O Lord open the eies of these Men. The Auctors Teares and humble Petition vnto Almightie GOD. ALAS alas deare GOD Be there yet any left that pleade for Baal Hast thou not taught vs revealed vnto vs the impietie and iniquitie the infidelitie and irreligion of the Profession now vrged Haue not we after diligent inquirie deprehended it to be Idolatrie Blasphemie and Prophanation of thy name as appeareth by the worship of Idols of bread wood stone by their iustifications through their owne workes and so many other by meanes besides that only sweete Sacrifice of thy Sonne and by their false worship which is not a Service prescribed by thy worde but a meere devise of vnpure carnall profane and divellish wits Have not we founde the doctrine and practise of it as a Sea of Sin to be the cause of all disloyaltie dishonestie and wicked conversation amongst men as appeareth in that Antichristian Supremacie whereby the Man of Sinne in the divellish pride of his harte and seate challengeth vnto himselfe fulnes of power and soveraignety of iurisdiction to doe what pleaseth him in heaven in earth and in hell to dispense with what he list What greater encouragement can there be to sinne then that a man may be sure for a little money to haue a sealed pardon not onely for any wickednes coÌ„mitted but also for al he shal coÌ„mitte during his life many hundred yeeres after So absurdly wicked is their doctrine practise If by going on pilgrimage saying so many times over his beads fasting so many daies giving so much vnto Monkes Friers or maintaining so many Masses a man may satisfie for his sinnes and appease thy wrath ô GOD against the same who will be restrained from any wickednes or be carefull for amending his life But no marveile though so infinite a power of the Pope be so great a cause of sinne seeing the auctoritie of absolution which every Popish Priest hath is so fruitful in this kind to the incouragement and increase of wickednes we haue but too many woefull examples of such who absolved their disciples before hand to poyson and to murder the sacred persons of our Kings and Princes thine Anoynted If every Priest hath such a power to absolve from sinne what wickednes is there which these Absolvers will not dispense with and what security for anâ— Prince or State where such Priests and Absolvers may be enduted What shall I speake of the dishonestie and vncleanes of their secrete Confessions of their Stewes of their orders of Monkes and Friers vnlawfull vowes and single life which are causes of hypocrisies adulteries fornications and a thousand abominations of vncleannes What shal I speake of their SaÌ„ctuaries priviledged places exemptions immunities appeales and protections which must needes by impunity provoke men vnto all wickednesse It is as cleare as the Sunne both through thy Iustâ—ce ô most righteous GOD who canst not but from heauen reveile thy wrath vpon so great vngodlines the very nature practise of Popish Religion that it must needes be an enemie to all good policie whose end is to represse sinne and starke poison certaine ruine of all kingdomes States where it is established How long ô Lord how long wilt thou endure these Lovers of Babylon How long wilt thou suffer them to profane thy name to defile thy sanctuarie and to seduce thy Children We thy poore Servants in the Vniversities may write til our strength faileth vs preach yea cry out till we haue lost our voices and mourne till our hartes breake in defence of thy eternall truth against Popish Antichristianisme Yet vntill the Ministrie of thy Word be established in every part of our Land the bitter rootes therof wil never be cleane pulled vp Thou knowest ô GOD that some of the Ambassadours of thy Sonne are sufficiently provided for and we see and feele to our great griefe that our Ministrie in many yea in most places is vnprouided contrary to thy commandement and to the iust cause of feare of thy indignation against vs for it if it bee not some way in time relieved But this specially ariseth of the spoile which the children of Babylon in times past haue made by impropriating and annexing the living of so many particular Churches to the maintenance of their Cloysters Abbeyes and dignities by their Antichristian dispensations Whereby they haue left the Ministrie so marveilously vnprouided and so beggerly as that in some places there are to be found many Parishes togither wherof all the livings that now remaine to them are not sufficient for the competent maintenaÌ„ce of one Man and his familie Which lamentable estate of our Church deterreth many from vndertaking