TO begin to some purpose in prose, because nothing to any purpose either in Verse, poetry, Rime, or reason is for their stomacks, nor are they much affe­cted with good prose (for as the Tree is knowne by the fruit it beares, so they may be perceived of what spirit they are by their speech and writings, and daily libelling. And to the end that I may rather prove my selfe a just reprehender of their follies, then an impudent rayler at their fooling and sawcie ignorance, (which in plaine tearmes is no better then malice and madnesse) I am induced to mix that which is ma­teriall, true, and serious, with some things that may seeme harsh, tart, and distastfull to the pallats of these curious fu­rious lavish Libellers, and pestiferous platformers: Indeed they doe pretend faire colours for their soule intentions, strong proofes for their weake Assertions and scandalous As­pertions, their talke being reformation, rectifying, mundify­ing, clarifying of the Church, and nothing is in their mouthes or pens but rayling and reviling against our Church of Eng­land, the Booke of Common prayer, preaching, Sacraments, Ceremonies, Rites, Orders, Government and Governours; for Governours and Government was instituted by the Pa­triarkes before the Law, by Moses, the prophets and priests under the Law, by our Saviour Christ Jesus and his Apostles [Page 2]and successours, since the time of the Gospel, established, confirmed, and ratified by Scriptures, Generall Councells, Ancient Fathers, Ecclesiasticall Canons, Martyrs and Con­fessours, by Acts of Parliament ordained and decreed, and by all the aforesaid Authorities continually used and daily practised within the Church of Christ Catholike, Aposto­like and Militant over the face of the Earth, and received in­to this Kingdome when Lucius was King heere, and Flenthe­rius was then Bishop of Rome, who was the thirteenth Bi­shop of that See, Anno 179. so that the Institution and pra­ct [...]se of our Church and religion hath continued amongst us neere 1500. yeeres, except when It was eclipsed by popery, even from the neere time of the death of some of the Apostles or their next successours: For Saint Ierome saith that Saint Iohn the Apostle and Evangelist did live 68 yeeres after our Saviours passion, and that he dyed in the yeere of Christ 101. and that he out-lived Saint Paul, and Saint Peter, whom some improbable Authors say was the first Bishop or Pope of Rome; also that he survived Linus, Amatletus; and to the ninth yeere of Clement, the first bishop of Rome of that name, so that by computation of time, Saint Iohn could be no lesse then 120. yeeres of age when he dyed; so that our Church and Church-Government is no Innovation or noveltie, as these late licentious Libellers have maliciously belyed her.

But indeed it is no Innovation or Novelty, for the Church of God and the onely Spouse of his only beloved Son Christ I sus to be despised, dispersed, persecuted, hated, scorned, jeer'd contemned, derided, and traduced, for it hath been, is, and will be ever the markes & tokens of the true Church to be known from Heathens, Infidels, pagans, Atheists, Mahometans Hereticks, Hypocrites, Schismaticks and Sectaries, with the whose rabble of the Kingdomes of Satan and Antichrist, for since the beginning the Devill hath been busie to intrap and destroy her.

By the word Church I do mean all the faithfull people of God that have ever been created, or that are to be to the end of the world, of what Nation, condition, or sex soever they be, if they make a conscience, to be obedient to Gods Lawes, and with gladnes embrace the Gospel of Iesus Christ, in whose faith if they live here, they are (in Grace) his Church militant here, and dying in Gods favour they are, that are so departed, & shalbe in glory his Church Triumphant hereafter eternall.

This Church hath many times bin so over-whelm'd with af­flictions, tribulations and persecutions, that she seemed to be quite sunke, or sinking as S. Peter was when he walked on the Sea, Mat. 14.31. then God in mercy hath still held forth his gracious hand of power, providence, protection and preserva­tion, hath still supported, held her up, strenthned, comforted and delivered her, so that in dispight of the raging of Tyrants, the rigour of torments, the stormes and tempests of persecu­tion, she hath still resplendently broken thorow and disperst all the obscure clouds of the Devils malice, so that the gates of Hell hath never prevail'd against her.

This Church was, by the subtilty of the Devill, assaulted in paradice in the persons of our first Parents; This Church was persecuted by Cain when he murdered his righteous brother Abel; this Church was opposed and rebelliously murmured against by Corah, Da [...]han, Abiram, and their complices; this Church that was prefigured by the Arke of Noah that swom and floated when all the world else was drowned, & none were saved that were not in it, which Arke, maugre all stormes and tempests, was preserved and rested on the mountaine Ararat, which was a Type that the true Church doth rest upon the most High: this Church was also fore-shewed by the Bush that bur­ned with fire, & was not consumed, which prefigured her pre­servation: & this Church was & is as the seamles coat of Christ not to be divided, this is that Church which these factius men would sink, burn, and rend in pieces, they being more merciles [Page 4]then the raging waters, their blinde zeale more hot then the violent flaming fire, and their manners and civility farre lesse then the barbarous souldiers.

