Gangrena Part 1 and 2, Part 7
A Relation of some Stories, and remarkable Passages concerning the Sectaries.
THere is one Lawrence Clarkson, a Seeker, spoken of in my Gangraena, pag. 104, and 105. who put forth a Pamphlet called The Pilgrimage of Saints, wherein are many passages highly derogatory to the Scriptures, denying them to be the rule of a Christian, or that in Doctrine or Practise half of Gods glory was revealed as yet; this man a Taylor and a Blasphemer preached on the Lords day, March eight, at Bow-Church in Cheapside, in the afternoone: He began his prayer to God, with Right Honourable Lord God, and in his Prayer he prayed that God would blesse the Kings Army, and blesse the Saints both in the Parliaments Army and the Kings, his Sermon was a Rapsody of nonsence. This was not done in a corner, but in a great and full Audience; there was present at this Sermon one Member of the House of Commons, if not more, besides divers other persons of quality; and though this Clarkson was in London some time after this, and may be still for ought that I know, yet was he never questioned, nor called to any account for this, or for his Pilgrimage of Saints, as ever I could learn.
Saturday, March …he seventh, a Minister who preached at Martins near White-Hall, told me, that lately since my Book came forth, he preaching in a Sermon against sin and the Divell, a woman on the morrow came to him (a Nurse-keeper dwelling in Clare street) and questioned with him about his Sermon, asking him his grounds for speaking of sin and the Divell, the Minister brought some places of Scripture, shee sleighted the Scriptures, and denied there was any such thing as sin, or Hell, or the Divell, or temptation, or the holy Ghost, or Scriptures; shee said, all the Hell that was, was the darknesse of the night; she denied that to kill a man, to commit adultery, or steale a mans goods was sin; and the Minister asking her, what do you make your self, shee answered two severall times, I am that I am; All this, and a great deal more, was related to me by the Minister, who (as he said) had acqainted an Earle with it and many others; and I spake with one Citizen who heard this Relation from him, and he promised to give it me at large in writing under his hand.
Tuesday March 17. on the day that a Committee of Lords and Commons came down to Guild-Hall to the Common-Councell concerning their late Petition; many Sectaries from all parts of the City and Suburbs, came to Guild-Hall, where, from about four a clock, till about nine, the Sectaries in severall companies and knots in the Hall, 30.40. and more in some companies, vented boldly, and pleaded for all sorts of opinions, the Antinomian opinions, the Anabaptisticall opinions, &c. pleading for a generall Toleration of all Sects, yea, some maintained that no immortall spirit could sin, or be capable of sin; and it being objected, what say you to the Divels? they denied the Divels ever sinned or could sin: many other horrid opinions were maintained at the same time, so that 'tis beleeved, that never since Guild-Hall was built, there was so much wickednesse and errour broacht and maintained openly in it as at that time. Among many godly orthodox Christians, who were at that time in Guild-Hall, and opposed the Sectaries in their pleading thus for all Errours, and a generall Tolleration; there was one godly Citizen who told me this story of himsef, that he reasoning with severall of the Sectaries against their opinions, and against a Toleration, the next day being the eighteenth of March, an Independent Wollen Draper to whom he had workt almost twenty years, took away his work from him, and said he should have no more work of his, because the night before this Citizen had argued against Independency, saying it was a Schisme; whereupon this Citizen dealt plainly with this Wollen-Draper, and told him, Sir, will you put me by my work, which is my living, for my conscience? is not this Persecution? will you have your consciences, and shall not we enjoy ours? would you be tolerated, and will not you tolerate us?
On the ninteenth of March a Pamphlet called The last warning to all the Inbitants of the Citie of London, came abroad in Print, which Pamphlet speaks against all Kingly government, receiving the King in again, and against all established Ecclesiasticall government, besides many other dangerous passages in it: Now this Book was spread abroad and dispersed up and down by Sectaries, as for instance, one Samuel Fulcher an Egge-man, rebaptized by one Crab, a Feltmaker, was the 21. day of March examined before a Justice of Peace for spreading this Book call'd the last warning to London, and confessed he had sold six or seven of them *All kind of unlicenced Books, that make any wayes for the Sects, and against Presbyterians, are sold at his shop, and tis given out the man…els them, but not the Master.One Overton an Independent Book-seller and a member of Mr. Iohn Goodwins Church, or his man for him, sold many of them to severall persons as I can prove: One Calvert a Sectary and a Book-seller on Ludgate-hill sold and dispersed many of these Books; and so one Barber an Anabaptist boasted two dayes after the Book came forth, naming this Pamphlet, that there was a Book come forth had cut the legs of the Presbyterian government, and asked a Citizen if he had not seen it.
