preverting the Nation and forbiding to give Tribute to Caesar c. But how shall they prove the Indictment Why that 's the easiest thing in the World it is but looking out and they are always at hand some Knights of the Post some false Affidavit-men catch-Poles and false Evidence and the Sham-plot is perfected the Indictment prov'd and the business done Therefore all heads to work especially the Chief-priests they must be in at a dead lift and Elders and all the Councel sought false witness against Jesus to put him to death but found none Yea though many false witness came yet they found none That was hard but at the last came two false witness And these did the business for which they came for which they were hired and they were Caesar's Evidence and swore for Caesar and swore the matter home and these catchers carried the cause against the greatest Innocence Mighty glad no doubt were the Chief-Priest and Elders and Councel and mightily caressed and much made of were these two sham Evidences and false witness that swore home especially after the former false witness miscarried in the Attempt as not having got their lesson sufficiently by heart They had needs be men of cunning and ability that can swear thorow-stich and cleaverly mixing some Truth and probable Circumstances amongst many and amongst the main Lie There is art in daubing Ibid. p. 23. 68. From a Lion a Tiger a Woolf or a Serpent we may make some defence and provision but this kind of Snake is Anguis in herba no fore-sight no caution no prudence no innocence can defend from the sting of this forked venomous and murdering Tongue except a man abandon all society with Man-kind Ibid p. 23. 69. Men may keep these Snakes and but perhaps neither out of their Bed-chamber scarcely out of their Houses however not out of publick Houses Churches Courts of Judicature Exchanges and publick Assemblies so that if they can but bring good proof of the Circumstances as that they were at such a time in such a Church Assembly Exchange publick meeting in Court City or Country let them alone to swear what they heard there These I say are the great Plague the non-such Pests of all Society the common Nusance no former Age that I read of can parallel ours for improvement of Vice and Mischief What Blockheads were the French-mens Ancestors in the Art of poysoning in comparison of the present skill and dexterity What Blockheads were the Irish the Native Irish in all Arts and Mysteries imaginable in former Ages But now how ingenious though some of them are but Bunglers still and enough to destroy a neat well-laid and well-contriv'd Plot in the management for want of skill in a subtile Intrigue but time and good Tutors may improve them if there be first a willing mind Ibid. 70. The sin of setting Snares to catch men is so common too too common God knows in these days such shamming trepanning that scarce any honest man in England of any Eminency but has or may have cause to say with holy David Every day they wrest my words Ibid. p. 26. 71. Some think our Divisions are so great that they will not have a shorter period than the Wars and Miseries of Greece of the end whereof the Oracle of Apollo being consulted replyed They shall surcease when they should double the Altar at Delphos was Cubique form which is impossible Yet I have other thoughts more faith and better hope that our Distractions will find a happy Conclusion and the depth of Plots and Sham-plots in good time be fathom'd sounded to the bottom and discovered yet truly I think as is said of the Altar at Delphos a period and end of our Distractions is impossible till all Popish Altars Popish hopes and Popish claim by the Pope and his Emissaries to these Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland and the Propagation of his Superstition amongst us be extirpate and rooted out nay root and branch for there always were Popish Plots in the Reigns of all our Kings ever since the Pope's Supremacy and Vsurpation have been rejected and whilst there is a fair prospect and hopes of Redemption of this Golden Fleece though they be but Glimpses there will be Popish Plots and Conspiracies except they Apostatize from the Principles of Popery Ibid. p. 28. 72. Better a thousand times if possible to die a true Protestant and a true English-man by the Sham-plots false Witnesses and Popish Machinations than willingly to enslave a man's self and Posterity Soul Body Honour Honesty Religion and Estate to Arbitrary and Popish sway I put them together for like Hippocrates's Twins they are born and live and die together Ibid. p. 34. 73. 'T is senceless to doubt the being of a Popish-Plot that never ceas'd since Hen. 8. in England But now by Coleman's Letters it infallibly appears that they never had such blessed hopes of converting these Three Kingdoms since the Bon-fires in Smithfield in Queen Maries days as now at this time now that And the more impudently they deny so clear a truth the more cause we have to abominate the Villany of that Religion that hardens men in Lies or Equivocations even to death and the more they deny it after such apparent and manifold conviction the more suspicious and dangerous it is by the combined endeavours to conceal it and to turn the edge thereof upon the Protestants Ibid. p. 35. 74. Indeed no man can deny but 't is politickly and craftily done to endeavour to put out the eyes of those men that are most quick-sighted to discern their dark mysterious and hellish Intrigues Or if they could but be Godfreydiz'd strangl'd hang'd or stabb'd the business would be done as effectually and to all intents and purposes Especially if the Sham-evidences would but be improv'd and manag'd with some Lawyer 's Hackneytongue whose Conscience is so often sold pro con right or wrong for Plaintiff or Defendant who bids most and who comes first prostituted and set to sale when Merchandize is indifferently and equally madeof Truth and Falshood the Snare of catching men would be the stronger and the Feat more currant Ibid. p. 36. 75. A Christian is bound to choose the Communion of the purest Church and not to leave that for a corrupt one though called never so Catholick Sillingfleet's Idolatry of the Church of Rome p. 8. 76. Ecclesiastical Laws must be imposed so as to leave our liberty unharmed Bishop Taylor 's Cases of Conscience p. 301. 77. Laws of burden are alwaies against Charity Ibid. p. 310. 78. Ceremonies oblige no longer than they minister to the end of Charity Ibid. p. 314. 79. Ecclesiastical Laws must ever promote the Service of God and the good of Souls but must never put a Snare or Stumbling-block to Consciences The Authority which the Lord hath given is for Edification Ibid. p. 323. 80. Though significant Ceremonies can be for Edification to the Church in some degree and in
