News from Ipswitch

News from Ipswich.

CHristian Reader, this is the deploreable News of our present age, that our presses formerly open only to Truth and Piety, are closed up against them both of late, and patent for the most part, to naught but error superstition, and profaneness. Witness those many profane erroneous, impious books, printed within these three years by authority (point-blank against the established doctrine of the Church of England, and his Majesty's pious Declarations ) in defense of Arminianism, Popery, and Popish ceremonies, and which is yet more impious and detestable, against the very morality of the Sabbath, and fourth Commadement: the divine institution, title and entire religious sactification of the Lord's day Sabbath, and the necessity of frequent preaching, (exceedingly pressed in our Homilies, and book of Ordination ) which some of our unpreaching, domineering secular Prelates (out of their Arch-piety towards GOD, and Arch-charity to the people's souls which they seek to murder, (now so far detest, that they not only give over preaching themselves, as no part of their function, and suppress most weekday Lectures in diverse Countries: but have likewise lately shut up the mouths of sundry of our most godly, powerful, painful preachers (who have woon more souls to GOD in a year, than all the Lord's Bishops in England, or the world have done in diverse ages) out of mere malice to Religion and the people's salvation, contrary to the very Laws of GOD and the Realm; strictly prohibited, under pain of suspension, in sundry Diocese, all afternoon Sermons on the Lord's own day: that so the profane vulgar might have more time to dance, play, revel, drink, and profane God Sabbaths, even in these days of plague and pestilence to draw down more plagues and judgments on us, for this sin of Sabbath-breaking, when as not only the Synod of Dort, but sundry Popish Synods and Bishops have been so religious, as to prescribe Two Sermons every Lord's day at least, in every parish Church, to keep the people from such profanations of this sacred Day. Alas, what could Belzebub the Prince of Devils had he been an archbishop or Lordly Prelate here in England (as there were many Devils Bishops, at least, Bishops Devils, in Bernard's age, and most far there are too many now,) have done more against the strict entire sanctification of the Christian Sabbath day to make it the Devils day instead of the Lord's day, and to advance his own kingdom and service on it: or against the frequent powerful preachers, and preaching of God's word, and salvation of the people's souls, then some Luciferian Lord Bishops have lately done? Whose impiety in this kind transcends all presidents whatsoever in former ages. And yet these profane, atheistical graceless persecutors of all holiness, piety, sincerity, godly Ministers, and preaching of God's word (yea in these pestilential times, as means to spread the plague, though the Scripture, and all former ages have prescribed fasting, preaching, and praying, as the chief antidotes and and cure against it ) will needs be Lord Bishops Jure divino, by the holy Ghosts own institution (who never yet instituted any in preaching, rare preaching Prelates or persecutors and suppressors of preaching ) and shame not to style themselves, the godly holy fathers of our Church, and pillars of our faith, when as their fruits and actions manifest them to be naught else but the very Step-fathers, and Caterpillars, the very pests and plagues of both. Take but one fresh instance for an example: these desperate Archagents for the Devil, and Pope of Rome, and Master underminers of our Religion as they were the only instruments of delaying the present general fast in the beginning of the pestilence, when it was most acceptable and requisite; So to show their inveterate malice against preaching the thing that the Devil wrestleth most against all, whose study hath been to decay the office of preaching, which should not be deminished, they contrary to his Majesty's pious intention who hath so oft protested against all innovations ) have cunningly caused all sermons (the very life and soul of a Fast, as being the only means to humble men for their sins, and bring them to repentance) to be prohibited on the fast day both in London and the Suburbs, and in all other infected places, during the time of the infection in them; in parishes not infected, (as if preaching only of all God's ordinances were pestilenciall, and that on the Fast day, and not on others) contrary to the presidents of all former ages, and the Orders for the general fasts in the two last great plagues, which prescribed two sermons of one hour long a peace, forenoon and afternoon every fast day, and that as well in parishes infected as others: even in the Summer season, when in the infection was more contagious and raging than now. By which device they have not only made this fast distasteful to all sorts of men in infected places, who have little heart unto it, robbed the poor of much charitable relief, and deprived the people of the spiritual food and Physic of their souls, when they need and desire it most, to their intolerable grief and discontent, but quite suppressed all settled Wensday Lectures in London, and other infected Towns, as long as the infection shall continue in any one parish, though it should last these seventh years the thing they principally aimed at:) forced many Ministers and people to fly out of infected places to the Country, to keep their fasts, where there is preaching brought in a famine of God's word, the greatest plague of all others, to the increasing and further spreading of the present Pestilence, and drawing down of God's wrath upon us to the uttermost, by inhibiting Ministers in the time of greatest need to preach unto the people that they may be saved. O heavens stand amazed at this unparreled practice of impious popish prelates! But is this all? No verily. For where as his Majesty commanded, that the book of common prayer for the fast, formerly set forth by his authority upon the like occasion should be reprinted; these