persecute them in the very University and in other Towns they force them to banishment and would venture to do more and Crueller things if they were not afraid of the strength of the adverse Party That he here sayth of Contentions is sufficiently practised First To Create them And Secondly To Foment them That which Contzen principally taketh notice of is that Order in the Puritans or Professors of Religion in England is ease to be effected But he adviseth that the Magistrate or Agent for the Church of Rome do make use of the Protestants differences The Major part of the Professors of Religion are sensible of the practises and agitations of the Jesuits The effects thereof that are produced daylie are visible The chief power of a Nation ought to erect a private Council whose only work should be to gain Intelligence to observe their Seminaries and Colledges to put in practise such Rules of policy as may undermine their designes and countermine their practises How and which way such a profitable work may be carryed on effectually I shall here omitt in regard that it is not fit to be Published The publishing thereof would do dis-service to the Protestant-Interest in regard that what is fore-known may be easily prevented Therefore it shall be kept in silence untill God shall raise a Magistracy whose heart shall be free to so noble a work as this will be by which Christians as Christians and Men as Men will receive no small Benefit A State in general and every Member in particular shall have cause to blesse God for such who shall promote this good work No doubt but that it will be acceptable in the sight of God and they shall have the Prayers and the Praise of Men the good of Posterity will be better secured as the case standeth Now neither the Church or People of God nor the Nation can be assured of any Stable or Constant condition in regard we are so Rolled and Tumbled out of one uncertainty into another POST-SCRIPT The Jesuit's Method to win particular Persons Reader Observe them for when thou findest these Rules practised It is by a Jesuit himself or by one that hath bin his Pupil 1. Be sure to keep the Respondents part and not the Opponents It 's not so easie to prove as to wrangle against Proofs 2. Follow them with certain Questions which the Vulgar are not verst in As 1. Where was your Church before Luther Or Where hath it bin Visible in all Ages Q. 2. How prove you that you have a true-Scripture that is the Word of God among you Q. 3. What expresse Word of God do the Catholicks the Papists contradict Q. 4. How prove you that you have a truly called Ministery that is to be heard and believed by the People Q. 5. By what warrant did you separate from the Catholick Church and condemn all your own Forefathers and all the Christian World Q. 6. If you will separate from the Catholike Church what reason have you to follow this Sect rather than any one of all the rest Q. 7. What one man can you name from the beginning that was in all things of Luthers or Calvins Opinions Q. 8. Do you not see that God doth not blesse the Labours of your Ministers but People are as bad as they were before What the better are you for hearing them Reader Just upon the Close I met with this Passage in Campanella Chap. XVIII Neither would I have this one thing to be omitted namely that He erect certain Colledges through all the Provinces of his Dominions in which should be placed all the most Ingenious Boyes of the said Provinces and who are such may easily be known by their first Masters that taught them their Grammers and other the First Rudiments and these being thus culled out of all Grammer-Schools I would have to be brought up and maintained at the Kings Charge and there should be a New Order set up of them like that of St. Dominick which Order I would have called The Austrian Order And when any of these were come to be 18 years old they should then be commanded to Preach and these I would have to be called The Kings Preachers and they should then be sent abroad some into Germany and others into England where if they have managed their businesse rightly and well at their return they should have Bishop-ricks conferred upon them by the King of those that are in the Kings own gift for by so doing he shall render himself secure both from the pope and also against all perfidious Preachers and Hereticks and by this means such persons only shall be maintained at His Charge as do him service for it and advance His affairs He adviseth a new Order the which the King of Spain did They were to be sent into Protestants States to practise Division in behalf of the Interest of the Crown of Spain as the Jesuit doth in behalf of the Churches Interest FINIS
