Attributed by George Thomason and in most bibliographies to Richard Bernard, minister of Batcombe. In a 1661 edition, with a somewhat different title, the authorship is ascribed to John Barnard, minister of Batcombe. Since Richard Bernard was minister at Batcombe 1613-1641, and was succeeded by Richard Alleine, it is evident that the publisher either incorrectly attributes the work to Bernard or gives him the wrong Christian name. It is not clear whether Richard Bernard, a Puritan, held such views upon episcopacy in 1641. This work may have been by John Bernard, a Presbyterian, author of the Independents catechisme, 1645. cf. Emanuel Green, Bibliotheca Somersetensis. 1902. v. 2, p. 165. |