that holy and honorable Function vvho having sufficient giftes seeing the Ministry oppressed with beggery and subiect to other discredit and inconveniences arising thereof bestovve themselues in some other lawfull calling wherein they may bee able to liue in wealth and credit By which meanes the vnsufficient and vnlearned Ministry seized vpon the possessions of the Church to the infinite hinderance of the Gospell to the increase strengthening of Poperie and the losse of thousands of Soules which CHRIST IESVS thy deare Sonne hath bought with his precious blood Alas alas that the poore Parish according vnto thy ordinance giveth the Tithe of al they haue to haue a Man of GOD amongst them who may teach them the righte way to serue and honor thee and to saue their soules alas I say that this Tithe should be taken away and still detained by the greedy Nabals hold-fast Labans of the world and applyed to profane vses leaving the poore spoyled of their goods and the whole parish vnfurnished of one who should be their guide to everlasting life By which devillish covetousnes they make themselues guilty not only of the horrible sin of Sacriledge and of the robbery of the goods of the people but also questionlesse of the destruction of many th usand Souâ—es in taking detaining from them the meanes whereby they might be taught vnto salvation Alas that for any cause so many soules of thy People should perish Thou dost not delight in the death of a sinner and thou canst doe whatsoever thou wilt both in heaven and in earth thou mannagest the hearts of Kings commandest the Rulers of the peâ—ple Incline I beseech thee the royall hart of our KING ô Lord and of the Peeres and Nobles of this kingdome now assembled togither to take pitty vpon the miserably-distressed Soules of thy children that by thy speciall favour and grace they may finde out some reasonable meanes whereby every Parish may recover their owne againe to the mainetenance of a worthy Minister amongst them Behold ô heauenly FATHER thy CHILDREN in many places of this land cry for bread even for the bread of life and there is no man that breaketh it vnto them the tongues of many cleaue to their roofe for thirst being ready to perish and no man giveth them the water of life to quicken their soules Wee cry vnto thee ô Lord thou art our FATHER harken vnto the teares of thy CHILDREN and graciously grant our request even for thy dearest Sonne IESVS CHRIST his sake who hath shed his most precious hart-blood for our Redemption so shall the saved Soules of thousands praise thee togither with thy Sonne and the Holy Ghost for evermore Revelat. 7.12 Amen Praise and Glorie and VVisedome and Thankes and Honour and Power and Might be vnto OVR GOD for evermore Amen FINIS
Deut. 17.18.19.20 To like effect it was saide vnto Ioshua Let not the booke of this law depart out of thy mouth but meditate in it night and day that thou mayest diligently obserue as it is written in it For then thou shalt prosper in thy wates and haue successe in thy affaires Iosh 1.8 For this cause the Kingly Prophet exhorteth Kings to bee wise and iudges to be well advised that they worship GOD and his anointed denouncing vnto the enemies the Almighty power of Christ to the confusion of all that set themselues against him whereby he should be able as easily to breake them as a man with a barre of iron doth dash in peeces a pot of earth Psal 2.10.11.12 To this purpose notable is the speech of Asaria the Prophet vnto King Asa and to all Iuda Beniamin whē the Lord had miraculously foyled the innumerable multitude of their enemies The Lord saith he hath beene with you while yee have beene with him and if yee will yet seeke him be will be readie for you but of yee for sake him he will for sake you According to that which the man of GOD had saide before I will honour these that honour me and despise those which despise mee 2. Chron. 15.1 Sam. 2.30 This doctrine was sealed in the casting away of Saule and in the choosing and prosperous successe of David as he often acknowledgeth 1. Sam. 15. Psal 18.2 Sam. 22. Likewise in Salomon the most vvise and politique Prince that ever sate in the seate of David or ruled any people in the world who because he fully established the service of GOD according to all that had bin commanded by the Prophets the Lord also established his seate and increased his glory aboue all the Kings of the earth till he began to decline frō the Lord his God brought the abominable Idols of the strange women whom hee loved into his owne kingdome houses 1 King 10. Then the Lorde raised vp his servant against him who also in the daies of his sonne so rent away the ten tribes of Israel from the house of David that they never returned vnto it againe This was the speech of the Prophet Shemaiah to Rehoboam and the people of Iudah Thus saith the Lord You have for saken mee therefore will I also abandon you and give you into the hand of Shishak which was performed but in mercy vpon their repentance 2. Chron. 