The first and second part of Gangræna, or, A catalogue and discovery of many of the errors, heresies, blasphemies and pernicious practices of the sectaries of this time, vented and acted in England in these four last years also a particular narration of divers stories, remarkable passages, letters : an extract of many letters, all concerning the present sects : together with some observations upon and corollaries from all the fore-named premisses / by Thomas Edwards ...

The Sum of a Sermon preached by a Sectarie, and of some Conferences with Sectaries.

On New-years day, Ian. 1. 1645. a Surgeon belonging to the Army prea∣ched at one Goodman Bolters of Bere, a Towne in the West, on Colloss. 2.

out of vers. 7. he observed, All the Saints dutie is to believed and be thankfull, (he enlarged) Where's the humiliations, repentings for sinne which your god∣ly Ministers (you say) have taught you? Out of ver. 14. hee observed, The hand-writing of ordinances, the ten precepts faire written by the finger of God, altogether taken away. On ver. 16. hee observed, New Moons, Sab∣baths, meats, drinks, empty things; Sabbaths not to be observed, shadowes, and since Christs coming taken away: he said, we had deceitfull Ministery, Sacraments, Ordinances, meats and drinks, though their learned godly Mini∣sters had told them, that when they had consecrated them with their sanctifi∣ed garments on, they were holy, and were to be given only to those to whom they pleased, yet empty, and shadowes too. Afterwards, being asked what he meant by these meats and drinks, whether the elements consecrated to bee signes and seales to us in the Sacrament: He said, he knew no seale but the Spi∣rit; and for those things, they were empty things, and of no effect. Out of ver. 11, 12. That (there being three things in Baptisme, a death, buri∣all, and resurrection) Christ was baptism to us, and the outward sign needlesse.

The same person in private, in the house of a Reverend godly Minister, Master R. in conference asserted, That there is no Sabbath to bee kept since Christs fulfilling the Law, since no command for it in the Gospell. He being urged with places out of the Old Testament and fourth Commandement: He and a Captain, and one Lievtenant I. affirmed, those belonged to the Jews, not to us. 2. Being urged in point of prayer for forgivnesse of sin with the Lords prayer: The Lievtenant said, that the Lords prayer, when Christ gave it to his Disciples, was spirituall to them, but it is not so to us. 3. The same Liev∣tenant being urged with Davids practice of bewailing ••in, and craving pardon, answered, David was under a double covenant, of the Law, and of Grace; we only under that of Grace: and though a believer should commit as great sins as David, murther, adulterie, there was no need for him to repent, and that sin was no sin to him, but a failing. 4. The Surgeon and the rest being told by some parties present, that they would believe that which their godly Ministers had taught out of the word: he answered, he doubted whether yet the word had been taught or no. Then the Surgeon asking what the word was: being answered, The Old and new Testament; he replied, He doubted whether those were the word or no. Then being asked what was the word; he answered out of Iohn 1.1. and told us, he knew no word but that.

Item, This Surgeon and a Quartermaster-generall to the Regi••ent having conference with one Thomas Spere a Papist, asked him, How long he had ab∣sented himselfe from the Church of England; it was answered twenty years: They commended him for it, and told him they had done so too, and were not

themselves of that Church. And hearing from him of some of his opinions, they told him by way of encouragement, ☞ he said well, and was able to say more for his way, then all the Presbyterian Priests in Dorsetshire. Liev∣tenant I. being asked what he thought of the Directorie; answered, He•• thought of it as of the Common-Payer, and of that as of the Masse. Being like wise asked concerning the Assembly of Divines; he answered, They were most part of them enemies to Christ and his truth. That Lievtenant I. and an Ensign denyed all ecclesiasticall Government. Item, Lievtenant I. said, hee fought not for the Parliament, but for liberty of conscience, and not for Refor∣mation. Item, He affirmed, that he thought daies of publike Humiliation need∣lesse, and unlawfull, and would not observe them. Item, Concerning Prayer; That we must not pray morning and evening, but when the Spirit pu••s ejacu∣lations into us; for that were to make prayer an Idoll.

This Sermon, and these Conferences are subscribed by the hands of godly persons, two witnesses, and I have them in my hand to produce, but forbeare the printing of their names, because I know not what prejudice may come to them by some souldiers that may go that way.

There is one A. a Shoomaker not far off Tower-street, who speaking of the Assembly, said, ☞ There were but seven in the Assembly that stood for God, all the rest of them were for the Divel: An honest godly man brought thi•• f••ll••w before a person of quality, and in Authority, for speaking these words; and at first this man denyed it: whereupon, he offering to fetch two witn••sses to prove it, the man confessed it, and said, he had spoken rashly.

