not availe any thing to shew his judgement concerning them seeing they were put to death and being loath to speake his mind further her Highnes charged him upon his allegiance to speake Whereupon he answered that he vvas perswaded if they had lived they would haue been two as worthy instruments for the Church of God as hath been raised up in this age c Her Maiestie sighed and sayd no more But after that riding to a Parke by the place where they were executed called to mind their suffring of death and being willing to take further information concerning them demanded of the Right Honourable E. of Cumb. that was present when they suffred what end they made He answered A very godly end and prayed for your Maiesti◠the State c. Moreover Mr Philips a preacher famous having both heard and seen Mr. Barrowe his holy speeches and preparation for death sayd Barrowe Barrowe my soule be with thine For thus haue I been credibly informed Desiderius You have saved me a labour for I had thought to haue asked some questions hereabouts but I am satisfied aforehand Yet I pray you tel me the reasō why they printed not this platform heretofore and that espetially against the Kings Maiesties first Parliament in England For that was the time then was the hope Miles Had his Majestie any Arch or Lord Bishop in all his kingdome of Scotland were not all pu◠downe And who would not then haue thought but the like worthy work should haue been done in England after his Highnes coming thither to haue brought those kingdomes and countries into Christian uniformitie This was their hope who sought no praise to themselves but desired that his Majestie should as the instrumentall meanes haue done it of himselfe without any mans soliciting that the whole praise should be primarily unto God the cause of all causes and secundarily unto his Highnes for preferring the will of the HIGHEST in so weightie a point as the abolishing of Bishops converting of their livings unto charitable vses in the common wealth But seeing things fall out contrary to expectation It is in my opinion great pittie that such a work should any longer lye unprinted Wherefore through their neglect I wil cause it to come forth being perswaded it shall tend much to the honour of God and relief of many which is both pietie and pittie And if it prove any losse to proud Prelates the possessors of those overlarge-livings it is but their due demerite and they may all learn therby God giving them such grace to make much spirituall profite for their soules health and comfort wherof they haue farre more need then of that abundance of bodily benefites And in hope to effect the ends premised I intreate all men who shall happen to have any of these coppies to make good use of them both for their own instruction and benefite as also for the common good and that especially against all succeeding Parliaments till the mark aymed at be rightly hit and the goale fully wonne Desid But how know you they stayed the printing of the Plot against the Prelates upon any such desire hope or consideration as you mentioned Miles I had speech with Mr. Francis Iohnson one of the Pastors of that people who came with other his assistants to make thei◠humble sute to the King were readie to enterteyne conference with the Prelates that his Majestie might the more perfectly haue understood the innocēcy of their cause and the evilnes of their adversaries And that same party told me if they should print the foresaid Platforme he thought it would give offence and bee very ill taken inasmuch as it was thought that the King and Councell would doe something of themselves for the abolishing of Bishops c. And so they patiently wayted to see what would be done And wheras God so disposed that Arch Bishop Whitgift at the beginning of the first Parliament after his Majesties coming suddenly died the sayd Mr Iohnson thus spake unto me and others That God had shewed unto the King what he would haue him to doe with the rest of the Bishops in taking away the chiefest of them at such a tyme. And as it was wel observed of him so I doe most earnestly desire that all whom it concerneth will well call it unto minde and duely consider of it for such good use as the GOD of heaven would have to be made by men on earth For seing that he who is the God above all Gods Angels and men did in his wisdome and providence put downe at such a tyme him that was Bishop above al Bishops in the Land and at once turned him out of the Councell Court and Parliament as also frō the Church Ministerie and world it selfe happily it may insinuate that Bishops are unfit for and unworthy of all and every of those places till they be cast in an other moulde and made all new And if there be no use of the highest and chiefest of them and at the chiefest time as God did seem to shewe unto his Majestie and to the body of the land then assembled Then may we think there is as little or lesse use of the inferiour Bishops at any time Desiderius I grant it worthy to be wel considered and seriously thought upon But whiles it is in minde I pray you tell me who penned the second Petition that you shewed me For you named the authour of the first but not of the latter M. Micklebound That was by one yet living who knowes nothing of my purpose in all this busines nor what I am nor how I came by the copie neyther will I make knowne his name without his knowledge and consent Therfore speake no more of that matter Desiderius Yet you may tell me whether ever they were put up according to the direction or no◠Miles I would if I could but I think rather that they were not And otherwise the sinne of the Land was the greater that did them no good upon so weighty so earnest and so christian a suite but left them under the tyranny of such bitter Bishops of whom they are caused so much to complaine If they were not delivered there is the more need to have them published that such whose hearts God shall any way touch thereby may make a holy use thereof to his glory the good of their own soules the staying of Gods wrathful judgments from their nation and for benefite to Gods people for tyme to come So shall it fare better with the latter wltnesses of Christ then it did with the former that stood forth in the forefront of the battel against the Beast Which warre they waged with the losse of their lives but happy they in the life to come For blessed are the dead that die in the Lord even so saith the Spirite For they rest from their labours and their works follow them Desiderius Were ever any of them put to death Miles Yea and that I caused to
mysterie of iniquitâ— spruÌ„g up by degrees til it came to that height and our Englih Prelates doe helpe to hold 〈◊〉 up still But God that condemneth it wil bring it downe But I hope that some others betteâ— furnished with bookes abilitie leisure theâ—â— I either am or can possibly be in this pilgrimage from my native country will by this occasion both conferre the prophesies in the holy scriptures and gather togeither a Catalogue of writers as a cloude of witnesses for further manifestatioÌ„ of the truth against these remnants of the Antichristian race although very much is done that way already For touching the Ministerie of Arch and Lordbishops aforementioned with other ministeries under them That their offices were never appointed by Christ but is a new ministerie devised by man both in their office entrance administration and maintenance and ought not therefore to be continued the scriptures haue shewed such light as haue filled our land full of proofe 〈◊〉 severall workes aswel of the people called Browâ—ists as of the forwarder sort of Ministers And it is certaine that all such offices are of evill note of very bad esteem in all well reformed Churches in the world Also the holy Martyrs and writers old and new haue condemned them Mr Chadderton of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge hath truely taught and confidently affirmed in his Sermon on Rom. 12. That the Church speaking of the Church of England abhorreth and loatheth the things which are abounding in her as namely Ach Bishops Lord Bishops Deanes Arch Deacons Chancellors Commissaries Officials and all such as are rather meÌ„bers and parts of the whore and strumpet of Rome then of the pure virgine and spouse of the immaculate lambe Therfore saith hee shee will have these if they will needs bee of her body to shewe that they be created of God and united unto her by Christ her