being called to an account by the Bishop as we are credibly informed for keeping another mans wife left his Cure and then pretended he was driven away because he would not submit to Innovations Master Goodwin of Coleman-street in great esteem amongst some of them yet let him spin his opinion into never so fine a thred a Socinian Master John Sedgewicke of London-wall a simoniacke and perjur'd both upon Record And every one hath heard of that light and prophane speech of M. Evans that hee did breake the poore womens hearts with preaching of damnation and carried the pieces in his pocket And if wee may touch the apple of their eye we have heard for our eyes are not every where to see them that Master Marshall hath a powerfull faculty of perswasion with the weaker sex and all seducers after their old master goe that way to draw the affections and then the estates from brothers children unto his owne By these instances it is evident that notwithstanding their zeale for a thorow reformation they can dispense with offences aswell in the Clergy as in the Laity if they will become serviceable unto the present designe Another thing pretended to be reformed in the Church was Pluralities and Non-residence and this was not so much because they thought these things unlawfull as to make roome for their owne Emissaries Who would think that men who have voted it a thing unlawfull and unconscionable to hold two Livings or but one and not reside upon it should practice it themselves Nothing hath been cry'd downe more by divers Lords and Commons since the sitting of this Parliament and yet we find many late examples of their owne making Master Goodricke of little Houghton hath been taken from his residence at his Cure and made Lecturer at Tottenham by the meanes of Sir Edward Barkeham and Master Stroude Master Theodor Graves Parson of great Linford in the County of Bucks made non-resident by an Order of Parliament Master George Horiford of Stutsbury in the Diocesse of Peterborough made Vicar of Banbury by the Lord Say it seems his Lordship can dispense with a double Benefice in his own Chaplains Doctor Wincop whose new preferment hath made him forget some of his old principles though he had the fleece of a good flock before the House of Commons hath given him Institution and Induction into Doctor Brayes living S. Martines in the fields but whether they can vote him into the profits as they have done into the paines is doubtfull Many other Pluralists have been made this Parliament and some since the Bill was drawne up against them Master Henry Trewman Rector of Cornwall and Newarke by the Earle of Clare Master Tho Caril of Slindon and Harting by the Lord Saint-Iohns Master Iohn Dixon of Glenfold and Baynes by the Lord Hastings Who can think that these men were in earnest and not rather upon designe when they cry'd out so bitterly against Pluralities We would faine know what gift of Vbiquity hath been voted into Master Marshall that he should be able to officiate at S. Margaret Westminster Windsor or any where and yet not neglect his Cure at Finchinfield in Essex Master Case officiates at London and leaves his Cure in Cheshire to be supply'd by Rawbone an illiterate Lay-man Another thing pretended for the advancement of Religion was the establishing of a Preaching Ministry throughout the Kingdome Certainly a very pious work if Orthodox men be planted in all Parishes But if such be rooted out as are of ablest parts to instruct and men of desperate principles and factious spirits thrust into their places this as by too wofull an experience is now made evident will prove destructive both to Church and Common-wealth Yet this is the great work for which way must be made saith the Authour of Plaine English by displacing idle scandalous superstitious ignorant persons And how must these be displaced Why saith he If this advantage against them of stirring up the people to spoile and rapine were taken it were a good likely meanes very warrantable and honest meanes surely according to Wat Tylers and Iacke Strawes Doctrine of rooting out them who had shuffled their Cards so cunningly as to be out of the reach of the Law in other respects This puts me in mind of that which Colonell Cromwell said to Master Gatford at Cambridge when he took away his book out of the Presse for speaking for obedience unto Magistrates against the Anabaptists He told him he had been a great opposer of the Archbishops Innovations but carried himselfe so cunningly that the Law could not lay hold upon him and so he told him he had behaved himselfe now in opposition to the Anabaptists but though the Law could not lay hold upon him they had a power could reach him and this was the power of the Dragooneers which brought him up a Prisoner forthwith to Ely-House The truth is what ever they say their aime is not so much at the idle and ignorant for the one