IT may seem strange vnto thee ( Christian Reader ) that any of the Englysh nation should for the truth of the Gospell be forced to forsake their native country , & live in exile , especially in these dayes when the Gospel seemeth to have free passage & florish in that land . And for this cause have our exile ben hardly thought of by many , and evil spoken of by some , who know not ( as it seemeth ) eyther the trew estate of the Church of England , or causes of our forsaking and separation from the same , but hearing this sect ( as they call it ) to be every where spoken against , Act. 28 2 have ( without all further search ) accounted and divulged vs as heretickes , or Schismatickes at the least . Yea some ( and such as worst might ) have sought the increase of our afflictions , even here also if they could : which thing they have both secretly and openly attempted . This hath Sathan added vnto all our former sorrowes , envying that we should have rest in any part of the inhabited world , and therfore ceaseth not to make warre with the remnant of the womans seed , Rev , 〈…〉 which keep the comcommaundements of , God and the testimony of Iesus Christ . ●al. 105. ● , 14. But the Lord that brought his former Israel out of Egypt & when they walked about from nation to nation , from one Kingdome to an other people , suffered no man to do them wrong , but reproved Kinges for their sakes : the same Lord yet liveth to mainteyn the right of his afflicted servantes , whom he hath severed , and dayly gathereth out of the world , Pet. 2 , 9. to be vnto himself a chosen generation , a royal priesthood , Psal. 46 , 1 a peculiar people & Israell of God : He is our hope and strength and help in troubles ready to be found , he will hyde vs vnder his winges , and vnder his feathers we shall be sure , vntill these miseries be overpast .

And though we could for our partes wel have borne this rebuke of Christ in silence , and left our cause to him who iudgeth iustly al the children of men : yet for the manifestation & clearing of the truth of God from reproches of men , and for the bringing others together with our selves to the same knowledg and fellowship off the Gospel , we have thought it needfull & our duty to make knowen vnto the world , our vnfeyned fayth in God , and loyall obedience towards our Prince and all Governers set over vs in the Lord , together with the reasons of our leaving the Ministery worship and Church of England . Which are not ( as they pretend ) for some few faultes & corcorruptions remayning , such as we acknowledg may be found in the perfectest Church on earth : Neyther count wee it lawfull for any member to forsake the fellowship off the Church for blemishes and imperfections , which every one according to his calling should studiously seek to cure , and to exspect and further it , vntill eyther there follow redresse or the disease be growe incureable , Rev. 2. 5. & the candlestick be moved out of the place . But we having through Gods mercy learned to discerne betwixr * * 2 Cor. 6. 1. ● ▪ 15. &c Psa. 94. 20. the true worship of God & the Antichristian leitourgy ; the true ministery of Christ & Antichristian prelacy ; 2 Thes. 2. 3. the ordinances of Christs testament & Popish canons : have also learned to leave | | Ps. 37. 2● ▪ Ier. 51. 6. the evill & choose the good , to forsake Babell the land of our captivitie , & get vs vnto Sion the mount of the Lordes holynes , Rev. 18. 4. & 14. 1. and place where his honour dwelleth .

But first we desire thee , good Reader , to vnderstand , and mynd that we have not in any dislyke of the Civill estate and politick government in that Common wealth , which we much like and love , separated our selves from that Church : Neyther have we shaken of our alleageance and dutifull obedyence to our Soveraigne PRINCE , the honorable Counsellers , and other Magistrates set over vs , but have alwayes and still do reverence love and obey them every one in the Lord , opposing our selves against all enemyes forreigne or domestical : against all invasions , insurrections , treasons or conspiracies by whomsoever intended against the Prince and the State , and are ready to adventure our lives in their defence , if need require . Neither have our greatest adversaryes ever ben able to attaint vs of the least disloyalty in this regard . And though now we be exiled , yet do we dayly pray & wil for the preservation peace & prosperity of our Soveraigne Prince & al the dominions of that kingdome .

