return to God who bindeth Nobles in Fetters of Iron and who alone can en-noble the meanest and laugh to scorn the proud that presume on Nobility in contempt of the Almighty for he is noble that in Vertue shines ill Life and Manners are degenerate Signs Earth's Nobles in Heaven's Court unknown Heaven not Gentry but the just doth own should you in power and strength excell all other men Plenty of Massie Gold and Silver what then Injoy'd you Fortune's Wheel to raise thee to the Skie Well ordered Servants that in Duty would outvie all others what then All 's but Folly and distress but God alone to serve is true Glory to possess The want of a serious consideration hereof brought England to the Stage of Confusion Disorder Schism and Sacriledge pray did not your Schism occasion a grievious Civil War which continued for three years soon after a gloomy horrible Comet appear'd in the Air which did usher a most raging Plague soon after Fire and dreadful Flames from Heaven all but warnings and merciful invitations for to bring England to true obedience and re-union to the ancient reveal'd and Soul-saving Faith of Christ yet all proved ineffective What A fiery Comet in the Van What a frightful Plague in the main Body What devouring Flames as horrid Executioners of Gods vengeance in the Rear and yet no moving at all towards the fear of God irritated notwithstanding all such prodigious Judgments and Visitatious sent from a hand more then humane all did but harden the people of Londons hearts in Schism and Heresie But now in a most happy hour Lo our great Royal Iames now displays his white Flag Clemency and Mercy to his Subjects assuring the World out of his Princely Mature Wisdome and Experience that Liberty of Conscience in England cannot but mainly conduce as an Inlet for the reducing of all his Loyal Subjects from Dire Schism and Heresie to the one true Catholick Apostolick and Roman Church of Christ ut fiat unum ovile unus pastor ovium For his most Sacred Majesty by his well ordered Zeal and Dei-form intention labours to promote vigorously the common good Spiritual and Temporal of his Subjects as he like a most good just clement and puissant Prince holds himself bound O brave England do but seriously consider how the World cannot chose but discern you ever since your Revolt overcast with blindness and disingenuity your Nobles and Gentry become altogether most inconstant unsteady wavering and still dissatisfied with any Government Monarchical or Anarchical even as when a Bone is out of joynt the Patient can never be free from his pain till it be not only set but set right again So England it is not only out of joynt but even broken in pieces suffering inexpressible miseries changes and calamities both in Church and State yet even to this day it feels no ease at all because none have had it in hand to cure its distempers but such as instead of healing its wound have inflam'd its maladies and woful distractions O brave Nobility of England joyn with your great Prince according to that Axiom per quascunque causas conponitur res per easdem dissolvetur Henry the Eighth began the dance in bringing in Schism the Nobility followed him Now great King Iames begins to chace away Schism introduce union peace prosperity follow him a brave Pole Star Take this Fable to our purpose upon a time the Frogs petition'd Iupiter to grant them a King he condescended and tumbled among them a Log after they had leap'd a while both on it and about it and finding it to be insensible they once more petition'd for a King active and stirring whereupon he sent them a Crane which fell immediately a pecking up The Moral hereof plainly shews that nothing can give any lasting satisfaction to the desire of change to the people of England for whether the Governour be a Frog or a Crane passive or active clement or cruel gracious or grievous they disrelish all unwilling to obey any such are their Principles so as that they leave no stone unmoved to unsettle or alter any Government chosing to be enslaved by a bad rather then endure constantly a good one and all this because they are blind and mad out of all order for want of faith I could not forbear letting fall some tears beholding such a Mockery of Heaven and Sacriligious Villany performed on St. Patriarks day last in contempt of that Apostle of Ireland who by the Sign of the Cross wrought many Miracles whereof one is most notorious viz. That he chased away from that Kingdom all venomous Creatures even