CHristian Reader, this is the deplorable newes of our present age, that our Presses, formerly open onely to Truth and Piety, are closed up against them both of late, and patent for the most part, to nought but error, super­stition, and prophanesse; witnesse many prophane, erroneous, impious bookes, printed within these 3. years by authority (point blanke against the establi­shed doctrine of the Church of England and his Majesties p [...]om declarations) in defence of Arminianisme, and Popish ceremonies; and which is yet more impious and detestabl [...], against the very morality of the Sabbath and 4. Com­mandement: the divine institution, title and intire religious sanctification of the Lords day Sabbath, and the necessity of frequent preaching (exceedingly pressed in our Homil [...]es and book of Ordination) which some of our unpreaching, do­miniering secular Prel [...]ts (our of their A [...]ch-piety towards God, and Arch­charity to the peoples soules which they seek to eradicate) now so far de­rest, that they not only give over preaching themselves, as no part of their function; and suppresse most wickedly Lectures in divers countries: but have likewise lately shut up the mouthes of sundry of our most godly, po­werfull, painfull Preachers (who have won more soules to God in a yeare, then all the Lord Bishops in England or the whole world have done in di­vers ages) out of meere malice to religion, and the peoples salvation, con­trary to the very lawes of God and the Realme; strictly prohibited, under paine of suspension, in sundry Diocesses, all afternoone Sermons on the Lords own day, that so the prophane vulgar might have more time to dance, play, revell, drink, and prophane Gods Sabbaths, even in these dayes of plague and pestilence, to draw downe more plague, and judgements on us for that sin of Sabbath-breaking, when as not only the Synod of Dort, but sundry Popish Synods and Bishops have been so religious, as to preferre the two Sermons every Lords day at least in every Parish Church, to keep the people from such prophanations of this sacred day. Alas! what could Bel­zebub the Prince of Divels, had he been an Archbishop or Lordly Prelate here in England (as there were many such Bishops in Bernards age, and most sure there are too many now) have done more against the strict intire sanctifica­tion of the Christian Sabbath day, to abuse the Lords day, and to advance Popish innovations on it; or against the frequent powerfull Preachers, and preaching of Gods word, and salvation of the peoples souls, then some Lu­ciferian Lord Bishops have lately done? whose impiety in this kind transcends all prefidents whatsoever in former ages. And yet these prophane Atheisti­call persecuters of all holinesse, piety, sincerity, godly Ministers, & preach­ing [Page] of Gods word (yea in these pestilentiall times, as meanes to spread the plague, though the Scripture and all former ages have prescribed fasting, preaching and praying, as the chiefe antidotes and cure against it) will needs be Lord Bishops Iure divine, by the holy Ghosts own institution (who never yet instituted any unpreaching, rare preaching Prelates, or persecuters and suppressors of preaching) and shame not to stile themselves the Godly holy Fathers of our Church, and pillars of our faith, when as their fruits and actions manifest them to be nought else but very Stepfathers and Caterpillers, the ve­ry pests and plagues of both. Take one fresh instance for an example: these desperate Archagents for the Divell and Pope of Rome, and Master undermi­ners of our Religion, as they were the onely instruments of delaying the present generall Fast in the beginning of the pestilence, when it was most acceptable and requisite: so, to shew their inveterate malice against preach­ing (the thing that the Divell wrastleth most against, all whose study hath been to decay the office of preaching, which should not be diminished) they (contrary to his Majesties pious intention, who hath so oft protested against all innovations) have cunningly caused all Sermons (the very life and soul of a Fast, as being the only means to humble men for their sinnes, and bring them to repentance) to be prohibited on the Fast day, both in London and the Suburbs, and in all other infected places, during the time of the infection in them; in Parishes not infected, (as if preaching only of all Gods ordinan­ces were pestilentiall, and that on the Fast day, not on others) contrary to the presidents of all former ages, and the orders for the generall fasts in the two last great plagues, which prescribed two Sermons