Gangrena Part 3, Theological tract · Letter 32 – Letter 36
A Copy of a Letter written to me from a friend out of Kent.
Worthy Sir,
SInce you are ſo pleaſed as both in your former and latter Letters to take notice of me in your kinde ſalutes, give me leave to take notice of your kindneſſe, and re-ſalute you; and both in my own name, and in the name of a friend of yours, to let you know we have not only run over, but read your Second part of Gangraena; …nd therein obſerve your willingneſſe (if it be poſſible) to cure that evill by ſucking out the corrupt blood, which is the method of the moſt careful Chyrurgions that are not ſo dainty as deſirious of their Patients recovery. Nimius amor et admiratio perſon…rum, hath hitherto been a great inlet to all Hereſies, whence they ſay Cyprian unice admirans Tertullianum, et antonomaſtice, often calling him his Maſter, ſucked in that errour of his concerning the nullitie of Baptiſm adminiſtred by Hereticks; yea & ſo did Neſtorius through his admiration of Anaſtaſius find fault with ſome expreſſions: So ſubject are moſt men, jurare in verba magiſtri; which Plutarch alſo well obſerves in his Book de Auditione. And therefore we do freely profeſſe we cannot diſlike your practiſe in leſſning their credit that are corrupters: Chriſt Jeſus himſelf and all his Apoſtles heretofore endeavoured no leſſe.
Yea, and if Mr. Saltmarſh, why may not you as warrantably diſtinguiſh and ſay as he doth, concerning the old Non-conformiſts, That it is the old man of your adverſaries you write againſt, and not their new, or themſelves ſo far as they are men, ſo far as they are lovers of themſelves and have only a form of godlineſſe? &c. Surely the man would be hardly put to it …o underta…e to maintain his own, and yet take away your diſtinction, who will eaſily (we doubt not) anſwer not only him, but all others in whom we ſee but little wiſdome, though perhaps ſome wit in inventing, as Apothecaries are wont for their Boxes, ſuch ſpecious titles for their Books as thoſe whereof Jacobus Acontius complains in an Epiſtle of his to Johannes Wolphius, Nullam ad rem ingenioſi ſunt, praeterquam ad ſpecioſos titulos excogitandum; quibus ex hominum manibus bonos libros extorqueant, ac ſuos eorum loco ob…udant; et tam ſtolidum eſt vulgus, ut quos expuere debuiſſet & ſuſpiciat, nonnunquam & celebret, &c. Certainly Mr. Saltmarſh doth not only want a grain but a whole buſhell of ſalt to ſeaſon his unſavory mouth, opened not only againſt you, but the reverend, learned and judicious Mr. Gataker, together with the whole City, and all the Orthodox Miniſtery who might ask him more then ever he would be able to Anſwer, if they ſhould but chatechize him concerning his Baptiſme whether it be of the firſt, or ſecond, or third, or fourth ſort; what think you? is he not a Sebaptiſt, a Seeker? We are ſure if all be true I lately heard from a good friend of yours in theſe parts, that he the ſaid Mr. Saltmarſh at a meeting of ſundry Miniſters of this County at Maidſtone publikely profeſſed in preſence of them all his endeavour was to forget whatſoever formerly he had known, and ſeemed to wiſh they might be all of his mind, untill one Miniſter who was then and there preſent …old him merrily, He was but a young man, and ſuch as himſelf might happily wiſh with Themiſtocles that they had the art of Oblition; but as for his own part he had too many gray hairs to deſire to forget whatſoever he had learned, leaſt he might not have time to learn ſo much again. The Committee of Kent intended by their late order the ſuppreſſion of ſundry Petitions of dangerous conſequence that were handed up and down by our Sectaries, and towards the promoting whereof, the new Arch-Biſhop of Canterbury Mr. Hugh Peters was (as I am informed) come down to Maidſtone to viſit this his Dioceſſe as he uſually calls it. The moſt and beſt of our Miniſters hereabouts (for all I can learn) are willing if they muſt die, to be buried as valiant Enſign bearers in their colours: There is a merry ſtory told by a Baron of the Ports or Jurate of the town of Sandwich concerning Mr. Symonds the Independent who hath a living there; One coming to him to be Catechized, he ſent him to a Mechanick of that Town to Catechize him for him; and when his Father in law Mr. H. another Jurate of the ſame Town expoſtulated the caſe with him and asked him the reaſon why he would do ſo; his Anſwer (as Mr. F. related it) was, that one Gooſe might beſt teach another to eate. So merry are our moſt demure Independents: Among whom if there be a Stoick he is the moſt in ſhew, who hath lately (as tis reported) got an addition of meanes to the Benefice he yet holds, though it were formerly valued at above 100. pounds, and he himſelf be abſolutely in ſhow againſt all tithes, himſelf therfore will not, but lets his wife receive them: who whether he were not ab origine as well as Mr. Saltmarſh a comick, your ſelf may beſt find out, or we will, if you pleaſe but to get us a writ. Ad melius inquirendam; till then we may perhaps the rather think them to have been ſuch, being ſo ſtill, men that perſonate abundance of auſterity, but are &c.
