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 ...

A Narrative of certaine words uttered by Mr. Iohn Goodwin Minister of Coleman-street, not long before the Assembly sate.

THe said Mr Goodwins judgement being consulted as concerning the point of Church-government: His Answer was to this effect, that in his judgement he approved of the Presbyterian government as being most agree∣able to the Word of God, yet in fine added that he thought, that the way of In∣pendency would better suit and fit him in regard of some private and singular Tenents that he held▪

This Minister subscribes his name at length under these foregoing lines, and writes as followes.

Master Edwards let me request you not to bring my name upon the Stage in Print to attest this businesse for divers reasons best known to my self: I say no more, Verbum sat sapienti.

Yours in all offices of love.

And therefore though in this, as in any other particulars, I set not down the names in Print, yet am I far from forgery or lying, or those Ministers from be∣ing afraid to justifie their Letters, as Cretensis would insinuate to the Reader; pag. 6.7. But I conceive the Reasons why this Minister and many others, though they are willing to witnesse truth, and to communicate their Intelligence about the Sectaries, yet for the present do desire to have their names concealed. 1. Be∣cause they live among many Sectaries and Independents, some whereof being in place both in Towns and Countries may do them no good offices, but may much molest and trouble them; and therefore unlesse some great good might come by witnessing publikely, which might countervaile their hazard, as sup∣pressing ☞ the Conventicles of the Sectaries, the spreading of erroneous opi∣ninons, and punishing some of the Rabbies and Ring-leaders, they are unwill∣ing to venture themselves by being brought upon the Stage in Print. 2. Be∣cause some live in places where part of our Armies lie, or may come: Now ma∣ny souldiers being Sectaries, and violent for their opinions, if they should meet with any Ministers named in print, giving me intelligence, it were as much as the spoiling of them and their families; and where are they that do or will se∣cure them from such violence? there are too many examples of Ministers be∣ing

in danger, as M. Andrews was; and therfore I deal plainly, I have been spoken to by word of mouth, and sent unto from some Ministers in the Country not to name them in my Books, because, if the Army, or some parts of it come that way, they shall be undone, which is a satisfying answer to all rationall men, for my concealing their names, especially to all those who understand the state of things, and observe how powerfull the faction of the Sectaries is.

Now before I come to give a particular Answer to the most materiall Ob∣jections made against my Book, I shall premise these sixteen Observations upon Cretensis, Or a briefe Answer, &c. which to every judicious and unprejudiced Reader will (I make no question) give a great deale of satisfaction, and serve for a precious Antidote against the venom and rancor of the Cretian.

Obs. 1. I desire the Reader to observe the hand of God in leaving M. Good∣win so to himself in writing this Pamphlet as to suffer his own pride, passion, rage and malice so far to blind him, as to name his own Book (and therein himself Cretensis) giving himself the name of Lyar, as is manifested by the Title of the Book Cretensis, Or a brief A••swer to an ulcerous Treatise &c. so that The brief Answer to an ulcerous Treatise is Cretensis, not the Treatise publish∣ed by Master Edwards, which is made by Master Goodwin contradistinct to Cretensis, so that if M Goodwin understands plain English, common sense, and knows how to range his Parts of Speech in a Sentence, &c. let him in his Rejoynder to my Reply deny it if he can, and truly tis admirable (and I cannot but admire the wisdome and goodnesse of God wherein men deale proudly to be above them) that this great Rabbi, and Seraphicall Doctor, who comes forth like Goliah, challenging all the Presbyterians Assembled or not Assembled, carrying himself with that disdain and scorne towards me, just as Goliah to little David, filling up some of his pages with scornings of me, as that I cannot writ true English, put the Nominative Case and Verb together, speak common sense, nor give the English sense of a Latin sentence, should himself in the very first words he writes prove himself such an Ignoramus both in the La∣tin and English, as to give himself the title of Notorious Ly∣ar, namely, Cretensis, Or a brief Answer; &c. And as the man doth it in the Frontispice of his Book, so in the Book it self, as in pag. 39. where he would make me a lyar in that Relation of Cosens of Rochester; in the very en∣trance into it he stumbles, giving his own Relation the lye, as the Reader may perceive by these words, Cretensis speaking of what was reported to me that Cosens should say of Christ, saith, let this be the first lye in this Catalogue, the man neuer said it, so that he makes it a lye that Cosens never said it: Now if this be a lye that Cretensis never said so, then by the rule of contraries, 'tis a truth that he spoke it; and however Cretensis may meane otherwise, if the man knew how to bring it out, yet the

