THE LITANY OF JOHN BASTWICK, Doctor of Physic, Being now full of Devotion, as well in respect of the common calamities of plague and pestilence; as also of his own particular misery: lying at this instant in Limbo Patrum. Set down in two Letters to Mr. Aquila Wykes, keeper of the Gatehouse, his good Angel.  
IN WHICH There is an universal challenge to the whole World, to prove the parity of Ministers, to be jure divino.  
ALSO A full demonstration, that the Bishops are neither Christ's, nor the Apostles Successors, but enemies of Christ and his Kingdom, and of the Kings most excellent Majesty's prerogative Royal.  
All which he undertaketh to make good before King and Counsel, with the hazard of otherwise being made a prey to their insatiable indignation.  
A Book very useful, and profitable for all good Christians to read, for the stirring up of devotion in them likewise.  PROVERB. Chap. 25. vers. 2. 
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, but the honour of the King is to search out a matter.  
PRINTED By the special procurement, and for the especial use of our English Prelat● in the year of Remembrance, Anno 1637.   

THE SECOND PART OF THE LATENY, OF JOHN BASTWICK, Doctor of Physic.  
WORTHY SIR  
I Was sometime in a demur, whether I should answer any thing or no, unto the exceptions you made against my LITANY: and had I not indeed heard from many, that others also, from your speeches conceived something in it, might well have been omited, who by that means, began to have a preiudicat opinion of my honest endeavours, I should never have vouchsafed to have given a reason of my proceedings in that behalf, till I had been called in question. But in regard of that: I thought fit in the mean time, in a few words to signify unto you, that whatsoever you seem to blame, as either favouring of rashness, or not so grave, was of purpose put in by me, and proceeded from no disguised distemper or unadvisednes but from mature deliberation and very good reason.  
And whatsoever you may think of it, I hope among equal judges, it can no ways, hurt the cause of any honest men, nor procure trouble to me: my only aim and end being the honour of God and the King and the general good of this Kingdom, Which I shall ever prefer before my own life and well being. Nay had I never so many lives, I would willingly lose them all in the cause of either. Neither do I suppose any wise men, to be so shallow, that if I should handle a good cause never so weakly, or unadvisedly, that the truth itself should suffer for my deficiency, or others fare the worse for my temerity. God forbid, that one man's failing should any ways prove fatal to all those that are innocent.  
More charity I do conceive yet dwells in the world, then that the innocuous should suffer with the delinquent.  
But now briefly to sum up what you object against MY LITANY, OBLIGATION and EPISTLE to the LADY. You seemed to blame some three passages, as not so grave but comical, others to hyperbolical, and savouring of some virulency: and in fine think, that some others will be questionable, as scandalous, and somewhat dishonourable to the divine Sacrament of Baptism, and the holy ordinance of Matrimony. To all which, I suppose among all rational men, I shall find no great difficulty to answer, when I am called thereunto.  
But in the mean time, by way of preface, I have sent you the ensuing lines, in the which I shall tell you, and that upon good grounds, there is no just cause why any should blame me for mingling jockey serijs et seria iocis; all scurrility and profaneness being avoided. For there wants not precedents of this kind in sacred writ: that in the most grave and weightiest matters it pleased the Prophets of old to use ironical speeches, yea the holy Scriptures are full of them; But not now to enumerat many, let one at this time suffice to be specified. Where the Prophet deridingly bids. Balls Priests cry aloud, for that their God might either be in a journey, or a sleep, or talking with his friends, I pray was not this as deep an Irony as any ever was, and that in a serious business?  
But to speak no more of that, let us look into all the famous writers of all ages, and you shall find that many of them have used this method, for the discovering and confuting of error, and have more confounded the adversaries of the truth in a pleasant and merry way, then with all the gravity they could ever use. I dare say the Papists themselves will tell you that ALAGUNDE, that noble Gentleman did them more hurt with his Beehive. And two or three other such books, mixing and contempering mirth with seriousness, them the profoundest Doctor of that age with all the pouderosity of Arguments and solidest tractats.  
Such delight change of writing brings, that even as the same meat dressed after a common manner, is not so pleasing, nor so delightful to many, that know the diversity of tastes; but cooked with some variety, as some time with tart, sometime with pleasant sauce, doth conciliat an excellent appetit: so the same truth, diversely set out, and coming forth in a new fashion, and something merrily, makes more gazing after it, then if it were in an ordinary grave matronly habit, which usually is not looked after. Neither was it ever more seasonable, then in this age, where there is such plurality of mutations in all things. Besides, a Writer must look at the condition of the people, whose benefit he aims at, the variety of humours, sexes and conditions, and must so order things, that they may please the most. If gravity please not, they may have that which may make them merry. If seriousness on the other side & sobriety be prized, they may find no want of that neither, there being both the one and the other so mingled together, as they may take away nauciousnes and recreate the readers. And this indeed is the best way of writing, though nothing now a days can please all men's fantasies.  
It was the counsel of the Fathers, to write with diversity of style in the same faith, that the enemies of the Gospel, and errors might the better be opposed, and that the way of truth might the more easily be found out and falsity discovered; an excellent means of which, they conceived to be the variety of styles and writing. And so daily experience teacheth us. It is with many men in our days as it is with those that are stung with the Tarantula in Apulia, who are cured by music, and that not with every sort of music, but such only, as at that instant pleaseth their humour, which the Musician plays long many times before he can find out, or light upon, and sometime can never hit it; so that many perish being suddenly stupisied and benumbed with the poison. But if the fiddler strike upon that string that pleaseth their fantasy, then immediately they dance and so continne till they fall down out of weariness, then keeping them very warm & sweeting them, when they have got new strength that they, begin to stir again, they likewise fall a playing the same lesson, and they dance afresh, and so by fits continue this exercise, till they have sweat-out all the malignancy and the venom: and by this means and this only they are cured.  
Even so I say, in this age where there are so many stung with Popish Tarantulas, all sorts of music cannot please them to make them sweat out their Poison of errors; for I playing formerly▪ somewhat gravely, it delighted not their fancies, I have endeavoured now therefore with a more merry lesson, to try if there be any way to purge that venom & to restore them to sanity of mind and body. Our Saviour Christ compared the men of his time, to a company of little children sitting in a market place, that although their fellows had mourned unto them, they never had condoled with them: and all though they had piped yet they never had danced, so attended they were to their fopperyes and vain inventions, that neither mercy nor indgments nor any thing could prevail with them: And yet our Saviour ceaseth not still to use all means to the bringing them to the knowledge of God and of themselves. And now to speak something to the matter in hand, and for my own particular. You cannot be ignorant, that for these three score years and upward there have been thousands, that have writ with all manner of gravity and humble lowliness calling for reformation, and yet nothing hath been listened unto, but for their pains they have been Severely punished, and miserably undone by the PRELATES.  
As for myself, I neither meddled nor made with them, nor their dignities, and notwithstanding out of their mere suspicion, to the dishonour of God and the King, and our holy profession, they have ruined me and all mine, and I have now lain in prison mourning these two years, and few have lamented with me I must confess I had at this instant a humour of piping, to see if I can put any of my brethren into a mind to dance out of error, & sweat out the contagion and poison of heresies that are now drunk in; and if I shall seem to have been over pleasant, they will I hope dispense with it, when they know the occasion. You think that in my Litany I am too comical, I conceive that to be a misprision in you, for what I have set forth is most true, and not feigned, most of which I have been an eve witness of, and can produce thousands to witness the same with me. And were I a little comical, I hope the PRELATES will not blame that in me: For not long since they themselves, in an open Court of judicature in censuring one that writ against comedies, testified their liking unto them, affirming they allowed of Comedies, so the abuse were taken away (which is absent in mine) & withal said, that some of the ancient Fathers made a Comedy, which was renowned amongst the grave and learned.  
Now if it be a thing commendable in the Fathers, I hope they will not blame it in their children, in the number of which I am filius Ecclesie et patrum: and especially when they allow them in both their Universities, and before the Kings and Qneenes' Majesty; & them also made in the scorn of those they brand with the name of Puritans, to the dishonour of their own Christian profession, and to the exposing of it, in as much as in them lies, to the scorn of the adversaries, in so much, (if I have not heard amiss) that the King's highness and the Queen, to their everlasting honours be it spoke, were displeased with it: and that the Queen should say, that if such affronts should be put upon their Religion in her Country, they would not be thought worthy to live. This I must confess showed a divine goodness in that most illustrious Princess, and doth withal sufficiently demonstrate., that her Grace knoweth what belongeth, a little better to the honour of Religion than our greater Masters.  
But be it as you suppose, as comical as can be imagined, though in truth there be no such thing, with them and mature esteemers of things, I hope it will deserve no blame, If I should play a little upon them, when they make it their daily sport to fill not only their stages, Courts of judicature, but their very pulpits with plays, against the most holiest Christians, yea the chiefest of all their pastimes are employed in scorning, mocking, and telling one filthy tale or other, which of purpose they themselves have invented against them, and all to make them odious amongst all men: and this is their journal practice, yea I say they make their very pulpits stages to disgrace honest men, and their most holy profession, to the infinite dishonour of God, and the ruin of their brethren. I pray go to the Court sermons, and you shall see those SYCOPHANTS sometime bringing into their desks Christ and the King on the one side, and the jews and the Puritans on the other. The King they compare to Christ in all things. The Puritans (as they term them) they compare to the rebellious, disobedient and persecuting jews: putting a reed into the King's hand, in stead of a Sceptre, a crown of thorns on his head and the other accoutrements of scorn, using all manner of contumelies to his Royal Majesty, and crying hail Master, when in the mean time they make but a scorn of his highness, neither regarding him, nor his laws; and yielding no obedience to either. I beseech you Sir, what is this, but an interlude? If this be preaching, than Haman was a good Preacher: for he preached as good doctrine as these do against the poor jews, and sought not only the ruin of one or some sew of them, but the destruction of them all, as the Prelates and Priests of our age now do against their innocent brethren.  
For my part I must confess, I have often gone out of the king's chapel with admiration at the Kings most excellent goodness, and that all the honest men in the kingdom had not long ago been made a prey to their enemy's desire: for if one private man shall but conceive a displeasure against an other, or hear but a sinister report of him, that he is not so well affected to him as he imagines, or that he is his enemy, there is forthwith, a violation of friendship between them, and vever a true reconciliation more to be expected: now if Kings had not more heroical virtues in them of wisdom, patience, clemency, and forbearing, and if our gracious King were not a Prince of surpassing debonerity, we should be as so many sheep unto the slaughter, slain all the day long.  
Nay we have all cause to bless God for our Royal King, and to pray for the continuation of his life and happy reign long among us, and withal, that the Lord would put it into his royal breast, duly to look into the intentions of those enemies of all goodness., who aim not at the flourishing of his crown and dignity but the ruin of it and the true Religion, and to bring in a confusion both in Church and State for the better effecting of those devilish purposes, that no gunpowder plot could bring yet to pass.  
But that we may a little look back to this preachment of the Court Priests, and the comedy in it. Whereas they compared their brethren to the rebellious jews, I could earnestly desire, that his Highness and the Nobility would but seriously a little consider these men's proceedings and their Christian candour in it, and that they would examine them▪ by the rule of truth and judgement, and then they should well perceive, that malice and envy, and not ripe and mature brotherly reason had dictated this calumniating ventosity to them, by which they make themselves prevaricators against God and men. Let them not therefore say, that those they brand with the name of Puritans, are like the jews, but prove it. Wherein I pray have they ever shown their least disloyalty to his Majesty, or plotted any thing against his life or dignity or impeached his royalty in any thing? has he not their lives, liberty and purses to the uttermost, yea above their abilities at his command? do they, or ever did they resist his royal authority in the least thing nay in any thing? do not his servants hale them to prison, take away their goods, drive away their cattle at any time, upon any pretence, without the least reluctation▪ Let daily experience then & the prisons convince this notorious calumniation! wherefore then, are these abominable things acted against them in their pulpits, before King and Council, the whole Nobility, and flower of the Kingdom? I know there is not one of these poor men, but would spend their best blood, abandon their wives and children, and hazard their estates, yea all they have, for the honour of his crown and dignity, and that most willingly, and although they should be trampled upon to death, would never harbour a disloyal thought against his Sovereignty; but as job said concerning God, if the Lord kill me I will trust in him, so I dare promise in the person of them all, if the King should conceive never so meanly of them, and of their allegiance were it to death itself, yet they would a thousand times rather die, before they would be found disloyal in any duty, that the King by the right of a King, or the laws of his Kingdone can either expect or challenge at their hands, or by any authority or Prerogative royal vindicat. How is it them; I say, that these unworthy Priests dare thus abuse the King's royal ears, and so honourable an audience with such daily false accusations?  
What a damnable height of impiety are our profane Priests and Prelates come to, to make the pulpit a stage and place to vent most seditious lies in▪ and those for the incensing of the king against his most loyal Subjects? and that to make a division between the head and the members? the unity of which, is not only the glory, but the safety of a kingdom, which never flourisheth so well, as when there is a sweet harmony between the king and his people.  
This is not to be Ministers of Christ, who is the king of peace, but of the devil and Antichrist, so to preach. Look upon the first Sermon that ever was preached, after the nativity of Christ, by the Angel to the shepherd's, it was a sermon of joy and Peace, and of good tidings. Listen also the heavenly host, what a sermon they made in the theatre of glory, in their praising of God, and you shall hear them saying, glory to God in the highest and on earth Peace, and good will towards men. And when the disciples, like the Priests and Prelates of our age before better information would have had fire come down from heaven to destroy those that would not entertain Christ, he said unto them, you know not of what Spirit you are, teaching all his disciples ever after by that Sermon to preach peace and good will, and not to incite to destruction, their auditors.  
And indeed the Gospel is a message of peace, and the Ministers of it should teach peace and good will, and not war, incensing and inflaming kings against their poor Subjects, and alienating the Subjects from their Sovereign Lords and Masters. Saint Tiberne is a fitter Place & pulpit for such Preachers, than the king's chapel. Neither can there be any thing, writ, spoke, or done too severely against such sowers of sedition, and especially those that make the pulpit a place of it. The peacemakers have ever been blessed by Christ's own testimony; but for such as are cause of sedition oppression and war in a common wealth, they are accursed. Christ the blessed peace maker made peace between God and men. Moses his servant, he stood up in the gap between God and the people, and made an atonement for the people. The Apostles likewise were all preachers of peace, and so are all their true Successors. But our Priests and Prelates, they preach war, and make the Pulpit a place to act their lying comedies in, to the estranging of the king from his Subjects, and breeding in his royal heart sinister surmises against them, to the wounding of the poor Subject's hearts with grief: when they see their King and ruler, the breath of their nostrils, whom they honour and love better than their lives, to be alienated from them. And that the Pecres and Nobles of the king doom, should by their diabolical preachments harbour any evil thoughts of them. This I say wounds the poor Subject's hearts, and of all this lamentable misery are the Prelates & Priests the only cause, by their daily acts in their pulpits.  
They have divers parts in their scene. Sometime they bring them in, as most dangerous and pernicious enemies of his Highness, making them worse than the powder plotters. And because forsooth there was a man killed his mother and his brother not long since, there must be a book printed, that he was a Puritan, & that he did that facinorous exploit, because they would not kneel at the Sacrament and howsoever there be sufficient witnesses to the contrary; yet that must go for current, there must I say be a railing pamphlet set forth against the whole company of those that fear the Lord, as if they were all of the same mould.  
