King of Kings and Lord of Lords although they be never so poor and despicable to men God accepts of Religion in Rags as well as in Robes (c) God is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act 10.24 he is no respecter of Persons Act. 10.34 4. As Religion brings worth to persons so it becomes safety to Nations As it is the beauty so it proves the bulwark of Countreys and Kingdoms their muniment as well as Ornament 'T is the sacred Anchor by which the great Ship of the Common-Wealth is held fast that she may not split either upon the Rocks of Atheism or Quicksands of Superstition both which are of great provocation to the Lord and on which many Nations have been dash'd in pieces 5. What the Ark was to Israel that Religion is to all Lands while the Ark abode in Shilon Israel had no Ichabod but the Kingdom flourisned in Victories Josh 18.1 But afterwards as the Atheism of the Canaanites had caused the Lord to root them out of that unclean Land Ezra 9.11 12. because they were shameless sinners before him So the Superstition of the Israelites in their high places c Psal 78.58 made God to forsake not only Shiloh v. 60. but also the holy Land which they had polluted Ezek. 8.6 Isa 1.12 21. 6. This Shiloh was in Ephraim the Tribe of Joshua where he had placed the Ark by his own Palace that the former might give Lustre and safety to the Latter The stability of the Ark conferred stability upon his house and upon the whole house of Israel and 't is observable that Tribe perished fist that lost the Ark and Tabernacle first Ps 78.62 2 King 17.6 9 c. Samaria in Ephraim falls before Judah 7. Religion may truly be called the Chariots and Horsemen of Kingdoms and an Establishment of the true Religion is the best way to an establishment of a true Peace Yea desolate Countries may say of Religion as Mary said of our Redeemer in another case Oh! Religion if thou hadst been here in the truth and power of it our Nation had not dyed for this is that blessed Cement (d) Religio a Religando to bind that binds God and a people together in lasting love 8. In Poetical Story what the Palladium was to Troy that Religion is to a place and people The Heathen Oracle told the Trojans that so long as they could secure this Image of Pallas their City should not be destroyed which when crafty slysses heard of he used his wiles to slay the keepers of it and so stole it away and soon after destroyed the City How are the crafty Vlysses's of this Age using their wiles to slay the Keepers of our Religion to steal away our Palladium for our ruine 9. In sacred Story what Sampson's hair was to him that is Religion to a Nation the strength of a Nation lies in it as the strength of Sampson lay in his hair and as soon as his Locks were cut his strength was gone So if the Locks of Religion be once cut off our strength is abated 10. How doth the Delilahs of the Romish Philistims sing their Syrenian Songs to lull the Sampsons of our reformed Religion asleep that they may cut off our Locks wherein our strength lyes and that their uncircumcised ones may be upon us We have a sufficient Testimony hereof in that late Proclamation which was issu'd out in November 1666. for suppressing the insolencies of Papists and for banishing their Priests and Jesuits out of the Nation so long before the discovery of this Plot now prosecuted in this year 1679. 11. The reformed Religion like the Lord of it is placed between two Thieves to wit Atheism and Superstition 1. Atheism on the left hand would lay wast Religion and trample upon it as a worthless thing devised of men only in terrorem This left hand Thief steals away the holy Scriptures and Instead thereof sets up Lucian for the Old Testament and Machiavel for the New This is the Fool (e) Psal 14.1 The Saples Fellow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that says there is no God 12. There is much of Satan in this left hand Thief for the Devil is the grand (f) Rom. 1.30 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or God-hater and would if possible destroy as well as deny the being of God Deicidii Reus est Diabolus And yet though he do all he can to make men either speculative or practical Atheists he cannot make himself one for the Scripture saith he believes and trembles Jam. 2.19 13. We do not find that ever God wrought a miracle to convince Atheism because his ordinary works do convince it The book of Nature confutes it as well as that of Scripture the glorious Fabrick of the World must have a Maker for it could not make it self and that Nature which is in man contradicts it for man naturally in all extremities runs to God Aristotle when the terrors of death that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he called it was up on him cryed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Causa Causarum miserere mei 14. Yea Epicurus himself conceived an infinite space for his Atomes and could he imagine a greater ease to the Mind in conceiving an Idea of that than of an Infinite Being And Tully says of this Epicurus that though he did Re tollere Deos yet he did Nomine ponere imagining God Corporeal Nec quenquam vidi qui magìs ea quae timenda esse negaret timeret mottem dico et Deos. Epicurus was afraid of God and Death though he denyed them Tully de Nat. deor (g) Tully de Naturâ Deorum lib. 1. cab 86. 15. Thus we see this great Patron of Atheism though he prostituted his Conscience to a denyal of God and Religion yet he could not silence it even in Tully's opinion And we may appeal to the Consciences of the worst Atheists if at some time they believe not a Deity 16. The Consciences of the worst Atheists will tell us upon appeal to them that at some time of pangs or affrightments they have believ'd that there is a God (h) Diagoras's words was rather votum than judicium be wished there were no God to punish his Sin though now either through incogitancy or reluctancy they have smothered those Igniculos or Scintillas which be easily put out as to any open manifestation strong corruption may pat out the light of Nature 17. It were well if this Atheism were not so promoted by our divisions about Religion (i) Lactan. Instit lib. 3. cap. 4. Lactantius speaks of Arcesilas that pondering the many contradictions and oppositions among Philosophers he became a despiser of them Thus carnal men that are Atheistically minded viewing the many differences and digladiations amongst Professors in the matters of Religion which is a stumbling block God judicially lays in their way Ezek 3.20 they come to this resolve to be of no Religion at all 18. Thus have we seen the first Thief that
