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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	apt_a	body_n	great_a	70	3	2.1254	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A13111	The looking-glasse of schisme wherein by a briefe and true narration of the execrable murders, done by Enoch ap Evan, a downe-right separatist, on the bodies of his mother and brother, with the cause mooving him thereunto, the disobedience of that sect, against royall majesty, and the lawes of our Church is plainly set forth. By Peter Studley, Master of Arts, and minister of Gods Word, in Shrevvsbury.	Studley, Peter, 1587 or 8-1648.	1634 (1634)	STC 23403; ESTC S117932	73,005	313

unlearned as himselfe who busily and frequently proposed questions unto him and were not able rightly to conceive his answers nor the nature of their owne questions proposed unto him For both he and they wanting the true apprehension of so high and sacred a Mystery as is the Nature and Quality of our LORD IESUS CHRIST His glorified Body tooke libertie unto themselves to talke at randon of high and mysterious secrets and thereby lost themselves in their vaine janglings His faith and judgement was very right in this point according to the small measure of his understanding But he wanted apt termes to explicate his conceit in so deepe a matter When therfore I acquainted him with some termes frequent in the Fathers and Schoole-men in the enodation of an Article of our Faith so abstruse and difficult and transcending the sphere of vulgar apprehensions telling him that the Body of our Lord was passive mortall liable to violence in the state of His Humiliation Impassive immortall glorious and exempt from infirmities and injuries in the condition of his exaltation he freely assented submitted himselfe and confirmed that to be his meaning that our LORD His blessed and glorious Body was changed onely in qualitie not in substance But that for want of Theologicall termes he was not able to unfold himselfe And then the Conclusion touching his opinions is this he was neither Anabaptist Enthusiast or of any other odde sect whatsoever but only a silly Ignorant and downe-right English Puritane 35 On Tuesday the twentieth of August this Malefactour the staine of Nature and reproch of mankind was carried on horseback from Shrewsbury thirteene miles to the place of his execution When hee was come to Bishops-castle Towne hee desired in his Inne to receive the holy Communion of the most sacred Body and Bloud of our LORD IESUS CHRIST which I had refused to administer unto him because he would not take it in the decent and Reverent gesture of kneeling The Minister of that Towne a learned Gentleman refused likewise to give it unto him unlesse hee would receive it in obedience to his Superiours and kneele downe Reverently in that holy Action A while hee continued obstinate but overcome at last by perswasions hee yeelded as hee said to gratifie the desires of a Gentleman there present Thus the man who in the furious zeale of an inraged heart drew that bloud that bred and nourished him comming to the point of his death shrunke in his courage or rather his contumacie and either to please men or to procure favour in the mitigation of execution of Iudgement upon him fell from the ground of his unhallowed profession Which convincingly proveth that obstinate Hypocrisie producing disloyalty in contempt of Authority is built upon a weake a slippery an unstable foundation 36 This Malefactor being now come to the place where the Gibbet was erected for his exemplary punishment Hee kneeled downe and made a short prayer to GOD. And having finished his devotions and being commanded to ascend the steps of the ladder as soone as the Executioner had put the rope over his head into his necke hee was instantly so surprized with the feare of approaching death that in all the parts of his body hee trembled with great perturbation and anguish of Spirit And when hee was ready to bee turned off hee cryed twice with a loud voice God bee mercifull to mee a great Sinner And then being cast off and strangled to death to the great Agony and regreet of his friends and kindred the beholders thereof testified by three shrill ●kreekes and cryes he was trussed up into a frame of Iron brought thither for that purpose And his body though deprived of sense to feele it the truth of that Iudgement denounced in the Scriptures p Prov. 30.17 The eye that mocketh at his Father and despiseth to obey his Mother the Ravens of the Vally shall picke it out and the young Eagles shall eat it For as well the Father was mocked as the Mother despised when his bloudy heart and hand robbed the Husband of his Wife and deprived the Father of both his Sonnes When hee had hanged forth waving in the ayre more then a fortnight and lesse then three weekes some Brethren of his owne disposition and faction who are restlesse in wilfulnesse that I may not say wickednes contrived a device by rearing up a ladder in the night a worke of darknesse to saw off that part of the Gibbet where his body hanged and tooke it away even then when the smell and stench