A Fresh DISCOVERY Of some Prodigious New Wandring-Blasing-Stars, & Firebrands, Styling themselves NEW-LIGHTS, Firing our Church and State into New Combustions.  
Divided into Ten Sections, comprising several most Libellous, Scandalous, Seditious, Insolent, Uncharitable, (and some Blasphemous) Passages; published in late UnlicensedPrinted Pamphlets, against the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and Power of Parliaments, Counsels, Synods, Christian Kings and Magistrates, in General; The Ordinances and Proceedings of this present Parliament, in special: The national Covenant, Assembly, Directory, our Brethren of Scotland, Presbyterian Government; The Church of England, with her Ministers, Worship; The Opposers of Independent Novelties; and some Seditious Queres, Incitations, Practices, to stir up the Commonalty & rude Vulgar against the Parliament, Assembly, Ministry; worthy both Houses, and all Sober-minded Christians serious consideration, detestation, and crying for speedy exemplary Justice on the Libellersand Libels, to prevent our Churches, Religions, Parliaments, Kingdoms eminent ruin.  
Whereunto some Letters and Papers lately sent from the Sommer-Islands, are subjoined, relating the Schismatical, illegal, Tyrannical proceedings of some Independents there, in gathering their New-Churches, to the great Distraction and prejudice of that Plantation.  
Published for the Common good By WILLIAM PRYNNE of Lincoln's Inn, Esquire.  Take heed therefore, that the Light which is in thee be not Darkness: If thine Eye be evil, thy whole body is full of Darkness: If therefore the Light that is in thee be Darkness, how great is that Darkness? Luk. 11. 25. Mat. 6. 23. These filthy Dreamers despise Dominion, and speak evil of Dignities: These are raging waves of the Sea, foaming out their own shame; WAND'RING STARS, for whom is reserved the Blackness of Darkness for ever. Judas 8. 13. 
LONDON Printed by John Macock, for Michael Spark signior, at the sign of the blue Bible in Green Arbour. 1645.   

TO The High and Honourable Court of PARLIAMENT.  
MOst Religious and Judicious SENATORS, I here present to your saddest thoughts and serious deliberations, an abstract of sundry most scurrilous, scandalous, seditious railing Libels, lately published to the world in Print, by some anabaptistical Independent Sectaries, and New-lighted FIREBRANDS; wherein the undoubted Privileges, Ordinances, just Proceedings of Parliament; the Reverend Assembly of Divines; our Brethren of Scotland; the Church of England, with her Government, Ministers, Worship; the national Covenant, Directory, Presbytery; professed Defenders of the Parliaments Privileges, Ordinances against their Licentious Schismatical Practices, (according to their Solemn Vow and Covenant) are so audaciously affronted, oppugned, slandered, railed against; and the Common people so earnestly excited to mutiny against the Parliament Assembly, Presbytery, Government and Ministers of our Church of England, that I am confident no former Age did ever produce such Monstrous Insolences, such detestable virulent Libels, which neither the Honour, Justice, nor Wisdom of that Sovereign Court of Justice wherein you are Assessors, nor the Peace and Safety of our Religion, Church, State, nor your own personal security, nor the national Vow and Covenant, (engaging both your Honours and all others who have taken it against these pernicious Mutineers) can any longer suffer you patiently to tolerate (as hitherto you have done) without exemplary proceedings against, and punishments upon the Authors, Printers, Publishers, Dispersers of these most scurrilous and mutinous Pamphlets. Wherein they most injuriously and falsely revile, traduce all such for Persecutors, Fighters against Christ and his Kingdom, Enemies to the ways of Christ, pulling his royal Crown from off his head, his kingly Sceptre out of his hand, Oppugners of the most religious, conscientious, Godly, best-affected Party (as they Pharisaically and falsely term themselves) dividers between the Parliament and their best, their faithfullest Friends; Profane Apostates, Popish Jesuitical Incendiaries, haters of God's people, and the like; who out of conscience, solid Judgement and cordial affection to the safety, tranquillity of Religion, Parliament, Church, Kingdom, dare openly by word or writing, maintain the undoubted Jurisdiction of Parliaments, Synods, Magistrates in Ecclesiastical affairs, or oppose their factions, schismatical Independent ways and Innovations, destructive both to Magistracy, Ministry, Unity, Parliaments, and that blessed Reformation so much desired.  
For my own particular, I have with much Patience and Contempt endured, without any Reply at all, their false unchristian Invectives against myself, only for Writing in Vindication of the undoubted Ecclesiastical jurisdiction, directive and coercive power of Christian Emperors, Kings, Magistrates, Parliaments, in matters of Religion and Church-government, in my, Truth triumphing over Falsehood, Antiquity over Novelty, published with Your special approbation; and my Independency Examined, (which have much incensed this waspish Generation, unable to give any satisfactory answers to them) and I should have continued silence still, had my own private interest only been concerned. But when I discerned them to be so audaciously licentious, presumptuous, as To 
a Psal. 73. 9  set their mouth against the Heavens, to 
b Exod, 22. 28. Acts 23. 5.  revile the very Gods themselves, and curse the Rulers of the people; 
c 2 Pet. 2. 10.  to despise Government and speak evil of Dignities, to bring railing accusations against, and 
d 2 Thes. 2. 4.  resist the Higher Powers, publishing Libel after Libel, against the Proceedings, Ordinances, and Jurisdiction of the present Parliament and Assembly, yea with Antichristian pride, to 
e 2 Pet. 2. 11. Rom. 13.  oppose and exalt themselves above all that is called God, or that is wershipped (as they have lately done, in the Pamphlets hereafter mentioned, and in the Nativity of Sir john Presbyter, etc. freshly published since the rest; every of these latter Libels being more seditious and pernicious than the former) and 
f Mar. 15. 7.  Barrabas like, to stir up sedition and insurrection among the people, against the Ordinances, Votes of Parliament, and that Ecclesiastical reformation and Prebyteriall government You have resolved to establish; 
g Jer. 4. 19  My bowels; my bowels were pained within me at my very heart, so that I could not hold my peace, nor keep silence any longer, because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of these seditious Trumpets, and the alarm of this Schismatical Anti-Parliamentary war: Yea should I now refrain from writing, the very stones themselves would immediately cry out against their most infamous Libels and mutinous presumptuous Practices, opposite to all public Order, Government, Authority.  
And the rather am I necessitated to this ungrateful work, because their very Libels, actions, speeches proclaim a plotted avowed Confederacy among some furious Ringleaders of these Independent Sectaries (though I presume the more moderate are not guilty of it) against the Parliament, Assembly, and all their Resolves in matters of Religion or Church-Government, yea, against our very Church, Ministers, and Tithes the means of their support; as their Libellous Passages against the Ecclesiastical Power, proceedings of the Parliament and Assembly; their public oppositions against the national Covenant, Directory, the Ordinances prohibiting disorderly & unlicensed Printing of Libellous schismatical Pamphlets; against laymen's preaching in the Army or elsewhere; for due Payment of Tithes, etc. recited in the ensuing Sections, will at large declare.  
And that which further confirms me in this opinion, is: First, the New Seditious Covenants which the Members of some Independent Congregations enter into; To adhere, defend, maintain, to the utmost of their powers, and contend for, even unto blood, the establishment of that Independent form of Church Government which themselves have set up and submitted to, and oppose the Presbyterian, in contempt of the Parliaments Authority: in truth mere Anti-covenants of the national League and Covenant, which they utterly refuse to take, and rail against.  
2. Their menacing predictions to the Assembly and Presbytery in their two last 
k Martin's Echo. p. 5. 6. The Nativity of Sir john Presbyter, p. 5. 9 10. 1●.  Libels; wherein they print, That the time hastens the people will call them to an Account, and repel and confound them by the sword; That the life of Sir john Presbyter is like to be neither long nor good; That he willbe brought to a sudden untimely end, Perhaps HANGING. That Presbytry shall live but a short time to do mischief, and then, THE COMMON PEOPLE will beg in to sing, Her Tosse, The Devil's dead; Presbytery will quickly die, the Synod be dissolved, the devil chained up: and therefore follow the advice of old Cat●; Spem retine. Rejoice O heavens, sing aloud O earth, clap thy hands for Joy, O England-post nubula soles; thou shalt have a time of Quietness, of pence, of content, for Presbytery will have never a Child to vex thee, to Imprison thy free Denizens, to suck up thy fat, devour thy good things and eat up thy bread out of thy children's mouths, and himself is not long lived, as I showed before; and then farewell persecution for conscience, farewell Ordinance for Tithes, farewell Ecclesiastical Supremacy, farewell Pontifical Revenue, farewel Assembly of Divines dissembled at Westminster, you shall consult together no more, farewell Sr. Simon Synod, and his son Presbyter jack.  
Gens antiquaruit, multos dominata perannos, etc.  
Which passages, presage and intimate nought else, but a plain conspiracy, confederacy, against the Assembly, Presbytery and presbyterian party.  
3. Some late seditious speeches of two preaching Captains of this Schismatical Confederacy; who being apprehended and questioned by Sr. Samuel Luke's Officers for preaching in Newport-Pannell, and other places near adjoining, in contempt of an Ordinance of Parliament made the 26. of April 1645. which ordains, That no person be permitted to preach who is not ordained a Minister▪ threatening condign punishment to the offenders against it for their contempts; enjoining Sr. Thomas Fairfax, the Lord Major, the Committee of Militia for London; the Governors, Commanders, and Magistrates of all Garrisons, Castles, Places of strength, Cities, Towns, Forts, Ports, and the respective Committees of each County, To see the same duly observed in the Army and places aforesaid, and make speedy representation to both Houses, of such as shall offend therein. These Captain preachers; (far wiser than that devout Centurion Cornelius, who feared God with all his house, and prayed to God always; yet never turned Preacher to his own Band, for aught we read, but by Gods own direction from heaven, sent for the Apostle Peter to instruct him and his family, Acts 10.) among other speeches averred; That they were illegally used by Sr Samuel in being apprehended (for their contempt against this Ordinance;) most falsely and seditiously affirming, That the General & all the Colonels in the Army were deeply engaged. IN THEIR DESIGN: That they would acquaint their FRIENDS IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS of their bad usage, that they had done nothing but taught the Word of God; (among other things, that we had no true Church not Ministry, and that the children of Believers had no more right to Baptism then those of Infidels, etc.) which they would justify, and those friends likewise: That they had Commission from the Parliament for what they did, etc. Whereupon one Capt. Oxford answering them; That he was confident there were few or none in the House would uphold them (against an express Ordinance of both houses) and that the General and Colonels would not side with them in this case: The said Pedicant Captains replied; That should be tried speedily: For they were resolved to make this business THE LEADING CASE OF THE KINGDOM FOR ALL THE GODLY PARTY: 
Note.  adding; That if the godly and well-affected party were thus persecuted, they should be forced TO MAKE A WORSE BREACH THAN WHAT WAS YET, WHEN THEY HAD DONE WITH THE KING'S PARTY: and telling Ensign Ratford and his Soldiers, that they were worse than Cavaliers; and that when they had made an end of the war with the Cavaliers, THEY SHOULD BE FORCED TO RAISE A NEW ARMY TO FIGHT WITH THEM.  
Certainly these seditious privy Covenants, Libels, Speeches, compared with the ensuing Sections, Letters, discover and portend no less than a strong conspiracy among some anabaptistical Sectaries to oppose the Power, Ordinances and Proceedings of Parliament, to extirpate all other Governments but their own, and to set it up by the sword, or popular commotions in despite of your Authority. And is it not then high time for your Honours, with all other well-affected Persons to look about you? to Vindicate your own Power, Honour, Justice, against these most seditious, audacious, contemptuous libelers against your Sovereign Authority, your most Religious Ordinances, proceedings in the desired ways of Reformation; and to make some of them Exemplary Monuments of your Impartial severity, to deter others from the like unparallelled Insolences, not read nor heard of in any preceding Age, nor practised by any Generation of men, but these New furious Sectaries: who to engage all sorts of people in their Quarrel, proclaim a free Toleration and Liberty of Conscience, to all Sects, all Religions whatsoever, be it Judais●e, Paganism, Turkism, Arianisme, Popery; (as all their Pamphlets manifest) And to interest the female Sex, and draw them to their party, they (contrary to the 
n 1 Cor. 14. 34. 35. 1 Tim. 2. 11, 12.  Apostles precept) allow them not only decisive Votes, but Liberty of Preaching Prophesying, speaking in their Congregations; yea, power to meet in their 
* Which they used in New port Pa●●ell, (contrary to the Governors Command.  Nocturnal Conventicles, without their Husbands, Parents, Minister's Privity, the better to propagate Christ's Kingdom, and multiply the Godly party: Which, what confusion and Ataxy it will soon▪ produce in Church and State, if not prevented by your Honour's extraordinary speedy Diligence, Wisdom, Power, I humbly submit to your deepest Judgements.  
I am certain your Honours have read the 
a Sl●idan, Com. l. 5. 10. Gastius, de Anabaptist: Erroribus. Bullinger advers. Anabaptist. Guil. de Bres C●ntr. Les Anabap●●stes. D. Featlies' Dippers Dipped, p. 199. 200, &c The History of the Anabaptists.  Histories of the Tragical Wars and Commotions of the Anabaptists in Germany; whose Opinions wherever they predominate, are fatal to the Government, Magistracy, Ministry of all States, Churches, and bring in popular Tyranny, and licentiousness, the worst of evils. O then let not your Honour's Patience or Indulgence to such anabaptistical Libelers involve both you, us, our Realm, in like Germane popular Seditions, Devastations, and bloody Massacres, which they threaten: but if these New seditious Lights and Firebrands, will needs set up New Churches, Heresies, Church-governments, and vent their new errors or opinions against your Power and Authority, let them do it only in NEW-ENGLAND, or other NEW-FOUNDLANDS, since OLD ENGLAND needs them not, unless it be to set her all on fire.  
As for those furious Champions and Emissaries of theirs who have most presumptuously opposed your religious Ordinances, by word, deed, and presuming on the strength of their Friends within your Walls, (the opinion whereof, with your former Lenity towards them hath much increased their spreading Leprosy] intent now at last to try this issue with your Honours; whether your just Ordinances, or their wilful Contempts against them shall take place; It is presumed you will so proceed 'gainst them, and the Authors, Printers, Publishers of the execrable Libels h●re presented to your view, that they and all the world shall know, You a●e a Sovereign Court of Parliament; whose privileges, Honour, you have all jointly Covenanted to mantain with your Lives, Power, Fortunes; and to proceed against all such secret Underminers or open Impugners of them, as Capital Delinquents: and these Mutineers experimentally know, that no one Member of your Honourable Assembly, will so far dishonour himself, or violate his public trust & Covenant, as to countenance such audacious wilful offenders in the least degree; nor yet for Fear or Favour of any Faction, any Person how great soever, decline one hairs-bredth from that straight path of Truth and public Justice, [the greatest Security and support of Parliaments, Kingdoms] especially in these Leading-cases, wherein you are most concerned, and as much obleiged to maintain your own Privileges, Power, Reputations, Ordinances, against Seditious Sectaries, as against Rebellious Cavaliers: or else dissolve, give over your intended almost-accomplished Reformation; and so render yourselves, with your Proceedings contemptible to all the world: which God forbid.  
If any should Object; 
Object.  that the Punishment of these gross Libelers & Ringleaders of sedition would discontent and disengage the Independents, with all other Sectaries of their opinion, who are a considerable party now; which might prove dangerous to the state in this juncture of our public Affairs.  
I answer: 
Answ.  1. That I doubt not all moderate and judicious persons of that party will willingly disclaim, if not excommunicate, banish them their Congregations, and yield them up to public Justice, as persons worthy the severest Censures; else all the world will cry shame upon them. Secondly, Admit your executing Justice on them should discontent their party; yet thanks be to God (for all their vapouring] they are not so potent, so considerable as to over-aw a Parliament from doing Justice on such of their party, who Libel against, or affront their power & proceedings; in which case, our whole three Kingdoms are solemnly engaged by public Covenant to assist you to the utmost, with their very lives and fortunes. Thirdly, The greatness of the King's Power, party, hath not retarded you from executing Justice upon Strafford, Canterbury, Tompkins, & sundry other delinquents: Shall then the less considerable Faction of Anahaptists and other Sectaries hinder you from proceeding against a few seditious Libelers and Delinquents of their party? Fourthly, Either you must permit them to go on to libel and affront your Authority, Orders, proceedings still, without exemplary punishments, to your great dishonour, infamy: or else proceed against them now, whiles your Ordinances, and their contempts against them are fresh, their party small: else they will plead prescription, and you will be less engaged, less able to punish them hereafter, in case they should grow stronger and more numerous. Principiis obstandum; is ever the best policy. Fiftly, Let their party be as considerable, as potent as is falsely surmised by themselves, yet I humbly conceive, it stands neither with the Majesty, Honour, Power, nor Wisdom of a Parliament, to be afraid of doing Justice (especially in maintenance of their own Ordinances, Privileges whoever they discontent: In such a case, Fiat Justitia, ruet Caelum; is the safest Resolution.  
Magistrates and inferior Judges (much more than supremest Courts of Judicature) must not 
* Psal. 56. 4. Isa. 7. 4. Jer. ●. ●. 17▪  fear the faces nor Frowns of any Mortals in discharging their duties, but execute Justice and Judgement, what ever comes of it, and trust God with the Event.  
Sixtly, The not doing Exemplary Justice in such leading cases of public Concernment, will render your Parliamentary Authority, Ordinances, Proceedings more contemptible to your own party, than ever they were unto the Kings: yea, animate the Country Clubmen and every inconsiderable Sectary, not only to Jet, contemn, disobey your Ordinances and Commands, but at last to prescribe Laws unto you, [as 
* See 31. H. 6. c. 1.  jack Cade and his Confederates did to the Parliament in the 29. of Hen. 6.] Which will by consequence bring Parliaments into contempt, and so speedy desolation upon all our Dominions, after so many successful proceedings. Up therefore and be doing Justice upon some few chief offenders of this kind for the present, to prevent execution upon many others, if not ruin on us all, for the future, and God himself will no doubt be with you; 
* Psal. 56. 4.  You need not fear what flesh can do unto you, or Sectaries speak or write against you: whose ensuing scurrilous Libellous Seditious passages will so publicly discover their uncharitable, unchristian, Libellous, slandering, tumultuous dispositions, and hypocritical, false, froward, licentious tempers, to all the world, as will render them odious to all sober minded, peaceable, conscientious, modest Christians, if not to themselves, and all ingenious persons of their own Sects; and so, through God's blessing, reduce many of them to the bosom of our Church, from which they have formerly revolted.  
It is not my intention by any the premises to sour or exasperate your Honours in the least degree against any peaceable, Conscientious, Orthodox, or truly Religious Christians, seduced by the Independent party; or to stir up any kind of persecution against such; whose consciences will (I doubt not) in due time be fully satisfied, persuaded to submit to that Presbyterial Church-Goverment and Discipline, which you have now resolved to establish in our Churches▪ there being nought there in repugnant to God's word, or which any well-informed Conscience, can have cause to scruple at. Towards such as these, it is most just and reasonable, all Christian Charity, meekness, long-suffering, brotherly love, and fitting liberty should be Indulged for the present, till God shall further open their eyes and turn their hearts unto us. For whose better satisfaction in the irregularities of their new concealed Independent way, I have here-unto subjoined some Letters and other Papers lately sent me from the Summer Islands; whereby they may discover, the faction; arrogance, pride and Cruelty of the Independent Ministers there, and that the Liberty of conscience they plead for, & pretend they grant to Presbyterians, others; and the peaceableness of their way, is but a mere fiction, contradicted by their practice; and likewise discern, how they lead their followers by a mere implicit faith; impose upon them a Popish blind Obedience; exercise a mere Papal Authority and unlymited dangerous Arbytrary power over them and others; pretending an Utopian Government after the mind of Christ, which is no where written in his word; nor in any classical Authors, Ancient or Modern, but founded only in their own Fancies, not yet fully discovered, nor set down in writing, nor agreed on among themselves, nor published to others for their better satisfaction. The serious Consideration whereof may happily reclaim our Independents here from the error of their separating destructive ways, and ease the oppressed Planters of those Islands from that Independent yoke of Bondage under which they so much groan, as to cry out to You for relief of their sore oppressions in their Letters: which I shall beseech your Honours in their behalf (since they have made their addresses to your Tribunal by my mediation) seriously to lay to heart, and seasonably to redress.  
Thus humbly craving Pardon from your Honourable Assembly for my truehearted Zeal to do you faithful service, by this unburthening of my conscience, and presenting You with this Fresh discovery of those New Wandring-starres and Firebrands who revile, oppugn your Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, Proceedings, Ordinances; disturb the much-desired peace of Church, State, (which we should all earnestly endeavour in these distracted Times;) I humbly recommend all your faithful undertake for the security, tranquillity of both, to Gods own blessing with my devoutest Orisons to the throne of Grace, and ever remain,  
Your Honours, the Republikes, Churches, most devoted Servant, WILLIAM PRYNNE.   

A fresh Discovery of prodigious New-Wandring-Blasing-Stars and Firebrands, styling themselves NEW-LIGHTS: Firing our CHURCH and STATE into New Combustions.  
THe Apostle Paul, led by a Prophetical Spirit, hath left us such an exact Character of the last times, and of the exorbitant tempers of many Christian Professor living in them, as never suited with any age so fitly as this wherein we live, nor with any generation of people, so well, as those New-Lights and Sectaries, sprung up among us, who (being many of them Anabaptists) have all new-christned themselves of late, by the common name of Independents: This character we find recorded, 2 Tim. 3. 1. to 10. This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come: (and what times were ever more perilous than the present?) For men shall be lovers of themselves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to Parents (Natural, Civil, Ecclesiastical) unthankful, unholy; without natural affection, tracebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good; Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures (of their own bellies, lusts, ways, opinions, fancies) more than lovers of God; having a form of Godliness, but denying the power thereof: FROM SUCHTURNE AWAY. But some might demand of him, by what distinguishing mark may we know who these persons are? The Apostle therefore subjoins such a symptom, as suits most exactly with our new Separating Lights & Conventiclers, 
Gen. 3. 1, 2, 12. 1 Tim. 2. 14.  who forsake the public assemblies, and creep into private houses, working principally (as the * Devil did at first) upon the weakest Sex: For of this sort are they WHICH CREEP INTO HOUSES (thus interpreted by the Apostle: Heb. 10. 25. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, or the public Assemblies, as the MANNER OF SOME IS, and of our Sectaries now) and lead Captive SILLY WOMEN, laden with sins, led away with divers lusts: EVER LEARNING AND NEVER ABLE TO COME TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH (as those Independent Seekers are, 
Judas 23.  who like * Wand'ring Stars, gad every day after New-Lights, New-fashions of Church Government, 
James 2.  wavering like empty Clouds without wa●er, or waves of the sea, driven with the wind and tossed; not knowing yet what Government they would have, or where to fix; Believing and practising all things, with a reserve, to alter their opinions and practise every day upon discovery of further light, 〈◊〉 the Independent Apologists profess for themselves, and advise all others to do. Now because such House-creepers and New-lights, have usually lofty conceits of their own opinions, judgements, ways; as if the truth of God were monopolised unto them, and therefore all the World should speedily submit to their foolish dictates, and erroneous by-paths: the Apostle immediately passeth this censure of their persons and proceedings. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate (or of no judgement) concerning the faith: but they shall proceed no further, for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was. The very detection of their abominable, seditious, seducing practices, shall put a stop to their proceedings, and frustrate all their expectation. Now if any man should doubt whether this prophecy of the Apostle were really intended of Separatists and Sectaries; the Holy Ghost hath resolved it in direct terms in the general Epistle of Judas, v. 17, 18, 19 But beloved, remember that the words which were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lord jesus Christ (and among others of the Apostle Paul in the for ecited Text) How that they told them, there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts (not after the Spirit and Word of God which they most pretend to: and would you know who these are?) These be they who SEPARATE THEMSELVES, sensual, having not the Spirit. To which the Apostle Peter adds these further descriptions of them. 2 Pet, 2. 10, 11, 12, 14, 18, 19 That they despise government, are presumptuous, felfe-willed, speak evil of Dignities, bring railing accusations against them, speak evil of the things they understand not, beguile unstable souls having hearts exercised with covetous practices, being clouds carried with a tempest, Wells without water, who when they speak great swelling words of vanity, allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness; (of spirit as well as flesh) those who are clean escaped from them who live in error: While they promise them liberty (the liberty of conscience to profess what Religion they list, to use what Church government they please, without control of Parliament, Synod, or Magistrates) they themselves are the servants of corruption; and as jude, v. 13. prove Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame, wand'ring stars, to whom the blackness of darkness is reserved for ever. All which descriptions, how properly they suit with our NewIndependent-lights and Incendiaries, I shall clearly demonstrate out of several clauses in their late seditious Anti-Parliamentary Impressions, betraying the rottenness of their hearts, the pride, sedition, and rebellion of their spirits, which I shall reduce to these ten Sections.  

1. Seditious, scandalous, libellous, and uncharitable passages against the authority and jurisdiction of Parliaments, Synods, and temporal Magistrates in general, in Ecclesiastical affairs.  
2. Against sundry Ordinances and proceedings of this present Parliament in particular.  
3. Against the national Covenant prescribed by Parliament.  
4. Against the present Assembly of Divines, sitting and acting by order of Parliament.  
5. Against the Directory ratified by Ordinance of Parliament.  
6. Against our Brethren of Scotland, whom of late they much applanded.  
7. Against Presbyterians and Presbyterian government in general.  
8. Against the Church of England, her Worship, Ministers, and Government in general.  
9 Against such who have out of conscience written or preached against their seditious ways, and Libels.  
10. Seditious Queres, Passages, and Practices, to excite mutinies and popular commotions against the Parliament, and disobedience to its commands.   