particular is manifest Another way which serveth them to great purpose is the loosening of People from principles and when effected distill Notions to pursue after the discovery of new Lights and instead of meeting with that which is Light they close with what suteth to their corrupt Mindes or Ends The Inferiour sort of every perswasion when the Jesuit hath distilled his poyson amongst them receive the Notions and Principles as Truth and many of them worship under those Forms and Notions as in Spirit and Truth The chief of most of them do Joyn with them out of corrupt Ends to be Heads of the factions to exercise a kind of Domination which is delightful to mankind so that the Jesuite doth no more then first distilt Poysonous Notions and nurse it and defend it till it be indifferent considerable when accomplished it will subsist of it self and put it self into Form and Order Then when he hath done that by error if that should grow too fast he allayeth it by subdividing of it by some true Notion or some other erronious notion which are equally a like to the Jesuit for that the end of his design is Dividing When he hath devided and cast a Nation into many and various Forms he hath accomplished and arrived to his End then if he can Procure Forment or Stirr up Dissatisfaction and Jealousies betwixt the Interests there he keepeth them in continual ebbing flowing and naturally every perswasion will incline some to one Interest of State some to another As for example the Episcopal doth naturally encline to a Monarchy the Presbytery doth also encline to a Monarchy but that is accidentall for the Presbytery is well suited as to its form for a Commonwealth but here when it started from the Interest of the Common-wealth it was necessitated because it was suspected by the then Supream Power therefore it adheared to the Interest of Charles Stuart and espoused his Quarrel The Independent naturally incline to a Commonwealth The fifth Monarchy to an Oligarchy that is to say a Select company of Men to Govern so and so qualified Campanella did give the King of Spain the best advice to practise this kind of policy yea he commendeth it before the opposing of England by Arms. The reason why he chose the Doctrine of free will to be first set on foot in England was because that opinion concludeth Man to be a free Agent which looseneth and freeth the disciples thereof from more firm and sounder Principles and prepareth them to seek after new Lights and when once arrived to this degree immediately they turn Enthusiasts who pretend or think that all they do is done by the Spirit and that they are attended by the spirit of Revelation Our Quaker is much pestered with the Malignant Influence of this opinion The Jesuit by this means doth not onely divide People as to Religion and thereby render them lesse formidable against the Church of Rome but also bringeth an evil Report upon the Protestant Religion disuniteth the affections of the professors thereof and causeth Jealousies Heart-burnings and Animosities one against the other and taketh them off from the Power of Religion to defend paultry forms and distinctions and that which is worst of all thereby increaseth so many distinct and different Interests of State as there are considerable perswasions in a Commonwealth that Cherisheth Religion as is in part shewed before When a perswasion is grown up to be considerable it giveth occasion for factions in State Thereby some ambitious men will become the Heads of this or that faction and by the Power of the faction they head become Mighty and sometimes arive to the top of Supreamacy thereby But of all Perswasions Opinions or notions that of the Enthusiast is the most dangerous and inconvenient to a Common-wealth for when that the Jesuit hath infused that Opinion That what ever is given into their hearts after praying or seeking to God must needs be the mind of God and pursued with all vigour and earnestnesse to the death they then do nothing but roul out of one Change into another and out of one thing into another and a State or Power having gotten once out from the Center or Basis of true Interest by such wicked principles they shall never return nor take Sanctuary at Settlement and Safety before utter ruine and destruction as is plainly demonstrable in these few Lines following that is to say A State or Power having once repaired to extraordinary means to accomplish this or that Design if they have successe in it immediately they conclude God hath done it for them and so repaire to one extraordinary Undertaking after another so often as they have opportunity and conclude into be righteous so often as they have successe which may as well and justly be concluded by him that robbeth or killeth on the High way if he were in a Capacity strong enough to protect himself from Justice he would seem righteous and in stead of being Hanged by the Judge he would execute the Judge The Error that such People States or Powers are in is that they were Principles and Rules and Act neither by Principles nor Rules but propâ—und to themselves the Object or End that is no say what they would have or desire then they seek God afterwards consult and if by consultation it be found attainable then it is the mind of God if not the contrary God is to be sought in all undertakings nay it is an underlable Duty but in seeking Him respect is to be had to the Justice of what we seek for Now in this Man is very subject to be led out of the way of Truth for he is very apt to conclude that what he would have is just the desire or affection is passion and passion doth Cloud the Judgment and that which is true in one holdeth proportionably true in more then one being united by one Interest Now if the Judgment be so Clouded by private affection and a State or Power be led by such Principles What wickednesse shall not they be led into What villanies shall not they attempt What so sacred that they shall not violate Or what Interest or Right will not they invade What shall limit them if they find opportunity to attempt the accomplishing or the attaining to their desire Miserable is that Nation that hath such a Prince or Power Civil or Military that are poysoned with such Opinions such Powers are ridd by the Jesuit who will ride them not onely out of breath but at last to death The World is mistaken when they apprehend that the Jesuit worketh immediately in Councels to produce Turns and Changes of State No but he worketh by remote Causes such as are here before premised than is to say by infusing Notions destructive to publick safety at first into the common People then it is drunk in by great Ones then it Cleaveth and Divideth a Nation into so many Interests as there are Perswasions then he