The Sectaries have within this two years last past, especially this last yeere since the Victory at Naseby, abused (in the most insolent and unheard of man∣ner, and that all kind of wayes) all sorts and ranks of men even to the highest, both particular persons, and whole Societies that have but any way appeared against them, or they think will not be for them, as the King, Parliament, the Kingdome of Scotland, the City of London, the Assembly, all the reformed Churches, the City Ministers, particular Ministers, and other Christians, and as in their printed booke, Sermons, Speecches, so by affronts offered Ministers in Churches, Pulpits, and severall other wayes, and that in the highest unsuffe∣rable manner that (considering all things together) ever was in any age since the coming of Christ: and for the proofe of this, a man might make a large book to set downe the pregnant undenyable instances and particulars in this kinde; and a man would wonder what should be the mysterie of it, and no question many do (though for my part, I doe not) that this last yeare, since not only the Assembly, but the Honourable Houses of Parliament have voted the Presbyteriall Government, declared to the world they will settle it, made

divers Ordinances for it and about it, that ever since the Presbyterial Govern∣ment, all the Parts, Acts, and Friends of it have beene written, preached a∣gainst and abused more then ever; yea j••alousies, false reports, calumnies rai∣sed, nou••ished, fomented, and yet never any of the Sectaries exemplarily punished, o•• their Libels and desperate Pamphlets ever publikely censured (as I can learn,) or effectuall courses used to supp••esse them; but let the men or the books be what they will, abuse whom they will, Parliament, &c. so that they do but abuse the Presb••terians, and the Presbyterial Government, and plead for the Independents and liberty of conscience, all is well enough; nay, not only so, but some such bookes are licensed, and some persons known to be most des∣perately opposite to the Presbyterians, to the Covenant, to our Brethren of Scotland, the Assembly, to the godly Orthodox Ministers, the men in great request, walking boldly in Westminster-hall, at the House of Commons door daily, familiar with some Parliament-men, preferred to places of trust, and honour, having favour in things wherein other men can find none; yea, have been able to do those things for themselves, and such as they appeare for, which otherwise were never likely, or not so quickly to have been effected. And in things done by the Sectaries against persons affected to the Presbyte∣riall Government (though in the way and manner of doing them) if Presby∣terians should do so, it were a great breach of Priviledge of Parliament, and an arraigning their Ordinances; yet in the Sectaries 'tis nothing, nor we never heare of anie such complaint or words made of them: For instance, How ma∣nie Votes, Orders, O••dinances of Parliament have beene spoken against, writ against, acts done point-blank against the Letter of them? not humble Peti∣tions made to represent the State of things, and to desire so and so; but down∣right railings and s••••ffes, or else taking cogniz••nce of things whilest before the Houses, and in d••bate: As for example, The Assembly who sits by Ordi∣nance of Parliament, have they not been fearfully abused, scorned by those Books of Arraignment of Persecution, Martins Eccho, &••. and now lately by a Ballad made of them, having a first and second part, wherein they are scoffed with the title of Black-bird Divines? The name of the Ballad against the As∣sembly of Divines is called, A Prophecie of the Swineherds destruction▪ To the tune of the merry Souldier, or the joviall Tinker; and two men pictured at the upper end of it, with the inscription of Sir Iohn Presbyter and Sir Simon Synod. This Ballad c••lls the Assembly Swineherds, saith, ☞ These Swine∣herds they are sitting to build old Babells Tower: And in this Ballad the Di∣rectory made by the Assembly, and establish••d by Ordinance, is scoff••d at, and the Assembly i•• brought in, and jeered at for b••ing against Anabaptists, Brow∣nists, Independents: and they are in that Ballad call'd B••••ls Priests. The As∣semblies

last Petition to the Parliament, whilest it was in debate before the Houses, before they came to give their sense of it,* 1.1 Salt∣marsh (the annagram of whose name is to a tittle, M. al's trash) takes notice of it, prints a great part of it, prejudges and anticipates the Determinations of the Honourable House of Commons, and uses the Assembly verie coursely. There is a pamphlet called A Letter of Advice unto the Ministers assembled at Westminster, with seve∣rall Quares recommended to their saddest considerations, wherein the Assem∣bly is not only abused, but threatened, that if they give advice to the Parlia∣ment against a Toleration of Independents, they are so many in number, that the Assembly shall be chastised as evill Counsellours, disturbers of Church and State, no lesse than great Strafford, or little Canterbury. In the case of Paul Best, whilst it is before the House of Commons, and under debate, comes out a Pamphlet censuring their proceedings against him, as fearing what the sentence may be; in asserting the possibilitie of an Heretikes repentance so long as hee lives, and such as do any wayes cause him to die in heresie, as much as in them lyes, do effectually damne him eternally: and consequently, that Paul Best, (whatever his errour be at present) as well as Paul the Apostle, once a Blasphemer, may one day become a Con∣vert, if he be not untimely starved to death before∣hand. And to give only one particular instance more: There is a* 1.2 Book lately come forth about the sixth of this moneth of May, called Tender Conscience religiously affected, fearfully abusing and descanting upon all the Ordinances of Parliament, in reference to the Directorie, Ordination of Mi∣nisters, and Church-government, leaving out none but the last Ordinance about Commissioners: wherein the Parliament and Assembly are usuffera∣bly reviled and railed at; and particularly the Par∣liament charged with speaking blasphemy, and be∣ing guiltie of many other crimes.