Laws must be observed though they were inconsistent with Gods Law 59. The Chaldee Paraphrast and the Syriack Version renders those two Scriptures Isa 29.13 Matth. 15.9 Reverentia quam mihi exhibent est ex praecepto et documento humano plainly unputing the reason of Gods rejecting their worship to be the want of a divine command What the Scribes and Pharisees did in the Jewish Church that the Priests and Jesuits do in the Romish Church imposing upon people not only additions to but also inconsistencies with the Commands of God therefore God rejects their worship as that of the Jews 60. Finally Superstition is an undue or ungrounded worship of God not grounded upon Gods word but upon mans wisdom not only for the manner but also for the matter or 't is a putting more into the means than God puts into them as the Jews put more into the Sabbath than God put into it and many more superstitious observances as I could transcribe out of Buxtorf's Jewish Synagogue whereby they do violate the Institutions of God with their Inventions and Amos. Co. 5. v. 26 27. shows they carried a Tabernacle for Venus and Saturn as well as for the true God 61. Having now made this large discovery of this right-hand Enemy of the true Religion it remains that I make known where this Thief hath his principal Residence that would steal away from us our Religion which is a daughter to the King of Heaven and the beauty of all the Kingdoms of the Earth and would put such a cheat upon us as Michael did upon Saul 1 Sam. 19.12 13. in dismissing David and laying an Image that was bed-rid in his stead (x) Supposed to be the Teraphim that was made in the shape of a man Hebr. Teraphim signifies Images 62. I shall now largely prove that as Atheism had its chief Residence in Rome-Pagan so Superstition hath its principal seat in Rome-Anti-Christian This is the design of our present Treatise for the preservation of our blessed Religion received from our godly Ancestors to the salvation of our poor posterity and for the prevention of that Romish cheat in dismissing our David of the Reformed Religion and laying the Image of their own Religion in the room of it 63. That I may the better manifest how the Romish Religion is but an Image of Straw whereas the reformed Religion hath the real David and Christ in it I shall use this method discoursing 1. Generally and then 2. Particularly of it and all to shew the rottennest of the Romish Faith that threatens us so much at this day and to secure our own as our best treasure CHAP. I. In General The seven bad Properties of Popery viz. 1. Superstitious 2. Idolatrous 3. Damnable 4. Bloody 5. Novel 6. Inconsistent with publick peace 7. Irreconciliable to the Protestant Christian Religion Those seven bad Properties are as the seven Unclean Spirits which possessed the empty house Matth. 12.43 45 64. IN my disswasive from Popery I shall I. show in general the seven wretched Properties of the Romish Faith for which it may not be embraced but rather to be abhorred 1. Of the first The Romish Religion is a superstitious Religion 't is made up of a worship altogether supra statutum as sundry intimations hereof afore mentioned do abundantly illustrate 't is so notoriously clogg'd with Ceremonies of Humane invention while the Magnalia legis lay neglected that while they write up service God writes up sin saying who requir'd those things at your hands Isa 1.12 65. Superstition sprung up betimes in the Church of Rome Satan sowed Tares so he is called superseminator very early Many superstitious Doctrines from this superseminator did the Bishops of Reme bring into the Church in the first six hundred years after Christ which signifies that Antichrist was then growing up there until the time of his full maturity for his Revelation in that place 66. Alexander the First Bishop of Rome brought in the mingling of water with the Sacramental Wine and of Salt with water for benediction agreeable to the Pagans about 112th year after Christ After him about 20 years comes Telesphorus and ordained a Lent-Fast for seven weeks about the year 130 after Christ and about the year of Christ 144. Pius the first appoints the celebration of Easter upon the Lords day 67. About the year of Christ 159. the shaving of the Priests Crowns was brought into the Church by Anicetus the Bishop of Rome to whom Polycarp came about composing the differences concerning the Celebration of Easter because it was pretended that the celebrating of it on Sunday (y) The dissenters were called Quartadecimani as they called it one Hermes received by Revelation from an Angel in a Shepherds habit This having of Crowns was a superstitious Custom derived from the practice of the Aegyptian Priests of Isis 68. This superstitious Shaving was condemned by divers of the Fathers as Clemens of Alex. Paedagog lib. 3. cap. 11. Optatus Contra Parmenionem lib. 2. and Jerome on Ezek. 44. Yea and the fourth Council of Toledo cap. 40. About the year of Christ 221. were also introduced into the Church the Fasts of four times by Calixtus the first and about six years after silver Cups were brought into the Celebration of the Supper by Pope Vrbane 69. About the year 240. It was ordained by Pope Fabian that new Chrism should be made every year and that the old should be burnt at the Eucharist then about the year 277. Pope Foelix appoints Divine Service to be Celebrated upon the Sepulchres of Martyrs About five years after Pope Eutychianus brings in the Benediction of the fruits of the Earth upon the Altar as if with the Manichees they had held them unclean until they were thus purified 70. This Pope Eutychianus the Tuscan is said to bring in that custom that no Martyr should be buried but in the Vestment called Palmatica and a Purple Hood Thus Superstition began to grow unto some strength in the Church of Rome betimes and that not only in matters of Ceremony but also of Doctrine for then began Temples to be built to the honour of the Virgin Mary of the Apostles and Martyrs to the great dishonour of God in following Ages 71. Augustine witnesseth that as all divine Worship is to be given to God so all Temples that are for the exercise of that worship are to be erected to him Angust contra Maxim Arrian lib. 1. tit 11. Yet Sylvester the first perswaded Constantine to erect that Church in Rome dedicated to the honour of St. Peter himself digging the Foundation and carrying away twelve Baskets full of Earth in honour of the twelve Apostles upon his Imperial Shoulders and at his instance many other Churches were built to many other Saints And Ciricius about this time brought in that doctrine of Daemons forbidding the Priests to marry and commanding those that were married to repudiate their Wives urging it from that place
