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 ...

CORALL. II.

HEnce then from all that I have laid down of the Sectaries of our times, of their errours, heresies, blasphemies, strange practices, and their wayes of managing them, we may learne what is like to become of them and their way, and what their end will be; namely, confusion, desolation, and being brought to nought suddenly, as in a moment, and if ever God spake by me, I am confi∣dent he will curse this Faction of Sectaries in England, and cast them out as an abominable branch: Me thinks I see their day a co∣ming and drawing neere;* 1.1 Heretikes and Schismatikes do not use to be long-lived: no heresie (as Luther speaks) uses to overcome at the last.* 1.2 What is become of the Arrians, Donatists, Novatians, Pelagians, &c? though they were like a mightie floud, over-running and drowning all for a time, yet like a floud they were quickly dried up; and so will the Sects now: and we may expect it so much the sooner, because the visible symptomes and fore-runners of destruction are upon them. And therefore I shall now toll the great Bell for the Sectaries, the Anabaptists, Antinomians, Independents, Seekers, &c. and hope shortly to ring it out, and to preach their Funerall Ser∣mon, or rather keep a day of publike Thanksgiving and rejoycing, for the bringing downe of the Sectaries, and the breaking up of their Conventicles, as well as for the downfall of the Popish and Prelaticall partie. And that they shall shortly fall and be dried up as a floud; and though they have been in great power, and spreading themselves like a green Bay-tree, yet that they shall passe away, and not be; that they shall be sought for, and not found, I shall give these Symptomes.

1. Their horrible pride, insolencie, and arrogancie, extolling themselves and their partie to the Heavens, with the scorning vilifying, trampling upon, and despising of all others; and that in such unparallel'd wayes, as no age c••n shew the like; and that not only against particular persons of all ranks, No∣bles, Gentrie, Ministers; but great bodies and Societies, as the Parliament of England, the Kingdome of Scotland, the Common Councell of the Citie of London, Assembly, &c. The Luciferian pride, high spirit, and haughtinesse of the Sectaries of all sorts, in all places and businesses, and towards all per∣sons they have to do with, in their writings, speeches, gestures, actions, is seen and spoken of thorowout the Kingdome, and breaks out daily in their impatiencie of being contradicted, or having any thing said against their way; in their endervouring to break and crush all that will not dance after their pipe; in their not caring to hazzard and ruine all Religion, both Kingdomes,

but they will have their wills; and so in manie other things. Now God assures us in the Scripture that * 1.3 Pride goes before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall: Prov. 16. 18. that A mans pride shall bring him low: Prov. 29 23. that When pride cometh, then cometh shame: Prov. 11.2. and God threatens by his Prophets, he will cause the arro∣gancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haugh∣tinesse of the terrible, Isa. 13.11. Dan. 5.20. and in∣deed pride hardens mens hearts, and when their hearts are lifted up, and their minds hardned in pride, then God throwes them downe.

2. The Sectaries in promoting of their wayes and cause are grown extream violent, desperate, and unreasonable, knowing no rules of moderation nor for∣bearance; they go violent ways, and like Iehn, d••ive furiously; they do those things daily which wise, staid considerate men would never have done, nor a∣nie but mad men; and which anie man who hath his eies in his head may see, must needs destroy them: God hath hid wisdome from them, and befooled them, leaving them to do manie things against sense and reason. God hath left them, yea given them up to those courses and waies (of which I could give di∣vers instances) which no wise men would ever have taken, and which makes them abhorred of all good and moderate men. Now the befooling of men, hi∣ding wisdom from them, leaving them to rashnesse and violence, are presages of ruine, according to that saying, quos Deus vult perdere hos dementat, and according to that of the Prophet, I will hide wisdom from them: Nullum vio∣lentum est perpetuum, is seen in daily experience, and we may remember that the violence and furie of the Prelaticall partie did undoe them; and according to all humane reason, without that, it had been impossible to have c••st them out, being so deeply rooted in the lawes and customes of this Kingdome; and therefore the Sectaries before they are rooted and setled, being so violent, fu∣rious, and daring far above the Bishops, what can we expect but their speedy downfall? give them but rope enough and they will hang themselves; they run so fast, and ••ide so fiercely that they cannot but fall and break their necks, they drive so furiously and madly, that they cannot but overthrow all.

