344. CCCXLVI.—To SIMEON ASHE

CCCXLVI.—To SIMEON ASHE [MR. ASHE was a Puritan minister in London during the time of the civil wars. He died in 1662.] (VIEWS OF THE PRESBYTERIANS AS TO ALLEGIANCE TO THE PROTECTOR.)

REVEREND WORTHY SIR,—I would recommend to you the bearer, Mr. James Simpson, a faithful preacher of the Gospel. Be pleased to hear him. I trust he shall give you a true and faithful relation of our affairs. You may be pleased to believe me, that men who have borrowed your ear to blacken the godly in the land, and who have now both deserted us and the Covenant, and joined feet with the Malignant party, and now have owned the present powers, and brought the intrants to the ministry to give under their hand a subscription, an engagement (the writ calls it, a resolution to live peaceably and unoffensively under the present Government), so that no holy man can get any maintenance in the land but such as will sinfully comply (and such as cannot, what an entry they have to that holy calling to embrace it!), these men seek more their own things, than the things of Jesus Christ. And being backed by the whole multitude of the promiscuous generality, throughout the land, who are for their way, as of old the prelatic conformists did, they do persecute the godly, and in pulpits and presbyteries declaim against us as implacable and separatists. You may, Sir, by this, and what the bearer will make known to you, perceive what wrong the compliance of these men hath done to the cause of God. But I spare, and do beg the favour of your other care. The grace of God be with you.

I am your loving brother in Christ,

S. R.

1656.