best that can be made of it, is, that this great Cri••ick, who for want of matter, falls upon my words, making me to speak false English, nonsense, and to be igno∣rant in putting the Nominative Case and Verb together regularly in English, is himself ever and anon tardy in false English, nonsense, not putting the Nominative Case and Verb regularly together, of which I could give (if I had no materiall things against Cretensis, nor nothing else to do but to pick straw••) many instances both in this and other of his Books; but I will name only one, and that in this busi∣nesse of Cosens apealing to Cretensis himself, where in this following sentence, His Relation here reports that one Cosens of Rochester in Kent, that Iesus Christ was a Bastard, is the Verb for the Nominative Case; and whether M. Goodwin hath well ranged his parts of Speech in this sentence, and put the Nominative Case and Verb together regularly in English? besides adde unto this what followes Hoc pri∣mum: Let this be the first lye in this Catalogue, the man never said it: whether he hath framed the structure of a period according to the common rules of Reason, Grammar, and common sense; but to put a period to this first Observation, let the Reader take notice that in the thing wherein the man hath sinned (his principall designe being this by all his Art, flourishes and fallacies to render me a Falsifier and a Lyar to the world) in that God hath punished him, suffering him to give him∣self the name of Cretensis, alwaies Lyar, by which name he will be known and called as long as he lives, and after he is dead also.

Obs. 2. M. Cretensis Answer in the whole frame, drift, and in all the strains of it is so carried (if not formally yet virtually and equivalently) to justifie and defend all the Heresies, Blasphemies, Practises I have spoken against; for what one of all the 180. Errours or Blasphemies is spoken against, disavowed or con∣demned in Cretensis Answer, but rather all along throughout the Pamphlet, the Errours, Heresies, &c. are slighted, made nothing of, put off with jears, scoffs, and great swelling words of vanity; yea, in a sort denied, as if there were none such, and in fine, both Cretensis Conscience and wanton wit are prostituted and stretched upon tenter-hooks to finde evasions and tricks to bring off without losse all sorts of Sectaries and opinions; as for instance, Cretensis palliats and daubes with untempered morter, the Errours, Heresies, Blasphemies, &c. with such kind of devices as these following: That he could make a Discovery of as many Errours and Heresies together in me alone, and that the most Or∣thodox Presbyterian under Heaven (no nor Independent neither) errours not much be∣neath the like rate or number of errours and mistakes of Religion, that he marvails how M. Edwards could stay his pen at so small a number as 180. and did not advance to ten thousand times ten thousand, &c. that if I will own the verdict of as learned and in∣geneous a pen as ever wrot on my side, (Cretens. pag. 9.) I must release the better half of the prisoners, and instead of 180. Errours and Heresies write down four score, and that for twenty (Cretens. pag. 11.) and ten of those opinions which I have impeached of

Errours and Heresie (and he will not say for how many more) he casts the glove to whoso∣ever will take it up to bring them off with the honour of truth; besides Cretensis makes a sixfold deduction from the Catalogue of Errours and Heresies, (Cretens. pag. 9.) and pleades formerly, and in terminis for some of the Errours; lastly also he so minces and extenuats the whole contents of my book, (Cretens. p. 11. p. 20.21) That when all the accused ones shall have time and opportunity to stand forth, and plead their innocency, (Cretens. pag. 6.) there will be very little truth found remaining in any thing reported by me, except in such things as are transgressions against no Law; and indeed the whole Answer is in one kind or other a continued pleading for Baal, and a calling Error Truth, and Darknesse Light. O the wretchednesse and wickednesse of Cretens. whereas for these abominations of the Errours, Heresies, Blasphemies of our times, (known too well to all the Kingdome) he should have sat down astonied, mourning and sighing, rending his heart, crying out, my bow∣els my bowels, I am pained at the heart; the man makes a sport and mock of them to make himself & the Independent sons of Ieroboam who are of his own con∣stitution merry with them, using also several Artifices & sophistications to elude the truth. And tho this be very sad that such a man as Cretens. who pretends to so much Saintship and holynesse should do thus, or indeed any man who hath but the name of a Christian, yet I cannot but observe a good hand of God in this as well as in the former, thus to leave him as to shame him before all the world, many besides my self taking notice and speaking of this in Cretens. how without all distinction he speaks for, & most shamefully excuses all kind of Errors, Here∣sies, Blasphemies, Antitrinitarians, Ar••ians, Antiscripturists, &c. not finding any one Error or person throughout my book worthy to be blamed; but in this we find no strange thing, for that Scripture must be fulfilled, As for such as turn aside unto their crooked wayes, the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity.

