TO discourse of those sundry sects which now are sprung up amongst us like so many weeds in a pleasant garden is not my intent; neither will I unfold their hereticall and erroneous opinions in which they daily more and more perse­vere, but I have pitched my meditations on such a corrupt Sect which is enough to fill the world with wonder.

It was in a town called Banburie, in the Countie of Oxford, a place alwayes too much encumbred with Brownists and Separatists, where dwelt a Gen­tleman of a very honest and upright heart, who had a daughter about the age of nineteene, she was witty, but withall proud, which the devil alwaies inyeigled her with, that it might prove a cloud to eclipse all her other vertues wherewith it had pleased God to endue her with.

This Gentlewoman (to the intent she might make her selfe merry) changing her apparell, and dis­guising her selfe as much as possible she could, went to a place where these Brownists did commonly hold their conventicles, that she might behold and see the manner of their living, and how they were affected in their Religion. Now she having before­hand heard of some part of their uses, she met with a Sister of the holy Sect, and saluted her after this manner.

Well met sister, I pray you can you resolve mee what Brother teacheth day; the holy Sister re­plyed she could not tell, but shee heard than a very honest man, a Chimney-sweeper, was appointed for the same purpose, a man to whom it had pleased God to give abundance of the Spirit, but I heard a­gaine he was dismissed, because he went in blacke like our corrupted Popish Schollers: but will you walke Sister, I perswade my selfe that we shall have a worthy man, because it is Mr. Bryans turne to elect the man for to day.

Together they goe, and this holy Sister conducts this Gentlewoman to a very large stately Barne, where was a very great company met together where the Teacher for that day being a most Reverend Bar­ber, had placed himselfe in a Sciffe, such a thing as men carry Hey or Straw in, where after such po­stures as they use, (as making changlings faces, stro­king the Beard, picking the nostrils, and such like) according as the Spirit moved him, hee began his prayer as followeth;

O God which art our Lord, our Redeemer, our [Page 3]Saviour, the very breath of our nostrils, we are now become before thee, we are here present before thee, we kneele before thee to beg, to aske, to crave a gift, a benefit, a blessing from thee; Thou knowest, O Lord, O God, O Christ, that we doe serve thee in all sincerity, in all truth, in all righteousnes, and that we are sincere and true, and righteous, and that wee are hated and persecuted by the Babylonish whore for thy sake, but we are willing to beare all, to un­dergoe all, to stand to all persecutions to the death. And now, O Lord, O God, O Christ, we are come, met, and kneel here together, holy Brothers and ho­ly Sisters, we pray thee, we beseech thee, wee desire thee that thou wouldest so ordaine it that wee may fructifie here among our selves, and not suffer these our holy sisters to defile themselvs with the wicked. Now when he had ended a whole houres prayer, re­peating the 3. part of it an hundred times, he deli­vered his Text, which was taken forth of Samuel, the words were these, Is Saul also among the Prophets, from which he gathered that the people thought that Saul had not been inspired by the Spirit, and they held none lawful to be among the Prophets but those who were inspired by the Spirit, novv (dearely beloved brethren, said he, Holy brothers and Holy sisters at­tend and marke,) we hold the very point which they did in those dayes, for surely no man is fit for this holy service, but a very devout man, and who is fa­miliar with the Spirit, and for this one reason may we set our selves with all might & main against those Scholars, as Bishops, Deanes, yea and Deacons which strive to construe the Scriptures according to the [Page 4]of the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, which last Lan­guage stincks like a piece of beefe a twelve moneth old, yet never salted.

Thus he went on as if he had bin mad, infinitely rayling and rauing against Learning and Languages, especially that of the Beast. Now when he was about the middle of his discourse (as all thought) turning up the white of his eyes in devotion, hee perceived this strange sister, at whose first gaze the spirit began to move him indeed, but it was that of the Flesh; to be briefe, he thought every minute an houre, till he could draw to some end, and so dismisse them, that he might but single out this new holy sister, but hee had gotten himselfe into such a wood of discourse, that it was impossible for him to finde any gap for to escape: At length hee seeing no remedy, hee fell down as if he had svouned, whereupon the Brethren male and female run with all diligence to see what was the matter, which he perceived (like a counter­feit Rascall) rose up and told them he not very well, and so closed all with an extemporie prayer, and they departed.

This cunning leacherour watching which way this Gentle woman went, made such haste after her that be over-took her, and she being by her selfe till he came unto her, began to court her after this maner.

Holy sister, when I was teaching to day, I espied you amongst the rest, but far more zealous then the rest, lest I was deceived with an outward appearance, and withal I viewing the perfections of body where­with you are indued also, it struck me into such a quandarie, that in truth and sinceritie I svvounded [Page 5]as you savv, in the place vvhere I taught: now verily tis love to your zeal wherewith you do abound, that doth enforce me to sue to you, holy sister, for favor. It seems this was not the first time that he had loved zeal, he could play the loving Orator so well, but woed, and she at length granted, being overcome with his entreaties, and the spirit of the flesh speak­ing on his side she granted, & at that time lost more then she could ever gain again vvith Ganges riches, her maiden head I meane; for it vvas fourty vveeks after plainly seen.

After she had kept them company about seven or eight dayes, she returned tovvards home, but vvith a sad and pensive heart; for vvhat she had done began to prick her to the quick. She had not been at home long, but her father and mother began to take no­tice of this strange alteration in their daughter, yet made as if they did not; But not long after her pen­sive sorrovv was turned into mad tricks, for she would fling, and break things, if any one sought to restrain her, she would scratch and bite, and in her madnesse those were all her vvords; I'm dam'd, I'm dam'd.

Master Miller (for so was her Father called) took great griese to see his daughter, whom he loued so intirely, in such strange mad sits, using those words before repeated, which maded is very heart bleed, sent his man to Oxford to one Mr. Gill, a reuerend Diuine his Friend, desiring him that he would take the paines as to come ouer to him to Banbury: his Man went, did his Message, and without any stay Mr. Gill took horse, and away he went to Banbury, [Page 6]where, Mr. Miller after many kinde salutatio is, be­gan and told him the whole discourse, as you have heard already, as farre as he himselfe knew, and she being in her Fits, Mr. Gill desired to see her, and to talke with her, which was most willingly granted, he had no sooner entred the Chamber that he saw her, but she cryed out, I'm dam'd, I'm dam'd, avoid Sa­tan, avoid. Which, Mr. Gill appeased presently with good words, and began to talke to her, and for the space of halfe an houre she heard him quietly, but then she interrupted him, and called for wine, saying, she was dry; all this while, Mr. Gill follow­ed her with good admonitions how to live, and how to gaine heaven, if she would follow it, Shee made him answer, that what he spake was as false as God was true, and having a Venice-glasse in her hand fild with wine, shee threw it to the ground wich these words, That it was as impossible for her to be saved, as for that Glasse to re-bound into her hand unbro­ken, which contrary to the expectation of all the beholders, the Glasse did. Well, said this Gentle­woman, I will trust in the Lord my Redeemer, and so began to relate the whole story which you have already heard to Mr. Gill and her Father. Reader, this I have published, that you may read and rejoyce and take heed, and that the Brownist may see their divellish Heresies, and repent.