ; we know what aulicus that grand malignant hath done , and how manie books both from oxford and here at london hath been by the malignant partie printed and vented : so also have manie sectaries , and here it would fill a great book , to bring into one all the speeches , with the passages in petitions , sermons , prayers , printed books , that have been vented against the parliament , and particular worthy members of both houses , their power and power and priviledges , with their ordinances and orders , in reference to matters of religion , as the nationall covenant , directorie , ordinance against mens preaching out of office , the monethly fast , the ordinance for tithes , the orders and directions about classes , and chusing elders ; in which sermons , printed books , discourses , petitions , and other carriages of the sectaries , there have been more things vented distructive to the verie power and nature of parliaments , undermining the verie root and foundation , and all their proceedings in reference to matters of religion , yea of justice and civill matters , then ever have been by all the malignants in england as ever i could heare of ; witnesse lilburnes booke , with that lately come forth , call'd innocency and truth justified , all the printed letters and papers that were printed upon occasion of his imprisonment ; englands birthright , the ordinance of tithes dismounted , the arraignment of persecution , and all his fellowes , as martins eccho , &c. turners heavenly con●erence for sions saints , resembling the directory to the golden calves of jeroboam , and affirming there are untruths , contradictions to the canonicall scriptures , errours , &c. and here i dare be bold to say , that here have been greater insolencies and 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 . 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 . . 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 . . 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 . . a iulian was a great enemy to the learning of christians , used all means to overthrow learning ; so do manie sectaries in our time . . 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 . b 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 donati●ts , jesuits , &c. so i might now at large show in all the fore-named particulars an antithesis and dissimilitude betweene the godly orthodox presbyterians , and the donatists , jesuits , arminians , prelates , &c. but i dare not enter into it for feare my book be too voluminous , having already exceeded that proportion which i at first intended when i began it ; all i shall do then in point of parallel , is but to hint a few things ( which i desire the reader well to observe ) of the difference in the carriage and behaviour these foure yeares last past all along of the presbyterians both to the honourable houses , and the sectaries ; and of the sectaries to the parliament and the presbyterians ; and for the truth of what i say , i dare appeal to all the world , yea and to the consciences of many sectaries themselves . though the presbyterian party from the beginning of the differences between the king and parliament , among those who professe to stand for reformation and for the parliament hath been , and still is ( without all compare ) the greater part of both kingdomes , the body of both assemblies and ministers , the body of the people in cities and countries ( especially of persons eminent in place and quality ) yea , and the parliaments too , ( of the parliament of scotland there 's no question ; ) the parliament of england also , after advice had with the assembly , hath declared for presbytery , having voted and formed into orders , directions , and ordinances , severall parts and pieces of presbyteriall government ; yet for all this have not the presbyterians taken upon them to set up the government in that manner and way as they conceive and judge to be most agreeable to the word , drawing in the people with them , but have waited upon the parliament all this while for the setling of the church , addressing themselves in most humble manner , by way o● petitioning , and that both assembly , court of common councell , ministers , people ; and when sometimes their hopes have been deferred beyond all expectation , and have met with some disappointments and discour●gements in their petitions , about setling the church , as by a vote passed against one petition before it was presented , as small thanks given for another , and little respect shewed to a third ; besides the sectaries insulting over them and their petitions , branding them in pulpits , in the weekly news-books , and in their daily discourses , notwithstanding what ever they might conceive of neglects and hard usage on the one hand , and of great abuse of them by the s●ct●ries on the other hand , yet they have taken all patiently , waiting still , petitioning still in all humble and thankfull manner , fo●bearing to print what was presented ( though there was no o●der nor command against it ) out of their tender respect of giving any offence , or displeasing the parli●ment ( though in the meane time they suffered much by mis-reports of their proceedings , both for matter and manner : ) the presbyterian partie ( though the assembly of divines , the representative body of the citie , the court of common-councell , the ministerie of the kingdome , thousands and ten thousands of godly well aff●cted persons , the kingdome of scotland , yes all the reformed churches own that way , ) hath not upon the fore-named things and others ( as the not giving leave upon a petition to print an answer to the remonstrance of the independents , in which the assembly is extremely wronged ) broke●●t either against the parliament , saying they will fight no longer , &c. speaking their pleasure of them , drawing up all their grievances to a head , and setting them forth in print ; or ag●inst particular members , falling upon them by name , making them to be knowne to the world , whom they conceive and have been informed of , to be the great hinderers of their desires , and sticklers against them ; but even as becomes christians have taken all patiently , waiting upon god and the parliament . and as the carriage of the presbyterian hath been thus in all humble dutie and high respect to the houses of parliament , and everie member in their places ( for i have not yet heard of any presbyterian that hath singled out any one member by name , to abuse him in print , as some sectaries have done , both particular members , and the whole house of commons ) so hath it been with all love , brotherly kindnesse , tendernesse , respect and forbearance to the sectaries ; and considering that the presbyterians were , as i have shewed before , both of the ministers and people standing for reformation , the body of both kingdomes , having the command and power of the pulpits , so great an interest in the people , &c. their love and forbearance to the sectaries hath been admirable ; when the independents were but few , and other sectaries a small number , in the first and second yeare of this parliament , some halfe a score or dozen ministers , three or foure hundred people , the presbyterians gave them the right hand of fellowship , admitted them to their meetings , opened their pulpit doores , unto them , shewed all brotherly respect of love and kindnesse to them , even more then to most of their own way condescending to such a motion , as to forbeare preaching and printing against their opinions and way , making them ( who were so small and inconsiderable a party ) as it were an equall partie , putting them into the balance with themselves ; they appeared not to hinder their being chosen to bee generall lecturers , for this city in severall great churches : and as at first , so all along they have been tender and respectfull of them in assembly , city , and in all cases , suffering them to grow up to thousands ; and notwithstanding breach of agreements , drawing away their people , preaching against them in their own pulpits , many high and strange carriages , yet still using all fairenesse and love , hoping by brotherly kindnesse , forbearance and a thorow reformation in the church , ( wherein they have been willing upon all occasions to gratifie and have respect to their consciences ) at last to have gained them . ☞ o the faithfulnesse , dutifulnesse , patience , long-suffering , forbearance of the presbyterians ; their dutifulnesse , and patience in waiting upon the parliament ; their faithfulnesse in not abating in their zeale and respects to them ; o their love , kindnesse and tendernesse to the independents , yea to other secta●ies also who have had something of christ and grace in them , and have not fallen into errours and blasphemies , razing the foundation . but now on the other hand the sectaries ( though a contemptible number , and not to be named at the same time with the presbyterians ) have not waited upon the parliament and assembly for the reformation , but preached against it , and stirred up the people to imbody themselves , and to joyne in church fellowship , gathering churches , setting up independent government , reb●ptizing and dipping many hundreds ; and upon any thing that hath been voted by the assembly , parliament , that hath crossed them ( though alas , few orders or ordinances which have reference to the sectarries , or are against their minds , have little life in them , or are put into execution ; witnesse that ordinance against mens preaching who are not ordained ministers , witnesse that ordinance about printing , cum multis aliis , lay-men never preaching so much , no● so openly as since the ordinance , and all kind of erroneous wicked books printed , dispersed as much as before , they have put forth books against the parliament , assembly , preached against them , and their proceedings , the directorie , ordinance against preaching of persons not ordained , &c. talked their pleasure , that they would lay down arms , that the king would give them a toleration , that these proceedings would discourage the army , and such like ; they have not forborn prin●ing of answers to books , petitions , passages in letters , or other things which might make for their cause , because the parliament did not like them , or had forbid them , there 's nothing that may make for the furthering of their way , but they do it , parliament , assembly , citie , kingdome say what they will to the contrarie . and as their carriage hath been thus to the parliament , so they have and do all kind of wayes within their power , wrong and abuse the godly orthodox ministers and people , vilifying , sleighting , and scorning them , raising up all kinds of evill reports , and casting reproaches on them , requiting them for all their love and kindnesse , with preaching against them in their owne pulpits , stealing away their people from them , labouring by all means , in places where they have any power or interest , to keep good ministers out of such churches , and presbyterians out of all offices and employments ; yea , in many places where they have power , they study and watch to throw out by one wile or other , godly ministers who are against their way , detaining their dues , vexing of them , and making their lives bitter unto them , domineering and abusing the godly orthodox partie , yea , using all policie and industrie to get themselves into all chiefe places of power and command , that so they may trample upon and crush them . o had the sectaries been in the place of the presbyterians , and the presbyterians in theirs , and they so dealt with by the presbyterians , as the presbyterians have been by them , i know what they must have expected from them : i dare appeale to everie ordinarie common understanding , yea , to the conscience of the sectaries themselves , whether if they had had the parliaments of both kingdomes , the assemblies and ministers , the churches and pulpits , the representative body of this citie ; and the people and wee had been as few as they were in the three first yeares of the parliament , would they have suffered us to preach in their owne churches against them and their way , to have from time to time confuted their doctrine , to have preached up another government and way , against what the parliament had voted and was a setling , to have enjoyed speciall lectures in principall places , to promote a way contrarie to theirs , to have drawne away their people and maintenance from them , to have fallen upon the practice of setting up prebyteriall churches and government , classicall , synodicall , in citie , countrey , to have printed freely against their way , and used all meanes to have rendred them odious among the people , would they have sate still , and gone without places and offices of honour , power , profit , and suffered the presbyterians a small partie , to get into court , armies , committees , &c. to increase to such a number , such a strength and head , as to possesse most places of command in the field , and in the strongest garrisons and forts ? as also civill offices both of power and profit , yea , to have a pluralit●e of places and offices ? would the sectaries , if they had been two * powerfull armies , consisting of commanders and souldiers for their way , under generals after their owne heart , have born those things at the hands of presbyterians , which presbyterians have done from them ? o no , they would never have endured the hundredth part of those wrongs , discouragements , injuries ; had the assembly consisted of independents , excepting a matter of eight or nine presbyterians , would they have endured that , and put up that from the presbyterian partie , as the assembly hath done from the independent ? suffered them to spin out time so long , to speak those things in the assembly some of them have ; and in stead of bringing in ( according to order ) the whole frame of their judgements concerning church-government in a body , with their grounds and reasons , to bring in a remonstrance , casting dirt upon them and their proceedings ? would they in new-england endure one or more presbyterians to live among them , and to go up and downe their countrey , and in chiefe towns and places to preach against , cry downe their churches and church-government , and to extoll and cry up a contrarie way , as mr. peters and others do here ? for mine owne part i am confidently perswaded , and so i beleeve are all wise men that have observed the waies of the sectaries , that if they had been in the place of the presbyterians , having had their power , number , authoritie , and the presbyterians had been a small number as they were , and should have offered to have done but the twentieth part of that in preaching , writing , &c. against them , which the sectaries have done against the presbyterians , they would have trod them downe as mire in the street , casting them out with scorn before this time of day , not have suffered a presbyterian to preach among us , or to have been in any place or office , militarie or civill , but all would have been shut up in prisons , banished , or else hiding themselves in holes and corners : many godly persons in some places having much ado now to hold up their heads , to live by them , to preach quietly , to go safely in the streets , and to be quiet in their houses . and for conclusion of the differerence in the carriage and behaviour of the presbyterians and the sectaries , the righteous lord judge between them , and recompence to the presbyterians according to their kindnesse , love , peaceablenesse , forbearance and righteousnesse ; and the lord forgive the sectaries , and turn their hearts , and cause their folly , insolencies , unrighteousnesse , and unjust dealings with their brethren , to be so manifest to themselves and all men , as they may proceed no further . now for the particular practices of the sectaries they are many , and it would require a tractate by it selfe to set them downe ; indeed i hardly know any strange practice that hath reference to their wayes , but some or other of them are guiltie in one kind or another . most of their practices and wayes may be referred to these ten heads ; to loosnesse and libertie in life and conversation . to covetousnesse , ambition , and self-seeking . to policies and subtiltie . to activenesse , sedulitie and numblenesse in the prosecution of their way . to tumultuousnesse , disorder and confusion . to the disturbance and overthrow of oeconomicall , ecclesiasticall , and pol●ticall relations and government . to insolencies , pride , and arrogancie . to acts of immodesty and incivilitie . to power and will , carrying all before them , and throwing downe all that stands in their way . to hypocrisie under pretences of pietie and holinesse . now for the particular practices of the sectaries , i had drawne up many , to the number of seventie , and provided for everie practice instances for proofe , and upon some of them i could write a large discourse , even a book upon severall of them ; as of their behaviour and carriage towards the parliament , the kingdome of scotland , the assembly of divines , the citie of london , the ministerie of england , yea of all the reformed churches , as of their seeking and getting into all sorts of offices and places they are any way capable of ( being sequestratours , collectours , receiv●rs , surveyours , excisers , customers , secretaries , clerks , &c. getting places in court , great townes , dwelling in sequestred houses freely , procuring arreares , &c. not a man almost of late coming into any place or office , but an independent , or independentish , there being no kind or sort of preferment , employment , place , but some or other of that way enjoy ) as of their plotting and labouring from the first yeare of the wars , to get into their hands the sword and power of armes , by having a considerable army , which they might look upon more particularly , as theirs , and of their way , by attempting to remove and heave at many gallant commanders , to get the command of the strongest garrisons and places , yea to make townes of consequence that were no garrisons to have been garrisons , as yarmouth ; but i am necessitated for divers reasons , to passe by wholly for the present many of their practices , and others to name only , desiring the reader as hee goes along , to supply the defect , by calling to mind all particulars he knowes and hath heard of upon the severall heads . . practice . they use to ascribe and attribute all the successe of things , all that is done in field , at leaguers , all victories , brave actions , to their partie , crying them up in pulpits , news-books , conferences , calling them the saviours of the kingdomes ; and for this purpose they have certaine men that are criers and trumpetters between the armie , citie , and countrey , who trumpet forth their praises , giving them the titles of terrible , &c. a large book would not containe the relation of all the victories , glorious actions , exploits having been given to the armie called independent . . practice . they give out and boast their partie to be more and greater than they are ; some of them will speak in all places , as if all were theirs , all for them ; they have given out , as if parliament , armies , citie of london , countrey , all the godly , wise , judicious understanding men , were theirs , and will be theirs : yea , that the assembly , the french churches , the commissioners of the church of scotland thought well of their way ; and so of particular persons that are prime men , they have given out , as if they were , or are coming over to them . some of them have bragg'd that sir thomas fairfax , that v●liant victorious commander in chief of the parliament forces began to have some glimmering of new light ; and i can prove letters have been written over to some of their partie in holland , that mr. marshall was turned independent ; they use to boast of their friends in the house of commons , and they will acquaint their friends in the house of commons ; and they brag of a toleration , giving out their friends in the house of commons , have said they shall have a toleratio● ; and they boast thus to awe persons , and to make men afraid to speak against them , or to oppose them ; but rather to adhere to them who are so powerfull , and have so many on their side . . practice . they appropriate to themselves the name of the godly and well-affected partie , the title of saints , calling themselves the saints , that they only preach jesus christ , and though they be anabaptists , seekers , &c. yet they are the saints : this is common in printed books , petitions , sermons , discourses ; what , speak against the saints ? be against a toleration for the saints ? meaning themselves only . . practice . they pretend one thing , when they intend quite another , and it is usuall for them to pretend the publike good , the benefit of the state , when it is evident they intend their owne interest , and strengthen of their partie ; they pretend peace , love , forbearing of all names of difference , to make the presbyterians secure , negligent , and to forbeare all means of setling things , and yet at the same time go quite contrarie , using all means and waies for promoting their own partie , as they did after the losse of leicester . . practice . what themselves are most faultie in , that they will charge upon others , the presbyterian mi●isters and people , as making d●visions , & wanting love , as breaking the peace , and causing mis-rules , tumults as be guilty of persecution , when as 't is evident to all the world , they are most faulty in these particulars , and in many more , and for the proof of it i iould demonstrate it in a hundred instances . . practice . they do on purpose ( having got churches void ) keepe manie churches without ministers , seeke out for none , stop ( all they can ) orthodox ministers from coming in , which they do for two reasons , . that so they may pay no tithes : . that so they may have the liberty of the pulpits for all kinde of sectaries , and mechanick preachers , who come from london , the armies , and other places to preach in and corrupt the people , and that the people being as sheep without a shepherd , may be more easily now drawne away to error and schisme ; and of this practice there are many sad examples in hartfordshire , bucking , essex , and that in some great market-townes , as chesham , where thousands of souls are . . practice . they have laboured and do by all waies to have no church-government at all setled in this kingdome , but to keep it out . or secondly , if there must be any , yet to have a defective , imperfect loose government and reformation , that may not be able to do the worke , that so others may fall off to their way the more ; and for proof of this , they have refused to joyn for a pure full reformation in points according to their own principles , that so one good might not hinder a greater good ( as was expressed ) and have opposed to the utmost a thorow presbyteriall reformation . . they have laboured to get a toleration granted before the government be setled , to get an exception before the rule was made , and if once they had gotten that , let the presbyterians get the government then when they could , and this they stirred in , and sought to effect last winter . . seeing they could not do this , but this policy was espied , they labour for a toleration together with a reformation , that the church-government and a toleration might be borne and brought forth together as twins in one day , and so go hand in hand , and this they are labouring for now , the monster of toleration conceived in the wombe of the sectaries long ago , they having growne big with it ever since , are now in travell to bring it forth , and till they could be ready and get things fitted for a toleration , they bestirred themselves so against the london petitions , that of september , those of november , lest government should be setled before a toleration , and therefore one of them said to some citizens , why should you bee so h●sty for government , cannot you stay awhile ? how long said they ? to spring , said this sectarie , hoping their toleration businesse would be readie by that . . practice . in some parish-churches where the sectaries are put in , they have put downe all si●ging of ps●lms , as at elsly in cambr. s● . alberie in hartford-shire , and will not suffer the parishes to enjoy any singing of psalms ; and in other places , they begin to put down all prayer in the publike assemblies , and to say there must be onely discoursing and preaching ; and in places where they cannot prevaile to shut out singing of psalmes , they in a contemptuous manner clap on their hats , in the time of singing of psalms , and having been pull'd off , put them on again ; yea in prayer also many of them keep on hats . . practice . they send forth into severall counties of this kingdome , from their churches in london , as church-acts , severall emissaries members of their churches , to preach and spread their errours , to dip , to gather and settle churches ; they are not content with their owne meetings on lords-daies , week-daies , keeping constant lectures in set places , for all to come to that will , thereby poisoning many in the city , but they endeavour the leavening of all the counties , as i might give instances of lam , kiffin , with many others sent abroad , yea , of some sent into the north as farre as york . . they have appointed and kept disputations from towne to towne in the countrey , giving out the time , places and questions they will dispute of , as of poedob●ptisme , the ministery of the church of england , &c. and agree among themselves that some of them shall seem to be for poedob●ptisme , and in the disputation 't is maintained at first eagerly by some of their party against others of them who oppose it ; but then after long and great disputation at last they confesse they are by the evidence of truth convinced , and before all the people , give glorie to god that now they see the truth ; whereby the people seeing them who pleaded for poedobaptisme confessing their errour and yeelding , ( they knowing nothing of this precontract and deceit ) they also stumble , question and fall ; yea , and to spread their errours the more in some great towne where some of the sectaries being souldiers have been quartered , they have desired the use of severall houses of persons well-affected , that in the afternoon some christians might meet to confer together of some points , not contenting themselves to reason in the house where quartered , or in any one house that might be larger to hold many , but to get a new house every day , the more to infect and possesse the people with their waies and tenets . . all things that have fallen out and do in the kingdomes , of victories , losses , o●dinances , petitions , actions , death of particular persons , of all matter in church , state , parliament , assembly , city , they make use of it one way or other to further their designe , and turne it for the furthering of their way , and against the presbyteriall government , as the businesse of dennington castle , as the losse of leic●ster , upon that framing a petition to adj●urne the assembly , with other particulars which i cannot now mention . . some of the sect●ri●s plead miracles , revelations , visions , for their way , and to confirme their doctrine , as some anabaptists at yorke for their rebaptization , that being baptized in the winter in the river ouse the water was as hot as if it had beene in the midst of summer ; as healing the sicke with the anointing of oyle ; as giving out , christ appeared to an anab●ptist , and forbade her to baptize her child , of which the reader may read more in the second letter . . they are wont upon the coming forth of books against their way , which they see take with wise men , and for which both their opinions and themselves suffer , to give out they shall be answered , and are answering of them , to keep the people in heart till they be forgotten , and the speech of the booke over , of which i could give many instances ; and so upon the new modell ( when in stead of bringing that in to the assembly , they brought in pretended reasons why not ) they suffered much in the esteem of all unprejudiced men , speaking they durst bring in none because of the weaknesse of their way ; then severall sectaries gave it out in many places and to many ( as i can prove it , and name persons too ) that the modell was a printing , it was certainly in the presse , and all the world should see it . . they have done and practised many strange things in reference to baptisme of children , dressing up a cat like a child for to be baptized , inviting many people both men and women as to baptizing of a child , and then when neighbours were come , having one to preach against baptizing of children ; they have baptized many weakly ancient women naked in rivers in winter , whereupon some have sickned and died ; they have baptized young maids , citizens daughters , about one and two a clock in the morning , tempting them out of their fathers houses at midnight to be baptized ▪ the parents being asleep and knowing nothing . . they use to give great and glorious names , swelling titles , to their books they set forth , as , innocency and truth triumphing together , as , truth gloriously appearing , &c. as also to their erroneous doctrines l●id down in their books , casting upon truths of god odious names , as the ●●orming of antichrist , discovery of the man of sin , &c. their books being just like the aegyptian temples , whose outsides were beautifull and glorious , having the inscription of a deity upon them , but within nothing but a crocodile , an ape , an onion , or some such vile mean creature . . they are extreamly full of partiality in all their waies , not allowing that to others ( though far more considerable for quality , dignity ) which themselves ordinarily do , speaking against that in others which they daily practise , of which i will give a few instances ; they have cried out in pulpits , pamphlets , discourses , of the citizens , common councell , ministers , for petitioning to settle government , or humbly representing their desires : o 't is an interposing , medling , anticipating , and i know not what ! when as a few sectaries , lilburne and his fellowes , can appoint meetings , and give notice to manie to come to them at such times and places , and draw up petitions , and that strange ones too , medling with manie things before the houses , and in debate not determined , and against the known priviledges of the houses , of which i might give manie instances ; as after the losse of leicester , in the meetings of the sectaries , this was one of the clauses of their petitions , to name such and such members of the house of commons to be a comittee for the raising of the countie● , and appointing commanders , but opposed by some godly orthodox citizens ( who saw their d●ift , and observed well whom they named ) as being against the priviledges of parliament , for them a few private persons to nominate a committee of the members of parliament , as also that the assembly might be adjourned ; thus one of the pamphlets tell us among his newes , that inferiour r●presentatives ( which no man of understanding can interpret of anie but the common-councell of london ) must bee wary of medling or interposing by petitions , or gathering together , but leave all to the parliament ; but now the sectaries foure or five hundred of them they may meet together , interpose , rep●esent , may speak their pleasures of and arraign the parliament , committee of examinations , m. speaker , and other members of the house , as they did after lilburns committing , and the intelligencer will not di●c●pline them . again , they may print , preach , speak against assembly , ministerie , for independency , against presbytery , and what not ? and yet if any of them be questioned , or book stopped at presse , 't is persecution , and they cannot be heard , no● have liberty to speak for their way ; whereas the same men use all means and waies against presbyterians , preaching , printing , yea labouring to hinder their putting forth of answers and calling in answers made ; yea endeavouring to trouble those who license books against their waies : as for instance , the assembly being falsly and scandalously dealt with in a pamphlet intit . a copy of a remonstrance lately delivered in to the assembly ; the sectaries have used all their friends to hinder the printing of the assemblies answer : so manie of the sectaries at their meetings drew up a petition to the house of commons , to have mr. prynns and dr. bastwicks bookes called in , and that house to declare their sense against them , and that no such books might be writ against the godly well aff●cted partie , under the name of anabaptists , brownists , independents , and a large schedule was annexed to the petition , of offensive passages that were in m. prynns and d. bastwicks book ( i think ere long they will dare to petition , that no man shall preach against an anabaptist , or name a sectarie , or speake a word for presbyterie , but themselves may preach , print , and say what they list : ) and so in the case of the letter of the city ministers to the assembly against toleration , and in other books ; yea , and in sermons that have been against the sects , they have threatned and endeavoured to trouble and question the licensers and preachers . . they are full of plots and projects for their way , and increasing their party , they have alwaies designes on foot , they do nothing , nor propound nothing but theres some designe or other in it , they are big with many at once , that if one take not another may , if one misse they presently start another , of which i could give manie instances , and show how the hand of ioah hath been and is where 't is little thought ; they use other men upon other interests and ends to do their worke , they have waie● collaterelly and indirectly to effect their worke , when it would be marred if they went in recta linea : they can and ordinarily do go about to destroy businesses they seeme to plead for , by propounding and putting upon ways to effect it which they know are not feasible . . they have and do when put upon present exigents , yeeld to and forbear things for the present , and sometimes in appearance will seeme to go far with you , and are content to lose the fore-game , that they may play the aftergame better and recover all ; they will sometimes appeare to be yours fully till they have served their turne , giving place for a time , but still waiting opportunities , and working in the mean time all they may , and when they have counterworkt , they will fetch all about again another way , and make void all they seem'd to grant you ; and of this there are too many examples among the sectaries , manie of them taking the nationall covenant for that instant necessity , that they might worke so as in time to destroy the end and intent of it , and yeelding some arguments and debates for the present , to effect their owne ends afterwards . . they have been and are polupragmaticall , indefatigably active , stirring , restlesse night and day , in city , countrey , in all places having their agents to doe their worke and promote their ca●se : their eyes are intent upon every thing that may make for them or against them , and they have a hand in every thing , they are men of a hundred eyes and hands , out-acting , and out-working all the presbyterians , they deale with this man to take him off , and worke with another to qualifie him ; they have got most of the weekly writers of newes to plead their cause , commend their persons , cry up their actions ; they have sent emissaries to s●verall countreyes , to preach , carry letters , deale with persons for chusing of burgesses in parliament for their way , as m. peters and others ; they observe all mens tempers , humours , and accordingly deale with them all , some with offices and places , some by holding out principles suiting their lusts . . they desperately censure and judge all men , both their estates and actions , who are not for them , they presently unsaint them , and men fall from grace ipso facto by preaching or writing bookes against their errours , as m. prynne , making him worse then the late archbishop of canterbury , and so one m. e. for writing against them ; they use this phrase ( sometimes accounted a godly man ) and of m. ash , they have not only in england laboured to blast him by their censures and reports , but writ over into holland , that since he appeared against them , god had evidently blasted him , and taken away his gifts ; and lately upon reports ( raised by them no doubt ) that i was dead ( though there was not the least colour for it , not being sick at all , ) they gave it out , it was gods just judgement upon me to cut me off , for preaching and writing against the independents ; and at the same time they gave out , that m. calamy had broken his arme , and d. twisse a dying ; o saith one of their doctors of divinity , you may see the just hand of god against the presbyterians , m. edwards dead , m. calamies arme broke , and d. twisse a dying , so that if these things had been thus , we may see how they would have judged it ; and if such things had fallen to some of us , which have to many of the sectaries ( which i name not to upbraid them with , but to shew them their own folly , ) as that by the plague of pestilence our children two at a time had been taken away , as m. goodwins was upon the making his house a meeting for the sectaries , and some of our eyes put out by a pike in the street , as one of lilburns was , immediately upon his letter coming forth against m. prynne and the assembly ; and our wives stark mad , as m. peters wife , wee might have expected as bad books written of us , as were written by the papists of luther and calvin . . they take upon them more places then they can or do discharge , and bear the names of some places which they seldome officiate , and have laboured to add more places to those they have already , and that both in city and countrey , so that some of them besides their places in the assembly , which they seldom attend ( especially this last yeare ) and their private gathered churches , have divers lectures and places , besides their hanging upon great men , to preach before them to ingratiate themselves , and getting to preach at white-hall , s. iames , westminster , and other eminent places , where the great ones , earles , lords , and the grandees of the time resort ; they do not , as wee ministers sit still expecting a call to places , but they are forward men , bestirring themselves to attain this place and that , getting such great mens letters in their behalfe , using such ministers of note , and other persons of quality and power in parishes to make way for them to come in , pretending to preach for nothing , &c. and still in all these lectures and preachings , they have an eye to churches in places most convenient for thier ends , as so situated , so capacious , and to times when few or no lectures else are , as on the lords day in the morning between six and seven a clocke , all those lectures at that time of the day from stepney to westminster , they either have possession of , or have strongly laboured for them ; yea , and to have set up others on the lords dayes in the morning , at ludgat● , aldersgate , &c. if by themselves or all the friends they made , they could have effected it ; and so the lord , day in the evening , when other sermons are done , they have gotten that lecture at the three cranes ; and so the lecture on munday night , when there 's no lecture else , besides the exposition lectures on week dayes in the severall parts and quarters of this city , and new lectures in other eminent places of the city , which they have endeavoured to set up , if they could have obtained the ministers consents ; and in their places they have an eye to good pay , a hundred pound a yeare for preaching once a week in one place , and seventy pound per annum , for preaching once a fortnight at another , and a peece for a sermon as soone as they have done , and a good supper for another , and yet they will have a care to take no more paines then needs must , as m. b. having a hundred pound per annum for preaching at cripplegate on the lords day in the afternoone , could never be got to give the parish a sermon now and then on a fast day , or a day of thanksgiving , as a great friend of his in that parish , who knows , told me ; besides i could name others , who will do nothing on the fast dayes . they take upon them the names of such lectures and churches , as being chosen and nominated to them , but others of their own partie supply them , somtimes one , and somtimes another , they have one sprig or another , one emissary or other from the army , one house-bird or other to serve the places : it would make a book by it self to relate all particulars in this kind . one man of their way , besides being a member of the assembly and his a private church , hath places in norwich , yarmouth , fishstreet-hill in london . a second , besides the assembly , hath places at acton four lectures at westminster , besides his interest and share in some lectures in london . a third hath a place at stepney , cripplegate , cornhill , besides part of another lecture , and all reserves for this parliament man and the other to ingratiate himself with them . a fourth , besides the assembly , which he seldom comes to , and his particular private church , hath lectures in london , which all the last summer he seldome preached at , not preaching at one of them in the space of three quarters of a year together . and they do not only neglect their lectures in our churches , but they take to themselves more members in their owne churches then they can preach or look too , for they admit members who live constantly many miles from them , here one ten miles off , there another five miles , another sixteen miles off , some at norwich , some at yarmouth , another forty miles off ; every one of their particular churches is not a parish church , but a bishops diocesse , nay some of them are archbishopricks and provinces , far larger then the presbyterian provinces , reaching from london to dover , as d. holms , who hath severall members there , going twice or thrice a yeare thither to visit ; and in one of his visitation sermons , preaching to his members , prayed god to blesse , and remember them who had but a bit once in a quarter or halfe a year . and as this is the practice of the clergie , so the laity among the sectaries have plurality of offices and places , some have both militarie and civill , others two or three civill offices , and i could name one , who hath some five or six , besid●● his being a committee-man : in a word , our sectaries are become pluralists , non-residents , and some of them vbiquitaries , and are well paid for it , as m. peters . . they generally walk loosely and at large , over what they did before they turned s●ctaries , and in comparison of the godly presbyterians ; they do many things under pretence of christian liberty , which professours heretofore were not wont to do , nor do not , neither durst they have done , of which i could give many instances both in persons & things ; i do not know , nor hear of a sectary in england , that is so strict and exact in his life , as he was before , and as thousands of presbyterians are ; and this is not my observation alone , but a general observation : many of them play at cards and tables , are verie loose on the sabbath days , go to bowls and other sports on dayes of publike thanksgiving , as m. iohn goodwine and severall of his church , they wear strange long haire , go in such fine fashionable apparell beyond their places as 't is a shame ; they will feast , ride journeyes , do servile businesses on the fast daies , and give their parish churches no sermons , no prayers at all on those daies ; they make little conscience of family duties , they will sit and tipple , be joviall and merrie together . i could tell true and certaine stories of manie sectaries who were exceeding precise and strict before they fell into those waies , but are abominable loose now ; and let but a man turne sectarie now adaies , and within one half year he is so metamorphosed in apparell , hair , &c. as a man hardly knowes him . . in all matters and businesses which succeed not according to their mind , but crosse their waies and designes as if a choice of persons they like not be made to places , or if such a thing passe and be done that pleases them not , they will try all waies possible , and cast about to finde some fl●ws or other , pretend this thing and the other to question the election and make it null , or to obstruct it ; they will put in articles against men chosen , though they cannot prove them ; they will pretend somthing or other , was omitted , and such a passage was illegall , and all to bring to a new election , and then they will worke all kind of waies to ef●ect their designes . . they have spoken strange and high speeches against the setling of presbyteriall government and the presbyterians , as one anabaptist of late , that he hoped to see heaven and earth on fire before presbyterie should be setled ; another sectarie , that it was one of the articles of his beleefe , that within seven yeares there would not so much as the name of presbyterie be heard in england ; a third , that hee hoped to see the presbyterie as much ●rod under foot as the bishops were ; a fourth , that if the saints were thus persecuted , and could not have the libertie of their conscience , it would come to — a gentleman told me , he had heard many souldiers of a regiment of horse ( which i forbeare naming ) say , that when the army of cavaliers was overcome , there would be another army to overcome , intimating the presbyterians ; and i could relate strange speeches told me by faithfull ear-witnesses , no sleight persons , spoken against our brethren of scotland by some sectaries . . after they have set their hands to papers , as upon agreements in such and such points of difference ; as upon the receipts of money , as upon giving in what they desire , when they think such things may make against some of them , have used means to get those papers back again into their hands , and have come to those that kept them some dayes after , pretending they desired to see them , and look upon them for some reasons , and then have desired to borrow them for a few dayes , to compare these papers with theirs , or for some other use , and being lent them by presbyterians ( who are plain honest men , and not acquainted with policies ) they keep them , and cannot be entreated to returne them ag●ine , but being asked for them , pretend some excuse or other ; of which i could give instances , naming the persons and things at large , but i spare them . . they practise and endeavour to get sectaries , and those that way affected , to attend on and be about cordiall presbyterians that are of qualitie , place and power , both to observe and watch them , and to qualifie them , and do some good offices for the sectaries ; of which i could give notable instances , but i must only hint it , and leave presbyterians to their owne observation . . about the time of moulding the new army , some of the sectaries gave out where ever they came , and went from one to another , both to ministers , people , that such and such ( call them what you will ) are the men that will fight cordially for you , overcome the cavaliers , and when they have done , they will either submit to the government established , or else leave the land , you need not feare them ; and this they laboured to possesse all men with , that so without muttering or speaking against , there might the more sectaries get places in the army ; and yet we see now by experience , that upon all motions and petitions for setling the government , or against toleration , the army is spoken of : and will you discourage those that fight so bravely , and that god hath made so instrumentall to you ? and that if they may not have libertie of conscience , and libertie to preach , the army will be discouraged , and if they may not preach they will not fight ; and after victories we have been minded by letters from the army of libertie of conscience , and expecting no compulsion in matters of the mind . . they upbraid in printed books and speeches many presbyterians , particularly of the assembly , with their former conformitie , yea they brand and asperse them , that they have been great time-servers , innovators ; and this they do to make the people beleeve , that what they do now is not out of conscience , but to serve the times , and that such men are not likely to have the truth revealed to them , nor fit to have a hand in the reformation , who have so polluted themselves with corruptions in worship , and the inventions of men ; and among many , good mr. calamy hath been abominably belied in this kind , especially in that late railing pamphlet of mr. burtons , called truth still truth , though shut out of doores , whereas many of the great sectaries themselves , and principall ring-leaders in each sect , as anabaptists , antinomians , independents , &c. were not only conformists in the way of old conformitie , but great innovators and forward episcopall men , the innovations of altars , bowing at the name of jesus , reading the book of sports , causing the people to come and kneele at the rail , threatning and bringing their tender conscienced people into the spirituall courts , yea into the high-commission being practised by some of them : and i challenge the sectaries to name so many of the presbyterian partie , who appeare for that government by writing , or other wayes , to be so faultie for innovations , and serving the bishops , as i can name amongst them . the full relation of the time-serving and innovations of denn , cox , ellis of colchester , dr. holms , saltmarsh , cummins , wale of norfolk , cum multis aliis , would make a new book ; and the best of the independents will be found upon search , yea them of the assembly , not only for many yeares to have been conformists , but to have gone further in conformitie to the bishops than some of us . as for example , mr. burroughs in the times of the bishops pressing innovations , was wont to ride up and downe the countrey in a canonicall coat , and i ask him mr. bridge and mr. greenhill , whether they besides subscription , took not the oath of canonicall obedience , and gave not some monies to the repaire of pauls church in london ? whereas i , as great a conformist ( as some of the sectaries would make me to have been ) never had a canonicall coat , never gave a penny to the building of pauls , took not the canonicall oath , declined subscription for many yeares before the parliament ( though i practised the old conformitie ) would not give ne obulum quidem to the contributions against the scots , but disswaded other ministers ; much lesse did i yeeld to bow to the altar , and at the name of jesus , or administer the lords supper at a table turned altar-wise , or bring the people up to rails , or read the book of sports a , or highly flatter the arch-bishop in an epistle dedicatorie to him b , or put articles into the high commission court against any , but was my selfe put into the high commission court , and pursevants with letters missive , and an attachment sent out to apprehend me , for preaching a sermon at mercers chappell , on a fast day in iuly , . against the bishops and their faction , such a free sermon as i beleeve never a sectarie in england durst have preached in such a place , and at such a time . to conclude for this time the practices of the sectaries , it is apparent they make the propagation and advancement of their way and partie , in opposition to the presbyteriall government their supreme law ; for the eff●cting of which they have and do use all means , though dishonest and unlawfull ; they say and unsay , affirme and deny , make promises and break them , go backward and forward , and in one word , have dispensed with their most sacred principles of church-fellowship , so as such things may make for the increase and advancement of their partie , of which i could give a world of instances . ob. but it may be it will be said , what are the practices of some men , and matters of fact , to a way , it is arguments must convince men , not practices ? answ. much everie way in this , because both in printed books , pulpits and discourses , the practices of the sectaries are brought to perswade people to forsake our churches , and to come to them ; as the great holinesse , sanctitie , selfe-deniall , humilitie , innocencie of that partie , with their painfull preaching without great livings , or expecting tithes ; and on the other hand , the presbyterians are branded as men of no great pietie , holinesse , charitie , and if it were not for livings of two or three hundred pounds a year , they would turn independents : and many people are drawne more by these things , than by all their arguments . now therefore the discovering to the people nakedly and truly their practices , may undeceive them , and be as good a means to bring them back to the communion of the reformed church , as ever the false representation of them was to mis-lead them . here followes a copie of some letters , with a narration of stories and remarkable passages concerning the sectaries . the second part of gangraena : or a fresh and further discovery of the errors , heresies , blasphemies , and dangerous proceedings of the sectaries of this time . as also a particular narration of divers stories , speciall passages , letters , an extract of some letters , all concerning the present sects : together with some corollaries from all the fore-named premisses . a reply to the most materiall exceptions made by mr , saltmarsh , mr. walwyn , and cretensis , against mr. edwards late book entituled gangraena . as also brief animadversions upon some late pamphlets ; one of mr. bacons , another of thomas webs , a third of a picture made in disgrace of the presbyterians . a relation of a monster lately born at colchester , of parents who are sectaries . the copie of an hymne sung by some sectaries in stead of davids psalms . by thomas edvvards minister of the gospel . beware of false prophets which come to you in sheeps clothing , but inwardly they are ravening wolves , ye shall know them by their fruits . matth. . v. , . but shun prophane and vain bablings , for they will increase to more ungodlinesse . and their word will eat as doth a gangrene , of whom is hymeneus and philetus . tim. . , but evill men and seducers shall waxe worse and worse , deceiving , and being deceived tim. . . london , printed by t. r. and e. m. for ralph smith , at the sign of the bible in cornhill near the royall exchange . . reader , thou art presented with the second part of gangraena , declaring some other ( not infirmities of the saints , as some men speak , but ) abominations of men of corrupt minds , reprobate concerning the faith , and a vindication of those few particulars of the former treatise , which were excepted against ; the author hath proceeded in this labour , not to please himself ( what pleasure can it be to rake in a dunghill ? ) but to preserve thee ; the discovery of errours is , ( by the blessing of god ) the prevention of them , in which regard the labours of a epiphanius , b augustine , c philastrius , d theodoret , of old , of e calvin , f danus , and others of late , published for this end , have been , and are of great esteem in the church of god ; and i make no question but these labours of this author , as they now find acceptance with judicious and godly christians , so also in future times will out-live the calumnies by sectaries cast upon them , and our posterity will admire , what is by us undervalued ; let not clamours of men , who call light darknesse , and darknesse light , discourage thee from reading , it doth not mee from approving that this treatise be imprinted . imprimatur james cranford . to the christian reader . good reader , t is my lot ( so divine providence is pleased to order it ) that in my conflicts for truth , and against error , i should not enter the field and fight single combats , but encounter with many : my antapologia was an answer unto five men , esteemed gyants by many of these times ; who though they were five to one , yet by the good hand of god that was with mee in that work , i keep the field till this day , neither they nor any for them ( notwithstanding all the great threats given out ) having yet engaged against mee in that cause . now in this present booke , consisting partly of a reply , i have to do with three , a three-headed cerberus , the three-bodied monster geryon : the apologists were fair smooth men in comparison of these , their voice was the voice of jacob ; but these are hairy , rough , wilde red men , especially , cretensis : these are grown higher , are gone farther , and are more daring then the former ; and yet i doubt not but hee that then brought me off with safety and honour too , will also now stand by mee , and having delivered mee from the lion and the bear , these uncircumcised philistims , especially goliah goodwin shall be as one of them . whilest i was making this reply , had even finished it , striking off this three-headed cerberus , new heads of that monstrous hydra of sectarism sprung up , which the reader shall also find have their deaths wound too in this present book ; and yet after all these heads cut off , i expect a great red dragon having seven heads , and seven horne , and seven crowns upon his heads ; but let as many sectaries come forth as will , i shall sing with david , psal. . . though an host should encamp against me , my heart shall not fear : and besides my reply to the answers made against my book entituled gangraena , the reader shall find in this book more work for the sectaries , the second part of gangraena , a discovery of more errours , heresies , blasphemies , and proceedings of the sectaries , wherein i have not only laid down many errours , heresies , and proceedings of the sectaries not touched before , but some greater , stranger , higher heresies and blasphemies , and some that are more against the second table , and destructive to the civill lawes and peace of kingdoms , which sectaries in their pleading for tolerations seem to exempt out of the number of errours to be tolerated ; yea , i desire the reader to take notice there are some things spoken of in this present book , some blasphemies , &c. done by sectaries , that the like or worse are not to he found in any age since the coming of christ , nay i think not since the creation of the world , as that blasphemy of one * john boggis . now that the reader may the more profit by this work , and not stumble in the entrance , i shall premise three things whereby to remove a few prejudices that may be in the minds of some men , both against the matter and manner of this book . t is objected , the bringing upon the stage matters of fact , and the practices of some men against a way , is not a right course to convince a way to be naught , nor the followers of it of their errours : arguments and reasons are the way to satisfie men . answ. i have spoken to this objection in the first part of gangraena , pag. . and the reader may find more said to it in this second part , pag. , . and therefore that which i shall say here is this . such discoveries as these , are a more sensible practicall way of confutation of the sectaries to the body of the people of the kingdome , then so many syllogismes and arguments ; they can understand these when they cannot perceive an argument ; and christ himselfe , in speaking against false prophets , saith , by their fruits you shall know them : doe men gather grapes of thorns , or figs of thistles ? &c. and the apostles in their speaking against the hereticks and heresies of their times , confuted them thus by their practices and wayes : whosoeverdoes but observe the passages in the epistles of peter , jude , paul , shall finde this true . and whereas t is said by some of them , if they would do so by the presbyterians , they could show as many errours held by some presbyterians , and as bad practises , &c. and so recriminate . i answer , suppose they could , . yet there 's not the same reason in divers respects ; but i will only give one instance , namely this difference : the anabaptists , independents , &c. have their church way and government up , they are in the practice and possession of it , they may use it , and do to the utmost , to suppresse errours , scandals , in the power of censures , in admitting of none but whom the body allowes , &c. and yet in the free practise of it , and under it , all these errours grow , and men fall from one thing to another , as all men see ; but now those who are in their judgement for presbyterian government in this kingdome , they enjoy it not , have not the benefit of it to censure scandalous persons , suppresse any errors , or to do any acts of government at all , but all lies waste . . i deny that the sectaries can show men who are presbyterians ( though they want the benefit of the government ) that fall into those errours , blasphemies , practises which the sectaries doe , t is a meer flourish , they can show no such thing ; nay , i am confident that among all the presbyterian ministers and cheife members who have appeared and acted for that way , since presbyterians , the sectaries cannot instance in one man like to hundreds and thousands of their sectaries , either for errours in judgement , or loosenesse in life . . t is objected t is an unchristian way to bring mens names upon the stage , t is to much to speak against a way from the practises of some of that way , but to name men in print , and publikly to brand them , this is worse . ans. i could give many answers to justifie this , and show the examples both of fathers and the holiest , judiciousest moderne writers who practised this , as calvin in his tractate against libertines , naming quintinus , &c. and giving reasons there by way of answer to this very objection of naming men , but i cannot now insist upon it : all i will say is this , for my own part t is much against my genius and temper to do it , for naturally i do not love to offend any , or to contend with any man , but to comply and please all ; besides , i am sensible of the hatred , reproaches , dangers i am liable to for doing it , but a necessi●y is laid upon me to preserve the people , and to give them warning to beware of wolves in sheeps clothing ; and as i hold my selfe bound in conscience to write books to discover the errours and opinions of such wayes , so to name the persons of prime notorious sectaries who are sticklers , ( not of all men who are mis-led , or in some lesser matters mistaken ) and that from the example of the apostle paul , who doth not onely name the errours , wayes , but the men themselves , as hymeneus , philetus , alexander , phygellus , hermogenes , tim. . , . tim. . . tim. . , . & . , . . let no godly person be offended at my book , if the stile of it be quick and smart , and if i speak sometimes a little sharply to cretensis ; but rather let them consider how unworthily ( not onely unbecoming a christian , but a man ) hee hath dealt with mee and all presbyterians in his answer , discovering such unsufferable pride , arrogancie , scornfulnesse of spirit towards all presbyterians who fall not down to the golden calves of his opinions of imputation of faith , independency , &c. as that there seems no way left to recover him but to deal a little roundly with him , and lay open his folly ; besides , the apostle paul speaking of the cretians , who are alwayes lyars , saith , wherefore rebuke them sharply , that they may be sound in the faith . in one word , cretensis in all his answers is too like those spoken of in sam. . . that must be thrust away as thorns , because they cannot be taken with hands : the man that must touch him had need be fenced with iron and the staffe of a spear : cretensis is a man so foul-mouth'd in all kind of filthy language , that his maid had need seowr his mouth alwayes with a wisp when he goes to write any book . but to hold the good reader no longer in the porch , let we earnestly intreat thy prayers to god for his gracious assistance , protection , supporting of him who is resolved to spend and be spent , and to run all hazzards for the truth of god and his churches● against the errours of the times ; yea , and if he be offered up upon the sacrifice and service of your faith , he joyes , and will rejoyce . thine in christ , thomas edwards . the preface . christian reader , although there be already at the presse a full reply to the pretended answers made by mr. saltmarsh , mr. walwyn , and mr. iohn goodwin , against my late book entituled gangraena ; yea , and some part thereof printed ; yet considering not only the three bodied monster geryon , and the three headed cerberus , which for present i have to grapple and conflict withall , but that hydra also , ready to rise up in their place , therefore that i may both mortally wound the heads of these dragons , and cut off others as they are springing , and strike once for all in defence of gangrena : my reply cannot but be somewhat large , and so of necessity must take up more time for the perfecting and publishing of it ( especially considering my imployments in frequent constant preaching , besides all other occasions ) then at this time i am contented to be kept from coming abroad in print . and therfore for preventing the sectaries glorying , and triumphing too much in their answers , and their possessing many people against my book , as if it were a book of lies , and that i could not make proof of , or give a good account to the world of what i have written ; as also from interpreting my silence ( though but during a time simply necessary to give a full answer ) a repenting of writing my late book and a retreating from that cause wherein i have so much appeared ( as master a walwyn seems to do ) i have thought it necessary in the interim , till my larger reply can come forth , to set forth a few sheets to declare my mind to all the world , and to take away all just occasion from men of speaking against my late book : now this book being of the same nature and kind with gangraena , besides a breif answer to some main objections made against it , is not only an addition of more errours to the former catalogue , a higher discovery of the wayes and practises of the sectaries , a further confirmation of the truth of things contained in gangraena , but an assurance to the reader of my resolution and constancie , by the grace of god , in opposing errours and sects maugre all the malice , wrath and power of hell ; as also a satisfaction in part to the most materiall things objected by master saltmarsh , mr. walwyn , mr. goodwin , against my book ; and as i am perswaded this discourse will not be without its use for the present , so i question not when my full reply to these three pamphlets shall come abroad ( of which this book is the fore-runner , and prepares the way ) not only all rationall and unprejudiced men , who shall read and consider , will be satisfied by it ; but my antagonists will be laid so open and bare , as their folly and shame shall be manifested to al men , and themselves and their friends for them will wish a hundred times they had been asleep in their beds when they medled with gangraena ; yea gangraena , and this defence of it will prove so incurable a gangren to them , that they shall never be cured of it by all the mountebanck quacksalving drugs and tricks of all the sectaries of this time ; and though for a short time confident lying may please and take with many , yet as solomon speaks , the lip of truth shall be established for ever , but a lying tongue is but for a moment ; and as hierom. mendacia ad modicum placent , sed diu non durant . a fresh and further discovery of the errours and pernicious practises of the sectaries in england . having laid down in my book entituled gangraena , . errors vented in these times , besides an addition of some errours mentioned in the appendix , and not enumerated in the former catalogue . i do here further present the reader with a catalogue of more errours not before named , neither , in the first , nor second edition of my book : as also a relation of more stories and practices , together with some new letters concerning them ; by all which it will appear that the plague of sectarisme rages more and more , putting forth symptoms presaging death and destruction both to church and state , if not timely prevented . additionall errours to the former catalogue of errours , heresies , &c. that no opinion is so dangerous or hereticall as that of compulsion in things of religion . . that kingly government among nations and common-wealths is unlawfull , and that for kings it cannot be said to what use they serve , or that there is any use of them , except to debauch and vexe a people . . it is unlawful for christians to eate any swines flesh in regard the devils once entred into the herd of swine . . 't is unlawfull to eate any manner of blood in any kind of thing whatsoever , and that black-puddings are unhallowed meat , and that the eating of black-puddings is a barbarous custome . . that the devils never sinned , nor have any sin . . that iudas , cain , and all the damned , yea all the devils shall be saved at last ; and that there are no hell torments to eternity . . christ hath repented perfectly , he hath sorrowed for sin perfectly , and he hath repented for us . . faith is not to be the guide of reason , but reason the guide of faith , nor is a man to beleeve any thing in scripture , further then he sees reason to induce him . that children of beleevers have more then a faederall holinesse , an inward reall holinesse . . christs presence in heaven , or that christ is present in heaven , cannot be proved by the scriptures . . some of the sectaries do affirm and hold they have not only had revelations , but they have seen visions also . . the means of god revealing himself and his mind and will to his servants in reference to their salvation , is immediatly by himself , without scripture , without ordinances , ministers , or any other means . . that 't is unlawfull to give thanks to god after meat received , though it be lawfull to do it before eating of meat . . that singing of davids psalms is blasphemy , and telling of lies . . that there is no justification by faith , but faith is only a manifestation of our justification . . that repentance is a work of the law , and so not to be performed by christians ; and that christians have nothing to do at all , but only to sit still , hear and beleeve . . some sectaries hold they cannot sin , but if they sin , christ sins in them , he does all , they are acted by him in all . . all set times of private prayers as morning and evening , &c. are not only unlawfull and superstitious , but they are not to pray at all , nor give thanks , nor confesse sin , but admire only the grace of god , that is all they must doe . . that hell-fire never had been , if jesus christ had not come . . that jesus christ delivered never a soul from hell-fire . . that all appointed set meetings of many christians to pray , hear , confer , or perform any holy service , whether in a church way , or out of a church way , are unwarrantable , and unlawfull , only occasionally if christians meet in a street , or at a house going to visit friends in civility , they may discourse and talk one with another in points of religion as they do of other matters . . that in the first conversion of a sinner there ought to be no sorrow nor repentance for sinne , god requires none at all . . that some beleevers are as perfect here , as ever they shall be in heaven , only they do not see the lord here with their bodily eyes . and for a conclusion of this matter , namely for the enumeration of additionall errours , i shall adde only this which i received from the mouth of a godly minister , who ha●ing conversed with some sectaries that are souldiers and troopers , gave me this answer , march . upon a question propounded by me what strange opinions do they hold . they hold ( saith he ) all opinions whatsoever that are against the power of godlinesse , and the honour of christ. an extract of a letter lately sent me from a learned and godly minister in essex . good m. edwards , i thank you for your book : oates whom you mention in your book , hath been sowing his tares , boolimong , and wild oates in these parts these five weeks without any controll , hath seduced hundreds , and dipped many in booking river and when that 's done he hath a * feast in the night , and at the end of that the lords supper . all opera tenebrarum . no magistrate in the country dare meddle with him , for they say they have hunted these out of the country into their dens in london , and imprisoned some , and they are released , and sent like decoy ducks into the country to fetch in more ; so that they go on in divers parts of essex with the greatest confidence and insolencie that can be imagined . m. archer of halsted preaches boldly against parliament , assembly , directory , ministery and all : i pray you let me hear whether there be any hope of light shining out of darknesse , ellis an antinomian , brother to ellis of colchester the independent , married a widow , got two hundred pounds of hers , made her beleeve hee would carry her to his friends in the north , but left her by the way , and ranne away with the two hundred pounds . that miscreant seduced many . your book doth much good : i shall pray god to speed your plough , who am your assured friend an extract of a letter written to me last week from a learned and godly minister in colchester , together with a relation of a monster lately born there of parents who are sectaries . sir , i have sent you in this enclosed , the true story of the monstrous birth in our town . i thank you for your book : the sectaries rage at it , but it is a sign it doth the more good . thus beseeching the great god to continue your courage and resolution for his name to the utmost , i rest . your affectionate brother in the lord. memorandum , that upon the . day of febr. . one goodwife cosens of peter parish in colchester brought forth two children both dead , the one a perfect child the other was born without a head , having upon the breast some characters of a face , nose , and eyes , wanting one arme and the other arme being rather the stump of an arme , ended in a crotch of two fingers , with something like a thumb coming out of one side of it : downward one of the feet was perfect , the other foot wanted a heel , and had only two toes which grew forward , and another toe growing out of one side of it . the father of this monster is a separatist , frequenting their congregations an enemy to the baptising of his own chi●dren ; the mother a hearer in the separated congregations likewise , who resolved heretofore , that if ever she had any more children , they should never be baptized . ☞ this relation is affirmed by those of trust and understanding , that saw this monster , and know the parties . an extract of a letter sent me from a * commander now in the parliament service , dated decemb. . . sir , the constant practise of many officers and souldiers with them , was to exclaime against their ministers wheresoever we marched , pressing them and their adherents more then any other ; they did dscourage the people , generally affirming that the best of our preachers were popish , and that it was unlawfull to heare them , but did hope to see them all * pact to rome , and their superstitious steeple-houses puld down to the ground ; great variety of opinion was amongst our officers and souldiers , some affirming that they had had revelations and seen visions , al of them at liberty to argue and hold what phantasticall opinion they pleased , those were the men most countenanced , and soonest raised to preferment ; some of them would take upon them to prophesie , ☞ saying , they should live to see all lording power laid aside in this kingdom . in my distresse when the enemy was upon me , i sent to most parts adjacent for assistance , but could have none , only from one place came to me forty volunteers , with some two or three officers , professing thenselves all independents , and they told me they hoped to finde me so , and if i should continue still in my opinion for presbytery , they thought their labour ill spent ; they staid with me all night , and the next day there came to them a leiutenant , a most dangerous fellow , maintaining most horrid opinions , as you may see by the information which is truth ; this lieutenant was to preach to them in a private house , which i had notice of , and did prevent him , which they took very ill of me , and immediatly they left me , and marched away with lieutenant — since , one of the chiefest of them sent me word by our quarter-master , that i should have little or no pay , so long as i staid in — if i did not agree and side with — i finde the m●●sage too true , for i finde little pay or none . sir , i could say much more of their practises against me and others , but i should be too tedious ; but this more i shall adde , i never marched where i heard more talk of godlynesse , and lesse practise of it in my observation , for they are cruell without mercy , covetous without ☞ measure , professing self-deniall , yet leave no stone un-turned to advance there estates and honours . the lord prevent their wicked designes , and keep this kingdom from being ruined by such a wicked people , sir , i rest . your servant a relation of some passages of a great sectarie , a lieutenant about the beginning of june last . . having had much arguing with him and his adherents in opposition to the antinomian way , in the morning wherein they seemed to glory much in the victorie , though i know no cause for it at all : the lieutenant came courteously towards even in to my house ( as he said ) to take his leave of me ; which some of his party perceiving , followed him ; and others taking notice of their resort , followed also : the subject of our discourse was about the meanes of god revealing himself , and his minde and will to his servants in reference to their salvation ; he affirmed and maintained violently that god did it immediatly by himself without scripture , without ordinances , ministers , or any other meanes ; he being asked about the third person in the trinity , denyed there was any such thing as a trinity of persons , but affirmed them to be three offices ; and being demanded what he thought of christ , whether the godhead and manhood were united in one person in heaven : he answered only to the last word , and denyed that it could be proved by the scriptures christs presence in heaven ; and when some scriptures were produced , which had reference to his resurrection and ascention , he replyed , that it was a great question , whether there was a resurrection or not ; he said he did not deny it absolutly , but that he made a great question of it : at the parting , before him i replyed to the by-standers , gentlemen , if i should have come and a told you that this gentleman had denied the trinity of persons , and christs presence in heaven ▪ and that he called in question the resurrection , you would not have beleeved me , had not your own eares heard the same . this is attested and subscribed by the hand of a godly minister in whose persence all this was ●pken , together with a relation of the names of the other ●●●nesses , persons of quality and worth , who were all present at this discourse , and i have the originall in my power to porduce upon any occasion . a relation of some stories , and remarkable passages concerning the sectaries . there is one lawrence clarkson , a seeker , spoken of in my gangraena , pag. , and . who put forth a pamphlet called the pilgrimage of saints , wherein are many passages highly derogatory to the scriptures , denying them to be the rule of a christian , or that in doctrine or practise half of gods glory was revealed as yet ; this man a taylor and a blasphemer preached on the lords day , march eight , at bow-church in cheapside , in the afternoone : he began his prayer to god , with right honourable lord god , and in his prayer he prayed that god would blesse the kings army , and blesse the saints both in the parliaments army and the kings , his sermon was a rapsody of nonsence . this was not done in a corner , but in a great and full audience ; there was present at this sermon one member of the house of commons , if not more , besides divers other persons of quality ; and though this clarkson was in london some time after this , and may be still for ought that i know , yet was he never questioned , nor called to any account for this , or for his pilgrimage of saints , as ever i could learn. saturday , march●he ●he seventh , a minister who preached at martins near white-hall , told me , that lately since my book came forth , he preaching in a sermon against sin and the divell , a woman on the morrow came to him ( a nurse-keeper dwelling in clare street ) and questioned with him about his sermon , asking him his grounds for speaking of sin and the divell , the minister brought some places of scripture , shee sleighted the scriptures , and denied there was any such thing as sin , or hell , or the divell , or temptation , or the holy ghost , or scriptures ; shee said , all the hell that was , was the darknesse of the night ; she denied that to kill a man , to commit adultery , or steale a mans goods was sin ; and the minister asking her , what do you make your self , shee answered two severall times , i am that i am ; all this , and a great deal more , was related to me by the minister , who ( as he said ) had acqainted an earle with it and many others ; and i spake with one citizen who heard this relation from him , and he promised to give it me at large in writing under his hand . tuesday march . on the day that a committee of lords and commons came down to guild-hall to the common-councell concerning their late petition ; many sectaries from all parts of the city and suburbs , came to guild-hall , where , from about four a clock , till about nine , the sectaries in severall companies and knots in the hall , . . and more in some companies , vented boldly , and pleaded for all sorts of opinions , the antinomian opinions , the anabaptisticall opinions , &c. pleading for a generall toleration of all sects , yea , some maintained that no immortall spirit could sin , or be capable of sin ; and it being objected , what say you to the divels ? they denied the divels ever sinned or could sin : many other horrid opinions were maintained at the same time , so that 't is beleeved , that never since guild-hall was built , there was so much wickednesse and errour broacht and maintained openly in it as at that time . among many godly orthodox christians , who were at that time in guild-hall , and opposed the sectaries in their pleading thus for all errours , and a generall tolleration ; there was one godly citizen who told me this story of himsef , that he reasoning with severall of the sectaries against their opinions , and against a toleration , the next day being the eighteenth of march , an independent wollen draper to whom he had workt almost twenty years , took away his work from him , and said he should have no more work of his , because the night before this citizen had argued against independency , saying it was a schisme ; whereupon this citizen dealt plainly with this wollen-draper , and told him , sir , will you put me by my work , which is my living , for my conscience ? is not this persecution ? will you have your consciences , and shall not we enjoy ours ? would you be tolerated , and will not you tolerate us ? on the ninteenth of march a pamphlet called the last warning to all the inbitants of the citie of london , came abroad in print , which pamphlet speaks against all kingly government , receiving the king in again , and against all established ecclesiasticall government , besides many other dangerous passages in it : now this book was spread abroad and dispersed up and down by sectaries , as for instance , one samuel fulcher an egge-man , rebaptized by one crab , a felt-maker , was the . day of march examined before a justice of peace for spreading this book call'd the last warning to london , and confessed he had sold six or seven of them * one overton an independent book-seller and a member of mr. iohn goodwins church , or his man for him , sold many of them to severall persons as i can prove : one calvert a sectary and a book-seller on ludgate-hill sold and dispersed many of these books ; and so one barber an anabaptist boasted two dayes after the book came forth , naming this pamphlet , that there was a book come forth had cut the legs of the presbyterian government , and asked a citizen if he had not seen it . in n●rthampton-shire a great sectary , and a chief servant to a knight of that country , would not keep the day of thanksgiving for the victory at naseby , but was so far from keeping it himself , that he would not suffer the knights tenants to keep it , or to go to church but made them carry dung all day , as i have been informed from one who knows it certainly ; but what do i relating one instance , when as 't is notorious that many of the sectaries , ( mr. goodwins and mr. saltmarshes saints ) keep not at all , neither dayes of publike thanksgivings , nor of publike fasts , but do all kind of s●rvile work and worldly businesses on those dayes , yea on the publike fast dayes , feast and are eating of rost meat and good chear , when gods saints and servants are humbling and afflicting their souls ? ☞ there is an independent minister who lives in london ( as i have it from two sufficient witnesses that heard it ) said that the scots coming into england would hinder the reformation of religion here , and that if he had been in england at that time when the scots came first in , he would have preached to have stird up the people against them , either not to have suffered them to come in , or being come in , to have beat them out . ☞ the same minister discoursing and reasoning about the church way , it was answered to him by a citizen , that if it were set up in london , the independents could not expect above a twentieth part should be for it , and what should become of all other people ? this independent minister replied , it was no matter what became of them , though they turned mahumetans , so the church of christ might prosper . a godly minister who came out of essex , related to me not long since , that * oates was now preaching in that country , and had been there about sixe weeks , sometimes keeping his randevouze at one town , sometimes at another , sometimes at tarling , sometimes at bocking , sometimes at braintry , and other places , and that many loose persons of the country follow him , he preaching besides his anabaptisticall opinions , the arminian points ; and this minister spake it upon his knowledge ▪ that notorious whoremongers and drunkards follow him , such as have been convicted by witnesses , and taken notice of by the country , and are such still , yet go after him where he preaches from place to place . there are two gentlemen of the inns of court , civil and well disposed men , who out of novelty went to hear the women preach , and after mistris attaway the lace-woman had finished her exercise , these two gentlemen had some discourse with her , and among other passages she spake to them of master milton● doctrine of divorce , and asked them what they thought of it , saying , it was a point to be considered of ; and that she for her part would look more into it , for she had an unsanctified husband , that did not walk in the way of sion , nor speak the language of canaan ; and how accordingly she hath practised it in running away with another womans husband , is now sufficiently known to mr. goodwin and mr. saltmarsh , and is one of the lyes like all the rest in mr. edwards gangr●ena ; this wretched woman one of mr. goodwins and mr. saltm●rshes saints ( as they make all without any distinction , whom i speak of in gangraena ) among other new truths and glorious lights , preached , that all the devils should be saved , alledging that place in zachary , sending forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein there is no water , against which doctrine one of the company objected , and said , sister , what say you to that of matth. . depart from me yee cursed into everlasting fire , prepared for the divel and his angels ? unto which mistris attaway replyed , that by everlasting in that place was meant while day and night lasted , but not eternall after day and night were ended . march . two honest citizens coming to me about some sermons an independent minister had preached in london , one of them told me he lately had a man and maid-servant who were anabaptists , and that when he was abed they would set up and juncket together , making sack-possets and such like provision of his purse , and in sum , this male anabaptist got the female anabaptist with child , and after married her : the master speaking to him of breach of covenant , how he had covenanted not to marry in the time of his apprentiship till his years were expired , he said it was a divelish covenant , and so would not keep it . on the sixteenth of march , a member of the assembly of divines related this following story for a certain truth , which he knew to be so , only would not name the persons ; that a sectary , ( one of master goodwins and master saltmarshes saints and beleevers ) a seeker by sect , sought to gain the good will of a virgin to be his wife , and when she consented and was contented to it , hee propounded that they might lie together at nigh● , at which motion she startled , saying , not till we are married , to which answer this seeker replyed , that marriage was but an idle ceremony , they were now man and wife before god , having promised one another , whereupon they went to bed together , and next morning after the seeker had satisfied his lust , he ranne quite away , and left his bride , and instead of one seeker there were two , the daughter thus forsaken , and her mother ( who was widdow ) to seek after him . in a book lately printed , call'd the ordinance for tyths dismounted , ( which book also was given into the hands of one parliament man ( as i can prove ) by a great sectary who may justly be thought the author of it ) there are such passages of reproach against the parliament as are not to be paralled in any writings , except some of the sectaries : in pag. . , . . this sectarie speaking of a passage in the ordinance of tyths made by the lords and commons , hath these following words , had not such a passage gone under the title of the lords and commons who are chosen for the weale of the people , i should not have judged it an act of humanity , but rather the result of an hell-bred conspiracy by the divell and his angels to confound us with their unreasonable malice , &c. and this was the first stone these master-builders laid in their blessed reformation . and in another place of the book , speaking by way of scorne , calling it that most religious and spirituall ordinance for the supper , as absolute ordinances , as unalterable at the directory , these words are brought in , for indeed at the first on set it was not policy to rush such a diabolicall and villanous invention point blanck upon us , with an it is decreed and ordained by the lords and commons assembled in parliament . but after a more mysterious manner of ordination , slily intrude it upon us unawares in the godly and specious vizor of rules & directions , as if our parliament men had such a spirituall and holy eare over us , to give us such wholsom and pious directions , while indeed under this innocent apparition in the shape of lambs they ar● no other then ravening wolves , rending and tearing us in peeces ; and again , speaking of parliament men in that ordinance for tyths dismounted there are these words , but what they are , let all the people judge , let them consider whether there can be the least dram of honesty or religion in them , or respect to the liberty of the free-borne nation therein , seeing they lay upon us a heavier yoake then ever was laid upon us in the dayes of the bishop● . and again , this sectary , the author of the ordinance for tyths dismounted , speaks thus of the parliaments ordinance concerning suspending scandalous persons from the lords supper . it will be the greatest thraldome and bondage that ever the kingdome was involved into , and by this ordinance of the supper , i am afraid we shall all go supperlesse to bed : and speaking of the classes synods , calling them high commissions , he addes , if we can finde no justice there , we may appeal ( forsooth ) * to our gods themselves , the parliament ( life everlasting , world without end ) of whom , how may we expect mercy or justice then , that thus before hand whip us with the stings of scorpions , and grind us between the devouring jawes of such develish tyrannicall courts which will even crush our bones in peeces , and squeese out our very marrow and juyce , and suck out our very hearts blood like so many greedy cannibals ? vid. plur . ibid. the sectaries generally cannot endure any man who speaks against , or complains to authority of any who b●oach errours ( though never so great ) as for example , a godly understanding christian told me within these three dayes , that because he complained of a man who denies both the son and the holy ghost to be god , therefore the independents and all the sectaries among whom he lives deadly hate and revile him ; and since the time that the weekly newes books have mentioned a vote to be passed in the house of commons for drawing up an ordinance against paul best that anti●rinitarian and blasphemer , some of the sectaries have spoken boldly and bitterly against it , and saying they would be loth to be any of them that should give a voice , or have a hand in the proceedings against him , with other words to that effect . there is an independent of mr. carters church , who speaking against our publike assemblies , often quotes that scripture in rev. . . babylon the great , the mother of harlot● , interpreting it thus , rome is the mother church , and all the parish congregations of england are the daughters , which are harlots ▪ and this having been objected against this interpretation , that the apologists acknowledge many of our congregations to be true churches , he and divers other independents say , they are not of the apologists minds . the sect of seekers growes very much , and all sorts of sectaries turn seekers ; many leave the congregations of independents , anabaptists , and fall to be seekers , and not only people , but ministers also ; and whosoever lives but few yeers ( if the sects be suffered to go on ) will see that all the other sects of independents , brownists , antinomians , anabaptists , will be swallowed up in the seekers , alias libertines , many are gone already , and multitudes are going that way , and the issue of these sects and schismes will be , that all will end in a loosenesse and licentiousnesse of living . a hymne which some of the antinomians do sing at their meetings instead of davids psalms . the newes is good , christ shed , his bloud , our peace is made in heaven ; and now he is gone up to his throne , all power to him is given . our glory is great , we are compleat in gods great love we stand , we are on high exalted by christs victorious hand . we once neer lost , to hell did post , but god in mercy found us , and now he hath taught us his path , and with his mercy crown'd us . shall sin or hell gods people quell , or ever keep them under ? no , christ hath died , sin purifide and hell bands rent in sunder . the bloud of christ our great high priest , which once for us was shed , hath purg'd the blot , and cleans'd the spot wherewith we were besmear'd . a glorious thing , a wonder strong that sin should not defile , and those are all to christ more dear that once did seem so vile . all sin we finde is out of minde , the saints are made divine first in the love of god above in glory they do shine . none are so dear , nor yet so near , with god they are made one , who now doth see them sure to be as is his only sonne . christ is our guide , we cannot slide , nor never fall away ; our state is sure , and must endure though all things else decay . then let 's be bold , our heads uphold , the time is drawing nigh when we shall raign , and eke remain with god eternally . let all base fears , and needlesse cares out of our souls remove , with speed let 's fly to god on high and dwell with him above . amen , amen . and 't is remarkable , that now for present the best independent churches and congregations are mixed assemblies and medlies , consisting of persons whereof some are anabaptists , some antinomians , some libertines , others hold arminian and socinian tenets ; those who for mixtures in manners , and because of some persons not so holy in their lives , made a schisme in the church , have worse mixtures among themselves in doctrine , a linsey wolsey compounded religion ; i do not think there is any one independent church of three yeers standing , and that hath attained to the number of between . and . members , but had , or hath in it some anabaptists , antinomians , seekers , or else persons holding one or other odde and strange opinion . mr. symonds independent church at roterdam is over-grown with anabaptisme , and he hath written into england that he is so pestered with anabaptists , that he knew not what to do ; mr. sympsons church hath bred divers seekers , mr. l●ckiers antinomians , master iohn goodwins company is an unclean conventicle , where the spirit of errour and pride prevails in most , the unclean spirit being entred there into himself and his people with seven evill spirits , socinian , arminian , popish , anabaptisticall , libertine tenets being held by himself and many of his people . and what shall i say more , it will be too long to tell of what i have heard of some members in mr. carters , mr. cradock● , mr. brisco , mr. barlets churches concerning opinions they hold . march . i was informed for certain , that a young maiden buying in the sirand of a goldsmith a gold ring , the young man in the shop who was selling it her , asked her whether she was to be married ( for the ring was much of the size of a marriage ring ) she answered no , nor did not know whether ever shee should be married ; he questioned further with her , what use she bought if for ; after some discourse together , she told him she bought it to give to the minister of the church into which she was to be admitted a member ; and the young man further conferring with her , she told him she was to be of the congregationall way , and of a church where the minister was a man of precious gifts . it hath been related to me also from good hands , and if there be any mistake in the relation , i desire the independent ministers to clear wherein , namely , that in some of their congregations , maid-servants out of their wages , do allow so much yeerly as five or six shillings to their ministers , that some poore godly persons who have expressed great desire to be of their church way , and gone to some independent ministers to be admitted to church-fellowship , could not because of their poverty ; that persons of great ranck and quality , as some ladies are admitted to their churches , in a more favourable way , and not after the ordinary manner ; and that one lady at least ( though no member of any independent church but of a presbyteriall ) hath been admitted to the lords supper among them , and her child was to have been baptized by an independent minister , but that it died the very day appointed for the baptizing of it ; that in one of the independent churches here in london , a rich widow who was there a member , refused to give her consent to one in way of marriage ( whom otherwise she liked and entertained ) till hee yeelded to settle twenty pounds a yeer upon her independent minister during his life ; and lastly , that some of the independent ministers have from some one of their members , . . li. or better per annum ; and a minister is named who hath fifty five pounds yeerly from three members of his church , forty pounds from two , and fifteen pounds from a third . a disputation held at the spitle about the immortality of the soul by some anabaptists , as lam , battee , and others on the day of publike thanksgiving for dartmouths being given up into the hands of the parliament . my lord major hearing of a great concourse of people that were to meet upon such a businesse , having a respect to the peace and good government of this city , sent two of the marshals men to lam to the spitle , where they were met to dispute , but had not yet begun , who told lam that may lord major had sent them to him to forbid him or them to dispute as upon this day ; lam answered the officers he would go up and acquaint the brethren , which he did , standing in a place like a desk above the people at one end of the room , and battee at the other : the first thing that lam spake of , was , that my lord major had sent to forbid their meeting , or rather to desire them not to dispute as upon this day ; battee stood up and said that mr. major was a limb of antichrist , and that he was a persecutor of the brethren , and that he did question what power or authority he had to forbid them ; he was sure the parliament gave him no such power , but gave them liberty to use their consciences , and for his part he durst undertake to make it good to master major ( calling my lord major in a most base and scornfull manner master major . ) one overton that was to be the moderatour on battees side , stood up and said , brother lam , had paul done well if he had desisted from preaching in the name of jesus if he had been commanded by the high-priests to forbear , had he done well or not ? lam answered no ; whereupon overton replied in a most scornfull proud manner , nor ought we to obey master major ; and thus did these men argue the power of my lord major for an houres space ; but at the last they came to state the question , and fall to their dispute ; the question was , that god made man , and every part of man of the dust of the earth ; and therefore man , and every part of man must returne to the dust again , which battee could not prove , nor could lam well tell how to answer , but both of them ran off from scripture to scripture , never clearing any one thing to the people ; and when they had rambled a long time , that they could neither of them tell what to say , then one or other stood up , and said , brother lam , or brother battee , leave this point to the consideration of the brethren , and take up some other ; after these two had spent foure or five houres in this confusion , they sat down and rested , and then stands up one mellish a cobler , and lawson a schoolmaster , both anabaptists , and to work they went as their brethren before : lawson calls to mellish , and saith to him , brother mellish , speak either categorically or hypothetically ; mellish answered lawson , that he spake now to him in an unknown tongue , and prayed him to explain himself ; lawson told mellish that he was nor fit to dispute if he knew not the meaning of these words ; mellish replied that if hee should stand up and tell the people that the moon was made of green cheese , he did not question but some would be of his mind . this relation was given me under the hand of a godly honest citizen , who was an eare and eye witnesse of all the said passages , who also named to me other persons that were present , and he delivered me this relation in writing before two sufficient witnesses , and declared himself ready to make proof of this before authority when ever he should be called . this following relation was sent to a godly and able minister of this city , ( one who hath a pastorall charge in london ) and this minister delivered me the originall writing , which to a tittle there set down . reverend , and much respected , i desire you pardon my boldnesse in imparting to you that which hath lately befaln me : i was in the company of some antinomians that were very importunate with me to forsake your teaching , and come among them and harken to their preachers , and they prevailed with me so farre , that i gave them my promise to hear their preachers ; but the night following , i had such a terrible dream which made me break my promise with them ; for i dreamed that the divell would have pulled me out of the bed , and carried me away with him ; then i cried out in my sleep so loud , that i waked them that were in the chamber , lord jesus help me , lord jesus help me ; then me thought the power of god came on my right hand , and rescued me from satan : this i take for a warning from god to avoid their society ; and for which i desire that thanks be rendred to god in this congregation which i use to frequent . there is one m●ster mills a common councell man , the city brickler , who hath related it to many , as a thing most certain , that an old acquaintance and friend of his , an old papist knowing well all papists , said to master mills , that now there were but two sects or sides in england , the presbyterians and the independents ; unto which master mills objected , how can that be ? seeing there are many papists ; this papist replied , that to his knowledge all the papists in ☞ england were independents ; and this papist further added , that this liberty of conscience and toleration for all men to enjoy their religion , was a blessed thing , and the happiest thing that ever was found out , or words to that purpose . there is a sectary living neer the spitle , a great follower of master randall , who did offer to sell his bible , and being asked why he would sell it , and what he would do for a bible , answered , he could make as good a book himself . some sectaries do commonly affirme they are not to beleeve the scriptures further then their own reason doth perswade them of the truth of them , and that the scriptures are no more the word of god then the words any man speaks are ; because he could not speak those words but by a power from god. it hath been told me from good hands , that there are a company of persons about london , who meet weekly to reason and object against the scriptures ; their meetings were about the spitle , and since in hounsditch , and now they shift places for feare they should be discovered , and surprised ; it were good that authority would look into it , to finde them out ; i shall be ready to name the men from whom i have had such information . i have been informed lately by divers honest men , that in northampton-shire some of the souldiers who are sectaries , and are of that part of the army which came out of the west , and belong to that army in the west , have come into the parish churches , and put by the godly ministers who should preach , and by force against the will of the ministers and people , have set up captaines , and others of the souldiers to preach in their pulpits , and to vent their fancles and errours . the true copie of a letter written to me from a worthy and godly minister in suffolk , in the name , and by the consent and agreement of other ministers of the county at a meeting of theirs , and sent up by the hands of a godly minister in those parts , who delivered it to me . worthy sir , your brethren in these parts desire to praise god for you , and for that courage he hath given you to encounter , and publikely to oppose the sectaries of these dayes . god make you as augustine , malleum haereticorum . sir , this bearer , a minister , an honest neighbour of mine will make a true relation to you of some of the late pranks of some sectaries on both sides of u● . one is of oates the anabaptist ( whom your gangraena takes notice of ) that after one of his private exercises amongst the weaker vessels , one wades wise of stisted in essex , seemed to be so affected with him , that she said she would never hear minister again : and it may be god intends to make her as good as her word ; for upon ☞ this she was taken mad , and remaines in a sad distracted condition ; and her husband sent to master blackaby , and master faircloth ( our godly neighbours ) to pray for her . this , one redgwell an honest man making report of , was asked if he were not at oates his exercise ; he answered no ; then it was demanded , was not your wife there ? he answered , if he should deny that , he should sin against god , and tell a lie , for she ( he said ) was there , but was never well since . this bearer can likewise tell you somewhat of master archer of halsted . also of one lancester of bury a pedler , and of his opening the whole book of ezra at a private meeting , insteed of opening his pack , and of the prayer that followed his exercise , &c. of master erbury also , &c. it would be lost labour for me to make a further relation by writing of these things , seeing you shall receive the truth more fully by word of mouth , and by a faithfull relator : i have no more to say at this time , but that i heartily pray for you , that god preserve , direct and guid you , and make you more and more serviceable to him and his church , in your generation , and to let you know that i am your faithfull freind and brother from clare in suffolk march ▪ . upon conference with the minister who brought up this letter , he related these following passages to me , and i writ them presently as he spake them . master erbury ( one of those sectaries spoken of at large in gangraena , pag. . and . ) coming lately to bury in suffolk , and there exercising in private , he delivered divers erroneous things , and at last went so high , as to deny that jesus christ ☞ was god , and that he was as much god as ever jesus christ was , or should be . one lancester in a private meeting at bury , condemned all the ministers of england for the sanba●●ats and tobiahs of this time , that hindered the building of the temple , resembling himself , and the sectaries to those who would build the temple , but it was withstood by the ministers , who hindred it : at that meeting there was a plain godly man , a solid old christian of master faircloths congregation who opposed him , and god was so mightily with him , that it turned to the shame and reproach of this lancester , and those who adhered to him . master archer of h●lsteed , an independent , a man who hath preached much against our ministers and tyths ; at the same time , or thereabouts , when hee preached so against tyths , used meanes to procure to himself a great living in essex , of two hundred pounds per annum , and came to some gentlemen of the country for their hands to further the getting of that living . an extract of a letter sent me from a worthy and godly minister out of the country . friend , your last together with the book , i received . i must confesse when i first saw your title , i said it was none of those aulus gellius calls illecebra● ad ligendum , &c. for what is a gangraene but an abundance of corrupted bloud inflamed , &c. and yet for your sake i not run but read over the text , and found it every way answerable : and that you were indeed the master of that art , which ( appointing the cure according to the cause ) wisely prescribes cutting and flashing , scarifications , washings , not only with mulsum or water , but vineger and salt , unguentum e●yptiacum , burning trochiskes , ars●nicon sublimatum , and much more then you have yet applied , considering not only the creeping of this canker , but that danger the whole body is in of no lesse then that sphacelus of atheisme , which not only good and godly master greenham , but old bishop ☞ lake himselfe long since prophesied would most probably over-runne this realm , rather then papisme ; and why then should any speak of a toleration , except à tollendo potius quam tolerando . obsta principiis , &c. is one of the best aphorisms of all the sons both of hippocrates and galen that i know . 't is sad , very sad to see our anglia ( as spalatensis complains of his rome ) turned into africa , new monsters every day , such horrid blasphemies , intolerable wickednesses , &c. shall vipers still be suffered to eate up the very bowels of their mother ? i could tell you many a sad story of some that preach , pray , and prate , what not ? independents all , yea and scholars , nay ministers , yet not by ordination . the people they say make ministers , quoting ezek. . v. . the scriptures say they are obscure , no assemblies , synods , nor generall councells more likely to teach the truth then the sanctuary a particular congregation , &c. these words were used praying for england . o blessed god , we have often already prayed in thy sons name ; now let us pray unto thee for thy son — clothe thus all his enemies with shame , but , &c. an usuall strain in their prayers , is as followes , that god would pardon the reformed churches their great prophanation of the lords day ; and why is this used but to make them odious ? another strain , who hath gained ? who hath given you so many victories , but the independents ? liberty of conscience lord , &c. and all in our own kingdom . the millenary conceit is the common subject of sermons , and a church on earth without so much ☞ as an hypocrite . publike thanks was given to god , for that the london petition for settling &c. took no better . a thousand such , and other passages of no small note , you may hear if you please but to visit your friends in these parts , whose very souls are so vexed , that i for my part am resolved ( if it may be ) to burie my self at my study , and stirre as little as i can to hear or see such , or the like abominations . and where now is sodom , as some of their brethren call'd old - england when they went off our shore to sea using that expression , farewell , farwell sodom , &c. and what are they but babell-builders , whose tongues are so divided , that i doubt not of the downfall of their babylon , which by interpretation saith origen , signifies that confusion christians should out of . courage friend , let divels that must be disposest , cry out , we torment them before their time . if ever the jesuite will be at the hight , i suppose he is very neer now ; who say no more but security if any thing will slay us , which god forbid . thus with best salutes i rest , though in haste yet heartily yours march ▪ a justification and vindication of the truth of the most materiall passages related in the book entituled gangraena , from those exceptions made against them in three late pamphlets entituled , groanes for liberty , a whisper in the eare , cretensis , alias master goodwin . i shall take them in order , and begin with mr saltmarsh , who first apeared in print : as for master saltmarsh he doth not so much as offer to disprove any one peece of matter of fact throughout my whole book , excepting that only of a woman preacher at brasteed in kent , of which he affirmes that 't is known to all in that place to be a meer untruth vid. m. s●lt . p. . now for the present , i 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 equiv●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 . . 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 their tyths were taken from them , they would soon leave their trade ; and said that the apostles were tradesmen , and were not chargeable to the brethren ; he further said that our ministers might go and preach the gospel to the turks and heathens , and not to stand prating here , for as he said before , we knew enough already . i asked him who should preach to the people , and how they should be maintained , if they would have them have nothing ? he answered he knew no ministers that ought to be maintained , but that every man that had gifts might be a minister , and use the liberty of his conscience ; and he spake in the behalf of paul best for his blasphemy ; saying , that if we could not convince his conscience , we ought not to punish his body . touching the rebellion in ☞ ireland , m. walwyn said , the irish did no more but what we would have done our selves , if it had been our case ; and said , what had the english to do in their kingdome ? and that they were a better natured people then we , and said , why should not they enjoy the liberty of their consciences ? i told him that it was a sad thing to see how we are divided , some women would not pray with their husbands , and some not sit at table when they gave thanks for the creatures ; and servants would not joyne in prayers with their masters , nor heare them repeat the sermons , and that many of them have cast off all duties in their families ; he justified them all in what they did , and said , they could give a reason for it , and that it was their conscience that led them to it , and therefore they ought not to be blamed . all this i do averre to be truth , and will maintain it , and can bring others to witnesse the same , and have set to my hand . t. c. the second was told me march . by a common-councell-man of the city of london , a godly understanding and active man , who related to me both the place where it was spoken , and the names of some other citizens , who were present , and heard it as well as himself , and the relation is as followes . there being a meeting at a tavern of some wel-affected citizens to consider of some things in reference to the publick , as they were sitting by the fire ( before they began to fall on the businesse they met for ) m. walwyn spake of the trinity in such a strange manner , and so slightly , that all the company was troubled at it , and they brake off and departed without doing any thing of that they came for . now m. walwyn , i dare appeal to any indifferent reader , whether i have injured you in giving barely a brief note or touch upon you , saying , m. walwyn , a dangerous man and a seeker ; or rather whether i did not much befriend you to say so little of you , when as you deserved i should have made a long relation of you and your wayes , as well as of hich , web , clarkson , wrighter , and many others . but what may be the true reason that m. walwyn was so touchie upon the * naming of him in a word or two , as to make a book , and bring himself upon the stage ? i suppose that beside his pride , and the showing of his parts , it was to engratiate and endear himself to all the sectaries , by appearing and writing against a man so hatefull to them as m. edwards is , and specially at this time , writing * once and again for the cause of liberty of conscience , that so being taken notice of for a strong head , and true to the generall libertie of all sects ; some or other of the independents might get him a burgess place , and bring him in to be a member of the house of commons : i am of the opinion he aimed at that , knowing that cornwell was clearing , and many places there wanted burgesses ; and do beleeve , if a man could see the list of those who are prickt for cornwell by the independent party , hee would find m. walwyns name in ; and i am of the mind , if m. peters were asked , and would tell truly , it would be found m. walwyn and lieut. col. lilburn are committed to his care for cornwwell , and that he must preach at their election ; and besides all other reasons i have to think so , this is one , that both m. walwyn and m. lilburn were by some named , and voices laboured to be made for them to have had them burgesses of southwark ; i have spoken with two godly men of the burrow , who were once or twice at a meeting about the businesse of m. walwyns being propounded for a burgesse in southwarke , who then opposed it , as hearing from many hands , that he was a dangerous man , and a seeker , yea worse . as for m. walwyn saying my informations of m. lilburn to his knowledge are such as if they had been made of purpose to shame mee to all the world : i reply , had hee instanced in any one particular , i would have given a particular satistactory answer : but it may be m. walwyn means that which cretensis particularizes in pag. . of playing at cards , that 't is false that m. lilburn is a player at cards , and that hee protests hee never plaid a game at cards since his coming to london ; now i desire to ask cretensis , m. walwyn , m. lilburn , what they mean by since his coming to london , whether the first time of his coming to london when hee came a youth to be here an apprentice ( as many may take the words ) ? or since his last coming to london out of the army abou● twelve moneths ago ? or coming to london after some journey two or three months ago ? or which of the times he means since his coming to london : now if he speak and mean of the first , that hee hath not plaid at cards never since his coming to london when hee was a youth , i can prove that is false by good witnesses , and i know m. lilburn will confesse he hath plaid at cards since these warres : i can for a need tell him where , and when , and produce witnesses , but that needs not ; mr. lilburn ( on the . day of march last ) confessed to a citizen , though he had not played at cards since his coming to london ( keeping himself under that equivocation ) yet he plaid at cards severall times in * oxford : but if he mean since his last coming to london , which may be few months , or a few weeks ago , ( neither do i know how often m. lilburn may make journeyes , and return again to london ▪ ) that no whit infringes the truth of my relation concerning him ; for i did not say he plaid at cards this month or two ; but if he have often plaid at cards since hee was a great sectary , and a stickler against the presbyterians and the reformed churches within this yeer , two , or three of the contestation against the presbyterian government , that makes good what i have said of him ; and in common acception that man may be truely said , and is so called to be one who is a player at cards , that yet playes not every week nor month ( not having opportunities , nor his many occasions at some times permitting him ) but only once a yeer , at the ordinary time of playing at cards , and when he is at leisure , and meets with company for it : now if lieutenant col. lilburn would play often at cards when he was prisoner in oxford in his affliction , and among the cavaliers , the enemies of reformation , ( both which are great aggravations of the fact ; for , if a man be afflicted , saith saint iames , let him pray , not play at cards ; and a man among enemies , and those who hate reformation and strictnesse , had need walk more circumspectly , and be more exact because of the reproach of the enemy , and who no question from thence took occas●on both to strengthen themselves in their loose walking , and to speak evill of the wayes of god ) i know no reason but a man may without breach of charity judge he will play at cards now he is at liberty , and among his brethren the sectaries . and so much for the present by way of reply to m. walwyn . as for cretensis the cretian , aliàs mr. goodwin , hee is a man who expresses so much pride , arrogancie , malice , wrath , jearing , and scoffing not only at me and my books , and some few fa●ithfull ministers and servants of god , but against all presbyterians assembled or not assembled in england , scotland , france and ireland , coming forth just like goliath , railing and defying the armies of the living god , that i have much ado to keep my selfe from answering him according to his folly , and beating him with his own weapon , difficile est s●tyram●on scribere , and my indignation to see the unworthinesse and insolencie of the man much provokes me . but i consider what becomes me as a minister of the gospel to do in such a case , rather then what he hath deserved , and therefore shall passe by his railings , and scoff● , not rendring evill for evill , or railing for railing , but contrariwise blessing , knowing that i am thereunto called : and instead of railing and vilifying master goodwin , i will a little expostulate with him ; m. goodwin , will you never leave your scoffing and scorning , your reviling and reproaching of all men , stuffing your pages with great swelling words , and filling whole leaves with nothing but jeers and multitude of six footed words instead of reasons and arguments ? will you by all your writings and preachings make good that title which by way of reproach was first given to you , namely , the great red dragon of coleman-street ? will you still speak as a dragon , and dragon like flie fiercely in the faces of all , spitting your poyson and venome against all , casting fire-brands every where ? will you alwayes use your mouth to speak great things and blasphemies , and open your mouth in blasphemy against god , his name and his tabernacle , as you have done in your books of controversie ? will you never learn to be meek and lowly , to deny your passion , speak as a lamb , and repent of your deeds ? let me tell you , that if you belong to god , this spirit of yours , and the way of managing things in your books of m.s. theomachia , answers to mr prynne , cretensis will cost you dear , and you will be saved as by fire . for my part instead of reproaching and scoffing you ( though not for want of matter , cretensis being a very fruitfull subject for a man to exercise his wit upon ) all i will do either in this brief , or in my full and large reply shall be to draw to one head all the errours and strange wayes cretensis holds and hath walked in , by which if ( god wil ) he may be ashamed and truly humbled , and his spirit saved in the day of christ , or however , that godly weak christians may know him as a dangerous erroneous man , and avoid him : all i will say now ( reserving particulars , and the proofs of them till my full reply ) shall be this , that cretensis hath an hereticall wit , and holds many wicked opinions , being an hermorphradite and a compound of an arminian , so●inian , libertine , anabaptist , &c. and in regard of some strange opinions he hath held many years , and others that in time he might fall unto ( which in the presbyterian way he could never enjoy with quiet , nor have liberty to propagate them ) therefore he took sanctuary in independency , falling from our church , and the presbyteriall government ( which a little before the first sittting of the assembly , he held to be most agreeable to the word of god ) unto the independent way , as that wherein he might with more safty enjoy the opinions ; and left cretensis should score up this fo●a● lye , as he hath done many truths ; which before i have done with him , i shall make apparent to all , i do here give the reader a true copie of a narrative sent me from a godly humble learned minister subscribed with his own hand , which fully proves the matter i have now spoken of . a narrative of certaine words uttered by mr. iohn goodwin minister of coleman-street , not long before the assembly sate . the said mr goodwins judgement being consulted as concerning the point of church-government : his answer was to this effect , that in his judgement he approved of the presbyterian government as being most agreeable to the word of god , yet in fine added that he thought , that the way of inpendency would better suit and fit him in regard of some private and singular tenents that he held ▪ this minister subscribes his name at length under these foregoing lines , and writes as followes . master edwards let me request you not to bring my name upon the stage in print to attest this businesse for divers reasons best known to my self : i say no more , verbum sat sapienti . yours in all offices of love . and therefore though in this , as in any other particulars , i set not down the names in print , yet am i far from forgery or lying , or those ministers from being afraid to justifie their letters , as cretensis would insinuate to the reader ; pag. . . but i conceive the reasons why this minister and many others , though they are willing to witnesse truth , and to communicate their intelligence about the sectaries , yet for the present do desire to have their names concealed . . because they live among many sectaries and independents , some whereof being in place both in towns and countries may do them no good offices , but may much molest and trouble them ; and therefore unlesse some great good might come by witnessing publikely , which might countervaile their hazard , as suppressing ☞ the conventicles of the sectaries , the spreading of erroneous opininons , and punishing some of the rabbies and ring-leaders , they are unwilling to venture themselves by being brought upon the stage in print . . because some live in places where part of our armies lie , or may come : now many souldiers being sectaries , and violent for their opinions , if they should meet with any ministers named in print , giving me intelligence , it were as much as the spoiling of them and their families ; and where are they that do or will secure them from such violence ? there are too many examples of ministers being in danger , as m. andrews was ; and therfore i deal plainly , i have been spoken to by word of mouth , and sent unto from some ministers in the country not to name them in my books , because , if the army , or some parts of it come that way , they shall be undone , which is a satisfying answer to all rationall men , for my concealing their names , especially to all those who understand the state of things , and observe how powerfull the faction of the sectaries is . now before i come to give a particular answer to the most materiall objections made against my book , i shall premise these sixteen observations upon cretensis , or a briefe answer , &c. which to every judicious and unprejudiced reader will ( i make no question ) give a great deale of satisfaction , and serve for a precious antidote against the venom and rancor of the cretian . obs. . i desire the reader to observe the hand of god in leaving m. goodwin so to himself in writing this pamphlet as to suffer his own pride , passion , rage and malice so far to blind him , as to name his own book ( and therein himself cretensis ) giving himself the name of lyar , as is manifested by the title of the book cretensis , or a brief a●swer to an ulcerous treatise &c. so that the brief answer to an ulcerous treatise is cretensis , not the treatise published by master edwards , which is made by master goodwin contradistinct to cretensis , so that if m goodwin understands plain english , common sense , and knows how to range his parts of speech in a sentence , &c. let him in his rejoynder to my reply deny it if he can , and truly t is admirable ( and i cannot but admire the wisdome and goodnesse of god wherein men deale proudly to be above them ) that this great rabbi , and seraphicall doctor , who comes forth like goliah , challenging all the presbyterians assembled or not assembled , carrying himself with that disdain and scorne towards me , just as goliah to little david , filling up some of his pages with scornings of me , as that i cannot writ true english , put the nominative case and verb together , speak common sense , nor give the english sense of a latin sentence , should himself in the very first words he writes prove himself such an ignoramus both in the latin and english , as to give himself the title of notorious lyar , namely , * cretensis , or a brief answer ; &c. and as the man doth it in the frontispice of his book , so in the book it self , as in pag. . where he would make me a lyar in that relation of cosens of rochester ; in the very entrance into it he stumbles , giving his own relation the lye , as the reader may perceive by these words , cretensis speaking of what was reported to me that cosens should say of christ , saith , let this be the first lye in this catalogue , the man neuer said it , so that he makes it a * lye that cosen 's never said it : now if this be a lye that cretensis never said so , then by the rule of contraries , 't is a truth that he spoke it ; and however cretensis may meane otherwise , if the man knew how to bring it out , yet the best that can be made of it , is , that this great cri●ick , who for want of matter , falls upon my words , making me to speak false english , nonsense , and to be ignorant in putting the nominative case and verb together regularly in english , is himself ever and anon tardy in false english , nonsense , not putting the nominative case and verb regularly together , of which i could give ( if i had no materiall things against cretensis , nor nothing else to do but to pick straw● ) many instances both in this and other of his books ; but i will name only one , and that in this businesse of cosens apealing to cretensis himself , where in this following sentence , his relation here reports that one cosens of rochester in kent , that iesus christ was a bastard , is the verb for the nominative case ; and whether m. goodwin hath well ranged his parts of speech in this sentence , and put the nominative case and verb together regularly in english ? besides adde unto this what followes hoc primum : let this be the first lye in this catalogue , the man never said it : whether he hath framed the structure of a period according to the common rules of reason , grammar , and common sense ; but to put a period to this first observation , let the reader take notice that in the thing wherein the man hath sinned ( his principall designe being this by all his art , flourishes and fallacies to render me a falsifier and a lyar to the world ) in that god hath punished him , suffering him to give himself the name of cretensis , alwaies lyar , by which name he will be known and called as long as he lives , and after he is dead also . obs. . m. cretensis answer in the whole frame , drift , and in all the strains of it is so carried ( if not formally yet virtually and equivalently ) to justifie and defend all the heresies , blasphemies , practises i have spoken against ; for what one of all the . errours or blasphemies is spoken against , disavowed or condemned in cretensis answer , but rather all along throughout the pamphlet , the errours , heresies , &c. are slighted , made nothing of , put off with jears , scoffs , and great swelling words of vanity ; yea , in a sort denied , as if there were none such , and in fine , both cretensis conscience and wanton wit are prostituted and stretched upon tenter-hooks to finde evasions and tricks to bring off without losse all sorts of sectaries and opinions ; as for instance , cretensis palliats and daubes with untempered morter , the errours , heresies , blasphemies , &c. with such kind of devices as these following : that he could make a discovery of as many errours and heresies together in me alone , and that the most orthodox presbyterian under heaven ( no nor independent neither ) errours not much beneath the like rate or number of errours and mistakes of religion , that he marvails how m. edwards could stay his pen at so small a number as . and did not advance to ten thousand times ten thousand , &c. that if i will own the verdict of as learned and ingeneous a pen as ever wrot on my side , ( cretens . pag. . ) i must release the better half of the prisoners , and instead of . errours and heresies write down four score , and that for twenty ( cretens . pag. . ) and ten of those opinions which i have impeached of errours and heresie ( and he will not say for how many more ) he casts the glove to whosoever will take it up to bring them off with the honour of truth ; besides cretensis makes a sixfold deduction from the catalogue of errours and heresies , ( cretens . pag. . ) and pleades formerly , and in terminis for some of the errours ; lastly also he so minces and extenuats the whole contents of my book , ( cretens . p. . p. . ) that when all the accused ones shall have time and opportunity to stand forth , and plead their innocency , ( cretens . pag. . ) there will be very little truth found remaining in any thing reported by me , except in such things as are transgressions against no law ; and indeed the whole answer is in one kind or other a continued pleading for baal , and a calling error truth , and darknesse light. o the wretchednesse and wickednesse of cretens . whereas for these abominations of the errours , heresies , blasphemies of our times , ( known too well to all the kingdome ) he should have sat down astonied , mourning and sighing , rending his heart , crying out , my bowels my bowels , i am pained at the heart ; the man makes a sport and mock of them to make himself & the independent sons of ieroboam who are of his own constitution merry with them , using also several artifices & sophistications to elude the truth . and tho this be very sad that such a man as cretens . who pretends to so much saintship and holynesse should do thus , or indeed any man who hath but the name of a christian , yet i cannot but observe a good hand of god in this as well as in the former , thus to leave him as to shame him before all the world , many besides my self taking notice and speaking of this in cretens . how without all distinction he speaks for , & most shamefully excuses all kind of errors , heresies , blasphemies , antitrinitarians , ar●ians , antiscripturists , &c. not finding any one error or person throughout my book worthy to be blamed ; but in this we find no strange thing , for that scripture must be fulfilled , as for such as turn aside unto their crooked wayes , the lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity . obs. . cretensis throughout his whole answer , without excepting any one man makes al those erroneous persons saints , faithful servants of god , &c. whom i have mentioned in my catalogue , and though most of the instances in my relations , where i name persons and insist somewhat largely upon them , be of most dangerous men , & of men holding most abominable horrid errors and blasphemous , opinions , as writer , webb , clarkson , hich , marshall , &c. yet doth not cretensis condemn , speak against any one of them , or separate the vile from such as may be pretious among the lower sort of sects , but bundles them up among the saints , speaking of the s t s the s t s , whose nakednes m. edwards being of satans councel , hath laid open , & spread a table for satan with the shame and sorrows of the saints , so that in cretensis kalender ( cretens . p. . ) antitrinitarians , antiscripturists , arrians , socinians , perfectists , are canonised for s t s as well as independents , brownists , and anabaptists , and a man may find there st best , st wrighter , st webb , st hieb , st clarkson , &c. as well as st goodwin and his church ; and no question if saint best shall suffer by the parliaments authority , for his damnable heresies and blasphemies he sha'l be a martyr too as well as a saint in cretensis kalender , and be reckoned the protomartyr of the sectaries ; and in this the reader may observe how cretens . ( no question against his own intention ) whilst the main scope of his pamphlet is to make gang●aena a lying book , confirms the truth of many passages related in it , namely the independents holding with all other sects , not dividing from them , pleading for them upon all occasions , strengthn●ng their hands , bringing them off from danger , &c. all which cretens . in many pages of his book makes good , and though he had a fair occasion upon the coming out of gangraen● to have casheired many out of their number ( there being so many foul sects and sectaries discovered ) and can never come off with honour for not taking it , yet 't is evident cretensis will not loose any one sort of sects or any one sectary , but joyns them with himself and his own church , the saints , the faithfull servants of god , and such like . obs. . cretensis out of his pride , and in his rage casts fi●e brans every where , abusing and having a fling at all he comes near , or takes an occasion to speak of , and that not only particular single persons of approved integrity and abilities , but whole societies , as the honourable court of common-councell , p. . calling them brethren in iniquity with me , for representing in their petition to the parliament , that there were * e'even meetings at least of sectaries in one parish in this city , yea and all presbyterians assembled and not assembled : had cretensis only abused and scorned me , a poor weak thimblefull of dust , that in his account knowes not how to range parts of speech in a sentence , nor to put the nominative case and verb together regularly in english ; i could have born it , and passed it by , as i have done many of the like kind ; but who can without a check , suffer this proud man to slight and scorn all kind of worthy men , as if all wisdome and understanding dwelt in him alone . obs. . cretensis in severall places of his book abuses sctipture ( bringing that in to serve his turn to make j●st ; and scoffs upon me and others , as in pag. . . &c. 