And whereas we have been accused of intrusion into the Magistrates office , as going about our selves to reforme the abuses in that land , it is a mere malicious calumnie , which our adversaries have forged out of their own hart . Neh. 6. 6. 7. ● . We have alwayes both by word & practise shewed the contrary , neyther ever attempted or purposed any such thing : but have endevored thus only to reforme our selves and our lives according to the rule of Gods word , by absteyning from al evill & keeping the commandements of Iesus : leaving the suppressing and casting out of those remnants of Idolatry , vnto the Magistrates , to whom it belongeth .

And further we testify by these presents vnto all men , & desyre them to take knowledg heerof , that we have not forsaken any poynt of the true Ancient Catholicke and Apostolike fayth professed in our land : but hold the same groundes of Christian religion with them stil , agreeing lykewise herein , with the Dutch , Harmon . of Confes. Scottish , Germane , French , Helvetian , and al other Christian reformed Churches round about vs , whose Confessions published , we cal to witnes our agreement with them , in matters of greatest moment , being conferred with these Articles of our sayth following . The thinges then onely against which we contend , & which we mislike in the E●glish parish assemblies , are many reliqu●s of that m●n of synne ( whom they pretend to have abandoned ) yet reteyned among them , and with a high hand maynteyned , vpholden , and imposed . The particulers whereof ( being almost infinite ) cannot wel of vs be set down , and would be tedious and yrksome to thee ( good Reader : ) But the principal heads we wil truely relate , and that ●o briefly as in so large and confuse a subject we can .

First , in the planting and constituting of their Church ( at the beginning of Queen Elizabets reigne ) they receyved at once into the body of that Church , as members , the whole land , which generally then stood for the most part professed Papists , who had revolted from the profession , which they made in the dayes of King Edward of happy memory , and shed much blood of many Christian Martyrs in Queen Maryes dayes . This people yet standing in this fearful sinful state , in Idolatry , blyndnes , superstition , and all manner wickednes , without any professed repentance , and without the meanes thereof , namely the preaching of the word going before , were by force & authority of Law only compelled , and together received into the bosome and body of the Church , their seed baptised , themselves receved and compelled to the Lords supper , had this ministery and service ( which now they vse ) inioyned & set over them , and ever synce they and their seed remayne in this estate , being all but one body commonly called the Church of England . Here are none exempted or excluded , be they never so prophane or wretched , no Atheist , adulterer , thief , or murderer , no lyer , perjurer , Witch or conjurer , &c ▪ al are one fellowship , one body , one Church . Now let the law of God be looked into , and there wil be found , that such persons ‡ ‡ 1 Pet. 2. 5. Ier. 51. 26. are not fit stones for the Lords spiritual howse , no meet members for Christs glorious body . None of yeares * * Act. 2. 38. 40. 41. and 8. 36. 37. & 15 9. Ioh 10. 3. 4 5. Esa. 35. 8. 9. may be received into the Church without fr●e professed fayth repentance and submission vnto the Gospel of Christ & his heavenly ordinances . Neyther may | | Ioh. 15. 2. 5. Mat. 18. 15. 17 Lev. 13. 46. Num. 4. 13. any contynew there longer then they bring forth the fruyts of fayth , walking as becommeth the Gospell of Christ . Christ Iesus † † Iohn . 15. 19. & 17. 14. 16 Mat. 3. 12. Lev. 20. 24. ●6 . 1 Iohn . 4. 5. 6. hath called & severed his servants out of and from the world . How then should this confused and mixed people be esteemed the orderly gathered true planted and right constituted Church of God ?

Secondly , as they have reteyned the whole ●rout of the popish multitude without any distinction , for members of their Church ▪ so have they set over them ( as reason was ) the same popish Clergie & Prelacy , which they receved from the Romish Apostasie , and this day is to be found in the popish Churches : About forty ecclesiasticall popish offices are at this day in the Church of England , never a one appointed by Christ in his Testament . to witt , Archbs , Primates , Bbs. Metropolitanes , Suffraganes , Archdeacons , Deanes , Chauncellors , Commissaries , and the rest of that rable , which rule and govern these assemblyes according to the Popish Canons , Rites , and Customes . These have the power and aucthoritie in their hands to set forth Injunctions , to make and depose Ministers , to excommunicate both Priests and people , which they do very exquisitly , if they yeeld not vnto them their due homage and obedience . These have both Ecclesiastical and Civil aucthoritie , to reigne as Princes in the Church and live as Lords in the Common wealth , to punish , imprison , and persecute even to death al that dare but once mutter against their vnlawfull proceedings . Of these Prelates tyranny cruelty & vnlawful aucthoritie , the better sort both of preachers and people have cryed out , and long tyme sued vnto the Prince and Parlament to have them removed out of the Church as bei●g the lymmes of Antichrist . But not prevayling . they are now content ( fo● avoyding of the crosse of Christ ) to submit themselves & their soules to this Antichris●tian Hierarchie , and beare the sinful yok● and burthen of their traditions , and to re●ceive and carry about the dreadful and d●●testable marke of the Beast vpon them .