Letter of it by their setting up another Head besides Christ whom they rob of all his Offices Regal Sacerdotal and Prophetical by establishing Free-will Merit Sins in their own nature Venial and by adding to and diminishing from the Word of God in many points as in their seven Sacraments and other parts of Popery yea generally the whole System and Body of it as such being fully contradictory to the Scripture of Truth as my Second Part doth plainly demonstrate 2. It s Inconsistency with Righteousness to Man by its accounting all of any other Religions Hereticks and that Faith is not to be kept with such as they account so also that force and violence such as is used in their bloody Inquisitions yea and death it self may be inflicted upon those they call Hereticks and that merely quà tales for their being such though otherwise they do nothing either in word or deed either to disturb the Peace or justly provoke the powers of those Popish Countries wherein they live see Dr. Heylin's large Geography fol. 90. and 231. Popery lays such barbarous Obligations upon every Papist that he holds himself bound to kill any Son of Adam whom he pleaseth to term an Heretick contrary to the Laws of God of Nature and of Nations How can this be consistent with Righteousness to Man 2. 3. It s Inconsistency with publick peace and common safety in States and Kingdoms to say no more of the two former Inconsistencies is the main matter I would here demonstrate and that by discovering how the very Principles intrinsecally essential to Popery are all of such dangerous Influence and Consequence which their Religion binds them unto by reason whereof no Protestant State or Kingdom wherein Popish Priests and people live can be secure from disturbance by them or yet ought to trust to the Loyalty of such as by the very Religion they profess may lawfully be disloyal when they please yea and not only may be but must be disloyal being bound to be so when they are able and have advantage Upon this very consideration undoubtedly it was that our own learned Dr. Davenant in his seventeenth Question determineth that Jesuitiz'd Papists cannot possibly be good Subjects saying Non esse extra controversiam est c. That they are not so 't is beyond all Controversie for their many hainous Conspiracies against Kings and Kingdoms do make a clear demonstration But saith he all the question is seeing 't is plain they are not whether they can be good Subjects in as much as their very Principles which the Jesuites have imposed and which all Jesuitiz'd Papists have received do necessarily hinder them from being so Whoever therefore he be that owns the Jesuits Principles and not only approve them but also improve them by drawing those Principles into practice whether he be of the Clergy or Laity saith he such a one can by no means so much as have the very name of a good Subject Let us now take a view particularly of their Principles which are Inconsistent with Peace Their 1. Principle is Their owning of and acting by a Foreign Power and disowning Subjection to the power of their Native Princes This dogmatical Principle alone makes all Romanists especially their Priests and Jesuits to be so far uncapable of being numbred amongst good Subjects as that they cannot be so much as reckoned as Subjects at all in as much as they hold themselves exempted from all secular Powers and to be Subjects to none but to their holy Father the Pope quite contrary to the Doctrine of the Holy Apostle Rom. 13.1 Let every Soul whether Clergy or Laity be subject to the higher Powers Surely Paul to the Romans could not mean the higher powers of the Roman Pope see ver 3 4. c. 3. Their great Champion Bellarmine pleads this Exemption for his Romish Clergy saying They are not obliged to Civil Laws by any Coactive but only by a directive Obligation Bellarm de Cler. lib. 1. Against this Dr. Davenant acutely answereth But What if they will not be directed but trample the Civil Laws under their Feet Bellarmine replies They cannot notwithstanding be punish'd by the Civil Magistrate Our Dr. Davenant goes further saying But what if they commit that grand wickedness of High Treason To this Eudaemon the Jesuit rejoyns saying That Clergymen cannot properly commit Treason and their Zimanca expresly teacheth that a Clergy-mans Rebellion is not properly High Treason for he is not subject to the King By this they cut the very sinews of all Political Laws while they plead this exemption from the Yoke of all secular Power and hereby 't is manifest they are so far from being good Subjects that they do profess themselves no Subjects at all by this Exemption This is quite contrary to the Doctrine of Paul of Peter and of Christ 1. Of holy Paul Rom. 13.12 4. Vbi Lex aut Evangelium non distinguit ibi non est distinguendum The Apostle saith Let every Soul be subject without any distinction why do they make distinctions where God makes none as if the Generation of a Clerick were the Corruption of a Subject in this Exemption what is this but to make the Church to destroy the State If the Magistrate be a Minister ordained of God to punish Evil Doers as this Apostle affirmeth then Popish Clericks that are Evil Doers can in no wise be exempted from his Cognizance unless they do not acknowledge God the Ordainer of that Power to be a Superior Power to theirs 2. Of Holy Peter their own pretended Head 1 Pet. 2.13 14. Submit your selves to Kings and Governours Chrysostom shews that this Command is to all Clergymen yea even to the very Apostles and Evangelists and were it not so it would be a loss unto Princes to have any of their Subjects become Clergy-men if thereby he should lose that subjection which was due to him before But opposite to this is that excellent Note which Zanchy that Magazine of Learning gives in his Epistle Dedicatory to his Miscelanea In the Kingdom of Christ this is wonderful that he Wills and Commands all Princes and Potentates to be subject to his Kingdom Psal 2.9 11 12. And yet he Wills and Commands likewise that his Kingdom be subject to the Kingdoms of the World Rom. 13.1 1 Pet. 2.13 14 17. 4. As this Principle of exemption is contrary to the Doctrine 1. Of Holy Paul and 2. Of Holy Peter so 3. Of the Holy Holy Holy Christ who Preached up that Doctrine of Rendring to Caesar the things that were Caesar's Matth. 22.21 'T is observable that not only the Mother of our Lord though big bellied and so might have pleaded Exemption goes up to the Chief City to be taxed by Caesar Luke 2.1 3 4. but also our Lord himself who might above all have pleaded his own freedom paid his Tribute to Caesar that so Caesar should not think the Gospel to be a contradiction to his Government Matth. 17.27 Yea