But had it been so, that a distempered man had perpetrated so foul a crime, through some devilish temptation, that had made profession of religion; must it follow they are all such? Because judas was a Traitor, must all the Apostles be therefore condemned? Because one Courtier may be found disloyal to his Prince, therefore must all the rest be accused of the same wickedness? and because one merchant may break and play the knave, shall we say that all are such? good reason will make no such illation. And yet this must be acted and preached before his Majesty and that by a Prelate, that all Puritans are such: and a thousand such impieties are daily laid to their charge. Yea what wickedness is there, that they are not daily accused of to King and Nobles, both privately and publicly?  
I have heard many Sermons at the Court, yet never did I hear any, wherein I saw not the Puritan brought up, with one scorn or other, and some notorious lies told of them. So that I wonder not that those poor men are thought so evilly of, though a most innocent and harmless people, as any lives upon the earth. For when the place of God itself, from whence truth should only sound, is made a theatre of lying and false accusations, no wonder that the King's Majesty and nobles of the Kingdom, have a prejudicated opinion of them they call Puritans, when they expect nothing but truth and veritable narrations from that place.  
In my younger days (that I may in some thing relate my own condition) I was bred in as great a hatred of Puritans, as any tender years was capable of, as it is well known, and thought those men not worthy to live, yet knew not any of them, (our Country having then scarce two in it) neither was there a sermon perhaps in half a year thereabouts, and that read out of a paper book, and half of it commonly was railing against the Puritans. But when it pleased God that some of those, that spoke evillest of them (through surfeiting and excess had brought themselves to languishing sickness, and after to death itself) I say, when those men, in their greatest extremities, chose rather to trust them, yea and to prefer them, before there own brethren and niest kins-folks, and bequeath their children & estates into their hands, and then being also demanded the reason of such trust, and confidence in them, whom they had reputed the worst of men before, and most of all traduced and hated, they then openly declared themselves, and their opinion of them, saying that they were now dying men, and that it was now time to speak the truth, and that they in their hearts believed, they were the true servants of the Lord, howsoever despised and contemned in the world, and withal they desired that their souls might go the way that theirs went.  
I say when I saw such a wonderful change in these men, who were men many of them, of knowledge and understanding in all religions, and some of them travellars and courtiers, and that now on their death beds, they should give such an approbation and so honourable testimony of those men, of whom they had in their prosperity spoken so maliciously, I being then of years of discretion, and better able to discern and judge of things that differ, began more seriously to consider of that matter, and so much the more studious I was, because I had in some sort, seen the vanity of all pleasures, having indeed been bred in nothing else. The right way then to find blessedness, was my only aim: which through God's special favour & benediction upon my earnest endeavours, daily reading of the word and holy scriptures, private duties. godly society and frequent hearing of the word, which is only able to save our souls, I found out, to the praise and honour of his name be it spoken. And I then well perceived, looking into the lives and manners of men, that those that were commonly branded with the name of Puritans, were the happiest, and that if any were eternally blessed, they were such of them as squared there lives in sincerity according to their profession.  
And lest that I might through an overweening conceit of some seeming blessedness in them, be mistaken; I contented not myself with home comparing of men and domestical experience, but I resolved to seek out still a more excellent way if there were any; whereupon I went into foreign nations and lived among all sorts of men, and in the greatest Princes Courts, conversing among all ranks and orders of them, and that many years, and amongst all professions, Courtiers, Soldiers, Scholars, citizens, merchants, and among all sects, of factions and religions, and examining all those in the balance of judgement, I found none in life and death happy and truly comfortable, but those that are branded with the name of Puritans or at least those that live and die in their faith. And for my own particular, to speak now my conscience, I had rather go the way of the meanest Puritans that live and die according to their profession, then of the greatest Prelates that ever lived upon the earth; and this I speak in the presence of God: for of the ones happiness I am as sure as the word of God is sure, and of the others I can promise nothing, he living in rebellion to God all the days of his life, and his repentance not known unto me.  
And notwith standing I say all rhiss, that these are such an holy people: yet are they made but the offscouring of the world, and of all things, and brought upon every stage, and into the pulpit, as fittest for ludibry by the Player's Priests, and Prelates, yea and in their Courts it is enough to ruin a man's cause, if his adversary can but taint him with the name of a Puritan; but most especially are they vilely abused by the Priests and Prelates in their Pulpits.  
Now I say, if it be lawful in them, to make plays of honest men, and to feign what they please against them: I pray let it be lawful in me, in merriment to speak the truth of them, which as near as I can, I will not transgress. If some shall say, they have not so great trains nor so much ado in their marching; I affirm, that at all times, they go more like Princes, then humble Ministers of Christ, and the Apostles Successors, of whom we never read, they came ever in coach or on horseback, but when Paul was mounted by authority; or that they had ever a servant to attend them, much less such pomp and state: & yet one of them converted more souls in one day, than all the Prelates ever did that ever I read of: neither to speak truly, have I heard of any they ever converted, but of many thousands they have confounded. But now to the matter in hand because one of their abetters said not long since, that they had not such attendance as I accuse them of. I say, if they have less company one day, they have more an other, and whether they be their own or others Servants, when they are in their Company, be they the Nobles themselves, they are all their attendants, and the best of them most heartily glad if by their service they can please them, and we know it usual, that the denomination of the retinue is always from the greatest, and they are said to be his followers. And I have heard the pursuivants themselves often brag of the greatness of their Master's attendance, and in such ample manner, as I think the King's Majesty hath not commonly greater: and therefore that cannot be denied, which is daily practised. And for their Servant's insolency I have frequently both seen it and felt it. Now whereas you think, that it will not be will taken, that I call Bishops, Priests and Deacons Antichrists' little toes; and in my LITANY desire deliverahce from them, and withal seem to accuse them of incontinency, all which you think will be censured of unad visednes at least, if not thought scandalous and punishable.  
To this I answer, first, that by Bishops, I understand the Prelates and by Priests their own creatures, a generation unknown in the Church of Christ: and by Deacons, the under Priests in this Kingdom, Officers of which the Scripture knoweth nothing likewise. For the Deacons such as the Churches chose, and were allowed by the apostles, they were men of gravity, full of Faith and the Holy Ghost, men of wisdom and good government and honesty, and were the treasures of the faithful and the Church of God, and distributed the liberalityes of the Saints amongst the poor indigent and necessitated brethren. Now, I know never a Deacon in England either guilty of any of those Virtues before specified, or that was ever employed in that Office, or was thought fit to be trusted, with the treasury of the poor, or took the least care of them, who ordinarily they trample upon and most reproachfully abuse with the name of rascality. So that such Deacons as I pray against, are limbs of the Beast, and the inferior order of shavelings, & such as ought to be spewed out of the Church, as profitable for nothing but the increase of wickedness.  
And for Bishops such as God appointed I honour them, and will maintain their dignity to the last drop of my blood, so far I am from praying against such. Neither did I ever speak unreverently against the King's Bishops, and those that were appointed as an Order in the State, till they had in their open court renounced his authority, and run themselves by that, and many other notorious proceedings into a Praemunire; and so had made themselves enemies of his Prerogative royal, and delinquents against his Majesty, and under his Highness' displeasure, as by the Statutes of the Kingdom they are proclaimed to be, and by the defenders of their proceedings in their Ecclesiastical Courts: who in a book set forth by their common consent, do conclude all those in a Praemunire, that challenge their authority jure divino, as the Pope and clergy of Rome, which at this time they do. And for your better satisfaction look in the Apology for proceedings in Courts Ecclesiastical (a book made by the Prelates own creatures) and in the first chapter, you shall see all the Prelates by their own witness in a Praemunire and delinquents against his Majesty in a high degree of contumacy.  
And truly I think there was never such an affront put upon regal dignity, as on that day I was censured; never such dishonour put upon the Scriptures, by such as would be thought Ministers of the word and the Bishops and Pastors of Christ: neither were the scriptures ever more blasphemously abused, than they were at that time in their open assembly. I shall briefly therefore tell you that day's work, of which there is a thousand witnesses, as also of their impious words against the most sacred word of God and divine oracles of holy writ, by all which, you will see, I have good reason to call them ANTICHRISTS' LITTLE TOES, and to pray against them: for they are as Disperatly impious, & equally to be detested of all such as truly fear the Lord and the King: for if we compare them together, there will no disparity appear between them, they being every way as malicious against the word of God and his dear servants, and as diametrally opposing regality as Antichrist himself. But that all things may the more clearly be evidenced unto you, let me tell you that days proceedings.  
You must take notice, that howsoever, they had feigned some trivial articles against me; they were all by the general consent of the Court thought so poor, as they openly averred they would not condemn me for them; & so much the rather, because those that had sworn to them, were proved to be my capital enemies, and also, in their depositions to have sworn point blank one against an other, and like evil witnesses could not agree in swearing: therefore, they only condemned me for my book, which I writ in defence of the honour of Christ and his Kingdom, and of the Kings most excellent Majesty's prerogative Royal and Supremacy, against the Pope and Popish Bishops, provoked there unto by a Papist; to which duty I was bound both by the law of God & the law of the land, & my special oath, all which I alleged at the bar: & farthermore added that in writing against the Bishop of Rome, I intented no such Bishops as acknowledge their authority from Kings and Emperors, but only those Bishops that usurp authority over Kings and Emperors and their fellow brethren and the Church of God iure divino, and so I had prefaced in my book, which also I openly read there.  
And to speak the truth, I looked for favour and assistance in this combat, from the Prelates; never suspecting that they would have been my enemies, for this endeavour, especially I having also, in that place alleged the Acts and Statutes established by the public consent of the whole Kingdom, in which it was ratified, that the Prelates have all their authority and jurisdiction which they now exercise, from the King, as immediately derived from him, and to affirm the contrary, is to be ipso facto an enemy of his crown and dignity. And as the Prelates, were an order established by the King and state, I was so far from opposing them, that I never impeached their dignity in the least thing in all the book; neither would I ever have meddled with them, if they had kept that standing; but they like the evil Angels out of pride, not keeping their first station, BUT OPENLY RENOUNCING THE KING'S AUTHORITY, and affirming that jesus Christ made them Bishops, and that the holy Ghost consecrated them, and that they were Princes and had their thrones and that before Kings, and all this iure divino, by all which they made me their enemy, they being delinquents against the King. And because I had retified, whatsoever I said in my book by the word of God; they as they had before renounced the King's authority and barbarously reviled me for my pains, most impiously, likewise vilified the holy scripture, Saying in their Sessions, that they looked for some great matter in my book, finding me so confident, but more diligently reading of it, they found nothing but scripture in it, which was the refuge of all Schismatics and Heriticks: and that the Scripture could not be known to be Scripture, but by the Fathers: nor distinguished from the Apocriphd, but by the Fathers: nor the meaning of the scripture could not be known but by the Fathers, and because the Fathers as they said, were in their interpretation divers from me (which notwithstanding is not so) therefore they condemned me.  
But I pray are not all these blasphemous, popish, and damnable assertions? could worse have been forged in the very conclave of hell? Is not this I pray you to tell the Spirit of God to his face he lies? & to teach an other way to heaven then by the Scripture? which Christ the Son of God sendeth us to, and all the Prophets and Apostles, as to the instructers of the simple, and able to make the man of God wise to salvation, and perfectly furnished to every good work, and the which the Holy Ghost compares to a guide and a Lantern for direction, and a light to conduct us in this our pilgrimage and peregrination through the errors of the world, and to keep our feet in the paths of truth? and with the Prelates this great and glorious light, this Scripture must be so obscure, as it must be inferior to all things, that have a power in themselves to declare & demonstrate their own nature, as fire to be fire, gold to be gold, light to be light. But the Scripture only that can not be known but by the help of others, to be the word of God, it cannot be the word of God without the Fathers, and their interpretation of them: for the Scriptures themselves they are the only refuge of Schismatics, the cause of all errors, and that that cometh confirmed and proved only from Scripture, is ever to be suspected with the Prelates. O BLASPHEMY, yea the book that hath nothing, but Scripture, must be adjudged to the fire, and the author of it given over to the Devil, sinned a thousand pounds, and censured to pay the costs of suit, and be debarred of his practice, the only support left for the relief of his distressed family, to the utter undoing of him his poor wise and children, and all this forsooth because there was nothing but Scripture in it. O HORRIBLE impiety! The truth is, howsoever they seemed to condemn it; because it had nothing but scripture that was not the occasion, but the very cause was, because I writ against the Pope Father Antichrist such correspondency there is now between the Pope and the Prelates, that one cannot write against him, but the Prelates say by and by that they are meant by it. The Grols!  
You know that among the Papists, if any of them, hold but any one tenant of the Protestents, as that there is no Purgatory, beside the blood of jesus Christ: or that there are no sins in their own nature venial: or that the Scripture is sufficient of itself, with out traditions: and aught to be the sole rule of life and doctrine and the only judge of controversies: or that the Pope is not Christ's Vicar, nor Peter's successor: or that Christ is not corporally present in the Sacrament of the altar as they call it, for any of these assertions, or any other of our tenants he is forthwith condemned for an heritick, and burnt at a Stake, as daily experience teacheth us. Nay it is a common thing amongst us here in England, let any man hold but any one tenant, of any sect whatsoever, be it as they term them, Brownists, Anabaptists, Antinomians, though in all other things he agree with the Church as they call it: yet he is forthwith adjudged & condemned for such an one. Yea let a man refuse but to eat blood, or Swins' flesh, though in all other things a good Christian: by and by they condemn him for a jew:  
I say then, if for any one tenant among the Papists a man may be condemned for an heretic, and suffer for it: and if by the Prelates likewise, for any one opinion differing from them, that same sect holdeth, one may be judged and condemned to extremest misery as a Brownest, Anabaptist etc. I say then, by far more excellent reason, one may conclude, that those that hold so many damnable Popish opinions, and tenants as the Prelates do, and defend them in their open Courts, that they are Papists; and so they are indeed and to be detested. For they maintain and set up Popery, and Papal jurisdiction, challenging their own authority to be iure devino; and the Pope doth no more. They likewise trample upon the scriptures, as a thing of nothing, accusing them of obscurity and imperfection, and will not admit the Scripture to be judge of Controversies. The Pope does no more. And withal hold the Synagogue of Rome to be a true Church: and not so much, as to have had the suspicion of error in any fundamental points of religion; and all this I say in their open Court, and the Pope doth no more, to the making of the King and his Subjects all Schismatics and heretics, to the infinite dishonour of God and the King; and to the eternal disgrace of King james of famous memory, a Prince for knowledge and wisdom the gratest that ever was, save Solomon: and for learning, renowned through the extremest parts of the whole universe, of whom I dare say thus much as a Scholar, becanse I know something in that art: for which I should excessively have honoured him, had he been but a private man, much more a King, and withal, my Soveraygne, whose dignity I will never see trampled upon, though I suffer for my loyalty the whole fury of the Prelates and their Confederates. I say therefore I dare say thus much of that renowned King, that for learning & Scholarship, all the Prelates in England shovelled into one heap, or plastered together into one lump, are not worthy to be named the same year that his excrements are mentioned: and yet notwithstanding, these unworthy fellows, do not cease in their open Courts, and in every stinking pamphlet set forth by their authority to abuse this famous King: WHO IN HIS APOLOGY, TO ALL CHRISTIAN PRINCES (which is well known to the learned) as defender of the faith, maintains the doctrine of the reformed Churches in his Kingdoms, and dominions, to be the only true doctrine: & the Popish to be erroneous and abominable: and with invencible arguments, and that many, he proves the Pope to be Antichrist; and exhorts all Christian Kings and Princes his brethren to cast off his yoke: demonstrateth likewise yea evidently evinceth, that Rome is the whore of Babylon: and in many of his learned writings, he continually, like himself a defender of the faith, opposeth all the Romish impious tenants. And all that I now say is well known to all men of understanding.  