3. The great prosperitie, strange successe, and marvailous prevailing of the Sectaries in their waies & opinions, their devices and designs for the most part taking eff••ct and succeeding, so as they are mightily increased, many fallen un∣to them, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 wind, almost, favouring them; whereas on the other hand the Presbyterian partie, both our Brethren of Scotland, and the Godly Ministers and People in England have beene sorely afflicted,

much crossed and troubled to to see things as they are; The Scots have beene sorely visited with Sword, Pestilence in their own Land, obstructed, reproa∣ched, evill intreated by many in this Land: the Assembly, the godly Mi∣nisters and people of the Kingdome, despised, scorned and abused severall wayes, yea, deserted, and looked upon with an evill eye, as if the troublers of Israel, and worse then Malignants, so that they have beene forced manie a time to cry out to God, Heare O our God, for we are reproached; Now great prosperitie, successe in a bad way, and in the use of bad meanes, as lyes, scandalous reports, under-minings, plottings, false-dealings, &c. is a great Symptome of destruction both to particular persons, and to a partie: whom God intends certainely to destroy, he fattens before, and lets them bee verie happie, thereby to prepare them for the day of slaugh∣ter: whom hee meanes to doe good unto in the latter end and deliver, he afflicts and laies them low before, laies the Foundation deep that he may build high, and for this let the Reader consult with these foure places of Scripture, Ier. 12. 1, 2, 3. Psal. 37.7, and 10.35, 36. Psal. 73.3, 4, 5. and 18, 19, 20. Psal. 92. 7. the sum of all which places is to teach us, that the more men prosper in a bad way, and flourish more then ordinarie, having what their hearts can wish, bringing all their devices to passe, the more sure they are of being puld out as sheep for the slaughter, and prepared for the day of slaughter, and that within a little while, they shall not bee, nor their place found, but brought to desolation as in a moment, and utterly consumed; and then when they are at their height of flourishing, then is it that they shall be destroyed for ever; great prosperitie is but a lightening before death, and as a great calm which presages the more dreadfull storme and tempest.

4. The great plotting of the Sectaries, laying their counsells deep, contri∣ving and working continually night and day by all kinde of waies and means, and all kind of instruments to effect their worke, and to carrie on their way; I do not think this manie hundred yeares there hath been a more cunning, plotting, undermining generation in the Church of God then our Sectaries, or more plots and devices of all sorts on foot, more irons in the fire within so few years, as hath been, and is among them: there's nothing they doe but they have a design in it, they conceive many plots at once to effect it, they have plot upon plot, and lay snare upon snare: Machiavel and the Jesuits are but punies and fresh men to them. I am confident they had so laid their plots, cut out their way, removed the rubs, prepared all things, so as that they had set their time, by which they should effect their ends, and speak out what they would have: Now God delights to bring to naught plots, to disappoint the devices of mens hearts, to blast and blow upon tricks and under-boord

workings, to take the wise in their own craftinesse, and wherein men deale proudly to be above them: the ripening, growing big of plots, is commonly the fore-runner of the downfall of the plotters, and the miscarriage of their plots: for the further clearing of which the Reader shall doe well to consi∣der what God speakes in Iob. 5.12, 13, 14. Psal. 37.12, 13, Isa. 29.15.16. Isa. 30.1, 2. and indeed God is such an enemy to plots, devices, tricks, that he will crosse and disappoint his owne children in their workings, devisings, and contrivances even for good, when they are too plotting, anxious, or de∣light and please themselves too much in them; and this he does often, lest they should attribute the events of things to their counsell, care, &c. and that the worke may appeare to be of himselfe, and not of men, that God may be knowne to be Deiu activus & non passivus, as Luther expresses it upon a like occasion, and that God doth not use to call Martin Luther or anie of his Saints to be his councellor, but that he doth all things according to his own counsell; hence we are commanded to be carefull for nothing, or thought∣full, but in everie thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let our requests be made knowne to God: Now if God will go quite crosse and contrary, to the counsells, workings, of his servants for the maintaining his Church and truth, and bring about all quite another way, then he will much more carrie the counsells of the froward headlong and make them meet with darknesse in the day time, and grope in the noone day, as in the night.