thereof was so unsavory and noysome as hardly able to bee indured unlesse they were provided with stronge Antidotes to correct the loathsome savour of his putrified carkasse but it was a messe good enough for such contemners of royall Majestie and the wholsome lawes of the best governed Republicke upon the face of the earth 37 And now in few words to touch the fact of those Persons who by gracelesse disloyalty have opposed the practice of Law and Iustice did they not know that the body of every Malefactor after legall conviction and judiciall condemnation is wholly at the dispose of the King as a part of His Royall Prerogative by vertue of the violation of His Lawes Rom. 13 1 2 3 4. The right of the King Himselfe therein which Hee hath received from Gods sacred Ordinance is by delegation of subordinate power transmitted to the Persons of the Iudges and they by pronunciation of Iust and legall sentence are to command the execution of what the letter of the Law hath given in charge Out of which just and formall gradation descending I draw this consequence and regular deduction ascending He that resists or nullifies the sentence of the law pronounced by the Iudge opposeth therein the Naturall law of humane equity familiarly knowne to all men and dishonoreth the Person of the Iudge from whom that sentence proceeded The dishonour of the Iudge being the Deputy substitute of the King falls directly on the royalty of His most sacred Person The dishonour of the Kings Person being the vicegerent of the LORD of Hosts rests not there but ascends to the contempt of the Divine Majestie of God Himselfe whose constitution it is Gen. 9.6 Who so sheddeth mans bloud by man shall his bloud bee shed for in the Image of God made he man Did not then the stealers away of the putrified corps of this Malefactor know these things before hand To charge them with Ignorance of such things which the Dictates of naturall reason hath imprinted upon the table of every Mans heart is to make them brutish and to range them with beasts To say they knew these things and yet against their owne knowledge and conscience they contemned all peaceable obedience therunto is to make them peremptory and Rebellious against both Divine Majestie in the nature of God and Humane Majestie in the person of the King Thus I have put them upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a

circumference of their own In-conformity But let them delude and flatter themselves in their Toyish Imaginations as long as they will and persist to affront Authoritie in the person of their Prince and the commaund of his Lawes It is my hope and confidence and I trust all good men concurre with me therein That as the Lord in mercy and holy love unto his Church among us hath given Pure Wisedome to his Anointed Vice-gerent to discover these obliquities and Impostures and also Royall courage to attempt the reformation and suppression thereof So he will also strengthen and uphold his Princely Arme in his proceedings therein till he have brought the same to a gratious and to a glorious perfection And then will this Church and Kingdome know both in the generall body therof and also more specially in these Non-conformists theselves both Ecclesiasticall and Secular when their eyes are opened to behold their owne errours That they have beene long deteyned and deluded in adoring vaine fantasies not worth the regarding And then they will also blesse and magnifie the LORD'S great mercies and returne the Tribute of thankfull and of loyal hearts to their gratious Sovereigne by whose pious care so laudable and glorious a work hath beene prospered and atchieved For though now errors in their soules do dimme darken and even blinde the eye of their Iudgements and not suffer them with the cleere light of sanctified Reason to behold this wholesome and profitable truth shine forth unto them Namely That Vnitie and Peace betweene the Prince and his People and with all the People mutually among themselves are the true and proper glory of Earthly Kingdomes typically figuring the celestial Vnity in blessednes and glory in the Triumphant Church of GOD And that Schisme Division of any people into variety of opinions and affections is the bane and subversion of the Tranquillity of a Church Nation resembling the confusions and perturbations of satans infernal regiment Then will they cleerely see to the infinite joy and comfort of their own soules that this disobedience to Royall Majesty and prudent lawes for things of indifferent nature is no more but a selfe-pleasing fantafie which every good man may verie well spare and yet remaine a faithfull sonne to GOD his Father a sound member of that particular Church wherein he was baptised and a loyall and obedient subject to the Majesty of that gratious Prince in whose Dition and Principality he first drew his native breath and being And if these men will but entertaine that one rule of our LORD and SAVIOUR IESUS CHRIST Matth. 