LEt no man wonder that such vaine triflers are now , who studie to bring in new Doctrines and Opinions into the Church , since it is apparent that even from the time of the Apostles , no Age hath beene without them : Needlesse therefore it were to enter upon a long discourse of the errors , Schismes , and Heresies that have heretofore beene , or to reckon up a tedious Catalogue , ( being so numerous ) of their first founders and abettors : Neither in how many generall Councells they have beene convinced , and utterly exploded , which would take up more time than needeth : since we know by our Saviours owne words , that there should be false Prophets and Teachers even to the end of the World : onely I will give you a briefe Character what ( for the most part ) one of these Innovators in Religion is :

An Hypocrite , and of all Actors the worst ; as personating him whom he is not , but would seeme to be : double fac't , double hearted : In outward appearance boasting fadnesse and gravity , Whilit within hee is all pleasure and alacrity ; and for no other cause , but that hee can so craftily delude , and cunningly deceive . In his demisse lookes you may read the Characters of Religion , which the more he seemeth to Profosse , he is the further from the practice : A smooth face , a rugged mind , a sheeps habite , a wolves heart : a simple and straight garment , a double and large conscience : His heart convinc't by his mouth , his mouth by his actions : Hee riseth early to goe into the Temple , and that God whom in heart he despiseth , he there seemingly adoreth : where hee more regards who observe what he doth , than considers with himselfe what he ought to doe : his heart not being aware whither his eyes wander . He exclaimes of the want of charity in others , but expresseth no part thereof in himselfe : His seat in the Church is , where he may be the most seene : In the time of the Sermon he drawes out his tables to take the Notes , but still noting who observes him to take them . At every place of Scripture cited , he turnes over the leaves of his Booke , more pleased with the motion of the leaves , than the matter of the Text : For hee folds downe the leaves , though he finds not the place : his eye being still fixt on his paper , or the Pulpit : Hee lifts up the whites of his eyes towards Heaven , when hee meditates on the sordid pleasures of the earth ; his body being in Gods Church , when his minde is in the divels Chappell . If he heare a strange Preacher , he at his coming down , as raptur'd with his Doctrine , salutes him with a cringe , and demands his name with a congie ; and offers that person his Hat , whose profession he casts at his heeles : but if he can winde him up to his owne Tone , he will Echo to him in the same Tune .

When he takes occasion to speake of the passage of his former life , he will seeme to weepe , not for his former wantonnesse , but his present weaknesse : not that he hath a will to act , but that he hath no ability to performe : not for the many sinnes of his youth , but that hee cannot so freely commit them in his age . Other mens errors he will sharply reproove , but his owne vices secretly retaine : If he give to the poore , it is not that they should pray for him , but that thereby he may make a prey of others : He both prayes and gives , but neither of them without company ; because he thinks , if God should not take notice of his workes , hee can be sure to bring witnesse of them . If he prove so rich as to raise an Hospitall out of his private usury , it is not for any vertue , but rather vaine glory ; as being onely built for such as hee hath before begger'd . Hee will transforme a Gnat into a Cammell , and a Fly into an Elephant : He preferres his owne superstitions before the Churches reverent Ceremonies , and will sooner deserve a white sheete , than endure a surplesse . He prescribes his owne Lawes , and directs his faith by his owne Liturgy : standing whilst others bowe , and sitting whilst others kneele . To his Acquaintance present he is a Gnato , to those that are absent an Aristarchus : he weepeth at the side of his friend , when his heart wisheth him in his grave . Hee salutes cheerefully , when he intends churlishly : and to conclude with these full attributes belonging unto him : though he be held a Saint by his owne Sect , he proveth his neighbours calamity , the poyson of honesty , the Cōmon-weales canker , the Churches corrosive , an eye sore by day , a stumbling block by night , a Taper smoky in the burning , noysome in the extinguishing , faulty in his promise , false in his oath ; who whēhe seems much to favour , ought then most especially to be feared .