THE JESUITE DISCOVERED Or A Brief DISCOURSE OF The Policies of the Church of Rome in Preserving it Self and Dividing of Protestant States and Kingdomes In which is plainly Demonstrated the Effects of their Political operations upon Us at this Day in respect to Religion and matters of State Gal. 3.1 O foolish Galatians Who hath bewitched you that you should not Obey the Truth London Printed 1659. TO The Reader THis Discourse of the Jesuit Discovered I intended that it should have bin much larger and better Methodized but that I finding the Malevolent Influences of the Jesuit and the Common Enemy powred out so fast upon Us therefore Published it thus Rude and Vndigested This will not prevent the Evil but it demonstrateth that some course ought to be taken that this Nation may come to a Consistence in Government else nothing but ruine will follow So many Perswasions as we find in the Nation so many Interests of State we may find also unless all be wound up upon one bottom it will be a hard matter to save it from Destruction The Saints Interest must not be onely consulted but also their Interest that are not accounted Saints Our Saviour adviseth his Apostles to let the Tares and the Wheat grow together untill the Harvest Perfection is not attained unto in this Life therefore our perswasion in Religion ought not in point of its own safety seek Predomination over another It is to be bewayled amongst us that mens merit by many is measured by their opinions T is true that the Jesuit hath had more opportunity for to practise upon us this last 22 years than he had in 100 years before and would do much more if he could perswade you to take down and throw in the dust the Ministers of Gods most holy Word What think you of those that say They are dumb Doggs Hirelings and Antichristian Did not the Jesuit teach them to spell that Lesson Be sober Englishmen be sober you are Ridd by the Jesuit throw him off seek after wholesome Principles that may be as Charts to sayl by in this Turbulent Dangerous Sea where you find nothing but Rocks and Shelves He hath raised mists that you cannot descry nor make any true observation of your Land marks that should guide you into safe Harbor He feedeth you with Notions that are sweet in the mouth but bitter in the belly yea Poyson He infatuateth your understandings that you cannot distinguish between Life and Death He layeth his Snares at distances and biddeth you walk as in a most pleasant path but behold you are taken in his Toyl Do not look so a squint upon Him who is not of your perswasion but take him unto thee and imbrace him and say unto him Brother The Jesuit hath endeavoured to set us at Odds. We are the same in fundamentals Why should those small Circumstances be such marks of distinction and difference Come let us unite and joyn hand in hand in the Work of our God and these Nations that the People of the Lord in other Nations that shall hear of it may rejoyce and his Enemies may fear and tremble for that England is become an intire Piece in the Building of the most Holy One. Unite that you may not be broken How much is the love of Gods People one towards another abated since they were separated by those various distinctions amongst us If there were no more in it but that of the preserving love among those that fear the Lord it should be a sufficient Inducement to unite and a prevayling perswasion to submitt to it as an Essential Dùty but there is more also in it viz. If you do not unite your ruine will follow and you will be broken one against another What if one perswasion were fully possest with Soveraign Power could they hold it No For that there is no one Perswasion but must Exclude and Sever from their Interest six times their own number Will Councel or Arms defend you in such a Case No there is nothing Will or Can Defend or Preserve but union of all Interests for which he prayeth who is an unfained lover of the Church and People of God and his Native Country J. S. I have here briefly unlockt the Cabinet of the Policies of the Church of Rome and do desire that others more able then my self will make it their Work to search further in the mysteries of their Policies that the evil intended by them to us may be thereby prevented I also intend to do more of this matter God Willing THE Jesuit Discovered THe policy of the Church of Rome consisteth principally in dividing it Self into Divers and Sundry Orders which are provided to retain all Humors in Mankind By this She preserveth Her self and maketh Her Interest strong and powerful and preserveth Her self from ruine without which She could not have continued to this Day or bin able to act any thing to the hurt or detriment of the reformed Churches First As to the diversity of Orders amongst them their onely policy to those who despise the Wealth of the World and that can content themselves with Poverty are the Mendicants their Prelates abound in Riches their Hermits and Capuchins for Severity of Life their Cardinals