11.28 Learne of me for I am meeke and lowly in heart and yee shall finde rest for your soule And by this rule wil strive to take downe the height of their owne elate and haughty spirits and humble themselves to submit to the wisedome of their King and State and to suspect their owne wisdomes as every wise man ought to doe surely then the things proposed unto them for obedience and the setling of uniformitie over the body of this Church and Kingdome will shortly be universally admitted and pleasingly entertained And when they have cast away that prejudicate and troublesome opinion which they have of the persons of the Bishops who for their wisdome piety gravity sincerity deserve all due respect of veneration to bee given unto them Then the blessed experience of the manifold commodities which accompany peace and unity will not onely prove an inward comfort to their soules but will also make them to bee greatly offended with themselves for their obstinate contumacie against their lawful Superiours when they shall cal to minde how long they have deprived themselves of so great a blessing as is Vnitie of Heart Minde and Iudgement by dividing themselves from the obedience of their spirituall Mother the Orthodox and pure Church of GOD in this Kingdome For in all humane matters and these of ceremonies are no other all sound knowledge and judgement is attained by experience which though it be said to be the Mistresse of fooles by shewing unto them and imprinting on their hearts their manifold errours yet she is no foolish mistresse but the best informer and reformer of our understandings and wills by which it pleaseth GOD to reduce from wandering His straying sheepe and gratiously confine them within His owne fold witnesse the wanton Prodigall who running riot from his father and from the true principles of knowledge in his owne soule never returned againe to GOD or to himselfe till sensible experience of his owne vanity had pinched him and made him as the Scriptures report 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 15.17 to come home to himselfe by the gratious view of his errors directed thereunto by the Spirit of God And these Non-conformists whether Church-men or Lay-men they are no other but Wanton and Prodigall fugitives and Run-awayes from their spirituall Father the LORD who requires of us and them 1 Pet. 2.14 To submit our selves to every ordinance of men for the LORD'S sake And fugitives also they are from their Politike Father the King by rejecting his Authority given him by GOD. And till some few gentle stripes with the Rod of Princely power prove unto them as the famine did to the Prodigall open their eyes and give them sensible impression and experience of their sullen Pride and Vanity they wil never returne soundly to their GOD to their Prince to themselves but they will riotize in selfe-opinions and deluded imaginations to the hazard and endangering of their owne soules by incurring the wrath of God And for mine owne part I am perswaded that if all the Non-conformed Ministers in this Church were divided into foure equal parts three of them have never read any controversies of our Church-discipline but perhaps some of the railing Libels of Master Cartwright and his companions a part by themselves which passe underhand from man to man amongst them without the learned Antidots of contrary writings to expell the maligne poison and infection therof But these men looke only upon the practise of the times and seeing that to incline to this faction is a faire way of thriving both in reputation of credit with this sort of people and also in meanes of livelihood by private and underhand Benevolences Gratuities Contributions they are thereby inticed on to these disloyall and factious courses which in multitudes of Lay-persons of severall rankes and degrees is growne to a great height of strength and power And yet neither their multitudes nor their power so great but that wise men may discover in them that they are not persons of any courage to hold out opposition against Authority to the incurring of danger either to their persons or to their estates which cowardize of Spirit in persons otherwise of so high insolent and daring spirits as they are plainly convinceth the truth of the over-ruling hand of GOD'S power in all mens hearts and also pleadeth and acteth in their owne

bosomes the Iustice and Equity of the Kings cause now taken in hand by impressions of sensible feare making them to tremble at the mention of Humane Authority as it is the execution of divine power for Temporall government For were their persons as cleare and innocent as they pretend by ostentation of the uprightnesse of their consciences in the cause of GOD or their judgements right and sound in that they hold with dissent from their wise superiours or their cause it selfe a matter of importance wherein the Honour or Dishonour of GOD stands Interessed and Ingaged surely then the LORD would fortifie and adde spiritual vigour to their masculine and high spirits and not suffer them to shrinke under the practice of Humane power urged for their correction and amendment And let me further certifie this irregular generation that if their fancies had been of GOD and decreed for His fetled ordinance It had not