THE HISTORY of Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, etc. Numb. 16. Chap.  
Applied to the Prelacy ministery and Church-assemblies of England.  
By Mr john Penry, a Martyr of jesus Christ.  Numb. 16.26. And Moses spoke unto the Congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye perish in all their sins. Rev. 18.4. And I heard another voice from heaven say, Go out of Babylon, my people, that ye be not partakers in her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 
Imprinted in the year, 1609.   

The Publisher to the Reader.  
THere coming to my hands (Christian reader) the copy of this treatise following, (whereof many copies have passed abroad in writing) I thought good (weighing well the matter undertaken, & the party by whom it was written,) to publish the same, to the further view of the world. And chief for the good of my country: which all true subjects are bound by all good means to seek and advance.  
The subject of this book, or matter undertaken, is; A declaration of th'estate of the Church and Ministry of Engl. compared with Corah, Dathan, Abiram, their Tents and conspiracy, against Moses and Aaron, Num. 16. chap. Which therefore all in whom the true fear of God is, ought carefully to look unto and examine: For we should try all things, and keep that which is good. And they who never examine the things charged to be evil and out of order in that Church, must needs be ignorant, whether their estate therein be good or evil. But if they consider that ignorance will not excuse them, it behoveth all to take knowledge: whom I heartily wish to lay aside all partiality, and with indifferent minds to weigh things well, trying them by the rule of God's word, that whatsoever thereby is required of them, they may resolve to do it; although it turn to the loss of all worldly pleasures and preferments: knowing that we have here but a short time, and our God hath reserved for us a more enduring substance and richer inheritance in the kingdom of heaven, if in obedience we submit unto him, and in faith and patience do wait upon him.  
Touching the author, Mr john Penry by name; he was a godly man, learned, zealous, & of a most Christian carriage & courage: & (as he 
* In his Apology.  saith of himself) borne and bred in the mountains of Wales. And well known it is, that with all godly care & labour he endeavoured to have the Gospel preached and planted among his poor countrymen, whose case he greatly pitied & had compassion of, in that they wanted the means of salvation among them. After all this, God using him as a further instrument for the more clear manifestation of the truth; he was hardly entreated, imprisoned, condemned and executed; & so suffered Martyrdom for the name of Christ. Being adjudged at the King's bench by Sir john Popham Knight, Lord chief justice of England, and the rest of the judges there assembled, the 25. of the 5. month called May, and executed at Thomas a Water by London, the 29. of the same month, in the year of our Lord, 1593.  
And here let the Reader observe, that he was not executed the next day after the judgement, as it was expected; nor the second, nor third day after; but when men lest looked for the same, than was he brought forth being at dinner (as I have heard) by a warrant under the hands of the 
* john Whitgift.  Archbishop of Canterbury, & of Sir john Puckering Knight, Lord Keeper of the great seal, and Sir john Popham aforesaid, being then Lord chief justice of England, and the matter being carried after a close manner, was suddenly conveyed to the place of execution; where he was as hastily bereft of his life, and not suffered (though he desired it) to make declaration of his faith towards God, or of his allegiance to her Majesty. Which m●ner of dealing I thought good to note here by the way, that it might be known, and esteemed of all according as it deserveth.  
Furthermore concerning this treatise, whether he had finished the whole, or was taken & intercepted, when he had thus far proceeded in it, or what he would further have done about it, I know not. Wherefore if others have more of it, they shall do well to impart it to the world, as I have done this which came to my hands. In the mean time I wish all to make good use of this part now printed, & they unto whose hands it shall come, to enterteyn it as a poor Orphan, who is left as it were Fatherless, by the authors untimely death, procured by the Prelates: who as unclean spirits like frogs (croaking about King's Courts) do stir up the Magistrates & Rulers of the earth, 
Rev. 16.13.14.  to make war against God's Saints. Whereas these should rather hearken to that which God speaketh unto them in his word saying, Be wise now therefore, ye Kings: be learned, ye judges of the earth: Serve the Lord in fear and rejoice in trembling: Kiss the son, lest he be angry, and ye perish in the way, when his wrath shall suddenly burn. Blessed are all they that trust in him. Psal. 2.10.11.12.   

THE HISTORY OF CORAH etc. Numb. 16. chap. Applied to the Church-assemblies of England.  
IT is certain and apparent that this age cannot in any wise brook to have the truth manifested & spoken in the same, except it be by piece meals: So that if ever it were said to the Seers, See not, & to the prophets, prophesy not unto us right things, 
Isa. 30.10.  but speak flatteries, prophesy errors, depart out of the way, go aside out of the path, cause the holy one of Jsraell to cease, from us, the very same is now said and stood unto in these miserable days: nay those that would be reckoned our leaders our eyes our guides, are now become the men of Anathoth, and say plainly, 
Jer. 11.21.  prophesy not in the name of the Lord, that thou die not by our hands.  
All estates and sorts of men, high and low, have reasons why to reject the truth, why to condemn it, why to tread it under foot, and to persecute the same. It is not pleasant, it is odious, it is offensive, it is hard, knotty, uncivil, proud, haughty, and what not? It is not pleasant, because it draweth men into incouveniences, it reproveth them to their faces, discovereth their evil walking: it indangereth those that profess the same: it carrieth but a mean train after it. It is odious and offensive, for the same causes: It is uncivil, proud and haughty, because it will correct and reform all: it will alter states: it regardeth not the years, learning, credit, wisdom, and estimation of those that stand against it, but goeth about to bring all under foot, and to make them all to stoop unto it, or else threateneth to break them like a potter's vessel: it will not be silent at their commandment, but contrary wise enforceth them to flee her presence, and not to have a word to speak that they dare stand unto while she is in place.  
These and such like are the causes why the truth of God is so meanly attended upon, and utterly cast off among men in our days: for what reason is there (as men usually conclude) that those who in the estimation of the most, are learned, godly, religious etc. should have their practices reproved and themselves condemned as violaters of the Lords moral commandments, seeing they are especially deemed to urge the observation of them?  
As an answer to all these frivolous cavils of flesh and blood, I oppose once for all THE WORD OF GOD and the truth thereof, whereby I doubt not but to stop the mouth of proud flesh, and to press the same with the mace of God's judgements for evermore, except they embrace and obey the truth.  
And therefore I do here in the presence of God & his Angels charge them whosoever they be into whose hands this present treatise shall come, that they presume not to suffer the former cavils to have passage out of their lips, as being reasons of any force, why the truth of God should be beaten back, smothered and kept in, because men do account the same to be mean, odious, offensive, stern, proud, etc. For why should not all the world lay their hand upon their mouths, when the GOD OF HEAVEN speaketh, and labour to frame themselves and their affections meet to receive his truth, and to be obedient to the same? Shall proud men reject it, because it derogateth from their ruinous credit? Shall they seek to keep it under, because they will not come under the line and direction of the same? Shall that be accounted odious, which is most amiable, most beautiful, to be desired above fine gold, 
Job. 28.19.  yea of more value than the Topaz of Aethiopia or the most pure wedge of the gold of Ophir, and that only because vain men hate to be reform by it? Shall that be accounted proud, offensive, and haughty, whereat none possibly can stumble but proud scribes and pharisees, or ignorant and worldly minded Disciples, who will not stick to say to the Lord himself, that his sayings are hard and who can hear them? Nay let vain men labour to have the ear of the learned, that they may break in pieces their turning away, to their shame & confusion of face, their hard entreaty of the truth and those that profess the same, by revile, slanders, imprisonments etc. to their everlasting perdition, without the Lords great mercy in turning them unto him, which I earnestly wish them.  
And as the whole truth oppugned in these days, is in the eyes men of the nature and quality before mentioned, so is this in particular, for the clearing whereof I am to deal at this present.  
The point is,  
That it is unlawful for any of what estate, sex, degree, & condition soever they be, to communicate in any action of religion, as in hearing truth taught, in receiving the Sacraments, praying, etc. Within any of the public meetings of the Land, as now they stand by Law:  
And therefore that this present Parliament etc.  
The reasons of the first degree alleged to prove the contrary will be these, namely that the assertion is traitorous, seditious, schismatical: that it is Brownisme, that it is odious, offensive etc. that it condemneth the doings of the children of God, & the practices of the most notable servants of Christ: accuseth them all this while to have erred & gone astray: that it crosseth the judgement of reformed Churches; who are better persuaded of the assemblies of the land: that excellent and famous men saw not this: that they were of an other mind etc.  
But what is all this to the truth? is it any new thing to see the truth arraigned, indited, condemned, and executed for treason and sedition, though never convinced of the same? We consider not whether kingdoms & states be so out of order as that the truth cannot come to light, but it will be accounted traitorous among them, The only thing that we especially respect is, whether it be truth or not, the which being found, hold it we must, defend it we must, whatsoever account man's corruption maketh thereof. And therefore here is no more said against it, but what in all ages hath been falsely uttered against the truth. Falsey I say, because no truth can be traitorous unto the state of any Prince or Potentate. And as unto this in particular, it shallbe found to carry undoubted stability with it, for the upholding of her majesties crown, authority, privileges, pre-eminences within all her Realms and Dominions, and to be accompanied with the allowance of her Royal Laws, if it might have the particular benefit of them.  
Touching the crime of Brownisme, Schism, etc. It is an unconscionable slander, for truth holdeth of no creature, it is derived only from that head in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden, that is from JESUS CHRIST: yet this I know to be the usual badge of the truth, to be called after the names of men, to be accounted schismatical, that thereby the hearts of the simple may be alienated from the same. And Satan in this latter age hath been a mervelous cunning Rhetorician this way, there hath been no truth brought to light, but he ha●h taken pains to paint it out for Zwinglianisme Luther anisme, Calvinisme, Brownisme, etc.  
Odious and offensive it hath been already granted to be, only in their eyes who refuse to be guided by the line and rule of the Master builder: whereas otherwise it is precious unto them, that labour to square themselves and their actions according to the pattern of the holy sanctuary and temple.  
