Gangrena Part 1 and 2, Preface 1
The Preface.
IN the last week of Iune or the first of Iuly, 1644 (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 aCertain brief Observations and Antiquaeries on M. Prins 12. 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.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 (thats 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 'tis 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 bCalumnie Arraigned and Cast, Or, An Answer to M. Prins Truth Triumphing over Falshood, pag. 45 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 46. 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 9 moneths ago.Mr Iohn Goodwin, yea the Apologists themselves in the Assembly, and many of their cOverton 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.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 monethmonth, 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, 1. Cor. 15.32. and of a messenger of Satan sent to buffet him, 2. Cor. cap. 12. 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. 7.15. Acts 20.29. and with messengers of Satan, false Apostles, transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ, 2. Cor. 12.13. and 'tis 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. 118.12.The fire of thorns is both kindled and soon quenched. Ainsworth inlocum. 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. 6.60.61, 66. Matth. 9.14.15, 16, 17. 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. 4.16.17. 2, Cor. 10.10, 11. 1 Cor. 4.3.8, 9, 10 13.14. 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, 2. Cor. 12.10. 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 20.24. dNazianz. Orat. in laudem Athan.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 eAugust. Epist. 25 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.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 fC…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 sacerdotiihonore 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 …iplanAugustine 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: gMelch. Adam. vita Luth. p. 128.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 onelyonly carnall outward things; and after hFreder. Spanhemil Diarribe Hist. de orig. progres. Sectis & …nomin. Anabaptistarum.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 iBlasphemiae sunt cibus & sagin… mihi: major est mihi & tir…or in laudibus, gaudium verò in maledictis & blasphem…is.meat fatning him; Luther was afraid of praises, but rejoyced in reproaches and blasphemies.kMihi …atis est…si Christo Domino meo & suis sanctis placuero: Diabolo & suis squamis invisum me esse ex animo laetor, & gratias ago Deo meo; Luth. Tis 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 onelyonly signe that it hath been rightly handled, if it offend; I do daily more and more please my self,Inc…es magis mihi placeo, & superbus fio quod video nomen pessimu… mihi crescere. Luth. 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,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. 30. 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,Melch. Adam. vita Calvini, p. 95.109, 150. 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, ne que hero…c sistes spirieps o… iugenio …o meti…mur. 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: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. 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 'tis well that I have served him who alwayes payes his servants that which he once promised them: And 'tis enough that I live and die to Christ, who is gain to his in life and death.
*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.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. 10.24, 25. And what am I better then those learned Fathers, Augustine, Athanasius, and those first Reformers, Luther, Zuinglius, Calvin? 'Tis 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. lLuth. 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.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. 18. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witnesse to the truth. Matth. 5.12. 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.
1. I shall premise some particulars for the better understanding of the subject matter of this Book, and right apprehending of what follows.
2. 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.
3. 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.Ames. Med. Theol. lib. 1. cap. 35. 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 22.7.9, 10, 11, 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 aGods eye on his Israel.Master Gat…kers, but thats only of the Antinomian Errours; bDisswasive from the Errours of the time.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. cHeresiography.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. dRise, Raign, and Downfall of the Familists.Mr. Well, but his relation is cheifly of the Familists and Antinomians in New-England many yeers ago.The Dippers dipt, Doctor Faeatly. But this work as it speaks only of the Errours and Opinions in present being and in England, A brief Discovery of Familisme.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); aSentent. 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.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.
1. 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, 'tis far beneath the evidences that the mentioning of the things themselves give.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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. 1. 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. 2. 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. 3. 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.
7. 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 22.23. 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 aMundus non potest ferre ut sua damuentur: Igitur ex omni parte odia, insidiae, calumniae, maledicta congeruntur ad opprimendam hanc doctrioam & edoctores hos.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 'tis a railing lying peece; yet let me speak to the Reader, as the Apostle doth, 1 Thes. 3.3, 4. That no man should be moved by these afflictions, for we told you before, that we should suffer tribulation, even as its 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 16.1.
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.
1. 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. 2. Sam. 1.20.
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, 'tis confessed by men of tM. Colemans Brotherly examination Re-examined, pag. 10 grants, That in our present times monsters of Errours do arise, and Opinions that the world never heard of before.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. 36. 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. cConsiderat. 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.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, cNew 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.wondring that the Assembly suffers them, and that they do not stirre up the Parliament to supresse them. dNew Englands Lamentation, for Old Englands present errours. A printed Letter of M. Shepards.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, 'tis so farre from being unseasonable and inconvenient, that 'tis 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.
2. 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.
1. 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, Thats 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, 'tis given out by Sectaries, 'tis 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. cLutherus in epist. ad G…lat. Maledicta sit charitas quae servatur cum jactura doctrinae fidei, cui omnia cedere debent, Charitas, Apostolus, Angelus é Caelo.'Tis 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, dThis present Parliament having often declared in their Declarations, their resolutions to hazard all for the safety of the Reformed Religion and doctrine of faith.yea, and I will add, Parliaments.
