76 The LIFE of the LIB. I. ved that the Proteftants, and particularly the Presbyterians abhorred it and fuf- fered greatly for oppofing it; and that it was the A& of Cromwell's Army and the Sectaries, among which 1 named the VaniJtt as one Sort, and I (hewed that the Fryers and Jefuits were their Deceivers, and under feveral Vizors were difperft among them ; and Mr. Nye having told me that he was long in hay, I Paid, it was confiderable how much of his Do&vine their Leader brought from Italy; whereas it proved that he was only in France and Helvetia upon the Borders of Italy, and whereas it was printed from Italy, I had ordered the Printer to coned it [from- wards Italy, ] but though theCoppy was corrected, the Impreffion wasnot : Here- upon Sir Henry Vane being exceedingly provoked, threatned me to many, and fpake againft me in the Hoof; and one Stubbs (that had been whipt in theConvo- cation Houfe at Oxford) wrote for him a bitter Book againft me, who from a Vanift afterwards turned a Conformift, fine that he turned Phyfician, and was drowned in a (mall Puddle or Brook as he was riding near the Barb. I con£eft my Writing was a means to leffen his Reputation, and make mentake him for what Cromwell (that better knew him) called him a fugier: and I with I had done fo much in time : But the whole Land rang of his Anger and my Danger ; and all expe&ed my prefent Ruine by him. But to thew him that I was not about Recanting (as his Agents would have perfwaded me ) I wrote alfo againft his HealingQaeftion, in a Preface before my Holy Commonwealth. And the fpeedy turn of Affairs did tye his Hands fromExecuting his Wrath upon me. Upon the King's Coming in, he was queftioned, withothers, by the Parliament, but feemed to have his Life fècured : But beingbrought to the Barr, he fpake fo boldly in juftifying the ParliamentsCaufe, and what he haddone, that it exafpe- rated the King, and madehim re%Ive upon his Death. When he came to Tower- hill to die, and would have fpoken to the People, he began fo refolutely as caufed the Officers to found the Trumpets and beat the Drums , and hinder him from (peaking. No Man could die with greater appearanceof gallant Refolution, and Fearlefnefs than he did, though before fuppofed a timorous Man : Infomuch that the manner of his Death procured him more Applaufe than all the Adkins of his Life. And when he was dead hisintended Speech was printed, and afterwards his Opinions, more plainly expreffedby his Friend than by himfelf. When he was Condemned fomeof his Friends defired me to come to him, that I mightfee how far hewas fromPopery, and in how excellent a Temper, (think- ing I would have askt him Forgivenefs fordoing himwrong) : I told them, that if he had defired it, I would have gone to him : but feting he did not, I fuppofed he would take it for an injury; for my Conference was not like to be fuch as would notbe plealing to a dying man : For thoughI never called him a Papift,yet I Rill fuppofehe hath done the Papilts fo much Service, and this poor Nationand Re- ligion fo much wrong, that we and our Pofterity are like to have caufe and cime enough to Lament it. And fomuch of Sir Henry Vane and his Adherents. § rar. The fecond Se&which then rote up was that called Seekers: Theft taught that our Scripture was uncertain ; that prefent Miracles are neceffary to Faith; that our Miniftry is null and without authority, and our Worfhip and Ordinances unneceffary or vain; the true Church, Miniftry, Scripture, and Ordinances being loft; for which theyare now Seeking. I quickly found, that the Papitis principally hatcht and a&uated this Se&, and that a confiderable Number that were of this Profeffion were fome Papi(ts , and Tome Infidels: However they clofed with the Vaniits,and (bettered themfèlves under them, as if they had been the very fame. § 122. The third Se& were the Ranters : Theft allo made it their Bufinefs asthe former, to fer up the Light of Nature, under the Name ofCbriJt in Men, and to diflronour and cry down the Church, the Scripture, the prefentMiniftry, and our Worthip and Ordinances ; and call'd men to hearken to Chrift within them: But withal, they conjoyned a Curfed Doctrineof Libertinifm , which brought them to all abominable filthinefs of Life: They taught as the Familifs, that God regardeth not theA&ions of the Outward Man, but of the Heart ; and that to the Pure all things are Pure, ( even things forbidden): And fo as allowed by God, they fpake moti hideous Words of Blafphemy, and many of them committed Whoredonts commonly : Infomuch that a Matron of great Note for Godlinefs and Sobriety, being perverted by them, turned fo thamelefs a Whore, that the was Carted in the Streets of London. There
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