THE roundheads catechism: OR The New●●● catechizing the Anabaptists Puritans, separatists, and well-affected under the name of roundheads.  
With their joint Answer to the same.  
LONDON, Printed in the year of our Lord, 1643.   

THE roundheads catechism.  Question. 
WHAT are your Names?  Answer. 
Round-Head.  Q. 
Are you all of that name?  A. 
Yea.  Q. 
Who gave you that name?  A. 
Our backbiters, and slanderers, in our infamy, wherein, we were made wonderlings to worldy-wise, a jeering-stocke to fools, and inheritors of the scorn, and reproach of all the rabble of the Antichristian Kingdom of darkness.  Q. 
How came you to be all of that name?  A. 
Because our backbiters and slanderers would have it so, as others that will not answer for a Child except they may have the name.  Q. 
Was it without your fathers consent?  A. 
Yea.  Q. 
Would your Fa: then have had you called Anabaptists, Separatists, Puritants & c?  A. 
No, but our backbiters and slanderers, were different about them, but agreed on the name Round-head for us all.  Q. 
What did your backbiters, and slanderers, then against you?  A. 
Their practices did promise three things to our shane: First, that they will make us as odious as they can: Secondly, that they will work our destruction, if they can: Thirdly, they wish GOD would dam them, if they do not what they can to destroy us.  Q. 
do you not think that you may believe these premises and fear their threatenings?  A. 
We doubt not but they intend to perform all their wicked promises, and do what they can against us; but we believe God, who have promised to deliver us; and therfore we will by his grace, not fear them that can but kill the body, but we pray God if it be his will, not to dam them, as they ignorantly wish; but overcome them by his love, and keep them from damnation, for his glory, & their comfort.  Q. 
But your enemies are many in number, and great in power, and are violently bent against you, how shall you escape?  A. 
If God be our friend, as he hath promised, and we believe, whom shall we fear; for neither achitophel, nor Iudas, the Irish Rebells, nor mad men in the North, the Cavaliers, nor Lordly Prelates with all their strength, although as great as the seven headed beast can make it, can hurt us.  Q 
But what if the King be your enemy, will you not fear him?  A. 
We are taught to honor and obey him, and also to pray for him, as Gods chief Magistrate and steward over us all, which by Gods grace we do, and purpose constantly to do; in which consideration, we have no cause to fear his Majesty, for can we think he will harm us, if we do well. 1. Peter, 3.13. Rom. 13.3.  Q 
Can nothing hurt you, what strange creatures are you.  A. 
Persecution cannot for it is out livery or cullets to show whose souldiers we are and under whom we fight; the way to hurt us, is to let us have ease, for we are as Cammamill, the more it is trod on, they say, the sweter it smells and the better it grows.  Q. 
But will your confidence hold think you, will not the fear of prisons, Pillories, loss of ears, hanging, burning, or other torments bring down your courage.  A. 
If it were of our own making and set upon our own sandy foundation no doubt but it must needs come down, but if our God have made our confidence and founded it on the rock and chief corner ston Iesus Christ, we doubt not but through his strength it will stand firm as Mount Sion that cannot be removed.  Q. 
But I hear his Majesty conceives you are his enemies, & plot mischief against him.  A. 
No doubt his Majesty may so conceive of us, believing those that give false information of us, but if his Majesty red his chronicles, he shall find us as innocent, and harmless as Mordecai, and the Iewes whom Haman got commission to destroy, as the prelates and Papists would do us.  Q. 
What is the reason they tax you with nothing but your private meetings & preaching in Tubs, and not baptizing your Children, and not coming to Church, and the like?  A. 
Because they cannot tax us with public riotous combustions, drunken quarrels, nor traitorous laying Tubs of Gun powder under Parl: so that they through Gods goodness, as Daniels enemies know, that they shall find nothing against us, except concerning the law of our God.  Q. 
But they say, you preach in tubs and hollow trees, is that true or no?  A. 
