Matth. 28.19, 20.And Je • us Chriſt ſaid unto his Diſciples, All power is given to me in heaven and in earth; go ye therefore, and teach all Nations, teaching them to obſerve all things whatſoever I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you alway, unto the end of the world: But the Biſhops of England they had their power in the dayes of King Henry the eighth, An. 25. Hen. 8. cap. 20. Luke 24.49. Acts. 1.4. and 2.4. Eph. 4.11. from him and the Lords and Commons aſſembled in Parliament, to make, ordain, and conſecrate Arch-Biſhops, Biſhops, Deanes and Chapters, Deacons, Prieſts, Miniſters, &c. and the like power and command they received from other Kings, Queens, and Parliaments afterward, but not from Jeſus Chriſt; for they whom Chriſt ſent out to preach, to them he gave power, and to them he gave ſome Apoſtles, ſome prophets, and ſome Evangeliſts, Paſtors and Teachers: But thoſe who were made by the power and command of the pope, the kings and rulers of the earth, they were called cardinals, arch-bishops, bishops, ſuffragans, priors, covents, deanes and chapters, deacons, arch-deacons, prebends, parſons, vicars, prieſts, rectors, clarks, miniſters, &c. And the Aſſembly of presbyter Divines; ſo called, and the Commiſſioners for approbation of publike preachers, they received their power, rule, and command to ordain miniſters and preachers, and to ſet them ſolemnly and ſacredly apart to the office and work of the Miniſtry, from the Rulers of the earth, as you may read at large in the two Ordinances made, one by the parliament of Lords and Commons, and the other by Oliver protector and his counſel, by them they had their power and command, See JOHN GOODVVIN's Book of TRIERS, pag. 5. and not from Chriſt, for without their power and command they did not act; and by that rule, viz. Acts and Ordinances, that the Rulers of the earth ſet them, they acted by, and not by the power or ſpirit of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, as did the Apoſtles; and therefore all (both popes, emperors, kings, queens, counſels, parliaments, or rulers, biſhops, aſſembly of divines, protector, counſels, and commmiſſioners) their works that they have done herein are abomination unto the Lord, becauſe they are not done by his power nor his ſpirit, but by the imaginations and deviſings of their own hearts, w • ich by the light are ſeen, and made manifeſt to the children of the day, whom Cod hath by his ſpirit called out from amongſt the Babylonians, to dwell in the city of God, and to worſhip him in ſpirit and in truth, for God dwells not in temples made with hands, nor is he worſhipped in theſe churches that are made with hands.

And now I ſhall come to ſhew you ſomething of what I have both heard, read, and ſeen, and underſtand by the two Vniverſities of Cambridge and Oxford; and likewiſe, of their teaching and bringing up, and their making of young men Maſters, preachers, Doctors, &c. As for the two Vniverſities they were founded by the popiſh Saxon Kings, and other popiſh Kings, Biſhops, Knights, &c. men and women. The firſt common School in Cambridge was founded by Sigisbert, King of the East-Angles; and the Vniverſity colledge in Oxford was founded by Allured, one of the Saxon Kings: and Baylie colledge at Oxford was founded by Iohn Bailiol, King of the Scots: and it is recorded, That Queens Colledge at Cambridge was founded by Margaret, the Wife of King Henry the ſixth, and finiſhed by Elizabeth, the Wife of King Edward the fourth: and the Brazen-Noſe-Colledge at Oxford was founded by William Smith, biſhop of Lincoln; but St. Iohns colledge at Oxford was founded by Sir. Thomas White, Alderman, and late before Mayor of London: and for the other Colledges, they were founded in the honor of one Saint or another, and called by their Names, viz. St. Iohns Colledge: All-Souls Colledge: Magdalene Colledge: and another is called falſly by the Name of Trinity Colledge, and another by the Name of Jeſus Colledge, and one by the Name of Chriſts Colledge: and one by the name of Corpus Chriſti Colledge; that is, the Body of Chriſts colledge: and another by the Name of Chriſts Colledge. So by theſe Names and Titles ye may ſee what the founders were, and what their religion was; and now you ſhall ſee hereafter by the practiſe that is in theſe colledges, that the great and wiſe men of the world ſo highly eſteem of for their works ſake, are: But firſt, you ſhall ſee what the learned themſelves have writ of them: Wickliffe terms the Vniverſities to be the Synagogue of Satan: and John Hus. called them Lievetenants of Antichriſt: And Luther called them the Gates of Hell, the Stews of Antichriſt, Houſes of Lyes; for ſaid he,TINDALL in his Book of The Revelation of ANTICHRIST. They are all Heretical by their School-Divinity, and they are Dens of Thieves, ſaid he: And Tindal ſaid, That whoſoever ordained Vniverſities, be it Alexander at Halis: St. Thomas, or any other, he was a ſtar that fell from Heaven to the earth, for there are brought in (ſaid he) moral vertues for faith and opinions for truth; and ſaid he, The Vniverſities are the very confuſed Cloud and opened Gate of Hell; and, ſaid he, This Cloak [meaning the Vniverſities] is of all other moſt noyſome, and doth moſt hurt and damage; for ſaid he, All moral Divines have a wicked conſcience, full of ſcrupuloſity. And Will Dell ſayes, That yet the Vniverſities are the ſtrongeſt holds that Antichrist hath had amongſt us: So that notwithſtanding all their reformation in their Religion, the Vniverſities remain in a manner as bad as they were. Now for their works; firſt, When any Schollar comes to any of theſe colledges, he is examined of his Latine and Greek, and Hebrew Tongues; and if he be a good ſchollar, and perfect in his anſwers, he is approved of, and when he has got him a Gown and a pair of Cuffs, he is admitted into the colledge to be a Student, and if he be a great mans ſon, or one that can make great friends to the Vice-chancellor, or the head-man of an Houſe, then he gets the greater place in the colledge: but if he be a poor young man and of mean parentage, then a mean place muſt ſerve his turn: So that in their Fountains of learning to be Miniſters is reſpecting of perſons: for there is ſaying to the rich, Sit, or be thou here: and to the poor, Be thou in one of the meaneſt places: And then they are ſet to ſtudy Logick [that is, the Art of Reaſon.] Philoſoyhy [that is, ſtudying for Wiſdom.] And there they read Ariſtotle and Plato's Works, and others, that they may become able diſputants, that they may diſpute at Schools, and make Theams and Verſes: And in that time called Lent, one colledge diſputes againſt another: Now do but obſerve a little of their behaviour and carriage in that time of their diſputations: Thoſe colledges who are to diſpute one againſt another, makes choice of one amongſt themſelves in each colledge to diſpute, that by their diſputations it may be ſeen which is the greateſt ſchollar: And he that they have made choice of to diſpute, they take him up upon their ſhoulders, & carry him out of the ſchool: and in the time of their diſputing there is ſuch hiſſing and ſhouting, like a company of Gameſters at play, and when they cannot get maſtery with their tongues by diſputing, then they fall together a fighting for maſtery, and teares the Gowns from one anothers backs; and loſe their hats, and beats one another along the ſtreets, and ſome of them go away with black eyes. And at the end of four years, if any Schollar is judged fit in ſchollarſhip, he is to take a Degree, and then he muſt go about the city from colledge to colledge bare-headed, with a ſquare cap in his hand, and a Hood upon his ſhoulders made of Lambs Skins with the Wool on it, which they call Viſiting, to beg a Grace; and if none have any thing againſt him, then he takes a Degree of Batcheller of Arts; and when he hath taken that Degree, he may chooſe whether he will be a Divine, or a Lawyer, or a Phyſician, or an Aſtrologer; that Art which he chooſeth to be of, he furniſhes his ſtudy with Books accordingly; and ſo to ſtudy three yeers more; ſo that four years and three yeers is ſeven yeers, the time of an Apprentiſhip, unleſſe that any be favoured by the Vice-Chancellor, who gives a yeer and ſeveral graces to the party favoured; and then in the time of Lent he is to diſpute for his Degree of Maſter of Arts; and then at that time he takes his Degree of Maſter of Arts; and then he changes his Hood, and wears a ſilk one, and changes his Gown, and wears a pair of Colloſhooes on his feet, and then he gives money and rich Gloves to the Vice-Chancellor, and to ſeveral Doctors, Proctors, and to the Beadles that goes before them with a ſilver tipt Staffe from place to place, and then a great Feaſt is made in the Colledge-Hall, and there they have their Wine and Muſick. And then the next Degree he takes is Batcheller of Divinity, and after Doctor of Divinity; and now take notice, That when any comes to take his Degree of Doctor of Divinity, that ſeveral Doctors kneels down to the Vice-Chancellor to beg a Grace for the Doctor that is to proceed, and when the Vice-Chancellor hath granted him to be created a Doctor, then he riſeth up, and kiſſeth the Vice-Chancellors cheek, and this is called the Doctoral kiſſe, and then is given a Doctoral Ring, Gloves, and a Doctoral Dinner, and Muſick; and at their publike commencement or taking of their Degrees, they all meet together in one of the Houſes of high places, falſly called St. Maryes Church, (or other) and there is great Scaffolds built up, and there all round the high place ſit all ſorts of people, men and women, and in the middle ſtands a place ſomewhat like a Pulpit, and in that ſtands ſome one notable Varlot, who they count a brave Schollar, who is choſen out of the Vniverſity, and he is called a Prevaricator, or a Terryfilius, and he ſtands up in the middle and preſence of the Vice-chancellor, the Doctors, Heads, Students, Schollars, and all the great reſort of Miniſters and people f • r ſeveral hours, and jeers, ſcoffs, derides, and reproaches all ſorts of perſons, of all ages, ſexes, ſorts, and profeſſions; and the Auditors they laugh, and rejoice, and hollow, and hiſſe, and ſtamp, and make a noiſe, rejoycing to hear his wickedneſſe, and ſo take pleaſure in unrighteouſneſſe; and in theſe times the ſchollars are ſo rude, that at night time no women or civil people dare ſcarce paſſe out of their houſes for fear of being abuſed by them.