to this very day Any considering man may plainly see how that Schism revealed its own turpitud and betray'd it self to the full on the 17 of September last it 's sure then the semblance painted with Hypocrisie and Forgery was pull'd away then it 's Vizard and adulterated colours were quite taken away so as Schism discovered is a face unmasked then sure by Schism the Origine of our holy Reformation the work was done to the full when all the grounds of Christian Religion then were quite pull'd down Root and Branch pray what are all our Protestant Reformations but the taking away the antient Principles of Faith without any positive institution still proceeding by degrees from Schism to Reformation from this to Infidelity and Blasphemy until of the whole Fabrick of Divine Faith there is not left one stone upon another The Sign of the Cross only as a distinctive character between Christian and Pagan left was on St. Patriarks day last villified and exposed to the scorn and laughter of the giddy crowds of Protestants at London when Bulls with Crosses in their Horns Bears and Dogs with Crosses in their Foreheads were seen marching through the Protestant Streets of London and none did appear with any touch of Zeal or Religion to reprove check or punish such a villanous devillism o tempora o mores What! To see the holy Cross pull'd from Churches Altars from the Crown of our Sovereign and even from Baptism then most prophanely translated to the heads of Bears Bulls and Dogs Sure such Heathenish practices suits better with Turks and Moors now then what other can the Permitters Promoters Applauders and Abettors of such prophane ridiculing of the prime Mystery of Christianity expect then a heavy judgment from Heaven Is this the fruit of all the plausible Sermons in Protestant Churches on every Sunday Is this the end of Schism and its deformation now it 's come to the height of shame O plentiful Reformation O Zealous O Blessed O Sober O Godly Protestant thorough Reformation Now the work is done non plus ultra Who sees not how Schism produced Reformation a disorder establish'd by humane Law which bred this confusion thus Protestant Preachers teaching their Proselites to hate Popery they have put them upon the over-acting the work so as to leave their Religion a gasping O London
put on black and warning take FINIS TO THE Most Puissant and most Renown'd JAMES the SECOND KING Of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the Faith Long and Prosperous Reign is Wished and Prayed for OUR bright Orient Star King IAMES long may shine With True Faith's Rays most Powerful and Divine Whom the Lustre of Glorious Greatness Crown'd May God his Foes Convert or them Confound Whom all Admire whom all almost Adore Who to his Subjects doth now all good restore Who for Valour Wisdom Piety and Stature Is a wond'rous Master-piece of Nature His Deliverances from Plots a Miracle His rare Judgements Royal word an Oracle He out-brav'd all Perils his Prowess met A calm Spirit amidst main Storms he kept In Heaven's Annals his Royal Acts are Enroll'd His Heroick Feats are still in Flanders told In Spain and France his pure conduct is Renown'd And now through the World doth his Vertue sound Ne'r since the Grecians call'd this World their own Or Romans theirs was greater Valour known Than his if yet new Worlds to Conquer Were Sure Brave IAMES were the fitter Conquerer His Valour and Conduct surpassing far Great Champions that were Thunderbolts of VVar Bravest example of most Heroick worth That ever yet this later Age brought forth VVhat Tongue or Pen is able to express His matchless Gifts Graces and high minds Hapiness Therefore Can Royal IAMES fear the VVhigs those Scare-Crows then Those Bugbear VVretches the meer shades of Men NO NO for He wants no Arms to fit him for the Field His Prayers are his Sword True old Faith his Shield He in sweet Jesus by true Faith confides Mark Christ all safety still for him provides VVhigs when they list may for VVar and Storms call They with loud Thunder shall in fury fall In vain they Plot Contrive Conspire Combine They 'll fail by God of their most damn'd design For if by Sedition they his Power contemn For him Christ will dire Vengeance fling on them For God's Transcendent Providence still bear sway Which Plots against Kings doth with sorrow pay Lo VVhen the Rare Arabian Bird doth burn Her Beauties are not lost but doth return For when her Body 's laid on sweet Flames to Death Out of her Cindars a new Bird