MOst dearely beloved, now we are congregated and gathered toge­ther in the feare of the Lord, like an innocent and harmlesse Flock of sheep in this holy place, much like that Garden of Paradise wherein our first parents Adam and Eve were placed, Let us (my holy Bre­thren, and more holy sisters) imitate their examples, for you know they were naked, which is to say (if we rightly expound it) they were naked or without Cloathes: therefore let us lay aside and set apart these unsan­ctified and wicked weeds, these ragges of ungodlinesse, and prophane Re­licks of sin, that is to say our Cloathes; not only Gownes and Breeches, Peticoats and Doublets; but also our shirts and smocks, especially be­cause they are of the colour white, and like to the whore of Babylons su­perstitious smock, with whom the wicked commit the act of Adulterie.

To which purpose I have made choyse of a Text, and will by the ho­ly assistance of Inspiration, Interpret, Expound, and Prophesie. There­fore with holy attention, I charge & command you to give eare (for I hope none of our Sect have ever lost theirs) and mark, as you shall find it thus registred and recorded (or that the infants of grace may plainly under­stand) printed in the [...] Chapter of Genesis, and the [...] Verse, the words are these: And they were both naked; And they were both na­ked. Beloved, such is the sweetnesse of these words that I am loath to lose the taste of them out of my mouth, but to satisfie the expectation of this faire assembly, according to the motion of the Spirit I shall prophe­ [...]ie: Marke, beloved, and give attention to the sound of the words: And they were both naked: They are words indeed of pleasure for all the sen­ces. No question but the Prophet Genesis himselfe was naked when hee writ these words. Beloved by these words understand a twofold naked­nesse; [Page 5] The first is a nakednesse, or being voyd or expert of garments to cover the body: whereunto a nakednesse of sin is incident, and appertai­ning to the naked of Garments; or to explaine it more fully, they that weare no cloathes, weare no coverings for sin.

The second is a nakednesse of stone-walls, and windowes full of Idola­trous pictures, Organs that bellow like the Beast of Rome, or to interpret it more plainly: Nakednesse of a Church, is the third nakednesse meant and understood in my Text: of all which, by the assistance of the Spirit, in their order. And first for nakednesse of garments▪

Those that are naked, and uncloathed have no covering for their sins, whereas, those that are cloathed in fine raiment, like Dives spoken of in the Evangelist, have the visible markes of the beast: they are proud, haughtie, and ambitious, they are gluttons and surfet with the Banners of pride: many weare Cloaks for their sins, yea, brethren and sisters double Cloaks, yea though they be short Cloaks, yet they are lin'd with Plush, they are out-landish plush cloaks, they smell of cursed Mahomet. Others my beloved brethren and Sisters, weare Cloaks of red Scarlet, side, large, and downe to the hams, which are indeed covers for their sins that are as red as scarlet; they are popish and idolatrous, for they are invented by the French: they weare also locks, like the curled locks of Antichrist, to cover their eares, as if they were all Scriveners: long haire is the ensigne of pride, and the world is full of these ensignes. Nay my beloved, those that are the chiefe heads and Governours of the King­dome, the punishers of vice, maintaine it in themselves, by wearing side and long robes of Purple, and Scarlet, under which are hid innumerable multitudes of iniquities. Nay, moreover, my beloved Brethren and Si­sters, the popish Bishops doe gird sin to them, and keep it close, as if they were in love with it, under their Canonicall Cassocks, which are bound to them with Leviticall Sursingles, and upon them they wear large Surplices, made of fine linnen, like Dives that is spoken of before, and they weare upon them Gownes of beyond-sea Satlens; the very name whereof is Idolatrie, because it is a cousin German to Saten: thus much for Habits. Now to the next poynt of Nakednes, which is nakednesse of a Church, They were naked, that is to say, without a Church.

Now beloved, we must consider what a Church is. A very zealous Brother had the unhappinesse to be a bookish Scholler, and to understand the prophane language of Rome, but before his death he was verie peni­tent for it, and sorrowed exceedingly. He said the name of a Church in the Idolatrous Latin tongue was Ecclesia, which is derived from a Greek word, [...], which signifies to call, and that is the reason those [Page 6] prophane things called Bells were first invented so call the people to the Church. Beloved, I say it is Idolatrie to have Bells in t [...]e Chu [...]ch, in regard they call men thither, whereas they ought indeed to bee guided by the motions of the Spirit, and so congregate themselves together, and not be called together by those musicall Bells, Bels that doe ring Idola­trie in Changes. There are in those Idolatrous Churc [...]es [...]reat bel owing Organs, that roare like the great beast of Rome, which the wicked say is to stirre up their devotion. Oh beloved, this ought nor to be so, I am sure it is otherwis [...] with us, who (whilst wee are in this Parke) are in innocence like our Father: our devotion is more zealous, which is one­ly moved by the Spirit, and not by the calling together, and compulsion of the Bells and Organs. These wicked beloved, sing their prayers in prick song, they keep men and boyes purposely for singing, which are clothed in white Raiments, they provide houses for them in Pe [...]ty Ca­nons; Beloved, I know you are not ignorant what Canons are, Canons I say, that were invented by the Arch-Prelate of Lambeth, wherein was included that Portentous Monster, &c. Now the singing men live in the Petty Canons, what then are the Great Ca [...]ons? Then the Ministers that preach in those Churches are learned and skilfull in the varietie of tongues such as were at the confusion of Babel, which I hope will be the confusion of their Church; for it was the confusion of languages that pul­led downe that high steeple, that Grantham spire steeple of Babel: They speake in that Idolatrous tongue Latine so boldly as they doe in the Masses, and without contradictions my beloved, they give Logicall Rea­sons too which is most ab [...]ominable: they read prayers likewise upon the book, and not pray by the motion of the spirit that reigneth within them: and beloved more th [...]n all this, they pe [...]forme these superstitious offices in their Cloathes, which is more abhominable than all the rest; for were their actions never so good, being done in their cloaths, it is most prophane. Moreover beloved in these Churches there are great windowes, nay pain­ted windowes, I say unto you windowes full of Images and Pictures; and the wicked doe kneele when they pray, and doe look upon these Ima­ges, which is meere poperie it selfe: they also marrie and give in marriage in those Churches, which is altogether to be abhor'd, which is a great hindrance to propagation, when a man is tyed to one woman.

