REuerend Fathers and Brethren , 1. Cor. 14.29 . ● 31.32.33 . beloued and longed for in the Lord : The blessed Apostle putting downe some certaine precepts or Canons concerning the sacred Schooles of prophesie , obserueth ( in effect ) this following order . First , hee permitteth the Prophets to speake by two or by three , appointing the other Prophets to determine vprightlie of that which they speake : and then next , hee decreeth , that if any thing be reuealed to another which sitteth by , the former should be silent a time , and the other man speake , because all ( being thereunto called ) may prophesie one by one , that all may learne , and all may haue comfort . Howbeit , least any the Prophets should happily presume ( vpon this his permission ) to speake at their pleasure , the Apostle forthwith ( for auoyding disordered confusion ) subiecteth the spirits of the Prophets to which more is ( if wee found them able to mannage their matters ) to giue them the hand of fellowship concerning their doubtfull cause . Or if happily ( vpon better deliberation ) they yeelded the question to vs : wee protested further , to conceale their secret being , vntill some good course might forthwith be taken for informing authoritie as well of their present conformitie , as also for procuring their speedie deliuerance from the Ecclesiasticall censures , so farre foorth as possiblie might be effected .

Sixtly , beholding the holie Religion of Christ verie shrewdly scandalized , by reason of such falsely pretended miracles : we knew ( in our conscience ) we might doe nothing at all against the truth , 2. Cor. 13.8 . but for the truth , and therefore not possiblie conceale those truthes which the Lord hath discouered vnto vs .

Seuenthly , our holy established Religion being verie scornefully derided with Papists and Atheists , as a Religion that needeth now at length to be presentlie supported by superfluous miracles : we verely perswaded our selues , that no good Christian heart could possiblie forbeare his best endeuour to stay their intemperate courses .

Eightly , Master Darel and his fellowes very confidently persisting in the vnhappie support of those their newly broached opinions , hath mightily moued our hearts , Iude. 22.23 . to haue ( at the least ) a compassion of some , by putting a difference , and othersome again to saue with feare , by pulling them violently forth of the fire .

Ninthly , their deceitful and coloured kind of proceeding , in that they not onely pretend an holie cause , but which more is , doe varnish the same with holy pretences , with faire words and flattering speeches , Rom. 16.18 . to intangle ( if possiblie they may ) the very hearts of the simple : hath made vs the more carefully to discouer vnto all the world , what lurking poyson lieth shrowded vnder those glorious pretences .

Lastlie , who would not both speake and write whatsoeuer they conscionablie knowe concerning these causes , if hee but respect ( as in conscience hee ought ) that shamefull reproch which Master Darell and his fauourits ( like disordered persons ) doe verie iniuriouslie impose vpon the whole land , D. Doctrine pag. 88. vpon Magitracie , Ministery and people in these following words . Wee doubt not ( say they ) but that other nations and kingdomes about vs , will both giue credit to this matter of fact , so soone as they shall heare thereof , and see how the same hath been witnessed vpon the oathes of many : and will also receiue the Doctrine of possession and dispossession , which we so much haue gaine-saide . Blush then oh England , and be thou ashamed of this thy incredulitie , which is such as the like thereof hath not bin read nor heard of before : for others haue yet acknowledged the worke which hath been done in them , but thou hast not gone so farre , but rather denied the same . Loe , these ( in effect ) be the maine occasions themselues , which moued vs especially to labour these matters .

Now next , The maine ends which the authors propounded in writing . Psal. 122.6.7 . the principall ends which we propound to our selues in publishing our labours , are these that follow . Namely , we haue ( first ) done it , to testifie our hearts desire for the timely accomplishment of Ierusalems peace .

Secondly , to make knowne to the world , our prouident care for the speedie preuenting of euery such future disordered courses , Tit. 1.10.11 . as happily might preiudice the whole , or any part of Gods truth , as heretofore the Brownists and Hackets haue too inconsideratlie effected , by their vnruly and headie conceits .

Againe , when as their published pamphlets are pestered full of apparant contradictions , the one very cruellie giuing a countercheck , and cutting the throate of the other , as hereafter appeareth : 1. King . 22.22 . Ioh. 8.44 . how may we iustlie imagine that any other then an erronious and a lying spirit should be the primarie inditor thereof : Ioh. 14.17 . seeing the holie spirit of God , is the spirit of truth , euermore but one and the same , and leadeth men alwayes into all soundnes of truth and Religion .