Section I.  
Containing divers seditious, scandalous, libellous passages against the authority and jurisdiction of Parliaments, Synods, and temporal Magistrates in general, in Ecclesiastical affairs, in the late writings of several Independent New-lights, and Firebrands.  
I Shall begin with a Copy of a Letter written by John Lilburne, Lieu, Colonel, (the Ringleader of this Regiment of New-Firebrands) to William Prynne Esq; upon the coming out of his last book, entitled, Truth triumphing over Falsehood, Antiquity over●Novelty: Of which Letter there have been three Impressions made by him, without licence; contrary to the Ordinance of both Houses, restraining the printing or dispersing of unlicensed, libellous, & seditious Pamphlets: whre he p. 4. writes thus.  
Sir, in your last book that you put out, you spend a great deal of pains in citing old rusty Authors, to prove that Kings, Counsels, Synods, and States, have for so many hundred years meddled with matters of Religion. I grant you they have; but I demand of you, by what right, or by what authority out of the Word of God they have so done? Hath God the Father, or Jesus Christ his Son given them any allowance in this? Or have they not hereby rather fulfilled the prophecies of the Scripture, which saith, Rev. 17. 17. That the Kings of the Earth shall give their power unto the Beast till the Word of God be fulfilled, which they have done in assisting the Popes to join the Ecclesiastical and Civil State together, making the Golden Laws of Christ to depend upon the Leaden Laws of Man; yea upon such Laws, as was just suitable to their tyrannical lusts, and which might the most advance their wicked ends and designs: and in the doing of this, they have set up a perfect Antichrist against GOD'S CHRIST, yea, England is not free from this. And to hold, that Kings, Parliaments, Synods, States, have any thing to do in matters of Religion and Church-Government, he concludes pag. 5. to be a setting of the Potentates of the earth together by the ears with Christ (who is to rule all Nations, Rev. 12. 5.) to pluck his Crown from his head, his Sceptre out of his hand, and his person out of his throne and State, that his Father hath given him to reign gloriously in.  
Which is thus backed by Henry Robinson the (supposed) Author of the Answer to Mr. William Prynnes 12. Questions concerning Church-Government, pag. 6. Particular Churches, members of a Kingdom and Nation, are not obliged in point of Conscience and Christianity, to submit unto whatsoever public Church Government, Rites, and Discipline, a national Council, Synod, and Parliament shall conceive most consonant to God's Word, unless it prove so in the whole Kingdoms, Nations, and those very particular Church's Judgement, pag. 8. The grounds of Independent Government, attribute nothing to the Magistrate in Church affairs further than the Magistrate is a member of their Churches and Assemblies, pag. 12. You can no more Justify a national Church of Christians shall likewise go up to the Temple of Jerusalem from whence by the same Prophecy, they are also to receive the Word of God, and not from Parliament, Pope, Synod or Presbytery.  
Mr. Henry Burton in his Vindication of Churches commonly called Independent, etc. p. 49, 50, 51, &c: The Church is a spiritual kingdom, whose only King is Christ, and not Man: It is a spiritual Republic, whose only Lawgiver is Christ and not Man. No man nor power on earth, hath a Kingly power over this kingdom. No earthly Lawgiver may give laws for the government of this Republic. No man can or aught to undertake the government of this communion of Saints. No humane power or law may intermeddle to prescribe rules for the government or form of this spiritual house. NOT COUNSELS, NOT SENATES. This is Christ's Royal Prerogative, which is uncommunicable to ANY, TO ALL THE POWERS ON EARTH, etc. he adds, p. 60, 61.  
We challenge you to show us, any Parliament, Council, Synod, ever since the Apostles, that could or can say thus, It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and us, to determine controversies of Religion, to make and impose Canons to bind all men, etc. Show this to us at this time, and we will obey. But if you cannot, as you never can; never let any man press upon us that Scripture, that Synod, which hath no parallel in the whole world, and so is no precedent or pattern, for any Council, Synod, Parliaments.  
A short Answer to Adam Stewarts second part of his overgrown Duply to the Two Brethren; with certain difficults questions easily answered: printed (without licence) 1644. supposed to be written by Mr. john Goodwin, p. 13, 17. But perhaps you'll say, there is an Act of Parliament, a Civil law declaring heresy, or any different from the State opinions, such as for the present are in fashion to be censurable by the civil power; I answer, not without all due respect unto the laws, and such as made them, that if there be any distinction between a Church-state and a civill-state, which all Christians hitherto acknowledge, the enacting civil laws to punish spiritual offences, is not only a solecism or impropriety in state, but an encroaching on the Church's power, a profaning of the Keys, and injurious to the offender, who by this means is punished both beyond the degree and nature of his offence. If the blessed Spirit should at any time bear witness unto your spirit, or unto the spirit of a whole Parliament and Synod, what were this to the spirits of other men? must not they wait with patience until the blessed Spirit be pleased to visit their spirits likewise, before they can join with yours or the Assemblies spirit? But if the Synods determination of this or that controversy should seem good unto the holy Ghost, as the Church's decrees of Jerusalem did, must they therefore be imposed upon the Country, the whole world? Is not this to equalise your Synodall Canons with those decrees of the Apostolical Church of Jerusalem, and to make Scripture of yours, as well as theirs? is not this to add to Scripture? nay, to alter it, p. 28. But if King and Parliament may not force a new Religion or Sect, suppose Presbyterian, upon the kingdom, much less can the Synod, which neither has not yet pretends as is alleged, to use the material sword? And if for matters of religion all power originally is in Christ, as you sometimes acknowledge, How can King, Parliament, or Synod, wrest it from him? Nay what think you? is it not secondarily in the people, as well as civil power, which you affirm in the same page? and so doubtless is spiritual power, unless you will make God to have provided mankind better of a safeguard, or liberty to defend their bodies, than their souls: If then the spiritual power be so inherently in the people next under Christ, as that they cannot so well renounce and part from it in many respects, by what they may of civil; how can it be thought by any one, that the King, Parliament, Synod, though never so much importuned by a thousand such Asses, should go about to settle a new Presbyterian Scotch government, with an intention to force a conformity of the whole Kingdom, three quarters whereof cannot as yet be thought to submit unto it willingly or for conscience sake, Pag. 32, 33, 34, 35, 36. Qu. 5. Is it not an ungodly thing to suffer men to be of any Religion? Ans. No, For both our Saviour his Apostles, and the Primitive Christians did the same: neither is it in the power of flesh and blood to hinder it. Qu. 6. Is it not the most unseemly sight to see the people of one City run seambling from their Parishes to twenty Conventicles where so many several doctrines are taught? An. No, but far more monstrous and abominable in the eyes of God, for people of twenty several opinions for fear or favour to assemble and Join together hyprocritically in one way of worship or Church discipline. Q. 8. Ought we not then at least to keep our different opinions and Religion unto ourselves in obedience to the Civil Magistrate that commands it? An. No, because it is better to obey God then man. Qu. 9 If Jesuited Papists and other subtle Heretics be suffered, will they not likely seduce many unto their erroneous bypathe? Ans. Though a Toleration of erroneous opinions may gain some to sathan, yet truth being therewith to be published and improved will in all probability, not only gain so many more to God; but any one thus won to God, unto his truth, is worth thousands of those that fall from it. Qu. 10. But may not the multiplying of Heresies stifle or expel the truth like as the abounding of tares and weeds often choke the wheat and for this cause not to be permitted? An. Though it seem to be many of the first, yet our Saviour in the parable of Tares. Math. 13. teaches us a quite contrary doctrine, and forbids (Heresies) the Tares to be pulled up before [the day of Judgement] the harvest. v. 30. 39 lest the wheat, the children of the Kingdom true professors, v. 30. 39 be therewith rooted up. Qu. 21. Is it not a pious Act to compel a Company of careless Idle people to hear a good sermon, to do a good work whether they will or no; Ans. No more pious an Act, then for Papists to use the like compulsion towards jews and Protestants, enforcing them to hear their sermons, Mass, or Vespers. Q. 24. May not the Civil Government interpose to punish such Church members with whom the spiritual by reason of their refractoriness cannot prevail? Answ. Nothing less, since the Civil State or government has no more power, nor virtue to make a Papist turn Protestant in England, than it can prevail to make a Protestant become a Papist in Spain. Qu. 29. But can there be any hurt in forcing refractory people to be present at Religious orthodox assemblies, where if they will, they may be informed of the truth. An. Yes, first because there can come no good thereof through want of willingness, which God only regards in him which is thus compelled; and secondly, because this (forcing) is a doing evil that good may come thereof, which is prohibited, Rom. 3. 8.  
The Falsehood of M. W. Prynnes Truth triumphing, etc. printed in London 1645. without licence (written by H. Robinson, who hath set up a private unlicensed printing Press) determines thus: p. 19 20. 26. But did, the only wise God think we resolve to create man after his own Image, to estate him in such a sad and execrable condition, worse than that of beasts, wolves, Bears & Tigers, as that he must necessarily tyrannize or be Tyrannised over both in soul and body and yet it cannot possibly be otherwise; if you will grant a power to Kings, Parliaments or Synods, to require conformity from others in any thing which is not agreeable to their consciences; for if such a Latitude and height of jurisdiction be granted but to the more orthodox King's Parliaments and Synods; both Papists, Lutherans, Calvinists and Independants pretending and really takeing themselves to be the most orthodox, are bound in conscience to lay Claim to, and put in Execution this power of Compelling all the world unto their uniformity, and so infallibly produce the most cursed enmity and hatred betwixt all the people but differing in opinion exceeding that of Cannibals, or the profoundest of Antipathics between any rational creatures whatsoever. You say the oposites to Parliaments Ecclesiastical Jurisdictions have formerly and more especially in this Present Parliament addressed several Petitions to this High and honourable Court for Reformation of the Church, etc. wherein under favour, I conceive you have misapprehended their proceedings & Intentions, which doubtless was for the most part, or best affected, that the Parliament, in whom they acknowledge the Sovereign power to reside, would permit, Countenance and encourage all godly men of gifts in preaching down Heresies, Errors, Idolatry, Popery, etc. Many whereof had either been formerly established by Law, or not permitted to be preached down, through the Prelate's corruption contrary to the Law. This is the best, even all the Reformation, which the Civil Magistrate, as Civil, has a Capassity of compassing against all Heresies and Errors, which must necessarily be vanquished by the sword of the Spirit and cannot possibly be suppressed by carnal weapons or the civil sword; they may destroy the flesh, but cannot properly be said to touch and work upon the Spirit. 'tis no small dis-service which you do both Parliament and Assembly, in thus exposing their proceedings, to be questioned by no little, and that the 
* Pray God you prove so.  most conscionable and best affected party of the kingdom, such spirits of contention as this of yours, were those which made the first great breach among the Parliaments friends,  
Master John goodwin's Theomathia, pag. 48, 49, 50. The generality and promiscuous multitude of the World, who have a right of nominating persons to a Parliamentary trust and power, are but a Secular Root, out of which the Independent Brethren conceive, an impossibility that a spiritual extraction should be made: A man may as well bring a clean thing out of an unclean, (in Jobs expression) as make a spiritual extraction out of this secular root, who have no Authority nor power from Christ to nominate or appoint who shall be the men, that shall order the affairs of Christ's kingdom, or institute the government of his Church; Therefore there is an impossiblity that a legitimate Ecclesiastical power, should according to the mind of Christ, or any precept or precedent of Scripture be by them conferred upon any man, or that the persons so elected should have a power by virtue of such nomination or election, to enact Laws or Statutes in matters of religion; & to order under Mulcts and Penalties, how we shall worship and serve God.   

Section II.  
Comprising their seditious, scandalous, libellous and daring passages against sundry Ordinances and Proceedings of this present Parliament in particular not to be paralleled in any Age, nor tolerable in this.  
THeir intolerable libellous seditious passages of this nature are so many and various that I must branch them into several Heads. 
1. Libellous seditious passages against the Ordinances in regulating Printing.   
I shall 1. begin with their Invectives against the several Ordinances of both Houses of Parliament, for the regulating of Printing, and suppressing the great late abuses, and frequent disorders, in printing many false, scandalous, seditious, libellous and unlicensed Pamphlets, to the great defamation of Religion and Government.  
John Libourne in his unlicensed, printed Libel, entitled, A copy of a Letter to Master Prynne, thus declares against these Ordinances pag. 2, 3. But being that 
b Neither I nor the black-coats, but the Parliament, were the sole Authors of these Ordinances.  you and the Black-coats in the Synod, have not dealt fairly with your Antagonists, in stopping the Press against us, while things are in debate, yea, robbing us of our Liberty (as we are Subjects) in time of freedom, when the Parliament is sitting, who are sufficiently able to punish that man 
* And therefore you who have abused your pen, as much as any man.  whatsoever he be) that shall abuse his Pen; so that whilst we are with the hazard of our dearest lives, fight for the Subjects Liberty, we are brought into Egyptian bondage in this and other particulars, by the Black-coats, who I am afraid will prove more cruel Task masters then their dear Fathers the Bishops; who cowardly sit at home, in my apprehension, for no other end but to breed faction and division amongst the 
c You would say illaffected, as your Libels against their power, Ordinances, and proceedings evidence  well-affected to to the Parliament, promoting thereby their own interest, which is Laziness, Pride, Covetousness and Domination, endeavouring to lay lower than the dust, a generation of men whom they falsely call Sectaries, that have in the uprightness of their hearts, without Synodianlike ends, ventured all they have in the world for the good of the Parliament, and the Commonwealth of England, and who may bid defiance to all their adversaries, that brand them with unfaithfulness; so that by means of which, I have not been able that way, yet to accomplish my earnest desire; and truly it argues no manhood nor valour in you not the Black-coats, by force to throw us down and tie our hands, and then to fall upon us, to beat and buffet us; for if you had not been men that had been afraid of your Cause, you would have been willing to have fought and contended with us upon even ground and equal terms namely, that the 
d So it is in an orderly & regular, though not in a Libellous & seditious way.  Press might be as open for us as for you, and as it was at the beginning of this Parliament; which I conceive, the Parliament did of purpose, that so the free borne English Subjects might enjoy their 
e Liberty to Print Libels, standers, invectives against Parliamentary proceedings, is not the Subjects Liberty or privilege but his claim and shame.  Liberty and Privilege, which the Bishops had learned of the Spanish Inquisition to rob them of, by locking it up under the key of an Imprimatur, in whose tyrannical steps the Synod treads; so that you and they think you may rail at us cum privilegio, and rank us amongst the worst and basest of men, as 
f Your Libels, carriages proclaim them such.  rooters up of Parliaments, and disturbers of States and Commonwealths.  
The scurrilous, blaspemous, unlicensed Libel, styled, The Arraignment of Persecution; thus contemptuously affronts & jeers this Ordinance, with the Parliament, Synod and Directory, in the very Title Page; This is licenced and printed according to holy Order, but not entered into the Stationer's Monopoly: and in the opposite page:  

Die Saturni, April. 6. 1645.  
It is Decreed and Ordained by the Reverend Assembly of Divines, now Assembled in holy convocation, that Doctor Burgess and Master Edwands do return thanks unto the worthy Author of this Treatise, entitled, The Arraignment of persecution, for his 
g Impious, & seditious, if you will not pious.  pious endeavours and vigilant care he hath therein, at the entreaty of this Synod. And it is further Ordained, that they do desire him, to print and publish the said Treatise forthwith, and that it be recommended to the people, as 
h Rather a Diabolical Libel against it.  a divine Handmaid to the right understanding of the Directory. And it is yet further Decreed and Ordained, that none shall presume to print or re-print the said Treatise, but whom he shall authorise under his own hand writing, till this most holy Synod shall further Order.  


Scribes.  
Henry ROborough.  
Adoniran Byfield    
I appoint my divine Cousin MARTIN CLAW-CLERGY, Printer to the Assembly of Divines, and none else to print this Treatise.  
Young MARTIN MAR-PRIEST.   
What more audacious, jeering affront could be afforded to the Commons or Assembly, than this feigned libellous Order?  
In the Book itself, page 2. Persecution had a thousand trucks, above all the rest, for to block up all passages. stop all mouths, and fortify himself round; he turned reverend imprimatur: and here the pursuer was at a stand; for all was as fast as the Devil and the Presbyters could make it: They sought to authority to 
i Not to print modest and sober Treaties, but seditious Libels, 〈◊〉, blasphemy.  o●en the Press, and still the Presbyters (as the custom is) were in the way, that nothing could be done.  
P. 10. This fellow Persecution stoppeth Presses, whereby men cannot make their just defence, suffers nothing to be licenced, printed, preached, or otherwise published, but what himself alloweth; and having thus bound the hands, and stopped the mouths of all good men, than he comes forth in print against them, like an armed man, and furiously assaults them, exaults and exalts himself over them, feigneth Arguments for them, and then like a valiant Champion, gives them a conquering Answer, and thus puts them to flight, and pursues them with reviling, scandals, forgeries, and opprobrious nicknames, as Anababaptists, Br●wnists, Independents, Scismatiques, Heretics: Thus he dealeth with the godly party; (How godly you are, well appeareth to all the world by these your libellous, seditious, ungodly Pamphlets.)  
The libellous Book in pursuance of this styled, A sacred Decretal etc. proceeds in the same language, page 24. Lest they should fall upon our rear, under pretence of suppressing the King's papers, we bounded the Press with our 
k It was a Parliamentary Ordinance of both Houses not made by Presbiterians.  Presbyterian compass; that they could not without hazard of plundering, transgress our reverend Imprimatur. Then issued out witless scholastic Tractates, against the Anabaptists, etc. Having thus neatly stopped their mouths, we sophisticated their Arguments, etc. and then with our politic Answers, we present them to the people with an Imprimatur. JAMES CRANFORD or the like. We employ Doctor Featly's Devil (a very reverend ten pound Sir John) to make a description of the Anabapti●●s, etc. and this foul spirit for the love he bears to the Black-coats at the Doctor's decease, transmigrated into old Ephram Pag●t (seldom lies the Devil dead in a dry ditch) so that the good old man to confute the 
l It seems th●● Libeler denies the soul's immortality, and writes as it there were no heaven nor hell.  mortality of the soul, hath made himself sure of an immortal spirit.  
Many such scurrilous passages against the Ordinances for regulating printing, (made by both Houses, special care and direction before the Assembly met) are scattered in their libellous pamphlets, which I pretermit, wherein they write, ●s if there were neither heaven nor hell.  
Only I shall add, that some of these persons have acted as contemptuously against these Ordinances, as they have written and printed.  
For Master Henry Robinson (the supposed Author of the Arraignment of persecution. A sacr●d Decretal, M●●tyns Echo, and other most scurrilous, seditious Libels) hath maintained a private Printing-presse, and sent for Printers from Amsterdam, wherewith he hath printed most of the late scandalous, libellous Books against the Parliament; and though he hath been formerly sent for before the Committee of Examinations for this offence, which was passed by in silence; yet he hath since presumed and proceeded herein in a far higher strain than ever: besides John Lilburne being questioned before that Committee by special Order of the Commons House for printing his libellous Letter▪ contrary to th●se Ordinances▪ hath pending his very Examinations▪ contemptuously printed and dispersed abroad his false and scandalous Reasons delivered in to that Committee, for printing his former libellous Letter, with some marginal ●nno●ations and a scandalous, libellous Petition, Remonstrance (as formerly Articles) against Colonel King; (to omit other printed unlicensed Papers) an insolent contempt not to be paralleled, 
Libellous, seditious passages against the Ordinance for Tithes.  at least not to be tolerated.  
Secondly, I shall proceed to their libellous, scurrilous and seditious Invectives against the Ordinance for payment of Tithes; which john Lilburne in his forementioned libellous Letter thus affronts charging the Parliament with no less than perjury and breach of their Covenant, for making it.  
Page 4. 27. If you put the parliament in mind of their Covenant, tell them. I think they have sworn to root out all Popery, and therefore have lately abolished the Common-prayer (that great Idol) but yet have established Tithes, etc. the very 
n They were long before Popery; and being the Minister's maintenance warranted not only by the law of Nature, of Nations, and the old Testament, but by the new too, 1 Cor. 9 7. to 16.  root and support of popery; which I humbly conceive is a contradiction of their Covenant; and which will be ● greater snare than the Common-prayer to many of the precious consciences of God's people, whose duty is, in my judgement, to die in prison, before they act or stoop unto so dishonourable a thing as this is to their Lord and Master, as to maintain the black-coats with Tithes, whom they look upon as the professed enemies of their anointed Christ; he that pays 
o If you add, by virtue & in 〈◊〉 of the levitical law to levitical Priests, your argument, might have some weight, but if by virtue of the forecited Gospel Texts, the law of the Land & common equity to Ministers of the Gospel (as now Tyths are 〈◊〉) your 〈…〉 nonsense  Tithes, is subject to the whole law of tithes, in which there was a Lamb to be brought for a sin Offering, which is abolished; also, he that was to take Tithes, 
Luke 10. 7. 1 Tim. 5. 17, 〈◊〉.  was one that was to offer sacrifice daily for sin, which if any do so now, it is to deny Christ come in the flesh, and to be the alone sacrifice for sin by his death, and so overthrow all our comfort, joy and hope.  
A most insolent, 
G●l. 6. 6.  scurrilous and seditious passage to stir up the people to rebel against this Ordinance.  
This Libel is thus seconded in the seditious pamphlet, instiled the Arraignment of persecution, in the Epistle Dedicatory.  
To the Reverend, learned Prolocutor, Assessors, the Commissioners of the Church of Scotland, and the rest of the Venerable Assembly of Divines now sitting in holy Convocation at Westminster.  
Reverend Sirs,  
According to my duty, at your divine entreaty I have reduced those pious instructions received from you unto such a pleasing form as, I hope, shall not only affect, but abundantly edify the people of this Kingdom under your holy jurisdiction, for considering your spiritual care over them, and how your time hath been token up wholly in the procurement of that sacred Ordinance for Tithes, wisely thought o● before the Directory, for he is an Infidel and denieth the faith, that doth not provide for his Family, etc. and pag. 26. lib. Conscience. My Lord, the Defendant smells of a fat benefice; see, see his pockets are full of presbiterian steeples, the spires stick under his Girdle, ha, ha, ha: instead of Weathercocks, every spire hath got a black-box upon it, and in it the pure and immaculate Ordinance for Tithes, Oblations, etc. sure shortly instead of Moses and Aaron, and the two tables, we shall have Sir Simon and Sir John, holding the late solemn League and covenant, and that demure, spotless, pretty, lovely, sacred, divine, and holy Ordinance for tithes (the two Tables of our new Presbyterian Gospel) painted upon all the Churches in England: O brave Sir Simon, the Bells in your pocket chime all-in, ours chime all-out; I pray give you a funeral Homily for your friends here, before you depart; here's twenty shillings for your pains; you know 'tis sacrilege to bring down the price, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be▪ world without end, Amen. Sop. 38. My Lord, but our dissembly Doctors teach otherwise; yet I think if your Lordship should settle Anabaptistry or the like, even that which they now persecute and threaten, preach and pray against, and forewarn the people of as heretical and damnable, provided you should endow it with goodly fat Benefices, and sanctify it with the hallowed Ordinance for Tithes, offerings, oblations etc. questionless the generality of those persecutors of Anabaptists, would have the wit to turn Anabaptists, for their Religion is moved upon the wheel of the State: Our Temporising Doctors, our state Protestant Ministers are not so simple to swim against the stream, they are wiser in their generation, for they know most wealth goes that way; as long as our Ordinance is laden with Tithes, offerings oblations, they'll be sure to give fire; but should the State deprive their Religion of all Ecclesiastical revenue, of parsonages, tithes, etc. yea, should it be this very Presbytery they so aim at, that they should so impoverish, certainly we should have more parishes than Presbyters, more steeples than Doctors; then they would not be so hot for Presbytery, or zealous to persecute its opposers; I would your Lordship would make trial; call in but your Ordinance for tithes, and turn them to the good will of people, and then— a tythe-Pig will be sold for a penny.  
Page 44. there is this scurrilous Quere put among others. 5. Whether the late divine Ordinance for tithes, offerings, oblations and conventions, be not better Gospel, and in all Presbyterian wisdom to be preferred and provided before the Directory for the worship of God?  O cives, cives, quaerenda pecunia primum Virtus post nummos. 
Many more clauses of like nature are in this profane Libel, which I pretermit.  
But that which is the most audacious, contemptuous, seditious, public affront of all others against the Ordinance, is the profane, scurrilous Libel, entitled. A Sacred DECRETAL nor Hue and cry from his superlative holiness, Sir Simon Synod, for the apprehension of reverend young MARTIN MAR-PRIEST: In the front whereof there is the picture of a Bull, tossing Sir Simon Synod on his horns, and trampling the ordinance for Tithes under his feet, with this inscription upon it, ORD. for TITHES.  
And page 2. this explanation of it; nothing appeareth but a Bull tossing Sir John upon his horns, and stamping the blessed Ordinance for tithes under his cloven feet; O PROFANE MARTIN! O wicked MARTIN! O sacrilegious MARTIN! O blasphemous MARTIN! what? toss a Presbyter, and profane the holy Ordinance for tithes? MARTIN'S not a beneficed man, that's infallible divinity; wherefore being thus jeered and buled, we Decree and Ordain etc.  
Page 7. 8. 10. the subtle tell-tale must be taken, else all's marted; both Parliament and people will understand our deceit, and then Sir John may go whistle for his tithes, if the people once understand their own right: and that the exaction of tithes IS MERE THEFT and ROBBERY: they'll have the wit (if they be wise) to keep their own; cease hiring us to cheat and delude them to their faces, and we shall be laid level with the mechanic illiterate Laics; a wickedness not to be mentioned in the Church of God. Page 10. 11. Else how should we have got in our Tithes, though now, God be thanked and the Parliament, we have an Ordinance for it: In case Martin run, push or gore at the Ordinance for tithes with the right horn, at the Directory with the left horn, let all the trained bands in the Kingdom he speedily raised to confute him, that we may sophistically conclude our Presbyterian premises, with take him Gaoler.  
Martyns' Echo proceeds in the like dialect, page 3. 4. 14. (o divine pillage, graceful children!) if he had considered your pious providence to make sure the ordinance for tithes, before you could be inspired with the Directory, he would first have had his 400. l. per annum with the Dean of Paul's house, confirmed by the Ordinance of Parliament upon him during his natural life, like as our Brother Burges hath (a superepiscopall Induction, etc.) If Sir John Synod shall renounce the Ordinance of tithes, be content with the good will of the vulgar, etc. then Martin will cease libelling against him: In the mean time you are to provide that order may be taken, that the supervisers make diligent search and enquiry after all conventicles and private meetings, etc. for they are very dangerous and destructive to your proceedings; for truly their practice and obedience to Christ will make your Law and Gospel, your O●d. for tithes, and your Directory the two great commandments, the fulfilling of the Law, and the Prophets, your Fathers, of none effect.  
Many such passages I find against the Ordinance for tithes; the very design of these libellous and seditious Sectaries being to incite the people to withhold all Tithes and maintenance from their Ministers, and so to subvert the Ministry, that none but their illiterate Tub-preachers may instruct men's souls; and this (I fear) brings many Ministers into question as scandalous and malignant, who might else sit quiet would they desert their Tithes, and renounce their ministry to please these Sectaries.  
Thirdly, 
〈…〉.  I shall recite some of their contumelious libellous Invectives against the Ordinances of both Houses of the 26 of April: That no person or persons be permitted to 〈…〉 Minister.  
The seditious, libell●●● pamphlet entitled▪ A sacred synodical Decretal; or 〈…〉 from 〈◊〉 Simon Synod, for the apprehending of Martin Ma-Priest: (the Quintessence of scurrility, blasphemy and sedition) writes thus, pag. 5. Yea he'll not stick to tell the people, that the inhans●●ng and engrossing of Interpretations, Preachings and Discipline into our own hands, is a mere Monopoly of the spirit, worse than the Monopoly of soap, etc. and that the NEW ORDINANCE of the 26. of April, that no person or persons be permitted to preach that is not ordained a Minister, etc. is but a Patent of the spirit, to get the whole trade into their own hands, and so rob the people with what Ware, and of what price we please, thereby only to advance and enrich themselves, impoverish and delude them, look in their faces and pick their pockets: If preaching should not be reduced and confined in the ancient bounds of the Clergy, the Mechanics would outstrip the Scholasticks in teaching and * knowledge would so increase and multiply among the common-people, 
He should say 〈…〉.  and preaching grow so common with them, that we should grow out of esteem, and all things that are good and dainty depart from us; therefore it was wisely prevented in time.  
Pag. 17. Martin will tell the people, that we (Sir Simon Synod) FORGED THE NEW ORDINANCE (that none may preach that is not ordained Minister, on purpose to make the Sectaries fly before us (to use the Doctor's phrase) like lightning before the thunder. Their preaching in the Army is very destructive to our Cloth; therefore the Ordinance was wisely commended to his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax to be executed there, which occasioned a pretty story betwixt an Englishman and one of Jemmy's own Countrymen: quoth the Scotchman, Man, is it fit that Colonel Cromwel's Soldiers should preach in their Quarters, to take away the ministerial function out of the Ministers hands? Why man (quoth the English man) do they so? quoth the Scotchman, I say man it is a common thing amongst them; truly saith the English man, I remember they made a gallant Sermon at Marston-Moore near York (where they were Instruments to save this Kingdom) but your Countrymen were in such a fright, they durst not stay to hear them: MARTIN prays (notwithstanding the Ordinance) they may make many such Sermons, for that was one of the best Sermons that hath been preached in the Kingdom since our troubles began.  
Pag. 21. Indeed Sir John's gums being lately rubbed with a Parliament Coral (the late Ordinance that none may treach that is not ordained a Minister) is mad to put his boarish tusks, his huge great iron fangs in execution; to devour, rend, tear and crush these Heretics. And therefore we wisely consulted among ourselves of a COMMITTEE OF EXAMINATIONS to be chosen out of us. It must not be esteemed a Court of Inquisition▪ that's Popery: nor a renovation of the High-commission that's Antichristian; only an inlet to a thorough Reformation, that's a godly name and may do much good▪ etc.  
How contemptuously they have opposed this very Ordinance in their practice, sending our their Emissaries, Captains and Soldiers every where to preach in corners, and giving tickets of the time and place of their conventicles (some of them boasting of working miracles, and casting devils out of men possessed by their exercis●es at the Jesuits and Papists do) is so experimentally known to all and proved before the Committee of Examinations, in the case of Captain (newly) Hobson, a Tailor, and his confederate Lay-preachers, who lately exercised their new ministerial function near Neuport Painel, railing against our Church, Ministry and children's baptism, that it needs rather Reformation by, than Information to the higher Powers.  
I shall close this Section with some general passages, affronting and jeering all Ordinances of Parliament in direct terms.  
The new most seditious Libel, called Martyns' Echo, published the last week, styles Ordinances of Parliament TOYS: page 11. You must be careful that your Directory and all other your Ecclesiastical Acts, be with great sanctity and reverence adored amongst the people, or else your esteem will go down; and this cannot be done without some severe Laws, ordinances and the like to that end, which you must put the Parliament upon; you know your power and influence upon them, they'll gratify you with SUCH TOYS, etc.  
The late seditious pamphlet, styled A sacred Decretal, is yet more vile; pag. 3. 4. O ye classical Clerks and Sextous of the three Kingdoms, demolish and pull down all the Martyns' nests from your Church-wals and steeples, and have a spiritual care (as you will answer the contempt of the new ordinance) that hereafter no birds build, chatter, do their business, or sing there, but Church-owles, Jackdaws, otherwise called Sir john's, blind Bats, Presbyterian Woodcocks, and the like: O ye two Houses of Parliament, make another Ordinance to make all the martin's fly the three Kingdoms the next midsummer with Cuckoos and Swallows, that we may have a blew-cap Reformation among Bats, Owls, Jackdaws and Woodcocks (and then blew-cap for us.)  
I could furnish you with more such Independent stuff, but I am loath to defile more paper with this infernal language of rai●ing Rabshakehs; and shall here appeal to every ingenuous man's conscience, whether he can with any shadow of reason or charity believe, that this froward, libellous generation of Independent Sectaries, who thus publicly libel, inveigh and oppose themselves against the jurisdiction, Ordinances and proceedings of Parliament, are the most 
p 〈…〉  holy, religious, conscientious, best affected party; the most precious Saints and generation of God's dearest ones; the Parliaments best and faithfullest friends who have to their utmost power, and divers of them beyond their ability, supported & ventured their lives in the Parliaments cause and service; doing them more real and faithful service then any other generation of men in England, and the only Vindicators of the Parliaments Privileges and Subjects Liberties against presbiterian and synodical usurpations; (as they boast in every one of these their Libels against the Parliament and its proceedings;) Or whether they are nor in truth those 
q 〈…〉.  despisers of government, those evil speakers against dignities, those resisters of the higher powers, prophesied of the last times; 
〈◊〉 Pet. 2. 10.  who have forgotten Saint Paul's Canon, Rom. 13. 1. Let every soul be subject to the higher powers, etc. and Tit. 3. Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, 
〈◊〉 13. 2, 3.  to obey Magistrates, etc. Yea, the most desperate unparallelled, public contemners, affronters, deriders of the Parliaments power, Ordinances, proceedings that ever breathed in our English Climate: who under the pretext name and colour of the well-affected, faithful, godly party, and stoutest Champions for the Parliament, endeavour by degrees to advance themselves (by policy and the Sword) above it, and trample its authority (as they do the Ordinance for Tithes, and others) in the very Front of their sacred Decretal, under their cloven feet. Doubtless they can never fight cordially for the Parliament and its proceedings (but only for their own designs and interests) who that seditiously, contemptuously speak, write, print against them; and if their insolences against the parliament, Synod, Magistrates, be already grown so intolerable, whiles their faction is yet but in the birth, how transcendently arogant and contumelious will they prove when they have accroached greater power, both in our Armies and Counsels? God give our supreme council hearts, wisdom, zeal and fervency seriously to suppress and punish these Epidemical growing insolences in due time, for fear they become masterless, remediless in the end; else these Anabaptistical sectaries, these German opinions and practices will (I fear) suddenly involve us in the German, anabaptistical distractions, insolences, wars and disolations, recorded by Sleidan and others, for England's admonition.   

