Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	king_n	prince_n	subject_n	3,995	5	6.4954	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B21152	The increase of popery in England, since the reformation made by King Henry VIII shewing the great encouragement that priests, Jesuits, and other promoter of that bloudy religion have had from persons of power and authority, the discouragements and notorious hardships, even to silencing, and banishment from cities and corporations, that have been the portion of many able and faithful Protestant ministers, that have eminently opposed it : with an essay towards what may possibly befall the Churches of Christ from the hellish contrivances and damnable plots of Romish emissaries : with a faithful extract out of the most authentick records of the most memorable things referring to the reformation, viz. Henry VIII, his reasons given in his proclamation for taking away the Popes usurped power, his protestation against the pope, his injunctions to his clergy, Bishop St[e]phen Gardener's oath or protestation, and his reasons against the Popessupremacy in England and the publick agreement of the whole clergy of England, as confirmed and ratified in the book called the Bishops book, published in the year 1534 / by .. William Dell ...	Darrell, William, 1651-1721.	1681 (1681)	Wing D923	53,277	58

second Psalm And now you Kings be wise Psal 2. and be learned ye that judge the earth c. Also the example of Salomon who being a King 2 Par. 28. according to his Fathers appointment ordained the Offices of the Priests in their Ministeries and Levites in their Order Exod. 32. that they might give thanks and minister before the Priests after the order of every day and Porters in their divisions gate by gate And speaking more of the said Salomon he saith 1 Reg. 22. For so commanded the Man of God neither did the Priests nor Levites omit any thing of all that he had commanded c. Besides this he alledgeth also the example of King Ezechias 2 Paralyp 28. He alledgeth moreover the example and fact of Justinian which made Laws touching the Faith Bishops Clerks Hereticks and such other Aaron saith he obeyed Moses Salomon gave sentence upon Abiathar the High Priest 1 Macch. 10. 1 Macch. 14. Alexander the King in the first of Macchabees writeth thus to Jonathas Now have we made thee this day the High Priest of thy people c. So did Demetrius to Simon Then coming to the words of Christ spoken to Peter Matthew 16. Matth. 16. upon which words the Pope pretendeth to build all his Authority to this he answereth That if Christ by those words had limited to Peter any such special state or preheminence above all Princes then were it not true that is written Coepit Jesus docere facere forasmuch as the words of Christ should then be contrary to his own facts and example who in all his life never usurped either in himself any such domination above Princes shewing himself rather subject unto Princes nor yet did ever permit to his Apostles any such example of ambition to be seen but rather rebuked them for seeking any manner of Majority amongst them The Kings Style and Title approved by Steph. Wint. And where he reasoneth of the Kings Style and Title being called the King of England and of France Defender of the Faith Lord of Ireland and Supreme Head in earth of the Church of England immediately under Christ c. thus he addeth his mind and censure saying That he seeth no cause in this Title why any man should be offended that the King is called the Head of the Church of England rather than of the Realm of England and addeth his reason thereunto saying If the Prince and King of England be the Head of his Kingdom that is of all Englishmen that be his Subjects is there any cause why the same English Subjects should not be subject to the same Head likewise in this respect because they are Christians that is to say for the title of Godliness as though that God which is the cause of all Obedience should now be the cause of Rebellion At length thus he concludeth with an Exclamation saying To say saith he that a King is the Head of a Kingdom and not of the Church what an absurd and a foolish saying is this The King is as well the Head of the Church as of his Kingdom And further adding for example the subjection of the Servant and Wife If the Servant saith he be subject to his Master or Wife to her Husband being Infidels doth their Conversion afterward or name of Christians make them less Subjects than they were before As Religion therefore doth not alter the Authority of the Master over the Servant nor of the Husband over the Wife no more saith he doth it between the Prince and Subjects Paul making no exception nor distinction of Subjection save onely of that which belongeth to God willeth all men to obey their Princes and what Princes Those Princes which bear the sword And although we are bound by the Scripture to obey our Bishops and Spiritual Pastors of the Church yet