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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A65422	Popery anatomized, or, A learned, pious, and elaborat treatise wherein many of the greatest and weightiest points of controversie, between us and papists, are handled, and the truth of our doctrine clearly proved : and the falshood of their religion and doctrine anatomized, and laid open, and most evidently convicted and confuted by Scripture, fathers, and also by some of their own popes, doctors, cardinals, and of their own writers : in answer to M. Gilbert Brown, priest / by that learned, singularly pious, and eminently faithful servant of Jesus Christ M. John Welsch ...; Reply against Mr. Gilbert Browne, priest	Welch, John, 1568?-1622.; Craford, Matthew. Brief discovery of the bloody, rebellious and treasonable principles and practises of papists.	1672 (1672)	Wing W1312; ESTC R38526	397,536	586

suppose that the judgement were to fall but upon the committers of this sin only it were too great but it would reach further to a whole Kingdom wherein it were committed if by repentance and execution of Justice it were not prevented For shal Abimelech King of Gerar Gen. 20.9 fear the judgement of GOD upon his whole Kingdom for one adultery only intended and that in ignorance And what may a whole Land then fear for such abominable Idolatry in so clear a light of the Gospel And shal the ten Tribes fear the wrath of GOD Josh 22.21 to be kindled against the whole Congregation of Israel for the rebellion of the other two Tribes in setting up an altar to sacrifice upon as they thought And what should we fear then against this whole Land if there were altars reared up not to worship GOD on but the Idol of Babel And if Achans theft Josh 7. suppose both the person and the sin was unknown yea suppose there was no suspicion neither of the one nor of the other spoyled all Israel of GODS presence made them fall before their enemies and made the LORD refuse to be in the midst of them unless the sin and person was tryed and searched and the Anathema taken away And would not Babels Idolatry be much more effectual to spoyl all the Land if it were defiled therewith of GODS presence to make us fall before our enemies and to make the LORD to depart from us suppose it were but in one person seeing the sin is more odious in the LORDS eyes our light greater and we more obliged then they were And suppose that this abomination should be but in privat families yet it is a fretting canker as the Apostle saith 2. Tim. 2.17 that when it hath infected a member of the body it will infect the rest if it be not prevented by cutting off the festered member And the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 5.6 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump And experience hath taught that by process of time a little leck hath sunk a great ship and one person infected with the pestilence hath infected a whole Kingdom The first Idolatrie of the land of Canaan began with Teraphim Jehovae silver sanctified to the LORD to be an Image Jud. 17.5.3 but afterward it grew up to the worship of Baal and Ashtaroth ch 2.13 It was in the beginning but in one only family the family of Micah ch 17.1 but in process of time it passed from that family to the Tribe of Dan ch 18. and from that Tribe to all the rest of the Tribes ch 2.13.14 till at the last all Israel sinned and did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD So there is no question Sir if your Majesty put not to your hand as you have begun to do it will get foot in this Land and it would pass from families to Tribes from privat houses to Temples from the worship of the round bread to the worship of stocks and stones and so by one degree to another till it have made all guilty what by infecting what by communicating with their sins and then bring the fearful vengeance of GOD upon all And suppose Sir that you have not need to be taught of any for that light and understanding wherewith the LORD hath anointed you in so great a measure beyond many doth teach you all things and your Majesty hath laid so sure foundation of maintenance both of Justice and Religion within your Land and hath begun so substantially to prosecute the same for the which from our hearts we render glory and praise to GOD. So that all further exhortation of your Majesty would seem to be superfluous Yet I must borrow leave at your Majesty to be bold with all humbleness of mind and reverence of heart to GOD and to your Majesty to beseech you by the price of JESUS CHRIST your LORD to stirr up the bowels of your compassion over this desolat Countrey For upon whom are the eyes of all Israel 1. Kings 3.20 but upon you Sir And what King is there under Heaven under whose Government the Gospel hath had so free a passage and the Church of GOD hath had ●●ch●●●nrity and liberty in such peace for so long a 〈◊〉 a whole Kingdom without Heresie or Schism 〈◊〉 under your Majesties Government So that we were both ungrate to GOD and to you Sir if with all thanksgiving we did not acknowledge it Take therefore for examples these worthy Kings who have received a good report in the Word of the LORD and now resting from their labors have received that incorruptible Crown of glory Put on their affections Sir and follow their actions that your report here and Crown hereafter may be equal or rather above theirs Let your heart melt Sir with good Josias 2. Kings 22.19 not for our fathers transgressions as he did but for our own sins and the sins of this Land Ezek. 9.4 For GOD regarded not the time of their ignorance Acts 17.30.31 Rom. 2.16 when the Gospel shined not but now since that light is broken forth he admonisheth all men to repent because he hath set a day which cannot be far off wherein he will judge every one by the Man CHRIST JESUS according to his Gospel And if that great Angel had not descended unto us with that little Book open in his right hand Rev. 10.1.2 and the Land had not been once purged of Idolatry we should not have sinned but now we have no cloke for our sin John 15.21.24 Stir up your anger with Moses Sir who suppose he was the meekest man upon the face of the whole earth Num. 12.3 yet when he saw the golden Calf his anger was kindled Exod. 32.19 that he brake the Tables of stone the LORDS own work and writ burnt the Calf in the fire br●yed it in powder scattered it on the waters and made the people to drink thereof Follow the example of good Jehosaphat Sir who fought the LORD his GOD 2. Chron. 27.4.20 walked in his precepts lifted up his heart to the wayes of the LORD purged his land of Idolatrie And first sent Levits with his own Princes to teach all the Cities of his Kingdom the Law of the LORD and after being admonished by the Prophet for helping of the wicked and loving them who hated the LORD suppose he was his neighbor King joyned in affinity with him he so repented that he went from the one end of his Kingdom to the other even from Beersheba to mount Ephraim and brought his people to the LORD their GOD and established Religion and Justice in all the Cities of his Kingdom and therefore the LORD was with him he prospered and had riches and honor in abundance What joy of heart Sir brought Ezechias to the hearts of all the godly as well indwellers as strangers when he purged his land of Idolatrie 2. Chron. 29. and 30.31 brake the brazen Serpent which the people had abused opened the doors of

