Then shall new Preachers be sent to thee that shall not only rebuke the People but also thunder against the Priests and put to silence the lofty and swelling Masters and they shall so bruise the forehead of that lewd Whore that it shall be reputed Righteousnesse to them that rebuke thee Finally saies he chap. 30. the LORD shall not make an end till New things doe arise and that there come a Generation bringing forth good fruit and a full Reformation be Then Qui in tenebris ambularunt ad lucem redibunt quae erant divisa dispersa consolidabuntur c. Besides him we have anothers Judgment in a Prediction of long standing and that is one Cataldus Finius once Minister of Trent When Rome saies he begins to hear the loâ—d bellowing of the fat Cow I know not who that is unlesse the English Nation as seems by what followes Woe woe then be to thee O Flanders full of blood and Zealand and Holland full of treacheries as if this were the way of the war to Rome Alas alas weep thou unhappy Babylon thou damned pit of Priests for the dayes of affliction are come upon thee and like unripe corne thou shalt suffer a threshing for thine iniquities Many shall come against thee yea from the foure corners of the Earth the Holy ones of God shall bee gathered together against thee Over and above all these one Baptista Nazarus hath translated a prophecy out of Hebrew how in the sixth thousand years which is now shall begin great wars to vex Nations and they shall come into Spaine France and Germany and put the Romans to the edge of the sword and that the English shall combine with others and the Venetians shall enter into a holy league with the English I conceive that to be meant a league upon theaccount of Christ against Antichrist c. and they shal go on conquering and have the chief hand in vanquishing the Turks So that it seems long since it was foresâ—en what God would do in and by this Nation and how fast from them the Fifth Monarchy should goe on and grow up to the ruine of the fourth Monarchy in all Nations which appears to strike terrible strokes at the Ecclesiasticall and Civill Interest of Babylon I could heap up many more Prophesies and Predictions of this nature But I shall end them in one more of the Sibyls lib. 3. p. 268. 269. which saies that in the last daies after grievous and intestine wars shall be set up instead of the cruell Lawes and wils of men the most venerable Decrees Laws and Ordinances of the Lord and then shall the beloved People of God flourish again So that it seems the Sibyls fore-saw how sadly the poor people would be oppressed and enslaved by cursed and cruel Laws and Lusts of men all along the fourth Monarchy and what redemption herein the fifth Monarchy would bring them for as in Psal. 72. 3. 7. Christ the King shall reigne in those dayes and then the Mountains Kings Princes Parliaments Generals and the Hils viz. Judges Justices c. shall bring peace to the people by justice and thorough righteousnesse and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in those daies the righteous shall flourish and abundance of peace shall be so long as the Moon endures and Christ shall reign from Sea to Sea i. e. by degrees at first till it come to the ends of the Earth but thus for the first Reason Secondly This fifth Monarchy must enter a pace for that Christ hath of right the Supream Authority of the Nations therefore Dan. 7. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Kingdome i. e. the fifth Monarchy and the summa potestas Regni the Supreame authority of the Nation is his or the absolute Soveraignty is given him the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Heaven and in Earth Wherefore woe be to those Usurpers that trade and triumph with the title due to Christ alone who is now coming for his own No wonder Holland hath so hard a tug now to keep the title of I was going to say Almighty but High and Mighty which Christ has a Commission to take from them with a powder Doe but observe de Wits Letter to them dated 11 alias 1. Aug. 1653. lying before the Texel who ends it thus Which is the account sent to your High and Mighty and Noble Great and Mightinesses So ending I remaine Your High and Mighty and Noble and Great and Mightinesses faithfull Servant Cornelius de Withe Witte And he deserves the Withe for flattering men so This must not be endured ere long and it were well for us if we took not that Title which Christ alone must and will have ere long to himselfe as his by right Besides Christ alone must be the Law-giver and have the Legislative Power in this Monarchy Isa. 33. 22. Jekovah is our Law-giver So Gen. 49. 10. Shiloh should be their Lawgiver so Psa. 60. 7. Judah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Christ of the Tribe of Judah is my Lawgiver 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 t is as much as to say there is no stability in Government or Laws till Christs Fifth Monarchy till he come 〈◊〉 give it them He hath the Judicial Power too John 5. 22. 27. But although he doth delegate a Judiciall Power to his Servants Isa. 1. 27. 1 King 6. 12. and subordinate Officers Isa. 60. 17. Dan. 7. 27. Rev. 19. 14. which must all be Saints too yet he keeps the Legislative Power to himselfe and will not part with it nor can he to Princes or Parliaments He alone is to have the absolute Soveraignty as the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dan. 7. 14. So that his will his word or command is the Law and the Law ought to be none but his Word all grounded and fetched from the Word of God which is to be the Statute-Booke Psal. 147. 19. He sheweth HIS Statutes and HIS Judgements to Israel Then the ablest Lawyers wil be such as are most conversant with Christ his Scriptures and Ordinances O happy dayes then the Lawes will bee healing as Soveraigne Medicines and the Magistrates like Pâ—ysitians must apply them for these and divers other reasons we looke for the fifth Monarchy and doe continually cry Come Lord Jesus come quickly Let every one that longs for these new Heavens and new Earth wherein dwels righteousnesse 2 Pet. 3. 13. Pray Our Father thy Kingdome come that thy will may be done in earth as it is in heaven Matth. 6. 10. that we may have none but Christs Lawes Statutes and Government but forget all old Formes of Civil or Ecclesiasticke for which end Lord hasten this fifth Monarchy Vse My first word is full to our Governours in the Honourable Court of Parliament if so be the fifth Monarchy is so nigh us it concernes them to set upon their Generation-worke then in these dayes