that obedience diminisheth nothing the chief and head Authority that ought to be given to the Prince no more than the obedience of the Servant to his Master or of the Wife to her Husband exempteth them from Subjection due to their Superiour Powers And herewithall he inferreth a principle of the Law A Rule of the Law Divers Iurisdictions saith he proceeding from one person do not marry nor hinder themselves but rather do confirm and fortifie one another Again whereas the Bishop of Rome under the name of Peter doth appropriate to himself the highest place in the Church for that he is the Successor of Peter Thereunto he answereth in one word but in that one word he answereth enough and to the full I would saith he he were Wenchesters with that the Pope were Peters Successor for so in very deed he might well exceed and pass all Kings and Princes if not in preheminency of Dignity yet in admiration and excellency of Virtue in which kind of superiority the Lord Christ would his Apostles and Ministers to go before all Kings and Emperours in the whole world After this in prosecuting the Argument of Peters Confession he argueth thus and saith Argument The Prerogative was given to him which confessed Flesh and Bloud in Peter did not confess Christ Ergo the Prerogative was not given to the Flesh and Bloud of Pet●r that as flesh and bloud did not reveal to Peter that Confession so neither was that Prerogative given to the flesh and bloud of Peter but to the better part that is to the spirit of Peter which is to mean in respect of the spiritual Confession of Peter and not in respect of any carnal place or person c. Item If the Scholar ought not to be above the Master how then could either Peter take that upon him which Christ his Master so constantly did refuse Or how can the Bishop of Rome now claim that by Succession whereof no example is to be found either in the Head or his Predecessor before him For so we read in Eusebius both of Peter James and John that they did arrogate no such Primacy unto them but were content that James surnamed Justus should be the Bishop of the Apostles And as for the name and signification of the word Primatus i. Primacy Pr●matus or Primacy what it signifieth if it be taken for the first nomination or the first place given so he granteth that Peter had the preferment of the first name and place in the order of the Apostles but it followeth not that with this Primacy he had also a Kingdom given He saith Confirm thy Brethren but not thy Subjects And though he were bid of the Lord to confirm his Brethren yet was he not bid to exercise an Impery upon his Brethren for so were they not his Brethren but his Subjects Primus Primatus i. Primacy meaneth as much as the first standing in Vocation and is the name of Vertue and not of Power That Peter was Primus that is first or chief in the number of them which confessed Christ it is not

of God is prostituted to the Abuse and Contempt of every base Villain where the Preaching of the Word and Prayer the Highest and most Sacred Ordinances of God are scorned and jeered in the presence of great Persons where all Vice and Wickedness and Filthiness are made familiar and pl●asant to the People These are the Nurs●ries of Hell and the Seed-plots of Damnation whereby most of our greatest Persons and of the Gentry are corrupted and rendred wholly useless for any worthy or noble employment in the Commonwealth they being through their influence become bruitish and without understanding worse than the Beasts that perish and viler than the Earth For the Pope knows that as Christ gathers his Kingdom here in the world of the Elect and Faithful so his Wickedness must gather his Kingdom out of th●m that perish who have made shipwrack of Faith and good Consci●nce and are throughly practised to commit all inquity with gr●ediness And now when Men are brought to this sad pass that they are of no Religion at all but are very Atheists so that they can mock at the Name of God and at his Holy Word and most Blessed Spirit then are they become sit Subjects to receive Antichrists Religion which can please them with Organs and Anthems and with Vain-Shews Ceremonies and May-Games and thereby can stifle their unquiet Consciences and He by his false Pardons and Indulgences can yet drive them more headlong into Sin bearing them in hand in the mean time that though his favour which also is to be procured by Money though they commit all these abominations they are notwithstanding in a fair way to Heaven By which Catholique Cheat of his he destroys innumerable Souls of those whom God in his just Judgment because they received not the Truth of the Gospel in the love of it hath given up to his strong delusions to believe his Lyes By these Three Means besides others things are brought to that pass that Popery is become the onely safe and thriving way and thousands of People whose Names are not Written in the Book of Life seeing safety favour and preferments