Donatists.

THe Author of this Heresie was one Donatus born in Numidia a Province of Affrica, their opinion was that they and none but they were the only pure Christian Congregation and that they (especially) were the true Church, such as embraced their Discipline and come to them, they baptized again of what age or sect soever, they affirmed that the Church consisted all of good people, and that no bad Christian was a member of it, this Heresie was in An. 353. look Bishop Coopers Dictionarie.

Publican.

In the 9. year of the Reign of K. H. 2. Anno 1163, there came into this Kingdom one Gerrard, a German, with 30 more with him, and they called themselvs Publicans, they denyed Matrimony and both the Sacraments. Gerrard himself had some Learning, the rest were ignorant persons whom he missed; they were examined and found guilty, and obstinate Heretiques, for which they were marked in the fore-heads with a hot Iron, their leader was marked in the chin and fore-head; after that they were all sharply whip'd, which punishments they seemed to receive joyfully. Lastly, by command of the King and State, they were turned out of prison, and all people were forbidden either to harbour or relieve them, so that with the extremity of the cold winter, and want of food and harbour they all dyed, miserably starved with cold, and famished with hunger, Stow page 151.

Disciplinarians.

There came 100 and 20 persons from Holland, Zealand, and those parts, through Flanders to London, where it was their daily exercise to pray and whip themselves twice a day in Pauls, and • n the streets, their body being naked from the waste upwards, the whip being 3 whipcords with knots, so that the blood ran down their shoulders, arms and sides, and as they marched in this bloody procession, every one of them had a red crosse in his hat and 4 of their companions went singing before them, this sect was in the Reign of King E. 3. Anno 1349. Stow Chronicle.

Anabaptists of these latter times.

On the 29. of April, in the 32. yeare of the Raigne of Henry the 8. Anno 1541. one Mandevill and one Collins (both Anabaptists) were examined at Saint Margaret, Church at the Hill in Southwarke, and there they were condemned and judged to be burned as Hereticks; which was executed on them accordingly, in the High way betwixt Southwarke and Newington.

In the 17. yeare of Queene Elizabeths raigne, Anno 1574. there was one man and 10. women judged to be burned for being Anabaptists, but after much suit made one woman recanted and all the rest were banished. And in the same yeare, the 12. of Iune 5. Englishmen of the sweet Sect called, The Family of Love, did pennance at Pauls-Crosse, and there confessed and detested their wicked and damnable Heresies. And on the 22 of Iuly following two, Dutchmen Anabaptists were burnt in Smithfield. Also the same yeare (in May • 5.) 27. Anabaptists were taken and imprisoned, and 4. of them bare faggots for penance at Pauls-Crosse, and recanted. Stow, pag. 679, 680.

And in these our dayes the said Anabaptisticall sect is exceeding rise, for they doe swarme here and there without feare of either God or man, Law or Order.

In the 33. yeare of Queen Elizabeths raigne, Anno 1591. one Edmund Copinger Gent. and Henry Arthington Gent. these two on the 16. of Iuly in the morning in the yeare aforesaid went to one Iohn Walkers house at Broken-wharfe, London, where they found a Yeoman of Northamptonshire in the parish of Oundle, named William Hacket, to whom the said Copinger and Arthington said, that they were come to anoint him King, but Hacket replyed againe that they needed not so to doe, for he was already anointed in Heaven by the Holy Ghost; the said Hacket caused Copinger and Arthington to beleeve that he was Iesus Christ, and to proclaime him so in London, and at last for these horrible blasphemies and some wicked Treasons against the Queene, Hacket was hangd and quartered in Cheap-side, 1595. his two prophets, one of them starvd himself to death wilfully, in Bridewell, the other lay a long time languishing and repenting in the Counter in Woodstreet: he that list to reade more of this at large, shall find it truly related in Mr. Stowes Chronicle, page 761, 762.

Also one Francis Ket was burnt at Norwich, in the 31. yeare of Queene Elizabeth, 1589. he was a Master of Art, and justly dyed for holding most wicked opinions of our Saviour Iesus Christ.

In the 16. yeare of the rsigne of King Iames, Anno 1618. one Iohn Traske denyed and despised our Church Government, refused our Christian Sabbath, and affirmed that Brawne, Porke, Bacon Pigge, and all swines flesh was abhominable, for which Errours the said Traske was on the 19 of June in the yeare aforesaid, mounted to the pillory at Westminster, and from thence whipt to the Pleet, where (repenting and recanting) hee was beneficed, and became an honest, diligent, and painefull Preacher, Stow 1029. pag.

Brownists.

This Sect sprung from one named Brown, who is of that Antiquity, that many (yet alive) did know him when hee was a Schoole-master to the Free Schoole in Saint Olaves in Southwarke: This man (Browne) in his browne study, did plod to preach, and did practise and exercise in Woods, thickets, fields and under hedges, to a great many of poore people, whom hee seduced to be as wise as himselfe: hee said that the Church of England was not a Church (perhaps his meaning was it was not a true Church) but when he was preferred to the Benefice of a parsonage in Northamptonshire, the parish being called A Church, then the Church of England was a Church with him, and his parish Church of A Church, was a conformable and a true Canonicell Church, and he lived till within these 7 yeares there, and dyed a conformable church man, but he hath left a most pernitious and seditious traine of his sect behind him, of all trades, ages, sexes, and conditions, and when all trades faile they can make a shift to be all preachers

Amongst all these hereticks and heresies, sects and sectaries, and schismatickes, I have not medled or mentioned the Puritan. the reason is, that I doe not know any that either deserves or dares to take the name or title of Puritan upon them.