Eccho to the Voice from Heaven pag. 20. 22. Comparing this trouble of mine by Kindred to that of my Saviour's who was in a like manner dealt with by his own Kindred I taking it to be unto me a similitude of my Saviours grave I rested confidently that I should be delivered the third day the first and second day came and I had nothing when I did ask for something but threatning words and by that the third was come I was very faint and as I lay upon my Bed the third day in the morning expecting some sign of deliverance from God there came in at the Window a round Cloud in Colour like unto the Rain Bow and it covered me abiding upon me about a quarter of an hour and when it came upon me I was so revived as if I had eaten all the Delicacies in the World and after a quarter of an hour the Cloud departed out of the window in the same manner as it came in untill it ascended out of my sight Ibid. pag. 33. 23. He answered You said Woe be to them that are not of this House shortly meaning the Queens Chappel I said Friend you err as the Jews did for I did not mean the Chappel but this House of my Body and of my Faith and Judgment Ibid. pag. 43. 24. I said I believe we shall be better acquainted for you are the King's Secretary and I am God's Secretary To Secretary Windebank ibid. pag. 45. 25. William Heyfer reading a Book called the Anatomizing of the Common-Prayer Book which I disputed against but not being able longer to heare him read such Blasphemies again the truth I cried out saying Lord for thy truths sake shew thy displeasure against this wicked Book and as I spake a mighty flash of fire struck against the window put all in a fright and the fellow cast away his Book Ibid. pag. 51. 26. I had the same Spirit to declare the Scripture as did Pen them Ibid. pag. 54. 27. When Green the Recorder asked me what I was suppose I had answered him saying I am the Lord thy God thou shalt have no other God but me I am sure I had not sinned in it Ibid. pag. 67. 28. As I was desiring God to shew me a figure of the Judgment to come and the Glory that is to follow I fell into a Trance that I seemed to be at Maysellan-kadder-ruse where I was brought up and I was with my elder Brother by the River-side it was a glorious Day about Two in the Afternoon but on a sudden my Brother was gone I knew not how nor where and as I lifted up mine eyes again the Sun by degrees became dark so that the Stars appeared about it at which darkness the Sheep did cry and run to seek a shelter in holes of the Rocks as they use to do in those parts when a darkness comes before a storm and all the light of Heaven was taken away Then appeared by a mad-man's house that lived there when I was a Boy a great Bonfire and people making merry about it but as I still waited for some light above I espied a little white Cloud breaking out in the North-east after which the Sky appeared and upon the Sky appeared the King's Arms as it is upon blue in some Churches and it rid upon the Heavens very terrible towards Southwest and as the light appeared abundance of waters sprung out of a dry Hill Northwards Ibid. p. 107 108. 29. The interpretation of it is thus My Brother did signifie Jesus Christ appearing and after absenting himself for a time from his people Ibid. 30. I beheld and saw a peaceable modest young Woman standing on a Plain another of a malicious Countenance and looked enviously upon the modest Woman and she took up a small Pipe as it were of green Glass but I was given to understand it was the sting of a Serpent and she did put it in her mouth and blew it against the modest woman and they came close together and did blow one against the other so furiously that a Wheel of sire in colour like the Rainbow covered them both that I thought she had consumed the modest woman but at last she that took up the sting was consumed to nothing and the modest woman remained peaceably and did shine with beauty far more glorious than before The first woman signifies the Church of England the other the Presbyterians that took up the Sting against the Church of England but at last the Church of England gets the Victory and the other is consumed Ibid. p. 113. 31. On Good Fryday at Night about Ten a Clock as I came from one Mr. John Lee who lived then in Printting-house Lane and I lived in Cob's Yard but as I came by Black-Fryars Church along the Paved Alley it being a light Night over against the Church-yard there I met a man all in black with a black long Cloak like a Presbyterian Minister and we justled close he fell before me as if a black Cloak had been spread upon the ground and vanished away This was that Presbyterian evil Spirit which knew I should discover his wickedness and banish him out of the World as I did in part in 1646. 32. I say there is no true Church of God in all the world but the Church of England and from henceforth there is no Salvation for Souls but in it there is no Elect visibly seen save those of the Church of England and all the Elect must come to Unity with these in Form of Worship Doctrine and Discipline before they can be justified and saved England at this time contains all the Elect of God and those that will not come to this Church must be destroyed Preface to the Eccho to the Voice from Heaven 33. The Reformation of Luther in Germany of the Calvinists Hugonites in France of John Knox in Scotland are but rebellious Rules like the Rods of the Sorcerers in Egypt Voice from Heaven p. 54. 