Now in the time of theſe ſeven yeers they have ſeveral titles given, viz. Servitors, Vndergreagates, Divines, Students, Batcheller of Art, Maſter of Art; Batcheller of Divinity, and Maſter of Divinity, Doctor of Divinity, &c. and in theſe Vniverſities they ſtudy Philoſophy and vain deceit, the works of Flato and Ariſtotle, Logick, (the art of Reaſon) Rhetorick, (the art of well ſpeaking) and read Books of Moral Philoſophy, called Aethicks: and Divinity they ſtudy likewiſe, and mingle all together; and all this ſtuffe; viz. Logick, Rhetorick, Philoſophy, Divinity, the Languages of Latine, Greek, and Hebrew, that they have learned & ſtudyed for, are called gifts fit for the Miniſtry, ſay the wiſe men of the world; but I ſay, That theſe things makes not the Vnive • ſity Schollars fit for Miniſters of the Goſpel, but makes them light, vain, proud, fantaſtical, bold, impudent, ſcoffers, and mockers, and perſecutors, lovers of pleaſures more then lovers of God, and deſpiſers of thoſe that are good, and ſo not fit to be Miniſters of Chriſt, but of Antichriſt, which are but unprofitable talkers.

And likewiſe in theſe Vniverſities are brought up yong men to be Lawyers, Doctors of the Law, Maſters and Doctors of Muſick; Batchellors and Doctors of Phyſick, Aſtrologers, Mathematicks, &c. and theſe two Vniverſities are called the Eyes of the Nation, but they are both dark and blind ones; and they are called the two Fountains of Learning, but they are both ſtinking Fountains, that no ſweet water iſſues; out of them, therefore it is high time to cleanſe them of their filth and abominations. And for their learning, I am ſure there is as much wickedneſſe and ungodlineſſe learned and practiſed both by the Schollars and their Tutors and Governors, as by any other ſort of people, as you ſee in part before written. And now I ſay, What is the reaſon that the Hoſpitals are laid down, and that the poor are not relieved as they were wont to be? And why are the ſervants wages ab • ted? Covetouſneſſe abounds; the hand is ſhut from the poor, Deut. 15.7, 8. Prov. 22.22. Iam. 5.1, 2, 3, 4. Hab 3.14. and the poor is robbed, and the cry of the poor is heard, and the cry of the Labourer is heard, and wo be to them that with-holds the Labourer of his wages, and devours up the poor, and that takes gifts and bribes for a thing of naught, & that take pleaſure in unrighteouſneſſe, and rejoice in wickedneſſe, and live in pleaſures, and draw iniquity after you as with Carts Ropes. You Heads and Rulers of Oxford and Cambridge, take notice of what is writ • en againſt you: And as for your Schollars, they are as wild as a wild Aſſes Colts, headdy, high minded, fighters, quarrellers, ſcoffers, and many of them will be drunk and ſwear, & will cheat and cozen one another by ſetting one another upon the ſcore for bread & drink, & rob mens Orchards too, ſome of them, which I have heard from their own mouths, & ly up a nights revelling & drinking, & ſet great ſums of money upon their fathers ſcores to pay, Prov. 28.24. more then their fathers allow them; whoſo robbeth his father or his mother, and ſaith it is no tranſgreſſion, the ſame is a companion for a deſtroyer; and the drunkard ſhall come to poverty, and never inherit the kingdom of God: Here is ſweet bruits to make Miniſters of the Goſpel of; but of ſuch and ſuch like do they make Miniſters of at Cambridge and Oxford: for ſaid William Dell in his Book,DELL's Teſtimony againſt Divinity Degrees: pag. 1. 22. The Vniverſities (whoſe ſoul and life doth lye in humane learning and School-divinity) that they may gain the greater profit to themſelves, and glory to their children, have (after the example of the Heathen) given their children Degrees in Divinity, as they in Art, and the glorious titles of Batchellors, Maſters, and Doctors in Divinity, as ſo many Crowns of Gold upon their heads, to win them honour and reputation from all people, who have been under the deluſion of Antichriſt; and in the confirming of thoſe Graduations or Degrees (which is alſo done f • r a ſum of money) they give the Graduates Licenſe and power to preach, and to expound the Scriptures, and that by the ſole Authority of the Vniverſity; for ſaid he, The Vice-Chancellor admitting a Batchellor in Divinity to his Degree, uſeth theſe words, In the Name of the Vniverſity we admit you to declare all the Apoſtolical Epiſtles in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt: And ſo the Batchellor in Divinity hath power in his Degree onely to deal with the Apoſtolical Epiſtles, but muſt go no farther. And admitting a Doctor to his Degree, the Vice-Chancellor ſaith thus: We admit you to interpret and profeſs all the holy Scriptures, both of the Old and New Teſtament, in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, &c.

