For one asking the question what should become of the Catholikes in the House c. Answer was made they would send them all to heauen in a fierie chariot and so prouide for their ease But will you see wherein old Edom was farre inferiour in crueltie to the late Edomites All Arts they say are growne to perfection of late daies and so is the art of Iesuitical rebellion and treason These Iesuites or Esauites goe beyond all their predecessors in their art As for example 1. Neuer was any wickednesse acted so cruell but a man by studie could giue it a fit name as the Spanish Inquisition the Massacre in France the butcherie of the Merindolians all by Papists But this was so matchlesse a crueltie as no name can fit it a chaos of confusion a masse of euill a sinke a roote of mischiefe a contempt of all laws diuine humane it was euery thing that hath any wickednes in it perfidiousnes robbery sacriledge homicide parricide fratricide regicide idolatrie paganisme the whole traine of iniquitie and diuellishnes it self in the Abstract a Catholike crueltie a crying a roring yea a thundring sinne of fire and brimstone as his Maiestie calles it in his speech 1605. 2. Edoms indeede was an vnnaturall crueltie but they were heathens without the true knowledge of God These late Edomites professe religion and such a religion as out-boasteth all in sanctitie and piety nay they were their religious men Obiect Why but they were but a few vnfortunate Gentlemen Answ. Happie wee they were so vnfortunate But these were but the lesse wheeles Catesby Faux Percy and their fellowes were but petty traytors nimble and actiue as mischiefe vseth to be but the Priests and Iesuites were the great wheeles which not seeming to moue moued them But what should moue these Answ. That ponderous and waighty plummet and Lead the Popes Breue For the primus mâ—tor of all these treasons is the Pope and Popery it selfe Faux in his confession said it was meerely and only for religion and for his conscience sake denying the King to be his Soueraigne as being an hereticke and for reliefe of the Catholique cause and hee had heard Masse and receiued the Sacrament for acting the matter and for secrecie 3. Edom exercised his cruelty by open warre wherein either warning to prepare or intreaty or truce or flight or deliuering the Citie vp might haue satisfied the enemie and saued their liues But these Edomites more cruell then euer any Scythian digged out of the depth a pit of mischiefe yea out of the bottome of hell no more league could be made with them than with hell it selfe or the graue which is inexorable Olde Edom ioyned with Babylonians men whose designes might haue beene preuented Late Edom ioyned himselfe with furies and hellish ghosts in the caues of darknesse digging a new hell of sulphurious fire with wide mouth to open it selfe and deuoure three Kingdomes at once Olde Edom cried of Ierusalem Downe with it downe with to the ground young Edom would raise it from vnder ground 4. Olde Edom although they shewed no pitie to their brethren yet they spared Zedekiah the King and the Prophet Ieremiah and many Nobles liues whom they carried into Babel Our young Edomites spared neither King who had neuer drawne blood of them for their religion nor Queene nor Prince nor Nobles nor Counsell nor Iudges nor Bishops nor Gentrie nor young nor olde no not their owne the stroke of the blow had beene like the blow of Duke Medina his sword of which he professed his sword knew no difference between Catholicks hereticks 5. Old Edom raised but the materiall walls of the Citie and Temple these digge to blow vp the foundation not onely of stately Palaces but of all Churches and of the whole Common-wealth especially that foundation layd in Syon of Gods pure worship And rather than this true religion shall stand on the foundation his Maiestie defending it his Nobles guarding it his Lawes strengthening it the Ministerie preaching it and his Subiects professing it all shall by one vnexpected and terrible blow be vtterly and pittilesly destroyed and when they had done this they would like honest men lay it all on the Puâ—itanes whose throats must be all cut for it This speaks for our religion that certainly it is Christs seeing Antichrist and his limmes doe so rage against it It was Gods Israel his sonne his Lot his hallowed thing which Edom was so cruell against Therefore wee say of Romish Edom as Tertullian said of Nero That religion must needes be good which Nero so persecuteth which the Pope so persecuteth To detect and detest so wicked and bloody a religion set vp by subtilty held vp by violence and cruelty for it is not from the bad constitution of their persons but of their doctrine and refined religion by the fiery wits of late Iesuites and Priests as I can cleare in an hundred seuerall positions of theirs if there were any doubt Christ would not haue his Disciples call for â—iâ—e from heauen against that Citie which receiued him not as Elias did Much lesse may they bring a sparke from hell to blow vp three Kingdomes at once To blesse our God for deliuering vs from that intended cruelty and neuer forget his wonderfull mercy Oh happie 5. of Nouember wherein our Sunne should haue been turned into blood wherein our name should haue beene châ—nged into Ichabod wherein had beene set vp againe the abhomination of desolation A day when the great Citie should haue beene a Beacon to all the land and all the 〈◊〉 to the whole world A day which should haue burnt 〈◊〉 an Ouen Mal. 4.1 What had a Bonfire of 200. in one day beene to this The Massacre of France in which thirtie thousand were murdered in one moneth had beene but a play vnto it Farnesius might now haue had his minde fulfilled and haue ridden his horse to the saddle in English blood But God for his owne Name sake turned it into an honourable and glorious day a day of ioy and gladnesse to all true-hearted English-men When Esau came with 400. men toward his brother Iacob minding no doubt to performe his long-intended malice God so ordered the matter that he was not able to giue him an ill word Why what was the reason Iacob had all night before wrasted with the Angell and preuailed and got a blessing from him which was Thou hast preuailed with God thou shalt also preuaile with men The cause why Romish Esau being appointed and all prepared could not hurt an haire of our heads was that some wrastled with God by prayer and left him not till he had giuen vs the blessed deliuerance The Catholiques were deuout and earnest to set it forward so many as they durst trust and the rest implicitè not knowing their meaning But their prayers are like their religion and their religion like that of the deuout women who