And lastly, The Sectaries are so violent, and in∣sufferably insolent, that though they abuse persons or things, or do the strangest actions either against Lawes or Ordinances, if they be but questioned by any in authoritie for these things, in stead of confessing

their offences, submitting, and carrying themselves peaceably and humbly, they will abuse and miscall Authority to their faces, yea, set out printed books a∣gainst them, reproaching and reviling them to the open world; of which I might give many instances, as in the case of one Hawes committed lately by some Justices of Peace, upon two witnesses testifying words spoken by him derogatory to the second and third Persons in the Trinity; a book was printed, wherin they are reviled and clamoured against. So upon one Larner's commit∣ment, about a dangerous book entituled Londons last warning, there is a book put forth aspersing the L. Mayor of London, the Committee of Examination, and the Right Honourable the House of Peeres. And lastly upon Lievtenant-Colonell Lilburns commitment, many Pamphlets were printed, speaking bit∣terly against the Committee of Examinations, and the honourable House of Comons; as Englands Birthright, severall printed Letters, &c.

The Sectaries have lately put forth two pamphlets with a picture drawne and affixed to them, greatly abusing all the Presbyterians: The first is called Dictated thoughts upon the Presbyterians late Petitions to the Parliament: the other is the book called, Tender Conscience religiously affected, propounding questions upon the Ordinances of Parliament. The maine of the picture is an heart pictured, over which is written, Tender Conscience religiously affected, with some verses over that: and under the heart, with daggers at it, stands the Pope, the Prelate, and the Presbyter in the midst of them two, with a book in his hand, where Directorie is written, Antichristian Presbyter written by him, and the Crown under his foot, he treading upon it, and a dagger in his hand, reaching at the heart of tender conscience, but a chaine with a weight hanging at his arm, whereby he is hindred and falls somwhat short of pricking tender conscience with his dagger.

Now I could write a book in giving observations, and making a confutation of this picture, and these mottoes, but I must studie brevitie, I will onely hint a few things.

1. That I have been informed for certain, and it was spoken of by some Mer∣chants on the Exchange, that in Holland the picture of an Independent is drawn, and set out publikely, and he is pictured thus, with God written in his mouth, the Devill written just upon his heart, and the world written and pictured as he holding it in his armes.

2. It may be this picture of a Presbyterian will cause the picture of an In∣dependent to be drawne here in London, set out with Mottoes, as also what he hath under his feet, &c. and if it prove so, 'tis but just and the Indepen∣dents may thank themselves.

3. For the Picture it selfe of a tender Conscience, which they make the

Presbyterian lifting up a dagger to stab; I am confident the Presbyterians are as truly tender-conscienced men as any in England, yea far above the Sectaries; and for the Sectaries (take them generally) they are far from being tender-conscienced men, as I shall shew at large in my Treatise against Toleration, under that head of answering that objection, that tender Consciences must be ••orn with; where I shall prove by many instances they are men of large consciences, and have consciences, like to Ostrich stomachs, that can digest iron, that can digest a generall Toleration of all Religions, can beare with them that are evill, or any thing that is wicked, so it will pro∣mote the Catholike Cause; and in truth, in stead of being a truly conscien∣cious people, and going upon religious principles, they are a meere politike Faction, driving on strange designes, and having ends of their own.

4. Whereas they place the Presbyter in the midst of the Pope and Prelat, how might they more truly have placed an Independent and other Secta∣ries, the Independents shaking hands, and complying more with Papists and Prelats than Prebyterians, as I could prove by many instances of familiar passages and speeches that have passed between some Sectaries and Papists and Prelats, and some speeches again of Papists and Prelats of the Indepen∣dents, some wherof the Reader may find in this Book, pag. 16, 126.