head If they will needs be of the heavenly Ierusalem let them shew that they came downe from heaven and who gave them from thence For the Apostles never knew them Sion hath not heard of them Ierusalem which is above will not acknowledge them The watchmen no doubt being a sleepe they haue crept into the citie of the Lord. But now they are espied now the church complaineth of them both because they haue no title nor interest in it as publike meÌ„bers As also because of the length of their unlawfull swords they keepe out the lawfull members of the body Wee therefore which are the Lords remembrau â—ers must never sâ—ffer him to rest till he hath expelled out of Iâ—rusalem wherin they haue no right to exercise 〈◊〉 unlawful authoritie Thus farre goeth hee â—eâ—e verbatim And it were endlesse to set downe whâ—â— others haue writteÌ„ in this kinde agreing therewith Wiclâ—ffs Tenth Article Mr Fox who wrote thâ—â— Actes Monuments of the Church maketh to bâ— this That there be 12. Disciples of Antichrist Popes Cardinals Patriarks Archbishops Bishops Archâ—â— deacons Officials Deanes Monkes Chanons Fryers Pardoners And Mr Bales descendeth to the lower degrees of popish ministers even to Sir Iohn the parish priest which togither with the former he calleth the names of blasphemie written upon the head of the beast Mr Barnes in the 6. Art for which he was condemned said I will never beleeve nor can ever beleeve that one man may by the lawe of God be Bishop of 2. or 3. Cities yea of a whole Countrie for that is contrary to the doctrine of Paul who writing vnto Titus commandeth that he should ordeyne a Bishop in every town Hooper on the 8. CoÌ„mandement sheweth that one man may nor haue two livings then he addeth But this is clawe me and I will clawe this If the Bishop permit not their Priestes to haue two Benefices â—â— might likewise happen the Priests would say that the Bishop should be Bishop but of one citie and indeed so it should be and till Magistrates bring them to that pointe it shall be as possible to heare a Bishop wade godly and simply through the scripture in all case of religion as to drive a Camel through the eye of a needle c. The foresayd Christians called Brownists whom I finde very sound in these things have in their Apologie pag. 50. prooved by 8. good Reasons That the Hierarchy Ministerie of Popes Archbishops Lordbishops Suffragans Deanes Archdeacons are Antichristian And then by 12. sufficient Reasons moe doe proove that the Hierarchy and Ministerie aforesayd may not be set over the Church of Christ nor reteyned therein For which I refer you to the said Apology which you may procure amongst the people of that profession at London or else where It were tedious to tell the names of all the writers against the foresayd Hierarchy and Ministerie of Archbishops and the rest of that rable but endlesse to set downe all that is written concerning them and their princelynes I will here onely insert a few moe testimonies of the ministers themselves who being of one church with the chiefe ministers their own masters may better be credited against them then mere opposites which are not of them but separated from them And first for Henoch Clapham who in ans to the Bishops Arguments sayth in the 2. section of the 2. part of his Survey of the Church Their cock sure Argument as they take it is this Christ promised to be with his Apostles vnto the end of the world at the giving of the commission Mat. 28. 19.20 And Timothee is charged to keepe the commandement pure vnto the coming of Christ But none of those persons should live unto the end Therefore he spake to some other in their persons who must be as were the Apostles and Eâ—angelists Lords over Pastors Churches And who should these be but such Lord Bishops as themselves who haue and occupy jurisdiction power over all the Churches and ministers of England If this be true that our Bishops be Apostles for if the successors should have had an other name the scripture would haue registred it If I say they be Apostles then England hath not dignified them truely in saying The Lord Bishop of such a place who rather should haue sayd My Lord Apostle of London My Lord Apostle of Lincolne Even as it was sayd Peter the Apostle of the circumcision and Paul the Apostle of the gentiles Then likewise England should for that great blessing haue been more bound to praise God she having more Lord Apostles of her owne then was in the whole world unto Christ who sent forth so fewe as twelve Paul with Barnabas They being for the most part men of occupations but these being men of state and stately Lords But before we admit them for Apostles let us compare them with Christs The first were elected and ordeyned to their office eyther by Christ the head or togither by some particular Church But these eyther by A Prince or by the Cannons of that sea confirmed by an Archbishop Secondly they
were appointed to office to the end they might feede feede feed the Lords sheepe But our English ones are appointed to their roomes in their old age to the end they may nowe togither with the Levites of 50. yeres of age rest their bones and feed their owne bellies Thirdly the first were tyed to no one sea but were sent to teach all nations These keepe themselves within a stinted compasse teaching fewe or none once in a long time Fourthly the Apostles of Christ could not discharge their work but by comming through many wants These of our land may discharge their work by leaning on their elbowes in the middst of their Lordly platters Fiftly the first were appointed to gather churches and establish all holy order As for these not one of them ever gathered a church but haue kept many in disorder Sixtly the first had attending on them for the furtherance of their Apostolical work blessed Euangelists and preaching Disciples These latter haue first a company of ruffling Chaplaines that can handle cardes and dice well secondly a company of swash-rutting serviters that can teach all the parish to sweare and weare all foolish fashioned apparel Seventhly the first were plain simple harted Ministers These are Lords in name Lords in living Lords in pompe Lords checkmate with the nobleest Peere of our Realme Eightly the first were brought before lordly riâ—lers for preaching Christ and his kingdome these convent preachers before them say if we silence them not by bonds imprisonment gallowes theâ— will cause the civil Magistrate take away our Episcopal kingdom Ninthly the first established wise godly Elders in every coÌ„gregatioÌ„ These establish dumb dogs greedy hogges in their parishes confused assemblies Tenthly the Apostle Paul upbraided the Church of Corinthe for not exercising the power of our Lord Iesus committed unto her in delivering up the incestuous to Satan These Bishops are not so foolish but haue got all the power into their own haÌ„ds sending that latin burbolte our of their unholy court Eleventhly the first sought no kingdome here because they lookt elswhere to sit on a throne with Iesus But these so seek kingdome establish their houses here as if they were of minde with the governor of the feast in Cana of Galilee that sweet wine is best at the first Twelvethly the Apostles of Christ were the chosen penmen of the holy Ghost and therefore their writings are of sufficient credite in themselves and canonicall As for our English-ones God never chose them for such purpose and therefore their writings which are almost none and their sermons which are almost as fewe are to be suspected and to come under examination Lastly to give 13. to the dozen the Apostle Paul did think they were set forth the last Apostles 1 Cor. 4.9 These men come more then XV. hundred yeres after that they were Apostles Likewi 〈…〉 these opposites can meet togither in one subject black can be white and Ataxia can be Eutaxia Disorder good order I shall never beleeve that Lord Bishops are eyther Apostles or Euangelists or yet so good as Pastors This comparison he wrote when heretofore by his separation he was called a Brownist and nowe it may serve as a glasse for his Lords spiritual to behold themselves in But how he estemeth of them now or how he maketh the matter with them having iâ— priesthood froÌ„ and under them I cannot tell It is doubtful he hath learned to dye a blacke into whiâ—e and to make Ataxia to be Eutaxia disorder good order But let his conscience see to it lest he be condemned therof For if his own hart condemâ—e him God is greater then the conscience The next testimonies are from such as never sepâ—rated Mr Fenner hath published in Defence of godly moâ—sters against Bridges slanders pag. 111 that of S. Pâ—ul were now in England no greater man then he was made by Christ he might not be equall with these Bishops For they are spiritual Lords he was never so they might send for him by a Pursevant lay him in the Counter or command him to the Fleet so could not Paul doe the least Minister of the Gospell And againe in the same book p. 123. speaking of their offices he saith Our kinde of Bishops the Commissaries the Archdeacons and such like we account them no naturall members of the body of Christs Church because they are of humane addition not borne with her nor growne up with her from the cradle Mr. Cartwright in his first reply pag. 8. 