And to pretend against the truth, that it condemneth the doings of men, is nothing else but a manifest testimony that truth is truth: who must bear rule, and bring all into order: yea let all men in the world be liars, and let the Lord in this truth of his ordinances be justified and prevail. 
2 Sam. 11.17. & 12.9.11.  David is a godly man, he is the sweet singer of Israel, a man according to Gods own heart, well esteemed of, well reputed: may he therefore do what he will? may he continue in sin, and must not the light reprove him? Peter is the notable ambassador of jesus Christ, 
Gal. 2.11.14.  a great instrument and furtherer of the truth: but may he therefore claim liberty not to be withstood to his face in his hypocrisy? If this could be once granted, that the credit of men might cover their open breach of God's law, and their continuance therein, it were but vain to bring the truth to light. Nay let the credit of the captains of the congregation be hanged against the sun, rather than their place estimation and the good opinion which men have received of them should defend the whoring of the people with the daughters of Moab, 
Num. 28.4.  especially their spiritual whoredom with the ordinances of Antichrist, and their proud rejecting of jesus Christ.  
Touching reform Churches, we are to walk by the line of the word, and not after the judgements of men: When they have answered the reasons set down in this treatise, and have learned aright in what state the assemblies of the land do stand, we will give some better doom unto their opinions. In the mean time we have a sure word of the Prophets, whereunto all those are to give ear, 
2 Pet. 1.19.  who purpose to follow the light of the true day star. If men speak not according to this word, but wilfully run from the light thereof, to see what cloak they may have from Churches or men to cover their nakedness, we must needs tell them with the holy Prophet, that they do this, 
Isa. 8.20.  because there is not a glimpse of light in them: And that they do not suffer themselves to be tried by the light of the word, because their works are in darkness. The case is marvelous strange, that we having the written word of God at home, and the things accused by the same to be out of order, present before our eyes, shall run from the word, and from common sense, so far also from home, to ask the judgements of men, in that case which on the one side they know not aright, and therefore cannot pronounce an equal sentence thereof, yea when their judgements are gotten, there is no more had but the conclusions of men against the direct warrant of the word. The hierarchy hath so long time fought with this weapon, as it is a wonderful case that those who have dulled the edge thereof by the buckler of the word, are not ashamed to take it up themselves. But what shift can there be so mean that Satan will not use, for the covering of his shifting polluted merchandise? Yet is he and his utterly besides the mark if they think that we regard the persons of men in this truth which we have in hand. Nay, if they were Angels from heaven, accursed be they, if they go about in the least point to seduce us from the truth and word of jesus Christ our Master.  
In whose behalf at this instant, I do here in his presence before heaven and earth, arraign and convince the whole parish-assemblies of this Land, and the members thereof, as traitors and conspiring with Antichrist against his Majesty, and consequently as being such at this present, as from whom every member of CHRIST is to separate himself under pain of God's everlasting wrath.  
Wherefore hearken ye o heavens, and hear thou o earth, & let posterity bear witness (seeing this age stoppeth her ears) that I accuse these parish-assemblies of being guilty of a greater conspiracy against the Majesty of jesus Christ, then that of Corah, Dathan, and Abiram was against Moses: And therefore also of being in danger of the Lords indignation in a more fearful sort than were those who abode with Corah and his company. The case with Corah, Dathan, and Abiram was thus.  
There were three especial prerogatives belonging unto the sons of Israel, 
Gen. 49.3.4. 1 Chron. 5.  I. the kingdom. 2. the birthright. 3. the holy office of the Priesthood. Reuben the first borne should have been excellent in some of these, as the Spirit of God recordeth, had he not defiled his father's bed, but for this his sin he lost his preferment. simeon being the next, lost the same in like manner for his slaughter of the Schecemites, in such sort as he was dispersed in jacob & scattered in Israel, having never any proper tribe or inheritance after their own name. Levi being a brother in mischief with him was also scattered: yet the Lord in mercy vouchsafed him the dignity of the Priesthood, 
1 Chron. 5.1.  as he did the Kingdom unto juda, and the Birthright unto joseph, who had two tribes, and so a double portion amongst the children of his people.  
Now at the coming out of Egypt, Moses (by the commandment of God I know) conveyed both the kingdom (that is the chief power of the civil authority) as also the priesthood, unto his own father's house. And in regard of the priesthood he established it for ever in the line of Aaron his brother by a covenant of salt. And to this purpose enacted that not only the whole tribe of Levi, even Gershom the elder brother and his sons should be under the jurisdiction and commandment of Aaron and his sons, in the holy service of the tabernacle, but also that none (Aaron and his sons excepted) either of the Levites, 
Num. 3.10: & 4.10.  or of any other the tribes of Israel, should intermeddle with the holy office of the priesthood under pain of death.  
Hereupon certain famous men of the congregation, Corah of the house of Levi, Dathan and Abiram of the house of Reuben the first borne, 
Num. 16.10. & 17.5.8.  with other two hundred and fifty captains of the assembly, even all men of renown, charged Moses and Aaron of collusion & evil dealing with the Lords people, in that they had transferred the priesthood unto their father's house without warrant: & so the Lord was feign to decide the controversy between them, not only by his judgements upon the chief conspirators and such as abode in their tents, but also by the budding of Aaron's rod.  
Now touching the controversy between Moses and Corah, it was not whether the God of Israel was to be served or not, for Corah and his company granted that as well as Moses: It was not whether foreign Idolatry should be brought into the house of Israel, for that would Corah and his company withstand as well as Moses: briefly, it was not concerning any fundamental point of religion (as men now use to speak) but only touching those offices, 
Num. 16.10.  and those officers whereby the worship of God was to be performed: even touching the Priest's office, as Moses saith.  
In regard of the persons, it may seem to be something tolerable, they were all of them members of the true visible Church before their conspiracy: all famous men in the congregation: 
1 Chon. 6.39.37.38.  And Corah in particular brought up his children in the fear of God in such measure as they will have a famous name in the Church for evermore, 
Num. 26.11.  as being those who consented not unto their father's sins, and therefore also perished not with them, but were afterward employed in the holy offices.  
Well, the case of Corah being thus tolerable in the judgement of flesh and blood, yet was it utterly unlawful for any man, either to preach the truth, or to hear the truth taught within their tents. And therefore much more unlawful to preach the same, or to hear the same taught within any of the assemblies of England this day: Because all these assemblies are not within the tents, that is under the jurisdiction, and of the conspiracy which Corah, Dathan & Abiram raised against Moses: but within the tents, that is, under the power, and of the conspiracy which the members, and officers of Antichrist have raised against Christ jesus the son of God: And that it may be seen that I speak the truth, I appeal to the consciences of all men in this place, whether all the Parish-assemblies of England are not, yea and continue in subjection unto these offices of the Antichristian kingdom, namely, unto an Archbishop, a Lord bishop, a Chancellor, an Archdeacon, a Commissary, an Official, and an other Priest at the least, that is either a Parson, a Vicar, or a Curate. Now touching the conspiracy whereof these men are guilty, I do again appeal unto the consciences of all men, whether it be not greater presumption, for Lord Archbishops, Bishops, Chancellors, Commissaries, Archdeacon's, &c. to say unto Christ jesus, that he taketh too much upon him, in a peaceable kingdom, to appoint by what offices and officers he should be served, then for Corah, Dathan, & Abiram to say, Moses and Aaron you take too much upon you.  
I know it must needs be granted to be greater: for shall they be accounted rebels that break Moses his law, the violaters whereof died without mercy under two or three witnesses: and will it not be adjudged much more heinous thus to rebel against the son of God? The Spirit of God saith, yea: because this man, to wit, 
Heb. 3.3.  jesus Christ is worthy of more honour than Moses. And he that breaketh his Law, (especially) entereth into conspiracy against him, is a far greater traitor, than he that riseth against the ordinances of Moses.  
The conclusion than is evident, that the conspiracy of the Archbishops and Bishops of this land against Christ jesus, whereby they being foreign Officers and strangers from the house of God, by virtue of their Offices, do yet presume to arrogate the government of his house into their own hands, & to take up weapons against him and his servants that would restore him into his own possession, are greater Rebels, and guilty of a greater sin against the Majesty of God, then were Corah, Dathan, & Abiram & their company: And that those who continue, and have ecclesiastical authority and jurisdiction, are guilty of an high sin, and to expect a more fearful hand of God over them, than those who remained in the tents of Corah Dathan and Abiram.  
If it be here objected that these Romish Locusts & their guard do not say that Christ taketh too much upon himself, in going about to plant what Offices he thinketh meet in his own house, they mend not themselves, for he that heareth you, heareth me, saith Christ jesus, and he that despiseth his word, rejecteth him: & again, Corah did not profess himself to rise against the God of Israel, yet saith Moses unto him, Thou and all thy company are gathered together against the Lord, for what is Aaron that ye murmur against him? So say we unto this Romish train, ye and your abettors are gathered together this day against jesus Christ, and have wrested the Sceptre out of his hand: as for us that oppose ourselves against you in our masters quarrel, what are we that ye should thus molest and persecute us?  
If any man shall plead ignorance for them, and say, that they see not what they do in these things: we answer, that the question is not what they know, but what they do. They have had sufficient time to learn now these 34 years and upward, wherein they have continued and increased their rebellion, and their practices against CHRIST JESUS & his Saints: Let them put on armour, and pitch a field against her MAJESTY, molest and persecute her subjects, despise her proclamations, and imprison to the death her faithfullest servants: and see whether pleading ignorance will cover their attempts. Much less will it serve their turn in this case: And if they are ignorant, then speak they evil of, and persecute that which they know not, and so are in a fearful case. But Corah and his company living in a time of smaller light, having also some more reasons to cover their attempts (as before hath, and again shallbe briefly touched) might plead ignorance better than our Prelacy and priesthood may do.  
Wherefore either it must be said that men may conspire against JESUS CHRIST without controlment, whereas this could not be done under and against Moses, without the danger of a sore recompense of God's wrath, Or else it must be granted that the conspiracy of our Prelates must be far greater than that of Corah Dathan and Abiram was, which can in no wise be denied, both because it aimeth at the same point, that Corahs' did, namely at the outward offices of the house of God (to speak nothing here of the will-worship and false administrations, wherein these Romish Offices are employed in the assemblies of this Land) and also in as much as it is against jesus Christ the Son, whereas the gainsaying of Corah withstood but the ordinances appointed by Moses the servant.  
