A HYMNE which some of the Antinomians do sing at their meetings instead of DAVIDS Psalms.

And 'tis remarkable, that now for present the best Independent Churches and Congregations are mixed Assemblies and medlies, consisting of persons whereof some are Anabaptists, some Antinomians, some Libertines, others hold Arminian and Socinian Tenets; those who for mixtures in manners, and because of some persons not so holy in their lives, made a Schisme in the Church, have worse mixtures among themselves in Doctrine, a linsey wolsey compounded Re∣ligion; I do not think there is any one Independent Church of three yeers stan∣ding, and that hath attained to the number of between 30. and 40. members, but had, or hath in it some Anabaptists, Antinomians, Seekers, or else persons hold∣ing one or other odde and strange opinion. Mr. Symonds Independent Church at Roterdam is over-grown with Anabaptisme, and he hath written into England that he is so pestered with Anabaptists, that he knew not what to do; Mr. Symp∣sons Church hath bred divers Seekers, Mr. L•ckiers Antinomians, Master Iohn Goodwins company is an unclean Conventicle, where the spirit of Errour and pride prevails in most, the unclean spirit being entred there into himself and his people with seven evill spirits, Socinian, Arminian, Popish, Anabaptisticall, Li∣bertine Tenets being held by himself and many of his people. And what shall I say more, it will be too long to tell of what I have heard of some members in Mr. Carters, Mr. Cradock•, Mr. Brisco, Mr. Barlets Churches concerning opini∣ons they hold.

March 21. I was informed for certain, that a young maiden buying in the Sirand of a Goldsmith a gold Ring, the young man in the shop who was selling it her, asked her whether she was to be married (for the Ring was much of the size of a marriage Ring) she answered no, nor did not know whether ever shee should be married; he questioned further with her, what use she bought if for; after some discourse together, she told him she bought it to give to the Minister of the Church into which she was to be admitted a member; and the young man further conferring with her, she told him she was to be of the Congregati∣onall way, and of a Church where the Minister was a man of precious gifts. It hath been related to me also from good hands, and if there be any mistake in the Relation, I desire the Independent Ministers to clear wherein, namely, that in some of their Congregations, maid-servants out of their wages, do allow so much yeerly as five or six shillings to their Ministers, that some poore godly persons who have expressed great desire to be of their Church way, and gone Page  14 to some Independent Ministers to be admitted to Church-fellowship, could not because of their poverty; that persons of great ranck and quality, as some La∣dies are admitted to their Churches, in a more favourable way, and not after the ordinary manner; and that one Lady at least (though no member of any In∣dependent Church but of a Presbyteriall) hath been admitted to the Lords Sup∣per among them, and her child was to have been baptized by an Independent Minister, but that it died the very day appointed for the baptizing of it; that in one of the Independent Churches here in London, a rich widow who was there a member, refused to give her consent to one in way of marriage (whom otherwise she liked and entertained) till hee yeelded to settle twenty pounds a yeer upon her Independent Minister during his life; and lastly, that some of the Independent Ministers have from some one of their members, 20.30. li. or bet∣ter per annum; and a Minister is named who hath fifty five pounds yeerly from three members of his Church, forty pounds from two, and fifteen pounds from a third.