88 striking at the chief and strength of their ministerie to were at the Arch Bishops and Archdeacons under whom the other Bishops ministers doe execute their offices proveth that these functions are not in the word of God but of the earth new devised ministeries and such as can doe no good Yea that the Arch Bishops office is the weck of the popish Hierarchy come out of the bottomles pit of hell Mr Travers in Defence of Ecless discipl p. 88 â— 91 against D. Bridges proveth by divers good sufficient reasons that their Bishops are neyther Pastors nor Teachers Vpon which one in a certaine place inferreth And what ordinary Ministery of the Gospell then doe they execute As for extraordinarie the Prelates were not knowen when they were in the world besides that they are as unlike them as darknes is to light And upon my memorie I dare say that in the Demostration the authour speaking of this lofty ministery sayth that they are plants which our heavenly Father hath not planted and must be plucked up by the rootes And how Mr Chaderton hath painted them out I haue shewed before Finally all the seekers of Reformation haue in the Admonition to the Parl. 2. treatise sect 14.18.20 professed that the Names and offices of Archbishops Archdeacons Lordbishops c. are togither with their government drawen out of the Popes shop Antichristian Divilish and contrary to the scriptures That the Parsons Vicars Parish priests Stypendaries c. bâ— birds of the same fither And in a word as hath been noted before that they haue an Antichristian Hierarchy and popish ordering of Ministers strange from the word of God and the use of all well reformed Churches in the world Thus may we learne of our own worthies at home if we will not learne of others abroad who haue been forced to separate from church ministery for such fowle grosse most horrible unsufferable corruptions as are both in the one and other And wel I remeÌ„ber that Mr Beza contra Saraviam mentioning but 3. or 4. of the corruptions there saith if it be so that then it is not a corruption in Christianity but a manifâ—st defection from Christ. Desiderius Trouble not your self further in this matter at this time for you haue spokeÌ„ therof both largely and plainely opening as it were a window through the which I see a great light and as my name by interpretation is Desire so doe I most earnestly
desire the same light might shine clearely in eyes of all other mens understanding And now I would I were as wel able as willing to make sute to the higher powers that by their lawfull authoritie the unlawfull offices jurisdictions of the Prelates might be abolished The performance wherof as you know would make way for establishing of godly preachers throughout the land and removall of all dumbe dogges and ilde drones which feed their own bodies sterve other mens soules Might this gratious worke be once effected there would be full supply for many painfull and wel deserving preachers out of those fat Bishopricks and ricâ— revenues which now serve but for a fewe yet too many proud prelaâ—es and their swaggering retinue But some that were fit to be suiters in this worthy cause will surely fainte eyther for feare of mans face or for want of faith in God Miles Yet let all men be comforted in this that God will haue his vvorke done vvhen and by vvhomsoever he shall appoint the performaÌ„ce therof For strong and Mighty is â—he Lord of Hostes able to doe all things vvhen man is vveak and unable to doe any thing He hath spoken the vvord and it shall stand yea his vvord is â—ure vvord Hab. 3. vvho then shall resist And vvho knowes not that the Aboats and the rest of that generation â—ad as much â—ooâ—ing in EnglaÌ„d as haue now the Bishops and werâ— in their time as much supported by humane authoritie as are they yet being parts of that an iâ—â—ristian synagogue spiritual Babylon which the Lord hath threatned to consume they are consumed rooted out end quite abolished and that with as much detestation as these their brethrâ—n are now had in admiration who being growne great go ten up aloft are also terrible to the peoples wherein they fitly resemble the Anakims race of the Giâ—nts in Canaan for feare of whom the harts of the Israelites melted wherin they ten of the 12 spies greatly sinned but â—aleh Iosuah who were faithful incouraged the Lords people to goe up against them and possesse the good land vvhich the Lord promised them Be you careful to follow the example of the faithful not of the feareful even â—s you desire to haue sinne subdued and the unrighteous ordinaÌ„ces of Antichrist overthrown that the Lords blessed ordinances which he hath promised to his people now under the Gospell may be established and enjoyed among them Labour you as an instrumentall meanes to make the same light appear unto others which you say hath arisen unto your self that both they and you may walk in the light as children of the light of the day forsaking all dâ—eds of darknes Continue constant in a good testimony and bereave not your self of the fruit that will followe Seeke unto him for your helpe who is Lord of Lords and King of Kings who hath the hearâ—es of all Kings and Princes of the earth to turne â—hem as it pleaseth him And secundarily sâ—eke unto higher powers the Prince Peeres and Magistrates with earnest suite according to your place and utmost meanes that you can make for furtherance of a full reformation and freedome from the former abuses which I stedfastly beleeve God wil accomplish at one time or other Therfore when you haue begun well be not weary of weldoing And remember for your exampleing and incouragement the good hand of God that was upon Nehemias when hee sought the wealth prosperitie and reedifying of Ierusalem and what furtheraÌ„ce he found at the hands even of a heathen King Nehem. 1. chapt which should put you into a strong hope of good successe and gratious grants from our Christian King But where you sâ—em to desire that the livings of idle and Antichristian Prelates might be converted to the maintenance of painful Christian preachers you aim not aright at the glorie of God which cannot be advanced by seeking to have his Ministery mainteyned by those livings that were formermerly consecrated to idolatrie and yet used to the high dishonour of God in maintenance of part of that great swarme of popish officers whereof some are cast out of the land and many doe yet remaine Wheras if men will be the true Ministers of Christ they should coÌ„tent themselves â—o live by the means that he hath appointed that is by the voluntariâ— contribution of the Lords free people Sainctes by calling And as for all such idolatrous livings they ought in every Countrey by the Magistrates of the same to be converted to civil uses wherein how much the more that charitie is respected so much the more shall God therein be honoured All such livings are of the stollen goods which Antichrist hath purloigned from the common wealth civil estates of people to inriche his Clergie vvithall and for supporting of his other abominations So as such goods and livings cannot rightly be imployed till they be converted â—o civil uses againe Which vvill be as the taking of the purse from the thieves hand to give unto the true man But whiles you think to beg these idolatrous livings from the Prelates to the Preachers your suite is not worth the suing for neyther will God be pleased therewith The preachers that will depend upon God follow his word are to haue their wants supplied otherwise as is abovesayd But thus though you seeme to forsake the errour that you were in about the Bishops office yet you are in an other errour