received such a wound as of late it hath done by the hand of Princely power which already hath made their building to nod and totter and incline to subversion For the Argument of Gamaliel uttered by the present inspiration of GOD'S Spirit is invincible Act. 5.39 Mans power cannot overthrow that which is of GOD which impregnable and sacred Truth I will demonstrate in this syllogisticall processe Whatsoever is of GOD decreed for continuance and propagation Major can neither bee dissolved by Humane power nor weakened and abated This Novell Toy of resisting authority Minor is by Humane power weakened and abated and drawes on to dissolution Therefore it is not of GOD by ordinance for Propagation Conclusio The whole force of this Argument so clear and conclusive is drawne from the practice of GOD Himselfe in the Primitive infancie of the Christian Church when the Roman Tyrants mighty in power and extention of authority over most parts of the habitable earth raged against the glory of our LORD IESUS CHRIST in the lustre of His Gospell and vowed the extinction of His Name and memory but the more their fury increased and insulted over the poore sheepe of CHRIST daily dragged unto slaughter by Martyrdome the more they found to the check of their infidell pride and immanity that Sanguis Martyrum erat semen Ecclesiae The bloud of Martyrs was the springing seed of the Church both for the increase of the number of professors and dilatation of the glory and power of our SAVIOUR If any shal reply unto mee that Humane power may for a time suppresse the outward growth and spreading of this disobedience to our King and his Lawes yet for as much as they are godly forsooth and doe it for conscience sake their practice will still retaine spirituall heat and vigorous warmth in the root and secret heart thereof and thereby sprout out againe and declare it selfe to bee of the LORD'S plantation To these men I reply no more but thus That I wish all such persons to suspend their owne rash and sinister perswasions for a time and to expect the event of the LORD'S will therein which in doubtfull cases is never knowne but by the sensible and apparent manifestation thereof 51 Now for this firy fancie and exquisite fascination of our Non-conformity I will freely and openly deliver my opinion thereof and that is this That when she was in her greatest ruffe and glory deckt with all the plumes of her pride and best acceptation which ever she had in this Kingdome I conceive of her that then even then she was no more but meretrix cerussata a whited painted and artificially coloured strumpet exposing her selfe to her most profitable wooers and entertainers But now that by time and age shee is become Rugosa cadaverosa wrinckled and decayed shee goes on I hope to her grave with infamie and dishonour The reason of my opinion is this I suppose that if her stoutest champions who have long with the secret increase of their private estates supported her glory could now come off fairely from her without detriment to their livelihood and eclipse of the brightnesse of their former reputation for Piety and Sincerity That then not one of them would either depart this Land or endure to bee silenced and restrained from preaching but being shut up in a strait by reflecting on their owne hearts and calling to minde what high and transcendent prayses they have in corners given to this their fancie the engine and instrument of all their delusions and the artificial and fine-wrought key whereby they have opened the Closets and Cabinets of their deare and privat friends if now they should shrinke from it they overthrow for ever the reputation of their integrity And therefore having within their owne bosomes a troublesome conflict betweene their hearts puffed up with the remembrance of their late glory and deare esteeme among their friends and their consciences now secretly prompting them that the grounds of their Schisme were things light triviall and of no moment The pride of their hearts beares downe with strong power the plea of their consciences and makes them resolve rather to endure a silencing with hope to retaine the under-hand benevolences of their tender hearted friends than to supplant the pleasing contentments they have received to themselves in appropriating to themselves the words of GOD's Spirit Prov. 12.26 The righteous man is more excellent than his neighbour But let such men call to minde the judgements of GOD's wrath against that slothfull person Matt. 25.30 Who wrapped up his Talent in a Napkin and hid it in the earth For if Saint Paul could say in the case of planting of Churches 1 Cor. 9.16 Necessitie is laid upon mee yea woe is mee if I preach not the Gospell I cannot yet understand nor themselves neither of any dispensation or relaxation that Ministers have in these dayes to sit idle at home in vayne speculations and to neglect the Watering of those Churches and feeding of those flockes which by other mens labours have beene prepared and made ready to their Ministry Yet this liberty to please themselves by voluntary or imposed silence and the Iustice and Aequitie thereof