Gangrena Part 1 and 2, Part 1
The Catalogue of the Errours, Heresies, Blasphemies, is as follows.
1. THat the Scriptures cannot be said to be the word of God;Of the Scriptures, Vide the third printed Letter, or also a coppy of … Articles in a MS. there is no Word but Christ, the Scripures are a dead letter, and no more to be credited then the writtings of men, not divine, but humane invention.
2. That the Scripture,Pamphlet intituled Pilgrim. of Saints, by. Lawr. Clarckson. whether a true manuscript or no, whether Hebrew, Greek or English, is but humane, and so not able to discover a divine God. Then where is your command to make that your Rule or Discipline, that cannot reveal you God, nor give you power to walke with God? so that Christ letting out himself as he is in himself, ought to be a Christians Rule in obedience to himself.
3. That the Scriptures are unsufficient and uncertain, there is no certainty to build any D…ctrine upon them, they are not an infallible foundation of faith.
4. As the condition of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, &c. was, that they did walke with God by the teaching of God, so is ours: that is not to limit Christ to Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Iohn and the Disciples. As they were not to tye God to any things before them recorded, but each of them had a new record; so are not we to limit God in the generall records of those paths, but wait upon him in the enlargement of the Gospell what he will record you; and far be it from me to conclude either in Doctrine or practise; that half of his glory is revealed as yet: As that I should enclose Christ in such a small compasse as we have recorded:Pilgrim. of Saints. though I rejoyce to understand it in the searching thereof, yet pressing toward the marke for the price of the high calling of God, waiting what he will record in my heart, and in that measure worship him in spirit and truth from the teaching of the Spirit.
5. That the holy writings and sayings of Moses and the Prophets, of Christ and his Apostles, and the proper Names, Persons and things contained therein are Allegories, and these Allegories are the mystery and spirituall meaning of them.
6. That the Penmen of Scripture, every one of them, writ as themselves conceived, they were the actions of their own spirit; and for what is said they were moved by the holy Ghost, that was no other Spirit then that which moved them to writ and speak other things, for in him we live and move and have our being.
7. That the Scriptures of the old Testament, do not concerne nor binde Christians now under the new Testament: so that when places of Scripture are brought out of the old Testament to prove Points, many Sectaries make slight of them, and say, Give us a text out of the new, we are ignorant of the old; and hereupon some of them do not binde the old Testament with the new, nor read it.
8. That right Reason is the rule of Faith, and that we are to beleeve the Scriptures, and the Doctrine of the Trinity, Incarnation, Resurrection, so far as we see them agreeable to reason, and no farther.
9. That the new Testament, nor no place of Scripture in it, binds any further then the Spirit for present reveales to us that such a place is the Word of God.
10. To read Scripture in English to a mixt Congregation without present expounding it, is dangerous, and worse then to read it in Latine; for in Latine, as it doth no good, so it doth no harme.
Of GOD. Vide Book intit. Comfort for Beleevers. pig. 36. Vide A short Declaration of the Assembly of Divines against it.11. 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.
12. That all Lyes come forth out of the mouth of God.
13. bThe first branch of this Errour is verbatim in Bloody Tenet. in the Preface.'Tis 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, 'tis committing a greater rape, then if they had forced or ravished the bodies of all the women in the world. dLast part hath been spoken by some eminent Sectaries.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.
14. That no man was cast into hell for any sin, but only because God would have it so.
15. 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.
16. 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.
17. 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.
18. That God hath not decreed all the actions of men, because men doing what God decreed, do not …in.
19. 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.
20. 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.
21. That the soul dies with the body, and all things shall have an end, but God only shall remain for ever.
22. 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.
23. That to a saving knowledge of God,D. Stewait second part of Depl. to M.S. pag. 128. M. Bail. Diswasion from Errours of the time. 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.
24. 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.
25. 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.
Vide proof of this in the first Letter. Of CHRIST.26. That there is but one Person in the Divine nature.
27. That Jesus Christ is not very God, not God essentially, but nominally,Vide full proof of this, in the Narration of stories. not the eternall Son of God by eternall generation, no otherwise may he be called the Son of God but as he was man.
28. 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:Vide proof of this in the first Letter, and in the fourth Letter, and in another, M.S. 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.
29. That we did look for great matters from one crucified at Ierusalem 16 hundred yeares ago,Proof of this is, in Articles given in against on Thomas Webb, and in the third printed Letter. 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.
30. Christ was true man when he created us: yea from eternity, and though he had not flesh, yet was he very man without flesh.
31. 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.
32. 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.
33. 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.
34. 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.
35. 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.Vide …irst printed Letter for proof.
36. That no man shall perish or go to hell for any sin but unbeleef only.
37. 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.
