246 LIVES OF THE PURITANS. Elders in the Church vindicated : the Prelatical Church bounded. Written by SmEe I' YIN1 Nuu,," 1641. The word smectymnuus is composed of the initials of its authors' names, Who were Stephen Marshall, Edmund Calamy, Thomas Young, Matthew Newcomen, and William Spurstowe. " The work," it is said, 44 is certainly written with great' fierceness of spirit and much asperity in language, con- taining eighteen sections, in the last of which the differ-. ences between .the prelatisti and puritans are aggravated with great bitterness." The same author, on the same page, says, " it was, indeed, a very well written piece, therefore we find frequent reference to it in all the defences and apo- logies for nonconformity, which havebeen sincepublished." Mr. Calamy affirms, that it " gave the first deadly blow to episcopacy." The learned Dr,. Kippis says, " it was a production of no small importance in its 'day ; and was drawn up in a style of composition superior to that of the puritans in general, and, indeed, of many other writers at that period." The learned Bishop Wilkins represents it as " a c,,pital work against episcopacy.". The book is concluded by a postscript, in which is con, Mined, an historical narrative of the bitter effects of episco- pacy, as, pride, luxnry, bribery, extortion, rebellion, treason, , &c.; and the whole is closed thus The inhuman butche- ries, blood-sheddings, and cruelties of Gardiner, Boimer, and the rest of the bishops in Queen Mary's days, are so fresh in every man's memory, as that we conceive it a thing altogether unnecessary to make mention of them. Only we fear lest the guilt of the blood then shed should yet remain to be required at the hands of this nation, because it bath not quickly endeavoured to appease the wrath of God, by a general and solemn humiliation for it. What the practices of the prelates have been ever since, from the beginning of Queen Elizabeth to this present day, would fill a volume, like Ezekiel's roll, with lamentation, mourning, and woe to record. For it hath been their great design to hinder all further reformation ; to bring in doctrines of popery, armi- nianism, and libertinism ; to maintain, propagate, and much increase the burden of human ceremonies ; to keep out, and beat down the preaching of the word, to silence the faithful ministers of it, to oppose and persecute the most zealous professors, and to turn .all religion to a pompous outside; and to tread down the power of godliness. Insomuch, as * Biog. Britati. vol. "iii. p. 132, 136. Edit. 1718.
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