And therefore also it followeth, that seeing the assemblies of this Land cannot be drawn to leave the tents of these wicked men, but continue in the wilful and obstinate defence of this their doing, it followeth (I say) that they are also guilty of a greater conspiracy, than those were that abode in the tents of Corah.  
What these parish assemblies will be able to say for themselves I know not: for it is out of controversy true, that all of them are at the commandment & under the jurisdiction of these Antichristian Captains. They receive no ministery, but what they allow, what they make, what hath authority from them: They receive no worship, & manner of serving the true God but what these Romish Apollyons are content shallbe over them. Nay, they are wholly their subjects, and at their call and commandment, in every thing that appertaineth unto the outward worship of the Lord. When this gainsaying generation granteth the Parish a preaching Priest, they have a Preacher: when they deny the same, they must be content with reading. Not to be long in a known case, what can there be done in these assemblies, which the Prelates are not content to tolerate and allow? Nay what power hath the Parish or their Priest, to establish any thing there, but what they derive from their Ordinary?  
And as to the most Parishes in this Land, & Priests that serve in them, they professedly maintain this conspiracy. Some few preaching Priests or Deacons, and some small number of the Parish, I grant to be here and there which pretend a desire to have this conspiracy dissolved, but these are nothing to the general state of the Land. And these in the mean time are also themselves the chief upholders of this conspiracy, holding it lawful (contrary to the express inhibition of the word) for themselves and all others to continue within these tents, in such sort as they are become the chiefest maintainers of this Rebellion, & the egerest pursuers of those that leave the same. For if any man shall accuse either them, or these famous captains the Archbishops, and Lordbishops, Priests, Archdeacon's &c. to be an Antichristian band risen up against Jesus Christ, & therefore such as from whose assemblies every servant of Christ is to sever himself: these preachers, and other people presently band themselves 'gainst him for a Schismatic, and a Brownist. And they will leave no weapon unhandeled, no means unassayed, either of abusing the word, or of fair speaking, slandering reviling, etc. until (if possibly by that furniture they may) they have turned him into those tents again, the which they can prove to be Schems', whereunto the Lord hath promised to persuade Japhet to enter, and not Corahs' or Antichrists, from the which and out of the which he calleth his people by a loud voice, saying, 
Num. 16.26. 2 Cor. 6.16.17.  Depart now from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing that is theirs, lest you perish in all their sins. And, Come out from among them, separate yourselves, and touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you saith the Lord. For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? what communion hath light with darkness? what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath the believer with the infidel? So that if we consider these people, although they are nothing to the assemblies of the Land, behold a company of conspirators as well as the rest, even those who are as much subject unto the controlment, & no less under the jurisdiction of Lord Archbishops, Bishops, Archdeacon's, Chancellors, than any other of the land: and as to their meetings, they are the same with all the rest of the ignorant sort, who are members as well as they.  
And here, we are not to regard whether men be desirous to be out of the tents of Corah, because they had rather join with Moses, or fear the Lord wrath that is like to ensue upon that wicked habitation but whether they continue there or not. If they continue there, then may we say unto them, that they shall perish in all their sins. They must needs touch their uncleanness, they must have fellowship, nay stoup and yield reverence and obeisance unto the unrighteous ordinances of Antichrist, which are laid and imposed on them in steed of the ordinances of Jesus Christ. They appear at their Courts, pay and bring their fees, to kindle and maintain that fire upon Baal's altar, which otherwise would be easily quenched. They join in prayer, hearing, sacraments, and every other action, whereby the conspirators pollute the religion of Christ, so that they are not separated from, they are the same with, they come not out from among these Rebels. They confessing themselves to be light, have communion and fellowship with these most unclean ordinances of the kingdom of darkness, which they should withstand, gainsay, reprove, and avoid, though with the peril of their lives. They participate, they communicate with the Ordinances of the unbelieving Antichristian race: nay with the Ordinances of Devils, though they confess themselves to be believers: The Ordinances of Devils (I say) for all the inventions of the kingdom of Antichrist, all the members and officers of that child of perdition, as Archbishops, Lord bishops, Chancellors, Commissaries, Archdeacon's, Priests, Officials, and their jurisdictions, were invented by the mighty power of Satan, as the Apostle teacheth us. They say they are Christ's, and yet join themselves with the ordinances of Belial, are subject unto him, & at his commandment in his said ordinances. And therefore let them say what they will, these also, who would be otherwise accounted, join light and darkness together, righteousness & unrighteousness, Christ and Belial, and consequently are united in the same band of Rebellion, and conspiracy against Christ jesus, with these forenamed leaders. Whereupon it followeth that the whole assemblies of the land & every member of them, do not only continue within these Antichristian tabernacles that are pitched up against jesus Christ, that is, under the jurisdiction and at the commandment, direction, and government of those Maisterful Rebels and conspirators, the Lord Archbishops, and Bishops, Priests, Chancellors of the Land, but also are found to carry armour against jesus Christ and his members under the banner of these foresaid Rebels.  
Yet the question here is not so much whether a Levite or any other of the children of Israel agreeing with Corah, Dathan, and Abiram in consent and action, might remain within their tents, as, whether any, disliking the conspiracy, might yet abide in that rebellious camp, upon some other respect or purpose: it is answered, no: seeing the Lord absolutely commandeth all to departed. So that it would not serve a Levite to say, I may here preach the truth: Corah and his company are brethren, they profess the true Religion: they err in no fundamental point: the matter of their oversight is rather in manners, then in doctrine: Though it were in doctrine, yet is it only touching the outward offices of the house of God: Corah thinketh it much that he and his should be made perpetual servants, unto Aaron & his sons: There are many famous men of his judgement, even two hundred and fifty Captains of the Congregation: The most of the people are of the same mind, and alas should these want teaching? They have conceived such a deep impression of hatred against Moses and Aaron, that as yet they will not be gotten to come under their tents though they should die for it: The whole assembly of the Lords people both one & other think much that Moses should establish both the Sceptre and the Preistood in his own father's house: 
Num. 16.13.14.  Especially Dathan & Abiram the sons of Reuben the first borne cannot brook this: All of them charge Moses very heavily of breach of promise, of seducing them by fair words to come out of Egypt, that he might be made a Lord and ruler over them: He promised them inheritances of fields & vineyards, & thereby brought them out for a land that floweth with milk and honey, and yet behold they are all this while in a barren and fearful wilderness, where they can get neither bread to eat, nor yet water to drink for themselves and their cattle: far be it that we should judge all these to be reprobates that are of this mind. Many of them are known to be good souls and to carry a good heart to the glory of God. The time was when Moses himself was not of that mind, that he would have none to sacrifice but Aaron and his sons: Nay we would have been glad all of us when we were in Egypt, to have had but half the liberty & quietness to serve our God, that we may have within the tents of Corah: we may teach the whole substance of the truth there, yea & that also which concerneth the outward Offices, so that we do it wisely & discreetly. It is an hard matter therefore for us to leave our places here, and the good which we may do unto God's glory by instructing the people. For alas should these perish for want of instructors? Or shall they be taught by none but such as Corah would thrust over them, if we give place? How then shall the poor people be instructed? If we shall continue a while among them, we doubt not but in short space to draw all of them again to Moses and Aaron, & to restore the true callings & functions among them. Here may a substance of a calling be had, for we are Levites, the people are the sons of jaakob, they are no Idolaters. When their heat wherein they are now carried against Moses and Aaron is somewhat better allayed, we doubt not but to accomplish this among them, though as yet it were folly to urge any such matter: we have other points enough wherein to teach the people.  
These I say, and such like purposes would not stand a Levite in any stead to colour his abode among these conspirators, nay he might be assured that God's judgements would seize upon him in a moment, if he abide the coming thereof. And yet the Priests or Preachers of our time, can allege no other reasons why they will continue to teach under this false hierarchy, and at the appointment, and direction thereof, than the former which I have set down. And if they could not be of force to colour the abiding within the tents of Corah, much less shall they bear out the continuance within the tents of these conspirators which have risen up against Christ jesus, and will not permit him to reign in his Ordinances. For the Proclamation is as clear against the continuance within and under the Antichristian Dominions, as it was against the abode within Corahs' tents. And therefore except men think that they may presume to attempt that against jesus Christ which they durst not undertake against Moses, their presumption is highly prodigious, who dare under the shadow of the forenamed fig leaves exercise a ministery (as they account it) under the jurisdiction, and by the appointment of the forenamed Antichristian generation, over these poor, miserable, seduced captives, which they keep within their conspiring host.  
They will say, that the Prelates are brethren, that they hold the substance of Religion, that they have many of their judgement that are none of the worst men, that many of them teach the truth in the greatest and weightiest points of religion. Why? so might be said of Corah. They will say, they may teach the foundations & grounds of religion under them, even preach Christ jesus truly. How true they say this, shallbe afterward touched: but so they might within the tents of Corah. Briefly they can allege nothing for themselves this way, but what hath been already set down, in the behalf of Corahs' gainsaying.  
Again, touching the continuance of the miserable people of the Land within these Antichristian assemblies, although their case be more to be pitied, than their Pharisaical leaders: yet can they say nothing for themselves also, but what an Israelite of Corahs' conspiracy might allege. The word they have, the sacraments they have, corruptly they will grant: so might it be said of Corahs' tents. But we demand of them, whether they have the same within these assemblies who with Archbishops and Bishops have conspired to keep out Christ jesus in his Ordinances? or else in those meetings where the son of God doth reign in his own order, It is a plain case, that they have these things in the gainsaying assemblies. For as before I have said and as all the world doth know, all the assemblies of this Land do professedly continue members of this outrageous conspiracy against the son of God. And as for the Preachers themselves, there are none of them but they bear office, within this rebellious band, & make up the number of the conspirators themselves. What should I say, bear office? Nay they are but servants & vassals among these conspiring Rebels. And whatsoever they do in these assemblies, it is no more than what those forenamed abaddon's will give them leave. For it is well known that there is not a preaching Priest or Deacon in the land, but he is an underling to an Archbishop, a Lordbishop, a Chancellor, a Commissary, an Archdeacon, etc. and that he can preach no otherwise, instruct his Parishioners no otherwise, take no other order with them, than those his forenamed Masters will give him leave. They may every one of them send for any Parish-preacher in the land, cite him, control him, censure him, and he dares not but obey under pain of being dumb & speechless, if they list to charge him under such a penalty. And is he not a servant then?  
