THERE Were certaine persons in England, of vvhich, some vvere brought vp in schooles, & in the Vniuersitie of Cambridge, & some in families & houshouldes, as is the manner of that co [...]ntrie. Some of these vvhich had liued & studied in Cam­brige, vvere there knovvne & counted forvvard in religion, & others also both there & in the contrie vvere more carefull & zelous, then their frovvard enimies could suffer. They in Cambrige vvere scattered from thense, so [...]e to one tra [...]e of life, & some to an other: as Ro­bert Broune, Robert Harrison, William Harrison, Philip Broune, Robert Barker. Some of of these applied thē selues to teach schollers: to the vvh [...]ch labour, R. Broune also gaue hi [...] selfe▪ for the space of three yeares. He haui [...]g a special care to teach religion vvith other lear­ning▪ did thereby keepe his sch [...]llers in such [...] & good order, as all the Tounsemē vvhere he taught gaue him vvitnes. Yet the vvorld being so corrupt as it is, & the times so perilous he greatly misliked the vvantes & defaultes, vvhich he savve euerie vvhere, & marcked plaī ­ly that vvithout red [...]esse, nether the parentes could long reioise in their children, nor the children profit so much [...]n religion, as that their other studies & learning might be blessed thereby Hereuppon he fell into great care, & vvas soare greened vvhile he long considered m [...]nie thinges amisse, & the cause of all, to be the vvofull and lamētable state off the church. Wherefore he laboured much to knovve his duetie in such thīges, & because the church of God is his kingdom, & his name especially is thereby magn [...]fied▪ he vvholy bent him selfe to searh & find out the matters of the church: as hovv it vvas to be guided & ordered, & vvhat abuses there vvere in the ecclesiastical gouernment then vsed. These thinges, he had long before debated in him selfe, & vvith others, & suffered also some trouble about thē at Cā ­brige▪ yet novve on fresh he set his mind on these thinges, & night & day did consult vvith him selfe & others about thē, least he should be ignorant, or mistake anie off those matters. What so euer thinges he ff [...]und b [...]longing to the church, & to his calling as a mēber off the [...]hurch, he did put it in p [...]ctis For eu [...]n l [...]tle children are off the church & kingdom off God yea off such saith Christ doth his kingdom consist: & therefore both in his schole he labou­red that the kingdom off God might appeare, & also in those of the tovvne vvith vvhom he [Page] kept companie. So by vvord & practisse he tried out all thigs, that he might be staied both in iudgmēt & coūsell, & also in enterprising matters, as his duetie should lead him. But this his dealr̄g got hī much enuie of the preacher & sōe others vvhere he taught, & much trou­ble also vvhē he broke [...]is mīd more plainlie vnto thē. Presētlie a [...]ter this he vvas discharge­ed of his schole by the grudge of his enimies. Yet he taught still, vvith great good Vvill & fauour of the Tounsemē, till such time as the pl [...]gue increased in the Tovvne & he vvas sēt for avvai by his frēdes. Therfore because his schollers, th [...]ugh neuer so Vvel plied & pro­fited by him, vvere notvvithstanding, ether flitting avvaie Vpon such occasions, or to bast [...] ­lie sent to the Vniuersitie, or because of their misguiding there, to some occupations, bi thought th [...] the fruict of his labour Vvas toe much vncertaine, & tooke counsell if by sōe better vvaie h [...] might profit the ch [...]rch. Then he gaue vvarning to the Toune & departed to come home, as his rather vvilled him. So might h [...] haue liued vvith his father, b [...]ing a ma [...] of some countenaunce, and haue vvanted noethinge, if he hadd beene soe disposed but his care as alvvayes before. so then especially being set on the church of God, he asked leaue of his father, & tooke his Iournie to Cābridge frō vvhēse a fevv yeares before he had departed. He ther had dealīg vvith M. Greēhā of dreitō, vvhōe of all others he hard fai vvas moste forvvarde, and thought that Vvith him & by him he should haue some stai of his care & hope of his purpo [...]e. Wherefore, as those vvhich in ould tyme vvere called the prophetes & children of the prophetes & liued to gether, because of corruptiōs among o­thers, so came he vnto him. He vvas suffered, as others also in his his house, to speake of that part of scripture, Vvhich vvas vsed to be red after m [...]ales. And although he said, that vvith­out leaue & special vvord from the bishop, he vvas to s [...]ff [...]r none to teach openlie in his pa­rish▪ yet Vvithout anie such leaue he suffered R. B. Notvvithstanding, vvhen R. B. savve, that the dishops feet vvere to much sett in euerie place, & that spiritual infectiō to much spred euē to the best reformed places, he tooke that occasiō vvh [...]h the Lord did first geue him for redresse, & vvhen certaine in Cambr [...]g [...] h [...]d boa [...]h [...]oue [...] hi [...], & also vvith consent of the Maior & Vicechancelar, called him to preach among them, he delt in this manner.

He first considered the state of Cambrige, hovve the ch [...]rch of God vvas planted therein. For he iudged that the church vvas to call and receaue him, if he sh [...]uld be there chosen and appointed to prea [...]h. Then did he thinck on this, vvhoe should be ch [...]fest, or haue charge before others, to looke to such matters. For the bishops take vppon them the chieftie, but to be called and a [...]thorised by them, he thought it vnlavvefull. And vvhy he vvas of this minde, he had these and such like vvarrantes: namelie thei shoulde be chiefest, vvhich partake vnto vs the chiefest gr [...]es, and vse of their callinges. And th [...]t doeth Christ, as it is vvritten, of his fullnes haue all vve re [...]e [...]ued, and grace for grace. Ioh. 1. 16. And to him hath God made all thinges subiect sa [...]e [...]h Pa [...]l, Ephes. 1. 22. euē vnder his feet, and hath appointed him ouer all thinges, to be the head of the church, vvhich is his bodie, euen the fullnes of him, vvhich filleth all in all thinges. Novve next vnder Christ, is not the b [...]shop of the dioces, by vvhōe so manie mischiefes are vvrought, nether anie one vvhich hath but single authoritie, but first thei that haue their authoritie together: as first the church, vvhich Christ also teacheth, vvhere he saieth, If he vvill not vouchsafe [Page] to heare them tell it vnto the church, & if he refuse to heare the church also, let him be vn­to the, as an heathen mā & a publican. Mat 18 17. Therefore is the church called the pillar & ground of trueth. 1. Tim. 3. 15. & the voice of the Vvhole people, g [...]ided bie the elders and forvvard [...]st, is saied to be the voice of God And that 149. p [...]alme doth sh [...]vne this g [...]eat ho­nour, Vvhi [...]h is to all the saincts Therefore the meetinges together of manie churches, also of euerie Vvh [...]le ch [...]rch, & of the [...]lders therein, is ab [...]ue the Apostle, aboue the Prophet, the E [...]ang [...]list, the Pastor, the Tea [...]h [...]r▪ & euerie particul [...] [...]lder. For the [...]oining & partak­ing of [...]anie churches tog [...]h [...]r▪ & of the authoritie Vvhich manie haue, must needes be greater & more Vvaighti [...], [...]h [...]n the authoritie of anie si [...]gle person. And this al [...]oe ment Pa [...]l Vvhere he saith▪ 1. Cor 2. 22. Wee are yours, & you are Christes, & Christ is Go [...]es. Soe that the Apostle is inferior to the ch [...]rch▪ & the church is infer [...]or to Christ▪ & Christ cōcer­ning his manhood & offi [...]e in the church, is inferior to God. This he iudg [...]d, not onelie toe be against the Vvicked [...]e [...] of the b [...]sh [...]pes, but al [...]o ag [...]inst thei [...] Vvhole povver & authori­tie. For if the authoritie of the ch [...]rch, & of the forvva [...]dest breethren or elders therein, be aboue the bishopes, hovve should it not follovue▪ but that the bishopes maie be commaū ­ded, accused & charged bie the church▪ yea also discharged & separated as is their desert? But novve because of their popish povver & canon lavves, thei haue lift vpp their authori­tie more high, thē the church can take accountes of them: & not onelie by force do thrust out & trouble Vvhome thei list, but also raigne as Lordes & Dukes in their dioces, their au­thoritie must nedes be vsurped. For the Apostles did geue accoūtes to the church of all their doinges, as Vve read in the Act. 11. 4. Act 15. 2. 3. & Rom. 15, 31. But these being got aboue the Apostles, Vvill sit in the throne of Christ, & as Christ is not inferior to the church, no more Will thei be. For Christ hath chosē vs, saith the scripture, & not Vve him, Ioh. 15, 16. & ther­fore he is greater thē vs all. And seīg the church can not chose the bishopes, nor those hire­linges, Vvhome the bishopes thurst vppon them, therefore the [...] also Vvill be greater then the church, & Vvith Vvhom then do thei compare them selues in degree, but Vvith Christ? & so make them selues antichristes. Nai thei presume further then Christ Vvhich vvould [...] not thrust his Apostles voō anie congrega [...]iō, nor suffer them to take charge of anie Vvhich did not Vvillinglie receaue thē ▪ Lu [...]. 10. 10. But these do force vpō the people euerie Vvhere, & in sundrie places against their vvilles, not onelie ministers vnknovūe, but also such as are knovuē to be blind busserdes, Vvicked f [...]llo [...]ves & idol sh [...]pherdes. Likevvise Christ hath al rule in his hande; as it is Vvritten that vve a [...]e compleat in him, Vvhich is the head of all prī ­cipalitie & povver Col. 2. & he can not sinne, nor offend the lavve of God, nor be accused by the same. For [...]o the [...]cripture testifi [...]th▪ that none could reproue him of sinne, though he off [...]red him s [...]lfe to them to ac [...]use him [...]f [...]h [...]i could Ioh 8. And he is that high priest, as a­gaine it is Vv [...]itten Heb. 7 vvhich is holie, harmlesse▪ Vndefiled, separate from sinners, and made high [...]r th [...] th [...] heauens Hovv▪ h [...]g [...] then [...]o the [...] lift [...]h [...]m selves, Vvhich W [...]ll rule a­lone a [...] lordes ouer the sto [...]k, though th [...] vvord hath saied i [...] sh [...]ll not be so? Lu [...]. 22. 26. [...]. Pet. 5. 3. W [...]ich vvill be R [...]bi [...]s, Doctors & reueren [...] [...]hers, though Vve h [...]ue b [...]t one doct­o [...] & Father as [...] h [...]gh [...]. [...]at. 23. vvhich [...]lso t [...]ke vpō thē, not as seruaūts in the h [...]e as vvas Mo [...]. [...]b. 3. [...] [...]ft [...]r him that is soone & h [...]ire in his ovvne house sa [...]ng th [...] vv [...]ll [...]ot [...] ra [...]g [...] [...]o [...]et thē L [...]c. 19 14. For the [...] haue refused his gouernment, & ch [...]en their ovvne pop [...]h [...]scipl [...]e in stea [...] thereof.