Section III.  
Containing scandalous, seditious, scurrilous passages against the national Vow and Covenant, prescribed by Parliament.  
THis National Vow and covenant was deemed at first the only probable means under God to unite our three Kingdoms and the protestant party of all sorts together in a mutual, brotherly, inviolable League against the common enemies of our Religion, parliament, Laws and Liberties: It was therefore universally prescribed to the Members of both Houses, the Assembly of Divines, Lawyers of all sorts, the Officers and Soldiers in the Army, and to the Ministers and people of all conditions under the parliaments power in all our three Dominions, being refused, oppugned at first apparently by none but papists, Royalists or Malignants: And the Houses were so impartial in the prescription of it, that such Members of the Lords or Commons House, who did but scruple the taking of it, were suspended the Houses till they did conform. But now of late, a generation of Independent Sectaries, conceiving this Covenant to thwart their licentious, schismatical whimsies, not only generally refuse to take it, and plead a special privilege and exemption from it (as if they were more privileged persons then any Peers, Commons or Subjects whatsoever, and must be left at large to do what they lift, when all others are obliged, (and which is strange to me and others, some Independent Ministers,) if not Members of Parliament who have taken it themselves, and enjoined it to others, have yet adventured to plead for an exemption of this mere refractory party from it, which much encourageth them in their obstinate refusal of it, and hath so animated this seditious, lawless generation, that they have lately in print, not only oppugned, but derided, libelled against this sacred Covenant (which we have all most solemnly in God's presence sworn, and under our hands subscribed to maintain to the utmost of our power, even with the hazard of our lives and fortunes) which, I beseech you, let us all now most cheerfully, really observe, by proceeding against the contemners infringers of it, or else for ever as readily, as solemnly renounce it, to our eternal infamy, as we at first cheerfully subscribed to it.  
I shall begin with John Lilbournes Letter: pag. 6. 7. It may be in stead of satisfying my desire, you will run and complain to the Parliament, and press them with their Covenant, to take vengeance upon me. If you do, I weigh is not; for I bless God I am fitted to do or suffer whatsoever the Parliament shall impose upon me; but if you do, take these two along with you: if you put them in mind of their Covenant, tell them, I think they have sworn to root out all Popery, but yet have established Tithes, the very root and support of Popery, which I humbly conceive is a contradiction to their Covenant etc. A bold censure and scandal.  
The Arraignment of persecution, thus traduceth and jeers the reverend Assembly of Divines and Covenannt together: page 33. 34. Persecution, Is thy name perfect Reformation? Perseus. Yes my Lord: Judge. Who gave you this name? ay, Reason, His Godfathers & Godmothers in his Baptism, wherein he was made a Member of the Assembly, and an inheritor of the Kingdom of Antichrist. Judge, Who are your Godfathers and Godmothers? Pers. My Lord, Master Ecclesiastical supremacy, and Master Scotch-government are my Godfathers; Mistress State-ambition, and Mistress Church-revenue are my Godmothers, and I was sprinkled into the Assembly of Divines at the taking of the late SOLEMN LEAGVE AND COVENANT. Judg. 'Tis strange that at the making of the late solemn League and Covenant, bloodthirsty persecution should be anabaptized present Reformation: then HERES A DESIGN OF BLOOD IN THE COVENANT, if under the name of Reformation the Clergy have infused the traitorous, bloodthirsty spirit of persecution into it. J. Human. My Lord, there was never any national or provincial Synod but strengthened the hand of persecution, and that under the vizor of Religion, J. Reason, As soon as these underling Divines are from under their Episcopal Taskmasters, and beginning to encroach upon your Lordship's power, they presently take this notorious, bloody traitor persecution, stripped by your Lordship of his High-commission habit, and out of their zeal dress him in a divine synodical Garb, and change name from persecution, and christian him Reformation, so to engage your Lordship and the Kingdom of England and Scotland in blood, to settle and establish bloody persecution BY COVENANT, over the Consciences of honest and faithful men to the State, under the specious and godly pretence of Reformation: page 39 By the late SOLEMN LEAGVE and COVENANT, good Lord deliver us.  
The sacred Decretal runs in the same strain: page 13. 19 When we had introduced the Brethren of the holy League, we so joined their hands in the Synodian hands of Presbytery▪ that their League could not be inviolate, their COVENANT (the bed of their contract) undefiled if our presbitry were not concluded. Martin will tell the people, that we contrive Oaths and COVENANTS merely to ensnare and catch the people in our wiles; make them carry a face of Reformation according to the Word of God, and thereby betray their innocent subscription to our presbyterian construction.  
John Lilbourne in the unlicensed printed Reasons of sending this Letter; pag 4. complaines against the Parliament; that the COVENANT was as earnestly pressed upon tender consciences, though their faithfulness were no what doubtful, as upon Newtrals and Malignants, and refusing, because of some expressions, put from Offices of trust, and public employments.  
Yet most of our sectaries and Independents (in imitation of the Cavaliers) have entered into Aunt's covenants against this SOLEMN COVENANT, in their private Congregations, to defends and maintain their own Independent government even to blood etc. whatever form of government the Parliament shall establish; the very extremity and height of seisme and sedition, if not of professed rebellion against supreme Authority; which makes them thus to vilify, traduce and contemptuously refuse the taking of this SOLEMN COVENANT, and plead exemption from it, for fear of disingaging so faithful considerable A PARTY as they have in the Army; who in time (perchance) will prescribe their new Church-covenants unto us, or else exclude us from our Native soil, as now they do from their Independent Congregations and the Sacraments, unless we will submit unto them.   

Section IU.  
Containing sundry scurrilous, seditious, libellous, railing and blasphemous Invectives against the Assembly of Divines, the Presbyterian Members of it, and their proceedings, though summoned, nominated, continued and directed in all things by Ordinances of both Houses of Parliament.  
BEfore this Assembly met by Order of both Houses, or had given intimation what kind of Ecclesiastical Government they intended to fix upon, our Independent sectaries not only petitioned for such an Assembly to be called, but made means that as many of their party as possible might be elected Members of it. But when at last they discerned the Assembly and Parliament to dis-affect their anomolous, absurd Independent way, as having no foundation in Divinity nor Policy, and tending to utter confusion in Church, State; and thereupon to incline to a Presbiteriall government, embraced by all reformed Churches in the Christian world; upon this they presently begin to declaim against the Assembly and their proceedings in private, and soon after to libel against them inpublike, with such unchristian, uncivil, approbrious, Billingsgate terms, as (I am confident) no Oxford Aulicus or Satirical cavaleere is able to parallel, their very tongues and pens, being doubtless 
r James 3. 6.  set on fire of hell: And not contented herewith, they lately conspired together to exhibit a petition to the Parliament, for present dissolving the Assembly and sending them hence to country cures (to prevent the settling of any Church-government,) to which end, they met at the Windmill Tavern, where Lieuteu. Col. John Lilbourne (a fit instrument for such a seditious design) sat in the chair, and Master Hugh Peter suggested the advice, which was accordingly inserted into the Petition; but the Common counsell-men (smelling out the design) when the Petition came to their hands, most discreetly left out that request, as seditious and unjust; which yet the libellous Author of martyn's Echho. page 15. hath since in wish renewed in these scandalous terms.  
You have as near as you can made a third party, in labouring by your Jesuitical machiavilian subtlety, to divide the Parliament, contrary to the trust reposed in them from the godly party, who have assisted them with their estates and blood, 
〈…〉.  and to deny those their faithful friends of their just deservings, their purchased freedoms, which should they do, they would be branded as infamous to posterity, even unfaithful, ungrateful, etc. at meliora spero, I hope better of them if your wicked Machiavilian Assembly were but taken from them and sent to their particular charges.  
In what sort they have libelled against them, hath partly appeared in other Sections, but I shall give you a more particular account thereof in this.  
I shall begin with that most infamous, seditious, railing Libel, entitled, The Arraignment of persecution, the whole scope whereof against the Assembly, is thus boldly expressed in the very Title page, The Arraignment of Master Persecution, presented to the consideration of the House of Commons, and to all the Common people of England: In the prosecution whereof, the jesuitical designs and secret encroachments of his Defendants, Sir Simon Synod, and the John of all Sir john's, Sir John Presbyter, upon the liberty of the subject, is detected and laid open, by reverend young Martin Marpriest, son to old Martin the Metropolitan; printed by Martin Claw-Clergy, Printer to the reverend Assembly of Divines, for Bartholinew Bang-Priest, and are to be sold at his shop in Toleration-street, at the sign of the subjects liberty, right opposite to Persecution-court, 1645.  
The feigned Licence and Epistle Dedicatory to the Assembly before it are altogether libellous, as is the whole book, against the Assembly and its Members: I shall give you only a taste of some phrases and epithets in it, viz. Such a holy such a reverend Assembly, such a Quagmire of croaking, skip-jack Presbyters, A reverend synodian, disguised with a sophistical pair of breeches, saving your presence in Bocardo, Sir Simon Synod: New upstart frisking Presbyters, Synodian Cormorants, the Synodian Whore of Babylon; the traitorous Synod, called the Assembly of Divines, presbiterian horseleeches, blood thirsty Cattle; this great gore-bellied idol called the Assembly of Divines, Arch-Jesuiticall traitors; the Jesuitical and traitorous designs of the Synod; our dissembly Doctors, a Consistory of devils, and the like. These be the charitable, modest, Independent Epithets which this libeler bestows upon them. See next his libellous and blasphemous speeches against and censure of them, and the good end his charity wisheth to them.  
Page 1●. The Synod is guided by the holy Ghost sent in a cloak-bag from Scotland, as of old from Rome in the Council of Trent: 
Note.  Because the Assembly have saddled the Parliament, it is unlawful for the Presbyters to go on foot: page 29. The traitorous Synod called the Assembly of Divines, labours with might and main to establish and settle this traitorous spirit (of persecution) in the land.  
page 35. 36. It is most certain that this fellow, whose name Sir Simon feigneth to be Reformation, is absolute Persecution, so that had these Reformers but as much power as Queen Mary's Clergy, their reformation, would conclude in fire and faggot.  
Judg. Oh insufferable Assembly! I see, 'tis dangerous for a state to pin their faith upon the sleeve of the Clergy.  
J. Reason. Further my Lord, whereas others are impoverished, spend their estates, engage and lose their lives in this Quarrel they are enriched and advanced by it, 
A most Independent false calumny.  save their purses and persons, cram and fill their greedy guts, too filthy to be carried to a Bear, heap up wealth to themselves, and give not a penny, while others (against whom they exclaim) venture and expend all; yea my Lord, this great gorebelly Idol, called the Assembly of divines, is not ashamed in this time of state-necessity, to gull up and devour more at one meal, then would make a feast for Bel and the Dragon: for besides all their fat Benefices, forsooth they must have their four shillings apiece by the day for sitting in constollidation, and poor men, when they had filled all benefices with good Trencher-men of their own presbiterian Tribe, they move your Lordship, that all Ministers may be 
s A gross scandal, they never de●●red, but to be moderately taxed in equality with others:  wholly freed from all taxations, that now the trade of presbyter is the best trade in England; all are taxed, and it goes free; poor men that have no bread to still the cry of their children, must either pay and go in person to the wars, while these devouring Church lubbers live at ease, feed on dainties, neither pay nor go themselves, but preach out our very hearts; they make it a case of conscience to give all, but wise men they'll give none: Let the sick, the lame and maimed soldiers, and those that have lost their limbs and beg in streets; let women that have lost their Husbands, let parents that have lost their children, let children that have lost their parents, and let all that have or suffer oppression and misery in and for the public Cause consider this, and be no longer ridden and jaded by Clergy masters; but to give the devil his due, one thing to their commendations I have observed, that they are so zealously affected with the honour of their Cloth, that 'twere pity to disrobe them of their cassock Garb, to be led in a string from Westminster to Algate in Leathern Jackets, and Mattocks on their shoulders: and my Lord, though some think they would do the State more good in leathern jackets and Mattocks, then in long cloaks and cassocks, yet my think they would do the state better service with their canonical girdles, were the knot tied in the right place.  
page 36. 37. Primacy, Metropolitanisme, prelacy, etc. are shrunk into the presbytery, and our High-commission turned into an Assembly of Divines.  
My Lord, they have sat even till they have run mad, you might do well to adjourn, them to Bedlam; for my Lord, they are raging mad to have the innocent blood of the Anabaptists, Brownists, Independents etc.  
My Lord, they have overstudied themselves & even wracked their wits to find out a Religion for us; poor men they have been mightily puzzled about it, it hath cost them the consumption of many: fat pig, chicken, capon, etc. the infusion of many a cup of sack to bring it to birth, and after such dolorous pangs and bitter troubles for almost these two years, who would have thought they would be delivered of such a ridiculous vermin, called a Presbyter; parturiunt montes, nascitur ridiculus mus: And now my Lord, after this montanous delivery, they are at their wit's end, 
〈…〉 their.  what dressing to put it out in; all the Tailors in the Kingdom are not able to content them, what to do they know not, and now the matter's worse than ever it was; they had thought to have shown the world it in the godly shape of Reformation, but upon examination, 'tis found to be Persecution; a sad event! there is no way now but Bedlam for our Doctors, it may chance to chastise them into their wits again, and then upon their second thoughts, it may be, they're bethink themselves to put a blue bonnet upon'●, and then it will pass from England to Scotland, and Scotland to England again without question or control.  
Page 93. Good my Lord have mercy upon me; I beseech your honour even for the Clergy sake have mercy upon me; consider my Lord, that in my death is their ruin, it will be the greatest inroad upon the Divines of Christendom, that ever was made: Oh!  
I beseech you my Lord. by the Mystery of their holy Convocation, by their agony and bloody sweat, by their cross and passion, at my shameful approaching death and burial, Good Lord deliver me.  
By their glorious resurrection and ascension from the Pulpit above the State; by the coming of the holy Ghost to them in a cloak-bag from Scotland, Good Lord deliver me.  
By the late solemn League and Covenant; by the 400. and 50. l. for the Copy of their Directory, because they could get no more, by all the fat Benefices and goodly revenues of the Clergy, Good Lord deliver me.  
Page 43. 44. It is the sentence of this Court concerning Sir Simon and Sir john Presbyter, who have thus Jesuitically endeavoured to pervert the Justce of this Court, That Sir Simon be committed close prisoner to King Henry the eights chapel, there to be kept in Parliamentary safe custody, till the Great Assiges, held in the first year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord Christ (when the Kingdom and the greatness of the Kingdoms under the whole Heaven shall be given to the Saints of the most high) there and then to be arraigned with the rest of his holy Tribe▪ whether universal, national, provincial or consistorial counsels or Synods, whatsoever before his Highness the King of Kings and Lord of Lords; and my Lord in the mean time to keep his Holiness in action, I beseech your Honour that he may Synodicate, a full resolution to these ensuing Queries, 1. Whether it doth not as much conduce to the subjects liberty still to be subjected to Episcopal usurpation, as to be given over to Presbyterian cruelty? Whether Saint Peter's chair doth not become a Presbyter, as well as a Bishop? etc.  
As for Sir John Presbyter, this Court hath voted him to the unclean, filthy, impious▪ unholy dark and worldly Dungeon, called jure Humano, etc. as for Persecution, the sentence of this Court is, that thou shalt return to the place from whence thou camest to wit the noisome and filthy Cage of every unclean and hateful bird, The Clergy of Christendom there to be fast bound with inquisition, synodical, classical, Pres●byter, all chains, until the appearing of that great and terrible Judge of the whole earth; who shall take thee alive, with Sir Simon and his son Sir John and cast thee with them and their Confederates into the Lake of fire and brimstone, where the Beast and the false Prophet are, there to be tormented day and right 〈◊〉 ever and ever.  
Here is the Independents incomparible charity to the Assembly, Presbyters and their Adherents, to adjudge them thus to eternal torments in the fiery Lak●; I fear their New-Lights originally sprung upthence, without more charity, sobriety, will undoubtedly be extinguished in this fiery region which they allot to others: the rest of the Invectives against the Assembly and Presbytery in this persecuting Arraignment. I shall pass by in silence and proceed to some fresher scurrilites of this kind.  
I find another most scurrlous Libel against the Assembly and their proceedings thus entitled; A sacred Decretal, or Hue and Cry from his superlative Holiness Sir Simon Synod, for the apprehension of reverend young Martin Ma●-priest; wherein are displayed many witty synodian conceits, both pleasant and commodious; printed by Martin Claw-Clergy, Printer to the reverend Assembly of Divines, for Bartholomew Bang-Priest, and are to be sold at his shop in Toleration-street, at the sign of the subjects Liberty, right opposite to Persecutions Court, and it concludes thus, Given at our Court of Inquisition in King Henry the sevenths' Chapel June 6. 1635.  

William Twisse, Prolocutor.  
Cornelius Burges Assessor.  
john White, Assessor.  
Adoniran Byfield  
Hen. Roborough  
S●ibes.   
This Libel brings in the Assembly, blasphemously abusing the sacred Scripture Names of God (as El, Eloim, Jah, Theos, Adonis, etc.) in Synodical Convocation, classical and Presbiteriall Exorcisms: & pag. 2. Gives the Assembly and Presbyters these most scurrilous, railing Epithets; classical Bore-p●gges, divine, white-faced Bull-calves; Presbyterian Turkeycocks, bidding them advance their learned Coxcombs, etc. Church-owles, Jackdaws, blind Bats, Presbyterian Woodcocks, Presbyterian Hangmen cruel executioners, terrible torments, synodian Cannibals, the ravenous tythe-panched numerous headed Hydra of Divines: The holy ravenous Order of Syon-Jesuits, absolute Jesuits, only a little worse: It begins thus, page 1. We the Parliament of Divines now Assembly in holy Convocation at Westminster, taking into our grave, learned and pious consideration, all the goodly fat Benefices of the Kingdom, the reverend estimation, honour and supremacy due unto the Clergy, and out of a godly care and pious providence as becometh Divines▪ for our own guts, having used all subtlety and policy we in our divine wisdoms could devise, to take a goodly possession of the dearly beloved glorious inheritance of our Fathers the late Lord Bishops, their divine supremacy, their sweet, their wholesome and nourishing revenues, their dear, delicate, toothsome tithes, most supernatural and pleasant to a divine palate: After which it calls them The p●issant Assembly of Divines (Lords Paramount over Church and State) in Parliament Assembled at Westminster, divine Merchants, etc. Avers p. 18. That the Order. Jesuits may become Disciples to the Order of presbyters for equivocations, mental reservations, dispensations of Oaths, Covenants, etc. Chargeth the Assembly, p. 6. For dealing craftily with the Parliament and cheating the State. Adding this most scandalous, seditions passage, extremely derogatory to the Parliaments honour.  
As the way of a serpent upon a rock is unknowable, so have our circumventions, underminigs and subtle contrivances been ever invisible, insensible to them, and so silently, secretly and gradually, have enticed them with the bait of Religion; and caught them with a synodian hook; we held out the League and Covenant, the Cause of God, and the like, to the Kingdom, and at length plucks up a fish called a Parliament out of their proper Magisteriall Element, into our synodian spirituality; and thus neatly wrested the Sceptre out of their bands, that they neither know nor perceive it; 
〈…〉.  that in truth the Assembly is Dissembled into the Parliament, and the two Houses made but a stalking horse to the designs of the Clergy: They say it is decreed and ordained by the Lords and Commons, etc. but in plain English, it is the Assembly of Divines; 'tis true, 'tis the Lords and Commons in the History, but the Assembly of Divines in the Mystery, as Martin wisely hinted in his Licence before the book of the Arraignment; for we are become the whole directive and coercive power both in Church and State, a supremacy due unto us, as well as to the Pope; and though we give them (as men do babbles to children) the title of making and judging of Laws, to please them, yet with such distinctions and limitations (to speak this under the Rose) that we intent for ourselves, that which we give unto them, even as our Brethren of the society of jesus do concerning his Holiness the Pope, in the infallibility and temporal power: this honour and privilege was of divine right given, and anciently enjoyed by our reverend Fathers the Bishops; and why should not we be heirs unto it by our legitimate lineal descent? All Laws, Statutes and Ordinances, both concerning Church and State, were Decreed, Ordained and enacted by the Lords spiritual and temporal, etc. And why not now by the Assembly of Divines and Parliament now Assembled at Westminster? this is not yet in the History, for indeed our matter is not yet ripe for such a discovery, etc.  
As all other wicked men, so these seditions Libelers grow worse and worse; their next most seditious Libel against the Assembly and Parliaments proceedings being entitled, Martin's Echo, or a Remonstrance from his holiness reverend young Martin Mar-priest, responsory to the late sacred synodical Decretal; in all humility presented to the reverend pious and grave consideration of the right reverend Father in God, the universal Bishop of our souls his superlative Holiness Sir Simon Synod.  
It begins thus.  
Whereas his Holiness reverend young Martin Mar-priest; taking into his grave and learned consideration the insufferable arrogance of our ambitions, aspiring Presbytery their super-prelaticall supremacy, their ravenous bloodthirsty malice against the poor Saints of the most high God, their inordinate, insatiable covetousness after the fat things of the Land, their unparallelled hypocrisy, their plausible pretences▪ their incomprehensible policy, craft and subtlety; their cunning insensible encroachments upon the privileges of Parliament, the just liberties of and freedom of the people; 
〈…〉.  their enchanting delusions wherewith they bewitch both Parliament and multitude, the cruel thraldom, inhuman slavery, insufferable bondage they would reform us and our Children unto from generation to generation; their powerful endeavours to make the Parliament betray their trust, break their Oaths, pull down old Courts of tyranny and oppression, to set up new; free us from Episcopal persecution, to devour us with presbyterian cruelty; convey our natural rights and freedom to the pontifical usurpation of the Clergy, that neither we nor our children after us (notwithstanding the expense of our estates ruin of our families, effusion of our blood to redeem them) may live in the land without the hazard of imprisonment, loss of goods, banishment, hanging &c. except we be presbiterian: these and many other things of high concernment, reverend young Martin taking into his serious and deliberate consideration▪ and seeing this eminent, irrecoverable ruin ready to devour both Parliament and people hang over their heads, threatening certain destruction to us and our posterity, if not timely and suddenly prevented: Hereupon his Holiness reverend young Martin, out of sincerity to God, and natural love unto his distressed Country, most willingly became servant to your superlative Holiness, to ease your burden in this your toilsome time of Classical exaltation of a little State ambition and spiritual supremacy & as much as in him lieth, to vindicate the privilege of Parliament, our birthrights and native freedom from your divine spirituality, that you may have the more time to stuff your guts extend your paunches eram your bellies, farcinate your ventricles 
t A very modest Christian Phrase.  s●ort out Directories, blurt out Ordinances, grin at Christ, swell at his Sectaries, and for his meritorious pious endeavours Martin expected a reward, as very justly he might; but to cloak your covetousness and ingratitude, you pick quarrels against him for some small failings in his Treatise; I hope you will deal better with Master Prynne for his midnight dreams his distracted subitane apprehensions, I can tell you he expects it: But Martin might have considered your ingratitude to the Lord Bishops, from whom formerly you received the holy Ghost with all your spiritual preferments, and were first put into a capacity of Lording it, as you now do over the people; whom, like ungracious children, viperous vermin, inhuman Cannibals, notwithstanding their grace and favour; you have devoured up, and share their inheritance amongst you. (O divine pillage! grateful children!) etc.  
page 4. 5. Yet that his Holiness (like yours) might appear immaculate and infallible to the whole world; Martin proclaimeth and demonstrates to all persons Ecclesiastical, by what name or title soever dignified or distinguished, whether Archbishop Calamie 's, or other inferior single-sold Presbyters; That his Holiness, reverend young Martin Mar-priest, freely offerereth plenary pardon and remission to that traitorous, bloodthirsty Man-eater Sir Simon Synod, for his foul ingratitude, his malicious, mischievous, murderous debates, consultations and conclusions, to shed the blood of his Holiness reverend young Martin Mar-priest, and deliver him as a prey to the monstrous huge iron faings and venomous boarish tusks of his son Jock, and his bloody crew (break their teeth o God in their mouth; 
Psal. 58.  break out the teeth of the young Lions o Lord;) if the said savage, barbarous Cannibal Sir Simon Synod, the next day of humiliation after the publishing hereof, shall very penetentially (as if he were to preach a fast sermon) come in unto reverend Martin, and humbly submit himself to his Holiness, at his sanctuary in Toleration-street, right opposite to state-opression and synodian tyranny; and there humbly before reverend young Martin confess his evil, acknowledge his errors, a●d be heartily sorry for the same; live sociably and quietly amongst his Neighbours, never molest or injure any man for Conscience, suffer his teeth and nails to be plucked out and pared by an honest Independent barber, that hereafter he may never bite nor scratch; and then peaceably return to his Parochial Charge, render up all the goodly fat Benefices in the Kingdom to supply the necessities of the State, pay their Arrears in the Army gratify their sick, same and maimed soldiers with a reward more honourable (according to their deserts) than a tiket to beg; supply the calamity, poverty and misery of poor Widows and Orphans, whose dear Husbands and Fathers have been slain in the service of the State, and not (out of synodian state-policy) to save their charity, subject the innocent Babes to be led by the spirit into Indian deserts and Wildernesses, and under pretence of Authority, rob the tender mothers of the fruit of their wombs (a wickedness insufferable in a Commonwealth) and to send the freeborn out of their native protection to foreign destruction, lest the cry of the fatherless and Widows should call for relief out of their fat Benefices pontificial revenues, etc. O the covetousness of the Priests and the mercy of God (as the German saith) endure for ever: If he shall hereto assent, renounce the Ordinance of tithes, be content with the good will of the vulgar, lay down his state-ambition and usurpation of the Civil power, suffer the Commons of the Land (both rich and poor) which are freeborn people, to enjoy quietly their own national freedom, etc. he will not deride you any more. But if Sir Simon shall reject this grace and favour freely offered to him and to all the Sir john's in the Kingdom by his Holiness, reverend young Martin Mar-priest, out of his divine clemency thus graciously extended from his holiness proclaimeth to the whole assembly of Sir john's and to the whole Kingdom, 
〈…〉 well 〈…〉 Kingdom 〈…〉.  that come bondage, come liberty, come life come death; come what come will, by the grace of God, young Martin is resolved to unmask your villainy to posterity, and lay a foundation for a future; it not for the present recovery of the privilege of Parliament, and liberties of the common people from your synodical, classical Presbyterian predominancy; and therefore Sir Simon be advised betime, accept of this grace and favour offered, harden not your hearts as in the days of the Bishops, lest the fierce wrath of the Lord, even sudden destruction fall upon you as it did upon them; for be assured, swift and fearful destruction and ruin does attend you and the Lord will avenge his quarrel at your hands and as it is done unto your Fathers the Bishops, so shall it be done unto you; and if your rising ambition be not suddenly repelled your rise●reign and fall will be terrible to the Kingdom: you may delude the people a while, but the time hasteneth that the 
x 〈…〉.  people will call you to an account the Lord grant it be not, as I fear 
y 〈…〉  By the Sword. He adds p. 5. 6. Well Sir Simon, if you will not mend your manners, Martin will observe all your postures, and tells you plainly, that he'll not only fall upon your bones himself, but he'll set his celestial brother. Christopher Scal●●kie his catechistical brother, Roland Rattle-priest, his divine Brethren Martin Claw-Clergy. Bartholomew Bang-priest, all upon your back, and amongst us all, we shall in time turn up the foundation of your classical supremacy, and pull down your Synod your Sphere about your ears; behold a troop cometh Sir Simon, Martin is of the Tribe of Gad, though a host of Sir john's overcome him, yet he shall over come at last, yea, he'll jeer you out of your black Cloaks, and make you ashamed of King Henry the seventh's Chapel, and he glad to work with your hands, or to be content with the good will of the vulgar, and then it will too late to compound with reverend MARTIN and his divine Brethren, therefore consider with yourself Sir Simon before the mighty Acts of the house of Martin be come forth against you; we do not intend to dally with you, we'll handle you with Mittins, thwack your Cassocks, rattle your Jackets, stamp upon the paunch of your villainy, and squeeze out the filth and garbage of your iniquity, till you stink in the nostrils of the common people; yea, we'll beat you and your son JACK, guts and all, into a Mousehole. There's no one of MARTIN'S Tribe, but is a man of Mettle, and hates a Tithe-devouring persecuting Priest, as he hates the Devil, scorns their bribes, and bids defiance to their Malice.  
These are to advise you, Sir Simon turn ye to MARTIN in Tolleration-street, ye stiff necked generation of Priests, lest the fierce wrath and sore displeasure of mighty MARTIN fall upon you, confound you and your whole, Sir John's generation, Root and Branch; harken ye rebellious Assembly unto MARTIN, persecute no more, take no more Tithes, be content with the good will of the Vulgar.  
Whether these most seditious menacing passages and railing Libels against the Assembly, Presbytery, and all Ecclesiastical Parliamentary proceedings, be not published in print by seditious Seectaries to stir up the people to mutiny against the Parliament, Assembly, Ministry, to fire us into new Civil wars and commotions among ourselves, and that by the underhand plots of some Jesuitical spirits, and Malignant Royalists, I shall humbly submit to the saddest thoughts of our supreme Council, which is best able to judge of them, and most able to prevent the eminent dangers which they do portend.  
I shall close this Section with a new printed Libel, entitled, The Nativity of Sir john Presbyter; Dedicated, To the Right Worshipful the: ASS: of Divines, assembled at Westminster; with a most railing libellous Epistle; to which these Verses in derision of it are subjoined.  
Reverend Assembly up, arise, and jog,  
For you have fairly fished and caught a Frog.  
Now have you set two years, pray can you tell  
A man the way that Christ went down to Hell?  
In these two years what can a wise man think  
That ye have done, ought else but eat and drink?  
Presbytery (climbed up to the top of fame)  
Directory and all from Scotland came;  
O monstrous idleness! alack and welly,  
Our learned Rabbis minds nought but their belly.   

