A Justification and Vindication of the truth of the most materiall Passages related in the Book entituled Gangraena, from those exceptions made against them in three late Pamphlets entituled, Groanes for liberty, A Whisper in the Eare, Cretensis, alias Master Goodwin.

I Shall take them in order, and begin with Mr Saltmarsh, who first apeared in Print: As for Master Saltmarsh he doth not so much as offer to disprove any one peece of matter of fact throughout my whole Book, excepting that only of a woman Preacher at Brasteed in Kent, of which he affirmes that 'tis known to all in that place to be a meer untruth Vid. M. S•lt. p. 26. Now for the present, I Reply as followes (reserving the greatest part I have Page  20 to say till my full and particular Reply to Mr Saltmarsh and his fellowes shall come forth) that as tis a strange bold assertion to affirm not only for himself, but for all the Parish, that they know 'tis a meer untruth (which implies thus much, that Mr Saltmarsh does not only assuredly know all things that all the women in the Parish do, but all what ever the whole Town of Brasteed knowes; for else how can he say so of all the women, and all the inhabitants of that place) so tis an untrue assertion? for some who live at Brasteed do not know it to be an untruth, but beleeve it to be a truth; for one Mr. Wheatly a godly able Minister who lives at Brasteed in a Gentlemans house, and hath lived there this two years, told me very confidently this Relation of a woman in the presence of two Ministers; besides two other Inhabitants of the Town who have lived longer in Brasteed then Master Saltmarsh, affirme the same; and three godly Ministers living neer to Brasteed, have told me also there is such a woman, of whom this is commonly spoken; and a Citizen in London an honest man having some re∣lation to Brasteed, and knowing the place, tels me there is such a woman, as is reported by many of Brasteed to be a preaching woman; and he coming lately out of Kent, told me that upon the way meeting with a Gentleman of the Committee, who discoursing of Mr Saltmarshes denying there was any such woman in Brasteed, and was speaking against my Book, this Citizen replyed, he beleeved it to be true, and offered to lay a twenty shilling peece that there was such a woman, but the Gentleman durst not; and besides all this the Mi∣nister who first told me, having lately been written unto about it, in a Letter by way of answer stands to that Relation which is laid down in Gangraena. But of this in my full and particular * Reply the Reader shall receive more large satisfaction; only for present from what I have now said (though there be much more behinde) I leave to the consideration of any judicious and unprejudiced Reader whether I had not ground enough to writ as I did, and whether there be not more reason to beleeve so many affirmative witnesses then one negative, who may not know all thats done in Brasteed; (for such a thing may be, and he never the wiser) besides Master Saltmarsh being a Sectary is a party, and his testimony is by me proved to be false, in affirming all in that place know it to be a meer untruth, whereas the contrary is the truth, divers living in that Town relating the story of a woman Preacher there.

All that Master Walwyn the Marchant either in his Pamphlets entituled A whisper in the Eare of Master Thomas Edwards, or a word more to Master Tho∣mas Edwards, labours to disprove in matter of fact contained in my Book enti∣tuled Gangraena, is, that I have wronged him, and falsified in saying Mr Walwyn a Seeker and a dangerous man, a strong head; as also in my Relation of

Now by way of Reply, first concerning Mr Walwyn himself, I am confident that every judicious Reader, who hath but read Mr Walwyns Pamphlets, out of them will acquit me, that I have said nothing of him but truth, he being out of his owne mouth and writings condemned for a dangerous man, a Seeker, and a strong head, as many who knew him not before, from reading his Pamphlets, have told me, that he hath justified to the world what I have said of him; but I shall at large make good this against the man in my full Reply to him and his fel∣lowes, following him from place to place, from person to person with whom he hath conversed, and from one thing to another that he hath had his hand in; wherein I shall lay him open to the world, and prove him to be a dangerous man, yea a desperate dangerous man, a Seeker and Libertine, a man of al Religi∣ons, pleading for all; and yet what Religion he is of no man can tel; A man of an equivocating Jesuitical spirit, being full of mental reservations, & equivications as appears by the sense he hath put upon the * Nationall Cove∣nant; there being hardly any Jesuit could have put a more equiv•∣call interpretation upon the Covenant, then himself: And I desire the Reader to observe what I now say of M. Walwyn: Since his first Book came forth against me, I have enquired and spoken with many honest godly men about M. Walwyn, who know him well; and all of them with one consent and voyce (though I have enquired of them apart, concerning him, and the men know not one ano∣ther) yet all agree that Mr Walwyn is a dangerous man, and a desperate man. For present I will only alledge two Testimonies (reserving others till my full Reply) which I beleeve will be full and speak home, and the parties who wit∣nesse, will be ready before any Committee, or Court of England, if called, to resti∣fie as much: The first was given me in writing, March 30. 1646. subscribed by the hand of him who brought it to me, and delivered to me in the presence of two godly Citizens as his hand, and that which he would maintain to be truth, and produce other witnesses for the proof of it, when he should be call'd by Authority; and tis as followes.

