THE LORD MAYORS FARE-WELL, from his Office of Mayoraltie. Which was sent to him in a Letter, by one of those who are usually( but unjustly) called Anabaptists: Wherein he is taxed not only for breach of promise, in not endeavouring to procure of the Parliament one of the City Temples, for a public disputation between the Anabaptists, and the Presbyterians; But likewise for presenting an unjust Remonstrance to the Parliament, for procuring Licence and Authority, to suppress both Anabaptists, Separatists, and all such as have good grounds and principles for their practise.  
Right Honourable.  
THat which makes men truly honourable before God, is their acquaintance with him, and interest in him, which is their life and glory; the fruits whereof whensoever they are revealed by his blessed Spirit to any soul, do appear amongst men by their faithful words and just deeds to each other and that in al the particular of duties love tending to mercy & truth; especially in performing of those things wherein they are most justly and solemnly engaged before God and the world, although as King David saith, they should loose thereby, or suffer in so doing.  
How it fareth with Your Lord-ship in the discharge of the first of these duties, I leave to him that knoweth all things, and will bring every dark thing to light, and disclose the secrets of all hearts at the appearing of Iesus Christ; who judgeth not by outward appearance, but in righteousness and without respect of persons.  
That which occasioneth me to writ unto Your Honour, is in relation to a promise which you made about a month after you were admitted to your Office of Majoralty over this famous City, upon a meeting appointed between Mr. Calamy, Mr. Porter, and Mr. Cranford of the one part, and Mr. Cox, Mr. Knowles and Mr. Kiffen of the other, at Mr. Mascalls house in the old jury, concerning a question, wherein many hundreds both in the City and Country do require satisfaction.  
Namely, whether the children of believing Parents ought to be Baptized or no? and the day of meeting being come; the house was so thronged by the multitude there assembled, that the Desputants could not enter the house, which occasion●d the disappointment of the happy issue expected by that meeting, which tended not only to the great grief of many who are tender in conscience, and do still remain doubtful and scru●ulous in those things, and hoped then to have received some satisfaction; but likewise to the great discontent of the disputants themselves, being so willing, resolute and prepared on both sides.  
Whereupon they went aside, and consulted what course to take in that case, and at last, jointly concluded to address themselves to Your Lord ship, for leave to meet in some pub●●que Temple of the City; and therefore requested Mr. Mascall and M. Dixon, two ●ommon Counsel-men to propound the same to Your Honour, who with all freeness and readiness, did declare themselves willing to and m●n ●●gers in this so needful a business; so they found Your Lord ship no less free and ready to grant their request.  
So that an answer was returned to the Disputants by them to this effect, that Your Lord ship was very free and forward to the matter propounded, and therefore left it to the Disputants to agree both upon the time and place, when and where to meet and debate that controversy.  
Whereupon the Disputants immediately agreed to meet at Mr. Calamies house to confer about the manner ●n● order of that dispute, that so it might be managed in a loving pea●●able and christian way.  
And it was concluded by mutual consent of both sides, that the time of meeting should have been the third o● Decem●er last past, and the place, that high place of A●●erman-bury, which appointment( being known in the City and divers places of the kingdom) gave forth great hope of satisfactoin to many, that by that daies wo●ke, truth would break forth, and darkness vanish, like c●●uds before the Su● and to the s●me end there cam● many people 10. 20. 30. & 40. miles, esteeming all their labour as nothing, so they might return with any measure of satisfaction and peace of conscience.  
But it pleased Your Lord-ship, the day before that appointed time of meeting, to Publish in print on the posts of the City, that it was Your worships pleasure, to adj●urne the said meeting or disputation, until a more convenient time, of the substance whereof, I here present a copy, to Your Honours remembrance, so far as my memory serves me; which is,  
That Your Lord ship thought fit upon serious consideration, for prevention of the inconveniences that might happen thereby, to forbid the same meeting or disputation, upon that day or any other time in a public way, before Your Lord-ship should receive the pleasures of the Honourable Houses of Parliament touching the same, which with all conveniency your Lordship would endeavour to know, lest otherwise there might be hazard of the disturbance of the public peace.  
Upon the hearing whereof, many thousands were grieved and discontented in their spirits to be so disappointed of their expectation, yet not altogether frustrated of their hope, but that a convenient season or fit occasion would be er-long for a public appointment of that meeting, in regard Your Lord-ship declares in that published paper, that the deferring thereof, was but till Your Lord-ship knew the pleasure of the Honourable Houses of Parliament, which with all conveniency, Your Lordship would endeavour to know.  
