WOe and alas, the day of abſolution is at hand whereby wee ſhall be freed from our ſinnes of ſuperſtition a • d worſhipping of God in his Service with ſuperfluous Ceremonies, which now is termed by many Idolatrous rags of Popery, the originall whereof they ſay came from the Pope, which is called Antichriſt, and introduced into our Church by the great Patriarch at Lambeth, which if a Parliament had not hapned in the Climactericall yeare of his fall, and that he had but obtained the dignitie of a Cardinall, we might then have beene ſure of protection from his little Grace, and have beene by him defended, and maintained our meanes and revenues, augmented not diminiſhed, and might have riſen to great preferment; but now all theſe our hopes are fruſtrate, our grand Patron of our infirm • ies is in Limbo, his little honour is now coverted to great diſgrace, which if he had had but the knowledge to predicted his fate, he would have endeavoured to have prevented it. But he was it ſeemes ſo confident of his power and ſafety in his place of dignity, that if Auguſtus Ceſar had been now to warre againſt him, he could not be vanquiſhed. But wee may ſee how vaine a thing it is to truſt in riches, in fri • nds, or in the favour of princes in the time of danger, for nothing is able to defend from the juſt vengeance of God, againſt hainous tranſgreſſors and offendours: And if wee had but thought in the leaſt manner of theſe times, wee would have been more cautious in ſeeking the favour of great men, and ſubmitting our ſelves to their wills be they never ſo refractory from that which is good, for hopes of a little preferment, but truly I thought as I was taught that it was no ſinne to uſe Ceremonies, but that they were things of an indifferent quallity, and might be uſed without offence, but one comfort is I could not be brought to conceive the exerciſe of them to be of abſolute neceſſity to ſalvation, as ſome of the learned prelates would have it, but a thing that might be aſwell refuſed as uſed, yet I could never have the power to refuſe the uſe of them, for that preferment had the predominance in my braine, and I • onceived it better to live in ſome good faſhion, pleaſing to men, then in diſg • ace and disfavour of the higher powers, daily in danger by them to be queſtioned and ſentenced to be pillored and loſe my eares, nay and per • hance fined and baniſhed, or perpetuall impriſ • nment, in goo • -ſooth I loved my reputation, eares, money and liberty better then ſo. But now the current of the ſtreame runnes in another channell, I muſt goe with the tyde, leaſt now on the other ſide I may be in as much danger as I was before, for uſing theſe Ceremonies in the exerciſe of Religion is the beſt way to ſave my place, or to have ſome meanes allowed mee for the mrintenance of my ſelfe, wife, and children, for which purpoſe I might have in the time I have been preferred to this place, furniſhed my ſelfe with ſufficient monies which I have gotten by the by beſides my yearely penſion for ſinging; as for teaching to ſing young Artiſts in that Science, and other wayes, but that I was too much given to the Taverne and Ale-houſe, yea, and to play now and then at Venus Game with loving Citizens wives, whom I would almoſt perſwade I could procure pardon for that offence But thoſe joyes are gone, I muſt now betake my ſelfe to another courſe of life, or elſe I doubt I ſhall fare as thoſe doe in the Catehouſe: But what thinke you, will Organs and finging be put downe as well as Ceremonies.

Wel Brother we wil talke more concerning this buſineſſe at this time, but referre the ſame till wee heare more, and then wee will adviſe with our beſt wits what courſe will be beſt for us to take.

Let us then ſo doe. Farewell.