attend it run headlong to it and greedily take Antichrists Mark in their Forehead and in their right hand for the sake of present security and profit not considering their latter end Yea they are become so thorough and hearty in this their new Undertaking for the Catholique Cause that through the help they have received by Money and Arms together with their strong Incouragements from Rome which is the chief Wheel in this Motion they are now ready at a Day and an Hour when the Watch-Word shall be given that I may use their own word of Mystery To begin their Heats that is to rise up and destroy all that are or are called Protestants of what Degree Condition or Sex soever by Fire and Sword and other Methods of Destruction and not to leave any of their Persons or so much as their Names if it may be to survive in this Nation This is like to be their first attempt and had been put in Execution before this if the Lord himself whose Eyes behold the Nations had not most graciously disappointed them And their second Design which stands behind the Curtain is like the first to wit if that succeed then afterwards to destroy all the English Bloud against which they have the greatest Antipathy and to plant this Land with French and other Foreigners that so they may throughly restore it to its former Popish Splendor to the great Satisfaction of all Popish Christendom Wherefore if it be possible and if it be the good Pleasure of the Lord to put a Stop and Oh that it might be a full Point and Period to these Bold Intrusions of Popery and to all the Cruel Designs in the Breast of it it was thought meet for the common utility of all Protestants and Englishmen to represent afresh unto them the Memorable Acts of Henry the VIII King of England for the extirpating the Pope and his Cursed Religion out of his Dominion And what He saw so great cause to reject and cast out as Abominable and Intollerable upon such unanswerable grounds as He expresseth sure no man that is in his right Wits and of a sound Judgment hath any just ground to endeavour to bring in again And this thou thy self whoever thou art that art either in the right Faith of a Christian or in the right Wits of a Man wilt judge if thou shalt wisely and impartially r●ad and observe what followeth King Henry VIII his Proclamation for the Abolishing the Usurped Power of the Pope as it is recorded in Fox his Book of Martyrs Fol. 335. Vol. 2. TRusty and Well-beloved We greet you well The Kings Proclam●tion against the Pope And whereas not onely upon good and just and vertuous grounds and respects edified upon the Laws of holy Scripture dy due consultation deliberation advisement and consent as well of all other our Nobles and Commons Temporal as also Spiritual assembled in our high Court of Parliament and by Authority of the same we have by good and wholsom Laws and Statutes made for this purpose extirped abolished separated and secluded out of this our Realm the Abuses of the Bishop of Rome his Authority and Iurisdiction of long time usurped as well upon us and our Realm as upon all other Kings and Princes and their Realms like as they themselves have confessed and affirmed but also for as much as our said Nobles and Commons both Spiritual and Temporal assembled in our high Court of Parliament have upon good lawful and vertuous grounds and for the publick weal of this our Realm by one whole Assent granted annexed knit and united to the Crown Imperial of the same the Title Dignity The Style of Supreme Head annexed to the Crown of England and Style of Supreme Head or Governour in earth immediately under God of the Church of England as we be and undoubtedly have hitherto been Which Title and Style both the Bishops and Elergy of this our Realm have not onely in Convocation assembled consented recognized and approved lawfully and justly to appertain unto us but also by Word Oath Profession and Writing under their Signs and Seals have confessed ratified corroborated and confirmed the same utterly renouncing all other Oaths and Obedience to any other forein Potentates and all forein Iurisdictions and Powers as well of the said Bishop of Rome as of all other whatsoever they be as by their said Professions and Writings corroborated with the Subscription of their Names and Appension of their Seals more plainly appeareth We let you to wit that calling to our remembrance the Power Charge and Commission given unto us of Almighty God and upon a vehment love and affection toward our loving and faithful Subjects perceiving right well what great rest quietness and tranquillity of Conscience and manifold other commodities might insurge and arise unto them if that the said Bishops