quenched and if thou waitest for the word these Consumers in their flame may hap to have the mastery and do more mischiefe of a sudden then we are aware of Thus our Warrant is signed in the second place by the Law of Nations Thirdly The Law of God saies Luk. 10. 27. Love the Lord thy God c. and thy Neighbor as thy selfe Besides the Law of Nature and Nations the Law of God is unavoidably necessary ad ultimum finem Now this Law of God gives me Warrant as a Minister and as a Man to proclaime the injustice oppression lying cheating deceit and villanies of this wicked Tribe as Amos 4. 1. Hear the Law of the Lord O yee Kine of Bashan yee which oppresse the poor and crush the needy that is O yee Judges and Lawyers that are fed with the best and fattest things abounding in wealth and stores and they are such Kine whose bellies are filled for a day of slaughter which is signified by Bashan and they say to their Masters bring wine By the poor is meant the borrower but by the master is meant the creditor now these wretched Lawyers do not as they ought to doe justice for the reliefe of the poor Debters against hard hearted Usurers but rather they oppresse the poor and fulfill the desires of the rich misers to the wrong of others and then they say come your cause will carry it bring us wine a quart or pottle of wine to make merry with But God will confound this their carnality and covetousnesse Amos 5. 7. Hear O yee that turne judgement into wormwood and have made the Laws bitter to the poor and honest people and have made their remedies worse then their diseases and have managed the causes of the righteous with so much sin as have filled them with frequent sorrows and tears abhorring true reason and equity Vers. 11. For as much therefore as your treading is on the poor c. That is your greatest violence disdaine abuses and base injuries are done to them to screwze and grinde them under your filthy feet Ver. 12. I know your manifold transgressions and mighty sins in afflicting the just taking Bribes or Fees and turning aside the poor in the gate from their right i. e. when the poor have nothing to give them they get them into prisons to lie and rot there The Germans have a Proverb that the rich are hanged up by their purses and the poor by their necks Thus by injustice as the Prophet saies the Tyrannicall Tribe of Judges and Lawyers grow great get estates build stately houses have pleasant Gardens and ruffle it out in Angles of luxury and pride and whilst Angels protect them they behave themselves like Demi-gods But God will reward them in their kind Micah 2. 1. 2. Woe to them that devise iniquity that is in Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lye vanity c. who do this like the Lawyers and when the morning is light they practise it So away they run to Westminster and there plead their lies V. 2. They covet fields and take them by violence and houses and take them away So they oppresse a man and his house even a man and his heritage But thus saith the Lord Vers. 3. Behold against this Family i. e. of Lawyers or these Inns of Courts do I devise an evill c. and Vers. 4. In that day shall one take up a parable and lament with a dâ—lefull lamentation and say wee be utterly spoiled Thus the Lord complaines and threatens them very speedily and to purpose as will appear ere I have done with them Now Gods Word gives me warrant all along to cry aloud and spare not Should Whoredome be suffered in the open streets without open reproofes or Drunkennesse or the like Why theâ— should oppression injustice lying perjury violence cheating and such like Knavery is not one sin as much sin in the sight oâ— God as another I apprehend my Commission to lead me as largely against the Lawyers who make a daily trade of sin aâ— lying swearing cozening oppressing and wronging the Fatherlesse and Widows and all this in open sun too hereby getting mony as it does against Drunkards Swearers Whoremongers whâ— every day live by their sins making a trade of them and getting mony by them O how bitterly God complaines Heaven Earth and Creatures groan at such a company of as vile wretcheâ— as the earth bears that live by sins and have no other trading and that they should be yet tolerated to have open practise Jeâ— 6. 29. The Founder melteth in vain for the wicked are nâ— plucked away I wish one day it appeare not all one with opeâ— toleration of Drunkennesse Whoredomes or the like But I am bound in conscience to bear testimony against it and say with thâ— Prophet behold the end is come the end is come â— watcheth for thee behold it is come Ezek. 7. 