Now I pray take notice of the PRELATE OF CANTFRBURYS' ARROGANCY, and of all his fellows. The King as defender of the forth, teaching us both by his life, and doctrine maintains and proves, THE POPE TO BE ANTICHRIST, AND THF CHURCH OF ROMF TO BE THE WHORE OF BABYLON, and earnestly exhorts all Christian Princes to come out of her. And the Prelates in their Court, affirm that the Church of Rome is a true Church, and never had so much as a suspicion of error in fundamental points of religion; and in putrid pamphlets set forth by their authority they confirm the same, and that the Pope is not Antichrist. Is not this damnable impiety against God and the King, & prejudicial to the salvation of thousands, & the maintenance of the Papists in their diabolycall doctrines, and the making of many poor people at their wit's end, not knowing which way now to take, for the saving of their souls? and withal yields and ministers (to my knowledge) many arguments unto the Priests and jesuits of seducing the King's Subjects and to pervert and misled the people; and keeping of the seduced in error and disloyalty to their King: when they shall hear our Fathers the Prelates to proclaim the synagogne of Satan Rome itself to be the true Chuth and that she never had so much in her, as the appearance of error and that salvation may be found and had in it. And yet royal and learned KING JAMES ABSOLUTELY ASSEVERS, NAY UNANSWERABLY PROVETH, THAT THE POPE is ANTICHRIST, AND ROME THE WHORF OF BABYLON, AND that SALVATION CANNOT BE HAD IN THAT CHURCH: and in the same faith he lived and died: and in the same our gracious King Charles was bred and educated, and hath in two several declarations after the 39 Articles: & of the dissolution of the Parliament pag. 21, 24, Protested before God and all his Subjects, that he would never give any way, to the licensing or autorising of any thing, whereby any innovation in the least degree may creep into our Church: nor ever connive at any back sliding to Popery. And that it is his hearts desire to be found worthy of that title, which he esteemeth to be most glorious in all his crown, Defender of the faith.  
Here the King protests he is of the same faith his father was, & defender of the same, and that he will never licence, nor autorize any thing that tends to innovation, nor never connive at any backsliding to Popery. And who is he, worthy the name of a Subject, that will not take his royal word? by which he hath declared himself to be of his royal father's faith, and a defender of the same: and that was that the Pope was Antichrist and the Church of Rome the whore of Babylon. And yet the Prelates and their complices, that vermin, to the deshonour of both these famous Kings their Lords and Masters teach the contrary, and punish those severely that defend and maintain the same faith, they profess themselves protectors and defenders of, trampling upon regal dignity in their Courts, and abusing Princely clemency.  
It is worth the looking on, to see, the pride of the Prelates, in setting the King's picture over their dresser, in the high Commission Court; for, they have placed his Highness standing, with his hat of before their worships, like a delinquent; his Crown and sceptre laid low, as the poor Emperors and Kings were wont to stand before his impiety, the Pope, when they were cited to his Courts, of which stories, you may read many in KING JAMES HIS APOLOGY, to go no farther; and in this very manner, have they set up the portrait of our renowned King. And the very intrinsical marry bone of the matter is, they trample upon his imperial dignity, while they seem to honour him, with whom they make themselves in the mean time checkmates: for they say, they were before Christian Kings, and had their thrones, and that they were not beholding to him for their honour and dignity of Episcopality, for they were iure divino, that they were.  
Now, what is it to trample upon the King's Crown and Royalty, & stamp his laws under their feet, and to backslide to Popery, and to bring in innovation, if this be not? But concerning innovation afterwards.  
In the mean time, by these damnable proceedings, they manifest sufficiently, that they are Antichrists' little toes: for they are very Popes themselves; and whatsoever can be said of the Pope, may be spoke of them. I will therefore, for the more clear elucidation of this matter, in a few things briefly here compare them together. For howsoever one may be a greater Pope than an other: as one King may be greater than an other: yet they are all Popes, and pernicious enemies, to God, the King, and the whole Church of God. But now to the matter.  
The Pope writeth himself Father, so do they write themselves reverend Fathers. The Pope sells sin for money, so do they, as the whole kingdom, and their Officers can well tell; and doth nothing without money, so do they. The Pope forbiddeth marriage and meats, and which Paul calleth the doctrine of devils, so do they in the same manner, whatsoever they pretend. The Pope commandeth superstitious idol days to be kept and observed, contrary to the commandments of God, and punisheth the neglect of his Commands more severely than the breach of the weightiest laws of God: so do the Prelates; as their Courts can witness: yea and command men and compel them as the Pope himself, to break the commandments of God to observe vain and impious traditions. The Pope selleth Licences for meats and marriage, the Prelates do the same. The Pope selleth nonresidences, pluralityes, trialityes, totquots, the Prelates do the same, to the starving and ruining of the souls of men. The Pope, ruleth and governeth the Church, by the cursed Canon law, and Popish excommunications, the scalding house of conscience, the Prelates do the very same; and the breach of their stinkingest Canons, is more deeply punished in their Courts, than the violation of all the laws of God and the King. The Pope preferreth his Ceremonies, and traditions above the word of God. The Prelates do the same, as daily experience teacheth us. The Pope maketh his Servants or Priests by his own power, without the consent of the people, and intrudeth them upon the congregations without either their knowledge or liking, the Prelates do the same. The Pope percecuteth all godly Preachers and people, that preach the Gospel in the purity of it, and desire in sincerity to serve the Lord, and would bring their brethren to the knowledge of the same, and to the purity and truth of the Apostolical Churches: the Prelates do the like; as the whole Kingdom knoweth well, and the gaoles and prisons daily witness and the silencing of so many learned and painful Ministers. The Pope appoints his Priests to stand at the altar with the Deacon apperrelled with his foppish and playerlike accutriments, those Babylonish garments, and to cry out Dominus vobiscum, the Deacon and Subdeacon with all the rest of Baal's Priests answering him as loud as they can; the Bishops do the same, saving only that it is in English. The Pope commandeth adoration at the Sacrament, crossing of children in baptism, demanding of the newborn babes, if they will forsake the Devil and all his works &c and esteemeth the Font more holy than other places; enjoineth likewise purifying of women, and a thousand such like costly and chargeable vanities which were tedious to relate: and all these and more than these do the Prelates in like manner, in all which, their Antichristian authority with their Popish practices are sufficiently manifest: so that there is little or no difference between Pope and Prelates. And all authority of doing this, they arrogat unto themselves iure devino. Limbs therefore they are of Antichrist, from whom doctor Pocklington glories, that they are lineally descended, in his impious pamphlet Sunday no Sabbath, pag. 2, and 44.  
And if it be so, that they be lineally descended from that good race, we may never promise unto ourselves, any comfort from them: or to the King or Kingdom true peace and security: but may justly look for miseries one after an other, and extreme calamities. For King james says of that generation, that they are the frogs that came out of the bottemles pit, and are of the nature of amphibia, that live in the water and upon the earth, seeming to be Church men, and yet are intermeddling with States affairs, and indeed troubling the whole world, and all commonwealths where they dwell, or have any place and authority, as all the Christian world can witness, which is now drowned in blood, that they have been the only original of: and such a gender of filth that great frog left behind him here when he was driven away, that there hath such a brood ofstinking polwigs rose from that, as ever since, the very earth and air hath been so putrified with them, and the very fountains of living water so corrupted, as Egypt itself was not more stinched with the noysomenes of them then we have been with the continual bane of these in our nostrils, insomuch that they are now loathsome to God & men and dangerous to us all. So that the duty I bear to my Sovereign Lord the King, and the love I have to the happy flourishing of this Kingdom and the good of the Church, hath made me cast away all fear, and speak the truth, which when I do, I cannot but say, the Prelates are the most wicked, profane and unconscionable men that live upon the earth, and inferior to the Pope in no impiety, but rather transcending him, in regard of their knowledge, which the Pope wanteth, and also in that he never yet forced any man to profane the Lords day which they do: But more of this afterwards in our farther paragonating of them together.  
And truly in regard of what King james hath taught his subjects in his divers books & writings and of our gracious King his Declarations, that he will never autorize any thing that tendeth to innovation in the least degree, I cannot but from my soul detest the Prelates, as the greatest innovaters that ever were in the world, of which practices all men know the danger, as that they have many times been fatal to Kingdoms and Republics, and ever perilous, if they were not from worse to better, which then all reason doth allow of. And therefore it hath ever been so strictly looked to in all Countries, & provided so against by as many Statutes and decrees and ways of punishment as by the wit of man could be devised, and especially in this Kingdom singular care was had by the Governors, and whole State, that all occasions of revolting back again to Popery might be prevented, & even as the Lord himself once took order, by many caveats to the people of Israel, and by special prohibitions charged them not to return into Egypt, for he knew well, they had still a linger after the fleshpots & Onions, so I say, our rulers and the whole common wealth assenting unto them (as if the Statutes and records be searched you shall find) had such a provident care never to return back again to that Romish Egypt, that there was special order taken, not only about greater matters, but even about thy very standing of the Communion table, and it was by public consent apppointed to be placed in the midst of the Church, that every one might see the whole administration of the Sacrament and the actions about it: And order likewise was taken, that altars should be beat down and removed out of all Churches.  
But in this Age, tables are turned again into Altars in many places, and set alterwise every where, a new way of ushering in Popery being now found out. And howsoever by the same wisdom, and common consent, and special statutes and laws it was ordered, that no authority Ecclesiastical should be exercised in the King's dominions in their own names, nor no Courts held but by the King's sole authority, and all this for prevention of backsliding to Popery: yet the Prelates against these special decrees and statutes, keep Courts make summons, and alter all things by their own authority, as if they were absolute Princes, & without any dependency, to the infinite dishonour of his Majesty, the molestation of his subjects▪ and troubling of the Church of God. And howsoever, it was decreed that all those, that should iure divino challenge a superintendency in the Church above their brethren, were ipso facto in a Praemunire and under the King's indignation and high displeasure: yet the Prelates in their open Courts do challenge their jurisdiction and authority iure divino, and punish those with severe censures that deny it. And howsoever I say again there are many more statutes, yet in force, that provide against innovations, with the King's declarations, yet our Prelates violating them all, daily bring in innovation, not only to the troubling of the King's best subjects, but to the putting of them to infinite expenses in the execution of them, and for the bringing-in again of Popery and superstition and all abomination, and in as much as in them lies to the ruining of this flourishing monarchy and kingdom.  
All which wicked proceedings, with the bringers of them in, we ought to detest, as we fear God and the King, if we will listen unto Solomon, who in the 24. of the Prov: ver. 21. 22. thus saith. My Son fear thou the Lord and the King, and meddle not with them, that are given to change for their calamity shall rise suddenly, and who knoweth the ruin of them both. So that we see, both divine and human wisdom, have always provided against changes and innovations: as being most dangerous and perilous to a state and that made our gracious King in his declarations set forth his mind so clearly as that he would no way allow of it. Notwithstanding all this, the Prelates are mightily taken up with noveltyes and innovations, so as they have troubled the whole realm by them, ruined and trust out all the most painful and diligent Ministers, to the utter undoing of them, their poor wives and children, and the starving of the souls of the people, and the perishing of multitudes of families of those good subjects, that durst not meddle with them in their dangerous and devilish proceedings, and made many thousands fly the country, and more ready to depart, not knowing where to live free & quietly for them in the whole kingdom.  
And it is now come to pass according to that of Solomon Prov. 30 ver. 21. For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four, it cannot bear, for a servant when he reigneth, and a fool when he is filled with meat etc. So that the domineering of servants hath ever been the disquieting of the whole land where they are: for when they are filled with meat, like the evil servant in the Gospel, because his Master delayed his coming, fell a eating and a drinking and then a beating his fellow servants: even so the Prelates they live of the fat of the earth, pamper and cram themselves, faring deliciously every day, and then they fall a beating of us their fellow servants, and use us most unhumanly, more like beasts than men; and this is and hath been the very practice of Antichrist, which they now take up: and therefore in all these respects I may safely conclude they are limbs of the beast and none of Christ's Ministers nor the Apostles successors, but the very offspring of Antichrist, and according to Poclington lineally descended from him: which if you would please with a more serious deliberation to weigh, and parallel the Popes and their proceedings a little more narrowly together, it would yet more evidently appear: such a sweet harmony you shall find between them in all things.  
Let us look therefore upon the charge, that Christ in the last of Matthew gave unto his disclipes, and in them to all succeeding Ministers of the Gospel Ver. 19 20. Go therefore (saith he) and teach all nation baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo I am with you always: even unto the end of the world. Here than we see the whole office of the Ministers of Christ, is to teach and administer the Sacraments, not to domineer over their brethren. Secondly the restriction and limitation of his Ministers teaching. They must not teach the people what they list: but they must teach to observe all things whatsoever Christ commands, and nothing else, not their own phantisies and foppist superstitions, and vain and idle ceremonies. And thirdly for their comfort in so doing and teaching, he promiseth unto them his perpetual assistance and blessing, and that even to the end of the world.  
I pray let us now see, whether the Pope or Prelates have learned this lesson well or no, & whether they have imitated the Apostles in so teaching- All Christ's true Ministers are teachers, no Lords nor beaters, ever careful to dispense unto the people committed to their charge, the food of their souls, the word and Sacraments, they go and teach all Nations. The Pope and Prelates they go beat and silence all Nations: they will neither teach themselves, nor will let others teach. And this is their daily practice, as the whole world knoweth well. Neither can the Pope or Prelates deny it. Are not these therefore Antichrist little toes; and to be prayed against think you? but not to speak now more of that.  
Now come to the limitation or restriction. All the true Ministers of Christ, teach the people to observe that only which he hath commanded, neither ought they to teach otherwise: or the people to hear or observe otherwise, though an angel from heaven should bring it: for they have all a special command not to be wise above that which is written, and not to preach a divers doctrine to that they have been taught. And in the 2. of the Colossians the apostle is very large in instructing them to beware of all will worship, and to take heed of all such as under the pretence of devotion, intrude upon the people their own superstitious inventions in the worship and service of God. And the same Apostle warns the Corinthians, that in God's worship they should not become the servants of men, who ought not to prescribe how to serve God: in regard, that he himself by Moses, the Prophets, and in these last days, by his son jesus Christ, hath fully taught us how to worship him. And Christ himself, rebuked the Scribes and pharisees for bringing their own devices into his Service, openly teaching all his auditors, that those serve him in vain that worship him after the precepts of men: and for our derection sends them unto the word, saying, search the Scriptures for they testify of me, and in them you think to have eternal life. And this word Paul commands, should dwell plentifully in us, and says that if we walk according to the rule of that, the peace of God shall be with us: and Saint Peter for our comfort, bids all Christians have recourse to it, for it is a light to guide us through the darkest errors of this world. And saint Paul, Ephesians 4, ver: 11. 12, 13. 14. setting down the reason and end why Christ gave some Apostles, some Prophets some Evangelists, some Pastors and teachers, saith, that we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the slight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive. By which place, it is sufficiently manifest, that they have given and left unto the Church a sufficient rule of direction to be guided by, and that to swerve from it, is to be like little children tossed to and fro. Now then, if Moses, the Prophets, Christ and his Apostles commands be to be obeyed, Ministers and people are the one to teach, and the other to hear and observe nothing, but what Christ commands; and either to teach or to obey contrary, is open rebellion against God, and pernicious to them both. This you see is the restriction. The word and command of Christ must be the rule, and nothing else. Yea an angel from heaven is not to be heard, teaching otherwise: nor one rising from the dead. Abraham sends them to Moses and the Prophets: the word of God: and that only is able to save our souls: and that only must be the rule of teaching and obeying.  