Romish Inquisitors have miserably gelded it, after it was new printed, in sundry particulars. First, they have purged out the prayer for seasonable weather, one cause of the shipwrecks, and tempestuous unseasonable weather, ever since its publication. Secondly, they have dashed the Lady Elizabeth and her children, in the old Collect, quite out of the new; as they have expunged both them with our gracious King, Queen, and their children out of the catologue of God's elect, by bloating out this clause (who art the father of thine elect and of their seed) out of the Collect for them in this and all new Common prayer books, as if they were all reprobates, and none of the number of God's elect, either to a temporal or an eternal crown. O intolerable impiety, affront, and horrid treason. Thirdly, they have left out this Collect, It had been best for us, &c. in the new book (though the most effectual prayer of all) because it magnifies continual, often preaching of God's word, and the Scriptures, and calls our powerful preachers God's servants. A sign these Prelates have conspired together like so many execrable traitors, to extirpate our frequent powerful preachers, and continual preaching of God's word (as they have done in many places of late ( though prescribed by God himself and our Homilies Fourthly, they have dashed this remarkable clause out of the first Collect, Thou hast delivered us from superstition and idolatry (two grand causes both of many former, and our present plagues no doubt) wherein we were utterly drowned, and hast brought us into the most clear and comfortable light of thy blessed word: by which we are taught how to serve and honor thee, and how to live orderly with our neighbors in truth and verity: the rest of the Collect remaining as before. Now what can be the cause of this strange purgation, but a resolved professed conspiracy of these Romish Prelates, even now again utterly to drown us in popish superstition and idolatry (which have now drowned us in God's judgments, by their stupendous late increase among us) and to remove us out of the most clear and comfortable light of God's word, whereby we are taught how to serve and honor him, the true cause why they now suppress Lectures, preaching and suspend our powerfullest Preachers everywhere; that so we may walk on in romish hellish darkness, serving and honoring the Pope and Devil instead of God, and live in all disorder with truth and verity. Fifthly, in the sixth order for the fast, they have pared away this passage. To avoid the inconvenience that may grow by the abuse of fasting; Some esteeming it a meritorius work, others a good work, and of it self acceptable to God without due regard of the end, Only to gratify the Papists, whose doctrine is this, and to place some merit in this present fast: adding this clause to it, in places where Sermons are allowed by the Proclamation; of purpose to put down Wednesday Lectures, and preaching in London and other places where any Parish is infected. If these Prelates then be thus disperately wicked and Popish, as to take advantage of God's judgments, to suppress the Preaching and Preachers of his Word, when it is most necessary and useful, and to countenance, justify, and set up Popery, superstition, idolatry, error and disorder (the chief causes of our plagues) even in these days of pestilence, and that is the very Fasbooks to abuse and mock God to his face, to dishonor his Majesty and grieve his people's souls; how transcendently impious and popish will they prove, when God shall stay this plague if they be not now deservedly punished for these their notorious impieties? And is it not high time then for his Majesty to hang up such Archtraytors to our faith, Church, Religion, and such true-bred sons to the Roman Antichrist, (from whom Dr. Pocklington boasts they are lineally descended ) and to execute judgment on them for these strange purgations, and other their Romish Innovations, whereat the whole Kingdom cry shame, which breed a general fear of a sudden alteration of our religion? Certainly till his Majesty's shall see these purgations rectified, superstition and idolatry removed God's Sabbaths duly sanctified, the suppressed Preachers and preaching of God's word restored, and hang up some of these Romish Prelates and Inquisitors before the Lord as the Gibonites did the seven sons of Saul, we can never hope to abate any of God's plagues, or draw down any of his blessings on us by such a fast, and Fastbooke as this, but augment his plagues and judgments more and more, which have strangely increased since this fast begun, contrary to all human reason and probability, whereas it much decreased before; the total number dying of the plague, the week before the fast being but 458. and 58. parishes infected, and the very first week of the fast 838 (treble the number the second last greatest plagues) and 67 parishes infected Cambridge, Norwich, Hamton, Bath, and other eminent places clear before, being likewise visited since this fast begun; a clear evidence, that GOD is much offended with these purgations, and the restraint of preaching on the fast day, against which some Prelates are so mad, that they have silenced, and persecuted divers Ministers since the fast proclaimed, there being now so many suspended in our Norwich Diocese, only for not yielding to popish innovation, that in sundry Churches they have neither prayers, preaching, nor fasting, which hath brought the plague among them, and made the people at their wits ends, many Ministers and people there having left the Kingdom, and thousands more being ready to depart the Land, there being never such a persecution or havoc made among God's Ministers since Q. Mary's days, as a lecherous proud insolante Prelate hath there lately made against all Laws of God and man, to the astonishment of the whole Realm. What then can we expect but plague upon plagues, till such desperate persecutors be cut off, and God's Word and Ministers restostored unto their former liberty, by our most gracious Sovereign, persecution of God's Ministers and people being on