about their livings which you think ought to be for other Ministers And herein I will put my selfe to new paines to informe you better Desiderius Wee haue lately heard a Bell sound that it is a just judgement of God upon K. Henry the 8. that there is not one of his posteritie left to sit upon his throne for bereaving the Church of the Gleabes Abby lands c. and imploying them to other uses And how then shall the taking away of the Bishops livings from the Clergy to the laitie from the service of God in the Church to the service of the common wealth be esteemed lesse then a sinfull and sacrilegious act Miles Such Bells as you speak of that sound so badly deserve well to loose their clappers or to be hung out of all mens hearing For the work of that worthy King in suppressing those Abbyes Frieries Nunneries and the Vermine living in them was all within the limits of his office and duetie as was also the converting of those livings to his own or other civil uses In which the more he respected the glory of God and charitie the more worthy was his work and deserved the higher praise even as those Kings and Princes shall doe whom God vvill imploy as his instruments for rooting out the remnant of that race the Arch and Lord Bishops with a number of false functions and anti christian offices under them and converting oâ— their livings likewise to civil uses For these livings and ecclesiasticall offices and Ministeries
mainteyned by them haue no better fundation then had the other And these that yet remaine are of a trueth brethren of the same broode and byrdes of the same fether had the same Syre and were all hatched after the same fashioÌ„ with the former that are driven avvay Desiderius You may therein be mistaken For those Abbats and the like vvere indeed first invented instituâ—ed ordeyned in the Romane church by authoritie of it of the head therof the Pope and if you wil I can further yet truely say by the permission of God and povver of the Divil vvas that done But our Bishops vvere made and ordeyned in our English Church of Protestants Miles Be it so yet that makes the sinne never the lesse but rather vvil cause the punishment from God to be the greaâ—er in asmuch as they knovve more and yet doe the same evil vvith others that knovv lesse And the nearer that men come unto God the greater in his sight are the sinnes that they commit Therfore the Priests in Israel offered greater sacrifices for their sinnes then ordinary Israelites that fel into the same Therfore also judgement first beginneth at the house of God c. Now as all Churches in the vvorld are bound to receive such Ministeries onely as God hath appointed and none other so vvhosoever doe institute appointe â—â—nd or receive any office of Ministerie that God hath not instituted appointed sent doe greaâ—ly sinne And if a true Church shall doe it they sinne more haynously then a false church that doeth the same Therefore your plea is nothing vvorth save against your self our church of England if it be as you hold it a true Church And vvhen Lord Abbats c. vvere cast out of it yet Lord Archbishops and Bishops c. vvere still reteyned that had their being at the same time their original vvith those that vvere rejected But such Bishops inferiâ—ur ministers as they haue made since vvas by immitatâ—oÌ„ of the Papists vvho had them in their church constantly before wee had any at all and although they made some change of persons for those places yet vvas there no change of the offices themselves but they remained the same in Q. Elizabeths dayes that they were before in Q. Maries dayes And there were divers of the same persons that were Bishops and Priestes in Q. Maries dayes that kept the same offices in Q. Elizabeths dayes by the former calling that they had in Popâ—ry and held stil the same Bishopricks Parsonagâ—s livings that vvere alotted them for maintenaÌ„ce in the very same ministerie before And they onely recanted of some popish heresies in doctrinâ— and opinion vvith renunciation of the supremaciâ— of the Bishop of Rome And some of them die not that as I haue seen under the hands of 14. witnesses vvhich vvas addressed to the Arch Bishop by vvay of complaint against their popish Parson Milâ—â— Bennes of Sevenock who vvas left upoÌ„ them froÌ„ the time of Q. Marie Neither vvere such if they recaÌ„ted esteemed vvorse then such as were made by themselves but rather reckned for the better And he that is made a Bishop or priest at Rhemes oâ— Rome coming to England with such recantation as aforesayd is admitted to administer without any newe ordination Wheras the Ministerie of Pastors made in the reformed Churches must passe under a new ordinatioÌ„ before they may administer there Which sheweth rightout what office and ordination it is that they like and love best Desiderius I pray you let me ask you what difference you put between the Israelites sinne in worshipping the calves or God by the calves as they pretended and the papists sin in worshipping their images or as they would haue it God by their images Miles I see in that small difference for Israel was then a false church though it had been of the true And the heape of papists are likewise a false church though the Church of Rome before time was true And whether men make the images of calves or of other creatures for any worship to God they are all inventions of men the workes of their â—endes and meere idols which haue no warrant in Gods word but are an open and direct breach of the second Commandement And in some ignoraÌ„t papists that pray unto the image it selfe as a thing of divine inspiration it is a transgressioÌ„ of the first But now to returne to the sound of your Bell which you brought as an instance against converting of false church livings to civil uses How contrarie was that sound to somthing which others haâ—e written of that very point in our owne tongue according to trueth Mr. Fr. Iohns in Ans. to M.H. Iacob hath words worthy of note p. 199. saying We acknowledge with thanks to God and her Majestie that cut of her highnes Dominions there be already abolished many of the abominations of the Romish Baby 16. And wee pray God that for as much as many of them be yet remayning c. that if it be the wil of God her High â—es may be the instrument to suppresse and abolish these â—lso and to establish the whole trueth of God according to this word And further that shee may take to her own Civil uses the Lordships and possessions of the Prelates and other Clergy as God hath fore told and appointed should be done with them Rev. 17.15 1 17.18 And as King Henry the eight her Majesties Fathâ—â— of famous memory did with the Abbats Monks Fryess Nunnes and with their possessions and revenewes Which happy worke by what Princes soever it be done as certainly will come to passe for the Lord of Hostes hath spoken it it will greatly redound to the glory of God the honour of themselves the free passage of the Gospell the peace of the Church benefit of the whole Common wealth Againe a faithful witnes of the trueth to â— George Ioy upon Dan. in the yeare 1545. writ downe ingeniously his own other mens judgment concerning the livings and maintenance the Prelates and other Clergy Vpon the 5. of Dâ—â—niel this question is made useâ— Then it is there thus answered The vessels prophanâ— by Belsazar were consecrated by the Word of God Wherâ—â—fore he sinned in prophaning them But the goods lewâ— of our Temples Abbâ—yes and Bishopricks are not consecrâ—â—ted to such uses by Gods Word but by their owne inventâ—â—ovetous charmings wherefore Emperours Kings anâ— Princes may take them away and put them to better vses 〈◊〉 to the maintenance of schooles vniversities c. Thuâ— wrote and witnessed those blessed servants of Goâ— heretofore Vpon which I would inferre that if thâ— Magistrates may imploy such livings to maintenaÌ„câ— of schooles vniversities then also for founding upholding of Hospitalls almes-houses the like for helpe of poore widowes fatherless strangers for the impotent sick and helpless of all sorts foâ— making and repairing of bridges hye wayes c. And also if it please the head of