So that it is plain, That the Pariſh-Prieſts of the Nations, called by the world their Miniſters, buy their Power, their Gifts at the Vniverſities, of men, for a ſum of money, Simon Magus-like, that they preach by for hire, and ſtudy or divine for money by: Therefore they who are made Miniſters at Cambridge and Oxford are the worlds Miniſters, and not Chriſts Miniſters, for Chriſt Jeſus ſaid, All power in Heaven and in Earth is given to me: and he aſcended up on high, Eph. 4.8, 9, 10, 11, 12. Matth. 28.18, 19. and he gave gifts unto men for the work of the Miniſtry, for the edifying of the body of Chriſt, and for the perfecting of the Saints: And to thoſe that he gave gifts to, he ſent them forth to preach the Goſpel in all Nations, ſaying, Go ye into all Nations, and preach the Goſpel in every creature: And he gave them power, and of him they received power, and were by Chriſt alone made able Miniſters, Matth. 10.8. Acts 2.4. Gal. 1.11, 12. 2 Cor. 3.6. 1 Cor. 12.28. Eph. 4.11. not of the Letter, but of the Spirit: and for this they gave not any money; for ſaid Chriſt, Freely have ye received, freely give: neither did they learn the Goſpel of man, but had it by the revelation of Ieſus Chriſt: And thoſe whom Chriſt ſent out to preach the Goſpel, were called Apoſtles, Prophets, Evangeliſts, Paſtors, Teachers, &c. But thoſe that are made Miniſters at the Vniverſities of Cambridge and Oxford, are called Batchellor of Art, Maſter of Art: Batchellor of Divinity, Maſter of Divinity, Doctor of Divinity, &c. and theſe receive their power from men, and not from Chriſt: We (ſaith the Vice-Chancellor) admit you to declare, &c. Now Chriſt told his Apoſtles, That all power in heaven and in earth was given to him of his Fatther: but of whom received the Vice-Chancellor his power? not of Chriſt, but of man, as appears by a Statute-Law, the words are theſe,Anno 1. MARY: 1 Parl. cap. 3. a carnal commandment to make Miniſters by. Prov. 15.8, 9, 26. ver. If any perſon or perſons shall moleſt, diſturb, vex, or miſuſe any Preacher or Preachers that at any time hereafter shall be licenſed, allowed, or authorized to preach by the Queens Highneſs, or by any Arch-Bishop or Bishop of this Realm, or by any other lawful Ordinary, (or by any of the Vniverſities of Cambridge and Oxford) &c. Here by mans Laws the Vice-Chancellors receive their power and Authority to make Preachers, and for money do they admit men to preach: and for their gifts they pay men for, and for their admittance to preach they give money for; and for hire they preach, and for money they ſtudy and divine, and all that is done by the means of the two Vniverſities, which is an abomination to the Lord: for a corrupt fountain, cannot ſend forth at the ſame place both ſweet water and bitter: for I ſay, There is three ſorts of men, or four, that aſcends out of theſe two Fountains, viz. Cambridge and Oxford, and theſe four ſorts are all learned men, and men that are in high eſteem with the men of the world, and theſe are, the Lawyers, the Priests, called Miniſters, the Doctors of Phyſicks, and the Aſtrologers, which the world runs after a whoring, as after ſo many Idol-gods: for firſt, many people if they have loſt any thing, or have any thing ſtolne from them, then they run to the Aſtrologers to know where it is, and there goes one part of their money for caſting of a figure, and telling of a lye. Secondly, If they be ſick a little, then they run to the Doctors for help, and not to God, for he is not in all the thoughts of the wicked: and ſo the Doctor he gets another ſum of money for his imaginary directions that profits not, but does hurt to the bodyes of men, women, and children. Thirdly, If any difference or quarrel befall amongſt men, then ſtraightwaies they run to ask counſel of a Lawyer, and ask not couſel of the Lord: and of the Counſellors, Lawyers, &c. they take counſel to arreſt, and ſue one another at the Law, and they get another part of the peoples money. Fourthly, The people run generally after the Prieſts, who they call Miniſters, that preach to them for hire. and divine for money, thinking that by thoſe unprofitable talkers they ſhall be taught the way to heaven, and to them they pay tythes, and to them they give money, gifts, and rewards, and of them they are ever learning, but are never able to come to the knowledge of the truth, becauſe they are ſeduced by ſuch unprofitable talkers; PAULS Epiſtle to the Laodiceans, ver. 4. and ſo the Prieſts take the peoples money for nought, and the people being ſeduced by theſe unprofitable talkers, give their money for that which is not bread, whereas if they would come and learn of Chriſt, who is the true way, and the way to the Father, and the way to peace and reſt for their ſouls: he would lead them, and teach them, and feed them freely, without money and without price.

Therefore I ſay to all people, So long as you follow the unprofitable talkers, which you call Miniſters, Pſal. 107.19, 20. Mark. 5.25, 26, 27, 28, 29. Luke 4.38, 39. you will never come to the knowledge of the tr • th, nor to reſt and peace for your ſouls: Thefore ceaſe from them, and come to Chriſt Jeſus the light, that by the light ye may come to the Father, and behold the Lamb of God, Chriſt Jeſus, that takes away the ſins of the world, and behold the glory of God in the Grace of Chriſt Ieſus.

And again, leave of going to ask counſel of the Lawyers, neither do ye take counſel of them, for ſo long as ye take counſel of them, ye will never keep money in your purſe, nor your ſelves be at peace: Therefore I ſay people, When there ariſeth any difference amongſt you, go and ask counſel of the Lord, and take counſel of the Lord what ye ſhall do therein, and the Lord God will lead you out of all ſtrife and contention, and teach you how to agree with your adverſaries quickly, and to love your neighbor as your ſelf, and to forgive your enemies, and to live in peace with all men: Therefore I ſay to all people, Ceaſe from the Lawyers, and follow the Lord wholly, who giveth to man every good thing.

And again I ſay people, Ceaſe from the Doctors, for ſo long as ye follow them, ye will never enjoy your healths, and come to God who ſent his Word and healed the people, and delivered them from their deſtruction: Chriſt healed the woman of her Iſſue who had ſpent all that ſhe had, and had ſuffered many things of many Phyſicians, and was nothing bettered, but grew rather worſe. Therefore I ſay, Forſake the Phyſicians and come to Chriſt, who rebuked the Feaver, and it left Peters Wives Mother: God he wounds, and he heals: he kills, and makes alive: he brings down to the Grave, and raiſeth up again. But ſome it is very like may ſay, Muſt we not uſe the means when we are ſick, and take ſomething to do us good? Yea: but I ſay, Wait with patience upon the Lord; ſtand in awe, and ſin not: and if the Lord command thee to go and take a Plaſter of Figs and lay to thy ſore, or to go and drink water,2 King. 20.5, 6, 7. 2 King. 5.14. Luke 17.19. or waſh in the water and thou ſhalt be whole, then go in the name and in the fear of the Lord, and do as he commands; and believing in the Lord, ſo ſhalt thou be made whole. Now I ſay, That theſe three ſorts of men, [for I will put the Doctors and Aſtrologers together] the Prieſts, who are called Miniſters, the Lawyers, and Phyſicians, are all unto the people like the Locuſts, the Caterpillar, & the Palmor-worm, for all of them will have the peoples money, and what the one leaves, the other comes after and takes. And again, I ſay, That theſe learned men have been ever a generation of perſecutors of the people and ſervants of God; and the Scriptures doth teſtifie with me, that thoſe Prieſts that were made and conſecrated by men, end the falſe Prophets, were in all generations perſecutors of the true Prophets and ſervants of the Lord, which he ſent forth to declare his Meſſages; and this I will prove both by Scripture and Hiſtory to be true.

