of themselves, and also to the rest of their own story, in acknowledging no other Christ but such as is in every man: such a Christ as really and bodily died at Jerusalem, they scorn and hate and fly from as the Devils did, crying out, What have we to do with thee Jesus thou Son of the most High God, art thou come to torment us before the time? Hence the former Arch-deacon or Arch-bishop of these parts Humphrey Norton: he mocks at an outward Christ, he asks what Countryman he was and shall be: He reproves the Fools that have their Eyes abroad, and gazing after a man into Heaven, he jeers at the Crosse, and asks what manner of wood it was made of, seeing we must take it up dayly? And Fox saith, this Jesus Christ without and within, is Jesus Christ yesterday, and to day, and the same for ever: therefore in the Logick or Reason of this Bruite, Christ had no body that was born at Bethlehem, or died at Jerusalem; For he was born yesterday, and to day, and he is born forever: he dyed yesterday, and he dies to day, and he dies forever, which is a most Heavenly Truth relating to Gods purpose, Christs Merit, and to Forefathers, our present times, and such as yet must be born and follow after us.

But such Mystical and figurative Scriptures (which are in themselves like Sampsons Lion and Riddle) through Satans Policy, and the proud simplicity of these simple Foxes, are made the common Holes and Burroughs where you may be sure to find them just like the Jesuites (whose Cosens, if not Brethren of one belly of Hell they are) who usually confound clear Scriptures with Spirituall and Mystical Illusions, and fly from Distinctions and openings necessary in places more dark, figurative and allegorical.

NATHANIEL WARD

["The Simple Cobler of Aggawamm" is one of the most interesting of American literary curiosities, though it is valuable chiefly as a curiosity. Its author, the Rev. Nathaniel Ward, was a graduate of Cambridge, who had been a barrister and had travelled extensively on the Continent before he became a clergyman. After coming into conflict with Laud because of his Puritanism, he sailed for America in 1634, and remained until 1647. He served as minister at Ipswich, then known as Aggawam, from 1634 to 1636, when he laid down his pastorate on account of poor health. About 1645 he began to write the pamphlet which was published in London early in 1647, inscribed on the title-page "The Simple Cobler of Aggawamm in America. Willing to help 'mend his Native Country, lamentably tattered, both in the upper-Leather and sole, with all the honest stitches he can take. And as willing never to bee paid for his work, by Old English wonted pay. It is his trade to patch all the year long, gratis. Therefore I pray Gentlemen keep your purses. By Theodore de la Guard." Though written in America, and dealing to some extent with American themes, "The Simple Cobler" is evidently addressed to the people and parliament of Great Britain, and owes its inception to the political and religious condition of the mother country. It begins with a protest against religious toleration, and passes to a tirade against women's fashions and long hair; but the greater part of the work, though somewhat rambling, is given to a discussion of the political state of England. One of the best written and least intemperate parts of the pamphlet is a long address to "My Dearest Lord, and my more than dearest King"; but the work owes its fame to the more virulent passages which are fairly represented in the pages that follow. The oddity of these has distracted attention from the narrowness and bitterness of the ideas that they express, and has allowed the author's name to live with a more creditable reputation than it would have had if his prejudices had been less curiously phrased.

Ward returned to England in time to revise the second, third, and fourth editions of "The Simple Cobler," all of which appeared in London in 1647. While in the colonies he had compiled "The Body of Liberties," a code of laws adopted by Massachusetts in 1641, and after his return to England he published a number of sermons and other writings. The selections that follow are from the reprint of the fourth edition of "The Simple Cobler," issued by the Ipswich Historical Society in 1905.]

ON TOLERATION OF RELIGIOUS OPINIONS

[From "The Simple Cobler of Aggawamm"]

Either I am in an Appoplexie, or that man is in a Lethargie, who doth not now sensibly feele God shaking the heavens over his head, and the earth under his feet: The Heavens so, as the Sun begins to turne into darknesse, the Moon into blood, the Starres to fall down to the ground; So that little Light of Comfort or Counsell is left to the sonnes of men: The Earth so, as the foundations are failing, the righteous scarce know where to finde rest, the inhabitants stagger like drunken men: it is in a manner dissolved both in Religions and Relations: And no marvell; for, they have defiled it by transgressing the Lawes, changing the Ordinances, and breaking the Everlasting Covenant. The Truths of God are the Pillars of the world, whereon States and Churches may stand quiet if they will; if they will not, Hee can easily shake them off into delusions, and distractions enough.

