as forgivenesse of sinnes is declared and pronounced by preaching to them that doe truly repent and beleeve in Christ so verily doth God of his free mercy forgive them their sinnes for Christ his sake and that as verily as the wrath and judgements of God are threatned to come on them that will not repent and beleeve in Christ so verily the wrath and judgements of God shall come upon them Gent. Goe on I pray you as you have begunne to shew the new orders Min. Another new order is that none at their Table shall talke of the holy Sccriptures nor of divine matters and that Churchwardens shall present such as at their Table shall talke of the holy Scriptures or of divine matters Wren Chap. 4. Art 31. Gent. Out upon t this is a most devillish order God Almighty deliver us from Lord Bishops this order doth make my heart to rise against them Min. It is indeed a most devillish order and sheweth plainly that if some of them might have their wills they would forbid men to read the holy Scriptures at home in their houses as in Churches they forbid the Genealogie of Christ the Booke of Canticles both the Bookes of Kings save the eight first Chapters of the first Booke of Kings and of Chronicles and the Booke of Revelation save some few pieces that are appointed to be read for Epistles after the Popish manner Gent. Why will they not suffer the Genealogie of Christ to be read to the people Min. They have no warrant for it from God but from the Pope who saith that ignorance is the mother of devotion therefore the Genealogy of Christ is forbidden to be read of purpose to keep the people in blindnesse not able to see the truth of God in fulfilling his promise to Abraham and to David that Christ should come of them and of their seede nor to see that Christ came not onely of Abraham and of David who were Jewes but also of Rahab and of Ruth who were Gentiles and that therefore Christ is not a Saviour of the Jewes onely but also of us Gentiles Gent. Why is the Booke of Canticles forbid to be read Min. It is also forbid of purpose to keepe the people in blindnesse not able to see the ardent love and affection of Christ towards them least thereby they should be stirred up to love Christ and to be zealous of his glory and to abhorre the Pope and his Antichristian Religion Gent. Why are the Books of Kings and of Chronicles forbid Min. Because they doe shew that godly Kings did ever love Gods true Prophets and did hearken unto them and were zealous in maintaining the true Religion and in suppressing Idolatry Gein Why is the Booke of Revelation forbid Min. Because it sheweth that Antichrist shall be destroyed and that Rome shall be set on fire and ruinated for ever and that all that doe live and die in the Romish Religion trusting to the Popes pardons and their owne merits shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God and be cast into the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone Gent. I doe wonder that the godly Bishops who in King Edward the sixt his time did make the Service Booke that they being godly and so zealous of Gods glory as they did lay downe their lives for the truth in Queene Maries dayes that they did so pester the Book with such horrible blasphemies lying fables and popish errours Min. Wee are much bound to praise God for them and to judge charitably of them because they were but newly crept out of the pit of darknesse the Church of Rome and for want of a better were glad to take the Masse-booke for their patterne They were truly zealous of Gods glory according to the measue of knowledge that God did give unto them and did suffer martyrdome in Queene Maries time Gent. Wherefore did they suffer Min. They suffered for denying the Popes supremacy and for denying the bread and wine in the Lords Supper to be the body and blood of Christ Gent. I doe also wonder much more at our Bishops many of them being great learned men that they should suspend imprison and deprive so many godly Ministers for refusing to subscribe to the Service Booke Min. It is a signe that the true feare of God is not in them for if it were they would not dare to doe as they have done Gent. Bishops have beene ever since the Apostles time have they not Min. The name Bâ—shop was a common name given by the Apostles to every Preacher of the Gospell 1 Tim. 1.3 Tit. 1.7 From the Apostles time to the yeare of our Lord 334. there were in Rome which is now the seat of Antichrist thirty-three godly Preachers commonly called Bishops who suffered Martyrdome for the truth under the Heathen Emperours onely one of them did flee and hide himselfe in the Hill Soracte till the time of Constantine the first Christian Emperour and then returned to Rome and was the first Roman Bishop that escaped Martyrdome and had a great living bestowed upon him by Constantine So also had diverse other Bishops whereupon many of them living in wealth did in short time after the death of Constantine grow idle and proud especially one of them on whom Constantine had bestowed great revenues which made him so proud and stout as he did overtop all the other Bishops not onely in Rome but also throughout the whole Empire and did alter chop and change and adde his owne devises to the publick worship and service of God and did make Canons for the establishing and putting of his devises in practice and through the power of Satan by false doctrines signes and lying wonders did seduce the Christian Emperours that succeeded Constantine and drew them to acknowledge him the head of the Church and vicar of Christ which made him so proud and potent as he did subdue