redibis c. And Aio te Aeacida as King James saith right enough they learned it from the Devil yet the Jesuits out-do the Devil himself in their holy Fraud for he calls his Equivocating Oracle in plain terms a lying Spirit v. 22. I will go and be a lying Spirit in the mouths of all these Prophets of Baal c. But the Jesuits defend their holy Fraud to be no lying But Mr. Thomas Fuller hath excellently evidenced that every Aequivocator is at least a secret Lyar saying that surely Speech is but the Copy of the heart Sermo est index Animi and that cannot be accounted or avouched for a true Copy that hath less in it than the Original Such an one is a secret Lyar as by Mental Reservations and other tricks doth deceive him to whom he speaketh being lawfully called to deliver all the truth Hence saith he it oft comes to pass Fuller's Prophane State pag. 390. When Jesuits unto us answer Nay * Which in Greek doth signifie Yea. They do not English speak 't is Greek they say 10. The late order of the Jesuits whom King James calls Papae mancipia Apology p. 76. the Popes Manciples or rather Blood-hounds or the Devils last by-blow to uphold the tottering Kingdom of the Beast hath found out this Arcanum or profound secret as a Catholicon or universal Remedy and Salvo for Catholick Consciences Some conceit that it was shak'd by a Miracle out of their St. Francis his Sleeve for their Casuist Navar tells of him that being asked which way the murtherer did flee that ran by him St. Francis putting his hand into his Sleeve answered he went not that way meaning his Sleeve Navar tom 3. cap. 12. But wheresoever the Jesuits so happily hit of it I know not yet surely this new trick they have abundantly exposed as a choice and Soveraign Unction and whereby they can slip all Examinations all Impositions and all Oaths and Obligations whatsoever Thus their casuistical Rabbies teach their Novices and Disciples If any man or Magistrate do examine you whether you did such a deed or no Though you did it yet may you answer I did it not provided you reserve in your mind that your meaning is not at this time when he asks or not to tell him or some such like Evasions whereof they have plenty and this they judge not only lawful but necessary This is their general Doctrine whereby they quite overthrow not only the nature of all humane Testimonies but also the genuine Juncture of all Humane Societies as famous Sir Walter Rawleigh upon his History of Joshua's Oath to the Gibeonites most excellently and amply sheweth saying That it admits of no Evasion or distinction neither leaves it any hole at all open to creep out at to that cunning perfidiousness and horrible deceit of this latter Age called Aequivocation that God-mocking Sin to swear one thing and mean another is found among Image worshippers which are of an Apish Religion they break no faith saith he that have no Faith to break whosoever hath true Faith and the fear of God dare not do so God will not be mocked Gal. 6.7 Gustavus King of Sweden told the Jesuits they would neither preach Faith to others nor keep Faith with others they could play fast and loose with their Equivocations 11. The fourth Jesuitical Principle destructive to common safety is Their Oath of blind Obedience 'T is notoriously known that in all Popish Seminaries the old Foxes The Fathers impose an Oath of Obedience upon all their young Plants and Novices wherein they Vow Obedience to their general Fathers in those Schools as those General Fathers are all sworn Vassals to their Grandfather the Pope whatever Errand they send them they must walk and work they must run per Mare per Terras c. even the Devils Round Job 1.7 and the Devils Errands and not dispute but dispatch what they are commanded without any Hesitation This Oath of blind Obedience saith that Royal Interpreter of Revel 13.16 17. King James in his Premonition to all Princes p. 93. is the mark of the Beast in their right hand signifying their actual implicit Obedience unto that Beast which thinks he cannot err whatever the Pope or under him their Superior commands them their hand that hath received this mark must execute their Command though it be to Rebel against Depose or Destroy rheir Natural King and Native Kingdoms see much more to that purpose Idem ibidem All this the Jesuits are sworn to King James shows in their Oath de caecâ Obedientiâ and in the English Seminaries beyond Sea the young Jesuits take this Oath to wit to return to England and to Convert their Countrymen and Kindred when and as often as it shall seem good to the Superior of that Colledge see Fuller's Church History Cent. 16. Book 9. p. 92. This Oath of blind Obedience Jesuiticos Pontificios ad omnia Imperia quantumvis impia superiorum spiritualium suorum Exequenda paratissimos Reddit makes the Jesuitiz'd Papists or Jesuits to be ready pressed for performing all the Precepts of their spiritual Superiors though never so wickedly hainous for those Superiors do sometimes injoyn conceited Coxcombs and that under the opinion of some supererogating merit such things as are very pernicious to Kings and Kingdoms Alas there is too plain proof hereof in both former and later years both in this and other Kingdoms see Dr. Davenant determ Quaest 17. p. 83. circa finem 12. Hence it is that such swarms of Jesuits are poured in upon us out of those foreign Seminaries which do plainly threaten an inundation from the See of Rome The Royal Interpreter King James aforesaid upon Revel 16.13 14. in his Premonition to all Princes p. 96 97. makes the Jesuits to be the three unclean Spirits like Frogs coming out of the mouth of the Dragon of the Beast and of the false Prophet This Sect he saith of unclean Spirits were raised up for the defence of the falling Throne of Antichrist by the ignorance of its Priests whereof few then were able to read Latin much less to understand it Those Spirits thus spewed out from this three-fold Authority Satan Antichrist and the Apostate Church for defence of their Triple-Crown'd Monarch are well likened to Frogs for they are Amphibious and can live in either Element Earth or Water Church or State for though they be Churchmen by Profession yet can they use the Trade of Politick Statesmen going to the Kings of the Earth c. And rather than fail that they may with less observation draw people off from Obedience c. by their subtle Insinuations they scruple not to change their Names to put on laick Habits yea and undertake any Callings of Handy-craft c. either in City or Country so that a Jesuit may be found among all Ranks of men even from the Noble Man to the Dust Man and of any Trade or Profession in England yea in the Pulpit also