Section V.  
Containing libellous, scurrilous, profane, and unchristian passages against the Directory, established by Ordinance of Parliament.  
YOU have met with some of these Invectives already in the preceding Sections, which I shall not repeat; but only add two or three passages more of this nature, full of Athesticall and blasphemous scurrility.  
The Arraignment of Persecution, p. 44. desires, That his Holiness Sir Simon Synod my Synodecate a full resolution to these ensuing Queres.  
Whether it would not have been more profitable for the kingdom of England to have forth with hired a Coach and twelve Horses, to have set a Directory from Scotland; then to have spent the learned consultations, pious debates, and sacred conclusions of such an holy, such a reverend, such a heavenly, such a godly, such a learned, such a pious, such a grave, such a wise, such a solid, such a discreet, such a spiritual, such an Evangelicall, such an infallible, such a venerable, such a super-celestioll Queer of Angels, such a suparlative Assembly of Divines; for almost these two years' space, after the profuse and vast expense of above forty thousand pounds, besides their goodly fat Benefices, upon their devouring Guts, for an English DIRECTORY of worship, equivalent to the Scotch DIRECTORY?  
Whether this Directory standing in so many thousands to sumble it together, and the Copy sold at 400 and 50 l. be not of more value than the writings of the Prophets and Apostles?  
The sacred Synodical Decretal or Hue and Cry, useth the like Dialect, p. 23. Be it secula seculorum, as authentic as the Directory, etc. We had better have set two years longer in our most holy Consultations, and made our forty thousand four hundred pound Directory, a Directory of fourscore thousand eight hundred pound value.  
Pag. 5. Martin will tell the Country, That we sanctify our new DIRECTORY Gospel, but to the temper of the City: Tell the City, That the Country people know not what to do with it, except to stop their Bottles, unless we spend the State the other odd trifle of 40000 pounds, to divide it into Chapters and Verses (the Lord put it into their hearts;) and that as the truth is, its sanctity is only grounded upon the Divine Ordinance for Tithes, (some wiser than some) for no longer Penny, no longer Paternoster,  
I will defile no more Paper with such horrid blasphemies; only add, That Martin's Echo, p. 12. makes the Parliaments endeavouring to establish the Directory the cause of the loss of Leicester, in these words: And now the Parliament being busied to fortify your Directory, etc. in the mean time Leicester is taken, thousands are put to the sword, etc. Which is sufficiently answered, by Sir Thomas Fairfax routing the King's whole Army and re-taking Leicester, even whiles the Parliament was most busy in fortifying the Directory. But I proceed to another Section.   

Section VI.  
Containing their libellous, scandalous, seditious passages, against our Brethren of Scotland, to raise divisione between us and them, contrary to the Act of Pacification, and the late solemn League and Covenant.  
MAny are their intolerable libellous Invectives of this kind. I shall transcribe but few.  
Hen. Robinson in his Answer to M. Py●nes 12 Questions, made the first assault upon our Brethren, in this Language. And what, think we made our Brethren the Scots so successelesse here in England, whilst the wars are now beginning to kindle in their own Country, if it were not that they join with this Nation, or rather provoke them to establish their so much idolised Presbyterial discipline of persecutions? when they themselves thought they had just cause to be highly offended with the same (their own) persecuting spirit in Episcopacy. When the Lord required the Israelites to appear before him at Jerusalem thrice a year, he promised, that no man should invade their habitations in their absence, Exod. 34. 23, 24. which gracious providence of his, no doubt continues still protecting all such as are employed by his command: but unless our Brethren of Scotland bethink themselves in time, and consider, that even as the persecuting Bishops of England attempting to impose their government in Scotland gave occasion to begin the wars in England: so if the persecuting Presbyters of Scotland continue to advance and get set up the Scotch government in England, it may likely bring all the three Kingdoms to make the seat of war in Scotland: I would be loath to prophesy upon this occasion; but do much fear, that in how bad condition soever both England and Ireland are at the present, if the wars last, but little longer Scotland will yet be far worse. God of his infinite mercy open the eyes of all three Kingdoms in this their heavy visitation, reconciling himself unto them all, and them to one another, for his dear Son Christ jesus sake.  
The Arraignment of Persecution by way of jeer and scorn, p. 3, 8, 9 19, 39, 42. satirically inveighes against and derides Scoth government, ranking it with Satan, Antichrist, the Spanish Inquisition, Council of Trent, High Commission, etc. beings in Liberty of conscience, thus complaining. My Lord, Sir Simon Synod is like to pull out my throat, with the ravenous claws of an Assembly; and Master Scotch Government was fit to stab me with his Scoth Dagger: jemmy put up thy Dagger; Avers, The Synod is guided by the Holy Ghost sent in a Cloak-bag from Scotland, as of old from Rome to the Council of Trent. Oft mentions by way of scorn and jeer, The advancing of the much Army into the South; adds, you may easily perceive how they would pinch your Lordship's nose with a pair of SCOTCH SPECTACLES, that your Lordship might see nothing but BLUE CAPS; he hath plastered up the wrinkles of his face with SCOTCH MORTAR, etc.  
The Sacred Synodical Decretal, p. 4. tells us, etc. of a Blew-capreformation, and then Blewcap for us, p. 7. Of the ay-blessed Divines of Scotland, p. 16. Of laying Rods in piss for Crumwel; let him take heed of a Scotch—: another course must be taken with Heretics, else our Brethren cannot further engage; God speed them well home again, and let all the people in the kingdom say, Amen. p. 18. Of their running away at Maston-More. p. 20. Of an Angel in the Mount, upon whom o●● reverend Assembly of grave and learned Divines do daily wait, which Mount is Dunce-Hill (which by translation out of the Original) by the Divines of Scotland (whose countryman this Angel is) is englished Mount Zion: with other such like stuff.  
And Martin's Echo, p. 8. Our Scottish Brethren advanced lately as far into the South, as from Brampton-moore to Westmoreland, for your assistance, are all yours, by virtue of the Holy League and Covenant, which they may in no wise falsify, until they see it convenient for them to do, as in the most sacred Exhortation to the taking of the said League and Covenant you have taught them. Many other such seditious passages, tending to sow division between both Nations, (contrary to the fourth clause of the national Covenant) these New-Libels, have lately published, which I forbear to Register.   

Section VII.  
Containing most scurrilus, libellous, scandelous, railing invectives against Presbyterians, and Presbyterian government in general, which many of them not long since so much applauded, desired, before the Bishop's removal.  
WE have met with much of this scurrilous stuff in other Sections; to which some few additions only shall be made in this.  
Mr. Henry Robinson his FALSEHOOD, etc. shall lead up the Forelorne-hope: where thus he writes to the Christian Reader: Free thy conscience from the thraldom and bondage of those Egyptian Taskmasters, who care not what trash and trumpery they vent, so they may gain Proselytes and contributions. Which he thus prosecutes, p. 9 But what availeth it to have the head of one Lordly Episcopal Prelate cut of, when a Hydra, a multitude, above seventy seven times as many Presbyterial Prelates succeed instead thereof? Prelatia, Prelacy, Prelacy, as we use it vulgarly, is a preferring one before another; and the Presbyterial government is much more truly said to be Prelatical, than either Episcopal or Papal; unless you will say that neither Episcopal nor Papal be Prelatical at all. For in either of those governments there are but few Prelates; but in the other there are, to wit, so many Prelates as there are Presbyters, each whereof is an absolute 
* And is it not much more so in Independ. Churches, where the Minister in truth like a Pope rules all the rest at his pleasure? will admit none but those of his own faction.  Prelate; that is, one preferred above his Brethren.  
The Arraignment of Persecution, declaims thus against Presbyterian government, p. 21. Both Papal and Episcopal government is better than Presbyterian, for they are, and have been more uniform, and have continued many hundred years longer than Presbyterian, and were long before Presbytery was thought on: For alas, it was but a shift at a pinch the Devil made, when neither of the other would serve his turn, and so came up Presbytery; but what good the Devil will have of it I know not: for who knows the luck of a lousy Cur, he may prove a good Dog.  
The Sacred Synodical Decretal inveighes thus against Presbyterian government, p. 11. Martin will put the Parliament and people in mind of their Protestation, and tell them, that by the same rule they pull down the Bishops, they are bound to put down the Presbyters, etc. For in Martin's Astrological judgement, all the Plagues of Egypt were but a Flea-biting to what one Presbyterian Church will be (vinci si possunt regales cestibus enses) we having mortified Episcopal Hercules, and possessed his Club. p. 19 Indeed the Pope is as truly Christian, and his function as equally Jure Divino, as our Presbytery, conveyed from his Holiness', by our Fathers the late Lord Bishops upon us.  
The unlicensed Nativity of Presbytery, said to be licenced by Rowland Rattle-Priest, a terrible Imprimatur: writes p. 5. That the Devil made the Urchin Sir John Presbyter: an abject, a Fugitive, newly come out of Scotland, a Witch, a Rogue, and in apparel delighting in black as his Father the Devil; fitter to be a Wether cock then a Divine: only the Evil Spirit of Mercury, presented him to be the Devil's Goat-head.   

Section VIII.  
Containing sundry Libellous, Schismatical, uncharitable, and unchristian passages against the Church of England, her Worship and Ministers in general.  
IOhn Lilburne in his Answer to nine Arguments, Printed without Licence, London, 1645. with his picture cut before it; Writes thus of the Church of England, pag. 4. The Church of England is a true Whorish mother, and you are one of her base-begotten, and Bastardly children, for you know a Whore is a woman as truly as a true wife, and she may have children as proportionable, as the children of a true wife; yet this doth not prove her children which are base-begotten are true-begotten children, because they have all the parts, and limbs of children, that are begotten in a true married estate and condition; even so say I, the Church of England neither is, 
Note  nor never was, truly married, joined, or united to Jesus Christ, in that espousal band, which his true Churches are, and aught to be, but is one of Antichrists national Whorish Churches, or Cities spoken of Rev. 16. 19 United, joined, knit to the Pope of Lambeth; as Head and Husband thereof; being substitute to the Pope of Rome, from whom he hath received his Arch-Episcopall power, and Authority.  
Pag. 18. Your Church is false, and Antichristian: Therefore if every Parish in England had power in themselves (which in the least they have not) to choose and make their own Officers, yet for all this they would be false, for a false and Antichristian Church as yours is, can never make true Officers and Ministers of jesus Christ, and though that the Churches of the Separation, want Apostles in personal presence to lay hands upon their Officers which lawfully they choose out from among themselves, yet have they their Laws, Rules, and Directions in writing, which is their Office, and is of as great Authority as their personal presence.  
Pag. 19 And thus have I sufficiently by the Authority of the Sacred Word of God proved all your Officers, and Ministers false and Antichristian, and none of Christ's, which if you can groundedly contradict, show your best skill challenge I you, and put you to prop, to hold up your tottering and sandy Church and Ministry, or else your great brags will prove no better than wind and Fables, and you yourself found to be a Liar.  
Pag. 22. And as for these two things, Of Conversion, and confirmation, or building up in the ways of God, which you speak of, if you mean by conversion, and opening of the eyes, to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God; or if you mean by conversion, a deliverance from the power of darkness, and a translation into the Kingdom of the Son of God, both of which the Apostles Ministry did accomplish in the hearts and lives of God's people, Act. 26. 18. Coll. 1. 13. I absolutely deny it, that your Ministry in England doth this: And therefore I desire you to declare, what you mean by Conversion, and prove your definition by the holy Scripture, and also prove that you in England are so converted, which when you have done I shall further answer you by God's assistance, and as for their building them up in the ways of God, as all true Shepherds ought to build up their sheep, as Acts 26. 1 Pet. 5. Yet I deny it, that your Ministers do it, for how can they build them up in that, which they themselves are ignorant of, and enemies unto? for as Jannes and Jambres which withstood Moses, so do these men also resist the Truth, being men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, 2 Tim. 3. 8. And do feed you with husks and Chaff, being neither willing to embrace it themselves, nor to let those that would, as their constant preaching and speaking against the truth of God, and the Kingdom of his Son doth witness, etc. I have taken the pains by the Word of God, and demonstrable Arguments grounded thereupon, to prove the Church of England Antichristian: I do promise you, I will by the strength of the Lord of Hosts, for ever separate from Church, Ministry and Worship in England, 
Note.  all and every one of them, as Antichristian and false: Yet thus much I say, and do acknowledge, and the Scripture proves it, that God hath a people or an elect number in spiritual Babylon; yea in the Kingdom of Antichrist, part of which the Church of England is, and none of them shall perish, but be eternally saved; yet I say, it is the duty of all God's Elect, and chosen ones, that are yet in the Whorish bosom of the Church of England, or in any part of Antichrists Regiment to separate away from it, and come out of it, lest God plague them for their staying there.  
Pag. 
Note.  23. All the Ministers of the Church of England are not true Ministers of Christ, but false and Antichristian Ministers of Antichrist.  
Pag. 24. And as for your Minor and Assumption, which is, that you in the Church of England do enjoy, and outwardly submit yourselves to the true worship of God: It is most false, and a notorious lie and untruth, and as well might wicked Faux, and the rest of the Gunpowder-Plotters say, that they submitted unto Noble King James Laws and Sceptre, when they went about to blow up the Parliament House, that so they might destroy him and all his; for you do not only oppose and justle ou● the true worship of God, and throw down and trample upon the Sceptre of Jesus Christ his son, but also you set up false and Antichristian Worship, the inventor of which is the Devil, and the Man of sin, his eldest and most obedient Son.  
Pag. 26, 27. Now from that which I have said, I frame these Arguments:  
1. That Worship which is of the Devils and Antichrists invention, institution and setting up, is no true Divine worship.  
But the Worship of the Church of England is of the Devils and Antichrists invention, 
Note.  institution and setting up, as Revel. 13. doth fully prove.  
Ergo, the Worship of the Church of England is no true Worship.  
2. That Worship, which is a main means and Cause of pulling down the Kingdom of jesus Christ, 
Note.  and establishing, maintaining, and upholding the Kingdom of the Devil and Antichrist, and sends more souls to Hell, than all the wickedness, impiety, ungodliness, in the Kingdom doth besides, is no true worship of God, but aught to be detested and abhorred of all his people. But such is the worship of the Church of England; Ergo, etc.  
Pag. 
Note.  29. I absolutely deny your Argument, and affirm, that your Religion neither is the true Religion, nor that it leads men the true way to salvation.  
Pag. 37, 38. I groundedly and absolutely deny, that either the Church of England is, or ever was a true Church, and till you have proved it true, all the pains that you have taken in proving that it is possible for corruptions & evil livers to be in a true Church, is spent in vain, and to no purpose, and I am confident, that you nor none else will ever be able to prove the Church of England true, nor any other national Church: for Christ Jesus by his death did abolish the national Church of the jews, with all their Laws, Rites and Ceremonies thereof, and in the New Testament did never institute no national Church, nor left no Laws, nor Officers for the governing thereof, but the Church that he instituted, are free and Independent bodies, or Congregations, depending upon none but only upon Christ their Head: Therefore national Churches under the Gospel are of Antichrists, that man of sins institution and ordaining, who only hath ordained Laws and Officers of his own for the governing of them; Therefore for you, or any other to say, and affirm, that this monstrous, ugly, botched and scabbed body, is Christ's true Spouse, is dishonourable to his blessed being and Mediatorship.  
His Schismatical seditious conclusion from all these Premises is this, pag. 35. Therefore let all God's people, 
Note.  that yet are in the bosom of the Church of England, as they love their own inward peace, and spiritual joy, and look that their souls should prosper and flourish with grace and godliness look to it, and withdraw their spiritual obedience and subjection from all Antichrists Laws and worship, and join themselves as fellow Citizens of the City of God, to worship and serve him in Mount Zion the beauty of holiness, and there only to yield all spiritual obedience to Christ's spiritual Laws and Sceptre.  
This language and opinion of his, concerning our English Church, and Ministry, is seconded by most Independents in their late Pamphlets; of which you have had a bitter taste in the preceding Sections, and their practice proves as much.  
For first, though they proclaim Liberty of conscience to all Sects and Religions whatsoever; yet they have so harsh an opinion of Presbyterians, and all others, who submit not to their Independent Model; that they esteem them no better than Heathens, 
Master Henry Burton his Vindication of the Churches commonly called Independent, p. 56. 62, 63.  Infidels, unbelievers; and proclaim them in their Books to be * Men who deny, disclaim, and preach against Christ's Kingly Government over his Churches; men unconverted, or at least converted but in part, wanting the main thing, to wit, Christ's kingly Office: men visible out of the Covenant of Grace, who have not so much as an outward profession of Faith, who deny Christ to be their King; to whose persons and infants, the very Sacraments and seals of grace, with all Church Communion, may, and aught to be denied, which is in effect to un-Christian, un-Church, un-Minister all Presbyterians, and to make them castaways: If this be their charity to us already, what may we expect from them hereafter if their Faction bear the sway?  
Secondly, when they gather any Independent Congregation, their practice is, for their Ministers solemnly to renounce and abjure their former Ordination in, and the people their Pristine Communion with the Church of England, and all Congregations else, whereof they have been Members, and then to newmould themselves into an Independent Church; which practice they have lately begun in the Plantations of the Summer Islands; as a Friend of mine from thence informed me by a Letter dated, May 14. 1645. in these ensuing terms.  
The Independent Church was set up here the last year, wherein they have covenanted to stand unto the death: but their Covenant is not fully expressed reserving power in themselves, especially in their Pastor, to alter it when they will, and as they think good; they have expressed nothing in writing, though often urged to it, 
Note.  but he that joins with them, must do it by a kind of implicit faith, to embrace what their Church doth or shall embrace, not knowing what it is or will be: When they began it, their Minister called a Fast for all that would be present, where in the public Congregation, our Ministers being then but three, 
Note.  Did lay down and renounce their Ordination and Ministry received in the Church of England, and so become (as they said) no Ministers; but did joy● themselves together in Covenant by words only to become a Church; first making a kind of confession of their sins, and signifying that others might also join themselves to them, if they were such as after such confession they should approve of, and there was one principal Officer did then join himself with them; they than continued weekly Lecturers still, yet as they said, not as Ministers, but only as private men to exercise their gifts: wherein they laboured to draw others to join with them, and every week received in some: but that confession of sins grew daily more and more out of date, 
Such were fit to make Independent Members.  the rather for that * some were threatened to be called in question at the Assizes for some things which they confessed there; so that at this time all is in a manner implicit, and though little or nothing be expressed by the party to be received in, yet he is not put back: But when they had gotten about thirty to join with them, they again called a Fast for all that would be present, where it seems having appointed one of our assistant Governors for their Prolocutor, he nominated Master White to be their Pastor, which the rest confirmed by erection of hands; than it seems Master White nominated our other two Ministers, Master Copland and Master Golding for his ruling Elders, yet they continue to preach constantly as before, but Master White only doth Administer the Sacraments, and that only to such as have joined themselves in their implicit Covenant with them.  
Their practice therefore and their writings demonstrate, what ungrateful sons, and unnatural Vipers they are to our Mother Church and Ministers of England; which hath little cause to harbour these Rebellious Apostate sons, who thus abominate, renounce both her and her Ministers, as Antichristian.  
Surely, some of their own Independent Faction, had other thoughts of her and her Ministry (unless they dissembled before God and man, as they commonly do without blush or check) but very few years since; and among other the five Independent Apologists, and Master Hugh Peter, (Solicit●r general of the Independent Cause and Party;) whose Subscription before the Bishop of London, concerning our Church of England in the late Prelatical times, when far more unreformed then now, I shall here present you with; the Original whereof I found in the Archbishop's study, under Master Peter his own hand, c●dorsed with the Archbishops, thus.  
Master Hugh Peter's Subscription before the Bishop of London, August 17. 1627.  
RIght Reverend Father in God, and my very good Lord; being required to make known to your Lordship my Judgement concerning some thing propounded at my last being before your Lordship, from which Propositions though I never dissented, nor know any cause why I should be suspected, yet being ready and willing to obey your Lordship in all things, especially in so just a demand as this, I having consulted with Antiquity, and with our modern Hooker, and others, humbly desire your Lordship to accept the satisfaction following.  
1. 
Note  For the Church of England in general (I bless God) I am a member of it, and was baptised in it, and am not only assured it is a true Church, but am persuaded it is the most glorious and flourishing Church this day under the sun, which I desire to be truly thankful for; and for the Faith, Doctrine and Articles of that Church, and the maintenance of them, I hope the Lord will enable me to contend; Tanquam ut pro aris & focis: Yea, I trust to lay down my life, if I were called thereunto.  
2. For the Governor and Government thereof; viz. The reverend Fathers, the Archbishops and Bishops, I acknowledge their Offices, and jurisdictions, and cannot see, 
Note  but there would a fearful ataxy follow, without the present Government, whereof I so approve, that I have, and do willingly submit to it, and them; and have, and will press the same upon others.  
3 For the Ceremonies that are in use among us (as I have already subscribed) so I shall diligently and daily practise, neither have I ever been accused for neglect therein, 
Note  where I have formerly exercised my Ministry, but to them do give my full approbation and allowance.  
4. For the Book of Common-Prayer, the liturgy of the Church, and what is in them contained (finding them agreeable unto the word of God) I have used as other Ministers have done, and am resolved so to do, and have not been Refractory in this particular at any time, 
Note  nor do I intend to be (God willing) and to these, I Subscribe with my heart and hand; humbly, submitting them, and myself to your Lordship's pleasure.  
Your Lordships in all humble service, HUGH PETER. London the 17. of August. 1627.  
IF Master Peter be now of another Judgement, it manifests either his gross ignorance, or temporising then, or his levity now, and that he is as unsteady in his opinion, as in his eccentric motion from place to place: But this is in verity, the essential property of our Lunacy New sights, who like the Moon (whose light Predominates in them) are always changing; 
2 Tim. 3. 7.  yea, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth; which they continually intricate with their Independent doubts.   