12.5 Abuah King of Iudah obiecteth against Ieroboam that he could not prosper because he had erected Idols in his kingdome had made him Priests contrary to the lawe and assured himselfe of GODS assistance against him for this reason because they had the Lord for their GOD who was their Captaine his lawfull Priests the Sonnes of Aaron sounding the Lords trumpets in the field before them Therefore saith he O yee children of Israel fight not against the Lord GOD of your fathers for yee shall not prosper And accordingly it is added that the Israelites were overthrowne having five hundreth thousand men of warre slaine and the Iewes were strengthened because they rested vpon the Lord GOD of their fathers 2. Chron. 13. Divers was the estate and aflaires of King Asa according as he walked with GOD prospering when he trusted in GOD and decaying when he followed the vaine discourse of flesh and blood and sought to the Aslyrians for helpe The same is alwaies diligently noted in the liues of the rest of the Kings Amazia Azaria Ioas Ezechia Iehoshaphat Manasles and the rest even to the Captivity of both the houses of Israel and Iudah with their Kings for false worshippe and disobedience vnto the vvord of the Lord their GOD. What shall I say of the life raigne death of our late blessed Soveraigne Queene ELIZABETH of most famous and happy memory who being but a woman after innumerable dangers and manifolde Persecutions comming to the crowne as the learned and reverend Father M. Doctor Abbots Deane of VVinchester noteth in his Auswere vnto Reas VI. of D. Hill in the latter end with vnspeakeable courage notwithstanding very many difficulties of Subiects at home of Princes abroad and of the Divell every where professed to mainetaine the trueth of the Gospel and to deface Idolatry superstition which with singular constancie shee continued all the daies of her life yeelding her lande a Sanctuary to all Christians throughout the whole world groaning for liberty of true Religion protecting and defending the afflicted Christians abroade in forraine Countries from the oppression of savage and bloudy Tyrants flourishing in wealth honor estimation being every way admired of all the Monarkes vnder the Sunne whither her fame did come and leaving matter for such a story as no Prince ever hath left the like This thrice noble Princesse after many glorious victories triumph◠other renowned prosperities notwithstanding the tyrānous attempts of forraine enemies abroad the frequent conspiracies of vngodly persons at home against her crown person by the favor of the Almighty vnder the shaddowe of whose wings shee was ever safely protected having Raigned foure and forty yeeres foure months and eight daies a Virgin Queene dyed in peace in a full glorious age so beloved so honoured and so esteemed of her Subiectes as never was any Prince more And GOD to testifie his owne worke left at her death no calamitie or miserie in the kingdome no warres but even Ireland then calmed no famine no apparant pestilence no inundation of waters but plenty and abundance with inexspected tranquillity Yea to the end that he might crowne her with blessings hee put vnity and agreement into the Nobles Cleargy Commous of this Lande that readyly they submitted them selues to the only lawfull and royall Successour These and infinite such like examples declare true Pietie to be the very base and foundation of all true wisedom and policie Impietie what shew so euer it haue of outward ward profit and commodity for a season yet in deed and in the end to be the very cause of ruine and overthrowe to all estates and kingdomes The reason whereof is manifest because all Kings and Princes holde their Crownes and Scepters at the will and pleasure of GOD who is King of Kings Lord of Lords Prov. 18.15 Dan. 4.32 As therefore the Tenant at will hath no better policie then to please his Lord of whom he holdeth so the greatest policy soūdest wisdome that may be vsed by Kings Princes is to please the Lord our GOD in all obedience namely in the zealous advancing of his true religion service in the repressing of all false worship Idolatry hypocrisy tyranny which otherwise call nay cry aloude for GODS vengeance to pull down such sleeping dissembling colluders out of their thrones II Popery cannot be tolerated in England because it cannot chuse but involve the State in infinite perplexities and raise tumults and vproares in the kingdome 3 The instāces in Germanie Fraunce