for Pomp and Glory their Jesuits for Learning and all manner of Sciences their Popes and Prelates exercising Soveraignty and Princely Command They take especial care to ingage ravish all manner of Humors On the one side of a Street you shall have a Nunnery or Cloister of Virgins on the other side a Sty of Courtizans One Day you shall have them all in Masks with all manner of Obsceneness and Folly that can be imagined or the corrupt nature of man desire the Day following they will be all in Processions whipping themselves until the blood cometh On one Door you shall have Excommunications throwing Souls and Bodyes to Hell on another Door a Jubilee or full Discharge of all Villanies Murthers Fornication Drunkenness Swearing Forswearing Poysoning in a word all manner of Sin Lendness and Impiety They were led to this policy by the hand of Confessions by that means they come to discern the nature of Mankind in general They do not hold it safe to restrain any of these Humors lest it should cause Eruptions and make their Subjects seek some other way for to vent them in so that these Orders are as Sinks to receive the Humors They have not the Sword of the Spirit to destroy Vice nor the Word of Truth to convince of evil Doing therefore they must trust to carnall Policy For the more growth sin hath among them that more the Church Increaseth in Riches for that all punishment upon the matter and pardons are Pecuniary The wayes they have to ravish all sorts of affections as I sayd before are well-nigh infinite there being not any thing either Sacred or Prophane no Vertue or Vice almost nothing of how contrary condition soever which the Church of Rome maketh not in
in a more familiar Example as that of the firing of a Corn or Hay-Stacks when Stackt too moyst or wet it doth not fire because of heat and dryth but it fireth because too moyst or cold which is able to oppose though not overcome the other qualities being stirred devour the matter that retained them both Also the Church of Rome is acquainted with Sorcery or Diabolical Magick the which was practised by Pope Alexander the 6th Who the Papists themselves cannot deny but that he gave himself to the Devil who was not onely the wickedest of Men but also the wickedest of Pope's He bestowed the riches of the Church upon his Bastards he made away the Brother of Bajazet for a sum of money though he fled to him for protection he used his own Daughter Lucretia the Wife to three Princes Innumerable examples might be given of this nature too large here to be insisted upon So much as to their Miracles and the means by which they effect them Secondly As to their other Part or Branch of their policy viz. Their practise to divide the reformed Churches they do it by Instruments and Emissaries of their own who are sent to divide and infect them with Errors and Contradictions They out of the Seminaries of the Order of Jesu do send usually great numbers to all Parts to do this work This Order was wholly Religious before Luther's time they vowed the preaching of the Gospel to Pagans and the Instructing Christians in good Letters gratis When Luther began to oppose the Power of the Church of Rome they cast off their Religious Vowes and betook themselves to defend the Supremacy of the Church of Rome to be above general Councils and Princes by principles and practises of policy or rather Devilish circumventing cunning for they Value not the way or means by which they attain to the accomplishing of what they undertake When seeming Piety shall make way for what they design they have it at their fingers Ends when the most impious and wicked Act that ever was on Earth done must accomplish what they design they there also are most ready But they make choice rather of seeming Sanctity than of wicked Violations because the Church hath a better Salve to cure the wounds made by the former than it hath for the wounds made by the latter The manner of this political Order's Practise you shall find in Campanella's Discourse one of that Order touching the Spanish Monarchy Chap. 25. He adviseth the King of Spain in the latter End of the Raign of Queen Elizabeth in these words Now as concerning the weakning of the English there can no better way possibly be found out than by causing division and dissention amongst them and by continuall keeping up the same which will quickly furnish the Spanish Crown or the Church with more opportunities and advantages than the power of great Armies can procure or produce As for the Religion of that People it is that of Calvin though very much moderated and not so Rigid and Austere as it is at Geneva which yet cannot be so easily extinguished or rooted out there unlesse there were some Certain Schools set up in Flanders with which People the English have great dealing and Commerce by means of which there should be scattered abroad the Seeds of Schism and Division in the natural Sciences as namely betwixt the Stoicks Peripateticks and Telesians by which the Errour of the Calvinists might be made manifest For the Truth is That Sect is diametrically contrary to the Rules of Policy for they teach that Whether a man do well or ill he doth all by divine Impulsion which Plato demonstrates against Homer to be opposite to all sounder Policy which saies That every man hath free Liberty of Will either to do well or ill So that it is in our power to do and observe whatever is commanded and from hence we are to expect our Reward or Punishment