6 7. their timâ— is come their day of trouble is near these judgements are inculcated because the Lawyers will not beleeve it may be Ver. 8 Now will I shortly poure out my fury upon them Ver. 10 11 12. Behold the day behold t is come the morning is gone forth the rod hath blossomed violence is risen up into a rod of wickednesseâ— None of them shall remain Nor of their multitudes Neither shall there be wailing for them The time is come The day draweth nigh Gods Word to me is to declare against their Injustice and Tyranny Cheating and Lying and to warn them Whether they will hear or whether they will forbear Ezek. 2. 7. And if they will hear Ezek. 33. 12 15. Say Son of Man if the wicked will restore the pledge and give again what they have robbed and walk in my statutes without committing iniquity they shall live and not die Thus far the Law of God gives me power So Psal. 82. 2 3. How long will ye judge unjustly and accept the persons of the wicked But to come to the directive power of Gods Law see Judg. 5. 23. Curse ye Meroz curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof And that it is incumbent upon us by Gods Law to defend our Liberties against all Tyrants and Oppressors as I said before is without doubt Hos. 5. 11. 1 Cor. 7. 23. See what Mattathias said to his Brethren Come let us restore the decayed state of our people and let us fight for our people and for the Sanctuary So that it plainly appears we may do all we can for the decayed estate of this Commonwealth against the corrupt cruel and cursed innovations of the devouring Lawyers as well as other Tyrants that were Lords over us and for the restoration of our Primitive liberties and freedom of Justice as we shall show by and by at every mans door That righteousness may run down like a River in every street Isa. 48. 18. And be as common as the waters in
27. and Noahs flood ver 38. and terrible to the enemies whose hearts faile them for fear But glorious to the Saints Mal. 4. 2 3. The wicked understand not this but the wise shall Dan. 10. 12. Thirdly Why this Fifth Monarchy hastens so Amongst other things I pick out two as First for the Redemption of the People Luk. 21. 28. lift up your heads for your redemption draweth nigh and the creature or the whole Creation groans for this liberty of the Sons of God Rom. 8. 20 21 22. and for this manifestation Because the creatures will then be freed from that bondage of corruption inutillty vanity and failing of their true end as Gellius hath it which they are now subject unto But our Redemption will be 1. From Ecclesiastick Bondage Decrees Councels Orders and Ordinances of Pope Priest Prelate or the like The whore shall be striped stark naked and made desolate Rev. 17. 16. and all the Statutes of Omri taken away Mic. 6. 16. 2 From Civil bondage and slavery or those bloody base unjust accursed tyrannicall Laws and sin-monopolizing Lawyers as now oppresse and afflict the people For the sighing of the poor and oppressed now will I arise saith the Lord. A Heathen said once Let Justice be done though the world perish for it But Jehovah saith now Justice shall be done though the world perish for it Then woe be to the Lawyers and Priests I meet with many old Prophesies of these daies as in the Oracles of the Sibyls there is one in lib. 3. p. 246 247. mentioned by John Opsopaeus that in the latter daies of Kings and Emperors Christ alone shall be the King and shall deliver his Subjects that have been captives under other Kings and Emperors and then shall there be good Laws and Religion together with Justice and Righteousnesse which shall come down from Heaven to visit men upon the Earth and the evill Religion which I thinke they meant the Popish and Antichristian that belongs to Babylon and Laws which surely relates to the Civill Laws by what followes with all envy hatred spight anger violence wrongs and deadly slaughter shall flie away with them from mortall men Woe be to the Lawyers then There is another Prediction by one Paracelsus a German Physitian which was long since presented to Ferdinand K. of the Romans and since to the Emperor which is this About 50 which I conceive he meant An. 1650 There will be a terrible Eclipse of the Sun together with great inundations or overflowings of waters and after that will be diverstumults seditions battels burnings and bloodsheddings to molest the Northerne Nations viz. Brabant Flanders Zealand and Holland especially and then will the Rosen Crown I suppose hee meant the English-Rose be ripe The Summer or hot weather i. e. the wars in these dayes that beareth this Rose is that contentious time wherein All shall be divided A sure argument then that that thing shall perish which man hath built upon the sand and then shall the sandy foundation i. e. in this Ecclesiasticall and Civill both be changed into a Rock where at all men shall wonder O the wonderfull things that â—re now to be done in these Nations he goes on very largely and foretels great calamities to France Flanders Zealand and Holland as never were and that it shall fall fiercely upon Spaine too insomuch as the Pomegâ—anat meaning Spain shall be divided and the seeds thereof cast forth And thence he goes forward in his twelfth Prediction to the Pope and saies Behold thou hast placed thy selfe above God but now he will give thee thy reward thou soughtest worldly glory but now as worldly things perish so dost thou Those things shall befal thee which thou never lookedst â—or And then in his 31 Prediction by the image of four naked children embracing each other he saies Magnafutura est mutatio renovatio c. O! then enters the great change which shall be called the happy Reformation that followes which is without deceit arts subtleties but in plaine naked innocent Laws And this shall bee when 60. may be numbered from such a year I suppose he meant by An. 1660. And then he goes on in his 32. Prediction which bears the image of the Sun shining upon a man that is asleep to shew what glorious daies succeed to Church and State for ever after that Besides him we shall find Nostradamus in his 1. Century and 10. Quadr. tels us what troubles his poor Country France must be in and in 3. Cent. 9. 