Priest Huldrieus Bishop of Auspurge Ioannes Patricius Erigena Ansegisus the Abbot Berengarius ArchdeacoÌ„ of Angiers Aruulphus Archbishop of Lugdune Ioannes Sarisburueasis Arueldue Bishop of Bixta Petrus Bloix Petrus Waldo and all those famous men which were tearmed Waldenses Frederike the second Petrus de Vinea his Chancellor Bernard all these and infinite numbers more who are not recorded in Histories that held the faith of Iesus impugned the Papacie and opposed themselues against Antichrist and all his disciples 5 Also the Greeke Church coÌ„tinually impugned Poperie and held a faith different from the Popish beliefe II. To the Consequence 1 If there had not been found THREE open adversaries in al the Christian world who in those CeÌ„tenaries impugned Popery yet doth not that inferre the truenes of Popish Religion Because it is written in the Revelation that GOD should stirre vp TWO witnesses to testifie the trueth against Antichrist Apoc. 11.3 and in the mouth of TWO or three witnesses every thing is established Num. 35.30 Dent. 17.6 Dent. 19.15 Matth. 18.16.2 Cor. 13.1.1 Tim. 5.19 2 It is written that Antichrist shal prosper for a time and prevaile against the Saintes yea that hee shall cause ALL both small great rich poore free and bond to receiue his marke Apoc. 13.16 No marvell therefore if there were not many found to impugne the Papacie especially seeing the Church had fled into the wildernesse into her place at that time Apoc. 12.14 Wherefore this paucitie of adversaries against Poperie is so far from proving of it to be true Religion as that it is a manifest demonstration that it is the Religion and pestiferous Doctrine of Antichrist Reason of Religion 8 8. REASON OF RELIGION A Religion whose chiefe professors and spreaders thereof to other Nations were alwaies of a knowne a wonderfull bely if you meane full of holes and filth witnes the holy Popes Sergius III. Joane VIII John XII Sergius 3. his bastard John XIII who was slaine in the very act of adultery Sixtur IV Paule III. Gregerie VIII and a great number more holy life and semblable death the protoparents of b Will they include the Christian religion in this ranke all other religions men of a much contrary note and we are sure by the testimony of Gods word that the good and bad trees are to bee knowne by their c And so are the Papistes For there were but six thousand yong childrens heads at ones found in a fish-pond within the grange of an Abber Hulderich in Epist ad Nicol. I. fruites Matth. 7.20 Resolution of the 8. Reason Popish religion is that vvhose Professers vvere alwaies of a knowne holy life and semblable death Ergo. Popish religion is true and to be tolerated ANSWERE I. To the Antecedent 1 WHat the * The Suppliants themselvs afterwards confesse the lives of their Professours and chief Rulers are very lewde and wicked in the 36. Reas of Religion life of Popish professours hath bin appeareth manifestly in the Catalogue of their Popes of Rome whereof some were bloody murderers some sorcerers nicromancers or coniurers some bawdes adulterers Sodomites some proude sacrilegious and craftie cousoners and others seditious rebelles traitours as is plainely declared by their owne writers vvhich because I have proved at large in my Booke de Antichriste I wil not heere repeate 2 As for their death that also appeareth in the same holy race whereof some died in the very act of adultery some swearing and blaspeming GOD some damning devoving themselues vnto the devil others thinking that there is neither God nor devil heaven nor hell nor no other lâ—fe after this as I haue also declared in that booke de Antichristo 3 I will not stand to relate particular examples in this general discourse If I shoulde speake of the death of Eccius Latemus Hofmaiter Gardiner notable professours of Papistrie and of the death of Francis Spiera a revoulter from the Protestantes religion it would make any mans haire to stand on end that heard it 4 The Papacy by vertue of the religioÌ„ which it professeth is the kingdome of sinne as I have proved at large in my Booke De Ecclesia Antichristi And therefore it is most certaine that within the communion of Popish Religion men can neither live well nor die well II. To the Consequence 1 But be their lives and their deaths what they may bee Religion must not bee