This appeareth, because th [...]y enter & tak [...] on them their offi [...]e [...] in pop [...]sh vvise, & as [...]ha [...] [...]vve praescribeth thē, & also do misg [...]id the people by th [...] [...]op [...]sh tyra [...]nie. For vvho kno­vveth not, but that they vv [...]tch for the liuing or bysh [...]p [...]ke, vvhen it shall fall, & then se [...]e & p [...]ye vvell for the same, if they obtaine it [...]o are they rauenous & vvicked persōs, as saith the c [...]pture, Z [...]c. 3. They are mak [...] sh [...]ftes & troublers, seing they rule rath [...]r because they seeke their ovvne aduantage, or glorie, or [...]sh [...]henous p [...]rpose, then the vvelfare & benef [...] of the church Yea they all looke to their ovvne vvaye as sai [...]th [...]he Prophet, Esa. 56. 11. euerie one for his a [...]uātage & for his ovvne p [...]rpose Who knovve [...]h not also, but that they vvhi [...]h are not duelie [...]eceaued & called to guide, & that by due consent & agremēt, they are ether Antichristes in the church, or Tyrantes in the common vvelth, because they vs [...]rp in the church or commōvvelth Such are they of vvhom Paul speaketh▪ 2 Cor. 11. 20 that the corī ­thians did suffer them to much. For they did suffer if a man brought them into bondage, if a man deuoured, if a mān tooke, if a man exalted him selfe, if a man smote them on the face. For in deed the people do suffer the b [...]shops, though they take from them their l [...]bertie [...]f chosing good pastors & refusing euill, yea they suffer them selues to be robbed & beaten by those spiritual courtes, they suffer the great vnto vvardnes & vvickednes of the byshops to be coloured & hidden by their outvvard bragge & countenance, as by their pomp, authori­tie, tytls, & povver, & some times by their fair flattering sermons & pleasings. For they rule by three sortes of lavves, as by the ciuil, the canō, the commō lavve, vvhich are three king­domes vnto them, or as the Popes triple crovvne, & by pretending the fourth lavve, vvhich is the vvorde of God, they ouerrule totoe much: they spare not to come vppon the people vvith force & povver, & they care not to bridle them vvith nevv & yearly iniunctions & al­ [...]o vvith the ould lavves & penalties of the court of Rome. While R. B. thought these thinges [...]n him selfe, he moued the matter diuers times vnto others. Some did gainsay & those of t [...]e [...]orvvardest, affirming that the byshops authoritie is tolerable, & he might take license & [...] ­ [...]horitie of them. Others of them saide they vvoulde not coūsel nor medle for an other mā [...] cōscience in that matter▪ but they them selues iudged, that the byshops preached the vvo [...]d of God, & therefore ought not lightlie to be reiected. Also they said, that seing they had the vvord & the sacraments, they must needes haue vvithall the church & people of God: & se­ing this vvas vnder the gouernmēt of the byshops & by means of thē, they could not vvho­ly condem the byshops, but rather [...]udge them faultie in some parte. Then did R. B. againe & againe discusse these matters, as he had often before, as vvhether the byshopes coulde be saied to preach the vvord of God & minister the sacraments or no. For if that vvere trevve, then also might they call & place ministers: & seing they them selues did minister so great [...] thing as is the vvorde & the sacraments, they might also minister their help in other thing [...] not so great. Therfore to knovve vvhether they preached the vvord of God, he searched & foūd by the scriptures, vvhat it is to preach the vvord: namely to do the Lordes message as i [...] is vvritten in Ieremie 23. 22 in teaching the people those thinges, vvhereby they might turn them from their euill vvaies & from the vvickednes of their inuentions. Therefore excep [...] they haue a due message, they can not preach the vvord off message. For I sēt them not saie [...] the Lord in that place, nor commaunded them, therefore they bring no profit vnto this peo­ple. Againe except they preach those things first, ffor vvhi [...]h first & cheifly they vvere sen [...] [Page] namelie vvhat so [...]uer is to reclame [...]he people, first from some especiall vvickednes, vvherin they sinne, & s [...] ff [...]m all other d [...]ff [...]l [...]es, they can not be said to preach the vvorde. There­fore seing the b [...]sh [...]pes calling & authoritie vuas shevved before for to be vnlavvefull, & seing also th [...]y call not the p [...]ople from the [...]h [...]if [...]st abominations, Vvhich are the cause of the rest, but rathe [...] vvi [...]f [...]lly & vvith crueltie do leade them in the same, as vvill aftervvard appeare▪ they can not preach the vvorde of God. For to make a sermon is not to preach the vvord of God, no, nor yet to make a true sermon. For the seruaunt that telleth a true tale hath not done his maisters mess [...]ge, nor the arraunt for the vvhich he vvas sent, except he tell & speake that for the vvhich his maister sēt him. Therefore though the byshopes teach the people, and geue them lavves, & make manie iniunct [...]ons, yea though they be lavves of Christ, yet if they abuse the obedience of the people, to houl [...]e and follovve vvith some lavves of Christ their ovvne lavves [...]speciallie, vvhat are they but antichrists? And hovv can they then but onelie in name & in shevve, preach the lavves of Ch [...]st? For example vvhile they peruert the lavve of God in this, they can not be saied to preach his lavve: namelie vvhereas God commaundeth to plant & to build his church, by gathering the vvorthie and refusing the vnvvorthie. Mat. 10. 11. Act. 19 9. Ezr. 6. 21. they booke by their contrarie lavves both papists & careles vvorldlings, as crooked trees to b [...]il [...] the lordes sanctuarie, & force the vvretched to their vvorshippings & service, as if dogges might be thurst vpon God for svveet sacrifice. Proud forceing is meeke building vvith them & deuotiō compelled is their right religiō. Thus herein they pollute the Lordes sanctuarie & vvrest his lavve, hovv much more by a thousand moe abominatiōs vvhereof aftervvard vve breiflie touch some. For by thē do they feed them selues & the people vvith the bread of vncleannes, in stead of the puer vvord of God. They make it readie vvith the dongue that cometh of man, euen vvith their traditions, tolerations, & falsifiinges. And if the Pharises made the vvorde of God of­none effect or authoritie by their traditiōs, as it is vvrittē. Mark. 7 13. much more these. They by their corbans or offering of guiftes, gaue occasion to children to dishonour their parēts & these by their spirituall courtes, by their s [...]ond excommunications, dispensations, absolu­tiōs, &c. yea by their taking of bribes & fees, do let so manie lose to all misrule & filthines They taught the gould of the Temple to be greater then the temple, vvhich sanctifieth the gould: Mat. 23. 17. & these teach that to sinne is damnable: but to pollute the Lordes spiritual Temple by mingling the cleane & vvretched together vvhich is the cause of all sinne, is noe matter of damnatiō: forsooth it is a thing tollerable because they can not remedie it. They taught that the offering on the altar vvas greater then the altar, though it sanctifie the offe­ring and these teach that to vvant the sacraments, that is lamentable, but to vvant the king­dō of God, & the visible shevve of his rule in his church, vvhereby the sacramēt is sāctified that they make no matter. If then for such doctrine they vvere called blind guides & fooles by Christ him selfe, Mat. 23. 16, 17. yea & though they sate in Moses seat, that is at first vvere lavvefullie called to teach the people, yet the people vvere charged by Christ toe lett alone such blind guides, & not to be guided by them. Mat 15, 14. hovve much more should vve le [...] these blind guides alone, vvhich neuer vvere lavvfully called and also sit in the seat of Anticbrist. [...]or vvhat is the seat of Antichrist but that Popish Gouernment and lordship in the communiō of such Romish offices, & horrible abuses by them. And vvhile they syt in the tē ­ple [Page] of God. [...] Thess. [...]. 4. & exalt their traditions aboue Gods, vvhat are theie but antichri [...] ▪ Doe th [...]ie then preach the Lordes vvord of message? or is not h [...]s vvord a fier, and like an hā ­mer that breaketh the stone? lere. 23, 29 But all their preaching can not breake & bring men from anie smaller or greater disorders, vvhich vnicked church lavves or church Prelates cō ­maun [...] them. Thus vvas he se [...]led not to seeke anie approueing or authorising off the b [...]sh­opes. B [...]t because he knev [...]e the trouble that vvould follovue, [...] he so proceeded, he sought meanes off quietnes so much has vvas lavueffull: & for dealing vvi [...]h the b [...]shopes, he vvas of this iudgement, that men maie novve deale vvith them, as before [...]he [...] might vvith the pha­rises: that is, so far as vve nether sinne against God, no [...] g [...]ue offence vnto men. Thereffore iff Christ did his Fathers vvill, vvhen he sate in the mid [...]es off the doctors, h [...]a [...]eing them, & asking them quaestio [...]s▪ Luc. 2. 46 & [...]ff Paul did his duetie, vvhen he sate doune in the syna­gogue, as it vvere offering him selfe, & seekeimg leaue to speake to the people▪ Act 13. 14. [...] he also did lavueffullie applie him selfe to their ceremonies, Act. 21 26 then thus far allo [...] there medling vvith the bishopes, to trie & proue them, or to be tried off them, as vve see the like did fall out in Christ, also to yeeld to their povver, so that vvherein vve yeeld, it be not against the trueth, & vve do not establish it: as vve knovue Paul did to the povver off the priests, off the pharises, & off the chiefe off the synagogue. Th [...]efore he thought it lavueful first to be tried off the bishops, then also to suffer their pouver, though it vvere vnlauveffull iff in anie thing it did not hinder the trueth. But to be authorised of them, to be svvorne, toe subscribe, to be ordained & receaue their licensing, he vtterlie misl [...]ked & kept hīselfe cleare in those matters. Hovve be it the bishopes seales vvere gotten him by his brother, Which he both refused beffore the officers, & being vvritten for him vvuold not paie for them, & also being aftervvard paied for by his brother, he lost one, & burnt an other in the fier, & an o­ther being sent him to Cambridge, he kept it by him, till in his trouble it vvas deliuered to a lustisse off peace, & so from him, as is supposed, to the bishop off Norvvich. Yet least his dealīg on this manner should encourage others to deale in vvorse manner, he openlie prea­ched against the calling & authorising of preachers by bishops, & spake it offten also open­lie in Cambrige, that he taught among them not as caring for, or leaning vpon the bishopes authoritie, but one lie to s [...]ti [...]fie his duetie & conscience. And this his duetie he saied vvas, first to discharg his message before God, & deserue no reproofe of them, & then also, ether toe finde them vvorthie, or else, iff thei refused such reformation, as the Lord did novve call for, to leaue them, as his duetie did bi [...]d hi [...] For he did not take charg [...] off [...]hem, as he oftē gaue them vvarning, & also did oft [...]n sh [...]vve th [...] cause, namelie for that he [...]avve the parish­es in such spirituall bond [...]ge, that Who soeuer Would take charge [...]ff them, must also come into that bondage With them Therefore he fi [...]d [...]g [...]he p [...]sh [...]s to [...] much addicted, & pli­abl [...] to that lamentable st [...]te, he [...]u [...]ged, th [...]t the king [...]om off God Was not to be b [...]g [...] by vvhole pa [...]shes, but [...]a [...]h [...]r off he vv [...]r [...]hie [...], Were the [...] neu [...] [...]o [...]ve. For it is as a g [...]a [...]e off [...]ster see [...], [...]a [...]e [...]h [...]h [...]ist, at th [...] fir [...], M [...]t. 13. and as a litle l [...]au [...] hiddin three pe [...]kes of mea [...]e. So h [...] h [...]ing [...]ri [...]d about halfe a ye [...]re, bo [...]h by op [...]n pr [...]a [...]hi [...]g, & by da [...] [...]e exhor­tation in sundri [...] h [...]use, th [...]t [...]ther bie bon [...]a [...]e [...], o [...] o [...] the Col­leg [...]s, or of vvi [...]k [...]d ministers & rea [...] [...] to like of that bondage, no redresse could be Wa [...]ed for, h [...] k [...]vv [...] that the Lord had appointed [Page] him theree to be occupied, one lie to trie & prepare him to a further, & more effectual mess­age, and to be a vvitnes of that vvofull state of Cambrige, vvhereinto those vvicked prelats and doctors of diuinitie haue brought it. This he foresavve before he preached among thē & therefore vvhen thei gathered him a stipend, and vvould haue had him take charge, he re­f [...]sed, and did both send backe the monie thei vvould haue giuen him, and also gaue them warning of his departure. So he continued preaching a vvhile, till he fell soare si [...]ke: and in his sicknes vvhile he ceased his labour, he vvas forbidden to preach bie a letter sh [...]vved him from the counsell For in deed he had delt boul llie in his duetie, and prouoked the enimies. The b [...]shops officer named Bancraft, did read the letter before him, but he nothing moued there vvith did ansvvere, that if he had taken charge in that place, he vvoulde no vvhitt lesse cease preaching for that, but as he Vvas he tooke not on hī he said, though the letter Vvere not, to preach there anie longer.

