Reading
Working
First and second part of Gangraena
Text Profile
Genre
Controversial Treatise
Date
1646
Full Title
The first and second part of Gangraena: 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 yeers. 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.
Source
Wing E227
Sampling
The original format is quarto.
The original contains contains footnotes,contains elements such as italics,
A Fresh and further DISCOVERY OF THE Errours and Pernicious Practises of the SECTARIES in England.
HAving laid down in my Book entituled Gangraena, 180. Errors
vented in these times, besides an Addition of some Errours
mentioned in the Appendix, and not enumerated in the former
Catalogue. I do here further present the Reader with a
Catalogue of more Errours not before named, neither, in the
first, nor second Edition of my Book: As also a Relation of
more Stories and Practices, together with some new Letters
concerning them; by all which it will appear that the plague of Sectarisme
rages more and more, putting forth Symptoms presaging death and destrucion
both to Church and State, if not timely prevented.
Additionall Errours to the former Catalogue of Errours; Heresies, &c.
1THat no Opinion is so dangerous or Hereticall as that of compulsion in
things of Religion.
2. That Kingly government among Nations and Common-wealths is unlawfull,
and that for Kings it cannot be said to what use they serve, or that there
is any use of them, except to debauch and vexe a people.
3. It is unlawful for Christians to eate any Swines flesh in regard the Devils
once entred into the herd of Swine.
4. 'Tis unlawfull to eate any manner of blood in any kind of thing whatsoever, and that Black-puddings are unhallowed meat, and that the eating of
Black-puddings is a barbarous custome.
5. That the Devils never sinned, nor have any sin.
B
7
6. That Judas, Cain, and all the damned, yea all the
Devils shall be saved at last; and that there are no hell
torments to eternity.
7. Christ hath repented perfectly, he hath sorrowed for sin perfectly, and
he hath repented for us.
8. Faith is not to be the guide of Reason, but Reason the guide of Faith,
nor is a man to beleeve any thing in Scripture, further then he sees Reason to
induce him.
9. That children of beleevers have more then a fæderall holinesse, an inward
reall holinesse.
10. Christs presence in Heaven, or that Christ is present in Heaven, cannot
be proved by the Scriptures.
11. Some of the Sectaries do affirm and hold they have not only had Revelations,
but they have seen Visions also.
12. The means of God revealing himself and his mind and will to his servants
in reference to their salvation, is immediatly by himself, without Scripture,
without Ordinances, Ministers, or any other means.
13. That 'tis unlawfull to give thanks to God after meat received, though
it be lawfull to do it before eating of meat.
14. That singing of Davids Psalms is blasphemy, and telling of lies.
15. That there is no Justification by Faith, but Faith is only a manifestation
of our Justification.
16. That Repentance is a work of the Law, and so not to be performed by
Christians; and that Christians have nothing to do at all, but only to sit still, hear
and beleeve.
17. Some Sectaries hold they cannot sin, but if they sin, Christ sins in them,
he does all, they are acted by him in all.
18. All set times of private prayers as morning and evening, &c. are
not only unlawfull and superstitious, but they are not to pray at all, nor give
thanks, nor confesse sin, but admire only the Grace of God, that is all they must
doe.
19. That hell-fire never had been, if Jesus Christ had not come.
20. That Jesus Christ delivered never a soul from Hell-fire.
21. That all appointed set meetings of many Christians to pray, hear, confer,
or perform any holy service, whether in a Church way, or out of a Church
way, are unwarrantable, and unlawfull, only occasionally if Christians meet in
a street, or at a house going to visit friends in civility, they may discourse and
talk one with another in points of Religion as they do of other matters.
22. That in the first Conversion of a sinner there ought to be no sorrow
2
8
nor repentance for sinne, God requires none at all.
23. That some Beleevers are as perfect here, as ever they shall be in Heaven,
only they do not see the Lord here with their bodily eyes.
And for a conclusion of this matter, namely for the enumeration of Additionall
Errours, I shall adde only this which I received from the mouth of a godly
Minister, who having conversed with some Sectaries that are Souldiers and
Troopers, gave me this answer, March 13. upon a question propounded by me
what strange opinions do they hold. They hold (saith he) all opinions whatsoever
that are against the power of godlinesse, and the honour of Christ.
An Extract of a Letter lately sent me from a learned and godly Minister in Essex.
Good M. Edwards,
I Thank you for your Book: Oates whom you mention in your Book, hath been
sowing his Tares, Boolimong, and wild Oates in these parts these five weeks
without any controll, hath seduced hundreds, and dipped many in Bocking River
and when thats done he hath a Feast in the night,
and at the end of that the Lords Supper. All opera
tenebrarum. No Magistrate in the Country dare
meddle with him, for they say they have hunted
these out of the country into their Dens in London,
and imprisoned some, and they are released, and sent like decoy Ducks into
the country to fetch in more; so that they go on in divers parts of Essex with
the greatest confidence and insolencie that can be imagined. M. Archer of Halsted
preaches boldly against Parliament, Assembly, Directory, Ministery and all:
I pray you let me hear whether there be any hope of light shining out of darknesse.
Ellis an Antinomian, brother to Ellis of Colchester the Independent,
married a widow, got two hundred pounds of hers, made her beleeve hee
would carry her to his friends in the North, but left her by the way, and ranne
away with the two hundred pounds. That miscreant seduced many. Your book
doth much good: I shall pray God to speed your Plough, who am
Your assured friend
An Extract of a Letter written to me last week from a learned and godly Minister in Colchester, together with a Relation of a Monster lately born there of Parents who are Sectaries.