32. 38. 41. and so in 7. 34. he saies there shall be such sudden mutations that their Salique Law shall faile them and finishes his 38. Quadrin of his fifth Centurie thus Qu' en fin fauldra la loy Salique And that their divisions at home in their own Kingdome by their own Princes and Peers as it is now shall occasion the fall of their Crown the alteration of their State Lawes and Religion The Prediction saies thus Ie prevoy de grandes guerres des grandes effusions de sang à l' occasion des premiers du Royaume c. But Wolfius in his 13. Centenarie saies he had this too out of an old manuscript in the City of Auspurge beginning thus Praelia magnatum video cum sanguinis undâ c. And Nostradamus in Cent. 5. 9. 99. tels how the sword must begin the Reformation of Româ— and that it shall be ruled by the Brittains meaning our English Army Quand Rome aura le chef vieux Brittanique Thus one Joachim an Italian hath long since foretold too a man many honorable and learned men make much mention of as Paulius Aemilius c. in a certaine Book of pictured Prophecies in the second Prediction hee paints out the Pope thirsting for the blood of Christians and in the eighth Prediction saith of him Behold here the Husband of the Whore of Babylon and in 25. Prediction he saies Vae tibi Civitas Septicollis quando C. litera comminabitur moenibus tuis c. Woe to thee Rome when the letter C. perhaps the late Charles shall begin to â—ound within thy wals or else it may be Cromwel will give them an Alarme And after that he tels them that almost all Christian Princes and Nations shall unite to afflict them and become their enemies and turn out of the City the proud Prelates and Cardinals and take in in their roome the humble and more worthy And now proud Rome saies he ch 21. that saith I sit as a Queen I am not a widow neither shall I see sorrow c. The time is now come that that whorish Synagogue of Romish Prelates shall be stripped stark naked and their iniquities laid open For the LORD himselfe will arise in Judgement to destroy Babylon root and branch by the hand of the flying Power meaning England
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sagrir OR Doomes-day drawing nigh With Thunder and Lightening to LAWYERS In an Alarum For New Laws and the Peoples Liberties from the Norman and Babylonian Yokes Making Discoverie Of the present ungodly Laws and Lawyers of the Fourth Monarchy and of the approach of the FIFTH with those godly Laws Officers and Ordinances that belong to the Legislative Power of the Lord Iesus SHEWING The Glorious Work Incumbent to Civil-Discipline once more set before the Parliament Lord Generall Army and People of England in their distinct capâ—â—ities upon the Account of Christ and his Monarchy Humbly presented to them by JOHN ROGERS an unfained Servant of Christ and this Common-wealth in their best Rights Laws and Liberties lost many years Bread of Deceit is sweet to a man but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with Gravell Prov. 20. 17. Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor he shal cry himself but shal not be heard Prov. 21. 13. They are Brasse and Iron they are all Corrupters the Bellows are burnt the Lead is consumed of the fire the Founder melteth in vain for the Wicked are not plucked away Ier. 6. 28. 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When their Judges or the greatest Lawyers are thrown down into stony places they shall hear my Words because then they are sweet Psal. 141. 6. Causidicis Erebo Fisco fas vivere rapto Militibus Medico Tortori occidere ludo Meâ—iri Astrologis Pictoribus atque Poetis LONDON Printed for Tho Hucklescot to be sold at the George in Little Brittain 1654 To the Right Honourable The Lord Gen. CROMVVEL The Peoples Victorious Champion in England Ireland and Scotland My Lord HIs EXCELLENCY the Lord Jesus hath sent out his Summons to other Nations also and the Blade of that Sword whose handle is held in England will reach to the very Gates of Rome ore long but by what Instruments we know not yet for what end we know Psal. 72. 2. 4. 13. viz. to breake in peeces the oppressor and to deliver the poore and needy yea to spoile the weak-hearted and be more excellent then the mightiest mountains of prey Psal. 76. 4. 5. this shall goe on till all the earth be filled with his glory Now my Lord hitherto he hath honoured you in his War let him also doe so in his Work which the War hath made way for viz. in throwing down of Tyranny the Oppression which as you have begun to doe so this Treatise hath unavoydable reference to your Selfe to carry on as our Conquerour upon Christs and the Common-wealths account and not upon your owne Therefore are the eyes of thousands upon you to see what you will doe for their safety and freedome according to the just Rights and Liberties of the People of this Nation which they had before the Norman Tyranny and Conquest for it is far better for us my Lord now to hang us then not to help us against these unsufferable Lawes and Lawyers which rob us of Justice and righteousnesse as it is obvious in the Treatise whiles not one honest man in England dares justifie them the mouthes of all are open against them which like doores without Lock or Key can scarce be shut close againe till there be an alteration Jethro's counsell to Moses my Lord concernes you in Exod. 18 19. Hearken and I will give thee counsell and God shall bee with thee be thou for the People to God-ward that thou mayst bring their causes to God c. we beseech you hearken to the inexorable yea inexuperable cryes and calls of the Communalty for godly Lawes and for justice upon the usurping proud Lawyers for their lying perjury and treachery which is according to the Statute and good Lawes punishable It is without malice to a man of them and meerly out of Conscience to ingage against sin and enemies to Christ and this Common-wealth that I must make such a Character of them as I doe it may be I speake spiritfully yet not spightfully though oppression makes a wise man mad sayes Salomon Eccles. 