of one houre long a­peece, forenoon and afternoon every fast day, and that as well in Parishes in­fected, as others: even in the Summer season, when the infection was more contagious & raging then now. By which device they have not only made this fast distastfull to all sorts of men in infected places, who have little heart unto it, robbed the poor of much charitable relief, and deprived the people of the spirituall food and physick of their souls, when they need and desire it most, to their intolerable griefe and discontent, but quite suppressed all setled Wednesday Lectures in London and other infected townes, as long as the infection shall continue in any one Parish, though it should last these 7. yeares (the thing they principally aimed at:) forced many Ministers and people to flye out of infected places into the Countrey, to keep their Fasts where there is preaching; brought in a famine of Gods word, the greatest plague of all others, to the increasing and further spreading of the present pesti­lence, and drawing down of Gods wrath upon us to the uttermost, by inhi­biting [Page] Ministers in the time of greatest need, to preach unto the people, that they may be saved. O heavens! stand amazed at this unparalel'd practise of impious Popish Prelates. But is this all? No verily: for whereas his Maje­sty commanded, That the book of common prayer for the fast formerly set forth by his authority upon the like occasion, should be reprinted; these Romish Inquisi­tors have miserably gelded it, after it was new printed, in sundry particulars. First, they have purged out the prayer for seasonable weather, one cause of the shipwracks and tempestuous unseasonable weather since its publication. Secondly, they have dashed the Lady Elizabeth and her children, in the old Collect, quite out of the new; as they have expunged both them, with our gracious King, Queen, and their children, out of the catalogue of Gods e­lect by blotting out this clause, (who art the father of thine Elect, and of their Seed) out of the Collect for them in this and all new Common prayer bookes, as if they were all reprobates, and none of the number of Gods elect, either to a temporall or an eternall Crowne. O intolerable impietie, affront, and horrid treason! Thirdly, they have left out this Collect: It had been best for us, &c. in the new booke (though the most effectuall prayer of all) because it magnifies continuall, often preaching of Gods word, and the Scriptures, and c [...]lls our powerfull Preachers, Gods serv [...]nts. A sign [...] these Prelates have con­spired together like so many execrable Traytors, to extirpate our frequent powerfull Preachers, and continuall preaching of Gods word (as they have done in many places of late) though prescribed by God himselfe and our Homilies. Fourthly, they have dashed this remarkable clause out of the first Collect: Thou hast delivered us from superstition and idolatry (two grand cau­ses both of many former, and our present plagues no doubt) where­in we were utterly drowned, and hast brought us unto the most cleare and comfor­table light of thy blessed word by which wee are taught how to serve and honour thee, and how to live orderly with our neighbours in truth and verity: the rest of the Collect remaining as before. Now what can be the cause of this strange purgation, but a resolved professed conspiracie of these Romish Prelates, even now again utterly to drown us in Popish superstition and idolatry (which have now drowned us in Gods judgements, by their stupendious late increase a­mong us) and to remove us out of the most cleare and comfortable light of Gods Word, by the which we are taught how to serve and honour him (the true cause why they now suppresse Lectures, Preaching, and suspend our powerfullest Preachers every where) that so we may walke on in Romish, hellish darknesse, serving and honouring the Pope and Divell in stead of God, and live in all disorder without truth of verity. Fifthly, in the sixth order for the fast, they [Page] have pared away this passage: To avoid the inconvenience that may grow by by the abuse of fasting; Some esteeming it a meritorious worke, others a good work, and of it selfe acceptable to God, without due regard of the end, Onely to grati­fie the Papists, whose doctrine is this, and to place some merit in this present fast: adding this clause to it; in places where Sermons are allowed by the Procla­mation; on purpose to put downe Wednesday Lectures, and preaching in Lon­don, and other places where any Parish is infected. If these Prelates bee thus desperatly wicked and