Happy were we that they reckoned without their host and so came to another reckoning else had the Funerals of England been their sports and merriments How should this Act haue beene canonized and registred in the Popes Calender amongst the most Heroicall facts that euer were attempted For if treason against the person of one King was so extolled how would this haue been aduanced being against the King Prince State and three whole famous Kingdomes Guignard the Iesuite tearmes the act of Iames Clement in murthering Henry the 3. of France with a poisoned knife which he thrust into his belly an Heroicall act The Iesuites of France terme it a gift of the holy Ghost Nay Pope Sixtus the 5. in a solemne oration made in the Consistory of Cardinalls Decem. 11.1589 compared the treason of that cursed Dominick with the act of Eleazar or Iudith yea a farre greater worke a rare a notable and a memorable act that a Monke a religious man had slaine the vnhappy French King in the midst of his host An act not done without the prouidence of God and the assistance of his holy Spirit Oh hellish blasphemies of vnerring Popes not iustifying only but abetting and extolling most hainous treasons against the highest powers on earth oh blasphemous beasts teaching men that God is a murtherer of Kings and Princes How then should this fact haue been eternized if it had succeeded And if there were such reioycing at Rome by publike professions bonfires shooting of ordinance and present publishing of a Iubilee by the Pope his Cardinals hearing tidings of that persidious and bloody Massacre at Paris anno 1572. in so much as the Cardinall of Lorraine gaue him a thousand Crownes that brought the first newes of it What publike ioy in Rome what Masses processions triumphs and gifts would there haue beene if this stratageme had had successe Bellarmine shall not deceiue vs who tells vs in his Letter to the Arch-priest that it was neuer heard of from the Churches infancy vnâ—il this day that euer any Pope did commaund that a Princâ— though an hereticke or ethnick or persecutor should be murthered or did approue the fact when it was done by another This is a lewd and vnconscionable vntruth vnlesse we conceiue he meanes that it was neuer heard by those who were deâ—fe and could not heare As by a Iesuiticall Aequiuocation it may well be construed I conclude this point with the speech of Agis to an euill man asking him who was the best Spartan his answer was Qui tui dissimillimus He that is most vnlike thee So is this to be a good Catholike nay he is the best Catholike who is most vnlike these Catholikes Wee see our danger and how great it was Now secondly let vs see how the worke of God is as great in our deliuerance both for the Matter and for the Manner of it I. For the Matter we were deliuered from great euills to great good things First we were deliuered from a terrible blow A deadly blow to King Queene Prince Nobles Iudges Bishops Counsell Gentry Commons all A deadly blow to all Lawes and Law makers to iustice peace titles tenures records and the whole Common-wealth These Babylonians had sacked and spoiled all the Land A terrible deadly blow to religion piety the Gospell the Word the Sacraments These Babylonians would haue rased downe the Temple to the very foundations of it and carried away all the vessels and rich ornaments of it The waies of Sion should haue mourned because none could come to her solemne feasts Lastly a terrible deadly blow to all Louers and Professors of religion within the whole Land which as the traytors should haue beene drunke with the innocent blood of the Inhabitants Secondly wee were deliuered from a terrible day like the day of the Lord which shall burne like an ouen Mal. 4.1 A terrible day wherein the frame of the world should haue seemed dissolued the sunne should haue beene turned into blood the earth should haue opened her mouth and swallowed the inhabitants the aire should haue been darkned through the blacknesse and lamentation of that day A dismall doomesday of England a day of fire and brimstone had that fifth of Nouember been if the fire-workes of these fire-brands had preuailed Thirdly wee were deliuered from a terrible tyrannie and yoke to which that of Babel was altogether incomparable 1. Spirituall our glory had beene gone and we might well haue been called Iâ—habod In stead of our Arke wee should haue had the abomination of desolation set vp the horrible idoll of the Masse ignorance worshipped as a god mother of deuotion Preaching hindred Preachers martyrd al worship in an vnknowne tongue an ignotant rascall sort of greasy filthy Priests a doctrine which is a very mystery of iniquity 2. Temporall Answerable to their tyrannous doctrine is their tyrannical practise The whole world satisfieth not their couetousnesse nor all the harlots in the world their filthinesse Look where that religion is stable if it haue not swallowed euen the fat of the Land And what Nobleman dares meddle with a base