according as I have taught in my Dialogue touching Policy where I have discoursed of this poynt though but briefly which they since they have become Hereticks are grown somewhat subtill in and yet being of a Nature that is still desirous of Novelties and Change they are easily wrought over to any thing Here may be discerned what advantage they have over us in respect of Religion I recited his whole Aphorism as to that particular that the Reader may perceive the Order and Working of these Politicians who lay their Designs deep they study Men their Minds Objects Causes and their Effects and the Effects of Effects ad Infinitum They this day have lulled this Nation into so many several Lethargies and Sleeps wherein Those of this perswasion dream they only are in the truth and all others in Errours So those of another do the like of the former and the like of others And thus the Jesuit hath divided us by his observing the several Humours of the English Nation As to the People that are superstitiously given there is the Episcopal those that are more Austere as the Presbyterian those that are more pure as the Independent or seperate Churches the Anabaptists as holy and select and as Persons set a part from the World by their Submission to that Ordinance of Baptism at years of Discretion The Difference is not much material yet the Jesuit maketh use of these Distinctions to carry on his design by promoting of every one of them and by keeping them at an eeven poyse and sometimes again subdivide that thereby whilst he divideth them that are most near to the Truth he may work the better upon those that are of a baser Mind and Humor and that will receive more gross Principles more remote from the Truth And those he practiseth upon such who have not a spirit of discerning but have some Affection to Devotion as on the Seeker an the Quaker more loser Principles on the Familists and Ranters merrier and pretty-conceited Devotions amongst the Rosicrucians and Psalterists or Halilujaists or Singers so of many others I do not say that the Jesuit was the Creatour or Institutor of the former that is of the Episcopal Presbyterian or Independent but he sometimes must make use of Truth and the waies of Truth to gain advantages in his design as the Devils in the possessed said What have we to do with thee Jesus of Nazareth thou Son of the most High God The Devil acknowledged Christ to be the Son of God in design for the People seeing him to be acknowledged by the Devils they drew this Conclusion that he did cast out Devils by the Power of Belzebub the Prince of Devils the Devils would never have confessed that he was the Son of God but to produce that contrary Effect So the Jesuit doth not promote or cast himself under those forms that are true or near the Truth to any other end than to produce those contrary Effects before premised viz. to divide and subdivide to render the Churches lesse formidable
or powerful in opposing the Church of Rome if not subvert them and bring them back to the Obedience of the Church of Rome That this is certain and not taken up upon conjecture is evident by the practise of Thomas Ramsy of the order of Jesus who joyned with a gathered Church at Hexam in the North of England under this pretence hat he was a Jew and gave himself this name Joseph Ben Israel his particular Instructions was to insinuate the Doctrine of Free-Will the which he did accomplish and carryed on with a High hand untill he was discovered detected and cast into prison One then in the same Prison the Gate-House Westminster that got more than ordinary advantages of Familiarity obtained of him the Discovery of many rare secrets in the Policy of the Jesuits practise some of which are these The waies that they practise in their Seminaries to bring up youth and temper them fit for the intended Imployments they put them upon They First observe the Genius of the Party and observing the peculiar Gifts he is naturally indowed with they fit him onely for that service he learneth some Trade to hide and blind his Order which he practiseth by this means he becometh Eminent amongst of that perswasion he casteth himself into and to put him in such a condition that he may be freed from the stings of Conscience they first teach him to swear curse damn and forswear and immediately to implore the Throne of Grace with all pious Devotion imaginable By this means they become flexible and fit for any design that lyeth before them to promote and if Conscience still should pursue them their pardons help at a deed lift And this they warrant from that Maxim That no way is to be refused whereby the Felicity and Peace of the Church of Rome is to be promoted and secured Let it be by any means whatsoever lawful or unlawful These things considered How much doth it behove all that truly fear God or have any true sincere Religion in their breast to detest and decline the thought of condemning this forme or that in regard Religion doth not lye in forms but in the powerful practise of all holinesse and godly Conversation and therefore consent to some Natural Harmony or forme necessarie to the Truth for liberty of conscience that the union thereof may be such as it may be able to make head against the Church of Rome's designs and the Projects of the Devil else we shall continually be divided and subdivided till at last we shall neither have form or substance left and be hurried into all manner of Confusion The Truth of which is to be seen at this