a great crime was kept prisoner by the Jesuits in the chamber of meditations where after they had long terrified his soul they propounded to him a way to lessen his torments in hell to wit to kill the King which the miserable wretch promised and attempted Whereupon the Colledge of the Jesuits was searched and many persons seized on among which was found a book in the praise of James Clement the murderer of King Henry the 3 written by the Jesuit Guignard containing many arguments and reasons to prove it was lawful and just to kill King Henry the 3. together with many incitements and motives to make away his successor King Henry the 4. then reigning The themes given to young scholars were found to be about King killing with praises of the attempt and exhortations to it Likewise Bariere another wretch who had attempted to kill King Henry the 4. being examined confessed that the Jesuit Varadius Rector of the Colledge of the Jesuits had incited and adjured him upon the Sacrament of confession and the communion of the Lords body to kill the King assuring him that if he suffered for it he should obtain martyrdom Moreover Ravillac in his examination shewed sufficiently by whose instructions he was perswaded to murther King Henry the 4. for he gave this reason why he did it because the King would make war with God in as much as he prepared war against the Pope who is God which is the plain doctrine of the Church of Rome So the Jesuits at the Popes instigation never ceased till they had assassinated both these Kings of France Henry the 3. and Henry the 4. So Peter du Moulin chap. 5. IV. William Prince of Orange being one of the blessed instruments the Lord imployed for the delivery of the Netherlands from the Spanish tyranny and Popish idolatry therefore the Popish faction carrying an implacable hatred to him they stirred up one Joanville to kill him and for encouraging him in this devilish attempt a Frier perswaded him that he should go invisible and for that effect he gave him some characters in paper and little frogs bones and other conjurations whereby he being animated to that wicked deed went lay in wait and shot the Prince with a pistol through the throat But he through Gods goodness recovering they stirred up Baltazar Gerard to make a second attempt upon him who shot him through the stomack and vital parts so that he presently died V. But leaving these forraign instances let us come home to Britain where we will see a wonderful Tragedy of secret bloody treasons plotted and carried on for the ruine of Queen Elizabeth King James c. and the whole Reformed Religion professed in these lands For so soon as the Pope perceived that Queen Elizabeth intended in earnest to shake off that Romish yoke and that all his flattery and fair dealing could not reduce her to his obedience she refusing to permit his Nuncio to enter her Kingdom he falls to his old course and anno 1569. Pope Pius the 5. excommunicats her as we said before absolving all her subjects from her obedience and ●ursing all that should longer obey her giving her Kingdom to the King of Spain But fearing that a war might be dangerous and of doubtful event he thought the most compendious way to ruine her was to send over his Agents to England to cause proclaim his Bull there and to excite the Papists in England to rebellion against her and to endeavor by all means to assassinat her For he thought this would either win her or at least it would strengthen the King of Spains hands when he knew that there were secret plottings in England for to accomplish his design Therefore he sent over his Bull declaratory by one Morton an English fugitive who bringing it to Rodolf a Florentin divers copies of it were first secretly scattered among the Papists and then the Brieve it self fixed on the gate of London-house by which time the Priests and other Agents for Rome had wrought so far with sundry Nobles and Gentle-men of eminency whom they either found or could make discontented with the Reformed Religion or Government or whom they discerned to be ambitiously affected that they never rested plotting one treason and rebellion after another For in that same year wherein the Popes Bulls was here scattered among the Papists the Earls of Northumberland and Westmerland and sundry other their complices fell out in actual rebellion But that not taking effect they used more secret and hidden wayes for carrying on their mischief For L. Aubespine a French Ambassador of the Guisian faction solicited one Mocdy to kill the Queen by laying gun powder under her chamber and secretly firing it But although that was discovered yet they did not cease but all that Queens time they were still plotting treasons such as the treasons of Stuckly in Ireland of the Stanlies in Darbishyre of John Trogmorton and Brook of Sanders and Bristow of the Nortons Barn and Mather of Doctor Story and Shirwin Parsons Campian and Kirly and many other Priests and Jesuits to the number of 120. of Somervail and his adherents of Mayn Nilson Thomson and the rest of that crue of Payn and his fifty resolutes hyred by the Pope to murder the Queen Of Francis Throgmorton Paget and Englfield Of bloody Pary of Babington Tichburn and the rest of that pack Of the same Babington Charnock and Savace on a second devilish design Of Lopoz of Stanly of Cullen of York and Williams c. with infinit mo that never came to light yea Garnet Winter Catesby Treshame and others in the last year of Queen Elizabeth travelled with the King of Spain to joyn with the Papists in England to depose the Queen and to extirpat Religion Thus they never rested all the time of that Queen to plot treasons and rebellions against her And is it not well known how the Duke of Guise and his faction in France did enter in the holy League to root out all the Protestants In prosecution whereof they warred and rebelled against their natural Soveraigns King Henry the 3. and King Henry the 4. while several hundreds of thousands of the subjects were killed and destroyed and the whole Kingdom almost wasted and depopulated and way made for the Spaniard to conquer the Kingdom with whom the Leaguers joyned and brought his forces unto the Kingdom And if his wars in the Netherlands and the loss of his Armado anno 1588. had not weakned him he might have conquequested all France But did King James feel them any quieter in Scotland Surely no. For beside the hazard he was in from them in his infancy and minority he felt also their treasons and rebellions when come to age For the Earls of Angus Huntly and Arrol the Lords Maxwel Hares and others made a conspiracy for bringing in the Spaniard with whom they were to joyn forces for the ruine of King and Kingdom and afterward brake out in open rebellion