Action will prove less difficult than the Agitation the Contrivance will be harder than the Accomplishment The second Ploughing of Fallow Ground is more easie than the first and the third is more easie than the second the Ardua as well as Arcana Imperii are now before your Honours You are got into a Wood Wilderness and Labyrinth no less is your Generation-work God hath called you to and were I as worthy as Jonathan I would do that Office of Love yea duty for you which he did for his dear David when he went into the Wood to him and strengthned his hands in God 1 Sam. 23.16 by minding and reminding you of the Promises Providences and Protection of your God My Cordial Prayers to God for you shall be constantly that you may be coming out of the Wilderness leaning upon your Beloved Cant. 8.5 and going thence with our English Israel towards the Land of Promise yea and I doubt not but you have a better Threed than that of Ariadne which helped Theseus out of the Labyrinth even the Wisdom of the wonderful Counsellor to extricate you out of all those Popish Intreagues you are now involved in And that I may the better Strengthen your hands in God I cannot hide from you those Presaging Providences of Gods Prevalent Actings in tendency to our deliverance from Popery at this juncture of time all which buoys up my Faith above my Fear and I hope may do yours The first Presaging Providence is Great Discoveries do presage great Deliverances God hath marvellously brought to publick light those private Popish and Diabolical deeds of darkness Prevision is tantamont Prevention both in Sacred and Civil History praevisa jacula minùs-feriunt et premoniti premuniti forewarn'd forearm'd and Darts foreseen are dintless God hath shot three Arrows as in David's Case 1 Sam. 20.21 22. three Witnesses Mr. Oats Mr. Bedlow and Mr. Prance Arrows all not to wound us but to warn us that the intentions of Bloody MEN were for our utter destruction Thus when Mordecai was Informed or Jadang Hebr. came to know of the bloody Decree this was Gods means to break the Neck of cruel Haman's wicked design Esth 4.1 c. Thus also the marvellous discovery of the Powder Plot in this Land was in Gods hand the marvellous disappointment of it And surely 't was no bad Argument which Sampson's Mother used to his Father Manoah If God would have destroyed us he would never have discovered these things unto us Judg. 13.23 The second Presaging Providence is Division is the Mother of Destruction God forbid it should be amongst us sicollidimur frangimur if we clash we break but now praised be God 't is found among our Enemies The Language of Babel-Builders is divided and confounded oh how do Priests and Jesuits now divide and discover Priests and Jesuits c. Hereby their Nimrods or cruel Hunters with all their cursed Chamites are dispersed from their Babel-Building Gen. 11.7 8 9. Our Lord saith If Satans Kingdom be divided against it self it cannot possibly stand Matth. 12.25 26. The third Presaging Providence is A Beginning hath a Presaging Tendency to the End To this Zeresh Haman's Wife and probably a prudent Woman spoke shrowdly and pertinently saying If Mordecai be of the Seed of the Jews before whom thou hast begun to fall thou shalt not be able to stand but thou shalt surely fall before him Esth 6.13 Principium per media tendit ad finem Haman was but barely begun to fall a little below Mordecai in honour Hence his final Fall was foretold either by Divine Instinct as the Sybils and Caiphas or only by Humane Prudence drawing this notable Conclusion from the common custom of Rising and Falling Favourites And may not we inferr also that seeing some of Gods and the Kingdoms Adversaries have certainly begun to fall before you the true Mordecai's of our day they shall not be able to stand but shall surely fall before us Oh that it may be a final and an irrecoverable Fall The fourth Presaging Providence is Persecution of Protestants peaceably dissenting is much turned into Justice upon Papists bloodily designing Whereby the Lord intimates he will perform with his Hand what he hath promised with his Mouth to wit of taking the Cup of Trembling out of the hand of Sion and of putting it into the hand of Babylon Isa 51.17 22 23. to make her drink the very dregs of it Rev. 14.10 Babylon shall drink not only unto drunkenness but also unto madness she shall Spue and Fall and rise no more Jer. 25.18 21. The fifth Presaging Providence is A changing the Kings Word This was a Praesage of Deliverance to Gods Triary the three Nobles of Babylon that the Kings Word or Counsel was changed they had been taken into the Kings Council Dan. 1.20 and 2.49 but afterwards were impeached and cast into the Furnace Those Servants of the most High God were not only delivered but promoted to their former and greater Honours Dan. 3.28 30. In concurrence herewith the Kings Word or Counsel is now changed some Persons of Honour who have been highly honoured but afterwards Impeached and cast into the Tower are again Promoted to be of the Privy Council and one as another Daniel to be President thereof The Rising of New Favourites is always the Fall of Old ones as Mordecai's was of Haman's No doubt the same God that hath changed the Kings Word or Counsel can influence his Heart as he did the Heart of Cyrus Ezra 1.1 The Kings Heart is in the Hand of the Lord Prov. 21.1 to turn it as easily as the Ploughman doth his Water-course with his Paddle or the Gardiner with his hand The sixth Presaging Providence is The mighty Turn which is wrought upon the Spirit of the Nation in General 'T is expresly said that the Sibbah hebr Circuit Revolution or turning about of the Spirit of the Ten Tribes was from the Lord 1 Kin. 12.15 As the Heart of the King so the Hearts of the Kingdom are in the Hand of the Lord and he ordereth all disorders Judg. 9.23 1 Sam. 8.19 22. There is a Cry in our Ears at this day Oh Wheel And there is a Wheel within a Wheel Ezek. 10.10 13. 't is the Father of Spirits that sets on or takes off the Spirits of People and vox Populi est vox Dei To Summ up all the seventh and last Presaging Providence is God hath put his Hand to the Plough and he will not look back Luke 9. 62. The Wheel of Providence goes streight forward and returns not as it goes Ezek. 1.9 12 17. But to the Place whither the Head looks the Wheels follow it They turned not as they went Ezek. 10.11 God positively Protesteth When I begin I will also make an end 1 Sam. 3.12 When he once begins his Execution of Justice quod Verbis minatur reipsa praestabit he will perform with his Hand what his Mouth hath spoken and go through stitch with his