The Arrians, Anabaptists, Brownists, Donatists; Erti­cheans, Familists, Marcianists, Montanists, Nicholaitans. Pelagians, Papists, Puritans, Nonatians, and all other sorts of Heresies and Sects doe stiffely hold and maintaine to their uttermost power that every one (in his owne opinion) in each of their Sects are the true Church, and under the colours of a feigned piety they are all in violent opposition against each other, in a disunion and diversity among themselves, and all in a generall malignant inveterate hatred against the Govern­ment, the Governours, and of the true Church indeed.

God hath ordained certaine Orders, Degrees or Functions of men in this Kingdome for the defence, guard, guide, pre­servation and salvation of mankind; the first is Kings, Prin­ces, Potentates and Peeres (or Nobility, whose wisdome and power may and have made Lawes and Statutes agreeable to Gods Word, the spring and Fountaine of which Lawes are derived from the Law of God: secondly, under Kings and Rulers) there are the most right Reverend Fathers the Cler­gie for the Churches Government, and for the directing and guiding of the wandring and straying Flocke of Christ, whose Learning, wisdome, gravity, painfull life and example may draw soules unto God. And whose Office and Authority which they have from and under the King (as from Gods Lieutenant) is such that they by imposition of hands alwayes have done and doe (as occasion requires) ordaine Ministers for the Church, for the preaching of the Word to the people, for prayer for them, and for the true and due administration of the Sacraments to them; and also by their power to main­taine Order and Decencie in the Congregation, and in their Jurisdictions and charge to admonish, reprehend, and excom­municate all obstinate and erroneous offenders, and (in fine) [Page 5]advance the Word of God, and make it propagate, and to trample on, tread downe, and suppresse all Heresies, sects, schismes, and needlesse and impertinent innovations, that might any way disturb the peace of the Church.

Thirdly, the Physitian is to be honoured, because hee is Gods Instrument for the health and preservation of the body, but as much as the soule (which is immortall) is in value a­bove the body, which is fraile, transitory, and mortall, so far is the holy Function of a sincere and painfull Divine, (who is a physitian for the soule) to be preferd before any Physitian for the Body.

And fourthly, the Lawyer is to be reverenced and esteem'd for he is (or should be) the rule, square, guide, and rectifier of all our temporall Actions, a righter of wrong, a true and im­partiall Decider and Judger of all matters of debate and con­troversies amongst men, concerning our houses, lands, debts, touching estate or losse of limbe or life, and all these are com­prised under the title of the goods of Fortune; in which, were not the Lawyer expert, the Law it selfe is but a dead letter, and of no Force or Vertue: Now, as much as goods and all outward meanes, which are called the goods of Fortune, be­cause they are uncertaine, here to day and gone to morrow, are short of the estimation of bodily life and health, so much is the Lawyer below the Physitian in use or estimation.

But men being constant in nothing but in wavering incon­stancie, doe in a perverse and preposterous manner begin at the wrong end, and as they doe make more account of body, goods and Fame, then they doe either of their soules or ever­lasting happinesse, so much they esteeme the Physitian and the Lawyer above the Divine; I confesse them all to be as worthy of Honour as they are endued with Honesty, and each of them to be held in as much regard and Reverence as their paines and studies shall merit for their true service to God and man; yet, with Mary, I humbly desire to make choyce of [Page 6]the better part which shall not be taken from mee, Luk. 10. and 41.42.

In the meane space, (amongst mutable and contentious spirits) Religion is made a Hotch porch, and as ir were tost in a Blanquet, and too many places of England too much Am­sterdamnified by severall opinions; Religion is now become the common discourse and Table-talke in every Taverne and Ale-house, where a man shall hardly find five together in one minde, and yet every one presumes hee is in the right. The Booke of Common prayer which was established by Act of Parliament by that good and godly King Edward the sixth, and after re-established by another Parliament, by that un­paraleld and peerlesse princesse Queen Elizabeth, and conti­nned since in the happy Raignes of two gracious Kings in the Church of England for the service of God these ninetie yeeres; yet one would have it to be cast out now, holding it a false worship; another is angry at the vestments and habits of the Ministery; one will not kneele, another will not stand, one will sit downe, one will not bowe, another will not be un­covered, one holds all good manners to be popery, another that all decencie is superstitious, another that railes are Ro­mish (which is false, for the papists have no railes in their Churches, nor any thing so convenient: One foolishly as­sumes and presumes to save himselfe, and some of his Neigh­bours too, by his good workes; another will be saved by a bare and lazie Faith that will doe no worke at all, and thus religion is puft and blowne to and fro with every wind of do­ctrine, and as it were tost in a Blanquet; but of this more largely hereafter in another part which will suddenly be prin­ted, till when and ever it shall be my hearty prayers, that as there is but one Shepheard, that God in his gracious good­nesse and mercie would make us all one sheep f [...]ld.