much less do we hold that the Pope may loose all subjects from their oath of loyalty and command that a Jesuit stob or poyson a King when he turneth enemy to the Roman faith Satan himself cannot charge us with these therefore we intreat that none would hearken to the Author of Philanax Anglicus or the like who endeavor to traduce and calumniat us as if the Protestants of integrity did teach and practise rebellion c. Look to our Confessions and the approved writings of our Doctors and to the practises of Protestants in the Kingdoms and Common-wealths where they live and they will be forced to confess we own no such doctrine Who more loyal subjects then the Protestants in France to King Henry the third and King Henry the fourth They owned them assisted and fought for them when almost all others abandoned them How faithful were our predecessors in Scotland to King James they crowned him in his cradle they preserved him owned and assisted him and made him a glory to Europe for understanding learning and wisdom I shal not insist further on this seeing Peter du Moulin hath learnedly vindicated the Reformed Churches from this false aspersion hatched in hell of purpose to alienat the affections of the Magistrat from us But this only say as we desire to render to God the things that are Gods so we desire to render to Cesar the things that are Cesars But to conclud Doth not the truth and honor of God which ought to be dearer to us then our own salvation our own and posterities welfare and safety in body soul and all that is near and dear to us call us to consider and seriously to lay to heart the increase and prevalency of Popery Since the Reformation there was never generally more prevailing of Popery and more hazard of being ruined thereby then now and yet never less sense thereof zeal against it In former times the least appearance of the prevalency of Popery did alarm all to deal according to their place and station most seriously for suppressing thereof I shal not insist in shewing how zealous our predecessors in Scotland were against Popery and how they left no mean unessayed for total extirpation thereof out of the land nor how ready they were upon the least appearance of any danger to discover the danger and petition and supplicat the Kings Majesty and Estats of Parliament for remedy For instance when news came of the preparation of the Spanish Armado 1588. what fasting praying and humiliation was all the Land over and all other means essayed for preventing that dismal-like stroke And anno 1592. when the plots of the Popish Lords who had conspired to bring in the Spaniards in the Kingdom was discovered what zeal and forwardness did all the Land show for defence of the Reformed Religion and suppressing of Popery I will not I say insist at large on these seeing the Acts of our Parliaments wherein there are so many excellent statuts and laws made against Popery and the Histories of these times doth abundantly declare what ze●l and hatred all ranks and degrees had against that Romish Whoor But I shal only make this inference If they had such love to the truth and such zeal against Antichrist who had not such light and were not so strongly engaged as we are shal they not arise in judgement against us and condemn us For should not the truths of God be as precious to us as to our predecessors Are there not as many obligations lying upon us as was upon them Is not Popery that same damnable Antichristian idolatry now that it was then Why then are we so dreadfully lukewarm and indifferent and so little zealous against it Should we be silent when Christ suffers If in any thing and at any time we be obliged to confess him before men and to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the Saints is it not in this thing and at this time when Antichrist is endeavoring to rob us of the purity of the Gospel and to entangle us with the yoke of his Idolatry and superstition Do we not see what we may expect if Popery prevail notwithstanding of all their specious pretences and fair and plausible insinuations The massacre of Paris the Spanish Inquisition and their unheard-of cruelty in Ireland to our own flesh and blood together with the Marian days in England ought never to be forgotten by us but alwayes raise in us a perfect detestation of and holy zeal and indignation against that Scarlet Whoor What may we expect if Popery prevail but that sad Dilemma either to be burnt at a stake or loose our souls and bodies eternally for the portion of these that worship the Beast and receive his mark is to be casten in that lake that burneth night and day Rev. 14.10.11 THE CONCLVSION NOw although we can expect nothing but either loss of life and all that is near and dear to us or to loose our souls eternally if Popery prevail yet how little concerned are we in these matters How luke warm and indifferent are we in this age and generation as to any Religion How few are they that are stirred up to deal with God by prayer and supplication for continuing of the Gospel in purity with us and to lay seriously to heart the abounding iniquity of these days that may justly provoke the Lord to give us up to the tyranny of Antichrist It is true many apprehend no hazard from Antichrist and think that all the noyse that is made of the prevalency of Popery is without any real ground and cause But let such think what they please yet really our hazard is not so little as is apprehended if we consider the diligence activity and vigilancy of Antichrist upon the one hand and the lightness unstability lukewarmness and Gallio-like temper of this generation together with the dreadful evils whereby the Lord is provoked to remove the candlestick and give us up to strong delusions to believe lies on the o her hand I. First I say if we consider the diligence and activity of Antichrist for is not Antichrist as active and diligent as ever Hath he not been still endeavoring by all manner of way to get his deadly wound cured and the Reformed Churches brought again under his subjection and especially Britain and Ireland which he looks upon as his great eye-sore Therefore he hath erected for educating of the children of Scots and English Papists a Colledge at Doway in Flanders another at Rome the third at Valladolit in old Castile a fourth in Sevil in Spain a fifth in S. Omers in Artois a sixth in Madrid in new Castile in Spain a seventh in Lovain in Brabant an eight in Liege in Luikland a ninth in Ghent in Flanders Now these that are educated in these Colledges especially at Rome they are bound by oath to come over to Britain and Ireland for propagating of Popery and accordingly some comes over to

thereof lest the people should be discouraged and faint went himself with the Canonier up the walls and desired he should charge such a piece of Canon and shoot for GOD should direct that shot and cause it to prosper which accordingly did to the astonishment of on-lookers dismount that battery and the Lord so ordered things after that the King did parley on favorable terms with the City and did only himself with his Court come in without doing any violence Upon the LORDS day thereafter some of the godly in that place fearing M. Welsch his hazard did seriously deal with him that he would forbear to go forth and preach the Court being there But he would by no means be hindered showing them he would adventure to preach the Word to his people and trust the Lord with what concerned himself Therefore he went forth and preached having a very great Auditory both of friends and others who came upon the fame of such a man But in time of Sermon a great man of the Court with some of the Kings own guard was sent to bring him forthwith before the King and whilst he was entering the Church which had some difficulty by reason of the multitude M. Welsch did turn himself toward that entry and desired the people to give way to one of the great Peers of France that was coming in But after whilst he was coming near the Pulpit to execute his Commission he did with great authority speak to him before all the people and in the Name of his Master JESUS CHRIST charged him that he would not disturb the worship of GOD. Wherewith he was so affrighted that he fell a shaking yea was forced to crutch down and make no further trouble