hedge-Priest And for their practise is not behind their positions and in both Turkes and Canibals are behind their cruelty One of themselues writes It had bin better the poore Indyes had bin giuen to the diuels in hell than vnto them and themselues professed they would neuer come in heauen if the Spaniards came there Well hath his Maiesty obserued that not the Turks Tartars or they of Calicute who worship the diuell do lay such principles of cruelty in their Doctrine as Papists doe Wee see the greatnesse of our deliuerance priuately now see it positiuely In one word The good things wee are restored vnto are the fruition of God and his Christ in his holy ordinances with the Gospell of peace to the peace of our Countrey vnder our peaceable Gouernour new leases of our liberties lands callings liues and all that heart can desire II. The Maâ—nor or meanes of our deliuerance was altogether wonderfull 1. It was easily brought about not by millions of gold and siluer not by the power or wit of man 2. It was done mightily not by the diuell as Faux blasphemously spake but by the immediate worke of God though as Cyrus had some glory of the Babylonish deliuerie so our Cyrus our gracious King had worthily some glorie of his princely care and watchfulnesse in this discouerie 3. It was done seasonably in the very due time wheÌ„ all was ready the conception was euen in the birth 4. It was done to their own confusioÌ„ detected by themselues their hands that should haue acted it detected it by writing Discouered against themselues mischiefe returned on the heads that deuised it they fell into the pit that they digged for others death intended against their brethren caught themselues and that by their owne powder All this to the vtter confusion of their Religion as we haue
their tenures and records yea in their whole State and policy that he that could carry his heart into the suruey of the consequents might clerely see a fearefull doomesday of all these three goodly kingdomes And as before it was done it was cloked vnder the title of some famous exployt for the deliuerance of persecuted Catholikes So afterward to turne the odiousnesse of so foule a fact as might haue turned the sunne into darknes the moone into blood they had prepared their Proclamations to lay it vpon Puritans vnder which title they would haue reuenged it by the Massacre of all the godly in the Land within their reach Here be cunning Fauxes and Foxes indeed in whom we may see the true picture and pourtraiture of euery sound Catholike who by the principles of Popery are taught to be as true to their Soueraigne as Iudas to our Sauiour What great need haue we then to get vs into that secret which their secrets cannot come into namely vnder the secret of the Almighty vnder the shadow of his wing For the promise to such a one is Surely he will deliuer thee from the snare â—f the hunter The poore bird is safe no where abroad but in the nest and the Church is no where safe in earth but onely in heauen while it saith with the Prophet Dauid Thou art my secret place Psalme 32.7 So much for the secrecie of fowlers 2. Their instruments of mischiefe are compared to snares and nets in respect of the suddennesse of that destruction which they intend to Gods people A snare or a net windes in a bird suddenly thinking on no such thing Nay sometime while the poore bird is playing or singing as if it were without all danger the net or grin wraps it in on all sides So the enemies of the Church knowing that sudden and vnexpected euills can hardlyest be preuented and wound the deepest commonly effect most deadly stratagems when Gods people least expect them This is the guise of Antichristian enemies to the Church of God which while it is not suspicious but sometimes too charitable and credulous they lay their snares where no man can possible suspect Would any man think the Pope would instigate to kill Christian Princes at the very Masse yet by the counsell of Pope Sixtus the 4. the two Princes of Medices were hurt and slaine euen at Masse and the lifting vp of the hoast was made a signe of the murder by the Popes Legate as their owne Volateran writes Would a Prince thinke to be poysoned of purpose in receiuing the Sacrament by these charitable Catholikes yet one was by the powder of diamonds tempered with the wine of the Sacrament Would a Catholique King most deuoted to Romish religion and a champion for it expect to be slaine by Catholiques and men of peace before excommunication yet this was iust saith Reinolds and the charitable Pope Sixtus the 5. said A true Fryar had slaine a countefeit Fryar Could any man haue expected that suddaine terrible blow and an vniuersall destruction from vnder the Parliament house from which the honor iustice happinesse life and soule of our Country vnder God hath beene so long maintained and preserued This shewes vs that Papists are not to bee trusted though neuer so fawning neuer so flattering For indeed they are most cruell both in their positions and in their dispositions Their positions are these and such like 1. The Oath of Allegiance is against Catholique faith and the health of soules saith the Popes Breue 2. Princes excommunicate by the Pope may be deposed and killed by their subiects 3. No faith is to be kept with heretickes and all are hereticks that are not of their religion 4. All men are bound to resist hereticall Kings in the straitest bond of conscience 5. Euen a secret hereticke is ipso iure deposed and all his leaprous posterity saith Symancha 6. It is a iust and honourable warre for the Nobles to rise vp in Armes against Queene Elizabeth saith Cardinall Allan Such also are their dispositions and such are their practices We haue seene the Fowlers and their nets now let vs proceede III. The crafty laying of these snares is such as they haue compassed the