In N…rthampton-shire a great Sectary, and a chief servant to a Knight of that Country, would not keep the day of Thanksgiving for the Victory at Naseby, but was so far from keeping it himself, that he would not suffer the Knights tenants to keep it, or to go to Church but made them carry dung all day, as I have been informed from one who knows it certainly; but what do I relating one instance, when as 'tis notorious that many of the Sectaries, (Mr. Goodwins and Mr. Saltmarshes Saints) keep not at all, neither dayes of publike Thanksgivings, nor of publike Fasts, but do all kind of s…rvile work and worldly businesses on those dayes, yea on the publike Fast dayes, feast and are eating of rost meat and good chear, when Gods Saints and servants are humbling and afflicting their souls?
☞ There is an Independent Minister who lives in London (as I have it from two sufficient witnesses that heard it) said that the Scots coming into England would hinder the Reformation of Religion here, and that if he had been in England at that time when the Scots came first in, he would have preached to have stird up the people against them, either not to have suffered them to come in, or being come in, to have beat them out. ☞ The same Minister discoursing and reasoning about the Church way, it was answered to him by a Citizen, that if it were set up in London, the Independents could not expect above a twentieth part should be for it, and what should become of all other people? this Independent Minister replied, it was no matter what became of them, though they turned Mahumetans, so the Church of Christ might prosper.
A godly Minister who came out of Essex, related to me not long since, that *An Anabaptisticall EmissaryOates was now preaching in that Country, and had been there about sixe weeks, sometimes keeping his Randevouze at one Town, sometimes at another, sometimes at Tarling, sometimes at Bocking, sometimes at Braintry, and other places, and that many loose persons of the Country follow him, he preaching besides his Anabaptisticall opinions, the Arminian points; and this Minister spake it upon his knowledge▪ that notorious Whoremongers and Drunkards follow him, such as have been convicted by witnesses, and taken notice of by the Country, and are such still, yet go after him where he preaches from place to place.
There are two Gentlemen of the Inns of Court, civil and well disposed men, who out of novelty went to hear the women preach, and after Mistris Attaway the Lace-woman had finished her exercise, these two Gentlemen had some discourse with her, and among other passages she spake to them of Master Milton… Doctrine of Divorce, and asked them what they thought of it, saying, it was a point to be considered of; and that she for her part would look more into it, for she had an unsanctified husband, that did not walk in the way of Sion, nor speak the language of Canaan; and how accordingly she hath practised it in running away with another womans husband, is now sufficiently known to Mr. Goodwin and Mr. Saltmarsh, and is one of the lyes like all the rest in Mr. Edwards Gangr…ena; This wretched woman one of Mr. Goodwins and Mr. Saltm…rshes Saints (as they make all without any distinction, whom I speak of in Gangraena) among other new truths and glorious lights, preached, that all the Devils should be saved, alledging that place in Zachary, sending forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein there is no water, against which Doctrine one of the company objected, and said, sister, what say you to that of Matth. 25. Depart from me yee cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the Divel and his Angels? unto which Mistris Attaway replyed, that by everlasting in that place was meant while day and night lasted, but not eternall after day and night were ended.
March 13. Two honest Citizens coming to me about some Sermons an Independent Minister had preached in London, one of them told me he lately had a man and maid-servant who were Anabaptists, and that when he was abed they would set up and juncket together, making Sack-possets and such like provision of his purse, and in sum, this male Anabaptist got the female Anabaptist with child, and after married her: The Master speaking to him of breach of Covenant, how he had covenanted not to marry in the time of his Apprentiship till his years were expired, he said it was a divelish Covenant, and so would not keep it.
On the sixteenth of March, a Member of the Assembly of Divines related this following story for a certain truth, which he knew to be so, only would not name the persons; that a Sectary, (one of Master Goodwins and Master Saltmarshes Saints and beleevers) a Seeker by Sect, sought to gain the good will of a Virgin to be his wife, and when she consented and was contented to it, hee propounded that they might lie together at nigh…, at which motion she startled, saying, not till we are married, to which answer this Seeker replyed, that marriage was but an idle Ceremony, they were now man and wife before God, having promised one another, whereupon they went to bed together, and next morning after the Seeker had satisfied his lust, he ranne quite away, and left his bride, and instead of one Seeker there were two, the daughter thus forsaken, and her mother (who was widdow) to seek after him.