I forbeare to speake of any forraigne Vipers , onely to shew you the Spiders bred under our owne roofes , & the Snakes bedded in our native Earth , many new and upstart Schismaticall opinions have lately troubled the peace of the Church ; all different among themselves , onely agreeing in this , that they unanimously conspire to disturbe the common quiet . The Father of one sect , a learned Button-maker well known , the founder of another , a commenting Cobler , &c. And now we have 2 Prophesying Weavers ( upon whose stupidity or madnesse this present discourse isframed ) in durance , whose ridiculous absurdities I shall presently acquaint you with : Onely this I faine would know , were there no Ecclesiasticall government , what rubricke should stand ? or how , or after what manner would they have God served ? One sect beleeves wee have a Saviour , but counts it superstition to have his name reverenc't , and bow'd unto : Some approove of no Sacraments at all , others allow of Sacraments , but hold , that to kneele before the Table or Altar when the Blessed Supper of the Lord is to be received , is meerely Idolatrous : Notwithstanding the Church with godly and mature consideration hath injoyned it . Some cavell at the manner of the standing of the Table . Others would sit at the Lords board with their backes toward the Wall , as they eate in their houses , or drinke in the Tavernes . ( yea , and no doubt , with their heads covered too ) One fect challengeth the liberty of all sensuality and pleasure : Others will allow no commendable exercises or lawfull recreations . But if you observe them generally , and withall consider them judicially , it will easily appeare , that as they altogether impugne the Churches authority , so cunningly and cautelously , they would trench upon the high Supremacy .

Moreover , some are not more piously devoted to repaire Churches and Temples , than others are divelishly minded to see them ruind and demolisht . Some will heare a Sermon , but they cannot endure to be present at Common Prayer : Others could be content to heare divine Service , but abhorre it if it be said in a Popish Surplesse : Nay , there are divers who make a conscience to heare sermons , yet they will heare but such and such a man as pleaseth their owne fancies and affections . But if any of these Predicants shall affect novelty , or singularity , to introduce any innovating points of Doctrine , deviating from the true and Orthodoxe way of the mother Church , he shall be sure to bee most highly applauded , and the place wherein he lectureth or preacheth to be much thronged . And if he shal stand out against Conformity in Religion , and for that cause be questioned , and therefore silenc't ; then there are private collections , gifts , presents , and contributions , and all these to maintaine him in his perverse obstinacies . Againe , one loves the Bible , but it must be bound without the Apocrypha ; for that they hold as an abhomination : Insomuch , that many from Schisme grow unto Atheisme , and in devising new and unheard of waies how to worship God , grow into that stupidity , to acknowledge no God at all , and from hearts of flesh , they are growne to have hearts of Iron and Adamant .

As for those that hate Churches , and love to have their conventieles in private houses , or in Woods and Groves ; to whom may I better compare them than to the Idolatrous Iewes ? who leaving the glorious Temple of King Solomon , sacrificed to Baal-peo● , to Moloch , and divers others of the Idols of the Gentiles , in Groves and the high places . But amongst all these diversities of opinions , if every man ( having no super-eminent power over him , to curbe his presumed and refractory liberty ) should follow his owne private humour , what manner of Church or Common-wealth should wee have amongst us ? Would not all grow into confusion and disorder , and returne into that stupidity of ignorance which swayed in the World before the true Religion was first propagated , and after received at the last it must necessarily come to mutiny , if not massacre : for as there is no greater malice , or more invented hatred prosecuted , then when familiar friends fall at oddes , or naturall brothers grow into dissention : so there can no greater hatred , or inveterate malice arise , then when Christian brethren of a reformed Church , having distanced themselves from all Papall superstitions , shall inconsiderately and indiscreetly , I may rather say , foolishly and madly fall into these sottish and ridiculous Chimeraes , to betray weaknesse in themselves , and beget distraction in others : being indeede nothing else than meere illusions of the Divell ; the former Ages having beene troubled with the like , as no question , the future shall be . But I come now to the persons themselves , the one Richard Farnham a Weaver in White-Chappell , the other Iohn Bull , a Weaver , late dwelling in the Parish of St. Butolphs Algate .