Obs. 3. Cretensis throughout his whole Answer, without excepting any one man makes al those erroneous persons Saints, faithful servants of God, &c. whom I have mentioned in my Catalogue, and though most of the instances in my Re∣lations, where I name persons and insist somewhat largely upon them, be of most dangerous men, & of men holding most abominable horrid errors and blas∣phemous, opinions, as Writer, Webb, Clarkson, Hich, Marshall, &c. yet doth not Cre∣tensis condemn, speak against any one of them, or separate the vile from such as may be pretious among the lower sort of sects, but bundles them up among the Saints, speaking of the S^ts the S^ts, whose nakednes M. Edwards being of Satans Councel, hath laid open, & spread a table for Satan with the shame and sorrows of the Saints, so that in Cretensis Kalender (Cretens. p. 5.) Antitrinitarians, Anti∣scripturists, Arrians, Socinians, Perfectists, are canonised for S^ts as well as Inde∣pendents, Brownists, and Anabaptists, and a man may find there S^t Best, S^t Wrigh∣ter, S^t Webb, S^t Hieb, S^t Clarkson, &c. as well as S^t Goodwin and his Church; and no

question if Saint Best shall suffer by the Parliaments authority, for his damnable Heresies and Blasphemies he sha'l be a Martyr too as well as a Saint in Cretensis Kalender, and be reckoned the Protomartyr of the Sectaries; and in this the Reader may observe how Cretens. (no question against his own intention) whilst the main scope of his Pamphlet is to make Gang••aena a lying book, confirms the truth of many passages related in it, namely the Independents holding with all other Sects, not dividing from them, pleading for them upon all occasions, strengthn••ng their hands, bringing them off from danger, &c. all which Cretens. in many pages of his book makes good, and though he had a fair occasion upon the coming out of Gangraen•• to have casheired many out of their number (there being so many foul Sects and Sectaries discovered) and can never come off with honour for not taking it, yet 'tis evident Cretensis will not loose any one sort of Sects or any one Sectary, but joyns them with himself and his own Church, the Saints, the faithfull servants of God, and such like.

Obs. 4. Cretensis out of his pride, and in his rage casts fi••e brans every where, abusing and having a fling at all he comes near, or takes an occasion to speak of, and that not only particular single persons of approved integrity and abilities, but whole societies, as the Honourable Court of Common-Councell, p. 49. cal∣ling them Brethren in iniquity with me, for representing in their Petition to the Parliament, that there were e'even meetings at least of Sectaries in one Parish in this City, yea and all Presbyterians Assembled and not Assembled: Had Cretensis only abused and scorned me, a poor weak thimblefull of dust, that in his account knowes not how to range Parts of Speech in a sentence, nor to put the Nomina∣tive Case and Verb together regularly in English; I could have born it, and passed it by, as I have done many of the like kind; but who can without a check, suffer this proud man to slight and scorn all kind of worthy men, as if all wisdome and understanding dwelt in him alone.

Obs. 5. Cretensis in severall places of his Book abuses Sctipture (bringing that in to serve his turn to make j••st; and scoffs upon me and others, as in pag. 9.15. &c. 'Tis a great iniquity in me (as Cretensis would make it) to abuse his Saints, but no fault in him to make jests upon the Scripture.

Obs. 6. Cretensis Pamphlet consists of little else but great swelling words of vanity, jears, scoffs, bitter reproaches, long-winded sentences, preambles, cir∣cumlocutions, and multitude of words without waight and matter, so that if a man substract all these, what remains? certainly all the matter, reason and strength of this Book may be writ in a gold Ring, and there will hardly be e∣nough to fill a poor weak thimblefull of dust; as for example, what ado doth Cretens. make, speaking over and over the same things, spending whole pages and leaves upon that which he might have spoken & answered to in three or four lines; as

about bowling on dayes of Thanksgiving, he runs out from pag. 28 to 36. and so carps at the word meeting in pag. 36, 37. Now 'tis an evident signe the man could not find matter of exception in Gang••▪ to work upon, that he so catches at words and phrases; no man who is in his wits, and hath good employments, will spend his time in picking of strawes and catching flies.