After these thinges, Vvhen he Vvas recouered of his sicknes, & had gotten his strength he tooke counsell still & had no rest, Vvhat he might do for t [...]e name & kingdom of God. He often complained of these eu [...]ll daies & Vvith manie teares sought Vvhere to find the righ­teous, Vvhich glorified God, Vvith vvhome he might liue & re [...]o [...]se together, that thei putt avvaie abominations.

While he thus Vvas carefull, & besought the Lord to shevue him more comfort of his king­dom & church, then he savue in Cambrige, he remembred some in Norfolke, Vvhome he harde saie vvere verie forvvard. Therefore he examined the matter, & thought it his duetie to take his voiage to them First because he considered, that if there vvere, not onelie faultes but also open & abominable vvickednes, in anie parish or companie, & thei vvould not or could not redresse them, but vvere held in bondage, bie antichristian povver, as vvere those parishes in Camb [...]ige by the b [...]shops, then euerie true christian vvas to leaue such parishes, & to seek the church of God vvheresoeuer. For vvhere open vvickednes is incurable, & po­pish prelates do raigne vphouldig the same, there is not the church & Kingdom of God▪ as it is vvritten, 2. Chro 1 [...]. 4. for a long season, I [...]rael hath bene vvithout the true God, & vvith­out priest to teach, & vvithout lavve. So that though there be a name of priestes, & of prea­ching, and of God amongst anie, yet if there be sett ouer them idol shepherdes, popish pre­lates, & hireling preachers vvorse then thei, that vphoulde antichristian abominatiōs, there God doeth not raigne in his kingdom, nether are thei his church, nether is there his vvorde of message. For no man can serue tvvoe contrarie maisters, saieth Christ. Mat 6. nether can thei be the Lordes people vvithout his staffe of beutie & bandes. Zac. 11. 7. that is, vvithout the Lordes gouernmēt. For his couenant is disanulled as it follovveth in the 10 verse. Novve his gouernmēt & scepter cā not be ther, vvhere mu [...]h opē vvickednes is īcu [...]ble. For if opē vvickednes must needes be suff [...]red, it is suffered in those vvhich are vvithout. as Paul saieth vvhat haue I to do to iudge those vvhich are vvithout?. 1. Cor. 5. 12

And againe he saieth euen of these latter times, that men shall be louers of them selues, co­uetous, boasters, proud, cursed speakers, disobediēt to patents, vnthāckfull, [...]n holie, vvith­out naturall affection, truce breakers, false accusers, intemperate, feirce, dispifers of the [...] vvhich are good, traiters, headie, highmided, louers of pleasures, more then louers of God, haueing [...] shevve of godlines, but hauing denied the povver there of. From such vve mu [...] turn avvaie as Paul vv [...]rneth 2. Tim. 3. 5. that is, vve must count them none of the chu [...]ch & leaue them, vvhether in all these, or in some of them, theie be openlie soe faultie, as that thei be incurable. Also if anie be forced by lavves, penalties, & persecution, as in those pa­ [...]ishes, to [...]o [...]ne vvith anie such persons, ether in the sacramentes, or in the seruice & vvor­ship of God, thei ought vtterlie to forsake thē, & auoid such vvickednes. For the abomina­tion is set vp, antichrist is got into his throne, & vvho ought to abide it. Yea vvho ought not to [...]eeke from sea to sea▪ & From land to land as it is vvritten, Amos▪ 8. 12. to haue the vvorde and the sacramentes better ministred, & his seruice and vvorship in better manner. So vvhile he thought on these thinges, and vvas purposed to trie also in Norfolke the Forvuardnes of the people, it fell out that R. H. one vvhom he pirtlie vuas acquainted vuith before, ca [...]e to Cambridge What vuas his purpose in coming, and hovue he thought to haue entred th [...] ministerie, & did vse some meanes to that end, it is needles to rehearse▪ onelie this I shev [...] that he seemed to be verie carefull in that matter, & though he leaned to much vpon me [...] for that matter, as vpon M. Greneham, M. Robardes & others, and vuas carefull amisse for the b [...]shops authorising▪ yet his mind and purpose might be iudged to be good, & no other­vuise but vuell did R. B iudge of him. When he had [...]alcked vuith R. B. and shevued him the matter vuhereaboute he vuent, he receaued this ansvuere at his handes, that it vuas vnlau [...] ­full to vse ether maister Greenhams help, or anie mans else for the bishops authorising. Soe he shevued him hovue b [...]fore he had delt concerning the bishop, & vuas novue so far frō seeking license, ordainig or authorising at his handes, that though he neuer had thē, yet for that he k [...]evue of them, he abhorred such trash & pollutions, as the marckes and poison of Antichrist Notvuithstanding he saied that if his conscience led him, to deale as before [...]e had delt, he vuould do for him vuhat he might. For he had before requested his help. But R. H. ether chaūging his mind, or disappointed of his purpose, returned to Norvvich, Vuhe­ther also a short time after R. B. tooke his iournie. He came to R H▪. house, Vuhoe then Vu [...]s Maister in the Hospitall at Nor VVich. He there finding roume enough, and R. H. VVillingee. nough that he should abide Vuith him, agreed for his board, & kept in his house. They of­ten had tal [...]ke together, of the lamentable abuses, dilorders, & sinnes, Vuich no VVeraigne euerie Vuhere. At the first they agreed Vuell together, but yet so as that in some things R. H. doubted: notVVithstanding he came on more and more and at last VVholie yeelded to the trueth, Vuhen he sauue it began to preuaile and prosper.

Their commoning about such matters Vuas much and often, as of the state of the [Page] church vvherein it vvas then: & What vvas both their dueties to do in such matters. Their talck did fall out much after this manner. For Vvhen thei vvere vvalcking alone R B. said I vvas glad M. H. that God did keep you at Cambrige, at your last being there, and disposed your vvaie not to haue anie medling With those bishops, but to geue them ouer. Whereto R. H. ansvvered, that he asked it off God, and God hard his praier, that if it vvas not meet for him so to enter the ministerie, he vvould let and disappoint him off his purpose. Then after this at sundrie ti [...]es, there grevve other tal [...]k: as of the Lordsh [...]p, offices and discipline off Antichrist in stead of the Lordship and gouernment of Christ. Then fell out these questions betvvene them, Whether those preachers that submitt them selues vnto such po­pish povver, or anie Vvay so iustefie or tolerate it, as lavvefull in some part, or partlie to be liked & vsed, can thē selues be liked off, or do their duetie as lavuefull pastors & preachers. Hereat R. H. did stick, because off M. Robardes, M. More, M. Deering, & others, vvhome he thē [...]d greatlie like off. But more he doubted & as it vvere drevve back, vvhē he should geue ouer such preachers, or else forsake & sh [...]incke from our ovvne good purpose. For he vvould haue the consent of such preachers in the matters that vvere determined, & also vuould haue them to io [...]ne, though it vvas made plaine vnto him, that thei nether Vvoulde, nether could ioine, takeing that course Vvhich thei did. And as for chan̄ging of their course there Vvas no hope or likelihood, that thei Would do it. For their liuing, their glorie, & credit With the people, stood on it: & thei had sought out manie fetches, & got an euē vvaie on both sides. Thei haue their tolerations, mitigations, & other trim distinctiōs, as of things partlie lavvefull & partlie vnlavvefull, necessarie & lesse needfull, matters of faith & matters besides faith, ordinarie & extraordinarie, vvith a number such like. Thus thei both please the people, & the b [...]shops also: & so are praised & mantained bie the people, & also suffered off the bishops, because forsooth thei are somevvhat conformable. Then from this talek thei fell into other, namelie of the parishes, guided ether bie such preachers, or by the bishopes & their officers. Off this it did follovve, that if the guides & their guiding Vvas vnlavvefull then also the parishes so guided Vvere vnlavueful, & so could not be the churches of God. For thei that sh [...]t vp the kingdom of heauen before men, Mat. 23. 13. can not belong to the Lord, no more can thei, to vvhome it is manifestlie shat vp because thei follov [...]e and praise such guides. This being thus it Vvas debated, What profi [...] [...]hei had bie the preachers, and vvhat good thei had reaped bie the pa [...]ishes: as vvhether faith might be vvrought bie their preaching, & men called to goodnes, & vvhat vse there vvas off the blind reading off seruice & the chapters bie the ministers. Then thei both tould hovv faieth Vvas first Vvrough & bred in thē. But herein thei agreed not, because R. H. said that saith might be bred & f [...]r [...]t vvrought in some, onelie bie reading the scriptures▪ & R. B. saied, no. For though it might be nou [...]ished & increased bie such reading yet the first Vvorcking thereof, is by hearing the vvord preached: as Paul saith, Rom. 10. 14. hovve shall Vve bele [...]e on him on Vvhom VVe haue not hard, & hovve shall VVe heare Vvithout a preacher. And least reading shoulde be taken for preaching, it is said, hovve shall thei preach except thei be sent. So also least hear­ing the Vvord, should be taken for hearing it read, Paul saith aftervvard, that faith cometh by hearing & hearing by the vvord of God: meaning by the Word of God the Vvorde of [...] message in his mouth vvhome God sendeth. So then faith is not Vvrought by reading, ne­ther by [Page] that hi [...] [...] but by [...] th [...] is, [...] can come. [...] vvas on [...] the [...] faith, & [...] of the spirit [...] as [...] the [...] & faith [...] be as vve knovve not saith h [...] the reason of the vvind, ho [...], fr [...] vvhense, & vv [...]ther it blovveth, no more can vve casl [...] knovve, h [...]ve a man is bo [...] off [...]h [...] sp [...]it of God: that is hovve he is first renevved & called to goodnes by faith, and the spirit of God For this is the [...]ifference of faith & the sp [...]it, b [...]cause the spirit is an [...] Working off the h [...]l [...] ghost in our harts, Which st [...]reth & prepa [...] vs vnto all goodnes, & [...] faith cometh, it [...] th [...]s much more in goodnes. B [...]t fa [...]th is a conscience of our redemption & happines in Christ, vvhere b [...]evve [...] in [...]ll nevvnes of life. So then faith can not be excert [...]e he so renevved, that no open gro [...] VVickednes be in vs: as Iames teach [...]th vs, that f [...]ith VVithout VVoreks is dead. Iam. 2, 17, 10 & that Vve are but vaine men [...] Vve saie Vve haue faith Vvhen Vve ha [...]e no Worckes. And faith may be vvhol [...]e Wanting for a time, till the Lord do call vs, & dravve vs vnto him▪ but the spirit is geuen to the elect euen Vvh [...]le the [...] are infantes. And this spirit, though for a time it maie be hidden & couered, yet can it not cleane be put out & q [...]enshed. Th [...]rfore by it Vve are said to be sealed off God, & it is called in the scripture, the earnest off the spirit, the earnest off our inheritaunce. 2. Cor. 1, 25. Ephes. 1, 13, 14. Whereb [...]e is ment that that spirit shall neuer Vvhol [...] cease so Vvorck litle or much tovvard our saluation. Noe more can it be that faith being once thorovve [...]e Vvrought should Vvholie fa [...]le, as Christ saith, he that co­meth to me shall not h [...]nger & be thatt beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst. Ioh 6. 35. For though the [...] sinne neuer so greuous [...]e, yet [...]ff thei be elect, her haue [...] some conscience of their Vvelfare in Christ, or forevvaining of some grace vvhich is tovvardes them. Thei had f [...]rth [...]r this talck▪ hovve men are called novve a daies: hovve some are troubled in con­science: What [...] of the ha [...] there is: & Vvhat tokens & assurance there is of our saluation. All vvhich matters [...] p [...]rtie did applie to him selfe. Therefore for our calling & hovve faith is vvrought novve a daies, it Vvas said before to be bie the preaching of the vvord, b [...]t b [...]e vvhat & vvhose preaching, that remaneth to [...]nevve: for that also vvas skan­ned betvvene them. R B. vvas of this iudgment, that euerie Christian hauing faith & knovv­ledg, & speaking the vvord of God vnto others, might vvinn others▪ This R. H. consirmedd [...]a [...] [...] found it true, because bie h [...]s meanes ce [...]ta [...]ne sisters off his, vvhen he taught & ex [...]ted them, vvere called & vvonne. But h [...]vve far thei & others vvere Vvo [...]e, it is aftervvard declared. Novve [...] be thus vvonne, hovve is faith said to be Vvro [...]ght by preachīg of the vvord. B [...]saied that preaching is not oneli the publick teaching in the pu [...]pit, but it is rather that duetie of speaking & teaching the trueth, as it ought to be taught [Page] & that in vvhat place so euer. For so it is Vvritten in Deut. 6, [...]. vvhere parentes are commaun­ded to teach the vvord, yea to beat it into their children & to vv [...]et them on therein, both [...]ing in th [...] house, & as thei vvalek b [...]e the vvay, and Vvhen the [...]ly dovvne, and vvh [...]n thei [...]se vp Therefore prea [...]hing is not tyed to th [...] p [...]l [...]it, nor to degrees to persons, to the [...]pper, or [...], or co [...]ne [...]d cap [...], to th [...] priest [...] cloake, or to the ska [...]let goune, the at­tite of b [...]sh [...]ps, the [...] & [...] an other [...]. Therefore did Aqu [...] and Pris­ [...]lla preach euen to a preacher, vvhen thei tooke [...] an [...] [...] Vntoe [...]im the doctrine of the ghospel more plainlie. A [...] 1 [...], 26. Yet is there a difference of preach­ing, because some ar [...] called and receaued to that off [...]e and charge, in publique manner, but others are bound onelie as all other c [...]ristians, to edifie and instruct one an other [...] and th [...]s also i [...] preaching, but not vvith publiqu [...] [...]. And by th [...]s teaching is faith also vvrought [...] knovve by example of th [...]t vvoman of [...], Io [...] 4, 41▪ For vvhose vvordes manie b [...]leued, b [...]t [...] the text, [...] the Vvordes of Christ him selfe. For thei confessed pl [...]nly th [...] he vvas the Ch [...]ist the [...]auiour of the vvorld. And if the Vvordes of all christians ought to be su [...]h, as may minister grace to the hearers, saith Paul Ephes 4. then if some heare vvh [...] yet haue not F [...]th, thei may also h [...]e that grace of faith Vvrought in them by their hearing. Thus vvas it agreed on that faith cometh bie hearing and hearing b [...]e the vvord preached, and th [...] vvord is preached bie those vvhich are sent, & this sending is both of those vvhich h [...]ue publique message and authoritie ouer others, and also of euerie christian▪ vvh [...]ch is called a [...]d commaunded [...] all occasions to edifie others. For vvhere [...]vvoe or three are gathered in mie name saith Christ, there am [...] the middest of them: and i [...] [...] sh [...]ll agree in earth vpon anie thing. Vvhat so euer thei shall desire of the Father, it [...] giuen them. Mat. 18, 19. Who therefore can doubt, but that one or tvvoe mai [...] vvinne others to th [...] Lord, and pra [...]ng also for the faith of tho [...]e, vvhom thei teach, then faith [...] begiuen th [...]m of the Lord?