Thirdly , the inferiour ministery of tha● Church , consisteth of Priests , Parsons , Vi●cars , Curats , hired preachers or Lecturers , with Clerks and other like Officers , which have received their offices callings and aucthoritie from their forenamed Lords the Prelates to whom they sweare their canonical obedience , and promise to performe it with al● reverence and submission . Their office i● to read over the service book & Bbs Decrees thereby to worship God , With what words and rites , in what habit and gesture , these things are to be done , they are taught in their Rubrik . to marry , to bu●ry , to church women , to visit the sick , give him the Sacrament , and forgive him al his sinnes : & if their livings or benefices ( as they are called ) amount to a certeine summe of money in the Princes booke , then must they preach , or get some other to preach for them fower sermons in a yeare in their parish . Where also must be noted that the most part of these Priests are vtterly vnlearned , and cannot preach at all : whereby it commeth to passe that most of the people are as blynd as they were in the dark dayes of popery . These Ministers generally , aswel preachers as other , live in feare & servitude vnder their foresaid Lords the Bbs. For as without their licence written and sealed they cannot preach , so vpon their displeasure and for not obeying their injunctions , they are many tymes suspended , degraded , and if they will not be ruled , put in prison : so that sundry of them have ben suspended and imprisoned for preaching against the Prelats , not subscribing to their devised Articles and Booke of common prayer , not wearing the sqare cap and surplice , not reading the service booke , & be tyed to the same , not coming to the Bbs courts , visitations , inquisitions , &c. tyll now of late being wearyed with these troubles , they give place to their tyranny , and are content to conforme themselves , and yeeld their canonical obedience according to their oath , ●eeping now silence , yea going back , bearing & bolstering the things which heretofore by word and wryting they stood against , so long as there was any hope that the Prince & Counsel would have hea●kened vnto them , and put these adversary Prelats out of the Church .

Fourthly , for administration , which is by Law imposed vpon all both Clergie and Laitie , ( for so they distinguish them ) they have gathered their Service book verbatim out of the Masse book , turning out of Latine into English the Suffrages , Prayers , Let any Collects , &c. ( leaving out some of the gross pointes therin ) keping still the old fashio● of Psalmes , Chapters , Pistles , Gospell● versicles , respondes , also T● Deum , Bened●●tus , Magnificat , Nunc dimittis , Our Father Lord have mercy vpon vs , The Lord be wi● you , O Lord open th●w my lyps , Glory to God ● high , Lyft vp your harts , O come let vs reioyc● Glory be to the Father , Quicunque vult , & ● These doe they read dayly morninge an● evening all the yeare long in their priest● vestures , Surplice , cope , &c. some the● saye , and some they sing , having in the Cathedrall Churches , the Organs , Quer●●ters , singing men and boyes , as in tymes pa● in pope●y . Some of them in certaine English books set forth , have reckned above 100. popish corruptions yet reteyned in this Church . Many popish errors yet remayn in that book , which their own preacher have noted , & found fault with . There a● they prescribed what prayers to read ov● the dead , over the co●n & grasse , some time in the yeare . By it are they injoyned ● keep their holy dayes to their Lady ( ● they cal her ) to all Saincts and Angel● to all Christs Apostles , ( except Paul a● Barnabas ) whose eyes they are commande● to fast , as also their Lent & Ember day● besides frydayes and saturdayes throug● out the whole year . By this book are t●● Ministers instructed how to marry , wi● the signe of the Ring , &c. to baptise the hallowed Font , with signe of 〈◊〉 crosse , with Godfathers and Godmothers , asking the child whether it wil forsake the devil and all his works , &c. to minister also their other sacrament or communion to the people kneling , as when in popery they received their maker , the words of Christs institution altered , and others in stead of them taken out of the popes portuis , with innumerable such like enormities and fopperies wherewith it swarmeth . And this is all the worship and service which many parishes have vsually , except peradventure some written Homilies which the vnlearned Priests read vnto them . This service must first be read , and hath the preeminence , even on the Lords dayes , before any preaching , yea before the Bible it self . He that can read this book● distinctly , is fit ynough with them to be a Preist , yea many that have ben Artificers , as Shoemakers , Taylers , Weavers , Porters , &c , and without any giftes or knowledg at all , save only to read English , have ben and are admitted , & to this day maynteyned by the Prelats in the Ministerie .