7. 7. and indeed if it be madnesse to ingage against Sinne I will be so for Si natura negat facit indignatio versum but here 's no need of Passion seeing Piety preaches yea the light of Nature presses these lines against that sinfull Society yea the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 calls for it The Aegyptian Hieroglyphick for Legislative Power was oculus in sceptro but ours had need to be oculus in ense the eye in the conquering Sword of the people I meane first a full eye to looke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 backward and forward with an open Prospect into the Peoples Liberties and advantages for their safety and freedome and then an able quick eye to deliver the People from oppressors and to defend them in their owne â—ights And indeed my Lord we would have no Law Nisi lex oculata but that Law which sees how and what and to whom to administer in aequilibrio in justice whilst many of our Lawes are the â—lawes of this Common-wealth for as Plutarch sayes Turpe praeceptum non est lex sed in quitas The Chineses would perswade us that they only see with two eyes and other Nations but with one O that we could convince our Neighbour Nations now by our Lawes and Government that we see with both eyes for our selves and friends too if need be wherefore let us fall to their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let us worke and watch for Christs Monarchy which is now upon the borders and be sure to keep in the Kings Christs Road for that is safest Israels Omen of going on against his enemies was 1 Chron. 14. 15. the voyce in the top of the trees and this is ours also viz. the voyce of God as in Primitive times and in the top-ages of the Church for his Spirit is mighty and growes great every day and when the enemy shall be like a Floud the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against them Isa. 59. 19. and why see Isa. 31. 3. the Lord Gods greatest worke in these dayes is Spirit-worke and none will be found fit to be imployed in it but such as are spirited for it by the Holy Spirit for then our Warres wil be holy Warres our Lawes holy Lawes our Parliaments holy Parliaments c. and not before Wherefore my Lord for Christs sake minde and finde out what your worke is you have not done all yet for now you have won us you must wall us with the good and wholsome Lawes and Liberties of the People as we were before the Norman invasion or rather as Israel of old Deut. 6. 1. or else Gog will arise who sayes in his presumption I will goe to the Land of unwalled Villages I will goe to them that are at rest It is dangerous indeed now to sit still seeing the Wheele full of eyes is in his swiftest motions and may without heed run
blanda facie sed caudâ— pungit occulte The Scorpion hath a flattering face and so these Locusts Revel 9. 7 8. Their faces were as the faces of men and they had hair as the hair of women But Vers. 10. their tails were like to Scorpions that had stings to torment men All this signifies their Hypocrisie and craft as well as cruelty to hurt us Exterius boni sed interius mali sayes one For Scorpio blanditur vultu sed percutit cauda these Scorpions will finely fawn to thy face but they torment with their tail when thou thinkest danger is over This signifies also their varias fraudes sundry sorts of tricks and frauds as Cotterius tells us to deceive and do mischeif with therefore they have womens hair as well as mens faces As the Apostle sayes 2 Pet. 2. 3. Through Covetousness with fained words they make merchandise of men for they seem the faces of men that are most discreet wise prudent eloquent yea and affable and courteous but as Pliny lib. 11. c. 25. sayes of the Scorpion Cauda semper in ictu est nulloque momento meditari cessat ne quando occasioni desit Their tail is continually in motion to torment us and every moment ready to take occasion to sting us and as Paul in Rom. 16. 18. sayes With fair speeches and flattering words they deceive the simple 2. As Scorpions ever since they were cursed in Gen. 3. 14. Thou art cursed above every beast of the field upon thy belly shalt thou go and dust shalt thou eat all thy days I say ever since with their tails which torment us they gather up the dust of the Earth and feed altogether upon earthly things as their meat Scorpio cauda lingit isti spiritualia temporibus postponunt So they like the unclean beasts under the Law creep 〈◊〉 all four upon the Earth and all this upon their belly too O bitter curse they cannot abide the things above And this make them ready to receive Petitions opinions causes complaints many hours together about Bodies and Estates but cannot abide a Petition that concerns Soules which lately I tryed their patience with before the Lords Commissioners but upon the naming of a Scripture or two they would not hear it at which drawing my Bible out of my Pocket and telling them that that was the Statute Book to be used in such cases and beginning to open some Scriptures I came to that in Ezek. 22. 27. Her Princes are ravening Wolves they seek to destroy souls to get dishonest gain c. but they fell a chasing and fuming and could not endure it But 3 Scorpions sting but not dead at first but the wound works by degrees and Pliny saies plainly that the venome runs along the veins by little and little till it comes to the heart and kils them The Lawyers like them sting deadly and it were better they killed us right out Rev. 9. 