is to be Pastors in their own Diocese and so to use no other power or else whether they may make Laws not onely unto other Bishops but also to Kings and Emperours O boldness meet to be beaten down with force and not not to be convinced with Arguments Can either Paul that now Lordeth or any of his earnestly go about if they alone or at the least without any Adversary be th●● in a corner assembled together to heal the Sicknesses to take away the Errors to pluck down the Abuses that now are crept into the Church and there be bolstered up by such Councils as now is like to be at Mantua Paul the Pope proleth for his own profit Is it very like that these which prole for nothing but profit will right gladly pull down all such things as th●●● Forefathers made onely for the increase of Money Wh●●● as their Forefathers when their Honour Power an●●macy was called into question would either in despigh●●f Gods Law maintain their Dignity or to say better their intolerable Pride Is it like that these will not tread in their steps and make naughty new Canons whereby they may defend old evil Decrees Howbeit what need we to care either what they have done or what they intend to do hereafter England taketh her leave of the Pope for ever forasmuch as England hath taken her leave of Popish Crafts for ever never to be deluded with them hereafter Roman Bishops have nothing to do with English People the one doth not traffick with the other at least though they will have to do with us yet we will none of their merchandise none of their stuff we will receive them of our council no more England refuseth the Popes Merchandise We have sought our hurt and bought our loss a great while too long Surely their Decrees either touching things set up or put down shall have none other place with us than all Bishops Decrees have that is if we like them we admit them if we do not we refuse them But lest peradventure men shall think us to follow our senses too much and that we moved by small or no just causes forsake the Authority Censures Decrees and Popish Counsels we thought it best here to shew our mind to the whole world Wherefore we protest before God and all men that we embrace profess and will ever so do the right and holy Doctrine of Christ All the Articles of his Faith no jot omitted be all so dear unto us that we should much sooner stand in jeopardy of our Realm than to see any point of Christs Religion in jeopardy with us England goeth not from the unity of Faith although it goeth from the Pope We protest that we never went from the unity of his Faith neither that we will depart an inch from it No we will much sooner lose our Lives than any Article of our Belief shall decay in England We which in all this cause seek nothing but the glory of God the profit and quietness of the World The Faith of England Catholick England ready to send to any General Council where truth may be advanced protest that we can suffer Deceivers no longer We never refused to come to a General Council no we promise all our labour study and fidelity to the setting up of trodden Truth and troubled Religion in their place again and to do all that shall lie in us to finish such Controversies as have a great while too long vexed Christendom Onely we will all Christian men be admonished that we can suffer no longer that they be esteemed willing to take away Errors which indeed by all the ways their Wits will serve them go about this alone that no man under pain of Death may speak against any Error or Abuse We would have a Council we desire it yea and crave nothing so oft of God as that we may have one But yet we will that it be such as Christian men ought to have that is frank and free where every man without fear may say his mind We desire that it be an holy Council What a true General Council ought to be where every man may go about to set up Godliness and not apply all their study to oppressing of Truth We will it be General that is to say kept at such time and in such place that every man which seeketh the glory of God may be present and there frankly utter his mind Conditions of a true General Council For when it shall seem General either when no man that dissenteth from the Bishop of Rome is compelled to be from it or when they that be present are not letted by any just terror to say boldly what they truly think for who would not gladly come to such a Council except it be the Pope his Cardinals and Popish Rishops On the other side who is so foolish whereas the chief point that is to be handled in this Council is the Popes own Cause Power and Primacy to grant that the Pope should reign should be Iudge should be President of the Council If he which indeed can never think himself able to defend his Cause before any other Iudge The Pope would be Judge in his own cause be evermore made his own Iudge and so Controversies not decided but Errors set up what can be devised in the Commonwealth of Christendom more hurtful to the truth than General Councils The Pope hath no power to summon Councils And here to touch somewhat their impudent Arrogancy By what Law Power or honest Title take they upon them to call Kings to summon Princes to appear where their Bulls command them In time past all Councils were