38. Those Heathen that perish, do perish only for not beleeving according to the Gospel they enjoy.
aPaul Hobso… Serm. Christ the effect, …ot the cause of the love of God, p. 47. Vide Animad on the 4 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.39. 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.
bVide fourth Letter proof.40. 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.
lP…ul Hobs…s Sermon ic…it. Christ the effect, not the cause of the love of God. pag. 13.41. That the unction which the Saints are said to receive from the holy one, 1 Iohn 2.20. is one with the Christ hood of Christ.
42. That Christ was a legall Preacher, for till after his Ascension the Gospel was not preached; Christ lived in a dark time and so he preached the Law, but afterwards then the Gospel came to be preached.
43. That Christ shall come and live again upon the earth, and for a thousand years reign visibly as an earthly Monarch over all the world, in outward glory and pomp, putting down all Monarchy and Empires.
44. That when Christ in his own person hath subdued the disobedient Nations, then the Church of the Jews and Gentiles shall live without any disturbance, from within or without it: all Christians shall live without sin, without the Word, Sacraments, or any Ordinance, they shall passe those thousand yeers in worldly delights, begetting many children, eating and drinking, and enjoying all lawfull pleasures which all the creatures then redeemed from their ancient slavery can afford.
45. That men may be saved without Christ, and the very Heathens are saved, if they serve God according to the knowledge God hath given them, though they never heard of Christ.
46. That the least Truth is of more worth then Jesus Christ himself.
47. Christ by his death freed all men from a temporall death which Adams sin only deserved, by purchasing them a resurrection, and hath opened them▪ a way to come to the Father if they will: thus far he died for all, no farther for any.
Of the Spirit of God, and of Sanctification.48. The Spirit of God dwels not, nor works in any: it is but our conceits and mistakes to think so, 'tis no spirit that works but our own.
49. That the same spirit which works in the children of disobedience, is that spirit which sanctifies the hearts of the elect.
rInto this op…io… some of the Anabaptists are fallen, and have separated from their Churches upon it.50. That there is a perfect way in this life, not by Word, Sacraments, Prayer and other Ordinances, but by the experience of the spirit in a mans self.
51. That a man baptized with the holy Ghost, knows all things even as God knows all things, which point is a deep mystery and great ocean, where there is no casting anchor, no… sounding the bottome.
52. That if a man by the spirit knew himself to be in the state of grace, though he did commit murther or drunkennesse, God did see no sin in him.
53. That sanctification is not an evidence of Justification, and all notes and signes of a Christians estate are legall and unlawfull.
54. Beleevers have no inherent sanctification, nor spirituall habits of grace infused into their hearts, but all their sanctification is that which is inherent in Christ, and they for this and no other cause, are said in Scripture phrase to be sanctified, but because of Christs sanctification and inherent holinesse.
eOf Adam and Mankinde. This was preached in a house, and the Preacher said, this was a mystery … all the Gospel was.55. Though Adam had continued in his estate of innocencie, and not fallen, yet he had died a naturall death, for death now is not a fruit of sin to beleevers.
56. Gods Image on man, is only our face and countenance; and every wicked man hath therefore Gods Image as well as good men.
57. That Adam, and so man-kind in him, lost not the Image of God by his fall, only incurred a temporall or corporall death, which was suspended for a time upon the promise of a Saviour.
58. There is no originall sin in us, only Adams first sin was originall sin.
59. That the guilt of Adams sin is imputed to no man, no man is punished for Adams sin.
60. That one man is no more spirituall then another nor is there any such inward difference between man and man; but all the spiritualnesse and difference lyes without us in the Word, which guides some men, and not others.
61. That all men who have the Gospel preached to them and so manifested to their understandings, are immediatly without any more ado able of themselves to beleeve and receive Christ
62. There is no free-will in man either to good or evill, either in his naturall estate or glorified estate.
63. That there is a power in man to resist grace, and that the grace which would convert one man, would not convert another.
64. Naturall men may do such things as whereunto God hath by way of promise annexed grace and acceptation, and that if men improve their naturall abilities to the utmost in seeking grace,Book intit. A vindicati…n of Freegrace, against M▪ Iohn Goodwin. they shall finde it.
65. That regenerate men who have true grace, may fall totally and finally away from the state of grace.
66. That the morall law is of no use at all to beleevers, that 'tis no rule for beleevers to walk by,Of the Morall Law, Iustification, Faith, Repentance, good work…, M. Gatak. Gods eye on Isr. pref. nor to examine their lives by, and that Christians are freed from the mandatory power of the law.
67. Persons justified, are not justified by faith, but are justified from all eternity.
68. Neither faith, nor repentance, nor humiliation, nor self-deniall, nor use of Ordinances, nor doing as one would be done to, are duties required of Christians, or such things as they must exercise themselves in, or they can have no part in Christ.