measured by the lives of the Professours An heretike may liue an honest morall life as Pelagius is said to have done and a good ChristiaÌ„ may fall oftentimes as we reade of David and others 2. Sam. 11.4.15.17 2 A rotten and worme-eaten apple hanging vpon a good tree seeing that came not through the nature of the tree but by meanes of wormes birdes or some such accident ministreth not sufficient argument to prove that tree to bee an ill tree so the ill workes of Christians ought not to staine their holy religion For the corruptioÌ„ of their fruites commeth not from the nature of their religion which forbiddeth such fruites or workes but from themselues from their owne native and originall corruption 3 Yet the ill lives worse deâ—th of the Papistes are sufficient to condemne THEIR doctrine because they proceede from the nature and articles of their religion as shall be more manifest in the sequel 9. REASON OF RELIGION A religion to which the a Even so we see it prophecied of before Apoc. 17. that the Kinges of the earth should commit fornicatioÌ„ with the great whore and give their power cucto rity vnto the beast famousest Constantinus * ImpudeÌ„t Papists that challenge all these Princes to bee theirs whereas very many of theÌ„ died before Popery asceÌ„ded from the pit of Hell anâ— manie also were the greatest enemies that the Pope or Papacy hâ—d Magnus Iavianus with aboue forty Emperours of the East Maiorianus Carolus Magnus with full neere fortie other Emperours of the West Emperours and (b) Clodoueus Childiberius with aboue three-score Kinges of Fraunce Ranimirus Sanctius with almost twenty other Kinges of Aragon Telagius Pasila with at least forty other Kings of Castile Alphonsus Sanctius with many moe Kinges of Portugall Geyza Stephanus with aboue thirty Kings of HuÌ„garie Besides the Kinges of Polonia Bohemia Denmarke Norway Suetheland Gothland Dalmatia Baioria Germania AlemaÌ„nia Morauia Loraine Burgundy Prouince Lomberdy Italy Naples Sicily Sardinia Nauarre end the Kinges of Affricke as of AEthiopia Nubia others Likewise the Kings of Canaria Manicongus Benopâ—tama Angola Guinea Bentoninus Quilca Melinda Mozambique the Kinges of Asia as of Ciprus Armenia HierusaleÌ„ Tartaria and some Kinges of the Agarens and Saracens many Kinges of the Heruleans Iberians Alanes Abasgorians Lazorians Scithians Persians and others Kings of the world haue bowed their Crownes (c) As * A Begging of the question Constantinus Magnus Emperour Dagoberius Carolus S Iudovicus and other Kings of Fraunce Alphonsus Ranimirus 2. Alphonsus
not a propertie belonging vnto the Church of God I We BELEEVE the holy Catholike Church But faith is the evideÌ„ce of things which are NOT SEENE Heb. 11 II In the visible Church there are many Hypocrites but God only knoweth who are such De occultis non iudicat Ecclesia And Christ ONLY knoweth who are his Ioh. 10.2 Tim. 2. III By examples in the holy Scriptures the Church is described to be invisible 2. Chron. 15.3.4 Now for a long season Israel hath bin without the true God and without Priest to teach and without law But whosoever returned in his affliction to the Lord God of Israel and sought him he was found of them At this time Christ was not without his spouse but albeit the Ministry was corrupted hee had his invisible Church 1. King 19.18 I leaue seaven thousand in Israel that haue not bowed the knees to Baal This company was not seene with corporall eies And in the time of Christs coÌ„ming GOD had his invisible Church Marie Ioseph Zacharias Elizabeth the wise men that came from the East Simecon Anna c albeit publike Ministery was corrupted IV Paule saith Rom. 2.28.29 He is not a Iew which is one outward neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh But he is a Iew which is one within and the circumcision it of the heart in the spirite not in the letter whose praise is not of men but OF GOD. 2 Those places of Scriptures which the Suppliant quote proue only the durance holynes integrity good workes of the Church not the visibility thereof vnto all persons at all times 4 As for the suppliants Dilemma The vnknowne companie did either professe their faith and refuse to communicate with the false Church or they did not If they did professe their faith and refuse to communicate with the other theÌ„ was it not invisible If they did not professe their faith nor refuse to communicate with the false Church they could not be the true Church c. I answere 4 I. If they did not professe their faith c they could not be the true Church Here the Suppliants meane publike profession and open refusall we