The second was told me March 29. by a Common-Councell-man of the City of London, a godly understanding and active man, who related to me both the place where it was spoken, and the names of some other Citizens, who were present, and heard it as well as himself, and the Relation is as followes.

Page  23

Now M. Walwyn, I dare appeal to any indifferent Reader, whether I have injured you in giving barely a brief note or touch upon you, saying, M. Walwyn, a dangerous man and a Seeker; or rather whether I did not much befriend you to say so little of you, when as you deserved I should have made a long relation of you and your wayes, as well as of Hich, Web, Clarkson, Wrighter, and many others. But what may be the true reason that M. Walwyn was so touchie upon the * naming of him in a word or two, as to make a Book, and bring himself upon the Stage? I suppose that beside his pride, and the show∣ing of his parts, it was to engratiate and endear himself to all the Sectaries, by appearing and writing against a man so hatefull to them as M. Edwards is, and specially at this time, writing * once and again for the cause of Liberty of Conscience, that so being taken notice of for a strong head, and true to the generall libertie of all Sects; some or other of the Independents might get him a Burgess place, and bring him in to be a Member of the House of Com∣mons: I am of the opinion he aimed at that, knowing that Cornwell was clear∣ing, and many places there wanted Burgesses; and do beleeve, if a man could see the List of those who are prickt for Cornwell by the Independent party, hee would find M. Walwyns name in; and I am of the mind, if M. Peters were asked, and would tell truly, it would be found M. Walwyn and Lieut. Col. Lilburn are committed to his care for Cornwwell, and that he must preach at their election; and besides all other reasons I have to think so, this is one, that both M. Walwyn and M. Lilburn were by some named, and voices laboured to be made for them to have had them Burgesses of Southwark; I have spoken with two godly men of the Burrow, who were once or twice at a meeting about the businesse of M. Walwyns being propounded for a Burgesse in Southwarke, who then opposed it, as hearing from many hands, that he was a dangerous man, and a Seeker, yea worse. As for M. Walwyn saying my informations of M. Lilburn to his know∣ledge are such as if they had been made of purpose to shame mee to all the world: I reply, had hee instanced in any one particular, I would have given a particular satistactory answer: But it may be M. Walwyn means that which Cretensis particularizes in pag. 48. of playing at Cards, that 'tis false that M. Lil∣burn is a player at Cards, and that hee protests hee never plaid a game at Cards Page  24 since his coming to London; Now I desire to ask Cretensis, M. Walwyn, M. Lil∣burn, what they mean by since his coming to London, whether the first time of his coming to London when hee came a youth to be here an Apprentice (as many may take the words)? or since his last coming to London out of the Army abou• twelve moneths ago? or coming to London after some journey two or three months ago? or which of the times he means since his coming to London: Now if he speak and mean of the first, that hee hath not plaid at Cards never since his coming to London when hee was a youth, I can prove that is false by good witnesses, and I know M. Lilburn will confesse he hath plaid at Cards since these warres: I can for a need tell him where, and when, and produce witnesses, but that needs not; Mr. Lilburn (on the 17. day of March last) confessed to a Citizen, though he had not played at Cards since his coming to London (keeping himself under that equivocation) yet he plaid at Cards severall times in * Oxford: But if he mean since his last coming to London, which may be few months, or a few weeks ago, (nei∣ther do I know how often M. Lilburn may make jour∣neyes, and return again to London▪) that no whit infringes the truth of my Re∣lation concerning him; for I did not say he plaid at Cards this month or two; but if he have often plaid at Cards since hee was a great Sectary, and a stickler against the Presbyterians and the Reformed Churches within this yeer, two, or three of the contestation against the Presbyterian Government, that makes good what I have said of him; and in common acception that man may be truely said, and is so called to be one who is a player at Cards, that yet playes not every week nor month (not having opportunities, nor his many occasions at some times permitting him) but only once a yeer, at the ordinary time of playing at Cards, and when he is at leisure, and meets with company for it: Now if Lieutenant Col. Lilburn would play often at Cards when he was pri∣soner in Oxford in his affliction, and among the Cavaliers, the enemies of Re∣formation, (both which are great aggravations of the fact; for, if a man be af∣flicted, saith Saint Iames, let him pray, not play at Cards; and a man among e∣nemies, and those who hate Reformation and strictnesse, had need walk more circumspectly, and be more exact because of the reproach of the enemy, and who no question from thence took occas•on both to strengthen themselves in their loose walking, and to speak evill of the wayes of God) I know no reason but a man may without breach of charity judge he will play at Cards now he is at liberty, and among his brethren the Sectaries. And so much for the present by way of Reply to M. Walwyn.