Which words of your Lord-ship gave great grounds of hope, that the meeting should be speedily thereafter, in regard that most men believed that the Houses of Parliament, whensoever they should be moved by Your Lord-ship, would freely grant that our request, it being so equal and reasonable, and that it conduced so much to the satisfaction of many poor souls, who stood in so great need of such solid resolution, as it might have pleased God to afford them, by means of that public and free disputation.  
But they still attending, and languishing dayes and weekes and moneths, when this motion should have been made by Your Lord-ship, until at last there was a rumour of a Remonstrance, that was drawn up by Your Lord-ship and the Common counsels approbation, to be presented to the Honourable Houses of Parliament, for the suppressing of all such opinions and practices, as were not of a presbyterian moold.  
Which news were no less strange then grievous to me and many thousands of others, that Your Lord-ship who( as we thought) aimed at goodness, and professed some love to the truth, and carried yourself as a friend to many, should so suddenly and causelessly turn our enemy, and that by having a special hand in the drawing up, subscribing and presenting of such an unjust and uncharitable Remonstrance, as any wise to desire the suppressing either of the truth, or the professors thereof in regard of your public engagement, to address yourself to the High Court of Parliament, for appointing a place where to have heard what such people could have said from the word of God for themselves, and the truth of their way and practise.  
Truly, the eyes of many thousands looked upon Your Honour, as one who would have more regarded Your Honour, and made more conscience of Your promise, being our chief City captain, then in stead of Your duty performance, thus so unjustly to turn the Cannons against Your friends.  
But now it doth evidently appear, that Your Lop. and those Clergy men that have engaged themselves to debate that controversy do suspect both the truth of their cause, and their own, inability to defend it, in they thus cowardly keep themselves within doors, and dare not sh●w their faces against us in open field, where we are to contend for the maintenance of the faith, which was once given to the Saints, chiefly when we are urged by those who seek their portion in this life, as Paul was forced to defend both his preaching and profession against those philosophers and false apostles, that did creep in, in his absence, who therefore do still procure the power of Magistracy, not only to supply all defects of them and their cause, but to suppress both the truth and the Professors thereof, as doth clearty appear by their unjust and uncharitable City-Remonstrance, presented to both Houses on the 26. of May last.  
For I find in their petition●ry part thereof, these words, That all Anabaptists, Brownists, schismatics, and all such Sectaries as conform not to the public discipline established, or to be established by Parliament, may be fully declared against, and some effectual course settled for proceeding against such persons.  
Now my Lord, how conscionable, just or reasonable, this kind of dealing and Proceeding against those that never offended You, nor the State( but have been as ready and free to adventure both their lives and estates, in defence and for the safety of the kingdom and Parliament according to their Power, as yourself and fellow Remonstrants or any others whosoever) I even refer to God and the world, yea to Your own conscience to judge.  
For if you will search the Scriptures with an impartial eye and faithful resolution, and not like Pilate to ask what truth is, and then immediately to turn Your back both upon the truth, and the God of truth; You will find that the very ignorant Heathens and greatest persecutors of the truth that ever were, since the clea e sun shine dayes of Christs glorious gospel, never judged it, but a thing both equal and just, to hear men whether just or unjust before they condemn them, though they never made( so far as wee can red) any promise so to do, as Your Lord-ship promised to those persons against whom you wou●d have such a speedy course taken.  
Would Your Lord-ship and your fellow Remonstrants be content, if wee should so endeavour to stir up, or Petition the Parliament so against you, to render you the like measure? Is this the performance of your Lops. promise, to address yourself to the House for obtaining of free disputation? Surely my Lord, if either your trusty friend Mr. Edwards, or your valiant Captain of the Presbyterians, Doctor Bastwick, had any such blot against us, whom you are pleased to call Sectaries, doubtless there would be great volumes of a hundred sheets a piece, blazed throughout the kingdom, to vilify and utterly disgrace us, as either your breach of promise or unjust Remonstrance.  
My Lord, You cannot but remember, that in the letter sent to you and the Common counsel from the Assembly of Scotland, You are styled one of the builders of Sion; but whether Gods Sion, or their Synagogue, seemeth to be a question to some: But my Lord that I may speak plainly, itis out of all question, that the word of God is and should be the undoubted rule both of your and our practise: For it tells us, that none are accepted to dwell in Sion, but he that speaks the very truth from his hears, and promiseth and changeth not, psalm 15.  