Sermon being ended M. Welsch with much submission went to the King who was then greatly incensed and with a threatning countenance asked What he was And how he durst preach Heresie so near his person and with such contumacy carry himself To which with due reverence bowing himself he did answer I am Sir the servant and Minister of JESUS CHRIST whose truth I preached this day which if your Majesty rightly knew ye would have judged it your duty to have come your self and heard And for my doctrine I did this day preach these three truths to your people First that man is fallen and by nature in a lost condition yea by his own power and abilities is not able to help himself from that estat Secondly that there is no salvation or deliverance from wrath by our own merits but by JESUS CHRIST and his merit alone Thirdly I did also preach this day the just liberties of the Kingdom of France that your Majesty oweth obedience to Christ only who is the Head of the Church and that the Pope as he is an enemy to Christ and his truth so also to the Kings of the earth whom he keepeth under slavery to his usurped power Whereat the King for a time keeping silence with great astonishment turned to some about him and said Surely this is a man of GOD. Yea after did commune with him and with great respect dismissed him The next year the differences betwixt the King and Protestants growing greater the City was again besieged M. Welsch intreated the Citizens to make peace with the King for God had a controversie with them for their unthankfulness and not walking answerably to the Gospel therefore he was not with them as formerly but had given them up to their enemies and if they stood out their City should be taken But the City not hearkening to him was taken and in part sacked At which time the King passed a solemn order that none should in the least wrong M. Welsch nor any thing that belonged to him under highest pains and said to him as Nebuzaradan to Jeremiah All the land is before thee whither it seemeth good and convenient for thee to go thither go But M. Welsch being grown exceedingly infirm in his body and the Physicians advising that only his native air could help him choised to go over to England whereupon the King granted him a safe-conduct So he came over to London where he remained a certain space but not being permitted to return to Scotland his sickness encreased and he died During the time of his sickness he was so filled and overcome with the sensible enjoyment of GOD that he was sometimes over-heard in prayer to have these words LORD hold thy hand it is enough thy servant it a clay vessel and can hold no more He was a man for piety converse and communion with GOD most singular and rare M. Rutherfurd in his Epistle prefixed to his Survey of Antinomianism showeth that from the witnesses of his life he had this account that of every twenty-four hours he gave usually eight to prayer if other necessary and urgent duties did not hinder Yea he spent many dayes and nights which he set apart in fasting and prayer for the condition of the Church and the sufferings of the Reformed Churches abroad He used even in the coldest winter nights to rise for prayer as the Author of the fulfilling of the Scripture testifieth and oft times his wife hath risen to seek after him where he hath been found lying on the ground weeping and wrestling with the LORD yea some times would have been much of the night alone in the Church of Air on that account One time especially his wife finding him overcharged with grief he told her he had that to press him which she had not the souls of three thousand people to answer for whilst he knew not how it was with many of them And at another time whilst she found him alone his spirit almost overcharged with anguish and grief upon her serious enquiry said That the times which were to come on Scotland were heavy and sad though she should not see them and this for the contempt of the Gospel While he was in France a Frier travelling through the Countrey came to his house and M. Welsch being very hospital permitted him to stay all night The Friers bed being not far from M. Welsch his chamber heard a noyse with many deep sighs and groans all night which he supposed to have been an evil spirit and therefore arose early in the morning and would needs be gone a Scots Gentle-man being in the house and seeing the Frier troubled enquired what the matter meant that he would be gone so soon He answered he would not stay in a Huguenots house any longer for they had converse with evil spirits The Gentle-man understanding the matter told him that it was M. Welsch whose ordinary it was to pray all night and desired him to stay the next night and he should see the truth thereof which accordingly he did and was so much astonished at M. Welsch his piety that he forsook Popery and embraced the Reformed Religion As he conversed with GOD and dwelt in the Mount by prayer and wrestling with GOD night and

the Temple which were shut up restored the worship of GOD sent messengers with letters throughout all Israel to convert them to the LORD their GOD restored the Priests and Levites in their Ministery as the LORD had commanded by his Prophets spake to their hearts strengthened them in their offices provided for their maintenance that they might be encouraged in the Law of the LORD Follow these examples Sir send Pastors throughout all the borders of your Kingdom to teach your subjects the Law of their LORD and the Gospel of their salvation establish Religion and Justice in all the Cities of your Kingdom Cause the waters of life to run from the heart of your Countrey unto the borders thereof that publickly and privatly the LORD may be but one and his Name one and he may be a soveraign King in all your Land as it was prophesied and promised Zech. 14.8.6 Establish Pastors in all your Kingdom strengthen them in their offices and speak to their hearts Provide for their maintenance that they be not distracted but may be encouraged in the Law of their GOD and in the execution of their Ministery And when it is reported to your Majesty or ye hear of any be they many or be they few be they man or be they wife be it publickly or be it secretly in any of the Cities or parts in your Majesties Kingdom that they have gone out to entise others to Idolatry or have committed Idolatry themselves ye try it search it seek it out most diligently for so the LORD hath most straitly commanded And if it be true and certain that such abomination is done in your Kingdom Take evil out of Israel that he may have mercy on us and multiply his blessings to us And then may ye Sir having done all these things take GOD to record that you are clean from the blood of all your people because you have kept no mean back from them which your calling craved but hath caused the whole counsel of GOD to be shewed to them so that if they perish their own blood may be upon their own heads And then shal forrain Nations and strangers say of you Sir as Hiram and the Queen of Sheba said of Solomon 1. Kings 5.7 and 10.8 Blessed be the LORD GOD who hath set such a wise and understanding Prince over Scotland to build his Church and to exercise Justice and judgement there It was for the love the LORD had to his Church there that he set such a wise and understanding Prince over them Yea the generations to come Psal 78.4 shal tell to their children and their childrens children the great work of the LORD which he hath done by you Sir in this