THE ANATOMY OF THE Separatists, alias, Brownists, the factious Brethren in these Times. WHEREIN This seditious Sect is fairly dissected, and perspicuously discovered to the viewof World.  
With the strange hub-bub, and formerly unheard of hurly-burly, which those fanatic and fantastic schismatics made on Sunday in the afternoon, being the 8 of May, in the Parish of S. Olaf's in the Old-jury, at the Sermon of the Right Rev. Father in God, Henry, Bishop of Chichester, In the presence of the Right honourable the Lord Major of this renowned Metropolis, and diverse worthy Members of the honourable House of COMMONS.  
LONDON, Printed in the year, 1642.   

The Anatomy of the Separatists, Alias, Brownists, the factious Brethren in these Times.  
Such is the all-daring and Lewd licentiousness of these last and perilous days of the World, that with their Faction, schism & confusion of contradicting and dissenting Sectaries, the Church of England (not long since the Reformed Religion) is promiscuously shaken, deplorably enervated, miserably torn and distracted. Religion itself is now crucified, as Christ was between two thieves, viz, Superstition and Irreverence, which is a spice of atheism, and of the two extremes is worse peccant in the defect, than in the excess. The World is grown into a new confused Chaos, full of new wine lately come from New England, a new Spirit, new Revelations, & new forms of Prayer. There is such a giddiness in the profession of Religion, that every one almost is led by his own opinion, and most men in matters of judgement are divided one against another. 'Tis too true, that many places in the Kingdom of England, and in this city of London are too much Amsterdamnified by brainless opinions, and several senses, which indeed are senseless senses in Religion. Religion is become common tabletalk, the ordinary discourse at very our Commons and Ordinaries, where a man shall hardly find four together of one mind. The Papists will have their way; the Atheists will have their way; the Brownists their way; the Anabaptists their way, the Familists their way; and the Sisters of the Fraternity their way: So that in these various and irregular ways, they make such an intricate Labyrinth of Religion, that few or none scarce can find out the right way. A man may with more facility reckon up all the species and kinds of Nature, then describe all the Sects, Divisions and Opinions in Religion that are at this time amongst us. Some approve of Popery, because Ignorance is the mother of Devotion; Others affect nothing but their own silly fancies, esteeming all things else profanation and superstition. One at the receiving of the holy Communion will not kneel, another will not stand, a third will sit down, a fourth will not bow; One holds reverence to be Popery, another that rails before the Communion Table are Romish, and that all decency is Superstitious. Some say it is lawful to kneel at receiving the Elements of the sacred Eucharist, others argue and plead for it, as expedient; some again do press it as necessary; and there are others (indeed too many of that Sect amongst us) who abhor it as Idolatrous. One out of zeal, somewhat inconsiderate, cries down Episcopacy, as Antichristian: Another very moderate, wishes earnestly Episcopacy were reformed and purged from the Romish and tyrannical government, that incumbers it: A third kind of men carried by a contrary wind, maintain Episcopacy to be Iure Divino: Thus quot homines, tot Sententiae, So many men, so many minds. From these premises of Discord and Faction, needs must there proceed much tumult and distraction to the great disgrace and scandal to the true Protestant Religion, to the encouragement of the wicked, who seeing that there are so many Sects and Separatists, will therefore be of no Religion:  
O Deus bone, in quae tempora reservasti nos●  Polycarp. 
Well may we take up that exclamation of the Roman Orator, O tempora! O mores! Bad times, wherein there are worse men, and worst of all manners. Plenitudo hominum, sed solitudo bonorum; a plenty of men, but a scarcity of good men. There is such a multitude of Sectaries in all places, both in our Cities and Countries, that we may justly fear this little Island will be turned into a great Amsterdam.  