To these Churches Ministers & Service must all the people there come every daye , yea though they hav in the next parish a Preacher , and in their own a dumb vnlearned Priest , yet are they all tyed to their owne Church and Minister , and must at the least twise a yeare , receve the Sacrament at his hands . If they refuse this , or do not ordinarily come to their parish Church , them are they summoned , excommunicated , & imprisoned tyl they become obedient ▪ In this bondage are our countrymen there held vnder their Priests and Prelats : and such as by the word of God witnes against and condemne these abhominations , they hate , punish , put to death , and persecute out of the Land .

Who now in whom any spark of true light is . cannot playnly perceive this their Ministery worship and Church to be false & adulterate ? Doth Christs eternall testament ordeyn and approve of such popish Lordes and Prelats to reigne over his Church ? Are these , those Christian Bishops that is * * Rom. 12. 1. Cor. 12. Eph. 4. 11. 12 13. Pastors , Teachers , and Elders , which he hath set in his Church and over his owne people vnto the ende of the world ? Or can those Preachers which are thus created and deposed by , thus sworne and obedient vnto their spirituall Lordes , be deemed true Teachers of the Gospell of Christ lawfully called and ordeyned to that Ministerye ? Is that their English Masse the ‡ ‡ Ioh. 4. 24. Mat. 15. 9. trew & spirituall worship of God according to his owne wil ? We are taught in the scriptures † † Deut. 6. 4. 5 Mat. 16. 6. ● Cor. 6. 14. 15. Psal. 106. 34. 35. 36. that there can be no agrement made betwixt Christ and Antichrist , betwixt the Lawes of God and mens traditions ; that the servants of Iesus may not submitt vnto or receive the marke of that Beast , neyther drinke of the cup of the whore of Babylons fornications , or buy any of her wares ; but must | | Iudo . vers. 3. contend for the mayntenance of that saith which was once gyven vnto the saincts , keeping their souls and bodyes pure from Antichristian pollutions , touching ‡ ‡ 2 Cor. 6. 17. Eph. 5. 11. no vnclean thing , nor having any fellowship with the vnfruteful works of darknes , least * * Rev. 18. 4. & 14. 10 , 11. by partaking with their synnes they receve also of their plagues , & drynck of the wyne of the wrath of God , & be tormented in fyre and brimstone , before the holy Angels and before the Lamb for evermore . If Christ be God , let vs follow him : but if the Pope be God , what shall we say ? Why have we left him , his Church and ministery , his worship & jurisdiction , or what halting and mocking with the Lord is this , Mat. 6. 24. to put away the Popes person , 2 Kin. 16. 10 , 11 , 12. Rev●l . 13. 12. 14. 15. and reteyne his Prelacy and Ministery , his Lawes , Traditions and Canons , his worship & service : or at the least to frame vnto our selves a worship Ministery and Church after the patterne and mould of the Apostasy of Rome ? which what other thing is it , then to make an Image of that wild beast , and force men to worship it ?