For it is thus written in the Scriptures, That Ieroboam the ſon of Nebat, King of Iſrael, 1 King. 12.31. & 13.33, 34. made at Bethel Prieſts of the loweſt of the people, which were not of the ſons of Levi, for the high places: But in the dayes of Ieroboam the ſon of Ioath, King of Iſrael, God ſent Amos an Herdſman of Tekoa, to Bethel; and Amos in the Name of the Lord declared againſt the high places, and ſaid, The Land should be deſolate, and the Sanctuaries of Iſrael should be laid waſte, and that the Lord would riſe againſt the Houſe of Ieroboam with the Sword: But Amaziah the Prieſt of Bethel, he ſent to Ieroboam King of Iſrael, Amos 1.1. & 7.10, 11, 12, 13 ſaying, Amos hath conſpired againſt thee in the midſt of the Houſe of Iſrael, and the Land is not able to bear all his words, for thus ſaith Amos, Ieroboam shalt dye by the ſword, and all Iſrael shall be led away captive out of their own Land: And Amaziah the Prieſt of Bethel ſaid unto Amos, O thou Seer, go flee thee away into the Land of Iudah, and there cat bread, and propheſie there, but propheſie not again any more at Bethel, for it is the Kings Chappel, and the Houſe of the Kingdome

1 King 22.11, 22, 24. ver. 2 Chron. 18.10 11, 23. ver. And Zedekiah the ſon of Chenaanah, one of Ahabs falſe prophets, went and ſmote Micaiah the true Prophet of the Lord upon the Cheek, &c.

And in the dayes of Iehoiakim King of Iudah, God ſent Ieremiah to go and ſtand in the Court of the Lords Houſe, and God commanded Ieremiah, ſaying, All the words that I command thee to ſpeak unto them, diminish not a word: And Ieremiah ſaid unto all the people that came to worſhip in the Lords Houſe, Thus ſaith the Lord, I will make this Houſe like Shiloh, and I will make this City a curſe to all the Nations of the earth, &c. And when Jeremiah had made an end of ſpeaking, Ier. 26.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 16. ver. Luke 22.2, 66. ver. Matth. 26.3, 4. & 2 • .1, 2. then the prieſts, and the falſe prophets, and the people, took Jeremiah, ſaying, Thou shalt ſurely dye. And the prieſts, & the prophets ſpake unto the princes and to the people, ſaying, This man is worthy to dye; but the Princes and all the people ſaid unto the prieſts and to the prophets, This man is not worthy to dye, for he hath ſpoken unto us in the Name of the Lord our God, &c. And the chief Prieſts, and the Scribes, and the Elders conſpired againſt Chriſt Jeſus the Son of God, and held a conſultation, and they and the whole Council took Jeſus and bound him, and carryed him away, and delivered him to Pilate, and would not ceaſe till they had got him crucified and put to death; for ſaid they, We have a Law, Iohn 19.7. Act. 4.7. chap. & 23. ch. v. 2. & 25. ch. v. 2, 3 and by our Law he ought to dye, becauſe he made himſelf the Son of God, &c. And ſo likewiſe in the dayes of the Apoſtles, if any tumult, or impriſonment, or death fell upon them, the Prieſts, the Scribes, and the Rulers of the Temple would often have a hand in in it, firſt or laſt.

And as the prieſts and falſe prophets were that Jeroboam and other of the Kings of Iſrael and Iudah had made, ſuch like perſons for perſecuting were the Biſhops and the Clergy of England, who were bred up at the Vniverſities of Cambridge and Oxford, and ſuch are the prieſts (who are called Miniſters) in theſe dayes, for I ſay, The ſame ſpirit that ruled the Pope, Cardinals, Biſhops, &c. in the perſecution of the ſervants and ſaints of God, the ſame ſpirit ruled the Biſhops and the Clergy in the dayes of the Kings and Queens of England; and the ſame ſpirit rules the prieſts (called Miniſters) in England now in theſe dayes as it did them in thoſe dayes;Pope INNOCENT the third, & Pope LEO at RATISBONE. See the form of the Spanish Inquiſition: FOX Act & Mon. Vol. 1, 2. See the Table of Germany, Spain, France, Italy, and other Countreys as well as the English Martyrs. JOHN CLARK of Melden in France a Wool-Carder by Trade. This latter was done upon him at METZ in LOTHERING, 1524. for the Pope in his Councils made Degrees, and Canons, Inſtitutions for the correction of Hereticks, as they called them; for whoſoever did ſpeak againſt him, his Laws, Decrees, Canons and Inſtitutions, or the Popiſh Religion in general or particular, either by diſputing, preaching, writing, printing, or otherwayes, were counted Hereticks, and then according to the Popes Canons, Decrees and Inſtitutions, were the Cardinals, Biſhops, and others of his Clergy, to proceed againſt them in their Eccleſiaſtical Courts, by iniquiſition, examination, or proof of Witneſſe, &c. and ſo to paſſe definitive ſentence upon them, according to the Popes Canons and Decrees, &c. and then thoſe they called Hereticks were delivered by them to the Secular Powers, viz. the Magiſtrates of the Land, who did puniſh thoſe that they called Hereticks by whipping, ſtocking, hanging, burning, chopping off of their heads, or cutting out of their tongues, and put balls of Iron in their mouths, and boared their tongues through with hot Irons, baniſhment, and confiſcating of Goods, and many other torments, &c. And now I will inſtance one particular mans ſufferings; and that which they made his crime, was for ſetting up a certain Bill upon one of their falſly called Church doors, againſt the Popes pardons, in which Bill he named the Pope to be Antichriſt, for the which he was three ſeveral dayes whipped, and after that he was burned in the forehead (I would have Parliaments to take notice of this whipping and burning, and not do as the papiſts do) and for pulling down the Images, and breaking them to pieces, he was by the Canons, Prieſts, and Monks, &c. judged and condemned, and by the Secular Powers, had his right hand cut off from his arm, and with a ſharp pair of pinſons they violently pull'd his Noſe off from his face, and his paps from his breaſts, and both his arms from his body, and afterward burned him in the fire. And ſo by this example let all judge what ſpirit theſe were of, whether this ſpirit that led them on to do this, was of God, or of the Devil: I ſay, That that ſpirit that led them on to deſtroy mens bodies, or otherwayes, Luk. 9.54, 55, 56. Matt. 26 51, 52 53. by burning was not the ſpirit of Chriſt Jeſus; for Chriſt anſwered Iames and Iohn, ſaying, The Son of man is not come to deſtroy mens lives, but to ſave them: therefore ſee how contrary that ſpirit was by which the Pope and his Clergy was guided by to deſtroy the lives of men, to the ſpirit of Chriſt, as you may read: And the ſame ſpirit that guided the Pope and his Councils to deſtroy mens lives, guided them to make Decrees to pay tythes: for in the Council of Lateren under Pope Gregory the tenth, ſaid they, Let no man give his tythes where he pleaſeth, as before; but let them be paid to Mother-Church, &c. Now do but obſerve Tindall, who ſaid, That all moral Divines have a wicked conſcience, TINDAL in his Book of the Revelation of Antichriſt. full of ſcrupuloſity; and ſaid he, All that do purſue are Antichriſt, the Pope, the Cardinals, Bishops and their Adherents. Take notice, and their Adherents do purſue; therefore the Pope, Cardinals, Biſhops and their Adherents are Antichriſt: and I ſay, If of Antichriſt, then not of Chriſt, but againſt Chriſt and his annointed did they ſit in counſel, and plotted againſt the juſt to deſtroy them.