bird and it seems impossible any way to escape For the danger was as if the Prophet had said We were on euery side included in the nets of the fowlers that what way so euer we could turne vs we were hemd in the danger met vs on euery hand and death euery way layd hold vpon vs. Thus Dauid Psal. 18.4.5 confesseth that the snares of death compassed him hee was euen as a man bound and piniond to execution so as hee saw nothing but death before him And the snares or cords of the graue beset him so hopelesse was his estate as if hee were laid forth already and wrapped in the bands and cloathes of death to the buriall both in his enemies conceit and his owne The same was our condition in that Gunpowder treason the enemies made sure of their prey they saw their expectation euen in their hands and brought their wicked conception to the very birth the Crowne and Kingdome was theirs they had disposed of the chiefe Offices the chiefe holds and reuenue of the Land onely one terrible blow was to be giuen and the hand of wickednes lifted vp on high reaching fire to the fewell which should haue turned three Kingdomes into one Bonfire Quest. Why doth the Lord suffer the enemies thus to ensnare his people that the Case seemes desperate the deliuerance impossible Answer 1. That wee may see our owne simplicity who cannot obserue or preuent their snares the crafty wiles of Satan and his instruments against the Church 2. That wee may take notice of Gods patience toward his enemies suffering them as long as he may and then his iustice in taking them at the height 3. That we may learne to depend on Gods power and wisedome for safety and defence who onely is able to match and ouermatch the enemies in both for there is no power or policie against the Lord. 4. That the greater the dangers be Gods goodnes may be the more manifest and that in most desperate euils we may acknowledge our deliuerance to be miraculous and so the praise of all may be referred to the Lord who is a very present refuge in the troubles of his Church as our selues found in this our danger Now we come to the second generall part of the Text namely the deliuerance of the Church Our soulâ— is escaped that is our liues were hunted our heads euen on the block the stroke a giuing and death fetching his blow but yet we are deliuered wee haue escaped with our liues Herein consider 1. the manner 2. the meanes of the deliuerance The manner as a bird escaped out of the net The meanes the net is broken For the manner 1. Beyond and aboue the expectation of the Church
should eate or drink with him or if any met him he should not bid him God-speede and if hee came to Church in diuine seruice hee must be thrust out â— After this excommunication hee was condemned and committed to the secular power to be burnt for an Heretick and so by the Sheriffes the poore dead man vvas the second time executed Now out of all this I conclude that the spirit of Nâ—buchadnezzâ—r is quickned or reuiued in these Romanists and that they are of the number of those whose mercies are cruell Certainly they are not led by the Spirit of God for the fruits of the Spirit are meekenesse gentlenesse peace neither by the spirit of Christ for he was meeke and lowly of spirit He and his Apostles put none to death Obiect You put Catholickes to death and not for any thing but for maintaining the ancient religion of their fathers Answer This is a cunning wile of Satan to put this imputation from his deare Antichrist vpon others for it cannot be shewed that euer any Romanist suffered death amongst vs for his religion but for rebellion and denying his allegiance there being no law in England to put a Papist to death for his conscience Yet yeeld that which can neuer be graunted without betraying our innocencie and compare which of our religions be more vnmercifull it must needes fall vpon their pate for M. Fox in the fiue yeares of Queene Mary hath reckoned vp towards three hundred and so the truth is as eye-witnesses will testifie whereas a Writer of theirs hath raked vp in fifty yeares vnder two hundred namely 193. Compare the oddes I hasten to things that remaine wherein I will be more briefe Note here how farre the Lord suffers the wicked to bring their purposes euen to the point of execution for here was the rage of the King vnplacable till the furnace was prepared and his seruants put in whom the Lord would not deliuer till they were in the furnace and not in some corner of it where the fire came not but in the midst of the flames This the Lord doth 1. In respect of the wicked to glorifie himselfe through them both in his long patience toward them forbearing them till there be no remedie as also in his iustice when they make all cock-sure and glory in their vngodly purposes then to confound them and dissipate their counsels recompencing his leaden feete with brazen hands 2. In respect of the godly either to try their patience and faith and loue of himselfe or else to declare his mighty power in their deliuery when all other meanes are hopelesse This may stirre vs vp to the greater thankfulnesse for the great mercie of this present day for the same was the Lords dealing in that vngodly and diuellish plot as here for the three children It was brought euen to the birth as the Scripture speakes Oftentimes the wicked conceiue wickednesse and trauell to bring forth iniquitie and here the mischiefe had beene conceiued the full moneths and they no doubt gloried in their hopefull birth but yet our watchfull and gracious God caused their Sunne to fall at noone-day and stretched out his owne right hand to saue when all meanes failed that all the glory and praise of it might returne to himselfe Let vs learne hereby euer to wayte for the Lords deliuerance though hee seeme to delay if it be not suddaine yet it shall be seasonable how glorious will it