Thus seest thow briefely ( good Christian Reader ) the thinges which we mislike in the Church of England , and for which we have separated our selves as God commaundeth . 〈◊〉 . 51. 6. Mi● 2. 10. Rev. 18. 4. 2 Cor. 6. 17. To all these , if we were amongst them , should we be forced to submitt our bodyes & soules , or els suffer violence at the handes of the Prelats , 〈…〉 . 40. & end our lives by violent death or most miserable imprisonment , as many of our brethren before vs have done . For so great is the malice and power of those Romysh Priests , that they persecute vnto death such as speak against them : and such poor Christians as they cast into their noysome prysons , can seldome or never get out ( except with shipwrack of conscience ) vntil they be caryed forth vpon the Bere . Neyther is there any care taken for their relief in this case : but being cast into pryson , there they are deteyned without any alloweance of meat or money for their mayntenance , be their want and poverty never so great . If they have any thing of their own , there they are driven to spend it vp : if they have nothing , there they are left by the Prelates to feed on the ayre . And that they may more readily be sterved , or weakened in the truth , they are commonly shut vp in close pryson , their frends & acquayntance being not suffred to come at them : Nay even their wives & children being kept and debarred from them by the tyranny of these bloody Prelats and their Instruments : whose hard harts and vnnaturall cruelty , if thou diddest vnderstand ( gentle Reader ) as many of vs haue felt and to this day yet feel , it would make thy hart to bleed , considering their vnmercyfull and barbarous dealing . And how many soules haue perished in their prisons through miserable vsage , how many have ben put to death , and how many banished , though we could to their eternall infamy relate to all the world , yet wil we not blaze abroad their acts ( for we take no delight in laying open their shame ) but mourne for them in secret , committing our cause to God that judgeth justly , knowing that he that maketh inquisition for blood remembreth it , Psal. 9. 12. and will not forget the complaint of the poore . And thou ( Christian Reader ) vouch safe to remember vnto God in thy prayers such as yet remayne in bandes and pryson amongest them for the testimony of Iesus , Heb. 13. 3. enduring a hard sight of afflictions , and having the sentence of death in them selves , are like ( if the Lord send not vnexspected deliverance ) there to end their dayes .

Concerning our selves , who through the mercy of God have found a place of rest in this land , for which benefyt we are alwayes and every where humbly thankfull : we desyre ( Christian Reader ) thy charitable and Christian opinion of and holy prayers vnto God for vs , whose kingdome we seek , whose ordinances we desire to establish and obey : protesting with good consciences , that it is the truth of his Gospel only for which we strive against those cursed reliques of Antichristian apostasie : vnto which we dare in no wise submit our selves , no not for a moment . For if it be not lawfull for Christians at this day to reteyn the ceremonyes of Moses Law together with the Gospel , as the Passeover , Circumcision , the Priesthood , Sacrifices , &c. Gal. 4. 4. 5. 6. & . 5. 1. 2. Heb. 8. & 9. & 10. chap. which yet were once commanded by God himself : how can we think it tollerable to observe the odious ceremonies of Antichrist , or submit our selves to his lawes , Priesthood , Hierarchie , & traditions , which the Lord never allowed , & which never entred into his heart : yea which he hath so severely forbidden , with fearfull judgments threatned vnto all that shal so do .

But because we have ben very grievously slaundred in our owne nation , and the bruit thereoff hath followed vs vnto this land , whereby we have ben hardly deemed of by many without cause , we have ben forced at length to publysh this brief but true Confession of our fayth , for the clearing of our selves from sclaunder , and satisfying of many who desired to knowe the thinges we hold . Wherein if in any thing we erre ( as who is so perfit that he erreth not ) we crave ( good Reader ) thy Christian brotherly censure and information , promising alwayes ( through the grace of God ) to yeild vnto the truth when it shall be further shewed vs , and leave our errors when by the light of his word they shal be reproved . In lyke manner it shall be thy par● and duty to acknowledge and submytt vnto the truth , by whomsoever it is professed , looking alwayes rather to the preciousnes of the treasure it self then to the basenes of the vessels which conteyne it , 2. Cor. 4. ● or the infirmities of those that witnes the same : in whose mortall bodyes thow shalt see nothing but the markes and dying of our Lord Iesus Christ . Iam. 2. ● . But hold not thy fayth in respect of mens persons , neyther be thow moved at the evyl reports which have ben raised of vs . Here hast thow the trew summe of our Christian saith : try al thinges by the true light of Gods word : and if thou shalt reap any profit by these our labours , give God the glory , and remember vs vnto him in thy prayers . Farewell in Christ Iesus .