Now I pray to leave the Pope a little to come nigher home. Hear the Prelates teach and their shavelings, when they preach even in the Court itself? S●imme of first the froth of human wit, I mean their vain and unprofitable flourishes▪ take away their superstition and will worship taught there, to say nothing of Popery, Arminianism, and Libertinisme. Pair away their railings against the power and life of religion, and the generation of the just. Remove also, the flattery of them, not far many times from blasphemy, and able to bring a curse rather than a blessing upon our gracious King. I say remove all these things away: and you shall see that very little of the word, will be found and the commands of Christ, in their teaching or any thing that tends to soul's conversion, the reproving of vice, and beating down of sin, or building up of men in their most holy Faith, or for the more enabling them to the true worship of God, or for the leading of a pious life.  
And to say no more of them, look through the whole Kingdom, and in most places you shall find no sermons at all, but devised service set up in place of preaching, an absolute neglect, yea contempt of Christ's command who says Go preach or teach: they say go say Service and read prayers. Insomuch, that Cholmny a Patron of Rome writing in defence of that Synagouge, against learned and reverend Master Henry Burton: who in his answer to him again, Babel no Bethel, gave her such a blow, and so conjured down that Cacodaemon, that Cobbler and tinker of Babel, that she will never be able to outgrow it, nor he to rise again or put pen to paper, I say Cholmny, in the magnification of the goodness of the Church of Rome, and setting down her privileges, affirms that she was better provided for of teachers and for preaching then the people of Wales here among us. A fine commendations I promise you of England. But let this by the by be spoke to the immortal honour of our Prelates, that have silenced all the preaching Ministers in those parts & divers other: & he that said this may be believed, for he was one of the Prelates Sychophants. Lamentable it is I say, to see through the whole Kingdom how little teaching there is.  
But I pray when they teach, what teach they? they teach for the most part, profanation of the Lords day, Arminianism, obedience to the Church falsely so called, human traditions, observation of idle days and times, setting up of Organs and piping, abstinence from meats and marriage, whisten ales and May games, Festival times, the observation of ceremonies and the canons of the Prelates, to bow and cap and make a curtsy at the name letters and Syllables of jesus, to crouch to the altar, and cringe to the Communion table, to turn their faces to the East, to stand at the Creed and Gospel, to kneel at the reading of the ten commandments, to take notice of all those that piss against Churches, and that carry any burdens through them, and to present them, to beat down the pews and stools to make way to see the altars, to come up with reverence to the cage and to worship the bread and wine, to set the table altarwise to see their children be signed with the sign of the Cross, and that women come in decent carchets when they are Churched, that the Surplice be cleanly and neatly whashed, and that it be daily put on, as also the hood, that they marry with the ring, and that they be all reverently uncovered in the Church that holy place, and that they lean not on the Comunion table, nor write on it, nor lay their hats nor books on it, and a thousand such like fopperies and vain inventions are there urged upon the people, all which things notwithstanding Christ never commanded, and yet they are more strictly preached and vehemently insisted upon, and urged, than the observation of any of God's commandments, or of any wholesome or saving doctrine, and to speak the truth, most of their preachments are about these fooleries, which Christ sent them not about: and it is well known, that the neglect of the meanest of these idle ceremonies, is more severely punished in Minister & people, in their Courts, than the prevarication of the whole law, as by woeful and daily experience we are taught. Neither can any man deny what I say to be true. So that religion now consists in nothing, but in ceremonies, outward observations, munchy tricks, and the preaching of the Priests and Prelates is nothing, but down with the Gospel and up with Popery as fast as may be: deplorable indeed are our times, and great contempt there is now of the Gospel, and ushering in of novelties and innovations. I beseech you what could be done more at Rome? But if I should run through all, whereas I thought to have writ but a few lines only, I should make a volume, and too much weary you.  
Yet I must now crave pardon, in one thing more, that you would give me a little liberty, and so much the rather, because it is a matter of great concequence, and the cause of all superstition all most and idolatry, and the occasion of the greatest breach of union amongst Christians, which was given and apppointed by Christ himself, for one of the greatest ties and bands of concord love Charity and peace among them: and that is the Supper of the Lord, which was the devil's craft and subtlety so to bring things about. Let us now see in that, what Christ and the apostles did and taught concerning this mystery (whose example we have precept to imitate) and what the Pope Priests and Prelates in our Age do in it: and what mischief hath come upon the Church of God, by the leaving of Christ's and the Apostles example and following Antichrist and his disciples.  
First therefore to speak of the gesture. It is said that Christ and all his apostles in the celebration of the supper sat; So it is in the original, and so in all translations that ever I yet read: and most certain it is they used a table gesture, but whatsoever it was, that was then in use, whether leaning, lying, standing, sitting, kneeling it was not: and that all men that ever I conferred with about this, or ever read, accord to. Now the Pope and the Prelates have altered this gesture, and bring-in kneeling, a posture of adoration, a strange innovation, and a gesture that never was used at the celibration of any Sacrament. And truly in my opinion, it is a great temerity among Christians, to leave the ordinary examples of Christ and his apostles, and follow extraordinary of Antichrist and his disciples: especially when we are commanded by Paul himself 1. Cor: chap. 11. to be followers of him even as he is of Christ. And this in the very chapter where he speaketh of the institution of the supper of the Lord. And in the fourth to the Philip: the apostle saith in these express terms, those things which ye have both learned, and received and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. Here the example of the Apostle is set before us, and peace promised unto us, if we imitate him in it. Shall we therefore leave the example of Christ, and the Apostles in the gesture of receiving and administration of the supper of the Lord, and take up the example of Antichrist, from whom we ought to be unlike in all things? And to speak the truth, kneeling of all other postures lest agrees to the action of a supper or a feast: neither was such a gesture ever used in ordinary or extraordinary feastings. Let us look back to all the Sacraments likewise of the old Testament the Passeover itself, which where the same with ours, for the apostle in 1. Corinthians 10. telleth us that they in them eat the same spiritual meat and drank the same spiritual drink, that we do in ours, there was in them all, a heavenly holy banquet and refreshing, and Christ was as really there present as in ours, and as great a preparation was to be made there and as great reverence to be used as in ours, and there was but this difference in them, that the one set forth Christ to come and to be crucified, and the other set forth Christ now dead and rose again and in heaven: but I say for the substance, they were all one, and the believing Israelits were as really made partakers of Christ and all his merits in their Sacraments as we in ours: and he as really present there as in ours; and yet I say they used no posture of adooration in it, neither was that gesture ever used in the administration of Baptism, where Christ is also as much present as in the Lord's supper, and that Sacrament also was honoured with the visible presence of the holy Ghost, and the voice of God the Father the greatest miracle that ever was, and the most certain real presence that ever we read of in scripture was in that; and this also is such a Sacrament, and of such necessity, as without which the adversaries say there is no salvation, neither can they deny but Christ is as really preseṅt there as in the supper: yet this sacrament is administered by all the adversaries themselves standing, without the posture of veneration, and yet they dare not say they baptise unreverently: why then I beseech you do we use a gesture of more reverence at the one Sacrament then at an other? when they are equally to be reverenced? or why should we leave the example of Christ and his apostles in the one and follow Antichrists? this I must confess I see no ground of neither in reason nor in Scripture.  
I have read that when Gods own Ordinances came to be abused to Idolatry they were then abolished, and it was well pleasing unto God. And I am fully persuaded if that kneeling had been the gesture in Christ's time, in their ordinary repasts and meals and that Christ himself with his Apostles had kneeled in the receiving of that last Supper, yet if afterwards, it should have been abused to idolatry and have given an occasion of much dishonour to God, and scandal to the brethren, I say I am confident, it would have been well pleasing unto the Lord to have left it and used an other. But when neither Christ nor his Apostles used this gesture of veneration in receiving of the Lords Supper, and it hath been an occasion of great Idolatry, yea the greatest that ever was, and is also a cause still of infinite dishonour to God, and scandal to the weak and strengthening to the wicked idolaters in their courses, I affirm and that upon most excellent reason that this gesture ought now to be left, and declined in the celebrating of that holy Ordinance. But it hath indeed ever been the policy of the devil to corrupt the best things. He laboured first to bring the people to a profanation of this ordinance, and whereas they met together, to rejoice in remembrance that Christ died for them and was risen again to free and deliver them from death, they in their rejoicing began to exceed moderation, and to dishonour God in the abuse of his creatures. Saint Paul therefore to prevent this, writes unto them, reproves them for this so great abuse, and tells them that such disorder brought a judgement upon them rather than ablessing, and wished them to examine themselves▪ and to take notice that it was an ordinance of God himself: setting forth the death and passion of Christ and the great deliverance they had by it from the captivity and slavery of sin and Satan: and that as they were redeemed by his death and sufferings from that servitude, to be the servants of Christ, and not to be any longer at the slavery of the Devil and to do his works, by disordering themselves, so they should prepare themselves & remove wickedness out of their hearts and actions, & should come with true thankfulness unfeigned faith and true love towards God, charity towards their neighbour, & with all sanctified affections unto his holy ordinance, that so they might procure a blessing upon themselves by it and not bring down judgements upon their heads by their inordinate carriage there▪ and this was all the Apostle aims at in that chapter, must we therefore by and by think, because the apostle reproves them of irreverence and disorder, therefore he doth licence Idolatry and the worship of the bread and wine? as we say in our common discourse there is a difference between staring and stark mad: so there is a great deal of difference between reverence and Idolatry, the one is by the Apostle indeed in this chapter commanded, the other in the tenth chapter as highly displeasing unto God, is abominated.  
But I would very fain know of our great Masters, what they think of Christ's and the apostles gesture of sitting, where they reverend or no, I demand? I hope they will not say, unreverent will they then presume to be more reverend than Christ and his disciples? away with such hypocrisy and abominable blasphemy! then we well perceive that there may be reverence in the Sacrament where there is no kneeling. And yet these hypocrites call it unreverent setting upon their tails, and make it an article in their Courts for the undoing of many thousands, a damnable wickedness against God and their brethren. And without all doubt, Paul that revealed the whole will of God unto the faithful, and in setting forth unto the Corinthians the institution of the Supper of the Lord as he had received it from Christ himself, & now reproving them also for their unreverent coming unto it, and profanation of that holy ordinance, if kneeling and bodily veneration had been a gesture fit for that action and would have made more for the reverend receiving or the honouring of God in it, he having now so good an opportunity, would have put them in mind of it; nay he would have enjoined them to have used kneeling always in receiving, unless we will think, Paul was not so careful to provide for the reverend receiving of the Sacrament, as Antichrist and his disciples which were rashness to imagine. But of kneeling there is altum silentium, not a word, the apostle leaves them still to their table gesture forewarning them only of profaneness and inconsideration of those mysteries.  
But behold in this thing also the deceit and craft of that old Serpent the devil, seeing the Apostle had prevented his purpose, in bringing in the profanation of the supper of the Lord, this most excellent help for the edification of them in their most holy faith, and well perceiving that all his possibelity of working that stratagem, was taken away and he was now disappointed of his purpose: he goes then an other way to work: and seeing he could not have his will that way, he resolved to have it an other, and therefore brings-in a contrary extreme, worshipping of the bread and wine for Christ himself, the greatest and fearfullest idolatry that ever was in the world. But for the usheringin of this piece of Service he had no better instrument than Antichrist that opposeth Christ in all things, and his shavelings the Prelates: who have left Christ's example, & forced their own idolatricall one, upon all Christians under their government, a horrible contempt and neglect of Christ. We were wont to say Reges ad exemplum Kings examples were to be their Subject's patterns, and so Christ and his Ministers teach all his children and Subjects to do, what he their King, by life doctrine and example hath taught his Church which equally bind: but Antichrist and his servants constrain the people to leave Christ's example, and teach them to follow his which is the enemy of Christ. Which I think is the duty of all such as fear the Lord to detest.  
But now to go forwards, in this weighty businesle Seing it is most certain, that the Pope and the Prelates are against Christ in the gesture of receiving, and do not that Christ and his apostles did. Let us now take notice in the second place, what the Apostle speaketh of the institution. I have saith he received of the Lord that also which I delivered unto you, that the Lord jesus the same night in which he was betrayed taken bread etc. Here the Apostle begins from the time of the institution, saying the same night and in the 20 verse he calleth it the Lords Supper, and calls it also bread and wine, all which things deserve their consideration, and are matters of greater consequence then at first are thought of, and teach all men in the reformation of any abuses, to have recourse unto the first original fountain and institution as the Apostle doth here: and tells us what he hath received from the Lord. And conserning the time of the institution of the sacrament, which is also to be taken notice of; he saith the same night etc. and it is therefore by the holy Ghost called the Lords Supper. Now for the time of institution the apostle here taught it to the Church as received from Christ, and which Paul then and the whole Church of God observed in the primitive times, and so it was lift by the apostle to be continued, for as far as I can perceive or judge, unto the world's end: neither can I see any reason why the time should be changed: without we will plainly confess, that Christ hath done all things out of season and order, and was neither reverend, nor seasonable nor orderly in his proceedings, and especially in the institution and celebration of the sacrament of the Lords Supper (for his gesture pleased not before) which were more than a little arrogancy so to speak. Yet I say except men will so vilify the actions of the Lord jesus, I know no cause why the time should be changed: for as the Passeover was instituted in the evening, so the children of Israel and the Church of the jews precisely observed the time, never being so impudent and temerarious as to alter it; but it was continued so unto the last use of it, as by Christ's own example is sufficently manifest. And yet I presume there might as good reasons have been given for the change of the time in the celebrating of that ordinance amongst the jews, as can now by any man be given, and yet the Israelits were not so fool hardy as to think any time better or more seasonable than that which God himself had appointed, and contented themselves well with it. But Antichrist that changeth times & seasons and all things, and his disciples, that oppose Christ in all his ordinances, they have changed the time, and converted the Supper of the Lord into a breakfast, a great innovation, and make it no small offence to celebrate it in the evening. So that now to speak properly, it cannot be called the Lords Supper, but the Lords break fast: and so it is to them indeed; for they eat up the Lord at a breakfast, and swallow him down whole, and make no bones of him; he is with them but their morning's nuntions: and yet they eat him flesh blood and bones as they say and really, and then after that they drink up his blood, most sweet CANABALS: and after all this they can eat a sufficeint dinner too. These fellows must needs have good stomaches. But by all this it is manifest, that Antichrist and his Apostles have ever opposed Christ in his proceeding be they what they will be.  