Popish, as to take advantage of Gods judgements to suppresse the preaching and Preachers of his word when it is most necessa­ry and usefull, and to countenance, justifie, and set up Popery, superstition, idolatry, error and disorder (the chiefe causea of our plagues) even in these dayes of pestilence, and that is the very Fast-book to abuse and mocke God to his face, to dishonour his Majesty, and grieve his peoples soules; how transcendently impious and Popish will they prove, when God shall stay this plague, if they be not deservedly punished for these their notorious im­pieties? And is it not high time then for his Majesty to punish such Arch­traytors to our Faith, Church, Religion, and such true-bred sonnes to Ro­man Antichrist (from whom Dr. Pocklington boasts, they are lineally discen­ded) and to execute judgement on them for these strange purgations, and o­ther Romish innovations, whereat the whole kingdome cries shame, which breed a generall feare of a sudden alteration of our Religion? Certainly, till his Majesty shall see these purgations rectified, superstition and idolatry removed, Gods Sabbaths duly sanctified, the suppressed Preachers and preaching of Gods word restored, and purge out some of the Romish Pre­lates and Inquisitors, wee can never hope to abate any of Gods plagues, or draw downe any of his blessings on us by such a Fast and Fastbook as this, but augment his plagues and judgments more & more, which have strange­ly increased since this fast begun, contrary to all humane reason and proba­bility, whereas it much decreased before; the totall number dying of the plague the weeke before the Fast. being but 458. and 58. Parishes infected, and the very first weeke of the fast 838. (treble the number the two last greatest plagues) and 67. Parishes infected, in Cambridge, Norwich, Hampton, Bath, and other eminent places cleare before, being likewise visited since this Fast begun, a cleare evidence that God is much offended with these purgations, and the restraint of preaching on the Fast day; against which some Prelates are so mad, that they have silenced and persecuted divers Ministers since the Fast proclaimed, there being now so many suspended in our Norwich Diocesse, onely for not yeelding to Popish innovation, that [Page] in sundry Churches they have neither prayers, preaching, nor fasting which hath brought the plague among them, and made the people at their wits ends, many Ministers and people there having left the Kingdome, and thousands more being ready to depart the Land, there being never such a persecution and havock made among Gods Ministers since Q. Maries daies, as a proud insolent Prelate hath there lately made, against all Lawes of God and man, to the astonishment of the whole Realme. What then can we expect but plagues upon plagues, till such desperate persecuters be cut off, and Gods Word and Ministers restored to their former liberty by our most gracious Sovaraigne? Persecution of Gods Ministers and People, be­ing one chiefe cause of plagues. Wherefore, O England, England, if e­ver thou wilt bee free from pests and judgements, take notice of these thy Antichristian Prelates desperate practices, innovations, and Popish de­signes, to bewaile, oppose, redresse them with all thy force and power. O all yee English Nobles, Courtiers, and others, who have any love or spark of religion, piety, zeale, any tendernesse of his Majesties honour, or care for the peoples, the Church, or Kingdomes safety, yet remain­ing within your generous breasts, put to your helping hands and prayers to rescue our Religion and faithfull Ministers now suspended, from the jawes of these devouring Wolves, and tyrannizing Lordly Prelates, who make havocke of them both. O our most pious King Charles, as thou hast in two severall Declarations, protested before God, to all thy loving Subjects, that thou wilt never give way to the licensing or authorizing of any thing whereby any innovation in the least degree, may creep into our Church; nor never connive at any Backsliding to Popery: And that is my hearts desire to be found worthy of that Title which thou esteemest the most glo­rious in all thy Crowne, Defender of the Faith. So now behold these despe­rate innovations, purgations, and Romish practices of thy Prelates, in o­pen affront of these thy Declarations; and now or never shew thy selfe (as wee all hope, beleeve and pray thou wilt) a Prince more worthy of this glorious Title, then any of thy Royall progenitors, by rooting all Popery, Superstition, Idolatry, Errours, Innovations, out of this Church and Kingdome, by restoring