5. Sympt. of the certaine destruction of the Sectaries is this, That Inde∣pendencie and Sectarisme in England is a meer Faction, a partie grown to this height upon particular interests, nourished and favoured all upon politike grounds and ends: Independencie now is no religious conscientious businesse, but a politike State Faction, severing and dividing it selfe upon other private interests from the publike interests of this Church and State, and the inte∣rest of both Kingdoms, united by Covenant: In a word 'tis just such ano∣another Faction as the Arminians was in the Netherlands. I believe that se∣ven or eight years ago Independencie and the Church way had somwhat of Religion and conscience in it, manie then falling to it much upon those grounds (though even then there were other ends in it also,* 1.4 as I have showne in my Antapologie.) But now since these times of troubles and difference betwixt King and Parliament, these foure years last past, wherein men have seen some probabilitie and possibilitie, in these times of warre and unsettlement of things, to bring about and effect those things they could not hope for before, it hath been and is matter of fa∣ction, particular aimes and ends, and not of conscience and pietie, as all wise men may see, and is apparent by these particulars:

First 'tis not carried on as a way of God, as a matter of Religion and Con∣science, in Gods way, and with Gods means; but carried on altogether with policie, art, plots, trickes, equivocations, mentall reservations, lies, falsenesle, doing anie thing though never so unjust and unrighteous, if it will further and advantage, that way, and hinder its opposite, viz. Presbyterie, and the settlement of the Church; yea, declining and forsaking the profest principles that way, and going contrary threunto, in razing the verie fundati∣ons of Independencie, and the Church way.

Secondly, There are multitudes of persons in all places, who doe not so much as know or understand anie of the principles of Independency and thé Church way; yea that hate most of those principles if they were tied to live according to them, that yet are great sticklers for Independencie, and the Sectaries, yea, are the heads and patrons of it in all places, and upon all occasi∣ons, and this is observed by manie wise men, that take those who now are friends for it, and stand for it upon all occasions, among them all there is not one in ten that conscientiously and in his judgement holds that way to bee of God, or is an Independent, which cleerly showes 'tis a Faction.

Thirdly, All other errours and opinions, Sectaries of all sorts (as well as Independents) are encouraged, nourished, favoured, and the worst of them though being so abominable, 'tis not anie policie to appeare for them; yet one way or other, under one notion or other, are pleaded for, dealt gently with, either delayed and put off, or brought off by one meanes or other, and are free∣ly suffered to grow and increase, and no way taken to suppresse or discourage them, which cleerly showes Independency is a Faction, and hath other de∣signes then that of Conscience, in furthering the growth of all sorts of Secta∣ries, holding tenets against their principles as well as ours, by Licensing their Books, &c. and upon all occasions, shelters and protects all sorts of them.

Fourthly that Independencie is a Faction, and not matter of Conscience, appeares because all these following sorts and ranks of men come in unto it; 1. Needie, broken, decaied men, who know not how to live, and hope to get somthing, turn Independents and sticklers for i••. 2. Gail••ie, suspicious and obnoxious men, who have been or are in the lurc••, and in feare and danger of being questioned, or have bin questioned, they turn Independents to escape que∣stioning, or if questioned, that so they may come off the better, Independency being a Sanctuarie and the horns of the Altar where many obnoxious persons fly and are safe; and many of these guilty persons that they may merit the more prove fiercer Independents and Sectaries then manie others. 3. Some who have businesses, causes, and matters depending, strike in with the Independent Sectaries, pleading for them, that so they may finde Friends, be sooner dis∣patcht,

