NEWS FROM IPSWICH: Discovering certain late detestable practices of some dominiering Lordly Prelates, to undermine the established Doctrine and Discipline of our Church, extirpate all Oxthodox sincere Preachers and preaching of God's Word, usher in Popery, Superstition and Idolatry.  
Woe be unto the Pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my Flock, saith the Lord.  jerem. 23. 1. 
Only Canonical prayers no afternoon sermons  
Altar Cringing Priest.  
Church wardens for Articles.  
First printed at Ipswich, and now reprinted for T. Bates. 1641.   

News from Ipswich.  
CHristian Reader, this is the deplorable news of our present age, that our Presses, formerly open only to Truth and Piety, are closed up against them both of late, and patent for the most part, to nought but error, superstition, and profaneness; witness many profane, erroneous, impious books, printed within these 3. years by authority (point blank against the established doctrine of the Church of England and his Majesty's p●om declarations) in defence of Arminianism, and Popish ceremonies; and which is yet more impious and detestabl●, against the very morality of the Sabbath and 4. Commandment: the divine institution, title and entire religious sanctification of the Lords day Sabbath, and the necessity of frequent preaching (exceedingly pressed in our Homilies and book of Ordination) which some of our unpreaching, dominiering secular Prelates (our of their A●ch-piety towards God, and Arch-charity to the people's souls which they seek to eradicate) now so far dearest, that they not only give over preaching themselves, as no part of their function; and suppress most wickedly Lectures in divers countries: but have likewise lately shut up the mouths of sundry of our most godly, powerful, painful Preachers (who have won more souls to God in a year, than all the Lord Bishops in England or the whole world have done in divers ages) out of mere malice to religion, and the people's salvation, contrary to the very laws of God and the Realm; strictly prohibited, under pain of suspension, in sundry Dioceses, all afternoon Sermons on the Lords own day, that so the profane vulgar might have more time to dance, play, revel, drink, and profane Gods Sabbaths, even in these days of plague and pestilence, to draw down more plague, and judgements on us for that sin of Sabbath-breaking, when as not only the Synod of Dort, but sundry Popish Synods and Bishops have been so religious, as to prefer the two Sermons every Lord's day at least in every Parish Church, to keep the people from such profanations of this sacred day. Alas! what could Belzebub the Prince of Devils, had he been an Archbishop or Lordly Prelate here in England (as there were many such Bishops in Bernard's age, and most sure there are too many now) have done more against the strict entire sanctification of the Christian Sabbath day, to abuse the Lords day, and to advance Popish innovations on it; or against the frequent powerful Preachers, and preaching of God's word, and salvation of the people's souls, than some Luciferian Lord Bishops have lately done? whose impiety in this kind transcends all prefidents whatsoever in former ages. And yet these profane Atheistical persecuters of all holiness, piety, sincerity, godly Ministers, & preaching of God's word (yea in these pestilential times, as means to spread the plague, though the Scripture and all former ages have prescribed fasting, preaching and praying, as the chief antidotes and cure against it) will needs be Lord Bishops jure divine, by the holy Ghosts own institution (who never yet instituted any unpreaching, rare preaching Prelates, or persecuters and suppressors of preaching) and shame not to style themselves the Godly holy Fathers of our Church, and pillars of our faith, when as their fruits and actions manifest them to be nought else but very Stepfathers and Caterpillars, the very pests and plagues of both. Take one fresh instance for an example: these desperate Archagents for the Devil and Pope of Rome, and Master underminers of our Religion, as they were the only instruments of delaying the present general Fast in the beginning of the pestilence, when it was most acceptable and requisite: so, to show their inveterate malice against preaching (the thing that the Devil wrestleth most against, all whose study hath been to decay the office of preaching, which should not be diminished) they (contrary to his Majesty's pious intention, who hath so oft protested against all innovations) have cunningly caused all Sermons (the very life and soul of a Fast, as being the only means to humble men for their sins, and bring them to repentance) to