69. True faith is without all doubts of salvation, and if any man have doubts of his salvation, his faith is to be noted with a black mark.
70. That To credere; faith in a proper sense is imputed to justification, and not Christs righteousnesse imputed to justification.
71. That the doctrine of repentance is a soul-destroying doctrine.
72. In the old Covenant (that is before Christ came in the flesh) in the Prophets dayes, repentance is declared as a means to obtain remission, and neither remission nor the knowledge of remission to go before, but to follow contrition; but this is not the Gospel which is established upon better promises.
73. That 'tis as impossible for Christ himself to sinne,M. Gataker Gods eye on Israel. pref. as for a child of God to sin.
74. 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.
75. That God doth not chastise any of his children for sin; and let beleevers sin as fast as they can, there is a fountaine open for them to wash in; and that not for the sins of Gods people, but for swearers and drunkards the land is punished.Gatak. ibid.
76. That beleevers have nothing to do to take care, or to look to themselves to keep from sin, God must look to them, if he will.
77. God loves his children as well sinning, as praying, hearing and doing the holiest duties; he accounts of them never the better for their good works, nor never the worse for their ill works.
Gatak. Gods eye on his Israel, Preface to the Reader. Article 12. Septem. 1. 1643.78. 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.
79. That Gods children are not to aske the pardon and forgivenesse of their sins, they need not, they ought not, and 'tis no lesse then blasphemy, for a child of God to aske pardon of sins, 'tis infidelity to aske pardon of sins, and Davids asking forgivenesse of sin was his weaknesse.
Gatak. Gods eye on Israel, Preface to the Reader.80. 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.
Denn. Man of sin discovered, pag. 1281. 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.
82. 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.
Of Man after this life; of the S…ul; Resurrection from the dead, Heaven and hell.83. That the soul of man is mortall as the soul of a beast, and dies with the body.
84. 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 'tis with them as 'tis with a man that is in some pleasing dreame.
85. 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.
86. Infants rise not again, because they are not capable of knowing God and therefore not of enjoying him.
87. That the perfection and resurrection spoken of by Paul, 1. Cor. 15.51.52.53.54.55.56.57. 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.
88. 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.
89. 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.
90. 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.
91 There is no hell but in this life, and that's the legall terrours and feares which men have in their consciences.
92. That there is no Church of Christ upon the earth,Of the Church, Gospel, Ministry and Sacraments. no true Ministery, no Sacraments, no Gospel, no faith, because there are no visible nor infallible gifts.
93. 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.
94. That the pure preaching of the Word, and righ administration of the Saments, are no notes nor signes of a true visible Church.
95. 'Tis 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.
96. 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.
97. 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,Pilgrimage of Sa…nts, and MS. 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.
98. There is a salvation that shall be revealed in the last times, which was not known to the Apostles themselves.
99. 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.
*But the Apostle Peter tels us, 2 Pet. 2.19, 20, …1. 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.100. 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, onelyonly that all men ought to have liberty of conscience, and liberty of prophesying.
101. That the Scriptures no where speak of Sacraments, name or thing.
102. That the Covenant, whereof Circumcision was the seale, was onelyonly 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.
103. That Baptism is not a seal nor signe of the Covenant of grace.
104. That Poedobaptisme is unlawfull and Antichristian, and that 'tis as lawfull to baptize a Cat, or a Dog, or a Chicken, as to baptize the Infants of beleevers.
105. 'Tis as lawfull to break any of the ten Commandements, as to baptize an Infant: yea, 'tis as lawfull to commit adultery and murther, as to baptize a childe.
Confess▪ of Faith of Anabapt. Arc….106. That baptizing belongs not to Ministers onelyonly, all gifted brethren and preaching Disciples (though no Ministers) may baptize.
Pilgrimage of the Saints.107. Baptizednesse is not essentiall to the Baptizer, nor essentiall to preaching; so that persons not onelyonly not in office, but not so much as baptized, may both baptize and preach.
108. Miracles are essentiall to the administration holden forth in the commission of Baptisme,Pilgrimage of Saints. Matt. 28.19.
109. That none are to be admitted to the Lords Supper, though beleevers and Saints, nor their children to be baptized, but onelyonly they who are members in a Church-way.
110. 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.
111. That Christs words in the Institution of his Supper, This is my body, and This is my bloud, are to be understood literally.
112. 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.
113. That 'tis as necessary to be joyned in Church-fellowship,Vide Doore of truth opened, in answer to Truth shut out of doors, page 10. This is as false as any Doctrine that is preached in Rome. 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.
114. That the Church of England and the Ministery thereof is Antichristian, yea of the Devill, and that 'tis absolutely sinfull and unlawfull to hear any of their Ministers preach in their Assembl…es.
115. That the Church of Rome was once a true Church, but so was the Church of England never, therefore 'tis 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.