fare better in their causes, &c. 4. Ambitious, proud, covetous men, who have a mind to Offices, places of profit, about the Army, Excise, &c. turn about to the Independents, and are great zealots for them. 5. Liber∣tines and loose persons, who have a desire to live in pleasures, and enjoy their lusts, and to be under no government, they are fierce and earnest for Inde∣pendents, and against Presbytery. 6. All wanton-witted, unstable, errone∣ous spirits of all sorts, all Hereticks and Sectaries strike in with Independen∣cy, and plead they are Independents. 7. Such who have no minde to peace, nor to the settlement of things, either out of hope, whilest things remain un∣setled, Bishops and former times may come in again; or that love to fish in troubled waters, or are afraid to lose Offices and Places that may fall with the ending of these troubles, these persons strike in with Independents, and side with them. 8. Many who in our Churches are discontented at the faithfull preaching of their Ministers close to their consciences, at their Ad∣monitions and Suspensions from the Sacrament, because loose, scandalous, or because of some difference upon their Tithes, or such like, forsake our Assem∣blies, and betake themselves so Independents and Sectaries, of which I could give divers instances; all which showes the Church-way and Independency to be nothing else but a Faction: Now Factions and Parties in Kingdomes and Commonwealths, though they may prevaile to a great height, and grow for a time, especially in troublous unsetled States, in the Springs and Falls of Kingdoms and Commonwealths; yet when they come to be discovered, laid open, and come to some head and ripenesse, they use to fall and be cast out: If we consult with the Scriptures, or with the Histories and Chronicles of Kingdomes, as the French and English, &c. wee shall finde the strongest, powerfullest Factions and Parties both in Churches and States, who have had divided interests from the Publike, have come downe and misera∣bly perished: and we may see this fully made good in the Anabaptists of Germany, the Arminian Faction in the Netherlands, and our late Prelati∣call Faction, who though they were all growne so high, as they hazzar∣ded the ruine of the Countreyes and Commonwealths wherein they a∣rose, yet they all fell and were brought downe, and so shall it be with this Sectarian Faction; can they think that either God, or these Kingdoms will suffer these men long, or that the people will be alwaies bewitched with them? no, the eyes of men will be open, and they will be discovered every day more, and we shall see them falling down like lightning.

6. Symps. Their reaching after, and medling with all kind of persons and things, grasping of all at once, labouring to ingrosse all Offices, places,

power into their hands, and those of their party, st••ighting, abusing, & tram∣pling on one way or other, all that stand in their way, & are their opposites, there being nothing Military, Civil, Ecclesiasticall, but they have an eye upon, and do endeavour to have a hand in, not caring in the least when it furthers their designes, to discontent all sorts and ranks of persons, King, Parliament, our Brethren of Scotland, the City of London, reformed Churches, Assem∣bly, the godly Ministery of the Kingdome, particular worthy persons in the Armies, among the Gentry, &c. they make account to carrie all before them, to get all to be for them by one means or other, and in time to breake all that shall dare to appeare against them, or crosse their wayes. Now in all States and Kingdoms Polupragmaticalnesse in some persons, greedinesse and over-hastinesse to have all, and thereupon offending and provoking many, hath been a fore-runner of their fall: I shall onely instance in this King∣dome, and of the late times, which all remember. What it was that ruined the Bishops and their party, but their grasping and medling with all at once, Church and Commonwealth together, England and Scotland both, provo∣king also all sorts of persons against them, Nobility, Gentry, City, Mini∣sters, common people? whereas (as many wise men would often say, and comforted themselves in the worst of those times) if the Bishops and that party had dealt but with a part at once, one Kingdome onely, as England, or or the Church alone, or Commonwealth alone, letting the other Kingdome be quiet to enjoy their Lawes, and suffering men to enjoy Religion and their Ministers, though they had some pressures upon them in Commonwealth, yet in all probability in time they might have had their wills: but now the Bi∣shops and that party oppressing both Church and Commonwealth at once, grasping to have all, they will lose all; and we see what is befallen the Bi∣shops and that party: so our Sectaries medling with both Kingdoms at once, with Church and Common-wealth together; and having provoked all sorts of men, Nobility, Gentry, Ministers, City, People, our Brethren of Scotland: will not be able to stand long, but King, Parliament, Scotland, City, Ministe∣ry, Countrey, will be so against them, as they must fall, let who will or can hold them up.

7. Sympt. of the downfall of the Sectaries, is the great sinnes and wicked∣nesse of that party, who are even now ripe for judgment, and their iniquities almost full; and I am confident, that for this many hundred years there hath not been a party that hath pretended to so much holinesse, strietnesse, power of godlinesse, tendernesse of conscience above all other men, as this par∣ty hath done, that hath been guilty of so great sinnes, horrible wickednesse,