Againe , when as they do nothing in effect , but accuse and sclaunder throughout their seuerall pamphlets they care not whome : Reuel. 12.10 . what drawes them thereto , but a diuellish satanicall spirit ? sith the Diuell ( you know ) hath euermore beene the accuser of our brethren .

If they haplie imagine , that those whom they accuse or slaunder , are but beasts and no brethren at all : we answere , that is much more then they are able to know , and we hold them no competent Iudges , concerning such cases especially as the Lord hath purposely reserued to his proper Consistorie , Deut. 29.29 . and appropriated wholly to his owne iudgement seate .

Neither shall it suffice to say , that ( howsoeuer they be thought to accuse , or to slaunder ) they speake but the truth of euery of them : because , if that were so indeede , yet they do it vntrulie , in as much as they do it only to reproch , and to slaunder the persons of men , and not to reforme their supposed disorders . For , neither do they proceede therein by a iudiciall course , Exod. 20.16 . neither yet are they iudiciallie called to testifie against them : and so , not only they breake the ninth commaundement , but ( which more is ) they do very daungerouslie scandalize the minds of so many in the land , as ( being but ignorant before of those their falslie supposed crimes ) are now ( by their clamorous accusations ) vncharitablie drawne into an hard conceit against their persons . D. Doctrine , pag. 86. Whether this be not a diuellish Satanicall spirit , let M. Darel himselfe determine : who doth very confidently affirme , that so many as are giuen to cursing and lying , to speake euill of persons which are in authoritie , to rayling , reuiling , sclaundering , hatred , and such like , they are vndoubtedlie the children of the Diuel , who himselfe was a liar , Ioh. 8.44 . and a murderer from the beginning .

Briefly , when we behold them throughout their whole pamphlets , not only to impugne her Maiesties high Commission concerning ecclesiasticall persons and causes , but ( which more is ) by toong , by penne , by practize , and such other apparant shewes of vndutifull subiects , to resist her highnesse authoritie , and ( which is worst of all ) euen then to accomplish euerie of these , when they were by God forbidden , by her highnesse restrayned , by due order of lawe conuented , conuicted , apprehended , imprisoned , by the sentence of Iustice definitiuely condemned for grosse malefactors , adiudged to prison ; and so consequentlie by God himselfe , by her excellent Maiestie , by course of lawe , by all good conscience , and by the approued practise of all holie Martyrs , enioined eftsoones to a dutifull silence : whence come these vnrulie proceedings I pray you , but from such a rebellious spirit , as neither for feare , Rom. 13.5 . nor for conscience can be made to subiect it selfe to Gods sacred ordinance , but prowdlie resisteth the same , Rom. 13.2.3.4 . and so procureth the sword of Iustice to be vnsheathed against themselues , and to take vengeance on them , as vnrulie and turbulent spirits ?

Thus then , the truth of the premisses , is verie apparant you see , as well by the seuerall pamphlets , as by the spirit it selfe , which may well be supposed to be the indighter thereof . And therefore we would to God ( good christian Readers ) you could suffer vs a little in our foolishnes : 2. Cor. 11.1.2.3.4 . and in very deede you do suffer vs . For , we are iealous ouer you with a godlie iealousie , because we labour to prepare you for one husband , and to present you as a pure virgin to Christ . Howbeit , we feare , least as the Serpent beguiled Euah through his subtiltie , so your minds should be corrupt from the simplicitie that is in Christ . For , if these men do preach another Iesus then him whom others haue preached before , or , if you receiue another spirit then that which you haue receiued ; either yet an other Gospell then that which was taught you before : you might well haue admired their persons , approued their practises , and so desirouslie haue entertained their factious pamphlets . Notwithstanding , when there are no such matters at all as you haplie imagine , why haue they so stronglie bewitched your minds , Gal. 3.1 . that you should not obey the truth , to whom Iesus Christ hath bin described in your sight , and among you crucified ? They do ring in your eares , and would beare you in hand , that they only but display that authenticall power of the Lord , which others doe darken : as though all other saue onely themselues did daylie obscure the glorious scepter of Christ ; and herein also ( by the preposterous approbation of their vnderhand fauourets ) they haue gotten a popular applause . But wherein will they not very fitlie resemble Sulpitius , Plutarch . in Silla . a man fearefully confect in all kind of mischiefe ? who hauing ( by the voyce of the vulgar sort ) very peremptorilie passed a Decree , that no Senatour should borow aboue two hundred Crownes at the most , was found at his death to owe thirtie thousand himselfe . So surely , these men do seeme with the vulgar sort to dislike that any should darken the glorious power of the Lord : whereas they them selues do obscure it the most of all others . For ( howsoeuer they wholie pretend to vphold the kingdome of Christ ) what do they else by those their iollie pretences , but couer themselues ( as we say ) with a wet sack ? For , it will euidentlie appeare by the following discourses , that none haue more dangerouslie trampled downe the dignitie of Christ then themselues : and yet ( as if the Crow had engendred the Swanne ) these men forsooth , they will seeme now to build vp the dignitie they destroyed before .