't is a great iniquity in me ( as cretensis would make it ) to abuse his saints , but no fault in him to make jests upon the scripture . obs. . cretensis pamphlet consists of little else but great swelling words of vanity , jears , scoffs , bitter reproaches , long-winded sentences , preambles , circumlocutions , and multitude of words without waight and matter , so that if a man substract all these , what remains ? certainly all the matter , reason and strength of this book may be writ in a gold ring , and there will hardly be enough to fill a poor weak thimblefull of dust ; as for example , what ado doth cretens . make , speaking over and over the same things , spending whole pages and leaves upon that which he might have spoken & answered to in three or four lines ; as about bowling on dayes of thanksgiving , he runs out from pag. to . and so carps at the word meeting in pag. , . now 't is an evident signe the man could not find matter of exception in gang● ▪ to work upon , that he so catches at words and phrases ; no man who is in his wits , and hath good employments , will spend his time in picking of strawes and catching flies . obs. . cretensis if not formally and in so many words , yet vir●ually doth animate and stir up the sectaries to fall upon me , dealing by me in opposing the errors of the sectaries , just as the jesuits and papists do against those who write and preach against their way , telling some of their seduced followers , it will be a meritorious work to kill such , and take them out of the way ; and if cretensis do not so , what mean these words p. . and let mr. edwards know , and let his conscience and compeers know , that whatsoever he shall suffer , whether from his sectaries or others in this bloudy negotiation , he shall suffer not as a christian , nor with christ , but as a malefactor and an evil-doer ; implying , that if the sectaries mischief or kill me for my book 't is but an act against a malefactor and an evill-doer . obs. . cretensis takes upon him to set out a book which he cals an answer to a treatise lately published by mr. edwards called gangraena , and yet in this answer * professes that he hath not read one quarter of the book as ye● , and * that he hath neither leasure nor opportunity to search to the bottome , or sift to the bran ; all that the man storieth per se and per alios in his gangraena . now i think these are the only true passages in the book ; for had cretensis read the book thorough , and well laid to heart the contents of it , and compared one thing with another which i say in my book , i think he would never have written such an answer , nor belched out such unsavory passages against it ; i beleeve if cretensis had read it thorough , there are such sad and serious passages in many places of the book as would have awed his conscience ; but in the mean time how well becoming such a learned deep rabbi and wise man as cretensis would be thought to be , 't is to write an answer to a book , and to professe he n●ver read one quarter of it , i leave to all rationall men to judge , and to cretensis himself upon a review : i had thought master woodwards folly spoken of by many for giving his censure and judgment upon my antapoligie before he read it over ( only dipping here and there ) would have been a warning to other men . master edwards as weak a poor thimblefull of dust as he is , not knowing according to cretensis grammar , how to put the nominative case and verb together , &c. would have been ashamed to have had so little wit or reason , as to make an answer to a book , and in that to declare to all the world he never read a fourth part of it , but i cannot but take notice of the good hand of god in befooling mr. goodwin in this , as in many other passages of his answer to cause him to proclaim thus his own shame and folly to the world . obs. . great cretens a deep divine , a teacher of teachers ( as some cry him up ) the great lying oracle of the sectaries , yet further 〈◊〉 out his own shame and folly in saying the far greatest part of the particulars detected mi●e obserued by others , and presented to him . ( creten● . p. . ) is not this a strange and new way of answering books , for men to take up things upon trust from others , to go by an implicite faith , and not to see with their own eyes , nor examine things themselves , especially for a man upon things observed by others , to make such a mighty businesse and to carry matters in such a scornfull triumphing way positively charging a book with lying forgery , &c. as cretensis doth ? what if cretensis saints , who observed and presented matters to him , ( being parties ) should out of weaknesse , in judiciousnesse , or partiall affection , if not malice and wilfulnesse mistake and pervert my sayings , where is cretensis then ? i must tell cretensis the poor weak thimbleful of dust , so scorned by him as not worthy to carry his books after him , doth not use to make answers to books without reading one quarter of them , but before he sets forth answers , he reads them many times over , laying and comparing one thing with another , neither takes he any thing upon trust from other mens observations which he writes as his own , or can come to see with his own eyes . should mr. edwards in writing any of his books , or in this last have taken cretensis slight course , there 's no question but before this time mr. edwards had heard after another manner , and in another way of his books then he hath , especially of his antapologie and gangraena ; but the poor weak thimblefull of dust , that knows not how to range his parts of speech in a sentence , &c. hath more brains in this then the bushel full of dirt , who though cretensis have more guts and garbage and be better bodied yet in the opinion of wise men will be thought to have lesse understanding , and fewer brains in expressing himselfe so as he hath done . obs. . all the materials and ground-works cretensis makes use of and goes upon in his answer to gangrae . to disprove the truth of things related by me ( as the reader may observe ) are either the testimonies of the parties themselves , as overton , cosens , kiffin , lilburn , mr. burroughs , &c. ( which in their own case are little to be credited ; and if according to cretens . ( p. ) rule it be no regular processe in law , to ask my fellow whether i be a theif , then sure 't is no good o●e to ask a mans self if he be a theif ) or doubtful dark answers to matters of fact , that may be taken in divers senses just like the answers of the lying oracles , of wch there are many instances , as in that of lilbur ▪ playing at cards with many others , or else his witnesses wil be found to be sectaries , anabaptists , apprentice boyes , or parties interested , or such like ; ( cretens . p. ) as for instance in mr. ricrofts letter , whereas my proofs of things will be found to be of another nature , most of the greatest things laid down in my catalogue known to my self and many , many , the books being extant to prove them , and most of my witnesses will be found to be godly able ministers , and other eminent , sound , substantial christians , and the worst of them of more repute , more likely to know things they reported then the best of yours ( excepting mr. burroughs , whom yet i shall prove to have forgot himself in writing that paper set down by you page . ) beside , the persons whom i had relations from , had no reason to speak things out of partiality , prejudice , but only the naked truth , many things being related to others as well as to me ; besides , few of them who writ or related these matters , did them out of any design against the sectaries , but only in a way of declaring , and bewailing to what passe things were come ; and if to all these be added what cretensis himself grants , page . one affirmative testimony is more valid in law , then many negative , all that mr. goodwin hath alleaged by way of answer is to little purpose . observ. . that those very things cretensis charges me with either in my antapology , or gangraena ( though most unjustly ) as forgery , lying , jugling , bitternesse , malice , bloody negotiation against the saints , taking up reports , and printing them upon weak and slight grounds , obscene scurrilous writing , contradictions , false english , nonsense , with such like ; the man himself , as in other of his books , so also in this , is most faulty , as the judicious reader may observe more or lesse in one of these kindes or other throughout the whole book , 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. . 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. . cretensis iust cretian like fastens that upon me in my gangraena , affirming i say that which i do not , as in pag. . sect. . and doth father opinions upon me , meerly from the leaving out of a word or two by the printers over-sight , cretens . pag. . ( 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. . 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. . 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. . and then leaps to . taking another there , and from p. . leaps back to p. . 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. . cretensis gives that reason why my antapology hath not been answered in . moneths , because the way by which light and truth should go forth into the world , was hedg'd up by clergy , classique councel● , 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. . 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 sw●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 , ●●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 he●●e th●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 he will be another david george , francken , socinus , and be canonized for a saint amongst those of munster , rae●conia , &c. quest. but it may be demanded by some , what 's the matter , and what are the causes that such venomour ran●●rous books as mr. goodwins cretensis ; &c. are printed , and so many hard speeches in city and countrey daily uttered against master edwards and his late book intituled gangraena , is it not a book full of lyes , nothing but lyes ? is it not a book full of venom and malice against the saints and faithful servants of god , calling for fire and sword against the saints ? ans. 't is a book full of truth , as will appear in the replyes i give to the particular exceptions made against it , and have in part cleared already , and a book of so much truth , that i believe no book written this hundred years , having so much variety and particularity in it , will be found to have more ; and for the proof of the truth , and reality of the errors , &c. contained in it , i have expressed my self at large ( as foreseeing the sectaries would call it a book of lyes ) in my gangraena , pag. , , , . and as 't is not a book of lyes , so neither of bitternesse , nor of speaking evil of the saints , but a book free from railing , evil speaking , against the saints and servants of god , which at large in twelve several particulars in my full reply coming after this book i shew : but no judicious christian need wonder at it that the sectaries generally give out so , for they have nothing else left to say for themselves , and to help their desperate cause , so much discovered and wounded as 't is by gangraena ; and what do they do in this case , but as the jesuits and papists did by mr. foxes book of martyrs , give out it was a book of lyes , and writ books to disprove some matters of fact , taking advantage from some mistakes in circumstances about names , places and such like , to cry it down ; and yet all the protestants know it was full of truths , and is of precious esteem in the church of god. just so do the sectaries now by my book ; and many of them , that they might possesse the people the more against it , and make that imputation , that ▪ 't is full of lyes , gain credit with the people , have invented many lyes and stories , which they formally tell up and down the city and countrey for certain ( and i can produce several witnesses to prove this , namely ministers and others , who have come to me and to others to know the truth of them ) as that some of the independent ministers have been with me , mr. g. mr. b. and have convinced me of some lyes in my book , as that same of the souldiers out of the army , have been with me about the story of mr. andrews , and proved it false to me , as that one whom i name in my book and speak of , as having some relation from the mans own mouth , coming to me about it , i confessed i knew him not , nor never saw him before , with some other such ; all which are meer lyes and fictions of the sectaries , ( so wicked and cunning are they in their generation to uphold their tottering babel ) to prejudice christians from reading and considering my book . but good reader , however falshood and slandering of men , is pretended the great cause of speaking so against me and my book ; the true cause of all the hatred is , because there is so much truth in it : many men who answer nothing to it , and others who have appeared in writing to disprove the truth , know themselves and others too guilty , and that in other passages where they are not named , and know that i know and can prove it , and that vexes them to the heart ; but were it indeed ( as many of them against their consciences give out ) a book of lyes , they would not be so mad at it , but i should before this time a day by some of my good friends the sectaries have heard of them after another manner , and i● another place then yet i have done : but in a word , i apprehend these three following reasons , as principal causes both in cretensis and others , of their appearing against me in so much wrath , fury and rage . . a vial is poured out upon the sun , the glory of their prime men is darkned , both by the antapology and gangraena , they who made themselves as the sun in the firmament of the church , are found , by these books , not only to be as the moon full of spots , subject to like weaknesse as other men , but to be in the ecclipse , fuller of blots then others ; yea , their sun is turned into darknesse , and their moon in●o blood , and they who would have been thought to have been the only saints , nay angels dropt from heaven with new gospel , new light , and new revelations , do evidently appear ( by what i have written ) to all men who have not sacrificed the principles of their ingenuity upon the gainful service of the * independent faction , to be strange kinde of saints , if saints . the best of them appear to be spots in the profession of religion ; but for many among them , who yet are cried up to the heavens , they have corrupted themselves , their spot is not the spot of his children : they are a perverse and crooked generation . now they being men proud , high-minded , impatient of any check and contradiction in their way , who thought alone to have had the repute among the people for sanctity , holinesse , and to have been idolized by them , and the contrary being so clearly demonstrated by many particular instances and proofs given in my books , no wonder that they are so mad , and rage against me , and finding their kingdom full of darknesse , that they gnaw their tongues for pain . . by my books , especially gangraena , many sectaries being so discovered by name , and places of abode , laid open in several of their opinions and ways , will not be able for the future to do so much hurt and mischief among the people ; their sheeps skins are by this pull'd over the wolves ears , and many will now shun and be afraid of them , who before knew them not ; and this disappointment of infecting and corrupting others , vexes and mads them to the heart . . their way and design must needs suffer much by this last book in the esteem of all the churches , and all the godly persons who are unprejudiced , yea , and of all fair ingenuous men , who before ( many at least not knowing the depths of satan ) might think well of them ; whereas now many of them upon reading my book , have lifted up their hands and blest themselves , to think what kinde of creatures these sectaries are , saying , if independents and anabaptists be such kinde of men , do such things as this book shews , god keep us from being such ; we had some good opinion of their way , but if they be such merchants , and have such tricks and wayes as mr. edwards layes down , we will be none of them . cretensis design , next unto that of rendring my book and all i relate in it to be false and untrue , is this ; the aspersing me and my antapology and gangraena with such weaknesse and want of all learning , as if i understood neither latin nor english , nor knew not how to speak or write reason , common sense , or to frame the structure of a period according the common rules of grammar , but were a profound ignoramus , and so altogether unfit to take upon me the confutation of errors ; and this he insists upon in several pages of his pamphlet or answer . cretens . p. , , , . reply . now in this , what doth cretensis else but play the jesuit and arminian , in stead of solid answers , thus to flight , vilifie me and my books , that being just the way they took against such books as were too hard for them , and knew not how to answer , as dr. twiss's books against arminians , &c. but whatsoever cretensis in his rage casts upon me and my writings , my books will speak for me and themselves in the gates ; having the testimony of many learned and godly men both of this and other churches , at home , and beyond the seas ; and could i without blushing and all suspition of praising my self , relate the passages in letters , messages sent me , speeches by word of mouth from great divines , both at home and from abroad , concerning my antapology and gangraena , and that not only of particular men apart , but of many in a body both in city and countrey , as a common joynt act , besides expressions that have faln from some independents , and independentis●● concerning me , my studies in the controversies of the church way , and some of my books ( as a speech of mr. thomas goodwin spoken to a minister one mr. t. and others then present upon occasion of some independents slighting me , and my first book , as cretensis doth here ; yea , passages out of some of mr. iohn goodwins answers to mr. prynne , concerning me and my antapology ) it would be a full confutation of all cretensis hath said against me in this matter ; yea , a clear conviction that all words of this kinde , are nothing else but the venting of his spleen and passion against me and my books : but all i will say by way of answer to cretensis reproaches of this nature , is , . the quick sale these books had , being bought up by learned and judicious men of all ranks , the last book gangraena being now in the presse the third time within lesse then two moneths , unto which adding the greatnesse of the book , consisting of so many sheets , with the not being exposed to sale by setting up titles in all places of the city , at church doors , exchange , &c. like wine that needs no bush ( though all ways under heaven were used by the sectaries to blast it ) is an evident argument 't is not such a weak nonsense piece as cretensis speaks of ▪ for in these times when the presse is so thronged with such variety of books , and many excellent pieces come forth , more then men can read , judicious understanding men have somthing else to do with their money and time , then to buy and read books full of nonsense , contradictions , and whose authors know not how to range their parts of speech in a sentence , nor how to put the nominative case and verb together regularly in english. . i will here give the reader a true copy of a letter to a tittle , sent me from eight and twenty ministers out of one county in this kingdom , whose joynt judgement upon my antapology and grangraena , may serve with every indifferent reader to ballance , yea , to weigh down cretensis . to our reverend friend mr. thomas edwards minister of the gospel . sir , wee cannot but acknowledge the great service you have done for the church of god , by interposing your self against the growing schisms and heresies of these times : and upon conference had thereof at our weekly meetings here , we have thought it our part to contribute somewhat to your incouragement , by testifying how great acceptance your labors find among us ; who give thanks to god for you and your zeal to his truth , expressed not only in your usual sermons , but especially in your antapology and gangraena , by which you are well known to us all ; and we earnestly desire that you will continue the same endeavors for the maintenance of the truth , and opposing of errors . and as we are very sensible of the great discouragements you are like to meet withal , so we shall the more heartily commend you , and the successe of your labors to gods protection and blessing , resting your loving brethren and fellow-labourers in the ministery march . . unto this letter the hands of twenty eight ministers are subscribed ; but i forbear the printing of them , as i do the county where they live , to avoid all danger which might come to any of them from printing their names , if some sectaries in the army come that way , as they are likely to do . now in my reply to particulars laid down in cretensis , i shall apply my self chiefly to justifie and make good those relations in gangraena , excepted against by cretensis , reserving other things in his answer to my fuller reply , which cretensis ( god willing ) shall be sure of , and that to the full . cretens . pag. . labours by all his rhetorick and many words to insinuate to the reader , how in writing of my book gangraena , i have said all , and the worst i can of the independents and sectaries , & that whilst i charge them only with such and such crimes , i do not so much charge them with these , as acquit and discharge them from all others , and that there 's no reasonable man but will abate and deduct , and that to a good proportion from such reckonings and accounts , &c. much lesse will he judge such accounts short or defective in particulars ; and that mr. edwards hath but faintly informed the world how vile and bad the sectaries are , but hath justified and acquitted them from all other crimes and imputations of any worse resentment or import then those wherewith he afflicted them , and consequently hath represented them to the world , as better and far more deserving , then far the greatest part of his own presbyterian generation . reply . however , mr. edwards , or the printer for him , may possibly in some places of his book print none of the truest english , yet i am sure cretensis in this page speaks none of the best sense nor reason that ever i read in my life , but every line and sentence is so slight and weak , that a man may look through and through it ; and the truth of it is , cretensis all along hath a multitude of bom-basted , starched words , priding himself therein , but seldom or never in all his answers hath he any thing else ; witnesse his answers to mr. walker , mr. prynne , and this present passage : and first for that which cretensis speaks here , the man makes good what he saith pag. . that he never read one quarter of my book , and that he took things upon trust , as observed by others ; for certainly had he read my book over , he could never have writ thus , that in charging the sectaries with these , i acquit them from all others crimes and imputations , and that i have represented them to the world , a better and far more deserving generation , then the far greatest part of the presbyterians . . because in divers pages of gangraena i expresly declare i have many more to lay to their charge , stiling this book but a praeludium and preparative to what 's behinde ; doth a man who accuses a guilty person at first but with two or three articles , and yet formally declares he hath many more , and upon every article pleads his liberty and power of additionals , justifie and acquit him from all others ? . had cretensis but read over my book , and considered what errors ▪ practises , blasphemies i speak of , to what a nature some of them amount , and of what a kinde they are , that there can hardly be worse , he would never have said i had dealt but faintly with the sectaries , and that the sectaries were a better and far more deserving generation then the presbyterians ; for if the far greatest part of presbyterians be worse ( or so bad ) either for doctrines , practises , &c. as i have proved many of the sectaries to be , then i must professe i will disclaim , and be the first that shall c●y out of them , and will never go about to plead for them as cretensis does for his sectaries . but supposing i had not declared my minde in this case , yet all that cretensis saith is in consequent without all strength of reason ; for therebe and are reserves when not thought of , and wise men always in all matters of accusations and reckonings will fear there 's more behinde , and suspect somthing worse , though not declared at first ; and i would ask cretensis , whether either in impeachments , or reckonings and accounts brought in to courts of justice against such and such men , though at first but part of the accusation be alleaged , whether the accused can be secure , they are justified with an high hand from all other crimes and imputations of any worse resentment or import ; and when one is impleaded and endicted upon the la●ter , this be a good plea in law , to say he is free , because they were not mentioned at first ; much lesse then will it hold in cases where there was a formal declaration and caution entred , that such articles were but a preparatory and not the whole matter . cretensis pag. . makes two challenges , casting his glove the first and second time to me ; first as to matter of practise , look of what crimes or miscarriages soever i have with any truth impeached the sectaries , he will produce both as many for number , foul ( yea far more foul ) for nature perpetrated and done by a far lesse number of presbyterians ; yea and that he will give another manner of account of the reality and truth of what he brings upon the stage in this kinde . secondly , for matter of opinion , that he will discover and finde out as many errors and heresies , and those of every whit as dangerous an import , to be at this day in a far lesse number of the classique party ; yea that he could make a discovery of as many errors and heresies in me alone ; and that he doth not think the most orthodox presbyterian under heaven , nor independent neither , erres much beneath the like number of errors . reply . i accept these challenges , and do take up the glove both the first and second time , rechallenging and defying cretensis to make them good ; and by these ungodly challenges made by him out of his great care and love of errors , to strengthen the hands of hereticks , least they should suffer losse , were he iohn of gaunt , and his glove iohn of gaunts gantlet , i would take it up , and first of all reply to cretensis , the man speaks he knows not what . cretensis not having read one quarter of my book , as himself professes , knows not what crimes or miscarriages , heresies and blasphemies , with the way of making them good , i charge the sectaries with : and yet he will at random , and blindefold undertake to finde as many in a far lesse number of my classique proselytes and party . o what will not this man say , so it may make for the independent party : surely he will startle at nothing who dares speak thus : can you produce as many blasphemies against christ , the scriptures , &c. and finde as many horrid opinions in presbyterians as i have proved to be in sectaries ? where will you finde among the presbyterians , such as hich , wrighter , web , clarkson , marshal , nichols , den , oats , cretens . cum multis aliis ; as for the condition cretens . propounds , upon which he will make good his undertaking , and out at which he hopes to escape , to salve his lying , i do for my own part accept it , and am ready freely and candidly to declare my minde and judgement in all points of religion , and shall perswade others also to do the like : but of this more in my full reply , where i shall shew the fallacy and shift of cretensis in this ; only for the present the reader may observe he puts in these conditions , that so he may provide a sanctuary for all kinde of hereticks and erroneous persons , a a place of retreat for himself one way or other to come off these challenges , which in the plain open field he foresaw he could never do . cretensis page . among other his artifices and devices to weaken the credit of the truth of those matters laid down in gangraena against the sectarian party , labors to possesse the reader , that for saving of my own repute , and to prevent , as much as might be , the thorough examination of the greatest part of what gangraena represents by way of disparagement to the independent party , i printed so many letters without the names of their authors ; and upon this cretensis goes on vaporing and forging in his heretical brain , certain reasons of my concealing the names of the authors of the letters , and in sum , would render me to the reader , a man to be suspected of jugling and forgery , and the letters to be void of all truth . reply . as for that fallacy of cretensis , whereby he labors to delude the reader , infinuating that the letters contain the greatest part of what gangraena represents by way of disparagement to the independent party , and those letters being without names , the names were concealed on purpose for fear of examination of the truth of the letters , and so the letters containing the greatest part of disparagement against the sectaries , the sectaries are as it were at once cleared from what gangraena faith against them ; i say only this . that cretensis is a man of that impudence and large conscience , that he will say any thing , so it may make for the sectaries , and against the presbyterians ; for the letters are not neither in number of sheets the tenth part of gangraena , neither contain they the tenth part of the discovery of the errors , heresies , practises , &c. beside , some things in the letters are of another nature , and to one of the letters is annexed a confutation of the matter contained in it , consisting of two whole leaves of those few sheets , within a few lines . . as for that of jugling and forgery which cretensis would put upon me , the man measures me by himself and his party , because that he and some of his party are used to juggle and possibly forge letters and news , invent and give our many things which never were ; have with the jesuits their piae fraudes to advance their catholike cause , therefore he thinks so of me ; but i blesse god i am a plain man , hating equivocations , mental reservations , plots , underminings of men , playing under-board , carrying things in the clouds ; i count honesty the best policy , and faithful plain dealing the greatest wisdom , and the independents will finde it so in the end , however for a while they prosper by their shufling tricks , devices , policies , as strafford , canterbury , and others did before them . . to come to the main charge of concealing the names of those who writ me letters , and all the inferences drawn from thence : i answer , i have already given some reasons for it , and do adde these unto them ; most of the men who writ the letters , writ them not for that end to be printed , knew not of , nor imagined no such matter , neither did i acquaint them with it , and for me without their leave obtained to print their names to the world , i could not do it , keeping unviolated the rules of friendship , besides i well understood that were a way to cut off correspondency and intelligence for the future , if i should print mens names publikely to the world , writing in a private way to me : of all the letters written to me , there were two only which i expressed to the authors i would print them , and acquainted them with my purpose , whose names notwithstanding ( excepting the two first letters subscribed ) i concealed with the rest for company : but now that i may overthrow cretensis proposition , and his inferences , his foundation , and his superstructures , i shall name most of them who writ the letters to me and others , as also from whose hands i received those letters which were printed by me , though not written to me . the first letter was written me from mr. strong , a member of the assembly of divines , who after he had told me by word of mouth the contents of this letter , promised to send it me in a letter , and i acquainted him then what use it was for , and he said he would justifie what he writ , and named others in whose presence master denne maintained these points . the second letter was written from master simon ford , to a member of the assembly master gower●s , from whose hands i received it , and told mr. gowers i should print it , to which he was willing , and since gangraena was printed , the author writes to me about his letter , that he will enlarge and confirm the particulars in that letter , and send it to me . the third letter was one master josiab ricrasts , who owns it , and hath been with me since cretensis came forth , and to my knowledge is drawing up an answer to cretensis , for so much as concerns that letter . the fourth letter was written by a weaver in somersetshire , one crab ( if i mistake , not the name ) and i received it from m. rosewal a city minister well known , who will own it , and make it good 't is such a mans : and thus i have given an account of the copies of all the whole letters printed by me : now for the extract of certain letters written to me & some other ministers , for seven of them , which are the greatest part of those extracted letters , namely all those which concern colchester and mr. ellis , or some others there ( of which letters mr. ellis himself writes thus to a friend in london ; the aspersions cast on me , and some others here by mr. edwards , are as false as foul ; which because they are a great part of his book and strength , those who are here concerned in it , will , if god please , shortly make reply , cretensis p. . ) he who writ them is not afraid of his name , neither was his name concealed for fear of an examination of the truth of the letters , as cretensis by reading this letter lately sent to me from him may understand , which i here print to a tittle . to my reverend and worthy friend mr. thomas edwards minister of the word of god. reverend sir , there is a passage in mr. iohn goodwins book , charging you with abusing mr. ellis of colchester , and the saints in those parts , and that he will shortly make reply to your false and foul aspersions . these are therefore to certifie you , that concerning those letters i writ unto you from colchester , i have them attested under the hands of many sufficient witnesses , each particular that is material being ayerred by three witnesses at least , and those of piety and judgement ; which attestations i shall keep by me to produce them upon fit occasions to iustifie those letters to the world . yet it is possible he will reply to those things as false and foul , or come off with distinctions and mental reservations ; but these things are so evident in this town , and much more then i writ unto you ( as his preaching for the pulling down of our churches , and other things that i can prove ) that his pamphlet will do him no good in this place . for it will not be the first time that he hath said & unsaid the same things here , denying and dissembling his opinions for advantage , as will be testified by many witnesses , by some of the honorable members of the house of commons , ministers , and others , godly and judicious christians : this i thought good to signifie for the present , recommending you to the grace of god , i rest your affectionate friend and fellow labour in the gospel rob. harmar . april . now by all this the reader may see what to judge of cretensis , and his false glosses and commentaries upon the letters printed in gangraena ; and had i cretensis railing scoffing rhetorick which he makes use of in this section , and in many other places of his book , i might spin out whole leaves in aggravation and scoring up of lyes , evil surmisings , bitter words scoff , and jeers expressed by cretensis upon occasion of the printed letters ; but i forbear to contend with him in this kind ; truth needs not such colors , though errors does to set it off . the hare relation of these things is a sufficient confutation of cretonsis ; and if the printed letters of which cretensis , master ellis , yea and master saltmars● make such a cry of forgerie , falsitie , dare abide the light , and their authors are ready to justifie them , the judicious reader by this may both judge of the truth of other things contained in gangraena , and of the folly and vanity of the rest of cretensis allegations against my book . as for the extract of four or five letters , whose authors names i have not yet mentioned , ther 's no one particular matter of fact , or relation of stories excepted against any of them ; the other letters whose authors i have named , are the foul offensive letters , and therefore i shall spare their names till the truth of the facts related in them be questioned by cretensis in a rejoynder : only for present i assert , i have the original letters by me under the hands of the ministers to produce , and further i make no question , if the evils spoken against in those letters might be remedied , and the proof censured according the nature of their offences , but the ministers who writ them would be ready to come up and own them in the sight of the sun , and prove a great deal more then they have written . and for a conclusion of my reply to this eight sect. of cretensis , had cretensis and his followers but a little presbyterian faith ( which sectaries so scoff at ) and ingenuity , out of all the particulars which i have nakedly and clearly laid down , they would believe that all the letters from first to last were neither forged , nor names conceal'd , for fear of the examination of the truth , nor because my name should be the greater , and rise better by being only known , but be ashamed of all that 's written in this section , especially considering master edwards hath brought all the names of the writers , challenged from out of the land of darknesse , into the land of light , and given such reason ( a● he hath ) for the former concealing of them . cretensis page ii. makes two challenges , casting the glove to whosoever will take it up ; and his first challenge is , that for thirty of those opinions impeached in my catalogue of error a●d heresie ( and he will not say for how many more ) he will undertake to bring them off with the honor of truth . secondly , for that error , viz. that faith in a proper sense is imputed to justification , and not christs righteousnesse ; he challenges all the presbyterians one after another , assembled , or not assembled in england , scotland and ireland to prove by scriptures , or by dint of argument either , that faith is not imputed in a proper sense . reply . the man from challenging me , page third , rises in his confidence to challenge all the world ( as if the man had learning and parts to deal with any man under heaven ) but cretensis needed not to have gone so far , i shall finde him near hand those who will deal with him without going into france , scotland and ireland ; for the first of these , i take up his glove again , and give him his liberty to name twenty and ten of those opinions , and as many more of them as he will , and do promise to enter into the lift with him , that he shall not prove them to be truths , and i expect he should make good his challenge out of hand , at least to set out in his rejoynder to my reply , which of the . errors he will take the tutoridge and patronage of ; and for the second , master roborough ( whom cretensis scoffs at pag. . by the name of servant and clerk ) takes up his glove , and desire me in my reply to signifie thus much unto him : for that jeer of master robor . holding his peace when master gataker hath spoken , his playing on servant and master , justice of peace and clerk , master robor . passeth it by as he hath much bad language from him in his vindication of master walker ; only he faith such gibing and jeering cost him nought ; it s said it runs in the blood , that he had it by tradition , from which is seems he is not yet redeemed for all his singular profession ; master roborough will not deal with him in that for shoe-buckles , cretensis shall have the preheminence ; yet doth he modestly desire an answer to his animadversions on m. goodwins book , and is ready to make his writing good , against cretensis and his complices in further writing , or by a dispute when and where cretensis pleaseth . this the man professeth who is meant in that jeer , the servant or clerk that must hold his peace . and as m. roborough gave me the precedent words in writing , under his hand ; so he added by word of mouth , that he challenges cretensis to dispute this point , about faith being imputed in a proper sense , where , when , before whom , and how he will , leaving him to nominate his own time , place , company , manner of dispute , either by writing or by word of mouth ; by scriptures or by dint of argument , in all which cretensis having this liberty , and so the advantage of him ; yet m. roborough will meet with him and dispute it as cretensis hath stated the question , and that before all the independents assembled or not assembled ; and master roborough much wonders cretensis should thus vapor , and in this point challenge all the presbyterians one after another assembled or not assembled in england , scotland , france and ireland , when as master roborough , who is but a scribe of that assembly , ( of which cretensis would fain have been a member , & as 't is thought by wise men , his great pride working upon discontent in m●ssing of that honor , was one of the greatest cecasions of his falling to independency ) professes that upon a conference & dispute with him , he found him weak , not able to hold his ground , and in a word , a very sorry disputant ; and master roborough offers in that controversie about the imputation of faith to justification , wherein cretensis boasts he is so versed as to challenge all men , ( it cretensis dare give him a meeting ) to manifest as much to all the world in the sight of the sun ; and for a conclusion of my reply to these two bravadoes of cretensis , i desire the reader to observe what an impudent braggadocio this man is , to m●ke new challenges , when as yet he hath not yet accepted of old , but lies miserably wounded both by his own pen , and several others , not having yet answered several books written against him , nor a book he promised above moneth ago to answer , and therefore my advise to cretensis is , first to answer these following books , viz. that of a quaere upon the covenant , and a letter from i. g. to t. g. master roboroughs book of justification written against him , master lanes a yong merchant against that error of natural men may do such things as whereunto god hath by way of promise annexed grace and acceptation , &c. dr. stewart against m. s. this reply to cretensis , and a larger reply already in the presse against cretensis and my antapologie , and after he hath answered all these from point to point , as becomes a scholar with reason and words of sobernesse , and not with rail●gs , scoffs , sixe footed words , then to make his new challenges , and defend . errors , and as many more as he will ( laid down in my catalogue ) and among others , for old acquaintance sake , that of imputation of faith. cretensis page . promises an answer to the antapologie shall be with me ere long ; and that he may abuse me , he abuses the scripture , playing upon that of amos . . resembling his answer to my antapologie to the day of the lord , the judgement of the . yeers captivity , me to the sons of belial ; his foretelling long ago of an answer , as to the prophets predictions of judgement , & that the answer to m. edwards antapol . will not be for his honor , &c. reply . belike i shall have a terrible thundring answer from cretensis , when as it shall be to me as the day of the sore judgement of the . years captivity to the sons of belial , who derided the predictions of the prophets , a day of darknesse , and not of light : i know not well what the man means by this , whether he intend not ( concluding by that time his answer comes abroad to my antapologie the cavaliers will be quite subdued ) to try by his interest if he cannot procure some part of the army call'd by cretensis and his disciples , the saints , the honest men , &c. to carry me into captivity , and to imprison me all my time in a dungeon , where i shall not see the son , nor be able to make no replies , nor never write against the sectaries any more ; this i confesse were like to prove as bad to me as the . yeers captivity to the jews , to be a day of darknesse indeed ; but as for any paper writing , an answer by reasons and words to be so to me like the . yeers captivity and a day of darknesse , i cannot imagine : i had thought cretensis answers would have been rather a day of new light to the world and to me , then a day of darknesse , especially considering what cretensis faith pag. . of light and truth : i am somewhat doubtful and suspitious of cretensis threatnings , because of the ill usage of some ministers by some souldiers , and of many words given out daily by too many of cretensis saints in our armies , against the presbyterian orthodox ministers : i cannot well tell what other construction to make of cretensis words , they are very doubtful and dangereous words ; what an answer , to be as the sore judgement of the . yeers captivity against the sons of belial , and to be darknesse and not light ? i have read & heard of such answers in matters of difference between great men , who instead of an answer in writing , or with an answer in writing have sent an army of ten or twenty thousand men ; and i must tell the reader what increases my fears , i cannot well tell how it first came into my head , but i have had a strong opinion this . moneths , and expressed it to divers , that my antapologie would never be answered till the independents had got that power one way or other as to cast me into prison , to seiz on all my papers and writings by which i should make good my proof , and then they would bring forth an answer to my antapologie : now considering how far and how high in many things the independents have proceeded , and cretensis threating me with such a kind of answer , i am apt to interpret him thus ; and truly were it not that there is a noble general , and the greatest part of the army by farre , as i have expressed often , free from cretens . way , and that i live in a good strong city neer the high court of parliament , and by the honourable court of common-counsel , i should expect and be afraid that his threating might be fulfilled before ever his reply to antapologia would be ready to come abroad : but whereas cretensis saith , that he verily beleeves his answer to my antapologie will not be for my honour , in which respect i have no great ground to be so restlesse and importunate in calling for it : i reply , the antapology ( i am sure ) was for the honour of the cause i undertook , and turned to my honor both at home and abroad , and made not for the honor of the apologists and independent party ; neither do i believe cretensis reply to my antapology will make more for his honor , then this brief answer of his to gangraena : and however for the present cretensis reply when it comes first forth , by his railings , revilings , scoffs and lyes put upon me , may not make for my honor ; yet by that time my rejoynder can be made and printed , it shall appear to all the world , that the whole businesse , both apologetical narration , antapology , cretensis reply , and my rejoynder , will make for the honor of the presbyterian cause , and of my self , as a poor instrument pleading for it against the zanzumins of the time , and to the dishonour both of the apologists and their great champion cretensis . cretensis in this page makes an apology , and gives his reasons why mr. edwards antapology is not answered in so long a time as . moneths , namely , that the independents are not men who have little or nothing to do like presbyterians , having the priviledge of ease to preach to bare walls and pews in their meeting places , nor that shamelesnesse of forehead to make the subject matter of their sermons little else but loose , lying , and frivolous reports and stories , or virulent invectives against the saints as the presbyterians ; neither was the way free and open to bring light into the world , but hedged up with clergy , classique councels as with thorns against them : and besides , mr. edwards took not much lesse then . moneths time for his antapology , and therefore no wonder if the independents be not men of more expedition . reply . cretensis plays the sophister here , making use of that fallacy non causa pro causa , giving the false cause of not replying , and concealing the true ; and that all these are false , is evident : . because cretensis hath had leasure to have attended the motions of my pen , and hath since the moneths given an account to the world more then once , twice , thrice , and had leasure now , the priviledge of ease , to make an answer to gangraena , and could he not with the labour of all these have replyed to antapology ? it should seem for all the weaknesse , contradictions , and such like , which cretensis speaks of antapology , 't is a hard piece that cretensis can write and print five several books , have time enough from his constant and standing labors with those who have committed themselves to him in the lord , before he finde time to reply to antapology : besides , cretensis had five great champions the apologists to assist him in it , some of which will be found to have or to take more priviledge of ease , and seldom preaching then the presbyterians use to take , and some of them have had leasure to print other things since , wherein not so much concerned ; as also cretensis hath a priviledge of ease and idlenesse when he pleases to help himself ( which none of the presbyterians have ) viz. to appoint some of his prophets in his church to preach for him , which he frequently practises upon all occasions , as i can prove , and hath upon pretence of answering my antapology . . some independents have that shamelesnesse of forehead , to make the subject matter of their sermons little else but loose , lying , frivolous reports and stories , or virusent invectives against the saints , &c. as mr. peters , the vicar general and metropolitane of the independents , both in new and old england : and i wonder how cretensis forgot him : name any presbyterian , who is of any account in the church of god , such a loose rambling preacher as he : and for his invectives against the saints , 't is one of his common places in many of his sermons to speak against the reformed churches , the reverend ass●mbly , and the godly presbyterian ministers of the kingdom , who are not only saints , but godly ministers : but mr. peters is not alone , for cretensis himself is a loose preacher , and full of bitter invectives in his sermons against better sain●s and servants of god , then ever himself , or any of his church is like to be ( the particular passages which he hath used in sermons , i will give the reader in my full reply ) and so mr. archer of hausted is famou● , or rather infamous for this , cum multis aliis , whom in my large reply i may adde to these : as for the third reaso● , the way stopt against printing for want of a licénser , i have already refu●ed , and shall speak more to it in my next reply : and for the fourth reason brought by cretensis , to apologize for not replying in moneths , 't is both for matter and form all false , & a man would wonder that cretens : should dare to write so ( though indeed nothing of this kinde is a wonder in cretensis ) . cretensis , how can you answer it to god , to your church , and to all men , to write such a manifest untruth ? that i took not much lesse then eighteen moneths in making the antapology , when as the apologetical narration ( i am sure of it ) came forth in the moneth of december , and to my best remembrance towards the later end of it , and my antapology was printed and abroad either the last week of iune following , or the first of iuly , which at the farthest was not full seven moneths , and is far from eighteen moneths : as for that insinuation of cretensis joyned to the eighteen moneths , the advantage of liberty , and freedom from other ingagements which mr. edwards had above other men , 't is a false one ; for from that time i began to answer apologet. narration , till it came forth , i never had lesse liberty or freedom in my life , nor more businesses and engagements of several sorts in reference to the publike , preaching in that time of writing my book very often , three times a week constantly , and many times four , besides the tedious journeys between london and godalming , riding to preach there ; together with all the difficulties and fears of many alarums from the enemy , &c. in that time . but before i draw to a conclusion of this , i desire the reader to observe what a proud arrogant speech this is of cretensis to extoll himself and his party , with the contempt and scorn of the presbyterians , if independent ministers had either the priviledge of ease to preach to the bare walls and pews in their meeting places : now for this in my large reply i will acquaint the reader what privileges independent ministers and independent saints have and take above the presbyterians , and what their priviledge of ease and idlenesse is above the presbyterians , as also shew the true reasons why the world wanders after the beast , many of the independents are so stockt after before presbyterians ; as also by what a sort of people , and what little cause cretensis and his saints have to glory and boast of it ; and when i have spoken to that at large , i believe i shall be out of cretensis debt for these words . only for present i shall tell cretensis these three things . . that there are presbyterian ministers who preach no more to bare walls and pews then cretensis and the independent ministers , mr. marshal , mr. whitaker , mr. calamy , mr. sedgwick , cum multis aliis , both in city and countrey . . there are many independent ministers who have preached lately , and do so still as much to bare walls and pews as any presbyterians , witnesse mr. burton , mr. davis , mr. freak , mr. ellis , mr. furman , &c. . presbyterians do not use however independents may ( as cretensis in his speech implyes ) to have ever the more priviledge of ease by preaching to a few rather then to many , by preaching to a hundred two or three , or preaching to a thousand or two , for they preach out of conscience and discharge of duty , to do good to the souls of men , and not for applause to please a multitude , and therefore t is all one to them whether there be fewer or more , one hundred or many ; but this is expressed according to the independent humor , who have their sermons of several sorts , those of greater pains and study when their pews and walls are full , and their sermons of ease when their pews are empty , and their walls bare . now to put a period to this fourteen section , with an animadversion upon that passage of cretensis in pag. . his constant and standing labors with those who have committed themselves to him in the lord. i ask of cretensis where he findes this used of a people to commit themselves unto the ministers ; we are commanded to commit our way to the lord , and to commit our souls to him , and of god 't is oft used ; but in what place is it of people to ministers , and then those who have committed themselves to you ; why did you not say to the church rather ? what is cretensis become the church ? and lastly , why was it not as well expressed , those to whom i have committed my self unto in the lord ? for i believe upon better consideration , it will be found , that cretensis hath as much committed himself to his people , as they to him ; for they preach and rule as well as cretensis ; and believe upon examination ( the church will be found to preach oftner then cretensis , for all his constant and standing labors ) and his yong prophets to exercise upon the week and lords day , and he bound to hear and obey them as well as they him : and now if how the cobler were alive again , cretensis and he would have no more disputation and difference about humane learning necessary to the interpreting of scriptures , and preaching of the word , seeing cretensis allows it now in his church members far inferior to how , and cretensis would crave pardon of him for abusing him , so as he did upon that controversie ; and for a recompence unto him , mr. how should be preferred to be teacher in cretensis church ; mr. cretensis the pastor , and mr. how the teacher ; for belike humane learning is not now necessary to the preaching of the word ; and sure we shall one day have a book of cretensis retractations and confessions , and might have had it before this time , but that 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 : . pag. . , . 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 . . 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 r●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 ●et cretensis in his 〈◊〉 book instance in any bloody bitter passages , alwayes provided , he wrest not words nor leave out no part of sentences . . the sectaries themselves and cretensis too will one day confesse master edwards in opposing errors , heresies , discoveri●g them , and stirring up the mag●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 . . 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 . . galatians . , . and . , . peter . , , . iohn . , . the whole epistle of iude , revelation . , , , , . 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 ●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. . 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 hand● , 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 . 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 ci●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 , damned priests , with such like ; all which no doubt , are forerunners of the liberty of conscience the sectaries intend for the presbyterians ; and for the proof i will give cretensis a few instances . the first is from lynne , ( a place well known to cretensis ) concerning one iohnson a sectary and a cannoneer , who discoursing concerning presbyterians and independents , said that presbyterians would have their guts goared out ; and being answered that the presbyterial government was ordered by both houses of parliament , and that he being in the service ought not to speak against them , he answered for all that , they should have their guts goared out : now this and more will be averred upon o●th , and is subscribed by four hands , iohn feek , robert cut●ord , thomas edis , richard robinson . march . . th● s●cond is of my self ●old 〈◊〉 me both by a godly minister , and by a gentleman of worth and honesty , who were ear witnesses ; namely , that that it was pity i was not hanged for an example for making my last book , and that it were a good deed i were knockt on the head . a third is of another minister , a presbyterian , an active man , some independents in the hearing of ● minister ( who relates it ) said they hoped ere long to see him in lollards tower● : the last i shall instance is a passage ou● of a letter sent from dover subscribed by five hands , concerning an independent there , one master mascal , that in his expounding the scriptures , with much vehemency cries out to the people against our present ministery , your priests , your damned priests , your cursed priests &c. now cretensis i challenge you in all my bloody negotiations against the sectaries ( as you phrase it ) to show in any of my books any such passage against the sectaries as these are , or any so bit●ter as i can produce out of yours and other of your saints books , as arraignment of persecution , &c. cretensis in sect. . and . layes down four things , . that in the . error of this catalouge i intended to arraign his opinion concerning the imputation of faith , and non-imputation of christs righteousnesse in iustification . . that i do falsly and forgingly represent the opinion by fathering that mangrel expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 credere upon it , and which is no where used by him throughout the controversie . . that i charge him to quote calvin , bu●er , & affirm others for his opinion in the point of iustification , whom yet i affirm to be professedly of another judgement in the doctrine of iustification , which he declares to be false , and then quotes some places out of calvin , bucer , for the justifying of himself , and disproving my former allegation . . he recriminates , asperses , and jeers at me , that in my going about to rectifie the mistakes of others , and being the great aristarchus of the errors , and heresies of the times , have my self vented atheological and putid assertions in the point of iustification , as in gangraena page . . in the margin , and that if calvin and bucer be not for him , but i shall stand still to deny it , he must professe ingenuously that he knows no reason but to judge me uncapable of the english sense of a latin sentence ; and that if i deny calvin , bucer , and others whom he quotes to be of the same judgement with him in the point of iustification , then i either shew my self to be a very illiterate man , and not able to construe a peece of plain latin , or else charge calvin , bucer , and the rest , with being of a judgement as contrary to themselves as to him , and then quoting calvin , speaks to me , if i can construe latin , to confesse in english whether calvin be of a differing judgement from him in the point of iustification . reply . 't is a sign cretentis hath a quilty conscience , that upon the naming of an error about iustification , without the least reflecting upon him in any kind , he should take it so to himself , as to say i meant him particularly ; there are divers other sectaries besides cretensis who hold this error , whom i might aime at , and did intend as well as master goodwin . secondly i have neither falsly nor forgingly represented the opinion in using that expression of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 credere , though i should grant that to be true , ( which yet i do not ) that cretensis hath never in sermons , disputations nor books written by him expressed himself after this manner . . because there being other sectaries besides cretensis holding the same opinion , if they have used tò credere in discourses , and defended it , that 's enough to justifie me . in cretensis books of justification , 't is more then once affirmed in terminis that faith in a proper sense , is imputed to justification , and not christs righteousnesse imputed , and now indeed he sayes and unsaies , shuffles and cuts , seems to say the same with other divines , and then presently the con●rary , i shall show ( god willing ) at large in my full reply . . tò credere used by me in setting down this error , cannot be justly termed a representing the opinion falsely and forgingly , it being used commonly by all divines that handle this opinion , both by the orthodox who writ against it , and those who are for it : arminius holding this opinion , used this expression as learned gomaras in a conference held with * arminius , proved from arminius own hand writing , wherein he maintained that in mans justification before god , the righteousnesse of christ not to be imputed to justification , but faith is self , or tò credere by the gracious acceptance of god to be that righteousnesse of ours by which we are justified before god ; yea , and * mr. wotton himself cretensis master speaks so , but when we say faith justifies , we understand ipsum credere , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; . for that charge against cretensis of quoting calvin , bucer , and and others for him , when they are known ex professo to be of another judgement , ●tis most true and just , and a man would wonder at the impudency of cretensis to deny it , and to quote calvin and bucer again as he does ; and before i have done with cretensis it shall appear that i will make good the charge against him , and yet neither show my self a very illiterate man , not able to construe a peece of plain latin , nor yet charge calvin , luther , and the rest with being of a judgement contrary to themselves , but discover him to be an impudent caviller and falsifier of authors . as for those very places quoted by him out of calvin , they prove not the thing he quotes them for , and therefore did wisely forbear to english them : he wretchedly and miserably wrests them , as that on galath . . . where calvin both in the words going before the words quoted by cretensis , and afterwards at large , showes he takes faith not in a proper sense , but in a relative , respecting the object ; and to satisfie the reader , i will quote calvins words upon that place next immediatly following the sentence quoted by him out of calvin . ergo justificari fide dicimur , non quia fides habitum aut qualitatem in nos transfundat : sed quia deo accepti sumus . cur autem fidei tribuitur tantus honor , ut 〈◊〉 causa justitiae nostrae ; primo sciendum est esse causam instrumentalo● dunta●at ; nam propr●e loquendo , justitia nostra nihil a liud est quam grat●it● dei acceptio , in qua sundata est nostra salus : sed quia dominus testimonium amoris nobis amoris sui & gratiae per evangelium reddendo , illam quam dixi justitiam nobis communicat : ideo fide illam percipimus . ergo quam fidei tribuimus hominis justificationem non de causa principali disputamus ; sed tantum notamus modum quo perveniunt homines ad veram justitiam . justitia enim haec merum est dei donum , non qualitas quae in hominibus haereat , sed fide tantum possidetur , neque id merito fidei ut sit quasi debita merces : sed quia fide recipimus quod deus ultro donat . i forbear to english this pass●ge leaving it to cretensis , to have a proof of him whether he will not be as false in his translations as in his quotations ; so those words of calvin on rom. . v. make nothing at all to prove the imputation of faith and the non-imputation of christs righteousnesse , but even upon those verses calvin expresses several passages to the contrary , as they who turn to the places may see : and for bucer mr. wotton himself acknowledges he was of another judgement , speaking thus of him , whom i perswade my self to have been the author of this opinion of imputation ; besides reformed divines generally , not only two or three , but all are against this opinion of the imputation of faith , and non-imputation of christs righteousnesse , and for proof of this the reader may peruse mr. roboroughs examination of cretensis treatise of justification , first part page , . where he showes that all our divines are against faith in a proper sense , luther , calvin , bucer , pareus , ursinus , musculus , &c. ( however arminius and bertius were for it ) unto which cretensis never to this day made any reply ( though he vapors and brag● thus of his opinion of imputation of faith ) so also the preface to the churches , set before the acts of the synod of dor● showes the same by gomarus particularly instancing in , and convincing arminius of his hetorodoxnes from holding of this opinion , that in justification the righteousnesse of christ was not imputed , but beleeving : and now considering all this , and much more that hath been said and written to cretensis , i cannot but wonder he should be such an impudent cretensis as to bring these places out of calvin , bucer , pareus , and can give no other reason of it , but that of paul to titus concerning hereticks , that the man sins in this , being condemned of himself ; and for this error , and many more which cretensis holds ( notwithstanding all his palliating and daubing ) i hold them so great , and the differences in opinions between him and i to be of such moment , that as gomarus told arminius , he durst not appear before the judgement seat of christ with his opinions , so neither would i with cretensis opinions , nor his wayes of managing them for a thousand worlds : as for cretensis charging me with venting errors in the point of justification , whilst i was reckoning up the errors of others , i reply , cretensis takes advantage from a word or two left out by the printer in the margin of my book , which was not the fault of my copy , as i am ready to satisfie any man , and to make it appear undeniable , besides in the second impression of my book ( which came forth full fourteen dayes before cretensis answer ) the mistake was amended ; however the sense of the word before it was amended easily shewed where the fault was , though cretensis aggravate it so high , as to make it amount to atheological and putid assertions . but in one word to stop the mouth of cretensis , what i say of justification in the margin of page . t is verbatim to a tittle in the new annotations on the bible , made by the joynt labours of certain learned divines appointed thereunto by authority , and whatever in the first impressiō was mistaken in that particular by the fault of the printer , was in the second long before cretensis animadversions amended by me , so that the reader may observe that cretensis for want of matter findes fault where the fault is confessed to his hand ; and had i any hope cretensis could understand latin when it makes against his opinion of the imputation of faith , and would be convinced , i would turn him over to divers learned men to english their latine sentences , as peter martyr , lubbertus , sibrandus &c. where the man should read other manner of evidence against non-imputation of faith , and for imputation of christs righteousnesse , then ever he yet offered in all his sermons and discourses about justification ; but for a conclusion , cretensis answer me one question , why did you not as well except against some other opinions named in my catalogue , viz. . . as this . of faith in a proper sense imputed to justification ; you were as much named and particularized in them as in this , and they call you father as well as this ; but i suppose the reason , you were not yet willing in publique to own those children , and so would take no notice of them , though i doubt not those and other things laid down in my book ( though without your name written upon them ) enraged you , and have made you as a bear robbed of her whelps , to think that i should know so much by you . cretensis , p. . sect. . labours to clear himself from a passage i charged him with , that he should utter in a sermon against the parliament and their power , &c. saying , it was nothing else but a manifest and clear truth , and that which had passed the trial of presbyterian fire it self , & was come forth in ful weight without suffering the le●st damage or detriment by it , and if any such gap was opened by it to slight their authority and power , he knowes no wilde beasts have broke in at it , but some presbyterians ; and then goeth on according to his dialect to inveigh against me for ●●●lling at the root of parliamentary authority and power , because that i finde fault with his truth ( as he cals it ) viz. his speaking so disgracefully and contemptibly of the parliament . reply . o the impudence and incorrigiblenesse of cretensis , after so high an offence committed by him against parliamentary authority , complained of to a committee of parliament , upon the debate of it judged by some of the committee to be an offence of that high nature , that these words were expressed of him , & of his offence , that he as much or rather more deserved to be hang'd then the arch-bishop , yea the whole committee judged it of such a nature and crime , as too great for them to censure , so that it was ordered to be reported by the chair-man to the house it self , and master white told me more then once , he was by order of the committee to report it ( though by many great businesses of the kingdom he was hindred ) now i say that after all this cretensis should in the sight of the sun justifie it for a manifest and clear truth , and flye out upon me and my abbettors for finding fault with him , is a strange hight ; certainly cretensis , if what you had said had been such a manifest and clear truth , t is wonder such words should be spoken in the committee of it , and the thing ordered to be reported to the house it self , as to high for a committee ; and that your words spoken against the parliament were not a manifest truth ; i refer the reader to such a book of mr. * pryns , to your own confession in your answer to him , and to the record kept by the cōmittee for plundred ministers . as for the reason you intimate why that which was uttered by you , was nothing els but manifest & clear truth , because it hath pass●d the trial of presbyterian fire it self , & is come forth in full waight , without suffering the least dammage or detriment of it , that is , upon complaint and examination of it by a committee of parliament you are come off , and not censured . i reply , the reader may observe that presbyterian fire is a cooler , softer , gentler fire then the independent fire ; and that the presbyterians are not so 〈◊〉 crying for fire from hell to destroy all those who receive the lord christ , only because their faces are not instanly set to receive the traditions of their discipline and doctrine ; for cretensis hath passed the trial of presbyterian fire it self , and is come forth in full waight without suffering the least damage or detriment by it : i beleive if either i , or any known cordial presbyterian in england in speaking against the independent party , had said so much to the vilifying and contempt of the parliament as cretensis did , in speaking against presbyterians , and we had come to the trial of independent fire it self , we should never have come forth in full waight without suffering the least damage or detriment by it , but we should have carried to our graves the scorching and skars of that fire , if not wholy consumed by it . 〈◊〉 though you were one of the first ; yet you are not alone , nor the last of those who by writing or speaking having uttered things against the parliament , and being questioned by committees have passed the trial of presbyterian fire , and come off too , witnesse your brother lilburn , and yet all they have said and written , have not been manifest and clear truths : you who are independents and sectaries have priviledges in many things which poor presbyterians have not ; you have a priviledge to steal horses , cretensis pag. whereas 't is a great fault in presbyterians to look over the hedge ; you have a priviledge to set up churches and a government of your own without leave , or waiting on the parliament ; but 't is a great offence in the presbyterians to petition the parliament in all humility to settle the presbyterian government , witnesse those many reproches in some printed news books ( those pensioners of the independent party ) as also the bitter preaching against their petitions by some independent ministers , with the hard speeches cast out against them by the independent party , you belike have a priviledge to preach , print , speak any thing against parliament , their ordinances , orders , covenant , members : yea to act against their votes , ordinances , and to passe the trial of presbyterian fire ( as you terme it ) and to come forth in full waight without suffering the least damage or detriment , whereas i am perswaded a great deal lesse preached or printed by presbyterians , would have been censured to be burnt by the hand of the common hangman , and the men themselves in danger of hanging . thirdly ; cretensis , you have no such reason to bo●st so of what you have preach'd , that t is a manifest and clear truth and hath passed the presbyterian fire it self , and is come forth in full waight , &c. till you know what the sense of the house of commons will be upon it ; when 't is reported to the house according to the order of the committee , and the house hath cleared you , then you might better have used these words ; but cretensis , though you say the bitternesse of death is past , all danger is over , you may be deceived , quod desertur non aufertur , the house may be at more leasure and call upon such kinde of things , and upon a review you may be made to know what 't is , not only to slight and vilifie a parliament , open a gap to a total contempt of all their authority and power , but when you have done so , then openly and publikely to justifie that what you have said is a manifest and clear truth . cretensis i tell you plainly , i would not for all the books in my study , the independens could prove such words spoken by me against the power and dignity of parliament , how light account soever you make of them . fourthly , the reader may by this clearly see what to judge of cretensis charging me and my book with lying forgery &c. when as he is not ashamed to tax me in this place , that i could not lightly have uttered any thing that struck more dangerously at the very root of all parliamentary authority and power , then to say that cretensis in speaking against the parliament and their power , opened a gap to sl●ghting of their authority and power ; what a strange art and faculty hath cretensis as of making all authors for him , though they writ against him ; so of making master edwards , and his abettors in pleading for the parliament against cretensis , to strike dangerously at the very root of all parliamentary authority and power ? and that notwithstanding for the words cretensis spake against the parliament he was complained of to the committee of plundered ministers by understanding men and cordial to the parliament , and the matter so deeply resented by the honourable committee , as i have already expressed ; but the truth of it is , cretensis in all his writings , both in point of opinions , and words that he utters in defence of them , he will say any thing as manifestly contrary to truth , as to affirm black is white , and darknesse light ; neither will he be beaten out of it by any reason , but hides himself , and clouds things in a multitude of words , where an ordinary reader loses himself as in a wood . fifthly , 't is strange cretensis , you dare say that you know none but presbyterians have broken in at the gap you have made , do you not know what lilburn hath done ? besides have you not read englands birthright , the ordinance for tythes dismounted ? cum multis aliis ? you indeed lead the way , and was the first of all the pretended friends to the parliament , out of discontent in missing a place in the assembly ) who spake so slightly and scornfully of the parliament ; but many have followed you and broken in at it , both in sermons , discourses , printed books , especially when any thing the parliament was about displeased them : but as for the presbyterians respects , duty , patient waiting on the parliament , as 't is already evident to many ; so i doubt not , but in due time it will be manifested to all the world to their honour , and the shame of the independent party ; and i challenge you to instance in any one presbyterian , who hath either abused the whole parliament , or singled out many particular members by name , as many of your sectaries have done ; but of the difference in the carriage and behaviour of the presbyterians to the parliament , and of the sectaries to the parliament , i have at large satisfied the reader in gangraena , page , , , , , . all which cretensis takes no notice of , not giving the least answer unto it , and therefore cretensis before you vapour any more in this kinde , remember in your rejoynder , to answer all i have said against your party , in those pages now mentioned . cretensis sect. . makes a great deal of do , spending many leaves in excusing himself , and some of his church for bowling on a day of publike thanksgiving , telling the reader it was in the evening , and in the company of presbyterians , and but for about half an hour ; and he relates a story of four presbyterians spending an afternoon upon a day of thanksgiving in fishing ; and threatens that if i go on in telling tales of independents , he or some others will tell stories of presbyterian mistakes in the night , and of a presbyterian angel , who hath committed some foul offence , yea and that he hath a manuscript by him concerning master edwards himself , which discovereth his jugling , and indirect walking between the two towns of godalming in surry , and dunmow in essex ; and that if there be no remedy , it will be content to submit it self to the presse , and therefore concludes if i go on to lay open the sectaries ; i have devoted the names and reputation of all presbyterians who are obnoxius to the universal abhorring both of the present and future ages , and therefore saith it concerns all presbyterians in general , and the doctorage of this way more particularly to heal the gangren of my pen , and to restrain the further spreading of it , otherwise their names and reputations are but so many dead corpses . reply . i shall reserve many things i could answer to this section , till my full reply , and for present say these few things ; first , cretensis after two whole leaves spent , and a mountain of words cast up , confesses in the close the thing i charged him with , that he played at bowls on a day of publique thanksgiving , only he minces , extenuates , hides his sin all he may , speaking of it very tenderly , stirring himself a little by casting a bowl , betaking himself for about half an hour to the exercise ; the sun being by that time either down , or very neer it . now these words of cretensis , b●ings to my mind that answer of aaron to moses about the golden calf ; then i cast the gold into the fire , and there came out this calf ; as if the calf made it self , and came out without hands : so cretensis cast a bowl &c. how much mo●e becomming a christian , and a minister of the gospel had it been , for master goodwin to have given glory to god , and to have said as iob , if i covered my transgressions as adam , by hiding mine iniquity in my bosome ; but as cretensis throughout his whole discourse , hath twenty & ten fetches about , to palliat , excuse , slite , make a mock of all the horrid heresies , blasphemies , and practises of all the sectaries spoken of by me , so doth he the same here of himself and some of his church . now that the reader may be undeceived , though the first relation of this busines was told me accidentally as it was to another , without inquiry or thought on my part ( though then so spoken , as by circumstances i concluded it to be true ; ) yet since cretensis answer came for●h i have enquired more particularly into it , and i have it upon good ground to be after this manner ; cretensis preached in the morning , but in the afternoon was at no sermon , not joyning himself to spend the latter part of the day with any of the society of gods people in thanksgiving for so great a victory ; but in the afternoon went a walking with some of his church , and after that to bowls , and instead of cretensis about half an hour , that he stirred himself a little by casting a bowl ; he played at bowls about two hours ; and give over at such time , ( which therefore is not probable to be when the sun was gon down , ) that another company came and played after them . now i could animadvert divers things upon this relation of cretensis , aswell as cretensis hath pag. , , , . viz . that we may see independents have a priviledge of ease , yea , and of prophanesse too , to sit idle at home , or walk abroad to take their pleasure , when the poor presbyterians are either preaching or praying , or else joyning themselves to the assemblies , where preaching , prayer and other holy worships are performing ; and if cretensis will pretend he was a weary of his preaching in the forenoon , and so somewhat indisposed to further labour that day ; i answer , this is just bishoplike , who when their lordships had preached in a forenoon , they were so weary they could not so much as come to church that afternoon ; but cretensis , though you were so weary as you could not preach , could you not have come , and given thanks for the victory ; nay , if that had been too much trouble for your lordship , because of your great wearinesse and indisposedness after your great labors , to have gone abroad to some of the presbyterians churches ; could you not have gathered your church together in your house , appointed some of your prophets to have exercised , and you only have sate by as at other times , resting your weary bones . truly cretensis in my minde this is a very poor put off , and sorry shift . . cretensis for all his wearinesse and indisposednesse to further labour of preaching , or hearing that day , yet was so eager upon his sports that he knew not how the time went away making a long half hour , reckoning half an hour for two hours ▪ but cretensis might easily mistake in this , and i shall excuse him , it being usual for men in their sports to think time short , and to judge they have not been an hour when they have been playing two or three ; but i will spare cretensis and animadvert no farther for present , neither on the story nor on his animadversions upon it . secondly , as for that cretensis brings by way of excuse , some presbyterians played with him , &c. i answer , it was their fault and sin , neither will i go about to plead for baal , nor palliate excuse things that are evil in presbyterians , as cretensis doth all kind of horrid blasphemies and heresies in his sectaries : however cretensis is never the lesse in fault because of company ; and indeed cretensis being a minister , should have given them ( being private christians ) better example , besides who knows but cretensis example drew these presbyterians to it , and further 't is likely these presbyterians had been in the afternoon at some presbyterian church , offered up to god both a morning and evening sacrifice of thanksgiving , came from home later then cretensis and his brethren , neither doth cretensis say the presbyterians came forth with him , but as he tels his own tale , he relates that after his walking about a quarter of a mile ( which might be a mile , as well as his half hours bowling two hours ) and after his coming into the garden , and sitting about half an hour in an arbour ( which we may well reckon for an hour to ) came in some of master edwards judgement of church-government ; all which being considered , makes the matter not so bad in the prebyterians as in cretensis , but supposing all this , yet i will not excuse them . thirdly , as for that story of one of the assembly with three more of his com — or sub ▪ presbyters , rather four ministers in all ( expressed by cretensis all a long in a scoffing , yea in a prophane manner ; bringing in heaven and gods providence to make up his jefts and jeers ) spending a whole afternoon upon a day of thanksgiving in fishing . i greatly blame them , and if there was any such thing , they have cause to be ashamed of it as well as you for your bowling ; and it had been fitter for them four ministers to have been fishing for the souls of men , preaching somewhere in the afternoon , then a catching of roaches ; and thus you see cretensis i am impartial , not ( like the independents ) excusing all things in presbyterians as they in sectaries though never so vilde , and therefore your proverb of presbyterians having a priviledge to steal horses holds not as you see , for i am against a toleration of them to look on . fourthly , as for your threats of discovering presbyterian mistakes in the night , and to leave the world to judge whether they be not worse then independents bowling on dayes , &c. and of the story of a presbyterian angel which you will clap to my mouth , and stop it for ever : i answer , do your worst , discover what presbyterian mistakes in the night you can , and tell what stories you please of a presbyterian angel , i fear you not , it will not stop my month : i blesse god , he who keepeth the feet of his saints , hath so preserved me , that i care not what all the sectaries under heaven can say against me , i blesse god , i have whereof to rejoyce and glory before men ( though before god i know my manifold weaknesses and transgressions , and have nothing to glory in but the free mercy of god , and the righteousnesse of jesus christ ) and therefore cretensis i● you mean me , by mistakes in the night , and by presbyterian angel ( as your words seem to infinuate , speaking unto me , and the reader may be apt to take your meaning so ) speak out , do your worst , i defie you and all your company to prove any such things , or but the suspition of them ; for i must tell you cretensis , i have ever since i came to be a preacher of the gospel walked by that rule of the apostle , providing honest things , not only in sight of the lord , but in the sight of men : and as for other presbyterian ministers , if any of them have walked loosely and scandalously , let them look to it , i will be no patron for them , neither will i have my mouth stopped from opening the errors , heresies , practises of the sectaries , or laying open by name impostors and seducers , to gratifie the concealment of somthing soul in a presbyterian , let them bear the shame of it for all me , and give god glory in confessing ; only i would desire cretensis and the reader to observe the difference between my discourse of errors , heresies , and practises in sectaries , and cretensis discovery threatned . . cretensis discovery will be out of revenge , malice , because the errors of the sectaries are laid open , and which otherwise he implies should not have been discovered , and if i would cease laying open the errors of the times , those stories should never have come to light ; but now my catalogue was and is purely out of conscience , not out of ill-will to any man , but to preserve many from falling , and to recover others before they are gone too far . . the errors , practises , wayes which i lay down throughout my book , are the very principles and wayes of the sectaries as such sectaries , either being their opinions , or flowing necessarily from them , or are means made use of by them to increase their way , compasse their designs , whereas any personal miscarriages of the presbyterians are far from falling under any such considerations ; but the fruits of the flesh and satan taking advantage upon them , of which things they have no fruit , but are ashamed and have repented . . these errors and practises in the sectaries are now found in them , cleaving to them since , and not before they turn'd sectaries , whereas these miscarriages of the presbyterians , are not now upon them , nor never since they were presbyterians , but may be many years before , when episcopal and foolish . . the independents and sectaries cry up themselves and their way as a purer , holier way then other mens , making themselves the only saints , the paradise of god , the tender conscienced men , thereupon separating from our churches , and accounting the presbyterians as a dunghil ; which kinde of notions among the people , crying the saints , the saints , tender consciences hath gained them more then all their arguments ; and therefore to take off this argument , 't is necessary to shew they are not holier then others , neither have tenderer consciences , but are looser , and larger conscienced men : and i ask cretensis , when as bellarmine and other papists bring against protestants holin●sse of life as a note of the church of rome , and boast of the great holinesse that is in their church above what is in the protestants ; whether do not the * protestants justly and properly to disprove them , give instances and stories of the wicked lives and ways of many papists , besides of the doctrines in the church of rome ; and if the protestants do it and are blamelesse , how can it be a fault in the presbyterians to do the same , when they are to answer the sectaries ? but now the presbyterians do not separate from the independents out of pretences of greater holinesse , nor cry up themselves in sermons and books as the only saints , and therefore the independents cannot so justly bring these things against the presbyterians , as the presbyterians against them . . as for that manuscript which came to cretensis above a year since concerning mr. edwards , which discourseth his jugling and indirect walking between the two towns of godalming in survey , and dunmow in essex , which will be attested by good hands , and be content to submit it self to the presse : i reply , let cretensis print it when he please , i challenge him to do it , so he print nothing but what he will make good ; i remember 't is a speech of famous mr. bolton in some of his works , innocency and independency makes men of the bravest spirits , i blesse god i have innocency , knowing nothing by my self of fault in this matter , and i have independency , being an independent in a true notion , not hanging upon great men , nor hunting after preferments and great livings , and i desire the reader to observe what i shall say of this matter , cretensis could hardly have instanced in a busines to make more for my praise , and his shame , then this ; and if he be able to give me any one instance of an independent and sectary that hath so denyed himself for the publike , and for strangers , as i did in that , i shall begin to think there are independents in england who seek the publike good , and not their own things . and for the matter of dunmow , i have so much certainty and confidence of it , that if it were known commonly , it would turn to my great honor ( which here cretensis threatens me with as a matter of reproach , and indeed the only thing , which belike cretensis in all his gathering and enquirings after me , could light upon to upbraid me with ) as that i dare refer it and stand to the arbitrament of mr. thomas goodwin , mr. burroughs , mr. bridge , ( whom all the world knows , through difference of judgement , are not my best friend● ) whether in that businesse i be to be blamed , or rather have not done a singular thing , and like a man who hath walked circumspectly , avoiding all appearance of evil : and truly cretensis you may give a loser leave to speak , which for the present i shall do briefly ( reserving the large relation , both of dunmow and godalming , to my fuller reply ) and whatever i speak , and much more will be attested under the hands of many godly ministers , some dwelling neer dunmow , and acquainted with this businesse from first to last , others , members of the assembly intrusted also in it , and under the hands of divers godly persons of the town , fully knowing the businesse , together with the minister of the town , the now present incumbent . in brief , the great businesse of my jugling and indirect walking between the two towns of godalming in surrey , and dunmow in essex , was this , that to prevent the coming in , and for removing out one gotten in against the consents and liking of the godly people , and the ministers intrusted in the businesse to provide for them , my name was made use of to the committee for plundred ministers to be put in for the sequestration of dunmow ; and without it , as things stood in that case ( the particular whereof , with that whole businesse from first to last , i shall hereafter relate at large ) it was judged both by godly ministers and the people , ( and therefore i earnestly entreated to give way to it ) there was no other way to effect it ; which title i held for a few weeks , meerly for the good of the people , till an able and fit man could be found out for the place ; in which time that my name was putting in , and was in , though i was put to a great deal of trouble , and some charge in journeys , riding three several times to dunmow , besides other expences for the good of the place , as in disappointing men to come in upon them , and otherwise ( for there were many difficulties in the businesse , as will appear when i shall give a full relation of it , and that occasioned by a sectary or two , par●ly out of ill will to me , and for fear i should have gone thither , and partly out of disappointment of some reward and thanks , which one of the sectaries expected in case one fair for it had come into the place , as may without all breach of charity be conjectured by words heard by two godly persons of dunmow town ) and though ( my name being made use o● ) the profits were absolutely sequestred to me at such a time of the yeer , as that i could have made my self whole , yea , a great gainer , yet i never took penny nor f●●thing of the living , no not so much as one penny to pay the charges i had been put unto , for the necessary preserving of the living to the town , nor never had penny to this day ( which though i conceive i might with a good conscience have taken , there being no reason i should go to war at my own charge ) yet because that i might honour the gospel , and take away all occasion from those who would seek to speak evil of me ; and because if i had taken any thing , it might have been interpreted & reported a great deal more ; besides all might not have known the reason of it , therefore i forbear so much as ever to receive or touch one penny belonging to dunmow ; and truly i believe if the persons be enquired of who chiefly laboured in this businesse , to bring in a godly able man to dunmow , and know all passages ( men who are meer strangers to me save only in this businesse ) will say such was my care , pains , and faithfulnesse for their town ( in the midst of many intervenient difficulties cast in by some instruments , who either had a minde to the place , or hoped for something , ) that dunmow hath great reason to blesse god for me , and that i was to them as one not seeking my own things , but the things of jesus christ , their spiritual good : and now cretensis print when you please your manuscript you have by you , only be sure it be not drawn up by some persons , who by my means were kept out of the livings of dunmow , and of godalming , or by some who would have brought them in ▪ but being disappointed of their ends , were vexed , and imagining i might have converted the means of dunmow to my use , ( because they would have done so , if it had been in their power ) though to be revenged of me by drawing up a story of my jugling , and indirect walking , and putting it into the hand of master goodwin , to make his use of ; but cretensis , let me tell you ( however independents , and sectaries use to jugle and walk indirectly ) i hate jugling , and indirect walking , and am a plain open-hearted man , and i will give you leave to follow me , in all places this . yeers last past where i have lived and preached , from cambridge to walden , and from walden to london , and in london from one place and church to another , and from london to harford , and harford to london , and from london to isleworth , and from isleworth to godalming , &c. and to charge me justly if you can with jugling and indirect walking : i am confident that in all those places i have left a good savor , and none will blame me either for life or doctrine unlesse they be sectaries or cavaliers , yes i know there are some independents who were so convinced of my diligence , painfulness● in my work , unblameable good conversation , that however they love me not for opposing their way , yet upon all occasions will testifie for me against the fury and violence of some : but cretensis let me tell you , i wonder how you dare speake of my juglings and indirect walking , when as the tricks and juglings of your party are so many , and so m●nifest to all the world : i could write a good large book of this subject , the juglings , indirect walking , equivocations of the sectaries , yea of their jugling between two places and things : i could tell cretensis now ( but that i must remember t is not my large reply ) of his juglings and indirect walkings between his fellowship in the colledge and a wife ( both against the statutes , and i think against his oath ) between the two towns of raynum and lyn , between raynum and yarmouth , raynum and norwich , between raynum and london , between his two churches and livings , his parish church , and his new separated church , between his vicaridge of coleman street after voted to be sequestred , and his gathered church ; as also his juglings in his sermons and discourses , saying and unsaying , affirming and denying , but i spare him ; i could tell cretensis of mr. peters juglings and indirect walking for four yeers by gone between old england and new england , having every spring taken his leave in the pulpit of old england , and yet he is not gone ; of his jugling and indirect walking between the west and london , london and other countries to make * burgesses for parliament , i could relate also master wells his halting between giles criplegate and new england , between mr. walker and the money for the poor childrens sending over to new england ; i could tell a story of an independent minister who sought to have , and actually had about fourescore pounds for that which he never preached one sermon for , coming into the sequestration about michaelmas , after all the harvest was in ; as also of another independent minister ( who hath got well with his riding between places ) who had fourty pounds in ready money upon his admittance to be chaplain of a regiment , who after he had received it , never came at them , nor looked after them , not so much as given one sermon , or ever provided any m●n in his place : i could tell of the juglings and shu●flings of the independents about their new model of church-government , their many pretended excuses why they put it not forth , as also of independents juglings and indirect walkings to the rasing of their own foundation , both in the point of the * sacrament and church-government , but i spare them for the present . in one word , the reader may see the clear difference between my juglings and indirect walkings between godalming and dunmow and the independents walking● , they take . pounds nay . li. for preaching never a sermon , taking never a journey , being at no cost , pains nor trouble ; but mr. edwards makes three journies from london to dunmow backward and forwards ( each journey being . miles ) preaches sermons when he comes there , is at a great deal of trouble in london , yea and some charge for the good of dunmow , and when many pounds lies in his power to pay himself well for all this , he takes not one penny nor farthing , and is not mr. edwards then a great jugler and indirect walker ? cretensis , shew me but such an independent jugler and indirect walker guilty of his fault , et eris mihi magnus apollo ; certainly cretensis if your informations of presbyterian mistakes in the night , and your story of a presbyterian angel wherewith you threaten me if i meddle any more with the independents , prove no better then the manuscript by you which came to your hands about a yeer since concerning mr. edwards himself , which discourseth his jugling and indirect walking between godalming and dunmow , instead of hurting the names and reputations of presbyterians , and making them so many dead corpses , they will cause the names and reputations of cretensis and his informers to be like so many stinking carrions , and by this one instance of cretensis manuscript upon which he puts such choyce special marks of truth , as that the writing will be attested by good hands ; and if there be no remedy , will be content to submit it self to the presse : cretensis p , . the reader may judge of all his other informations , and lawfully conclude , if his manuscripts so and so qualified be such as he could hardly have instanced in a businesse more to mr. edwards honour , and yet according to his manuscript is framed for his reproach , what must his loose informations be by word of mouth , especially taken up from anabaptists and loose persons who care not what they say of the orthodox godly ministers , whom they look upon now as the only great block in their way of error , liberty and confusion . cretensis pag. . and . speaks of a long formal story of one nichols living about moor-fields , &c. related by me in gangraena , pag. , . of which story cretensis saith t is long , the particular forgeries in it numerous beyond measure , in which respect he desires the reader to make the computation , which he may do with exactnesse enough in comparing mr edwards relation with some lines given in to him by mr. burroughs in writing anent the businesse , and then cretensis sets down what mr. burroughs gave him in writing , which is to a tittle , as followes . that story mr. edwards hath pag. of one nichols , and of a meeting concluded of , occasioned by some vile opinions vented by that nichols ; where mr. greenhil and my self ( he saith ) was , together with divers passages that he relates came from me at that meeting is all false . i know no such man as this nichols , i never heard there was such a man in the world , till i read it in mr. edwards his book . i ●o this day know of no meeting about him , or any of his opinions either intended , desired , or resolved upon , much lesse that there was any such meeting . the next lords day after mr. edwards his book came forth , mr. greenhil asked me whether i knew of any such meeting with that nichols ; for his part he wondred to see such a thing in mr. edwards his book , for he knew of no such meeting . this passage in cretensis answer of all others ( especially because of mr. burroughs testimony given in writing under his hand , besides mention made of mr. greenhil to in this testimony , that he knew of no such meeting with nichols , but wondred to see such a thing in mr. edwards his book ) took most with many to weaken the truth and credit not only of this story related by me of one nichols , but of many other relations in my book , this being objected to many of my friends ; you see what mr. burroughs hath given under his hand ; and therefore because of the great name of mr. burroughs and mr. greenhil ( which cretensis makes use of here ) to make my story numerous in particular forgeries beyond measure , i shall inlarge upon it , to make good the truth of it , notwithstanding mr. burroughs testimony to the contrary , and cretensis comments and glosses upon mr. burroughs writing , and my story ; and now what if my story of nichols prove true , and and that in all the particular branches in it , where is cretensis then ? in what predicament will cretensis , mr. burroughs , and mr. greenhil be found , and that t is certainly true , and hath been testified again and again , both to me and to many others , both ministers and citizens since my book came forth , i desire the reader to mark what follows . for the first part of the story related by me pag. . concerning one nichols coming into stepny parish , and to mr. greenhils face justifying those wicked opinions there set down , as that god was the author of all sin , &c. ( yea maintaining more then i have particularly mentioned in pag. . namely , that children owe no obedience to their parents except they be godly ) 't is most certainly true , and mr. greenhil dares not deny it ; and for proof of it , mr. * randal an eare and eye witnesse related it to me , and to others , yea since cretensis book came forth that denies the truth of this story ; i have asked mr. randal of it , and he affirms it to be undeniably true ; and for to evince the truth of it , mr. randal told me these circumstances , viz. who were present when nichols did maintain these opinions to mr. greenhil , namely , besides himself one oates a carpenter , and divers women ; as also mr. greenhil could not stay long with this nichols , being to go forth to some place where he had appointed to come , and should be staid for ; so that thus far the story is without all question true , and i am confident mr. greenhil upon new consideration and rubbing up his memory , will speak no more such words to mr. burroughs , as to wonder to see such a thing as this in mr. edwards book , and that he knows of no such meeting . now for the second part of the story , namely that at a meeting where mr. burroughs was present , with divers others , mr. greenhil did relate unto his brother burroughs this sad story of nichols venting these opinions fore-mentioned , and upon that , how all the discourse following related by me in this story of nichols , page . yea more passed between mr. greenhil and mr. burroughs , is as certain as the first ; and for proof of it one mr. allen of stepny parish , a godly understanding man who was upon the place , and heard all , related it to divers in mr. bellamies shop in my hearing , of whom after he had made an end of speaking to the company , i enquired more perfectly how he knew all this to be true , and whether he was an ear witnesse , and got him to name over the opinions again , and to repeat other passages to me for the help of my memory , and for fear lest i should mistake the relation , so soon as mr. allen had done , i went immediatly home , and writ down in my diary the whole businesse from first to last , with the day of the moneth , the place , and persons , when , where , and to whom also besides my self it was told : and further then all this , since my book came forth , and cretensis answer to it , though this story is branded by cretensis to have particular forgeries in it , numerous beyond measure , and all nichols opinions related by mr. greenhil to mr. burroughs , with divers passages mentioned by me to come from mr. burroughs at that meeting , all affirmed to be false , yet mr. allen ( before ever i spoke one word with him coming into mr. bellamies shop accidentally , where when he came in some company were speaking of cretensis answer to my book , and of this very passage of mr. burroughs under his hand brought by cretensis to disprove that story ) of his own accord justified the story of nichols coming to mr. greenhil and mr. greenhils relating it to mr. burroughs , with all the discourse following upon it , saying i am the man that told it mr. edwards , and that in this shop , and mr. greenhil and mr. burroughs dare not deny it ; for the story ( saith mr. allen ) is most certainly true , and all the mistake is of those words a meeting concluded of , where mr. greenhil should relate these opinions , whereas the making known of those opinions and the discourse upon occasion of them was not at a set meeting on purpose appointed for that occasion , but at a usual meeting on the lords day after mr. burroughs his preaching in the morning , where at colonel zacharies house mr. burroughs mr. greenhil and divers godly persons use to meet ; and as mr. allen said this in the presence and hearing of three godly ministers and divers citizens , so hath he ( as i am certainly informed ) drawn up with his own hand for the presse a narration of this story of nichols , maintaining those opinions to mr. greenhil , and of mr. greenhils reporting the opinions to mr. burroughs , with all their discourses thereupon , yea more fully and particularly then i have in gangraena , so that t is strange to me that mr. burroughs should dare to give such a writing under his hand to cretensis , as to say that story mr. edwards hath page . of one nichols &c. is all false , when as the whole story and all the particulars of it are true , and there is nothing false in the story from first to last ; only there is a mistake in the transition from the first part of the story to the second , and in the passing from the first meeting to the second ( which in strict acception of words is no part of the story nor of the matters contained in it ) namely in those words of a meeting concluded of , which implies a set meeting occasioned upon those opinions , whereas the second meeting at which mr. greenhil declared these opinions of nichols , and all those speeches passed between them , was not on purpose about nichols and his opinions , but a meeting where constantly on the sabbath day mornings after sermon , mr. burroughs , mr. greenhil , and divers private christians using to come , mr. greenhil took occasion to speak of this nichols opinions . now i desire the reader to consider mr. allen relating to me the first meeting where mr. greenhil was without mr. burroughs , with the opinions vented then , and telling me there was a second meeting presently after that , where , upon occasion of a former meeting and opinions then maintained , mr. greenhil related the opinions , and all that discourse above mentioned , passed , but not acquainting me with the nature of the second meeting , viz. that it was of course every week after mr. burroughs morning sermon , whether i might not well conclude ( and cannot easily conceive how i could understand it otherwise ) the second meeting to be occasioned by the first , as well as the second relation followed upon occasion of the first ; and though it were not just so , viz. a set meeting to that end , where all i set down in gangraena was spoken , but an ordinary meeting where m. greenhil took the occasion to declare as abovesaid , whether this mistake be a matter to be so much made of as to be branded with forgery , falsenesse , or for me to be cryed out of for telling a story having particular forgeries in it , numerous beyond measure , when as the circumstance wherein the mistake lies , is no repoach , or c●lumny , but in favorem & honorem ; and i appeal to the reader whether if the story had been in that particular circumstance according as i set it down , a meeting concluded of , it had not been more for the honour of mr. greenhil and mr. burroughs to have made a solemn businesse of it by appointing a set meeting to have advised what to have done in this sad case , and such like , then only at an ordinary meeting on another occasion by the by to speak and discourse of it . but before i passe from this , i shall lay down four things . first discover and lay open the equivocations and mental reservations of mr. burroughs and mr. greenhil given in to cretensis in writing . secondly , mr. greenhils and mr. burroughs plain untruths which cannot be salved , no not by equivocations . thirdly inquire into what may be the reasons moving and inducing them thus to do . fourthly , commend something to the readers consideration and observation from all this discourse . . the reader may here observe the fallacies and equivocations of mr. burroughs and mr. greenhil ; mr. burroughs gives a writing under his hand to cretensis concerning the story mr. edwards hath page . of one nichols and a meeting concluded of , &c. saying 't is all false ; now who is there that reads these lines given under mr. burroughs his hand but conceives that master burroughs brands this whose story of nichols of forgery , as if there never had been any such man , nor any such opinions maintained by him , nor mr. greenhil and nichols had never met , nor mr. greenhil had never at any meeting declared to mr. burroughs and others any such opinions , nor never any such discourse in reference to those opinions had passed between mr. burroughs and mr. greenhil , as is set down by me ; this is the english and common construction which all people ( who beleeve mr. burroughs ) make of this writing , crying out , o what a lyer is is mr. edwards , and what a lying book is gangraena ! yea we see cretensis himself , the profound oracle of the sectaries takes mr. burroughs meaning thus , as the reader may perceive by his commentary upon the writing , rendring from thence this story of nichols related by me , so to the world as if it were all forged , and a meer fained thing , going over most of the particulars in this story one after another in his scoffing way , damning each part of it as false , and then passing his sentence upon the whole together in these words : this story is long , and the particular forgeries in it numerous , beyond measure ; and all cretensis grounds upon , is mr. burroughs writing which he received from him ; desiring the reader to make the computation , which he may do with exactnesse enough if he shall please to compare mr. edwards relation with these ensuing lines which he received from mr. burroughs himself in writing , anent this businesse . thus mr. burroughs gives a writing under his hand so couched and drawn up , making use also of mr. greenhils testimony to strengthen it , that all may take it , and many do , as if the story related by me were false ; but doth mr. burroughs think , or believe so of this story as his words carry it ? no , he knows in his conscience the contrary , only he writes thus to cretensis for the present , because it will serve his design , and if his fallacies shall happen to be discovered , he hath so placed his words that he will have a back door to come out at , he hath all along so framed and penned his writing , that though it carry in the face of it another meaning , yet upon two or three words placed artificially he thinks to come off , and salve his credit from being branded a lyer under his own hand , and that is from putting all he sayes upon those words a meeting concluded of ; which words meeting and such are several times used by him , ( each of them six times a peece ) and brought in at every turn and corner to salve him , all the weight of his testimony still referring to the words , meeting , and such , such meeting , such a man , &c. which the reader may easily perceive : so that mr. burroughs equivocation lies thus , he puts all the story upon a meeting concluded of , and speaks of the whole story still as upon such a meeting . now there being no set meeting on purpose for those opinions , but the meeting where these opinions were declared by mr. greenhil an ordinary usual meeting , he thereupon in those lines given to cretensis , doth not only conceal what he knew , but denies the whole story all along , such a man , such opinions ; such passages , related , &c. carrying the matter so as if the whole story had been false , because one circumstance in the manner of the narration of it was mistaken , and this is his evasion framed with much art , and studied on purpose to deceive the reader . the second equivocation and evasion at which mr. burroughs thinks to come out at to salve himself , and yet impeach my story of falshood is this , that he never knew such a man as nichols , nor ever was at any meeting with him , neither did he ever hear of his name , or that there was such a man in the world ; which things have been alledged for him by some of his friends upon my affirming the truth of the story , and that i should prove it ; now granting all this to be true ( though some part of it i much question ) yet my story is not made false by this ; gangraena page . for i do not in my story of nichols , charge mr. burroughs that he ever was at a meeting with nichols , or ever saw his face , only i say mr. greenhil and he met ( which is most true ) and therefore mr. burroughs confounds meetings , jumbles two into one , which i make in my relation distinct , on purpose for an