be prohibited on the Fast day, both in London and the Suburbs, and in all other infected places, during the time of the infection in them; in Parishes not infected, (as if preaching only of all God's ordinances were pestilential, and that on the Fast day, not on others) contrary to the precedents of all former ages, and the orders for the general fasts in the two last great plagues, which prescribed two Sermons of one hour long apiece, forenoon and afternoon every fast day, and that as well in Parishes infected, as others: even in the Summer season, when the infection was more contagious & raging then now. By which device they have not only made this fast distasteful to all sorts of men in infected places, who have little heart unto it, rob the poor of much charitable relief, and deprived the people of the spiritual food and physic of their souls, when they need and desire it most, to their intolerable grief and discontent, but quite suppressed all settled Wednesday Lectures in London and other infected towns, as long as the infection shall continue in any one Parish, though it should last these 7. years (the thing they principally aimed at:) forced many Ministers and people to fly out of infected places into the Country, to keep their Fasts where there is preaching; brought in a famine of God's word, the greatest plague of all others, to the increasing and further spreading of the present pestilence, and drawing down of God's wrath upon us to the uttermost, by inhibiting Ministers in the time of greatest need, to preach unto the people, that they may be saved. O heavens! stand amazed at this unparalleled practice of impious Popish Prelates. But is this all? No verily: for whereas his Majesty commanded, That the book of common prayer for the fast formerly set forth by his authority upon the like occasion, should be reprinted; these Romish Inquisitors have miserably gelded it, after it was new printed, in sundry particulars. First, they have purged out the prayer for seasonable weather, one cause of the shipwrecks and tempestuous unseasonable weather since its publication. Secondly, they have dashed the Lady Elizabeth and her children, in the old Collect, quite out of the new; as they have expunged both them, with our gracious King, Queen, and their children, out of the catalogue of Gods elect by blotting out this clause, (who art the father of thine Elect, and of their Seed) out of the Collect for them in this and all new Common prayer books, as if they were all reprobates, and none of the number of Gods elect, either to a temporal or an eternal Crown. O intolerable impiety, affront, and horrid treason! Thirdly, they have left out this Collect: It had been best for us, etc. in the new book (though the most effectual prayer of all) because it magnifies continual, often preaching of God's word, and the Scriptures, and c●lls our powerful Preachers, Gods servants. A sign● these Prelates have conspired together like so many execrable Traitors, to extirpate our frequent powerful Preachers, and continual preaching of God's word (as they have done in many places of late) though prescribed by God himself and our Homilies. Fourthly, they have dashed this remarkable clause out of the first Collect: Thou hast delivered us from superstition and idolatry (too grand causes both of many former, and our present plagues no doubt) wherein we were utterly drowned, and hast brought us unto the most clear and comfortable light of thy blessed word by which we are taught how to serve and honour thee, and how to live orderly with our neighbours in truth and verity: the rest of the Collect remaining as before. Now what can be the cause of this strange purgation, but a resolved professed conspiracy of these Romish Prelates, even now again utterly to drown us in Popish superstition and idolatry (which have now drowned us in God's judgements, by their stupendious late increase among us) and to remove us out of the most clear and comfortable light of God's Word, by the which we are taught how to serve and honour him (the true cause why they now suppress Lectures, Preaching, and suspend our powerfullest Preachers every where) that so we may walk on in Romish, hellish darkness, serving and honouring the Pope and Devil in stead of God, and live in all disorder without truth of verity. Fifthly, in the sixth order for the fast, they have pared away this passage: To avoid the inconvenience that may grow by by the abuse of fasting; Some esteeming it a meritorious work, others a good work, and of itself acceptable to God, without due regard of the end, Only to gratify the Papists, whose doctrine is this, and to place some merit in this present