winkes at all their false and odious principles and the other concurre with them in the practice of them Their chiefe envy is at the most learned and most painfull Preachers if they keep not silence at their faction Why is the Lord Primate of Ireland Bishop Morton Bishop Hall Bishop Prideaux Bishop Brownrigg Doctor Hildsworth Doctor Featly Master Shute and others of singular learning and piety under a cloud with them and some of them ordered to be imprisoned Why are so many Prisons full of men that are Preachers as well by their Examples as their Sermons Master Squire Master Stone Master Swadlin that are scarce allowed straw to lie on whilest His Majesty is exclaim'd against when he affords Rebels better usage Master Reading of Dover Master Griffith of London Master Ingoldsby of Watton in Hartfordshire Master Wilcocks of Goudhurst in Kent These and many others having done nothing worthy of death or of bonds are inserted into the black bill of scandalous and superstitious Ministers for preaching nothing but obedience to Soveraigne Authority and points consonant to the Holy Scriptures and the Doctrine of the Church of England as it stands established by Act of Parliament I confesse Master Ingoldsby aggravated his crime of preaching for obedience by setting forth the Doctrine of our Church in six Homilies established by Parliament for the use of every Parish against Rebellion and the oathes of Supremacy and Allegeance with the Protestation and an Epistle prefixt to light the people unto their duty for which he was sent for up the second time with a Troope of Horse but escaping from them he came of his owne accord to his prison desirous to make his answer which they find no leisure yet to hearken to Nay they will not permit that holy man Master Thrush-crosse to teach White-Hall to continue loyall and Protestant He seem'd to taske the Justice of this bloudy Warre with reflection upon this new designe and presently an inquisition is made after
SOBER SADNES OR Historicall ObservationsVPON The Proceedings Pretences Designs of a prevailing party in both Houses of PARLIAMENT With the resolution of all loyall Subjects and true Protestants of the Church of ENGLAND thereupon ISAIAH 33. 1. Woe to thee that spoilest and thou wast not spoiled and that dealest treacherously and they dealt not treacherously with thee when thou ceasest to spoile thou shalt be spoiled ISAIAH 29. 16. Surely your turning of things upside downe shall be esteemed as the Potters clay Printed for W. Webb Book-seller neer Queens Colledge M. DC XLIII A Preface to the READER THe particular exorbitances of mans life are so many thriving off-sets from that bitter root his originall depravation He that allowes his soule to be impaired only in her inferiour faculties his deniall of the rest is proof enough against him His mind and conscience is defiled and in this constitution makes snares of every clew ordain'd to guide him as wel those of divine as those of humane spinning Being sensible that his lampe by nature wants oyle and trimming if hee pretends to have his defect of light supply'd by the extemporary flashes of inspiration he presently inviteth Satan to be his guide with his dark Lantherne When this light is set up before him he thinks he hath lest all the world bâ—sides in that darknesse to which himselfe travelleth mistaking singulariâ—y for the straight way This light kindled on purpose to distract and dazle puts him into a restlesse phrenzie This phrenzie is put upon the account of zeale and every murther that zeale commits is a reputed Sacrifice The time will come saith Christ That he that killeth you will thinke he doth God service This strange fire as wilde as 't is hath been offer'd up by sundry Sects in all Ages of the Church but through the wisdome and justice of God hath been dispos'd to consume the offerers The Factious of our times are like to draw the same Judgement upon their own heads iâ— we may conjecture by the sudden answer to that Petition so often repeated by the Lord Brooke before his last enterprise viz. Lord if this action be not for thy gloâ—y cut me off speedily No armour is of proofe to withstand God so earnestly challenged to the vindication of his owne glory This Lord being once demanded according to the usuall salutation of the times what newes reply'd hee could tell no newes but hee could tell miracles and these were nothing else but that strange successe which God had given against all advantages on the other side to his Annointed I 'le leave the expression betwixt jest and earnest Every man may carry it as his iudâ—ement shall direct him But surely wise men are of opinion his Lordship had at that time little reason to speake Ironically Whether he marcht against the light of a self-conviction I determine not There are that take upon them to cite all men living to the Barre of their private consure