Land I have heard your Majesty gravely protest before GOD in two General Assemblies that it was one of your Majesties greatest desires and ye were even as it were ambitious of that work to plant every Parochin within your Kingdom with a Pastor that the posterities to come might say King JAMES the sixth hath done such a notable work in his days Confirm your self Sir in that purpose For ye know Sir who hath said I will honor them that honor me There is no question Sir and I speak with confidence if ye honor him in this Kingdom and be faithful to him in the Government of it he shal honor you not only by making you to reign in that everlasting Kingdom but also by lifting you up to be Ruler over mo Kingdoms here The LORD anoynted David King over all Israel yet he gave not the possession of it all at once after the death of Saul but first proved him with the Government of one Tribe seven years and an half and then finding him faithful over that he placed him Ruler over all the rest and established all Israel in his hand So there is no question and I am sure of it if ye honor the LORD to the uttermost of your power in the Government of this Kingdom and give him a proof of your fidelity therein that as he hath given you the undoubted right by birth to be a King over mo Kingdoms then this so shal he make you Ruler of them and establish them in your hands Only Sir Be ye strong and couragious to do with all diligence as the LORD hath commanded you in his Word Josh 1.6.7.8.9 and as ye see these faithful Kings have done before you Decline neither to the right hand nor to the left and then assuredly I dare promise you in the Name of the LORD he shal not leave you nor forsake you all your days and none shal be able to stand before your face And as he was with Josua and David so shal he be with you For the LORD is true who hath promised then shalt thou prosper in all thy ways And consider upon the other part who ever prospered unto the end but these that walked as the LORD had commanded For true is that which the LORD spake by his Prophet to Asa He is with you while ye be with him and if ye seek him he will be found but if ye will forsake him he will forsake you 2. Chron. 1.4.2 Was the LORD any longer with Saul Joash Amatzia Uzzia all Kings of Juda then they were with him No no but from time they forsook him he forsook them Because Saul despised the word of the LORD in sparing whom he should not have spared the LORD despised him from being King over Israel and the Spirit of the LORD forsook him 1. Sam. 15.23 and 16.15 Because Joash forsook the LORD 2. Chron. 24.20 in permitting Idolatrie at the request of his Princes the LORD forsook him and his Kingdom and delivered them into the hands of their enemies Because Amatzia did evil and obeyed not the counsel of the Prophet 2. Chron. 5.16 when he admonished him the LORD determined to destroy him Vzzia all the dayes that he sought the LORD the LORD prospered him 2. Chron. 26.5.16.18 but from time he lifted up himself to corrupt himself to trespass against the LORD his GOD in passing the limits of his calling and invading the Priests office he had no honor of the LORD but was smitten with leprosie But let all these things be far from your Majesty since you see what every one of these have done to Kings and Kingdoms before you let your heart be constant before the LORD your GOD all the dayes of your life that priores posteriores 2. Chron. 25.26 be never registrat of your Majesty as it was of them neither in the Books of the LORDS Commentary before him neither in the Chronicles of the Kings of Scotland but that both your former and latter may be that which is good and right in the eyes of the LORD That both the LORD may give this testimony to your own conscience and to the conscience of all his children that he gave of David I have found you a man according to mine own heart that will

do all my will And also that it may be written of your Majesty in the Chronicles of the Kings of Scotland as it was written of David Ezechias Josias in the Chronicles of the Kings of Juda That King JAMES the sixth his heart was perfect toward the LORD his GOD all his dayes and his Government was in such Peace and Justice that after him there was none like him of all the Kings of Scotland Neither was there any such before him who did cleave unto the LORD his GOD with all his heart and followed all his Commandments and neither declined to the right hand nor to the left Now the LORD grant to your Majesty that ye may find this favor in his eyes for his CHRISTS sake I have now taken this boldness to offer these my labors unto your Majesty as a testimony of my most humble and loyal heart unto your Majesty as GOD the searcher of the heart knows Your Majesty did exceedingly encourage me to let it go forth unto the light what by your Majesties most gracious acceptation of mine endeavor and most favorable censure and approbation of my labors what by your Majesties humane counsel and advise confirmed by your Majesties Priviledge and authority to me to publish the same Such was Your Majesties humanity to me not only in these but in all your actions both publick and privat with all your subjects of whatsoever rank or degree Ye shew such humanity and affability that that saying of Trajanus the Emperor That a Prince should behave himself so to his subjects as he would have them to do to him if he were a privat man is verified in you Sir wherein certainly ye need not to give place to any of whatsoever rank You express it so lively in all your actions and I have found it for my own part by experience So that Your Majesty hath often caused me to remember that notable saying of Titus that Roman Emperor A subject should never go sad-hearted from the speech of his Prince The which experience makes me to conceive hope that Your Majesty will pardon this my boldness will accept in good part this my smal mite I therefore most humbly desire Your Majesty to accept it as from Your Majesties most humble obedient servant and subject For whose peace and prosperity I am always earnest with the LORD Now the GOD of all Peace even that KING of Kings powr all light and grace in all abundance more and more upon Your Majesty and so root and ground your heart in JESUS CHRIST that ye may honor him more and more in your life and calling here that ye may be honored of him again both in this life and in that day with immortal and everlasting glory Amen From Air the 18. of November 1602. Your Majesties most humble subject M. JOHN WELSCH UNTO THE GODLY AND CHRISTIAN READER IN THIS LAND Grace Mercy and Peace from GOD the Father and JESVS CHRIST his Son our LORD and only Savior Amen WHen I think Christian Reader of the unsearchable mercies for so I may call them which the LORD according to his rich grace whereby he hath been abundant towards us if ever towards any hath vouchsafed upon us and of our great ingratitude and manifold iniquities wherewith we have recompensed him again I cannot but tremble to think of these most fearful judgements of GOD which we have most justly deserved and which cannot but most assuredly fall upon us unless with most speedy and earnest repentance of all sorts they be prevented and averted For unto what Kingdom or Nation under heaven hath GOD been more liberal in communicating the insearchable riches of his dear Son in his Gospel Eph. 3 8. as unto us in this Nation Nay unto what one Kingdom under heaven hath God been so rich and superabundant in mercy as unto this There are but few Kingdoms upon whom the Lord hath caused the glorious light of his Gospel to shine upon a gross darkness covering the most part of the Kingdoms of the earth and yet Scotland hath found this favor in the eyes of the most high GOD. So that that may be most truely said of us which is written of the land of Zabulon and Nephthali Matth. 