Obs. 7. Cretensis if not formally and in so many words, yet vir••ually doth ani∣mate and stir up the Sectaries to fall upon me, dealing by me in opposing the er∣rors of the Sectaries, just as the Jesuits and Papists do against those who write and preach against their way, telling some of their seduced followers, it will be a meritorious work to kill such, and take them out of the way; and if Cretensis do not so, what mean these words p. 19. And let Mr. Edwards know, and let his consci∣ence and compeers know, that whatsoever he shall suffer, whether from his Sectaries or others in this bloudy negotiation, he shall suffer not as a Christian, nor with Christ, but as a Malefactor and an evil-doer; implying, that if the Sectaries mischief or kill me for my book 'tis but an act against a Malefactor and an evill-doer.

Obs. 8. Cretensis takes upon him to set out a Book which he cals an Answer to a Treatise lately published by Mr. Edwards called Gangraena, and yet in this Answer professes that he hath not read one quarter of the Book as ye••, and that he hath neither leasure nor opportunity to search to the bottome, or sift to the bran; all that the man storieth per se and per alios in his Gangraena. Now I think these are the only true passages in the Book; for had Cretensis read the Book thorough, and well laid to heart the Contents of it, and compared one thing with another which I say in my Book, I think he would never have writ∣ten such an Answer, nor belched out such unsavory passages against it; I be∣leeve if Cretensis had read it thorough, there are such sad and serious passages in many places of the Book as would have awed his conscience; but in the mean time how well becoming such a learned deep Rabbi and wise man as Cretensis would be thought to be, 'tis to write an Answer to a Book, and to professe he n••ver read one quarter of it, I leave to all rationall men to judge, and to Creten∣sis himself upon a review: I had thought Master Woodwards folly spoken of by many for giving his censure and judgment upon my Antapoligie before he read it over (only dipping here and there) would have been a warning to other men. Master Edwards as weak a poor thimblefull of dust as he is, not knowing according to Cretensis Grammar, how to put the Nominative Case and Verb together, &c. would have been ashamed to have had so little wit or reason, as to make an Answer to a Book, and in that to declare to all the world he never read a fourth part of it, but I cannot but take notice of the good hand of God in befooling Mr. Goodwin in this, as in many other passages of his An∣swer

to cause him to proclaim thus his own shame and folly to the world.

Obs. 9. Great Cretens a deep Divine, a Teacher of Teachers (as some cry him up) the great lying Oracle of the Sectaries, yet further 〈◊〉〈◊〉 out his own shame and folly in saying the far greatest part of the particulars detected mi••e obserued by o∣thers, and presented to him. (Creten••. p. 50.) Is not this a strange and new way of an∣swering Books, for men to take up things upon trust from others, to go by an implicite faith, and not to see with their own eyes, nor examine things them∣selves, especially for a man upon things observed by others, to make such a mighty businesse and to carry matters in such a scornfull triumphing way posi∣tively charging a Book with lying forgery, &c. as Cretensis doth? what if Cre∣tensis Saints, who observed and presented matters to him, (being parties) should out of weaknesse, in judiciousnesse, or partiall affection, if not malice and wil∣fulnesse mistake and pervert my sayings, where is Cretensis then? I must tell Cretensis the poor weak thimbleful of dust, so scorned by him as not worthy to car∣ry his Books after him, doth not use to make Answers to Books without read∣ing one quarter of them, but before he sets forth Answers, he reads them many times over, laying and comparing one thing with another, neither takes he any thing upon trust from other mens observations which he writes as his own, or can come to see with his own eyes. Should Mr. Edwards in writing any of his Books, or in this last have taken Cretensis slight course, there's no question but before this time Mr. Edwards had heard after another manner, and in another way of his Books then he hath, especially of his Antapologie and Gangraena; but the poor weak thimblefull of dust, that knows not how to range his Parts of Speech in a sentence, &c. hath more brains in this then the bushel full of dirt, who though Cretensis have more guts and garbage and be better bodied yet in the opinion of wise men will be thought to have lesse understanding, and fewer brains in ex∣pressing himselfe so as he hath done.