Sathan is now in his passions, he feeles his passion approaching; hee loves to fish in royled waters. Though that Dragon cannot sting the vitals of the Elect mortally, yet that Beelzebub can fly-blow their Intellectuals miserably: The finer Religion grows, the finer hee spins his Cobwebs, hee will hold pace with Christ so long as his wits will serve him. Hee sees himselfe beaten out of grosse Idolatries, Heresies, Ceremonies, where the Light breakes forth with power; he will therefore bestirre him to prevaricate Evangelicall Truths, and Ordinances, that if they will needs be walking, yet they shall laborare varicibus, and not keep their path, he will put them out of time and place; Assassinating for his Engineers, men of Paracelsian parts; well complexioned for honesty; for, such are fittest to Mountebanke his Chimistry into sicke Churches and weake Judgements.

Nor shall hee need to stretch his strength overmuch in this worke: Too many men having not laid their foundations sure, nor ballasted their Spirits deepe with humility and feare, are prest enough of themselves to evaporate their owne apprehensions. Those that are acquainted with Story know, it hath ever beene so in new Editions of Churches: Such as are least able, are most busie to pudder in the rubbish, and to raise dust in the eyes of

more steady Repayrers. Civill Commotions make roome for uncivill practises: Religious mutations, for irreligious opinions: Change of Aire, discovers corrupt bodies; Reformation of Religion, unsound mindes. Hee that hath any well-faced phansy in his Crowne, and doth not vent it now, fears the pride of his owne heart will dub him dunce for ever. Such a one will trouble the whole Israel of God with his most untimely births, though he makes the bones of his vanity stick up, to the view and griefe of all that are godly wise. The devill desiers no better sport then to see light heads handle their heels, and fetch their carreers in a time, when the Roofe of Liberty stands open.

The next perplexed Question, with pious and ponderous men, will be: What should bee done for the healing of these comfortlesse exulcerations. I am the unablest adviser of a thousand, the unworthiest of ten thousand; yet I hope I may presume to assert what follows without just offence.

First, such as have given or taken any unfriendly reports of us New-English, should doe well to recollect themselves. Wee have beene reputed a Colluvies of wild Opinionists, swarmed into a remote wildernes to find elbow-roome for our phanatick Doctrines and practices: I trust our diligence past, and constant sedulity against such persons and courses, will plead better things for us. I dare take upon me, to bee the Herauld of NewEngland so farre, as to proclaime to the world, in the name of our Colony, that all Familists, Antinomians, Anabaptists, and other Enthusiasts shall have free Liberty to keepe away from us, and such as will come to be gone as fast as they can, the sooner the better.

Secondly, I dare averre, that God doth no where in his word tolerate Christian States, to give Toleration to such adversaries of his Truth, if they have power in their hands to suppresse them.

Here is lately brought us an extract of a Magna Charta, so called, compiled between the Sub-planters of a West-Indian Island; whereof the first Article of constipulation, firmly provides free stable-room and litter for all kinde of consciences, be they never so dirty or jadish; making it actionable, yea, treasonable, to disturbe any man in his Religion, or to discommend it, whatever it be. Wee are very sorry to see such professed prophanenesse in

English Professors, as industriously to lay their Religious foundations on the ruine of true Religion; which strictly binds every conscience to contend earnestly for the Truth: to preserve unity of spirit, Faith and Ordinances, to be all like minded, of one accord; every man to take his brother into his Christian care: to stand fast with one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the Gospel. and by no meanes to permit Heresies or erronious opinions: But God abhorring such loathsome beverages, hath in his righteous judgement blasted that enterprize, which might otherwise have prospered well, for ought I know; I presume their case is generally knowne ere this.

If the devill might have his free option, I beleeve he would ask nothing else', but liberty to enfranchize all false Religions, and to embondage the true; nor should hee need: It is much to be feared, that laxe Tolerations upon State-pretences and planting necessities, will be the next subtle Stratagem he will spread to distate the Truth of God and supplant the peace of the Churches. Tolerations in things tolerable, exquisitely drawn out by the lines of the Scripture, and pensill of the Spirit, are the sacred favours of Truth, the due latitudes of Love, the faire Compartiments of Christian fraternity: but irregular dispensations, dealt forth by the facilities of men, are the frontiers of error, the redoubts of Schisme, the perillous irritaments of carnall and spirituall enmity.

My heart hath naturally detested foure things: The standing of the Apocrypha in the Bible; Forrainers dwelling in my Countrey, to crowd out native Subjects into the corners of the Earth; Alchymized coines; Tolerations of divers Religions, or of one Religion in segregant shapes: He that willingly assents to the last, if he examines his heart by day-light, his conscience will tell him, he is either an Atheist, or an Heretique, or an Hypocrite, or at best a captive to some Lust: Poly-piety is the greatest impiety in the world. True Religion is Ignis probationis, which doth congregare homogenea & segregare heterogenea.

Not to tolerate things meerly indifferent to weak consciences, argues a conscience too strong: pressed uniformity in these, causes much disunity: To tolerate more then indifferents, is not to deale indifferently with God: He that doth it, takes his Scepter out of his hand, and bids him stand by. Who hath to doe to institute