34. The Book of Common Prayer is promised Isa 35 8 9 10. and is called the way of Holiness wherein a wayfaring man though a Fool shall not err therein Ibid. page 30. So much for this Welch Prophet and mighty Gigantick Champion of the Prelacy 35. There sprang up a mighty Bramble on the South-side the Lake Lemane that spread and flourished with such a sudden growth that by the industry of his Agents abroad and partly by its own indefatigable pains and pragmaticalness it quite over-ran the whole Reformation Parker's Defence Policy p. 663. 36. It is absolutely necessary to the Peace and Government of the World that the Supream Magistrate of every Commonwealth should be vested with a Power to govern and conduct the Consciences of Subjects in matters of Religion Dr. Parker p. 10. 37. Unless Princes have power to bind their Subjects to that Religion that they apprehend most advantageous to publick peace and tranquillity and restrain those religious mistakes that tends to its
a Parliamentary Session speaking of the Dukes Bill is not so well qualified for Westminster as Bedlam Ibid p. 25. 123. The Doctrine of taking away the right of Succession came from Rome the People had it from the Devil c. Ibid. 124. I bless God I have the Spirit of an English man and uy knoes due to God and the King shall never be yielded up to Usurpers come what will come Hanging Burning or any other or all the Torments that exercised the Patience of the Primitive Christians Ibid. p. 28. Query Query Whether this Blade be not more fool-hardy than valiant 125. Infinite Obligations lieth on us to the greatest thankfulness to our good God for rescuing these Nations from under the Roman Yoke and for these Miracles of Mercy which he hath wrought for us in blasting so many of their deep-laid Designs their late great Conspiracy and late Sham-Plots for the reducing us to our old Captivity Dr. Fowler 's Sermon p. 25. 126. He hath no participation of the God-like Nature and Life which is of a quarrelsom contentious uncharitable spirit Ibid. p. 27. 127. There are too too many among our selves that do little consult our Churches Interest nor consequently the Interest of the Protestant Religion but greatly disserve both by their intemperate Heats and branding all with the names of Fanaticks and Presbyterians who are not come up to their Pitch and in all things just of their Complexion although they be as obedient to both their Civil and Ecclesiastical Superiors as themselves Ibid. p. 28. 128. We ought by Love and Sweetness to encourage Men all we can and not by Sowreness and Censoriousness tempt those to depart from us who would gladly hold communion with us Ibid. 129. Where we find an inclination towards returning in any that have departed from us we should be glad to meet them half way in order to the bringing them over to us Ibid. 130. I do believe if all the Church of England were of this mind it would greatly lessen the number of Dissenters Ibid. 131. There are too too many Debauchees in the Nation who would be thought great Champions for the King and the Church but do infinite prejudice to both by mad and frantick expressions of their Zeal and mighty honour to Fanaticism by charging all with it that run not with them to the same excess of Riot Ibid. p. 29. 132. One would think that these whatsoever they pretend do really design nothing more than to make both the King and the Church as friendless as they are able Heaven help them both should they ever be so unfortunate which God forbid as to stand in need of this sort of People Ibid. 133. Indeed if Huffing and Healthing Cursing and Damning and giving vile Names would do the business then let them alone to protect the King and the Church but former experience hath assured us that those are the best Weapons that most of them can boast of their being good at A Neighbouring King and the Church of Rome may wish God's Blessing on the hearts of these Gentlemen but our own King whom God preserve and the Church of England have little reason to con them thanks for any service they are like to do them Ib. Query Query Whether Heraclitus the Observator and Thompson are then like to do the Church of England so much service as they pretend to And to shew that they act contrary to the King's mind I shall conclude with two passages of His Majesties Proclamation against Vicious and Debauched People We think it high time to shew Our dislike of those against whom We have been ever enough offended though We could not in this manner declare it who under pretence of Affection to Us and Our Service assume to themselves the liberty of Reviling Threatning Reproaching others and as much as in them lies endeavor to stifle and divert their good Inclinations to Our Service and so to prevent that Reconciliation and Union of Hearts and Affections which can onely with God's Blessing make Us rejoice in each other and keep Our Enemies from rejoicing There are likewise another sort of Men of whom We have heard much and are sufficiently ashamed who spend their time in Taverns Tipling Houses and Debauchos giving no other evidence of their Affection to Us but in drinking Our Health and inveighing against all others who are not of their own dissolute Temper and who in truth have more discreited Our Cause by the Licence of their Manners and Lives than they could over advance it by their Affection or Courage FINIS ☞ There is lately Published an ingenious Piece Intituled The Horrid Sin of MAN-CATCHING The Second Part Or further Discoveries and Arguments to prove That there is no Protestant Plot And that the Design of casting a Plot upon them by the Suborned Man-catchers was antecedent to the first discovery of the Popish Plot. Together with some further Discoveries concerning Mr. Booth Humbly Dedicated to the Right Honourable the Earl of Shastesbury Printed for H. Jones and are to be sold by most Booksellers Price Six-pence