takes Breath From blest Queen Mary's Ashes and Royal Blood Y'our Sovereign Leige a Lovely Flower did bud For your Deiform Zeal for True Old Faith doth show That her Blood in your Sacred Veins do flow Lo God printed in your Pure Serene Face Mild Majesty Royal Terrour dreadful Grace Live long unpeer'd great Prince I Prayers amain Will daily offer for your most Happy Reign And humbly beg of God's Eternal bounty That Peace Union One Religion Plenty Of all Blessings from his most Potent Hand Be pour'd down upon this thy British Land And on Christ's in thy Kingdoms Faithful Flock Built on St. Peters Rome and St. Peters Rock Reign long great Phaenix now 'mongst Earthly Kings Still prosper Great IAMES for VVits pure managings Now you appear with mild and sweet fervour 'Gainst forlorn Sects Lies Schism and all Errour Y'own St. Ambrose Hierom and St. Austin Before Mad Luther Beza and blind Calvin Your Majesty hates the new Sin-sick Tricks Of deluded deluding Schismaticks Who to new fangled Faiths are so affected That by them Christs Faith is quite rejected Whose curs'd Spawn adventur'd t' expose to Sale The best of Kings their Faith their Souls and all Who to Rent his Church daily do devise And God's pure Spouse still Harlot like despise Lying Pamphlets Pulpits their black Art do try To stop True Faith's most Triumphant Victory In vain they Plot Contrive Conspire Combine They 'll fail by Gods power of their damn'd Design Therefore Let blind VVhigs stoop to serve at Royal IAMES's Feet Where Valour VVisdom Mercy and Justice meet Sure non can frown at King IAMES his gentleness But those that have an apparent Guiltiness Or such as at length to foul Death must run As Monmouth aiming at the Crown have done God bless our KING defend him from his Foes Ill Fate befall those that will him oppose VVe bless his Birth-Day and the Ground he tread FOR His Zeal for True Faith through all VVorld is spread Christ bless King IAMES Queen MARY and then Let all True Real Loyal Subjects say Amen On their Seat their Seed may ever Flourish VVhich may in One Truth Three Kingdoms Nourish God grant that never any other Hand Then Royal Stuarts sway the Scepter of this Land. May it please Your Most Sacred Majesty this is the daily Humble Prayer of J. E. one of Your Majesties most devoted Subjects Who For shew of his True Real Loyal Affection Plain Lines and Life offers to Your High Protection Perge age prosper abi Rex Vince JACOBE Secunde Hostes Armipotens Religione Fide. A Divine Poem Disswasive from Shism IN this vast World none full content can find For tho one may be rich indeed yet his mind Is empty still for still he covets more And is amidst his main heaps of riches poor Lo the Spherick figure cannot suffice Equally to fill what is triangle wise Lay one upon another and you 'll see Always some corner will unfurnish'd be When the Almighty made man's Soul the same Triangular by high Providence did frame To represent his matchless self and be The image of one God in persons three Ordaining man to love fear obey and serve God alone who always doth reward reserve For here beneath sure nothing can be found In this low Orb that 's Spherical and round Can satisfie Man's Soul nor can man rest In Creatures who is ord'red to be blest By Gods sweet fruition who to him gave The sublime being and essence which he have Good Sir Slight not eternal goods and with much pain For blind Schism ev'rlasting torments gain Renounce thy right t'Heaven and purchas Hell Chosing in dungeon fire and chains to dwell Don't forsake Christ ways safe true and immense Pursuing lying false doctrine to please thy Sence Which will debase thy nature and the fruit Will be to leave thee level with the bruit What will enoble you and truly raise Are Visions of those beams which God displays From his reconciled sweet face shall make Your Soul of his bles'd nature to partake Nought Sir can here be offer'd to thy eye That can the glory of Heaven outvie Nought here beneath of comfort doth so thrive As when God pure hearts doth with grace revive Gods light must guide thee how grace must be us'd Mercies proves judgment when they are abus'd Schism breeds blindness and beats reason back Forgets shames blush and doth honour wrack By faith we know immortal Souls to be And that for Souls there 's an Eternity Become what will of all the rest you have Pray Sir mind still thou hast a Soul to save A Soul your only Soul which when you die Is either sav'd or damn'd eternally This only thought will dark Schism controul Saying avant