Hinc illae lacrymae, One would reconcile Popery and our Religion together, another would introduce faction and innovations into the Church: So that between the Papists and Separatists, the Church strangely suffers. This latter sort of late days hath been very impudent and turbulent, both to the Church and commonwealth. They were never more insolent at any time, than they are now at this time, and never more frequent and resident in any place then in the two famous Cities, Amsterdam, and this of London. They are the Separatists, or Brownists; the Libertines or Anabaptists; who are grown to a great head, (for indeed they are Bellua multorum capitum) a giddy headed multitude, & are so common amongst us, that they are commonly called the roundheads. The Fraternity at Amsterdam, and the Brownists in Town, are brethren of the same Tribe. They are nominated Brownists from one Brown; as we usually term the Lutherans from Luther, the Calvinists from Calvin, and the Arminians from Arminius. These are the late upstart Sectaries of this age, the new crept in caterpillars of our kingdom, that do more mischief daily, than any sect whatsoever. These are the Jonah's that have raised the tempest; these are the achaxes that do trouble our Israel. They are so many for their multitude, that like Bees they swarm amongst us. Indeed the time was when they crept in corners, but now they are like the Egyptian Locusts, covering the whole land, ye may know them by their frequent and far fetched sighs, the continual elevation of their eyes, their meager physiognomies, solitary countenances, sharp noses, by the cut of their hair, made even with the top of their prick-ears, (for their hair is as short as their eyebrows, though their consciences be as vast as the Ocean) ye may further discern them by their broad hats and narrow ●ufs, which they usually wear, the putting of their gloves under their girdles, and the folding of their hands one within another. Indeed they are painted sepulchres, whited walls, whose Religion consists in frequent fasting, and long prayers, which devour widow's houses, the outside of whose vessels are pure and washed, but within full of filth and corruption, under sheepskins are ravenous Wolves. They hold that Religion ought to be guided by the motion of the Spirit, not reason; therefore they will rule Religion, Religion shall not rule them, or else they will go against Religion, as the Jews did in meeting Christ with swords and staves. They pretend sanctity, but intend impiety; much they profess, but little good they express: Their Piety is altogether dissembled, and what that is, 'tis sufficiently known; for simulat a sanctitas est duplex iniquitas. Religion is of itself pure, unspotted, immaculate, and undefiled; but they by their private malice, do endeavour to pollute and contaminate the purity thereof. They say they would have Religion reformed, but their aim is to have it deformed. These were called in Greek {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in Hebrew Paratzim; viz. Separatists, for other men they accounted profane people of the earth, but themselves the only holy men in the Land; therefore with others they would not converse for fear of defilement. In a precise manner they look down with their eyes, when inwardly a whore is not more deceitful. They are double-minded, hollow-hearted, and will as nimbly swallow up at a bit, another man's estate, as our Dutch will pills of butter, and never purch for it, All is fish that comes to their net. unde habeant nemo quaerit, sed oportet habere. They make it no matter how they come by it, so they have it. Their mouths are replenished with yeas, and very lies, but their tongues and hearts do as much differ as truth and error: though they do seldom damnably swear, yet they will most abominably lie. For lying, falsehood, and hypocrisy, these are their familiar experssions. They are much addicted to prayer and fasting; for they frame a long Babel-like prayer, made up with hums and haws; and though they affect fasting well, yet they love their flesh better, They much delight in private conventicles, and secret and obscure places, in which voluptuous wantonness has her meeting, where the Spirit enlightens the understanding to see a sister in the dark: though they are superciliously rigid and censorious, yet they seem very charitable, for rather than their sisters shall want food, they will fill their bellies, and rather than they shall be naked, they will cover their bodies. Brothers they are, but not of the blade; for they cannot endure our cavaliers; yet they are lovers of the sisters of the scabbard. Brethren they are, not of the Corporation, but the separation; like Simeon and Levi, they are fratres in malo. They are altogether ignorant, therefore they despise all learning: for the tongues and languages, they utterly abhor and detest them as profane, and for our ordinary Latin, they 〈◊〉 it is the language of the beast. They are resolved still to be as they are, ignorant, for they bold it Idolatry and superstition to learn to re●d because the very first letter begins with a cross.  
The cross they account the mark of the beast, and though it be the ancient ensign of Christianity, yet by them it is contemned, All Crosses they dosie as may-poles; the one they hold profane, and the other they aver to be superstitious. They can endure no cross but that on Silver or Gold; and for the cross in Cheapside, it is the pillar of golden superstition, the abomination of the City, the City idol, and a supporter of idols, having so many images about it, which is as displeasing to their sight as the Counter in Woodstreet is to an indebted Citizen. All Ceremonies they account Popish, a surplice the snock of the whore of Babylon, the sight whereof is as terrible to them in a Church at noon, as the apparition of a Ghost in a churchyard at midnight, An orthodox and lawfuly called, and allowed Minister is not minded amongst them; for they hold it as lawful for Artificers, and Laymen, to preach in public, and those that are most inferior, as cobblers, Weavers, leathersellers, boxmakers, ironmongers, feltmakers, and such mechanic fellows. These and their holy sisters (for they may well be linked together) are they, who by their unreverent gestures in the Church disesteem of Church-Prayers; These are they who contemn the public service of God, and cry down the liturgy of the Church of England; that solemn liturgy, celebrous by the piety of Bishops, and martyrs, hallowed with the blond of some of them who composed it, established by the laws of this Land, by several Acts of Parliament in this kingdom, attested and approved by the best of all foreign Divines, confirmed by the subscription of all the clergy, accepted of by the most and best of all the Laity, and hath continued since in the reigns of Queen Elizabeth, King Lames, and our gracious King Charles, in the Church of England, for the service of God these 90. years; that this holy exercise of Religion should be by them vilified, interrupted, and depraved, what doth it tend to, but the advancing of heresy, schism, profaneness, libertinism, Anabaptism, and atheism?  
We acknowledge, that some parts of our public Liturgy, may be very well corrected, (and thanks be to God the great counsel of the King, and the kingdom have consulted and determined about it) but the clamours now go very high: Impudence or Ignorance is at this time grown so frontless, that it is confidently expected by many, that all forms of public worship should be utterly abrogated, and that our book of commonprayer should be quite abolished, as they would have Episcopacy everlastingly extirpated.  