June 22. 1646.
Some paſſages taken out of two Letters written from a godly Miniſter out of the country to a reverend and godly Miniſter in London, who ſhewed me the Letters.
I Have read Mr. Edwards Book thorough, and as a friend to deal freely, I profeſſe Morney in my opinion never gave a greater blow to Papiſts then he hath given to the Sectaries; and that which is yet more, ſoberly, ſadly. As for the whole buſineſſe of Webb of Milton taken before Colonel K. a Miniſter thereabouts hath promiſed to ſend M. Edwards an e…act narration. The working I ſee of ſome humours makes me hope the ſummer is paſt, and it is neer the autume of ſchiſm which had its ſpring before, &c. Only let us all be doing. Hugh Peters (as I hear) was lately at Maidſtone, and had a mind to have promoted a Petition among our Sectaries.
June 15. 1646.
OUr common friend M. Edwards his laſt Book Gangraena of the Second Edition I received this laſt poſt, together with his Letter; I pray let him underſtand as much; and withall let him know I ſhall my ſelf (God willing) thank him for both at better leiſure and when I have read his Book thorough. Surely, he ſpake Prophetically that uſually cald him in Cambridge young Luther. Faxit Deus, that the Sectaries may never be able to deal with him, as I doubt not many of them deſire, whoſe words would willingly be turned into ſwords both againſt him and us all.
An Extract of a letter written from a godly Miniſter to me.
YOur Books I can aſſure you (I find) gain ſavour with all, but the common adverſary who much increaſeth and multiplyeth in theſe parts, where I heard laſt week at an open ordinary in preſence of two of our Deputy Lieutenants, that ſince Kiffen and Lamb have been here re-baptizing, now there's a third man come that contradicts them both, and re-baptizeth again, So that the poor people begin to ſtare and ſtand amazed to think what their deluded diſciples will do in the end: Many of the Browniſts fall to them; however their doctor Turner keeps his ground, who diſpited (as ſome ſay) with Kiffen and drowned him in the red ſea, till at laſt they fell both from reaſoning to down right railing. Poor people I pitty them, as alſo thoſe others (then and there ſpoken of alſo) as one (a very honeſt man otherwiſe) that affirmed lately he thought the Apoſtles themſelves never had more excellent gifts then a company of tradeſmen, that now preach in private at Sandwich. Another (it was ſaid) there was at A…ch neer Sandwich, who was ſaid to ſay he was Chriſt, but being queſtioned, Anſwered no; he was only Chriſts mouth and could feed ſuch as were hungry. &c. though as ſome ſay, he can hardly feed himſelf: Surely I often now think on Matt. 24▪ Except in the Wilderneſſe, or in Chambers where is Chriſt, as they think: We ſhould gladly ſee you here. I remember it was one of Don Perdroes devices about his firſt coming into this Country to bring down with him ſome Miniſters out of your City to preach up the Parliament; and why ſhould not you to preach down Hereſie, Schiſme, Prophaneſſe, that the Country may know of what Religion the City is? Certainly I am for ſuch a change of courſes as they call it. Propheta in patria, &c. Thus in haſte I heartily reſt
Yours. July 6. 1646.
A Copy of a Letter from a godly miniſter in Yorkſhire to a friend of his in Lancaſhire.
SIR,
I Returned from York June 3d. Our meeting proved very ſucceſſeſſe; one of the prime York miniſters being the main Remora to our deſires, which were to write to the Aſſembly that we would joyn with them in the Presbyterian way according to Gods word to the utmoſt of our power, and to declare againſt the Eraſtian principles: when it was put to the vote, he deſired to ſtay till he had further light: I know not whether he meant from the word, or from the State: There's ſo much policy now in the world, that it hath eate out, if not much of conſcience, yet very much of our care and zeale in promoting the work of Reformation according to our Covenant; nay ſo far are we degenerated now (as I am informed from a good …and) that to be forward and zealous in the Covenant, is the ſole character of malignancy, and only badge of diſaffection; but I hope it will prevaile in deſpight ☜of thoſe who having formerly been takers, are now the only tramplers upon it. We have appointed another meeting at Pomfret on munday ſeven-night; M. R. hath promiſed to meet the Weſt riding miniſters there.
Some paſſages taken out of a Letter written from a learned and godly miniſter in Devonſhire, to a friend in London.
I Am reſolved to diſgeſt all abuſes and contempts, and inſultations of Sectaries, and fruſtration of hopes, ſo I may honour Chriſt. You will eaſily ſee by the incloſed what work is here. The Sectaries are grown ſo confident and inſolent, that we may ſay of them as Rivet of Mountague, I… quo deſideramus hominem, for they ſeem ſo farre from Religion, that they put off humanity.