And now ye ſhall ſee it appear that the Popes Adherents, viz. the Biſhops and the Clergy of England, were guided by the ſame ſpirit as the Pope was;Statute ex Officio, Hen. 4. and alſo the Magiſtrates likewiſe: for in the dayes of King Henry the 4th. it was agreed upon by the King, the Lords ſpiritual and temporal, and by them enacted, That no man within this Realm, or other of the Kings Dominions, do preſume to preach, teach, inform, maintain openly or in ſecret, or make or write any Book contrary to the Catholike faith and determination of holy Church: and if it happen that any perſon or perſons, of what kinde, ſtate or condition ſoever he or they be, do attempt any manner of thing contrary to this Proclamation and Statute, &c. the Ordinary of the ſame Dioceſſe upon information had power by the ſaid Statute (ſo called) to cauſe the party or partyes ſo defamed and evidently ſuſpected to be arreſted, and to detain the party or parties in ſafe cuſtody until he or they had purged themſelves touching the Articles laid to his or their charge in that behalf, or elſe till they had denyed and recanted, &c. And further, If any perſon was lawfully convinced before the Ordinary of the place, or his Commiſſaries, of the ſaid preachings, teachings, opinions, writings, &c. and would not abjure and recant, then ſentence was to be pronounced by the Ordinary or his Commiſſaries upon the party or partyes; and after ſentence pronounced he or they were to be delivered over to the Secular Power, viz. the Mayor, Sheriffs, or Sheriff or Bailiff of the City, Town, Borrough or Village of the ſame County, who were to take unto them the ſaid perſons ſo offending, and cauſe them to be openly burned in the ſight of all people, &c.

And Thomas Arundal Arch-Biſhop of Canterbury, with other of the Popes Adherents, added to the Statute ſo called their own Conſtitutions, whereof one was: Item; No manner of perſon shall preſume to diſpute upon the Articles determined by the The Pope & his Adherents were meant by them to be the Church. Church, as is contained in the Decrees, Decreetals or Conſtitutions provincial, or in the general Councils; nor none shall call in doubt the Authority of the ſaid Decreetals or Conſtitutions, or the Authority of him that made them, nor teach any thing contrary to the determination thereof, &c. and whoſoever doth preach, teach, or obſtinately affirm contrary to this and all other Conſtitutions and Decrees (except he recant in manner and form aforeſaid) shall forthwith incur the penalty of Hereſie, and shall be pronounced an Hereti • k in all effect in Law. And no ſooner was theſe Conſtitutions and their pretended Laws finiſhed, but Thomas Arundall Arch-Biſhop of Canterbury, and the learned Clergy his Brethren, Suffragans and Aſſiſtants, fell to put it in execution, and paſt ſentence definitive upon William Sautre, alias, Chautre, for an Heretick, and delivered him over to the Secular Power, viz. the Mayor and Sheriffs then of London to be put in execution; and for fear (ſaid my Author) that it should not be ſpeedily enough done, The Spanish Inquiſition is no Law of God; nor the Dominican Fryars that were deputed Inquiſitors, were no juſt Iudges of Hereſie: Neither was the English Clergy, who were led by the ſame ſpirit. See FOX. Act. & Mon. Vol. 1. Elizabeth Young denyed to ſwear in the dayes of Queen MARY. Matth. 5.34, 35, 36, 37. & 23.16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22. Ier. 31.33. Heb. 8.10, 11. Iames 5.12. Luke 23. chap. Act. 12.2. the Bishops called upon the King to make a Decre, who thereupon did, and ſent it to the then Mayor and Sheriffs of London to put it in execution; and the words of the Decree in the latter end of it are as followeth: Provided alwayes according to the Law of God and man, and the Canonical Inſtitutions in this behalf accuſtomed, That ſuch Hereticks convict and condemned in form aforeſaid, ought to be burned with fire: We command you as straitly as we may or can, firmly injoyning you, that you do cauſe the ſaid William Sautre, being in your cuſtody, in ſome publike or open place within the Liberties of your City aforeſaid [the cauſe being aforeſaid published to the people] to be put in the fire, and there in the ſame fire really to be burned, to the great horror of his offence, and the manifeſt example of other Chriſtians. Fail not in the execution hereof, upon the peril that will fall thereupon: Teſte Rege apud Weſtmonaſt. 26. Febr. An. Regni ſui.

And the like was done upon Iohn Badly a Taylor, and Sir Iohn Oldcaſtle; alias Lord Cobham, and William Thorp, for denying ſwearing by the Book, and ſaying the Prieſts had no title to tythes under the Goſpel, was committed to priſon, in which it was thought that he dyed.

Now here I obſerve that in the Scriptures [and in the heart] it is written that Chriſt ſaid, Swear not at all; and likewiſe that thoſe Miniſters that he ſent out to preach the Goſpel writ to the Brethren, ſaying, My Brethren, ſwear not, neither by heaven nor by earth, nor by any other oath, &c. Now Chriſt that taught men they ſhould not ſweare at all, he was by the Scribes and Phariſees and the high Prieſts (who taught men to ſwear) counted a perverter of the Nation, and was vehemently accuſed, and ſaid that they had a Law, and by that Law he ought to dye; and they did not ceaſe till that he was put to death. And Iames (he was by Herod ſlain with the ſword) who writ to the twelve ſcattered Tribes, ſaying, Above all things my brethren ſwear not, &c. And William Thorpe for denying to ſwear by a Book, at the Pope and his Adherents command was put in Priſon, wherein it was thought that he dyed. And now in theſe dayes ſome lye in priſon becauſe they will not ſwear at all.