4.16 A people that sate in darkness saw great light and unto them which sate in the region of death light is risen up Many Kingdoms upon whom this light is risen are but in part delivered from the bondage of that second beast Rev. 13.11 17.4 and from that abomination of Babel a part worshipping the LORD and a part worshipping Baal I mean the idol of the Mass and their idols of stock and stone But our deliverance was full from that bondage for that was fulfilled in us which was promised and prophesied of old Zech. 14 9. That the LORD should be but one and his Name one And in these Kingdoms where the LORD is but one and his Name one that is where he only is worshipped some of them have embraced him but as a Prophet to teach them and as a Priest to satisfie for their sins and to interceed for them but not as a soveraign King to rule them and govern them by that form of government which he hath prescribed in his Word with his own Lawes Offices and Officers retaining yet a part of that hierarchie of Babel with some of her Lawes Offices and Officers But the LORD was rich in mercy towards us in bestowing himself upon us not only as a Prophet to teach us and as a Priest to satisfie for our sins and to interceed for us but also as a soveraign King to govern us with that self same form of government which he hath commanded in his Word and unto the which only he hath annexed the promises of his blessing and presence with his own Laws Offices and Officers So that as the Prophet saith Zech. 14.9 He was not only one in us and his Name one but also a soveraign King in our land O Scotland what Nation was like unto thee that had the Gospel so freely preached his Sacraments so purely ministred his censures and all the priviledges of his Kingdom in such liberty executed as thou hadst For what one Nation under heaven hath God done so great things as for thee What one Kingdom is to be found in the whole earth where Idolatry was so fully rooted out wherein all the means of his glory and all the priviledges of his Kingdom was so fully restored to their own integrity and perfection as they were first instituted wherein all these means of the Word Sacraments and Discipline hath continued for so long a space in such peace in such purity in such liberty without heresie or schism as in thee O Scotland So that thy day hath been like the day of Joshua When the Sun stood in Gibeon and the Moon in Aialon Josua 10.12 For I know not if ever Nation or Kingdom hath had so long a day of the Gospel in such peace

purity and liberty as thou hast had Or if ever Nation after us shal have so long a day after such a manner again And it seems to me that as the LORD confirmed Ezechiah of his promise by causing 2. Kings 20. the Sun to return back again miraculously by the degrees whereby it went down So the LORD hath confirmed his superabundant love towards us in causing the light of the Gospel to return again as it were oft times and that most wonderfully and miraculously by the degrees whereby our iniquities in the righteous judgement of God did hasten it to go down upon us Yea the blessing of Abraham hath come upon us For he hath blessed them that blessed us and hath cursed them who hath cursed us he hath striven against them who hath striven against us and hath made our oppressors to eat their own flesh and to drink their own blood no instrument formed against thee O Church of Scotland hath ever prospered and the tongue that hath risen against thee the LORD hath condemned that all flesh might know that GOD was thy Savior and the strong GOD of Jacob thy avenger And certainly if ever people might have been called Jephzibas Esai 62.6 that is the LORDS delight or their land Beula that is married unto him the Church and Kingdom of Scotland might have been so called For the LORD had delight in us and our land hath a husband even the LORD our Redeemer he was an ornament unto us Esa 60 19. he set his beautie on us Ezech. 16.14 he crowned us with glory and a Diadem by the hand of our GOD was set upon our heads Esai 6.2 And true is that of us which our Savior spake to his disciples Luke 10.24 Many Kings and Prophets hath desired to see the things that we have seen and hear the things that we have heard and have not seen them nor heard them So who are so ladened with mercy and kindness as we have been for we have been made the head and not the tail Deut. 28.13 as the LORD promised And surely if ever people should have been Joshurim Deut. 32.15 that is upright and straight in the eyes of the LORD we should have been so No who should have been so holy as we Who so strong in CHRIST and rooted and grounded in him as we Coloss 2.7 Who so rich in all grace and fruitful in all good works as we For who had so many and so glorious means to have made us to have abounded in all grace as we had What could the LORD have done more to us then he hath done Isai 5.4 For we wanted no mean that ever the LORD commanded in his Word either to have bred grace in us or to have preserved it and increased it But they to whom much is given much shal be required at their hands again For as the LORD made us a spectacle of his mercy wherein he did demonstrat the riches of his free grace in CHRIST JESUS unto all the Kingdoms of the earth and above them all So it had been our part proportionably to have met him with thankfulness again and to have been examples of all grace godliness righteousness and of all good works unto all others and above all others But alace sinful Nation laden with iniquities Esai 1.4 who is so sinful as thou art What Nation so polluted with all abomination and wickedness as thou art Thy iniquities are mo then the sand of the sea they are grown up so high that the top of them reach up to the very heavens Hosea 9.7 and the cry of them is like yea beyond the cry of Sodom there is such a burden of iniquity upon this Land that considering all circumstances both of the means and of the time and space the LORD hath given us to repent I know not if ever Nation was so great in the eyes of the LORD as this Land is For may not that which the Prophet spake of Juda. Ezechiel 22. be most justly said of thee O Scotland For art thou not replenished with blood from corner to corner so that blood touches blood Are not thy Nobles in thee every one ready to shed blood In thee the father and the mother are despised in the midst of thee the widow and the fatherless are oppressed In thee the very abominations of the Gentils are committed The discovering of the Fathers shame and adultery with thy neighbors wife thou art so laden with adulteries incests and whoredooms that the Land groans under thee thou hast prophaned his Sabaths despised his Law contemned his Gospel withholden from him the fruits of his Kingdom and hast trodden under foot the blood of CHRIST and hast grieved that Spirit of grace So that when I think of the number and greatness of our sins I cannot but wonder that the LORD should not have withdrawn his Kingdom long since from us and have given it unto others that would have brought forth the fruits thereof Matth. 