Let it not be here objected, that there are some Abbey parishes, Cells, Nunneries, Friaries etc. where a Preacher may be exempted from the jurisdiction of his Ordinary, by virtue of some old Romish privilege: for these are nothing to the whole case of the land. And there is none of these but the Arch-prelates know well enough how to bring them under the subjection, and at the commandment of the meanest Commissary and Archdeacon in the Land. Whereby their Romish privilege can stand them in no stead. And are they not servants then? Nay all the forenamed Officers have more to do within any Parish in the land, for censuring, suspending, excommunicating, than the Parish preacher hath: for he is an underling unto them all, yea a Churchwarden hath more to do in many things with his Parishioners, than he hath. And is he not a servant then? Nay hath he not his office, his flock, and the work of his Ministry according to the direction manner and custom of these Tents, and no otherwise then these tents will bear the same? It cannot be denied. Doth he not then bear Office within this conspiring band, and make up the number of these Rebels? Yea this is the only use that is made of the best teaching in the land at this day, that it keepeth the poor people within these tabernacles of the Roman hierarchy, who otherwise (were it not for these Teachers) would utterly reject this Antichristian yoke. And therefore a shame it is to speak of the teaching of these times, seeing it is apparanr to be one of the greatest baits whereby the poor deluded people of the land that have any heart unto religion, are kept within the forenamed Rebellious host. And therefore the whole land, and all the assemblies thereof are over justly charged of being guilty of a greater rebellion against the Majesty of jesus Christ, than those fearful Rebels were, which abode within the tents of Corah.  
If it be here demanded what the people should do, we say that they should follow the counsel of the holy Ghost, who saith unto them, Depart from the Tents of these wicked men, And, Come out from among them my people, and touch none unclean thing, and I will receive you. And again, Go out of her my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.  
And here I would know what it is that keepeth them here: If they say, the word and sacraments, they are answered again, that they traffic in other merchandise of antichrist's mere invention besides these. For they go unto Corahs' own Courts, and are at abaddon's commandment, in the things which he himself hath invented, as well as in those points wherein he turneth himself into an Angel of light, and becometh like the Minister of righteousness. And if it be for the Word and Sacraments only, that they remain, than I trust they will hold it unlawful for themselves, or for any other to communicate in the merchandise which is merely whorish and Antichristian, as resorting to the Prelate's Courts to be censured by them, comunicating with them etc. It is the Priest only or the Deacon that administereth the word and the Sacraments. If they continue within these tents only for the love that they have unto these things, than I trust they will have nothing to do with the Lord Archbishop, the Lordbishop, the Commissary, Chancellor, Archdeacon, Official etc. and their traffic they bring with them. Let them withdraw themselves from under their jurisdiction, & they shall see how long they can have quietness within these tents.  
But if they think (as it is the practice of all) that they may also be at the commandment of these forenamed Corahs', Dathans and abiram's, then have they nothing to cover their wicked hypocrisy, but they must be enforced to confess that they are not persuaded in their consciences, but that they may be members of those assemblies which conspire against Christ Jesus: Whereas they durst not presume to continue within the tents of those that assembled themselves against Moses the servant. And so they rest in undoubted expectation of a more fearful judgement against them, than fell upon those that would not departed from the Tents of Corah Dathan and Abiram.  
And what they speak of the word & sacraments, is before answered, in as much as they of Corahs' conspiracy might as well have stayed within their tents for these respects, as they may within the assemblies of England. And the point is not what they may have in these assemblies, but whether they may stay there or not, whatsoever is there to be found? We say, they ought not to stay. They seem not to deny it, in that they bring no reason out of the word to prove the lawfulness of their abode there, but only reason from that which they may have there. Whereas first they should prove, that they may stay in a conspiring & pestilent assembly, before they tell us what it is that they may have in the same. They are simply instructed in the truth which is according to godliness, that have not as yet learned that the whorish synagogues are decked with many of the jewels that belong to the true spouse.  
But touching the word and Sacraments, which they seem to possess there, I say that within the tents of Corah, though the Levites do teach the truth and administer circumcision, yet is not this that truth or that circumcision which hath the promise annexed unto them, and therefore not that truth or those sacraments wherewith any of the children of God may participate as long as they are administered in that gainsaying Assembly. Let those truths which they teach and those sacraments which they administer be brought out of these wicked tents, and brought before the Lord's Tabernacle as he commandeth: and then are they to be received, to be embraced, and accounted more precious than much fine gold, and sweeter than the honey, or the honey comb: Otherwise the Saints of God are not to taste of them. Not that they should reject the truth at any time, but that they may not be deceived by an abused truth and an abused ordinance to pollute the holy things of God, and to violate the commandments of jesus Christ.  
The like is to be said of the truth taught, and the Sacraments administered in the assemblies of this Land: they are abused truths, abused Sacraments, even such truths, and such Sacraments, as whereby Satan would draw us to be of the conspiracy which is raised up & maintained here against jesus Christ. They are such truths and such Sacraments, as are within the tents, that is, under the jurisdiction of the kingdom of Antichrist, administered only unto such, as will receive the marks and badge of that kingdom, and unto none other. For he that will not confess himself even by his deeds to be a member of that assembly wherein an Archbishop is an Officer, a Lord Bishop is an Officer, a Chancellor is an officer, an Archdeacon is an Officer, a Commissary is an Officer, a Priest is an Officer, etc. he cannot receive them. And these abused truths & Sacraments are by the unspeakable subtlety of Satan retained in these synagogues, to the end that they may be made a bait to draw men, & a grin to ensnare them to be subject unto Antichrist in these his Ordinances before named.  
And therefore whereas men and women do pretend that they have the word and Sacraments here, it is but the net of delusion which they wove to catch their own souls and to keep themselves subject unto Satan. For it is not a bare truth, and a bare Sacrament that we are to seek after, but a truth, and a sacrament that hath the warrant of the word with it. But as the outward man liveth not by bread, but by the word and promise of God that sanctifieth bread unto his use, So doth not the inward man of the soul live only by the truth made known, or by the Sacraments administered, but much more by the word and promise of GOD, which make these effectual when they are administered according to the ordinances of God. thieves and robbers are fed we know to their satiety with the bread of violence and robbery, but they have no warrant of the word to eat any such bread. So I know that the truth of God may be taught, and the Sacraments administered (I mean the sacraments which he appointed and none other,) among those which are fallen away from him, which have conspired against him. And the people of these assemblies may esteem of them, & think themselves highly favoured, that they have them, and yet in the mean time have they no warrant that any such truths or Sacraments willbe sanctified unto them, and so no warrant to receive them.  
And therefore when we speak of the word and sacraments, we must first of all lay down the promises of God and the commandment of God, whereby we may assure our own souls that this word and these sacraments, are sanctified unto us. Be it then that the word and sacraments may be had in the assemblies of this land, yet is not that the point that we call in question, but whether this word, and these sacraments may be had here according to the ordinances of God or not: otherwise we must not receive them, we must refuse them, not that we are at any time to reject and refuse the holy things of God, but that we are to reject the abuse of them, & to take heed that in receiving of them, we be not drawn to break God's ordinances. For when we cannot possess the word and the sacraments without sin, we must not do evil, that is, break the Law of our God, that good may come unto us thereof. The word is taught in the tents of Corah, circumcision is administered there, it is not to be heard, not to be received, and why? because they who administer the same are a company of conspirators against the God of Israel, at the least they are in those tents whereof the Lord hath said, Come not near the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be partakers in all their sins.  
The case is the same with the assemblies of this land: the truth is taught there, the sacraments are administered, or rather profaned, we will in no wise communicate with them, because these things are done within the Tents not of Corah, but of the Officers & members of the kingdom of Antichrist, which say that Christ jesus taketh too much upon him if he will go about to appoint by what Offices his own house and Church should be ruled. They are under their jurisdictions and their Offices of whom the Lord hath said unto us, Come out from among them and touch no unclean thing, for what communion hath the light of my word with the Tents of mine enemies, the purity of my Sacraments, with those polluted caves and dens. So that from these things this Argument doth arise:  
It is at the least as unlawful, if not much more for any to communicate in the word and sacraments, or in any other action of religion, within the tents of the Kingdom of Antichrist, as within the tents of Corah Dathan and Abiram.  
But to communicate in any of the Parish-assemblies of England is to communicate within the tents, that is, under the jurisdiction of the Kingdom of Antichrist.  
And therefore as unlawful, or rather much more to communicate in the actions of Religion, within these assemblies than it was within the tents of Corah, Dathan and Abiram.  
What will be here called into question, I know not: if the first men think the tents of Corah were to be approached unto, the case would be shameful, and the ignorance not to be heard, seeing the Lord hath plainly inhibited the same, as hath been set down. And if this were once granted, then hath the Lord appointed his Ordinances, and his Ministry in vain, and without cause, seeing men may of their own heads appoint what ministery they think meet, and continue under the same. Neither let it be here said that the conspiracy of Corah prevailed not, or that there were not many that agreed thereunto. For first as touching the la●t●r point, the whole congregation were so affected towards these factious rebels, that the next day after the Lord had exercised his fearful judgements upon them, the whole congregation (I say) accused Moses & Aaron that they had slain the Lords people, meaning Corah and his company, and fourteen thousand of the people were consumed for this their murmuring, which showeth what hearts they bore unto Corah, & how likely he was to prevail with the whole rebellious host, had not the Lord by his judgements from heaven stayed the iniquity. His conspiracy continued not I grant, and yet a greater, that is the conspiracy of Antichrist against Christ jesus hath continued now for many years. And the Lord hath set Corahs' overthrow for a sign unto the rebellious children, (especially unto the Conspirators that are risen up against Christ jesus,) that their ruin and fall shallbe in a moment, when they little expect the same. It is not to be doubted but it would have prevailed and continued (such was the working of Satan in the hearts of that murmuring host) had not the Lord stayed it by the present stream of his fiery indignation.  