Perhaps thou wilt say or surmize at the least , that we our selues ( by omitting , and taking what part of their pamphlets might make most for our owne purpose ) haue therein euen purposely maymed their writings , and foyled the very force of their cause . Our answer is this , we haue carefullie quoted the page it selfe , from whence we do drawe our seuerall collections : and therefore , let the learned determine , whether we haue any where abstracted their pamphlets besides their purposed scope , or haue otherwise pretermitted any thing materiall , which might but ( in shew ) either mannage or further their cause : and God forbid , but that we should very willinglie acknowledge and redresse the offred wrong . In deede , we haue purposelie pretermitted many impertinent vagaries , extrauagant speeches , idle excursions , needles dilatations , friuolous amplifications , and humorous illustrations , which ( like vnto vglie botches , and swelling tumours ) do filthilie disfigure the bodie it selfe , and are nothing materiall , but meerely superfluous , because the very ground-worke it selfe whereon they seeme to be builded , is ouersandie or weake to support such a combersome frame : very confidentlie concluding withall , that for vs to answere their nothing , with something , would be ( in the iudgement of the learned ) a labour worth nothing . For , what do they ( by such their clamorous outcryes ) but deale with their ignorant Readers , as the foolish huntsman deales with his hounds , who by his crying so , ho , before the game it selfe be on foote , or , first found at the least : do but set the vnskilfull hounds at an idle gaze . Our Antagonists in deede , they do keepe a clamorous coyle against the impugnings of any their pestilent practises , and tels i● in the eares of all the world , that ( do the aduersaries what they are able ) their wisedome forsooth , Math. 11.19 . it must and shall be iustified of all her children : as though they thought it but an easie matter to breake an Eele with their knee , or to build vp the roofe without a foundation . Howbeit , they haue herein verie earnestlie solicited sundrie of our honorable Iudges and Magistrates , and presumed to prescribe them their seuerall courses , concerning anie their iudiciall proceedings against their persons : forgetting belike that they who take in hand to limit authoritie , are like vnto such as seeke to stay the course of the Sunne . They should rather acknowledge with Plutarch , that it is vnfitting for him who falleth , to lift vp : who knoweth nothing , to teach : who is disordered , to order : who is vnrulie , to rule : or , who cannot himselfe obey , to commaund obedience to others . It had beene much better for them to haue trulie learned their dutie to God and their Prince , before they had so prowdly presumed to pester the Church with such vndutifull and disordered Pamphlets . Howbeit , because they haue publisht abroade such perilous points without any respect of Princes authoritie , or due regard of the Churches peace : it shall not be amisse to tell to their faces , that they haue therefore iustlie deserued the selfesame recompence , which Alexander Seuerus gaue to his friend Vetronius Turmius : namely , vt fumo pereant , qui fumum vendunt , that they perish with smoake , who sell forth smoake . For what other thing else do they set forth to sale , but such fuming smoke , as is readie to breake forth into dangerous firie flames ?

Beware therefore good christian Reader , that thou increase not the fire alreadie kindled , by blowing a popular applause into the wide open eares of any those turbulent spirits . Be not too credulous or rash in intertayning their Bookes as the approued oracles of Apollo Pythius at Delphos . Seneca . 1. Thes. 5.21.22.23.24 . Know this for a certaine , that euerie light beliefe is none other thing else but a foolish document . Therefore , try all things , and keepe that which is good : abstayne from all appearance of euill .

Now the verie God of peace sanctifie you throughout ; and we pray God that your whole spirit , and soule and bodie may be kept blameles vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ . Faithfull is he which calleth you , who also will do it : Amen .

Rom. 15.30.31 . And now brethren , wee beseech you for our Lord Iesus Christs sake , and for the loue of the spirit , that you would striue together with vs , by prayers to God for vs : that we may be deliuered from them which are disobedient in Iudea , Isa. 9.6 . Rom. 15.33 . and , that our seruice which we haue to do at Ierusalem may be acceptable among the Saints of God . Thus the God of peace be with you all , Amen .