6. then to consume perplex paine grieve and afflict us to death by degrees the plague of them is the worse Habent venenatam suam potestatem Thus these Locusts are like Scorpions 8 These Locusts were Monster-forme and that multi-forme being made up of many sorts of creatures so the Lawyers are i. e. Foxes for subtlety Vipers for venome Dogs for mouthing it but Tygers for tearing it and cruelty But 1. In their Body horses prepared to battle Rev. 9. 7. Horses not common but kept up and fed pampered Jades that work not but feed hard and eate and drink of the best therefore saies the Apostle 2 Pet. 2. 12. They are as bruite beasts lead with sensuality and yet like Horses prepared to battle that is full of fury and rage for Antichrists designe and against the Gospell of the Lord Jesus Cum fervore impetu procedentes sine Dei timore discretione currentes in conculcationem electorum sicut equi saies Beda in loc non sua ratione sed sessoris impulsu aguntur ita diabolico spiritu agitati feruntur contra Christum They must needs go whom the devill drives and thus like the horses Job 39. 25. They mock at fear and go on as bold as blind Bayards furiously for Antichrists interest â—s his Army for Civill affairs Besides it seems they are cruell and given to Blaodshed and under pretence of Treasons breach of Law or the like they cause the faithfullest to suffer as Sir Walter Rawleigh told them to their faces 2 On their Heads as it were crowns c. So are these Locusts or Lawyers Antichrists Army of crowned men in State-matters as well as the Priests and Clergy his Army in Ecclesiasticall matters not only in their wear of Caps like Crowns but in that they get the legislative Power and have more regum in the manner of Kings Lords and such like persons imposed laws and ties to consciences tyrannizing and oppressing all the people of God as their Vassals and Subjects Thus the Lawyers are Antichrists Horses kept up for his battle being monster-form magni-forme and multi-form But Christ he rides upon his white horse conquering and to conquer 3. They had Faces like the faces of men That is least me should loath and abhor them for their cruelty and cursed dispositions they insinuate into great places Kings Courts and Pallaces c. by simulation and fine glozing flattering shewes of humanity and humility having learned the art of dissembling in the Inns of Courts having it infused as a principle which Kings and Rulers held by their authority that none was fit to Rule unlesse he can dissemble These Lawyers never more dissemble theâ— when they resemble the faces of men For they put the fairest faces on the foulest actions There be no greater Flatterers in the world and they smile at the most distance And methinks now the Lawyer is like one nigh drowned he fastens upon any neâ— hand in hopes to save himselfe but soft sir 4. Hair as the hair of women Rev. 9. 8. That is as Cotterius notes 1. Varias fraudes their variety of art to deceive anâ— insinuate 2. Ornatum illicitum their unlawfull attire to make a great show with fine soft and delicate ornaments And 3. Effoeminatos mores their effeminacy and womanish fancies aâ—â— fashions and like women O how they love their long hair delicate comam alunt pingunt mulcent powdering and painting it 5 Their Teeth as the teeth of Lyons Rev. 9. 8. Such an expression is in Joel 1. 8. Voraces truculenti sunt that is thâ—â— are ravenous and cruell so that in the description of them there is falsi boni simulà tio veri mali dissimulatio Aperâ— Saevitia A semblance of good in their faces a dissemblance fevill in their hair but dentibus crudelitas significatur by their teeth is figured out open cruelty and tyranny and bee sure these State Locusts or
high Treason to be but faithfull and honest to the peoples Interest I pray God this be not the thing that keeps up the Lawyers amongst us now viz. to keep up the Interest of the Great ones and keep down the peoples Right and Liberties That like Popiclus of Polonia they might by murthers and oppressions over awe the people so as that they should not dare to demand their Rights and then make themselves absolute and hereditary Thus I might go on all day to show how many ways they are guilty of the most grievous murthers and of as able men as ever the Earth bare and to fast from blood hath been Lent-time to some But I conclude the Catalogue with this trick to make up their measure to get yea honest men into prisons and many times upon meer cheats as we heard before in Pag. 55. and then to keep them there purposely till they be starved to death and â—â—t up with lice and die worse then dogs Let a man but take a view of one place amongst many others i. e. the Upper Bench how many hundreds have they most miserably worse then Turks tormented and starved to death O England England does blood precious blood bid thee call for Justice upon these Intruders or Lawyers and shall we sit still Hark! Jere. 4. 31. I have heard a voice of the daughter of Zoin that bewaileth her self in anguish that spreadeth her hands and saith Wo is me now for my soul is wearied because of murtherers They murther the innocent Psal. 10. 8. and the fatherless Psal. 94 6. and poor yea they are polluted with blood Hos. 6. 8 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as troops of robbers they wait for men sayes the Prophet to murther them by consent it is in our Translation I know not how it was thrust in but the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shechem the shoulder which signifies either that they do it with one shoulder or else which I like best they murther the shoulder i. e. such as are most eminent high able and the worthies So that thus saith the Lord Hosea 4. 