evasion ; neither of the second meeting ( which i speak of ) where mr. burroughs was with mr. greenhil , do i say nichols was there , but rather the contrary , laying down that mr. greenhil related to mr. burroughs and others , what had been vented by nichols a few dayes before ; and now i appeal to the reader whether this be ingenuous fair dealing to deceive the reader thus , by casting the aspersion of falsenesse upon a true story , and yet to keep a reserve to come off with in case of being chalenged ? or rather whether is not this jesuitical equivocation , and whether any jesuite could , or would have drawn up half a score line● fuller of equivocations , reservations , and double expressions then mr. burroughs hath in these few lines : i am of the mind this manuscript of mr. burroughs discovers his jugling and indirect walking between the two meetings , that where master greenhil was without master burroughs , and that where both of them were , that of a meeting concluded of , such a meeting , and an ordinary usual meeting , more then cretensis manuscript will do my jugling and indirect walking between the two towns of godalming in surry and dunmow in essex ; but to make an end of master burroughs equivocations , i wish mr. burroughs to think often of that in iames , cap . . a double minded man is unstable in all his wayes , which hath been often in my mind of him , he of all the apologists in many things seeming to come neer us , even as if he were ours , and then flying off again ; i could mind him of divers passages , both in the assembly and out of the assembly , in his sermons , and conferences , wherein he of all the rest hath most yeelded , inclined to us for a fit , and yet at other times none st●ffer nor fiercer then he . . as in mr. burroughs writing to cretensis , i have shown plain equivocations , so there will be found in it manifest falsity , and some passages that cannot be salved from lying , no not by the help of an equivocation ; as for instance , master burroughs speaks as of the whole together , that story of nichols , not a part of the story , and saith ▪ all is false , which is an apparent untruth , for though some part of it were false , yet if any of it were true ( especially the major part ) it cannot be affirmed all is false , and then though in some parts of it master burroughs may equivocate , yet in others he cannot ; as for instance , the first part of the story wherein is laid down nichols maintaining to mr. greenhils face those wicked opinions , is a part of the story of nichols and undoubtedly true , how then can that be said to be false ? besides it precedes those words expressed in gangraena , a meeting concluded of , upon which mr. burroughs evades , and so cannot be salved by having a reference to them , and yet this is the first and one great part of that story mr. edwards hath of one nichols ; how then can mr. burroughs words , viz. of affirming that story mr. edwards hath of one nichols , to be false , be in any sense justified to be true ? again , how can mr. burroughs say he never heard there was such a man in the world as nichols , when as it cannot be thought but that master greenhill named him to him at colonel zacharies house ? and that master burroughs should never hear of nichols name , mr. greenhil and mr. burroughs being so familiar , and mr. greenhil relating to him the opinions , that mr. burroughs should never aske the mans name who held such vile opinions , nor mr. greenhil never speak of his name , seems to me very strange ; and if so , how came master allen to hear and know that the opinions related to master burroughs , were one nichols opinions , seeing mr. allen was not at the first meeting where nichols was with mr. greenhil , but only at this second meeting where mr. burroughs was ? again how can mr. burroughs give it under his hand , that he to this day never knew of any of nichols his opinions , when as the opinions of nichols laid down by me in the story of nichols , were told him by mr. greenhil , and mr. burroughs thereupon was so affected , that all those speeches fell from him , about the necessi●y of a government , and power in the magistrate , and that over conscience , &c. lastly , for those two or three last lines of mr. burroughs , namely mr. greenhils asking him whether he knew of any such meeting with that nichols ; this being spoken of in reference to the story of nichols set down by me in gangraena , that for his part he wondred to see such a thing in my book , for he knew of no such meeting , how durst mr. greenhil say thus , and mr. burroughs give it under his hand to be printed to abuse the world thus ; for did not mr. greenhil know of a meeting with nichols , which i spoke of in my book in the former part of this story of nichols , where nichols justified to his face these opinions , and which was the ground and occasion of all the discourse related by me in the second meeting ? and yet mr. greenhils question to mr. burroughs , and his own answer to it here set down by cretensis as from under mr. burroughs hand , are so set down that every reader ( who will believe them ) believes and takes it for granted , that mr. greenhil no more then mr. burroughs ever knew such a man as this nichols , nor never heard there was such a man in the world , till he read it in mr. edwrrds his book , nor ever knew of any meeting about him , or any of his opinions ; and so we see cretensis ( though an acute man ) understands it so , and vapors exceedingly upon it . . it may be demanded and asked what should be the cause , and what may be the reasons why mr. burroughs and mr. greenhil should thus conspire together to give such a testimony in writing as this against the story of nichols , which cannot b●t with all ingenuous men prejuduce them much , ( the fallacy of it being once made known ) as being at the best but a grosse equivocation , and a studied peece to deceive the reader , especially considering that nothing i speak of in that story of nichols was to the prejudice and disparagement of mr. greenhil and mr. burroughs , but much to their honour , as being at that time in so good a temper as to be affected with the evil of errors , and wicked opinions . now of this i conceive these three reasons : first , mr. burroughs and mr. greenhils earnest and eager desire of taking all advantages , and opportunities to blemish me , and to render me a lyar to the world , which that they might do , conceiving they had taken me tripping in a mistake ( though no material one , nor nothing to their prejudice , and so no slander nor calumny , but making for their honour ) they prosecute it , and improve it so far , that to make something of it ( poor men ) their ill-will and hatred against me , blinding and befooling them , leads them into equivocations , mental reservations , and untruths , even to the wounding of their own reputations amongst all unprejudiced men . secondly , a design thereby to blast my book among the people , to render it odious , to cause the truth of all matters of fact in it to be suspected , and so to hinder the good intended by me in that book : now mr. burroughs and mr. greenhil having a great name among many people , being accounted for men of that way somewhat moderate and among the best of that party , they knowing that their testimony , and that in the mouth of two witnesses ( both being joyned together in the writing printed by cretensis ) might wound my book , and from thence many would take occasion to question all , therefore they catch at the least occasion to declare themselves against my book . thirdly , they do it to free themselves from suspition and jealousie , which otherwise they might lye under from the other sectaries , as if they were against other sects and opinions , and for a toleration of no other sect but their own , and were for the government of the church to be setled in regard of these horrid opinions and heresies daily vented , and for the coercive power of the magistrate against sectaries , which these conferences upon occasion of nichols opinions seem to import , and might give some jealousie of , and therefore to clear themselves from these , and to ingratiate themselves to the sectaries , and the sectaries to them , to assure them they will stand by them against the presbyterians ; they greedily catch at the mistake of a circumstance , and thereupon mr. burroughs gives a writing under his hand , so couched and curiously drawn up ▪ as that all their fellow sectaries cannot but take it as if they denyed the whole , and as if no such words had ever been spoken by them about opinions , and the necessity of government and power of the magistrate . the independents strictly so called , are a very few in comparison of the anabaptists , antinomians , libertines , &c. a contemptible party as of themselves , independents in armies , country , city , falling daily to anabaptisme , &c. and therfore mr. greenhil and mr. burroughs being afraid they might suffer by this story , take this occasion to clear themselves by sending this writing to cretensis . . the reader from this writing given under mr. burroughs hand to disprove one of my stories , together with cretensis glorious vaporing inferences upon it , may plainly see what to judge of my stories laid down in gangraena , and of cretensis confutation , seeing cretensis signal choisest proof , and that which among all the rest was the onely testimony that gave him some credit in the world , proves so weak and faulty , yea and at best but a meer juggle and equivocation : what may the reader think of cretensis answers to other passages of my book ? his testimonies being either from persons of no credit and worth , apprentice boyes , sectaries , and men in their own cause , or persons under bad report , as cosens , against whom there have been many other complaints and depositions for miscariages and misdemeanors ( as i am certainly informed ) yea among others for abusing a worthy member of the house of commons , when as mr. burroughs testimony proves so invalid , and the whole story of nichols ( excepting onely one mistake in the transition of it from one part to the other ) proves all true , yea and more too then i have set down , as appears both by what i have sa●d already , and from mr. allens printed relation , being a man from whom i had the first relation of this story : now by this time i conceive that all men know what to judge of mr. burroughs text , and cretensis his commentary and application , and must conclude cretensis had little reason to make such tragical out-cryes , and a great noyse of branding this story of nichols ( as if there had never been any such man in the world , nor no such opinion , held by any , nor never no such discourse between mr. burroughs and mr. greenhil ) with particular forgeries in it , numerous beyond measure . and for a conclusion of my reply both to cretensis and master burroughs writing ▪ i report thus upon cretensis in his own words a little changed : that long formal story of one nichols living about moor-fields , coming into stepney parish to draw away people : that to mr. greenhils face did justifie and maintain many wicked opinions , &c. upon occasion whereof at a meeting where mr. greenhil , mr. burroughs and many others were , which meeting was , viz. a little before mr. burroughs fell upon the preaching of the power of the magistrate in matters of religion , and the point of toleration : at which meeting mr. burroughs and mr. greenhil , with others , spake many good words , particularly mr. burroughs , in regard of these things , matters being so , there was a necessity of the government of the church , and of the power of the magistrate , &c. this story is so long , and the particulars in it true beyond question : in which respect , i desire the reader presently to make the computation , which he may do with exactnesse enough , if he shall please to compare mr. edwards his relation in gangraena , this reply , and mr. allens relation anent this businesse , with the lines received by cretensis from master burroughs himself in writing , and cretensis commentary upon them . cretensis pag. . sect. . having had occasion to mention mr. burroughs immediatly before , fals upon a discourse to vindicate mr. burroughs of an error charged upon him by me in the catalogue of errors , and labours to clear him by comparing it with other passages in his book , page . and by shewing mr. burroughs his rule touching forbearance was of matters of religion , not of matters of state , and then concludes his confutation with a jeer and scoff of what i said against mr. burroughs position , namely it was but a forlorn hope , the fore-runner of a great army of confutations advancing , and of resembling mr. burroughs to achilles , and applying that verse to me in answering mr. burroughs , infoelix puer , atque impar congressus achilli . reply . i have much exceeded the nature of a brief reply to cretensis , having already gone far beyond the number of sheets i intended in this reply to cretensis , and therefore that i may reserve matter for my large reply , i shall not enlarge my self upon this , nor the following particulars in cretensis book as i have done upon some others , but shall passe by what i could say to cretensis evasions of passages in other pages clearing his meaning , &c. brought in defence of mr. burroughs , as namely , that mr. burroughs uses to say and unsay , affirm and deny , as the vanity and weaknesse of that distinction ( as 't is here applyed ) concerning matters of religion , and matters of state , as if an erroneous conscience did not make things the magistrates account , but matters of state , matters of religion , and the magistrates also reckon many things to be matters of state , which many consciences account high matters in religion ; all i shall say ( and justly ) of of many things delivered by master burroughs about toleration and the magistrate , is , what galen said wickedly of moses writings , multa dicit sed nihil probat ; and therefore there will need no great abilities to confute achilles , troilus may try his valour with him , by putting him but to prove his own positions and assertions ; only before i end my reply to this section , i must tell cretensis he forgot when he writ thus , troilus will needs be trying his valour with achilles whatsoever it costs him , that master edwards had already tryed the strength of achilles and four more joyned to him , master thomas goodwin , master nye , &c. in his antapologie , or full answer to the apologetical narration , which was never yet replyed to unto this day ; and therefore certainly if the unhappy boy were able ( as many learned men are pleased to think ) to make his part good with four besides achilles , he may venture to try a fall with achilles alone ; and therefore if cretensis will once more get a writing under mr. burroughs hand to this purpose , and print it , that achilles will in writing openly maintain his and cretensis church way not to be a schism , and that it ought to be tolerated by the supreme magistracy of this kingdom , i do proffer to answer him , and to maintain the contrary , and then leave it to learned men to judge which of us hath the fall : only i premise this condition , that both of us may , as in the presence of god , make a solemn promise to call in no second , nor to have any help from others , or to communicate our writings to any man , that so what we do may be a trial of our valours , and not of other mens : and for a conclusion of my reply to this section , had not cretensis come in at the close of this section with his troilus and achilles , his forlorn-hope , and his great army of confutations , but staid his pen & closed the period at an erroneous conscience may be such ; he had wrought little less then a miracle , for he had written one whole section among . without either giving me the lye , or jeering or scoffing at me , or abusing some place of scripture , &c. but the evil spirit that attends his pen envied him the crown of that glory , to write one sober section , and therefore for uniformity sake he makes this like unto its fellows , ending with jeers and scoffs . cretensis sect. . pag. . saith , how my pen hath abused mr. ellis of colchester , and other faithful servants of god in those parts with base calumnies and slanders , the world will shortly understand by an expresse from thence , of which mr. ellis writes thus to a friend in london : the aspersions cast on me and some others here by mr. edwards , are as false as foul : which because they are a great part of his book and strength , those who are here concerned , will , if god please , make reply . reply . now whether my pen hath abused m. ellis of colchester , & other faithful servants of god in those parts with base calumnies and slanders , i desire the reader to turn back to mr. harmars letter , p. , . and to read what he hath sent me under his hand ; besides , cretensis the great critick upon other mens words , in these words his pen ( speaking of me ) writes either falsly or improperly ; for what i print of mr. ellis , &c. in gangraena , are letters written by another pen , not mine , and therefore if i wanted matter , or had nothing else to do with my time , i could spend as many words ( upon a better ground ) and expatiate upon calling mr. harmars pen my pen , as cretensis doth upon the word meeting , p. , . as for the expresse from colchester discovering the base calumnies and slanders against the saints there , i hear nothing of it yet , but let it come when it will , i fear it not ; for both i and others know so much of the sectaries of colchester , of their basenesse , self-seeking , equivocations , &c. that the answer to it will serve to make a third part of gangraena ; their errors , heresies , practises , &c. without any help from other places , will serve to fill a good book of it self . but to animadvert no further on this passage of cretensis , i put a period to this section with this short animadversion , that the things i relate of mr. ellis or some others of colchester in gangraena , are not false ( though mr. ellis saith they be foul ) neither are they a great part of my book and strength , but a very small little part , not the twentieth part of my book ; but i am of the minde , when mr. ellis and those who are there concerned shall make a reply , the rejoynde● to it will have a great deal more , and other manner of things of the sectaries of colchester then gangraena hath , and i must deal ingenuously with cretensis and mr. ellis , i have been told by one of colchester , that if he had thought or known i would have printed any letters concerning the sectaries of colchester , he would have furnished me with other manner of things then any contained in those letters mr. ellis writes of to a friend in london . cretensis § . . p. . labors to disprove the testimony given by me of the author of the third letter printed in gangraena , by printing a letter written to kiffin concerning him , wherein the author of that letter denies mr. ricraft to be a person religious , and cordially affected to the parliament , intimating and casting many foul aspersions upon him . reply . i leave mr. ricraft to justifie the contents of his own letter written to me , and to answer this letter written against him , which he assures me he hath done , and that by this time 't is printed , wherefore i need say little ; only for what i expressed of mr. ricraft , i had good reason to do it , both from the testimonies i had received of him upon enquiry from persons judicious and godly , and from some converse and acquaintance which of late i have had with him ; and that which made me give him that testimony , a person cordially affected to the parliament , was his being imployed in several matters and affairs that concerned the parliament ; which besides that i had heard so , i saw two orders or warrants , one from the honorable committee of both kingdoms , the other from the committee of examinations , testifying his good service , and commending him , which are more to me to assure me that he is a man well affected to the parliament , then a hundred letters written to the contrary by * anabaptists ( such as cretensis here prints ) can be to deny it : now as to that particular instance in the letter brought to disprove mr. ricraft for being a person cordially affected to the parliament ( which indeed is all that hath any show of proof , all the rest being meer words ) namely , of concealing a colonel which came out of the kings army , which colonel would have taken away the life of one mr. roberts minister , and that if mr. roberts had known of the colonels being in town , he would have endeavored the hanging of him , and yet not without cause , for former discourtesies received from him , &c. i desire the reader to judge how true 't is by these following lines which i received from mr. roberts , under his own hand , and subscribed with his name . i do not know of any colonel or other officer of the kings party that mr. iosiah ricraft did entertain , nor that the said pretended colonel , nor any other particular person did particularly endeavor to take away my life : and if i had punctually known that the said pretended colonel , or any other person had endeavored at the taking of b●rmingham in hoe blood to have destroyed my life , yet i do not conceive that a sufficient cause for me in cold blood , if i had opportunity , to have sought the taking away of his life , march . . fran. roberts . § . . cretensis thinking that by his anabaptistical letter he hath weakned my testimony of the author , and branded him for a malignant , he proceeds in this section against the master of the letter , charging a great part of it to be notoriously false , as some things about kiffin and palmer , and of a woman to be rebaptized , at which story , out of his love to anabaptists and dipping , not knowing how soon he shall fall to that way , he is so offended , that he makes the tale of gargantua and donquixot , with his wind-mills , to look like gospels in comparison of it , and thereupon breaks out into a passion , that he saith , it is pity the relator should either eat or drink , till he either hath proved the truth , or else confessed the untruth of it . reply . the reader may observe cretensis cannot deny some part of it to be true ; and indeed the first part of it of one web ( the most material and foul for the opinions and blasphemies ; cretensis doth not so much as offer to disprove : ) for those other about kiffins bragging upon disputation , and those lighter passages , i conceive mr. ricraft will clear in his answer ; but for the main businesse of kiffin and patience anointing with oyl a sick woman , one of their members , that is not denied neither , only some words , which being recovered , she should speak , which is not much material to the thing ; besides , 't is probable words to that effect were spoken , though not in terminis , wherein , may be , the equivocation stands : and lastly , for that story of the woman to be rebaptized , and the dipper which cretensis makes such a quaint invention and bold fiction , &c. as if no anabaptist could be guilty of such one ; i reply to cretensis , there are fouler things done by anabaptists and sectaries ; mistris attaways story , with many particular passages in it are fouler , as i shall by letters , and other relations make manifest ; but whereas cretensis makes this relation such a lye to the wherstone , making all the daring relations ( as cretensis phrases them ) in gangraena besides to give place to it , i will upon one condition ( and that a very reasonable one ) that cretensis and his church will promise upon proof of it to joyn in a petition to the parliament with the presbyterians for the forbidding of all dipping and rebaptization , and exemplary punishment of all dippers , as his brother kiffin , &c. set down in my large reply to cretensis , the place where , the name of the dipper , with other circumstances of this story ; and i do believe , if my intelligence doth not extremely sail me , whereas cretensis makes such a wonder at one , i shall be able in my next to give instances in the plural number ; and for this end i have taken order to have sent me up with hands subscribed , the proof with particular circumstances . and for conclusion of this , i cannot but take notice of the extreme cruelty of cretensis against the relator of this story ( and by this we may see what liberty and favor presbyterians must expect , if once we fall into the hands of independents ) that 't is pity he should either eat or drink , till he hath proved the truth , or confessed the untruth of it . what cretensis , no other way for a poor man who tells a story of an anabaptistical dipper , but to starve him to death , or to make him sin against conscience by confessing the untruth of that which he thinks in his conscience to be true ; and that i may convince cretensis of his rashnesse in speaking thus , i desire him in his rejoynder to resolve this case , which is the true case of this story : suppose the person who can prove it lives sixty or seventy miles off , how long , and how many days will you allow the relator to finde him out , and to bring him , with all other witnesses before the magistrate to prove the truth of it ; must not this of necessity require some days ( though no accidents should fall out , sicknesse , or of being from home , &c. which might retard it ) and would you have the relator all this while go so many days without eating or drinking ? that were indeed the ready way for the relator never to prove the truth of it : i suppose upon second thoughts cretensis will con●esse he writ this in a passion and flame , as i believe he did all the rest of his book . cretensis § . ▪ p. . denies and puts off several particulars laid down in gangraena , as about lieut : colonel lilburn , as about one thomas moor of lincolnshire , as about a woman-preacher at brasteed in kent ; and he adorns his pretended answers with jeers and scoffs , as that lilburn can see and read twenty and ten untruths in my book , with the worst of his eyes , and that i am the greatest manifestarian under heaven , there being no man hath manifested that weaknesse of judgement , that strength of malice against the saints as i have done . reply . lieutenant colonel lilburns playing at cards , i have proved true in answer to walwyn , pag. . where the reader may by looking back be satisfied ; as for the rest i have said of him , when cretensis goes about to disprove it , i shall as particularly make proof of it by instances ; and i am of an opinion with cretensis ( though not in his sense ) the other things instanced in as well as playing at cards , are grapes growing on the same thorn ; only i cannot but wonder at one fetch of cretensis ( indeed far fetcht ) to salve the credit of his brother lilburn , that my reporting of lilburns playing at cards either is a false report it self , or at least a report of a report which is false , and so little better , which is to make all reports false of which a man is not an ear and eye-witnesse , and so nothing to be believed , though related by never such credible ear and eye-witnesses : now after this rate to be sure the story of cretensis presbyterian angel which another hath to tell ( some independent angel ) is false , the story of the presbyterians fishing on a day of thanksgiving is false , and little to be regarded ; for cretensis sure was none of the com — or sub-presbyters ( though i am confident he would have fished with them a whole afternoon upon a thanksgiving day , on condition to have been a com — or sub-presbyter with the doctorate of the assembly ) the manuscript of my jugling between godalming and dunmow , is either a false report it sell , or at least a report of a report which is false , and so all the stories which cretensis threatens presbyterians with to make their names and reputations so many dead corpses , will be but either false reports , or at least reports of reports which are false , and so little better , for i believe cretensis comes little among presbyterians , and so cannot speak much of his own knowledge . as for that particular of one of lilburns eyes put out by a pike in the street , upon which cretensis makes jests , as that lilburn is able to see and read twenty untruths and ten in mr. edwards book with the worst of them . i answer , this passage , as also that of two children taken away at a time from cretensis are not made any thing of by me , or insisted upon to upbraid them , but touched only to shew their own folly in rash censuring of presbyterians from acts of gods providence in afflicting , by giving instances in themselves : however , for the truth of the thing , lilburns eye was so run into by a pike immediately upon his letter coming forth against mr. prynne and the assembly , as that he could not see with it for a great while , and it was feared , and commonly reported , he would never see more with it ; but for my part , i am glad to hear he can see again with it ; and the recovery of his sight doth no whit infringe the truth of what i have written , i expressing not how long he could not see , speaking only of presently after his letter came forth ; but supposing his eye-sight to be as good as cretensis expresses it , yet i am sure he cannot read twenty and ten untruths in gangraena , and i suppose by this time the reader by my reply is well satisfied , that this speech of cretensis is an untruth ; and as for that jeer of cretensis , that if i had not a great beam in my own eye , i might easily have seen that neither of lilburns eyes are put out : i reply , that lately in westminster hall i walked by leiut : col : lilburn , and eyed him well , and could easily see a great blemish in one of his eyes which was not in the other , and so visible , that many a one in whose eye lesse is seen , yet cannot see at all ; and i am of the minde , if cretensis do but put on his spectacles , he may see a great blemish in the eye , upon occasion of the pike running in ; but for my part , the greatest hurt i wish to lieut : col : lilburn is , that he may not lose the eye of his soul in the wayes of error , schism , contempt of the ministery , dispising of dominion , and speaking evil of dignities , yes , my earnest prayer to god for him , cretensis and other of their brethren is , that god would anoint their eyes with eye-salve that they might see and be ashamed , and return . lastly , for thomas moor a great sectary , and manifestarian that hath done much hurt in lincolnshire , which cretensis denies , by saying he doth not more believe there is any such man , then he does that there is any woman-preacher at brasteed in kent , &c. and he believes me to be the greatest manifestarian under heaven , there being no man that hath manifested that weaknesse of judgement , that strength of malice against the saints that i have done . i reply , first the reader may do well to take special notice of the bold impudency of cretensis , who dares deny any thing if it may make for the sectaries ; and 't is no wonder he denies many other things in gangraena , calling them lies , forgeries , when as he will dare to write thus , and to deny that which is known to many hundreds , and to persons of all ranks , ministers , gentlemen , citizens , souldiers . this thomas moor does much hurt in lincolnshire , some parts of norfolk , cambridgeshire ; he is famous at boston , lynne , holland ; followed and accompanied somtimes from place to place , with many attending him ; and i cannot think but cretensis hath heard of him , and that he hath some equivocation in his words or evasions , as it may be upon the word sectary , cretensis not judging any of his saints sectaries ; or upon great sectary , as those words seem to imply , a sectary of that magnitude which he imports ; or else upon those words , that hath done much mischief , cretensis not believing that any of his saints can do much mischief ; and truly cretensis may with as much truth deny there is any such man as master hugh peters , as deny what i have written of thomas moor ; and that there is such a one , i have seen , and have by me at this time writings of his to the quantity of almost twenty sheets , for his opinions , written by thomas moor himself , subscribed with his name , to a worthy and learned member of the assembly : as also this thomas moor , since these wars , was questioned and committed by the then governor of boston colonel king , for keeping an unlawful conventicle at an unseasonable time in the night in the garrison town of boston , and for abusing and mis-calling the governor when he was brought before him about it . secondly , as for that jeer , there is no more any such man then such a woman at brasteed in kent , let cretensis know for all master saltmashes bold affirmation in his late book , that the contrary is known to himself and all the town , there is such a woman who preaches often both at brasteed and other towns thereabouts ; and besides what the reader in justification of this may finde in this book , p. , . i shall adde this as a farther proof related to me lately by two godly ministers of kent , which is as follows . upon mr. saltmarshes book call'd groans for liberty , coming forth , and denying there was any such woman , who preached at brasteed , many of the godly ministers of kent in that part of kent about town mauling at a meeting of theirs , took it in consideration to enquire and finde out the truth of that related in gangraena , but denied by mr. saltmarsh , and entreated particularly a minister on mr. t. born in those parts neer brasteed , knowing the town , and the people thereabouts , to make it his businesse so to search into it , as that the certain knowledge of it might be reported to them at their next meeting , that accordingly it might be communicated to me for the further clearing of the truth . mr. t. willingly accepted of the motion of his brethren , and accordingly did act in the businesse , and at the next meeting satisfied the rest of the ministers , that he had found out there was such a preaching woman an anabaptist , who somtimes at brasteed , and other times at westrum , a town neer brasteed , doth meet other women , and after she hath preached , she takes the bible and chuses a text , some verses in a chapter , or somtimes a whole chapter , and expounds and applies to her auditors ; and mr. t. the minister , who returned this relation to the minister , knows this woman , and knows this to be so . one of those two ministers who acquainted me with this , being entreated to give it me under his hand , hath under his hand given it me , which i keep by me to produce upon any occasion ; so that the reader may see both the one and the other , thomas moor the sectary , and a woman preacher at brasteed , and both true , notwithstanding cretensis will not believe them , but makes a jeer and scoff at these as he doth at all other things . thirdly , to that bitter , uncharitable , unchristian expression of cretensis concerning me , that i am the greatest manifestarian under heaven ; there is no man hath manifested that weaknesse of judgement , that strength of malice against the saints which he hath done . i would have cretensis know , if i would give leave to my pen , i could upon these words whip him so as to fetch blood in abundance from him , but i will not write a satyr , all i will say ( though this is a desperate provoking speech , and i have much ado to forbear ) is this , i dare appeal to the indifferent reader , whether mr. edwards or mr. goodwin in their writings against independents , and against presbyterians , have manifested more weaknesse of judgement , and strength of malice against the saints : and to satisfie the reader and my self , i desire cretensis in his rejoynder to shew where in any of my books i have manifested that weaknesse of judgement , to declare to all the world as cretensis hath done ) that ( i put out an answer to a book of which i never read one quarter of it ; or writ a book , wherein the far greatest part of the particulars were observed by ot●ers ; or had neither leasure nor opportunity to search to the bottom all was storied , and yet notwithstanding deny all with gyant-like confidence , cr. p. . or where , in what pages of my books , in●ituled , reasons against independent government , antapologia , gangraena , i have discovered that strength of malice against the independent saints , as cretensis in his books call'd m. s. theo-machia , answers and replyes to mr. prynne , a brief answer to mr. edwards , hath against the presbyterian saints , and all the reformed churches . but no man need marvel at cretensis course language , either in vilifying , slighting me , or in charging me so deeply , who considers how he hath spared none , of what condition or quality soever , that have come in his way , not regarding any mans age , calling , learning , holinesse , sufferings , place ; witnesse his scornful bitter speeches against mr. walker , mr. roborough , dr. steuart ; yea , casting fire-brands of reproach upon city , assembly , parliament , and all presbyterians , and particularly upon that worthy , learned , and religious gentleman mr. prynne , the greatest and truest sufferer against those evils of that time , both for matter and manner , of any one man in england , whom above all others ( notwithstanding all his sufferings , and other personal worth ) he hath slighted , and desperately censured , as here he does me ; which the reader may finde in cretensis books against mr. prynne , and particularly in that book intituled , * calumny araigned and cast . cretensis ( § . . . ) denies he holds any errors in justification greater then i do , yea , or any so great by many degrees ; and it will be a thousand times said , before once proved , that cretensis holds any such errors , &c. he charges me also , in my epistle dedicatory , to abuse the parliament with a loud untruth , that there are eleven meetings at least of sectaries in one parish in this city : which loud untruth he charges not upon me alone , but upon the honorable court of common-councel , the lord mayor , aldermen , &c. calling them brethren in iniquity with me . and further taxes me , that because the pages of my book are not large enough to contain my shamelesse untruths , therefore i quote them in the margin of it , as of overton and eaton , and some of cretensis church reporting , &c. reply . cretensis hath been often charged to hold errours in the point of justification and the particulars have been specified and proved by many godly learned ministers , both in pulpits , writings , and conferences , as * master walker , master roborough , master calamie , &c. yea , some independent ministers , as mr. thomas goodwin , master burton , &c. have spoken against his errours in the point of justification , using sharp and quick expressions upon discoursing of them ( as i can prove by good witnesses . ) but for me , i was never taxed by any man , either presbyterian or independent , for holding any errours in the doctrine of justification : and indeed , i hold nothing in that point but which is commonly laid down in the confession and articles of religion made by the reformed churches . and for the proving you guilty of errour , master robrough hath done it cleerly and fully in his animadversions and examination of both parts of your treatise of justification ( which , me thinks , you never having replyed unto , should not have had the forehead to have boasted thus . ) besides also , a godly orthodox learned presbyt . of the church of scot● and hath fully answered you , and discovered your weaknesse , as one of the reverend commissioners of the church of scotland assured me upon his own knowledge . secondly , cretensis shewes his impudencie and boldnesse in denying that which i prove by a petition of the honourable court of common councell , wherein they in terminis ( as cretensis cannot deny ) affirm it ; and i suppose , all men will iudge , such an honourable court affirming it , and that to the high court of parliament , is to be beleeved before one cretensis . and of this businesse i know something , for i particularly inquired of some of that committee appointed to draw up the petition , and to make proof of things , how this particular was proved ; and they told me , it was made apparent to the committee of common councell , whereupon they put it in : and no wise man can conceive , that such a representative body as the common councell , in a businesse wherein they knew they had so many eyes upon them , and so many enemies , ( all the sectaries mortally hating them for this , and other petitions ) would represent such a thing to the parliament , unlesse they could prove it . the common councell knowes very well , the sectaries want not friends to possesse the parliament against them , and who watch but for such an advantage , as to take them tripping , thereby to render all they present in this kinde as false : and if cretensis , or any of his fellow sectaries could have disproved this , 't is a wonder to me they did not : when a committee was appointed to hear , and the citie to make proof of some of the foulest things mentioned in the petition , why did not cretensis , or some of his church then , for the weakning the credit of the common councell , and the better bringing their preaching-sisters off , come in , and alledg this as a loud untruth ? objecting , that by the same reason the story of the preaching women might be false . but how true soever 't is , cretensis hath a good faculty , in all things that are brought against the sectaries , to beleeve nothing ; but to be as confident as twice two makes four , that all is false . well , though i will not be so uncharitable as cretensis was , to wish master goodwin might neither eate nor drink till he had proved what he here writes : yet i heartily wish , that my lord major and the honourable court would not suffer cretensis and his church to meet any more in their conventicle , till he had made good what he here writes ; which , i conceive , they may the more lawfully and justly doe , because he doth not only give them the — , but calls them brethren in iniquity with me , , scoffing at a saying of mine taken out of the city petition , but this saying of his need not be melancholy for want of company ; it hath brethren enough in the iniquity of it : and who are these brethren , but the lord major , aldermen , and common councell ? o what an insolent bold passage is this ! the reader need not wonder at his foul mouth , and railing dialect against me and my book , who cares no more for this honourable citie : i doe not see how the honourable court of common councell can let it passe without questioning him , to suffer a man , who lives in the citie under their government , to abuse them thus in print . i am confident , if the presbyterians lived in a citie under a magistracie and government , where the governers were independent , and should have abused them thus , they would have made the citie to hot for them . . as for that i say of overton and eaton , for all cretensis mincing and shuffling , i shall free my self from uttering untruth ; for overton said , after a boasting manner , unto two sufficient witnesses , that now there was an answer to my antapologie , and entred into the hall-book ; and they apprehend him so , especially one of them , as that he took order to send me word ( i being then in the country ) that an answer was certainly printing ; and for my greater assurance , he had searcht the book , and found it entred : so that i and many lookt every day for the coming of it forth ; and i never knew before now , that books were entred into the hall-book , but just when they were going to the presse . for eaton , an independent milliner , i do not affirm , that he spake the same words which overton did , for his words were spoken many months before overtons ; only he is quoted in the m●rgin as an instance to make good those words in the second page of my preface , their great words and threats of an answer ; which were these that he gave out , there was an answer to my antapologie , and he had seen it , and the author of it had discovered me to be a poor weak man , and my book a slight easie piece , neither good sense , nor good english , or words to that effect ; which eaton confessed he spake before witnesses , since my gangraena came forth : that 's all i say of him , or meant , and , i suppose , these are great words and threats of an answer . only by the way , i desire cretensis to resolve me these questions , and then i will give him a good account why i called eaton an independent : namely , what was the true reason that cretensis reply to my antapologie , being entred in the hall-book in iuly last , and given to the bookseller to print , was not printed , but stopped ? and how it came to passe , that eaton , if he be no independent , had the reply to my antapologie communicated to him to read and peruse ? and when cretensis hath resolved these questions , it may be , by the next , if he answer not truly , i shall tell him the reasons of the stop , and to whom else besides eaton this reply hath been communicated , as to master sympson , and , may be , tell him what master overton , or his man , or both , have told a friend of mine , about the answer to my antapologie ; as namely , what the licenser did upon perusing of it , and of the title given to it about the accuser of the brethren cast , &c. . as for the report of some of master iohn goodwins church , &c. i observe cretensis denyes it not , but puts it off with one of his usuall tricks , that he beleeves , i no more know it then declare it . and indeed , this is one of cretensis jugling wayes which he makes often use of in this book ; when he knowes not what well to say , then he comes in with i beleeve , he no more knoweth , and i no more beleeve . ( cretens pag. , . ) and truly , 't is somewhat strange to me , that he who is so hard of beliefe in divine things , that he will not beleeve the scriptures without reason , and hath preached lately with much earnestnesse and violence , that faith is not to guide reason , but reason faith , will yet in humane things , beleeve any thing against all sense and reason . but to put cretensis out of doubt , that i know , and can prove what i say , i offer cretensis , upon promise made from him and his church , that the honest men who told it out of their zeal to the cause , and their rejoycing in an answer coming , and to perswade the presbyterians to the truth of it ( who have alwayes much doubted of an answer to the antapologie ) shall not be censured by the church , nor looked upon with an evill eye , nor hundred by this from being taken into the preferment of being a prophet , and preaching for cretensis , i will name the minister to whom it was told , and the members by whom ; and for encouragement to cretensis and his church to make this promise , i will for present name the first letter of the godly ministers name , well acquainted with some of the church , namely master b. cretensis , sect. . page , , , . spends many leaves in labouring to disprove the information given me of one cosens of rochester , and related by me , affirming that relation to be forgery of forgeries , and all is forgery , all over it , and that in it there are well nigh quot verba , tot mendacia ; and hee goes over seven particulars , putting the lye upon each of them , concluding , there is scarce a clause of a sentence true in this relation . and as all along upon each particular , so both in the entrance to this answer , and in the close of it , he is full of jears , scoffs , and foul uncivill language . reply . this story being the last of those related by me in gangraena , which cretensis excepts against in his answer , and the story next unto that of nichols and master burroughs , ( if not more in some respects ) which he most insults upon , and triumphs in , i have therefore reserved it to the later end , as being the last particular matter of fact i shall reply unto for the justification and vindication of my selfe against the foul-mouthd aspersions of cretensis : and i shall first speak to the manner of his answer and confutation of this story , and secondly to the matter of it : but before i speak to either of these , i shall minde the reader of that which i have often spoken of upon severall other particulars which i have replyed unto ; namely , that hee must not look for all now that may be said , lest i anticipate my larger reply ; as also , because there is a gentleman out of town , whom i have expected almost this three weeks to come to london , who can tell mee some circumstances in this story for proofe of some things more fully and cleerly then the minister from whom immediately i received it : and indeed , i am told , there is a mystery in some passages of this businesse about cosens , which being unfolded , will give more full satisfaction in some particulars to the reader , then yet i am able to doe . for the manner of cretensis answer , how unlike it is to a minister of the gospel , and how like to one brought up in an alehouse , or in a bowling-alley , not onely on a day of publick thanksgiving , but every day in the week , having their terms of art at his fingers ends , score up , tallie on , and such foul-mouthd language , 't is a lie , you lie , a loud lie , every impartiall reader cannot but take notice , and many speak openly of it ; and that which makes cretensis folly and insolencie the greater , and more to be blamed by every indifferent reader , is this , that he gives me the lie so often , in such a disgracefull , scornfull way , making the relation all over forgery , and that there are so many lies well nigh as words in the story ; speaking also most confidently , though falsly , against the worthy minister who told me this storie , that hee works stoutly at the forge , and feeds both himself and the world with all manner of scandals and falshoods against the independents without fear , and in the close vapouring and triumphing at an excessive rate with inferences drawn from his own confutations , as if all hee had said in answer to me had been gospel ; when as all this high and great building is laid and raised solely upon the weak sandy foundation of cosens his own relation ; cretensis disproving the truth of my relation , and sealing the truth of his own answer in seven particulars by no other way , but the man professeth ( that is cosens ) that hee knowes no such man , and this counter information i had from the mouth of the said cosens himselfe , and have the particulars under his hand . now i appeal to all the world whether any wise man would ever have made such adoe as cretensis doth here , giving the lye so oft , triumphing so confidently in a businesse meerly upon the information of a man in his own case , and whether this be not worse then to ask my fellow whether i be a thief ; ( cret . p. . ) namely , to ask a mans selfe , and upon a mans owne testimony to call an honest man a thief , and to declare a thiefe an honest man ; especially considering , besides cosens being a party , and in his owne cause , hee is a man against whom there are many depositions , and complaints against him for other miscarriages and misdemeanours , a copie whereof i am promised from a good hand , and shall insert in my large reply : but supposing all that cretensis saith cosens told him should prove upon further inquiry to be true , and not false ; ( the contrary whereunto i shall presently make apparent ) yet no wise man can excuse cretensis of a great deal of weaknesse and folly , to put so much weight as hee doth upon such a testimony , and to declare so much to all the world : certainly great cretensis is the greatest manifestarian that i have ever met with , and there is no man hath manifested that weaknesse of judgement , besides strength of malice against the presbyterian ministers and saints which hee hath done both in this , and in many other passages of his book ; as to make an answer to a book , and professe truely he never read one quarter of the book , &c. and in my opinion these acts manifest greater weaknesse of judgement , farre more injudiciousnesse , then the not knowing how to range parts of speech in a sentence , nor to put the nominative case and verb together regularly in english , &c. and for a conclusion of what i have to reply against the manner of cretensis confutation of this story , i referre it to the judicious readers consideration whether master edwards , for relating a story as a relation , upon the information of a reverend godly minister well known , living also upon the place , who could upon no reason be judged to do it out of partiality , or for sinister ends , be to be accounted a liar , and to have the lye often given him , or m. goodwin for denying the whole story , and affirming the contrary upon the bare word and relation of a stranger , a great sectary , and a party in the cause , who according to all reason cannot be thought but he will speak favourably for himself , especially being such a one , as a man may , without breach of charity , presume he will speak any thing for himselfe in his own cause , when as hee did to mee in the presence and hearing of three godly citizens alledge in his owne behalfe to cleer himself from all fault in this matter , that one of the witnesses who deposed , said , he was hired to swear against him , and had five shillings given him by one of the justices , or some about him , and had three or foure cups of sack given him before he swore , and was drunk when he took his oath ; unto whom some of the * citizens then present with me , replied , he had best take heed what he said to accuse the justices of peace , that they should make any witnesse drunck , or have any hand to give . s. to one to sweare against him , and that this was no● likely , nor to be beleeved by any wise man ; and i suppose if i should reply never a word more to what cretensis hath objected against this story of cosens , i had said enough to satisfie rationall men , by declaring i had my information from a person of worth , and by cretensis nothing is here brought to infringe it , but only the parties own testimony , who is a man also otherwayes obnoxious , as i have already declared . now from the manner i shall come to the matter ; and for the relation which i have set down of cosens in the last leaf of my book save one , i received it from a reverend minister who is preacher at rochester ( the place where cosens lives ) and a member of the assembly , who told it me , and a common counsell man of this city , and i writ it from this ministers mouth that i might neither forget nor mistake it , and read it to him after i had done , and upon reading , he approved it as his sense , and that which he had related . but now supposing there should be any mistakes in the first relation made to this godly and learned minister , yet i reporting it just as i had it from his mouth ( he being a man to be beleeved ) and as an information only , not as a thing of my own knowledge , i conceive i cannot be taxed for a lyar , not according to any acception or definition of a lye ; and if i be in this kinde to be blamed for lying , i desire to know of master goodwin by the next in case hee have reported from cosens a sectary , a loose person , a man speaking in his own cause , any thing that is untrue , ( which that he hath done i shall infallibly prove ) how he will free himself from the same crime , and not more justly incurre the title of great master cretensis , then i the brand of lying , which he so liberally bestowes upon me . but to come to the particulars , for the first words that cosens should say , iesus christ was a bastard : 't is confessed by him who related it ( though he had it from a very good hand ) that those words are not found in the deposition againg him before two justices ) but these , christ ( alas ) he was a child , and you must not beleeve all the words hee said ; and for the fuller satisfaction of the reader , i do here set down the information and deposition to tittle as it was taken before the major of rochester , and another justice of peace . civit. roffens . the information of john cosens of chatham ' , taken upon oath the day of august , . before john philpot major , and philip ward esquire , iustices of peace within the said city . who saith , that about july last was twelve months , he being at work at the house of master william cobbams , in the said city with robert cosens his brother , they fell into discourse concerning the book of common prayer , when the said robert offered to lay a wager that the same should be put down within a moneth , and should be read no more ; whereupon the said iohn cosens replyed ▪ why brother there are many things there commanded by god ; by what god saith the said robert ? to whom he answered by our saviour christ ? our saviour christ , said robert cosens ( alas ) he was a child , and you must not beleeve all the words he said . his mark . iohn cosens iohn philpot major . philip ward . vera copia , & examinat . per me iohan , goldwell . now i appeale to the reader whether these words related in this deposition , be not blasphemy as well as the other , and whether a mistake might not easily arise from these words deposed , to report the other ; but to put cretensis out of doubt that 't is no lye , nor forgery to report such words , yea and more of some sectaries , cretensis saints , and therefore he needed not to have triumphed so much in it : i will give him two instances of sectaries , who have blasphemed after this manner . the first is one coleburne of watford in the liberty of saint albons , a great anabaptist and sectarie , who spake these words , that our saviour christ was a bastard , and the first time that he taught was in a tub upon the sea . this was found by a jury upon oath , and was returned into the kings bench by certiorarie , in michaelmas terme last . the second is one in midlesex , who is indited at the kings bench , for saying that our saviour christ was a bastard , and the virgin mary a — with many other blasphemous words , which ( being so horrid and filthy ) i think not fit to make publike : this is found by the grand inquest in candlemas terme last , upon the knowledge of one of the said grand inquest ; and to assure the reader of what i write , i have by me the whole processe and particulars at large , which i fetched out of the crowne office , subscribed with the clarks hand , which because they are so large , and i have much exceeded the number of sheets i alotted to this reply , i forbeare to print them ; but if cretensis doubt of the truth of what i here write , he may if he will be at the charge , have the whole proceedings out of the crown office attested under hand . and for cosens speaking these very words , cretensis a little after ( thoug here he denies them ) yet confesses these words were charged upon him ; though upon examination waved ; else what meanes that passage of cretensis , the witnesse upon whose single testimony ( originally ) both these and the former words were charged upon him : now what those former words were , i desire cretensis to resolve in his rejoynder . for the second , that if jesus christ were upon the earth again , hee would be ashamed of many things he then did . this second part of the relation of the information cretensis calls ●a lye , and the second in order , and thereupon enlarges himself after this manner . for neither did the man ( namely cosens ) speak any such words as these , the witnesse upon whose single testimony ( originally ) both these and the former words were charged upon him , upon rexamination , and that upon oath before the committee of the county , waved both the one and the other , as appeares by the said examination under the hand of the clark of the said committee , which i saw and read ; and is forth comming for any man to peruse for his further satisfaction . now that the reader may see what cretensis confidence and impudencie is , and that cosens spake such words as these , i desire him to read what followes to a word , taken out of the originalls , kept in the majors court of rochester . civit. roffens . the information of francis tillet , taken upon oath the . of august , . before master john philpot major , philip ward , and barnabas walsall iustices of the peace within the said city . who saith , that in lent was twelve moneths last , he being upon his duty , at the guard of the bridg at the centry with robert cosens , and some others , he being talking with the said robert cosens about the troubles of the church , and some speech of our saviour christ , he the said cosens then said , that if our saviour christ were now again upon the earth , he would be ashamed of what he had done ; and he further saith , that he heard iohn patten of saint margarets , and iohn cosens brother of the said robert , declare that they have heard him say to the effect aforesaid . the marke of the said francis q tillet . iohn philpot major . philip ward . barnabas walsall . vera copia & examinat . per me iohan , goldwell . now for that which cretens ▪ alledges here to clear cosens , that he never spake any such words as these , 't is all false as i shall demonstrate it to the reader , and i am confident that cretensis with all his rhetorick , and great swelling six footed words , can never clear himself , but must blush for shame , unlesse he be past it , and confesse that either he was too credulous to beleeve such a sectary and a man in his own cause as cosens , or else out of haste and eagernesse to confute me , mistooke the businesse quite , or which is worse , did wilfully , and on purpose write thus to brand me , hoping that i should not be able to disprove him by ever getting the records to testifie the contrary ; and before i do particularly disprove these six or seven lines of cretensis , i shall usher in what i have to say by retorting justly cretensis words upon himself , which he unjustly used against me , that forgery of forgeries , and all is forgery , all over ; for in this confutation of cretensis ( by which you may judge both of those many that go before it , and those few that follow after ) there are not only well-nigh , but altogether , quot verba , tot mendica , and yet even this hath this banner of confidence displayed for the credit of it , as appears by the said examination under hand of the clerk of the said committee , which i saw and read ; and is coming for any man to peruse for his satisfaction ; all which is false as i shall undeniably demonstrate under the clerks hand of the committee ; and therefore if i would deale in such a scoffing way with cretensis , as he hath done by me ( though falsely ) i could marshall his lies , and ranck them in order , first , second , ●hird &c. and could at the end of every one cry , keep tale , score up , tally on , and say this is a fifth ( if not a fifth and sixth ) phib in the relation of cretensis ; for here is a big lye with a lesser in the belly of it ; in brief , there is never a sentence , nay not a clause , nor one word brought by cretensis to disprove this second part of the story of cosens that is true , and yet it hath cretensis seale upon it , and this foundation ( greater then mr. edwards , i was informed for certain ) namely , as it appears by the said examination under the hand of the clerk of the said committee , which i saw and read ; and is forth-coming for any man to peruse for his satisfaction ; and i am confident there are more untruths in these seven lines of cretensis brought to disprove one clause of one story of mine , then in all my gangraena ( unlesse mistakes in the manner of a relation , as in the order or mistake of a name , &c. ) consisting of thirty sheets ; and upon condition that cretensis will promise to submit to this fair condition , to be willing his church should be put down , and to petition with me that upon proof of things by me , his saints may be punished , i am contented to referre the determination of it to authority , and if i make it not good , to be willing to suffer what the parliament shall think fit ; but by the way , if cretensis signall and choyce confutations founded upon examinations under the hand of the clerk of a committee which he saw and read , and is forth-coming for any man to peruse for his satisfaction , be of so dark and dismall a complexion , that there is scarce so much as one beam , or the least glimmering of the light of truth in the whole body of it ; what shall we think of those that have no such image or superscription of confidence upon them , but be only loose informations from anabaptists , apprentices , persons in their own cause & c ? if cretensis chariots and horse-men fail , surely his infantry will yeeld the field . and that i may make good all this which i have said , and not only feed the reader with words and flourishes ( as cretensis doth ) i desire the reader to peruse what followes , which cleerly proves what i say , and confounds cretensis . whereas ceatain articles are exhibited against robert cosens of blasphemy , which he now alledgeth is confest by some of the witnesses to be rather a suborning then truth ; these are to require you to warn these under-written to appear before the committee at ail●ford to morrow being wednesday ; fail not , for which this shall be your warrant . ail●ford novemb. . anthony weldon . iohn bixe . iohn cosens francis tillet iames hills iohn hills george paine william barnet to all constables , and other officers to whom this shall come , &c. let mr. goldwell send a copie of the articles with these witnesses . the examination of francis tillet taken upon oath before sir anthony weldon , william iames , richard beale , and iohn bixe esquires , upon an information of some subornation against robert cosens , novemb. . . who saith that robert cosens and this examinat being together upon the centry , they were talking of the common prayer , and the lords prayer ; and in this discourse the examinate affirmed , that the lords prayer was taught unto him by his forefathers , and that it was of christs making and framing ; whereunto robert cosens replyed , that if our saviour were again upon earth he would be ashamed of what he had done ; and that afterward this examinate relating unto his brother iohn cosens this discourse , the said iohn cosens replyed , that his brother robert had said unto him as much before . andrew lydall clerk committee . now i desire the reader but to compare this examination under the hand of the clerk of the committee with what cretensis hath written anent his businesse , and he will finde cretensis lines brought to clear cosens from speaking these words , to have forgeries in it , numerous beyond measure , the whole and every part of it being nothing but lies ; and for the further conviction of cretensis , i will go over his words . . cretensis saith , neither did the man speak any such words as these . cretensis , how dare you say so , when as before three justices of peace upon oath these words were deposed against him ? is your negative testimony without oath sufficient to disprove it ? . cretensis affirms for proof of his words , that cosens never spake such words as these , that the witnesse upon whose single testimony ( originally ) both these and the former words were charged upon him upon re-examination , and that upon oath before the committee of the county , waved both the one and the other , which is all stark staring false ; and cretensis proof failing him , what is cretensis testimony worth ? now if the reader do but read this examination under the clerk of the committees hand , and compare with that the first deposition of francis tillet before the major of rochester and two other justices , he must presently see it smels above ground , and that here cretensis words takes place in himself , quot verba , tot mendacia : i desire the reader to tell the untruths , and that proved upon record , and not untruths made upon my saying they are lies as cretensis are upon his bare words . . cretensis avoucheth confidently that it was one witnesse upon whose single testimony ( originally ) both these and the former words were charged upon him : let this be the first lie in this catalogue , for 't is evident by the depositions which i have set down , that there were two witnesses , iohn cosens and francis tillet ; francis tillet who swore cosens spake these words , and iohn cosens who deposed the other words ; so that there were two witnesses , and each witnesse deposed not the same , but different words . . cretensis here affirms the former words , namely , that iesus christ was a bastard , were charged upon him ; which if they were , and that upon oath , that was a good ground for the report ; but if they were not charged upon him , but other blasphemous words , then cretensis tels another phib , which is the second in order . . cretensis positively ( without saying i was so informed , &c. ) asserts that these words spoken , viz. by cosens , if christ were upon the earth again he would be ashamed , &c. the witnesse upon re-examination , and that upon oath before the committee of the county waved them : now how false this is , let but the reader compare the first and second deposition of francis tillet , who deposed these words against cosens , before three justices , and upon re-examination , and that upon oath before the committee of the county swore the same again the second time , and was far from waving it as appears by the examination under the clerks hand of the committee which i have set down ; and now i might say to the reader , keep tale , this is the third down-right fall , more then a stumble , this is a big lye with others in the belly of it ; for first the former words were not charged upon cosens by francis tillet , but only these words ; and therefore how could he be re-examined upon that of which he never informed , nor was formerly examined ? secondly , much lesse then could he upon oath wave them ; and for the other words which he was re-examined upon , he stood to them before the committee , and is ready to testifie them still whensoever he shall be called thereunto . . cretensis affirms that he who deposed these words , viz. that if christ were upon the earth again , &c. ) did upon re-examination before the committee wave them , as appears by the said examination under the hand of the clerk of the said committee . now i might here say , score up ; this is the fourth word of folly in cretensis confutation ; for there is no such examination under the hand of the clerk of the said committee , but the contrary to it , as appears by that examination set down already taken upon oath before sir anthony weldon , &c. and subscribed by andrew lydall clerk committee . this untruth may well stand for two , or at least be printed in a capitall letter , because he affirms a grosse lye , and a thing quite contrary to truth , to be under the hand of the clerk of the committee . . cretensis proceeds upon this examination , that he saw it , which i saw ; i might here say , tally on , this is a fifth phib in this relation ; for how could cretensis see that which never was ; but if he saw any such thing that francis tillet should deny these words , he must needs see something that was forged by some of his sectaries , to engage him to confute mr. edwards book . . cretensis further asserts , that he read this under the hand of the clerk of the committee : i might here say cretensis still advances in his cretian way , and this is the sixth flaw ; for how could he read that which never was ? and i conceive cretensis will upon a review of what he hath written , cry peccavi , and say , i was deluded and quite mistaken . . and lastly , the said independent confutation and assertion , for uniformity sake , that it may end as it began , or rather end worse , by rising and ascending in untruths , affirms in the close of it , that this examination is forth-coming for any man to peruse for his satisfaction . now reader remember the account , for this is the seventh and eighth time at least , yea the ninth and tenth that this confutation prevaricateth with the truth ; for in these words , this examination is forth-coming , there are many lyes . first , there is no such examination . seconly , then it cannot be forth-coming . thirdly , not for any one man to peruse , much lesse for any man. and fourthly , it can be much lesse for satisfaction . and i much wonder cretensis , if you had seen and read an examination under the hand of the clerk of the committee , proving what you here say , and confuting this part of the story related by me of cosens , and that tending so much to the satisfaction of any man , why did you not cause it to be forth-coming , printing it here together with your confutation ? certainly cretensis , had you seen and read such an examination under the hand of the clerk of the said committee , there can be no reason given why you should not have printed that , as well as an anabaptists letter written to an anabaptist , and a writing given you from mr. burroughs ; surely an examination under the clerks hand of a committee , would have been more authenticall with rationall men to have convicted my book of untruths , then a letter of an anabaptisticall boy , &c. and therefore for my part , i am confident , cretensis saw that in the examination brought him by cosens , which being printed , would have disadvantaged his foul-mouth'd confutation of this story , either contradicting , or rendring the whole suspected ; and therefore he suppressed it , being willing to blast my book for the present , while it was new come forth , and much sought after ; making account , if after i should be able to disprove him , yet he could not play his after game , either by pleading mistakes , and that he was so informed , or else by his rhetorick and words at will , wrusting either the examination brought him to these word in cretensis , or else these words and phrases of his to the examination ; however one way or other to shift for his credit , and to wrangle it out , in which cretensis hath a wonderfull art and faculty by his wit and largenesse of conscience , to call black white , and to make quidlibet ex quolibet ; and however cretensis , to work the reader to a belief of him in the confutation of this part of the story of cosens , speaks of an examination under the hand of the clerk of the said committee , which he saw and read ; yet i am confident he knew it would not prove what he here saith , and my confidence is upon this ground , because from his own words i gather he had this counter-information from the mouth of the said cosens , and the examination under the hand of the clerk of the committee ( what ever it was ) was brought him by cosens : now i conceive that examination under the hand of the clerk of the committee which cosens shewed cretensis , he also shewed me , which i carefully read , and that in the presence of three citizens , in which there was nothing in the judgement of us four to weaken this testimony of francis tillet ; but rather by that , and the confession of cosens himself to us , much fell from him to confirm the truth of this , and other passages in this story , which i presently writ down as soon as cosens was gone : and for a need , besides my own testimony , those citizens will be ready to witnesse also the truth of what then passed ; so that by all this the reader may see more untruth in one peece of cretensis confutation of the story of cosens , then there are pretended untruths , made by all the art and malice of cretensis against the whole story of cosens ; so that to conclude this i aske of cretensis who is the lyar now ? and i suppose i may more truly apply cretensis own words a little changed , spoken against me to himself : doubtlesse the man hath sold himself to write all , and all manner of untruths , that hee can but scrapple together from what mouths , or tongues , or pens , he cares not so they be but independent in their constitution , and carry any antipathy in them to the honour and good of presbytery ; and in case they be but such , 't is no matter if they be anabaptists , seekers , yea loose drunken persons and blasphemers . cretensis by this answer hath proved many things i spake of in gangraena , all the sectaries and blasphemers closing with independents , and the independents with them to make one common party against the godly orthodox ministers and people of these kingdomes who are for truth and peace . . cretensis proceeds to infringe the truth of my relation of the story of cosens in five other particulars ; but by this part of the story which i have made good , and the many particulars wherein i have disproved cretensis , especially considering 'tis all of the same complexion , cosens information being the sole ground whereupon cretensis goes , ( as he confesses pag. . ) the reader may easily guesse at the rest , and my authors i with the records produced , are more authentick then cosens bare no ; therefore for present i shall not enlarge further upon the third , fourth , fifth heads of cretensis , but reserve to my full reply the whole relation of cosens being bound over by the justices upon these blasphemies attested against him to the sessions , and of his being imprisoned for speaking words against a member of the house of commons , dwelling in that county , and of the complaint for his blasphemies against christ exhibited to the recorder of rochester , and of the recorders binding him to his good behaviour out of the pious sense he had of the wrong done to christ , and the words he spake to him , and of his addresse to the committee of kent for a review of these depositions , &c. only there seems to be some interfering between the third and fourth branch of cretensis confutation ; cretensis denying cosens to be ever under any restraint , or needing any order from any in place , or to any in place to release cosens , in reference to his blasphemies ; and yet he saith presently after , upon the fight of the fore-mentioned examination taken upon oath before the committee , by the justices the man was discharged : now i demand , what was he discharged from ? and whether was not this discharging of the man a releasing of the man ? oportet cretensem esse memorem . . as to cretensis sixt branch , calling that part of the relation of cosens a loud lying information : i reply , 't is a mainifest truth , and will be witnessed by many , that den , lamm , and woodman , all three of them have preached in cosens house , which is so evident in rochester , that as the dayes of the moneth when they preached are known , so are the names of many of the auditours that were present : and for proof of it , 't is given me under hand from rochester , that woodman himself confest it the very same day he preached before a justice of peace and other witnesses , being apprehended by the officers , and brought before him , who being thus convented gave it under his hand , that he would never again preach within five miles of rochester : and though cosens saith he knowes no such man ( which we think , upon good ground , is a lie , ) yet can he deny that woodman hath preached in his house ? which is the thing asserted . . for that last part of the relation of cosens going to master clares , &c. for uniformity sake , made a lie by cretensis , because he was set upon it to blast all for lies ; i reply , that as the first part is confessed to be true , so is the last as true , though denyed ; for master clare affirmes , he said he would complain of him ; and let cosens be think himself what he said of master clare , and he must confesse it . as for that argument cretensis brings why he did not threaten to complain of him , and that the man dares not threaten to question any whatsoever , because 't is his judgment , none ought to be questioned or troubled for their judgements in matters appertaining unto god : i answer , 't is a weak one , and it followes not ; because the sectaries principles and practices do not agree , they practising many things often wherein they professe contrary : how many sectaries have we in these dayes , who plead for , and professe liberty of conscience , which yet have not only threatned godly ministers and christians for their consciences , but actually have brought them into trouble , and punished them severall waies ? surely cretensis , if you had read histories of the church , both ancient and modern , you would have sound hereticks and sectaries , as arians , donatists , anabaptists , socinians , arminians professing as cosens here does , who yet when they have had opportunities , proved great persecuters of the orthodox godly ministers ; and wee well know by many shrewd signes and instances , that if cretensis and his abettors , who have so much pleaded for a toleration , shall come once to get power in their hands , they will as much tolerate presbyterians , as now they will to come into any place , office , employment ecclesiasticall , civill , or military , where 't is in their power to hinder them . and therefore cretensis , you had need bring better arguments to confute my antapologie , ( which your sectaries give out you are upon ) ; or else you will doe the apologists little good either in matter of fact , or in answering the argumentative part of it . . cretensis in his animadversions and inferences made upon my relation of the story of cosens , not knowing who related it to me , nor the occasion of the relation , &c. yet in the close of his confutation of the story of cosens , most falsly and wickedly , without fear or wit , brands him who related it to mee with such words as these , but who is master edwards godly orthodox presbyterian minister● ? is hee not such a one who works stoutly at the forge , and feeds both himselfe and the world with all manner of scandals and falshoods against the independents without fear ? certainly , cretensis throat is an open sepulchre , and the poyson of asps is under his lips . what shall be given unto thee , or what shall be done unto thee , thou false tongue ? this passage against the godly minister who told mee this story , fils up the measure of cretensis rage , lying , and evill speaking ; and hee could hardly have spoken more untrue words then these , whether hee consider the man himselfe , or the manner of his relating it . in one word , the minister who related this story to me , is a reverend , learned , godly , humble , retired man , a man who hath been many yeers of good account in the church of god , a member also of the assembly , and a man far from forging , or feeding himselfe and the world with all manner of scandals against the independents , &c. and this minister did not make it his businesse or work to tell mee this story , coming to mee , or ever intending to come : but i , going in london upon my occasions , this minister accidentally being in a shop with a friend of his , a citizen whom i knew also , i spake to them as i was going by , and they to mee ; and so in the shop exchanging a few words , the citizen asked me if my book were come forth , or when it would : whereupon this minister and i had some words about the subject of it , and falling into discourse , hee related this story to mee and the citizen ; which when i had it from him , the last sheet of my book being either printing off , or quite printed off , i put it in a postscript , as the reader sees : and therefore let all the world judg what untruths cretensis hath belched out against this reverend and worthy minister . but cretensis is a man that in all his writings and sermons falls upon all that come in his way , having no respect of age , place , gifts , sufferings , &c. if they be against his fond conceits and sectaries . and thus , good reader , i have gone over all the particular materiall exceptions made against my book entituled gangraena , by master saltmarsh , master walwyn , and cretensis ; and i doubt not , but by this time , even by this briefer reply , every indifferent reader is satisfied , how unjust and false those outcries and clamours of lyes lyes , are , and how in them that proverb is verified , a great cry , but a little wooll : little cause , but onely the rage and madnesse of the sectaries to see themselves and their wayes so laid open in the sight of the sun. and yet i have not done with my antagonists , but shall more fully anatomize and rip them up , and further justifie and cleer all things excepted against in gangraena , which being lighter , are now passed over , or though spoken unto , need further amplification and illustration . in a word , there is nothing behinde untoucht , that either glances upon mee , or speaks for themselves and their partie ; but i intend to speak to it fully , and am resolved ( god sparing me life and opportunity ) not to die in their debt . and i could now play the rhetorician , and spend some leaves in running over all the errours , heresies , blasphemies , practices , stories , &c. laid down in gangraena , not so much as once offered to be disproved , though they be of persons and things here living , and acted in london , and neer at hand , and which cretensis , with all his gatherings , intelligences , observations and presentations from sectaries of severall sorts , anabaptists , independents , seekers , &c. and of severall parts in the kingdome , kent , essex , london , &c. hath been able to say nothing against ; and might , going from one particular to another , triumph over cretensis , stamping the superscription of truth upon them , and ask him , what say you to the . and . errours laid down in the catalogue ? is it not true that such things were preached in london ? whether is not that which i have related of paul best true ? whether did not master burroughs and master greenhill preach bitterly against the petition of many well affected citizens for the setling of government ? and so i might goe through hundreds ; and of all those facts , opinions , practices that these three men have not been able ( though so willing ) to except against , inferre , conclude , and flourish over cretensis with his owne sword . there is no reasonable man , that considers the malignitie , wrath , &c. of master saltmarsh , master walwyn , but especially of cretensis , against me and my late book , and the opportunities they have had through their acquaintance with sectaries of all sorts ; besides the publick notice given of answering me , as appears by the intelligence and particulars brought in to cretensis from severall places , to furnish him their champion ; together with the extreme eager desire of cretensis taking all advantages against mee , making matter of confutation and lies of that which i am confident was never made by any scholar in an answer before , ( as , the house a meeting for sectaries ; as , the not being able to put the nominative case and verb together , and such like ) but wil think they have spoke the utmost they possibly could against my book , and that of course some of the things drawn up and represented by the hand of envie must needs be false : so that whereas cretensis conceives , that now in his answer hee hath informed the world how many lyes and untruths there are in gangraena ; the truth is , that hee and his fellow-sectaries have done it but faintly , and with the extreme dammage of their own cause : for all wise and unprejudiced men will acquit all the other particulars from the crimes and imputations of lies and falshood , and conclude them all true and certain ; for surely , if there had been any hole to have been picked in them , either the malice , or the wit , or the industry , or one thing or other of cretensis and his associates , would have found it out , and not have spared me : so that the very enemies bear winesse to the truth of the body of my book , the things that are found fault with by them being but a spot here and there , a few in comparison , ( if spots ) and i may say of all the exceptions taken by my three antagonists , supposing them to be mistakes , ( though i have shewed the contrary ) what are these among so many not excepted against , being but as gleanings to the vintage ? cretensis , pag. . and in his last section , winds up his answer in speaking to the reader , that though for the present hee hath given him onely a taste of master edwards grapes , yet sufficient , hee presumes , to convince the reader , that his vine is the vine of sodom , &c. and professes that he hath 〈◊〉 read one quarter of the book as yet , nor knowes nor whether ever hee shall care to read it thorow or no : and then labours to possesse the reader , that what hee hath not answered , others will very shortly : a few dayes ( hee makes no question ) will give the reader more light to comprehend the darknesse of gangraena ; and prophesies , the day will come , and is even at the door , when there will be scarce one stone left upon another of all this false building , which will not be pull'd down by the hand of truth : and when the servants of god shall have had the opportunity to wash off that durt and filth which mr. edwards hath cast upon them , gangraena will be found a strumpet , yea , and of the race and linage of that great scarlet whore , which corrupteth the earth with her fornication . reply . as for cretensis saying , hee hath onely for present given a taste of master edwards grapes , implying , hee could feed the reader with whole clusters , and intimating hee hath a great deal more to say to my book , as other passages expresse besides this , viz. pag. . i presume that mistris gangraena hath not as yet paid mee the tythe or tenth part of her forgeries , &c. i answer , i beleeve cretensis hath said all hee possibly could against gangraena ; i doe not think hee left out any thing hee could object against it : whosoever reads but his answer , and observes his rage and heat , his playing at the smallest games , and picking of straws to finde matter against my book to fill up six sheets with , railing and declaiming against it , will not think hee gave but a taste , or a tenth . but how could cretensis say hee had given onely a taste for the present , and not the tenth part , when as hee professes truely hee had not read one quarter of the book then , neither knew whether hee should ever care to read it thorow or no ? could hee divine of what hee had not read , nor knew not whether ever hee should reade , that there was ten times more behinde ? and besides , how could cretensis , out of what hee knew not whether hee should ever read , promise the reader to give him not onely a taste , but abundance ? certainly cretensis meant the far greatest part of his grapes promised the reader , should be gathered by other hands , and be ( as hee saith of the particulars detected already ) observed by others , and presented to him : and after this rate of the farre greatest part of particulars observed by others , and presented to him , 't is easie for cretensis to give answers ; and i much wonder we have no more of them , but that he takes almost two yeers to give an answer to the antapologie . and no wonder , cretensis going upon an implicite faith , making an answer out of particulars observed by others , without reading one quarter of my book , not seeing with his own eyes , but making use of a pair of independent , antinomian , anabaptisticall , &c. spectacles to write with , the man is so much mistaken , and sometimes takes that to be great which is little , and that which is great hee cannot see at all . as for that cretensis saith , that hee presumes by the taste hee hath given , hee hath convinced the reader that my vine is the vine of sodom , my grapes grapes of gall , my clusters bitter , &c. i beleeve every reader who is not bewitched with the independent schismaticall way , is convinced , that cretensis hath said enough to satisfie all men , that his vine is the vine of sodom , that his grapes are grapes of gall , his wine the poyson of dragons , and the cruell venome of asps , and that generally all men say of his answer , yea , some of his owne party cry out of it , that it is too bitter : but as for my gangraena , though objectivè , the object about which the book is exercised be the vine of sodom , grapes of gall , poyson of dragons , and the cruell venome of asps , treating of and laying open the heresies , blasphemies and practices of the sectaries , which indeed are poysonous and venemous ; yet subjectivè , the discourse it selfe , and the way of handling those things , is healing and medicinall to cure the reader of those stings and poysons , which by eating of those sowr grapes of the sectaries they have contracted ; and my book is farre from being like the vine of sodom , the poyson of dragons , that in writing of it i have plaid the part of a physician , made a precious treacle and soveraigne antidote to cure and expell poysons , by correcting , qualifying , binding them , &c. laying open the errours , heresies , &c. their evill , danger , and discovering remedies and cures proper for them , which , were they taken , and the prescriptions followed , i am confident would prove the healing of these nations . as for cretensis profession that he hath not read one quarter of the book as yet ; nor knowes whether he shall ever care to read it through or no : i reply , that cretensis at once , and in one breath discovers himself to be both weak and proud , he shows his folly and horrible pride . first , his folly ; for what wise man that had reason and common sense , though he could not cretensis pag. . . have * construed a peece of latin , write true english , nor framed the structure of a period according to the common rules of grammar , would have writ so ? and truly this and other passages in this answer , confirms me much in that opinion which many understanding learned divines have had of cretensis a great while , that he is no judicious rationall man ( as his followers cry him up ) but only a wordy divine , a multitude of words , that 's all ; that being true of him which was said of erasmus , that his writings were verba , non res ; but of this folly of cretensis , the reader may remember what i have written page . of this book ; and let cretensis ever take me so writing , and i will confesse my folly . seconly , 't is horrible pride and arrogancie ; what a proud passage is this , cretensis thinks himself so great , and looks down with such disdain upon me , as that he knowes not whether ever he shall care to read my book thorough or no , ●lighting it as not being worth his reading , nor i worthy to carry his books after him ; this speech indeed is neer akin to that in page . indeed if independent ministers had either the priviledge of ease to preach to the bare walls and pewes in their meeting places : the independent ministers are so taken up with preaching to great congregations , and with the resort of great persons to their houses , and with the consultations they are admitted untill mid-night about great affairs ; and particularly cretensis of late , as 't is talked every where in london , that he knowes not whether he shall ever care to read my book thorough or no , or shall ever have leasure to do it ; but cretensis , let me tell you how much soever you slight my books , and care not to read them thorough , as too much below you , yet there are your betters for all kind of learning , yeers , piety , that care to read thorough my books , and blesse god for them ; and though they be of as piercing deep judgements as cretensis , yet could never find that non-sense , weaknesse of judgement , &c. which cretensis ▪ speaks of so often . as for that cretensis promises the reader , that a few dayes ( he makes no question ) will give the reader more light wherewith to comprehend my darknesse , implying as if more answers were suddenly to come forth , to discover the falshood of matters contained in gangraena . i reply , a few dayes are past , yea some weeks , between seven and eight , and yet there is none of cretensis new-light come forth , no answers disproving any one particular in my book ; there is a book indeed of one bacons come forth , who both in the title page and book speaks of my gangraena , but he confesses the truth of what i speak of him , viz. his being put out of gloster , his being received in a great mans house , and his going to bristoll since the parliaments taking of it ; so that it seems by the confession of one of cretensis●a●nts ●a●nts , all matters are not lyes which are mentioned in gangraena ; and yet before master bacons book came forth , i was told confidently severall times ( as the report of the sectaries ) that was one of my lyes , speaking of master bacons going to bristoll , whereas he had never been out of london since the taking of bristoll : but i suppose however cretensis dayes are past , and nothing is come forth to comprehend my darknesse , yet i make no question but this reply with the further reply coming after will give light to the reader to comprehend cretensis●his ●his darknesse . as to that passage of cretensis , that the farre greatest part of the particulars detected , were observed by others , and presented to him ; i reply , though i have animadverted upon it already page . in observation . and also in this present section , yet i shall adde this , ( that besides his great weaknesse in taking things upon trust , and making an answer to a book out of other mens collections ▪ himself never reading one quarter of the book ) he here proclaims himself guilty of the great crime and transgression which in many places of his answer he loads me with , and with all his railing rhethorick aggravates against me , namely of persons resorting to him to furnish him with intelligence , his taking up and entertaining of reports , his publishing them to the world , wherein besides his contradicting other passages in his answer , as that in page . nor doe i hold intelligence with any man to inform my self of his haltings , he shows himself faulty in laying snares of intelligence in many places , and holding correspondence with severall parts of the kingdom to receive intelligence of the miscarriages and undue deportments of all such as are anti-independently given ; and if it were not so , whence comes it that so many particulars detected and observed by others , were presented to him , and that cretensis hath ready by him a yeer ago , a manuscript in his hands concerning master edwards himself , discoursing his jugling ; a story also of a presbyterian angel , together with a story of the doctorate it self of the assembly , yea that all sorts of sectaries , and that from severall places have resorted to cretensis with presents in their hands towards the perfecting of this goodly work , as master burroughs , li●utenant colonel lilburn , ki●●in , cosens , a friend of master ellis in london , &c. being like so many rivers 〈◊〉 and emptying themselves into the cretian sea , where all these meeting make so many raging waves to beat upon and disturb the ship of the reformed church ; all these sectaries ● though distant from one another in places , opinions , yet as so many lines meet altogether in master goodwyn against the presbyterians ; and as in this , so in other particulars wherein cretensis deeply charges me , he himself is most faulty , as in taxing me with immodest lascivious expressions , for printing a letter where an immodest fact is related ( though for such a foul offence modestly expressed ) when as cretensis , as of himself , and as his own words ( when free to have used any other ) speaks of monthly courses , &c. more then once ▪ expressions most immodest and uncivill . for that expression of cretensis by that time the boughs of the trees are a little more withered , they will be broken off , the women will come and set them on fire . i answer , i suppose by this time the boughs of the tree , instead of being withered , doe flourish more , and are more fresh and green , and do here bring forth new fruit ▪ and whereas cretensis had for a 〈◊〉 cast ▪ dust and dirt upon this tree , my reply like a good shoute of raine , hath washed all off , making it look pleasantly , smell sweet , and cretensis answer by that time i have done with it , it will not only be like boughs a little withered , and broken off , but like saint iudes sectaries , a tree whose fruit withereth , without fruit , twice dead , and plucked up by the roots . as to those words of cretensis , the day will come , and is even at the doore , when there will be a scarce one stone left upon another of all this false building , which will not be puld down by the hand of truth . i reply , for all cretensis prophesying of such a day , and that even at the doore ; there is no such day yet come , not any hand since cretensis , having pull'd down one stone from this building , though it be now about two months ago since cretensis threatned this ; but the reader may see the contrary is fulfilled this day , and that instead of pulling down this building of gangraena , the building is enlarged a story higher , and in breadth also , by the addition of this second part of gangraena ; and cretensis will finde gangraena will bee so farre from being puld down , that other buildings of the same kinde will bee framed by it ; and this first stone laid by mee , or first building will prosper into a rowe , a whole street before i and others have done with the sectaries , whereas cretensis babels , built without any foundation , and daubed with untempered mortar , will fall down to the ground , and be as a refuge for lies , that fails , and is swept away as the spiders cobweb . and lastly , to those words of cretensis , when the servants of god shall have had the opportunity to wash off that dirt and filth which master edwards hath now cast upon them , gangraena will be found a strumpet ; &c. i reply , the most of those persons whom i have named in gangraena , i durst not for all the world call them the servants of god thus publikely as cretensis doth , lest i should be found guilty of strengthening them in their wicked errours and practices ( but of my grounds in this , the reader shall have a more full account in my second reply ) : and therefore ( meaning it of such ) the servants of god shall have no opportunity to wash off that dirt and filth which i have cast upon them ; for they that are such , as clarkson , webb , wright , hich , denne , nichols , l●m , oats , kiffin , walwyn , marshall , ienney , mistris a●●eway , cum multis aliis , ( i may say with the apostle ) serve not our lord iesus christ but their own bellies , and their own lusts ; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple . but as for some few , among many whom i have named in gangraena , as master burroughs , master greenhill , and some such , it may be they are the servants of god , and saints , though wherein i have blamed them , they walk as men , and as carnall , and not as saints ; and can never wash off that dirt i have cast upon them ( so is cretensis phrase ) without repentance , and that they will finde one day , when they shall come to be awakened from their wine . and therefore instead of gangraena being found a strumpet , cretensis will be found a lyar , and gangraena a chaste lady , and true virgin ; and it will appear ( i doubt not , before it be long ) when the time of the reigne of the sectaries shall be over , and they no more heard of , unlesse it bee by way of a proverb and reproach , that then master edwards gangraena shall be looked upon by all as a witnesse of the truth , even against sectaries in the ages to come , and as a discovery of the wickednesse and vilenesse of the sectaries of this time . and whereas cretensis would make my book of the linage and race of the great woore corrupting the earth , &c. gangraena is of a quite different nature , and contrary linage , being a great means ( through the blessing of god ) of preserving the earth from being corrupted and tainted by the fornications and poysonous principles of the sectaries ; the book doing much good ; as i could prove by plentifull testimonies of letters written from many parts , as also by speeches expressed of it : and if c●etensis would confesse , that 's the true reason hee is so offended with it , because it hinders making of proselytes , and so for want of growing up to such a number as they desig●e and hope for , they may misse of a toleration , and so in the issue , a domination , which is so much sought for by them , and for a conclusion of my reply to cretensis , i shall turne my selfe to speake a few words to master goodwin , and to the reader . master goodwin , consider sadly of what you have done in your book cretensis , how you are become guilty , and have made your selfe partaker of all the heresies , b●asphemies , wicked practices i have spoken against , in pleading for all ( without any distinction ) as saints , servants of god , and such like , and speaking against with envenomed malignity that necessary usefull book as a very pest and plague , which i writ for discovery of errours and erroneous persons , that so the saints might take heed , and beware of them ; and in which all godly orthodox , faithfull ministers doe rejoyce , and blesse god for it . o wretched man , to carry things so , as if errours would doe no harme to mens soules , but a book written against them , that will hurt and hazzard mens soules ; which is all one , as if a man should say strong poyson would doe no hurt , nor kill , but a precious antidote will destroy and ruine mens bodies . and now , good reader , i desire thee impartially and without prejudice to weigh cretensis objections and exceptions against my book , and my answers , and then judge whether i have not wounded , and laid this great goliah of the sectaries ( coming out in defiance against the reformed churches ) upon his back ; and whether god , who chuseth the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty ; and things which are despised , to bring to nought things that are of esteeme , hath not made use of me , a man so vilified by the sectaries , a poor weak thimble full of dust , by the wind strongly blowing this thimble full of dust into cretensis eyes , to blinde him , and befool him . and yet i have not done with cretensis , but let the reader look for what 's behind , viz. my fuller reply ; and what ever in this first is either omitted , or not so fully spoken unto , in that he may look to receive more satisfaction . and i no whit doubt , but that , as i have now ( by gods assistance ) made a good beginning both defensive and offensive ; so by the same good hand upon me , i shall in the next give so good an account , that i shal deal with this daring enemy , as little david with goliah , stand upon him , and triumph over him , and give you his head upon the top of my sword : and in my next i intend to dresse him up , and set him out in all his ornaments and flowers , in his practices , opinions , and wayes of promoting them ; in all which i shall render him and his name an abhorring to this and the following generations . since cretensis answer , there is a book come forth , written by one mr. bacon , which book is answered by one mr. corbet , ( the man whom in that book hee so often speaks of ) and it is abroad in print already : what i spake of him in gangraena , hee in that book confesses , as his being cast out of glocester , and his coming to london , &c. speaking particularly of that which i touched only , and but in generall ( as the lords house in which hee lives . ) and besides that , i heare one web hath an answer in the presse to what i relate of him pag. , . which answer , before it went to the presse , by a providence came to my hand without ever seeking it , or indeed imagining that ever web ( such an heretike and blasphemer ) durst have appeared in print , or been taken notice of to be in london , for feare of being questioned for those things i have written of him : but wee may see what sad times wee are fallen into , and that the sectaries are grown fearlesse , that they dare come abroad and plead their desperate cause , as master saltmarsh , walwyn ; so now master bacon , and web ; which symptome , among many others , makes mee feare the night and darknesse is at hand , when as the wolves and the wild beasts dare come thus out of their dens ; whereas when the sun arises they go to their dens . the psalmist tels us , psal. . , . thou makest darknesse , and it is night , when all the beasts of the forrest do creep forth . the sun ariseth , they gather themselves together , and lay them downe in their dens . hence the scripture cals wolves the wolves of the evening , zeph. . . and look as the frogs croaking and making a noyse use to be in the evening , so the croaking of false teachers resembled to wolves , the beasts of the forrest , and frogs , presages the going downe of the sun , and night coming . but because i purpose not to trouble my selfe with giving any formall answer to it by it selfe , i shall now give these animadversions upon it : first , that web confesses most of the things i relate of him ; only hee saith of some of them , hee had recanted and disclaimed them ; and i should not have upbraided him , but rejoyced in his conversion . but unto that i reply ; had not this web , since his recantation and release , both in citie and countrey , vented many desperate things , and gone on in his hereticall wayes , i should never have mentioned them . secondly , that this web rancks himselfe in his answer among the independents , speaking of mee as being so against him out of my ill will to independents ; and i finde iohn bachiler , an independent , not onely ( april . . ) setting his imorimatur , but helping him in his answer , mending severall things in the answer : as for example , for those words i charge him with , that he should say , for him to say he was equal with christ , was no robberie ; in his answer to that , bachiler helps this blasphemer , and takes part with him : as for instance , whereas web justifies it , that gods love is the same in every respect unto the saints as unto christ , and therefore a saint may say he is equall with christ , and count it no robbery ; [ in every respect ] is blotted out by bachiler . and vveb further pleading he might say , the saints were equall to christ ; next following these words of webs , [ as i conceive , the word of god to be my rule , ] there is interlined under bachilers hand these words , [ provided i meet with a faire and candid interpretation of my words . ] and so i could instance in divers other alterations : so that we may see the independents will not lose any the most blasphemous , atheisticall hereticall men , but further them , and joyne with them against the presbyterians , licensing their writings , helping them to conceale , and deliver more cautelously their dangerous opinions . thirdly , for that which is related by me in gangraena of webs speaking so wickedly of the scriptures , he denyes it not , but saith to this purpose , how could hee say so ? for he should contradict himselfe in other things which he hath said and holds : but to that i answer , 't is no new thing for such men as he to say , and unsay , affirme and deny according to the companies they come in , and advantages they think they have . fourthly , to that which i relate of him concerning those expressions of his , we might not say , god the father , god the sonne , god the holy ghost , he makes some shuffling answer ; but i reply , he spake so , and i can produce good proof of that and all the rest . if a committee of parliament shall be pleased to take notice of it , and send for this web , and proceed against him upon proof , i am ready to produce witnesses , and upon his owne confession and those witnesses to make proofe . onely i desire the reader to take good notice of one expression in his answer to this head , which shewes the ignorance both of him and bachiler in the very principles of religion ; and is not bachiler a fit man in such a kingdome as this , to bee a licenser of divinitie bookes and controversies , who besides that hee is no minister , nor well studied man , is such an ignoramus as this clearely discovers him to bee ? web saying hee acknowledges the trinitie , the father , sonne , and holy ghost , hath these words , that hee acknowledges the father is the sonne , and the holy ghost , and to that purpose ; whereas wee are taught from the scriptures by all orthodox divines , that though everie person be god , as the father is god , the son is god , and the holy ghost is god ; yet the father is not the son , nor the father is not the holy ghost ; nor the son the father , nor the holy ghost . now bachiler passes this , and though he mended many other passages in webs answer putting in words in some places , blotting out words , and changing some expressions for others , yet hee let this passe without any correction or note upon it ; which no man can conceive to proceed from any thing else but profound ignorance . and that the reader may know i speak these things upon good ground , i perused this answer after it was licensed with master bachilers hand , and compared the hand of imprimatur , iohn bachiler , with the hand where other words were put in , and found it the same hand , and writ out with my hand , severall amendments made by iohn bachiler , which i have by mee in writing , and then subscribed my hand under them , with the day of the month when i extracted them out of the originall copie ; and one being with mee , who was a witnesse of all this , i also intreated his hand to attest it , which hee willingly did : all which i can produce to satisfie any man who desires it . and for the winding up of all i have to say by way of reply to mr. saltmarsh , mr. goodwine , &c. in vindication of my gangraena , by this time , the reader may see what to thinke , if among so many hundred particulars which are laid downe by me of errours , heresies , blasphemies , stories , &c. with so much variety , such a venemous virulent man , picking and chusing , catching and snatching , having intelligence , and great resort to him from sectaries of all sorts , and out of severall parts , as essex , kent , &c. could yet finde so few things to question in gangraena , ( which yet also are justified and made good ; ) what must the whole body of the booke be , which is not so much as touched , either by cretensis , or any of the rest ? and that which alone may satisfie any rationall man that there is too much truth in gangraena , is this , that i have never been called in question to make the things good . i have beene informed from good hands , that some of the sectaries have had meetings , consultations , and severall debates about my book , what to doe in it , whether to complaine , or what else ; and i am confident if they were not afraid that things would bee found too true , and very foule , and upon the through examination might hazzard the danger of bringing an old house upon their heads , and the punishing of many , they would before this time have tried all their friends , and party , to see what they could have done against mee : having finished my reply to cretensis , master saltmarsh and master walwin , as before it i gave the reader a fresh , and farther discoverie of errours , heresies , practices of the sectaries ; so i shall finish this book with matters of that kind , laying downe more errours , heresies , blasphemies , stories , letters , concerning the sectaries , concluding all with a few corollaries drawne from the whole book . and first , i shall add other dangerous errours come lately to my hand ; and so the first of these errours in this latter part of my book is the * errour . . that saints are justified by the essentiall righteousnesse of god , and not by christs obedience . for the full proofe of this , i will give the reader ( verbatim to a tittle ) a passage taken out of a letter written by a godly minister in bristoll , to a godly minister here in london , wherein this minister writing to his friends that things are prettie well here , and speaking of his owne preaching there , saith , one of the greatest rubs in the towne , is the br●aching of a mad errour concerning the justification of saints by the essentiall righteousnesse of god , and not by christs obedience , which some do hold , and expresse with a world of vanitie and contempt of christ. * andreas osiander an acute and great divine , who lived in luthers time , held such an errour , though not expressed with that vanitie and contempt of christ , as these sectaries do now ; concerning which opinion of osiander , and the great abilities that were in him , and his way of managing that and other opinions , schollars may be further satisfied by reading osianders life written by melchior adamus , and schlusselburgius in his catalogue of heretikes , de secta osiandrist . . when either of the parties married is asleepe , the other is free of the bond of matrimony , sleep being in a kind naturall death for the time , and by death the bond of matrimony is null ; so that if a woman should have to do with any other man , her husband being asleep , she committeth not adulterie . . that the apocrypha books , and particularly the book of esdras ▪ are canonicall and the scriptures , as well as the canonicall books generally owned by all to be scripture . . that the people of god are a free people , and what they do they should do freely and voluntarily , and not be assessed and rated by the parliament , compelled to pay rate upon rate , assessment upon assessment . . that the * saints and beleevers , who have husbands or wives that are unbeleevers , they may put them away and take others , because god gave wives to be a meet help , and the saints are to proceed to cast of all antichristian yoaks , a chiefe whereof are unequall marriages . . that sin is but a shadow . . the promises belong to sinners as sinners , not as repenting , or humbled sinners . . faith is truly and simply this , a being perswaded more or lesse of christs love . . that there is no other seale but the spirit , and for the elements consecrated to be signes and seales to us in the sacraments , they are not , but emptie things and of no effect . . that christ is baptisme to us , the outward signe needleesse . . no christian magistrate hath power of inflicting capitall punishment , and taking away of the life of any member of a church , unlesse first he be cast out of the church , and so delivered to the secular power , no , what ever his offence should be , though murther or treason . . that place of scripture , hee that sheddeth mans bloud , by man shall his bloud be he shed , belongs to moses his disciples , and not to christs disciples , and christians have nothing to do with it . in my last book i gave the reader an account of many of the practices of the sectaries , both more generally and particularly : and i instanced in twentie eight practices : now , though there are many more behind , yet because my book is both expected suddenly to come forth , and is enlarged beyond my first intention , i will only instance in two . . they do deny and professe to many that they are no independents , no antinomians , no anabaptists , but they are thus and thus , and will be so and so ; and these are but reproachfull names given out , and cast upon honest , godly , conscientious men by the ministers and presbyterians , as puritan and such like , were in former times by the bishops ; and of this i could give the reader many proofs in printed books of the anabaptists , independents , antinomians , as such churches falsly called anabaptists , &c. and now there is never an independent in england , if you will but take what themselves say , though they be such who stickle , act , work , vote , and by all wayes , in all places , where they have any thing to do , promote , side with independents , anabaptists , &c. yet they will confidently say they are no independents , they are of no church way , nor know not what it is ; nay , some of them will say they are presbyterians in their judgement , or at least do wait and stay to see what the results of the assembly and parliament after them will be ; and yet there is many of these men , that let any person or thing come in nomination and competitition , that concerns presbyterie , and they will favour , promote , further independencie ( be it right or wrong ) and on the contrarie discountenance , hinder , obstruct the presbyterians , wherein they just walk in the steps of the bishops and their creatures , who upon all occasions dsclaimed poperie , arminianisme , and when papists and arminians were spoken of , they would be hot against them , and were against poperie properly so called ( as the expression was ) and against arminius ( meaning those points arminius held about the government of the church ) not those of grace and free-will , &c. and yet these bishops and their chaplains preferred arminians and persons popishly affected , licensed books tending that way , brought them oft when in trouble , would remember those who preached against poperie and arminianisme ; and it was observed , and i have been told it by a man of place in those times , who disliked such wayes , that when the arch-bishop blustered and spoke most against any priest or papist , and for the church of england , then the next newes they were sure to hear of , was a release ; and whether there be not too many such in these times , who will not be accounted independents , anabaptists , antinomians , that yet countenance their books , are familiar with such , being all in all with them , bringing them off when in question , sitting hard on the skirts ( when there is any opportunitie ) of all those who have complained , or been active against the sectaries , i leave to all to judge . . some of the sectaries when they have been questioned , and in trouble , or been by some ministers convinced , that they had nothing to say for themselves and their way , have and will do any thing for the present , as recant , confesse their errours , say they are convinced and satisfied , promise never to go about preaching or dipping any more ; and yet afterwards , when free , and come to their companions , go on in their wayes , both against their hands , promises , professions ; and of this there are many examples and instances among us , as of a sectarie an emissarie sent into northamptonshire , being for his doctrines , separated meetings , affronting a minister in the pulpit , complained of by some ministers , and questioned by the magistrates , gave it under-his hand to forbeare his course , and return home ; yet afterwards goes to other parts of the countrey , and drawes the people into houses , preaching to them , &c. so some sectaries of lams church , or their great associaces , coming into essex , to corrupt the people ; and some of the ministers dealing with them upon some of their tenets , convinced them so , as that they openly blessed god for that dayes work , and the light they had received , even weeping for joy ; and yet presently afterwards going on their progresse to seduce at another town in the same countie ( some hint or notice being given of their late conviction ) they said they wept to think how nigh the ministers were come to them ; and so i might give instance in clarkson professing against the dipping to get out of prison , and as soon as he was loose turning seeker ; and so in ● b ; but i must take off my hand ; only this fulfils what is spoken in the scriptures of heretikes , that they have their consciences seared with an hot iron , and sin , being condemned of themselves . a relation of some stories , and other remarkable passages concerning the sects and sectaries . there is an independent antinomian libertine preacher here in london , a man much followed and cried up by the sectaries , who in sermons hath delivered these passages , that a poore whoore-master , or a poore drunkard cannot look into your churches ( speaking of the presbyterian preachers ) but hell fire must be flashed and throwne in their faces . that if a saint should commit a grosse sin , and upon the committing thereof should be startled at it , that were a great sin in him ; and in obedience to this and other doctrines of some of the sectaries of our times , i will give the reader some instances both of words and facts . there is a godly understanding man , an old disciple , who told me on april . . that having a daughter , a young maid , religiously affected , shee was drawn in to affect the independents , and to cry them much up , and to follow them , and shee procured her selfe to be servant in a family of some rank and place , where the master and mistresse are independents : now being there , she expected some great holinesse and extraordinarie strictnesse in the family ; but she found matters thus . on the lords day they were verie loose , in the fore-noon they would go to heare mr. sterry at white-hall , ( as not living far from thence ) but in the after-noon stay at home , and some other independents and sectaries resorting thither on the lords day in the after-noon , they spent it in common discourse , making no more of it than other dayes ; a great part of their discourse on the lords day being railing against the scots , and against some of our ministers , and the books written against the sectaries ; and some men ( whom a man could hardly have thought it of ) would curse the scots , saying , a pox upon the scots , would they were gone , we would give them any thing to be rid of them , and pay them all their money in time : many persons of note of the independent faction did often resort to this house , and still they would speak most bitterly and basely of our brethren of scotland : the master of the family would be often attempting to kisse this young maid , watching her upon the staires and other places , as going up and down , and hath tempted her to be naught , insomuch that the young maid spake to him , sir , you have a wife of your owne , why should you speak thus ? how dare you offer to do this wickednesse , and sin against god ? vnto whom this gentleman the independent ( and an antinomian too surely ) replied , ☞ that god saw no sin in his children , that these were but sins in the flesh , which christ had satisfied for , with other words to that purpose . one time this man tempting her , threw her all along , so that she was forced to cry out , and her mistresse came in to her rescue , and said , fie husband , will you never leave these tricks ? whereupon the maid would not stay , but came away , and when her father heard it , he would not indure she should stay any longer , but had her away presently ; and so this young maid is converted from being an independent and sectarie , by beholding their carriage and loosenesse , blessing god she is delivered from that way and those persons : she had thought the sectaries had been such holy persons , that there had been none like them , till she saw both that family , and many who resorted thither of the same way , so loose . this godly christian tells me , that his daughter is ready to take her oath of the truth of these things which she hath both seen and heard , and with many circumstances hath declared to him , as the names of such that resorted thither , that she never knew nor heard of before , with other circumstances ; and that he believes them to be so true , as that they are past all question . there is a sectary , an independent antinomian taylor , who stealing a whole yard of plush from a gentleman , and some yards of sattin from another , and being found out in his sin , and convinced , so that he could not deny it ; some speaking to him how sorrie they were that such a man as he should do these things ; he replied , ( as i had it from two honest men of good account ) to this effect , that he was troubled for them to see them sorrie , but as for himselfe , he was not troubled . one of the followers of mr. simpson the antinomian , said it in the hearing and presence of divers ( mr. simpson being then also present ) that if a child of god should commit murder , he ought not to repent of it , and mr. simpson never reproved him for it , though by one present in the company he was spoken unto to doe it . an antinomian preacher preaching in london on a f●st day , said , it was better for christians to bee drinking in an ale-house , or to be in a whore-house , then to be keeping fasts legally . many sectaries have said , that when david lived in adulterie and murther , even before his repentance he was as deare in the sight of god as ever he was at any time . there is one samuel oats a weaver ( a man i have spoken of in my former book , and in this too , page . ) who being of lams church , was sent out as a dipper and emissary into the countreyes : last summer i heard he went his progresse into surrey and sussex , but now this yeare he is sent out into essex three or foure months ago , and for many weeks together went up and downe from place to place , and towne to towne , about bo●hen , braintry , tarling , and those parts , preaching his erroneous doctrines , and dipping many in rivers ; this is a young lusty fellow , and hath traded chiefly with young women and young maids , dipping many of them , though all is fish that comes to his net , and this he did with all boldnesse and without all controul for a matter of two moneths : a godly minister of essex coming out of those parts related , hee hath baptized a great number of women , and that they were call'd out of their beds to go a dipping in rivers , dipping manie of them in the night , so that their husbands and masters could not keep them in their houses , and 't is commonly reported that this oats had for his pains ten shillings apeece for dipping the richer , and two shillings six pence for the poorer ; he came veriebare and meane into essex , but before hee had done his work , was well lined , and growne pursie . in the cold weather in march , hee dipped a young woman , one ann martin ( as her name is given in to me ) whom he held so long in the water , that she fell presently sicke , and her belly sweld with the abundance of water she took in , and within a fortnight or three weeks died , and upon her death-bed expressed her dipping to be the cause of her death . there was another woman also whom he baptized , as a godly minister that came out of those parts , and had beene at braintry related to me from a good hand , whom after he had baptized , he bid her gape , and she gaped , and he did blow three times into her mouth , saying words to this purpose , either receive the holy ghost , or now thou hast received the holy ghost . at last for his dipping one who died so presently after it , and other misdemeanors the man was questioned in the countrey , and bound over to the sessions at chen●ford , where aprill the seventh , . this oats appeared , and i had the relation i now speak of , from three persons that were eare and eye-witnesses , two godly ministers , and the other gentlemen of great worth and qualitie , viz. that oats being brought before the bench , the coroner laid to his charge , that in march last , in a verie cold season , hee dipping a young woman , shee presently fell sick and died within a short time , and though the coroner had not yet perfected his sitting upon her death , all witnesses being not yet examined , nor the jurie having brought in their verdict ( so that the full evidence was not presented ) yet the bench , upon being acquainted with the case , and other foule matters also being there by witnesses laid against him , committed him to the jaile at colchester : it was laid to his charge then , that hee had preached against the assessments of parliament , and the taxes laid upon the people , teaching them , that the saints were a free people , and should do what they did voluntarily , and not be compelled ; but now contrarie to this , they had assessment upon assessment , and rate upon rate . some passages also in his prayer were repeated , as that hee prayed the parliament might not cart the ark , nor meddle with making lawes for the saints , which jesus christ was to do alone . since oats commitment to colchester jaile , there hath been great and mightie resort to him in the prison , many have come downe from london in coaches to visit him , as a godly minister who came out of essex told me : and i have a letter by me from a minister in colchester , sent last week to a friend of his in london , wherein he writes thus ; oats the anabaptist hath had great resort to him in the castle , both of town and countrey ; but the committee ordered the contrarie last saturday . there is one collier , a great sectarie in the west of england , a mechanicall fellow , and a great emissarie , a dipper , who goes about surrey , hampshire , and those counties thereabouts , preaching and dipping ; about a fortnight ago on the lords day he preached at guilford in the meeting-place , and to the company of one old mr. close , an independent minister , who hath set up at guilford , and done a great deale of mischiefe , having drawn away many of the well-meaning people from the ministerie of those godly ministers , whom before they much prized ; there this collier exercised , and it was given out in the countie he was a rare man , and the people came from the towns about to heare him : this fellow , in his circuit , at an exercise where he was preaching to many women for rebaptization and dipping , made use of that scripture to that purpose ( as it is reported ) isa. . . and in that day seven women shall take hold of one man , saying , wee will eat our owne bread , and weare our owne apparell : only let us be called by thy name , to take away our reproach . and truly , it is a sad thing there should be such emissaries ( so like the devill their master , compassing the earth , and going about seeking whom they may devoure ) in the severall parts of the kingdome , north , east , west , and south , not one part free ; for the east and south , we who live in these parts know it fully , for london , kent , the associated counties . as for the west ( besides this instance of collier ) i received a letter out of dorsetshire , dated march . written by a godly minister from thence ; sir , i am not yet furnished to my mind with particulars of that nature you expect ; but with the help of my fellow-ministers in these parts , i shall send them to you in an exact historie of our westerne confusions . and for the north , besides many instances i could give you of hull , beverley , york , hallifax , &c. of independent churches gathered there , and of many anabaptists and other sectaries in those places , i shall only desire the reader to mind these three or four lines written to me from a countrey further north : i received the books sent me , and shall make the best use i can of them ; the one i keep for mine owne use , the other i pleasure friends with ( and truly never more need in our countrey ; ) for whereas formerly wee wanted the ministerie , now wee have such varietie and strife amongst them , that truly i know not what will become of us . a person of qualitie and a godly man told me ( april . ) meeting me accidentally in westminster hall , that ( saith he ) just now , neere the house of commons doore , i had discourse with a great sectarie ( viz. one of wrights disciples , and presently the man came into the hall with another great sectarie , and he shewed me him : ) and the discourse was as followes , that he would be loth the parliament should bring paul bests bloud upon them for his denying the trinitie . whereupon this gentleman answered him , that he could prove cleerly out of the scriptures a trinitie of persons . vnto whom this sectarie replied , how will you prove the scriptures to be the word of god ? and this sectarie reasoned against them , saying , there were twentie severall scriptures , as many as translations , and translations are not true ; for so the priests will tell us , that this is not rightly translated : and for the originals there are divers copies ; besides , i cannot understand them , neither is it my fault that i do not : in sum , the man reasoned there was no religion at all in the kingdome , but all religion he knew of was , to do justly , and be mercifull . vnto which the gentleman replyed , the heathen they were just and merciful , and therein did as much as you . this sectarie re-joyned , for ought he knew , the heathens were saved as well as any now . a godly minister of the countie of middlesex told me ( april . ) that there was a great sectarie and a souldier , because he had perswaded a family that he was well acquainted with , and where the sectarie much resorted , to cast him off , and to have nothing to do with him ; this sectarie conceiving it to come from this minister , when this minister came downe one day to this house , this sectarie came to the house and enquired for him , to speak with him ▪ this minister fearing the devill might stir him up to do him some mischiefe , refused to speak with him , as having no businesse with him ; this souldier and sectarie sent him in word , if he would not come out to him , hee would come in to him : whereupon hee desired the master of the house hee might be safe in his house , and as hee came in love to him , so hee would defend him , and let him returne home in safetie ; whereupon the master of the house sent out a serva●t to him to be gone , for this minister had nothing to say to him ; and as the servant was going , this sectarie was already come in : whereupon the servant asked him , why hee came in without bidding ; hee replyed , to speak with master — ; upon that the servant caught him by the collar , and said hee should not ; the master hearing them bustle together , hee went out , and his wife followed to oppose him ; and in conclusion , having his knife before ready by his side , hee reached it to pare the dirt off his shooes , to shake it off against that house , because they would not receive him , as making himselfe an apostle : and when hee had done so , he departed . there is one master durance , a preacher at sandwich in kent , a bold conceited man , and an independent , who since the beginning of this parliament was a washing-ball-maker , or seller of washing-balls here in london , but now turned preacher ; and being never ordained minister , hath consecrated himselfe to be one of the priests of the high places : among many high affected straines of new light , and strange expressions , which the man uses in his sermons , prayers , to get himselfe a name by , viz. of a washing-ball-maker to become such a rare man , these are some ; hee prayed to the trinitie to take care or cure of these three kingdomes , god the father to take 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 . ) 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. th● sectarie also holds there is no hell. there is a godly minister in essex , who related this storie to me ( april ) 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 s●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. . . a surgeon belonging to the army preached at one goodman bolters of bere , a towne in the west , on colloss . . out of vers . . 