fast: adding this clause to it; in places where Sermons are allowed by the Proclamation; on purpose to put down Wednesday Lectures, and preaching in London, and other places where any Parish is infected. If these Prelates be thus desperately wicked and Popish, as to take advantage of God's judgements to suppress the preaching and Preachers of his word when it is most necessary and useful, and to countenance, justify, and set up Popery, superstition, idolatry, error and disorder (the chief causea of our plagues) even in these days of pestilence, and that is the very Fast-book to abuse and mock God to his face, to dishonour his Majesty, and grieve his people's souls; how transcendently impious and Popish will they prove, when God shall stay this plague, if they be not deservedly punished for these their notorious impieties? And is it not high time then for his Majesty to punish such Arch-traytors to our Faith, Church, Religion, and such truebred sons to Roman Antichrist (from whom Dr. Pocklington boasts, they are lineally descended) and to execute judgement on them for these strange purgations, and other Romish innovations, whereat the whole kingdom cries shame, which breed a general fear of a sudden alteration of our Religion? Certainly, till his Majesty shall see these purgations rectified, superstition and idolatry removed, God's Sabbaths duly sanctified, the suppressed Preachers and preaching of God's word restored, and purge out some of the Romish Prelates and Inquisitors, we can never hope to abate any of God's plagues, or draw down any of his blessings on us by such a Fast and Fastbook as this, but augment his plagues and judgements more & more, which have strangely increased since this fast begun, contrary to all humane reason and probability, whereas it much decreased before; the total number dying of the plague the week before the Fast. being but 458. and 58. Parishes infected, and the very first week of the fast 838. (triple the number the two last greatest plagues) and 67. Parishes infected, in Cambridge, Norwich, Hampton, Bath, and other eminent places clear before, being likewise visited since this Fast begun, a clear evidence that God is much offended with these purgations, and the restraint of preaching on the Fast day; against which some Prelates are so mad, that they have silenced and persecuted divers Ministers since the Fast proclaimed, there being now so many suspended in our Norwich Diocese, only for not yielding to Popish innovation, that in sundry Churches they have neither prayers, preaching, nor fasting which hath brought the plague among them, and made the people at their wits ends, many Ministers and people there having left the Kingdom, and thousands more being ready to departed the Land, there being never such a persecution and havoc made among God's Ministers since Q. Mary's days, as a proud insolent Prelate hath there lately made, against all Laws of God and man, to the astonishment of the whole Realm. What then can we expect but plagues upon plagues, till such desperate persecuters be cut off, and God's Word and Ministers restored to their former liberty by our most gracious Sovaraigne? Persecution of God's Ministers and People, being one chief cause of plagues. Wherefore, O England, England, if ever thou wilt be free from pests and judgements, take notice of these thy Antichristian Prelates desperate practices, innovations, and Popish designs, to bewail, oppose, redress them with all thy force and power. O all ye English Nobleses, Courtiers, and others, who have any love or spark of religion, piety, zeal, any tenderness of his Majesty's honour, or care for the peoples, the Church, or Kingdom's safety, yet remaining within your generous breasts, put to your helping hands and prayers to rescue our Religion and faithful Ministers now suspended, from the jaws of these devouring Wolves, and tyrannising Lordly Prelates, who make havoc of them both. O our most pious King Charles, as thou hast in two several Declarations, protested before God, to all thy loving Subjects, that thou wilt never give way to the licensing or authorising of any thing whereby any innovation in the least degree, may creep into our Church; nor never connive at any Backsliding to Popery: And that is my hearts desire to be found worthy of that Title which thou esteemest the most glorious in all thy Crown, Defender of the Faith. So now behold these desperate innovations, purgations, and Romish practices of thy Prelates, in open affront of these thy Declarations; and now or never show thyself (as we all hope, believe and pray thou wilt) a Prince more worthy of this glorious Title, than any of thy Royal progenitors, by