appointed by the Authority Consent and Commandment of the Emperour Kings and Princes why now taketh the Bishop of Rome this upon him Some will say It is more likely that Bishops will more tender the cause of Religion gladlier have Errors taken away than Emperours Kings and Princes The world hath good experience of them and every man seeth how faithfully they have handled religious matters Is there any man that doth not see how vertuously Paul now goeth about by this occasion to set up his Tyranny again The Pope how he can watch his time Is it not like that he that chooseth such a time as this is to keep a Council much intendeth the redress of things that now are amiss that he seeketh the restoring of Religion that now calleth a Council the Emperour and the French King two Princes of great power so bent to Wars that neither they nor any other Christian Prince can in a manner do any thing but look for the end of this long War Go too go t o Bishop of Rome occasion long wish'd for offereth her self unto you take her she openeth a Window for your Frauds to creep in at call your Cardinals your own Creatures shew them that this is a jolly time to deceive Princes in O

vincula next coming provide a Book of the whole Bible both in Latin and also in English and lay the same in the Quire for every man that will to look and read thereon and shall discourage no man from the reading of any part of the Bible either in Latin or English but rather to comfort exhort and monish every man to read the same as the very Word of God and the spiritual food of mans Soul whereby they may the better know their Duties to God to their Sovereign Lord the King and their Neighbour ever gently and charitably exhorting them that using a sober and modest behaviour in the reading and inquisition of the true sense of the same they do in no wise stiffly or eagerly contend or strive one with another about the same but refer the declaration of those places that be in controversie to the judgment of them that be better learned Priests not to haunt Ale-houses Also the said Dean Parsons Vicars Curats and other Priests shall in no wise at any unlawful time nor for any other cause than for their honest necessity haunt or resort to any Taverns or Alehouses and after their Dinner and Supper they shall not give themselves to drinking or riot spending their time idly by day or by night at Tables or Cards playing or any other unlawful Game but at such times as they shall have such leisure they shall read or hear somewhat of holy Scripture or shall occupy themselves with some honest Exercise and that they always do those things that appertain to good congruence and honesty with profit of the Commonweal having always in mind that they ought to excell all other in purity of life and should be example to all other to live well and Christianly Furthermore Parsons not resident to pay the 40th part to their Parishes because the goods of the Church are called the goods of the Poor and in these days nothing is less seen than the Poor to be sustained with the same all Parsons Vicars Prebendaries and other beneficed men within this Deanry not being resident upon their Benefices which may dispend yearly twenty pounds or above either within this Deanry or elsewhere shall distribute hereafter yearly amongst their poor Parishioners or other Inhabitants there in the presence of the Churchwardens or some other honest men of the Parish the fortieth part of the Fruits and Revenues of their said Benefices lest they be worthily noted of Ingratitude which reserving so many parts to themselves cannot vouchsafe to impart the fortieth portion thereof amongst the poor people of that Parish that is so fruitful and profitable unto them And to the intent that learned men may hereafter spring the more for the executing of the said premisses Every beneficed man worth 100 l. to find a Scholar at the University every Parson Vicar Clerk or beneficed man within this Deanry yearly to spend in Benefices or other Promotions of the Church an hundred pounds shall give competent Exhibition to one Scholar and for as many hundred pounds more as he may dispend to so many Scholars more shall give like Exhibition in the Vniversity of Oxford or Cambridge or some Grammar School which after they have profited in good Learning may be Partners of their Patrons Cure and Charge as well in Preaching as otherwise in the execution of their Offices or may when need shall be otherwise profit the Commonwealth with their counsel and wisdom Also that all Parsons Vicars and Clerks Beneficed men to maintain their Mansions having Churches Chapels or Mansions within this Deanry shall bestow yearly hereafter upon the same Mansions or Chancels of their Churches being in decay the fifth part of those their Benefices till they shall be fully repaired and the same so repaired they shall always keep and maintain in good estate All which and singular Injunctions shall be inviolably observed