and not confining their Iâ—risdiction here sit upon the life and death of those soules that have past their accounts to their owne Masters Let them reioyce in this practice that retaine it as a distinguishing marke of their profession For my part I shall say no more then I may say safely God in his wisdome thought it not fit to advance his owne glory any further by the life and action of such an Instrument And let his example be an admonition unto us that have surviv'd him to premeditate at least our imprecations considering how soone omnipotencie can returne them into our owne bosomes If men would seriously consider how many parties have followed the direction of such guides as pretended to infallibility and yet their Reliâ—â—on hath been Rebellion their faith Faction and their zeale a murthering â—â— innocents by a common construction and then reflect upon the disâ—â—â—pers of these times and then have been dieted This might prove â—n effectuall meanes to recover some and prevent the farther spreading of this dangerous leprofie in others To this purpose serves this insuing discovery wherein a strict account is taken of three generall heads as the most received summes out of which our miseries have been more parâ—â—cularly disbursed They are the proceedings pretences and designes of c. â—â— the designes we see the end aimed at In the pretences the way by which â—hey have travail'd towards the end And in their proceedings their proâ—â—sse in that way We shall decline that exact method used in handling â—ery Discipline because what are praecognita to them as all designes are â—â— the contrivers are post cognita to us We can deduce them but by way â—â— inference and therefore having laid downe the other as the two promiâ—â—s we shall draw these into the conclusion 1. In their proceedings If our discourse be guilty of too much proâ—â—xity as it may be to those who have heard them â—o oft repeated reâ—ember we are to relate by what meanes their party grew to be so potent â—is Maâ—esties sundry invitations unto Peace and readinesse to embrace â—etitions of that nature whiles they labour to stifle or reiect them The â—â—ndry practices they have used to support their declining cause and 〈◊〉 and how violently they have borne themselves up as well aâ—ainst sundry discouragements as against the solid grounds of truth and 〈◊〉 2. Amongst their pretences wee shall find these colours The Defence â—nd Reformation of Religion by rooting out Episcopacy Scandalous Ministers â—luralities and the Temporall employments of the Clergie The security of â—is Maiesties Royall Person Crowne and Dignity with the Liberty and Property of the Subiect The triall of Delinquents c. 3. Their designes The subversion of the Government both of Chuâ—ch and State found upon good evidence with a serious recollection of our selves to the practice of a resolved loyaltie The COMPLAINT of the Kingdome against the evill Members of both Houses who have upon designe brought in Ruine under a pretence of Reformation Relating to that former Complaint made by the Citie and Counties adjacent WE are glad our brethren are so well recovered out of their Lethargie as to be able to informe us that they are growne sensible of their miseries Wee confesse our selves lay stupified in a too unhappy dreame or tamenesse till this Alarm did awaken us and now besides the sympathie and compassion that we have of the afflictions of our neighbours the sense of our owne sufferings is so sharpe that wee are forced to circumflect the sad accents of their just Complaint More neede not be added to that Relation by way of supplement to perfect the horrible Anatomy of our miseries Yet we conceive it will not be in vaine to discover who they were that pretending to reforme even our happinesse and then to secure that happinesse by such impregnable fortifications as God never yet vouchsafed to defence in temporall blessings withall did at the same time nothing else but make that interruption and breach of our sweet
an inveterate malice unto Majestie It was an expression of but little loyaltie and not the further from truth because uttered in a Taverne that They would make the King as poore as Job unlesse he did comply with them That Champion that wrestled to stoutly with his Soveraigne at Law in the case of Ship-money might have come off with honour if he had staid there But seeing him after satisfaction one of the first in the field desperately provoking His Majesty to the sharpe we suspect malice though we hope he will be deceived in the length of the Kings weapon and so perish by it Others know and have protested the King cannot in honour pardon them and if they should submit to the Law they are too sure that would prove a killing letter to them and therefore they dare not abide the issue of an Accommodation Others having transformed themselves into Angels of light