Truth I say then that it is at once disingenuous dangerous and silly to entertain such blind thoughts I pray God these motives may have a strong influence upon you by the assistance of God's Grace which is never wanting to those that are not wanting to themselves and imprint in your Soul the Character of Truth that you may conquer all oppositions of Vnderstanding or Will which may bar your ready Obedience thereunto First divest your mind of all prepossess'd Opinions and worldly respects in favour of any Sect or in dislike of the true ancient Church so as truly having deposed all obstinate prepossessions of your Iudgment you 'll be easily persuaded that the Roman Church is the true Church wherein only is Salvation to be had Pursue this Quest my Lord suffer not your self to be mis-led by the seducing of flattering blind Guides or Obstinacy Adjourn not this Quest Say not as Felix said to St. Paul Acts 24.25 When I have a convenient season I will call for thee The World expects your happy Return to the Glorious Liberty of the Sons of God. Alexander the Great my Lord being asked if he would run at the Olympick Games said I could be content so I might run with Kings Begin then to exercise a Virtuous Ambition in running after Kings at the Olympick Game for an Eternity of never-ending Glory in the Roman Communion in so doing you may know that you run with two and twenty brave Kings of England that were Saints you run with King Charles II. whose dear Favourite you have been who by the quick-sighted piercing eye of his natural Iudgment said in his Speech That Christ can have but one Church and that the same is the Roman Catholick Church and that Christ left his Power to it even to forgive sins He desired to know How came that Church to lose that Power and by what Authority men separated themselves from it His Majesty answers saying That it was that particular men raised Schism for their own advantage Here my Lord you see the King leaves the heavy guilt of SCHISM at the door of the Protestant Sect. You run with our most Sacred Leige and Sovereign King JAMES II. whom God preserve for many many happy years whose Motto is Let Life and Three Kingdoms lie at stake Before I damn my Soul or true Faith forsake Run with King James I. of ever Renowned Memory who did acknowledge in open Parliament That the Roman Catholick Church is the only Mother-Church of all Churches See Stow pag. 840. Run finally my Lord with all the present Kings in Christendom excep those of Swedeland and Denmark who reign in that Cold Cloudy and Sin-darkned Northern Corner of the World where Heresie is entertained by a company of dull stupid people that will not penetrate Run I pray with the best part of Mankind in all Ages with the wisest Heads of the World for unfeigned Holiness and Learning Run along with these irradiant Pole-Stars and you cannot go astray and it 's an undoubted truth that the Life Example and Heroick Actions of a Prince have usually a greater sway upon the minds of his Subjects than his Laws for the Example of a King is a living Law which secretly over-rules mens minds and bends them to a compliance with it None can deny this but those who have their Iudgments swallowed up by prejudice and whose blind passions have over-run their reason Listen therefore to the Voice of Heaven Apoca. 18.24 Go out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues Schism my Lord and damn'd Heresie to which you pertinaciously adhere are most grievous Plagues from it redeem your precious Soul from forfeiture that has been this long time mortgaged to Death for Sectae non possi debunt Regnum Dei and non est prudentia nec concilium contra Dominum and Sapientis est mutare concilium Make it my Lord your daily Prayer to God to settle you in the right This said my very good Lord begin to put on in the Name of Ever-glorious Iesus a Noble Resolution to shake off those Chains and Bonds of that Monstrous Tyrant Schism which detains you in slavery let the scales of blind misguided Zeal fall from your eyes that you may see to find out a most secure Vnerring Guide in your Iourney towards a happy Eternity I beseech the Father of Lights and Mercy to illuminate your Vnderstanding with Beams of his Saving Grace that you may learn embrace and practise the Faith of Christ which shall be the daily Prayer of me who intreats your Grace to bestow one Grace which is to permit me to bear all my Life-time the Title of your humble Chaplain being always Your most obsequious and faithful Servant I. E. He may be won that longest does resist To pray for your Return I 'll ne'r desist I 'll ne'r despair of any whil'st I see A fruitless Tree may next year fruitful be A WINDING-SHEET FOR THE Schism of England CHAP. I. THe ALMIGHTY as a most Divine Architect rais'd the Fabrick of his Church in this World as a medium to Salvation a Man for not hearing this Church is term'd in St. Matth. 