In a Book lately printed, call'd the Ordinance for Tyths Dismounted, (which book also was given into the hands of one Parliament man (as I can prove) by a great Sectary who may justly be thought the Author of it) there are such passages of reproach against the Parliament as are not to be paralled in any writings, except some of the Sectaries: In pag. 6.7, 8.40. this Sectarie speaking of a passage in the Ordinance of Tyths made by the Lords and Commons, hath these following words, Had not such a passage gone under the Title of the Lords and Commons who are chosen for the weale of the people, I should not have judged it an act of humanity, but rather the result of an Hell-bred conspiracy by the Divell and his Angels to confound us with their unreasonable malice, &c. and this was the first stone these Master-builders laid in their blessed Reformation.
And in another place of the Book, speaking by way of scorne, calling it that most religious and spirituall Ordinance for the supper, as absolute Ordinances, as unalterable at the Directory, these words are brought in, For indeed at the first on set it was not policy to rush such a diabolicall and villanous invention point blanck upon us, with an It is decreed and ordained by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament. But after a more mysterious manner of ordination, slily intrude it upon us unawares in the godly and specious vizor of Rules & Directions, as if our Parliament men had such a spirituall and holy eare over us, to give us such wholsom and pious Directions, while indeed under this innocent Apparition in the shape of Lambs they ar… no other then ravening Wolves, rending and tearing us in peeces; and again, speaking of Parliament men in that Ordinance for Tyths Dismounted there are these words, But what they are, let all the people judge, let them consider whether there can be the least dram of honesty or Religion in them, or respect to the liberty of the free-borne Nation therein, seeing they lay upon us a heavier yoake then ever was laid upon us in the dayes of the Bishop…. And again, this Sectary, the Author of the Ordinance for Tyths Dismounted, speaks thus of the Parliaments Ordinance concerning suspending scandalous persons from the Lords Supper. It will be the greatest thraldome and bondage that ever the Kingdome was involved into, and by this Ordinance of the Supper, I am afraid we shall all go supperlesse to bed: and speaking of the Classes Synods, calling them High Commissions, he addes, if we can finde no justice there, we may appeal (forsooth) *Observe here both blasphemy and scoffing of the Parliament in a high manner.to our Gods themselves, the Parliament (life everlasting, world without end) of whom, how may we expect mercy or justice then, that thus before hand whip us with the stings of Scorpions, and grind us between the devouring jawes of such develish tyrannicall Courts which will even crush our bones in peeces, and squeese out our very marrow and juyce, and suck out our very hearts blood like so many greedy Cannibals? Vid. plur. ibid.
The Sectaries generally cannot endure any man who speaks against, or complains to Authority of any who b…oach Errours (though never so great) as for example, a godly understanding Christian told me within these three dayes, that because he complained of a man who denies both the Son and the holy Ghost to be God, therefore the Independents and all the Sectaries among whom he lives deadly hate and revile him; and since the time that the weekly newes Books have mentioned a Vote to be passed in the House of Commons for drawing up an Ordinance against Paul Best that Anti…rinitarian and Blasphemer, some of the Sectaries have spoken boldly and bitterly against it, and saying they would be loth to be any of them that should give a voice, or have a hand in the proceedings against him, with other words to that effect.
There is an Independent of Mr. Carters Church, who speaking against our publike Assemblies, often quotes that Scripture in Rev. 17.5. Babylon the great, the mother of Harlot…, interpreting it thus, Rome is the mother Church, and all the Parish Congregations of England are the daughters, which are Harlots ▪ and this having been objected against this Interpretation, that the Apologists acknowledge many of our Congregations to be true Churches, he and divers other Independents say, they are not of the Apologists minds.
The Sect of Seekers growes very much, and all sorts of Sectaries turn Seekers; many leave the Congregations of Independents, Anabaptists, and fall to be Seekers, and not only people, but Ministers also; and whosoever lives but few yeers (if the Sects be suffered to go on) will see that all the other Sects of Independents, Brownists, Antinomians, Anabaptists, will be swallowed up in the Seekers, alias Libertines, many are gone already, and multitudes are going that way, and the issue of these Sects and Schismes will be, that all will end in a loosenesse and licentiousnesse of living.