and bring under the Emperours and tooke upon him to excommunicate diverse of them and to curse them with bell booke and candle Henricus the Emperour being excommunicated came in submissive manner to be absolved and in the cold winter in frost and snow did waite at the Bishops gate with his wife and childe barefoot and bareleg three dayes and three nights before he could have audience Fredericke the Emperour was made to hold his stirrop and to lie downe on the ground for him to tread on his necke and at length the Bishop of Rome came to be the great red Dragon Rev. 12.3 and with his long taile of false doctrine flattery promises and preferments did draw the third part of the starres of heaven that is so many of the other Bishops as were not sound in heart and did cast them to the earth that is drew them to be earthly minded like himselfe and to give over studying sound divinitie and to joyne with him in studying how to supplant the Christian Religion Gent. From this that you have said I doe gather that they whom
make it for all Christians to use as a prayer and also for a patterne to pray by Gent. Where doe you finde that our Saviour Christ would have it used as a prayer Min. In the 11. chapter of the Gospel written by Saint Luke and the second verse where it is written that our Saviour said When you pray say Our Father which c. Gent. Where doe you finde that our Saviour would have it used for a patterne Min. In the sixt chapter of the Gospel written by Saint Matthew and the ninth verse where it is written that our Saviour said After this manner pray you Our Father which c. Gent. Why will not the Witch acknowledge Christ to be the Lord Min. Because the devill would have her to take him and not Christ for her Lord Gent. Why doe some say that the Priest and Clarke when they doe Church a woman are like to a couple of Players acting their parts Min. Because the Priest doth skip over these words but deliver us from evill and doth leave them to the Clarke to say for his part and as soone as the Clarke hath said them the Priest saith Lord save this woman thy servant then the Clarke comes in againe with his part saying which putteth her trust in thee then the Priest as though hee would not have the woman to put her trust in him turnes her over to the Clarke and bids him bee unto her a strong Tower then the Clarke answereth and sheweth wherein saying from the face of their enemie Gent. This is a very strange kind of giving God thankes for womens safe deliverance from the paine and perill of child birth Min. It is indeede and no small griefe to honest women not onely because there is no thankes given to God for their safe deliverance from the paine and perill of child-birth but also because thanksgiving is turned to a Iewish kinde of purification for they must come with a vaile to cover their faces after the Iewish manner signifying thereby that by child-bearing they were made uncleane and that they were ashamed of their uncleannesse or that they had plaid the harlots and were ashamed to shew their faces and Iuda thought that Thamar was an harlot because her face was covered with a veile Gen. 33.14 15. It is a great offence not onely to honest women but also to every true Christian man to see his wife goe to the Church like a Iew or like an Harlot Gent. Many doe say that the manner of administring the holy Sacrament of Baptisme prescribed in the Service Booke is very absurd and full of popish errors and so rediculous as they cannot but laugh at it I pray you tell me what doe you finde in it to be so absurde and ridiculous as they can not but laugh at it Min. The interrogatories ministred to infants that have no understanding and the answer of the Godfathers and Godmothers are so absurd and ridiculous as they cannot but laugh at them as first the Minister must examine the infant and aske him if he doth forsake the divell and all his workes the vaine pompe and glory of the world the coveteous desires of the same the carnall desires of the flesh so as hee will not follow nor be led by them hee must also aske him if hee doth beleeve all the Articles of the Christian faith and if hee will bee baptized in that faith Gent. Were not these interrogations administred to infants in the Primitive Church Min. No these or the like were then administred to such as were of yeares when they were converted and came to be baptized and afterwards commanded by the Pope to bee administred to infants Gent. What answer doth the Godfathers and Godmothers give Min. They give no answer but doe counterfeit the Infants voice as if he were a conjured Ghost speaking within them and answering to the first interrogation concerning the Devill and all his workes the vaine pompe and glory of the world the covetous desires of the same and the carnall desires of the flesh that he doth forsake them all and to the second and third concerning the Articles of the Christian faith that he doth beleeve them all and that he doth desire to be baptized in that faith Gent. What doth the Minister after he hath received these feigned answers Min. He doth baptise the Infant and doth marke him on the forehead with a Crosse which doth offend many because they take it to be the marke of the Beast mentioned Rev. 14.9 Gent. Why doe they take it to be the marke of the Beast Min. Because there is no one thing in all Popery set on the forehead and on the hand but a crosse made on the forehead by the Priest in Baptisme and by the Bishop on the right hand in Confirmation saying Signaculum Christi in manu tua dextra trado tibi therefore they say that it is a