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 . . hee observed , the hand-writing of ordinances , the ten precepts faire written by the finger of god , altogether taken away . on ver . . 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 . , . 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 . . 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 . . the same lievtenant being urged with davids practice of bewailing ●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 . . 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 . . and told us , he knew no word but that . item , this surgeon and a quartermaster-generall to the regi●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 , he● 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 pu●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 thi● f●ll●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 witn●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 j●alousies , false reports , calumnies raised , nou●ished , fomented , and yet never any of the sectaries exemplarily punished , o● their libels and desperate pamphlets ever publikely censured ( as i can learn , ) or effectuall courses used to supp●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 presb●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 , o●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 s●●ffes , or else taking cogniz●nce of things whilest before the houses , and in d●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 , & ● . 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 c●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 establish●d by ordinance , is scoff●d at , and the assembly i● brought in , and jeered at for b●ing against anabaptists , brownists , independents : and they are in that ballad call'd b●●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 . . 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 . . 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 . . 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 ●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 . . 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. , . . 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 thes● 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 . . that of the presbyter endevouring to destroy the ●●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. . i shall add two or three at present : one smart a great sectarie , upon the fifth or sixth of may last , speaking against the presbyterian ministers , and calling them priests , spake these words ; that we hope to have , or shall have shortly the * sequestrations of the presbyterians , as well as formerly of malignants ; unto whom one of the company replyed , that i suppose you will get a good office or place then , when the pr●●●●terians estates shall come to be sequestred . another sectarie , a bodies-seller in london ( whose name i conceale , upon the entreatie of him who related it ) speaking of the ministers of sion colledge , said these words ; many have gone to tyburn , who have lesse deserved hanging than those of sion colledge ; and hee further spoke these words , that the ministers were the cause of all our troubles & stirs . this relation was given me under the hand of one who was an ear-witnesse , and delivered to me in the presence of two sufficient persons . a third man , who is for the independents , and that way , came to a person of qualitie in the citie of london , and taken notice of for a man of great estate , and wished him , out of his respect to him , to take heed how he ingaged or shewed himselfe for the presbyterians , and against the independents , for there was no way for him to keep his estate , or to be secure , unlesse he were of that side , with other words to that purpose . here followes a copie of some letters , with a narration of some more remarkable passages concerning the sectaries . a copie of a letter written to me from a godly and learned minister living at yarmouth . vvorthy sir , by * your letter coming to my hand , i take notice of an information handed to you , wherein i wish there were not so much truth . for your better security , i have procured the examinations out of the office , and have transcribed one of them , which here i send you inclosed . at our late sessions , this cause was heard , our recorder professed , that had he had power , hee had a great minde to hang the man for his blasphemies ; but in conclusion , hee was bound over to the next sessions : touching the person of this blasphemous wretch , one iohn boggis , hee was an apprentice to an apothecary in london , and came downe hither with ( your good friend ) captaine hobson , as his chyrurgion . soone after his coming into these parts hee turned preacher ; and so in a little time seducing , and being seduced , hee came from antinomianisme and anabaptisme , to this desperate height of atheisme . your great rabbi oats told mee before his face , that m. boggis might be his master , notwithstanding his youth ; and so highly extolled him , as if hee had beene adam hamagnalah . one passage more i shall acquaint you with . about a yeer since or somewhat more , this boggis with oats , ( then of norwich ) and one lockier a ring-leader of the anabaptists in this town came to my house , desiring some discourse with me for their pretended satisfaction . providence so ordered it , that m. w. my fellow minister , and one other , were with me at the present . thus three to three we fell into debate ( amongst other matters ) about the power of the magistrate in inflicting capital punishments , and taking away of life . hereupon oats ( to whom the rest agreed ) peremptorily affirmed , and stood to maintaine , that there was no such power in any christian magistrate over anie member of a church , unlesse first he was cast out of the church , and so delivered to the secular power ; no , whatever his offence was , though murther or treason . his argument was , that all church-members were the temple of god , and who so destroyeth the temple of god , him shall god destroy . being pressed with the authority of that text , he that sheddeth mans blood , by man shall his blood be shed , hee and the rest cryed out , what had they to do with moses ? they were christs disciples , not moses disciples . being minded of the antiquity of this law before moses his time , they replyed , it was all one being part of the old testament . withall oats added , that that law was fulfilled ; demanding of him how , he answered , in and by christ in as much ( said hee ) as christ shed his blood , my blood is shed already ; for ( saith he ) christs blood is my blood , and my blood is christs blood . at the same time boggis being pressed by my selfe in some particulars , still his reply was , i have the spirit . my selfe impatient of his arrogant boasting , told him . that certainly if he had that spirit he pretended to , hee would not so boast of it : whereunto ( clapping his hand upon his brest ) he replyed , i thank god i have enough of the spirit . hereupon i having enough of him , told him , that the doores were open for him , and so parted with him . the lord direct , and assist you in all your undertakings , and make your endeavours successefull . with my prayers , and hearty salutations , i rest your assured friend , and brother in the lord. yarmouth , may . a copie of the deposition made against one john boggis , for horrid and unheard of blasphemy . great yarmouth ian. . . this informer saith upon his oath , that some few dayes since , one iohn boggis came to the house of this informers master about dinner time , and being requested to stay at dinner there , he sate down at the table , and being also requested by his said masters wife to give thanks , hee asked to whom hee should give thanks , whether to the butcher or to the bull , or to the cow , ( there being then a shoulder of rosted veale upon the table . ) and the said informers masters wife , saying , that thanks should bee given to god ; the said boggis replyed , and said , where is your god , in heaven , or in earth , aloft or below , or doth hee sit in the clouds , or where doth hee sit with his — . and further this informer saith , that at another time the said informers masters wife having speech with the said boggis about the church , and concerning the bible , the said boggis wished , he had not knowne so much of the bible , which hee said , was but only paper . the former part of this information ( to and further , &c. ) is also attested upon oath in the same words by the said informers master wife . a true copy of a letter sent from dover , to a worthy member of the reverend assembly , and subscribed by five hands of persons of worth , ministers and others . worthy sir , ovr true respects of you prefixed : we entreat your favour to acquaint us what you think will be the result at last about the independents ; if they must be tolerated , it is then in vaine for us to strive against it by any humane helps , and must expect to live in all confusion and disorder , except it be in our families , and there we shall hardly avoid it , for there are some that creep into houses . we desire you to take notice , that for three yeeres last past there hath been some differences about that way in dover ; but of late they are faln into a congregationall-church , have made members , and ordained a pastour one . mr. davis of london , who will settle here with them : hereupon they are presently so high flowne , that they will have our publike meeting place commonly called the church to preach a weekly lecture , though we have an order from the committee of parliament , that there shall bee none without the consent of both the ministers in dover , and have acquainthem with it ; yet some have threatned , if the key be kept away , they will break open the doores ; and since m. davies journey to london , the members of his church meeting everie lords day twice , and once in the weeke , mr. mascall ( a man employed by the state to bee a perfector of the customes ) undertakes to feed the flock , expounds the scriptures , and with much vehemencie cries out to the people expressing himselfe thus against the present ministerie : your priests , your damned priests , your cursed priests , with their fooles coat . your levites , who if they get an ordinance of parliament , will thunder it out , but they let alone the ordinances of christ , and perswades the people of the evill that synods and learned men have done to the church , and therefore presses them to the uselessenesse of humane learning , and at other times in private meetings , perswades people , that they will fall into most miserable slaverie , if they have a presbytery ; and saith , that hee shall stand and laugh at them , when they are under their burthens . for our parts , if the state will suffer themselves to bee so vilified in what they have by the best advice proposed , and will have us trodden under foot for following christ , and obeying them , and will have us take covenants , and suffer as many as will to violate them , wee shall then thinke that wee are fallen into worse times then ever wee yet saw . wee desire you to counsell us , and to improve your power in the assembly , and with the parliament what you may to stop these violent proceedings here , that we may enjoy our priviledges , especially the peace of our consciences and countrey , we rest your loving friends . dover , april . . this letter is given into the hands of a peer of this kingdom . the copie of a letter written from a learned and godly divine from beyond the seas , to a speciall friend of his here in london , and translated by him out of dutch into english. vve do earnestly long for some ordinances from england , for the suppressing of the high growing sects , heresies , and schismes , which get the upperhand : we are afflicted in our verie souls , that there is such a depth of distractions and errors , such liberty for schisme , blasphemie , and ungodly tenents , both at london , and in the whole kingdome . o blessed holy holland , righteous amsterdam , heretofore accounted the sink of errours and heresies , but now justified by london . with us are punished with banishment , or piercing through the tong with a hot iron , those that but slanderously speak of the virgin mary : here we burne the books of the socinians errours , and they may not with knowledge be sold in these parts : here indeed every one is left to enjoy the freedome of his conscience in his own family , but to keep conventicles and meetings of divers families together , amsterdam it selfe will not suffer , except in anabaptists , lutherans , and remonstrants . at london is taught blasphemy against christ , god , his word , worship , and sacraments , by enthusiasts , antinomians , libertines , and seekers : there the socinian tricks are new moulded , there all sects and hereticks may keep their separated , publike and secret conventicles . whence is it that you are so suddenly led away unto another gospell ? is there no balme in gilead , that the wounds of the daughter of sion are not healed ; are the prayers of the saints , and the labours of the upright , all in vain ? gods judgements hang over that kingdom , which feeds and fosters such sins . a passage extracted out of a letter lately sent from a godly minister in colchester , to a minister in london . the last sabbath day we had one clarkson a seeker that preached at butolph church , the same man i believe that m. edwards mentions in his book : his sermon tended to the vilifying of the scriptures , all ordinances , duties , ministers , church , state : hee vilified the scriptures and would not have the people live upon white and black , and that they of themselves were not able to reveal god , of which i shall give m. e. a full account the next week . an extract of a letter written from a minister in new-england to a member of the assembly of divines . discipline , or church government is now the great businesse of the christian world , god grant we forget not the doctrine of repentance from dead works , and faith in the lord jesus : i long much to see , or heare , what is done in england about this matter . i shall not fall into particulars , as i might do , could we speake mouth to mouth . i am no independent , neither are manie others , who say , communi presbyterorum consilio ecclesiae ab initio regebantur ; nor am i of a democraticall spirit : much have i seene in my almost eleven yeares abode in this wildernesse ; and i wish such as maintain an independen democracie , had seene and found as much experimentally . a house like to be well governed , where all are masters ; but no more of this . for my self , god hath been here with me , and done me much good , learning me somthing of himselfe , of my selfe , and of men . n. e. is not heaven , and here we are men still . decem. . . to his loving brother , m. thomas edwards . sir , that book which discovereth our generall gangraena , containeth truth , which will procure you many enemies , it s the fate of truth : but to this end ( saith our lord iohn . . ) was i born , and for this cause came i into the world , that i should beare witnesse to the truth ; and so for this cause are christians begotten againe by the word of truth : everie one that is of the truth should do so , espcially such as are his ministers . revelasse will be superasse : i le joyn with one of your adversaries in that alleadged text. but they shall proced no farther ; for their folly shall be made manifest to all men , as theirs also was , tim. . i wait for its accomplishment . you , yea we all must look to suffer for plaine dealing , especially now when as truth lieth in the streets and is trampled on by dirty feet ; when as there are so many adversaries unto it , and such an independent combination against it : the great objection against you is , you are too too vehement in your opposition ; which when i heard , i remembred i had read in luther de servo arbitrio , the same objected to him , by old erasmus . the answer of luther unto it , mee thinkes may well bee ours , yours , and yeeld us much comfort and encouragement . quod antem , vehementius , egerim , agnosco culpam si culpa est , imo testimonium hoc mihi in mundo reddi in causa des mirificè gaudeo : atque utinam & ipse deus id testimonii in novissimo die confirmaret quis tum beatior luthero , qui tanto sui saculi testimonio commendatur , quod veritatis causam non segniter nec fraudulenter sed vehementer satis , vel petiùs nimio egerit ? tum illud ieremae soeliciter evaserim , maledictus qui facit opus dei negligenter . so luther ; and so may you in my judgment . as for cretensis ( so one of your adversaries stileth his book ) i finde him still a confident man , his challenge of all the presbyterians one after another , assembled or not assembled in england , scotland , france , and ireland , in that question of the imputation of faith in a proper sense , &c. sheweth so much , and also that , that he may do it as well as you did antapol . p. . to whom you may say from me , he cannot so well do it as you , because that as yet we see none hath accepted your challenge , whereas the strength of him is tried ( in what he did against m. walker , and his other two treatises of that subject ) and is found weaknesse ; so that untill he vindicate himselfe , we have but the words militis gloriosi , the vent of spleen against presbyterians and the assembly , say , i could tell him presbyterians and independents assembled , have weighed that controversie , and found his opposition therein too too light . tell him that ( though the servant is not greater then his master , nor the authority of the clark equall to that of the iustice of peace ; and that when m. gataker speaketh , m. robrough may hold his peace , as he speaketh , pag. . cret . ) m. robrough may say so much unto him in behalfe of some of those he thus challengeth , and tell him that he do no more with challenges , trouble those masters , being in serious employments . it sufficeth a servant hath routed his forces , and is in readinesse ( with gods helpe ) if m. iohn goodwin can but recruit , to meet him in that controversie in whatsoever field . blessed be god , he is much more inabled and imboldened to that by his attendance ; so farre is he from being ashamed of that which he objecteth as a jeer : he is strong at that ( as in his recipe to m. walker ▪ and that whole book ) the blood that runneth in that vein ( as i have heard ) cost him nought , he received it by tradition , he is not as yet redeemed from it ; will him as a grave and learned divine to answer m. robroughs animadversions , and after that propose his vaine-glorious challenge unto presbyterians : they and independents will surely answer him , if between him and me there be indeed found on my part impar congressus . that charge of yours ( gang. p. . that faith in a proper sense , is imputed to justification , and not christs righteousnesse ) is owned ( i see ) still by him . onely he saith , that you falsly and forgingly represent the opinion , because you father on it that mungrell expression ( as he calleth it ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 credere , an expression ad invidiam comparata it my be said its usually so expressed by such as handle that controversie . mr. wootton abhorred it not . fidem autem cùm dicimus ipsum credere , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significamus , de reconcil par . . l. . c. . p. . and againe , p. . for what hee mentioneth else to that further , he may do well to take notice that he is examined , as in all that hee hath written , the other charge ( pag. . about quoting bucer and calvin against their judgement ) in my opinion it is very just . let mr. walkers booke and mine be but consulted , it is made evident in theirs , and others testimonies quoted by him : when as bucer saith , faith is imputed to righteousnesse , and so calvin , they take it not in a proper sense but figurative , or relative to the object , which sibrandus against bertius , sheweth to bee the judgement of all protestant divines , and challengeth him to shew one man , or one place to the contrarie . for bucer , master wotton , sheweth his opinion in these words , quia hac fide apprehendimus justitiam perfectam christi ; ideo apostolus dixit , credenti in cum qui justificat impium , fidem ejus reputari in justitiam : fidem , scil . apprehendentem justitiam christi , id est , ipsam christi justitiam : wo●t . de reconcil . part . . lib. . cap. . pag. . and therefore saith of bucer , quem ego de imputatione opinionis , authorem fuisse mihi persuadeo . he might have read it cited in mine animadvers . part . . pag. . and as for m. calvin , the verie places whence he quoteh him expresse so much . let him peruse what is extracted from him in mine animadversions , pag. , , , & p. , . as for that opinion of calvins , that iustification consisteth in remission of sins , tell him hee needed not to call in witnesses , it is confest : the question is about the word onely ; neither is that word denyed to bee in calvin : but the qustion is , whether onely excludeth in his sense imputation of christs righteousnesse ( the tenet of protestants ; ) or that of inherent righteousnesse ( the doctrine of papists : ) i deny the former , and assert onely the later against the papists ; and i appeale to his witnesses , let them give their verdict . yet tell him , that in mine animadversions , in answer to this very head , he may read it determined by many witnesses against him ; by bellarmine , his adversarie , an accuser of calvin ( as he is for this , ) by his own witnesse , pareus , by d. downham , d. davenant and polanus , though he will not see it : part . . pag. , , , . yes , when as in his book he mentioneth these two witnesses ( as he here doth ) he may finde them answered out of the same authours , where mr. gatakers judgement may bee also seene of that thing , whether justification consists in remission of sinnes . surely , had hee thought of these answers given him against his opinions for mine , that they are to bee seene in the world , hee would never have made so loud a challenge , neither yet have spent time in repetition of these testimonies ; for the determining of which between us , i appeal to all the world , and am ready ( when-ever he pleaseth ) to contend for this with him , or any part of the controversie , in writing , or vivâ voce . sir , i thought good to write so much to you in defence of truth , and somwhat in reference to my despised selfe : it is now yours , do with it as your selfe shall please . the lord make us valiant for truth ; for this i know , i have abettors enough , such as himselfe doth otherwise highly honour . but service calleth for mine hand elswhere , which i must obey : and therefore with prayer to god for his blessing on you , and all your labours in his cause , he taketh leave of you for this time , who is your loving friend and brother in every cause of christ , henry robrough . april . . a copie of a letter lately written to me from a godly minister in the west of england . worthy sir , whom ( though unknown to me by sight ) i love and honour for your love to truth , and for your zeale against the spreading infectious errours of these times , wherein we once hoped for better things . i wrote to master f. of some discoveries that were made to me by some reclaimed from anabaptisme , concerning the workings of satan to and in that way , being much affected with the relations they first gave me by word of mouth : i desired them to commit their experiences to paper while the remembrance of them was fresh with them , that they might be able hereafter as well as at present , to tell what the lord had done for their soules , in breaking such a dangerous snare as satan with so much art and subtilty had laid for them : this upon perswasion they did , and at last gave me in about two sheets of paper close written , wherein they discover not only how the snare was laid for them , and how they were first caught and intangled with a liking of the novelty of anabaptisme , but being caught , how they were carried on to it with the strongest violence and impulse of spirit that is imaginable : they also discover the sad effects and influence which that way had upon their spirits while they lay but under a liking and good opinion of it , and how it pleased the lord to rescue and bring them off , before they were actually ingaged , and duckt into that seduced society . sir , all these things were so fully and largely expressed in the manuscrip● i had from them ▪ that others as well as my selfe held them very fit to be published for the publike good ; and supposing they should be , i was preparing some considerations upon the passages to come forth with them . since their coming of the anabaptists , they have found their spirits in a much better frame then before , and out of pitie to others ingaged in that way , have endeavoured to reclaime them . and now sir , for my own part i must needs say , it is much that i have suffered from opinionists of all sorts in these times , and meerly because i could not be false to my covenant ( nor i trust never shall ) by a sinfull silence , when heresie and schisme do lift up themselves against truth and unity . i praise the lord this happinesse i have , though the unkind dealing of these men hath somtimes occasioned much griefe of heart , and weaknesse of body to me , yet they have not prevailed in the least wise to weaken my resolutions in contending for the truth ; yea the more the truth is opposed , the more earnestly i hope i shall contend for it , though it be to the utter exhausting of that small strength of body which i have : i cannot sacrifice my selfe in a better way . i know it is not necessary that i should live , but necessary it is , that truth should live and be maintained to the utmost of our power . me thought it was somwhat harsh to me at first ( till god accustomed me to the yoke ) to suffer frowns , reproaches , imprecations , and all manner of hard speeches for the discharging of my conscience , and that from those whose professed principle it is that all should have the liberty of their consciences : it seems they would take liberty , but will not give it . if my conscience bids me to oppose some of their tenets and practices , and i can have no peace without so doing , how can they in reason deny me this liberty by their own principle ? ☜ surely it would be a sad day to all orthodox christians if they should be brought to stand to the mercy the sectaries liberty . some of them have partly well used their liberty against me in speaking , writing , printing against me , in the most scurrilous , rancorous , injurious manner that could be , and onely for preaching that , which if i had not , my conscience i feare would have preached against me while i had lived , for holding the truth in unrighteousnesse . sir , i will not hold you with particulars , this place hath been a troublesome place to me , for which i know whom i have to thank . i wish it may be quieter to the next minister that succeeds me , for god is pleased by a cleare providence to open me a way to some other place . sir , being lately at dorchester , the town i heard was somewhat disturbed the week before by a wandring sectary , who had gathered a company about him , and preached in the shire hall ( as i think they call it ▪ ) chusing that of the apostle for his text , but we have the mind 〈◊〉 christ. afterwards , through too much pride , and too little wit , the poor fellow was so ill advised as to challenge m. ben to a publike dispute imp●●r congressus achihi . offering to make good the lawfulnesse of private mens preaching , which challenge was accepted , but how the opinionist was foyled by that worthy minister ( fitter to grapple with that punies instructors ) was easily perceived by all understanding hearers . the godly people of those parts have been so well catechized and grounded heretofore , that the opinionists complain they can make no work with them . certainly the good old english puritan ( which mr. geere doth so well characterize ) is the novellists greatest enemy , or rather the novellist his . ☞ alas , how sad is the destiny of orthodox christians , that no times will favour them ? we have not yet lost the sense of what we suffered heretofore by those wicked prelats , whom god hath therefore cast out as an abominable branch ; and surely if all the orthodox in the land should bring in their severall complaints of what they have suffered since by turbulent opinionists , it would fill the world with wonder , and the reformed churches abroad , who cannot but sympathize with us , with much heavinesse of spirit in our behalfe . heretofore it was counted a crime to preach against profanenesse , as sporting on the lords day , and the like ; and now as great a crime to preach against heresies . only let me acquaint you with one thing i have observed , this veine of persecution for the most parts runs along in the same persons ; they who most countenanced profanenesse and superstition heretofore against orthodox ministers , are the same men who under a forme of godlinesse , without the power , do now countenance heresie and schisme against it ; but sir , let nothing discourage . it it given to us , not only to beleeve , but to suffer ; but hee that shall come will come , and will not tarrie : and in the mean while it is enough for us that christ reigns . may . . there is a young man who lives in london , and not far off the exchange , who went not long since to lams meeting-place , to see and hear what they did there ; and when he was come , found many of them reasoning and conferring about strange opinions : and among the rest , there was one sectarie who maintained and affirmed , ☞ that he was jesus christ. at which this young man was so offended and troubled in his spirit , that hee ( upon the place , and to his face ) spake much against him for his blasphemy : this fellow still maintained it stiffely , and told this young man hee would powre out his judgements on him , and damne him for opposing and speaking thus against him . this young man was so affected with it , that when hee came home , he told it his father and other friends : and being asked by some , whether he thought the man was in his wits or no , this young man replyed , yes sure , for he spake sensibly , and to the things that were spoken of , though in this blasphemous abominable way . many sectaries have distrubed godly conscientious ministers in the pulpits , standing up in the verie face of the congregation , and speaking to them , giving them the lye , charging them with false doctrine , calling them antichristian ministers , and such like : of some of these i have given instances in my late book , pag. , , . and to add a few more , mr. andrews of wellingborough had the lye given him whilst hee was preaching ; and many ministers have been put by preaching , and kept out of their own pulpits by force of arms , captains and troopers coming up into the ministers pulpits with their swords by their sides , and against the mind of ministers and people : thus paul hobson hath done in northampton-shire , buckingham-shire ; and thus at ravensden in bedford-shire a souldier went up against the mind of the minister ; and here in london , the face of the kingdome , at christ-church there have been many affronts offered , as jeering and scoffing in the midst of the sermons , speaking loud against things delivered , to the disturbance of those who have sate neer : and now lately at christ-church , on tuesday the . of april , just upon concluding my sermon , and going to my last prayer , up stands one colonell washington of hartford-shire , ( so his name and place is related to be ) and spake openly against what i had preached , that i had not rightly given the sense of that parable of the tares , and that i was a false prophet , or beware of false prophets . now if the sectaries will do thus to the presbyterians whilst they are in their minoritie , and underlings , what will they do when they come to be in their kingdome , to be encreased in number and power above the presbyterians ? but now on the other hand , let independents and sectaries give any one instance that the presbyterians , when they have come to hear them preach , ( though they have preached their erroneous opinions , and for libertie of conscience , and against presbyterians , and all this in the presbyterians pulpits and churches ) that ever the presbyterians have stood up and made disturbance in the publike assemblies , or carried themselves uncivilly and scoffingly in sermon time towards them . there is one gorton , who was a great sectarie in new-england , holding many desperate opinions there ; a copie of which , given by mr. williams of new-england ( that writ the book called the bloudy tenet ) unto a reverend minister now at london , i have seen and perused . now this gorton with others being banished out of the patent of the bay , and when they were gone , holding and venting strange and horrid opinions , whereby they highly dishonoured god , and did hurt and mischiefe to some of the people in the patent , and under the new-england government ; the governour and magistrates sent a company by force of arms ( though they were in a place , as it is thought , out of their plantation and patent ) to bring them to boston ; who accordingly , being too strong for gorton & his company , brought them to boston : and when the governours had them in their hands the court sate upon them what to doe with them ; and there were some motions and consultations ( as i and other ministers have been informed by some that are come from new-england ) about putting them to death , or what other punishments to be infl●cted on them for their blasphemous opinions . but how gorton escaped , whether because the place they fetched him and the rest from was not in their patent , or what other reason , i know not ; onely this i am assured of from divers hands , that gorton is here in london , and hath been for the space of some months ; and i am told also , that he vents his opinions , and exercises in some of the meetings of the sectaries , as that he hath exercised lately at lams church , and is verie great at one sister stags , excercising there too somtimes . there is one iohn durance an independent , ( whom i mentioned a little before ) who preaches a lecture on the week day at sandwich in kent , and hath a lecture at canterbury too , and would have had a lecture also at dover for the farther spreading of independency : but by the godly ministers of dover opposing it , and writing up to london against him , such meanes were used , as he was put by , and kept from coming thither : now among many other of his pranks , the reader may take notice of these ; he hath at sandwich in the church publikely prayed to god two or three severall times , that the king might be brought up in chains to the parliament : upon which prayer , one or two of sandwich went to m. durance , to know what his meaning was in that prayer : upon putting the question , m. symonds , an independent minister in the same towne , and his great friend ( but more politick ) being with him , answered , m. durance meaning was that the king might bee brought up in chaines of gold : whereupon m. durance replyed , that was none of his meaning ; but he meant , he might be brought in chains of iron . in a sermon one time this durance told the people hee was sorrie he had spent so much time , or lost so much time in reading or turning over the fathers : and yet he said he honoured the fathers as much as anie man. this man after his preaching at canterburie , hath the use of a great roome neare the cathedrall , where manie resort to him ; and he takes occasion to build them up in independency . not long since m. durance , on his lecture-day , just before the last day of publike thanksgiving in the countrey , preaching in one of the churches in sandwich , told the people he would finish the text he was then preaching upon on the thanksgiving day , and that in the afternoone , in a private house : whereupon , when he had done , m. sherwood a godly minister in whose church he preached , turned himselfe to the congregation , saying , mr. durance , you shall not need to do so , you shall have the libertie of my pulpit , i here offer it you ; and if you may have libertie of the publike church , i hope you will not go into corners . vvhereunto master durance publikely replyed , hee would not preach in the church , but was resolved of his way ; and accordingly in the afternoon , when the people went to the publike exercises to church , mr. durance went to a private house , and two or three hundred people after him , to heare him preach in private . i have many other remarkable stories and passages of the sectaries , proved by witnesses , by letters under their hands , and the notorietie of the things themselves , of their horrible uncleannesses , forsaking their husbands and wives , fearfull defraudings , and seeking by desperate wayes to cozen and deceive ; as also of their strange 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 of●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 a god ; nay , come to bl●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 , ●o they be but for independencie , and against presbyterie : and particularly , how is paul b●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. , , ? or where is there a blasphemy to be found beyond that spoken of in pag. 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 . . 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 c●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. . . that a mans pride shall bring him low : prov. . that when pride cometh , then cometh shame : prov. . . 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. . . dan. . . and indeed pride hardens mens hearts , and when their hearts are lifted up , and their minds hardned in pride , then god throwes them downe . . 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 , d●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 c●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 ●ide so fiercely that they cannot but fall and break their necks , they drive so furiously and madly , that they cannot but overthrow all . . the great prosperitie , strange successe , and marvailous prevailing of the sectaries in their waies & opinions , their devices and designs for the most part taking eff●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. . , , . psal. . , and . , . psal. . , , . and , , . psal. . . 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 . . 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 in it , they conceive many plots at once to effect it , they have plot upon plot , and lay snare upon snare : machiavel and the jesuits are but punies and fresh men to them . i am confident they had so laid their plots , cut out their way , removed the rubs , prepared all things , so as that they had set their time , by which they should effect their ends , and speak out what they would have : now god delights to bring to naught plots , to disappoint the devices of mens hearts , to blast and blow upon tricks and under-boord workings , to take the wise in their own craftinesse , and wherein men deale proudly to be above them : the ripening , growing big of plots , is commonly the fore-runner of the downfall of the plotters , and the miscarriage of their plots : for the further clearing of which the reader shall doe well to consider what god speakes in iob. . , , . psal. . , , isa. . . . isa. . , . and indeed god is such an enemy to plots , devices , tricks , that he will crosse and disappoint his owne children in their workings , devisings , and contrivances even for good , when they are too plotting , anxious , or delight and please themselves too much in them ; and this he does often , lest they should attribute the events of things to their counsell , care , &c. and that the worke may appeare to be of himselfe , and not of men , that god may be knowne to be deiu activus & non passivus , as luther expresses it upon a like occasion , and that god doth not use to call martin luther or anie of his saints to be his councellor , but that he doth all things according to his own counsell ; hence we are commanded to be carefull for nothing , or thoughtfull , but in everie thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving , let our requests be made knowne to god : now if god will go quite crosse and contrary , to the counsells , workings , of his servants for the maintaining his church and truth , and bring about all quite another way , then he will much more carrie the counsells of the froward headlong and make them meet with darknesse in the day time , and grope in the noone day , as in the night . . sympt . of the certaine destruction of the sectaries is this , that independencie and sectarisme in england is a meer faction , a partie grown to this height upon particular interests , nourished and favoured all upon politike grounds and ends : independencie now is no religious conscientious businesse , but a politike state faction , severing and dividing it selfe upon other private interests from the publike interests of this church and state , and the interest of both kingdoms , united by covenant : in a word 't is just such anoanother faction as the arminians was in the netherlands . i believe that seven or eight years ago independencie and the church way had somwhat of religion and conscience in it , manie then falling to it much upon those grounds ( though even then there were other ends in it also , as i have showne in my antapologie . ) but now since these times of troubles and difference betwixt king and parliament , these foure years last past , wherein men have seen some probabilitie and possibilitie , in these times of warre and unsettlement of things , to bring about and effect those things they could not hope for before , it hath been and is matter of faction , particular aimes and ends , and not of conscience and pietie , as all wise men may see , and is apparent by these particulars : first 't is not carried on as a way of god , as a matter of religion and conscience , in gods way , and with gods means ; but carried on altogether with policie , art , plots , trickes , equivocations , mentall reservations , lies , falsenesle , doing anie thing though never so unjust and unrighteous , if it will further and advantage , that way , and hinder its opposite , viz. presbyterie , and the settlement of the church ; yea , declining and forsaking the profest principles that way , and going contrary threunto , in razing the verie fundations of independencie , and the church way . secondly , there are multitudes of persons in all places , who doe not so much as know or understand anie of the principles of independency and thé church way ; yea that hate most of those principles if they were tied to live according to them , that yet are great sticklers for independencie , and the sectaries , yea , are the heads and patrons of it in all places , and upon all occasions , and this is observed by manie wise men , that take those who now are friends for it , and stand for it upon all occasions , among them all there is not one in ten that conscientiously and in his judgement holds that way to bee of god , or is an independent , which cleerly showes 't is a faction . thirdly , all other errours and opinions , sectaries of all sorts ( as well as independents ) are encouraged , nourished , favoured , and the worst of them though being so abominable , 't is not anie policie to appeare for them ; yet one way or other , under one notion or other , are pleaded for , dealt gently with , either delayed and put off , or brought off by one meanes or other , and are freely suffered to grow and increase , and no way taken to suppresse or discourage them , which cleerly showes independency is a faction , and hath other designes then that of conscience , in furthering the growth of all sorts of sectaries , holding tenets against their principles as well as ours , by licensing their books , &c. and upon all occasions , shelters and protects all sorts of them . fourthly that independencie is a faction , and not matter of conscience , appeares because all these following sorts and ranks of men come in unto it ; . needie , broken , decaied men , who know not how to live , and hope to get somthing , turn independents and sticklers for i● . . gail●ie , suspicious and obnoxious men , who have been or are in the lurc● , and in feare and danger of being questioned , or have bin questioned , they turn independents to escape questioning , or if questioned , that so they may come off the better , independency being a sanctuarie and the horns of the altar where many obnoxious persons fly and are safe ; and many of these guilty persons that they may merit the more prove fiercer independents and sectaries then manie others . . some who have businesses , causes , and matters depending , strike in with the independent sectaries , pleading for them , that so they may finde friends , be sooner dispatcht , fare better in their causes , &c. . ambitious , proud , covetous men , who have a mind to offices , places of profit , about the army , excise , &c. turn about to the independents , and are great zealots for them . . libertines and loose persons , who have a desire to live in pleasures , and enjoy their lusts , and to be under no government , they are fierce and earnest for independents , and against presbytery . . all wanton-witted , unstable , erroneous spirits of all sorts , all hereticks and sectaries strike in with independency , and plead they are independents . . such who have no minde to peace , nor to the settlement of 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 . . 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 . . 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 , st●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 . . 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 ephra●●●● gray haires ( though they will not know it ) and these following sinnes and courses presage their ruine , viz. their deep hypocrisies and pretences of religion and conscience meerly to serve their lusts , and to bring about their own ends , their perjuries and breach of solemne covenant with god , making nothing at all of it , their great unthankfulnesse and ill use of gods mercies and deliverances , their great ingratitude and unkindnesse to men , particularly to 〈◊〉 brethren of scotland , their blood guiltinesse in destroying the lives of many by dipping weakly and ancient persons in rivers in cold seasons , and in the destroying of so manie soules by errours and heresies and drawing them from their faithfull pastours , their horrible uncleannesses and lusts , their fearefull despising and mocking of all gods faithfull ministers , and ordinances , their oppressions , injustice , and unrighteous dealings with manie they have had to doe with and where they have anie power , their base self-seekings , seeking their owne things , their honour , profit , advancement of their faction under pretences of selfe-denyall , and the publike good , their holding of damnable heresies and all kinde of abominable errours , their horrid blasphemies against god , christ , the scriptures and all his ordinances , their machiavillian policies , jesuiticall equivocations , falsnesse and treacherousnesse , their underminings and laying snares for men , their countenancing standing for the unworthiest vilest of men , so they will be for their faction , their justifying and pleading for a toleration of all religions , and consciences , even to blasphemies against god and his word , their inventing of lies and raising scandalls upon the worthiest and innocentest men , as ministers and others to blast them with the people , their prophanenesse and loosenesse of life in making nothing of the lords day , daies of fast and thanksgiving , nor of holy duties , as praying , &c. their carnall confidence and trusting in arms of flesh , their using of wicked and unjust waies , and means to compasse their ends , not standing upon any rules , or keeping to any principles , so it may advantage them , violating bonds of friendship , going against the lawes of nations , joyning with the worst of men against good men , labouring to sow divisions among brethren , raising evill reports , fomenting jealousies , and using all waies in their power to ingage the two nations in a war one against the other , not caring to hazzard the ruine of all for the upholding of their faction . many of the sectaries have forfeited all principles of ingenuity and conscience , and will not stand upon any thing that may probably doe their worke for them : they will take counsell of baalzebub the god of ekron whether they shall recover , use the devills meanes , as lying , breach of promises , joyning with wicked men , &c. for pretended libertie of conscience and upholding their way . in a word , they are like that judge spoken of in the . of luke , which feared not god , neither regarded men ; all they regard is the effecting of their designes , and other things in order to that . and ●s many sectaries are in these too faulty and guilty , so the verie best of them that i know , their ministers , and others who are leaders , and have been anie long time of the way , and unsterstand the state of things , they are extreamly faulty in patronizing all kind of sectaries , and being against all the waies of suppressing them , in using all subtill politike waies and devices to hinder and delay the reformation , in joyning with bad men against what they acknowledge good , in going against their owne principles , razing their owne foundation ; besides , they are verie proud , lofty , touchy , full of equivocations , reservations , pretences , pretending one thing , and doing quite otherwise ; so that i may say of them with the prophet micah , the best of them is a brier , the most upright is sharper then a thorne-hedge ; and therefore the day of their visitation cometh , now shall be their perplexity . and certainly , these fearfull sinnes and strange wayes ( especially in men who have pretended to more sanctitie and holinesse then other men , having also , upon those pretences of greater puritie , &c. g●ounded their great separation and division from all the reformed churches ) must needs provoke god to visit and to punish them severely ; and because of his great name which they have taken upon them and so prophaned , god will be sanctified ( unlesse g●eat and speedy repentance prevent it ) in punishing them sooner and more remarka●ly then the prelates and their partie : and therefore in the close of this symptome of the downefall of the sects , i shall , in the name of the presbyterian party , and of all those who are for the solemne league and covenant in both kingdomes , make use of those words to and against the sectaries , which both kingdomes ( upon the coming in of our brethren of scotland ) used in their joynt declaration to and against the popish , prelaticall and malignant party : * it is his own truth and cause , which we maintaine , with all the reformed churches , and which hath been witnessed and sealed by the testimonie ▪ sufferings and blood of so many confessours , and martyrs , against the heresie , superstition and tyranny of antichrist . the glorie of his own name , the exaltation of the kingdom of his son , and the preservation of his church , and of this iland from utter ruine and devasta●ion is our aime , and the end which we have before our ●ies . his covenant have we in both nations solemnly sworn and subscribed , which he would not have put in our hearts to do , i● he had been minded to destroy us . the many prayers and supplications which these many yeares last past , but especially of late have been offered up with fasting and humiliation , and with strong crying and tears unto him that is able to deliver and save us , are a seed which promise unto us a plentifull harvest of comfort and happinesse : and the apostasie , atheisme , idolatrie , blasphemie , prosanenesse , crueltie , excesse , and open mocking of all godlinesse and honestie have filled up the cup of our adversaries to the brim , and threaten their speedy and fearfull d●struction , unl●sse it be prevented by such extraordinarie repentance , as seemeth not yet to have entred into their hearts . . sympt . is this , when god hath at some times testified against them , and spit in their faces , as by laying open their nakednesse , and fully discovering their ways , by some books written , by some sermons preached by godly ministers , by casting some rubs in their way , in stirring up the citie of london to appeare against them , or in disappointing some of their purposes by strange and unexpected passages of his providence from heaven , yet upon none of these occasions have they repented of their deeds to give god glorie , or humbled themselves before his ministers speaking to them from the mouth of the lord , or abated of their spirits ; but contrariwise , have gnawed their tongues for pain , blasphemed the more because of their pains and sores , and stirred up themselves with so much the more industrie and subtiltie , to plot and work by all kind of wayes and meanes to heale their wounds : and i could give many instances , how upon such books coming forth , and upon such acts of providence , which a man would have thought should have made them give over , they have been more resolved , active , desperate , betaking themselves to evill wayes and strange courses for the saving of themselves , as aspersing and raising scandals and false reports upon the persons whom they think have wounded them , as in the weekly pamphleters venting some desperate passages , and putting forth strange books upon the nick of things , with many other wayes , all which wise men cannot but observe ; in which courses they have been like balaam , numb . . going on their way resolvedly , though the angell of the lord have stood in their way with a sword drawn , and their feet have been crushed against the wall . now it is a great symptome of destruction and ruine to a partie , or to particular persons , when the hand of god is lifted up against them , that they will not see ; and that when god wounds them , instead of falling down before him , they seek to cure their wounds by unlawfull means ; and that when he powrs our vials upon them , and scorches them with great heat , they blaspheme , and do not repent , that when hee stops them , they will drive more furiously , and that when hee makes mens pride testi●●e to their faces , they do not return nor seek him for all this : this is the fore-runner of destruction in the antichristian partie , revel . . , , , . and this was a fore-runner of destruction in the prelates and that partie ; that after their great and long prosperitie and successe , when god did by writing , preaching , raising up of witnesses testifie against them , and did by other acts of his providence crosse them , in raising up the kingdome of scotland against them , yet they would not give in , nor abate ; and when a peace was concluded with scotland upon the kings first going into the north , and they might have enjoyed their honours , greatnesse , for all that , they wrought so upon the kings returne , as to procure those articles to be burnt by the hand of the common hang-man , and the war to go on , which proved their ruine and fatall destruction . and for a conclusion of this symptome , i will end it with those words of the prophet isaiah , lord , when thy hand is lifted up , they will not see ; but they sh●● see , and be ashamed for their envie towards thy people : yea , the fire of thine enemies shall devoure them . lord , thou wilt ordaine peace for us : for thou also hast wrought all our works for us . and though it be a sad thing , that men holding forth a profession of religion should fall to those wayes , and grow to such an height as i have laid open ; yet i am perswaded it is a good hand of god , and his speciall providence and mercie to his church in these kingdomes , to leave the sectaries to fall into so many evils , to take such strange wayes thus to discover themselves , and to proceed so far , that so the kingdomes knowing them well , they might in the issue be more effectually cured , and perfectly delivered from them : for , had these men kept themselves within the compasse of a few of their opinions , and carried things faire , and not broke out as they have done , we should have thought them good holy men , been much taken with them , and many would have been deceived by them ; yea , in time they might have got such an interest , and had such an influence , as to have corrupted all ; but now having thus early discovered themselves , both in matters of church and state , in opinions and practices , this hath so opened the eyes of this kingdome , yea of both , that it will cause them to abhor and abominate them as a wicked faction , whose principles would bring in an universall anarchy , both upon church and state , overthrowing all ministerie , setled government , and order in the church ; being against kingly government , the house of peeres , house of commons ( unlesse ad placitum , and so long as the common people like them ; ) and all power of magistrates ( in capitall matters over church members ) in the commonwealth ; and who cared not to have sacrificed the religion , peace , happinesse of these kingdomes , upon the ambition , furie , pride , lust , opinions of anabaptists , libertines , seekers , brownists , independents : and therefore , however the sectaries may flatter themselves in the encrease of their partie , in the power they have in some places , in the favour they find among some great men ; yet let them know , notwithstanding their policies , all their arms of flesh , all their friends in the armies , in the a house of commons , and in b committees which they so boast of , yet god will overthrow them ; and these eight particulars are certaine symptomes of their ruine ; and let who will do what they can to uphold them , yet god will bring them downe ; for , when they spring as the grasse , and as the workers of iniquitie flourish , then is it that they shall be destroyed for ever : and therefore let us be couragious and faithfull to the cause of god , contending earnestly for the faith which was once at livered to the saints ; and let us be in nothing terrified by the sectaries . and to all the symptomes i have given already ( being so many fore-runners of their fall ) let the reader consider this , that they have their deaths wound already , the fatall arrow sticks in their sides , and having begun to fall , they shall surely fall : and that ( besides the citie of london , and other instruments ) god will honour our brethren of scotland , to make them a great means of their falling ; and they shall fall before the scots ( whom they have so vilified and unworthily dealt with ) as the prelaticall and popish partie did : and , me thinks , the way of gods proceedings all along this way of reformation , and many passages of his providence hint & point it out to us ; for the sectaries are a faction alike opposite to our brethren of scotland , viz. the other extreme ; and all along , from first to last , god hath made the scots instrumentall for the good of this kingdome , and bringing things thus far . and that god will honour the kingdome of scotland , and the church-reformation according to their way , to bring down the sectaries , let the reader consult with m. brightman ( a man of a propheticall spirit ) in his exposition on the church of philadelphia , rev. . , , . where he shews , that church to whom so many promises are made , to be the reformed churches of geneva , france , scotland , and those who are according to that way of reformation in doctrine and church government ; and among many things observed by m. brightman on that place , i shall only point at two . . that philadelphia ( the type of geneva , scotland , and the churches of that reformation ) is most famous for truth of doctrine : as for truth of doctrine , where is there any place in the whole world chaster and sounder ? here the whole papacie is destroyed ; anabaptists , antitrinitarians , arrians , and such monsters raised again from hell , partly in germany , partly in transylvania , never found a sharper enemy . . by those who say they are jewes , and are not , vers . . in the antitype are all those who holding errours , do arrogate alone to themselves truth , faith , salvation , the promises of god , boasting nothing else but the temple : such were the arrians under constantine , constantius , valens ▪ and such are at this day the papists , glorying in peters chaire : these will be accounted the only catholikes , and their church the only church of christ , &c. now if wee consider well of these two things , . we shall find no church sounder for doctrine than the church of scotland , nor greater enemies , not only against papacie and prelacie , but against anabaptists , seekers , and all kind of sectaries , than they are . . wee shall not among all heretikes and sectaries that have been since the writing of this epistle , find any that have more resembled the jewes , in boasting themselves to be the only people of god , than the sectaries of our times , the anabaptists , independents , who extoll themselves for the only saints , calling themselves the saints , the people of god , the church ; and their way is called by them the church-way , church-fellowship , christs way , and that all who are not of their way are without , &c. so that these words do most fully agree to them , who say they are iewes , and are not , but do lye ; and therefore to conclude this corallarie , all the promises made to philadelphia , do belong in a speciall manner to our brethren of scotland : as , first , that god will make them come ( viz. those who are the antitype to those jews , the sectaries , anabaptists , independents , that whole faction ) and worship before their feet , and to know that god hath loved them ; that is , they shall overcome and triumph over these sectaries : and however they have been hitherto abused and scorned by them , neither have these unthankfull men acknowledged my love from that singular gift of zeale , pietie , which i bestowed upon thee ; yet i will adorn thee with those things which are in great account in the world : thou shalt have victories over these enemies , and thou shalt enrich thy self with their spoiles ; so that no man but shall be compelled to acknowledg thee deerly beloved , whom , above all hope , they shall see so wonderfully encreased . o church of scotland , and all yee that are for reformation presbyteriall against the sectaries , nourish your hopes by these things , neither let your hearts be troubled whatsoever the w●●ld speaks against you . secondly , because they have kept the word of gods patience , god will keep them from the houre of temptation which shall come upon all the world , to try them that dwell upon the earth : that is because they stood for my doctrine and truth with a great deale of danger , and yet with a great deale of patience have constantly continued in their duty ; i will therefore deliver them out of their dangers , i will not suffer them to sinck and perish in their trialls , but i will give them strength whereby they shall not only strongly beare their calamity , but they shall also over-come and be conquerors ; not that the houre of temptation shall not at all touch these philadelphians , ( for it can hardly be in the common calamity of the whole world , that they should be wholly free ) but to keep them from the houre of temptation , is to deliver them as god saved them from the hands of their enemies that is , deliver them , . iudg. . . him that over-commeth god will make a pillar in his temple , he shall go no more ou● , &c. that is , god promises to make that church over-comming , being an hebraisme nominativi absoluti and the reward is , that that church shall be like a pillar in the temple of god , that is , shall remain firm and lasting in the church , neither shall that church feare any ruine or destruction , however the raine falls , the flouds beat , the winds blow , and all things with a joynt force break in upon them . the spirit of god alludes to the two brasen pillars placed by solomon in the temple of god , which set forth the stability of the sonnes of god. and so by the grace of god is this church not tainted nor corrupted with schisme and base defection as the church of sardis was , which having no care of a full reformation , by the just judgement of god lost the most of the people . corall . iii. hence then from all these errours , heresies , blasphemies , and practises of the sectaries , we may see what a great evill and sin separation is from the communion of the reformed churches , and how highly displeasing to god for men to make a schisme and rent in the church of god in a time of reformation , god punishing the schisme and separation of our times with so many heresies , blasphemies , wicked practises , &c. as i have laid down in this and my former book , wherein god witnesses from heaven against the present separation in giving men up to great spirituall judgements and evills ; and indeed god testifies more against the sectaries of our times , then against the old brownists and separatists , leaving the sectaries of these dayes to fall into greater errours , heresies blasphemies , and more pernicious practises then the former , few of them in comparison falling either to those opinions or practises which generally the separatists do now , but held to their first principles more ; a great reason whereof i conceive to be this , the old separatists having greater scandals , and more just occasion of separating then the new the old separatists being like men stealing upon need , or some want , the new like those who steale upon wantonnesse , and for their pleasure , the onelike wives and children going away and leaving harsh , bitter , hard , unkind husbands and parents , the other forsaking loving and kind husbands and parents allowing them all things siting , and that can reasonably be desired ) their sinne was not so great then as now , and so the punishment not so great : there are two wayes to judge of the greatnesse of sinnes , and of gods displeasure against them , either by the nature and kind of them , viewing them formaliter in their formality , or in the effects and fruits of them effective : now this corallary leads me to judge and speak of schisme and separation in the latter , and among all punishments the effects and fruits , which declare the greatnesse of any sinne , spirituall judgements and punishments are the sorest and sadest . the punishment upon the heathen , ( rom. . . &c. ) when they knew god , for not glorifying him as god , and for their idolatry , is giving them up to uncleanenesse and vile affections , to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient , suffering them to be fild with all unrighteousnesse , wickednesse , covetousnesse , malitiousnesse , deceit , malignity , debate , to be proud , inventers of evill things , without naturall affection , covenant-breakers , implacable , &c. ( . thes. . . ) the judgement of god upon the antichristian world as a fruit of their sin in not receiving the truth in love , is gods sending them strong delusions that they should beleeve a lye ; . tim. . and the punishment of god upon seducers is , that they shall wax worse and worse , deceiving and being deceived , that they who are filthy shall be filthy still ; revel . . now the judgements of god upon the heathen idolaters , upon the antichristian faction , upon seducers and filthy persons , are upon the schismaticks and separatists of our times : god hath given them up to feareful opinions , to damnable heresies , blasphemies , god hath sent strong delusions to beleeve lyes , strange conceits , and god hath left them to all kind of filthynesse , unrighteousnesse , uncleannesse , unnaturalnesse , &c. whosoever doth but read and consider the first and second part of gangraena , must needs say that god hates schisme and separation , in leaving those who are guilty of it , to do those things they do daily : i may truly say god hath set markes and brands upon this way of separation , not only burning them in their hands , but branding them in their foreheads , schisme hath coins mark and brand upon it of a fugitive and vagabond upon the earth : how do we see in daily experience our sectaries have no rest , but wander and go from one errour and way to another till they quite lose themselves ? being saint iudes raging waves of the sea foaming out their own shame , wandring stars to whom is reserved the blacknesse of darknesse for ever ? the punishment of schisme and separation from the church , is separation from god , heresie , blasphemy , atheism , uncleannesse , unrighteousnesse , schisme doth most easily draw into heresie , and we hardly ever knew or read of any * schisme in the curch which did not make a heresie that it might deservedly seem to forsake the church : the ancient fathers , as irenaeus , cyprian , do excellently shew that those who forsake the church do necessarily fall into most foule errours against the truth of faith , and some of them show that schisme is a worse and more pernicious evill in the church of god then heresie , and no errour will be 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 mur●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 , ni●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. . . 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. . , . 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. . , , , 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 , . 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 . . hee calls upon kings and judges to be wise ; implying , first , that the * conceit of their owne wisdome ( by which they are puf●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 . . 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. 〈…〉 ● . 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 befalle● 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 shall bespeak them in those words , cant. . . return , return , o shulamite , return , return , that wee may look upon thee ; in the exhortation of the apostle peter , save your selves from this untoward generation ; and in that call from heaven , come out of her my people , that yee be not partakers of her sinnes , and that yee receive not of her plagues : i know there are many in the way who are not of the way , that know not the depths of satan , who are meerly deceived out of their high opinion of some of the men , and of the way , as a most holy people , and as a way wherein they should enjoy an heaven upon earth , a great deale of love , holinesse , sweetnesse , comfort , &c. now i have good hopes that all such , upon the discovering to them the dangerous errours , heresies , pernicious practices that attend that way , will be recovered , and blesse god for delivering them from such a dangerous snare ; and i am perswaded that all those who are fallen from us upon mistakes , that are not dogmatists , nor engaged to the sectarian partie upon points of credit , profit , interest of relations , &c. and shall in the feare of god , and in humilitie read my first and second part of gangraena , by the blessing and grace of god they will be a means to convert and bring them back to us ; and i the rather insist upon this exhortation , because i find both in histories , and in the experience of our owne times , that many sectaries have been regained a : iohannes denkius an anabaptist and a great schollar , was converted by oecolampadius , * obbo philippus a famous anabaptist , yet recanted , and by an ingenuous and free confession laid open the impostures of his companions , and theodor. philippus . out of the perswasion of obbo afterwards repented . many anabaptists were reclaimed by learned musculus , and among the rest , one who was a schollar , afterwards being made a minister of the church , spent a great deale of pains in converting the anabaptists . and now in these times in mine owne and other ministers experience , some who have been of that way told us , they thought the anabaptists a most holy people , which made them to joyne with them , but now seeing their errours and their loose b practices , what a wicked people they are , that hath caused them to leave them . and among the independents i know some * who have forsaken the church-way , and are returned to our publike assemblies . a minister of that way , and a pastour of an independent church for some years , upon re-examination of his former grounds , and holding them up to the light by the word of god , and the writings of some presbyterians giving grounds out of the word of god , saw the independent way to be a garment full of holes , and from the factions divisions hee saw in that way , and the strange opinions and errours that the members of his church run into , hee is turned presbyterian , a minister of one of our congregations in england , and hath publikely in his parish church given god glorie , recanted , professed his being humbled for being in the independent way , and is a great zealot for presbyterie , and against independencie . another of that way , a good schollar , fellow of a colledge , member of an independent church in london , upon reading some books against independencie , and other things he found in that way , left his church , and is a profest presbyterian : i could tell also of a school-master , member of a church in new-england , who is of our churches now since his coming over ; but i must hasten , and unto all these examples for to cause you to returne , consider these following particulars . . stay no longer in the way of schisme and separation wherein thou art , but upon all these discoveries of the errours , heresies , blasphemies , &c. of the sectaries leave them left god be provoked to leave thee to go a great way further , then yet thou art , from independency and anabaptisme , to a seeker , to arrianisme , antiscripturisme , yea , blasphemy , and atheisme . . the independent church-way , is a way of errour , confusion , division , a way that god never shined upon nor blessed spiritually with the blessing of edification , onenesse of heart , and peace in their churches , but hath been a bitter root of division , contentions , errours in all places of the world where ever such churches have been set up , as in new-england , holland , iland of providence , the summer ilands , old england . . come out from these sectaries , this babell , lest being partakers of their sins , you be partakers of their plagues also ; for these sects ( as i have shewed you in the second corallary ) must be destroyed and cast out : and not onely out of this church , but out of all the christian world , and that either as the lesser antichrists , the fore-runners of the great antichrist , or together with him as a part of antichrist , the tail of the beast ; and then all the friends and lovers of sectaries , the merchants who were made rich , and traded in the commodities of the sectaries , shall cast dust upon their heads , and weep and waile when they see all that is come upon them . and for a conclusion of this corallary , i shall wind it up with that sad and patheticall exhortation of m. brightman to the separatists of his time , applying it to our sectaries now : there is in the church of england a twofold great good , the preaching of the word , and the administration of the sacraments , in either of which christ imparts himselfe celebrating a mutuall feast with them ; hee is first received of us by the hearing of the word , then he doth againe receive us in the supper of his body . o we most base and unworthy as often as we fly away from hearing the word i for we refuse christ our ghuest . o we wicked despisers as often as in the sacrament with our brethren wee with-d●aw our selves i for we despise christ calling us to the supper . but these things are added for the singular comfort of the godly . for who would not feare , and with all speed thinke of flying from this church , when they should heare the condition of these ministers to be so hatefull to christ , as that in a shorte time , unlesse they repent , he would spue them out of his mou●h , unl●sse that in the words of christ himselfe they had been assured of communion and fellowship with christ in that church ? praise therefore to thee , o most meeke lamb , who finding the doores shut against thee , dost not , being stird up with fury , presently withdraw thy selfe , and deprive us ( according to our deserts ) of salvation ; but still leavest a plentifull store of thy selfe to all them who open to the knocking by thy word , and do not contemn thy most gracious invitation by the sacraments . therefore it is a wicked and blasphemous errour of them who do so forsake our church , as if christ were wholly gone from hence , neither could there be any hope of salvation to them who staid in it . ☜ let them think that christ is here supping with his . is it 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. . ? 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 . . 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 . . the scotch dove , num . . moderate intelligencer , num . , . 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 . . our brethren of scotland have borne with much patience and long-suffering , quietnesse of spirit and humili●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 . . 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. burr●ug●● 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. . 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 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 , a● 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. . parenthesis ends after your pleasure . epist. dedic . p. . l. . r. can you think . preface p. . l. . r. eternall . p. . l. . r. rejected . p. . l. dele and p. . l. . r. eternall . gangraena second part in the licence r. dau●us . p. . l. . r. many . p. : l. . r. cosens . p. . l. . r. formally . p. . l. . r. his . p. . l. . r. by snatches , p. . l. . r. shovve . p. . l. . after but dele a. p. . l. r. aggravating . p. . l. . for and the proofs , r. and the persons upon proof . p. l. . r. to the nature p. . l. . after scotland add france . p. . l. . r. desired . p. . l. . after as dele yet . p. . l. . r. moneths . p. . l. . r. sun. p. . l. . r. not . p. . r. presbyterians . p. . l. . dele that , p. . l. . r. hovv . p. . l. . r. quum . p. . l. . r. undeniably , p. . l. . r. vvords . p. . l. . r. imputation p. . l. . r. of . p. . r. vvrighter . p. . l. . r. books . p. . l. . so to that purpose . p. . l. . r. are men . p. . l. . r. sprat . p. . l. . r. propagating . p. . marg . note , r. sanctitate . p. , , &c. for m. allen , r. m. alley . p. . r. proved . p. . 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 . pages , the other of . 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 . pages , besides the preface , is as follows : the authors preface , wherein are laid down these particulars . . the authours long expectation of a reply to his antapologia , according to the great words given out , of a reply by the independent party . the reason of his so long silence , and discontinuance from the presse . his purpose and resolution of often coming into the presse for the time to come . the authours account to the reader of the nature of the present book , and his scope therein . 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 . . their undaunted courage , constancy , in going on against errours , notwithstanding all their sufferings . the authors preparation , and expectation of all kind of reproaches and oppositions from the sectaries in this work . 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. . 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. , . 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. . the intent of this work , not a formal confutation of errours , and opinions , but a discovery of them , p. . 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. . . 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. . 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. , , ● . all the errours and opinions mentioned in one , and the same catalogue not all alike , p. . 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. . three answers given to the first objection th●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. . , . 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. ● . . the errours , heresies , &c. of the times refered to sixteen heads , or sorts of sectaries , p. . 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. . 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. . the first independent ministers that we read of in antiquitie , and how they were proceeded against in a councel held at carthage , p. , . some of the errors and opi●ions laid down in this catalogue are contrary and contradictorie to others of them , p. . the catalogue of the errours heresies contained in p. , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . the blasphemies of the sectaries , p. , , . some passages in the prayers of the sectaries , p. , , a parallel between our sectaries and the donatists , agreeing in the particulars , p. , , . the sectaries and jesuits agree in . things , p. ● , . the sectaries and the netherland arminians agree in these eight particulars , p. , , . a parallell between the bishops , and that court-party heretofore , and the present sectaries , in six things , p. , , . the sectaries and malignants agree both in the generall , and in three particulars , p. , , , . the sectaries like julian the apostata , and some other enemies of christians , in four things , p. . . 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 , , , , , . the sectaries practices and wayes referred to ten heads , p. . some of their particular practices named , to the number of . and laid down in pag. , , . &c. unto . 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. . a second table , showing the contents of the second division of the first part of gangraena . foure letters written concerning the sectaries , from p. . to p. . animadversions on the last letter , p. . . . an extract of certaine letters written by some ministers concerning sectaries , from p. , to p. . a relation of some women preachers and of their doctrine , , , , . a relation of some stories and remarkable passages concerning the sects , from p. , to p. . an extract of . letters more , , . some more remarkable passages concerning the sectaries , from p. , to p. . sectaries annointing of the sick with oyl , p. , . a love-feast kept by some sectaries , with the laying on of hands upon their members , for receiving of the holy ghost , p. . a petition drawne up by some citizens , preached against by master greenhill and m. burroughs , pag. , ▪ a discourse betweene mr. greenhill and m. burroughs upon occasion of some wicked opinions maintained in the hearing of m. greenhill , p. . the great evill and mischief of a church being long without a government , p , , . 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 , , , . 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 , , , , . 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. , . 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 , , , . 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 . . the divell an active restlesse subtill spirit , when he can no longer doe things one way , then he will try another , pag. , , , . 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. . 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. , . an apologie and justification sufficient for those ministers and people who are zealous for setling religion , and cry out for government , p. , , . the sectaries are a subtill , cunning , active , nimble , deceitfull , self ▪ seeking , plotting , undermining generation , and we have cause to suspect them in everie thing , to feare them yeelding , and to feare them flying , and to look about us in all kinde of transactions with them , p. . many moderate men both ministers and others , by their indifferencie compliance , and favouring the sectaries , have done much hurt , and been a great cause of the evills and mischiefs that lye upon us , p. . the sad and dangerous condition england is in at present , in regard of the heresies , errours , blasphemies , and disoders , p. . england is in a far worse condition then in the late time of the prelats , and that both in regard of the corruption of the doctrine of religion , and in regard of toleration of all religions . p. , . englands condition so sad in regard of the errours heresies from twelve circumstances that accompanie them , p , , , . errours and wicked opinions are worse then the sword , p. . eerrours heresies , are a greater evill then bad life and wicked manners , p. . remedies and directions given both to ministers , magistrates and people , sutable to the condition of this kingdome , in reference to the errours and heresies among us , p. . ministers must set themselves as to witnesse for truth against errours , so in a speciall manner against a toleration , and many instances are given both of the fathers , moderne divines , and of bishops , and ministers among our selves opposing toleration , p. , , , , , , . ministers should agree together , to make a remonstrance of all the errors , heresies , blasphemies , schisms , insolencies , tumults of the sectaries that have been in england these five last yeares , p . the magistrates from the consideration of all the errours , heresies , blasphemies , &c. should appoint and command a solemne generall fast to bee kept throughout the kingdome for this very end , that the land might be humbled , and mourn for these heresies , blasphemies , and for the great growth , and too much suffering of them , and for the fearfull breach of our solemne covenant with god , p. , , . the magistrates should command the solemne renewing of the nationall covenant upon such a fasting-day , and command in the close of such fasting daies the wicked bookes printed of late yeares ( some whereof have been licensed ) to be openly burnt , p. . the magistrates should put out some declaration against the errors and waies of the sectaries , as their sending e●issaries into all parts of the kingdome , to poison the countreyes , and should execute exemplary punishment , upon som of the most notorious sectaries and seducers , p. . private christians must take heed of going to the sectaries conventicles to heare them preach and exercise , their private meetings are the nurseries of all errours and heresies , verie pest houses , p. . error is a vast thing without all bank , or bottome , errour knows no end , nor where to stay , p. , . the benefit and excellencies of the presbyteriall government , viz. preventing and keeping out errors , and as soone as errours doe but peep out , plucking them up , p. . some of the sectaries of our times are worse enemies to the truth , then the papists , p. , . some additionall errours laid downe , p. , and in p. , , . an extract of another letter , concerning the sects , p. . two letters , one of the preaching woman , mrs. attaway to william ienney , and another of william ienney to his wife , presently upon his going away from his wife with mrs. attaway , p. . a third table , containing the names and relations of the principall ring-leaders of corrupt opinions and errours in the first part of gangraena . paul bests horrid blasphemies , p. . of the first division of the first part. m. henry den p. . of the second division , p. , . , . of the same division . iohn hi●h , p. , . of the second division . laurence clarkson his petition , recantation , p. . . of the second division of the first part of gangraena . thomas web , p. , . of the second division of the first part . m. erbury that lived in wales , p. . one nicholls , p. , . one marshall a bricklayer , p. . clement wrighter , p. , . captain paul hobson , p. . . one lam an anabaptist , p. . oats a great dipper , , . , . one mills , p. . kiffi● an active anabaptist , p. , , . one patience , p ▪ . one m. c●x , p. . thomas moore , p. . one walwin , p. . lievtenant . colonell lilburne , p. , . of the first division , and p. . of the second division . m. bacon sometimes of glocester , p. . m. bachiler , the licenser-generall of the bookes of the sectaries , p. . . one randall a great antinomian , p. . m. knollys , p. , . m. peters , p. , , , , . one barber , p. . m. iohn good ●ine , alias cretensis , p. , , . of the first division . one cosens , p. . mrs. attaway , p. , , , , . one william ienney , p. , . a table of the main matters contained in the second part of gangraena . the preface . additionall errours to the former catalogue of errours , heresies , pag. , , ▪ , a relation of a monster born of parents that are sectaries . p. an extract of three letters . p. , , a relation of some passages of a lieutenant a great sectary . p. a relation of some stories and remarkable passages concerning the sectaries from p. . to p. a hymn of some of the sectaries . p. . a disputation held at the spitle , about the immortality of the soule by some anabaptists . p. , a copie of a letter sent out of suffolk . p. , an extract of a letter . p. , . the proof of a woman preacher at brasteed , and the confutation of mr. saltmarshes boldnesse in denying it . p. . a discovery of walwyn to be a dangerous and desperate man , a pleader for all religions , &c. p. , , a proof of lieutenant colonel lilburns playing at cards p. a discovery of the spirit of mr. iohn goodwin , alias , cretensis . p. the reason of cretensis falling to independency p. sixteen observations upon cretensis , or a brief answer from p. to p. the true reasons why the sectaries called mr. edwards first part of gangraena a book of lyes , whereas 't is proved to be a book full of truth . p. , a letter sent mr. edwards subscribed by the hands of ministers , giving him thanks , and witnessing to the first part of gangraena . p. cretensis his two challenges accepted , and his glove taken up both the first and second time p. . ● reasons given why the names of the men who writ letters were concealed , with a discovery now of the names of those who writ letters . p. , . , , two other challenges of cretensis taken , and he challenged to make good his challenges . p. , independents preaching to bare walls and pewes as much as presbyterians . p. . the bitternesse , bloudinesse which cretensis charges upon mr. edwards , will be found in cretensis and the sectaries . p. , cretensis errour about imputation of faith , and not imputation of christs righteousnesse , with his quoting of calvin , bucer , and others for him who are known ex professo to be against him , made good against him . p. , , cretensis desperate passage in a sermon against the parliament , which he labours to clear himself from , made good against him , with his and other sectaries speaking slightly and scornfully of the parliament . p. , , , cretensis bowling on a day of publike thanksgiving made good . p. , the errours and practises of the independents and sectaries justly brought against them to prove their way to be naught . p. , and in epist. to the reader . p. , a clear confutation of that accusation cast upon the author of the book entituled gangraena , concerning his indirect walking between dunmowe and godalming . p. , , a clear vindication of the truth of that story of nichols , master greenhill , and master burroughs related in the first part of gangraena , with a discovery of the jugling and equivocations of master burroughs writing given under his hand to cretensis . p. , , , , , , , , master burroughs resembled by cretensis to achilles , and master edwards to troilus , where see master edwards answer to that comparison . p. , a reply to that passage of master edwards being charged to abuse mr. ellis of colchester , and the servants of god in those parts . p. , a full proof of such a sectary as thomas moore , though denied by cretensis . p. the strength of malice , and weaknesse of judgement which cretensis hath manifested against the saints . p. , cretensis his fearfull abusing of the honourable court of common councell . p. . . the clearing of that relation of one cosens of rochester , and the confutation of cretensis answer in that businesse . p. . to p. cretensis his folly and horrible pride discovered in professing he had not read one quarter of the book as yet ; nor knowes whether he shall ever care to read it through or no. p. some brief animad versions on master bacons book and one webb . p. . , , some practices of the sectaries . p. , a relation of some more stories and remarkable passages concerning the sectaries . p. to p. the summe of a sermon preached by a sectary a surgeon belonging to the army . p. , a ballad made by the sectaries of the assembly of divines . p. the assemblies last petition answered by saltmarsh , with the anagram upon his name m. al 's trash . p. a letter of advice to the ministers assembled at westminster , with the sectaries threatning of them . p. a confutation of the picture made of the presbyterians by the sectaries . p. , , copies of letters and some extracts of letters concerning the sects , from p. to p. . more particularly a letter from a learned divine beyond the seas , shewing how london goes beyond amsterdam in errours and heresies p. a horrid and unheard of blasphemy of one io. boggis a great sectary . p. a story of a sectary maintaining that he was jesus christ. p. a cleere discovery how farre the sectaries of this time have proceeded and how high they have risen . p. , a cleere discovery of what is like to become of the sectaries , and of their way . p. eight symptoms of the certain ruine and downfall of the sectaries , from p to p. god will honour our brethren of scotland to make them a great means of the falling of the sectaries , with the proof of that . p. , , a discovery of the great evill and sin of separation from the communion of the reformed churches . p. , , , magistrates , ministers , and all sorts of christians have been asleep , and too carelesse , that so many tares have been sowen , and are grown to such an head . p. an exhortation to all those in authori●ty , kings , parliaments , and all so●● of governours in high places to serve the lord with feare , to kisse the son. p. , an exhortation to some particular members of parliament who are for pretended liberty of conscience , and ●avourers of sectaries . p. an exhortation to all those who have forsaken the publike assemblies to returne . p. some examples of anabaptists and independents who had forsaken the communion of this and other reformed churches repenting and returning . p ●● the great difference between the carriage of the independents , and our brethren of scotland . p. and the particulars instanced in p. , the faithfulnesse and reality of our brethren of scotland towards us all along from first to last . p. , . the happines of england in being joyned with them in covenant , as in other respects , so that whensoever we shal come to have a peace , in al probability it will cause us to have a better , a surer and a better grounded peace . p. , the names of some ringleaders of faction and of errours not named in the table of the first part of gangraena . mr. saltmarsh . p. . , mr. durance p. . . . one tho. colyer . p. . one gorton who came from new-england . p. finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e tantis & tam eximijs vir●utis ornamentis enituit , tum episcopus , tum imperator : u●rumque enim admitor , alterum propter ingenuà ioque●di libertatem , alterum propter facilem obedientiam . and theodosius speaking of ambrose , saith ; aegre tandem reperi veritatis magisu●m : nam solum ambiosium novi episcopum diguum eo nomine , tantum com●odi re●p●ebensio a viro virtu●e praestanti ad hibira secum apportate solet . theo. eccl. hist. l. . c. ▪ . * book intit . toleration justified , page , . . printed in this last january . * calvini instructio ad●ersus libertinos , cap. . pag. . * m salimarsh smoak in the temple , in which are some desperate errours . book about baptisme , and calling maintenance by tithes iewish and popish undeniably . * ames . animad . in remonstr . synodal . script . super artic. de persev . sanctorum , cap. . de solomone . certum est solomonem non introduxisse ●ut admisisse idola in demum dei , neque adegisse popul●m ut vel ●ei verum cultum desererent , vel colerent idola ; neque probari potest ●um in sua propria persona coluisse idola . hoc tantum cercum est de ejus idololatria , quod infatuatus á mulieribus idololatricis permiserit eas construere . aquinas in ephes. . . istis ergo nolite communica●e imitando , coadjuvando , conlentiendo sed certe hoc non ▪ sufficit , nisi etiam eos reprehendatis . vide●etit ●etit . of the lord maier aldermen , and com●●n● of the city of london presented to the house of peers , jan. . * ex quo etiam sonte manavit , ut idem valentinianus senior sineret in occidente inter christianos quam quis vellet fidem amplecti atque pro arbitrio haereses consectari . at quam consulte exitus declaravit , ambo enim factione ac proditione gentilium necati sunt , gratinnus á maximo valentinianus junior or laqueo strangulatus . baron tom . . ann. . num . . vide more of this in m. pryns epist. dedicat. to the high court of parliament , in his book imis . a fresh discovery of new lights . vita . holland . commendo vos dilectioni dei & odio papa●u● . notes for div a -e a certain brief observations and antiquaeries on m. prins . quest. the falshood of william prins truth triumphing . woodwards answer to a letter . woodwards inquiry into the causes of our misery . arraignment of persecution . breif exhort . to repent . vindiciae veritatis , or burtons answer to d. bastwick . calumny arraigned and cast : with diverse other pamphlets . b calumnie arraigned and cast , or , an answer to m. prins truth triumphing over falshood , pag. but for any such unanswerablenesse as m. prin intends , the one part of it will not endure that such a thing should be spoken of the other , there being enough in the discourse it selfe , to answer whatsoever is to be found in it of any materiall consideration against the congregationall way , o● will in time convenient be made manifest in the sight of the sun , god not preventing it by more then an ordinary , or at least expected hand . and in page . if m. prin knew and conside●ed , who it was that had sindred the independents , and that once and again from answering it 〈◊〉 yet , viz. he that sometimes hindred pau●s coming to the thessalonians , he had little or no cause to glory in that previledge . but quod de●e●tur non auferrut . this book of m. goodwins was printed at least moneths ago . c overton an independent book seller , who boasted the answer was in the presse eaton an independent milliner . some of joh. goodw. church reported that some of his church members preached for him , because ●e was answering the antapol . the fire of thorns is both kindled and soon quenched . ainsworth inlocum . d nazianz. orat. in laudem athan. e august . epist. hieronymus augustino , gratulans , illi quod haereticorum omnium meruit odium , quod quidem gaudet sibi cum illo esse commune . de donatistis potissimum . sentit . et quod signum majoris gloriae est omnes haereti●i detestantur , & me pari prosequuntur odio , ut quos gladiis nequeunt , voto interfic●ant . f c●eanit lo●cem . de vitibus humanis , de libero arbitri● p●it a●tem pelagius ●onachus , & mo●●●●ot tant severa disciplina gubernabet , ut in magna esset apud omnes anctoritate , ita ut augustinus 〈…〉 eltores ips●us refutivit . nec tam le●e ●uit certamen : illi qui pelagij partes defenden●es susurperunt , non ●●erunt obscuri vi●i 〈◊〉 in adolescen● i● jam scriptis darus the●ae . 〈◊〉 episcopus catupani● opinione 〈…〉 habebatur , & tempore farnis 〈…〉 erroganit in pupones , un●e plurisnos ●● mobiles ; & deligio fos sibi , adju●●it . et sulpitius se●en●● mag●● 〈…〉 dagio sed●●● in et● exflane . epistolae prosperi &c hilarli ad aug●●tinhen ●in quibus 〈◊〉 quod multi qui primo sacerdotii_honore supereminebant , augusti●●m 〈…〉 , quasi ●●ne ca●sa nimis essec veheness , & causon turnis acriter age●● . i 〈◊〉 ipsos etiam augustini ●●ditores , no a 〈◊〉 doctri●●● ejas de hoc loco 〈◊〉 & destre accipiebant . vide ●iplan g melch. adam . vita luth. p. . h freder . spanhemil diarribe hist. de orig . progres . sectis & ●nomin . anabaptistarum . i blasphemiae sunt cibus & sagin● mihi : major est mihi & tir●or in laudibus , gaudium verò in maledictis & blasphem●is . k mihi ●atis est●si christo domino meo & suis sanctis placuero : diabolo & suis squamis invisum me esse ex animo laetor , & gratias ago deo meo ; luth. inc●es magis mihi placeo , & superbus fio quod video nomen pessimu● mihi crescere . luth. tantis enim convinis virum bene de se merlitum one rare neb●lo non dubitavit , ut apologia satisfacere fratribus habuerit necesse , melch. adam , vit . zuingli● , p. . melch. adam . vita calvini , p. . , . bezae apologia pro calvino convitiatore . ●og● moderatissimos istos homfries , quibus nimis , in calesceres tid●●tur quicu●que 〈…〉 no●●●igent , ut pro quo , & in quem dicatur , prelo acie●●tius expendant , neque hero●●c sistes spirieps o● iugenio ●●o meti●mur . noc de●retum quum esset calvi●● 〈◊〉 , cere● , inquir si hominibus servivissem , mala mihi acrees per ●olveretur , ●ed b●n● est qu●od ●● inservi●i ; qui nunquam non 〈◊〉 , suis rependit quod semel pro●isit . 〈◊〉 est quod ch●is●o ●ino & notio , qui●suis lucrum est in 〈◊〉 & orte . * coloi●a● is ex she 〈◊〉 o● all quisus c●n●bus galvini nomen imponer●●t ; alii calvinum in carn●o●● transformatent ; non pau●l islios oc●o abstinere se à coena domini testabantur . vita calvini à beza . l luth. epist. ad spalatin . quantò illi insu●gunt poten●i●● , tantò à nic videntur securi●s : sta●utum est apud me nolle quicquam in hac re timere , sed omnia contemnere . notes for div a -e ames . med. theol . lib. . cap. . a gods eye on his israel . b disswasive from the errours of the time . c heresiography . d rise , raign , and downfall of the familists . the dippers dipt , doctor faeatly . a brief discovery of familisme . a sentent . quorund●m past. eccles. in gallia , de pace eccles. inter evang ▪ pro●uranda . nos in hac causa etiam a●que etiam cavendum existimamus : nempe ne iis qui the ▪ sin aliquam ●uentur , ea omnia tribuamus , quae nobis ex ea consequi v●derentur , secundùm , rectam disserendi rationem . fit e●im saepenuraero , ut qui principium tenet ex quo aliquid concluditur , idem tamen id nesciat quod ex eo colligitur . a mundus non potest ferre ut sua damuentur : igitur ex omni parte odia , insidiae , calumniae , maledicta congeruntur ad opprimendam hanc doctrioam & edoctores hos . t m. colemans brotherly examination re-examined , pag. grants , that in our present times monsters of errours do arise , and opinions that the world never heard of before . c considerat . quarund . controvers . a guliel . apoll. vide epist. ad synod . lond. iudicent conscientia vestrae , quomedo omne haeresium genus inultum permitti , multifaria schismatum semina impune spargi , & profans errorum dogmata passim in vulgus proferri p●ssint in illa civitate , quae tam expresso , sancto & sacro sa●ram , lese coram deo devinxit ad omnes errores , haereses , schismata ● d●●o dei ejiciendos . vide ibi plura . c new england at such a distance knowes not so well the nature of the asembly , and therefore speaks so of it , out of zeal against our errours . d new englands lamentation , for old englands present errours . a printed letter of m. shepards . c lutherus in epist. ad g●lat . maledicta sit charitas quae servatur cum jactura doctrinae fidei , cui omnia cedere debent , charitas , apostolus , angelus é caelo . d this present parliament having often declared in their declarations , their resolutions to hazard all for the safety of the reformed religion and doctrine of faith . a theodoret. haeret. fabul . lib. . cap. de ario. b codex canonum eccles. african● . . can. a christoph. justello . sunt enim plerique conspirantes cum plebibus propriis , quas decipiunt , ut dictū est , earum scalpante● aures , blandi ad seducendum viriosae vita homines , vel corte in flati , & ab hoc consortio separati , qui putant propriae plebi incubandum , & nonnunquam converti ad concilium venire detractant : sua forte ne prodaneur flagitia metuentes . the words in the greek are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , are mere significant , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , properly signifying absurdities and unusuall novelties . bonum non est contrarium bono , sed tantum malo , at malem contrariatur & bono & malo . verum est unum , mendacium vero multiplex . of the scriptures , vide the third printed letter , or also a coppy of ● articles in a ms. pamphlet intituled pilgrim . of saints , by . lawr. clarckson . pilgrim . of saints . of god. vide book intit . comfort for beleevers . pig . . vide a short declaration of the assembly of divines against it . b the first branch of this errour is verbatim in bloody tenet . in the preface . d last part hath been spoken by some eminent sectaries . d. stewait second part of depl . to m.s. pag. . m. bail. diswasion from errours of the time . vide proof of this in the first letter . of christ . vide full proof of this , in the narration of stories . vide proof of this in the first letter , and in the fourth letter , and in another , m.s. proof of this is , in articles given in against on thomas webb , and in the third printed letter . vide ●irst printed letter for proof . a paul hobso● serm. christ the effect , ●ot the cause of the love of god , p. . vide animad on the letter whi●h will satisfie the reader , how christ is both the fruit and the cause of gods love ; and these errors in such ignorant mechanicks as hobs●n , arise from not being able to distinguish the causes of c●● iusti●●cation and salvation . the first and supreme cause , is the undeserved grace and favour of god ; the moving and meritorious cause , is redemption and reconciliation purchased by christ ; the instrumentall cause whereby the same it imputed , is the bloud of christ ; the finall , is the glory of god in the declaration of his ri●hteousnesse and faithfulnesse . b vide fourth letter proof . l p●ul hobs●●s sermon ic●it . christ the effect , not the cause of the love of god. pag. . of the spirit of god , and of sanctification . r into this op●io● some of the anabaptists are fallen , and have separated from their churches upon it . e of adam and mankinde . this was preached in a house , and the preacher said , this was a mystery 〈◊〉 all the gospel was . book intit . a vindicati●n of free-grace , against m ▪ iohn goodwin . of the morall law , iustification , faith , repentance , good work● , m. gatak . gods eye on isr. pref . m. gataker gods eye on israel . pref . gatak . ibid. gatak . gods eye on his israel , preface to the reader . article . septem . . . gatak . gods eye on israel , preface to the reader . denn . man of sin discovered , pag. of man after this life ; of the s●ul ; resurrection from the dead , heaven and hell . of the church , gospel , ministry and sacraments . pilgrimage of sa●nts , and ms. * but the apostle peter tels us , pet. . , , ● . we have a more sure word o● pro●hecie , whereunto ye do well that ye take ●●ed , &c. spiritus sanctus non est sceptic●● ▪ nec dabia aut opi●iones in cordibus nostri scrips●t , sed assertiones , ipsa vita , & omni experien●is certiores ac firmiores , luther●s . confess ▪ of faith of anabapt . arc●● . pilgrimage of the saints . pilgrimage of saints . vide doore of truth opened , in answer to truth shut out of doors , page . this is as false as any doctrine that is preached in rome . compasse santarit● page , . of preaching and hearing , of praying , singing of psalmes , of the christian sabbath , or lord●-day . d this opinion begins to spread much , as a godly minister told me of his own k●owledge , know●ng them who vented it , many refusing to joyne with him in prayer● , in a publike assembly , where h●e came to preach , upon this ground , and requiring scripture of him to prove it . and some begin already in the publike churches to leave off all praying , only speak and discourse to the peo●le . c this hath been lately practised in ▪ london among some of the sectaries . of church government . compass . samarit . pag. . . f revel . . the great city was divided into three parts and states and branches of it , begin with p. in . popery . prelacy . . paul h●●sons discovery of truth , pag. . of revelations and miracles . of the civil magistrate . g queries of highest consideration in epist. to the parliament . an●nym . ans. to m. prins . . queries , p. . as the grounds of independent government attribute nothing to the magistrate in church affairs , further then the magistrate is a member of their churches and assemblies : so no people under heaven ascribe more unto magistrates then the independents in civill matters . h door of truth opened p. . i m. borroughs , heart divis . p. . animadversion upon this errour . this is an errour destructive to the power of civil magistrates and safety of common-wealths in divers cases , and in many instances that may be given ; to give one for the present , a church may not according to m. burroughs principles excommunicate a member , who out of conscience is not satisfied of subjects taking up arms against armies , raised by a prince , nor of the lawfulnesse of such a war , and therfore declines and refuseth both bearing arms , all maintenance to such armies , and all assistance to them , disswading others also , and that out of conscience only ( 〈◊〉 ●e prosesses ) and yet the parliament i think hath sequestred many upon such occasions , taken their estates ; and many independents of mr. burroughs judgement have been forward sequestrators , selling & buying their goods , and holding their lands at reasonable rates ▪ but in the tra●●ate i intend not so much a formall refutation , as a recitation and discovery : but of this false principle , and others in m. burr . book , i shall speak more upon occasion of answering the gro●●d● brought for pretented liberty of conscience , whereas this , so others of m. burroughs principles and rules about toleration will be found both unsound and weak , fit to take women and weak people with , but not to satisfie ●ny scholar● . d vide englands bir●hright , p letters printed upon li●burns imprisonment , englands lamentation . ●la . p. . vide three letters printed . e vide miltons doctrine of divorce . of marriage and of parents and children . of warre , and of fighting and killing . these three last errours vented in a book called , a true vindication of the generall redemption of the second . one●atte ●atte , printed . book intit . a heavenly conference for sions saints , by iohn turner , printed in the year , . book intit . the fulnesse of gods love , printed , pag. . fulnesse of gods love manifested . pag . fulnesse of gods love manifested , pag. ▪ . fullnesse of gods love manifested . pag . . arreignment of persecu●ion , pag. . this best with his manuscripts were sent up last summer , and is by the parliament committed to the gate-house . heresiography or descr●t . of heret . and sectaries . an independent minister in a church here in london , prayed these words following . * it vvas the first position of many vvell-affected citisens , for setling the government , subscribed by manie hands , but not presented . in septemb. last . * this praier vvas the next lecture after mr. iohn goodvvin vvas put by coleman-street . it vvas upon the great prevailing of montrosse . practises of the sectaries . * aug●st . lib. . contra parmen . l. ● . de baptismo contra donatistas , lib. . contra petil. * august . contra parmen , contra literas petillian . * august . contra petilian . * august . lib. . contra parmen . * august . contra parmen * august . contra literas petil. vide lit. guil. apoll. & respons . * lib. . de bapt. contra donat. lib. . de baptist . * book inti● . the ancient bounds or lib. of consc. a title page . b synopsis purior . theolog . disput . de magist. . sect. , . a vide m. rob. answ . to m. good. doct. of ●ustif . cleared , pag. , p. . b vide m. prynns truth triumph●ng over falshood , pag. . the se●st you 〈◊〉 is m. edvvards , wh● maintai●s 〈◊〉 bla●●k against you thorou●out 〈◊〉 treatisse . a good innocencies triumph . out of my antapol . . the tovver of the mag●strate , by vvhich hee punisheth sin , doth not subserve to the kingdome of christ the mediatour ; hee leaues ; 〈◊〉 that which follows in the same sentence , there being no fullpo●t , that he may apply efficaciously to the elect , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the p●ophe●icall and priestly office of christ ; hee doth not affect the invvard man and conscience vvith spirituall punishment , &c. vo●● select , disput penes quos sit potestas ecclessiastica . thes. thes. . thes. vide●lius de episcopat . constant. magni , pag , ● , , ● , . vide voet. thes. . de potest . eccles. & vedel . de episcop . const. magni . post habitam synodum dordraicam etiam libelli longè aliorum stilo scripti sunt , quin● & potestatem hanc non parum limitant ac contrahunt , quam tamen tam liberaliter ante hac admensi erant . these things i speake not of all the bishops that were , nor of all men that were of that judgement , there being some orthodox , learned , painfull , pious men , that approved not those wayes , but of the faction . * lilb . innocency and truth justified , pag. . i conceive i may justly say , without breach of their priviledges , that i have unjustly dealt with in my late imprisonment , to be imprisoned so contrary to the known and declared lawes , i have been without either cause showne , or a legall triall . vide pag. . p. . but you will say , the house of commons is not at leisure , by reason of the publike : i answer , lesse then an houres time will serve my turne in this particular , and it is very strange , in five yeares space , so much time cannot be found from the publike to transmit my businesse ; sure i am they can finde time enough to settle great and rich places upon some of themselves , and to enjoy them , notwithstanding their own ordinance to the contrary : yea & i know some of them at this day , hath plurality of places , & i say the thing i desire of them , is more justly my due then any of their great places are theirs , and therefore i hope they have not had cause to be angry with me for craving justice at their hands , being it was the end wherefore they were chosen and trusted , and that which they are sworn to do . vide pag. . speaking of some passages in a parliam . declarat . not easily to be forgotten by those that made them , if there be any sparks of honesty in their hearts . pag , . which warrant and commitment ( though made by a committee of the house of common ▪ ) it as illegall at all the rest , and in my apprehension against the very tenour and the true intent and meaning of the petition of right , and expresly against the words of the statute of the of ed. . again pag. . but i have severall times been imprisoned both by the committees and by the vote of the house of commons it selfe , contrary to a knowne law made this present parliament by themselves , against which there is at present no ordinance published and declared by them and the peeres for the cognizance of : ergo , i say they are tied in justice , according to the tenour of this law , to give me reparation against those persons that were chiefe instruments , either in committees , or in the house of commons it selfe , to vote and take away my liberty from me , contrary to this law : and for my own part i doe expect my reparation for my late causelesse molestations and imprisonments . pag. i shall freely declare the maine reason which makes me in being true to my liberty and freedome , that in point of honesty i cannot submit to that oath , in that i conceive all lawes and ordinances in such cases as this is , ought to be universall to binde all , and not so restrictive as the additionall ordinance of accounts is , which exempt● peeres , members of the house of commons ; for my part i iudge my selfe as free a man ( though otherwise i desire not to make comparis●ns ) as any of them , and i conceive i ought not to be in bondage to any law or ordinance that they themselves will not stand to . a theodoret. hist. eccles. lib. . cap. . iulianus primum vetuit , ne galil●i ( sic enim fidei se●vatoris nostri consecratos nuncapabat ) poeticam , rhetoricam , aut philosophicam disce●ent . nam nostris ipsorum , in●●it , penni● , ut est in proverbio , percellima● : siquidem nostrer●● scriptorum praefid●● , muniti , contra nos bellum suscipiunt . postea etiam aliam tulit legem , qua mandavit , ut omnes galilaei , id est , christiani , è militia pelle●entur . b iulian the apostata therefore granted a toleratis on of the liberty of perdition ( as austin call● it ) because he did hope by that meanes to destroy christian religion , august epist. . iulianus , inquit , desertor christi , & inimicus , haereticis libe●tate● perditionis permisit , et tunc basilica● haeretics ●ed sidi● , quando templa demoniis : eo nodo ●●tans christianum nomen posse perite 〈…〉 verita●e ecclesiae de qua laps●●●ut●a● invide et , et sacrilegas dissersiones libetas esse 〈…〉 pe●m eteret pr●teol . elench haeretic . pag. . iulianu● areti●●●●thoren et ducem haeresis 〈◊〉 et ●onstan●i sententia damnatum , et in ●tlium actum , pe●●uam benignis literis revocavit , et publica vectura reduxit : episcopo : sub constantio exilio mulctatos rerocavit , et in urbes suas redire permisit . atque id ille non miserico●dia fecit , sicut colligere est , sed ut epis opos inter se committens ad intestinu● armaret bellum , et suis ipsa dissidiis ecclesia labefacta●c●ur . the emperour valens did grant freedome of religion to all heretick● , yea and heathens , but was a great enemy to the orthodox theodore● . hist. eccles lib. cap. . valens impunitatem conce●●it : gentilibus , ●udaeis , et aliis quibus que ●ui nomen christianum sibi assumenses doctr●●am evangelio repugnantem praedicabant : sol● autem apostolicae doctrinae propugnatoribus ty●annus iste se h●stem praebuit . * the sectaries , though they make but a fifth or sixth part of the army , and the noble generall who commands all , free from any touch of sectarisi●e , yet we see how insolent some of them have been of late , bearing themselves upon the army , talking of that upon all occasions of setling church government , what would they do if they had an army wholly of their own way , and a commander in chiefe according to their owne hearts ? a person of worth , who was present at the opening of the letters , and named to mee the gentleman to whom such news was writ told it me . moderate intellig. numb . . from ian. to the . a i never justified that wicked oath ex officio , as mr. burton . mr. calam. iust. and necess apologie , against an ujust lnvective of mr. burtons , pag. , . b d. holms : i write not this to commend or prefer my selfe before others , but because many sectaries to blast my preaching and writing from doing good , have given out falsly to many , that i was a great time-server , and a great man for the bishops and their wayes , using that as an argument not to heed what i write or preach : i therefore thought it necessary to say thus much for the undeceiving of many who know mee not . and had i ever learned the art of time-serving , i should not have writ such a bo●k as this , nor preach as i do , but would rather turne sectarie , ●or at least comply with them , and so i might be a creature and a darling of these times . notes for div a -e a adversus ●aereses . b ad quod vult deum . c de haeresibus . d h●reticarum fabularum . e contra libertinos anabaptistas , servetum . f de haeresibus . notes for div a -e * pag. , . of this present book ; and that , pag. . notes for div a -e a a word more to mr. edwards pag. . sir , untill i perceive the contrary , i cannot but hope that i have prevailed something with you towards a change of your mind , and that you have begun to repent you of the evill you have done by publishing your book entituled the gangraena . notes for div a -e saltmarsh flowing of christs bloud . pag. . * the new converts ( as it seems by the relation here ) make a feast for the church , and the dipper upon their entrance into is by dipping , and are then admitted to that they call the lords supper . * this commander is not in the service of the west , belonging to any of the regiments of that army , under the command of sir thomas fairfax , but his command is in another part of the kingdom . * we see the liberty of conscience sectaries will give , if they had power . the relation followes after attested by the hands of witnesses . * all kind of unlicenced books , that make any wayes for the sects , and against presbyterians , are sold at his shop , and t is given out the man●●els them , but not the master . * an anabaptisticall emissary * observe here both blasphemy and scoffing of the parliament in a high manner . * of the name of the woman , her meetings , with other particulars ●●ent this matter . * a word more to master edwards . observe to what this pretended liberty of conscience brings men , namely , to plead for treason , rebellion , and all kind of wickednesse . * gangraena , pag. ● . * that 's the main subject of both his pamphlets : a whisper in the ear , and , a word more to mr. edwards . * when he was prisoner there , being taken by the cavaliers when they came to branford . reply to cretensis . cretensis pag. . cretensis vide pag. . pag. . * tit. . . the cre●ans are alwaies lyars . * this is a lye in cretensis catalogue , that cosens never said it . cretensis , pag. ● . * vide petition of the lord major , aldermen , and comm●ns of the city of london , presented to the house of peers . jan. . * cretensis pag. . * i professe truly , that i had not read one quarter of the book of yet , nor know whether i shall ever care to read it through or no. and in pag. . i have neither leasure nor opportunity to search to the bottome . * saltmarsh , groans for liberty . * that is proverbially called the thriving side and way , offices , moneys , honors , lands , great places attending upon them ▪ * mr. thomas goodwins sermon call'd the great interest of state and kingdom , p. . if any man think i am a pleading for a liberty of all opinions , of what nature , and how grosse soever , i humbly desire them to remember that i only plead for saints ; and i answer plainly , the saints need it not . the apostle tells us there are damnable . heresies , so pet. . , and they will soon unsaint them . so that i speaking against the g●ossest errors , and men holding such , in m. tho : goodwins judgement i speak against those who are no saints , but are persons contradistinguished and opposed to saints . quod autem vehementius egovi● , agnos●● culpum , 〈◊〉 culpa est , 〈◊〉 testimonium hoc mihi in mundo reddi in causa dei mirifice gaudeo : atque utinam & ipse deus id testimo●ie in novis●ime die confirmares● ? q●is tum beatior luthero , qui tanti sui saeculi testimonio commendatur , quod veritatis causam , non seguiter neo fraudulenter sed vehementer satis vel potius nimio egerit ? tum ill iud ieremiae feleciter evaserim , maledictus qui facit opus dei negligenter . luthenus de servo arbitrio . this sent up to a parliament man , and a true copy of this given me by a member of the assembly . this letter was written to a member of the assembly , and the whole letter printed verbatim follows afterwards . * praefat. ad eccl. auie acta synod● national , dordr . * wotton de reconcil . par . lib. cap. . pag , . . wotton● de reco●e part . . l. . cap. . quem ego de imputatione opinionis authorem fuisse mihi perswadeo . * master pryns truth triumphing over falshood , epistle dedicat. and in the book where mr. pri● both laies down his passages against the parliament , and confutes fully his justification and pleading for them . * whitaker , second con●ro . de eccles. quaest . . c. p. , . papistici doctores turpes & scelerati sunt & in deli●iis viv●●t omnes à papa summo illorum pontifice ad infimum usque p●r●chum multi non ●aevi modo , sed flagitia etium gravissima inter illos reperiuntur . vide ibi plura . willets synops. second general controversie of the church . quest. . of the notes & marks of the church , pag. amesi bellarm. enervat , de notis ecclesiae . legantur igitur vitae pontificum romanorum , de sanctitatem pontificum . * vid. minors no sentors , pag. . these laws would save that vbiquitary perturber of , sollicitor , and stickler at most of our late elections mr. hugh peters a great de●l of unnecessary , unfiting pains , sollicitation , and abuse of the pulpit , to the peoples great disgust , for his own private lucre , and advancing the designs of his party * vid. independ . rasing their foundation , p , , , , ▪ * this mr. randal is known well to many godly persons , and is a godly man , a schoole-master about stepny , and a minister also , not that randal the antinomian and famili●● . * this letter which cretensis here prints , was written by an apprentise boy , an anabaptist , of ki●●ius church , unto ki●●●●s himself , who belike by himself or some other communicated it to cretensis . * calumny araigned and cast , pag. , & . i could prove ( i say ) by the commission aforesaid , that mr. prynne hath done all these things , on purpose to despite the spirit of god , to defame the gospel , to make the ways of godlinesse and religion hateful to the world , to encrease divisions , to multiply distractions , to bring a snare and evil day upon the parliament , to expose the whole kingdom to ruine and destruction . * master walker , master roborough by wri●ing ; master c●alamie in preaching . * march . three honest godly citizens after supper comming to speak with me , as they were with me cosens came to speak with me , and was brought into the room where these three citizens were and i spake nothing to him nor he any thing to me , but in their hearing , who will testifie this and more . oretens . pag. . this counter-information i had from the mouth of the said cosens himself , and have the particulars under his hand . cosens going to heare mr clare preach . i received a letter last week out of the country subscribed with ●o hands of godly ministers testifying to my work ▪ and earnestly intreating my constant persuance , with a promise that i shall not want what their prayers and endeavours can contrib●●e to that work . a letter from a godly minister cut of warwickshire written thus , m. edwards book does much good here . i have received severall letters from particular ministers in essex bearing witnesse ; and so letters out of kent to the same purpose , and from other places . * the . errour specified in the former part of this book , is in the catalogue of errours contained in the first part of gangraena , which sl●pt me before i was aware : and therefore upon comparing of both together , i put it out , and reckon not that , but make these errours to begin here at number . which otherwise should have been number . * osiander publicè in schola propon●t , nos sola essentiali dei justitia justos esse : essentiali ejus vita vivere vel victuros esse : essentiali ipsius gloria glorificari ; essentiali illius charitate ad diligendum deum & proximum propter ipsuminflammari , & gravissimè errare omnes qui putent aliâ re quam solo uno & vivo deo patre , filio , spiritu sancto nos posse justificari , vivificari , glorificari : & glacie frigidiora docere qui doceant nos tantum propter remssionē peccatorum reputari justos : & non etiam justitiam christi essentialem & divinam perfidem in nobis habitantis , vit . osiand . pag. . * the sectaries who call themselves the saints and beleevers , if they have husbands and wives that will not turn sectaries , they may leave their owne because they are unbeleevers , and joyne themselves to other womens husbands , and other mens wives : i read in a letter subscribed by w i. and e.i. wi●liam ienny and elizabeth ienny , written out of holland to one in london : deare friends , as you have cast off many antichristian yoaks , so proceed to cast off all , a chiefe vvhereof are unequall marriages . * vide saltmarsh , divine right of presbyterie . * pamph. entit . tender con. relig . affect p. , . do not the synod ( having two ●o●ns like a lamb , but a mouth like a dragon ) teach the parliament to speak blasphemy against those saints that dwell in heaven ? and speaking of the preamble to one of their ordinances , wherein the parliament acknowledged their strong engagements heartily and sincerely to endeavour the compleat establishment of puri●y and u●itie in the church of god ( for these are the parliaments words , not the assemblies ) this book cals this blasphemy , and saith of the lords and commons , for shame leave speaking blasphemy : remember the judgements upon the vvhore for her blasphemie . vvhere had the lords and commons this large commission to meddle in the affaires of king iesus so far , as to determine to have a compleat establ●shment of puritie and unitie ? vide p. . of this present book ' and pag. . * mr. durance an independent preacher at sandwich . * this was spoken in the hearing of three citisens , and given mee under the hand of one that heard it , who also told this smart he would make it publike . the presbyterians may do well to take notice , that the sequestration of their estates , and hanging at tyburn , was designed and counted good enough for them , if some independents and sectaries might have had their will. this is the libertie of conscience they must expect when the sectaries grow so strong as to have power to effect it . * a minister out of essex writing up to a minister in london , of a horrid blasphemy , i sent to a minister of that towne , to enforme me of the truth of it , which accordingly be hath . the vvord is so horrid and obscene , that i forbeare to expresse it . this clarkson is spoken of also in this book , p. , . cretens . frontis picio . luther de servo arb. c. . p. . vid. mine animadvers . part . i. pag. . a godly minister who heard it will depose it , if called , and so will many more who heard it . a pamph e●●it . tolora● justified . vide pag. ▪ of this book mr. vvalvvyns speech . * vide pamph entit . letter of advice to the assembly . in case paul best continue in his opinion , his heresie through ignorance , whether is it not possible that god may yet have mercie on him , as hee had on paul the apostle , and in his due time bring him to the knowledge of his truth , as hee did the apostle paul ? vvhether it can be demonstrated before-hand ▪ but that paul best ( what ever his heresie be ) may possibly in gods secret will be ordained to conversion hereafter , as well as paul the apostle 〈◊〉 he was a blasphemer . * baleu● de roman pontificum actis●vita leon. decim . & iul. teri . quantum nobis ae nostro coetui pro●uerit ea de christo fabula , satis est saeculis omnibus notum . tum iulius : si voluit deus usque adeo propterunum pomum irasci , ut ejiceritprimos parentes ex paradiso : curnon liteat mihi , qui sum ejus vicarius , irasci propte● pavonem , cùm multò major res sit pavo quàm pomum ? schismatici non sunt longaevi . nulla haeresis unquam , &c. * vide car●w . in locum , quamobrem illud statuamus , eos , qui se effe● unt , dejectos iri , & decasuros , etiamsi vertice coelum atrigerint : unde nostro proverbio jactatur ; pride will have a fall . antapol p. , . vide independ . razing their owne foundation pag. , . * the declaration of the kingdom : of england and scotland , by the honourable houses of the parliament of england and the honourable convention of estates of the kingdome of scotland , in the year . page , ● . a mr. prins discoverie of prodigious nevv lights , shewes some sectaries boasting of their friends in the house of commons . b some sectaries have said it to some who have told it me , that there is never a committee about london , but they have some friend or other in it , that as soone as any of them is in question , gives them notice of it , and of the articles against them , and acquaints them with the state of things . quod autem ad veritatem doctrinae spectat , ubi castior & integrior , vel in universo terrarum orbe ▪ totus papatus hic jugulatur : anabaptistae , antitrinitarii , arriani , & hujusmodi monstra , excitata rursum ab inferis , partim in germania , partim in transylvania , nusquam ac●orem hostem invenerunt : quid etiam non tentaverit ut germanicis eccles●is errores suos evelleret ? brightman . in apocalyp . pag. . in antitypo , iudaeisunt quotquot ertoribus implica●i , sibi unis veritatem , fidem , salutem , promissiones dei arrogant , nihil nisi templum , templum crepantes ; quales fuerunt arriani episcopi sub constantino , constantio , & valente . vide plura , brighton . pag. ● . vide bright●n , in loc . pag. . vide brightman●um in apocalyp . pag. . * hieron . in epist. ad titum cap. . vi● esse schisma ullum quod non aliquam confingat haeresim ut ab ecclesia meritó recessisse videatur . quicunque enim labit●r in errorem aliquem , & ab unitate ecclesiae se divelli nunquam patitur , ille error in eo esse poterit hoeresis materialiter , non formaliter ; non enim in eo est pertinacia , qui ecclesiailli adhaeret , a● qua para●us est docerl . m. antonius de dominis de republ. eccles. l. . c. . august coatralit . petil. lib. . schisma omnia scelera s●pergreditur . * optatu● lib. . distantiam esse delictorum , aut remissio testatur , aut paena , & quod in sacrilegos & parr●cidam non secerat , in s●ismaticos ●ect . august . epist. . qui fecerun● idolum usitata gladii morte perempti sunt , qui vero schisma facero volnerunt , matu terra principes devorati , & turba consentien● igne consumpta est : diversitate paenarum , diversitas agnoscitur meritorum . vide new annotations on matt. ● . * calv. in psal. . adde quòd inanis sapientiae f●ltus q●o turgent eos quid re●●on sit dis●ere non patitur . quum eos jubet intelligentiá esse praeditor ; oblique fals●m prudentia confidentium in ipsis persiringit . ergo quansumuis sibi placeant mundi principes in suo ocumine , sciamus eos pla●e desipere , dene● fiant humiles christi discipuli . * gerb. de magistratu politico , sect. . tuncuerò christo serviunt , ipsamque osculantur , si non ipsi soluin doctrinam christi recipiunt , ac fide amplectuntur , sed etiam potestate divinitùs sibi data hoc efficiunt , ut puritos doctrinae in ecclesia conservetur , idololatriae & falsi cultus aboleantur , lupt ab ovisi dominico arceantur , ministri ecclesiae comm●de alantur , &c. * aug. epist. . et quibus dictum est , servite domino in timore ; & c. ? nonne regibus ? at quonam modo serviunt dominy reges in timore , nisi ea quae contra domini jussa fiunt , religiosa seueritate prohipendo ? aliter enim eorum quisque servit quia 〈…〉 quia rex est : uam 〈…〉 s●rvit vivendo fideliter ; quia verò rex est , servit leges pracipientes , & connaria prehibentes conven●enti rigore sanciendo . * cal●in in psal. . . pe●i●e de vi● quidem exponunt propter viam perversam , vol s●eleratam vivendi rationem . ahi resolvunt , 〈◊〉 via vestra percat . mihi magis anida diversus sensu● , quod david fere denuntiet , ut ●os intercipiat subitus dei furer , dum se putabant adhue , esse in medio sladio : scimus enim ut dei contempteres sibi in secunda fortun● llandi●i seleant , & quasi in la●● campo se 〈◊〉 . non a●s re 〈◊〉 minatur propheta , quum dixerin● ; ●ax & securitas , se procul 〈◊〉 siue suo putantes , repentino interitu 〈…〉 . * calv. n psal . per adverbium nune , significat mature illis esse res●pèscendum , quia non semper eadem dabitur oppertunitas . a scult . annal. dec. ● . melch adam . vit . musculi , pag. . musculi loci commun . de haeresi , pag. . iohannes gaster . anabaptistarū doctor quem in còlloquio ambiosins glaureus eslingae in viam reduxit . scultet . annal. dec. . b vide letter pag. , . of the second part of gangraena . * these persons have been with me and what i write , i had from their owne mouths and relations , as many others also have had . igitur scelestus & blasphemus est eorum error , qui sic ab hac ecclesia deficiunt , quasi hinc christus exularet prorsus nec ulla spes salutis manentibus esse posset . cogitent hic christum convivantem cum suis. an pudebiteos illic discumbere , ubi vident christum non pudere ? an illo sanctiores & mundiores erunt ? sed quare se non convincunt suo ipsorum usu ? non possunt inficiari quin prius in christum crediderint , quam secerunt à nobis divortium ; unde haec fides ? annon ex praedicatione in nostra ecclesia ? nunquid autem praedicare quis potest nisi mittatur , rom. , , &c. quamobrem redire ad unitatem ecclesiae , quae vos genuit & aluit . si fugiatis hunc christum , qui cum electis in nostris cae ibuscaenat , ac eos vicissim excipit , profecto nulquam invenietis . sanitatis mentem precor illis ut ad veritatem redeant , quo fugiant sup , licium quod desertores manet . * let us now reach forth our hearts and hands unto our brethren of sea land , let us come up fully unto this our ingagement , and rejoyce in it , for certainly that nation is a nation that god doth love , a nation that god doth honour , and by those many expressions of his love , sheweth that he doth intend to make them speciall instruments of the great things he hath to doe in this later age of the world . it is a nation that is united the most firmly of any people under heaven : wee may truly call it a philadelphia ; and brightman ( that famous light in for●er times , , or yeares since ) did parallel the church of philadelphia with the church of scotland philadelphia signifies br●therly love ; vvhen was there ever a nation , such a church that joyned together in such firme covenants as they have done ? had we had that reunion among us , o how great things had we done before this time ! a nation it is that hath ingaged it self to god in a higher way in a more extraordinarie way , then any nation this day upon the face of the earth hath done ; in the most solemne way covenanting with the eternal god , paw●ing sorth their prayers and their tears for joy together with their covenanting : a nation that hath reformed their lives for so smalltime , more then ever any people that we know of in the world have done : and a people that have risen up against antichrist more in another way then ever people have done , and that is the great worke of god in these times . and therefore god certainly hath a love into them , because they breake the ice , and begin the worke , and arise in such a way as they do , for the pulling downe of the man of sin . mr. burroughs speech delivered at guild-hall , pag. , . vide plura . vide scots late declaration i saw some letters written lately from newcastle by english there , as one mr. p. and others , who speak much of the integritie and faithfulnesse of the scots , and that they suffer not a man ill affected to come to court , no not so much as into the towne . heresiography, or, a discription of the hereticks and sectaries of these latter times by e. pagitt. pagitt, ephraim, or - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing p estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. 