But here now cometh a sucking objection to be answered to, which is this, if Christ's example say some, be to be followed, so closely, and so precisely adhered to, in the administration of the Sacrament, as in his gesture, and the time of celebration, than also, it must be in an upper room and but with twelve etc. This I affirm is so poor a foppery as I wonder learned men should make use of such wretched cavils, and yet I had it from one of great name for Scholarship. But for answer I say that the Sacrament of the Passeover, was to be celebrated in every private family: by themselves, if they had company enough within themselves to eat the Lamb, and if they had not, then indeed they were to call in as many other families to join together, as would suffice for that purpose: so that howsoever there was a community among them, one with an other in that action, as at this day the communicants of one church may participate with an other in the Supper of the Lord, from this very example: yet this was to be done in a private house, so that for their meeting place, it was not public. Now very order and nature required, that it should be a place large enough to entertain the company and guests that were met together, the number being for the most part uncertain. But whether they would eat it in an upper room or a lower room, that was left arbitrary, no commandment given for either: neither can it enter into any understanding man's heart, to think, that all the Israelits houses had variety of rooms in them, though some had both upper and lower rooms, So that for their company it was only required, that they should have as many as could eat the Lamb as Christ in his family and company had, and that the room should also be spacious enough and decent, which is of all Christians now for order and decency sake to be observed, that for either private: or public meetings for performance of duties of religion if they have, not a low room fit for those pious purposes, than they may take an upper room that is more convenient, all places now in God's service being alike, as after I shall prove: So that for any man from the certain company of Christ and his apostles, and from the upper room, to conclude a necessity of this for ever in the world, and from a private action, to conclude the likeness in a public, this is no good consequence: nor followeth not, as in the two former, and that every one that hath the eye of reason may easily conclude. And we have many precedents in sacred writ, both for the change of the room in the celebration of the Supper of the Lord. And also for multitudes of communicants: as in the whole Church here of Corinth for one: and the Apostle commands them that they should come together in public: but for the changing of the time and gecture, it is no where in sacred writ to be found: but amongst the Apostles and primitive Christians they were both observed and kept. And so much concerning that.  
Now let us look into the oppositions of Antichrist and his disciples, and see there other divers mutations in this divine ordinance: They have not only changed Christ's Supper into a breakfast but into a sacrifice, an other abominable imimpiety and nefarious innovation, turning the Sacrament of the Lords own appointing, wherein Christ Doth graciously give and offer himself with all his merits, to the faithful and believing communicants, into a sacrifice of the mass as they call it, Propitiatory for the living and dead, where they say that the body and blood of Christ is offered up by a Priest after the order of Melchisedeck, for the sins of the quick and dead, and by virtue of this Sacrifice, they affirm that Christ is there corporally and really present, and with all adoration as the second person of the blessed Trinity to be worshipped. In the which action to say nothing for the present but this (for the blasphemies and abomination▪ of it are innumerable▪ there is greater idolatry committed then ever was, in the worshipping of Dagon, Rimon, or the God of Echaron: and of all them that love the Lord jesus, and look for redemprion by him, and hope for his blessed coming, aught to be detested and abhorred as the devil, and hell itself, with all the damnable crew of Priests that are agents in it, and favourers of it.  
Thus I say Antichrist and his complices that oppose Christ in all things, have changed this blessed supper, a type of our heavenly and spiritual communion with Christ and the faithful, and the bread and wine in that, into a most detestable idol and breaden God. And in this fearful idolatry do our Prelates harmonise with them: and are making as great speed to their old Mistress as they can: for they have brought in Priests and altars already, and they have all the wedding garments prepared and every thing for the purpose, they want but an opportunity to accomplish all things. And howsoever they seem to vary, it is but in show, for they agree well enough among themselves. A real presence of Christ they both acknowledge, and a corporal adoratoon and reverence, in regard of that, they both enjoin. But before we come to the abuses, that follow, upon the supposition of the real presence, let us see what Christ and his apostles teach concerning that: and what the Pope and his disciples teach. You shall see that the Pope and Prelates will ever oppose Christ and his Apostles in whatsoever they do or teach.  
Christ jesus the Lord commands his Apostles, and in them all Christians in eating the bread, and drinking the wine, saying, do this in remembrance of me. Luke 22. 19 And Saint Paul relating the institution as he had it from the Lord, commands them in receiving the bread and wine▪ saying, case and drink this in remembrance of me: farther adding, for as oft as ye eatt this bread, and drink this cup. ye do show the Lords death till he come. By all which it is manifest, that the Lord is not there present. The same doctrine he commendeth unto the Colossians in the 3 chapter, having elevated their minds from all terrene observations and will worship and trifling inventions of men in God's service, he bids them seek those things which are above where Christ sits at the right hand of God. And Saint Peter in the Acts tells us that the heavens must contain him till the last day. Infinite places to this purpose might be produced, to prove that Christ is now in heaven, and there to remain till the consummation of all things, as in our Creed also we believe. Yea the Scripture in many places calleth the elements by the proper names of bread and wine. So that by all these manner of expressions, and by the apparent words of the text, the Lord jesus himself and his Apostles teach us, that there is in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper a real absence of Christ. But Antichrist▪ and his Apostles teach us a real presence. Now here is the doubt, whether we shall believe Christ and his Apostles, or Antichrist and his shavelings. Christ and his Apostles teach us a real absence, & they a real presence. Certainly one of those most teach false. But Christ and his Apostles they teach not false▪ ergo the Pope and Prelates teach false doctrine and are not to be listened unto. Now from this supposition and opinion, they have brought in damnable idolatry, worshipping of a piece of bread for the blessed Son of God Christ jesus himself, the worshipping of the cup and pixe, communion tables, Altars, temples, the name and Syllables of jesus, and infinite other trumperies, making of one place more holy than an other.  
But as the worst Nutmegs are commonly gilded over: so the worst things are varnished over with finest names and compellations. to say nothing of moral vices that carry the name of virtues. But to the matter in hand: all these abominable impietyes of will worship, superstition, human inventions, idolatry, profaneness of the Lords day, must be ushered-in under the name of lawful recreatious, reverence, decency, obedionce to the Church, order &c when indeed they bring in confusition and disorder both to the Laws of God and the King, and a profanation of his ordinances, and execrable wickednesses, all arising from the vain conceit of a real presence and the incitements of the devil that desires to destroy the image and workmanship of God in all his works and ordinances: and therefore suggests into his sworn servants, those rebels to the will of God, which they can not obey thousand▪ inventious, for the perverting and corrupting of them; because they can not altogether abolish them. And if they should come which opon opposition, and say let us fall down and worship the bread and wine, or the cross or table, or alter or the Church, for this is God; they know that all men would then explode them: and therefore being all for the most part not only the Pope's knights, I mean fir john's bachelors of wicked arts; but Masters of the black and devilish art of deceiving; I say they pretend that Christ is there really present: and therefore in honour to him they do all this reverence.  
I know what they have always pretended for their wickedness, but that must not suffice in things of this consequence, and in matters that concern the worship of God, where we look for his express word, for our rule, obove and beyond which to be wise, is contrary to the will of God. Therefore if any man will propound unto us a way to worship God, let them produce his word to convince us of his pleasure, otherwise it is but will-worship, which he abhors, as we see in the 2 of the Colossians. And to serve him according to men's precepts is to worship him in vain. Matth. 15 If they could once again bring-in the twilight of ignorance, than perhaps they may make the simple believe that bladders are Lanterns: but so long as the light of God's word shineth yet so clearly (for which we heartily bless and praise his holy name,) they cannot so easily delude us, and make us take apples for oysters. We can yet distinguish between truth and error and see all they do, is but mere jug, ling and the tricks of Munntibanks.  
For we know that Christ is in heaven really and no where else in his human nature, neither are we to believe them that say Christ is here or there. We know also that Christ is no more in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper than he hath been in other Sacraments in the old testament, and in the Sacrament of Baptism, nor more in either of all, then in the preaching of the word, or in any other of his holy ordinances; as in private meetings of the Saints gathered together in his name, and with all private Christians, walking in faith and obedience to his commandments, To all which he hath given many gracious promises, that wheresoever two or three be gathered together, there he will be with them. Calling them (2. Cor. 6.) the Temple of the living God, and saying I will dwell in them, and walk in them, and will be their God and they shall, be my people, and that he will be a father unto them, and they shall be his sons and daughters. So that with greater right they may challenge veneration then stocks and blocks and wooden things. For they that are indeed the temple of the holy Ghost▪ and in whom Christ dwells except they be reprobates, in them there is as much real presence as is in the sacraments, which are but seals of the promises and follow them: insomuch; that a man may be saved with out the sacraments, but not without the word mingled with faith, of which they are but signs and seals.  
Again, for the word itself of real presence, it is the language of the beast so to speak: and howsoever they have forced us sometime to use it, yet I hope we shall in time, abdicate it, and all other solecisms of that animal: nevertheless, by that term when we do use it, we understand no more but that God by his Spirit, which is the Comforter, and which Christ sent in his absence to illuminat the blind and direct the faithful, and bring them into the way of truth, doth assist his in all that is good, and in all godly undertake and holy meetings in his name, and that the blessed Trinity doth approve of their endeavours seconding them in it, go along with them to the end, and sends them away with a benediction and comfort here, and preserves them in all their ways and assisteth them and after crownes them which eternal glory, for he is with them to the end, and in the end. And so the blessed promises of God are to be understood, when he saith he will be with his, and that he is at hand, and in them, which is all one as to say, that in their will doings he approveth of them and will protect them and ever assist them with his particular preservation and blessing, and doth allow of them so doing in a singular manner. According to that of Paul writing to the Corinthians about the incestuous person, being gathered together though absent. saith he, I present in spirit 1. Cor. 5. as much, as if he had said, you have my warrant for what you do, I allow of it as if I were there present, You have my approbation, I am of the same mind with you. So that Paul saying, though absent I present in spirit doth not establish a real presence of Paul among the Corinthians, but his approbation only and liking of their godly prooceeding. And in the very same manner are the blessed promises now specified to be understood conserning Christ's real presence.  
But to feign any other real presence▪ that Christ should be more on the Communion table or alter, then in the Font or belfore, or other part of the Church, then in any other place where the faithful are in his name gathered together & therefore that more veneration is to be given to those places, or reverence used, is mere superstition; yea palpable idolatry, & to worship the creature for the creator, an abominable and crying sin: and therefore these impostors do egregiously abuse the poor people, in putting such things into their heads, as to think one place more holy than an other, whether it be table, alter, font, Church or Church-yard. and very reason might convince these men of idleness yea madness if they were▪ not infatuated. For if the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lords Supper were not to be worshipped, not lift by Christ unto the Church for that end; then much less the place where the Sacraments are or lie, ought not to be worshipped: But we know that the Sacraments were only apppointed for seals and remembrances of absence and not of presence as the scripture itself teacheth; therefore they most impiously delude the people in making them yield divine veneration to senseless things, because the Sacraments are celebrated in or upon them. Besides, that which is a mere invention of man's own brain, and hath been an horrible idol in God's service, and is yet an idol, ought not to be tolerated in the Church of God, but to be abominated of all men, that truly fear the Lord: but all well informed Christians know, that altars have been and are idols: and therefore they ought ever to be abhorred and cast out as idols out of the house of God▪ and all table worship, alter worship or any creature worship is contrary to the second commandment: and is detestable idolatry.  
Again, to put any holiness more in one place then in an other, and to think nothing holy, but that which hath been confecrated with bell, book, and candle, is great impiety against Christ, & not far from blasphemy. For we read in the fourth of john in the one and twentyeth verse, Christ himself taking away all discrimination of places in the worship of God, makes one place as holy and▪ fit as an other for his service and worship saying you shall neither in this mountain nor yet at jerusalem worship the father. As much as if he had said, my worship shall be ●yed now to no place nor country any more, but all places and countries I have now consecrated to my service, and every place shall hereafter, be as holy as jerusalem: according to the prophecy of Malachi the 1. ver: 11 for from the rising of the Sun, even unto the going down of the same, my name shall be great among the Gentiles, and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name &c here we see now this prophecy accomplished by Christ, and all places consecrated to his service Ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at jerusalem worship the father. and Paul exhorts Christians in all places to lift up pure hands and hearts: sufficiently instructing those to whom he writ, that all places were made holy for such purposes. Now I desire, that any of the Popes at home or abroad would tell me ingenuously, what he thinks of Christ's concecration here, was it good or bad: did he consecrate well or not let him answer me in the word of a Priest, with out tergiversation, candidly— If he shall say it was not well consectated, I will tell him to his face he is a blasphemer and prove him so. If he shall freely confess, Christ's consecration to be good and authentic, and that all places indeed were consecrated by Christ himself, to the worship of God. then how impious and arrogant a thing is it in the Prelates, to unconsecrate and to make profane that, which Christ hath consecrated and made holy. For so they do in their consecrations as by and by we shall see. I will assure you, there is a greater piaculum in this thing, than men at first, can well discern and look into.  
Me thinks that of Saint Peter in the tenth of the Acts should deter them from such abominations, where, when the vessels descended to him like a four cornered sheet, full of all manner of four footed beasts of the earth and creeping things and fowls of the air, and the voice also came unto him bidding him kill and eat▪ And Peter answered not so Lord, for I have never eaten any thing that was common and unsleane. And the voice spoke unto him again the second time, saying what God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. By which Peter as you may in the same place see learned by that, that Christ had taken away the wall of difference, and had consecrated and made all things clean. And forewarning him, that he should not make that unclean, that he had purified & cleansed. Me thinks I say this might something have deterred our great Masters from their daily impietyes. Nothing with them is holy, and clean, but, that that hath been washed, with the Pope's holy water, or hath had their filthy greasy Fingers of consecration upon it: of which proceedings of theirs, there is not a word of warrent in all the book of God, without which, there can be nothing made holy: neither is there any need of such wretched fooleries: for as I said before, Christ the Lord both of heaven and earth hath consecrated it and made all places clean: and so they were all clean, before they had polluted them with their greasy consecrations, with their idols and idolworships. Insomuch that there is no place more unholy, than their cathedrals and altarchurches, and their cloicters, which are so many dens of thiefs and cages of filthiness and Idolatry, which I shall ever be able to maintain.  
And from this impious polluting of that, that Christ hath made clean, I had thought that of Paul might some thing have diverted those ungodly men: for so they are; yea notoriously wicked against God, and uncharitable all ways towards the living temples of the holy Ghost, I say I had thought that of Paul in the 17 of the Acts 24. 25 might have restrained such palpable impiety: for there he saith God that made the world and all things therein seeing that be is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands, neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he had need of any thing, seeing he giveth to all life and breath and all things. What could be said more manifestly for the overtrowing not only their real presence, but also of that fiction of theirs, that one place is more holy than an other: when he is the Lord of all things, and one place and creature is as much his as an other, and the service offered unto him in one place according to his will, as well pleasing as in an other. It is a prodigious wickedness in deed and a thing not supportable to compare the Creator of all things to the creature, or to circumscribe the incomprehensible, or to think with magnificence and statelinesle of buildings, or any presents to procure his favour or make him more propitious unto us. All which base conceits have ever been the fountains of all superstition and idolatry in all nations, and come from the devil. And so much the more we should be desmayed from such vain imaginatious of real presence, which is the source of all other will worship, if we considered what Paul saith in the 5. of the 2. of the Corinthians 16. wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh, yea though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more. as much as if he had said, we must not think of Christ after a carnal manner who hath now left the world, and is to be thought of and considered of us spiritually. All those fictions therefore of the real presence of Christ, rather in one place then an other as at CRUCIFIXES, CROSSES, PICTURES, ALTARS, TABLES, are the dreams of idolatrous brains, suggested by the devil, for the keeping of the minds of men fixed upon earthly things, and attended to his service, making them believe that Religion consists only in outward performances and by such delusions as these, he hinders them from seeking those things which are ahove where Christ sits at the right hand of God, which is expressly contrary to the command of Paul.  