on their parts in submitting to so sharpe a censure is still by them constantly assevered And thereby they strive to uphold the good conceits which their friends have of the puritie of their consciences and of the Iniquity Idolatry and Prophanenesse of those Antichristian Ceremonies which are urged against them for better termes or Titles they know right well they never afford them And this is the true cause why I was so bold and plaine with them as to tearme their practice of Non-conformity by the odious name of a Painted Strumpet because a learned Philosopher describing the Arts and subtilties of such wanton and uncleane persons sayes of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As Strumpets wish all sorts of happinesse may befail their lovers except understanding and wisdome to discover their own wickednes so doe flatterers

wish unto all those persons with whom they converse and are entertained And even so this sect of men wish to their profitable friends all other kindes of happinesse riches honours dignities affluence of all worldly contents answerable to the desires of their owne hearts But that their understandings should be inlightned to discover their owne former errours and to find out the frauds and alluring enticements wherewith they use to insnare them and tye them fast to themselves This part of divine wisdome they never wish unto them but mainely labour to hold them backe from attaining therunto for if once this bright ray and beame of divine truth glance into their soules and be received by them with pause deliberation and more prudent inspection into their former courses than formerly they have used then these men know right wel Actum est de illis their Acts are discovered and their Play is exploded For now silencing from the execution of so sacred a vocation is become in this age for temporall emoluments farre more profitable to this kinde of men than the godly labours of religious Ministers in the constant imployment of their talents proves unto them So miserably are Gods people led blindfolded into spirituall captivity But if the bosomes of these men were transparent and the close-wrought veyle wherein all their policies are enwrapped were Translucent and thereby their sleights exposed to the view of all men I make no question but that the leprosie of corruption would bee sensibly discovered to have maculated their hearts and consciences For it is not possible that Gods Spirit should erre in describing the Acts and Qualities of seducers I beseech you Brethren marke them which cause divisions among you and offences contrary to the Doctrine that yee have learned and avoyd them for they that are such serve not the LORD IESUS but their owne belly and by good words and faire speeches deceive the hearts of the simple And these men in Saint Paul's time in the Church of Rome were reputed as sincere up right holy and spiritually qualified with gifts of divine grace as are our Non-conformists in the Church of England And certainely unlesse this worke of the Kings most excellent Majesty and his pious and prudent Bishops were directed by GOD Himselfe in their hearts it could never have received so great approbation in the hearts of most men and they wise religious and vertuous as of late it hath done in this Land for not only many thousands who had a kinde of charitable opinion of these men though they did not familiarly converse with them entertaine them in their houses or comply with them in their cōceits begin now much to distaste them and greatly desire the suppression of them But which is more even their owne friends also who were wholly theirs begin to faint in their courage and in some degrees to distaste those courses if they could handsomely shake them off and yet preserve the reputation of their former zeale For this is the maine blocke which most of them stumble at namely Not feare of dishonouring GOD nor hurting the purity of their owne consciences if they should shake hands and bid farewell to their niceties and follies But how to keepe up their credits in the hearts of those men who being honest vertuous and worthy of good respect they have much vilified dis-esteemed in matters of religion in comparison with themselves But this is a needlesse and superfluous care for I am of opinion that all honest hearted Christians both Ministers and Lay-people who zealously desire the peace and flourish of our Church and Kingdome will readily give them the right-hand of unfained fellowship receive them into their bosomes with alacrity and joy for their return to the obedience of their spirituall Mother the Church and never twit nor upbraid them with their former toyish errours And here let me put you my Brethren of Shrewsbury in minde which you ought to take in good part and thankfully at my hands from the sense and experience thereof in your owne bosomes That I have observed in divers of your persons that your zeale and fervour in your once approved cause doth begin to slake and remit of those intensive degree which it formerly had in you So that there is nothing wanting unto you but the application and pressing