Neither is the conspiracy of Antichrist and his members to be thought more tolerable than that of Corahs', because the Lord pleadeth not against the same with his visible judgements from heaven, as he did against the other, but we are rather to learn, that what the Lord effected under the Law by his visible judgements, or other outward means being the rudiments of the world, as the Apostle calleth the things of this nature, the very same doth the Lord accomplish under the Gospel against the son of Perdition and his body by the spirit of his mouth, that is, 
2 Thess. 2.8.  by his mighty word and the operation thereof. And therefore although he overthrew and dissolved that most fearful conspiracy of Corah Dathan & Abiram by the arm of his dreadful judgements in a moment, yet far be it that we should think the conspiracy of the members of Antichrist against the right heir of the house of David, to be less displeasing in the sight of God, because in some measure he doth and of a long time hath with held the hand of his outward judgements from the same, as having determined utterly to consume and abolish that Apostatical body, by no other special means then by the brightness of his appearing and coming in the ministery of his Gospel.  
And therefore the Proposition abideth firm and sure, that if it was unlawful for any to communicate in the Actions of religion within the tents of Corah, it is much more unlawful for any to do so within and under the tents of Antichrist, the great and high enemy of jesus Christ. For may we not have any communion with them and their Tabernacles who say, Moses and Aaron, you take too much upon you: & may we have fellowship with that camp who hath pitched a field against jesus Christ? and bear both Prince and people in hand that he taketh too much upon him, in appointing who shall approach to minister in his presence under the civil authority of a Christian Prince? Can not the children of God have any sanctified use of the Tents of Corah: and may they have the same of the tabernacles of Antichrist which are invented and ordained to the overthrow of the prerogative of jesus, who is God over all blessed for evermore? This were nothing but to account Moses to be the Lord, that is, to be esteemed, reverenced, and had in estimation; and to reckon Christ jesus execrable, that is, base, contemptible, and mean, such as whose laws and ordinances may be violated, cast of, & trodden under foot with less peril than Moses his might, which no man speaking by the Spirit of God can hold and avouch.  
As to the Assumption, That the Parish assemblies of England are under the jurisdiction of the kingdom of Antichrist: For the proof we are to set down these grounds: First that this manner of regiment by Archbishops, Lordbishops, Chancellors, Archdeacon's, Commissaries, is not any civil constitution, but an ecclesiastical, as all men know. For their Courts are spiritual Courts, and they spiritual Lords, and spiritual Rulers, deriving their offices in deed from that Spirit that ruleth in the air. Next, being ecclesiastical, they belong either unto the true Church of Christ, or to some malignant synagogue: but not to the true Church of CHRIST, for we know that the LORD when he furnished his body with all the members meet for the same, and bestowed all the Offices thereon, wherewith it was at any time to be endued unto his second coming, appointed no such offices therein as these Locusts are. Besides, they are a mere superfluous and cursed addition unto the Testament of jesus Christ, as all men that ever read the old and new Testament do know. For there are no such Officers, or such offices mentioned therein. And therefore they are the tars which Satan the enemy of jesus Christ sowed & brought forth, even the plants which the Lord God hath not planted, & so must be and shallbe rooted out of his vineyard: Yea they are no other than the Locusts that came out of the bottomless pit upon the opening thereof by that darkened star, 
Rev. 9.3.  unto whom the key of the same pit was committed. Thirdly, belonging unto the malignant Church, they apperteyn either unto the heathenish Pagan religion, or unto the assembly of Antichrist that great Traitor & enemy of jesus Christ: But not unto the heathen religion, for there are no such Offices, Officers, and form of regiment to be found among them.  
Wherefore they do belong unto no other body ecclesiastical or civil, but only unto that apostatical kingdom which arose up, and still continueth under the name of Christ jesus, that is, the kingdom of Antichrist. We are able to show them their original with our finger, and also all the world will bear us witness that the Pope left them here to keep possession for him, when at the beginning of her majesties reign he was thrown out with the rest of his guard, the Cardinals, Abbots, Priors, Monks, Friars, etc. Further all societies both ecclesiastical and civil can be perfect without these Offices, and this form of Regiment, save only that right and well ordered society of the man of sin and his members. For the Church of Christ may be perfect and absolute without these Egyptian grasshoppers: the civil Magistracy may be perfect without them: so may the heathen idolatry too: But as for the host of the Roman Antichrist, it shallbe altogether unperfect, maimed and wanting the chief members thereof, if it want Lord Archbishops and Bishops, Deans, Archdeacon's, Chancellors, Commissaries, officials, to speak nothing in this place of priests & Deacons, & so of Chapleines, Parsons, Vicars, Curates, Canons, Prebends, Singing men, choristers, Virgiers, which are conspicuous marks whereby the beast is known, the name and number of his name made up and accomplished.  
Wherefore the conclusion is evident, that to communicate in any action of religion within any of the Parish assemblies of this land is to communicate & be a member within the Tents, that is, under the jurisdiction, power, and authority of the kingdom of that Roman Antichrist the direct enemy of jesus Christ, and so to be in a more fearful case, and in greater danger of the Lords wrath, than those who remained within the Tents of Corah, Dathan, and Abiram.  
Now to come to your Honours of this high Court of Parliament, I take heaven & earth to witness against you this day, that I have here on the behalf of my master the Lord jesus Christ commenced a true action against the Parish-assemblies of this Land, even such as you cannot deny to be true. For ye cannot deny the Assemblies of the Land to be subject unto the forenamed officers, and form of Regiment, which being ecclesiastical, and not civil, as I have declared, the very light of common sense and experience doth show unto you appertain & belong not unto the Church of Christ, nor unto any heathen Idolatry, but only unto the kingdom of Babel, that band of graven Images and sea of Idolatry. And would you have us to continue in Babel, seeing our God calleth us out of the same by a mighty voice? telling us that he maketh no other account of any that continue within these Territory, but as of those that are become poisoned Dragons, unclean and polluted noisome fowls, and such as have communion and fellowship with Devils: Threatening utter ruin unto us and our souls for evermore, if we shall any longer abide within these wicked bands. Nay will you of this Parliament suffer this cursed jericho to stand any longer? will you suffer these tents to be pitched? this host of Conspirators to be maintained any longer within this Island, against jesus Christ and his Saints? Nay will you yourselves continue any longer within this rebellious camp, and not rather set these Midianitish Tents on fire, & throw yourselves down & these Rebellious Captains also before the feet of JESUS CHRIST the true Captain of the Lords host?  
For (my Lords, and you the rest of this honourable assembly,) I am so far from doubting whether I & my brethren have done amiss in leaving these Parishes of the Land, that I dare arrest your Honours and all others for conspiring against the glory of the son of God, and so against your own salvation, whosoever you be that will presume any longer to continue members of these disordered rebellious synagogues: And therefore do here, for the discharge of my duty towards the Lord, & you whom he hath placed in authority over me, require you to be so far from following the humour of Adonibezek and the rest of his proud confederates in making war against us the poor Gibeonites (who daring no longer to stand out against the living God, have thrown ourselves down at his feet that our souls might live) as you will also take the same course with us. For questionless you shall find it true, 
Act. 3.22. Deut. 18.19. with Esa. 60.12.  that that Nation and that Person which will not hear and be obedient unto this Prophet, and this King which the Lord hath raised up to sit upon the throne of David, and to rule the same, shall be cut of from among his people. And touching the kingdom and the government, which his father hath given unto him, it cannot be transferred unto another people, but it will break and destroy all the kingdoms that stand against it, 
Dan. 2.44.  and it shall stand for evermore.  
Wherefore (my Lords) if you purpose to set up a kingdom for him, I do here in his name charge you to be so far from enacting any thing against us in this present Parliament, who now oppose ourselves unto the forenamed Rebels, as you will decree in his behalf at the least as much as Nebuchad-netser & Darius being heathen Princes did establish: 
Dan. 6.26.  And that is, that in all the Dominions of this her majesties Kingdom, all men of what estate and condition soever they be, tremble fear before the God of Queen Elizabeth, because he is the living God which remaineth for ever, & his kingdom shall not perish, his Dominion shallbe everlasting; & that whosoever shall wilfully and wittingly speak any blasphemy, (much more, if they shall presume to take armour against him as this gainsaying generation now doth) shallbe drawn in pieces, and their houses be made a sink. Know my Lords, that if you shall do otherwise these heathen Kings will accuse you in the day of the Lord: and take heed that none of your acts & statutes be found written with the blood of the Saints. For great Babylon & her warriors, Corah and his maintainers, shall come to remembrance, & the Lord will reward them according unto their deeds.  
And as in the former respects I call your Honours to record with me, so also herein I beseech you to testify the truth on my behalf, that I make an utter separation between her majesties Civil Authority and the Ecclesiastical jurisdiction of these Corahs', these Dathans, these abiram's. The which I set down, because we can no sooner account the false ministery of the Romish Church to be Antichristian as it is, but evil disposed unconscionable men willbe ready to selander us that we account her majesties authority to be so too: as though her Majesty's power were ecclesiastical and not civil, or that this Romish band were Princes by their authority. What kings and Princes do establish is one thing, their Authority & power whereby they do this, is another. They may of oversight or otherwise set up the power of Satan by maintaining false religion, worship, ordinances etc. Yet their Power, that is, their Civil Authority whereby, they do this, is the Ordinance of God, though herein they highly abuse the same, and shall answer for it without their repentance.  