But this matter vvas not vvholie agreed on Vvhat good vvas doone by the preachers and vvhat fruict follovved their doctrine. For R. H. made great accountes of some preachers, and said that much good vvas done by th [...]m. Whereto it vvas ansvve­red, that some preachers vvhile thei vvere forvvard, and did [...] for reformation, soe, long thei did good▪ but Vvhen thei [...]ted, and fell to mitigitions and tolerating, thei, did not so much good before, but th [...]n thei did tvvile soe [...]. [...]uen as the Scribes and [...]harises vvhi [...]h compassed s [...]a and land, to make one o [...] them pros [...]ssion, and vvhen he vvas made, thei made him [...] fould mo [...] the child of h [...]ll, then thei themselues. M [...]t. 23. [Page] So these vvhen thei vvere gone a litle forvvard, & had brought others after them, thei then turned aside, & made their follovvers more careles of goodnes then euer thei Vvere, yea & not onelie careles, but also dispightfull & most bitter persecuters, if anie vvent beyond the, or vvere more tovveard then th [...]i Therefore vvell maie that vvo in Mat. 23 13. be pronoun­ced against such euill preachers▪ because thei sh [...]t vp the kingdom of heauen before men, for thei them selues go not in, n [...]ther suffer thei those that vvould enter, to come in. Woe to them hypocrites, vvhich saie thei desire reformation & yet thei them selues are most vn­reformed. Thei sai thei mourne & praie for amendment, & behould thei are fed of the rich & Vpheld bie great men, thei liue in pleasure & haue courtlie honour, & no man is the bet­ter but all are vvorse & vvorse. Yea others also do rightlie learne their hypocrisie: for as thei vvill streine & make much a do at some thinges, as at the capp & the surplisse & crossing in baptisme &c. and so vvill shev [...]e their zeale & deuotion in smaller thinges, & let greater o­uerpasse: so also their follovvers Vvill seeme godlie, yea touched in hart & humbled, yet are thei openlie defiled vvith greuous offences & vvickednes. So haue thei a shevve of godli­nes, as Paul saith, but haue denied the povver thereof. 2. Tim. 3. 5.

But because R. H. named such & such often times, vvhich he said, feared God, & vvere sorouefull for their sinnes, it Vvas made plaine vnto him both bie vvord and vvriting, that he had small cause to saie so. First for the preachers, though R. B. did iudge the best of some, as of M. Robardes, M. Moare & some others, vvhose dealing at the first he did not throughlie knovve, yet aftervvard be found them to be like their fellovves, & frō them he said plainlie that vvickednes vvent forth into all the land. lere. 23. Their ignorance and vvretched dealing vvas often declared: as hovve thei being teachers of others are thē selues vntaught, euen in some groundes of religion, & in the chiefe partes of their callings. Th [...] vvill aftervvard appeare as likevvise their foolish distinctiōs & shiftinges, vvhich thei ha [...]e parthe inuented them selues, & parthe taken frō others, that as it vvere an other Antichrist is begotten▪ borne & made strong off them, & a nevve persecution practissed. Thei Vvilfully tolerate the things Vvhich are against Christ▪ yea & vvith persecution & outrage vphoulde them, & hovve then are thei [...]ot against Christ, that is hovve are thei not antichrists? And these things against Christ, are not onelie lamentable vvantes among them, but alsoe mo [...] greeuous vvickednes & horrible abominations. Therefore both to R. H. & to the compa­nie that aftervva [...]d ioined, vvere such things spoken as follovve, & also set dovvne in Vvri­ting: namelie that vve are to forsake & denie all vngodlines & vvi [...]ked fellovveship, & to refuse all vngodlie communion vvith Vvicked persons. For this is it that is most & first of all needfull: because God vvil receaue none to communion & couenant Vvith him, Vvhich as yet are at one vvith the Vvicked, or do openlie them selues transgresse his commaunde­mentes. [Page] Novue it vvas shevued thē, that the foundacion of that state, is the popes canon lavve: the head stones in the building, is the povver & authoritie of canon officers, & that therefore thei could not ioine vvith them, as in one spirituall building. For so is it vvritten Ezr. 4. 2. 3. lik [...]vvise other scriptures vvere alleged to this end, as Ezr. 6, 21. Act. 2, 40. Ephe. [...]. 3. Rom. 16, 17 Ioh 10, 5 2. Thess. 3, 14. 2 Cor. 6, 17. But because the enimies sought it out deeplie, hovue to iustifie all such antichristiā offices he taught them herein also to take heed of their leauen. For th [...] b [...]ing for their vvar [...]ant the Qu [...]enes commaun [...]ement. Shee ap­pointed them saie thei, & thei are not novue antichristian but ciuill orders, & iff you Vvill not haue them to be callinges in the church, yet let them be offi [...]es in the common Vvelth. For ansvuere hereof it Vvas said, that in deed in the parlaments, the bishopes had set doune their traditions & orders, & the Queene Vvith the Counsell did agree & graunt vnto them. But such traditions, except thei vvere Warranted bie the Word off God, are but the pre­cepts & doctrine off [...]en. And the scripture sa [...]th plainlie, Ho [...]. 5. 11. that Israel is oppres­sed & broken in iudgment, because he Willingl [...] vvalcked affter the commaundement: that is, because mens commaundements Vvere so much made off, & the Will off the Lord not re­garded. Therefore saith the Lord in Esa 29, 13. because this people come neare vnto me vvith their mouthes, & honour me vvith their lippes, but haue remoued their hart ffrom me, and their f [...]eare tovvard me is taught by the precept off men, therefore the vvisedom off the vvise men shall perish, & the vnderstanding off the prudent shall be hid. Therefore though thei be nobles or bishopes, or vuho so euer, yet iff thei reiect the lavve off the Lord, for their ovvne traditions, vvhat vvisdom is in them? Novve vvhereas thei mingle ciuil & church offi­ces, it vvas ansvvered bi the vvord off God that such mingling vvas flatt antichristianitie. For Christ him self refused to be a ciuiliudge & diuider of landes. Luc 12, 14. & forbad his apo­stles to medle in such manner. Luc. 22, 25. Againe it is vvritten, no man that goeth on vvar­fare, intangleth him selfe vvith the affaires of this life. 2. Tim. 2, 4. For if once ecclesiasticall persons, as thei call them, get ciuil offices, thei become that second beast vvhich is antichrist Reuel. 13, 15. For thei get the image off the first beast, vvhich is the povver & authoritie off vvicked magistrates, that confirme their authoritie: so thei geue a spirit to the image, that it should speake, that is their church lavves & orders, hauing got ciuil povver, both to deceaue men b [...] sh [...]vve of religion, & to force them vvith threates and penalties, the kingdom of [...] antichrist doeth mightilie vvorck & lift vp it selfe. But because thei againe did striue that thei vvere protestantes, & did but as the martyrs had done before them. Thei had sought the Lord sence the time of the martyrs: It vvas ansvuered that so saied the aduersaries of Iudah & beniamin, & added further that thei had sacrificed a long time vnto the true god, Ezr. 4, 2. as these also sai, thei haue the vvord & the sacamētes. So said the scribes & phraises, vvhich builded the tombes of the prophets, & garnished the sepul [...]heres of the righteous, Mat. 23. 29, as these also haue vvritten & make much of the booke of martyrs, & saie, iff thei hadd bene in the daies of their fathers, thei vvould not haue bene partners vvith thē in the bloud of the martyrs. But novve sence the Lord hath called vnto thē ▪ & thei refuse to be reformed in so manie & greuous pollutions, & also pursue, imprison & persecute those vvhich call for redresse, euen all the bloud of the righteous shed vpon the earth vntill this daie shall come vpon them. Againe vvhereas thei vnderprop vvickednes by regard off times, or examples, [Page] of authorities: first for their times, it vvas thus ansvvered, as it is in Hagg 1, 2. This people saie, the time is not yet come to build the Lordes house: but is it time for you saith the Lord to dvv [...]ll in your seiled houses, & this house ly vva [...] & againe in Esa. 5 [...], 6. [...] ha [...]e set vva [...]ch­men vpon thi vvalis Oserusilē. vvhich all the day & [...] the night cōtinuall [...] sh [...]ll not cease: yee that are [...]in of [...]ll or the Lord keep not sil nce, & geue him no rest, till he repaire, a [...]d v [...]til he set vp [...]erusalem the praise of the vvo [...]ld. [...]lso for their examples & authorities of men, it Vvas ansvuered as in E [...]od. 23, 2 tho [...] sh [...]l [...] not follovve a multi [...]u [...]e to do euill▪ But further thei alleged the scripture for the [...] selues: as vvhere it is vvritten of Paul [...]. Cor. 3 If [...] man buil [...] st [...]bble, & this his vvorck [...]ur [...]e, be sh [...]ll lose, but he shall be safe him selfe: likevvise th [...] sai, that thei mai build though [...]perfectlie, & yet help fo [...]vvard the house of God. An [...] [...]gaine thei a [...] that Paul reio [...]ed [...]f Christ vvas preached, though it vvere of [...]unie & [...]fe. Phil. [...]. Thus by [...] sh [...]ft [...]ges & exc [...]les, thei h [...]de as in a nest their [...]a­to vva [...]nes & [...]. T [...]ei [...] v [...]estle such pa [...]king [...], & let them stee vvhen thei list, & a­g [...]i [...]e thei can co [...]er th [...]m by su [...]h deep deuises. For vvhen Paul speaketh of building hai [...] & st [...]bble, he rebuketh th [...]ir va [...]e [...]heto [...]ck & cloquence, & this he saith shall burne vv [...]th the fier, but thei shall be safe, i [...] the [...] cease to be va [...], & buil [...] rightly vpon the foundacion▪ vvherefore for ansvuere of the enimies, [...] vvas saied, that if Christ the foundacion vvere vvanting hovve should ether the builder him selfe be safe, or his vvorck stand & abide▪ Fat Christ is the foundacion being duel [...] preached & duely receaued, & so held. 1. Cor. 3. 11. B [...]t none can hould him vvhich open [...] sh [...]vv them s [...]ues to be the children of b [...]lial. And such are thei vvh [...]ch ca [...]l so man [...]e grosse corrupt [...]ō [...], to be that haie & stubble laied vpō the foun­dacion. For thus do thei iustifie their popish kind of parish [...]s vvhich though thei ouerthroe the true planted churches yet forsooth thei are b [...]lt vpon Christ the foundacion. Behould their vvortlue building▪ it is made of stravves, the b [...]ames be stubble, & the vvalss be hai & vv [...]thered grasse: naitathe [...] those their v [...]e & popish dec [...]ees & traditions, are [...]he sy [...]evves, & veins of that mo [...]ster A [...]christ [...] their concl [...]tous & lavves made in popish [...]onuocations likevvi [...]e their yearl [...] in [...]unctiōs made to persecute the forvvardest, be the bloud & marro [...] or rather the strength & po [...]son of that monsle. Their stinted seruice is a popish beadro [...] full of vaine rep [...]ticions as if [...]eauen paternosters did please the Lord better then sy [...]: & as if the [...]ttering of a pie or a parate vvere much more th [...] better, because it is much more thē enough. Their tossing to & fro of psalmes & sentē [...]es, is like tenisse pla [...]e vvhereto God is ca [...]led a ludg [...] vvho can do best & be most g [...]llant in his vvo [...]shipp▪ as bie organs, solfaing, p [...]cksong chaut [...]g, b [...]ssing & mumling verie roundlie, on diuers handes. Th [...]s thei haue a shevve of religion▪ but in deed thei turne it to gaming, & plai [...] mockholidaie vvith the vvor­sh [...]p of God. For the minister & people are b [...]dled like horses & euerie thing appointed vn­to them like pupp [...]es: as to heare, tead, ansvue [...], k [...]ele, sitt, stand, beginn, breake of, & that by number, measure, & course, & onelie after [...]ne order of antichrist. The [...] vvhole ser [...]ce is broken, d [...]ordered, catched, taken out of the masse book, & a dum & [...]le min [...]sterie mantei­ned thereb [...]e yea a va [...]e vvorsh [...]p vvithout knovvelege and feeling.