Section IX.  
Containing Libellious, Scandalous, unchristian Censures, and Invectives against those Persons, who out of conscience have Written or Preached against the Independents Seditious, Schismatical ways and Practices.  
I Shall first begin with such Invectives as concern myself: What large Encomiums (beyond my deserts) I received from the Independent party, before I writ against their new ways & opinions, only in a moderate & modest manner by way of Questions; is very well known to themselves and others, being such and so many, that modesty forbids me to relate them; lest I should be thought the Herald of my own praises and deserts: How many Libels, Scandals, and false reports of all kinds they have causelessly published of me since, by Speech and Printed Libels, only because I differ from them in opinion, and have in point of conscience (being requested so to do) declared my opinion of their new groundless ways and Tenets, is very well known unto many, who have leisure to peruse the several empty Pamphlets and Invectives daily published a 'gainst me: I shall give you a taste of some few in lieu of many.  
It pleased john Lilburne among others, for whom I have done some courtesies, but never the least injury, or discourtesy in word or deed, upon the coming out of my Truth Triumphing over Falsehood, etc. (Licenced by a Committee of Parliament for the Press) before ever he had read the Book, to write a Libellous Letter to me concerning it, which he sent to the Press and published in Print without Licence, before I received and perused it: which though answered in Print by others without my privity; openly complained of in the Commons House, (who referred it to the Committee of Examinations as a most Seditious Libel against the Parliament and Assembly;) yet I deemed it more worthy contempt than any Answer, as refuting not one syllable in my Book: In this Letter, he styles me, An inciter of higher Powers to wage war with the King of Saints, and his Redeemed ones: An endeavourer to set the Princes of the earth together by the ears with Christ, to pluck his Crown from his head, his Sceptre out of his hand, and his Person out of his Throne of State, that his Father hath given him to reign gloriously in: He most falsely chargeth me with this false Position: That there is no rule left in the word, how we may worship God; but that Kings and States may set up what Religion they please, or may mould it to the manners of their people: Whereas there is not any such syllable in any of my Books, but the contrary professedly asserted and the Controversies therein debated, concern not the substance of God's worship or Religion, but only the Circumstance of Church-Government: which I asserted then, on such grounds as their party hath not yet refu●ed▪ not to be precisely set down & determined in the New Testament in all particulars, but yet conclude, that no Church Government ought to be set up, but that which is agreeable to the Scriptures, though not dogmatically and precisely prescribed in them: ●o that if this Libeler were not passed all shame, he might have blushy to Print and ●●print so notorious a falsehood, without retractation.  
After this he thus proceeds: Had I not seen your name to your Books, I should rather have judged them a Papists or a jesuits, than Master Prynnes; and without doubt, the Pope when he sees them, will CANONIZE YOU FOR A SAINT, in throwing down his enemy Christ. Certainly no Book of mine, either in the Front or Bulk, carries the least badge of a Priest or Jesuit in it; and so far am I from demeriting any thing from the Pope, or to be Canonised by him for a Saint; that I can without vanity or ostentation affirm before all the world, that I have done more disservice to Priests, jesuits, and the Pope: made more discoveries of their Plots, and written more against them and Popery, than all the whole generation of Sectaries and Independents put together; and I challenge all their Sects to equalise, or come near, what I have really performed in this particular; so that if any man this day breathing in England deserve an Anathema Maranathae, from the Pope & his party, I have more cause to expect itthen any other: The whole Kingdom therefore will Proclaim him a notorious slanderer in this particular: He proceeds yet further, Surely (he writes, but his words are no Oracles) you have given away your ears, and have suffered as a busybody in opposing the King and the Prelates: without doubt all is not Gold that glisters: for were you not a man that had more than truth to look after, namely your own ends and particular interests, which I am afraid you strive to set up more than the public good, you should have importuned the Parliament to have continued their favour and respect to that people, that cannot prostrate their consciences to man's devices.  
Surely my conscience tells me, that I am free from this injurious calumny: For my ears, I bless God I gave them not away, but lost them in a just quarrel, against all Law and justice, as both Houses of Parliament have unanimously adjudged: But whether you did not justly lose your ears for Sedition then, and deserve not to lose he remainder of them (that I say no more) for your Seditious and Libellious carriage now, is a great question among your most intelligent friends: For my opposing King and Prelates as a busybody, perchance it might be your own case, it was never mine: What I have done against the unjust usurpations, and illegal excesses of either, I did it in a just and Legal way, upon such grounds and Authority, as was never yet controlled; and this I dare make good without vainglory, that I have done more real cordial service with my pen against the Usurpations of Regality and Prelacy, in defence of the Subject's Liberties, and Parliaments jurisdiction, than all Independent Sectaries whatsoever, and that only out of a zeal to God's glory and the public good, without the least private end or Interest, which never yet entered into my thoughts, having suffered as much as any man of your Sect (if not more) for the Public, without either seeking or receiving the least recompense, or reward; having spent not only my time and Studies, but some hundreds of Pounds in the Republics service since my enlargement, without craving or receiving one farthing recompense in any kind; whereas if I had sought myself, or been any way covetous or ambitious, I might perchance have obtained as advantageous and honourable preferments, as any Independents have aspired to, if not challenged as their right, for less meritorious public services and sufferings than the least of mine. As for my importuning the Parliament for continuance of their favours to that people you speak of; surely when I find them more obsequious to the Parliaments just Ordinances and commands, less wilful and more conscientious; I shall do them all the offices of Christian love; but whiles contumnacy, obstinacy, licentiousness, uncharitableness and Schism are most predominant in them, the greatest favour I can move the Parliament to indulge them, is to bridle these their extravagances with the severest Laws, and to prefer the public safety of Church and State, before their private Lawless conceits and fantastical opinions.  
He adds, That I am in this as cruel a Taskmaster as Pharaoh: and that the Son of God, and his Saints are but little beholding to me. Surely to confine Licentious lawless consciences to the rules of God's word, the justLaws of the Realm, and rectified reason, can Proclaim me no Egyptian Taskmaster: but rather declare your Sect mere Libertines, who will not be Regnlated by, nor confined within these Bounds; yea, I trust the Son of God and his true Saints are as much beholding to me (in your sense) as to the greatest Patriarches of your Independent Tribes, be they whom they will.  
This Libeler being questioned before the Committee of Examinations concerning this Letter, by their special favour returned his Reasons why he sent it in writing, which he no sooner exhibited, but published in Print the next day after, to defame and slander me among his Confederates; who give me now no other Epithets in their discourses; but a Papist, a Persecutor of God's Saints, an Enemy of Christ's Kingdom, who deserve to lose my head for opposing them in this cause, etc. which I no more value, Then the Moon doth the barking of a lousy Cur.  
In this new unlicensed Paper, first he vaingloriously relates his own sufferings and deserts: Secondly, Traduceth the justice of the Parliament and others, against some seditions Sectaries; misreciting many of their proceedings to the scandal of Public justice, and the Parliament, pag. 3, 4. Thirdly, pag. 5. He pretends my Books against Independents (Licenced by Authority of a Committee of Parliament) to be the principal causes of the rigid Proceedings against Separatists especially my Truth's Triumphing over Falsehood; which being subsequent in time to all the particulars he recites, could certainly be no occasion of them; and therefore he plays not only the sophister, but Slanderer in this particular. Fourthly, pag. 5, 6. He misrepeats, and misapplies some Passages of mine, to all of his Sect in general, and to HIMSELF and SUCH AS HE IS in the ARMY and ELSEWHERE: Whereas there is not one Syllable in my Passages to that purpose, but only against some particular Authors I there mention, and such of their Confederates, who maliciously and audaciously oppugn the undoubted Rights, Privileges, and just Proceedings of Parliament, contrary to their Solemn Covenant, League, and Protestation; and if you proclaim yourself or any other in the Army or elsewhere to be of this Anti-Parliamentary Regiment (as now you do) I then profess myself an opposite to you, and shall make good against you what ever I have written, when and where you please. Fiftly, He writes, That I eagerly endeavour to incense the Parliament against him, and such as he is in the Army, and elsewhere, and in the Conclusion of my Independency examined, press the cutting of them off by the sword, & executing wrath and vengeance on them upon pain of contracting the guilt of highest Perjury: A most malicious scandal: For first I never mentioned him or his in particular; neither knew I how he stood inclined. Secondly, In my Independency examined; I only in a general discourse affert, that Kings and Civil Magistrates, have by the Law of God a Lawful coercive power, thought not to restrain the sincere Preaching of the Gospel and truth of God, yet to suppress, restrain, imprison, confine, banish the brea●hers of Heresies, Schisms, Erroneous, seditious Doctrines, Enthusiasms, or setters up of new Forms of Ecclesiastical Government without Lawful Authority, to the endangering of men's souls, or disturbance of the Churches and Kingdoms Peace: These are my formal words which I there make good by Scripture, & Precedents in all Ages (& will justify by God's assistance upon any occasion against all Sectaries & Independents whatsoever) After which I close up this discourse in these very words: And if any Heretics, false-Teachers, Schismatics (choose which of these three ranks you and yours will fall under) obstinately refuse conformity after due admonition, and all good means used to reclaim them, the Poet's Divinity and Policy must then take place, as well in Ecclesiastical, as civil and natural maladies.  
Cuncta prim tentanda, sed immedicabile Vulnius,  

* Gal. 5. 2●.  Ense rescidendum est, ne pars syncera trahatur.  
Is this any urging of the Parliament, To cut you and yours off by the sword? and to execute wrath and vengeance on you? If you be such obstinate Heretics, Schismatics, or false-Teachers, who fall within the compass of my words, God forbid, but the sword of justice should be drawn out against you, as well as others, at least to chastise and reduce you to obedience, though not finally to cut you off, unless in case of absolute necessity: But if you are none of this obstinate Heretical, Schismatical Brigade (as I make you not, unless you make yourselves) my general indefinite words will relate, neither to yourself in person (whom I never once minded in my writings) nor to any of your Tribe: And therefore in this particular, I charge you for a malicious slanderour and false Informer, demanding justice and reparation from you for this, and all the forementioned passages, wherein you have wilfully done me wrong. Sixtly, pag. 6. He injuriously chargeth me, as guilty of being an Incendiary, betwixt the Parliament and their faithful friends and servants; and that my actions and practices tend to no better end, but to make him and his party (US) to be slighted and contemned, and that they a faithful, conscientious, AND CONSIDERABLE PARTY IN THE ARMY and KINGDOM MIGHT BE DISENGAGED 
Note.  and CAUSED TO LAY DOWN THEIR ARMS, etc. After which, he concludes thus, pag. 7. Now I appeal to every true hearted Englishman, that desires a speedy end of these Wars, of what evil consequence it would be to the Parliament and Kingdoms, to have such a faithful and considerable party as Mr. Prynne calumni●teth, and reproacheth as bad, if not worse than ever the Bishop of Canterbury did, should be causelessly cut off with the sword, or be disengaged by his means (especially seeing the Kingdoms necessities is such, that they stand in need of the help of Foreigners) In which Passage he intimates: First, that those Anti-Parliamentary seditious Sectaries, who confederate with this Libeler know their own particular (pretended) strength in the Army and Kingdom. Secondly, that they fight only for their own private interests, and to erect their own Church Government, not for Religion not the public Cause; since my very writing against their Schismatical seditious ways but in mere general terms (as this Libeler, one of their privy Cabinet Council intimates) and that by Authority of a Committee of Parliament, in just defence of the Parliaments undoubted Ecclesiastical jurisdiction and Authority (which they most affront of any men whatsoever) Is a means to disengage, and cause them to lay down their Arms: Thirdly, I answer, that if he & his party be such faithful friends and servants to the Parliament, and such a conscientious considerable party both in the Army and Kingdom as he pretends, my writing in defence of the Parliaments jurisdiction (which they pretend to fight for) can be no disengagement or dis-couragement to them; And therefore himself alone must be the Incendiary 'twixt them and the Parliament, and the dis-ingager of them to lay down their Arms, by these his slanderous Libels against the Parliaments jurisdiction, Privileges, Proceedings, not I who have only Cordially maintained them (according to my solemn Vow and Covenant) by public encouragement, and special approbation.  
I shall therefore challenge so much justice from this Epistoler, as publicly to retract all these his malicious Libellous slanders of me, without the least provocation given him on my part; or else he must expect from God & all good men (yea from his own best friends and party) the brand of a most malicious Libeler, slanderer, Incendiary, and undergo the punishment due to such.  
To this I might add a whole bundle of Calumnies and injuries against me in Master john goodwin's Calumny Arraigned and cast, wherein he chargeth me, pag. 2. for aspersing the Honourable Committee for Plundered Ministers and himself, in averting, that he was suspended and sequestered by that Committee; which all the Committee then, and himself with his Confederates since experimentally know to be a real truth, however they outfaced it for a time: His other Calumnies are so gross, and trivial, that I will not waste Paper to refute them.  
These Libelers are not single, but thus seconded by a Brother of their Sect, one Henry Robinson in his Pamphlet entitled; The Pretences of Master William Prynne, etc. (A mere empty Libel fraught with nothing but rail, and slanders against me) and in his latter Libel entitled: The Falsehood of Master William Prynnes Truth Triumphing, in the Antiquity of Popish Princes and Parliaments: To which he attributes a sole Sovereign Legislative, Coercive power in all matters of Religion; Discovered to be full of absurdities, contradictions, Sacrilege, and to make more in favour of Rome and Antichrist▪ then all the Books and Pamphlets which were ever published, whether by Papal or Episcopal Prelates or Parasites, since the Reformation: with twelve Queries, eight whereof visit Master Prynne the second time, because they could not be satisfied at the first; Printed in London, 1645.  
Here is a large Libellous Title, but not one syllable of it so much as proved or made good in the Book: 
Note.  wherein he convinceth me, neither of Falsehood nor absurdities, nor Contradictions, nor Sacrilege: And whereas he chargeth; That my Truths Triumphing, etc. Makes more in favour of Rome, and Antichrist then all the Books and Pamphlets which were ever published by Papal or Episcopal Prelates or Parasites since the Reformation (of which he makes not the least offer of proof in his Book) I shall aver to all the world (I hope without ostentation, being thus enforced to it) and appeal to all men of judgement who have read it; that it makes more against Rome, Antichrist, and the usurped power of Popish, Lordly Prelates and Clergymen in points of calling Counsels, the Authority of Prelates, Clergy men and Synods in making binding Canons, etc. and other points therein debated then any Book or Pamphlet whatsoever of this Subject written by any Prelate, Clergy man, Laicke, or by all the whole Mongrel Regiment of Anabaptists, Sectaries or Independents put together: Therefore this Title of his; is a most false malicious impudent slander, of a Libeler past shame, void both of truth and conscience.  
His passage against me, pag. 9 10. Is much of kin to his Title Page, where thus he writes: The truth is, I cannot deny but Master Prynne was once by more than many, and they godly too, held to be a man of Piety (and was highly honoured, in whose Books and Pamphlets notwithstanding which have been published of late) may be observed more corrupted Principles, and a far worse spirit of persecution, than ever was discovered in the late Delinquent Decapitated Archbishop, from his first ascending unto his highest growth of Authority and greatness; and in the Diary of his life, which I suppose Master Prynne Printed, not to do him honour (though after Ages will not be tied to be no wiser than Master Prynne) I find such eminent signs of a Moral Noble pious mind, according to such weak principles as he had been bred up in (his own persecuting disposition, disabling him from being instructed better) and particularly so ingenious a passage in his Funeral Sermon, whereby he justifies the Parliament in putting him to death; as I may safely profess to all the world, I never yet could discern any thing near of like piety, or ingenuity to be in Master Pryune, by all that ever I yet heard of him from first to last, or by all the books of his which ever came to my hands, wherein yet I have hitherto done him the honour in being at charges to buy as many, I mean one of every sort, as I could ever meet withal.  
Surely, I am much beholding to this Gentleman, for proclaiming me a man of more corrupt principles, and a person possessed with a worse spirit of persecution than the late Decapitated Archbishop, but the Archbishop far more obliged to him, in Canonising him for such a Saint: As for his Diary, I published it as I found it, not so much to do him honour as right, which is due to the very Devil himself: But had this Libeler remembered, that I reserved the criminal part of his life, for two other Volumes, one of them already published; and the first part of the other now at Press, which will render him, the Archest Traitor and underminer of Religion, Laws, Liberties, Parliaments that ever breathed in English Air; or had he seriously considered his obstinate impenitency, and justificntion of his innocency (though most criminal of all that for which he was condemned) even on the very Scaffold; he would have blushed at his large Encomiums of such a Traitor in affront of public justice, to cast the greater blemish on myself, who was publicly called by Authority to bring him to his trial.  
Having thus reviled my person only for w●iting against Independent new ways and fancies; having naught else to object against me, he falls soul upon my very Profession of the Law in these reproachful terms, pag. 21, 22. Certainly 'tis none of Master Prynnes least oversights thus to bring himself a Lawyer, (whose wrangling faculty sets and keeps all people at worse war amongst themselves, than all Foreign enemies can do) into a Contest with Mr. Goodwin, etc.  
If Master Prynne were a man truly godly and conscientious, he might long ere this time have considered the unlawfulness of his very calling, according to the greatest part of Lawyer's practice, in entertaining more causes than they can possibly take care of as they ought, in taking of excessive Fees, prolonging suits, and so involving the whole Kingdom in their Sophistical quirks, tricks and quillets, as that a man can neither buy nor sell, speak nor do any thing, but he must be liable to fall into their talons, without ever being able to redeem himself, the Lawyers having most of their mysteries written in little less than Heathen Language, and detaining us in such Ignorant captivity, as that we may not plead nor understand; by which and such like devises of theirs, they are become the greatest grievance, 
Note.  crying loudest to heaven for Justice to be done upon them by this Parliament, next to the corrupted, depraved Clergy men.  
Surely these Independent Sectaries, resolve to extirpate all Lawyers and Clergymen, as the greatest grievances under Heaven; that so both Law and Gospel may be dispensed only by their Lawless, Gospellesse lips, hands: and this makes them rail at these two Honourable Professions, without which no Kingdom or Church can long subsist: For my own part, I bless God, I am not ashamed of my Profession; it's no dishonour unto me, (since God himself hath honoured Zen● a Professor of it, Tit. 3. 13.) and I trust I shall never dishonour it: and though some perchance abuse it (as many do all other Callings) 〈◊〉 makes it not unlawful or a grievance, no more than other Callings, 〈◊〉 being the fault of the person, nor of the Profession: Take he●d therefore how you pr●ss● this Argument further, lest it reflect with disadvantage on yourself, who have much abused the Profession of a Gentleman, by turning Libeler; of a Merchant, in turning an Independent Preacher; of a Minister, in becoming an unlicens●d Mr. Printer of all these new Seditious Libels, in an Alley in Bishopsgate street, the very name whereof, made you such a Panegyrist, to trumpet out the Archbishop's P●ety and Graces' to the world, after his Execution as a Traitor.  
I shall rake no more in this Pamphleteers nasty Kennel, which abounds with such filthy stinking stuff, and Billingsgate Language as this.  
The Author of The Arraignment of Persecution, thus makes himself merry with me, pag. 15. That Learned Gentleman, Justas conformity of Lincoln's Inn, Esq; can throughly resolve you, both by Scripture Texts, Precedents of all sorts, and the constant uninterupted practices, examples of the Emminentest Emperors, Princes, Counsels, Parliaments, etc. It is well these illiterate Ass●s are able thus to de●ide, what they can no ways Answer or Re●ute by Scripture, Reason, or Authorities of any kind, but their own brainsick fancies.  
He proceeds thus, pag. 39 By the Apochryphas writings, and Nonsense Arguments of Mr. Edward's: By the distracted thoughts, and subitane apprehensions of Mr. Prynne; By the design of the Clergy; By their forced tears; By their Hypocrisy; By their false Glosses, Interpretations, and Sophystications, Good Lord deliver us. Here I am joined with very good company, though in a Blasphemous railing Lyturgy, fit only for such Conventicles as this Libeler indoctrinates.  
The Compiler of the Sacred Synodical Decretal, thus sports himself with Dr. Bastwick and me, pag. 22. Dr. Bastwick and Jockey shall be Godfathers, and the Whore of Babylon Godmother, and it shall be Christened, COMMON-COUNCIL OF PRESBYTERS: (here's like to be a City well governed) but it is not yet fit to be known by that Name, while the Child is in the Cradle; when it can go alone, it will be a pretty playfellow for my son jack, if the Doctor can but cure him of the Martin: 'Tis true, he hath given him a good Cordial against some Independent Qualms, wherewith my son jack hath been much oppressed, since Mr. Prynne hath been Outlawed by the Gospel, his Voluminous errors had the benefit (Sir Reverence) of the people's posteriours to correct them, (Let the Doctor have a care of his Bills) Nam in posteriori pagina, omnia sua sic Corriguntur Errata: that's a sign of some Grace; who says Mr. Prynnes not an honest man, that hath consecrated so much to such a Reverend use? But he shall have a better place when it falls, he's in the way of preferment, he doth supply the place of an Informer already, for he must do a little drudgery before he be a Judge.  
In what an uncivil, unchristian manner they have railed against my ever honoured Brother Dr. Bastwick, as an Apostate, a fighter against God, an enemy of jesus Christ's, &c. only for writing against their Independent Novelties, himself hath at large related in his Postscript.  
How they have abused Dr. Twisse, Mr. Hindersham, Mr. Calamy, Mr. Martial, Dr. Burges, Dr. Featly, Mr. Paget, and especially Mr. Edward's, (whom they revile beyond all measure) only for opposing their new anarchical Government, hath in part been formerly touched, and would be over-tedious particularly to relate: I shall therefore conclude with two passages more; the one concerning Doctor Burges, the other Doctor Twisse and the Assembly, in their last Libel, called Martin's Echo, p. 7 8. Such hath been their good service to the Church and State, that for my part, it should not much trouble me, to see them as well knocked down: I mean to see Doctor Burges, and a competent number of his brethren, set down upon their Presbyterian Thrones, judging the Tribes of this our Israel; Be ye mounted upon your great Coach-Horses, which trundle you too and fro, from London to Westminster; mount all your new Canons, and advance like mighty men of valour, The horsemen and Chariots of Israel, even whole black Regiments of you into the fields, under the Conduct of your Generalissimo, William Twisse, Prolocutor; and fire all your new cast Ordinances at once in the face of your enemies, and so finish your good work yourselves, and trust your Sacred cause no longer in the hands of the profane.  
By this short taste, you may discern the most uncharitable, slanderous, lying, Libellous disposition of these new Independent lights, whose works are so full of infernal deeds of darkness, and of the black Language of Hell.   