of authoritie unto your wavering mindes which are easily taken off from your former course And I am perswaded upon very pregnant grounds that there are of you who beginne to smell out either the fraud or Art or what other terme is apt for that fine peece of policie wherein you have beene long enwrapped by errour of your judgements to your cost and expences And which hath made many Gentlemen of this Kingdom to say in the words of our LORD though in a contrary sense Zelus Domus tuae exedit me Ioh. 2.17 The zeale of thy house hath eaten me up And many of your well-willers as your selves know very well being but halfe brothers and percell gilt are content to sooth and flatter you in your opinions but they will looke well enough to their purses and have care of the maine as though they had learned that axiome in Philosophie Noli perdere substantiam propter accidens Destroy not thy substance for an accident to wit a Toy My hope is therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with GOD that our Prudent Governour lately placed over us Bishop Wright in whose Person wisdome and courage conjoyned with gracious Affability and mildnesse of spirit doe strive for precedencie will execute that Authority wherewith the sacred Majesty of our King hath entrusted him and by correcting your insolencies which are nothing else but selfe-pleasing vanities and the proper effects of pride and weaknesse of judgement will reduce you to obedience of righteous Lawes and keepe you in order for untill the rod of power and discipline bee imposed gently for your correction your affections wil stray from that regularity of obedience which Gods sacred Word and the obligation of your owne consciences borne under the Law of natural alleagiance to the Majesty of your Prince require at your hands For it is an ancient and profitable saying and which holy David found true in spirituall matters Psal 119.67 Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I have kept thy Commandements 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Corrections whether Divine or Humane do instruct the children of GOD which I hope you are to wiser and more obedient intentions and actions 52 And here I am forced much against my will to Apologize for mine owne integrity and innocencie in a particular matter which lately fell out among us in which I have beene by many of this factious Brother-hood most impudently abused The matter would be very long to relate it with all circumstances incident thereunto take it therefore thus with al the brevity I am able The most Reverend Father in God the L. Bishop of our Diocesse preached a

Gospel implanted among us Hence grow ' your important pressings and perswasions to constancie in the Faith even to death by Apologie and Martyrdome wherein some of your owne friends have wished that the salt of discretion and prudent moderation had allayed your violence and seasoned your thoughts to a better conceit of that gratious Prince and Government under which we live in peace and spirituall liberty The name of Puritane you told them was a royall badge and and thereby you intended to confirme depraved judgements in error and contumacie against Authority and that wholsome reformation that is now aymed at Surely these intemperat flashes issuing from your unbridled spirit and uttered in such a time when reformation of Schisme not change of our Orthodox faith is intended doe plainely convince you in the judgement of wise men to be a man of a disloyall heart and unquiet head Your bold intrusion into other mens charge being neither warranted by the Lawes of GOD or man can receive no blessing from GOD. For what inducement have you to vent your wares among us who neither desire your aid nor need your help Keep at home I advise you and labour in that place of charge where the LORD hath disposed of you that shall bring more comfort to your conscience more peace to your calling more credit to your person Your Sect is very forward in running uncalled and thrusting your selves upon people unknowne unto you and should for ever rest unknown were it not that as the Apostle tells us Iude 16. You have mens persons in admiration because of advantage Certainly GOD's Spirit hath given a most cleare and exact description of all such wily and seducing spirits Rom. 16.17 18. It is the worke of GOD's mercy and love unto his Church in laying open the spirituall sleights I dare not say impostures wherewith your Sect hath so long deluded the people and by the wisdome and authority of our King and State to correct and reforme them Your opposition to the Authority of our Lord Bishop was so peremptory and insolent by your pride and contempt of your Superiours as is not to be endured in a peaceable Government For you were in place both in the Church when his Lordship gave his charge and also in the Chamber at the signe of the red Lion in our Towne and heard his Lordship make knowne to us of the Clergie his Majesties Royal care and his gratious intentions he had entertained in his heart both to countenance and to advance the welfare of his Ministers But first he would be assured