Answ. 2. 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, 'tis better they should be offended, then the glory of Christ should suffer; 'tis an offence taken, and not given; Christ cared not in that case that the Pharisees were offended, Mat. 15.12.13.14. 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. 3. 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. 24.23.24.25.26. that they may fear, and tremble, and look to themselves, as also that I might brand errours and false doctrine too well thought of, and too kindly delt with in these times.
Ans. 4. I may justifie the ranking and joyning of Independents with other sectaries, not only because all the sectaries though never so vild, are Independents, agreeing in that opinion of Independencie; as also all the sectaries, the worst of them (even those who deny the Scriptures, the Divinity of Christ, &c.) do separate from the Church of England, refusing communion with her in the Sacraments and other Ordinances as the Independents do, but because the Independents do joyn themselves with the other sectaries adhering to them, and to this day have never stood as a divided party from them, but upon all occasions have and do make one common body with them, to hold together against the Orthodox and Presbyterians: I am able to give many instances of many of the Independents, both Ministers and people, pleading for the Anabaptists, Antinomians and other sectaries, that they might be tolerated as well as themselves; and upon all occasions of complaints against severall sects, siding with them to bring them off; yea, their joyning together in choise of Burgesses for Parliament, and in divers other matters against the Presbyterians; as also in closing together in Church-fellowship, Independent Churches admitting of and continuing Anabaptists, Antinomians to be members; besides not censuring vild sectaries (as Seekers) who have fallen from their Churches: so that I do the Independents no wrong to put them in the same Catalogue with other sectaries, themselves having in so many particulars gone hand in hand with them: but that which is the fullest demonstration of all other, is this, The sectaries being now hot upon the getting of a Toleration, there were some meetings lately in the City, wherein some persons of the severall sects, some Seekers, some Anabaptists, some Antinomians, some Brownists, some Independents met; some Presbyterians also met with them, upon their desire the better to understand what they would have; the intent of which meeting was, to consider how all these might have the liberty to their way and practice in this Kingdom, and to perswade the Presbyterians to be willing to it, and to helpe to effect it for them: now the result of these meetings was, that all these severall sects were agreed and held together for pretended liberty of conscience, the Independents as well as the others holding together with the rest of the sects, as buckle and thong; some professing at one of the meetings, it was the sin of this Kingdom that the Jewes were not allowed the open profession and exercise of their religion amongst us; only the Presbyterians dissented and opposed it. And much about the same time that this meeting was in London, in another place some of the best of the Independents, were not ashamed to move for a Toleration, not only for themselves, but all other of the sects that agreed in fundamentals against Popery.
THe second part of this Tractate, and indeed the principall (to the better understanding whereof the first part tended, and upon which also the third and last is grounded) sets down the Catalogue it self, containing many Errours, Blasphemies and Practises of the sectaries of this time, together with a Narrative of some remarkable Passages and stories; as also, some Letters, and an extract of Letters concerning the present Sects. Now the Errours, Heresies, Blasphemies in this Catalogue particularized, may be referred to sixteen heads or sorts of Sectaries, as namely, 1. Independents. 2. Brownists. 3. Chiliasts, or Millenaries. 4. Antinomians. 5. Anabaptists. 6. Manifestarians or Arminians. 7. Libertines. 8. Familists. 9. Enthusiasts. 10. Seekers and Waiters. 11. Perfectists. 12. Socinians. 13. Arians. 14. Antitrinitarians. 15. Antiscripturists. 16. Scepticks and Questionists, who question every thing in matters of Religion; namely, all the Articles of Faith, and first Principles of Christian Religion, holding nothing positively nor certainly, saving the doctrine of pretended liberty of conscience for all, and liberty of Prophesying. And in one or other of these sixteen formes, may all the Errours and Blasphemies reckoned up in the following Catalogue be well placed, and unto one of these heads easily reduced; yea, for many of these errours, the very same are held not only by one sort of the forenamed sects, but by divers of them. And I desire to commend to the Readers serious and sad consideration, three particulars concerning the errours and sects of this time; and the rather, because they were not so common to the sects in the ages before, at least not the two first. 1. That among all these sorts of sects and sectaries, there are hardly now to be found in England (for to this Kingdom, and to these four last years do I confine my self all along in this discourse) any sect thats 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 50. pure Independents, but higher flown, more Seraphicall (as a Chaplain, who knows well the state of that Army, expressed it) made up and compounded of Anabaptisme, Antinomianisme, Enthusiasme, Arminianisme, Familisme, all these errours and more too sometimes meeting in the same persons, strange monsters, having their heads of Enthusiasme, their bodies of Antinomianisme, their thighs of Familisme, their leggs and feet of Anabaptisme, their hands of Arminianisme, and Libertinisme as the great 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; (aTheodoret. Haeret. Fabul. lib. 4. cap. de Ario. 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; bCodex Canonum Eccles. African…. 53. Can. a Christoph. Justello. Sunt enim pleri que 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 foreign, are mere significant, foreign, properly signifying absurdities and unusuall novelties.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,Bonum non est contrarium bono, sed tantum malo, at malem contrariatur & bono & malo. Verum est unum, mendacium vero multiplex. 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.