day amongst us How do the giddy unstable run out of one form to another The Devil and Jesuit can scarcely invent that which hath either seeming Form or Order in it fast enough or so fast as giddy People that were never well principl'd in Religion are ready to be led away captive by poisonous Notions that are daily distilled amongst them to the ruine of their own Souls and to the dishonour of God Who so soon as they are tainted by those delusions immediately think themselves illuminated by Divine Light as we see by sad Experience at this day amongst us by People that yield obedience and submit to all manner of Delusions and conform to them as Impulses from on high which is nothing else but the Effects of depraved minds agitated illuminated and acted by the Evil One. The Truth of which was experimented upon one Hunt who in the year 1653 in January being committed to the Gate-house Prison Westminster for his strange Prophecies of the Stuart's coming again to the Crown that he was sent of God to perswade old Cromwell to resign his new-assumed Authority of Protector-ship Some of the Prisoners there had a design to try whether they could not impose some Revelation upon this poor deluded Person who pretended so much to Revelation and Prophecy observe that he was one of those who as the Apostle saith are given over to believe Lyeâ— At that time there were three Jesuits one of which was Ramsey aforementioned who aided in the undertaking The first parâ—t acted was to write a Letter in Hebrew which was written by Ramsey the Prophet Hunt being gone to bed before The Keeper locks him up the Keeper left the Letter upon a Table in the Room being folded up in an unusual form with this Superscription To the Servant of the most high PAUL HUNT Next morning divers oâ— the Prisoners rise just at the time of unlocking and walk in the Gaâ—leryâ— into which Prophet Hunt's Chamber-door opened 〈…〉 of the Excellent Musick and singing they heard about 〈…〉 the Clock that Morning every one praised it above measure and affirmed the Voyces to excell humane Voyces and the Musick to excell Humane Art and also alleadged that it was about the Prophet's Lodging they all spake loud enough that he should hear what they discoursed of So after a little time two or three entered the Prophet's Chamber and recited what every one discoursed of the Prophet immediately said That he did hear Musick but he was cast in a deep sleep and what the mind of God was in it he knew not but he should wait his good pleasure therein So one of the Company casting his eye upon the Table espied the Letter askt the Prophet what Letter that was folded up in so unusual a form Every one stood at a distance from the Table to free him from suspecting any of the Company to bring it or lay it there The Prophet thereupon repaireth to the Table and taketh it up and readeth the Superscription as aforementioned he expressing extraordinary joy and gladnesse openeth it and in it was written in the Hebrew An Order of Church-Government as also an Order of Civil-Government withall a Charge to him upon pain of the displeasure of the most High that he should go or write to the then new-made Protector and require him to surrender his Government to Prince Charles with many other things Out of hand he demanded of the Keeper to open the Prison that he might go and deliver the Message of the Lord to the then Usurper O. C. Who refused to let him go He consulted with some of the Prisoners what to do One of them replyed that the Command did expresly require him to go or send which implyed he might write the which he did stuft three or four Sheets so full of Invectives that had he sent it to but the Prisoners were so careful that they prevented the delivery of the Letter old Oliver he would have hanged him without all peradventure They fained an answer and persued the design much further to the admiration of many worthy Gentlemen State Prisoners there at that time who saw in part what might be effected in things of that nature upon the mindes of such persons that are given up to delusions The Art of the Jesuits in this
applyeth matter sutable to the Humor and most apt to be received by the several perswasions which shall work naturally such Effects and as it is the policy of the Church of Rome to preserve it self by providing sutable entertainment for each Humor within it self so it is to destroy other Churches by several poysons for each Humor Therefore it behoveth all Christian States to endeavour to fortifie themselves with a consistence Those that cannot attain to a consistency England is much to be feared that it cannot arive to that happinesse are in a miserable condition When a State hath arrived to consistency its Form and Order is a barr to the Jesuits operations Those States that are divided have no means to stay themselves from falling down the precipice of inevitable ruine but to settle the form of Government amongst them with respect to all Interests as Men. The exclusion of any Interest is dangerous For their different Interests as Christians the Supream Magistracy ought to be an equal A bitrator and ought to protect them equally But here care is to be had that the Supream Power if in a Commonwealth be not lodg'd in one Interest If it be although that Interest do permitt freedom of exercise to different perswasions by that liberty of conscience cannot be long preserved for if the Supream Power be lodg'd in one Interest it naturally will fortifie if