And vvhat difference is there betvvene pr [...]ng on b [...]des, and the [...]umbling vp of so manye Lordes pra [...]ers, so man [...]e bab [...]inges b [...]e th [...] priest, & so [...]a [...]e an [...]vueres by the cla [...]k & peo­ple? For no part of the seruice must be left out by the bishops [...]unctions.

Against such praiers, vvas the companie also strengthned bie th [...] vvord of God. first b [...]cause thei are redd, and not applied to the vvorde preached: vvhich is ag [...]n [...]t the custome. [...]F the church vnder the o [...] [...]lavve: and also sence the co [...]ng of Christ. For When th [...] s [...]crifices With praier and [...]en: Vvere offered: the Word a [...]o Vvas preached. Therefore it [...]s W [...]tten in Eccles [...]as [...]. 4. 7 Take [...]eed to thy foot▪ When thou entrest in [...] the house off God▪ and be more [...] to h [...]re, th [...]n to grue the sacrifice off ffoo [...]es: for th [...]i knovve not that th [...]i do euill. So then to bable [...]uer praiers, VVhen the people [...] novve not nether are taught th [...]ir sinnes, is an [...]ommation. Proue [...]. 15, 8. & 21, 27. And to seu [...]r the offices off the pastor, Vvhich God b [...]th [...]ined, it is iniquitie. For to preach, to praie, and minister the sac [...]aments, are so put tog [...]th [...]r in the scriptures, that in the pastor d [...]d prai or minister the s [...]c [...]amentes, be Vvas also to preach, as it is Written Deut. 33. [...]0. Likevvise in Ma [...]ac. 2▪ 6 7. Also the Apostles did not publiqueli prai and minister the sacramentes, except the Vvord Vvere preached vvithall. Act 2. 42. Act. 10. 3 [...]. Act 6 4. Also because such praiers are off custom [...] and course, thei can not be Vvith true feeling and touch off hart. Therefore in vaine thei Vvorsh [...]p me, saith the Lord, because thei come neare vnto me Vvith their mo [...]thes, and honour me vvith their [...]pes, but haue [...]enoued their hart from me. Esa. 29, 13 Novve then [...]ff it be the offi [...]e off the pastor and preacher, and part off his calling, toe pray, then must he be able off him selfe to do it: Wh [...]e then should a seruice, or reading off praiers be stinted vnto him? For iff his lippes keep not knovvledg Malac. 2. 7. iff he can not min [...]ster the vvo [...]d Vvith praier: Act. 6, 4. he is not meet to be a pastor or vvatch m [...]ouer the people. But vvhereas the praiers are set devvne bi number and course, it is alltogether a popish superstition, or rather an heathnish follie. For to Vvhat purpose are such fond repe­ticions, and vaine babli [...]g▪s forbidden bie Christ Mat. 6, 7 And iff all thinges ought to be done in due order 1. Cor. 14, 40. Col. 2, 5. then vvhere is that order in so chiefe a thing as is the vvo [...]ship off God? Suerlie such a seru [...]e and vvorship off God is to build vpon the foun­dacion, as he that buildeth a dunghill vpon the sandes, and vvhen the tempest off vengeance shall come, it shall take him avvare, Vvith the dong [...]e he hath gathered. But thei obiect that a le [...]tu [...]gie maie be appointed and red, and that most off their seruice is good, and the rest, iff anie be euill maie be left of them that heare, though the minister must nedes read it all. To this it vvas ansvvered, that it is a shame for them to come into such bondage as ether to suffer the incense of Nadab and Ab [...]h [...] (for such is their seruice and abstractes from the mass [...]booke) Leuit, 10, 1. or else to be seruauntes to men to hinder their I bertie: vvhich is forbidden 1. Cor. 7, 23. 2. Cor. 11, 20. For bie the capp and the surplisse & the bishops dischargings, vvith other their traditions, the VVord is in bondage, & likevvise their Vvor­shipping off God [...]ie such stinted seruice, so that thei can nether praie, nor preach as thei should, but as it pleaseth the bishopes.