These my dearely beloved, are infallible signes of poperie nourished in their hearts, and expressed in their actions: but there is one thing more cherished and favoured as their chiefe darling, which I am afraid is a sin so name. Beleeve me brethren, it sticks in my iawes very hard, it is a Crosse, 'tis a Crosse I say: Do not they set upon their Idolatrous Chur­ches [Page 7] the Crosse? Do not they build in the middle of their Cities Crosses and put heads of Gold upon them? Do they not make Percullices for the Citie gates with crosse beames in them? Do they not suffer the Lettices, or ensignes of the house of the beast with seven heads and ten hornes, I meane of Tavernes and Ale houses, to bee made with crosse barres? Doe they not set up signes to their houses, (which shew there is nothing but poperie within) of the Crosse Keyes? Doe they not picture Saint Laurence a crosse his Gridfron? Doe they not make the bottome of their Andirons in crosses? Are not their bed cords a crosse? Are not the Leads in their windowes a crosse? are not their two-handed swords made in forme of a Crosse? Is not their coyne, as shillings, six pences, and the like, full of Crosses? Our well affected brethren the Scots are enemies to those Idolatrous crosses, who make their two pences with Roses and Thistles upon them? have not their gold of 11. shillings the Daggers a crosse? Doe they not lay Sacks upon the backs of their hor­ses a crosse? Are not the Spokes of Coach-wheeles a Crosse? are not the horses harnesses made a crosse: And moreover, lest they should not have enough of Crosses, doe they not name their streets Red Crosse street, and White-crosse street? Nay more than this, doe they not set watch-men every night to attend the headlesse Crosse in Barbicane with Halberts that are a crosse? My beloved they deale with many more crosses, which the Spirit will not suffer me to name; But I will prophe­sie the destruction of these Crosses; Thou Crosse in Cheap-side shalt bee deprived of thy h [...]ad, for thou art a Traytor; Thou art like tho Image that Nebuchadnezzar set up, thou hast a head of Gold: thy barres about thee shall not desend thee, thou shalt downe, and the Idols which thou bearest about thee shall downe also; thou shalt bee like thy Idolatrous sister in the Strand, th [...]u shalt be rob'd of thy riches, have thy head cut off, and bee made a by-word to the Brethren. Thou Tottenham high Crosse, thou high place of Tottenham, thy steps shall bee degraded, and the Boyes shall no more fall downe and worship thee. Thou prophane Tayler that sittest crosse leg'd, thy hands shall be troubled with the Fel­lon, [...]hy knuckles shall be troubled with the itch: bread for thy sake shall mould, an [...] for want of it thou shalt eat thy owne vermin [...]; tho bills shal be rent in the middle and thou shalt dye a begger. Thou Cobler, that draw­est thy threds a crosse, the Sole thou tak'st in hand to translate shall fleet; for thy sake the patent for Leather shall be renued, it shall be transported into [...]ra [...]ce: thy old Boots hanging at thy shall shall bee mouldie, and none shall buy them, thou shalt pawne thy Aule for drinke, and thy end shall bee in the stall. Thou wicked Waterman, that does crosse [Page 8] the Water, there shall be for thy sake a great presse, so that thou shalt for­sake the River: when thou returnest, thou shalt see fires and Coaches upon the Thames, and the first Faire thou carriest after, thou shalt bee paid with the P. and say I thanke you mistresse: these plagues my belo­ved shall fall upon these Idolatrous Crosses, and their Adorers. Nay more, the very name of Crosse shall be utterly abolished. Let not your Daughters my dearely beloved, sit like Taylors crosse leg'd, it will hin­der the encrease of the godly: Let not your old men goe crosse gariered, nor goe with crutches under their armes, that are made like Crosses, for it is poperie in the abstract: Do not covet to enter their idolatrous Chur­ches for they are abhominable: This our assembly is more holy than their consecrated Church: the green Liverie of these trees more pleasant than their painted windowes; the Summer apparell of the earth more delightfull and softer by far than their stones: the chirping of these pret­ty birds more melodious than their howling Organs; and lastly, our na­kednesse Innocence, and their vestments Idolatrous; nay, they are popish and superstitious in all their actions: but good brethren and sisters, be not seduced by them, for they be wicked, abhominable, and prophane.

But beloved brethren, and more beloved sisters, it is no wonder, though they be altogether Idolatrous, when their verie bread that is their chiefe nourishment, is Crosse Buns, which is Idolatrous, and is made of corne that is ground by a wicked Miller, who hath carried it in a Sack crosse his shoulders, I say, crosse his sholders, and hath ground it in a Wind­mill, the Sailes whereof are crosse: And my beloved, as if this were not Idolatrie sufficient, they cloath their sailes with cloathes, and never thinke of the golden saying, And they were both naked.

We therefore, my dearely affected, that are voyd of these superstitious coverings, not onely Cloathes, but also Churches, for we prophesie in the open fields as our Father Adam did in the garden of Eden, must needs be in the state of innocence, as he was, for we have not so much as fig-leaves upon us: let us therefore reioyce exceedingly, and expresse our ioy in the lively act of Generation, and propagation of the godly, that may bee borne naked as we are at this present. And so much for this time.