self by such reasons of State that it will sever it self from the Interest of the Publick Therefore Liberty of conscience to the several perswasions must be preserved by dividing or distributing the Power equally else those that are excluded will become Enemies to that which is intrusted with or assumeth the Power and those which have it shall never hold it with security or Peace for the Jesuit will still he practising by his remote applications to divide and widen the different Interests or perswasions that the product will be nothing lesse or else then Josling one another out of Power and the weakest will alwayes adhear or apply themselves to that where it can expect Sanctuary and Protection That this general Rule and all other good Means must be used to prevent the workings of the Jesuit is of absolute necessity The different Perswasions and Interests are to unite to prevent them of matter to work upon an unsettled and divided Commonwealth ought to be settled at once upon such principles and Basis that there may be sufficient provision for all things to the satisfaction of all Interests that none of them should have place left to desire any other constitution If the Founders of a Com-wealth cannot hitt that mark their undertaking herein will be obortive and the Commonwealth shall do nothing but reel from one uncertainty to another The Jesuit doth not onely operate by distilling Notions in Religion but also in affairs of State as for Example in the Case of our Controversies with the Late King The King He Offendeth the People the Parliament thereupon make Warr with Him because they see that the discontents of the People will bear them out and inable them so to do the which discontents were no doubt heightned very much by the Jesuit When the Warr was Ended the King being beheaded the Jesuit also did practise and endeavour to incline the People to a Commonwealth but in its Infancy also he endeavoured to stifle it and prevent its ariving to a consistency lest it should be too firm and heavy for him to move for a Commonwealth that hath Rotation or annual Election the Jesuit is at a losse to practise upon for that at every Change of Persons in Government he is to seek how to fasten his Correspondency and other advantages to carry-on his designes with Also it is his designe to endeavour the altering of a Commonwealth again into a Monarchy and a Monarchy that is erected out of a Commonwealth into an Oligarchy not that any one of the forms of Government will be more Subservient to his designe than other but that he may alwayes practise Changes by which means a Protestant State is exercised with strugling Interests within it self so that it shall be lesse formidable and dangerous to the Catholike States That these things are not conjectures or taken up by supposition onely or that these and such other Rules and Practises they follow is plainly demonstrable by Adam Contzen the Jesuit in his Politicks Chap. 16.17 18. CHAP. XVI Is to shew that Princes must determine of nothing in Religion as having power to defend that which the Pope determineth of but no power to appoint or change any thing themselves or judge of Controversies The Church must Judge and the Prince must Execute Take notice that one of their Maxims is that the Magistrate hath nothing to do with matters of Religion As that Maxim ferveth their purpose to strengthen the Power of the Church and weaken that of the Magistrate in Catholike-States So it serveth their purpose in Protestant States to weaken the Magistrate and lay all in confusion in the Church CHAP. XVII Is to shew That to preserve Religion that is Popery no other Religion should be permitted and that Riches tend much to strengthen the Clergy and preserve Religion And the poverty of the Protestant Ministers which must be by all means endeavoured As he here prescribeth means to inrich the Popish Ministery he adviseth the impoverishing the Protestant that they may become disabled and discouraged to study and labour in the work of the Ministery as also that by poverty they may become contemptible Indeed the Protestant-Minister is the Eye-sore to the Catholike and those that Cry out against Ministers maintainance do nothing else then the work of the Jesuit CHAP. XVIII To bring in popery and abolish the Protestants Religion is to make use of the Protestants Contentions How easie is it saith he in England to bring the Puritans into Order if they be forced to approve of Bishops or to reduce the Puritans in the Low Countries if the Prince adhere to the Armiulans For the Variety of Opinions makes that doubtful that before seemed certain so that when the Magistrate joyneth with one side he easily overturns the other and leaves the whole obnoxious As Paul did by the dissension between the Pharisees Sadduces joyning to one side he escaped This saith he I would principally perswade an Orthodox Magistrate to that is a Papist For he may with as much advantage make use of the Protestants disagreements as of the Papists Concord to extirpate Protestants As in Warrs it is not onely the skill and strength of the General but often also the Carelesnesse of the Enemy or his Mistake that give very great advantages for successe When rigid Calvinsm was assaulted by the Lutherans in the heat of the Paroxysm it was exasperated and the sodain restraint did much hurt But now the Arminians have of their own accord let go the hardest part of their rigor and judge the Calvinists to be impious and