Nether let them account off the feeling, vvhich some saie thei haue vvhen thei heare the seruice red. For euen in vvo shipping Idols, there is a strong feeling, or [...]a: her a strong de­lusion: and though there m [...]ght be good motions in an euill thing, yet that did not vvariant the euill, no more then Paules zeale did iustifie his persecuting of the sainctes: nor the tear [...]s vvhi [...]h come from a troubled hart do iust [...]fie the [...]inne for the vvhich it is troubled. And Vvhat is it to Vveep before an Idol, or to sh [...]d teares in a false & [...]aine vvorshipp? [Page] And vvhat should thei boast of some good praiers & some good vvordes vvhich are in their commō seruice? For vvitches & coniurers vvill Vse good vvords & good praiers, vvhe thei coniure & charme the deuil. And vvhi halt thei betvuene good & euill? For iff thei do ma­ny things vvell & yet in one thing be open & greuous transgressors, all is made naught. And hovve should anie thing be partli good as thei sai, & partli euil? For the euil that is doth make it vvholi euil, as it is vvritten, Iam. 2. 10. 2. Sam. 15, 23. So then such traditions and orders, are so far from building vpon Christ the foundacion, as the Lordes house & temple can not be the synagogue of satan, nor his builders the open & knovvē balamits & maisters of iniquitie. For Balaam blessed Israel but counseled to make an agremēt & partakeing to­gether of Israel & amalek: So these do blesse the cause, & prai for discipline, but thei tolerat & dispense vvith abominations, to make Christ & belial agree. Yea sai thei, Paul teacheh vs to preach Christ bi all māner of vvaies, Phil. 1. & also reioiseth there ī. So th [...]i vvil preach Christ after the manner of Balaam: & as bi their praiers thei hould stil the mediation & in­tercession of antichrist, so bi their tolerating & dispensing vvith vvickednes, thei hould st [...]ll his priesthood, & bi their counsel, decrees & traditiōs, thei hould stil his propbecie. Where­f [...]ore, to ansvvere them, it vvas said, that Paul re [...]o [...]sed, not that Balamits should be preachers in the church, but that abundance of all sortes of preachers should be, so thei vve [...]e lavue­full. And though thei Vvere hypocrites, & had their enuie & strife, yet that fo [...]thvvith did not make them vnlavueful preachers. For if thei brast not forth into open contention, toe make a diuision, nor did vvilfulli tolerate open abuses, nor frovaroli iustifie false doctrine & heresies, Paul Vvould not reiect them. But if it Vvere othervvise, Paul is so far from re­ioising in them, that he Vvisheth thei vvere euen cut of [...] vvhich disquiet the church. Galat. 5. & againe he saith, that he shall beare h [...]s condemnation, vvho so euer he be that troubleth them. And to the Romans 16, 17. be saith, novve I besee [...]h you brethren, mar [...]k thē diligētly vvhich cause diuisions & offenses, contrarie to the doctrine vvhich ye haue learned, & auoid them. And if Paul re [...]oised in all manner of preaching, vvhi do not thei re [...]oise in the Pope & in the frears & monckes For thei vvould preach Christ, & v [...]ithall the lavves & traditiōs of antichrist: as these also vvill seeme to preach Christ, & yet preach a toleration of the kīg­dom of antichrist: as of the povver of lordlib shops, of their sending forth of Warrants, of sitting in ciuil iudgment, off imprisoning & persecuting in shamful manner: likevvise off their spiritual courtes & officers, vvhich ouerrule, threaten, excommunicate, and poule the people vvith force & penalties. In deed Vvould Paul reioise in such preachers, vvhich al­lovve & teach others to allovve, or vvilfulli tolerate that their profane babtisme vvith god­fathers & godmothers, Vvith crossing & confirming off children, & other foolish tounges. off these it vvas said, that thei being superst [...]ous ceremonies, are not one lie the precepts of men, & so make vaine the vvo [...]sh [...]p of God. Mat. 15. but also are popish superstitions & [...] miserable yoake laid vpon vs by antichrist. For by them, & other such like, is the vvord of God made of none authoritie Ma [...]k. 7. 13. because his message by his seruantes is stopped, except thei yeeld & subscribe to such trash. Yet the vvord commaūdeth, that vve should not be seruants to men, 1. Cor. 7. 23. that is thei must lose no vvhit of their libertie vvhich thei haue in Christ. And this libertie thei haue, not to do anie thing affter mens traditions, but onelie to do vvhat the Lord commaundeth. Therefore to teach & tolerate the ch [...]r [...]hing of [Page] vveomen vvas shevved to be vnlavvefull: because thei are churched, vvhich ether can be none of the church & people of God, or else vvhich neuer vvere put out of the church: and vvhy then sh [...]uld thei be so solemlie againe receiued to the church? For the levvish vveo­men vvere solemlie pur [...]fied, because of their outvvard vncleanes: but that being then but a ceremonie, can not be novve held vvithout great superstition. And vvhy should there be an open tha [...]ckesgeueing for that vvhich is no blessi [...]g, but a curse? For at their trauaile, and vvhile thei are in childbed, it is knovven vvell enough vvhat vanitie is among them. So frō their cursed life at home thei come to the church to haue the priestes blessing, & the vvoe­man is safely deliuered to liue the more vvickedly. As for the babtisme of the child, iff it be rightly done, & ether of the parentes be godl [...]e, that is a blessing, & in the publik sacrament there sh [...]uld be a publik thanksegeuing. But the churching of vveomen can be no sacramē [...]: nether is their bodelie deliuerance a publique blessing: nai rather it is a curse if thei be vn­thankf [...]ll & vvicked. Therefore for their priuat blessing let them priuatlie geue thāckes. But if thei be vntha [...]ckfull, vvhy sh [...]uld the church meet together to be thanckfull for thé or vvhy sh [...]uld the [...] b [...] hono [...]ed to that manner & strengthned in their sinne, vvhile thei are so vainlie comforted for th [...]ir bodelie deliuerance? For hovve profanelie is th [...]t 91 psal. ap­plied to [...]omfort th [...]m, as if that p [...]i [...]ate & vvorldlie blessing vvere all in all? or as if for that vvorldlie blessing there sh [...]uld be opē meetings, & none for the spiritual & greater blessings A for a man to teach his hous [...]hould, to reb [...]ke sinne in his freind, to acknouledge his fa [...]lt to his neighbour Vvith amendment thereoff &c. these are spirituall blessings, & if for these particularlie there can not be p [...]blique meetings, because that vvere a troublesōe disorder, vvhy then should there be a d [...]sordered meeting for the churching of vveomen? But as in this point, so in manye such like popish delusions, the pomp, superstition, & vanitie of an­tichrist vvas shevved▪ as in their fa [...]inges, feastinges, saincts euens, holie daies, funeralls, manner of marriing, popish [...]ttire, vvith other such like. Further it vvas declared hovve vn­godlie the bishops do auth [...]ise, & the preachers do suffer & tolerate those vvretched blind ministers to minster the sacramēts, & sare seruice, & also dispence vvith the people to heare them, & to receaue the sacraments of thē. Also hovve vvickedlie thei allovve those vvoefull conuocations of bish [...]ps in stead of church lyno [...]es, & pu [...]t their vniuersitie degrees, dispu­tations, & common places in stead of church prophecie, & despite & gainsaie the true exer­cise therof. L [...]kevvise sundrie other vvantes in the church & vvoefull defaultes of the prea­chers vvere sh [...]vved, the disproofe vvherof is novve to long to reherse: as in hovve vile and abominable mā [...]er thei are made preachers & ministers. Thei geue their neckes to the yoak of disordered & popish attire, the marckes of antichrist, as the horned capp, the maidenlie surplsse, the g [...]ue & flo [...]shing [...]ppe [...], the hoodes, g [...]unes, ch [...]me [...]s, rochets, coapes &c. and that according to vaine degrees: as for the lordlie b [...]sh [...]ps, their attire, & for the doctors, bachelars of diuinitie, ministers & priests, their att [...]: all vvh [...]ch is more vaine & ridiculous then the pharisaical phylacte [...]es & fringes. For the f [...]nges vvere commaūded bie the lavv but yet of them supe [...]stitio [...]sly abused. But these their garmentes, & also their offices, are flat against the lavve, & yet of them most proudlie abused. As cheifly vvhen the Beadle & the t [...]pstaff [...] do go b [...]fore them to bring them into the pulpitt. Hovve sh [...]efull [...]e doe th [...]i [...]a [...]e for the magistrates as if thei hindred & letted them to do their full [...]. Hovve lik [...] hire­ling [...] [Page] do thei leaue the [...]ock vvhen the bishops o [...] the magestrats do vniustlie discharge th [...] & hang their authoritie & calling on their sleue, but vvil [...]ot hould it of the Lord their God? Hovve parcial are thei, could, & seruile in suffering greuous corr [...]ptiōs to the ouerthrovve off religion & gouernment? What running [...] make thei from tovvne to tovvne, to preach for their prais, & leaue their flock destitute a long time for their pleasure, & to seck more gaine & honour? Hovve do thei seuer preaching from gouerning, doctrine from discipline, as iff thei could be seuered & vvere partes diuided? Hovve many non residents are there & gredie d [...]uourers off benefices, s [...]ipendes & other popish liuings, Which are vtterly vnlavvefull, be­cause thei are bie tythings, vvhich are novve no more to be geuen to the ministerie, or bi [...] lavves & customes vvhich hinder the due placing & displacing off minist [...]rs, & the right & libertie off the church therein. These & a thousand mo abominations haue thei amongst thē & confesse t [...]m selues, that thei can not redresse them. So th [...]i hould one communiō vvith hoggs & dogges, eu [...]n open vngodlie persons, & haue no remedie. Behould, do these men preach Christ, vvh [...]ch thus do p [...]ruert the ghospel of Christ? For this is the sum of the ghos­pell, & of Paules preaching, as he him selfe vvittnesseth, Act. 20. R [...]pentance tovvardes God▪ & faieth tovvardes our Lord Iesus Christ. This repētance & f [...]ith is d [...]nied & [...]o also Christ & his ghospel is cast [...]nder foote, vvhere such greuous corruptions doe raigne & nether his gouernment & prophecie can ouersee & trie out such f [...]lth [...]nes, nor make separation of-cleane and vncleanne, not yet by his preisthood anie such [...]ncleannes can be clensed avvaie Therefor vve say that these men can not preach Christ truelie, but onelie in [...]h [...]vve, nether can build vpon Christ the foundation▪ for it is not for you saied the lords people, but for vs to build the house vnto our god. for vve our selues together vvill build it vnto the lord god of Israel. Therefore not all builders or preachers are to be receaued or reioyced in, but such as in deed do hould the foundacion & preach Christ aright. for the enuie & strife vvhereof [...] Paul speaketh, vvas seacret, or vvhen it appeared, yet it could not and vvas not menifestlye proued, & therefore such preachinge vvas not against the foundacion, But if anie doe vv [...]l fullie & presumptuouslye stand in anie opē synne, [...]de same can not hould the foundacion▪ for vvhether the sinne be small or great, Mat. 18. if it become open & be duelie brought be fore the church, & the offēder vvill not heare the church, let him be vnto the, faieth Christ, as an heathen man & a publican. & againe it is vvritten, that that man vvhich shall doe presumptuouslie, against the voice of the highe preist) vvhich figured the voice of Christ Iesus at this daye in his chuch, that man shall die. dut. 17. And Saul kinge of Israel, though he saied he had sinned, yet be [...]ause he excused it & repented not, Samuel vvould not returne to him, tyll agaiē he had saied I haue sinned vvithout excuse. 1. Sam. 1 [...]. So th [...]t plainelie it appeareth, that Samuel Iudged Saul not to hould the foundacion, vvhile he openly excused his sinne [...] for else he vvould not haū forsaken his fellovvshipp & left him to the shame of the people But Semuels vvords before doe plainly de [...]lare that all open sinne vnrepented & stoud in, is the ouerthrovv of the foundacion▪ for Rebellion is as the sinne of vvitch craft, & transgres frō is vvickednes & Idolatrie. verse. 23. if then vvitches & Idolaterrs hould not the foundaciō suerli noe more doe thei, vvhich by ane sinne reb [...]ll & transgresse against god & vvittingli [...] excuse it, as did Saule or vvil [...]fullie & presumptu [...]l [...]e Iustifie it. Novv let it be Iudged, hov [...]ther thei build [...]pon the foundacion, or hould [...] [...]undacion, or preach Christ as thei sai [Page] thei doe▪ for this is to lay the foundacion Acts. 8. 12. to preach the thengs that concren th [...]-kingdome of God, & the nā [...] of Iesus Christ. & this is to ouerthrovve the foūdacion, vvhich vvilfullie thei or vvith persecution & outrage. thei vphould the abominations of a cōtrarie kingdome. This is to lay the foundacio [...], Mat 28. to preach & Babtise in the name of the Faster teachinge to obserue & doe, vvhat soe euer saieth Christ, I haue commaunded you. & th [...]s is to ouerthrovv the foundacion to teach a toleration & practissing of things, vvhich a [...]e cōtraie to the vvhole gouernment & kingdom of Christ. Novv to hould the foundaciō, is to beleeue, & also receaue that doctrine of Christ in profession & practise of life. for as soone as thei beleeued thei vvere babtised saieth the text▪ thei continued in the apotles doc­trine, fellovvship & cōmun [...]ō of pra [...]ers & sacram [...]ts Act. [...]. yea thei sh [...]vved their. vvorkes & their loue, & the singlenes of their harts verse. 46. Act. 19. & vvere seprat frō that frovv­ard generation. & it is vvritten th [...]t if a [...]ie man sh [...]ll breake of the least commaundemēts, & teach men soe, that is shall doe it openlie & ge [...]e euil example, & hould & Iust [...]fie it in doctraine & vvords, he sh [...]ll be called the least in the kingdom of God, Mat. 5. that is h [...] shal be excludede & sh [...]t out off [...]is kingdom. And if anie man shall ad or diminish of the vvord of God, either by doctrine or by practisse, & that vvitingli & stubburnlie, he can not hould the foundacion for Go [...] sh [...]ll add vnto hi [...] the plagues that are vvritten. Reuel. 22. Pro. 30. Therefore s [...]ie noe more, ye vvicked preachers, that ye hould the foūdacion, or that ye pre­ach▪ for vvhat is it vvorth to saie vnto Christ, haile King of the Ievves, & bovve the knee be fore him, vvh [...] you cast your filthie disorders & popish gouernment as dougne on his face you haue not yet gathered the people frō the Popish parishes & vvicked fellovvsh [...]p. nether [...]aue planted the church by layinge the foundacion thereof. [...]or here by is the foundacion [...]ried, vvhen vVe make & hould the couenant vvith the Lord to be vnder h [...]s gouernment. vvhen vve haue the povver of the Lord, as it is vvritten, Cor. 1. 5. amongst vs, & the s [...]pter of Christ Iesus amongst vs. But these doe hould the vvhep & the svvord of Popish excomūica­tion. They are vvithout the Lords couenant, & vvithout his gouernmēt, Thei haue alltoge­ther. corrupted their vvaies, thei haue broken the yoake & Burste the bands in sunder. for euen those vvhich can be none of Christ church, abidnge in such vvickednes, are cheefe in their churches. & soe farr are thei from bu [...]ldinge of gould & tymbere, together vvith hay & stubble, that thei put fier to the better tymber & tūble dovvne the better stones to ouer­th [...]vve the Lords buildinge. Thus haue thei an ansvvere of those places, of the. 1. Phil &. 1▪ Cor. 3. vvhich is this that [...]hir vvi [...]kednes & abominacion is more greuous then that can be counted the Infirmitie of speaking toe eloquentlie, or of enuie vvhich is secrett, or of a con­ [...]e [...]tious mynd.