1 2. the Lord hath a controversie with the inhabitants of the land for that by swearing lying and killing and stealing and committing adultery they break out and blood toucheth blood This is one ground more of the great complaint the free Commoners have against these Norman Tyrants or Lawyers which is as hideous to the honest Englishman that fears God as Julius Caesars Robe was to the Senate-house that saw it stabbed through with so many holes and bloodied in so many places Thus are the Laws and Liberties of this poor Nation lost which makes us groan to God and men 4. As men are religious they rally up against these ungodly Lawyers for their open Robberies and Cheats which speaking too before I shall adde little to having told you of their tricks and arts which their Inns of Court bring them up in to get mony and abuse the oppressed people by Feâ—s and Bribes but Trop donne soyt repele There will come a day of reckoning for them and all that they have knit up by their rapine will be unravelled again with a witness ere long and these Powder-masters will be blown up with their own provision then Shall I count them pure with their bag of deceitful weights saith the Lord Miâ— 6. 11 12. For the rich are full of violence the inhabitants have pleaded lies and their tongue is deceitful in their mouths Vers. 16. For according to their Norman customs the statutes of Omri are yet kept that I should make thee a desolation Trust not in your robberies nor lies saith the Lord Jere. 7. So saith David Psal. 94. They frame mischeif for a Law and gather themselves against the soul of the righteous and condemn the Innocent God will recompence them in their own malice the Lord our God will destroy them They judge for rewards and hire and build up with blood Micah 3. 10 11. They are brass and iron they are revolters Jere. 6. 28. Every one loveth gifts and fees and judge for rewards they judge not the fatherless neither doth the cause of the widow come to them O! I will ease me of these my adversaries Isai. 1. 23 24. What are their Inns of Court but as Job saith Chap. 12. 6. Tabernacles of robbers which prosper And as Solomon sayes Prov. 21. 7. The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them because they refuse to do judgement The Searchers of God shall be sent out to seek out all their ill-gotten goods for which they will be arrested with a vengeance as the veriest Fellons that are though it is true as yet we have robbery for right and oppression for judgment Small theeves are condemned to die for it whiles great National ones ride rattling in Coaches I warrant you the poor sneaking Solicitors and Clerks yea the Bum-bailiffs and Serjeants that abuse men and beat women great with childe as one J. Turvy did a Gentlewoman the other day and yet not punished I say such as these say it is good gleaning after them that run away with whole sheaves and whose robberies are accounted rights because countenanced connived at and priviledged forsooth O sad are we such slaves yet As the same River that runs through divers regions hath divers names and yet it is the same River so theft hath divers names in Souldiers it is called spoil and plunder in Governors called Cessments tribute c. In Lawyers called Fees in others Gifts and Bribes in Church they call it Sacriledge and Simony in State Oppression and Tyranny in Law Corruption and Bribery and when this one River rises up into a Spring-tide or swells up to the bank then it is called Usury But in a poor naked man it is called Theft and Fellony without any other fine minced words which were coyned to cover great mens knavery and such a one must be murthered for it without mercy or clergy as they call it Dalton fol. 226. Although in truth it is the same River that runs and the same thing though new in name in all these but the same Cob-web which some Spiders can dwell in shall hang others As among the old Lacedemonians theft amongst them was never punished where it was carried cunningly and secretly but he that was discovered for stealing and did it not neatly he was punished not so much for stealing as for behaving himself no more covertly and cunningly in it So whiles poor men suffer mulct for a little matter because it is open plain theft these rich ravenous Robbers do it with art and cunning and have coyned a new name for it too to guild it over and so scape scot-free though they rob us daily of a thousand times more then all the Theeves in England besides But their Dooms day Book will be brought out ere-long where it is set down to a tittle what they ow to this
that speaketh these great words against the most high shall afflict and perplex the Saints of the most high chap. 7. 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and think with himselfe how to change the times and Laws and that this takes in the Laws of the people especially appears by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dath which is not interpreted Legem Dei vel Evangelium the Lawes of God but the institutions Statutes and Lawes of men Now who did ever so palpably rob and wrong the People of their owne rights and liberties as William the Norman and his Successors all along taking away their Lawes and setting up his owne for his owne ends and ever studying how to guard their own Interest and Prerogative with tyrannicall Laws to the oppressing of the people and the publick 8 This little horn was to be a hot fiery fierce persecutor of the Saints Dan. 7. 