of the said Dean Parsons Vicars Curats Stipendaries and other Clerks and beneficed men under pain of Suspension and Sequestration of the Fruits of their Benefices untill they have done their duties according to these Injunctions Postscript CHristian Reader Who hast perused and well weighed this Protestation thou dost see therein the Frauds Pride Avarice Treacheries Cruelties Enmity to God and Christ and his Truth and People with many other notorious Enormities of the Pope and his Shaveling Priests and Clergy clearly and openly discovered detected detested and renounced by so great a King He pronounces them to be open Enemies to Christ himself and to carry in their Breasts an immortal Hatred to his Truth He Proclaimeth to all Christian Princes and Peoble the miserable Tragedies which under pretence of Unity and Concord they have brought into Christendom and that they have troubled all Christian Realms with Seditions under plausible pretences of Peace That in all their Councils and Actings touching Religion the only Marks they have shot at was Lucre Money and Gains yea that they sought their own Profit with the Slaughter of the Truth and were infinitely more willing that the greatest Injury should be done to the Gospel than that their Authority that is to say their Arrogant Impudence should suffer the least Diminution That their usual practice is to defile their cruel Hands with honest Mens Bloud and that contrary to their Oaths He further declares That this holy Vicar was so inflamed with Hatred against the King and Kingdom for pulling down his Usurped Power and Proud Primacy for expelling his Usurped Jurisdiction for rejecting his False and Heretical Doctrine and delivering this Realm from his grievous Bondage and Polage that He sought by all ways to endamage both King and People and by Enemies at Home and Princes Abroad to stir up Troubles and Commotions Upon which sufficient Grounds and for which just Causes he thus resolves saying Surely except God take away our right Wits not only his Authority to wit the Popes shall be driven out for Ever but his Name also shall shortly be forgotten in England And again We will ha' the Pope and his Adherents to understand that which we have oft said and now say and ever will say He nor His hath no Authority or Jurisdiction in England That which he hath usurped against Gods Law and extorted by Violence We by good right take from him again And He exhorts all Christian Princes to favour and follow his Godly and Just Proceedings Thus did God of his Infinite Goodness raise up this Great and Wise King to root out the Pope's Usurped Authority and False Religion also in a great measure out of England and the Lord grant that these Intolerable and Unsupportable Evils may be kept out of it for ever For without doubt that Curse of God which Joshua pronounced against him that should Rebuild Jericho which was destroyed by the Word and Power of God according as it is written Joshua 6.26 And Joshua adjured them at that time saying Cursed be the Man before the Lord that riseth up

An Advertisement AT the earnest request of some Friends I have been prevailed with to publish this small Treatise which had been sooner done had it not been seized in the Press in the Year 1667 by which the Reader will easily see what a prospect the Author then had of the Miseries we now groan under and with what Zeal he then earnestly laboured to open the eyes of Englishmen against the cursed Plots and Contrivances of the bloud-thirsty Papists M. D. June 18. 1681. THE INCREASE OF Popery in England Since the Reformation made by King Henry VIII SHEWING The great encouragement that Priests Jesuits and other Promoter of that bloudy Religion have had from Persons of Power and Authority The Discouragements and notorious Hardships even to Silencing and Banishment from Cities and Corporations that have been the portion of many able and faithful Protestant Ministers that have eminently opposed it With an Essay towards what may possibly befall the Churches of Christ from the Hellish Contrivances and Damnable Plots of Romish Emissaries With a faithful Extract out of the most Authentick Records of the most memorable things referring to the Reformation viz. King Henry VIII his Reasons given in his Proclamation for taking away the Popes Usurped Power His Protestation against the Pope His Injunctions to his Clergy Bishop St phen Gardener's Oath or Protestation and his Reasons against the Popes Supremacy in England And the publick Agreement of the whole Clergy of England as confirmed and ratified in the Book called The Bishops Book published in the Year 1534. Intended to be published in the Year 1667 but seized at the Press by R.L.S. and others By the late Reverend William Dell sometime Rector of Yelden in Bedfordshire LONDON Printed for Richard Janeway 1681. THE PREFACE FOrasmuch as the great and sudden growth of Popery in these three Nations especially in England which hath now for a