be if it be in the very flames euen the night before the danger as was Peters deliuerance Act. 12. and ours also the very night before the intended execution Note further how the prouidence of God guides all euents and ouer-rules all designements of all his creatures Nebuchadnezzar purposed to burne the bodies of the Saints but the Lord disposed that the wicked should be burnt in their stead He cannot burne whom he will He cannot saue whom he would He may command the furnace to be made and to be made seauen times hotter than ordinary yet can hee not commaund it to burne whom he would he cannot forbid it to consume whom he would not This ouer-ruling power of God makes fire and water which we say haue no pitie more mercifull and pittifull then tyrants wicked men as flames of fire here more fauourable than Nebuchadnezzar as the sea it selfe more calme than Pharaoh Nay more this prouidence makes the vngodly meditate a vaine thing especially in banding themselues against the Church Nay more yet their counsels are not onely turned vnto folly the Lord disappointing them but euen to a quite contrarie end for a mischiefe to themselues as here the same fire that they kindle against the children of God lickes vp themselues the same destruction that Pharaoh intended against Israel ouerthrew onely himselfe and all his hoast Hence Dauid obseruing this truth is bold to say that the wicked digges a pit for others but falls into it himselfe hee layeth snares for others but himselfe is taken he whetteth his sword against the innocent but it shall pierce his owne heart The wicked deuise of Haman against the Iewes was turned vpon his owne head both hee and his were hanged on the Gallowes which he had set vp for Mordecay And the enemies of Daniel are cast into the same den that they prepared for him The selfe same thing we see experience of in the Popes and Percies barbarous deuise against the Church they could make their furnace but could not kindle the fire nay some of the actors were marked with their powder but none against whom it was layd though they carried it a long time in their resolutions and plots yet did not they meditate a vaine thing yea did not the Artizans of death perish in their owne Art yes most iustly And so of D. Stories iron Cage which was turned into an hurdle and halter against himselfe Let vs all therefore to the praise of God acknowledge both what a bootlesse thing and dangerous it is to be an instrument of malice against the Church The Pope and holy league or rather impure faction haue a long time leagued themselues against the Churches reformed but hath not the Lord still dissolued their most furious practices and made the end shamefull vnto themselues Haue they not lost more by their cruell Inquisition at home then they haue gotten Hee that hath knowledge of the state of the Low Countries shall easily see it had beene good for them neuer to haue knowne it Haue not the same persons by horrible stratagems and blood-sheds sought vtterly to waste the Church but is not the blood of Martyrs the seede of the Church haue not we reaped the holy doctrine of Christ which was sowen in the blood and ashes of our Fathers Was not that most hellish massacre in France a meanes vtterly to haue abolisht the mention of religion for euer but haue wee not great hope that the Lord will giue them
Popish Bishops was so violent a fowler to furnish his Maisters dishes that himselfe in fiue yeares space tooke and rosted 300. seely Martyrs most of them in his owne walke and dioces Such were our Fauxes and Fawkners who made sure account of such a prey as was neuer before layd for namely for three whole Kingdomes at once which would haue filled all their nets For God and man concurred to punish the iniquity of this time said the Letter to L. Mounteagle for the obtaining whereof they despised all danger and all labour is thought little in digging halfe a yeare together through hard foundations they will bestow any cost whatsoeuer of their owne and other mens Digby promised 1500. pounds Tressam 2000. Percy all that he could get of the Earle of Northumberlands rents besides tenne galloping Horses And nothing troubled Faux but that he was disappointed II. The Scripture both here and else where compares their meanes and instruments to snares nets and ginnes which are set in the wayes of Gods Saints to take them And that for two causes 1. It notes the secrecie of the danger which makes it farre more dangerous and ineuitable for nets and snares vse to be layd in secret and out of sight In vaine were the net layd before the eyes of all that hath wings Prou. 1.17 As therfore the fowlers or fishers go about their matters craftily and subtilly they will stand priuily behinde a tree they dissemble all they will lay meate as though they intended to feed the seely bird which they meane to feed vpon they haue a Lure or Call as if they were friends and birds themselues but the end is to kill and destroy So doe the Fowlers of Gods Church Psal. 83.3 They haue taken crafty counsell against thy people and haue consulted against thy secret ones So euer haue done the Romish Antichristian Fowlers who haue beene taught by their great Nimâ—od leoninae pelli assuere vulpinam Alwayes to match together the Lyon and the Foxe Iulius the 2. can turne him either way to Peters keyes or Pauls sword What they cannot doe by open force they can doe by secret fraud wherein oftentimes there lyes more strength than in the former The Syrian Antiochus Epiphanes was a liuely type of the Romish Antiochus of whom it is sayd Dan. 8.24.25 His power shall be mighty but not in his strength he shall destroy wonderfully and shall prosper and practise and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people and by his policie shall cause craft to prosper in his hand A liuely description of the Romish