18.18 a Publican or Heathen Protestants segregating themselves and not hearing this Church are in a most lamentable state Sure a natural unity and connection of the Parts among themselves and to the Head is necessary for the conservation of the natural Body Christ promised that there should be Unity in his Church St. Iohn 10.16 They shall be made one Fold and one Pastor This Unity is most requisite in God's Church St. Iohn 17.11 Christ prayed that his Disciples should be one And again 1. Cor. 1.10 I beseech you that you all speak one and the same thing and that there be no Schism among you but that you be perfect in one judgment Protestants denies and flyes from this Unity being divided and subdivided Christ praying Sure his Prayer took effect his People his Flock and Congregation being still one in the bonds of Peace The pretended Reformation have no Unity differing in most essential Points for Salvation therefore no true Church the Roman Catholick Church and no other stands firm and infallible against all the tempests of Apostacy Heresie and Schism and this by her Unity and Uniformity Sure by confession of Protestants the Roman Church was once the true Church according to St. Paul Rom. 1.8 First I thank my Lord through Iesus Christ that your Faith is spoken of throughout the whole World. And again v. 7. To all that be in Rome beloved of God call'd to the Saints Grace to you and Peace Now I say having it once how could they but retain the same Faith still infallibly For no general Council even ever yet condemned her of Error none of the holy Fathers ever wrote against her and by no authority was she to this day reproved of Schism for she left no Church or Company
divers prudent and religious Counsellors And even Nature gives us a Hieroglyphick hereof in the Bees whose sweet Commonwealth is ordered by one King See Georg. lib. 4. Quemadmodum mirantur omnes circumstant fremitu denso stipantque frequentes They all follow and obey like little nimble Courtiers their little King c. All this considered will not a good Judgment see that to go about to oppose any of these two Powers is to do that which St. Austin said To suffer ones self to run into a folly which hasten'd into the height of Insolency and Madness and in the end find nothing but an Ocean of Disturbances and unavoidable Perdition and Ruin. God bless King IAMES our most gracious Pole-Star no sooner His Royal Brother King Charles the Second of ever glorious Memory died but he publickly went to hear Mass confiding in the mercy of ever blessed Jesus who for him doubtless will all Safety and Prosperity provide O Prodigie never to be duly pondered for which he is through all the World praised and admired Magna est Veritas praevalet We must not meddle with things Sacred but with due reverence we must not confound the true Churches Spiritual Authority with the Regal Civil and Temporal both being distinct in Office and severally given and appointed by the Almighty they are like the two Arms of his Divine Power employed by him and distributed to their several Uses the one exercising the meer Spiritual and Persuasive Power the other the Corporal and Coercive Power the one holding the Pastoral-directing and Soul-corrective Staff the other swaying the Royal and All-subjecting Scepter the one unsheathing the Spiritual Sword cutting off by Authority Disobedient Schismatical or Heretical Sinners from the communion of the faithful Flock and from eternal Life the other brandishing the Kingly Sword cutting off the Lives of the Offenders of established just Laws and even as God holds this World in his hands that the vast Sea and firm Land may not mix together but observe their just bounds lest they should come to another Chaos So he will not have those two sovereign distinct Dignities be blinded into one least Confusion and inevitable Ruine should follow Sure since King Henry the Eighth revolted from the Monarchical Spiritual Power of Christ's Church nothing to this day followed but confusion misery disasters in this brave Kingdom