possest the people that they were of a nearer communion even of the Cabinet-Councell with God himselfe and broached their illustions for divine Revelations These men could see that God had plainly chalked out a way in his holy Word which our fore-fathers for 1500 yeeres together could never see That Jesus Christ had sate all this while besides his Throne and they must dispossesse Antichrist whose spirit and manner of working by lying wonders c they are very well acquainted with before our Saviours government can be established These men being canoniz'd for Saints by the ignorant multitude that understand not the depth of Satans delusions thinke it too great a disgrace to be stigmatized with an ignominious death for Sedition which they know they are by Law guilty of Those men that began the Warre upon such unwarrantable grounds and have purused it to the murdering of so many thousands will undoubtedly â—â—ive it if it be possible to the last pinch For although mighâ—â—ope they shall never comprimise differences to their owne personall safety and preferment and our irrevocable slavery as one of their Clerkes in his frivolous paper saith they may doe yet they will drive it on as long as they have any hopes to get so great a pawne into their hands as shall inable them to make their owne conditions If this faile having shipt away so much of the Treasury of the Kingdome as may make them considerable and welcome guests to New-England or such other places they care not how miserable they make this Land before they leave it And herâ— by the way we could wish that our own mony that was ordered to be transported in Trunkes without searching might not be brought backe to buy our goods withall for our stocke being plundered by them if they may have the liberty as they take liberty to doe any thing to prize it for themselves we may presume they will afford good penny-worths and never leave us till they have removed both the Exchanges with the Kings Exchequer and the Chamber of London into the Earle of Warwickes new Liberties 'T is time to look about us for we are to play our game with the greatest Cheaters in Christendome who think they have as good a Warrant to spoile such as they have call'd Malâ—gnant for no other reason then their loyalty as ever Israel had to spoile the Egyptians Let us no longer suffer our selves to be abused and mis-led by those false lights which they have hung out to deceive us Doe not all their practices runne counter to their pretences Doe we not perceive them look one way and steere the contrary Let us learne to know their aimes not by their words but by their actions If we trace them through all their proceedings we shall find they have given the lie to every particular pretence though never so speciously alledged for their justificaon in this warre Who was more cryed up then the defence of the true Protestant Religion This was the very shield and buckler of their Army This is made the Generalismo of all their Arguments and marcheth in the front of all the battaile If this were not at the stake most men conclude the warre absolutely unlawfull But how a quarrell can be justly made to defend a Religion that condemnes such a quarrell and such a defence as the true Protestant Religion doth I professe I understand not If our Religion did runne an aparent hazard I am confident this scandalous and offensive defence cannot be justified but by such Iefuitidall principles as all the Schooles of Protestants except the Scots and not all of them neither for the Ministers of Aberden have declared themselves clearly and solidly of this opinion in their Duplies have unanimously exploded But we have sufficient grounds of suspition that the Religion which is so barbarously militant in a Buffe-coat is not the same Religion which was peaceably obedient in a Surplice Wee reade in Plaine English of hopes they have not onely of reforming that is rooting out our Discipline but also of purging our Doctrine notwithstanding they have bound themselves by a solemne Protestation if any such thing can binde them for they have done as much for the Kings Person Rights and Dignity to maintaine it We had thought they would have made their new experiments onely upon our old Government but it seemes that wise Colledge of State-Physicians think it fit to make the Doctrine of our Church their Patient and we are afraid they will let too much bloud there too and their purge if they be suffered to administer will be strong enough to overthrow it Well! whether the maintenance of the true Protestant Religion be the Argument of this sword-dispute may be decided by a speedy tryall Let them reduce the Fabricke of our Religion according to the Model of Queen Elisabeths time in which those foundations were laid which made the Church of England the most eminent and glorious of all Protestant Churches If His Majesty consents