Obs. 10. All the materials and ground-works Cretensis makes use of and goes upon in his Answer to Gangrae. to disprove the truth of things related by me (as the Reader may observe) are either the Testimonies of the parties themselves, as Overton, Cosens, Kiffin, Lilburn, Mr. Burroughs, &c. (which in their own case are little to be credited; and if according to Cretens. (p. 12) rule it be no regular pro∣cesse in Law, to ask my fellow whether I be a theif, then sure 'tis no good o••e to ask a mans self if he be a theif) or doubtful dark Answers to matters of fact, that may be taken in divers senses just like the Answers of the lying Oracles, of w^ch there are many instances, as in that of Lilbur▪ playing at Cards with many others, or else his witnesses wil be found to be Sectaries, Anabaptists, Apprentice boyes, or parties interested, or such like; (Cretens. p. 44) as for instance in Mr. Ricrofts Letter, whereas my proofs of things will be found to be of another nature, most of the greatest things laid down in my Catalogue known to my self and many,

many, the Books being extant to prove them, and most of my witnesses will be found to be godly able Ministers, and other eminent, sound, substantial Christians, and the worst of them of more repute, more likely to know things they reported then the best of yours (excepting Mr. Burroughs, whom yet I shall prove to have forgot himself in writing that Paper set down by you Page 42.) beside, the persons whom I had relations from, had no reason to speak things out of partiality, prejudice, but only the naked truth, many things being related to others as well as to me; besides, few of them who writ or related these matters, did them out of any design against the Sectaries, but only in a way of declaring, and bewailing to what passe things were come; and if to all these be added what Cretensis himself grants, page 26. one affir∣mative testimony is more valid in Law, then many negative, all that Mr. Good∣win hath alleaged by way of Answer is to little purpose.

Observ. 11. That those very things Cretensis charges me with either in my Antapology, or Gangraena (though most unjustly) as forgery, lying, jugling, bitternesse, malice, bloody negotiation against the Saints, taking up reports, and printing them upon weak and slight grounds, obscene scurrilous writing, contradictions, false English, nonsense, with such like; the man himself, as in other of his Books, so also in this, is most faulty, as the judicious Reader may observe more or lesse in one of these kindes or other throughout the whole Book, and in my full Reply I shall more largely and particularly specifie: In one word, Cretensis is a most ungodly, Antichristian, insolent, proud, mali∣cious, wrathful, lying, obscent▪ scurrilous, nonsense, absurd, contradictory piece.

Observ. 12. Cretensis in all his Books of Controversie and Answers of all sorts that I have seen and met with, is of all Writers in this later age the greatest falsifier of Authors, wresting them upon all occasions, and that with a Gyant-like confidence against their own sense, and contrary to what they are known ex professo to hold, and he will not be beaten off from it, as is ap∣parent in his Treatises of Justification, and in his Answer to Master Prynne, and in this Book bringing in Master Ball for him in the point of Free-will: Now this must arise either from that heretical genius of his, that he sinneth being condemned of himself, speaking lyes in hypocrisie, having his conscience seared with a hot iron, or else from a high flown mad fancy, making things to appear which are not at all, like to that mad man of Athens, who thought all the Ships that came into the Haven were his (though he never were sharer, much lesse owner in any Ship) so Cretensis sancies all learned Writers to be for him' wheares indeed there never was any sound and Orthodox Divine for him, as I shall shew more fully hereafter, and divide Learned Master Gataker from him.

Observ. 13. Cretensis iust Cretian like fastens that upon me in my Gangrae∣na, affirming I say that which I do not, as in pag. 28. Sect. 23. and doth father opinions upon me, meerly from the leaving out of a word or two by the Printers over-sight, Cretens. pag. 23. (though corrected in the second Edition, and abroad full fourteen dayes before Cretensis) which was either done wil∣fully and on set purpose against his knowledge, or from his not reading over my Book, but taking up things upon trust.

Observ. 14. There are many things in Cretensis Pamphlet which he pre∣tends to Answer, making much ado of, and laboring to fasten upon me lyes, nonsense, &c. which yet in the close, after a great many high flown words, Cretensis is forced to confesse them true, and that both of himself and others (though by many words he hath labored to pusle and cast a mist before the eyes of the Reader.)