SIr,
I have sent you in this enclosed, the true Story of the monstrous birth
in our Town. I thank you for your Book: The Sectaries rage at it, but it is
B2
9
a sign it doth the more good. Thus beseeching the great God to continue your
courage and resolution for his name to the utmost, I rest,
Your affectionate Brother in the Lord.
Memorandum, that upon the 18. day of Febr. 1645. one Goodwife Cosens
of Peters Parish in Colchester brought forth two children both dead, the one a
perfect child the other was born without a head, having upon the breast some
characters of a face, nose, and eyes, wanting one arme and the other arme being
rather the stump of an arme, ended in a crotch of two fingers, with something
like a thumb coming out of one side of it: Downward one of the feet
was perfect, the other foot wanted a heel, and had only two toes which grew
forward, and another two growing out of one side of it. The Father of this
Monster is a Separatist, frequenting their congregations an enemy to the baptising
of his own children; the Mother a hearer in the separated congregations
likewise, who resolved heretofore, that if ever she had any more children, they
should never be baptized. This Relation is affirmed by those of trust and
understanding, that saw this Monster, and know the parties.
An Extract of a Letter sent me from a Commander now in the Parliament service, dated Decemb. 29. 1645.
SIR,
THe constant practise of many Officers and souldiers with them, was to exclaime
against their Ministers wheresoever we marched, pressing them
and their adherents more then any other; they did discourage the people, generally
affirming that the best of our Preachers were Popish, and that it was unlawfull
to heare them, but did hope to see them all
pact to Rome, and their superstitious Steeplehouses
puld down to the ground; great variety of opinion was amongst our
Officers and Souldiers, some affirming that they had had Revelations and seen
Visions, al of them at liberty to argue and hold what phantasticall opinion they
pleased, those were the men most countenanced, and soonest raised to preferment;
some of them would take upon them to prophesie, saying, they
should live to see all lording power laid aside in this Kingdom. In my distresse
when the enemy was upon me, I sent to most parts adjacent for assistance, but
could have none, only from one place came to me forty Volunteers, with
some two or three Officers, professing themselves all Independents, and they
10
told me they hoped to finde me so, and if I should continue still in my opinion
for Presbytery, they thought their labour ill spent; they staid with me all night,
and the next day there came to them a Leiutenant, a most dangerous fellow,
maintaining most horrid opinions, as you may see by the information which
is truth; this Lieutenant was to preach to them in a
private house, which I had notice of, and did prevent
him, which they took very ill of me, and immediatly they left me, and marched
away with Lieutenant - Since, one of the chiefest of them sent me word
by our Quarter-master, that I should have little or no pay, so long as I staid
in - if I did not agree and side with - I finde the message too true,
for I finde little pay or none. Sir, I could say much more of their practises against
me and others, but I should be too tedious; but this more I shall adde,
I never marched where I heard more talk of godlynesse, and lesse practise of
it in my observation, for they are cruell without mercy, covetous without
measure, professing self-deniall, yet leave no stone un-turned to advance
there estates and honours. The Lord prevent their wicked designes, and
keep this Kingdom from being ruined by such a wicked people, Sir, I rest.
Your servant.
A Relation of some passages of a great Sectarie, a Lieutenant about the beginning of June last. 1645.
HAving had much arguing with him and his adherents in opposition to the
Antinomian way, in the morning wherein they seemed to glory much in
the victorie, though I know no cause for it at all: The Lieutenant came courteously
towards even in to my house (as he said) to take his leave of me; which
some of his party perceiving, followed him; and others taking notice of their
resort, followed also: The subject of our discourse was about the meanes of God
revealing himself, and his minde and will to his servants in reference to their
salvation; He affirmed and maintained violently that God did it immediatly
by himself without Scripture, without Ordinances, Ministers, or any other
meanes; He being asked about the third Person in the Trinity, denyed there
was any such thing as a Trinity of persons, but affirmed them to be three Offices;
and being demanded what he thought of Christ, whether the Godhead and
manhood were united in one Person in Heaven: He answered only to the last
word, and denyed that it could be proved by the Scriptures Christs presence
in Heaven; and when some Scriptures were produced, which had reference to
his Resurrection and Ascention, he replyed, that it was a great question, whether
B3
11
there was a Resurrection or not; he said he did not deny it absolutly, but
that he made a great question of it: At the parting, before him I replyed to
the by-standers, Gentlemen, if I should have come and a told you that this
Gentleman had denied the Trinity of persons, and Christs presence in Heaven,
and that he called in question the Resurrection, you would not have beleeved
me, had not your own eares heard the same.
This is attested and subscribed by the hand of a godly Minister in whose presence
all this was spoken, together with a Relation of the names of the
other witnesses, persons of quality and worth, who were all present at
this Discourse, and I have the Originall in my power to produce upon
any occasion.
A Relation of some Stories, and remarkable Passages concerning the Sectaries.
THere is one Lawrence Clarkson, a Seeker, spoken of in my Gangræna,
pag. 104, and 105. who put forth a Pamphlet called The Pilgrimage of
Saints, wherein are many passages highly derogatory to the Scriptures, denying
them to be the rule of a Christian, or that in Doctrine or Practise half of
Gods glory was revealed as yet; this man a Taylor and a Blasphemer preached
on the Lords day, March eight, at Bow-Church in Cheapside, in the afternoone:
He began his prayer to God, with Right Honourable Lord God, and
in his Prayer he prayed that God would blesse the Kings Army, and blesse the
Saints both in the Parliaments Army and the Kings, his Sermon was a Rapsody
of nonsence. This was not done in a corner, but in a great and full Audience;
there was present at this Sermon one Member of the House of Commons, if
not more, besides divers other persons of quality; and thought this Clarkson
was in London some time after this, and may be still for ought that I know, yet
was he never questioned, nor called to any account for this, or for his Pilgrimage
of Saints, as ever I could learn.