provoking abominations as they are. The Sectaries are full of Ephra•••••••• gray haires (though they will not know it) and these following sinnes and courses presage their ruine, viz. their deep hypocrisies and pretences of Religion and Conscience meerly to serve their lusts, and to bring about their own ends, their perjuries and breach of solemne Covenant with God, making nothing at all of it, their great unthankfulnesse and ill use of Gods mercies and delive∣rances, their great ingratitude and unkindnesse to men, particularly to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Brethren of Scotland, their blood guiltinesse in destroying the lives of ma∣ny by dipping weakly and ancient persons in rivers in cold seasons, and in the destroying of so manie soules by Errours and Heresies and drawing them from their faithfull Pastours, their horrible uncleannesses and lusts, their fearefull despising and mocking of all Gods faithfull Ministers, and Ordinances, their oppressions, injustice, and unrighteous dealings with ma∣nie they have had to doe with and where they have anie power, their base self-seekings, seeking their owne things, their honour, profit, advance∣ment of their Faction under pretences of selfe-denyall, and the publike good, their holding of damnable Heresies and all kinde of abominable Errours, their horrid blasphemies against God, Christ, the Scriptures and all his Ordinan∣ces, their Machiavillian policies, Jesuiticall equivocations, falsnesse and treache∣rousnesse, their underminings and laying snares for men, their countenancing standing for the unworthiest vilest of men, so they will be for their faction, their justifying and pleading for a Toleration of all religions, and consciences, even to blasphemies against God and his Word, their inventing of lies and rai∣sing scandalls upon the worthiest and innocentest men, as Ministers and others to blast them with the people, their prophanenesse and loosenesse of life in ma∣king nothing of the Lords day, daies of Fast and Thanksgiving, nor of holy du∣ties, as praying, &c. their carnall confidence and trusting in arms of flesh, their using of wicked and unjust waies, and means to compasse their ends, not stan∣ding upon any rules, or keeping to any principles, so it may advantage them, violating bonds of friendship, going against the lawes of Nations, joyning with the worst of men against good men, labouring to sow divisions among brethren, raising evill reports, fomenting jealousies, and using all waies in their power to ingage the two Nations in a war one against the other, not caring to hazzard the ruine of all for the upholding of their faction. Many of the Secta∣ries have forfeited all principles of ingenuity and conscience, and will not stand upon any thing that may probably doe their worke for them: they will take counsell of Baalzebub the God of Ekron whether they shall recover, use the Devills meanes, as lying, breach of promises, joyning with wicked men, &c. for pretended libertie of Conscience and upholding their way.

In a word, they are like that Judge spoken of in the 18. of Luke, which feared not God, neither regarded men; all they regard is the effecting of their designes, and other things in order to that. And ••s many Sectaries are in these too faulty and guilty, so the verie best of them that I know, their Ministers, and others who are leaders, and have been anie long time of the way,* 1.5 and unsterstand the state of things, they are ex∣treamly faulty in patronizing all kind of Sectaries, and being against all the waies of suppressing them, in using all subtill politike waies and devices to hinder and delay the Reformation, in joyning with bad men against what they acknowledge good, in going against their owne principles, razing their owne foundation; besides, they are verie proud, lofty, touchy, full of equivocations, reservations, pretences, pretending one thing, and doing quite otherwise; so that I may say of them with the Prophet Micah, The best of them is a brier, the most upright is sharper then a thorne-hedge; and therefore the day of their visitation cometh, now shall be their perplexity. And certainly, these fearfull sinnes and strange wayes (es∣pecially in men who have pretended to more sanctitie and holinesse then other men, having also, upon those pretences of greater puritie, &c. g••ounded their great Separation and Division from all the reformed Churches) must needs provoke God to visit and to punish them severely; and because of his great Name which they have taken upon them and so prophaned, God will be sanctified (unlesse g••eat and speedy repentance prevent it) in punishing them sooner and more remarka••ly then the Prelates and their partie: And therefore in the close of this Symptome of the downefall of the Sects, I shall, in the name of the Presbyterian party, and of all those who are for the solemne League and Covenant in both Kingdomes, make use of those words to and against the Sectaries, which both King∣domes (upon the coming in of our Brethren of Scot∣land) used in their joynt Declaration to and against the Popish, Prelaticall and malignant party: * 1.6 It is his own Truth and Cause, which we maintaine, with all the Re∣formed Churches, and which hath been witnessed and sealed by the testimonie▪ sufferings and blood of so many Confessours, and Martyrs, against the heresie, super∣stition and tyranny of Antichrist. The glorie of his own Name, the exaltation of the Kingdom of his Son, and the preservation of his Church, and of this Iland from utter ruine and devasta••ion is our aime, and the end which we have before our ••ies. His Covenant have we in both Nations so∣lemnly sworn and subscribed, which he would not have put in our hearts to do, i•• he