Section X.  
Containing seditious Queries, Passages and Practices to excite the people to mutiny, Sedition, Disobedience, and contumacy against the Parliaments proceedings, Ordinances, and to resume their power from them.  
I Have in the preceding Sections, already transcribed sundry clauses of this nature; I shall remember you only of some few more, in two or three late unlicensed Libels.  
The Author of, an Answer to Mr. Prynnes twelve Questions concerning Church-Government (supposed to be Master Henry Robinson) pag. 2. makes this Quere: What if the Parliament should be for Popery again, judaism or Tur●isme? 'tis no offence to make a Quere, NOR IMPOSSIBLE TO COME TO PASS: The greatest part of such as choose our Parliament men are thought to be Popishly or Malignantly affected: by the same Law and Doctrine the whole Kingdom must in consequence, and such obedience as you dictate, conform themselves to Popery, judaism, or Turkism, etc.  
And pag. 24. 25. He propounds these Queries, of purpose to blast the power, and Ecclesiastical Proceedings of our present Parliament, and render them detestable, or contemptible to the people.  
Whether have not Parliaments and Synods of England in times past established Popery? And whether may they not possibly do 
* You mean and conclude; Erge, you must not obey them in pulling down Popery, and setting up a Presbyterial Government againstus now.  so again hereafter? Whether in case a Parliament and Synod should set up Popery, may they therein be disobeyed by the people? If they may be disobeyed in one particular, whether may not they upon the like grounds be disobeyed in another? Whether the people be not judge of the grounds for denying obedience to Parliament and Synod in such a case? Whether the pretence of giving a Parliament and Synod power to establish Religion, and yet reserve in our own hands, a Prerogative of yielding or denying obedience thereunto, as we ourselves think good, be not an absolute 
* Not so, but only in things simply civil, and directly against God's word. We must not obey them in things against God's word, but must obey them in all things not repugnant to it, is no contradiction.  contradiction? And lastly, Whether they that Attribute such a power to Parliaments and Synods, as they themselves will question and disobey, when 
* No but when God commands us not to obey.  they think good; do not in effect weaken and quite enervate the power of Parliaments, or else condemn themselves in censuring the Independents for withholding of obedience from Parliament and Synod in such things, wherein 
* Note, the Parliament must have no more power than Independents give, or mean to give them.  they NEVER GAVE, OR MEANT EVER TO GIVE POWER? If the whole Kingdom may deny obedience unto Popish Acts and Canons, or upon any other the like just occasion, and they themselves be judge whether the occasion be just or n●: Whether may not Independents a part of the Kingdom only, do the like in all respects? Or whether ought they because a lesser part of the Kingdom, to yield obedience to Popish Acts and Canons because a Major part approve of, and agree with a Parliament and Synod in establishing them? Whether would it not be an ungodly course for any people to hazard any thing at the disposal of others, or to be carried by most voices, which may possibly, if not more then probably be decided in such a manner as the yielding obedience thereunto would be burdensome to their consciences, if not absolutely sinful? Whether were it not an 
* Where any such are imposed on them by the Parliament, they may passively disobey, not seditiously oppose; But this is not our present case, but the quite contrary.  ungodly course for the whole Commons of a Kingdom so far differing in Religion as that they profess before hand that they dare not yield to another, upon peril of damnation, to make choice of a Parliament and Synod, with entering into Vow and Covenant, to become afterwards all of that Religion, whatsoever the Parliament and Assembly should agree on? Whether it be not absurd for men to say, they will be of such a Religion as shall be settled, before they see evidence to convince them? And whether it be in the power of man to be really of what Religion he will, until he see reason and demonstration for it? If a representative State or 
* A presumptuous censure of the Vow and Covenant, and Parliaments pressing of it.  
* You Devil-like omit out of the Vow and Covenant, according to God's word, etc.  Magistrate may have Laws for setting up of a Religion, or establish what Church-Government they please; whether have not the people the same power originally in themselves, to 
* A seditious Quere to stir up the people against the Parliament, and reseinds their Acts.  assume again, and put it in execution when they please? And whether were this otherwise then to attribute unto a mixed multitude, to the world, if not absolutely as it is distinguished from the Saints in Scripture, joh. 15. 18, 19 and 17. 6, 9, 11, 4. at least by some voices, to make choice of a Religion, Laws and Discipline, wherewith the Saints, household and Church of God must necessarily be governed?  
These seditious Quaere's are since reprinted and propounded by the same Author (Henry Robinson) in another Libel of his, Entitled, The Falsehood of Mr. William Prynnes Truth triumphing, etc. p. 26, 27. to what other end, but to stir up the people to Mutiny, to rebellion against the Parliament and its proceedings (a thing lately attempted by a mutinous Petition framed by Independents, but afterwards moderated by some discreeter persons, and by some late Libellous, seditious Pamphlets) no wise man can conjecture.  
To omit many new seditious, mutinous Passages in the Arraignment tf Persecution, A sacred Decretal, and Martin's Echo; compiled, published, printed, vended, dispersed by Independent Sectaries, who highly applaud them; instead of excommunicating, detecting, suppressing, punishing the Authors and dispersers of them, I shall (for brevity sake) transcribe only this most seditious Oration in the close of Martin's Echo, directed to the common people, to excite them to mutiny and Rebellion against the Assembly, Parliament, their Military, Civil and Ecclesiastical present proceedings, deserving no less than capital punishment, being done in seditionem Regni, no less 
* Glanvil. l. 14. p. 170.  than high Treason by the Common Law.  
Pag. 16. Rejoice, Rejoice good people, for this blessed Reformation, which is ready, like an evening Wolf, to seize upon you and yours: Loving Friends and Neighbours, stand still gaping with your mouths, and quietly bow down your backs, whilst you are bridled and saddled, and let the holy, humble, and 
* You should rather say furious Sectaries and Anabaptistical Independents.  gentle Presbyterians get up and ride, they will doubtless deal very meekly with you, and not put you out of your place, though the proverb be, Set a Beggar on horseback, and he'll ride to the Devil; though they have spurs, yet they will not use them. You remember how the Bishops posted you furiously to and fro like jehu the son of Nimshi, until with foundering and surbats they have even wearied you of your lives; the gentle Presbyters will in no wise ride you so hard, though some Malignants would make you believe, that Sir john will never be off of your backs, because it is intended he shall have his holy Spiritual Courts in every Parish of the Kingdom; but this benefit you are like to have, That if by his continual riding he so gall your backs and shoulders, that you can no longer endure, but cry out by reason of your severe oppression, you shall have Liberty granted you, To leap out of the Frying pan, into the fire, by making your 
* Your Independent Conventicles, admit of no appeal, and so are merely Arbitrary and Tyrannical  appeal to the Common-council of Presbyters; forsooth, where when you shall come with this complaint, Your Fathers the Bishops made your yoke grievous, and our Parochial Presbyters, (those Lion's Whelps) do add hereto: Now do you ease somewhat the grievous servitude, and heavy yoke put upon us. You may 
* They may infallibly expect it from your Independent Churches who claim by their own private usurped power, authority to exclude all from the Sacraments, & their Children from Baptism, and imprison all such who submit not to, or oppose their Government upon just grounds of piety and policy.  expect from this Honourable Court, an Answer like unto that of Rehoboams to those distressed people, that cried unto him, Our Fathers made your yokes heavy, but we will add thereto: Our Fathers Chastised you with Whips, but we will Chastise you with Scorpions, and mend yourselves as you can, for we are the Divine power, and consequently the Lawgivers both of Church and State; therefore you are to be content and submit yourselves to your Superiors; your several Presbyters in you several Parishes, that have the Rule over you, must in no wise be resisted, but as it is meet, be humbly obeyed in all things that they shall Command you; and 
* Your Independent Church's power, is such who admit of no appeal or superior Judicature, which Presbyterians plead for.  their power is not to be questioned, for the same power which lately was resident in & confined to the breast of one man, to wit, an Archbishop, is inherent, and of Divine Right, in the body of a Presbytery, and conveyed equally to every particular Presbyter: therefore if this Episcopal power be offensive and obnoxious to you, never expect to have it otherwise, for your 
* Against Independents proceedings, admitting no Appeals.  Parliaments themselves cannot lawfully help you.  
Now have you not cause to rejoice for this jubilee, this year of deliverance from your Anti-christian servitude, to Egyptian bondage? Yes sure, therefore I say, Rejoice and be glad, and again Rejoice, lift up your heads, For doubtless your Redemption draweth nigh: The Righteous shall be delivered out of trouble, and the Wicked shall come in his stead, Prov. 11. 8 But in plain terms (loving friends, Neighbours and Countrymen) let us a little reason together seriously: Have not you born the brunt and heat of this unnatural War? Is it not you that pay all the Taxes, Cessements, and oppressions whatsoever? Is not the whole burden laid upon your backs? Burden after burden? Even till your 
* Doth not your neck deserve to be broken at Tyburn, for such seditious incitations to Rebellion & mutiny against the Parliament?  backs break? How many thousands of you, who were of great Estate, are even reduced yourselves, your dear Wives and Children, to misery and poverty? How many thousands and millions have you exhausted? Yea, hath not your hands been liberal beyond your Abilities? How freely have you brought in your Gold, your Silver, your jewels, Rings etc. which in London, Middlesex and Essex, amounted to above eleven Millions, besides threescore Millions extracted out of the Counties, with the innumerable sums otherwise raised, and spent in this service? Hath not your blood, the blood of your dear Children and Friends, been only engaged and spilt? 
A loud lie.  And is it not daily shed in this Quarrel, while the 
* Why not the Independents rather, who are guiltiest of the two, and boast so much of their number in the Army, and good service in the wars.  Presbyters clap you on the backs, animate, encourage, and Preach out your very lives and estates, and involve you in all these miseries, and themselves touch it not with the tip of their little finger; You have your Hu●bands, your Sons and Servants, Imprested from you, and forsooth, a Priest must not be meddled withal, under Sacrilege, Blasphemy, or profaneness at least: They are 
* A most false, seditious slander, the contrary being true, that Presbyterian Ministers pay greater Taxes, according to their proportion, than any other men, though many Independents scape scotfree.  freed from all charges and Taxations, and all is laid upon you; and notwithstanding your insufferable misery, your unsupportable charge and oppression, under which you groan, and are fit to expire, those greedy wretches are not ashamed to exact their 
* Why may not Presbyterians as justly exact Tithes for their pains and maintenance, being due by Law, as Independent Ministers both Tithes and Contributions too, Independent Officers, Soldiers, pay?  tithes, though they pluck it out of your children's mouths. There had been more need of an Ordinance to have sess the Priests, and imprested them to the Wars, for that would be more conducent for the Kingdoms good: For should the King set up his Episcopal Clergy, and the Parliament their Presbyterian Clergy, in the forefront of their battles, forlorn hopes, and put them instead of other honest innocent harmless souls, upon all their desperate attempts, without doubt they would as zealously preach for peace, as they do now for war: they would quickly agree and turn as they were, rather than lose all. I am confident this would prove the most effectual means for 
* When all Ministers are destroyed on both sides, Independents Lay-preachers, and Sectaries will embrace peace, not before,  our reconciliation, than any that hath been yet attempted. Consider this I beseech you, call to mind all your former expenses, ventures and cessements for this present war, and the miserable condition you and the whole Kingdom struggleth in, as it were for life, and are now all ready to be devoured; your estates are wasted, your men slain, your hands weakened, and the Kingdom is fit to be overrun, your strength decayeth, and your enemy increaseth, and all your assistance hath been conveyed through the hands of the 
b Some think most money sticks in Independents singers, who have been most active in singering and disposing monies, of which some of them give very poor accounts.  Presbyterian party, they have 
c Some think Independents have born two to one for the Presbyterians considering their number.  born all offices, & have had all in their own disposing, but what is become of it? Wisemen say, that the treasures and wealth, that hath been spent for the managing of this war, would have maintained a greater war seven years longer, some body have feathered their nests, though yours are bare: Now how think you, is it otherwise possible but the Kingdom must be ruined if this course be continued, and to add more certainty of destruction to it, these men now in this our greatest extremity, labour to divide the 
d It's such libellous firebrands as you that do it.  Parliament party in twain;  
Before the Synod was assembled, the cries of the people were heard, their Petitions answered, miseries redressed, Monopolies removed, oppressions eased, tender consciences respected, the servants of God delivered out of prisons, courts of tyranny and oppression suppressed, etc. But since their Session, the case is quite altered, nothing but jesuitical and Machiavellian policy hath been on foot, thousands of Petitions of poor Widows, Orphans and all manner of distressed oppressed persons, who cry daily and cannot be heard; and these fat Priests can have Ordinance upon Ordinance for their ends; they can have the sweat of other men's brows confirmed upon them by an Ordinance, whiles others 
e A gross scandal to the Parliament, tending to mutiny.  cannot have their just requests, for their own rights Answered: though their Wives and Children perish; our 
f This indeed is true of your Independents wives, who marry Ladies and rich widows who go thus attired.  Presbyterians wives must go like Ladies, with their silk & Taffeta, some with their fans and silver watches forsooth hunging by their girdles, to please the pretty sweet faced, lovely Mopphet withal pretty things, 'tis pity there's not an Ordinance all this while, for them to wear Rattle●; Consider this with yourselves, & for what your estates and blood have been engaged, The liberties of the subject, and the Protestant Religion, now how much after this vast expense, this sea of blood, of the subjects Liberties, have you attained? even thus much, He that shall open his mouth freely for the Vindication of your Native Liberties, cannot do it without the hazard of his own, yea of his life; I know that the Priests thirst after my blood, but I call the God of heaven to witness, would it quench their thirst, and be a ransom for our posterity, I would freely offer it to the Common good● and as for the Protestant Religion hath it not been locked up in the breasts, of the Assembly? hath not your faith been pined upon their sleeve? your estates spent, and your blood shed for the result of their minds, right or wrong, and so have fought for you know not what? But it may be you'll say, you have engaged for the suppression of Prelacy, High-Commission etc. you have indeed beat the bush, but the Presbyters have caught th●● Hare, instead of one High-commission, in the whole kingdom, you shall have one in 
* This is true of your Independent Conventicles.  every Parish under the name of a Parochial Sessions, besides the general High-commission called the Common Council of Presbyters; Now have you not, to shu● the smoke, skippt into the fire? is the matter any thing amended? sure you have got a worthy Reformation: But it may be you have a better esteem of these new Courts, then of the old High-commission: Let me ask you? do you think that they'll be better than their pattern? etc.  
Thus you may see what you are, to rely upon, if in conscience you cannot submit to any thing they command, you know your wages, you must be banished: and do not our Presbyters not only labour for the banishment, but for the lives of the Contrary minded to them? And is not this think you, as evil measure as ever was measured out of the High-commission? Wherefore I beseech you Friends, consider what you do, consider the frait of your bodies; into what slavery you are fit to enthral them. I know you would be loath your Children after you should be deprived of trading or living in the Kingdom, though they should differ a little in opinion from others.  
I beseech you therefore, save yourselves from this wicked Generation, who have spent your estates, 
* A most sedi 〈…〉 flander.  your blood and all, and you are now worse than ever you were hitherto, all hath been in their disposing, and you are betrayed, and daily delivered as a prey to the Enemy: The Lord Deliver us, Amen.  
Whether this be not another Sheba, a Trumpeter to blow up popular sedition and Rebellion against the Parliament, Synod, and their proceedings, deserving Sheba's punishment; and whether it be not more than time for the Honourable Court of Parliament to proceed severely against such schismatical Libellous and Seditious Mutineers as these forementioned, let all wise men judge. If our foolish pity and indulgence towards them (according to the proverb) destroy our City, our Church, our Religion, our Parliament, our Realms, let those superior Powers answer it, who have authority to prevent it; I can with a good conscience profess and say, Liberavi animam meam, what ever censures, reproaches Scandals, Libels I suffer for my good intentions, from this Libellous Generation of 
* 2 Thes. 3. 2.  unreasonable men, who have little faith and less Charity.  

Certain Queres propounded to Independent Ministers and their Members, convincing them in many things to be mere Papists, and swervers from the Word of God.  
1. WHether Independent Ministers prescribing, and Members submitting to a New-forme of Church-Government, not yet fully known to, or agreed on among themselves; nor reduced unto certainty by any of their Sect, but fluctuating and swimming in their Ministers giddy brains, with a reserve of altering, adding or diminishing at their pleasure; be not a mere Popish blind obedience? a receiving of a Church-Government with an implicit Popish faith, to believe as their Minister or Church believes, without knowing certainly and determinately what they do dogmatically believe? and a plain worshipping of they know not what, their Independent way and Government, being yet not fully delineated nor 〈◊〉 in writing by any of their party, though frequently pressed to it.  
2. Whether Independent Ministers, Members, Churches denying the lawful legislative, directive, coercive Authority, Jurisdiction of Parliaments, Counsels, Synods, Kings, and Temporal Magistrates in all Ecclesiastical affairs, or matters of Religion; appropriating this power wholly to themselves and their Independent conventicles; Their pleading of an exemption of themselves and Members from all secular Powers in Church matters, as being immediately subject herein to none but Christ: Their usurping Authority to erect and gather New Independent Churches not only without, but against the command of Parliaments and Princes; Their daily practice of admitting, rejecting Church-members, & excluding godly Christians not only from their Churches, but even from the Sacraments, and their children from baptism in case they submit not to their New-fangled way: Their denying the liberty and benefit of Appeals from themselves to any superior Tribunal; be it a Classis, Synod, or Parliament, by way of ●urisdiction but only of advice. Their proclaimeing their own Independent Churches, to be the only true Churches of Christ; and allothers f●lse, erroneous, Antichristian, from which all must sever under pain of damnation; Their imposing New Outhes and Covenants, under pain of exclusion from Church-communion on all their new members; and binding them wholly to their ways, Edicts; Their stilling themselves supreme heads of the Church next under Christ; and exalting themselves, above all that is called God, or worshipped, above all other Ministers or Christians whatsoever, as the ONLY Lights of the world, and tying the Scriptures to their own new-fangled expositions; be not an erecting of a mere arbitrary, tyrannical, Papal, Antichristian Jurisdiction in every Independent congregation, both over the souls, consciences, bodies of Christians, and a setting up of as many Petty Popes, as there are Independent Ministers or congregations?  
3. Whether Independents admitting Women, not only to vote as members, but sometimes to preach, expound, and speak publicly as Predicants, in their Conventicles, be not directly contrary to the Apostles Doctrine and practice, 1 Cor. 14. 34. 35. 1. Tim. 2. 11. 12. and a mere politic invention to engage that Sex to their par●y? Whether their pretended Liberty of conscience for every man to bleeve, profess, and practise, what Religion he pleaseth, (be it Paganism, Judaisme, Turkism, Popery) without coercion or punishment by the magistrate, be not a like wicked Policy, contradictory to Scripture and Religion: which proclaims a licen●iousnesse to practise any sin with impunity? and warrants Popes, Papists, jesuits to murder Protestant Princes; blow up Parliaments; Massacre Heretics; absolve subjects from their allegiance; Equivocate; worship Images, Saints, Relics, and their Breaden-god; and commit any wickedness for the advancement of the Catholic cause, because their Religion and Consciences hold them lawful. And how then can we justly punish any Traitor, Rebel, Murder, Adulterer, Swearer, Drunkard, Polyganist, Thief, in case he be really persuaded in his conscience, what he doth is lawful?  
4. Whether the Independent Ministers in the Assembly will undertake to bind either themselves or all others of their party for the future, without any reserve of altering or changing their opinions and practice, to that Independent way of Church Government, which Mr. Thomas Goodwin, or they shall at last, after long expectation, set down in Writing? If yea, that contradicts their own Profession, and Protestation in their Apology: takes away that liberty of conscience they contend for; and Attributes a greater Authority to them alone to oblige their party, then to the whole Parliament or Synod. If no, then certainly it is vain to expect a set 〈◊〉 of Church-government from those fluctuating Divines, who till neither under-take to oblige themselves or others for the future, by anything they resolve on or practise for the present: and a mere sottishness for any people to depend upon such unstable weathercocks, and rolling stones, who know not where to rest or settle; And that way certainly can be none of Christ's, on which the very prime sticklers for it d●re not absolutely and immutably to fasten for the future, what ever they pretend for the present.  
5. Whether public preaching, prophefying, and expounding the Scriptures by Independent Soldiers, Tailors, Weavers, and other illiterate Mechanics, neither publicly called to, not fitted for the Ministry, especially when and where there are able painful preaching Ministers to instruct the people, be not a most exorbitant. arrogant, scandalous, and disorderly practice, no where warranted by God's word, but directly condemned by Numb. 18. 21. 22, 23. c. 16. 3. to 41. 2 Sam. 6. 6. 7, 2 Chron. ●6. 16. to 23. jer. 14. 14. c. 27. 19 Hosea 4. 4. 9 Mal. 2. 7. 2 Chron. 17. 8. 9 Neb. 9 4, 5. c. 12. throughout. Mat. 28. 18. 19 20. Mar. 16. 14. 15. 20. Acts 20. 28. Gal. 6. 6. Hebr. 13. 17. c. 5. 4. 1 Tim. 3. 2. c. 4. 14. 16. 2 Tim. 4. 2. 5. Rom. 10. 14. 15. 1 Cor. 12. 28. 29. c. 14. 29 to the end. Tit. 1. 7. 9 Contrary to the very light of Nature, the Priests among all heathen Nations whatsoever being distinguished from t●e people, and not all promiscuously Priests, Gen. 42. 22. 26. 2 King. 17. 32. 1 Kings 12. 31. 32. Zeph. 1. 4. Acts 14. 13. And quite opposite to the practice of all christian Churches in all ages?  
● 6. Whether Mr. Hanserd Knols (the illiterate Anabaptist) his Moderate Answer to Dr. Bastwicks' book, p. 19 20. where he avers: That the condition upon which people are to be admitted into the Church, are Faith, Repentance, and BAPTISM; and NONE OTHER. And whosoever (poor as well as rich, bond as well as free, servant's as well as masters) 
* Acts 16. 30. 31, 32, 33. Acts 8. 12. 36, 37. 38. 39 Acts 18. 8. Neither of which texts warrant your practice of Rebaptisation of Christians formerly baptised by others.  did make a profession of their faith in Christ jesus▪ land would be baptised (he means rebaptized) into (he should say in) the name of the Father, Son, and holy Spirit▪ were admitted Members of the Church; but such as did not believe, and would not be baptised (though formerly baptised by others) they would not admit into church communion. And that this hath been the practice of some churches in this city, without urging or making any particular covenant with members upon admittance: Doth not herein diametrally contradict his other Independent brethren, who exact particular covenants, from their new admitted Members and do not re-baptize them? Whether he hath not played the anabaptistical juggler with▪ Mr. Cranford, in printing only, Imprimatur IA: CRANFORD, in the title of his Book, and leaving out the preceding formal words of his Licence, to the great abuse both of the Reader and Licenser, viz. I have perused this Treatise (called A Moderate Answer to Dr. Bastwick) which THOUGHT JUDGE ERRONEOUS, yet to satisfy the desire of a Friend, and prevent the cavils of some Adversaries, I oppose, Imprimatur ja: Cranford.  
And whether these and such like practices proclaim not the Anabaptists such as 
* The Dippe●s dip●. p. 204▪ etc.  Dr. Foa●ly proves them: A False and lying sect, if not blasphemous too, as the premised Sections declare some of them to be?     