Antiochus or Antichrist that beast arising out of the sea hauing as well the hornes of the Lambe as the speech of the Dragon He intrudes himselfe as the head and husband of the Church while he robs and wastes it He professeth himselfe a seruant of seruants while he sets himselfe aboue all Kings and Commanders as Boniface the 8. in the yeare of Christ 1300. before a great concourse in a solemne Iubilee one day shewed himselfe in his Priestly Pontificals with the crosse carried before him the next day in an Emperours roabes with a naked sword before him and this title proclaimed Ego sum Pontifex Imperator terrestre ac coeleste imperium habeo All this is mine and to whomsoeuer I will I giue it What is the whole religion of Rome but a mysterie of iniquity a bundle of policie which by secret conueyances and tâ—â—ines both brought and held all the Kingdomes and Countries in Europe within the snare and bondage of a silly Fryar by sembled sanctity lying myracles false donations forged writings and the like and thus hath ensnared mens bodies goods liues and consciences Neuer saw the world so cunning a fowler Are his emissaries and such as he sends out of better disposition than himselfe No witnesse Gregory the great As Christ sent out simple and seely plaine men to raise vp his Kingdome so shall Antichrist make choise of crafty and double and deceitfull persons for his businesse How subtilly did these two friars ClemeÌ„t and his Associate lay their snares when they flew the French King Henry the 3. pretending great good businesse for the Church and State When the Papists in France could not by open force oppresse the Prince of Condy and Casper Colignius the Admirall of France they could by fraude and cunning as by a lure pretending peace and nuptiall solemnity raise a sudden Massacre by which thirty thousand Protestants fell into their snare who most perfidiously were slaine against all laws of God nature and nations not much without the space of one moneth What Potentate euer layd the foundation of obedience in conscience or could ouercome his enimies without warre by a parchment Bull or maintaine himselfe and his pompe at all mens costs and deuotions or conquer opposite Princes by their owne subiects or stablâ—sh himselfe by dispensing with vnlawfull marriages and lawfull oaths or mainetaine so many Intelligences by Confession or pleasure all men in their humours by wealth pouertie austerity voluptousnesse What a notable combination of knaueries is there in that religion wherein all these things and many more are most eminent most vsuall To come to our owne Country what did those trayterous bandits and emissaries Allâ—n Harding Sanders Parsons Campion and others but by writing and speaking pretend singular loue Instruction and care ouer their Country-men whose religion they left yet indeed what intended they but destruction of Prince and State being trumpets to rebellion raising vp armes some out of Spaine some out of Ireland some desperate cut-throts at home to take away the life of that blessed Lady Elizabeth of eternall happy memory What a number haue they snared vnder the pretext of peace truce and friendship as Duke Alba in the Low Countries and as the King of Spaine in 88. while he was prouiding that invincible nauy against our Prince and Country he sent the Duke of Parma to intreat of peace as if it were honesty in Catholikes whome they cannot kill by warre to delude and spoile them vnder the name of peace not without villany and perâ—ury How secretly did our late foolish fowlers lay their nets and traines with what faire pretences It was meerely and only for religion sayd Faux and he was bound inconscience to do it because the King was an heriticke he was sent by the name of Iohn Ionson to Percy to conferre for releefe of the Catholike cause All of them tooke an oath for secrecy yea heard Masses and tooke the Sacrament neuer to reueale any thing Now to the laying of snares as deep as hell 36 barrels of gunpouder are prouided numbers of iron bars to blow vp with one deadly blow in time of peace in time of Parliamentâ—al England Scotland and Ireland in their King and posterity in their lawes and gouernments in their Church and Religion in their Common welths and Iustice in
good and counted it an action worthie to be laid vpon their greatest enemies whom they termed Puritans Yea God opens their owne mouthes against themselues Winter professeth before hand that if it should not take effect the scandall would be so great which the Catholike Religion should susteine by it as not onely our enemies but our friends also saith he would with good reason condemne vs. Thus we see the truth of God and his iustice for hee hath said Woe to thee that spoylest shalt thou not be spoyled Ye see how iustly he that takes the sword perish thâ—â—by by the sword Here is iust Agags case Thy sword made many childlesse and Gods sword shall make thy mother childlâ—sse See also what little cause we haue to trust Papists who daâ—e attempt such deuices for the reliefe of the Catholike cause as all of them confessed this was Must youâ— Religion be thus relieued It hath euer so been and so neuer was from the Lord. Obiect Why doe you impute this to our Religion being the error of a few infortunate Gentlemen Answ. If it were onely the error of their nature to vse the Kings Maiesties distinction it were the more tolerable but it is the error of their Religion And most truly hath his Maiestie shewed that no other Sect of Heretickes not excepting Turkes Iewes Pagans or they of Calicute did euer by the grounds of Religion maintaine that it is lawfull or meritorious to murther Princes or people for the quarrell of Religion but onely Romish Catholikes This doctrine they would as impudently deny as they doe other The light makes them ashamed and so they denie their owne