How outrageously superstitious then yea diabolically impious are those men think you that spend such mighty sums of money in adorning and making such sumptuous buildings, as serve for no use, but superstition and idolatry and the maintenance of LAZY BELLIGODS, AND PROFANE SCORNERS OF ALL TRUE RELIGION GODLINESS AND PIETY: and neglect the very living temples of the holy Ghost, that famish for want of food? Truly it cannot but be a great occasion to provoke the Lord to jealousy, and hot displeasure against this land, when contrary to the light of reason and apparent scripture his revealed will, they set up superstition and idolatry and will worship; and think better of their own inventions, and prefer their traditions before his most holiest laws and precepts, and by them transgress the laws of God, scandal and offend their brethren: yea punish the meanest neglect of them, or the speaking against them, more severely than the breach of all God's comandements. I say these things must needs exceedingly provoke the Lord, when men's devices shall be so advanced and promoted; and when the Gospel and the poor members of Christ, are stamped under foot, and drove by unkind usage both out of the Kingdom.  
What may we think you, now promise unto ourselves IN THESE SAD TIMES, BUT SPEEDY PERDITION: for as our saviour said, those that despise his true messengers, despise him; and those that despise him, despise him that sent him, that is God himself? As the Gospel hath ever brought peace, plenty, happy days and good government, where ever it hath become: as all the places in England can tell, where it hath been faithfully preached: & as all England in general can witness what good we have received by it: so the contempt of it, and the Ministers of the same will bring desolation and ruin upon the whole land. And if we shall now be contemns of the Gospel, and the Ministers thereof and advancers of Superstition and make a mock of it; what I say may we then look for, but speedy confusion and deplorable misery?  
Truly, it would grieve the hart of any that either love God, the King or their Country, or their religion, to see the strange metamorphosis of all things in this Kingdom, to see how idolatry creeps up EVEN IN THE universities TO POISON the WHOLE REAL ME; & how in all places superstition is every where preached up, both in Court and Country: and what way there is made for subverting of preaching and the bringing-in of human inventions and apish ceremonies, in STEAD of the Gospel and the promulgation of the same which should save men's souls.  
What holiness I pray, is now a days placed in Churches and Chapels? what adorning of them, to the ruining of the parishes almost where they are? what adoration, to tables, altars, Syllables, all contrary to the express command of God? who hath said thou shalt not make to thyself any graven image, or the likeness of any thing, in heaven above or in the earth beneath, thou shalt not bow down to it, or worship it. Yet all this cannot restrain them: for they aver notwithstanding all this, the place is holy, and aught to be venerated. What I beseech you is contempt of God if this be not? It would pity, and perplex the hearts of all those that truly fear the Lord to see what infinite costs have within these few years been bestowed upon chapels and Churches only for the advancing of superstition: and to say now something of Paul's: how hath the whole country for above these fifty years been made fools about that? there having been so many gatherings made for it, and Stones brought up to it? and preparations made for the repairing of it? and after they have pursed the money, what have they done else but convert it to their own use?  
And now of late, what immense sums of money have been gathered for the same purpose? I have heard from JESVITS themselves, that are well acquainted with those businesses, if not principal sticklers in them, who I know at least, are very joyful at such preparations, that it AMOUNTETH to ABOVE TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND POUNDS, that which hath already been gathered, and remains yet to be paid, which had been almost sufficient, to have built a royal house for the honour of the King and Kingdom, and all this mighty mass of money, must be spent in making a seat for a A PRIESTS ARSE to sit in: for it is cathedra Episcopi a Bishop's chair, and for the Dean and subdeane, and for the Prebends Canons Petty canons VERGERS QVIRISTERS &c all to keep the POPE'S SADDEL WARM as the Popelins themselves bragging prate. The truth is, the whole fraternity of that crew is, but a generation of vipers, whose employment is nothing else, but to maintain the superstition already retained, to usher in more, and Popery itself upon the first occasion, and to sing Credos and anthems, and exercise profaneness. Such droves of those unprofitable Epicures there are through the Kingdom, as devour more revenues, than all the Nobility of the kingdom, or many mighty Prince enjoys. And all this they possess for the plague of the Kingdom, for the bringing-in of luxury, idleness, superstition, Popery and Idolatory: the least of which sins, are enough to move the Lord to displeasure: and all that I now speak you know to be true: nay the whole Kingdom knoweth it well: neither can there any good reason be given for the maintenance or upholding of them: without a pestilence and plague be necessary for the honour of a State and Kingdom, which all that rabble rout are to ours, and all Conntryes where they dwell. and the very truth is, the Papists and they are all one, the one as profound idolaters as the other: and so say the Papists themselves: that if it were not for the Puritans, they should quickly accord: and so the Papists have told me twenty times at home, and abroad, and therefore they so hate them they stigmatize with the name of Puritans.  
What a lamentable thing is this then, that this Kingdom should harbour then within itself, it's own destruction? AND BESTOW UPON THAT VERMIN SUCH MIGHTY REVENVE, and all for the eating out of the bowels of their mother? Time doubtless it is, that the King and State should look speedily to them: yea it is high time, and so much the more, it concerns his Majesty, in that they pretend his authority for all their wickedness, and getting his hand, abuse his whole kingdom, in pillaging and poling of it, and in enslaving his subjects, upon every slight occasion, and make them unable to yield unto the Kings most urgent necessities, which when through mere indigency they are found failing in, than they having the King's royal ear, cry these are the Puritans, that deny yond highness their assistance in time of your occasions, when they have been impoverished by their exactions and by their wicked Courts, and thus they abuse both the King and his people, as all the world knoweth well, and therefore I say due time it is, that his Majesty should look a little into these things: And so much the rather because all these their devilish plots, are for the ADVANCING OF POPERY▪ which will be the bane of him, his, and the whole realm, and the ruin of all things at last.  
What impudence already, the Prelates are come to, the cry of the whole Kingdom can witness. Their late proceedings in the Fast business can tell: for howsoever, it pleased his royal majesty, out of his pious zeal, to proclaim a Fast through the kingdom, for the humbling of the people for their sins: and commanded that the same book of prayers should be reprinted, which had been set forth, by public authority in former calamities of plague and pestilence; the prelates contrary unto his royal proclamation; see out an other: or at least left out many things of purpose, that rended to the beating down of Popery and superstition▪ and other things, to the dishonour of him and his nighest Allies: a horrible affront against regal command: and would have cost any other Subject as much as he had been worth, & deservedly: that should thus despise his Imperial majestics Proclamation and often declarations: but the PRELATES may commit any insolency against the King and his people, and no body dare say why do you so: it is enough that they seem to favour the prerogative royal, though by their actions they conculcate it: which makes us think now, that it was their invention likewise, to silence all the lectures in London and in all infected places, that in as much as in them lies, they might advance their damnable superstitions and idolatryes.  
And to what end else, should such preaching up of ALTARS in all places mean? such urging of beautifying of temples? such bowing to altars, tables, at the letters and syllables of jesus? if they had not some great design of innovation? For, these things used not to be within these few years; and cannot churches be comely maintained, as they have formerly been, but the whole kingdom must be troubled about them for their sumptuosity, and the furnishing of them with fopperies, fit for nothing but to provoke God to anger, and who hath expressly said, he is not pleased with such things?  
There was a wise Deane, not long since, who it seems had been a little before in heaven: for he brought news fram thence that Saint Paul was very merry and glad to see their love towards him, and that the King and Nobles were so ready to yield their helping hands towards his relief, in bestowing new clothes upon him, or rather mending his old ones. and that Paul's itself, and the very stones did rejoice, that the reparations went on so prosperously and many a fine thing he had to this purpose, concerning that holy place for so he termed it. But I dare presume, in saying that Paul was very glad, to see their love to him, in repairing that raw bond building, he preached then without his book, which Deans seldom do, before the King. I believe if Paul were upon the earth to see what they now do about that business, he would give them as little thanks for that endeavour and for all their pains, as he did at Lystra to the Priests of jupiter, that would have sacrificed to him and Barnabas. No without doubt, it would exceedingly trouble and perplex Paul, who hated all superstition, and such like trumperies, as may easily be seen in the seventeenth of the Acts, where be reprehends the Athenians for their superstition, and care about temples, and told them that God dwelled not in temples made with hands: nor had no need of such devices, and earnestly dehorted them from all such doings: and shall we now think, though a Dean says it, that Paul would preach an other doctrine contrary to that? No no Paul was no temporiser, he stood always to his principles, and abhors all such fooleries and impietyes.  
His whole study was how to build up the true temples and Churches of God, in their most holy faith, and how to preach and promulgate the Gospel, and how to promote the honour of it by his Sufferings, and by teaching and instructing the people night and day from house to house. His care was not taken up, in making of houses and edifices magnificent or repairing them, fit for nothing but superstition and idolatry and the MAINTENANCE OF IDLE ALBEY LUBBERS, concerning which, he giveth strict command, that except they wrought and laboured with their hands, they should not eat. Paul indeed had the solicitude of all the Churches continually lying upon him, and his whole study was to build and reedify them, but they were the living temples, and those indeed he built up daily in the knowledge of God and of themselves, and with all took special care for the relief of the poor saints, and how to procure aid and comfort unto them, in the times of their necessities. Yea so far was Paul from putting men to unnecessary expenses and burdening of them, or any way charging of them about building of Churches, that he would not be beholding to them for the repairing of his own body, the Temple of the holy Ghost, but laboured with his own hands for his proper maintenance, and preached the Gospel to them gratis, and that night and day, and thought no time enough for that holy duty. And shall we then think, when Paul was such an advancer of preaching, and such a publisher of the Gospel, and so great a hater of superstition and idolatry, that he now is well pleased with the supperfluous repairing of THAT IDOL TEMPLE, and the providing of a place for such drones as he thought not worthy to eat? Nay I dare maintain out of Paul's own doctrine, that those infinite sums of money, to have been bestowed upon the poor indigent brethren, would have been, far more pleasing unto God: for, the poor are in the world for the exercise of men's charity, and for the common good of kingdoms, but of such reparations and buildings there comes neither honour to God nor the King, pretend Popelins what they will. And all this I say I am ready to make good. But to such a pass are times now come, that the Pulpits, which should be the place of God and his truth, are now become stages to make plays on, and to vent lies, impiety, superstition and idolatry.  
But one of the greatest hypocritical mockeries of all the rest, is their capping and crouching at the name of jesus and the urging of all men to do the same. Nay some say, they make the PRINCE of WALES to do it. I say in that, their damnable hypocrisy is seen, for howsoever they urge the observation of that ceremony and custom, more than they do the keeping of any command of God, and punish the neglect of it with more severity than the transgression of the whole law: yet there is not one word of warrant for it in all the book of God: the very place they pretend, no way favouring them, nor their proceedings, being the 2. to the Philippians 10, To say nothing of the opinion of all antiquiry, that is against them: nor how that text, by all the torrent of modern learned men is interpreted contrary to their opinion; and by both ancient and neoterick Expositors applied to the confuting of damnable heretics, and not for the bringing-in of apish tricks in the service and worship of God.  
But to come now to the words, let us see whether the Prelates do that the text injoints, which is the thing they so earnestly urge. The words are these: That at the name of jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess, that jesus is the Lord to the glory of God the father. If these words contain in them a command, not only of an inward but an outward bodily reverence, as the Prelates and their Priests affirm. Then I say this command binds not only semper but ad semper, as all the other Commandments of God do: for it is of the same nature with them, and the neglect at any time or in any place of that service, is a sin at all times. As the command that says, thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, binds semper & ad semper, and the neglect of our love and duty at any time is a sin, The second command binds likewise, that we should not make to ourselves any graven image, or the likeness of any thing in heaven above or in the earth beneath, and that we should not bow down to it nor worship it. This command also binds semper & ad semper, and the violating of it at any time is a great sin against almighty God and without repentance brings eternal misery. The same may be said of the 3 and 4 commandments of taking the name of God in vain and keeping holy the Sabbath day, and of all the rest of the commandments. Now I say if these words to the Philippians be a command, as the Prelates would have it: than it is of the same nature with the rest. So that the worship there prescribed and set down and that worship only is to be performed, and not such worship and service as the Prelates would frame: For God that requires worship from us, will have it after his own way likewise, and will not be served after men's fancies, which he abominates. So that if an external and corporal worship be to be given at the name of jesus as they say, it must then be bowing of the knees, and the confession with the mouth, for the words are thus Set down at the name of jesus evesy knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess etc. so that the very instruments by which this worship should be performed are set down viz: the knees and the tongue.  
How is it then, when the Lord hath so precisely set down the instruments of this worship, and the manner of it, that the Prelates are yet so blind, that they see them not in the Text? or so wilful that they will not follow it? at the name of jesus saith the text, every knee shall bow: and the Prelates in obedience to this command put up their fingers to their FOURE-SQVARE COWTURDS, and give him a nod with the head; and all this I aver is their own worship, not Gods: God doth not bid them bow their fingers to their form alityes: but the text says expressly that at the name of jesus every knee shall bow: this is the service outward and corporal, and this only that is by that text required, if any. And the truth is, it is a mockery of God in the Prelates so to do. If a King should command a subject, to yield him his hand to help him: and if he should give his foot would not such a fellow be keckt out of the Court and most worthily? Paul in an other Epistle bids men lift up pure hands and hearts in all places praying unto God. Now if one going to pray should lift up his heels, and keck up his legs, because Paul commands men praying to lift up pure hands and hearts, would not this fellow be condemned of profaneness among all men & be thought. a scorner of religion, & worthy of severe punishmeut, so to abuse the Scripture? & in this very manor do the Prelates mock God for the reverence that they perform is redeculous, and such as the text commands not: For that saith not, put of your hats or caps, or nod your head and make a leg: no such business I promise you doth that require: but explicitly says at the name of jesus every knee shall bow. So that if the Prelates will either do that themselves, or enjoin others to do it, that is commanded in that place, they must fall down upon their knees, or at least make a curtsy as often as the word and sound jesus comes to their ears, making of a leg and putting of their caps, or nodding with the head, is no obeying of that command, neither is it required of them but that their knes should bow, not one in making of a leg, for that is not to obey the commandment neither, but both, for the text saith at the name of jesus every knees shall bow: and thus to obey Paul's command, I never saw any Priest or Prelate to this day: so that as yet, they live and continue in disobedience to it, and bring-in a command of their own, which they put upon the people, and the neglect or transgression of the which they punish with the ruin and undoing of many: a great wickedness, in them to neglect the commands of God and urge their own traditions above them.  
Besides, if this be a command, it is not sufficient only in the Church to do this, but it must be done in all places, at all times, without limitation, wheresoever & whensoever the name of jesus soundeth, whether in Church or house, court or country, street or field, whether in preaching or reading, whether in cursing or railing, banning or swearing, every body must fall upon their knees, or make a curtsy: for the text saith at the name of jesus every knee shall bow, & so the commandment runneth with out restriction, AND THIS ALSO HAVE NEITHER PRIESTS NOR PRELATES YET EVER DONE; but live and dye in the breach of this command; which they so unmercifully punish others for. And were it so, that at the name of JESUS, the Prelates did fall down upon their knees, or make an humble curtsy, according to the command: they had yet done but half service, which is as bad as none: God calls for whole service, he will not be served to the halves.  