not to all this and to something more upon the advice of a grave and learned Synod for the satisfaction of tender consciences but recedeth from His many free and gracious offers to that purpose then let those bitter and scandalous imputations of inclining unto Popery be never washt away from Him But if this be one of the maine Arguments of His Majesties taking up just necessary and defensive Armes against Anabaptists Brownists and Sectaries who have already throwne downe the hedge and now fall to pillaging of the grapes of the Lords Vineyard and that with countenance and encouragement from a party in both Houses then we may conclude we approach very fast unto Atheisme and Prophanenesse and are fallen into those times which Sir Walter Raleigh speakes of in his Historie of the Word B. 2. Chapt. 5. sect 1. speaking of the care that Moses had of all things that concerned the worship and service of God which care of his all ages have in some degree imitated Yet sayes he and we may say so more truly it is now so forgotton and cast away
in this super fine age by those of the family By the Anabaptists Brownists and other Sectaries as all cost and care bestowed and had of the Church wherein God is to he served and worshipped is accounted a kind of Popery and as proceeding from an Idolatrous disposition insomuch as time would soone bring to passe if it were not resisted that God would be turned out of Churches into Barnes and from thence againe into the Fields and Mountaines and under the Hedges and the offices of the Ministers robb'd of all dignity and respect be as contemptible as these places All Order Discipline and Church-Government left to newnesse of opinion and mens fancies yea and soone after as many kindes of Religion would spring up as their are Parish Churches within England Every contentious and ignorant person clothing his fancy with the Spirit of God and his imagination with the gift of Revelation insomuch as when the Truth which is but one shall appeare to the simple multitude no lesse variable then contrary to it selfe the faith of men will soone after die away by degrees and alll Religion held in scorne and contempt Doth not this directly hit the temper of our times wherein the conformable ministry is generally discountenanced ignorant and seditious persons men of all qualities and professions set up like Jeroboams Calves to out-face them Wherein all sorts of Conventicles forbidden by Law are tolerated and frequented by those that ought to punish them wherein men will take upon them to be Magistrates and declaime against the publike worship and service of God as it hath stood ever since the Reformation in the Church of England and shut up the doores of the Mother-Church if it bee lawfull to use any name of reverence and authority besides the name of a Parliament that the solemne service of God may not be administred as it hath been for a president to other Churches wherein men are imprisoned and cannot be inlarged unlesse they will promise to forbeare the use of the Common-Prayer the Crosse in Baptisme and kneeling at the holy Communion wherein the holy Apostles of our Saviour are unsainted as if we now doubted of their salvation all this and more then this can be proved against Alderman Pennington If wee look into the House lest their Members should not bee infected fast enough with this pestilent disease the Preachers of their choosing were for the most part notorious schismaticall Separtists And for the Synod of their owne settting forth after a new translation for feare the Clergy should have sent men that were too orthodoxall they deprived them of their rights forgetting their Protestation or taking them to be not the Subjects intended in it and made choice of as many men as they could get under no remarkable character but for their ignorant novelty and factious singularity of opinion If we look upon the men they most confide in we shall find them of the same stampe or else their prisoners must not be committed to them Doctor Leyton an old Scottish Preacher stigmatized long since for Sedition Gaoler at Lambeth House Dillingham a notorious Brownist with his wife and family Goaler at London-House Devenish the Keeper and Randall the Porter both Conventicle-Preachers at Winchester-House and the Porter at Ely-House can deliver as much extemporary Sedition as the best of them If we look into their Army wee shall find their intemperate zeale not without encouragement from some great ones hath transported them not onely to the prophanation of Churches defacing of Monuments tearing of holy Books and decent Vest ments but even to the murdering of the true sonnes of the Church for â—oyning in her devotions as the late example at Lambeth evidenceth Wee see then what is done for the defence of the true Protestant Religion as it stands reformed and establisht in the Church of England This