Theologicall axioms or conclusions publikly controuerted, discussed, and concluded by that poore English congregation, in Amstelredam: to whome H.C. for the present, ad-ministreth the ghospel. Togither with an examination of the saide conclusions, by Henoch Clapham. Here-vnto is added a litle tractate entituled. The carpenter.

EPISTLE

To al such in the church of Englande as vnfeignedly seeke Iesus Christ in incorruption, Grace & Peace be multiplied vnto their Consciences, Amen.

MAny Spirits conceiued in the Canicular days / hatcht in the wayning of the Moone / vnreasonable men and as yet reprobate to the faith / gone ou•• from amonge vs / as being neuer truly of vs / They abroade in Englande and elswhere / (as Hollands Nightingals / I meane frogs) go croaking abroade / to the diffamation of all such as professe Christ in syncerity.

In their Songue (that I call it not a Black santus) one / with M••••i∣theus and the ••okits / syng an hy troble (Christ is only (in effect) God and his body phantasticall) Another helps Arius (he that voyded his guts at a Priuie in Constantinople) to syng as low a Basse: Christ is only a Creature: and because they will haue somthing by themselues: One saith Christ was made the first day: another saith his beginning of days was from Mary and meere man. Betwene these steppeth in Affricks Anababtisme / and his next neighbour Catabaptista / and cozen Germaine Polybaptista / they synge an hoarse Tenour to the former / but a Contra-tenor among themselues: the orderly Meane none of them can keepe: by reason of which vntunable har∣monie / many take occasion to scandalize me and my brethren saynge: loe these haue had such a man their Teacher / with such a people they walked: past question / Teacher and all of them are infected with / these heresies. But past question / they are deceiued / if so it please them to giue vs leaue (being old inough) to speake for our selues.

It is sayd of Eunomus / that one of his instruments strings breaking as he was playinge / a Grashopper sodainly skipped vp to his Citherne and fell of singinge in her kynd (as willinge to supplie the string lacking. It were to be wished that when Dauids spirituall harp that spiritually syngeth in the eares of the beloued) what tyme there is som breach by Schisme or Apo∣stacie / som one of Iohn Baptist his grashoppers / wold rather adde tongue and hand to heale the breach / then becawse of such untunable startback spirits to disgorge their mawe vpon the whole harpe. This lesson of Charitie / our Englische teachers at Midleburgh had not learned / what tyme they writ their letters into Scotland / to lessen their loues there to me and my brethren. They tolde the preachers there I was a Brownist etc. Som preachers beleiuing yt: They insinuate it in the pulpits. I wished therupon a tryall to be taken of my faith. A Convocation was had. Clapham cold be conuicted neither of heresie nor errour. Mr. Go. Bruice. thervpon reparired vnto the right wo. Mr. Bowes (our English embassadour) and signified vnto him / I had bene vniustly charged. Thus my contrymen at Midleburgh serued me: and thus the lord serued them. The lord giue vnto them more loue towards such who loue christ (as suerly as they) though not so rich and glorious as they.

But Satan vnable to subuert vs / he labours to ouerthwart vs and gird vs with virulent speaches. And so / all Satans sectarie spirits of (how contrarie mynds soeuer) th•••• meete all in this period: vex the faithfull and roote them out of the land of the liuinge: They iumpe all in one end: to work wickednes.

Whosoeuer therfore wills well to Ierusalem ruined and on heaps / let them manifest the will in workinge well: or like the sluggard with his handes in the bosom / let them stand by quiet / and not discourage / much lesse hynder / those that are willinge to beare the burden of the day.

But if Sanballat, Tobiah and the residue of their mates wilbe wicked: we haue learned to beware of men / as also to do all our endeuour to further the lord his worke not doing it negligently.

What my brethren herein haue breifly concluded / I haue laboured to make playne by an homely examination. If there be anie errour herein (and we are passinge suspitious of our Earth / it is so prone to bring forth weedes / though without sowing or settinge) that / if it shall by the word of the lord appeare such / I hope (seing we contend for nothing somuch as the Lords will) we shal quickly stoope. But if there be nothing but naked truth (wherof we hope) then let not our symplycity / pouertie / weaknes etc. be any cawse of not acceptinge the Lord his will to propine his golden trea∣sure by earthen vessels: And that oftentymes by such as the glorious world demes vilest.

I purposed next to my Bibles breif (which I also lefte in another land to be published / in diuers things bettered and augmented though this xij. month I heare not therof) to haue diuulged a work of som more worth yer now. By myne elbowe it lieth dead / because as yet som Mynt-oyle is lackinge for cawsing the Printers presse to slyp. Till the Lord giue that passage / accept of this Modicum for a litle recreation. And if thow fynd thy self anie thing helped therby / for the ways of holynes / giue the glorie vnto God. So let it be.

Thyne so far as thow art the Lords: Henoch Clapham.