Her majesty, & this high Court of Parliament, hath hitherto established this Ecclesiastical regiment of the Kingdom of Antichrist, & this band of Conspirators against the Majesty of jesus Christ, but this Conspiracy is one thing, the authority whereby the same is established is another. The Conspiracy & the Offices there of are wholly from Satan, from the Dragon, from the beast, from the false prophet, out of whole mouths these frogs issued; and so to be rejected. The Civil authority of her MAJESTY and the Parliament whereby this treachery (of oversight I trust) is upheld, is the holy ordinance of GOD, (notwithstanding it faileth herein) and therefore to be embraced, to be obeyed, and had in reverence: yet are they betimes to redress the abuse, before the Lord break forth upon us in his wrath.  
And the Ordinances of Antichrist established by the lawful civil authority, do yet continue Antichristian and unlawful. Because false religion, and false ordinances Retain their Nature by what power soever they be established. The breach of God's Law is the same by whom soever it be countenanced, enacted, commanded. The statutes of Omry, the manner of the house of Ahab, the Damascene Altar, are still Idolatrous monuments and constitutions, by whomsoever they be enacted, though by Ezekiah, josiah, or by any other the Godly Princes of judah. And therefore the pretence which some allege, contrary (I fear me) to the light of their own knowledge, to cover their submission unto the forenamed Antichristian ordinances; that Archbishops, and Bishops, Chancellors, Commissaries etc. which her Majesty's Laws do allow, are become civil constitutions and not ecclesiastical, is altogether vain and frivolous.  
For first no part of Popery was ever imposed upon us to be received of any the subjects of this Land, but what her Majesty's Predecessors the Kings and Princes of this Land did by Law enact among their Subjects.  
Again, her Majesty doth establish this as an ecclesiastical power, and not as any civil. Thirdly being an Antichristian Constitution in itself, the power of man enacting the same cannot make it to be otherwise. Briefly, Mass, or any their Heathen Ordinances being enacted by Civil authority may by this reason be frequented also, as being a civil thing, and not any Antichristian ordinance. And therefore men cannot better themselves by this juggling.  
This whole Antichristian band in the time of Popery, did not only withstand jesus Christ in the point of the outward offices, being the extremity of Corahs' sin, but also denied him the preferment to lodge any wise in the hearts of any men within these Tents. Nay these Tents in those days were nothing else but a receptacle of all the inventions which Satan could devise for the dishonour of jesus Christ.  
In consideration whereof, her Majesty, and the state thought they had done well that they emptied those tents of the greatest part of the fearful ab hominations remaining in them, overthrew some of them, as the Papacy, the Cardinalship, Monkery, etc. and planted the most of the vessels of the house of God, that is the greatest part of the doctrine of the truth in them: but the Tents and the Conspiracy still remain in as direct a sort against the glory of God as that of Corah was; Nay by all this cleansing & emptying (although we unfeighnedly praise our God for the same, and confess it to have been a great work) they have not as yet brought them into that purity, and that soundness of Religion, that the Tents of Corah were in, as it will easily appear unto any that will consider, that Corah strove with Moses but touching the Office of the Priesthood only, whereas these men overthrow the whole face of the Church of Christ, persecute the Truth, and maintain publicly many horrible sins (whereat Corah would have blushed,) as the Idoll-preisthood, non-residency, the descending of Christ into Hell after he gave up the ghost upon the Cross, and had said All was finished.  
But touching the Authority of the civil power and particularly of her right excellent Majesty; I am in this place, for the stopping of all slanderous mouths, who have or would report otherwise of me, enforced to set down what I hold and believe according to the word of God.  
I do therefore here acknowledge her Mejesties' Sovereignty and regal Authority to be the Ordinance of the God of Heaven, whereunto all persons without exception within her Realms and Dominions are to be subject & to yield obedience in the Lord, not only for fear of punishment, but even for conscience sake, because her forenamed authority & power, is derived from the King of Kings, even the Lord jesus, who hath all power in heaven and earth in his own hands.  
I do also avouch that no foreign power, Prince, potentate, or state hath, or possibly can have, any authority, within the Territories of her dominions, over any person, or in any cause, save only what by special grant he deriveth from her, and her Royal Laws.  
Her foresaid authority I acknowledge to stretch itself, not only ever all persons, within her Dominions, but also over all causes as well ecclesiastical as civil in such sort, as nothing is to be established among her subjects, either in ecclesiastical or civil causes, publikl, or privately, but what belongeth unto her power to correct, order, & enact according unto the written word of God, and the rules of common equide and justice. So that, it doth no whit infringe her royal power and authority, to deny that she hath any warrant, any power, any sword, granted her of God to establish either false Religion, false & Antichristian ordinances, or yet any other unwarrantable, or unjust constitution.  
Yet, if of oversight she hath imposed any such thing upon her subjects, and inflicted a penalty upon them for not obeying that whereto they cannot yield any submission without the breach of God's law, I hold it to be the duty of private men to suffer patiently the stroke of her sword, and in no wise to withstand the power thereof, either by open force, or secret practices, but only to betake themselves and their cause unto the Lord God, earnestly desiring him, to pass by her oversight, and to incline her heart and hand to embrace and mainteyve his truth, and to suppress all falsehood, violence, and oppression.  
Now if her Majesty and this high Court, require of us that we resort unto the public assemblies of the land, and so to enter (as hath been showed) into the tents of the Antichristian band, & continue therein: I answer again, that this is against the written word of God, and therefore that her Majesty hath no power, no authority from the Lord to require this at our hands. We are punished for it: we answer again that the sword is given for our wealth, and not for our hurt, that it ought not to be drawn against us for well doing: yet we patiently, and quietly bear the stroke, we dare not resist, we dare not rebel against the Powers; Nay, we entreat our God day and night for the prosperity of her majesties crown, desiring him in mercy to pass by this blemish of her government, and not to lay it to her charge; earnestly craving that her eyes and the eyes of your Honours may be opened to see our innocency, and the truth wherein we stand, admonishing both Her, and you, that although we for our parts know ourselves bound even in nature to pacify the hard dealing of our Prince and country towards us by suffering, and bearing of their injuries, as we would do our parents, that yet the Lord God who judgeth without respect of people, is an avenger of all such things.  
In respect whereof, we dare notbut endeavour to the uttermost of our power to pull her and you from this consuming fire of his judgements that hang over your heads even for the maintenance of this Antichristian merchandise within this Land, much more for pursuing us, that will not traffic and intermeddle with the said wares.  
Hitherto I have showed the Parish-assemblies of the Land, to be of a most fearful conspiracy, against jesus Christ, and therefore to be dissolved by your Honours, and avoided in the mean time, by all the Servants of Christ. But I would this pre-eminence, that these foreign Romish Captains have over them, were the only thing which maketh them unclean unto the Saints of God. Their case in the next place than is now to be considered, for the understanding whereof I am to set down these grounds following.  
1. That as the Lord hath appointed his word and truth to be taught, his Sacraments to be administered, and the holy Order appointed by himself to be kept in his house and body; so he hath ordained a Power and authority, that is, certain offices, by virtue whereof these things are to be done.  
2. Next, that Christ jesus, being the head of his Church, hath ill fullness of power, pre-eminence & authority dwelling in himself, in such sort as his body and spouse is to submit herself unto no power in religion save only unto that power which is derived from him that is her head. So that, as the Church is to receive no doctrines, no sacraments, no order, but what the Lord hath anpointed to be in his house; so also he hath forbidden his said Church to receive & be subject unto any power & authority save only unto the power which is derived from the head thereof. For it is no less derogatory unto the Majesty of Christ jesus for the Church to submit herself unto the power of another head, though conveying the truth with it, then to receive the false doctrines and false sacraments of some other Religion or God.  
3. Thirdly, that Satan in bringing the mystery of iniquity to light, and in advancing the son of perdition into his chair of pestilence, did not only appoint false Sacraments, false worship, but also a false head, and a false power, that is, false Offices, by virtue whereof, both those things were to be done, as also the Lords true institutions and ordinances were to be violated in the Antichristian Synagogue.  
4. That those who preach the truth, administer the sacraments of baptism, and the Lords supper, and none other, by virtue of any of the false offices invented and retained in the kingdom of the Roman Antichrist, derive their power whereby they do these things from Antichrist and not from Christ jesus. And therefore that such working by virtue of a false power is not to be received of the church of Christ.  
Now to come to the Parish-assemblies of this land, admit that ARCH BISHOPS, LORD BISHOPS etc. bore no such rule & authority over them as now they do, and that there were none but Preachers in them, yet we demand of these Preachers by what authority they preach, baptise etc., that is, we demand what office they have so to do? whether this office of theirs be an office derived from christ jesus, or a power left here by Antichrist. I say, that whatsoever they do, they do the same by virtue of an Antichristian power, office, and calling, & none other, That is, they do it either as they are Deacons, Priests, or as having a privileged immunity, licence, and dispensation counterveyling a Deaconry or a priesthood. I add this privileged Licence, because some one among ten thousand (it may be) being neither Priest nor Deacon, by virtue of a Licence from his Ordinary doth serve a cure. Yet (if there be any such) they are not capable of any charge, and what they do, they do it by this power of the beast. And here because I deal in a matter of fact, I call but day light, and common sense to decide this whole controversy which is contained in these two points.  

1. Whether at the expelling of the Pope out of this Land, by her majesties saves, the Popish offices of Priests and Deacons were expelled also out of the Parish-assemblies, or retained?  
2. Whether at the same time, or sithence, any of the true offices of the Church of Christ, were instituted and ordained in the Parish-assemblies of the Land?   
The case is clear, that the Popish offices, of Priests and Deacons were retained, and that the offices of Christ's kingdom were not restored. And it is by virtue of the Popish offices of the priesthood, and Deaconry, that the whole worship of God is performed, or rather polluted, and profaned in all the Assemblies of this Land: for the proof whereof, I call not only her Majesty, her laws, and this high Court of Parliament to witness, but also the chiefest maintainers of the parish-Assemblies, namely, the forwardest Preachers of the Land, who in times past confessed (whatsoever they do now) that the offices of Christ were not planted, and therefore laboured to her Majesty, and the Parliament to have them established in the parish assemblies.  