Religion is pretended but another is practiced and in order to this new one for the old hath consisted with the old government Episcopacy must be rooted out and to this end they have used the most Reverend Bishops for no other crime then for being of that function as whilome the enemies of the Gospell did the holy Martyrs of Jesus Christ when they clothed them in the skins of wilde beasts to animate the dogges to teare them so the Fathers of the Church have been set forth under the most scandalous and ignominious character to inrage the people against them And although they are as farre from discovering as from agreeing what they would have in the roome of it yet this must downe that 's concluded and though a Synod be desired as the most competent Judge of such Controversies yet this is to be convened onely for colour fake the work must be done or rather undone before they be consulted with or assembled We may expostulate though they will not allow their Votes how unreasonable soever to be disputed How came Episcopacy that hath stood so long a piller in the house of God to grow so diametrically opposite to the truth or peace of the Gospell Was not our Religion reformed under that Government and hath not our Church and State flourish't to the envy of our neighbours under it If some tares have sprung up under it have they not sprung up much faster and spread further under other formes of Government beyond the Seas If inconveniences have crept in through that wall which if not of Christs own is doubtlesse of his Apostles building much more through those low hedges of their setting up who hhve no grounds besides their owne fancies to plant them on There is a necessity of emerging offences and tares will grow amongst the Wheat untill the Haâ—vest or else our Saviour hath deceived us His wisdome sees that the very chaffe may contribute something to the benefit of the good graine in this life and therefore hath reserved the thorow-purging of his floore till his owne comming unto Judgement A little breaking in of the salt waters makes our helds more fruitfull Our chief care must be to keep out Inundations and the way to doe that is to keep the bankes up and to keepe them sound not to levell them The Houses did once thinke it convenient to declare by Votes which we see religiously observ'd in other things that they intended the abolishing neither of the Liturgy nor of the Church-Goverument And truely if wee perceive Votes which have presum'd â—o challenge so much respect and veneration from us created onely to serve turnes upon occasion and carried Pro and Con as emergent advantages are administred they will presently lose their reputation amongst us of being infallible and gives us hopes that upon the more mature deliberation of second thoughts at least all groundlesse Votes apparently and experimentally dâ—structive to the Kingdome shall bee recalled And for the Government of the Church being purg'd of some abuses wee professe wee like the Preachers advice so well and have found their principles so pestilent that
we would not willingly meddle with them that are given to change unlesse we can see better Arguments produced though this last of the sword hath been the strongest to move us We are of their opinion that having dranke old Wine cannot desire new for they know the old is better And it is not an idle observation that since they fell from pruning to rooting up their endeavours have been almost miraculously blasted by an immediate and remarkeable curse upon them If there be any that thinks this order in the Church is not worth the strife about it and that our Religion may consist without it let them with a sad and serious heart ponder these Considerations 1. That instead of these by the independent way a Pope and however a Bishop will be set up in every Parish 2. That there was no other Government though perhaps some other qualifications in it heard of in the Church of God till about 100 yeares since insomuch as some of no small note for learning and piety stand in great doubt whether there can be any lawfull Ordination and consequently any lawfull Ministry without it These who make up a farre more considerable party in this Church then those who have already separated and therefore ought in the first place by all the rules of Christian charity to have their scruples satisfied upon the rooting out of this Ancient Government must needs abandon our Communion 3. That the true Protestant Religion establisht in the Church of England was never so much undermin'd and blemisht whilest some of the Bishops slept and others were too active as it hath been by new sprung up Sects and monstrous opinions since their office was suspended 4. That the next Orders like to be quarrel'd at if it be not too evident they are quarrel'd at already will be the Nobility and the Gentry and if we should allow the argument