rooting all Popery, Superstition, Idolatry, Errors, Innovations, out of this Church and Kingdom, by restoring the preaching, the Preachers of God's Word, and purity of his Worship, and taking vengeance on these perfidious Prelates, who have thus gelded thy Fast-booke (and intent to make an Index Expurgatorius upon all other ancient English Writers ere they be reprinted, a thing considerable) thus openly abused thy only Sister; and her Children now present with Thee, oppressed and grieved thy faithful subjects, dishonoured thy God, betrayed thy Religion, increased the plague among thy people; and as much as in them lieth, rob thee both of thy Gods and people's loves, and pulled thy Crown off thy Royal head, to set it on their own ambitious pares, by exercising all Ecclesiastical power; yea, Papal jurisdiction over thy subjects in their own names and rights alone: and by trampling all thy laws and subjects liberties like Cobwebs, thy subjects like Dogs and dirt under their tyrannical feet. If thou thus execute judgement on them, and ease thy people from their intolerable tyranny, no doubt, this plague shall be ceased, and this Fast be pleasing to the Lord; else he will not accept it, but proceed to plague more and more. O blessed Sovereign, that thou didst but hear the several cries and out-cries of thy people against these persecuting Prelates in many places; especially in our Norwich Diocese, where little Regulus hath played such Rex, that he hath suspended above threescore of our sincerest, painfullest, comfortablest Ministers, both from their Office and Benefice, so as many of our Churches (as the like was never since King john's days) are quite shut up, and Lord have mercy upon us, may be written on their doors. The people cry for the bread of their souls, and their Ministers are prohibited to give it them. This not only wounds, but breaks their hearts, and makes them amazed. O therefore! Gracious Sovereign, help now, and hear the petitions, cries and tears of thy poor people, and punish these Popelings for these and other innumerable oppressions, extortions, innovations and harms, who suspend, imprison, and ruin others for mere toys and trifles; yea, for defending your Royal Prerogative against their Papal usurpations.  
This is all the news I shall now impart in this Coranto; the next week God willing, you shall hear of Mr. Dade his excommunicating of Ferdinando adam's, a Church warden in our Town, for not blotting out of this sentence of Scripture written on Mr. Wards Church wall over his Court; It is written, My house shall be called an house of Prayer, but ye have made it a den of Thiefs: which excommunication is recorded in Star-chamber, of our Bishops commanding. Woe is me if I preach not the Gospel; out of Mr. Scots Church: and of the strange proceed at Colchester against Mr. Samuel Burrowes for inditing Necoman for railing in the Communion Table Altarwise, and causing the Communicants to come up to the Rail to receive, in a new unaccustomed manner, contrary to the Statute of 1. Eliz. c. 2. and his Majesty's Declarations this last Michaelmas Sessions: which indictment the Grand-Iury hath found, but his Majesty yet can get no judgement. In the mean time I shall conclude my News with the words of Patrick Adamson, Archbishop of St. Andrew's, in his public Recantation in the Synod of Fyff, April 8. 1591. That the office of a Diocesan Bishop hath no authority at all to support it in the Word of God: That it is only founded on the politic device of men: That the Primacy of the Pope, or Antichrist sprung from it: That it is worthily condemned: And that it hath been for five hundred year and more, the chief original and instrument of the suppressing the preaching of God's Word in all Kingdoms, as all Ecclesiastical Historians testify. I therefore shall close up all with the Collect on St. Mathias day; A mighty God, which in the place of the traitor, Bishop judas, didst choose thy faithful servant Mathias, to be of the number of the twelve Apostles, grant that thy Church being always preserved from false Apostles, may be ordered and guided by faithful and true Pastors, through jesus Christ our Lord. And with the Collect on St. Peter's day; Almighty God, which by thy Son jesus Christ, hath given to thy Apostle S. Peter many excellent gifts, and commandest him earnestly to feed thy flock; make (we beseech thee) all Bishops and Pastors diligently to preach thy holy Word, and the people obediently to follow the same, that they may receive the Crown of everlasting glory, through jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.  
AMEN.  
From Ipswich, November 12. 1636. Thine in the Lord, Matthew White.