the prosperity and good estate of this Realme Our onely desire is so to serve God as that we may please him with reverence feare absteyning and keeping our soules and bodies froÌ„ all remnants of the Romane Religion Idolatrie superstition and vaine will worship of what sort soever Wee witnes against the unlawful pompous Hierarchy priest hood of this nation as utterly disagreeing from the Testament of Christ and Ministerie there appointed in their Offices callings administrations and Lordlike livings maintenance Against the confuse prophane and it religious multitude of all sorts of vicious livers baptised into and reteyned in the body of this Church of England without voluntary profession of and holy walking in the faith of the Gospell against their manner of worship service by reading prayers out of a book in stead of true spiritual invocation on the name of the Lord and briefly against all other popish aboses reliques of the man of Syn whatsoever And because this our testimony maketh against the irregular authoritie of the Prelates reproveth their evil actions and disproveth their Pompe statelynes rich revenues stipends c. therefore haue they in all hostile manner set themselves against us persecuting us unto bands exile and death it self reproching us as Schismatiques Donatists Brownists seditious persons c. though they could never coÌ„vince us of these or any the like crimes and though we haue not ceased neyther by Gods grace will cease to wish and procure good to their soules bodies in the Lord. Now therefore our humble request is unto your Majestie Honours and worships that notwithstanding these differences we may be suffered to returne into our native countrey here to live in peace practising the faith of Christ which wee profess and haue long since set forth to the view of the world in our publick Confession wherein none hitherto haue shevved us any errour and seeing that peoples of other nations are by your Majestie and Honours suffered in this Realme though differing from the ecclesiasticall state of the same we hope that your Highnes naturall loyall subjects may finde like favour at your hands For although we cannot but hold and witnes the trueth of God against the corruptions remayning yet hold we â—â— in no vvise lavvfull for our selves or any subjects to attempt the reforming or abolishing of these or any the like abuses for God hath coÌ„mitted the svvord into your Majesties hand alone vvho in his time vvill persvvade vve trust your royall hart to fulfill his vvill and execute his judgements upon the remainders of the spiritual â—abylon vvhich vvill turne to as great honour to God honour to your Majestie and good of this Realme as the abolishing of Abbaâ—s Muncks Fryers Masse Images c. hath â—urned heretofore So the Lord of Lords and King of the Rulers of the earth vvill stablish your Crovvne c Kingdome unto length of dayes And hovvsoever this our suite shal be regarded we vvill not cease in all places of our pilgrimage to pray for and procure the good of your Majestie your Honours vvorships and all our countrey vvhom God Almightie blesse vvith long life happy dayes on earth and crovvne vvith everlasting glorie in the highest heavens Amen Desiderius Now haue I read this Petition also and I thank you for them bothe for me thinks they are able to give content satisfaction and worthyness to speak even in the presence of a Prince A wonder it is if they moved not Magistrates to pitie and compassion save onely that our Lordly Ministers are subtile incensers great resisters God give them repentance unto life if through their malicious sinning they be not appointed unto death But I much lament that our deare Countrie should be so stained with suffering them to exercise such crueltie towardes thoâ—e that witnes the â—ruth in any part thereof It is therefore a much better thing for any to partake of their afflictions then with their persecutors in their oppressing of them For of the people of God afflicted the Apostle sayth It is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you And to you which are troubled rest with us when the Lord Iesus shall shew himself from heaven with his mighty Angels In flaming fyre â—â—â—dring vengeance c. 2 Thess. 1.6.7 c. Miles It is well observed Desiderius For thaâ— day of the Lords coming shal be unto his people weldoers a day of gladnes and much joy but unto the wicked and evill doers it will cause great terrour and feare To them it will be as the Prophet Ioel saith A day of darknes and of blacknes a day of clowdes and obscuritie Ioel 2.2 Then shall they crye hilles and mountaines cover us from the presence of him that suteth on the throne Then shall a good conscience be more worth then a world And whosoever would haue it at that day must labour to haue and to hold to nourish enterteine it all the daies of his life lest when he seeks for it he finde it not And they that once haue it let theÌ„ take heed they make not shipwrack therof But for the comfort of all such as are persecuted for conscience sake and to the terrifyng of their persecutors the Apostle useth this worthy speech And in nothing feare your adversaries which is to them a token of perdition but to you of salvation and that of God Phil. 1.28 Desiderius You began to speak of the unlawfulnes of appropriating such livings to the maintenance of the true Ministerie worship which the idolaters consecrated unto false ministeries false worship I desire you cleare that point further if you can For one would think there can be no use made of them tending more to the honour of God then the imploying of them to his service and worship Miles The same colour might haue be set upon the offring up of divers strange beasâ—es in sacrifice to the Lord which yet might not be done by any man at any time for any cause And this which you object carries no fairer a show with it then did Saul his sparing the fat cattel of Ameleck under the same pretence of offering them in sacrifice to the Lord but not being according to the minde of God manifested by his word but contrary to the same it was imputed unto him for rebellion and transgression which are matched by the Prophet with witchcraft wickednes and idolatrie 1 Sam. 15. For the Lord hath no such pleasure in sacrifice as when his voice is obeyed ibidem And thus may you see that Sauls good intent had as faire a colour as can be set upon the imployments of popish livings to true Church uses yet was this a special cause of his ruyne and cutting off from his kingdome God requires not that to be done which is right in the eyes of man but all that hee commandeth and is according to his will revealed that is to be observed with all
executioÌ„ of any thing that belongeth to the Princes and Magistrates office without the Princes speciall commandement and deputation therunto yet is it the bounden dutie of every true hearted subject and faithfull servant of God to witnes and crie out against all things that ar exalted against the knowledgâ— of God to pray for and by all humâ—ble peaceable and godly meanes tâ— advertise exhort and excite theiâ— Prince and Magistrates to remove and depose all false worship falsâ— ministers in the land For this causâ— haue we the Lord Iesus Christs mosâ— unworthy servants and witnesses hiâ— therto endured in all meeke and paâ—cient manner the great outrage anâ— tyranny which this antichristian Roâ—mish prelacie and clergy haue lonâ— exercised over our poore bodies raâ—ther then to stoope downe eyther tâ— that patched traditionall worshiâ— which they devise and impose oâ— unto that unlawfull power whicâ— they usurp exercise over all men consciences yea at this present â—â—specially upon your honours so grâ—â—cious acceptation we are bould yâ— in all reverence and humilitie tâ— declare our loyall heartes and intiâ— affections as in the sight of Chrisâ— unto our most gratious soveraign Queene Elizabeth and unto this whole State by discovering these deceivers and manifesting these heinous abuses and intollerable inormities which remaine in the Land by their meanes to the high displeasure of God though it be with the present perill and danger of our lives which those Antichristian Bishops armed with such power and hostilitie will soone upon the knowledge that we haue revealed these matters dispatch one way or another But we make no reckning nor speach of these things neyther are our lives deare unto our selves so wee may finish up our testimony and course with joy and by giving warning if Gods will be to prevent the heavie wrath and judgements of God that hangs over this whole land for the hainous prophanation of Gods name contempt of his word and generall impietie even of all degrees All which enormities here to discuss in particular as they flow from them into all estates of the land