long time through the Merciful Goodness of God flourished and been happy in the True Reformed Protestant Religion is now sufficiently manifest to all who have not either blinded their own Eies or been blinded by Satan And forasmuch as the means whereby this great Misery and Mystery of Iniquity hath been brought thus far to this dreadful and unhappy success are also as fully manifest to wit First The great Countenance and Incouragement that this Heretical and Bloudy Religion hath had from Persons of Power and Authority together with all the detestable Professors and Promoters thereof Papists Priests and Jesuites who have their daily Councils and Cabals in the Highest Places to promote this great Design of the Devil and of his First-Born on Earth the Pope even to set up the old Damnable Superstition and Doctrine of that Man of Sin whom the Weekly Pamphleteer terms very devoutly His Holiness and yet is no other indeed and truth than His Wickedness the Old Enemy of Christ and his true Christians and Followers the Son of Perdition the Angel of the Bottomless Pit the Destroyer and Murderer of Souls and Bodies the impudent Agent of Hell upon Earth the Devils chief Servant and Factor for his Kingdom of Darkness the Monster of Monsters who hath abused abased and vassalized all Christian Princes made himself superiour to them yea their very Lord and Master even in their own Dominions who hath inforced all their People not only by his frivolous Excommunications but also by Fire and Faggot by Imprisonments Tortures and all manner of exquisite Cruelties which are the only Weapons of his Warfare to bow down to this Beast and to own him as God sitting in the Temple of God not only directly against God but most Proudly and Insolently above him Who hath pilled and polled them of all their Money and Riches which is the only Fish this great Fisher of Rome fishes for who hath disturbed interdicted disordered wasted and overturned whole Empires Kingdoms and Nations at his Wicked Pleasure and hath been no other through all Ages than Satans eminent Vicegerent upon Earth This this prodigious and unparalell'd Wretch must now in the midst of three Protestant Nations be publickly stiled His Holiness forsooth who only is holy as Satan is holy for it may truly be said of him above any other He is of his Father the Devil and of his works he doth I say the countenancing of this Damnable Religion and of this abominable Sect and of the chief H ad of it the Pope is one great cause of the new Increase of this Catholique Her●si● amongst us Secondly Another cause is The open and notorious discountenancing discouraging silencing displacing and banishing from the Chief Cities and Towns in England all the ab e faithful and godly Ministers of Jesus Christ Who being the diligent painful and sincere Teachers of his true Doctrine set forth in his Gospel for the salvation of Souls and for the reducing the lost Sheep to the fold of the true Shepherd were the greatest and strongest Bulwark against Popery in the Nation For His Wickedness i. e. the Pope and his Wicked Followers knew well enough that Popery could never t●ke root again and prosper in these Nations if these Mens Mouths were open They knew well enough that their dark Doctrine and Kingdom could never prevail where the clear light of the Gospel shines And therefore they used their chief Artifices and Satanical Subtilties to seduce the Secular Authority to run on their Errand and to do their Drudgery even to Suppress Imprison and Banish Thes● upon slight and forged Pretences and in their stead to foist in a number of ignorant unlearned loose worldly profane and debauched Priests in every City Town and Parish Men generally who neither understand the Law nor the Gospel neither know God nor Themselves nor are endued with any sound and serious knowledge of any th ng that so these keeping away the Light of the Knowledge of the Truth from the people they poor Souls might walk in darkn ss and not know whither they go though they should be led into Popery again which is the Open Broad Way to Hell Thirdly Another Cause is The letting loose the reins to all mann●r of Ungodliness and Unrighteousn ss whatsoever that Men not onely without controul but with countenance may be as wicked as they can be in the World may Whore commit Adultery Revel Drink Swear Blaspheme Reproach the Holy Word of God Vilifie his Ministers Abuse and Persecute his People in the greatest freedom the Devil can give whereby Hell is let loose upon Earth and the Smoak of the Bottomless Pit that is Sin and Wickedness of all Sorts and Sizes hath filled and darkened the Nation and Men are gone to the highest extent of Wickedness that can be practised on Earth that if they would be worse they must go to Hell in Hell And that which hath had a Stretched-out Arm to bring about this Kingdom of the Devil amongst Men is the frequent acting and frequenting of Stage-Plays wherein the most Holy and Dreadful Name