I say to you, as Phillip to nathaniel, come and see; but they do not tell you, they saw, and heard us preach in Tubs; for they be none of our Auditors, that speak so of us: but because their priests preach in Pulpits, they think it must be in some round thing, else tis no preaching: and in houses, Tubs are more frequent then pulpits.  Q. 
But they certify his Majesty, that you are the great disturbers of the Peace, & the cause of this unnatural War, and so destructive in his kingdom.  A. 
If our own mouth or pe● justify us, it is nothing; therefore we are willing to have out actions tried by the unerring rule of the word of God. Obedience, whereunto we hope is not destructive to a Kingdom, although the prelates, as Hamon, wou●d work our destruction; because we dare not in conscience bow to them as Mordecai durst not to that agagit, Hester. 3.2. But I hope you cannot forget, that the prelates were the first beginners of these troubles, by urging their Service-booke upon the Scots; for resisting whereof, they stirred up his majesty by relation, to raise an army against them, which fire of theirs then kindled, their practise have been to their power, to blow and increase ever since, and we hope, you will not say, that we help forward their wicked designs, for we oppose them, & all their Ministers, and their way, and entrance into office, and Ministry, to be all Anti-Christian: and therefore we, especially Anabaptists, and separatists, as we will not hear them, so neither shall they taste of our tithes, or offerings, till they approve themselves the ministers of Christ, by his word, and then we promise to pay them all, for time to come, and make up what they think is behind; and that we by the help of God although we be weak in regard of human learning, yet we will at any time account it our privilege to dispute the cause with any of them, before either godly magistrates, or Christians from the word of God, although indeed our Brother Puritan and well affencted, are not altogether clear for this but we conceive, they cannot approve themselves Ministers for Christ nor for his People but for money for tithes, for honors, pleasures and ease, they have mens Persons in admiration, for these advantages, and so with feigned words, they make Marchan lice of them: but if there be a flock a hundred miles distant that have a warmer fleece, and sweeter milk, to cloth and feed, I mean a greater bnfice, then let who will look to their flock, over whom indeed, not Christ, but Antichrist made them overseers. Whereas, our Ministers of Christ, if we give them nothing, they will ask us nothing; but will work with their own hands, according to Paules example and rule. Acts, the 20.34.35. and will not only teach us, but also Minister to our commandments i● we have more need and count it their happiness when they can do Gods people either spiritual or temporal good, and if you say they know not the originals nor the tongues, & have not the wrightings of the Fathers, nor long time of study: and therefore they cannot be the Ministers of Christ. We anwer, Christ have promised to teach them, and they can study as well at their callings as antichrists Ministers in their studies, or great Libraries. Else judge the three by the fruit, the workeman by the work see if there be more Idolaters, adulterers drunkards, thieves, extortioners covetous, blasphemers, or liars, amongst us or them. Although we haue no cause to bo●st for if we in the least be free of any of these sins, no thank to us but to him that work's the same again if they preach Christ with paul, they will with him acknowledge themselves our servants for his sake. Then if they be our servants for his sake, then they will not require gospel-privileges of us. Then tis for the w●ges sake, Christs Ministers have a holy scorn to come to u● for wag●s for their work.  
Or much less to bargain for any, ●●●hough indeed his people know that it is their duty not to see any poor minister of Christ want necessaries, his law is a law of love not of ungratefulness to the messengers of Christ, whom you may know by these marks, 1. They come in by the door, & not climb up any other way, joh. 10.1.2.2 They have his hand in his word to their testimony, which who so hath we will aclowledge to be the minister of Christ, thus master neuter I am bold to tell you, that I hope if his Majesty or any of his friends did know the truth of us, they would not think so hardly of us.  Master neuter, 
Indeed I think so, but what shall you do in this case.  Anabaptist. 
I will confere with my brethren and speak with you again.  separatist. 
What is best to do herein.  Anabaptist. 