It is an Epithite of reproach, which rash or malitious men do cast upon many persons who do strive to live in Gods fear, & desire to dye in his favour, and it is likewise a name which covers a great deal of craft and villany under the veil and vizard of Hypocriticall sincerity, and my opniion is, that if there be any that are to be so called, they must be such Romane Catholicks that doe presume to be saved by their own good works, which pure, most impure, Doctrine is one of the grounds and Tenent of the popish Religion, and of no Church else in the world, so that my conclusion is that none deserves the name of a Puritan, but such as dare presume by their purity to save themselves and others: Thus have I briefly shewed that the Church of Christ hath in all ages been opposed and oppressed by Heretiques and Schismaticks, I could name many more opinions of men, who were all great and glorious lights in the Church, and most illustrious instruments for the advancement of Christian Relig • on; and yet they have in some points differed one from the other, as Wickliffe, Luther, Beza, Calvin, Bucer, Melancton, Oeclampadius; yet for all other great diversities, they have alwayes agreed in the main Fundamentall points of Christian Doctrine, so that the outsides of Ceremonies of Religion did not shake the peace of the Church.

But in these times the Church and Church-Government is not only shaken, but shattered in pieces, almost for nothing else but outward indifferent Ceremonies, such as in themselves seemed offencelesse Hand-maids for their order and decency, to wait and attend the Church as Ornaments, and not for superstious Adoration These shaddows have not only bin with violence pu • 'd down, but the substance which is Gods Ordinance hath bin sacrilegiously intruded and usurped upon by an imdudent rabble of ignorant Mechanicks, who have dared to prefume to preach, not being cal'd or sent, nor knowing how, or when, eyther to speak or hold their peace.

I have read that the Grand Senior, or great Turk at Constantinople, did demand due of an English Ambassadour, this question, Quoth he, if I would be a Christian, there are so many sorts and sects of them, which Christian should I be, to whom the Ambass • dour replyed, that it was the only safe way to be a Protestant; but a French Nobleman standing by, being a Roman Catholicke, and he demanded of the Englishman that if he would be a Protestant, that hee would tell him which Protestant he should be, by this may be perceived, that the Turke takes notice of the divisions of Christian Religion, and the Papists do take advantages at our d • sunion and contentions; yet the Protestant Religion in it selfe is in a most sweet harmonious Uniformity, but the crew of Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, have done, daily do, and will do, their uttermost malice and mischiefe to rend all in pieces, whilst he is accounted the best member in a Common-wealth, that can either Libell most scandalously, revile most despightfully, or teare and spoile most couragiously, and villanously.

And it is to be wondered at the many unlicenced licentious Pamphlets that have been scattered about the Kingdome within these 23. months, wherein neither Religion, Church, King, Peeres, Priest, or people have escaped Railing, Libelling, and transcendent traducing, so that it may be supposed, that the paper that hath beene wasted by those pestiferous pamphleteeres, would goe neere (if it were laid sheet by sheet) to cover the whole Kingdome; and this is certaine, that they have drawne many thousands of poore idle people from all parts of England to London, where without serving any Apprentiship, they take a freedom to sell Bookes, so that the Book-sellers are encreased ten fold in number within these two yeares: And what stuffe doe they sell (for sooth) things New Lye come forth and things either of no worth, or else Speeches fathered upon men that never knew of them, or Newes out of Scotland or Ireland, made over night in an Ale-house, and printed in the morning Cum privilegio, 1642. then are the streetes embroidered with lyes, lice, and Beggers, to the great abuse of true Writers, the scandall of this Honourable Citie of London, and the universall injury to the whole Kingdome, for that such numberlesse numbers of lyes and Fables are scattered and disperst (not ouely here in our owu Couutrey, but in all parts else they are transported over the Christian World.

To conclude this Booke of Errours and Heresies, seeing there have beene, are, and will be such to the end of the world, and that amongst all these wayes there is but one Right way. It is a griefe to any Christian heart to consider how many thousands are out of the way, that doe dare to presume to call themselves Christians; some are so farre blinded, that they hold all manners, Decencie, Order, comely Gesture, or Ceremony, as standing at the Bel • efe, kneeling at the Lords Prayer, or at the receiving of the Sacrament, Bowing at the Name of Iesus, or Reverence in be • ng uncovered at the entring into the house of God, all these are accounted Superstition, Idolatry, and Popery: but to come to the Church boldly or rudely as into a Taverne, an Ale-house or stable; I am sure there is no Popery in that, and for Christianity a man may finde as much amongst the barbarous Canniballs.

So that some men are jeered out of true and sincere Religion, for feare of being called Puritans, and too many have laid by all Order, Manners, and Decencie in the Church, because they will not be accounted Papists.

Besides all these wayes of Heresie (which are all out of Gods way) let us consider the infinite numbers of Atheists, Heathens, Pagans, Jewes, Turkes, Infidels, and divellish Idolators, that are upon the Face of the Earth; If these things be but ponders in a mans heart that feares God, it will strike terrour and amazement into him, to consider how little service the Almighty hath from Ingratefull mankinde, for that he by his power, Providence and Mercie, made all, conserves all, and Redeemed all true Beleevers, yet for all these Alls, that good God hath not the tithe of halfe, either in meere thankfulnesse or acknowledgement.

FINIS.