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[ ], p. printed by w. wilson for john marshall and robert trot ..., london : . added engraved t.p. errata: p. . includes bibliographical references. reproduction of original in cambridge university library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp 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good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng heresy. sects. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - rina kor sampled and proofread - rina kor text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion heresiography : or , a description of the hereticks and sectaries of these latter times . by e. pagitt . the second edition , with some additions : as in the folio following . math . . . beware of false prophets , which come to you in sheeps 〈◊〉 , but inwardly are ravening wolve● . tim . . . now the spirit speaketh expresly , that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith , giving heed to seducing spirits , and doctrines of divils : speaking lyes in hypocrisie , having their conciences seared with a hot ir●n . imprimatur . j ▪ a. cranford . london , printed by vv. wilson , for iohn marshall and robert trot , and are to be sold at their shops in corn-hill , over against the exchange , and under the church of edmond the king in lombard street ▪ . the names of the sects ; viz. anabaptists , page . brownists , . semi-separatists , . independents , . familists , . adamites , . antinomians , . arminians , . socinians , . antitrinitarians . . millenaries , . hethringtonians , . anti-sabbatarias , . traskites , . jesuites , . muncerians , . apostolikes , . separatists . . catharists . enthusiasts . liberi . hutites . augustinians . bewkeldians . melchiorites . georgians . menonists . pueris similes . servetians . libertines . denkians . semper orantes . deo-relicti . monasterienses . plunged anabapt . . barrowists , . wilkinsonians , johnsonians . ainsworthians . robinsonians . lemarists . . castalian familists , grindletonians . familists of the mourtains . . of the valleyes . scattered flocke . caps order , &c. the addition . the sum ●f a treatise of m● johnsons ▪ a-against anabaptists . of the pelagins . soule-sleepers . denyers of the scriptures . expecters or seekers . divorsers . of the papists . the papists compared with other hereticks . a postscript . an extract of the acts of the national synod of the reformed churches of france to the right honourable thomas atkin , lord major of the citie of london , and to the right worshipfull , sir nicholas raynton . isaac penington , lievtenant of the tower , sir lo : woollaston , iohn glyn recorder , sir iohn cordell , sir thomas soame , sir iohn gayr , sir iacob garrat , thomas adams , io : warner , iohn tous● , abraham reynardson , sir george garra● , sir george clerke , iohn langham , th●mas andrewes , iohn foulke , iames bunce , william gibbs , and richard chambers sheriffes : samuel warner , w●lliam barkely , thomas foote , iohn kendricke , thomas culh●m , simon edmonds , aldermen of the said citie . right honourable , and right worshipfull , whereas i have lately published a christianography , or a description of many great churches of christians in the world : some of which are for extent , larger then the church of rome in europe , for time more ancient , for succession as continual , for faith more sound : who believe with us the church of god to be catholike , as it is in the apostles creed , and not as it is set downe in the new trent creed confined to rome , who renounce the popes supremacie , some of them excommunicating him for a schismatick and heretick . who receive the holy communion in both kindes , they all drinke of christs cup , and abhor the romish decree , made contrary to christs institution . who make no images to be worshipped . who doe not acknowledge the figment of purgatory , nor use any prayers to be delivered from the fained paines thereof . who have their prayers in their owne tongue , and mutter them not in latine as the romists doe . who forbid not marriage ( the prohibiting of which is called by st. paul , the doctrine of divells . ) their priests may and doe marry . who hold not popish transubstantiation . who prohibite not lay-men the reading of the holy scriptures commanded by christ himselfe . who doe not joyne with christs intercession the suffrages of saints : nor with his justification the merit of workes : nor with the satisfaction papall indulgences . these points with some others , which the ambition and avarice of the romists hath lately hatched , they renounce with us . this worke i purposing to perfect and consummate to the glory of god , the great profit of the church , & establishing of mens consciences , they seeing the unity and agreement of the holy churches in the world with us : behold suddenly a numerous company of other hereticks stole in upon us like the locusts , rev. . as the unpure familists who blasphemously pretend to be godified like god , whereas indeed they are divellified like their father the divell . the illuminated anabaptists who blasphemously affirme the baptisme of children to be the marke of the beast , and to come from anti-christ . the donatisticall brownists , who in times past hid themselves in holes ; now lift up their heads , and vent openly their errors , infecting our people . the antinomians , who teach as i find , such a faire and easie way to heaven , viz. that a man need not be troubled by the law before faith , and that faith is not a going out of himselfe to take hold of christ , but onely a discerning that christ is his , and that after this , such a man must see nothing in himselfe , have nothing , doe nothing , need no sorrow nor repentance , nor bee pressed to duties , need never pray unlesse moved by the spirit : if hee fall into sin , never the more disliked of god , nor his condition the worse : and that hee must abide in the height of comfort , though hee fall into grosse sin . the novelty of this doctrine takes so well , or rather ill that multitudes of simple men and women dance after their pipes , they run after these men as if they were mad , crowding the churches , filling their doors and windowes . the independents trouble also our poore church , who pretend that they have a perfect modell of church● government , which almighty god hath revealed to them , which many like better then the government of the reformed churches , being perswaded that in independency they may have liberty to doe what they list , having no government , hoging to be as free as their teachers , who will have none at all . the arminians also an after-brood of the pellagiant , broach their erroneous opinions . the sabbatarians affirm the old jewish sabbath to be kept , and not the lords day . the anti-sabbatarians would have no perticular sabbath at all , but every day to bee a sabbath to a christian man. the traskites , who would have us observe many jewish ceremonies . vve have also millenaries who affirm that before the day of judgment christ shal come down from heaven , and reign with the saints upon earth . years , in which time they shall destroy all the wicked , binding their kings in chaines , and nobles in linkes of iron . vvee have hetheringtonians , who hold a hodg-podg of many heresies , troubling our peoples brains . vve have also socinians , who teach that christ dyed not to satisfie for our sins : and also his incasnation to be repugnant to reason , & not to be sufficiently proved by scrip●ture , with many other abhominable errors . wee have arians , who deny the deity of christ. we have an atheistical sect , who affirme that mens soules sleep with their bodies untill the day of judgement . wee have atheists too many , as among others , one was committed by a justice of peace , who mock'd and jear'd at christs incarnation . his father was burnt at thoelouze in france ; he scapeth unpunished among us : too many others we have . they preach , print , and practise their hereticall opinions openly : for books , vide the bloody tenet , witnesse a tractate of divorce in which the bonds are let loose to inordinate lust : a pamphlet also , in which the soul is laid asleepe from the houre of death unto the houre of judgement , with many others . yea , since the suspention of our church-government , every one that listeth turneth preacher , as shoo-makers , coblers , button-makers , hostlers and such like , take upon them to expound the holy scriptures , intrude into our pulpits , and vent strange doctrine , tending to faction , sedition , and blasphemie . what mischiefe these sectaries have already done , we that have cure of soules in london find and see with great griefe of heart : viz. our congregations forsaking their pastors ; our people becomming of the tribe of gad , running after seducers as if they were mad ; infants not to be brought to the sacrament of baptisme ; men refusing to receive the holy communion , and the lords prayer accounted abhominable , &c. a volume will hardly contain the hurt that these sectaries have in a very short time done to this poore church ; and doth not the common-wealth suffer with the church ? whence are all these distractions ? who are the incendiaries that have kindled & blown this fire among us but these ? considering with my selfe the former happinesse of this kingdome , and the sudden change that is betide it , it being fallen from the height of prosperitie to the lowest ebbe of misery , and this not by the incursion of a forreigne nation , but by its owne children , who imbrue their hands in the bloud one of another with no lesse inhumanity then cannibals or men-eaters , without any reluctation at all ; the sonne against the father , and the father against the son , being involved in a most cruell warre without any hopes of peace . and moreover ( which is worst of all ) when i consider that some of our clergy-men ( who should like moses stand in the gap to appease gods anger ) doe increase the same , not onely by blowing the fire , but by their errors and schismes which they broach and foment among us ; by which they doe as much as in them lyeth to put mens soules in as great danger as their bodies . and considering againe how wee are involved in a most cruell warre without any hopes of peace , may not i cry out with the prophet ; o that my head were full of water , and my eyes a fountaine of teares , that i might weepe for the slaine of my people ! but all this being gods permitting , let us with patience possesse our souls ; let us trust in him , depend upon him , and in his good time hee will deliver his church , and turne all to the best ; and in the meane season every man doe his best to quench this fire . for my own part , these sad considerations made me leave my christianography , and write an he●●siography to describe the hereticks and schismaticks of this time , in which i set downe their beginning among us ; their hereticall opinions and errors , confuting them ; and also relate how other princes and common● wealths have suppressed them , and how severely some of them have beene punished among us . i know my reverend brethren have not beene wanting to oppose these hereticks in writing and preaching , in season and out of season , using all meanes to suppresse these heresies , having to that end chosen speciall men to preach several lectures in severall places ; but without your helpe and the assistance of our religious patriots assembled in parliament , they doe , and will increase upon us doe what we can . this treatise i present to your lordship , and to this honourable senate . what can bee more sutable or fitter for you , servants of the most high god , then that which tendeth to the glory of god , edification of his church , and vindication of the truth against the illusion of sectaries and heretikes ? what is more correspondent with the duty of christian magistrates then to assist gods cause with your politicall authority ? a question may be asked whether it be lawfull for the magistrates to use the sword against heretickes ? to this i answer ; such whose heresies are blasphemous in doctrine , or dangerous to the state , deserve death , the reason is , because they corrupt the faith . if such as poyson waters and fountaines at which men and beasts drinke , deserve capitall punishment , how much more they that as much as in them lyeth goe about to poyson mens soules ? yea , st. augustine saith in his fifth tractat upon iohn ; quantum in ipsis est christum in homine occidunt . the forenamed st. augustine indeed wavered concerning this point for a time , as he confesseth in one of his epistles : but when he saw the city wherein he dwelt was reclaimed from donatisme by the magistrates sword , he retracted his opinion . and expecting the like successe in this honourable city , i doe implore your helps , & that for iesus christs sake : and i pray you give me leave to put you in mind of the covenant we made in the presence of almighty god the searcher of all hearts , with a true intent to performe the same , as wee should answer at that great day , when the secrets of all hearts shall bee disclosed , viz. that we should in like manner without respect of persons endeavour the extirpation of popery , prelacy , superstition , heresie , schisme , propha●enesse , and whatsoever shall bee found to be contrary to sound doctrine and the power of godlinesse , lest wee partake in other mens sins , and thereby be in danger to receive of their plagues ; and that the lord may be one , and his name one in the three kingdomes . and this i beseech you in the name of god to take in hand , laying aside all humane reasons . let not gods cause goe to racke , nor by worldly policies and humane reason be protracted or retarded . the turke will not suffer mahomet to be blasphemed : as we are christians let us stand for christ. how dangerous the fostering of heretikes hath been , histories declare , viz. almighty god sent down fire from heaven and consumed antioch , being a nursery of heretikes : and also how the earth opened & swallowed nicomedia , the meeting place of the blasphemous arrians : also in the commentaries of sleidan , how the anabaptists meeting first in conventicles , surprized munster : and how hardly amsterdam escaped them , lambertus hortensius writeth . the plague is of all diseases most infectious : i have lived among you almost a iubile , and seene your great care and provision to keep the city from infection , in the shutting up the sicke , and in carrying them to your pest-houses , in setting warders to keep the whole from the sicke , in making of fires and perfuming the streets , in resorting to your churches , in powring out your prayers to almighty god with fasting and almes to be propitious to you . the plague of heresie is greater , and you are now in more danger then when you buried five thousand a week : you have power to keep these hereticks and sectaries from conventickling and sholing together to infect one another . fire is dangerous , many great cities in europe have been almost ruinated by it : i have seen your dilligence and dexterety in quenching it in the beginning : your breaking open your pipes for water making floods in your streets : your engins to cast the water upon the houses : your industry and paines is admirable . heresie is as dangerous as fire , use your best endeavours to quench it before it consume us . thus not doubting right honourable , & right worshipfull , of your best endeavours to suppresse these heretikes and sectaries , by whom not only many poore soules are infected , but also the holy name of god is blasphemed . i cease , most humbly entreating almighty god to blesse this citie , and to give unto you the fruition of all temporall felicities in this life , and the never-failing fulnesse of blessednesse in the life to come to the reader . thou which hast atender conscience , and desirest nothing so much as to know the right way to heaven , having many doubts which cause thee to leave thy own pastor , and runne not only to other publike congregations , but also to the private meetings of the separatists and others for resolution . for thy sake and safety i have published this treatise , in which thou maist discerne truth from error , having their errors set before thee , with the confutation of them out of the holy scripture . ou● lord and saviour in his holy sermon in the mount , telling his disciples of the narrow way that leadeth unto life , hee specially forewarneth them of false prophets : beware of fals● prophets which come to you in sheeps cloathing , but inwardly they are ravening wolves . as if he should say , my deare disciples , you hearing of the way to heaven , wil be inquiring after it , and especially of prophets ; but let me forewarn you of false prophets , for in stead of directing you , they will put you out of the way . false prophets wil come , they are not sent : st. paul asketh how they can preach except they be sent ? and this standeth with good reason : every true minister standeth in gods room being the lords embassadour to deliver his will , who dare to this unsent ? no man taketh this honour unto himselfe , but hee that is called of god saith my author to the hebrews . but whence come they now , from the schooles of the prophets ? no , many of them from mechannicke trades : as one from a stable from currying his horses : another from his stal from cobling his shooes , & these sit down in moses chaire to mend all , as embassadours of jesus christ , as heralds of the most high god : these take upon them to reveale the secrets of almighty god , to open and shut heaven , to save mens soules . but to heare these fellowes to discourse of the holy trinity , of gods eternall decree and other deep points of divinity : you may heare the mad men in bedlam prate as wisely as they : and are not their hearers that run after them as mad as they ? are they not bewitched ? as st. paul telleth the gallatians . to you that are my disciples : daily experience sheweth us whom the anabaptists , brownists and other sectaries go about to seduce , viz. not drunkards . adultere●s , swearers , and prophane persons whom the devill hath ensnared already , but such as are desirous of heaven . they lead captive ( saith st. paul , ) silly women who are alwaies learning . they come unto you in sheeps cloathing . that is , like zealous and holy christians , for example , the devill turneth himselfe into an angell of light : baals priests used long prayers : the blasphemous arrians ( as st. bazill writeth ) were easily beleeved because of their counterfeit holinesse . the romish seducers pretend great sanctimony ▪ the begging fryers befool'd the christian world with their pretended holinesse , with which they 〈◊〉 their lewd lives . generally they come to you with outward sanctimony , with a seeming contempt of the world ; with long prayers , fasting teares , ●lmes deeds , seeming-zeale , seeming-humi●●●y , seeming harmlesnesse , &c. they come to you in sheepes cloathing , insinuating themselves into you under colour of giving you good counsell : as the divell their chiefe , counselling our first parents to breake gods commandement , promised to make them like god : and tempring christ in the ●●●dernesse , promised to give him all the kingdomes of the world and the glory of them . and that you may the better avoyd their inchantments , i will shew you the method they use in deceiving . as first they indeavour to separate the sheepe from their shepheards , bringing them into contempt with their people , ●ff●●ming them to be unprofitable , unpowerfull , taxing their conversations as prophane , and doctrine as erroneous . thus smiting your shepheards with their tongues , they draw you to their conventicles . . to palliate their errors , they parvert the holy scriptures , as that monster arrius pretended to have places of scripture against the deity of christ , and this he learnt of his father the devill , who perverted part of the . psalme , to tempt our lord to cast himselfe downe from the pinacle of the temple . and for this cause these heretikes are enemies to the ten commandements , being some of the law : to the creed being a briefe of the gospell , and to the lords prayer , being a perfect forme of prayer , containing all that can be asked or prayed against , by which only a simple man may discerne any heretick , contradicting any commandement of the decalogue , article of the faith , & petition of the lords prayer . and for this cause the church of rome teacheth the laity them in latine , and also they leave out part of the decalogue in their catechismes : and for other he●etikes , some doe null the whole law , some the creed , and others the lords prayer , affirming it to be abhominable . againe , whatsoever outward shew they make of holinesse , they are indeed ravening wolves ; therefore our lord biddeth us beware of them . the word beware precedeth danger : as sheep are in danger among wolves , so are your soules in danger among false prophets . the j●urney of the israelites to the earthly canaan , was a type of our journey to the heavenly . and did not one false prophet , balaam , doe them more mischiefe in their journey then og the king of bashan , sehon king of the amorites , & all their enemies besides ? yea , would the devil himselfe in his own likenesse have been more noxious to the church of god then some hereticks have beene ? as one heretick , arrius , denying the deity of christ , in a manner infected the whole world . the like did one other heretick eutyches , erring concerning his humanity , affirming the immensity of christs divine nature to have swallowed up his humane . now if christ had not been man , how could he have dyed for us sinners ? and if not god , how could he have wrought the salvation of mankind ? alas , what danger are we in now , being invironed with such a multitude of here●ickes ? our lord telleth us againe , by their fruits yee shall know them : they pretend that they are led by the spirit . the workes of the spirit s● . paul s●t●eth forth to bee love , joy , peace , long-suffering gentlenesse , goodnesse , faith , meekenesse , and temperance . if they were led by the holy spirit , these would be their characters . but st. paul telleth us that in the latter dayes there shall come men , lovers of their own selves , boasters , proud , cursed speakers , disobedient to parents , unthankefull , unholy : master calvin that admirable man of god , whose name is yet terrible in the kingdome of pope●y , setteth down certaine characters of these impostors , taken out of st. augustine . . great boasters , making ostentation of their owne worth , like simon magus , who bewitched the people , sayng that he himselfe was some great man : like the gnostikes who had a high conceit of their owne knowledge , as if they were the onely knowing men of the whole world : their common talke is of their own worth and actions . . superbia tumidi , blowne up with pride , and among us many proud spirits having not these preferments which they thought themselves worthy of , have forsaken our church , and gone to rome and amsterdam . . calum●ijs insidiosi , deceitfull slanderers : and in this faculty of all other sects the brownists excell : the ●esuites are not so bitter against our church as the separatists compare their writings . michael the arch-angell durst not give the devill such cursed speaking , nor raile upon him as they doe upon us and gods church . . treacherously seditious , not preaching peace as christ commanded his disciples to doe , but division : yea , the brownists arrogate to themselves , the name of separatists , which well they may , be●ng separated from their mother church , from 〈◊〉 the reformed churches , and malitiously divided amongst themselves . . lest they should seem to be destitute of the light of truth , they arrogate to themselves the shadow of austerity and shew of holinesse . . sacri●egious , what the appetite of all schismaticks hath been in this way is notorious , caring no● for the ruine of the whole church , upon condition that they might get somewhat . they have so taught , that some thinke there is no such sinne as sacriledge at all . our lord fore-warning us of false prophets , and so lively describing them , and we having such characters and markes to know them : thou understanding the decalogue , creed , and lords prayer , if thou be misled , thy sin will light upon thine owne head . for is there any man so simple but can ●ell when their doctrines they teach crosse any of these ? and one thing more will aggravate your defection before almighty god , viz. your covenant and oath wherewith you bound your selves in the presence of god , to suppresse all errors , heresies , and schisme ; god forbid but that you should keep your covenant which we ministred , and you received with great alacrity . to draw to an end , epiphanius writeth of the heresies of this time , calleth his booke pae●arium , that is , a medicinable box , containing saving medicaments against lying doctrine . the end of my writing is not to hurt any man , but to give warning to well minded soules , and espesially to them that are entangled with errors , to pray to god to give them grace to see and ●enounce their errors , and to acknowledge the truth , that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil . and if my paines shall do any good in the confirmation of any against seducers , in forewarning them to beware of private conventicles , and to keep them close to the publick ministery of the word , & communion of saints in gods church , i shall thinke my labour well bestowed . the god of peace grant that all they that confesse his holy name , may agree in the truth of his holy word , and live in unity and godly love , amen . so prayeth thine in the lord , old ephraim pagitt . heresiography : or a description of the heretickes and sectaries sprung up in this latter age , &c. chap. i. of the anabaptists . for the discovery of this sect i purpose to set down , . their originall and first proceedings . . their errors and blasphemies . . a confutation of their errors . . the orthodox doctrine of the church of england opposite to their errors . . the severall sects of anabaptists . . of their manner of rebaptizing , and other fashions . . how christian princes & magistrates have suppressed them : and especially how they have beene punished among us . . of their audacious boldnesse at this day to publish bookes in defence of their errors , and to challenge our protestant divines to publike disputations : and to intrude into our pulpits to vent their blasphemies . . their moderne tenents which they owne . . of their originall and first proceedings . about the yeare of our lord god . doctor luther preaching the gospel in saxony , almighty god blessing his labour , a new sect ( among many others through the instigation of the devill ) began to spring up in the said coun●●y of certain fanaticall people , who boasted that they talked with god , and god with them , who commanded them to kill all the wicked , that is , all that were not of their sect , and make a ●ew world , in which the innocent and godly should live and reigne alone . the author of this sect melancton affirmeth to be one nic●las storke , who would tell his followers that god spake to him by an angell , and revealed his will to him in dreames , promising him the place of the angell gabrie● , and the empire of the whole world . he affirmed the saints must reigne in this world alone , and that he must be their leader , to kill all the kings and princes of the wo●ld , and to repurge the church . he tooke upon him also to have the gift of discerning spirits , and to know the elect. in this mans schoole was one thomas muncer brought up , who amplyfied much his masters doctrine . hee b●gan to preach at alsted in turingia , where he made first an a●●ociation , administring an oath to all that promised to assist him in killing the ungodly princes and magistrates : so long as hee preached but his dreames and fancies the elector of saxony bore with him ; but after he b●gan to preach killing of princes and rebellion , he banished him from saxony , who 〈◊〉 to nurenberg , and being driven from thence to mulhus in tu●ingia , to which place divers of his old disciples resorted : whatsoever he determined was received as an oracle , especially when he preached that all goods must be 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 men to be free and of equall dignity an acceptable doctrine in those parts , where the nobility used their tenants like slaves ; upon this his preaching about . bores and trades-men rose up in suevia and franconia , who tooke some of the nobles , r●nsacked , plundered and burnt houses ▪ carrying all before them . muncer also having prepared munition , and raised a numerous multitude ( the meaner sort of people leaving their ploughes and loomes ) armed themselves to become adventurers in this holy war : one phifer a chiefe associate of muncers , rusheth into the countries adjoyning , and destroyed many towns , burnt many houses , and brought away some of the nobles bound , with a great booty ; which good successe elevated the minds of these sectaries and caused a defection in the county of mausfelt : muncer hoping this defection to be universall , taketh his journey to frankhus , where the frankhusians joyned with him . but before this snowball grew greater by rolling , count mansfield raiseth forces , sets upon muncer , and slew . of his men ; muncer renueth his army , pitcheth upon a hill by frankhus intrenched with carts . count mansfield with the princes his assistants pittying the rude company , sent to offer them impunity and generall pardon if they would but yield up the author of that sedition & returne home . muncer falls to preaching , te●ling them that he was sent from god to command and lead them in this action , and that they should certainly overthrow these and all other enemies of god , it being gods promise ( who cannot lye ) that the righteous should wash their feet in the bloud of the wicked ; and that he had promised him victory , indowing him with such strength that he was able to turne all their bullets back with his coat , so the botes refused peace ; upon this the princes began to play upon them with their ordnance , the bores neither advanced nor fled , but fell a singing , come holy ghost , confiding and expecting that god would fight for them from heaven according to muncers promise ; but when the intrenchments of their carts were broken , and the princes army came to handy-blowes , . of them being slain , away fled the bo●es , some one way , some another , but most of them ●o frankhus , which city the princes tooke with muncer who lay hid therein , who with phifer and more were executed and put to death . muncer was so dejected at his death that he could not make confession of his faith ; but with much adoe he could speake after the duke of brunswicke , who taught him what he should say . thus the suevian rebellion was extinguished , the root and branch seeming to be cut off ; but the seeds remaining , germany swarmed with anabaptists , ane● name , but in effect the old sect with some additions . melchior hopman who called himselfe elia , one of greater learning and parts then muncer , began to vent the same errors at stransgburg , for which he was imprisoned , & all his followers severely i●prest . this sect was disperst in the higher and lower germany , especially among the meaner sort of people ; saith hertensius one of my authors , among that numerous rabble scarce one was found that was a scoller , or could write or read . the whole world was little enough for ther ambition which they attempted to obtain , beginning their empire at munster . in the year munster received the gospel , & in the yeare there comes to town iohn becold a taylor of leyden , & with him , or after him a great multitude of his fraternity , most of them hollanders : these keeping conven●icles , got in few months a great party in munster , & incensed one another with desperat● resolutions . the magistrates not yet infected with their errors , commanded the sectaries to depart the city ; they going out●t one gate , came in at another , saying , they must not desert gods cause . the landgrave of hesse pittying the distressed case of this city , sent divines to set a bound to the unlimited extravagancy of the anabaptists , offering disputation to them , which they refused , & took a more compendious way to work their own ends : one of them feigning himselfe to bee seazd with a propheticall spirit , ran about the city crying , repent , & be baptized again , left the wrath of god fall upon you ; many cryed with him , this crying ended in ransacking rich mens houses , & laying hands upon the owners ; others rushed into the market●place crying out , that all that were not re-baptized must be killed presently . the evangelicks or protestants gathered themselvs in a place called over water , & there fortified themselves : after daies there was a composition made , that either party should enjoy the freedome of their religion . this composition gave the anabaptists time to strengthen their party , for they sent their letters to wezell , and other places , the tenor whereof was , that god had sent an holy prophet to munster , who spake wonders , and shewed the right way to salvation ; and if they would leave their houses , and come to munster , they should have ten times more than they left at home , and with spirituall wealth attaine all worldly riches . these faire promises drew the scumme of the towns adjoyning to munster , ( the poore and idle sort liking that religion best , that maketh all men alike , all goods common , that payeth no rent , tribute , nor tithes , that puts downe those lawes and magistrates that restraine their licentiousnesse ) so that in a short time the city was full of strangers , who looked upon it us upon the land of promise . the anabaptists knowing their strength ranne to st. maurice church ▪ burnt it , seized upon the armory , pillaged and defaced other churches , depopulated the colledges , burnt a faire library , and finally drove the protestants out of the city , crying out get yee hence all yee wicked , else yee shall all be slaine . the anabaptists being masters of the city , began to erect a government , ( although they were enemies to all superiority , necessity and nature forcing them to chuse some governours , but the prophets over-ruled all : one of the first orders that they made was , that every man should bring his gold , silver , and goods into the common stock upon paine of death : and there were two maiden prophetesses that discovered the concealers ; also they ordered that all books should be burnt but the bible , which was performed . iohn of leiden being in a propheticall trance after he had slept three dayes , pretending to be dumbe , called for writing tables , in which he writ downe that it was the will of the heavenly father , that twelve men by him named should governe the city , which was also put in execution , the ancient magistrate being discharged . also that it was the good will of the father that a man should not bee tyed to one wife , but to marry as many as he pleased : when some would not approve of this doctrine , he cyted them before the twelve governours , swearing upon the new testament that this doctrine was revealed to him from heaven , and to testifie the evidence of the spirit , hee commanded some of the opposers to be beheaded : forthwith many preachers confirmed this doctrine , but the greatest confirmation was the prophets practise , who presently married . wives , & left not till he had fifteen : many followed his example , and it was accounted a matter of praise to have many wives : after the promulgation of this ordinance , the brethren ran to the hansomest women , striving who should be first served , and lay with them without any contract . after this , one iohn tuscocurer a new prophet , called the congregation together , and declared that it was the will of the heavenly father , that iohn of leyden should be king of the universe ; that he should sit upon the throne of his father david ; that he should kill all the kings and princes , destroy the ungodly , and save the people that loved righteousnesse . this prophesie the multitude entertained , and proclaimed iohn of leyden king of zion with great acclamations . the new king being a tailor , made use of his skill , and translated the copes and carpets of the churches into robes , and set forth his majesty in gold and silver , his horses were also sutably harnessed , with saddles and foot-cloathes embroydered with gold : he rode abroad in very great state , having his chiefe officers before him ; next before him were two young men , the one carrying a bible , the other a sword : he himself wore a great chaine like the collar of some order ; his motto was rex justitiae hujus mundi , the king of righteousnesse of this world . after him followed fifty pensioners well clad : three times a week he kept court , sitting upon a high throne in great magnificence , under him sate knipper dolling governour of the city , and lower , his foure great counsellours of state : in that court he judged all controversies , most of which was about divorces , for by their new orders any man that was weary of his wife , might put her away and take another . among other memorable acts of this new king , i read , that one of his wives offending him , he tooke her into the market-place and cut off her head , causing the rest of his wives to dance about her , and give thanks to their heavenly father , and then the king began to dance himself , commanding the people to dance with him . againe thuscocurer the prophet came to the king sitting in his throne in more than ordinary majesty , saying to him , king iohn , the gospel must be renewed by thee . thus saith the lord god , goe and say to the king of zion , that hee prepare my supper in the church-yard of the great church : and that he send forth preachers of my word into the foure quarters of the world to teach all nations the way of righteousnesse , and to bring them by the spirit of their mouthes into my sheep-fold . so a publike communion was celebrated , which they made a full meale : a great feast it was , both for persons , as also for meat , for there were about foure thousand communicants , and three courses of meat ; but between them ( saith my author ) there was an entercourse , for the king accused a man of treason , and cut off his head and returned againe , and with bloudy hands he tooke upon him to administer the body and bloud of christ , assisted with the queen , who did the office of a deacon , the like did the principall officers of state. after supper the king asked the people , whether they were all heartily disposed to doe gods will , and to suffer and dye for the faith : to whom the people answered with one voyce , that they would . then rose the prophet and said ; thus saith the lord , chuse men among my people to send to the foure quarters of the world , to doe wonders among the nations , and to publish my wondrous things among strange people . then he read the names of . of whom himselfe was one ; these apostles went to the cities to which they were sent , crying in the streets that they should repent , or else shortly be destroyed : these men were apprehended in the cities and put to death , and so there was an end of their apostleship . all this while the city was besieged by count waldeck the owner thereof , and so fore oppressed with famine , that they were faine to ea●e dogs , cats , rats , sodden leather , yea some their owne children . the princes of the empire assembled at coblents , pittying the seduced people , sent letters to the people of munster , representing to them their fault and danger they were in , and that if they did not submit to their naturall prince , they should draw the whole force of the empire upon them : this was about december , , hilversum also one of their prophets being taken by the besiegers , writ out of the camp a most sensible letter to the people of munster , wherein he acknowledgeth that his former prophesies were impostures , and entreated them to open their ●yes to see how they were deluded by a company of rascalls , what a beastly life they lead , having violated all lawes of pudicity and honestie . these letters moved the hearts of many , who were weary of their lives that they lived in , and were also pinched with hunger , and they began to murmour against the king , who calling them together made a fine speech to them , saying that he would never have thought that they being born again by a new baptisme , would shew themselves so impatient for gods cause whereas they should have followed st. pauls example , bearing nakednesse , hunger , and cold to attaine the heaven of salvation : that god was powerfull enough to send them manna and quailes from heaven ? that he had great troops in holland and freezeland , that would certainly come with great provision of victualls and beare the enemy back ? that god had revealed to him that at eafter they should be delivered for certaine . finally , the towne was taken , iune . having endured a siege of eighteen moneths : after the taking of the towne , it was ordered that the innocent people should be spared , and that all the good citizens that were come out or kept in by force , should have restitution of their goods . the citizens that yeelded were spared , but the fierce anabaptists who could never bee tamed , and lay hid in severall holes , were sought out and killed . the king resisted to the last , and being taken with knipperdoling and others , was sent prisoner to a castle , drawne thither , tyed to a horse taile ; hee was condemned and executed as a traitor , being tyed to a stake , and pulled in divers parts of his body with hot pincers for an houre and more , and then stricken to the heart with a dagger : with him suffered knipperdoling . the king abjured his errors ; but knipperdoling dyed like a mad beast : after their deathes they were put into iron cages , and hanged upon the high steeple of st. lambert . thus dyed this imaginary king , and anabaptistrie was suppressed in munster . as the anabaptists had surprised munster , so they had the like projects in many other places , but with ill successe : as one iohn of geles was sent to amsterdam , and finding the people fit objects for his delusions , hee told them wonders of the new kingdome of righteousnesse at munster , their liberty of living , their pillaging of churches , and the inriching themselves with the goods of the ungodly , and of the great designes of their king , of the prophesies of the propagation of his kingdome , with such discourses . in their private conventicles they filled the mindes of the people with a frantick zeale , and made them long to be fing●ing church-plate , and the goods of the ungodly , pretending that it was an easie matter to surprise amsterdam , which town ( with others ) god had given to the king of zion , as the first fruits of his reigne over the world : hereupon they enterprised the taking of the towne , and to kill the magistrates as they were feasting in their towne house ; but by the providence of god they were deceived of their purpose . they wanting their signall , which was the ringing of the towne-bell , which was not done , ( a drunken man having taken away the rope ) the company assembled not : many of the anabaptists were slaine , and others received condigne punishment . the anabaptists after the death of iohn of leyden chose another king , who with his high treasurer was taken at virecht and kept in prison : among the exployts of that elected king , he brought his wife into a wood and there killed her , that without interruption he might lye with her daughter ; and he also cut a young wenches throat , lost she should detect him : good store of plate was found in his house , most of it church plate : the king and his treasurer was burnt . i read of another king of the anabaptists called ian wilhems , whose execrable deeds and actions are written in dutch and translated into french by ch. de niclles . this ian wilhems was sonne to one theodore wilhems , a vicar in ruremond in gelderland : this king kept his residence in divers places , as at ar●hem first ; and afterwards at lovain , wesel , alden , calcar , harsem , and last of all at a village called avendrop , not farre from wesel , to which place divers resorted who had beene in the siege of munster : this man succeeded cornelius appleman : who was executed for his wicked acts in the city of virecht . which appleman succeeded ian cordwainer , who going about to restore the broken fantastick kingdome of the anabaptists , was discovered by some of his followers to be captaine of the theeves and church robbers , and executed at brussels . this king wilhems affirmed the doctrine of the anabaptists taught in munster to be the true doctrine to bring men to salvation , and that god for his austere life had given him grace to make knowne his law more cleerely and purely than it had been ever before , he wrot a book intituled , du mariage impure des faux evangeliques , in which he defended poligami . he rob'd and spoyl'd the countrey about him , affirming that to rob the ungodly was no sinne at all for the people of the new ierusalem , because the good of the land belonged onely to lesus christ and his disciples . this wicked rout called themselves le people de ian wilhelmes . he used a sword , which he called the sword of god and gede● . this holy king had . wives to encrease his holy seed , among whom he had elsken thewes , and elizabeth her daugh●er : also clare and elizabeth , sisters daughters of ian marsens . of his facinorous acts , and names of his queens you may read more at large in the history of his life , written by ch. nells . this fanetick king was burnt according to his deserts the . of march , anno . and divers of his complices were executed at wesell , cleve , ond other places . in this history before releated , we may see the great hypocrisie of these sectaries , who when they crept first into munster made a shew of great holinesse ▪ great humility , great innocence : they would not sweare , not use any obscene speech , their ordinary communication was of mortification ; but when they became masters of the town , they broke the lawes of all pudicity and honesty . more especially an anabapeist might not beare on office in a countrey village , but afterwards iohn of leyden their prophet would be king of the universe , they would not suffer a man to weare a ring , or a woman a silken gowne : but after the surprise of munster , no prince was so gloriously arryed as king iohn and his officers an this other attendants . they pretended that it was not lawfull for a christian man to beare armes or to punish offenders , whereas in munster they exercised all manner of cruelty : king iohn cut of his wives head in the market-place , another prophet his brothers head before his father , affirming it to be the will of the heavenly father . and whereas some good citizens were grieved at their disorders , and groaned under their tyranny , and went about to shake off the yoke of king iohns oppression , about . of them were taken and put to death with all manner of cruelty . iohn of leyden incouraging them , saying that in that their doing they should doe god good service . the history of the anabaptists you shall finde in the fifth and tenth book of sleidens commentaries : master bull●●ger hath written the same , and confuted their errors : lambe●tus hortensius hath written of the anabaptist's of the low countries , and iohn gastius minister of zuricke of their doings in zuitzerland . ii. the errors of the anabaptists , set downe by pontanus , osiander , bullinger , and others . errors not to be tolerated in the church . . that christ did not assume his flesh and bloud from the virgin mary . . that christ is not true god , but onely endued with more gifts than other men . . our righteousnesse not to depend upon faith in christ , but upon the workes of charity and afflection . . they reject the doctrine of originall sin and those doctrines that depend upon it . . they deny baptisme to infan●s , because they cannot make confession of their faith , affirming that the baptisme of children came from the pope and the devill : they call baptisme of infants the marke of the beast . . they re-baptize them that have beene already baptized . . they dream that before the day of judgment their church shall destroy all the wicked , and obtaine a monarchy , in which the godly shall reigne alone . . they allow men free will in spirituall things . . they separate themselves from all other churches , accounting themselves onely pure and holy without sin . . that the office of the ministerie is of no great effisicacie , and that lay men may preach and administer the sacraments . errors not to bee suffered in a common-wealth , without the ruine of it . . that it is unlawfull for a christian man to be a magistrate , and that the people may depose them . . that it is not lawfull for a magistrate to punish any malefactor whatsoever with death . . that a christian man cannot with a safe conscience take 〈◊〉 oath . . nor by oath promise fidelity to any prince or magistrate whatsoever . errors not to be tollerated in families . . that a christian man may not with a safe conscience possesse any thing proper to himselfe , but whatsoever he hath hee must make common . . that wives of a contrary religion may be put away , and that it is lawfull for them to take others . . that a christian man may have many wives . iii. the confutation of these blasphemous and detestable errors before named . that christ tooke not flesh from the virgin mary . this error is flar against the first promise of christ , g●n . . the seed of the woman shall break the serpents head . against the promise made to ab●aham , gen. . in thy seed , &c. to david , psal. . . of the fruit of thy body , &c. luke . that which is borne of thee , saith the angel to mary , rom. . . who was made of the seed of david , according to the flesh , whence in the new testament he is called the son of man. as also isay the son of a virgin , which could not be if he had not taken flesh upon him from the virgin mary : neither should our flesh have any hope of eternall life if he were not made flesh , neither should his passion or resurrection profit us at all . in this point the anabaptists are worse than the papists , yea then the turkes themselves , who confesse that christ was borne of a virgin. the melchiorists , a kinde of anabaptists , doe not onely hold the opinion above named , but also are so diabolicall and blasphemous as to curse the flesh of the blessed virgin , by maintaining this error : the anabaptists manifest themselves to be of the number of them whom the apostle st. iohn speaketh , . eph. vese . for many deceivers are come into the world , who confesse not that iesus christ is come in the flesh . that christ was not true god. this blasphemous error is contrary to the holy scripture , as ioh. . the word was god , ioh. . i and the father am one , ioh. . he that seeth the father , seeth me : i am in the father , and the father in me , col. . , for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the godhead corporally . againe , iohn . we are in him that is true , even in his son iesus christ , that is , the true god. and againe , if he were not god , no created power had been sufficient for the worke of our redemption and satisfaction of gods wrath . this blasphemous opinion reigneth among the anabaptists in moravia : i doe not find this to be maintained by our english anabaptists , but to be the opinion of servetus , who was burnt at geneva and his followers . not to be saved by faith in christ. what can be more contrary to the holy scriptures than this detestable error : read iohn . . so god loved the world that he gave his only begotten son , that who so beleeveth in him shall not perish , but have life everlasting . rom. . . we are justified freely by grace through the redemption that is in iesus christ , rom. . . we conclude that a man is justified by faith , without the workes of the law. by the work of charity and affliction , the passion of christ is a sufficient ransome for all our sin , iohn . the bloud of christ purgeth us from all out unrighteousnesse , isa. . . i am he that blotteth out all thy transgressions , for my own sake , and will not remember thy sinnes , heb. . he hath obtained for us eternall redemption , nothing here perfect , . cor. . neither in his sight can any man living be justified . psal. . . neither any troubled conscience can be pacified , rom. . . being justified by faith , we have peace with god , through our lord iesus christ. and for afflictions they are either just punishments for our sins , or fatherly corrections to stir us up to a holy life . they reject the doctrine of originall sin , because ( say they ) christ hath taken away all evil , whether it be the inclination or concupiscence , according to that , behold the lamb of god that taketh away the sins of the world . also that children whereas they do neither good nor evill , are under grace and without sin , but so the infants of all nations and infidels may be saved , being without sin : but the contrary appeareth by the effect of sin . the reward of sin is death , rom. . and david confesseth expresly . psal. . behold i was borne in iniquity , and in sin my mother conceived me . and st. paul calleth our inbred concupiscence sin dwelling in us . and eph. . we were by nature the children of wrath . they deny the sacrament of baptisme to infants . the ground of this errour is ignorance , they not knowing what baptisme is , pretending faith and repentance to be the estence of baptisme , which infants are not capable of , and therefore not to be baptized . to this i answer ; as faith and repentance was not the essence of circumcision , but the outward circumcising of the flesh , and the inward circumcising of the heart . so the essence of baptisme , is not faith and repentance , but the outward washing of the water , the word annexed , and the inward washing of the spirit . our lord affirmeth , joh. the . except a man be born again by water and the holy ghost , &c. st. augustine affirmeth , although sound faith be not present : yet the sacrament of biptisme may be sound . the greek patriarch , writing to the german divines , affirmeth in baptisme the matter to be water , the forme the words , viz. this servant of god is baptized in the name of the father , son , and holy ghost : the instrumentall cause to be the minister . the anabaptists attribute too much in this sacrament to their repentance , faith , mortification , and merit , and little or nothing to gods mercy , which is most contrary to the nature of this holy sacrament , which sealeth up unto us out receiving into gods favour and grace for his owne mercies sake without any merit of ours . to palliate this their abhominable error , they pervert divers places of holy scripture , as matth. . mar. . out of the order of words , goe and teach all nations , baptizing them : because that teaching is set befor baptizing , they would have children taught before they are baptized . to this i answer , . whereas teaching is set before baptizing , matth. . baptizing is set before teaching , mar. . . john did baptize in the wildernesse , and teach the baptisme of repentance : and againe , where it is said , repent and beleeve : whether is faith or repentance first required ? but where finde you ( say they ) a literall command in all the new testament for the baptisme of infants ? to this i answer : the new testament doth not literally command , remember to keep holy the lords day , nor to say grace before and after meales , or to pray with our families evening , or morning or for women to receive the communion , and many other such like things , which are moral duties , & may be sufficiently proved by consequence out of the holy scriptures . as for example in this very text which they alleadge against the baptisme of children : the baptisme of children is there commanded : goe and teach all nations , baptizing , &c. the meaning is , goe and teach all them that are capable of teaching and baptize them that are capable of baptizing : to make this more plaine . is a man should bid his servant , goe sheare all my sheep and mark them : if that servant should sheare all his sheep , and mark them only that he had shorn , and not mark his lambs , because he could not shear them : doth that servant fulfill his masters command ? no more had the apostles done , if they had not marked his lambs as well as his sheep ; although they were not capable of teaching , yet they were capable of marking or baptizing . in lawes and precepts that be generall , the numeration of singulars are not necessary ; because lawes doe command the whole kind : and therefore the holy apostles baptized whole families , in which we find none excep●ed , as st. peter baptized cornelius and his family , acts . . st. paul baptized the jaylor , and all that belonged unto him , acts . . lydda and her houshold , acts . . the houshold of stephanus , cor. . , &c. again , whereas our lord commandeth , mark . suffer little children to come unto me , and forbid them not . how properly can an infant come unto christ but by baptisme ? repent they cannot , beleeve they cannot , as the anabaptists affirm : but by baptisme they may come , where the minister in christs stend receiveth them and blesseth them ; and why all this ? of such is the kingdome of god , and therefore saith our lord , forbid them not . st. peter saith , acts . . the promise is mad : to you and your children ; and therefore be baptized . to whom the promise is made , and covenant , let no man forbid baptisme , which is the seal of the covenant . again , the faith of the parents may warrant their infants baptisme : yea , though they have but an hystoricall faith , and not a justifying , if they can credere ad baptismum , though not adsalutem : this faith maketh their children capable of baptisme : many in the apostles time were baptized , having onely an historicall faith , as s●mon magus , and others . moreover , these phrases , teach and baptize , repent and beleeve , beleeve & be baptized , are meant of such as were of riper years , and made profession of the christian faith , or else the estate of christian infants in the gospel , were much worse then the condition of the israelitish infants under the law : which to affirme , is an horrible indignity offered unto christ. last of all , most blasphemously they call baptisme of christian mens children , the mark of the beast , and to come from antichrist , and especially from pope innocent the third , who lived about the yeare , . learned mr. calvin affirmeth the baptisme of children to be a holy institution alwayes observed in christ church . all the reformed churches use it , and it hath ben the practice of the universall church . the greek church ( who yearly excommunicate the pope ) to whom st. paul preched , baptize their infants , as gregory nazianzen affirmeth . and origen , who lived about the yeare , about , yeares before pope innocent , whom the anabaptists would make the author of pedobaptisme . the russians , who received the faith from st. andrew the apostle , and account the pope of rome an heretick , hold a necessity of baptisme , and put to death them that neglect and deride baptisme : what would they doe with these men who blaspheme it ? the abyssi●s , or ethiopians , who received christianity from st. matthew the apostle , doe baptize their infants : viz. their male children at fourty dayes of age , and their females at eighty . the armenian christians , to whom st. barthoiomew preached the faith , baptize their infants . baronius writeth , that these christians had a thousand bishops . the iacobites , who are a numerous sort of christians , doe the same : yea , they mark their children with a hot iron with the signe of the crosse , alluding to the words of st. iohn : he shall baptize you with the holy ghost , and with fire . the cophtie , or native christians of egypt , to whom saint mark preached , baptize their infants : these christians have no communion with the pope of rome . the indians to whom st. thomas brought the faith , do the like . the matacasion christians in africa , affirme children dying without baptisme , to be deprived of eternall beatitude . the melchites , one of the greatest fort of christians in the orient , as boterus affirmeth , do the same . the nestorians under the patriarch of muzal , who as cardinall vitriacus affirmeth , are more numerons with the iacobites , then the christians of the latin and greek church , doe the same : these account the pope of rome a reprobate bishop . the circassians , mengrellians , georgians , maronites , cephalians ; with all the orthodox christians in the universe baptize their infants . erasmus wondreth what evill devill entred them , who forbid the baptisme of children used by the holy catholick church for above . years . also the britains , to whom simon zelotes preached have alwayes baptized their children , and have honourably esteemed of that sacrament administred to their children , until some of these hereticks fled hither out of germany , where they burnt , hanged , and drowned men of that sect , till they had suppressed them . they came into england about the year . and , as they could be found , we did the like to them , burning some , and banishing others : but since the yeare of our lord . they have crept out of their holes , lift up their heads , chalenge our divines to publick disputations , preach in our churches , publish their blasphemies , print their bookes , seducing multitudes of people . and moreover , to speak of the curelty of these sectaries , who depriving infants of baptisme , put them all out of the estate of grace . we read of herod the tyrant , who destroyed all the children in bethlehem , and the coasts thereof ; is not this a far more cruell sentence , to set all infants in no better state then pagans and infidels , without christ , aliens from the common-wealth of israel , as strangers from the convenant of promise , having no hope , and without god in the world ? can any sober christian but think this to be a barbarous cruelty ? it is not lawfull to take childrens bread , and give it to dogs : but these conclude children to be no better then dogs . the propher elisha wept when he look● upon hazael , fore-seeing that ●e should dash the infants of israel against the wall : hazael thought himselfe worthy to be so esteemed , if ever he should ●●e any such things . and certainly thus to deprive infants of baptisme , is a more cruell act then to dash their bodies against stones . let these men also consider how much they provoke christs displeasure against themselves : he was greatly displeased with his disciples for forbidding little children to come to him : and one day they shall find him much more displeased with them ▪ who with great violence oppose the bringing of children to christ in this holy sacrament , and with wrong , injury and slander : prosecute the ministers of christ , who administer this sacrament to infants , condemning the●●or ministers of antichrist : yea , condemning all churches ●or antichristian , who will not cast their children out of ●be covenant of grace . the lord open their eyes that they may see their errour , and repent of it . to conclude , the baptism● of children is commanded in holy scripture : the holy apostle , baptized whole families , the ancient ●athers testifie the same ; the holy catholick church of god alwayes used it . let not the devill enter into the heart of any man to bel●●ve a f●●acick , unlearned , mechanick man , not an angel from h●aven that teacheth a contrary doctrine : what greater mischiefe can the devill and his imps do , then to make a schisme in the church , and rob almighty god of all his lambs● and cut off so many millions of souls from the communion of the church ? and also whereas our pious parents brought us to christ , and dedicated us to god the father , sonne , and holy ghost : let us take heed that we do not renounce that holy covenant , as witches doe when they compact with the devill : remember our lords words ; how can yee escape the damnation of hell ? they baptize them that have already been baptized . they do that which the scripture never commandeth , ep● . . st. paul calleth it , one baptisme , neither was ●ebaptization ever received in the true church of god ; yea the church taught that they that were baptized by such heretickes as erred not in the doctrine concerning the trinity were not to be re-baptized . also the imperiall law punished them with capitall punishment who submitted themselves to a second baptisme . they dreame of monarchy , in which the godly shall reigne alone , and destroy the ungodly , which is false ; for christs kingdome in this world is spirituall , in which troubled consciences shall be victors , and receive solid consolation against sin , the devill , and all manner of temptations . our lord himselfe saith , my kingdome is not of this world , john . likewise saith st. paul ; the weapons of our war are not carnall , but mighty in operation , cor. . our lord telleth us that the separation betweene the godly and ungodly shall not be untill the last day , luke againe , that the sonne of man comming , shall hardly find faith upon earth , luke . in that night there shall be two in a bed , the one received , the other refused . and mat. . that the angles shall separate the godly from the ungodly , and the tares to remaine with the what untill the harvest . this monarchy st. peter confuteth in his second epistle . . saying , the lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations , and to reserve the unjust against the day of judgement to be punished : therefore they are not to reigne alone here , the ungodly being killed . and although the prophets seeme sometimes to speake of a corporall kingdome , yet they expound themselves , shewing that they speak of his spirituall kingdome . to reigne with christ . years before the ending of the world was the old error of the chiliasts , condemned above years agone by the church of god , they allow men free will. so that we may doe those things which god commanded , and omit those things which god hath forbidden ; otherwise ( say they ) god gave his law in vaine : neither would he punish delinquents if he had not given them the power of free will. it is answered , it is impossible that in our corrupt nature we should keep the law , because it doth require a whole and absolute obedience in all things inward and outward ; of all the heart , all our soule , and all our might : and the sense of the flesh ( as st. paul testifieth ) is enmity to god. also , the naturall man doth not understand the things that are of the spirit , cor. . also iohn . man cannot take to himselfe any thing except it be given him from above . so eph. . the unregenerate man is said to be dead . they separate themselves from all other churches , accounting themselves onely pure and holy ; and for this cause some of them will not say this petition of the lords prayer ( forgive us our trespasses ) saying , they are pure and without sinne : to this i answer with st. iohn , epist. . . if we say we have no sin , we deceive our selves , and the truth is not in us ; if we confesse our sins , he is faithfull to forgive us our sins , and to cleanse us from all our unrighteousnesse : if we say we have not sinned , we make him a lyar , and his word is not in us . to conclude , the anabaptists that say they have no sin , are of the devill the father of lyes , going about to make god a lyar who is truth it selfe . the office of the ministery to be of no great efficacie with them . ] they doe not onely contemne the office of the ministery , but also the holy scripture . as muncer would speake scoffingly of it , bible , bible , bable , bable : they depend too much upon peculiar revelations . the sincere preaching the word of god in the publick congregations by the ministers of the word lawfully called , profiteth much . mal. . the lips of the priest shall preserve wisedome , they shall require the law from his mouth . ezech. . the priest shall teach my people the differences betweene the holy and the prophane , and cause them to discerne betweene the uncleane and cleane . rom. . . the preaching of the word is the power of god to salvation to every one that beleeveth . for this cause christ taught in the synagogues . every one among them taketh upon him to preach as a minister , iohn becold a taylor of leyden . the apostle teacheth us heb. . that no man take this calling upon him except hee bee called of god. rom. . how shall they preach except they be sent ? and this standeth with good reason , for every true minister standeth in gods roome , being the lords embassadour to deliver his will. who dareth take upon him to be the lords embassadour except he be sent ? i have not sent them ( saith the lord ) and yet they run and prophesie lies in my name . piety and justice are the two bases or pillars that beare up humane society : and whereas the devill goeth about in these his impes to overthrow the dignity of the ministery and of the magistrate , what doth he else but endeavour to bring the whole world to ruine and confusion ? the confutation of their errors not tolerable in a comman-wealth . that it is unlawfull for a christian man to be a magistrate or to be subject to a magistrate . and why ? they object that subjection came in with sin ; but christ hath taken away sin , and therefore no subjection . to this i answer ; subjection is two fold , servile or civill : servile is the vassalage of a slave , which was not before the fall : civill for the common good was before : the former a curse , the latter a blessing : eve was subject to adam before either of them sinned . . they object that every beleever is now in the kingdome of heaven , christ alone must reigne . ans. there is a spiritual kingdome standing in grace , peace and joy , in which there is no distinction of persons . there is also a civill government , which cannot subsist without distinctions and order : there must be masters and servants ; subjects and governours ; and necessity requireth it , it is the bond of the common-wealth . there is a regiment in the hoast of heaven ; there is a regiment in the body , the members move by the direction of the head ; there is a regiment in every family , the servants acknowledge the master ▪ and the children their parents . among the irrationall cr●atures the bees have their king. the cranes their leader , and the 〈…〉 principall beast . st. paul calleth magist●a●y a divine cr●●●ance all gods o●dinances a●● good & lawful : 〈◊〉 ● psalm● 〈…〉 called gods because they are in gods ●lace . the anabap●●sts themselves who despised government finding the necessity of it in munst●r , so that they could not subsist without go●ernment , chose themselves a king with inferiour officers under him . that it is not lawfull for a magistrate to punish , because reveng● is forb●dden christian m●n . in this they erre , not distinguishing betweene revenge and punishment , which is from the magistrate by reason of the execution of the law grounded upon gods law , a lawfull punishment appointed by god. the magistrate ( saith st. paul ) is the minister of god appointed for thy go●d : either for our naturall good , preserving our lives which bloody men would soone ruinate , who feare not so much hell as the halter : for our civill good , preserving our goods and possessions : for our morall good , in rewarding vertue , and punishing vice , he beareth not the sword in vaine : for our spirituall good , by coactive power enforcing men to the duties of godlinesse . in that notorious apostasie of israel , when so many execrable enormities were committed ; when micah had a house of gods , the levite wanted maintenance ; when his concubine was ravished to death , the spirit still prefixeth , at that time there was no king in israel . wee are beholding to governement for order , peace , and religion : for order , wher● no king is , every man will be his owne king : for peace , he that will bee his owne king , will bee another mans tyrant : for religion , every micah will have a house of gods without governement . to conclude , adulterers , murtherers , traytors , witches , burners of houses may be put to death by the magistrate to whom the sword is given , and they are not killed , but such in suffering , doe receive a just guerdon for their offences . that a christian man may not take an oath , because christ saith . thou shall not sweare at all , which is repeated , iames . and that it is enough to say , yea , yea , and nay , nay . answ. christ doth not forbid an oath before a magistrate , as it is a testimony of truth : he reproveth the pharisees , who taught men that they should sweare , not onely by the name of god , as god had commanded , but also by heaven by the earth , by their heads , &c. this vitious kind of swearing he forbiddeth , onely because these things cannot be witnesses of the things averred , nor punish lying . neither doe the words following , let your communication be yea , yea , and nay , nay , take away a lawfull oath ; but admonish the godly of the goodnesse of truth , and hatred of lies . that a godly man may lawfully take an oath , appeareth by these reasons , following : . from the authority of holy scripture , by the name of god thou shalt sweare , deut. . . the reason is set down , heb. . because the lord is greater , and that an oath is the end of all controversies : so psal. . he that sweareth to his neighbour , and deceiveth him not . . from the example of christ and holy men in the old and new testament , genes . . . . from the worship of god : for an oath is part of gods worship , being a calling upon god to be a witnesse of the truth , and an avenger of the lie . nor by oath promise any fidelity , or bind himselfe to any prince or magistrate whatsoever . this opinion openeth a gap to all treasons , rebellions , and truce-breakings whatsoever . if it be not lawfull for a christian man to bind himselfe by an oath , then i● is unlawfull for a christian man to keep such an oath . isaac made a covenant with abimelech king of gerar , to doe one another no hurt : which being sealed up with an oath , could not be violated without sinning . the prophe● ezekiel calleth the oath of obedience ( which zedechiah king of ●srael made to the king of babel ) the oath of god : although the said king was a tyrant and an usurper , without any lawfull succession from david ; yet he confirmeth it by the mouth of his prophet , ezek. . . as i live , i will surely bring upon zedechia mine oath that he hath despised , and my covenant which he hath broken , upon his own head . again , you may see how great a tie an oath is , and how severely almighty god doth punish the violation thereof in the story of ths gibeonites , iosh. . joshuah and the princes having made a league with them ( being beguiled by them , pretending that they came from a farre countrey ) the congregation murmuring against the princes , were answered by them after this manner , we have sworn to them by the lord god of israel , now therefore we may not touch them , lest wrath be upon us , because of the oath which we swore unto them . about yeares after , saul in his zeale to the children of israel , shew the gibeonites ; for which cause , sam. . the lord plagued the whole land , sending a famine upon them for three yeares , declaring himselfe , that it was sent because saul had slain the gibeonites , who hanged up seven of sauls sons given them by david , and then god was intreated for the land. . confutation of errors not tollerable in families . that a christian cannot with a good conscience have any thing proper , but all things common . this community they ground upon the example of the apostles in the acts. answer . an example maketh no law , neither was this universall . peter saith to ananias , acts . . whilst it remained was it not thine own ? again , cor. . every man as he purposeth in his heart , so let him give . the property of goods is confirmed in the seventh commandement . again , tim. . the apostle chargeth rich men not to be proud , but bountifull ; not to forsake their goods , but to use them well , by giving alms . again , prov. . . let thy fountains be dispersed abroad , and rivers of wa●ers in the streets : let them onely be thine own , and not strangers with thee ; out of which we may gather , that every man hath a property in his own that if their wives be not of their religion , they may put them away . answer . this is against the definition of marriage , which is a lawfull copulation of a man and woman not prohibited by the degrees of consanguinity or affinity . the marriage of an infidell before god , is in it selfe no sin . the apostle perswadeth the beleever not to put away his unbeleeving wife , cor. . joseph in aegypt married the daughter of an heathen priest , and moses took the daughter of jethro , who was not of the circumcision . marriage is a lawfull copulation of a man and a woman , not to be dissolved during life , but for adultery . that it is lawfull to have many wives . to this i may oppose the words of saint paul , . cor. . . to avoid fornication , let every man have his own wife , and every woman her own husband , heb. . whoremongers and adulterers god will judge . exod. . . thou shalt not commit adultery . malachi . . did he not make one ? . the orthodox doctrine of the church of england , contrary to these detestable errors , taken out of the . articles . having handled much poyson , i thinke it fit to give the reader to preserve him from infection , some methridate out of the paunarium , or medicinable box of our mother the church , viz. out of the articles of doctrine agreed upon for avoiding of diversity of opinions , and establishing of consent touching true religion : to which articles every minister refusing to subscribe , should ipso fasto be deprived , and all his promotions to be void , as if he were naturally dead . read the statute . . that christ took flesh from the virgin mary . the sonne which is the word of the father , begotten from the everlasting father , the very eternall god of one substance with the father took mans nature in the womb of the blessed virgin of her substance ; so th●t two wh●le and perfect natures , ( that is to say ) the god-head and the man-hood , were joyned together in one person never to be divided , whereof is one christ very god and very man , who truly suffered , was crucified , dead and buried , to reconcile us to his father , and to be a sacrifice not onely for originall guilt , but also for the actuall sinnes of men . . that christ was god. there is but one living and true god everlasting , without body parts , or passion of infinite power , wisedome and goodnesse , the maker and preserver of all things both visible and invisible ; and in the unity of this god-head are three pers●ns 〈◊〉 one substance , power , and eternity , the father , son , and holy ghost . . of our justification by faith. we are accounted ●ighteous before god , onely for the merit of our lord and saviour jesus christ , by faith and not for our own works or deservings : wherefore that we are justified by saith only , is a most wholsome doctrine , and very full of comfort . . for good workes . which are the fruits of faith , and follow after justification , alb●it they cannot put away our sinnes and endure the severity of gods judgements , yet they are pleasing and acceptable to god in christ , and so spring out necessarily of a true & lively faith , insomuch as by them a lively faith may be evidently knowne , as a tree is discerned by the fruit . . of originall sinne . originall sinne standeth not in the following of adam , but it it the fault and corruption of the nature of every man that naturally is ingendred of the off-spring of adam , whereby man is very far gone from originall righteousnesse , and is of owne nature enclined to evill , so that the flesh lusteth alwayes against the spirit , and therefore in every person borne into this world , it deserveth gods wrath and damnation ; and this infection in nature doth remaine , yea in them that are regenerated , whereby the lust of the flesh cald in greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which some doe expound the wisedome , some sensuality , some the affection , some the desire of the flesh , is not subject to the law of god. and although there is no condemnation to them that beleeve and are baptized : yet the apostle doth confesse that concupiscence and lust hath of it selfe the nature of sin . . of the baptisme of infants . baptisme is not onely a signe of profession and marke of difference , wherehy christian men are discerned from other that be not christned : but it is also a signe of regeneration or new birth , whereby ( as by an instrument ) they that receive baptisme rightly are grafted into the church : the promises of the forgivenesse of sinne , and of our adoption to be the sons of god , by the holy ghost are visibly signed and sealed . faith is confirmed , and grace encreased by vertue of prayer unto god. the baptisme of young children is in any wise to be retained in the church , as most agreeable with the institution of christ. . of free-will . the condition of man after the fall of adam , is such , that he cannot turne and prepare himselfe by his owne naturall strength and good workes to faith and calling upon god. wherefore we have no power to doe good workes pleasing and acceptable to god , without the grace of god by christ preventing us , that we may have a good will , and working with us when we have that good will. . of being without sinne . christ is alone without sin ; if we say we have no sin , we deceive our selves , and the truth is not in us . . of the civill magistrate . we give unto the kings most excellent majesty that prerogative which we see to be given to all godly princes in holy scriptures by god himselfe , that is , that they should rule all estates and degrees committed to their charge by god , whether they be ecclesiasticall or temporall , and restraine with the sword the stubborne and evill doers . the lawes of the realme may punish christian men with death for heynous and grievous offences . it is lawfull for christian men at the commandement of the magistrate to weare weapons and serve in the wars . . christian mens goods are not common . the riches and goods of christian men are not common , as touching the right , title , and possession of the same , as the anabaptists doe falsely boast . . a christian mans oath . as we confesse that vaine and rash swearing is forbidden christian men by our lord jesus christ and iames his apostle : so we judge that christian religion doth not prohibite , but that a man may sweare when the magistrate requireth , in a cause of faith and charity , so it be done according to the prophets teaching , in judgement , justice , and truth . . of the severall sorts of anabaptists . it betell the anabaptists as other heriticks , to wit , having once forsaken the truth , there is no end of their errors . as the spirit encreased , so many things were altered , and new things received by the brethren as oracles from heaven . first , they break asunder into foure sects , and david george tooke upon him to reconcile them , who being possessed with the devill , prefer'd himselfe most blasphemously before christ himselfe ; dayly they were divided more and more . there are foureteen severall sorts of anabaptists according to their severall sorts of errors or authors set downe by alst edius in his indice theologia polemina , page . viz. muncerians . apostolikes . separatists . catharists . silentes . enthusiasts . liberi . adamites . hutites . augustinians . beucheldians . melchiorites . georgians . menonists . whose severall errors i purpose to touch . muncerians , so called of muncer before named , who raising a sedition of boores in germany , was defeated , taken and beheaded about the yeare of our lord god , . he preached that all goods must be common , and all men free , and of equall dignity . that god had commanded him to destroy all the ungodly , and to repurge the church . apostolikes , a kinde of anabaptists , because they would be like the apostles , they wandred up and downe the countreyes without staves , shooes , money , or bags , preaching up and downe their celestiall vocation to the ministerie of the word , they washed one anothers feet ; and leaving houses , wives , and trades ; they were so burthensome to the brethren , that at last they were excommunicated as idle drones . they dissolved the bands of marriage when they lifted , putting their wives away as oft as they pleased . separatists , a kinde of anabapt●sts , so called , because they pretended to be separated from the world : they condemned fine cloathes : to them that laughed they would cry ; woe bee to you that laugh , for hereafter yee shall mourne . they did look sadly , and fetcht deep sighes ; they avoyded marriage meetings , fealts , musick , and condemned bearing of armes , and covenants . catharists , who deny children baptisme , affirming that they have no originall sin , and pretending themselves to bee pure and without sin . these will not say this petition in the lords prayer , forgive us our trespasses . silentes , who despise all humane constitutions , and dispatch their businesse with great silence , they answer all questions of religion with much silence enthusiasts , who pretend that they have the gift of prophesie by dreames , to which they give much credit . they would lye in trances like men having the falling sicknesse , and then would declare st●ange things which god had revealed to them , viz. that anabaptisme was holy : that pedobaptisme came from the divell , and that zwinglius was in hell , &c. liberi , a sort of anabaptists , who understand the liberty we have in christ carnally : and , being freed from christ , they thinke themselves freed from paying any rent , tribute , or tithes , and take unto themselves liberty to commit all uncleanesse whatsoever . adamites , a kinde of anabaptists , who think cloathes to be cursed , and given to man for a punishment of sin , whereas they thinke themselves to be innocent and without sin . hutites , who boast themselves to be the only children of god , and hei●es of heaven , so called of iohn huta ; this iohn huta dyed in prison . these anabaptists deny the deity of christ. augustinians , who affirm the entrance into paridice to have been shut up untill augustine the bohemian opened it for himselfe and those that were of his sect. beuckeldians , a kind of anabaptists so called of ioh. beuchelzo●●●us ; these affirme polygamie to be permitted in the gospell , and that it is a holy thing to have many wives . melchiorists are anabaptists , so called of melchior hofman , who was their prophet at strausborough , whom they do expect to come at the day of judgement with elias . they also affirme the blessed virgin mary not to be the mother of our lord , but to be as a conduit through which christ passed , so that hee tooke nothing from her , neither was borne of her . this hofman was so wicked as to say , malidista sit caro mariae . georgians , certaine anabaptists , followers of david george , who was father of the familists , boasted that he was a great prophet , the son of god , greater than christ : and hee should rise three yeares after his death , and restore the kingdome of israel . menonists , called of menon a frisian , by whose name the anabaptists were generally called , as if all their other denominations had been lost and buried . these foureteen are named by astedius : mr. bullinger in his first book against anabaptists , nameth others , as some of them under pretence of childish innocency , played many odde pranks : one having kept his excrements in store many dayes , powred them out in the street , and turned himselfe naked into them , saying , unlesse we be made like little children , we cannot enter into the kingdome of heaven . others for the same reason would ride upon sticks and hobby-horses like children in great companies , and women would run naked with them , and then in pure innocency they lay together , and so in the end it proved childrens play indeed . servetians , a blasphemous kinde of anabaptists , so called of servetus , a spaniard , whose heresies are set down by prateolus , bullinger , and others ; he called the baptisme of children an horrible abhomination : he would not have them baptized before they were thirty yeares old . this servetus denyed the deity of christ , and was burnt for his blasphemous opinions , october , . in the yeare of our lord , . at geneva . libertines , who make god the author of sinne , and deny the resurrection of the body : against these mr. calvin hath written a treatise ; bullinger telleth us of divers sotts of anabaptists called liberi , vid. sup . denkians , a sort of anabaptists , of which denkius was chief , who taught that the devill and wicked men should be saved . this denkius was converted by oecolampadius minister of basil. semper orantes , who would alwayes pray , and neglect all other duties . deo relicti , anabaptists that relying onely upon god , refuse all meanes that god hath appoynted . monasterienses , or magnificent anabaptists , so called because of their bravery under their king iohn , who added many things unto the hodgepodge of their errors : as the having many wives , which he pretended to receive from the heavenly father ; and it was no burthen for a man to have never so many in munster , they being provided for out of the common stock . they put away barren women , and women past children as good for nothing , and committed them to curators to keep : whereas they had many wives , yet it was accounted a great offence for one wife to looke ( distorto vertu ) but awry upon her sister wife , yea , accounted a capitall crime . yea , at this day they have a new crotchet come into their heads , that all that have not beene plunged nor dipt under waters , are not truely baptized , and these also they re-baptize ; and this error ariseth from ignorance of the greek word , baptize , which signifieth no more then washing or ablution , as hezychius , stephanus , scapula , budaeus , great masters of the greek-tongue make good by many instances and allegations out of many authors . in holy scripture it is used generally to wash , luke . . the pharisees wondred that he had not first washed , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so heb. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . mark. . . except they wash oft they care not . and both are allowed by our church ; and sprinkling hath been rather used among us , by reason of the coldnesse , of our climate , and the tendernesse of our infants . they will tell us that christ was baptized in the river , and the eunuch in the river . true it is , for then they had no churche , nor fonts , which now are to be used ; but in what river was cornelins and his family , or the jaylor and his family plunged in ? againe , if the spirituall grace be sufficiently expressed by a little water sprinkled , as by ducking in a river : then dipping is not necessary ; as a little bread in the sacrament of the lords supper , is of as much efficacy as a whole loafe . the apostle telleth us , heb. . . ofsprinkling them that were uncleane . st. cyprian telleth us true baptisme to be as well by sprinkling as by dipping . it is impossible ( saith mr. bullinger ) to set downe all the differences and contrary opinions of the anabaptists , with all their pernicious sects and factions ; and true it is that almost everie one of them hath some peculiar toy or figment in their heads , upon which they are divided , and oft excommunicate one another . . of their manner of re-baptizing , and other rites . they flock in great multitudes to their jordans , and both sexes enter into the river , and are dipt after their manner with a kinde of spell , containing the heads of their erroneous tene●s , and their ingaging themselves in their schismaticall covenants , and combination of separation . in the thames and rivers , the baptizer , and the party baptized go both into the rivers , and the parties to be baptized are dipped or plunged under water . they receive the holy communion most unreverently , sitting with their hats upon their heads . for their marriages , they mary not in their congregations , but in private , after this manner : barbara ( saith the bridegroome ) wilt thou have me the brother of the lord , a man newly regenerate of water and of the holy ghost ? are you of that church whereof i am a member ? she answereth , i am re-baptized ( god be praised ) and w●ll co-habite with no man but with a brother of the same faith ; to whom the bridegroome replieth , give me thy hand , and give me a kisse , and i take thee to wife , both for ou● faith approved in baptisme , and because my spirit is exceeding enamoured of thee ▪ the bride saying the same words , the marriage is consummated . for their spirituall marriage , which is their promiscuous uncleaninesse . they affirm , those women sin grievously that ly● with their husbands that are not re-baptized , because they are gentiles ; but it to be no sin at all for them to lye with any man that hath bin re-baptized because the heavenly father hath so cōmanded . gastius reporteth , that a certain mayd of modest behaviour , who had dwelt with her master honestly many years , being seduced by the anabaptists , lived among them , and after a moneth returned to see her old master , who saluted her merrily after this manner : why dost thou suffer thy selfe to be seduced by those impure knaves ? a woman having once lost her honesty , what hath she left her ? the wench answered , they told me that the heavenly father commanded it , and therefore i was most obed●en● in all things to all m●n , and denied no man the duty of spirituall marriage that did require it : her master answered , fie upon thee bol● whore , that doest not onely glory in thy great sinne , but also accountest thy abominable wickednesse to be pleasing unto god! thus they deceive the poor people , they perswade simple women under pretence of gods commandement , that they cannot be saved except they prostiture their bodies to their brethren , and play the ha●lots . for this community of women they had divers reasons worthy of registring . that christians must renounce for christs sake those things that they love best , and are most deare unto them , and therefore women must renounce their beloved honesty . that so christs sake wee must undergoe all manner of infamy . that publicans and harlots shall enter heaven before the pharis●es , and therefore common women before honest matrons . again , as we are all one spirit ; so we must be all one body ; again , one faith , one charitie . for their manner of * ordination of their ministers . the anabaptists are all preachers , every man at his pleasure taketh upon him to be the lords embassadour : as iohn becold the tayler of leyden ; i ohn matthias the baker of hartem ; and hence have our coblers , shoomakers , ostlers , &c , learnt to take upon them this divine calling , of which the holy ghost speaketh , no man taketh this calling upon him except hee be sent of god. for their learning : they have none at all , all bookes they burnt in munster but the bible ; many of them can scarcely read ; yea gastius affirmeth that many of their preachers never saw a bible . for their places of assembling , they doe not meet in churches ; their going thither ( say they ) is like the going of the heathen to their idoll temples ; but rather in woods and secret places , and this rather in the night then in the day , darknesse being fittest for their devotions . in munster they burnt the church of st. maurice , and made store-houses of others . for their manner of preaching , they please the common people well in preaching community of goods , every man to bee alike , exemption from paying of rent , tribute , and tythes ; putting down of magistrates ; and commonly they raile as if they were mad against the reformed preachers that go about to detect their errors , and teach them obedience . they affirm luther to be worse then the pope , and hate the protestant preachers more then the popish priests . for miracles they can doe none , except it be a miracle ( saith gastius ) to make halfe-witted men starke mad , or to make full ambries soone emptie . one of their prophets pretended to do a great miracle , viz. in the night time he caused to be put a great number of fishes into a soule puddle where the people used to wash horses , and in the morning he called the people together , and prophesied : thus saith the lord , cast nets into this puddle , and you shall get good ●ish ( a thing incredible ) for never fish was seene there ; but at his command , his disciples cast a net and inclosed multitudes of fi●hes , so that the net brake . thus the prophane rascall ( saith my authour ) would imitate the miracle of christ , and god in his anger gave efficacie of errour to that false miracle , by which he deceived many . . how christian princes have suppressed these sectaries , and especially how they have been punished in england . as you have heard of their detestable and blasphemous errors ; so i purpose to speak a word or two of the severe punishments inflicted upon those wicked sectaries . anabaptisme continued in germany in its vigour not much above ten years , they were destro●ed and suppressed by the christian princes and magistrates ; at frankhus there were slain about of them and executed with munter ; at norinberg also a great number were slaine ; at zuricke they drowned the● that were re-baptized ; at vienna they did the like ; at passom many were burnt and drowned ; in the low countries at amsterd●m , leyden , hartsem , and in all other places else , they were everly punished . pontanus writeth of the destruction of ● persons . the christian p●●ces and magistrates never left burning , drowning , and destroying them till their remainder was contemptible : a remnant of them came into england in two ships ▪ where they have lyen lurking . they came hither about the year . in the yeare . ●e read of them in our chronicles , viz. upon the second day of november ▪ in the said year foure anabaptists●are ●are fagots at pauls crosse ; and againe , of the burning of two dutch anabaptists in smithfield the th day of november . againe , of two dutch anabaptists burnt in the high way beyond southwarke , leading to newington , auno . againe , upon easter day , of a congregation of dutch anabaptists discovered in a house without the barres at algate , of whom were taken of them , foure recanted at pauls crosse the th day of may , in forme following . whereas l. t. r. h. being seduced by the devill the spirit of error , and by false teachers have fallen into most damnable and detestable errors , namely . that christ tooke not flesh of the substance of the virgin mary . that the infants of the faithfull ought not to bee baptized . that a christian man may not be a magistrate , or beare the sword or office of authority . that it is not lawfull for a christian man to take an oath . now by the grace of god , and through conference with good and learned ministers of christs church , i understand the same to be most damnable and detestable heresies , and doe aske god before his church mercy for my sayd former errors ; and doe forsake , recant , and renounce them , and abjure them from the bot●ome of my heart , protesting that i certainely beleeve . . that christ tooke flesh of the substance of the virgin mary . . that the infants of the faithfull ought to be baptized . . that a christian man may be a magistrate , beare the sword and office of authority . . that it is lawfull for a christian man to take an oath . and further i confesse , that the whole doctrine established and published in the church of england , and also that is received in the dutch church in london , is found true , and according to gods word , whereunto in all things i submit my selfe , and will bee most gladly a member of the sayd dutch church , from henceforth utterly a bandoning and forsaking all and every anabaptisticall errors . anno , in the th yeare of q●een elizabeth of blessed memory , one man and ten women , dutch anabaptists , were in the consistory of pauls condemned to bee burnt in smithfield : but after great pains taken with them , onely one woman was converted , and the other were banished the land. the th of july in the same yeare , two dutch men , anabaptists , were burnt in smithfield , who dyed in great horror , c●ying and roa●ing : this was the entertainment that these sectaries had in times past . in the yeare ▪ a proclamation was set forth by queen elizabeth , whereby she commanded the anabaptists and such like hereticks which had flocked to the coast-towns of england from the parts beyond the seas , under colour of shunning of per●ecution , and had spread the poyson of their sects in england ▪ to depart the realme within dayes ▪ whether they were 〈◊〉 borne people of the land , or forreigners , upon paine of imprisonment and los●e of goods . . of the audacious boldnesse of these sectaries at this time . before you have heard of the condition of these hereticks in times past : but with griefe of heart i speake it . now they lift up their heads , they write books and publish them in defence of their detestable opinions , of which i have seen some : the one by one edw : barber , and two other by a. r. anno . a fourth by one lamb , with others , and this without any controle that i can heare of . yea , they challenge our divines openly to defend their tenets by disputation , and to satisfie the people . doctor featly gave them a meeting in southwarke , where foure of their disputants appeared on their side , besides a great number of the vulgar : of which meeting the doctor hath given the world an account . would to god our rel●gious patriots assembled in parliament would at length take care ( as they have done of the romish emissaries ) to suppresse these , that the name of god be not blasphemed : that they may not infect the simple people with their abhominable errorus . was not all israel plagued for the execrable things taken by achan ? who can tell whether the plagues of god that are upon us , are for not punishing these detestable sectaries and others ? alas our poore church is oppressed , and who layeth hand to help . the plague of heresie is among us , and we have no power to keep the ●ick from the whole . the wolves that were wont to lye in the woods , are come into our sheep-fold , and roare in the holy congregations . oh thou shepheard of israel , why hast thou broken down the hedge of this thy vineyard which thy right hand hath planted ? the bore out of the wood , and the wild beas● out of the field do devoure . oh remember not against us our former iniquities , let thy tender mercies prevent us , for we are brought very low . the confession of faith of those churches which are commonly called anabaptists , printed at london in the year of our lord god , . subscribed in the names of . churches in london . william k●ffen , thomas patience , john spilsbery , george tipp●ng , sam. richardson , thomas skippard , thomas munday , thomas gunne , john m●bbat , john webbe , thomas killcop , paul h●bson , thomas gore , joseph ●helps , edward heath . set downe in . articles . in which articles you shall finde some rats bane covered with a great deale of honey . . in the . article , that the due maintenance of the officers ( viz. the ministers ) should be free , &c. their meaning being , that their maintenance should depend upon the voluntary contribution of their people : this their opinion is most impious and sacrilegious , and directly repugnant to gods law. . in the . they affirme baptisme to be an ordinance of the new testament , given by christ to be dispensed onely upon persons professing faith , or that are disciples , or taught , who upon a profession of faith ought to be baptized . by this article most cruelly they exclude all infants baptisme from the sacrament of entrance into the church , being the only outward meanes of their salvation . . in the . they making dipping necessary , which christ never commanded . . in the . the persons designed by christ , say they , to dispense this ordinance : a preaching disciple , it be●ng tyed to no particular church ▪ officer , nor pe●son . . in the . article , that such to whom god hath given gifts may preach . when muncer a seditious anabaptist began first to preach , luther advised the senate of mul●us to demand of him what calling he had : and if he should avouch god to be his authour , then they should require him to prove his extraordinary calling by some evident signe . for whensoever it pleaseth god to change the ordinary course , and to call any man to any office extraordinarily , he declareth that his good will and pleasure by some evident signe : if the anabaptisticall calling be ordinary , let them prove it by scripture : if extraordinary , let them prove it by miracles . here i might adde the summe of a treatise of mr. johnons ( who stileth himselfe pastour of the ex●led english church at amsterdam : ) written against two errours of the anabaptists maintained by them at this day . the one concerning the bap●isme of children , the other concerning the anabaptismes of elder people , what specious shewes so ever they make , saith hee , perverting the scriptures , filling their mouthes with falshood and blasphemy , abusing the people of god , reproaching and challenging all such as stand against their errors and heresies , goliah like , defying israel : yet saith my authour , their opinions are such as pervert the gospell of jesus christ , bereave the church of the grace and favours of god , to young and old , &c. first for his grounds and reasons for the baptisme of children ▪ he alleadged seven . . because it is the commandement of god to give the signe and seale of his covenant of grace to his people and their seed , in their infancy , throughout their generations . which ordinance of the lords hath never been repealed , but abideth stablished upon a certain and perpetuall ground , which is , his promise and covenant of grace made with the faithfull and their seed for ever . . because christ hath confirmed the same , when he sent forth his apostles , and appoynted them to make all the natitions disciples , and to baptize them into the name of the father , the son , and the holy ghost . for to make gentiles disciples , is by the gospel , to bring them unto the covenant of god , made with abraham the father of many nations , for salvatition , through the name of our lord jesus christ. which being a covenant everlasting , and including the faithfull and their seed , ( baptisme which did now succed and seale it , in stead of circumcision ) was therefore by this appoyntment of christ , to be administred unto all that should be brought and comprehended under that covenant of grace : and consequently , both to such as were of yeares , coming to the faith of christ , and to their children , being yet infants . otherwise the gentiles should not with the jewes bee made co-heriters , and of the same body , and joynt-partakers of the promise of god in christ , as the scripture teacheth . . because is was the apostles practice , at the publishing of the gospell through the world , to baptize both the house-holders themselves that believed , and their housholds also : like as abraham himselfe first believed , and then was circumcis●d ; & all his family with him : and as the strangers of the gentiles , which received the faith of the jewes , was circumcised likewise , with all the males that were his . . because children of beleevers are holy , and are abrahams seed and heires by promise of the kingdom of heaven . and who can then with-hold the baptisme of water from them , to whom god vouchsafeth the baptisme of his spirit , and the blessing of abraham to an inheri●ance everlasting . . because baptisme is the lords signe of his washing away of our sins , receiving of us into the church , and incorporating of us into christ , for salvation by his death and resurrection . whereof the children of believers are partakers , as wel as they which be of yeares ; and therefore can no more be deprived of baptisme ▪ then of remission of sins , entrance into the church , ingraffing into christ , and salvation by his meanes . . because there is one ba●tisme , as there is one body , and one mediator , and confirmer of our covenant of grace to the faithfull , and their seed in all ages , so as therefore one and the same baptisme pertaineth to the children of the faithfull , together with the parents themselves , as they ere also one and the same body with them , having one and the same mediator and ra●ifier of gods covenant of grace unto them , even jesus christ the head and saviour of his church , which is his body , the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all things . . because else the grace of god to his people is now since christs comming in the flesh lessened and straitned more then before : which to affirme , is highly to derogate from the grace of god , the fulnesse of christ and his gospel , the comfort of christians , and contrary to that which is written , col. ▪ . that baptisme received in the apostaticall churches of christians , as in rome , and the like , is not to be renounced ; and a new to be repeated again . . because there is no precept nor example for , and therefore not from heaven . . because there is one baptisme , as , one circumcision : as in the apostasie of israel circumcision was not repeated again , they returning . in like manner baptisme being once received in the apostaticall churches of christians is not to be repeated . . because the covenant of gods grace in christ is an everlasting covenant . . because christ dyed for sin once and being raised from the dead dyeth no more ; and we are buried with him by baptisme into his death , to be graf●ed with him in the similitude of his resurrection : wherefore all that are once baptized into his name ▪ ought still to retaine it , and not repeat it any more . . because the church of rome was espoused to christ in the covenant of grace by the gospell of salvation , having baptisme and the rest of christs ordinances in the apostles dayes , and have ever since retained it , with other grounds of christian religion , notwithstanding all her adulteries and apostasies whereinto she is falne . . because god hath his people in the romish babylon : and when he calleth them out from thence , doth not enjoyne them to leave whatsoever is there had , but requireth of them to have no communion with their sins . now baptisme is not of her adulteries but of christs o●dinance . . because else men might by the same reason also not retain the articles of faith : the learning of scripture , or the translations thereof ; and also be perswaded to d●ssolve such marriages which have been had by their ministerie , with other as strange consequences ; which to admit were unlawfull . now howsoever the brownists comply with the anabaptists in many things , as you shall ●ee afterwards ; yet in these poynts mr. iohnson , and some other of them disagree from them , counting these their opinions abominable . in describing of the brownists i purpose to set downe : . their originall , and why called brownists . . called also separatists , and why . . their agreement with the donatists . . their agreement with the anabaptists . . great in●ovators . . some of their errors set downe by mr. white . . they are bitter railers . . magnifie their owne sect. . criminate the dutch and french churches . . they pretend scripture . . blame our congregation for prophanenesse . . the prophanenesse , impietyl , dissentions , and lewdnesse of their own sect. . their equivocating and palliating their owne wickednesse . . blame the conversations of our ministers . . except against our ministers ordination . . noveltie of their ordinations . . their singing of psalmes . . their prophesying . . their blaming set prayers . . their blaspheming the lords prayer . . the tyranny of the separation . . divers sorts of brownists . . how great a sin schisme is . . how they have been suppressed and punished in times past . . mr. scots description of a brownist . . of the semi-separatists . . their originall . these sectaries are called brownists from on● master robert brown , a northamptonshire man , who was schoolemaster of the free-schole of st. olaves in southwark , this browne seducing certaine people , preached to them in a gravel-pit neare islington ; ( and by their tenets was not the holy catholike church of god included at that time in the for●said gravell-pit ? ) also when the whimseyes came first into his head ? he was advised by some of his friends to conferre with master fox ; and having been with