would require a larger discourse then this present time or purpose will permit Onely in this place it may suffice that we engage our mortall lives undertake upon the losse of the same to make manifest proof unto all men by the undoubted word of God in any free and christian conference either publike or private or to make evident demonstratioÌ„ in writing by the scriptures if wee may be permitted That this whole ministery publike ministration which is by them exercised in the Church of England is false antichristiaÌ„ such as cannot be joyned to the gospell of Christ nor used in the Church of Christ which being proved such then is it the Princes duetie as she tendereth the salvation of her owne soule and the safety of all this people which the Lord hath committed unto her charge to abolish and depose the same Neyther is there cause why her Majesty should make more scruple or delay herein then her most royal Auncestor of famous memorie King Henry the eight did in much lesse light and assurance when he expelled the Pope and suppressed the Abbies c. Especially when it shall be proved that the whole ministerie which now remayneth even from the Primate Archbishop to the lowest Sommoner togither with their Courtes Canons Offices Officers c. are of the same birth belonged to the same apostaticall throne have as litle mention place or use in the testament and Church of Christ as they and therfore ought in like maner togither with their foresayd father and brethren be cast out not to be suffered in the Church or coÌ„mon wealth Neyther can this matter and motion now seeme strange seeing all forreign Churches in all other places haue cast out and changed this ministerie howsoever eyther of ignorance or fleshly policie they might for a tyme give handes thereunto yet except they can shew that Christ hath instituted divers sundry kindes of ministeries and governments unto his Church one in one age and place another in an other or that the Ministerie of the new testament is not certaine permanent and unchangeable the same in all Churches then doubtlesse these so divers ministeries in name office entrance administration as theirs and this are cannot both of them be of God Againe even at home the forward preachers of these present times not to speak of such motions unto the Kings of this land at sundry other times haue a long time sought and sued unto her Majestie and to the Parliaments for a Reformation viz. That these Arch bishops Bishops Arch deacons Deanes c. with all their Courts colleages government and administration might be removed and taken away their ample and great livings converted to the maintenance of sundry poore preachers and that the Church might be restored to that auncient order and governemeÌ„t which Christ hath instituted by them called discipline which matter they neither could nor durst have moved or attempted if the office ministerie goverment of these Lord Bishops c. had not beene wholly antichristian and directly contrary to the testament of Christ For if the office ministery and governement of these Lord Bishops and their accomplices had been of God they ought still of necessitie with all reverence to haue been reserved the corruptions and abuses that had grown therin to be corrected and purged But if their offices ministery governement were the institution and ordinance of Christ what a dangerous execrable motion had it been to perswade the Prince and Parliament to reject and cast out the true Offices Ministery and Government of Christ out of the Church They that should thus reject Christs Ministerie ordinances or any part therof reject Christ himselfe doe violence to his members spoile and ruinate the Church and cannot be of God But these men sought not the reformation or correction of the persons or abuses of these Lordly Bishops their Courts c. but the utter remooving and abolishing of their offices ministery and government for ever out of the land wherby it is manifest these men howsoever they haue since changed their copie tooke them to be Antichristian and such as ought not to be used or suffered in the Church of Christ. And now that these Bishops and their traine their offices ministery government are thus found even by the preachers themselves not to be of God as to any that will further examine theÌ„ by the rules of Christs testament cannot be hid or doubtfull we see not how even these Reformists themselves this choice reserved remnaÌ„t or this rable of Parsons Vicars Vagrant hireling preachers without certaine place office or charge which are but the very taile of the dragon should be exempt from the same judgment seing they all are derived and proceeded from the same apostaticall throne that the Bishops yea even from the throne of the Bishops So that if the Bishops be
verily The Prophets Apostles and Evangelists haue in their authentick writings layd downe the ground â—herof and upon that ground is all their buiding reared up and surely setled Moreover many of the Martyrs both former and latter haue mainteyned it as is to be seen in the Acts and Monuments of the Church Also in the dayes of Queen Elizabeth there was a separated Church wherof Mr Fitz. was Pastor that professed and practised that cause before Mr Browne wrote for it But he being one of the first writers in her Majesties reigne therfore those that followed him or Christ rather thorow his means directing them by Gods word were called Brownists as if they had been baptised into his name Which were falshood to think blasphemie to speake Desiderius The name makes them very odious to others and to say the trueth it caused me to carry some prejudice against them to the forestalling of my judgement in the things they holde Miles There are too many that doe so But let not the name offend you or any for ther was never any trueth brought to light but Satan through his notable craft and cunning hath caused some to paint it out after the names of men that it might seem base and contemptible in the eyes of all and to be â—eceived of none Hereupon haue Christians been called Hussites Hugonotes Lutherans Zuingliaus Calvinists Puritans Brownists and the like But there could be no name more odious then was given to our Maister Christ himself vvhom the vvicked called Belzebub and his people must in their measure be partaker of his reproch Let none therfore seeke to haue a good name by doing any evill thing nor yet for avoiding a bad name neglect any good that God requires at our hands neither let any man mesure any truth by the face that foes doe set upon it Desiderius I perceive by your plea that if these men had their right they should be acknovvledged for true Christians and not to be calumniated by the name of Brovvnists Miles Your perceiving then is good your vvords are just and right for so they ought to be esteemed Desiderius But vvhy then doe you so often call them so your selfe Miles For distinction sake onely but not at all in reproch And if you could alvvayes understand me vvhom I meane vvhen I call them Christians then vvould I give them no other name Desiderius You haue shevved me that many of those people vvere imprisoned some brought there to their end others executed by death and novv I aske vvhether any haue been banished Miles Ye sundry tymes And once in my ovvne sight and hearing at the Sessions in London foure of them vvere enforced to abjure the land and in what sort and manner it may appeare by a vvriting that seemes then to be taken by some that were beholders thereof and affected therewith Which writing was this A Memorandum Anno Domini 1604. IN the Raigne of our now Soveraigne Lord King Iames who is a defender of the Gospel foure persons were inforced to abjure the Land for the Gospels sake who practised the OrdinaÌ„ces therof in obedience to the King Christ whom God set to Raigne in his Church by the scepter of his word separating themselves froÌ„ our Church of England refusing to communicate joyne or partake with the same in the publike Ministerie worship and government ecclesiasticall with many other corruptions derived from Poperie and are still reteyned in the body bosome of the English Church This abjuration was urged upon the Statute of the 35. of Q. Eliz. after they had suffered 3. moneths imprisonment And at the publike Sessions in LoÌ„don it was thus carried That they should take their oathes to depart the Realme within one moneth and not to returne againe into any of the dominions of the late Queene without