The Simple Cobler of Aggawam in America

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Nathaniel Ward. The Simple Cobler of Aggawam in America

NOTICE OF THE AUTHOR

NOTE

THE. SIMPLE COBLER. OF. Aggawam in America

Reformation

Composition

Cessation

Prosecution

A Word of IRELAND:

A Word of Love to the Common People of England

A most humble heel-piece. To the Most Honourable Head-piece the Parliament of England

A respective word to the Ministers of ENGLAND

ERRATA. AT NON. CORRIGENDA

Postscript

APPENDIX

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This work passed through several editions at London in 1647. It was reprinted in Boston in 1713. One of the earlier editions and that of 1713 have been used in preparing the present edition for the press. After his first impression, the author made several additions to succeeding ones, which will be found in this now issued.—The principal of these additions are as follow: "A Word of Love to the Common People of England," "A most humble Heel piece," &c., and "A respective word to the Ministers of England."

Sathan is now in his passions, hee 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; Assascinating 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.

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That if the State of England shall either willingly Tolerate, or weakly connive at such Courses, the Church of that Kingdom will sooner become the Devills Dancing-Schoole, then Gods-Temple; The Civill State a Beare-garden, then an Exchange: The whole Realme a Pais base, then an England. And what pity it is, that that Country which hath been the Staple of Truth to all Christendome, should now become the Aviary of Errors to the whole World, let every fearing heart judge.

I take Liberty of Conscience to bee nothing but a freedome from sinne, and error. Conscientia in tantum libera, in quantum ab errore liberata. And liberty of Error nothing but a Prison for Conscience. Then small will bee the kindnesse of a State to build such Prisons for their Subjects.

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