They affirm that that which is called the Liturgy is the same with the mass, either a Lethargy of worship, or a mass of Idolatry; wherein is no purity, but all papistry. In the service-book they say there are foppish and foolish Tautologies, as in these words, The Lord be with you and with your Spirit: And in the litany, there are vain and ●●ivolous repetitions of words, as Good Lord deliver us, and We bese●●● to hear us good Lord; which they are not ashamed to say are ridiculous Invocations like magic spells, and no better than conjuring. These modern Zealots (forsooth) are offended at the vestments and habits of the clergy; every thing though never so laudable, decent, and necessary, if contrary to their opinion, is by them accounted profane, or superstitious. They make no reckoning of the Church of God, than of a barn, or a stable, either of these is all alike to them. Barns and Stables are for threshers and ostlers: the Church is the House of God: yet they are so base minded, as to conjecture a barn or stable good enough for him, whom the heaven of heavens cannot contain, the high and lofty one that inhabiteth Eternity. They account their own houses as holy as the Church; 'tis strange Divinity, and yet I hold no inherent holiness in either. I have read of a sort of heretics about the year of our Lord 1126. who would have all Churches defaced and demolished as needless fabrics, and unnecessary structures; for God dwells not in temples made with hands. Sure these Separatists are of their minds; If they were not, they would mind the Church better than they do; But these love to stand without at the Church door: I am sure they have no precedent for it out of the Word of God, that whilst the preacher and people are praying, within, they should stand prating without. That description of S. Paul may be properly predicated of them: they are lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, disobedient, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of others, heady, high minded, {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, magis quam, {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof, 2 Tim. 3. 2, 3, 4. Tha likewise of S. Jude may be truly applied to them, they defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities, 8 ver. These are they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit, 19 ver. And who these persons are, who say they have the Spirit, the subject of this small Tract doth sufficiently declare, the Separatists. They are offensive to God in the contempt of his Ordinance, whose commandment is, that every soul should be subject to the higher powers; and they are injurious to the King and State, whose power they despise, and government they affront. Their lives are hypocritical, their positions schismatical, their thoughts perilous, their words malicious, their Acts mischievous, and their opinions impious. They hold it a matter arbitrary or indifferent, which they dispense with at their own wills & pleasures, to behave themselves irreverently, unmannerly, undecently, and disorderly in God's House, in his presence, and that under pretence of avoiding superstition, Dum vitant stulti vitia, in contraria currunt: what is this, but to avoid Scylla, and fall upon Charybdis? to run from one extreme to a worse, ex fuma●io flammam, out of the smoke into the flame. This is the reason they have made so many uproars, the like in pristine ages unparalleled motions and commotions in our Churches of late days, in the cathedral of S. Paul, within these few months, and in S. Olaf's Church in the old jewry, on Sunday in the afternoon being the 8. of May, I know not by what unhappy fate, there was at that present congregated a company of rude Rascals, to the number of above 100, who as soon as the right Rev. pious and learned Bishop came up into the Pulpit in his Lawn sleeves and other vestments suitable to a Prelate, they presently like an unmannerly and ill-bred crew of unruly curs, made such a hideous clamour in the Church of God, crying jointly, most impudently and with one accord, A Pope, a Pope, a Pope, to the astonishment of the man of God, & to the admiration and amazement of the L. Major, the Parliament Gentlemen, and other noble and worthy auditors that were then present. Some of the varlets ran out of the Church, others by the L. mayor's officers were thrust out of the Church, and the door shut upon them: And I wish this cursed Sect may beever excluded as from our Churches so from our Cities, Assemblies and societies: I am sure, in the purest times of the Primitive Church, there were Ostiarit, doorkeepers, to debar from ingress into the Church notorious heretics, obstinate Idolaters and profane livers. I would not be accounted uncharitable, therefore my opinion is, that these sons of tumult bare no violent malice to the Right Reverend Bishop's person, (for he is the object of every man's love) only I imagine their inveterate spleen aimed at his function. A Pope and a Bishop are all one with them, when these turbulent Schismatickes were in the street, they fell to picking of quarrels, and broke many glass windows in the Church, in the time of the Sermon, they were so audacious and impudent as to say, that they who were in the Church were at mass, and that the Lord Major was a Papist, whom God and the world knows to be a Gentleman of an approved and unblemished integrity and an unfeigned Protestant of the Church of England. One thing I have more to relate, that on of the rascals was the same day apprehended, & examined by some of the Parliament Gentlemen after Sermon in the Lord major's house, & was by his Lordship committed, of whom hereafter ye shall hear more; for the present, I am sorry that such an occasion is offered me to trouble the Readers patience so much, with the relation of this viperous generation, and with such unsanctified sons of mischief as these are; Only give me leave, before I leave them, to leave this wish to them, that these Brothers of schism and Sedition, with their Sisters of Faction and insurrection (for they of that sex are as bad, being of the same sect) may in due time (as I hope shortly they will) suffer exemplary and condign punishment according to their demerits.  
FINIS.