Now I ſuppoſe that none will be ſo impudent as to ſay that Chriſt and the Apoſtles were not guided by the ſpirit of truth, but that they will ſay on the contrary, viz. That Chriſt and his Apoſtles were guided by the ſpirit of truth: Then I ſay thus, That the Scribes, Phariſees and the high Prieſts and the Pope and his Adherents, viz. the Rulers of the earth, the Biſhops and the Clergy, were and are all guided by a ſpirit of error; by which ſpirit of error the Scribes, Phariſees, chief Prieſts, the Pope and his Adherents, viz. the Biſhops and the Clergy, and the Rulers of the earth, taught men to ſwear, and do teach and compel men to ſwear by the ſame ſpirit of error. And again; The ſame ſpirit which Chriſt Jeſus and his Apoſtles taught men that they ſhould not ſwear at all, taught many of the Martyrs to deny ſwearing at the Pope and his Adherents command: And the ſame ſpirit teacheth us [the people called Quakers] to deny ſwearing at all; for ſay we, It is better to obey God rather then man; and therefore we rather chooſe to ſuffer for the name of Chriſt then to obey man by ſwearing, contrary to the Law written in our hearts by the ſpirit; and by the power of the ſpirit of truth are we taught, and do deny the paying of tythes to the prieſts of this Nation [who are called Miniſters] or any other; and by the power of the ſame ſpirit of truth do we (ſo many of us as are called thereunto) ſuffer not only bonds with patience, but likewiſe the ſpoyling of our goods with cheerfulneſſe for the Name of Chriſt Jeſus our Lord, our Law-giver, our Judge and our Prieſt for ever of God, by the power of an endleſſe life, and not by a carnal commandment, as the prieſts of this Nation, called Miniſters, are now made by. But of tythes I have more to ſay hereafter, and the prieſts likewiſe.

Anno 1540. 31. year of H. 8. April. 8.And now I come to ſhew what an Act was made in the dayes of King Henry the 8th. the popes Succeſſor here in England, who by the means of Stephen Gardiner was ſtirred up to ſhew himſelf ſevere and ſharp againſt thoſe new Sectaries, Anabaptiſts and Sacramentaries, as they called them, and that ſome Articles might be ſet forth to confirm the ancient Catholike Faith; and for this and other ends through the device of the popes Adherents, the King ſummoned a parliament to be holden at Westminſter of all the States and Burgeſſes of the Realm; alſo a Synod or Convocation of all the Arch-biſhops, Biſhops, and other of the learned Clergy of this Realm, to be in like manner aſſembled; in which Parliament and Synod of the Biſhops and the Clergy, and by their means, viz. the Biſhops and Clergy, it was decreed in pretence of unity among the Kings ſubjects, That the ſix Articles which they had made ſhould be received among the people; and withall, a penalty to be inflicted upon them that refuſed them; which penalty and the Articles were called the Whip with ſix ſtrings: And the ſix Articles conſiſted, the firſt of Tranſubſtantiation. The ſecond of their Sacraments of both kinds. FOX. Act. and Mon. Vol. 2. The third about Prieſts Marriage. The fourth was about the Vows of chaſtity, or Widow-hood. The fifth was about private Maſſe, helping of ſouls out of purgatory. And the ſixth was about Auricular Confeſſion. And for the bloody penalty that was annexed unto thoſe ſix Articles take as followeth, and then judge whether the King and his Biſhops and Clergy did not act like the Pope; and whether they were not led all by the ſame ſpirit as the Pope was led by, yea or nay.

Item; That if any perſon or perſons within this Realm of England, or any other of the Kinge Dominions after the twelfth day of Iuly next coming, by word, writing, printing, cyphering, or any other way ſhould publiſh, preach, teach, ſay, affirm, declare, diſpute, argue, or hold any opinion that the bleſſed Sacrament of the Altar under the form of bread and wine (after the conſecration thereof) there is not preſent really the natural body and blood of our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt conceived of the Virgin Mary; or that after the conſecration there remaineth any ſubſtance of the bread and wine, or any other ſubſtance but the ſubſtance of Chriſt, God and man, or after the time aboveſaid publiſh, preach, teach, ſay, affirm, declare, diſpute, argue, or hold opinion that in the fleſh under the form of bread is not the very blood of Chriſt; or that with the blood of Chriſt under the form of Wine, is not the very fleſh of Chriſt, as well apart as though they were both together; or by any means aboveſaid or otherwayes, preach, teach, declare or affirm the ſaid Sacrament to be other ſubſtance then is aboveſaid, or by any means contemn, or deprave, or deſpiſe the bleſſed Sacrament, that then every ſuch perſon or perſons ſo offending their aiders, comforters, counſellors, conſenters, and abettors therein [being thereof convinced in form under-written by the Authority aboveſaid] ſhall be deemed and adjudged Hereticks, and every ſuch offence ſhall be adjudged manifeſt Hereſie: and that every ſuch offender and offenders ſhall therefore have and ſuffer judgement, execution, pain and pains of death by way of burning, without any abjuration, Sanctuary or benefit of Clergy to be therefore permitted, had, allowed, admitted or ſuffered, and likewiſe the forfeiture of all the Eſtate real or perſonal to the King, &c.

And by the ſame Parliament it was likewiſe enacted,That Parliament confirmed the Spanish Inquiſition. The Oath for the Commiſsioners of the bloody Inquiſition. That for the more effectual execution of the Premiſes, full Authority of Inquiſion of all ſuch Hereſies, &c. should be committed and directed down into every Shire to certain perſons, provided that the Arch-Bishop, or Bishop, or his Chancellor, or his Commiſſary to be one; and that every perſon that should be named Commiſsioner in this Inquiſition, should first take a corporal Oath, the tenor of which Oath here enſueth; Ye shall ſwear that ye to your cunning wit and power shall truly and indifferently execute the Authority to you given by the Kings Commiſsion, made for correction of Hereticks and other offendors mentioned in the ſame Commiſsion, without any favor, affection, corruption, dread or malice to be born to any perſon or perſons, as God you help, and all Saints, &c.

All you Rulers and Magiſtrates of England that ſwear and take Oaths, what ſpirit is it that teaches you to frame Oaths, & leads you to ſwear Oaths, and to give Oaths to men or women? Heb. 6.16. Exod 22.10, 11. 1 Kings 8.31. were they that forged the Oath above-written, and ſware, and required people to take the ſaid Oath, guided by the ſpirit of God ſo to do, yea or nay? And again, Was that Oath the Oath of the Lord that they had forged to be taken, yea or any? Did the Pope and his Adherents give or adminiſter the Oath of the Lord to any, yea or nay? Was the Pope and his Adherents taught by the ſpirit of God to frame Oaths to be taken, yea or nay? Or did the ſpirit of God lead the Pope and his Adherents to ſwear and to take Oaths againſt the Saints and Servants of God whom they perſecuted to death, yea or nay? I ſay Nay: the ſpirit of God neither taught them to make or to forge Oaths; neither did the ſpirit of God teach or guide them to ſwear by their own forged [out of the bottomleſſe pit] Oaths: Neither are Parliaments nor Councils in theſe our dayes taught by the ſpirit of God to make Oaths; nor doth the ſpirit of God teach them to ſwear neither by the Bible or by their hand, Iames 5.12. Matth. 5.34, 35, 36. & 23.16, to 22. or by any other creature, or part of any creature; nor by any of their framed Oaths: but the ſpirit of God did teach, and does teach the contrary now as it did in the dayes of Chriſt and the Apoſtles, which ſpirit I own and obey: but that ſpirit that frames Oaths which are not the Oath of God, and ſwears, and requires people to ſwear by an Oath forged out of the bottomleſſe pit, FOX. Act. & Mon. Vol. 2. L. CROMWEL made Earl of Eſſex, Great Chamberlaine of ENGLAND and Vice-go •• rnor to the King. I deny that ſpirit and its practiſe, for it is not the ſpirit of God, but the power of the prince of the Aire that rules in the hearts of the children of diſobedience.

