BY woefull experience wee have been sensible of the great evills committed by ill affected per­sons to the peace and securitie of the Kingdome, producing thereby these dangerous and troublesome times; even such are the troubles that this whole Nation and the other his Ma­jesties Kingdomes is fallen into, and lies groaning under, that wee have not felt the like in this Land ne­ver since the civill divisions betweene the two Houses of Yorke and Lancaster, or Barons warres were on foot in the same; nay, let these troubles of our times be [Page 2] compared with them, they are of farre more dan­gerous consequence; there was in those dayes one­ly the sword to decide the controversies, no other place chosen for that purpose but the field, in a war­like and couragious manner. In these our divisions we have adversaries of no courage or magnanimitie that riseth against us, onely subtill and treacherous spirits lying in their Cabynets, and keeping themselves close in their stately buildings, their devising on divellish and hellish stratagems to be put secretly in execution for our destruction; as powder-plots, fiering private­ly of Townes, nay, Cities, if their endeavours might have successe according to their desires, which strikes us with amasement and continuall feare of our safetie in our owne habitations and places of livelyhood; we cannot discerne, so corrupt are the hearts of most men, who scarce to converse, inhabit or eate withall, so malicious is Satan, (working in his instruments) in whom hee dwells, and over whom hee altogether raignes and rules, to bring to passe his owne ends, that hee workes by no wayes, but by practising of un­heard or unconceived of plots amongst Christians, as by Sorcery, Witchcraft, poysoning, and the like, these inventions can wee not be aware of: A man seeing his enemy, and knowing him to be so, may use meanes either to resist or flie from him, thereby to save him­selfe, but being in place unsuspected to meet an ene­my, pretending himselfe a friend, or at least not know­ing or conceiving him to be his enemy, how can he be secure, how can hee defend himselfe, or preserve him­selfe from his malice or destruction? These times are now filled with such malignant spirits devoted altoge­ther to the service of the Divell, labouring by all [Page 3] meanes to bring to confusion and desolation all the opposers, or not complyants to their wicked designes.

M^rs. SPEAKER, having presented to your considera­tions the manifold dangers and troubles wee sustaine by these practises of malignant persons, I presume humbly to present to your view the Authors of the same, their practices to compasse their desires, and the meanes to avert and remedy the same, which I desire you to consider of, and apply the same as to your judge­ments and wisedomes shall seeme requisite. The grea­test and chiefest Authors of our miseries is the Bishops and their adherents, favourers of the Romish and Ar­minian faction, that have with a high hand and stret­ched out Arme in their severall places of Power and Jurisdiction, both spirituall and temporall exercised crueltie and tyranny over the Children and Saints of God, binding the Consciences of free Subjects onely to their opinions and commands in the exercise of their Religion, with extremitie and greatest severitie, inflicting punishment upon those of tender Conscien­ces that shall refuse the same, enjoyning all of the Clergie under their authoritie, to teach onely such things as may serve onely to the defence and mainte­tenance of their demised doctrines and tenents of their superiors, preaching the same out of feare, not conscience; these corrupt Bishops Lords over their brethren and fellow servants in the administration of the mysteries of salvation, have beene the prime Au­thors of all the troubles wee are now incumbred withall, I speake not, Master SPEAKER, altogether against their persons, but even their offices and places of authority as now they are used, contrary to the true iatent of the Apostles in the first admitting of the or­dination [Page 4] of Bishops, in these particulars, as I under fa­vour conceave.

First their denomination and stile, Lord Bishops, we finde not any where allowed, nay, not named in Scripture.

Secondly, they joine not with their authority teaching and constant preaching of the word of GOD warranted by the same, but separated contrary thereto.

Thirdly, joyning with their Spirituall power, tem­porall Jurisdiction, usurping to themselves, the only Office of the Magistrate.

Fourthly, procuring to themselves places of Judica­ture, chiefe Iudges in great Courts, as their High Commission, late Star-Chamber, and the like, which are all contrary to the rules and ordinances of Divine-writt. We cannot otherwise conceive or expect, as long as their Offices thus corrupted remaines without limita­tion or correction, that ever there will be true Reli­gion setled in this Land, or any peace or unity of hearts and affections in this Kingdome, being too ap­parant to all the world, that from age to age, since the Prelates have had such power and command in the Common wealth, they have bin either the rootes and founders, or Actors and Competitors with others, of all the divisions and dissentions that have ever beene in this Kingdome, either betweene the Prince and his people, or between the Prince and his Parliaments, and still such persons of perverse Spirits, possesse such Offices.

Secondly, I come to shew you these their practises, how they have, and still endeavour to bring to passe their wicked designes, they are knowne already I veri­ly [Page 5] beleeve, both to you and almost all men, that is, by Innova [...]ing Religion, joyning with the Church of Rome, approving aswell of the Doctrine as Ceremo­nies thereof, endeavouring to bring all others into the same opinion with them, especially the Lords and Grandees of this Kingdome: to perfect this, they raise divisions betweene the King and his Subjects, between King and Parliament, between Lords and Commons, and betweene the Commons themselves; to raise mu­tinies, Insurrections, Rebellions amongst his Majesties good Subjects, open Wars between his Majesties King­domes one against another, and all under pretence of the Religion, to defend the Office, power and Jurisdi­ction of Bishops above all others, yea that their Spiri­tuall power, is above the Kings in Ecclesiasticall cau­ses, and the like, all which we have had wofull experi­ence of.

Thirdly, (and lastly) the meanes whereby we may remedy these evills is. First to regulate and rectifie their unlawfull and usurped power and jurisdiction, and settle such a forme of government in Religion, as shall seeme to the wisdome of this House, to come neerest the word of God: And Secondly, with all speed as we possibly can, upon Triall, bring to deserved punishment, these Prelates and Bishops, that have been the only Authors of all our miseries.