For my part, I conceive it is best to follow Hesters example, if not fast three dayes & 3. nights, yet to seek God in our several Churches or Assemblies in an extrordinary manner, as she did, seeing we are in extrordinary danger as she then was and her people.  puritan 
It were very good, but alas we fear if our enemies should know it they would pull down our houses over our heads as they have done by some already.  Anabaptist 
If our ways please the Lord he will make our Enemies at peace with us.  separatist 
But how comes this enmity.  Anabaptist 
Truly some think from ourselves by being so private in our meetings, if it be so brethren, out affliction is just upon us for we conceive it fit to let all hear that will and the more come to hear us the more welcome, how say you brethren do not you allow the same to which all answer yes, then brethren we will print the same, that they may know our minds, for it may be they do not think so, the answer of all 'tis our desire; for they are flesh of our flesh, and bone of our bone, of the lost stock of Adam as we were, and are by nature. And we were as they yet are blind and could not see our lost condition, as they now cannot till Iesus Christ found us and brought us into his way, and now let us in love pray him to bring them in to his way also, and then they will walk with us in the same, & we with them in all godly mutual love and kind behaviour, and car●age each to other, and so our God shall have glory andour ourselves comfort and edification.  
For truly they that hate us most and most cruelly persecute us, do not more by us then we ourselves the best of us naturally did and would do any that love God and his ways. But if as our Saviour commanded us we ●et our light shine before men, then they seing our good work will be sooner won to be ●n love with our ways then by hearing our good words and so glorify our father which is in heaven. Then we return to you our brethren according to the flesh to certify you that as we are bound to obey God in walking according as he requireth us in his w●rd, so we are not onely content that where as you may conceive, that we meet for evil practices, you would come and see but also to report of us and do by us according as you see our practise deserve, for God teacheth us, that they that do truth are willing that their deeds should be made manifest John the 3.20. Whereas they that do evil hate the light that should manifest their actions, and when you see our actions and practice to be good whereas yet you by report judge it to be evil we doubt not but God will move you to speak of us and do by us according as you shall see, not according as you have heard at the report of slanderers.  
For indeed we believe there are many that speak evil of our way that would not if they knew the truth of it, and so they speak evil of what they know not, there fore friends we are resolved to do what God require of us, and not to hinder any that would behold our practices, seeing our God says who shall harm us, if we do well, and therefore seeing that God requires of us of us if we be converted to strengthen our brethren, and seing again, that the hearts of Kings are in the hands of God, as the rivers of waters, and he turns them which way soever it pleaseth him and seeing he hath said, when a mans ways please the Lord he maketh his ene●ies at peace with him; and again seing some of us have seen, that God hatd verified this truth in some of our experience some that have come by their own confusion, intending our hurt, God hath met them then, for their and our good; and thus when we desire to clear us, before God and all men, that we in love to our brethren, and all men and women in the world we desire and endeavour to please God and do good to all, that if they yet hate us, it may after truly be said they hated us without a cause.  
FJNJS.   

THen Brethren, let us not avenge ourselves, but remember the counsel of Christ; if thine enemy hunger, feed him: if he thirst, give him drink. And that of paul, be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. then whatsoever their tongue say, their conscience will clear us. Thus when all men and woman see that our practices are according to the rule of God, and his perfect law of love, they will say the aspersions that have been laid upon us, have been without a cause Then  
WHo verily believeth that if he might be heard that God would show by him a way of deliverance of this City and places yet unplundered in a way very acceptable to God and acc●ptable to all his Majesties subjects, except such as are p●lp●ble oposers of King & parliament, if they can but believe that God can declare secrets by them that fear him, as well as reveal his secrets to them that fear him Psal. the 25.14. and that he will not only make it appear possible but also very probable and very cheap.  
But remember the woman that would not come to Christ till all her money was spent upon Physitians but do not follow her example but remember sometimes the waters of Iordā are beter then Abana and Pharphar to cleanse Naaman, sometimes Davids, sling thē Sauls swoard and coat of male, and gidions lamps pitchers and Rams horns beter then all the weapons and strength of the host of Median.   

Who can also inform any honest man in his honest cause what to do in most common causes or suits of Law and show how he may do for his best advantage against his adversary for nothing  
The author dwell's in angel alley in whit-Chappell.  
Also he will be thankful to you, if you will buy of him, good peniworths of Sugar, Spices or small wears.  
FINIS.