chief cause of plagues? Wherefore O England, England, if ever thou wilt be free from pests and judgments, take notice of these thy Antichristian Prelates, desperate practices, innovations, and popish designs, to bewail, oppose, redress them withal thy force and power: O all ye English Nobles, Courtiers and other, who have any love or spark of religion, piety, zeal, and tenderness of his Majesty's honor, or care for the people's, the Church, or kingdoms safety yet remaining within your generous breast putt to your helping hands and prayers, to rescue our Religion, and faithful Ministers, now suspended, from the jaws of these devouring ^o wolves, and tyrannizing Lordly Prelates (raised from the dunghill) who make havoc of them both. O our most pious King Charles, as thou hast in two several Declarations, protested before God to all thy loving Subjects, That thou wilt never give way to the licensing or authorising of anything, whereby ANY INNOVATION IN THE LEAST DEGREE may creept into our church, nor never connive at ANY BACKSLIDING TO POPERY; and that it is my hearts desire, to be found worthy of that title which thou esteemest the most glorious in all thy Crown, Defender, of the faith, so now behold these desperate innovations, purgations, and Romish practices of thy Prelates, in open affront of these thy Declarations; and now or never show thyself (as we all hope, believe, and pray thou wilt) a Prince more worthy of this glorious Title, than any of thy royal progenitors, by rooting all Popery, superstition, idolatry, errors, innovations, out of this Church and Kingdom, by restoring the Preaching, the Preachers of God's word, and purity of his worship, and taking vengeance on these perfidious Prelates, who have thus gelded thy Fast-book (and intend to make an Index expurgatorious upon all other ancient English Writers, ere they be reprinted, a thing conconsiderable) thus openly abused thy only Sister, and her Children, now present with thee: oppressed and grieved thy faithful Subjects, dishonored thy God, betrayed thy religion, increased the plague among thy people, and as much as in them lieth, robbed thee both of thy God's and people's loves, and pulled thy Crown off thy Royal head, to set it on their own traiterous, ambitious pats, by exercising all ecclesiastical power, yea Papal jurisdiction over thy Subjects in their own names, and rights alone: and by trampling all thy laws and Subjects liberties like Cobwebs, thy Subjects like Dogs and dirt, under their tyrannical Papal feet. If thou thus execute judgment on them, and ease thy people from their intolerable tyranny, no doubt this plague shall be eased, and this fast be pleasing to the Lord: else he will not except it, but proceed to plague more and more: O blessed Sovereign, that thou didst but hear the several cries and outcries of thy people against these persecuting Prelates in many places, especially in our Norwich Diocese, where little Pope Regulus hath played such Rex, that he hath suspended above 60. of our sincerest painefullest conformable Ministers, both from their Office and Benefices, so as many of our Churches (as the like was never since King Johns days) are quite shut up and Lord have mercy upon us may be written on their dootes: the people cry for the bread of their souls, and their Ministers are prohibited to give it them; This not only wounds, but breaks their hearts, and makes them amazed. O therefore Gracious Sovereign help now, and hear the Petitions, Cries and Tears of thy poor people, and hang up these Popelings for these and other their innumerable oppressions, extortions, innovations, and harms, who suspend, imprison, and ruin others for mere toys and trifles, yea for defending your royal Prerogative against their Papal usurpations.

This is all the news I shall not impart in this Coranto, the next week God-willing ye shall here of Mr. Dade his excommunicating of Ferdinando Adams, a Church-warden in our Town, for not blotting out of this sentence of Scripture written on Mr. Wards Church-wall over his bawdy thievish Court. It is written, My house shall he called an house of Prayer, but ye have made it a den of thieves; which excommunication is of record in Starchamber; of our Bishops, commanding. Woe is me if I preach not the Gospel, out of Mr. Scots Church, and of the strange proceedings at Colechester against Mr. Samuel Burrowes, for inditing Parson Necoman for railing in the Communion Table Altar-wise, and causing the Communicants to come up to the rail to receive, in a new accustomed manner, contrary to the Statute of 1. Eliz. c. 2. and his Majesty's Declarations, this last Machealmas Sessions: which Indicement the Grand-Jury hath found, but his Majesty yet can get no judgment. In the mean time, I shall conclude my News with the words of Patrick Adamson, archbishop of St. Andrew's in his public recantation in the Synod of Fiffe, April. 8. 1591. That the office of a Diocesian bishop hath no authority at all to support it in the Word of God, that it is only founded on the political device of men; that the primacy of the Pope or Antichrist sprung from it, that it is worthily condemned, and that it hath been for 50. years, and more, the chief original and Instrument of suppressing the Preaching of God's Word in all Kingdoms, as all Ecclasiasticall Historians testify: I therefore shall close up all with the Collect on St. Matthias day; Almighty God, which in the place of the traitor Bishop Judas did choose thy faithful servant Matthias, to be of the number of the 12. Apostles: Grant that thy Church, being always preserved from false Apostles, may be ordered and guided by faithful and true Pastors, through Jesus Christ our Lord. And with the Collect on St. Peters day, Almighty God, which by the Son Jesus Christ hath given to thy Apostle St. Peter many excellent gifts, and commandest him earnestly to feed thy Flock: make (we besecch thee) all Bishops and Pastors diligently to Preach thy holy Word, and the people obediently to follow the same, that they may receive the Crown of everlasting glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.