leave from his Majestie or his Highnes Successors Their chiefe speaker pleaded that they were true and faithfull subjects to his Majestie and had not deserved so to be dealt with and desired to be discharged without an oath and they would both promise and be bound to depart But that not being granted he desired that their oath might be with conditions and not so strictly against returning For sayd hee we may be occasioned to travel by sea to other couÌ„tries by crosse winds be driven again into those dominions contrary to our purpose Or we may be taken at sea and brought hither by force and divers the like and so be forsworne though against our wills Then it was tolde him that all such things was to be borne with But he replyed it could not save their oath from being broken without such things were expected Moreover he told the bench that they held themselves so bound to Parents Prince and Country that if in an other land they heard of any treason it was their duetie to come disclose the same And therefore sayd he I wil never take my oath without conditions Which he affirmed sundry times And when he saw notwithstanding that the oath was strictly administred unto them according to the Statute he adjoyned this speach himselfe But if the performance of any dutie to Prince Countrey Parents or the like doe move me to returne I will then be free of the oath And thus he would haue the Bench to understand he swore but not otherwise And they all keping silence the Towne-Clark answered that in such case they should seeke for leave And the party replyed that the case might require such hast as they could not stay for leave Then were they commanded to pay their fees and to be gone within a moneth ANd was not this a lamentable case Desiderius that in the daies of the gospell men should be thus entreated for the gospels sake and for resistance of the ordinances of Antichrist Desiderius Yes doubtlesse if it were so M. Mick Were so Yes upon the adventure of my best limme or life it selfe it was so And for those things wherein they differ from the opinions and practises in our Church of England I never savve any trueth more cleare in all my life As you also may easily perceive if you scan the difference from point to point by the scriptures And there is no trueth in England but they hold the same dissenting onely from them wherein they dissent from the word of GOD ALMIGHTY which ought to be followed in every jote tittle thereof Now by the Memorandum that I shewed you I remember a saying in the Preface of their Confession of faith at their first publishing of it which sayd They hoped God would raise up another Iohn Fox to compile togither the latter Martyrs and Witnesses of our Lo Iesus in these our dayes And it seemes that the work goes foreward in that God stirreth up some to keep records of such thinges for further use in tyme to come Now for the Statute above mentioned I knowe it was intended against popish Recusants and not against these And
being received into the soule by faith is the true nourishment therof and salvation of the whole man For he hath redeemed us from death destructiō iustified us in the sight of God and procured us life with him All which we apprehend thorow faith But in this trueth I know you are already grounded so as I need not speak further for your instruction and as for them should I speak should I write should I doe all I can it will not profite them For without the extraordinary work of God they must still beleeve as their church beleeves For that cannot erre as they fondly suppose So that it may hold what it vvill and they must hold the same vvithout all triall or mistrust Thus by one error they are fast fettered in many must be left to their blind guides till they fall togither into the ditch For other guides they will not haue Therfore I shall now spare a labour and speake no further of this point Desiderius Thus brought I you out of the way wherin you were shewing the unlawfulnes of kneeling in the sacramēt Yet vvas it not vvithout fruit for even by that vvhich you haue sayd men may playnely see that vvee ought not to conceite or imitate those supersticious idolatrous and absurd Papists vvho are so addicted to their ovvne vvayes and are like those that cried Great is Diana of the Ephesians Act. 19.28 And great vvith these is their goddesse the false church M. Mick But vvhat say you of the Christians whose cause I pleaded for that addict themselves to the wayes and word of God Desiderius I freely acknowledge that such ought to be lovingly respected And you haue brought me to like better of them then ever I did but espetially that you so well cleared their doctrine of faith to be sound and their separation to be but from sin and such outward orders and ordinances that are unsound and sinfull which they therefore forsake that they might doe the will of God according to his written word the light of our feet and lanterne to all our pathes M. Mick You haue sayd ynough to cleare them both from heresie and schisme for he is no heretique that is sound in the faith And he is no schismatique that separates onely from disorder sin For we ought not to communicate in sin either with men or Angels Desiderius And that is the ground whereupon I my selfe neyther doe nor dare communicate in the Church of England with that sinful ordinance of man the service book or book of cōmon prayer M. Mick If you professe so much in England by your practise as you haue here confessed with your mouth you may happen to be called a Brownist if not to tast of other hard intreaty Des. Yet the truth is the truth Which as it appeareth unto me so stand I bound to obey unto it But I pray you why doe the foresayd people solemnize mariage in civil Assemblies or dwellings M. Mick Because it is a civil action and ought civilly to be performed according to the true nature of it Desiderius Why it is the judgment almost of all men to haue it done in the Church by a Minister And in England it is a common received custome to haue it so performed M. Mick I wish rather that for the proofe of it you could haue sayd Thus saith the Lord. And then to haue shewed the chapter and verse where it is so sayd But you haue done nothing lesse neither in deed it is impossible to be done there being no such thing once named or implied in all the scripture And consequently the ground whereon you stand is not rocky and firme but unsure and sandy which shall wash away with the raine every house built upon such a foundation when the flouds come and the windes blowe shall certainly fall as we may learne both by Christs own doctrine in the Gospell and reason it selfe doth shewe the same And if an Argument drawen from a common custome be good then if it be a common custome to haue the Lords holy Sabbaths profaned with Beare and Bull baiting with dicing and carding with May games and morrice dance with laciviousnes and luxurie with rifling or revelling c. then all is good and all may be done sane conscientia But I hope that both you and every childe of God truely sanctified doe defie and abhorre all such things not onely on the Sabbath dayes but every day of the week and of their whole life And is it not a common received custome in England to worship God by their book of cōmon prayer in English as the Papists by their Massebook in Latin and by their Images beades crucifixes and other the like in stead of true invocation upon the Name of God by the work of his Spirite But being all vvithout and against the vvarrant of the vvord of God your self dare neyther practise nor approve them And vvhy then doe you not minde the like in other things no less unvvarrantable As is the solemnization of mariage ecclesiastically and other such like Many abominations might be pleaded for by common custome and multitude of men in that minde But lay aside these sandy grounds and heare the vvords of the Lavve Thou shalt not follow a multitude to doe evill neyther agree in a controversie to decline after many and overthrow the truth Exod. 23.2 Beleeve it for truth That All Church actions are layd dovvne in the scriptures vvhich is the rule of truth But in them vve finde no mention of mariage to be a Church action Therefore it ought not to be so made or used And againe All the dueties of the Ministerie are expressed in the scriptures But in them there is no more mention or vvarrant for the ministers solemnizing of mariages to the living then is for their burying of the dead vvhich is just none at all Ergo they are both unlavvfull and ought not to be done And where you affirme the contrary saying it ought to be done by a Minister doe you meane a minister indefinitely without any respect whether he be true or false Desiderius No But I meane a true Minister onely For no true Christian ought to goe to false minister for any such end M. Mick Your reason is right and good But then the Ministers of England haue no right in that work they being in respect of their offices not true but false Ministers and so proved Desiderius But in respect of their guiftes they may be sayd to be the Ministers of Christ. For many of them haue excellent giftes M. M. So had Balaam likewise who yet was but a false Minister and a Southsayer And so haue many Lawyers others in our Land if they would and might be suffred to exercise their gifts who yet are no Ministers at all Gifts then doe help to make men fit for a Ministerie but doe not make them ministers much lesse true Ministers For every true Minister must not onely be