the preaching, the Preachers of Gods Word, and purity of his Worship, and taking vengeance on these perfidious Prelates, who have thus gelded thy Fast-booke (and intend to make an Index Expurgatorius upon all other ancient English Writers ere they bee reprinted, a thing considerable) thus openly abused thy onely Sister; and her Children now present with Thee, oppressed and [Page] grieved thy faithfull subjects, dishonoured thy God, betrayed thy Re­ligion, increased the plague among thy people; and as much as in them lyeth, robbed thee both of thy Gods and peoples loves, and pulled thy Crowne off thy Royall head, to set it on their owne ambitious pares, by exercising all Ecclesiasticall power; yea, Papall jurisdiction over thy sub­jects in their owne names and rights alone: and by trampling all thy lawes and subjects liberties like Cob-webs, thy subjects like Dogges and dirt un­der their tyrannicall feet. If thou thus execute judgement on them, and ease thy people from their intolerable tyranny, no doubt, this plague shall bee ceased, and this Fast bee pleasing to the Lord; else hee will not accept it, but proceed to plague more and more. O blessed Soveraigne, that thou didst but heare the severall cries and out-cries of thy people against these persecuting Prelates in many places; especially in our Norwich Diocesse, where little Regulus hath played such Rex, that hee hath sus­pended above threescore of our sincerest, painfullest, comfortablest Mini­sters, both from their Office and Benefice, so as many of our Churches (as the like was never since King Iohns dayes) are quite shut up, and Lord have mercy upon us, may bee written on their doores. The people cry for the bread of their soules, and their Ministers are prohibited to give it them. This not onely wounds, but breakes their hearts, and makes them amazed. O therefore! Gracious Soveraigne, help now, and heare the petitions, cryes and teares of thy poore people, and punish these Popelings for these and other innumerable oppressions, extortions, inno­vations and harmes, who suspend, imprison, and ruine others for meere toyes and trifles; yea, for defending your Royall Prerogative against their Papall usurpations.

This is all the newes I shall now impart in this Coranto; the next week God willing, you shall heare of Mr. Dade his excommunicating of Ferdi­nando Adams, a Church warden in our Town, for not blotting out of this sentence of Scripture written on Mr. Wards Church wall over his Court; It is written, My house shall bee called an house of Prayer, but yee have made it a den of Theeves: which excommunication is recorded in Star-chamber, of our Bishops commanding. Woe is me if I preach not the Gospel; out of Mr. Scots Church: and of the strange proceedings at Colchester against Mr. Samuel Burrowes for inditing Necoman for railing in the Communion Table Altar­wise, and causing the Communicants to come up to the Raile to receive, in a new unaccustomed manner, contrary to the Statute of 1. Eliz. c. 2. and his Majesties Declarations this last Michaelmas Sessions: which inditement [Page] the Grand-Iury hath found, but his Majesty yet can get no judgement. In the meane time I shall conclude my Newes with the words of Patrick A­damson, Archbishop of St. Andrewes, in his publicke Recantation in the Synod of Fyff, Aprill 8. 1591. That the office of a Diocesan Bishop hath no authority at all to support it in the Word of God: That it is onely founded on the politicke device of men: That the Primacie of the Pope, or Antichrist sprung from it: That it is worthily condemned: And that it hath been for five hundred year and more, the chiefe originall and instrument of the suppressing the preaching of Gods Word in all Kingdomes, as all Ecclesiasticall Historians testifie. I therefore shall close up all with the Collect on St. Matthias day; A mighty God, which in the place of the traytor, Bishop Iudas, didst chuse thy faith­full servant Matthias, to bee of the number of the twelve Apostles, grant that thy Church being alwayes preserved from false Apostles, may bee ordered and guided by faithfull and true Pastors, through Iesus Christ our Lord. And with the Collect on St. Peters day; Almighty God, which by thy Sonne Iesus Christ, hath given to thy Apostle S. Peter many excellent gifts, and commandest him earnestly to feed thy flock; make (we beseech thee) all Bishops and Pastors diligently to preach thy holy Word, and the people obediently to follow the same, that they may receive the Crowne of everlasting glory, through Iesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.

AMEN.