had been minded to destroy us. The many prayers and supplications which these many yeares last past, but especially of late have been offered up with fasting and humiliation, and with strong crying and tears unto him that is able to deliver and save us, are a seed which promise unto us a plentifull harvest of comfort and happinesse: and the Apostasie, Atheisme, Idolatrie, Blasphemie, Prosanenesse, Crueltie, Excesse, and open mocking of all godlinesse and honestie have filled up the cup of our adversaries to the brim, and threaten their speedy and fearfull d••struction, unl••sse it be prevented by such extraordinarie repentance, as seemeth not yet to have entred into their hearts.

8. Sympt. is this, When God hath at some times testified against them, and spit in their faces, as by laying open their nakednesse, and fully disco∣vering their ways, by some books written, by some Sermons preached by godly Ministers, by casting some rubs in their way, in stirring up the Citie of London to appeare against them, or in disappointing some of their pur∣poses by strange and unexpected passages of his providence from Heaven, yet upon none of these occasions have they repented of their deeds to give God glorie, or humbled themselves before his Ministers speaking to them from the mouth of the Lord, or abated of their spirits; but contrariwise, have gnawed their tongues for pain, blasphemed the more because of their pains and sores, and stirred up themselves with so much the more industrie and subtiltie, to plot and work by all kind of wayes and meanes to heale their wounds: and I could give many instances, how upon such books co∣ming forth, and upon such acts of providence, which a man would have thought should have made them give over, they have been more resolved, active, desperate, betaking themselves to evill wayes and strange courses for the saving of themselves, as aspersing and raising scandals and false reports upon the persons whom they think have wounded them, as in the weekly Pamphleters venting some desperate passages, and putting forth strange books upon the nick of things, with many other wayes, all which wise men cannot but observe; in which courses they have been like Balaam, Numb. 22. going on their way resolvedly, though the Angell of the Lord have stood in their way with a sword drawn, and their feet have been crushed against the wall. Now it is a great symptome of destruction and ruine to a partie, or to particular persons, when the hand of God is lifted up against them, that they will not see; and that when God wounds them, instead of fal∣ling down before him, they seek to cure their wounds by unlawfull means; and that when he powrs our vials upon them, and scorches them with great heat, they blaspheme, and do not repent, that when hee stops them, they will drive more furiously, and that when hee makes mens pride testi••••e

to their faces, they do not return nor seek him for all this: This is the fore-runner of destruction in the Antichristian partie, Revel. 16.8, 9, 10, 11. And this was a fore-runner of destruction in the Prelates and that partie; that after their great and long prosperitie and successe, when God did by wri∣ting, preaching, raising up of witnesses testifie against them, and did by other acts of his providence crosse them, in raising up the Kingdome of Scotland against them, yet they would not give in, nor abate; and when a peace was concluded with Scotland upon the Kings first going into the North, and they might have enjoyed their honours, greatnesse, for all that, they wrought so upon the Kings returne, as to procure those Articles to be burnt by the hand of the common Hang-man, and the war to go on, which proved their ruine and fatall destruction. And for a conclusion of this Symptome, I will end it with those words of the Prophet Isaiah, Lord, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see; but they sh•••• see, and be ashamed for their envie towards thy people: yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devoure them. Lord, thou wilt or∣daine peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works for us. And though it be a sad thing, that men holding forth a profession of Religion should fall to those wayes, and grow to such an height as I have laid open; yet I am perswaded it is a good hand of God, and his speciall providence and mercie to his Church in these Kingdomes, to leave the Sectaries to fall into so many evils, to take such strange wayes thus to discover themselves, and to proceed so far, that so the Kingdomes knowing them well, they might in the issue be more effectually cured, and perfectly delivered from them: for, had these men kept themselves within the compasse of a few of their opinions, and carried things faire, and not broke out as they have done, we should have thought them good holy men, been much taken with them, and many would have been deceived by them; yea, in time they might have got such an interest, and had such an influence, as to have corrupted all; but now having thus early discovered themselves, both in matters of Church and State, in opinions and practices, this hath so opened the eyes of this King∣dome, yea of both, that it will cause them to abhor and abominate them as a wicked Faction, whose principles would bring in an universall Anar∣chy, both upon Church and State, overthrowing all Ministerie, setled Go∣vernment, and order in the Church; being against Kingly Government, the House of Peeres, House of Commons (unlesse ad placitum, and so long as the common people like them;) and all power of Magistrates (in capitall matters over Church members) in the Commonwealth; and who cared not to have sacrificed the Religion, peace, happinesse of these Kingdomes, upon the ambition, furie, pride, lust, opinions of Anabaptists, Libertines, Seekers,