of England by degrees ascending to height of unheard-of Iniquity and Tyranny as to cut off the best of Kings Charles the First assuredly those miscreant Hell-hounds that murdered him would not stick to murder even Divinity This is the woful Catastrophe of disjoyning the Spiritual from Kingly and Monarchical Government Now I must say this much of the Roman Catholick Church that according to St. Paul Rom. 1. was and is yet and will continue in perpetuum famous for Faith Religion Sacrifice and Sacraments throughout the Universe for the sound of her Doctrine hath been heard every where and her Fame to the utmost Parts of the World so as it is the same to say Roman as Catholick or Vniversal whereas there where the Roman Eagles Wings did never spread the Roman Faith did reaching down to all Ages and spreading over all Kingdoms for who can view Christianity in its extent but must consider how all Kingdoms and Nations were by Roman Emissaries converted to the true ancient Faith of Iesus we need not make any further Enquiries but embrace and walk confidently in those plain Paths in which Fools cannot err following the foot-steps of the true Flock and the heavenly good Pastor where alone Sanctity Verity and all Virtues inerrability infallibility and perpetuity are found for when where or how she ever err'd or fail'd no Authentick Author have yet related no faithful candid Writer recorded nor have any of those watchful Luminaries and Sentinels whom God hath placed in his Church ever given the least alarm of Innovations gotten into the same only Schismaticks and Hereticks combining conspiring and reviling and in vain CHAP. II. Of the CHURCH THe Church of Christ is one Society or Company of Men link'd and combin'd together in one and the same profession of Christian Faith Religion Sacrifice and use of Sacraments under lawful Pastors and under one supreme visible Head Pastor or conservator of Peace Union and Verity This is a true notion or definition of the Church established by Christ and propagated by the blessed Apostles here the true nature essence and constitution of a Church is manifested and doth truly distinguish it from all Hereticks and Schismaticks vain Pretences whatsoever for they are apparently excluded from Christ's Church and she appears glorious without spot wrinkle or any such thing she is described in holy Writ by the Emblems of a City orderly govern'd by one chief supreme Governour or of an Army govern'd by that Military Discipline that requires subjection to one Generalissimo the King had placed over it of the Body each Member in due subjection to its visible Head on Earth and the Pope in point of Government rul'd by his invisible Head in the highest Heaven Hence it followeth by order of good consequence that Divine Faith and Belief wherein consisteth as well the ground and foundation of our eternal welfare as also the Fruit and entire Utility of Christ's coming into this World is to be had in the Church made plain by the Prophet Esay 45. he foreshewed the wonderful Providence of God in providing for Christians so manifest a way of Direction for their Faith and Religion as that the most simple and unlearned Man in the World should not be able but out of wilfulness to go astray therein his words directed to the Gentiles are these Take comfort and fear not behold your God shall come and save you then shall the Eyes of the Blind be opened and the Ears of the Deaf shall be restored and there shall be a Path and way and it shall be called The holy way and it shall be to you a direct way as Fools shall not be able to err therein Sure the plain and direct way mentioned by Esay wherein no simple or ignorant Men can err is the general Body of Christ's visible Church upon Earth planted by his Apostles throughout all Nations and Countries and continuing by Succession unto the World's end in which Church who remaineth and believeth all things taught therein cannot at all fall into any Error of Faith for that this Church is guided by Christ's Spirit and therefore in no ways subject or within the compass of Error For which cause St. Paul ultimo calls it The Pillar and Firmament of Truth And the same Church is so conspicuous and evidently manifest that it is more easie to find it out than it is to see the Sun or Moon when it shineth brightest at Noon or to behold the greatest Hill or Mountain in the World and for more declaration of this it 's to be noted That in the time from Christ's ascension until the 13