agreeth which in expresse termes avoweth their matrimony to be lawful who are coupled togither so as Gods word doth allowe and declareth moreover that the very thing which maketh mariage is the covenant betwixt the parties themselves when they take one another for man and wife by words of the present time as may be seen in the Booke of Common prayer in the charge given to the parties the parties speeches one to an other 4. Civil law Next as touching the Civil Lavv it defineth that to be lavvful mariage vvhen the parties that may mary togither and are of yeares doe both of them consent in taking each other for man and vvife if they be at their ovvne government or if they haue parents vvith their consent For this see Vspian tit 5.1 Iustinian institut lib. 1. tit 9.1 et tit 10. Gaij institut lib. 1. tit 4. 5. Canon law Lastly touching the Canon lavve it also defineth and declareth that the onely thing vvhich maketh the mariage is the mutuall vvilling consent of the parties declared by vvordes or signes of the present tyme. See for this Can. Sufficiat 27. â— 2 et Titus de spous But thus as aforesaid vvere he and his vvife maried togither that is being such as might marie by the vvord of God they took one an other for husband vvife by vvords of the present time before lavvfull vvitnesses having prayer also made unto God to blesse them therein Desiderius This writing is worthy to be printed with the rest for although it be briefe yet in my opinion it iâ—â—iâ—â—ie and to the purpose M. Mick And I wish that by this occasion theâ— would be stirred up to publish a larger work of the same Argument which I certainely heare they haue amongst them For I doubt not but it would shew you a better light then yet hath or can shine from me in whom remaineth overmuch darknes Desiderius It is like they wil doe it at your motion and be otherwise thankfull unto you for defending them and their cause M. M. The Apostle sayth 1. Ioh. 5.1 Every one that loveth him which begate loveth him also which is begotten of him So that I haue done but a duety and fruite of Love in defending of them and their good cause both which are of God and if it deserve any thanks let them give it to him who is worthy of all praise As for me they shal never know who I am if I can possibly keepe it from them Desid But I pray you where had you the other writing called A memorandum M. M. In the house of one that keepes Record of many things Where it sufficed me to get a copie which made me so much the ritcher and the good man of the house was not the poorer Desiderius We must now come to a conclusion for other important affaires doe call me from these businesses which haue been very profitable to mee I praye put all to the printing that our friends and Countrey may haue the benefite For to them I desire all good may come But I haue heard here is much popery in this place which as it is no friend to our opinions so I wish that it hinder not the printing of these pointes M. M. Wee will put it to the triall But I wish that the Printers can read our English copies Desiderius Oh that they might lively come forth to make their appearance powerfull at the time of every Parliament til some good doe come thereof M. M. The Almighty can effect what it pleaseth him when and by what meanes he will But by that which I haue seen both in Court and Countrey I haue for the tyme present little hope in man Yet I am assured that the time shall come wherein God will honour some with the work of that good King Iosias in a larger measure for reformation then ever yet was seen in England And as any of these copies shall come into the hands of gratious persons be they humbly intreated conscionably to consider of the matter and accordingly labour to advance the glory of God and to procure the good both of the King and Countrey by effecting through diligent suite holy endeavors reformation in the things before treated on Which so farre as time place and purse wil permit shall be put to the Presse And so because of your hast I cease Desid Fare ye wel Monsieur Miles Dieu vous garde â—al and a thowsands thanks for all you paines c. Miles M. Adieu Desiderius and God direct you alwayes to desire the furtherance of his glory and your owne faithfulnes to your endlesse comfort Amen * Isa. 60.11 1 Cor. 1.2 †Act. 15.9 ‡ Mat. 11.27.28.29 | Lev. 20.24 Iob. 15.19 †Act. 2.42.42 â—phes 4.3 Psal. 2.28 Act. 10.35 ‡ Cant. 6.8 Ephes. 4.4.5 | Mat. 28. â—0 Exâ— 12.49 * 2 Tim. 3.16 17. †Deut. 17.18.19.20 * Gal. 3.15 Prov. 30.6 Deut. 12.32 †Deut 5.3.32 Gal 1.8 ‡ Esai 35.8.9 Psal. 24.3.4 Rev. 21.27 | Ioh. 3.3.1 Pet. 1.23 †Iosh. 24.15.16.22 Act. 2.41 Psal. 149.9 Mat. 18.15 * Hos 2.1 â— Mat. 16.19 †Collos. 4.19 * Mat. 18.8.9.15.16 17.18 1 Cor. 5 4.5.6 Num. 19.20 21.22 5.2.3 †Ezek 33.2 Act. 1. 6.14 †Gal. 6.6 | NuÌ„ 15.30.31 Hos. 2.2 Prov. 13.13 Rev 2.5 †Deut. 12 5 13.14 Pro. 9 1.2.3.4 Zachar 2.10.11 Cant. 1.6 7. * 2 Cor 6.14.14.15.16.17 18. †Psal. 14. â—◠‡ Ioh. 17. â—â— 16. * Rom. 10.14 15.17 †Act. 2.37.41 ‡ Exod. 20.4 Mat. 15.9 | Rom. 12. 1 Cor. 12. Ephe. 4. '|' Mat. 6.24 Rom. 6.16 Gal. 5.1 Revel 13.16 14.9.10 * Ier. 7.12.13.14 19.15 †Mat. 23.34 35.36 Gal. 4.29.30 Exod. 20.2 3.4.5 Maâ— 15.9 NuÌ„ 3.10 Rom. 12.7.8 Deut. 28.29.30.31.32 ch Zech. 11. Ezek. 14. Ier. 23 2â—.22 Prov. 2.10.11.12 c. Pro. 16.17 14.12 16. Mat. 7. Deut. 17.18.19 1. King 2.3.2 Chron. 15. 17. 29 30. 34. chap. Amos. 5.4.5 Dan. 3.10 Reve. 14.4.9.10.11.12 Luk 12.4.5 1. Cor. 7.20 Tit. 3.1 1. Pet. 2.13 16. Ezek. 4.4 22.30.31 Amos 3.7.8 Mic 3.8.2 Cor. 10.4.5.6 Ephes. 4.4.5.6.10.11.12.13 Heb 3.6 12.27.28 13.8 2 ChroÌ„ 29. 35. ch Iob. 13.20 Luke 10.16 Ioh. 10.1 2 Cor. 6 1â— Ps. 94 2â— Mat. 6.24 1 Thes. 2.3 4.5 1 Sam. 15.21 Luke 11 1â— Rev. 9. Rev. 19.20 Psal. 16.4 2 Chron. 13 9.10 1 Cor. 9. 7. c. Gal. 6.6 2 Cor. 9. 1. Cor 16 1.2 Phil. 3. 18.19 1. Pet. 5.1.3 Rom. 12.7.8 1 Cor. 12 29. Ephes. 4.11 Act. 6.2.5 14.23 Titus 1.5 1 Tim. 3.10 Num. 16.5 40. Num. 17.8 Heb. 5.4 Num. 18.21 c. 1 Sam. 2.14.15.16 Mat. 23.14.23 Rom. 13.6 Mat. 17.25.27 Est. 1.3.4.5 Esa. 58.6 1.17 Iam. 1.27 2 Chron. 17 7.8.9 Esa. 2.2.3 Ioh. 12 3â— 2 Chro. 19.5 6.7 Deu. 1.15.16.17 Act. 13.8 2 Tim. 3.8 Rev. 13.6.7.15 Iude 3. Gal 5.1 1 Cor. 3.13 Eph. 5.13 Ier. 5.14 Rev. 11.5 â—sa 62.10 Rom. 8.6.7 Mat. 21.44 Ier. 6.16 Deut. 4.6 Esa. 8.20 2 Pet. 1.19 2 Tim. 1.13 Rom. 2.16 Esa. â—7 21 2 Thes. 1.8 Esa. 60.12 Num. 18.7 2 Chron. 27 18. 1 Pet. 5.4 Phil. 2.11 Iohn 13.13 Luke 12.13 14. Ioh. 8.11 2 Tim. 2.4 mat 20.25 Luke 22.25.26 Ioh. 13.15 Mark 9.35.36 2 Thes. 2.4 Mat. 24.15 Rev. 13. Esa. 32.25 Mic. 6.16 Deu. 18.22 1 Cor. 16.22 1 Tim. 6.3.4 Esa. 2.9 Hab. 2.14 Ioh. 6.45 1 Tim. 3.15 Esa. 66.11.12 24.23 60.19.20 Zech. 14.6.7 Re. 21.23 Mic. 4.2.3 Esa. 2.3 1 Ioh. 1.6.7 Esa. 35.8 Ioel 3.17 Zech. 14.21 1 Pet. 2.9 Esa. 11 6.7.8.9 2 Thes. 3 6 14. 1 Cor. â—1 16 Mat. 1â— 12 2 Cor. 10.4 5.6 Esa. 16.17.18 Mic. 4 3.4.5 1 Co 14.33 Tit. 3.1 1 Pet. 2.13 14. Rom. 13.1.2 Eccles 8.2 c. Rev. 17.5 18.2 Prov. 5.3.4.5 7.10 c. 9.14.15 Psal. 94.20 Rev. 13.2.6.7 Dan. 7 8.25 2 Thes. 2.9 Luke 12 13.14 Ioh. 8.11 Deut. 4.5.6.7.8 2 Thes. 3.10.12 Ephes. 4.28 Prov. 20.17 Mat. 10.33 1 Thes. 5.12.13 1 Tim. 5.17 Heb. 13.7 Mat. 7.6 Ier. 4.4 Amos 6.12 Hos. 4.8.9 Eze. 13.4 8.9 Mal. 1. Zech. 11.4.5 2 Cor. 6.14 15. Gal. 6.6 4.14 15 1 Cor. 4.11 Rom. 15.27 2 Thes. 3.6 10.14 Rom. 16.17.18 Prov. 13.4 14.23 Mat. 20. 1 Cor. 9.10 Psal. 37.25 Rom. 12. â— 1 Pet. 4.10.11 1 Cor. 14.29.30.31.32 Rom. 12.3 Ezek. 4.7 Zech. 4.10 Ier. 31.26