Brownists, Independents: And therefore, however the Sectaries may flatter themselves in the encrease of their partie, in the power they have in some places, in the favour they find among some great men; yet let them know, notwithstanding their policies, all their arms of flesh, all their friends in the Armies, in the a 1.7 House of Commons, and in b 1.8 Com∣mittees which they so boast of, yet God will over∣throw them; and these eight particulars are certaine symptomes of their ruine; and let who will do what they can to uphold them, yet God will bring them downe; for, when they spring as the grasse, and as the Workers of iniquitie flourish, then is it that they shall be destroyed for ever: And therefore let us be couragi∣ous and faithfull to the cause of God, contending earnestly for the faith which was once at livered to the Saints; and let us be in nothing terrified by the Secta∣ries. And to all the Symptomes I have given already (being so many fore-runners of their fall) let the Reader consider this, That they have their deaths wound already, the fatall arrow sticks in their sides, and having begun to fall, they shall surely fall: and that (besides the Citie of London, and other instruments) God will honour our Brethren of Scotland, to make them a great means of their falling; and they shall fall before the Scots (whom they have so vilified and unworthily dealt with) as the Prelati∣call and Popish partie did: and, me thinks, the way of Gods proceedings all along this way of Reformation, and many passages of his providence hint & point it out to us; for the Sectaries are a Faction alike opposite to our Bre∣thren of Scotland, viz. the other extreme; and all along, from first to last, God hath made the Scots instrumentall for the good of this Kingdome, and bringing things thus far. And that God will honour the Kingdome of Scot∣land, and the Church-reformation according to their way, to bring down the Sectaries, let the Reader consult with M. Brightman (a man of a propheticall spirit) in his Exposition on the Church of Philadelphia, Rev. 3. 8, 9, 10. where he shews, that Church to whom so many promises are made, to be the reformed Churches of Geneva, France, Scotland, and those who are according to that way of Reformation in Doctrine and Church Government; and among ma∣ny things observed by M. Brightman on that place, I shall only point at two.

1. That Philadelphia (the type of Geneva, Scotland, and the Churches of that Reformation) is most famous for truth of Doctrine: As for truth of Doctrine, where is there any place in the whole world chaster and sounder?

Here the whole Papacie is destroyed;* 1.9 Anabaptists, Antitrinitarians, Arrians, and such monsters raised again from Hell, partly in Germany, partly in Tran∣sylvania, never found a sharper enemy.

2. By those who say they are Jewes, and are not, vers. 9. in the Antitype are all those who holding er∣rours, do arrogate alone to themselves truth, faith, salvation, the promises of God, boasting nothing else but the Temple: such were the Arrians under Con∣stantine, Constantius, Valens▪ and such are at this day the Papists, glorying in Peters Chaire: these will be accounted the only Catholikes, and their Church the only Church of Christ, &c.

Now if wee consider well of these two things, 1. We shall find no Church sounder for Doctrine than the Church of Scotland, nor greater enemies, not only against Papacie and Prelacie, but against Ana∣baptists, Seekers, and all kind of Sectaries, than they are. 2. Wee shall not among all Heretikes and Secta∣ries that have been since the writing of this Epistle, find any that have more resembled the Jewes, in boa∣sting themselves to be the only people of God, than the Sectaries of our times, the Anabaptists, Indepen∣dents, who extoll themselves for the only Saints, calling themselves the Saints, the people of God, the Church; and their way is called by them the Church-way, Church-fellow∣ship, Christs way, and that all who are not of their way are without, &c. so that these words do most fully agree to them, who say they are Iewes, and are not, but do lye; and therefore to conclude this Corallarie, all the promises made to Philadelphia, do belong in a speciall manner to our Brethren of Scotland: as,

