A DIALOGUE BETWEEN A BROWNIST and a SCHISMATIC.  Brownist. 
WEll met holy Brother Schismatic, I hope our meeting will prove profitable to our own selves, the Edification of our Church and destruction and rooting out the Papistical Doctrine of the Whorish and Idolatrous Church of Rome, and formal Protestancy little better than Popery, from being any more used in England, or any of his Majesty's Dominions.  Schismatic. 
Thou hast spoken very religiously, and hast manifested thyself to be a good Zealot, in the cause of righteousness, and am I right joy full so happily here in this place to meet with you, where I hope we without fear may speak freely of the present affairs of State, and of reducing our Religion and manner of worshipping to its former purity and glory; but to begin our discourse, how may these our pious intentions be effected?  Brownist. 
Truly brother I conceive no readier and easier way to effect this holy work then to agree in outward appearance, for to promote Truth and Religion, we may warrantably use dissimulation, as we have many examples in Scripture, David dissembled himself for the safety of his life to the King of Lachish: Abraham dissembled to King Abimelech, and taught his wife to lie, for the preservation of her chastity: and joseph dissembled to his brethren, to the end to make them to understand their former wickedness committed against him: the Harlot Rachel hide the spies sent from josuah and dissembled the same, with a lie for her excuse: many such like examples I might produce, to warrant dissimulation sometimes in a good cause, for I say for the promotion of this 〈◊〉 holy a work we may join ourselves in league and fraternity with Anabaptists, Seperatrsts, and when we have accomplished our desires we may shake off their society, or endeavour to reduce them to an uniformity with us, being now nearest us in opinion, of any profession, and so may the easier be drawn from their opinions that differ from ours.  Schismatic. 
Indeed I do approve of thy resolution, but I conceive it best in the first place, to speak of the manner and form of discipline and worship in Religion, and then they who will agree and side with us, so shall we the better know which is the safest way to proceed in, and first let us begin what form of discipline we should have used in the exercise of our Religion, and what Doctrine is best to be received in the Church; and finally, what form of government is meetest to be used and established for the establishment thereof, and therefore I pray show thy opinion of the Common Prayer now used; and what form of prayer is meetest to be used, that may agree with the spirit; by which we ought to be directed and instructed.  Brownist. 
Verily brother touching the Common prayer now used, it is no ways to be allowed or received in the Church, being altogether Superstitious, and Idolatrous, the inventions of men, and not made by the holy spirit, but only instituted by Papists and Popishly affected Prelates.  Schismatic. 
I confess great part of the Litany is superfluous and superstitious, but I think there be many prayers in the book that were indicted by the Spirit of God, and made by holy men, which were approved and continually used in the time of Edward the sixth and Queen Elizabeth; are these to be rejected and disallowed, after the long usage of the same in the Church and not disallowed in the reign of King james, in whose time many differences and contentions were raised about the same by the Clergy of those times?  Brownist. 
The reason why a through reformation of the book of Common Prayer hath not yet been admitted to this day, was the great troubles that have been raised in this kingdom by the Romish faction, after Queen Marry most part of this kingdom then acknowledging the idolatrous Doctrine of that Antichrist, and Man of sin, the Bishop of Rome, which in all the time of Queen Elizabeth could not be purged, our Religion being then scarce known and altogether disliked, and in the time of King james, the pride and haughtiness of the Clergy more inclined to Popery then Purity, hindered a through Reformation, although our profession began then to take head and gather some strength and approbation in this kingdom, many opinions and tenants that we had being approved of the King himself, but now the purity and sincerity of our religion being accepted and acknowledged in most parts of the kingdom especially in the chief Cities & Corporations thereof, it is our duty to study a through Reformation in time, lest we be by the adversaries of truth and piety suppressed, and no means left for the establishing of the same; and for those prayers you mentioned, some of them may be still retained and used in the Church, which I will against the next meeting extract from the rest.  Schismatic. 
Enough at this time of the Common Prayer, let me have your opinion touching what Doctrine, now acknowledged in our Church, is meet to be purged, and discipline for the exercise thereof.  Brownist. 
That will I do: The Doctrine of Baptism with the Cross I utterly deny and disallow, Marriage with a hoop Ring, and the like; but for Discipline in the manner of Worship, I disallow the use of Surplice, etc. I would have us follow the example of Christ in all things as near as we can, and let his example be our rule to walk by; If he taught in the Temples, let us make use of Temples and Churches for teaching and instruction; if he taught in ships upon the sea, then let it be as warrantable for us to preach and to teach in ships as in Churches; if he taught upon the sand or sea shore, then let it be as lawful to teach on the sand as in the ship; if he taught on mountains or hills, then let it be as warrantable to preach on the top of a hill as on the sand; if he taught in private houses, then let it be as lawful to preach in a house or barn as on the top of a hill; if he prayed in the fields or wilderness, then let it be as warrantable for us to pray in the fields and wilderness, woods or groves as in Churches, etc. If he chose Fishermen, Mechanic Tradesmen, or the like, to be his Disciples and preachers to his people, then let it be as warrantable for us to choose Pastors and teachers that are full of the Spirit, of Fishermen, Shoemakers, Hatters, etc. And this is the safest and truest manner of Doctrine and Discipline to be received by his example.  Schismatic. 
Truly brother I perceive that you are full of the Spirit, I approve of your Order for Doctrine and Discipline, I pray go forward and speak your mind concerning a certain form of Government to be established in this kingdom, for the due and pure observance of this your Doctrine and Discipline prescribed.  Brownist. 
Indeed brother I hope I shall neither speak nor do any thing but as I shall be lead and directed by the Spirit, and touching your next request, I conceive it no ways meet to have any particular Government in the Church, but every man to govern his assembly according to his spirit, following likewise the example of Christ to his Apostles, when they strove for superiority one over and above another, who reproved them for the same, and made them all Governors alike; so would I have it that one man might not lord it over his brethren, being all members of one body, and every one permitted to teach in the Church according to the gifts of Prophecy and Revelation, and if any in the Church be prophesying or preaching, and one that stands by hath a clearer gift or revelation, he to speak and declare the same, and the other that taught before to hold his peace, according to the rule of Saint Paul, 1 Cor. 14.29, 30, 31. Let the Prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. 30. If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. 31. For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may be comforted. So it appears there is no supremacy in teachers, all men without degrees, or University Scholership, if they have the gift and spirit of prophecy, may preach and teach the people and are only to be esteemed according to the excellency of their gifts and holiness of life, let him be of what occupation or profession whatsoever.  Schismatic. 
Well brother no more of this. Now let us consider of the best way to effect this intended work of Reformation and establishing of our Religion in this kingdom.  Brownist. 
As I said before, join ourselves for our better advantage in outward appearance, in fraternity with the several sects aforementioned.  Schismatic. 
But how if the adverse party be so obstinate, and the great ones in high places be so perverse that they will by no means agree to our desire nor conform themselves to our Religion,  Brownist. 
Then is it lawful to take up Arms and by force establish Religion and bring to condign punishment the opposers thereof, cut down the tall Cedars, spiritual wickedness in high places, rather than our Religion should be destroyed, and Antichristianisme or lose and formal Protestancy be continued in this kingdom, better to punish the body by stripes then both body and soul to perish by sin.  Schismatic. 
I well approve all that thou halt said. Let us put in action our intention, and so God be with you for this time.  Brownist. 
And so I pray God keep you till our next meeting.  
FINIS.