deny this Position indeed they can never proue it By their reason this is a good argumeÌ„t Those seaven thousands which bowed not their knees vnto Ball either professed their faith or did not If they did professe it how could not Elias see them If they did not professe it then they were not the true Church and yet who seeth not the vanity of it 5 II. They adde That vnknowne company coÌ„municated with the false Church I marvel how the Suppliants know this Go to let vs vrge them with a Dilemma seeing they affect such kind of arguing so much I that company was vnknowne hovv know they what they did If they were not vnknowne but professed openly then what haue they to obiect 6 The Christian Reader may read in the 8. and 9. Chap. of the Prophecie of Ezechiel concerning those faithfull people that mourned and cryed for the abominations that were committed in Hierusalem how the Lord coÌ„maunded to set a marke on their forheads least they should perish learne thence that the Lorde wanteth no meanes to vindicate and saue his Church from destruction even in time of greatest calamity Reason of Religion 32 32. REASON OF RELIGION A Religion in whose largenes spreading amplitude over the whole world the predictions and promise of our Saviour are a These predictions are not verified in Popery but in true Christianitie verified not can take their truth and verification in any other sect or doctrine that ever was or is at this day on earth This Gospell of the kingdome saith our Saviour shall bee preached in the whole worlde for a testimony to all Nations Mat. 24.14 And by the pen of another Evangelist That penance shoulde be preached in his Name and remission of sinnes vnto all Nations Luk 24 47. And our Lord also compared this his Gospell to a Mustard seede one of the least of all seeds in the beginning but wheÌ„ it is growne it maketh great boughes so that the birds of the aire that is as Expositors interprete the greatest Powers and the most wise of the world come and dwell vnder the shadow thereof Mat. 13.31 Mark 4 32. making their residence happynesse and rest therein A resemblance predictions which cannot agree or fall in with any b An evident vntruth other religion saue only with the Catholike Romane Religion and with this very fully as the particulars precedent and subsequent doe cleerely demonstrate Resolution of the 32. Reason Popish Religion is that which is spread over all the world Ergo Popish Religion is true and to be tolerated ANSWERE 1 THis reason is the very same with the 29. and is there answered 2 Those predictions which the Suppliants speake of doe belong only vnto our Church For wee professe that very same doctrin which the Apostles preached vnto the whole world Many Kings great Powers and infinite Wise meÌ„ are professours of our Religion Yea our religion at this instant is much more diffused abroad then Popery is For we see that most kingdomes and countries in Christendome haue shaken of the yoke of Popery yea there is no Province nor Citty in Europe but there are therein very many who are addicted vnto the Gospell of Christ disclaime Popery and professe the same religion that we doe Reason of Religion 33 33. REASON OF RELIGION A ReligioÌ„ that hath alwaies had as the Apostle assureth Gods church should ever haue yeelding also fowre weighty causes of the same a perpetuall visible continuance of knowne a Not Popes Cardinals Pastors and Doctors to the consummation of the Saints the first cause vnto the worke of the ministery the second cause vnto the edifying of the body of Christ the thirde cause that now we be not children wavering and caried about with every winde of doctrine the fourth cause and this vntill wee meete all into the vnity of faith that is to the worlds end Which successiue eveâ—â—ontinuing duration of Pastors and Doctors the same being also promised before to the true Christian Church by severall a Psal 88.31 sequ Esa 59.20 21. Ierem 31.31 sequ Ezech 37.25 Prophets and so greatly materiall in it selfe as without it there can be (b) False See the answere no Church as both b Lib. 4 epist 9. S. Cyprian and c Lib. contr Luciferian S. Hierom doe absolutely affirme hath not nor can bee ever proved to haue beene fulfilled in any other Church saue only in the Catholike Romane Church and in it most apparantly demonstrable by the Ecclesiasticall histories of all ages and by the shorte space or rather momentary blast of time that al other Religions compared with ours haue indured Resolution of the 33. Reason Popish Religion hath alwaies had a perpetuall visible continuance of knowne Pastours and Doctors