[...]uie did agree th [...]reto. & though much trouble & persecution did follovve, yet some did cleaue fast to the trueth but some F [...]ll avv [...]i [...]. [...]o vvhen triall by pu [...]suites, losses, & imprisonment cāe, & further increa [...]ed [...] Robert▪ B [...]rker, N [...]colas vvo [...]ovves, Tats [...]l, Bond & sōe oth [...]rs, for sooke vs also & h [...]l [...] ba [...]k, [...] vvere afraied at the first There vvas a day ap­pointed, & an order taken, ffo [...] [...]edr [...]sse off [...]h [...] former ab [...]ses, & for cleaning to the Lord [...] greater obediēce [...]o a couenāt vvas made & ther mutual cōsent vvas geuē to [...]ould to gether

There vvere certaine [...]h [...]ef po [...]ntes proued vnto them by the scriptures, all vvhich being particul [...]lie rehersed v [...]to them vv [...]h exhortation, the [...] agreed vpon them, & pronoūced their agrement to ech thing p [...]ti [...]ularl [...], s [...]iing, to this vv [...] g [...]ue our consent. First there­fore thei giue their consent, to [...]oine them selues to the Lord, in one couenant & fellovve­sh [...]pp tog [...]her, & to keep & seek agrement vnder his lavves & gouernment: and therefore did v [...]terlie flee & a [...]oide su [...]h like disorders, & vvickednes, as vvas mencioned before. Fur­ther thei agreed off th [...]se vvhich should tea [...]h them, and vvatch for the saluation of their soules, vvhom thei allovved & did chose as able & meete ffor that charge. For thei had suffi­cient triall & testimonie thereoff by that vvhich thei hard & savve by them, & had recea­ued of others. So thei praied for their vvatchfulnes & diligence, & promised their obedience

Likevvise an order vvas agreed on ffor their meetinges together, ffor their exercises ther­in, as for praier, thanckes giuing, reading of the scriptures, for exhortation & ed [...]f [...]ing, ether by all men vvhich [...]d the guift or by those vvhich had a speciall charge before others. And for the lavvefulnes off putting forth questions, to learne the trueth, as iff anie thing seemed doubtful & hard, to req [...]ire some to shevve it more plainly, or for anie to shevve it him selfe & to cause the rest to vnderstand it. Fu [...]th [...]r for noting o [...]t [...]nie speciall matter of edifiing at the meeting or for [...]alckīg seuerally thereō, vvith some particulars, [...]ff [...]one [...]i [...] require pub­lique audience, or if no vvaightier & more necessarie matter vvere [...]ā [...]led of others. Againe it vvas agreed that anie might protest, appeale, complaine, exhort, disput [...], repro [...]e &c. as he bad occasion, but yet in due order, vvhich Vvas thē also declared. Also that al should further the kingdom off God in them selues, & especiallie in their charge & hous [...]hould, iff thei bad anie, or in their freindes & companions & vvhosoeuer Vvas Vvorthie. Furthermore thei particularlie agreed off the manner, hovve to Vvatch to disorders, & reforme abuses, & for assembling the companie, for teaching priuatlie, & for vvarning & rebukeing both priuat­ly & openlie, for appointing publick humbling in more rare iudgemētes, & publ [...]k thankes­geuing in straunger blessinges, for gathering & testifiing voices in debating matters, & pro­pounding them in the name off the rest that agree, for an order of chosing teachers, guides, & releeuers, vvhen thei vvant, for separating cleane from vncleane, for receauing anie into the fellovveship, for presēting the dailie successe of the church, & the vvantes thereof, for seek­ing to other ch [...]rches to haue their help, being better reformed, or to bring them to refor­mation, for taking an order that none contend openlie, no [...] persecute, nor trouble disor­deredly, nor bring false doctrine, nor euil cause after once or tvvise Vvarning or rebuke.

Thus all thinges vvere handled, set in order, & agreed on to the comfort off all, & soe the matter vvrought & prospered by the good hand of God. But last of all vvas this thing deter­mi [...]ed, Wh [...]h [...]r God did call them to leaue their contrie, & to depart out of England.

[...]ome had decre [...]d i [...] to be gone into Scotland, & by vvriting, sending, & ridi [...]g to & froe di [...] labour in the matter, & seemed to b [...] [...]eluouse lea [...] their cou [...]sell should not take place. B [...] R. B. being [...]he [...] he [...] as prisoner a [...] London, did s [...]nd dovvne his ansvvere bie vvriti [...]g to he co [...]tr [...]r [...]e For he [...]u [...]e [...] [...] i [...] vvas against du [...]tie, & [...]o vvrote vnto them▪ if [...]hei first sh [...] agree [...]g [...] Sco [...]l [...]n [...] [...] as yet thei had not [...]f [...]ed v [...]h [...]th [...]r thei vvere to l [...]aue [...]gl [...]nd. Also [...] vnto [...]hem, that thei vvere to do that good in England vv [...]i [...]h possiblie thei [...]ight [...]o [...] ought not to remoue, before thei had [Page] yet further testified the trueth & the Lord had vvith [...]rong hand deliuered them frō th [...]se. And [...]a [...]h [...]r in deed vvoul [...] h [...] haue it to be a deliuerance by the Lor [...], then a covveardly flee­i [...]g off be [...] ovvne d [...]u [...]si [...]g F [...]h [...] [...] them his reasons, v [...]hy Scotland could not be meet for them, seing it f [...]a [...]ed it s [...]lff [...] in those matters to please England toe much. Wee [...]nevve also that vve could not there be suffered, [...] b [...]cause some corrupt [...]ō should come vpon vs from their pa [...]shes, vvhich vve ough [...] to auoide, o [...] because vve there should haue great trouble vvrought vs from E [...]gland, as iff vve kept still in England. So vvhen some vvere better aduised thei chaunged their mindes for going into Scotland. Notvvihstandīg againe thei vvould be gone into G [...]rsey or Garnsey & had the consent as thei saied of diuers others, that [...]ho [...]ght it meet thei should learne th [...] state off those contries. R. B. saied he vvas not against their going to that purpose But yet he tould them there vvas no such hast to be gone out of England, & that further delay & deliberation should be had in that matter. But at last, vvhen diuers of them vvere againe imprisoned, & the rest in great trouble & bon­dage out of prison, thei all agreed, & vvere f [...]llie persvvaded that the Lord did call the out of England.

But vve come to the breach & falling out of these parties. First the lavves vvere broken, vvhereby the church of Christ should be k [...]pt in good order. There fel out questi­ons, offences; & takeing of partes, as vve knovve it hath alvvaies & shall come to passe in the church of God. But for remedie of such thinges the Lordes ordinance vvas reiected and greater presumption further increased, as shall appeare. The mindes in a manner of all vvere estraunged from the pastor, or their consciencies vvoūded, & thei disquieted by foo­lish doubtes, accusations, slaunders & quarrels moued & cast abroade bie the chief est of them. Yet vvas there noething in controuersie vvhich vvas not generalie agreed on by all at the first, & openlie debated vvith mutual cōsent, though diuers aftervvard fell avvaie, & some also secretlie vvere at variance in their hartes. For the end did declare their hypocrisie & vvhat enu [...]e & grudg laie hidd in their brestes. Notvvithstanding their disposition vvas perceaued of some, & some stirring and disquietnes thei began to make vvas stopped & cut of for the tim [...] But vvhen the pastor f [...]ll sick & could not be present at the exercises, nor vi­sit them priuatlie in houses, the stirring did freshly beginn againe. Thei made a doe secretly & tal [...]ked manie matters among them selues, but neuer [...]ould them to the pastor, nor asked counsel for them of the church by admonish [...]ē [...], doubt, o [...] question in prophecie, before thei had troubled the vvhole church about them. Hereby the contention grevve so far, that s [...]me f [...]ll from questions to e [...]ill speaches & slaunders, & from slaunders to open def [...]aunce & railinge [...].