21 22 25 26. till the Judgement should sit and so was William and all his Line of Norman Kings to Charls Stuart ever persecuting and afflicting Gods Servants under the notion of Hereticks Brownists Puritans Roundheads Anabaptists and the like till the last Tyrant ran out into armes openly and continued it untill the Judgemen-Seate was set 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was Anno one thousand six hundred forty eight in that High Court of Justice erected for the Kings Triall the Ancient of dayes came and gave Judgement first against this little Horne of the Norman Kings and that was according to the Prophecie ver 9 10 11. who wil see Master Canns first voyce from the Temple p. 14. may be more satisfied as to this 9 This little Horne was to be by that Judgement Court or Throne erected so cut off as never to be more see Ver. 26. This judgement shall sit and shall take away his Dominion to consume and to destroy it unto the end ah dreadfull Tragedy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was acted accordingly and enacted against all Kingly Power in England never more to arise in these three nations 10 After this Horn thus judged the worke is to goe on and the Thrones of Justice or Day of Judgement will reach France Spaine Denmarke Poland c. with all the rest of the ten Hornes but they have some respite after the little Horne is cut off and therefore chap. 7. ver 12. As concerning the rest of the Beasts their lives were prolonged for a season and time the Hebraism is ad tempus tempus which is very remarkable and excellent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rest of the Kings their Lives are kept for a fit season i. e. Gods owne time of visiting them which certainly is upon the wing 11 Then enters the fifth Monarchy as is ver 14. There was given to him dominion glory and a Kingdome that all People Languages Nations should serve him c. So in verse 27. And the Kingdome and Dominion and the greatnesse of the Kingdome under the whole Heaven shall be given to the people of the Sainst of the most high whose Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome and all Dominions shall serve and obey him Hitherto is the end of the matter This hastens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 within this seaven yeares by one thousand six hundred and sixty the worke wil get as farre as Rome and by one thousand six hundred sixty six this Monarchy must be visible in all the earth but in the meane time it must have a gradual entrance as to us very suddenly as appeares in Daniels Prophecy after the fall of the little Horne or the Norman line in the fatall stroke given to Charles Stuart one thousand six hundred forty eight and this wil be to the ruine of those Lawes and Lawyers which as yet stand to oppresse the people O terrible DOOMES-DAY to them at the entrance of this fifth Monarchy And then 12. Lastly This fifth Monarchy must be the last Monarchy on earth ver 14. 27. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not passe away and his Kingdome that shall not be destroyed So ver 27. whose kingdome is an everlasting kingdome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hence it is that there must be SHAKINGS of all Nations until the DESIRE of all Nations come Hag. 2. 6. and till that Kingdome come which wil never be shaken and then Christ shal have the only Supreame Power the summam potestatem in the Nations Hebr. 12. 27 28. Now the time being just by us for the fifth Monarchy and for the breaking all to fitters of the fourth let the PRIESTS and LAWYERS looke about them the ALARUM is given them already Throw her downe come against her from the utmost borders destroy her utterly let nothing of her be left Jer. 50. 26. God wil execute the judgement that is written Psal. 149. 8 9. For now hath the Angel poured out the fifth vial upon the seate of the Beast here in England Revel 16. 10. So that such men must needs gâ—aw their tongues for paine but very shortly shall the river Euphrates be dried up for the time drawes nigh Secondly How this FIFTH MONARCHY must enter in a word to that 1. Gradually the Stone cut without hands grows by degrees greater and greater till it fill the whole earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dan. 2. The stone is this fifth Monarchy cut out without mens hands which must breake a peeces all the other Monarchies never more to rise The fourth Monarchy is breaking up apace and wil suddenly tumble and kick his heeles in the aire 2 Mysteriously Being cut without hands it comes in and men know not how whilst men act and intend their own designs in comes Christ with his Kingdom Was it not mysterious to our States in the late tryall of King Charls did they think to fulfill the Prophecies and Scriptures thereby no surely for they intended to fulfil their own wils the wil of the people in taking away tyranny and Tyrants but God intended thereby a fulfilling his will so long fore-told of this little horne Thus how mysterious was the war with Scotland and now with Holland and O how wonderfully mysterious will the following Wars be and especially the Catastropâ—e of the Tragedy upon the other Horns I know most men are in darknesse as to the great change the Fifth Monarchy will make amongst us yea and in all Europe seeing already they are netled at the verge of it or the very appearance of Tith-tumbling and Lawyers-downfall But it must be so Rev. 16. 10. When the vial is poured out upon the seaâ— of the Beâ—st his Kingdom is full of darknesse c. Yea grosse darknesse shall cover the earth when this glory is rising Psa. 60. 1 2. it must be mysterious being not by might but by my Spirit saith the Lord Zach. 4. But besides this the manner of this Fifth Monarchies enterance will be suddenly too as Lightning Matth. 24.