be in a perishing State in them that perish those whom god maketh no account to save he gives them up to the strong delusions of this under-working beast But as for those whom god hath ordained unto life be reserves them as his Remnant according to the Election of grace from bowing of the knee to Baal Rom. 11.4.5 So that none of Gods elect are given up to this perishing State Math. 24.24 221. Thus popery is call'd here Deceivableness because it 't is a grand Imposture a Farrago of all kind of falsities as their feigning Apparitions of Angels and Spirits their forging decrees of Councils for countenancing their Supremacy of the Romish Church their corruptions of the antient Fathers for defence of their lying Doctrines their Piae fraudes as they call them and dissembling of piety for advancing their Religion and many more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arts of consenage and Legerdemain Tricks 222. Popery is a Circle whose Circumference is all kind of Imposture and whose center is nothing but unrighteousness So 't is call'd the deceivableness of unrighteousness and this Religious cheat Captivates only perishing Souls such as are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jude v. 4. men destinated to damnation God justly giving them up to vile affections and of belief of lyes because they received not the truth in the love of it that great Gospel sin brings just Damnation 223. (z) The 4. Scripture Evidence The 4. Scrip. Evidence is 2. Thess 2.11.12 because Papists generally are despisers of the truth God sends them strong delusions that they should believe a lye that they all May be damned who believed not the truth but had the pleasure of unrighteousness They blind their own eyes sinfully and god blind their eyes penally and because of this wilful obduration he gives them over to Satan to Captivate both their Judgments and persons as he will and at his pleasure 2. Tim. 2. last 224. Look what a besotted Infatuation was Iudicially inflicted upon the Idolatrous Jews God Shut their eyes that they could not see and their hearts that they could not understand and a deceived heart turned them aside Isai 44.18.20 they hewed the tree warmed themselves and rosted their meat with the Chips and of all of it and the Residue thereof they make a god of worships it and prays to it saying deliver me for thou art my god c. 225. Such like sottish Dotage is found among the Idolatrous papists in their prostrating before their breaden God They know it to be the fruit of the Earth the workmanship of the Baker they behold it touch it tast it to be bread that for the substance of it Perishes in the useing and is cast out into the draught as Math. 15.17 Yet do they fall down before it and prays unto it saying deliver me for thou art my god The like stupidity is in them to their Crucifixes Roods and Images of Saints 226. These and many more strong delusions which the holy Ghost calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Efficacy of errour are the Romanists given up to The time would faile in producing the many Instances that may be found hereof and which indeed more Properly belongs to the 2. Part of this Diatribe about their Relicks and miracles I shall give but one here under what strong delusion are those Papists of Geneva (a) Wolph mem lect That show the asses taile whereon Christ rode as a divine Relique and perform Divine worship to it 227. (b) Dr. Sclater on 2 Thess 2. pag. 167 168. Dr. Sclater upon this Scripture shews very Solidly how Popery is a pack of lyes as that God loves to be suited unto by saints and Angels mediators that our works are meritorious being done in grace that a man may Supererogate and exceed in duty what he owes to god That baptism takes away whatsoever hath the proper nature of sin that Souls pass hence to pains of Purgatory that Christs death takes only away mortal sins all these he confutes substantially And to those I speak in my 2. Part of this treatise 228. And would we know the reason why Papists are given up to believe those lyes the Apostle tells us it is that they all may be damned who believed not the truth where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judged for condemned frequent in Scripture as John 3.17 and in others places the penall issue then is damnation not only because they despise the truth but also they delight in unrighteousness which is the highest pitch of impiety they can dispense with all Sins 229. (c) The 5. Seripture Evidence 5. Scrip. Evidence is Revel 19.21 that shews not only the Pope himself but all his obstinate followers also and sworn Sword-men and servants shall be destroyed and though they shall not be so deeply damned as the beast and the false prophet yet shall they be slain even the Kings that asist him and uphold his tottering Kingdome as to be made a prey to the infernal vultures and the greatest Sinners shall be the greatest sufferers there shall be no reasoning of any with mony as Isa 13.17.18 230. 'T is said there the Sword of Christ shall slay the Remnant not any shall escape but a severe execution shall be on all that take part with Antichrist in this his last battel at Armageddon And seeing this Sword is said to come out of the mouth of him that sitteth upon the horse it must not be taken for a material Sword but for the breath of his mouth wherewith he will destroy Antichrist 2. Thess 2.8 and for that Sentence of death that he will pass upon all his followers saying go ye Cursed 231. This place of Scripture is an allusion to Ezek. 39.4.17.20 where the destruction of Gog and Magog the grand enemies of the Chruch before Christs coming into the flesh is recorded Now as that Prophecy was fulfilled literally on them being made a feast for the fowls of the aire both great and small So shall this be fulfiled Allegorically upon all the worshippers of the beast which shall be made a feast to the fiends of Hell and then that Prince-fowl of the Air the Devil and his Spirits shall be glutted with them 232. (d) The 6. Scripture-Evidences The 6. Scrip. Evidence is 2. Pet. 2.1 where heresie is call'd a damnable thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heresies of destruction or damnation 'T is an Hebraisme as a man of bloods Ps 5.6 is a bloody man Now heresie is a doctrine Contrary to the truth which men chuse to follow and will not be Recalmed from it If such doctrine be Simply held it is only etrour but if obstinately and pertinaciously persisted in of this more fully in my treatise of Heresie then 't is damnable Heresie 233. Heresie is Leprosy in the head which is utterly incurable Lev. 13.29 And because it therefore destroys the soul this Epithet damnable is joyned to it not so much