In regard of her Majesty's laws, the case is clear, that the State then being led by the sight of our fathers in king Edward's days, accounted the popish Church to be the Church of Christ, though corrupt, popish offices of Bishops, priests, and Deacons to be the offices of the Church of Christ, and therefore retained them, for so we find it set down in the book of ordering Bishops and priests made in King Edward's time, and established by her Majesty's Laws, as the ground & rule whence, and according to the which all the Ministerial offices of the parish meetings, yea of the whole Land must be squared. The book saith,  
That it is evident to all men diligently reading the holy Scripture, and the ancient authors, 
In the Preface.  that from the Apostles time there have been these orders of Ministers in the Church of Christ, Bishops, priests, & Deacons. And therefore (saith the book) to the intent that these orders should be still continued, reverently used, & esteemedin the Church of England it is requisite that no man (not being at that present, Bishop, Priest, or Deacon) should execute any of them, except he be tried, examined, & admitted, according to this book.  
Again, no man in this Land can take a spiritual living, either Parsonage, Vicarage, Curatship, but by virtue of this priesthood, Deaconry, or a Popish licence equivalent unto this priesthood, so that if a Preacher be beneficed, the same day that he denieth his licence, his priesthood, his Deaconry, is he also deprived ipso facto if it please his Ordinary, and another may presently convey himself into his living if it were worth millions of gold. Nay whosoever he be that will cast of these Popish orders, he is but a mere lay or private man, and so not capable of any office in any of the assemblies of this land: for so her Majesty's laws, to wit, the foresaid book doth conclude, that these offices were evermore had in that reverend estimation that no man by his own private authority might presume to execute any of them, and consequently, that all men should be called to the order of the priesthood, Deaconry, Prelacy, according as this book doth allow. He that is made a Minister in some reformed Church beyond the Seas, is not capable of the Cure of a parish assembly in this land, except he shall receive a Deaconry, & a priesthood after the order of our land, and yet he that receiveth orders in Rome is correspondent, and answerable unto the pattern of our Deaconry and priesthood, and so capable to buy & sell, that is, to execute any public function.  
They are known cases, that he who received his priesthood or Deaconry in King Henry the 8 his days, is a Priest & a Deacon under King Edward, Queen Marie, & Queen Elisabeth, by virtue of the same orders, and he preacheth (if he can preach) being licenced thereunto, in King Henry, King Edward, Queen Marry, & Queen Elisabeth their days, by virtue of the same priesthood: for the office is the same, as both the book, and every man for the most part, doth account it. He that hath received but primam tonsuram, in King Henry the VIII. or Queen Mary's days, being the first step of this abominable order, may by law perform those things under her Majesty which no lay man (as they call him) must presume to take in hand. This case being clear & apparent, if it be now demanded, why we will not hear the truth taught by the preachers of the land, why we will not receive the Sacraments at their hands, we answer, that this we refuse to do, because we must not submit or consciences, our souls and bodies, being the temples of the holy Ghost, to be wrought upon, to be sat in, unto any power in religion, save only unto the power which is derived from our head jesus Christ: We answer that our head and Master having all power dwelling in him, hath this peculiar interest in us being his members, that he only must sit in our Consciences by his ordinances. This interest of his he will not communicate with any creature, and therefore we dare not though we should suffer a thousand deaths, to transfer the same unto any, save unto himself alone, and to join with the popish assemblies of the Land. If the preachers do seek I ESUS CHRIST and his honour by their preaching, they will begin first with a lawful calling and office, they will derive their power from him by virtue of the offices that he ordained in his word. When they shall do this, & walk according to the doctrine which is according unto godliness, we will be the most willing to join with them, the most glad to hear them, and to communicate with them, & every way to reverence them as the Ministers of jesus Christ. In the mean time, let them not wonder that we hold this for undoubted truth, namely,  
That whosoever he be that sitteth in the temple of God, that is, worketh upon the consciences of men, by virtue of an Antichristian power, office, and calling, he is an Antichristian Minister, whatsoever truth he bringeth with him.  
The truth which such Ministers do teach, is but the bait whereby Satan in his mystical delusion & powerful subtleties hideth the false power, by means whereof he in his ordinances ruleth over those that otherwise would yield him no subjection, none obedience. When he cannot utter his ordinances by falsehood, he is glad to make them away by means of the truth.  
And he ruleth in the consciences of men, not only by false doctrine, but also by his false power and ordinances. His kingdom of darkness consisteth not only in the lies, and false doctrine and worship which he hath coined, but also in the false and Antichristian ordinances which he hath invented for the ruling of his Idolatrous den. And therefore the children and Saints of God avoid both the one, and the other. We own him none obedience in either of them: and far be it, even far be it, I say, that we should sin so treacherously against our Lord & Master, and so grievously against our own souls to be subject unto Satan in either of them, seeing by the most precious blood of Christ jesus, and by the power of his cross and resurrection we have been set free from all spiritual bondage whatsoever.  
Satan could not reign in this land, by these his forenamed ordinances, if he brought not truth with him, & it is no marvel that he bringeth truth unto us, rather than lose his kingdom. He can transform himself we know into an Angel of light, but we must not receive him or his merchandise, what glass soever he casteth over them; or in what weed soever he clothe himself.  
And therefore let it not be thought , that we reject that preaching, those Sacraments, and those Ministers, that by their preaching, ministery, and sacraments would draw our consciences to be subject unto the power of Satan.  
Nay rather we may wonder with astonishment how they dare presume to minister before jesus Christ, in the garments, weeds, and offices of the Locusts of the bottomless pit: how they dare press to offer before the God of Israel, being strangers from the Tabernacle by virtue of their office. It was a positive la under Moses, that the stranger not being of the line of Aaron, yea, or not called to the holy office, that would intermeddle with the office of the Priest, should die the death for it. Much more if he were an Eckronitish or an Ashdodean Priest in his office. And is not this man worthy of more honour than Moses? his ordinances to be yet more reverenced than Moses his were? Oh than what a fearful presumption is it for the Preachers of this land (I speak nothing all this while of the Idol-readers, the Prelates, the Commissaries, the Chancellors, the Deans, the Archdeacon's etc.) to take his word in their mouths, his Sacraments in their hands, & to minister in his sight being not Ashdodeans, or Eckronitish, but Antichristian Priests (which is more horrible) by virtue of their office & calling.  
The sensible precedents of Gods fearful judgements upon Corah, and the two hundred & fifty Captains of the Congregation (being men that held and taught (such of them as were teachers) as many points of truth, as our preachers can hold or teach, time & time being counted together. The fretting & consuming leprosy of K. Vzziah are written for their instruction & ours, that they should not presume to intermeddle with the holy things of God, especially by virtue of a false & Antichristian office.  
If it be here said that we have nothing to do what office they have, so they preach the truth, I answer that this is it which Satan would have, to wit, that his ordinances, his power, his ministery, should be received of us without any scruple or doubt what we do thereby. Grant him this once, and he will soon overthrow all religion. I have showed before, that a good conscience will begin with a lawful calling and office, especially in this holy work; and therefore if men have not forgotten to be ashamed, let them not use this graceless uncolourable shift any longer to justify their uneven walking. For if their outward office and calling will not abide the fire of the word, they are but wolves and usurpers whosoever they be. And if they be ashamed or think themselves too good to derive their office, authority, and power from jesus Christ, the Church of Christ and every member thereof aught to be ashamed and afraid to receive them; Nay the Church cannot receive them, without high treason against the head thereof Christ jesus, unto whose power alone we must submit ourselves, for we have none other head but him, and therefore will acknowledge no other power but his to have authority to work upon our consciences.  
They know what penalty was to be executed upon him under Moses, that spoke in the name of other Gods unto that people: how dare they then go about to thrust us away from the Lord our God who hath redeemed us from the power of the grave, and to bring us into subjection unto the ordinances of that godless Mauzzim? Do they not know, that, that Christ is not a true Christ but an Antichrist whatsoever truth he teacheth, whatsoever miracles he worketh, which cannot prove his outward office and calling unto us out of the written word of God? What Ministers then can they be but Antichristian, whose office & calling cannot derive the genealogy thereof out of the same book of the written undoubted verity?  
Christ jesus telleth us that the Scriptures are they which testify of him, that his power even to preach; and not his preaching only, is, in the very conscience of his adversaries from heaven and not from men; He took not the honour of his office unto himself, but he that said unto him this day have I begotten thee, gave it him, as the Apostle teacheth. john Baptist confirmeth his office out of the written word, namely, that he was that voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, whereof the Prophet Isay had foretold the Church. The holy Apostles confirm their office out of the written word. For they will not only prove that they preach nothing but the truth, administer no sacraments save the true sacraments only, but also will show that they derive the power & authority to do this from him who hath all power in his hand, that is from jesus; who did not only instruct them what truth the Church was to receive, but also gave them a Commission to do the same from his own mouth in saying Go ye therefore etc. Nay they durst not presume to choose any to supply the room of judas among them, except they had been able to bring the warrant of the written word for their ground, that an office was void in the house of God, and that another was to supply that room. Paul the Apostle is able to prove his office unto us out of many places of the written word. The Spirit of God testifieth that he is an Apostle of jesus Christ not at his own hand, but by the will of God. What will the Preachers of our time then say for themselves, why they should not do the like? Many of them go about to deceive themselves & the simple people by the place of Paul, Ye are the seal of mine Apostleship. We have called many (say they). But by virtue of what office, say we. If they allege, we have nothing to do to examine that, truth, nay common sense will answer them, that then they are wicked intruders; that they are Lawless thieves; that they are false Prophets; nay that they are Anabaptists, and that we may know them by this bitter presumptuous fruit which cometh out of their mouths. For will they presume to take the word of jesus Christ in their mouths, to intermeddle with his Sacraments, to rule in his house; and will they not show us how they come in, by what office they do these things? will they under pretence of an inward power, brag of an outward office, nay exempt themselves from the charge of of an office in the house of God, under the vail of their outward gifts; and so break into the same, in steed of entering in at the door? We detest their Anabaptistrie. But to answer the word abused by them, Paul was an Apostle, and had his office thereunto, before ever he saw the Corinthians, yea, he had his office from jesus Christ before ever he preached. This office of his he proveth unto us by the written word, although he was in no wise to receive the same his office from the Church. Now if the Corinthians or any other whom he had called unto the obedience of the Gospel should by the instigation of the false Apostles call his office into question, under the pretence that they knew not whether he spoke true in affirming that Christ with his own mouth appointed him thereunto, because he was not able to produce any witnesses of this Commission given as the rest of the Apostles were; Paul answereth this, that they were an evident seal of his office; and as touching any calling from men, he was not to receive it. They were (I say) the seal of his Apostleship. For he was made conspicuous amongst them, by signs, by wonders, by doing of miracles, They were by his ministery endued with the gifts of healing, of miracles, of prophecy, of strange tongues, and in these things inferiors unto no Church. So that although they would not believe his testimony of himself, & the witness which Luke in the written word giveth of him; yet these most excellent, rare, & supernatural gifts wherewith he had furnished them, were a sufficient seal unto their consciences that he was the great Apostle of jesus Christ. Other witnesses of his office was he to bring none, besides his own testimony warranted by the written word, & the great power of the Spirit accompanying his ministery in a powerful sort. For a calling unto this office of his by the Church was he to receive none.  