The matters in controuersie vvere manie, all vvhich, tho [...]gh [...]h [...]i v [...]ere often times tho­rovvlie [Page] d [...]bated, yet therein vvere soōe peruerted them selues, & did also corrupt & h [...] others the stirring & busines vvas after this māner. There vvere fundrie meetings procured against R. B. By. R. H. & his Partkers. for certaine tales & slanders vvere brought. to R. H. vvhi [...]h he stra [...]ght vvay receaued, & [...] [...]gainst R. B. The accusations in the first mietting [...] Vvere, that R B. condemned his Sister Allen [...] as a reprobate. alsoe he saied▪ she had not repen­ [...] of her abominations in England also that he saied, except she repented of her abomiati­ [...] that night she should neuer enter into the kingdom of God, to these it vvas āsvvered & vvitnesses taken first that he nether did call nor Iudge his sister for a reprobate, & that he had to hastlie harckned to tales, in that matter, also vvitnes [...]me in that he saied not to his sister, she had not at all repented of these abominations in England, But that nether she not vve all vvere sufficiently mortified, for them for these matters, because R. B▪ did first priuatli rebuke R. H▪ as for that he bid beleued & receaued such things vvith out all proufe & vvit­nesses: & also for that he saied he knevv more aganst him, but vvould not speake of them he tooke the matter verie h [...]inouslie Straight vvsy he vvent forth, & sent others to admonish R. B. for he could not soe suffer the matter to passe, but he cast of that charge vvhich he had taken vpon him, a litle before, & vvould not medle anie further, except there vvere some remidie procured. Then did he put forth his, accusation in vvritinge, vvhich vvas red & re­ceiued of others, but not shevved to the partie vvhom he accused for this vvriting & hand­ling of matters soe priuilie he vvas blamed. & therefore vvhen R. B sent vnto him to see the vvritinge he refused, & kept it backe▪ then he procured Chatles mōemā, Iohn Chāler, Tobie hen [...]on, & others to meet about the matter. at vvhich meeting because diuers things before vvere disorderedlie handled, R. B. did then in [...]antlie call for au order, that thnges might be rightlie debated. as first that noe accusation might be openlie brought against him vvithout tvvoe or three vvittnesses, for this he saied vvas the vvord of God, 1. Tim. 5. 19. Deut. 19. 1 [...]. But R. H. vvhich before had delt vvithoute vvittnesses, did this shift of the matte [...], that he Needed noe vvittnesses to accuse R. B. Because the mrtters could not bedenied, vvherevvith he ch [...]rged him, Ansvvere vvas made that thei had beene denied. & vvere not yet proued & therefore such dealing vvas vtterli vngodlie, Then in tvvoe other things did Robert. B. call vppo thē for ane order amongst them the first vvas that their might be noo fused brablinge But that the accuser & ansvverer hauing both tould their tales, then matters might be iudg­ed by the church, & thei not suffered to make contention, by gainsaing on an other soe offt as thei list. But herein also did R. H. Charles Mūnemā, & their partakers both denie & breake o [...]der contrarie to the scripture alleged [...]. Cor. 14. ver, 33, &. 1. Cor. 11. Soe likevvise did thei in the other point vvhich vvas that R. B. vvould haue one matter first & then an other to be de­bated & Iudged, & not one accusation, to passe, before the truteth thereof vvere thorovvli foū [...] out the [...]e things vvere denied him, & could not be grannted, because of the frovvard­nes & cōtention of some then did R. B. cōpla [...]ne that he had great iniurie dō [...] him, & vvould depart frō the meetinge if thei proced in that ma [...]ne [...]: vvhich vvordes vvhen thei hard, they vvere furthr out of order, soe that eihter tvvise or thrise he vvas forced to [...]ys vp & leaue them th [...] vvas he cond [...]mned as an vnlavvfvll Pastor, & it vvas saied vnto him that he vvas not to keep the exercises▪ also that he vvas to c [...]sse his faults before thei vvould Io [...]ne Vvith [...], the meeting beinge [...] R. B chamber, he [...]ā [...] in ag [...]i [...] & [...]ould thē, that he vvas vn­vvillinge [Page] thī should vees their meetings in his chamber after that manner. Soe aftervvard thei held their meetings in another place: vvhere againe thei condemned R. B. but nor as be­fore ffor he sent vnto them, that they vvould send him in vvitinge the matters vvherevvith thei charged him, & dele in that manner against him, But the former slanndres thei h [...]d th [...]u geuen ouer, & had got vp three nevv matters against him, vvhich then sente him avvai one vvas that Robert B. vvith his vvittneses had falslie accused R H. of Notable apparēt vvicked­nes, to this it vvas ansVvred, that he nether had taken Vvittnes nor made accosation in anie matter saue o [...]lie that in defence off him selfe he h [...]d called for vvittn [...]s to cleare hī selfe, as that vvhen the aduersarie did accuse him vvithout vvittnes▪ l [...]kevvise h [...] rebukedd Ro. H. off open vvickednes, & vvhen he made that also a public accusation, he vvas faine op [...]li to sh [...]vv vvherein he vvas vvicked▪ namelie in that be openlie b [...]ake the order & gouernment of the ch [...]rch in that he had receued false accusations, & report against his brother, & him selfe al­so did falsly. accuse him & trouble th [...] ch [...]rch in that manner: en other accusation VVas, about the pavvning off a siluer spoone, vvherein R. B. vvas cōdēned as an vnlavvfull surmiser. But straight vvay they vvere found by their ovvne vvittnesses, to be vvicked slannderers, & that [...]. B. had iust cause to admonishe one as beig cause off offence to her mother in that mat­ter [...]be third accusation vvas, for Rebuking R. H. off murmuringe, & this vvrs Iudged a slan­der▪ thus vvhen R. B. perceaued hovv that diuers tymes priuilie, & novv also openli thei cast h [...]m off, he also openli pronounced it, that he had noe charge off them, if they soe continued to vvithdravve them selues then did R. H. toke upon him charge. for his conscience he saied could not suffer him, to let them be vvithout teachinge. yet aftervvard. belike their cōsiencos did trouble them for casting off Robe. Brov. in such order, Soe in an open meetinge euerie on confessed their ffaultes. RoBe. H. both openlie in the church & particulerlie from man to mā, & From house to house did acknovvledg, that he had delt vnaduisedlie against R B. in sundrie things. So in all things vvas Robert BroVVne, cleared, & acknovvledged noe ffaulte at all as being innocent in those things vvhere vvith thei had charged him, But yet ffor all this the grudge lay hid in the harts of diuers▪ & nevv meetings vvere had against R. B, vvhere in agaī accusations vvere had vvithout Vvittnesses, R, Har, againe receaued sundrie tales & slanders & nethr shame vvhich before came on him, nor the Iudgement of God by the death of his children, nor sundrie vvarnings othervvise could▪ cause him to lay doū his malice & trouble­some mind. he had diuers partakers that claue fast Vnto him, because he Taught Them that Thei might Lavvfully Returne IN TO ENGLAND AND there haue their dvvellinge, ¶ Thir DOCTRINE thei liked Because they VVere VVearied, of the hardnes of that cont­ [...]: So And So did hould in VVith Robert, H. THEN VVAS Robert. BROVVNE. the tbird*

Tyme condemned, and forsaken off Them

The faults They Laied Against him VVere, For rebukinge, Rob, H, Sister of VVant of Loue AND off abhorring The Pastar: VVhich They Counted A Slander. LIKeVVise FOR RE [...]king her, oF Ivdgeing VVrong Fullie on The Printer, VVhich VVas also made a slannder [Page] But yet againé after this rec [...]cilemét vvas made, & the accusers cōfessed their ffaultes: [...] no ffault as yet Vvas foūd & proued agaī [...]t R. B. Thus agaīe the [...] all took h [...]m for th [...]r lav [...] full pastor & made a faier shevv, th [...]t [...]he [...] vvould deale no more so ffool shly agaist [...]ī. No [...] vvithstā [...]īg such vvas their e [...]e, & stuma [...]k & d [...]fire to be gōe into Englād that r [...]e vv [...] restles till th [...] had vvholy d [...]u [...]ded thē selues Thē vvas there vvhisperigs, back b [...]tigs. & m [...] murigs pri [...]ily & amōg thē s [...]lues▪ also op [...]ly grenous thr [...]at [...] t [...]ūts, reu [...]līgs, & f [...]lle accus [...] tiōs vvere [...]fe in their mouth [...]s [...] vvas for th [...]t some bid threatned R B. to accuse [...] trouble him a [...] the meet [...]gs as b [...]ffore the [...] had done verie vvrōgff [...]ll [...]: but he charged th [...] thervvise, & saied the [...] could not mine vv [...]th him in publik praier & th [...]k [...]gi [...]īg being at o [...] disagremēt & not first recōciled. This vvas coū [...]ed pr [...]s p [...]ō intolerable to be spokē of him. And for that he charged so [...]ne b [...]sie bodies vvh [...]ch vvere also bla [...] he [...]ers, not to come [...] the meetings, n [...]t [...]er to his c [...]er i [...] that mā [...]er, he vvas gr [...]no [...]sly takē vp & miscalled [...] diuers. Likevvise fo [...] h [...]s vv [...]fe there vvas much a doe, & for the pov [...]r & authoritie vvh [...] the H [...]sband h [...] ho [...]er the W [...]fe. In th [...]s latter a d [...]e R. H. vvas [...]ck & came not abroad [...] bath h [...]d tale, c [...]ovve bro [...]ght vnto [...]i, for vvh [...]ch h [...]ff [...] made g [...]eat st [...]r [...]īg & b [...] ­sines. B [...]t [...]g [...] their ovū [...] shame cō [...]el [...]ed thē to co [...]e t [...] ag [...]een ēt, & y [...]t once more vv [...] one cōsent th [...] receiued R. B for th [...]r l [...]vvefull pa [...]o. T [...] h [...]s agreement, though R. H. [...] giuen h [...]s [...]ō [...]ēt yet so [...]oue as h [...]h [...] recou [...] his si k [...]s h [...] troubled all againe. He vv [...] drevve him selff [...] f [...]ō th [...] exerci [...]s vpō certaine ta [...]s vvhi [...]h vv [...]re [...]ould him, & b [...]īg ad [...] nished thereoff & for co [...]seling some to [...]et [...] to E [...]g [...], he f [...]ll out vv [...]th [...]. B charge [...] & accusing him in sūd [...]e th [...]ngs ver [...]e vv [...]ōgff [...]lly Then vvas he ope [...]lie accused & [...]halēg [...] for an here [...]ick, & cōdemned as vvo [...]se thē the pope & an [...]christ. The heresies lai [...]d aga [...] him vvere, becaus he saied, that all the children must not be coūted forth vvith, to be of [...] church, vvith the pa [...]ēts beleuing & receaued to the church. Also because he saied, that n [...] can be the pe [...]ple of God, & ourvvardly so takē, vvhich ethe [...] did not offer & geue vp th [...] selues to God & the church, o [...] vvere not offe [...] & [...] Fu [...]ther he vvas acc [...] sed off ff [...]lse doctrine, because he [...]a [...]ed th [...] h [...] gland vv [...]s as Aeg [...]t, both [...]or the outvv [...] bondage & oppressiō off [...]he church, by pop [...]sh [...]forceings, lavves & penalties, & ffor all [...] off vvickednes: & becaus he saied the [...] did [...]n vvh [...]h had a ff [...]ll purpos to dvvel stil i [...] E [...] land, vvhen the Lord did call thē avvay & the [...] had libertie to depa [...]t. Yea though the [...] gistrates giue thē lea [...]e there to dvvel as the [...] liked, yet the lavves & d [...]sorders ab [...]dsg stil [...] same, the [...] could not there tarie Likevvise th [...]t cōdemned him as though he had some [...] sa [...]d vvhich he ne [...]er did▪ that s [...]me might be of the outvvard church of God, vvhile t [...] resorted to that false vvo [...]ship & [...]dol se [...]uice then vsed in England, & ioined vvith ot [...] therein, but novve blamed them vvhi [...]h [...] such doctrine. Also because [...]e rebuked [...] for tol [...]rating & excusing abominations at this day▪ [...]ie the ceremonies of the oulde [...] vvhich in deed vvere tol [...]rable. For the [...] vvere not si [...]ple euill, as be the abuses novve [...] the [...] vv [...]re abrogate to the faithff [...]ll & vv [...]lling but [...]e knovveledge off the nevve la [...] W [...]h thes [...] & such l [...]k [...] q [...]arells d [...]th [...] them sel [...]es agai [...]st R B Where in B. H C▪ W [...]l. &. [...] C vv [...]re che [...]f. So Fr [...] this time fforvvard R. H. [...]. [...]sed all cō [...]i [...]ōs & me [...] o [...]pe [...] Lik [...]vvise his part [...]kers di [...] [...] lie [...]or [...]ke R. B▪ & he & the [...] did most greuo [...] despit h [...]m. Thei coue [...]ed & took [...] [...]vva [...] his serv [...]ū [...] from him. The [...] fo [...] him book [...] & [...] b [...]th loppe [...] the si [...] & vvo [...]ild [...]ue burnt thē to his vtter v [...]doing: sebts [...] [...]cte [...]vvh [...]h he ne [...]er [...]. Some vvere thurst our [...]ff be [...]r to [...] and dvuell [...] th [...] i [...]ued W [...]th hi [...] he hi [...]selfe [...]vas th [...]ea [...]ed to be m [...]st out of h [...]s chamb [...] [...]