A TALE In a TUB OR, A TUB LECTURE  
As it was delivered by My-beele Mendsoale, an Inspired Brownist, and a most upright Translator.  
In a meeting house near Bedlam, the one and twentieth of Decembler, Last, 1641.  
written by J.T.  
London, Printed 1641.   

A tub Lecture  
BEloved Sisters, and my well infected Brethren, attend this Text, as you shall find it written in the first Chapter of Bell and the Dragon, the third Verse, as it followeth,  
Now the Babylonians had an idol they called Bell, and there were spent upon him every day, 12 gress measures of fine flower, and 40 sheep, and 6 vessels of wine.  
I will first of all make a Division in the former part of my Text, I will leave the latter to the Last, and expound that as I shall wax to an End.  
Now the Babylonians had an idol they called Bell.  
This sentence I shall divide into 4 parts, because your understandings my Beloved Brethren, consisteth chiefly in the Knowledge of Divisions, the particles are these.  
1. The Time. 2. The Nation. 3. The Crime. 4. The Denomination.  
The Time. Now. The Nation, The Babylonians. The Crime, had an idol. The Denomination, called Bell.  
Now the Babylonians had an idol called Bell.  
First I will begin with the time, you must not conceive that it was 1, 10. 100 1000 years ago, but Now, at this present, Now the Babylonians, &c. Beloved there is much evil and abomination to be picked out of these three letters Now, according to the explication of a dear deceased Brother of ours which you called Anthony Now, Now, and called he was from us too soon, yet the worst the wicked can say of him is, that he died a dutiful death, and he did but Come when he was called, but leaving our Brother as he hath left us, I will proceed with this word Now, Now the Babylonians, Now doth, plainly and significantly expound itself in these words, at this time, this present, this instant, and never were people more strangely misled by false teaching and preaching then Now: you shall hear how many sentences or questions this word Now will answer me: When were golden Crosses, Images & pictures suffered to stand in defiance of the Brethren, nay even in the open streets? my Text doth answer Now: When were lying, fcurrilous pamphlets, which abuse the Brethren in prose and Verse, by the Name of Round-head, more in Fashion then Now. There was one who writ a book, entitled, A Medicine for the times, where assuredly he doth vindicate that pillar of Golden superstition, Cheap side cross, calling us thieves, who bare away the lead, because those limbs should not be again set up by Idolatrous people, & when was this book generally sold to draw the hearts of the people from us, but according as it is in my text, Now: but were he in our Conventicle that writ it, and he that printed it, I think it were convenient that all of us with one accord should endeavour to hang them to death, and were they here, no fitter time than Now: but sithence they are not present, we will defer their execution till we can confidently say we have them Now: but because I will not trespass upon your patience much longer than my limited time, 6 hours, I will Now conclude this part of my Text, and proceed to the next, which is the Nation.  
This Nation were Babylonians, for so my Text telleth me,  
Now the Babylonians.  
Beloved, these Babylonians are a Nation that inhabited Babylon, and derive their names from Nimrod's Tower, Babel, a Tower, which according to my author's description, was 4 hundred thousand times higher than the Tower of London, bearing twice as many hundred thousand piece of Ordnance, for it was the intention of that proud Nimrod, to shoot down heaven: amongst this Nation lived that grand enemy to our sect, The Whore of Babylon, a most fathomless Harlot, and corrupted every man that had any Part in Babel (the more fools they) this Nimrod was the first that ever taught Idolatry, for (as I have been told) you know I cannot read myself, before ever the Art of carving or painting was, he taught the people to adore the fire, which expressed his hot zeal in Idolatry, it was only their ignorance in arts, that kept them from setting up such a cross, as is in Cheapside: not long after Nimrod succeeded King Astyages: after his decease, Cyrus of Persia received his kingdom, as you shall read in the first Verse of this Chapter, and according to my Text is living at this present, for,  
Now the Babylonians had an idol, Called Bell.  
And thus much shall suffice to have been spoken for the second part of my Text, which is the Nation, Babylonians, now the Babylonians, I will now proceed unto the third, which is their crime, their Idolatry, their Image worship the devil by this time had instructed them in the Art of making Idols, for so my Text saith,  
Now the Babylonians had an idol.  
This Idol was made of brass without and clay within, a brazen face, and an earthen heart, filled with corruption and fraught with abomination. This word idol properly derives itself from Idle, which in signification, my attentive Brethren, is sloth, laziness, they would employ their times in nothing but making Images. I'll warrant you in those days a Journeyman Image-Maker might get his half crown a day, do you but censure then, my dear Assembly, how they flourished in their wickedness, but, since they had nothing else to do but to set up Idols, it shall become us to make it the business of our whole lives to pull them down: but take this caution with you, when you next attempt the holy destruction of that nest of Idols, Cheapside cross, be not too violent, lest you suffer as our Brother did, yet had he past the Pikes, he had been living to this day. This idol in my Text, was brass without, and earth within, a cheap idol to those in Cheapside, for they are Gold without, and lead within. Beloved, Lead was not made to form Idols with, but for the good of mankind, which is to make Bullets, and Tyle Houses; your only way to confound this aforesaid Cheapside cross, is to pull down to the ground, that old idol Charin, and beat down this with the stones, that we may have no more cause to say,  
Now the Babylonians had an I doll called Bell.  
I am now come to the Denomination of this idol, they called him Bell, for so saith the Text.  
Now the Babylonians had an Idol.  
This notorious Babe of Idolatry, who hath to name, Bell, hath his Name derived from that general enemy to mankind Belze-bub, one whom we all know to be the devil; this Bell was made of brass, & that is the only reason (my beloved) that our bells be held so much in contempt amongst the Brethren. This Bell according to the text had spent upon him every 10 great Measures of fine Flower, 40 sheep, and 6 Vessels of wine: now who devoured this Flower? Bell, who consumed the 40 sheep, but Bell, who drank the wine, so that there was a general exaction laid upon each Pint and Quart, but Bell, or abel.  
I have observed that there was never any good in that word where Bell had a share in't what was Adam Bell, but a hunter, so was Nimrod, who built that ambitious Tower Babel; I have heard with mine own ears, those blads which call themselves Cavaleroes call a cross Bard sword Troy Bel. what is a Belman but a night walker (as I apprehend him) nay do not your superstitious papists curse the brethren with Bell book and candle; was not that Cardinal an arch heretic who had to name Bell Armine; do not those persecuting papists in Ireland ReBel, yes double and Tre-Bel; and I hope there will be such an equal uniformity amongst us who are the select Brethren that no particular man may be said to bare the bell: nor shall any man hereafter be counted a man the sounder for being Bel-Metle, for Bel was brass without and Clay within.  
Now the Babylonians had an Idol called Bell, and there was spent upon him every day 12 measures of fine flower, and 40 sheep and 6 Vessels of wine, beloved had I been to serve Bell with this banquet I would have made bells ears ring noon ere he should have had it; now who do you conceive should worship this Bell? no worse man than Cyrus the King, as you shall find it in the fourth verse;  
And Syrus worshipped it and went daily to adore it.  
And it is thought (by some Authors) that this Syrus first made this Bel, if he did, he was but a Bel founder; or at least the first that ever was a Bel-founder. I shall love a Bel-founder the worse for it all days of my life; I could proceed further and would but for fear of the law, who if I should be too zealous, would censure this Lecture to be a libel, therefore, this shall suffice at this time, next meeting shall perfect the work begun: repair to your houses and consider of these sayings, Farewell.  
FINIS.