21.41 Yea I wonder that he hath not caused the Land to vomit us out for the abominations and sins wherewith we have defiled it in so great a light And surely when I think of the severity of the Justice of GOD in punishing other Nations and Kingdoms for the contempt of his Gospel and the withholding of the fruits of his Kingdom from him my soul trembles For wherefore did the LORD reject the natural branches that chosen generation of whom the Fathers was and of whom CHRIST was according to the flesh Rom. 11 2● 9.5 and gave them and their posterity over to the hardness of their hearts this 1500. years and more to be damned for ever and ever in that everlasting darkness and yet his wrath is not turned back but because they would not be gathered and knew not in that their day the things that belonged to their peace and would not render to him the fruits of his Kingdom in due season Matth. 23.37 Luke 19.42.43 Mat. 21.41 And wherefore did the LORD remove his Candlestick Rev. 2.5 from a great many of the Churches both of the East and of the West which were planted by the Apostles and were once lanterns of light and hath given them over to strong delusions to believe lies 2. Thes 2.10.12 the one to the impiety of Mahomet and the savage Tyrant of the Church the other to the bondage of that second beast and fearful darkness of that bottomless pit Rev. 13.11 9.1 But because they received not the love of the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness as the Apostle saith 2. Thes 2.12 Now if GOD spared not them but gave them over to a most fearful bondage both of soul and body both spiritual and corporal temporal and eternal how should we not fear as great or rather greater judgements seeing we had all these as examples before us to have fore-warned us and to have made us to fear For we are not to think as our Savior saith to the Galileans that they

the beautie of Sion and the glorious presence of his Redeemer fill your privie chambers with strong cryes and many tears Cause heaven and earth to be filled with groans and sighs of his own Spirit in you and take a claught of that Prince of life ere he remove altogether and before he have stollen himself far away that he cannot be found again And wrestle with him as Jacob did and let him not depart out of your hearts entreat him yea enforce him as it were by your tears and sorrowful cryes not to leave his own Tents and Tabernacles in this Land not to give over his glorious Gospel which is his strength and glorie into captivity in the hands of their enemies Remember that he cannot abide the intercession of his own Spirit in his own He cannot hide his eyes from his own flesh and blood he can deny nothing to his own beloved Son that makes intercession for his Saints Let us therefore step up to that Throne of grace with all confidence and assuredly as he is true who hath promised we shal find grace and mercy in the time of this our need both comfort to our own hearts and it may be peace in our dayes that our eyes shal not see the evils that are to come and at that bright appearing of our LORD of life all tears shal be wiped away from our eyes We shal be clothed with those long white robes and shal be fed with the fatness of his house and shal drink of the rivers of his pleasures which is at his right hand for evermore For Sions sake in this Land Christian Reader have I thus written unto thee and for Jerusalems cause have I not kept silence at this time that her glory and wonted brightness may be renewed that the Church of Scotland which was the beauty of Europe and the praise of the whole earth for her liberty purity and discipline might be established in the same and her salvation and righteousness might break forth as a burning lamp to all the Nations of the earth and that other Churches in other Kingdoms which desired to see our beauty and spiritual glory and accounted them blessed which might have had the occasion to have dwelt in our Tents to have seen and enjoyed the same yea who would have been content to have bought it with the price of their blood to their posteritie that they I say may see the continuance thereof and may rejoice Turn thou O LORD our GOD our hearts unto thee that thy glorious presence may be continued with us for ever for JESUS CHRIST his sake our LORD and Redeemer to whom be all praise and glory for ever and ever Amen Now I come to this matter in hand the occasion of it was this There was one who was sometimes an hearer of the word with me who shew me that he had been in conference with a Papist and he had brought him thus far that if he would show him of any that professed our Religion before Martin Luther he would renounce his Papistry and therefore desired me to set them down in writ The which I did and set it down in this form as thou seest it here So this being carried to M. Gilbert Brown he writs an answer to it and sent it to me Unto the which I have made this reply Thou hast them all three here first that which I did write then his answer to it and then my reply to his answer Indeed it is true Christian Reader that there was many things that did hinder me withdraw me from this resolution either to make any answer to it at all or yet to let it go forth to the light As first that so many things have been written already by the lights lanterns of this age against that ruinous Babel that all further cōvictions seemed to be superfluous Next the conscience of my own tenuitie and weakness together with a continual burden of a fourfold teaching every week in my ordinary charge beside others both privat and publick duties which not only my own people but also this desolat Countrey craved whereby I was let to afford that time and studie unto it as the gravity of such a matter required And last of all the consideration both of the person and work of the adversary that neither the one nor the other would be accounted worthy of any answer at all himself being both rejected and excommunicated according to the express commandment of the holy Ghost as an Heretick being perverted and damned in his own conscience and delivered over unto Satan that he might learn if it were possible not to blaspheme the everlasting truth of GOD any more Tit. 3.10.11.12 1. Cor. 5.5 1. Tim. 1.20 And also denounced his rebel for his treasonable attempts both against this Church and Kingdom his work also being so foolish in its self as both I heard his Majestie affirm that he was a foolish reasoner in it and also I hope the indifferent Reader shal see the same his reasons arguments being also so oft answered unto by the learned of our side so that it seemed but actum agere to make any further answer thereunto yet notwithstanding of all these impediments these motions and reasons prevailed with me at the last both to answer it and also to let it go forth to the open view and sight of all men to wit the conscience of that duty which I ow unto the truth of GOD being so highly blasphemed and evil spoken of the unfained love of the salvation of my Countrey-men who for the most part are blinded with the smoke of the darkness of that bottomless pit the railing and thrasonical bragging of the adversary both by word and writ that it would never be answered and that the Ministery would never suffer an answer to come to light because they knew the answer to be unworthy and none other was able to answer to it the most earnest pressing of a great many of my brethren who knew the lamentable estat of this blind Countrey the constant desire of all men in this Countrey to see the same together with his Majesties most gracious acceptation of my endeavor and most favorable judgement of this my labor and most humane counsel to publish the same which did not a little incourage me and last of all the express commandment of the holy Ghost Answer a fool according to his follie lest he seem wise in his own eyes the which if it have place in any thing it must have place here where not only this seeming wise in his own eyes would undoubtedly follow upon my silence but also a seeming wise in the eyes of all this part of the Countrey almost both to the prejudice of the everlasting truth of GOD and also to the stumbling of the weak the further obduring of the obstinat and the wounding of the hearts of the godly therein Augustin lib. de Trinitate cap. 3. lib. cont Mend. cap. 6. hath