Now, are the Ministers of our Parishes Apostles? When saw they jesus Christ then? when spoke he with them? what miracle can they work, what strange tongues which they studied not can they spoke? whom have they healed? whom have they endued with these rare gifts? why take they the polluted calling of the priesthood, or Deaconry from men? If they be not Apostles, they must not only show us their gifts, but also what office they have in the Church to execute the same. Think they to refuse and cast of the calling and order of God in his Church, by bragging of their operations? If they think themselves bound to take an office of the Church, as their priesthood showeth they do, why will they not have us to turn over the book of their genealogy, that we may see whether they be of that line of Aaron, or of the house of Corah? Whereas they brag of calling and opening the eyes of any, I would learn whereto they have called them? to be Christians? to the Church of Christ? they will not (I hope) say that the people were unchristianed paynim; that the Parishes were no Churches, before they came among them. Whence then have they called the people? out of the tents of Corah? out of the kingdom of Antichrist? why, both they & their people continue their still. And if they say they have taught them many truths, which they knew not; so may the Papist-preachers say too.  
And if they have furnished them with any of the gifts of the Spirit, they do thereby but deck and adorn a strumpet in steed of the true spouse of Christ, with the Iewel● of the spouse. And therefore if they wrought any knowledge in their people, let that be manifested by bringing them out of these Conspiring Tents, and presenting them before the door of the true tabernacle of jesus Christ. As to themselves, if they willbe the Ministers of righteousness, let them not fly the light, but prove their office out of the written word. For are they disciples and will they be greater than their Master? Are they servantes, and will they be greater than their Lord; Shall we yield unto them that lawless unwrittn prerogative, which our head and Master would not claim at our hands; nay which we durst not yield unto him? that is, shall we receive them, having no warrant of the scripture, no Commission from God to come unto us? They preach, they say, and they administer the Sacraments: be it so. But we demand of them by what power they do these things. If by a power, that is, by virtue of an Office coming from heaven, let them show it as our Lord and master Christ jesus did. If by a power coming from men; or from the bottomless pit; our Saviour Christ telleth us, nay even the book of Ordination & her Majesty's Laws tell us, that they are thieves and robbers, and they come unto us in the name and by the power of another God whom we know not & will not acknowledge. And the Lord by his Prophet saith unto us with amighty voice, I have not sent these Prophets, & yet they ran, I have not spoken unto them, and yet they prophecy. They preach the truth, they say, and administer the sacraments. Be it so; but have they taken the honour unto themselves, or hath it been given unto them by him who only hath power to say, This day or at such a time have I given thee honour & holy office of the ministery in my Church?  
If they can name us the time & show us the office, we will believe them, we will embrace them; otherwise we say unto them that no man taketh this honour unto himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron, that is no man taking it, can have it; for many would take it, steal it etc. if so they might come by the same. This folly, this presumption, this collusion should not be heard of in Israel.  
They preach, and baptize, they say. We demand who sent them, who said Go, unto them? If jesus Christ, let them show their commission from him, that he hath said unto them as he did to the Apostles, Go ye therefore etc. If Antichrist by virtue of an office in his body hath said unto them, Go ye therefore, etc. they have power in deed to preach, and to administer the Sacraments, unto such as confess themselves to be under that head. But for ourselves, we refuse him and all his power, his members, his Officers. If Antichrist saith unto any, All power over the assemblies of this Land is committed unto me, and because many of the people would withdraw themselves from my jurisdiction, if they had not the truth taught unto them, Go ye therefore & preach, that by means of your preaching, they may remain within my Tents: Shall we receive such Preachers? God forbidden. And yet such are all the preachers of this Land. Shall Antichrist say Go, & shall we say Come, unto them? Shall they derive their power from another head, then from Christ jesus, & shall we be in subjecttion unto them?  
They say, that they are the Ministers of jesus Christ: but we demand by whose will, by whose commandment, by whose ordinance? whether by the will of God, by the commandment of God, by the ordinance of God; or by the will, commandment, and ordinance of the man of sin that child of perdition? Their office which they have, the people over whom they are, the tents where they minister, the jurisdiction under which the submit themselves, the parties by whom, the place where, the time when, the ordinance whereby they are made, will easily decide this controversy, & prove unto their faces that they are limbs of that body in regard of their office (I speak not of the men's persons as touching the Lords election) which shallbe destroyed for evermore. And here it is to be observed, that when we speak unto these preachers of their office, they presently run to the execution thereof, and prove themselves to have an office, because they perform those things which appertain unto that office. As if an intruding judge or justice being demanded by her Majesty, or her Counsel, by what authority he sat upon the lives & deaths of malefactors, by what authority he discharged out his warrants to call in and to restrain riotous and vagrant persons, should answer, that he did nothing, but what was behoveful and needful for the state: which showeth not his authority power & office whereby he intermeddleth with these things, but rather giveth evidence against himself, that he is a lawless intruder, and so in danger of the penalty of her laws and her high displeasure. The like is the course of these preachers.  
A stranger busieth himself in the Prince's Court in those things which are needful to be done about the Prince's royal person, or otherwise. The Prince espieth him, and demandeth who placed him in office, how he durst presume to come in presence, especially so near unto the chair of state without special leave and licence: The stranger answereth, that he doth nothing but what is meet, lawful, and alloweable to be done, & as for his office, the Prince is not to respect that, seeing no evil is committed, whatsoever it may be was purposed to be done, or how dangerous soever the precedent would be unto the Prince's royal state and person. And shall he be tolerated that presumeth after this sort against his Prince? questionless no. Intolerable then, is their presumption whosoever they be, who think that this manner of dealing will stand alloweable before the Prince of Princes. Offer it now unto thy Prince (saith Malachi speaking of any unmeet service) and see whether he will accept thereof. See whether a Prince willbe content that he should be attended upon early and late, by no other officers than the known guard of the enemy; in the Livery, and under the badge of the professed enemy: no, no. For although these might for a time do some faithful service, yet might the Prince be day and night in just fear of treachery, which at the length they would be assured to effect. Nay there were no reason (if they would serve the Prince) but they should also cast of the badge and livery of his enemy, and conform themselves according to the will and direction, and be known by the cognizance of the Prince in whose service they should seem to be employed. We know the Prelacy, priesthood, and Deaconry of old to have betrayed the glory of God. We know that they were appointed for none other purpose then to dishonour jesus Christ. We have late experience how treacherously they forsook the truth, and persecuted the same after King Edward's days (we speak nothing of the present conspiracy wherein they stand) And should we now commit the salvation of our souls, the truth of God, the holy vessels of the sanctuary, the watch and ward of the holy city, unto so pernicious, faithless, and treacherous a generation, which willbe overthrown whensoever the Lord doth recover his, and cannot stand but by keeping him out of his right? If they mean to serve jesus Christ, let them enter into his house, and not continue in the pavilion of his enemy; let them cast off their Antichristian cognisance and office, and derive their office from him. In the mean time, let them learn that the office whatsoever it be, & the execution thereof are so distinguished and severed asunder, that the one of them cannot possibly be the other. He may have a lawful office both in the Church and common wealth that never executed the same, as dying the same hour that he receiveth it, or otherwise. The Apostles had their office in the Mount, and so were true Officers by virtue thereof before ever they executed their office, in preaching, baptizing, etc. And if preaching and the administration of the sacraments be the office of the Preachers of this Land, I marvel what they will have the execution of their office to be. If preaching be their office, what Office have they when they preach not? What office have the dumb Ministers that cannot preach? The point is so gross and savoureth of such gross ignorance, as it is wonderful that those who are ready to object their want of learning unto their adversaries, and to claim interest in so large a portion thereof unto themselves, are not ashamed of bewraying their weakness in this sort. For if preaching be their office, why are they Deacons, why are they Priests, why have they licenses to preach? Why preach they not, when their priesthood, Deaconry, and Licenses are gone? If preaching be their Office, what call they the execution thereof, as I have said? It will serve them in no stead to deny themselves to have the Popish Office of the Priesthood or Deaconry, in as much as they profess more truths then willbe professedly tolerated in Popery. Because this confirmeth not their office, but the execution thereof to be diverse from that of the Popish priesthood. The office of Bishops, Priests, Deacons as hath been said, were not changed under her Majesty, because they were thought to be the offices of the Church of Christ. The true offices were not restored for the same cause. And therefore common experience will convince the vain sophistry of men in going about to prove those offices to be divers, which neither were altered, nor yet once thought to need any change or alteration. Nay, experience will not only teach us that our Priests have the same office with the popish sacrificers, but also show that they have many other things belonging vnt● them, which apperteyn unto none, save unto the  
Thus much of the Copy I had, more of it I knew not where to have; whether it was finished or not, before his death, I know not; for he was apprehended, adjudged, and executed, for witnessing of the truth of Christ: (howsoever any other thing was pretended against him:) and (as I have heard) while he was about writing of this treatise.