First, That God will make them come (viz. those who are the Antitype to those Jews, the Sectaries, Anabaptists, Independents, that whole Faction) and worship before their feet, and to know that God hath loved them; that is, they shall overcome and triumph over these Sectaries: and however they have been hitherto abused and scorned by them, neither have these unthank∣full men acknowledged my love from that singular gift of zeale, pietie, which I bestowed upon thee; yet I will adorn thee with those things which are in great account in the world: thou shalt have victories over these

enemies, and thou shalt enrich thy self with their spoiles; so that no man but shall be compelled to acknowledg thee deerly beloved, whom, above all hope, they shall see so wonderfully encreased. O Church of Scotland, and all yee that are for Reformation Presbyteriall against the Sectaries, nourish your hopes by these things, neither let your hearts be troubled whatsoever the w••••ld speaks against you.

Secondly,* 1.10 Because they have kept the word of Gods patience, God will keep them from the houre of temptation which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth: That is be∣cause they stood for my Doctrine and truth with a great deale of danger, and yet with a great deale of patience have constantly continued in their duty; I will therefore deliver them out of their dangers, I will not suffer them to sinck and perish in their trialls, but I will give them strength whereby they shall not only strongly beare their calamity, but they shall also over-come and be conquerors; not that the houre of temptation shall not at all touch these Philadelphians, (for it can hardly be in the common calamity of the whole world, that they should be wholly free) but to keep them from the houre of temptation, is to deliver them as God saved them from the hands of their enemies that is, deliver them, 2. Iudg. 18.

3. Him that over-commeth God will make a Pillar in his Temple, he shall go no more ou••, &c. that is, God promises to make that Church over-comming, being an Hebraisme nominativi absoluti and the reward is, that that Church shall be like a Pillar in the Temple of God, that is, shall remain firm and lasting in the Church, neither shall that Church feare any ruine or destruction, however the raine falls, the flouds beat, the winds blow, and all things with a joynt force break in upon them.* 1.11 The spirit of God alludes to the two Brasen Pillars placed by Solomon in the Temple of God, which set forth the stability of the sonnes of God. And so by the grace of God is this Church not tainted nor corrupted with Schisme and base defection as the Church of Sardis was, which having no care of a full Reformation, by the just judgement of God lost the most of the people.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Schismatici non sunt longaevi.
• * 1.2

  Nulla haeresis unquam, &c.
• * 1.3

  Vide car••w. in locum, quamobrem illud statua∣mus, eos, qui se effe•• unt, dejectos iri, & decasu∣ros, etiamsi vertice coe∣lum atrigerint: unde nostro proverbio jacta∣tur; Pride will have a fall.
• * 1.4

  Antapol p. 21, 28.
• * 1.5

  Vide Independ. razing their owne foundation pag. 314, 5.
• * 1.6

  The Declaration of the Kingdom: of England and Scotland, by the honoura∣ble Houses of the Parlia∣ment of England and the honourable Convention of Estates of the Kingdome of Scotland, in the year 1643. page 3, ••.
• a 1.7

  Mr. Prins Discoverie of prodigious nevv lights, shewes some Sectaries boa∣sting of their friends in the House of Commons.
• b 1.8

  Some Sectaries have said it to some who have told it me, that there is never a Committee about London, but they have some friend or other in it, that as soone as any of them is in que∣stion, gives them notice of it, and of the Articles a∣gainst them, and acquaints them with the state of things.
• * 1.9

  Quod autem ad verita∣tem Doctrinae spectat, ubi castior & integrior, vel in universo terrarum orbe▪ Totus Papatus hic jugulatur: Anabaptistae, Antitrinitarii, Arriani, & hujusmodi monstra, excitata rursum ab infe∣ris, partim in Germania, partim in Transylvania, nusquam ac••orem ho∣stem invenerunt: quid etiam non tentaverit ut Germanicis Eccles••is er∣rores suos evelleret? Brightman. In Apocalyp. pag. 53. In Antitypo, Iudaeisunt quotquot er∣toribus implica••i, sibi unis veritatem, fidem, salutem, promissiones Dei arrogant, nihil nisi Templum, Templum crepantes; quales fue∣runt Arriani Episcopi sub Constantino, Constan∣tio, & Valente. Vide plura, Brighton. pag. 5••.
• * 1.10

  Vide Bright••n, in loc. pag. 56.
• * 1.11

  Vide Brightman••um in Apocalyp. pag. 57.