te sanguine quem sitisti eujnsque insatiabills semper suisti Justin hath been insatiable of Blood The Rabbins well understand the Romanists those false Brethren the Popes Bloodhounds by the Edomites That pursued their Brethren with the Sword and cast off all pity their Anger tearing perpetually c. Amos 1.11 See the Parallel in (c) Dr. Taylor 's Romish Edomite Dr. Taylor 's Romish Edomite 286. The Burthen of Duma in Isa 21.11 which is Idumaea or Edom the Hebrew Rabbins apply it to Rome reading Roma for Duma for there is great affinity betwixt their Daleth and Resh and their Vau is likewise read sometimes V and sometimes O and they say Quia vix acriores hostes experti sunt Judai quà m Idumaos ideò Romanos illis infensissimos vocârunt novos Idumaeos (d) Dr. Ellis bellum in Idumaeos pag. 7. And they call the Kingdom of the Pope Regnum Edom impium 287. Now Edom signifies Red a Name put upon Esan Geu 25.30 not only because he was greedy of the Red Pottage but also because lie was Red in Complexion and colour of his Body ver 25. being overgrown with Red Hair all over importing the bruitishness of the man and the monstrousness of his manners in whose person God prefigùreth the bloody and barbarous disposition of such as persecute his Church and dye their Garments Red with the blood of his Children 288. Such bloody Edomites are the Romanists for as the Edomites had an ancient intestine and inbred Enmity against the Seed of God in their first Founder Esau against his Brother Jacob continued yea perpetuated in Esau's Posterity Amos 1.11 and that notwithstanding the neerness of kindred between them Mal. 1.2 and the fair and friendly Carriage of the Israelites towards them in their passage to Canaan Deut. 24.6 and the Laws made after in favour of them above other Neighbour Nations Dent. 23.7 yet none were so spiteful and cruel to Israel as they Amos 1.11 Obad. 10.14 Psal 137.7 289. So the Romish Edomites have been found a bloody Generation by smarting experience in all ages and in all countreys whose malignity against the seed and Israel of god hath been so inveterate and implacable that no obligations either of Oaths asseverations yea or of execrations could banke it in much less have they been bounded in with bonds of either affinity or Consanguinity As Edom of old not at all remembring the brotherly Covenant Am. 1.9 290. The tragedies they have acted in so many Kingdoms and commonwealths notwithstanding all professions and protestations yea and obligations of oaths to the contrary doth abundantly Evidence this whose cruelties hath exceeded that of Diomedes who fed his dogs with mans flesh or that of Perillus who tormented men in an hot brazen bull and indeed all paralells unheard of among Pagans Turks or any Barbarians 191. They are found most notoriously true to that damned principle of their Church to wit Nulla fides cum Haereticis Keepe no leagues with hereticks and 't is no more Sin to kill one of them then to kill a Dog Yea all their other Principles are steep'd in blood tollerating Rebellion against King and Kingdome murdering of Princes blowing up of Parliaments kindling coals of Devision hotter then coals of Juniper between confederate states wherein they live in too much peace Witness many Kingdoms at this day 292. Oh what maps of blood are represented to us of Germany Ireland France England c. All which they made Aceldama's or fields of blood wherein those bloudy Papists with their vizards pull'd off acted more like incarnate Devils then men of reason and common Humanity to shew that they are of their Father the Devil who was a murderer from the beginning and (e) John 8.44 the works of their father they will doe And (f) Ezek. 21.31 that they are a Brutish people skillful to destroy Ezek. 21.31 293. It would make ones ears tingle and ones bowells yerne to read or hear related what those Engineers of cruelty acted upon the Stage of those several countreys making it their sport to torture poor Protestants and striving which of them could be most barbarously exquisite in tormenting them as if it had been some meritorious and supererogating work in those fire-brands of Hell like bloudy Vulters to suck the blood of Saints 294 Except we enter into the confines of Hell where can wee find a fellow to that Blood-thirsty Monster (g) Idaea Reform Antichr tom 1. part 2. cap. 6. Cardinal Farnesius who desir'd to wade in the blood of the Lutherans up to his Horse bridle And to shew that their Religion is founded in blood the very Doctrine of that bloody Molock Antichrist and his Clergy thrusts Instruments of cruelty into the hands of their vassals saying an Heretick loseth all right to all that he hath (h) De paenis Heret Azor. Instit mor. li. 8. And being declared Hereticks any one may kill them though Kings or Princes (i) Symancha Instit lib. 23. Sect. 11. and Sanders de visib Monarch l. 2. cap. 4. Yea though they change their Religion as Henry the 4. of France by Ravilliac 295 And t is no wonder if Edom like they trample under foot all Covenants when they are taught that by heresie all bonds and obligations of Nature of Covenant of Oaths and of duties are ipso facto dissolved and Hereticks may be slain by sword or by treason even with the destruction of many innocent Catholicks Oh doctrine of devils yea that Hell-born plott of the Gunpowder-treason found an Apology from this same Eudamon approbation from Claudius Aquavina excuse from Bellarmine and absolution from Hamon all Jesuites 296. To conclude this 4. cursed property of the Romish Religion the Bloodiness and cruelty of it which is the fourth of those seven unclean Spirits that like the empty house Christ speaks of Math. 12.43.44 it is compleatly in this number of perfection possessed with And this is an unclean spirit with an Emphasis a Diabolical spirit from the old Man-slayer that red Dragon which both rules in and rides on even whipping and spurring the rageing Romanists who do not only walk but even run in the way of Cain the Devil 's eldest Partriarch and the first Apostate Jude 11. in (k) Agarius Instit moral lib. 8. cap. 13. (l) Eudaemon's Apologa pro Gathil cap. 4. (m) Pridtaur Sermon on the 5. of November murdering and Massacring their brethren in Christianity Cain is still butchering his brother Abel and the older he grows the more bloody he becomes That Scarlet whore hath made blood her drink in all Ages and yet the more withered and wrinkled she grows as those persons in a Hydropical Consumption the more she drinks the more she thirsts she is now become more bloodthirsty unto this land then ever witness those Nimrods of our day the mighty hunters after the blood of men who instead of Sacrificing their beast or beastly lusts unto the Lord