doctrines They will denie that the Pope properly pardoneth sinnes or that they teach it They will as impudently denie that euer Pope had a bastard that euer a woman was Pope and an hundreth such which their owne chiefe writers aâ—ow But let vs know that religion which is set vpon lyes and held vp by lyes by conceiuing mischiefe and bringing foorth lyes to be fitter for Antichrist than for Iesus Christ or Christians professing his name And now seeing the wicked are fallen into the pit they made and the powder they laid for vs hath blowne vp themselues let vs conclude with the next words of this Psalme We will praise the Lord according to his righteousnesse and sing praise to the name of the Lord most high We will set foorth his righteousnesse and faithfulnesse in keeping his promises and in sauing the liues of thousands of his Saints destinated to death as sheepe to the slaughter The end of the fourth Sermon THE ENGLISH GRATVLATION Psalm 126.3 The Lord hath done great things for vs whereof wee reioyce THis Verse is the marrow of the whole Psal. occasioned by the returne of Gods people out of Babels Captiuity into their owne Country who neuer receiued lesse fauours than this without thanksgiuing Vnto which duty of praise the better to prouoke themselues they amplifie the benefit verse 1. and make it great in their eyes and hearts as it was in it selfe so great and incredible as when God brought it to passe they were as men in a dreame thinking it rather a dreame and a vaine imaginatioÌ„ than a reall truth or action 1. Because it was so great a deliuerance from so great and lasting a bondage it seemed too good to be true 2. It was sudden and inexpected when they little thought or hoped for it Thus the sudden and inexpected newes of Iosephs life made Iacobs heart fayle him that he could not beleeue the relation of his sonnes to be true 3. All things semed desperate nothing more vnlikely or impossible rather for indeed the godly themselues sticking so much to sense cannot so well weigh the great workes of God in the scoâ—les or with the weights of God as they should 4. The manner was so admirable without the counsell helpe or strength of man nay it was beyond and against all humane meanes that they doubt whether these things be not somnia vigilantium the dreames of men that are awake For so we read in Act. 12. that Peter being in prison the next day to be brought forth to death slept betweene two souldiers and the Keepers before the doore but was led out by an Angell and with him passed sundry gates and streetes verse 9. yet Peter knew not that it was true which was done but thought it had beene a dreame and that he had seene a vision It was so incredible so inexpected so suddaine so immediate a deliuerance that he could not beleeue it But as Peter being come to himselfe said Now I know for a truth that the Lord hath deliuered me vers 11. so this people of God knew it was more than a dreame euen a reall deliuerance and could not but expresse their ioy as men doe when they laugh But as the cause was abundant so they say they were filled with laughter verse 2. Nay the Gentiles themselues obserued the benefit and preached it euen the enemies could obserue a speciall worke of Gods power and fauour for them verse 3. And should they be behinde the Heathen and not with full heart and mouth celebrate the benefit Should God lose his glory by his owne people whom the benefit concerned and finde it among the Heathen who were but lookers on No and therefore they proclaime it in these words The Lord hath donâ— great things for vs c. Wherein we may consider these foure particulars 1. The Author or Agent the Lord. 2. The Worke or Act hath done great things 3. The Persons for whom for vs his Church 4. The Effect whereof wee reioyce Of these in their order I. The Agent is the Lord verse 1. the Lord brought back the captiuity of Syon It was a diuine worke passing not humane power onely but humane apprehension for it was not very easie to conceiue much lesse to effect Obseru All deliuerances of the Church are the works of God What meanes so euer he vseth himselfe is the principall Agent and of it it must be said Digitus Dei est hic This is the finger of God For 1. the helpe of man is vaine 2. God onely hath promised deliuerance and will be depended on 3. the glory of deliuerance belongs to no other Psalm 50.15 Call vpon me in the day of trouble and I will heare thee and thou shalâ— glorifie me II. The worke great things The Lord is a great God and great things beseeme him Psalm 135.5 I know the Lord is great and he doth great things 1. To manifest the greatnesse of his power aboue all creatures 2. That there may neuer want some great occasions of praising and glorifying his Name 3. That our eyes may be lifted vp aboue humane counsels and not fixed on inferiour things when we see euents which could be welded by nothing but an Omnipotent and Diuine hand III. The Persons for whom these great workes are done for vs
