I Know, Reader, thou canst not be ignorant of the multitude of Sects, which are scattered here and there about this Kingdome, & how they lye like nests of Caterpillers, destroying our sweet smelling garden roses; this therfore is but as a poroemium to our ensuing discourse; Let not their multitude, because some are suppos'd to be untruths, any way disanull of the verity of ours, for a brother of the same Sect, see­ing the folly which he heretofore had nourished, for a truth hath related, what my unable quill hath strove to write.

For J, the Author, walking in Moore-fields (as my custome is to take the fresh Ayre) met with a brother in a great melancholy, he went a slow pace, his hat o­ver his eyes, & his eyes fixed on the ground, his arms were locked one within the other, vvith all the po­stures of a male-content as possible could be, I noted his carriage a great while, at last being desirous to know something from him, strooke him upon the shoulder with this salute, well overtaken brother.

That very name of Brother was such an enlivning to this discontented man, that hee answered my salute with a welcome; vvell, we walked along together, in which time I was so bold as to enquire from him, what should be the cause of his so sad a melancholy, he answered me first with a sigh, then after some po­stures [Page 4]which told me he was much troubled in mind, he began as followeth.

Sir, you seeme by your habite to be a Scholler and Schollres can both keepe things secret and also give good Counsell to avoid evills which may hang over their heads which are in danger.

I am entangled in a religion which much troubleth my soule, you being a Scholler may therefore un­fold the truth of things unto me; First we attribute a name to our selves, that we might be knowne from all other men, Adamites; and in that we hold all things which hee held and no more: Secondly; we goe all naked whensoever the word is expounded, holding it unlawfull to call those vestments which we weare but figleaves, because our ancient Parents Adam & Eve, did cloath themselves in no other when they fled from the presence of God in the garden of Paradice; Also no man of what degree soever hee bee must live idlely from handy-worke, because it is said in the Curse, In the sweat of thy face, shalt thou eate thy bread, till thou returne unto the ground, Gen. the 3. at the 19. verse. Now Sir, I desire you, that you would tell me, whether yea, or nay, the Father of errors dwell in the hearts of these men. J answered him, that it was very ill done of them, to attribute a name unto them selves, scorning as it were the name of Christians. Let them take heed, lest they bring another Babels confusi­on on their heads, Gen. 12. But in the second point they shew themselves at full to bee very ignorant, or unbeleeving men. Did not our Saviour goe in vest­ments, [Page 5]else the Souldiers could not have cast lots for his garments, John 19. v. 23. Nay the Lord himselfe cloa­thed Adam and Eve with Coats of skins, Gen. the 3. and the 21. verse. The last also is as grosse an absurdi­tie as the first; for some are brought up as Schollers and cannot follow any handicraft at all, and I never read that our Saviour did any handicraft work at all, but said J, if thou wilt have me where I may see the fa­shions of these men, I shall a great deale better resolve thee; I will (said he) but you must make as if you were converted by me, and take your Oath on the barke of a Tree to be secret; I thought with my selfe, that that Oath could not be very prejudicious to me, but went a­long with him, whether he should lead me.

We had not gone far (according as I could guesse) the value of halfe a mile, when wee came to a very faire house (more fit for a Lord, then such fooles) where this fellow knocked, by and by came the Por­ter, vvho knowing of him let him in, and I was also admitted as his friend, soone after we were conducted into a very faire Gallery, at my first entrance I thought J had bin in Long-lane among the Brokers, for it was hanged on both sides with cloathes: this bro­ther whispered me in the eare, and wisht me to doe as he did: well, he walkes up to the upper end of the Gallerie, then had we two Chaires brought us, he sate downe in one, and J in imitation seat my selfe in the other, he presently begins to uncloath himselfe, which I did also, when we were both naked there came an ancient man all naked al­so, with a long white sticke in his hand, [Page 6]and conducted us into a very faire Chamber, where were above ninescore naked persons men and women, one with another: this brother steps before me to the antientest of the company, telling him that it was my great desire to become one of their society, the old man called for the barke of the tree, speaking to me as followeth.

Son, it seemeth by the relation of this our holy bro­ther, that thou art come to bee admitted into our so­ciety, we sweare thee therefore upon this bark which our Father Adam brought with him from forth the garden of Paradice, that thou shalt keepe due houres at meetings, and also keepe it secret both from the eyes and eares of the World: after this was said, hee willed me to bite a piece of the foresaid barke, which me thought indeed was old enough, for infaith it was pestilent tough.

After I had taken my oath to keepe due houres at meetings, and protesting secrecie by biting the old antient bark of a Tree, I was seated by my brother which brought me in, then after the Clark had cryed silence, he that was to prophesie that day was brought led between two, and elevated up to the height of a joyn'd stoole, where without any ceremony at all, he began to bawle what came first into his mind. The first thing he prophesied there (as I remember) vvas the downefall of all Religions except theirs, with many most blasphemous things, which J am both a­fraid and ashamed to write.

Now it was an order among these naked sooles, that if the Plannet of Venus raigned in their lower parts, making them swell for pride, or rather for Lust, then [Page 7]should the Clarke with his long sticke strike down the presumpteous flesh.

This zealous brother which prophesied there, in the very midst of his Discourse was interrupted, and thus it hapned; A zealous sister which sate just op­posite unto him, being somewhat weary of sitting, rose up, now this holy Brother being more lowly minded then was fitting for him, saw something which lay mumpping the upper lip like an old Rab­bet, but sure it was a young Cony, which made his flesh to rise in such an unmeasurable manner, that the old Clarke was forced to use both hands to allay his courage, which put the Prophesier unto such paine, that the whole House could not hold him, but hee would kill the Clark, at length I stept forth, and be­gan to perswade him, which after some heat of words and ravings, hee began to be somewhat pacified; then thus I began to question with him, what if you had kil'd him, said I? He answered, he had not car'd, for he was assured of salvation by the second Adams innocencie, which is Christ Iesus our-Lord.

Another thing I tooke notice of, for after this hur­ly-burly was over betweene the Prophet & the Clark there came a many Women into the Chamber, all naked, also the foremost bearing a naked Child in her armes, as it came from the Mothers wombe, this for­most woman went and kneeled at the feet of the pro­phet, then presently thereupon he cryed Abell, after the name of the second Sonne of our Father Adam. And this is the manner of their Christning children.

Read and judge, whether I am in most fault, now I [Page 8]have revealed it, or if J had kept it secret. They must surely looke for a great plague from God for this their unbeliefe, according to the Psalmist.

If they breake my Statutes, and keepe not my Com­mandements; Then will J visite their transgres­sion with the Rod, and their iniquity with stripes. Psal. 89.31, 32.