and perhaps there more especially And yet further peradventure among all perswasions and that with such pretended Devotion and Affection too as the Devil himself can scarce act his part more cunningly When he turns himself into an Angel of Light witness the Scot Ramsden A Jesuit that pretended himself a Convert Jew and joyn'd himself to the Church at Hexham near Newcastle This is Vltimus Diaboli crepitus as one calls the Jesuits the last attempt of a daring Devil These are the Popes Janizaries or Blood-hounds who have a Vow of Mission and Obedience upon them whereby they are bound to the Pope ultimately so as to go whithersoever and about whatsoever he sends them yea if it be to China or Peru go they must if it be to kill Kings and to blow up Parliaments do it they must Hence happily they are called Spirits the Spirits of Devils or breathing Devils never had any Conjurer more command over his Spirits or Familiars than the great Impostor of Rome as Dr. Morton calls him over those unclean Frogs 13. The fifth Principle inconsistent with Peace is That the secret of a Sacramental Confession ought not to be revealed no not for the eschewing of whatsoever Evil. This Bellarmine defends in the behalf of the Powder Plotters that thought it their Duty and Conscience according to their Catholick Doctrine that obliges to Secrecy to conceal that horrible Treason and that Romish Goliah Bellarmine over imperiously applauds the Arch-Traitor Garnet for chusing to suffer the most bitter death rather than to violate the Seal of so great a Sacrament which indeed is no Sacrament at all as I have shewed in my Walk of a Christian in Chapter of Sacraments and frankly bestows upon him the Crown of Martyrdom In this fatal point King James makes his Appeal to all Christian Monarchs free Princes and States in his Premonition p. 124. leaving it unto them to judge how damnahle this Doctrine is and how dangerously prejudicial to publick Peace and he learnedly shews that though the Schoolmen stepping up as Doctors of the Church did marr the old Divinity of the Fathers by mingling therewith their Philosophical distinctions yet none of them do maintain this poysonful Position among the old Schoolmen they go no further than concealing of Names in some cases but not of matters the concealing whereof may conduce to a publick danger This he saith is the upstart conceit of some three or four new Jesuited Doctors and as it is a new so it is such a dangerous Doctrine as no King or State can live in security where such a cursed Position is maintained p. 125. And he with a right Royal Spirit proves Cardinal Bellarmine a lyar de facto as well as de jure p. 126 127. and Tortus lyes confuted the third Novel Doctrine about this very point Indeed their Jesuit Eudaemon teaches them this damnable Doctrine that such things as are told under the Seal of Confession ought not to be revealed Nec pro Capite Regis nec pro totius Reipublicae salute Neither for saving the Kings life nor the whole Kingdom Eudaem Apolog. p. 355. 'T is without all difficulty to judge how Inconsistent this Jesuitical Principle is with publick Peace and common Safety and what manner of good Subjects those are that will rather Sacrifice both the King and a whole Kingdom than in the least to rescind that fictitious Seal of Confession preferring their own idle Jesuitical Dreams before the Weal of a Common-weal which should be the Supreme Law as Dr. Davenant shows determ quest 17. p. 82. bringing in the Testimony of our Halensis the Prince of Schoolmen in this point saying A Priest is not bound to shut up all under his Seal of Confession that are revealed to him but only those things that ought to be so c. Haec autem sunt perpetrata non perpetranda these things also must be such as are past and done and not such things as are in doing as the hatching of Treason c. 14. The sixth Principle of Popery Inconsistent with Peace is Their Doctrine of Dispensations Such is the implicit Faith and blind Belief of the Romanists 1. That their Lord the Pope hath no less than the creating and all-Commanding power of the Great God And 2. That he can make any sin a duty and any duty a sin by vertue of his Omnipotent Dispensation As to the first of these how hath this man of Sin exalted himself above all that is called God 2 Thess 2.4 Pope Paul the Third suffered himself to be blasphemously flatter'd with the Title of the greatest God on Earth Anno Dom. 1540. And Pope Paul the Fifth with the Title of Vice-God Anno Dom. 1610. It should have been a vitious Devil who was called the Defender of the Papal Omnipotency Yea Hostiensis the Canonist cap. 4. saith the Pope can do more than God he cannot only make something of nothing but of wrong he can make right and of Vice he can make Vertue see Bellarm. de Rom. Pontif. lib. 4. He can excommunicate the very Angels as to the second he can dispense not only with the Law of Nature and of Nations but even with the word of God it self when the Pope sets and sends out his Bull commonly he concludes thus Non obstantibus constitutionibus Apostolicis c. The Ordinances of the Apostles and all things else to the contrary notwithstanding the Popes Interpretation though never so cross to the Text must be saith Hosius ipsissimum Dei verbum esteemed the very word of God so that 't is no matter though God command Subjects to obey Rulers If the Pope say they shall not and give a dispensation 't is enough this Bellarmine's answer to King James's Apology defends and all Jesuits say the Pope hath power to dispense with duty Is this consistent with publick Peace 15. To all this may be added the Popes giving dispensations to his Catholicks in Protestant Kingdoms and Common-wealths to take any Oath of Fidelity with this Qualification Rebus sic stantibus et dum vires deerint that is while you are unable to cast off the Yoke this was done both in Queen Elizabeth and King James's Reign but when there is a fit opportunity then the Popes Alarm to his Champions is Vtere jure tuo Caesar sectamque Lutheri Ense Rota Ponto Funibus Igne neca That is when you can do it my dear Sons Root out this cursed Sect of the Lutherans torture them upon the Wheel till you pull Limb from Limb run them through with the Sword drown them hang them burn them as if any one of these were not enough to these bloody Papists but all these must be done to them especially the last which the Jesuits learned from their Father Ignatius as Beza's Epigram upon them shows Pater est Ignatius ille A te cui admixto nomen ab igne dedit Ignatius begins with Ignis which signifies Fire hence Jesuits are Firebrands in all