A Transcript of a Letter lately written from the Summer Islands, to William Prynne of Lincoln's Inn Esquire; relating the Schismatical, Tyrannical, and Seditious Proceedings of the Independents there; and how they Lord it over the souls and bodies of those who dare oppose them; how contemptuously they speak against the power of Parliaments, the Church of England, and scandalise all others whatsoever, who are not of their Faction. Which God's Providence newly brought to my hands from thence, when I was closing up the premised Discovery.  
Worshipful Sir,  
ALI health, happiness, and prosperity wished unto you (as to mine own soul.) The occasions moving me at present to trouble you with these unprofitable papers, are great and many; and happily I being a stranger unto your Worship, you may account it more than boldness, yea even peremptory sauciness, in me to presume to write and crave favour to and from one who never had the least knowledge of me. But the manifold reports I have heard of you by divers good Christians, emboldeneth me; but especially seeing your good works which I have perused with care and diligence, which from Mr Sparks his brother I procured, enforceth me so much the more in this my boldness, not doubting but that you are a true hearted Christian, truly fearing God, embracing piety and hating iniquity, a faithful well-willer to the Church of God; and to all the Israel of God, and to all true Israelites who with faithful hearts love the Zion of God truly and sincerely, without hypocrisy or halting between opinions, dessenting from it in any by or false respects, the which are the only causes moving me hereunto: And for which I have suffered, and a●● and have been these thirteen monnthes' 
* This is the Independents liberty of conscience where they have power in their hands.  prisoner in bonds, for standing in defence, and an opposite unto, or against a certain Independent Church, hatched and forged in the brains of our Divines; and by them constituted, erected, and fully accomplished; and with us held in great repute and adoration, yea and the Actors of it not as men, but even as demi gods, attributing that unto them, which is only proper unto God; especially unto their Pastor Mr White, 
Note  the chief Actor of their Faction, a most seditious turbulent, and hateful malicious person, and as politic as Achitophel, and as crafty and subtle as the Devil, having as he holds the world in hand, that by his wisdom none can excel him in the laws, both Ecclesiastical and Civil; and therefore amongst us, (a company of poor simple ignorant and undiscerning people) he is so accounted of, as all his words are oracles, and himself no less sent from God; and therefore whatsoever he saith, is and must be a law, whether it concerns Body, Soul, or Conscience; for he cannot crre, so perfect is he in their conceits: And if 
* Is this the liberty of conscience Independents plead so much for?  Christians in grief and distractions of soul and conscience, at their courses, shall sue unto our Rulers for redress of their factious and seditious courses by way of humble petition, for a cessation of those things, till we shall hear from England, what Discipline the high Court of Parliament and Synod hath concluded upon, and that to embrace and follow; then shall we presently be summoned to an Assizes, and there undergo such penalties as by the Court shall be censured upon, or else, which they most aim at, to have us, contrary to knowledge and conscience, acknowledge we have wronged them, and there in open Court before the Country confess ourselves sorry for what we have done; this is our misery: yea if I shall speak, much more write in our own defence against their Independent Church, laying open their factious and schismatical government, and their envying against our Church, and Church government, and Discipline, though they have proofs and grounds sufficient by the word of God to convince them, the which I could never yet see disproved by them; together with my name annexed thereunto, yet if he threaten me for boldness herein to have a Counsel Table called against me, I am sure of it, and there to be baited and banded to and again by a whole Counsel; together with our Schismatical Divines, even as a Bear at a stake, not one to speak one word in my defence, nor in the defence of God's cause; 
Let their own Law there be their judge here.  but with an unanimous consent and voice my writings exclaimed against, pronounced Libels, and ignominious and slanderous writings, though none of them approved so to be, nor disproved for the Truth I stand for; yet shall I be censured by them, for them, bound to my good behaviour, put in sureties; and if at any time afterwards I shall divulge any thing either by pen or tongue against this Independent Church▪ their Governors, or Government, Doctrine, or the like, I must then presently be declared infamous▪ and lie in prison till to the contrary we hear out of England; yea however, for want of Sureties in this case, to lie in prison notwithstanding till I can or do put in Sureties; the which I did for the space of five weeks, to my great damage and charge, and also detriment, being an aged poor man of 74 years of age; and five nights in the cold winter time almost drowned in the prison with rain, and sore tempestuous weather, 
Independents Liberty and Charity to their brethren.  having no shelter to save myself dry: These, with other things, have I undergon, too large for to relate, and that chiefly from this White of this Independent Church, Pastor; I mean by his means, for if he sayit, it must and shall be by our Rulers, who indeed ought to be chief instruments in removing and casting out such venomous vermin out of both Church and Common-weal●● But how can it be expected, when they themselves are inconfederacy with him, and join hand in to work wickedness; therefore whoever speaks or writes against one, doth it against all; therefore with a cunning sleight they put it off, as not being done in the behalf of their Church; but as that by it I labour the subversion of the peace of our Country as much as in me lay, as though our Country's peace rested wholly upon the planting of this their Independent Church, whereby they have made more and greater breaches, as can be manifestly proved, then ever they will be able to make good, both in Church and Common wealth: 
Not  yea in private families also, the husband against the wife, the wife against the husband, the children against the parents, the parents against the children; and the like, according as yourself have worthily noted in your twelve Interrogatories. Is not this a great misery in so little a spot, even a handful of people; Oh miserable times! Oh unhappy conditions! Now if you demand a title or name of this their Church, or from whence derived, I cannot answer you; for I suppose themselves know not, only framed of their fancy and brains, only to get themselves a name, fame, and popular applause and estimation of the world: But thus much I am sure of, it is derived partly from the Anabaptists, partly from the Brownists, but most especially from the Donatists, having in it a smatch of each; however they feign it to the Church of New England, which, as they say, is the purest Church this day in the world; yet come they far wide of it, so that it is but their saying not their doing. But grant that they were in their way aright, yet hold it we not requisite that their examples should be rules to us to walk by, seeing that both the one and the other have been constituted and erected by an indirect way, 
Note  without the advice and approbation of lawful Authority of King, Parliament, and Synod, the which our men say they are not to attend or wait upon Princes nor Parliaments leisures, the cause being Christ's own, and depending only and alone upon him, and not upon any humane power: and they his servants, and Christ their Lord, it refteth on them in his behalf to do it, it being a spiritual and no carnal work. And again some of them have said it, 
Note their Insolency against the power of Parliaments.  that Parliament and Synod can establish no other Church Discipline or Government than theirs, unless they will go contrary to the word of God; this hath been publicly delivered: yea by the same party such stuff hath been delivered, that hath made all modest and shameful faces to blush, ears to glow, and hearts to grieve that hath heard it; yea and that upon days of humiliation, making divers people both objects and subjects openly to work upon; thundering out punishments and judgements, both spiritual and temporal, against divers persons, as though they had both swords in their own power, or as though they had absolutely known Gods secret decree; and this hath been held for sound and good Orthodox Doctrine, when divers have repent of their hearing; and these not once nor twice, but often. Infinite might I relate, even from their own mouths, which would make wise men admire, but I must pass over them to avoid tediousness to myself, and trouble to you. And that in your wisdom you may the better conceive of this their Church, The first beginning was a certain Feast, held every week at several houses, which Feast they called a loblolly Feast; which for the common fare of our Country is as our watergruell in England, so they would have it but of a common food; at which Feast each did strive to excel another in the difference of making it: after they had once gotten a certain number unto them, and so of an ordinary food they made it extraordinary; yea so extraordinary, that some in few meetings were forced to sell the feathers out of their bedding, 
Note  for milk, butter, and cream to feed them withal, and to make their Loblolly the more dainty and toothsome; others again to maintain this Feast, for one day's entertainment, themselves and whole family must pinch for it two or three months after; by which Feast, by the show of neighbourhood or Feast of Love, though never none was found, in short time they increased in every parish to a pretty number. At which Feast also their bellies and stomaches being well gormondized, the Minister propoundeth certain questions unto them by way of catechising of his own framing, for half an hour; which each had in writing one from another, and like Scholars these their lessons to learn against each Wednesday, and great care was taken; some for fear of reproof, and some popular applause: and these ca●●chisings being ended, they then for an hour or two discourse of neighbours that would not join with them, traducing both names and persons; this man is a drunkard, a whoremaster, and the like; such a woman was light and wanton, and loved such and such a man; such a man loved such a woman; this was the manner and order of their Feasts, till at length themselves were most of them drunkards and whoremongers. 
Note   
The next thing was, a day in a week at noon for two hours' space to catechise youth and children, upon a simple small Catechism set out by one Mr Oxenbridge, son to Doctor Oxenbridge of London, who with his wife especially were the first groundworks of this Faction: Who in time before it came to any perfection, departed from us, but left the cursed seed or fruit of their Faction behind them: they being gone, this Mr White as chief, takes in hand to accomplish this business, which with another as forward, but better seen in it then themselves, one Mr Golding, a young head but well learned in Schismatical Science, if not worse, joins together, labours with and overcomes an ancient man, Mr Copeland by name; and then on all hands with an unanimous consent, they join their forces for the erecting and establishing this their Church; and then in stead of catechising youth, they would catechise ancient people young and old of both Sexes: This they could not well accomplish, being by divers withstood; but seeing they could not bring that to pass, then would they not suffer any to communicate without examination before, and that as well Believers as others, yea them especially, though never so learned and sufficient, which bred a sore broil amongst us; yet of many could they not have their wills, though put from the Sacrament.  
Then denied they to baptise children, unless the Parents rehearsed the Creed, and such as did had their children baptised, and such as would not, theirs were not. Then having made themselves strong by increasing their company, they then began a weekly Lecture upon every Wednesday, one one week, another another week; these exercises were wholly and only for the building up of this their Church: Exclaiming against our Church, both in Matter, Manner, Order, Government, Discipline, and Governors, applauding this their own, the holiest, and purest Church upon the earth, next unto New England: here they deny all supreme power of Magistracy, yea of the King himself, only to guide them in the channel, and to defend them and maintain them in this their Church, Orders, and Discipline, to punish all such as shall oppose them: themselves being chief thereof under Christ, but especially their Pastor White, so pronounced by their Prolocutor, one of our present Governors in the house and presence of God, and the whole congregation, that he was 
* A New Independent King and Pope.  Supreme head of this Church next under Christ, and none above him: this was one Mr Painter a Cooper. Then the other two Ministers were chosen Elders, whereof Mr Golding the younger man in years was the chief, Mr Copeland the inferior, next a Deacon one Mr Robert Cesteven a Counsellor, and a great stickler; thus have you as yet all the Officers: But before this choice the baptising of Infants was quite rejected and given over, holding a tenet, that children ought not to be baptised, but only such as were of years of discretion, and able to render an account of their faith, according to Mark 16. 16. with divers other places, saying, they were no Pastors, and therefore durst not 
* Independents true Anabaptists.  baptise one nor other, and that they had baptised more children already then they knew how to answer: this was Mr Whites own speech unto myself upon a Lecture day, I having two of my children to baptise at the same time. Upon this I confess, and se●ing the great inconveniency that did arise thereon, and many children in the Country to be baptised, and many more like to be, I put pen to p●per and write unto our chief Governor Capt. William Sail, four or five sheets of paper, and presented as a new years' gift, he being the only man, as I supposed, to redress and reform by virtue of his place and power, all such erroneous and factious errors both in Church and Common weal; but hard success I found in my Epistle unto him: In the front of the work, I showed him how I was perplexed both in mind and conscience for yielding unto them through his instigations and persuasions, at an Assizes before, 
Note this schismatical practice.  for another writing delivered by me unto Mr White himself, upon his and the rest their silencing themselves, leaving our Churches upon the Lords days, and gathering swarms of people into their own houses as Conventicles; and there have reading, singing, praying, expounding, and preaching, yea if truth were known, the Sacrament also administered in their private houses; and all these Ordinances denied in the houses of God, yea they were slighted, contemned, scorned, and rejected, even as jakes: these at the beginning of constitution of their Church; nay in one small tribe or parish three or four such several places of meetings, and the houses of God destitute. Secondly I writ against Independent Churches according to my poor understanding, I being a man of no learning, but especially against their Church, saying, had I power and approbation, I would shake the whole fabric thereof; this was taken very heinously. But to let pass other things contained therein, come we to the work, where first I maintained our Church of England against all Independent Churches, to be a true and a perfect Church; yet so, as not being free or clear from all defects, as no Church under heaven was, is, not never will be, comparing our Church with all other reformed Churches, and their defects and deformities. Secondly by seven ways I maintained the lawfulness and the necessity of baptising Infants, where I answered divers objections of the Anabaptists, and theirs also unto me in number fourteen, and laid down their objections severally.  
Thirdly and lastly, I showed who of necessity were bound, and therefore aught to baptise infants, namely those to whom God had given the dispensation of the Word and Sacraments, that is, such as God hath called to the Ministerial function, and endued them with gifts and graces answerable for their Callings, such and none but such aught to meddle in the word or Sacraments; here I showed the duty of all who had children to baptise only to such, and to none but such: then next, the duty of Ministers, they being so sought to; they ought, they must baptise them: next I confuted and condemned certain heretick● and schismatics that denied and refused to baptise infants, and namely themselves; and lastly concluded with a friendly exhortation to all Ministers to be careful to perform their duty in this, and in all other points. This in brief was the sum and effect of my new years gift, of which I heard not a word for three week's space, in which time, yea so soon as he had it, he shows it to the Ministers, who all this time perused, scanned, and sifted it; upon the which Mr White comes to my School, salutes me kindly, with one with him to catch and bear witness what proceeded from me, at length uttered his mind; amongst many other passages, that I perverted the Scripture to my own ends, saying I had abused the words of our Saviour, Luk 10. where he commandeth little children to come unto him, and forbid them not: you maintain saith he, he means such children as suck the breast, here is your error, saith he, 
Note.  and for this you shall smart; but saith he, his meaning was, such as were newly converted to the faith, these, saith he, are those that Christ calls little children or babes, as in 1 john 2. 1. Therefore for this your 
* This is the Lordly anabaptistical liberty of conscience that Independents grant to their Orthodox Brethren.  absusing and wresting the Word, you shall answer it, and I doubt not but to crave so much favour of the Governor, as to call a Council table, where you shall answer your abuses, and peremptory scandalous and libellous writings, and so at length we parted. The next week following I writ a Letter to the Governor, giving him to understand, I had taken him for an honest Christian friend, telling him withal▪ I sent it not to them but unto him, supposing himself only would have made use of it for some better ends, and withal laving open Schismatics more plainer than before, advising him upon them five marks or tokens to know them by, to search and see if he knew none or could find none. Then I showed, that Faction and Sedition did spring from these sins, Pride, Hypocrisy, and Ambition; and from these three did arise presumption, and rebellion, both against God and man, showing how and wherein; praying these sins were not found amongst us, but neither named nor pointed at any that hold could be taken. The next Sahbath a warrant was served on me for my appearance at a Council table the thirteenth of February 1644, where being as before, I was so baited and banded to and again, as wonder it was, and shortly 
* Why should not independents hav● the like liberty of conscience as they grant their opposites?  after clapped in prison: however nothing traversed that day, save only the Letter, nor my new years gift never questioned; when and where I made mine appeal for England, where God blessing me, would I have been at present, had it not fallen out, that in October last in the dead of the night, my house with all I had therein was burned, to my great loss and prejudice; so that being altogether unable, I am forced with sorrow to stay behind, as not being able to put clothes on my back; having also burnt all my writings, which hath been more grief to me then the loss of all my means and goods, which was more than of mine own I shall ever see again.  
But having digressed from the proceeding of this Sect, I return again where I left: and having given over the baptising of infants for a good season, at length they gave over preaching, as being no Ministers, as being made so in an Antichristian manner; 
Note the manner of gathering Independent Churches and ordination of their Ministers.  and no true Ministers till such time as they were new called and ordained by their holy Church; which at length was accomplished: in which time they still continued their weekly Lectures; whereat there was added, and they received members unto and into their Church daily, but after a most strange manner; their exercise being ended, those that were to enter in, came upto the Chancel with great sobriety and show of humility, and sorrow, with contrition, and wounding of conscience for sin; and there stand, but with much hypocrisy and dissimulation; and there before the Pulpit, with all the holy brethren and sisters about them, they make a confession of their sins, are in outward show sorry for them, with great contrition: upon which enquiry is made among them, what they think of their confession and contrition, and whether they are not worthy as members of their holy Church to be received in? answer is made, yea: then they tell them, they do accept of them, and with great applause they all receive them, all shaking and embracing and hugging them, with great joy, biding welcome brother, 
Such are fit members for lawless Independent Churches.  welcome sister. But such confessions and doings as you never saw the like; insomuch that Law might justly take hold of many of them: but these open confessions have a pretty while been left off, they being ashamed of it in regard the people mock them, telling them that this open auricular confession is mere idolatry and superstition; therefore now they have private confessions; and whosoever entereth into their church, must also enter into covenant to stand to and to maintain their church and church-discipline, orders, governor's, and government, 
Note this confederacy.  to the uttermost of their powers and abilities; yea they must endeavour and strive therein even unto blood. And concerning baptising of infants at the taking up again of their ministry; they also have taken up again the use of the Sacraments, but only among themselves; but for any that are not in or of their church, their children shall not be baptised unless they will enter into their church, and covenant with them; neither for the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, shall any partake thereof, but only their own Flocks and Members, by which cause many people who have an ardent desire thereunto, have been deprived of it, some 
* Is this liberty of conscience or rather tyrannising over men's consciences?  two years, some three years, some more some less, to their great grief and sorrow; And for the manner, form, and order of the Sacrament amongst themselves, it is according to their Faction, derogating from our mother Church as I hear: and for all such as are not of them, nor adheres unto them, we are accounted as 
† This is Independents charity and humility.  heathens, yea even as dogs, or swine, and so reputed. Thus in brief have I laid you down the order and manner of their Church from the beginning to this present, which hath been in agitation these four or five years; and whether it be yet fully perfected, I think themselves are ignorant of; but now is their main hope, that their great Pastor of their Church is now come for England, and that from and by the Parliament he will accomplish a full and absolute settling and establishing this their Church amongst us, 
Note  by virtue and power from the Parliament, and by friends that he will raise, especially by the means of one Mr Holland, one that bears some place of eminency in Parliament, who is a great and extraordinary friend of his; the which if he should accomplish this their wicked desires, then will they tyrannize over us, and bring a great confusion upon our whole Country, and raise civil wars among us, to our utter subversions, being in comparison but a handful of people, to the great grief and hearts sorrow of many honest Christian hearts, who desire the peace of God's true Church, but for all false ways we utterly abhor. And now Worshipful Sir, with favour give me leave to use by way of similitude the words of Mordecay unto Ester c. 4. 14. who knoweth whether thou art come to the Kingdom for such a time as this? Even so say I to you Sir, what know you whether the God of mercy and consolation hath raised you up as an instrument or means for these distracted times? yea, what know you, whether by your help and assistance you may not be a means and help for the release and delivery of many poor distressed and distracted Christians from the cruelty and tyranny of these Schismatical Schismatics, 
Note  whose mercies are mere cruelties, which we know by woeful experience we shall find. And however we are far remote from you, yet we beseech you (I speak in the behalf of many) let your goodness by your aid and assistance even stretch itself to the utmost ends of the world, if occasion be offered, for the good of God's Church and people; and as your works coming by God's blessings amongst us, to our great joy and comfort, and to the vexation of our malignant adversaries; who notwithstanding slights them, saying, you have writ according to your understanding, and to the corruption of your own heart, and that you have been answered and foiled in your own arguments; persuading poor simple ignorant people unto any thing; for divers having seen your twelve Interrogatories, struck them into such a damp and distemperature, that they knew not what to say or do, until their Pastor especially with their Elders, through deluding speeches, gave them as they suppose some comfort; otherwise I persuade myself many of their adherents had revolted from them, and turned Cat in the pan. But no marvel though they slight you; for they do sleight all the most reverend Divines and men of learning, 
Independen●s Atrogance and spiritual pride  wisdom, and gravity, whose lives have been cautious, pious, and religious that have been before them: let a man name any foreign and domestic, some they will set at naught, others haply with a more reverend respect, yet slight them (as myself at times have produced at least a hundred upon occasions) they will answer, they were good Reverend men in their days, and taught well according to their times; though you name the Interpreters of the Scriptures, or bring in Beza or junius, upon their Annotations, yet say they, these were but men, subject to failings and errors, and their days were the times of ignorance, and of superstition, and the clear light of the Gospel was not then so manifestly and so clearly made known unto them as now it is, the Lord revealing his will with a greater splendour in these latter days unto his Servants the Ministers then in former times, for the calling and gathering together of his Elect from the four corners of the world, and by them in these latter times hath showed a more nearer and easier way to Heaven then formerly (O impious impiety!) wherewith they delude poor simple people, deceiving them, being void of understanding and discerning even to their destructions: for let a man discourse with them, and show them their folly and their blindness, and show them the erroneous ways they are in; this presently is their answer, 
* Independents blind obedience as bad or worse than Popish.  we do know that our Teachers, who are our Leaders, they are wise, learned, religious, pious, and holy men, and they cannot err, say they; and they have pawned their souls upon this way, and would they wilfully damn their souls were it not the right way, no 'tis impossible; therefore we will never forsake this way, but whatever they say or teach we will build our Salvation upon it, and seal it with our blood: Thus have they taken poor souls captives and deceived them; and through their delusions we have daily a falling away, forsaking the old way which is the true way, and turning to Sin and Schism, and erroneous Factions, which are new invented ways never heard on till not much my time before. Wherefore we beseech you, we beseech you in the bowels of love and compassion, let the serious consideration hereof move you to enter list with this stout Champion, whose pride we know to be such, that he will overcome ten thousand better than himself; and not only to enter list, but also as God hath called you to, and seated you in a place in that high Court of Parliament; that so you would oppose his enterprises and hinder him of his desired purposes, that so he may not come with Power and Authority from that High Court, to lord it and to bear rule over the Lord's inheritance amongst us, but rather forced to recant, and lay down all his and their Schismatical courses, or confine them all together to some other place. Things coming into my mind one after another, causeth me not to set them down so exactly in order as they happened, but somewhat confusedly: I should have told you at first, this man, Mr White, was by the Company of Adventurers sent over some years since, Minister for our two Tribes, Pembroke and Devon, and by the Earl of Dorset then Governor, with the whole Company, they bound him in a bond of two hundred pound stirling to live with us peaceably and quietly, and to follow the Orders and Discipline of our Church for the space of three years after his arrival; which argued he was a man of a turbulent spirit in the place where he was, at Knight's bridge near Westminster 
* Independents formerly as Episcopal and Ceremonious as Presbyters. ; during this time of his bonds he was at hot a zealot as possible might or could be, both for the Book of Common-Prayer, as also for all other Ceremonies of the Church, as kneeling at the Sacrament, Cross in Baptism, Ring in the Marriage, and all other things whatsoever, so long at his bonds lasted: But suddenly after he turned upside down, and after four years he began these things; and seeing he could not accomplish his desire with us, he made shows of leaving us and go to another Charge that was vacant, unless we would sue unto him by 
† Spiritual pride if not Papal.  humble petition, as unto a Prince, which we refused to do; the other they did, and gave him a Call, and with their Call, a hog of forty shillings price; which Call he received and embraced, forsook us, and went unto them: He had not long been there, but by some of our Tribe he was sued unto to come to us to baptise three children; the which he did, he and his wife, Mr Copeland and his wife being witnesses to one; where his Text being (He that despiseth you, despiseth me; and he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me;) At which time he did so exclaim against us, saying, we despised him and his Doctrine, and had cast both him and it from us, and so consequently God the Son, and God the Father, because we would not sue▪ unto him by way of petition: When he also for our fact, pronounced a doom against us in his Pulpit, saying, Stand up ye of Pembroke Tribe and hear your doom, which was, you shall live here these twenty years without a preaching Minister; comparing also our Reader to the Idol Dagon; the Reading-pew to the place of Desolation, saying, Here sits the Idol of Abomination in the place of Desolation; saying our Book of Common-Prayer was an Idol also. And still in their weekly Exercises, defame they our Church, and Church Discipline, with the Orders and Manner thereof, crying, she is unclean, she is unclean, polluted, defiled with Antichristianisme, both in Church-government, Manners, Orders, and Discipline, yea throughout; therefore say they, Come out of her my people, and take not of her pollutions, with divers such like; yet for the man, I must confess he hath been and is a worthy and reverend Teacher, which causeth many, yea most people the easier and sooner to be deceived, as also by humble carriages, and pious walking, which is such, that as our Saviour saith, is able to deceive the very Elect, by their walking in sheep's clothing; but sure I am, they are ravening wolves, and easily may be discerned by their fruits; that is, by their Doctrines, the which however it sound good to simple people, and is as honey in their mouths, but sure I am, they tend only and wholly to their own Schismatical Faction. And thus have I been large in my Discourse, and troublesome unto you, though in brief. Now Sir, you know that he who cutteth wood over his head, is in danger of the chips flying in his face; so fareth it with me, I having been an opposite against them, both by speaking and writings; they are therefore become mine inveterat enemies, and have from time to time traduced me: and as the case once was yours, so is it and hath been mine, having suffered much by our Rulers, through their means, they being all in a confederacy; and likely, if he can possibly, suffer more; but I hope will defend me from their cruelty by the help and means of you; who are able to sympathise another man's case by his own, and be the easier stirred up to compassionate my case, and to do your best endeavour for me, and many more honest hearted people, who by me desire from you the like favours; so shall I and them also be bound to pray for your prosperity here, and everlasting happiness hereafter; desiring you to keep this writing to yourself, and make use of them, and not show them to any, except to some sure friends, not but that any thing herein contained is also absolutely true, but that they are mine inveterate and malicious enemies, and if by the Parliament they should get their desires, then am I sure to suffer most exceedingly; therefore I am forced to send to you underhand by way of Mr Spark, and another to write the subscription of his Letter, that my hand be not seen; such laying wait there is for any my writings. This Gentleman the Bearer, hath in some measure been a copartner with me in suffering, and hath had much trouble, and is now come for England to clear himself from many false accusations laid to his charge, as also to maintain the Country's aggrievances and his own also: And if your Worship shall be pleased to do him any friendly office, either by word or Counsel, he will be thankful, and so shall more; and with myself in especial be bound to pray for you, and ever rest your truly devoted and faithful well-willer in heart till death to be commanded.  
Richard Beak.  
Sir, I desire your favour I may hear from your Worship, which will be a joy to me and many others, who rejoice of you, and hope well in you.   

This Letter is seconded by sundry others from thence to the same effect, and to move the Honourable Houses of Parliament to take some speedy course for the quenching of those flames of Schism and Sedition, which these New Independent Lights and Firebrands have kindled in this Plantation, and taking off the unsupportable yoke of Tyrannical and Arbitrary Government over the Persons, Estates, and Consciences of the Freeborn English Subjects there, which these Lordly Tyrants have imposed on them, threatening ruin to this Plantation; which I hope their Honours, and all others concerned in it, will seriously lay to heart.  
I shall add to this two other Papers, (to wit, a Petition, and Advertisement) sent lately from the same Islands to me by Mr Richard Norwood, which fully discover the Schismatical and arrogant Proceedings of the Independents there; and refute their present Innovations in a substantial satisfactory manner.  

To the Right Worshipful our Worthy Governor Captain josias Forster, and his Council.  
Right Worshipful and worthy Governor, etc.  
I Know you are not ignorant of the rent or division here begun, which though I believe (as you have often testified) you favour not, yet through your gentleness and forbearance towards the Authors and Abetters; It grows very strong, and is like to prevail; which I suppose you know not, but may further understand if you be pleased to make enquiry, and to hear other men. For mine own part I frame not this as a complaint or accusation against them, being but one man, and the matter concerns all; besides I have seen the success that others have had that ways, and I know they are too strong a party for me or any one man to encounter with. But being very sensible of the danger approaching, lost by my silence I might seem to consent unto it, I thought it necessary to give notice, and to endeavour what in me lies to prevent it, whatsoever may befall me for so doing.  
Therefore I have written this Advertisement following, which I could wish might come to the hands of all. The intent and scope whereof is, to invite and persuade all to a cessation from setting up any new discipline and government amongst us until we hear what is decreed by the Honourable Assembly of Parliament: Or if that cannot be obtained (as I have small hope, considering how eagerly they pursue their ends, and how great a number they have gained to their party) yet that the authors would express punctually in writing, what manner of Discipline and Government it is which they would set up.  
And because (it may be) they will say, that they have already expressed it in their Sermons, especially in their Lectures ordained for that purpose; therefore I have set down thirty or more doubts of special moment which they have not yet cleared. Neither is it fit that our Religion or this part of it (which they would seem to make a principal part) should remain in their breasts only, for so they may add, detract, or alter, as they please; but aught to be fully expressed in writing. And I believe they are scarce agreed themselves touching all points of their intended Discipline; which you may perceive if you please to examine them severally, according to these or such other questions, as you shall think fit.  
Therefore in the first place (according to my duty) I humbly present this Advertisement to the consideration of your Worship and your Council, to whom God hath committed the Government of this place, and of all persons here, and of whom he will certainly require it, if such an evil as is threatened should befall through your neglect. For although the great Antichrist and his Clergy did prevail to persuade Christian Princes and Magistrates, that the Government of the Church and care of Religion pertained not to them, but to the Clergy, and the like, is now here preached amongst us: yet I verily trust, you entertain no such false principle. For, to establish true Religion, to maintain it, and to see that the duties of Religion be duly performed to God and man, is almost all that the Law requireth, and so is almost (if not all) the duty of the Christian Magistrate. And this being taken from him, and put upon the Clergy, he may serve as an officer to execute what the Clergy shall decree, but ceaseth in a manner wholly to be a Magistrate. Thus commending you to the tuition and direction of Almighty God. I rest  
March 6. 1642. Your Worships in all due observance, RICH. NORWOOD.   