116. That the calling and making of Ministers of the Word and Sacraments are not jure Divino, Compasse Santarit… page 24, 25.but a Minister comes to be so; as a Me…chant, Bookseller, Tailor, and such like.
117. That all setled certaine maintenance for Ministers of the Gospel, especially that which is called Tyths, is unlawfull, Jewish and Antichristian.
118. 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.
119 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.
Of Preaching and Hearing, of Praying, singing of Psalmes, of the Christian Sabbath, or Lord…-day.120. 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.
121. That the Jewish Sabbath or Saturday is still to be kept by Christians for their Sabbath.
122. 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.
123. No man hath more to do to preach the Gospel then another, but every man may preach the Gospel, as well as any.
124. That 'tis 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.
125. 'Tis 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.
126. That 'tis unlawfull to worship God in places consecrated, and in places where Superstition and Idolatry have been practised, as in our Churches.
127. 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.
128. 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.
129. 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, 2. Tim. 3.6.7.
130. That tis 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.
131. That tis 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.
132 'Tis unlawfull for the Saints to joyn in prayer where wicked men are, or to pray with any of the wicked.
133. That 'tis 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.
134 That however conference and discourse may be had with all, yet tis 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.
135. dThis 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.That tis 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.
136. 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.
137. That wicked and unregenerate men ought not to pray unto God at all.
138. That all singing of Psalmes, as Davids, or any other holy songs of Scripture, is unlawfull, and not to be joyned with.
139. 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.
140. cThis hath been lately practised in▪ London among some of the Sectaries.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.
141. That there is no distinction concerning Government of Ecclesiasticall and civil,Of Church Government. Compass. Samarit. pag. 21.22. 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.
142. 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.
143. fRevel. 16.19 The great City was divided into three parts and states and branches of it, begin with P. in 1. Popery 2. Prelacy. 3. Paul H…sons Discovery of Truth, pag. 63.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. 11. that ascends, and shall kill the two Witnesses, namely the Independents.
144. 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.
Of Revelations and Miracles.145. 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.
146. 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.
147. 'Tis 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.
Of the Civil Magistrate.848. That Christian Magistrates have no power at all to meddle in matters of gQueries of highest consideration in Epist. to the Parliament. An…nym. Ans. to M. Prins. 12. Queries, p. 8. 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.Religion, or things ecclesiasticall, but in civill only concerning the bodies and goods of men.
149. hDoor of Truth opened p. 5.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.
150. iM. Borroughs, Heart divis. p. 65. Animadversion upon this errour. This is an errour destructive to the power of civil Magistrates and safety of Commonwealths 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….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.
151. dVide Englands bir…hright, p 33 Letters printed upon Li…burns imprisonment, Englands Lamentation. …la. p. 7. Vide three Letters printed.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.
152. 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.
153. 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.
154. eVide Miltons Doctrine of Divorce.That 'tis lawfull for a man to put away his wife upon indisposition,Of Marriage and of Parents and children. 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.
155. 'Tis lawfull for one man to have two wives at once.
156. That children are not bound to obey their Parents at all, if they be ungodly.
157. 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.
158. 'Tis 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.
159. 'Tis unlawfull for Christians to fight, and take up armes for their lawes and civil liberties.
160. 'Tis unlawfull to fight at all, or to kill any man, yea to kill any of the creatures for our use,Of Warre, and of fighting and killing. as a chicken, or on any other occasion.
161. That using of set forms of prayer prescribed is Idolatry.
162. 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.
163. That the Scripture speaks but of one kinde of faith.
164. 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, 1 Iohn 25. That Prophet in that Scripture, distinguished from Christ and Elias, is this man raised up in Suffolk.
165. That it could not stand with the goodnesse of God, to damne his owne creatures eternally.
166. 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.
167. 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.
168. That tis 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.
169. 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.
170. 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.
These three last Errours vented in a Book called, A true Vindication of the generall Redemption of the second. Adam, made by one …atte, printed 1645.171. 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.
172. That a Directory, or order to help in the way of worship,Book intit. A Heavenly Conference for Sions Saints, by Iohn Turner, printed in the year, 1645. 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.
173. No man is yet in hell,Book intit. The fulnesse of Gods love, printed 1643, pag. 25. neither shall any be there untill the judgement; for God doth not hang first, and judge after.
174. Men say that Faith is supernaturall,Fulnesse of Gods love manifested. pag 39. 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.
175. The Law doth not pronounce eternall death in hell fire on those that obey it not,Fulnesse of Gods love manifested, pag. 58▪ 93. 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.
176. It is not sutable to God,Fullnesse of Gods love manifested. pag 1.59. 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 'tis likely enough they may be true) as that 'tis 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; 1. That of Rom. 8.2. 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. 2. That of Ioh. 5 39. 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.