*As for Cretensis the Cretian, aliàs Mr. Goodwin, hee is a man who expresses so much pride, arrogancie, malice, wrath, jearing, and scof∣fing Page  25 not only at me and my Books, and some few fa•ithfull Ministers and servants of God, but against all Presbyterians Assembled or not Assembled in Eng∣land, Scotland, France and Ireland, coming forth just like Goliath,* rai∣ling and defying the armies of the living God, that I have much ado to keep my selfe from answering him according to his folly, and beating him with his own weapon, Difficile est S•tyram•on scribere, and my indignation to see the unworthinesse and insolencie of the man much provokes me. But I consider what becomes me as a Minister of the Gospel to do in such a case, rather then what he hath deserved, and therefore shall passe by his railings, and scoff•, not rendring evill for evill, or railing for railing, but contrariwise blessing, knowing that I am thereunto called: And instead of railing and vilifying Master Goodwin, I will a little expostulate with him; M. Goodwin, will you never leave your scoffing and scorning, your reviling and reproaching of all men, stuffing your pages with great swelling words, and filling whole leaves with nothing but jeers and multitude of six footed words instead of Reasons and Arguments? will you by all your writings and preachings make good that Title which by way of re∣proach was first given to you, namely, The great Red Dragon of Coleman-street? will you still speak as a Dragon, and Dragon like flie fiercely in the faces of all, spitting your poyson and venome against all, casting fire-brands every where? will you alwayes use your mouth to speak great things and blasphemies, and open your mouth in blasphemy against God, his name and his Tabernacle, as you have done in your Books of Controversie? will you never learn to be meek and lowly, to deny your passion, speak as a Lamb, and repent of your deeds? let me tell you, that if you belong to God, this spirit of yours, and the way of managing things in your Books of M.S. Theomachia, Answers to Mr Prynne, Cretensis will cost you dear, and you will be saved as by fire. For my part instead of reproaching and scoffing you (though not for want of matter, Cretensis being a very fruitfull subject for a man to exercise his wit upon) all I will do either in this brief, or in my full and large Reply shall be to draw to one head all the Errours and strange wayes Cretensis holds and hath walked in, by which if (God wil) he may be a∣shamed and truly humbled, and his spirit saved in the day of Christ, or however, that godly weak Christians may know him as a dangerous erroneous man, and avoid him: All I will say now (reserving particulars, and the proofs of them till my full Reply) shall be this, that Cretensis hath an hereticall wit, and holds many wicked opinions, being an Hermorphradite and a compound of an Ar∣minian, So•inian, Libertine, Anabaptist, &c. and in regard of some strange opi∣nions he hath held many years, and others that in time he might fall unto (which in the Presbyterian way he could never enjoy with quiet, nor have liberty to propagate them) therefore he took sanctuary in Independency, falling from our Church, and the Presbyteriall Government (which a little before the first sitt∣ting Page  26 of the Assembly, he held to be most agreeable to the Word of God) unto the Independent way, as that wherein he might with more safty enjoy the opi∣nions; and left Cretensis should score up this fo•a• lye, as he hath done many truths; which before I have done with him, I shall make apparent to all, I do here give the Reader a true Copie of a Narrative sent me from a godly humble learned Minister subscribed with his own hand, which fully proves the matter I have now spoken of.