Observ. 15. I desire the Reader to observe, that this Answer made by this great Rabbi, is but snatches here and there, answering Gangraena by great leaps, as Leopards use to take; Cretensis answers one passage out of p. 70. and then leaps to 128. taking another there, and from p. 128. leaps back to p. 8. and after this sort the whole Answer is: And for those pages where Cretensis fastens upon something to give an Answer unto, even there he snatches, takes not the whole, what goes before, nor what follows after, so that after that rate of Answering (if such kinde of Discourses must have the names of An∣swers) how may not men elude, and make nothing of the excellentest Books that ever were written by men, yea of the Scriptures themselves, and wrest them, if they will not take one place with another, and observe what goes be∣fore, and what follows after: And as this great Rabbies Answer is by snatch∣es, so 'tis full of miserable shifts and poor evasions, as among others, pag. 16. Cretensis gives that reason why my Antapology hath not been Answered in 18. Moneths, because the way by which light and truth should go forth into the world, was hedg'd up by Clergy, Classique Councel••, as with thorns against him: Now I wonder with what face Cretens. can write this, when as all men know the In∣dependents have a Licenser of their own at hand, Mr. Bachilor, who is such a friend to all the world of Believers, that cer∣tainly he cannot deny Cretensis: Do not we daily see the man Licenses without either fear or wit all kinde of Pamphlets, The Error of Anabaptism, against Mr. Marshal, the Error of Seekers in The Smoke of the Temple, A pretended Answer of Mr. Saltmarsh to the Assemblies Petition, and now Cretensis against Gangraena; and will Mr. Bachilor with Clergy, Clas∣sique Councels, hedge up the way as with thorns against Cretensis Reply to Mr. Edwards Antapologiae? Can Cretens. think though his own deluded Church, and other Sectaries may have so much Independent faith as to believe him, that

any Presbyterian hath so little wit as not to laugh at such folly? why could not Iohn Bachilor as well leap over the hedge of Clergy Classique thorne to License a Reply to Antapologia, as an Answer to Gangraena; and pray Mr. Goodwin in your next account you give unto the world by publike writing, give me an account why honest Iohn Bachilor could not as well leap over the hedge of Clergy Clas∣sique thorns to License a full Reply to Antapologia, as to License A brief An∣swer to Gangraena? But no more of this now.

Observ. 16. The Christian Reader may observe Cretensis as in this, and his former Books, so in all his preachings and ways, to have all the characters and marks of false Prophets and false Teachers, not only in his hands, but upon his forehead, so that if I would here enlarge, I might clearly shew all that Christ and the Apostles spake of false Prophets, are to be found in Cretensis; but I will only instance in a few laid down by Peter and Iude in their Epistles, and upon the propounding of them, I know the Reader will say, as face answereth face in glasse, so doth Cretensis answer these Scriptures; Peter saith of the false Teachers in his time; that they speak great sw••lling words of vanity, and that they promise their followers liberty; and Iude, They are clouds without water, carried about of winds, raging waves of the Sea, foaming out their own shame, wandring stars; their mouth speaking great swelling words, having mens person in admira∣tion because of advantage, These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit: Now I do appeal to any man who knows Cretensis, either in his Writings or Preaching, whether he be not a man that speaks great swelling words of vanity; whether he doth not promise his followers liberty, yea, a universal liberty? whether he be not a cloud without water, ••••ourishes and shews without substance? whether he be not a raging-wave of the Sea, foaming out his own shame, witnesse his Answer, a wandring star, wandring from one opinion and Religion to another? and lastly, whether he be not a Separatist and sensual person without the spirit of love, meeknesse, humility, zeal for Gods truth, and of a sound minde: In one word, I do not think theres any man in the Kingdom hath a more heretical head and he••••e th••n Cretensis, and unlesse God give him repentance and recover him out of those snares wherein he walks, I fear if the man lives but one seven years, he will prove as arch an Heretick, and as dangerous a man as England ever bred, and that he will be another David George, Francken, Socinus, and be canonized for a Saint amongst those of Munster, Rae••conia, &c.

Quest. But it may be demanded by some, What's the matter, and what are the causes that such venomour ran••••rous Books as Mr. Goodwins Cretensis; &c. are printed, and so many hard speeches in City and Countrey daily uttered against Master Edwards and his late Book intituled Gangraena, is it not a Book full of Lyes, nothing but Lyes? is it not a Book full of venom and

malice against the Saints and faithful Servants of God, calling for fire and sword against the Saints?

