OBSERVATIONS ON A LIBEL. 411 



worth the falling out for ; so as it is weak divinity 

 to account controversies an ill sign in the Church. 



It is true that certain men, moved with an 

 inconsiderate detestation of all ceremonies or orders, 

 which were in use in the time of the Roman 

 religion, as if they were without difference super 

 stitious or polluted, and led with an affectionate 

 imitation of the government of some protestant 

 churches in foreign states; have sought by books 

 and preaching, indiscreetly, and sometimes unduti- 

 fully, to bring in an alteration in the external rites 

 and policy of the Church ; but neither have the 

 grounds of the controversies extended unto any 

 point of faith; neither hath the pressing and pro 

 secution exceeded, in the generality, the nature of 

 some inferior contempts: so as they have been far 

 from heresy and sedition, and therefore rather offen 

 sive than dangerous to the Church or state. 



And as for those which we call Brownists, being, 

 when they were at the most, a very small number 

 of very silly and base people, here and there in 

 corners dispersed, they are now, thanks be to God, 

 by the good remedies that have been used, sup 

 pressed and worn out ; so as there is scarce any 

 news of them. Neither had they been much known 

 at all, had not Brown their leader written a pamph 

 let, wherein, as it came into his head, he inveighed 

 more against logic and rhetoric, than against the 

 state of the Church, which writing was much read ; 

 and had not also one Barrow, being a gentleman of 

 a good house, but one that lived in London at 