him , he reported that hee had been with a mad-man , who thrust him out of his doores , telling him that he would prove a fire-brand in gods church . before his departure out of the kingdome he acquainted also one mr. greenham , a pious divine with his intentions , who disswaded him from his separation , using many reasons to stay him ; among others , that what grace he had received , hee had it from the church of england ; but finding him obstinate , he told him that for himselfe he doubted not ( although he went away in his hot zeale ) but that being better informed , he might returne againe unto his mother church ; but bad him bethinke himselfe what should become of those poore soules whom he had seduced , and was carrying away . master greenham's words preved true : for master browne returned , god giving him grace to renounce his errors ) and dyed lately a member of the church of england , being parson of a church in northampton shire ; but his sect remaineth to the great disturbance of our church : for those errors that browne recanted and vomited up , many male-contented simple men supped up and swallowed downe , poysoning their selves and others . . called also separatists . these sectaries are also called separatists , and this name they arrogate to themselves , like the pharisees of old ; and wel may they be called separatists , because they separate themselves not onely from their mother-church in which they were baptized ; and brought up , and fed with the pure milke of gods word ; but also from all the reformed churches beyond the seas , for they carry their simple seduced people not to any of those holy churches to bee members of their congregations ; but to conventicles , for which they are termed by a learned man separata factio defectorum . . they may also be called separaticts , not onely by reason of the separation they make from the church of england , and all other the reformed churches ; but also by reason of the grievous separations and divisions they make among themselves : for example sake ; what an evill spirit of hatefull and fiery contention was raised between the brothers , the iohnsons , which burnt up both spirituall and naturall love ; as the one of them , being the younger , forgetting his profession and brotherly love became a libeller , loading his brother and others with reproaches , shame and infamy , and that iin print to abide for ever , as master thomas white in his discovery of brown●sme doth relate ? the other separated himselfe , and broke fellowship with his brother and father , and cursed them with all the curses in gods book : this separation was confimed by the heavy sentence of excommunication , by which he ●id give his father and brother to the devill . the dutch and french ministers in amsterdam went about to reconcile francis iohnson and his father , as appeareth by their letter : narravit-nobis io●nnes i●●sonius anglus se hominem septuagena●●um ex anglia in hanc vrbem difficili itinere venisse , ut duos filios suos , franciscum , & georgium dissidentes in gratiam reduceret . &c. but their labour was in vaine ; his sonne francis pe●sisting obstinately untill the death of his father , sending him downe to the grave with a curse , as if it were engraving the sentence of excommunication upon his fathers tombe , &c. . agree with the donatists . the separatists or brownists agree in many things with the donatists , who confined the holy catholike church to a corner of africa , as the brownists doe confine the church of god to their conventibles , excluding all other christians pale of the church that are not o● their sect. may not i say , to these brow●●sts , as constantine the e●perour to acefius : capa scalas & ascende coelum solus take ladders and mount heaven alone ; who dreame that t●ey have ladders or something else to en●er heaven alone ? they believe not ( with the donatists ) the article of faith , viz. that ●he church of god is catholike , but uncharitably put all the christians of the world into the estate of damnation th●● are not of their sect. of their agreement with the donac●sts , master gifford late minister of the word of god at malden , hath set forth a treatise at large , which you may puruse if you please . . they comply with the anabaptists . th● separatists doe comply in many things with the anabaptists , & these maximes following they have from them . as they separate themselves from the papists ; so also from all protestant churches . they affirme , that theirs is the true church onely , and the gospell to be no where truely preached but by them . to receive the communion with prophane persons is to par●ake of 〈◊〉 prop●anenesse . that all 〈◊〉 preach ; having gifts . that in the church there should be a par●ty . they dislike marriages in churches , and to serve god in churches that have been polluted by the papists . whereas the anabaptists forbeare one petition of the lords prayer , viz. forgive us our trespassas , the brownists refuse the whole lords prayer . although they beare with temporall magistrates ; yet they abhor spirituall government . lastly , they like not payment of tythes ▪ reserved by god himself for the for the maintenance of his ministers , paid before the law , commanded in the law , and allowed by christ himselfe , matth. . but disallowed by the anabaptists . * . they are innovators . may not these separatists be also called novat●res , by reason of the great innovations made by them ? they can not abide no old things heretofore used in gods church . they cannot abide our fonts , nor our churches , ( steeple-houses some call them ) nor our bels , ( i hear of a sect that are called together by a sow-gelders horne ) nor our marriage , nor our administration of the sacraments in our churches , nor our burials , nor our prayers taken out of holy scriptures , and commanded by christ himselfe , as the lords prayer . . some of their errors set down by mr. white . . they hold it lawfull for a man to live with her that is not his wise , ●ather then to reveale himselfe . . that there are qualities in god no● essentiall , and that love in god is not of his being , but that the selfe same love that is in god is 〈◊〉 in us . . that i● is not lawfull for the innocent parties to retain the offendor as the wife the husband , or the husband the wife of either party that hath committed adultery ; though the innocent party upon the others repentance forg●ving the other sinne , bee desirous still to live with the other party in marriage covenant , as before , but have excommunicated the parties innocent for so doing . . bitter railers . these new sectaries are bitter railers , and especially upon their mother the church o● england , calling her apostate israel , sodom , bobylon , murthering step-mothers , idolatrous antich●istian &c. they judge and condemne them that are better then themselves , far excelling in the gifts and graces of god ; yea they condemne and sl●nder our whole nation , as a false church , false christians , a synogogue of satan , a people in a damnable estate , exempting none : neither the learned'st , nor the holiest , but condemne all . th●y boast much of the spirit but by their virulent and venomous tongues you may see what spirit is in them , viz. that spirit that ruleth in the children of disobedience . michael t●e arch-angel durst not give the devill such cursed language as the brownists give their mother , the poyson of aspes are under their lips . barrow and greenwood were possessed with a spirit of railing and scoffing , terming set prayers the smoak of the bottomlesse pit ; preaching preachment and sermocination ; the preachers deliverie of the word , the distilling and dropping downe of old parables from his mouth ; the time of preaching , disputing with the houre-glasse , the pulpit a prescript place like a tub , solemne fasts hyporiticall fasts , and a stage-play wherein one playeth sin , another judgement , another the gospell , the singing of psalmes harmonizing of pleasant ballads ; our churches styes , & our baptisme adulterate baptisme ; the receiving the holy sacrament of the lords supper a two-penny feast ; the worship of god idolatry , and us idolaters , yea sodomites , canaanites , beliamites , chamites● cainites . . magnifie their sect. as these sectaries villefie others , so they magnifie themselves , like those men of whom the prophet speaketh , isa. . stand further off ▪ i am holier then thou . and with the pharisee ▪ they tha●ke god that they are not lik● other men . or with s●mon magus gave out that they are the great power of god. these cry up their owne sect to the skies . on mr. bernard ( saith mr. robinson ) if ever you saw the beauty of sion , and ●he glory of god filling his taber●acle , it hath beene in the manifesta●ion of d●vers graces of god in our church in that heavenly harmony and comely order , wherein by the grace of god we are set a●d walke . likewise heare mr. smith : oh mr. bernard , if you knew but the power and comfort of gods ordinance as we doe , &c. touching both these boasters of their popular government , hear the censure of mr , iohnson , who sheweth them to be korites , a bellious rout , pleaders for confusion , &c. also mr. daniel studl●y , mr. iohnsons second , describeth mr samuel fuller a deacon of mr. robinsons company with his friends to be ignorant idiots , noddy nabalites , dogged doegs , fainfaced pharisces , shamelesse shimeites , malicious machavilians . . criminate the dutch and french church . in their separations they carry not their seduced people from us to the dutch or french , nor to any reformed churches to have communion , they are as malevolent to dutch and french churches as to us : many crimes they do lay upon them , as for example . . that their assemblies are so contrived , that the whole church continue●h not together , so that the ministers cannot ●ogether with their flock sanctifie the lords day . the presence of the members cannot be knowne , and finally no publick action , whether excommunication or any other cannot bee rightly done : can they say worse of us ? the lords day cannot be rightly observed , nor presence nor absence known , nor any holy action rightly performed : what can there be in their churches but meere confusion ? see what dirt these separatists cast upon the church that harboureth them . . they baptize the seed of them that are no members of the visible church , of whom they have no care as of members , neither admit their parents to the lords supper . is not this mee● babylonisme ? how is the church of amsterdam separated from the world ? . that rule and commandement of christ , matth. . . if thy brother offend thee , goe and tell his fault , &c. they neither observe , nor suffer to be observed : behold , what they complain of us , they find the same in the church of amsterdam . . they worship god in the idol temples of anti-christ , so that the wine is marred with the vessels , is not this an abhomination ? yea , the anti-christian stones have some of them the ornaments of the roma● harlot upon them remaining . . their ministers have set maintenance . . ty●hes , or a maintenance as ill : tythes were commanded by god , and never repealed ; but this they have lea●n● of their tutors the anabaptists . . their elders change yearely , which is not according to the doctrine of the apost●es ; what ? can our church have wor●e then false governours ? . they celebrate marriage in the church , is not this a foul fault ? is it not better to be married in the congr●gation with prayers and gods blessing pronounced upon them by the minister , then to be contracted privately , and 〈◊〉 into a booke as men doe horses in smithfield ? . they use a new censure of suspension which christ hath not appointed : a great presumption , s●y they . . they receive unrepentant excommunicants to bee members of thir church , by which meanes they become the body with them that are delivered over to satan . thus these seperatists besmeare the church at amsterdam : yea , they count it a great apostacy for one of them so much as once to heare a sermon in any of the dutch or french churches . . pretend scripture . and whereas they doe pretend scripture for their novelties while the world standeth ( saith a learned man ) it connot be shewed out of gods sacred book , that he hath commanded any of these following : . l●t all decisions , excommunications , yea , and ordinations be performed by the multitude . . let evey assembly have a doctor and a pastor distinct in charge and office . . let private christians agree among themselves to set over themselves a postor chosen by themselves . . to this i may adde ; where or when did our lord take the keyes from the church and give them to the multitude ? how dare any lay-man presume to ordaine ministers to binde and loose ? &c. . thy avoyd our congregations as prophane . one speciall cause of their separation they pretend to be the mixt congregations of men , holy and prophane , with whom they will nor communicate , lest they should be defiled . you have heard of the resemblances that have been made of gods church : as namely , it is compared to a field , in which are some tares as well as whea● : to a net , wherein are contained bad fish as well as good ; to a fold , having in it goats as well as sheep : yet is not the field to be spo●led because of tares ; nor the net to be broken because of the bad fish ; nor the fold to be broken because of the goats : no , we are not to depart from any church of christ for any scandall given to us by the members and professors therein , except for extreame errors of doctrine , or ungodly practises professed in it . . the proph●nenesse of their sect. this fault they finde with the protestants of our congregations ; but how they have avoyded this in their own conventicles , mr. white , mr. iohnson , and mr. smith , and many others will tell you , whose plentifull reports of their known uncleanenesse , smothered mischiefs , malicious proceedings , corrupt preachings , communicating with known offenders , bolstering of sins , and willing co●nivences , as they are shamefull to relate ; so they might well have stopt their mouthes from excepting against our communion with the prophane . to use some of mr. whites words , these that pretend such sincerity of religion , doe abound above others with all kinde of debate , malice , adulteries , cozenage , uncleannesse , so that ( saith he ) that w. c. complained that hee had thought that they had been ●ll saints ; but , i see , they are all devills . these are the assemblies to which they carry the poore soules whom they doe seduce . extracted out of a letter of master whites the th of july . i desire god to keep all people from such a congregation , where adulteries , cozenages , and thefts are in such abundance as in the english congregation of amsterdam : that i speak not of brokerage of whores , and other filthinesse , too too bad . this is true , there is no sect in amcterdam ( though many in such contempt for filthy life as the english are , viz. the brownists , &c. the author of this letter , master white , was sued for slander by francis iohnson , henrie aainsworth , francis blakewell , daniel studley , christopher bowman , iane nicolas , iudith holder , william barbons , and thomas bishop . but after master white had brought in witnesses before the burgomasters , who did testifie , & upon their oathes and depositions confirme what master white had written , he was discharged , and had charges given him by the magistrates . a briefe discovery under the hand of the secretary and seale of the city of amsterdam . . of some of the abhominations dayly practised and increased amongst the english company of the separation , remaining for the present at amsterdam in holland . . that they abou●d above all others , with all kinde of debate , malice , adulteries , cozenages , and such other like enormities , &c. the testimony of the dutch church concerning the brownists , when as they sent their messengers with some questions to their eldership , they received this answer from them ; that they did not acknowledge theirs to be an ecclesiasticall assembly , or a la●full church . the testimony of the magistrates of amsterdam concernin● the brownists , both of old , in their suit against master white , and now in their late suit for their meeting-house , when they sought to lay their action in the name of a church ; they were repelled by the magistrates that are members of the dutch church ; they would not receive complaint from them in the name of a church , or in the name of an elder , or a deacon ; but from private men ; the magistrates told them , that they held them not as a church , but as a sect. . their equivoca●ing . i might here set down their●●quivoca●ing and palliating their wickednesse , as one geoffry wh●●acres of master iohnsons congregation , being found in bed with one iudith holder , another mans wife ; for which matter he affirme● that he did it not to satisfie his lust ; but to comfort iudith , being ●ickly , and to keep her warme : as though hee had sought to performe a christian duty of love , and not an action of uncleannesse . again , when mr. studley , a chie●e prophet of mr. iohnsons congregation , was found hidden behind a baske● in iudiths house , he had this holy pretence ; that he hid himselfe to see the behavio●● of g. p. who ca● thither after him : he being an elder , would be a watchfull over-seer . again , m. ● being in a whore-●●use ▪ and creeping out at a window , the elder d. s. excused ●im alledging in his def●nce the example of st. paul , a●ts . . who was by the disciples let down over the wal ; ●n a basket. mr. iohnson sought to cleare the uncleannesse of a man found a bed with another mans wife ; to dimini●h the sin distinguished between lying with a woman , and in a woman . and old father brown being reproved for beating his old wife distinguished , that he did not beate her as his wife , but as a curst old woman . also da●iel studley , went about to palliate his filtinesse with his wives daughter , ungodlily alledging the holy scripture . let it not be offensive to the good reader to see a childe to vindicate the foule aspersions cast upon his mother , from whom he had his soules spirituall birth and breeding , by setting forth by what manner of men his mother-church is scandalized . . blame the conversation of our ministers . againe , although in the visible church the evill ever mingled with the good , and sometime the evill have chief authority in administration of the word and sacraments ; yet forasmuch as they doe not the same in their owne name , but in christs , and doe administer by his commission and outhority , we may use their ministery both in hearing the word of god ▪ and receiving the sacraments ; neither is the effect of christs ordinance taken away by their wickednesse , nor the grace of gods gifts diminished from such as by faith rightly doe receive the sacraments administred unto them : the scribes and pharisees ( saith our lord ) sit in moses chaire ; all therefore what they bid you observe , doe you , but not after their works , for they say and doe not . . except against our ordination . they except against our ministers , because they receive their ordination from bishops . to which i answer , wee have our ordination from christ by bishops and clergie-men ; and for this kinde of ordination by bishops and presby●ers we have the universall cons●nt the primitive church ; by st. paul , timothy , and titus were ordained . and this has been the practice of all the christian churche ▪ of the universe untill the time that anabaptists crept into the world . but they will alledge , that we have been ordained by antichristian bishops , and therefore they conclude every action done by our ministers to be antichristian . . to which i answer ; why is not the ordination that our fore-fathers had from antichristian bishops as effectuall as the bap●isme that was administred by them to our fore-fathers ? d●d ever any reformed church re-baptize them that were baptized by them ? and why should our ministers be re-ordained mo●e then re-baptized . . indeed our ministers being ordained by bishops and that by protestant bishops , such as cranmer , latimer , and ridley , who were holy martyrs , who renounced all superstition ; what exceptions can be taken against them ? neither can they find any shelter under that ●oted te●t , neglect not the gift that is in thee by the imposition of the hands of the presbyter ; which learned mr. calvin expounds n●t of the men , but of the office following : herein hierome , anselm● , ha●mo , lyra , referring it to the gift given him , and to the bishops & pre●byters , which hath been the practice of the church of england , and all christian churches in the world untill the anabaptists . to conclude , let the brownists confesse our b●shops to be but christians , which they cannot deny , and the ordination of our ministers will be lawfull by their owne rules : for if the ordination of their ministers by pl●beian artificers be lawfull how much more is the ordination of our ministers by bishops and learned ministers , qualified with learning and wisedome , and set apart to doe the same . . brownists ordination . but let them shew who devised their ordination of ministers ; i dare say , not christ , nor his apostles , nor their successors . what church in the whole world can be produced unlesse in case of necessity , whose conspiring multitudes made them ministers at pleasure ? what rule of the church prescribeth it ? what reformed church ever did it , or doth practise it ? what example warrants it ? where have the in●eriours presumed to lay their hands upon their superiours ? it is an old policy of the faulty to complain first ; certainly , there was never popish legend a more errand device of man then some parts of this ministery of theirs , so much gloried in for sincere correspondency with the first institution . . for their singing . for their singing of psalmes it is almost left among them , for in master iohnsons assembly they had new r●ymes , but in so harsh and hard a phrase , that the people knew not what they meant ; so that they could not sing with understanding . . these being in use , and the coppies being kept from the people ; by that means singing of psalmes was kept from the people , and sh●t out of private houses . . againe , by reason of the uncouth and strange translation and meetre used in them , the congregation was made a laughing-stock unto strangers . master daniel studley pleaded for the continuance of those rhimes , the congregation complaining of them : for ( saith my author ) he had a good veine in making thimes , especially filthy and obscene ones , which he taught unto little children his schollers , and to mistris may , who used in her house to sing such songs , being more fit for a common bawde , then for a person professing the pure separation . they object against all the churches in amsterdam , that they have organs to modulate their voices in singing : sure i am , the separatists also had need of somewhat , as a bag-pipe , or somewhat never used by antichrist to tune them , singing in their conventicles like hogs against raine . here i might aske some questions , viz. why singing set psalmes doth not confine the spirit , ( we being commanded to sing with the spirit ) as much as saying set prayers ; and why the brethren inspired with the spirit , doe not every day sing a new song , as make a new prayer , which are set prayers to the people ? and why the people may not pray together with the minister ( as it was the custome of al christian churches ) as sing together : and lastly , why lay-men doe not pray in the church aswel as preach or prophesie in the church : do they not in forbidding the people to pray with the minister , as the papists do in depriving the people of the cup in the sacrament , and that for the honour of the priest-hood ? . of their prophecying . as the illuminated anabaptists are called preachers , so the fanatick brownists take upon them to be prophets , and to preach the word of god with all authority publikely in their congregations : st , panlasketh , how they can preach , except they be sent ? and this standeth to good reason , every true preacher standeth in gods roome , being the lords embassador to doe his will : who dares doe this unsent ? these come not from the schooles of the prophers ; but from mechanick trades , & set them down in moses chaire , as embassadors of jesus christ , as heralds of the most high god : these take upon them to reveale the secrets of the almighty , to open & shut heaven , to save soules , but to hear these fellowes discourse of the holy trinity , of gods eternal decree , & other deep poynts of divinity , you may hear the mad-men in bedlam prare as wisely as they : may not almighty god say to these mad prophets , what hast thou to doe to take my word in thy mought ? &c. of their confused preaching , or rather prating , heare mr. simpson complaine , and especially of the prophets in master ainsworths church : for our manner , ( saith he ) of meeting upon the lords day , it is with such a confusion and contradiction with one another , that our profession of separation may be overthrowne by it : for example , thomas cochi in his prophesie witnessing against england , their ministery is anti-christian , and being so , cannot beget true faith ; and where there is no true faith , there is no true salvation , a fearefull sentence in my judgemnt ! again , our beloved , mr. de cluse in his prophesie laboured to prove separation from a true church for any corruption , obstinately stood in this doctrine , was by another in prophecying there shewed to be absolutely contrary to the place , rev. . . which how unsoundly it was concluded by our teacher ▪ was ●●en observed by many : also it was since by another delivered in the way a● prophesie , that even among our selves did reigne in my 〈◊〉 as namely , fulnesse of bread pride and idlenesse ; 〈…〉 , in that they were not satisfied with neither temporall nor ●pirituall food ; pride ▪ in that many did strive to goe beyond their calling ; idlenesse , in that many were negligent in their callings , if these things be so , and be not redressed by the 〈◊〉 of this pro●hesie ▪ we must , ( according to mr. de●cluse his doctrine ) make a new s●paration , how oft doe the br●thre● except one against anothers prophecying , by which , much heart-burning and strife is ●indl●d between them ? th●se thi●gs being well considered , i pray you well to minde whether this new way of prophecying on the lords day can be ●or the edification of the church or not . for this new prop●●ying of the lay people , read a treatise newly set forth by 〈◊〉 apol●nij . . they will use no set formes of prayer . they finde fault with set formes of prayers , and this also they learne of the anabaptists , who having burnt all the books in munster , and in the dominions of king iohn of z●●on ( except the bible ) were compelled either to pray without book , which they call praying with the spirit , or not at all : moreover , the anabaptists were so ignorant , as lambertus hortensi●● reporteth , that among the numerous multitude of them 〈◊〉 was not one found ( as it was credibly reported ) that could read . so they being not able to pray within book , but all without book : they have with the brownists invented divers arguments against set prayers . they pretend set prayers to be a device of man , a muzling of the spirit , a nurse of idlenesse , and a meanes to neglect the gra●es of god that are in them ▪ whereas they pretend extemporary prayers to be the work of the spirit : whereas rather thereby they ●●zzell the spirit of the people , being tyed to the ex tempo●e and 〈◊〉 prayers of the ministers . yea , the brownists g●e fa● bey●nd the anabap●●sts ; aff●●ming set prayers to be abhominable in the eyes of almighty god. to this ●●●answer ; whatsoever god hath ordained is neither abhominable nor loathsome to him ; but god hath ordained set prayers ▪ therefore they are not abominable no● loathsome . that god hath ordained set prayers ▪ see num. . ▪ . yee shall blesse the child●en of israel , saying unto them , the lord blesse thee and keep thee , the lord make his face to shine upon t●ee and be gracious to thee , the lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace , againe , deut. . . and thou shalt speake , and say before the lord thy god , a sy●ian ready to perish was my father . the . psalme is a prayer , even the prayer of moses , and and used in the jewish church , as we use the lords prayer . all the psalmes of david ▪ except some that are doctrinall ) are prayers , and have beene , and shall be read in the church of god , ma●gre all the heriticks and schismaticks in the world. in the gospell are many set prayers daily read in the church ; what ? are all these abhominable ? all the ancient churches in the world , planted by the apostles ▪ have set prayers ; as the greek church , to whom st. paul preached ; the indians , to whom st. thomas brought the ●ight of the gospel ; the ethiopians ; to whom st. mark brought the knowledge of christ ; the muscovites , who affirme , that they received the truth from s● . andrew : these , with all ancient churches have set prayers : their liturgies are to be seen . yea all the reformed churches ; the du●ch , the french , the dan●sh , the swedish , the scot●ish &c have set prayers ; onely these sectaries will speak to god ex tempore . in my christianography you may see d●vers liturgies : as a liturgy attributed to st. iames●he ●he first bishop of ●erusalem , set forth by victorius sc●at●●us the maronite , the apd●●le iames was commonly called iacobus liturgus , that is , iames the service-maker , which beginneth , o lord doe not despise me defiled with the multitude of my sins , &c. again , the service the muscovites use , taken out of the commentaries of sigismund liberus . the ethiopian liturgie or service , written by francis alvares . the cop●s liturgy set forth by kircherus . the armenian service , set downe by odoardus bar●osa . the armenian service , set downe by peter bellonius , lib. . cap. . the liturgy of severus , sometime patriarch of alexandria , written in syriak , and translated into latine by guido subritius . but to shew you a patterne of some of their new prayers ; one of them cryeth out in his prayer ; o lord , thou knowe●● , good lord , that we never had the truth preached among us untill now . &c. whereas the doctrine of the church of england is gods truth , as the learned assembly of divines doe restifie , howsoever in our discipline there may need reformation . another cryeth out in his prayer ; good lord , good lord , deliver this congregation from this man , who is unlearned , unpowerfull , unprofitable , &c. this spirituall prayer was made for my selfe , in my owne church , in my owne pulpit , in my owne hearing . to conclude this with the counsell of the holy ghost ; bee not rash with thy mouth , nor let thine heart be hasty to utter a thing before g●d , for god is in the heavens , and thou art 〈◊〉 the earth : therefore let thy words be few : for as a dreame commeth by the multitude of businesse ; so the voyce of a foole is known by many words . . they quarrell at the lords prayer . but what need i complaine of their blaspheming of set prayers ? whereas our lord taught his disciples a set forme of prayer , the perfectest and exactest of all that can bee made , it being compiled by the sonne of god , who is the wisedome of the father . for perfection , it containeth all that can be asked , or prayed against . for acceptation , it containeth the words of christ the son of god , in whom the father is well pleased . these sectaries quarrell at this prayer , and will nor say it ; as barrow & greenwood affirme it to be abominable , and as lo●thsome unto god as swines-flesh to a jew . apollina●ius the heritick equalled his songs with holy scripture : but i never heard of any heretick that●prefer'd his owne works before holy scripture : doe not these heriticks preferre their owne prayers before our lords ? if our lords pr●yer be better then theirs , why doe they not say it according to our lords commandement , luke ? or if they will pray after the same manner as is commanded , matth. . why doe they use so many vaine repetitions there by him forbidden ? i have read that st. peter used no other prayer at the communion , but this prayer which his master taught him ; and the greeks in calabria used the same : but now it is not used by some at the ministration of the sacrament . i am sure this prayer is perfect , and all other devised by them not so perfect . let us not neglect that perfect forme which our lord hath left us , or pray at least-wise after that manner , not using vaine repititions by him forbidden , as before . . of the tyranny and ill-usage of some of them to their vvives and servants . many there be that are taken in the b●iars of this propane schisme , that wish they had never met with the separation of that schismaticall body , and would flye , so that they might escape without excommunication , with which they ter●ifie them so , that they dare not so much as whisper , or as much as ●uffe against it . you may read in the boook called ( the prophane schisme of the brownists ) how cruelly also they used their servants for not doing their taskes ; as some they hang up by the hands , and whip them stark naked , being women grown ; yea they spare not the●r wives , but correct them , read the story of seudley , and mansfield . it may be they learn● this of their patriarch , father browne , who would cu●stly correct his old wife , as before . . there are divers sorts of separatists . there are divers sorts of these sectaries ; for every day begets a new fancy or opinion , it ●a●ing with them usually as with all other hereticks , who having once forsaken the truth , wander from one error to another : as mr. smith , one of their grandees , from a protestant he turned brownist ; and from a brownist he turned anabaptist ; yea , a sebaptist , and re-baptized himselfe . the first sort of separatists affirme the abominations of the church of england to be so great , that they will ●ot come within their church doores to heare any of their ministers , but ●y themselves wholly to their owne conventicles . the root of this sect was one mr. robert browne , before named : from whom are risen many sects , for every day begets a new fancy and conceit . these say that england was once the lords wi●e , but that he hath given her a bill of divorce and put her away . these deny all communion with her ; but private communion they hold lawfull with her members . as for the ancient company of brownists that were under the feeding of master browne himselfe , they were swept away as dung by the testimony of master george iohnson , and not one of them left alive that continued faithfull , but became apostates . the second sort of brownists may bee called barrawists from their protomartyr barrow , whose censures are more desperate then the former , who say that the church of england is sodome , babylon , and aegypt , and that shee was never the lords wife , nor he her husband ; but that she is at the best a murthering step-mother ; therefore they say , what communion hath light with darknesse ? ●hrist with belial ? beleevers with infidels ? and therefore they proclaime the former sect , ( for not judging the church of england so desperately as they judge her ) to be partakers of her adulteries , and that they must receive of her plagues . of this sect barrow was the father ; afterwards greenwood , brewer , bois , rutter . a third sort of brownists did arise from one mr. wilkinson , whose disciples in a short time grew so strong in the spirit that they stoutly affirmed that they were apostles , as peter , & paul , and the rest ; and therefore deny communion with all others that will not give them that title . a fourth sort of brownists , who say that there is not any one true church in the world but themselves , because they say , that they are married to christ by that one true baptisme which consiste●h of persons confessing of faith and their sinnes ; and all other churches that baptize infants are but synagogues of satan , and have never made covenant with christ , & therefore they call the brownists for retaining the baptisme of children as very a harlot as rome or the church of england . so name they the brownists , romes fairest daughter , and proclaim , that all that will be saved must come to them to be re-baptized ; and condemne all other worship to be antichristian , divellish , and ob●oxious to the wrath everlasting . of these , there are many sects and heresies you shall finde in the description of the anabaptists . many other sects of bronists there are , as the iohnsonians and their teners , who commenced a ●uit in amsterdam against the ainsworthians , for their meeting house or synagogne granted to the brownists after the rending of that conventicle asunder . the iohnsonians pleaded the synagogue belonged unto them , they being the ancient brownists : the ainsworthians answered , that the house belonged to them , they being the true brownists , because they held the ancient faith upon which their church was grounded , from which master iohnson and his company had fallen into apostacy , and therefore could not bee the true church ; and they set forth a writing of the articles forsaken by master iohnson . i might speake also of robinson and his company ; which robinson protesteth against both the former , affi●ming mr. iohnso●s company to be bastardly runnaga●es , miserable guides , engrossers of the keyes , arrogant zidkias laying the corner-stone of babylon ; lucian or scoffing atheists ; schismaticks , making the church of god a cypher ; a hangby wanting an honest heart , like chancellours and officials captivating of the church ; either marked servants of the pope , or such as care not what they say for some present advantage , using a power more execrable and accursed . master smith and his disciples doe at once as it were swallow up all the separation besides , protesting against their false constitutions , false worship , false ministers , and false governours . i might here also set downe the heresies of mr. thomas lemar described by mr. padget , with this title . the monster of lemarisme . this monster is set downe with seven heads . . mahometanisme , in that lemar denyed the holy trinity and eternall god-head of christ. . iudaisme , in affirmiag that christ should come shortly in his owne person to reigne here upon earth . . papisme , affirming that a meere creature may bee worshipped . . lutheranisme , in maintaining the doctrine of consubstantiation . . anabaptisme , in affirming that christ took not flesh of the virgin mary . . libertanisme , in holding that there is no visible church upon earth . . brownisme , in holding the doctrine of separation ; who can recko● up their opinions , they shifting daly ? mr. hancor will have a separation alone . to confirm their several sects & divisions among themselves , i might set down their uncharitable cursing one of another ; not to speek of the manifold curses that flew abroad in mr. barro●s time , nor yet of the manifold curses which the company of brownists remaining in london have oft laid upon one another : consider but those that remaine in the low countreys . mr. iohnson and his company are now accursed and avoided by mr. ainsworth and his company ; mr. ainsworth and his company excommunicated by mr. iohnson , and his company . mr. smith and his company are rejected both of mr. iohnson and mr. ainsworth , mr. robinson and his company holding mr. iohnson and his to be in apostacy . and mr. iohnson him again for taking part in his schisme against him , and by this reckoning , where is almost one of them free from the curse ? as for those stragling brownists that walke alone ; as they avoyd all , so they are avoyded and rejected by all the 〈◊〉 : is not this ( saith my author ) a cursing and a cursed sect. . schisme a great sinne . i ccould by way of counsell advise the●e separatists who forsake the church to consider how great a sin schisme is , viz. greater than murther ; a murther killeth one man or two , but a schismatick goeth about , as much as in him lyes , to destroy the church of god. to depart from the church of england , is a departing from the church of god : let them consider , the church of corinth had many faults in it , as many as the church of england hath , & as great ones too ; & yet was gods church for their faults . st. paul b●ames some there for their civill jars impetuously , they traffering them and their suits to the courts of infidels , cor. . . others for their wicked connivence and indulgence towards the incestuous , cor. . others for their vile prophanenesse in their sacred assemblies , cor. . . yea , others for heresie , cor. . would any brownist think this to be the church of god , but a synagogue of satan ? if our apostle were alive now , ( in which more light hath appeared ) he should be taught by father browne and his disciples , to give the church of corinth a new title , and not paulan apostle of iesus christ to the church of god in corinth . but the example of christ himselfe writing to the seven churches of asia may be our best direction , charging five of them with severall faults , and with crimes of a large size , yet he doth call them churches . moreover , is not the forsaking the church of god , a forsaking of god himselfe . and lastly ▪ is not excommunication one of the greatest punishments of the world , by which a man is cast out of the church ? st. paul cals it a giving to the devill : and doe not they in their separation cast themselves out of the church , and give themselves to the devill ? . how these sectaries have been punished . first , brown their patriarke was taken and laid in the gaol , and his disciples were made to f●ve ; bolton , whom some would make their author , dyed as iudas did ; a he●r . barrow , gent. iohn greenwood clerk , two of the authors of this opinion , that set prayers are abominable ; daniel studley girdler , saxio billet , gent. robert bowlie fish-monger , were indicted of felony at the sessions hall without new-gate , london , before the lord major , and the two lord chiefe justices of both benches , and sundry of the judges and other commissioners of oyer and term●ner . the said barrow and greenwood , for writing sundry seditious seditious books , tending to the slander of the queens majesty and state : studley , billet ▪ and bowly for publishing the said books , on the . day of march they were all arrigned at new-gate , and found guilty , and had judgement : henry barrow and iohn greenwood on the last of march were brought to tiburne in a cart and carried backe againe , and were afterwards hanged on the sixt day of april . and about the same time one penrie , a welch-man , a principal penner and publisher of a book called martine marprelate , was apprehended at st●bben-hea●h , and commited to 〈◊〉 : in the moneth of may he was a●raigned at the king● bench at westminister , condemned of felony , and af●erwards conveyed from the gaole of the kings bench in southwarke to st. thomas waterings , and there hanged : elias thack●r was hanged at st. edmonds-bury in suffolk on the fourth of 〈◊〉 : and iohn copping on the first of the same mo●eth , for spreading of certain seditious books penned by one robert brown against the book of common-prayer established by the laws of the realm , their books as many as could be found , were burnt before them ; examples how this sect was supprest in queene elizabeth 〈◊〉 many . they that would know more of these sectaries , let them read these books following . first , a book called a discovery of brownisme , or a briefe declaration of the errors and 〈◊〉 dayly practised & encreased among the english company of the separation , remaining at this present at amsterdam in holland , by mr. white . a book called the raising of the foundation of brownisme , by s. b. printed by henr. windet . . a plaine decla●ati●n that our brownists be full donatists , by comparing them together from po●nt to point , out of the writings of st. augustine , by george gifford minister of gods word at malden . an apology of the church of england against the brownists , written by doctor hall now lord bishop of norwich . master bernards separatists schisme . the prophane schisme of the brownists or separatists , with the impyety , dissentions● lewd and abominable vices of that impure sect , discovered by christopher lawne , iohn fowler , clement sanders , and robert bulward . item , a book called the shield of defence : written against master de le cluse , in defence of mr. brightman . printed . . mr. tho. scots description of a brownist . the cameleon is in england a f●milist , at amsterdam a brownist . he lives by the ay●e , & there he builds castles and churches ; none on the earth will please him : he would be of the triumphant and glorious church , but not of the ●errene militant church , which is subject to storms , deformities , and many violences and alterations of time : he must finde out sir tho. moores utopia , or rather plato's community , and be an elder there . in this poynt , and in that of resisting civill governours , he seems the same with the romish catholike . but they are tyed only by the tiles , like sampso●s ●oxes , their heads like ●anus , look divers wayes : they are boute●ews , & carry betwixt them a fire-brand to enflame all christendome : they have in their imaginations an idea of such a church , and such keyes as the romanists madly boast they possesse , but they will not have them the same , not to resemble their foolish alchymists : they are both seeking a philosophers stone , and neglecting the true elixa● the corner-stone ; they boast to build gold on the foundation , when what they dawbe on is adulterate stuffe besides the foundation : they begger themselves in seeking for wealth abroad , whilst at home they neglect that pearle of inestimable price , for which the wise merchant gives all that he is worth . if ever i could heare papist clear the pope from being antichrist , and prove he must be one singular person , i would then beleeve that he should not spring from a jew of the tribe of dan , as they fable , but from a promiscuous conjuction betwixt two fugitives to amsterdam and rome . . of the semi-separatists . these halt between two opinions , they are neither wholly for the separation , nor wholly against it . master iacob is said to have been of this sect called iacobites ; and therefore in his writings we finde that he mis-liked our church-government : but in his declaration hee affirmeth ; although ( saith he ) i know they of the separation be very far from being so evill , as commonly they are held to be : yet i deny not but in some matters they are straiter then i wish they were . howsoever in the poynt of separation , i for my part never was , nor am separated from all publike communion with the congregations of england . i acknowledge therefore that in england are true visible churches and ministers accidentally , yea such as i refuse not to communicate with : for his comming to our church , i heard once a minister complaine to me of doctor bancroft bishop of london , for not doing that justice that he would have had him to doe upon mr. iacob , of whom he had complained , ( as far as i remember ) for not kneeling at the communi●n ▪ this 〈◊〉 having prosecuted his complaint , and finding nothing done against mr. iacob , went to the bishop , telling him wh●t a great deale of paines he had taken in vaine , and asking of the bishop what he would counsell him to doe , who bid him goe home and trouble not himself● , but leave such things to his church-wardens . there is a sort of semi-separatists , that will heare our serm●ns , but not our common-prayers ; and of these you may see every sunday in our streets , sitting and standing about our doores ; who when the prayers are done rush into our churches to heare our sermons . of the independents . . why called independents . . their originall . . some of them write and speak against churches . . some against tithes . . would have no set prayers . . nor use the lords prayer . . why called independents . because they teach that everie particular congregation ought to be governed by its owne particular lawes , without any depending of any in ecclesiasticall matters , without obligation , acknowledge classes or synods for its government and conduct . they call themselves the congregational government ▪ as i read . these appella●ons i heard not of when i began to write the treatise . the author of the antidote against independency affirmeth , that by establishing this government in stead of suppressing prelacy , we should erect in our kingdome . prelates , viz. in every parish one . . their originall . the first man of note that held their opinions , ( as master edwards writeth ) was one mr. robinson , who leaving norwich male-content , became a rigid brownist ; but afterwards by conference with learned men , he was brought to some moderation , and writ a book retaining some of his opinions . this man dying , many of his congregation went from leyden unto new-england , and planted at new plymouth , whither they carryed mr. robinsons opinions , which spread far there , and by letters also and other meanes were conveighed into old england : and to this purpose he citeth a letter of mr. cottons . as the brownists ( saith mr. edwards ) growing up , and out of the anabaptists , did refine anabaptisme in many things , so the independents have refined brownisme from the grossenesse and rigidnesse of it . yet in separating from gods ordinance because of our mixt congr●gations : in settti●g up a church against a church : and in 〈…〉 they not with the brownists make a rent in ch●ist● mysticall body . . enemies to our churches . these independents with the brownists , are enemies to our churches , the glory of our nation , the monuments of the piety of our fore-fathers , builded to the honour of almighty god , and for his service . they call them steeple-houses , as you may read mr. cotton in one of his sermons upon the opening of the the seven vialls affirmeth . ichosaphat ( saith he ) took away the high places and groves out of judah , chr. . . so when the zeale of god lifteth up the hearts of the people , then will they not endure a consecrated place in all the world where they come ; and when the seventh viall is poured out , the earth shall be full of the knowledge of god : then all the chappels of ease , churches of states , and temples of glory , where the world hath beene deiuded , they will not leave a stone upon a stone that shall not be throwne dow●e : though now in some places you may not passe through with a burthen , nor look upon the wall thereof . the zeale of the lord of hosts will blow them up , these places will be laid open to the rest of the streets , and become but common soyle , they will not then be regarded , but trempled upon , &c. i am informed that some preach this doctrine among us . . ruine learning . againe to overthrow learning , they would overthrow the maintenance , viz. tithes appoynted by almighty god for the maintenance of his service : as he appoynted a certaine time for his service , so a certaine part for the maintenance of his service : viz. a tenth part which was paid before the law , commanded in the law , and confirmed by our lord and saviour . the persecution of the iulian apostate is affirmed to bee greatest of all other : for whereas in other persecutions they kild the priests , iulian taking away the maintenance from gods service , did occidere presbiterium , the whole order . when i first heard of the name of independency , i confesse i could not well mislike it , knowing the poverty of many livings within the walls of london , and the dependency of the ministers , being not able to subsist without the charities of the people . and for example , among others the tithe of a parsonage of a learned doctor , ( who is accounted one of them ) not to bee worth above . l. per annum towards all charges , and divers others to be of small value : i could not well blame them , if renouncing their tithes , they have devised some other way to subsist . in time of superstition the said living is reported to have been worth about two hundred pound per annum ; by reason of a gang of silly women with childe to the image of our lady of steining ( in that church ) to which they did ●ot with many rich offerings , being perswaded that she could give them easie labour : other churches had their working saints that relieved their parsons , as one could make barren women fruitfull , &c. and for this cause the poore livings in london were so highly rated in the subsidy . and whereas one man had hererofore many livings ▪ which now is prohibited : as my predecessor had three , alhollowes the great , the temple , and edmonds within the line of communication : and also our vailes for burialls and christings is in a manner ceast , which were a great helpe too . should i blame the poora ministers to devise some meanes to have a being : but whereas they gather congregations among us who are as poore as themselves , getting our fattest sheep from us , and for other causes , i like it not . . allow no set prayers , they allow no set prayers . the jewes used set prayers , iohns disciples used set prayers , and christ gave his dissciples a set forme of prayer , which all christian churches in the world generally use . master calvin all●dgeth three reasons for the maintaining of set prayers . first , to provide for the weaknesse of some minister . secondly , that there might be a generall consent and agreement in all churches . thirdly , to crosse the liberty of some ministers , who affect noveities : and therefore it bohoveth to have a set catechisme , a set forme of administring the sacrament , a set forme of publike prayers . for taking too much liberty in their praying , i have had too much sence , being deprecated or execrated by some of them , yea even in my owne church , in my owne pulpit , and in my owne hearing . . use not the lords prayer . againe , some of them will not use the lords prayer , preferring their owne before it . if the lords prayer bee more perfect than theirs , why doe they not use it , but abuse the people , using their owne imperfect prayers , and omitting our lords perfect prayer commanded by him to be used . i have read that apollinaris the heriti●k equalled his writings with the holy scriptures , but preferred them not as these seem to doe , in om●tting christs prayer commanded to be used , and using their owne , as before . to conclude , my prayer to god is , that god would give them grace to use their gifts that he hath given them to edification , and not to make a rent in his church . doctor steward hath written a book , in which is set down the opinion of some of the reformed churches concerning independency . of the familists . this sect of the family of love is one of the most erron●ous and dangerous sect that ever was . the family of love are so called , because they will admit none common among them ; their love is so great that they may joyne with any congregation , and live under obedience to any magistrate , be he never so ungodly , and therefore to ●urry favour with all , they have some opinions agreeable with all in some things . they agree with the turks in some things , with the iewes in some things , with the don●●●sts , palagians , libertines , arians , and anabaptists , in many things with the papists , in few with the protestants . in describing of this sect i purpose to set downe : . their originall or authors . . their horrible blasphemies . . their confession of faith , or creed . . their conversations . . their severall sorts . . how to discover one of this sect. . the abjuration of certaine familis●s at pauls crosse. the first author was one david george of delfe , who fled out of holl●nd●● basill giving it our that he was banished out of the low countreyes ; he changed his name , called himselfe iohn of bridges he affirmed that he was that right david that was sent from god , and should restore againe the kingdome of israel . he wrote divers books as one called the wonder-booke . he broached his damnable heresiee , as : ● . all the doctrines taught by moses , the prophe●s , and christ himselfe were not sufficient to salvation , but only to keep the people in good order till the comming of david george , but his doctrine was able to save all those that put their trust in him . . that he was the right messias , the beloved son of the father , not born of the flesh , but of the holy ghost ; and that when christ was dead according to the flesh , the spirit of christ was left by the fathers appoyntment untill the comming of this david george , and given him . . that he would set up the true house of david , and the children of levi must raise the tabernacle of god through the spirit of christ , not by the crosse and suffering , but through meeknesse and love . . that whosoever speaketh against this doctrine shall never be forgiven in this world , nor in the world to come ; he dyed the . of august , . at which his disciples were much dismayed , for he promised them that he should not dye : or if he did , that he should rise againe , and fulfill all his former promises , whereupon some forsook his heresies . the magistrates being informed of his doctrine and manners , caused his house & the houses of such as were suspected to hold such errours to be searched , his books to be burnt , forseiting his goods and lands ●o the use of the town , causing his followers to recant . after him rose one henry nicholas borne in amsterdam , a towne in holland , of many called henry of amsterdam who took upon him to maintaine the same doctrine , yet not in the name of david but in his owne name , as a prophet sent to rebuke the world of sin and iniquity , naming himself● rest●●r●to● mund● , the restorer of the world . mr. iessop describeth h. n. after this manner , page . they call him the new man , or the holy nature , or holinesse which they make to be christ , and sin to be antichrist , because it is opp●●i●e to christ. they say that when adam sinned then christ was killed , and antichrist came to live . they teach the same perfection of holinesse which adam had before he fell , is to be obtained here in this life , and affirme , that all their family of love are as perfect and innocent as hee , and that the resurrection of the dead spoken of by st. paul , cor. . and this prophesie , then shall be fulfilled the saying which is written ; o death where is thy sting ? o grave where is thy victory ? is fulfilled in them ; and they deny all other resurrection of the body to be after this life . they will have this blasphemer h. n. to be the son of god , christ , which was to come in the end of the world to judge the world , and say that the day of judgement is already come , and that h. n. judgeth the world now by his doctrine ; so that whosoever doth not obey his gospell ( in time ) shall be rooted out of the world , and that this family of love shall inherit and inhabite the earth for ever , world without end : onely they say they shall dye in the body , as now men doe , and their soules goe to heaven , but their posterities shall continue for ever . this deceiver describeth eight through-breakings of the light ( as he tearmeth them ) to have been in eight severall times , from adam to the time that now is , which ( as he saith ) have each exceeded other . the seventh he alloweth iesus christ to be the publisher of , and his light to be the greatest of all that ever were before him ; and he maketh his owne to be the eight and last and greatest , and the perfection of all , in and by which christ is perfected , meaning holinesse ; he maketh every one of his family of love to be christ ; yea , and god , and himselfe god , and christ in a more excellent manner , saying that he is godded with god , and co-deified with him , and that god is hominified with him . these horrible blas hemies with divers others , doth this h. n. & his family teach to be the everlasting gospell : which the angel is said to preach in the rev. . . they professe greater love to the church of rom● , and to all her idolatries and superstitions , then they doe to any church else whatsoever , except themselves . they wickedly abuse these words of christ ; i must walk to day , to morrow , and the third day i shal be perfected : and say , that by to day is meant the time of jesus christ his apostles : and by to morrow , all the time of the religion of the church of rome : and by the third day , this their day of h. n. and his family wherein they will have christ to be perfected . and they doe compare all the whole religion of the church of rome to the law of moses , affirming that as god did teach his prople by these shadowes and types , till jesus christ came ; so hee hath taught the world ever since by the images , sacrifices , and heathen rites of the church of rome , till this wretch h. n. came , and now he must be the onely chiefe teacher , gods obedient man , yea his son ( as they blasphemously call him . ) hee by his gospell must make all things perfect . one christopher viret , a joyner dwelling in southwarke , who had been in queen maries dayes an arian , being infected with hen , nocolas his doctrine , poyso●ed first the english with this heresie : he translated out of dutch into english divers of the books of henr. nicholas , as evangelium regni , out of which and others these errors are collected . . their blasphemous errors . . concerning god ] that there is none other deitie belonging unto god , but such as men are partakers of in this life . . concerning christ ] . that christ is not god. . christ is not one man ; but an esta●e and con●●tion in men , common to so many as have received h. n. his doctrine , &c. . of adam ] that adam was all that god was ; and god all that adam was , &c. . concerning baptisme ] that no man should be baptized untill he was yeares old . . concerning the word ] that there was never truth preached since the apostles time before h. n. . concerning the resurrection ] . the resurrection of the body is a ●ising from sin and wickednesse . . that the dead shall rise and live in h. n. and in the iluminated elders everlastingly and reigne upon earth . . concerning the day of judgement ] . that the day of judgement is in this life . . that the joyes of heaven are here upon earth . . concerning marriage . ] the marriage of such as are not enlightned with true faith is ●●lthy and polluted , and to bee reputed for whoredome . . concerning henry nicolas . ] . he is raised by the highest god from the dead . . he can no more ●rre then moses or christ , &c. . he is the true prophet of god , sent to blow the last trumper of doctrine which shall be published upon earth . . that he onely knoweth the true sense of scripture . . that his books are of equall authority with the holy scripture . through the service of h. n. his holy and gracious word , and our obedience thereunto ; we are led of the father to the love of jesus christ. . that the scriptures are fulfilled in h. n. and his family . . h. n. knoweth the secrets of our hearts . . that all men must submit themselves to the godly wisdome of h. n. &c. . concerning their illuminated elders and family . ] . all illuminated elders are godded with god , or deified ; and god in them hominified , or become man. . the young disciples are adams , and the illuminated elders christs . . the eldest father of the family is christ himselfe . . that the estate of all such as are not of this sect is a false being , the antichrist , the wicked spirit , the kingdome of hell , and the devill himselfe . . the family of love is perfect in this life , and therefore that they must not pray for forgivenesse of sins . . that their illuminated elders doe not sinne . . they may ioyne with any congregation and church , and live under the obedience of any magistrate though never so ungodly . . whatsoever is taught by any other then by their illuminated elders is false : such as despise their family shall bee consumed with everlasting fire . moreover they hold : . that he who is one of their congregation is either as perfect as christ , or else a very divell . . that it is lawfull to doe whatsoever the higher powers command to be done , though it be done against the commandement of god. . that it is ridiculous to say , god the father , god the son , god the holy ghost ; as though by saying these words , they should affirme to be three gods. . that every man ought first to be in an errour before he can come to the knowledge of the truth . . that heaven and hell are present in this world among us , and that there is none other . . that they are bound to give almes to none other persons but to those of their sect , and if they otherwise doe , they give their almes to the divell . . that they ought not to burie their dead : because it is said , let the dead bury the dead . . that none ought to receive their sacraments before he receiveth their whole ordinances , as . he must be admitted with a kisse , then his feet must be washed , then hands laid on him , and so received . . that the angels raphael , and gabriel and others were borne of a woman . . that they ought not to say davids psalmes as prayers , being righteous and without sinne . . that there ought to be no sabbath day , but that all should be alike . . that christ is come forth of the flesh as he came forth of the virgin mary . . that there was a world before adams time as is now . . that the law of god is possible to be kept of every man that will endeavour himselfe thereto . . that it is ●●pedient that they should make manifest their whole heart , with all their counsels , minds , wils , and thoughts , together with all their doings , dealings , and exercises naked and bare before the children of the family of love , and not to cover or hide any thing ( be it was it is ) before him , and what their inclination and nature draweth them unto . in a word , their doctrine is perverse , blasphemous and erro●eous : it openeth a doore to all wickednese , turning religion up-side-downe , building heaven here upon earth , making god man and man god , heaven hell , and hell heaven , not accounting of the law of god , and making but a jest of the gospell of jesus christ , leaving no manner of sin uncommitted , & yet affirming they sin not at all : for venome and poyson which will bring present death to the soule , he hath dispersed over every member and article of the beliefe ; so universall is the poyson of his opinion , as you may see in their confession set down by mr. knewstub . . the confession of familists . i doe believe in god the father almighty , maker of heaven and earth . they say the same is a true living god , a mighty spirit , a perfect cleare light ; a true being , and that the same being is god , the fathers name , and his love it selfe . and they perswade their good willing ones , that by the beliefe of this article , which they call the baptisme in the fathers name , that here and now they do attain to the perfect obedience of the law of god and of the beliefe of jesus christ , and love of the holy ghost , which they make to be all one with the perfect righteousnesse of the law. . and in iesus christ his onely son our lord. some of these words they alter , for instead of his onely son , they say the onely son of god &c. whereby jesus the only son , i mean , righteousnesse : for there is their generall tenet and conclusion , that righteousnesse is christ , and sin is antichrist . the seed of the woman is righteousnesse and holinesse , and the seed of the serpen● is sin turning the person of christ into equality . . which was conceived of the holy ghost , borne of the virgin mary . as we confesse the thing done , so we speake of the present time as of the thing doing , saying , which is conceived of the holy ghost , meaning , every one that comes to take in their belief ( as they term it ) is then conceived of the holy ghost , & born of the virgin mary , calling the conception of their fancy the first or virgins estate of infancy , so making the article intend all and every one of them in generall , and hot one in particular , as we beleeve . . sufferedunder pontius pilate , was crucified dead and buried , and descended into hell . in the former article they confesse the conception and birth of the blessed seed of abraham according to the promises , and here they beleeve their sufferings according to the scriptures . and jesus christ is borne and conceived in themselves under pontius pilate , and so is incorporated into the death of his crosse , and this they call the baptisme under the obedience of the beliefe in the name of the son ; and they f●y , they bury through his belief , the old man , which state they call the youth or young man ; the renewing of the spirit in an upright life , wherein this article both of suffering , crucifying death and buriall , and discention into hell , are fulfilled in them : the rest you may see in mr. knewstub . . their lewd conversations . of this holy family we read , that most shameful corruption of life hath alwaies followed corruption of doctrine , as rom. . . god gave them up to their owne hearts lusts , to uncleannesse , to defile their owne bodies between themselves , which turned the truth of god into a lie . they are like priscillianus the hereticke , of whom h. n. borrowed not onely that villanous wresting of the word by allegories , as also the monstrous opinion that perj●ry and lying was lawfull , and to be done with a good conscience to conceale religion . priscilianus ( saith daneus ) was put to death at treversa a city of germany , confessing at his death what shameful villanies he had committed with the women of his sect. the familists talke of love , and being in love , and nothing but love ; but their love turneth into lust , as one writeth of them . hen , nicolas , as i finde written , had in his house three women apparelled alike : the one he affirmed to be his wife , the other his sister , the other his cousin : which cousin of his falling sick , and doubtfull of her life , confessed to her neighbours who resorted to her in her sicknesse , that h. n. had often abused her body , and made her believe that she should never dye . complaint thereof being made to the governour , he came to the house to have apprehended him ; but he fled . it was thought he was gone with granvella unto naples , his goods were seized upon and carried to the castle in embden , in the yeare of our lord . and in the . yeare of his age . . of divers sorts of familists . of the castalian order , which dissent from the doctrine of the church of england , opposing in every syllable , and yet being notorious hypocrites , if they bee never so little questioned , will make shew by outward seeming of conformity , as if they did highly approve the doctrine of our church . who hold that the law of god may be perfectly fulfilled by men in this world . who tearme themselves eagles , angels , and arch-angels , lambes , & doves , &c. who hope in a short time to be inspired with light and illumination , as ever paul or any prophets were , which allegorize the places of scripture concerning christ denying indeed that there was ever any such man as christ , dreaming onely of a sanctisying christ , & abhorring a justifying saviour , expecting salvation by their owne works , although they bee knowne to be co●rupt workers both in their calling and families , holding that turks and pag●ns may be saved if they live well , although they never heard of christ. of the grindletonian familists , who hold : . that the scriptures are but for novices . . the sabbath to be observed but as a lecture-day . . to pray for the pardon of sin after he is assured of gods love , is to offer christ again . . that their spirit is not to be tryed by the scripture , but the scripture by their spirit . . that we must not goe by motives , but by motions . . that when god comes to dwell in a man , he so filleth the soule , that there is no more sinfull lusting . . that they see no reason why ministers should speak against the sins of the wicked , seeing the wicked men can doe nothing but sin . . which boast and thank god that they have cast off praying in their families , repeating of sermons , and such like things long agoe . . which scoffe at such as make conscience of words , with many other pernicious poynts . . of a third sort , familiests of the mountains , who say that they have cleane vanquished the divell , and are pure from all sin , and never so much as once tempted to doubt of their spirituall estate . . of a fourth sort , familistes of the vallies , who bring in their damnable doctrine , with faire pretences of weeping , sighing , & lifting up their eyes to heaven , of patience , of a smooth carriage , and the like . . familists of the scattered flock , who seduce by pretending themselves to be of them which feare the lord when they are nothing lesse . . familists of caps order , and of other ranks . . how to discover familists . they are ( saith my author ) at this present so close and cunning , that they can carry themselves , being directed thereunto by their master h. n. that ye shal hardly ever find them out . they wll professe to agree in all things with the church of england , and also with the church of rome , if they should be examined by them only , they will not lightly deny their mr. henr. nicolas , nor speak evill of him , nor of his writings , if they should be put to it , and there is no way but this to discover them . i say , to put them to the denyall and abjuring of him and his writings , and to pronounce him a blasphemer , and his doctrines blasphemous : this they will hardly doe , unlesse they be not yet fully his disciples . . the abjuring of certaine familists . the . of iune . stood at pauls croste five persons , english-men , of the sect termed the family of love , who there confessed themselves utterly to detest aswell the author of that sect h. n. as all his damnable errors and heresies , master iohn knewstub hath written a confutation of the monstrous and horrible heresies of the family of love , printed by thomas dawson . . of adamites . an old heresie , of which st. augustine maketh mention , but renewed by the anabaptists , in the assembly of the adamites men & women pray naked , celebrated the holy communion naked heare sermons naked . these hereticks had their conventicles in subterranean places , called hypocausta , because that under the place of their meetings a furnace of fire was kindled to warme the place of their conventions ; for they uncloathed themselves when they entred into it , and stood naked born men and women , according to the similitude of adam , and eve before their fall . they call the place of their meeting paradice . i read in the history of the anabaptists , page . that in amsterdam , in a house seven men and five women had a meeting : one of them called theadoret a taylor , who bore himselfe a prophet , fell flat on the ground , prayed with such vehemenacy , that he scared all the assistants , and rising as if it were out of an extasie , i have seen ( said he ) god in his majesty , and have spoken with him : i was taken up into heaven , then i descended into hell , and there scarched every corner : the great day of the last judgement is comming . at night they met againe in the same place , and after four houres spent in praying and teaching the prophet being armed , disarmeth himselfe , and putteth off his garments to his shirt , and throweth them in the fire : then he commandeth the company in authority of a prophet to doe the like , and so they did , women , and all , leaving not so much as a hai●elace to tye up their scattered haire , no covering to the body , no shelter , ( for so was the prophets pleasure , that they should cast away all that came out of the earth and burn it as a sacrifice of sweet favou unto god : yet you may think ( saith my author ) that the burning of so many clo●hes yeelded no very sweet favour , for it was such as awaked the ●istris of the house that knew nothing of the meeting , and made her arise to seek where this burning was , for that smell made , her afraid that the fire was in her shop which was of wollen drapery . being come to the place , she saw eleven naked bodies , and the propher commanded her to put off her cloathes and put them in the fire , which she did : then the prophet commanded them all to follow him , and doe as he should doe , and so rushed into the street stark naked , and all his disciples after him , running and crying horribly throughout the town , woe , woe , woe , the divine vengeance , the divine vengeance , whereby they put the whole town into an uproare ; the people thinking that the towne was surprized by some enemy , they were all taken but one woman that slipt out of the way , & brought before the magistrate : and as they stood all naked in a full court , they could never be perswaded neither by command nor threatning to put on garments which they offered them , saying , that they must have no covering , for they were the naked truth : they were kept a while in prison untill the great conspiracy in amsterdam by the anapaptists , when they went about to surprise the town , & then they were executed . the mistris of the house where the conventic●e was kept was hanged before her owne doore . of the adamites in bohemia . whereas bohemia is like africa , alwayes bringing forth some new thing : an heresie ( saith he ) far greater then the for●er , arose there , viz. of the adamites . a certain piccard passing over the rhene , came out of the low countries into bohemia , who , with craft & with delusion deceiving many , gathered a multitude of followers , and taking an island in the lusmisicus lake , he lived there , prosessing himselfe to be the son of god ; he taught his sect to goe naked , and to call him adam & to use promiscuous marriages , and for their lust every one to take a woman and to bring her before the prelate , saying , my flesh doth wax hot upon this woman : unto whom adam answered , encrease and multiply . this man called all other men slaves , & himselfe and they that were of his sect , free-men : forty of this sect with their swords drawn set upon the village adjoyning to them , and killed about . husband-men , whom they called the children of the devill : when these things were come to the eares of zisca , the adamites were all slaine , but two men who were left to declare and make known to the world their superstitions , with the women who declared that all that wore cloathes , and especially breeches , were by no means free-men . these women were committed to prison , and afterwards for their obstinacy in their errors they were burnt . they did undergoe their punishment with great ●aerity , singing and laughing in the fire . of antinomians . in describing of these sectaries i purpose to set downe : . the originall of the antinomians . . their errors . . the first antinomian in england . . the opinions of our moderne antinomians . . the stirs raised by the antinomians in new-england , and their banishing from thence . . the originall of the antinomians . the antinomians are so called , because they would have the law abolished in the light of the gospell . the author of this sect pontanus affirmeth to be one iohn agricela of isleby who broached his errours about the year of our lord , . . the errors of the antinomians . pontanus in his catalogue of hereticks setteth downe thes following . . they precend the law not to be given to christian men . the law to pertaine to the court , and not to the gospel . . the ten commandements not to be ta●ght in the church because they that are regenerate need not the law , becaule they doe that duty willingly , being led by the spirit . . there to be no need of the law to any part of our conversion . . it is sufficient for a wieked man to beleeve , and not to doubt of his salvation . . our faith and religion to have been unknewn to moses . . neither good works profit to salvation , neither ill works can doe any hurt . . that a ghristian man cannot be known by his works . . the third use of the law , that it is a rule of life , is blasphemous in divinity , and a monster in nature . . the first antinomian in england . the first antinomian among us , ( that i can heare of ) was one master iohn eaton who had been a scholler of m●ne , and afterwards was cu●ate to mr. wright 〈…〉 neere algate ; he was 〈◊〉 his errors impriso●● , in the ga●● heule a westminster . there is a 〈◊〉 set 〈◊〉 in his name , called the honey-combe of fre●●ust ●●ation by christ alone , collected ( as he pre●ende●● ) out of the 〈…〉 of scup●ures , and common and ●animous consent of the faithfull 〈◊〉 of gods mysteries upon the same : the main subject of which bock is to prove that god doth not , will not , nor cannot see any sin in any of his justified children . to prove the poynt above named , he maketh a distibution of justified persons , in regard of their estate , according to 〈◊〉 distinct times : the time of the law , the time of iohn baptist & the time of the gospell : the first glorious , the second more glorious , the third most glorious . the first time of the law was glorious ( saith he ) because jesus christ was in it , & glorious things are spoken of the city of god that then was , yet christ and those glorious things were then vailed and greatly obscured with the bondage terrors , and legall government , not onely of the ceremoniall law , ( as the papists hold ) but also of the morall low , whereby sin was severely taken hold of , and punished sharply in gods children . the second time between the law and the gospell , to wit , the time of iohn baptist , continuing to the death of christ , was more glorious than the former : because in it the former legall severitie that then lay upon the children of god , began then to s●ick and cease ; for although iohn laid open their sinnes and the danger of them , yet we read not of any punishment inflicted on gods children . the third time the most glorious , is since christ graned out his bloud and life upon the crosse , by which sin it self , and guilt , and punishment are so utterly & infinitely abolished , that there is no sin in the church of god , and that god now sees no sin in us : and whosoever beleeyeth not this poynt , is undoubtedly damned . to the strengthening of this his fiction he abuseth divers places of luther , calvin , and others , who ( in all likely-hood ) never once dreamed of this fancy . and them that are contrary to this his opinion , he loadeth with approbrious imputation , and vile aspersions , besmearing them with his honey-combe : for his errors mr. eaton was imprisoned in the gate-house , as before . . of the errors of our moderne antinomians . the antinomians will say that eaton is dead , and that his errors dyed with him : whatsoever they say , you may read a learned book set forth by mr. gataker : in the preface whereof you may see the opinion : of the modern antinomians , viz. . that the morall law is of no use at all to a beleever , no● a rule for him to walke in , nor to examine his life by , and tha● christians are free from the mandatory power of it : when●● one of them cryed out in the pulpit , away with the la●● which cuts off a mans legges ▪ and then bids him walke . . that it is as possible for christ himself to sin , as for a child of god to sin . . that the childe of god need not , nor ought not to aske pardon for sin , and that it is no lesse then blasphemy for him so to doe . . that god doth not chasten any of his children for sinne , nor is it for the sins of gods people that the land is punished . . that if a man know himselfe to be in the state of grace , though he be drunke or commit murther , god sees no sinne in in him . . that when abraham denyed his wife , and in outward appearance seemed to lye in his distrust , lying , dissembling ▪ and equivocating that his wife was his sister , yea , then all his thoughts , words , and deeds , were perfectly holy , and righteous from all spot of sin in the eyes of god freely . to this i may adde that wholsome exhortation of one of their teachers in his pulpit ; let beleevers sinne as fast they will , they have a fountaine open to wash them : may not a man expect more honest dealing from a heaten man , or from a conscientious papist , that is perswaded that god sees his sin , then from the hand of an antinomian thus principled ? for your better information , read mr. gatakers learned book before named , now set forth , which is to be sold by fulke clifton dwelling upon new fish-street hill . of the stirs raised by the antinomians and familists in new-england , and of their banishing of them set downe by mr. wells in a booke printed for ralph smith at the signe of the bible in cornhill ; in which you way read a learned confutation of their errors . ●ome persons among those ( saith my author ) that went hence 〈◊〉 new-england , being fraighted with many loose and unsound 〈…〉 , which ●●ey dust not here , they there began to 〈◊〉 them ▪ the 〈…〉 whereof ope●ed such an easie and wide 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 ; that by the 〈◊〉 slights , friendly and hum●● 〈…〉 their own doctrine , as a 〈◊〉 〈…〉 those that they were acquainted 〈…〉 revelation , not sanctificat●on , working first upon women ●●●●ducing godly ministers to be , and preach 〈◊〉 , a covena●● of works , dropping their ba●s by little and little , and angling yet further where they saw them take , and fathering their opinions on 〈◊〉 of the best qualitie in the countrey ; and by the mea●s of mistris hutchinsons double weekly ●ecture a● rost●n , under pre●ence of repeating mr. cottons sermons , these opini●ns were quickly dispersed , before authority was aware , into all the countrey round about . which because they had already ca●ght some eminent perso●s in the countrey , grew at last to that pride and ins●lency , that it had almost ru●nated the poor church of god & ●hey did threaten the same very much both in their words and actions , their opinions were such as these first , that the law , and the preaching of it , is of no use at all , to drive a man to christ. that a man is 〈◊〉 to christ , and justified without faith ; yea from etarnity . . that fa●th is 〈◊〉 ●●ceiving of christ , but a m●ans discerning 〈◊〉 he hath receive him already . . th●● 〈…〉 to christ onely by the worke of the 〈◊〉 upon him without any act of his . . that a man is never effectually christs , 〈◊〉 hee hath assurance . . this assurance is onely from the witnesse of the spirit . . this 〈◊〉 of the spirit is meerely 〈◊〉 , without any respect to the word , or any co●currence with 〈◊〉 . . when a man hath once this witness● he never doubt● 〈◊〉 . to ques●ion my assurance , though i fall into murther , 〈◊〉 adult●ry , prov●s 〈◊〉 never had true assurance . . sanctification 〈◊〉 bee no evidence of a man● good estate . . no comfort 〈◊〉 be had from● any conditionall promise . . poverty 〈◊〉 spirit , ( to which christ 〈…〉 ble●se●●esse , ma●h● . . ) is onely this , to see , i have no grace at all . . to see i have no g●ace in me will g●ve me comfort ; but to t●ke comfort from sight of grace is leg 〈◊〉 . . ●● hypocr●te may have adams graces that hee 〈…〉 innocency . . the g●aces of sa●●ts and hypocrites differ not . . al● graces are in christ as in the subject , and none in ●s , so that christ belie●●s christ loves , &c. . christ is the new creature . . god loves a man never the better for any holinesse in h●m , and never the lesse , be he never so unholy . . sin in a c●ild of g●d must never trouble him . . trouble in conscience for sinnes of co●mis●ion , or for neglect of ●uty , shewes a man to be under a covenant of workes . . all covenants to god expr●ssed in work● are l●gall workess . a ch●istian is not bound to the law as a rule of his conversatio● . a christian is not bou●d to pra● , except the spirit moves him . ● a minister that hath not this ( new ) light is not able to edifie others that have it . . the whole letter of the scripture is a covenant of workes . . no christian must be prest to duties of holinesse . . no christian must be ex●orted to faith , 〈…〉 ●● ▪ &c. except we know he hat● a spirit . . a man may have all grace● , and y●t ●ant christ. . all a beleevers acti●●y is onely to act sin , now the●e most of them being so grosse , one would wonder how they should spread so fast and sudd●nly amongst a people so religious and well taught . for declaring of this bee pleased to attend two things . first , the nature of the opinions themselves , which open such a faire and easie way to haaven , that men may p●sse without difficulty . for , if a man need not be troubled by the law , before faith , but may step to christ so easily ; and then if his faith be no going out of himselfe to take christ , but onely a discerning that christ is his owne already , and is onely an act of the spirit vpon him , no act of his owne done by him ; and if he for his part must see nothing in himselfe , have nothing , doe nothing● onely he is to stand still , and wait for christ to doe all for him . and th●n if a●ter faith , the law no rule to walke by , no sorrow or repentance for sinne ; he must not be pressed to duties , and need never pray , unlesse moved by the spirit : and if he falls into sin , he is never the more disliked of god , nor his condition never the worse . and for his assurance , it being given him by the spirit , hee must never let it goe but● abide in the highest of comfort , though he falls into the grossest sinnes that he can . the● their way to life was made easie ; if so , no marva●l● so many like of it . and this is the very reason , besides the novelty of it , that this kinde of doctrine takes so well here in london , and other parts of the kingdome ; and that you see so many dance after this pipe , running after such , and such , crowding the churches , and filling the doores and windowes , even such carnall and vile persons ( many of them ) as care not to heare any other godly ministers , but onely their leaders . oh , it pleaseth nature well to hav● heaven and their lusts too . how many of these opinions were , i will not stand to number , but how desparately eroneous they were , i shall shew you in naming some of them . first , that the whole letter of the scripture holdeth forth ● covenant of works , contrary to iohn . tim. . . . matth. . . heb. , , . secondly , that in the ●aving conversion of a sinner , the faculties of the soule , and working thereof are de●●●oyed , and made to cease : and the holy ghost agitates in stead of them , contrary to luke ▪ . iohn ▪ . thes. . . heb. . . iohn . . thirdly , that god the father , sonne , and holy gh●st , may give themselves to the soul● 〈◊〉 that the sou●e may have true ●mon with christ , true re●●●ssion of 〈◊〉 , true marriage and fellowship● ▪ true san●●i●●cation 〈◊〉 the bloud of christ , and yet ●e an hypocrite , contrary to eph. . . fourthly , that there is no 〈◊〉 righteousnesse in the saints ▪ nor any in them , but onely in christ , contrary to timothy . . ● pet. . . tim. . . ioh. . fiftly , that the 〈◊〉 doth work in hypocrites by gifts , and graees , but in god● children immediately , contrary to heb. . . . heb. . sixty , that a man must take no notice of sin , or repentance for it , contrary to psal. . sevent●ly , that it is a ●oule damning error to make sanctification an evidence o● justification , contrary to roman● . . iohn . . eghtly , that the divell and nature may be the cause of good works . an unsavory 〈…〉 to 〈◊〉 command , luke . . you may see a confutation of . of these errors in master wells his book . unsavory speeches confuted . these that follow were adjudged by the assembly aforesaid , as unsafe speeches . . to say we are justified by faith is an unsafe speech ; wee must say , we are justified by christ. answer . false , for the co●●ant language of the scripture is not unsafe ; but we are justified by faith , is the constant language of the scripture , rom. . . being justified by faith ; the righteousnesse of faith , rom. , , . righteousnesse by faith , phil. , . . the distinct phrase of the scripture used in distinguishing legall and evangelica●l righteousnesse is no unsafe speech , but such is this , rom. . , . israel found not righteousnes , because they sought it of the law , & not of , or by faith . so rom. . , . the righteousnesse of faith saith thus , &c. the apostle makes these two so directly opposite , as membra dividentia , or contrary species , that there is no danger one should be taken for another ; but that it 's so safe , as that he that affirmes the one , denyes the other : yea , in the most exact expression that ever paul made , to exclude whatsoever might be unsafe towards a mans justification , you have this phrase , yea twice in the same verse , phil. . . not having mine owne righteousnesse , which is of the law , but that which 〈◊〉 through the faith of christ : and againe , the righteousnesse which is of god by faith ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) ergo , it is no unsafe speech ; yea , it must be said on the contrary from those grounds , that to say a man is justified before faith , or without faith , is unsafe , as contrarie to the language of the scriptures . and for the second part , that we must say , we are justified by christ , it is true so far as that it cannot be denyed , nor is unsound or unsafe at all to speake ; but if it mean a must of necessity alwayes , or only so to speak it as it is here set in opposition to the phrase of being justified by faith , then it is utterly false , for as much as the scripture leads us along in the way of other expressions ordinarily , & the apostle gives us the truth of doctrine & soundnesse of phrase together , rom. . . christ is the end ●o the law for righteousnesse to every one that beleeveth . . to evidence justification by sanctification , or graces , favours of rome . answ , not so , . rome acknowledgeth no justification in our common sense , scil ▪ by righteousnesse imputed . . rome denies evidencing of our justification and peace with god , and teacheth doctrine of doubting , and professeth that a man cannot know what god will doe with him for life or death , unlesse by speciall revelation , which is not ordinary : but if they mean old rome , or pauls rome , to which he wrote , it 's true , that it ravours of the doctrine that they received , as appeareth rom. . . all things co● worke for good , ( the evill , of every evill being taken away , which is a poynt of justification , and this is propounded under the evidence of the love of god ) to them that love him , because rom. . . . , . the evidencing of our beeing in christ , freedome from condemnation , and adoption is prosecuted by arguments from sanctification , as by having the spirit , being led by the spirit , walking after the spirit , mortifying the deeds of the flesh by the spirit : and if hereto were added the doctrine of st. iohn , so abundant this way in his first epistle ( whereof i have already made mention ) i doubt not , but it was the faith of the church of rome that then was , so that the speech is unsavory , and casting a foule aspersion on a good thing expressed in the scripture ; but as for the poynt it self , that is included , we referre it to its place , to be discussed when it is ●ightly sta●ed . . if i be holy , i am never the better acc●pted of god : if i be unholy● i am never the worse , this i am sure of , he that hath elected me must save me . answ. these words ravour very ill , and relish of a carelesse and ungracious spirit ; for howsoever we grant that our acceptation 〈◊〉 justification is alwayes in and through christ the same in gods account , yet this expression imports , that though a mans conversation be never so holy and gracious , yet be can expect never the more manifestation of gods kindnesse and love to him , contrary to psal. . ult . to him that orders his conversation aright , i will shew the salvation of god ; and iohn . . it implyes secondly , that though a mans conversation be never so vile and sensuall , yet he need not fear or expect any further expression of gods displeasure and anger to breake forth against him , or with-drawings of his favour from him● contrary to psal. . , . where god breaks davids bones for his ●in , and ionah . . ionah was as one cast out of gods presence , and chron. . . if you forsake him he will forsake you . and in a word , it imp●rts as if god neither loved righteousnesse , nor hated wickednesse , contrary to psal . , . and 〈◊〉 take no delight in the obedience of his people , contrary to psal. . . the lord delighteth in those that feare him , &c , as concerning the last clause , he that hath elected me must save me : it is true the foundation of gods election remaineth sure , yet it is as true , that whom he chuseth , he purpos●th to bring to sal●at●on through sanctification of the spirit . thes. . . . if christ will let me sinne , let him look to it upon his honour be it . answ. this retorts the lords words upon himselfe , pro . . . keep thine heart , &c. ponder thy paths , &c. and therefore no lesse blasphemous and is contrary to the professed practice of david , psalme . . i was upright before him and kept my selfe from min● iniquity : the la●ter clause puts the cause of gods dishonour upon hims●l●e , no lesse blasphe●ous then the former , and contrary to rom. . . where the dishonouring of god is laid upon themselves . . here is a great stir about graces & looking to hearts : but give me christ , i seek not for graces , but for christ , i seeke not for promises , but for christ , i seek not for sanctification , but for christ , tell not me of mediation & duties , but tel me of christ. answ. . this speech seemeth to make a flat opposition between christ and his graces , contrary to that in ioh. . . of his fulnesse we all received ; and grace for grace ; and between christ and his promises , contrary to gal● . , . christ was made ● curse that we might receive the promise of the spirit , & luke . . with . and betwix christ and all holy 〈◊〉 , contrary to tit. . . and therfore hold f●rth expressions not agreeing to wholsome doctrine . . a living faith , that hath living fruits , may grow from the living law. answ. this whole speech is utterly 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 of words required , tim. . , hold fast the forme of 〈◊〉 words . . that a hypocrite may have a living la● ▪ is contrary to iames . ● . where the hypocrites faith is called a dead faith . . that a hypocrite may bring forth living fruit is contrary to that , heb. . . . that all this grow●s from a living law , contrary to a cor. . . where the law is called a killing letter . and to gal. . . if there had been a law which could have given life , &c. . i may know i am christs , not because i doe crucifie the lusts of the flesh ▪ but because i doe not crucifie them , but believe in christ that crucifieth my lusts for me . answ. . the phrase is contrary to the scripture language ▪ gal. . . they that are christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts . . 〈…〉 the flesh , for these three things may seem to be expres●●● in it . . if scripture make not opposite , but subordinate , rom. . . 〈◊〉 th●ough the spirit crucifie the flesh . . that if i doe 〈◊〉 crucifie my lusts , th●n , there is an open & free way of looking to c●rist , contrary to the scripture , mat. . . blessed are the pure in heart for they shal see g●d , both in boldnesse of faith here , & fruition hereafter tim. . let every one that names the lord iesus depart from iniquity . . that believing in christ may ease me from endeavouring to ciucifie my lusts in my owne person ; which is so grosse ▪ that it needs no more confutation then to name it . . the safe sense that may be possibly intended in such a speech is this . if i crucifie the flesh in my own strength , it is no safe evidence of my being in christ ; but if renouncing my self , i crucifie the fl●sh in the strength of christ , applying his death by faith , it is a safe evidence of my being in christ : but this sense conveighed in these words , is to conveigh wholsome doctrine 〈◊〉 an ●●●olsome some channel , & a darkning and losing the truth in an 〈◊〉 expression . . peter more le●ned to a covenant of works then paul , pauls doctrine was more for free-grace then perers . answ. to oppose these persons and the doctrine of these two apostles of christ , who were guided by one and the same spirit in preaching and penning thereof , ( pet . . holy men of god spake as they were moved by the holy ghost , tim. . all scripturs is given by inspiration of god ) in such a point as the covenant of works and grace , is little lesse then blasphemy . . if christ be my sanctification what need i look to any thing in my selfe to condence my justification ? answ. this position is therefore unfound , because it holds forth christ to be my sanct●fication , so as that i need not looke to any inh erent holinesse in my selfe ; whereas christ is there●●re said to be our sanctification , bècause he works sanctifica●●●● 〈◊〉 us , and we dayly ought to grow up in him , by receiving new supply and encrease of grace from his fulnesse , according to pet. . . grow in grace , and in the knowledge of our lord iesus christ. ● these with many other had so infected the church , that if god had not wrought wonderfully for his truth , they had overwhelmed us that would or nec●●sent into bloudy and ●uell martyrdome as their owne sermons did 〈◊〉 them up , and their threats gave us occasion to feare . but god in this did not sit still , as asleep , ( saith my author ) while these ta●es choakt the wheat , though he suffered the enemy to sow them , but he manifested his dislike in notorious judgements upon the prime fomenters of them . as first , mistris hutchinson , the generalissimo 〈◊〉 high priestesse of the new religion , was delivered at one 〈◊〉 of . monstrous births , or thereabouts , much about the n●mber of her monstrous opinions ; some were bigger , some lesse , none of them having humane shape , but shap't like her opinions : mistris dier another of the same crew , was delivered of a large woman-child which was stil-born : it had no head , but a face upon the breast , and the eares ( which were like an apes ) stood in the shoulders , the eyes and mouth stood farre out , the nose was looking upwards , the breast and back full of sharpe p●i●●les , the navell , belly , and privy parts were where the back & hips should be , and the back parts were on that side that the face was : the armes and legges , thighes and hands were as other children , but in stead of toe● , it had upon each foot three clawes ▪ with talons like a young fowle : upon the back above the belly it had two great holes like mouthes , and in each of them stuck a piece of flesh : it had no fore-head , but in the place thereof above the eyes , foure horns , whereof two were above an inch long ▪ hard and sharp , the other two somewhat shorter . thus god punisht those monstrous wretches with a monstrous fruit , sprung from their wombe , as had before sprung from their braines . but as the jewes in the sad por●ent● appearing before the last destruction of ierusalem , construed all things to the best , though never so apparent , so did they : and whatsoever might seem prodigious in any of these births , the burthen they laid upon the church , which they thought their enemies . then god stirred up his people to call an assembly of ministers , who confuted these opinions publikely , and made the authors and upholders of them unable to answer , although they could not make them yeeld . but lastly , god put it into the hearts of the civill magistrates to convent the chief leaders of them : and after many fruitlesse admonitions given , they proceeded to sentence : some they disfranchised ; others they excommunicated , and some they ba●isht . a seditious minister , one mr. wheele●wright was one , and mistris hutchinson another , who going to plant her selfe in an island , call●d read●●sland under the dutch , where they could not agree , but were miserably divided into sundry sects , ●emo●ed from thence to an island called hell-gate , where the indians set upon her and ●●ew her and her daughter and daughters husband , children and family : some report that the indians burnt them . and thus much of the anti●omians : read mr. w●lls his book , where you shall read their opinions at large with a learned confutation . of arminians . the armi●●●●s are so called of iames armin●●●s , who was 〈…〉 divinity at leiden in the low-countreys , in the 〈◊〉 of our lord god . they are also called remonstra●●s . their errors follow . . concerning gods predestination . that the will of god to ●●ve such as shall believe and persevere in faith and obedience of ●aith ▪ is the whole and entire d●cree of the election to salvation , and that nothing else concerning that decree is revealed in the word of god. these teachers deceive the sim●●er sort , and plainly gain-say the holy scripture , which witnesseth that god not on●ly wil save such as shall believe , but also from eternity hat● chosen some certaine men , upon whom rather then upon others , he would bestow faith in christ , and persev●●a●ce , as it is written ioh. . , i have declared thy name to the 〈◊〉 which thou gavest 〈◊〉 like manner acts . . as many as were ordained to eternall life believed and eph. . . he hath chosen us before the foundat●on of the world. . they teach ●thit the election of god to salvation is manifold , one generall and indetinite , and this again 〈◊〉 incomplete , revocable , nor peremp●orie or conditionall ; or ●lse complete , ●●●●ocable , peremptory , or abs●lute : likewise that there is one election ●nto faith , another to salvation , so th●t election unto just●ying aith may bee without peremptory election to salvation ▪ this is a f●gment of mans braine , devised without any ground in the scripture , corrupting the doctrine of election & breaking that golden chaine of salvation , rom. . . whom he hath predestinated , them also hath he called : and whom 〈◊〉 hath called , them a● so he hath ●ustified : and whom he hath justified also he hath glorified . . they teach that the good pleasure and purpose of god , whereof the scripture maketh mention in the doctrine of election , doth not consist herein , that god did elect some certaine men rather then others : but in this , viz. that god from among all possible conditions ( amongst which are the workes of the law also ) or out of the ranke of all things did chuse as condition to salvation , the act of faith ( in it selfe ignoble ) and imperfect obedience , & was graciously pleased to repute it for perfect obedience , and account it worthy of the reward of everlasting life . by this pernicious error , the good pleasure of god and merit of christ is weakned , besides that by such unprofitable questions men are called from the truth to free justification , and from the single plaine of the scriptures , and that of the apostle is out●●ced as untrue , tim. . . god hath called us with a holy calling , not according to our works , but according to his purpose and grace which was given to us through christ ●esu● before the world began . . they teach that in election unto faith , this condition is formerly required , viz. that a man may use the ●ight of reason aright , that he be honest , lowly , and humble , and ●●●posed unto eternall life , as though in some sort election d●pended on these things , for these teachers have a strong 〈…〉 , and broadly enough tell the apostle that he is 〈◊〉 when he sayes ephes. . . we had all our conversations in ti●●s past in the lust of the flesh , fulfilling the will of the flesh , 〈◊〉 of the minde , and were by nature the children of wrath as well as others . but god which is rich in mercy through his great love wherewith he loved us , even when we were dead in sins , hath quickened us together with christ , ( by grace ye are saved ) and 〈◊〉 raised us up together , and made us sit together in heave●●y pl●ces in iesus christ , that he might shew in the ages to come the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindnesse tow●rds us in iesus christ : for by grace ye are saved through faith , and that not of your selves , it is the gift of god , not of works , lest any should ●●ast . . they teach that incompleat and not peremptory election of singular person is made by reason of fore-seen faith , repentance , sanctity , godlinesse , and that this is the gracious and evangelicall worthinesse , by which he that is chosen becomes worthier then he that is not chosen : and therefore that faith , the ●bedience of faith sanctity , godlinesse and perseveran ce are not the fruits or effects of the unchangeable electi●n unto glory , but conditions and causes sine quibus non , ( that is to say , without which a thing is not brought to passe ) before required and fore-seen as already performed by those who are compleatly to be chosen , a thing rep●gnant to the whole scripture , which every wherebeats into our eares & hearts these and such like sayings , rom . . election is not of works , but of him that calleth , acts , . as many as were ordained to everlasting life , beleeved , joh. . . ye have not chosen me , but i have chosen you , rom. . . if of grace not of works , john . . herein is love● not that we loved god but that he first loved us and sent his son , &c. . that not all election to salvation is unchangeable , but that some which are elected , withstanding gods decree , may perish , and for ever doe perish . by which gros●e error they hoth make god mutable , & overthrow the comfort of the godly concerning the certainty of their salvation , and contradict the holy scriptures , teaching , mat. . . that the elect cannot he seduced , john . . that christ doth not lose those are given to him by his father , rom. . . that god whom he hath predestinated , called , justified , them he doth also glorifie . . they teach that in this life there is no fruit , no sence , no certainty of immutable election unto glory , but upon condition , contingent and mutable : for besides that , it is absurd to make an uncertaine certainty . these things contrary to the experience of the godly , who with the apostle , triumph upon the sence of their election , and extoll this benefit of god , who rejoyce with the disciples according to the admonition of christ , luke . . that their nam●● are written in heaven . and lastly , who oppose the sense of their election against the fiery darts of divillish temptations , demanding , rom. . . why shall lay any thing to the charge of gods elect . . they teach that god out of his meere just will hath not decreed to leave any man in the fall of adam and common state of sin and damnation , or to passe over any in the communication of grac● necessary to faith and conversion , for that stands firme , rom. . . he hath compassion upon whom he will and whom he will he hardn●th . and that mat. . . to you is given to know the mysteries of the kingdome of heaven , but to them it is not given . in like manner , mat. . , . i glorifie thee , father , lord of heaven and earth , that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding men , and hast revealed them unto babes : even so , o father , because thy good pleasure was such . . they teach that the cause why god sends the gospell rather to this nation than to another , is not the meere and onely good pleasure of god , but because this nation is better and more worthy of it then that to which he hath not communicated the gospell : ●or moses gain-sayes this speaking thus unto the people israel , deut. . , . behold heaven and the heaven of heavens is the lord thy gods , and the earth with all that therein is : notwithstanding the lord set his delight in thy fathers to love them , and did chuse their seed after them even you above all people ▪ as appeareth this day . and christ , mat. . ● w●e be to thee corazin , woe be to thee bethsaida , for if the great works which had been done in you , had been done 〈◊〉 ti●●s and sydon , they had repented long agoe in sacke 〈◊〉 and ashes ▪ . their errors concerning christs death , and the redemption of men by it . . they teach that god the father ordained his son unto the death of the crosse without any certaine and determinate counsell of saving any particular man expressely , so that its necessary , profit and dignity might have remained whole , sound , and perfect in every respect , compleat and entire in the impetration of christs death , although they obtained redemption , had never actually been applyed to any particular person , for that assertion is reproachfull to the wisdome of god the father , and the me●●t of jesus christ , and contrary to the scripture , where our saviour christ saith , ioh. . . i lay down my life for my sheep , verse . and i know them the prophet speaketh thus of our saviour , isa. . . when he shal make his sons a sacrifice for sin he shal see his seed and prolong his dayes , and the will of the lord shall prosper in his hands . lastly , it overthroweth any article of our faith , wherein we doe believe that there is a church , . they reach that this was not the will of god , that hee might establish a new covenant of grace by his bloud , but that he might onely procure unto his father the bare right of making againe with men any covenant whatsoever , whether of grace or of works : for this thwarteth the scripture , which teacheth that christ is made the surety & mediator of a better , that is , a new covenant , heb. . . and heb. . . the testament is confirmed when men are dead . . they teach that christ by his satisfaction did not certainly merit for any mans salvation it selfe , and faith by which this satisfaction of christ may be effectually applyed unto salvation , bu● onely that he purchased his fathers power or resolution to enter into a new match with man-kinde , and to prescribe them what new covenant soever he pleased . the performance of which condition should depend upon mans free-will , and that therefore it might fall ●ut that either no man or every man might fulfill them : for these esteem too 〈◊〉 basely of christ● death , in no wise acknowledging the chiefest 〈…〉 excellent fruit and benefit procured thereby , and will call up 〈…〉 pelagian herisie from hell . . they teach that the new covenant of grace with god the father , by the mediation of christs death made with men , doth not consist herein ▪ viz. that we are justified before god , and saved by faith , insomuch as it apprehendeth the merit of christ , but herein , viz. that god , the exaction of perfect legal obedience being abrogated , reputes faith it selfe and the imperfect obedience of faith for the perfect obedience of the law , & graciously thinks it worthy of the reward of eternall life . th●● concludeth the scripture . rom. . , . all are justified freely by grace , through the redemption that is in christ iesus , whom god hath set forth to be a reconciliation through saith in his bloud . and with wicked socinus they bring in 〈◊〉 and strange justification of man before god , 〈…〉 consent of the whole church . . they teach that all men are received into the sta●e of reconciliation and grace of the covenant , so that no 〈◊〉 shal be condemned for originall sin , nor in respect of it be 〈◊〉 unto death or damnation : but are all acquitted and f●e●d from the guilt of that sin . this opinion is contrary to the scripture , which affi●es that by nature we are the children of wrath . this the arminiams learnt from the anabaptists . . they imply the distinction of impetration and application , to the end that they may infuse this opinion unto unsk●●full and unwary wits ; namely , that god as much as concerne● 〈◊〉 , would conferre upon all men eq●●lly those benefits which are promised by christs death . and whereas some rather then ●thers are made partakers of forgivenesse of sins 〈◊〉 life etern●ll● and this diversity depends upon their owne free-will , applying it selfe unto grace indifferently offered , but not upon the ●●●gular gift of mercy effectually working in them 〈◊〉 then others , that they may apply this grace unto thems●lves : 〈◊〉 they while they bear the world in hand , that they pr●pound this destruction with a sound meaning , they goe about to make the people drink of the poysonous cup of pelagianisme . . they teach that christ neither could nor ought to dye , neither did dye for those whom god dearely loved , and chose unto eternall life , seeing such stood in no need of christs death . in this they contradict the apostle , who saith , gal. . . christ loved me , and gave himselfe for me . in like manner , rom. . . who shall lay any thing to the charge of christs chosen ? it is god that justifieth , who shall condemne ? it is christ which it dead , to wit for them . and our saviour averring iohn . . i lay down my life for my sheep . and iohn . . this is my commandement that yee love one another as i have loved you , greater love then this no man hath , that a man lay down his life for his friends . thirdly , & fourthly , their errors concerning mans corruption and conversion unto god. . they teach , that it cannot be well objected , that originall sin of it selfe is sufficient ●or the con●en●ning of a●l mankinde , or for the deserving of any temporall and eternall punishment . in this they goe against the apostle , who saith rom. . by one man sin entred into the world , and death by sin , and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned , and vea● . . the judgement was by one to condemnation , rom. . . the ●ages of sin is death . . they teach that spirituall gifts or good qualities or vertues , such as our goodnesse , holinesses , or righteousnesse , could not bee s●a●ed in the will of man in his first 〈◊〉 and therefore in his fall the will could not bee bereft of them . this is contrary to the image of god laid downe by the apostle , eph. . . where hee describeth it by righteousnesse and holinesse , which doubtlesse are placed in the will. . they teach that in spiritual death n● spirituall gifts were separated from the will of man , to 〈…〉 will it selfe 〈…〉 corrupted b●t onely encombred by 〈◊〉 darknesse of the understanding and unrulin● sse of the affections : which impe●iments being removed the will may be put into her owne inbred faculty of freedome , that is , of her selfe , will or ●ill chuse or refuse any kind of good set before her . verily , this is a new feigned and erroneous piece of doctrine ▪ bent on purpose for the enhansing of the forces of free-wil , contrary to that of the p●ophet , jer. . . the heart is deceitfull above all things and desperately wicked . and that of the apostle , eph. . among whom ( namely the children of disobedience ) all we had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the wills of the flesh and of the minde . . they teach that an unregenerate man is not properly nor totally dead in sins , nor destitute of all strength tending to spirituall good , but that he is able to hunger and thirst after righteousnes or everlasting life , and to offer the sacrifice of an humble and contrite heart , even such as is acceptable to god. these assertions march against the direct testimonies of scriptures , eph. . . . yee were dead in trespasses and sinnes . gen. . . . . every imagination of the thoughts of mans heart is onely evill continually . moreover , the hungring and th●rsting for deliverance out of misery , and for life eternall , as also offering to god the sacrifice of a broken heart is proper to the regenerate , and such as are called blessed , psalme . matth. . . . they teach , that a corrupt and naturall man can so rightly use common grace ( by which they mean the light of nature , or , those gifts which are left him after the fall ) that by the good use thereof he may obtaine to a greater ; namely , evangelicall , or saving grace , and by degrees at length salvation it selfe . and that god for his part sheweth himselfe ready in this manner to reveale christ to all men , seeing he doth sufficiently and efficaciously afford to every man necessary meanes for the making christ known , and for faith and repentance . this is 〈◊〉 to be false , as by the experiance of all ages in the world , so also by scriptures , psal. . , . he sheweth his word unto jacob ; his statutes and his judgements unto israel : he hath not dealt so with any nation , and as for his judgements , they have not knowne them , acts . . god in times past suffered all nations to walke in their owne wayes , acts . , . paul and his company were forbidden to preach the word in asia ; and after they were come to mysia , they offered to goe into byth●●i● ; but the spinit suffered them not . . they teach , that in true conversion of a man there cannot be in●used by god any new qualities , habits , or gifts into his will ; and so by faith , by which we are first converted , and from which we are stiled faithfull , is not any gift or quality infused by god ; but onely an act of man that this faith cannot be called a gift otherwise then in regard of the power or meanes given us of attaining it . these strange positions are contrary to holy scriptures , which testifie unto us , that god doth infuse or shed downe into our hearts new qualities of faith , obedience , and some of his love towards us , ier. . . i pu● my law into their inner parts , and write it in their hearts , isa. . . i will poure water upon him that is thirsty , and flouds upon the dry grounds ; i will poure my spireit upon thy seed , rom. . . the love of god is shed abroad in our hearts , by the holy ghost which is given unto us . they contradict also the continuall practice of the church , which useth to pray after the manner prescribed by the prophet , convert me o lord , and i shall be converted jer , . . . they teach , that the grace wherewith we are converted unto god is nothing else but a gentle inducement , or ( as others explain it ) that the most noble kinde of working a mans conversion , and most ●utable to our nature is performed by swaso●y motives or advice ; and that no cause can be alledged ●hy even such morall grace alone should not of naturall men make spirituall . nay moreover , that god doth not produce the consent of our will otherwise then by way of morall counselling , and that the efficacy of gods working , wherein he exceedeth the working of the devill , cons●steth in this , that the divell promiseth temporary things , but gods things eternall . this is downe-right pelagianisme , and warreth against the whole course of scriptures , which besides this swasory course of moving acknowledgeth in the conversion of man another manner of working of gods spirit , and that more divine and of farre greater efficacy , ezek. . . i will give you a new heart and a new spirit will i put within you ; and i will take away the stony heart out of yur flesh , and will give you an heart of flesh . . that god in regenerating a man doth not imply that omnipotent strength whereby he may powerfully and infallibly bow and bend his will unto faith and conversion ; but that all the gracious operations which god useth for our conversion being accomplished , neverthelesse man may withstand god , and his holy spirit intending that mans conversion ; yea , and oftentimes doth make actuall resistance ; so it lyeth in mans power to be , or not to be regenarate . this amounteth to no lesse then the denying of all efficacy to gods grace in our conversion , and to the subjecting of the worke of almighty god unto the will of man , which is flat contrary to the doctrine of the apostles , eph. . . that we believe according to the working of his mighty power . and thes. . . that god fulfilleth all the pleasure of his goodnesse , and the worke of faith with power . and pet. . . that gods power hath given to us all things that pertaine to life and godlinesse . . they teach , that grace and free-will are co-partening causes joyntly concurring to the beginning of conversion , and that grace doth not in the order of casuality goe before the action of the will. that is , that god doth effectually helpe mans will to conversion before the will of man moveth and determineth or setleth it selfe thereunto . this doctrine was long since condemned by the ancient church among the pelagian errors out of the apostles authority , romans . . it is not of him that willeth , nor of him that runneth , but of god that sheweth mercy . and cor. . . who maketh thee to differ from another ? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive ? item . phil. . . it is god which worketh in you both ●o will and to doe of his good pleasure . . error concerning the perseverance of the saints . . they teach , that the perseverance of the faithfull is not an effect of election , nor any gift of god purchased by the death of christ ; but that it is a condition of the new covenant which is to be performed by mans part by his owne free will before his ( as they themselves speak ) peremptorily election and justification : whereas the holy scriptures testifie , that it followeth election , and is given to the elect by vertue of christ death resurrection , and intercession , rom. . . he that spared not his owne sonne , but delivered him up for us , how shall not he with him give us freely all things ? who shall lay any thing to the charge of gods elect ? it is god that justifieth , who is he that condemneth ? it is christ that dyed , yea , or rather that is risen again , who is even at the right hand of god , who also maketh intercession for us : who shall separate us from the love of christ ? . they teach , that god indeed furnisheth the faithfull man with sufficient strength to persevere , and is ready to maint●i●e that strength in him if he himselfe be not wanting to his du●y : yet not withstanding , when as all abilities necessary unto perseverance , and all things which god is pleased to use for the preservation of faith once granted , and set in readinesse , that it still remaineth in the choyce and pleasure of mans will to performe or not . this opinion is easily discovered to be an impe of pelagi●nisme ; which whilst it strives to make man free , maketh him sacrilegious , contrary to the uniforme and pe●petuall consent of evangelicall doctrine , which quite strippeth a man of matter of boasting and ascribeth the glory of his benefit to gods grace , onely and contrary to the apostle , witnessing that it is god that shall confirme us unto the end , that we may be blamelesse in the day of our lord jesus christ. . they teach that the regenerate and true beleevers , not only may totally and finally fall from justifying saith , as also from grace and salvation , but that frequently also they indeed do fall from all these , and perish everlastingly . this opinion maketh the grace of justification and regeneration , and christs continuall custody voyd and of none effect , contrary to the expresse words of st. paul , rom. . . while we were yet sinners , christ dyed for us , much more then being justified by his bloud , we shall be saved from wrath through him . and contrary to the apostle st. iohn , joh. . . whosoever is borne of god sinneth not , for his seed remaineth in him , neither can be sin because he is borne of god. and also contrary to the word of our saviour , iohn . , . i give eternall life to my sheep , and they shall never perish , neither shall any plucke them out of my hand : my father which gave them me is greater then all , and none is able to pluck them out of my fathers hand . . they teach that the regenera●e and truely faithfull may sin the sin unto death , or against the holy ghost . st. iohn in his first epistle , chapter . verse . having made mention of such as sinned unto death , and forbidden to pray for them presently , verse . addeth ; we know that whosoever is borne of god sinneth not , to wit , that kinde of sin ; but he that is begotten of god keepeth himselfe , and that wicked one coucheth him not . . they teach that no certainty of future perseverance ca● he had in this life without speciall revelation . by this doctrine the solid comfort of true beleevers in this life is quite taken away , and the doctrine of doub●fulnesse ( ●●●ouched , by the papists ) is brought againe into the church , whereas the holy scripture every whe●e draweth this assurance , not from special and extraordinary revelation , but from the proper markes and signes of gods children , and from the infallible promises made by god himselfe , especially the apostle , rom. . . no creature is able to separate us from the love of god , which is in iesus christ. joh , . . he that keepeth his commadement dwelleth in him and he in him , and hereby we know that hee abideth in us , even by the spirit which hee hath given us . . they teach that the doctrine maintai●ing assurance and pers●verance , and of salvation , is of its own nature & gift , a soft pillow for the flesh , and hurtfull to good manners , godlinesse , praying and other holy exercises ; and contrariwise that it is a true commendable thing to be doubtfull of such perseverance . the opposers of this assurance do evidētly shew that they know not the powerfulnesse of gods grace , nor the operation of the holy ghost dwelling in the heart , and spare not to outface the apostle . iohn affi●ming the contrary in expresse terms , ioh , . , . beloved now are we the sonnes of god , and it doth not yet appeare what we shal be ; but we know that when he shal appeare , we shall be like him , for we shall see him as he is . and every man , that this hope in him purifieth himselfe even as he is pure . they are also refuted by the examples of holy men both in the old and new testament : who though well assured of their own perseverance and salvation , yet gave not over prayers and othe● exercises of godlinesse . . they teach that the faith of those that beleeve but for a season differeth no : from justifying and saving faith , but onely in respect of continuance : christ himselfe manifestly puts , mat. . . luke . . a three-fold disparison between temporisors and true beleevers , saying that those receive the seed in a stony ground , these in a good ground , that is , an honest and good heart : these want root , these have a fast root , these are fruitlesse , these bring forth their fruit with diversity of yeeld , & that with patience , that is , with constancy and perseverance . . they teach that it is absurd that a man should lose his first regeneration , and be again new-borne spiritually . they that reach this , do thereby deny the uncorruptiblenesse of that divine seed whereof we are borne anew , contrary to the testimony of the apostle st. peter , pet. . . being born anew not of corruptible seed , but of incorruptible . . they teach that christ never prayed for the faithfulls infallible perseverance in faith , in which they contradict christ his saying to peter , luke . i have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not ▪ and also witnessing , john . . that himselfe prayed not onely for his apostles , but also for all that should believe by their word , when he said , verse . holy father keep thine owne , ( namely ) those whom thou hast given me , and ver . . i pray that thou shouldst not take them out of the world , but that thou shouldst keep them from the evill . for your better satisfaction read the synod held at dort in the yeares of our lord , , . where the orthodoxe opinions of the reformed churches are set down , and the errors before named condemned . king james of blessed memory was a special means for the suppressing of these sectaries ▪ as appeareth by his writings against them . predestination to life is the everlasting purpose of god , whereby before the foundations of the world were lai● , he hath constantly decreed by his counsels secret to us , to deliver from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in christ ou● of man-kinde and to bring them to christ , to everlasting salvation , as vessels made to honour : ther●fore they which bee endued with so excellent a benefit of god , be called according to gods purpose by his spirit , working in due season ; they through grace obey the calling , they be justified freely , they be made sons of god by adoption , they bee made like the image of his onely son jesus christ , they walke religio●sly in good works , and at length by gods mercy they attain to everlasting felicity . as the godly consideration of predestination , and our election in christ is full of sweet , pleasant , and unspeakable comfort to godly persons , and such as fe●le in themselves the working of the spirit of christ , mortifying the works of the flesh and their earthly members ▪ and drawing up their minde to high and heavenly things , aswell because it doth greatly establish and confirm their faith of eternal salvation to be enjoyed through christ , as because it doth fervently kindle their love towards god ▪ so for curious and carnall persons , lacking the spirit of christ , to have continually before their eyes the sentence of gods predestination , is a most dangerous down-fall , whereby the devill doth thrust them either into desperation , or into wretchlesnesse of most uncleane living , no lesse perilous then desparation . furthermore , we must rece●ve gods promises in such wise as they be generally set forth in holy scripture , and in our doings that will of god is to be followed , which we have expressely declared unto us in the word of god. to conclude , sith wee cannot our selves think one good thought : let us not in the work of salvation attribute any thing to our selves , but to god let us give all the glory . of the socinians . in treating of these sectaries , i will propose : . their originall . . some of their chiefe errors , with the refutation of them . . socinisme 〈◊〉 socinanisme hath its name from lelius socinus , and his nephew faustus socinus , both italians of siena in the state of florence . . l●lius socinus in the time of mr. c●lvi● , broached his opinions by private letters , written to ca●vin : faustus his son , by publike writings , and by books fo●lowed the steps of his father in corrupting and traducing the sincere and orthodoxe faith . . for socinianisme is a compound of many per●icious and antiquitated heresies , in which are revived the errors especially of these five sects , viz. ebio●●tes , arrians , phot●●ians , servetians , antitrinitarians , with which are joyned the samofatonians and sab●●ans , of whom also they participate . their erroneous and dangerous opinions may be read especially in the workes of socinus , ostorodius , catechesis racoviensis , crellius , volkelius , and others . the principall of them may be reduced to the heads following being sixe in number . . concerning god. . that there is no naturall knowledge of god , by which we may be instructed to any kinde of acknowledgement or beliefe of a dei●y , or any thing concerning the being of god. refuted , rom , ● . . rom. . . . christ his incarnation . . that the incarnation of christ is repug●ant to reason , and cannot be sufficiently proved out of scripture . refuted iohn . . deity . that christ is not truely god , and that the believe of his divine nature is not agreeable to scripture . refuted iohn . , . phil. . . iohn . . satisfaction . that christ did not by his death satisfie for our sins . refuted , iohn . . cor. . . tit. . . mat. ▪ tim. . . . the holy ghost . that the holy ghost is not god. refuted , ioh. . . . the trinity . that it is repugnant to the word of god , to beleeve three persons and one god. refuted . iohn . . mat. . . . man ▪ that man in the state of innocency was not created in originall righteousnesse . refuted , eccles. . . . the scripture or word of god. that the old testament is not necessary for a christian man , though it may be profitably read . refuted iohn . . acts . . antitrinitarians , or new arrians . called arrians of the old heretick arrius , who was a deacon of the church of alexandria , achillas the bishop being dead , and arri●● having not the bishoprick given him , which he desired , alexander being chosen , he infected the world with this heresie : he was condemned in the councell of nice by . bishops under the emperor constantine the great ▪ and banished : he died as iudas the traytor did , his bowells falling out of his belly . the antitrinitarians have renewed arrius his old heresie , and they are called antitrinitarians because they blaspheme & violate the holy trinity . these antitrinitarians sprung up in polonia and neighbour countries in the yeare of our lord , . against this sect doctor pelargus wigandus , and others have written learned treatises . the horrible blasphemies and divillish opinions of these here●●cks i am loath to name ▪ but that my desire is that christians should take notice of them to beware of them . . they deny the trinity of persons , which blasphemie saint iohn refuteth , iohn . . there are three that beare record in heaven , the father , the word , and the holy ghost , and these three are one . read gen. . . and god said , let us make man in our owne image , and god created man in his owne ●mage . mat. . ver . . . they deny the son to be god , which blasphemy is refuted esa. . . for unto us a child is borne , unto us a sonne is given : his name shall be called wonderfull , councellour , the mighty god , &c. iohn . ver . . . in the beginning was the word , and the word was with god , and the word was god. . the eternall generation of the son to be against reason , against truth , refuted mic. . . thou bethlehem ephrata , out of thee shall come to be a ruler in israel , whose goings have been from of old , from everlasting , john . . psal. . col. . . . christ not to be called god in respect of his essence , but by reason of his dominion , which is refuted iohn . . i and the father am one . john . heb. . . psal. . verse . . the holy ghost to be god , refuted acts . . why hath satan filled thy hear● to lie to the holy ghost ? . thou hast not lien to men , but to god. isa. . . . iob . . psal. . . from these false doctrines and heresies good lord deliver us . these hereticks have been heretofore burnt among us , as anno . march . bartholomew legat , an 〈◊〉 arrian , was burnt in smithfi●ld ; he refused all favour , contemned ecclesiasticall government . and in the mon●● of april following , one edward wightman was burnt at liechfield for the same heresie . queene elizabeth of blessed memorie he●●ing of them , said , shee was very sorrowfull to heare that shee 〈◊〉 such monsters in her kingdome ; and truly , it grieveth me very much to relate their blasphemous and devillish opinions . of millenaries . an heresie frequent at this time . this sect look for a temporary kingdome of christ , that must begin presently , and last a thousand yeares . of this opinion are many of our apocalypticall men , that study more future events then their present duty , and more rules by prophesies then precepts . this fancie is most dangerous for all estates . . for to promote that kindome of christ , they 〈◊〉 that all the ungodly must be killed . . that the w●cked have no property in their estates . . that the promise might be fulfilled , that the meek must inherit the earth . this doctrine filleth the people with a furious and unnaturall zeale , which breathes nothing but fire and sword , and maketh them to look upon their countrey-men with such an eye as the anabaptists cast upon munster when they came first to it , viz. a malignant and covetous eye , discerning their prey , and marking the rich men to ruine & destruction , god deliver us from such a reformation brought by a multitude , missed with a frantick zeale and giddy revelations . this was the ancient error of cerinthus who was a jew , and lived in the time of domitian the emperour , about the yeare of our lord , . among other errors he taught eternall life to be here in earth , where we should enjoy all pleasures of the flesh . that after the resurrection christs kingdome should be upon earth , and corp●rall ; and that men should live in carnall concupiscence and lust for one thousand yeares . he dyed oppressed by the fall of a bath : when st. iohn the evangelist , with some of his disciples were bathing at ephesus , and saw this heretick cerinthus in the bath , he leaped out , saying , let us depart lest the bath fall upon us : cerinthus being here the enemy of truth ; which came to passe as sone as saint iohn was gone out of it , as is set downe in these verses of stigelius . impia cerinthus sansto convitia christ● dum facit , & stulta garrulitate furit ; concidit , & rando blasphemum contudit ictu collapsae subito facta ruina domus . this ancient heresie condemned by the church , and long agoe buried , is now revived in these latter times . you shall finde this heresie confuted in the chapter of the anabaptists . hetheringtonians . the author of this sect was one iohn hetherington , a box-maker . . this hetherington being a trades-man , cast off his trade and betook himselfe to be an interpreter of the scriptures to many persons , keeping private conventicles . . he maintained and published the church of england to be no true church of christ. . he was a man dis-affected to the government and discipline of the church of england , and agreeth with the familists , holding with them the perfect purity of the soule . . he maintained and published the sabbath since the apostles 〈◊〉 to be of no force ; and that every day is a sabbath , as much as that which we call the lords day , or sunday . . he maintained the books of esdras was part of the canonicall scripture , and that they ought so to be esteemed . for which erro●●ous opinions , tending to the disturbance of the peace of the church , & to the seducing of many silly soules , he was adjudged for a dangerous sectary ; and among other 〈…〉 upon him , this was one , that he should recant his errors at pauls crosse. his errors before named , are conf●ted by doctor denison in a sermon of his , which he preached at pauls crosse at the recantation of the fore-said hethrington . he recanted them at pauls crosse , and hath lately written against the familists . the anti-sabbatarians . these anti-sabbatarians hold the sabbath day , or that which we call the lords day , to be no more a sabbath , in which they goe about to violate all religion ; for take away the sabbath and farewell religion . the morality of the sabbath doth consist in a mysticall resting from sin , but in celebrating an appoynted day in seven to the worship and service of almighty god. . the sabbath was instituted in the time of mans innocency . . the manner of promulgation of it in the decalogue is worrhy to be observed . god saith , remember thou keep holy the sabbath day . . this law is not placed among the ceremoniall or judiciall lawes but in the decalogue it selfe . . the reasons for keeping it are expressed in the commandement , viz. six dayes shalt thou labour , and doe all that th●● hast to doe ; but the seventh day is the lord , &c. reasons why the lords day is to be observed . . by morality of the fourth commandement , because the morall law is not abrogated by the gospell , but established , rom. . . . because this day on which our lord rose hath been observed by all christians . it was kept at ierusal●m , a●●s . . it was kept at troas , acts . . at patm●s rev. . . and in all christian churches in the whole world . . the ancient fathers have pressed the observation of this day . ignatius saith ; let every one that loveth 〈◊〉 celebrate the lords day . st. basil saith ▪ when as 〈…〉 dayes prescribed by the law are abolished yet ther● 〈◊〉 one great day of the lord which never shall be abolished . their testimonies are infinite . . god hath from time to time shewed his fe●refull judgements upon prophaners of his day , as you read in the practice of piety . a certain husband-man gri●ding corne ●n the lords day had all his meale burned to ashes : another carrying corne upon the same day , had his barn and all his corn the next night burnt . a certaine noble-man usually prophaning the lords day by hunting , had a child by his lady 〈◊〉 had a head like a hound . many exa●ples of gods judgments are there set down , all which may be faire warnings to forwarne not only prophaners of the sabbath , but also all such as by their per●icious doctrine teach men to prophane it . traskites . so called of one mr. john traske , whom the author knew well . his opinions were , that it was not lawfull to doe any thing ●orbi●den in the old law , nor to keep the christian sabbath . one theophilus braborne endeavoured with him to bring back againe the jewish sabbath , and to that purpose writ a book in the yeare . the positions concerning the sabbath by them maintained , were these . . that the fourth commandement of the decalogue , remember the sabbath day , too keep it holy , &c. exod. . is a divine precept , simply and entirely morall , containing nothing legally ceremoniall in whole or in part , and therefore the weekly observation thereof ●●ght to be perpetuall , and to continue in full force and vertue to the worlds end . . that the saturday , or the seventh day of every week ought to be an everlasting holy day in the christian church , and the religious observation of this day obligeth christians under the gospell as it did the jewes before the comming of christ. . that the sunday , or lords day is an ordinary working day ▪ an it is superstition and will-worship to make the same the sabbath of the fourth commandement . of this opinion was theophilus braborne . as the anabaptists will have no children baptised , because there is no expres●e command for it in scripture ; so these sabbatarians will have no sunday because they can find no expresse text for the alteration of it . iohn traske for his judaicall opinions was censured in the star-chamber to be set upon the pillory at westminster , and from thence to bee whipt to the fleet , there to remaine prisoner ; three years after he writ a recantation of all his schismaticall errors . also theophilus braborne had his doome in the star-chamber , and afterwards renounced his errors by conference had with doctor vhite , lord bishop of ely , which caused him to write a book of the sabbath . for the observation of the lords day , we read there is among others a treatis● of doctor bonners , called ( a profitable and necessary doctrine ) wherein on the fourth commandement sunday is oft called by the name of sabbath , and thereon ( saith he ) we must have our mindes quiet and free from all worldly cares , and give them entirly and wholly unto god both privately and publikely ; and that wee must occupy our selves in thought , word , and deed , as may be to the glory of god , with spirituall edifying both of our selves and also of our neighbours ; and that every one must instruct his children , servants and family in vertue and goodnesse : and as saint augustine saith , serm. . let us marke and see that our rest be not vaine or fruitlesse , but that wee being sequestred from all rurall workes , and from all businesse , doe from the evening on the saturday untill the evening on the sunday , give your selves to divine service . onely and after such sort we doe duely or well sanctifie the sabbath of our lord : and to prove the sabbath day to be kept , he cit●th , gen. . . exod. . . exod. . . exod. . . exod. . . numb . . . some some christians there be that keep both saturday and sunday , as the ethiopians . of the iesuites . this sor● or order is of a latter edition then the anabaptists , and therefore not to be om●tted . in descrebing of them i purpose to set downe : . their originall . . their government . their errors , in which they doe not agree with other papists . . that they are of all sects most pernicious and dangerous . . for their orignall , the first foundation was one loyola , a spanish souldier , who was maimed by the french at the siege of pampelona , his right leg being broken by a shot , and his left leg with a stone cast from the wall . this order boasteth much of heavenly visions , and divine revelations ( not unlike the coetanij the anabaptists ) is that the blessed virgin mary appeared to ignatius , with her son iesus in her armes : perswading him to erect this order , to which she promised to be propitious . they will tell you that ignatius was rapped up into heaven and that almighty god shewed him the 〈…〉 or frame by which he created the world , with many such like fancies . moreover , whereas other orders beare the name of their founders ; as the dominicans of dominicke ; the franciscans of francis , they beare the name of jesus : whereas ( saith my author ) they came from the devill , the father of lyes , they being the last engine and device of satan to supplant the truth . this order was confirmed anno . by paul the third bishop of rome . gregory the . bishop of rome , gave to the iesuites a place in rome called the island , in which they demolished many houses , turned many widdowes out of their dwellings and built themselves a most magnificent and sumptuous colledge . it is reported , that it cost in building . tun of gold , in which the pope placed . jesuites of severall nations . . for their government , the jesuites have a chife , whom they call their generall , who attendeth upon the pope in rome , their late general was claudius aquaviva , his office is to governe the whole order , and to make new orders : and their generalls commands the jesuites receive as divine oracles . they believe and obey their generall as christ himselfe . next their general they have foure assistants , who , as their generall attendeth the pope , so doe they attend their generall . the office of these four are to promote the popes authority into the foure quarters of the world . the iesuites their emissaries abroad , signifie unto them in writing how princes stand affected to the church of rome . moreover , theie office is with the generall to send governors , visiters , recters , and preachers to the whole order , and to send forth the inferiour jesuites into all places of the world , who take upon them all manner of fashions : to doe mischiefe among souldiers they are arrayed like souldiers : in princes courts like noble-men , attending forraigne e●bassadors : in ci●ies like merchants ; yea , sometimes they beg of protestant ministers , as men banished for religion : and all this to dive into the secrets of state , and to disclose the counsells of princes . . for their errors , chemnitius setteth downe . some sew of which i purpose to relate , and especially those in which they differ from other papists . first , they presumptuously arrogate to themselves the name of iesus , which is a name above all names . . they place their generall in equall authority with christ , saying , the voyce of our generall is the voyce of christ. . the jesuites generally maintaine the popes temporall power , as well as spiritual , that he may depose kings , and dispose of their kingdomes , which the french papists doe not allow of , viz. their decree set forth , anno . and among us , hart , bartley , preston , and others disclaime this power given by the jesuites to the pope . . they deny the lawfulnes of the oath of allegiance , which the secular priests doe all generally allow and take : see blackwell , howard , widrington , and the author of the safe guard from ship wrack . . the jesuites also teach it to be not onely lawfull ▪ but also meritorious to lay hands upon the lords anoynted , and to murther heretick kings after the pope hath declared them to bee such : see mariana , anti-cotton ; but the secular priests disclaime and abhor this doctrine . . the jesuites hold that the pope is onely iure divino , a bishop , and that all other bishops hold from him : but the cardinall of lorraine , and the french bishops , with many other , hold bishops to be iure divino : see the history of the councel of trent . . the jesuites with the franciscans beleeve the immaculate conception of the virgin mary , which the dominicans and other papists doe deny . . the jesuites with the pelagians & arminians , hold that god worketh in our conversion onely moraliter , by way of swasion ; but jacobites and other papists , especially the spaniards , ( as we may see in alvares and others ) maintain with all orthodox divines , that god worketh physically , & per modum physici agentis by powerfull inclining the faculty of the will. for confutation of these errors , so many books are written against them in english , and some of them are confuted before , so that i may save my labour . these are the most pernitious and dangerous sort of all others . these are not ignorant sots , like the anabaptists , and others , but educated and brought up in all manner of humane learning , and so more able to doe mischiefe . these take upon them to justifie all the errors and abhominations of antichrist ; yea , their idolatries , and sodomiticall uncleannesse they will defend and maintain . and have they not for this cause , ( a thing most abhominable to be spoken of ) corrupted the writings of the ancient fathers , and new printing of them , make them speak as they wou'd have them , and also written many books in their names to beare witnesse with them of their novelties ? a volume will not containe their cumbustions that they have raised in kingdoms and states . their plotting of treasons , and especially the powder-treason , a divillish designe , not to be beleeved in ages to come . their murthering of princes , & all these under pretence of holines . o god , that art in heaven , dissipate their councells ; o christ , the redeemer of thy church by the grace of thy holy spirit , deliver england from these wicked ass●ssians , and remove them far from our dwellings . one thing i will adde , to shew what impostors they are . i will set downe , how by a pretended delusion of theirs , a few of them had almost perverted a whole kingdome of christians , in which there is a patriarke and eighteen bishops . in the year of our lord , . tenurazes being king of the georgians , the persian army entred his countrey , spoyled divers towns , carryed away many prisoners , & among others ceteba the kings mother out of the city cremon . the old queen refusing to become a mahom●tan , and speaking ill of mahomet , was put to death , and her body cast out into the fields , left unburied to be eaten of wild beasts . there being at that time certaine jesuites in persia , they sought for her body but found it not , ( for moacla , a late servant of liers , who was slave to a persian , got leave of her master to bring home the body and embalme it ) the jesuites found a dead mans head , and embalming it , travelled towards georgia with it : and drawing neare , they sent a messenger to the king , to let him understand that certaine roman christians were come out of persia who brought with them the head of the holy martyr cetaba his mother , which had delivered them out of many dangers . the prince hearing this went a dayes journey with a great troop of his nobility and clergy , and brought the holy relique to chachete ▪ & with great honor and celebrity placed it in the church of the holy martyr st. george of aberdall , and used them with all respect , and sent them great gifts , which they refused , saying that they had vowed poverty : infinite miracles were wrought dayly , great offerings they had , the sick resorted to them . those that were past cure , they told them that their sins were great , and they needed a long time of penance which they prescribed them , and after to returne , before which time they usually dyed : others of whom they had hope of recovery , they used means , being physitians , & attributed their health to the holy relique , and to the bishop of rome , whom loving jesus had left his vicar here upon ●●rth : by this means they enticed many to the r●mish religion of the nobility , and had great hopes of the king himself ; but in the middest of all this came leue●s from moacla his mothers maid , that the king might ransome his mothers body which she had with the other prisoners . the king agreeing with the persian king ▪ had home his mothers body and many captives , which manifestly knew it to be his mothers body with her head on . at the same time came also certaine muleters cut of persia , who affirmed that they were in the jesuites company , when they cut off the head of a malefactor , as they supposed , and embalmed it : whereupon the king commanded the jesuites to prison , who were delivered at the 〈◊〉 of some of the nobility . this history is written in greek by gregorius hieromonachus , the patriarchall exa●ch from tr●pazunt , an. . by this ●eanes the jesuites had almost perverted the whole countrey of georgia . from this sect the lord deliver us . there are many other sects among us , as they ●ultiply dayly . there is but one truth , but errors are infinite . i will conclude with the prayer that 〈◊〉 mother church hath taught us : that it would please almighty god to bring into the way of truth all such as have erred and are deceived : which god grant for his blessed son jesus chris●s sake . sir thomas overburies character of a iesuite . a jesuite ( saith he ) is a larger spoone for a traytor to seed with the devill than any other order . unclasp him , and he is a gray wolfe with a golden star in his fore-head . so superstitious , he follw●eth the pope that he forsaketh christ in not giving caesar his due . his vowes seem heavenly , but with medling with state businesse he seemeth to mixe heaven and earth together . his best elements are confession and pe●ance ; by the first he findeth out mens inclinations , and by the latter heaps wealth to his seminary . hee sprang from ignatius loyola , a spanish souldier , and though he had long since found out the invention of the canon , he thought he had not done mischiefe enough . he is a false key to open princes cabinets , and pry into their counsells ; and where the popes excommunication thunders , he holds the de-crowning of kings to be no more sin , then our puritans doe the suppressing of bishops . the order t is full of irregularity and disobedience , and ambitious above all measure ; for of late dayes in portugall and the indies he rejected the name of jesuite , and would be called apostles disciple . in rome , and other countries that give him freedome , he weares a maske upon his heart : in england he shuffles in , and puts it upon his face . no place in our climate hideth him so secretly as a ladies chamber . the modesty of the pursevant hath onely forborne the bed , and so mist him . there is no disease in christendome that may so properly be called the kings evill . to conclude , will you know him beyond the sea ? in his seminary he is a fox ; but in the inquisition a lyon rampant . since the printing of this book , i hear of an assembly wherein one preacheth against the deity of christ : and of another great congregation of familists , and of atheisticall books published . i most humbly entreat almighty god for jesus christs sake in mercy to look upon us , and to keep our poore church from these doctrines of the devill , amen . of the pelagians . wricing of the hereticks and secta●ies of these times , ● thinke it not amisse , to write somewhat of the pelagians ; their ancient errors reviving among us . pelagius was a welch-man : and he is usually stiled pelagius the briton , to distinguish him from pelagius the samosatensian bishop ; a man learned and orthodox : luther saith , he was called pelagius of pelagus the sea ; his errors like the sea over-flowing in a manner the whole world . his name in welch was morgan , which signifieth the sea . he lived in the time of the emperor theodosius the younger , about the yeare of our lord , . his errors were condemned in the synod of carthage , an. . in which there assembled . bishop● ; and among other saint argustine : and also in the melivitan councell held in africa : his errors are set downe by augustine , hierome , ambrose , isidore , prosper , and fulgentius . pontanus setteth them downe to be twelve . . he taught that adam had dyed , although he had not sinned by the law of nature , and so sinne not to bee the cause of death . adam● sin to b● noxious to himselfe onely , and not to his posterity ; and th●re to be no original sinne . lust and co●cupiscence being naturall not to be evill , but rather good ; and sin not to be propagated by generation . . the former being granted , children to have no originall sin from their parents . . the children of the faithfull , though not batized , to be saved , and to enjoy everlasting life , but not in heaven . . men to have now free-will , even after sin , which is sufficient and fit to doe well without gods grace . . gods grace to be obtained by the merit of our workes . . the word grace in holy scripture , not to be meant the gracious remission of sin and the donation of the holy ghost , but the p●omulgation of doctrine . . faith to be the knowledge of the law and history as they call it , not a speciall worke and our perseverance in faith . . the law of god to be satisfied by externall obedience , neither it to be impossible for a man to keep . . the prayers of the church for sinners , that they may be converted ; and for the faithfull to persevere to be made in vai●e : because it is in the power of our owne free-will . a●d wee need not aske that of god that we have power to d●e our selves . . they doe mocke and scoffe at the doctrine of predestination● explo●ing it out of the church . these errors need no confu●ation , being so opposite to the holy scripture . soule-sleepers . that the soule dyeth with the body is an old and despicable heresie , raised in arabia , about the time of origen , and extinguished by his dispute immediately after the birth thereof : such as were infected with this opinion were termed by saint augustine arabici , by reason of the province in which this error first arose . this heresie is risen up againe among us , and an abscure author laboureth to maintaine in a treatise late published among us , intituled mans mortality , in which hee bringeth an argument out of gen. . . where adam is told that for his disobedience he must turne unto dust from whence he was made , and not onely his body , but also his soule , which came not out of the dust . in the description of mans creation by moses , you may manifestly see the immortality of the soule . when god created the beasts , &c. he said , let the earth bring forth every living thing : but when he made man , let us make man in our owne image . and againe , the lord god made man of the dust of the earth ; that is his body : and for his soule , he breathed in his face the breath of life . god created the angels spirits without bodies . the creatures bodies without soules : he took a body and soule and made a man in his own image ; in respect of his body he hath affinity with beasts ; in respect of his soule with heavenly spi●its . the beasts came out of the earth , and to the earth they returne ; so mans body . but his soule came from heaven , and returneth to god that gave it . beside some foolish arguments alledged in the treatise before named , he citeth the words of solomon , ecclsiastes . . for that which befalleth the sonnes of men befalleth beasts , even one thing befalleth them : as the one dyeth , so ●yeth the other , yea , they have all one breath , so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast , for all is vanity . all goe to one place , all are of the dust , and all turns to dust againe . who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward , and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth ? which words were to determination of solomons , but a history of what came in his thoughts , and what troubled him , and stirred him up to a solicitous enquiry , concerning the soules condition , but the state of the soule he determineth , chap. . saying , dust returneth unto the earth from whence it came , and the spirit to god that gave it . to this resolution of solomons , i may adde our lords answer to the saduces , matth. . . i am the god of abraham , the god of isaac , and the god of iacob . god is not a god of the dead , but of the living . this error of theirs is contrary to the holy scriptures , cor. , . . psalme . . luke . . acts . . apocal. . . . to conclude with sap. . though not received in●o the canon , yet it is confessed to be very ancient , and therefore may claime precedency of authority before any heathen philosopher . the soules of the righteous are in the hands of god , and there shall no torment touch them . . in the sight of the unwise they seem to dye , and their departure is taken for misery , and their going from us to utter destruction , but they are in peace . deny the scriptures . among others , one wicked sect denieth the scriptures both of the old and new testament , and account them as things of nought : whereby by gods command they that despised moses law by the mouth of two or three witnesses , were to be put to death , these wicked ungodly creatures despise both the law and the gospell , and in the presence of a cloud of witnesses : yea , as i am credibly informed in publike congregations they vent these their damnable opinions almighty god deliver our poore church from them . of the seekers , or expecters . many have wrangled so long about the church , that at last they have quite lost it , and go under the name of expecters and seekers , & doe deny that there is any true church , or any true minister , or any ordinances : some of them affirme the church to be in the wildernesse , and they are seeking for it there : others say that it is in the smoke of the temple , & that they are groping for it there , where i leave them praying to god to open their eyes and give them repentance , that they may consider from whence they are fallen , and returne againe to the bosome of that church , from which they have , to the great dishonour of god , and the scondalizing of the gospell made so fearfull a defection . divorsers . these i terme divorsers , that would be quit of their wives for slight occasions ; and to maintaine this opinion , one hath publ●shed a tractate of divorce , in which the bonds of marriage are let loose to inordinate lust , putting away wives for many other causes , besides that which our saviour onely approveth ; namely in case of adulterie , who groundeth his error upon the words of god , gen. . . i will make him a helpe meet for him . and therefore if she be not an helper , nor meet for him , he may put her away , saith this author . which opinion is flat contrary to the words of our saviour , matth. . . it hath been said also , whosoever shall put away his wife , let him give her a testimoniall of divorsement : but i say to you , whosoever shall put away his wife , except it be for fornication , causeth her to cowmit adultery : and whosoever shall marry her that is divorsed , committeth adulterie . againe , he confirmeth the same , matth , . . i say therefore unto you , that whosoever shall put away his wife , except it be for whoredome , and marry another , committeth adulterie : and whosoever doth marrie her that is divorced , committeth adultery , vid. mar. . . luk. . . cor. . . of the papists . a question may be asked , why i ranke the papists among the late hereticks . to which i answer , that there is a great difference between the ancient papists , and the moderne , since their trent conventicle ; and therefore i rank them with the former sectaries ; their doctrines being many of them new . in describing of then errors , i purpose to shew their differences from the protestants , which are set down at large in master perkins reformed catholike . . concerning free-will ; the dissent is in the cause of the freedome of mans will in spirituall things , and especially in the first conversion of a sinner . the papists say , that mans will worketh with gods grace in the first conversion of a sinner by it selfe : we say that mans will worketh with gods grace in the first conversion , yet not of it selfe , but by grace , cor. . . . concerning originall sinne ; the difference between them and us standeth not in the abolishment of it , but in the manner and measure of the abolishment of it . they affirme originall sinne to be so farre taken away after baptisme , that it ceaseth to be sinne properly , and is nothing else but a defect , and want , making the heart ready to conceive sinne : we teach , although it be taken away in the regenerace in sundry respect : yet it doth remaine in them , not as a want or defect , but as sin , and that properly , as st. paul affirmeth , rom. . . . of the certainty of salvation , we hold that a man may bee certaine of his salvation in this life . they also hold the same . the difference is , they hold the certainty to be by hope , and we by faith , iohn . . the fourth poynt is of the justification of a sinner . . concerning the matter of our justification . they grant that i● justification sin is pardoned by the merits of christ , and that none can be j●stified without remission of sin . . that the righteousnesse whereby man is justified commeth from christ , and from him alone . . the most learned of them say , that the merit of christs death is imputed to every sinner that doth beleeve for his satisfaction before god. we say that the satisfaction made by christs death and obedience is imputed to us , and becommeth our righteousnes . they say it is our satisfaction , and not our righteousnesse . the second difference is about the manner of our justification ; we both agree that a sinner is justified by faith : the difference is , the papists understand a generall faith ; whereby a man beleeveth the articles of religion to be true . wee hold the faith which justifieth to be a particuler faith ; wherby we apply to our selves the promises of righteousnes & life everlasting by christ. . the papists say , that a man is justified by faith , yet not by faith alone , but also by other vertues , as hope , love , &c. . they say that we are justified by works ; as causes we say we are justified by works , as by signes and fruits of our justification before god. fiftly , touching merit we agree , that merits are so far necessary , that no man can be saved without them . . that christ is the root and fountaine of all merit . the papists place merits within a man , making two sorts of them , viz. the merits of persons , which is to bee found in infants dying after baptisme : and the merit of works , which they teach to be meritorious two wayes : first , by covenant , because god hath made a promise to reward them . secondly , because christ hath meritted that our works should merit : we renounce all merit , and rest onely upon the merits of christ. the sixth poynt of satisfaction . . we hold a civill satisfaction , & a recompence for injuries . . we hold also a canonical , whereby having given offence to the church , or any part thereof , a man doth make an open testimony of repentance . . we hold that christ hath made satisfaction for our sins , and the punishment of them both eternall and temporall . they hold ▪ that christ by his death hath made satisfaction for all the sinnes of men , and for the eternall punishment of them all , yet so as they themselves must satisfie for the temporall punishment of them either on earth or in purgatory , which we deny . the seventh poynt of traditions . the papists teach , that besides the written word , there bee certaine unwritten traditions , which must be believed as profitable and necessary to salvation . we hold the scriptures to be most perfect , containing in them all things necessary to salvation . the eighth part concerning vowes . we say lawfull vowes may be props and stays of gods worship , but not the worship it selfe . they hold vowes of things not commanded to be part of the worship of god : as continency , poverty , regular obedience , which are against christian liberty . the ninth poynt for images . we acknowledge the civill use of images , but we deny any religious worship of them . the tenth is the reall presence . we deny not the presence it selfe ; and although we hold a reall presence of christs body and bloud in the sacrament : yet we doe not take it to be locall , bodily or substantiall but spirituall and mysticall to the signes by sacramental rela●ion , & to the communicants by faith alone . the eleventh is the sacrifice of the lords supper , which they call the masse . we acknowledge the lords supper to be a sacrifice . . because it is a memoriall of christs sacrifice upon the crosse. . because every communicant doth offer up himselfe body and soule a living and acceptable sacrifice unto god. . because of the almes given to the poore . they ma●e the eucharist to be a reall , externall , or bodily sacfice offered unto god. 〈◊〉 twelfth poynt of fasting . we maintaine three sorts thereof , to wit , a morall , civill , and religious . the first being morall , is a practice of sobriety and temperance to be used in the whole course of our life . the second civill , when upon some particuler and politicke considerations we abstaine 〈◊〉 flesh at certaine seasons of the yeare , to preserve the breed of cattell , and to maintaine the calling of fisher-men . the third , a religious fast , when the duties of religion , as the exercise of prayer , and humiliation be used in our fasts . we joyne with them in the allowance of the principall ends of fasting . the first , that thereby the minde may become attentive in the service of god. the second that the rebellion of the ●lesh may be subdued . the third is to professe our guiltinesse , and to testifie our humil●ation before god. thirdly , we yeeld to them that fasting is an helpe and furtherance to the worship of god , yea and a good worke also , if it be used in a good manner . our distent is in three things . first , they prescribe certaine times of fastirng , as necessary to be kept . secondly , they prescribe a difference of mea●● , as whi●me●●ts and fish , &c. onely to be used on their fas●ing dayes , and that for conscience sake . thirdly , we differ touching the ends of fasting ; for they make abstinence it selfe in a person fitly prepared , to be a part of gods worship . to conclude , we doe not condemne fasting , but the abuse of it . the thirteenth poynt of the state of perfection . our consent is , that all true beleevers have a state of perfection in this life : and this perfection hath two parts : first is the imputation of christs perfect obedience : the second part , of a christian mans obedience is sincerity or righteousnesse . the difference is , they teach that they cannot onely keep all the commandements of the law , and thereby deserve his owne salvation , but goe beyond the law , and doe works of super-erogation . the fourteenth poynt is of the worshipping of saints and especially of invocation . our consent ; the true saints of god , as the prophets , apostles , and martyrs are to be worshipped and honoured three wayes . first , by keeping a memoriall of them in a godly manner . secondly , in giving thanks to god for them , and the benefits that god vouchsafed by them . thirdly , they are to be honoured by an imitation of their faith , humility , meeknesse , repentance , and good vertues , in which they excelled . the difference stands in the manner of worshipping of saints . the papists make two degrees of religious worship ; the highest they call latreia , whereby god is worshipped , and that alone douleia , whereby the saints and angels are worshipped : we also distinguish adoration or worship for it is either religious , or civill ; religious worship we give to god alone , civill worship we give to men . to come to the poynt , we deny that any civill worship is to be given to the saints , being absent from us ; much lesse any religious worship at all , call they it what they will. the fifteenth poynt of the intercession of saints . we hold that the saints departed , pray to god by giving thanks to him for their owne redemption , and for the redemption of the whole church . secondly , that they pray generally for the state of the whole church . they hold that the saints in heaven do make intercession to god for particuler men , according to their severall wants , and receiving particuler mens prayers , they present them unto god : which doctrine we flatly renounce . the sixteenth poynt of implicite faith , we hold that there is a kinde of implicite faith , as in the time of a mans first conversion , and in the time of some grievous temptation . a second kinde of implicite faith is in regard of apprehension , when as a man cannot say distinctly and certainly . i believe the pardon of my sinnes , but i doe unfainedly desire the pardon of them all , and doe desire to repent . the difference is ; the pillars of the roman church , lay downe this ground , that faith in his owne nature is not a knowledge of things to be beleeved , but a reverent assent unto them , whether they be knowne or unknowne : hereupon they build , that if a man know some necessary poynts of religion , as the doctrine of the god-head , of the trinity , of christs incarnation , and of our redemption , &c. it is needlesse to know the rest , and it is sufficient to give his consent to the church , and to beleeve as the pastors beleeve . this implicite faith we reject : for ●aith containeth a knowledge of things to be believed ; and nothing is believed that is not knowne . the seventeenth poynt of purgatory . they hold it to be a part of hell , into which an entrance is made onley after this life : which we deny having no warrant for it in gods word . . we differ from them touching the meanes of purgatory , they say that men are purged by suffering the paines of purgatory , whereby they satisfie for their v●niall sinnes , and for the temporall punishment of their mortall sinnes . we teach the contrary , holding that nothing can free us from the least punishment of the smallest sinne , but the sufferings of christ , and purge us from the least taint of corruption , saving the bloud of christ. for prayer for the dead , which the author joyneth to this poynt . we hold christian charity is to ex●●●d it selfe to the dead and it may sh●w it selfe in their honest buriall , in preservation of their good names , and in relievi●g their poste●●●y . we pray further in generall for the faithfull departed , that god would hasten their joyfull resurrection , and the full accomplishment of their happinesse , both for the body and the soule . but to pray for particuler men departed , and to pray for deliverance out of purgatory , we dare not ; we think it unlawfull , because we have neither promise nor commandement so to doe . the eighteenth poynt of the supremacy . in causes ecclesiasticall , our consent : first , for the founding of the primitive church , the ministery of the word was distinguished by degrees , not only of order , but also of power , as peter was called to the highest degree , eph ▪ . . christ ascended up an high , and gave gifts unto men , as some to be apostles ▪ some prophets , some evangelists , some pastors and doctors . now howsoever one apostle be not above another ; yet one apostle is above another , as an apostle is above an evangelist ; and an evangelist above pastors and teachers . and peter being an apostle , was above all evangelists and pas●ors , having the highest roome in the ministery of the new testament . secondly , among the twelve apostles , peter had a three-fold priviledge . first ; of authority , cephas , with iames an● iohn were called pillers , gal. . . . secondly , of primacy , being first named ; the names of the twelve apostles are these ; the first is simon called peter . thirdly , of principality ; in regard of the measure of grace in which he excelled , math. . . the difference is , the papists give to peter and to the bishops of rome his successors , a supremacy under christ , above all causes and persons : which wee deny ; affirming kings and princes to bee supreme within their owne dominions . the nineteenth of the efficacy of the sacraments . our consents . we teach sacraments to be signes , to represent christ with his benefits unto us . . instruments , whereby god offereth and giveth the said benefits unto us . the difference . first , that sacraments are physicall instrements , having force in them to give grace . secondly , that the very action of the minister dispensing the sacrament , as it is a worke done , giveth grace , if the party bee prepared . we hold the contrary . the twentieth poynt of saving faith. our consent . . they teach the property of faith to believe the whole word of god , and especially the redemption of mankinde by christ. . they a vouch , that they beleeve and look to be saved by christ , and by him alone , and by the meere mercy of god in christ. . the most learned of them hold and confesse that the obedien●e of christ is imputed to them for the satisfaction of the law , and their reconciliation with god. . they avouch that they put their whole trust and confidence in christ , and in the meere mercy of god for their salvation . . they hold that every man must apply the promise of life everlasting by christ unto himselfe . though in coloured termes they seem to agree with us , yet indeed they abolish and deny the substance thereof : namely , the particuler , and certaine application of christ crucified , and his benefits to our selves . the . poynt of repentance . our consent . . conclusion ; that repentance is the conversion of a ●inner , and that it is passive or active ; passive is an action of god , whereby he converteth a man being yet unconver●ed ; active , is an action of man , whereby man being once turned of god , turnes himselfe . . conclusion : that repentance standeth : in confessing of the mouth . contition of the heart . satisfaction in deed . . conclusion : that in repentance we are to bring forth outward fruits , worthy amendment of life . we dissent not from the church of rome in the doctrine of repentance , but in their abusing of it . . they place , the beginning of repentance , partly in themselves , and partly in the holy ghost . . they take repentance or penance for that publike discipline that was used against offenders in the open congregation . . they make it a sacrament . . they make it a meritorious cause of remission of sinne , and everlasting life : and in these poynts ( saith my author ) we dissent from the church of rome . in the . place he setteth downe some sinnes of the romish church , viz. atheisme , idolatry , and adultery , in permitting stewes , and brothell-houses . i pray god keep us in these distracted times from atheisme , and sacriledge , which ensu●th thereupon . in master perkins reformed catholike , you may see the confutation of the popish errors before named at large . a review of the sectaries ▪ comparing them with the papists . for the sacrament of baptisme the papists exclude those infants heaven that are not baptized ; and the anabap●ists affirme the baptisme of children to be the marke of the beast , and antichristian . the papists attribute too much to the element of bread in the holy communion , accounting him no good christian that will not call it his lord god. some of these sectaries , as the brownists , mocke and scoffe at the sacrament of the lords supper , calling it a two-penny banquet . for the number of sacraments , the papists will have too ma-many : and some of these sectaries too few . the papists give too much reverence to the blessed virgin ▪ holy apostles , and saints departed : and some of these hereticks blaspheme the holy virgin , whom all nations should call blessed ; as the melchiorists saying , maledicta sit caro mariae . the papists are blamed for saying too often the lords prayer : the brownists , and some of other sectaries will not say the lords prayer at all ; some of them affirming it to be an abominable idoll , though it be commanded to be said by our lord himselfe . the papists will not onely keep the lords day , but also many holy-dayes : some of these sectaries will neither keepe holy-dayes , nor the lords day ; as the famalists and an●i-sabbatarians . the papists confesse their sinnes , and suppose they cannot enter heaven without a particuler confession of them : some of these hereticks will not confesse their sinnes at all ; affirming god can see no sinne in them : as the antinomia●s . in equivocating they are alike : equivocation is a cunning colouring of a lye , which is against scripture , against the rule of equity , an hindring of justice , the way to perjury , the divills creature , who is the father of lying a princi●pll proppe and pillar of antichrists kingdome . for lying : i know not whether papists or sectaries shall carry away the bell : they tell lyes , they print lies , they preach lyes , they paint lies , and both without controule . bullinger telleth us that the anabaptists brought cart-loads of lies to maintaine their detestable opinions . piae fraudes ; as the papists have piae fraudes , to draw men to godlinesse , as purgatory , and such like ; so have the sectaries , and especially the anabaptists have tricks and devises , as visions , revelations , dreames ; yea , false miracles to maintain their cause . for hypocrisie they are both alike ▪ they come in sheepes cloathing ; but inwardly they are ravening wolves . the anabaptists entred munster like lambes , but became wolves , having gotten the upper hand . for their uncleannesse ; the papists permit stewes ●but the uncleannesse of the familists and anabaptists in their spirit●all marriages , and other abhominations , are not with a modest tongue to be spoken ▪ for churches ; the papists spare no cost in erecting and trimming them , they would make them if they could like heaven it selfe : whereas some of these sectaries would destroy and dem●lish them . last of all , the papists worship god in trinity , and trinity in unity : and whereas some of these sectaries blaspheme the holy trinity ; their opinions being so diabolicall and prodigiously impious , that it is not for a christian to name their opinions . it hope that our governours will drive these also from our folds , as they doe the popish emissaries . it is fit for all that are christians to avoyd all those who speake against christ , and to account them as the enemies of god , and corrupters of soules postscript . since the publishing of this heresiography , i have been abused above measure , not onely with reviling language in the streets , as i goe ; but also in my estate : some sectaries of my parish , denying now to pay me any thing at all ; affirming , that they are to maintaine the minister of their owne congregation . and that which troubleth them , is my defence of tithes , and the ordinance of parliament for the true payment of them . the non-payment whereof , is one of the chiefe inducements , that the brownists and some other sectaries have to entise the silly people , and to poyson them with their other errors : which they learnt from the anabaptists , who taught also , that christian men were to pay no rent , nor submit to any government : for which the german princes rooted them out of their dominions . now these latter hereticks daring not to forbid payment of rent , nor magistracy , raile altogether upon the payment of tithes , and the ordinance for tithes , lately set out by parliament . and some of them in a scandalous libell , among other things affirme , doctor featlies divell to be transmigrated into old ephraim pagitt , ( would to god i had his learning ) who is altogether for fat tithes , &c. i pray god keep the divell out of them . a learned man writeth , * that if a man should binde himselfe to the divell , to doe his uttermost in supplanting the kingdome of christ , he could not attempt it any way more directly , then in driving the ministers to such straits and difficulties , that having not convenient and necessary maintenance , they must either give over their callings , or devoyd of courage and comfort , in sorrow exercise the same : by occasion whereof , others shall be discouraged from the study of divinity , nothing desirous to buy poverty so deare . such , ( as i have said before ) doe not onely occidere presbyteros , kill christs ministers ; but also with julian presbyterium , the very ministery of christ. yea , they strike at the root of gods service , at christs priesthood , going about to destroy the ministry and seminary of gods church . but for the payment of tithes which they so blaspheme , the ministers have to them a double right . first , by speciall reservation of almighty god. secondly , by humane donation . for the first , men have soules as well as bodies , and god hath provided for them both : as in the week he allowed six days for the body , and sanctified the seventh for the soule : so of mens goods , he alloweth nine parts for the body , and reserveth a tenth for the soule , to maintaine his ministers , to beget them unto god , and teach them his knowledge : a tenth part he precisely enjoyned , that mans covetousnesse should not rob his ministers , which some would doe ; if the quota pars were lest to their discretions . the reservation of tithe is set downe in expresse words , levit. . . all the tithe of the land , whether of the seed of the land , or of the fruit of the tree , it is the lords , it is holy to the lord. [ all ] none excepted [ is ] no● hereafter shall be , but now is and hath been : as the sabbath was observed , before the fourth commandement was promulga●●d , exod. . so tithes were paid long before this reservation to the levites . you may read of abraham paying tithe to melchisedech and of lacob promising to pay them . and now god reserving them to himselfe , and establishing them upon the levites , so we have a succession of them unto christ. now hath not christ a priest-hood , and that more excellent then melchisedechs , or the levites : melchisedech blessed abraham ; but in our high priest , all the nations of the earth are blessed . the apostle telleth us ( as chrysostome affirmeth ) that christ received tithe from levi by abraham , father of the faithfull , who paying tithe to melchisedech ▪ shadowed out the faithfull paying tithe to christ. for abraham payed tithe not to the priest that offered leviticall sacrifices of bullocks and goats , but of bread and wine : setting ●orth to what priests we must pay tithes to . hath not christ our high priest a priest-hood ? yes , and why should not tithes bee due to his priest-hood ? are his priests to serve for nothing ? he telleth us himselfe , that the labou●er is worthy of his wages . how dare any man deny tithes to christs priest-hood ? tell me , is christs priest-hood les●e deserving than aarons or melchisedechs , or hath he lost his right , or hath christ lesse care of the ministers of of the gospell , then was taken for the priests of the law ? saint paul saith , they are worthy of double honour . or hath christ renounced his right in tithes ? no , you may read of his expresse allowance of them , matth. . . it is his ordinance . cor. . . doe●ce not know , that they which wait at the altar , are partakers with the altar ? so hath god ordained , that they which preach the gospell should live of the gospell : god hath ordained , saith the apos●le , where can we finde a●y other ordina●ce ? the apostles s●●teth downe the difference between the levi●●call priests and christ , heb. . . they under the tabernacle , take tithes of them who dyed ; but here he taketh them that liveth for ever . in which text he sheweth , that tithes are not leviticall and a mutable maintenance , but the eternall maintenance of gods service , used before the law , when the priest-hood was in the father of the family , stated on , ( not first invented sor ) levi , during the levites service : and when the body came which was christs , and levi with all his typicall service was to be abolished ; then ceased not tithes in right , although in practise they were not paid by pagans , but were transferred to christ , and to his ministers for their maintenance ; yea to the priest-hood of christ who liveth for ever . let these sectaries shew any one sillable in all the holy scriptures in which tithes are ceremoniall , as the sacrifices were , which were types and figures of christs sacrifice , which he offered once for all , and in him determined . or where christ or his apostles may but seeme to have abrogated , abolished , or changed them , or why the law for tithes should be more abolished then the law for the sabbath : the service of god continuing , why should not the maintenance thereof continue . to conclude , as the christians , so also the mahometans , who are much more numerous than the christians , pay their tithes with great conscience , the detention of them ▪ is one of the grand sinnes , which the two inquisitor angels of their law doe examine soules after death , viz. whether they have payd their tithes without fraud , as witnesseth ioannes baptist a alfaqui , who had been a mahometan priest. the wisedome of almighty god , the practise of all ages , the example of patriarks , abraham and iacob ; yea the commandement of god hath taught us to render god a tenth . if this will not suffice , wee have another right , a title as good , and as ancient , as any man can shew for his lands ; that is , the donation of tithes to the church , confirmed by the kings and parliaments of this kingdome from time to time , ever since christianity flourished amongst us . for this vid. my christianography , page . and sir henr. spelman de non temerandis ecclesi●s . last of all consider the equity of this maintenance , whether it be better for men to pay a tenth , then have these seducers to creep into their ho●ses , and get from their wives , ( being silly women ) children and servants , not a tenth , or two and nine pence for an ob●ation , but great summes of money , whatsoever they can pro●e from them ( like the pharisees ) devou●ing widdowes houses under the colour of long prayers . but whereas some of them write the divell to be in me , sir thomas mo●e writeth of a devi●l called negotium , businesse , which carryeth more to hell then all the divells beside , who was in them that would not come to the feast : one being so basie in marrying a wife , that he could not come , another having b●ught o●en , another having bo●ght a farme , &c. i read also of another divill called sacriledge , which st. peter te●leth us to bee in ananias . why hath the divell filled thy hea●t . if the divill were in him who gave halfe that hee had , and kept back but part ; what divill is in them , that give nothing themselves , but se●se upon those lands and goods , which not they , but other men had consecrated to the service of almighty god , with many curses to the violaters of their donations ? this divell sacriledge at this time , seemeth to bee a very devou● divill , very carefull of gods service that it might be better performed , he would have the ministers lands taken from them ; that they might follow their studies and not bee encombred with them ; yea , a carefull divell also of the ministers maintenance he would have them to have competencies , and the k●ng and state to have the over-plus of their means , all which godly pretences are hypocriticall , and the maskes of vile in●quity , and holy thes● ; for it is not the ministers profit they looke at , neither the commod●ty of the king or state , but their owne covetousnesse , by which some seek to satisfie their owne pride , riot , wanton and greedy ●usts . like iudas , who will not stick to ●el christ himselfe for money : such a reformation as was in king ▪ henry the eights time doe some gape after , in which almost every m●n got somewhat● some one gentleman got ten parsonages , some other twenty . read doctor turners book entituled spirituall physick ; almost in every house and alehouse , you might see carpets , and cushions made of church-ornaments . after that men had devoured the wealth of the monasteries , they began to long after the lands of bishops , and cathedrall churches , ( as mr. fox relateth ) and for this purpose they set sir thomas s●ymor a worke , to promote it to the king. to whom the king answered , there are a sort of you to whom i have liberally given of the possession of menasteries , which like as you have lightly gotten , so you have unthriftily spent , some at dice , others on gay ●loathes , and others worse ; and now you would make a ●●eavance of church lands to accomplish your greedy appetites , &c. surely it is a disgrace to religion , that in reformations mens thoughts doe runne , even in the greater labours and learning in the church , to pill and pole the ministery , and bring it to beggery ; being the curse pronounced against the priests the posterity of eli : from which curse the lord keep this poor church . an extract of the acts of the nationall synod of the reformed churches of france , assembled by the kings permission at charantoun , anno . . decemb . and dayes following . upon what hath been reported by the commissioners of the maritime provinces , that divers comming from forreigh coun●ries , and who goe under the name of inde●endents , because they ●each that every particular congregatio● ought to be governed by its owne particuler laws , without a● depending of any in ecclesiasticall matters , and without any obligation to acknowledg the authority of coll●ques , or classes and synods for its government and conduct , setlling their abode in this kingdome , and hereafter they might cause here amongst us many great inconveniences if in due time there were not order taken , the assembly fearing lest the contagion of this poyson gaining ground insensibly should throw trouble and disorder among us ; and judging the said sect of independents to b● not onely prejudiciall to the church of god , in so far , that it endeavours to bring in confusion , opening a gate to all kind of singularities and extravagancies , and taking away all meanes of any remedy to the evill , but also most dangerous to the state , where ( if it had place ) there might as many religions set up , as there be parishes or particular congregations , doth enjoyne to all the provinces , and particularly to the maritimes , to take heed that the evill take no foote in this kingdome ▪ to the end that peace and uniformity as well in religion as in discipline , may be inviolably preserved ; and that nothing be brought in amongst us which may alter in any kind the service due unto their majesties . garrissole moderator . basnage adjoynt . blo●del secretary . le coq . secretary . errata . page . l. . read harlem . p. . l. . r. . p l. . r. polem●cae . p. . l. . r. balamites . . rebellious . ● . l. . r. presbyterie . p. . l. . r. all . p. . l. r. into their society , but such as are content to have their goods . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e paulus diacon . lib. . theodo● . lib. ● . cap. ● . notes for div a -e come . to you . in sheepes clo●thing . 〈…〉 〈◊〉 . . notes for div a -e 〈…〉 anno horten. de anab . pag. . 〈…〉 sl●id● . ●● . ch. nelles . pag. ●● . ho tens . pag. . in tanta ho●um homi●um colluvie nc unus quidem i●ventus o●edilite as dedice . it . sleid. . lumber . horten . page . hortens . p. . page . hortc●s p . sleidan . ho ten p. . page . hort. page . ch. niclles . page . . ch niclles , page . ibid. page page . four conscione multipher le nomo e deu peuple di dieu . ch. nicll p. the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 . set downe by ●ontanus and bullinger . gastius p. . anabap. sumunt sibi omnes praedicandi 〈◊〉 sleid. com . lib. . licere plebeis in magistratibus 〈◊〉 sumere . non licere chri●tani● justurandum ●●cere , sleid. lib. . error . answer . maledicta sit c●ro mariae , bull in advers . anabab fol. ● ● . error . answer , error . answer . error . error . ●●emiae paid respen . . blasphemy . instit. . cap. . ss . . vid. the harmony o● their conf sio●s orati . upon levit. hoc si qu●s neglex●rit & deriserlt , mortis poena affilgetur , re●ig . moscov●t . 〈…〉 ▪ gu●do de ●●res . th● a iesu de conv●r omnium gent. . lib. . p : th , a ●esu ividem . navig . ●oseph . indi , cap . the it . cos . lb . . boler , relat . lib. . page . the barbarous cruelty of these sectaries . error . answer . error . error . answer . error . error . answer . rom. ● . co● . error . resp. object . resp. error . iudg. . . . chapters . error . error . answer . error . answer . qu●dam impuri nebulones persuaserunt juxta ●auli vaticinium , . ● . m. . stultis mulierculis ut relictis propriis maritis ipsus sequeretur , bulling , adver . an●b●pt . l●b , . fol. . error . anno . reg. eliz. article . 〈…〉 . article . article . article . article . article . article . article . article . article . histor. david georg . fol. . . muncerians . sleid. com. lib. . . apostolikes . . separatists . . catherists . . silentes . . enthusiasts . . liberi . . adamites . . hutites . . augustinians . . beuckeldians . . melchiorists . . georgians . . menonists . hist. anabap. pag. . . pueris similes . . sevetians . . libertines . . denkians . . orantes . . deo relicti . . monasterienses . . plunged anabaptists . the abyssins baptize not in fonts as we do , but in the church-porch , but with a potful of water ● alvares of the ●●hiop●ans . c. cyp. epist. . ad mag● . manner of rebaptizing . manner of receiving the communion . of their marriages . gast ▪ de catabap . erroribus . spirituall marriages . bulling adver . anabapt . lib. . fol . p●ge de catabap . error . bulling . adver anabap pa communitie of women . bu●ling adver anabaptist l . fol. . qudam imp●ri nebulones pers adebant i vibus mol erculls on osse ip●as salvari ●isi pud citi●m suam p●ostitue● rent , abu●ebantu● autem non absque blasphemia verbo domini . &c. * ordnation . learning . places of mee●ing . gast . . g●stius ▪ de anabapt . exord . lib. . decre●lt senatus tigu●nus merge●eeum qui merserit baptismo eum qui ●rius emerse at . gast p . lib 〈◊〉 no die mul●i ob at a●●baptismums ●bmer si sunt . howe 's chr●p howe 's chr. p. . . how . how . cambden in the life of qu , eliz. p. . 〈◊〉 his epistle . . baptisme to be adm●n●st to the infants of the faithful● . . reason , gods command . gen . , . . exod. . , . acts . , . & . . & . . . , , , gal. . . . isa . . luke . , . heb. ● . — . & . lu●e ● . , . , &c. rom. . . . & . . rev. . . . confirmed by christ. mat. , . mark . , gal ▪ . — gen. . . & . , , . rom. . — ● & . — . & . — . cor. . . esa. . , . & . . acts ▪ , ioh . . cor. . . & , . eph. . ● . — & . . . the apostles practise acts . . 〈◊〉 . gen. , ● & ● ▪ & ● . . ex. . , . house implyeth children therein . gen. . & , , — . , , . num. ●● , &c. psal. . ●● , , . tim. . . . the children o● beleevers ore holy . ● or ● rom. . a●●s . gal . esa . , . psalme . . . & ▪ . & . , , , . luk . . ▪ acts . . . signe of wash●ng away of sin . ro● . ● & . , ▪ z●ch , . cor . — & , acts . , , , , . . one baptisme eph. . , . cor. . . & . , . exod. . . pet. . gen . gal● . . ● , , . t●m . . ●oh . ● ▪ a●ts ● , , ●sal ▪ ● . . . . go●s grace not lessened since christs comming cor. ● . & — . rom , . . . & . — . & . . gen. . . — . luke . . pet. . . — . . . esa . acts . . — & . . . & . , . . ● . gal. . . . mar. 〈◊〉 . . & . , , . eph. . . gen. . , , , . gen . . gal. . . . rom. . , , , . acts . ▪ rom. ● , . & . . rev. ▪ rev hos. . & . . deut. ● . luke . . called also separatists . proph schisme . p. . . their agreement with the donatists . . their agreement with the anabptists . * the brownists 〈◊〉 re●ibap . . 〈◊〉 ●nnovators . . some of their ●rrors . . bitter ●ail●rs . prophane schisme , cap. . mr. ba●● . separ . schisme . . magnifit their owne sect ; iohn robinsons a swer to r. b● page . iohn smiths p●●allei . p . pro●ha●e schisme . ● . . ibidem p. . . they criminate the dutch and french churches . fran●●● iohnsons ar●i●les against the dutch and french churches . vid. dr. halls apology against the browniste . page ▪ . pretend sc●ip●ure . . blame our congregations fo● p●ophanenesse . . the prophanenesse of t●eir sect. mr. white . vid. p●●phane schisme of the brownists p , . ibid page ● . ac●um . . ●eb ▪ . the testimony of the ●utch church co●ce●ning the browni●●s . of the magistrates of amsterdam vid. proph . schi●m . page . their equivoca●ing and palliating their wicked●esse . vid. proph . schis page . prophane schis . page p. ● ▪ ib dem . ibid. p. . he did like solomon , who would know all secrets . proph. schsm p. . blame the conve● sat● o● of our ministers . . ordination of our m●nisters . 〈…〉 brownists ord●nat●on ▪ . their singing of psalmes . propha●e schl●sme . p. . . of their pr●phe●●ing . . 〈…〉 . eccles. 〈◊〉 〈…〉 . bpownists . barrowists . wilkinsonia●s . iohnsonians . ainsworthians . robinsoni●●● . their cursing one another . pro●hare schisme . p. . propha●e schisme . page . . schisme a great sinne . a howe 's chro● . p. ● ▪ how. ch●on . p. . . sco●s description of a brownist . of the semiseparat●sts . answer to the apologeticall na●ration , p. , . the 〈…〉 . i marvaile why they will say pauls prayer . the grace of our lord iesus christ , the love of god the father , and not say the lords prayer . the history of david george is written by his son in 〈◊〉 , nich-bles● 〈◊〉 and published by iacob beeb , pri●ted ●t daventry , . his doctrine is set down in articles . d●s●●●●●y of the errors of the 〈◊〉 p●ge . christopher viret . knewst . p. . knewst . p. . knewst . fol. en●ch clapham do de●isons white w●lfe , page . ● . . castalian order . . grindletenian , . of the mountains . . of the valleyes . . of the scattered flock . . caps order . how. chron. lamb. hortens . p. . ●onfi● . decad . . lib . page . gas●io● page 〈◊〉 . honey 〈…〉 . page . page . page . page . page , . . 〈…〉 〈…〉 vid do. de●iso●s white-w●●te . lo●d day . bishop of lond. bontanus catal . haeret● . gen. . . gen. . gen. , . . concerning free-will . . original sin . . certainty of salvation . . of ●ustification . . merit . . satisfaction . . traditio●s . . of vowes . . images . . reall presence . . the masse . . fasting . . the state of perfection . . worshipping of saints . . intercession of saints . . implicite faith . . purgatory . . supremacy ▪ . efficacy of the sacraments . . saving faith . . of repentance . . the sinnes of the romish church ▪ . baptisme . . lords supper . number of sacraments . . reverence to the blessed virgin. . lords prayer . lords day . . confession of sinnes . . equivocation . lying . . piae fraudes ▪ . hopocrisie . vnclea●n●s . . churches . . blaspheme the trinity . * lower de paupertate ecclesie . there was a sphecial● pr●yer appoy●t●d for men p●ying their 〈◊〉 , with a 〈◊〉 of the t●ue p●iment of them ; 〈◊〉 gods 〈…〉 d●ut . ● . . h●mi●● . . advers ▪ 〈◊〉 . tim. . . vdals n●li me tange e. p ● acts . . the divel t●at was in ananias seemeth to be a conscionable d●vell in respect of the sacr●legious divels of our t●me . most of the ministers of london may pray for ●ompetencies , being not ab● to subsi●● without the charity of their parishioners , their be●ifices being many of them worth but . . . . per annum ; & paying great taxes out of them , as first fruits , tenths , &c. although they are freed from the bishof romes superstitio●s enormities , they are not freed from the payments that the bishops of rome laid upov them . tim. ● . hereticks, sectaries, and schismaticks, discovered to be the antichrist yet remaining and the great enemies of the peace of this kingdome the question rightly stated and debated ... : with a hint about ordination and the covenant. ellyson, john. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing e ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing e estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) hereticks, sectaries, and schismaticks, discovered to be the antichrist yet remaining and the great enemies of the peace of this kingdome the question rightly stated and debated ... : with a hint about ordination and the covenant. ellyson, john. [ ], , [ ] p. [s.n.], london : . attributed to john ellyson. cf. halkett and laing ( nd ed.). reproduction of original in bodleian library. imperfect: t.p. and preliminary pages partially illegible. eng heresy -- early works to . dissenters, religious -- england. a r (wing e ). civilwar no hereticks, sectaries, and schismaticks, discovered to be the antichrist yet remaining, and the great enemies of the peace of this kingdome. ellyson, john d the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the d category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - john latta sampled and proofread - john latta text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion ●●●eticks , sectaries , and schismaticks , ●…vered to be the antichrist yet ●…ining , and the great enemies of the peace of this kingdome . ●… question rightly stated and debated . ●…paration to the great day of humili●…ation on march . next ensuing . ●… a hint about ordination , and the covenant . ●… them that call evill good , and good evill , that ●…esse for light , and light for darkenesse , isay ●… ●…e good , but if the salt hath left its savour , where●…e salted , it is good for nothing but to be cas●…●…oden underfoot of men . matth. . . with●… . . london , printed in the yeare , . to the right honourable the high court of parliament . noble princes and patriots , remember in all your lawes and ordinances , that as iesus christ ( who is the faithfull witnesse , and will be one day for his truth and people ) is the prince of the kings of the earth , and hath ▪ made the saints who are his anointed ones ( iohn ▪ . ) kings and priest to god and his father , so is he the one onely law giver , who is able to ●ee● and destroy , and hath commanded the kings of the earth , i 〈…〉 ch his anointed , nor doe his prophets harme , for he reproveth even kings for their sak●● ▪ if hee have made them first and prophets , who shall hinder them to offer up spirituall sacrifices to god ▪ ● pet. . ▪ and as good stewards of the manifold grace of god to minister the gift one to another ▪ as every w 〈…〉 e received it : pet. . . for every scribe who is in 〈…〉 ted vnto the kingdome of heaven , bringeth out of his treasury things new and old , matth. . . if the saints as bottles be filled with new ●ine of the spirit , they cannot but poure it forth 〈…〉 e their friends , that which they have seene and heard , and in 〈…〉 ns soules have tasted of the word of life they cannot but declare and speake , iohn . . . compared with acts . . iohn . . have an eye therefore i beseech you , to the designes of such men who would engage you to cast up bankes , that you might stop the 〈…〉 ng of these waters , for these floods will carrie all before him , and who ever perswades you to it , i tell you even weeping ▪ 〈…〉 of the lord 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 to give 〈…〉 to antichrist , and the image of the 〈…〉 that as many as will not worship the image of the beast 〈…〉 killed notwithstanding the dreadfull do●m● 〈…〉 himself ▪ revel. . . if any man doe 〈…〉 beast and his image , and receive his marke in his for the 〈…〉 his hand , the same shall drinke of the wrath of god , and they shall have ●o rest day nor night &c. be wise now therefore , oy●● princes , be instructed yee iudes of our earth , kisse the sonne least he be angry and ●ee perish in the way , though yee have already steered our weather beaten ship , through many angry waves , and billowes , and thinke you are come neere to the faire havens of peace and happiness as yet if instead of honouring iesus christ , and submitting to his royall 〈…〉 you shall be either flattered or threatned to set your 〈…〉 under any ●otin● or pretence whatsoever against the saints , and to kick against the pricks , you will yet miscarry and split upon this rock , and in all your debates and consultations shall be dash't in p●ices like a potters vessel , for whosoever shall full on that stone shall be broken grave senators , consider the holy spirit . zach. . . hath foretold that in the day of the gospel , the lord will make jerusalem , ( viz. the saints ) a burthen some stone to all people , all that burthen themselves with it shall be out it peices though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it● : those men who stickle most against the saints under the name of hereticks and schismaticks shall be discovered to be such themselves , but as our saviour said , they are wise in their generations , and they dealt with you herein as the crafty and ingenious horse courser , with his untaimed and 〈…〉 ly pranser , speaks ●●ire , streak●● and scratches him , whilst he bee mounted into the saddle , and then he strikes , and spurs , and gallops , till he have broken him to his will : they be speake you as having a great power in the worship of god , over the consciences , of men , but i beseech you receive no honour from these men who thus cry up your power and authority that they may be honoured by you , and derive power and authority , from you againe to be unrighteous iudges both ●ver your selves and other men , as their reverend fathers the bishops were , they seeke their owne things and not the thing of iesus christ , but it concerne● their interest , by this craft they have their livings : and they know that if permission be once given to the saints freely to make knowne the 〈…〉 of the spirit , which ●ath wrought so mightily in them , their 〈…〉 of naturall reason , though decked and ad●rned with systems 〈…〉 philosophy , and schoole divinity , will not be able to 〈…〉 in competion with it , greater is he that is in the saints , then 〈…〉 that is in the world , the teachings of the spirit , shall be more 〈…〉 full and effectuall to take h●ld of the hearts of men , then all 〈…〉 workes and writings of their ▪ postillers and commentators can ●● these cannot speake so to the consciences of poore christians as the spirit 〈…〉 and the feet of such as can bring glad tydings of 〈…〉 to such poore soules are exceeding beautifull , and will bee , 〈…〉 the opposition of these men . most honoured worthies , pray observe with me , how babylon the mother of harlots , fornications , and abominations of the 〈…〉 ( which are chiefly spirituall and doe concerne our worship ) 〈…〉 this name written in her fore head mystery , her workings are and have been still mysterious , hardly to ●● found out and traced , but i have indeavoured as a blood ▪ hound to pursue her , for by those characters of bloodinesse you shall be 〈…〉 to know her , the beast whereon shee sits is bloody coloured , her garments are dyed in blood , revel. . . . . in her habitation is found the blood of prophets and of saints . cap. . her drinke where with she makes her selfe drunke , is blood of the saints , and the kings , and inhabitants of the earth , have beene 〈…〉 drunks with her wine ; england , oh england hath for●●●ly pl●id the beast with her , if not the beast under her on which hath sitten , and for this cause we have had of late , blood given ●● to drinke , for we were worthy ; let it , oh let it be so no more let not england againe make war with the lambe , for 〈…〉 the lord of lords , and king of kings , revel. . suppose grave senators those men so much miscalled were indeed such as they are represented to be , and their presbyterian adversaries 〈…〉 their churches without crime or error ( which is most 〈…〉 ) and so might justly cast them out t● yet since our saviour christ hath commanded , that the tares and the wheat should grow together till the barvest , what cruelty is this toward such men , 〈…〉 live peaceably among men , unblameable in their conversation , pay you tax and tribute , and in a word , doe in all things which the apostle paul exercise themselves to keep faith and a good conscience towards god and men , what cruelty i say is it , that the cit●… magistrate should be incensed against them & should by all wayes be solicited , not to give them a toleration that it , not to suffer them when they have so faithfully engaged for them : the field in the parable must have some interpretation , it must have reference to church or state , christ would have them suffered some where , but their adversaries who pretend so much for christ , are indeed in this particular as in many other things antichrist , i. e. against christ , he saith let them grow together , these men say nay , let them be pulled up , lamentable will the condition of many people in this kingdome , and other places be , if many choise young men and others , who are ordained by iesus christ to eternall life and glory , and have received a large portion of the spirit of jesus christ ( the only teacher of his people ) whereby they may edifie and build others up in the most holy faith , if the mouths of these must be stopped for want of that empty and fruitlesse ( as is conceived ) ceremony of ordination , which the doctrine ( peradventure ) of the presbyterie of scotland hath tought , their consciences to startle at and deny : for in the i. booke of the disciplin of the kirke of scotland commanded to be practised in the same kirks . anno dom. . under the head of admission , this they teach . pag. . other ceremony then the publick approbation of the people , and declaration of the chiefe minister , that the person there presented is appointed to serve the church . we cannot approve , son all be it , the apostles used imposition of hands , yet seeing the miracle is ceased , the using of the ceremony , we iudge not necessary . if any gift were conveyed who would deny , nay , who would not rejoyce to be partaker of it but whilst men see that this is but a vain imitation of that primitive apostolical presbytety , who had received from iesus christ and could convey to others such gifts of the spirit for the ministry of the gospel as have been lost whilst we have been under the power of antichrist , and such as none of the sons of men have received at this day , and therefore cannot bestow on others , they are exceedingly troubled in their spirits , & can iudge the ceremony at the least but a taking of gods name in vaine : let my counsell then ( wise counsellors ) be acceptable touching these men , that as in all your declarations whilst you had any need of them either in their persons or estates , 〈…〉 have ingaged to be tender towards them ; which tendernesse they could conceive to be no lesse then a continued liberty in 〈…〉 severall wayes of worship , which they then enjoyed , and not after the lesse of many of their lives , and a parting with a good part of ther lively . hoods for your preservation , an imprisoning of their persons , and a wasting of the remainder , by attendance , suites , fees , fines , and such other charges as necessarily attend such a condition . and all this for the practise of those very things you seemed then to allow in them , when you thus time after time declared tendernesse towards them , oh doe not , doe not thus keep promise with them , let not this ●e the recompence you give them for all the labour of love they have shewed unto you , doe not for the gratification of a few men , who from sion colledge either vent their considerations contrary to your ordinances , when they like them not , or send you votes , orders and ordinances ( though sub●illy and mediately by the assembly ) at their pleasures , which you must confirme or be rayled at in every pulpit in the city , and have the 〈…〉 against you ▪ and se●t crying 〈…〉 you for 〈…〉 such things , as i dare say not one of a thousand of them knowes or understands , having a strong influence also by their emissaries upon the adjacent counties that they may concur with them in their destructive wayes and actions , if these men can 〈…〉 you thus already , before they have any power in ther hands , consider i pray what they would doe , if power should be given them according to their desire , we have too lately bought repentance from their predicessors the bishops at too dear arate al which i lay before you , and if you please to peruse this tract , you shall see these men proved the greatest hereticks and schismaticks in the kingdome at this day : and as touching these men who are so much reproached by them , you shall find them to be according to what they understand , pure in religion , having not the forme , but the power of godlinesse in their publique and private meetings , dayly praying the lord for you , innocent in their lives , inoffensive in their conversations , peaceable in the places where they live , and obedient to your iust power . our lord iesus christ in all his goings out with them in th●se few last yeares , not only opening their purses , buts their very bowels and hearts , making them ready and willing to spend & to be spent for you , hath given both to your selves & al the world in all ages to come , a sufficient demonstration of their harmlessenesse , integrity & faithfulnesse unto you , and if you wil not beleeve these speaking out on their behalfe , neither would yee , if an angel from heaven should come and witness for them . now the god of wisedome give you to dis●erne betwixt truth , and errour betwixt good and evill , friends and enemies , saints and hereticks : and to hearken to the wise counsell of gameliel , a great statist concerning the sectaries of those times : acts . . . . with which i shall conclude , take heed to your selves what you intend to doe at touching these men , refraine from these men , and let them alone ; for if this counsell or worke be of men it will come to naught , but if it be of god ; yee cannot overthrow it , least happily yee be even found fighters against god . i verily thought i ought to doe many things against the name of iesus . and many of the saints did i shut up in prison , i punisht them oft , and compelled them to blaspheme , and i persecuted them even to strange cities . to every reader . i have endeavoured in this discourse so farre as the present opportunity and time would give me leave to undeceive thee : however to hint out truth and a way to others , who have more leisure for prosecution : the stile is without quaintnesse , plaine and familiar , that i might not speake to the meanest ( for whom i mainly did intend it ) as a barbarian : if you please to cast your eye upon this word of distinction following , it may give you some light for the better understanding of the whole discourse , and being kept in memory will in some measure enable thee ( if thou have any knowledge of the things of christ ) to judge of truth and errour in reference to the severall partyes it makes mention of . a church or an assembly may be said to be true or false in respect . of their foundation . . of their members . . of their ministry . of their doctrine . . of their institutions or ordinances . . of their placing and exercise of power . such assemblies or churches who have not god in christ for the foundation or obiect of their worship , can in no sence be called true or christian churches , as the turkes who worship mahomet , &c. and such as doe lay this foundation may , in some sence be called true or christian churches . but then as they depart from the truth of scripture either in their members , ministry , doctrines , institutions or ordinances , right placing or exercise of power or administration of discipline , ( if you please so to cal it in any , some or all of those , so may they be ) said to be more or lesse false or antichristian , which is a building wood , hay , and stubble upon the foundation , as by the book of the revelation , it appeares antichrist hath done in all ages ; all which must be destroyed with fire , i shall make no farther applycation : consider what is said , and the lord give thee understanding in all things . the wisest of meer men hath said it , that there is no new thing under the sun , but that which hath been is at this day , and what is now shall be afterwards , if god prevent not : under base and odious names , persecution hath in all ages been the saints portion . the scribes and pharisees in our saviours time , boasted , that had they lived in the dayes of their fathers they would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets ; yet these very men cruelly persecuted ( and put to death some of ) the apostles , and crucified jesus christ , who was the lord , not onely of the prophets , but of life and glory too ; though he himself did forewarn them of it , and so brought upon their own heads all the bloodshed upon earth , from righteous abel to zacharias : and i fear that all these things are coming upon this generation ; else , what may be the reason , that whilest those that are called , and faithfull , and chosen in the land , who have been with the lamb , and who have through the power of the lamb overcome that part of the beast , ( viz. ) that antichristian and malignant power , that hath risen up against them at this time , in this nation ; whilest these i say , after all their travell and sorrow , in expence of blood and estate , are thinking upon the sweet fruit of their long endured hardships , and hazards , and peace , others have whet their tongues sharper then any two edged sword , and have dipt their pens in the blacknesse , yea , and darknesse of hell it self , continually sending forth most railing and bitter speeches , and are thus afresh preparing war against them : if new troubles be not creating for these men ; what mean those daily invective alarms , ( by such who are called the ministers of jesus christ too ) which from presse and pulpit , are ratled in the ears of our most worthy senators , and other subordinate magistrates in the kingdom , incensing , and provoking them , contrary to their own judgements and reason , against such , who by gods even miraculous blessing upon their weak endeavours , have been theirs , and the kingdoms saviours : sometimes dashing hell fire in the faces of their consciences to fright them ( if possible ) into the same persecution and condemnation with themselves ; and then otherwhile , beseeching them , as they tender the blessings , peace , and prosperity of the nation , that they would rise up in indignation against these heretiques , sectaries , and schismaticks ( for so they call them ) the seducers , and deceivers of the people to their utter extirpation ; the old way of satan , the great seducer of the nations , and all such who cleave to this present world , to besmear the faithfull and godly of the land in all ages with names of ignominy and reproach , and so to fall upon them to their ruin and destruction : witnesses of which truth , have the prophets been in all ages , yea , christ himself and his apostles , with all the faithfull martyrs to this yery day ; whose accusations still were , these men are pestilent fellows , movers of sedition , ring leaders of sects , broachers of strange doctrines , teaching things contrary to the law , seducers , stirrers up of the people , drawing disciples after them , speaking against caesar , troublers of the state , and the like ; but the saints are in expectation , that these men who thus resist the people of god , as sometimes jannes & iambres withstood moses , shall not proceed much farther , & that their folly shal be made manifest to all : for this wicked one , and all such as act from him and for him , shal the lord consume shortly by the spirit of his mouth , and destroy with the brightnesse of his coming , as hath in some measure been fulfilled already in our dayes , and shall be more and more , till babylon be wholly fallen , as a milstone to the bottom of the sea , never to rise again any more , and till the beast be taken , and with him the false prophets , and be cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimston . if new gives and fetters be not contriving for the saints ; why are the poor , misled , and ungratefull citizens , so constantly hurried on with most troublesome and unwearied paines to remonstrate , petition upon petition , and act contrary to the priviledges of parliament , their own interests , and the kingdomes ; little dreaming what a foundation they are laying for their own destruction , if affairs be transacted after their desires , numerously , and tumultuously , and now formally attending day after day at westminster , as if they intended to force the parliament to some unjust laws or ordinances against other men , for satisfaction of their own carnall lusts , and others who continually instigate and solicite them to this service : saying in their hearts , we will not have this man to reign over us , come let us kill him and the inheritance shall be ours : let us traduce these men , petition against them , and every way make them vile and odious to the magistrates and the people : that now they have subdued the enemy for us , we may divide the places of honour and profit amongst our selves ; passionately , and with uncivill language , every where complaining of them , as hereticks , sectaries and schismaticks , and such , who though they have ventured lives and estates for their preservations , yet because they differ , but ( it may be ) in some petty circumstance , or opinion from them , must be thought unfit to breath in the same common aire with them , and to enjoy the common priviledges and liberties of native subjects ; though if any , they have most right unto them , as by birth claiming the same interests with others , and having redeemed them well nigh lost , by their own prowesse and valour in the field . but to stop the rage of these unstable waters ; for the waters upon which the whore sits , are multitudes and people ; and to still this out cry ( if possible ) let us consider who these people are , and whether or no indeed & truth , any such persons may be found amongst us , who are so called ? we will first then inquire after the names themselves , and see what they hold forth unto us , and what may be concluded thence . secondly , we shall prove , that though the presbyteriah churches were truly constituted , and ordered according to the rule of the word ( as indeed they are not ) yet maintaining any errour either in judgement or practice , that the rest of the christians in the kingdome , who joyne not themselves to them , cannot truly and properly be termed schismaticks for this . thirdly , we shall clear it ( we hope ) to every reasonable understanding that in case these names of hereticks , sectaries and schismaticks be truly to be applied to any persons in this nation , that themselves & no others do so properly deserve that name , and that they onely make the rent and division that is amongst us : for these names we shall speak of them according to the scriptures onely , that foundation , upon which if we build , we shall stand fast like to mount zion , which cannot be removed , and from which if we turn aside , we cannot but be shaken into dust , being built upon the quick-sand of every unstable mans fancy , of whom the holy ghost hath said , psal. . . verily man , yea , every man at his estate , his best estate is vanity , nay altogether vanity , and that to be laid in the balance , he is lighter then vanity ; nay plainly , he is a lie : beware then of men , especially such men ( wo be to them ) who shut up the kingdom of heaven against men , who love the uppermost seats at feasts , vvho tithe mint , and anise , and comin , and passe over judgement , mercy , faith and the love of god ; our too much doting upon men hath forced this expression : to return then , heresie is a greek word , having its derivation from {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} which signifies to chuse , so that it holds forth in the generall no more then the choice of any opinion , either good or bad : so it was used amongst the heathens , vt non sum in eadem tecum haresi , i e. opinione , i am not in the same opinion with thee : learned passor saith , it s used in a good sence , act. . . after the way which men cal heresie , so worship i the god of my fathers : the religion of the apostles appointed by our lord jesus christ , was then called by those who were the strictest professors of that time , the great rabbies , and doctors of the people , ( but blinde leaders of the blinde ) heresie , or a sect ; i wish that now , that which comes neerest to christs institution , and his apostles , were not so judged by the most of men , and those who think themselves the wisest too : but the world by wisdome knows not god , and this wisdome is no better then foolishnesse with god : you see briefly , what the name heretick imports ; the choice of an opinion not generally received ; though sometimes it falls out to be the truth , even the truth it selfe , the way , the truth , and the life , even christ himself . the next word , which is sect , whence comes the common name sectaries , a word now so much in use ; and this is no other , then the latine of the former greek word , made into english , as you may see , acts . . chap. . . and elsewhere , where you finde mention made of the sects of the saduces and pharisees ; and the originall word is still {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} the heresie of the saduces and pharisees , and so in the place fore quoted , acts . the choise of christ , and the true christian religion is called a heresie ; so that these two words signifie but one and the same thing , only one is the greek word , and the other is the latine of it , as you may see further in the cor. . , . which place i alleadge , that we may finde out fully the meaning of the last word which is schisme , & hath its etymologie from the greek word {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , findo , to cleave , or rent asunder , as you may finde it used in matth. . . chap. . . luke . . and many other places , so that schisme is properly a seperation or division in a body , whose parts were before united , and in scripture signification holds forth a division , or discention in judgement , or opinion from others in what was before received and maintained together with them ; there must be a vnion or conjunction before this parting and division , according to the true and proper sense of the word , or else it cannot be a schisme ; the full understanding of the word you may have in iohn . and . . compared with cor. . . the two first texts tels us there was a division among the people : and in the last the tearms heresie , sect , and schisme , are used promiscuously , and seem to signifie but the same thing , as in ver. . i heare there are schismes among you ▪ and i partly beleeve it ; and in the . the apostle renders the reason of this beliefe ; for there must be heresies , or sects ; or it must be so , for this cause , that those that are approved may be made manifest : so here you have all together , and hold out but the very same to us , or at most , that one is the cause , and the other the effect ; because the choice of an opinion differing from others , is oft , and hath been an occasion to those that entertain that opinion , to divde from others in their practise : also thus , heresie hath usually in the ordinarie sense of men , referred to the judgment , and schisme to the practise . and because the churches of the new testament were every way true and sound , both in respect of their foundation , members , ministry , doctrines , institutions , and censures , in their primitive apostolicall planting , therefore those that were once joyned to them , and then chose out any opinion to themselves , differing from them , and upon that opinion made a division and seperation in their practise , were in the true genuine signification of the words , truly and properly hereticks and schismaticks so called ▪ but because the churches of iesus christ straight after , & even in the apostles time , begun to decline from their first purity , & every way , & to wax worse and worse , till the man of sin , mentioned , thess. . . . came fully to be revealed , which hath now been for many hundred of yeares , therefore such could not be hereticks and schismaticks : who after the apostles time , and in succeeding ages took up opinions , which were contrary both to the doctrine and practise of those declining churches ; which were now no longer the true churches of iesus christ , according to their originall institution and plantation , but the falfe and faigned churches of antichrist , which were to succeed and come in the room and stead of the true ones , as is cleare by the whole book of the revelations , which is mainly a propheticall history , and narrative of the rise , reign , and ruine of antichrist ; where you may see how large his territories are , & how far his power reacheth , especially in that i ext of rev. . where it it said ver. . that all the world wondered after the beast ; and ver. . all that dwell on the earth shall worship him , whose names are not written in the lambs book of life . and behold these names are the men who in all ages have been accounted the hereticks , sectaries , and schismaticks of the times ; and these names are they , who are so esteemed at this very day ; as is most evident to such ; whose eyes are anointed with the eye salve of the spirit of god , to discern of things that differ , in reference to the present age wherein they live , which is confirmed every day by those who do come after them ; so were the waldenses reckoned in their times ; the wicklevites , our own country men in their generation ; the hussites , and the jerman lutherans in theirs , all esteemed , and nicknamed hereticks and schismaticks by the people of that age in which they lived , but have been even ever justified by the succeeding generations more and more ; as being such who have been enlightened to depart from the errours of those times , and have revived , and uncovered some remnants and sparks of divine light and truth , which had been raked up in the ashes of the filthy abominations , superstitions , and traditions of that antichrist , the church of rome : and here by the way observe who they are , and whose poyson it is ▪ even of the divell and antichrist , that men blasphemers , truly so called , spit out daily against new light , not that it is indeed new , but the old light and truth newly discovered again , and cleared from those foggs and mists , which arose out of the bottomlesse pit ; happy is it for those men , if they sin of weakness , it may be forgiven ; but if of malice or wilfulnesse ; let them remember , that all sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven , but the blasphemy against the spirit ( the spirit of light and truth , by which christ enlighteneth every one that comes into the world ) shall never be forgiven neither in this life , nor that to come : i. e. not at all : dear country-men , consider that the mystery of iniquity was not at his ful heighth presently , nor did the man of sin grow up to his full age in a little time : neither was materiall nor antichristian rome built in one day ( as it is in the proverb . ) it was the work of many generations to establish the throne of antichrist ; and it will require no small time to unthrone him againe ; the stones of this babell must be pulled down , not all together , but one after another there are . severall angels who have their . severall vialls to powre out for the destruction of the beast rev. . and these all have their severall times wherein to effect their works : and as divers ages before us , have had their chair in this service ; we also in our generation must have ours , and that not the least , though probably it may be the last , else most ( if not all ) who have laboured to unfold this mysterie , have been deceived , though very much of it be yet undiscovered to the most : now if wee look at the manner of his destruction , the apostle tels us , thess . it shall be by the spirit of the mouth of christ , and the brightnesse of his comming : the spirit and the light are all together instruments in the hand of christ , to bring to passe this great destruction ; and whoever speakes against the one must blaspheme the other : let those men then , who boast of the spirit , beware how they reproach the light , least they grieve the holy spirit of god in others , and quench it in themselves ; which is believed to be done in some of them already , their abilities being blasted , in regard of what they have been heretofore : i have insisted awhile in opening of these names , that men may see how improbable ( if not impossible ) it is , that those men who were but a few years since the greatest champions , against bishops , crosse , surplisse , and altar-worship , and such things as are now generally sworn against , as antichristian , and after this day the highest opposers of antichrist in this kingdome , in the remainders of him , those that were formerly lookt on as the great puritans , and non conformists , the tearmes of reproach then in use ; how unlikely i say is it , that these very men should be now turned hereticks , sectaries , and schismaticks , any other then what they then were , after they have so faithfully served the parliament in this great cause of religion and liberty , with the losse of blood and estate : they are indeed such hereticks &c. as they before mentioned , who have in all ages ▪ opposed the wayes of the man of sin in his erroneous doctrines and practises of idolatry , and superstitions , and no other , which shall be further manifested in the ensuing discourse ; yet before i passe to the second thing ▪ give me leave to answer an objection , which may be framed thus : object . if those that are called hereticks , &c. be no other then such as have opposed antichrist in all ages then you seem to confound our churches , with that of the church of rome , and how weak this assertion is , who sees not , when we are so long since departed from her , and are therefore hated by her , and are our selves deemed to be hereticks and schismaticks for this , in her account . answ . true it is , there hath been in many things a departure from the church of rome , wherein she is erronious , and amongst them england hath had a share , but there are yet many things wherein she agrees with her , the extirpation of some of which hath too lately cost her dear ; and she will be sooner or later at farther expence , and charge in the same kinde ; for the casting out of those other things that remain amongst us , if jesus christ by the wisdom and tendernesse of this parliament , or otherwise finde not out some expedient for prevention . quest . but you will say , these are but words , if there be such things indeed , discover them ; we are upon a reformation and have engaged our selves by solemn covenant , each one to go before another in the example of a reall reformation , in all duties we owe to god and man . answ . if it be so , solomen tels you its better not to vow , then ( having vowed ) not to perform ▪ remember the invocations and attestations of the great god , as the searcher of all hearts for your performance , and for your help herein ; and for answer of this question , i shall insist onely in one particular , which as a fountain , if you will follow , will run out into many streams , and doth in a manner contain in it all the rest ; and it is this , a spirit and principle of persecution , contrary to the great command of iesus christ , which he calls the royall law of love , and to the great duty of christians , love , which is termed the fulfilling of the law , by this saith christ , shall men know ye are my disciples : i. e. reall christians , if ye love one another , this is the duty which in scripture is every where pressed , and was slighted and neglected generally by all before our troubles and sorrows came upon us ; the want of this was the true cause of that bitter and cruell persecution of the godly , in regard of their consciences , by the bishops and their adherents in their popish and antichristian courts of high commission , commissaries , and chancellors ; and the want of this love , was the cause too of our oppressions in our estates in the other courts of the kingdom , ( both legall and illegall ) so that all these were turned into gall and wormwood , and our laws by wresting of them , were instead of remedies , no better then nets and snares unto us , and the further men went this way commonly , the more were they insnared , and entangled . but you will say , these courts are now removed with their judges , there is now no more fear of these , these yokes are taken from off our necks , wherefore do you yet complain ? i answer , though we have fought , and sworn down archbishops , bishops , with all their rabble and dependents , and so are likely to receive no further damage by them , and these yokes which they created for us are castaway ; yet if the same spirit and principle remain within us and amongst us , it will act the same things , though in another form and shape , and persecutions , fines , and imprisonments , to the utter ruin of families , shall yet be the portion of the saints in this kingdom , the beginnings whereof , as they are felt by some already , so are they feared almost by all , and are too visible to every discerning eye : and if you yet further demand of me what this spirit and principle is , which will thus manifest it self to the persecution and destruction of the innocent and faithfull in this kingdom ; i answer , it is that very spirit of satan and antichrist most contrary to the gospel spirit of love , which is described by the apostle in . thes. . . which is yet remaining amongst us , even this , that some of the sons of men , sit as god in the temple of god , exalting themselves above all that is called god , or is worshipped : every saint is a temple of the living god , cor. . . whoever then , whether a particular person , or a collective body in this temple exalts himself above god , or that which is worshipped , which is nothing else but god , for god only is to be worshipped ; this is the antichrist : the meaning is , when god hath given commands , rules , and directions in his word to those that are his in iesus christ for his worship and service , and iesus christ hath sent his spirit into their hearts to perswade them of the force of these commands , and of the manner of this worship , ( for his sheep hear his voice , and will not follow a stranger ; ) if there be any man , sort , or rank of men whatever , that take upon them to judge of these commands , and to interpret these rules for others , so as to enforce obedience from others to their interpretations : this i conceive is the antichrist , who sits as god in the temple of god , ( the spirits and consciences of men ) and so exalts himself above all that is called god , or worshipped , i. e. will be obeyed in the place , and stead of god , and above him , god commanding one thing to the conscience , and he another . this is popery , and the very top of all popery , the very life , blood , and spirit , that runs through the whole body of it : for what makes the pope but this , that he takes upon himself , to be the infallible interpreter , and judge of the scriptures , and all the papists that do not acknowledge him so to be , yet place this infallability some where , either in the church , or in a generall counsell , and when that cannot be had , the pope with his consistory , are in the place of it , so that the papists do all of them , professe an infallibility of judgement , and interpretation of the scriptures , and this makes them to impose upon men according to their own pleasure , yet with some shew of truth and reason . but for other men amongst us , who do in their own words deny this infallibility of interpretation , and yet to impose upon others what they do interpret , as if they were infallible ; as it is in it self ridiculous , so is it in my thoughts an aggravation of the crime , and makes it more antichristian in them , then in the pope himself ; who peradventure acts in this according to what he holds , but these , just contrary to what themselves believe , and professe . i could tell you of a people , who deny themselves infallible , yet use to determine all their ecclesiasticall controversies , and they are very large ( for in ordine ad spiritualia , i. e. in reference to the church they can take in much ) by a nationall assembly , and in a vacancy of that , by a committee or commissioners chosen from amongst them , with a chair-man , or a consistory rather , answering that of the cardinals with the pope , to whom if obedience be not yielded , processe is made to excommunication , and after that to confiscation , banishment , and death ; whether this copy do not answer the originall pattern at rome , you that know , judge , and tell me , if it be not as like it , as ovum ovo , and one apple to another : now if this be that reformation which men so earnestly pursue , that which is the very spirit , life , & soul of popery , which hath given denomination and being to it , by which it hath grown up , and come to his full height & strength , by which it is upheld to this very day , whereby it brought into the world all its hereticall & hellish doctrines , all its damnable & paganish idolatries , all its apish & childish fopperies , ceremonies , & superstitions , and from which it acted all its cruel burnings , hangings imprisonings , murthers , massacres , rebellions , treasons , powder-plots , and what ever men can call detestable and devilish . if i say this spirit must yet be kept amongst us , put it into what form or beautifull shape you please , call it by what name you will , let it act out under what notion of religion , or reformation you can imagine , it is the same antichrist still , & no other : and now fellow covenanters , i think it is time for us to lay our hands upon our hearts , and consider where we are , what we are doing and whether we are going , if instead of having our faces sion ward , we be not posting back again to rome , though not in the old road . if it be so ( as alas , it is too true ) be not deceived , god is not mocked ; it s not crying , the temple of the lord , the temple of the lord , reformation , government , suppressing sects and heresies , these vain words will not save us , whilest we foment this spirit of antichrist , this principle of hatred , persecution , & division in one another , that some of us must judge for our selves , and others too in the things of christ , that we must interpret the word , as if we were infallible , ( when we acknowledge we are not so ) and must impose our own fullible sences , and interpretations upon others ; and in case of non-conformity , must force obedience from them : whilest we thus bite , and devour one another , let us take heed that we be not devoured one of another , this reformation is not after the gospel ; god is love , and he that dwels in love , dwels in god , and god in him ; and christ so loved us , as to lay down his life for us , leaving us an example , that we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren , and not to take away the lives of the brethren because they differ from us ; our lord jesus christ and his ministers are of another minde all the new testament over ; the weapons of our warfare , saith st. paul are not carnall , but mighty through god , and not through the arme of flesh : so tim. . , . the servants of the lord must not strive but be gentle unto all men , patient , with meeknesse instructing them that oppose themselves , if god peradventure will give them repentance : and tit. . . shewing all meeknesse to all men ; look also into the . chap. of the romans ; and you shall see of what different judgement and practises the saints were there , as they held contradictions , so did they practise them too , one would eat , another would not eat ; one would regard a day , and he did this to the lord , i. e. because he was perswaded the lord had so commanded , another would not regard a day , and he did this to the lord too , being perswaded the lord required no such observations ; friends here were contradictions amongst saints , in things of the highest nature in point of worship ; most of the old puritans , and non-conformists of this kingdom , know well what it is to keep or regard a day ; they can tell you that the most spirituall worship , and the highest and chiefest service of iesus christ , was concerned in it , and was meant by it ; it was surely no indifferent thing , as we have been perswaded to believe , matters of religious cognisance were contained in it , the apostle speaking of it , as done unto the lord , men observing , or not observing , as conscious of that duty , which the lord had enjoyned them , or of that liberty wherewith iesus christ had made them free ; now what is the apostles councel in this controversie , doth he advise to censuring , condemning , fining , imprisoning , or killing one another ; no such thing , but the contrary : let not the weak judge the strong , and let not the strong despise the weak , chap . ver. . which he confirms with severall reasons , every man stands or fals to his own master , ver. . according to that of our saviour christ , math . . call no man rabbi , for one is your master , and all ye are brethren ; and ver. . we shall all stand before the judgement seat of christ ; and then ver. . every one shall give an account of himself to god ; and chap. . . the strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak , and not please themselves ; and ver. . let every one please his neighbour , for good to edification , which he backs with this inforcing reason , ver. . for even christ pleased not himself , and the conclusion of the whole matter is this , ver. . wherefore receive you one another , as christ also received us to the glory of his father ; if christ love , receive , and imbrace you , although of differing judgements and practises ; go ye and do likewise , do ye love , receive , and imbrace each other . these scriptures are full , and if opened , would spin the thred of my discourse longer then i intended ; but there is very much in them , if the lord would give us an understanding that we might beleeve them● friends , they are our gospell , and i shall leave them with you ; as those which shall one day rise up in judgement against such as have imbraced them , and yet walk contrary to what they report unto us . undoubtedly the meanes that christ hath appoynted to propagate his gospell , and to advance his kingdome , is the sword of the spirit , and not the sword of st●●le ; by this it is that antichrist hath so enlarged his dominions , as you may see , revel. . . and therefore heare his doom , which shall surely be accomplished on him , and all such too , as in this kind take part with him , ver. .th that leads into captivity , must go into captivity ; and he that kills with the sword , must be killed with the sword ; here is the patience and faith of the saints , according to that of our saviour , matth. . . they that take the sword , shall perish by the sword ; and before i shall passe from this , i beseech you , as you tender the comming of iesus christ his kingdom , which you daily pray for ; and the peace and welfare of this your own native kingdome where you live , that you would seriously consider with your selves , whether this usurpation of power over the bodies of the saints , in respect of spirituall things , ( as antichrist himself hath done in all ages ) may not be the true and adequate cause , why the lord hath suffered the sword to bathe it self in blood , and to make it selfe drunk with the blood of the slain in these parts for divers past , and for many more in the parts beyond the seas ; so rev. . . they have shed the blood of saints and prophets , and thou hast given them blood to drink , for they are worthy : and what improbability is there of peace amongst us , whilest this devillish spirit of hatred and persecution ( for the devill was a murtherer from the beginning ) which hath given antichrist his denomination , life , and being , doth yet abide , is nourished and maintained by us ? and so i come to the second point , wherein i shall be brief , which is : that though the presbyterian churches were truly constituted and ordered according to the rule of the word ( as indeed they are not ) yet maintaining any errour either in judgement , or practise , that the rest of the christians in the kingdom , who joyn not themselves to them , cannot truly and properly be termed schismaticks for this . i have told you formerly in this discourse , whilest i opened the severall words , that according to the true nature of the word , schisme signifies a dis-union , division , or cleaving asunder of parts , which were before united in a solid body : let us apply this to the businesse in hand , and schisme is nothing else but a division ▪ or separation in judgement and practise of persons from some church or body , to which they were before united : and when i pray was it that those who are now called hereticks , sectaries , and schismaticks , were joyned together in a body with those who are termed presbyterians , and who put these names upon them ? who can with any face affirm that ever these men were members of any presbyterian churches in this kingdom of england , or ever had union or communion with them as such ? how can they then be said to make a schisme or separation , to part away , or divide asunder from them ; who knows not , that they are but of yesterday , if so they may be said to have yet any being to this day , some few it may be shuffled together after a fashion here in this great city , but few or none else , throughout the kingdom , and who knowes not also , that many of these men , who are thus reproached by them , were such as they are in their opinion and practises long before there was any noise , hope , or expectation of any presbyterian government or churches to be erected in this kingdom . object . neither will it help them to say they were members of the church of england in the bishops times , and the church consists of the same members still . ans. but it s notoriously known , that many of them were not so , having long before discovered filthinesse in her skirts , and if upon the common abjuration of those officers , offices , and wayes , the same filthinesse , tyranny , superstition , &c. being generally by discourses , conferences , arguments , debates , laws , ordinances , and oaths made known to many more , ther have according to their protestations , and covenants forsaken those wayes , and are come up farther in a reformation then the common light of the state will yet reach to , who shall lay this as a crime unto their charge , when as the higher powers , through a speciall hand of providence engaging men in a solemn covenant for reformation , have necessarily forced them hereunto ? i answer , if the members be such ( as indeed it is too true ) this cannot but be a just cause of breaking from them , though men for such a separation , ought not to be termed schismaticks ( for schisme is alwayes a causlesse seperation ) whilst they depart rather from their corruptions , then their communion ; being ready to joyn with them in such acts of piety , wherein they are not obliged to professe or practise , what they are perswaded is eroneous ; but i conclude this argument with this assertion : that to leave the church , and to leave the externall communion of a presbyterian church , is not one and the same , but two distinct things : the first is done by ceasing to be a member of the church , i. e. by ceasing to have those requisites which make & constitute a man a member of it , ( viz. ) faith and obedience : the second by refusing to communicate with such a church in her publike worship and service of god : i affirme this as a certain and undoubted truth ▪ that there is no necessity of communicating with true believers in evill actions ; when men are convinced , know , and believe they are so ; nay , i assert farther , there is a necessity herein of seperation from them : and men may without scruple , forsake and renounce the receiving and practise of some opinions and observances , the which your churches hold , and in which they do communicate , but i maintain , that this is done without heresie or schisme ; because they have cause to do so , and no man can have cause to be a heretick or schismatick ; and so i passe to the third position , which is : that in case the name of sectaries & schismaticks be truly applicable to any persons in this nation , that themselves and no others can so properly deserve that name ; and that they only make the rent and division that is amongst us ; my reason is , because these men endeavour to force and compell others to the opinion and practise of such tenants , as themselves maintain for true , when others are convinced they are false ; a thing themselves did laetly much complaine against , and which was hatefull and detestable in the old episcopacy , but is of a sudden grown very laudable , and lovely in our new presbyterie ; i shall hold forth this truth in these two assertions , which i shall place as bul-warks , to defend these poor harmlesse sectaries , from all the force the presbyterian enemy can raise against them . . that not every separation , but onely a causlesse or needlesse separation from the externall communion of any church is the sin of schisme . if this position be not sound , there can be no justification of the protestants separation from the church of rome , nor of those eminent saints , who have in all ages born witnesse against the errours of that church . . that antichristian spirit and principle