THE BROWNIST HERESIES CONFUTED THEIR KNAVERY ANATOMISED, and their fleshly spirits painted at full, in a true History of one Mistress Sarah Miller of Banbury in Oxfordshire.  
WHEREIN IS CONTAINED THE PREACHING OF a Barber, his zeal towards this new sister, how the the spirit of the flesh moved him, how she granted, how she fell and, and how by the mercy of God she was released of all.  
Printed in the year, 1641.   

THE BROWNIST HERESIES CONFUTED THEIR KNAVERY ANATOMISED, and their fleshly spirits painted at full, in a true History of one Mistress Sarah Miller of Banbury in Oxfordshire.  
TO discourse of those sundry sects which now are sprung up amongst us like so many weeds in a pleasant garden is not my intent; neither will I unfold their heretical and erroneous opinions in which they daily more and more persevere, but I have pitched my meditations on such a corrupt Sect which is enough to fill the world with wonder.  
It was in a town called Banburie, in the County of Oxford, a place always too much encumbered with Brownists and Separatists, where dwelled a Gentleman of a very honest and upright heart, who had a daughter about the age of nineteen, she was witty, but withal proud, which the devil always inyeigled her with, that it might prove a cloud to eclipse all her other virtues wherewith it had pleased God to endue her with.  
This Gentlewoman (to the intent she might make herself merry) changing her apparel, and disguising herself as much as possible she could, went to a place where these Brownists did commonly hold their conventicles, that she might behold and see the manner of their living, and how they were affected in their Religion. Now she having beforehand heard of some part of their uses, she met with a Sister of the holy Sect, and saluted her after this manner.  
Well met sister, I pray you can you resolve me what Brother teacheth day; the holy Sister replied she could not tell, but she heard than a very honest man, a Chimney-sweeper, was appointed for the same purpose, a man to whom it had pleased God to give abundance of the Spirit, but I heard again he was dismissed, because he went in black like our corrupted Popish Scholars: but will you walk Sister, I persuade myself that we shall have a worthy man, because it is Mr. Bryan's turn to elect the man for to day.  
Together they go, and this holy Sister conducts this Gentlewoman to a very large stately Barn, where was a very great company met together where the Teacher for that day being a most Reverend Barber, had placed himself in a Sciffe, such a thing as men carry Hey or Straw in, where after such postures as they use, (as making changelings faces, stroking the Beard, picking the nostrils, and such like) according as the Spirit moved him, he began his prayer as followeth;  
O God which art our Lord, our Redeemer, our Saviour, the very breath of our nostrils, we are now become before thee, we are here present before thee, we kneel before thee to beg, to ask, to crave a gift, a benefit, a blessing from thee; Thou knowest, O Lord, O God, O Christ, that we do serve thee in all sincerity, in all truth, in all righteousness, and that we are sincere and true, and righteous, and that we are hated and persecuted by the Babylonish whore for thy sake, but we are willing to bear all, to undergo all, to stand to all persecutions to the death. And now, O Lord, O God, O Christ, we are come, met, and kneel here together, holy Brothers and holy Sisters, we pray thee, we beseech thee, we desire thee that thou wouldst so ordain it that we may fructify here among ourselves, and not suffer these our holy sisters to defile themselves with the wicked. Now when he had ended a whole hour's prayer, repeating the 3. part of it an hundred times, he delivered his Text, which was taken forth of Samuel, the words were these, Is Saul also among the Prophets, from which he gathered that the people thought that Saul had not been inspired by the Spirit, and they held none lawful to be among the Prophets but those who were inspired by the Spirit, now (dear beloved brethren, said he, Holy brothers and Holy sisters attend and mark,) we hold the very point which they did in those days, for surely no man is fit for this holy service, but a very devout man, and who is familiar with the Spirit, and for this one reason may we set ourselves with all might & main against those Scholars, as Bishops, Deans, yea and Deacons which strive to construe the Scriptures according to the of the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, which last Language stinks like a piece of beef a twelve month old, yet never salted.  
Thus he went on as if he had been mad, infinitely railing and raving against Learning and Languages, especially that of the Beast. Now when he was about the middle of his discourse (as all thought) turning up the white of his eyes in devotion, he perceived this strange sister, at whose first gaze the spirit began to move him indeed, but it was that of the Flesh; to be brief, he thought every minute an hour, till he could draw to some end, and so dismiss them, that he might but single out this new holy sister, but he had gotten himself into such a wood of discourse, that it was impossible for him to find any gap for to escape: At length he seeing no remedy, he fell down as if he had svouned, whereupon the Brethren male and female run with all diligence to see what was the matter, which he perceived (like a counterfeit Rascal) risen up and told them he not very well, and so closed all with an extemporie prayer, and they departed.  
This cunning leacherour watching which way this Gentle woman went, made such haste after her that be over-took her, and she being by herself till he came unto her, began to court her after this manner.  
Holy sister, when I was teaching to day, I espied you amongst the rest, but far more zealous than the rest, lest I was deceived with an outward appearance, and withal I viewing the perfections of body wherewith you are endued also, it struck me into such a quandary, that in truth and sincerity I swooned as you see, in the place where I taught: now verily 'tis love to your zeal wherewith you do abound, that doth enforce me to sue to you, holy sister, for favour. It seems this was not the first time that he had loved zeal, he could play the loving Orator so well, but wooed, and she at length granted, being overcome with his entreaties, and the spirit of the flesh speaking on his side she granted, & at that time lost more than she could ever gain again with Ganges riches, her maiden head I mean; for it was forty weeks after plainly seen.  
After she had kept them company about seven or eight days, she returned towards home, but with a sad and pensive heart; for what she had done began to prick her to the quick. She had not been at home long, but her father and mother began to take notice of this strange alteration in their daughter, yet made as if they did not; But not long after her pensive sorrow was turned into mad tricks, for she would fling, and break things, if any one sought to restrain her, she would scratch and by't, and in her madness those were all her words; I'm damned, I'm damned.  
Master Miller (for so was her Father called) took great grief to see his daughter, whom he loved so entirely, in such strange mad sits, using those words before repeated, which maded is very heart bleed, sent his man to Oxford to one Mr. Gill, a reverend Divine his Friend, desiring him that he would take the pains as to come over to him to Banbury: his Man went, did his Message, and without any stay Mr. Gill took horse, and away he went to Banbury, where, Mr. Miller after many kind salutatio is, began and told him the whole discourse, as you have heard already, as fare as he himself knew, and she being in her Fits, Mr. Gill desired to see her, and to talk with her, which was most willingly granted, he had no sooner entered the Chamber that he saw her, but she cried out, I'm damned, I'm damned, avoid Satan, avoid. Which, Mr. Gill appeased presently with good words, and began to talk to her, and for the space of half an hour she heard him quietly, but then she interrupted him, and called for wine, saying, she was dry; all this while, Mr. Gill followed her with good admonitions how to live, and how to gain heaven, if she would follow it, She made him answer, that what he spoke was as false as God was true, and having a Venice-glass in her hand filled with wine, she threw it to the ground which these words, That it was as impossible for her to be saved, as for that Glass to re-bound into her hand unbroken, which contrary to the expectation of all the beholders, the Glass did. Well, said this Gentlewoman, I will trust in the Lord my Redeemer, and so began to relate the whole story which you have already heard to Mr. Gill and her Father. Reader, this I have published, that you may read and rejoice and take heed, and that the Brownist may see their devilish Heresies, and repent.  
FINIS.