My Lord, you did promise faire, and seemed both to begin and run well in the way of truth, but what did hinder either your performance of the one, or obedience to the other? I know nothing, unless you be either tied by Your solleme Covenant not to perform that your solemn engagement, or that you are afraid of persecution, if you should live godly in Christ Jesus, or sinistruslie informed by the diviners( whom your labours of this kind do most speecially concern) that this your solemn promise, is either no promise, because we are heretics in your and their account, or if it be, that they have yet reserved so much popish power unreformed or taken away( like Cheapside or Charing-crosse) as to give your Lord-ship a suspension for your not performance.  
But my Lord, remember and consider this, that the righteous judge of all the earth will do right, and is no respecter of persons, but will pled the cause of the poor against the mighty, and defend his own against their enemies.  
And seeing Your Lord-ship hath proceeded so far, as to outrun your engagement, it is high time for you now to stand, and draw your breath, and before either you render up the Office of your Mayoraltie, or the accounts of your mortality, or that there be any further prosecution of your Remonstrance, for suppressing the meek and quiet people of the land, yea or further encouragement of the profane multitude, to wax worse in their wicked ways, that yet you would be pleased according to your promise, to address yourself to the House, and neglect no more time, for obtaining a free disputation, between us and your Presbyterian Clergy, for other wise, by your utter negligence in this your bound duty, that ●●rknesse in you which seems by your insinuation and smooth carriage, to be light, at your entrance into this your Office, will not only appear to be darkness indeed, but likewise the snuff of that your seeming light, will give a noisome savour unto all that are sensible to smell it, at your surrendering of that charge, which yet you enjoy upon trust.  
What good may come by this so equitable and needful means of public and free disputation, your Lord-ship knows not, but this wee know, that good means do still tend to good ends: for possibly if any be in error ▪ it may please God so to bless the means of Christian conference in a peaceable and loving way, that they may be reduced to the truth, and how profitable such a happy change( out of corrupt nature into grace) as the Apostle James tells you, chap. 5.19.20. in these words, Brethen, if any of you have erred from the truth, and some man bath converted him, let him know that he which converteth a sinner from going astray out of the way, shall save a soul from death, and hid a multitude of sins.  
Hence it is to be observed, that the Apostle declares, that the effectual means of conversion from any erroneous way, is( not the using of the coercive temporal sword, to their destruction, but of) the convincing spiritual word to their salvation.  
If that which your Lop. doth thus persecute, as heresy or error be found, truth as the Apostle Paul by that which the world called heresy, did worship the God of his fathers, and so if you be convined of your error in so doing, will it not stay your further proceedings, and move you to say, I have done wickedly, henceforth( through Gods grace) I will do fo● no more; would not this be a happy thing, yea and prove more honourable profitable and delightful to you ▪ then all deceivable honours, perishing profits, and deceitful pleasures, that you can possibly enjoy in this world ▪  
Wherefore, I beseech Your Lord-ship, that you would seriously weigh and consider, what is here presented to you, from one who can approve his heart before God that he hath no other end in so doing, but publishing of the truth, the clearing of the innocent, and the recovering of your Lord-ship, if God see it good: for I beseech you remember, that you must eat long, lay down your tabernacle of day( as well as that great charge, for which you enjoy your worldly honour) and appear naked in the presence of him who is judge of quick and dead: And likewise consider how any man can die with any hope of comfort, who liveth wilfully in any known sin.  
For certain it is, that if God give you not repentance, it will be said of you, as it was of that wicked King, 2: Chro. 28.21.22.23. in these words, For Ahaz took a portion out of the house of the Lord, and out of the Kings house, and out of the princes, and gave to the King of Ashur: Yet it helped him not: And in the time of his tribulation, did he yet trespass more against the Lord( this is King Ahaz) For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which plauged him, and he said because the gods of the Kings of Aram helped them, I will sacrifice unto them, and they will help me: yet they were his ruin and all Israells.  
So will the Saints in succeeding ages say of you, who have laboured to spoil the glory and beauty of Gods House, by Remonstrating or declaring unjust and grievous things to the Parliament, both against the truth and the professors thereof, and that in a time of Englands tribulation and threatened desolation; This is that Lord mayor of London Thomas Adams by name &c.  
I shall leave the perusal of the premises to your Honour, and to all those into whose hands the same shall come, and both you and them into his blessed hands, who at the first, separated light from darkness, as he all ways ordained the precious to be separated from the vile, and will at last, separate the sheep from the goats, the one at his right hand, and the other at his left; So resteth one from writing, but not from being.  
London this 20. of September 1646. Your worships servant in all duties of love; whose name you shall know, and face( God willing) you shall see, if you will yet perform your promised meeting, in a faire public, loving and free way of appointed disputation.  
To the right Honourable Thomas Adams Lord Mayor of London.