of persecution , which makes some men to impose on others , under penalties , a necessity of professing known errours , and practising known corruptions , is a sufficient , just , & necessary cause of separation , and that this is the cause which protestants alledge , to justifie their separation from the church of rome : now that divers things practised by the presbyterian churches are errors , known so to be to those that depart from them : none without the highest breach of charity can deny , nor with lesse impudency affirm they endeavour not that others should believe the same , or suffer . all that men forsake in them is onely the beliefe , practise , and profession of their errors : and for men not to forsake the belief of their errours , having discovered them so to be , is impossible , and not to forsake the practise and profession of them , is damnable hypocrisie . let them free their churches from requiring the belief , practise , or profession of any errour , or whether they will or no , they must free such as depart from them , from being schismaticks : for schism there cannot be in leaving their communion : unlesse men were obliged to continue in it : and man cannot be obliged by man , but to what either formally or virtually he is obliged by god : for all just power is from god ▪ god the eternall truth , neither can nor will oblige us to believe the least , and the most innocent falshood , to be a truth , that is , to erre● nor to professe a known errour , which is to lie : thus you see that whilest they require the belief , practise or profession of any errour amongst the conditions of their communion , the obligation of mens communicating with them ceaseth , and so the imputation of schisme , and the names of horsticks and secta its vanish into nothing , but lie heavy upon themselves for making mens separation , just and necessary , by requiring unnecessary , and unlawfull conditions of their communion ; either let them prove then , that they erre not at all , or forbare those odious names , or at least apply them rightly ( as they ought ) to themselves . if men would be themselves , and would be content that others should be so in the choice of their religion , the servants of god , and not of men ; if they would allow that the way to heaven is no narrower now , then christ left it ; if all men that believe the scriptures , would free themselves from prejudice , and passion , and sincerely endeavour to finde out the true sence of them , live according to them , and require no more of others , but to do so : who doth not see ( sith all necessary truths are plainly and evidently set down in scripture ) there would of necessity be amongst all men , in all things necessary , unity of opinion , unity of love , and a spirit of mutuall toleration : by which means all schisme and heresie would be banished the world , and those wretched contentions , which now rend and tear in pieces , not the coat , but the members and bowels of christ ( which mutual pride & tyranny , cursing , killing , and damning , would fain make mortall ) should speedily receive a most blessed conclusion : by this means indeed , should the lord be one , and his name one in the nations , which onenesse is not meant of any outward form , but of the onenesse of love , and affection in the spirit : doubtlesse , at this day , the most vehement accusers , are the greatest schismaticks , and those who talk of uniformity , do drive at tyrannie , and will have peace with none , but their slaves and vassals . by a late learned antagonist of the church of rome , ( and that whilest the prelates were in their pride ) it was truly said , nothing is more against religion , then to force religion , humane violence may make men counterfeit , but cannot make them believe , and is good for nothing , but to breed form without , and atheism within . besides if this means of bringing men to embrace any religion , were generally used , as if it may be justly used in any place by those that have power , and think they have truth : certainly , it cannot with reason be denied , but that it may be used in every place , by those that have power as well as they , and think they have truth as well as they , what could follow but the maintenance perhaps of truth , but perhaps only of the profession of it in one place , and the oppression of it in a thousand ; what will follow , but the preservation perhaps of unity , but perhaps only of uniformity in particular states , but the imortalizing of the great and lamentable division of christendom and the world . therefore what can follow from it , but perhaps in the judgement of carnall policy , the temporall benefit and tranquility of temporall states and kingdoms , but certainly the infinite prejudice , if not the desolation of the kingdom of christ , and therefore it well becomes them who have their portions in this life , and serve no higher state then that of england , scotland , or ireland , ( nor this neither no farther then they may serve themselves by its ) to maintaine by worldly power and violence their state inframent religion : but they that the indeed lovers of christ , of truth , of the church . of mankinds , ought with all courage to oppose themselves against it as antichristian , and a common enemy to all these . they that know there is a king of kings , by whose will and pleasure kingdoms stand and fall , they know , that to no king , or state , any thing can be profitable , which is unjust : ( our experiment is too neer us at this day ; the desolations of our state are witnesses hereof , ) and that nothing can be more evidently unjust , then to force weak men by the profession of a religion , which they beleeve not , to loose their own eternall happinesse , least they loose their temporall estates and quietnesse , there being no danger to any state from any mans opinion : unlesse such , by which disobedience to authority , or impiety is taught : unlesse this bloody doctrine be joyned with it , that it is lawfull for the magistrate by humane violence , to enforce men to his own religion : oh let not our magistrates in this , take part with the scarlet whore , who for these many ages hath daily sacrificed thousands of poor innocent christians , under the name of hereticks , sectaries , and schismaticks : doubtlesse , if our lord jesus christ himself would have submitted to the expositions and interpretations which the priests and doctors had at that time given out upon the scriptures , they had never crucified him , and put him to such open shame : but because , that he and his apostles after him would according to that new light , which they had received , endeavour to set up a reformation ( all which was yet no other then a clearer , and fuller declaration of what the scriptures did hold forth ) above and beyond the light and understanding of these men , who were no other , then the divine presbyterie of those times , therefore received they such hard measure from them , and suffered as blasphemers and hereticks under them , and by their censure ; we have a law , and by this law , he ought to die , joh. . . pilate ( though the supream magistrate ) was no other but their executioner then , as the civill powers have been in all generations since to this sort of men , who under a pretence of holinesse , have daily embrewed their hands in innocent-blood . before i end , there are some texts of scriptures , which seem repugnant to what hath been asserted , and would be answered , as , object . that in tit. . . him that is an heretick , after the first and second admonition , reject ; this text placeth a power somewhere , both of judging hereticks , and proceeding against them . answ . i answer , true it is in the primitive and apostolical churches ; amongst the rest of those gifts , which were powred forth by jesus christ upon the saints , this was one , discerning of spirits , cor. . . but this gift amongst others in the apostacy , and falling away of the churches ( which was foretold by the apostle , thes. . . and ioh. . . where the holy ghost saith expresly , that instead of the spirit of christ , the spirit of antichrist should come , and was already ) was lost ; and because of the want hereof , the saints , whom god hath stirred up to bear witnesse to the truth in their severall ages , ever since have unrighteously suffered , been persecuted and put to death , under this notion and name of hereticks . secondly , in case some heresies may be so grosse , that even to this day , he that runs may read , and the saints according to that small measure of the spirit , which they have received might judge them so to be ; yet this text belongs to the church as their portion , and not to the civill magistrate , as a magistrate ; and what censure or punishment soever this rejection was , it was to be executed by the ecclesiasticall , and not by the civill power ; so that to apply such texts as this to the power of the magistrate , is one of the most grosse , and palpable wrestings of scripture that can be , and yet is too common amongst the gentlemen of the jus divinum tribe in their discourses , printed , and unprinted , as i my self not long since ( before the house of commons at a publique fast ) heard that of rev. . . because thou sufferest that woman iezabel , &c. which was written to the angel of the church of thyatira , either weakly or wilfully alledged , to justifie their power ( viz. the magistrates ) in spirituall things , by which you may take a scantling of that gift among them . thirdly , supposing churches with this gift of discerning , and so this power among them , yet can it not be lawfull for them to proceed against men who hold heresies ( nor indeed can they be properly so called ) unlesse they have acknowledged , and profest the contrary thereunto before , and so have departed from that truth , which in their communion they maintained ; which appears from this next verse , to that we have in hand , tit . . where the apostle saith , that a heretick is self condemned ; {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} i. e. that light which he had formerly received , doth now judge him & condemn him ; as it was in iulian the apostat , who was forced to confesse at last vicisti galilee : i conceive men , who never made any more profession of christian religion , then what they have been passive in from their forced baptisme , and education , having at no time attained to any thing , which hath been so much as like a new birth , or change in them , and so were never reckoned , or esteemed by saints among the number of saints , or admitted into their fellowship , or communion ; such men ( what tenets , or errours soever they take up ) are rather to be accounted prophane persons , or atheists , then hereticks : as it were improper to call either a jew , or turk a heretick in scripture-sense , though they deny christ to be the son of god : which i confirm from that place of pet. . . where the apostle mentioning false teachers , which should being in damnable heresies ; he saith , they were such as did deny the lord that bought them , i. e. though their consciences had received such convictions from the spirit that iesus christ was the lord and saviour of the world , and so had given themselves up to him as such , yet they afterward brought in those doctrines which denied this again . object . the next place objected , is rom. . . where the magistrate is said to be a minister of god for wrath upon him that doth evil . now if you adde to this , gal. . . it appears that heresie is an evil work , being there reckoned among the deeds of the flesh , and so punishable by the civill power . answ . these places thus united , i suppose , do enforce the objection , and make it stronger then i have yet anywhere met with it . but i answer , there are in the same , gal. . , . severall other works of the flesh numbred up together with heresies , which yet i conceive , the civill power cannot possibly take cognifance of , as hatred , emulations , envyings , and the civill magistrate can no more draw his sword against the one , then against the other , no more against heresie , then against hatred , emulation , and envy . secondly , for that place of the romanes , it was a scripture written to the christians , living under heathen magistrates ; th●se surely had no cognizance of the severall controversies , or opinions , which might fall in amongst the christians , in the profession of their religion , which the heathens so much hated , and therefore heresie cannot fall under the power of the sword , there mentioned ; and if so , let all men judge , how truly and properly these men apply the word ; and whether this be not a wringing of the scripture like a nose of wax and a perverting of it to their own , and other mens destruction : i should have spoken more fully to this point , but that i finde my self prevented by mr. iohn goodwin , in his late book called hag●●mastix , from pag. . to pa● . . a piece worthy the sight of such men , who enquire after truth . one great question yet remains , to which i shall speak a word or two , and so end . q. if heresie & schism be of such a doubtfull nature , and so hard to be found out ; if hereticks and schismaticks prove to be such , whom we least suspected ; if that gift of discerning , whereby they should be known , be lost in the apostacy of the churches ; if the imposing our own fallible thoughts , and expositions upon the consciences of other men be antichristianisme , and a setting up of the man of fin ; what shall be done in regard of our solemn league and covenant , whereby we are engaged to endeavour the extirpation of h●r●sta and schisme , and to bring the churches in the three kingdoms to a vniformity , & c. ? answ. i say concerning the covenant , in reference to the presbyterians , as they sometimes spake of the church , in reference to the prelates , they dazle the eyes , and astonish the senses of poor people , with the glorious name of the covenant : this is the gorgans head , that hath enchanted them , and held them in bondage to their presbyterian errours ; all their speech is of the covenant , the covenant , neglecting in the mean time , god and the scriptures . it matters not for other things in the covenant , as you may see in the next answer , so as men will but walk according to the same ( in their interpretation ) in an outward uniformity of religion , and in a visible form of church government , and worship , then which nothing can be more against the power of godlinesse , which consists in an invisible , and internall breathing , panting , working , and acting of the soul toward god , for god is a spirit , and they that worship him , must worship him in spirit and in truth : all outward forms imposed , do but ordinarily , and commonly breed atheisme and hypocrisie : it were well therefore that the civill powers would be carefull , how they engage carnall men in religious covenants , and about spirituall things . i answer , we seem very zealous for extirpation of that which is neither in our cognizance nor power , and for prophanesse , and such things as are against the power of godlines , which in the same clause we covenant against , and against which the laws of god and men are in force ; and which are certainly and undoubtedly in the cognizance of the civill power , and for which he must give an account to god ; how doth every one cry out upon the neglect of these ? whose eyes , and ears are not full of the reelings , railings , belchings , vomitings , swearings cursings , lyings , stealings , brawlings , and fightings of drunkards , liars , adulterers , whoors , prophane , gracelesse , godlesse persons ? and yet these are altogether , or in a great measure unpunished , due execution of laws against these were a right reformation indeed , acceptable to god , and all good men : sin , open , grosse , palpable sin , doth so abound every where , that no just man can walk up and down , without vexing his righteous soul , for the unclean conversation of the wicked : remember who those men are ( reproved by our saviour , matth. . ) that thus strain at a gnat , and swallow a camel . i answer , that we are in our severall places and callings , to endeavour against these , ( in like manner art. . ) now god calls us out against these men , ( in case we could discern them infallibly ) not with a sword of steel , but the sword of the spirit , the word of god , which is mighty through god , to convince gain-sayers , and the servant of the lord must strive no otherwise then thus , as i shewed before ; if men will but truly and faithfully ( as they have opportunity , ) hold forth that light they have , to others , to turn them from their errours , and in other things walk as christians ; i dare say , they have done all that god requires of them in this case , so as they may boldly look god in the face , at the great day of appearing : and the covenant ( sano sensu ) can have no other interpretation then this . to shut up all , i doubt not , but i have at least wise opened a way to let in truth amongst us as concerning this particular , and to engage others , who may have a greater portion ; both of time and strength to vindicate , & maintain what hath been asserted ; and if these things which are written , be not yet convincingly satisfactory to each ingenuous , and non-pre-engaged reader ; let there be for all parties , independents , brownists , anabaptists , an equall liberty , of debate , conference , discourse , and presse with the presbyterians , if each of them be not able to prove from scripture , their own way and practise to come neerer to the pattern of truth , then the presbyterian , ( though i suppose none of them to be exactly according to the rule , for it s reserved for the glory of the new ierusalem to have nothing that defiles , or is a lie to enter into it ) i am confident they will desire no toleration ; and if they do , then you must necessarily conclude with me , it is most equall , & that the presbyterians are the greatest hereticks ( as being in the choice of their opinions further off from the truth of scripture then the rest ) & the greatest schismaticks ( as practising according to those opinions ) that are at this day in this nation . a question for a kingdom to answer . a kingdom hath three parties into which it is divided , and these three are distinguished by three notions , prelaticall , presbyteriall , independent , two of these grew into one , against the other one party , which was more great and considerable then these two , and overcame it ; and then these two , that ( as one ) overcame the third , resolve back into two again : and one of these two endeavour now to overcome the other : upon this , let it be considered , whether that one party , which was at first , overcome by two in one : ( now since one of these two are dissolving , and suppressing the other , that made one with it ) be not likely to be the overcomer , and prevailing party over both these ? a question for a church to answer . a national church was once episcopal , and seeks for extirpation , and suppression of a few that were called hereticks , and schismaticks , and non-conformists to it , by imprisonments , banishments , &c. and yet these few , and inconsiderable party , increases , and prevails against all this power , and nationall government . vpon this , let it be considered , whether a new nationall government , armed with a like power , and proceeding against a far more numerous party , called hereticks , schisma●icks , and non-conformists to it ; be able to extinguish these , upon the experience , of the insufficiency , & unsuccesfulnesse , and weaknesse of the same power , and force , exercised to the same end , and designe as before . finis . revel. . because thou art luke-warme , and neither cold nor hot , i will spew thee out of my mouth . verse . thou sayest i am rich , and increased with goods , and have need of nothing : and knowest not that thou art wretched , and miserable , and poor , and blinde , and naked . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- rev. . . rev . . iam. ▪ psal. . ▪ . acts . . . . notes for div a e- eccle. . . mat. . ier. . . revel. . . revel. . . mat. . iuke . tu●●ie . rev. . . ioh. . . thes. . ier. . . cor. . rev. . . point . i. ☞ . point . thes. . . smect. sect. . ioh. . . conclus . rev. . antidoton or a soueraigne remedie against schisme and heresie: gathered to analogie and proportion of faith, from that parable of tares. matth. . aug.ep. .nullorum disput.&c. we ought to haue no men their disputations (although men catholike and praise worthie) in that count as we haue the canonicall scriptures: so that it should be vnlawfull for vs to improue and refuse some things in their writings, if happily we finde that they thought otherwise then the truth hath. such a one am i in other mens writings, and so would i haue others to vnderstand of my writings. clapham, henoch. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) antidoton or a soueraigne remedie against schisme and heresie: gathered to analogie and proportion of faith, from that parable of tares. matth. . aug.ep. .nullorum disput.&c. we ought to haue no men their disputations (although men catholike and praise worthie) in that count as we haue the canonicall scriptures: so that it should be vnlawfull for vs to improue and refuse some things in their writings, if happily we finde that they thought otherwise then the truth hath. such a one am i in other mens writings, and so would i haue others to vnderstand of my writings. clapham, henoch. p. imprinted by [felix kingston for] iohn wolfe, london : . epistle dedicatory signed by clapham. printer's name from stc. leaf d verso of stc has errata for this--stc. reproduction of the original in the bodleian library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng heresy -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion antidoton : or a soveraigne remedie against schisme and heresie : gathered to analogie and proportion of faith , from that parable of tares . matth . . aug. ep . . nullorum disput . &c. we ought to haue no men their disputations ( although men catholike and praise worthie ) in that count as we haue the canonicall scriptures : so that it should be vnlawfull for vs to improue and refuse some things in their writings , if happily we finde that they thought otherwise then the truth hath . such a one am i in other mens writings , and so would i haue others to vnderstand of my writings . london imprinted by iohn wolfe . . principall positions proued in the discourse of the parable . that the kingdom of heauen ( math. . . ) it is not vsed for the state of the world , but of the new testaments church . that the church is catholike , and in some measure euer visible in this life . that the church of christ was planted here in england , in the apostles times : and continued notably vncorrupted till about , anno domini . . that anti-christianitie ( or the marke of the beast ) it is not considered in separable accidentall corruption in faith or manners : but in that is essentiall and fundamentall . that the tares in this parable are wicked within the church , and visible to the gouerners thereof . that the tares are onely such wicked as cannot with churches peace and safetie be pulled vp . that such tares are of holy pollicie to be permitted : and yet no defilement to spirituall communion . brounistes outward ordination , proued more against christes rule , then euer any was before . that difference of torment and measure of glorie , abideth the damned and saued . to the right honorable his verie good lord , sir edmvnd anderson knight , lord chiefe iustice of her maiesties court of the common pleaes . three mightie men , bringing of a bethlehems waters vnto dauid , he powres it foorth before the lorde ( not quenching bodies thirst therewith ) because it was purchased with liues hazard . vnto your lordship i humbly present a moitie of waters drawne from mysticall beth-lehem ( the house of bread , the church of christ iesus ) and they not purchased with lesse then the hazard of my bodie and soules saluation . if your lordship shall deeme it good they be powred forth before the lord for erudition to the soule , it is that i couet , and which some thirstie soules desire with great appetite . dutie calleth me to offer it , and the experience i haue of your lordship , tendring my good , it emboldens my presentation . b pythagoras hauing instituted his puple in the first place to worship ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) the immortall god ; he in the second place inioyneth that he reuerence ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) preexcelling heroiks . which heroicall personages are of auncient hesiode couched in his fourth age ( c after them of golde , siluer , brasse : but before that of yron obdured ) and determined for such , as had care of executing iudgement and iustice by land and sea : maintaining and vpweilding the same by magnanimious and martiall valour : for the which they are tearmed there , semi-dijsts : but in sacred writ , d gods : because his word is e committed to such in his church . when i remember the vnion of your lordships house with that of the right woo. moon-suns ( a family to whom i haue owed much from my young yeares ) i then methinks see wisdome and warre conioyned : without either of which , no common wealth can endure : and by the continuance of both which , my simplicitie hath been sheltred , and my innocencie shielded . so that i ( if any ) haue cause to auow allegiance ( not tam marti quam mercurio , but ) to the christian subiects of wisdome and valour . the schedule i present , it is an exposition of that f parable of tares , propounded by our lord and master christ iesus . wherein is considered , first , the glorious estate of the new-testaments church , first planted throughout the world by the ministerie of the apostles : then secondly , the corruption thereof through ministers sleepie negligence : yea , the corruption so deeply setled therein , as well it might be in these latter times reformed , but neuer quite purged of visible euill ( nor replanted ) vntill the sonne of man in his great day of haruest , doe that by the ministerie of his angels . a doctrine so necessary , as without the knowledge thereof , a man shall either rush on the error of the right hand ( through desperate vn-bridled zeale ) or on that on the left hand , through a frozen cold securitie . such being my dutie , and such my presentation , i humbly so remaine your lordships dutifull suppliant , henoch clapham . to all svch specially , as whose soules distressed with our ages controuersies , doe desire resolution drawen from reason and experience . if he be accursed by the law , that sets the blind out of his way , what better is his state that heareth the worde of an oth , and ( though he can ) will not giue in testimony of the truth ? sure , he shall beare his iniquitie . these two lawes haue enforced me , first publikely to preach ; then secondly to publish the sequell in print . and so much the more , as the former two decrees of mount sion , they concerne neerer then many . in my first looking after religion , my lot was to associate such onely , as onely tasted and affected another kind of ministerie , which ( as they said ) yet we had not in england . and that they tearmed the ministerie of pastor , doctor , elders , deacons , widowes , due to euerie particular church . those words i soone learned : as also , that the pastor was to exhort , the doctor to teach or deliuer doctrine , the elders to gouerne and exercise the disciplinall cens●res in common with pastor and doctor , the deacons onely to attend poore and loue-feastes , the widowes to wait on the sicke . that platforme once swallowed , i then was easily perswaded that our bishops , their ordinations and all ministerie standing vnder them , it was antichristian , and an image of the beast . and looke how many corruptions , so many markes of the beast , which whosoeuer receiued in forehead or hand , euen all such should drinke of the cup of the wine of god his wrath . all this so hanging togither , except i would practise contrarie to my perswasion , ( as many deceitfully haue done ) out of the land i must , as i loued my libertie . i did so . first into the low-countries i went , afterwards into scotland . after that againe into the low-countries . then again into scotland : and once againe into netherland , &c. sometimes haled by this faction , sometimes pulled by that faction . but ( the lord being mercifull vnto me ) howsoeuer i was notablie distract about externall church-gouernment , yet ( as all my printed bookes will testifie ) i kept me euer fast vnto the maine point , that is , vnto the foundation of the gospell , i had before here receiued : and had in lancashire for some two yeares publikely ministred , being before ( now some nine yeares since ) ordained fully thereto by bishop wicham then bishop of lincolne . about some fiue years since , it pleased god to giue me an earnest desire to search antiquitie , if happily that way i might find any assured footing of scriptures sence , touching externall church orders . togither with this desire , the lord afforded me plentie of bookes , first in scotland , after in netherland . the more i read those writers that liued in the first years , the more i perceiued the former scales to fall from mine eies . and as the light of the faithfull increaseth till it be perfect day ; so , togither with my last returne for england , the foggie mist was risen and fled , the sunne of righteousnesse shined vpon me : and that ( to the praise of god be it spoken ) in such euidence of scripture , as i hope my selfe enabled to draw ( as on a table ) an euident idea and shape of that miscarying way , if so men will waigh it in simplicitie of spirit . yet this must here be done but briefly according to the nature of an epistle . pastor and doctor are distinguished by them ( from rom. . . . ) by exhortation and doctrine . the doctor is to be first exercised in doctrine , the pastor in the second place is to exhort from that doctrine . from hence then must needs follow : first , that the doctor is aboue the pastor ; seeing the pastor but buildeth vpon the doctrine of his doctor : euen as the apostles laying the foundation , then were in an higher office then the euangelistes or pastors that but builded on the apostles ground . and for this consideration , the apostle paul would not worke vpon others building . the order then must be thus ; doctor , pastor . and in rom. . . doctrine indeed is put before exhortation . secondly , if doctrine and exhortation distinguish them , then it shall be as verily sinne for the doctor in his exercise to meddle with exhortation , or for the pastor to meddle with doctrine , as it was for vzzah an inferiour leuit to touch the arke of god ( though in a danger to fal ) which medling with the arke distinguished aarons family , from the other two leuits . thirdly , then it skilleth not though the pastor be a man of no learning ( for all the learning to speake of , lieth in a deliuerie of the scriptures naturall sense , with a drawing out of his proper doct●ines ) and to exhort , is so farre inferiour to doctrine , as the application of the medicine ( to a seen sore ) doth vtter no such knowledge , as the prouision and composition of the medicine . if they say , the pastor is to exhort , but not onely , he may also teach : the like ( say i ) with as good reason may be spoken of the doctor , not onely to teach , but principally . which toyish order of teaching & exhorting , as no reformed church abroad is acquainted with it ( for they acknowledge no sole doctor , but of the schooles ) so their distinction of not onely , but principally , as it may be vsed likewise in the following offices , so let vs see how much it maketh for them . the elders they distinguish by ruling ( from . tim. . . ) as the pastor and doctor , by the word and doctrine . here say they , are both sorts of elders : rulers in the first place , teachers in the second . first , touching the term●s ( word and doctrine ) doctrine being onely that which is drawne from the word , here so is no speech of the pastor and his exhortation : and so no double honour for the pastor . secondly , if by ruling in the first place , be meant onely a gouerning of the church without doctrine , then the deliuerer of the word and doctrine last mentioned , he must be debarred rule ▪ rule appertaining to the first ; doctrine , to the second . if it be replied , that the pastor and doctor also are to rule though not principally : so others may aswell reply , the elders are not onely ( though principally ) to be exercised in ruledome , for they also may teach . that the elders might onely rule , not teach ; though they make him a bishop ( in english ouerseer ) yet they will vnderstand him vnder the word deacon : for thus it is in the demonstration of discipline . offices simple are bishops pastors doctors deacons or church-seruants ouerseers distributors . marke well , how first he maketh two sorts of bishops ( pastors and doctors ) then two sorts of deatons ; ouerseers and distributors . first , a right plaine man may obserue , that to make an ouerseer ( or gouerning elder ) to be a church-seruant , it is verie ridiculous . secondly , to make bishops one in the first diuision , & ouerseers another in the second diuision : it is to make a difference between i and i : that is , a difference where none is . for bishops and ouerseers are all one : bishops being the greeke word , and ouerseers the english. the diuision so of the offices , not onely void of diuinitie and art , but also of verie common sense . yet a correction due to the sons of god , when they seeke to bring in their owne inuentions . but to what purpose haue they thrust the word ouerseer vnder the word deacon ? because forsooth in . tim. . they would not vnderstand the office of elders in the word bishop : because it is there required , that euerie bishop ( or church ouerseer ) he should be apt to teach : and they would haue elders of another stampe . whereas that in . tim. . . . ( together with act. . . where elders are by vers . . expounded ouerseers or bishops , on all which the apostle enioyneth teaching as he before had ) it plainly euinceth , that all ouerseers are to be exercised in teaching . by both which plaine places , that more obscure place in . tim. . . ( they that rule well are worthie double honour , specially they that tyre themselues in the word and doctrine ) it must be vnderstood , either of one and the same sort of elders in the church ; whereof all deseruing well , some ( by reason of more trauaile ) deserue better : or else ( whereto i rather condescend ) the first is spoken of ouerseers to a particular church : the latter ( for kopiontes importeth we ari●omenes by trauelling to and fro , as in iohn , ch. . vers . . ) it implieth such elders as paul , iohn , peter , & others that trauelled from place to place , hauing care ouer many churches . touching the deacons ( who are to be employed onely in and about the poore and tables ) i take that onely were better ( as before ) turned into principally : and that by reason of more sufficient teachers present , as also such occasion about the tables and poore , as was in ierusalem at the time of their first institution . but that there is no time nor place for the deacon to preach and baptize , the scripture affordeth not that . the contrarie appeareth in philip , preaching and baptizing in samaria , before the apostles came thither to promoue him into an euangelists place : or yet the angell had called him to any busines with the eunuch . besides , seeing the scripture requireth such a one to hold the mysterie of faith , to be full of the holy ghost , and of wisedome , it plainly argueth , it is , because he may assist in that busines . and seeing ( by all probability ) those seuen deacons were of the disciples ( for then they were in that church ; and be sure that the people would choose the best ) it cannot be auoided , but deacons must be fitted that way : that so ministring well , they may be preferred in time to a greater degree . for the widowes in . tim. . there is no controuersie : but that they should be concluded from rom. . . ( he that is mercifull ) that is , worse then childish . for euerie child knows that he is not a she. the brownists to couer this foppery , they say not widowes , but relieuers : that so vnder this new word they may steale into y ● church , widowers : so well as widowes . yet , where it is said , they should attend on sicke , as scripture speaketh of no such matter ; so , if we remember that she must not be vnder . years aged , as also one that hath no helpe from her kindred , it should seeme to me , that she is rather receiued to be ministred vnto , then to minister . vnder excellent termes , thus odde inuentions of men haue beene broached . first , condemning things at home which they soberly vnderstand not : secondly , applauding things abroad , which scripture and antiquitie neither vnderstand . yet because first abroad , and now at home i resist those nouelties according to knowledge : the brownists abroad sparse notable vntruthes against me ( witnes those , to whom my treatise of the sinne against the holy ghost is dedicate ) and the seditious at home quickly sup vp the euomitings of the brownist , that so thereby they may defile me and my ministery . the pharisee an enemie to the sadducee ; the sadducee to the pharisee : but both will ioyne in one confederacie against the truth . further then i haue sound reason , i desire not to be accepted : but if my reasons be equiualent to the waights of the sanctuarie , cast not the precious pearle away because of the propounders basenes . the apostle would know no one of the lords people ( no not christ ) according to the flesh : what art thou then to hold the faith in respect of persons ? nine sermons i publikely and largely deliuered in southwarke by london , vpon the parable of tares . that i haue drawn into the compasse of one sermon for thy good . common doctrines of ordinarie course i here haue omitted , holding me ( for the most part ) vnto certaine grounds of controuersie , by the which disquieted soules may be setled . i choose this parable before other scriptures , because it is a ground of grounds for direction vnto churches state and condition : the verie scripture which many peruert to their owne ruine : and yet ( ni malè memini ) the first scripture whereby i recouered my standing . pray in humilitie yet thou read . read without preiudicate affection . ponder what thou readest : but giue no definitiue sentence , before thou haue read the whole . what here may be deliuered too succinctly , that ( if god will ) may once be deliuered more largely . meane time , be thankefull vnto god for this , and helpe me with thy prayers . the lords most vnworthie , henoch clapham . math. . . another parable put he forth vnto them , &c. seeing speech is here of a parable , it would be considered , first , whether the word carie with it mo senses then one in canonicall writ : and then , in what sense it is peculiarly vttered . for varietie of sense , i rest well resolued in that auncient collection of the greeke father chrysostome : who vpon the . psalme according to the septuagints or greeks account ( for they ioyne the . and . psalms in one ; with vs and the hebrew distinctly two : and then for keeping the number of . psalmes , they cut the . psalme into two : beginning their . with the . verse , laud the lord o ierusalem , &c. which account the old latine also obserueth ) on the same . psalme , he collecteth two senses from the olde testament , according to the septuagints version : and other two senses in the new testaments greeke : that is , foure senses in the whole . in the olde testament , he first obserueth it for a rebuke or opprobrie : as where in psalme . we read , thou hast set vs for a parable , that is , for a by-word or marke of rebuke . and in iudges . . it is taken for a riddle : where of samson be-dan ( sprong of dan ) it is written , out of the eater came sweet , &c. which in vers . . is termed well a riddle , but in the greeke , a parable . in the new testament lieth other two senses , which hysteron proteron ( for methode sake ) i rehearse thus . in hebr. . . ( speech hauing passed of abraham his offering isaac ) it is said , that from the dead he receiued him ( en parabole ) in a parable or type ; or ( as we haue it well ) after a sort . the fourth sense is that which here in mathew is vsed , and that is for a similitude : as if he should haue said , another similitude iesus he put forth vnto them . wherin if we obserue , first the partie which propounds the parable ; then secondly , the parties to whom it is propounded , it shall carrie with it his proprietie of edification . the propounder is iesus , in plaine english , a he that was appointed to saue his people from their sin : appointed by god the father to saue the whole israel of god. the heroicke condition of his person ( essentially god , essentially man , by true distinction of natures , constituting but one person , mediatour christ ) it may cause vs with more reuerent attention to listen his similitude . for sentences deliuered by persons of state , they ordinarily stand for maximes of mightie consequent . and if we consider his inestimable loue towards his people , that may moue vs more : for who will not be vrged by a sweet and trustie friend ? but if it be remembred , that he is not onely our mightie friend , but also he , whom the prophets call b counsailor , and the c wisedome of god in whom the whole worke of creation restes , surely , this may be a furtherance , ( not onely to attention , but also ) to perswasion for a readie receipt of those words of wisedome . touching the parties to whom this sauiour of ours speaketh , it is the multitude , his disciples not exempted . the parable vnexpounded , is principally because of the people ; concerning whom the scripture had foretold d that in hearing they should not vnderstand , and seeing they should not perceiue , because of the fatnes of their hearts , &c. so that our sauiour vseth not parables so , but when he hath warrant of scripture : nor fat hearted and insensible soules are not so spoken vnto , but when scripture will be so verified vpon them . our sauiours enigmaticall speeches may teach vs to obserue the times ( and so origen and others do read , rom. . . seruing ( kairô ) time , not ( kuriô ) the lord ) considering , e a word spoken in his place , is like apples of gold and pictures of siluer . vnto some , holy mysteries are to be sealed : but vnto leane hearted disciples , and such as will not play the hogs and dogs with pearles , the written mysteries of god are to be reuealed . his truthes are not like isis and osyris mysteries in aegypt , who are to be locked vp in the bosomes of their sacred priests . indeed , the priests of spirituall aegypt do locke vp all from the people in an vnknowen tongue , saying : that f the people are swine and dogs , and holy things are not to be giuen vnto them . but no people are we to terme so , who minister an outward hope ( though mixed with infirmitie ) of being truly desirous to heare and vnderstand , not for cauillation but for edification . and seeing a parable or similitude expounded , it is the plainest doctrine or forme of teaching of all others ( seeing it hath allusion to common naturall things , where with man is well acquainted ) as also , considering with the plainnes there is an eloquence naturall ioyned for beautification thereof vnto the eye of nature ; it should teach all ministers herein sometimes to be exercised , as was salomon that great preacher of israell : for of him ( carying a representation of our iesus ) it is thus written : g the wiser the preacher , the more he taught the people knowledge , and caused them to heare , and searched forth and prepared many parables . the preacher sought to find out pleasant words and an vpright writing , euen the words of truth . yet , seeing parables of themselues doe not naturally conclude or proue , but onely explaine and illustrate doctrine alreadie proued ( euen as in all schooles the axiome runs : similia illustrant non probant : similies do beautifie , but proue not ) therefore parables must be no further pressed then may be found consonant to the analogie or proportion of faith . and for this cause , they may be termed as one well termed aliegories , namely , h sawces which none eate alone , but for seasoning of meat . so much briefly for the terme parable , now to the matter so termed . it followeth in the text . vers. . the kingdome of heauen is like , &c. ] euerie comparison consisteth ( as greekes speake ) of his protasis and apodosis : that is , of his proposition and reddition . the proposition is the thing propounded , the reddition is the application thereof . here we haue to resolue the parable thus : looke how it befalleth a field first sowen with wheat , where into afterwards steps the enemie and scattereth his tares , &c. euen so it befalleth with the kingdome of heauen . in the . i chapter of this present euangell , our sauiour propoundeth a person out of whom the vncleane spirit goeth , but afterwards returneth to a stronger possession of that soule : he then applieth it to that generation saying : euen so shall it be with this wicked generation . but his methode here contrariwise , euen so it shall befall the kingdome of heauen , as vnto a field sowen , &c. placing that in the first place , which by the former president should naturally come in the second place . and this to teach vs , to vse and not to vse a naturall methode : that is , to our christian libertie herein ; not to make our selues slaues to one forme , when christ hath made vs free . and yet this no cloake for ignorant bablers , who oft speake despitefully of methode ; not because they know what it is ( for it may be they are void of all art and learning ) but because literature hath no such enemie as ignorance . but let vs come vnto the thing compared . the kingdome of heauen is like , &c. ] to the sense of these words , first seuerally , then ioyntly . the word kingdome ( as is also the hebrew and greeke ) it is deriued of the word king , as being the thing where abouts a king is exercised . and which more is , i take it to be compounded of king and doome , ( and so by contraction kingdome ) because hereabouts a king doth exercise his doome or iudgement . vnto which kingdomes constitution is required , first a king ; secondly a people ; thirdly doome , iudgements or lawes ; fourthly , an execution therof according to equitie . which i passe by , as ordinarie common places . touching the word heauen ( or rather as it is in the originall k ( ouranôn ) heauens in the plurall number ) it is sometimes taken for the ayre ( as when we say , frigidum coelum , a colde heauen , that is , a cold ayre : or as the birds are said of l moses to flie in the open stretching forth of the heauens ) sometimes it is taken onely for stretched out spheres , globes or seuerall circles wherein the stars be . of which , some be termed in the greeke , m planets , in english , wanderers , because of their swift and speedie motion : and those be seuen in number , wherof the moone ( the lowest ) and the sunne ( the middlemost ) are principall to vs ward for operation . but the one and the other restrained from n smiting those that put their confidence in israels god : not ( as o the heathen doe ) fearing the heauens face as a god. the other heauens are eyther the firmament wherein all the common stars be ( commonly termed fixed ) whereto iehouah willeth p abraham to cast his eye , telling him , so infinite should his seed bee . in which firmament are the stars , whereof the lord speaketh to iob , namely , plejades , orion , matzaroch , arcturus . or else they be heauens inuisible , beyond the reach of our sight , whereof to dispute it is not fitting this place . yet so farre as god reuealeth his workes vnto vs , so farre we may search , and with humilitie enquire for our comforts : yea , that so thereby we may so much the more be pricked to praise him in his workes : so much for the words seuerally , now ioyntly . the kingdome of heauen , it being a phrase not fully found in those syllables , in any one place of the olde testament , we are to seeke the originall vse thereof in the newe . the first preacher of this phrase , it is iohn baptist in this present gospell , and chap. . . where he cries , repent , for the kingdome of heauen is at hand . in which speech he hath relation vnto that kingdome whereof daniel speaketh , chap. . . giuen by the ancient of daies vnto one like the sonne of man : which in vers . . & . he communicates with the saints of the most high , a kingdome after the receipt and possession thereof , appointed to endure for euer . whereunto if we adde that to the hebrewes , touching the remouall of the olde heauens and earth ( that is , q of the iewish church and pollicie ) that so a new kingdome might be receiued of the faithfull that should neuer be shaken , it shall so appeare euidently , that the kingdome of heauen here spoken of , it is no other thing then the state of the newe testaments church , whereto iohn baptist prepared the way , and baptized . yea , that this conclusion is catholike and subscribed vnto of all , euerie one that is read , can well enough testifie . the state of new testaments church it being so called , we therby may collect the grosse darkned iudgement of the world , who takes it rather for a kingdome of hell , then of heauen : and the rather because the appendices of this kingdome or commonwealth are like to iesus incarnate : that is , r out of a drie ground , void of for me and beautie ▪ according to naturall insight ; and therefore a kingdome like to the king , not of this world : but rather alotted to hang on the crosse by the hands of the world . and for this cause , the psalmist saith that , s the kings daughter is all glorious within . and so our king h●mselfe saith t that this kingdome is within , & not to be seen of the world , or heretikes by lo here , lo there , as it were by outward appearances : on which externall show the pre●●sian pharisee then rested . secondly , seeing the olde testaments kingdome once shaken , it gaue place to this new kingdome and that for euer and euer : we first ought to obserue the former kingdomes basenes in comparison of this . euen as we know the firmamentall starres to be inferiour for light vnto the sunne , by reason their shine is darkenes , when once her beames irradiates our hemi-●phere . v for if that which should be abolished was glorious , much more that which rema●neth is glorious . nor can this be remembred without compassionating our elder brother the iew : w●o ( poore soule ) not perceiuing the abolishment of the first ( by reason of the lawes letter , hanging as a vaile before his eies ) he therefore abhorreth communion with the second . x standing with the elder brother without , grumbling and grudging at his yonger brother , feeding of the slaughtered bullocke within shems tent . nor maruell i much at them , for many come within in part , they do in some part stand without , saying : they dare not touch , they dare not tast , they dare not handle , they dare not pray in a synagogue , y which al perish with the vsing , according to ( the destinie of ) commandements and doctrines of men . which things indeed haue a shew of wisedom in a voluntary religion and humblenes of mind , and in not sparing the bodie ; but they are ( in troth ) of no value , saue for satisfying the flesh . for if we be risen with christ , nothing to the pure can be vnclean ( if not of meat , z going with in vs , though vnder the law it was otherwise , much lesse of stones and timber without vs ) for all the creatures of god are sanctified vnto them by the word and praier : and it is lawfull a in all places to hold vp hands , prouided it be without wrath and doubting . besides , this kingdome being of an euer-enduring nature and no more to be remoued , it not onely ●utteth off these heretikes that from revel . . . d●●●eare themselues in hand , that this word of the kingdome s●all be vtterly abolished , and another new gospell preached . for as b paul commaunds vs to hold that angell accursed that brings another gospell , so that is nothing else but a renual of our gospels preaching more vniuersallie : by the which a way is prepared to babylons downefall . which might well begin with our wicliffe , and be continued through the midst of the church by luther and others . as , i say , the perpetuitie of this kingdome it cutteth off such new gospellers , so besides that , it c●n●inceth many of ignorance : who contrarie to scripture , all antiquitie and experience doe affirme , that there hath beene no visibilitie of the church for former hundreds of yeares . besides that , such a position is opposite to all those scriptures , psal. . . . isa. . . math. . . . tim. . . reuel . . . . ( for as the centurists well reason , if it continue vnder antichristes tyrannie and exaltation , much more after ) but also , it is an embasing of this kingdome before the kingdome of moses . for , was not the ancient church ( the figure and type hereof ) was it not alwaies visible ? no , saie our ignorant reformists and schismatikes . the church was inuisible in the time of elias . but the lord saith no : c first , by rebuking the prophet , pronouncing vnto him that there were . in israell that did no outward homage vnto baal . nor let a man iudge otherwise it could be , seeing not onely there were plentie of prophets when obadiah hid them by . and . in a caue ; but also , d there were schooles of prophets what time elias was readie to be rapt vp . secondly , the holy ghost recordeth elijah to haue spoken against israel , not against iudah . for as he knew that good iosaphat at that time raigned in iudah , so he wel knew , that there was not only the church visible , but also mightily reformed . nor can i but wonder that man can read the third chapter of e luke , where the principall starres of the church from the first adam to the second are genealogically numbred , and yet after the reading thereof , not to see that euen in them the church was ay visible . but those peruerters vnable to answer those scriptures , they will now presse me with men ( although at no hand we may presse them with men ) and that thus : to teach the church ay visible , is to teach poperie , and all our learned men haue alleadged this of elijah against that doctrine , &c. i answer , it is false : not onely all ancients euer hold the churches euer-visibilitie , but also , all learned men of our age , ( amongst the rest read caluin his institutions , booke . chap. . section . . and chap. . sect. . peter martyr in his common places , classis . . sect. . place . the foure centurists in centurie . booke . chap. . also our nowell on the article , communion of saints , &c. ) to which purpose our mē against the romanists haue commonly vrged that of tertullian ( f vbitres , ecclesia est , etiamsi laici ) a church is where but three be , although they be lay-people . they haue not alledged elijahs complaint against israel for prouing al nullity of churches visibility ( for that is not the question betweene vs and papists ) but it is alledged against visible constitution of church in israel . the romanists vrging their church for vniuersall , and ay constituted according to the first patterne of externall pollicie , we affirme that the new testaments church sometimes looseth such visibilitie of vniuersalitie and externall constitution : euen as the ancient church her figure did . if we consider typicall israel , first we see her great and glorious going out with army of banners . anone ten parts fall away , though midst these ten god ay stirred vp prophets and prouoked some to an essentiall obedience at home , destitute of iudahs sacrifices , and church pollicie . anone the two tribes goe into babel , and ierusalem is trampled vnder foote for many sabaoths . yet the church visible ( true iewes and true prophets ) though priest and teraphim ceased . anone they returne backe by cyrus , but still trampled vnder foot by persians , grecians , seleucians . and all out of order when messiah came : yea , high-priests made by herod , that were not of aarons line , as iosephus g recordeth : and we may well credit a ie●e when hee testifies their owne shame . so say we vnto the romanistes , it hath fared with christ his church catholike trod vnder foot for . yeares , ( as iacob brocard , fr. du●lan , iunius , napeir haue well obserued ) during which time our church was in the midst of babel : and the man of sin exalted in the midst of it . which point obserued , it not onely stoppeth the romanists mouth demaunding of vs , what are become of grandfathers and grandmothers ? but also it dammeth vp a foule stream that carieth many head-long into schisme , expecting euerie sect a new forme of churches beginning . whereas alas , it may be reformed and purged , but no more is to be planted as at first it was by the apostles ▪ for as the beginning of plantation was euer practised by miraculous ministers ( witnesse moses and aaron to israel , and the apostles to the new testaments kingdome ) so besides that , it was to incommend vnto such churches new lawes for the substance therof , which before they had not . as for vs christians , we receiued such a kingdome , as for the substance thereof , it hath euermore preuailed against infernall powers . and gladly i would know of our schismatikes , if so the being vnder romes gouernment , it simply or essentially caused all such to be limmes of antichrist ; and that to be the beastes marke for the which all such should drinke of the wine of god his wrath , i would then demaund of them : first , where the church then for . yeares hath been visible ; and so consequently , what assurance they haue that their present faith for the substance therof hath preuailed ? they can make no answer but against all scripture . secondly , i would know of them why the corrupt gouernment of rome should make all vnder it antichristian ; and then the h nicolaitans , balaamits , iesabels disciples , and all anabaptists they should not be to vs as well true visible christians ? seeing these were and are ( in the brownistes iudgement ) vnder the true externall church-gouernment of christ ? is romes gouernment stronger for euill , then christes for good ? either here they must answer blasphemously , or else they must grant truly , that the essence or being of true christianitie and antichristianitie , it res●eth not in outward church-gouernment , but in an obedience and subiection to a foundation of faith truly christian or antichristian . and for this cause , as antichrist is . thess. . . termed ( i anti-k●im●nos ) a a layer of an opposite foundation , so it is his false fundamentall doctrine which is his marke : euen as it is not outward church-gouernment which marketh therfore out a true christian ( for heretikes oft haue that skin of the sheepe ) but a firme biding by the foundation , as the apostle noteth to the k corinths . and this ground is it wheron master caluin stādeth , whē he beleeues the saluation of diuers ancients liuing in too to corrupted ages . but here the romanists will say , then you protestantes are gone out of the church , inasmuch as you are departed from vs. i answer , we departed but from a notable foundation of faith opposite to the very grounds of the gospell . which opposite ground as it was long in laying , so it was fully setled by thē in that infamous l councell of trident. besides , we doubt not but we haue left some true christians in that church ( witnes such as amongst themselues , they daily persecute ) euen as the many thousands of iewes left daniel and some others behinde in babell , what time they returned vnto ierusalem . but as those of the returne could not be called schismatikes from daniel ( first because the time of captiuitie was expired : secondly , because daniel should haue done better to haue followed them , then they to haue returned vnto him ) euen such is our case . first , it was m decreed ( and experience will manifest that ) how we should be for . yeares captiued : then that the beast should begin to kill faster then before ( the reason was , because now the prophets were more zealous then afore ) whereupon a tenth part of the beasts citie or congregation should fall away from him : their kings and rulers now hauing in their heart to be auenged by fire on that purple whore , which before had made them drunken as swine . our king henrie began that worthie worke : his princely son edward continued it happily : but our soueraign queen elizabeth , hath not only brought her own people vnder the banner of iesus ; but hath lent her princely hand vnto churche's all abroad ; countenauncing and assisting them with mon●e , men and sacred counsaile . so that it was well said of m. penry in scotland , that the gospell was more beholden vnto queene elizabeth , then vnto all the princes in europe . against which elizabeth who so shall arise , let their forehead with miriam be smitten with leprosie ; and not for seuen daies but seuen yeares ( yea for euer ) let them be abandoned the commonweale of england . this briefly for the churches perpetuitie , and for essentiall christianitie touching faith & manners , euen through the midst of antichristes pride and tyrannie . other things will be necessarily met withall in the comparison following . so much for the thing compared . like to a man which sowed good seed in his field , &c. not to vrge here the care good householders should haue to see their fields , vineyards , gardens sowen and planted with that which is good ; that so they may not onely returne peeces of siluer to themselues , as the n vineyard of baal-h●man did vnto salomon : but also propound hereby good vnto the countrie , as resemblances of god his care to create all good & verie good : passing by that , let me directly come vnto the precise sense of the parable . for the vnderstanding whereof , let vs heare what exposition our sauiour himselfe giueth hereon . in verse . he saith , he that soweth the good seed is the sonne of man. and in the next verse , and the field is the world , and the good seed they are the children of the kingdome . a certaine poore soule once ignorant how any open wicked might vpon any occasion be suffered once to grow in the church , he makes such an exposition here , as whereby he may shut tares quite out of the church , for thus he writes , o did not god at first make the world , and all things in the same good ? was it not corrupted , &c. to this question i answer , it is true , he did so : but this is not consonant to this place : for the sonne of man is not god the creator , but god the redeemer , neuer called sonne of man vntill he was incarnate . so that here is no speech of worlds creation , but of christ iesus incarnate : who by his owne ministerie and the ministerie of his apostles did plant the childrē of the kingdome or new testaments church in the face of the whole world : and this by preaching the word of the kingdome , termed also the immortall seed of god. for here is no comparison framed to the world , but to the kingdome of heauen , the state of the new testaments church . where he addeth ( and all our schismatikes from him ) that here is no speech of the church , because our sauiour saith , and the field is the world , i would first demaund what they meane by the world ? by the world , they can not vnderstand the wicked , seeing before they say , god made the world , &c. but god made not man wicked ( except to brounisme they adde manichisme ) therefore by the worlde , they must meane the circuite of the earth , wherein christ planted his kingdome p from one corner and sea vnto another . touching the tares , that in his own place . the father hauing from mount sion proclaimed his sonne regent from the sunnes rising to his going downe , the sonne labours the plantation of this his possession , by sowing the same gospell , which of yore was preached to dauid , to abraham , and first of all to q adam in paradise . for the which , as matthew produceth the gospell from dauid and abraham ( because it was written in hebrue , and specially for the iewes , who altogether bragged of abraham and dauid ) so , luke ( respecting iew and gentile and all ) he ioyneth the church of peculiar faithfull on the one hand with god , and on the other hand with iesus : because without respect of person , the iesus was in paradise first preached by god to adam . this gospell ( not yea and nay but amen , christ yesterday , to day and the same for euer ) by it the sonne of man begetteth sonnes for his kingdome , a kingdome vnable to be shaken and remoued : except that christ her foundation can be remoued . to omit common places here ( touching the seede of god , state of vnregeneration , regeneration , &c. ) obserue wee here the fulnesse of time for iaphets people ( the nations or gentiles ) their comming vnto shems tent ( whereof noah arising as a giant from wine , by the abundance of spirit did fore-prophecie ) but this receipt of the gentiles a graffing in of the wild oliue , is done ( oh the wisedome of god ) with a cutting off of the naturall oliue ( shems people ) who after the fulnes of the gentiles be come in , are againe vniuersally to be receiued into the open state of saluation . that the iew should first be exalted by reason of faith in messiah , and the gentile glorified that way in the second place , q irenaeus vnderstood it typically by thamars twynnes . the ancient r tertullian vnderstood the case to be figured vnder rebeccaes twinnes . the same doth s augustine . as for t theodoret , he conceiues also lea and rahel to be types of iewes and gentiles , the latter to be more acceptable to our iaakob israel , preuailer with god : and in u another place , vnder zara and phares , thamars twinnes . and vsually vnder x gedeons fleece & floore ( the one de●ed from heauē , when the other stood drie ) the ancients vnderstood the same mysterie : and thereunto doth chrysostome applie the . verse of psal. . and touching the recalling of the iewes ( after fulnes of gentiles come in ) as they y were not ignorant , so gregorius papa ( after whose time presently , euen fully in the lords yeere . machomed in the east & vniuersall pope in the west , that two horned power was exalted ) he is plentifull in this z testimonie . the church being at first shut vp amongst the iewes ( elder brethren by grace from shem , but gentiles ( a iaphets people by nature ) now the church was to enlarge her tents and to stretch her coardes vniuersally through the earth : for which cause it is called catholike and vniuersall ; so it cutteth the throat of hereticall donatists , that would shut it vp in a corner of affricke , or in some chamber in london , or in some citie of the low-countries . nay , let the pope of donatisme say , that he hath some of his sheepe in the low-countries , some in diuers holes in england , some in ireland ( no pastor or bi●●op in england hath so large iurisdiction ) yet for all this , so long as we remember that article of faith , i beleeue there is an holy catholike church ( an article grounded on scriptures enow ) wee dare not say but his church is a faction gone out of the catholike arke ( though our sauiour a forbids going out vnto such desart and corner gospels and christs ) and by reason of such schisme ( although with such arguments as were able almost to ●educe the elect , couering their thorne and thutle schisme with shee●ish skin or conuersation ) by reason ( i say ) of such schisme , and vniuersal condemning all they depart from for onely visible limmes of satan and antichrist , we must beleeue they in such estate are exposed to the ouerflowing wrath of god. this gospell of the kingdome , as the apostles had commission granted and giuen for sowing throughout the earth , so the sound thereof went quickly through the earth . and no maruell , for now a daniels stone was to roule all abroad : first , for battering downe opposite power , secondly , for setting vp a kingdome which should neuer be destroyed , the little stone so becomming a great mountaine . and though we brittaines ( tearmed of their word b brith , painted : because our people painted and dyed their bodies monster-like , as indeede wee were a most sauage nation ) though we were couched here in an vttermost coast , yet it is registred to god his praise and our comfort , that c this prouince was first of prouinces in receiuing the gospell openly , as sabellicus testifies . d polydore virgil maketh coyl the king here a receiuer of the faith in our lo. y. . but the holy faith planted in our land before by ioseph of arimathaea , who with some others came hither , obtained a mile of ground neere wels , afterwards called glascon . and this by ancient gildas testimonie should be in the yeere of christ , . e who also saith that they suffered a notable persecution here by diocletian romes emperour . the excellent theodoret writeth , f that the apostle paul ( presently after deliuerance out of his first captiuitie at rome ) hee came then hither . this apostle in his second epistle to timothie and last chapter , he remembreth one claudia an excellent christian woman then at rome , whom martial the poet affirmeth to be of brittaine , thus : claudia g caeruleis cum sit rufina britannis edita , cur latiae pectora plebis habet &c. in a word , the ancient registers haue so vniformely consented in this point ( namely , that britannia in the apostles times it receiued the holy faith : as also that the ministers were maried , nor after . y. ( what time austin the monke came hither from rome ) could or would giue any hope of yeelding therein to romes perswasion , whose cities ministerie then was much gone out of the way ) this point i say , is so vniformely witnessed , as our schismatikes may so well aske me what assurance i haue that here was a king henry , as demaund what assurance i haue of the other . and this comfortable point i haue the rather vrged , because some too ignorantly seeke the beginning of a church here within these hundred yeeres ▪ and the schismatikes impudently affirme , that they themselues are the first visible church sprung vp in england . the founder whereof was browne . which man , if so he had been stirred vp by god to such a miraculous worke , not onely he should haue been vpheld in that worke ( as moses and aaron to the old church , and the apostles to the new church : for god neuer forsooke his principall church-planters ) but also , he should haue begun that worke with a better miracle , then by alluring seruants from their masters , children from their parents , wiues from their husbands , k with whom they had smitten couenant , although to their bodies hurt and affliction . thus the seed of the kingdome vniuersally preuailed , maugre the malignitie of the gentiles . l eusebius recordeth that tiberius caesar hearing of the excellent things of iesus , he motioned vnto romes senate , that iesus might be enrolled in the number of their gods . the senate replied , that now they could not consent to that , because the people alreadie had begun such a blaze , they hauing not first approued the same . which no doubt ( saith eusebius ) was done for this end , that the wholsome doctrine of diuine preaching it should not need the allowance and commendation of men . and surely ( were it not that with god euerie thing is possible , as also that the euent makes the thing manifest ) how hard a thing should it be to thinke , that the field of the world ouergrowen with idols and diuels , it should by so weake an instrument as preaching ( and that of a iesus crucified , and that by so meane persons as he sent out ) it should ( i say ) be subdued vniuersally in so small time , vnto the obedience of the gospell ? but this was , that so the word of auncient prophecie it might be fulfilled . so much for the churches vniuersalitie . it followeth . vers. . but while men slept , there came his enemie and sowed tares m in the midst of the wheat , and went his way . the enemie that soweth those tares ( saith our sauiour , vers . . ) is the diuell : and in the verse before , the tares are the children of the kingdome or church . as the son of man did not sow his children but by begetting them through the doctrine of truth ; so the diuell doth not create or sow these his children , but by causing them to be such through the doctrine of vntruth . and this his fact of vnhappines is said to be done of him while men slept , that is , while the church ( and specially the ministers thereof ) they were secure and watched not . the apostle n paul knowing by faith in this doctrine , that after his departure wolues would enter into his church ( yea , that of their owne selues some should arise , speaking peruerse things for drawing disciples after them ) he tels them the way of preuenting this euill , namely , that they should watch ouer themselues , and ouer the flocke ( for god neuer exacteth our seeking his glorie ( nor can we ) by the neglect of our owne soules : though some would closely teach the contrarie , namely , that they might doe euill to themselues that so good might come thereof , whose damnation is due ) for drowsie sleepines ( which after came to passe ) it would cause confusion enter and arise to the disturbance of all good . that it is said , the diuell soweth this tarish doctrine ( though he doth it onely by his ministers ) we must maruell thereat nothing at all . when the wicked were to cast some of the smyrnians in prison , the holy ghost saith , o the diuell shall cast some of you in prison . a king is said to doe that he doth by his embassadour ; nor must the factors of sathan thinke much to be called sathan , p when as to peter for an excellent dehortation our sauiour saith vnto him , come behind me sathan : as for iscariot , he was plainly termed diuell . but this and some other common places i passe by , and come ( for that i specially professe herein ) vnto the points in controuersie . it is euer accorded vpon , that the tares are wicked-ones , but what kind of wicked-ones , as also whether within the church or without , therein is much dissonancie . libertines say , that they are the whole bodie of wicked people in the church : and so from our sauiours speech ( let them grow ) they would haue all excommunication ouerthrowen , and all wicked that wil , be admitted vnto the holy supper . others , that they be heretikes , who are to be permitted of the magistrate , if so happily they may become wheat by repentance . others , ( whereof hereafter ) they vnderstand them to be such wicked only as are permitted of godly pollicie : that is , not for loue to them , but to the wheat or children of the kingdome . touching their place , the browniste affirmes them to be without the church ; because our sauiour saith , let them alone : applying the apostles speech thereto , q what haue i to doe , to iudge them that are without ? others amongst our selues hold them to be hypocrites , or such wicked in the church as are not of vs seene . amongst which , r one great scholler writeth thus : i grant it no shame to the churches to haue hypocrites , for as much as the iudgement of man cannot discerne them : and of them & no other is the parable of tares , which forbiddeth weeding vntill the day of haruest . and in s another place , he taketh vp a great doctor for saying they are visible wicked in the church , accounting it in him a bewrayall of great ignerance : but the good man too zealously vttered his owne ignorance herein , as will appeare . when it is said , that the tares are in the midst of the wheat ( and the wheat is in the church ) it presently conuinceth those that say , they are without . and when as it followeth . vers. . and when the blade was sprung vp and brought forth fruit , the tares appeared also . it hereby plainely ●nough appeareth , that so verily as the wheat appeared , so verily the tares appeared . the children of the kingdome appearing such by their fruit , the children of sathan that way appearing also . nor appeares this lesse in this , that the ministers after are grieued at the sight of them : and for that doe interrogate , if so they may pull them vp ? if they had been without , it would not so haue troubled the minds of those that were within : and if they had been hypocrites or inuisible wicked , it could not haue troubled them at all . those errors are by the parable it selfe plainely ouerturned . but more plainely ( if god permit ) it shall appeare by conference of other scriptures . when as i come to examine our sauiours words , let both grow together , &c. meane time obserue , that two sundrie seeds are sowen , & thereof ariseth two sundry sort of people within the church . the first not onely within the church , but of it also : and therefore termed children of the kingdome . the other within the church , but not of it , and therfore termed children of the wicked . contrarie seeds , so haue contrarie effectes . the house of cloë in corinth , by the fruit shewed thēselues to be true members ; others by vnbeleeuing the resurrection did show themselues to be troublous members : or rather a corrupt humour in the bodie that deserued to be purged . and surely , as we would be deemed followers of the sonne of man in a care of planting good , so we must endeuour our selues to sow onely good seed . if we come into pulpit with vnresolued opinions , we must leaue behind vs an vnresolued people , staggring , reeling and caried away with euerie wind of doctrine . but if we sow tarish doctrine in the pulpit , let vs know that the diuell will water it blade and fruit . if we will watch ouer the flocke , we must first watch ouer our selues : yea , take heed to our tongue , least it be set on fire from hell , and so conuert the churches peace into a flame . who would haue thought that sadduces ( deniers of the resurrectiō ) should haue appeared in the church of iudah ? but the leuites ( some of them ) leauing the altar , and betaking them t to iudahs crowne and scepter , the lord therefore did punish them with vnbeliefe , who should haue taught others the true beliefe . who would haue thought that in the asian christian churches such notable heresies could haue risen ? who would haue thought that in our brittaine churches so many horrours should haue risen ? but it is not to be wondred at : first because our sauiour foresaw and forespake hereof , when as he thus assimilated his kingdome of heauen . not saying it should be so in the world , but it should be so in the church . secondly , as through other churches , so through ours this sleepie ministery hath passed , wherby an entrance hath been made , & a way paued vnto an ocean of euils . and that which worse is ( of those that would be deemed reformers ) many proue deformers : and if in zeale they haue once stepped ouer shoes , they count it credit rather for constancie sake to slosh in ouer boots , then with augustine to write a booke of retractations ; or with v nathan to return vnto dauid and confesse that the speech of temples building , it was a speech without booke . these kinde of constantines i haue met with abroad , and now find no such enemies at home . let the secret pharisaicall practices of some witnes that , euen what time i was publikely ( to the comfort of distressed soules ) exercised in southwarke vpon this present parable . but the lord rebuke sathan . if i being once ouer-caried with their tarish doctrine , doe now go before them in pointing out , and remouing such scandales ( & all this without magistrates constraint , or worlds allurement , witnesse my writings abroad published before in forraine parts ) then let them not thinke scorne or take it for a discredit to follow : least euerie faithfull minister that commeth after , do both by word and writing cast the doung of their solemne assemblies in their faces . if they looke to be saued by holding the foundation , they must not be vnwilling to suffer the losse of their timber , hay , and stubble , when the fire of god in his spirit and word do offer to burne it . by the practise of the law , our own hand should first be vpon the beast , and this done voluntarily : but if men vpon a good meaning will couer those cattell of agag , yet they shall bleat , crie out and pursue them vnto destruction . it followeth in the text . vers. . then came the seruants of the householder and said vnto him , master , sowedst thou not good seed x in that thy field , from whence then hath it tares ? . and be said , the enuious man hath done this . two questions are propounded by the seruants vnto the householder , whereof this is the first , together with the answer . for the householder or master of the field , it is plaine before to be the sonne of man. touching the seruants , some take them to be magistrates in the commonwealth : some take them to be ministers in the church : i vnderstand it to be spoken of both , and so both will well inough fit , first the analogie and proportion of faith ; secondly , it accordeth aptly vnto the experienced state of church and commonwealth , though principally of ministers . then , when ? after the field ( through ministers and magistrates sleepie securitie ) was ouergrowen with tares or 〈◊〉 wicked ones : then ( as out of a sleep ) magistrates and m●●●sters do arise : they ouersee the catholike church : they spie not onely offensiue things in the world ( whereof no maruell ) but also in the kingdome or new testaments church . they grieue at the sight , and troubled they are in their soule about the present confusion . all this notably and comfortably laying downe , that in those last dayes god would not onely stirre vp zealous ministers for church reformation , but also excellent magistrates ( as were zerubbabel , nehemiah and others ) for the reformation of iudah . nor was this vnseene of iohn in patmos , what time the angell of god telleth iohn ( in the solitarines of his spirit ) that the ten hornes ( or ciuill powers ) which once had subiected themselues vnto the whorish citie ( metropolitane then of the earth ) what time they lay asleepe by drinking her spirituall fornications , they finally should awake , and hate the whore , and shall make her desolate and naked , and shall eat her flesh and burne her with fire . for god hath put into their hearts to fulfill his will and to do with one consent , for giuing their kingdome vnto the beast , vntill the words of god be fulfilled . but those wordes of god ( for the time of their sleepe ) once fulfilled , they arise ( as did henry , edward and elizabeth in england ) setting fire on the whore for burning vp her abominations . and therefore thrice abominable those spirits , that by word or writing proclaime them schismatikes ( as do the papists ) or suborners of the beasts kingdome ( as doe blind reformists , brownists , anabaptists and arrians ) . touching the ministers , seeing vnto them the more excellent charge of the church is giuen , by how much more those euils creepe in through their predecessours negligence , by so much the more those their successours are stirred vp in an holy fierie zeale for remouing of present euils . such a one was z for this purpose let the yong student read the succession of doctors , written by simon de voyon . william of s. amour a doctor of paris . after him laurence an english man and doctor also there . then iohn wicliffe here in england : and with him , sautre a priest. iohn hus a bohemian , first student in oxford . ierom of prage also a bohemian : with multitudes not onely of ministers , but also of inferiour callings , whom god stirred vp in all parts for recouerie of a better ierusalem , then that in iudea of beniamin . but marke that those seruants of christ , they trust not to their owne iudgements herein : and therefore , they runne vnto christ to be enformed , by what meanes all this euill is come . who , as they seeke to him , so from him they receiue a ready and faithfull answere . who hauing vnderstood by the word of the lord , that all this was the worke of satan in his ministers , what time men lay asleepe in securitie ( euen as a garden sowen and planted with good , it bringeth forth readily weedes of all sorts , after a little time of rest ) vpon this assurance ; then the seruants said vnto him , wilt thou then that wee goe and gather them vp ? . but he said , no : least while ye goe about to gather the tares , ye plucke vp the wheat with them also . the second interrogatorie and his answere followeth . the question propounded by the same seruants ( magistrates , ministers , zealous people ) the answere is returned by the same housholder and master of the church christ iesus . by those holy hearted seruants their second demaund ( wilt thou that we goe and gather them vp ? ) it plainly appeareth , that they not onely were grieued to see the church pestred with such tarish companions , but also that they had a zeale burning in them , for rooting them vp : and yet discretion ioyned with zeale , in that they will not walke herein by any conceit of their owne , but onely by the rule of their master christ. griefe at such tares ( i doubt not ) there is in many : zeale also for tearing vp such tares , i doubt not also there is in many : but a true contentment to passe by their owne conceipt , and to search out their masters meaning for reformation , it resteth in ouer-few . hee will walke by this rule , another by that rule for reformation of faith and manners . as for the brownist , anabaptist and arian , they will walke by no rule for reformation of this wheat field , and purging it from weedes : but at one choppe , they hew downe all for antichristian , and will haue no visible christian to be found in this confusion of the field . tut say they , labour we for curing babel ( misapplying a ieremies speech thereto ) we would haue cured her , but could not , therefore my people go out . and so , when they haue separated from all , condemned all ( good and bad , church and babel : condemning the substance of faith and manners in all , because of some disputable accidents , or at most , because of some accidentall euils ) they must euery head beginne a new field , a new church , and all new . and because all are not of one mind , therefore euery one begins a church ( spicke and span new ) of a sundry fashion . the brownist keepes the baptisme he hath in our church , but denieth the ministeriall ordination ; appointing their lay-people to lay hands on ministers heads , and so blesse them to their ministeriall office : alleadging the practise of israels people , laying their hands on the leuits heads nomb. . whereas alas , that was but their forme of approbation , not of ordination . for when the people ( or elders of the people ) had laid on hands , the leuits thereupon might not administer before the lord : for their ordination and blessing resteth to the high priest : and thereupon came the holy canon , b without all contradiction , the lesser is blessed of the greater . for in nombers . it followeth , that aaron tooke the leuites , filled their hands with oblation , with his hands did shake them before the lord : and so ( after benediction ) did set them to the altars worke . and this hath c peter martyr well obserued and distinguished . and indeed , the ancients made this ( not teaching ) to be a cause of distinction betweene episcop & presbyter ( or bishop and priest : for these words are of the former greeke corrupted ) namely , that the bishop might ordaine , the elder not ) for so chrysostome ( hauing said that d elders are vnderstood vnder the word bishop . tim. . . hee after saith : inter episcopum & presbyt . &c. betw●ene a bishop and elder there is almost no difference . for by ordination alone , they are their superiours : and this ( power ) onely they are thought more to haue , then haue the presbyters , or elders or priests . therefore ( passing by priestes , as all of them figures of christ ) they casting eye vnto church-order , they ordinarily cause resemblance alike to be had betweene bishop & presbyter , as was of old time betweene the high priest and the ordinarie priests : and the resemblance of common presbyter and deacon , to lie in such difference as was betweene the ordinarie priest and common leuits . and indeede , the trueth is such : though such as despise ancient record and reading do ( as some doe at home ) make sacred ordination a friuolous ceremonie . whereby the brownists of common inferiour lotte , they haue learned to bid their father ( hee that begot them to that faction ) to kneele downe , and they t●● begotten children wil lay hands on & blesse their father : an ordination more opposite to christ for outward forme ( & that is it they speake of ) the if the pope should blesse a man inferior . for they ( ek dramétr●u ) ful-but to christs canon , do appoint the lesser to blesse the greater : whereas in the other , the greater blesseth the lesser . but hereof i haue spoken in another treatise . touching the anabaptists , they stand not partaking in the matter ( as doth the brownist ) but they exusflate or blow off our baptisme , so well as ordination , saying : all that floweth from antichrists ministers , it must be antichristian . and so , one baptizeth e himselfe ( as abraham first circumcis●d himselfe : mary , abraham had a commandement ; they haue none , nor like cause ) and then he baptizeth other . but largely did augustine confute this rebaptization and re-ordination in dealing against the donatists , saying of the one and the other f the catholike church held it vnlawfull to repeat them . as for cyprians r●baptizing such as had beene baptized by heretikes , g as he left such practise free vnto others their iudgement , imposing no law on any ( as appeareth in his epistles to iubaian and stephen romes bishop ) so the same opinion after was retracted by the bishops . and in a detestation of such rebaptization it was which caused h chrysostome thus to write : qui secundo &c. he that the second ●ime baptizeth himselfe , he the second time crucifieth christ. touching our english arrians , they deny all baptisme and ordination , till new apostles be sent to execute those parts to the gentiles , and elias the thisbite do come for that end vnto the iewes . thus ( not to speake of other their doctrines ) euery sectarie and schismatike hath his sundry church and fashion of constitution : all of them ( in trueth ) notable schismatikes from the common-wealth of israel : as moab , ammon , edom , and others made brea●h from the orderly seede of abraham . but let them goe , the seruants of christs fielde , they consult with their master , and from him they receiue this answere : do not teare vp the tares , let both grow togither vntill the last haruest &c. so farre is he from bidding them to go out , or yet pull them vp . two notable questions do arise from hence : first , whether perm●ssion of open wicked in the churches fellowship ( for such be those tares ) it do not ouerthrow the rule of excommunication taught in matth. . . & . cor. . or if it do not , how then those places can be reconciled ? secondly , how the permission of these shal not pollute , seeing some open wicked do pollute in . cor. . . and galat. . . touching the first , i answere : permit vnto doomesday , and excommunicate before doomesday , they are as easily reconciled , as dauids worde and practise is found good . when for his word it is written , i that he would not suffer a wicked man in his family : and yet for his practise , k he suffered ioab in his family , leauing the slaughtering of him to salomon his sonne succeeding . and in a word it is thus : those that can be excommunicate without harming the wheat ( that is , without rending churches peace and vnitie ) those are to be excommunicate : but such are to be permitted ( not for loue to them , but to the lords wheat ) as the excommunicating of whom would rend the church in peeces . the contrary practise is , to be peni-wise , pound-foolish . nor is this resolution new , but ancient : for augustine to the l donatist hereof writeth thus : ipse dominus &c. to the seruants willing to gather the tares , the lord hi●selfe saith : suffer yee both to grow vntill the haruest : the cause hee premiseth saying : least peraduenture while ye would collect the tares , together with the same ye pull vp the wheat . wherein he sufficiently sheweth , when such cause of feare is not ( but a certaine safetie altogither of the graine with certaine stabilitie , abideth : that is , when as euery such one his crime is knowne to all , and to all appeaereth execrable , insomuch as it hath no one , or not such defenders through whom a schisme may fall out ) then ( non dormiat seueritas disciplinae ) let not disciplines seueritie sleepe . then this may well be done without spot of peace and vnitie ; as also , without detriment to the wheate , &c. wherein he concludeth , a practise of disciplines seueritie , when churches peace and vnitie may be preserued , but otherwise not . nor is this permission a stranger in scripture , no more then the practise of excommunication . for as in . cor. . the apostle paul vrgeth a putting out : so the apostle iohn m diotrephes the affector of preeminence , a pratler , a busie bodie , and one that would neither himselfe harbour such as came from the apostle , nor yet suffer others . the apostle promiseth ( if hee come ) to lay him out in his colours , intending thereby no doubt to prepare a way for his casting out : but meane time hee permits him , inasmuch as he bids them not deliuer him to satan . such tares were the factious teachers in galatia churches ( ioyning circumcision and baptisme together &c. ) whom the apostle in those wordes ( would to god they were cut off ) doth secretly permit , in that he dare not ( as in another n case ) giue it in command . and when to the corinthes he writes , i feare when i come againe , my god abase me among you , and i shall bewaile many : of them which haue sinned alreadie , & haue not repented of their vncleannes and fornication & wanto●nes which they haue committed : here the apostle not wishing the corinthes to deliuer such to satan ( as in . cor. . he willeth the incestuous to be giuen vp , for whose behoofe no one with face could stand ) but plainly seeing ( yet after a sort halfe winking at ) those notable euils , he giueth notice ( as augustine also hence vrgeth ) that it was because of their tarish clasping condition . and for no loue to the tares , but for loue of church and common-wealthes peace it was , that dauid permitted shimei of beniamins quarrelling tribe fauourite to saul : as also suffered bloody ioab to liue all his dayes , for that otherwise he might haue brought all the souldiers on his necke , for auenging the death of their worthy generall . now ( if a tares condition be considered ) can any other conclusion be vrged ? for it is not , as many weeds who may be seuered without daunger : but as it growes vnder the leaues of wheat vnseene , like an hypocrite at first , so it 〈◊〉 after bewraies it selfe by the fruit : but then so clasping the w●eat by running about it , as it cannot be pulled vp th●n , but 〈◊〉 ●resent danger to the wheat . and such varietie of ●aladies ●●●etimes fall in mans bodie , whereof some may be purged ●●d some limmes cut off without the liues destruction : but some of such nature and in such p●rts , as they cannot be remoued , but with depri●ation of life . and for this cause ( namely for preseruation of life , and auoiding some great euil ensuing ) we oftentimes permit that we like not . nor is he fit to gouerne a family ( much lesse a church ) that walketh not by this rule & consideration . if any now demand what if diotrephes repent , or for want of repentance he be by iohn in after time cast out , is such a one yet a tare ? two answers are hereto framed . the first is , yea : as simon was surnamed leper ( because once a leper ) so may such a one be called a tare , because once a tare . the second answer i giue thus : if either of the former things fal out , he may be said to haue stood ( for the former clasping season ) as a tare , but now he bewraies himself not to , be such : euē as , the o incestuous person was deliuered vp to satan for leauen & a seruant to satan , who p after proued a man of true spirit & holines . the parable ( as other parables ) it must not be stretched beyond the purpose of our sauiour made manifest by other consent of scripture : and so i haue proued augustines collection to be found & irrefragable . if any reply , only those open wicked ones are tares as die tares ( because it is after said , they shall by the angels in the great haruest be gathered vp ) ●so could add , because tares are bid to grow vntil the last haruest , therfore none are tares that liue not vntill the last haruest . as also , by that reason we should neuer know who are tares vntill death : and so to no purpose commaunded to let them grow togither , seeing after death they can no more grow togither . to auoid such foolish consequents , the proprietie of a parable must therfore ay be heeded . the former conclusion remembred , downe fals the libertines collection , who would haue all publike wicked permitted : seeing here is not speech of all euill ones , but of a kind of euill-ones which cannot with kingdomes children their good be pulled vp , or cut off , by magistrate or minister . euen as in the parable of the q fiue foolish virgins , he declareth not open wicked , but hypocrites ( seeing they had their lamps and lights and went to meet the bridgroome so well as the other fiue . nor was their foolishnes discouered to the church , vntill they had slep the sleep of all flesh ( good and bad ) and were raised againe by the shout of the archangell ) so euerie parable hath his owne propriety . here also falleth to ground all such as haue with chrysostome and erasmus vnderstood them to be heretikes , whom the magistrates should permit to growe , vntill happily they might become wheat . yet chrysostome addeth : r non prohibet , &c. our sauiour forbiddeth not to dissipate the conuenticles of heretikes , the stopping of their mouthes , to cut off all libertie of speaking : onely he forbids the killing of them . but as he hath no warrant hence of preseruing heretikes liues , so he hath warrant inough from many places , for scattering the assemblies , stopping their mouthes , &c. and surely , the magistrate can neuer be thought to be zealous for the lord , when he beares ( as the ordinarie states of germanie doe ) a sword for their ciuill matters , but none for the lords religion . to ground also here falleth the anabaptistes doctrine of christians vnlawfulnesse for bearing and exercising the sword against trangressors : seeing ( say they foolishly from hence ) they may liue to become true christians . in a word , diuers fantasies here fall downe ( as dagon before the arke ) nor meruell , seeing tymber , hay and stubble is in the lords day appointed to burne ; that so , gold , siluer , and precious stone it may be discouered for only sutable to the foundation of this heauens kingdome . now to the second question , how the permission of such tares ( or tarish persons ) they shall not pollute the fellowship ? that such permission is not sinne or pollution to the permitters , it appeareth if but in this , that christ not onely aduiseth , but also commaundeth such permission for the peace & good of his wheat , or true sonnes of the church . if first such open wicked vpon due sight and search be found ( not thistles , da●ke or such separable weeds : for it is presumed that such the seruants here had and would pull vp , but ) tares , or to vs ward in a tarish estate : and if in the second place we permit those bastards for the childrens sake onely , then such permission is no pollution to vs that haue so seene , sought and permitted . first , because our sauiour enioineth such sufferance , and who dare make him a counsailour to euill , a maintainer of sinne ? secondly , if the s apostle touching sinne in his owne flesh resisting his will ( or law of the mind ) hauing will present with him , but wanting meanes to performe that is good : if notwithstanding this vnrulines of the flesh , he proclaimes himselfe deliuered from this sinne ( or bodie of death ) by christ ruling in him by his spirit , &c. if i say , sinne dwelling in him , he is not therfore seruant to sinne but to christ , because a better spirit or lawe ruleth in him : much lesse can another mans sinne pollute me or my new man created in christ , who is so farre from being led captiue by his sinne , as i hate it ; and as meanes by god are giuen vnto me in my place , do labour the slaughter of his sinne and expulsion thereof : and when such meanes of remouing him is lacking to me , yet the good-will of remouing such a scandale is neuer lacking . keeping thus my heart and conscience cleane , all things that are without , are to me cleane & pure . but if the conscience be priuie to a liking of the scandale , and negligent in vsing the fit meanes god hath granted for remouing such a scandale , then he is pollution vnto me , and my soule is attainted with his sinne . the one and the other of those conclusions , haue their ground also from that to titus . . and in marke . . . , . . . but it will be obiected , in those two scriptures speech is onely of indifferent things : i answere , the doctrine is generall , and therefore appliable not onely to those indifferencies there mentioned : for nothing ( whatsoeuer ) is without can be pollution to vs , prouided there arise not in our heart a liking or consent to such euill , nor yet of vs be permitted , when apt meanes are granted for remoual , at least for bridling such euill . touching this point , it is thus written in t origen ( whether by him or another i contend not ) illud tacendum non est , &c. that neither is to be concealed , ( namely ) that the knowen wicked hurt the church , if so be that , either power of prohibiting them the communion be lacking , or some reason of conseruing peace do hinder . it is plain that this is not hurtful to a man ( namely ) that there is some wicked man ( yea , a knowne wicked ) present with thee at christ his altar : though he be not prohibited , prouided by a good conscience discontented with him , he be separated from him . manifest therefore it is , that to run with a thiefe , it is no other thing then eyther to steale with him , or with a pleasing heart to accept of his stealth . and that the church hath euer been so minded , consider not onely her recordes for iudgement , but also for her continuall practise . whatsoeuer therefore in any of my writings may seeme to conclude oppositiuely , i desire it may be reduced hither , where so fully and plainely i haue discussed the q●estion . nor let any distinguish here ( against the streame of the whole church ) between common communion , and the communion in the lord his supper : for , besides the ancients their meaning is plaine , we are to consider ; first , that the church is commaunded by suppers administration to set forth chri●tes death till he come : secondly , if no tare may be permitted thereto , and there will be tares vnto the worlds end ; then it followeth that the supper must neuer be administred . if it be replied ; though they be not excommunicate , yet they may be debarred the supper ; i answere , if churches peace can be so preserued , they ought so to be restrained . euen as in a familie , a wise householder or faithfull steward v he will give the meate in due season : and not onely that , but also grant vnto some leaue to feast , when ( for correction sake ) he appointeth some others to fast . a figure whereof vnder the law was this , and that vncleannes , for the which they were seuered for a season : x euen as the magistrats s●ord a figure of our excōmunicating sword ; killing them in the flesh , that so they may rise and liue againe in the spirit . but if they cannot with peace and churches vnion be restrained , they must be rather suffered to grow in their euil , then ( by hindering the lords raine and sacramentall showers ) the wheat should be hindered in their grouth . let them grow togither ( saith our sauiour ) vntill the haruest : though to the one sort , word , sacraments , fellowship shall be a sauour of life vnto life , but to the other a sauor of death vnto death : euen a sit was vnto such as brought oblations vnto the tabernacle , wherof some by the faithfull priest were freely admitted : others against his wil ( as ioab & shimei ) but admitted , because otherwise by the sword they could not be peaceably cut off . so much for this point : it followeth . vers. . let both grow togither vntill the haruest , and in the time of haruest i will say to the reapers , gather ye first tares , and binde them in sheaues to burne them , but gather the wheat into my barne . as our sauiour will haue the tares to grow togither with his children in the church ( & this vntill the great haruest of god : that is , as is expounded vers . . vntill the end ( namely of all things ) what time he will send forth his angels for gathering all those offensiue ones forth of the kingdome , vers . . ) as i say , our sauiour willeth so long sufferance of the tares , so hence we are to obserue the forme of speech ( let them grow togither vntill the haruest ) whence some conclude euery tare his particular haruest at the time of his death , as also a generall haruest of all in the end of the world . touching such particular haruest here is no speech ( although it be true from other scripture , that the tree falling into the cold nipping y north it shall there lie ) the speech here is onely of the great vniuersall haruest , wherein finall doome is giuen to all . if any say , but all the tares which haue been some . yeares since are dead , &c. i answer , our sauiour promiseth to his apostles , that in executing their commission , he would be with them vnto the end of the world , and lo they died and ceased preaching and baptizing . yeares since . the apostle charged timothie to keepe the commaundement vnspotted till the appearance of christ iesus , and timothie fell on sleepe about . yeares since also . as in the apostles and timothie , the whole bodie of ministery succeeding in that worke , it is vnderstood , so in the tares first considered amidst the wheat , there is vnderstood the whole corporation of such wicked in succession vnto the worlds end . a bodie of sinne or corporation of wicked , christ iesus speaketh vnto , when he thus saith to the pharisees : fulfill the measure of your sins , &c. that vpon you may come all the righteous blood of abel the righteous , z vnto the blood of zecharias ( the sonne of barachias ) whom ye slew between the temple and the altar . from whence is apparant , as all the righteous doe make but one mysticall bodie whereof christ is the blessed h●ad ; so , all the vnrighteous make their mysticall bodie of sinne , whereto sathan is an accursed head . let them grow together vntill the end ? if they could be withdrawne from , as moses , aaron , and the other faithfull of the congregation did withdraw their tents from a korah , dathan and abiram ( whose sin lay not as b●ownists would haue it , in a forme of outward calling diuers from the rule prescribed : but first , their sin lay in murmuring against the chiefe magistrate moses , and the high priest aaron : secondly , in making a mocke of sanctification and holinesse : thirdly , in rising vp rebelliously , for lifting vp themselues into place aboue the holy chosen of god : whereas , other supreame magistrate then moses might not be , nor any other high priest then aaron , during their liues , notwithstanding the whole people would haue giuen vnto them the best forme of outward calling they could deuise . ) if i say , the open wicked could be cald departed from ( as that rebellious ●rue vpon the lords direction was departed from ) then we are so to do : but if the case be tarish , then we are to suffer such children of belial to grow togither with the children of the kingdome , vnto the very end of all things . for separation in such case , it is ( as b cyprian wel saith ) first a vendicating of that authoritie to our selues , which the father hath giuen to his sonne alone : and secondly , it is but a proud obstinacie and sacrilegious presumption ( quam sibi furor prauus assumit ) which a wicked frenzie assumeth to it selfe . which speech of cyprian , old augustine borroweth and oft applieth against donatus . let them grow togither till haruest , &c. if tarish wicked ones shall grow vntill the vniuersall haruest of all the worlde , held and kept in the ende and vp-shot of this worlde , it is for those causes : first , for the humiliation of the wheate or children of the kingdome , by hauing such canaanitish pricks in their eies and sides , able to vexe the very soule of lot ; and also able to torment their soules with like sorrow , as were ezekiels people that mourned continually for the wi●kednesses committed in the midst of zion . secondly , they are permitted c being filthy , to become more filthy : and beeing vnrighteous , to become more vnrighteous ( for iohn must herein be vnderstood to speake of the wicked in the church , such as iudes spotted-ones in the feasts of loue : and those in corinths church , whereof paul saith , d and if any be ignorant , let him be ignorant ) that so fulfilling and vpheaping the measure of sinne , they may afterwardes haue the more notable fall , & breake-necke downe-fall . were it not for this haruest , as the faithfull of all others were most miserable , so those grapling tares triumphing ouer the lordes people , they were of all men most blessed . but , yea i say againe but there is a day comming , a blacke day , a gloomie day , a day of terrour and horrour to all the children of belial . a haruest must haue reapers , & the reapers here be angels . the greatnesse of the reapers , it argues the greatnesse of the haruest . nor maruell that both haruest and reapers be great , when as the great god is the sender forth of those angels , and people are the matter that must be reaped . this haruest is represented vnto e iohn in patmos , vnder the reaping of grapes with a sharpe sickle ; and there by the ministerie of an angell commanded so to by another angell which had authoritie ouer fire . as it is very true , that christ hath all absolute power giuen him ouer fire , water and euery creature , so i well like the iudgement of such as teach that the elements are committed by the lord vnto the angels , for vsing the same against the wicked , and in the behoofe of his children . touching whose ministration peter martyr hath this : f redeo itaque ad ipsos angelos &c. i returne vnto the angels themselues , by whose ministerie also i affirme , that god gouerneth physicall or naturall things . for by their meanes vndoubtedly the celestiall g orbes are turned about : and admirable thinges be produced in nature . for which cause it is elegantly written , that god himselfe is carried by the cherubims . here saith our sauiour , the sonne of man shal send forth his angels , how doth this agree with that of paul , h the lord himselfe shall descend from heauen with a showte , with the voyce of the archangell , and with the trumpet of god ? by which showte our sauiour afterwards in the gospell saith , i all the wise and foolish virgins shal awake and be gathered to iudgement . touching the sending forth of angels ( or as iohn hath in his reuelation , an angell ) as also touching those tearmes , a showte , the voyce of a trumpe , i take them to bee borrowed phrases adapted to haruest and sleepe . for a haruest , there must be gatherers : for raising people out of sleepe , there must be some showte or loud voyce : euen so , for gathering this spirituall haruest , and for awaking the spirituall sleepers in the earths bowels , there must be a gathering and a noise : but touching the forme of all this in proprietie , i take it , we now are vncapable . yet ( as in another place ) lazarus his soule is by angels ministerie conuayed into abrahams bosome : and well inough also may be iudged on the other side , that the gluttons soule was conuayed into hell ( according to that speech vnto another miser , thou foole , this night they shall take away thy soule ) so it may well be , that by the ministerie of angels , the soules vnited to their bodies for ful doome , they shall be presented vnto iudgement . but yet this ministerie a power in mediatly deriued from the archangell ( k christ iesus ) according to that in iohns gospel chap. . . the houre shall come , in the which all that are in the graues shall heare his voyce , that is ( as before ) the voyce of the sonne of man : that is , of christ iesus in our nature appearing . now must cerinthus ( if before death he repented not ) now must he come forth and make his answere , for teaching that iesus was not borne of marie , otherwise then by knowing ioseph her husband carnally . that he was not christ ; but that christ came vpon him in the forme of a doue . and that iesus suffered , but christ fled away &c. against whose abominable opinion touching iesus his onely being man , iohn is said to haue written his euangell : which indeed affordeth arguments , specially for proofe of his diuinitie . now must the l nicolaitans that died such , come forth & answere for their communitie of women . as also the carpocratians for denying saluation to the flesh : with others their followers , holding it of the diuell : giuing it vp to all filthinesse , as it were therby to be auēged on the body , their soules prison . now the m ophitai ( who taught the serpent which deceiued eue , was christ : who by that meanes made a way for reuealing himselfe after to mankind . and for this cause worshipped the serpent for christ &c. vpon which the church gaue them that name ophitai or serpentinists . ) now must they come forth and know to their shame , that they worshipped the diuel of hell in stead of christ. the n montanists , who held montanus for the holy ghost , condemned mariage for filthinesse &c. now those blasphemous filthy tongues must come out and bee tormented with diues tongue in hell fire . the o arians ( who taught that there was a time wherein god was not a father , nor the sonne a sonne : that the sonne was not of one substance with the father , but of another nature ; a creature and meere man : tearmed god onely in regard of office , as magistrates be , &c. now must they stand forth before that god who will to them indeed proue no father , but a consuming fire . the p macedonians , who taught the holy ghost not to be god , but a seruant trudging about the businesse of the father and the son ; those now must to iudgement . and wel shal they know , that so they taught because they had not the holy ghost . the q anthropo-morphits ( so called , for attributing to god in proprietie , the very shape and proportion of man ) they shal in this great day well vnderstand that they spoke and conceiued of spirituall things , but carnally as bare naturall men . now the r followers of apollinaris , they must answere for teaching christ to ass●me onely a liuing bodie without a reasonable soule , substituting the diuinitie in place of a soule : making a confusion of diuinitie and humanitie ( as if christ were neither god nor man , but a third thing mingled ) euen as wine and water mingled , is no more wine nor water , but a mixture or mingle mangle . s pelagius faction ( holding man naturally to haue in his power to will and do well : ) they now shal find , that they both are supernaturall and diuine gifts . t now the sect of eutyches ( who held that christ assumed no nature of ours : the anabaptists doctrine in these dayes ) they shall in this day learne , that that body and soule shall be damned , the first fruites whereof were not first assumed by christ iesus . the u mono-thelites ( so tearmed for teaching that christ iesus had onely one will ) they in this day shall be taught to their shame , that christ had two wils vnconfounded : the one peculiar vnto his godhead , which was ( as the nature was ) infinite : the other peculiar to his manhood , and ( as it was ) finit . the first will strong as god , the second infirme as man , but infirmity without sinne . in a word , all the wicked ( tares or other weeds ) they must now be seuered from the lord his wheat : and that which more is , they must be collected and bound vp in sheaues . not in one sheaue but sundrie , according to the measure of their euils . one faction in one sheafe , another faction in another sheafe : but all prepared for one hell , for one fire , euerlastingly burning . yet ( though but one hell , one fire of wrath ) scripture seemeth to imply ( by vniuersall consent of the church ) that the measure of torment shal be x diuersly proportioned , according to the proportion and qualitie of sinne in the subiect . nor dislike i a certaine ancient his iudgement touching this , namely , that as in creatures all apt to burne , yet some feede the fire more then the other ( as for example : oylie and gummie timber , more then fewell of a diuers nature ) euen so , of sinners damned , all capable to burne : but the same fire and torment more enlarged by the subiect it worketh vpon , as his sinne shall be more large and notable . sin ( be it more or lesse ) is so considered as the subiect whereon the burning wrath of god shal haue matter to feed vpon for euer . and this is the way , whereby the iustice of god against sinne , it shall be declared a iustice for euer . in this day , the originists ( who haue taught that diuell and all shall once come out of that fire and be saued ) they shall find that sinne in the damned neuer dies ( nay , i rather thinke that it is encreased : if so sinne can be enlarged in hell : seeing sinne vnmortified , is budding & bringing forth more euil in thought word , worke ) and so consequently , the y gnawing worme neuer to die , that fire neuer to be put out . and as the tares ( the most politicall wicked ) together with the whole corporation of satan , they thus shal find in the end , their glorie turned into shame , & their temporarie heauen into an eternall hell . so the lord his wheat or children of the kingdome ( for though the other were in it , yet they were not of it ) they are in this great day gathered into the lords barne . though they grew together here , they must be seuered there . the wicked shall not stand in the assembly of the righteous : nor after that day , shall the soule of any righteous lot , be combred and galled with sodome . the iebusits gall vs heere , but they drinke gall and wormewood for it there . we contentedly suffer here , but it is appointed that we shall be glorified there . into the lords barne , abrahams bosome , paradise , heauens glory we shall all be receiued : and there for eternitie placed . but as there is more or lesse measure of torment for the wicked ; so , shall there not be a diuersitie of glorification in christ iesus his members ? the vniuersall streame of antiquity concluding affirmatiuely , i dare not ioyne with them that conclude negatiuely . besides , the scriptures they vrge to this purpose , i cannot see them otherwise applied then aptly and fitly . for our sauiours words in iohn , z in my fathers house are many dwelling mansions ( if it were not so i would haue told ye ) i go to prepare a place for you . where they reply that these seuerall mansions are to be vnderstood here in the church : i answer , that cannot be : for the sundrie mansions must be considered in the place whither iesus was repairing ( namely , in heauens glory ) and not in the earth whence he was departing . which better appeareth in that after he preoccupates this questiō of the apostles ( what shall become of vs meane time ? ) whereto he answereth their thought , saying : though i go to prepare a place for you , i will come againe . and where the auncients do alleadge that of paul : there is another glorie of the sunne , and another glory of the moone , and another glory of the stars , ( for one starre differs from another in glory ) a so also in the resurrection of the dead . if any here reply , that this is to be vnderstood of the first resurrection ( which is here ) from sinne , he speakes openly against the generall and scope of the chapter : which was to teach the resurrection of our bodies ( not soules ) against some that in the church denied it . againe , if they say that the comparison is between earthly and heauenly bodies , in this place it is apparantly false : for here he concludes : looke what difference in the glorie of starres , ( though all glorious ) euen such difference in the resurrection of bodies , though all glorious : for before the resurrection , no bodie is glorious . and surely , were it we considered but the state of a bodie ( where we see all the members excellent , yet a difference of excellency : and yet the difference no cause of emulation in the bodie , because ech member hath that which is fitting his own place ) as also , if we consider that all the beauteous order of god it lieth in distinctions , it must help to perswade , that in his mysticall bodie there be an identitie ( or one-nes ) touching the generall , eternall life : yet there must be distinction or difference touching the measure of glorification . where the aduerse minded do alledge that b parable of the workmen , brought into the vineyard , some at the third houre , some at the sixt , some at the ninth , some at the eleuenth , agreeing , & so giuing to euery man a penie : and so hence affirme that no one differs in the measure of glory ; all obtaining but one and the same price , a peny : i answer : a parable being a figuratiue doctrine , it must be expounded by that which is lesse figuratiue , or plainly proper . the apostle hauing taught the corinths so plainly of a difference ( not between corruptible and incorruptible bodies , but ) between glorie and glorie of bodies risen ; it shall be preposterous after so plain assertion , to conclude the contrary from a darke phrase . secondly , c augustine , chrysostome and a thousands besides them haue deliuered a better sense of the peny , that is , how it importeth onely eternall life . which eternall life though one , yet vttering it selfe in more or lesse glorie , according to the place ech member then enioyeth in this mystical glorious bodie . some here bring forth fruit an hundred fold , some sixtie , some thirtie . vnto those of fruits an hundred fold , d ambrose referreth the glory of the sun ; vnto those of the glorie of the moone ; and vnto those that bring forth fruits thirtie fold , he sweetly referreth the glory as of commō stars . and surely , as the contrarie perswasion doth effect in men a remisnes and slouthfulnes in the lords worke ; so , the beliefe of this doctrine is ( as a goad ) in our sides for stirring vs forward in the works of the vineyard : for out of the vineyard or churches fellowship , no promise of peny or eternall life . which point remembred , as it will cause his people to maintaine churches vnitie ; so , the tares also remembred ( hauing place in the church , yet finally damned ) it may force vs to make our election sure by good works . not to make it sure vnto god by good works , but vnto our selues , as a certaine e romanist well granteth . these be his words , per illa verba . pet. . . haberi non potest , &c. by those words of peter ( . ep. . . ) it cannot be vnderstood that election should be , because of workes following : but that by perseuerance in good workes , predestination which is immoueable , it may be showen certaine to vs , by a coniecturall certaintie . as for all time spent out of the church , or euilly spent within the church , what shall we count it but time lost ? a certaine heathen could wel say : g there is no cause why thou shouldest thinke any old , because of his gray haires or wrinckles . he hath not for that loued long , but been long . for i pray thee : thinkest thou that he hath sailed much , who ( after his putting forth of the hauen ) is by a sore tempest driuen here and there , and by force of winds diuersly rushing , is all that while but come round about ? such a one hath not sailed much , but hath been tossed much . nor let vs thinke such vnfruitfull and time onely lost , but ( which more is ) a building vp of fagots for our owne burning : the breeding of a viper in our bosome : the laying of sondry stepping stones to eternal damnation . wheras , in holy expence of time , we gaine more and more assurance by those fruits of faith , that our life is laid vp and hid in christ , vntill his appearance . with whose appearance , as our glory shall begin , so neuer shall it end ( though wicked chiliasts haue pronounced it to be but of a thousand yeares durance ) but as verily as we are by the holy ghost ioyned to the sonne , and the sonne to the father : so verily we cannot be any more pulled from the possessed glory , then the spirit can be rent from the sonne , and the sonne from the father , and the father from himselfe . to which glorious trinitie in vnitie , all kingdome , power , and glorie be giuen for euer . amen . theodoret on ezek. chap. last . an ende being put heere vnto my speech , we desire such as shall reade this booke , if so they find any thing herein interpreted by vs , worthy the tra●ell , they therefore would praise the lord of all. but if the gayne answere not the expectation , or that they find not fruit answereable to the labour , that then they would pardon the imbecillitie of nature : but yet would embrace the minds alacritie ; recompensing our labours with their prayers : begging ( of the sauiour of all ) remission of our sinnes : with whom , togither with the father and the holy ghost , be glorie for euer and infinitly euer , amen . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e a . sam. ● . . . b pythag. in his golden epiks : the very exordium . c hesiod in his opera and die. d psal. . . . . e iohn . . . . f mat. . &c. notes for div a -e a notable motiue to the publication hereof . a ground of the authors aberration . the authors voyages , yet he could be resolued . the time when , and bishop by whom he was ordained to presbyteral function . a meanes for his setling and reducement . pastors and doctors , their late description of offices , too to fantastical and new . their lay-elders as fond . an inartificiall diuision in the demonstration of di●● . their deac●● mutilation . widowes too childishly c●ncluded from rom. . . how the former affected , do cary themselues towards the author reclaimed . how the former affected do cary themselues towards the author reclaimed . an equall petition for reading the sequell . notes for div a -e a math. . . b isa. . . c pro. . & . psa. . . d vers. . &c. e prou. . . f hosius de expresso verbo dei. g eccle. . . . h zuingl . on his art . i mat. . . . . k so the hebrew ( shammajim ) plural . l gen. . . m iude. . n psal. . . o ier. . . p gen. . ● . q heb. . . . r isa. . . . s psal. . t ●uke . . ● . . v . co. . . x luke . . . &c. y col. . . . z mark. ● . . a . tim. . b gal. . ● . c. c rom. . ▪ . . d . king. . ● . . . &c. e luke . &c. f tertul. exhort . ad castitat . g alleaged also by eusebius in his ecclesiast hist. b. . chap. . h reuel . ● . i gra●●ed by master greenwood pr●●ace to 〈…〉 . k . cor . see ●aluin there●n . l held in anno dom. m as the auncient prophets had a certaine terme of ye●rs ●o the ancient church her 〈◊〉 so iohn hath in 〈◊〉 . those daies ( as their daies ) so many 〈◊〉 . so well vnderstood of ●a . broc●r● . ● . iunius , 〈◊〉 ian , napeir . n canti● . . . o m. bar. in his disc. pag. . p psal. . . & a , ● , & , , ● , & ● which was neuer ve●ified in ●aui● , ●●lomon or any but ●hrist . q gen. ● . . whereto paul relates gal. . & iohn reuel . . q iren. aduers. haeres . l. . ch . . r tert. l. . cont . iud. s aug. ciuit . dei . l. . t theod. qu. u qu. . x ●ierom ad pauli●●● d● ins●● . monachi . y origen vnderstands it vnder baruc● triumph , in iudg. . . z greg. moral . l & supcant . . . &c. a origen on iosua , 〈◊〉 ▪ a mat. . ● . . ● . ●uke . . a dan. . b ca●bden in brit. c chemnitius out of sabellicus . d polyd l. . hist. angl. e gildas sapiens de excidio britanniae . f theod. l. . de cur . graec. affect . g hence it also seemeth that brittains dyed their bodies with woad . k psa. . ● . pet. . ● . . tim. . . ● . . pet. ● . . l euseb. eccl . hist b. . c. ● m the gre●●● is : 〈…〉 n act. . . . &c. o reuel . . . p math. . q . cor. . ● . r t. c. his reply to doct. w pag . of part . . s . part. p●g . . t for this doe read the state of maccabees in ben-gorion . v . sam . x en sô so agrô . reuela . . . z he florished anno. dom. . a ierem. . . b hebr. . . c pet. mar. on . sam. . d so do all ancients . e i knew one such , and sundry can witnes it . f aug. cont . parm. l . cap. ● . g see for this , hierom aduers . lucifer . h chrysost. on hebr . . i psal. . k . king. . l aug. cont . parm. l. . whom iohannes wolphius followeth in his answere to certaine questions touching the church . m ● . iohn . n . cor. . o . cor. . p . cor. . q math. . r chrysost. hom . . on . math. s rom. . . &c. that the apostle speaketh in the person of the regenerate , those so vnderstand : august in . lib. contra 〈◊〉 l. pelag . & tho. aqu●nas in rom. . alleaging this of aug. ( for before he alleaged another ●ense from aug. l. . quaest . ) saying that me●ior ista expositio sit . ierom ( ad cresiphont . ad●ers . luci● . ) so vnderstands it : accounting the opinion of perfection to the manechists : and ordinarily all our late writers so take it . t origen on exod. . & ● . comm . v math. ● . ● . x aug. b. . ch . ● . of quest . on deut. so hath hierom to h●liodore . y eccles. . . z math. ● . . a nomb. 〈◊〉 b cyprian . l. . epist. . c reuel . . ●● . d . cor. . . e reuel . . . &c. f pet. mart. on . king. . g spheres or heauens . h . thess. . . i matth . k iombard l. . dist . . b. cerinthus . l nicolaitans carpocratians . m ophita● n montanists o arians . p macedonians . q anthropomorphits . r apollinarists s pelagians . t eutychians . u monothelite . x reue. . . y isa. . . reuel . . . z iohn . . . . a this clause in proprietie is the end of the verse . b ma●● . . . &c. c aug. hō . . on iohn . chrysost. or● math. . d amb. on . cor. ●● . e io. vigueriu in instit. the olog . praedestinatio ●uae immobili●●st , quadam ceritudine conie● iurali nobis erta ostendatur . g seneca in ib. de vit . c ●reu . cap. . thus i speak with ●he holy greeke fa●her .