marke wherewith the Beast doth cause all that are of his Church to be marked according as it is written that he hath made all both small and great rich and poore bond and free to receive a marke on the forehead and on the right hand Rev. 13.16 It is written Rev. 14.9 that if any receive his marke on the forehead and on the hand he shall drinke of the Wine of the wrath of God therefore some doe keepe their children unbaptised rather then have them marked with the mark of the beast Gent. What fault doe they finde with the prayers that are made at the administration of Baptisme Min. They finde fault with the Popish errours that are in them as in the first prayer before Baptisme it is written that God hath sanctified the floud Iorden and all other waters to the mysticall washing away of sinne The truth is that there is no mysticall washing away of sinne in water but a reall and true washing away of sinne in the blood of Christ 1 Ioh. 1.7 The water in Baptisme doth but signifie that as foule things are washed and made cleane in water so the soules of the Elect defiled with sinne are made cleane in the blood of Christ 1 Ioh. 1.7 In another prayer the Minister prayeth that the Infant may receive remission of sinnes by spirituall regeneration The truth is that the children of God have their sinnes forgiven and are sanctified by faith Rom. 5.1 and not by spirituall regeneration which is but an effect of faith purifying the heart Act. 15.9 or to speake more plainly it is God that justifieth Rom. 8.33 by accepting of the sufferings and obedience of Christ as a sufficient recompence and satisfaction and doth by faith assure the hearts of his children that for the merits of the sufferings and obedience of Christ his wrath is pacified and his Justice satisfied In another prayer thankes is given to God for regenerating the Infant with his holy Spirit The truth is that the children of God doe receive the Spirit of God to regenerate them not by sprinkling of water
before him with the forepart of his head and face whole A man that sate next unto him in the same seat was scalded and burnt all over on that side next unto the Warriner In the second Seat behind the Warriner a man was in a most grievous manner burnt and scalded all over his body so as he was all over like raw flesh and lived in great misery about a weeke A dog neere the Chancell doore was whirled up three times and fell down dead Some seats in the body of the Church were torne up and turned up-side downe and they that sate in them had no harme notwithstanding that they were throwne out of them into other seats foure or five seats higher About the number of eight boyes sitting about the rayles of the Communion Table were taken up and throwne on heapes within the rayles and had no hurt A man sitting on the Church Beere at the lower end of the Church had the Beere torne in pieces under him and himselfe throwne into a seat by the wall and had no hurt A beame broke in the middle and fell betweene the Minister and the Clarke and hurt neither The Church was very much defaced and torne and a great stone neare the foundation was torne out and removed Stones were throwne out of the Tower as thicke as if there had bin an hundred men throwing them some of such weight and bignesse as no man was able to lift One of the Pinnacles of the Tower was throwne downe into the Church A very great stone was thrown from the Tower over the East end of the Church and over the Churchyard and over an hedge into a Close Another great stone was throwne an hundred yards from the Church which sunke into the Earth so farre as it could not be seene A Bowling-Alley neare the Church-yard was turned up into pits and holes A Wine-Taverne neare the Church had the side next the Church torne up and the covering carryed off and one of the Rafters broke into the house A little before night some were sent into the Church to fetch out the dead bodies who found a couple of little children walking chearefully hand in hand and seemed by their countenances that they had been nothing affrighted with the fearefull sights that they saw nor with the lamentable crying of the people nor to have cryed because their mothers were gone On Whitsunday last 1640. in the Parish of Anthony in Cornwell when the people were kneeling at the Communion great claps of Thunder was heard as though divers Cannons had been shot off at once and extraordinary and most fearfull flashes of Lightnings and a terrible and unspeakeable strange sound to the great amazement of the people and when the Minister was turning towards the Communion Table to give the Cup after he had given the Bread he saw to his thinking a flaming fire about his body and withall heard a terrible and unspeakeable sound and had no hurt save that the outside of one of his legs was scalded Presently after that diverse balls of fire came into the Church and strucke one Ferdinando Reepe on the sole of his left foot with such violence as he thought his foot had beene split in pieces and was for a while deprived of his sences One Iohn Hodge was stricken in the knees and thighs and lower part of his body so as he thought every part of his body to be unjoyned One Dorothy Tubbe was stricken so as she thought her legs and knees were strucke off from her body One Anthony Peeke was fearefully struck in all the lower parts of his body so as it seemed as dead and felt the water in his bladder as it were boyling hot and thought that he had beene shot thorow and was lift up from kneeling and set upon the form by which he kneeled One Susan Collins was struck in the lower