Ans. 'Tis a Book full of truth, as will appear in the Replyes I give to the particular exceptions made against it, and have in part cleared already, and a Book of so much truth, that I believe no Book written this hundred years, having so much variety and particularity in it, will be found to have more; and for the proof of the truth, and reality of the Errors, &c. contained in it, I have expressed my self at large (as foreseeing the Sectaries would call it a Book of Lyes) in my Gangraena, pag. 5, 6, 7, 8. and as 'tis not a Book of Lyes, so neither of bitternesse, nor of speaking evil of the Saints, but a Book free from railing, evil speaking, against the Saints and Servants of God, which at large in twelve several particulars in my full Reply coming after this Book I shew: But no judicious Christian need wonder at it that the Sectaries gene∣rally give out so, for they have nothing else left to say for themselves, and to help their desperate cause, so much discovered and wounded as 'tis by Gan∣graena; and what do they do in this case, but as the Jesuits and Papists did by Mr. Foxes Book of Martyrs, give out it was a Book of Lyes, and writ Books to disprove some matters of fact, taking advantage from some mistakes in cir∣cumstances about names, places and such like, to cry it down; and yet all the Protestants know it was full of truths, and is of precious esteem in the Church of God. Just so do the Sectaries now by my Book; and many of them, that they might possesse the people the more against it, and make that imputation, That▪ 'tis full of Lyes, gain credit with the people, have invented many Lyes and Stories, which they formally tell up and down the City and Countrey for certain (and I can produce several witnesses to prove this, namely Mini∣sters and others, who have come to me and to others to know the truth of them) as that some of the Independent Ministers have been with me, Mr. G. Mr. B. and have convinced me of some Lyes in my Book, as that same of the Souldiers out of the Army, have been with me about the story of Mr. An∣drews, and proved it false to me, as that one whom I name in my Book and speak of, as having some relation from the mans own mouth, coming to me about it, I confessed I knew him not, nor never saw him before, with some other such; all which are meer lyes and fictions of the Sectaries, (so wicked and cunning are they in their generation to uphold their tottering Babel) to prejudice Christians from reading and considering my Book. But good Reader, however falshood and slandering of men, is pretended the great cause of speaking so against me and my Book; the true cause of all the hatred is, because there is so much truth in it: Many men who answer nothing to it, and others who have appeared in writing to disprove the truth, know them∣selves and others too guilty, and that in other passages where they are not

named, and know that I know and can prove it, and that vexes them to the heart; but were it indeed (as many of them against their consciences give out) a Book of Lyes, they would not be so mad at it, but I should before this time a day by some of my good Friends the Sectaries have heard of them after another manner, and i•• another place then yet I have done: But in a word, I apprehend these three following Reasons, as principal causes both in Cre∣tensis and others, of their appearing against me in so much wrath, fury and rage.

1. A Vial is poured out upon the Sun, the glory of their prime men is dark∣ned, both by the Antapology and Gangraena, they who made themselves as the Sun in the Firmament of the Church, are found, by these Books, not only to be as the Moon full of spots, subject to like weaknesse as other men, but to be in the Ecclipse, fuller of blots then others; yea, their Sun is turned into darknesse, and their Moon in••o blood, and they who would have been thought to have been the only Saints, nay Angels dropt from Heaven with new Gospel, new Light, and new Revelations, do evidently appear (by what I have writ∣ten) to all men who have not sacrificed the principles of their ingenuity upon the gainful service of the Independent Faction, to be strange kinde of Saints, if Saints. The best of them appear to be spots in the profession of Religion; but for many among them, who yet are cried up to the Heavens, they have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children: they are a perverse and crooked generation. Now they being men proud, high-minded, impatient of any check and contradiction in their way, who thought alone to have had the repute among the people for sanctity, holinesse, and to have been Idolized by them, and the contrary being so clearly demonstrated by many particular instances and proofs given in my Books, no wonder that they are so mad, and rage against me, and finding their Kingdom full of dark∣nesse, that they gnaw their tongues for pain.

2. By my Books, especially Gangraena, many Sectaries being so discovered by name, and places of abode, laid open in several of their opinions and ways, will not be able for the future to do so much hurt and mischief among the people; their Sheeps skins are by this pull'd over the Wolves ears, and many will now shun and be afraid of them, who before knew them not; and this disappointment of infecting and corrupting others, vexes and mads them to the heart.