preach and say Mass to Papists Others comes over under the notion of gallants and offers their service to Noblemen that so they may engyre themselves into their favor and know affairs Others give out themselves to be Seekers Quakers c. and rail against the Ministery and ordinances and diffuse Popish doctrine and in these imployments they use undefatigable diligence They do not weary in their work They are as active now as any time heretofore walking and acting most politically and under ground For their great work now a dayes is to destroy the Reformed Churches by under-hand dealing and leger de main as they call it so that we shal not know nor see who hurts us while we be utterly ruined Adam Coutzens a Jesuit of Mentz a great Politician wrote a great Book of Politicks and in his 2. Book chap. 18. he gives several rules to his fellow Jesuits for cheating a people of the Reformed Religion by slight of hand and leger de main 1. The first is To proceed as Musicians do in tuning their instruments who proceed gradually straining their strings with a gentle hand and setting them up by little and little Or as Physicians do in curing diseases who abate noxious humors by degrees and pauses So Jesuits will not discover all their doctrine at first but bring in corruptions by degrees 2. The second is To press the examples and practises of some eminent men as a good mean to draw on the rest Thus they cry out such a Noble-man or great man hath embraced the Roman Religion why may you not do the like 3. The third rule is That Arch-hereticks and such as are Teachers of heresie meaning the zealous Ministers and others that propagat and defend the Reformed Religion must be banished the Commonwealth at once if it may safely be done but if not by degrees This way they followed in Bohemia banishing the Ministers by degrees and their great hatred is still against the Ministery 4. His fourth rule is That these that are adversaries to true Religion to wit Popery be put from their dignities places and offices and not trusted with power or publick employment Hence Jesuits insinuat themselves much ordinarly on States-men and these who have the disposal of places of trust and use all means to keep zealous Protestants from trust and power 5. The fifth rule is To make the Protestant Religion odious by laying load upon such tenets as are most subject to harshest construction and rendering the persons of these that maintain them contemptible Hence it is the great work of Papists to raise calumnies on our Religion and the professors thereof for example That we make God the Author of sin revive old condemned heresies c. and they have raised a great heap of lies reproches and calumnies upon our first Reformers Luther Calvin c. 6. His sixth rule is To foment the quarrels that are among Protestants and strengthen the party that is nearest a complyance with Rome So any difference that is among us they cast oyl to the fire and play their own game thereby 7. The seventh rule is That all privat Conventicles and publick meetings must be forbidden This they did in Bohemia for the Pope and his Cardinals had a consultation what they should do with the Bohemians and Germans It was resolved that seeing their former strong purges which they had used to expell heretical humors had not proved effectual they therefore resolved to take a milder course and in prosecution thereof they used several stratagems one whereof was to prohibit all meetings of the Protestants 8. His eight rule is Severity of laws and punishments to compel the obstinat unto duty and yet the rigor of the law must be slowly drawn out and not against all but only such as be most dangerous For saith he although compulsory reformation will do no good to old standers yet it will render the younger sort Catholicks 9. The ninth and last rule is That such as are in authority and have the publick management of Ecclesiastical affairs do religiously practise and maintain integrity and purity of manners From all which we may see that we may be in great hazard of being ruined by the policies of Priests and Jesuits II. But alace although they be nothing abated in their activity and diligence to undo and ruine us yet we are wonderfully abated of our zeal and hatred of them and their doctrine Our predecessors had their zeal raised very high against them and were very active and diligent in resisting and opposing them but how indifferent and luke-warm are we in this generation some of a Cassandro-Grotian temper that are for complying and uniting with them others of Gallios temper that is not much concerned in any Religion if they can secure their own civil concernments others are ignorant light unstable and unfixed in the principles of Religion so there are but very few that have any sense of the evil or danger of Popery upon their spirits III. But that which may most of all alarm us is our hainous provocations and transgressions whereby the Lord is dreadfully provoked to give up with us and remove our candlestick out of its place and to give us up to the delusions of Antichrist may we not tremble for fear of this if we consider what God hath done for us and what requital we have given him God hath done many wonderful things for us in these lands both of old and of late for according to the promises made of old to his Son That he would give the heathen for his inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for his possession that the isles should wait for his law was graciously pleased many hundred years ago early after the rising of the Sun of righteousness to give light unto the Gentils to pity our fore-fathers then mancipated to the service of Idols which were not God and visite them with the light of the glorious and blessed Gospel which he so blessed that in a short time both King Nobility and people embraced it and the whole Nation became Christians and for sundry generations the land was blessed and honored of God with many Professors and Pastors famous for learning holiness and piety and for their pains and success in the work of the Gospel both at home abroad until at last with the rest of most of the Christian Churches in Europe it was involved in the darkness of Popish superstition and idolatry to which the greatest part were in bondage for many years but there was a remnant who kept their garments pure and did not receive the mark of the Beast Likewise when the Lord with a high hand and a mighty stretched-out arm did discover by his servant Luther and other worthy instruments whom he raised up the abominations of that Whoor he was graciously pleased in the dayes of our fathers to redeem us from that Antichristian tyranny and superstition and idolatry and again to cause