An Advertisement to such here as have care of the Conservation of true Religion.  
IT is and aught to be the principal care of every good Christian, to conserve the knowledge and exercise of true Religion in himself and others, being the one thing necessary. But from this these times have much declined everywhere; and even in our dear native Country, so far as called for a speedy Reformation, or threatened ruin. And seeing little hope of the one, the latter was justly feared by many, and by myself (I confess) amongst others, being the principal cause of my coming hither. But the Lord hath mercifully stayed those fears, and given us fresh hopes by the Reformation in so great a measure begun by the present Parliament, which also they endeavour through many difficulties to accomplish more fully. And considering how worthily they have begun, and what great things they have effected above all expectation, we have no cause to misdoubt them, nor to anticipate their Honourable proceedings, but rather to attend what shall be determined by them; especially considering that we of this place, as we have not been much burdened, except by some Ministers; so now we are altogether unburthened of the Ceremonies, and whatsoever else hath usually been offensive to good Christians in England. For if we should set up a new Government or Discipline and form of Religion here, we must alter it again when we understand out of England what form the Parliament have or shall establish: Some say no, our Ministers are as supreme heads under Christ of their several Churches here, and not subordinate in these things Ecclesiastical, to Parliament or any other power upon earth whatsoever: but this opinion savours too much of Antichristian pride and presumption. Others say, the Parliament will establish the same form that our Ministers will set up here; but these conjectures do much wrong that Honourable Assembly; for if the matter were so easy and evident, that our Ministers here can presently determine it; then what need the Parliament so long to debate and consider of it? What need such consultation with the ablest Divines in England, and many other from all parts? And why hath there been such difference of opinions touching this matter even amongst the most godly and learned in Christendom for these 100 years together.  
I remains therefore, that we must change again when we hear from thence, and considering what changes have been made by some already, if we should now make another change in setting up a new Discipline, and shortly after another when we hear out of England; such mutability would neither be safe for this place, not suitable to the steadfastness of the Church and people of God, 
〈…〉.  which is the Pillar and ground of truth, and must not be wavering, and carried about with every wind of Doctrine etc. The Apostle makes it a sign of a double minded man to be unstable in all his ways: and in the Epistle to the Hebrews; 
〈…〉.  Be not carried about with divers and strange Doctrines etc. And the Prophet saith, Why runnest thou about so much to change thy ways? It will be answered, we intent not to change, but to the better; but withal remember, that such is always the pretence, and ofttimes the intent in all Innovations whatsoever. Therefore Solomon saith, My son fear God and the King, 
Prov. ●. 21.  and meddle not with them that are given to change. Not but that even the best Christians may al●er sometimes in some circumstances of Religion (some good and weighty causes requiring it) but it must not be through levity, nor of an high mind, nor for self ends. A restless levity, and that with contempt of Authority, under pretence of greater and new lights, is a dangerous sign of an anabaptistical spirit. Therefore I say, what we change, aught to be done with the fear of God and the King. In the fear of God, namely according to his Word; and with the fear of the King, that is, consenting with the Laws and Sovereign Authority set over us; or at least not with an high hand in contempt thereof; For every soul must be subject to the higher powers; 
Rom. 13. 1.  yea saith chrysostom, though he be an Apostle, though an Evangelist, though a Prophet.  
Therefore I could wish (as I have often persuaded) that we might stay for the determination of the Parliament in these things, and likewise the approbation of the Company in those that concerns them. But because some here are very impetuous, and a further change is daily preached and pressed amongst us, I have little hope to stop the violence of this stream. Therefore to the intent we may understand and consider what to do, and (as the saying is) look before we leap, I should in the next place desire, as many others do, and as it concerns us all to desire of them, and of our Ministers especially, that they would be pleased to set down in writing, 
Note  whatsoever new thing in Doctrine or Discipline they would have us entertain, different from the practice or tenants of the Church of England; that so each thing being well considered, examined, and adjudged by the Word of God, we may entertain or reject it accordingly.  
I know there are sundry Objections alleged and pretended, more than I need to repeat or answer here; For howsoever it is true that we are to submit ourselves to the Word of God, I mean the holy Scriptures in all things; yet not so to men, 
Objections  especially when they seek themselves in stead of Christ: No though they tell us, they are the mouth of God, and sit in Moses chair; and therefore must be heard and obeyed; and that the government of the Church belongeth to them next under Christ, and that even Caiaphas, though a persecutor of Christ. yet when he had the place of Highpriest he prophesied the truth. And though they tell us we must not strive with the Priest, nor reprove our Reprover; and though they accuse us to have rejected and opposed more good Ministers than any other like place professing Christianity (of which there is no show of truth I know) and that they which rebel against the Ministers, cannot be under the Government of Christ, with many heavy threats against such: And though they threaten to leave us destitute of the Word of God, if we make any resistance; and though it be often alleged, that we have rare and reverend Ministers, endued with new light, and that so great, 
O Arrogance●  as the like hath scarce been since the Apostles times; Nay I have heard some, and those of note, prefer it before that of the Apostles, at least in some things. And further, that all four of our Ministers concluded of a new Discipline, and new courses of edification, whereof two being gone into England to agitate the business there with their friends, and in Parliament: God hath sent another from Providence almost miraculously, who was not of their counsel, and yet doth approve of all their proceedings, and as earnestly press them as the rest. Besides (say they) all the chief professors in the Country are for the same; yea the chief Authority in the Island, next the Governor. So that all things thus concurring, shows (say they) that there is an extraordinary hand of God in the effecting of it; and therefore we ought quietly to yield ourselves to them, lest we resist even God himself.  
These (I say) and other the like arguments in this case, 
Answer  however they may prevail much with some that have other foundation for their Religion besides the Scriptures; yet to an understanding man they will easily appear to be of small value, as would be more evident in answering them particularly, which I shall readily do if it be needful. But having no purpose here to dispute, but rather to invite to a cessation from these occasions of strife and controversy, or at least wise to a due consideration of what we do; I shall only answer in general. It is a saying of Divines agreeable also to the experience of good Christians, That Satan never tempts more dangerously whether by himself or others, then when he doth most persuade us not to resist his temptations, but to yield ourselves to them; And even the Lord himself doth sometimes prove his Church and people, whether they will cleave unto him (that is hold fast to his Word) or unto other Lords, other lights, other spirits besides his, 
1 Cor. 11. 19  as Deuter. 13. 3. And so the Apostle foretelleth, there should be Schisms, and Heresies in the Church, as, For there must be heresies even among you, 
2 Pet. 2. 1●  that they which are approved amongst you might be known. And so, But there were false Prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false Teachers among you. Therefore we must not take up our Religion upon the credit of men, how great soever they may seem to be, but examine things by the word of God, and see that it be firmly grounded there. To the Law and to the testimony, if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. Therefore they must prove by the word of God (not by outward signs and wonders) the things they teach, and would have practised. And first let us know them fully, and with those noble Bereans, search the Scriptures, and examine them throughly before we entertain them.  
They tell us daily of a greater light, whereby they discern these things, and other great and glorious things that are working and already begun in the world within these three years, and will shortly be accomplished, even so great and so excellent a change in the world as may seem to be a heaven upon earth; the Lord grant it, and hasten it; but withal let us desire and expect these things with sobriety and watchfulness, lest whilst our eyes be taken up and dazzled with a present expectation of these high and glorious things, we see not the danger that is at our feet, but be caught in the snare before we be aware, 
Act. 1. ●.  remembering the words of our Saviour in this case, when his Disciples asked him saying, Lord wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdom to Israel, 
Act. ●. 7.  He answered, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.  
I have read in some History of the West-Indies, that about 100 years since or more, the Island Vianis (which some of our men are now gone to discover) and all those Lands thereabout were Inhabited by certain Indians, which for ingenuity and feature surpassed many others; these held the immortality of the soul, and thought that when it departed the body, it went to a kind of Purgatory, which they supposed to be the cold Northern Mountains congealed with frost and snow; where after it was sufficiently purged, it went from thence into countries more Southerly, and there abode for ever, enjoining a thousand delights and pleasures. The Spaniards having knowledge of this opinion of theirs, and wanting men to work in their gold mines, came thither with Ships from Hispaniola or Cuba (which are to the Southward) and making some goodly show, told these silly Indians that they were come from the Southern parts, places of great felicity, where the souls of all their Ancestors and friends departed were in all joy and happiness; and they were now come to transport them immediately thither, that they might never come at all into that Purgatory in the Northern parts: These simple people being dazelled with the conceit and imagination of these things, could not forethink their danger at hand, but came flocking to the Spaniards in great numbers; who when they saw their opportunity set sail, and carried them thence to their gold mines, where they were soon consumed with grievous service and slavery. In like sort it concerns us not to be so much transported with any glorious pretences of some great temporal freedom and felicity at hand, as to be drawn in any sort from the Church of England, especially as it is now reform and in reforming, but to know fully of those that would draw us whither they would have us go, and upon what grounds, that so we may search the Scriptures, and throughly examine those grounds thereby.  
God hath delivered our Nation (as many others in Christendom) from under the bondage of the great Antichrist, we have not prized this deliverance, nor made that use of this liberty, nor those many mercies and blessings accompanying it that we ought. And considering our great abuse of God's favours, and in particular the sins of this place in all sorts, Magistrates, Ministers and people, and especially the evident unsoundness of those that are Professors here: It were just with God whilst we look for light to send us darkness, and whilst we propose to ourselves the speedy ruin of Antichrist, great freedom and glorious times (all which the Lord can effect in his due time) we fall ourselves into another servitude and bondage perhaps as grievous as the former, under petty Antichrists. For if that grand Antichrist come down (as we have good hope) and a company of Clergymen should arise (whether Ministers, or who else) that should as it were divide his kingdom among them, by assuming every one to himself such a like power over his Church, or the people committed to his charge as the grand Antichrist usurped over the Catholic Church, and that as he did lure Divino (which they pretend) surely they would become so many petty Antichrists, and the Church should be brought into servitude and thraldom as before.  
And indeed, as the error to which the jews were most inclined in general, was to set up other gods, that is false gods, attributing something to them which was proper to the true God: So the error to which Christians in general are most inclined, is to set up false Christ's; that is Antichrists of the Clergy, attributing something to them that is peculiar to Christ himself, or to his Church, which is Christ mystical; As was foretold by the Apostles, and is evident by the experience of all Ages since Christ: And of which our Saviour himself seems to give warning, 
Matth. 24. 24.  when he saith; For there shall arise false Christ's and false Prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, so that if it were possible, they should deceive the very Elect. And by such means, even the Pope himself and all his Clergy had their first rising, having the Suffrages and help of some that seemed otherwise to be good Christians.  
It behoves us therefore to be earnest with God in prayer, to walk more worthy of his grace, 
2 Thes. 2. 11.  and the light of the Gospel vouchsafed unto us, lest he send us strong delusions; to be sober minded and watchful, remembering there will be always some Antichrists, and that the Church and people of God is never like to be free from persecution, affliction, and temptation in this world; And that we shall never have such Ministers, whom we may absolutely trust to for our Religion (as some here profess to do.) Calvin in his Preface to Psychopannychia, hath those words, Is this to learn Christ, when a man shall apply his ear to any doctrines; yea, though they be true without the word of God? If thou receive it as from man, wilt thou not as easily entertain lies? for what hath a man that is his own but vanity? Therefore we must always have the loins of our minds girded and our lamps burning, 
Luk. 12. 35.  and stand upon our guard ourselves: And so follow men (even the Apostles themselves) as they follow Christ. 
Cor. 11. 1.  The Apostle speaking of Ministers saith, 
Col. 2. 1●.  Let 〈◊〉 man at his pleasure bear 〈◊〉 over you by humbleness of mind●— advancing himself in those things which he never saw (but are of his own devising) rashly puffed up with his fleshly mind. And in another place, Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: 
joh. 4. 1.  And for trying the spirits, we must follow the rule of our Saviour, who saith, Beware of false Prophets which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening Woolves, 
Mat. 7. ●6.  ye shall know them by their fruits, etc. And their fruits are their conversation and doctrine: But the conversation of themselves and their adherents, being a thing more personal, and so apt to stir up offence (which I would avoid so much as I may) I forbear to prosecute.  
Their Doctrine than we must examine by the rule of God's word; which that we may the better do being a matter that so much concerns us, we should desire as I have before said, we might have the particulars wherein they differ from the public doctrine and practice of the Church of England set down in writing. This if they be not able, or shall disdain to do, as not accounting us worthy for whom they should do it, they must not be offended, nor complain of us that we are opposers in this matter of the Kingdom of Christ, and will not be ruled by them in the course of their Ministry; for what discretion were it, to follow strangers we know not whither?  
It's like they will say, they are no strangers, they have lived long here. But as we know one of them came by an accident very lately; the other two though they have been long among us, yet they are in a manner strangers to us, for they are not the same men that formerly they were, having changed their opinions and practices in many things that we know, and it is like in many other things that we know not, and how far they will proceed, and where they will make a stand we know not, nor it may be they themselves.  
If they shall say (as some pretend) that the Government and Discipline which they would have us entertain, is of itself evident by the word of God, to every one whose eyes are not blinded by the god of this world, & that they have declared it already in their Sermons, especially in their weekly Lectures, which it seems they have instituted for that purpose: As he that preached the third Lecture seemed to intimate, when speaking of this intended Church and Discipline, he said, His first reverend Brother had laid the foundation, his second reverend Brother had showed what must be the materials of this building, namely, such and only such as could bring good testimony of their conversion and holy conversation: And he was now to show the form and order to be observed in every particular Church, and how each one was to be Superior or Subordinate to others (though he did not this at that time so far as I understood.) The same things or to the same purpose were again repeated in the fourth Lecture. But I say, all this notwithstanding, the things are of themselves obscure and doubtful; which doubts they have not taken away, but rather increased. Some of which doubts amongst many, I will here set down, not raised from speculations of things afar off, and not like to trouble us, but such as arise from that which is frequently preached and pressed or practised amongst us. In which though I endeavour to understand things in the best sense, yet because they express not themselves plainly, I may mistake their meaning in some things, and therefore also do the rather desire they would fully and plainly express their intent in writing: as one that am ready to join in whatsoever I understand, to tend truly and indeed to the advancement of the Kingdom, and Government jesus of Christ, but would not be miss by the devices of men, under this or any other pretence whatsoever.  
1. 
A man would think that seeing there are twelve Laymen (a● they term them) to one Cleargy-man, be could not retain his power ●ver them, but experience shows the contrary, that if he be an active Politition that hath authority on his side, and can make use of a Popists Principle which is in most men by nature, he may rule them almost as he list.  WHether they mean to set ut Vestries again, for every Tribe as formerly they have done, and so to govern the several parts of their charge by several Vestries of a dozen men in each Vestry▪ whereof the Minister to be the chief; and so to inquire, hear, and present Offenders as heretofore?  
2. Whether they mean to continue those weekly meetings which they call Loblolly Feasts, whereof also the Minister is the chief; And what persons shall be admitted to them, and upon what terms?  
3. Whether they mean to continue that Lordly or Masterly practice of universal Catechising all men and women weekly, begun here almost two years past, and pressed upon all with great vehemency; And that all shall still be tied to answer according to that Catechise of Mr Oxenbridges, called Babes Milk, or some other?  
These three practices as they have been used here, being as I conceived their own inventions, and not grounded on the word of God, nor the examples of the Primitive or other Reformed Churches, nor on the Laws of our Land, but pressed upon us merely by their own Authority, I did in some sort oppose at their first coming up; namely, by testifying both privately and publicly my dislike of them, and the reasons why: But especially the last more at large, whereunto I was moved by Mr john Oxenbridge, who took upon him to write a defence of this practice of universal Catechising all men and women, and of true Believers in special; and to answer the Objections which I had made against it. But what he hath performed, and how well beseeming his worth and reputation, I leave to the j●dgemnt of such as have or shall peruse my Confutation of that his Defence and Answer, where I have put them together: Touching these three practices, I should move sundry questions, but that it seems they are all laid down of late, and as it is thought will not be taken up again, therefore we shall pass them over, that we may come to those new things which they urge now.  
4. Whether this Discipline and form of Religion, which they would set up, be the same in all points of moment with any other Reformed Church whatsoever, except perhaps in Providence, where it had no such success as should induce us to embrace it. If they say, yes, in New-England, we are very doubtful of that, (not knowing certainly what is practised there) the rather for that some have endeavoured to establish universal Catechising here upon that ground saying, it was generally used there, which appears not to be true: Besides, if such a Discipline be there, it is no leading example to us, partly because they have had no long experience of it, and partly because there may be much difference between the people there and here; for if all Magistrates, Ministers and People were eminent in piety, we need not much care what Government were used, no, though it were wholly Arbitrary, for none would injure another (and to this condition the Churches in the Apostles times seem nearest to approach.) But here where it is far otherwise, and in other places in general, men must be wary what Discipline and Government they set up, presupposing it must come into evil men's hands as well as good, yea, and that more often.  
5. Whether this Discipline be fully set down by any sound Divine, and not rather framed by themselves, borrowing from several Churches, and several Divines, what will best serve their turn? And whether our three Ministers agree in all points touching the Discipline they would have us embrace?  
6. What several Offices, and how many Officers shall be in every Church, and how subordinate one to another? And whether the Minister shall not be the chief of those Officers, or as it were the supreme Moderator or Governor of them all, without whom nothing shall be established, and also to have the principal hand in putting in and putting out these Officers? for so they seem to intimate.  
7. Whether this Minister and his Officers will govern and censure the rest according to some laws or in an Arbitrary way? and if in an Arbitrary way, to whom shall they appeal if they have wrong? And who shall question and judge the Minister if he decline from the truth, or be a wicked liver? And whether this be not like to prove a very tyrannical government if it come into evil hands, which must be presupposed?  
8. If they will govern and judge according to some laws; what be those laws? whether some already extant, or some others which they will frame, and who they be that shall frame these laws? and what shall be the several penalties or censures for Delinquents?  
9 What trial (in things of importance) the party accused shall be allowed? The Common Law of England (to avoid tyranny and injustice, to which the corrupted nature of man is much inclined, and even of Clergy men as well as others) allows a trial by 12 indifferent men, which are honest and free men, of good rank, having no dependence, nor are in fear of the judge, nor bear no ill will to the party accused, but such as are like to deal impartially, and that upon Oath. Whether he shall have that or some other so fair a trial?  
10. What things they be which they will undertake to judge of? and whether any thing shall be wholly reserved to the judgement of the Civil Magistrate? or whether the party offending, or the matter in controversy, shall be punished or judged of both, namely, by the Civil Magistrate, and also by th●se Ecclesiastical judges?  
11. If they say they will judge only of Ecclesiastical matters, what are those matters Ecclesiastical, and how exempted from the jurisdiction and authority of the Christian Magistrate? For the Pope and Bishop obtained of Kings that sundry things might be called Ecclesiastical, and so belong to their spiritual Courts (as they call them) which are no more Ecclesiastical than other matters which belong not to them.  
12 Whether these Ministers and other Officers shall be judged by the Christian Magistrate in all things as other men? or how far forth they shall be under his jurisdiction and authority, and how far forth exempted?  
13 From what places of Scripture is such a form of Government deduced, justified, or allowed?  
14 Who shall be the other members constituting these intended Churches, and who shall be excluded from them? To this all or some of them at least seem to answer expressly, that they shall consist only of such as are truly regenerate, and can bring sufficient testimony of their conversion and holy conversation; and all others shall be excluded as Heathens, Canaanites, Publicans, etc.  
15 And seeing they have said sometimes, and will, I suppose, grant, that not one fourth part, nor it may be, one tenth part of the people here or in England, are able to bring such sufficient testimony of their true conversion and holy conversation, and thereupon shall be excluded Christian society, and reputed as aforesaid, whether this will not breed a most dangerous division between Church and Common wealth, threatening the ruin of both?  
16. I suppose they cannot but be sensible in part, and foresee the desperate issues of such a Separation; and therefore it would in the next place be known, whether they intent not to salve it by some politic course, contrary to these principles, and what good policy can be used to this purpose? For mine own part, I can think of none; for either they must frame Religion to the people as the Popes and Romish Clergy did heretofore, making it suitable to the dispositions of most men; or else (which is more usual) feign a people to Religion; admitting and accounting whom they lift through partiality, favour, and sinister respects, to be truly religious, though they be not, and so receiving them into the Church as true converts, though they can bring no good testimony of their conversion and conversation. This policy (I confess) may have fair pretences, and would advance them highly above all men; As they which opening, no man can shut; and shutting, no man can open; this would set them a● Gods in the Temple of God, the Church, and bring them in infinite gains. But it would set up many Antichrists, as busy, violent, and rigorous within the small sphere of their activity, as the great Antichrist hath been in his: It would turn Religion into policy, making it serve for humane purposes. 
jam, 〈◊〉.  The faith of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ should be had in respect of persons; It would prove a tyrannical usurpation over the true Church, as the popish policy hath done; for which, as for sundry other reasons that might be alleged (if it were not palpably wicked) it ought not to be suffered.  
17. Whether there be any place of Scripture to justify such a Separation as is afore mentioned? they say, yes; because John the Baptist said to the Scribes and Pharisees, O generation of Vipers, who hath forewarned you to fire from the wrath to come? therefore a Minister may keep out of the Church such as cannot bring testimony of their true conversion and holy conversation; This and other like reasons they allege, which are so insufficient, that they need no answer, especially having no purpose, as I have said, to dispute here. But a matter of so great consequence ought to be clearly and fondly proved; which doubtless they can never do.  
18. What times they were wherein the Church did thus separate from itself all that could not bring sufficient testimony of their conversion and holy conversation? because they say, in former times it was the usual practice of the Church, but show not in what times, nor where, nor for what causes. There is no doubt but those that live or fall into gross or manifest sins, may be separated or excluded; Also in times of persecution they would no doubt be very wary what strangers they did admit into the Church; but that's not the thing in question.  
19 Many other doubts in this matter they leave untouched or uncleared; As 1. Whether Infants shall be received into the Church by Baptism before they can bring this testimony? 2. Whether those that have been baptised without such testimony, have been rightly entered into the Church, or shall need to be baptised again? such a rumour there is spread, upon what occasion I know not. 3. What manner of testimony this must be? 4. Who must give it, and whether a mans own testimony may not serve in this case, and when? etc. these and many other like should be cleared, which we pass over.  
20. Whether they mean, that any man may of himself excommunicate another, when they say frequently, a man may, or I would pass a private excommunication against such or such a man?  
21. What they mean to alter in the administration of the Sacraments? I hear there is much variety of late. The last child which I saw baptised, the Minister required the Father to say his Creed, which done, the Minister made an exposition of it, making some doubt also of some part of it, and then asked the Father if he would have his child baptised into that faith, who answering, yea, it was baptised; and thus I hear he useth of late to baptise others. Now it would be known, why it may not serve the turn for the Father to testify his assent to the Articles of the Creed etc. as heretofore hath been used? 2. Whether the child and parent also may not be very uncertain of the Faith into which the child was baptised▪ seeing the Minister's exposition is not recorded? 3. Whether they have the same opinion of the Creed that they seem to have of the Scriptures, that it may not be publicly read or repeated unless it be also expounded by a Minister, and why? 4. Whether this tying of the Baptism to the Ministers exposition, may not serve as a fit opportunity for Heretics (not yet discovered) to baptise children into their Heresy?  
22. Whether the Scriptures be not the word of God, able to make a man wise unto salvation, 
● Tim. 3, 15.  except only then, when they are pronounced and expounded by a Minister? And whether the places of Scripture that we (which are no Ministers) allege in any case, be not also the word of God, as true and of as much source as if they were pronounced by a Minister?  
23. Whether the writings of Eminent and approved Divines may not be read in the Church, when there is no Sermon? Nay whether they may not prove more profitable than the Sermons of some schismatical or other unworthy Ministers?  
24 Whether our English Common Prayer (having never yet been called in) may not be read in the Church, such things being altered or left out as have been doubtful or offensive to good Christians? Or whether it is so faulty that it may not be used at all? Because they will not suffer it to be read at all where they preach; and as I hear, intent to abolish the reading of it quite.  
25 Whether they will permit any other book of Common Prayer used in any other Reformed Church, or some other that may be framed, or that no set form at all may be used but such prayers only as the Minister doth then conceive, nor any thing read, no not out of the Scriptures, but what the Minister doth then expound?  
26 How long it is they mean when they say a few days, that they would have men that would be converted or receive a further degree of grace to exercise themselves in humiliation, before they shall partake of those enlightenings and comforts they speak of? and after what manner this is to be done, and from what ground of Scripture?  
27 What Covenant it is which they persuade so much all the members of this Church to enter into at their admittance (and which as is thought is already begun) whereby they must be bound one to another? and how far forth they must assist and defend one another? what are the particular parts and circumstances of this Covenant, and how it shall be confirmed, whether by subscription or by some solemn vow?  
28 Whether he which hath entered this Covenant, shall still remain as he was, a true member of the Church and Common wealth of England, or be of some other Reformed Church, or of some Separate & Independent Church?  
29 We grant there is often mention in Scriptures of a Covenant betwixt God and the people, etc. but whether there may be any warrant in Scripture for such a Covenant between all the members of this Church, as they would have? 
Acts 9 26.  They allege for it these words, And when Paul was come to Jerusalem, h● assayed to join himself with the Disciples: where say some, the word join that is in the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
Acts 8. 29.  signifies a joining by covenant; but I find no such thing in my Lexicon. I find the like word used where it is said, Then the Spirit said unto Philip, go near and join thyself to yonder Chariot; where, by joining is meant no Covenant. Other places they allege, but we would see some to the purpose if they have any.  
30 Whether it be not injurious to the Honourable Assembly of Parliament, to pretend such Innovations or changes to be according to their mind, which they have never authorized, nor declared themselves to have any purpose to authorise or allow?  
Many other doubts I have omitted, but by these which I have noted, is may sufficiently appear, that though they have long preached of these matters, yet many things remain very uncertain. And if they would take the pains to set down in writing, as aforesaid, all parts of their intended Discipline and Government, it would be very profitable to themselves; for it would give them occasion more throughly to consider it, and more wisely to order it. Is there cause then that they should be so incensed against those that make question of these things in a moderate and Christian way? or whom they fear will oppose any of them, as to threaten them with the judgements of this life, and of the life to come; yea, to assign them the lowest places in hell, as if themselves were well acquainted, and had such power in disposing places there, as the Pope pretends to have in purgatory? Surely we learn in our first entrance into learning, Qui dubitat, qui saepe rogat, mea dicta tenebit; Is qui nil dubitat, nil capit inde boni. Is it just or reasonable they should accuse, censure, and defame such an one publicly in the Pulpit, where the party accused cannot, without offending the Congregation, and the Laws, answer for himself, though he be innocent? Surely in all equity the accusation, especially of one that is innocent, ought not to be more public than his defence or answer is permitted to be. Is it suitable to Christian charity to use heavy imprecations or cursings against such, and when the hand of God is upon such a man in any affliction, as sickness losses, death, or the like; to set him out in the Congregation by evident and well known circumstances, as an adversary to God, and as one whom God was now smiting to destruction for his opposition and obstinacy against the Kingdom and Government of Christ (as they call this their intended Discipline.) Doubtless it behoves Ministers to have some fear of God, and respect of man, and to lay aside these carnal weapons, whereby they would affright and terrify us, that we should not dare to quitch nor make the least resistance, whilst in the mean time they set up themselves as Lords over us in their intended Discipline, calling it the Kingdom and Govenment of Christ; But if they would indeed set up the Kingdom of Christ, 
〈◊〉 6. 17.  let them take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, and make good what they deliver, by that. And for us (as many I mean as have care of the preservation of true Religion) let us hold fast to the word of God, and not be discouraged; nor let that go, though they upbraid us in a scoffing manner, saying, Come you Scripturian●, you Scripture-men that must have Scripture for what you will do; come, I will give you Scripture enough to overthrow your Religion, turn to Ezekiel etc. These and many other such speeches, what else do they relish but of a spirit of the old Antichrist, which being now more discovered and expelled from his former habitation, walks about through dry places, seeking himself an habitation in some other persons and places, where in a new disguise he may practise his wont malice undiscovered. Let us stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ ha●h made us free, 
Gal. 5. 1.  and not be drawn from the Church of England, which we know, to join ourselves with any new separate and Independent Church which we know not; although we hear many contumelious and reproachful speeches uttered against the Church of England. They ought to be better affected, and to give that honour which is due, as they which have sucked her breasts, and received as their natural, so their spiritual birth there, if ever they were new born.  
We ought to acknowledge, with thanksgiving the abundant grace and mercy of God towards the Church of England; who hath made it no less honourable than any other Reformed Church whatsoever, whether we consider the first Reformers, being men of fingular Piety, and blessed Martyrs of Christ; Or the purity of Doctrine there publicly professed even to this present. Or the number of holy Martyrs, who have advisedly sealed that Doctrine with their blood: Or the eminent lights in the Ministry successively shining there in great number: Or the many and sincere Professors and Practisers of Religion there, ever since the Reformation; Or lastly, if we consider the many great Deliverances which the Lord hath vouchsafed us, from the wicked plots and hostile attempts of the common adversary, crowning all with much prosperity, and causing the fame and glory of it to be spread throughout the world. These and the like have not been seen in their separate and Independent Churches. In the mean time, we deny not, but that besides our many other grievous sins, there have been also many gross faults and intolerable in the Ecclesiastical Policy and Discipline, as it was abused by those that were entrusted with it, and many foul effects have thence proceeded, which have (especially of late years) corrupted Religion, eclipsed our glory, and laid it in the dust, caused the Lord to hide his gracious and loving countenance from us: And was like to have proved the remediless ruin of Church and Commonwealth: Of which sins though we all stand guilty before God, as having been Authors or Procurers of them; yet it becomes not any, that is, or lately was a member of that Church, to upbraid her with these things in a despiteful manner: 
Gal. 4. 17.  Such men according to that saying of the Apostle, Are jealous over us amiss, yea, they would (alienate our affections, and) exclude us (from the Church of England) that we should altogether love them. But these corruptions as they have been for the most part forced upon the Church, by the usurped power of those which were entrusted, and pretended the greatest care of the Church; so they have been, and we trust will be cast out and Reform by the present Parliament.  
Now I would not be mistaken, as if I desired to derogate any thing from the dignity of that most eminent calling of the Ministry; I have no such meaning, neither do I think a worthy Minister to be unworthy or unfit for other the most eminent Offices or callings in Church or Commonwealth, were it not that he hath a most eminent calling already sufficient to take up the whole man, and unmeet to be yoked with other callings, as the Apostle saith, 
2 Cor. 2. 16.  who is sufficient for these things; And the Apostles do reject such employments with a kind of contempt saying, 
Act. 6. 24  It is not meat that we should leave the word of God to serve Tables, and a little after, we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the Ministry of the Word, intimating that these things would hinder them from prayer and the ministry of the Word; whereby it appears, they would not be Deacons, nor take upon them any other Office in or over the Church, but spend themselves wholly in the word and prayer; the like might be manifested by sundry other Scriptures. And the evil of it hath been so generally observed in England, that (as I heard) Queen Elizabeth, when she had conferred upon a Minister authority and power to rule, was wont to say, I have spoilt a good Preacher to day. And surely (if we observe it) the desire of Superiority and Dominion in or over the Church, in Ministers and Clergy men, and the readiness of Princes and people to confer it upon them; hath been a principal, if not the principal cause in corrupting Religion from time to time, and of setting up the great Antichrist, and many others, as might easily be showed if it were not an argument too long for this place.  
Thus far (through the gracious assistance of God) I have expressed my mind in this matter, to the intent I might stop, so much as in me lies, the setting up of a new Discipline and Government of our own framing, seeing we are already freed of all those things that have usually been burdensome and offensive to good Christians in England; and that we expect daily the further determination and decree of the Honourable Assembly of Parliament in these things, Or if I cannot prevail so far as to stop it, yet that we might look before we leap, and understand well what we do before we do it. Or if neither that may be obtained, yet hence it will appear, that myself and some others deserve no blame, much less such evil speeches as are usually vented against us by some, because we will not rashly run with them we know not whether. And lastly, I desire that this may be a public testimony of my judgement in these things. For to be present, and hear them daily pressed, and to be always silent, is taken for a sign of consent and approbation.  
March 1. 1642. RICH. NORWOOD.    

Postscript.  
SInce this Advertisement of mine came abroad (though but a month,) what horrible forespeakings, threatenings, imprecations, and censures have been publicly denounced against me in several parts of the Country, I shall not need to repeat, being too well known. Neither will I answer them accordingly lest I also be like them; I will only in the fear of God, and by the comfortable assistance of his holy Spirit apply that saying, 
Numb. 23. 1.  How should they curse where God hath not cursed? Or how should they detest where the Lord hath not detested? 
2 Sam. 16. 12.  And those words of David, It may be that the Lord will look on mine affliction, and do me good for his cursing this day. A desperate thing it is for men to blaspheme against some good light; and what is it, to acknowledge the good gifts and graces of God in those which they so bitterly preach against; and to overwhelm them all with most foul and feigned susspitions and aspersions without cause? As when they say, Satan will not use profane and wicked men, but he makes choice of those that are of good and able parts, men of a religious life, of a blameless conversation; these close hypocrites he makes his instruments to oppose the Kingdom of Christ (that is their intended Discipline) etc. with other like speeches. I say it is very dangerous for men thus to give way to wrath and malice. The Scribes and Pharisces did see, and would no doubt have acknowledged the eminent gifts and graces that shined in our Saviour, if he would have applied them to the establishing of their Faction. But because he would not do so, they maliciously traduced him, and said he had an unclean spirit; but he reproves their desperate wickedness, showing how nearly they did approach, or became guilty of the sin against the Holy Ghost. And let every man take heed how they do cunningly fasten slanders, or otherwise show despite unto the spirit of Grace, because it will not be subordinate unto their ends. I could wish also they would consider the words of Marsilius Patavinus, in his Book entitled, Defender of the Peace, Where speaking of those that presume to frame or press Orders, Decrees, and other parts of Discipline, without licence of the true Lawgiver or Prince, and endeavour to draw people to the observation of them by surreptitious words, as it were compelling them by threatening eternal damnation to such as transgress them, or denouncing execrations, reproachful speeches, excommunications, slanders, revile, or other maledictions against them, or any of them, in word or writing; such (saith he) are to suffer corporal punishment in a most high degree, as conspirators, and stirrers up of civil schism, or division in a Commonwealth. For it is saith he, a most grievous kind of treason, because it is committed directly against the Royal Majesty of the Prince and his Sovereign Authority; and tendeth to set up a plurality of supreme authorities or powers, and so of necessity to the dissolution or overthrow of every civil Government.  
They object also, that I am but a Layman, and therefore should not meddle with matters of Divinity, applying that Proverb Ne suitor ultra crepidam, and saying, that even the Sun, Moon, and Stars, wherein he hath skill, should teach him that lesson, which always move in their own spheres, except they be wand'ring stars, for whom the blackness of darkness is reserved for ever, with many other bitter expressions. But this is an old plea of the Popish Clergy, to hold the people in ignorance and thraldom, and should not be taken up by those that would seem to be more opposite to Popery then Protestants are. That eminent and blessed Divine Doctor Sibbes was of another mind, who speaking in commendation of Mr Sherland (that was no Preacher) disdains not to say he had good skill in controverted points of Divinity, and that he was a good Divine. And surely the calling of a Christian is of that importance, that he must, if need so require, omit whatsoever calling he have besides, to make good that one most necessary, neither can he justly be charged to move out of his sphere whensoever he meddles with matters of Christianity and Religion, especially such points as he is pressed to embrace and submit unto. The Apostle exhorts us all, that we should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the Saints. And I may fitly answer them in the words of that renowned Soldier of Christ Doctor Bastwick who being checked by the Bishop of Canterbury in like sort as I am by these, that he being a Physician, a Layman, should presume to write of some points in Divinity, answers in Latin, to this purpose in English.  
I writ a Book (saith he) not to find myself employment or to stir up strife, but of a Christian mind and affection, according to my duty to God and my Prince. The reproach of a Layman toucheth not me, for he which hath vowed himself to Christ is one of God's Clergy. The ancient Church doth not acknowledge that surname of a Layman, but reckons it among the Solecisms of the Beast. We have given, promised, and vowed unto Christ in Baptism our name and faith; and have solemnly denounced battle against the flesh, the world, the devil, heresy etc. against which we must fight unless we put off the reverence and respect of our Vow. How unseasonable is it then to ask by what authority we fight against these? (And a little after) shall that be a fault in me, which is a praise to Divines? They exercise physic, Grazing, merchantdize, they husband their grounds, plant, gather in their fruits, they all may do all things, I envy not; yet I wonder we should be so straightened, whilst they have such liberty. But if some blunt fellow should ask a Divine, Hearest thou good man, what hast thou to do with the Court, with privy Council, with Seats of Judgement? what hast thou to do with renting lands, with planting vineyards, with breeding cattle, with money the provocation of all evils? would he not check such a bold question with some sharp answer? yes doubtless he would. What then should we do when we are asked, What we have to do with God, with Christ, with Religion, with the Truth? We will laugh to scorn such envious questions, and perform with diligence what God calls us to. We will endeavour with all cheerfulness the defence of the truth, the conservation of Religion▪ the observation of our fidelity and allegiance to that Sovereign Authority which is over us; rendering an account of our endeavours to him, to whom we have vowed ourselves etc. He that desires to see his defence more at large, may peruse his Apology to the English Prelates.  
Now I beseeth you brethren, mark them diligently which cause division and offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye have learned, 
Rom. 16. 17.  and avoid them.  
18. For they that are such serve not the Lord jesus Christ, but their own● bellies; and with fair speech and flattering, deceive the hearts of the simple.  
March 30. 1643.  
FINIS.