3. Their way and design must needs suffer much by this last Book in the esteem of all the Churches, and all the godly persons who are unprejudiced, yea, and of all fair ingenuous men, who before (many at least not knowing

the depths of Satan) might think well of them; whereas now many of them upon reading my Book, have lifted up their hands and blest themselves, to think what kinde of Creatures these Sectaries are, saying, If Independents and Anabaptists be such kinde of men, do such things as this Book shews, God keep us from being such; we had some good opinion of their way, but if they be such Merchants, and have such tricks and wayes as Mr. Edwards layes down, we will be none of them.

Cretensis design, next unto that of rendring my Book and all I relate in it to be false and untrue, is this; The aspersing me and my Antapology and Gan∣graena with such weaknesse and want of all learning, as if I understood neither Latin nor English, nor knew not how to speak or write Reason, common sense, or to frame the structure of a period according the common Rules of Grammar, but were a profound Ignoramus, and so altogether unfit to take upon me the confutation of Errors; and this he insists upon in several Pages of his Pamphlet or Answer. Cretens. p. 10, 23, 24, 36.

Reply. Now in this, what doth Cretensis else but play the Jesuit and Ar∣minian, in stead of solid Answers, thus to flight, vilifie me and my Books, that being just the way they took against such Books as were too hard for them, and knew not how to Answer, as Dr. Twiss's Books against Arminians, &c. but whatsoever Cretensis in his rage casts upon me and my Writings, my Books will speak for me and themselves in the gates; having the testimony of many learned and godly men both of this and other Churches, at home, and beyond the Seas; and could I without blushing and all suspition of prais∣ing my self, relate the passages in Letters, messages sent me, speeches by word of mouth from great Divines, both at home and from abroad, concerning my Antapology and Gangraena, and that not only of particular men apart, but of many in a body both in City and Countrey, as a common joynt act, besides expressions that have faln from some Independents, and Independentis•••• con∣cerning me, my studies in the Controversies of the Church way, and some of my Books (as a speech of Mr. Thomas Goodwin spoken to a Minister one Mr. T. and others then present upon occasion of some Independents slighting me, and my first Book, as Cretensis doth here; yea, passages out of some of Mr. Iohn Goodwins Answers to Mr. Prynne, concerning me and my Antapology) it would be a full confutation of all Cretensis hath said against me in this mat∣ter; yea, a clear conviction that all words of this kinde, are nothing else but the venting of his spleen and passion against me and my Books: But all I will say by way of Answer to Cretensis reproaches of this nature, is, 1. The quick sale these Books had, being bought up by learned and judicious men of all ranks, the last Book Gangraena being now in the Presse the third time within lesse then two Moneths, unto which adding the greatnesse of the

Book, consisting of so many sheets, with the not being exposed to sale by set∣ting up Titles in all places of the City, at Church doors, Exchange, &c. like Wine that needs no Bush (though all ways under Heaven were used by the Sectaries to blast it) is an evident Argument 'tis not such a weak nonsense piece as Cretensis speaks of▪ for in these times when the Presse is so thronged with such variety of Books, and many excellent pieces come forth, more then men can read, judicious understanding men have somthing else to do with their money and time, then to buy and read Books full of nonsense, contra∣dictions, and whose Authors know not how to range their Parts of speech in a sentence, nor how to put the Nominative Case and Verb together regularly in English. 2. I will here give the Reader a true Copy of a Letter to a tittle, sent me from Eight and twenty Ministers out of one County in this King∣dom, whose joynt judgement upon my Antapology and Grangraena, may serve with every indifferent Reader to ballance, yea, to weigh down Cretensis.

Notes

• Cretensis Vide pag. 10. pag. 24.
• Tit. 1.12. The Cre••∣ans are alwaies Lyars.
• This is a lye in Cretensis Catalogue, that Cosens never said it.
• Cretensis, pag. ••.
• Vide Petition of the Lord Major, Aldermen, and Comm••ns of the City of London, presented to the House of Peers. Jan. 26.
• Cretensis pag. 50.
• I professe truly, that I had not read one quarter of the Book of yet, nor know whether I shall ever care to read it through or no. And in pag. 6. I have neither leasure nor opportunity to search to the bottome.
• Saltmarsh, groans for liberty.
• That is proverbially cal∣led the thriving side and way, Offices, Moneys, Honors, Lands, great places attending upon them▪