against the Order of Bishops that the Protestant Religion and the generall safety of the Kingdome may consist without them may not the same argument with as good reason be taken up against the other by the meaner sort of people who shall have hopes to share their estates amongst them till all degrees be levelled Lastly That the argument of the dispute is not so much whether Bishops or no Bishops as whether a King or no King for we must hold the negative if Subjects may be allowed by force of Armes when they cannot get the Kings consent to pull downe any piece of his settled Government With the Fathers they pretend to thrust out the Children and those are commonly deciphered under the notion of scandalous Ministers The truth is it were well for the Church of God if all that were such were thrust out of her bosome But they have stretcht the Word to such a latitude that if they should goe on there would scarce be found an Orthodox man in the Kingdome out of this Catalogue For there are a company of scorners and terrible ones That watch for iniquitie that make a man an offender for a word and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate and turne aside the just for a thing of nought Isa 29. 20 21. Is hee loyall according to the obligation of divers oaths sundry times repeated by him He is a scandalous Minister Is he a man well affected to the present Government c. or to peace he is a dangerous man and scandalous In the interim they set up their railing Rabshachaes that blaspheme God and slander the footsteps of his Annointed in such sort as their Prayers and Preaching are a very scandall except enmities seditions reviling of Gods Ordinances and Ministers when practised by them with the countenance of a party in both Houses cease to be workes of the flesh If we should forme comparisons wee should find moates in some mens eyes made greater by the multiplying-glasse of malice which they make too much use of then the â—eames that are most conspicuous in the eyes of others In some men they persecute their humane frailties and indiscretions whilst they protect others whose offences are died in graine Master Pigott amongst other such like Articles was accused by some few seditious men of the Parish of S. Sepulchres for drinking a Beere glasse of White-wine with a Lemmon and Sugar and though vindicated by the testimony of 600 of the ablest men had his reputation blasted with no credit to his witnesses by Master Corbet who sate then in the chaire of Examinations I had like to have called it the seat of the scornfull and gave his hand afterwards that he was unworthy to exercise his Ministry by which meanes he hath since been put by two Lectures at Alhallowes Berking and Broad-street I make no question they have met with some scandalous enough I doe not excuse them But others they have prosecuted whom they might with much more honour have acquitted and given a checke to their too officious and troublesome neighbours Look we upon such as are in most favour and esteem with them we shall find they have trode their shooes awry aswell as others We may set Doctor Burgesse in the front and because he was so busie to pick holes in the coates of his brethren and rackt up the very ashes of the dead to discover their corruptions we shall be the bolder to remember him not only of a man that was a Pluralist but of one that the High-Commission looked upon for Adultery And of one that with continuall suites of Law vext two Parishes and must have been calculated in the Black-bill if he had not taken himselfe off by his good service against Bishops Doctor Downing a reputed weathercock that turns which way soever the wind of his owne humour or ambition blowes him sometimes a great suitor to be the Earle of Straffords Chaplaine thinking that the readiest way to a Bishoprick and whilst he had hopes of the preferment writ stoutly in justification of that calling Master Calamy another great Evangelist of the new way sometimes complyed with Bishop Wren preached frequently in his surplice and Hood read Prayers at the Railes bowed at the name of Iesus and undertook to satisfie and to reduce such as scupled at these Ceremonies insomuch as the Earle of Warwicke said He would be lost if he were not taken off and so removed him to a living in Essex This was all the Physick that was given him to purge him from that which he now stiles Superstition though it was never so before he left it Master Harding another great Apostle for that way if he had not secured himselfe by complying with that faction had been complained of for his vicious life being a notorious fornicatour often taken by the Watch in a disguise with Harlots and since hee ingaged himselfe for the good work attempted a rape upon a Vintners wife in Southwarke yet he hath made up all these breaches in his life by making a greater in the Church Master Bridge of Norwich