5. That of the Presbyterian trampling the Crown under his feet, is a most wicked lye, and confuted in the sight of the Sun, by the experience of thes•• times; for who stand more for the Crowne, the Kings Person and Ho∣nour, his just greatnesse, and his Posteritie after him, than the Presbyterian partie; and who are more against Monarchy, the Kings Person and Honour, than the Independent partie? A Sectarie indeed may well be pictured with the Crowne under both his feet, trampling it, and breaking it all to peeces, and together with the Crowne trampling the Church, Ministerie, and the Kingdome of Scotland under their feet; and for proofe of Sectaries trea∣ding the Crowne under their feet, witnesse Londons last warning, commen∣ded, sold, dispersed up and down by Sectaries, witnesse Walwyns an Arch-Sectaries speeches,* 1.3 with othea passages of some of them, as giving over praying for the King above this yeare, laughing at them who pray for him, as * 1.4one of them praying publikely in the Church, that the King might be brought in chains to the Parliament, as speaking against his coming in or being received in but under the notion of a Delinquent, and that he deserved to die if any man did, with such like speeches.

6. That of the Presbyter endevouring to destroy the ••••nder Conscience re∣ligiously affected, only hindred by a great clog hanging upon him, is a wicked

scandall; for the tendernesse, forbearance, love, indulgence of the Presbyte∣rians, when they were in their highest power, and the Independents weak and low, is known to all this Kingdome; and had they been such men as the In∣dependent Painter would make them, the Sectaries had never growne to this boldnesse to make such a Picture, nor these Kingdoms so troubled with them as now they are; but the truth of it is, a Sectarie may well be painted with a dagger thus running at the heart of the Presbyterians tender consciences reli∣giously affected, and had they not clogs upon their arms, we should find it so by lamentable experience; they have made violent attempts against Presby∣terians, and they have given out many threatning words; and certainly de∣signed and comforted themselves, that ere long they should be able to crush the Presbyterians; for proofe whereof, besides instances already given in this Book, pag. 67. I shall add two or three at present: One Smart a great Se∣ctarie, upon the fifth or sixth of May last, speaking against the Presbyterian Ministers, and calling them Priests, spake these words; That we hope to have, or shall have shortly the * 1.5 Sequestrations of the Presby∣terians, as well as formerly of Malignants; unto whom one of the company replyed, that I suppose you will get a good office or place then, when the Pr••••••••terians estates shall come to be sequestred. Another Sectarie, a Bodies-seller in London (whose name I conceale, upon the entreatie of him who related it) speaking of the Ministers of Sion Colledge, said these words; Many have gone to Tyburn, who have lesse deserved hanging than those of Sion Colledge; and hee further spoke these words, that the Ministers were the cause of all our troubles & stirs. This relation was given me un∣der the hand of one who was an ear-witnesse, and deli∣vered to me in the presence of two sufficient persons. A third man, who is for the Independents, and that way, came to a person of qualitie in the Citie of Lon∣don, and taken notice of for a man of great estate, and wished him, out of his respect to him, to take heed how he ingaged or shewed him∣selfe for the Presbyterians, and against the Independents, for there was no way for him to keep his estate, or to be secure, unlesse he were of that side, with other words to that purpose.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Vide Saltmarsh, Di∣vine Right of Presbyterie.
• * 1.2

  Pamph. entit. Tender Con. relig. affect p. 14, 15. Do not the Synod (having two ••o••ns like a Lamb, but a mouth like a Dragon) teach the Parlia∣ment to speak blasphemy a∣gainst those Saints that dwell in heaven? And speaking of the Preamble to one of their Ordinances, wherein the Par∣liament acknowledged their strong engagements heartily and sincerely to endeavour the compleat establishment of puri••y and u••itie in the Church of God (for these are the Parlia∣ments words, not the Assem∣blies) this book cals this bla∣sphemy, and saith of the Lords and Commons, For shame leave speaking blasphemy: Remem∣ber the judgements upon the VVhore for her blasphemie. VVhere had the Lords and Commons this large Commission to meddle in the affaires of King Iesus so far, as to deter∣mine to have a compleat esta∣bl••shment of puritie and unitie?
• * 1.3

  Vide p. 22. of this present book' and pag. 7.
• * 1.4

  Mr. Durance an Indepen∣dent Preacher at Sandwich.
• * 1.5

  This was spoken in the hearing of three Citisens, and given mee under the hand of one that heard it, who also told this Smart he would make it publike. The Presbyterians may do well to take notice, that the Sequestration of their estates, and hanging at Tyburn, was designed and counted good enough for them, if some Independents and Sectaries might have had their will. This is the libertie of conscience they must expect when the Sectaries grow so strong as to have power to effect it.