Now the text that saith at the name of jesus every knee shall bow, the same text also saith▪ that at the name of jesus every tongue shall confess that jesus Christ is the Lord, to the glory of God the father▪ So that there is, an outward, oral and audible confession to be made with the mouth, as well as an outward bowing with the knees: and the one is as necessary & as much to be urged as the other: for in the text they are both joined together, and that which God hath joined together, I desire that the Prelates would not be so bold as to separate, lest they be found guilty of the same crime of which they sometimes insimulat the Papists, for they accuse them of Sacrilege for taking away the cup from the people which the Lord notwithstanding hath joined with the bread: Now if it be sacrilege in the Papists to keep the cup from the people, as damnable sacrilege it is indeed, and to be abhorred of all men, It is greater impiety and sacrilege in the Prelates to rob God himself of a part of his worship, and which in express words he challengeth: and therefore in them to separate the confession of the mouth, part of the worship that is there required, from the other of the knees, especially when it is said, with the mouth man confesseth to Salvation, is without doubt a crying sacrilege and impudent temerity: for what God hath joined together let no man separat. Now most clear and evident, it is that the confession of the mouth and that of the whole congregation, is as much required at the name of jesus as corporal and external bowing of the knee; and if the neglect of the one be a sin, and deserve punishment, the neglect of the other is a sin, and deserveth punishment also: and for the confession with the mouth, to be joined with the bowing of the knee at the name of jesus it was never yet practised in the world, nor can possibly be without such confusion, as never was brought into the Church and such a perpetual bondage to all Christians, as that of the jews was nothing to it.  
For first what an interruption of all duties would there be, if at the name of jesus as often as it sounds, the whole congregation should cry out a loud in the assembly jesus Christ is the Lord. I say it would perturbat and interrupt all holy duties, and fill the world with confusion: Now God is a God of order and not of confusion: and therefore the holy Ghost, by those words, never intended any outward bodily bowing, or oral confession at all: which as I said would not bring-in confusion only, but unsupportable bondage, yea a continuation and an inevitable circulation of worship, which may be called the cyclopedia of the Prelates: for at the name of jesus we must bow, and at the name of jesus likewise we are commanded to confess aloud that jesus is the Lord, and this oral confession calls for a new bowing, and that bowing for a new confession; so that the one, cannot be without the other, and having once made a beginning, they must go on without cessation: and this doth necessarily follow from the text, if it be a command, and if the words be to understood and taken as they sound: for if bodily bowing be required, then outward confession also at the name of jesus is required▪ and if the one, than the other; if not both then neither. So that if it be a command as the Prelates will have it, they have ever lived in the open breach of it: for I never heard them yet at the name of jesus with their mouths confess aloud in the congregation, that jesus was the Lord; and therefore for them to live in the apparent breach of this so graat a commandment, it is a great impiety; and to serve God only with quarter service, and horrible hypocrisy and disobedience.  
Wherefore I would persuade them, for time to come, to leave off, to pervert the holy Scripture, by putting false glosses upon it, and laying burdens upon men's shoulders which they will not touch with one of their little fingers, or else they may surely look that the Lord will severely punish their damnable hypocrisy wickedness & cruel tyranny they exersice over their brethren.  
For can there be a greater impiety than this? for what God commands them by example and precept, as they themselves confess, that they will not do. What he forbids them that they will do. He says at the name of jesus every tongue shall confess aloud that jesus is the Lord, to the glory of God the father, and that they should bow both their knees. But this command they have never yet obeyed. He bids them feed his sheep as they love him, and sent them for that purpose, they neither feed his sheep, nor will let others feed then. He bids them learn of him to be humble and meek, and that they should not seek the first places and highest rooms in assemblies. They affect nothing but state, POMP, GREATNESS, PREEMINENCE AND PRECEDENCY BEFORE OTHERS. Christ also forbids them to be Lords of his inheritance, and to exercise authority over their brethren, and tells then plainly, that they must imitate him, who came to serve and not to be served: as formerly also he by his own example had instructed them, flying from those that would have put worldly dignity and honour upon him: refusing, to be a judge and divider of the inheritance, and openly before Pilate renounced secular power and authority. Notwithstanding the Pope and Prelates rebelling against Christ's commands and prohibition exercise as great yea greater authority and domination over their poor brethren, than any secular Princes and Lords do, captivating them at their pleasure, not only judging of them daily, and dividing their inheritances, but giving away all they have and their very souls to the devil, to the undoing of them their wives and children, and that for doing their duty, which is the greatest tyranny that ever was exercised in the world.  
And as, they exercise more than a Lordly power and authority over their poor brethren, so they are attended like the Lords and Princes of the earth, with mighty retinues, and are carried in coaches with four or six horses a piece in them, when a wheel barrow such as they trundle white wine vinegar about the town were a great deal fitter for them I worse▪ so little honour they deserve for their service towards God or the King, and for the good to the Church and State, of all which they are the cursed enemies who think nothing that Christ did, or spoke, reverend, timely or orderly, but it must be either▪ altered, or neglected, or absolutely rejected by them and abjured, and howsoever he injoines them to teach or preach nothing to the people, to be observed but what he gave them in commission yet nevertheless they preach and urge little other, but their own conceits superstitions and vainest and idlest ceremonies, and howsoever Christ strictly forbade them to be Lords over his flock as I said before, yet they boldly tell him to his face, if he should be obeyed in that, there could be no government, and those that would urge the necessity of his commands upon the Ministers of the Gospel, they labour to overthrow Monarchies and all regality, and therefore they being a little wiser, and knowing better what belongs unto the managing of the Church and States, they think it very fit to take authority and domination into their hands, and to obtrude their own laws upon their brethren and with greater severity and rigour exact the observation of them: and with more bitter severityes punish the meanest neglect of them, than the breach of all God's commandments, and this you cannot deny: by all which proceedings of theirs, it is more than apparent, that the Prelates and their confederates are enemies of Christ and of his Kingdom, and therefore by all such as love him and his glorious appearing, aught to be prayed against. And so far am I from thinking myself in an error in desiring deliverance from them, that I desire that all would join with me in the same LITANY fervently and uncessantly praying From plague pestilence and famine, from BISHOP'S PRIESTS AND DEACONS GOOD LORD DELIVER US: by the agony and bloody sweat, by the cross and passion, FROM BISHOPS PRIESTS AND DEACONS GOOD LORD deliver us. By the precious death and burial, by the glorious resurrection and ascension, and by the coming of the holy ghost: FROM BISHOPS PRIESTS AND DEACONS good Lord deliver us. We Sinners do beseech thee to hear us good Lord.  
And so after my Litany I come to your other exceptions, wherein you think, they will argue me of scandalising them in saying they go to their Venery in forma pauperis, by which words I seem to accuse the holy tribe of iucontinency: and this you think they will make penal▪ but for that, to say nothing of my own experience, as I AM A PHYSICIAN, nor of what I have heard from the most famous of that profession of the incontinency of those follows, who they have had under their cure after their venery, because I will not in any thing temerate our function; nor be like those beastly Priests that in their displeasure against a man; will reveal whatsoever was most secretly commetted unto their trust in deepest familiarity, and swear to it also and make records of it, to the undoing of many a poor man and the violating of all the laws and iura Ioues hospitalis to speak nothing now I say of my own knowledge; look but a little into their bawdy Courts in all the dioceses through the Kingdom, and there will scarce pass a Court day wherethere are not two or three Pre●●ts or more presented for incontinency and either for getting their own maids with child or their neighbours, or it may be more profound uncleanness, & then they bring along with them their compurgators, which do that office upon condition, that they shall be compurgators, for them an other time, and so they are pronounced rectos in curia and freed from all crime: and thus they harmonise together for the cloaking of one an others knavery. Nor to say nothing of chaplains in general what base filthiness they perpetrate even in the families of illustrious men where they are entertained and too much honoured, sometime with their daughters or allies, sometime which their servants, or friends, of which the Kingdom cries shame, they professedly carrying kissing comfits in their pockets, and blush not to publish their lesciviousnes being at any time demanded what they smack; I myself have been an ear witness of that good confession. But not to speak of this, neither; nor of their codpisse Simony, to use their own language and dialect, nor of the suits that for their beastliness have been cast on't of the HONOURABLE COURT OF STARCHAMBER: But to come to the High Commission Court, in the which if you please to be present, you shall hear sometime four or five in a term of such base filthiness OF THEIR PRIESTS, as no chaste ears can hear them, such things indeed as the apostle says expressly, they are not to be named amongst Christians: and such as the very prophave cry shame of: and yet it is wonderful to see, with what grace and how distinctly and orderly the Registers will read that good stuff: sometimes three or four hours together and more; and how diligently and attentively those reverend fathers a whole after noon together will hear those BAWDY BUSINESSES, when to be one hour in the pulpit to teach the people their duty towards God and their neighbour in half a year, is a thing very tedious unto them.  
So that they cannot take it in ill part, when their own Courts do sufficiently prove their lewd behaviour: which indeed now is well known through the Kingdom, insomuch that though their incontinency with their debaushednes be proved never so manifestly, they shall find compurgators and come well enough of except they be branded with Puritanisme also and that he preacheth diligently, then perhaps he may lose his place for it. But I say let his incontinency be never so evidently proved▪ and that he is a breaker of all the laws of God, suspension is all that I ever heard was inflicted upon such persons if they be conformable, and if there be any other punishment against INCONTINENT PRIESTS, it is more than I know. But this I have often observed, that others that have been proved men of an incontaminat life, of holy conversation, diligent Preachers, yet found failing perhaps in some trifle of conformity, they have been deprived ipso facto of their ministry and of their livelihood and committed to prison without either mercy and compassion: So much conscience is punished now a days and incontinency favoured amongst our reverend Fathers. And therefore if they take pepper in the nose for saying they go to their venery in forma pauperis, let them do their worst, for I will never fear to speak the truth.  
Now whereas you suppose they will make it an heinous crime, THAT I INVITE THE WHORE OF BABYLON to my christening with the Prelates. I do conceive no such offence in that business: For I hope all learned men and good Christians are well assured, that Godfathers and Godmothers are not essential to baptism, and that many thousands were well christened in primitive times, and every day are in many reformed Churches in our age without either. Besides, he that shall look into the first original cause of them, will at this day see no need of them among us, at least very little. For Baptism succeeding circumcision, and as under the old law children were not to be circumcised whose Fathers and mothers were not within the Pale of the Church and within the Covenant: So I say, in the time of the new testament, baptism coming in place of circumcision, none were thought fit in the first Christian churches being children to be received to that holy Sacrament of initiation, but such as were the children of Christian parents: for the promises were made and renewed to them and to their children. Hereupon when children were to be baptised, and to receive the seal of the covenant, Christians being but few in comparison of jews and Gentiles, and withal, a persecuted generation of men, and all forced to live in obscurity and straggling one from an other and to have their meetings very private: especially in the great persecutions of the Church, for the satisfaction of the whole congregation: when they assembled together, and when any INFANTS were there presented unto them to be baptised, there came in some two or three Christian neighbours to testify unto the congregation, that those children that were brought into the assembly, were Christian's children, so that they might without any scruple admit them to the sacrament of Baptism: and this was all the end of witnesses in those times, and all, they did at the Font: which any two either jews or Pagan● might have done as well as Christians for aught I know: for the congregation desired but to know, whether they were Christians children: otherwise they admitted them not to baptism: Now a jew or a Gentile▪ that was their enemy, would not have their own children incorporated among Christians: but would make christian's go among their own fraternity: therefore as I suppose their witness would easily have been admitted among the best Christians in this cause. So that in the ORIGINAL CHURCHES, this and this only, was the use of witnesses, which I say in our times, where we are known all ●o be Christians, there is very little need of: for it is a mere compliment in baptism: and to speak truly and properly▪ none can better answer for the faith and education of the child to be baptised, than the father: neither hath any better right to give the name, than the father and mother: who if we look▪ into the word of God, ever gave their own children their names; Abraham gave I saack his name, I saac gave his children their names; and so we shall find, that both the Patriarches and Kings of old gave their children their names and answered for them: neither can there be any good reason given, why Christians should be inferior in this matter to the jews.  
Withal, Baptism now is become a thing so chargeable to Godfathers, and of so much expense, that a poor man can scarce get any to christian his children: and especially a man as I am, not only poor but of whom all men are no● afraid: so as it was an impossible thing for me to get or procure any GODFATHERS: and therefore I was constrained to sue at this time, in my wife's name, TO THE PRELATES who had been the cause of all my misery; to see, of they would now at last, show any humanity to the oppressed: and true it is. I joined the WHORE OF BABYLON with them: because they had a very honourable opinion of her: and so highly, magnifyed her, as they said i● open Court, that howsoever other Church●s had played the harlot, yet she ever had remained a chaste matron: so that they could not now except against her their old mistress: and for witness in things of this kind; I think the testimony of any, good or bad will serve: neither do I know, what reason there should be to the contrary: for the thing is apparent whether the sun shines or no at noon day, so that if one should say it did not, thousands would witness the contrary: and that I am a Christian, who can doubt? For I was signed with the sign of the cross, as all men know; and the Prelates have crossed me ever since: so that I have I thank them crosses enough to witness that. And that cities also use to give names unto children, this daily experience will witness; and therefore that may not be taken ill by any Catholic, when I am, as I said, a true ancient CATHOLIC AND APOSTOLIC ROMAN, and am resolved to live and die in that faith in despite of the devil nay in contemptum diaboli et Praelatorum ●mnium.  
For the exception you make against that passage where I say writing to my good Angel, I will conclude hereafter, that we shall be married together, and therefore for better for worse I remain his poor wife, etc. I must confess, I suppose there will not be any so unwise, as to think, that to use a word, that is metaphorically taken in all Countries and languages upon the like occasion, and merrily to express it, should be blameworthy in me, for what is more commonly in use, then to say, one, being cast in prison by his adversaries that are implacable, that he is married to the place and jailor. If any do not like of the manner of expression, ‛ let him go learn his granam to suck, and not me to speak, for that matter, for sure I am, such a fellow never came where good literature and the liberal arts dwelled, that will take away from any scolar the liberty of a metaphor, or make it an offence in one, when it is a virtue in an other: but for that, I think it was not yours, but an others exception, & therefore I will say no more of it.  
For the capital and one of the grand ones and your last, to speak a little of that, and so I will conclude. You tell me I give the Prelates unreverent titles and names, which you think they will make scandalum magnatum and censure me for it. The truth is; the laws of the Kingdom proclaim them enemies of the King, and all such as they are, and therefore when I have authority from them for my language, I conceive it may be tolerated among all such, as honour the King or love the laws, which they make a scorn of to my knowledge. But you are mistaken in the business, I was censured and lost my ears, the one at London the other at Colchester, long before I thought of my Litany, as the whole Country can tell, and therefore I made my Litany for deliverance from them and their cruelty: and in that I call a Spade a Spade and every thing as it deserves, and so much the rather because as soon as my apology was arrived NEWCOMIN the PRIEST reported in the country, that it should cost me my ears: and the one I should lose in Colchester, and the other at London, and something more was added of other punishments, when notwithstanding, I had made only a relation of the Prelates proceedings against me in the high commission court, of which there were a thousand witnesses. And what that Priest reports that ordinarily hapens: for he commonly speaketh nothing which cometh not from the Prelates mouths: and that they say, they know well, they have power enough to bring it to pass. When I was first hoist up into the high Commission Court, by that learned Rector and that the pursuivant was gone down to ransack my Study, and take away my papers, of all which proceedings I being absent, was ignorant: he then reported that I should be fined a thousand pounds, which came to pass: and whatsoever beside he had foretold, all that was executed upon me, as if he himself had given the verdict, and this that I now relate, is notoriously known to the whole country.  