of their ready subjection to his just and royall commands Yet within three dayes after this charge sounded in your eares you most contemptuously violated his Majesties Injunctions and being not admitted into Saint Alkmunds Church to vent your schismaticall conceits you put your selfe into an exempt and peculiar Iurisdiction and there you were as safe in your opinion as policie could make you Assuredly Mr. F. these factious courses are unsanctified by GOD and the issue and event of them being done in publike affront to the sacred authority and command of your Prince the LORD 's annointed will prove dangerous if not desperate unto you for the strong arme of Iustice wil crush thousands of such poore wormes as wee are I my selfe have knowne within these twenty yeares last past Plus minùs many men of excellent wits great and piercing understandings prompt and eloquent in their deliveries of illustrious note and ranke in the Common-wealth yet by opposing the designes and commands of Royal Majesty have ruined their estates and fatally ended their dayes in ignominy and misery For the eminencie of Princes being by Substitution and Vicegerencie from GOD the lively Image of Divine Majesty for temporall regiment is by GOD's ordinance made so sacred and inviolable both from the intemperate rage of our tongues and the rancour of our naturally seditious and rebellious hearts That never any man obliged to loyalty made head against them either openly or secretly but the Angell of the LORD's wrath pursued him to shame and destruction For it is decreed by the wisdome of GOD and shall never be reversed Ezra 7.26 Whosoever will not obey the Law of GOD and the King let judgement speedily bee executed upon him whether it be unto death or unto banishment or unto confiscation of goods or to imprisonment For your person Mr. F. I protest before GOD the searcher of all hearts I wish no otherwise than to my owne soule But I onely ayme at the peace of our Towne which will never be effected till you and such as you be restrained from preaching and enkindling faction among us Thus I have imparted my minde unto you and for the censure of both our persons I refer it to the wisdome and justice of his Lordship our most Reverend Diocesan who I doubt not will correct your insolencies and keepe you in order A copy of this Letter I have sent to my L. Bishop to demonstrate how ingenuously I have dealt with you GOD blesse you and sent you much happinesse 54 This is that Letter Verbatìm without addition detraction or mutation of one syllable against which such tragicall out-cries have beene raised by ●icentious detractors of the good names of their neighbours But my comfort is that I feare no mans tongue or malice in the world as long as mine owne conscience checkes me not for any wilfull violation of my duty to GOD and to my Prince nor act of unrighteousnesse done to the person of my neighbour And when this generation of men who take too much ungodly libertie unto themselves to suspect evill of their neighbours and upon that susspition to raise lying defamations against persons truely religious and vertuous shall governe their tongues and hearts with more holy feare of GOD and gratious charity towards their peaceable co-habitants I doubt not but that the LORD in mercy and love to our Church and Kingdome will unite our hearts in the firme bond of pure religion and not suffer us to bee torne into factions by dislike of innocent and harmelesse Ceremonies And for the wrongs which they very foolishly Imagine to have beene done to this their Minister by my Persecuting him as they most wickedly phrase it I referre my selfe to my hottest and sharpest adversaries whose tongues fly at randon without grace wit or honestie to restraine them to examine censure and determine from this relation whether I have beene Active in doing or passive in suffering wrongs And from the sight of their owne errour or rather malicious railing and traducing of my innocence herein let them learne to use more Christian moderation in reporting of things unknowne unto them And to practise those gratious vertues of integritie of heart and truth of speech which wil more adorne their conversation and render them more pleasing unto GOD and man than all their forward profession of firy zeale in erroneous devotion Many good things in the exercise of family discipline As Prayers Instruction of their children and servants Singing of Psalmes and such like I doe freely acknowledge to be in some of these men But as Salomon speaks of a wise man Eccle. 10.1 That a little folly brings disgrace to him that is in reputation for wisedome so I say unto these men That a little dishonestie or injustice towards their neighbours which piety and the true feare of GOD should extinguish in them doth obscure the lustre of a glorious profession and makes them most justly to be suspected to be but meere Formalists Thus having cast my Mite into the Treasury of GOD's Church by desiring the holy and blessed peace of our Sion I will adde my continuall prayers thereunto that our hearts may be firmely knit together in unitie and love FINIS