I have read in the Book of Martyrs of one Thomas Lord Cromwel, that in the dayes of King Henry the eigth did this Nation of England a deal of good ſervice, as the ſtory of his life & death doth relate how profitable an Inſtrument he was in deſtroying Abbies, Monaſteries, Nunneries, &c. and routing out of the Land the works of the Monks, Fryars, Nuns, and other ſuch like brutiſh drones; and pulled down the Rood, called the Rood of Grace, and all his Engines, and ſhewed them openly at Pauls Croſſe, with the blood of a Duck; which the papiſts made the people to believe it was the blood of Hailes, and other ſuch like pieces of Idolatry and Witchcraft he removed out of the way, that the people was ſeduced by with the learned men of Oxford and Cambridge. So likewiſe he was an Inſtrument to diſcover the treachery of the Biſhops and the Clergy, who had ſworn to be true to the King, and afterwards ſwore alſo to be ſo to the pope; and for the proof of the ſame he produced a copy of their oath to the pope, which was read in the Convocation-Houſe before them; and the matter was ſo plain that they could not deny it. And likewiſe Thomas Lord Cromwell preſented the Bible to the King, and obtained Licenſe that the ſame might freely paſſe to be read amongſt all his ſubjects: This Bible was of the leſſer volume; but a Bible of a large Volume began to he printed at Paris with an intent of Marginal Notes to it, of which the ſaid Lord Cromwel was a great helper of it forward: At which the Clergy was offended; and the curſed Biſhops bringing their purpoſe to paſſe, brought Thomas Lord Cromwell out of favor with the King, and after to his death: For after the ſix Articles with the penalty annexed to them, and the full Authority of the bloody Inquiſition was confirmed, then the ſaid Thomas Lord Cromwell being in the Council-chamber was ſuddenly apprehended, and committed to the Tower of London, and ſundry crimes, ſurmizes, objections and accuſations (as they called them) were brought againſt him, &c.

The beſt of men in their generations have alwayes been counted Hereticks by they who are Hereticks indeed.1. The firſt and chiefeſt Article that they had againſt him to accuſe him with, was above all others Hereſie; alias an Heretick.

2. That he was a ſupporter of them whom they counted for Hereticks, as Barns, Clark, and many others, who he by his Authority and Letters written to the Sheriffes and Iuſtices in divers Shires, reſcued and diſcharged out of Priſon: And I ſay he did well in ſo doing.

3. That he did diſperſe among the Kings ſubjects great numbers of Books, containing [as they ſaid] manifest matter of much Hereſie, Diffidences and Misbeliefe was their manifeſt Hereſie in the Bible that he diſperſt abroad, let the Hereticks themſelves anſwer.

4. That he cauſed to be tranſlated into our English Tongue books comprizing matter expreſly againſt their Sacrament of the Altar: and that after the tranſlation thereof he commended and maintained the ſame for good and Chriſtian Doctrine; and good reaſon he ſhould ſo do.

5. They charged him with ſome hainous words ſpoken againſt the King in their falſly called Church of St. Peter the Poor, in the month of March, ſo called, in the thirteenth year of the Kings reign, which was about 18. years before; but if any ſuch words was ſpoken as tended to Treaſon, they were Traytors for concealing it ſo long.

Read the ſtory of the life and death of THO. L. CROMWEL in FOX. Act. & Mon. Vol. 2 Here you ſee what was charged againſt the man for his good ſervice, and for all his good ſervice that he had done the King and the Nation, by the means of the blood-thirſty clergy had his head cut off at the Tower-Hill in London. One thing I obſerve at the doing or bringing about this thing to be done is, That before time the two Biſhops, viz. Sardiner Biſhop of Wincheſter, and Bonner biſhop of London were made friends, who before were the greateſt enemies each to other that might be, and by their means Barns, Clark, and many others were burned; all that was contrary to themſelves muſt be burned in the fire: and they ſo delighted in burning of people, that they burned ſome papiſts of their own Religion as well as Hereticks, as they called them. And thus ye may ſee what a bloody generation theſe learned men have been who were brought up at Cambridge and Oxford, and other ſchollars, and by a carnal commandment of man made Miniſters and Preachers: for no ſooner did any thing of God appear in a King or other Magiſtrate, but theſe like the red Dragon were ready to deuour that good thing in them: For I find that young King Edward was one of a meek ſpirit, Re • . 12.4. and much inclined to clemency, for he alwayes ſpared and favoured the life of man, and favoured the life of thoſe they called Hereticks; for one Ione Butcher ſhould have been burned, and all his Council could not move him to put his hand to have her burned, but were fain to get biſhop Cranmer to perſwade him to do it: but Cranmer could not with much labour induce the King to do it: do but take notice of the Kings anſwer to biſhop Cranmer; ſaid the King, What will ye have me to ſend her quick to the Devil in her error? And yet although one Cheek the Kings School-Maſter could not perſwade the King, nor his council could not perſwade him to ſet his hand to the burning of the woman: Yet the biſhop like the old Dragon overcame him to put his hand to the writing; but Cranmer confeſſed that he had never ſo much to do in all his life as he had to cauſe the King to do it; for ſaid the King to Cranmer, I will lay all the charge upon you before God: So likewiſe his council ſent the ſaid Cranmer then Arch-biſhop of Canterbury, and Ridley biſhop of London, to perſwade the King to permit his Siſter the Lady Mary that bloody Queen, to have private Maſſe in her Houſe without prejudice of the Law, for the which they alledged their reaſons and perſwaſions for the accompliſhing of the ſame; but the King replyed to them by anſwering to them from the Scriptures, ſo that they confeſſed what he ſaid was true: But ſtill they like the Devil did urge him to it politickly, and alledged what danger it might be to him if he ſhould deny ſuch a thing; but the King anſwered them, and willed them to be content, for he would, ſaid he, ſpend his life and all he had, rather then agree and grant to that which he knew certainly to be againſt the truth: Yet notwithſtanding they urged him ſtill to grant it, and would by no means have his nay; whereat the King ſeeing their importunity burſt out in bitter weeping and ſobbing, and deſired them to be content, &c.

And by theſe two before writ of, viz. King Edward and Thomas Lord Cromwell, ye may ſee how thoſe learned men could turn and wind about to deſtroy the appearance of God not onely in Kings and Rulers, but likewiſe in others; and if they could not deſtroy it one way, they would deſtroy it another, and that was by cauſing their bodyes to be impriſoned, wracked, whipped, hanged, burned, &c. as witneſs all the Martyrs in Queen Maryes dayes, whereof Cranmer himſelf was one: and the ſame ſpirit that ruled in thoſe biſhops and the clergy, ruled in the biſhops and the clergy in the days of the late King, as witneſs the cruel ſufferings of Henry Burton, Iohn Lilburn, William Prynne, and Iohn Bastwick, &c. and the ſame ſpirit of envy and cruelty reign; now in theſe dayes in the pariſh-miniſtersBut not in the Miniſters of Chriſt. of England, for the Tree is known by its fruit; for not only by their deeds, but by their words do I judge them to be ſuch as for what I have heard from ſome of their own mouths; I ſhall let it paſs, and their deeds to me likewiſe: But by the way take notice what Mercurius Politicus ſaid, viz. that ſeveral petitions were preſented to the Houſe Thurſday the 18. day of Decemb. 1657. containing divers complaints againſt the growth and exorbitances of the people called Quakers [and ſo did Pharoah againſt the children of Iſrael] was this day read.Exod. 1. chap.