part of her body so as it seemed to her to be struck off from the upper part and was scalded on the wrest on the right hand A great fire farre redder then any Lightning came into the Church and struck one Nicholas Shelton on both sides of his head as though he had been struck with two flat stones did shake his body as though it would shake it in pieces whereby he lost his sight and his sences One Roger Nile was strucke on the back-bone on the right side and on the anckle on the inside of his left legge so as for a while he was not able to stand After the fire there was heard in the Church as it were the hissing of a great shot and after that a noise as though diverse Cannons had been shot off at once to make one single and terrible report The noyse did not descend from above but was heard and seemed to begin close at the Northside of the Communion Table After this fire and noyse then followed a loathsome smell of Gunpowder and Brimstone and a great smoake The Church had no harme save that seven or eight holes and rents were made in the wall of the Steeple some on the inside and some on the outside and impressions on the stones in diverse places as if they were made by force of shot discharged out of a great Ordnance so as in diverse places light might be seene through the walls In this storme was no body kill'd save one dog in the Belfree and another at the feet of one kneeling to receive the Cup As soone as this fearefull storme was over they that were weake not able to stand were through the mercy of God restored to their strength and they that were franticke to their sences and he that was blind was restored to his sight and came all to the Lords Table and received the Wine and went all safe home praising God and returned all in the afternoone to give God thanks Besides the fearefull signes of Gods wrath shewed on Churches diverse strange and fearefull sights have beene seene in the Ayre and on the Land The like we read were seene in Germany and in other Countries beyond the Sea a little before their warres and ruine began Therefore pray heartily for the King and his Councell and for the whole House of Parliament that all may joyne together in the feare of God to reforme what is amisse especially in Gods Worship and Service and that in time before the wrath of God be kindled Gent. These fearefull judgements doe shew that God is not pleased but much offended with the publick worship and service which is prescribed unto his holy Majesty in our service booke therefore I have no heart to come into the Church till the service be all read Min. Doe not refraine but come into the Church and there doe as the godly in Ierusalem did and as the three godly children and Ioseph of Arimathea did Gent. What did the godly in Ierusalem Min. When they saw that the chiefe of the Priests and of the people did bring the abominations of the heathen into the publick worship and service of God and so polluted the house of the Lord 2 Chron. 36.14 they did not refraine but came and brought their Sacrifices and did mourne and cry unto God against those abominations so doe you come and offer unto God your sacrifices of prayer of praise and of thankesgiving and mourne when you see the Minister and people doe after the abominations of the Church of Rome and cry unto God against those abominations Gent. What did the three godly children Min. They did not goe about to pull downe the golden Image that Nebuchadnezzer had set up but did refuse to worship it so you ought not to goe about to put downe that which publick authoritie hath set up as some to keepe the Minister from being heard in reading the Service did sing aloud so as he could not be heard and was faine to give over In stead of singing they ought rather to have mourned and cry in secret unto the Lord and to joyne with the Minister and the Congregation save onely in those things wherein they doe after the abominations of the Church of Rome Gent. If we doe so wee are sure to be complained of to the Bishop Min. When you are complained of and brought before the Bishop doe as the three godly children did when complaint was made of them to Nebuchadnezzar they answered boldly saying O Nebuchadnezzar wee are not carefull to answer thee in this matter For behold our God whom wee serve is able to deliver us from the hot fiery furnace and he will deliver us out of thy hand O King But if not be it knowne to thee O King that wee will not serve thy Gods nor worship thy golden Image So doe you when you are presented and brought before the Bishop be not afraid to speake but tell him boldly with reverence that you will not doe after the abominations of the Church of Rome as he would have you If he cast you into prison take it patiently and chearefully as the three godly children did when they were cast into the hot fiery Furnace Gent. What did Ioseph of Arimathea Min. He did not goe about to take downe the body of Christ till he had beg'd and obtained leave of Pilate whose example serveth to teach all Christians that in things concerning the authoritie of the Magistrate they ought to acquaint him and aske his leave before they attempt any thing Gent. I thank you for your good counsell The God of all grace direct all the Nobles Knights and Burgesses of the house of Parliament to goe to our gracious King Charles as Nehemiah did to Artaxerxes and Hester to Ashuerosh that thereby they may finde such grace with his Majesty as Nehemiah found with Artaxerxes for Ierusalem and Hester with Ashuerosh for her selfe and the Iewes Min. Amen Amen for Christ Jesus his sake LEVVES HEVVES FINIS