it to be finished and performed Ezra 6.1 Euen so what King Henry had begun young Daâ—ius Edward the 6. as another Iosiah finished to good purpose For as Darius made a decree for the house of God in Ierusalem both for the building of it and for the rendring of the vessels of the house of God of gold and siluer which Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the house of God vers 3.5 So this Edward of blessed memorie imitating Darius in the first yeere of his raigne proclaimed the aduancement and building vp of the worship of the true God in a true manner and brought in the vessels of gold and siluer which Romish Nebuchadnezzar had taken away He set the lights in the Temple againe in many shining candlestickes The Sweet-bread was set againe on the Table of the Lord and the Cup of Christ his precious blood which had been stollen away by those theeues was now found and comfortably restored to the owners The booke of the Law was found and restored againe into a knowne tongue as in Iosiahs time by Hilkiah the Priest The sweete siluer sounding Trumpets sound continually in our eares in daily preaching the blessed word of God The holy Arke a signe of Gods presence dwels againe among vs and Dagon is fallen before it the house of Baal and his vestrie destroyed his groues cut downe and grubbed vp Are not these great workes which the Lord hath done for vs wherein wee must reioyce 3. After this for the vnthankfulnesse of this land as the building of the Temple was hindred for a while by Sanballat and Tobiah so in the daies of Queene Mary this great work of God was interrupted in which time what the Babylonians could not conquer by Scripture they could subdue by torture and now fire and sword was the Catholike and inuincible argument that the new Romanists might not degenerate from the old bloody Romans their fore-fathers whose measure they filled to the full For in lesse than fiue yeeres three hundred of the faithfull seruants of Christ without respect of Nobilitie degree learning grauitie sexe age or naturall humanitie were in our Countrey burned to ashes But God had no delight in that bloody Religion It is as great a worke of mercie as any of the former that he made it as short as bloody For if violent things and times should continue the world could not And behold a greater worke which the Lord hath done for vs whereof wee reioyce in raising vs vp our ancient Deborah of England neuer-dying Elizabeth the wonder of the world and mirrour of nations who quickly quenched those hot and furious fires and her selfe being brought from a prisoner to a mightie Prince opened the prison-doores and deliuered them that were appoynted to death Now were the castles of their superstitions and hopes cast downe again and made euen with the ground What great workes God did for her and vs in her time were too long to recite how she out-stood the curses and Bulls of the Romish Nebuchadnezzar and saw in her time seuen of themselues tumbled out of their pretended chaire of S. Peter how wonderfull her many deliuerances were from many hellish treasons deuised by the armie of Priests sent from the King of pride and attempted by the Romish Captaines of that great Nebuchadnezzar How the Lord went out before our Armies and as in the daies of Israels Deborah so of Englands Deborah hee mâ—de the sea and windes fight for vs and by his owne right hand got vs the victorie that memorable yeere and ouerthrow of 88 shall be a perpetuall witnesse so long as the world standeth how God himselfe fights against that Religion which so furiously fights against him How she iudged and ruled in peace honour and happinesse fiue and fortie yeeres to the honour of God and his Gospell and terror of all enemies and in the same peace and happinesse exchanged her earthlie with an heauenly and euerlasting crowne of glory 4. A great worke of God it was for vs to reioyce in when at her decease the enemies who had long looked for a day found it the day of their greatest disappoyntment whilest the Lord setting himselfe for our good in our gracious King and the fruitfull plants renewed all our prosperitie gaue vs a new tenure of the Gospell and a new hold of our peace and liberties of whom we may say as was said of Dauid He is the light of Israel and of Iosiah the breath of our nostrils who by his power and pen hath shewed himselfe a Defender of the true Faith 5. To come to the great workes of this day That these Babylonians might keepe their hands in vre what foule and desperate designes haue they attempted against the life of the Kings Maiestie our gracious Soueraigne For while this light of Israel remaineth impossible they thinke it is for their kingdome of darknesse to preuaile Among other deuises that shame of Popish Religion that hideous gunpowder-treason shall neuer be put out from vnder heauen In which were many great workes of God for vs Englishmen whether wee consider the greatnesse of the danger or the greatnesse of the deliuerance First consider the greatnesse of the plot the greatest mischiefe that euer was wanting a fit name to expresse it vnlesse you will call it a Catholike villanie a plot of greatest and vniuersall danger to vs of greatest triumph to the Aduersarie Here the head and taile branch and root one and other Prince and people Nobles and Gentrie old and young Papists and Protestants should haue been destroyed together For as Duke Medina said his sword knew no difference betweene Catholikes and Heretikes no more should this hellish or hell-fire which it was a sparke of Besides the secret carriage and contriuing of it made it most dangerous more dangerous than the Babylonish captiuitie for the Babylonians dealt aperto marte there was some hope of safetie either by prayer or power or truce or preparing against them there a man knew his aduersarie but here is a crueltie digged out of the depth of darknesse all of them sworne to secrecie yea the Sacrament was a seale of their wickednesse sworne brethren in euill at league among themselues but no more league for vs to be expected than from hell it selfe Here we might say as Hanniball sometime said of two Romane Captaines one working by power the other by policie Magis se a non pugnante Fabio quà m à pugnante Marcello sibi metuere Wee are more afraid of slie and quiet Papists than of boysterous armed Turkes How these plotters would haue triumphed in the fact as the Babylonians ouer Israel Sing vs now one of the songs of Syon we may well perceiue by their glorying in the hopes of it God and man saith the Letter haue concurred to punish the iniquity of the time and The danger is past so soone as you haue burnt the letter and They shall receiue a terrible blow this Parliament