The firſt was from the county of Devon and Exceter. The ſecond was from the Miniſters of Northumberland, Durham, and New Caſtle upon Tine: (but not from the Miniſters of Chriſt.) And the third was from the Juſtices of the Peace, Gentry, Miniſters of the Goſpel, as he ſaid, and others in the county of Palatine of Chester; and the atteſtation of the ſame petition by the Mayor, Aldermen and Miniſters of the city of Cheſter: (not the Miniſters of Chriſt.) The fourth was from the Mayor, Aldermen, and Common-counſel of the city of Briſtol, with the Miniſters of the Goſpel, as he ſaid, and other chief Inhabitants there. The fifth was the humble petition of divers well-affected perſons, Gentlemen, Miniſters, (he did not ſay here, Miniſters of the Goſpel) and others in the county of Cornwall, which (ſaid Politicus) were all referred to a Committee to conſider of them, and to collect ſuch heads as may be fitteſt for a Bill for the ſuppreſſing of the miſchiefs and inconveniences complained of therein, &c. And let the priſons in England teſtifie of the ſufferings of thoſe people called Quakers, by the means of the Pariſh-Miniſters of England, and alſo the loſſe and ſpoyle of their goods for non-payment of tythes; and likewiſe the whipping ſtocking and ſtoning of them by the brutes of this Nation above all other Nations; for whereever they have yet come, the Rulers hath not dealt the like to them as they of their own Nation have done unto them; which Nations may be a witneſs againſt England in the day of Judgement for the hypocriſie and cruelty in her Rulers and their Miniſters, &c.

Queſt But it is very likely that ſome may ſay, They be not all ſuch as thou shewest them to be, for ſome of them are better then others, therefore thou muſt not condemn all to be alike, &c.

Anſw. I do grant that amongſt the Rulers and Magiſtrates of this Nation there is ſome that are more ſober, moderate, and diſcreet then others are, and will not put their hands to do violence and blood as others do; but of this better ſort there is the leſſer number. And ſo I ſay of thoſe who are called the Pariſh-Miniſters, [take notice that for all this I do not own them to be Miniſters of Chriſt] that ſome of them, and but few, are more wiſe in their generation, ſober and moderate men, and have not yet put forth their hands to do wickedly as the other have done, who profeſſe themſelves to be Miniſters of Chriſt, but are not his, as appears by their pride, covetouſneſs, envy, malice, wrath; for they are fierce deſpiſers of thoſe that are good, heady,Epiſt. of Paul to the Laodic. v. 11. high-minded, and are deſirous after filthy lucre, and ſeek the honor of men, and not of God, and the ruine and deſtruction of mens bodies, and ſo are out of the faith, patience, gentleneſs, quietneſs, and the meek ſpirit, which is of great price with the Lord: and could they have the Magiſtrate in all things to do their will, they would have had fire and Faggots put to the people called Quakers to have burned them, or elſe to have had us baniſhed out of the Land before this, out of their way; nay, they would not have ſpared ſome of their own Brethren, the Miniſters, ſo called, for they would have done by them as Stephen Gardiner and Edmund Bonner did by Ridley, Latimor, and Philpot in Queen Maryes dayes, or as the late Biſhops did to Henry Burton; for the ſame ſpirit as was in Gardiner, Bonner, and the late Biſhops, is ruling in the Pariſh-Miniſters now, but that they cannot get all the Rulers of the Land to joyne with them to accompliſh their deſigne; and theſe are ſuch who are made Miniſters and Teachers by a carnal commandment of men, and the people who will not endure ſound doctrine, but turn away their ears from hearing the truth, & are turned unto fables, and according to their own luſts, having itching ears, they heap up to themſelves Teachers made of Cambridge and Oxford Schollars, heaps of teachers made by a carnal commandment to be be Preachers & Miniſters of Pariſhes [but not Miniſters of Chriſt] Parſons, Vicars, Curates, Lecturers, Rectors, Chaplains, viz. His Highneſſe Chaplain, the Ladys Chaplain, the Earls Chaplain, and their Lords Chaplain; and theſe Chaplains feed at their Earls, and their Lords and Ladyes Tables, like the prophets of the Groves that fed at Iezzabels Table: And thus they creep into Houſes, and leadſilly women captive, who are laden with ſin, and lead away with divers luſts, ever of them learning, but by their preaching are not yet come to the knowledge of the truth.

And again, by the means of theſe pariſh-Miniſters who are ſo made by a carnal commandment, rule hath been born, and is born to perſecute the righteous under the Notion of Hereticks, Sedition, Schiſm, Seducers, Blaſphemers, &c. whenas all diſcord, debate, ſtrife, erroneous Opinions, and diviſions in matters of Religion, and what points of Religion they will believe, and what they will not believe, and blaſphemy, imitations, deceiving and beguiling unſtable ſouls is amongſt the learned men themſelves who are trained up, and have been traind up at the Vniverſities in Logick, Rhetorick, Philoſophy and vain deceit; for are not ſome of thoſe who are called Miniſters, for the Pope and his Religion in general? and others for the Epiſcopal Religion? and others for the Scottiſh Presbyters Religion? and are not ſome of them of the Independents Religion? and others of the Anabaptiſts, Antinomians, Arminians, and Fifth Monarchy-Men, ſo called? and from whence ariſe all theſe Nick-names and ill-favoured tearms but from theſe Cambridge and Oxford Schollars, thoſe unprofitable talkers, Epiſt. of Paul to the Laod. v. 4 who are made Miniſters by a carnal commandment of man, and not of God? for the Miniſters of Chriſt were not made Miniſters by a carnal commandment, but by the Spirit; for ſaid Paul, Our ſufficiency is of God, 2 Cor. 3.5, 6. who alſo hath made us able Miniſters of the New-Teſtament, not of the letter, but of the ſpirit.

It was, and it is the work of the onely wiſe God, Heb. 11.5. Iude 14. Exod. 3.2, 3, 4, 5, 6.10, 11, 12, 13, 14. Ier. 35.15. Iſa. 6.8, 9 Ier. 1.5. Mat. 9.37, 38. & 10.1, 5, 6, 7. & 28.18, 19, 20. Mark 16.15. Luk. 24.47, 48, 49. Act. 1.4. & 2.2, 3, 4. 1 Cor. 12.28. Eph. 4.8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. Gal. 1.11, 12, 15, 16, 17. 2 Tim. 4.2. Epiſt. Paul to the Laod. ver. 1. and our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, to ordain, to call, to elect, to ſanctifie, to give power, gifts, and commiſſions, and to ſend forth all true and faithful Meſſengers, Prophets, Apoſtles, and Miniſters of the Goſpel for to declare his Meſsages in particular, and likewiſe to preach the Goſpel in all Nations, in Cities, Towns and Villages; unto the utmoſt parts of the earth, and to bear witneſs of his Name before the Gentiles, Kings and Rulers, and the children of Iſrael, in ſeaſon, and out of ſeaſon, to divide the word aright.