And as he then did give sentence upon me before judgement in their own Court, so hath he now done in the starchamber; it seemeth that all Courts are theirs and that all the NOBILITY AND PEERS OF THE KINGDOM are bound to put in execution what every profane Priest out of insolency will have, and others out of cruelty enjoin them to do, upon otherwise incurring their displeasure: and of this cruelty I have heard not once; So that, so many informations out of the Country of this censure against me, maketh me daily expect the extremity: all which proceedeth from the tyranny of the Prelates who indeed thirst after the ruin of all them they love not and those that truly fear the Lord, and this daily experience teacheth us. Now I say, when they fight not against men only, but God himself, as I have showed sufficiently; and when they trample upon the Prerogative royal, (pretend what they will) and the laws of the Kingdom, which they are bound to obey and defend as well as myself being subjects: it is the duty of all good subjects to lay open the wickedness and ungratitude of such men, by the most fittest terms, they know how to express it. We see the scripture is full of expressions of this kind, (malice and hatred to their persons being laid aside, which I harbour not in my heart against them:) I think it me duty 18 set forth their malicious plots, the best way I can: for to such a height is their malice come, that speak them fair or speak then fowl: nay let them but think you speak to them, though you meddle not with them, it shall ruin you. Neither are they content with their own power in destroying of poor men, which no Court hath in a greater measure, or ever had, that I remember: but they call for all aid still of the Nobility and of the King's majesty himself, to help them in their daily oppressings of poor men; as if any of them resisted at any time their authority: or as if they of themselves without any other help could not ruin all the honest men they brand with the name of Puritans in the Kingdom, and trample upon them at pleasure: when the whole, realm seeth and feeleth daily their tyranny over their brethren, which they groan most greivously under: and under the which thy have no way to relieve themselves but by appealing to Caesar the King's most excellent Majesty, which was all the refuge of poor Christians and all distressed subjects in all nations and ages, yea under heathen Emperors, and that now is all the hope, of relief they at this day do enjoy, which if it fail them, they cannot expect from the Prelates, any other but a life far worse than death: for I have credibly been informed, that they daily labour to incense his gracious Majesty against such as complain of their exorbitant domineering over them, and would make the whole State believe that they are weary of their lives, and the only persecuted men that now live though they live in all honour and pomp, and only forsooth, because there are some under others names, and others, without names, set down the greivances of Ministers & people, which manner of complaining, I could wish were subscribed ever unto, with the hand of the authors, for that I think more beseemeth men, whatsoever the issue be: for they must dye one day, and to dye for the honour of God, the King, their Religion and country, or to suffer any thing for either of them it was ever thought honourable, and I call God to witness, the only love and honour of these hath made me abandon all love to myself and mine, in comparison, and made me lie down in dust and ashes, whereas, if I could have temporised, I might have enjoyed no small portion in things of this life. But I say, I would earnestly wish, that the oppressed would show his Majesty indeed by name and by the effects, that they groan under a mighty and unsupportable bondage under the Prelates not knowing which way ever to have releise, but by his gracious assistance. And truly, if men would go plainly & simply to work, to justify unto the Prelates faces, the things they accuse them of, (as I ever will) if it did themselves no good, it would witness to all posterity, that there were some willing, to abdicate all for the honour of God and the good of the Country and Religion. And who knoweth but as Benedad said of the Kings of Israel and juda, that they were merciful, and therefore they might by humble entreaty find favour, so our Christian Kings succeeding them and the best of them in faith and goodness, and being more merciful: who knows I say but humble suitors may happily find favour at their princely hands at last, and that, they truly being informed of the calamities their poor subjects sink under, would send them speedy relief especially when they consider their own place, and the end of their being, that King and Princes are appointed by God himself to be nursing fathers and nursing mothers of his people: and therefore they have their titles of gracious Princes, and Saviour's of their people: for, Kings are Gods vicegerents, to do that which otherwise he might do himself, which is to relieve the oppressed and deliver them from the mighty and help them against their enemies, and were wont to sit in the gates to receive their complaints, and this is the doctrine that God teachers Princes, the practice of which in common wealths, is far better than Machiavells: and brings more security ever to their crowns and dignities. And those that teach Kings and Princes contrary unto that, that God himself hath taught them, are but sucking Politicians, (whatsoever the world esteems of them) and have been ever fatal to all Empires, as if you look into histories you shall find. If God himself hath said that for oppressions and cruelties a land shall be made desolate, and gives in charge to Kings and Princes for their own preservation and the common good to remove those that oppress the people and cause them to sin: if Machiavelli and his disciples shall say the contrary, that Kings must favour such as seem to advance Princely dignity, by what means soever it be, and by so much the more that the commons complains against them, and that Kings are not tied to any Laws but by their absolute authority and prerogative may do what they will, I will affirm it unto the death, it is damnable doctrine, and the teachers of it, aught to be put out of office at least, be they Bishops, Priests, or Deacons.  
But concerning such men, hear what the learnedst King that ever was, (King JAMES I mean) said in his speech to the Lords and commons at whitehall March 21. 1609. who had more policy in the paring of his nails, than all the Grollish Politicians that are now extant in the whole body of them, yet he said, that those that persuade Kings to do contrary unto their laws, are vipers and pests, both against them and the commonwealth. And these are the words of a mighty, learned and prudent King, & this doctrine I have received from him. And if it would please his Highness our renowned King whom God long preserve, well to consider what his father says: his Majesty would better Perceive the truth of 〈◊〉 his speech for in that he spoke not only like a King of wise doom: but like an oracle from heaven. And indeed Monarchies have ever been preferred before all popular governments, because there is one ever ready to whom the subjects in all their pressures by the mighty, may have recourse and from whom relief, and whom to appeal to. So that they shall not need then always to wait for public meetings, for the redressing of grievances: For this is a part of Kingly art, to cure these diseases of state in time and obstare principiis miseriarum populi, and the violation of their laws, for if the people be deprived of the benefit of the law and the appeal to the King that great comfort and relief, they will in time be made a prey to the cruelty of every oppressor, and their lives become untolerable to them: especially when it shall be thought a State policy, that he that hath the best faculty of tyrannising and oppressing the King subjects, shall be esteemed the most serviceable member in a commonwealth & the greatest Statist. And this is policy from hell, the authors of which the Lord himself will confound, if they repent not. But in the mean time, in seeking for relief and ease under oppression; though it be in the diseases of the commonwealth, as it is in the bodies of men, the speedier remedy to them is ever the best: for the longer they continue the more dangerous they are: yet as the patient submits himself to the Physician for the time of the Cure: So much more ought the subject to leave the Cure to King's best opportunityes, as the only Physicians of Kingdoms, and who as they are called Gods, so many times imitate him in long suffering conniving at and patient enduring the insolent and domineering oppressors, and such as trample not only upon the people, but their own laws, yea upon their crowns and dignity, and yet seem in the mean time, to be their faithfullest servants, and those that stand most of all for the advancement of their honour and glory, as those cursed enemies of God did in the 66 of Isaiah 5. Let the Lord be glorified say they, when they persecuted and oppressed his servants, hated them and cast them out: So say these sycophants, Let the King's honour be maintained, when they mean nothing less. All which things Kings many times know very well and them to be mere hypocrites, and to do all they do for their own base ends: and therefore in their fittest opportunities purge the Church and State of them. And as Kings are Gods in respect of health safety, government and wisdom: So they are likewise in respect of invocation only to be sought to and called upon of their subjects in all times of the calamities of oppression next after God himself: we are not to go in our troubles and oppressions, to wizards of State the King's enemies that bewitch men with presents, or rebels, or take indirect courses of insurrections and tumultuation; this is a remedy worse than the disease, and more displeasing to God, and dishonourable to the subject: and deserves a greater yoke of servitude: but we must continue our humble petitions to the King and tell his Majesty how the matter stands. We must be like the importunate widow, and although we meet with many discouragements, as those that came unto Christ did, yet we may not surcease and be weary or drove back; for Kings are Gods and are exorable full of pity & compassion, and never send away their subjects without comfort that with lowly importunity solicit them▪ and this is the duty of all good subjects and such as will approve their ways before God and men, in the number of which I shall desire ever to live and die, being though but poor, as rich in loyalty, as any subject in the Kings three dominions.  
But now to shut up all. Whereas you think many will blame me for that I use such course expressions towards them: and it will favour of some inward spleen and study of revenge, and may also scandal religion, for they will say, they are all of this Spirit. In answer to that, I protest in the presence of almighty God, that I am so far from either rancour and hatred toward them, for all the wrong they have done me, as I never think of any evil towards them, because I refer my cause to God and vengeance to him and cast myself upon his providence in a more special manner, chiefly at this time when I have none other to depend upon: I being made odious amongst all men and hateful to them that never saw me. But this I confidently confess unto you▪ that I know more of the wicked plots of the Prelates than any Subject that is a Protestant with in the King's dominions, and you would say there were reason for it, if you knew all. And before I have done with them, I will make the wickedness not only of our Prelates, but of all the Prelates in the whole world known unto all Christians Princes and to all their Subjects, who to speak the truth are all infinitely abused by them; not only for the trampling under their feet all the sucular Peers under them and the Nobility and flower of all Kingdoms where they dwell; and the subiugating of their Commons, but in fine, in regard of the danger of having their necks brought under a greater yoke of bondage then ever it formerly was▪ all which I will make appear unto all Christian Princes and unto all men as clearly as the Sun shines at Noon day. The mystery indeed that they are a working is carried closely, so that Kings and Nobles do not see it: for they all buzz Nobles and Princes in the ear, that those that are enemies to the Hierarchy, they indeed would disthrone Kings and have no government and they would slight the nobility and dignities and overthrow order and states: and then they tell a thousand stories to them all to incense the King and Nobles against that poor company of men that more honour dignities, and powers in a Kingdom then ever any prelate did as shall be evidently proved in my ANATOMY of the prelates which I dedicat unto all Christian Princes and Commonwealths, for it concerns them all, but especially all such as make profession of the reformed religion. I dare say by that time you and all men shall have read that book, you will see into the mystery of their iniquity so clearly, that you will affirm there are no names bad enough for them or sufficient to express the wickedness and treachery of those empostors. Our Prelates writ books sometime against the Pope and call him the grand Imposter: but the truth is, the Papists say that all such Bishops are knaves: and that if the Pope be an Impostor they are greater: for they are all Pops, and thus much I have often heard them speak: and that were it not, for the hindering of the Catholic cause and the universal Monarchy, they could make them fly without gunpowder, but they hoped in time they would leave to write against the Church of Rome. They know one an others kneveries, all which I have made known in the Anatomy of the Prelates which is in the hands of some special friends. The printing of which I have reserved till my censure in the star-chamber, because I desire to do things methodically and upon mature deliberation, and in such sort that all Christendom may have the greater cause to look into businesses that so highly concern their well being. You know I have been a traveller, and lived many years abroad and in the most flourishing universityes of Europe and in many Courts of great Princes, and have been employed in matters of state and that often: and in all these places where I ever lived, I carried myself as a Christian, and had the repute of them all, for an honest man, and have the public testimonies of all places where I dwelled, both for my honesty and learning: and my bonds are famous now at Rome itself, to my knowledge, and in all the Christian world.  
And all men that know any thing know also that I suffer not as an evil doer: & they stand all in wonderful expectation what will be the issue of this business: for it astonisheth them, to see that I should be put in prison for writing a book against the Pope, in defence of Regality, and because it had nothing but scripture in it. Now in this expectation of theirs, I hear the Prelates are plotting new mischief against me, and have desired power and greater assistance from the King for the prosecuting of me more severely yet, as if they had not enough before, and withal that the Nobility join with them for the censuring of me in the star-chamber for the cutting of my ears and worse: but I hoop his Majesty and the honourable Lords will more seriously look into the business, which if they do, I am confident they shall never find me a delinquent, but to have deserved better from King and state than any Prelate in England ever did or can do. But by the way. Let me tell you thus much that whatsoever the Prelates pretend of service and love to the King and Nobles, they will in the conclusion deal with them as Polyphemus dealt with Ulysses & his soldiers when he had got them in Antro: first says Ulysses, I will devour these (meaning the common soldiers) and after I will come to thee.  
And even so the Prelates, when they have devoured the commons, and them they style by the name of Puritans, they will also devour those graet ulysses and Heroes, and this is as true as the Sunshines at none day. They have made pretty beginnings of that good work already if men could see it, and they and their creatures have the breeding of all their children, and the tutor of them at home and abroad; and all their whole endeavour is, that the Lords and Peers of the kingdom may be acquainted with no solid learning and that which concerns either Religion or Government: but that they may have some complemental way of Courtship for entertayment, and be fit for pleasure only; and this say the Prelates is enough for Lords: so that if any of the Lords creep into the knowledge either of religion or of states matters, it is through their own ingenuity and industry, and sore against the Prelates liking. And hence it is, that such misery at this day is in this kingdom, that there is not one of forty of the Lords that understandeth to the purpose an ordinary Latin author, which is but the bark of learning, so that by this means they are deprived of an excellent way of instruction, and all this not through their own default, who otherwise are as witty and ingenious as any men, but through their tutors, and that indeed is their only study to keep Princes and Nobles ignorant, and take them up with pleasure, that they may get the government into their own hands and be thought only fit to manage state affairs, to the infinite dishonour of the Nobility, yea Kings themselves, who if they would but set themselves a little to their studies, and look into matters of Religion and state, they would find little need of such cattle as Prelates are either in Church or state, or if their were they would send them home to preach as Ministers should, nay they would command them to follow that calling of preaching and leave state-affayres to them. King james in his Apology to Christian Princes says that Churchmen meddling with state-affayres, are the frogs that came out of the bottomless pit, that corrupt and spoil all things. And truly till the Kings and Princes of the earth shall dismiss that crew from their Courts or send them about their own callings, they can never promise unto themselves their Crowns and dignities any enduring security, all which-things I will make so evidently appear in my Anatomy of the Prelates, as there is never Boy of eight years old but shall see it: and I hope by that good work to do such service and so good an office to all Christian Kings and to all Common wealths, to the whole Church of God, and to the generations of men, that love peace and sincerity, as the very memory of me the miserablest now of creatures shall be grateful to all posterity to the world's end. But this shall be reserved till the sentence of the star-chamber is passed. For I desire to print the whole passage of that Court against me, as I have done of the high Commission, that all the world may see how little I have deserved such censures as I have and shall undergo, and how well I have merited both from Church and state: and when the Censure of the star-chamber against me shall come out, with the Anatomy of the Prelates, you & all men will then see whether the Prelates are not brave statesmen or no. But that I may notwrong any man, I must entreat your favour in one thing, I know you are an eminent man, & have many friends in the Court, I shall therefore desire of You this kindness, that whatsoever speeches either the king's Attorney or Solicitor or any other shall make in my absence against me, that it may be taken in short hand and sent me forth with, that I may translate it into Latin as it cometh, with my answer to it and replication, so that I may have Bill and answer and all things ready for the press, at the day of my Censure: and that at that day, there may likewise be as many, as possible can gather speeches that may take their declamations from their mouths severally, for I resolve to translate them all into Latin, and to comment upon them, what Lords soever they be. And I doubt not, but to make it the famousest story that ever was agitated in any Court of judicature, since Paul appeared before Nero. But it is time now to draw to an end. I hear that the Attorney universal with the King's Solicitor are now a coming to examine me, and intent speedily to have my ears. I am only sorry I have no more ears, nor lives to lose for the honour of God, my King and Religion: but what should I grieve that I have no more lives and ears to lose: I know God accepteth of the least things so they be insyncerity offered unto him: to whose gracious perservation I commend you, and think this for the present sufficient to have answered to your exceptions against my Litany and for the avoiding of others misinterpreting of my honest intentions. Fare you well.  
Your for ever in Limbo Patrum, JOHN BASTWICK  
Hear ends the second part of my Litany the other SIX are to Follow.